Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 80
August 14, 2024
Renfield Review: When Dracula’s Disgruntled Lackey Finally Quits
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Director: Chris McKay
Writers: Ryan Ridley, Robert Kirkman, Ava Tramer
This was so much fun! A retro-style, over-the-top vampire-themed gory horror comedy about Dracula’s underling/familiar/follower/servant, Renfield, deciding to stand up for himself after centuries of thankless servitude to his megalomaniac boss.
Nicholas Hoult is a total hoot as the titular protagonist of the 2024 movie Renfield, while Nicholas Cage plays the legendary Prince of Wallachia, AKA Dracula, who loves to drink the blood of happy young couples, nuns, and cheerleaders. Renfield is expected to hunt prey for his boss, while he himself is sort of the vegan version of vampires—he only eats bugs and, in an interesting twist, doesn’t combust when exposed to sunlight. Sick of being overworked and underappreciated, Renfield starts going to a support group to work on ending his co-dependent relationship with Dracula. However, when Dracula learns of Renfield’s rebellious new streak, he isn’t thrilled at all, and vows to destroy his lackey for even thinking of leaving.
Toxic bosses are the worst. But at least they are human, and you can wishfully hope for their death or, well, simply quit the job. Now imagine having the all-powerful, immortal Count Dracula as your employer, who wants you to be his eternal slave. Is quitting even an option? Renfield thus serves as both a horror-comedy and an inflated modern satire on toxic work cultures—if you’re willing to look at it that way.
Renfield also pays homage to the classic 1931 Dracula by featuring scenes of Nicholas Cage in black-and-white flashbacks as Dracula from scenes of the old film. I thought it was hilariously likable how Nicholas Cage’s makeup as Dracula is very campy, old-school, and garish, yet he manages to make the character convincingly evil and intimidating. Nicholas Hoult, on the other hand, as I already said earlier, is a riot as the nervous, tired Renfield, who tries his best to murder only the ‘bad guys’ to serve his master to feel less guilt and is exceedingly exhausted from constantly being on the run from vampire hunters and the law.
In an interesting subplot, Renfield’s path crosses with honest cop Rebecca (Awkwafina) at a bar, where Tedward Lobo (Ben Schwartz), the son of a notorious crime boss, puts a gun to her face and asks her to apologize to him, but she dares him to shoot her. Inspired by Rebecca’s ballsy courage, Renfield defends her from Lobo and his armed goons, resulting in a thrilling violent face-off at the bar. We’re talking The Boys level explosion of blood and guts. Lobo escapes, so now Renfield is not only wanted by the scary Dracula but also by a criminal syndicate for brutally killing several of their members. Awkwafina wasn’t in her best element as the earnest, principled cop intent on cleaning up crime in the city, and her slumpy posture throughout the runtime was distracting. But I guess fit cops with great posture are only for action movies.
Obviously, Renfield is not a serious movie, and it’s got several silly, exaggerated comical moments. I think my favorite was the one where Tedward (the name is probably meant as a dig at Twilight’s Edward) runs away from a crime scene, only to run into cops. He then flees from them with packets of cocaine, claiming they are prescription drugs. LOL. Lots of vampiric tropes find their way into the film and the climax delivers a funnily intense battle between Renfield and Dracula. The violence, laughs, are pretty consistent in this crisp 90-minute film, even though the special effects seem to be deliberately ghastly.
If you’re looking for a fun, silly, vampiric-themed horror-comedy, Renfield is very entertaining. I would love to see a prequel featuring Dracula & Renfield’s bloody adventures, because Nicholas Cage was simply perfect as the narcissistic, blood-sucking antagonist.
Renfield is on Netflix, JioCinema, Zee5, or you can rent it on Prime Video.
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‘The Front Room’ Trailer: Family Feud Horror with ‘Get Out’ Energy
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A24 has unveiled another trailer for their upcoming horror film The Front Room, which explores the tense relationship between a Black-American woman and her mother-in-law. Directed by Max and Sam Eggers, the film stars Brandy Norwood and Andrew Burnap as Belinda and Norman, a young married couple who reluctantly agree to let Norman’s mother, Solange (Kathryn Hunter), move in with them in exchange for an alluring inheritance.
