Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 265
April 24, 2021
Ajeeb Daastaans Review – 4 Tales, Only 1 Worth Telling
If a movie is made up of four short films and only one of them is good, would you think it’s worth a watch? That’s the 2021 Bollywood film ‘Ajeeb Daastaans’ for you and I can’t decide if it should get a thumbs up or thumbs down. The four films are directed by four different directors and while three of them have a great cast too, only one story saves the day in this one, the one made by Neeraj Gaywan of ‘Masaan’ fame.
The biggest problem with ‘Ajeeb Daastaans’ is its title itself, it literally means “Strange Tales”, which obviously generates interest and intrigue in the viewer, but the tales fail to live up to the title. Let’s break the four stories down without any spoilers.
Majnu – The first story directed by Shashank Khaitan is about a wealthy couple trapped in a loveless arranged marriage. The husband never touches the wife, so she chooses to flirt with whoever comes her way. Will the entry of a new dashing accountant change their lives forever? Obviously, it has to, but in an unexpected way. While the basic plot of this short is quite akin to a lot of things we’ve already seen in many movies and stories, the ‘twist’ was definitely unexpected, but felt ‘forced’. As a viewer you don’t feel like “woah, didn’t see that coming”, instead you think “really? that doesn’t seem very plausible”. Also, there is nothing strange about the twist or the plot, if anything’s ‘strange’, it’s the maker’s idea of ‘strange’. There’s absolutely no foreshadowing for the climax, the director just cheats the viewer with an ending that most wouldn’t see coming. It’s like JK Rowling putting a twist in the last Harry Potter book – declaring that Voldemort is actually Harry’s real father. It’s would have been a twist that cheats the reader. You are given no signs that Voldemort could actually be Potter’s dad. But Rowling in the very last last chapter sneaks up a flashback of Harry’s mom having an affair with Voldemort. Not plausible? Exactly. Khilauna – Directed by Raj Mehta, the second short film is about a house-help who starts working in the house of a creepy rich guy in hopes that he can help restore her illegal electricity connection in her home. Nushrat Bharucha plays the poor but street-smart help, but she is not convincing in her role at all. Again, the twist in this story makes no sense. It’s not strange, but far-fetched. Geeli Pucchi – The third short was the shining beacon in this long movie. Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, it stars Konkona Sen Sharma and Aditi Rao Hydari, who were complete show stealers, backed by a very strong script. Konkona plays hardworking Bharti Mandal, a factory worker who is discriminated against at her work place due to her caste. An amateur upper caste Priya Sharma comes swooping down to steal the promotion Bharti had her eyes on. The two however form an unlikely friendship that has an unlikely conclusion too. Ironically, while this short film is the strongest link in ‘Ajeeb Daastaans’, it also is the most realistic and believable of them all, not ‘strange’ in any way. Neeraj Ghaywan poignantly captures class divides, sexual repression and the hidden desires of women. Konkona and Aditi Hydari brilliantly bring his vision to life. Ankahi – The fourth short directed by Kayoze Irani touches upon a subject rarely seen in movies – hearing disability. Shefali Shah plays Natasha, mother to an almost deaf young girl. Natasha is frustrated with the fact that her husband makes no effort to learn the sign language & starts doubting her marriage. Strangely enough, she meets a deaf photographer, who gives her a fresh take on life. This story was filled with old school sentimental stuff that would have perhaps moved viewers in the 1980s, but can only get amused smirks out of intelligent viewers. For example, the deaf photographer says he voluntarily chose not to use an implant that would’ve helped him hear, because “people always lie to him”. He claims that he prefers sign language because people “cannot lie with their eyes”. Sentimental soap-opera stuff right there. Either this deaf guy is a super privileged rich person who never has to walk on the streets, or just dumb. It almost felt like the makers unintentionally trivialize hearing disability. This short-film could’ve been a nice two minute romantic poem, but as an almost 30 minute long film, it was quite disappointing. Good acting by the cast cannot save this script. (I am aware I have said this in older reviews).If I had to allot 5 points for each film, I would perhaps give a 5/5 to “Geeli Pucchi”, maybe a 3/5 for Majnu, because the unadulterated Hindi was a joy to hear, the other two get a 2/5 each, which makes it 12/20, so that would make it a 6/10. So it’s a 6/10 from me for “Ajeeb Daastaans”.
Do check out our podcast on Youtube by the same name – AbstractAF!
Listen in, show support and subscribe to the channel (embedded below)
April 23, 2021
World’s First Novels & A Tragic ‘Story Poem’
It’s 23rd April, a day that is observed as ‘World Book Day’, to celebrate books, authors and to encourage the habit of reading. So in Episode 26 of Abstract AF’s podcast show, we discuss books and share a narrative poem from my debut book ‘Death & Darker Realms’.
Listen in and subscribe to the channel.
