Shruti Das
Posts by: Shruti Das
Three cheers for world cinema
We are in the age of global cinema – where films aren’t bound by region, territories or linguistic barriers anymore. Here’s how “What comes to your mind when you hear ‘India’?” asks the reporter. “Umm…Culture. Spices. Diversity,” the foreigner pauses for a moment and then exclaims, “and yes Bollywood!” This was a scene from a […]
Real Housewives of B-town
Netflix’s Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives lacks authenticity, but has the elements of entertainment in place “Why the f**k should I watch a show about four women who don’t have jobs? Why are these pre-menopausal women getting on my nerves? They all pretend like they work, but what do they actually do?” These questions are […]
Lucky Ali’s nostalgic treat to millennial hearts
With an impromptu acoustic rendition of his 1996 song O Sanam, Lucky Ali takes the internet by storm “Samjhe zamaana ke dil hai khilauna jaana hai ab kya hai dil ka lagaana nazron se ab na humko giraana mar bhi gaye to bhool na jaana…” (The world thinks that the heart is a toy, but […]
“I wanted to narrate a story that was real”
Tarun Jain’s Kaala, a film on racism, makes its way to the Oscars. The filmmaker gives an insight into the ideation, research and filming process A young boy from Nigeria, Bryan, moves to Delhi to pursue his education – just like any other student. Unaware of the danger looming overhead, he goes about exploring life […]
Content is king – or slave?
The OTT platforms in India fear the looming danger of censorship after government’s new move Imagine watching Sacred Games – one of India’s most popular series – without Gaitonde hurling abuses at his friends or foes. Or, let’s imagine Munna Tripathi from Mirzapur without his lascivious liaisons. What if censorship on OTT platforms actually tries […]
Gatham review: A forgettable psycho saga lacking thrills
Telugu film Gatham attempts to create a Hollywood-style thriller, but leaves no lasting impact “Every human being has a bit of a psychopath in him. But only a few bring it out and you’re safe as long as you maintain distance from them…Unless they knock on your door.” These lines appear on screen at the […]
Finger on the trigger
Do films glorifying crime, sexism and toxic masculinity, impact society in a negative way? Film-makers plead that they have creative licence and can’t be held responsible for the fallout ‘Kkkkkkiran.’ This is how a man (read: stalker) calls the ‘love of his life’ in a 1993 Bollywood film, which went on to become iconic. Shah […]
Are OTT platforms the new ‘big screen’ amid pandemic?
The streaming platforms has emerged as an ever-important source of entertainment for those stuck at home “Cinema halls are opening up,” the breaking news read. For a minute, I was elated. But soon enough I wondered, ‘Am I really going to take the risk of sitting inside a movie theatre for almost three hours to […]