It has been a strange week for women in cinema. In one part of the country, the Karni Sena members from Rajasthan threatened to chop off Deepika Padukone’s nose for, well, doing her job and in another part, Jyothika was chastised for uttering an expletive in a teaser. Vidya Balan was fat-shamed during her promotions for Tumhari Sulu and Athulya Ravi, Disha Patani were trolled for exposing too much. Amid this mudslinging, the ladies concerned went about their business with a dignified air. The bright spot in the week was Children’s Day and we went on the nostalgia lane.
Here are the top stories of the week:
Superstars working with tried-and-tested filmmakers is not a new phenomenon. At a time when Kollywood is dominated by big budgets and bigger salaries, it is often easier and more sensible to pair up with stars and directors who can guarantee a successful film.
Read full story: Stars Like Vijay & Ajith Continue To Work With Same Directors: Is It The Comfort Level Or Just Economics?
The documentary Kho Ki Pa Lu (Up, Down and Sideways), directed by Anushka Meenakshi and Iswa Srikumar, trails the cultivators, men and women, who sing while working on their fields. It is a musical portrait of a community of rice farmers in the village of Phek in Nagaland.
Read full story: Documentary ‘Kho Ki Pa Lu’ Explores The Relationship Between Music And Labour
Silverscreen speaks to a few yesteryear child actors who tell us what they remember of their time on the sets.
Read full story: 5 Yesteryear Child Artistes Talk About Their Roles: What They Understood & What They Didn’t
At the time when technological reach was not much, Satyajit Ray’s Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne was a fantasy flick, a musical and a social commentary that holds relevance among all generations.
Read full story: Why Satyajit Ray’s ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’ Keeps Getting Better With Age
In the oeuvre of master filmmaker Aravindan, Kummatty (1979) is an unlikely film. It belongs to children, and to those who have an eye to see things the way only children do. It is proudly naive and dares to possess a good heart.
Read full story: Children’s Day Pick: Aravindan’s 1979 Malayalam Film ‘Kummatty’
Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the entire team of Padmavati have had quite an eventful year so far. Having faced assault, vandalism, vehement opposition, and verbal abuse, the film’s team have only half a month to go for the release on December 1. And yet, the tension is palpable if it would be a peaceful release or not.
Read full story: Padmavati Row: A Timeline Of The Controversy Over Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Epic Drama
It’s not often that you come across creators who openly admit their film has not been received well. Suseenthiran is one of them. The director had to trim his latest, Nenjil Thunivirundhaal, by about 20 minutes.
Read full story: Director Suseenthiran On Removing Mehreen Pirzada Scenes: ‘What I Did Now Is Damage Control’
In early 2007 came a movie that showed how an engineer raised in Chennai and educated abroad could portray a son of the soil with elan. Paruthiveeran was a game-changer in many ways. A decade later, after having worked in creations cutting across genres, Karthi stars in yet another movie rooted in reality. Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru (Khakhee in Telugu), said to be inspired by real incidents, has the actor play cop Theeran Thirumaran.
Read full story: Cops Are Not Always Filled With Wrath, They Are Regular People, Says Karthi Ahead Of ‘Theeran Adhigaram Ondru’ Release
Jyothika plays a cop in Bala’s film Naachiyaar. In a teaser that is devoid of dialogues, the actor is heard mouthing a cuss word towards end.The obscenity has not gone down well with a section of the audience who feel that an actor (and woman) of Jyothika’s standing must not use such insults on-screen.
Read full story: Naachiyaar Teaser: Moral Police Should Stop Chastising Jyothika For Swearing On-Screen
Movie reviews
Theeran – Adhigaaram Ondru
You know what case the film is based on. You know what ultimately happens. Yet, for a major part of H Vinoth’s 161-minute sophomore effort, you’re sitting at the edge of your seat, your heart pounding. You are that absorbed in the world that the director has created. Little else needs to be said about how riveting Theeran – Adhigaaram Ondru is.
Theeran – Adhigaaram Ondru: A Gritty, Riveting Tale & A Stellar Performance By Karthi
Punyalan Private Limited
A sequel to Ranjith Shankar’s 2013 comedy Punyalan Agarbathies, this film is a lazily written social commentary that works neither as a sequel nor as a stand alone film.
Punyalan Private Limited Review: An Unfunny, Lifeless Sequel
En Aaloda Seruppa Kaanom
Recommended
En Aaloda Seruppa Kaanom could have well been a quirky take on Cinderella with some actual thought. But it doesn’t really exhibit any – neither in the beginning, nor at the end – and rapidly becomes a lost exercise in filmmaking.
En Aaloda Seruppa Kanom Review: A Couple, A Missing Shoe & A Lost Cause
Tumhari Sulu
There isn’t a moment when one would feel Vidya Balan is acting. Every little scene, every little word uttered is so organic, that one cannot help but get involved in Sulochana’s family. You laugh when she laughs, you bite your lips when there’s a moment of suspense, and you cry with her and her family.
Tumhari Sulu Review: Vidya Balan’s Heartfelt Ode To All Those Homemakers Whose Efforts Go Unnoticed