Section: Movies

Critics Choice Awards 2021: ‘Nomadland’ and ‘The Crown’ Dominate With 4 Awards Each

BY Shrija Ganguly On

The 26th Critics Choice Awards saw Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland and Netflix’s series The Crown bag four awards each. Minari won the best foreign language film of the year although it got to contest in the best picture category as well.

Nomadland bagged the best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay, and the best cinematography awards, while The Crown took home best drama series, best actor by Josh O’Connor (who played Charles, Prince of Wales), and best actress awards in both leading and supporting roles won by Emma Corin (who played Princess Diana) and Gillian Anderson (who played Margaret Thatcher) respectively. The Golden Globes saw the series win in the same categories.

Nomadland and The Crown were also the big winners at the Golden Globe Awards 2021.

Chadwick Boseman won the best actor award posthumously for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The film based on the queen of blues, Ma Rainey, also won the awards for best costume design, and best hair and make-up. Minari, Promising Young Woman, and The Trial of Chicago 7 won two awards each. Netflix’s Promising Young Woman won Carey Mulligan the best actress award and the film, best original screenplay. The Trial of Chicago 7 won the best acting ensemble and the best editing awards.

In television, Ted Lasso saw three wins, namely for the best comedy series, best actor and the best supporting actress, both in comedy category. Jason Sudeikis also won the Golden Globe best actor in a comedy series for Ted Lasso.

Netflix’s Schitt’s Creek and The Queen’s Gambit won two awards each.

Winning in the same categories as the Golden Globes, The Queen’s Gambit bagged the best limited series award and the best actress for Anya Taylor-Joy in the same category. Catherine O’Hara won the best actress award in a comedy series for Schitt’s Creek, the same as the Globes, while Daniel Levy won in the supporting actor category.

This year’s ceremony was an in-person/virtual hybrid show, with host Taye Diggs and some of the presenters filming from a stage in Los Angeles, while nominees appeared remotely from various locations around the world

Netflix received 72 nominations, the most a studio or network has achieved so far.

The other awards are as follows (both films and television):

  • Best Supporting Actor – Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah
  • Best Supporting Actress – Maria Bakalova for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
  • Best Young Actor/Actress – Alan Kim for Minari
  • Best Production Design – Mank
  • Best Editing – Sound of Metal & The Trial of the Chicago 7
  • Best Visual Effects – Tenet
  • Best Score – Soul
  • Best Song – One Night in Miami (Speak Now)
  • Best Comedy – Palm Springs
  • Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Michael K. Williams for Lovecraft Country (HBO)
  • TV Movie – Hamilton
  • Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie – John Boyega for Small Axe
  • Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie – Donald Sutherland for The Undoing
  • Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie – Uzo Aduba for Mrs. America
  • Best Talk Show – Late Night with Seth Meyers
  • Best Comedy Special – Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill

Puzhu: Mammootty and Parvathy Thiruvothu to Collaborate for Upcoming Malayalam Film 

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Malayalam actors Mammootty and Parvathy Thiruvothu will be collaborating for the first time in a film titled Puzhu, directed by debutant Ratheena Sharshad.

Makers of the film on Monday announced the project along with a poster. Shooting of the film will begin soon, the makers added.

Puzhu also marks the first time Mammootty’s film will be produced by his son Dulquer Salmaan’s production company Wayfarer Films. Wayfarer Films is producing the film along with S George’s Cyn-Cyl Celluloid. The film’s story is written by Harshad, who also wrote the story of 2019 Mammootty starrer Unda, while the script has been written by the duo Sharfu and Suhas (Varathan) and Harshad.

Ratheena, who has previously worked as executive producer for Parvathy-starrer Uyare, first announced her directorial debut in August 2020, without revealing details about the cast and crew. Earlier, reports suggested that Tovino Thomas will be starring in the film, which were refuted by the director through her social media account.

Theni Eshwar is the director of photography for Puzhu while Jakes Bejoy (Ranam) will compose the music. Theni has previously worked with Mammootty in 2018 Tamil film Peranbu. Deepu Joseph will be in charge of editing and Manu Jagadh is in charge of the art department. Vishnu Govind and Sreeshankar will work on the sound design. Renish Abdulkhader, Rajesh Krishna and Shyam Mohan are the executive producers.

