Manjummel Boys (Malayalam)

 

Manjummel Boys (Malayalam)

Saw this on JioHotstar. It's based on a real life incident at the Gunaa caves, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu. The movie is a survival thriller.

The movie starts off with introducing the main characters at a wedding. They play tug-of-war after an argument with a rival group. And right at the start, some characteristics of each of them is established. Those come into play later in the movie.

The "boys" (actually grown men) belong to a club / group in Kochi, Kerala. They plan a trip to Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu) via road, all crammed into one vehicle.

There's a lot of fun, leg pulling, etc. Just as they are about to leave Kodaikanal, one of the gang suggests a visit to the "Gunaa" caves, made famous by a Kamal Haasan movie by that name which was shot there. 

There, the actual section where the songs in the movie were shot are restricted - barricaded and off-limits to visitors as it has become too dangerous. But in their enthusiasm to visit the actual site, they ignore the warnings and climb over the barricades to reach that spot. 

They even write their group name "Manjummel Boys" with paint on a big rock to show that they were there.

The mood shifts from fun to extremely somber when one of them (Subhash) falls into a deep ravine, named "Devil's kitchen" by the locals. It is very narrow as well, and anyone falling so deep stands a minuscule probability of surviving. And then it starts raining, pouring slush and water into the cave / ravine.

Nobody gives the one who fell any chance of making it alive. Forest guard refuses to help. Locals tell them to forget their friend and leave. When they go to the police station, the police beat them up initially instead of helping.

One of the group, has a loud voice. He is pulled up many times for it. But now it comes in handy as he shouts down the cave, and is heard by Subhash. 

In between the flashback to their childhood is used beautifully. It shows how they don't give up on each other - whether it is a game of hide and seek, or while swimming.

For getting help - they don't give up. And finally their efforts bear fruit. Police, fire department, and more importantly, long rope (120 ft).

But one more snag. Nobody is ready to go down the deep ravine. Everybody is scared for their own life.

Then one of the group, Siju aka "Kuttan", steps up. He agrees to go down and do this crazy task without any prior training. Siju is lowered down, and finds a very badly hurt Subhash. In between the rope runs out, and again there is drama before it is extended.

Finally Subhash is brought out. And they begin their journey home, where Subhas has to spend time in a hospital. 

While Subhash recovers fully after a few months of nightmares, they keep this incident to themselves. But finally one of the tourists who witnessed the whole incident, talks about it to the press and finally the whole story comes out.

The director, Chidambaram, did a good job in keeping the tone shifting - funny one moment, deadly serious the next. The camera work is superb, led by cinematographer Shyju Khalid. It adds a new dimension to the movie.  

The emotional bond between the group is captured very well. They have language issues - Keralites trying to communicate with the Tamilians - locals, forest officers, police, etc.

Subhash's mother blames Siju for his injuries, as she doesn't know the full story. She only sees that her son came back injured. But when she realizes Siju's bravery, the scene of her asking for his forgiveness will touch your heart.

It's available in a bunch of Indian languages, including Hindi. Definitely worth a watch.

Rekhachithram (Malayalam)

 Rekhachithram (Malayalam)

Saw Rekhachithram recently on Sony Liv (OTT).

This is not your usual crime thriller. It starts off as one, with a crime and a dead body shown right at the beginning. The director - Jofin T Chacko - however, has other plans for the viewers. He takes you on a journey of discovery about the victim, instead of treating her as just a body in a crime.

The body is of a woman who was killed when she was very young. Her name was Rekha (Anaswaran Rajan), hence the movie title. She was an aspiring actress in the Malayalam film industry. Before she died, she had also spent a night in a convent with some nuns. There was a robbery in the convent. Was Rekha a thief and the robbery went wrong? Or is there more than meets the eye?

The chief investigating officer, Vivek Gopinath (Asif Ali), has a checkered past. He was suspended for his gambling habits. He is determined to redeem his reputation.

The movie starts off with a young boy witnessing 4 people taking a wrapped body in the pouring rain. He tells his friend. Cut to the present, where a rich man goes to the forest. Leaving his driver at the edge, he goes deep into the forest, and records a confession on Facebook live by a tree. He then shoots himself. The confession is about Rekha's murder (although he doesn't know her name).

The film seamlessly transitions between the past and the present. Affection for Mammootty is shown in the way he is is depicted (just as a film star, he doesn't have a part in this movie). AI is used sparingly to insert him in the scenes from the past. Rekha was playing the part of an extra in his film when she suddenly disappeared. So all folks associated with that film who are still living are questioned in order to form a complete picture of what happened.

The main strength of the story is how they turn a dead body into a living, breathing person slowly in the eyes of the viewers. That is why it is literally "Rekha's film". 

Rekha's story gradually unfolds. Her hopes, her dreams. How she ran away to be a part of the Malayalam film industry. Her bright path ahead, cut tragically short by her untimely death. Her family, esp. her younger sister, who has still not given up trying to find her even after so many decades.

