Bethlehem Kudumba Unit

 

 

As Sudhir Srinivasan says, While watching Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, I kept thinking of Victor Hugo's quote on love "The first symptom of true love in a young man is timidity, in a young girl, it is boldness" You see this in the movie, which showcases a normal life in Kerala town. People have their problems, but friends with their wit and one liner comics that we call 'Chali' make life easy to sail through. 

Like Premalu style, which was focused on younger generation, this movie adapts similar style for all ages, if it was a trip to Hyderabad there, her we have the trip to Goa.  The songs, laughter, joy, sorrow, sadness, fights and the life going on...

Humor between isolation and pain is what keeps the movie attractive for people of all ages. Those who have gone through such situation can relate, those who have not, would feel, if I could go through these situations.... 

It's a sweet film, the seems to believe in destiny, loved the match making by a nun played by Bindu Paniker, reminded me of similar visits that Jisha often quote. 

One liner like 'Athenthaa…nighakk justine nottamondaayrnnaa', 'Nee ithunnu enthelum kazhicho', 'Uru cheriye urmbu kadikuna vedenaye ullu' make you wonder where these spontaneous, as my cousins say during our conversation and we mock them by saying 'chali' or where these part of the script? 

Ashley and Justin connect over guitar string, laptop, music 'The Breeders' and their song 'Off you', cassettes. Roome No 17 and MP3 reminded me of Room No 2. 

A delightful and charming movie experience, proving love would never go out of fashion and when combined with family and friends, we need nothing more. BKU is kidu. Is there anything special? Nothing and that is special.  Cause there is never a dull moment, except may be the long fight and Nivin slapping his brother like that.... that again reminded me of muttachan slapping me, is that what people here thought was the right thing and way to teach youngsters? 

Another speciality of the movie is that its shot in and around Chalakudy, Karkutty, Puthenchera, Angamali...Nammadee Nadu. 

Highlight and what's different is this: Soulmates - Oru Saathukkudi Pranayam | Joel Davis | Justin Davis | Malayalam Romantic Short Film

Drishyam 3

 The third and final installment of Jeethu Joseph’s celebrated thriller series, Drishyam 3, brings Georgekutty’s long battle with secrecy and guilt to a gripping conclusion. Set five years after the events of Drishyam 2, the film portrays a man who has outwardly built a stable life, even turning his past into cinematic success, yet remains haunted by the crime that defined his family’s fate. The narrative intensifies as journalists and acquaintances begin to draw parallels between his film and the real disappearance of Varun, threatening to unravel the carefully constructed world Georgekutty has protected for over a decade.

The story introduces new characters, such as Jose and Mary, who seek forgiveness for past wrongs, while Georgekutty’s family faces challenges in arranging Anju’s marriage due to anonymous interference. Retired officer Suresh Babu and others re‑enter the picture, tracing these disruptions back to old resentments. Suspense builds around strange activity near Georgekutty’s plantation, hinting that buried secrets may finally resurface. Unlike the earlier films, which focused on external investigations and cover‑ups, Drishyam 3 shifts toward the psychological toll of guilt, resentment, and the fragility of identity.

Thematically, the film explores the tension between national narratives of justice and personal struggles for survival. It underscores the cost of silence, the burden of protecting loved ones, and the inevitability of truth finding its way to light. Critically, the movie received mixed reviews—praised for Mohanlal’s nuanced performance and its suspenseful atmosphere, though some felt the narrative stretched. Commercially, however, it was a resounding success, grossing over ₹240 crore worldwide and cementing the trilogy’s place in Indian cinema.

In essence, Drishyam 3 closes the saga not with a neat resolution, but with a meditation on the weight of secrets and the psychological reckoning that follows. It reminds audiences that even the most carefully buried truths cast long shadows, and that the pursuit of protection often comes at the cost of peace.

Made in India: The Titan Story – A Chronicle of Indian Enterprise

 Made in India: The Titan Story is a six‑episode Hindi biographical drama series released in June 2026, adapted from Vinay Kamath’s book Titan: Inside India’s Most Successful Consumer Brand. It dramatizes the remarkable journey of Titan, a company that transformed India’s watch industry and became a symbol of innovation, resilience, and national pride.

The narrative begins in late 1970s Bombay, when India’s consumer market was dominated by smuggled foreign watches and skepticism about homegrown brands. Against this backdrop, visionary leaders like Xerxes Desai and J.R.D. Tata imagined Titan as a world‑class Indian brand that could compete globally. The series captures their determination to challenge entrenched markets, overcome bureaucratic hurdles, and build trust in Indian craftsmanship.

At its core, the story is about trust in institutions and leadership. Titan’s founders faced repeated setbacks: licensing delays, financial crises, and doubts from Swiss watchmakers who dismissed India’s ability to produce premium timepieces. Yet, through persistence and innovation, they recruited talent, designed distinctive products, and launched bold marketing campaigns that slowly won consumer confidence.

The drama also emphasizes the human dimension of enterprise. It portrays the sacrifices, relationships, and personal struggles behind Titan’s rise, making it not just a corporate chronicle but a deeply human story. The characters embody resilience, showing how belief in a vision can carry a company through near collapse to eventual triumph.

Thematically, Made in India: The Titan Story explores persistence, innovation, and national pride. Titan’s success symbolized India’s ability to compete on the global stage, redefining what “Made in India” could mean. The series dramatizes moments of conflict and resolution, from risky overseas expansions to innovations that saved the company, highlighting the delicate balance between ambition and survival.

With six episodes, each running about 45–55 minutes, the series offers a comprehensive yet engaging account of Titan’s evolution. It blends corporate history with emotional storytelling, making it accessible to audiences beyond business circles.

96 - Love/Romance

 Few modern Tamil films have received the kind of emotional worship that 96 did. Critics called it poetic. Audiences called it pure. Social media elevated it into a sacred monument of “true love.” The reunion between Ram and Janaki became shorthand for emotional depth itself. Quiet silences, old songs, lingering glances, tears held back at airports. Human beings see two people staring sadly at each other for three hours and immediately declare it philosophy.

But beneath the nostalgia and beautiful music lies a far more uncomfortable question:

Is 96 actually a mature love story, or is it a romanticized tragedy about two adults who never emotionally moved on?

The film tells us that Ramachandran spent decades emotionally frozen in time after losing Janaki in school. He never married. Never built another emotional life. Never truly healed. Janaki, meanwhile, gets married, moves to Singapore, builds a family, and lives her life. Years later, they reunite during a school gathering, spend an emotionally intimate night together, revisit their memories, and then separate again.

The film treats this as noble.

That is exactly where the problem begins.

Nostalgia Is Not the Same as Love

The core emotional engine of 96 is not love in the present tense. It is nostalgia. Ram is not in love with the Janaki of today. He is in love with a preserved memory of teenage innocence, untouched by adulthood, responsibility, compromise, or time.

That distinction matters.

Real love evolves. It survives conflict, routine, aging, financial stress, illness, children, disappointment, and change. What Ram carries is emotional preservation. A museum version of love. Beautiful to look at, but lifeless.

The film frames his inability to move on as emotionally profound. But if we strip away the violin music and melancholy cinematography, what remains is a man who allowed one unfinished teenage relationship to define the emotional direction of his entire life.

That is not romantic. It is unhealthy.

