Last Sunday evening, nearly 400 people made it to Juhu's Novotel Hotel to watch a screening of Pulp Fiction. What made the evening special was that the "seats" i.e. the gaddas were laid by the pool, with cool breeze blowing in from the Arabian Sea.

It was the first film screening in the city organised by SteppinOut Movie Nights, which has presence across Chennai, Delhi and Bangalore. Ojal Kulkarni, the brand head for the firm, says they chose Novotel for its cool vibe and plan a movie night at the venue every two months.

In a city that's brimming with cinephiles it only makes sense to have non-commercial venues that will screen the classics as well as the indie films. And, Novotel promises to be a killer of a venue. Tickets will range from Rs 300 to Rs 400 and the movies will be chosen after a poll is conducted on their FB page.

But, if you can't wait until then to catch a screening of some well-curated films, along with other lovers of cinema, here are the some of the other venues in the city to watch out for.

ACP Sanjay Kadam starts his day early at the gym, before heading to his office in Bandra West. Pic/RANE ASHISH

Right opposite Dongri police station, cut only by a turning road-strip, is a small ground that sees a flurry of activity every evening. Men in khakhi head out here post work, and engage in a few minutes of pushing and pulling under the dim street lighting, before finally calling it a day.

The open-air gymnasium was started 18 months ago. Until then, the vacant plot doubled up as a makeshift storage area for seized goods. But, with a fitness-conscious senior police inspector, Nitin Bangale, at the helm of affairs, the force had a slim chance of escaping a tough physical regime. When not manning his jurisdiction, Bangale goads his juniors to train with him. In 2015, when Sangram Balasaheb Kadam, a trained body-builder, joined as sub-inspector, Bangale found a willing partner to fuel this obsession. Together, they pump enough iron to put Salman Khan to shame. But, could that be said of the rest of the force serving in the 97 police stations within the city's jurisdiction?

Last month, after the Mumbai police fired back at author Shobhaa De for a tweet that fat-shamed a cop, whom she had incorrectly assumed was from Mumbai Police, the force made no pretence at hiding its disdain. Whether this confidence had anything to do with the healthy turnaround that they have witnessed of late, was what piqued our interest. What we learnt on our 'fit cop' trail was that Bajirao Singham and Chulbul Pandey aren't just figments of Bollywood's popular imagination. Some of them are right there in your nearby police thana. The success stories, however, weren't written overnight. They have been in the making for years.

Seasons of change
Mumbai Police historian Deepak Rao says it was Arvind Inamdar, who first introduced the rigours of exercise within the force as joint commissioner of police, crime, in 1987. Now, 77 years old, the retired Mumbai-based top cop, recalls, "Back in the 1980s, the gang wars in Mumbai were at their peak. To tackle them, we started the Special Operations Squad (SOS), with brand new weaponry. But, unless they were physically fit, they wouldn't be able to fight anyone. So, every morning, I would meet them and run with them for at least six kms." However, this fizzled out after five years.

While some health initiatives were revived years later under former CP MN Singh (2002), the noose around ill-health only tightened during the last decade, says Rao. "Unlike earlier, 80 per cent of the force takes fitness seriously. You don't see hawaldars or officers smoking on duty these days," says Chimaji Adhav, inspector, crime branch, Unit 11.

When the present CP, Datta Padsalgikar, took over the post on January 31, 2016, he was confronted with disturbing figures from the previous year's health report. Of the 163 policemen, who reportedly died in 2015, 30 per cent had suffered from heart-related ailments. Long-work hours, stress, and poor-eating habits, were leading contributors to the problem.

Work hours re-jigged
Within a few months of taking charge, Padsalgikar called for a meeting of all senior cops to discuss possible solutions to the problem.

Top on the to-do list was slashing work hours of constables, who form 80 per cent of the force, from 12 to eight. "The idea was to ensure that the constable gets enough time to spend with his family and also exercise. This would ultimately make him mentally and physically fit," said joint CP (Law & Order) Deven Bharti. However, the project is still a work in progress.

Eight months ago, the Mumbai police also launched a free health-check drive, which made it compulsory for every cop to get an annual medical test done.

Defining a cop's fitness
What makes for a fit cop? Someone who has "learnt to start his day with fruit and not chai," says nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, who has been working with the Mumbai police since 2016. Phase 1 of the Mumbai Police Welfare Project kicked off in October, in Zone IX wherein for over three months, she and her team visited all police stations on Tuesdays and Thursdays to conduct morning and evening sessions. Here, they would share inexpensive tips on diet and relaxation. They also tied up with gyms to help policemen get access to quality workout facilities. "They were reluctant at first — the eight chais a day didn't come down to two for everyone, but we got it down to five. The banana became the first meal of the day. As they observed positive changes in their body, they became more receptive," says Diwekar. The second phase of the programme will see her working with police representatives, in a more feedback-led module.

For holistic health professional Mickey Mehta, who continues to work closely with the Mumbai police, fitness in the force is more about mental resilience. "A cop who can clock in 15 hours a day and still has the energy to go on, is a fit cop. They, I feel, are more tenacious than their counterparts in Delhi and Haryana. The amount of pressure these guys can take is not funny," says Mehta, who conducted a training camp at Naigaon last year. The road to fitness, he says, is an uphill one for the police. There aren't enough training facilities, and maintaining a diet is a challenge. But, he rules out the need for gyms. "We don't want beefcakes. We are looking at resilient cops, not athletic ones. I recommend a desi workout — 21 minutes of dand baithak (push-ups/squats), stretching, naukasan (boat pose), chakrasan (wheel pose), dhanurasan (bow pose). They need more of military drills and agility training. For instance, I'd scatter potatoes on the ground and make them collect them in the least time possible."

While expert guidance is always at hand, the force too, has its own set of in-house experts. Inspector Sanjay Nikam, crime branch, was a fitness enthusiast even before joining the force in 2001. However, for him the need for mental strength trumps physical fitness. "When you don't have the opportunity to maintain a proper diet and get good rest, it is only your mental strength that keeps you going," says the 41-year-old, who set up a gym at the Wadala (East) police station, which was his first posting. "That gym is still used by policemen. Later, when I moved to Unit 4, I built one on the upper floor," says the inspector who would organise body-building competitions between 2001 and 2006, for the police force. Nikam's sustained efforts also inspired his seniors, who have followed his example and provided fitness equipment at their respective outposts.

DCP Dr Vinay Rathod enjoys the advantage of being a medical expert himself. "Having worked as a resident in one of Nagpur's busiest medical colleges has helped me deal with stress and pain. That comes handy when my staff approaches me for help. If someone has migraine or acidity, I'll recommend anulom vilom. The body's well-being impacts the mind and vice versa," says Rathod, who has run the half marathon for five years.

An endearing image
Sub-inspector Sangram, who grew up idolising Ashok Kamte, former additional CP, Mumbai police, still remembers the late cop toiling away at his gym in Kolhapur, during a brief posting there. Another popular role model is Himanshu Roy. ACP Sanjay Kadam says, "He changed how people perceived the police force. When he walked into the crowd, people scattered, not out of fear, but respect."

The ACP says that when a cop is fit, his confidence "increases by 100 per cent". "It boosts your morale," he says, adding that you begin to feel like a 'superhuman,' which changes how you handle work too.

Image consultant Rukhsana Eisa stresses on the importance of a smart-looking cop, because that has a direct impact on how the public perceives them. "Fitness will translate into confidence and that in turn will lend them a positive demea-nour while interacting with people. If they maintain a correct posture and a level of hygeine, it only adds to the overall image of a fit cop. This way, the feeling of negativity that people generally tend to associate with the police, will fade away."

ACP Sanjay Kadam starts his day early at the gym, before heading to his office in Bandra West.  PIC/SHADAB KHAN

Sanjay Kadam, 56ACP, Bandra police division
I begin my day at 6 am with a glass of milk and four almonds. An hour later, I head to the gym. I become a child in the gym, working out for at least two hours. I do a combination of weights, cardio and functional exercises. If I had to give advice on staying healthy, I would suggest taking packed lunch from home. On most days, my dabba comprises four to five rotis and sabzi. I eat rice only on Sundays. I don't smoke, drink or have tea.

Mickey Mehta, holistic health professional
Mehta says, "A cop who can clock in 15 hours a day and still has the energy to go on, is a fit cop. Mumbai cops, I feel, are more tenacious than their counterparts in Delhi and Haryana. The amount of pressure these guys can take, is not funny." For tenacious cops, not beefcakes, he recommends a desi workout of dand baithaks and yoga asanas.

Rujuta Diwekar, nutritionist
Diwekar and her team have been working with the force since 2016, sharing inexpensive diet and fitness tips. She says making the banana the first bite of the day is a small victory.

Arvind Inamdar is believed to have introduced the rigours of exercise within the force as joint commis-sioner of police, crime, in 1987

Himanshu Roy, former ATS Maharashtra chief, says ACP Sanjay Kadam, changed how people perceived the police force with his image.

Sub-inspector Sangram Balasaheb Kadam often works out with his immediate boss, senior PI Nitin Bangale, at a gym near Dongri police station. Pic/SHADAB KHAN 

Sangram Balasaheb Kadam, 29 Sub-inspector, Dongri Police Station
There's never a fixed schedule [for a police officer]. But, if I start work at 8 am, I wake up at 6.30 am. My diet is different because I am training to become a professional bodybuilder. I begin my day with six boiled eggs, one boiled sweet potato and oats soaked in water. I pack my own dabba. So, around 10 am, irrespective of where I am, I eat three boiled eggs, and a sweet potato. For lunch, I eat two chapatis and 300gm boiled chicken. This is followed by a cup of brown rice and 2 boiled eggs at 5 pm. At 9 pm, just before my workout, I have 3 boiled eggs again and mosambi juice, followed by a protein shake. Dinner is at around 12.30 and is the same as lunch.

DCP Vinay Rathod runs at least 15-20 km each week. Pic/BIPIN KOKATE

Dr Vinay Rathod DCP (Detection), Crime Branch
I joined Force 1 (a specialised counter terrorism unit) in 2011. For this, you need to undergo commando training for two months, where you run 25 km in full gear, while carrying 30 kg. I completed my training and then ran my first half marathon in 2011. Since then, running has become a part of life. I run three times a week and try to clock 15-20 km over seven days. As marathon season approaches, I increase the mileage to 17 km and then leave it at that. Also, while running the race, I am not keen on minimising time. I finish it comfortably in 2.5 hours. I intend to take my officers on regular treks as part of their physical training.

Inspector Chimaji Adhav swims twice a week to stay fit. Pic/NIMESH DAVE

Chimaji Adhav, 47 Inspector, Crime Branch, Unit 11
I wake up at 5.30 am and head out for a one-hour morning walk. I follow that with an hour in the gym in my housing society, where I do weights, skip-jumping and walk the treadmill. Twice a week, I swim. For breakfast, I have chapati-bhaji and do a light lunch if I get the time, which is usually three days a week. Else, I make do with a vada pao and bananas. For dinner, I have chapati-bhaji and one glass of milk.

Inspector Sanjay Nikam carries a mobile workout kit wherever he goes, so that he doesn’t miss a session

Sanjay Nikam, 41 Inspector, Crime Branch, Unit 4
I follow a seven-day workout rule because during a work week, you are bound to miss at least one day. My morning and evening workout schedule lasts from 6.30 to 8.30 am, and 20 minutes after 9 pm. In the morning I do cardio and weights. In the night, it's walking, running and lunges. I also carry a mobile workout kit, comprising extension, rollers and dip sets. That helps me maintain my schedule even when I'm on duty, especially out-station. I begin my day with 15 egg whites and a glass of protein shake, followed by a light lunch of three chapatis and bhaji (if possible). Between 4 and 5 pm, I have 100 grams of chicken. At 7 pm, I have a light snack with coffee. This is my last meal for the day. I only have a glass of warm water before going to bed.

Constable Sushant Mohite is professional body builder and continues to participate at events

Sushant Mohite, 30 Constable, LOCAL ARMS DIVISION, MAROL
I wake at 6 am, and eat an apple, three boiled egg whites, and brown bread or chapati. At 10 am, I eat two to three idlis, a banana and drink a glass of mosambi juice. If I don't manage to get my hands on this, I eat a sandwich without butter and potatoes. For lunch, I eat boiled chicken, chapatis and salad. Around 5 pm, I eat dry fruit, apple and some boiled eggs. Dinner is light with salad and fruit. I work out twice a day — 20 minutes in the morning and another 20 in the evening. I have struggled with my fitness, but a disciplined lifestyle has helped.

Raj Khatri at his Malad home. Pic/NIMESH DAVE

As a teen studying at a Khandala boarding school, Raj Khatri was an ardent fan of Hardy Boys. Every week, he’d head to the school library to pick up a copy from the limited edition series, The Hardy Boys Casefiles, that explored mature, espionage-based themes. But he never read a single one. "It was to gaze lovingly at the cover," he laughs. "If you remember, the cover always carried an action shot. Sometimes, it was of a car chase or a person fleeing an explosion or a man hanging precariously from a bridge. They [covers] had a dynamic, kinetic energy that I loved." He would then return to the dorm, sit with a paper and recreate the cover of the week in his notebook.

Khatri, now 35, continues to nurture his fascination with pop art and posters. He spends hours recreating posters of iconic Hollywood films and television shows, presenting his own unique interpretation. Spearheading the alternative movie poster movement in India, now a global phenomenon, Khatri creates re-imagined posters using bold brushstrokes and vibrant colours. Kill Bill, The Dark Knight and The Matrix have all got a cover each. "What artists usually do is take one object from the film and create a poster around it. I decided to make posters that look like abstract paintings, but when you place the movie’s name below them, you get the message."

Most Hollywood films, he explains, have a thematic colour palette. "Uma Thurman’s yellow costume became synonymous with Kill Bill. I watched it and made notes of all the focal elements in the film," he says, adding that he makes posters keeping a film’s fans in mind. "For instance, in the 2014 film, Night Crawler, there’s an iconic red car that the protagonist drives. You’ll get the poster only if you’ve watched the film."

It was on an impulse, that he decided to upload the posters on social media in 2010, not realising they would get him recognition. The artworks later landed him a chance to exhibit his work at a Los Angeles exhibition in 2014. The following year, he launched his first minimal series posters — a take off from alternative posters that instantly went viral.

As creative head with a city-based ad firm, Khatri is also the man behind original posters for Hindi cinema projects Neerja, Phantom, Kahaani 2 and Bang Bang. "Of course, I love the process of digitally creating movie posters, but more often than not, there’s a filter between what I conceive and what is released. It’s not entirely indigenous because there are so many people involved and they all have an input to offer. After a point, fatigue develops," he says.

It was the creative release that alternative posters offered him and a Wacom tablet that his girlfriend, now wife, gave him that saw him through. "No pesky clients and deadlines. I was free to use my own style, and that’s what I love about this," he says.

Create an arty shoe
12 PM: Here's your chance to add some pop and colour to your feet. A workshop in town will teach you how to create your own hand-painted shoes. You will also be initiated into shoe art, with lessons in unique patterns and designs. All materials, including the pair of shoes, will be provided.
WHERE: Doolally Taproom, Ground Floor 1, Plot 75/77, Park House, Colaba
ENTRY: Rs 1,250
TO BOOK: doolally.in

Pamper your pet
5 PM to 9 PM: Attend a dog carnival where your pet can have a fun day out. There will be interesting activities like pet personality contest, 'cool' dog pageant and special grooming sessions along with curated canine meals.
WHERE: Inorbit mall, Malad – Garden area next to parking lot of the mall
CALL: 66777999

Enjoy a Parsi meal
1 PM – 3 PM: Craving a Parsi delicacy? Feast on a special Navroze menu curated by Mahrukh Mogrelia, who will set a traditional table adorning seven auspicious items starting with the letter 'S', called the Haft-Sin. The dishes will include sherbets, sweets, dry fruits, and a variety of fruits.
WHERE: Nana Chowk, Grant Road (Full address will be shared on booking)
TO BOOK: www.eventshigh.com
CALL: 99201 50502

Sip natural beers
11.30 TO 1 AM: Get your spirits high later through the day with a new range that consists of exclusive artisanal premium craft beers. What's unique about these flavours is that they have no additives and chemicals and are wholly made up of natural ingredients.
WHERE: Woodside Inn, Link Plaza, Bhau Tatoba Toraskar Marg,
Andheri West
CALL: 26328963

Dig into egg kheema
7.30 TO 12 PM: Begin your weekend on a delicious note with your favourite breakfast dishes and cocktails. If you like it sweet, then chocolate pancakes are the best options. For desi lovers, there is anda gadbad (egg kheema) stuffed in omelette topped with spicy gravy.
WHERE: Light House Café, Love Grove Flyover, Siddharth Nagar, Worli
CALL: 9967414148

Seek the divine
11 AM – 7 PM: What if you could connect with the divine though art? A new exhibition, brought together by art curators Payal and Bindal Shah, hopes to extend this experience through the works of 19 talented artists. Around 100 artworks, inspired by the artist's connection with their spiritual self, will be on display at the exhibition titled The Seeking Artist. From abstract, composition, point of view and more, the art pieces will see an array of mediums, including watercolour, oil paints, pastel, charcoal, portrait and freestyle, work magic on canvas.
WHERE: Cymroza Art gallery, 72 Bhulabhai Desai Road, Breach Candy
CaLL: 9820148450
FREE

Dive into theatre photography
5 PM: How do you capture a dynamic world like theatre in the still world of photography? What does the photographer need to understand about theatre to capture dramatic moments on camera? Ace lensman and theatre insider Nemai Ghosh will answers these questions and more at the new edition of Mumbai Local. Ghosh will take the audience through a selection of his photographs, and share his experience of the process.
WHERE: Dr BhauDaji Lad Mumbai City Museum, 91 A, Rani Baug, Veer Mata Jijbai Bhonsle Udyan, Byculla.
TO REGISTER: mumbailocal@junoontheatre.org