It's not a typical thriller. The mystery behind Rekha's murder is revealed before the end. We know who the killers are. But still, there's a twist in the last 30 minutes that is commendable. 

Asif Ali should now be declared as a honorary Police Officer by Kerala Police, so comfortable is he in cop roles :-). Police procedure has been paid proper respect in the film. For this, kudos to Jofin and the writers, John Manthrikal (original story by Ramu Sunil).

Anaswara Rajan does a good job as Rekha. Making her feel like someone who you mourn for, even though you don't know her. She does a good job in showing the potential in Rekha which gets tragically wasted.

There are good actors in the supporting cast, rendering it a watchable experience. Zarin Shihab esp. delivers a standout performance, the flickering emotions on her face are a treat to watch.

The only weakness if at all, are the dialogues. There aren't any punch lines in the film.

Other than that, totally watchable. Family friendly as well. Will recommend.

Kishkindha Kaandam (Malayalam)

On Hotstar: https://www.hotstar.com/in/movies/kishkindha-kaandam/1271336670 . I saw it in Malayalam with English subtitles.

This is a 2 hour movie. For the first 1 hour, it is slow. It is so slow that you may be fed up and feel like giving up.

But then it suddenly grabs you. And refuses to let go. What seemed mundane is now interesting. What was ordinary takes on a new meaning, and you are hooked.

Where this movie starts and where it ends up are poles apart. The journey that it takes the viewer on is just superb, because of the screenplay. It's amazingly well written.

It starts off with the discovery that a gun belonging to a grumpy ex Army officer Appu Pillai (Vijayaraghavan) is missing. This discovery coincides with the second marriage of his son, Ajay Chandran (Asif Ali), to Aparna (Aparna Balamurali).

From a missing gun we go to a missing person - in this case it is Ajay's son from his previous wife, Chachu. 3 years ago, Chachu had gone missing at the same time that his mother suffered a serious medical emergency. At that time, only the grandfather Appu Pillai was at home.

The entire household is centered around adjusting to the old man and his weird habits. He trusts no one, and flies into a rage whenever someone enters his room.

We slowly discover the reason for his grumpiness. Appu Pillai suffers from major memory loss. He can't remember things at all - short or long term. He has devised ways to fight it. But it is a losing battle. He tries desperately to find his lost grandson.

Amidst all this, a small body is found buried on the grounds - it has been put in the ground 3 years ago. Whose body is it?

Aparna, the new daughter-in-law, not only adjusts to all this, but tries to be a part of the household. She finds Appu burning documents from time to time. What is in those documents?

She (and the viewer) can't make up their mind - is Appu Pillai really that forgetful or is he pretending? And is he guilty or innocent? And if guilty, of what exactly?

The side characters like Sumadathan (Jagadish) and Sivadasan (Ashokan) do a good job as well.

Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali are good at their roles.

But the star of the movie is the father / grandfather Vijayaraghavan. One of the best performances that I have seen in some time. His character grows on you as the movie progresses.

The main question we are asked is this: Is it sometimes better to forget certain things than remember them? 

If you create your own reality, is that a better deal than actual reality?

The cinematography is the icing on the cake. You feel as if you are there, in the small village, far away from it all. All sights and sounds have been captured well. 

The screenplay is masterful. By the time the movie ends, you forget that you got fed up for half of the running time :-).

I will heartily recommend this. Family friendly as well.

Rautu Ka Raaz (Hindi) (Zee5)

Slow film, but very nice. Set in a small village (Rautu Ki Beli, Uttarakhand), it shows a slowly deepening murder mystery.

Normally nothing happens here. Very cozy place. Fixed itinerary for everyone, especially the police compared to other places.

But then something happens. The location is a school for the blind. The warden (female) has died. It seems it is a natural death.

But then the autopsy report says - "suspicious death". Now the investigation starts. Everyone has something to hide. And the needle of suspicion starts to point towards the owner / trustee of the school - a local big man called Manoj Kesari.

Nawazuddin as the inspector / SHO ("Deepak Negi - tez hai par ajeeb hai"), who himself suffers from a form of PTSD, is the main character. But all the others are well etched too. All the folks in the police station, the various characters in the school - Principal downwards - are endearing.

The way the dead warden's (Narayani Shastri) character evolves in the viewer's eyes as more information tumbles out is done very well.

There's political pressure, love, complex relationships, greed, etc. It just seamlessly swirls from one scene to another. It manages to keep you engaged till the end.

It's not a top notch mystery at all. But something about it just feels good. Family friendly- a bonus.

https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/rautu-ka-raaz/0-0-1z5577122

Maharaja (Tamil)

A film that starts off looking like a comedy, turns seriously dark and also has a twist at the end.

A salon owner - Maharaja (Vijay Sethupati) comes to the Police station to file a complaint for a missing iron dustbin called "Lakshmi". At first he is not at all taken seriously. Lot of hilarity ensues. 

