afsalthodupuzha Reviews

Chup (2022)

A brutally honest and spine-chilling psychological thriller!

[8/10 · 21 September 2022]

A brutally honest and spine-chilling psychological thriller from R Balki that flaunts a brilliant lead act from Dulquer Salmaan alongside a subtle and memorable cop-act by Sunny Deol !

The narrative by Balki moves in a lethargic pace but has its own beauty and the tight screenplay ensures that the audience is glued to the screens right from the word go!

The interval block and the climax sequences were top- notch and made memorable by haunting music and performances

The references to yesteryear classic 'Kagaz Ke Phool' by maestro Guru Dutt was intertwined cleverly with the narrative and deserves a special mention.

Overall,Chup is an authentic Balki craft that deserves a watch from the cinemas for its novel narrative,stellar performances and beautiful musical score.

Bheeshma Parvam (2022)

A stylishly shot gangster drama!

[8/10 · 3 March 2022]

A stylishly shot gangster drama that's fuelled by mind-blowing background score, stellar frames & a classy performance from Megastar Mammootty alongside terrific supporting perfomances from the likes of Soubin Shahir & Sudev Nair.

Backed up by a pretty decent screenplay,Bheeshmaparvam,as promised in the promos is a thoroughly enjoyable entertainer with ample dose of emotions, thrills,action & powerful one liners.

Convincingly recreating the aura of 80s,this Amal Neerad tribute to Godfather & Mahabharata is definitely enjoyable by all the sections of the audience and is sure to make big numbers at the Box-Office.

Don't miss this mass extravaganza from the big screens! 🔥 2/2022 Georgettan's Ragam Theatre ,Thrissur,6 PM,HF #AT #BheeshmaParvam #Mammootty #AmalNeerad.

Baaghi 3 (2020)

Nonsensical Action!

[5/10 · 8 March 2020]

A highly nonsensical rehash of 2012 Kollywood superhit 'Vettai', that defies logic with a half-baked screenplay that fails to present anything apart from the chiseled abs of Tiger Shroff who is out to avenge an entire nation!!

There's no doubt Tiger Shorff is the most able actor to pull of an out and out bollywood action entetrtainer these days,but the lack of a solid storyline spoils all the fun and I do believe its hard time Tiger stops giving nod to such silly,brainless sequels which will find it hard to gain viewership in the near future.

Leaving aside the lovable physique of Tiger Shroff,a dedicated performance from Riteish Deshmukh,an impressive cameo by Jackie Shroff,few good action blocks and humor,this mindless sequel is a bit more mediocre on comparison with an at best passable Baaghi2.Give it a miss!

Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal (2020)

An Enjoyable Romantic Thriller

[7/10 · 2 March 2020]

Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal ⭐⭐⭐ Contrary to mediocre trailers and promos,Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithal is a pretty engaging light hearted romantic thriller with an enjoyable mix of romance,comedy and thrills.

Desingh Periyasami has cleverly utilized situational humor,small twists and the lovely chemistry between the lead actors to cover up the cinematic liberties,logical issues and minor loopholes on the screenplay which otherwise could have affected the flow of the narrative.

Leaving aside a slighly dull first 10-15 minutes,the 162 minutes long movie is thoroughly entertaining and an uber cool Dulquer Salman the funny conversations involving DQ and Rakshan clubbed with sequences featuring Goutham Vasudeva Menon made the best part of the movie.

Music by Masala Coffee band was average the background score by Harshavardhan and Rameshwar was good.

Overall,Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal is an enjoyable romantic thriller that's worth a watch from the cinemas.Go for it! 3.5/5 #Afsaltouchriver (11/2020)

Trance (I) (2020)

Ambitious,Technically Sound Drama With A Confused Screenplay

[6/10 · 22 February 2020]

An ambitious,technically sound Anwar Rasheed offering that's partially letdown by a half-baked screenplay!

The 170 minutes long drama very-well exposes the controversial topic of spiritual opportunism for the major chunk of the first half,followed by a rather confusing and lengthy second half that gives more focus to the inner conflicts of the protagonist Viju Prasad,portrayed efficiently by Fahad Fazil.

The narrative put forward clues for various interpretations,giving way for prospect of hallucination,lucid dreaming and split personality,all which coudln't be presented conclusively on screen despite heavy suport from the technical side,may it be brilliant frames by Amal Neerad,neat sound design by Rasool Pooutyy and highly effective techno based score by Sushin Shyam and Jackson Vijayan.

The technical perfection alongwith a topnotch act by Fahad saved the movie upto an extent,but the below par second half and confusing conclusion will make mixed emotions in the minds of the audinece that can make the recovery from theatricals a herculean task for the movie. Give it a try at your own risk!

Malang (2020)

An average revenge drama!

[6/10 · 12 February 2020]

An average revenge drama with some good performances,hearty music and captivating visuals as the guardian angel!

The movie evokes dejavu of Mohit Suri's own films in the past like Ek Villain,Murder 2 and Half Gitlfriend,the major reason why this revenge thriller ended up as a decent one-time watch at the best.

The narrative,eventhough hackneyed has its share of enjoyable moments and the small twists in the storyline ensured that the thrills are maintained till the end of the presentation.

