Nonika Singh

Gifted actor Jaideep Ahlawat is not the only common factor between the second season of ‘Paatal Lok’ and the third outing of ‘The Family Man’. At first glance, the plot too seems achingly similar. The storyline is set in the beauteous Northeast — Nagaland, to be precise. A peace accord with the rebels is in order and a grandfather-grandson conflict forms a solid leitmotif. Despite these familiarities, creators Raj & DK are on top of their game once again.

When ‘Delhi Crime Season One’ first dropped in 2019, it recreated a searing account of the horrific Nirbhaya rape and murder case with exceptional sense and sensitivity. Shefali Shah as DCP Vartika Chaturvedi, endearingly addressed as “Madam Sir”, completely won us over. ‘Season Two’ was an incisive anatomy of the mind of a serial killer, chillingly portrayed by Tillotama Shome.

hah Bano is a name etched in the annals of judicial history, as an epitome of resistance and resilience. Of course, in ‘Haq’, though inspired by Jigna Vora’s book ‘Bano: Bharat ki Beti’, the name is Shazia Bano. Why ‘Haq’, revisiting the landmark 1985 Supreme Court judgment on Muslim women’s right to maintenance, had to seek refuge under a long disclaimer and change of name needs no second guess. As things stand, Shah Bano’s daughter has filed a case against the makers (which has been dismissed). With the exceptionally well-made film, we don’t know whether this re-imagination of the historic verdict in favour of Shah Bano will satisfy her daughter or not, but naysayers fearing a dose of Islamophobia can relax.

Classic text, a terrific performance not just by its lead heroine Tessa Thompson but other actors too, writing which is both faithful to the original plot and takes its own leap of faith and imagination — ‘Hedda’ is certainly not your average film. Neither is it a frame-by-frame adaptation of the OG. Reimagining famed Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s play ‘Hedda Gabler’, giving it a queer spin, ‘Hedda’ is obviously held together by its titular character.

The MHCU (Maddock Horror Comedy Universe) has gained much success for blending horror with comedy, delivering one superhit after another in the genre it almost reinvented with ‘Stree’. As yet another much-awaited outing of the indigenous franchise hit the screens, expectations were sky high. Not only does ‘Thamma’ come from the production house which lately can boast of hitting the bull’s eye each time, it also has an unusual pair worth rooting for.

Two excellent actors, thriller genre, a real story and an authentic setting… ‘Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas’ seems to possess very many ingredients that make for a gripping fare. Indeed, the film starts off well: a girl has gone missing. Arshad Warsi, as Inspector Vishwas Bhagwat, has serious anger management issues and gets a punishment posting in the same town. He has a backstory, which is just hinted at to begin with, but explains both his anger and passion to go after criminals like a man possessed. His investigation into this particular case not only leads him to many more missing girls, but also dead end after dead end, until a breakthrough presents itself.

It’s just another whodunit on the face of it, but packs pertinent points as it unfolds. The title itself is a giveaway. The very first scene shows flashes of a brutal killing. Here onwards, we come to the heart of the series: Konkona Sen Sharma. She is ACP (Crime Branch) Sanyukta Das, who is about to leave Mumbai to join her husband (a credible special appearance by Mukul Chadda) in Ahmedabad.

In 2022, when Rishab Shetty’s ‘Kantara’ hit the screens, the breath of fresh air wrapped in originality and ingenuity swept not just his home state Karnataka but the country at large like a storm. Three years later, as the prequel, once again an amalgamation of folklore, rituals and the ancient Indian belief system rooted in Kannada culture, makes its tryst with big screens, it’s a tornado. Only, it will sweep you off your feet for all the right reasons. Call it a cinematic marvel, an ethereal experience, masterclass in how not to get a franchise wrong, ‘Kantara’s’ prequel reinforces how legends are born. Shetty, writer-director and lead actor, proves resoundingly how ‘Kantara’ was no fluke, only a flash of the multitalented genius that he is. Shetty ups the game in all aspects. Story-telling with writing support from Anirudh Mahesh and Shanil Guru, world building or treatment, he does not falter in any department.