Janaki’s Marriage Becomes Emotionally Secondary

The film insists nothing inappropriate happens physically between Ram and Janaki. And technically, yes, the story remains emotionally restrained.

But emotional fidelity matters too.

Janaki is a married woman. She has a husband, a family, and an established life. Yet the film invites the audience to emotionally prioritize her connection with Ram over the life she actually chose and built. Her marriage becomes narratively secondary, almost treated like an obstacle standing in the way of some “pure” unfinished love.

That framing subtly undermines commitment itself.

Because what is the audience ultimately encouraged to feel?

Not relief that both people matured and respected boundaries. Not appreciation for the lives they built separately. Instead, viewers are pushed toward heartbreak that they did not end up together, as though decades of real life are somehow less meaningful than a teenage romance suspended in memory.

Cinema often confuses intensity with purity.

The Dangerous Message Young Men Internalize

This is where films like 96 become culturally influential in ways people rarely discuss honestly.

Young men absorb stories differently from how older audiences interpret them. Many do not walk away appreciating nuance or emotional restraint. They walk away believing:

• “True love means never moving on.”

• “If you really loved someone, you should stay emotionally loyal forever.”

• “Marriage doesn’t erase emotional destiny.”

• “Suffering proves sincerity.”

This becomes especially dangerous when repeated across cinema for decades.

The man waits. The man suffers. The man remains emotionally available forever. The woman marries someone else and continues life. Years later, destiny reunites them for one emotionally charged conversation.

Audiences applaud this as depth. But in reality, it often encourages emotional paralysis among young men who already struggle with rejection, loneliness, and self-worth.

Instead of teaching resilience, many films glorify emotional suspension.

Instead of showing healing, they glorify suffering.

Instead of encouraging people to build meaningful futures, they encourage worship of irreversible pasts.

Moving On Is Not Betrayal

One of cinema’s biggest lies is the idea that moving on somehow cheapens past love.

It does not.

People can deeply love someone and still accept reality. They can grieve relationships, heal, marry others, grow emotionally, and continue living without turning their past into a lifelong shrine.

That is maturity.

In fact, there is something quietly selfish about refusing to move forward emotionally while the other person builds an entirely different life. It may feel emotionally grand in films, but in reality it often leads to loneliness, obsession, and emotional stagnation.

Ram’s pain is real. But pain alone is not wisdom.

Why Audiences Still Connect With 96

Despite all this, the film resonates because it captures a universal fear: the fear of unfinished emotional chapters. Almost everyone has wondered at some point what might have happened if life had gone differently. The film taps into regret, memory, aging, and lost innocence with extraordinary sensitivity.

That emotional honesty is why audiences connected with it so deeply.

But emotional truth does not automatically make something emotionally healthy.

A beautifully made film can still promote ideas worth questioning.

And perhaps that is the more mature way to view 96: not as the ultimate love story, but as a haunting portrait of two people trapped by memory, unable to fully belong either to the past or the present.

Beautiful cinema, certainly.

Healthy romance? That is far more debatable.

Sindhu Bhairavi

 

Sindhu Bhairavi Full Movie | சிந்து பைரவி திரைப்படம் | #Sivakumar Suhasini | Ilaiyaraja, K.J.Yesudas

A deep movie far ahead of its time. 40 years for its release.  One of the first movies , that I have watched and heard songs. Movie is filled with Illyaraja Sir's music.

Sindhu Bhairavi, directed by K. Balachander, is a powerful musical drama that beautifully blends Carnatic music with human emotions. The story revolves around a celebrated singer torn between his devoted wife and an intellectually compatible admirer. Suhasini Maniratnam delivers a standout performance, earning national acclaim.

The film explores complex themes like love, ego, marriage, and moral choices with sensitivity. Music by Ilaiyaraaja is the soul of the film, elevating every scene.

Overall, it is a timeless classic—emotionally rich, musically brilliant, and thought-provoking.

Mutual Mariyadha was the movie which bagged all the state and film fare awards but Sindu got national award for this.

https://youtu.be/nyNNt_za04A?si=eSPT563yFjUnucka

Sreenivasan

ഏതു സിനിമയിലെ ഏതു റോൾ, ഏതു സീൻ ആണ് മറക്കാനാവുക?

എത്രയെത്ര ചിരികളാണ് ചൊരിഞ്ഞിട്ടു തന്നത് ?

സ്വയം കളിയാക്കൽ എന്ന ചെറു മനുഷ്യർക്കതീതമായ വലിയ കലയിൽ ഡോക്റ്ററേറ്റെടുത്ത വേറെയാരാണ് ഇനിയുള്ളത്?

നടന വിസ്മയമേ,ചാരിതാർത്ഥ്യത്തോടെ യാത്ര പോവുക.

സ്നേഹ പ്രണാമം.

 I couldn't agree more! 💯

Beautifully penned by K A Shaji. ♥️

I have always thought of Sreenivasan as a communist who never allowed communism to become comfortable. He was the rare kind who loved an idea enough to fight it, to embarrass it, to hold it up to the light and ask why it had begun to lie to itself. Today, as the news of his death settles into my body with a dull, unrelenting ache, I realise that I did not just lose a filmmaker I admired. I lost a voice that taught me how to doubt without becoming cynical, how to laugh without surrendering conscience.

I grew up with his films as part of my moral education. Sandesam did not merely make me laugh. It unsettled me. It shook the inherited certainties of party loyalty that surrounded me like air. Here was a man inside the Left tradition, speaking its truths with merciless honesty. He showed how ideology, when emptied of empathy, can turn grotesque. The brothers screaming slogans across a dining table were not fiction. They were our uncles, our neighbours, sometimes ourselves. Sreenivasan taught me, gently but firmly, that politics which cannot tolerate self-criticism is already decaying.

Arabikkatha broke me in a quieter way. I remember watching it and feeling a lump in my throat that refused to dissolve. A communist walking through the Gulf, carrying his beliefs like a suitcase that suddenly feels too heavy. That loneliness, that moral fatigue, that awkward dignity of compromise. Sreenivasan understood migrant life not as economics but as emotion. He captured the ache of ideological displacement, the sadness of realising that slogans do not pay rent, and yet refusing to abandon belief altogether. That film stayed with me like a bruise.

With Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala, he entered the spaces where men rarely look at themselves honestly. I watched it later in life, and it frightened me with its clarity. The politics here were not on the street but in the bedroom, in silences, in the entitlement of not listening. Shyamala’s thinking was revolutionary. Sreenivasan taught me that patriarchy survives not through cruelty alone, but through laziness of the heart. That film did something few political texts ever did. It made me ashamed, and then it made me want to be better.

And then there was Udayananu Tharam, where he peeled open the cinema itself, exposing its vanities, betrayals and market driven ethics. He laughed at success and mourned talent crushed under power. As someone who lives by words and stories, that film felt uncomfortably intimate. It reminded me that even art is not innocent, and that survival often comes at a cost we pretend not to see.

What I loved most about Sreenivasan was his courage to be ridiculous. He played the rat person of our social life, the one who knows the cracks, the hidden passages, the moral compromises. He never wanted to be heroic. He chose instead to be honest. His comedy was not escape. It was diagnosis. Satire was his scalpel, cutting through ideological failure, masculine arrogance, cultural pretence. He made us laugh and then quietly placed a mirror in our hands.

