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Thursday, April 18, 2024
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Reel Take

Amitabh Bachchan’s Goodbye is a satire on death. Bollywood is catching up with grief

Amitabh Bachchan steals the show, and is only challenged by the iridescent Neena Gupta in Goodbye.

Madhuri Dixit’s Maja Ma has a great plot twist but it gets cold feet

In making its audience ‘comfortable’, Amazon Prime's first original film directed by Anand Tiwari loses its plot.

Does Chiranjeevi’s GodFather oust Mohanlal’s Lucifer? Yes and no

Scenes are powerful not because of ‘dialogue-baazi’ but Chiranjeevi's presence in the room, which only competes with Salman Khan's guest appearance.

Julia Roberts, George Clooney give top-tier performances to salvage mid-tier Ticket to Paradise

Wafer-thin characterisation of other supporting characters and lazy punchlines, but overall a retro rom-com that we need more of globally

‘Greatest Beer Run Ever’ is a preachy but enjoyable trip to a Saigon theka during Vietnam War

Directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Zac Efron, the Apple TV show lacks the insight and sharpness of superior satirical war films, but remains a largely satisfying watch.

With Don’t Worry Darling, Olivia Wilde makes a fatal mistake and a hacky script lets it down

A far more capable supporting cast is relegated to thinly written roles.

Ponniyin Selvan:1 marks Aishwarya Rai’s return in Mani Ratnam’s Tamil epic adaptation

PS: 1 can be a tad overwhelming for someone not well versed with the universe of Ponniyin Selvan. But it still guarantees a grand theatrical experience.

Remakes are a tricky minefield but Saif, Hrithik’s Vikram Vedha gets it right

Vikram Vedha is every bit as compelling and entertaining as the original film.

Selvaraghavan’s ‘Naane Varuvean’ is a thriller that shows why Dhanush is an anomaly

Audience flocking to Delhi theatres for an early morning show of Naane Varuvean is a testament to Dhanush’s pan-India appeal.

Netflix’s Blonde isn’t Oscar-bait biopic, but uses Marilyn Monroe fiction to skewer Hollywood

Be it Monroe’s husbands, Hollywood icons, or JFK, Andrew Dominik aims and fires at each one of them for inflicting emotional, physical, sexual abuse on her.

On Camera

‘Coup’ against LK Jha, tussle between PN Haksar and PN Dhar—Indira Gandhi PMO was never dull

PN Haksar emerged as Indira Gandhi's ideological beacon and moral compass, playing a pivotal role in ‘Garibi Hatao’ and transformed her image from a 'goongi gudiya' to an 'Iron Lady'.

Cash-guzzling ops, delayed filings, investor scorn — how Byju’s flew too close to the sun & got burnt

Fighting fires on all fronts — from inability to pay salaries to mismanagement allegations, cases in NCLT & ED probe — Byju's valuation has dropped to $250 mn from $22 bn in 2022.

Iron Dome, David’s Sling & the Arrow — what makes up Israel’s mega multi-layered air defence system

On 6 May 1985, Israel and the United States signed an MoU on the development of a missile defence system against long-range threats, which is the genesis of Tel Aviv’s air defence umbrella.

44 years on, two things that have changed in Modi’s BJP, and one that hasn’t

As the BJP heads for a likely third successive term in power, it's fascinating to debate how true it looks to the original proposition: a party with a difference.