Meanwhile, Mammootty is awaiting the release of his film The Priest, directed by debutant Jofin T Chacko. The film was originally slated for release on March 4. The Priest also features Nikhila Vimal, Sreenath Bhasi, Saniya Iyappan, and Jagadish in pivotal roles.

Parvathy is awaiting the release of Varthamanam with Roshan Mathew.

Bhramam: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Raashi Khanna Starrer Malayalam Remake of ‘Andhadhun’ Wraps Up Shooting

BY Namrata Ganguly On

Bhramam, the Malayalam remake for the 2018 Hindi black comedy crime thriller film Andhadhun, wrapped up shooting on March 6. The film stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and Raashi Khanna in the lead roles.

Sukumaran took to his social media to make the announcement sharing a picture of the set.

Andhadhun was co-written and directed by Sriram Raghavan, produced by Matchbox Pictures and distributed by Viacom18 Motion Pictures. The film starred Ayushmann Khurrana, Radhika Apte, Tabu in the lead roles, along with Anil Dhawan in a pivotal role. Andhadhun was adapted from a 2010 French short film L’Accordeur (The Piano Tuner).

Khurrana played the role of Aakash, a pianist, who faked being blind to improve his piano skills, while Apte played the role of Sophie, his love interest. In a strange twist of events, Aakash witnesses a crime and soon gets further entangled in a bizarre series of problems.

In the Malayalam remake, Prithviraj will be stepping into the shoes of Khurrana, while Khanna will be playing the role of Apte. Mamta Mohandas will be playing Tabu’s role. The film will also feature Unni Mukundan.

Sukumaran had taken piano lessons to prepare for the role, he wrote in a social media post.

Bhramam was officially launched on January 27, 2021.

Khanna, the actor and singer who predominantly works in Telugu and Tamil films and is currently shooting a web series with Shahid Kapoor, posted pictures of the inaugural ceremony.

Directed by cinematographer Ravi K Chandran, Bhramam will mark his directorial debut in Malayalam cinema. Sreekar Prasad will handle editing, while the music will be composed by Jakes Bejoy.

Andhadhun won several awards, including three National Awards for Best Hindi Feature Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor (Ayushmann Khurrana). The film is also being remade in Tamil and Telugu.

The Telugu remake of Andhadhun is being directed by Merlapaka Gandhi, and stars Nithiin Reddy and Tamannaah Bhatia in the roles of Khurrana and Apte. Nabha Natesh will be playing Tabu’s role. The film started shooting on December 6, 2020 in Dubai.

The Tamil remake of the film has been titled Andhagan and will be directed by JJ Fredrick. It stars Prashanth in the role originally played by Khurrana. Other cast members include Simran (playing Tabu’s role) and Karthik (playing Dhawan’s role).

‘Nomadland’ Censored in China After Film’s Director Faces Backlash Over Citizenship Row

BY Ananya Shankar On

Nomadland, the American film helmed by Chloe Zhao, has been censored in China over questions regarding Zhao’s citizenship.

Zhao made history by becoming the first Asian woman to win the Best Director award at the recently held 78th Golden Globes.

According to a report by Variety, Zhao in an interview with Filmmaker Magazine in 2013 had said that China was like “being in a place where there are lies everywhere”. This had recently resurfaced on the internet along with many people questioning Zhao’s citizenship by Chinese nationalists.

In the interview, the director mentioned that she was born in Beijing and had attributed her interest in the American heartland due to her experiences in China.

Although the magazine deleted the section in mid-February, it has not caused much difference to China’s stance on her film. The film’s promotional material and posters are no longer available on the internet in China. Even keywords related to the film have been blocked on Weibo, the popular social media platform.

Nomadland’s promotional posters disappeared from another social media site, Douban, and articles related to the film have also been removed.

Hashtags such as #Nomadland and #NomadlandReleaseDate show the message “The topic’s page cannot be shown due to related laws, regulations and policies”.

However, other hashtags like #Nomadland Movie” and #Chloe Zhao still yield results and people are still able to view Zhao accepting her Golden Globe award.

The film was allowed to have a limited release on April 23 through China’s National Arthouse Alliance of Cinemas. However, now China’s key ticketers, Maoyan and Tao Piaopiao, have removed the film from their listings. Variety had reported that sources are still hoping to release the film and keep a low profile with the promotional activities.

Zhao is currently directing Marvel Studio’s Eternals starring Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, and Kit Harrington. The movie is slated to release on November 5.

