Axone (अखुनी)

"Axone (अखुनी)"

Watched Hindi movie "Axone (अखुनी)". This movie is directed by Nicholas Kharkongor. Produced by  Siddharth Anand Kumar and others. Written by Nicholas Kharkongor. Music Papon, Tajdar Junaid. Cinematography Parasher Baruah.

It stars Sayani Gupta, Vinayak Pathak, Adil Hussain, Lin Laishram, Dolly Ahluwalia, Tenzing Dalha, Rohan Joshi. I watched the movie on Netflix with Aditi on 19th Jun 2020.

A group of friends from Nort- East want to celebrate wedding of Meenam. Upasana, one of the girls in the group, is Nepali. They want to surprise Meenam with a NE special dish called Axone (pronounced अखुनी).

Axone is a dish made with pork meat and fermented soya. It has a very pungent odour but is considered a delicacy.

This movie is director's take on the problems they face while trying to cook the dish. Director also emphasizes on the issue of prejudice against North Eastern states, especially girls. 

The movie has all unknown actors, except Sayani Gupta. She is the central character. One really feels empathy for her character. There's always one in the group like her. Other actors also do well. 

The movie doesn't have much in story, so it is slow. Some may find it too slow. 

However,  it's good to watch such off beat movies once in a while. 

Watch if this review interests you. 

What's your number

"What's your number?"

Watched English movie "What's your number?". This film is directed by Mark Mylod. Screenplay by Gabrielle Allan, Jennifer Crittenden. Produced by  Beau Flynn, Trip Vinson. Music by Aaron Zigman. Cinematography J. Michael Muro. The film stars Anna Faris, Chris Evans,  Chris Pratt, Ari Graynor, Joel McHale, Dave Annabel and Martin Freeman. The film runs for about 2 hours. I watched it on Amazon Prime on 27th Jun 2020 with Aditi.

Ally already had 20 boyfriends. National research shows that girls who have had more than 20 boyfriends remain single. So Ally starts to have a second look at them with the help of her neighbour Colin. It's a bargain. Colin tracks down Ally's boyfriends and Ally helps him out with escaping from his string of one night stands.

Anna plays a girl in search of the right guy with poor judgement and one who listens to others rather than oneself. Chris plays a handsome Casanova who never knew love. Others play supporting roles. 

The movie charts familiar path with little to imagine. No unexpected twists. No surprises. Predictable ending. 

Why is Ally fixated on 'not to exceed' 20 boyfriends when Colin had had more than 300 girlfriends remains a mystery. 

Watch alone. Not suited for Indian family taste due to the concept.  

Choked: Paisa bolta hai ( चोक्ड़ : पैसा बोलता है)

"Choked: Paisa bolta hai ( चोक्ड़ : पैसा बोलता है)"

Watched Hindi movie 'Choked: Paisa bolta hai (चोकड : पैसा बोलता है)'. Directed by Anurag Kashyap. Produced by Kavan Ahalpara, Ajay Rai. Writer Nihit Bhave. Cinematography Sylvester Fonseca. Music Karsh Kale. It stars Saiyami Kher, Roshan Mathew, Amruta Subhash, Upendra Limaye, Tushar Dalvi, Rajashree Deshpande, Uday Nene. I watched this movie with Aditi, on Netflix, on 25th June 2020. The movie is about 1 hour 55 min long.

Sarita, a hard working bank clerk, is fed up with shortage of money and husband who can't hold a job. She discovers continuous supply of money in the choked drainage pipe of her sink. 

How does she use the money? What does she do? Does it change her? How? Are there consequences?

The movie is developed nicely. Almost until 75% the movie is interesting. Then things become a bit irrational and conveniently coincidental. Thus what could have been a very good end, doesn't remain very good. 

Saiyami is grand daughter of legendary actress Usha Kiran. She portrays the character of a Mumbai bank clerk to perfection. She acts well and although she originally looks good, here her beauty aspects are suppressed. Roshan plays good for nothing husband. His character is not likeable but turns likeable in the end. His character draws brownie points due to audience's sympathy for Saiyami. Other actors are all well known Marathi stage and film personalities and they play their roles to perfection. 

Why does the money come through drainage at a designated time? Why Sarita doesn't keep money in locker? Why investigators forget to trace the money from Kolhapur? How a closed shutter in one scene becomes open in next scene? These and such questions are better not asked. 

Watch for Saiyami.

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil girl (गुन्जन सक्सेना)

"Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil girl (गुन्जन सक्सेना)"

Watched Hindi movie "Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil girl (गुन्जन सक्सेना)". This movie is directed by Sharan Sharma. Writing credits Nikhil Malhotra and Sharan Sharma. Produced by Dharma Productions, Essel Vision Productions. Music John Stewart,  Amit Trivedi. It stars Janhavi Kapoor, Angad Bedi, Pankaj Tripathi, Manav Vij, Vineet Kumar Singh. I watched the movie on Netflix with Aditi on 14th Aug 2020.

Gunjan, daughter of a retired army colonel, dreams of flying and yearns to become a pilot. Against many odds she becomes a pilot, not for commercial airlines but for Indian airforce. 

Was the road to becoming airforce pilot easy? Were there hurdles? Were there pre conceived notions? Was there cooperation? Did she give up? Who was her rock of Gibraltar?

The story proceeds on expected lines and there are no twists or surprises. Director narrates the story simplistically. Not much drama, not much melodrama, no love angle. But while trying to keep the story close to reality, it has become plain. 