But when he is willing to pay ₹7,00,000 for it, the police start giving it top priority.

The real reason for his quest comes later. Slowly but surely the movie turns darker and darker with intrigue added to the mix. The end has a twist that few would see coming.

Nithilan Saminathan - the director - has a non sequential approach to story telling. It works for the most part.

Anurag Kashyap as a villainous character does a good job. 

Vijay Sethupati is fantastic. He doesn't let you feel any gaps in the story. Makes it all look easy.

There is violence which is gruesome at times. Definitely not a family friendly one.

All in all, will definitely recommend if you have the stomach for it.

https://www.netflix.com/in/title/81690671?s=a&trkid=13747225&trg=cp&vlang=en&clip=81727943

Anweshippin Kandethum (Malayalam)

Anweshippin Kandethum --> Seek and you shall find. This Malayalam movie lives up to its title. I saw it on Netflix.

The movie is a police procedural drama. Set in 2 parts, it joins both of them quite well.

SI Anand Narayanan (Tovino Thomas) has always thought differently from other police officers. He is more interested in solving a case correctly than sucking up to his superiors. 
Naturally this independent streak gets him into trouble. 

The movie starts with him being suspended, and waiting to meet the SP. In between he starts remembering the case that got him suspended.

Anand was the initial lead into a murder of a young girl, Lovely Mathan. He suspected the hand of someone in the nearby monastery, but is prevented by his superiors from going ahead. The superiors frame a history sheeter and try to beat him into confessing. Any suggestions given by Anand are dismissed. He is sent to get biryani for them instead of taking part in the investigation.

But Anand bypasses them, and uses proper police investigation to arrive at who murdered Lovely. He learns some shocking secrets along the way.

Unfortunately, as the team is taking the killer to the court, he/she escapes. After a chase, the killer is run over by a train and dies.

The team bears the brunt of his/her death. They are suspended for negligence. Not only are they branded killers in public opinion, but also they don't get the satisfaction of having proven in court that they were right.

Flashback ends, present begins. The SP (who is sympathetic to them, unlike the previous superiors) gives them a cold case. 6 years old. Another young girl (Sridevi) was murdered. Multiple teams have tried to solve it, including a reputed officer, and failed.

The team takes it because 

a) They get something to do

b) If they fail, nobody is going to say anything because others have failed before.

The team goes to the village, which is highly antagonistic to them because the previous police had used heavy handed means while investigating. 

But slowly and surely, they make progress. Thread by thread they unravel the mystery. And find the culprit.

Who was the actual murderer comes as a real shock in the end (at least I couldn't guess it). 

The cinematography captures the essence of the village in both cases. The lives of ordinary people, the simmering politics, buried resentments, the tension in the air when people have to deal with police, all are presented well.

The movie never develops a fast tempo. But that I think is deliberate. It is a relatively slow, but not at all boring journey. The emotions in the team, their highs and lows, all are captured pretty well.

There is no gore, no extra bloody scenes. Just plain mystery, and the unravelling of it. It makes this a wonderfully different film, and totally family friendly.

All in all, recommended.

Kadak Singh (Movie)

 Saw Kadak Singh on Zee5 (Hindi).

A man  - A. K. Srivastava (Pankaj Tripathi) apparently tries to commit suicide, and ends up in the hospital. There it is discovered that he now has retrograde amnesia due to the suicide attempt. 

The amnesia is so bad that he doesn't even remember his own daughter. He only remembers his younger son, that too at year 5 (the son is now 17, the daughter is older).

A. K. was investigating a major chit fund scandal as part of his work at the Department of Financial Crimes (DFC). He suspects that his suicide(?) was related to that scandal's investigation. Interestingly, one of his colleagues had earlier committed suicide a few days earlier, and he too was looking into the same case.

His extremely strict demeanour at home has led his children to give him the nickname of "Kadak Singh".

Since he remembers almost no one, he trusts no one. The Rashomon effect method is used well in this movie. There is a daughter Sakshi (Sanjana Sanghi), a love interest Naina (Jaya Ahsan) - his wife died in an accident years ago, a colleague, a boss, a head of the department. Everyone tells their own version of the story. 

It is A. K. who has to put the pieces together, and decide which pieces are correct and which are false.

A. K. may have forgotten people and places, but his procedural memory - he was the top investigator at his department - is intact. In all of this he is helped by the nurse at the hospital - Ms. Kannan (Parvathy Thiruvothu). She is the only one he can trust, because she has no vested interest in him or the events surrounding him.

The supporting cast is good. Sanjana Sanghi is an unexpected pleasant surprise. She showcases all the aspects of being an elder daughter in a house with a dead mother and a "married to his work" father, and a druggie younger brother, well.

Arjun (Paresh Pahuja) as the devoted junior colleague, who has full faith in his boss' ethics, and Tyagi (Dilip Shankar) as A. K.'s boss, do a good job. So does Naina as his love interest. 

