Vivaha Bhojanambu is set to be the first Telugu film to premiere on the streaming platform SonyLIV. The trailer was released by actor-producer Sundeep Kishan, who is producing the film in association with KS Sinish.
This is the third production venture of the actor.
With a story penned by Bhanu Bogavarapu, Vivaha Bhojanambu is helmed by debutant filmmaker Ram Abbaraju.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, Abbaraju said the film was a planned with an OTT release in mind. “It is a concept-oriented film and we wanted to directly release it on OTT. However, when theatres were opened in December, we thought of releasing it on the big screen. Eventually, we stuck to our original plan.”
On how the project came together, he said, “The writer (Bogavarapu) and I have been friends for a very long time. Since my other project would need some time to take off, we thought of doing something for OTT. We observed that only thrillers and dark comedies were ruling the space, so we wanted to make something with healthy, clean humour that can be watched by all ages. We recollected an incident that happened in Telangana, and developed it into a script.”
The film unfolds with the announcement of the Covid-19 lockdown forcing relatives who have come to attend a wedding to get stuck in the same house. “We used the gist of the incident we read about and dramatized it by adding interesting characters to make a film that will appeal to all ages,” the filmmaker said.
“Sundeep is a good friend and like my mentor, so we pitched the idea to him and he agreed to produce it,” Abbaraju added.
Sundeep will also be seen in an extended cameo role as an ambulance driver. “After hearing the story, Sundeep wanted to play that role. It is a quirky character,” the director said.
“Aarjavee plays the bride and Satya is the groom. Srikanth Tyangar plays bride’s father. Late journalist and actor TNR has played an important role in the film. He was very supportive on the sets,” the filmmaker added.
Vivaha Bhojanambu was shot completely in Hyderabad by cinematographer Mani Kandan. “We filmed during October and November 2020, following all the Covid-19 protocols,” said Abbaraju.
Edited by Chota K Prasad, the film has a runtime of two hours and four minutes. The film features three songs composed by AniVee, while the background score has been done by Achu Rajamani. Abbaraju also mentioned that Nandu RK has penned dialogues that are full of “clean and healthy humour” with no double meanings.
The release date of Vivaha Bhojanambu has not been announced yet.
If Navarasa has achieved something in the past couple of weeks – the obvious theatricality of its trailer seeming to introduce an elaborate recital than new cinema – it is turning Netflix into the Music Academy of streaming platforms. A weekend event. An old theme subject to periodic regurgitations in newer forms. Celebrated performers. Over the top advertising. You could literally smell the musty gallery seating, the feeling that Navarasa’s trailerunfailingly evokes.
Navarasa the anthology though, contrary to expectations set by the prelude, is no exercise in theatre. It’s proper cinema. Popular directors, actors, composers. Familiar settings, props, plots. Familiar faces that restrict themselves to familiar emotions. The ones that skirt these boundaries are new filmmakers and actors; tellers who neither have a storied career nor a long list of creations attributed to them on their Wiki pages.
Edhiri: Karuna, Compassion
A distinctly upper-class setting. Revathi as Savithri, the bejewelled matriarch, tutors the help’s kids, consoles their mother, even as she remains silent in a domestic conspiracy hatched by her son against his fiancée. It’s deliberately low-key this exchange – as is every dialogue and scene in the short. Vijay Sethupathi as Dheena arrives, making notorious small talk with his eyes, a direct transplant from 96. Romance and murderous instinct seem to evoke similar expressions in him – a silent gaze, full of ripe meaning, only you don’t know whether it’s going to be a sweet-nothing whispered in the ear or an axe to the head. Deadly. Prakash Raj, as Revathi’s husband, doesn’t seem to live and breathe among the props as Revathi does. His presence is vastly diminished and even his banter appears without heart.
You could argue that this subdued quality is what the short is going for – careful sophistication on the surface, something sinister lurking underneath – but the dreary dialogues will ensure you don’t. Edhukku kanna kasakkikittu nikkare, is the milder line, trotted out in all its moldy, mildewy glory. But the worst offence of Edhiri, directed by Bejoy Nambiar, is trying to create a false equivalence between emotional cruelty and outright physical harm, giving neither its due.
Summer of 92: Haasya, Laughter
Yogi Babu is bang in the middle of the film – he’s the plot’s protagonist, the villain, the comedian, the spectacle that Summer of 92 wants you to gawp at. But it doesn’t really want you to gawp at him as you would at a protagonist with heroic attributes, or a villain capable of fearful cruelty. It doesn’t even let you laugh with him as a comedian, for here, Babu as Velusamy is the object of comedy. There’s no laughter even as the film urges and prods and hurls unseemly slights at Babu; it’s as if the actor himself had realised the mundanity of the script – he acts, he doesn’t perform.
Said to be based on the true story of a small-town legislator in Kerala, the film follows Babu as he’s invited back to his school to be felicitated as a famous alumnus. Only, his time in school wasn’t as rosy as the welcome he receives now. Featuring YG Mahendra, Nedumudi Venu, and others as teachers in the school, you do briefly wonder if this is an elaborate caricature about a certain institution – you know, the tale involving a famous composer, the school he graduated from, and a rather interesting felicitation ceremony years later. That way, this Priyadarshan directorial does seem fun.
Project Agni: Adhbuta, Wonder
The first of the nine films that holds interest: almost everyone and their neighbour is a sucker for sci-fi. This pearl of wisdom was known to writers and filmmakers since time immemorial – and it is this wisdom that director Karthick Naren draws on. He designs a setting that makes you mildly curious. But he also doesn’t really deviate a lot from age-old science fiction rules. There’s the Vonnegut-esque theory about time and the nature of its existence, a mad scientist who’d like to plumb the depths of both time and the human mind. Naren, though, indulges his FOMO by touching upon several contentious themes – astrology, extra-terrestrial life, alternate realities – groups them all together for a final Tamil pulp fiction-style showdown. But the thing is, what Naren conjures seems slightly plausible thanks to Arvind Swami, his over-sized frames, and the you-are-not-getting-out-of-here-unless-you-agree-with-me deliveries.
Payasam: Bheebatsa, Disgust
Because Tamil writers are just splendid in their representations, Payasam’s tale seems to have told itself on screen. Written by Thi Janakiraman, and located in and amongst people that the writer seems to know intimately, Payasam draws you within its tale of messy family dynamics fuelled by envy and hatred. Set in a Tamil Brahmin household in the 60s, with all the socio-cultural trappings of the time, Payasam happens at a wedding – Delhi Ganesh plays uncle to the bride’s father. Envious of the fortune that seems to have found his nephew, Ganesh as the chithappa reacts violently to the hum and the bustle that precede the wedding. Janakiraman presents a stark portrayal of a man whose life is devoid of all pleasure, and who is so embittered at heart that he’d consider indulging his darkest whims to sabotage his nephew’s happiness. Director Vasanth Sai depicts in careful measure the interplay of relationships (and conflicting emotions) at close quarters. Aditi Balan, as Delhi Ganesh’s widowed daughter, is seen embodying the label that the short is filed under.
Peace: Shanthi, Peace
A fan of the theatre that punctuation so often brings to text, the last frame of the short is perhaps the most memorable in Peace. The frame seems to pose a question about the rasa that the film is to represent rather than an absolute declaration of emotion as with the others.
Karthik Subbaraj directs this tale set amidst the Eelam war. He has his Man Friday with him – Bobby Simha in a starring role as Nilavan. Simha and Gautham Menon are LTTE warriors anticipating an impending attack by the army. Enter a boy who wants his little brother rescued from across the frontlines where Nilavan and team are located. Moved by the boy’s tale, and also responding to the trauma from his past, Nilavan carefully makes his way past the enemy lines to bring the brother back home. The reveal and the subsequent ending of the film though, are underwhelming.
Roudhram: Rudra, Anger
Boy, can Arvind Swami direct. In Roudhram, he doesn’t present earth-shattering or never-heard-before convictions and beliefs. And yet, there’s a lived-in familiar quality to the filmmaking that you instantly take to the landscape it presents. Roudhram opens with a wealthy man harassing a small-time shopkeeper to repay his loans. Two minutes later, he’s dealt a fatal blow to the head by a teen who’s fresh off football practice. You see his new shoes. You then see the teen in the police station. His tale is narrated in flashbacks.
A penurious family, a mother who works as a help, a son and daughter in school – small, simple pleasures if and when they arrive. Dark flashes of temper. A household that is content when it can afford to be. Swami is convincing in his portrayal of the mother who struggles to accommodate the hopes and wishes of her children, the son who wants to relieve his mother of her misery, and the daughter who is gripped by fear of living the same life as her mother.
The best part? The director doesn’t try to resolve the film’s conflicts – perhaps with the intimate knowledge that some remain for life.
Inmai: Bhayaanka, Fear
In this Rathindran R Prasad directorial, a young Muslim woman (Parvathy Thiruvothu) is at the centre of all the drama. We see plush living conditions. Glassy pools mimicking floor tiles in the living room. Expensive artwork that needs to be explained to be understood. And, a lone woman – Waheeda – who opens the door to a charming stranger (Siddharth). We learn the story in flashbacks through the stranger who calls himself Farookh. Waheeda has a past as everyone does, and the past has now come to haunt her, as it sometimes does. There’s a brief flash of fear as the stranger doesn’t seem to be who he is, but it doesn’t linger. The slow, creeping quality of fear that Inmai aims for doesn’t last long – Farookh doesn’t inspire fear even as it flickers in Waheeda’s eyes. It breaks the spell.
