Choona (Lime)

 Movie Review (Hindi)

This web series is a mix of a political drama, comedy and a thriller and it revolves around revenge and a heist. With the combination of all these elements, it is impossible to take a break from watching the episodes. More so because the actors are spot on with their characters.

I am an admirer of Jimmy Shergill and kudos to him for carrying the role of Shukla so beautifully. His obsession with astrology and vastu which prove to be his undoing builds upon the interesting plot. The story cleverly spins VFX into the scheme of things and this stands out in sharp contrast to astrology and faith healers.

Pushpendranath Misra as director and writer (besides Shristi Dubey and Mugdhaa Ranade) has hit the right spot and made this web series worthy of our time.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns

Movie Review (Hindi)

First there was Tanu Weds Manu which regaled the audience with a fresh story and great actors. Then, because of its success, came the sequel, Tanu Weds Manu Returns... Wonder who named it this way??? 

Whatever the reason for the name, the movie had the same characters as in the first one, thankfully. So here's a marriage which was conducted with a lot of filmi drama and now hibernates in the cold, both literally and metaphorically. It's the London winter where Manu (R Mahadevan) and Tanu (Kangana Ranaut) live. So bored is Tanu with Manu that she does not turn a hair when her hubby is put into a mental asylum, apparently for torturing his wife. I love the unconventionality of the entire episode. 

While Manu is among the mad brethren, Tanu returns home and behaves like a traditional vamp in Hindi films would!! Taking bike rides with a neighbour, meeting up with her ex-fiance, Raja Awasthi, (Jimmy Shergill) !! 

So once divorce proceedings are underway, Manu, out of the asylum and back in India, falls in love again, but wait, the girl studies in college and is a spitting image of Tanu. So, does he fall in love with Tanu again? Our new Tanu is named Datto who speaks impeccable Haryanvi. Next the audience moves to Haryana and marriage. The last phera of the marriage is about to make them man and wife, when Datto asks one last time if Manu is ready to go through with this. No, our hero isn't. Much better to be sent to the asylum than marry someone who is a better version of his ex-wife, I guess. 

What a filmy ending! But a great watch. Anand L. Rai, you do have courage, being the director. Take a bow, Kangana, for the twin roles so different from each other and Madhavan for being a whiny, weepy and mopey film hero and winning the audience over.