REAL HERO

The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do. Through Padman, R Balki tells the real life inspiring story of Arunachalam Muruganantham (played by Akshay Kumar), a social entrepreneur from Coimbatore, who invented low cost sanitary napkins in India, despite the massive opposition and humiliation he was subjected to. The director changes the film’s setting to Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh, while retaining the core of his courageous story.

Given the constant mention of statistics pertaining to the inadequate percentage of women who use pads in India, and reiteration of the film’s issue based motive, Padman often seems like a Public Service Advertisement parading as a commercial film. In order to appeal to the lowest common denominator, things are over-explained and all of this results in a sluggish progression of events. However, given how awkward women are made to feel even today while buying sanitary pads from a medical store, this social drama makes for an important film that needs to be watched.

Having said that, in portions, Balki struggles to maintain a balance as it’s not easy to entertain, spread awareness and sensitize people about the issue, all at one go. His semi-humorous and urban outlook at a predominantly rural issue, isn’t seamless as the script often meanders but he redeems himself in scenes that convey a lot more through unspoken words. A quiet moment when Gayatri realises Lakshmi’s concern for her after she sees her brother abusing and neglecting his wife’s health is heart-breaking. Lakshmi’s reaction to his first consumer’s feedback is equally moving.

The ‘superhero’ of the film — Akshay Kumar, makes you wonder why he continues to be one of our most underrated actors, despite such immense body of work. He going as far as wearing a pink ladies underwear and a pad to prove a point, goes on to show how actors are willing to push boundaries and embrace their screen characters for the films they believe in. Radhika Apte portrays her part beautifully, making her character relatable to the section of women, who still face such societal taboos. Sonam Kapoor too lights up the screen with her candour and makes her presence felt in a significant role.

Known for making films that work towards bridging the age and gender gap, Balki’s Padman is an empowering film that gives you the wings, despite the odds. It will free women of their inhibitions and that will be its biggest success. Period!

WATCH PADMAAVAT

Based on a Sufi poem of the same name written in 1540 by Malik Muhammad Jayasi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has added his own flair and interpretation to ‘Padmaavat’, giving it a fairy-tale sheen. This makes all the controversy pointless, and pale in comparison to the spectacle that unfolds. Bhansali reunites with two of his favourite leads in recent times – Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, but adds Shahid Kapoor to complete this trio of commendable acting talent.

Shahid is steadfast and unflappable as Maharawal Ratan Singh – the ruler of Mewar, brimming with Rajput pride. He brings a regal aura to the character that warrants him winning the confidence and loyalty of the Mewar kingdom and more importantly, Rani Padmavati’s heart. Deepika is radiant as the Rajput Queen whose beauty, brains and valour moves the entire plot along once Alauddin Khilji becomes obsessed with her. Padmavati’s allure beyond the superficial is prominent post-interval, when her character comes to life and she gets to showcase her acting range. Ranveer as Alauddin Khilji is seen as an unhinged, barbaric Sultan, who is consumed with a ravenous libido for power and flesh. He unleashes an animal magnetism on screen with a scarred face, kohl-lined eyes and a greased torso. The scenes between him and Shahid are some of the most engrossing, as both flex their acting muscles at opposite ends of the moral spectrum. Besides them, Aditi Rao Hydari stands her ground as the naive Mehrunissa who gets a rude awakening when she discovers her husband Alauddin’s true nature. Jim Sarbh is somewhat misplaced as the Sultan’s slave-general, unable to generate enough menace to overshadow his master’s own. Nonetheless, the ensemble moves well in tune with Bhansali’s vision of this larger-than-life retelling.

The director’s expertise in heightening opulence and grandeur is well-known, further distinguishable in 3D. Cinematographer sudeep Chatterjee compliments him by beautifully capturing some jaw-dropping scenery. However, the effects in the action/ war scenes don’t meet the expectations raised by a film of this scale. Also, the songs don’t do much to further the narrative other than providing visual delight. Granted, it could do with a tauter screenplay and shorter run-time but ‘Padmaavat’ is an entertaining, large canvas experience, brought to life with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s stroke of visual brilliance.

