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The persisting socioeconomic and political issues in India, which have plagued the country since independence, have ended up creating a breeding ground for conmen, religion peddlers, and embezzlers—basically people who rampantly exploit the existing greed of the poverty-stricken majority of the populace. Director Karuna Kumar’s Telugu period action drama, Matka, based on the real-life exploits of ‘Matka King,’ notorious gambler Ratan Khetri, chronicles the story of such a man who used his wits and guile to cripple the nation’s economy in such a way that the lingering effects of it are prevalent to this day. However, the narrative refuses to adopt a more serious approach to the gravity of the situation and provides a typical action masala movie treatment instead—much like a plethora of similar Indian mass action movies have been made glorifying, at times justifying, the despicable actions of criminal minds by sugarcoating them as...

It is our popular fault not allowing women faults- a fault reflected in our popular cinema. Replete with motherly, dainty, saintly, and pitiful figures, Indian cinema rarely allows women a space where they can have flaws. A self-imposed sati-syndrome that “Angammal” fortunately doesn’t suffer from. Based on Perumal Murugan’s short story “Kodithuni,” the sophomore directorial of Vipin Radhakrishnan tells the story of Angammal, a beedi-smoking, foul-mouthed, Luna-driving, tattooed matriarch who refuses to wear sarees with a blouse.

The opening long shot of the wind flirting with the grass, followed by Angammal (Geeta Kailasam) entering the frame on her bike is reminiscent of simplistic yet powerful shots one has seen in early parallel films. The film begins with Angammal narrating a story of the Uchchimala Winds and its mythical symbolism to her granddaughter, with whom she behaves just like a kid, unlike the rest of her relationships.

Drawing us in with an animated,...

Two of the top contending manga of the Shonen genre have served one flop ending after another. Both Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia fans are swimming in grief and if you are a fan of both…sigh. Now, all eyes are on Mikio Ikemoto and Masashi Ikemoto to serve a proper finale of Boruto.

Historically, Boruto is not a well-liked series. If you are a Naruto fan, there are high chances that you would not like its sequel. However, after the back-to-back bad finale chapters of popular manga, a rare chance for Boruto to shine is here.

The Epic Failures of Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia Finales Yuji, Megumi, Gojo and Nobara in Jujutsu Kaisen | Credits: Mappa

Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia were the forerunners of the Shonen manga genre while they were ongoing, along with One Piece. So naturally, fans expected superb endings from both of them.

ReviewSalaam Venky, Revathy’s third directorial, has Kajol as an incredible mother who fights hard with death on behalf of her child.Sowmya RajendranScreengrabThe first scene in Salaam Venky, Revathy’s third directorial, is that of an ambulance with a flashing light rushing towards the hospital under a sky full of twinkling stars. It’s a picture of hope juxtaposed with despair – and it sums up the duality in the film’s conception. Loosely based on Shrikant Murthy’s novel The Last Hurrah, and inspired by the true life story of K Venkatesh, Salaam Venky is about a young man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. He knows that he’s going to die very soon, but he wants to speed up the process for a special cause. The poster of the film shows Kajol in a red saree, the pallu trailing behind her like a cape, pushing Vishal Jethwa who is in a wheelchair.

FilmsSwayamvaram was an important film, made at a time when audiences in Kerala were not used to independent cinema. Adoor became a pioneer in many ways, saying here is another way of making films.CrisFilm stills courtesy - YouTube / Malayalam Movie Channel (Music Zone)A bus journey lasts several minutes, during which a couple seated next to each other exchange many shy smiles. In the unhurried introduction of the two main characters in this 50-year-old film, you spot the familiar touch of Adoor Gopalakrishnan, one of the most beloved filmmakers of Malayalam cinema. This was his debut, Swayamvaram, made a decade after he attended the Film and television Institute of India in Pune. It was funded by Chitralekha, a film society and organisation that he founded with friends. Saradha and Madhu, two leading stars of the time, became the leading couple in Adoor’s script, co-written with Kp Kumaran, another great Malayalam filmmaker.

Flix FLASHBACKWritten by John Paul, who passed away recently, and directed by Bharathan, Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam is one of the most beautiful love stories of all time.Neelima MenonOru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam is one of the finest collaborations between Bharathan and John Paul. Even though at the helm are an aging couple, one cannot remember a more intense love story in Malayalam cinema. This is love in all its fragility, humility and acceptance. It’s about equality and giving. It’s about understanding each other with a mere glance. It’s about fights, laughter, misgivings and loads of undiluted love. If John Paul creates a pristine village setting for the couple to flourish and age like fine wine, Bharathan, with his magical artistry breathes life into the characters and makes us desperately fall in love with them. It’s ironic that a decade later when Mt Vasudevan Nair directed and wrote...