Since the theme this year is ‘share a story’, I am giving away my short story collection “Love, Loss, Lockdown” for free. So get it on your kindle, the offer is valid for 48 hours. Here are some country-wise links –
April 22, 2021
Bloom – Graphic Novel Review
Book number 37 for the year – “Bloom” by Kevin Panetta & Savanna Ganucheau. It’s a breezy book about teen Ari, who is dying to get out of his home-town to pursue a career in music. But his parents want him around to help with their ailing family bakery. When Ari attempts to find a replacement for himself, little does he know the move would change his life in different ways.
Ari symbolizes a lot of us ‘small town kids’, who often dream of going to the big city, hoping to strike some gold ir fame. However, more often than not, those dreams are not even ours. On some level, Ari just wants to run away from his responsibilities, hoping to find some sort of magic life in a far off city. Author Kevin Panetta weaves in relatable characters and relationships. And the art by Savanna Ganucheau is lively, cute and makes “Bloom” unputdownable. I only wish there were more colours in the panels. The whole graphic novel is only in shades of blue-green, which gives it a gloomy tone, even though the plot is largely bright and happy. There’s a lot of baking and the pages might make you crave for things you don’t have easy access to – like blueberry cookies.
Apart from all the baking, the sweetest thing in “Bloom” is Hector, the other protagonist in the book, who is easily the most likable character, he loves to bake, is hard-working, punctual, sweet and most importantly – dependable. In Hector we get a confident young gay man, who is sure of what he wants in life and has no emotional insecurities. Such characters are slightly rare in mainstream LGBTQ+ content. It’s obviously nice to have flawed/relatable characters, but once in a while, an almost perfect idealistic character is good to have too. Fiction is supposed to be an escape from reality after all.
Pick up ‘Bloom’, if you are looking for a sweet little tale that reminds you of the sun, sand and delicious baked goodies.
Please check our podcast by the same name on YouTube – AbstractAF.
If you want graphic novel recommendations, listen to episode 15.
April 21, 2021
Save Ralph – Waititi’s New Rabbit Story Stings
Sometimes, YouTube just knows what to recommend to you on your feed. Like Taika Waititi’s 2021 short animated film ‘Save Ralph’, which had a rabbit on the thumbnail. A lot of us who know the director from the award-winning ‘Jo Jo Rabbit’ probably didn’t think twice before clicking ‘watch’ on the video.
The four minute-short film is a stinging satire about a rabbit called Ralph, who takes us through a typical day in his ‘work life’. It’s such a small powerful film that revealing anything more than that would be a spoiler. But the stop-motion animation is brilliant, with bright pastel shades that betrays the dark theme of Ralph’s story.
‘Save Ralph’ is short, satiric and a scathing look at one of the most exploitative industries in the world – an industry that feeds on our insecurities. The powerful little story would move any viewer into thinking twice about a lot of things. If you haven’t seen it yet, please do. Embedding the short-film below.
April 20, 2021
Heaven Official’s Blessing – Quick Review
Since the 2020 anime series ‘Heaven Official’s Blessing’ is now on Netflix, here’s a quick belated review of the series to help you decide if you should watch it or not.
The story follows the adventures of a Chinese deity called Xie Lian, who doesn’t have a lot of worshipers and spends his time in the mortal realm trying to gain more followers. Xie Lian soon begins to encounter one strange event after the other and his fate seems to be intertwined with a powerful ghost king.
The series has been adapted from a novel by the same by name by author Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. She is the author of ‘Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation’, and if you’ve seen and liked that series, you’ll most definitely like this one too.
For those who are not used to watching/reading Chinese anime, it might be slightly confusing at first, but things get easier, fun and entertaining. There’s something amusing about watching a “God” live like a pauper, while fighting demons with a mysterious young man on his side.
Animated by the Haoliners Animation League, this series is visually quite stunning to look at. Some scenes look like water-paintings in motion. The animation makes this fantasy fiction story even more intriguing to watch. Don’t go in looking for romance, because it’s more about gods, demons, wars, generals and vengeance. Eleven episodes long, the protagonists in the show take on some might opponents, each with their own unique back-story. For example, in the first few episodes, Xie Lian tries to crack the mystery of a ‘ghost groom’, who keeps kidnapping brides. There’s plenty of subtle comic-relief in between.
While the show explores some dark themes, has a lot of blood and deaths, the overall mood is light; perhaps because of the overtly-optimistic hero Xie Lian. He is a balanced character, level-headed, calm and endearing. The banter between the lead pair is playful throughout, without being emotional or cringe-y at any point.
By the time I was done watching this series, I felt completely cheated because I wanted at least 10 more episodes. As a viewer you feel like you’ve only been half-way through a film and were evicted out of the theater mid-movie. Cannot wait for a season two. Don’t have a choice. It’s a 8/10 from me.
