I Want to Talk
Drama, Family (Hindi)
'Sometimes life gives us a second chance,' and for Arjun settled in the USA in pursuit of The American Dream, it's an opportunity to rediscover and embrace precious relationships, especially with his daughter as they both try to navigate through (more…)
Guild Reviews
Dhai Aakhar
Drama (Hindi)
Based on the novel ‘Teerthatan Ke Baad’ by Amrik Singh Deep, the film set in the 1980s in the serene state of Uttarakhand tells the story of a woman who rebuilds herself after years of being in an abusive marriage when she starts talking to an empathetic writer through letters. Harshita gets a second chance after the death of her husband when she meets Sridhar, a writer, who treats her with kindness and respect. The film brings out the conflict surrounding such relationships and is an ode to love and the power it holds to transform someone’s life. It explores how abuse is common, accepted and normalised within patriarchy, leaving a deep shattering impact on womanhood. It delves into how love holds the power to liberate anyone who is subjugated to abuse with a message to liberate and empower women.
Cast:
Mrinal Kulkarni
Director:
Praveen Arora
Sat, November 30 2024
Rhythm of Dammam
Drama (Kannada)
Twelve-year-old Jayaram Siddi is haunted by his late grandfather's spirit. He loses touch with reality. His family embraces tribal rituals and Dammam music to restore his balance and address inter-generational trauma.
Cast:
Chinmaya Siddi, Prashanth Siddi, Girija Siddi, Parasuram Siddi, Mohan Siddi, Nagaraj Siddi
Director:
Jayan Cherian
Writer:
Jayan Cherian
Sat, November 30 2024
The Siddis, a community unrepresented in Indian cinema, is under the spotlight in Rhythm of Dammam, an exceptionally evocative, visually arresting film written and directed by Kerala-born, New York-based Jayan Cherian. The film premiered this week at the 55th International Film Festival of India in Goa. It is now headed to the International Competition line-up of the upcoming 29th International Film Festival of Kerala.
I Want to Talk
Drama, Family (Hindi)
'Sometimes life gives us a second chance,' and for Arjun settled in the USA in pursuit of The American Dream, it's an opportunity to rediscover and embrace precious relationships, especially with his daughter as they both try to navigate through whatever life throws at them. Whatever!
Cast:
Abhishek Bachchan, Ahilya Bamroo, Pearle Dey, Jayant Kripalani, Kristin Goddard, Johnny Lever, Ritesh Shah, Arpita Chakrabarty, Milan Awon, Anasua Kushari
Director:
Shoojit Sircar
Writer:
Ritesh Shah
Sat, November 30 2024
The intimation of death signals the beginning of a new life in the here and now for Arjun Sen, the voluble and showy adman-protagonist of Shoojit Sircar’s I Want to Talk. It inevitably causes confusion and agony but strengthens his resolve to fight while altering his perspective on existence and mortality. Written by Ritesh Shah and based on a real-life Indian-American professional, Arjun produces adverts to encourage people to buy products they might or might not need. His joys rest on the sterling success he has in pulling off his acts of persuasion.
Sat, November 30 2024
Sat, November 30 2024
Shoojit Sircar’s recent film work has been preoccupied with mortality. Shiuli’s freak accident and subsequent state determine the course of October (2018). Gulabo Sitabo (2020) is a comic look at death, with an ageing man hoping for the demise of his even older wife. And Sardar Udham is death-haunted, not just the historical fact of the protagonist’s execution but the guiding hand of the ghosts of Jallianwala Bagh.
Greedy People
Comedy, Mystery, Crime (English)
The eclectic residents of a small, picturesque island town must navigate a sensational murder and the discovery of a million dollars, leading to a series of increasingly bad decisions which upend the once-peaceful community.
Cast:
Himesh Patel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lily James, Uzo Aduba, Tim Blake Nelson, Simon Rex, Nina Arianda, Jim Gaffigan, José María Yázpik, Joey Lauren Adams
Director:
Potsy Ponciroli
Writer:
Mike Vukadinovich
Sat, November 30 2024
A brisk opening that holds some promise, a meandering middle that scuttles much of the early potential, and an overly rushed climax make Greedy People a mixed bag – an action comedy that never kicks into top gear despite all the scampering that it does in search of a sweep spot. Greedy People, premiering in India exclusively on Lionsgate Play and available in English and Hindi, is frequently enlivened by dashes of deadpan humour. With Joseph Gordon-Levitt imparting immense charm and chutzpah to his flamboyant cop and punchlines flying thick and fast between him and his partner in ‘crime’, the film has its share of passably bright moments.