Soak in jazz music
APRIL 11, 8.30 PM ONWARD: Immerse yourself in a live music experience at Andheri's The Little Door, which collaborates with jazz ensembles every Tuesday. This time around, you can listen to Karim Ellaboudi (keys), Heather Andrews (vocals), D Wood (bass) and Aron Nyiro (drums). You can wine and dine while you soak in some free
flowing jazz.
WHERE: The Little Door, ground floor, plot B31, Shree Siddhivanayak Plaza, opposite Citi Mall, off New Link Road, Andheri (West)
CALL: 9920983833
FREE

Attend a hybrid dance show
APRIL 15, 7 PM: Catch a breathtaking amalgamation of Bharatnatyam and Lavani dance forms at the Sindhu Dance Festival. While the former is bound by rules, the latter is free and fluid. Here you'll see the lines blurring. Renowned lavani performer Shakuntalabai Nagarkar and Bharatnatyam dancer Vaibhav Arekar will perform at the event.
WHERE: Sheila Gopal Raheja Auditorium, next to Patwardhan Park, Bandra (West)
ENTRY: Rs 200 - Rs 1,000
CALL: 9820984699

Sign up for an artistic exchange
MAY 20 - 29: Here's a good opportunity for artists to work and interact with their ilk in this 10-day art residency programme that rolls out in May. Organised by Mumbai-based NGO, ICAC-International Creative Art Centre, the initiative seeks to connect artists from various genres fostering cross-cultural dialogue, artistic exchange and creates an environment for research and creativity. It will have 25 emerging artists working under one roof. Last date of registration is
April 15.
WHERE: Akhil Bhartiya Manav Vikas Sanstha, Dehgam, Gandhinagar, Ahemdabad
ENTRY: Rs 6,500
CALL: 9820151415
LOG ON TO: http://www.icacart. com/residency

Dil mango more

If there's one reason why we still like summer, it's because of the season's only saving grace — mangoes. So, if you want to satisfy your craving, restaurants in the city have a lot of in store

8.30 AM - 11 PM: If you're thinking healthy, AKA has the mango quinoa salad with pink ginger, baby spinach and bell peppers finished with mango and apple cider vinaigrette. For the experimental foodie, there's mango chili popsicle prawns marinated with mango aioli and roasted, served with house salad and raw mango salsa and grilled chicken breast with mango butter on a bed of peri peri sauteed vegetables.
WHERE: AKA Bistro, 123, Nagindas Master Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort
CALL: 9029293968

10.30 AM - 11.30 PM: Chef Bunty Mahajan of Deliciae Patisserie has created a mango special dessert menu for you. You could pick from options like mango kiwi short cake, mango macaroons, mango mousse cake, mango meringue and mango mousse rhapsody.
WHERE: Khar Danda Road, Opposite Curio cottage, Khar (West)
CALL: 9029021200

8 AM - 11.55 PM: Poetry by Love & Cheesecake has rolled out a delicious mango-based breakfast menu. Starting with mango muffins, macaroons, tarts and smoothies, the options get more decadent with mango basil chocolate cups, where mangoes are tossed up with basil leaves and served in a cup made of chocolate, and chocolate marquise topped with chilli mangoes. If you want something quirky, there's honey nut and gouda with a verrine made with mangoes.
WHERE: Poetry by Love and Cheesecake, Pali Darshan, 33rd road, Bandra West
CALL: 9819935135

Two other must catch shows:

Shutterbug love
While FOCUS Photography Festival 2017 has drawn to a close, the flagship exhibition is on view. Curated by art historian Prajna Desai, Autobiography as Memory presents works by 18 photographers from around the world, selected through an open call for entries.
WHERE: Museum Plaza, Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Byculla (E)
WHEN: Till April 30
ENTRY: Rs 10 (adults); Rs 5 (children)
CALL: 23731234

Views on dwelling
Dwelling Part II, the second and final installment of Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke's tenth anniversary show curated by Ranjit Hoskote features the works of 12 artists including Manish Nai and Kiki Smith.

WHERE: Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, Colaba
WHEN: Till May 31, 11 AM - 7 PM (Sunday and Monday closed)
CALL: 22023030

Order of the day

Go on a wild safari
TILL APRIL 11, 11 AM - 7 PM: Photographer Hussain Nalwala, who has obtained a fellowship from UK's Royal Photographic Society, will take you on a wild safari through his paintings. You'll see delightful shots of horses galloping away at sunset, leopard perched on a tree and zebras fighting.
WHERE: 161B, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda
CALL: 22843989

Have fun with colours
APRIL 11-12, 3 PM: Learn the art of watercolour painting with artist Bhavna Shah. At this workshop, you'll be taught techniques in paint application, brush-work, colour mixing, rendering light and shade, tonal value, and design in this medium. By the end of the class, you will learn to develop your own style.
WHERE: ARTISANS' Gallery 52-56 V B Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda
ENTRY: Rs 2,500
LOG ON TO: insider.in

Watch an Urdu play
APRIL 12 , 6 PM and 9 PM: Watch the Urdu version of Moliere's 14th century classic 'Ecole de femmes or School for Wives' by Balraj Pandit. Beewion Ka Madrasa is about Haneef Mohammed who would not marry because he believes all women are dishonest.
WHERE: Prithvi Theatre, 20 Janki Kutir Juhu Church Road
ENTRY: Rs 300
CALL: 26149546

Dine like a star
8 PM: Benares London, where Adele, Justin Beiber, Robby Williams and Tom Cruise have dined, has launched a new pop up menu. Chef Atul Kochhar will present a six-course meal which includes all the signature dishes from the restaurant.
WHERE: NRI, Maker Maxity, North Avenue, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East)
ENTRY: Rs 5000 ++
CALL: 30005040

Groove to Gurdas Maan
APRIL 14, 8 PM: Celebrate Baisakhi with the legendary Punjabi singer Gurdas Maan, who will feature his never-seen-before act at the Punjabiyaan Di Shaan Gurdas Maan, live in concert. The show will remind the patrons of Punjab and its culture.
WHERE: Shanmukhananda Hall, behind Gandhi Market, Comrade Harbanslal Marg, Sion
ENTRY: Rs 500 - Rs 5,000
LOG ON TO: bookmyshow.com

Celebrate Easter
APRIL 15- 23, 10 AM - 12 PM: With Easter around the corner, Sassy Teaspoon has already rolled out a range of fun Easter specials. Bite into chocolate Easter eggs, mini Easter eggs in a chocolate nest and cupcakes decorated with Easter eggs. The decadent treats are available till April 23.
WHERE: Express Towers, Next to HDFC Bank, Ramnath Goenka Marg, Nariman Point
CALL: 7666222777

Need a history lesson? Check out Radio Madhuban in Mount Abu, where they play a dramatised enactment of Bhil warrior Bheema Nayak, and Daulat Singh, complete with dialogues, background music and caricaturish British accents. Or if you like, check out the theme song of Radio Luxembourg, which was taken over by the Nazis at the start of WWII and then used to broadcast wartime propaganda.

Music, with a dash of history, is what you would find at Radio Garden, a project launched in December by Dutch companies Studio Puckey and Studio Moniker in collaboration with the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision. It was first posted on Reddit before it went viral. The website/app takes the form of an interactive globe, with each station indicated by a green dot. Rotate the globe, choose a country or station and listen in.

You can listen to Urdu ghazals in Pakistan, hover over the United Kingdom and marvel at different accents, and browse through radio channels of hospitals. Hop over to the Vatican City radio, and listen to broadcasts in Tamil too. Occasionally, you will also find English music, like we did at Brno's Kiss Hady, which played Adele's Addicted to You or the hit Queen track, It's a Kind of Magic at Spain's Radio Andaludia Este.

Each station you choose gives you the region, their time, and a link to the station's website. Even if you cannot recognise the language, it's easy to figure when ads are on air (clue: look for fast-speaking, high-pitched, excited voices). You can also hear clips from history in the History section; stories from listeners in the Stories section and fun radio jingles, with detailed information about them in the Jingles section.

There are a few dead ends, with unresponsive stations or those that are unavailable for access from India, but there's over 8,000 others to choose from.

Log on to radio.garden

RD Burman composed for more than 300 films in a career spanning 30 years

This weekend, a group of music enthusiasts is going to deconstruct the thin line between imitation and inspiration at a talk on Hindi film music. The works of RD Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan and OP Nayyar will be discussed at the event.

Shankar-Jaikishan ruled from 1949 to 1986

“Many tried to imitate a sound that worked well with listeners in that period. In fact, film producers would encourage music directors to do so. The music of Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kalyanji-Anandji was close to the sound created by Shankar-Jaikishan and Burman,” says Ramesh KV, one of the speakers. “If you listen to the orchestration of a song, you will think it belongs to Burman, but it actually is by someone else,” he adds.

The full panel includes R Balaji, Shankar Iyer, Archisman Mozumder and Subramanian Iyer.

On: April 15, 7.30 pm
At: Pitaara – The Art Box, Yashwant Nagar, Goregaon (W).
Call: 9820393001
Entry: Rs 250

Learn to breathe and heal
12 PM to 3 PM: Sometimes just breathing the right way, can heal. Attend a work-shop organised by Dr Harsha Khand-elwal, who will teach you breathing techniques to help release tension.
WHERE: Bhagirathi Banquets, Jagjivan Ram Nagar, Mulund West
ENTRY: Rs 250
TO BOOK: www.eventshigh.com

Watch a comic play
7 PM: Don't miss a comedy about the rat race, how we cope with it, and what we put our lungs through, in the process. Set in the smoking area of a corporate building, Dhumrapaan offers a hilarious take on every employee's nightmare.
WHERE: Experimental Theatre: NCPA, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point
ENTRY: Rs 400 –Rs 500
CALL: 66223737

Visit a museum
10 AM: Witness the city's cultural heritage at an ongoing exhibition at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum. The museum will showcase a rare collection of 19th century fine and decorative arts that highlight early modern art practices and craftsmanship in the erstwhile Bombay Presidency and beyond.
WHERE: Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Rani Baug, Byculla East
COST: Rs 100
Log on to: bookmyshow.com

Attend an art sale
10 AM to 10 PM: It's our natural tendency to put a face to everything and anything. Without it, the world almost seems illusionary. Artist Trishna Patnaik explores this concept with a new exhibition titled FACES, where she creates a range of face paintings using various mediums. You can also own these artworks.
WHERE: The Cuckoo Club, 5AA,
Mc Ronnel's Compound, Pali Hill Road, Bandra West
CALL: 9619962969

Spread the Easter cheer

From preparing sweet treats to digging into lavish meals, here's our guide to celebrating the festival

Sip fruity cocktails
7 PM to 1.30 AM: Whether it's late lunch or an early dinner, you must celebrate with cocktails. Complete the festivities with a new range of refreshing Easter drinks. From the Cotton Tail, which is a mix of vodka, passion fruit puree and lemon, to the Starfruit Spritz, made with gin and starfruit, there's something for every cocktail lover.
WHERE: One Street Over, Off Linking Road, Khar West
PRICE: Rs 350 – Rs 400
CALL: 26002224

Enjoy an egglicious treat
12 PM to 1 AM: If you want a break from the usual chocolate fare, head to Myxx. Dig into their fruit flavoured white chocolate eggs with dark chocolate sponge cake or indulge in their white chocolate egg stuffed with mango crème.
WHERE: Myxx, Navaratan Apartment, Near Juhu Post Office, Juhu
CALL: 60226700

Learn to make truffles
11 AM to 1.30 PM: What better way to spend Easter than learning how to make handmade truffles and some luscious drunken gingerbread. They'll be ready just in time to share with family.
WHERE: Flavour Diaries, Above Khar Social, Rohan Plaza, Khar West
ENTRY: Rs 3,499
CALL: 9022270033

Go brunching

12 PM to 4.30 PM: Fancy a lavish Easter brunch with family? The Seven Kitchens' lavish spread of traditional delicacies may just be the answer. From glazed ham and roast chicken to hot cross buns, and different types of baked quiche, stuffed breads and cocktails, this will surely cheer you, and everyone else, up.
WHERE: Seven Kitchens, Level 9M, St Regis, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
PRICE: Rs 3,000 and above
FOR RESERVATIONS: 61628422

Chill with tigers

MAY 17: This summer, gift your child a real Jungle Book experience. Heart and Soil is organising a three-day trip to the Pench Tiger Reserve, in Madhya Pradesh, fondly called as the Kipling country. Kipling wrote Jungle Book after spending his days in and getting inspired by the forests of Pench. The kids will see wildlife in its natural habitat and not in the crammed confines of a zoo.
WHERE: Pench National Park, Dharna Kalan, Madhya Pradesh
ENTRY: Rs 39,000 for a parent and child
CALL: 9819923115

Visit the Golden Temple vicariously
11 AM - 7 PM: Dr Mahesh Kharde, an orthopedic surgeon from Mumbai, will display his latest photographs on contemporary life. The series covers monuments in Rajasthan and Punjab and urban vignettes from smaller towns. Noteworthy among his photographs are the shots of the Golden Temple at Amritsar, turban seller in Rajasthan, ancient forts and palaces in Rajasthan and Karnataka.
WHERE: Jehangir Art Gallery, (Terrace Art Gallery), MG Road, Kala Ghoda
CALL: 9923660056

Take home an amrapali
APRIL 22-23, 11 AM ONWARDs: Angiya is organising a sample sale of indigenous bras that puts form, style and comfort before convention and constriction. This garment will combine organic cotton, deeper cuts and freer design. You could sample the Yasodhara, their version of a push-up bra and Amrapali, a crop-top bra.
WHERE: The Vintage Garden, Patkar Bungalow, 34D, Turner Road, Bandra West
LOG ON TO: https://m.facebook.com/theindianbra/

Create your own comic
APRIL 22, 10.30 AM: Have you ever dreamed of creating your own comic strip? Sign up for a workshop helmed by Mumbai-based architect and urban designer Nikhil Chaudhary who will introduce you to a rich medium of comics and graphic novels and show you how to create comics as a medium to express your thoughts. You will be guided into a hands-on session to create your own short comics.
WHERE: 91 A, Rani Baug, Veer Mata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyan, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Marg, Byculla East, Byculla
ENTRY: Rs 500
CALL: 23731234

Meet Master Tusk
APRIL 18, 12 PM: Watch Elephant in the Room, a play about a boy named Master Tusk, who has been given a new head — that of an elephant. Confused and bewildered, he finds himself lost in the forest. He encounters a motley couple — Makadi (spider) and Moork (poacher) — a clumsy duo in search of a big-ticket ransom. They kidnap Master Tusk, but their scheme goes awry when a prophecy is revealed.
WHERE: Prithvi Theatre, 20, Janki Kutir, Juhu Church Road
ENTRY: Rs 300
CALL: 2614 9546

Pedal for peace

7 AM: Cycling could well be a way of spreading the message of environmental conservation loud and clear. Caravan Trips and iKheti have organised a cycling session at the lush greenery of Aarey Gardens where, due to construction of the Metro, many trees in and around Aarey have been destroyed.
WHERE: Aarey Colony entrance, Goregaon East
ENTRY: Rs 750
LOG ON TO: www.insider.in

order of the day

Watch a French period drama
6.30 PM: Catch writer-director Francois-Xavier Vives's debut period drama starring Marie Gillain, Jalil Lespert and Miou-Miou. In 1920, when her husband dies, Liena is left alone with vast plantations of pines. She is determined to finish her husband's work and provide electricity to all her employees across her lands.
WHERE: Alliance Française de Bombay, 40, Theosophy Hall, New Marine Lines
CALL: 22035993
FREE

Participate in a public adda
5 PM: Attend an interesting panel discussion organised by the Godrej India Culture Lab and Point of View where four feminists, Mona Eltahawy, Paromita Vohra, Geeta Patel and Bishakha Datta, will talk about sex, feminism, lipstick and other female-oriented issues. Titled 'What's Sex Got To Do With It? A Public Adda', the event is in celebration of Point of View's 20th anniversary.
WHERE: Auditorium, (1st Floor) Godrej ONE, Vikhroli (East). (On Eastern Express Highway)
RSVP indiaculturelab.@godrejinds.com.

Listen to a story

TILL 28 APRIL, 10 AM - 12.30 PM: Make it a productive vacation for your little one (aged 2 to 4 years) at a summer camp organised by Kangaroo Kids. There will be fun activities like art and craft, music, jewellery making, storytelling and puppet shows that will keep your kid engaged.
WHERE: NESCO Compound, near Hall No. 3, Western Express Highway, Goregaon (E)
ENTRY: Rs 4,500
CALL: 9820855659

Enjoy mango dhokla
ONGOING: Khandani Rajdhani is celebrating Aamlicious festival, where the fare goes beyond regular aamras and mango shrikhand. Enjoy some delicious kairi cabbage tikki, mango kofta pulao and more. Priced at `499, the menu will be rotational with two to three items made out of raw or ripe mango every day.
WHERE: Level 2, Phoenix Market City Mall, LBS Marg Kurla (West)
CALL: 9819555196

Groove to Burman hits
7.30 PM: Diehard Burman fans can head to Ravindra Natya Mandir for a musical extravaganza titled Forever Pancham where Sudesh Bhonsle will sing in the voice of SD, RD, Kishore Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. Others like Mohan Shetty, Pooja Sadarangani, Bipin Bhalerao and Aditya Salvi will join him in crooning a variety of numbers composed by the legend.
WHERE: Near Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Sayani Road, Prabhadevi
ENTRY: Rs 200-Rs 1000
LOG ON TO : bookmyshow.com

Paint like a child

3 PM: Hone the artist in you at this painting party organised by The Bombay Drawing Room titled Doorway to Bliss. With no prior painting experience required, this will be a guided session, shedding light on the basic strokes, sketches and techniques and helping you getting in touch with the artist within. You'll have to paint the 'Doorway to Bliss' with acrylic paint on canvas.
WHERE: Independence Brewing Company, New Link Road,
opp. Citi Mall, Andheri (W)
LOG ON TO: www.bookmyshow.com

April 23, 5 PM: Do you believe you have the coolest dog on the planet? Maybe it's time to let the world know that too. Vile Parle's ZooBar is organising Dog's Got Talent, where your mutt can show off his skills right from his obedience levels, fetching ability, turning tricks, love for food, loudest bark or even for simply looking the cutest. The Applausometer will reward the swaggiest waggers in multiple categories, because we all believe every dog's got a talent."