Krithi Shetty Cast Opposite Ram Pothineni in Lingusamy’s First Telugu Film

BY Anusha Sundar On

Krithi Shetty, the actor who was last seen in Telugu romantic drama Uppena, will be featuring alongside actor Ram Pothineni in his upcoming bilingual film directed by filmmaker N Lingusamy, the makers of the film announced on social media on Friday.

The untitled film will mark Lingusamy’s maiden Telugu project and will be released in Tamil and Telugu. The film also marks the debut of Pothineni and Shetty in the Tamil film industry.

Tentatively called RAPO19, the film will be produced by Chitturi Srinivasaa under the banner Srinivasaa Silver Screen. It will be presented by Pavan Kumar. The makers of the film are yet to announce the rest of the cast and crew members. However, according to the press release by the team, the film is said to be produced on a big budget and with high technology.

Speaking to Silverscreen India, the film’s publicity manager BA Raju said, “The film’s shooting will commence in March. The shooting will go non-stop and with only a few days of gap in between. We have got Krithy Shetty’s dates available in full and Ram will complete this film before he begins working for another film. So, there won’t be schedule-wise shooting, it will go on at a stretch.”

He said that the filming will take place in Hyderabad and its surrounding areas. “Since it is a bilingual film, the filming will also take place in Chennai,” he said.

The film will be shot simultaneously in both languages, Raju said. Currently, the film is at its pre-production stage.

Asked about the film’s genre, Raju said, “It will be a commercial mass film. The film has got action elements too, just like iSmart Shankar [Pothineni’s 2019 action drama], but will have Lingusamy’s style.”

Lingusamy’s Tamil filmography majorly includes action films, including the 2010 romantic action drama Paiyaa, the 2014 action thriller Anjaan and his last directorial Sandakozhi 2 in 2018.

25th International Film Festival of Kerala: South African Film ‘This is not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection’ Wins Suvarna Chakoram for Best Film

BY Anindita Banerjee On

The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) wrapped up on Friday evening with the announcement of awards for the best films and filmmakers. According to a press release, the South African film This Is Not A Burial, It’s A Resurrection, by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, won the Suvarna Chakoram for the best film.

Veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan was the special guest for the evening and he gave away the awards at the closing ceremony held at Priya Theatre.

Mary Twala won the jury’s special mention for her acting in the film This Is Not A Burial, It’s A Resurrection. According to the press release, the jury said, “Her (Twala) fierce yet sage performance in This is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection will remain an eternal inspiration in the world of cinema. Though she passed away soon after completing the film at the age of 80, she leaves behind a courageous and dignified image of the human body and the celebration of the spirit of innovation and commitment to her art.”

In his virtual acceptance speech, Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese said the film, This Is Not A Burial, It’s A Resurrection, was a “labour of love”. He also said that it was shot in the most difficult conditions but “at the end of the day we had a film we were proud of.”

Churuli directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery was selected as the most popular film at the festival. The director also received a Special Mention from the Jury for Best Director in the International Competition category.

Bahman Tavoosi, who directed The Names of the Flowers, won the Rajata Chakoram for the best director. The jury in the press release said that they were impressed by Tavoosi’s “thoughtful and unhurried ability to allow the rhythms and colours of the landscapes, the wrinkled body, and face of the protagonist and a bowl of soup to tell a powerful political tale of responsibility to personal truth even in the face of despotic forces.”

Alejandro Telemaco Tarraf, who directed Piedra Sola, won the Rajata Chakoram for the best debut director.

Among the NETPAC awards, Chronicle Of Space / Sthalpuran directed by Akshay Indikar won the Best Asian Film in Competition. While NETPAC Award for the Best Malayalam Film was awarded to Musical Chair directed by Vipin Atley.

According to the official website, IFFK is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of theKerala government’s Department of Cultural Affairs. The festival aims at presenting a selection of the best of world cinema and a competition section exclusively for films from Asian, African, and Latin American countries.

The IFFK also showcases the best of Malayalam cinema for the international audience.

For the complete list of winners, please see here.

Director Hanumanth Rao Raghavapudi’s Upcoming Film, Starring Dulquer Salmaan, to Go on Floors From March-End

BY Anusha Sundar On

Telugu filmmaker Hanumanth Rao Raghavapudi’s upcoming trilingual film, starring Dulquer Salmaan, will go on floors from March-end, the director told Silverscreen India.

