Lockdown Recommendations #2

Hello, again. Now that we are done with the mini-Diwali festivities and our religious Sunday lockdown exercise, why not relax and reward ourselves with that Netflix Marathon? It’s been a tough week, with cases heightening, the graphs curving like a park slide, and nightmares brewing in the dark depths of our mind. To ward away these dire thoughts, it is important that we keep ourselves occupied and engaged with activities that help us learn and grow. This is that “one day..” to which we’d been procrastinating long-lost interests to explore. Sew that sweater you always wanted, write that piece of poetry, find yourself in your paint colours, read those books you thought would guide you, watch those films that can change your perspective(s) and so on.

Times like these are also essential for bonding with family and understanding those close to you, lend your ears to those unanswered/ignored calls from souls who are just looking to pour their thoughts, let’s heal and get through this together.

Now, moving over the philosophy and soft talk, I thought I’d get a fact straight. Some of the below (and in the future) mentioned films and shows might be mainstream or famous in some of your worlds, or to cinephiles as well, I recommend these movies purely for values like enlightenment and entertainment. I know, it might sound like an oxymoronic statement, but hey, there exists the fine list of movies and shows that satisfy both these notions. Maybe that’s where art lies somewhere hidden in these works of cinema. (Just a musing, open to counter argument).

Indian Films:
1. Charulata (1964, Bengali)
Directed by the legendary filmmaker of the 20th century, Satyajit Ray, this is one of his phenomenal films ever. Based on Rabindranath Tagore’s novella Nashtanirh (The Broken Nest), it a brilliant adaptation of a lonely wife who finds herself falling in love with her husband’s cousin. The film stands out for various reasons- the marvelous characterizations that of an intelligent, lonely wife, a liberal husband who encourages his wife’s artistic talents, and a college graduate, Amal who pursues his literary interests and has no “real” ambition in life. Recommended by a friend a couple of years back, this film blew my mind with its beauty and brilliance.

Available on YouTube with subtitles.

2. Kumbalangi Nights (2019, Malayalam)
Undoubtedly, one of the best films to have released last year, Kumbalangi Nights is a fresh breeze in the family-film genre that changes the dynamics with its unique voice and perspective. boasting of a talented cast including Fahadh Fasil, Soubin Shahir, Shane Nigam, this beautiful character-driven story will leave almost every viewer satisfied in the end. Written by Syam Pushkaran and a directorial debut by Madhu.C. Narayanan Kumbalangi Nights is a must-watch for anybody who is willing to explore Malayalam cinema.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

English/ Foreign-Language Films:
1. Inception (2010, English)
I know it’s a quite popular film across the globe but I included it because there are many people I personally know who haven’t gotten their hands on this one. It’s Nolan’s finest works, obviously, after the Batman Trilogy, and outstanding in terms of writing, VFX, performances, direction, everything. It’s that “almost” perfect film in my personal opinion and its uniqueness lies in its”re-watch” value. Every single time I watch this film, I find something extraordinary which I hadn’t noticed before and a fresh perspective to certain dialogues and details. The stellar ensemble of actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, et al is just the icing on the cake.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

2. Cinema Paradiso (1988, Italian)
Every cinema lover in the world should watch this film, at least once in their lifetime. The film traces the enchanting journey a young boy develops for the movies in a small town in Italy. His entire life is shaped by the films he watches, his relationships, his career, everything. It’s like he is in a lifelong affair with the art of cinema. The film is an emotional rollercoaster ride that connects with you on various levels and etches a mark within you, forever. Don’t miss pout on this classic drama. Period.

TV Show/ Web Series:
When They See Us:
Recommended to me by one of my closest friends, this Netflix Original is a realistic take on the 1989 incident surrounding the wrongful arrest and sentencing of 5 African-American teenagers in New York City. The 4-episode limited series touches upon the centuries old issue of racism still prevailing in the United States and it’s stronghold in the justice system. The series questions your beliefs about police authorities, judicial system and the privileged people in general, and raises gut-wrenching questions with its pure honesty. Please do watch if you have access to the Netflix platform, and it’s only a 4-episode commitment so..

