Theater Review: Play: I Kabootar You

 

This play was staged at LTG Auditorium on last Sunday. Because the internet has a way of forgetting and these folks were unforgettable, let me first put the cast and crew here. 

Aryan Madhok and his team directed this superb adaptation of the Manav Kaul original and breathed new life into it. 

Shreshth as Salim and Divyakant as Raju clearly stood out. Uday as Pappu did very well too. 

While the acting was superb, the production quality was also remarkable. The lights (unfortunately, the name of the person on the lights was not shared with the audience) usually play a big role in the experience of a play, but in this case, they were even more so than usual. 

The live music on the stage added to the entire experience. The singing and Garv on Tabla was amazing. 

The show ended to a resounding applause. It was great fun to be there, and I wish there were more shows of this play. This does deserve to be staged again and again. 

If you catch members of this team performing anywhere, I would recommend them very highly. 

The music and choreo deserve special mention too, especially the dances by Ishan and Shreshth. 

Viewed from left, Meenakshi is the girl in the checkered skirt, to her right (in red shirt with a white vest) is Salim, next to them (green shirt) is the narrator, Red T shirt is Raju, who nailed the Haryanvi accent. These performers lit up the play. 

Book Review: Khushwant Singh's Joke Book 9

It might feel strange to review a joke book. But joke books are what converted a child from a non-reader to a reader. 

Jokes are underrated. Humour is the lubrication of human interactions. 

So, joke books, in my book, are right up there.  

For my generation, Khushwant Singh is up there when it comes to joke books. 

And yet... this book disappoints spectacularly. 

The jokes are ALL old, mostly lame, and some downright incendiary. My most hated "joke" is this: 

Morning: Incense; Night: Incest 

Morning: Shivling; Night: Cunnilingus 

- the contributor of this "Joke" is Karan Thapar from Delhi. 

Give this book a complete miss. 

Book Review: Six suspects

QnA (later called Slumdog Millionaire) is one of my favorite books. Vikas Swaroop has the ability to weave multiple interesting tales into one coherent story. 

Six suspects is his second book and I picked it up with a lot of anticipation. 

At 470 pages, it is not a quick read. But the really unfortunate part is, it could have been. It could have been a much quicker read with some editing. 

There are seven intertwined stories in the book. But they do not intertwine very well. 

What is most painful is that each story is dragged out - like reaaaalllllly realllllllly stretched out. It is frustrating to have to speed read entire chapters because the author wants to illustrate the same thing... over and over again.

#SpoilerAlert 

After the first 2-3 yo-yos, we get the picture with Mohan. We do! 

#EndofSpoilerAlert 

The loose reference to real life incidents is interesting and amusing. It adds to the reader's enjoyment, but not really to the story itself. 

The probability of a coincidence happening in this book is about 10 times more than the probability of the same coincidence happening in anyone's real life. But that's what stories are about - they are about the unreal, so we will leave that aside. 

I really enjoyed the parts where the taut storytelling was back. Some of the episodes were narrated through short incident snippets. That was very nice and very enjoyable. 

The end of a Whodunnit is meant to be surprising, and so it was. But very credible. Credit to the author for tying it up so well. 

But the motives...oh! In spite of the buildup to try and create strong motives in each case, most of the motives are watery and weak. They just don't make sense. 

The book was finished very quickly, so it is a page turner and an attention keeper for sure. But with just a little bit more editing, this book could have been so much more! 

#SpoilerAlert 

The characters are well crafted. Eketi would be the favorite character of most readers (he was mine). I also liked Shanti. Only the naivete of Shabnam in grooming Ram Dulari led to the shaking of the head. Surely, someone warding off starlets like the lion swats flies would know the risk of having a look alike in the house? 

Book Review: The Hyderabad Heist

Short Review:  

Such a gripping book!!

The author manages to take us on a journey of sleuthing with the police, without making it dry or theoretical at any point.

The entire book is unputdownable. At Just 199 pages, this is the perfect read for that evening at home.

Long Review: 

The book begins with a museum theft in 2018 in Hyderabad. This is the story of how this crime was solved by the police. 

Museum crimes are not easy to solve. So, the journey is thrilling as we share in the frustrations of the police team as they hit one dead end after another. 

The story is written very, very well. At no point does one feel overwhelmed by procedure and theory. 