The surprise package is the nurse, Kannan. With extremely limited scope, she still manages to show so many emotions as to endear herself to you.

Amidst all of this, Pankaj Tripathi stands tall. His eyes are expressive. His acting is as close to perfect as can be. He is one of my favorites, and proves again how good he is in this film.

Where the film lacks is in pace. It is slow (but steady). And is hampered by the fact that it is shot mostly indoors (hospital), thereby limiting the options for increasing the tempo.

But overall, will definitely recommend.

 

Kannur Squad (Malayalam)

Kannur Squad is a 2023 Malayalam-language crime thriller directed by Roby Varghese Raj and produced by Mammootty. The film is based on a real life police squad who were part of the Kannur Squad, a crime investigation unit, formed by former Kannur SP S. Sreejith IPS.

I watched this on Disney + Hotstar.

The movie starts off with the squad, led by ASI George Martin (Mammootty) finding an apparent suicide in the forest. They suspect murder instead. After investigating, they find the culprit and solve the case. 

But shortly thereafter, one of the members, CPO Jayan is found guilty of taking a bribe. This brings the entire Kannur Squad into disrepute and it is disbanded.

A couple of years later, a rich Muslim businessman, Abdul Wahab, is found murdered in the course of a dacoity at his house in Kasargod. The local police are unable to make any progress. So the SP of Kasargod gets the Kannur Squad formed again, in spite of resistance due to the previous stain on their reputation.

The squad gets into action. Using good old fashioned detective work, they find that a local named Riyas had purchased two SIM cards for someone else. On further investigation, they discover that Riyas found that Abdul Wahab had kept a lot of money at his house. He then involved two more people called Ameer and Zulfiqar, in exchange for a cut. Ameer and Zulfiqar also got 2 goons, Hathooda and Bambiha along for the job.

The job went wrong. Money was not at the house. In anger, Ameer killed Zulfiqar and assaulted his teenage daughter. Then they escaped.

The squad makes an all India chase. First Bhubaneshwar, then Faizabad. There they are given one single constable of the UP Police, Yogesh Yadav. Using his local knowledge, they land up in a village where the criminals' accomplice Pawan stays. And what a village!! Every one united in trying to kill the policemen "who are outsiders", without any morals about their own villager who is a criminal.

Pawan gives them Payagpur as the destination. One more train chase. The squad manages to capture Hathoda and Bambiha on the train leaving Payagpur.

But the main ones, Ameer and Zulfiqar, are going to Babaganj to finally cross over into Nepal. So the squad rush and corner them in their hideout in the jungle. After a fierce fight, the squad manages to overpower them, aided by the Sahastra Seema Bal (our border force for the Nepal - Bhutan border).

In all of this, there is no support from the department. Air tickets are not sanctioned. They have to travel using a standard police SUV for thousands of kms.

In the end, they are asked to turn back. In one of the best scenes of the movie, Mammootty refuses a direct order from his superior. And the chase is still on.

There is no mystery in this movie per se. Everything is pretty cut and dried. It is the grit with which the squad faces a lot of hardships, and their never-say-die attitude, which raises this movie above normal level.

Once they capture the criminals, they are offered plane tickets "to rush back as soon as possible", so that their superiors can bask in the glory of a job where they had no positive contribution. The squad refuses, and comes back by road :-).

The squad fight for the pure nature of being a police officer, which is to capture criminals and bring law and order into society. 

This is what I think cinema originally was supposed to be about. No gimmicks. No special effects. Only pure storytelling.

Mammootty magic backed up by an excellent supporting cast.

A film definitely worth a watch. 

Mumbai Police (Malayalam Film)

 I recently watched "Mumbai Police" (Malayalam) on Disney + Hotstar.

The film starts with a police officer driving and talking on the phone with someone. He says "I have found the culprit". And the next moment, he has an accident.

From there the story begins. Because in this accident, he has had a major memory loss. He not only doesn't remember the culprit, but a whole lot of other things as well. He doesn't remember his friends - in the Police and outside, his own sister, where he lives, etc. He doesn't even remember who he is, in the true sense of the word.

Plus he is again given charge of the same case that he had solved. But for him, this is like a new case due to his unique condition.

ACP Antony Moses (Prithviraj Sukumaran), this policeman, starts all over again. We find that the case is actually the brazen shooting death of a fellow policeman and friend Aryan John Jacob (Jayasurya) . The death (by a sniper's bullet) occurred at a function where tons of policemen were present, ironically for giving a gallantry award to Aryan Jacob. 

Antony's brother-in-law Farhan Aman (Rashin Rahman), who plays the Commissioner of Police) tries to help him get his memory back.

Antony discovers that Aryan, Farhan and he were very good friends. They earned the nickname "Mumbai Police" because all of them had served in Mumbai at a point in time, although Aryan hadn't served exactly at the same time as the other two over there.

The plot dives and weaves among possible suspects. Antony discovers a lot of things about himself. He finds that he was not a good person and has earned a lot of enemies, some of whom try to attack him post discharge. He actually was called "Rascal Moses", such was his reputation.