As an actor, he carried intelligence on his face. Not polished intelligence, but lived, slightly wounded intelligence. His characters stammered, failed, envied, sulked. They were small men crushed by big ideas and bigger systems. In them, I saw Kerala, with all its political literacy and emotional illiteracy. I saw myself too, and that recognition was never comfortable.

Today, thinking of him, my eyes sting. Not just because he is gone, but because voices like his are becoming rare. In an age of loud certainties and ideological vanity, Sreenivasan stood for something unfashionable. Doubt. Humility. Self ridicule. He believed politics must begin with listening, and art must begin with honesty.

Sreenivasan did not give me answers. He gave me questions that refused to leave. He taught me that laughter can be a form of resistance, that love for an idea must include the courage to criticise it, and that the most political act sometimes is simply to think, deeply and painfully.

As I write this, I feel a heaviness that words cannot lift. But I also feel gratitude. For the films. For the laughter that carried grief inside it. For the courage to say uncomfortable truths. Sreenivasan may have left the frame, but his voice remains, arguing, teasing, whispering in our ears.

Some people do not just make cinema. They shape the way you see the world.

Sreenivasan was one of them.

From the satirical bites of “Sandesham”to the raw emotion of “Vadakkunokkiyantram”, he taught us to laugh at ourselves while thinking deeper. A true master of the craft who redefined what it means to be a "hero" on screen, & who was an effective director as well. 

Beyond the actor was a brilliant writer who captured the pulse of Kerala like no other. Sreenivasan’s scripts are time capsules of social commentary, humor, and unparalleled wit. There will never be another observer of life quite like him.

We mourn the loss of writer, screenwriter, actor, director and cultural icon, Sreenivasan (1956 - 2025). Born in Thalasserry, Sreenivasan began his career with an appearance in PA Backer’s Manimuzhakkam (1976), the start of a film career that spanned over six decades. As an actor, he remains in the cosnciousness of audiences and lovers of Malayalam cinema with roles in films that include Mannu (1978), Yavanika (1982), Panchavadi Paalam (1984), Gandhinagar 2nd Street (1986), Pattanapravesham (1988), Vadakkunokkiyanthram (1989), Sandesham (1991), Thalayanamanthram (1990), Midhunam (1993), Ayal Kadha Ezhuthukayanu (1998), Udayananu Tharam (2004), Arabikkatha (2007), Kerala Cafe (2009), Bhoomiyude Avakashikal (2012) and Padmasree Bharat Dr. Saroj Kumar (2012) among many others.

As a writer, his extraordinary comic timing led to several unforgettable collaborations with filmmakers like Sathyan Anthikad and Priyadarshan for films like Aram + Aram Kinnaram (1985), Gandhinagar 2nd Street

(1986), Nadodikkattu (1987), Varavelpu (1989), Sandesham (1991), Mazhayethum Munpe (1995) and Kilichundan Mampazham (2003) among countless others.

As a director, he directed two generation-defying films - Vadakkunokkiyanthram Malayalam (1989) and

Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala (1998), films that brought fresh and honest insight to human relationships.

In this image, Sreenivasan appears in Oridathu (1986) directed by G. Aravindan. 

We remember Sreenivasan’s extraordinary sense of wit combined an astute understanding of human society, empathy for the underdog and an irreverence for authority. His remarkable legacy unites generations of film lovers and will continue to do so. 

#Sreenivasan

Some artists entertain, some enlighten, some provoke. Sreenivasan did it all, with a smile that carried truth and a laugh that carried responsibility.

A Night to Remember vs. Titanic

 

Of books and movies

Walter Lord's A Night to Remember  & The Night Lives On are the two classic and definitive accounts of one of the greatest maritime disasters of the early 20th Century.

Drawing heavily on accounts by survivors and other sources, A Night to Remember is a straightforward account of the tragedy,  and The Night Lives On is a more intimate record of those on board during that fateful night of April 14, 1912.

Lord's first book brings out the class distinctions on board through vivid storytelling. The book depicts how some passengers sacrificed their lives while others fought for survival, with wives beseeching husbands to join lifeboats, gentlemen going taut-lipped to their deaths in full evening dress, and hundreds of steerage passengers trapped below decks seeking help in vain.

The survival statistics he presents are stark: approximately 123 of the 324 first-class passengers perished, while 173 of the 284 second-class passengers died, and out of 710 third-class passengers, only 174 survived . Notably, the loss rate was higher for third-class children than first-class men, despite the "women and children first" protocol.

His second book takes a more analytical approach, revisiting the disaster after the wreck's discovery in 1985. While it explores various mysteries and theories about the sinking, it appears to examine the class issues more reflectively, questioning why certain outcomes occurred and investigating the systemic failures that particularly affected lower-class passengers.

Lord's style in both books allows the class disparities to speak for themselves through the facts.

The marvelous Titanic (1997) is certainly not an adaptation, but it’s very likely James Cameron  read Walter Lord's books.

I was able to 'enjoy' Titanic and appreciated how Cameron brought out the class distinction  between the Astors, Vanderbilts, Strausses  and the steerage class passengers.

Contrast the stately classical music played on the First Class D deck and at the top of the Grand Staircase with that lively third class party scene with the energetic Irish dancing which is one of the most memorable musical moments from the movie.

While the movie is not an adaptation, in some ways it is true to the spirit of Lord's books

Exploring Books Adapted Into Movies

 If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it.

~ William Arthur Ward

If it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed.

~ Stanley Kubrick.

Was fortunate to attend yet another amazing Meet-up #89, by Cochin Book Club, *Exploring Books Adapted Into Movies* ,  today the 26th October 2025, from 11 am to 1 pm, at *Koffee Junction- Renai* in Palarivattam. Venue was awesome. We had a closed room, which had more privacy and ample space for discussion and then lovely outdoors for our photoshoot. 

Both are different craft. Infact not just two, the various medium.  TV writing is about habit, web writing about hook and  film writing about heart. Though story,  character and emotion are the key, the making would differ based on it being for big screen, OTT or TV. Movie make you feel, books make you think. Movie depicts external turmoil better, while book can convey the internal.

The discussion ranged on wide variety of subjects. 

• Movies that enhanced the books
• Movies that diminished the books
• Books that cannot be adopted into movies 
• Books and movies that are equally bad
• Movies and book that are equally great yet different. 
• Movies and book that are equally great and same.
• Books and movies that were released almost at the same time - Space Oddessy 
• Beautiful movie made into a book - Once upon a time in America 
• Parallel books written in 1860, made into movie in 1994 - Brave Hearts

We covered  variety moves/books like The Godfather,  Gone With The Wind, The Sound of Music, Jungle book, The Count of Monte Christo,  Tale of Two cities, Little Women, Cinderella; authors like Stephen King, Shakespeare,  R.K.Narayan;  Non fiction like The Big Short, comics by Hell Boy, Malayalam books like Udakappola, The Goatlife and others, Bengali books by Satyajit Ray, Hindi with Guide, 3 Idiots and few others and Marathi by Chava. 

Thank you all for yet another timely, enriching  meetup.

The Story of Trapp Family Singers 53 of 25

 The Real Sound of Music: From Salzburg to the World 

Before The Sound of Music filled hearts with “Do-Re-Mi,” there was Maria — a young postulant sent from an abbey in Salzburg to tutor one of Captain von Trapp’s seven children. What followed was not the dreamy romance we know, but a story of faith, courage, and song.