Flix FlashbackGV Iyer wrote and directed this unconventional film that was way ahead of its time, focusing on a couple and their children.Sanjana DeshpandeScreengrab: Nalegalannu Maduvavaru/YouTube/Tvnxt The 1950s were a defining time for the Indian cinema industry. The New Indian Cinema movement, inspired by Italian Neorealism, first began in West Bengal with filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen making films that presented the reality of the prevalent sociopolitical climate. The flames of parallel cinema soon engulfed the rest of India. ‘Kannada Bheeshma’ Gv Iyer was one of the earlier Kannada parallel cinema filmmakers. Ganapathi Venkataramana Iyer has a legion of esteemed awards to his name. Iyer’s films always circled around the theme of spirituality. However, Nalegalannu Maduvavaru (The Ones Who Will Build the Future) stands out in his filmography. The film, which released in 1976-1977, moves away from the realm of spirituality and explores rationality.

OpinionIn a recent interview to a weekly, Adoor has gone after veteran filmmaker Kp Kumaran with whom he collaborated for 'Swayamvaram'.Suresh NellikodeAdoor Gopalakrishnan rants when he talks about Kp Kumaran, another veteran filmmaker and the former co-writer of Swayamvaram. And this time, it's in the third degree, quite unusual and unheard of. However, Adoor doesn't know that such acts only deflate his stature worldwide as a renowned filmmaker. He didn't spare a thought for Kp Kumaran in his coarse war of words. It has become almost a vulgar display of imperious behaviour to other filmmakers. The stories jog back to almost half a century. What went up the wall now is a recent interview of Adoor's which appeared in a mainstream weekly. In that, he hit Kumaran with below the belt, unfounded allegations that have not been raised so far. The title of the interview read: My Greatest Mistake...

MollywoodLohithadas wrote some of Malayalam cinema's finest scripts, but his treatment of women characters fell short.Neelima MenonWith a long and glorious career spanning two decades, including six State Awards and a National Award, Lohithadas is one of the doyens of realistic dramas in Malayalam cinema. In this piece, however, we focus on his treatment of the female subject. Does realism in cinema sufficiently cover the biases of the human mind? Does his treatment of women in his cinema hold a candle to the likes of Kg George? Does the rich tapestry of the characters make up for the stereotyping? Read on to find out. Taming of the shrew Bhanu (Manju Warrier) in Kanmadam (1998) is in her 20s, her eyes glaring out of a face caked in sweat and dust, and with a scowl. Dressed in a skirt, half sari, and a coarse bandana, Bhanu seems to be in a tearing hurry all the time,...

MollywoodLohithadas wrote some of Malayalam cinema's finest scripts, but his treatment of women characters fell short.Neelima MenonWith a long and glorious career spanning two decades, including six State Awards and a National Award, Lohithadas is one of the doyens of realistic dramas in Malayalam cinema. In this piece, however, we focus on his treatment of the female subject. Does realism in cinema sufficiently cover the biases of the human mind? Does his treatment of women in his cinema hold a candle to the likes of Kg George? Does the rich tapestry of the characters make up for the stereotyping? Read on to find out. Taming of the shrew Bhanu (Manju Warrier) in Kanmadam (1998) is in her 20s, her eyes glaring out of a face caked in sweat and dust, and with a scowl. Dressed in a skirt, half sari, and a coarse bandana, Bhanu seems to be in a tearing hurry all the time,...

MollywoodFrom Srividya in ‘Kattathey Kilikoodu’ to Mohanlal in ‘Thenmavin Kombathu’, these subtle performances are some of their best acts.Aradhya KurupMohanlal (left) with Kaviyoor Ponnamma and Nedumudi Venu in 'Thenmavin Kombathu'They are all famous. They all have their niche. The hero, the heroine, the goofy friend, the villain, the learned dramatist. But even they have been forgotten for some of their best acts. Here we try to highlight some of the least talked about performances of our favourite stars. Srividya (Kattathey Kilikoodu) Bharath Gopi’s stiff, unsmiling Professor ‘Shakespeare’ Krishna Pillai, who is always buried inside his books, is counted as one of his finest acts. So, it’s hardly surprising that another actor, who stood head and shoulders with the titan in every frame, was overlooked. Srividya plays his quiet, domesticated and lovable wife, Sharada. Kattathey Kilikoodu is really her story—her silent, resilient battle to hold the family together amidst all odds.

CinemaAn actor for all seasons, Srividya's demise was a huge loss to the film industry.Aradhya KurupWikipediaShe entered the film industry at the tender age of 13, as a child artiste and in over 40 years in the industry, she would traverse the entire gamut of roles - child, heroine, wife, lover, mother - and then some. In both the early and later part of her career she managed to hold her own as a character actor, even dabbling behind the scenes as a playback singer. It’s been over a decade since she left us. On July 24, on the occasion of her birth anniversary, we remember some of the best moments in her long and fruitful association with Malayalam cinema. Sarada (Kattathe Kilikoodu): She plays the quiet, domesticated and lovable wife, Sharada. Kattathe Kilikoodu is really her story—her silent, resilient battle to hold the family together amidst all odds.