Poetry & Rhyme Death

“Kaatilo ki masjid mein shayaro ki sabah baithi hai,
Jaan to dono ne li hai, bas ek ki sazah rehti hai”

Mumbai happens to be home to one of the best open house cafés and the hub of poetry on the west bay and that’s why it, poetry in the city deserves to occupy at least one weekend of yours.

Places like Tuning Fork, PORT, Cat Café, Le Sutra, The Spiritual Company,Kitab Khana and Antisocial are the go to places to keep a lookout for events of these kind, but apart from these mainstream hubs, the true variety in poetry can be discovered through events by organizations like The Shayari Club, NSPA and Sakina which encourage upcoming writers to showcase their material in front of a crowd or just spill the beans about their personal life through rhyme without the conscious effort of hiding or sugar coating it to people’s requirement. Also available is the option of slam poetry where the rhyme takes a toll and the message is the main focus.

So head down to any one of the places and let out your stories.

-Akshat Sharma

Herb & Delight

This is the one weekend plan that your parents are not going to condone, you might get into trouble if caught, and its illegal. But that doesn’t mean that you haven’t tried it yet, in fact, it doesn’t even mean that your parents or the people catching you haven’t tried it. Quite literally, no one would be able to tell you any negative side effect of this organic medicine apart from the fact that it causes drowsiness.

the drug has too many medical advantages proven to hold true to be ignored. Fever, cold, asthma, bronchitis, ADHD, ADD, anxiety, Tourette’s syndrome, forms of cancer and a much longer list of ailments and high profile diseases can be cured or subsided by the usage of marijuana on a limit dose and a measured cycle, yet it happens to be one of the most controversial in terms of legislated usage and open consumption. But we don’t need to visit the science or the politics of it, chances are if you smoke it, you already know this.

And hence it just might be your weekend fix, sit back, relax, roll or stuff, get mellow and get open.

“Some grass never did bad to anyone.”

-Akshat Sharma

FLATLINERS

A movie which falls flat on its face and tumbles down the hill. The trailer leaves you with a mighty lot of expectations and crushes them within the first 30minutes. With a completely unimpressive beginning to the facet of being a medical intern to the underwhelming acting for the depiction the film fails you in every way expected. While Julia Roberts impressed us in the original version of this note- psychotic thriller. Yes ladies and gentlemen this is not a horror movie. Ellen page fails to make a lasting impact. Nina dobrev’s acting skills too are wasted in the uneventful retelling of the thriller. James Norton is highly overrated as the Casanova ticking every single box of the cliches. Kiersey Clemens rightly plays the part of a subdued girl living with her mother and knowtowing to pointless demands. Deigo Luna is delightful as the medical prodigy all the while making us swoon. Kevin sutherland plays the professor and playing a link to the movie’s original.

This Film is like half hearted effort with Concept that questions existence and death and fails to impress at end with all the mythical stuff and one feel like it is not complete in any way. Flatliners is the movie started with the objective of afterlife experiences and how does it feel but aftr implementing it ,they realise the negative remark of it and guilts they are hiding or never acknowledged about now are haunting them . Not that much thrilller but maybe emotional for the people who believe in sins. The movie is as silly as the original and rings quite stale. This shallow forgettable remake has swearing, violence and sex. Fabulous movie idea but another blotched attempt to carry it through.! It feels like a harf hearted attempt leading to an emptyheaded path. Watch this movie if u have to butt i will warn you it should not have been resuscitated.

PUBLISHED BY- ADITI GUPTA

WATCH THE GODFATHER!

