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Thursday, April 18, 2024
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Reel Take

Social Currency shows OTT’s marriage with content creation. Influencers have finally arrived

Netflix’s Social Currency is a pastiche of reality shows like Roadies, Splitsvilla, and Bigg Boss with bits of Fear Factor thrown in. But one aspect sets it apart.

Black Mirror was right about dark tech & future. Crypto to AI, we are already living in it

Though there is a strain of disquiet in all five episodes of Black Mirror’s latest season, none jolt the viewer out of complacency.

How many Ramayanas? As tapori Avengers, Adipurush is neither cool nor classic

Adipurush wants to be science-fiction, an action movie and India’s equivalent of the MCU and Mission Impossible.

Never Have I Ever finally breaks Indian-American trope. Girls chasing boys, not just Princeton

Mindy Kaling, who peaked as Kelly Kapoor in The Office, has made it her life’s goal to push for Indian characters who live for success.

In Mumbaikar, Vijay Sethupathi the only saving grace. Thrills are far and few

It is also worth noting that Mumbai is a city that is far too complex, far too dynamic to serve as a film’s side character.

Hansal Mehta’s Scoop is a nod to journalists. It doesn’t exaggerate

Hansal Mehta's Netflix show is based on a book by former crime reporter Jigna Vora, Behind the Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison.

Zara Hatke Zara Bachke a perfect Bollywood comedy. Brings out the best of Sara and Vicky

The good thing about Laxman Utekar's Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is that it gets to the point quickly. The punch and humour draw plenty of laughter.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a true visual bonanza. Each frame is a work of art

The movie builds its own template of animation and innovation, using it to create pure magic on screen.

Ted Lasso’s last season a messy end to a brilliant show. Mind-numbing sub-plots make it worse

Ted Lasso’s third instalment grappled with filming delays, rewrites and reshoots, leading to an 18-month gap between the season two finale and the start of season three.

Writing reigns supreme in HBO’s Succession. Even Emmy-worthy performances come second

Everything is secondary to the sharp and pithy dialogues, which, when coupled with Succession’s masterful plot progression, create magic on screen.

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.