Humans have had enough fun, it's now time for our paw friends to enjoy. This event will see dogs indulging in a lot of games, competitions and delicious canine goodies. It gives pet owners the time and opportunity to take their dogs out and spend some quality time with them and be a great change and source of entertainment for dogs," says owner Nishant Joshi. The highlight of the event will be some summer treats for y our furry friends by K9 professionals, a nice grub by Mutt Hutt, a photo-op and accessories sale.

Go funky with Benny
Dance to the tunes of Benny Dayal and Funktuation this weekend. The band, formed in 2011, has the Bollywood singer on vocals, Joshua Satya on guitar, Carl Fernandez on bass, Alok Merwin on keys and David Joseph on drums. Dayal's popular songs include Badtameez Dil and Daru Desi. He is mostly known for his work with AR Rahman in both Hindi and Tamil.
TIME: 9 pm onwards
AT: Todi Mill Social, Lower Parel.
CALL: 65110361
ENTRY: Rs 500 (includes a beer)

Friday

Catch a tribute gig
Catch the band, The Big If, at a Pearl Jam tribute gig. Relive the early '90s classics like Alive and Jeremy. They also draw inspiration from Alter Bridge and Nirvana. The band comprises Sumeet Menon (vocals), Rohit Murugan (guitar), Kartik Gopalkrishnan (guitar), Aaron (bass) and Chirag Vachcha (drums).
TIME: 10 pm
AT: Tuning Fork, Hotel Unicontinental, 3rd Road, Khar (W).
CALL: 9833358490
ENTRY: Rs 500

Get your Bawa facts right
Ever wondered how the Parsis arrived in India? Do you know the story of Zarathushtra and his disciples? Learn more about the community at a three-day exhibition conceptualised by Cyrus Dastoor. There will be cultural activities, and stalls featuring Zoroastrian books, artefacts and cuisine.
TIME: 6.30 pm
AT: All Bless Baug, opposite Charni Road Station.
CALL: 65069313

The flavour of mint
On the occasion of the first anniversary of Mintageworld.com (an online museum of coins, stamps and currency notes), you can gift them a currency note from your collection, which is not in circulation, and it will be clicked for you professionally.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Stall 69, Numismatics Fair, World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade.
CALL: 8976001704

Saturday

Of marriage and bride
Catch the play, Beewion Ka Madarsa, which is about a character named Haneef Mohammed. He did not marry thinking all women are dishonest and they cheat on their husbands but then, life takes a turn. He decides to customise his bride.
TIME: 7 pm at NCPA, Nariman Point.
CALL: 39895050
ENTRY: Rs 300 onwards

Keep it stylish
Attend a fashion styling and design and trends workshop organised by Mod'Art. Popular designer Babita Malkani (in pic), who has been in the field for over a decade will helm the workshop.
TIME: 2.30 pm to 4.30pm
AT: Mod'Art International, Rama Gulab Apts, Subash Road, Vile Parle (E).
RSVP: 9619777841

Revel in poetry
Add a poetic touch to your weekend as award-winning poets including Adil Jussawalla, Jayanta Mahapatra, Keki Daruwalla, K Satchidanandan and Eunice de Souza read from their work alongside prominent Gujarati and Marathi poets. The two-day poetry festival has been organised by Paperwall Media & Publishing.
TIME: 10 am to 5.30 pm
AT: Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Chembur.
CALL: 49235008

Sunday

Flavours with a twist
Tuck into a new menu at a restaurant that celebrates the legacy of Irani cafés. The offerings include staples like Boil Egg Sandwich and Bhuna Chicken Sandwich, Bacon Vada Pav, Persian Soup, Crispy Corn Bhel, Khattu Meethu Pumpkin, and innovative desserts and cocktails.
TIME: 12 pm to 1.30 am
AT: SodaBottleOpenerWala, BKC.
CALL: 9892841456

Listen to the expert
Attend a talk by Amol Palekar as the veteran actor, director and producer discusses a new wave in Marathi cinema. He will explore a paradigm shift in the last decade.
TIME: 11 am
AT: Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum, Byculla.
CALL: 23731234

Soak in art by kids
Landscapes, portraits, still life, flora and fauna and social issues are only some of the many themes you will find at Yellow Canvas 2017, a group exhibition of artworks created by 71 students from across schools in Mumbai. The canvases have been created in various media like water colours, acrylic, mix media among others.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Cymroza Art Gallery, Breach Candy.
CALL: 23671983

Deal with the weekend

Sip and munch to glory
Ongoing Avail a flat 20 per cent discount on all food and beverages at a newly launched restaurant. The menu includes appetizers, juicy burgers and sandwiches. You can also dance to the beats of the in-house DJ.
TIME: 12 pm to 1 am
AT: Nerve, Hill Road, opposite Le Reve (Globus), Bandra (W).
CALL: 9930008049

Add to your collectibles
till april 23 Replenish your wardrobe at a thrift shop for a cause by Back Alley. There will be pre-loved products including crockery, home décor, gift items, western and ethnic wear up for grabs. The initiative is by Radhika Dhawan and Maya Bhogilal Goyel.
TIME: 11 am to 3 pm
AT: Ave 29, Kohinoor Mansion, 29 Hughes Road.
CALL: 23804981

Grab a meal between work
ongoing Taste the 'Working Lunch Menu' at a five-star by chef Shadab Qureshi. The planned luxury meal will feature the chef's delicacies from the North West Frontier.
TIME: 12 pm to 3 pm
AT: Jyran-Tandoor & Dining Lounge, Sofitel, BKC.
CALL: 8268152597
COST: Rs 1,500 (veg), Rs 1,700 (non veg)

Bhrigu Sahni at a concert at antiSOCIAL earlier this week. Pic/Satej Shinde

The use of guitar isn't limited to playing solos and rhythms using a plectrum (a small flexible piece of plastic). When a discussion emerges about the co-existence of genres within the guitar language, there is a lack of clarity between Flamenco, Western Classical and finger-style. One can pluck (guitar) strings with their fingers but finger-style is a technique that involves the usage of fingertips, nails and the palm. You need to hit the woodwork for percussions. The sound is a perfect balance of bass, treble and harmonies. These days, Mumbai is witnessing the rise of finger-style guitarists. While some learnt from watching videos of legends like Andy McKee and Tommy Emmanuel, others took a cue out of popular songs.

Manan Gupta

One-man band
"By playing finger-style, one can arrange a whole song by playing the bass line, melody, rhythm and harmony simultaneously without using any backing track," shares Manan Gupta. The 23-year-old started off as a pianist but the track Drifting (by McKee) brought him closer to guitar.

Gupta believes finger-style also helps a musician to be self-sufficient. "You are a one-man band; there is no need to rely on other musicians to co-ordinate rehearsal timings," chuckles Gupta, whose tune Dear Mother (released in 2013) is an online hit.

Local inspirations
Bhrigu Sahni, who has toured the Mumbai-Pune circuit, took to the genre after watching his father play Western Classical. "As a kid, I realised that this style had the ability to create a rich musical tapestry. It is challenging to sustain being just a finger-style player but that shouldn't deter one from following his heart," says Sahni, who is a Berklee graduate and has jammed with Karsh Kale and Angelique Kidjo.

Unlike others, he also pointed out a few names among Indians who inspired him. "I went to Rock and Jazz concerts when I was 15. I used to improvise after watching guitarists like Sanjay Joseph and Derek Julian," he adds. Sahni released his debut album, What is Now, last year in New York. "I shuffle between Brooklyn, Khadki (Pune) and Mumbai for gigs," he shares.

Varun Singh started his journey listening to Eric Clapton. He even played for Metal band Albatross for sometime, but the song More Than Words (Extreme) pushed him towards finger-style. He seconds Sahni highlighting guitarists from India who are fluent with it. "Mahesh Tinaikar (Indus Creed) and Floyd Fernandes are great examples. Clapton's Tears In Heaven is a finger-style song too," he shares. The 23-year-old recently released a video of a song called Midnight Express paying tribute to Nuno Bettencourt. "He is my hero."

Sanjay Sharma with his daughters Aayushi (left) and Shriya, both of whom enjoy skating. Pic/Satej Shinde

"When you get divorced, the people you used to hang out with disappear. Suddenly, you have no friends, and neither does your child," begins Hemant Amrute, 43, who has been raising his 12-year-old son as a single parent since 2010. Similarly, Goregaon resident Sanjay Sharma has had full custody of his daughters since 2013, when his older child was not yet five, and the younger two-and-a-half years old.

Hemant Amrute with his son Aryan before a parasailing trip in Goa last December

Taking on the role of both parents hasn't been easy for either of these single dads, but that hasn't stopped them from providing their little ones with an upbringing that isn't lacking.

Striking a work-life balance
Recently, actor Tusshar Kapoor and director Karan Johar made news when they became single fathers to children born via surrogacy. But while these men, who come from privileged backgrounds, presumably have help, this is not the case with most single dads who have to juggle work and kids.

A normal day in the life of the Sharma family is hectic. "Luckily for me, I run my own business, so I do all my work when the kids are at school. My job is to pick them up and later in the evening, drop them off for skating or swimming lessons. My older daughter has also been learning Kathak for two years, while my younger one takes singing lessons," shares 35-year-old Sharma, adding that his mother helps him out on the home front.

Amrute, meanwhile, is also a busy entrepreneur, but now feels confident enough to leave his son home by himself whenever required, as he's a little older. His challenge, however, lies in the kitchen. "I never learned to cook," laughs the Thane resident, adding, "We've had a string of cooks come and go, because both of us invariably end up not liking the food."

Not to mention that being a single parent still has stigma attached to it, which is multiplied when the single parent in question is the father. "In the beginning, people would say, 'Yeh nahin kar paayega (he won't be able to do it)'. Now, they've seen it for themselves," says Sharma. Echoing the sentiment, Amrute adds that once a couple gets divorced, people tend to look down on them, and your social circle shrinks to prevent the awkwardness.

Creating a lasting bond
Sharma's daughters and Amrute's son love being outdoors. Sharma takes his kids to the beach, park, as well as for kiddie events across the city. "We love going on holidays, too, even if they're to nearby places like Mahabaleshwar or Daman."

Amrute and his son Aryan spend weekends at their farmhouse in Yeoor Hills, and head to the cinema or the mall on other days. "We also spent Christmas in Goa last year, which was a lot of fun. A few years ago, I took him with me on a work trip to the US, and we visited a lot of places when I had some downtime," he shares.

Both men recently discovered and joined iSingleParent, a Facebook community that organises meet-ups and holidays for single mums and dads and their kids.

Amrute says that when not at school, his son would end up spending time playing with a smartphone. "We live in a standalone house, so there aren't any kids around for him to play with. But he loves technology, and scored full marks in Robotics. He also enjoys beatboxing and recently started trying out parkour. And now, thanks to the group, he looks forward to bonding with the other kids who come for the meet-ups," he says.

(From left) Kamal Sidhu, Purab Kohli, Dino Morea, Maria Goretti, Cyrus Sahukar, Mini Mathur, Cyrus Broacha, Luke Kenny. Location Courtesy/The Bombay Canteen; Pics/Rane Ashish

When video killed the radio star in the 1990s, we were not complaining. Our eyes were glued to the TV as cable television made its debut. We had heard our rock and pop idols on FM, and now, we had them, in our living rooms. MTV had landed, followed by Channel V. Along with them came a glam and chatty species called VJs. On them we pinned our hope for a favourite song, crushed on them, and sought fashion wisdom during our fumbling teenage years. Suddenly, we had new pin-up stars.

At a reunion of India's first set of VJs at Lower Parel's The Bombay Canteen, we saw model-VJ from MTV and Channel V Kamal Sidhu; the brain behind Channel V Luke Kenny; mad-hatter MTV VJ Cyrus Broacha; crush-worthy Channel V VJ Purab Kohli; model-actor with dear dimples Dino Morea; MTV's effervescent Mini Mathur; MTV's Mr Comical Cyrus Sahukar and MTV VJ-turned-food TV host Maria Goretti.

Madness ensued, with a whole lot of laughter and wisecracks. There were blows below the belt but not a brow was raised. For us, the '90s kids, they were the epitome of cool. It's true that we saw them in a different light — some of them are now parents — but they are just as charming.

Launching with the '90S
Kamal: I think I speak for everyone when I say, without the '90s, we wouldn't have had a career.

Mini: I was doing TV much before music television arrived. At that time, all of it was based out of Delhi, and only fiction came out of Bombay. But the music channels made it all cool.

Cyrus S: There were a handful of these networks in operation. It was a great time to be in and we got away with murder.

Luke: One of the things that happened was that the 18 to 24 demographic was created. That's the demographic for youth programming even today. Once 2000 rolled in, the concept of the TV anchor was born, but the VJ had died.

Kamal Sidhu makes a point as Purab Kohli listens in

Kamal: While the role of the VJ was fairly new to India, around the world there were VJs we were exposed to. In Canada, we had a local music channel, which didn't allow MTV to enter the country. There was Downtown Julie Brown (who hosted Club MTV from 1987 to 1992). On the show, the light switch went on, with the camera going up her legs and under her skirt, while she went, 'Waba Waba Waba Downtown Julie Brown'. She was among the real pioneers. When MTV launched in Asia, we beamed shows from Hong Kong. And, then, we launched in India with a party at the Taj Mahal Hotel [in 1992] in Mumbai. It was called The Bombay Blast Weekend. It received a lot of backlash, I remember, because the riots (Babri Masjid) had just happened.

Where i want to be: Vjing
Maria: I used to watch Kamal and Danny [McGill] VJ, and, suddenly, I was one of them. I didn't know what I was getting into until I did. The thing about VJing in the '90s was that it let you be who you wanted to be. I was lucky to be part of something I loved. Today, everyone wants to be something more, so, a lot of people get nudged out of television. MTV put Indian VJs on air and that changed something. It was now damn cool to be Indian; there was no need to have an accent. I didn't realise I was cool but apparently, I was.

Purab: I joined Channel V as a host for a travel show, and, gradually, when other slots opened, I started VJing too. There was a serious naiveté back then and VJing wasn't thought of as a stepping-stone to other things.

Cyrus Sahukar tells a story to Luke Kenny

Cyrus S: We were all there with the knowledge that this where we want to be.

Behind the scenes
Purab: There were times when we shot close to five episodes a day. It was intense. Sophiya [Haque], Laila [Rouass] and Meghna [Reddy] would do their own make up, write their own shows and select their own music. There was a transition, when I came in 1999 to Channel V. There was one show where we were asked to write and select songs. We would run it by Luke.

Cyrus B: Luke? Was everything right?

Purab: Yes!

Cyrus B: Luke himself didn't know what his designation was.

Purab: He would approve songs and that was our process.

Maria: Producers hated it when VJs would get together because that meant no one would be working. Once a year, we did a show together for Christmas or New Year and that would be a blast. I miss all of us working together — miss the travelling, the early morning flights, sleeping at airports because we had missed our plane. When I look back I realise that what I did was part of history.

Music then, music now
Luke: What do I think of the indie music scene? It's very niche, and some of the musicians have a chip on their shoulder. But, that aside, what business are they doing? Few manage to get paying gigs, and whoever turns up to support, comes, has a drink, pays R300 and then doesn't buy the album. How does it help the artist? I have been consulting with Channel V recently, and we are trying to go back to the model where the music channel only plays music, and supports indie acts by giving their originals air time.

Cyrus Broacha monkeys around as Dino Morea greets Kamal Sidhu

Kamal: I remember they would send us pop music videos at the Hong Kong office. And most of them were bad. We had to consciously decide to help some artists with their videos. And then Rahman and acts like Indus Creed came in, and the videos changed.

Luke: Kids today love their pop as they did back in the '90s.

Kamal: It was more authentic back then.

Luke: That's because the labels saw a market and invested in it. No one sees a market in today's indie scene.

Cyrus S: They were competing with an international kind of space and knew that spending money on videos was requisite. Everybody was trying to match international standards.
Kamal: And then everything got homogenised into one game plan — the Bollywood game plan.

The '90S role model
Dino: I landed in Bombay in December 1997, looking for opportunities and I remember sharing a room, not even a flat, with a girl who wanted to be a model too. Back in Bangalore, I remember seeing Kamal. I was in college and had to go meet a photographer. There she was, shooting for some perfume or cosmetics ad, and I was like, "Whoa!" Models were these superstars then. I did stare at her.

Kamal: Did I stare back at you?

Dino: (Laughing) I don't think you noticed me.

Sinking into reality
Kamal: A big change from the '90s, well, is that reality television came about, for better or worse.

Luke: One of the earliest reality shows to come was Channel V's Popstars, from which [girl band] Viva emerged. History rewrote itself in that decade with reality television.

Cyrus B: There was also MTV Bakra, which started towards the end of 1999.

Kids with an edge
Kamal: I think it was the time of the Asian liberation. Everything was booming. Also, it was a time for adjustment. Parents of '90s kids looked at people like us and questioned our place as role models. They said, we need to control the remote control.

Luke: No, there was no parental control at all.

Purab: I think it was because those kids were the first movers into the globalisation space.

Cyrus S: Even I used to come home and watch TV. It was a time when I had a VCP, not even a VCR.

Luke: Do you know why those kids had an edge over today's? Because they didn't have these. (Points to a mobile phone).

Maria: I think it was because there was a more organic interaction between people. The communication was real, which I don't see today. These days, it's about the phone. My kids just asked me why they don't have the blue tick on Instagram. Everyone is looking into their phones. We have become tech-savvy but have lost a bit of the soul. (Snapping her fingers). It's now all about reaching a place and changing the game.

