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Reviews
The Archies (2023)
Title: A Sweet Stroll Through Riverdale - "The Archies" Delivers a Pleasant Watch
"The Archies" unfolds with the charm of a small town, reminiscent of the innocence we often associate with classic tales. The ensemble of star kids, making their debut together, sparks initial curiosity, creating a vibe similar to the debut of another star-studded cast in SOTY. Yet, the true star of the show is Zoya Akhtar's vision, weaving a world that is sweet, uncomplicated, and refreshingly inviting. If given the chance, one might want to live in this idyllic town, cycling through its streets, lounging in the park, and simply being part of its wholesome atmosphere.
The characters in Riverdale are endearing, with an innocence that shields them from being taken for granted. The surroundings, too, refrain from exploiting them, creating a narrative filled with sweetness, milkshakes adorned with ice cream scoops, and hearty hamburgers.
While the cast, including the dazzling Suhana Khan, Agastya Nanda, and Khushi Kapoor, exudes real-life polish, their on-screen performances fall short at times. The dialogue delivery appears emotionless and uneven, with a tendency to trail off at the end of sentences, indicating a need for more training.
Despite this, some characters shine brightly in their roles. Vedang Raina as Reggie Mantle, Ethel Muggs portrayed by Aditi Sehgal, and Yuvraj Menda as Dilton Doiley exhibit better polish and leave a lasting impact. Yuvraj, in particular, with his charming "Thank you," adds a delightful touch to the narrative.
The plot introduces a common conflict that lacks the depth to evoke genuine empathy. It feels like a safe choice, perhaps dictated by resource constraints, leaving the audience with a predictable resolution and a lack of emotional investment.
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music stands out as a highlight, delivering a refreshing blend of no-mix-match, unadulterated melodies. The trio's return is a treat, offering pure, fresh songs that enhance the overall viewing experience.
In conclusion, "The Archies" is a one-time watch, conveniently available on Netflix. The film's strengths lie in its music, occasional cool moments, and Zoya Akhtar's ability to craft a pleasing narrative with minimal resources. While the cast may need more refinement, the movie succeeds in providing a feel-good experience for those seeking a simple and enjoyable escape.
Guns & Gulaabs (2023)
Unpolished Brilliance: A Review of 'Guns and Gulabs
"Guns and Gulabs" begins its journey with the picturesque beauty of a "gulaab" field, yet swiftly transitions to a world dominated by "guns." While this initial approach is simple, it feels somewhat lacking for the renowned duo behind the series. As a casual viewer, the intended direction of the creators was readily comprehensible, eliminating the need to read between the lines.
The character introductions play a crucial role at the outset, each portraying a sense of menace and determination in their own unique way. However, their subsequent actions fail to consistently live up to this initial impression, barring a few notable exceptions. While this portrayal might reflect the authenticity of ordinary gangsters, it falls short of the engagement required to captivate audiences in a web series. The characters' motivations often lack the necessary depth and conviction, leaving a void in their intent.
We are introduced to Tipu, an unassuming small-time mechanic, masterfully portrayed by RKR, whose life takes an unexpected turn after the tragic death of his father. Fueled by rage, he becomes entangled in a world he never sought. His complex emotions oscillate between love, revenge, and other conflicting desires, making him a instantly likable yet enigmatic character. RKR shines in this role, though amidst the intricate narrative, Tipu's true allegiance and motivations remain unclear, hindering a deep emotional connection. At best, we find ourselves chuckling at his witty remarks.
The portrayal of Mr. Senior Ganchi, portrayed by the late Satish Kaushik ji, the local opium trade lord, is intriguing. However, the extent of his capabilities and the consequences of defying his wishes remain unexplored. The anticipation for a more charismatic and forceful portrayal of a gang lord remains largely unfulfilled.
His son, Chotu, also known as Jugnu or Jr. Ganchi (Adarsh Gaurav), strives to earn his father's approval and carve his own path. Unfortunately, despite encountering unexpected hurdles, the emotional depth expected from such moments is absent. Whether he holds sway over his empire or succumbs to a sense of helplessness lacks the impact required to evoke genuine emotion.
The central theme of the "deal" is recurrent, yet the narrative oscillates unpredictably between sub-plots and the main plot. Regrettably, viewers are not given enough time to invest in these sub-plots, consequently failing to elicit empathy for the overarching deal.
"Aatmaram," portrayed by the charismatic Gulshan Devaiah, is a contract killer characterized by his ruthless spree. Yet, his actions often appear unconvincing due to the absence of genuine obstacles. While his witty one-liners and stylish demeanor are appealing, his character remains underdeveloped.
The inclusion of teenage romance drama intermittently disrupts the narrative's momentum and gravitas. The reliance on stretched situations and sub-plots only perpetuates the sensation of circular storytelling with minimal advancement.