The chemistry between Aditya Roy Kapur and Disha Patani was lovable and both the actors played their part really well. Anil Kapoor and Kunal Khemu too made their predence felt with memorable acts.

All the songs were impreessive with the picks being the title song and the highly addidtive 'Chal Ghar Chalein'.

Overall,Malang is a decent revenge drama that's worth a one time watch from the cinemas! 3/5 #Afsaltouchriver (9/2020)

Psycho (I) (2020)

A signature Mysskin film that's worth a try from the big screens!

[7/10 · 28 January 2020]

Director Mysskin's tribute to Hitchock has all the signature elements that one associate with the director,may it be eccentric characters,blood-shed,gore,metaphoric innuendos and haunting music!

Based on the buddhist story of Angulimala,this psychological thriller, eventhough follows the cut and dried pattern of run of the mill serial killer films for a meaty portion of the narrative,has tried to go deeper into the psychological aspect present,the result being a satisfying thriller that's worth a watch for its decent first half,good second half and a refreshing climax.

Udayanidhi Stalin,Atidi Rao Hydari and Nithya Menon were adequate in their respective roles,but the big surprise was debutante Rajkumar Pitchumani who played the dreaded Psychopath convincingly on the screen.

Ilaiyaraja's background score and songs were terrifiic.

Unlike earlier Mysskin films ,the flaws and loopholes owing to cinematic liberties were aplenty and could have been checked for improving the overall impact of the narrative.

Overall,Psycho,despite its shortcomings, is a signature Mysskin film that's worth a try from the big screens! 3/5 #Afsaltouchriver (7/2020)

Shylock (2020)

An out and out Mammotty show!

[7/10 · 24 January 2020]

An out and out Mammotty show,where the energy level and screen presence of the actor himself makes it a pretty decent mass-masala entertainer!

The fanboy inside Ajai Vasudev has utilized the mass appeal and charisma of Mammootty to the fullest,the result being a memorable character,Shylock,who entertains us with his swagger,movie references and catchy one-liners.

The screenplay written by debutants Bibin Mohan and Aneesh Hameed is outright formulaic and the pre-interval session of the movie in particular is a treat for the fans of Mammootty and Mass movie audience who will enjoy each and every second of the narrative,thanks to a compelling act by the Megastar.

The narrative lost its pace during the lengthy flashback sequence in the second half,which was rather predictable and typical of village-based Tamil and Telugu family dramas,with the saving grace being an alluring performance from RajKiran.

The Background Score by Gopi Sunder was repetitive and too loud at times.Supporting cast did their part well.

As one of the dialogue in the movie convey,the narrative started as a comedy and then turned into a thriller and ended up as a revenge drama,the revenge part of which could have been handled better by further exploiting the shylock avatar of Mammooty,to elevate the overall cinematic experience.

Nevertheless,the quirky antics and energetic performance from Mammooty himself makes this a treat for the fans and a pretty decent mass masala entertainer for the common movie going audience.

Give it a try and experience the swagger of Boss,The Mega One! ✌ 3/5 #Afsaltouchriver

Mayaanadhi (2017)

A Must Watch Offering From Aashiq And Team

[8/10 · 31 December 2017]

The promos of 'Mayaandhi' didn't reveal much about the plot of the film and was more or less confusing without any high-point in particular to evoke excitement in the mind of the audience.On the contrary,Mayaanadhi,the film is an intense and emotional romantic thriller that offers a haunting cinematic experience making it undoubtedly one among the best feature films to come out from Mollywood this calendar year.

The screenplay scripted by the duo of Dileesh Nair and Syam Pushkaran is top-notch and utilizes subtle humor and real emotions to deliver an utterly realistic romance that's presented in the best possible way by Aashiq Abu who has created yet another passionate handiwork after his 2015 drama film 'Rani Padmini'.The narrative by Aashiq is riveting and utilizes its realistic pace to make us root for the lead characters Mathan and Appu in just few minutes into the presentation.

Mollywood has seen many intense romances in the past,but Mayaandhi will be long remembered for its uniqueness in expressing bold statements like "sex is not a promise" without being offensive for any section of the audience.The best thing about the romance here is that its volatile like every other real life romance and the subtle variations in the relationship has been presented brilliantly without any element of melodrama and cinematic masala.There are plenty of satirical one-liners that exposes the social scenario of today and the writer duo have worked-out them pretty well to evoke smiles from such social commentary bits without losing the element of thought underneath.

The movie can boast of the career best act by Tovino Thomas who has given out a splendid act as Mathan who is madly in love with the female protagonist Appu.Aishwarya Lekshmi who debuted earlier this year with the Nivin Pauly starrer 'Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela' has done a brilliant job as Appu,a struggling actor in the industry.All the supporting performances were impressive with notable ones being that of Leona Lishoy,Harish Uthaman and Ilavarasu.

This review will be incomplete without penning atleast a line about Rex Vijayan who has created a stunning background score and 4 haunting songs that uplifts the mood of the film big time.The solo 'Mizhiyil' sung by Shahabaz Aman is an awe-inspiring work that's sure to be in the playlist of music lovers for long time.Jayesh Mohan's frames were literally poetic and complimented the beauty of the narrative.Edits by Saiju Sreedharan were good.