Available on Netflix.

Music album/ Songs I’m listening to currently:
The album that’s currently on a loop is AR Rahman’s Boys (2003) and other songs include Ilaiyaraja’s classics like Thendral Vanthu (Avatharam), Oliyile (Azhagi), Rum Bum Bum (Michael Madana Kama Rajan) and Kavithai Kelungal, Enna Satham Intha (both from Punnagai Mannan).

Thank you for reaching this far. Be safe, stay home.

Lockdown Recommendations #1

Since the lockdown on March 22 by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have managed to survive a week of zoo life, with dogs ruling the streets, endangered species believing their instincts and making a special appearance, and “my life, my rulz” believers finding themselves questioned by the police lathis.
This lockdown has, in fact, helped me discover myself better and realize the importance of the gratitude and love I owe my family, in these tough times. Deep down, when the dust settles, even if things get back to normal (if they do, hopefully), the dynamics of our family’s relationship have now found an elevation to a much more, platonic level. Those unseen, unspoken distance we thought we had, have cleared just like the clear we are witnessing devoid of pollution, capitalism and human greed.

Anyways, since most of us are creeping into the holes of boredom a little too quickly, I thought I’d recommend a couple of film, shows and music I thought might keep you entertained a little while (if you’re interested) and maybe ward off boredom too. Most of the stuff I usually recommend can be either mainstream (for a few) or completely new (for most of your, readers) but definitely, enlightening in ways you might not have imagined. Films and Shows, to me personally, are beyond mere tools of entertainment and representation of society, but a reflection of our souls, thoughts, emotions and mentors which encourage the creative thinker to discover the artist hidden within ourselves.
Starting off with films, I thought I’d recommend 1 Indian film and another foreign/English film each day.

Indian Films:
1. Neerkumizhi (1965, Tamizh)
It marks the directorial debut of the phenomenal playwright-writer-director, K. Balachander. Starring Nagesh, Sowcar Janaki and Major Sundar Rajan in lead roles, the film revolves around the lives of 3 patients in a nursing home run by a father-daughter duo. The satirical social drama is a perfect cinematic example to utilise a single location to narrate a sophisticated story and dynamic web of characters, similar to the classic 12 Angry Men. Actor Nagesh nails every scene with his eccentric presence and Balanchander’s wordplay, which adds a classy texture to this socialistic and philosophical tale.

The film is available on YouTube for free.

2. Raja Vaaru Rani Gaaru (2019, Telugu)
A new-age romantic comedy that is rooted in a rural district around the Godavari river, Andhra. Based on the subtle lines of caste, a story of Raja who finds it difficult to profess his love to his childhood crush. The story happens over a time period of almost 8 years as Raja, aided by his two friends, Chaudhary and Naidu, experience the turmoil and troubles of love in a conservative society. Starring debutantes, Kiran Abbavaram, Rahasya Gorak, Rajkumar Kasireddy and Yazurved Gurram, Raja Vaaru Rani Gaaru is a breezy directorial debut by writer-director Ravi Kiran Kola and makes for a great viewing experince with your family.

The film can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.

Foreign/English Films:
1. Parasite (2019, Korean)
Undoubtedly, Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is the best film of 2019 and worthy of the Oscars. Showered by accolades across film festivals and celebrated by cinephiles across the world, Parasite is a revelation in itself that will leave you spellbound in unimaginable ways. Oh, I’m not overstating or over-appreciating, I’m proud that I discovered this gem at the right time, right place. There’s only one thing I want to tell about this brilliantly made masterpiece of artsy-mainstream film- Don’t miss out on this one. (Recommended for 18+ readers only).

The film is available on Amazon Prime Video.