Maria married the kind, widowed Captain not out of fairy-tale love, but to give his children a mother — and love grew quietly between them. When the Nazi shadow fell over Austria, the family didn’t hike over the Alps (as Hollywood claimed); they quietly boarded a train to Italy, carrying only their voices and trust in God.

In America, the Trapp Family Singers built a new home, turning hymns into hope, harmony into livelihood. Maria’s memoir, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, tells it as it was — humble, devout, and real.

Then came Broadway and Hollywood, where truth turned lyrical. The strict Captain, the shy governess, the mountain escape — all became symbols of freedom, love, and resistance.

The film gave the world magic; the family gave it truth.

One sang to survive.

The other sang so the world would remember.

1. The Real Trapp Family (History)

Maria Augusta Kutschera, an orphaned teacher and postulant at Nonnberg Abbey in Salzburg, was sent to tutor one of Captain Georg von Trapp’s seven children in 1926.

She later married Georg in 1927, not for love initially, but because he asked her to become a mother to his children — love grew over time.

The family began singing together, partly for spiritual expression, and eventually as a livelihood after losing their fortune during the Great Depression.

They left Austria in 1938, just after the Anschluss (Nazi annexation). Contrary to the movie, they did not flee over the Alps — they took a train to Italy (Georg was a citizen of the then–Austro-Hungarian naval base at Zadar, now in Croatia), and later emigrated to the United States, where they founded the Trapp Family Lodge in Vermont.

2. The Book — The Story of the Trapp Family Singers (1949)

Written by Maria von Trapp, the memoir offers a warm, humorous, and humble account of their lives — blending devotion, hardship, and faith.

Tone and Themes:

Deeply rooted in Catholic faith, gratitude, and resilience.

Focuses on family unity, music as vocation, and trust in God during adversity.

Shows Maria as spirited, practical, and sincere — not overly romanticized.

Notable differences from later versions:

The relationship between Maria and Georg is less romantic, more grounded in mutual respect and family duty.

There’s little dramatic tension — no “villains” like the Baroness or Nazi suitors.

The “escape” is treated matter-of-factly — no alpine trek, just careful emigration.

Music is portrayed as religious and community-based, not theatrical or rebellious.

3. The Movie — The Sound of Music (1965)

Based on the Broadway musical (1959), which itself drew loosely from Maria’s book, the film adds romance, tension, and spectacle for storytelling appeal.

Romanticized Changes:

Maria is portrayed (by Julie Andrews) as a young, idealistic, and dreamy governess, more naïve and musical than religious.

The Captain (Christopher Plummer) is shown as stern and emotionally distant, thawing only through Maria’s warmth — this was not true; the real Georg was kind, gentle, and deeply family-oriented.

The children are reduced from ten (in reality) to seven, with different names and personalities.

The “escape over the Alps” scene is symbolic — geographically impossible (it would have taken them into Nazi Germany, not Switzerland).

The subplot of the Baroness and Rolf adds romantic and political drama absent in real life.

Music becomes a symbol of freedom and resistance against tyranny — turning faith and family into cinematic heroism.

In Essence

The real Trapp family story is one of faith, discipline, and survival. Less glamorous, more complex, and deeply rooted in faith and resilience.

The book is a testament of belief and gratitude, written with humor and humility. Faithful, religious, practical.

The movie transforms it into a romantic and symbolic tale of freedom, love, and song — universal, inspiring, but far removed from strict fact. Romanticised, dramatic, and musically embellished.

Note before the movie there was Broadway shows.

Knives Out

 By Nandakishore Varma

Agatha Christie wrote the whodunnits with the most intricate plots. She was never "literary" (even though her language is pretty good); she never created very complex characters; and her stories followed the same formula, with the detective finally assembling all the suspects and pulling the most unlikely one out of the hat. Very unrealistic, as her critics (despicable humans, all of them!) scoff; very enjoyable, as her countless fans (among whom the author of this post considers himself) say. (Those who badmouth Dame Agatha and her works need to be given strychnine in their soup, shot through the heart and stabbed in the back of the neck as they sit reading in their library - but that's the subject of another post.)

I watched the movie "Knives Out", directed by Rian Johnson yesterday night, and was immediately reminded of Christie. I looked it up on Google and - voila! - it seems that he is a fan, and this movie is a tribute to Dame Agatha. And what a tribute! It is intricate, fast-paced, and an extremely ingenious whodunnit; but what makes it special is its level of self-awareness. The tribute is also a spoof on the genre of the cosy British murder mystery.

Harlan Thrombey, a best-selling crime novelist, dies on the night of his 85th birthday. It's apparently a suicide, with author having cut his throat himself. However, renowned private investigator Benoit Blanc is pulled into the investigation by an "anonymous client", who suspects foul play. And in the tradition of all good whodunnits, the whole family is there so that there are no dearth of suspects! As the investigation proceeds, the police doddering about in the time-honoured whodunnit fashion and the private sleuth going about in his own eccentric way his wonders to perform, secret after secret is revealed until the murderer stands exposed.

The movie is full of caricatures of the standard tropes of mystery fiction. The money-grubbing relatives, the never-do-we'el son, the dedicated nurse, the unimaginative police officer and the eccentric detective (who is of French origin, natch!) all playing their roles to perfection. The house is a huge New England mansion with creaking staircases and secret entrances, which all faithfully play their assigned roles. The camera floats through the mysterious corridors and the editing transitions smoothly between the flashbacks and the present. We know that we are watching a great murder mystery - but at the same time, the director is telling us not to take him too seriously.

Every good whodunnit usually has something unusual in it. Here it is the strange medical condition that plagues nurse Marta (who is also the central character) - telling a lie makes her vomit! This unrealistic "disease" is used to full potential by the director to drive the tale forward.

Most whodunnits can usually be only watched once - once the cat is out of the bag, we lose interest. But I believe this movie can be watched multiple times to appreciate the beauty of its construction. Kudos the director. Well done, _mon ami_!

Daphne Du Maurier ~ Margaret Forster

 

A writer I am constantly fascinated with. I believe that she was much ahead of her time.

"The people I write about in books are more real to me than the people I meet and I try and make the people that I meet be as exciting as the people in books, but they never are, so one is always aware of a feeling of anti-climax."

# Daphne du Maurier
## by Margaret Forster

I think *The Birds* was the first story by Daphne du Maurier that I read during my schooldays (in one of those Hitchcock collections) - and I immediately became a fan. Then I encountered her here and there, in various anthologies. Her stories bordered on the weird without being outright horror - however, I had her pegged as a horror writer.

Then I read *Rebecca* in my twenties, followed by *Jamaica Inn*, *The King's General* etc. and realised that this author could not be pigeonholed. She wrote adventure, romance and gothic fiction with equal verve and competence. The only thing common to her stories was atmosphere: a brooding feeling of tragedy and menace. That, and an underlying current of dark sexuality, enticing and frightening at the same time.

This biography of the author by Margaret Forster captures the essence of the writer beautifully. Born into an upper class household in an England at the turn of the last century, Daphne enjoyed a pampered childhood exposed to the arts and literature. Her father, Gerald du Maurier was a famous actor, and her mother Muriel was also an actor before she gave it up on the birth of her third child. She was the apple of her father's eye (a bit of an Electra complex there), but she also suffered because of his fierce possessiveness. Daphne discovered at a very young age that she could write - or rather, she could not survive without writing. This unstoppable creativity coupled with her bisexual tendencies (she believed that there was a "boy-in-the-box" locked up in her psyche) were the main driving force behind her literary output.