Thunintha Pin: Veera, Courage
Sarjun KM presents the tale of a young solider on the frontlines fighting Naxals. Atharvaa as Vetri leaves behind a pregnant wife on his first posting to a Naxal region. He apprehends one, and the film follows Vetri and Dummy Cat (Kishore) as they travel through the forest to have the latter handed over to the army. The conversations between them, meant to sound wary and provocative, come across as dull and manufactured. Kishore as a Naxal leader is shown to have an upper hand in the game they play even as Vetri struggles to retain his composure. A lacklustre short that has you rooting for the Naxal – and that too, with significant effort.
Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru: Shringara, Love
Gautham Menon’s Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru is as outlandish as its title. In one of the many romances in Tamil cinema that fail to connect, Suriya as Kamal, with a ghastly hairdo, is a brilliant composer in search of greener pastures – he decides to go to London to pursue music when he meets the beautiful Pragya Martin (as Nethra). She’s the singer to Suriya’s composer – and just like that, they fall in step, right down to their thoughts.
In a rather strange, Freudian confession, Suriya attributes the attraction he feels towards Nethra to her embodying the qualities of his mother. Apparently, you “fall hook, line and sinker” for a girl if she is anything like your mother. While the discretionary powers on this line remain with the men, it’s one of the many questionable dialogues that the short throws at you. Also, is there anyone that has said ‘let’s have a go at each other’ to their lover and lived to tell the tale?
*****
The Navarasa review is a Silverscreen original article. It was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the movie. Silverscreen.in and its writers do not have any commercial relationship with movies that are reviewed on the site.
The creators of Navarasa, the nine-part Tamil anthology, want to make more films to support more people and Mani Ratnam even suggested finding a 10thrasa (emotion) if that meant getting more people on board, said Jayendra Panchpakesan.
The comment from Jayendra, who conceived the project along with the veteran filmmaker, came during a virtual fan event on Thursday ahead of the anthology’s release on Friday.
The anthology is an initiative to raise funds to support those in the cinema industry who have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent crisis. The project is produced under the banner of Justickets, in association with AP International and Wide Angle Creations as executive producers.
The two-hour-long fan event, which began with a musical rendition depicting each emotion, comprised of multiple short interactions with the cast and crew.
One such interaction featured Parvathy Thiruvothu, who stars with Siddharth in Rathindran’s segment Inmai, which focuses on the emotion of fear. She said, “I was excited when Siddharth called me to be part of the project. I didn’t realise that it was for a great cause.” The actor added that she got to know about the idea behind the project, and the rest of the cast and crew involved, only later. “From then, there was no looking back.” Parvathy also said that she likes fear because it serves as an inspiration for her to go beyond. She added that she experienced the emotion before committing to this anthology as well. “Before I said yes to the project, there were three Zoom calls and I kept asking questions. It was scary in a good way.”
Sarjun, who has directed the segment on courage, Thunintha Pin, said his short was the toughest one in terms of production. “The screenplay and dialogues were by Mani sir, so I had more responsibility to translate it properly on screen. Definitely, out of the nine, it was the toughest in terms of production, be it story-wise, staging, or locations.”
Menon’s segment, Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru, which deals with love, stars actors Suriya and Prayaga Martin. The filmmaker said, “Mine is a trippy film that happens in one evening. It is about 35 minutes long and is a musical. It’s a very intense film because it is about love and attraction.”
Jayendra concluded the event by noting that the initiative will support 12,000 people and their target to raise Rs 15 crores has almost been reached. Bhoomika Trust, a Chennai-based NGO, has been enlisted to deliver aid to the members of the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI). “We have distributed ICICI pre-paid cards via Bhoomika Trust and each member will get Rs 1500 deposited monthly in the card to use at grocery stores,” he added.
Navarasa is set to premiere on Netflix at 12.30 pm on Friday.
After a three-month hiatus due to the second wave of Covid-19, theatres in Telangana reopened on July 30 to a lukewarm response from movie-goers. Satya Dev-starrer Thimmarusu and Ishq, starring Teja Sajja and Priya Prakash Varrier, were among the first lot of theatrical releases.
On that note, here are eight new films and shows releasing this week on streaming platforms, including Mani Ratnam’s highly-anticipated anthology Navarasa and Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer Kuruthi:
1. Navarasa – Netflix (August 6)
The nine-part anthology film presented by veteran filmmaker Mani Ratnam and writer-filmmaker Jayendra Panchapakesan is based on the nine rasas (human emotions) – anger, compassion, courage, disgust, fear, laughter, love, peace, and wonder. The anthology features a large star cast. Each segment focuses on a different emotion and is helmed by a different director. Navarasa’s nine segments are Edhiri, Summer of 92, Project Agni, Payasam, Peace, Roudhram, Inmai, Thunintha Pin, and Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru.
2. Kuruthi – Amazon Prime Video (August 11)
This Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer is a Malayalam thriller about how enduring human relations that transcend boundaries struggle to survive trials of hatred and prejudice. According to the streaming platform, the fast-paced film takes us through the verdant background of Eratupetta in Kerala into the life of Ibrahim, who leads a lonely life in the mountains trying hard to leave behind bitter memories that haunt him. On a fateful night, an injured cop barges into his house with a prisoner and seeks refuge. When a powerful enemy burning with vengeance follows them into his house, Ibrahim is forced to confront testing questions about his own beliefs and convictions.
3. What if…? – Disney+ Hotstar (August 11)
Marvel Studios’ American animated anthology series is based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name. It is intended to be the fourth television series in the MCU. According to Marvel Entertainment, What If… ? features fan-favourite characters, including Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor and more. The new series, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head writer, features signature MCU action with a curious twist.
4. Vivo – Netflix (August 6)
This American animated musical comedy film produced by Sony Pictures Animation follows a music-loving kinkajou who embarks on the journey of a lifetime to fulfil his destiny and deliver a love song for an old friend.
5. Hit & Run – Netflix (August 6)
According to the streaming platform’s description, in this new action thriller series, the life of a happily married man (Lior Raz) is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a mysterious hit-and-run accident in Tel Aviv. Grief-stricken and confused, he searches for his wife’s killers. With the help of an ex-lover (Sanaa Lathan), he uncovers disturbing truths about his beloved wife and the secrets she kept from him.
6. Shaman King – Netflix (August 9)
This Japanese Manga series follows Yoh Asakura who enters a battle tournament held every 500 years, competing with other Shamans in a bid to become the all-powerful Shaman King.
7. Swarm – Netflix (August 6)
This French fantasy drama film follows Virginie who lives on a farm with her children Laura (15) and Gaston (7) and raises locusts as a high-protein crop, but has trouble getting them to reproduce. Money worries and practical problems pile up, while tensions with her kids and neighbours run high. But everything changes when she discovers the locusts have a taste for blood.
8. The Kissing Booth 3 – Netflix (August 11)
This American teen romantic comedy film is a sequel to The Kissing Booth and The Kissing Booth 2, and is the final instalment of the film series based on The Kissing Booth books by Beth Reekles. The film follows Elle, who is determined to make the most of her final summer before college. She plans the ultimate bucket list as she navigates what comes next with Noah and Lee.
In a statement, Suriya said, “The past year has been transformative. Given unprecedented circumstances, we innovated on different models of release. Amazon emerged as the chosen streaming service for 2D’s latest film launches. From Ponmangal Vandhal to Soorarai Pottru, these beautiful tales found audiences and resonance not just in India, but across the world. We are happy to take this collaboration even further with Amazon Prime Video.”
Here’s more information on the four upcoming films:
This comedy-drama, directed by Arisil Moorthy, is about a village that is breaking news on all television channels across India. However, the villagers don’t have electricity to watch TV. Kunnimuthu, a 35-year-old innocent farmer, loses his bulls named Karuppan and Vellaiyan, who were like children to him and his wife Veerayi. When searching for his bulls with his friend Manthinni, he accidentally meets reporter Narmatha who helps him. In midst of a great struggle, the bulls will have to be found and the village must be developed as well. The film’s technical crew includes cinematographer Sukumar, music composer Krish, editor Saravanan, art director Mujipur, and costume designer Vinothini Pandian.
Udanpirappe – (October 2021)
Directed by Era Saravanan, Udanpirappe showcases the unconditional love between siblings Vairavan and Mathangi, who are separated due to differences of opinion. While Vairavan believes justice must be fought for, Mathangi’s husband Sargunam insists on going by the law diligently. Over the years, the rift between them is aggravated and all attempts by Mathangi to unite the family turn futile. Whether Mathangi can unite her family forms the crux of this emotional family drama. The technical crew consists of music composer Imman, cinematographer Velraj, editor Ruben, art director Mujipur, and costume designer Poornima Ramasamy.
Jai Bhim – (November 2021)
This murder mystery directed by TJ Gnanavel highlights the story of a tribal couple Senggeni and Rajakannu. When Rajakannu is arrested on false charges by the police and goes missing from the police station, Senggeni starts searching for her husband. She seeks the help of Chandru (Suriya), a famous High Court lawyer, who takes up this challenging case to get justice for the innocent tribal woman. The film’s crew includes cinematographer SR Kadhir, music composer Sean Roldan, art director K Kadhir, editor Philomin, and costume designer Poornima Ramasamy.
Oh my doG – (December 2021)
Directed by Sarov Shanmugam, this children’s film talks about their world, their desires, courage, friendship, unconditional love, bravery, and loyalty. A pup ordered to be killed by its breeder because of a congenital defect escapes. On the other side is a boy hated by everyone – he is not a good student, but a very happy-go-lucky kid. The pup and the boy meet. Whether they end up winning the hearts of others and prove themselves worthy forms the crux of the story. The film’s technical crew includes cinematographer Gopinath, music composer Nivas Prasanna, editor Mega, art director Michael, and costume designer Vinothini Pandian.
The trailer of Kuruthi, the upcoming Malayalam thriller film starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, was released on Wednesday. The film is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on August 11, marking the onset of Kerala’s Onam festivity.
