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Scenes From A Pandemic (short film) review

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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

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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

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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.

Navra Maza Navsacha 2

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

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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.

Kolkata Taxi
The iconic yellow taxi

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
The hand-drawn auto taking rest
This ancestral building still has its old name plate
The building that has stood the test of times
An unfamiliar sight
Simple doors that give away the name of the place they are based in
Available on every nook and corner

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

Helly Shah and Barkha Sengupta starrer Zibah deals with Female Genital Mutilation

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Filmmaker Arunjit Borah’s short film Zibah is based on the sensitive issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Produced by Sanjay Singh, Vivek Agarwal, Swati Agarwal and Pawan Singh, it stars Helly Shah, Barkha Sengupta, Ram Gopal Bajaj, Riju Bajaj, Shivani Sopuri and Achal Tankwal.

Sharing about the subject of the film, Riju Bajaj told us, “It is a story of this young girl, who is very ambitious, aspirational and wants to conquer the world and make a career. She is a modern girl from Mumbai who wants to be like any other girl. Her marriage gets fixed. So, her family is worried whether she would be accepted by her in-laws. The reason is that her khatna hasn’t been done because her mother didn’t want that to happen. The father wasn’t happy with it. So, he said that although you have not done it, at some point you will have to do it because of the norm. The pressure mounts and the local clerics convince that it had to be done.”

He continued, “The issue of Female Genital Mutilation kicks in very strongly in the film. It is discussed and the repercussions of it are shown. Generally, this is done when the girl is a baby. At that stage, it’s easier to do. But after the girl has grown and turns above 15, it becomes very difficult and life threatening also. A lot of parents get into the pressure and put the child under the knife for this thing. A film on this subject is very relevant and new. When the script came to us, we were not aware that such a thing happens. So, it kind of enlightened us.”

After reading the script, Riju Bajaj immediately said yes while his father and veteran artiste Ram Gopal Bajaj found it beautiful. The latter was starring in a television show with Helly Shah. That’s how he asked her about acting in Zibah. “Being a television star, he was unsure whether she would do this subject,” said Riju Bajaj. “But Helly immediately said yes without blinking an eye. She is a TV star. So, for her to say yes for this kind of a subject was a great step.”

Zibah will be released on YouTube on August 21.

Also read: Stree 2 review: Niren Bhatt’s dialogues shine the most in this horror-comedy

Stree 2 review: Niren Bhatt’s dialogues shine the most in this horror-comedy

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Filmmaker Amar Kaushik’s Stree was about the villagers of Chanderi fighting against a female evil spirit called Stree, who attacks and takes away the men residing in the village. After a lot of twists and turns, the men are freed in the end and Stree vanishes after her long braid is cut. But in the end, the viewers are given a hint that the mysterious girl with no name (Shraddha Kapoor) is a witch after she leaves the village.

The story of Stree 2 continues a few years later when Chanderi is a peaceful place. Vicky (Rajkummar Rao) and his best friend Bittu (Aparshakti Khurana) are leading a happy-go-lucky life, except that the former is still waiting for the girl with no name (Shraddha) as he loves her. Their buddy Jana (Abhishek Banerjee) is in Delhi studying to become an IAS officer.

However, the peaceful life of Chanderi gets disturbed after Bittu’s girlfriend Chitti (Anya Singh) goes missing, as opposed to men going missing in the first part. This time, a demon called Sarkata (a man without a head) is responsible for the mayhem. The villagers believe that Vicky will once again free them from the evil force. Vicky takes help from his usual friends Bittu and Rudra (Pankaj Tripathi). They call back Jana from Delhi.

The basic plot of Stree 2 is not only similar to Stree but also akin to a lot of stories about a monster creating havoc in people’s lives. Plus, what happens in the end is anybody’s guess. Hence, it is important in such films for the journey to the end to be funny and gripping. This happens in Stree 2 through its regular doses of humour.  

As far as the film’s making is concerned, the biggest star here is the writer Niren Bhatt. His dialogues are not only consistently hilarious but also worth remembering later. The meta references of the latest films and some happenings of the country are the icing on the cake. In fact, there is not much of a story development in the first half. But you will hardly notice that, thanks to Bhatt’s humour. Plus, director Amar Kaushik’s handling of the tale is also praiseworthy.