The movie is based on the novel ‘ The Godfather ‘ by Mario Puzo, it was directed by veteran director Francis Ford Coppola and is regarded as one of his best works, the movie was released on 14th March 1972 and featured some of the biggest names in hollywood like Al Pacino and Marlon Brando,Their characters Michael Corleone and Don Vito Corleone remain highly iconic to this day and let us figure out why

“The Godfather” is told entirely within a closed world. That’s why we sympathize with characters who are essentially evil. Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) emerges as a sympathetic and even admirable character; during the entire film, this lifelong professional criminal does nothing of which we can really disapprove.

During the movie we see not a single actual civilian victim of organized crime. No women trapped into prostitution. No lives wrecked by gambling. No victims of theft, fraud or protection rackets. The only police officer with a significant speaking role is corrupt. The only villains in the movie are the traitors, giving weightage to loyalty, making the audience realize what really matters, as the movie was released in a pre – millennial world when the significance of family was unparalleled compared to today’s time and that’s what the movie stresses on, Family first.

In the movie, Don Vito Corleone’s youngest son Michael is the only son who is not part of the family business and disapproves of his father’s methods initially is pulled into the family business initially after Michael Corleone is targeted by Don Vito Corleone’s enemies and have to leave Sicily for some time for his own safety, Don Vito Corleone in the meanwhile cuts a deal with his enemies that no harm should come to Michael or anyone in his family for that matter, at the same point in time Michael falls in love in his time of refuge and gets married and then returns home.

After a while due to the dishonorable intentions of his enemies, Don Vito gets attacked and gets shot multiple times almost losing his life, This forces Michael to join the family business on a permanent basis and joins his family’s syndicate as the head of the family forcing Don Vito to retire and enjoy the rest of his days with his grandkids and rest of the family.

Michael then in pursuit of his personal vendetta slowly gets rid of all of Corleone family’s enemies.

This perception of life through the eyes of the mafia family was really the first of it’s kind and gave an insight to the actions of a crime family, this movie is all set to be your weekend’s highlight and your rest of the life’s obsession, Enjoy the ride!

 

Post by : Achintya Sharma

 

Don’t Know Where to start from? One word- THOR

well ThisOne  movie will get you a good start with your weekend. All about Thor.

Surprising enough but thor ragnarok finally released. Not without a whole lot of procrastination by the production house. As I finally watched it with trepidation, (seeing as the near disaster of the previous film of the same franchise) I am thrilled to say its one of the finest and funniest marvel movies made. I’ll go as far as saying it challenges ironman as the forerunner in the marvel movies. The movie opens with some comic relief by thor. So gone is the stoic god of thunder, this thor is hell-bent on making you have a good time. We have much anticipated visit from doctor strange, benedict cumberbatch stealing the show even in the few minutes he spends onscreen. Loki makes a terribly hilarious entrance in his own swoon-worthy way. Next we see thor lose his mighty hammer (oh the horror).

Tahiti’s movie surpases all expectations already and ladies and gentlemen the has just started. Hela makes her grand entrance –am I the only one who was the underwhelmed by kate blanchett’s attempt as the sensual queen of dead..? unlike the mythologies here hela isn’t loki’s daughter but odin’s. so the sibling rivalry begins.

 

Thor is shuffled around as a common prisoner while the delightful loki once again charms his way next to royalty. Hulk BANGS his way in. as he throws thor around as ragdoll loki finally finds retribution for the puny god moment.

 

Unlike all the run of the mill superhero movies which crowd the masses, thor keeps you on your toes till the very end. My favourite moment without a doubt a moment is when our hero gets reprimanded. Even gods need their parents to pull their heads out of asses apparently. “are u thor the god of hammers..?” asks an irked odin. A dead odin.

 

The movies wraps up neatly with a bow with Thanos FINALLY entering the fray leaving us just ready for the infinity war to begin. This movie more than makes up for thor and hulks absence in the civil war. So get up your lazy bums and go watch the movie. You will not regret it.

 

PUBLISHED BY -ADITI GUPTA

 

LET’S GET YOUR WEEKENDS SORTED :D

 

Good and productive weekends can sort your whole next week.