At just 199 pages including the epilogue and the biosketch, this book is an easy breezy read for that evening at home. 

Go for it! 

Film Review

 #SheSaid on #Netflix

There are many worlds in our world. But for most women facing sexual harassment at the workplace, there was only one world - the Kingdom of Silence.

Until #MeToo happened. And then, all hell broke lose. Harvey Weinstein went from being a hotshot Hollywood producer to a PNG.

But have you ever wondered how it happened? Who took the first step? Who filed the first report? The first case? How is one of the most important people in the film industry spending 23 +16 years in prison?

This 2022 masterpiece is one of the most powerful documentaries in the already impressive Netflix repertoire. It is important enough to pause other "Continue Watching"s for a day.

Film Review: Fighter

 #Fighter on #Netflix 

Everyone has been panning Fighter, but we cannot underplay one achievement of the director - it takes a LOT to have such terrible casting, incredibly bad choreo, a mishmash of masala mixes that create total confused cacophony, and STILL lend your name to the project. This has to be a broth cooked by too many cooks. One person would have lent SOME personality to the story telling. This is like bhanumati ne kunba joda, kahin ki eent kahin ka roDa. 

It's a proper case of "What were they thinking?" 

I started this film for HR, and he is the only watchable part of the film. But that "Sher khul gaye" step made it hard to even see him! 

Everyone who wanted to see the film already has, but if, like me, you are among the late junta, looking to see some decent movie to kill time, this is NOT it. Unless you are a HUGE Hrithik fan. And even then, its a test of your love. How much nonsense can you tolerate just to see him on screen. #NotExaggerating. 

The only exception being the restaurant "Please" scene - which you can see on Youtube. 

Some ppl have liked the CGI and the action sequences. I wouldn't know. I dont know of a universe in which every other flight goes down with a single hit but one aircraft takes hits like it is a punching bag and keeps going. I also dont know of two aircrafts that collide mid air and the pilots eject just in time, exactly over the battle spot, and continue to become ground warriors. And these are only the parts that one could watch. Baaki to forward karne laayak bhi nahi tha. 

So wonderful is the chemistry between the lead pair that the eventual kiss scene had my brain going - Tissot Meets Rado (Not making this up. Seriously this popped up in my head as that scene played). 

If you are into action cinema, this *might* be your thing. Might. 

For everything else, there's plenty out there. 

Quick Summary: Hrithik Roshan is great, but even he can't save this film. 

Pustak Sameeksha / Book Review - Rochak Kahaniyaan by Ramakant "Kant"

 

सबसे पहले तो ये कि पुस्तक का शीर्षक एकदम सटीक है। सभी कहानियाँ बेहद रोचक हैं। ये कहानियाँ 8 - 12 साल के बच्चों के लिए एकदम ठीक हैं। कहानी में इतने उतार चढ़ाव हैं, कि तनिक बड़े बच्चों की रुचि बनी रहे, और इतनी सरलता भी है, कि कुछ अच्छा समझने को मिले। 

"जेब खर्च" कहानी मुझे सबसे अच्छी लगी क्यूंकि एक सर्वव्यापी समस्या का इस में सरल समाधान दिया गया है। अगर सभी थोड़ी सूझ बूझ से काम लें तो बचपन की जटिलताएँ कितनी सहल हो सकती हैं। लखपति भिखारी भी बहुत अच्छी लगी क्यूंकि अमूमन बच्चों कि कहानियों में आसान से हाल दिए जाते हैं, पर इस कहानी में पूरा तरीका विस्तार से समझाया गया। 

10 कहानियों और केवल 56 पन्नों वाली यह पुस्तक किसी भी उनींदी दोपहर को एकमुश्त पढ़ी जा सकती है।  

हर कहानी सोचने पर विवश करती है। इस पुस्तक को जरूर पढिए। 

The title is absolutely accurate! The stories are really, really interesting. 

They are complex enough to appeal to a young adult, yet the themes are challenges that are relevant to older children. It is not easy to weave a story that is just right. 

The book is a pithy, quick read at 10 stories and just 56 pages. It is a delight to go through this book. 

The story - Jeb Kharch is my favorite, bcs it forces us to think of things and shows us how easy it can be to manage life's problems with just a little maturity on the part of everyone. 

