Guild Reviews
Meiyazhagan
Family, Drama (Tamil)
Twenty-two years after losing his home, Arulmozhi Varman returns to his native Thanjavur to attend his cousin's wedding. Amidst the celebrations, Arul is reintroduced to an upbeat man whom he cannot recall. With the help of the unknown man, Arul reconnects with his past.
Cast:
Arvind Swamy, Karthi, Rajkiran, Jayaprakash, Sri Divya, Devadarshini, Swathi Konde, Rajkumar, Ilavarasu, Karunakaran
Director:
C. Prem Kumar
Writer:
C. Prem Kumar
Karthi and Arvind Swami shoulder this spirited bromance drama
Sat, October 5 2024
While most filmmakers focus on the bigger aspects of their story to substantiate the so-called big-screen experience, C Prem Kumar belongs to a niche group of directors who like to concentrate on the finer, intimate moments of life. Probably because of his time spent behind the viewfinder as a cinematographer, Prem’s scenes look like animated still photographs, and just like his directorial debut 96, his sophomore outing Meiyazhagan is a series of moments in motion.
Hitler
Action, Drama (Tamil)
A man and his new love are caught in the middle of a dangerous conflict between a tough detective and a tyrannical politician.
Cast:
Vijay Antony, Riya Suman, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Vivek Prasanna, Redin Kingsley, Tamizh, Aadukalam Naren, Charan Raj
Director:
Dhana
Writer:
Dhana
Vijay Antony’s revenge drama is outdated and ordinary
Sat, October 5 2024
Vijay Antony is on a spree with his recent films. While his contemporaries rarely churn out a couple of releases each year, the music director-turned-actor starred in four films last year and his latest release Hitler marks his third outing of 2024. But given how almost all of them turned out to be underwhelming, it feels like he’s shooting for quantity over quality, and Hitler, unfortunately, is the latest addition to that list.
Swag
Comedy, Drama (Telugu)
The eternal battle of the sexes is played out across several generations of a family who seek to obtain a fortune.
Cast:
Sree Vishnu, Ritu Varma, Meera Jasmine, Saranya Pradeep, Daksha Nagarkar, Goparaju Ramana, Vadivukarasi, Sunil Varma, Ravi Babu, Kadambari Kiran
Director:
Hasith Goli
Writer:
Hasith Goli
Hasith Goli and a brilliant Sree Vishnu strike again with a deceptive, layered satire
Sat, October 5 2024
When a man who wears his masculinity on his sleeve laments at how his son is growing up, displaying feminine traits, his wife tries to make him understand the importance of accepting an individual’s natural expression of gender. This segment and the portion that follows gives writer-director Hasith Goli’s Telugu film Swag the much-needed emotional anchor. Until then, the narrative is like a satire, with elements of farce and ‘absurd theatre’ as the several characters played by Sree Vishnu and the dual characters of Ritu Varma slug it out to assert the power of male versus female.
Superman
Comedy, Crime, Thriller (Malayalam)
Nithya is the deputy commissioner of the city who lives with her uncle since both her parents were killed in an accident. She was put on to investigate a corruption case done by the Home Minister and his friend a businessman called Rajan Phillip. Unknowingly she was helped in the investigation by a criminal nicknamed Superman.
Cast:
Jayaram, Shobana, Jagadish, Siddique, Sphadikam George, Cochin Haneefa, Janardhanan, Innocent, Nedumudi Venu, Zeenath
Director:
Mecartin, Raffi
Writer:
Mecartin, Raffi
Hundred Days Hundred Films Ep 5
Tue, October 1 2024
Sector 36
Crime, Thriller, Drama (Hindi)
When several children disappear at the hands of a serial killer in Sector 36, a corrupt cop is forced to pursue the chilling case at all costs.
Cast:
Vikrant Massey, Deepak Dobriyal, Akash Khurana, Darshan Jariwala, Baharul Islam, Ivana Kaur, Mahadev Singh Lakhawat, Ajeet Singh Palawat, Kacho Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad
Director:
Aditya Nimbalkar
Writer:
Bodhayan Roychaudhury
Revisiting the house of horrors
Mon, September 30 2024
Sector 36, based on the gruesome murders of Nithari village in Noida, which were uncovered in 2007, follows a serial killer who lives in plain sight. In Aditya Nimbalkar’s crime drama, Prem (Vikrant Massey) is the house-help of Balbir Bassi (Akash Khurana), an affluent businessman from Karnal. Bassi rarely visits his palatial bungalow in Delhi’s Sector 36, but when he does, his actions are also creepy. Prem, taking advantage of his unsupervised existence, far from his own family that lives in a village, abducts children from the neighbouring migrant settlement, mercilessly killing them to satisfy his deviant appetite.
A Spotify Review
Fri, September 13 2024
Sector 36 is a gratuitously grisly dramatisation of the gruesome Nithari serial murders from around two decades ago. But because it unfolds with zero nuance, the movie mines cheap thrills out of a real-life horror story. We talk about the strange arcs that Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobriyal’s characters have been given, the haphazard narrative structure, and seemingly missing sequences that could’ve helped make the story smoother. We also talk about Massey’s performance in the interrogation scene and the filmmakers’ odd decision to set the movie in Delhi and not Noida, where the actual crimes took place.