“Kuruthi means a holy offering of life. The film revolves around an unstoppable force of violence versus an immovable object of faith and the kuruthis (slaughters) that happen in between,” Prithviraj said during a virtual press conference, adding that the film has a compelling story that is relevant to current times.
According to the streaming platform, Kuruthi is about how enduring human relations that transcend boundaries struggle to survive trials of hatred and prejudice.
Produced by Supriya Menon under the Prithviraj Productions banner, the film is directed by Manu Warrier.
Noting that Kuruthi is one of the most intense and fast-paced films that he has been a part of, Prithviraj recalled that he happened to read the film’s synopsis during his quarantine and then reached out to the director for further discussion.
With a screenplay by Anish Pallyal, Kuruthi also features actors Shine Tom Chacko, Roshan Mathew, Srindaa, Murali Gopy, Mamukkoya, Manikanda Rajan, Naslen, Sagar Surya, and Navas Vallikkunnu in pivotal roles.
Prithviraj said that all the artists were first choices and all of them had immediately agreed to be a part of the film after listening to the narration.
“We went on floors within a month after the script was locked and also completed filming and post-production in a quick span of time,” the actor said, adding, “It was frustrating when we were unable to release the film in the theatres and that’s when Amazon Prime Video came to our rescue. I am elated to launch Kuruthi for a global audience on the streaming service.”
Stills from Kuruthi, Photo Source: Amazon Prime Video
When Silverscreen India asked about shooting the action sequences in the forests, director Warrier revealed that Prithviraj helped them choreograph a lot of the complex and challenging action sequences.
“For instance, there was a sequence that takes place on top of the roof and the actors were wired but someone in the set alerted us that the beam might collapse. We were all nervous and shooting that sequence kept us on edge for almost 20 minutes. Similarly, there was a rolling-down sequence that was shot in the forest where there were a lot of blood-sucking leeches. It was scary, but we managed to execute all the action sequences without any compromises with Prithviraj’s support,” he said.
Warrier also added that they were looking for a rubber estate attached to a forest area to film in and they found the apt location in Kottayam’s Erattupetta.
Stating the Kuruthi is all about love, hate, revenge, protection, and the question of right or wrong, actor Roshan said, “I play a character named Ibrahim who has gone through a horrific tragedy in the past. Having lost everything in his life, he is trying to find some sort of a purpose to continue living,” Roshan added.
Actor Murali Gopy, meanwhile, said, “Human relations are often tainted with pride and hatred constantly battling to survive amidst the beliefs that we cling to. Kuruthi aims to highlight these complex emotions.”
Jaideep Ahlawat and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, the Hindi actors, will be seen together in the Indian adaptation of the British mystery series Guilt. The upcoming series will be directed by Shaad Ali and produced by Applause Entertainment in association with BBC Studios India.
The award-winning British drama Guilt was created and produced by Happy Tramp North and Expectation for BBC Scotland and BBC Two. The British series, which starred Mark Bonnar and Jamie Sives, was set in Edinburgh and revolved around two estranged brothers thrown together by tragedy and united by guilt.
The Indian version of Guilt will follow the lives of brothers Jaggi and Daljeet. While the elder brother Jaggi enjoys the comfort of a wealthy and seemingly perfect life, the younger Daljeet struggles to survive by running a vintage book shop cum café. Their lives spin out of control when a tragic accident occurs and distrust starts enveloping their lives, creating a rift between them and everyone around.
The six-part series will also feature Tina Desai, Shruti Seth, Maya Alagh, Mugdha Godse, and Satish Kaushik.
Director Ali, who has previously helmed films such as Saathiya and Bunty Aur Babli, said in a statement that the series “oscillates between the nuances of brotherhood, suspicion and consequences of choice.”
Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment, added, “As an account of altering moralities in the face of adversity, Guilt cements itself as yet another splendid thriller that is sure to find resonance amongst viewers.”
Applause Entertainment and BBC Studios have partnered in the past on popular dramas such as Criminal Justice, Rudra – The Edge of Darkness with Ajay Devgn, and an adaptation of Neil Cross’ Luther.
A streaming platform for the upcoming series is yet to be announced.
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub was last seen in Amazon Prime Video’s Tandav. He played a college activist named Shiva Shekhar in the series. Jaideep Ahlawat, on the other hand, was recently seen in Ajeeb Daastaans and Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar.
Vishnuvardhan, the Tamil filmmaker who is all set to make his Hindi debut with the upcoming film Shershaah, spent almost two months researching the 1999 Kargil War and talking to soldiers who fought alongside Captain Vikram Batra, on whom the film is based.
Talking to Silverscreen India, Vishnuvardhan said, “We have only seen footage of the Kargil war so I had to do my homework. It was very important for us to know what actually happened on the field. I had to be sure about how I was going to show the war. So I met with a lot of officers who had fought in the war. It took me a couple of months to meet all of them. Everyone is currently posted in different places like Amritsar, Chandigarh, Kashmir, and Bangalore. So we had to travel almost all over India to meet people.”
“The writer of the film, Sandeep Srivastava, and I met General Joshi and Vishal Batra, captain Vikram Batra’s twin brother, and his family,” he added. “They helped us meet all the officers who fought by him for us to understand what happened on the field and what kind of a person he was. We also met his friends from Palankpur, where he was born and brought up, and Punjab University, where he studied. We did extensive work to understand Captain Batra’s journey from a simple man to the legend he became, because that’s the focal point of the film.”
Shershaah is produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar, and Apoorva Mehta under the Dharma Productions banner, and Shabbir Boxwala, Ajay Shah, and Himanshu Gandhi representing Kaash Entertainment.
The film was shot in Kargil at around 14000 ft and the conditions were difficult each day, said the director. “We could not film at the exact 16,000 ft location they fought in which has absolutely minimum oxygen. But we did manage to get the terrains somewhat similar to how it was described to us by the war veterans.”
“Initially, we were supposed to shoot in Kashmir and Ladakh. However, due to some tense situations, the Indian Army offered to let us shoot in Kargil instead and it was a blessing in disguise. We shot a film based in Kargil, entirely in the same place. We could not have made this film without the Indian Army’s support,” he added.
On what made him choose this script for his Hindi directorial debut, Vishnuvardhan said, “It was very exciting to make this film because the story was something I was familiar with and plus, it is on the Indian Army. I don’t think I could have gotten a better script to make my debut with.” Revealing that he was earlier approached for some remakes, he added, “But this story made me explore much more than I could have with any other script.”
While the director is happy that the film will reach everyone around the world with its OTT release, he does feel a little disappointed about it not making it to the big screen. “Everybody wants a theatrical release because of the way it is shot and of course the darkroom magic is completely different. However, with platforms like Amazon Prime, the reach is increasing. We were already due to release last year so I am happy that it is releasing now.”
Vishnuvardhan also revealed that he is set to collaborate again with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. However, he did not provide any other details about this project.
The Lord of the Rings series from Amazon Studios is set to premiere on September 2, 2022 on Amazon Prime Video, the streaming giant announced on Tuesday. The show will have new episodes released on a weekly basis.
The yet-to-be-titled show’s first season has been wrapped up in New Zealand.
Based on author JRR Tolkein’s ‘fabled Second Age of Middle-Earth’s history’, the series will be a prequel to the existing films in the franchise, set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, according to a press release.
The statement adds that the series “follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.”
An earlier statement from the streaming platform said that the series will attempt to reach the furthest locations on the map of the LOTR universe. “From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone,” the statement said.
The new series will feature an ensemble cast comprising Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, and Charles Edwards.
Other actors include Trystan Gravelle, Sir Lenny Henry, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Lloyd Owen, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers, Leon Wadham, Benjamin Walker, Daniel Weyman, and Sara Zwangobani.
The series will be led by show-runners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay. They will be joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, JA Bayona, Belén Atienza, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Bruce Richmond, and Sharon Tal Yguado.
Also on board are co-executive producer Wayne Che Yip, director Charlotte Brändström, and producer Christopher Newman.
The first book in The Lord of the Rings series was published in 1954. It began as a sequel to Tolkien’s 1937 book, The Hobbit. The LOTR book series was adapted into a trilogy by Peter Jackson and the third film in the trilogy, The Return of the King, won 11 Oscars including Best Picture in 2003. Jackson also adapted The Hobbit into a film trilogy.
Apart from the upcoming Amazon original series, an anime feature film based on the fantasy series is also in development at Warner Bros in collaboration with New Line Cinema. Titled The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, it will be helmed by Ultraman manga series director Kenji Kamiyama and will tell an untold story behind the fortress of Helm’s Deep.
The announcement comes after several reports speculated that Sethupathi’s first Hindi series appearance would be in the director duo’s upcoming The Family Man 3.
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Raj & DK posted a photo of the actor on the set of their upcoming series and welcomed him. Khanna also shared a photo of herself with Sethupathi on Twitter and said she is happy to collaborate with him for the third time. She earlier worked with him on the Tamil films Tughlaq Durbar and Sangathamizhan.
The yet-to-be-titled show, co-written by Sita R Menon, Suman Kumar, and Hussain Dalal, will stream on Amazon Prime Video. It will be a quirky drama thriller series filled with the director duo’s trademark dark and wry humour.
This Raj & DK series marks Khanna and Kapoor’s first project together. It is also Kapoor’s digital debut and first collaboration with the directors and with Sethupathi.
Earlier, in a statement, Kapoor had said, “My favourite Indian show on Amazon Prime Video is The Family Man. I couldn’t think of anyone better for my digital debut than them… I loved the story idea when I first heard it and since then it has been an exciting ride! Can’t wait to share this series with the audience.”
While shooting commenced in February, the team had taken a small break recently. Kapoor is expected to join the sets again soon.
