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BLOG 4: ANEK- FILM REVIEW

If you mention the "Seven Sisters of India," it's likely that die-hard couch potatoes would name the seven daughters of Lala Lahori Ram, played by Sudhir Pandey in the hit TV series Amanat (1997-2002). Hey, that makes for interesting trivia. However, we now have a sombre movie that strives to present a fair overview of the political issues in India's North East. Before Sikkim was added, they were the Seven Sister States: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim. Together, they make up the North Eastern Region (NER).

Is this reviewer administering a general knowledge test, I hear you ask? No, but it's also true that throughout the rest of the country, there isn't much public discussion about the North East Region. And in the 2022 film Anek by Anubhav Sinha, a separatist talks about an Indian minister who mistakenly thinks Tripura is the capital of Mizoram. Let's face it, the North East states seem to come up more often for the rest of India while memorising their names and capitals for the IAS [Indian Administration Services], MBA, or other competitive examinations. The minister's ignorance serves as a reminder that while India is a country of anek (plenty/many), it is not, in reality, an ek (one) nation.

Anek [2022, director Anubhav Sinha] does not specifically mention the conflicts or any one state, but it speaks for the North East's population as a whole. As a result, we may observe automobile licence plates with the area listed as NE. How can the uninformed non-North East Indian learn about the anek (many) problems that have long afflicted the major North East states? A Kashmir is a global conflict that the media frequently pushes into our consciousness. However, the politics of the North East are rarely discussed in the public media, with the exception of border conflicts with China or the separatists that plague both India and Myanmar.

Perhaps the uninformed non-North East Indian is too indolent to research the problems on their own. Such a viewer might have benefited from some further detail. The film by writer-director Anubhav Sinha leaves the typical spectator in a state of ambiguity and invites speculation about the conflicts in the North East. Let's simply say that ethnic tensions are the root cause of many of these wars and separatist movements. The long-standing stigma against persons with mongoloid traits in the rest of India has only served to strengthen separatist aspirations.

Hard-hitting speech has become a cliché, yet Sinha repeatedly hits the mark, occasionally bleeding his pen. The video delineates the distinction between peace and control, the murky meaning of special status, and how entrenched interests are keeping the fire going by cleverly contrasting the North-East issue with the Kashmir saga.

The plot revolves around undercover agent Joshua/Aman (Ayushmann Khurrana), whose objective is to negotiate a peace deal with the largest insurgent group that engages in bloodshed and drug trafficking. For this, he invents a fictitious rival organisation called Johnson, but in the process, he learns that there is another group by the same name that is covertly working to rehabilitate drug-addicted youth and educate children in order to prevent them from remaining reliant on the "mainland" for jobs and rations.

Aman believes that the government should speak with the organisation that represents the voice of the people, but he discovers that his employer Abrar Butt (Manoj Pahwa) is more concerned with gaining the support of the group that causes the greatest commotion and violence. He is eager to share power with Tiger Sangha, the group's head, as instructed by his political boss Kumud Mishra (Loitangbam Dorendra). You giggle when others mention erecting a monument, making a surgical strike movie, and serving momos in a war zone.

However, it seems like there is dynamite under the seat when Abrar informs Aman that in a democracy, the voice of the people may only be heard once every five years. Abrar, a Kashmiri, applies his pet gripe to his work. Given that the agent is in a relationship with Adio (Andrea Kevichusa), the daughter of a teacher (Mipham Otsal) who is leading a clandestine operation against the State, he assumes that Aman is also carrying out similar activities.

Adio, a champion boxer competing in a parallel event, aspires to represent her nation and win a medal while experiencing prejudice due of her regional origin. Why do we refer to girls like her as Chinese when we may cheer for Adio in Indian colours? Long after the last credits have rolled, the question remains on our minds.

Anek, which does not demonise a specific group of citizens and instead holds politicians and bureaucrats accountable without regard to a deadline, may be seen as a counterweight to the movie of The Kashmir Files.