Margaret Forster traces the character arc of both Daphne the novelist and Daphne the woman perfectly. She comes across as not very likeable: a bit pampered, patriarchal, snobbish, conservative to an extent, and unfaithful. (She cheats on her husband with the husband of one of her best friends, and she has affairs with two women, also without her husband's knowledge.) But Daphne is also scrupulously honest in analysing herself and her feelings, and that is how we come to know what made this complex woman tick. She put a bit of herself into her books, and that was her catharsis.

In letters to friends, relatives and her publishers, Daphne talked at length about herself and her writing. Ms. Forster has done extensive research on her letters, and reproduces them at length. It gives a fascinating insight into the mind of an iconic writer and her output. But beware - there are HUGE spoilers!

An engrossing read for any Daphne du Maurier fan!

- Daphne du Maurier

I have just begun this biography, but loving it so far. It does talk in depth about her writing.

"What if she had lost the ability to write at all? All she had was a provisional title, Rebecca, 15,000 words in the waste-paper basket, and her notes. These read: 'very roughly the book will be about the influence of a first wife on a second... she is dead before the book opens. Little by little I want to build up the character of the first in the mind of the second... until wife 2 is haunted day and night... a tragedy is looming very close and crash! bang! something happens... it's not a ghost story." But she could not at first think what the crash and bang would be, or even the 'something' that happened."

- from Margaret Forster's biography of Daphne du Maurier

Nandakishore Varma

Warning: Major Spoilers!

Rebecca

by Daphne du Maurier

Rebecca is a classic of Gothic fiction: when one sets out to review a classic, it is always a bit dicey, as though some blasphemous act is being committed (even if the review is favourable). However, I feel that I must share my feelings about this magnificent work: so I plunge in, setting my apprehensions aside.

Rebecca is an exquisitely crafted novel: from one of the most famous opening lines in the world of fiction("Last night I dreamed we went to Manderley again")to the very end, there is hardly a word, sentence, paragraph or pause out of place. The characterisation is painstakingly done and superb. As the story moves towards its predestined semi-tragic ending, the reader is never allowed to relax or withdraw from the story even for a minute.

The Story

The novel opens on the French Riviera, where the unnamed narrator is companion to a rich American lady vacationing there. She meets and falls in love with the middle-aged widower Max de Winter there; and after a whirlwind courtship, marries him. She accompanies him to his country estate, the forbidding Manderley, where she is immediately onset by feelings of inadequacy; the whole mansion seems to be pervaded by the unseen presence of Rebecca, the first Mrs. de Winter. The forbidding housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, adds fuel to fire by continuously insinuating that Rebecca de Winter was a real lady and the new lady of the house is a simple social upstart who can never measure up to her.

Things come to head when Mrs. Danvers cleverly manipulates Mrs. de Winter into wearing a costume at a party, which Rebecca wore on a former similar occasion: Max simply explodes, and asks her to change immediately. Subsequent to this scene, the housekeeper almost persuades the young bride to commit suicide. However, distraction arrives in the form of a shipwreck on the shore, following which Max tells his young wife the truth about Rebecca.

Rebecca, contrary to the charming exterior she presented to the world, was a cruel and manipulative woman who tortured her husband continuously with the stories of her escapades with various men. Ultimately, she tells Max one day that she is pregnant with another man's child, and that he is powerless to denounce her: he would have to raise the child as his own. Goaded beyond limit, Max shoots and kills her, then sinks her body in the sea within his boat, letting it be known that Rebecca died in a boating accident.

The sunken boat is recovered following the shipwreck, however, and holes drilled at the bottom are seen. A verdict of suicide is brought at the inquest. But a crisis is precipitated by Jack Favell, Rebecca's disreputable cousin and her lover, who claims that Rebecca could not have committed suicide because she had visited a doctor before her death and had some momentous news to impart. He, along with Max and his wife, are sure that this information is proof of her pregnancy: however, rather than submit to Jack's blackmail, Max decides to face the music.

The novel's final bombshell explodes when the doctor reveals that Rebecca indeed had momentous information; and that suicide is entirely believable, because she was suffering from cancer and would have died within a few months. The reader, along with Max and Mrs. de Winter, understand that Rebecca's provocation of Max into killing her was her final act of revenge and escape from a lingering death. The story does not have a happy ending, however: a frustrated Mrs. Danvers finally goes over the edge and torches Manderley, herself perishing in the fire.

The Analysis

Rebecca is a novel which works on many levels. It can be read as a straightforward Gothic mystery, and is none too the less satisfying for it. The secrets are sufficiently sordid, the mood satisfactorily noir and the characters morbid in their preoccupations.

However, when we start to look in depth at many of the many-layered themes in the story, Ms. du Maurier's genius as a storyteller comes to light. The fact the protagonist is never named, and the novel goes under the name of her dead antagonist is extremely significant. The whole novel, in fact, is driven by three women characters. The dead Rebecca who is beautiful, cruel, miasmic, yet strangely attractive and desirable: the current Mrs. de Winter who is pretty, sweet and extremely likeable yet uninteresting (like Disney's Snow White): and Mrs. Danvers, dark, brooding and evil like a witch. It is almost a perfect maiden-nymph-crone triad of the pagan goddess (though I doubt whether the author intended anything like it). The protagonist's lack of identity, and Rebecca's all-pervasive one, is almost painfully stressed.

From the male viewpoint, Rebecca is the perfect dream-girl who once possessed becomes the antithesis of what she represented as an unattainable ideal. Max tries to exorcise her first by killing her, but proves unsuccessful. Like a fairytale prince, it is through unselfish love for a pure maiden that he is redeemed. When he faces up to his crime, he finds deliverance at the last minute. However, Max still has suffer the final punishment - the loss of Manderley - along with which the crone-figure also disappears, allowing him to finally make a new life with his princess.

Does the novel have any flaws? IMO, the only one I found was that the story was too manipulative: the author has laid out a road-map for the reader, and carefully guides him/her along it without allowing any diversions. The revelations are placed at the correct places with clock-work precision. This is not necessarily a flaw in a mystery novel, but it does take away from the spontaneity of the story a bit.

On the first reading, enjoy Rebecca as a mystery: go into the depth of the narrative structure and craft, and the psychological undercurrents, in subsequent ones. This novel warrants careful analysis, especially if one is an aspiring writer. It will give invaluable insights into craft.

Rebecca is a 1940 American romantic psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It was Hitchcock's first American project, and his first film under contract with producer David O. Selznick. The screenplay by Robert E. Sherwood and Joan Harrison, and adaptation by Philip MacDonald and Michael Hogan, were based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier.

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About the wreckers -

According to this essay, Daphne du Maurier's Jamaica Inn perpetuated the image of wreckers as murderous criminals who deliberately lured ships on to the rocks and looted and killed the crew and passengers.

The author says this is a gross misrepresentation.

