Ma kasam, filmy hoon

Hi Dilipji, Just finished watching Kadak Singh on Zee5. From the time I saw the glimpse of you as the doctor trying to resuscitate Abhishek Bachhan in Delhi 6 to the scary Col. Zaidi in Mukhbir to now as Jeetender Tyagi in Kadak Singh, I’m of the view that you are among the most under known, underrated and most talented actors in the world. In fact you were so scary for me in the Mukhbir trailer teasers that I couldn’t dare to watch the series even as I know the most understanding and compassionate human being that you are. There are moments from your acting that are masterpieces in understated and subtle acting with just the intent showing up clearly on your face and eyes with no need for any dialogue or voice modulation to deliver the point. Hats off to you and your craft. Humbled and inspired to have known you a little bit over the last so many years. 😌😌🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

Can spring be far behind? This is a question that the great English poet PB Shelly asked in one of his compositions. Nothing great about the question if one looks at it in isolation. But when it comes up in the movie by the name Pookkaalam (Spring) that follows a frosty winter and that too in the context of a breakdown in a long relationship, then Shelly’s question assumes significance. Needless to say that Malayalam movies are winning rave fans across the globe and yet there is something about their trailers in general. When I saw the trailer of this movie a few months ago I wasn’t that impressed. Malayalam movie trailers have that consistency about them - you’ll never get a clue about what the movie is all about. You need to watch the movie to experience the beauty and depth unfold, even as some of the movies turn out to be trashy. Thanks to some my friends from school I put this movie in my long list of movies to watch and finally got around the day before yesterday and even as the ...

Just watched Solomante Theneechakal (Solomon’s Bees) - a Malayalam whodunnit crime investigation thriller written by PG Prageesh and directed by the veteran Mr. Lal Jose. What a movie!!! Starts off as a comedy movie of two young woman Constables in Kochi who are also Instagram stars. Pretty soon one of them gets involved in a murder case and the questions are - what’s her role in that homicide and would their friendship stand the test? The person killed is no less than the Circle Inspector of their police station who is a star in his own right with a massive FB following for his daring police raids on cocaine. In comes Joju Joseph as the new CI David Solomon who investigates the case and that’s when facts and forensics come into play and what a play of twists and turns in the story that keeps you at the edge till the end is revealed - both in terms of the life taker and the motive. And CI Solomon solves the mystery by way of a Biblical riddle by the same name as the title of the movie....

If you haven’t already done it please do yourself a huge favour and watch Nazar Andaaz starring Kumud Mishra in his best role till date along with Divya Dutta, Abhishek Banerjee and Rajeshwari Sachdev. What an ending with such a Simple and Profound message. Loved to weep happy tears once again. I wish I could have seen this on screen when it released. Available on Netflix. Nazar ka andaaz badlo aur nazar andaaz mat karna.

Just watched Nalpathiyonnu (41) - a Malayalam film and story unlike any that I have seen in my life. What a story and film by Lal Jose and team in his 25th outing. In my view, his best so far. Must watch. 10/10 for the unusual storyline, plot twists and tension in the heart till the last but one scene before the climax. Great casting, acting, direction, music and location shooting in Shabarimala pilgrimage centre in Kerala. Nimisha Sajayan continues to be my favourite actress for her clear convictions and choices as an actress, human being and as a role model, inspiration and courage for women who don’t fit the traditional notions of beauty. This would count as among Biju Menon’s best performance in a serious role besides the one in the recent national award winning Ayyapanum Koshiyum (2020). This was my first experience of Sharanjith who plays one of the pivotal roles of Vavachi Kannan. What an actor and memorable performance when you compare his turnout to his normal photos on Google...

Should you watch Laal Singh Chaddha? My suggestion is: NO! … … … Not if you think you are supremely intelligent. Not if you think you are smart. Not if you think you have figured out the world. Not if you think you have figured out your place in the world, your purpose and destiny. Not if you are caught unawares or purposely in the bipolar world of right and wrong. Not if religious and political ideology is more important than the idea of humanity. Not if being right is more important than being wise and compassionate. Not if you hate Aamir Khan for whatever reasons including intellectual, ideological, religious and political because of the questions he has taken the risk to ask of us and ask for us. Not if you think that as a failure at the family level he shouldn’t do anything else. Not if you don’t like crying happy tears. Not if you think only the weak sissies cry. Not if your self-worth, self-importance and self-esteem depend on pulling other people down even though there maybe ma...

Usually I am not a fan of mindlessly violent films. They leave me disturbed and wasted. But then there are some films that are a class apart for their message and the way they are made without glorifying violence. In 1989 came one of the all time cult classics of Malayalam cinema - a movie named Kireedam (meaning Crown) starring Malayalam cinema's pride possession Mohanlal who celebrated his 60th birthday just a few days ago. Kireedam was then remade in Hindi by Priyadarshan as Gardish starring Jackie Shroff and the late Amrish Puri in a son-father role with Mukesh Rishi as the villain. That movie was all about a duel between the straight, good and righteous Sethumadhavan and the villainous Kireekadan Jose. It was a straight-forward film with characters who were black and white in what appeared to a relatively black and white world. 31 years later comes this movie Ayyappanum Koshyium (Ayyappan and Koshy) which is so much more layered and nuanced. While I can sit and writ...