Guild Reviews
Criminal Justice: A Family Matter
Crime, Mystery, Drama (Hindi)
Attorney Madhav Mishra represents Raj Nagpal, discovered with murdered nurse Roshni Saluja after his child's party. As the trial unfolds, hidden facts emerge, questioning identities.
Cast:
Pankaj Tripathi, Surveen Chawla, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Mita Vashisht, Asha Negi, Shweta Basu Prasad, Khushboo Atre, Barkha Singh
Director:
Rohan Sippy
Pankaj Tripathi, Surveen Chawla shoulder a gripping courtroom story
Mon, June 2 2025
At the heart of Criminal Justice Season 4: A Family Matter is indeed a family matter, and that of the affluent Nagpal family. Raj Nagpal (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) and his estranged wife Anju Nagpal (Surveen Chawla) live in the same building, but in different apartments. They share a teenage daughter, Ira, who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome. Then there’s Raj’s mother, Gurmeet, and his girlfriend Roshni Saluja (Asha Negi), who is also Ira’s nurse. It’s a modern family, and everyone seems to have come to terms with the arrangement. All seems well until one day, their shared househelp Kamala walks in to see a dead Roshni lying in a pool of blood in Raj’s arms. Her cry for help reaches Anju, who rushes from next door, and immediately calls up the police. Raj is now the prime suspect in the police investigation and Anju reaches out to lawyer Madhav Mishra (Pankaj Tripathi) for help. What follows is a taut murder investigation - with the angles of police interrogation, courtroom drama and a parallel media trial.
(Writing for M9 News)
Lives up to Expectations
Sat, May 31 2025
Raj Nagpal, a revered medico, finds himself on the brink of divorce. Despite their differences, Raj and his wife, Anju, are committed to co-parenting their daughter, Ira, who has Asperger’s syndrome. Amidst the domestic trouble, Raj falls for Roshni, a nurse at his hospital. While the trio initially maintains cordiality, their peace shatters with Roshni’s shocking murder. Raj is taken into police custody, and lawyer Madhav Mishra is out to secure his release. Pankaj Tripathi’s ability to bring grounded-ness and believability to his roles across genres has kept him in good standing for many years now. While the laid-back persona and subtle humour continue to remain the USPs of his performance in project after project, it’s surprising how the petrol in his tank never dries up. Criminal Justice Season 4 is another terrific proof of his talent.
Pankaj Tripati Brings Back A Well-Written, Directed Drama
Sat, May 31 2025
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.
Karate Kid: Legends
Action, Adventure, Drama (English)
After a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren't enough. Li's kung fu teacher Mr. Han enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
Cast:
Ben Wang, Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Aramis Knight, Wyatt Oleff, Shaunette Renée Wilson, David Robitaille
Director:
Jonathan Entwistle
Writer:
Rob Lieber
Jackie Chan’s Film Is For Only Novelty With Few Good Action Scenes
Mon, June 2 2025
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.
A respectful retread
Sat, May 31 2025
The sixth film in the martial arts franchise that debuted in 1984, Karate Kid: Legends flings open the dojo doors to deliver chops, blocks, and kicks in a nostalgic throwback for fans of the Karate Kid movies. This latest entry, a legacy sequel, deftly combines former franchise stars, elements from the last five films, and updated threads from the Cobra Kai television series, while introducing a new Chinese lead in a familiar underdog-turned-hero arc. But the tropes remain the same. The underdog journey of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) in 1984’s The Karate Kid—waxing on and off under Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita)—is mirrored in a contemporary New York setting, where Chinese student Li Fong must navigate a new world. The franchise has always been about mentorship, honour, and a game-changing final kick—even in the 2010 reboot with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, which leaned more into kung fu. Cobra Kai flipped the script, featuring Macchio as LaRusso and giving Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) a redemptive arc.