Meanwhile, Kapoor is awaiting the release of Gowtam Tinnanuri’s Jersey, the Hindi remake of the hit Telugu sports drama of the same name. It also stars Mrunal Thakur and Pankaj Kapur in pivotal roles. The film is most likely to release during Diwali.
Sethupathi, on the other hand, is currently set to appear in a handful of films including Kamal Haasan’s Vikram.
Khanna’s next will be director Sundar C’s Tamil film Aranmanai 3.
Ronnie Screwvala, the Indian producer, is all set to collaborate with filmmaker Rensil D’Silva for a multi-season espionage thriller series titled Panthers.
Screwvala took to Twitter on Friday to announce the project.
The series will explore the India-Pakistan spy games of the late 1960s and early 70s. The 45 minute-episodic thriller follows the exploits of RAW agents. According to the press release, a highlight of the series is the conspiracy surrounding the hijack of an airplane piloted by Rajiv Gandhi, son of then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, in 1971. It also shows several other RAW missions.
Talking about the upcoming series, Screwvala said in a statement, “Panthers is the story of India’s burgeoning spy agency against a politically volatile setting. It is as eye-opening as it is gripping and boasts of the right balance of realism and entertainment.”
“The nation is embracing true stories like never before. All the covert operations mentioned in Panthers have taken place in real life. This series is a tribute to the daring feats of the RAW agency before it ascended to legendary status,” D’Silva said in a statement.
The series is co-produced by Premnath Rajagopalan of Blue Monkey Films. This is the third time Screwvala’s RSVP Movies and Blue Monkey are collaborating after A Thursday and the biopic Dhyanchand.
Panthers will commence production in the first quarter of 2022. An announcement regarding the cast and crew members is expected soon.
Meanwhile, D’Silva’s upcoming thriller film Dial 100, starring Manoj Bajpayee, Neena Gupta, and Sakshi Tanwar, is releasing on August 6 on the OTT platform ZEE5. It is produced by Sony Pictures Films India and Alchemy Films.
RSVP, on the other hand, is also producing a web series based on the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy. The series, which is being directed by Richie Mehta, is based on Dominique Lapierre and Javier Moro’s 1997 book, Five Past Midnight in Bhopal: The Epic Story of the World’s Deadliest Industrial Disaster.
August is around the corner and a majority of 2021’s content is already out. If the Emmy Award nominations have taught us anything, it is that there is no shortage of critically acclaimed shows. From Pose to The Underground Railroad, it is a highly competitive year.
Silverscreen India combs through a range of genres- thrillers, superhero shows, drama, and comedies to handpick seven shows based on one factor alone: entertainment. While not all the shows on this list have necessarily impressed the critics or awards shows, they are certainly addictive, and yes, some of them will make you wish for HBO Max to get to India already.
WandaVision (Disney+Hotstar)
WandaVision picks up right after the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019) and officially opens the fourth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Delving into themes of grief, loss, and self-discovery, the show encompasses a whole lot of elements to throw the audience off. It emulates and has multiple references to popular American sitcoms like Modern Family, The Office, The Brady Bunch, The Dick Van Dyke Show and I Love Lucy. However, the strength of the show lies in its central mystery surrounding superheroes Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision’s (Paul Bettany) seemingly idyllic suburban life in Westview, New Jersey. When it becomes apparent that everything is not what it seems, the show goes back to familiar Marvel territory with action, fight sequences, and a truly memorable villain (whose theme song is still stuck in our heads).
WandaVision boasts of good writing and complex themes proving that superhero stories no longer need to follow a good-versus-evil template to be appealing.
2. Mare of Easttown (Disney+Hotstar and HBO Max)
Credits: Disney + Hotstar
This HBO miniseries starring Kate Winslet is a mystery drama that revolves around the murder of a teenage mother near a creek. Mare (Winslet) is a police detective sergeant in Easttown, a small town in Pennsylvania. Having previously failed to solve a case where another teenage girl goes missing, Mare is determined to get to the bottom of this murder. However, she also has to deal with her son’s suicide and a nasty custody battle for her grandson. In a town as small and connected as Easttown, she begins to find it hard to separate her personal and professional life.
The show’s strength lies not only in its writing and premise but also in the cast’s performance. Veteran actor Jean Smart’s portrayal of Mare’s no-nonsense mother Helen and Evan Peters’ depiction of the young and eager detective Colin Zabel elevate an already interesting show. Rather than being a straightforward whodunnit, Mare of Easttown is a complex and well-rounded story that keeps the audience hooked until the end.
3. Lucifer Season 5 Part 2 (Netflix)
The second part of Season 5 of Lucifer dropped on Netflix in May. The show follows Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), the Devil, who abandons Hell to become a club owner in Los Angeles. After a run-in with police detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German), he joins the Los Angeles Police Department as a consultant. In the fifth season, Lucifer has returned to Hell and his twin brother Michael comes down to Earth to stir chaos in the lives of Lucifer’s close ones.
This season of Lucifer sticks to its strengths- it has tons of mythological and Biblical references, grisly murders, hilarious banter between Lucifer and Chloe, and a special appearance from God himself. While the show may not offer anything new in terms of its plotlines, Tom Ellis’ charming and cheeky portrayal of the Devil and his romantic relationship with Chloe provides some much-needed entertainment.
4. Hacks Season 1 (HBO Max)
Credits: Jake Giles Netter / HBO Max
This is the second show with actor Jean Smart to feature on this list. Hacks is about an old by-gone standup comic Deborah (Smart) who forges a begrudging and reluctant partnership with an ostracized writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder), who has been cancelled over an offensive joke. What follows is an original, funny, and heartwarming story about the two women trying to respect each other’s differences and work together to make Deborah relevant again.
The 10-episode series even emerged as a favourite at the Emmys with Smart and Einbinder getting nominated for their performances.
5. Loki Season 1 (Disney+Hotstar)
Few shows have managed to get as much hype as Disney and Marvel’s Loki did. A part of the reason for the hype is probably because of the eagerness to learn about Loki’s fate after he disappears with the tesseract in Avengers: Endgame. However, it is mostly about British actor Tom Hiddleston’s captivating performance as the titular God of Mischief. Garnering both critical and commercial acclaim, Loki is a wild ride. It has a mind-boggling plot about timelines and their disruptions and it also introduces multiple variants (versions) of everyone’s favourite anti-hero Loki. Plus, with Owen Wilson’s fantastic portrayal as the Time Variance Authority’s (a fictional bureaucratic organisation) trusted employee Mobius, it does not take long for us to become invested in the show. There is a twist at every turn and with season one ending on a cliffhanger, the second season could not get here any sooner.
6. Ginny & Georgia Season 1 (Netflix)
Now, we know what you are thinking- Ginny & Georgia has its problematic moments with an overdose of cringey dialogues (Who can forget the “Oppression Olympics” dialogue where Ginny and her boyfriend Hunter argue about which of them has been more oppressed?) However, there is never a dull moment. Mother-daughter duo Georgia (Brianne Howey) and Virginia ‘Ginny’ Miller (Antonia Gentry) move to a town in New England to get a fresh start after the death of Georgia’s husband. While Ginny struggles with her identity and relationships, her mother is hiding a big secret and is dealing with her traumatic past.
Marketed as a darker and more dramatic Gilmore Girls, its ridiculous plotlines, baffling supporting characters, and questionable dialogues, ironically make it an amusing show. Howey’s convincing portrayal of Georgia as a thirty-year-old social climbing and no-nonsense mother is perhaps the only reason for this show to feature on our list.
7. Never Have I Ever Season 2 (Netflix)
Credits: Netflix
High school does not get funnier than on Never Have I Ever, where protagonist Devi’s (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) antics and self-destructive tendencies cause unnecessary drama. The show revolves around 15-year-old Devi, who is struggling to cope with the unexpected demise of her father. Surrounded by her mother and eccentric group of friends, Devi’s experiences at high school, her identity as an Indian, and her romantic relationships form the plot.
The second season begins with Devi’s decision to simultaneously date her frenemy Ben (Jaren Lewison)and the popular jock Paxton (Darren Barnet) after she is unable to choose between them. Creators Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher know what they are doing; there are laughs, oodles of drama, and genuine, relatable teenage issues. They have managed to achieve this without including too many South Asian stereotypes this time. Never Have I Ever may not be topping every critic’s list but there is no denying that the show is full of heart and fun.
Films like Thittam Irandu cannot really be subjected to serious review. Not for the lead – Aishwarya Rajesh – whose presence has fired up screens in the past. Not for the director, whose… admirable intentions are ultimately expressed through questionable means. But they do make you think: how does one write about films that lack cinematic merit or worse, are utterly devoid of thought? Trash the bad, showcase the good? Strip it down and rather painfully intellectualize it to the last prop – and dialogue? Go on a tangent and subject the movie and its characters to the writer’s conceit? Fortunately, there’s a simple (and often overlooked) protocol to film-reviewing under these circumstances – structuring the writing around the questions: would I willingly watch the film until the end? And, would I recommend that the film be watched at all?
The short answer for Thittam Irandu is an emphatic no. The long answer? Perhaps. When Thittam Irandu opens, Aadhira (Aishwarya Rajesh) boards an overnight bus. She’s a cop, we get to know. We also get to know that her co-passenger in the adjacent berth is a man. ‘Double berths’ in overnight buses have no degree of separation between them – which immediately prompts the director to unleash the film’s first conflict. To sleep or not to sleep beside a strange man? Thittam Irandu very seriously considers this conflict as Aadhira dithers, decides against, and then dithers more. Soon, a romance is thrust in the midst as berth-sharing with a stranger is certainly wont to do.
But, Thittam Irandu is also a crime thriller we are told every few minutes. The trouble with the genre, as the director clearly demonstrates here, is the pressure to surprise. Vignesh Karthick, who is also the writer, sloshes the script with a number of twists and turns. A few for the better, many for the worse. It’s this undue pressure which the director takes upon himself that ultimately leads to the film’s downfall.