It's great to see Ayushmann Khurrana show off his strength and go above the boy-next-door roles. One of the characters in the movie says that his beard fits him. But Sinha doesn't give Ayushmann enough to think about as Aman becomes involved in a moral conflict. Aman and Aido's romance still hangs in the chilly mountain air. The naive Aido is brilliantly played by Andrea, who has an innocent yet insightful look. However, her narrative soon becomes just another box to check when talking about the Northeast.

Sinha has honoured diversity in casting, as well. In addition to the great cast from the North East, it is fantastic to see J. Chakravarthy return in a noteworthy cameo as a Telangana police officer.

However, during the course of the trilogy, Sinha, the reporter, seems to have developed the impulse to editorialise his articles. There are moments when it appears like the characters are merely reading off laudatory edits rather than contributing to a compelling narrative. They can give the impression that the filmmaker is utilising them to fill in any narrative holes.

The narrative thread about how young Niko (Thejasevor Belho) develops into an extremist is touching and heartbreaking, but when it is pushed too far, it loses its effectiveness. Even a few of the action scenes, such as the final one, felt overdone. The integration of the text and the subtext doesn't seem to work as well as it did in Mulk and Article 15, for some reason.

However, Anek has to be kept an eye on for its sharp investigation into a troubling reality that needs to be acknowledged. Anek is currently streaming on Netflix.

[thatrandombloggerfromindia]

Blog 3- Gangubai Kathiawadi Film Review

Movie Review Blog- Gangubai Kathiawadi.

A film that not only tells us a beautiful journey but also alluringly displays the idea of equality.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is renowned for creating expansive universes for his movies, some of which draw influence from actual events and immerse the audience in incredibly realistic settings. Bhansali uses the same sensibility in Gangubai Kathiawadi to tell a tale that is solidly grounded in the actual world and recent events. The movie nonetheless succeeds in reaching equal levels of presentation and storyline.

The movie Gangubai depicts the rise of the titular Mafia queen, played by Alia Bhatt, through the world of prostitution in the 1960s in the Mumbai neighbourhood of Kamathipura. Despite several obstacles, Gangubai continued to fight for women's rights in her community, supporting sex workers in political rallies, and more.

Alia Bhatt has evolved rapidly through the ranks in the field and made a name for herself as a versatile performer by accepting difficult roles that many people may not have anticipated she would accept. Bhatt has once again done Gangubai's portrayal, which is perhaps one of her most vulnerable yet,I mostly observed the performer and seldom observed her really engrossing herself in the role she was playing, particularly in the later stages of Gangu's life when she was supposed to have a tougher demeanour. Even though Alia steals the show in this instance, a particular mention should be made to Ajay Devgn's cameo as Rahim Lala, whose little screen time is expertly handled to mentor a young Gangu in her formative years. I was shocked to learn that Jim Sarbh and Vijay Raaz completed the cast after going into the movie without having seen it, and Shantanu Maheshwari made his feature film debut in a quiet but endearing role. Raaz only makes brief appearances, initially serving as a contrast to Gangu's aspirations to unify the entire neighbourhood, but that conflict is resolved so quickly that it merely feels like filler at the conclusion. The remaining actors have sufficient screen time.

The Kamathipura neighbourhood is small, yet that doesn't stop the filmmakers from creating a convincing world within its walls over the period of 154 minutes.While the film is full of dramatic moments, some might appear to be a little pandering, with sequences falling short of Gangu directly gazing at the camera while giving her words. But that's just my opinion, as the majority of the film is well-executed. The film is currently available on Netflix. It is recommended for sure if you want the all in one experience of the surreal world of brilliant performances,  Melodious music and a thrilling yet enduring storyline.

[thatrandombloggerfromindia]

THIS IS DELHI- THE CHAOTIC WONDERLAND (PART 2)

It was now time to move to our next destination.

We then decided to get to India Gate.

It took us 23 minutes via an auto rickshaw to reach there.

It was a 3 minute long walk from the entrance gate to the India Gate.

We reached the gate. My mouth was left wide open.  It was A 42 meters towered gate that was spread along 306,000 square meters!

My mom informed me that it was built during World War I and there were about 90,00 that gave up their lives while protecting the British Empire's superiority. India Gate was build in order to honor these soldiers. Their names were engraved on the walls.

