Archives for September 2024

Scenes From A Pandemic (short film) review

September 29, 2024 by Keyur Seta 2 Comments

The title of filmmaker Tanmaya Shekhar’s short Hindi movie Scenes From A Pandemic is self-explanatory. It throws light on the period when India, along with the rest of the world, faced the menace of COVID-19 aka Coronavirus.

The story starts off in December 2019 when the Jaipur-based young Molshri (Molshri) lands a job offer in Mumbai. She is too attached to her parents (Arif Patel and Aarti Desai) and is searching for ways to refuse the offer. But she finally gives in after some encouragement from her best friend Shruti (Bhavya Grover), who has also landed a job in Mumbai.

Molshri and Shruti shift to Mumbai and take an expensive apartment on rent in Bandra. Molshri is all set to begin a new life in a new city with dreams of a bright future. However, the COVID-19 pandemic arrives in March 2020 and changes her life forever.

We all have memories of the various COVID-19 waves and that too unpleasant ones. We have either seen people go through a drastic change in their lives during this period or have faced the same ourselves. Scenes From A Pandemic provides an intimate and real picture of what the protagonist and her family goes through during that period.

Interestingly, almost the entire film is narrated through a screen of a smart phone. The filmmaker has executed the idea in an impressive way, especially when some story developments happen through Instagram stories. And this is done in a way that one develops deep concern for Molshri’s life. The cinematography (Manas Godara, Tanmaya Shekhar and Molshri) and editing (Radhika Pathak) have crucial contributions.

Molshri’s performance also plays a key role in creating the desired effect. She displays her character’s joy and sorrow with ease. Bhavya Grover, Arif Patel and Aarti Desai are impressive too in their supporting roles.

Although there are no major minuses, the arrival of the COVID-19, which is nothing short of a demon, should have been elaborated more in the narrative. Other than that, Scenes From A Pandemic is realistic and moving coming-of-age saga of a youngster.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Director: Tanmaya Shekhar

Producers: Tanmaya Shekhar and Molshri

Cast: Molshri, Bhavya Grover, Arif Patel, Aarti Desai, Vijendra Chaubey

Watch the film below:

Also Read: Indi(r)a’s Emergency review: Shows the period’s relevance today

Dharmaveer 2 review: The film is more like an election pitch

September 28, 2024 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

Filmmaker Pravin Vitthal Tarde’s Dharmaveer: Mukkam Post Thane (2022), the first film in the series, spoke about the rise and the greatness of the late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe, who was from Thane. The film was a good biopic that also worked as a commercial entertainer with a fine act from Prasad Oak as Dighe.

As the protagonist passes away at the end of the first film, one wondered what the film’s sequel, Dharmaveer: Mukkam Post Thane 2, would have in store. As it turns out, the movie is nothing but a 157-minute long campaign for the upcoming assembly polls in Mahahrashtra.

The narrative of Dharmaveer 2 runs two tracks parallel. One is based in 2022 when Eknath Shinde (Kshitish Date) is a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. The film starts off with the real incident of a gruesome lynching of two sadhus in Palghar. Shinde, along with a number of other MLAs, is disappointed with the way his government has handled this and various other issues in the state.

As Shinde and others wonder what to do next, they recall the life and incidents of their late hero Anand Dighe and how he used to solve various issues in his own way. Hence, the other track is the flashback featuring Dighe.

Right from the initial moments of the film, it becomes clear that this is a sequel made just for the sake of it. This keeps getting confirmed as the film starts moving ahead. The main aim of the narrative is to show Uddhav Thackeray’s then MVA government in a bad light. There are various potshots taken at him and their allies Congress and NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) without taking names.

Once the film moves into the second half, the narrative slowly makes Shinde as the central figure. For example, during the deadly second COVID wave, it is shown that Shinde and his aides alone were responsible for the lack of oxygen cylinders not becoming a problem in the state.

Similarly, the movie touches upon various aspects that would appease their target audience. Right from the utterance of the word ‘Bhagva’ every now and then to featuring scenes based around the staging of plays on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Nathuram Godse. In fact, in one scene it is also said that Hindi films are responsible for showing Hinduism in bad light. These are just a few examples.

From the few plusses, Tarde has shown that he knows the art of turning a simple scene in a whistle-worthy moment. But the biggest plusses here are the performances of Prasad Oak and Kshitish Date. Oak continues from where he left in the first film. He once again displays fear and switches onto compassion in a second in an effortless manner. Date gets ample scope this time and he succeeds in portraying the inner turmoil of Shinde, whether it’s through his body language or voice. The rest of the actors have cameos or extended cameos.

But these points easily get overshadowed by the minuses. Surprisingly, the makers indirectly announce the third part of the series in the end.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Director: Pravin Vitthal Tarde

Producers: Sahil Motion Arts and Zee Studios

Cast: Prasad Oak, Kshitish Date

Also Read: Navra Maza Navsacha 2 review: Thoroughly entertaining surprise of the year

Navra Maza Navsacha 2 review: Thoroughly entertaining surprise of the year

September 22, 2024 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

It is quite common for movies to not live up to its exciting trailer. It is extremely rare for the opposite to happen. Sachin Pilgaonkar’s Navra Maza Navsacha 2 is that rare film that turns out to be many times better than its trailer. In other words, the film’s promo was misleading, but in a good way.