The untitled film will be a “love story” in which Dulquer will play the role of Lieutenant Ram. The film marks Dulquer’s first collaboration with Raghavapudi.

Speaking to Silverscreen India, Raghavapudi said, “Right now we are doing the pre-production, so we are in the planning stages. Most probably we will be starting to shoot by this month. We have locations Kashmir, but we are still figuring out where to start the shoot, whether Kashmir or Hyderabad.”

“It is a period film, so we are trying to figure out how to crack the period structure. Many of them are tough locations to achieve. Still, we are unsure of the locations and dates because there are many logistics, definitely, we are starting the shoot by this month-end itself but we are still figuring out how to go about it,” he said.

The film’s music will be composed by Vishal Chandrashekhar. It is produced by Swapna Cinema and presented by Vyjayanthi Movies. The film will release in three languages- Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. The director said that the film will be shot simultaneously in all the three languages.

The film was first announced in July 2020. The director had described it as a ‘classified love story’. In January, the director had posted a few photos of the team from Kashmir as part of the pre-production work.

The film will feature Hindi actor Mrunal Thakur alongside Dulquer, according to reports, making this her debut film in Telugu.

Thakur, who rose to fame as a television actor, has starred opposite Hrithik Roshan in Super 30 (2019) and was last seen Netflix’s horror anthology film Ghost Stories in filmmaker Karan Johar’s segment.  Thakur will also be seen in the upcoming Hindi film Jersey alongside Shahid Kapoor.

Actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal Announce Production House, ‘Girls Will Be Girls’ to be their First Project

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal launched their production house Pushing Buttons Studios and said that their venture’s first project is Girls Will Be Girls.

The film will be helmed by Brooklyn-based filmmaker Shuchi Talati, Variety reported. The film is the only Indian film invited to the on-going Berlinale Script Station this year and has also been selected for the Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film Lab.

The Berlinale Script Station is an annual summit and networking platform of the Berlin International Film Festival. It selects 10 projects each year to support and showcase.

According to the report in Variety, the film is set in an elite boarding school in a small Himalayan hill town in northern India and follows the story of a 16-year-old girl, whose rebellious coming-of-age is hijacked by her mother who never got to come-of-age.

Talking about the project, Fazal told Variety, “This is the first time that Richa and I are collaborating on a film as producers and the experience so far has been very rewarding. This film being our first is close to our hearts. I am also excited that our studio will enter the market with such a progressive, female-led story. We hope to be able to tell thought-provoking and universal stories with humour and love.”

Chadha told Variety that the film’s story is relatable and “often cruel”. She added that the film’s “honest awkwardness will make you chuckle, not weep”.

The film’s director told Variety that she likes her work to “challenge dominant narratives around gender, sexuality, and the Indian identity”.

According to the official Berlinale Script Station page, Talati’s most recent short film, A Period Piece, was selected for the South by Southwest Film Festival.

Crawling Angel’s Sanjay Gulati and Pooja Chauhan and Dolce Vita’s Claire Chassagne will co-produce the film, along with Chadha and Fazal.

Chadha and Fazal were supposed to get married in April 2020 but had to postpone the wedding due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Fatima Sana Shaikh to Star in Hindi Adaption of Tamil Film ‘Aruvi’

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Fatima Sana Shaikh, the Hindi actor who was last seen in Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari, will be seen in the Hindi-language adaption of the award-winning 2017 Tamil film Aruvi.

The film will feature Shaikh in the lead role and will be helmed by filmmaker E Niwas, who won the National Award for his film Shool (1999).

“Aruvi is not just a story of a hero. It’s a triumph over the labyrinths of life. It’s totally euphoric and a privilege to explore one of the most beautiful cinematic characters I have come across. Fatima Sana Shaikh is an absolutely befitting choice, and I am super excited to collaborate with Applause Entertainment and Faith Films,” Niwas said in a statement.

Shaikh said in the statement that she is “looking forward to dive deep into the skin of the character”.

The production team is still underway for casting the principal roles before the film goes on floors later this year.

Producer Sameer Nair, the CEO of Applause Entertainment, said in the statement that the production house was proud to bring such an “audacious film for a national audience”.