Your fav music video of the '90S was?
Luke: Pretty Child by Indus Creed
Cyrus Sahukar: Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice
Dino: Can't Touch This by MC Hammer
Kamal: Anything by AR Rahman
Maria: Freedom by George Michael
Mini: All Sukhbir and Lucky Ali videos

Harsha Dehejia looks at paintings by street artists on the Kala Ghoda stretch leading to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Sitting under a tree on a footpath that connects Jehangir Art Gallery with CSMVS, an astrologer reads the kundalis and palms of those keen to know their future. Nearby, a quack sells jadi buti (herbal medicines) sourced from the jungles of India. "Sometimes, will digging up medicines, a snake or scorpion jumps at me," he regales Harsha V Dehejia, as the latter strikes up a conversation with him.

A hawker at Ranade Road in Dadar. “Even art comes alive on a footpath,” says Dehejia. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

These anecdotes that Dehejia, 79, indulges in while strolling down the heritage precinct of Kala Ghoda are part of a 30-minute DVD that accompanies the second edition of his book, Walk With Me On Mumbai Footpaths (Wilco), launched recently.

In the DVD, you'll also find tete-a-tetes with Amin Sayani and Shobhaa De. "Mumbai's footpaths have a life of their own. Many people have started their careers and lives on these footpaths and gone on to become billionaires and movie stars," says De in the video.

Look closer at Pedder Road: On an afternoon stroll on the street in 1980s, Dehejia spotted a cobbler solving a crossword puzzle and down the road, a man sleeping in a bathtub. Pics courtesy/Harsha Dehejia

Blast from the past
Born and bred in Malabar Hill, Dehejia's fascination with footpaths traces back to his college days when he would walk down from Flora Fountain to elphinstone College. That's where he first met the aforementioned astrologer and quack. "I would spend a lot of a time at a street bookstore near Central Telegraph Office. I would also spot artists sketching on the pavements. Today, even 50 years later, you still find these treasures on footpaths. If you talk to those who work or live on them, you'll realise that their courage in trying to make a living is exemplary," says Dehejia, who has a double doctorate, one in medicine and another in ancient Indian culture. Previously, he has authored books on Krishna.

In 1970, he shifted base to Ottawa (Canada) in 1970 where is a faculty member at Carleton University, and also runs a radio show. "However, I hold a strong connect with Mumbai, visiting it at least once a year."

What's in the book?
A condensed version of the previous edition (2011), the book features over 100 photographs, which capture interesting people, and activities that take place on the city's footpaths on a daily basis. In one, a typist sits with his instrument drafting a letter near GPO, while a man naps in a bathtub-turned-bed on Pedder Road in another. The frames also showcase clay pots filled with water placed at a footpath in Chembur, a student preparing for an exam under a street lamp in Worli and kids using a pavement to play gully cricket in Borivali.

"Mumbai's footpaths are full of life, brotherhood, colours, enterprise and commerce, and religion. You'll spot many roadside shrines, which may be illegal from the municipal sense, but offer solace to those living and walking on the footpaths. You'll often see passersby stop at the shrine to offer a prayer. However, to discover their true beauty, you need to rid yourself of the notion that they are chaotic and dirty, and meet them with an open heart."

Many frames date back to 1980s, when Dehejia would pick up his camera and roam around the streets of Mumbai. "Then, in 2007, I was at a coffee shop, showing these photographs to [late historian] Sharada Dwivedi, who suggested that I bring out a book. That's how the project began," he recalls. The book also features photographs contributed by his friends and photographers, Rafiq elias, Chirodeep Chaudhroi and Sailesh Mule among others, along with illustrations by cartoonist Hemant Morparia.

Friday

Laugh out loud
Kick-start your weekend with a stand-up special by Jeeveshu Ahluwalia. His jokes sway between the amusing life of chubby people, and his failed attempts at pleasing his over-optimistic mother.
Time: 8 pm at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chowpatty, KM Munshi Road, Grant Road West
Log on to: bookmyshow.com
Entry: '540 onwards

Shop till you drop
Get ready for the festive season as 17 designers and brands showcase apparel made from khadi, silk using ikat, jamdani, shibori and other techniques. You can also find accessories and home décor items at this two-day event.
Time: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Tranceforme Designs, Laxmi Mills Estate, off Dr E Moses Road, Mahalaxmi
Call: 24939916

Groove to live performances
Listen to Arunaja aka Ammu, a gospel-inspired vocalist from Kochi, who is currently on the TV show The Stage 2, singer/songwriter Vedant Joshi and Vikram Nathwani aka DJ Mark IV.
Time: 8.30 pm
AT: Luca, Todi Mills, Lower Parel
Call: 49714450

Saturday

Watch the story of Gandhi
How did Gandhi become the Mahatma? What impact did his days as a barrister in South Africa have on his philosophy of peace and non-violence? Gandhi — The Musical, about the journey of the Father of the Nation, has the answers.
Till: August 15, 7.30 pm
AT: Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA
Cost: '500 onwards
Call: 22824567

Craft your own rakhi
Instead of store-bought rakhis, how about giving your brother a sweet surprise this Rakshabandhan with a handmade creation? Take inspiration by exploring the colours, patterns and designs at this museum's permanent collection. Pay for the entry ticket, while the activity and all materials come free.
Time: 11 am to 2 pm
AT: Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marg, Byculla East
Call: 23731234

Start clicking
Sign your little ones up for The Secrets of Still Lives, an art-cum-photography workshop. It will begin with an interaction with artist Shahid Datawala (whose works are on display), followed by a photography exercise on capturing everyday objects in a surreal way.
Time: 11 am to 1 pm age group Eight to 11 years
AT: TARQ, Dhanraj Mahal, Apollo Bunder, Colaba
Call: 66150424
Cost: '1,000

Sunday

Go for Lalbaugcha tour
Explore the history, culture and secrets of Lalbaug including a hidden agiary, temple of the buffalo god, the oldest dargah in Mumbai and more at a walk by Khaki Tours.
Time: 8 am
Starting point: Gundecha Gardens Gate, Godrej Gas Compound, Lalbaug
Call: 8828100111
Entry: '644

Dine with your bestie
This Friendship Day, spend a laid-back Sunday with your best friend by sharing punch bowls and comfort food such as Chocolate Gluten-Free Pancake and Waffles and Rocky Road Waffle (in pic).
Time: 7 pm to 1.30 am
AT: One Street Over ground floor, 35th Street, off Linking Road,Khar West
Call: 26002224

Raft through Kundalika
Pack your bags for a river rafting trip on the river Kundalika in Kolad. The organisers have also added archery and Burma bridge to the agenda.
Time: 6.30 am (meet at Kala Nagar junction, Bandra East)
At: Kolad
Call: 9867952811
Cost: '2,350 (includes transportation and tea and snacks)

Illustrations/Ravi Jadhav

Girgaum, Kamat Chawl Thakurdwar
Celebrating the festival for the last 122 years, simplicity is key for Kamat Chawl residents. And they are happy to share tales from the forgotten pages of history and freedom struggle. Here, they do not follow the concept of themed decor and celebrate the festival in an absolute traditional manner. The idol is made of eco-friendly material called shadu. Following the spirit of why the festival was started in the first place, the pandal is built by the residents and each one volunteers to manage the space and the stage area.

Khetwadi, Tulsi Building Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal
This is the 75th year of the pandal and, like each year, the Ganesh idol is made up of different things, mostly edible. For instance, dry fruits, cereal and pluses, chikki, and stationery and diamond have been used. This year's focus is on kids and the theme is Disneyworld. The idol is made of Cadbury chocolate and the children cannot wait to see their favourite sweet take the shape of their favourite deity.

Malad, Shree Sai Darshan Mitra Mandal
For the last 11 years, this eco-friendly Ganesha has been a hit with devotees. Made from paper and cardboard, the organisers use various concepts including football erasers, pencils and cars. This year, Bappa is giving a shout out to nostalgia as the idol is made of old coins of 1 paise, 10 paise and 20 paise. The mandal's focus is to create awareness and education, especially about global warming.

Ghatkopar, S G Barve Nagar Sarvajanik Ganeshostav Mandal
Since 1966, the pandal's idols, one large and one small, have been luring devotees to this suburb. This year's theme is a dreamy fusion of a golden pillared palace, the religious oeuvre of Om Ganapataya namah and the galaxy. A daily bhandara of rice, dal, chole, bhaji, papad, pickles and gulab jamun feeds a thousand people. A blood donation drive along with free blood test and blood group check is done during the 10 day period.

Fort, Fort Vibhag Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Mandal
Celebrated since 1956, this is one of the biggest fully centralised pandals in the city. This year, they have invited special artists from Rajasthan to create a palace setting. Their finesse and specially crafted artwork adds to the grandeur of the pandal. While you are here, you can easily spot a celeb or two. The maha aarti, especially for the police department, is scheduled for tomorrow.

Thane, Narvir Tanaji Mitra Mandal
For the last 38 years, this pandal has been not only known for its large murti and grand themes but also for reaching out to those in need, especially in rural areas. Bappa will happily rest in the grand Rajasthani Palace and overlook the tasks the members of the mandal will take up. Medical camps and a beautifully curated cultural programme that will see participants sing, dance and create beautiful flower arrangements and rangolis are in store for the Utsav.

Tilak Nagar, Sahyadri Krida Mandal
For the last 41 years, this pandal has been dedicatedly putting up themes on social awareness. This year, their theme is 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan' and will include artworks illustrating places from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, highlighting important destinations like the Himalayas and Madurai's Meenakshi Temple. These will be interspersed with reproductions of the metro, rail space research, army personnel and agricultural families to show how they co-exist to form an integral part of society.

How do you improve on a 1998 game that is so good it is still played today? Not many games can make that claim but Starcraft can with legions of fans and stadium level competitions not bad for a 20-year-old game.

The original Starcraft is free and so anyone with a battle.net account can potentially download and play it, no fancy hardware required. The remastered version, however, costs $15 and it is worth every penny. The game's graphics and sound have had a major update, you can also play multiplayer online complete with leaderboards.

While the new game is friendly to first-time players the online multiplayer is brutal. Prepare to die in minutes. Unfortunately, there is no system in place to train players in the complexity of multiplayer battles in a game that people have been potentially been playing for 20 years.

For fans of Starcraft there is everything that you would ever want in the game. The original game mechanisms are untouched which means everything plays as it should.

Starcraft Remastered
Rating: 4/5
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Platform: PC, Mac
Price: $14.99 (Rs 960 approx)

Make heads turn by carrying a stylish umbrella that tells a story. In this engaging art revival workshop, you could learn to paint with a play of colours to create an illusion of varying textures that ensures that it isn't any run-of-the-mill print. Hosted by Blue Bulb, the workshop starts with an introduction to Gond painting, a folk art of the Gondi people of Madhya Pradesh. It then progresses into understanding freehand drawing and painting, directly using paints and pens. "One need not be an artist to be a part of this workshop. Once you've got the hang of it, you could even paint your t-shirt, canvas bags, shoes, stoles, wall art and furniture too," informs Ritika Jhunjhunwala, co-founder of Iteeha, organisers of the event.

Our society thrives on myths and fictitious stories and Gond art is an embellishment for those stories. The art form allows the artists to use more of their imagination than the somber rules. However, it has evolved considerably from its ritual storytelling days.

"The fine lines, dots and dashes of traditional Gond Pradhan motifs were introduced to the world by the late painter J. Swaminathan, who discovered a talented 17-year-old Jangarh Singh Shyam decorating the huts of Patangarh in Madhya Pradesh. The combination of vivid colours and distinctive forms, gives the traditional art a modern look and yet maintains its originality," says Jhunjhunwala for whom monsoon is the perfect time to unleash the creative side. "What you get is a full-size umbrella, all art supplies required and garma garam chai and kande pohe to enjoy the rains," she adds.

What: Umbrella Gond Painting Workshop
Where: Shivaji Park
When: August 27, 10.30 am - 1:30 pm
Fees: Rs 1,200 + plus taxes
Call: 7506122332

Uncharted has dropped its latest installment and it is significant simply because there is no Nathan Drake, the protagonist of the previous Uncharted games. Instead, this time, you get to play with Chloe Frazer backed with Nadine Ross, who are in India searching for the Tusk of Ganesh. We don't know if Naughty Dog planned this, but a game featuring a Ganesh related artifact releasing just around the time of Ganpati Utsav is pretty good timing.

The game unfolds in the mountains of India during a civil war, with everything you would expect, in an Uncharted game — lots of fast paced gun play, spectacular ancient ruins, overgrown jungles and easy to solve puzzles. It is a formula that has worked well for the series in the past and why would you mess with something that works.

You may find both Chloe and Nadine familiar if you have played Uncharted before, they have appeared in the previous games. Chloe as a sidekick in two games and Nadine as the antagonist of the last Uncharted. To get the artifact that leads to the Tusk of Ganesh, Chloe infiltrates the war-torn city dressed in a kurta, she looks very Indian in the outfit. This is very different from any other Uncharted game because it deals with claustrophobic, garbage-filled city streets instead majestic jungles the game is used to. It's a nice change but a short one, once you manage to find the relic it is straight off to the jungle for you.

The Lost Legacy is a lot like Uncharted 4, it plays almost similar, some of the guards look familiar and even some of the ruins. The game is comfortable with what it is and there aren't any new surprises that push the gameplay forward. What it excels at is the ride and that is an action-packed ride that would put Indiana Jones to shame. What you can do is enhance the experience with their new photo mode, it makes everything a little more fun. The photo mode lets you change the expression of Chloe's face temporarily. This, of course, can be used to take hilarious screengrabs.

The game looks amazing on the PS4 Pro, the jungles and the ruins are grand to say the least, enough to make you want to go a nearby forest in search of ancient picturesque monuments. It's a nice use of local mythology to create a brilliant fantasy world.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is great for newbies. Since it doesn't require you to have previous knowledge of the characters or any hard to play sections, it is pretty much a no-brainer for any gamer.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Rating: 4/5
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony
Platform: PS4
Price: Rs 2,499

Traipse through America
Sunset Cinema Club (SCC) is holding a Travel Movie Night in association with travel start-up Unpland. The movie to be screened is Into The Wild, a 2007 film about a young man who decided to renounce his possessions and hitchhike across America. "We have hosted several themed movie nights in the past. This time, we wanted to do something travel-centric. We ran an online poll to pick the movie for the screening," says SCC co-founder Sanchit Gupta.
On: September 3, 8.30 pm
At: The Barking Deer, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel. log on to insider.in
Entry: Rs 312 (includes a beer or mocktail)

Understand the works of Renaissance masters
This evening, Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum, in collaboration with Alliance Francaise de Bombay, is showing three documentaries on Renaissance painters by filmmaker Alain Jaubert. The first film delves into Grünewald's painting Retable d'Issenheim (Altarpiece of Issenheim), while the second focuses on Baldassare Castiglione (Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione) by Raphaël. The third film is about Le Repas Chez Levi (The Meal at Levi's; in pic) by Veronese. If you walk in after 5.30 pm, entry is free.
On: Today, 6 pm to 7.30 pm
At: Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum, Byculla East
Call: 23731234

You may also like - Bizarre: 9 most weirdest, unusual restaurants in India

Cars honk as they make their way through Bandra-Kurla Complex to get to offices or to the newest eatery that has set up shop in the swanky financial district, the people in them all but oblivious to a small park in the back lanes that acts as a haven for the city's youth.

Annul Pale from the Meteoric crew trains at City Park, BKC

You will find them all here - collegians skipping classes, teens on their skateboards, and a group of young men performing exhilarating tricks on their bicycles. These are the city's BMX riders, for whom cycles are not simply modes of transport, but a way to express themselves.

The Sharptune crew at the Cycling Festival of India, held last weekend at Nehru Centre, Worli. Pics/Ashish Raje

"There is a community of approximately 45 BMX riders in Mumbai. Many of us prac-tise here at City Park daily," says 22-year-old Manoj Jaiswal, a Sion resident who was introduced to the sport by his neighbour in 2011. "We used to train along Carter Road promenade and the streets of BKC, but cops would arrive and shoo us away. And no public park allowed us entry with our bicycles. We ran out of places, but eventually, this park's management allowed us to use it."

This struggle is not new to the BMXers, who often end up travelling to far-flung - and thus less crowded - locations like Kalyan and Navi Mumbai. After all, in a city starved of space for even pedestrians, it's hard to imagine people giving up their precious streets to a sport they view as - in Jaiswal's words - a circus act.

Dipak Panchal

The beginnings
BMX racing took off in California back in the 1970s, inspired by motocross. It didn't take time for its popularity to rise among the youth, and soon, you could find them trying tricks on their own cycles across the world.

Rahul Mulani

Bandra resident Rahul Mulani was among the first few to bring the BMX movement to Mumbai three decades ago. "When we started out around 1987, we used to practise at a parking lot near Scandal Point in Breach Candy. There were fewer cars in the city back then, so there was plenty of space for us," he says.

Manoj Jaiswal

Not just empty parking lots; the seafront promenades used to be fair game, too. Thirty-year-old Dipak Panchal, who dropped out of college to pursue his passion for BMX and now runs a bicycle store in south Mumbai, shares that even as late as 2005, he could be found practising his moves at Marine Drive.

"Lately, whenever I have tried to practise there, policemen passing by have come and stopped me. They have even deflated my bicycle's tires, and there have been times they've threatened to throw me in the back of their van," he says, adding, "If there is a rule preventing people from cycling on promenades, they can tell us that without being rude. They allow elderly gentlemen to cycle peacefully, and even though we're not causing any damage to people or property, we are treated like criminals."

So, to avoid such conflicts, his crew, Sharptune, practises at a space they have rented out in Bandra. Last week, at the city's first cycling festival, amidst panel discussions and stores exhibiting the latest gear, they got a chance to show off their skills, but such events are few and far between. Though Panchal and Mulani try and organise jams and competitions, sponsors are hard to come by.

Need of the hour
Today, Mulani and Panchal, as well as the rest of the community, stick to a handful of spaces, including their own building compounds, that they know won't draw any unwanted attention.