Overall,Mayaanadhi is a brilliant on-screen romance that's not to be missed from the big screens this holidays.Go for it!

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

The Funniest Superhero Movie Till Date

[8/10 · 15 November 2017]

Kiwi director Taika Waititi is famed for his awe-inspiring comedy drama's like "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" and "Boy" and Marvel's decision to rope him in to direct a sequel to a rather struggling 'Thor' franchise by itself hinted some surprises in store as was concreted by a refreshing,bad-ass theaterical trailer.

Breathing a bounty of fresh air into the sinking series,Waititi's hilarious re-invention of Thor is undoubtedly a bold attempt from Marvel who have succeeded in making a thoroughly enjoyable superhero comedy that never lets you down for a moment in its runtime of around 130 minutes.The storyline traverses through unpredictable paths that are outrageously wild and funny with quirky one-liners and dedicated performances from everyone in the cast.

A terrific background score by Mark Mothersbaugh deserves a special mention for the imperative part that it has played in raising the adrenaline rush particularly during action sequences.Chris Hemsworth excelled with his incredible comic-timing and rendered his career- best performance.Mark Ruffle and Tom Hiddleston gave impressive acts as Hulk and Loki respectively.Another character that stole attention was taht of Korg,the instantly lovable rock monster made lively by the peculiar voice of Waititi himself.

The mid and post credit scenes introduces us to upcoming MCU adventure "Avengers: Infinity War" that looks promising just the way Ragnarok is.

Overall,with an impeccable sense of humor, exhilarating musical score,stunning action blocks and impressive lead performances this sequel to The Dark world can be counted among the best films ever from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.A must watch affair in all means!

Mersal (2017)

"Thalapathy Show All The Way"

[7/10 · 18 October 2017]

'Atlee' has become a dependable brand with just 2 films 'Raja Rani' and 'Theri',both which were efficiently packed masala entertainers that managed to gain humongous success at the Kollywood box- office.Naturally,the expectations were sky-high from the combo of Vijay and Atlee who were expected to repeat the success of Theri,which I felt was to some extent a slightly better movie altogether on comparison with this much more predictable mass masala entertainer.

An elaborate affair running around 170 minutes,Mersal has all the ingredients that one conjoins with a festival entertainer,heavily relying upon the charisma of Vijay who ensures that the loopholes in the screenplay is overshadowed by his massive screen presence up to a good extent.K.Vijayendra Prasad who's known for his epic mass entertainers like 'Baahubali','Bajrangi Bhaijaan' and 'Samarasimha Reddy' has stick on to the basic formulas of a typical masala flick,the result being an average to above average cinematic experience in a nutshell.

Atlee's pattern of narrative reminded me of his mentor Shankar's 2006 blockbuster 'Shivaji',revamped with plot elements similar to A.R Murugadoss's Vijayakanth starrer 'Ramana'[2002] and a conclusion upon the lines of yet another Murugadoss flick Katthi [2014].The introductory portions of the movie was impressive followed by a slightly weaker 45-50 minutes which luckily ended with a thrilling interval block.The second half holds the flashback portion of 'Thalapathy' which is highly emotional and has moments to connect with the native audience in particular.

The fact that the easily predictable narrative could have been trimmed by at least 15-20 minutes cannot be blanked out and hadn't there been a solid performance by Thalapathy Vijay as the saving grace,the movie could have been rather a mediocre experience altogether.The plethora of hard-hitting punch dialogues added with a good social message towards the end was effective in increasing the emotional connect of the movie.

As mentioned before Vijay was at his awesome best throughout the movie and succeeded in portraying the roles entrusted on him with required perfection.The pick among the female cast was Nithya Menon who shined with an energetic performance.Samantha and Kajal Agarwal didn't have much role to play except for being part in two songs that didn't make any impact in the narrative whatsoever.'Vaigai Puyal' Vadivelu gave an impressive supporting performance .S J Surya's villain role was too stereotypical and lacked necessary detailing.

Songs by maestro A.R.R ranged from mediocre to good with the pick among the songs being 'Aalaporaan Tamizhan' and 'Nee Thaane' that were picturized well by Atlee.The background score of the movie wasn't exceptional but nonetheless decent.Frames by debutante G K Vishnu were catchy and edits by Ruben was fine in general.

Overall,Mersal is a satisfactory festive flick that ensures a paisa vasool one time watch for those who have a taste for masala entertainers.

Kaattu (2017)

An Intense Drama With Some Top-Notch Performances

[6/10 · 16 October 2017]

Director Arun Kumar Aravind has succeeded in gaining a place for himself in Mollwood with his hard-hitting films 'like Ee Adutha Kalathu' and 'Left Right Left'."Kaattu" marks the comeback of Arun into films after a hiatus of more than 3 years,who has accomplished in providing an intense cinematic experience with some powerful dialogues,raw emotions,brilliant performances and a neat job by the team of art direction.

The screenplay by Ananthapadmanabhan based upon his father P.Padmarajan's short story "Raanimarude Kudumbam' even though bit lengthy is nevertheless enjoyable and has ample depth and substance to qualify for a silver-screen watch.The old-school style narrative by Arun reminds us of movies from the combo of Padmarajan and Bharathan in the late 70s such as 'Lorry' and 'Thakara' that gives emphasis on emotional side of its characters rather than formulaic cinematic gimmicks.