Sat, May 31 2025
बात करीब 40 साल पहले 1984 की है, जब कुंग फू-कराटे पर आधारित मार्शल आर्ट ड्रामा ‘द कराटे किड’ आई थी। देखते ही देखते यह दुनिया की ऐसी चहेती फ्रेंचाइज बन गई कि 1986, 1989 और 1994 में इसके तीन सीक्वल आए। फिर 2010 में जैकी चैन को मुख्य भूमिका में लेकर इसे रीबूट किया गया, तो टीवी सीरीज ‘कोबरा काई’ भी बनी। वहीं, अब इसकी छठी पेशकश ‘कराटे किड: लेजेंड्स’ सिनेमाघरों में पहुंची है। जाहिर है, ऐसी कामयाब फ्रेंचाइजी से ऊंची उम्मीदें होना स्वाभाविक है, मगर अफसोस कि देखे-दिखाए फॉर्मूले के चलते यह फिल्म अपने टाइटल की तरह ‘लेजेंड’ बनने से काफी दूर रह गई है। जोनाथन एंथविसल के डायरेक्शन में बनी इस फिल्म की कहानी है, बीजिंग के एक युवा ली फोंग (बेन वांग) की। ली, मिस्टर हान (जैकी चैन) के कुंग-फू स्कूल का स्टार स्टूडेंट है, लेकिन उसकी डॉक्टर मां नहीं चाहती कि ली मार्शल आर्ट से कोई रिश्ता रखे। असल में, एक फाइट में वह अपने कुंग-फू चैंपियन बड़े बेटे को खो चुकी है, इसलिए ली को इससे दूर रखने के लिए न्यूयॉर्क में नई जिंदगी शुरू करती है।
Kankhajura
Drama, Crime (Hindi)
A man serving a murder sentence gets released early from prison on the condition that he cooperates with the police as their informant - a role (known as a magpie) that he also had in jail.
Cast:
Roshan Mathew, Mohit Raina, Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, Sarah-Jane Dias, Ninad Kamat, Mahesh Shetty, Heeba Shah, Usha Nadkarni
Director:
Chandan Arora
(Writing for OTT Play)
A Toothless Series About Vindication
Mon, June 2 2025
In Chandan Arora’s Kankhajura, an actor is pitted against the show. This isn’t the story, but the effect. Roshan Mathew plays the protagonist and delivers a performance that is at once suited to the presumed complexity of the series and at odds with the inert ambition of it. The bravura turn uplifts Arora’s work, prompting a reading of what it could have been had it strived harder, and underlines its failure to match up to the merit of its protagonist. Arora is Ashu, a timid young man who stutters when anxious. And, he is anxious all the time. His eyes are perpetually lowered, and his back is slouched like he is pinned against the wall. His defeatist body language suggests decades of bullying, and yet, he was imprisoned for killing someone. The only person who gets him going is his brother, Max (Mohit Raina), a flamboyant builder dissimilar to his sibling in every way. Max is ambitious and reassured, forceful and scheming.
(Writing for M9 News)
Revenge Drama with a New Twist
Sat, May 31 2025
Ashu is released from prison after 14 years for a murder in which he was possibly framed. He aims to exact revenge against his indifferent, wealthy brother Max and his pals Shardul and Pedro, the prime reasons behind his jail stint. He cunningly infiltrates Max’s life and real estate business, juggling police obligations with a personal vendetta. Who has the last laugh in this sibling rivalry? Roshan Mathew’s decision to chase greener pastures in Hindi cinema, apart from Malayalam, is yielding impressive results. He sinks his teeth into the portrayal of Ashu, a socially awkward younger brother whose trauma fuels his bitterness. Mohit Raina, pitted against Roshan’s Ashu, has a relatively straightforward character arc but lends the necessary snobbishness to his portrayal.
Roshan Mathew Is Riveting In Dark Thriller About Family And Human Behaviour
Sat, May 31 2025
While KanKhajura is an official remake of the Israeli series Magpie, certain updates done by the makers of the show feel more potent. The first being the title change, which fits Roshan Mathew’s Ashu much better. The actor plays Ashu, who reenters society after spending 14 years in jail as a teenager. Trying to reconnect with his older brother, Max (Mohit Raina), he ends up destroying his carefully crafted life instead. The Hindi remake is most effective at trying to get to the root of the siblings’ relationship. KanKhajura: PlotRelocated to Goa, the show examines Max and Ashu’s bond as adults. Max is about to embark on an important chapter in his life as he bids to redevelop an impoverished colony with luxury villas. As Max comes up against bureaucratic and other hurdles in his proposal, Ashu decides to help him out in his own way. Their methods show their different approaches and attitudes in life. The brothers’ eventual clash is oddly compelling to watch as they air all their grievances.
