Here are the infrequent essays and columns I talk about.
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Like Thiruchitrambalam, Dhanush’s Velai Illa Pattadhaari shows family’s role in individual’s self-discovery
The ordinary, drama-free, supportive family is a rarity in Tamil cinema — one that Velai Illa Pattadhaari does remarkably well.
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Sai Pallavi’s Gargi sets the records straight 28 years after Revathy’s Priyanka
Gargi is Priyanka’s do-over. Gargi bears in mind all the mistakes that Priyanka made and resists them.
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Like Rocketry, another Tamil biopic Iruvar stresses too much on personal than political
Yet, as an interpretation of the life and times of two of Tamil cinema’s most significant political figures, Iruvar returns empty, despite being one of the very few films exploring the era.
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Loved Urvashi in Veetla Vishesham? Watch another episode of elderly love in Pannaiyarum Padminiyum
What we see is really a couple who have grown old together, becoming almost the same person, as couples often do. There is a beautiful rhythm to their actions that is a delight to watch.
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Looking for a Vikram-like Kamal Haasan tribute? Watch his 2015 film Uttama Villain
Ranjani scours the history of South cinema to recommend a companion piece to this week’s release.
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Meera Chopra vs Jr NTR Fans: Why Does Love For A Male Film Star Often Manifest Itself As Hatred For Women?
“Telugu films r best agree or die (sic)”, someone told me early last month, promptly ending that tweet with a skull emoji.
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Killing time: A murder mystery, a society on the brink — Death in Buenos Aires is Natalia Meta’s commentary on ’80s Argentina
What I love about Natalia Meta’s Death In Buenos Aires is how clever the writing and filmmaking is, even if the mystery itself is pretty straightforward.
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Serial chiller: Mr Family Man — Praveen Kumar’s comedy show is uncompelling, except for a short burst of multilingual wordplay
Praveen Kumar, whose Tamil stand-up comedy show titled Mr Family Man dropped on Amazon Prime last Friday, begins with his central argument: That a family man is an unsung superhero. He promises to demonstrate, through personal experience, why a he thinks so. Except, he doesn’t.
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Killing time: In 2011’s Baishe Srabon, literal proof that a satisfying detective story is always about the poetry of pursuit
Of all its pleasures, the one thing that makes the film linger in my mind is its almost naive-idealist approach to police procedure.
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Serial Chiller: Kannamoochi Review — An indifferent web series where the horror isn’t scary and the thriller has no mystery
In five episodes of about 25 minutes each, Kannamoochi is harried. The game of hide-and-seek as a thematic undercurrent is flimsy. Overall, it ends up being an indifferent effort devoted neither to the craft or the cause.
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Serial chiller: Topless Review — This absurdist action-drama is certainly not for everyone.
At a run-time of over 140 minutes, Topless is not an easy watch if you’re not a fan of the absurdist action genre.
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Serial Chiller: Queen review — Slow and brooding, Ramya Krishnan stars in a craftily made, J Jayalalithaa-inspired hagiography
With over ten hours of content, Queen is certainly not for binge-watching. In that, it’s slow and brooding, making you invest more of yourself in it. It invites you to sit down and feel for the Shakti. “Oh, poor girl,” the show wants us to think, and condemn the injustices of her past.
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Serial Chiller: Karoline Kamakshi review — Meena, and Tamil audiences, deserve better than this hotchpotch of ineptitude
A reckless French intelligence agent in Pondicherry. A lazy disrespected CBI agent in Chennai. A missing treasure named Virgin Mary. Gruesome smugglers. International incidents. A looming war. What could possibly go wrong in this time-tested premise? Everything apparently.
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Serial Chiller: Police Diary 2.0 — Without skill or sense, the show is a mishmash of unnecessary sex, institutional violence and machoism
As institutional violence and police brutality rise at alarming rates in this country, I place Police Diary 2.0 within the context of Tamilnadu’s law enforcement history. And lament how creative folks repeatedly align themselves with the casteist, patriarchal, oppressing establishment.
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Dubbing, subtitles and clever casting: Is the web really creating pan-India content?
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Serial Chiller: Zee5’s Fingertip is a highly relatable, acutely watchable series about modern Tamil lives
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Ms. En Scene: Call Me A Hypocrite, But Jyotika Should Do ‘Mass’ And Ajith Should Stop
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How Vadivelu’s comedy gave Tamil people a language of mockery and memes