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Reviews
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar (2024)
Heeramandi: the truth about god and women
Acclaimed indian director sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus, the eight episode series for netflix entitled "Heeramandi the diamond bazaar" delves deep to shed light on two of men's wicked creations: creating the social construct of treating women as prostitutes and also creating the concept of god to fool humans at large, the latter famously serving the former. Like all great films the series transforms the educated and aware viewer about the perils of ignorance or rather thinking that ignorance is bliss, for indeed as adeptly demonstrated by the women of Heeramandi on film, ignorance such as believing in social constructs of patriarchy, misogyny only hurt people.
Shastry Viruddh Shastry (2023)
Criminal
What started as a great, relatable family drama, turned out to be a farce towards the end of the film by the filmmakers. The film showed the grandfather to be a manipulative man, who harmed and killed his first son, turned the second son into a sissy who could not stand upto his father and then kidnapped his grandchild to alleviate his own guilt at age 70 and fulfil his empty life and sadness. The filmmakers did a disservice to the child yaman by having the kidnapped child choose between his own parents and the grandparents, and end the film by having the child be in the company of the manipulative grandfather. You di not send a child to a criminal. Period. Its totally unfair fir a child to be used as a replacement.
Leave the World Behind (2023)
Don't leave the World behind
Leave the World Behind is one of those engrossing films that require reruns to finally grasp the message which like a great film is there before our very eyes and under our noses. The universal message was about how people have an unhealthy obsession with technology and don't know how to function in a world without it. It also was a commentary about the divided nature of the country and how we should treat people more kind. There are several timed and allegorical refereces like the appearance of animals telling humans to come back to life from their self created diversions. Simply put, don't leave the World behind.
Joyland (2022)
A love letter to Pakistan
Sad that after recieving clearance for release by a special committee formed by PM Shehbaz Sharif, the film #Joyland gets banned by Punjab Government; And that politicians/ adults in Pakistan would be so petty and spiteful as to deny people their fundamental right to live.
The film that's giving the LGBTQ community in Pakistan a voice, has been banned yet again in Pakistan. Can't use personal religious belief to ignore morals that demand equality among all humans. Love is understanding.
Telling people what to do with their body has emerged as a social sickness of the 21st Century. People who cannot change, are telling people not to change. Future isn't something you passively wait for, but something you create yourself.
We have to start making sense as humans. That every human has the right to live is a moral, not a religious issue.
Kamli (2022)
KAMLI - Uncover True Feelings !!
A Sarmad Sultan Khoosat film, "Kamli" (2022) meaning "the cover" is a beautiful slow burn of a movie running approximately 2 hours which triumphs in uncovering the truth about existence in a way that pulls at the heart.
Lead actors Saba Qamar (who's husband is away for work) as protagonist and Sania Saeed (Saba's sister-in-law) as her nemesis, are two lonely women who deliver strong performances that uncover the cloaked secrets of their existence. Equally lonely is painter Sana Boucha who despite her affluent husband Omair Rana's physical presence, is trying to see how she can prevent their marriage from falling apart. One day while on her way to Sana's studio where she works as an art student, Saba meets a mysterious stranger played by Hamza Khawaja.
The ending is reminiscent of Deepa Mehta's "Water" (2005), another master work that stirs the heart.
The origin of the word "Kamli" comes from the word Kambal (urdu/hindi/punjabi), which means a blanket. Several saints, gods, or prophets in Hinduism and Islam have been visualized as donning a black blanket (kali kamli), which has become associated with closeness to, or love for, such saints or god. The words Kamli, Kali Kamli, or Kali Kamli Wala or Wali (the one who dons a black blanket) have been used in many devotional songs, particularly in the sufi strain.
The film delves into what lies beneath the cover of human emotions - and the consequences of denying those emotions or taking away someone's choices, compelling people to find refuge in an alternate reality & the tragic consequences. Kamli's message is an important one for our times, which is not to victimise humans but instead set them free.
A Thursday (2022)
A THURSDAY, OR ANY OTHER DAY !!
A thursday, (or any other day)!! A critical movie that must become a mandatory part of the curriculum for every Pakistani Police Officer . . . Before the next victim.
The Unforgivable (2021)
Unmatched Excellence
Do we love our family ? And if so how far would we be willing to go to protect it from harm ?
Two performances of unmatched excellence deliver an electrifying and shocking moment in a memorable film that answers just those two questions.
A beautiful slow burn of a film, with a wonderful climax.
Guilty (2020)
THE WORLD WILL NOT BE DESTROYED BY THOSE WHO DO EVIL, BUT BY THOSE WHO WATCH THEM SILENTLY AND DO NOTHING.