Andhar Maya
Drama, Horror (Marathi)
A family moves back to their ancestral home and faces supernatural occurrences as unresolved past events linger.
Cast:
Rutuja Bagwe, Shubhankar Tawde, Shubhangi Bhujbal, Omprakash Shinde, Kishore Kadam, Anup Belwalkar
Director:
Bhimrao Mude
Writer:
Kapil Bhopatkar, Pralhad Kudtarkar
(Writing for M9 News)
Few New Ideas, Weak Execution
Sun, June 1 2025
The Khatu family gathers for Dinushet’s last rituals, each with hidden agendas concerning their ancestral home. As young Sayali senses a ghostly presence, the mystery of Dinushet’s death unfolds amidst family arguments. Secrets of Manoj and Shalaka are revealed. Nayana and jewels vanish. Sayali befriends a spirit. Is it too late before Kartik and Madhavi realise the mastermind behind the murders? Kishor Kadam is undeniably the show-stealer in Andhar Maya, with his superb screen presence gradually building an element of mystery, even though the writing isn’t always sharp. Among the other actors, Rutuja Bagwe and Shubhangi Bhujbal make an impression within the limitations of their roles. Anup Belwalkar, Shubhankar Tawde, and Omprakash Shinde deliver decent performances. The child artist, Pihu Gosavi, also manages to shine in a few moments.
Bhairavam
Action, Crime, Thriller (Telugu)
The relationship between three childhood friends begins to crumble as their loyalty is tested.
Cast:
Bellamkonda Srinivas, Manchu Manoj, Nara Rohith, Aditi Shankar, Anandhi, Divya Pillai, Inaya Sultana
Director:
Vijay Kanakamedala
(Writing for The Hindu)
Bellamkonda Sreenivas starrer is a loud, disjointed rural drama
Sun, June 1 2025
There are no hard and fast rules for remaking a successful film in another language. Yet, a director would do well to remember why a story is being retold for a new audience, even while not aiming to better the original. Bhairavam, the Telugu remake of Soori’s Tamil film Garudan, aimlessly rehashes a hit formula, making little effort to decode the merits of the original. In a vain attempt to lend socio-political relevance to a story about the looting of temple wealth, Bhairavam begins with a disclaimer on the need to safeguard our temples and dharma from falling into the wrong hands, even throwing in a passing reference to the Mughal era. The rural drama, at its core, is a straightforward tale of a crooked politician exploiting the rift among three friends for personal gain.
Agnyathavasi
Thriller, Mystery (Kannada)
In 1997, a rural police inspector leads a simple life until a crime occurs at his quiet village outpost after 25 years. His investigation uncovers long-buried secrets in the town.
Cast:
Rangayana Raghu, Sharath Lohitashwa, Ravishanker Gowda, Siddu Moolimani, Paavana Gowda
Director:
Janardhan Chikkanna
(Writing for M9 News)
Decent Slowburn Crime Drama
Sat, May 31 2025
Govindu, a police officer by profession and a farmer by passion, leads a quiet life with his family in Nalkeri, a supposedly crime-free village nestled in Malenadu. His idyllic routine is disrupted when Srinivasaiah, a respected elder, dies under mysterious circumstances. Sensing something amiss, Govindu begins an investigation that draws in Rohit, a tech enthusiast, and Pankaja, the former lover of Srinivasaiah’s son, Arun. Rangayana Raghu gets a rare role that fully taps into his experience and range, with a solid, layered performance. His brooding screen presence is a delight to watch. Similarly, Sharath Lohitashwa, often cast in one-note roles, is refreshing in a sedate, well-intentioned part – a smart casting choice.