Stree 2 is technically more sound that the first film. Jishnu Bhattacharjee’s camerawork gets noticed regularly, especially in the horror sequences. Background scorer Justin Varghese doesn’t get carried away by the genre. Hemanti Sarkar’s sleek editing also falls in the positive. The VFX, a crucial part of such genre of films, is of a high standard.

The performances are also praiseworthy. Rajkummar Rao is in top form, especially during the comic sequences. The same can be said about Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. These four actors do complete justice to the dialogues during their conversations, which are aplenty. Shraddha Kapoor gets more scope later on and she plays her part well.

The surprise factor in the form of Akshay Kumar’s cameo works well. He is highly impactful. Varun Dhawan (from Bhediya) and Tamannaah Bhatia’s cameos fit in the narrative. But Atul Srivastava, Aakash Dabhade and Mushtaq Khan, who are carried forward from the first film, are hardly there.

Apart from the first half, the film also has a few more glitches. The horror sequences become repetitive as they are already done do death in a number of Hindi horror films. The film also needed to be shorter in duration considering its story material. This is also felt in the post-credit sequences, which are too lengthy.

Overall: Stree 2 is a worthy sequel and another positive addition to Maddock Films’ horror-comedy universe.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Director: Amar Kaushik

Producers: Maddock Films and Jio Studios

Writer: Niren Bhatt

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee

Also read: Maharaj review: Karsandas Mulji’s story, unfortunately, is relevant even after 160 years

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

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Veteran legend Ashok Saraf will next be seen in the Marathi film Lifeline. The movie is a social drama with the theme of superstition vs science. Directed by the first timer Saahil Shirwaikar, it will see a tussle between a surgeon, played by Saraf, and a Hindu priest specializing on last rites, essayed by another veteran Madhav Abhyankar.

During the trailer launch of Lifeline last evening, Saraf expressed his happiness at being offered a role in a film with such a subject. He said, “Firstly, I would like to congratulate Saahil Shirwaikar and his father Rajesh Shirwaikar (writer) for choosing such a subject. Till now, nobody even thought about this message that is in the interest of the society. People will understand that importance of doctors (from this film) and their point of view on doctors will change.”

Adding more about the subject, Saraf added, “Blind faith and science are poles apart. They can’t come together. But that conflict has been handled in such a beautiful way in this film that it will stay in the hearts of the audience.”

Saraf also revealed that his screen-time in the film isn’t large but that’s not a concern for him. “My role is very important,” he said. “Its length is less (but) the role has a lot of weightage. So, apart from my role, what else happened in the shoot, I am not aware. But I knew the story. When he (Saahil) narrated it to me, I instantly said yes. The length of the role is not a problem for me. The strength of the role is more important. What I will show through my role and how much it will impact the audience is important for me.”

During the course of the discussion, Saraf was asked the reason for trusting a newcomer like Saahil Shirwaikar and instantly agreeing to do his film. He said, “I felt the one who takes up such a theme with so much confidence, he must have done a lot of study on it. My only criteria were whether I will get to do something different, which I am always searching. I found that in this role. Once I get such a role, I don’t think about its length.”

Lifeline also stars Jaywant Wadkar, Bharat Dabholkar, Hemangi Kavi, Sharmila Shinde, among others. Produced by Crescendo Entertainment, the movie is all set to release in theatres on August 2.

Also read: Paradise (English-Sinhala-Malayalam) review: Provides a gradual hard-hitting jolt

Kill review: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s action ride engagingly stays on track  

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Filmmaker Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s ambitious action saga Kill is a first not just because of the violence and gore it projects in Hindi cinema but also in terms of cinematic finesse. After going through this ‘ride’, one can vouch that the makers succeeded in their ‘mission’.

Kill revolves around the love story between the commando Amrit Rathod (Lakshya) and Tulika (Tanya Maniktala). The former returns from an army camp after days and gets to know that Tulika’s father Baldeo Singh Thakur (Harsh Chhaya) has planned her engagement with someone else and that too the very next day in Ranchi. Amrit takes his colleague and close friend Viresh (Abhishek Chauhan) to Ranchi.

