“Once Upon A Time…” that is how all fairy tales start, a guarantee of a “Happy Ever After” at the end of the story. Yet in this film one is not sure if justice will be served, since the world of this film is a bleak one, and justice for some takes a long time. … Continue reading Ajji (2017) – Grandmother, What Big Teeth You Have!
Tag: Parallel Cinema
Homebound (2025) – A Beautiful Moving Portrait of A Friendship and Interwoven Systems of Oppressions
I was finally able to watch this film, and oh boy it was an experience I will not soon forget! Synopsis: Two friends from a North Indian village, Mohammed Shoaib Ali, a Muslim, and Chandan Kumar, a Dalit, pursue police jobs seeking dignity, but their friendship strains as desperation grows in their quest to fulfil … Continue reading Homebound (2025) – A Beautiful Moving Portrait of A Friendship and Interwoven Systems of Oppressions
Duvidha (1973) – Of Ghostly Veiled Desires
I think I saw this a long, long time ago on Mubi, but now I am watching this film again. Synopsis: Based on a Rajasthani folk-tale, Duvidha is the story of a merchant’s son who returns home with his new bride, but is sent back to look after his family business. A ghost falls in … Continue reading Duvidha (1973) – Of Ghostly Veiled Desires
Kshay (2012) – A Haunting Corrosion of the Mind
Sometimes while discovering the films one has not seen before, there gems discovered such as this film. It released to some fanfare over a decade ago, but since that there has been little spoken about it, and I am just glad to be able to watch this film! Synopsis: A middle-class Indian housewife, Chhaya becomes … Continue reading Kshay (2012) – A Haunting Corrosion of the Mind
Devi (1960) – One Is Not Born, But Becomes A Goddess
This was the first Satyajit Ray film I ever saw, and I captured my attention from the first. Now, reviewing/analysing it, it is wonderful to return to this small, but impactful film. Synopsis: In rural Bengal in the 19th century, Doyamoyee is a wife to Umaprasad, the son of the zamindar Kalikinkar Roy who worships … Continue reading Devi (1960) – One Is Not Born, But Becomes A Goddess
Party (1984) – The Silent Pain of the Artistic Middle-Class
Based on a Marathi play of the same name in 1976 by Mahesh Elkunchwar. This film grabs you and doesn't let you go, either by its realness or by the craftsmanship of its story, which is in a sense in a commentary on art within an art based on art. Now, this movie is a … Continue reading Party (1984) – The Silent Pain of the Artistic Middle-Class