An atmospheric investigative drama that revels in its complex simplicity
Sat, April 12 2025
Agnyathavasi is the last film where you’d expect an objectifying number finding itself in the narrative. This is a slow-burn drama set in the idyllic Malnad region. This is set in the late 90s, and features an ageing inspector, a much-older retired postmaster, a lot of conversations about parenting and farming, and a murder. So it doesn’t make sense that Agnyathavasi features a song that objectifies, literally. And the object in question is a computer… the first one to arrive at the village. The way the camera caresses the curvature of the monitor, the first time it is switched on, the first time the keyboard is used… there is so much focus on the computer, which is going to change the fate of a few people. But they don’t know it yet. And the best part? We don’t either.
(Writing for The News Minute)
Great performances, good direction make for a satisfying thriller
Fri, April 11 2025
There’s an oft-repeated phrase people use after watching certain films — it is “slow.” I didn’t understand it then, I don’t understand it now. Labels help no one. Does life move in real time or at an accelerated pace? The issue of pacing strikes the audience only when they aren’t drawn into the world the director and storyteller have created. Agnyathavasi (translation: ‘a person in exile’) is a film that insists it will breathe — and wants you to breathe with it. Editor Bharath MC works his charm here. Which is why, despite generally steering clear of thrillers and jump scares, I was drawn into the film’s world — gently, like the fog and the mist of Malnad, where the story is set. The thrills here stem not from the certainty of geography, the reliance on camera angles, or music cues — though Charan Raj’s score is fabulous — but from the possibilities of the human mind.
Manidhargal
Drama, Thriller (Tamil)
A Suspense Thriller drama film about six friends who get together for a night of drinking and how, over the next six hours, a small trap they encounter explodes into a big problem. The core idea revolves around the ever-changing human psyche and the emotional rollercoaster it undergoes.
Cast:
kapil veleavan, Daksha, Arjun Dev Saravanan, Gunavanthan, K Sambasivam
Director:
Raam Indhra
Writer:
Raam Indhra
A Short-Film Idea Uncomfortably Stretched Into A Feature
Sat, May 31 2025
A bunch of friends, after a night of heavy drinking, wake up to find one of them dead. Panic-stricken, the four of them try to get rid of the body, and thus begins their car ride, and the audience’s excruciating ordeal that lasts for 100 minutes. Manidhargal, a crowd-funded movie, has a core problem of being an inadequate idea for a feature film. The story is wafer-thin that would have suited a short flick as the sequences are redundant without any major development or revelation. Though Manidhargal is a relatively short feature film, it can feel exhausting to watch, especially as the scenes of grown men crying and panicking become difficult to endure. Kaali (Kapil Velavan) is supposed to be the hard-boiled character in the film, who doesn’t break till the end. Mano (Gunavarthan) is the crybaby, who doesn’t stop his antics. Sathish (Dhasha) is a relatively sane guy who also starts wailing as the clock ticks. Samba Sivam as Chandru seems to have drunk something potent than Absinthe, because he doesn’t seem to sober up. Arjun Dev as Deepan is part of the film because having just three characters would make the painful redundancy obvious. The four lead actors are like emojis that don’t change their expression.
Moonwalk
Drama (Malayalam)
It's the year 1987. Youngsters living in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram start exploring breakdancing.
Cast:
Meenakshi Raveendran, Srikant Murali, Manoj Moses, Shersha Sherief
Director:
A.K Vinod
Writer:
Sunil Gopalakrishnan, A.K Vinod, Mathew Varghis
A heartfelt tribute to the breakdancing subculture
Sat, May 31 2025
Evoking a time period is a challenge of a lesser order as opposed to effectively transporting the audience to that period. A few carefully chosen props might be enough to pull off the former, while the latter involves the arduous task of authentically capturing the zeitgeist of that time and hitting all the right notes to make it believable for those who might have lived through those times. In Moonwalk, debutant filmmaker Vinod A.K. makes a bold attempt for the latter and lands stylishly on his toes, evoking the iconic dance move of the early 1990s. The world that he recreates is the early 1990s in the coastal and rural belts of Thiruvananthapuram or rather more specifically, the emergence of a breakdancing subculture among groups of youths during that period. Of course, there are the grainy VHS tape visuals, Walkman, STD booths, disco-inspired costumes, frizzy long hair, Michael Jackson fanhood and every other nostalgia-evoking material from those times, but all of these are woven organically into a straight-forward, simple plot that holds an emotional pull.
