Wow @ Vav – Musical Extravaganza @ Magical Monument
The Divine Power Of Music Come Alive At The Spectacular & Historic Adalaj Ni Vav!
Legends Ustad Fazal Qureshi, Ranjit Barot, V Selva Ganesh, Nathulal Solanki, Sanjay Divech, U Rajesh, Sheldon D’Silva and Prithvi Gandharva In Action At The Water Festival ! Actor & Music Lover Pratik Gandhi Does A Fabulous Job As A Host!
Maestros Marvel At The Magnificent Monument – The UNESCO World Heritage Site Of Adalaj Ni Vav! Truly Wow!
Serial Kisser Emraan Hashmi’s Kisses. No
Salman Bhai’s Shirtless Moment. No
Foot Tapping Music. No
Noteworthy Performances. No
Rejuvenated Bollywood. No
Must Watch. No
Tiger 3 – The usual glossy spy thriller with Hollywood style action and mind defying stunts. The usual Indo-Pak storyline with usual Salman-Katrina proceedings. Nothing new to inspire or engage beyond the Shahrukh Salman bromance!
The Yashraj Spyverse runs the risk of being stale and predictable saga. Jawan was different from Pathaan and hence it worked! Time to rejuvenate! Time to get Alia!
Past Lives: A Poignant Painting Of Relationships, Identities & Possibilities!
One of the year’s best and a must watch movie! A slow burn movie that touches your heart! A though provoking movie that spans time and continents!
Celine Song’s debut movie beautifully captures the lives of two childhood friends over a two decade period where they explore their relationships in the backdrop of life events. Nora & Hae Sung are academic rivals and friends who once go on a parent brokered ‘play date’. The boy is in awe of the girl but she emigrates to Canada.
Thanks to social media and digital world, they reconnect after twelve years but begin to drift apart again as Nora is committed to her ambition and explores the life she desires. Hae Sung finally meets Nora after another twelve years, as he plans a vacation to New York to meet the established playwright Nora, who is married to writer Arthur. How the meeting unfolds and unravels the nostalgic emotions is what makes Past Lives a brilliant and reflective piece of art!
The Korean concept of “in-yeon” is central to the movie.
The movie thrives in the power of saying the unsaid – eye contact, silence, stillness, music, backdrops etc. Watch the powerful ending…..soul moving!
The movie is a master class in story telling, cinematography, music, acting and direction. Hae Sung (Yoo Teo) wins your heart as a handsome, sweet, dignified, mature and totally romantic protagonist. Nora (Greta Lee) is confused, vulnerable, practical and emotionally torn. Arthur (John Magarro) makes a great impact as Nora’s husband. Celine Song’s direction is truly amazing – full marks to her for a perfect debut.
Past Lives – A movie about love, loss, marriage, career, culture, diaspora, nostalgia, relationships and destiny! How our relationships affect our lives!
A must watch movie!
Jawan Review: Citizen Khan’s Massy Bollywood Masala Entertainer For The Political Bharat!
Whistles, song, dance, crazy fans, popcorn stockout, SRK fans going crazy – The SRK masala blockbuster rides the Great Indian Theatre takeover! I saw the movie in a big non-multiplex screen on the first day and public is hysterical at every SRK act – entry, dance, dialogues, action! The southern spice and Bollywood superstar create magic!
‘Bete ko hath lagane se pehle, baap se baat kar’ gets the maximum applause. Aryan – ticked!
The fight against the corrupt system – spearheaded by an army officer and his jailer son. Farmer suicides, dilapidated medical system, faulty arms deals, environment harming factories politician-businessmen nexus, international collaboration – all the ingredients for our hero to fight the system and stand up for common man.
After a spectacular opening act, SRK sets the pace with fiery Robinhood acts with the Chak De type womaniya squad. Nayanthara and Deepika are effective and glamourous. Vijay Sethupathi is underutilised – a stronger villain was definitely needed! The little girl is too cute and Sanjay Dutt is forced.
The Hollywood matching action and thrills are highly engaging. The pace dips in the second half and music is forgettable – unusual for a SRK movie. A stronger edit and sharper dialogue writing would have lifted the movie even further. Though the final climax with its big sermon and action ensures a strong ending.
Watch the total paisa vasool Bollywood masala potboiler! SRK is having fun as an action hero after his romantic hero days. Pathaan scores over Jawan but let the audience decide!
One of the most pivotal points of ‘The Scam 2003’ is the turnaround of an upright, ethical and faultless government officer Madhusudhan Mishra. The vrituous and disciplined soldier has been toiling for years but has been ignored and often overlooked for promotions. He turns away the conniving scamster protagonist Abul Karim Telgi and his bribes. In fact, he invites Telgi to his office and publicly humiliates him in front of the entire staff for attempting to corrupt the system. He is impregnable.
