Guild Reviews
Vanvaas
Drama (Hindi)
Explores the dynamics of familial relationships, focusing on themes of sacrifice, emotional bonds, and the challenges of sustaining unity in modern times. The story delves into the lives of its central characters as they navigate conflicts and rediscover the importance of family values.
Cast:
Nana Patekar, Khushboo, Suman Nidhi Sharma, Utkarsh Sharma, Rajpal Yadav
Director:
Anil Sharma
Writer:
Anil Sharma
Human Drama Overshadowed by Verbosity
Mon, December 23 2024
The core premise is potent with possibilities for an empathetic experience. When elderly Deepak Tyagi (Nana Patekar), battling dementia, is abandoned in crowded Banaras by his hard-hearted family of three sons and their wives, his journey back home and comeuppance for the callous is an emotional space. Co-writing with Amjad Ali and Sunil Sirvaiya, director Anil Sharma places the family property named Vimla Sadan in a picturesque, snow-laden Palampur in Himachal Pradesh. Tyagi has plans of turning it into a trust. His sons and daughters-in-law who want to get their hands on the money, would rather desert him in faraway Banaras with no papers to identify him than let him sign the deed. It is tough for a man with memory lapses to survive.
The Six Triple Eight
Drama, War, History (English)
During World War II, the US Army's only all-Black, all-women battalion takes on an impossible mission: sorting through a three-year backlog of 17 million pieces of mail that hadn't been delivered to American soldiers and finish within six months.
Cast:
Kerry Washington, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon, Oprah Winfrey, Ebony Obsidian
Director:
Tyler Perry
Writer:
Tyler Perry
Kerry Washington Leads Meandering WWII Story About Forgotten All-Black Battalion
Mon, December 23 2024
Prolific filmmaker Tyler Perry’s latest is a departure from his usual fare. The actor-director tells the story of the inspiring women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black unit of the Women’s Army Corps that served in Europe. It is a tale not many were aware of, and the movie highlights how the women endured and served with dedication despite the odds against them.
Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous
Documentary, Drama, Music (Hindi)
He was an ordinary boy with extraordinary dreams. This intimate documentary traces the rise, fall and comeback of Indian rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh.
Cast:
Yo Yo Honey Singh
Director:
Mozez Singh
Netflix Documentary Is Cursory Exploration Of Singer's Life
Mon, December 23 2024
The new music documentary Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous attempts to show the darker side of fame. It prods and probes, but eventually, it allows the artist to be. The Netflix documentary is engaging enough, showing how an ordinary young man from Punjab rises to become the Indian music industry’s most well-known artist and goes on to open doors for others as well. The real truth of the docu-film lies when it features the man himself and those closest to him to open up about what he went through during his self-imposed break.
Honey Singh spits venom, bares his soul in faintly damning Netflix documentary
Sun, December 22 2024
The standard for Indian documentaries about cultural icons is so low that Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous, out now on Netflix, comes across as a refreshing change of pace. The streamer is itself guilty of lowering the bar with glorified PR exercises like Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale, Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli, and the worst of them all, The Romantics. They functioned more like corporate orientation films than the genuinely engaging journalistic profiles that they’re supposed to be. Not that the Honey Singh doc provides any real insight into his artistic process, barring the hilarious scene in which he is stumped by none other than Salman Khan. It does, however, do a decent enough job of giving audiences a peek inside his troubled mind. And for his fans, that will be enough. Many of them appear on camera, either commenting on his well-publicised fall from grace, or expressing their dismay at the lacklustre music that he has been releasing recently. In one scene, a woman tails him on a bike, and weeps openly as he stops to interact with her. A highly sensitive person himself, Honey recognises the emotions that she is experiencing, and begins serenading her with his biggest hit, “Blue Eyes.” Any cynical suspicion that you might have had about the woman being a plant disappears instantly. In another scene, a couple of flower sellers attempt to sell him a garland at the traffic signal. Honey quips that he needs a woman in his life to gift it to. They recognise him, and comment about his past troubles. “You’re looking smart now,” the young flower seller says to him. Honey is ecstatic.
