Guild Reviews
Amaltash
Drama, Romance, Family (Marathi)
Living in an old city, serendipity smiles on composed musician Rahul when he meets warm and spontaneous Keerthi, who is intrigued by his music.
Cast:
Rahul Deshpande, Pallavi Paranjpe, Pratibha Padhye, Deepti Mate, Trisha Kunte
Director:
Suhas Desale
Writer:
Mayuresh Wagh
A breeze of freshness that makes you pause and reflect
Sat, February 17 2024
Often, it is the films made with passion that leave a lasting impression on the minds of the viewers. Nothing larger-than-life, no grand sets, nothing unbelievable – just a simple story told with sincerity and made relatable by its characters. If Amaltash was to be explained in brief, this would suffice. Amaltash is a simple, straightforward story of a gifted musician named Rahul (Rahul Deshpande) whose life has changed after an incident in his past. Rahul has learned the importance of soaking in the small pleasures of life and being composed in the most strenuous of situations. Enter Keerti (Pallavi Paranjape), the NRI from Canada who lands in Pune to meet her grandmother (Pratibha Padhye) and has a chance encounter with Rahul who is at her granny’s house to tune their piano. Taken by Rahul’s musical prowess, Keerti meets him again at Rahul’s friend’s music store. They talk and bond over music and soon strike a friendship. Love blossoms organically. But are they meant to spend their life together?
Kiss Wagon
Animation (Malayalam)
In the realm of Mountland, Ms. Isla maintains control through a labyrinthine parcel service system. It’s the only form of order in this chaotic world. As the Atqaba religious festival nears, Ms. Isla is entrusted with the delivery of an unconventional package from an important figure, and its destination is anything but usual. It’s a mission even she feels unsettled by, but her reputation is everything, so she sets off on the perilous journey.
Cast:
Reshma Ramachandran, Jicky Paul, Midhun Murali
Director:
Midhun Murali
Writer:
Midhun Murali
(Writing for Film Companion)
A Meditation On Love, Civilisation, Violence And Religion
Tue, February 6 2024
This January, Malayalam cinema saw the convergence of its two extremes. A big-budget drama featuring a male superstar who wields unassailable influence over the local audience was released in theatres on the 25th, jolting the film ecosystem out of its lull. Coincidentally, Kiss Wagon, an experimental feature film directed by Midhun Murali, premiered in IFFRʼs (International Film Festival of Rotterdam) coveted Tiger Competition section, where it won two prizes– the FIPRESCI award and the first Special Jury Award.