Sanyukta Thakare

Panchayat season 4 settles down more into its tone after an intense conclusion to season 3. At the end of the previous season we witnessed the politics in the village taking a new turn as violence grew into an everyday occurrence. Over the years, the show has changed a lot. It first started with everyday adventure format where different incidents took place in the village and explored how it affected Abhishek. Now, the series in more about two political parties fighting against each other to rule the village. The season begins in the aftermath of Pradhanji being shot at. With the village elections coming closer, both parties try to pull each other down and de-influence the villagers. On the other hand, Abhishek appears for his MBA exam and is awaiting the results. The show does explore his dilemma about his future outside the village. However, he is determined to stay back and help Pradhanji and his family for as long as he can. His relationship with Rinki also grows steadily with an imminent separation in the future.

Directed and acted in by Donnie Yen as the lead, the film explores the story based on real events. It follows a former cop who joins the department of justice (law) to ensure the criminals pay for their crimes and innocents walks free. His first case as a prosecutor tests him and the people around him as he goes against the department and he sets out to prove the accused in not guilty. The film begins with a celebrated cop on a trial with the state trying to prove the man they caught is the leader of a drug mafia. However, after several attempts and risking the lives of his own team, the criminal walks free. The incident leads him to retire as cop and put his next three years into becoming a lawyer and joining the department of justice. His experience as a celebrated cop does garner him much love and respect in the department, but it also adds to his loyalty for the job. In turn helping the people around him also learning about the same and dedicating their lives to the work and the wellbeing of the public.

The film is being raved for one of the best adaptations in the recent years, and for good measure. Even with the additional content added to the runtime, great VFX/CGI, and the impeccable IMAX transitions, the film still have much more to offer. The live action does not stray from the original in terms on concept, context or plot, but it adds more to the lore and the emotional range of the characters, including the dragons. Toothless and the other four legged stars all get moments to shine, but the musical score, not so much. How To Train Your Dragon begins with its iconic monologue about Berk and its perks. Hiccup leads his way to the swordsmith’s store right after a Dragon attack on the village. In his path he leaves behind a lot of destruction not for the dragons but his own people. Despite everyone warning him to get inside, Hiccup takes his design to catch a Night Fury all by himself, but again ends up with destruction in his path. While he does hit something in the dark of the night, body is ready to belive him that its a Night Fury, even worse his father, the Chief of the village completely gives up on him and gets out to find the dragon’s nest with the rest of the village.

Directed by Karan Tejpal, Stolen isn’t your usual film that sets out to tell the story of based on true events. But it follows the events as they unfold and upends the life of two brothers. On their way to their mother’s wedding, the two estranged brother begin a journey willingly and unwillingly to find a women’s stolen kid. On this journey they end up finding themselves, a bit of humanity and their love for each other. Abhishek Banerjee played by Gautam Bansal, is asked to pick up his depressed younger brother Raman (played by Shubham Vardhan) from the train station. However, the delayed train makes matters worse when Raman gets off the train right as Champa, a few months old girl is stolen off the platform. The mother Jhumpa played by Mia Maelzer finds him with her daughter’s beanie, accusing him of stealing her. It leads to more chaos between the two brothers, a group of cops and the mother.

The latest British show has become one of the most talked about series in the recent weeks and rightfully so. Created and written by Paul Doolan, the show is led by infamous Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth. Following different cases each episode, the series explores the stories of a small town in Wales which unexpectedly holds home to one of the most iconic crime thriller actors of all time (in their universe). The series explores his relationship with a cop, while also delving deeper into the minds and world of the people in and around the town. The show begins with an introduction to Wales cop and detective Sergeant Janie Mallowan played by Gwyneth Keyworth. Her quirky personality is isn’t the thing that separates her from others as everyone in the station is eccentric in their own way. But her eagerness to do her job seems to the thing that sets her apart from others. Though different motivations are at play, her first case on the show puts her in touch with her cinematic hero and a national treasure, an actor who played the detective Cesar.

The film brings back the hits of the franchise possibly to revive it, but it only brings back some novelty with nostalgia of the 2000s filmmaking similar to Step Up series but with more fighting. Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, the sixth instalment in the franchise has Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, reprising their roles, while introducing Ben Wang as the main lead alongside Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, and Ming-Na Wen. With a short run time, the film stays focused on the action sequences, but fails to evoke any emotional connection with the characters like the previous films did. It begins with Ben Wang’s Li Fong’s mother announcing that she is moving to New York, after the death of her old son and Li has to come along with her. Li’s brother’s death left the family broken and now, Li isn’t allowed to fight either. His mother’s one rule is ‘No Violence’ and he breaks it the first day back at school. Li makes friend’s with one of the girls who lives in his area and also goes to his new school. She and her father runs the Pizza place, but they also have a connection to fighting. To save their shop Mia’s father decides to enter a street fight competition with a massive winning prize, but after watching Li fight, he wants Li to help him win.

Directed and written by Mehran Amrohi, the film saw a long awaited release. The film has finally hit the screens decade later amid all the remakes and reboots. With a fresh and easy emotional story to follow, the film is an endearing tale of childhood innocence that we still have and aspire for as adults. However, the plot on forefront is a gruelling tale of two kids who have lost their father and in doing so lost their childhood too. The film begins with two brothers playing in the backyard of the chawl. Both Shanu and Bua love to loiter around as any kid would want to, but as any mother would, their mother, now the sole parent can’t bare the thought of losing the kids too. Worrying after then while also worrying about how to get by line after the death of their husband, the sole breadearner, Vaishnavi is left with no other option but to send the kids to work. The decision is not only to make sure they are walk the right path in life but to also help earn a living.

The show has returned for a new season with a new story that explores another crime. Directed by Rohan Sippy, the season 4 follows another criminal case taken on by Pankaj Tripathi’s character, Madhav Mishra. Mishra is known for fighting against injustice and for his clients, but this time, instead of taking a pro bono case, he finally accepts a case from a wealthy client. Even though it puts him at odds with a high-paying consultant job, Mishra decides to stick by his client and do justice to him. Season 4 does take a different path as compared to the plots in previous seasons, but Mishra hasn’t changed, which keeps the audience rooted in the story. Season 4 begins with Mishra taking on a consulting job for a big law firm to keep up with his status. The first case he is asked to be part of has him convincing the victim to settle, as it would be in his best interest. With a small settlement amount, Mishra begins to learn how the big companies work, however, it doesn’t sit well with him. On the other hand, Anju Nagpal wants Mishra to take on her husband’s case as is getting arrested by the cops for his girlfriend’s murder. Anju who lives right across walked in on Raj Nagpal holding a bleeding body of his GF Roshini after hearing their maid’s distressed scream.