Ansango Reviews

Inspector Rishi (2024– )

Could have been better and shorter

[6/10 · 4 May 2024]

INSPECTOR RISHI begins with a banger scene, and the scene sets the tone perfectly for whatever is coming. But once the proceedings gets going, you slowly beging to realize that you aren't hoing to get that high which the beginning sequence provided. And that's the biggest problem with this series. It begins with such a brilliant sequence that it never quite manages to top it, and keeps chasing that high, which eludes it right up till the end.

The series has a interesting story to tell and it mixes folklore with relevant social issues, but due to its tonal inconsistencies and below average writing, it fails to reach up to its desired potential. This is a mystery thriller series with a touch of horror in between, but due to its dull pace in several portions, the mystery doesn't feel as tantalizing as it should have. The series could have easily done well with 8 episodes instead of 10, but due to several outstretched portions and subplots, it doesn't leave a desired impact. The red herrings are nicely done, and the central mystery is nicely built, but the unraveling part isn't as good, and the end twist isn't that surprising.

Acting is superb all around, and technically the series is fine too barring some poor visual effects and awkward fight sequences. Overall, it's a fine series that doesn't jusify its length and could have done well with some editing and a better writing.

Bhakshak (2024)

Hard-hitting and powerful tale that needs more recognition

[8/10 · 22 April 2024]

My god! This was heavy, both in subject material and execution. But, despite being disturbing, these are the stories are meant to be told, not because this sort of stuff happened, but because we shouldn't have to be a mere spectator, rather we should demand answers from the authority. This film is a compelling tale of the importance and power of media, and if used correctly, it truly can act as a balance against the unchecked authority of the government. Loved it! This is a labour of love and everyone gave his heart and soul to this project. Extremely well written, superbly directed and brilliantly performed, this film about an investigative journalist sifting a case of sexual assault in an orphanage is a winner on all fronts. Films like these strengthen my belief in the fact that the Hindi film industry is still going strong, and isn't as toothless as claimed by some so-called elites (people who watch only 2 Bollywood films each year, that too of mostly terrible quality is deliberately selected).

Shaitaan (2024)

A well-done supernatural thriller with brilliant performances

[7/10 · 12 March 2024]

A home invasion tale with a satanic twist, SHAITAAN is a delicious blend of supernatural chills and psychological thrills. Almost the entire film is set in a single location, and revolves around only four characters. In such scenarios, actors need to do most of the heavy lifting since they are enclosed in a finite space, and by leaving the epic scope of story, actors need to put their extra in everything to make the tale as exciting as possible.

And this is the aspect where this film excels superbly. Ajay Devgn gives a brilliantly restrained performance as a father who is willing to do anything for his daughter, despite being against the forces which he doesn't understand fully. Jyothika is an excellent actress, but she isn't given much to do here apart from crying and pleading for her daughter. Madhavan as the antagonist is just incredible. A man who is willing to go to any length to pursue his goals, Maddy plays his role with sublime grace and wicked intensity. But even after the star cast being packed with such veterans, the debutant Janki Bodiwala is undoubtedly the star of the show. The way she channels her fierce energy to play a girl who is possessed is testament to her abilities as an actor. Her performance is as physical as it is emotional. She is sweet and charming as well as equally blood-curdling, and her transformation from a normal girl to a terrifyingly intense creature who doesn't have an iota of sense left, is wonderfully shown through various shades of her masterful performance.

The film takes its sweet time to build, and even though the mid-section is a bit slow, the whole film is mostly engaging. It would be dishonest if I didn't say that I was bored in the middle portion of the tale, as I felt that the happenings got a bit too repetitive for my liking. Also, the climax of the film felt a bit out-of-place, especially after the brilliant chamber drama showcased earlier. I felt that after getting such an enigmatic narrative for the most part, the narration resorting to a generic tale about sacrificial ritual felt slightly underwhelming, and the manner in which it got resolved by a recorded voice wasn't convincing enough. The last twist, that also sort of works as an epilogue, reminded me of the chilling climax of THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES.