Telgi is smart and ensures a promotion for the officer by greasing palms at the central government. The officer finally gets the promotion but he is devastated and unhappy. He questions that the system never saw decades of his work and loyalty. His entire career’s work was neglected but a scamster’s one act got him the promotion! His unhappiness and sense of bertrayal is real. On that fertile ground, Telgi ploughs his charisma and soft spoken charm to sow the seeds of his empire. By winning over Madhusudhan Mishra, he won a lottery and builds his network.
What are the lessons?
Majority of the corporates and government offices work because of the diligent and righteous professionals. Failing to create a system that acknolwedges, respects and encourages these individuals is a recipe for sub optimal success. The top management and HR function believe that the people stay for the paychecks but the outliers are driven by their own professional values and moral compass. Extraordinary leaders like Rockerfeller, Carnegie, Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Tata, Narayan Murthy & Abdul Kalam shine as examples for pushing the envelope for a true meritoracy with human touch!
What can one do as an indvidual? Be an ambassador for rewarding excellence and challenging the system for true causes. Communicate often and openly with team and acknowledge their contributions. The biggest paradox of love and respect is that it is earned, not begged for. One loses it the moment one asks for it. The corporate and personal world is full of skeletons of relationships that could have endured and thrived with a little more attention, communication and gratitude.
And yes, Madhusudhan Mishra is based on the true character. Personally, I think Madhusudhan Mishra should have resigned and continued his journey….
#scam2003 #sonlyliv #scam2003sonyliv #thetelgistory #crime #thriller #weekendwatch
#ott #corporatelessons
Daring toh karna padega darling!
First Things First! Scam 2003 Is Not As Gripping As The Pratik Gandhi – Harshad Mehta Show: The Scam 1992. The Comparison May Not Be Completely Fair.
Scam 2003 Follows The Same Template: The Rags To Riches Story, Charismatic Protagonist, Mindless Ambition, Exploitation Of The Greed Of Corrupt Loopholes In The System.
Abdul Karim Telgi Is A Humble & Smart Fruit Seller From Karnataka. After A Short Stint In Gulf, The City Of Dreams Beckons Him And He Rises & Rises As The King Of Counterfeit Stamp Papers! During His Journey, He Either Wins Or Buys The People & System Around Him!
Scam 2003 Belongs To Gagan Dev Riar – His Charm Is Attractive – As Is His Metamorphosis Into A Menace. He Has Gotten Into The Skin As Well As The Mannerisms Of Telgi Impeccably. Even In Simple One Liners Or Complex Episodes, He Keeps You Hooked!
Savings account mein confidence jama karke rakha hoon, cash bhi aa jaayega!
The Show Is Pale In Comparison To The Scam 1992. The Pace Is Slow, Screenplay Weak & The Drama Does Not Seem As Gripping As The Earlier Show. However, Only The First Five Episodes Of The Telgi Story Are Out. So Things May Change In The Second Serving!
#scam2003 #sonlyliv #scam2003sonyliv #thetelgistory #crime #thriller #weekendwatch
#ott
National Film Awards 2023
Best Feature Film: Rocketry
Best Director: Nikhil Mahajan, Godavari
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: RRR
Best Actor: Allu Arjun, Pushpa
Best Actress: Alia Bhatt, Gangubai Kathiawadi and Kriti Sanon, Mimi
Best Supporting Actor: Pankaj Tripathi, Mimi
Best Supporting Actress: Pallavi Joshi, The Kashmir Files
Best Music Director (Songs): Devi Sri Prasad, Pushpa
Best Music Direction (Background Music): MM Keeravaani, RRR
Best Male Playback Singer: Kaala Bhairava, RRR
Best Female Playback Singer: Shreya Ghoshal, Iravin Nizhal
Best Lyrics: Chandrabose, Konda Polam’s Dham Dham Dham
Made In Heaven 2: Glam, Glitz & Grey – A Must Watch Iconoclastic Show !
Talk of the town! Solid writing, powerful performances, iconoclast acts, pastel weddings, designer clothes, beautiful brides, charming grooms, top notch production values – Made In Heaven Season 2 is a wonderful watch!
The template is simple: Each episode has a one or two weddings with an inherent issue or tension, ultra stylish weddings with magnificent clothes and uber themes and the ongoing life stories of ‘Made In Heaven’ wedding planning agency team members. Same sex coupling, Dalit wedding, Muslim wedding, Bollywood deal wedding, self wedding – all scenarios are covered to give the series a strong progressive and liberal credential! The beauty lies that these are not checklist issues, but many of them are handled with great nuance and sensitivity.