The first half of the movie was slightly slow-paced and took lot of time to establish its characters and their individual traits.The lengthy first half gave me a feel that the movie could have gained much more pace by avoiding lengthy single-sequences and at times dramatic dialogues.The second half on contrary was near to perfect and blessed with some exceptionally well-narrated sequences and complimented by good performances from the lead cast.Climax portion too was really good and effectively presented.

Noohukkannu can be easily pointed out as the best acting performance by Asif Ali till date and he triumphed in portraying the character of a naive and innocent youth perfectly.Murali Gopy was as usual brilliant and gave a convincing act.Varalaxmi Sarathkumar and Manasa Radhakrishnan played their part well.Another notable character was that of Moopan,played brilliantly by Pankan ThamarassEry.

Deepak Dev succeeded in creating the perfect score for the setting of the film added with two hummable songs that were placed well in the narrative.Prasanth Raveendran did a good job with cinematography.Cuts by director himself were fine.

Overall,Kaattu is a lethargic,but well-conceived late 70's style drama that deserves a watch for its honest narrative and neat performances.

Parava (2017)

"A Pretty Decent Feel-Good Entertainer"

[6/10 · 6 October 2017]

Apart from being a dependable supporting actor,Soubin Shahir has long been assistant to prominent directors like Fazil,Siddique,Amal Neerad and Rajiv Ravi with Parava marking his directorial debut,a much sought-out affair,thanks to an extended cameo by heart-throb of youth Dulquer Salmaan.On the positive side,Parava has managed to keep the huge expectations intact,offering a breezy take on the not much explored daily life of Mattanchery in the backdrop of 'pigeon racing'.

The narrative swivels between two rather separate story lines,focusing on the life of two innocent young boys and a group of grown-up youth,both being narrated in nevertheless a decent manner with necessary freshness and required connection between the two.Soubin has managed to throw light on the day-to-day life Mattanchery with originality and much needed detail similar to Lijo Jose Pellisery's critically acclaimed drama film 'Angamaly Diaries' that got released a few months ago.

The first half of the movie holds the meaty share of well-etched sequences in the movie that makes up for the small glitches popping up through the rest of the narrative.The notable negative of the movie is the over-drawn second hour where nothing much progresses except for elongated episodes of dove-flying and at least a couple of unnecessary sub-plots centered around inconsequential characters.The climax of the movie was good even though I felt that the fight sequence could have been easily trimmed off by a minute or two.

The episode involving Dulquer Salmaan was really heart-warming and Dulquer ensured that he has put his full efforts to make the character Imran instantly lovable for the audience.Both the young actors,Govind Pai and Amal Shah played their part exceptionally well and won hearts for their natural dialog delivery.Shane Nigam,Arjun Ashokan,Sreenath Bhasi,Srinda Arhaan,Jacob Gregory etc played their part well.Siddique gave a notable performance.

Another major highlight of the movie is its top-notch frames by Littil Swayamp who has earlier made a brief acting cameo in Anjali Menon's 2012 blockbuster 'Ustad Hotel'.Music and background score by Rex Vijayan was impressive.

0verall,Parava is satisfactory movie experience that marks a promising entry for Soubin Shahir into the field of film direction.

Poster Boys (2017)

A Pretty Decent Remake Of The Marathi Blockbuster

[6/10 · 12 September 2017]

An official remake of Sameer Patil's 2014 Marathi runaway hit "Poshter Boyz",Shreyas Talpade's directorial debut 'Poster Boys' deals with the highly socially relevant issue of male sterilization in a light- hearted tone with satisfactory dose of slapstick and verbal humor to label it as a decent entertainer for the single screen audience in particular.Most importantly the movie marks the come back of Bobby Deol into the big screens after a hiatus of almost 4 years,who has managed to give out a solid performance that's instantly lovable.

The saving grace of the movie for most part is the brilliant chemistry between Deol brothers and Shreyas,and the trio ensures that the loopholes on the storyline is concealed up to an extent.The screenplay credited to the duo of Bunty Rathore and Paritosh Painter is filled with abundance of comic sequences which at times become a bit too loud and repetitive.

The climax portions puts forward a commendable social message which could have been more impactful had the screenplay been less predictable and giving more emphasize on the issue rather than resorting to low-brow humor.The movie had a feel of television sitcom at times which can be attributed to the constrained budget of the movie.The references to yesteryear super-hits of Deol brothers like 'Soldier','Border' and 'Damini' was funny and executed well.

It was a delight to watch Bobby Deol back on the big-screen after a long-time and the charismatic made it sure that the character invested on him is portrayed well with necessary mannerisms and dedication.Sunny Deol too gave an impressive performance and the funny sequences involving him were totally hilarious and the best part of the narration.Shreyas Talpade was impressive with his comic timing.Sonali Kulkarni and Samiksha Bhatnagar were adequate.Ashwini Kalsekar did her part well.

Two among the three songs in the movie was used in the credits and the idea to reboot 'Kudiyan Shehar Di' from Arjun Pandit has worked out well among the mass audience.Technical side of the movie was okayish.