Consider this: Aadhira’s friend is murdered, the suspect is an ex-boyfriend, the husband, a neighbourhood stalker. It’s a good place to begin with, of course. But then, the script doesn’t do what most good crime thrillers must do – eliminate suspects. The elimination doesn’t have to be linear, but the script must eventually drift towards a foreseeable end – and at this juncture, the means of arriving at the end should form the bulk of the conflict. Thittam Irandu doesn’t do that. In fact, it doesn’t eliminate anyone at all. The husband, ex-boyfriend, the neighbourhood stalker – all remain suspects until the last 10 minutes.
Then, in yet another bid to shock, it sends the audience reeling – not in a good way. (Spoiler alert) Aadhira’s friend, we learn, isn’t murdered. Aadhira’s boyfriend, we learn, is the friend who was suspected to be murdered. Because, the friend is now a man having had a traumatic childhood and past as a woman, and hopelessly in love with Aadhira all the while. It’s the latest in the series of surprises that Karthick lets unfold. Thittam Irandu wants to be an LGBTQ ally, too – but it doesn’t know how. Just like it doesn’t know how to be a crime thriller, or what women in the police force are like. At best, Thittam Irandu just needed to be put through a writing workshop.
*****
The Thittam Irandu review is a Silverscreen original article. It was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the movie. Silverscreen.in and its writers do not have any commercial relationship with movies that are reviewed on the site.
Shabeer Kallarakkal has had a busy few days. Ever since his latest film Sarpatta Parambarai released on Amazon Prime Video on July 22, his phone has been flooded with congratulatory messages and calls for interviews. He plays Dancing Rose, a boxer in 1970s Madras, whose mannerisms are hard to ignore.
Sporting a distinct curl on his forehead, his moves are lighter than air. He breaks into dance while giving his opponent a run for his money. Dancing Rose is a character like no other: his unique footwork, unbreakable confidence, and honourable sportsmanship make him stand out in a film that is already packed with strong performances.
Sharing fan-made title posters of the character, some social media users are even calling for an origin story. “I am so overwhelmed; things are happening too fast,” says Kallarakkal.
Kallarakkal’s tryst with acting started as early as 2004 when he appeared as a student in the Mani Ratnam film Aayutha Ezhuthu. “People started to recognise me in that five or ten-second role. That’s where the spark happened,” he recalls.
He went on to star as the male lead in Lakshmy Ramakrishnan’s road film Nerungi Vaa Muthamidathe in 2014 and also worked as an assistant director in her critically-acclaimed film Ammani. Cut to 2016 where he played a psychopathic killer in the antagonist-centric Tamil psychological thriller film 54321. He also bagged supporting roles in big-budget films like Petta (2019) and Teddy (2021), in which he portrayed an organ trafficker in Azerbaijan.
Kallarakkal in Petta
Kallarakkal has a diverse portfolio. He is a theatre artist who has worked with organisations like The Little Theatre and Koothupattarai. He is also a former cricketer, a dancer, and a fitness enthusiast who has experience in parkour and martial arts.
An experience-driven actor, he believes that everything that he has worked on so far has had an impact on his acting process. He also credits actor Krishna Kumar (Soorarai Pottru) of The Little Theatre for this. “If I have done some justice to Dancing Rose, a lot of the credit goes to KK and the hospital clowning programme,” he says.
In this interview with Silverscreen India, Kallarakkal gets candid about the compliments he has received for his character, his training for the film, and his acting aspirations.
What is the most memorable compliment you received after people watched the film?
One thing that most of my friends said to me was that it felt like they had achieved something. That was beautiful. I also got a call from a close friend who wants to get into movies. He told me that he was in tears because it felt like his own success.
How did you prepare for the role?
I was already into parkour, Silamabam, Kalari, Kaaladi kuthu, and I also took up boxing for this film. I like being fit. Luckily, when I met Ranjith sir, I was already in the shape that was required for the character. During the lockdown, I continued my routine. I would work out for four hours every day. This continued until I got Covid in July 2020 and lost 5 kilograms. I had to put the weight back on but when one does that, they do not just put on muscle, they also put on fat. That was tricky. It was a challenge, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
After Teddy, how was it to work with Arya for the second time?
In Teddy, everything happened so fast and it was in a foreign country, so we did not interact much. Here (Sarpatta Parambarai), we became good friends. I understood what people mean when they say that he is a gem of a person. He wants his co-actors to do well. Arya was open to other characters being dominant in the film. That is the success of the movie.
Teddy and Sarpatta Parambarai are very different films. What was that experience like?
I did Teddy because at that time I was only doing plays and I wanted to do some film work. I met (the movie’s) director Shakthi Soundar Rajan and he said that it is a small role. I took it up because I got a chance to act. It was only a few days of work. Sarpatta Parambarai was totally different. It was a lot of work — both physically and emotionally.
Did you have any inputs for your character Dancing Rose or was it based solely on the director’s vision?
Ranjith sir gave me inputs but he wouldn’t say act like this or act like that. On set, if he was not happy with what I was doing, he would say, “Idhu vendham.” But most of the time, he was happy with what I was doing. I had understood the character and his backstory itself was strong enough.
I used boxer Naseem Hamed’s style as a reference. We were all given references; It was Muhammed Ali for Kabilan (Arya’s character) and Mike Tyson for Vembuli (John Kokken’s role). But it was not an exact copy. I studied Naseem and after two or three weeks, I never went back to those videos because I knew what the director wanted. For Dancing Rose, I did my own thing and whatever you see on-screen is what happened on that day of shooting. We did not rehearse it.
Credits: John Kokken’s Twitter
You are a theatre artist, hospital clown, and fitness enthusiast. Are there any other interests that people do not know about?
I am also into trekking. In fact, I am planning to do a one-month basic mountaineering course in the Himalayas. I was actually supposed to go in May but I couldn’t because of the lockdown. When I get a break, I want to go finish that because I like adventure. I also started surfing and I want to travel a lot.
Do you apply your experiences from these areas to acting?
I always felt that an actor is stronger with his experiences. It is your experiences that teach you various emotions. So, all these experiences are going to teach me a lot of things. If I do this one-month mountaineering course, it will make me tougher as a person and the experience will give me a lot of perspective. The more you experience as a person, the stronger your acting becomes. As they grow older and mature, all actors become better because of the experiences that they bring to their films.
From your first film to now, which character do you identify with the most?
All of them. From Chandru in Nerengi Vaa to Vikram in 54321, all the characters had some part of me in them. Otherwise, you will not relate to the character and it will seem artificial. This is the only way I know to act. There is a part of me in Dancing Rose and in Bhuvanesh (Adangu Maru). That is what makes each character unique. There is no other you, so what you bring to the table is going to make the character special.
Do you still find time to play cricket?
I have not touched the bat in the last four years because I have been busy with other things like parkour. But I do go to the ground and cheer. My day is full because I train for almost six days a week. I want to play cricket at a recreational level. Kalai (co-actor Kalaiyarsan) has been calling me to play, so I may take it up for fun.
Are there any actors or directors that you want to work with?
I have not thought about that. When I work with someone, I feel proud to have been a part of the project. That’s how I am. Now, I am at a place where I know what I can bring to the table as an actor. So, if I like an opportunity, I will take it up and if I do not like it, I may voice that out. I do look up to directors though.
You have been an assistant director in Ammani. Do you identify more as an actor or director?
I want to be an actor. I don’t know if I will be a good director. Initially, I was supposed to play the lead in that film but when the discussion progressed, the character became small and the limelight went to the female character. Lakshmy ma’am said, “It is too small and you have played the lead in my other film; I do not want you to do this.” That is when I decided to work as an assistant director because I had worked that far on the project. The experience helped me because performance-wise, it made me realise that you can take care of certain things in post-production also.
Is there a specific role that you would like to do in the future?
I would like to do all types of roles. Anything you do will be unique because you are doing it. For instance, if I do Dancing Rose tomorrow, it will be different for me. It has been 6 months since it got over and, in these months, I have gained some experience and exposure from life. So, that will change the way I present my emotions for the character.
I want to be an actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Even if it’s a ten-minute role, I want it to have an impact. My role should help take the movie forward. I would also really like to play a negative role.
Scarlett Johansson, who essays Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has filed a lawsuit against Disney over breach of contract after the company released the Marvel superhero film Black Widow simultaneously on Disney+ and theatres, reported the Wall Street Journal.
The civil lawsuit was filed on Thursday with the Los Angeles Superior Court.
In it, the actor said her agreement with Disney-owned Marvel Entertainment came with the guarantee that the film would have an exclusive theatrical release, with the box-office performance determining her salary. She alleged that the simultaneous release was an intentional breach of the agreement in order to prevent her from realising “the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel.”
Johansson also submitted a March 2019 email from Marvel Chief Counsel Dave Galluzzi confirming that the release of Black Widow would be according to a traditional theatrical model and adding, “Should the plan change, we would need to discuss this with you and come to an understanding as the deal is based on a series of (very large) box office bonuses.”
As per the complaint, Johansson’s representatives sought to renegotiate the contract after learning of the dual-release strategy, but both Marvel and Disney were unresponsive.
Disney released Black Widow, a prequel to the Marvel’s Avengers films, on July 9 in theatres and on Disney+.
The film, based on Johansson’s character as a Russian spy, opened to a weekend collection of $80 million at the US box office, $78 million in international box office, and over $60 million in Disney+ Premier Access consumer spend globally, as per Disney’s report. The film’s performance, however, declined over the following weekends.
Disney said Johansson’s suit had no merit and added it was “especially sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic”. The company added that it “fully complied with Ms Johansson’s contract and furthermore, the release of Black Widow on Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20 million she has received to date.”