Veteran actor Sharada has been selected for the prestigious Prem Nazir award.

A three-time National Award winner, she won the Best Actress award for her performance in 1968 for Thulabharam (Malayalam), in 1972 for Swayamvaram (Malayalam) and five years later for Nimajjanam (Telugu). Apart from the National Awards, she has been bestowed with several prestigious awards such as the Kerala State Film Awards, Filmfare Awards South, and Nandi Award.

Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, better known by her stage name M.I.A., has reiterated in several interviews that the making and release of her newest album, Matangi, was a long and contentious process, emerging among the fallout of custody battles with the father of her child and the NFL. Theoretically, though it is the second album bearing her own name, M.I.A. contends that the title is an ode to the Hindu Matangi- a tantric incarnation of the goddess Maa Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, speech, the arts, and music.

As she is not a mainstream deity, she is worshiped in unconventional ways- after eating as opposed to before, and with food that has already been tasted. Perhaps this album is M.I.A.’s unconventional form of worship, as it is certainly laden with references to Hinduism. It is peppered with brief clips of rich harmonium and...

During a year when Indian Cinema is celebrating 100 years since the first moving picture was made, the writers of BollySpice have decided to put together a feature series which pays tribute to this phenomenal and charismatic industry. Titled ‘Framing Movies’, this special series during the course of 2013 will chronicle and assess some of the greatest and most significant films that Hindi Cinema has ever produced during its 100 year history. They will attempt to persuade film lovers across the world why specific films deserve recognition, why you should watch them if you have never encountered them before, as well as why they deserve to be remembered for another 100 years. Whether it is Raja Harishchandra (1913), Mother India (1957) or Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), these feature articles will illustrate the best of Hindi cinema. This series will Only explore Hindi cinema in the last 100 years and we acknowledge that by no means is the...

Chennai, March 23: Ags Entertainment, one of the leading production houses for Tamil films, Saturday announced six new projects for this year.

"Thought it's about time to announce our line-up for the year. We have six movies in the pipeline," Archana Kalpathi, CEO, Ags Entertainment, posted on her Twitter page.

Elucidating on the slate, Kalpathi posted: "'Gaja Buja Gaja Tenali Ramanum Krishnadevaraya' with Vadivelu in the lead. Direction by Yuvaraj and music by Imman. 'Saraswathi Sabadham', full-length comedy caper starring Jai, Vtv Ganesh, Satyan and Manobala. Direction by Chandru.

"We will again return with.

The 17th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (Iffk) has announced its lineup. The festival will run from 7th to 14th December, 2012 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Some of the highlights of the lineup are festival favourites of the year Amour, Chitrangada, Samhita, The Sapphires, Drapchi, Miss Lovely, Me and You, Celluloid Man, and Baandhon.

Fourteen films will screen in the Competition section while seven contemporary films will be screened in “Indian Cinema Now” section.

Complete list of films:

Competition Films

Fourteen feature films from Asia, Africa and Latin America will compete for the coveted “Suvarna Chakoram” (Golden Crow Pheasant) and other awards.

Always Brando by Ridha Behi (Tunisia)

Inheritors of the Earth by T V Chandran (India)

A Terminal Trust by by Masayuki Suo (Japan)

Shutter by Joy Mathew (India)

Today by Alain Gomis (Senegal-France)

The Repentant by Merzak Allouache (Algeria)

Sta. Niña by Manny Palo (Philippines)

Present Tense...

London: M.F. Hussain, a former movie billboard artist who rose to become India’s most sought-after painter before going into self-imposed exile during an uproar over nude images of Hindu icons, died Thursday. He was 95.

Hussain had lived in Dubai since 2006 after receiving death threats from Hindu hard-liners in India for a nude painting of a woman shaped like India’s map, often depicted as “Mother India” in popular arts, folklore and literature. A nude of Hindu goddess Saraswati also angered the hard-liners.

No details of the cause of his death were immediately known.

The.

Once in a while, we'll come across something that doesn't really qualify as news, but seems far to good to leave out in the ether.  This is one of those times.

Adavi Donga is a 1985 Telugu film starring Mega Star Chiranjeevi.  Chiru is probably the biggest star in Telugu cinema and has been out of action for a few years after going into politics at the urging of his fans.  He recently announced that he'll be re-entering the film world to act in, and possibly direct, his 150th feature film.  Why, you may be asking, do I care?  Well, if Chiranjeevi's return produces anything with results even remotely as insane as this video for the song Idhi Oka Nanadanavanamu, we are all in for a treat.

As for the film itself, I'll let the DVD cover do the synopsizing, since I've never seen it, and I don't think I could be any more concise.