An excellent movie, a commentary rather on society & its people, who know the truth and yet choose to remain silent.
THE WORLD WILL NOT BE DESTROYED BY THOSE WHO DO EVIL, BUT BY THOSE WHO WATCH THEM SILENTLY AND DO NOTHING.
Thalaivi (2021)
Great & convincing!
The thing about a biopic is that it should be convincing with Great acting chops. Thlaivi managed to full off this feat on both accounts, thanks to its star, Kangana Ranaut, who delivers a convincing and electrifying performance as the ten time chief minister of Tamil Naidu.
See the film for many reasons.
Rust Creek (2018)
A superior moral drama.
Rust creek very pleasantly turned out to be a well crafted, well casted and superior moral drama with the entire cast putting in great performances.
The evil that humans are capable of, the abuse of Authority humans committ, and the morality of a few people who always stand up to do the right thing, make Rust Creek worthy of your time.
Haseen Dillruba (2021)
The difference between lust and love.
Lust is an emotion but has no meaning. Love has a meaning that demands everything. An insightful film from bollywood that illustrates that lesson well.
Jagga Jasoos (2017)
Doesn't deserve a 6.5
Jagga Jason's doesn't deserve a 6.5 rating. This zany but boring film is a mess as far as script & continuity are concerned.
Let's just say if Jagga Jasoos is an awesome film as many claim here, then Radhe is a classic!
Bhoothnath (2008)
The lessons of a lifetime
What starts as a seemingly usual paranormal film turns out to be a gem of a film with some very good lessons about life that we get to learn too late. Bhoitnath definitely is a special film & way better than the 6.3 rating at the time of this review. I've given it a 9/10. Perhaps people passed on the opportunity of watching this good film thinking it's a children's film, which it is and much more. Amitabh definitely created one of the most endearing characters in Hindi cinema as the conflicted but living ghost 'Bhootnath'.
Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020)
New wave of ethnocentric cinema
It's sad to see a creative industry like Bollywood giving in to whims & ill designs of the political establishment & fanning the Muslim Hindu hatred. The movie is among the new wave of ethnocentric films like Baji Rao, padmavat & now Tanhaji, that are distorting history to fan ethnic hatred within India. (Muslims eating alligators! When did that happen in a Mughal empire when civilization was at a cultural peak). The great monuments of the Mughals tell another story. What is to be achieved by creating hatred between Muslims & hindus of India, in a country that is known for its secular values & great democracy.
Color Out of Space (2019)
Weirdest film of 2019
Had to log in to share what a weird film this was, possibly the weirdest film of 2019. The film made little sense from start to finish & if this was remotely about black holes, people who made this film apparently did little research. Disappointing to say the least.
Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana (2017)
Worst example & glorification of mysogyny & male chauvinism
Either Asian viewers are insensitive to mysogyny and male chauvanism or we are downright shameless. This chauvanist and mysogynist film is a shameful glorification of make domination over women; AND the film director has the lady go back to such a piggish male character, AND the lady THANKS the piggish male lead in the end.
It's is unthinkable in these times, that any intelligent viewer, man or woman, would fall for such shameless and disgraceful mysogynist mentality.
Disgraceful film with a shameless message = that's it's Ok to harrass women to get them back.
Really ??!!
Pete's Dragon (2016)
Loved it.
What's with he bad reviews?! Probably by too many of us enamored by super heroes packing punches & saving the world with more violence these days.
This film is more in vein with beautiful dramas like, The Water Horse, Hachiko, A Dog's Purpose and many more like minded movies with a humane message.
Pete's Dragon has a heart, it's one of those slow films that draw you in with a purposeful plot & great script; and it doesn't hurt that the cgi is beautifully done too, to make the magic more believable.
Overall a beautiful film, that can be watched over & over again.
Alpha (2018)
A very good film, for a change.
The Alpha is a very good film, in my opinion because it comes as a breath of fresh air among the Avengers, Iron men etc. Its one of those films that develop slowly with a definite plot & storyline; the breathtaking landscapes and cinematography make the film moreemorable. If you enjoy films like Goodbye Christopher Robin or, Hachicko, then this is definitely your kind of film.
The Ghazi Attack (2017)
War mongering at its best
Men with raging testosterone will love this film; and being a war film it is no more than a propaganda machine to recruit more such men into the war syndrome of hatred, vengeance and more testosterone wars.
No doubt then that Pakistan and India are where they are today hating each other, while the world has moved on to make progress.
If these two countries exerted so much effort & will at working together rather than working against each other, surely both the countries would be a better place.
Time for "testosterone war men" to (think) and work for peace, not war. Peace.