An intimate portrayal
Sat, December 21 2024
At best, documentaries on celebrities tend to be an ode to their stardom; at worst, these end up as an exercise in image makeover for those who have fallen from grace. Rare is a documentary, especially of a living person, that dares to look truth in the eye and provides a balanced, insightful account. Is Sikhya entertainment’s Netflix film that endeavour? Maybe yes, maybe no, but while documenting the story of Punjabi singer Yo Yo Honey Singh, who has seen both dizzying heights of fame and the lows of infamy, director Mozez Singh does address the elephant in Honey’s life from the word go.
Mismatched S03
Drama (German)
Two male graffiti artists are partners in their work, but they are also having a sexual relationship with each other which they haven't disclosed to others.
Cast:
Jonas Ullmann, Nils Althaus, Franziska Schläpfer, Bardo Eicher, Alvaro Lobsiger
Director:
Simon Steuri
Rohit Saraf, Prajakta Koli's Young Adult Romance Presses A Messy Restart Button
Mon, December 23 2024
The ‘mismatched’ couple Dimple and Rishi is back for another season in the popular Netflix series. Mismatched Season 3 returns with a three-year time jump as viewers are plunged back into the long-distance couple’s lives, with updates on their friends and family. Against the background of the virtual versus real world, the show puts its characters through new sets of problems that often feel misplaced. Focusing on its large cast and some faces, the new season feels like an odd reset back to its first season.
Tue, December 17 2024
किरदारों का ग्राफ आगे बढ़ाने में भी कंजूसी बरती गई है
Mon, December 16 2024
एक टेक्नॉलजी को जी-जान से चाहने वाली अंबाला की मिडल क्लास लड़की डिंपल आहूजा (प्राजक्ता कोली) और एक टूटकर प्यार करने वाला जयपुर के रजवाड़े घराने का सच्चा आशिक ऋषि सिंह शेखावत (रोहित सराफ), यानी एक बिल्कुल ही मिसमैच्ड जोड़ी और जब ये दोनों मिलते हैं, तो क्या होता है यही कहानी है वेब सीरीज ‘मिसमैच्ड’ की। लेखिका संध्या मेनन की किताब ह्वेन डिंपल मेट ऋषि पर आधारित इस सीरीज के दो सीजन पहले ही आ चुके हैं और युवा दर्शकों के बीच डिंपल और ऋषि यानी प्राजक्ता कोली और रोहित सराफ की जोड़ी पहले ही काफी पसंद की जा चुकी है। उनकी केमिस्ट्री तीसरे सीजन में भी सुहाती है, मगर कहानी के मामले में सीरीज बेहद कमजोर और सतही साबित होती है।
Inside Out S02
Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family (English)
Teenager Riley's mind headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.
Cast:
Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale
Director:
Kelsey Mann
Inside Out Animated Spinoff Series Is A Clever, Funny Hollywood Satire
Mon, December 23 2024
Inside Out 2 returned this year to theatres with great fanfare as the sequel took audiences back to Riley’s life as she begins high school. The new animated series, Dream Productions, is set slightly before the film and follows Riley as a pre-teen adjusting to the time in-between being a kid and a teenager. Instead of the core gang of emotions that we are used to, the miniseries focuses on bubbly dream director, Paula Persimmon, who finds herself being obsolete.
Tanaav Vol 2
Crime, Drama (Hindi)
Kabir, a special task force veteran, is brought out of retirement to hunt down an enemy, Umar Riaz, he thought he had neutralised but is still alive. He, along with a reassembled special task force, decides to infiltrate Umar's brother's wedding after learning that Umar would be in attendance. However, when things do not go as planned, Kabir and his team must give their all to ensure the dangerous man is caught.