“Equally funny and ferocious, Aruvi is a feminist social satire that stunned us when we first saw it. We were drawn in by its unconventional narrative, deftly balancing its black comedy leanings with the beats of a taut thriller,” he said in the statement.

Aruvi featured Aditi Balan and was helmed by Arun Prabhu Purushothaman. It received rave reviews as won several awards like the 2018 Ananda Vikatan Awards, the 2018 Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards, the 2018 Filmfare Awards South, the 2018 Vijay Awards.

Meanwhile, Shaikh will be a part of Karan Johar’s upcoming Netflix India original anthology Ajeeb Dastaans. While the actor will be seen pairing up with Jaideep Ahlawat, the film also features Armaan Ralhan, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Abhishek Banerjee, Inayat Verma, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aditi Rao Hydari, Shefali Shah, Manav Kaul, and Tota Roy Chowdhury in pivotal roles.

Ajagajantharam: Makers Postpone Malayalam Film’s Release Citing Lack of Second Shows in Kerala Theatres

BY Anusha Sundar On

Ajagajantharam, the upcoming Malayalam action film starring Antony Varghese, that was slated to release soon, has postponed its release, the actor announced on social media on Thursday.

While the film’s revised release date has not been announced, according to Varghese’s Facebook post, the film’s makers decided to postpone the release due to the lack of second shows in Kerala. The post said that since theatres in other countries are still closed, and the number of shows in Kerala is limited, the makers decides to push the release date.

Posted by Antony Varghese on Thursday, 4 March 2021

Directed by Tinu Pappachan, the film is produced by Emmanuel Joseph and Ajith Thalapilly. Besides Varghese, it co-stars Chemban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad, and Arjun Ashokan.

Ajagajantharam is not the first Malayalam film to postpone its release citing the lack of more shows. The makers of Mammootty-starrer The Priest also postponed the film’s release, that was scheduled to premiere on Thursday. Besides stating that theatres did not resume functioning in other countries, the makers said that the lack of second shows, which draws the family audience to theatres, was still not permitted in Kerala.

Early in January, the Kerala government allowed theatres to operate with 50% seating capacity after a hiatus of nine months. However, most of the theatres had waited for Vijay-starrer Master to release on January 13, and for relief measures to be announced, including waiving the Entertainment Tax and Fixed Electricity Charges. While neighbouring states, like Tamil Nadu, had started to function with 100% seating capacity, Kerala continued to run only limited shows with half occupancy. Cinema halls in Kerala reopened on January 13 after the government announced a relief package with limited timings from 9 am to 9 pm.

However, the timings have become concerning for theatre owners and filmmakers, as they said that the timings are inconvenient for them to screen films and fail to bring sizeable number of audience to theatres.

Credits: Silverscreen Media Library

Speaking to Silverscreen India, K Vijayakumar, president of the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce said, “The problem is that the producers and distributors are not ready to release the film with these show timings. Because within 9 am to 9 pm, we can only run three shows. The morning show will not have any family audience coming. Hence we had submitted a memorandum to the chief minister last week to change the show timings to 11 am to 12 pm.”

He said that though films are ready to be released, they have been postponed due to show timings. “This is a very big problem for theatres here. Nearly 60% of screens are shut down in Kerala due to this. There are no films running, what will we do?”

Vijayakumar said that a meeting with producers, distributors, and exhibitors was conducted on Wednesday regarding the issue at the Film Chamber. “We decided to make our request about the show timings again. We will be meeting the chief minister again tomorrow [Saturday],” he said.

Suresh Shenoy, the owner of Shenoys Theatre in Kochi and Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK) treasurer, said that the choice of screening timings is unfavourable for theatre collection.

Earlier speaking to Silverscreen India, he had said, “We raised the question and the government said they will look into it. But they have not done anything so far, despite repeated visits and requests. All we ask for is a change the timings from 9 am to 9 pm and make it 11 am-11 pm or 12 pm-12 am. We can run four shows, but with current timings, we can run only three shows.”

Shenoy had said that the 9 am to 12 pm time period doesn’t draw much audience. “In Kerala, except for the multiplexes, the shows start only by around 12 pm. So effectively we can only play three shows and those constitute 45-50% of collections during the day,” Shenoy had said.

MC Bobby, the secretary of FEUOK, had said that the existing timings do not allow second shows to take place [9.30 am screenings]. “Now there are only three shows- morning, noon, and matinee. With this, only small films are releasing, the big films are postponed like Mammmooty’s film,” Bobby said.