Navra Maza Navsacha 2 is the sequel to the iconic and successful Navra Maza Navsacha (2004), which starred Sachin Pilgaonkar and Supriya Pilgaonkar in lead roles. The film ended with Vakratund aka Vacky (Sachin) somehow managing to fulfill his late father’s vow of visiting the Ganesh temple in Ganpatipule naked. He was pushed for the same by his wife Bhakti (Supriya). The couple also earns Rs. 8 crores as they help the police nab the criminal Babu Kalia (Pradeep Patwardhan).

Hence, in the second part Navra Maza Navsacha 2, Vacky and Bhakti are leading a comfortable life. Their daughter Shraddha (Hemal Ingle) has grown up. She is in love with Lambodar aka Lamby (Swapnil Joshi). Due to certain circumstances, this time Shraddha vows to get Lamby visit Ganpatipule temple naked along with other difficult conditions. Lamby somehow agrees and the four of them set out to for the trip through train.

Navra Maza Navsacha 2 pretty much follows the same template as its predecessor with the ST bus being replaced by train and Ashok Saraf’s character being the ticket collector (TC) instead of the conductor. However, the characters and their funny mannerisms and the overall jokes and gigs are quite fresh and genuinely funny. In fact, barring some emotional moments, which were necessary, the movie is a complete laugh riot where even little things play a big role in getting you in splits.

Unlike the first film, the journey in the second one starts in the second half. The first half has some major conflict and drama. This takes you by surprise because none of this is shown in the trailer.

Navra Maza Navsacha 2 brings back the nostalgia of the first film. But it is shot and presented like a film of today’s times. The balance is well maintained. The music falls in the decent category with ‘Dumroo Vaje’ turning out to be memorable.

Sachin Pilgaonkar and Supriya Pilgaonkar have carried on from where they left in the first film, bringing the same energy. Swapnil Joshi, despite his age, fits the character of a bachelor and succeeds in bringing Lamby alive. Hemal Ingle also performs well among the stalwarts. Like the first film, Ashok Saraf takes the cake despite arriving late. His act is not only funny but also moving.

The film has cameos and extended cameos from Siddharth Jadhav, Nirmiti Sawant, Jaywant Wadkar, Vijay Patkar, Vaibhav Mangle, Sonu Nigam, Ali Asgar, Johnny Lever, Shriya Pilgaonkar, among others.

Like the first film, there are a lot of creative liberties taken. But the major issue with the film is its timeline. The first movie ends in 2004. Considering Vacky and Bhakti had a kid right after the story’s completion, Shraddha would have been born in 2005. So her age should be 19. But there is no mention that she is very young and it’s difficult to believe that a modern girl like her decides to marry at such a young age in today’s times.

Vijay Patkar’s character is continued from the first film. But Nirmiti Sawant, who was Vacky’s aunt in the first movie, is now shown as Lambodar’s mother. At one point Ashok Saraf’s character is said to be the same from the first film. But then, Vacky and Bhakti never seem to recognize him. The same goes for a few other characters too.

But overall, Navra Maza Navsacha 2 is a thoroughly entertaining surprise of the year. And if you are a believer in Ganpati, you are in for a treat.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Director: Sachin Pilgaonkar

Producer: Sachin Pilgaonkar

Writer: Sachin Pilgaonkar

Cast: Sachin Pilgaonkar, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Swapnil Joshi, Hemal Ingle, Ashok Saraf

Also Read: Ashok Saraf on Lifeline, “More than the length, the strength of the character is important”

Photos: Kolkata’s old world charm captured on mobile

September 14, 2024 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

After watching visuals of Kolkata in various movies, TV shows and reading about its local places in stories of Feluda and Byomkesh Bakshi, I became eager to visit that place. After a lot of thoughts and delays, the trip finally happened in January this year (2024). The capital of West Bengal and its spirit impressed me thoroughly.

A major reason for this is the old-world charm that the city has still retained. I felt that the main city is found in its simple, everyday scenes that ooze the word ‘art’. Whether it is the old yellow taxi or simply an old structure standing tall while enduring the test of times. The place and its surroundings somehow reminded me of the nostalgic 90s of my home place, Mumbai (then Bombay).

Needless to say, I clicked plenty of pictures throughout my trip of just under a week. Hence, it was quite a task to zero in on 10-15 pictures that I loved the most and fit well in the theme of Kolkata’s old world charm.

No need to name the city once you see the hand drawn auto and the structure

This conductor was in no hurry to give the tickets

These red buildings instantly remind me of Basu Chatterji’s iconic TV show Byomkesh Bakshi

Life going around the famous Howrah Bridge

The old door and the old-fashioned bicycle are enough to take you in the flashback mode

This ancestral building still has its old name plate

The building that has stood the test of times

Simple doors that give away the name of the place they are based in

Also read: South Korea through the eyes of a vegetarian Indian