Guild Reviews
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.
Ghaath
Thriller (Marathi)
An unsparing psychological portrait of the civil war that has been raging in central India for over 50 years. Set in the middle of the jungle, we see what happens to perpetrators and victims whose lives are marked by a constant proximity to violence and death.
Cast:
Jitendra Joshi, Milind Shinde, Janardan Kadam, Dhananjay Mandaokar, Suruchi Adarkar
Director:
Chhatrapal Ninawe
A slow-burn thriller that keeps you hooked
Fri, September 27 2024
Last year, Chhatrapal Ninawe’s Ghaath had its premiere at the Berlinale in the Panorama section and received acclaim from viewers. The film has had an interesting journey until its theatrical release this week. Equally interesting is its premise. Set amidst areas with Maoist influence in central India’s jungles, Ghaath intertwines the fates of guerrillas, civilians and cops in a tightly knit screenplay. The film’s story unfolds through three chapters influenced by three elements – zameen (land), jal (water) and jungle. Each chapter has a central character and each character’s story merges with that of the others at some point. Dhananjay Mandaokar, Jitendra Joshi, Milind Shinde, Janardan Kadam and Suruchi Adarkar play pivotal roles in this slow-burn thriller that keeps you engrossed with its intriguing narrative, presented through the stories of a cop, two rebels, a tribal and a civilian. Each of these stories give a perspective of various human emotions but ultimately connect with the common theme of ambush/ betrayal.
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.
Ardaas Sarbat De Bhale Di
Drama, Family (Punjabi)
Gurmukh Singh and diverse individuals embark on a pilgrimage to Sri Hazur Sahib, and during their bus journey, their personal prayers become a shared Ardaas.
Cast:
Gurpreet Ghuggi, Gippy Grewal, Jasmin Bhasin, Malkeet Rauni, Sardar Sohi, Rana Jung Bahadur, Prince Kanwaljit Singh, Nirmal Rishi, Seema Kaushal, Gurpreet Bhangu
Director:
Gippy Grewal
Writer:
Gippy Grewal
An emotional, earnest, yet tedious tearjerker
Fri, September 13 2024
The third installment in the Ardaas film series, Ardaas Sarbat De Bhale Di (2024) brings to light the travails of the human condition and our relative inability to deal with them with fortitude. Directed and written by Gippy Grewal, the Punjabi-language film stars Grewal, Gurpreet Ghuggi, Jasmine Bhasin and Prince Kanwaljit Singh. Devotional films have been the mainstay of Punjabi cinema since its inception, and Gippy Grewal’s Ardaas series renewed interest in the genre in 2016, with the release of the first Ardaas. Directed by Grewal, all three Ardaas films stress on the teachings from the Gurbani (the hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib), while highlighting common social issues.
The Penguin
Drama, Crime (English)
With the city in peril following the seawall's collapse, Oswald "Oz" Cobb seeks to fill the power vacuum left by the death of Carmine Falcone and finally give his mother Francis the life he's always promised. But first, Oz must confront his enemies and his own demoralizing reputation as "the Penguin."
Cast:
Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Deirdre O'Connell, Clancy Brown, Carmen Ejogo, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Theo Rossi, Michael Kelly
An absolute blast
Thu, September 12 2024
The Penguin—premiering September 19 on HBO and Max—arrives amidst a shifting mood in a space that’s been overdone. It’s another small-screen extension of a superhero movie. Who asked for it? This kind of blatant intellectual property exploitation, solely greenlit to boost a streaming service devoid of an identity, that expands the lives of minor Gotham characters and crime families. Comic book storytelling has already taken over everything. And, what, it’s on HBO too now? (The Penguin was greenlit as a Max original in 2022, but in July, the executives pivoted and stuck the HBO sticker on it.) Isn’t anything sacred anymore? Here’s the good news: infused with the energy of an all-time HBO hit, The Sopranos, the new DC spin-off miniseries is worthy of the HBO branding.
ARM
Action, Adventure, Drama (Malayalam)
Set in the Northern Kerala in 1900, 1950 and 1990, Three generations of heroes Maniyan, Kunjikelu and Ajayan, try to protect the most important treasure of the Land.