The other good story is Lakhpati Bhikhari, because it takes a problem and illustrates a good solution approach in adequate detail. 

The book is highly recommended. Please do get this book for adults and young adults. 

Film Review: Vaccine War - Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri's film

 #VaccineWar on #Hotstar

Just finished watching this film. (kind of late to the party)

This is that #NeverForget2020 kind of film.

Apart from the acting, the perfect casting, the taut storytelling, this was a very emotional film for me.

mRNA was being developed since 2012 but had NEVER been approved for human use. And suddenly, on a virus we didn't know, a tech we had never used before was approved for human use.

I read the CDC submissions of Moderna and Pfizer. Both companies had NEVER tested anyone - neither the control group nor the vaccinated group - for the actual presence of the virus after vaccination. The success rate was based on absence of symptoms. Let that sink in. Absence of symptoms. Not absence of virus. Much less proven antibodies to virus.

All foreign companies were given indemnity against adverse reactions to the virus by the US, and made that a precondition to giving the virus to any country globally. India refused to give this indemnity. For many countries, the choices were between Sputnik and China's vaccines.

There are two proven vaccination techs - dead virus and weakened virus. Because the virus was new and lab-enhanced, I relied on the dead virus tech (Covaxin). At that time, everyone around me laughed at me. The propaganda against Covaxin was at its peak.

But in spite of all this, I had never spared a thought for the scientists who would have spent days and nights getting this vaccine out so quickly - until this movie came out. This truly was a war that could only be fought by science - and it was.

The film made me realise that this war was unique for two reasons:

1. It was the first bioweapon based world war.
2. It was also the first world war fought through fake news, misinformation, and institutional manipulation by nation states.

If that's not worth remembering, I don't know what is.

#NeverForget2020.

Film Review: Charming the Hearts of Men

Charming the Hearts of Men is a 2021 film. 

How this treasure of a film was undiscovered is beyond me. 

Grace Gordon comes back to her hometown after her father's death and starts a journey towards bankruptcy because her father was.. well, not well-off. In fact, buried in debt is closer to the truth than buried in earth. 

As a woman, I had to love the film. Ruth and her daughter, the Congressman, Jubilee, Viola, and Walter.. all the characters are so beautifully drawn! 

When Viola stands in the segregated pub and asks - What About Us? - Time stops for every viewer. 

The cinematography, costumes, and art direction make this film a visual treat. The dialogues, while not as brilliant as one would like, are adequate (actually, less than adequate). 

The film is brilliantly written. The actors carry that rather heavy burden very well. Each character comes alive.  

From the Avon lady to the first cafe to end segregation, Grace Gordon carries the day. Somewhere in between, she also manages to convince a Congressman to include women in the Civil Rights Bill, 1963. 

This film is a delight.  

Image from Imdb 

Film Review: The Nanny Diaries

The title was interesting.. so the movie was started. The cast had Scarlett Johansson. 

What a movie! 

It tells the story through the eyes of a nanny who works for a rather rich family. 

All the stereotypes are in place - the philandering husband, the botox-ing wife, the neglected yet lovable child. 

BUT, this young lady is a college graduate. Her mother, who is a nurse and a single parent, has put her through college and thinks her daughter is working in the finance industry. 

There is a neighbour - a "Harvard Hottie" as he is officially called in the film (and it took me this long to discover that Chris Evans is sooooo much more than Captain America (my loss, entirely). 

Unfortunately, all the cliches are true, which makes this a tragic-comic tale of every day life, love, betrayal, and hope. 

The technicals are adequate. The casting is spot on, the costumes less so. 

This film is like a day in early spring - not perfect, but pretty darn close. 

My favourite part? The Mary Poppins reference. Absolutely brilliant! 

Book Review: "Bestseller She Wrote" by Ravi Subramaniam

When one picks up a Ravi Subramaniam book, the expectations are high. Please read this book review with that pinch of salt. 

The blurb calls it a thriller and the cover calls it a thriller. It is not a thriller in the conventional sense of the term. Or, maybe I am not reading the right thrillers. It is a pageturner, but many of those pages are turned without fully reading. 

The book picks up pace in the second half though, as knots are unraveled and secrets revealed. 