However, the WSJ quoted a person familiar with Johansson’s contract as saying the Disney+ release of the film is projected to cost the actor more than $50 million.
“This will surely not be the last case where Hollywood talent stands up to Disney and makes it clear that, whatever the company may pretend, it has a legal obligation to honour its contracts,” Johansson’s attorney said in a statement.
Aside from Disney, the hybrid release model is currently also followed by Warner Bros, which is releasing its projects simultaneously on HBO Max.
Black Widow released in select countries such as the UK and the US, among others. It is yet to be released theatrically in India and has not premiered on Disney+ Hotstar.
The Kriti Sanon-starrer Mimi, which was scheduled to premiere on OTT platforms on Friday, was one of these. But it was released four days early on Monday after the film was leaked on Telegram.
On that note, here are 9 new films and shows releasing this week on streaming platforms:
1. Thittam Irandu – SonyLIV (July 31)
Starring actor Aishwarya Rajesh, Thittam Irandu/Plan B is an investigative thriller based on true events. Aishwarya plays a cop on the hunt for a double murderer, who also needs to find her missing childhood friend.
2. City of Dreams Season 2 – Disney+ Hotstar (July 30)
According to the official synopsis, in Season 2 of City of Dreams, the protagonist, Poornima is now the interim Chief Minister and the head of Maharashtra Jan Shakti Party (MJS). She wants to make the party her own. However, her father is determined to take MJS back, and to do so he allies with the opposition party, proposing leftist leader and Poornima’s ex-husband Mahesh Aravle as the Chief Minister candidate.
3. Outer Banks Season 2 – Netflix (July 30)
Season 2 of Outer Banks continues the story of the treasure-hunting teens, the Pogues. In the last season, the Pogues succeeded in finding the treasure of the Royal Merchant, but their excitement was short lived. Not only was John B (Chase Stokes) quickly framed for murder by his girlfriend’s dad (Charles Esten), but then he and Sarah (Madelyn Cline) appeared to drown at sea during a tropical storm. The new season picks up where the previous one left off.
4. Transformers: War for Cybertron: Kingdom – Netflix (July 29)
Transformers: War for Cybertron: Kingdom is a sci-fi anime show, featuring the Autobots and Decepticons. The two factions are in a frantic race to locate the Allspark first on a strange planet as the future comes crashing through to the present day.
5. The Last Mercenary – Netflix (July 30)
The Jean-Claude Van Damme starring action comedy, follows a former French secret service special agent turned mercenary, who must reach out to his old contacts and join forces with a bunch of reckless youngsters when a mob operation threatens his son’s life.
In Cooking With Paris,Paris Hilton returns to TV and puts her culinary skills on display. The six-episode series features the former reality star, who will be joined in the kitchen by a list of famous guests. In each episode, Hilton and her guest learn to cook a new dish.
8. The Courier – Amazon Prime Video (August 2)
The Courier is a true life Cold War spy thriller about a British businessman Greville Wynne, who must form an alliance with a Soviet spy to prevent a nuclear confrontation.
9. Resort to Love – Netflix (July 29)
Netflix’s rom-com, Resort to Love, stars Christina Milian as Erica, a singer who takes a job as in-house entertainment for a beachfront resort to nurse her heartbreak following a broken engagement and a setback in her career. However, she ends up running into her ex-fiancé as he’s preparing to marry someone else and falls for his brother.
Netrikann, the upcoming Tamil crime thriller starring actor Nayanthara in the lead role, is set to be released on Disney+ Hotstar on August 13. The film will be available on the platform in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.
The trailer of the film was released by the makers on social media on Thursday.
Notably, Nayanthara’s previous film Mookuthi Amman (2020) was also released directly on the same streaming platform, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Netrikann, which is directed by Milind Rau, is produced by filmmaker Vignesh Shivan under the banner Rowdy Pictures.
A press release issued by the makers says the film has Nayanthara essaying the role of a visually-impaired woman. “A visually-challenged woman gives testimony in a hit-and-run case. The police soon realise that the incident she is reporting is related to a series of cases in the city where girls have gone missing. It also sets off a chain of events that entangles her further in this case. But there is more to her than meets the eye. Her disability has strengthened all of her other senses and she uses her heightened awareness to help the police bring the mysterious serial kidnapper to justice in this spine-chilling thriller,” reads the synopsis.
Netrikann, which has music composed by Girishh G, also stars actor Ajmal Ameer as the antagonist.
In his statement, Vignesh Shivan said, “The film is centred around a unique and resilient woman, portrayed by Nayanthara with such elan. As a visually-impaired woman, she uses her senses to the best of her abilities to track down a serial killer and uncover hidden truths. The film is unconventional and thrilling — audiences who enjoy bold content will love Netrikann.”
Rau, who has previously directed the 2017 horror film Aval, noted that Tamil audiences love a good thriller and added that Netrikann is special because of the central character. “High-octane action and drama, along with the unexpected twists in the storyline, makes Netrikann a must watch, especially for viewers who love a good whodunit packed with crime, thrill, and action,” he said.
Netflix India received a complaint on Tuesday about the Anurag Kashyap-directed segment in the 2020 anthology Ghost Stories, reported Mid-Day.
The complainant has raised objection to a scene where the protagonist of the short film, played by Sobhita Dhulipala, is seen eating the foetus after suffering a miscarriage, as per the report.
“The scene is not required for the story, and if the creators wished to add such a scene, there should have been a trigger warning for women who have gone through the trauma of miscarriages,” the complaint noted.
According to the Mid-Day’s report, this is among the first grievances to be registered after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology introduced the new Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021 to regulate content in OTT platforms, social media intermediaries and digital news media. The new IT Rules 2021 came into effect on May 26.
As per the Rules, social media intermediaries and streaming platforms have to establish a three-level ‘grievance redressal mechanism’ for receiving and resolving complaints from users. The self-regulation by publishers includes the appointment of a Grievance Redressal Officer who shall act on every grievance within 15 days.
These guidelines were to be adopted by platforms like Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and 14 others and is part of an attempt to bring the streaming platforms under the purview of the central government.
The complaint against Kashyap’s short film is currently pending with the streaming giant’s Grievance Redressal Officer.
“As this was a partner-managed production [RSVP Movies and Flying Unicorn Entertainment], we reached out to the production company to share the complaint,” the spokesperson of Netflix said to Mid-Day.
Ghost Stories, a Hindi horror anthology, released on Netflix on New Year’s Day 2020. It comprises of four short films directed by Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar and Dibakar Banerjee.
Ayngaran, the upcoming Tamil film starring GV Prakash Kumar in the lead role, is set for a direct-to-OTT release. The film will premiere on the streaming platform SonyLIV, a source close to the production unit confirmed to Silverscreen India on condition of anonymity.
However, the date of the release is yet to be confirmed.
The music composer-turned-actor plays a role of a young inventor in the film, the source added. “But he’s not to be confused to be with a scientist. Ayngaran is a motivational film about an invention. There is not much encouragement for young inventors in our country, although this is improving a bit in recent times with Abdul Kalam serving as an inspiration. The script’s aim is to encourage young inventors.”
Ayngaran is written and directed by Raviarasu, who previously made the sports action film Eettiin 2015. According to the source, the filmmaker wrote the film after he had completed Eetti. Raviarasu has written both the screenplay and dialogues for the upcoming film, which is produced by B Ganesh under the Common Man banner.
The film’s shooting took place in Namakkal and Chennai before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was supposed to have been released before March 2020, but got delayed, the source mentioned, adding that the film has been certified ‘U’.
Besides starring in it, Prakash has also composed the music for the film, which includes two songs. The post-production of Ayngaran is complete and the runtime is 2 hours and 17 minutes.
The film also features Mahima Nambiar as the female lead. She essays the role of a hospital nurse. Other cast members include actors Aadukalam Naren, Kaali Venkat, Ravi Prakash, Hareesh Peradi, and Aruldoss in pivotal roles.
It is to be noted that SonyLIV, which recently appointed film producer, distributor, and author G Dhananjayan as Head of Tamil Content, has been releasing multiple new films in the language. Recent Tamil releases on the streaming platform include the drama film Thaen and the Sivakarthikeyan production Vaazhl, while Aishwarya Rajesh-starrer Thittam Irandu is set to release on Friday (July 30).
“The makers were looking to release Ayngaran in theatres, but SonyLIV has a good reach among the audience and the makers believe it will be good for the film,” the source said.
Netflix also shared a clip from the making of the film, which is currently in production.
Written by Yogesh Chandekar, the streaming giant describes the film as a combination of black comedy and white-collar crime drama.
Director Bala, who is best known for his film Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, calls Monica,O My Darling a noir film, a genre that was ‘always’ on his wish list. “A noir universe comes with its set stock of characters and conflicts that seamlessly retro-fit themselves in any time and scenario. Greed, love, betrayal, rage and the all important ‘I have a plan’ combine to engineer the thrilling exploration of cinema,” he said in a statement.
The filmmaker recently directed the segment titled Spotlight, featuring actors Radhika Madan and Harshvardhan Kapoor, in the Netflix anthology film Ray.
Photo Caption: Sukant Goel, Zayn Marie Khan, and Sikandar Kher; Credit: Netflix
The upcoming film borrows its title from RD Burman’s famous song of the same name, featuring yesteryear actor Helen, in the 1971 film Caravan.
Monica, O My Darling is produced by Matchbox Shots’ Sarita Patil, Sanjay Routray, and Dikssha Routray. It marks the first collaboration between Netflix and the production company.
The film stars a huge ensemble that includes Sikandar Kher, Bagavathi Perumal, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, Sukant Goel, and Zayn Marie Khan, apart from Apte, Rao and Qureshi.
Netflix released the character posters of all the actors.
