Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 33

Heesu in Class 2: 20 Differences Between Webtoon and Live-Series

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When the Korean series Heesu in Class 2 started streaming, a lot of fans of the original webtoon expressed their disappointment over how different the live-action show was from the source material. And honestly, the fans aren’t wrong to feel a little cheated. So, here’s a list of 20 big and small ways the webtoon and live-action series (starring Ahn Ji Ho as Lee Heesu) differ, even though they are both primarily about Heesu’s crush on his childhood best friend Chan Young, and his growing proximity with handsome neighbor and classmate Seung Won.

Also Read: Heesu in Class 2 Review: More Like ‘Teens in Class 2’

Major spoilers ahead.

In the webtoon, Heesu lives with his family, including his dad, mom, and three sisters. But in the live-action series, it’s only the siblings sharing a flat, while the parents are never in sight. Maybe they didn’t have the budget for the parents, or didn’t see the point. At least this change doesn’t make much of an impact, because in the comics, Heesu’s parents don’t have a major role either.Chan Young is portrayed as an ace athlete who loves tennis in the live-action series, although in the webtoon, he is just another regular kid.Heesu is a lot more philosophical and an astronomy enthusiast in the series, but in the webtoon, he is more cheerful and not as introspective. Depending on the viewer, some might enjoy Heesu’s deeper reflections in the live-action version.The live-action series places a lot more focus on Chan Young’s personal life at home, depicting his fraught relationship with his father, something that isn’t featured in the webtoon.In the series, Chan Young even ‘runs away’ from home and stays with Heesu for quite a few days due to a fight at home. This certainly doesn’t happen in the webtoon, although he does occasionally sleep over at Heesu’s place when he wants to avoid his parents.A very big difference between the series and the webtoon is the fact that the webtoon doesn’t have any romance between Chan Young and Ji Yu. In both versions, Ji Yu is shown to be Seung Won’s friend, but nothing romantic develops between her and Chan Young.There’s a small subplot in the series about Heesu trying to get approval for a late-night stargazing club at school, but this doesn’t happen in the webtoon.In the series, Chan Young and Ji Yu start dating early on, while the webtoon keeps them as friends until the end. So essentially, the series serves two primary pairs – Chan Young and Ji Yu, and the slow-burn romance between Heesu and Seung Won. In the webtoon, the later chapters feature a completely different romantic story between Heesu’s classmate and a junior.In the webtoon, there’s a fun little trip that Heesu and his friends take, along with Ji Yu’s friends, to her family property. But in the series, we get a more cozy overnight camping trip that only four of them go on – Heesu, Seung Won, Chan Young, and Ji Yu. Honestly, the webtoon trip looked more fun, with sun, swimming pool, and games.A good change in the show was the addition of a third friend who constantly hangs out with Heesu and Chan Young, so Heesu isn’t entirely dependent on Chan’s friendship.A major subplot in the series is a mystery involving someone secretly leaving little notes and juice packs on Heesu’s desk at school. These incidents do not happen in the webtoon.Now for a major spoiler and one of the biggest changes, Chan Young in the webtoon knows Heesu has a crush on him, but in the live-action series, Chan Young is completely oblivious to his best friend’s feelings. It makes more sense for someone to understand their childhood best friend’s emotions.In the webtoon, there are some rumors at school about Chan Young and Heesu dating, which appear briefly in the live-action too. But again, Chan is shown to be aware of the hearsay in the webtoon, while that’s not the case in the show.Chan Young is essentially a lot more perceptive about social cues in the webtoon. He figures out early on that Seung Won might have a crush on Heesu. His suspicions are confirmed when he overhears Seung Won talking about his feelings with Ji Yu. None of this happens in the series.In fact, Chan Young actively plays matchmaker for Seung and Heesu in the webtoon—a big difference from the show, which instead adds drama by showing Chan Young misunderstanding Seung Won’s friendship with Ji Yu.This brings us to Ji Yu, who is just another regular teen in the webtoon, and best friends with Seung Won. But to add some glamour and K-pop charm, the live-action show makes her a famous singer on YouTube, though she doesn’t show her face.Needless to say, there’s no subplot about Ji Yu participating in a high-profile music competition in the webtoon, since she isn’t even a singer.The confession scene between Heesu and Seung Won is way cuter in the webtoon, and doesn’t feature the tear-inducing tension shown in the series. As many viewers complained, a lot of their cute moments from the webtoon didn’t make it into the live-action.Chan Young does not lash out at Heesu when he ultimately hears about his sexuality and unrequited crush, which honestly didn’t make much sense in the live-action series. Sure, they make up soon enough, but why would you be mean to a friend who gathered the courage and trust to come out to you?Overall, the webtoon is a lot more comedic, cute, and fun than the live-action series, and maintains its focus on its titular protagonist – Heesu in Class 2. As it should.