When you publish a book, editors and publishers tell you to increase the word count - as if the book is a per word product that the reader is buying. Ironically, people buy longer looking books, but dont have the time to read them. I think authors need to stand up for themselves. Ravi Subramniam is a taut storyteller and that is one of his strengths. So many passages in this book are unlike his style (yes, i have read most of his books). So much of this book is passable (literally and figuratively). 

When one read that RS has written a book outing the underbelly of the publishing industry, hopes naturally went up. But the weak plot and the irrelevant story telling (no, we don't read RS books for seduction scenes or how each peg of whisky is downed). 

All in all, not one of his best works, but definitely a page turner, especially in the second half. You can speed read the first half, and it will still make all the sense in the world. 

A good editor would have struck out the bulk of the first part and much of the second part. (I have listed these parts below, but thats a plot spoiler, so read only if you need to). 

The book has the following parts: 

A. Aditya is seduced by Shreya. 

B. Maya finds out and all hell breaks loose. 

C. Shreya blackmails Aditya and he is forced to comply. 

D. Aditya does some investigation, outs all the villians and comes out on top. 

पुस्तक समीक्षा: 10 प्रतिनिधि कहानियाँ - मालती जोशी

मालती जोशी जी की कहानियाँ सदा ही मनोहारी होती हैं । सादी, सहज, संवेदनशील, और गहरी। हर कहानी में मर्म है, और मानव मन की गहरी पहचान। किरदार कोई भी हो, किसी आयु का, किसी व्यवसाय का, जीवन के किसी भी पड़ाव पर - उसे बहुत समझ से साथ गढ़ा जाता है - इस प्रकार कि उस चरित्र के विभिन्न रंग भी दिखाई दें, और वह चरित्र लघु कथा में समय भी जाए - यह जादू केवल एक महान कथाकार कर सकता है। 

कहानियों में लेखक की सोच निहित है - और वह सोच बहुत परिपक्व है। कहानियाँ केवल अपने समय का दस्तावेज़ नहीं हैं, टिप्पणी भी हैं। टिप्पणी से हम लेखिका के मन की बात समझ पाते हैं। कहीं वह बात हमारे मन से मेल खाती है, कहीं नहीं, पर किसी भी स्थान पर हम यह नहीं कह पाते कि लेखिका ने इस विषय को कम समझा, या कम सोचा है। 

ये कहानियाँ रोचक भी हैं, और सोचने पर भी मजबूर करती हैं। कोई कोई कहानी तो सारा दिन साथ बैठी परेशान करती रहती है, सोचने पर मजबूर करती रहती है। 

इस पुस्तक को अवश्य पढ़ें। 

Kitaabghar Prakashan 

Book Review/ Pustak Sameeksha: Ghaas ke phool by Viky Arya

बचपन में हर बच्चे के पास एक सन्दूकची या बिस्कुट का पुराना डिब्बा होता है, जिस में वह अपना सारा संसार सँजो कर रखता या रखती है। 2 मिनट भी खाली मिलने पर मन उस सन्दूकची के पास भाग जाने को करता है। एक एक चीज उठा कर देखना, उसे बस छू भर कर वापिस रख देना - मन को उस समय जो संतोष मिलता है, वह फिर बड़े होने पर नहीं मिलता। 

इस पुस्तक के साथ, मन ने, बहुत सालों बाद, फिर उसी संतोष को पाया। 5 मिनट भी मिलने पर, किताब को उठा कर पढ़ने बैठ जाना, बिल्कुल वैसा ही महसूस होता था, जैसा बचपन की सन्दूकची को चुपके से खोलने पर। 

एक-एक कहानी उम्दा। कोई कथानक ऐसा नहीं जिसका अनुमान पढ़ते हुए लगाया जा सके। विषय कुछ ऐसे, जिनके बारे में अमूमन बात नहीं होती, पर उनकी handling ऐसी कि बिल्कुल भी असहज  न लगे। 

मेरी पसंदीदा कहानी 'उस पल' है, एक बेहद व्यक्तिगत कारण से। पर इस पुस्तक की सभी कहानियाँ अपनी बात कहती है। और वह बात सुनने योग्य है। 

जब आप किसी पहाड़ पर या समंदर के किनारे यूं ही वक़्त गुजार रहे हों, और कोई साथी चाहिए हो, जो अच्छी, रोचक बातें करे, तब इस किताब को उठाइएगा। 

TV review: Ancient Apocalypse

 This is a docuseries.