Dulquer Salmaan's portrayal of DCP Arjun, the newly appointed officer, shines as he navigates the intricate world of the town. His unwavering commitment to his family sets him apart, providing a clear and purposeful quest amidst the convoluted web of characters.
The series frequently employs pop culture references that mirror the universal theme of relationships and escape. However, their timing and relevance, particularly "bhag sunil bhag," can be questioned.
While humor and a stellar cast are abundant, the excessive use of coarse language eventually diminishes its impact. The scarcity of effective cliffhangers further undermines the anticipation for each successive episode, contributing to a sense of fatigue as the series progresses.
Spanning six episodes and an extended mini-movie finale, the series gradually loses its allure by the sixth episode, leaving the viewer eager to conclude the journey. While the series does possess moments of amusement and boasts remarkable casting, its reliance on flashback sequences in the finale to justify characters' actions feels like a convenient storytelling ploy.
Ultimately, the storytelling itself warrants critique; a tighter narrative and the trimming of an episode could have elevated the series and maintained its appeal.
Decoupled (2021)
R Madhavan is a delight!
'Decoupled' is a light hearted romantic comedy of a couple already divorced at heart but not in legal terms. What happens when a couple has decided that they have to get separated but how do you go about it? What are the next steps? How long can you deny it? How do you still convey and be civil with your partner? 'Decoupled' tries to find an anwer to these questions.
In the first couple of episodes its not really clear what's their 'deal' as they talk about the possibilities of finding other partners and at the same time don't openly talk about their actual encounters. But the 2 pivotal characters make it work.
R Madhavan's character portrayal is flamboyant, smart and sassy. He is at your face all the time, at times even irritatingly too much at your face all the times, but mostly its funny. It's hard to agree with him and at the same time hard to deny because he speaks facts.
Surveen Chawala is an interesting casting choice and she holds her character very nicely in front of a veteran like Madhavan. She's a strong woman with innate feelings she has not spoken off in a long time.
Both these characters take the 8 episode series on their shoulders and make it a fun watch.
The writing is off at times as it tries to be 'too funny' at times which throws you off from the narrative at times. Some of the supporting casts/plots/characters could have been given more meat and background. They never take off but just hover around like drones.
All in all, since each episode is not more than 30 min, its an easy weekend binge watch!
Sooryavanshi (2021)
The movie is plain stupid and mindless!
Consider a scenario where the police finds out there was 1000kg of RDX brought in out of which 400kg was used and the rest 600kg was burried somewhere. Guess what, when the bad guys redig it, they find 600kg. Not 602, 624, 589, exactly 600kgs! The movie is that mindless.
It's a movie where a random neighbour wants to enter your house in the middle of the night just because you seem to be new in the neighbourhood! It's that stupid!
Even if we remove all these (endless) mindless scenes, the dialogues are just so outdated. They don't entice any sort of emotion either in the actor or in the viewer.
Everyone just seem to be disinterested.
Akshay Kumar looks out of place in this movie. He looks old and bored. Ideally a movie of this genre should have a lot of thrill and suspense associated with it. Every scene gives you a cue of what's going to happen next. What we least expect is a song to appear out of nowhere which is the only suspense in the film. Its a snoozefest, boring and outdated way of film making..
I'll give 3 stars for a couple of jokes which make you smile at the max. I wish I hadn't wasted my time!
Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015)
One of the most confident performances of recent times!
Few things to list first. The movie shows how important a script is to a movie. For Tanu Weds Manu Returns, the script is its backbone. It makes you laugh all the way through with some very original and witty dialogs. Second is casting. It is perfect, though most of the casting is reprised from the first part. Direction is crisp and perfectly desi which is required for this film. Screenplay perfectly blends with the flow of the story. You laugh at the characters when the screen demands and you feel bad for them when the screen demands. Music could have been a little better. Still, a couple of songs like "swagger" and "ghani bawri" are good and makes you want to burn the dance floor.(Kangana has done the same!) Now for acting: Kangana has proved her maturity in Queen. She seems to carry the same confidence in this flick. She has done a brilliant job and with the current scenario, by far she is very well ahead of other for another Film Fare! Manu ji's role is more of a supporting actor role because I feel both hero and heroine's role has been played by Kangana. But R Madhavan has done a decent job again and has acted his part with perfection. Pappi ji is awesome too! He has more screen space than the previous film and does not disappoint! I would rate this film 9/10 for its close to perfection cinema with some amazing dialogs and direction and acting. Just not to forget, if you are planning to watch this film, don't miss the beginning! It will set the tone for you perfectly. It is important for the film. Go and enjoy Kangana's swagger moves! KUDOS !!