Check out podcast show on Youtube by the same name – AbstractAF
Listen in, show support and do subscribe to the channel (embedded below)
April 19, 2021
‘Minus One’ – Poetry Book Review
Finished reading book number 36 for the year – a poetry collection called “Minus One” by Elizabeth Merry. The stark black and white cover of this book is quite in contrast with the varied themes and colors of life the author explores through in it. So don’t be betrayed by the emptiness of the cover and tread into the world of Merry’s poetry.
Most poems deal with the themes of death and loss. I read all of them at least twice, sometimes more, to be able to read between the lines; to understand the despair and the eventual reconciliation to a life without the things one is used to. Perhaps a strict parent; a distant lover or a dear child.
Life and death co-exist in this book, I liked how Merry breathes life into something as inanimate as a laptop, which has perhaps become a more intimate object to people than people themselves. The longer free-form poems were a joy to read. There are a few Haikus in the collection too, and since I am not a big fan of the Haiku style, I was glad there weren’t many.
The one titled ‘My Sorrow’ was one of the most poignant poem in the collection, where the author talks of the fear of growing old, of losing one’s mind and having no other option but to accept that fate. Here are the first few lines from it –
“So now I know and
Must accept my fate
The sear of ice is
Burning in my breast…”
The poem echoes a universal anxiety that comes with age, because no loss is greater than losing your sense of self. While largely on the darker side, ‘Minus One’ is an ode to life and its ironies.
“My peers accept
Mortality
But what has that
To do with me?”
Merry asks in her last poem, and it’s deliciously ironic. It’s like the poet decided to have the last laugh as they ended the book. Well, mortality is most definitely not the business of any writer, since they will live on in their works. Considering it’s still “National Poetry Month” in America, pick up a copy of “Minus One” if you are looking to discover new voices. It’s a 4/5 from me.
Do check Abstract AF’s Podcast show on Youtube.
Here’s a poetry themed episode from the show –
April 18, 2021
‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ Review – Blyndingly Boring
The 2020 Netflix show ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ is a horror-drama about an ‘au pair’ (fancy word for nanny) who finds herself looking after two creepy kids living in a huge house filled with multiple ghosts.
Created by Mike Flanagan, this mini-series is only one season long, with nine episodes, but you’ll feel nine years older after you are done watching it. For seasoned horror fans, Bly Manor is blindingly boring and has been wrongly marketed as a ‘horror series’.
I list 10 reasons why this Netflix series is boring AF and just doesn’t work for some of us. Listen to the podcast episode and please subscribe –
April 17, 2021
Another Day
Our anxieties are invisible
like a stabbing in the gut
Unlike the ooze of a cut
On the skin of our lies
You’ve been breathing
And we’ve been fine
We’ve been waiting
For no word, no sign
If we cannot find home
in the stillness of our voice
It’s pointless to roam
In search for some light
Even birds abandon nests
After they learn to fly
Fledging too soon… fatal
We could fall, we could die
Do check Abstract AF’s Podcast show on Youtube.
Here’s a poetry themed episode from the show –
April 16, 2021
‘The Walking Dead’ Vs ‘Army of the Dead’
Zack Snyder had the world talking about the ‘Snyder Cut’ of the Justice League Film and then got us all shift out focus to his 2021 zombie themed film ‘Army of the Dead’. This at a time when horror fans already have enough of zombie themed content on their plate; like the 10+ seasons of ‘The Walking Dead’.
So what different can you expect from the Zack Snyder film? We discuss five ways in which the two zombie universes differ from each other in the latest episode of ‘Abstract AF’ the podcast. Listen in and please subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
April 15, 2021
The Trouble With Women – Quick Book Review
Book number 35 for the year – “The Trouble With Women” by Jacky Flemin. I randomly stumbled upon this title while looking for affordable graphic novels. The name was obviously triggering for a second (trouble with women? excuse me – we are perfect). Then I noticed it was by a woman author. “Ooh, interesting, a satire!” I thought and clicked ‘buy’ immediately.
While the book wasn’t exactly what I expected, it was hilarious, wittily expostulating wise old men and their arguments on why women could never be their intellectual equals. Flemin takes a dig at many a male “genius” in her comic panels, that could upset a certain audience. While I was hoping for a story of some sort, it read like a fun ‘black & white’ comic strip you come across in newspapers. Flemin’s art-style is caricature like, not exaggerated, but Chaplinesque, as if you are watching a comedy-of-errors unfolding on the pages.
The author begins hilariously by stating how there were no women in the “olden days”, which is why you don’t get to read about them in history text-books. She then goes on to talk of why there are such few women ‘geniuses’ and the role men played in keeping it that way.
One needs to take “The Trouble With Women” with a pinch of salt and revel in the humour. Loved this little book and would recommend it to those who know a joke when they see it.
Please check our podcast by the same name on YouTube – AbstractAF.
If you want graphic novel recommendations, listen to episode 15. And do subscribe!