During this time Farhan is also not his usual self.

Antony finds that his previous investigation was not really up to the mark, which is surprising as he is a competent police officer. So then was he deliberately messing up the case? Was he protecting someone after finding the truth?

There's a sudden twist at the end, and the truth is revealed. It is at a very personal level, and is pretty unexpected.

All the main actors have done a decent job.  All in all, a decent mystery. Worth a watch.

Monster (2022): Malayalam film

One more of Mohanlal's films. I am a big fan of his in particular, and Malayalam films in general. So I am biased :-).

Monster is a thriller film with a major twist at the end.

Bhamini (Honey Rose) is a driver at a She-Taxi company. A partner in the firm, Lucky Singh, is her pickup for the day. Lucky Singh is a "Malayali Punjabi". He has a flirtatious, over-the-top manner. He is a Malayali who embraced Sikhism after a Sikh holy man changed his fortunes drastically one day in Amritsar near the Golden Temple.

Lucky Singh flirts shamelessly with Bhamini in spite of knowing that she is married. He invites himself to Bhamini's home even though it is a actually her wedding anniversary. Her husband, Anil Chandra (Sudev Nair), has a foot injury from a recent accident. The other people in the house are Anil's daughter Kunjatta (Jess Sweejan) from his previous marriage, and a maid, Durga (Lakshmi Manchu).

Lucky Singh has a bumbling yet cheerful manner. Yet we know that beneath that exterior, there is something hidden. And that comes out in a drastic manner. The film stops at the interval with a dramatic twist.

In the second half, Bhamini's world comes crashing down. Just as she is on the verge of doom, comes another twist. And things move towards the climax, where the biggest twist is revealed.

The second half is a story of wasted potential. The script writing isn't taut enough. The interrogation scenes lack finesse. 

And the most major twist lacks a certain sensitivity that a female director might have done better at. Vysakh, the (male) director, excels at action scenes. There is one between Mohanlal and a female character that is especially good.

This is by no means anywhere near Mohanlal's best. However, if like me, you are a Mohanlal fan, then this is still worth a watch. For others, I would guess it's a 50-50 toss-up on whether you would like it or not.

Khufiya (Netflix)

 Khufiya on Netflix.

Tabu is a married RAW operative who battles her secret identity and also struggles with conflict due to loving another woman.

There's a mole in RAW that leads to a lot of leaks, and ISI getting the upper hand in Bangladesh. To correct this, Tabu tries her best. But her loved one gets murdered in the process. The mole (Ali Fazal) escapes outside India too.

The rest of the movie is about retribution and redemption.

Tabu - excellent as usual.
Ashish Vidyarthi and Atul Kulkarni as Tabu's boss and estranged husband respectively are solid as expected.

Ali Fazal is competent. Wamiqa Gabbi as the mole's wife is bold enough to do a couple of explicit scenes (just enough to make it rated 16+, else rest is ok). His mother is played well by Navnindra Behl.

Azmeri Haque Badhon is a Bangladeshi actress who did a good job as Tabu's recruit cum lover. 
Raghu Ram of Indian Ocean fame was a pleasant surprise.

The disappointment is the usually competent Vishal Bharadwaj. His direction is good in parts, but not enough to grip you in entirety.

Worth a watch, but not as good as it could have been.

https://www.netflix.com/title/81252372

Por Thozil (Tamil movie)

Watched Por Thozil(Art of War) on Sony LIV. 

Story has 2 policemen - a very seasoned one (Sarath Kumar) and a total rookie (Ashok Selvan) - paired together to catch a serial killer who is targeting women. He seems to have come out of dormancy after 30 years.

Nothing great in the story per se - I nowadays am a little tired of the overuse of serial killers. But the chemistry between the 2 leading men is great. The evolution of the rookie, and a little bit of mellowing of the tough seasoned cop in his company makes the story worth watching.

Very little gruesome scenes, so ok from that point of view.

The seasoned cop has had a rough childhood. At one point the rookie has a soft corner for the serial killer because his father had physically abused him throughout. The senior cop brushes this away saying, "Lots of people have a tough childhood. But all don't become criminals. Some become normal people who catch criminals."

The rookie replies, "Sir, you may be many things. But a normal person is not one of them."

I watched in Tamil. There's a Hindi audio option too. But I prefer to watch in the original language.

https://www.sonyliv.com/movies/por-thozhil-hindi-1000231235

Jana Gana Mana (2022, Malayalam)

Saw Jana Gana Mana recently on Netflix --> https://www.netflix.com/title/81477034 (Original Malayalam, English subtitles).

Seldom does it happen that a movie is so out of the ordinary that it feels as if it belongs to some other realm altogether. This is one of them. What starts off as one thing swirls into something else altogether, taking you along for the ride.