Although the unnecessary sermon about parents and their love by Ajay's character to Maddy was wholly unnecessary, enough that it pulls you out. The film ends in a very poetic manner. Maddy, who wished to become a god, is now a captive, and Ajay is his god (aka he is living on his mercy). By the end, Ajay has become a Shaitaan, the very thing that he fought with for the entirety of the film. But the reason for his transformation isn't well-established, and for that reason I think VASH's ending was far more effective.

Madhavan is such a charming guy that even though he is the bad guy, I felt bad for him in the captivity despite knowing how evil he is and how much torment he gave to innumerable families. One thing that bugged me a lot was how easily he was captured by Ajay, even though it was clearly established earlier that Madhavan is a master of Black Magic. Couldn't he have done something to evade the capture, or furthermore escape? His powers are clearly very superior, as it's shown earlier in the film.

Vikas Bahl directed this, and his career from the highs of QUEEN to the lows of GANAPATH has been quite a ride. This is certainly among his better films, but apart from mustering some references from classics of the genre, he doesn't take any unique cinematic choices to enhance this tale. I felt like this film works because it has solid writing, and is technically proficient, as the direction is frankly very average.

Overall, inspite of its limitations, SHAITAAN works due to its consistently captivating writing, and brilliant acting by the ensemble cast. In the current state of Bollywood, where true-blue horror is getting mostly ignored in favour of horror comedies, this is an admirable attempt, and definitely feels like a breath of fresh air (despite it being a remake).

Eklavya: The Royal Guard (2007)

Underwhelming

[5/10 · 6 March 2024]

Opulent sets, beautiful cinematography, excellent performances by Saif Ali Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, soulful music, all of these combined can't hide the incompetent writing and flimsy plot of EKLAVYA. The film shows some Shakespearean shades initially, but those flashes are quickly burnt out by its increasingly dull storytelling where most of the scenes act nothing more than fillers for whatever little plot it possesses. The ensemble cast is filled with great performers, but all of them are given nothing substantial to do, and most of them are in this film for nothing more than a glorified cameo role. The final stretch of the film that builds up to a superb confrontation scene between Saif and Amitabh (this by the way is the best portion of the entire film) arises some hope for this film's redemption, but that is quickly stamped out by its forced happy ending.

I had high hopes for this film because this was selected as India's official entry into OSCARS, but now I seriously want to know what the selection committee was smoking while selecting this.

Navrang (1959)

A beautiful musical about a poet and his muse

[7/10 · 2 March 2024]

NAVRANG is a romantic musical set during the middle of 19th century British ruled India. The film is a fairly decent romance tale of longing, separation and eventual reunion, but what sets it apart is that the couple here are married to each other rather than your usual couple during the courtship process, that's found generally in such films. Its timeless musical album and the superb dance performances by the Sandhya is certainly the reason it's remembered most, but many people fail to appreciate the brilliance of Mahipal's performance, and the masterful set designing.

If Jamuna's character was given as much care as Divakar's, the film could have soared even higher. To be frank, Jamuna feels one-note mostly due to her poor writing, and is a character that you fail to root for, despite the fact that she too suffers a lot. But the way she treats Divakar, and the manner in which her character progresses during the 3rd act, definitely makes her the primary antagonist of this film.

Also, why was the entire film a flashback? The current timeline of events in the film serve no purpose at all, and if its entirety removed from the film, it still won't make an iota of difference.

Overall, Navrang is a classic romantic tale with a dose of patriotism on the side, and apart from some hiccups here and there, it's a fairly smooth rowing.

Malaikottai Vaaliban (2024)

Brilliant, stunning and an otherworldly experience

[8/10 · 24 February 2024]

MALAIKOTTAI VAALIBAN is weird western with a distinctly Indian flavour. Stylistically and structurally, I found this film very similar to Jodorowsky's THE HOLY MOUNTAIN and EL TOPO. The cinematography, art direction, and production design of this film is outstanding. This film is constructed as a travelogue of a warrior that goes on wacky adventures as a part of his journey. The scintillating tease of a sequel was so exciting, and I can't wait for it.

This film is one of the most visually striking film I have come across in a long time in Indian cinema. The universe Lijo created in this film is brilliant, and he populates this universe with wonderfully bizarre characters. The world has its own set of rules, that's why a great number of outlandish things never feel out of the place, not even once. The film could have cut some slo-mo scenes and the wireworks could have been better, but these flaws (if you can call it that) in a way enhances the mystic of this film, and gives it an otherworldly charm. Although the surprise reveal about Vaaliban's origin certainly dampens the vibe of the film slightly.