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“She thinks that the Holy Spirit possesses her and gives her powers,” Norman warns his wife, cautioning against allowing his deeply religious mother into their home. Once Solange arrives, a dark and unsettling battle unfolds between the old woman and her daughter-in-law, with the tension mounting as supernatural and psychological elements come into play. Kathryn Hunter’s introductory scene as a completely black-clad woman instantly looked reminiscent of the Bene Gesserit from the Dune films— you know, the creepy, powerful religious sisterhood that exerts its influence over rulers.
Less than two minutes long, the trailer for The Front Room hints at a dark horror comedy, while its more intense moments echo the unsettling atmosphere of Jordan Peele’s hit horror film Get Out. The combination of humor and horror suggests a film that will keep audiences on edge while also delivering sharp social commentary.
The Front Room is set to hit theaters on September 6. Watch the trailer on YouTube.
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August 13, 2024
Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba Movie Ending Explained
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Plot overview: A sequel to “Haseen Dillruba,” the 2024 Bollywood thriller Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba follows Rani Kashyap (Tapsee Pannu), who finds herself under police scrutiny in the case of her missing lover, Neel, and the murder of her husband, Rishu (Vikrant Massey). Some cops believe that Rani and Rishu are still together, with Rishu having killed Neel and faked his own death to escape justice—which turns out to be true. The plot of Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba explores Rani’s life as a widow in Agra, secretly meeting Rishu as the two save money to flee the country and evade the authorities for good. However, a new cop takes charge of the case and is convinced that Rishu is alive and that he and Rani conspired to kill Neel. To throw the police off, Rani marries her new admirer, Abhimanyu (Sunny Kaushal), hoping this move will convince them that Rishu is truly dead and she is moving on with her life.
Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba: The Ending Explained
In a drunken moment, Rani reveals to Abhimanyu that Rishu is still alive. To their surprise, Abhimanyu offers to help them arrange everything they need to leave the country. However, his true intentions are soon revealed when he tries to kill Rishu, hoping to end up with Rani, as she had hinted that she might consider a relationship with him if Rishu were out of the picture.
Abhimanyu confesses to Rani that he has murdered several of his family members, explaining that betrayal is the one thing he cannot tolerate. With murderous intent, he attempts to kill Rani, but she escapes and rushes to the cops, claiming her husband is trying to murder her. She also admits that Rishu is still alive and that Abhimanyu plans to kill him too. Rani is arrested, and the police leak information to the media that she is being tortured in jail, hoping the news will reach Rishu and prompt him to surrender.
Rishu indeed surrenders but sets a condition: he must meet Rani at the railway bridge before turning himself in. At the moment of surrender, Abhimanyu also arrives at the scene, and a fight ensues between the three, resulting in all of them falling into the river. It’s revealed that this was all pre-planned so they could fake their deaths and escape the country. The bridge is above a crocodile-infested area, which Abhimanyu and Rishu had cleared out days earlier by luring the crocodiles away. However, when they fall into the river, a crocodile unexpectedly appears. Abhimanyu disables Rishu’s fake arm, preventing him from swimming and leaving him to be eaten by the crocodile. Rani, believing Rishu to be dead, starts a new life with Abhimanyu, only to receive a message from Rishu revealing he is still alive.
To escape Abhimanyu, who is now known as a prolific murderer, Rani sends a book to the cops that leads to Abhimanyu’s arrest while she fakes her death once again by jumping off a cliff. She swims across the river and reunites with Rishu during a crowded festival, and the lovers finally start a fresh life together.
Plot Holes in Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba
While Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba delivers an entertaining filmy thriller, there are several logical inconsistencies. The entire plan of going to the cops seems illogical, as it’s a huge risk for the trio to assume that the police would agree to Rishu’s demand to meet at the railway bridge, allowing them to fake their deaths in public and escape. Additionally, if Abhimanyu intended to live with Rani, his confession of murdering his family members makes little sense, as it leads to his becoming a wanted criminal.
Alternatively, one could argue that Rishu arrived just in time to save Rani from being killed, and once the situation became Rani-Rishu versus Abhimanyu, with Rani now aware of Abhimanyu’s murderous past, they bargained with him to hatch a plan where all three could escape the police. However, this still doesn’t explain why Rani revealed to the cops that Abhimanyu had murdered his family; she could have simply stated that he was trying to kill her and Rishu due to their betrayal.