A VHS-Era Dance Movie With The Meanest Of Moves
Sat, May 31 2025
In an early sequence in Moonwalk, we see a group of seven friends assembling in front of a vintage Sony Trinitron television with a video tape of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The year is 1987, long before smart phones and YouTube, and this means that watching a glimpse of MJ has taken weeks of planning. Each one of them have their own theories on getting the video cassette player to work; finally when they manage to get it playing, all we see are waves of static, with unrecognisable bits of Thriller on screen. For a small budget Malayalam film releasing today, it’s not tough to imagine how impossibly out-of-reach it must have been to afford even a tiny 10-second clip of the iconic song. Yet even without showing us a single shot of MJ or his songs, the film manages to find its way to invoke his spirit. It’s a film set right at the peak of the break dance era and there couldn’t have been a more fitting way to begin the tribute. Yet the real beauty of Vinod AK’s film is how he’s able to hold on to this feeling until we arrive at a very satisfying payoff, much much later.
Saunkan Saunkanay 2
Comedy, Romance (Punjabi)
Complications arise when a man with two wives attempts to get married a third time.
Cast:
Ammy Virk, Sargun Mehta, Nimrat Khaira
Director:
Smeep Kang
Writer:
Amberdeep Singh
(Writing for The Indian Express)
Ammy Virk faces triple trouble in this laugh-out-loud film
Sat, May 31 2025
Punjabi cinema and comedy are a match made in blockbuster heaven and Ammy Virk’s latest film, Saunkan Saunkanay 2, directed by Smeep Kang seems to be headed that way. The blockbuster success of Saunkan Saunkne (2022) precipitated this sequel, featuring the returning star cast of Nimrat Khaira, Sargun Mehta (in a double role) and Nirmal Rishi. Written by Amberdeep Singh, the film features the marital life of Nirmal Singh (Ammy Virk), which is complicated even further, as completely fed up with his existing two wives, he starts thinking of the possibility of a third!
Sikandar
Action, Thriller (Hindi)
A fiery youth confronts a powerful network of corruption, challenging the status quo and fighting for the common people's rights in a nation gripped by injustice.
Cast:
Salman Khan, Rashmika Mandanna, Sathyaraj, Sharman Joshi, Kajal Agarwal, Prateik Babbar, Nawab Shah, Kishore, Neha Iyer, Jatin Sarna
Director:
A.R. Murugadoss
Anurag Kashyap’s right; Bollywood is doomed if stars like Salman Khan enable the Snapchat-ification of cinema
Sat, May 31 2025
While Tom Cruise dangles off World War II biplanes and redefines movie stardom for the 21st century, Salman Khan is celebrated for simply showing up to work. This, in essence, is why our mainstream cinema can never compete. Both Cruise and Salman have attained demi-god status, but at this point, Bhai’s bracelet has a bigger screen presence than him. Watched mere days after Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Salman’s latest film, Sikandar, feels more disheartening than it may have appeared when it was released in theatres. It’s the most recent example of how mainstream Bollywood is pandering to the audience’s perceived demands, instead of challenging them to keep up. Sikandar is made up of around 500 equally nonsensical plots, which are introduced and executed in 10-minute bursts of maniacal disregard for the tenets of moviemaking. It’s like micro-dosing on Being Human deodorant; you’re going to come out the other side either with a vaguely foreign accent, or you’re going to become obsessed with finding doppelgängers of your ex-partners. Starring Salman as the king Sanjay Rajkot, Sikandar mutilates the very idea of cinema with its ineptly edited, lazily written, and lethargically acted brand of storytelling.
