Srivathsan Nadadhur

For an industry with such far-reaching influence, Telugu cinema has a relatively notorious track record when it comes to representing modern-day urban women in all their complexity. It is tempting to generalise that most films fail to get it right. Impure, a Tenglish (a mix of English and Telugu) film marking Nishanti Evani’s feature debut, liberates its women from linearity and allows them to breathe. They are messy, frustrated, confused, lonely and lost all at once; they have desires and are finding their way through love and career.

Lust Stories 3 is the third instalment of the popular Netflix franchise, exploring various dimensions of human desire through four shorts helmed by Kiran Rao, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vishal Bhardwaj and Shakun Batra. Konkona Sen, Radhika Apte, Ali Fazal, Vijay Varma, Sana Thampi, Siddharth, Gurfateh Pirzada, Aditi Rao Hydari and others essay key roles. Desire comes in many shapes and sizes, something that Lust Stories on Netflix has addressed with the sensitivity it merits, removing the ‘shame’ angle from the discussion. Roping in big names, both actors and directors, has given the franchise a widespread reach across both seasons, making it a conversation starter.

The prospect of a bright, colourful Telugu film about women across age groups and walks of life bonding over a European holiday is like music to the ears. The sheer rarity of such a narrative in an industry that often functions like an all-boys club can make some of us root for it instantly. After all, an all-woman road film offers abundant room to unpack how these characters view the world while indulging in some mischief. Director Abhiramm Naidu’s film is packed with contrasting characters wanting to set themselves free and forget the voids in their lives, albeit temporarily.

Sugam Mishra is a newly married railway cop who has just joined duty, juggling pressures at home and at work. He finds a mentor and a father figure in his senior. Afroz Hamza, a hacking enthusiast nursing a heartbreak in college, takes to crime for a living – joining hands with his uncle to do the dirty backend work for travel agents. While most films try to milk Divyendu Sharma’s Mirzapur image, a show like Waiting Hai actually showcases his range. As an earnest, newly-married man in his 20s starting a new job, he mirrors the character’s rebellion and idealism with honesty. Bhuvan Arora is decent as the invisible hacker wronged by the system. One of the more moving portrayals comes from Kumud Mishra as Sugam’s senior on the verge of retirement. The supporting cast – Vijay Maurya, Harshita Gaur, Sunita Rajwar and Dayashankar Pandey – deliver the goods.

Set in the Hindi heartland, Bundelkhand, Ghamasaan delves into the conflict between a powerful dacoit named Maharaj (Arshad Warsi) and a fearless officer, Aditya Singh (Pratik Gandhi). As Aditya tries to dismantle Maharaj’s reign, he needs to rise above deep corruption, taking stock of power struggles and the thin line between the law and the outlaws. Pratik Gandhi is decent as an approachable, earnest cop and gives it relatability. And, after a while, Arshad Warsi sheds his comedy image and brings an earthy flamboyance to a ruthless, proactive dacoit. Rajpal Yadav bags a unique role, and among the supporting cast, Deepraj Rana, Jatin Goswami and Ishita Dutta make a mark.

Cop Jai Ram’s life takes a drastic turn when his younger brother dies under mysterious circumstances. The local authorities and the officials quickly dismiss the tragedy as a mere accident. Refusing to buy it, he kickstarts an investigation to uncover what truly happened. Bharath fits the part of a hardened cop with a past and has the right composure and body language expected of a protagonist in a tight investigative thriller. Medha Reddy is decent in a role with limited scope. The show is particularly noteworthy for Roopa Lakshmi, who gets to do something substantial beyond her goody/emotional mother roles. Sivaji Raja does what’s expected of him, with no surprises there.

The Revolutionaries is a vivid document of the lesser-known armed resistance of India’s independence movement. Set in the early 20th century, it tells the stories of young, fearless freedom fighters, including Rash Behari Bose, Sachindranath Sanyal, and Bagha Jatin, as they risk everything to challenge the might of the British Empire. The series brings together several exciting talents that have made use of OTT as a talent showcase, including Bhuvan Bam, Rohit Saraf, Pratibha Ranta and Gurfateh Pirzada. Yet, they seem overwhelmed by the prospect of carrying the density of the theme. Bhuvan, Rohit and Pratibha get to shine in flashes, though nothing consistent enough to make it a poignant performance. Jason Shah, as General Dyer, is hardly intimidating.

The problem with films aligning with a particular trend is that they are always playing catch-up. Filmmakers have to hope the trend does not reach saturation anytime soon. Mahendragiri Varahi, a Telugu supernatural thriller that has been in the making for a few years, feels stale for the same reason. Surprisingly, it proceeds along the same lines as Santhosh Jagarlapudi and Sumanth’s earlier collaboration, Subrahmanyapuram. Both Mahendragiri Varahi and Subrahmanyapuram are clearly inspired by Karthikeya, a trendsetter in this genre, where an atheist protagonist heads to a superstitious village and uncovers the mystery behind a few strange occurrences.