While the show timings issue is yet to be solved, other upcoming Malayalam films that are awaiting releases include Marakkar Arabikdalinte Simham, starring Mohanlal, Nivin Pauly’s Thuramukham, and Fahadh Faasil’s Malik. All these films are slated for release on May 13 on the occasion of Eid.

The Great Indian Kitchen: R Kannan to Direct Tamil Remake, to Star Aishwarya Rajesh

BY Namrata Ganguly On

The Great Indian Kitchen, the Malayalam film which released earlier this year, will be remade in Tamil and star Aishwarya Rajesh.

The film, which will be directed and produced by R Kannan, went on floors on Thursday. The inaugural ceremony took place on Thursday in Chennai.

The shooting of the remake will begin soon and will be released in Tamil and Telugu.

The Great Indian Kitchen premiered on a Malayalam streaming platform NeeStream in January. Directed by Jeo Baby, the film stars Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramood.

According to the IMDb synopsis, The Great Indian Kitchen revolves around a woman (Sajayan) who struggles to be the “submissive wife” that her husband and in-laws expect her to be. The story traces her journey “as she changes herself and, even more so, changes the household”.

The Great Indian Kitchen was critically acclaimed for its realistic portrayal of women. The film addressed various contemporary issues including the Sabarimala dispute, taboos regarding menstruation, and raised questions of gender equality within traditional families. 

Streaming giants including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video rejected the film without clarifying the reason, while Zee Keralam and several big Malayalam channels denied releasing the film citing the Sabarimala dispute as the issue, said Baby in an interview to Firstpost.

After the film’s success on NeeStream, the film had its television premiere on Asianet The Movie on February 14, on the occasion of Valentines’ Day.

Aishwarya, who will be playing the lead in the upcoming Tamil remake, is known for the 2014 award-winning film Kaaka Muttai, and Ka Pae Ranasingam. She made her Telugu debut with the remake of her Tamil film Kanaa (2018), titled Kousalya Krishnamurthy (2019). The actor is also working on the Telugu remake of the Malayalam action thriller Ayyappanum Koshiyum. 

The rest of the cast is yet to be announced.

Kannan, who has previously remade Hindi films like Jab We Met in Tamil titled Kanden Kadhalai, and Delhi Belly’s Tamil remake titled Settai. He is directing and co-producing the film with MKRP on behalf of Masala Pix. Prior to the upcoming Tamil remake, the director had been working on another Tamil remake titled Thalli Pogathey (a romantic comedy-drama) of the 2017 Telugu film Ninnu Kori, which is in its final stage.

Moxie Review: An Inconsistent, Breezy But Important Take on High School Feminism

BY Ananya Shankar On

Director: Amy Poehler

Cast: Hadley Robinson, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Lauren Tsai, Alycia Pascual-Peña, Josephine Langford, Sydney Park, Marcia Gay Harden, Ike Barinholtz, Amy Poehler

New on Netflix, Amy Poehler’s latest directorial Moxie is a likeable and semi-preachy take on teen feminism. Based on Jennifer Mathieu’s 2017 novel of the same name, this is a teenage high school film with a purpose- to call out the rampant sexism in school.

The plot follows a shy 16-year-old Vivian (played by newcomer Hadley Robinson) who lives with her single mother (Amy Poehler). A self-proclaimed introvert, she hangs out with her childhood best friend Claudia (Lauren Tsai).

However, she ditches her position as an under-the-radar junior after a series of questionable and unnerving events take place. Some of these include horrendous lists that rank female classmates, bullying, and complacency from school authorities regarding harrassment and sexism.

She starts a feminist ‘zine’ (magazine) called Moxie and sparks a revolution. Inspired by her mother’s riot grrrl past (a punk feminist movement that took place in the 90s) and rock band Bikini Kill’s famous hit song Rebel Girl, she decides to anonymously call out the system that is rigged against women.

A great and much-needed concept on paper is executed fairly well by Poehler. She is smart to use a refreshing and relatable protagonist whose worries are limited to cracking the college application essay and staying low-key until she goes off to college. This happens until she realises how deeply problematic her high school is.

Most of the movie’s characters are well-executed and Poehler’s take on high school is appreciably devoid of overused tropes and stereotypes.