Mohanlal gives a good performance, although it's not something that would be counted among his best acts. What saddens me the most about this film was that it was a commercial failure, and that sends the idea of sequel in a serious jeopardy. This is a definite unpopular opinion, but this is my favourite LJP film, and I really feel sad for him that this didn't work well on Box Office. He tried something new with this film (just like most of his previous films), but what he made was not what audiences usually associate with a big budget blockbuster.

But whatever the case, I connected amazingly with this film, and I can easily put this film among the most idiosyncratic films I have ever seen.

Devil (2023)

A good genre mashup packaged in a period setting

[7/10 · 14 February 2024]

Wow! This film took 'inspired by RRR' very seriously, although I am not complaining. DEVIL is a surprisingly superb film that nicely blends patriotic action drama with a scintillating mystery. The first half is all about a murder investigation, and slowly the whole affair unfolds in the second half. The writing is neat, and the direction is good too. The film has some technical issues, and the fight in the climax goes in a 'too much' direction. But despite its flaws, DEVIL is a solid period mystery action about INA.

I am so happy to see Kalyan Ram choosing such different projects rather than sticking to those boring mass template films. It's really sad to see this film fail, but I hope he doesn't get disheartened, and chooses similar projects in the future that are different from the usual template affairs. Well done team!

Johny Mera Naam (1970)

A definitive classic of Bollywood

[7/10 · 7 February 2024]

JOHNY MERA NAAM is a superbly amusing action thriller that, right from its banger musical score to the production design right down to the story beats, evokes the vibrancy and nostalgia of 1970s Bollywood. Vijay Anand borrows some elements from his previous classic JEWEL THIEF to craft this equally captivating tale that's filled with smugglers, secret identities, long-lost family members, compelling romance, enticing Bollywood-style melodrama, harmless comedy and engrossing plot filled with thrills and phenomenal performances. The most impressive thing is that the film juggles everything with awesome panache, and even though there is a lot going on, the great direction and amazing pace makes sure that everything remains fairly simple to follow. I have already said it, but again, this film's album is terrific. The due of Kalyanji and Anandji made the album by fusing western style with Indian instruments, and in process created one of the most unique and timeless music in Bollywood history.

While not a groundbreaker in any sense, but a wonderful screenplay, gritty atmosphere, polished action choreography and giving a modern aesthetic to the action-thriller genre in the industry, this film more than earns its status as a classic of Bollywood.

Fighter (2024)

A well-made actioner

[7/10 · 5 February 2024]

Some logical liberties aside, FIGHTER is a very solid action film about The Indian Air Force that remains fairly grounded for the most part. The writing needs to be given the full credit here, as it keeps you intrigued throughout without excessive fluff, thus keeping the film well-paced and engaging. The story is definitely cliché, but that's not a bad thing always, at least not in this case. The actors do a good job and the VFX is nice too as it never feels jarring, even on a big screen. There are some fantastic emotional moments that never go overboard. Unlike his previous films, the focus here is given to the characters, this makes you feel a sense of connection with them, and you emphasize with their grief and loss. The plot could have easily gone haywire in terms of emotions, but this film does a wonderful job of refraining itself from that, and keeps them mostly grounded without resorting to melodrama. The action choreography is good, and the dogfight sequences are shot very nicely. Overall, it's a very enjoyable masala film that never takes the route of hyper-jingoism.

Well done, Siddharth Anand!

Leo (III) (2023)

Another win for Loki anna

[7/10 · 26 January 2024]

Like every good film, LEO needed a great villain and got itself one in its writing. Like previous Lokesh films, this too keeps itself mostly grounded in the reality, but the ludicrous flashback catapults itself into the realm of 'kuch bhi'. Unlike the film it takes its inspiration from, this film's conflict hinges on a very preposterous reason, and that's the precise reason why you don't feel much for the characters or the story. The first half build some intriguing moments, but the second half completely drops the ball (although I enjoyed the second half more because it has more action, and I am a sucker for good action sequences), thus making the whole affair a very predictable ride. The connection of this film with LCU is flimsy at best, and it should have been made as a standalone film.