Despite these plot holes, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba concludes with a happy ending for the primary couple, providing them satisfying resolution to their tumultuous journey.
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Happiness Review – Dark Vampire Thriller Serves Blood, Gore, Sadness
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
When the sun goes down, a young vampire girl watches over the street of a quiet Japanese neighbourhood, perched on an electric pole, waiting to swoop down on unsuspecting victims for their blood. One late evening, when high-school student Makoto steps out of his house simply to return a DVD, he is viciously attacked by the girl. However, in a twist, she spares his life, but forever changes the course of not just his future, but also those close to him.
The ten-volume manga series “Happiness” by Shuzo Oshimi is a dark, vampire-themed tale that deceptively begins with the tone of a slice-of-life high school drama, only to slowly metamorphose into a blood-soaked story of violence, betrayal, trauma, and melancholy. How a group of high school students find themselves trapped in a cycle of grisly violence and death forms the crux of the story.
High-school student Makoto Okazaki is one of the primary protagonists of the manga, a nerdy introvert, who’s bullied by popular guy Yuki at school. However, the power equations between Makoto and Yuki change after the former becomes a vampire, gaining super-human strength and the power to fight back his bullies. The ever-changing dynamic between Makoto and Yuki, which shifts from a victim-aggressor relationship to one of friend-protector, is one of the most interesting aspects of the manga. You don’t often see the “hot, popular guy” becoming friends with the weird, dorky kid in class—it’s like imagining Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy hanging out as regular friends with no beef between them. However, Makoto and Yuki soon find themselves targeted, first by vicious goons and then by other aggressors looking to exploit them.
Shuzo Oshimi’s artwork through the series is fantastic, as Okazaki’s journey becomes increasing chaotic and bloody, “Happiness” features more frenzied strokes to convey the turbulent events he and other characters go through. The black-and-white artwork is exceptional in the more violent scenes, especially when the characters in survival or fight mode. All the character illustrations are distinctly different from each other and Okazaki looks like a Japanese Harry Potter (which is why I made the Harry-Draco comparison earlier), with a simply hairstyle, and nerdy glasses. He becomes close with a girl called Shojo, who looks like a typical ‘innocent’ Manga girl, with big eyes, and a cute short bob.
I like how Shuzo Oshimi often draws the sky in various scenes like it’s from Vincent van Gogh‘s famous painting “Starry Night.” While van Gogh intended to capture the “sunrise in all its glory,” his oil-on-canvas painting exuding the dreamy, surreal beauty he intended to portray, in Oshimi’s black-and-white horror manga, the multiple spiral strokes make the sky look nightmarish, disturbing, and often in sync with the story’s violent scenes. Although horror-manga fans are likely to think of Uzumaki by Junji Ito when they see some of the eerie spiral panels in “Happiness”.
The mystery vampire who bites Okazaki is called Nora, but neither her character illustration nor her personality stands out much, even though she starts out as the most intriguing person in Happiness. Instead, a minor character named Saku, introduced in Happiness Volume 2 – who looks like a deranged serial killer – turns out to be more intense and layered character. One of the biggest antagonists in the tale is introduced much later in the manga: a psychotic villain named Sakurane, who is obsessed with vampires.
Shady organizations, shocking deaths, weird experiments, creepy cults, and unlikely relationships—Happiness is filled with unexpected turns, including surprise time jumps. Every time you think the story might be heading in a particular direction, Shuzo Oshimi completely changes the plot’s course. One entire volume doesn’t even feature Okazaki at all, instead focusing on the rather ordinary life of Shojo and how violence upends her mental health.
In terms of themes, Shuzo Oshimi, through Happiness, explores how each character is essentially pursuing their own “happiness,” even though the emotion constantly eludes them. For instance, instead of reveling in his newfound vampiric powers, Okazaki simply wants to become human again and live a normal life with his family and friends. Ironically, while the vampires are miserable in their existence, some humans desperately aspire for their eternal youth and seeming immortality. Like the evergreen saying, “the grass appears to be greener on the other side,” although some of Shuzo Oshimi’s characters truly experience painful horrors and traumatizing terrors.