Despite the various cliques, the women come together for a common cause and they are quick to offer empathy for their fellow classmates. From wearing tank tops to stand against an unfair dress code and staging walk-outs in solidarity with a rape victim, this movie has a lot of highs.

The theme of female friendships is especially noteworthy. Vivian teams up spunky newcomer Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Peña), soccer team captain Keira (Sydney Taylor), and her faithful side-kick Amaya to show support for all the issues that plague them at school.

Their newfound bond is believable and thoroughly enjoyable. They have each other’s backs at all times and dispel the myth “that girls from different cliques do not get along in high school”.

Credits: Netflix

However, Moxie falls prey to some cliches during its 2-hour run. It uses typical and rather unconvincing fall-outs between the protagonist and her peers to steer towards a cliché climax. At points, the dialogues become too preachy and seem like sermons rather than actual conversations between characters. Passing mentions of trans identity, disability, and white privilege seem like an attempt to check boxes rather than actually address the issue.

The writers of Moxie manage to give their female characters proper arcs. Vivian’s growth from a timid science-loving girl into the unknown leader of Moxie is captured well. Her disillusionment with the system is very relatable and her relationship with the feminist and suave Seth (Nico Hiraga) is an absolute delight to watch.

Even the supporting characters are explored properly. Claudia is a feminist but her circumstances at home and her personality force her to not explicitly join Moxie’s movement. The women in Moxie are vibrant, fun, and importantly very different from one and another. This easy diversity in personalities goes a long way in making the movie stand out amongst the plethora of high school movies that have come out on Netflix recently.

However, the writers’ treatment of their male and adult characters is less appreciable. Ike Barinholtz plays the eccentric English teacher, Mr Davies. Even though most of the classroom scenes take place in his class, his role seems diminished and almost unnecessary. This is not limited to Barinholtz’s character; the other adults seem to be there only as a way to propel the plot forward thereby making them seem rather unconvincing and boring.

Similarly, the story’s antagonist Mitchell Wilson (Patrick Schwarzenegger) is a stark reminder of the popular jock whose incessant bullying and harassment are overlooked by everyone. The treatment of Wilson is right. He has no redeeming arc. He spits in people’s sodas and he inappropriately touches his visibly uncomfortable ex-girlfriend. However, he still seems one-dimensional. Even after his true colours are exposed in the penultimate scene, his punishment is underwhelming and frankly, very dissatisfying to watch.

Falling under the genre of a young adult comedy, the funny moments are few and far between. The jokes do not land as intended and the lack of consistent comedy makes the movie seem like a stretch at times. The feminist and friendship moments play out better, making a more heart-warming film rather than a funny one.

Despite its shortcomings, Moxie is an earnest and important film that has the potential to inspire young women everywhere to stand up for themselves and create a safe and non-judgemental space.

****

The Moxie review is a Silverscreen original article. It was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Silverscreenindia.com and its writers do not have any commercial relationship with movies that are reviewed on the site.

‘Bheeshma’ Director Venky Kudumula Gets Conned, Loses Rs 63,600

BY Anusha Sundar On

Venky Kudumula, the Telugu filmmaker who last helmed the 2020 Telugu action-comedy film Bheeshma, was duped to the tune of Rs 63,600, the filmmaker said in a statement on Thursday.

The filmmaker said that he had received a call from an individual named Naveen, who said that he got the director’s number from a mutual friend.

“He loved my film Bheeshma and wanted me to apply for a National Award because it dealt with organic farming. As there was nothing wrong in applying for it, I went ahead. I got in touch with the mutual friend, who told me he has known Naveen for two years. I went ahead and asked my associate director to submit the required documents,” the statement read.

Kudumula paid Rs 63,600 as an application fee, as per the statement.

Naveen said that there was a “mix-up” and told Kudumula that the money would be refunded, the filmmaker said. Naveen later asked for the money to be transferred again.

Kudumula later found out that the bank account belonged to an individual instead of a film corporation, as it was supposed to be. On contacting the mutual friend, he found out that his friend hadn’t met Naveen but had only exchanged “back and forth messages” over the past two years.

“These fraudsters can come to us from any direction, pretending to be someone they’re not or using a connection that isn’t even real. Many friends suggested I should not file a complaint just to make sure that the fraudsters don’t repeat this with anyone else from our industry or anyone outside as well,” the statement said.

Kudumula said that he “maybe was an easy bait” and raised his voice so that it does not happen to others.