Overall,Poster boys is an average comedy-drama that's worth a watch for its social relevance,some funny one-liners and neat performances from the cast.

Pullikkaran Staraa (2017)

"Worth A Watch For A Whole-Hearted Performance From Megastar"

[6/10 · 7 September 2017]

Director Shyam Dhar who debuted with the Prithviraj starrer crime- thriller "7th Day' has come up with a totally different film this time,a simple-feel good movie that's a mixed bag of interesting and lackluster sequences.There is an earnest effort to present an intriguing light-hearted comic-drama,but the final result is just a strictly average film that's saved upto an extent by a dedicated performance from Megastar Mammootty.

The first half of the film is really engaging with an array of light-hearted comic sequences that ensures that the audience isn't bored for any second in the narrative.The backbone of the film is without doubt the enchanting chemistry between Mammootty,Hareesh Perumanna,Innocent and Dileesh Pothen who have come up with noteworthy performances that saves the movie particularly in the second half.

It is with the onset of the second half that Shyam Dhar lost his grip in the narrative with the story getting choked with inconsequential sequences that at times turned unintentionally funny like the totally superfluous accident sequence,a bollywood music- album kind of preachy sequence and two easily avoidable song numbers that does not make any sense whatsoever.The second half was for the most part aimless and no way near the first half as far as entertainment value is concerned .

The screenplay by Ratheesh Ravi doesn't care much to make the narrative convincing and instead take interest in inclusion of an array of feel-good sequences that does entertain in bits and parts but isn't really engaging when counted as a movie altogether.There is abundance of double meaning dialogues which could have been reduced for suiting the sensibilities of kids and family audience.The romantic track in the movie was handled convincingly.

The highlight of the movie is without doubt a top-notch act by Mammootty who gave a memorable performance as educational trainer Rajakumaran.Deepti Sati and Asha Sharath were good.Hareesh Perumanna was a delight to watch with his witty one-liners.Innocent,Dileesh Pothen etc gave good support.

Songs by M.Jayachandran were good,but didn't make much impact rather than increasing the length of the narrative.The pick among the songs was "Mathalathenalarale rendered beautifully by Vijay Yesudas.The frames by Vinod Ilampally were colorful and a treat for the eyes.Editing part was handled well by Ranjan Abraham.

Overall,Pullikkaran Stara is a passable feel-good entertainer that's worth a watch for a brilliant performance from Megastar Mammootty.

Role Models (2017)

A Mediocre Low-Brow Comedy

[5/10 · 25 July 2017]

As there weren't better films to choose from for a movie outing with family,I decided to try "Role Models" even after hearing negative response from the majority in my friend's circle.Fahadh Faasil joining hands with Raffi for a brainless comedy looks totally odd on paper and the result too isn't inspiring,being a strictly passable film that's saved up-to an extent by few good one-line jokes and the good rapport between the lead cast.

Predictable from the word go,Raffi's screenplay is half-baked and tries to address quiet a lot of issues,turning pointless after few minutes into the narrative.The necessary connect that the plot demanded between all such issues was missing and gave way for a heavily clichéd conclusion.

The saving grace here is low-brow counters and slapstick comic situations that manages to evoke laughs even though only in bits and parts in the narration.Sharafudheen in particular was pretty impressive and showcased good comic timing along with Vinayakan who gave good support.Fahadh Faasil's character looked like an extension of Harikrishnan from North 24 Kaatham [2013] with the talented actor trying his best to portray a character with multiple dimensions,but with partial success.The celebrated character "Ramanan" from yesteryear super-hit 'Punjabi House'[1998] reappeared in a cameo that was totally dull and avoidable.

Songs and background score by Gopi Sunder were good with the pick among the songs being the romantic duet "Theru There" rendered well by Najim Arshad and Sreya Raghav.Cinematography part was handled well by Shamdat Sainudheen.Edits by V.Saajan could have been better.

Overall,'Role Models' is a below average comedy film that's at best watchable for few comedies and good chemistry between the lead actors.

Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016)

" A Bold & Hard-Hitting Women-Oriented Film "

[8/10 · 23 July 2017]

"Lipstick Under My Burkha" was screened at various film festivals across the world prior to its theatrical release,receiving huge accolades from renowned film critiques,making it a highly anticipated film for the moviebuffs in India and abroad.The news that the makers had to plea to the appellate authority(FCAT) for a release after getting a no from CBFC marked up the excitement surrounding the film that has finally managed to hit the silverscreen after bidding adieu to all the dark clouds spread over it.

What made the censors reject the certification and to make derogatory remarks like "the story is lady-oriented,their fantasy about life" is shocking and alarming for the future of Indian movie scene that has remained heavily censured from time immemorial.Ironically,I felt the opposite that the best thing about the movie is that it could succeed in making strong statements without being offensive for a second,something that calls for a gifted writer-director like Alankrita Shrivastava.The key to narration used here is dark humor that's there in sumptuous amount for the whole of the narration.

The movie focuses on the lives of four women who rebel against the social stereotypes quartered on them and the never ending contrast conflict between their dreams and the vested interests of the patriarchal society has been strikingly reproduced in the narrative without any reservations,unnecessary cinematic liberties or over- melodrama unlike many recent movies that handled the same issue(Leave aside Leena Yadavs's riveting drama feature "Parched").Th word "Burkha" in the title is used to represent the veil over feminine dreams and no way targetted at hurting the religious sentiments of the Muslim community in the country.

