SAPF Review: 'Faraar' from Cinema Halls but making Bollywood Proud.

 Dibakar Banerjee's 'Sandeep and Pinky Faraar' finally released after a 3-year delay. The movie opens with a random guy making a certain misogynistic comment and does it with so subtlety that it all makes sense towards the end of this movie. The movie talks about the gender imbalances and stereotypes with so subtlety that leaves you thinking after the movie ends. 'Sandeep and Pinky Faraar' is directed by Dibakar Banerjee and stars the amazing Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yada who ably support the revelation of an actor Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor have turned out in this mind-boggling drama laced with dark humor, a great story, and disturbing visuals. 

                                            

What's Good:  Acting: OMG! I cannot just begin how amazing of an actor Parineeti is. She literally owns the movie as Sandeep Kaur. Her performance is phenomenal. Arjun too is supremely amazing! It is truly said that every actor is a great actor just needs the right director. Neena Ji and Raghubir Ji are amazing as usual. Story: Just trust Dibakar Banerjee to churn out an amazing movie! He does an outstanding job as a writer, director, and music composer.  Pacing: At a tight 123 minutes, the movie does not go a bit over or is lesser, just perfect including scene-to-scene transition.

                                                           

What's Bad: Joining the Dots: Like every DB movie, this one wants you to join the dots and pay proper attention while the movie runs. Predictable Climax: SAPF suffers from the classic ruin the impact syndrome: Predictable Climax which was spotted from a mile away but you play along with the gender disparity tone the movie has put you in.

                                           

Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar has come 3 years than its original release date but we're glad it did.Makes meso proud ofmy Bollywood which has churned out some really great cinema in the recent past. The movie is dark, gritty and disturbing and gives a tight slap about the misogynist nature prevalent in our society even today without being preachy. It is a Must Watch. I have going with 4 stars and thismakes it my second favourite movie of the year. DO NOT MISS IT!

                                             

 

 

Sardar ka Grandson Review: Blessed to have a Grandson like him!

 This week, apart from an abomination called Radhe greeted us, Netflix brought Neena Gupta, Rakul Preet Singh, John Abraham, Aditi Rao Hydari, Kumud Mishra, and Arjun Kapoor together in a family-drama backed by John as the producer and debutant Kaashvie Gulati directing it. Apart from bringing a mature take on India Pakistan relations, the movie brought forward the concept of Home Relocation.

                               

What's Good: Acting: Neena Gupta shines as the grumpy Sardar through and through. Surprisingly, Arjun Kapoor does a great job as Amreek whereas Rakul is phenomenal and flashes of her character from 'De De Pyaar De' come in at times. John,  Aditi, Soni, Kumud, provide an excellent support to our 2 dynamic leads. Music: The music by Gulraj Singh and Tanishq Bagchi are amazing with the recreated 'Jee Nee Karda' being the best. Concept, Story and Screenplay: The story and screenplay by Kaashvie and Anuja Chauhan is simply unique and brilliant. Technicalities: The editing, cinmatography, and editing are great and fall in place with narrative. 

                                    

What's Bad: Melodrama: While maojrity might find the movie to be over-dramatic but the scenes of melodrama are mainly between John and Aditi so one cannot complain as they seem more on the endearing side. Exploring: While the idea is new and unique, I only wish they could have explored more on the house relocation and a little lesser insight into family dynamics would have been a fair deal.

                                          

Final Word: Sardar Ka Grandson is a scintillating debut by Kaashvie Nair. The subject the movie picks, it tackles beautifully. Netflix is finally churning out good movies but however I wish I could get n opportunity to watch this movie on the big scren. I am going with 3.5 stars for this beautiful movie. You cannot miss it. Sardar ka Grandson is one emotionally chargd movie.

                                           

Platform: Netflix!

Character Biopsies: Mrs. Priyamvada Kaushik from Badhaai Ho!

To begin with, it was an absolute delight to have Neena Gupta back on-screen after a long hiatus. She portrays the role of Mrs. Priyamvada Kaushik, a normal housewife with care and perfection. Not only is she a housewife, but also a wife, a mother and a daughter in law. 

Playing a normal middle-class woman can be tricky but Mrs.Priyamvada Kaushik is a bit different. She is soft and mellow most of the times but strong and opinionated when it comes to dealing with her unborn child. She is patient, honest and constantly bears with her nagging mother in law who never misses an opportunity to belittle her in front of his son especially in the sequences where they have mango and she refers her to Mandodari (Ravana's wife). 
She has her own small kitty party, where she prefers playing tambola the way it should be (fancy articulation of numbers) and keeping the regular normal gifts and surely treats her neighbors, her son's girlfriend and every visitor the way Indian culture wants them to be treated keeping aside all the differences she has with people.  

She stands by her decision of keeping her unborn child irrespective of what the society thinks of it. Not only that, unlike today's fast forward mother, Mrs. Kaushik prefers to stick to the old norms of stopping her son by giving him her 'Kasam' and never forgets her role as a wife who yearns for the company and love of her husband who has an outstation job. 
Throughout the movie, Mrs.Kaushik has a subtle agony which she tries not to let come to the table knowing there is nothing wrong in having a baby. Even knowing that her son is visibly upset with the news of her pregnancy, Mrs. Kaushik prefers to maintain a normal, healthy relationship with him as evident when she asks "Khana Khaa Liya Beta?", and thereafter Mrs. Kaushik's smile returns. On her son's break up, she instead of consoling him sits down with him on the terrace and they discuss everything; speaking about the bond she shares with her son no matter what happens. 

                                

Finally, Mrs. Priyamvada Kaushik is the mother next door, a daughter in law but most importantly she is a wife who stands tall by her husband, has her opinions and is someone an average Indian woman can look up to. Priyamvada does not want herself to be portrayed as a Goddess, she wants herself to be portrayed as a normal Indian woman who has her own needs.  
 Had it not been for Neena Gupta's evolved and matured performance, Badhaai Ho would not have been the riot and important movie it is! Kudos, Mrs. Priyamvada Kaushik, you are an inspiration for a normal housewife.