Cast:
Manav Vij, Arbaaz Khan, Shashank Arora, Rajat Kapoor, Sahiba Bali
Director:
Sudhir Mishra
Writer:
Adhir Bhat
Kashmir-Set Political Drama Has Thrilling Conclusion
Mon, December 23 2024
Returning after two years, the second season of the political drama Tanaav was split into two parts. The first six episodes premiered in early September, and the remaining six episodes of Vol. 2 wrap up the story that was introduced in part one. Manav Vij’s Kabir Farooqui and the Special Task Group (STG) race to contain Fareed aka Al Damishq (Gaurav Arora) before a crucial peace conference in the valley. While the first part felt like unfinished business, the second part comes to a thrilling end.
That Christmas
Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Adventure (English)
It's an unforgettable Christmas for the townsfolk of Wellington-on-Sea when the worst snowstorm in history alters everyone's plans — including Santa's.
Cast:
Brian Cox, Bill Nighy, Fiona Shaw, Jack Wisniewski, Jodie Whittaker
Director:
Simon Otto
Richard Curtis's Overstuffed Animated Family Film Can't Recreate Love Actually's Charm
Mon, December 23 2024
More than two decades ago, Love Actually became the quintessential British Christmas film. The rom-com featured connected stories of love, family, and, of course, Christmas. Writer-director Richard Curtis’s latest holiday offering is a family film, That Christmas, that follows the same template, but even with the mighty touch of Santa Claus, it can’t recreate that one-of-a-kind feeling. However, for a younger audience, the craziness of the narrative might be just passable.
Skeleton Crew
Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy (English)
Four ordinary kids search for their home planet after getting lost in the Star Wars galaxy.
Cast:
Jude Law, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kyriana Kratter, Robert Timothy Smith
Coming-Of-Age Star Wars Adventure In Space Is Nostalgic And Sweet
Mon, December 23 2024
The newest Star Wars series is a good old-fashioned space adventure led by a bunch of pre-teen heroines and heroes. Skeleton Crew brings together four imaginative children who embark on a trip to the outer galaxies that they won’t forget. The series also features Jude Law as a mysterious space pirate, whose role is yet to be determined. With only two episodes airing so far, the sci-fi series Skeleton Crew looks to unite Star Wars fans, young and old, in a classic adventure saga.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Adventure, Family, Animation (English)
Mufasa, a cub lost and alone, meets a sympathetic lion named Taka, the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of a group of misfits searching for their destiny.
Cast:
Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Tiffany Boone, Kagiso Lediga, Preston Nyman
Director:
Barry Jenkins
(Writing for OTT Play)
The Lion King Is A Disney-Sized Waste Of Director Barry Jenkins
Sun, December 22 2024
While watching Mufasa: The Lion King, all I could think about was this: 4 precious years of Barry Jenkins’ career were spent in front of Disney green screens and sound stages to not even create something madly original? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against effects-driven or photo-realistically animated movies; visionaries like Peter Jackson and James Cameron have redefined the relationship between technology and storytelling over the years. But Disney? Another Lion King film? My viewing experience was laced with the frustration of realising that yet another Hollywood studio franchise was doing wasteful Hollywood things.
Shah Rukh Khan's Great But We Want Justice For Taka
Sat, December 21 2024
Mufasa is the prequel to the Disney’s iconic film The Lion King. However, the film takes a different route than a typical prequel, we also get to see a follow-up plotline for Simba, Nala and their kids along with what’s going on at Pride Rock aka Milele. The Hindi Dub remains as close to the original names and essence of the characters while also adding a bit of a twist. While Simba and his family remain the prideful ruling family of Pride’s land, Timon, Pumbaa and some supporting characters get a twist with the Hindi Dub adding more comedy to the screenplay.
Has its moods and moments but lacks spirit and soul.