Read Next: Something’s Not Right Series Review: Friendzone Terrors

Also Read: ‘Gel Boys’ Review: Situationship Hell (Short Audio Review below)

The Royals Review: Ishaan’s Raja & Bhumi’s ‘AamKumari’ Click

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Someone online said that Netflix’s 2025 series The Royals looked like Bollywood’s answer to Bridgerton from the trailer. And now that I’ve watched the eight-part series starring Bhumi Pednekar and Ishaan Khatter as leads, the first few episodes made me think of it as a more fluffy, romantic, royal version of Guy Ritchie’s series The Gentlemen, minus the action and violence. While The Gentlemen was about a British aristocrat inheriting his father’s estate and solving the family’s financial troubles, The Royals too is about a reluctant prince inheriting his father’s kingly title and palace, only to find out it comes with loads of debt.

Created by Neha Sharma, The Royals starts off by introducing Bhumi Pednekar as the ambitious Sophie, a CEO of a hospitality start-up keen on unveiling an exclusive new BnB experience that will allow holidayers to not just stay in royal palaces, but also wine and dine with royalty. Sophie must now convince the royal family of Morpur to sign a deal with her, but the entitled prince Aviraaj Singh, played by Ishaan Khatter, keeps complicating her business plans, even though he really needs the BnB money, what with just the water bill running in seven digits!

The Morpur royals are fictional but also hilariously real in their disconnect with common people’s problems and their love for horses, cars, alcohol, and other finer things in life. While Sophie is fiercely independent, hard-working, and self-made, Aviraaj Singh is a royal brat who loves to spend most of his time partying in New York, far away from his bare-minimum princely duties. So, Aviraaj isn’t interested in becoming the next king and carries some strong emotional baggage connected to his deceased father, played by Milind Soman in photographs and brief flashbacks. The Royals uses the classic trope of opposites attract to set up an entertaining romance between Bhumi’s Sophie and Ishaan’s Aviraaj. They make an adorable onscreen couple, although their characters could’ve used some more romantic development. The primary conflict in the story revolves around Sophie and Aviraaj clashing over how to raise money and publicity for the BnB at his palace, and of-course, the ‘situationship’ vibes between them.

Vihaan Samat hilariously portrays Aviraaj’s younger brother Digvijay Singh, who is more rooted in Morpur and disappointed that he wasn’t made the next king. In a breath of fresh air, the sibling rivalry between Aviraaj and Digvijay is kept light and comedic, with Digvijay simply resigning to his secret hobby of cooking in the kitchen rather than plotting a killing. Not like Morpur is worth murder, the royals have no money, and their late leaves leaves a huge trust fund to an unknown person named Maurice. If you know the classic by the same name, you’ll be able to guess where that mystery is headed in the very first episode.

Kavya Trehan plays the third sibling, princess Divyaranjini Singh, a sweet airhead with an unnecessary romantic subplot that adds little to the show. Sakshi Tanwar, however, is surprisingly delightful as their queen mother Padmaja Singh, an unserious spendthrift who loves expensive paintings and jewellery, and is encouraged by her senior Maji Saheba (Zeenat Aman) to enjoy her widowhood and court men. Sumukhi Suresh plays Sophie’s junior Keerthana, a minor character, but she is perfectly understated as a wallflower assistant bumbling in the background.

The Royals is meant to be a real-life fairytale romantic comedy, so I watched it in the same spirit. And while it’s not roaringly funny, the first half of the show is consistently light-hearted in its mood, with plenty of mildly funny moments and exchanges. The second half packs in some more emotional moments, yet the lighter moments continue to be peppered throughout the serious sequences without feeling awkward.

The cinematography is gorgeous, and viewers who’ve been to Jaipur will instantly recognize Morpur’s Motibagh Palace as the Jaipur City Palace. The settings are ornate, and most of the costumes are stunning, including Sophie’s “aam kumari” wardrobe. The background score is a mixed bag. Some of the songs were catchy, but nothing that would make you hit Shazam when you hear it at a party. On the other hand, the dance sequences were fun to watch, especially since Ishaan Khatter is a great dancer, and Nora Fatehi has a cameo that allows her to show off her groovy moves too.

Overall, if you’re looking for a romance that offers a fun escape from reality, The Royals is pretty binge-worthy.

Rating: 3.5 on 5. Stream it on Netflix.

Read Next: Superboys of Malegaon: Ode to DIY Cinema (Audio Version Below)

Flowers of Evil Volume 11 Review: Goodbye Chaos

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“Long time no see.”

Well, what an unexpected climactic edition this turn out to be! Volume 10 of ‘Flowers of Evil’ by Shuzo Oshimi had ended with Kasuga and girlfriend Tokiwa successfully location the restaurant where Nakamura lives. Nakamura, in fact, turns out to be their server, and to Kasuga’s surprise, she makes no show of recognizing him, simply walking away from their table after placing the food.

Volume 11 of Flowers of Evil marks the end of the manga series and begins with the trio meeting at the beach. An emotional Kasuga finally confronts his former bully-turned-friend about why she pushed him off the stage when they had planned to self-immolate during the town festival. Nakamura’s response is cruelly casual, indicating that her core personality probably remains unchanged. Regardless, the two of them fight it out, letting simmering resentments and anger come to the surface.

After starting out as a twisted tale about desire, isolation, and human perversion, Flowers of Evil evolves into a story about redemption and second chances. The final chapters feel jarringly different from the earlier volumes, it’s ‘crazy’ versus ‘normal’, and I enjoyed Kasuga’s more mundane struggles at school over his ridiculous antics with Nakamura. What Oshimi ultimately presents is a story about redemption and moving forward. Kasuga could’ve gotten into serious trouble with the cops for the public suicidal stunt he pulled with Nakamura, but instead, he simply moves to another town and gets to start afresh. Despite a few hiccups, the teen protagonist is able to put his troubled past behind him and find stability – an underrated win.

Since Shuzo Oshimi never really gives us a backstory for Nakamura, I remain convinced she was nothing but a bored brat who acted out whenever the opportunity came her way. However, in a surprise extra flashback chapter, Oshimi hints that Nakamura may have had serious issues in comprehending the world like other kids her age. Frenzied panels, drawn as if in a murderous rage, depict Nakamura’s disturbed state of mind, and the final pages are left open to reader interpretation.

While the artwork wasn’t particularly impressive in the first few volumes, it kept getting progressively better as the series went on. At first, I thought Oshimi could’ve wrapped up Flowers of Evil in just four volumes, and the middle stretch really makes you wonder how he’d eventually close the Nakamura chapter in Kasuga’s life. Well, he does it realistically, even if it isn’t the kind of ending some might’ve hoped for. I think Oshimi delivers a pretty strong climax, one that’s filled with the promise of an optimistic future for Kasuga.

Rating: 4 on 5.

Read Next: No Longer Human Review: A Tragic Masquerade in Motion

Also Read: Superboys of Malegaon: Ode to DIY Cinema (Audio Version Below)

Alienated #2 Review: Shrines, Siblings, and a talking Alien

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Set a few weeks after the alien contact on Earth, issue #2 of Alienated by Taki Soma and John Broglia begins with a broadcast reporter talking about humans setting up ‘shrines’ to worship the aliens. The first panel of the issue is comedic, with alien posters and painted walls behind the reporter saying things like “aliens knew” and “they died to warn us.”

Issue #1 of Alienated ended with TJ introducing his grandchildren, Lily and Winter, who are still in school, to the living alien he found. TJ’s alien is one of the rare surviving aliens, while most others were discovered dead across the planet. The chapter ended with a cliffhanger showing the alien seeing some spooky lights that aren’t visible to humans, indicating something dangerous might already be afloat.

With each issue being only 25 pages long, I am still not certain what to think of Alienated, which is a six-part series, although the artwork is fun and the plot is mildly intriguing. Issue #2 focuses more on the personal dynamics between the human characters, like TJ’s blooming romance with a lady at the care home, or the bickering yet supportive sibling bond between Lily and Winter. As far as the alien is concerned, it is still learning how to communicate in English, and its language skills are not yet at the point where it can explain what really happened to the others. So there’s a strong element of mystery over the fate of the deceased aliens and what could happen next.

If you haven’t started this series yet, probably just wait for more issues to be out and I will post an overall review of the comic book series.

Alienated is also on Kindle Unlimited.

Read Next: ‘The Girl Who Owned a City’ Graphic Novel Review

Also Read: Shubeik Lubeik Review: Fantastic Blend of Magical Realism (audio version below)

Business As Usual Review: Strong ‘Kemi’, Weak Returns

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

“I always feel insecure around him. He makes me feel smaller.”

“Isn’t that indication that you like him too much?”

What? No! What kind of twisted logic is that?! If you’re going to bring in a random friend to give the main character some romantic advice to push them toward pursuing love, at least make the conversation make sense. Feeling insecure in a relationship is awful, and no good friend would suggest seeing someone who makes you feel that way. The Korean series ‘Business as Usual’ serves up a disappointing, clichéd climactic episode after starting on a hot, steamy note, and then going cold.

Directed by Min Chae Yeon, ‘Business as Usual’ is two episodes shorter than her last drama ‘Happy Merry Ending’, and maybe marginally better. Debut actor Chae Jong Hyeok plays primary protagonist Kim Min Jun, a 30-year-old stuck in a boring 9-to-5 job with no personal life. However, new drama enters his life when his college ex-boyfriend Chae Jin Hwan (Seong Seung Ha) joins the same office and starts to test the waters. Flashbacks reveal how a misunderstanding tore them apart, but can they put their bitter estrangement behind them?

Flashbacks show how Min Jun overhears a few things, misunderstands boyfriend Jin Hwan and ghosts him completely. Jin Hwan has no clue why he was dumped, which is weird, because they are probably mid-semester, so how hard can it be to get in touch with someone studying at the same college? Also, why is it so hard for writers to give couples real-life problems instead of imaginary ones? Most of Min Jun’s issues with Jin Hwan are in his head, and they refuse to talk things out for eight years. But at least, once they reunite, Jin Hwan confronts Min Jun head-on and gets the truth out. So, a few extra points to the creators for not dragging the drama out after they meet as working adults.

Actors Chae Jong Hyeok and Seong Seung Ha have good onscreen chemistry, or like the Koreans say ‘kemi’; however, the romantic plot is too stale, despite the characters being refreshingly forthright about their sexuality. When the leads meet as colleagues eight years later, their company is working on a dating manual of sorts, which will remind viewers of the Korean series ‘Our Dating Sim’, which had pretty much the same plot: a misunderstanding leads to the protagonist ghosting his crush, and they reunite years later. At least the insecurities were milder in ‘Our Dating Sim’, and it also had a pleasant, peachy palette. Business As Usual, on the other hand, features some annoying cinematography, with shiny light effects and filters that scuttle romantic moments.

Overall, ‘Business As Usual’ is an okay-ish romance, with a familiar tale and good-looking leads, and a super predictable (also rushed) climax. If that’s enough to get you to hit “watch” on something, give it a go.

Rating: 5.5 stars on 10. Watch ‘Business As Usual’ on Viki or iQIYI.

Read Next: Something’s Not Right Series Review: Friendzone Terrors

Also Read: ‘Gel Boys’ Review: Situationship Hell (Short Audio Review below)

‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Teaser Sets Up A Creepy Farewell

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Don’t touch anything. Everything you see in here is either haunted, cursed, or been used in some sort of ritualistic practice. Nothing’s a toy. Not even the toys…”

And the camera slowly pans to the shelf holding the creepy Annabelle doll as Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) says the last few words about the toys not being toys.

The teaser trailer for The Conjuring: Last Rites offers creepy glimpses into the new movie, which brings back actors Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson for one last haunting as the famous real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.

The trailer kicks off by taking viewers into the infamous room where the Warrens keep all the ‘relics’ from hauntings they’ve helped solve (or not). From the painting of Valak from The Nun to the Crooked Man lamp from The Conjuring 2, eagle-eyed fans will instantly recognize plenty of familiar horrors.

Directed by Michael Chaves (who previously helmed The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It), the film also brings back Steve Coulter as Father Gordon and introduces a strong supporting cast, including Rebecca Calder, Elliot Cowan, and Kíla Lord Cassidy.

While the teaser for The Conjuring: Last Rites features the usual lineup of creepy dolls, sudden jump scares, and children creepily crawling around and spooking adults, it promises to be a solid farewell to the paranormal couple who’ve become horror fan favorites. As the camera lingers on objects from past hauntings, the teaser subtly reminds fans that this isn’t just a standalone tale – it’s the culmination of a horror legacy built over a decade.

While Ed and Lorraine Warren have always been the emotional core of these films, Last Rites expands its focus slightly by bringing their daughter Judy (Mia Tomlinson) and her boyfriend Tony Spera (Ben Hardy) into the fold. Whether they’ll carry forward the legacy or simply offer a fresh perspective remains to be seen, but their presence adds a new generational dynamic to the chilling storyline.

The Conjuring: Last Rites haunts theaters September 5. Watch the trailer on YouTube, it’s also embedded below.

Something’s Not Right Series Review: Friendzone Terrors

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

‘I like you’

‘I like you too.’

That’s got to be the easiest way to wrap up a love confession, right? You tell someone you like them, and they say, “Oh, I like you back!” That’s the dream. But not in the Korean series Something’s Not Right, where the protagonist says it to his childhood best friend, who even says it back, but apparently mistakes it for a platonic reaffirmation of being “besties for life”! Who’s to blame?

Directed by Seong Yu Hwan, the Korean series Something’s Not Right stars Choi Min Ho as protagonist Do Ba Woo, a ridiculously cute but insecure university student, who is in unrequited love with his childhood best friend Ji Hyun (Jung Je Hyeon), a dense aspiring musician. Tired of being in the ‘friendzone,’ Do Ba Woo tells Ji Hyun he wants to cut ties. However, when another student, Jung Ha Min (Ji Min Seo), accidentally reads Ba Woo’s personal diary – mistaking it to be an unfinished fictional story about unrequited love – Ha Min eggs Ba Woo on to participate in a webtoon contest with him and finish the tale. So, with some inputs from Ha Min, Ba Woo once again tries to pursue Ji Hyun, this time suggesting they date for a week and see how things go.

How do things go? Frustratingly slow. The frustration is softened by the fact that all the lead actors are incredibly good-looking/handsome/cute, and other synonyms for being a visual treat. But damn, Do Ba Woo is a self-sabotaging freak and is excessively mean to the Labrador-like Ji Hyun, who clearly values Ba Woo’s friendship, follows him everywhere, and makes the viewer feel like either he has zero romantic sensibility or is too innocent to view his relationship with Ba Woo in any other light. Either way, it’s hard not to like Ji Hyun, and actor Ji Min Seo adorably portrays this ‘lost cause’ of a character. So yes, something’s not right with Do Ba Woo, because he is well aware of his friend/crush’s inability to “read the room,” and instead of being more forthright with Ji Hyun, he continues to be cryptic and shifty.

For those readers who might not know this: these characters exist in the same universe as the Korean series Blueming, which was adapted from the webtoon Who Can Define Popularity?. In fact, the live-action series also featured a young guy playing the guitar with the initials D.B.W engraved on it, short for Do Ba Woo, in the climactic episode. But while Blueming had a simpler yet fulfilling romantic plot, things in Something’s Not Right are complicated for no reason. Oh, and the series also includes a minor subplot about Do Ba Woo’s co-worker having a crush on someone, which was completely pointless.

What I did enjoy the most about Something’s Not Right is how there’s some subtle romantic potential between Do Ba Woo and Ha Min (actor Ji Min Seo looks like a heartthrob, btw), and the creators make it difficult to guess where things will go. Actor Choi Min Ho had ample onscreen chemistry with both Jung Je Hyeon and Ji Min Seo, but sometimes, just mere eye contact between Do Ba Woo and Ha Min was butterfly-inducing. Will Ha Min remain in the role of unwitting cupid between the pair, or snatch DBW for himself?

For me, I thought, regardless of who Do Ba Woo ended up with, he’d be the lucky one, because he is such a drama queen! But also – too cute. Yeah, clearly, some of us enjoyed this show a lot more than usual because of the pretty men in it.

Rating: 6 on 10. Watch the series on Viki.

Read Next: Heesu in Class 2 Review: More Like ‘Teens in Class 2’

Also Read: ‘Gel Boys’ Review: Situationship Hell (Short Audio Review below)

Honey Don’t Trailer: Margaret Qualley Turns PI on Chris Evans’ Culty Preacher?!

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After spooking viewers as the scarily-sexy Sue in the body-horror flick The Substance, Margaret Qualley is all set to play a small-town private investigator named Honey O’Donahue in the dark comedy Honey Don’t! by Ethan Coen. And damn, the trailer is rife with punches, whackings, stabbings, and gun shootings! Practically every second person in the film seems like a gun-toting nutcase. Plus, we get Chris Evans in a whole new avatar: a corrupt preacher-like figure in a mysterious cult-like church. A series of violent deaths leads Honey on the trail of this very church, where shady activities are in abundance.

The film also stars Aubrey Plaza and Charlie Day in crucial roles, although the trailer doesn’t reveal too much, and thankfully so. But Aubrey is a cop and the trailer opens with Honey receiving an address from her. It’s Chris Evans who hilariously stands out in the trailer as a preacher who delivers sermons by day and orchestrates kinky little orgies by midday.

“Hector, not in the sacristy!” Chris’ character yells in the trailer, as a young man points a gun at him while he’s in bed with two women. Well, now we know what kind of prep some priests do in that room. It’s pretty clear the church business isn’t what it seems, but why people are turning up dead in Honey’s little town and their connection to the church is the real mystery.

The trailer looks darkly comedic and promises a twisty, violent thriller with a fab cast. Honey Don’t! is set to release in theaters on August 22. Watch the trailer on YouTube, it’s also embedded below.

Mona Lisa Smile: Years Later, Julia Roberts Is Just as Magnetic

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

A few years ago, a close friend of mine shared a really cool picture of a painting she’d done, except that she had only colored it. She said it was a ‘paint by numbers’ kit, and that she was inspired to buy it after watching the Julia Roberts movie ‘Mona Lisa Smile’. “I LOVE that movie,” she excitedly declared. So, I made a mental note to watch it some day.

(Diclaimer: This isn’t really a review, so spoilers ahead)

Directed by Mike Newell and written by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal, the 2003 movie is set in the 1950s and follows Julia Roberts as Katherine Ann Watson, a newly appointed art history professor at the prestigious Wellesley College for women. In her first class, she is flummoxed by her wealthy, snooty students, all of whom already know everything she plans to teach – they’ve read the entire course material before the semester even begins. So when Katherine goes a little off-syllabus in her second class, the girls are humbled, and soon the new professor becomes a favorite among many of them, encouraging them to challenge social norms and the traditional roles assigned to women. She ruffles a lot of pearls, and makes even the most ‘perfect’ students question what they really want from life.

Kirsten Dunst plays Betty Warren, the ‘problem’ student, a ‘Miss Know-It-All’ who runs a scathingly critical column, morally policing those on campus. So the progressive Katherine Ann Watson becomes her target, with the new professor’s proximity to Betty’s closest friend Joan (Julia Stiles) further irking her. When, despite being brilliant at academics, Betty marries mid-semester, she is furious to learn that Katherine has swayed Joan’s opinion on a crucial life decision. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Ginnifer Goodwin memorably portray two other students – Giselle Levy and Connie Baker, respectively – the former having an affair with a male professor, while the latter struggles with self-esteem issues and romance. But both women, like many of their classmates, share a deep admiration for the new art teacher.

One of the most compelling aspects of Mona Lisa Smile is how a progressive professor like Katherine can profoundly influence the young students around her. Julia Roberts is radiant as the charismatic academic, her million-dollar smile lighting up the screen. However, at times, Katherine’s character feels as though she’s been written by a man – which she was – but more so, she seems to be written like a man. It’s as if the writers pondered, “What if we made a 1950s film about a female teacher who behaves like a man?” My friend remarked, “That’s the whole point of the film, to showcase how people react differently when a woman does the same things a man would do.”

I understand her perspective, yet some of Katherine’s traits align with her feminine personality, while others don’t quite fit. For instance, she’s portrayed as deeply in love with a long-distance boyfriend. When he visits for Christmas, they spend time together, but despite her ‘progressive’ stance and the film’s portrayal of her as a ‘free, male-like character,’ she ends up chasing him away on Christmas night. This action seems inconsistent. Would a man, after months without intimacy, turn down such an opportunity? It feels unlikely. Not just that, she loses a pretty great guy for a total dick.

Except for these inconsistent personality traits, Katherine Ann Watson is a lovable onscreen character, a professor who truly sees and appreciates her students, encouraging them to do more with their lives than simply become ‘trophy wives’. A lot of the student dynamics sometimes felt exaggerated, but overall, they are quite entertaining, especially when combined with the picturesque settings, and pretty costumes from the era.

It ends with a heart-warming cinematic scene of Katherine’s graduating class bidding her a goodbye, the kinds one would would remember forever. “My teacher, Katherine Watson, lived by her own definition, and would not compromise that. Not even for Wellesley. I dedicate this, my last editorial, to an extraordinary woman who lived by example and compelled us all to see the world through new eyes.” – a student writes about her.

Two decades later, Katherine Watson still leaves a favorable impression on the viewer in ‘Mona Lisa Smile’. So if you haven’t seen it yet, give it a go.

Mona Lisa Smile is available on Netflix.

Read Next: Superboys of Malegaon: Ode to DIY Cinema (Audio Version Below)

Superboys of Malegaon: Nostalgic Ode to DIY Cinema

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram) Click here for audio version

A bunch of small-town boys band together to make a movie, a parody of the Bollywood cult classic Sholay with a twist: it will be set in their own town, with rookie actors and local jokes. So, Thakur does a shimmy at the end of their film.

Superboys of Malegaon is based on real people, made popular by the 2008 documentary by Faiza Ahmed, Supermen of Malegaon. But while the documentary was about how a group of friends make movies with minimal resources, this film, directed by Reema Kagti and written by Varun Grover, Shoaib Nazeer, and bankrolled by big names like Zoya Akhtar, is as maximalist as a filmy movie set in a small town about middle-class aspirations can be. And ironically, despite its plural indication of protagonists, it’s largely centred on Nasir Shaikh (played by Adarsh Gourav), a film freak who helps run his elder brother’s video parlour.

The story begins in 1997, the year Salman Khan’s double-role hit Judwaa was released, and continues into the 2000s, tracking Nasir’s journey as an amateur filmmaker who makes spoofs of big hits set in his small town. Nasir is assisted by his ragtag group of friends in making his desi film: videographer Akram (Anuj Singh Duhan), factory worker Shafique (Shashank Arora), writer Farogh (Vineet Singh), among others. It immediately reminded me of the 2021 Tollywood movie Cinema Bandi, which tells the story of a group of village friends making a movie with limited funds after they find an expensive camera forgotten by someone. Both movies focus on ordinary individuals who are passionate about films, although Superboys of Malegaon borrows its story from real-life individuals.

Pyaar, dosti, daaru, drama, some solid jugaad, Superboys of Malegaon has a little bit of everything on offer, including a great nostalgic soundtrack, which is backed by a fantastic cast. A small subplot follows Nasir’s love life, which includes a failed love affair and then a new romance with family friend Shabeena (Muskkaan Jaferi). Interestingly, Adarsh Gourav and Muskkaan Jaferi have instant onscreen chemistry and even look adorable together, but their romance remains a fleeting element. Manjiri Pupala plays Trupti, a dancer hired to play the heroine is Nasir’s movies, and a possible romance brews between her and the shy Shafique. I wish these other characters had more screen-time through the film.

Manjiri Pupala and Shashank Arora in Superboys of Malegaon

Adarsh Gourav drives the movie as Nasir, who starts out as an aimless cinema fanatic binge-watching Bruce Lee and Charlie Chaplin movies in his free time but becomes the David Dhawan of Malegaon with his parody flicks. The creators then track the quintessential rise of a nobody, whose ego ultimately makes him crash and burn. But since Superboys of Malegaon is a filmy ode to small creators, it also gives its protagonist an emotional redemptive arc that will leave some viewers in tears; others might balk at the unexpected sappy turn of events.

One of the major conflicts of the tale is the creative difference between writer Farogh, who wants to make a film based on his ‘original’ idea, and Nasir, who is intent only on ripping off existing hits and rehashing them. Nasir focuses on comedic relief and commercial success in Malegaon, while Farogh hopes to create something more meaningful. Unfortunately, this pursuit of ‘originality’ is never realized. So, the climax is all about Nasir making yet another film, featuring the lanky Shafique playing ‘Malegaon ka Superman’, with his arc nemesis being a nefarious Gutka king who ‘loves kacchra’. It’s ridiculous yet fun.

What the real creators of the Malegaon films lacked in real life the producers of this movie had no dearth of: budget. There’s a calculated cinematic perfection in many frames that somehow makes the movie both a delight and feel slightly cosmetic. If you’re a Bollywood fan, you’ll most likely enjoy this slice of the early 2000s.

Rating: 3.5 on 5. The film on Prime Video.

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