Sarang Brahme

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Laila Majnu - Movie Review "Woh galat sahi ke paar ek maidan hain, wahan hum tum milenge." That’s what I recollected when I got up after watching the “Laila O Laila” song in the climax. I saw the same small hut on the hill where Alia Bhatt in Highway wanted to reside. I saw glimpses of Jordan in Majnu when he was going through Ishq ke 7 makaam. It’s Imtiaz Ali’s world, and you are living in it. Very rarely does it happen that a film ends with a seemingly happy song, yet you come out with your heart full of sadness and trauma. My first reaction after watching the theatrical re-release of “Laila Majnu” was to wonder why I didn’t watch it when it was first released. This was my second viewing of an Imtiaz Ali re-release in theaters after Rockstar. I got glimpses of what Tripti Dimri is capable of and how she is wasted in current movies. Gosh! Hats off to Avinash Tiwary. I remember watching him in the Hotstar flick “You Are My Sunday,” but I can’t believe this was his first film. His transition from a flirting guy to a mad, mad lover who is ready to lose everything was just too good. At no point did I feel like he was acting. Saajid Ali’s direction and Imtiaz Ali’s writing were superb! In the world of easy love, with swiping right/left, you can feel what it means to wait for your love. When he says, “4 saal se sirf inteezar kar raha hun,” your heart aches. Another hero of the film was the beautiful locations of Kashmir. It’s ironic that while being among Kashmir ki Vaadiyan, Majnu can’t help but feel sadness and pain. I loved "Sarfiri" and "Ahista Ahista," but the next time I hear “Laila O Laila,” it will bring back the climax. It’s one of those films that will stay with me for a long time. I still can’t handle the fact that this film flopped at the box office, and the only ones to blame are all of us. My entire theater was empty while everyone flocked to a mindless action film on the next screen. I don’t want to give any stars as of now. I’m still hearing the haunting tunes of “Ahista Ahista.” Please watch it wherever you can.

#MovieReview #Pagglait I have to say this is one of the best films I have seen recently. The movie takes you from known to the unknown, at unexpected places with a joy that comes naturally. The story of a widow and her evolution as an independent person in those 13 days while the rituals happening on her husband. They say it takes 13 days for a soul to find moksh to heaven and here you have a person who finds her calling, independence and "herself" in those 13 days. While the entire joint family is doing what they "think" do best - take the best decision for her but they have no idea what she really wants. Sandhya played by Sanya Malhotra is her best role ever. Her unusual relationship with her dead husband's ex is refreshingly different. The story may take time to build on but it's only because it is giving its due time for Sandhya to experience different emotions and find what she really wants. Ashutosh Rana is perfect and he conveys a lot through his silence. Such a refreshing take on the joint family complexities but without making anyone a villain as it's not people but situations that matters. Music is amazing and flows with the story and Sandhya's character. I reminded of Ludo and Queen but it's very different. Umesh Bisht is a director to watch out for. 4/5. Netflix. Must watch!

On a casual Saturday afternoon, I was scrolling Amazon Prime and came across “The portrait of a lady on fire”. I found it amusing and I was in the mood of watching something very different. With 8.1 IMDB rating, I decided to give it a go. In the first few mins, it was clear that this movie was something different. I would either love it or hate it to the core. The story unfolds very slowly but true to human emotions. I loved the way it opens up characters with its layers and give them so much time to build. There are long pause & silences but if you feel it closely – you would understand them and go make them grow on you. The initial cat and mouse chase of both looking a each other is amazingly captured. It’s a story based in historic French set up where a mother invites a painter to create a portrait of her daughter before she is about to get married. The painter needs to do this job without letting her know which brings out amazing chemistry between both of them. The cinematography is out of this world. The treatment of the screenplay and capture gives you an artistic feeling and it’s a portrait in itself. The relationship kind of grow as they know each other from each other’s lenses. At one time while narrating a story one of them says “It’s not a choice of a lover but a choice of a poet”. It sums up the entire movie. It is a love story from an artist’s standpoint. Any amazing portrait takes time to glow but that slow pace makes it a perfect painting. The movie is nothing like I ever saw. There is no background music in most scenes apart from 2 scenes where you can feel the presence of the music dominantly. Adele Haenel & Noemi Merlant carry the movie on both of their shoulders. There are hardly 4 characters in the movie. Although, I have to say that this is not everyone’s cup of tea. You may find the pace slow and eventually boring if you are looking for much to happen. A lot is happening but not in the outside but inside of their minds and hearts and you need to catch it with their expression and eyes. Fact that it was a French movie and I could only read English subtitles hardly affected my experience as words are secondary here. No wonder that the film is directed by a female director Celine Sciamma. 4/5. If you are looking for a real cinematic artistic experience, this is a perfect choice for you. Make sure you have wine and cheese to go with!