While Kudumula’s action to raise a complaint was welcomed by many on social media, the director was also trolled for getting conned easily, with one person asking if his film was worth being selected for the award.

Besides Bheeshma, Kudumula has also directed the 2018 Telugu romantic comedy Chalo featuring Naga Shaurya and Rashmika Mandanna.

Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir Teaser Starring Vijay Sethupathi, Megha Akash

Cast:
Vijay Sethupathi
Megha Akash
Magizh Thirumeni
Vivek
Ragu Aditya
Mathura
Kaniha
Riythvika
Mohan Raja
Karu Pazhaniappan
Chinni Jeyanth
Vidya Pradeep

Crew:
Producer: S.Essaki Durai
Director: Venkata Krishna Roghanth
Music Composer: Nivas K Prasanna
Cinematographer: Vetrivel Mahendran
Editor: John Abraham
Art Director: K.Veera Samar
Stunt: K.Ganesh Kumar, ’Miracle’ Michael
Choreographers: Kalyan, Sajna Najam
Costume: Minu Chitrangini
Lyrics: Eknath, Mohan Raja, Kutty Revathi
Sound: Prem (Sound Holic Cinemas)
5.1 Mix: Udhay Kumar
Stills: Manohar
DI: Accel Media
Colorist: Muthu
PRO: Nikil Murukan
Co Producer: R.K.Ajaykumar
Creative Producer: Ragu Aditya
Banner: Chandaraa Arts
In association with Cine Innovations

Bombay HC Allows Edited Version of Telugu Film ‘V’ to Re-Release on Amazon Prime Video After Actor Files Defamation Case Against Makers

BY Namrata Ganguly On

The Bombay High Court has allowed re-releasing of the edited version of the Telugu film V, starring Nani, on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday after actor Sakshi Malik filed a case against the film’s makers Venkateshwara Creations Pvt Ltd, Live Law reported.

Malik, who appeared in the Hindi film song Bom Diggy Diggy Bom (Sonu Ke Tittu Ki Sweety), accused the makers of V of using her portfolio picture without her permission in a scene, referring to it as the picture of a female escort or a commercial sex worker. 

Malik filed a defamation suit seeking a permanent injunction. However, the court granted an ad-interim order restraining the streaming platform and the makers of the film from releasing or telecasting it on any platform until the deletion of the said scene.

According to the plea, Malik had commissioned a photographer in July 2017 through her Instagram handle for a photo portfolio as a part of her professional work. The portfolio photographs were shared with her through a Google link. She then posted them on her Instagram account in August 2017.

V starred Nani, Sudheer Babu, Nivetha Thomas and Aditi Rao Hydari in the lead. The Telugu action-thriller film premiered on September 5, 2020 on Amazon Prime Video. Malik then filed the complaint as an “unauthorised invasion of privacy”.

The streaming platform had taken down the film within 24 hours per the Bombay High Court’s order on Tuesday.

“The fact that the image has been illicitly used is bad enough. It only makes matters worse when used in a plainly derogatory and demeaning vein,” the court had remarked.

The court had ordered the streaming giant to discontinue the availability of the film, irrespective of language and sub-titles on its platform within 24 hours of the hearing until the makers of the film “completely deleted all images from their work”.

“It is not acceptable for them to merely pixelate or blur the images. The entire sequence which has the image of the plaintiff is to be removed immediately. If the first and second defendants wish to replace the deleted segments, they are free to do so but without using any of the plaintiff’s images in any shape, fashion or form without her express written consent,” the court said.

The court had initially restrained the streaming platform as well as the makers from releasing any re-edited version of the film without any specific order from the court.

Malik took to her Instagram account on Wednesday to thank her fans for their support and her lawyer Saveena T Bedi following the news. The story that expires in 24hrs read: “This news devastated me on 5th September’2020. The movie ‘V’ produced by Dil Raju and showcased on Amazon Prime portrayed me as a call girl in the film. The scene was added without my consent. Today, I heard the news that the High Court has ordered the defendants to delete the scene on immediate basis. Thank you all the fans for your support. Your constant messages inclined me to sue them no matter how hard it gets. Thank you @bedisaveena to make the journey smooth.”

The next hearing was supposed to take place on March 8. But the court ordered the streaming platform on Thursday to re-release the film on the OTT platform after it removed the said scenes within 24 hours.