The brutal rape and murder of a lady Muslim college professor (Mamta Mohandas as Saba) shocks everyone. As students start protesting, they are brutally beaten on campus by police. People are enraged - nationally via Social Media. Law and order threatens to spiral out of control. A cop (Suraj Venjaramoodu as Sajjan Kumar) comes in, and promises justice to the dead lady's mother. 

The cop cracks the case, and 4 people are arrested. But then before the case is to go to trial, all 4 are gunned down by the same ACP. 

Story over, right? Wrong.

A human rights case is filed against the extra judicial killings. Public sentiment is firmly on the cops side, esp. the ACP who "delivered justice". But the lawyer (Prithviraj Sukumaran as Aravind Swaminathan) "representing" the 4 dead men gives a major twist to things. Now things go topsy-turvy.

The movie paints a picture of the state of the eco system that we all live in. How the media manipulates us, how we never know what goes on in the name of law and order, and how nobody has time for the actual truth.

The movie touches on the rampant casteism in our society, esp. educational institutions (remember Rohit Vemula?), handling of various rape cases, to encounter killings (that bring cheer in the short term but can be grossly misused in the long term), to "they can be identified by the clothes they wear" (if you know, you know).

Suraj as Sajjan Kumar does a fantastic job of showing all the emotions that he goes through. Anybody who can act with silence is a good actor.

On the other hand, Prithviraj has all the "seeti maaro" dialogues - "we all want instant coffee, instant justice". But his character raises pertinent questions about what kind of a society we live in, and do we want to continue like this?

Those two together make for a great film.

The movie has flaws. Prithviraj's back story gets a rushed treament. Other characters are not as well developed.

None of the lower caste characters uplift themselves - the others have to do the uplifting. Also there are multiple taunts on the BJP - something that could have been avoided, but Kerala is Kerala :-).

Setting aside these minor flaws, a must watch.

Not family friendly - not because of the physical content but because of the emotional level. If you show it to your kids be ready for multiple deep discussions.

An Action Hero (2022, Hindi)

An Action Hero is a Hindi film. Watched this on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/watch/81514149?source=35 . This is truly the one that got away, and I would have gladly paid to watch this in the theater. Not for any big screen sequences, but just to give my bit towards this fun gem.

Maanav (Ayushmann Khurana) is an "Action Hero" in Hindi movies. His life is going great.

Until a fateful day while shooting in a small town in Haryana. Vicky Solanki, brother of a local strongman/politician, wants to take a photo with Maanav. But Maanav is distracted by his new car, and ignores Vicky. An incensed Vicky confronts Maanav, who pushes him and Vicky dies, totally by accident.

But the strongman, Bhoora Solanki (Jaideep Ahlawat) is out for revenge. Maanav flees to UK, where he has a house. Bhoora follows him there as well. Maanav doesn't know him, but soon finds out :-). No amount of pleading by Maanav is enough to pacify Bhoora, who is out for revenge. And then they go hammer and tongs at each other.

There's a bunch of characters who pop up - a fixer called Sai (Neeraj Madhav from "A Family Man") who is also a double crosser, a lower level gangster called Kaadir (who also wants to get Maanav), and finally a Don who is the name changed version of Dawood Ibrahim. There's Harsh Chhaya as Maanav's assistant, as competent as ever.

During this time, Maanav's reputation in India is in the toilet. News anchors are going hammer and tongs at him. Special mention to the Arnab Goswami parody by Sandeep Dhabale. He has you in splits. Others are cleverly presented so that you can imagine whichever anchor you want in their place.

But the main characters are Maanav and Bhoora. They have a hate-love relationship. Beating the crap out of each other, and yet stopping short of killing the other multiple times.

Even though it is Ayushmann's film, Jaideep has the choicest dialogues. Delivered with his classic deadpan look, he has some gems like:

Chhota kare toh galti, bada kare to misaal banti hai. 

Jyada samajhdaari dikhai, to mein bewakoofi kar doonga.

And the killer one when Maanav doesn't recognize the gangster Kaadir either:

“Saale kisi ko to pehchan le! Hum saare chu**ye hai kya jo tujhe maarne nikale hai?”

There is a twist in the end, which I can't reveal as it would be a spoiler. 

The movie is beautiful at many levels. It shows how the media and public opinion can swing in an instant. The same media first crucifies Maanav, and it also praises him after a twist. 

It is a satirical look at our society in general at one level.

On the other level, it shows the growth of Maanav. From a cushioned, pampered action hero to one who really fights for himself. 

It also shows what really motivates a person - Bhoora and Maanav are brutally honest with each other about that part. The end also says something about the real driving force behind people.

The movie is not family friendly due to the rough language used, so beware. Other than this caveat, a must watch.

Pathaan review

Saw "Pathaan" today. Low on logic, big on action.

SRK is on India's side. Deepika is a Pakistani. ISI agent. John Abraham was a RAW agent. But John felt let down by his country during a very crucial time. So now he's a freelance terrorist who's anti India.

Other star cast is good - Ashutosh Rana + Dimple.