2. Little Women (2019, English)
Adapted to the screen and directed by Greta Gerwig of Lady Bird fame, Little Women is a devoted and passionate tribute to the 19th century classic novel of the same name written by Louisa May Alcott. This new-age comedy is an inspiring tale of four sisters- Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March, who are driven by their artistic pursuits and confront various harsh realities of life, love and passion. Boasting of a dazzling ensemble of talent like Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalemet, Laura Dern, it’s an absolute delight to witness this magical story on screen. Bustling with energy, Little Women is a cozy watch on a sunny afternoon, that will leave you enthralled.

TV Show/ Web Series: Killing Eve and Fleabag

Created by the sensational and extremely talented writer-director-actor, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, both these two shows are unique and multi-dimensional in terms of plot lines, witty humour and direction. They are a treat to watch to watch and each passing minute only gets doubly-exciting. Killing Eve is a humorous spy thriller that revolves around Eve Polastri, a former MI6 agent and Villanelle, a sassy apathetic assassin, which turns into a cat-and-mouse chase when they get obsessed with each other.
Whereas, Fleabag, is a sizzling and sensuous take on a single woman’s life living in modern-day London and a dysfuctional family tired of her various sex partners and almost-bankrupt cafeteria business.

Fleabag is available on Amazon Prime Video and Killing Eve is available on Hotstar.

Lastly, I thought I’d share an album or song that’s ruling my playlist today- Aadukalam, a Vetrimaaran film with music composed by GV Prakash Kumar. I’ve been listening to this album on loop and especially in love with the SPB melody- Ayyyayo.

Thank you for getting this far. See ya, until I compile another set. Bye!

Thalapathy by Mani Ratnam

Thalapathy, is a fascinating retelling of the Mahabharata by Mani Ratnam. The stellar cast included Rajinikanth, Mammootty, Shobana, Srividya, Jaishankar, Amrish Puri and introduced Arvind Swamy. Mani Ratnam explores the antagonistic nature of Duryodhana and Karna, thus, moralising their character. Vyasa, the writer of Mahabharata, constantly delves into the concepts of Dharma and Adharma, flaws of a human heart and the pride in one’s mind. In the book, Jaya by Devdutt Pattanaik, he says “Even the worst of villains has a story that perhaps explains their actions, without condoning them.” Thalapathy brings a new perspective and reminds all of us to not judge people without knowing their story.

Karna and Duryodhana, were the villainous counterpart to Arjuna-Krishna and the Pandavas in the Indian epic, Mahabharata. The dynamics between Karna and Duryodhana in a modern setup, is the crux of Thalapathy. It primarily focuses on Karna, the son of the Sun-God, Surya- which also happens to be Rajinikanth’s name in the film. Similar to the epic, Surya is abandoned by his mother, Bhavani (Srividya; read Kunti) and grows up amidst the lower strata of the society in a fictitious town. The film draws parallels between Surya and Karna from the original epic. According to Vyasa’s Mahabharata, Karna is the manifestation of a Kshatriya man who refuses to submit to the social status imposed upon him by the society. Karna in fact, on a meta-physical level is the embodiment of Dharma and Adharma.

Surya pledges his allegiance to Deva (Mammootty; Read Duryodhana) who plays Duryodhana in Thalapathy, in an act of gratitude for saving his life. Deva and Surya follow their own code of Dharma and establish their rule in this fictitious town. Their rebellious set of principles clash with that of the “rule-abiding” policemen and Surya’s morally correct stepbrother, Arjun (You read it right this time) played by Arvind Swamy. Similar to the original story, Surya and Subbalakshmi (Draupadi played by Shobana) fall in love only to be separated by caste differences and Arjuna wins Draupadi (Subbu) due to his superiority in the social hierarchy established by the society.

“Who decides what justice is? How does one end this unending spiral of revenge where everyone believes they are right and their opponents are wrong?”

I had come across these beautiful lines in a book I’d read a while ago. The film tries to explore these enigmatic questions with its own poetic beauty and modern sensibilities. Characters in Thalapathy are so complex and beautifully written, I thought a character study would be a thought-provoking experiment.