Sat, November 30 2024
Set in a small, quiet American town where nothing really happens and everyone knows everyone, Greedy People is a feature film told from many perspectives. Starring Himesh Patel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Lily James, the crime comedy quickly moves from laughs to backstabbing, some quite literal in this crazy narrative. While the story simply must be seen to be believed, the actors’ performances sell the absurdity of the fast changing plot.
Her
Drama, Romance, Family (Malayalam)
‘Her’ features five strong, unrestrained female characters, in a hyperlink narrative that celebrates womanhood in all its myriad forms. The story represents today’s women from varied backgrounds coming out of their comfort zones to live life to the fullest.
Cast:
Urvashi, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Aishwarya Rajesh, Lijomol Jose, Remya Nambeesan, Prathap Pothan, Guru Somasundaram, Rajesh Madhavan, Rony David Raj, Srikant Murali
Director:
Lijin Jose
Writer:
Archana Vasudev
Sat, November 30 2024
Lijin Jose’s film Her is an anthology, but it is not strictly one. No clear demarcations exist between the five films in the collection, with one segment segueing smoothly into the next, although the characters and narratives are different. However, only two of the films are directly connected, while the rest have characters from other films popping in at some point to connect it all.
Sat, November 30 2024
It’s not fair to call Lijin Jose’s Her, written by Archana Vasudev, an anthology. On the surface, these are the stories of five women taking place across five households in and around Thiruvananthapuram. The timelines are jumbled and these stories are set across different genres with at least one comedy, one satire and parts you can broadly call drama, each with its own mood and theme. Yet you feel conflicted by the thought of calling it an anthology because it never stops feeling like a unified whole, with the narrative smoothness of a well-written feature film (it’s edited by Kiran Das).
Sookshmadarshini
Mystery, Thriller, Comedy (Malayalam)
Manuel returns with his mother to their former home in a middle-class neighbourhood. Suspicious of his intentions, Priyadarshini and her friends begin gathering clues, convinced he may be hiding something sinister.
Cast:
Nazriya Nazim Fahadh, Basil Joseph, Sidharth Bharathan, Deepak Parambol, Merin Philip, Akhila Bhargavan, Pooja Mohanraj, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Kottayam Ramesh, Gopal Mangat
Director:
MC Jithin
Sat, November 30 2024
For prying eyes, the most innocuous action might seem suspicious. Priyadarshini (Nazriya Nazim) is the one with a bit of nosy behaviour in the neighbourhood in which Sookshmadarshini is set. At times, she almost behaves like the kind of neighbour that no one would ever wish to have. We get an interesting character detail that she is a microbiology graduate, for whom a Sookshmadarshini (microscope) is a part of her trade. Just that her lens is trained more on her neighbour, rather than microbes.
Sat, November 30 2024
The first 20 minutes of Sookshmadarshini may be used as a textbook to learn the art of writing a setup. Writers Athul Ramachandran and Libin TB are preparing their viewer for a film that falls into an unusual genre but instead of rushing towards the plot, they take their time to focus on establishing their protagonist: Priyadarshini (Nazriya), a 20-something mother who admits to feeling bored of domesticity. She lives in a regular middle-class neighbourhood, filled with regulars who know everything about each other.
Judy
Drama, History, Music (English)
Thirty years after starring in "The Wizard of Oz," beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.
Cast:
Renée Zellweger, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon, Richard Cordery, Royce Pierreson, Darci Shaw, Andy Nyman, Daniel Cerqueira
Director:
Rupert Goold
Sat, November 30 2024
Being a child star is not a thing to envy. Judy, a musical drama, is both a warm and loving tribute to the actor and singer Judy Garland as well as a cautionary tale about the pressures and impact of celebrity. Born Frances Ethel Gumm, Garland worked as an actor, dancer and singer for 45 of the 47 years she lived. The film opens with a 14-year-old Judy (Darci Shaw) being cast to play what would become the iconic part of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. The pressure of early stardom and humiliation fuelled insecurities as a harsh studio executive listed out her physical flaws. He described her as above average but exceptional because of her singing voice. A studio minder offered her pills to suppress her appetite and pills to help her sleep at night.