'Sikandar' is a drab, sluggish 'being human' campaign for Salman Khan
Tue, April 1 2025
There’s something pitiable, even desperate, about Sikandar’s attempts to glorify its titular hero. He is Sanjay (Salman Khan), a beloved raja, whose people worship him because of his philanthropic (read ‘being human’) ways. Writer-director A.R. Murugadoss sticks to a bland, predictable template for the narrative. An action sequence, followed by a romantic sequence with wife (Rashmika Mandanna); throw in a song, stir up some random conflict that necessitates an action sequence again where Sikandar, the eternal saviour, rises. The rallying call? “Raja sahab, mujhe bachalo!”. If there’s one flaw in the infallible hero, it’s that he’s got little time for his Mrs. It’s another thing that scenes featuring the Mr and Mrs are entirely devoid of romance or chemistry, making it perhaps one of the most sterile jodis of cinema. Preference for praja over wife comes at a heavy price for the protagonist. Where Murugadoss hopes to make Sikandar stand out in the Bhai genre of films is by showcasing him as a grieving husband and also a Gujarati with a ginormous heart. It’s a load that the stone-faced star struggles with.
Old Wine, Old Bottle
Tue, April 1 2025
Following the releases of Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan in 2015 and 2016, respectively, Salman Khan’s career has faced a downward trajectory marked by a series of unsuccessful films. His popularity has waned, and the arrival of Sikander has been met with little excitement, suggesting it may also depart the same way. Despite the involvement of A.R. Murgadoss, you would expect some kind of anticipation to build up but maybe the filmmakers knew it was a lost cause.. The only positive aspect is that Sikander is not as bad as Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (2023) Radhe (2021) or Tubelight (2017), but then that is not saying much. The standards have fallen so low in recent years that they have reached rock bottom.
Chidiya
Adventure, Drama, Family (Hindi)
Three restless cousins search for a way to achieve their dream of playing badminton in a little Indian town, overcoming obstacles such like the lack of a play area, the necessary equipment, having to go to work all day and dealing with a single mother and stuck-up neighbors.
Cast:
Svar Kamble, Ayush Pathak, Vinay Pathak, Amruta Subhash, Inaamulhaq, Brijendra Kala, Hetal Gada
Director:
Mehran Amrohi
Writer:
Mehran Amrohi
Amruta Subhash, Vinay Pathak’s Film Brings Back The Childhood Innocence
Sat, May 31 2025
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.
A Sweet And Self-Contained Film About Lost Childhoods
Sat, May 31 2025
When you hear that a film made ten years ago is getting a long-delayed release, preconceived notions take over. The same set of thoughts emerge: it’ll be dated, it’ll have the small-film-with-a-big-heart syndrome, it’ll be an indie asking for sympathy, it’ll be have intentions than craft. It can be worse when it’s a children’s film — you almost expect it to revolve around a cycle or an unattainable toy or the pursuit of little-things happiness with sad-violin music. Chidiya, too, revolves around two brothers from a Mumbai chawl — 9-year-old Shanu (Svar Kamble) and 5-year-old Bua (Ayush Pathak) — who want to play a game whose name they don’t know. It involves a shuttlecock and two rackets. They spend days trying to hustle together a net, some space, and most of all, some time. Their struggle features a few quirky characters from the neighbourhood. See what I mean?