Read and decide !

https://review.gale.com/2023/06/06/exploring-the-representation-of-coastal-wreckers/

" Using a literary text, Jamaica Inn, also meant I could explore how the representation of wreckers – in both the film and the original novel – has been received. Was it different to the expected portrayal? Did people enjoy reading about history’s rebels in this way? In 2006, Nick Rennison’s Sunday Times article attributes Jamaica Inn with bringing wreckers into the popular culture, referring to du Maurier’s text as a ‘historical novel’. This highlights a problem with the historiography of wreckers prior to the analysis contributed by historians like Cathryn Pearce and Bella Bathurst; people treated the novel as historically accurate.2 Rennisson echoes the definition of wreckers as ‘hard-hearted’, ‘luring unwary vessels on the rocks and then plundering them.’ It is unsurprising then, that du Maurier’s portrayal of wreckers is murderous and violent, with quotes such as ‘dead men tell no tales’.

Aparan and Radha Madhavam

 

Watched two malayalam movies this weekend:

Aparan (1988) Directed by: P. Padmarajan Starring: Jayaram, Shobana, Parvathy, Madhu

It was Jayaram's debut movie. 

Padmarajan’s “Aparan” is a haunting psychological thriller that explores the theme of identity, fate, and societal perception. Jayaram, in his debut role, plays both the innocent K. Vishwanathan and his criminal lookalike—a duality that forms the heart of the film. The story unfolds with an increasing sense of unease, as the protagonist struggles to reclaim his identity from a shadow that he never chose.

Padmarajan’s nuanced direction combines suspense with philosophical depth. The film subtly critiques how society is quick to judge based on appearances, and how reputation, once stained, is hard to cleanse. The cinematography and background score heighten the tension, while performances—particularly from Madhu and Shobana—add emotional layers.

Aparan remains one of Malayalam cinema’s finest psychological dramas. It’s intelligent, layered, and tragically relevant even today.

1990 Malayalam film Radha Madhavam, directed by Suresh Unnithan, starring Thilakan, Geetha, and Jayaram

Radha Madhavam is a sensitive, layered portrayal of relationships, loneliness, and power dynamics, set against the backdrop of the art world and an unconventional household.

Thilakan plays Madhavan Thampi, a once-renowned playwright living in isolation with his muse, Radha (played by Geetha), a woman much younger than him. Their relationship, though not legally bound by marriage, is one of companionship, intellect, and emotional complexity. When a young theatre artist (Jayaram) enters their lives, the fragile balance is disrupted, leading to emotional upheaval, jealousy, and an unmasking of hidden insecurities.

Thilakan delivers a masterclass in subtlety. His portrayal of a man torn between creative passion, possessiveness, and aging vulnerability is deeply affecting.

Geetha shines as Radha — a woman with quiet strength, caught between gratitude, love, and a growing desire for independence. Her eyes often convey what words don’t.

Jayaram is earnest as the newcomer whose arrival unintentionally causes emotional chaos. His role is both a catalyst and a mirror to the older characters’ suppressed truths.

The film delves into:Unconventional relationships and how society perceives them, Emotional dependency vs. intellectual companionship. The ego of a fading artist struggling with irrelevance. The quiet resilience of a woman who has built her life around someone else's brilliance.

Suresh Unnithan’s direction is subtle and intimate. He gives space for silences, long stares, and carefully staged confrontations, allowing emotions to simmer.

Lohithadas’s writing is sensitive and poetic, filled with meaningful dialogue that explores human fragility without melodrama. Vidyadharan’s music complements the mood of the film — melancholic, poetic, and restrained.

Break Ke Badh

 

Break Ke Baad, Deepika Padukone & Imran Khan ; Abay and Aliya. Reltionship dont happen with space but by being together. 

Sharmila Tagore as Ayesha was amazing. 'Breaking things come easily to me, think I was not meant for love. '

'Break Ke Baad' is about a couple, who take a Break from their decade old relationship. It's the chick who decides to do so. From there on, it's just how the boy tries to bring back things properly. The idea is fresh, and to give the writer-director his due, he even successfully starts the film.

With Break Ke Baad, debutante director Danish Aslam tries his hand at the rom-com genre, and – barring the clichéd climax – manages to make a breezy film with some sweet moments thrown in and the running time kept to an ideal two hours.

The film starts with a small boy and girl mouthing off Mogambo’s dialogues from Mr India. The imaginatively shot title sequence draws references from various Hindi films of the 90s, from Tezaab to Jeeta Wohi Sikandar to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

Abhay (Khan) and Aaliya (Padukone) grow up together in an era of love stories, and are in a relationship for close to 10 years. Abhay, the more sensible and the less ambitious of the two, is stuck with his dad’s cinema business and leads a mundane life. His only dose of adventure is in the form of an outgoing, bindaas girlfriend – Aaliya.

Going against stereotypes, it’s Aaliya who’s commitment-phobic in this case, while the boy is the more traditional one who wants to settle down.

Aaliya wants to explore the world, become an actor if her divorced mother (Tagore) allows so, and lead an uncomplicated life without having to worry about responsibilities.

She decides to go away to Gold Coast, Australia to pursue a course in mass communications, even though she actually wants to run away from all those who are close to her and pursue a career in acting.

The two lovers try to make the relationship work over a long distance, but insecurities creep in. When Abhay lands up in Australia, it pisses off Aaliya who is feeling stifled in her relationship and she breaks up with him. The film then narrates the story of the two ex-lovers after their break up.

The problems of space in a relationship, that Break Ke Baad explores, is something that is instantly relatable and the dialogue between the protagonists (by Renuka Kunzru) are very real too, seeming more like conversation than words rehearsed from a script. At times, the film reminds you of last year’s Love Aaj Kal, also about a couple breaking up and their life thereafter.

There are some really endearing moments between the two lovers, and the chemistry between Khan and Padukone is cute. While Khan is the more restrained among the two, Padukone gets to flaunt histrionics, which she does quite confidently too. It’s definitely the most notable performances of the two actors in a short career so far.

Vishal-Shekhar’s songs compliment the film’s theme well – 'Dooriyan' being the best of the lot – and director Aslam does well by not making the actors lip-synch to any of them. The supporting cast, made up of Tagore, Shahana Goswami and ex-veejay Yudi, pitch in with good performances too.

The film, though, could have done without the predictable climax where Aaliya realises she ‘loves’ Abhay. And is gate-crashing the other’s wedding – or landing up at the airport, for that matter – the only way to end all fairy tale romances?

However, Aslam stays away from over-the-top antics, keeping the narrative simple. The film may not be among the best love stories ever made, but it delivers two hours of decent entertainment and leaves you with a smile at the end of it.

Rom-Com of Bollywood. 

Rekhachithram

 “Rekhachithram” toplining Asif Ali is Jofin T Chacko’s sophomore directorial after the Mammootty starrer “The Priest”. Jofin has picked up an investigative thriller this time scripted by John Manthrickal and Ramu Sunil. 

Asif Ali plays Vivek, an SHO, who was briefly suspended from service for gambling online while on duty. As a punishment, he is transferred to Malakkapara police station in the forest area around Chalakkudy. On the day of his joining, Rajendran (Siddique) shots himself dead in the Malakkapra forests after disclosing online the details of a crime he committed 40 years ago in that area when the filming of Bharathan classic “Kaathodu Kaathoram” was in progress. Vivek rushes to the spot on getting the news and based on Rajendran’s revelations unearths a 40-year-old skeleton from the ground. It is for Vivek and the cops now to find out whose skeleton it is and how did the person die. 

