Blog Full - Ashok Karania

7 Aug 2022

Darlings Review: A Half-Cooked Debut!

Hindi Cinema’s misfortune continues…Alia Bhatt’ superstar status and great performances may not be enough to save her brave production debut.

The story of an abusive marriage where an alcoholic husband routinely hits his wife. One day, she decides to turn the tables.

The choice of the subject is brave. Full marks for that. The execution is bad. Neither emotional nor dark comedy that is aspires to be. The ineptness of screenplay and editing is clearly visible. Secret Superstar and Thappad are better movies for exploring the complex layers of domestic violence, gender roles, power play, patriarchy, identity etc.

Alia Bhatt is wonderful and fully exploits the canvas that she has been offered – she is good but could have been better. Like Alia, Shefali Shah could have been much much more effective. The highlight of the movie is Vijay Varma – a perfect manipulating machine swaps to a sweet charmer to a frustrated employee. He invokes hatred and has a great screen presence.

An average fare!

#darlings #aliabhatt #darlingsmovie #thriller #crime #netflix #weekend #weekendwatch #newreleases #bollywood #indiancinema

11 Jul 2022

Modern Love Hyderabad: Baingan Ka Bataan? Nau..Lekin Mazza Nahin Aaya!

Formulaic Fare That Does Not Impress!

Hyderabad is a city with a special magic! The city of pearls is lovingly progressive and its golden hearted people welcomingly share the love for food, cinema and culture. The Hyderabadi lingo, IT transformation, culinary delights and overall warmth stay on….

An anthology celebrating Nawabi city, cuisine & kiraak Ishq deserves to be much much better! Especially when Hyderabad Blues’ Nagesh Kukonoor paints the multiple shades of Love & muse Hyderabad!

What is love? Billion definitions for a universal emotion. Is love letting go? Should you wait for love to discover you? Is love unconditional? Modern Love Hyderabad gives a few perspectives.

Six stories. Six angles. All celebrate love and successfully keep Hyderabad at the centre of it. All the interpretations have strong women protagonists – unique, emotional, vulnerable yet very impressive and steadfast.

‘My Unlikely Pandemic Dream Partner’ is the best of the lot with Revathy and Nithya killing it. Perfect partners can drift apart. A mother wants space from her child. Cool!

‘How To Find Your Penguin’ is interestingly creative and brave. Komalee Prasad manages to carry the bizarre idea of a microbiologist comparing men to animals and birds. It again lacks depth and falls short….

‘Why Did She Leave Me There?’ is an heart-wrenching emotional drama showing unconditional love means letting go…

‘What Clown Wrote The Script’ is fresh and promises great potential…but does not carry through…

Purple Stilettoes can ruin a purple patch…’Fuzzy, purple and full of thorns’ is a story with relatable couple and Ritu Varma in form but script falls short.

‘About that Rustle in the Bushes’ is predictable…

Modern Love Hyderabad is a soothing, warm and predictable love series with happy endings and nice music. It keeps Hyderabad at the centre of it but it is not as brave as Modern Love Mumbai. M M Keeravani’s theme music and songs are really awesome! Director Nagesh could have done better!

Let’s see what Modern Love Chennai brings….The best would be to green light Modern Love Sangli, Modern Love Rajkot, Modern Love Bokaro, Modern Love Rohtak, Modern Love Baramulla – What say?

Modern Love Season 1 remains the topnotch fare. Crème de la crème! Watch it first before anything else!

5 Jul 2022

Suzhal: The Vortex – An Intriguing Gripping Thriller

The southern surge continues on OTT. After Bahubali, Pushpa, RRR & KGF, Suzhal sets the ball rolling for southern web series!

A sleepy small town of Sambaloor is awakened from it lazy slumber by a factory fire and a young girl gone missing! The two incidents open up many fault lines – old hostilities, complicated relationships, parental kid disconnect, abrasiveness of police, class struggle, sexual tenebrosity etc. Ladies and gentlemen, this is ‘The Mare Of Easttown’ in South Indian forgotten town where everybody knows everyone – or so they think!

The town is celebrating the nine-day carvinalisque Mayana Kollai festival and each day of the festival unveils a layer of mystery. The festival elements – music, colors, beautify adorned Goddesses, religious fervour, passionate devotees, mythology, dance and swaying – strengthen the tense drama. Full marks for the fusion – creates a unique look and feel!

The festival celebrates the Goddesses and the series is an ode to Women power – None are black and white. Have made interesting choices. Escaped. Challenged the glass ceiling. Regina (Shriya) reminds of Vijaya Shanti cop avatar but she is more brutal and vulnerable. Sakkarai, Shanmugam and Nandini give top notch performances.

The characters are very well defined and have a great depth and arc. Emotions as well as mystery. The amazing writing keeps us glued till the end – a challenge in thrillers as all of us know that only the last episode will reveal the true killer and all other possibilities are deceptive diversions!

Watch Suzhal for:

– Southern spice to OTT Thrillers

– Beautiful canvas of rich colors and layered drama

– Top notch performances

Recommended viewing!

#suzhal #suzhalthevortex #southindian #webseries #thriller #crime #primevideo #netflix #weekend #weekendwatch #newreleases #bollywood #indiancinema #amazonprime #goodwatch

19 May 2022

RRR Movie Review: Riveting. Ravishing. Restless. Rudimentary.

Breathtaking. Stylish. Hypnotic.

The Big Screen Extravaganza from ‘Bahubali’ Rajamouli.

Fast and Furious with ‘Naacho Naacho’

Gladiator with Bromance!

Adjectives aside, Rise Roar Revolt (RRR) is a paisa vasool entertainer with overflowing action, creative thrills and visual marvels.

A story of two revolutionaries – Fire Raju and Water Bheem – who take on the might of British empire. Bheem is on a mission to rescue a little girl that is forcefully taken away by a British Lord Scott and his cruel wife. Raju is a a loyal officer whose assignment is to stop and arrest Bheem. Rajamouli weaves the magic and melodrama as ‘friends turn foe turn friends’.

The Fire & Water elements are presented in a compelling fashion. The camaraderie is authentic. Watch-out for spell-bounding drama – the unleashing of animals, the bridge scene, Raju’s capture of a freedom fighter etc. ‘Naacho Naacho’ song deserves a special credit.

The film is not without its flaws. The film drags in the second half and story does not hold firmly. The emotional depth is missing. Ajay Devgan & Alia Bhatt ensure Bollywood diversity in their cameos.

Despite its length and loopholes, RRR’s magic works like a charm. The film is technically perfect with awesome production values and world-class Hollywood matching VFX.

Bahubali with its romance, emotional core, revenge, Katappa and overall glamour remains a much better Rajamouli movie.

RRR – Load, Aim & Shoot! Watch it on the big screen only!

#RRR #indiancinema #indianfilm #newrelease #bollywood #tollywood #RRRreview #hindimovies #movies #moviereview