Amrit gets to know that Tulika and her entire family is returning to Delhi the next day through a train. He and Viresh also get into the same train. Over there, Amrit gets an opportunity to propose marriage to Tulika, for which she happily agrees.

However, unknown to Amrit, Tulika and others, a group of dacoits headed by Fani (Raghav Juyal) and his family members attack the train and start looting the passengers of their valuables. Amrit and Viresh spring into action and this starts a ‘bloody’ battle between them.  

One has come across a large number of Hindi films where a single hero fights against a group of baddies in order to rescue innocents. But Kill stands apart from all those flicks simply by how it executes its goal.

The train compartments built for the shoot purpose are straight out of reality. On top of that, the film is full of fight sequences that take place in such a crammed space. But that space doesn’t act as a hindrance even once. The fight scenes are convincing and entertaining. Hence, the entire technical department deserves praise, especially the cinematographer Rafey Mahmood and Se-Yeong Oh and Parvez Shikh for the fights and stunts.

When it comes to the latter, Kill also goes several notches higher when it comes to violence and gore. One has seen such bloodbaths in the Hindi arena only in a few web series. Such a gore-fest is a first for a theatrical release. Perhaps, Ram Gopal Varma’s Rakht Charitra (2010) and Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal (2023) come mighty close.

Kill also nails it in the casting. Debutant Lakshya proves in his first outing that he is impressive in both emoting and action stunts. Raghav Juyal, who is seen as such a baddie for the first time, excels and entertains. Tanya Maniktala also rises to the occasion and gets to do more than just romance. Ashish Vidyarthi and Harsh Chhaya live up to their reputation of being seasoned performers. Abhishek Chauhan, in a supporting role, is also impressive.

Kill comes with its flipsides though. It is questionable to see one of the richest men in India Baldeo Singh Thakur making his entire and extended family travel in a train for long distance. Fani and his gang members, despite being professionals, don’t resort to guns and execute the whole mission through sharp objects. One can still ignore these aspects so that your overall experience isn’t ‘killed’.

But what hurts the film the most is a tragic incident that happens midway. It somewhere lessens you rooting for the good guys, especially the lovers. Plus, it is not shown to be as devastating as it should have been. This point also ‘kills’ the repeat value for Kill.

Overall: Kill takes the audience on a satisfying action ride without derailing.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

Writers: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat (story, screenplay and dialogues)

Producers: Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment

Cast: Lakshya, Tanya Maniktala, Raghav Juyal

Also read: Maharaj review: Karsandas Mulji’s story, unfortunately, is relevant even after 160 years

Book Review: Razor Sharp – Ashwin Sanghi dwells into the serial killer zone

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Since more than a decade, Ashwin Sanghi has gained name and fame for his books in his ‘Bharat Series’. Under its umbrella, he has presented stories that are a mixture of mythology or history with the contemporary times amidst the background of high profile crimes. But with Razor Sharp, the author has dwelled into the serial killer zone for the first time.

The book is set in today’s times in Mumbai. The city is rocked by the murder of a man in an unusual style. His hands are tied behind with a rope, his mouth stuffed with food-grains and a knife is stabbed into the left side of his chest. Senior cop Shinde is given the responsibility of the case. He unofficially takes the help of former senior cop and his close friend Prakash Kadam, better known as Kutta Kadam in police circles.

The middle-aged Kadam once had a promising career in the Mumbai police force but his honesty and morals cost him his job. But that’s not all. He is not in the best of physical and mental health and his current lifestyle is making it worse. A major reason for this is a disturbing past incident which led to his wife Sarla dumping him.

However, despite his physical and mental condition, Kadam is a genius when it comes to solving crime. He has a loving and equally intelligent daughter Ketul, a lawyer, who always helps him in solving complicated criminal cases. Kadam and Ketul’s workload increases as the killer doesn’t stop at just one murder.

Razor Sharp by Ashwin Sanghi

There is no doubt that stories of serial killers are done to death, not just in literature but also in other forms of entertainment. Despite that, Razor Sharp doesn’t get uninteresting due to various reasons.

The biggest being the character of the protagonist and his daughter. There is no doubt that the character of the investigator reeling with a dark past has become a cliché. But Kadam teaming up with his daughter Ketul brings freshness to the scene. Their bond is loving, although not overtly. There are various moments in the book where one smiles because of their conversations.