Agent of Happiness
Documentary (Dzongkha)
The documentary team follows two happiness agents in their forties who spend a month and a half on the road twice a year, going door-to-door with their questionnaires in isolated villages in the Himalayas. The filmmakers undertake to provide an intimate insight into the daily lives and desires of Bhutanese people, and also seek the answer to the universal question of whether happiness can really be measured. Gross National Happiness promises a heart-warming journey into a mysterious, fairytale-like world, which is the exact opposite of the social order dominated by consumption and desires.
Cast:
Amber Kumar Gurung, Guna Raj Kuikel
Director:
Dorottya Zurbo, Arun Bhattarai
Sat, November 30 2024
In the late 1970s, the king of Bhutan coined the term “gross national happiness". GNH parameters are used to measure progress, well-being and happiness, placing their importance over economic pursuits alone. This programme has been pivotal in shaping development policies and governance in Bhutan, a landlocked nation in eastern Himalayas that is often ranked as one of the happiest in the world. Happiness surveyor Amber Kumar Gurung of the Happiness Centre is the subject of a new documentary, Agent of Happiness (in competition at the MAMI Mumbai film festival 2024).
Our Little Secret
Romance, Comedy, Drama (English)
After discovering their significant others are siblings, two resentful exes must spend Christmas under one roof — while hiding their romantic history.
Cast:
Lindsay Lohan, Ian Harding, Kristin Chenoweth, Jon Rudnitsky, Dan Bucatinsky, Jake Brennan, Judy Reyes, Katie Baker, Tim Meadows, Ash Santos
Director:
Stephen Herek
Writer:
Hailey DeDominicis
Sat, November 30 2024
Earlier this year, the second part of Lindsay Lohan’s acting comeback commenced with Irish Wish. The actress played a woman who is about to watch her best friend marry her longtime crush in Ireland. This time, Lohan is back with another romantic dilemma in Our Little Secret. Taking place at Christmas, Lohan’s character Avery meets her ex Logan (Ian Harding) at her new boyfriend’s house. Hilarity is supposed to ensue, but there’s very little to laugh about.
Spellbound
Animation, Fantasy, Family, Adventure, Comedy (English)
When a powerful spell turns her parents into giant monsters, a teenage princess must journey into the wild to reverse the curse before it's too late.
Cast:
Rachel Zegler, Miguel Bernardeau, Giovanna Bush, Dennis Stowe, Jenifer Lewis, Dee Bradley Baker, Susan Fitzer, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow
Director:
Vicky Jenson
Sat, November 30 2024
Skydance Animation’s second film, Spellbound, updates family dynamics in a modern way, letting kids know that sometimes happily ever after doesn’t work out. Shrek director Vicky Jensen helms this refreshing but overlong story of a teenage girl trying to undo a spell on her parents that has turned them into literal monsters. The colourfully appealing but flat world of Lumbria makes way for a quest for the royal trio in this well-meaning musical.
Blitz
War, Drama, History (English)
In World War II London, nine-year-old George is evacuated to the countryside by his mother, Rita, to escape the bombings. Defiant and determined to return to his family, George embarks on an epic, perilous journey back home as Rita searches for him.
Cast:
Elliott Heffernan, Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clémentine, Kathy Burke, Paul Weller, Stephen Graham, Leigh Gill, Mica Ricketts, CJ Beckford
Director:
Steve McQueen
Sat, November 30 2024
12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen takes audiences through the life of a Londoner during the German blitzkrieg of their city during World War II. The Apple TV+ feature Blitz has more of a child’s perspective as a young boy named George escapes back to his mother after being sent away for evacuation. We see the good and bad of the times through his eyes as he loses his innocence during his misadventure.
Based on a True Story S02
Comedy, Drama (English)
The lives of a realtor, a plumber and a former tennis star unexpectedly collide, exposing America’s obsession with true crime, murder and the slow-close toilet seat.
Cast:
Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina, Tom Bateman, Liana Liberato
Sat, November 30 2024
Comedies that mock America’s inexplicable obsession with true crime and especially podcasts are on the rise. The new season of Peacock’s Based on a True Story, starring Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina, brings back their suburban couple, Ava and Nathan Bartlett, who thought unmasking a serial killer would make them famous. By the end of Season 2, the duo become more infamous thanks to their curiosity about a new copycat serial killer. The comedy is still funny and insightful even as it takes its time to surprise the characters and audience with new twists.