"Even skateboarders are now getting recognition. In 2015, Khar Social set up a ramp, but it is too small for us to practise on, even though our requirements are not too different from a skateboarder's," says Jaiswal, whose crew, Meteoric, comprises skateboarders too. And because BMX is hidden away from the spotlight, the community is growing slower than it would have, had its members been given the chance to showcase their skills in public without any fear of repercussions.

The problem in India, Panchal believes, is that cricket overshadows every other sport. This leads to other sports, especially extreme sports like BMX, being ridiculed and even neglected by the public and the authorities. "The country's first pump track came up in Hyderabad this year, and it was built by a private body. We don't see the Cycling Federation of India [CFI] taking any interest in the BMX community," says Mulani.

VN Singh, assistant secretary, CFI, which is based in New Delhi, says they can't do anything for the sport until it is officially recognised. "I know it's an Olympic sport, but until there are enough practitioners of BMX in the country, we can't provide any support," he says. He follows this up by saying that a pump track in Delhi is in the offing, but quickly adds that he doesn't know how long it will take. "You see, we don't have the funds for it."

Ben is Back

U/A: Drama
Director: Peter Hedges
Cast: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton
Rating: 

A family drama that makes substance abuse look like the enemy of humanity it is, this Peter Hedges directed film dramatically shifts its moods from celebration to welcoming to fearful – all in the span of a few minutes.

When Ben(Lucas Hedges) shows up skulking around at his home driveway in a hooded wind-breaker the audience is unsure as to his antecedents. Then his mother Holly(Julia Roberts), his teenage sister Ivy(Kathryn Newton) and two half-siblings (Mia Fowler and Jakari Fraser) arrive home and we see the trepidation tinted welcome he receives. When his step-father Neal(Courtney B Vance) rushes home after receiving Ivy's urgent message, we understand there's further gravity to the situation.

Director Peter Hedges opens up his pages slowly allowing us to experience in some measure as to what the family is going through. Eventually it becomes imminently clear that Ben's return for Christmas from a rehab program he was recently inducted into, is unexpected and ill-advised.

Check out the trailer here:

While 'Ben is Back' is not exactly a dense suspense drama it draws up intensity from a construct that questions the integrity of it's lead character. Since it's a story about an addict and his struggle with addiction the question that haunts his family and himself is 'Will he use again?' He has sworn and swears again that he won't but he has lied before and given his track record should his family believe him? It's a tough ask. But then what about love, compassion and forgiveness? Can a mother really abandon her child to the vagaries of a habit that could eventually destroy him? The film deals with all these questions and more and the answers that it comes up with are neither easy nor universally applicable.

As Holly takes on the onus of keeping Ben in her sights, she uncovers secrets that test her mothering skills –throughout an increasingly harrowing day and night exposing her to an underbelly that she never opened her eyes to in the past.

There are times when the plotting seems contrived and questionable but by and large Peter Hedges does a good job plying a pathway that has hurdles at every turn. The dramatic tension though is not sharp enough and that's one of the reasons why you feel rather ambivalent about this tale. Performances are universally good though!

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Aquaman

U/A: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: James Wan
Cast: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman
Rating: 

Aquaman - a largely underwater flight of fancy, amounts to a herculean attempt by custodian Warner Bros. to right its wonky DC cinematic universe and it's success is moderate at best. A large part of the credit should necessarily go to the charismatic Jason Momoa( ex Baybatch ) who got promoted to this leading role after showing face in 2016's Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice and Justice League.

This superhero saga is mostly origin story myth building through fantasy VFX, so don't expect real characters, adherence to the laws of physics or conversations beyond the monosyllabic. In this film, anything goes - even a ring(chasm) of fire in the midst of a deep blue sea and an ocean of wealth under the Saharan desert. Reality rarely pokes its ugly head into this gamey underwater universe that heralds the dawn of a new King Arthur(Momoa), a half-breed(Human-Atlantean mix) who is expected to prove his worth against the might of his firmly ensconced younger half-brother Orm(Patrick Wilson).

Aquaman's tall-tale is embellished in Royal shenanigans, incorporates themes of environment pollution and engineers a war between the water world and the land world under the pretext of righting the wrongs of a selfish civilization. The attempt here is to create an underwater 'Lord of the Rings' but without the majesty, profundity or significance of that telling.

Check out the trailer here:

Making an oblique nod to 'Splash,' the film opens with Queen Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), fleeing Atlantis, getting washed ashore at Amnesty Bay, Massachusetts, meeting solitary lighthouse keeper (Temuera Morrison), falling in love and subsequently birthing the said, Arthur and then going right back to Atlantis- the underwater city, in order to save the lives of her loved ones. Punctuating the drama is Orm's attempts to amalgamate the seven wondrous oceanic kingdoms and become undisputed Ocean master. Vulko (Willem Dafoe), Princess Mera(Amber Heard) and to a lesser extent King Nereus (Dolph Lundgren) put a spoke in his wheel, so-to-speak.

The film has some stunning imagery but most of the action feels random and incoherent. The narrative is overlong in its desire to include every embellishment possible. There are a few engaging moments but the in-between humdrum is pretty much taxing. Weighed down by its watery excesses, the narrative feels terribly labored and over-done. James Wan ( with his Horror oeuvre) was probably not the right man for this DC recreation. He makes this watery epic a kitschy showboat instead of lending it acuity and memorability. This is a story of excess but even so, it's hard to resist the charms of the lead actors, their outlandish costumes and some wondrous aqua sequences.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Simmba
Director: Rohit Shetty
Actors: Ranveer Singh, Sara Ali Khan, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 

With this film, a super-star is born. Why would one risk this over-statement? Because super-stars in Bollywood, or in the Indian movie context, have remained, for decades, the most apt equivalent to Hollywood super-heroes.

They come with little or no back-story. As in the case of Simmba - being an orphan is good enough. The front-story, as it were, is neatly split between the hero, and the villain, along with a prologue, epilogue, heroine, comedian, extras, and the all-important 'takiya-kalaam' (stock refrain): "Tell me something I don't know!" The motivation, like with super-hero flicks, is rather rudimentary. Saving a girl is as good as repeatedly saving the world!

What matters is how the super-star, by sheer dint of his vigorous personality - where you can't distinguish between the actor and character - carries along an entire movie, and indeed the audience, on his strong shoulders alone.

Once the image is set, the penny drops, and while the going is good, the super-star on screen is good enough to ensure audiences in theatres. And there's got to be a reason why no star ever since the '90s, in a real sense, has been able to convincingly play this part that, I suspect, is the hardest to hit home with, anyway.

Ranveer Singh does just that. And how! Part Govinda, from Raja Babu type pictures in the '90s, part Anil Kapoor from Ram Lakhan in the '80s, but wholly holding his own in a typically Rohit Shetty action-entertainer, Singh adds tremendous credibility to a character that had begun to tire us over time.

For one, given his robust résumé (if you only compare this performance to the anti-hero Alauddin Khilji's in Padmaavat earlier this year), you know he isn't casually reprising a role, given a captive audience (that '90s super-stars had begun to). He puts in as much effort into Simmba as he might into a Bajirao Mastani, say, mastering the Marathi twang (without quite coming across as a parody of Nana Patekar); killing it softly with well-written one-liners; setting the dance floor on
fire; romancing like a dude; doing action, like a proper, desi hero!

You fall for Inspector Sangram Bhalerao (Simmba)-a cartoonish, corrupt cop, who wants to eventually right the society's wrongs-essentially, because, you fall for the stupendous Singh on steroids. Every scene works, because he does; and vice versa. The net result is a movie that, within the same space, seems better than Ajay Devgn's Singham (2011). But for the middling soundtrack, it would've been better than Salman Khan's Dabangg (2010).

Either way, what you won't go looking for is the picture's plot, based on the Telugu potboiler Temper (2015). Because you already know what to expect: Singh as a hero. Sonu Sood as a villain. Villain ke haraami brothers. Hero ki abla nari sister. And the rape, and the revenge drama, that follow.

I'm unsure if one adequately appreciates how hard, bordering on the near impossible, it is to engagingly pull off a masala-melodrama such as this. Shetty knows more than a thing or two about this timeless genre. Yet, this may well be one of his rare movies where the connoisseur and the crackling masses are most likely to seamlessly converge.

As an audience, the only way to know if a film of this sort is working (for you), is when you find yourself (sometimes guiltily, but mostly in a carefree sort of way) smiling, responding, and along with a packed theatre, reacting to shenanigans on screen-whether they entirely make sense or not ain't the point.

The script can be full of holes. You hope your brain isn't. This is how I caught this picture, with folk in the front-benches-whistling, clapping, making loud noises, and then going quiet, during dramatic sequences.

This only brings back strong memories of large single-screen cinemas - on the verge of extinction - with people on both cheap and super-expensive seats, sharing entertainment as a common, tribal experience. That's where you should go for this. As if on cue, to Ajay Devgn walks in as Singham. As does Akshay Kumar, announcing his next film cop-flick with Shetty, Sooryavanshi (2019). You might think this is meant to be a Ranveer starrer piggy-backing on '90s super-stars - inhabiting the same Marvel-like super-hero, cinematic universe. Look at him. I think it was the other way round!

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Mary Poppins Returns

U/A: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Director: Rob Marshall
Cast: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Angela Lansbury, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer
Rating: 

Disney drums up age-old magic by picking up the threads of an unforgettable original which had the unassailable diva Julie Andrews mesmerize way back in 1964. This time around Emily Blunt essays the all-important role of the magical nanny whose job is to put things right in the Banks’ siblings Michael(Ben Whishaw) and Jane’s (Emily Mortimer)now adult world just as she did when they were kids – with Lin-Manuel Miranda doing a Dick Van Dyke in this Rob Marshall sequel.

The setting is 1930’s London, Michael is a widower with three lovely kids and his sister Jane is an activist who appears to have lost out on love. Burdened by debt and threatened by the bank, Michael can barely keep his head up when Mary Poppins flies into their lives and makes all the difference!

Check out the trailer here:

Director Rob Marshall manages to tie-in to the original with enchanting ease - spelling forth a magical 130 minutes of music and fantasy that keeps you reminiscing while laying out an entirely fresh scenario that’s just as trippy as the original. Marshall reteams with cinematographer Dion Beebe, to give the narrative an inveigling widescreen luster, with production designer John Myhre and costume designer Sandy Powell chipping in with their nostalgia imbuing contributions. The pre-war 1930s setting is superbly presented just as the bath-time routine, excursion in the park and journey into an all-too brittle adventure, rekindle the vivacity and colorfulness of yore. It’s a wondrous amalgamation of ideas from the past and present, merging together in synchronicity of technique and wonder that is entirely enthralling.

Also Read: Emily Blunt Got Scared With Mary Poppins Returns Offer

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

The Accidental Prime Minister
U: Biography, drama
Dir: Vijay Gutte
Cast: Anupam Kher, Akshaye Khanna
Rating:

Given the imagery in the trailer, it is impossible to walk into The Accidental Prime Minister anticipating anything. The intent of its makers is evident: its strategic release, months prior to the election, solidifies its positioning as a propaganda film. Films are meant to have fodder for debate and discussion. And the topic of discussion here, I propose, is how Mayank Tewari, the writer of Newton (one of India’s most balanced political films) and Hansal Mehta (Shahid) came up with something as abhorrent as this.

Probably hoping to pitch this as India’s answer to House Of Cards (HOC), the film’s narrative is too incoherent to make a political statement, let alone start a dialogue. HOC, of course, made with tremendous gumption, never has a political bias. It merely mirrors the goings-on behind the closed doors of the White House. Based on the book by Sanjaya Baru, this movie attempts to make sense of power games in the corridors of the coveted bungalow No. 7, Race Course Road (the official residence of PMO). But there’s no escaping the fact that it can only pass as a run-down, Made In China version of HOC.

If at all the idea was to shame and embarrass the Congress party, the writing here lacks the desired punch. The onus of shaping the material lies in the hands of the director, and Vijay Gutte is visibly inept. Of course, the lofty and on-point casting of Akshaye Khanna as Baru and Anupam Kher as PM Dr Manmohan Singh, salvages the situation considerably, but there’s no saving the film from shoddy direction.

Baru’s book walks the tightrope carefully, making ground-breaking political revelations, but never reducing Dr Singh to a laughable figure. Even his worst critics would agree, Singh was a man of poise. On Gutte’s insistence (or so I would like to believe) Kher turns Singh into a mute cartoon, who deserves to be pitied. It almost feels like the makers want to mock Singh — mimic his voice, slouch his gait. Baru had carefully carved Singh as a fiercely loyal man, standing strong on his ideals; one who is manipulated by the Gandhis (Sonia and Rahul). Gutte never focuses on the vulnerable equations between Singh and the Gandhi family.

He, in fact, allows Khanna to get disturbingly Frank Underwood-ish, turning up the dark humour in every third sentence. Khanna is great at what he does, but he makes Baru seem more like a saffron loyalist, not a Congress insider. Gutte takes us through the hallmarks of the Congress government, from the nuclear deal to the 2G scam, in a news bulletin, decade roundup-sort of a fashion, creating the build up for the film’s Singham (PM Modi). Do we know how Singh felt through it all? That’s for another film. There’s enough to laugh about in this offering, but the joke here is that while Hollywood continues to make great content, we are still nitpicking and name-calling.

Watch The Accidental Prime Minister Trailer

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Why Cheat India
U/A: Drama Satire
Director: Soumik Sen
Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Shreya Dhanwanthary
Rating:

The 'curse of the second half' in Hindi pictures is simply so severe, especially when it comes to films with well-known faces, that even as I find myself really enjoying a movie, there's a radar at the back of the brain constantly cautioning one to only hope that the post-interval portions even live up to the first half — by half. If so, then as an audience, you're pretty much through.

Is this movie an exception in that regard? Well, it eventually starts descending to such levels of random, thoughtless spinning of the yarn that by the end of it you're not even too sure it's the same film that you had started with in the first place. And hell yeah, it begins really well, what with highlighting the academic strains of being a teenaged 'padhaku' kid, Sattu (the boy's so brilliantly cast), in a lower-middle class family in Lucknow, coaxed into cracking a coveted engineering entrance exam (they don't call it IIT for some reason). For, how else does the father who's invested all his money into his child's supposed dream see his pension scheme through?

The film shines much-needed light on a common Indian teenaged nightmare, as sincerely presented in stand-up comedian Biswa Kalyan Rath's rather under-rated Amazon Prime series, Laakhon Mein Ek (2018). While sticking to searing realism — getting its time-setting, the year 1998 right, down to baggy trousers, and Force 10 type sneakers — the filmmakers manage to give the hero, Emraan Hashmi, a filmy sort of entry, smartly slipping in a soothing ballad, as well. Well done!

Hashmi plays a one-man racketeer who sneaks in smart kids, with counterfeit hall tickets, to max entrance tests on behalf of rich children, sitting at home, paying their way to top colleges as a result. You sort of know where the film might be going with this. And, maybe, that's the problem. Proxy contestants at overcrowded competitive exams for key educational institutions, where even well-prepared students wait for Godot to get in, is a huge multi-crore, organised industry, involving a system wholly corrupted, from top to bottom. Technology would have plugged some of the holes already; one's unaware to what extent.

If you haven't heard as much about this underworld, one should legitimately blame the news media for it — particularly in the case of the 2013 Vyapam (Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board) Scam, for instance, where close to 40 people, most of them whistleblowers, have mysteriously died, while the investigations are still on (or not quite) —but largely under-reported in the mainstream press.

And I thought this is what the film could be about — unearthing an earth-shaking scandal that should ideally knock you off your head. But, no, this is a film that attempts to combine strong commentary on the education/examination system, with a high-paced, heist thriller, with belaboured twists and turns, while trying to balance all of it with the urban slickness and high-life that Hashmi's inevitably romantically inclined, unscrupulous characters aspire for, and achieve, in his typical capers.

Watch Why Cheat India Trailer

So whatever fault you may find in the film possibly exists in the story/script to start with. And perhaps the reason is Hashmi himself, for he can't help but get on the big screen with strong baggage of the sort of flicks that have made him the star he is. The audience is obviously to blame for it, and the fact that Hashmi remains still an under-rated actor, because he is hardly commercially lauded for parts where he wholly goes off the beaten path — Dibakar Banerjee's Shanghai (2012), I'm told, tanked; Danis Tanovic's Tigers (2018) went straight to OTT (Zee 5), both being his career's best works.

And so he goes back to being himself: the trademarked flawed hero, who eventually justifies his wily actions as a natural outcome of a multiple-choice, rote-learning system that gives very few kids a choice beyond acing it to get ahead. How a scamster like his character is the solution still, and not the issue, is beyond me. Have to say though, what the audience will empathise with is the fact that far too few fine courses/colleges exist for far too many desi children: a progressively massive problem staring us in the face and an even uglier future. This affects everyone. To be fair, the government is just as clueless on how to deal with it as this totally confusing 'pop-con' pic.

Also read: Emraan Hashmi: Change of Cheat India title is illogical, ridiculous

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Replicas
U/A: Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Director: Jeffrey Nachmanoff
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Thomas Middleditch, Alice Eve, John Ortiz, Emjay Anthony
Rating: 

The bland, expressionless Keanu Reeves as a scientist is a hard sell for even the most gifted filmmaker so one can't understand why he was chosen to lead the cast as an obsessive scientist wanting to clone his family back to life after a drowning accident. And that's not the only bad choice here. The story itself never develops beyond the perfunctory -allowing for quick jump forwards into sci-fi territory that doesn't appear conclusive in the least. The script appears to be written by novices who have little idea about the subject matter. Neither the Director, the tech team nor the cast seem to believe in this story. So they all appear to be playing a game of make-believe that only they enjoy. For the viewer the experience is sheer tedium.

