Posted inPop Culture
What Do We Do With Shraddha Kapoor?
Shraddha Kapoor’s limited acting talent is noticeable in every frame of Haseena Parkar, forcing a pertinent question: What exactly is she still doing in Bollywood?
Posted inPop Culture
What Bhobishyoter Bhoot Gets Right About the Double Standards of Indian Politicians
Anik Dutta's political satire Bhobhishyoter Bhoot, re-released after being pulled off theatres in February. It's a timely offering in this election season, because the film is a solid critique of how non-partisan art is a victim of the whims of political parties.
Posted inPop Culture
The Handmaid’s Tale and the Age-old Desire to Control Women’s Bodies
The Handmaid’s Tale has returned with a searing second season that dwells on how the spirit of Gilead, where women have no control over their bodies, has always been alive in the real world. It’s a horrifying watch, particularly in the wake of what we’ve witnessed in Kathua and Unnao.
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Tumhari Sulu and the Real Housewives of India
The solitary afternoon of the homemaker is a deeply interesting space. And that is what Vidya Balan’s Tumhari Sulu delves into. It’s the only time of the day most housewives acknowledge the loneliness they harbour.
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Why Are Women Going Gaga Over “Unconventional” Malayali Actor Fahadh Faasil?
In an industry that is obsessed with perfectly sculpted appearances, Fahadh Faasil has a receding hairline, no six pack, and painfully regular looks. He is not trapped by any notions of hyper-masculinity. In his films, like Super Deluxe, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, and Kumbalangi Nights, Fahadh is man enough to not be a man.
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Game Over Review: A Taut Thriller Single-Handedly Elevated by Taapsee Pannu
A woman’s body is both, her biggest weakness and her greatest weapon. If the world derives pleasure out of brutalising it, women respond to that assault by using their bodies as tools of resistance. Ashwin Saravanan’s Game Over thrives on this precise duality and there’s no actor who can bring this out better than the physically alert Taapsee Pannu.
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Atomic Blonde: The Badass Action Hero We Need
Charlize Theron’s Atomic Blonde, just like the Kill Bill franchise, gets the recipe right for a successful female action hero: A complete disregard for its protagonist’s gender.
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How Do You Measure the Success of Sacred Games? By a Token FIR for “Hurting Sentiments”
A Delhi-based politician has filed an FIR against Anurag Kashyap for offending religious sentiments, barely a week after the release of the new season of the Netflix series. Makes sense, shows like Sacred Games, are after all, the number one threat to religion since “scientists” officially became a thing.
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Kyunki Kylo Ren Bhi Kabhi Kool Tha
As much as I enjoyed The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi was simply disappointing. There’s only that much one can tolerate an Emo Kylo Ren; I’m sure even his underlings mock him at the watercooler after lunch every day.
Posted inPop Culture
Gurgaon And The Violent Monsters In Our Basements
Shanker Raman’s Gurgaon is the latest film to explore the predatory disposition lurking just beneath the surface of supposedly civilised men.