The narrative starts with an engaging premise and gets you directly into the investigation without wasting much time on the peripherals. There is a method and logic to the manner in which Kerala Police investigate the case and a multitude of people from the past enter into the narrative – some still alive, some long dead. The nostalgia associated with the movies of the 80’s is invoked to perfection once again and the audience is literally transported to the sets of the classic with AI being used generously to create stalwarts like Bharathan and John Paul. The involvement of director Kamal and actor Jagadeesh as themselves and the clever characterizations of Indrans and T G Ravi add further depth to the narrative. It is an extremely thought out, detailed and layered script that hardly leaves any questions and the writing team can definitely take a bow. 

Jofin had proved his mettle as an excellent technician with his directorial debut and he soars higher here with his firm grip on the narrative. With excellent support provided by the cinematographer (Appu Prabhakar) and the editor (Shameer Muhammed), Jofin ensures that the audience attention is firmly captured and retained till the end credits roll. Mujeeb Majeed works up an excellent soundtrack with the background score elevating the scenes. The production design, make-up and costumes departments deserve a standing ovation for the excellent recreation of the 80’s. 

The ensemble cast led by Asif Ali delivers big time, and it is an absolute pleasure watching Nishant Sagar and Manoj K Jayan portray solid characters. It is good to see “Nakhakshathangal” fame Saleema on screen after long and among the rest of the cast, Zarin Shihab, Unni Lalu, and Megha Thomas are particularly impressive. 

The Good American Family

​"Good American Family" is a gripping 2025 limited drama series that delves into the controversial real-life story of Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian-born girl with dwarfism adopted by an American couple, Kristine and Michael Barnett. The series explores the complexities of identity, trust, and the consequences of perception.Set in Indiana, the narrative follows Kristine and Michael Barnett, who adopt Natalia Grace, believing her to be a 7-year-old orphan. As Natalia begins to exhibit unsettling behaviors, the couple grows suspicious of her true age and identity. Their doubts lead to a series of events involving legal battles, media scrutiny, and the eventual abandonment of Natalia. The series presents multiple perspectives, including Natalia's, challenging viewers to question the nature of truth and the impact of bias.​

The real-life story of Natalia Grace is a complex and controversial tale that has captivated public attention for years. Born on September 4, 2003, in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, Natalia has a rare form of dwarfism called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita. She was adopted by Michael and Kristine Barnett in 2010, who believed she was six years old at the time .​

Shortly after the adoption, the Barnetts began to suspect that Natalia was not a child but an adult posing as one. They cited behaviors they found disturbing, such as alleged threats and violent actions. In 2012, they petitioned a court to change Natalia's birth year from 2003 to 1989, legally making her 22 years old. This change allowed them to place her in an apartment alone and move to Canada with their biological children .​In 2023, a DNA test conducted by TruDiagnostic estimated that Natalia was approximately 22 years old at that time, suggesting she was around nine years old when the Barnetts adopted her in 2010. This evidence contradicted the Barnetts' claims and led to the restoration of her birth year to 2003 . After the Barnetts, Natalia was taken in by Antwon and Cynthia Mans. However, she later accused them of abuse and left their care. She now resides with Nicole and Vince DePaul in upstate New York, focusing on her education and aspiring to become a teacher .​

The Barnetts were charged with neglect but were eventually acquitted or had the charges dropped. The case highlighted the complexities of adoption, disability, and the legal system's role in such disputes .​

Taali

 "Taali" is a Hindi-language biographical drama series released in August 2023 on JioCinema. Directed by Ravi Jadhav, the series stars Sushmita Sen as Shreegauri Sawant, a transgender activist who played a pivotal role in advocating for the recognition of the third gender in India.​

Sushmita Sen's portrayal of Shreegauri Sawant has been widely acclaimed. Critics have highlighted her ability to capture the emotional depth and resilience of the character.

The series chronicles Gauri Sawant's journey from her early life as Ganesh to her transformation and activism. It delves into her personal struggles, including her relationship with her father, the loss of her mother, and her yearning for motherhood. The narrative also highlights her legal battle that led to the inclusion of the third gender in official documents in India .

Pon Man

 

A lesson for those who are passionate to achieve their Goals and a movie with a message against a wrong trend in society,   “PON MAN “ directed by Jothish Shankar .  Director, the lead characters done by Basil,Sajin Gopu, Anand Manmadhan,Lima Mol, Deepak and all others characters, I mean everyone of the movie , entire crew and its camera man, casting director, songs , Superb Script, I think everyone made it an outstanding one. 

Art director Jothish Shankar makes his directorial debut with “Ponman” set in a fishing hamlet in Kollam district of Kerala. Steffi Graf (Lijomol Jose in excellent form) is engaged to be married to Mariyano (Sajin Gopan, effective) and the groom’s family wants 25 sovereigns of gold in dowry. Steffi’s mother (Sandhya Rajendran, firmly in character) is worried since they don’t have the money and her son, Bruno (Anand Manmadhan, first rate) is a Communist party comrade who doesn’t work and does not earn anything for the family. 

When his mother abuses him for not being able to contribute anything towards the wedding, his party colleagues introduce him to Sharma (Deepak Parambol, competent) who further introduces him to Ajeesh (Basil Joseph putting in his career best performance) who promises to bring the required gold to the bride’s house on the day prior to the wedding on the condition that all gifts in cash donated by the attendees of the wedding will be taken by Ajeesh and in the event of a shortage, remaining gold will also be taken back by him. 

The plan works just fine, and Steffi is married off. However, getting the extra gold back is not easy as everyone thought. Does Ajeesh manage to get the gold back? Do Steffi and family give him the gold back? How does Mariyano react to all this? Watch “Ponman” to get answers to all your questions. 

What works the most in favor of the movie is the rooted script and characters. The script tackles the serious social issue of dowry, but it is not preachy or over emotional. Nevertheless, the impact of this social evil on multiple lives is clearly felt. Kudos to the writing team (G R Indugopan and Justin Mathew – the movie is based on the former’s short story “Nalanchu Cheruppakaar”) for getting the script and the messaging right and for creating flesh and blood characters who you can relate to. Jothish has a firm hand on the narrative and makes a confident directorial debut. Cinematography by the experienced Sanu John Varghese captures the backwaters and seaside of Kollam with all its pristine beauty. The landscape of Monroe Island has never been captured this beautifully on screen. Editing is by Nidhin Raj Arol and despite only 127 minutes long, the narrative does feel overlong towards the climax and could have been trimmed by another 5 – 10 minutes. Justin Varghese works up a good musical score and it helps to have K S Chithra croon the track that sums up the story and the situations that the characters are going through.

The remaining departments – Make up, costumes, action choreography (the climax fight makes you nauseous for the right reason) and art direction – also contribute to the overall narrative and casting department has done a fabulous job by identifying the right actors to portray all characters with each performance adding to the overall quality of the narrative. 

