Blog Full - Ashok Karania

30 Dec 2022

The Banshees Of Inisherin: Melancholic. Macabre. Maddening. Morbid. Must-Watch.

An impeccable, thought provoking and insightful epic of human relationships and life!

When friendships break!

When existential questions hurt!

Just like every other day, Padraic visits his best friend Colm for the ritualistic trip to the local pub. Colm refuses to speak and breaks the friendship which devastates Padraic to no end. Padraic persists on winning back his friend but Colm is equally stubborn and threatens to cut off his fingers one by one if Padriac does not back off! Ouch! And shockingly, he walks the talk! Heart-breaking and horrifying!

What a story….what an impressive set of eclectic characters!

Colm is a thinker who wants to have a purposeful life and leaving a lasting impression on the world! His icy cold rejection of Colm is incisive – “I just don’t like you no more”!

Padraic just wants to be nice human being and feels kindness is what one will be remembered for! His reactions to Colm as well as his interactions with animals are moving!

Dominic is the troubled teenager who steals the show when he says “there goes that dream”!

Padriac’s sister Siobhan is a wise, well-read and strong woman with dreams and ambition…Her silence pierces as well as her retorts like “not another silent man in Inisherin”

And what an ending! Will not spoil the beans…tell what you think of it?

Colin Farell and Brendan Gleeson’s chemistry as two friends at odd is amazing! The whole range of emotions from confusion to shock to anger is well a master class in acting – expressed with eyes and body language! Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan are rock solid and lift the movie to a next level.

Martin McDonagh focusses on human relationship and small town absurdities with the backdrop of war in a remote Irish island. Life in a judgemental and probing community can be claustrophobic and maddening! The writing and screenplay is very meaningful and incisive – translated impeccably on the big screen with an emphatic treatment! The cinematography is a character in itself and transports you to the beautifully Irish countryside. The visuals and music have a calming effect – acting as a meditative healing amidst the melancholic pain!

A movie that will touch you and set you thinking!

18 Dec 2022

Avatar – The Way Of Water: Breathtakingly Immersive Experience Of A Disappointing Movie

Avatar is one of the greatest cinematic experience. A game-changing visionary movie. Apart from pathbreaking technology, it introduced us to the blue bodied Na’vi of Pandora moon, raised our environmental consciousness way before Greta Thunberg and made us feel ‘I see you’. It reigned as the highest grossing movie for a decade since its release in 2009.

Avatar 2 is called Avatar – The Way Of Water. It is second of the five instalments that will continue to be released every 2 years till 2028.

Jake Sully and his family flee the forest to take refuge with amphibian tribe Metkayina. The green canvas turns to turquoise Maldives like pristine waters. After the initial tense proceedings, things settle down and they together fight the common enemy – sky people – the humans.

The aquatic flora and fauna is the best part of the movie. Dazzling and enchanting! The whale like tulkun is the showstopper – gentle giant that is bigger than Mumbai flats. The climax is a return to Titanic world for James Cameron – even Kate Winslet joins the reunion!

Avatar 2 is a beautiful spectacle but too long and has no gripping plot to speak of. New owner Disney add family dynamics to the environment and imperialism themes. One can give James Cameron the credit to be singularly focused on the simple narrative.

Avatar – The Way Of Water is a one time big screen watch. It is debuting in more 50,000 screens at the same time across all major countries. If you do not watch it, our hearts will still go on….

4 Dec 2022

Qala Review: Visually Spectacular Musical Pyschodrama

Qala – Where Guru Dutt meets Bhansali meets Vikramditya Motwane!

Qala is a work of art! Picture perfect frames, scintillating music, brilliant acting and empathetic treatment make Qala a great watch!

Qala is the story Qala Manjushree – a famous Bollywood singer and winner of Golden Vinyl record, who is struggling with parental disdain and personal guilt. She has unbridled ambitions in a highly misogynistic society and she actualises her dreams with intriguing choices. The pyrrhic victory takes an epic toll on her. She shines outside but is burning within. She is calm but broken within.

Triptii is the perfect choice for Qala who shows fragility, ambition, vulnerability, guilt, jealousy, hurt, power and many other colours in a single canvass. She constantly reminded me of Natalie Portman’s Black Swan act – only with Organza Sarees and high neck quarter sleeve blouses.

Swastika Mukherjee is equally amazing as Urmila – who had learned the hard realities of life and tells her daughter to work harder in a man’s world. Her apathy to Qala and her affection to Sajan are two sides of the same coin. Stoic Swastika!

Irffan Khan’s son Babil makes a great impact in a brief but significant role. He immerses himself in the character – like his Dad. He and supporting cast uplift the movie.

Full marks to Anvika Dutta for creating a beautiful dark painting with multiple shades. The icy cold Himachal and warm Kolkata are so strikingly different – even the mood and clothing of characters.

Technically brilliant, gorgeously shot and strong direction. Loved the metaphors – Moth, Mercury, Snowfall, Cuckoo! Moth embraces Organza saree….Strong screenplay. Loved dialogues – “The times change. This is an old trick of time.” “Naam ke aage pandit lagna chahiye, uske peeche bai nahi”.

The brilliant film’s biggest star is the music. What a composer Amit Trivedi has become – each and every song is so impeccable and integral to the story line. Shauq is a masterpiece which convey’s heartbreak while Ghode Pe Sawaar brings nostalgia of the past era. Nirbhau Nirvair is awesome! Magical!

Watch it! What remains with us are handmade painting visuals, mesmerising music, moth motifs, organza sarees and lots of thoughts – Qala is a remarkable movie!

Caveat: A dark movie – not for everyone! Not a masala entertainer or typical Netflix skin and crime thriler! Qala is an acquired taste!

27 Nov 2022

‘Monica O My Darling’ Review: Womaniya Blast In A Musical Comic Thriller!

A taut pop culture rich thriller with unapologetic eccentric characters! A social climber has it all – great job, beautiful fiancé and a bright future – till things go south! A femme fatale secretary and a kick-ass police officer create a mad energy of its own! And there are murders along the way!

Huma Qureshi & Radhika Apte have a blast in the intriguing murder mystery! Huma Quereshi is a riot. Radhika Apte is completely sassy. Lovely to see them enjoying in their well-written characters. Rajukumar Rao does a great job but he has been there, done that. A great ensemble cast.

The music is terrific and adds to the quirky fun. Songs like ‘ Yeh Ek Zindagi’, ‘Love you so much that I want to kill you’ ‘Bye Bye Adios’ etc are a character in itself!

Smart writing, strong screenplay, fabulous dialogues, marvellous acting and outstanding music make it a nice watch. Editing could have been better. Director Vasan Bala creates a cool cocktail of Johnny Gaddar, Sriram Raghavan and James Hadley Chase novels.

Worth a watch!