Shobhita continues her purple patch – taking her glam stylish svelte avatar of Kaveri (The Night Manager) to next level with more teeth, grit, vindictiveness and vulnerability. Impeccable is the word for Shobita! She is having a ball – “Money softens the blow! For the rest..there’s whisky”
Mona Singh’s Bulbul Johari is a stupendous act – the powerhouse performer unfolds her emotional journey as the series progresses. Whether asking the violence victim bride to stand up for herself or navigating the ‘locker room’ scandal of her teenage son, she is super impressive. She is a class apart! “Hearts of girls are won by respect and love, not force”.
Arjun Mathur is outstanding – he is messy, he is confused, he is fragile, he is choking, he is bottled up, he is struggling, he is guilty, he is victimised – touching portrayal of full range of emotions. His difficult relationship with mother, its impact on his psyche, his inability to open up to his partner, his mother’s death – highly moving! “Some of us are meant to travel alone!”
The biggest discovery and showstopper of the series is Trinetra Haldar – a doctor turned actor. The transwoman actor is exceptional – totally calm and poised as she steals the show playing herself! Full marks to the writers for giving a strong transgender character – a highest paid employee, totally accepted by parents. Trinetra’s Mehek deals with the shit with resilience, anchors her relationships with amazing maturity and loves having fun – “I want to go on a date, not give a TED talk!” I am sure we will see more of her in the days to come!
The show has a very impressive supporting cast – Kalki, Jim Sarbh, Vijay Raaz, Shashank Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi. Vijay Raaz is a terrific as a feminist, not just a money bags. Watch him when he says – Dhindora pitiye!
The cameos are equally top notch – Fiery and nuclear Powered Radhika Apte, beautiful Mrunal Thakur, diva Dia Mirza, effervescent Sanjay Kapoor, classy Neelam Kothari, composed Samir Soni, charming Vikrant Massey, Neil, Imaad Shah and others!
Writers Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti and Alankrita Shrivastava have done a fabulous job by creating rich characters with strong arcs and given each character a distinct identity. Directors Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar have roped in Nitya Mehra, Alankrita Shrivastava, and Neeraj Ghaywan as directors
Love it or hate it – but worth a watch!
#madeinheaven #madeinheaven2 #amazonprime #primevideo #wedding #greatindianwedding #romance #drama #bollywood #bingewatch #hindiseries #bingeworthy #weekendwatch
Faadu is a clutter breaking slow burn love story powered by exceptional performances of Saiyami Kher and Pavail Gulati.
When Ghalib Meets Gucci
When Bhutan Meets America
When Faiz Meets Ferrari
Faadu starts as a refreshing tale of opposites attract. Manjiri and Abhay comes from a completely different background. Ujjain descendant Abhay, his auto rickshaw driver father, ailing mother and alcoholic brother live in a Mumbai Ghetto where life is an endless struggle and everything claustrophobic. Manjiri hails from an idyllic village in Konkan Coast where her highly supportive poetry loving father has given her complete support and encouragement to fly in the open skies. Both meet, appreciate each other’s candour, fall in love and marry. So far so good.
However, ambitious Abhay is on a single minded mission to break the shackles of poverty and ensure a meteoric rise in the city of dreams. He makes questionable choices resulting into a troubled relationship with family and Manjiri. The journey of impatient Abhay overtakes the romance as he navigates different chapters of his hyper quick but grey growth.
Faadu is indeed a slow burn where Saiyami Kher shines. She is the moral compass and acts an anchor with brilliant clarity. She is the fountainhead of poetry, patience and simplicity. Pavail is equally strong and shows a great transformation. Great supporting cast as well.
Faadu slips in the second half and could have done with better editing. Though, its slow pace could appeal to a few sections. Excellent music and awesome cinematography.
Faadu: A love story that is worth a watch
#faadu #sonyliv #lovestory #bollywood #webseries #hindiseries #romance #bliss
Kaalkoot: A Gripping Cop Drama – Great Watch!
The protagonist Ravi Shankar Tripathi is assigned a case of acid attack on a young Parul Chaturvedi, whose photo he has received recently for a marriage proposal. He is a son of progressive poet and teacher, who has offered to resign due to inability to adjust with the system. Still struggling at his job, he hunts for the culprit and comes across the deep-rooted opinions and perspectives of the people.
The deep rooted gender bias, patriarchy, misogyny, police system, toxicity, father-son’s difficult relationship, witch hunt of the victim – all are explored very emphatically as Pandora’s box opens slowly!
Performance par excellence by Vijay Varma – Heart and soul of the movie. The way he transforms himself while realising his limitations and inner demons is phenomenal. Equally rock solid performances by the entire cast. Special mention for Gopal Datt and Yashpal Sharma. Shweta Tripathi and Seema Biswas once again show their class – simply awesome.
Strong writing and sensitive direction. The music is wonderful and makes a great impact!
A Great Watch – Vijay Varma’s the show stealer!