If history is your thing, you already know that there are many megalithic architectural structures for which historians have no explanation.

If history is not your thing, you have at least heard of the pyramids in Egypt.

This docuseries does one thing brilliantly - it brings all those disparate, scattered pieces of evidence together and ties them up in a timeline that is credible.

The reason historians have been able to sidestep the questions raised by these megaliths is that the questions were asked one at a time - What about the Chichen Itza? What about the Nazca lines? What about the pyramids? But when you put ALL the data points on the table and ask ALL the questions together, they become very uncomfortable questions to avoid.

What it does not do so well is subtlety and sticking to the core of facts above analysis. Each data point is coated with some hypotheses and at some places, data points appear to be force-fitted to suit the hypothesis.

The other thing it does not do well is providing exhaustive information. The Denisovas, which, imho, form a very important piece of the puzzle, are entirely left out. The Nazca lines are untouched even though they are one of the best researched unexplained archeological features. I will not list the smaller data points that are omitted - we can chalk those down to time constraints. These are the two glaring misses in content.

If you are a history person, this docuseries will leave you with some additional, relevant information, and a slight discomfort with the pushiness of the host. The hypothesis is probable - at most. One might want to pursue it, but one is equally likely to file it as one of the many hypotheses already shared by those who care.

If you are not a history person, the series will truly open your eyes to a LOT of new information. What to do with that information, is entirely up to you.

Like all well-funded docuseries, it is well made, well-shot, well-edited. The technicals are all in place.

Film Review: Magic Beyond Words

 This is an unauthorised biography, as per the declaration at the start of the movie.

But this is very good storytelling. At a very taut 90 minutes, the movie is a delight.

Poppy Montgomery gives a performance that should be remembered for some time.

The editing is the first thing that deserves a special mention. Not one wasted scene.

The second thing is the screenplay. It's funny and intelligent and engaging.

The third thing is the acting - by every single person on that screen. The casting was perfect, and every actor delivered.

The lighting is great.

Film Review: Maja Ma (Hindi)

#MajaMa on Prime Video 

Even if you are pursuing a PhD on the subject, you never know what its like until you have to deal with it personally. 

There is a lot of nuance in this film. A lot of attention to detail. The costumes. The art direction. The hair and makeup. The music. I can't remember the last time such lovely lyrics made their way to the screen in the background while the story played out in the foreground. So much attention to tiny details. 

The way the story has been structured - two children - one pushing her towards "owning her truth", the other urging her to tell everyone that it's all a lie. And how she stands tall above both - owning her truth in her own way, at her own pace, with each stakeholder one by one. It's a slow process - the coming out. The movie takes us through that process as it is likely to really happen. Every character is human. Real. Relatable. Every episode is real and relatable. 

The performances are adorable. Every one of them. They own their characters - some written better than others, and deliver them. 

My favourite two episodes - Kanchan confronting Pam, and then Pam confronting Bob. Tejas is delightful and fresh. Very believable. Right down to his "I have always made you agree to my demands" stint. 

The only character I had trouble accepting is Tara. That character, imho, needed more work at the writer's desk. 

And finally: 

1. Accent sirf American nahi hota, Gujarati bhi hota hai. Its not easy to say "This is your house also now" like a Gujju, if you are not one. Full marks to Gajraj Rao for acing this one. 

2. Madhuri Dixit is a DIVA. She can make mommy roles so full of substance - whether it is Bucket List or The Fame Game, she brings a powerful mother alive on screen, looking effortlessly glamorous while at it. 

Movie Review: Rakshabandhan

The Post Review: That must come first 

7 hours after watching this film, I am still thinking of it, and just realised two very important things: 

A. In the time I was watching the film, at least 2 women died - like, really died, for the same issue that the movie was trying to educate me on. 

B. If I wasn't professionally qualified, my parents would have paid dowry for me. Its personal. I could have been the sister who died, or one of the 10 women who file a complaint of domestic violence or dowry for the 1 who dies, or the 100 who "adjust" and don't file a complaint. Instead, they raise kids who grow up watching father being abusive to mother, dadi comparing gifts from the two daughters in law. All of that. That "happily married mother" could have been me. 

The Pre-Review: Why I went at all 

Logically speaking, I went for Anand L Rai and Akshay Kumar - professionals whose earlier work I have liked. 

But the honest truth is that since watching the trailer, I knew I was going to watch this movie - reasons unknown. It was just one of those things that would happen. That happens to me very rarely, but when it does, there is no point resisting the mandate. One just does what one is told to do. 

Given that everything today gets political, didn't even bother checking with friends before booking the ticket. Chose a small theater with limited seating and just booked. 

********** 

This movie was a huge revelation for me. I have always believed that Akshay Kumar has a certain honesty in his heart that shines through his work - irrespective of the character he is playing. 

You know those nagging questions in your head that are neither important nor urgent but gnaw at you nonetheless? This was one of those. One usually likes an actor for his own work, but in this case, I knew there was something more, and couldn't place it. Watching Akshay Kumar on screen filled a huge hole in my heart, but I didn't know what that hole was called. 

Within the first three minutes of the movie, I knew why i was mandated to come watch this film. Here is the answer: 

Akshay Kumar fills a Balraj Sahni shaped hole on the screen (and in the heart.) 

Those who know me will now that I have missed Balraj Sahni's presence on screen very, very much.

Akshay Kumar brings the same honesty, the same integrity, and the same magic to his screen presence.

While writing this review, I saw the first few minutes of Waqt once again, and almost cried for joy. 

On to the review  

The most downloaded image from my blog is this: 

This is a graph that shows the number of dowry deaths reported in India - every year from 2011-2016. 

This graph tells you that India loses one young woman to dowry every hour, and has consistently done so for over 2 decades at least. And these are just the reported numbers. The dotted line is the trend line. 

You will read the same statistic in a post script at the end of the movie - I am just putting it out there so you don't miss the post script. This post script is the most important part of the film. Just in case you watch the movie and go, "Are, aisa thodi hota hai?" Exactly aisa hi hota hai. Exactly. Aisa. Hi. 

And now we come to the less important parts of the film. 

There is only one Punjabi dialogue in the film - "Ai enni jehi gall hai?" And THAT is how Punjabi should be spoken.  Had he messed up that dialogue's delivery, I likely would not have forgiven the lapse. That is one of the most important dialogues in the film. After this dialogue, he goes on to provide a guidebook style warning to the majnus of the area. Through that and another sequence, we see a character that does not fight a system because part of him believes in it, even if the only role he gets to play in that play is the rock under the elephant's foot. 

Also the gesture of going back to hit boys who do eve teasing. You will find it hard to believe, but once upon a time, that was the truth of Delhi. If you tried to whistle at a girl in public, you would be physically beaten - first by the girl (hence the Punjabi phrase - Kadaan sandal?), and then by bystanders. You could not do it. Period. 

This movie teaches you the importance of a leading cast and how they can literally carry a film on their shoulders alone. This leading cast has done that, though the ensemble cast is made up of good actors too. 

What comes up short is the development of the characters of the ensemble cast - all the 3 sisters appear as guest appearances only. We can describe them in 1-2 words, instead of the complex characters that each of them is likely to be. And for that, the credit must go squarely to the writer - Himanshu Sharma, and the director, Anand L Rai - their previous work also has not capitalised on the layering provided by ensemble cast in story telling. 

What shines through is the honesty in story telling. What you think is extreme becomes even more sad as you realise that not only is this not extreme, but that, in many, many families, and not necessarily in Chandni Chowk, this is de rigueur, this is matter of course.  

The end might appear hurried to some reviewers, but to me, I think, it was just rightly paced - The sisters finding their place under the sun. 

I wish I could change just one thing in the story - if Sapna and Kedar had married earlier in the film, it would have given us richer story telling, as Sapna's character would have navigated the challenges of the story alongside Kedar, and not from the sidelines. And, I would have liked to see the rubbishing of a promise that itself is steeped in regression. A promise like that deserves to be broken. Especially after his realisation. 

On the technical side, the film does well on sound, background score, lighting, costumes, editing, and art direction. It could have done better on screenplay. 

The camera work was adequate, but given that the movie had a playground like Chandni Chowk, am not sure it did the best it could. 

Special thanks to the makers for not subjecting us to dream sequence song and dance routines, cliched meet-cutes for each of the 3 sisters, random festival songs just because it's Chandni Chowk, useless subplots with miniscule politically correct messages, and other predictable stuff that routinely finds its way into films and every single time insults the intelligence of the audience and wastes their time. 

In the OST (Original Sound Track, for those born after the 1990s): Tere Saath Hoon Main and Bidaai stand out. There are no hummable songs, but that, methinks, is the general trend with movies these days. (Coincidentally, no one plays Antakshari any more, everyone only goes to India's Super Singer or some such, so there is no need for hummable songs either, no?) 

Endnote

I am glad I went. Will gladly go again. 

Review: Dr. Arora on Sony Liv

Dr. Vishesh Arora is the world's cutest stalker, but he is a stalker.

Given that the trailer set high expectations, and one was actually waiting for this to release on the 22nd of July, the letdown hurt twice as much. But the review is being written after a cooling off period, so the emotions are subdued, and I have tried to write a regular review. (yes, my regular reviews are this detailed)

What was this?

I am a little confused about the genre of this series.

This is not an awareness series (unless you count the name of the condition mentioned briefly on the screen).

This is not a love story.

It is not a mystery series of why his wife left him in the first place. Because that mystery never gets solved.

This is not a story of relationships, because all characters are so poorly sketched and even more shallowly presented.

If the idea was to showcase that Indians are not as open to their problems in bed as our woke metro brethren, that also flops, because, as the director already knows, sexologists are found only in small town India. And they make enough moneys to put large scale full wall ads from where the makers have shamelessly picked the name of the series. (I hope they sent a small royalty cheque to the original Dr. Arora, whose name also they have blatantly just picked up).

I am not sure, honestly, what this is. The short answer is, it really isn't anything. Its just that random mishmash that amounts to absolutely nothing.

Why this series should not have seen the light of day/night/OTT

I don't know any baba that gives private meetings of a certain kind to all female devotees.

I also don't know any SP who walks as comically as the character of SP Tomar.

I don't know any three time MLA who gets so publicly humiliated by his bedridden father at all times.

Women do not randomly invite male neighbours home, nor scream to them at night. That is not how colonies in small town India operate.

But most offensive of all, was the stalking of his ex-wife by Dr. Vishesh Arora. By the fourth episode, it is perfectly easy to start despising the character and wondering why he is stalking someone who so completely rejected him more than 17 years ago. What kind of content is being sold with the background music of a romantic song? A random romantic song playing in the background, a middle aged man looking wistfully into the distance, does not make stalking ok. I can't remember when I was that angry about the way women are projected on screen. (hence, the cooling off period before the review) .

There is no storyline.

The characters, like I mentioned already, are shallow and poorly sketched. Make that not sketched at all. Its like a series of random caricatures that one forcibly fits into a room and then tries to build something around them.

The dialogues are so forgettable that i can't remember a single representative one, and I usually write a couple of representative dialogues in the review.

The art direction is as cliched as it gets. Neither authentic nor intriguing.

The other technical aspects - lighting, sound, cinematography, research, well, lets just say they are being omitted for a reason. The director omitted them from his work too.

Only one thing they did well - the casting. A script so laughable, so wrong at so many levels, needed superb acting. And the cast - lead and ensemble, does just that. Each actor is well chosen.

What their writer forgot to do in the script, the casting director has done in the auditions - and that is doubly laudable because s/he had so little to go on.

One line review:

This is the work of a woke director sitting in some metro who does not know his/her characters, their stories, their life beliefs, even their mannerisms, but insists on telling a story about them.

Book Review: Hidden Files: Tales of Cyber Crime Investigation

This book is a surprise! I picked it up for some light reading and finished it at one go. What i love best about the book is its precision. It covers - the case, the investigation, the result. No judgements, no hyperbole, no sweat and toil and best of all, no warnings, lessons, 'I-told-you-so's.

Cyber fraud is not new in our world. Most cases in the book deal with civil offences (except two, one with national security and the other with a crime). But they all affect lives, and they all hold lessons of hope. Usually, when I read about cybercrime, inherent in that is the story of "Don't do this" or "Don't do that". But here , the message I got at the end of each story was - don't worry. No one gets away with this. We have what it takes. I Loved that positive message.

Should children read this book? 
Of Couse! All children above the age of 12 MUST read this book. It has nifty stories that read like detective fiction, except, they're true!

Since the book itself is very succinct and to the point, I think the review should be like that too.

I'd love to read more by this author (Have ordered his second book already)