Manav Vij is very good. Angad Bedi and Vineet Kumar are good. Janhavi is not bad, but she could not get the bearing of tough girl, she looks vulnerable even when she is not supposed to. She looks silly rather than smart. 

Indian airforce is shown as masochistic, intolerant of females and resenting females. 

Watch it to understand the story of a real life hero, not for quality of movie or value for money. 

Shakuntaladevi (शकुन्तलादेवी)

"Shakuntaladevi (शकुन्तलादेवी)"

Watched Hindi movie "Shakuntaladevi". Direction Anu Menon. Written by Anu Menon, Nayanika Mahatani, Ishita Moitra. Produced by Sony Pictures, Networks India, Vikram Malhotra. Music by Sachin-Jigar. Cinematography Keiko Nakahara. The film features Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra, Amit Sadh and Jisshu Sengupta. The movie runs for about 2 hours 7 minutes. I watched it on 31st July 2020 with Aditi.

Shakuntaladevi was a genius. The one and only person who could do ultra complex sums mentally faster than a computer. She was called human computer. In this movie Shakuntaladevi is shown as vein, self centred genius.

However, this movie does not delve into her genius or try to find how she could do it. The first half is about her move to England and rise to fame. Her legendary skills and her stage shows. Second part is about her complex marriage and her tempestuous relationship with her daughter. Shakuntala hates her mother for not intervening when father was being tyrant but over compensates by interfering with her daughters life. A genius, huge publicity, lot of money is a recipe for disastrous personal relationships. 

It appears as if the director could not decide whether to present her life or relationship of mother-daughter. As a result there is a lack of focus on either. Thus the movie appears shallow rather than profound. 

Vidya does well, but doesn't look her beautiful self. Sanya does good, except the horrible wig she wears while portraying her younger self. Amit is very good. Cinematography of old era is eye pleasing. Don't remember any song. 

End of movie doesn't come naturally with the flow. It appears made up. Things happen too conveniently. Shakuntala's visit to ancestral house is very superficial (the light bulb works after so many years, there is just 1 trunk in empty room and it has exactly those important things that movie needs). Sudden realization of Shakuntala and her daughter about their respective mothers, daughter's laughable realization that she had a happy childhood etc..

The movie doesn't capture audience's imagination. Ok, not wow!

Not a must watch. 

Love shuv te chicken Khurana (लव शव ते चिकन खुरना

"Love shuv te chicken Khurana (लव शव ते चिकन खुरना"

Watched Hindi movie "Love shuv te chicken Khurana". This movie is directed by Sameer Sharma. Produced by produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Siddharth Roy-Kapur, Anurag Kashyap. Written by Sameer Sharma and Sumeet Batheja. Music Amit Trivedi, Cinematography Mitesh Mirchandani. It stars Kunal Kapoor, Vicky Koushal, Huma Qureshi, Anangsha Biswas, Rajesh Sharma, Rahul Bagga, Manish Makhija, Nimrat Kaur, Vinod Nagpal. I watched the movie on Netflix with Aditi on 5th Jun 2020.

Omi Khurana, a struggling man in UK owes 50,000 pounds to a gangster. Gangster packs him and sends to India to bring money because his grandpa runs one of the most popular Dhaba in Punjab. The prodigal son returns to his family (grand father, uncle, aunt and cousin) in Punjab.

What will he find in Punjab? Can he get the money from his family? Will he find his sweetheart there? What is Chicken Khurana?

His grandpa was famous for his secret recipe 'Chicken Khurana'. No one knew what he did to make it taste heavenly. On arrival he realizes that Grandpa can't cook anymore. The secret recipe is lost. He wants to sell Dhaba and get away with the cash, but there is a catch. 

Kunal looks handsome and acts well. He looks better in beard. Huma plays Dr. Harman and looks perfect Punjabi kudi. Acts decently. Rahul Bagga impresses. Vicky Koushal has only a guest appearance, as young Kunal. Others play supporting roles. Rajesh Sharma is good as usual. 

Direction is good. Keeps you entertained. Tries to end like a slapstick comedy. Music was ok, couldn't remember any song. Cinematography of rural Punjab is pleasing. 

Good time pass during Corona lock down. 

Life as we know it

"Life as we know it"

Watched English movie "Life as we know it". This movie is directed by Greg Berlanti. Produced by Barry Josephson and Paul Brooks. Written by Ian Deitchman and Kristin Rusk Robinson. Music Blake Neely, Cinematography Andrew Dunn. It stars Catherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel in lead roles, supported by Josh Lucas, Chritina Hendrics, Brooke Calgett. I watched the movie on Netflix with Aditi on 4th Jun 2020.

Friends (a couple) try to set up blind date of Messer and Holly. It's a disaster. They are very different. They hate each other. The couple dies in an accident and appoint Messer and Holly as guardians of Sophie, their toddler daughter. 

Will they accept guardianship? Can they stand each other? What will happen to Sophie?

It's a predictable story. Two persons hate each other. Fight. Compromise. What next? You know what. This movie is how that happens. 

Josh appears stiff while acting. He also wears a bad wig with bad hair style. Would have preferred another actor for the role. Catherine looks bad in the first scene,  beautiful some times and good otherwise. She is good, and acts well. Other characters support well. The Baby is very cute. 

The movie starts well, develops well, continues well but the end comes suddenly. The curve is smooth for most of the time but then suddenly falls. This should have been managed properly. 

Cinematography is good. Especialy the appetizing food items and the beautiful house. 

Watch it if you have time.