The universal truth that the sexuality of women and their desires can never go hand-in-hand with the misogynistic pre-assumptions that's prevalent in the society has been enlightened by the movie at various situations in the narrative.In one scene we get to see a groom-to-be saying to his prospective bride that fortunately they have bought a new television set at their home so that she can be happily relaxed inside the home once they are married and in another shocker of a scene our protagonists makes a sigh that their biggest mistake is that they dream too much,an eye-opener into the plight of numerous women who are nothing but slaves inside their own homes.

Even though the movie isn't heavily censured,abrupt cuts were felt at few point in the narrative which could have been taken care of while on the editing table.The conclusion of the movie was predictable and slightly weaker on comparison with the rest of the narrative.Solid performances stand as the backbone of the griping narrative and it was delight to watch all the lead-ladies perform well on the screen.The pick among the cast I felt was Konkona Sen Sharma and debutante Plabita Borthakur who both gave excellent performances in their respective roles.Ratna Patahk Sha and Aahana Kumra too were equally good and made their roles memorable.Vaibhav Tatwawaadi,Sushant Singh,Vikrant Massey etc gave good supporting performances.

Music by Zebunnisa Bangash and Mangesh Dhakde was adequate for the narrative.Technical side was handled really well even though the budget of the movie was very low in comparison with other biggies from Bollywood.

Overall,Lipstick Under My Burkha is a daring and whole-hearted women-oriented film that's worth a watch from the cinemas at the earliest!

Sunday Holiday (2017)

A Simple,Feel-Good Movie

[6/10 · 20 July 2017]

Only once in a while we get to see a movie that will let you come out of the theaters with a lasting smile on our face! Jis Joy's second directorial "Sunday Holiday" is undoubtedly one among such feel-good movies that doesn't resort to any kind of over-the-top elements to make it look phenomenal,but provides some sort of inherent positive vibe once you are done with the movie.

One cannot reject the fact that it's a pretty ordinary flick if we go deep into the storyline with easily notable flaws like the presence of too many inconsequential sub-plots focusing on under- developed characters,the lack of freshness in the basic plot and of course the old-school approach to the "cinema within cinema" pattern of storytelling which all acts as stumbling blocks in the movie being a complete success.But,here fortuantely the positives outweigh the negatives by a good margin making it a pretty decent feel-good movie that's sure to offer a breezy watch for the cinema lover inside you.

On the positive side,"Sunday Holiday" nonetheless offers the viewers a satisfactory watch,thanks to elements of natural humor,good performances from the cast and the hearty aura of optimism that's spread through the narration.Notably,there were at least half a dozen of stand-out dialog bits that opened upon the optimistic outlook that one needs to possess for a successful and happy life,in harmony with the society.

Asif Ali was in great form enacting the role invested in him with dedication and required perfection.Aparna Balamurali and Sreenivasan were impressive.The forced comic sequences helmed by Dharmajan Bolgatty failed to evoke laughs,but was managed upto an extend by natural humor in the storyline.

Songs and musical score by Deepak Dev were good and complimenting the narrative.The technical crew did their part well.

Overall,Sunday Holiday is a paisa-vasool feel good flick worth a try from the cinema near you!

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Grab Your Tickets If You Wanna Encounter The Coolest Spidey In The Series!

[7/10 · 18 July 2017]

Spiderman series is among the most celebrated franchises in Hollywood and has managed to create a dedicated fan following for the character among youth in particular.The news that Marvel has signed a contract with Sony to hitch up Spidey to their league of superheroes was a bit of a surprise,but I personally felt that the move was rather a much needed one for the revival of the series of which the penultimate offering "The Amazing Spiderman 2" was the weakest among the lot.

Positively,with "Spiderman Homecoming", marvel has succeeded in giving a high school drama's tint for the spiderman franchise without losing the soul of the series -whatsoever.Notably,spidey's character portrayed by Tom Holland is true to the spirit of the original comic series and more relatable on comparison with one's portrayed in other films in the series.

A perfect balance has been maintained between a Spiderman spin-off and a Marvel helmed superhero film and the presence of Tony Stark as Spidey's mentor and references to Avengers were all handled well by John Watts and his supporting crew who succeeded in making an engaging film with only few loopholes in the narration.

On the negative side the 3D effects were mediocre and the climax portions could have been more thrilling of sorts.

Overall,Spiderman Homecoming is a neatly presented rework of the original comic series that's worth a watch from the big screens near you !

Jagga Jasoos (2017)

"Anurag Basu Strikes Gold With A Must Watch Experimental Flick " Rating - 4/5

[8/10 · 17 July 2017]

Anurag Basu's erstwhile collaboration with Ranbir Kapoor gave birth to a memorable and refreshing film "Barfi" that succeeded in generating good response among the masses and the critics alike."Jagga Jasoos" is no less a movie in terms of quality and offers a magical journey to the world of Jagga and his intriguing adventures for its run time of around 160 minutes.