Plot - not much. Shah Rukh has to stop John. Lots of body count on the way.

Special appearance by Bhai. And door opens to YRF Spy Universe (grand term) where these folks will do cameos in each other's films.

SRK is back. He was looking anemic previously, now no more.

Haters will hate. And find ways to #BycottBollywood, spelling mistakes and all.

Summary: Go if logic is not a criterion. And for the action. And for the scene post credits, Marvel style.

Rakshan The Ghost (Tamil)

Saw this on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/in/title/81646772

A blend of everything: John Wick, childhood trauma, uncontrolled action.
You know what is coming when the movie starts off in the desert. And within 3 minutes the body count has gone to 50.

Story? Nagarjuna. The invincible. Called Ghost, in case there was any doubt.

Ok but story? Nagarjuna. Body count in thousands.

Ok seriously, story? Sigh. Ok. 

Haunted by childhood trauma of Hindu - Muslim riots. Taken under his wing by an Army officer. Has an older sister called Anu (Gul Panag), who becomes estranged from their father due to his objection to her marrying an older divorced man. 

Becomes an Interpol officer who deals in blood spill as if it was water. After a child rescue attempt ends in the child's death at the kidnapper's hand, goes rogue. Drifts away from partner / lover (Sonal Chauhan). Chops off gangsters and then vanishes.

Until big sister calls him since she is in mortal danger. Reforms spoilt niece, puts holes (big and small) in everyone, and rescues the day. Never even coming close to dying.

Action sequences are slickly directed. There's some decent sword play, and other stunts. 

But the rest of the film left logic at the door right at the beginning. When the child is shot, the "first aid" that Nagarjuna applies is a big pad of cotton. I'm not kidding. This is the level at which the rest of the story operates.

I am a Nagarjuna fan (ever since "Shiva" in Hindi, back when Ram Gopal Verma could direct). So I watched it for him, and didn't mind the missing storyline. If you are a Nagarjuna fan, you will not be disappointed. 

Others, there's pretty much nothing for you. Please watch John Wick instead.

Vikram Vedha (2017, Tamil)

 "It's easy to choose between right and wrong. But hard to choose between 2 wrongs."

Vikram is an honest police officer who is out to rid the world of as many criminals as possible. But he has 2 major flaws: 

1. He sees everything in black and white.

2. He uses illegal / immoral means to achieve his goal, esp. in encounter killings.

The counterpart to Vikram is Vedha. A gangster who has committed 16 murders. Terror and a law unto himself. But extremely loyal and family oriented.

Vikram is out to get Vedha. The main story starts with an encounter where many of Vedha's aides are killed. That sets in motion a chain of events that draw us into the gray area of right and wrong, puppet and puppeteer. The encounter has multiple facets, all which pose moral questions as well as pose a mystery.

Vedha surrenders himself in a major surprise to Vikram. But soon he's out on bail arranged by his lawyer - Vikram's wife. And the mind games begin. 

Vedha tells Vikram 3 stories that shake his entire belief system.

Based on Betal Pachisi, this is a good adaptation. It takes the gist of that tale and gives it a good flavor of its own.

Acting is first class. Madhavan as Vikram is good as usual. Vijay Sethupati as Vedha does a good job in being understated instead of over the top.

The twist at the end is delicious. I didn't see it coming.

Totally worth a watch.

12th Man (Malayalam)

Continuing my streak of viewing Malayalam films on OTT, I recently saw 12th Man (Malayalam). 

OTT Platform: Disney+ Hotstar.

This stars Mohanlal, and a bunch of characters (11). The other actors I am afraid I don't know due to my limited knowledge of the Malayalam film industry.

11 friends gather at a resort outside the city for a bachelors(?) party hosted for their friend Siddharth. It includes Fida, Siddharth’s fiancée Aarathy, Mathew and his wife Shiny, Jithesh and his wife Dr. Nayana, Sam and his wife Merin, Zachariah and his wife Annie.

7 out of the 11 are college mates. The others are their spouses / fiancee (1). In the beginning they are annoyed by a drunk person called Chandrashekar who demands alcohol for them. They try their best to get rid of him. But he keeps popping up everywhere, even in the party.

In the party, one of the group (Fida) says that even though they are close friends, there are always secrets between them. Others disagree. 

Then someone suggests that they should play a game to finish off this argument. The game is simple. Everyone will keep their mobile phones out on the table for 1 hour. Any call received will be played on speaker phone. Any private text will be read out.

As expected, nothing good comes out of this :-). One by one embarrassing secrets start tumbling out. Financial problems, family issues, etc. 

The icing on the cake comes when Siddharth gets a call from one of his friends asking about the name of abortion pills that he got for one of the women in their group. All hell breaks loose. Accusations and counter-accusations fly around as to who the woman is (and by association, who the man is that had an affair with her). Insults are thrown at each other

The party disintegrates rapidly. Everyone goes to different parts of the resort, including their own rooms.