सपनों के घोंसले में ख्वाहिशों की ‘चिड़िया’
Fri, May 30 2025
इस फिल्म का नाम, पोस्टर और ट्रेलर देखिए तो लगता है कि यह ऐसे गरीब बच्चों की कहानी होगी जो बैडमिंटन खेलना चाहते हैं लेकिन उनके पास न जगह है, न संसाधन। किसी तरह से ये लोग सब जुगाड़ते हैं, मुश्किलों से लड़ते हैं और एक दिन अपने से बलशाली खिलाड़ियों को हरा कर जीत हासिल करते हैं। लेकिन यह फिल्म देखिए तो ऐसा कुछ नहीं मिलता। बिन बाप के दो बच्चे हैं। ‘चिड़िया’ से खेलना चाहते हैं। किसी तरह से जगह, सामान वगैरह का इंतज़ाम करते हैं लेकिन मां का हाथ बंटाने के लिए उन्हें काम पर जाना पड़ता है। बैडमिंटन खेलने का उनका सपना अंत तक सपना ही बना रहता है। और फिर एक दिन…! यह कहानी असल में उन लाखों-करोड़ों लोगों के जीवन में झांकती है जो अपनी ज़रूरतें पूरी करने के लिए पूरी ज़िंदगी निकाल देते है। इस दौरान कभी उनके छोटे-छोटे सपने, छोटी-छोटी ख्वाहिशें सिर उठाती भी हैं तो अक्सर उन्हें दबा दिया जाता है। इस फिल्म को देखिए तो अफसोस होता है कि जिस उम्र में बच्चे पढ़ते हैं, खेलते हैं उस उम्र में कुछ बच्चों को मज़दूरी क्यों करनी पड़ती है? इन बच्चों की बाल-सुलभ हरकतें, जिज्ञासाएं, तमन्नाएं हैं लेकिन मन में टीस उठती है उनकी गरीबी, मजबूरी, बेबसी को देख कर। यह फिल्म हमें ऐसे किरदारों के करीब ले जाकर यह भी दिखाती है कि सपने देखने का हक सिर्फ भरी जेब वालों को ही नहीं होता।
American Manhunt - Osama bin Laden
Documentary (English)
Featuring rare footage and interviews with CIA insiders, this edge-of-your-seat documentary series traces the epic hunt for Osama bin Laden.
Sat, May 31 2025
देखिए ओसामा बिन लादेन को पकड़ने की कवायद
Sun, May 25 2025
नेटफ्लिक्स पर ‘अमेरिकन मैनहंट’ के तहत ऐसी कई डॉक्यूमैंट्री हैं जिनमें अमेरिका द्वारा समय-समय पर किए गए ‘मैनहंट’ यानी किसी अपराधी, आतंकवादी, कातिल की तलाश से जुड़ी जानकारी साझा की गई है। उसी कतार में ‘अमेरिकन मैनहंट-ओसामा बिन लादेन’ नाम की यह तीन एपिसोड की डॉक्यूमैंट्री आई है जो बताती है कि अमेरिका के इतिहास में 11 सितंबर, 2001 को उस पर हुए सबसे घातक हमले से पहले भी अमेरिका ओसामा को पकड़ना चाहता था लेकिन इस हमले के बाद तो जैसे अमेरिकी खुफिया विभाग रात-दिन उसके पीछे लगा रहा और आखिर दस साल लंबे इंतज़ार और कड़ी मेहनत के बाद उन्होंने उसे एक रात पाकिस्तान के एबटाबाद में उसके घर में मार गिराया और उसकी लाश को समुंदर की गहराइयों में फेंक दिया ताकि कल को कोई उसका मकबरा बना कर वहां सजदा न करने लगे। बड़े विस्तार से यह डॉक्यूमैंट्री अमेरिकी खुफिया विभाग के लोगों, सैन्य अफसरों व उन लोगों से मिलवाती है जिन्होंने फूंक-फूंक कर कदम रखते हुए दस साल लंबा समय लगा कर यह पाया कि ओसामा कहां है, उसे कैसे घेरा और गिराया जाएगा।
Netflix series could lowkey be a CIA-funded propaganda piece, but it’s undeniably thrilling
Sat, May 17 2025
Every single high-ranking official who appears in American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden — and there certainly is a murderer’s row of them — knows that they are in a Netflix documentary. They’re prone to speaking in blurbs; in declarations and pronouncements, almost as if they want to make sure that they make the cut. The sprawling three-episode series, which was suspiciously released two months after it was supposed to, traces the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden, the notorious Al Qaeda leader who remained, for a long period of time, the most wanted man in the world. At the peak of America’s war on terror, there was a $25 million price on his head. Bin Laden kept taunting the Americans for years, somehow evading capture despite having being driven out of his stronghold in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks. The documentary series begins on the fateful day when two passenger airliners crashed into the World Trade Centre, while another hit the Pentagon. A fourth plane, United 93, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers overpowered the hijackers and took control of the cockpit. It was the worst terrorist attack in modern history, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people. President George W. Bush vowed to bring those responsible to justice, and essentially gave the Central Intelligence Agency carte blanche to capture or kill bin Laden.