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Beyond The Reel

Farzi to Scam 2003, Indian OTT loves fraud & fraudsters. They make for good TRPs

In just a week of its release, Hansal Mehta’s Scam 2003 has already raked in 5.7 million views to become one of India’s most-watched web series.

Can Shah Rukh Khan deliver with Jawan what Rajinikanth couldn’t with Jailer? Pan-India success

The new trend of delivering pan-India success has been a one-way street, from south to north. And even that has come undone this year with Rajinikanth-starrer Jailer.

Drag isn’t gag but Bollywood will keep dressing up Ayushmann Khurranas as women just for laughs

Govinda to Ayushmann Khurrana, Bollywood's filmy cross-dressers are just a laughing matter.

Guns & Gulaabs to Kathal, the comedy genre has found its perfect partner – in crime

Comedy refines and defines the heaviness of thrillers, and crime comedy is turning out to be a reliable and entertaining genre in itself.

OMG 2 doesn’t tread the tricky path of God & atheism. Marries tradition with education

Unlike Mehta, Kanti of OMG 2 relies on Hindu scriptures to argue his point. He steers clear of religious debates and instead emphasises the significance of Sanatana Dharma.

Elephant Whisperers’ fight shows Indian documentaries need better contracts, IP regulations

Bomman and Bellie, the mahout couple from the Oscar-winning documentary, are seeking a ‘goodwill gesture’ of Rs 2 crore from filmmaker Kartiki Gonsalves.

Kohrra subverts tropes of Punjabi romance & nostalgia. Mustard fields, NRI weddings

Randeep Jha’s Netflix show Kohrra is a police procedural exploring complex human psyche, and the many problems that plague Punjab’s society.

Indian family is back in Bollywood. But Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani just made it imperfect

Johar uses stereotypes to address patriarchy, cancel culture, elitism, and even the disdain that had accumulated about larger-than-life Bollywood films.

Oppenheimer joins the ranks of Wolf of Wall Street. A biopic that lionises the hero, no warts

Just the way Scorsese showed Jordan Belfort, and Luhrmann depicted Elvis, Oppenheimer comes out a hero. Convenient narratives trump uncomfortable truths.

Barbie movie disappoints just like the doll. Needs radical makeover, not trendy updates

Over the decades, Barbie has tried to convince us she's changing. But tweaking isn't transforming. Greta Gerwig's movie is one more modification, not a radical 21st century makeover.

On Camera

India-US set to ink mini trade deal soon, reach understanding on agricultural & dairy products

Mini deal will likely see no cut in 10% baseline tariff on Indian exports announced by Trump on 2 April, it is learnt, but additional 26% tariffs are set to be reduced.

Not just AK-203, India & Russia to jointly manufacture AK-19 and PPK-20 for domestic use and export 

India-Russia JV is also racing to deliver 7,000 more AK-203 assault rifles by 15 Aug. These are currently being made with 50% indigenisation and this will surge to 100% by 31 December.

Strategic partner one day, tactical nightmare the next: India’s learning Trumplomacy the hard way

Public, loud, upfront, filled with impropriety and high praise sometimes laced with insults. This is what we call Trumplomacy. But the larger objective is the same: American supremacy.