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Vasanth’s ‘Sivaranjiniyum Innum Sila Pengalum’ (Kalieaswari Srinivasan, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli) is a deeply moving dissection of three women across three time periods
Spoilers ahead… If transcribed, you can read the text here: https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2018/12/08/sivaranjiniyum-innum-sila-pengalum-a-deeply-moving-dissection-of-the-lives-of-three-women-across-three-time-periods/ Read the full review directly on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/sivaranjiniyum-innum-sila-pengalum-movie-review-baradwaj-rangan-vasanth-parvathy/ Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: Cinema: Tamil, Television / Online
After a slightly shaky start, Venkat Prabhu’s ‘Maanaadu’ (STR, SJ Suryah, Kalyani Priyadarshan) is a terrific time-loop thriller
November 25, 2021
Spoilers ahead… If transcribed, you can read the text here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/ Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: Cinema: Tamil
Interview: Raj B Shetty (A spoilery deep dive into ‘Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana’)
November 24, 2021
For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: Cinema: Kannada, Interview
Readers Write In #428: The Puzzling Case of Kabir Singh: A Sociologist’s Take: Theoretical Vs Empirical
November 24, 2021
(by S Srinivas) I was really piqued by the controversy generated by the movie “Kabir Singh”, and I wonder if I can use a sociologist’s lens to cast light on the issue. A bit of background, when I was studying Sociology in the US, my professor once refused to pay any attention to my theories, […]
Posted in: Cinema: Hindi, Readers Write In
Interview: Anil Ravipudi (about hard-core commercial cinema)
November 23, 2021
For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: Cinema: Telugu, Interview
Bibin Paul Samuel’s ‘Aaha’ (Indrajith Sukumaran) is a straightforward sports drama with little effort to tweak the genre’s clichés
November 22, 2021
Spoilers ahead… If transcribed, you can read the text here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/ Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: Cinema: Malayalam
Readers Write In #427: Norwegian Wood
November 21, 2021
(by Lahari) One of Murakami’s bestseller, as the name suggests is filled with pop references like The Beatles and is a gripping story about the perks of being in your 20’s. This murakami’s work has so much more than that. “Death is not the exact opposite of life, but just a part of it” I […]
Posted in: Books, Readers Write In
Have You Heard the Sound of Your Own Voice?
November 21, 2021
A plug for Krithika’s book, available here: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09DP2SFGM In her words: “I recently self-published a non-fiction book on depression. It’s called “Have You Heard the Sound of Your Own Voice?” It was written with the intention of hand-holding students who feel suicidal/depressed on Indian college campuses. I am wondering if you can help me in […]
Raj B Shetty’s ‘Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana’ (Raj B Shetty, Rishab Shetty) is a superbly written and staged cop-criminal drama
November 20, 2021
Spoilers ahead… If transcribed, you can read the text here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/ Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: Cinema: Kannada
Nishanth Kalidindi’s ‘Kadaseela Biriyani’ (Vasanth Selvam, Hakkim Shah) is an impressive debut that subverts the ‘revenge’ template in interesting ways
November 19, 2021
Spoilers ahead… If transcribed, you can read the text here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/ Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: Cinema: Tamil
Mano Karthikeyan’s ‘Jango’ (Satheesh Kumar, Mirnalini Ravi) is a ‘time loop’ thriller that just about makes it to ‘watchable’
November 19, 2021
Spoilers ahead… If transcribed, you can read the text here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/ Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: Cinema: Tamil
Music Notes #2: Exploring the ‘Raja brought Tamils back from Hindi music’ urban myth
November 17, 2021
So this comes from a recent comment from a reader (as it keeps coming up) that in the 1970s, Tamils were under sway to Hindi film music until the arrival of Ilaiyaraaja brought them back to Tamil music. I have asked many people born in the 1950s and 60s about this — family and others. […]
Posted in: Music: Hindi Cinema, Music: Tamil Cinema
Karthik Swaminathan’s ‘Mugizh’ (Vijay Sethupathi, Regina Cassandra) is an impressively written and made drama about a family facing a loss
November 15, 2021
Spoilers ahead… If transcribed, you can read the text here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/ Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: Cinema: Tamil, Television / Online
Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval’s ‘Kanakam Kaamini Kalaham’ (Nivin Pauly, Grace Antony) is a bit inconsistent, but there are lots of laughs and a lot of ambitious writing
November 12, 2021
Spoilers ahead… If transcribed, you can read the text here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/ Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: Cinema: Malayalam
Interview: Madhavan (conducted for the India Film Project)
November 10, 2021
For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult… Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Music Notes #1: The unending pleasures of MSV-era melody lines
November 10, 2021
More than a few people here know that I consider MSV the greatest melody-maker, bar none, of Tamil cinema. I am only talking about the tunes — not instruments (though sometimes, that, too). If there were four lines in the first stanza, each of them would have a different melody, and so on and so […]
Posted in: Music: Tamil Cinema
Readers Write In #426: Eternals: A reflection on God, powers and greater good
November 10, 2021
(by Prakash Alagarsamy) I am a fan of the MCU having read some comics. But on hearing the news that eternals is being made I was unsure. The comic book story is cliche as cliche gets. Even gaiman’s story is a done to earth superhero origin story. And seeing the all Star cast my doubts […]
Posted in: Cinema: English, Readers Write In
Tanglish Talks: Downpour
November 10, 2021
I keep writing scenes and other random stuff. Thought they’d make for fun blog posts, titled ‘Tanglish Talks’. Do read, share, mock, comment, ring the bell icon, whatever 🙂 ! பாவம் வானம். அதுக்கு மட்டும் மூச்சா வராதா? எவ்வளவு நாள் தான் அடக்கிக்கொண்டிருக்கும்? நாம் சாலை ஓரத்தில் சாதாரணமாக சலனமே இல்லாமல் poster-இல் இருக்கும் hero மேலேயோ heroine மேலேயோ அடிக்கிறோமே! அதை மூத்திரம் […]
Posted in: Tanglish Talks, Writing
#AskBR – Annaatthe, Jai Bhim, Enemy
November 9, 2021
In which I answer a few questions on an older film… or a new one… or talk about actors and directors… or take on a few YouTube comments… For more, subscribe to FILM COMPANION SOUTH: http://bit.ly/2xoNult Copyright ©2021 Film Companion.
Posted in: #AskBR, Cinema: Tamil
Readers Write In #425: ‘VEER’ Sooryavanshi
November 9, 2021
(by An Jo) Major Spoilers/Disappointments No intent of comparison to Hollywood or ANY claim of superior intelligence or ‘taste’. I love Suppandi No intent of bringing down the morale of the Hindi film industry No claim over ‘masala’ and English ‘Grammar’ When Saibal Chatterjee from NDTV, who is utterly unfit to view or understand commercial […]
Posted in: Cinema: Hindi, Readers Write In
Baradwaj Rangan 
November 26, 2021
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