Fast Cuts – Kadaseela Biriyani, Kala

Kadaseela Biriyani: No one can live without fear but what you fear is a choice Official Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7zJwUFwoxg Kadaseela Biriyani takes an age-old revenge story and narrates it in a unique way, it comes across as fresh, weird, and interesting. Since it breaks the cliches, it does throw us off guard frequently. Three brothers go on a journey to avenge the death of their father. Younger one is forced to

 

Maanaadu – well-made Time-Loop thriller brilliantly folds the socio-political message into the screenplay

[SPOILERS AHEAD …] Official Trailer: First things first. It is so refreshing to see a Muslim character as a protagonist in a Kollywood movie after a long time. That too as a normal person than someone out to terrorize the public. I guess in the last 3 decades Muslims were shown either as terrorists or stereotyped thanks to Roja and bunch of Vijayakanth and Arjun movies in that phase for

 

Sivaranjiniyum Innum Sila Pengalum – Chained by prejudices, norms, and expectations

Official Trailer: Sivaranjinium and Innum Sila Pengalum (SISP), like The Great Indian Kitchen (TGIK) delves deep into patriarchy and how women get crushed by expectations and norms. Even though TGIK got released earlier, SISP was made earlier, so TGIK would have made a great 4th story in SISP. SISP narrates how women’s careers and life get controlled by patriarchy by giving us a peek into the lives of Saraswati, Devaki,

 

Fast Cuts – Doctor, Wrong Turn, The Harder They Fall

Doctor Official Trailer: Doctor follows the similar template as Kolamavu Kokila, Director Nelson Dilipkumar’s previous movie, where a bunch of misfits come together to save the kidnapped child. Like Kolamavu Kokila, there is inventiveness in scenes and staging (metro fight scene is superbly done), absurdities (infusing sardonic humor in grave situations), and a good dose of weirdness. Hero trope gets subverted, there is no mass entry scene, hero shown as

 

Churuli – A Psychedelic Ride

Official Trailer: Lijo Jose Pellissery (LJP) has an exceptional talent of visualizing the abstract. He never spoon-feeds the audience. LJP doesn’t take the effort to explain. He leaves it to the audience. It is the cinematic equivalent of a painting – whoever looks at it can interpret however they choose to.  His movies may come across as absurd and abstract, but they provoke you like a painting. Churuli is like

 

Fast Cuts – Lift, #Home, and Raame Aandalum Raavane Aandalum

Lift Official Trailer: If one can ignore the first 15-20mts and the unconvincing climax, the 1:45mts mid-portion is an engaging and well-made horror movie – skilfully staged and doesn’t resort to cheap jump thrills. Setup, camera work, BGM, and performances (convincing performance from Kavin) come together to give us the thrills. Considering the creativity and effort that has gone in the horror portion, it is surprising how the team missed

 

Jai Bhim – A Story about real life heroes

Official Trailer: There are few powerful scenes I liked in Jai Bhim. The opening scene where cops from different police stations are waiting outside the jail. As the prisoners get released and come out, a police officer asks about their caste (real caste names are used). Those from dominant caste are let go. Those from subordinate caste or tribes are asked to stand in a corner and picked up again

 

KaanekKaane – A gripping movie that leaves us with a moral question

Official Trailer: இன்னாசெய் தாரை ஒறுத்தல் அவர்நாணநன்னயஞ் செய்து விடல். Tamil Transliteration: Innaasey Thaarai Oruththal AvarnaanaNannayanj Cheydhu Vital. Meaning in English: The fitting punishment to those who have done evil to you, is to put them to shame by showing them kindness, in return and to forget both the evil and the good done on both sides. Above Thirukkural went through my mind as I watched the movie KaanekKaane. How hard it

 

Lady Doctors – The World is harder on Women

(The untold Stories of India’s First Women in Medicine by Kavitha Rao – A book Review) Disclosure: This article also published within the organization I work for. Posted here with permission from organization What the surroundings would have looked like for a girl born in 1870s of India? What she could have aspired for? How the society viewed and treated the girls in those times? Most likely she would have