Playing God in a high tech world is not a new concept but the treatment, tone and momentum must be good enough to gain attachment and believability. There's no such thing here. At no point are we ensnared by Will Foster's (Keanu Reeves) need to bring back his family from the dead. Neither his guilt nor his love for them are established here. And his corralling of his lab partner Ed (Thomas Middleditch) for support, is also not believable in the least. The talk of neural maps, synthetic brain, algorithms and consciousness sounds like mumbo-jumbo in such an unbelievable set-up – even when it's done in a futuristic facility called Bionyne.

Check out the trailer here:

When Will persuades his friend Ed to dispose the bodies of his dead family members it sounds insane and when he pretends to be his kids and responds to text messages from their friends it becomes all the more ridiculous. We never see his grief or experience his pain. And that's also because Keanu Reeves doesn't go beyond harried and lost in terms of expression. Both writer Chad St. John and director Jeffrey Nachmanoff don't appear to have figured out what exactly they wanted to convey here. They just run with the tide and make a mess of it. There's no style or mood to hold this sort of idea through. Nachmanoff hits the bland and straightforward route – on e that leaves the audience totally distended and discontent. This is the kind of hare-brained unbelievable stuff you wouldn't waste your hard-earned money on!

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

One Less God

U/A: Drama, Thriller
Director: Lliam Worthington
Cast: Joseph Mahler Taylor, Sukhraj Deepak, Mihika Rao
Rating: 

As a film that hopes to capture the terror heralded by the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai, 'One Less God' is rather feeble, nondescript and ineffective. The scope is narrow and the budget too small to do justice to a disaster that is amongst the most unforgettable in recent history. This is drama written around a real-life crisis but at no point does it feel real. The 2008 Mumbai attacks included a series of terrorist strikes that felled 164 people across south Mumbai - carried out by 10 members of the Laskar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organisation based in Pakistan. But none of that drama or tragedy is captured here with any grit or enticement.

The Mumbai siege is presented in a slap-dash fashion that never really gets the audience involved. The focus is largely on the Taj Mahal hotel and what it's guests went through in the final hours before their falling victim to the terrorist onslaught. The film focuses its efforts on the men and women attempting to survive, while intermittently cutting across to the two men perpetrating the attack. The bits of humour that creep in at odd times appears to be in bad taste.

Check out the trailer here:

Everything here seems rather pretentious and ineffective. The general cross-national mix of characters, their touristy experiences and the aftermath of the siege may have some diverse moments but we never feel attached or interested enough to be affected. There are barely any validating moments here. The performances are bad, the direction is sloppy, there are continuity breaks that look ridiculous, the art direction and production values leave a lot to be desired. Even the attempt to go one-up on the much awaited Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Nazanin Boniadi, Jason Isaacs starrer 'Hotel Mumbai'- (a film that covers the same territory), by releasing earlier, reeks of Opportunism.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Glass

U/A: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Sarah Paulson, Bruce Willis, James McAvoy
Rating: 

Shyamalan’s earliest films (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs) were brilliant, they intrigued, shocked and entertained all at the same time. The same cannot be said about the films that came later. The big budget ones especially were all jumbled up and schlocky. It felt as though the director never really achieved his vision. ‘Glass’ is a far better effort in terms of visual context but it fails on cohesion and lucidity – especially in the third act dominated by Shyamalan’s signature twists.

Glass, a sort of sequel to both Unbreakable and Split, spends its two hours plus without a strong story to tell. It is every bit as inconceivable and snaky a film as his worst but it still has a psychological depth that could have amounted to much more - if only the director had been a little more focussed. There’s so much he is wanting to say that it all gets lost in the confusion and incoherence brought on by a lack of emphasis.

Glass opens with Dunn(Willis) tracking down Split's villain, Kevin Wendell Crumb aka 'The Horde' (James McAvoy), a serial killer suffering from multiple personality disorder who has been preying on girls in the Philadelphia area. After some visceral action Dunn and Crumb are captured and taken to a secret wing of a psychiatric hospital also housing Mister Glass(Jackson) – to be studied by Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson), a psychiatrist obsessed with decoding the phenomenon of men who believe themselves to possess the powers of comic book characters.

Check out the trailer here:

This is an indie film (in partnership with Blumhouse)with no big studio backing it so there are budget constraints which Shyamalan could have overcome by running a tighter ship. Shyamalan manages to get close to poignant and memorable but the third act(rather threadbare) pulls you off that track all the way through. The twists don’t make much sense and in fact renders the entire work rather directionless.

The build-up is pretty good even though the action is all visual, internalised and verbose but the third and final act fails to make something out of that. The director and DP Michael Gioulakis manage to compose some fascinating and striking visual mayhem but it doesn’t amount to anything powerful. If you followed ‘Unbreakable’ and ‘Split’ then there is a chance that you might cotton on to Shyamalan’s wavelength but for a large part of the audience this is going to be a film without a strong sense of purpose.

James McAvoy is simply the best thing about this movie. His enthusiasm and effort in playing out multiple personalities is extraordinary. Jackson wakes up from his stupor a little late and loses out on creating an impact while Willis looks on strategically- the thing he does best I guess. This is at best a baffling and inconsistent exercise in cinema!

Also Read: James McAvoy on Glass co-star Bruce Willis: He is most chilled dude

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

The Escape Room

U/A: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Director: Adam Robitel
Cast: Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Deborah Woll, Jay Ellis, Tyler Labine
Rating: 

These so-called 'live' reality game movies occupy a sub-genre of their own and Hollywood has been churning out quite a few of them following the Young Adult's obsessive fixation with material that encompasses it in entirety. But they are not all as thrilling or compelling as the first few that made it to hit franchise levels.

'Escape Room' is basically a set-up to get rid of six nondescript lone survivors through a series of life-threatening puzzles designed to test their survival instincts. And why pray does that have to happen? There's not much explanation here for that. Just swim with the tide, is all they ask. Unfortunately, it's not that easy for the audience because the viewer has to constantly suppress the disbelief that springs up every time the participants go through haranguing moments that willy-nilly put their lives in peril.

Check out the trailer here:

This is a far more perilous version of the more recent spurt of high-risk Telly games and since we don't get to know or understand the participants' motives (other than the 10,000 dollar prize money) it's difficult to empathize or find a reason to pay attention to their trauma. The writers also use some uninteresting physics theory to justify the random six players' participation in a largely predictable schema of disjointed thrills. They are made to go from intense heat to intense cold, then to a gas chamber, a space crusher and a few more vicarious routines before the winner can be decided.

While the production design is vivid, there's not much holding it together. Nik Dodani as nerd Danny, Jason Ellis as irritating yuppie Jason, Tyler Labine as trucker Mike, Deborah Ann Wolf as the tough, capable war vet Amanda, Logan Miller as a young alcoholic Ben and Taylor Russell as a withdrawn college student Zoey put in imminently indistinct, forgettable performances. The writing is largely formulaic too and the helming lacks serious edge. There's really nothing here to hold your attention for the near 100 min runtime.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga
U/A: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Director: Shelly Chopra Dhar
Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Rajkummar Rao
Rating: 

Towards the film’s climax, Rajkummar Rao, who plays playwright Saahil Mirza in the film, tells those watching his play to do so ‘from the heart’. It’s imperative that we follow this instruction, because, like with every Bollywood film, it’s easy to dismiss this one on many technical frailties. But, what you can’t fault, is its intention to depict a love story for what it truly is — a love story. Why does it matter if it is about a woman falling in love with another woman?

Written beautifully by the prolific Gazal Dhaliwal, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga breaks perceptions to introduce to us what normal truly implies — being compassionate about one another’s uniqueness. The point, in this case, isn’t to merely celebrate homosexuality and treat it as the regular. It attempts to reiterate that even personal choices, like those of marriage, career, or love, must be respected. Being rendered claustrophobic shouldn’t be the outcome of accepting an emotion that goes against the tide of societal norms. The narrative’s tapestry is woven with care and compassion; it evidently comes from a personal space, for Dhaliwal.

Watch the trailer here...

The film kicks off with a play about love in the age of Tinder. Leading lady Sonam K Ahuja’s Sweety brutally criticises this as “upar-upar ki love story”. Sweety is forced to live a life of shame. A closeted lesbian, she struggles to come to terms with her own orientation. Her family’s unwillingness to acknowledge it, a brother who pressurises her to ‘fix’ herself, and persistent loneliness, makes her journey cumbersome.

Sonam plays Sweety with charm and earnestness, and is yet uninhibited when she must be fierce. It takes courage to back a script of this nature, and she gets full marks for doing so. Rao’s Saahil shows compassion in his scenes with Sweety. Another cast-member, Anil Kapoor is affable. Given that he is as closeted as his daughter in the film — Anil’s character is a chef at heart who is stuck in a business of garment — the final scene of acceptance seems to come from a place of empathy.

What doesn’t work, however, is director Shelly Chopra Dhar’s constant ploy to whip up mystery around Sweety’s orientation. Her big revelation comes with orchestrated music, a futile attempt given that the title and trailer are revealing of the plot. There is also a latent desire to underplay the theme. Sweety’s partner, Kuhu (played beautifully by Regina Cassandra) gets a mere 15 minutes of screen time. Yet, it doesn’t particularly take away from the final product.

Commendably, Dhar manages to keep the film from becoming preachy. But, what she achieves with this feat, she instantly loses when Sweety says Saahil must be a saviour for others like her. It is offensive, given that it treats heterosexuals as the all-powerful, while the unique as those who need rescuing. Despite the faltering and the flaws, this one is a hit for every romantic. It’s never too late to celebrate love without labels, right?

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Amavas
U/A: Horror
Dir: Bhushan Patel
Cast: Sachiin Joshi, Nargis Fakhri
Rate: 

The experience of watching a Ramsay Brothers horror is unique. It's almost synonymous to buying a ticket for a comedy. Dealing with Amavas, is pretty much the same. It's the modern-day equivalent to a Ramsay product. Do you love it? Yes, to bits! It's a laugh riot. But, that's not how director Bhushan Patel designed it to be, which is why, it's disappointing.

Patel, who previously directed the Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover-starrer Alone, takes the tomfoolery a notch higher with this film. We are introduced to the familiar 'praacheenkal' knowledge of 'bhooth-pret'. There is a haunted mansion - resembling a cross between that in The Conjuring and Sushmita Sen's Vaastu Shastra.

Familiar tactics - creaking doors, spooky scores and shadows - are employed to evoke fear. Yet, the idiocy on display doesn't occupy my mind. What does is the fact that viewers could have been spared from the goings-on had the cast simply travelled to Paris. Let me explain. Karan Ajmera (Sachiin Joshi) is coaxed by girlfriend Aahana (Nargis Fakhri) to take a trip to the former's Brit mansion, instead of taking off on a romantic getaway to the French capital. On arriving, skeletons begin to tumble out, and they learn the reason behind the house being locked up for eight years. All hell breaks loose.

Even the slightest mention can be a spoiler in a horror, so we'll leave the details aside should you wish to catch this one. But, we can reveal that this uninspiring story ticks every clichéd check box in the horror rule book, including possessed bodies, hapless spirits, barren trees, a grave and temple bells. In addition, there's a half-faced doll, and a bored ensemble of supporting actors who look more clueless than the doll in question. As lovers, Joshi and Fakhri certainly lack chemistry. In fact, the latter's visible disinterest even overshadows Joshi's ineptness.

What is really horrifying is the depiction of the psychiatrist, played by Mona Singh. 'Calm down' or an increase of medicinal dose, are apparently appropriate responses to paranoia and migraine. While the boyfriend battles serious issues, the girlfriend busies herself by exploring the estate, and playing hide-and-seek.

The incoherence is baffling, and one is only compelled to wonder why a team of qualified artistes would create this kind of cinema. But since the movie doesn't take itself too seriously -the quality of VFX and continuity being obviously ignored - it is best relished as a comic caper.

As for Fakhri, who makes a comeback of sorts to Bollywood with this film, she had more meat in her five-minute act in the American thriller, Spy (2015) than she does here. Pro tip for the writers - Just send them to Paris next time. It's always a good idea!

Also Read: Nargis Fakhri annoyed with press prying into personal life; leaves Amavas promotions midway

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

The Wife
Director: Bjorn Runge
Cast: Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater
Rating: 

The two lead performances are what make The Wife so special. In this unsettling drama - an adaptation of the 2003 Meg Wolitzer novel by Jane Anderson - Glenn Close plays Joan, the wife of a Nobel Prize-winning writer Joseph Castleman (Jonathan Pryce).

Directed by Bjorn Runge, The Wife opens in 1992 when Joe and Joan Castleman, in their Connecticut home, are trying to fall asleep when they get a call from the Nobel academy, informing them of the prize. It's their moment of triumph after 40 years of struggle with the written word, in which Joan, supposedly, has played a largely complementary role. Of course, there are flashbacks that hint at her own phenomenal ability to write prose, stifled by a marriage that demands she subjugate her talents to a life of reflected glory in a period (late '50s and early '60s), where women writers were not given the importance they command today.

There's no great suspense or mystery powering this tale of a breakdown that spirals into tragedy at the crowning moment of an author's accomplishments. In fact, Runge doesn't appear to be as interested in developing the suspense as he is in showcasing the unravelling of a suppressed human mind.

Close literally steals the thunder with her role as the devoted wife of a celebrated novelist. She is the keeper of his deepest, darkest secret; a stunningly nuanced expressionism that is more than likely to take your breath away. The restraint and modulation she brings to the role are simply phenomenal. It's a performance that is deservedly walking away with a slew of awards.

Pryce is no mean performer either. His role may not garner much sympathy, but his act complements that of Close so well that you begin to believe in their togetherness.

The Wife is a little compact and contrived, given its novel origins. The attempt to complicate matters for the Castlemans by showcasing their troubled relationship with their budding novelist son, David, seems passé. Also, Joan's seething frustrations don't seem completely justified, even whilst considering the period they take wings in. While the movie is not a great piece of work, the lead artistes definitely are worthy contenders for the awards.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

2019 Oscar Nominated Short Films
U/A: Action, documentary
Director: Reyka Zehtabchi, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Marianne Farley, Jeremy Comte, Vincente Lambe, Guy Nattivi
Ratings: 

This anthology film features five Oscar-nominated short films each in the Live Action category and one short documentary set in India. The live action line-up includes Madre, Fauve, Marguerite, Detainment, and Skin.

The documentary film Period. End of Sentence by Reyka Zehtabchi from the USA, tells the story of women, in a rural village just outside of Delhi, fighting the deeply rooted stigma of menstruation in India. It's factual, hard-hitting and exposes India's hinterland underbelly that puts premium on dogmatic tradition and self-defeating old school beliefs.

Stills from Detainment

Madre (Mother), a stirring short from Spain directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, has a single mother enveloped in a living nightmare - having to deal with her seven-year-old son, who tells her he can't find his father who he was vacationing within the French Basque Country. The film is a taut, frightening thriller that grips you till the end.

Marguerite, the short from Canada, by Marianne Farley, opens up locked-up memories through an evolving friendship between an ageing woman and her nurse, thus allowing her a sort of redemption from all the hurt and guilt accumulated over long lonely years. It's a human story that allows emotions to creep in steadily and eventually makes the precarious journey through memory lane a fulfilling one.

Fauve, another Canadian short, by Jeremy Comte, deals with an innocent, seemingly harmless power game between two boys that eventually turns scary. It's a stirring indictment on the brash, confrontational, competitive arrogance that has enveloped every aspect of young life today.

The most shocking of the lot are, of course, Detainment and Skin. Vincent Lambe's Detainment, a short from Ireland, based on the James Bulger case - for which two 10-year-old boys are detained by police under suspicion of abducting and murdering a toddler. It's a gruesome and harrowing tale told through interview transcripts of the case and the tension-ridden treatment is bound to leave you disturbed and despondent.

Skin, a short from the USA by Guy Nattiv, spins a horrific drama that has its origins in racial incrimination. A black man smiles at a 10-year-old boy in a small supermarket in a blue-collar town, and all hell breaks loose. This one's a blinder about how conditioning rules the way we think and behave even in such harmless, innocuous moments.

This entire package is a delightful showcase of talent and diversity and therefore, rightfully enshrined in the nominations for the best and worthiest shorts of 2018. They are definitely winners!

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Luka Chuppi
U/A: Romance, comedy
Dir: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Kriti Sanon, Kartik Aaryan, Pankaj Tripathi
Ratings: 

If you ever needed a better proof of the fact that most 'star-actors' (especially the new-age ones) are inevitably over-rated, given that the success of their characters, or indeed their films, depends so much on the script: Well, here is one.

This picture stars Kartik Aaryan, lately anointed the rising star among millennials, largely on the back of three super-hit rom-coms in a row - Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011), its sequel (2015), and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2018) - by the same director (Luv Ranjan).

Social media, and of course the usual entertainment portals, have been fired up ever since, capturing his newly captive mass-base. He walks into a picture of a similar genre, with hardly a story, let alone a screenplay, and you can watch the same actor, looking dumbfounded, fumbling all over the frickin' place - much like his film.
Which is about a girl, with a stock-expression (Kriti Sanon), taking stock of her young-adult life. She isn't quite ready to get married. But doesn't mind being with the guy she's just about met. She decides to live-in. For? 20-odd days, pretending to be married, in another town - sounds like a long vacation to me!

Either way, it's a logical step for a modern couple to take. Not for the characters in this movie, who live in seriously moronic times. Local news channels have gone berserk over, "Desh mein naya system aaya hai" - referring to an epidemic called live-in relationships! Goons, with the heroine's dad lording over them, are at every nook and corner, whacking/harassing couples over an inescapable pandemic. A top Khan Bollywood superstar has been boycotted/trolled nationwide for moving in with his girlfriend!

The hero-heroine in this pic play news reporters - continuously covering this earth-shattering story. Those behind the writing of this ultra-filmy picture were obviously born in PVR/Fun Republic. What happens next? Honestly, absolutely nothing. Or rather nothing that you may like to know, since the couple is still very much together, and their families seem okay with them being so forever. Eh?

This is supposed to be a comedy, exploring a perceived taboo, set in small-town India. Which, as a movie, is just the reverse from a decade and half ago, when Bollywood films just had to be set abroad, in order to do well - think Salaam Namaste (2005), also about a couple (Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta) living in, but in Melbourne!