Enough ramblings about what's wrong with this, now let's focus on the positives, and one of the biggest plus this film has to be its music. The sound design is incredible and the background score by Anirudh is fabulous. The cinematography is marvellous and the dynamic camerawork during action sequences, especially during close combat sequences, is awesome. The film also has some brilliant handheld and drone shots, and coupled with its sublime editing, the results are marvellous, even one of the standout features of this film. The Hyena scene is pretty underwhelming, but the one-shot factory fight during the flashback and the fabulously staged and shot car chase sequence are extraordinarily cool and look super rad on the big screen. Vijay gives a good performance, but the real scene stealer is George Maryan. The characters of Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Sarja as Das brothers is so cool, but they are totally wasted here. Their introduction is wonderful, but the way their story progresses is way too generic, and even feels petty. I loved the surprise cameo of Anurag Kashyap, and I hope that he is satisfied now since his wish of getting in this universe has been realised by Loki.

So in conclusion, this film is technically brilliant, but narratively it has a lot of issues in its screenplay. I enjoyed it a lot, especially the musical score, technical aspects and fight sequences are top-notch. And while this film may not have been able to meet the brilliance of its predecessors, in isolation it is a perfectly good film in itself. My hope is that Lokesh connects his future films from this universe in an organic manner, like he did with VIKRAM.

Gautamiputra Satakarni (2017)

Poor attempt at a historical epic

[4/10 · 26 January 2024]

Making a film on a historical figure is not a joke, and with GAUTAMIPUTRA SATKARNI it becomes fairly evident that you need more than just sincere intent to pull off a film of this calibre. The atrocious writing of this film turns it into just a typical mass hero worshipping action flick which happens to be set in a historical period. This film is said to be based on the namesake king, but the story is essentially a series of long-drawn war sequences with a little bit of dialogues in between, and I am pretty sure that a king is much more than just his military conquests. The story is very predictable, and despite the film being a series of war sequences, none of those register. All the action sequences are terribly shot and poorly choreographed. The war scene lacks any strategy, and is just shown as people running towards each other with their weapons, and the overall vibe is just really bad. The poor war sequences of this film reminded me of another film directed by Krish named KANCHE which suffered from a similar problem.

Overall, I am not a fan of Krish and this film further reinforces this fact.

Kannur Squad (2023)

All hail Mammootty!

[9/10 · 26 January 2024]

KANNUR SQUAD is a brilliant police procedural about a team of special police squad that goes on a manhunt across the country in order to nab a culprit. What makes this film this special is its grounded-ness and realistic portrayal of policeman and the system in which he exists, that works more like a machinery with no place for emotions. The writing is terrific and apart from the fight sequences, the rest of the feels like a documentary about a manhunt. That whole Tikri sequence is mind-blowing and is a perfect example of building suspense and dread, and the ensuing fight sequences, while being not on the same wavelength of the rest of the film, is wonderfully massy.

My only problem with the film was its regressive and problematic portrayal of North India and its people, but this can be said about most of the South Indian films that involve people or places from the North.

The film reminded me of Theeran, another great cop thriller about a police squad that goes on a manhunt spanning various states.

The Killer (2023)

Surprisingly bland!

[6/10 · 26 January 2024]

Interesting in parts but mostly dull, THE KILLER is a bland thriller about the vendetta of an unnamed contract killer after one of his hit goes wrong. Many reviews have called this film an elevated John Wick, but for me, it's more like a poor man's John Wick, where most of that works charm is replaced with doltish monologues and flat talking. Michael Fassbender is phenomenal, and he almost salvages this work single-handedly. It's not entirely unwatchable as there are occasional brilliance and trademark Fincher things, but they are so few and far, and most of the film is suffering from an identity crisis as it doesn't know what it wishes to be, and that's a shame because this premise could have turned into so much more. Thanks to Fincher's proficient direction, the film never feels outright boring, but then again, that's not a high praise for a work that has his name attached to it.

I liked this film (mostly) but the amount of talent and prestige attached to this work makes this film a sure shot underwhelming experience.