+ Basil who played the role of P P Ajeesh is truly inspiring character for today’s youngsters and professionals to learn many things and situations which he faces and overcome as a winner only because of his confidence with high attitude, throughout the movie PP Ajeesh displays a character in which , though he is getting cheated by powerful Rowdies and their family he shows the courage to face it alone , also the movies shows that in life only if you take risk and have got the courage to face that risk to achieve your goals you will be able to reach your podium of success, many dialogue which makes us to think and do evaluate our life . His persistence to conquer the villain and to take the gold from his hand , His loyalty to the job he is doing , his commitment and honesty which he is showing to his own life and work which he worship , his responsibility and the way he take care his family without making them know his struggles ( the best part is when the hero is got stabbed by the Villain , he goes under cover to get recovered without informing the family his mother and sister which his friends identify when they search for him ) that’s a great point that he himself try to fix when he fall down ,   The character PP Ajeesh played by Basil gives many messages to the society how you need to live life with all positives come whatever happens. 

Whatever the technology growth and advancement happens , Art and Artist plays a big role in shaping a society, the influential people and celebrities have got the responsibility to shape and build culture and bring up the coming generations, Movies influence society nature and culture very much and local flavoured stories which can help and develop the young generation to grow in life will add value and a true blessing which all producers,directors, and actors can contribute. I don’t think that any movie maker should try do more violence which inspire young generation to follow such path by thinking that we are into business and we mean profit. They don’t realise the influence the society is getting how many people getting affected real world , when they do it unreel world. I am not criticizing violence in movie it’s acceptable to an extent not to the extent where in people getting affected real influenced. Movies like PONMAN are the best example which proves it’s the content is the real hero which was well carried by the safe hands of an amazing director like Jothish Shankar , Characters played by Basil, Sajin Gopu ( what an actor with his style performance), Anand Manmohan and Lija Mol( heroine who made it stunning with her powerful character). 

Chaava

 Chaava, is a captivating period drama film based on the life of Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The movie was a thrilling experience, thanks to Laxman Utekar's brilliant direction, which brought this historical masterpiece to life. Vicky Kaushal's portrayal of  Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was outstanding, as he seamlessly embodied the character's spirit. His action scenes, dialogue delivery, and expressions were truly impressive, and his entry scene was breathtaking. Rashmika's performance was equally impressive, as she conveyed emotions with remarkable depth. Akshay Khanna's depiction of Aurangzeb was chilling, and his transformation was unrecognizable. The supporting cast, including Ashutosh Rana and Divya Dutta, delivered strong performances. The music, composed by A.R. Rahman, was mesmerizing and added depth to the film. The action sequences were meticulously designed, and the war scenes were visually stunning. The VFX, cinematography, art direction, costumes, and jewelry were all top-notch, reminiscent of films like Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat. The climax was outstanding, and the scene where Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is captured while fighting his enemies was heart-wrenching, almost everyone must have cried in theatre !! Overall, Chaava is an  inspiring film that is definitely worth watching. 

The Bridges of Madison County

 

The Bridges of Madison County is one of the greatest love stories ever told. So I believed. 

I had read the famous love story in a Mumbai local on a Sunday morning, and I remember getting teary eyed in the end. Many years later, I watched the movie, directed by Clint Eastwood. 

The movie tells the story of a beautiful and bored housewife who lives in a remote village in America with her ex-Marine husband and children. Once when they are away for a short trip to the city, she decides to spend 3 nights with a  documentary photographer visiting her village. The photographer offers to marry her, but she refuses to go with him. She instead chooses to stay in touch with him through letters and gifts, which are found by her children in a suitcase after her death. 

Meryl Streep nominated for an Oscar for her role as the bored housewife named Francesca. Clint Eastwood played the photographer, Robert Kincaid. A little known actor called Jim Haines played Meryl Streep’s husband, Richard, an dungree wearing simple bald man, who appears for a few minutes on the screen. He loves his wife, works hard on their farm and his kids love him. 

For years I believed that Francesca was the victim of a bad marriage. I believed that Robert and Francesca had every right to have an affair, since he was single and handsome and she was bored and beautiful. 

Today, I believe that the hero of the story is the unsuspecting husband Richard Johnson, who spent his entire life loving his wife and children.

Cheating, no matter what the circumstances, is fundamentally immoral. While marriages may face challenges and lack passion, it does not justify infidelity. You can part ways if things are not working. The problem is that infidelity is a gutless act where the person doesn't want to leave a dead marriage or tell their partner that they are no more interested in the relationship. 

The Bridges of Madison County romanticizes infidelity, and in doing so, it undermines the integrity of Richard, a man who remains faithful to his wife despite the flaws in their relationship. 

 

Moana 2

 Moana journeys to the far seas of Oceania after receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors is what Moana 2, 

a sequel to Moana (2016) is all about. A 2024 American animated musical adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures.  The film was directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller (in their feature directorial debuts) and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, from a screenplay by Jared Bush and Miller.

Three years after her adventure with the demigod Maui and the island goddess Te Fiti, Moana spends her days exploring other islands near her home island of Motunui in the hope of finding people connected to the ocean.

In a vision, her ancestor, Tautai Vasa, reveals why none of those people are connected anymore: the malicious storm god Nalo wanted power over the mortals, so he sunk a legendary island called Motufetu—which connected all islands—down to the depths of the ocean. Tautai further warns that the people of Motunui will go extinct in the future if Moana cannot find a way to raise Motufetu. She assembles a crew of people from Motunui—clever craftswoman Loto, historian and Maui fanboy Moni, and grumpy elderly farmer Keke, alongside her pet pig and rooster, Pua and Heihei—to follow the path of a comet across the ocean towards Motufetu.

Meanwhile, Maui is seeking Motufetu himself since he had a previous quarrel with Nalo, but he is captured by Nalo's enforcer, Matangi. Maui is reluctant to contact Moana, as he fears she may not survive if she comes to help. Moana and her crew are captured by the Kakamora, a tribe of savage coconut-like pirates previously encountered by Moana, who reveal that Nalo's actions against Motufetu had caused them to be disconnected from their home island. One member of the Kakamora, Kotu, helps the crew paralyze a gargantuan monster clam inside of which is Matangi's lair. While the crew finds Maui, Moana meets Matangi and learns that she is not happy serving Nalo. She helps Moana escape and reunite with Maui and her friends, before sending them to where Nalo is.

Maui warns that Nalo's realm is deadlier compared to the mortal realm and that fighting him will spell certain death for mere mortals. Nalo's monsters ambush the group, damaging their raft and washing them ashore on an isolated island. Moana begins to despair, but Maui encourages her to keep on going. With Moana revitalized, the group plans to have Maui raise the island so that Moana can touch it, as that is the only way to restore Motufetu and stop Nalo. Her crew repairs her raft, but when the group ventures forth to confront Nalo, they encounter a gigantic storm.

Moana, realizing that Nalo is trying to stop the humans from breaking the curse, asks Maui to lift the island enough for her to touch it. As Maui begins to pull up the island with his giant hook, Nalo strips Maui of his demigod powers with a lightning bolt. Moana, in a moment of desperation, dives into the ocean to touch the island underwater. Just as Moana succeeds, Nalo's lightning bolt kills her. Maui jumps in after her body, and with a magical chant, summons the spirits of Tautai Vasa and Moana's ancestors (including her grandmother Tala) who help revive her as a demigoddess, with Moana gaining a wayfinder's tattoo. Maui, having also regained his powers as a demigod, finally raises Motufetu and helps Moana reconnect the people with the ocean.

The crew returns home to Motunui, leading a flotilla of the peoples of the ocean, and a celebration is held in Moana's honor. In a mid-credits scene, Nalo plans his revenge and is about to punish Matangi for helping Moana, when the giant crab Tamatoa arrives to join his cause.