Writer Javed Akhtar, astute cultural observer, ascribes this shift towards small towns as a fairly settled, secure, migrant Indian middle-class finding solace in its roots or where it came from. Given a massive string of commercial successes, emanating from stories from Meerut, Agra, Kota, Lucknow, Kanpur and the like, a formula is bound to set in.

This picture is placed in Mathura and Gwalior. An ensemble cast of rustic faces, dressed down, attempt some semi-rural humour, with odd, local mannerisms, and 'horny uncle' sex jokes. There is mention of caste and religion for the realism.

In walks Pankaj Tripathi, giving you a glimpse of how a performer can still rise above poor material - but only that much. Forget the audience, just wondering why/how they managed to chipkao this non-script on an actor, who's seriously in top form right now. Anyhoo, that's probably another story.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Captain Marvel
U/A: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, DeWanda Wise, Samuel L. Jackson
Rating: 

Brie Larson's entry into the Marvel superhero fold as the titular hero in Captain Marvel is not the 'Wonder' we expected. Though Captain Marvel is the first Marvel Studios film to be built around a female superhero, it comes minus the savoir-faire that gave Marvel productions its high brand value over the years. There are two directors, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck at work here, alongside several writers including Nicole Perlman, Anna Boden, Geneva Robertson-dworet, Meg LeFauve, Ryan Fleck, Jac Schaeffer, Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch. And it does feel like too many cooks have literally subdued the vivacity and nihilistic exuberance unique to the comic book cinema superhero universe.

The Captain Marvel female counterpart first appeared in comic books in 1977 but the real inspiration for this film comes from Kelly Sue DeConnick's series, beginning in 2012, that featured the alter ego of Carol Danvers.

Check out Captain Marvel trailer here:

While the experience of this film is not exactly unfavourable, the narrative never really takes off into the stratosphere even though it has a storyline that has Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) straddle a galactic war between two alien races. The narrative is a little jumbled up and the eventual aim to launch her into the Avengers team becomes a little too obvious even as the non-linear plotting is laid out with convoluted reasoning. Danvers' is with the Air Force, but she is also the eponymous warrior on behalf of Starforce, an intergalactic fighting squad committed to battling the fiendish, shape-shifting Skrulls. As the film opens we see her being tutored by her mentor, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), leader of the intergalactic military force of the Kree. Danvers is shown as uncertain about her past and as the narrative trudges along things get a little too murky and distorted for comfort. Danvers may go from cosmic to earthbound (C-53) in the fraction of a second and then back up into the skies again but for the viewer, this is not much of a roller-coaster thrill ride. The action is set in the '90's, the storytelling is obligatory at best, none of the characters stay on in your mind after the movie is done and the writing and direction lacks definition and seems a little too obviously patched-up towards a grander purpose.

Brie Larson tries hard to instil humour into the role but there's only so much she can achieve in a jumbled-up universe. She is solid if not exciting and that's the mainstay of this film – if at all it can be considered to have one!

Also Read: Captain Marvel reviews: Here's what the critics are saying

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Badla
U/A: Thriller
Dir: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh
Ratings: 

Sujoy Ghosh takes us back to the basics with his latest offering. Badla, as the title suggests, is a revenge-drama loosely based on the Spanish thriller, The Invisible Guest. Like with the original, it's not too difficult to decipher the end a good while before we get there.

Yet, Badla isn't predictable. What it certainly does lack, though, is the smarts that could be expected. Ghosh designs this film as more than just a whodunit. He lays out his cards neatly, unfolding one incident after another. So, it's all about cracking codes in the wobbly story, narrated by Naina (Taapsee Pannu), a top-notch businesswoman embroiled in a murder case.

She was found injured in a hotel room, with her lover lying dead on the floor. There is no sign of anyone else entering or leaving the room. Naina maintains, she didn't kill her lover. The film revolves around a single meeting with her potential lawyer, Badal Gupta.

Badla soars because of its unpredictability before we arrive at the end. The key lies in the names of its lead characters - Naina (eyes), a play on how truth depends on whose point of view is being considered. There is an inherent Rashomon philosophy in the narrative. Badal's name is a play on the film's title itself. Ghosh uses these props to confuse his viewers, create mirages that they are frequently misguided by in their tryst to keep the guessing game going.

At one point in the midst of this rigmarole, we look towards the screen and wonder why Bollywood doesn't exploit the terrific Amrita Singh enough. As Bachchan and Pannu battle it out in a verbal duel, it's Singh who does the emotional heavy lifting. Of course, both Bachchan and Pannu are terrific actors, but Pannu's Naina is played in a rather single note. Naina wins awards, is intoxicated by power, and is guilty about her affair. But the required nuances demanded by the narrative are missing from Pannu's act. There are a few genuine shockers, but it is largely a simplistic tale put together in a complicated fashion.

As admirers of thrillers, we are not failed by Ghosh. The tapestry of tension that he weaves is unparalleled. The camerawork by Avik Mukherjee deserves a mention. Set in Glasgow, the setting plays a part that's as essential as the characters. I was sold to the ride that Badla took me on; but, does it live it up to the thrill of Ghosh's Kahaani? Nah, that will need cleverer writing. Yet, this is worth a watch.

Also Read: Exclusive - Taapsee Pannu on Badla: I am a very vindictive person by nature

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Milan Talkies
U/A: Drama romance
Dir: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Cast: Ali Fazal, Shraddha Srinath
Ratings: 

This film is so inherently inconsistent, uneven in its storytelling that you feel like rooting for it still, simply because of the scattered set-pieces full of humour and insights/mannerisms of a small town, north India that you encounter once in a while.

It's almost like spotting diamond among the roughs - whether that be the local uncle breaking into nostalgic songs after a few pegs of whisky, or the street goon, wannabe Vidhayak (legislator) - both being the same - desperate to test his skills as a Hindi film star.

We're referring to Uttar Pradesh in particular, and Allahabad (now Prayagraaj) to be more specific - effectively a land of bakchods (blabber-mouths), with tonnes of tashan (exhibition of bravado) dictating mofussil male lives.

I know this isn't as true anymore, but another aspect that has geographically remained common to Indian towns is the cinema hall (or talkies) as the all-important landmark (there are usually two or three max in a district), where both the rich and the poor, predominantly young, but also the old, merge for their movie entertainment, and other accoutrements that naturally surround it.

Check out the trailer here:

Milan Talkies, that the film is named after, is one such adda/theatre in Allahabad where a young dude spends most of his time in the projection room, aspiring to become a Mumbai filmmaker when he isn't shooting low-budget films with neighbourhood talents himself. One assumed this would be some sort of a version of Giuseppe Tornatore's Italian classic Cinema Paradiso (1988) - ultimate tribute to the movies.

Hell, no. This is a full-on, wannabe-classic romantic story about that boy, and the girl with an authoritarian dad, and the fact that they can't get together - even as the film doesn't care to explain exactly why. And the two are happy to elope - not once, but several times in a row, and oh my god, 'will they, won't they,' just go on, and frickin' on.

The film is directed by Allahabad boy Tigmanshu Dhulia (Paan Singh Tomar, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster), who whether he likes it or not is probably better known for the dialogue, "Jab tak Hindustan mein saneema hai, log c****iye bante rahenge," that he delivered as an actor in Anurag Kashyap's iconic Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012). Such is how crisp dialogues (like tag-lines in ads) work on us anyway.

Whether this film itself is part-autobiographical or not, Dhulia got noticed as a filmmaker with his debut Haasil (2003) - at the time a rare, robust insider's account of his home-town, and campus politics in a north Indian small-town. Over the years, that script (or the premise, if you may) has been milked so much to death, that it's turned into a tiring genre of its own.

Ali Fazal (similarly seen as a UP ruffian in the Amazon Prime series, Mirzapur) plays the protagonist here - a role that I'm told has been through several replacements (Imran Khan, Shahid Kapoor, etc) in the past. Although at some portions he sounds/behaves a lot like Dhulia himself, Fazal is competent to the core (no doubt). As is the female lead (Shraddha Srinath), making her Hindi film debut.

The film itself though does little to the genre, besides deliberately revisit some old-world Bollywood cliches. Maybe there's some subversion (that I'm unable to see). Maybe a full-blown, big-screen romance hinges much on the scale, for effective suspension of belief, which is sadly missing. Either way, one suspects, much of this movie pretty much remains in the filmmaker's imagination/head. Rest of it, quite honestly, gave me a bit of a headache.

Also Read: Sonu Nigam's soulful voice in Shart from Milan Talkies will tug at your heartstrings

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Mere Pyare Prime Minister
U/A: Social drama
Dir: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Cast: Anjali Patil, Om Kanojiya
Ratings: 

What's the first thing you wonder about this film, given its title, and the fact that no head honcho of a democratic state in world history has ever had as many biopics - shorts, docs, features, web-series - simultaneously being made on him/her, even while they're still in office?

So, well, no, this isn't really a film on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Or it is, only by suggestion, since a boy writes a letter to the PM, which would be Modi (who else), but we don't see his lookalike on screen (unlike Uri, and many others in the pipeline).

Be that as it may, a film that focuses on the problem of urban, open defecation, the eradication of which should be on the agenda of every corporator/legislator, and of course the PM (current, or ones to follow), belongs to proper public service advertising/announcement (PSA) space, rather than propaganda of any kind.

Why are your suspicions slightly legit still? For it's hard to explain why the filmmakers would go ahead with this PSA script (unless they're genuinely struggling, or been forced into coming up with one), when every element here has been dished out plenty of times before, and there is no attempt to top any of it either.

Check out the trailer here:

And you could go right from trying to meet, or connect, with a head of state (I Am Kalam, My Name Is Khan), to detailing life among kids in a Mumbai slum (Salaam Bombay, Slumdog Millionaire), or in general, the Mumbai slum itself (Dharavi, Gully Boy), to addressing head-on how the poor in India (men, but women, in particular) have to bear the burden of shitting in the open, because there are no frickin' loos, which is what the rather entertainingly done, recent Akshay Kumar picture, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, was all about.

Even as a peek into the lives of Mumbai slum-dwellers, who constitute about half the metropolis, the Iranian Majid Majidi's Beyond The Clouds (2017) seemed a far more perceptive, original and thought-provoking take, than this local, thoroughly distant, predictably upper-class view of the lives of the downtrodden others, with every conceivable cliche that must dictate it - rape, domestic violence, drunken males, and Sheela Ki Jawani, Baby Doll type of Bollywood songs/entertainment as the only route towards momentary escape.

This is the sort of film that ideally aims to ride on its supposedly noble intentions alone, rather than engaging characters or story, the gist of which is that there's a little boy (a wonderfully cast Om Kanojiya), who does odd jobs selling newspapers, condoms, etc.

He shares a lovely bond with his single mother (Anjali Patil). He writes a letter to the PM hoping for a public toilet in his slum. That the right to shit in peace must involve a petition to the PM, no less, is tragic enough. That you don't feel for anyone in this film (let alone, the issue), with the camera hovering around a bunch of parallel songs/story-lines, aimed to extend a simple short film into a full-length feature, is perhaps worse.

Also Read: Watch video: The fun-filled making of Mere Pyare Prime Minister's title track

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
U/A: Animation, Action, Adventure
Director: Dean DeBlois
Cast: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Rating: 

The much-awaited Hiccup and Toothless' return to the big screen may not be as scintillating and effortless as the first two editions but it's certainly no slouch in terms of form and technique. The cutesy appeal of the ameliorating animation craft adds to the poignancy developed on the unlikely pairing of a rare Night Fury dragon with a brave young Viking. This CG animated feature that finds its inspiration in Cressida Cowell's children's books, is as vividly artistic as its predecessors and culminates in an emotionally resonant finale that apparently puts the cap on any further sequels in the offing.

The storyline finds Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), Chieftain of the tribe, having taken over the title from his late father, Stoick (Gerard Butler) - alongside the fearless Astrid (America Ferrera) and his newly found mother Vulcan (Cate Blanchett), engaged in the noble pursuit of freeing caged dragons and bringing them to the Isle of Berk. But the villainous Grimmel (F, Murray Abraham) is hell-bent on destroying their new-found tranquillity – so the tribe agree to leave in search of their Hidden kingdom, with Grimmel hot-on-their-heels, in pursuit. Amidst this hullabaloo, enters a new pure white lioness known as the Light Fury and she catches Toothless eye, and they engage in a hide-n-seek courtship that forces Hiccup to reassess his own abilities and his relationship with his favourite dragon.

Check out the trailer of How To Train Your Dragon:

Returning director-screenwriter Dean DeBlois, with able help from visual consultant Roger Deakins, presents an opulent harvest of computer-generated visuals – exquisite in details, bathed in a light and shadow so dramatic as to look almost heavenly. The eye-pleasing look of the Light Fury, the mating dance sequence between Toothless and his new love, the flickering flames, the resplendent panoramic and scenic views from the skies are all rendered with an unerring artfulness that is simply splendid to behold. Forget the ennui borne from a repetitive and familiar plotting. This one has the power to give flight to your imagination!

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Dumbo
U/A: Family, Fantasy
Cast: Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 

Disney's attempt to lend more darkness and quirks to this live-action remake of its 1941 animated classic about a baby elephant whose ears double as wings, Dumbo, pays off with loads of cuteness but the director Tim Burton's signature strangeness is missing. Burton's craft is more simplistic here - even though the film is a sort of circus fantasia with all the aspects of an imagination running wild.

The owner of a struggling circus, Max Medici(Danny De Vito) enlists a man(Colin Farrell) and his two children to care for a new born elephant that can fly. Of course, the contretemps are not merely about a flying elephant but also about those opportunistic times when diabolical people sought to make their fortunes off the sweat of lesser mortals.

Check out the trailer here:

With Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito on the same page here, one would have expected something more whimsical and intriguing but this production doesn't quite fit the bill. Burton's attempts to stuff up the visuals with a surrounding darkness doesn't set flight to the imagination. Ehren Kruger's screenplay is inconsistent and chaotic. Character development is uneven so even the leads don't come across as engaging. Burton's attempts to give vein to the freakish performer doesn't have much impact because the plotting is quite wayward. Even the presence of snake charmer Pramesh Singh (Roshan Seth) and the resident circus "mermaid," Miss Atlantis (Sharon Rooney), who strums a ukulele by the fireside and sings "Baby Mine," feels out of place in this extravaganza that lacks connect and soul!

Also Read: Disney's 'Dumbo' will take you to new heights

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

The Least Of These
U/A: Drama
Dir: Aneesh Daniel
Cast: Sharman Joshi, Stephen Baldwin, Shari Rigby
Ratings: 

Aneesh Daniel's attempt to relook at real-life events that triggered the grisly murder of Graham Stuart Staines - Australian born evangelist/poor leprosy patients' caregiver, living and working in the remote regions of Orissa - is a rather tame experience.

It's obvious the filmmakers were eager to avoid any confrontations with right-wing fanatics, who had a major role to play in triggering the gruesome killing of Staines (Stephen Baldwin) and his two sons. Don't know how much of a spoiler the censor board played in this regard, but needless to say, this is a largely sanitised version of the truth and does a great disservice to the lives lost in the throes of a communal crossfire. Defanged of the court ordained facts, including the name of the convicted killer (Dara Singh) and his right-wing Hindu fundamentalist political affiliations, this film merely plays around with the 'conversion' issue.

The narrative device employed here is in itself flawed. It's the late 1990's. Journalist Manav Banerjee (Sharman Joshi) moves with his pregnant wife to a small town in Orissa. The editor (Prakash Belawadi) of the New Orissa Daily treats him like a stringer and expects him to coerce stories about forced conversions from the villagers. Manav, who shuns lepers and is clearly biased against Christian groups, would rather do the exposé without being personally involved. But his editor deems it necessary that Manav himself play victim to the conversion hoax to expose the Australian missionary's so-deemed unlawful activity. With his wife delivering prematurely and costs of hospitalisation mounting by the day, Manav is forced to toe the line.

While forgiveness plays an important part in this misrepresented drama, it doesn't have the effect of a great act here. It is depicted so ineffectually that there is little impact on the viewer. The actors are either over-the-top or inconsistent. Joshi overstates his eagerness by repeating phrases like 'I am a journalist' and 'He is a leper'. Scripting by Andrew E Mathews is so slack that his turnaround defies logic. Even Baldwin and Shari Rigby fail to arouse empathy. Technically too, this film is not upto the mark. The direction, editing and cinematography lack distinctive focus. This unaccomplished production doesn't amount to anything!

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

No Fathers In Kashmir
U/A: Drama
Dir: Ashvin Kumar
Cast: Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Soni Razdan, Zara La Peta
Ratings: 

So grim and unnatural are the goings-on in Kashmir, that it's almost hard to find yourself not questioning the films that claim to mirror the realities in the Valley. Ashvin Kumar's No Fathers In Kashmir is empathetic in its approach, but critiques the militarisation in the state. Kumar narrates the story through the eyes of Noor, a teenager oblivious to the situation in the Valley.

Like those of her kind, she continues to showcase her life on social media, ever so often posing with a terrorist because... Well, why not? Unaware of the repercussions of her actions, Noor eventually stumbles upon some harsh truths pertaining to her family. Her father, Basheer was picked up by the Army, and never returned. The more she delves into the details, the more the skeletons she finds in the closet - literally!

Kumar uses Noor's naïvety to explore the plot from the perspective of a third person, elucidating how Kashmir's normal is actually bizarre, claustrophobic and heartbreakingly inhuman. At the crux of the film is an innocent love story involving Noor and Majid, who bond over their unfortunate but common fate as both their fathers were taken away by the Army.

Lucidly shot, and wonderfully executed, the film seems to evade the point that it attempts to make at first, but is more aligned post-interval. Shots involving the goings-on in interrogation rooms, graves that see militants dumped in masses, and the common sighting of stray dogs roaming around with severed parts of the human body, successfully invoke the fear that the makers desire. It's a matter that should most certainly be discussed in mainstream media.