Even though musicals like "La La Land","Grease" and "The Phantom Of The Opera" have proved successful in the western film scenario,the genre is relatively new to Indian cinema and experimenting it with such sound technical perfection is not a layman's job,the reason why Anurag Basu and crew deserves accolades for their genuine effort that resulted in such a visual treat for diverse sections of the audience.

The terrific musical score by Pritam acts as the backbone for the narration and dedicated performances from Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif ensure that the movie is engaging till the end credits start to roll on screen.The name Saswata Chatterjee can't be left out from this review and the talented Bengali actor deserves a special mention for his heartfelt act as Jagga's mentor with a peculiar pet name "TutiFuti".

The fantasy elements were placed convincingly by Anurag and barring few moments in the second half,the narrative was flawless and well- paced.Art Direction headed by Parijit Poddar and cinematography by Ravi Varman were impressive.VFX works were adequate.The movie concluded with an open climax that hints of a sequel in store,the fate of which will depend upon the box office numbers that Jagga Jasoos manages to put on.

Overall,Jagga Jasoos is an honest effort to present a musical adventure that sums up as the heartiest Bollywood flick of 2017 till now.Go for it!

Tiyaan (2017)

An Average Movie That's Worth A Watch For Its Relevant Plot & Good Performances"

[6/10 · 16 July 2017]

Prithviraj is well-known for choosing quality scripts and his joining hands with acclaimed screenwriter-actor Murali Gopy was enough and more for generating huge pre-release buzz and as such Tiyaan was among the well-anticipated movies to come out from Mollywood this calendar year.Could the movie live up to all the mammoth expectations surrounding it?I would say 'No'.So,is the movie a bad one? Certainly 'No'!

A decent flick overall,Tiyaan is a satisfactory mix of drama,politics,realism and mysticism,but lacks depth and soundness to call it a dedicated effort in a whole.The screenplay by Murali Gopy intelligently intertwines spiritualism with political scenario of the time being,but never tries hard to render the plot conclusive,especially towards the second hour where it turns just another mediocre cat and mouse chase between the good and the evil.

Jeeyen Krishnakumar's narration was pretty ordinary and had notable flaws that became more noticeable with the onset of the second half.Evidently the first half of Tiyaan was more entertaining and well-presented on comparison with the strictly average second half.It should be admitted that the movie would have reached another level had the narrative been foolproof and the screenplay been penned with a little more care and perfection.

Both Indrajith and Prithviraj Sukumaran were equally good in their respective roles and it was a treat to watch the actors mouthing the powerful and hard hitting dialogs written by Murali Gopy.MuraliGopy's act as demi-god Mahakshay Bhagwan was good even though his expressions was monotonous for the major part of the narration. ll Overall,Tiyaan is worth a watch for the brilliant lead performances,socially relevant plot and the noteworthy message that movie puts forward.Watch out for the sequences that enlight upon the meaning of 'Sanathana Dharma' and 'Tathwamasi' that's sure to evoke goosebumps for the cinema-lover inside you ! :-)

Tubelight (I) (2017)

"Faith Can Move Mountains,But Not This Half-Hearted Piece Of Cinema ! "

[5/10 · 4 July 2017]

Both the earlier collaborations between Salman and Kabir khan,"Ek Tha Tiger" and "Bhajrangi Bhaijaan" were universally acclaimed films that set the cash counters ringing at the box office with the latter being one among the biggest hits ever in the history of Bollywood cinema.With "Tubelight",Kabir Khan has tried to cash upon the Bhajrangi Bhaijaan's success by churning out a movie that follows the narrative style and treatment of Bhaijaan which sadly doesn't work due to its flawed screenplay and a mediocre performance from Salman Khan.

Undeniably the weakest film from Salman Khan & Kabir Khan in recent years,Tueblight has a melodramatic story-line that's overly preachy and monotonous for the meaty part of the narration,with the "Bhajrangi Bhaijaan" hangover making it even worse at multiple instances in the course of the narration.

Kabirkhan does try to include quiet a few political statements in the movie which are honest and socially relevant,but the lackluster story-line spoils the impact and renders the movie as just a slow-paced drama without any notable high point as such.

Salman looked innocent playing a developmentally disabled man who believes in Faith more than anything,but failed to make any emotional connect whatsoever unlike his films in the recent past.Sohail Khan enacted the role of Salman's brother convincingly,but looked much older than his real life brother on screen.Among others,debutant child actor Matin Rey Tangu and Chinese actress Zhu Zhu played their part well.Songs and BGM were adequate.

Overall,Tubelight is a strictly average rip off of Alejandro Gomez Monteverdes's 2015 flick "Little Boy" that can turn a decent watch if you go with very low expectations !

Thondi Muthalum Driksakshiyum (2017)

"A Simple,Realistic Drama That Hosts An Array Of Brilliant Performances "

[7/10 · 4 July 2017]

"Maheshinte Prathikaram" released last year was a surprise hit at the Mollywood box office,that registered Dileesh Pothen as a renowned film-director with cult following among the movie-buffs who even managed to come up with a universal term "Pothettan Brilliance'" to point out instances of cinematic excellence in films by Pothen."Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum" was without doubt the most anticipated Malayalam movie of 2017 and I must say Pothen has succeeded in keeping the expectations intact by presenting an equally good film with some genuine performances from the solid cast as its major highlight.