Animal (I) (2023)

A huge step down for SRV

[4/10 · 26 January 2024]

ANIMAL's runtime, as stated by the CBFC certificate, is 3 hours and 23 minutes, and I kid you not, I wasn't invested in the film even for 23 minutes. The story is so predictable that even a kid could guess what's going to happen next, and it's stretched so much because of unnecessary fillers completely irrelevant to the plot, that after a while the film becomes an endurance test. Seriously, you can chop half of the scenes, and the film would still be the same. The story jumps back and forth multiple times, and the transitions feel so jarring that you really wonder whether truly SRV directed this film or not.

This film is vulgar, crass and problematic, but I can forgive all that, not because I am some misogynistic alpha psycho, but because it's a story of a deeply flawed character and the story is told from his POV. Even looking through this angle, the film becomes tough to watch in various moments where the writing reeks of toxic masculinity and women are treated with utter disrespect, and as mere objects meant to be acquired or disrespected, without much authority over themselves. (And then you realise that you are watching an SRV film and that's how women exist in his films.) It's not the obligation of any film to educate the masses or give them moral lessons. If you're imparting some good message through your films, then good, but it's not the duty of any art. That's why I am not going to comment on the social implications of the problematic things shown in the film, as the audience is smart enough to differentiate between reel and real. Also for god's sake, it's an A rated film, what're you expecting, a Disney musical? But what I can't forgive in this film is how boring it is. Not going to lie, this film gave me a headache, purely because of how little happens in the film and how unnecessarily long it is. The film sells you a narrative about the emotional conflict between a father and his son, and that's the driving force of the plot. But the core issue is never aptly explored, and was resolved in a laughably bad manner. Utterly underwhelming!

Merry Christmas (2024)

A memorable thriller

[7/10 · 26 January 2024]

MERRY CHRISTMAS is a smouldering noir mystery which unravels like a lazy summer afternoon. The first thing that catches your eyes is the immaculate production design, and from the choice of music, to set design, down to lighting: everything evokes a particular feeling related to an era which is somewhat bygone, yet feels familiar, as if you can just touch it by merely extending your hand. The story unfolds very meticulously, and takes its sweet time. Perhaps that's why when the script throws a curveball or a surprise, it registers and lingers for a while. The reveal of how of the story is not as good as the incredible build up, and it also introduces a few glitches in the story, mostly pertaining to time. The climax scene set in the police station is brilliantly staged, and has superb use of music to build suspense. The cynical ending was a bit too much for me, though I can appreciate its derisive charm. Actors give good performance, even Katrina Kaif is good here (except in scenes where her character is crying). This is another excellent addition to Sriram Raghavan's outstanding filmography. The way he blends his pulpy sensibilities with this noir-ish tale, while giving a ton of homage to yesteryear Bollywood, is truly admirable.

Poor Albert! I think that's why Albert Pinto Ko itna gussa aata hai.

Napoleon (2023)

Fairly unimpressive!

[5/10 · 26 January 2024]

A historical epic about history's greatest military commander, directed by epic maestro Ridley Scott, surprisingly leaves a small impact. The film feels less about Napoleon and more about a crash course to his life, stripping him of all the humanity while presenting him as not a person but rather an idea of a person who happens to be him. Even after watching the whole film, you remain strangely distant because you know so little about the man whose film you're supposed to be watching. The film seems to be in a hurry to jump from one event to the other, as if you're watching an anthology that has been merged into a feature length film. Battle scenes are visually brilliant, but due to so much happening at once, it's hard to judge who's who and what's happening. The strong last act single-handedly lifts this from bad to somewhere around an average. This is a film that wastes the talent of its director and lead actor because both of them can do, whatever they do here, while sleepwalking. On the whole, NAPOLEON is a film not about the real Napoleon Bonaparte, but rather about a commander whose name happens to be Napoleon.

Prasthanam (2010)

Regarding its legendary status, it's surprisingly unremarkable

[5/10 · 26 January 2024]

PRASTHANAM is predictable, but it still is a decent tale of political rivalry, jealousy and greed up until that terrible twist that almost ruins the entire affair. The dialogues are brilliant, and the casting is superb.