To drive home this point, Kumar successfully highlights the effects of the situation on children when he showcases one kid elaborating on the difference between a terrorist and a militant, to his friend, and attempts to state how those perceived as enemies of the state, have clarity of intention in their heart. The actors are perfect, especially the children.

Kumar's film, however, isn't without loopholes. But you are willing to let them pass because the film makes a brave point - no one deserves to be woken up in the midst of the night by the resounding noise of bullets. Can this be rectified? The film makes an earnest plea, urging us to do our best.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Shazam!
U/A: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Director: David F. Sandberg
Cast: Zachary Levi, Michelle Borth, Djimon Hounsou, Mark Strong
Rating: 

Moving from dark and foreboding (Batman, Batman Vs Superman, Suicide Squad) to bright, frothy and fun (Wonder Woman, Aquaman) and now Shazam!, DC Comics appears to have gotten a lead on its entreaty. This film based on a lesser known comic book, in which Zachary Levi plays Billy Batson a.k.a Shazam, a superhero who is actually a 14-year-old boy magically transformed by uttering the titular incantation, is kid-friendly, has a strong jocular vein and advocates family values at a time when families are breaking apart because of selfish, individualised pursuits.

Watch the Shazam! trailer here: 

Directed by David F. Sandberg, Shazam!, is an origin story of the titular character as well as the villain, Dr Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong). The villain, in fact, is first shown as a little boy bullied and blamed for all calamities that befall, by his older brother and domineering father. So when he believes and actualises in taking control of the dark powers of the Seven Deadly Sins, you still empathise with his need to prove himself worthy. It's only when he pursues Shazam that we get conflicted and confused about whom to root for. More so because Shazam, being just a kid and forced to play in the adult league, takes a long time getting a handle on himself, his powers and eventually coming into his own.

Billy Batson's own history comes into play to swing empathy to his side. Separated from his unwed, teen mother at a carnival and subsequently sent to a series of Philadelphia foster homes - from which he continually runs away, he eventually winds up with an extended foster family of five, including disabled Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer), who walks with the aid of a crutch and is obsessed with all things superhero. With Freddy as the wonder-struck side-kick, the duo embarks on theatrical antics that are delightfully fantastic.

The battles between Shazam and Dr Sivana don't amount to much other than CGI driven plot mechanics. The CGI incarnations of the seven deadly sins and those highlighting the powers of Shazam and his siblings never get distinctive enough to keep us hooked. The rather long 131 mins runtime also takes a toll on the overall enjoyment. Despite the negatives, this film manages to drum up anticipation and leave a smile on your face after the end credits!

Also read: Zachary Levi roped in for The Marvelous Mrs Maisel

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Five Feet Apart
U/A: Drama romance
Director: Justin Baldoni
Cast: Cole Sprouse, Haley Lu Richardson
Ratings: 

Justin Baldoni's film latches on to cystic fibrosis (CF) for its cause, and makes two teens go through the motions of suffering from the disease to develop its romance and effect. CF is a disease that makes its victim struggle for every breath. Those suffering from it rarely survive beyond the age of 10. So, of course, go ahead and blame advances in modern medicine for allowing the two protagonists to live on as teenagers.

They obviously can't risk any infection, and more so from the disease's fellow-sufferers, who are considered high-risk. At all times, they are meant to be separated by latex gloves; no touching, and six feet between them, at all times. The villain here is the disease; not parents or society.

The first rule to be violated is that of the distance. It conveniently becomes five feet, at the heroine's suggestion. Though the film's main premise is about keeping the protagonists interested and engaged in each other, despite their restrictions, it takes plenty of liberties while trying to establish their connect. They even break away from the hospital's restrictions and risking death when heading on a freakish date in snowy conditions. While they cavort in the snow with no care, viewers hold their breath watching their tragedy unfold amidst compulsive melodrama.

Stella (Haley Lu Richardson) treats the hospital as her second home. She is aware of her disease, stays strictly within her regimen, and looks forward to extending her life (through a lung transplant that offers her five years) while carrying the hope that a new cure may be developed. Her best friend Poe (Moises Arias) is back in the hospital and has his own relationship problems to grapple with. Will (Cole Sprouse), another teenage CF patient, receives an experimental drug to take care of his B-cepacia infection. While Stella is hyper-cooperative with those treating her, Poe and Will cope differently. Will, a cynic and rebel, is persuaded by Stella to keep up with his regimen. Of course, you know where this is going to end, but Baldoni lays on a few surprises along the way.

The director may have gotten his inspiration for this film from his documentary titled My Last Days, about the terminally ill. Reportedly, screenwriters Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis developed it further while Rachel Lippincott churned it into a best-selling novel later. Baldoni kick-starts the narrative with no-nonsense flair, zooming in on Stella and her friends as they party before she must return to her dreaded hospital routine.

Baldoni and cinematographer Frank G DeMarco keep the narrative bright and cosy, straying away from medical restrictions to chart a course that has the young hopefuls straining at every bit. The production design makes the setting look luxurious; unlike regular hospital set-ups. The actors are amiable; able enough to gather empathy without going heavy-duty about their woes. This is a genre flick meant to ply on your sympathies and does the job efficiently.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Pet Sematary

U/A: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Director: Dennis Widmyer, Kevin Kolsch
Cast: Jete Laurence, Hugo Lavoie, Jason Clarke, Lucas Lavoie, Amy Seimetz
Rating: 

The 1989 version of Pet Sematary based on the 1983 Stephen King novel, was certainly no classic but it was a cheesy horror tale powered by a solid performance from Fred Gwynne and the title song from the Ramones was quite rage. Given the cult popularity of horror films today, it's no surprise that even such an unremarkable representative of the genre gets recast for the GenNext voyeurs of horror thrills. Co-directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer don't have much of a challenge on their hands, given the fact that there's no attempt being made here to tell the story from a different vantage point.

Dr Louis Creed (Jason Clarke), wife Rachel (Amy Seimetz), eight-year-old daughter Ellie (Jete Laurence), two-year-old son Gage (Hugo and Lucas Lavoie) and pet cat Church—relocate to a rustic home in the quaint rural town of Ludlow, Maine. Though there's plenty of land, with a mysterious pet cemetery and a strange bog behind the home there's not much of it in front - with a state highway running through right at the curb just off their driveway. So one would think that responsible parents would take the trouble of checking out their abode and taking the necessary precautions before moving in.

Check out the trailer here:

Such deliberate contrivance is of course a given for a horror film attempting to spook you by suggestions rather than facts. Soon enough the pet cat gets crushed under a speeding mammoth and the grieving Dr Clarke, helped on by friendly neighbour Jud Crandall(John Lithgow) takes the cat to be buried near the mysterious bog which apparently has mystical powers of resurrecting the dead. A rather convenient ploy to give wandering souls a rejuvenated body to do evil. The rest of it is rather brutal.

The film, as the book, is riddled with plenty of plot holes but King's book at least had a descriptive set-up that kept the interest going. The film doesn't have much exposition. The wife's torment from a traumatic experience during childhood is represented through hallucinatory flashbacks and the tragedies that befall the Creed family just keep piling up soon after they move in. The directors and writer Jeff Buhler, make a few deviations but they play out as altogether facile and non-requiting. The actors do their job well but the narrative doesn't create enough empathy for us to be worried about their fate. Closing it out with a Starcrawler cover of the Ramones's original theme may stir up some nostalgia but that's not going to spook you. Even King's original denouement gets replaced and that makes this particular effort altogether superficial.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Kalank
U/A: Action, Drama, History
Director: Abhishek Varman
Cast: Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Madhuri Dixit, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Roy Kapur
Rating: 

Not one to get wooed by the scale and production value of a film, I can't help but be smitten by the sheer beauty of Abhishek Varman's Kalank. In 2019, when Netflix rules our lives, this film is a rare cinematic experience that blends in opulence, glamour with a solid story about a family torn by its own skeletons in the closet. Star crossed pairs, their infidelities and how it destroys the world around them.

Drawn to forbidden pleasures and immoderate love is Roop, played with heft by Alia Bhatt. Varman's vast screenplay primarily plays off the luminous chemistry between Bhatt and co-star Varun Dhawan. There's a tantalising quality about their pairing and Varman uses this element to full effect. But a lot of the emotions drown in its self imposed ornate design of the film, which gives it a synthetic quality.

Watch the trailer of Kalank here:

So when a feisty Rajputana girl (Alia's Roop) is compelled by circumstances to marry a man (Aditya Roy Kapur's Dev) she can't even recognise in broad daylight, you want to discover more about their faulty dynamics. Or even how a well-educated woman like her, who has opinions strong enough to be voiced in front of an all-male team of writers running a flourishing newspaper, would fall for a visibly dubious man (Varun Dhawan's Zafar) with a promiscuous life. All of this and much more about the period's socio-political submerges beneath Binod Pradhan's gorgeous cinematography. It's almost as if there is a barrier between the audience and the characters - a gulf presumably created because of the director's reluctance to delve deeper into the plot.

Kalank movie poster

It's at the casting department, Varman scores big. Raging with simmering pain, Varun's aching performance beautifully transcends from showing him as a bitter man thirsty for revenge to a kind soul softened by love. Aditya's character has little graph but he adds soul to his act, supported adequately by Sonakshi Sinha who keeps her brief role serene all through. The seniors - Madhuri Dixit and Sanjay Dutt bring their effortless experience in a climactic sequence which packs a punch. Kunal Kemmu's grey part is portrayed with flair.

Also Read: Kalank: Here's everything you should know about the multi-starrer film

By no means is Kalank an unbearable film, despite being nearly 2 hours 48 minutes long. But there is a constant tryst to divert our attention from its storyline; Varman distracts us with his suggestive background scores, special numbers and sometimes even the perfectly created Manish Malhotra costumes. It's also equally problematic that a film set in pre-Partition doesn't stir up much political conversations throughout the narrative. There are stray mentions of their noble intentions but it remains largely detached from the divisive politics of the time it is set in. It also pays a tribute to Sanjay Leela Bhansali's school of filmmaking by borrowing a lot of his trademark sequences (especially Alia's entry which reminds one of Aishwarya's first scene in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam). Varman's prism is fresh - his women aren't caricatures, his characters aren't perfect. Roop is innately flawed, her decisions are damaging but she fights back for love with all her might. His men aren't all heroic and larger than life; they stumble, are unforgiving and equally faulty.

Watch the video of the Kalank movie review here:

I was reminded of Deepa Mehta's masterpiece - 1947, Earth, rightly melodramatic, potently emotional which walked the tightrope of a love triangle in stormy times in a balanced way. Kalank doesn't aim for that depth. It's content in being pretty even when it has the potential of so much more.

Kalank screening: Janhvi Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur attend:

Also Read: Kalank Celeb Review: B-town can't stop praising this period drama

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

The Curse Of The Weeping Woman
U/A: Horror, mystery
Director: Michael Chaves
Cast: Linda Cardellini, Patricia Velasquez, Sean Thomas
Ratings: 

This film, derived from a Latin American folk tale, has been force-fitted into the Conjuring-Annabelle universe. Writers Mikki Daughty and Tobias Iaconis, and director Michael Chaves turn a demented criminal act into grist for an insidious tale involving a social worker working with abandoned wives. The film bears the brunt of this conspired opportunism.

The narrative opens with the origin of the folklore in 17th century Mexico, where it is showcases a beautiful woman (abandoned by her husband) in a fit of jealous rage, drowns their two male offsprings, kills herself and then roams around as a restless weeping ghost, seeking to replace her dead children by sacrificing other kids. The Curse Of The Weeping Woman leaps to 1973 Los Angeles, a convenient period that hopes to link-up a priest from the Annabelle world and transports him into the weeping woman miniverse.

A recent cop-widow Anna (Linda Cardellini), who works for Child Protective Services, has just been entrusted with the task of rescuing two young boys - Sam and Chris from their abusive mother, Patricia Alvarez (Patricia Velasquez). Anna puts the boys in a home for the evening, hoping they would feel secure and comforted in the care of professionals. But a late night call from the cops tells a different story. The boys are dead and Alvarez holds Anna accountable.

Watch the trailer of The Curse Of The Weeping Woman:

The malevolent ghost - a typically yellow-eyed blotchy-skinned bride weeping icky black tears starts haunting the boys. The jump-scares don't have the power to scare the audience, but it definitely makes the children sweat. The opening and shutting of doors and windows accompanied by sound effects don't scale up the scares either.

The set-up is intriguing enough but the visions are feeble and the horror quotient is laughable. Anna claims she is a non-believer, but when her children are affected and strange things begin to happen, she seeks help from a curandero - a former priest turned shaman, Rafael Olvera (Raymond Cruz), who uses his skills to keep fear at bay. Cardellini and Cruz do their best to make this trope happy formulaic poser an efficient one, but alas!

Also Read: Kalank Movie Review: A great cinematic experience, but is it worth a watch?

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Avengers: Endgame
U/A:  Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson
Rating: 

Avengers: Endgame, undoubtedly the most anticipated film of recent year's, lives up to most expectations. This film is a befitting finale for the decades-old, 21 films, Marvel Cinematic Universe that heralded the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye. Together they formed the original Avengers team while the newer allies and villains added more power to subsequent outings. This may not be a non-stop action spectacle. Instead, what we get is a well- proportioned, engagingly structured narrative that spreads out its content and thrills in momentous expansiveness, End game basically posits a finale worthy of the superhero characters it promotes. Marvel's time-travelling sci-fi adventure saga throws up a few surprises too along the way.

The story is rather basic - After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which ended with Thanos getting all of the six Infinity Stones and then using them to wipe out half of existence, including beloved heroes like Black Panther, Star-Lord, and Spider-Man. The surviving heroes go through a period of self-recrimination, hopelessness, heartache and self-doubt before they take the necessary steps to reverse Thanos' actions, they're fatalism keeps us grounded.  

Also Read: Box Office report: Avengers: Endgame sells 1 million advance tickets in India

The script by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely among others, is surprisingly inventive, fraught with emotion and funny. The performances live up to the iconoclastic expectations of the fans while the CGI and effects lend whole new meaning and dimension to quantum physics and chaos theory. The film is a sort of nirvana for the thousands of people who sweated night and day to make such a unique and unprecedented experience come good. Endgame has a much slower, deliberate pace allowing for deeper character development and strong motivations while developing intensity and attachment all the way through. A major portion of the action happens only towards the last half hour of a nearly 3-hour runtime – yet, doesn't feel bloated or unnecessarily expanded.

Also read: Avengers: Endgame Box Office Prediction: Will the film open at Rs 50 crore in India?

This film incorporates beloved elements from earlier outings and recalls character beats, origins, and sub-plots while adding texture and complexity to the inter-galactic drama envisioned as homage to the never-say-die superhero spirit. Alan Silvestri's amazing background score elevates the intensity and involvement. The helming by the Russo brothers is also quite remarkable – creating a well-sprung of entreaty that is truly an event!

Also Read: Avengers Endgame release: A look at how Avengers films fared at the Indian box office

Check out the Avengers: Endgame trailer here:

Also Read: Critics review Avengers: Endgame, say it's 'everything you want it to be and more'

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Avengers: Endgame
U/A: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson
Rating: 

How does one put together words about a film that, for all practical purposes, anything and everything you write, is likely to be misconstrued/diagnosed as a spoiler?

Suffice it to know that this expectedly dramatic conclusion of Marvel's three-part Infinity Saga is a relatively internalised, deep and sober film, concerned more with the motivations of super-heroes, the choices before them, and what they should pick, in order to take on super-villain Thanos—of course.

For one, the earth is a much quieter place, since as you're aware, its species have been annihilated, decimated by Devil Thanos, ever since he got his hands on the infinity stones, and went on to execute the bizarre plan of supposedly ethical ethnic cleansing—randomly ridding planets of half its populations, to make them more sustainable, by restoring balance of sorts, as it were.

Of course, there will be survivors. And Iron Man or Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr), to start with, is thankfully rescued or reunited with the human family back home. So is Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). Both of them, like all the others, seem to be somberly dealing with the aftermath of a universal tragedy.

Surely, you have your own favourites from this cinematic universe (and how can Iron Man not top that list?). But there's something about the inherent cuteness of Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) that saves this franchise's final installment from turning into a complete depresso—left to be downed over rounds of espresso, what with the screen-time running three hours plus.

Also Read: Box Office report: Avengers: Endgame sells 1 million advance tickets in India

Indians might thank their theatres for the usually hated interval. I caught it without one, but didn't miss it either. There's enough material here to keep you engaged, even if to wonder, on occasion, if some of it makes any sense. You may or may not be impressed with the long drawn explanations, but you're only too happy to go with it.

Frankly, I'm no Marvel fanboy/fanatic—if the movie-world is indeed divided into two types, then more the DC demographic. That said, there is an infectious verve and energy that multiple super-heroes bring to this cinematic universe that is hard to not be swayed by, even if an individual or sub-set, Guardians Of Galaxy in particular, may be difficult to appreciate on their own.

Check out the Avengers: Endgame trailer here:

Avengers: Endgame does a fine job of navigating a reasonably cogent script without over-populating the screen. Avengers: Infinity War seemed more overwrought in comparison. I re-watched portions of the 2018 prequel on my phone (for quick revision), which of course means I didn't watch it at all.

For, at the end of the day, battle sequences and pyrotechnics is the point of it all, isn't it? Endgame, despite all the philosophy, is not an exception. It shines gloriously as 3D spectacle on the IMAX screen, ideally viewed from the third-row, from the back—and if you're not on IMAX, then the third row from the front—for a stunningly immersive experience, with such depth of field that the points where the camera focuses on a river, the ripples flowing towards you, you almost feel like you can wade through the frickin' water!

I know, don't need to put in a word (spoilers be damned). Suffice it to know that seldom has the excitement of audiences entering a theatre, matched by those exiting, after a hugely hyped pic. Endgame equals its astounding anticipation. And that's saying a whole lot!

Also read: Avengers: Endgame Box Office Prediction: Will the film open at Rs 50 crore in India?

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates