chand-suhas

Narrated in 10 chapters, Aditya Dhar's highly ambitious magnum opus is that rare espionage thriller that enjoys proper research, aided by superb casting. The Director's confidence in his narrative, can be seen in the nearly 2 hours long first half with both halves getting 5 chapters each for a period of 10 years. Hamza infiltrates Pakistan's notorious gang run by Rehman Dacait and rises through the rank as his confidante. The way he gathers the information about how ISI uses these gangsters for their weapons is quite intriguing. The extreme violence is in sync with the current demand and I wasn't bothered by it. Despite the lengthy runtime, the film remains engaging though exhausting. The second half does get predictable and doesn't match the first half.

Ofcourse the other need of the hour, the whole politics of it is what leaves a bitter taste considering the original story was potent enough and the good performances carried the story forward. The jingoistic nationalism with Pakistan as the target was pretty much given and that is definitely not the issue. Yet, the opening disclaimer reads out loud and clear, that the film is inspired by true events and that it doesn't intentionally target anybody. When they resort to present this as the reality with the usage of actual terror attacks footage and call transcripts, it gets tougher to accept the politics behind this. Sure, the attempt is to trigger the strong emotional response which again was possible without over doing it. The film would have remained impactful even without the political appeasement it resorts to doing, not so subtly.

Jay Kelly is a beloved movie star who has entertained his audience for 35 long years. Ron Sukenick and Liz have been his manager and publicist respectively who practically have looked after him as well as made him the star he is all through these years. The life of a star demands an hefty price and not just from Jay but also from Ron and Liz. There is a tribute arranged in Italy to celebrate his career and Jay wishes to spend time with his family, the ones he lacks the connect after all these years while also forgetting the other family he had with him throughout. This is the story of Jay Kelly, an ordinary man who has to find his life's worth on screen.

I am a sucker for these stories and I simply loved it despite the over melodrama as that is exactly what I would like to consume. Casting George Clooney as Jay Kelly itself was a masterstroke as he lives this character and his nuanced performance makes you connect with him. Adam Sandler always delivers in non-comedy roles and his performance as Ron was truly exceptional. There were lots of sacrifices made, both willingly and unwillingly. Jay Kelly comes to realization as he is left all alone and wants to introspect whether it was worth it. On the other hand, Ron goes through an heartbreaking realization himself which he stayed in denial. It is Jay's desperate attempt to fix the issues one last time but life is never meant to be that filmy. To take this journey through this actor's life and to see him find meaning to his life, well on screen was one of the beautiful moments in the film. This one is all heart and I thoroughly enjoyed.

Rahul Ravindran has chosen to narrate a poignant story, to be the voice of someone who has enough fight left in them to stand up for themselves. With The Girlfriend, he narrates the story of Bhooma Devi who is suppressed by the male figures in her life. It is her journey towards realizing her own value and that it is not defined by others. On that aspect, it is in a way a frustrating watch as the scenes are designed to trigger and Bhooma's realization takes it's own time. But the pay off is indeed worth it.

Rahul Ravindran's brilliance is not just in the execution of the scenes but the staging as well. The much talked about mirror scene leaves a lasting impact. The pace does dip a bit to accommodate it's miminal supporting cast as the familiarity of those scenes or the character's actions doesn't surprise. Rightfully the focus shifts on Bhooma and Rashmika Mandanna is fabulous in portraying this character. The tense climax right from her fear in reaching her hostel, followed by her outburst is brilliant writing. Definitely recommended.