Loki is a complex character that's brilliantly played by Sai Kumar. At one hand he secretly wants his own son Chinna to live happily and lavishly without knowing any hardships of life, on the other hand he also cares for his stepdad Mitra, and even though choosing him as his successor is a selfish choice, it still means that Mitra too is going to prosper. But, the last twist revealing that he was evil all along makes the entire affair muddy and robs hos character of all the nuances. From a conflicted father, he just becomes a selfish goon who only cares for himself. This thing wasn't hinted at any point and comes out so suddenly that it leaves you with a very bitter feeling.

Similarly, at one point Chinna is openly shown stabbing a person in front of the media, and the entire state is appalled, so much so that a leader of 25 years was on the verge of a devastating loss. But after a few minutes, he is shown openly in bar dancing, as if nothing has happened. I know people forget quickly, but not this quickly, that too if the person is so high profile.

Every story needs to maintain its internal logic, and that's where this film falters. I mean, why didn't Basha reveal the truth to Mitra earlier? It would have been beneficial for him as well as for Mitra?

There are so many writing gaps in the second half, that it completely kills the vibe of this film. The overstretched second half and abrupt song transitions aren't helping the case much.

All in all, I would say that this film begins strongly with a solid epilogue and first half, but due to very substandard screenplay and poor writing choices, it ends its run in a limping manner.

Jawan (2023)

A wild and entertaining cinematic SRK experience

[7/10 · 25 September 2023]

The hype was unreal and I entirely bought into it, and I was not disappointed either. JAWAN was a great theatre experience but what surprised me most was how politically charged it was. Just like the tradition of Tamil cinema(it's written and directed by a Tamil filmmaker named Atlee), it focuses on a lot of social issues that range from well-intentioned to horribly misguided. But then again it is to be expected because you can't possibly cram all that much into a 165-minute film without losing nuances.

The film is a celebration of SRK and his undeniable charisma, and he fully got the assignment and the pitch at which he needs to perform. The nonchalant swagger he possesses, especially in the role of Vikram Rathod is awesome. The production design is incredible and the film is breathtakingly shot, inventively edited, well-choreographed, and excellently acted. Action choreography is great and action setpieces are really good. The film also doesn't skimp on hand-to-hand combat sequences as those are also filmed with finesse, although it could have used fewer slo-mo shots.

The musical score by Anirudh is amazing although the songs range from meh to terrible. The film also suffers from an overabundance of forced emotions and many times, it feels manipulated too. The runtime could have been shortened since by the time the film comes to a close and two Shahrukhs are burning the dance floor on 'Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya', you feel a bit exhausted, not because it's boring but due to its sheer length. But these few problems aside, the film was a terrifically engaging affair that fulfils its promise of bringing a full-on entertainer with SRK in a never-before-seen avatar.

Overall, JAWAN was a fantastic cinema experience for me and leaves me hopeful for more such films where two or more industries collaborate to bring out their best respective versions.

Love You King Khan! 💓

Shin Ultraman (2022)

Very disapponting

[4/10 · 22 August 2023]

I have never watched a single second of Ultraman movies or series, hence it can be argued that this is the reason why I didn't like this movie. But then again, shouldn't a movie be accessible and enjoyable to everyone, regardless of whether they are familiar with the source material or not?

SHIN ULTRAMAN, in isolation, is a bizarre film with a lot of questionable narrative choices. The film is about an extraterrestrial alien named Ultraman, who fights other extraterrestrial threats to protect humanity. The film takes its one-line premise so seriously that it's literally about that. A threat appears, Ultraman neutralizes it, and then the whole process repeats; that's essentially the plot of the film. While watching the film, it feels like you're watching a monster-of-the-week format tv show, whose 2 or 3 episodes have been joined to make it a feature-length film.

The film isn't outright boring, but it's rather uninteresting once you realise what trick it is repeatedly pulling in terms of its storytelling. There is also a veiled commentary here about the incompetence of legislation and the complicated working process and red-tapes involved in bureaucracy, but Shin Gojira already did it better, so this too feels like a retreading of old grounds. This film also suffers from the same unsatisfactory climax as Shin Gojira, and while it's not as laughable as the previous film, it still falls in the realm of disappointing.

The only thing that genuinely blew my mind was its special effects and great fight sequences, and since this film's reported budget is around 6 million USD, I still can't believe how good it looks. The fight scenes are this film's USP, but they are few and far in this drearily paced film which should have trimmed at least 20 minutes from its runtime.

Terrifier 2 (2022)

Gnarly supernatural slasher with one of the best villain in modern horror landscape

[6/10 · 8 August 2023]

TERRIFIER 2 is at its best when it acts as a gore galore, thankfully it knows about its strengths and plays on that. The first Terrifer was a slasher flick with little to no supernatural elements, but this film dives headfirst into that realms, and by embracing the mystical roots, this film turns Art the Clown from a rando psycho to an unstoppable Lovecraftian being. What makes him so chillingly terrifying isn't the fact that he kills people without any motives, but because he makes his victims suffer. Art can make cenobites look tamer in comparison. The amount of carnage he causes with such brutality while also being so calm and goofy in his mannerism makes him so frightening and David Thorton's performance is as icing on the cake. His chilling gaze is enough to give you sleepless nights for the rest of your life. What's more scary is the mystery of Art's origin and his motives: is he a creature who gains power by killing or is he a being made of pure evil whose existence only knows bloodshed? Art is such a riveting character that he alone makes the film watchable and in the future, I hope his character doesn't get butchered by over-explaining a poor backstory that sucks out all the mystique from his personality.

The film, on the whole, is a definite step up from its predecessor and while the practical effects are incredibly impressive and the central antagonist is great, the same can't be said about other things. The acting is terrible, the cinematography is bland, the runtime didn't need to be that long, and the bad production design makes it look like a cheaply produced made-for-tv B-Movie from the early 2000s. I don't know whether the stylistic choice of giving this film a soap opera aesthetic was intentional or not, but it certainly makes it look weird and dated. This film is over-the-top and is aware of it, but just of its self-awareness, glaring problems in writing can't be ignored. The plot is as basic as it gets and while it tries to do some interesting stuff, whether those things work or not is debatable.

If you're a fan of the first film, you're gonna love it even more. If not, then go with moderate expectations, and this film will deliver, on most fronts. I am really curious about where this will go from here after that insane post-credit sequence.

This was a good time for me, and even surpassed my expectations considering the fact that I didn't like the first one. The film could have used better screenplay and characters, tighter editing, a better first half and less trashy acting, but mostly it's a watchable flick that has one of the most spine-chilling villains in the modern horror arena.

Neninthe (2008)

How is this rated so highly?

[3/10 · 7 August 2023]

Puri Jagannadh did something which was way ahead of its time with this film- he made a film that was written by AI since no human can write such a trite story. If someone asks you to give an example of an illogical film, you can point him to this film without any iota of doubt. This film is centred around the film industry itself, and that is where its cleverness ends. It is nothing but a bunch of random scenes put together with very thin connective tissue around it. In every next scene, it jumps to a different topic, and then quickly forgets it in the next one. The film comments on the various issues inside the film industry but those are fleeting because the film itself doesn't remember about them after the end of that scene. There is a subplot of the protagonist's mom suffering from a terminal illness, and it's sidelined as quickly as you throw your napkin after using it, and is given a similar level of respect too. It's a film directed by Puri Jagannadh, and his films can't be made without a generous dose of misogyny, and this film is no exception. It's exactly the kind of film that is stupid but thinks of itself as a clever one. The narration has no coherence, the characters are inconsistent, the plot is terrible and the direction is as competent as its plot. NENINTHE is a senseless and lifeless movie with a stupid plot, extremely convenient and corny writing, a tiring pace and tedious runtime.

The Murderer (II) (2023)

An exhilarating comic mystery about a family reunion gone very wrong

[8/10 · 4 August 2023]

THE MURDERER is a wild trip, and I am not saying it as a figure of speech, it truly is a mad trip as literal magic mushrooms are present in the film and are even responsible for a large chunk of the story. The writing is just flawless, and the direction is marvellous. It tells a story of a mass murder from multiple vantage points, and its narrative is so dense and wacky at the same time, that you can't help but marvel at its intelligence, both in storytelling as well as in its clever subversion of tropes. The film constructs an interesting fish-out-of-water scenario and cleverly subverts conventions where rather than the white man being the saviour, he needs to be saved. If taken at face value, the story is pretty straightforward, but it's narrated through a very fractured and non-linear style. It's as much a hilarious comedy as an intense murder mystery, and both genres merge perfectly in this madcap tale. Also who could have thought that a mystery comedy can teach such a valuable lesson about prejudice, preconceived notions and their adverse role in our life?

The film manages to wrap its wonderfully intermittent narrative nicely by the end, and the moment you think it's over, the film throws another curve ball, which makes the whole thing a bit murky and the circumstances involving a lot of happenings slightly convenient.

Technically, the film is also competent with awesome cinematography, brilliant all-around ensemble performances and superb sound design. This film was a pleasant surprise for me and easily among my favourite films of the year. Go watch it, it's a great idiosyncratic non-linear comic mystery thriller about mass murder, a family with lots of issues, an unfortunate white man, lots of inherent biases, a few misunderstandings, some drugs and either a very clever or a straight-up psycho person.

Winter (III) (2009)

Very generic and tedious

[4/10 · 3 August 2023]

From its inception to its conclusion, WINTER is a deeply ordinary and tedious film. The story is about your average 'family shifts into a new home and starts getting harassed by something evil' type of story. The problem with this film is that it never manages to raise the tension and the abundance of awful jump scares make it even more tiresome. There is also a small stretch in the film where it desperately tries to preach Vastu Shastra as a legit science, and it's as laughable as you can imagine.

The film tries to become interesting in its final stretch by revealing the actual villain, who is a random dude with no prior connection to anything up to that point of the plot, but the final sequences are very dull and drab. The villain is hyped up to be an unstoppable evil but in the confrontation scene, he comes across as comically inept and bad.

Apart from some good acting and some okayish background score, there is nothing to give praise. Similar concepts have been explored way better in many films and you shouldn't waste your time on this one. Just read its synopsis and be done with it.

Poochandi (2022)

Underwhelming

[5/10 · 31 July 2023]

POOCHANDI begins with a very basic setup: some guys play with an Ouija board and after that, an evil spirit starts to haunt them. For the entirety of the first half, it remains a fairly standard ouija-horror tale, which slowly changes its track into a promising mystery in its second half. The problem arises when the mystery starts to unravel, and the way it's written, it's bound to leave a sour taste in your mouth. Random revelations are getting intertwined into the narrative unnecessarily and pointless twists start to roll one after the other without any organic buildup. Some things are so sudden and inorganically introduces that it completely disconnects you from the film. The backstory of the spirit is exciting and could have salvaged the film, but here the writing completely drops the ball. The ending is also very disappointing and too abrupt.

All in all, I expected a lot from it and it wasn't even half as good as I imagined it to be. Even if I had watched it with low expectations, its poor writing and the lousy climax were bound to leave me disappointed. It's a horror movie with good ideas but a very lacklustre execution.

Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018)

The superhero we need

[8/10 · 28 July 2023]

A great representation of youth angst against the corrupt system, BHAVESH JOSHI SUPERHERO is a classic vigilante tale that plays admirably with the genre conventions while also reinventing some of them. The writing, unlike other Motwani films, isn't consistently great as it turns convenient at times but the keen direction by Vikramaditya Motwani, Siddharth Diwan's magnificent cinematography, Amit Trivedi's spectacular, some wonderful performances, and a profound subtextual and thematically relevant story makes this film an instant classic. Harshvardhan Kapoor plays his part very sincerely, and dare I say, he is the beating heart of this film. The story isn't anything new but it does a lot of things right, thus making the film feel fresh and innovative. The fight choreography is raw and intense, a perfect fit for this universe, and the fight scenes feel very authentic. The scene composition is exceptional and there are some really iconic shots i.e. Insaaf-Man walking in front of an explosion in slow-mo or when he comes to confront Rana at the end, these scenes are ingrained in my mind and I am sure that I will keep revisiting these scenes. Although I have a genuine question for the director, what was the relevance of Shreiyah Sabharwal's character in the story? In such a tightly crafted tale, this thing kept bugging me and felt so egregious.

"This country is crumbling anyway. I love this country and I can't watch it suffer. So, I am going to change it." I deeply felt it when Bhavesh said these words. I relate to it because I find it so true.

This was a profound, emotional and hard-hitting journey for me. Go Insaaf-Man! We need you more than ever.