While Perumal is known for his work in Tamil films like 96 and Super Deluxe, Kher gained popularity after appearing in the Disney+ Hotstar show Aarya.
Several actors from the film have previously collaborated with Netflix, including Rajkummar Rao in Ludo, Huma Qureshi in Army of the Dead, Radhika Apte in Sacred Games, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor in Guilty, Sukant Goel in Ghost Stories, and Zayn Marie Khan in Mrs. Serial Killer.
Produced by Supriya Menon under the Prithviraj Productions banner and directed by Manu Warrier, Kuruthi also features actors Shine Tom Chacko, Roshan Mathew Srindaa, Murali Gopy, Mamukkoya, Manikanda Rajan, Naslen, Sagar Surya, and Navas Vallikkunnu in pivotal roles.
Sharing the announcement poster of the upcoming film on social media, Prithviraj wrote, “This Onam, keep your friends close and frenemies closer!”
According to Amazon Prime Video, Kuruthi will be an edge-of-seat thriller that depicts how enduring human relations that transcend boundaries, struggle to survive trials of hatred and prejudice.
Anish Pallyal has written the film’s script, while Jakes Bejoy has composed the music to award-winning lyricist Rafeeq Ahammed’s lyrics.
The cinematography of Kuruthi has been done by Abinandhan Ramanujam, who had previously worked on Prithviraj’s 2015 film Double Barrel.
Earlier, in a conversation with Silverscreen India, actor Shine had said that the film was shot between December 2020 and January 2021 over a period of 24 days. “Most of the shooting for Kuruthi happened inside a house in Erattupetta. For the outdoor scenes, we shot in a forest in Vagamon between December 25 and January 1,” he said.
He also revealed that he plays the role of a Panchayat-level politician, a ward member from Wayanad in the film. “My character’s name is Karim. Apart from me, there are several characters from the town that are part of the film. Roshan Mathew’s character is named Ibrahim, Srindaa plays a character named Suma, and Mammukoya essays a character named Moosa. Prithviraj plays the role of a young man from Wayanad; he’s not a politician,” he added.
Kuruthi marks Prithviraj’s second film after Cold Case to opt for a direct-to-OTT release in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Disney+ Hotstar, the streaming platform, announced a new slate of original series as well as renewals on Tuesday. The line-up includes the medical drama Human, starring Shefali Shah and Kirti Kulhari; the murder mystery Six Suspects, led by Pratik Gandhi and Richa Chadha; and the supernatural thriller Fear 1.0, starring Tisca Chopra, Saurabh Shukla and Rajesh Tailang.
Other new titles announced were Escaype Live, starring Siddharth, Javed Jaffrey and Ritvik Sahore; My Perfect Husband, starring Sathyaraj; the mystery Family Matters, with Murali Sharma, Nandu, Akshara Gowda and Sonia Agarwal; and the crime thriller Gharshana, starring Jagapathi Babu, Naveen Chandra and Sarath Kumar.
An adaptation of Anuja Chauhan’s novel Those Pricey Thakur Girls, featuring Akshay Oberoi, Saher Bamba, Raj Babbar and Poonam Dhillon, will also be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.
The announcements were made at a virtual event attended by Kunal Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Shefali Shah, Kirti Kulhari, Siddharth, Richa Chadha, and Pratik Gandhi. It was hosted by Sunil Grover.
Talking about her upcoming series Human, Shefali Shah said, “It is about the underbelly of the medical world. Raw, real, gritty. I am thrilled to be part of this journey, not only because this is a new genre for me, but I’m playing a character I’ve never played before. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met or even heard of. And believe me when I say this, it’s the exact reaction of all the people who have heard or read of her. Gauri Nath (her character) is someone you’d never guess.”
“Digital streaming platforms have opened the horizons for all creative people. It’s given actors the opportunity to portray a variety of real and resilient characters. Bold, flawed, broken, or whole. I choose stories that leave something for me and for the viewers. Characters that leave an impact or touch their hearts or disturb their comfort zone,” she added.
Renewals of existing titles were announced as well, such as the second season of the Sushmita Sen’s Aarya, a third season of the Criminal Justice series, and a spin-off of the espionage show Special Ops. The Legend of Hanuman, an animated show, will also return for a second season.
Among the already announced series on the slate are Ajay Devgn’s streaming debut Rudra – The Edge of Darkness, Nikkhil Advani’s historical drama The Empire, starring Kunal Kapoor, Dino Morea and Shabana Azmi, and the second season of Nagesh Kukunoor’s City of Dreams.
Shabana Azmi, who will be making her digital debut with The Empire, talked about how the industry is seeing a shift from male-centric films to women-led narratives. She said, “Women have been achieving so much all across that it was inevitable that women-centric stories come up, especially in this medium. Women have interesting stories to tell that are different. I think it is a long-overdue move.”
After the 2020 Hindi revenge thriller Taish, which released both as a standalone feature film and a six-episode web series, Bejoy Nambiar’s next directorial is Edhiri in Netflix’s nine-part Tamil anthology Navarasa.
The segment takes on the theme of compassion. About 30 minutes long, it stars actors Vijay Sethupathi, Revathi and Prakash Raj in the lead roles. “It’s a dream cast,” says Bejoy. “Since this project is being done for a noble cause, they were all open to hearingour pitch. But I think the story and their character resonated with all three actors.”
The story of Edhiri is written by veteran filmmaker Mani Ratnam. “So there was a very strong emotional hook to it, which is what connected with all of them,” says Bejoy.
Edhiri in Navarasa marks Bejoy’s return to Tamil cinema after the 2017 bilingual anthology film Solo. The film will release on Netflix on August 6.
“It’s an emotional tale of forgiveness and acceptance. The theme is compassion but the story is about forgiveness and acceptance,” Bejoy says about his segment in the anthology.
Winner of Sony Pix’s Gateway to Hollywood short film competition in 2008, Bejoy made his feature film debut 10 years ago, in 2011, with the Hindi drama Shaitan. The film won him the Colors Screen Award for Most Promising Debut Director that year. In 2013, he directed the bilingual film David, starring actors Vikram and Jiiva among others, and in 2016, he directed the Hindi film Wazir, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Farhan Akhtar, followed by Solo, starring Dulquer Salmaan, the next year.
Bejoy has also assisted Mani Ratnam in Guru (2007) and Kaatru Veliyidai(2017). In addition to feature films, he has worked on short films and a web anthology series Flip (Eros Now).
Today, he is best known for his visually-stunning, signature style of filmmaking and unconventional narratives. In this exclusive conversation with Silverscreen India, Bejoy talks at length about working on Edhiri, how heweaves music into his films and his history with Tamil cinema.
In all your previous works, be it Shaitan, Solo or Taish that released most recently, music plays a really important role. And it’s always a mix of music composers and singers that are carefully curated and in the end work very well in the film. Have you followed a similar process for your segment in Navarasa?
Because Navarasa is a shorter format — it is just a short film of 30 minutes — I didn’t venture out and use too many different musicians. Govind (Vasantha) is the sole composer for the film. He composed the background score and the original song which was written by Madhan Karky and performed by Chinmayee.
In this particular venture, there wasn’t much scope for me to work with other musicians. But yeah, music is something which is very integral to my storytelling. Initially, there was no song in Edhiri, but by the end of it, we just felt that this song would be apt for this situation and I asked Mani sir. He said, ‘If you have the budget, go ahead and do it.’ I said, ‘I’m doing it within the budget only.’ (laughs) He said okay and we got the song recorded.
You’re a frequent collaborator with Govind Vasantha. Who are your favourite music directors?
There are many composers that I have worked with and there are many composers that I look up to. Be it Raaja sir, be it Rahman sir, be it the many different musicians I’ve worked with over here (in the South) also. I’m a big music buff. That’s why, in my movies, you see that I always work with a lot of musicians. I don’t have any favourites as such; I’m constantly listening to stuff and sampling stuff and working with new composers as well. In every film, I’ve managed to work with at least one new composer. That’s because I keep searching for new music.
What other aspects do you think about while writing a script?
As a director, you tend to think of everything. You are seeing the final product in your head even before you go on the floor. Once the script is locked, you’re already kind of imagining how it’s going to play out in the edit, how it will play out with the score, with the sound. Even with the actors, you’re thinking of how you’re going to pitch particular scenes. You’re constantly playing that in your head. I visualise everything; I visualise the end product when I go in.
Coming back to Navarasa, as I understand it, there were 9 ‘rasas’ or emotions that you could pick as a theme for your segment. What was your first pick?
My first pick was Roudhram, anger. I was already working with that theme when I got a call from Mani sir saying that Arvind (Swami) sir had chosen anger too. So, I had to bow out of it (laughs) and choose from the other four rasas that were left. Thankfully, I’d only been working on it for 2-3 days. I eventually chose compassion.
You’ve made both feature films as well as shorter films and anthologies. Which form are you most comfortable with?
I’m comfortable with any format, as long as I get to tell the story the way I want to tell it. It can be a 30-second commercial also. Not that I do commercials (laughs). I’m comfortable with any format where I get to express and tell the story in my own way. It might work, it might not work, but at the end of it, I should be able to stand by it and say ‘This is what I’ve made.’ So, format doesn’t matter.
And I don’t think that a short film should be approached like a short film. I think any project should be approached like a feature only. In that window, you’re telling a story. It’s a story at the end of the day.
You have made Solo and David, both bilingual films. How do you decide which scripts work in which languages?
From the genesis of the story itself. Once the story is decided, then you kind of decide the milieu, the settings, and where it will resonate with the audience. Will it work better here? Will it work better there? It all starts from the idea and the story. The story decides that. That becomes your trigger for everything actually.
There is a new wave happening in Malayalam cinema right now. There has been an impressive slate of experimental, off-beat films coming from the industry. Is this something that interests you? What are your thoughts on the spotlight that is on Malayalam cinema right now?