After hearing this, it just didn't feel like a monument. There was a feeling of pride and gratification that was attached along with it.

I then posed in front of the gate and my mother? captured my wide smile in her phone.

But we both started feeling hungry now!

Delhi is known for its delicacies. If ever visiting here, you cannot miss the finger licking food in the Paranthe Wali Gali, Khan Market, Pandara Road, Connaught Place and many more uncountable places!

We decided to eat at Gulati Restaurant, Pandara Road.

For someone like me, food is something that I look forward to in my daily life. Good food can make my day much better and Delhi food did 100% justice to this.

Our trip was not over yet, we had to explore a few more places.

Moving on, we went to Red Fort that took us a small 10 minute ride to reach there from the restaurant.

Red Fort was the main residence  for the Mughal Emperors.

Built by Shah Jahan, it is spread across 254.67 acres of land! The monument looked enormous to me. The seven year old me found it difficult to even look at it properly due it its massive height.

Well I learned one thing about Red Fort recently that it is actually white! Yes, you heard that right! Originally, the Red Fort was built in white color but later one got? converted into red by the Mughals.

Only a one minute walk from the Red Fort, there was Chandni Chowk market. One of the oldest and busiest markets of Delhi, it is widely known as the city's biggest wholesale market. And obviously, when you are traveling with you mother, its rarely possible that she doesn't shop wherever she finds a market.

My mother is a big shopping enthusiast. There she was, picking suits and sarees for herself from the shops.

So yes! This was finally the end of our Delhi expedition which not only helped me complete my school project, but also gave countless memories and delighItful moments to come back to!

The culture, the food, the architecture, the people- I must say, nothing can beat Dilwalon ki Dilli!

[thatrandombloggerfromindia]

Blog 1- This is Delhi, The chaotic wonderland (Part 1)

Shambhavi Somvanshi

Delhi, also known as the city of Indra, is located in India. It is the capital of the country and the heart and soul of Indian civilization.

I was 7 when I visited the capital city for the first time. I had been living in Gurgaon, which is around 35 Km from Delhi, but had never been there until a school project came my way. The topic of the project was, " Write about your latest travel experience and paste pictures of the same."

So here was the perfect opportunity for me!

Got all dolled up, I was wearing a colorful jumpsuit with open hair  and pink barbie sunglasses. My mother was wearing a green chikankari kurta with a pair of jeans.

We reached the MG Road metro station.

The station was gigantic, with passengers moving all over the place in order to board their respective trains.

The gray colored trains were gorgeous from inside. With separate sections for males and females, they had huge windows and displays. There were also announcements being made in soothing male and female voices about the upcoming stations.

We boarded the one that would take us to Qutub Minar. It took us 19 minutes in crossing 8 stations and reaching our final destination, Qutub Minar.The world's tallest brick minaret , what a beauty it was!

The 238 Ft. monument, made of sandstone and marble, was such a endearing site for the sore eyes.

The tourist guide told us that the Qutub Minar  was built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in 1193. It is also known as victory tower because it was made in order to celebrate the Muslim dominance in Hindu ruler's defeat. 

I was completely in awe of it. I spent my time capturing the monument and adoring its beauty. That sequence was amazing even to me as a youngster. I observed my surroundings. There were ice cream, popcorn , small games, binoculars , balloons being sold at the periphery of the entrance gate. There were kids who were wanting to play the games and the famous cola flavored ice cream and their parents, who were  giving them the money for the same. There were thousands of people around me,knocking into me, but I didn't care because I couldn't hear any of the commotion around me. I was utterly mesmerised by Qutub Minar; that is its allure and its enchantment. We stayed there for around 45 minutes. The monument was also surrounded by a beautiful garden and several other historical monuments. We sat in the garden where me and mom sat together and talked about the monument, my friends and my school. It was now time to move to our next destination. Wondering what our next destination was? I would be sharing about it in my next blog. Please stay tuned!

[thatrandombloggerfromindia]

Hellloo, new blogger out here! Blog 1 coming out very soon :) Need some love and support!