In the age when headless torsos surface (literally) with alarming and disturbing regularity, Mardaani 2 serves as a timely reminder of the atrocities dished out against women, in particular. The sequel to the 2014 hit has Rani Mukerji Chopra reprising her role of SP Shivani Shivaji Roy. The sequel shifts to Kota, Rajasthan, as the…
Two particular scenes at the beginning of the film prepare the viewer for 32-year-old NYPD Detective, Andre Davis’s (Chadwick Boseman) tough, no-nonsense character – as a 13-year-old, he silently weeps at his father’s funeral – a sincere policeman slain in the line of duty; and later, as a detective specialising in killing cop-killers, standing up…
‘P se P, F se F’ refers to Article 15 of our Constitution, which enshrine clauses pertaining to ‘discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste and sex’, much as the recent ‘Section 375’ which referred to IPC’s section on sexual assault. ‘Based on continuing true stories’, is what we are informed. Sooraj Mali (debutant Bhavesh…
When a horde of scantily clad women descend (literally!) upon a guy, it could mean one of two things – either the guy is extremely good looking or well-heeled and gullible. ‘Hustlers’, scripted and directed by Lorene Scafaria, who had chanced upon an article by Jessica Pressler in the New York Magazine, lays bare the…
“It’s true – the rich are different,” these words are uttered at one point in the film. Little would Grace (Samara Weaving), brought up as a foster child, have imagined that her wedding night excitement could extend to desperately attempting to save her life from her in-laws, with her husband Alex (Mark O’Brien) being a…
The International Human Rights Council (IHRC), the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights, has assigned Merzin Pardiwala, as the President of the Crime Prevention Department, in keeping with his long-standing dedication as an active IHRC council member devoted to helping victims of domestic violence, hit and run cases, as also…
It’s not just the title that is alliterative: with bounteous babes, bullets and Biharis– though not necessarily in that order– in good measure, Kushan Nandy’s ‘Babumoshai Bandookbaaz’ can lay claim to being a tolerably worthy, albeit milder successor to Anurag Kashyap’s 2012 ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’. Contract killer Babu Bihari (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) has no compunctions about…
The first few minutes of the film gives you a sneak peak of North Indian culture, real estate wheeler-dealers, gender-bias, sibling rivalry, and more. First-time director Shanker Raman (cinematographer of ‘Peepli Live’, ‘Rocky Handsome’), clearly influenced by the neo-noir films of Anurag Kashyap, has helmed the quizzically titled Gurgaon – showcasing its fanciful malls, buzzing…
Forget Dharmatma; forget Dayavan. Sarkar 3 is the closest to The Godfather you’ll get to see — in terms of dialogues, the sepia-coloured frames, the subplots, or even the grating and rasping voice of the Don (one could be forgiven for wondering whether subtitles would be needed). The Bal Thakarey inspired character Subhash Nagre’s (Amitabh…
‘Split’ has James McAvoy playing Kevin, diagnosed with a dissociative identity disorder and assuming 23 apparent identities — as Barry, as Patricia, or as the lisping 9-year-old Hedwig. As Dennis, he attacks the father of Claire (Haley Lu Richardson), before driving off with the girl and her two teenaged colleagues Marcia and Casey (Jessica Sula…
Director Sanjay Gupta has always shown a penchant for adapting, or taking inspiration from foreign films — his first directorial venture Aatish (1994) was based on the Hong Kong film ‘A Better Tomorrow’ (1986). Eight years later he remade Tarantino’s cult ‘Reservoir Dogs’ into the hugely successful ‘Kaante’. Now comes ‘Kaabil’ — part ‘Blind Fury’…