Fri, December 20 2024
If the 2019 reboot of The Lion King, that came out 25 years after the original, also called The Lion King, taught us anything, it is that one should never tamper with anything that has made a place for itself not only in the hearts of the audience but also in cinema history. Mufasa: The Lion King, though not a reboot or remake, can be added to that list. Serving as a prequel to the 2019 film, it takes us back in time to when Mufasa and Taka — as Scar was once known — were young cubs roaming the plains together.
Marco
Action, Crime, Thriller (Malayalam)
The adoptive son of the Adattu family, Marco, sets off on a ruthless quest for vengeance after his brother is brutally murdered, finding only betrayal, loss and unimaginable brutality at every step.
Cast:
Unni Mukundan, Siddique, Ishan Shoukath, Jagadish, Abhimanyu Thilakan
Director:
Haneef Adeni
Writer:
Haneef Adeni
In Unni Mukundan's Blood-Fest, Violence Is The Question And Also The Answer
Sat, December 21 2024
The blood begins to flow even before the first scene in Marco. For a film about a bastard son avenging the murder of his adopted brother, it’s appropriate for even the opening credits to show his family tree in the form of a (literal) bloodline, as blood flows from one generation to next. Haneef Adeni, after the unwatchable comedy Ramachandra Boss & Co, returns home to a world he is most familiar with, in Marco. All his obsessions return too, including the Biblical references, Christian symbolism, Malayali men dressed for black tie events in peak summer, and the cringiest of English dialogues that are too lethal even for TikTok.
Jhansi Ka Rajkumar
(English)
“Jhansi Ka Rajkumar” 2024 is a Hindi comedy-drama film directed by Nicholas Kharkongor, featuring Gulshan Devaiah and Namita Dubey in lead roles. The film explores gender stereotypes in small-town India, portraying a stay-at-home husband and his working wife.
Gulshan Devaiah's Small-Town Comedy is Dull and Dated
Sat, December 21 2024
Even as an Ayushmann Khurrana-coded small-town comedy that’s a decade too late, Jhansi Ka Rajkumar feels dated. The film stars Gulshan Devaiah as Rajkumar, a stay-at-home dad struggling to adjust to a move from Delhi to Jhansi — or, more accurately, struggling to function in a judgmental society. His wife, Devayani (Namita Dubey), is the breadwinner with a government job. You know the drill. Gender role reversal. Ridicule. Stigma. Pressure to conform. Marital conflict. Speech. Resolution. This is basically a middle-class Ki & Ka (2016), just not as gimmicky and self-satisfied. But it’s also not as self-contained as Barun Sobti’s track in Raat Jawaan Hai, a show where the guy’s “progressive househusband” tag silently gnaws away at him.
Appuram
Drama (Malayalam)
A teenage girl, caught between the love for her mother and the fear of losing her, battles inner turmoil and societal taboos as she strives to honour a promise, confronting the harsh realities of gender discrimination and deeply rooted superstitions. As she treads through this intricate maze, she discovers the limitations of her youth, often realising the helplessness of being a young girl in a world where adults make all decisions. Set against the backdrop of contemporary India, where gender discrimination is normalised, the film sheds light on the persistence of superstitions in society. The movie explores the profound bond between a mother and daughter and the lengths to which a young girl could go to fulfil a promise made to her mother.
Cast:
Anagha Maya Ravi, Jagadish, Mini IG
Director:
Indu Lakshmi
Writer:
Indu Lakshmi
(Writing for Dhruvam)
Sat, December 21 2024
Appuram/The Other Side unfolds like flashcards, like shards of memory that Janaki (Anagha Ravi) collects and rearranges in her mind. A series of Polaroids, seemingly disconnected in time, each capturing a fleeting moment of joy or grief, burned into the teen’s psyche. At the core of the film is her mother, Chithra (Mini IG), who was pulled towards self-harm and death by acute depression, even as the daughter and her father, Venu (Jagadish), did everything in their power to keep her alive.