Although the book is an out-and-out contemporary crime thriller, one finds Sanghi’s love for Hindu mythology somewhere in it. At one point, his fondness for anagrams is also visible. This doesn’t harm the book. In fact, it makes it stand apart from other murder mysteries.

The author’s gripping narrative is felt here too. Hence, like his previous works, the book becomes a fast read with no dull moment. Once again, his language is easy to grasp as it’s a smart mixture of simplicity and richness.  

Razor Sharp also has the presence of political drama that is somewhere linked to the case. Although this adds to the interest, this part should have been simpler. The presence of too many characters who are only addressed by their surnames (Rane, Gaikwad, Patil, Chavan, etc) adds some confusion. The angle of the fake godman Momuma adds intrigue. But one later feels that this part didn’t deserve much footage. In other words, both these sub-plots could have been shortened and this would have made the book crisper.

There are also cuss words in a Sanghi novel for the first time. There is no doubt that this is how people converse, both criminals and the ones going after them, but there is an overdose of it.  

Lastly, the identity of the serial killer takes you by surprise, although it doesn’t give you a jolt. But the situation in which the reveal happens adds a lot of thrill.

Overall: Ashwin Sanghi’s first plunge in the serial killer zone with Razor Sharp turns out to be an interesting read.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Publishers: Harper Collins

Pages: 310

Price: Rs 399

Also read: Book Review: The Magicians of Mazda by Ashwin Sanghi

Paradise (English-Sinhala-Malayalam) review: Provides a gradual hard-hitting jolt

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Filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage’s Paradise is a Sri Lankan-Indian joint venture produced by Newton Cinema and presented by Mani Ratnam’s Madras Talkies. The movie is a tri-lingual in English, Sinhala and Malayalam.

Paradise tells the story of a couple from Kerala, Kesav (Roshan Mathew) and Amritha (Darshana Rajendran), who visit a hill station in Sri Lanka to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. Their trip coincides with the mass protests in April 2022 after the country declares bankruptcy. Hence, there are agitations at various places for basic necessities of life.

But Kesav and Amritha are not bothered much and they start spending quality time with each other. Kesav’s happiness doubles after his upcoming web series gets greenlit by Netflix. However, their happiness is short-lived after they are robbed at night when they are fast asleep. Both of them lose their gadgets. Kesav faces a bigger loss as his work related stuff was in the iPad and mobile phone, which got stolen. They lodge a police complaint.

This reviewer hadn’t seen the film’s trailer before watching the film and that turned out to be a good idea since the trailer gives away a lot.

As the couple start their trip, one is constantly reminded of the impending protests in the background. And that is enough to not only keep you hooked but also anxious of things turning sour for them. Once the robbery takes place, the narrative goes into a different drive.

What’s more impressive is that the movie is not narrated like a crime thriller with elements to keep you hooked, especially through the technical departments. It follows a gradual narrative and has enough material naturally to keep things tense. The film scores the highest during the handling of the ending moments that provide a jolt. Along with that, Paradise also deserves brownie points for portraying the slow and seamless cracks in the relationship between Kesav and Amritha.

The characters are seen giving references of different versions of Ramayana. During a conversation, one character speaks about the Jain version of the epic. This appears like a casual conversation until you experience the ending moments, which leave you speechless as well as with a few questions.

There is not much of a negative point in Paradise. The only little issue here is that the two of them face a personal problem after their stuff is stolen and are not directly affected by the mass protests. Of course, the robbery can be an indirect reason for the lack of amenities in Sri Lanka at that time. But one would expect them to face something directly related to the volatile situation.

Roshan Mathew and Darshana Rajendran have proven their talent on numerous occasions over the years. They are flawless here too. There are various moments when they speak a lot without saying much, especially when their relation is going through a gradual turmoil. The movie also has some fine performances from numerous supporting actors.

Overall: Paradise is a finely narrated drama that refuses to leave you much after it ends.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Director: Prasanna Vithanage

Producers: Newton Films

Cast: Roshan Mathew, Darshana Rajendran

Also read: Pushtaini review: A true-blue independent film with a big heart