The story-line penned by critically acclaimed screenwriter Sajeev Pazhoor is a balanced mix of offbeat and mainstream elements with the simplicity in narration by Dileesh Pothen,eminent creative direction by Shyam Pushkaran,catchy cinematography by Rajeev Ravi and notable support from the cast combined making it a hearty watch for all the sections of the audience.The police station sequences in the movie in particular deserves a special mention for its originality and realistic treatment of the proceedings.

Fahadh Fazil,Suraj Venjarammood and newcomer Nimsiha Sajayan all were at their best and enacted the roles invested on them impressively.The pick among the cast was real life police officer Sibi Thomas who gave a stellar act in Khakhi that was utterly realistic and authentic.

On the negative side,the pace of the movie was a bit on the lower side for few parts of the story-line and the climax portions weren't as enjoyable as the rest of the presentation.

Overall,"Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum" is a simple film centered around a wafer thin plot that's narrated beautifully by Dileesh and the team.

Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017)

An Epic Conclusion To The Celebrated War Drama

[8/10 · 29 April 2017]

'Baahubali - The Beginning' released back in 2015 was a 'Pan-Indian Blockbuster' that raised the standards of technical brilliance of Indian films with stellar war sequences and awe-inspiring art- direction ,making its Bollywood counter- parts a run for their money.To make a sequel (techncially speaking a prequel) that matches the grandeur and brilliance of the magnum opus 'Baahubali' might look irrealizable,but not for a master craftsman like S.S.Rajamouli who has come up with a stunning piece of cinema that lives upto the hype in all means and even outshines the original as far as the depth of the story-line and a smooth narrative is concerned.

The well-made sequel is without doubt a better movie altogether with a thoroughly convincing and hearty story- line that engages the viewers by inviting them to be a part of the Mahishmati kingdom for its run time of 168 minutes.A more befitting finale to this epic is doubtful and the first half by itself makes it a paisa- vasool affair for the normal movie going audience.

The love-track between Tammana and Prabhas was a let-back in the first part and the best a thing about the conclusion is that it takes care of leaving aside such avoidable sub plots and tries to concentrate in the inner conflicts and emotions of the lead characters making it a hearty affair for the viewers.The first half of the movie was first-rate in this matter and more entertaining on comparison with nevertheless a very good second half.

The way K. V. Vijayendra Prasad handled the answer to the million dollar question "Why Kattappa Killed Baahubali?" was brilliant and the overflow of emotions surrounding that question was a delight to watch and made remarkable by brilliant lead performances.The courtroom sequences and the particular arrow fight sequence were exceptional and the highlight of the narrative.

A notable lame-point of the movie was the patchy graphics in few sequences which is too sub-standard considering the mammoth budget of the presentation.The climax portions were good,but not as riveting as the rest of the narrative.

The audience response was enormous for critical sequences and the cheers and whistles ensure that the movie is going to make it big with its impressive 'WOM' among the families and the youth alike.The absence of a breath-taking war sequence like the 'Kalaleya fight' in the first part didn't make any impact,thanks to the brilliant penning of story-line by K.V.Vijayendra Prasad.

Prabhas gave a convincing performance as both Amarendra Bahubali and Mahendra Baahubali with required zeal and intensity that the characters demanded.Anushka was a delight to watch and stamped her authority as a lady action superstar in Indian cinema.Remya Krishnan's act was powerful.Rana Daggubati was good and gave a better performance on comparison with his act in the first.Nasser played his part well.Sathyaraj was lovable and excelled in both comic and emotional sequences.

Songs and background score by M.M.Keeravani were effective and elevated the atmosphere of the narration.All the songs qualify for repeated hearing with the picks being 'Dandaalayya','Oka Praanam' and 'Hamsa Naava'.Cinematography by K. K. Senthil Kumar was top notch and managed to capture the visual grandeur of the movie.Art direction part was handled well by Sabu Cyril.Editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao was good.

Overall,Baahubali -The Conclusion' is a stunning visual extravaganza,a must watch cinematic experience from preferably the best theater in your locality.Take a Bow,SS Rajmouli ! __/\__

Kuttram 23 (2017)

"Decent Investigative Thriller With Its Share Of Minor Loopholes "

[7/10 · 28 March 2017]

The biggest asset of Kuttram 23 is Arun Vijay,who stole the show with his career best performance that's sure to concrete his position as a bankable lead hero in Kollywood.The way he underplayed the role of a cop invested on him with his stylish looks and realistic dialogue delivery made the small flaws in the narrative immaterial as far as a satisfactory movie experience is concerned.

The storyline based upon a crime novel by Rajesh Kumar was handled well by director Arivazhagan who succeeded in creating a convincing cinematic version of the investigative thriller based upon few medical crimes,a topic that hasn't been discussed much in Kollywood.Bhaskaran's frames deserve a special mention for giving a slick look to the movie.

The action sequences were choreographed very well particularly the fight towards the climax of the movie.Vishal Chandrasekher's musical score was adequate.On the negative side the,climax of the movie felt rushed and the way the mystery was unfolded wasn't impactful as one would expect it to be.The message that the movie tried to convey was half-baked.

Overall,Kuttram 23 is a satisfactory medical thriller that has enough substance to qualify for a watch from the silverscreens !