If Inside Out was a start, Soul takes it to another level. I watched it with my 10 years daughter and I have to say I could open up the conversation about life so easily with her thanks to Soul. It's a film of two souls trying to find a purpose in life. One who lived all his life chasing a dream of playing the piano in Jazz and other who is un-born and not ready to face real life. The way both of them discover a different meaning to life, passion and purpose are what makes Soul so amazing. Similar to Inside Out it portrays a rather complex subject in such an interesting manner. You will end up asking yourselves a lot of questions at the end of it. The "Why" in life isn't just about one particular goal but it's rather rediscovering yourself every day to find joy in different things to make yourself "alive". 8/10. Another brilliant Pixar movie! Don't miss

I have always been a big fan of Anurag Basu films including his last flop Jagga Jasoos; so yes - you can call me a "little bit" biased. Barfi was a masterpiece and so "Life in Metro" which I loved. "Ludo" revolves around tonnes of characters and their stories juggling together like a "magic" more than a "logic"; as one of the characters says in the film. It's a "narrative" which binds these stories together of how people, their situations intertwine with each other eventually finding them their "home". Like India, this film is an "organized chaos" which works brilliantly with a background of black comedy. The story that stayed with me is the one with Abhishek Bachchan and relationship with a stranger girl which builds into a deep relationship. What strikes me was that he finds his little girl more in a stranger than one of his own! There are very few films that cherish these relationships. Another amazing story was with a nurse and a quiet/shy salesman who runs away with a lot of money; to find love with each other without much speaking. Oh yes, there is a lot of communication but not many words. Anurag has a golden thread running in his entire movie about "selflessness" and definition of good/bad. While Rajkumar Rao selflessly helps his childhood sweetheart in a very one-sided love till the end whereas Sattubhai (brilliantly played by Pankaj Tripathi) finds someone at most unlikely places. Cinematography has been amazing with the feel of West Bengal and so as songs. Both of them stay with you. Anurag tried way too hard in Jagga Jasoos but he is bang-on with this one. Yes, few may find movie has too many twists/turns but they all are part of one game of life - Ludo! Trying to find its home while finding a way through different colours of humans. I will go with 3.5/5. I still wished if he tries less hard and be more simplistic like Barfi. Although, innocence is harder to find nowadays! This is his come-back. (P.S. I forgot to mention Aditya Roy Kapoor's track but I found it to be weaker than others)

Masaan: Very rarely you see a movie which moves you inside out. Masaan is that experience for me. What a fine combination of weaving different stories in the same thread with an amazing characters. I still wonder why I didn't see this movie earlier. Man kasturi re, Jag dasturi re stays with you for entire movie and sums it up nicely. The simplicity and clean way of narrating story n screenplay was a big highlight and something I didn't expect. It avoided the loud narration, over the top treatment which we see in many similar stories or web series these days which are based in similar background. Full marks to director and writers for this. Sanjay Mishra, Richa Chaddha and Vicky Kaushal takes the story to another level without much words. The scene where Vicky is cremating a body of his friend is beyond words. The scene where Richa daringly goes into his dead friends home to meet his parents and we not only hear the sound but also feel for her is sheer brilliance. All 3 stories, characters works seamlessly without hampering the heart of the movie. Shweta Tripathi is terrific so as Pankaj Tripathi. The scenes of Banaras plays a key character of the movie. I can understand why it got such standing ovation at Cannes. Rare breed of movie which touches the heart n soul. If you, like me has missed out for whatever reason, please watch on Netflix. 4.5/5

Honestly, I had no expectations from this series which looked like any other teenager series and adding Indian factor was destined to make it cliched. After finishing the season one in straight two nights view, I am happy to report that I was proved wrong. It's a story of a teenager Devi along with her struggles about growing up, friendship, love, family although written very well and handled sensitively. You can relate to her being stubborn and falling for wrong things but at the same time having a heart at the right place. Her relationship with her dad is the highlight and midst of all the crazy things you see, you can't stop yourself feeling for her. Overcoming a typical western cliched treatment of an Indian family is another big highlight. Every parent or a kid can relate to this #Netflix series. I can't wait for Season-2. IMDB rating 8.1. DO WATCH!