Content is King

  

There are many fine movies I watched during lock down from various states of the country and I think it is my prerogative to recommend them so that you can experience their craft too. 

1. NATSAMRAT    

   

Totally heartbreaking Marathi film that I witnessed on Netflix . This movie is not only story telling at its finest but showcased some of the best career performances. Starring Nana Patekar and directed by Mahesh Manjrekar. Before I rave about what I love about this film I wanted to talk about how we have this perception that when actors are not working actively in Hindi movies they are not creatively stimulated or not doing profound work. 

Natsamrat is story of famous theater actor Ganpatram  who retire from theater to spend more time with family. Natsamrat is heart breaking tale of man who was once a celebrated artist and now seems to feel out of place. Its a acting masterclass by Nana Patekar. The story is not about the the ungratefulness of the children but about a man who wants to live independently of social norms and what is considered to be acceptable. 

my rating  -- 4.5/5 (it is amazing) 

2. BULBUL CAN SING

Rima- Das film Bul bul bul can sing is Assamese film available on Netflix. It is a gut-wrenchingly painful but real portrayal of individuals. Teenagers specifically finding themselves of the internalization and experiences that manifest into creating individuals. Story revolves around a group of school students that experience key moments of firsts. What we all vividly remember occurring in  our lives  as well. A conservative society conformity regarding masculine traits, self confidence and exploration. The beauty of the simple pleasures of holding hands, of poetry, of nature. The movie is simple and make us connect with the characters as we are once them. 

My rating ----- 4/5

3. MOOTHON

Moothon is a bilingual film by Gitu Mohandas Liar's dice fame. Moothon or the elder one in malyalam is story of a boy who leaves Lakshdweep in order to search for his brother in Mumbai. The film aims to shed light extremely important social aspects especially in context of people all across different communities in India. This movie is journey from serene landscape of the lakshdweep to the systemic chaos of the Mumbai chawls. Movie is bilingual characters hop from Malyalam to Hindi with absolute ease. 

My rating ---- 3.5/5 

4. TRANCE 

Another Malayalam master piece Trance. Focus on viju prasad played by Fahadh Fasil a broken motivational speaker who is looking for employment. He lives in a wrenched house with his unstable brother. With the turn of events he became pastor influencing millions of people all based on marketing and fraud, The riches that comes with the job takes a catastrophic toll on his public and personal health. 

The movie took esoteric route in the second half , it is nuanced subtle with lesser dialogue and lots of background score. If you are not a involved viewer you may not like it. 

My rating - 4/5

5. SUPER DELUXE 

Super deluxe is Tamil movie directed by Thiagarajan Kumararaja. To some this is the movie India should have sent to Oscar instead of Gully boy and I agree to them. I was spellbound by the intricate detailing and the interlinking of the distinct characters. It has four stories which themselves could be individual movie lines unique and distinct but seamlessly interlinked. Movie has about 12 principal characters and all of them put forth such powerful performances. Telling much about the movie will dampen the experience. 

My rating -- 5/5