Botched just like the real-life investigation
Fri, September 13 2024
How do you approach a movie inspired by a series of gruesome killings that left a scar on the public but provided no closure? The police investigation into the 2006 Nithari serial murders—where a domestic help preyed on at least 19 minors, sexually assaulting them after their death, chopping their bodies into pieces and possibly indulging in cannibalism and organ harvesting, potentially with the tacit acknowledgement of his employer—was so badly botched that the case remains in the news in 2024, as the courts and agencies debate the sentencing. The two main accused were acquitted in 2023 over lack of sufficient evidence but India’s top crime body, CBI, has challenged it. With so many unknowable factors, this is rich territory for any filmmaker.
Young Woman and the Sea
History, Drama (English)
This is the extraordinary true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the 21-mile trek from France to England.
Cast:
Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Jeanette Hain, Glenn Fleshler, Sian Clifford, Christopher Eccleston, Ethan Rouse, Olive Elise Abercrombie
Director:
Joachim Rønning
Writer:
Jeff Nathanson
Daisy Ridley's Predictable Yet Inspirational Sports Biopic Has Plenty Of Heart
Mon, September 30 2024
Young Woman and the Sea is a typical sports drama, like the ones that were made often in Hollywood two to three decades ago. The period drama, directed by Joachim Rønning, follows the real-life story of Trudy Ederle, a young American who set some extraordinary records and inspired a whole generation of women after her.
Ullozhukku
Drama (Malayalam)
The film is set in a flooded region in Kerala where a woman and her daughter-in-law attempt to bury a loved one. However, due to heavy floods, the burial is postponed. This delay brings long-buried secrets and lies to the surface, threatening the family's unity.
Cast:
Urvashi, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Arjun Radhakrishnan, Shebin Benson, Alencier Ley Lopez, Jaya Kurup, Prasant Murali, Smruthi Anish, Veenah Naair, Roshan Mathew
Director:
Christo Tomy
Writer:
Christo Tomy
Urvashi’s powerhouse performance carries this haunting drama
Mon, September 30 2024
Everyone in Ullozhukku is stranded, in one way or the other. Even a dead body remains unburied for days, as flood waters have submerged the burial grounds. The less said of the living, the better. Anju (Parvathy Thiruvothu) and her mother-in-law Leelamma (Urvashi) are in a life not of their choosing. One has come to terms with it, tempered by the struggles of family life, and even yearns to protect that way of living, while the other still has some spirit left to fight her way out of it.
Kottukkaali
Drama (Tamil)
A family decides to visit their clan God to cure their daughter, believed to be possessed but in fact is in love with a man from a different caste. The journey accompanied by her betrothed, unveils tensions between tradition and personal freedom, exposing her silent rebellion.
Cast:
Anna Ben, Soori, Jawahar Sakthi, Poobalam Pragatheeswaran, Sai Abinaya, Murugan Govinthsamy, Rajeshwari Murugan, Muthulakshmi, R. Charles, Muthurasu
Director:
P. S. Vinothraj
Writer:
P. S. Vinothraj
A Spotify Review
Mon, September 30 2024
Kottukkaali, writer-director P.S. Vinothraj’s follow-up to the acclaimed Koozhangal, divided us down the middle. We speak about the techniques Vinothraj uses to tell an ever-evolving, odyssey-like story about a group of people accompanying a young woman to her exorcism. We discuss the brief bursts of horror and comedy and talk about the larger points that Vinothraj is trying to make about a deeply rotten society. We also debate the film’s ambiguous ending and wonder why the filmmaker wants to put us in the shoes of a monstrous male character.
PS Vinothraj, Anna Ben, Soori's film is evocative and arresting
Tue, August 20 2024
Director PS Vinothraj announced his arrival in Tamil cinema with ‘Koozhangal’, a film which won the coveted Tiger Award at the 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam. His second film, ‘Kottukkaali’, brings together Anna Ben and Soori for the first time and has already garnered appreciation in the international market. Now, Kottukkaali is set to make its mark in the Indian market. Meena (Anna Ben) is confined to her home, with everyone around her speaking in hushed tones. She refuses to speak and appears distressed. Her relatives claim that she is possessed by a spirit. Meena, her mother, her fiance Pandi (Soori), and others embark on a journey to a temple to ward off the evil.
Raghu Thatha
Comedy, Drama (Tamil)
Story of a rebellious young woman, Kayalvizhi, who is forced to choose between principle and patriarchy.
Cast:
Keerthy Suresh, M. S. Bhaskar, Devadarshini, Ravindra Vijay, Rajeev Ravindranathan, Chu Khoy Sheng, Aadhira Pandilakshmi, Rajesh Balakrishnan, Anand Sami, Ismath Banu
Director:
Suman Kumar
Writer:
Suman Kumar
Keerthy Suresh stands tall in this light-hearted satire
Sun, September 29 2024
The opening stretch of Raghu Thathatakes us back to the ‘60s. Even as the opening credits roll, we are shown newspaper clippings of important developments in that period. Anti-Hindi slogans and protests are rampant in Tamil Nadu, a state that is furiously vocal against the imposition of Hindi. Indira Gandhi has taken over as the first woman Prime Minister of the country, something that should ideally given women across the country a lot more confidence and freedom.
Keerthy Suresh's film on Hindi imposition is superficial
Thu, August 15 2024
When Keerthy Suresh’s teaser and trailer for Raghuthatha were released on social media, they generated a positive buzz around the film. The intriguingly cut trailer suggested that the film would address Hindi imposition in Tamil Nadu. Additionally, Kayavizhi’s (Keerthy Suresh) attempt to challenge patriarchy with her bold and upfront attitude piqued everyone’s interest. Did Suman Kumar manage to weave a successful story around these two sensitive topics? Let’s find out! Kayal (Keerthy Suresh) and her grandfather (MS Bhaskar) protest against Hindi imposition and are responsible for shutting down the Hindi organisation Ekta Sabha in their village, Valluvanpettai. She is a feminist who slams everyone who says, “ponna adaka odukama iru” (Be coy and obedient like a woman). One day, her grandfather’s cancer diagnosis and his three wishes push her towards marriage, which she has never been interested in.
Shukrana
Drama (Punjabi)
A close-knit family living in a rural community navigate marriage proposals and pregnancies, alongside a tragedy which threatens to tear them apart.
Cast:
Neeru Bajwa, Seema Kaushal, Jass Bajwa, B.N. Sharma, Rupinder Rupi, Sukhwinder Chahal, Parminder Gill, Harby Sangha, Honey Mattu, Simran Chahal
Director:
Simerjit Singh
Writer:
Jagdeep Warring
A cursory portrayal of the predicament of young widows
Fri, September 27 2024
Directed by Simerjit Singh, Shukrana is the latest Punjabi film to highlight gender issues while exploring some of the cracks within a joint family set up. Starring Neeru Bajwa, Amrit Maan, and Jass Bajwa, the movie examines individual agency of women, particularly in its treatment of young widows. Jeona (Jass Bajwa) and Veeran (Neeru Bajwa) are a happily married couple who live in a joint family. Jeona is the glue that holds the family together and he quells any murmurs of dissent with his good nature and largesse. As a loving and supportive husband, he encourages his wife to continue to work after her marriage, countering some opposing views at home. As luck would have it, the perfect life of the couple is jolted when Jeona dies in a freak accident. An expecting mother, Veeran’s life is turned upside down and she must figure out her place as a single mother, while encountering societal prejudice and patriarchy.
Sucha Soorma
History, Thriller (Punjabi)
An uncompromising folklore figure of the early 20th century faces a dilemma when his best friend and his sister-in-law are caught in an illicit relationship.
Cast:
Babbu Mann, Suvinder Vicky, Mahabir Bhullar, Jag Singh, Sameksha Oswal, Sukhwinder Raj, Harinder Bhullar, Gurdev Dhaliwal, Gurinder Makna
Director:
Amitoj Mann
Writer:
Gurpreet Ratol
A Sloppy Film Unworthy of the Punjabi Folk Legend
Mon, September 23 2024
Watching a Punjabi film, let alone reviewing it, even for a diehard Punjabi, comes with its own set of misgivings. Sadly enough, as we sit through Sucha Soorma — touted as famous singer-actor Babbu Maan’s comeback film after a gap of four years — doubts turn into a deep, gnawing realisation about said misgivings and a discomfiting feeling. It’s near impossible to rationalise why we are making such films in this day and age, which do not reflect upon the changing matrix of our society; or if they do, god help us. Undoubtedly, this Amitoj Maan directorial is a period film set sometime during the British rule in India, in the early 20th century, even though the only date definitively stated in the film is the year in which the hero, Sucha Soorma (Babbu Maan), was hanged. The very first scene deludes you to believe that here, perhaps, was a warrior who stood up for the downtrodden.
Thalaivettiyan Paalayam
Comedy (Tamil)
Siddharth, a resident of City, is the new Panchayat Secretary of Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam. His sudden village life, panchayat work and the people he meets in it do not lack comedy
Cast:
Abishek Kumar, Chetan, Anand Sami, Devadarshini, Paul Raj
Fitting remake of Panchayat with excellent cast
Fri, September 20 2024
In the world of Indian web series, the Hindi show Panchayat managed to earn one of the top spots. This year, the third season of Panchayat was released and opened to positive reviews. Now, Panchayat has come to Tamil as Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam. Directed by Naga, the show is a light-hearted entertainer, with simplicity as its greatest asset. Siddharth (Abishek Kumar) is a city-bred youngster who has been posted as the panchayat secretary in Tirunelveli’s Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam. The village still lives in the past with no tinge of modernism or westernisation. Meenakshi Devi (Devadarshini) is the panchayat’s chairperson. But, for some reason, she is stuck to doing household chores while her husband, Meenakshi Sundaram, carries out the chairperson’s responsibilities.