I’m so happy that Malayalam cinema is getting the attention that it rightfully deserves. What is really heartening is the response that it is getting from all over the country. Tamil Nadu and Andhra used to anyway support Malayalam cinema, but now it’s coming from across the country and from different parts of the world. Also, earlier, it used to be that every 3-4 months, you hear of one good film. Now, you hear it almost on a monthly basis. There are people who are really pushing the envelope and putting out very interesting and inspiring work. I’m really glad the spotlight is on Malayalam cinema. I’m sure it’s encouraging the film fraternity there to do more.
Do you have plans of making another Malayalam film?
I would love to. Given the right opportunity, I would definitely jump into it.
Are there any actors you want to work with?
There are so many good actors everywhere, in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam. There are so many actors that I want to work with. But the subject should justify that and the film has to dictate that.
What is your history with Tamil cinema?
I grew up in a locality that was 99% Tamilians. And we all used to watch a lot of Malayalam and Tamil films together. For me, the lines were blurry. I used to enjoy both Tamil and Malayalam films while growing up. My link to Tamil cinema started quite early on; I was introduced to it at a very early age. Now, to be actually part of that industry and make films here, I consider myself very fortunate. I think it’s that grounding and watching those films that groomed me for this, that pushed me to want to try and make films here.
You’ve chosen to produce a lot of your own films recently. Does this offer more creative liberty?
I’ve always done that. From my first film, I’ve been a producer. Like you rightfully said, it offers more creative liberty. When you direct and produce, you have a stake in what you’re putting out. You’re equally responsible, you’re accountable. You’re not just a director for hire. Your skill is also part of the game. And your investment gives you some leverage and control over what you’re doing. It’s purely for those reasons that I am producing. I have to take a personal hit when I do that because I have to, somewhere, give up something to get that. But I don’t mind that because it’s very important that I get to control things.
Is the success of a film that you produce important to you?
Of course. As a director, you always want to make sure that what people are putting in, what they are investing in you, in your vision, they should be able to recoup that. If not a profit, they should always be able to recoup what they put in. That responsibility is always in my head.
What would you say is the work that you are most proud of?
Edhiri.
Any reasons for this?
When you watch it, I’ll be in a better space to talk about it. But I think it was the most creatively satisfying project for me. Though it’s in a shorter format, it was very, very satisfying for me to make.
You’re also assisting Mani Ratnam in Ponniyin Selvan as an Assistant Director. How has that experience been so far?
I think it is one of Mani sir’s most ambitious projects and it’s being done in such a massive scale. He’s really going all out and pouring his heart into making the film. And we’ve got a phenomenal cast and crew. It’s shaping up fabulously well. I’m just so excited to see how the audience responds to it when they finally see the vision that Mani sir has for the film.
What are your thoughts on the Cinematograph Amendment Bill and the new IT rules? What do you reckon the impact is going to be like downstream?
It has still not come into play. I’m definitely against it. As an idea, it’s definitely regressive. Let’s see how it pans out. But I’m definitely not for it.
Is there a voice within yourself that calls for restraint, especially when it comes to covering a subject that is considered controversial and can cause outrage in the country today?
People are way more intolerant now. And films are the first medium they come and vent out at. As filmmakers, writers, even if we don’t publicly acknowledge it, it’s there in the back of your head when you’re writing, that it should not hurt anyone’s sentiments. So you’re mindful of it but I think filmmakers will find ways to work around it. That’s what I do. I’m sure that’s what others do also.
In Laxman Utekar’s Mimi, a Hindi language drama, produced by Dinesh Vijan and Jio Studio, Mimi (Kriti Sanon), a 25-year-old dancer from a Rajasthan small-town, is hired by an American couple as a surrogate mother. Her primary motivation is the fat paycheque they offer, to run off to Mumbai and become a movie star. Closer to the day of the child’s birth, the biological parents abandon the project, thanks to the doctor’s warning that the child might be autistic, throwing Mimi off into a crisis she hadn’t foreseen.
The theme of surrogacy has been discussed in Hindi films before, in films such as Meghna Gulzar’s Filhaal (2001) and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001). In Mimi, a remake of the Marathi film, Mala Aai Vhhaychy! (2011), the themes of surrogacy and motherhood are relegated to the background until the tail-end. In the foreground are rosy images of family and community in the Indian small-town. Mimi’s parents are poor and old-fashioned, but they turn out to be exceptionally kind. The child, despite his ambiguous paternity, finds an easy acceptance in the household. When she gives birth to a baby with blue eyes and Caucasian skin, the town folk are inquisitive, but they don’t shun the family. Bhanu (Pankaj Tripathi), a Delhi-based cab driver who acted as the broker in the surrogacy deal, becomes emotionally invested in Mimi’s pregnancy and assumes the responsibility of her guardian after she is left to fend for herself.
What thrusts out of these heartwarming portrayals is an effort to massage a nation’s ego, pitting ‘the poorer yet culturally superior’ India against the wealthier neoliberalist West. Every pivotal situation in Mimi has an undertow of this cultural chauvinism which, with the help of humour, sweeps India’s societal rot under the carpet.
For one, the child’s finding an easy acceptance in the small-town signifies India’s infamous colourism that stems from its caste system and a colonial hangover. Mimi doesn’t look into the bias but uses it to create more “heartwarming” moments.
After she comes to know of the American couple’s change of mind, Mimi makes an anti-abortion statement, in a close mid-shot, unsubtly addressing the audience. She, who had to twerk amid an army of male dancers and onlookers to an item song at the beginning of the film, states to the world that once the sperm has entered a woman’s system and made its home, she loses all rights over her body.
The characters speak a language that has, over the last decade, come to be Bollywood’s idea of the colloquial. Kriti Sanon, who looks every bit the suave movie star she is off-screen, swaps “please” for “pleej”, the film industry’s shorthand for unsophistication, to play the naïve small-town woman who believes she could rent a bungalow in Mumbai’s Juhu at the end of the surrogacy term. In the former half of the film, she is an unintelligent caricature of a feisty small-town woman. She is uninhibited enough to yell at a stalker in the middle of the street; her ambition to be a star is marked by lazy details such as her talking to the half-nude portrait of Ranveer Singh on the wall of her room. Although Sanon displays a few signs of a talented performer towards the end of the film, she doesn’t leave a wildly memorable moment.
The film spells out the town’s cultural mosaic using stock characters like Shama (Sai Tamhankar), Mimi’s best friend, and Atif, a young boy Mimi’s musician father tutors. They are passive participants in the narrative, whose place is solely defined by the relationship they share with their Hindu friend/patron. When Mimi’s parents throw a fit over her pregnancy, she gives them a bigger problem to worry about — the prospect of her having a Muslim husband. The household breaks down, the grandmother goes on the verge of getting a cardiac arrest. In a better movie with a well-thought-out screenplay, this would be a moment that mirrors the state of affairs in India. In Mimi, it is a stale joke that concludes with the revelation that the Muslim bit was a lie. The presence of Muslim characters — the ‘other’ — is a ruse. The film never transgresses the sacred lines.
The story takes a predictable trajectory rooted in Indian melodramatic aspects. Love and sacrifice win over material wealth. The woman, who had dreamt of conquering the big world, coolly settles into motherhood. The other woman, who had opted out of motherhood, suffers. Her husband, the sperm-donor, is, however, asked no questions. Did he really want a child? Does he regret leaving behind the baby? The film doesn’t want to know.
And thanks to the mundane writing, it becomes the actors’ responsibility to bring some zing to the narrative. Tripathi is a fantastic actor who, like the late Irrfan Khan, ‘does a lot by doing so little’. His acting technique is minimalist, where humour is drawn from tiny movements or stillness. In Mimi, there is a hilarious moment where he squats on the verandah of Mimi’s house, eavesdropping on a conversation between her parents. The supporting actors like Tripathi and Sheikh Ishaque Mohammad (as Atif) elicit a sense of life in an otherwise listless film that has the disposition of a sanitary napkin commercial.
*****
The Mimireview is a Silverscreen original article. It was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the movie. Silverscreen.in and its writers do not have any commercial relationship with movies that are reviewed on the site.
Mimi, the Hindi film starring actor Kriti Sanon, was released on OTT on Monday, four days prior to the official release date, after the film was leaked on Telegram and other online platforms earlier the same day.
The makers of the film, which was slated to premiere on Netflix and Jio Cinemas on July 30, said the decision to advance the release was meant as a gift to producer Dinesh Vijan and Sanon, who celebrate their birthdays on July 26 and July 27, respectively.
The film’s advance release was revealed when Sanon took to Instagram for a live session on Monday. In the session, Vijan announced that the film would be released early as a birthday gift to the actor.
However, sources from the industry have informed Silverscreen India that the film got leaked on the instant messaging platform Telegram and with this leaked copy going viral online, Netflix India and the makers decided to release the film early. Copies of the film, in full HD, were available on numerous pirate sites and Telegram on Monday.
Silverscreen India has reached out to Maddock Films and Jio Cinemas for clarification, but is yet to receive a response.
Directed by Laxman Utekar, Mimi also stars actor Pankaj Tripathi. Inspired by the 2010 Marathi movie Mala Aai Vhhaychy, the film follows the story of a small-town girl who has big dreams of becoming an actor. Due to an unexpected situation, she decides to be a surrogate mother for a foreign couple.
The Marathi film, directed by Samroudhhi Porey, had won a National Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi in 2011.
Meanwhile, Sanon will next be seen in Farhad Samji’s Bachchan Pandey alongside Akshay Kumar and Om Raut’s Adipurush. She has also finished shooting for the upcoming horror comedy Bhediya, which co-stars Varun Dhawan in the lead. The film is slated to release on April 14, 2022.