After a while, Shiny is found dead near a view point. Did she fall, commit suicide, or was murdered?

The police arrive. The friendly drunkard - Chandrashekar - turns out to be actually an ACP who has been temporarily suspended. The actual investigating officer has to handle election duties, so he hands over the case to his superior (Chandrashekar).

And then the game of cat and mice begins. Everyone is called, Agatha Christie style, into a big room. They are told to unlock their phones and put them on the table. So the game is resumed, this time with Chandrashekar as the puppeteer. He accesses everyone's phones, tells them whom to call, what to speak, etc.

It's only these actions primarily that peel back the layers. A lot of skeletons tumble out of everyone's closets. Affairs, financial irregularities, huge money transfers between people in the group, etc. - a whole basket of motives is presented.. 

How Chandrashekar guides the investigation towards a conclusion is the meaty part of the movie. Mohanlal effortlessly switches between the drunkard in the beginning to the sharp detective after the incident. He has the meatiest role, and does full justice to it.

The other characters are also well cast. They make their roles believable to a large extent.

All in all, a good film. Family friendly, nothing to worry about.

Note: There is only Malayalam audio available, with English subtitles. I personally love watching any movie in its own language for the feel it gives. But to each his own. If you are looking for other language options, there aren't any for this film.

Under Suspicion (2000)

 Under Suspicion is a 2000 Hollywood film. Starring Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman and Monica Bellucci in the main roles.

This is one of my favorites. One that I watch again and again, although not frequently. Because it is an intense one. So I space out the viewings.

Trust is fragile. It is undefinable. But it either exists or it doesn't. And you know for sure whether someone trusts you or not.

If someone is guilty of a crime, then they deserve to be punished. But what of suspicion? If someone is suspected of a ghastly crime without proof, isn't it actually worse than being guilty?

Gene Hackman (Henry Hearst) is a wealthy tax attorney. He is about to give a speech at a big fundraising event, as the city celebrates a festival. Just before the event, he is called by Morgan Freeman (Captain Victor Benezet) for questioning. Just 10 minutes, is what he is told.

As the questioning by the Captain and Detective Felix Owens (Thomas Jane) proceeds, Hearst learns that this is no 10 minute matter. It is also very serious. A young girl has been raped and strangled. 

There has been one more rape and strangling of another young girl a few weeks ago. He is being questioned about that too.

So it is obvious that he is the prime suspect.

In the beginning Hearst is at ease. Rich, powerful, connected. Captain Victor Benezet's boss is eager for Hearst to be released ASAP. He even interrupts the questioning to have Hearst cross over the street to the event, give his speech, and then go back to the police station.

As the interrogation proceeds, there is a lot of back and forth. Hearst's life is peeled apart piece by piece until there is absolutely nothing left. We learn that his is a sexless marriage due to which he visits prostitutes in absolutely shady areas (one near the first murder). 

Why is the marriage sexless? Because his wife, Chantal (Monica Bellucci) thinks that he tried to seduce her niece, who is a young girl. So she withholds the one thing that he most desires as a cruel form of punishment.

Hearst has been lying to the police from the start. There are gaps in his story. This convinces them that he is the murderer and they go at him real hard.

In her adamant belief in her husband's guilt, Chantal allows the police to search their mansion, even though they had no basic initial evidence to do so.

Is Hearst the killer? That's a spoiler I can't go through with.

But the mystery is not the juicy part. It's the dynamic duo of Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman. Monica Bellucci plays an important role, but she is not the main attraction.

Freeman and Hackman - Cat and mouse. Dancing, dueling. Repartee - witty sometimes, insulting to the other at times. Trying to wear the other down. Expressions. Absolute masterclass in acting.  They turn an ordinary story into something at a much higher level. 

Back to trust. If you have it, heavenly. If you don't, nothing else matters. All the money and luxury in the world is hollow if you don't have someone important to you believing in you.

Currently on Netflix.  Not family friendly, as you might have guessed :-). But  most definitely worth a watch.

The Gray Man

 Watched The Gray Man on Netflix. 

CIA assassin is targeted for termination by the new people in charge. But obviously he cannot be killed,  no matter what or who is thrown at him. 

Nothing new in the story. Ryan Gosling does a fair job as the indestructible agent. Rest is more memorable for the carnage than the storyline. 

But couple of surprises. 
1. Captain America (Chris Evans) plays an out and out psycho to reset his goody-goody image. He goes all out in the psycho department until the director yelled "cut!" at him. And he still kept stabbing / torturing.

2. Small but noticeable part as an "honorable assassin" for apro Dhanush! Tamizh hero in Hollywood movie! Aur kitne acche din chahiye?

Unfortunately he is referred to as Avik San for some reason. Kaala Japanese vibes? 

Even more unfortunately his scenes are mostly in the dark. Sorry to say, makes it harder to see him 😜 (#racist). 

So watch it if you like the genre. Or for psycho Captain America. Or our nanban Dhanush.