Cast:
Tovino Thomas, Krithi Shetty, Surabhi Lakshmi, Basil Joseph, Rohini, Harish Uthaman, Jagadish, Pramod Shetty, Nisthar Ahamed, Sudheesh
Director:
Jithin Laal
Writer:
Sujith Nambiar
Tovino Thomas's film features interesting plot but lacks high moments
Thu, September 12 2024
Ajayante Randam Moshanam aka ARM features Malayalam actor Tovino Thomas in triple roles. Directed by Jithin Laal and written by Sujith Nambiar, the film generated significant interest through its posters and trailer. But has ARM lived up to everyone’s expectations? Let’s find out! The story begins with Kunji Kelu (Tovino Thomas), an exceptional warrior, whois granted the opportunity to request for a special gift from the king. He asks for a deity crafted from a unique rock that fell from a meteorite and struck their village, Haripuram. The story then shifts to Maniyan (Tovino Thomas), a clever thief who is accused of stealing the deity.
The Perfect Couple
Drama, Mystery, Crime (English)
Amelia is about to marry into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket, until a shocking death derails the wedding — and turns everyone into a suspect.
Cast:
Nicole Kidman, Eve Hewson, Liev Schreiber, Billy Howle, Meghann Fahy, Jack Reynor, Dakota Fanning, Donna Lynne Champlin, Michael Beach, Sam Nivola
Sun, September 8 2024
Goat
Drama, Adventure (Malayalam)
Indian migrant worker Najeeb Muhammad goes to Saudi Arabia to earn money. However, in a twist of fate, he finds himself living a slave-like existence, herding goats in the middle of the desert.
Cast:
Prithviraj Sukumaran, K R Gokul, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Talib Al Balushi, Rik Aby, Robin Das, Amala Paul, Shobha Mohan, Nasar Karutheni, Baburaj Thiruvalla
Director:
Blessy
Writer:
Blessy
Brilliant Vijay shoulders Venkat Prabhu's film with wafer-thin plot
Thu, September 5 2024
‘The Greatest of All Time’ aka ‘GOAT’ is Thalapathy Vijay’s penultimate film before he fully commits to politics. Tracing his career, one would truly understand why ‘GOAT’ is probably the perfect title for Vijay. Director Venkat Prabhu’s spy thriller further establishes Thalapathy Vijay as truly ’the greatest of all time’. Gandhi (Vijay), along with Sunil (Prashanth), Kalyan (Prabhudheva) and Ajay (Ajmal Ameer), forms the Special Anti-Terrorism Squad (SATS), led by Nasser (Jayaram). A fun and efficient team, they get the job done without much hassle. However, when Gandhi takes his pregnant wife (Sneha) and son Jeevan on a mission to Thailand, he faces a tragic loss, prompting him to seek a less risky job.
Saripodhaa Sanivaaram
Action, Thriller (Telugu)
Set in Sokulapalem, bound by a promise to his mother, Surya, an LIC agent leads a normal life on six days, maintains a careful ledger of everyone made him angry,unleashing his anger only on Saturdays, solely for justifiable reasons. A tragic incident pits him on a collision course with the ruthless and borderline-manic cop Daya.
Cast:
Nani, S. J. Suryah, Priyanka Arul Mohan, Sai Kumar, Murali Sharma, Aditi Balan, Abhirami, Anitha Chowdary, Harshavardhan, Ajay
Director:
Vivek Athreya
Writer:
Vivek Athreya
Nani-SJ Suryah elevate Vivek Athreya's clever writing
Thu, August 29 2024
Watching a neatly woven commercial cinema is therapeutic in every sense. And when it is headlined by powerhouse performers, Nani and SJ Suryah, you know you’re in for a treat. ‘Saripodhaa Sanivaaram’ marks Nani and director Vivek Athreya’s second collaboration after ‘Ante Sundaraniki’. While ‘Ante Sundariniki’ was a cute rom-com, Nani and Vivek went all out for ‘Saripodhaa Sanivaaram’ by picking a masala entertainer with a family backdrop. Surya (Nani) is a loved elder child to his parents (Abhirami and Sai Kumar). But, his anger is his problem. His mother, who is counting her days, teaches him a unique way to keep his anger in check and let it out only on Saturdays. Surya makes note of people who wronged him on the rest of the days and gets time to process his anger till Saturday. And when he feels his anger is justified, he thrashes the people who angered him.