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 […]

Kaali Khuhi Review: Strong storyline, yet fails to create impact

Kaali Kuhi, starring Shabana Azmi, tells the tale of an insidious age-old practice through paranormal lens An ancient well situated amidst a village holds horrors of the past. When dug open, by mistake, the haunting begins. This, to summarise, is what Terrie Samundra’s Kaali Kuhi’s(The Black Well)  prelude tell us. As the story proceeds, we […]

A Suitable Boy Review: Lost in translation, but shines as a saga

Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy, based on Vikram Seth’s 1993-novel of the same name, transports its audience to a world of its own When the first look of Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy released on social media, the netizens could not keep calm. After all, it’s not every day that Nair creates (screenplay by Andrew […]