Low on romance, high on drama, Happiness is a bumpy but entertaining horror manga series that should thrill fans who enjoy violent vampire fantasies with a sprinkle of existential realism.
Rating: 3.5 on 5. The first few volumes of “Happiness” are available on Kindle Unlimited.
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A Letter To Jo – Graphic Novel Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
‘A Letter To Jo’ is a graphic novel by Joseph Sieracki, with art by Kelly Williams, that depicts the experiences of the author’s grandfather, Leonard Sieracki, during World War II as a Polish-American gunner. The account is based on Leonard’s letters to his wife, Josephine, who was his fiancée at the time. While the story draws from these letters, Joseph Sieracki adds some fictional elements, such as dialogues between Leonard and his comrades on the front lines.
Joseph Sieracki begins A Letter To Jo with a quote from Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five (which also has a graphic novel adaptation) that reflects on how wars are fought by “babies”—young men barely out of adolescence. Leonard was only 18 years old, fresh out of high school, when he fought against the Krauts in World War II.
About 144 pages long, ‘A Letter To Jo’ starts by exploring Leonard and Josephine’s romance, with the couple getting engaged right after high school and just before Leonard leaves for the war. The graphic novel then shifts its focus to Leonard’s experiences in the trenches, confronting death and the horrors of war daily. Kelly Williams’ artwork is gritty at the outset, though often sketchy in detailing the more violent scenes at the front lines. Given that the author took some creative liberties to fictionalize parts of Leonard’s experience, I feels like the story could have been expanded into a longer length graphic novel.
Readers also get glimpses of Josephine’s side of the story, which mainly involves her coping with anxiety, stress, and fear over Leonard’s fate as she waits for him to return from war. Her character comes across as too mopey and one-dimensional. In its current form, ‘A Letter To Jo’ lacks the kind of artwork that might elevate the storytelling, and it doesn’t have enough emotional depth to truly move the reader. Despite its flaws, the graphic novel is an interesting story that serves as a reminder of the countless untold stories of men and women who lost so much to war.
Rating: 3 on 5. ‘A Letter to Jo’ is also on Kindle Unlimited.
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Century of Love Review: Low Stakes Fantasy RomCom
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Mr. San, over 100 years old, has been waiting for his lover, the beautiful Ms. Wat, to reincarnate after she sacrificed her life for him by taking a bullet. By day, he appears as a handsome young man in charge of a wealthy household, but by night, he endures immense physical suffering—a price he pays for his eternal youth granted by devouring a magical stone, all in hopes of reuniting with her.
Directed by Mi Thanawat Panyarin and Wo Worawit Khuttiyayothin (Laws of Attraction), Thai romantic-fantasy series “Century of Love” (original title: ปาฏิหาริย์รักร้อยปี/Patihan Rak Roi Pi) stars Daou Pittaya Saechua as protagonist San, the man ready to wait a 100 years for love. Spanning ten episodes, episode one begins in 1920s Thailand, where San falls in love with Wat (Cookie Yada Suwanpattana), a beautiful young woman from a wealthy noble family. However, class differences play an obstacle to their love, and Wat dies while eloping with San to escape her forced marriage to a prince. A devastated San swallows a magical stone to remain youthful until he meets Wat in her next life. But when San finally runs into a person who is supposed to be Ms Wat, to his shock, it’s a young man called Vee (Offroad Kantapon Jindataweephol).
The primary premise is a lot like the Korean series Korean mini-series “First Love Again,” which also features a man who retain eternal youth for over 300 years to have a “happy ending” with his reincarnated lover. In Century of Love, San must perform a ritual with Wat within 100 years of consuming the magical stone, or he will face a cursed, excruciating death and eternal suffering in the afterlife. What unfolds is a somewhat exaggerated drama that may seem silly at times and unintentionally funny in parts, yet remains an engaging romance-fantasy about reincarnation, love, and acceptance.
Despite all indications that Vee is the reincarnation he’s been waiting for, San instructs his family priest, Tao (Gumpuns Koravich Sarasin), to continue searching for the “real Ms. Wat.” However, no matter his denial, the chemistry between San and Vee is pretty strong courtesy Daou Pittaya Saechua and Offroad Kantapon Jindataweephol’s performances. The two played romantic leads in the Thai series “Love in Translation, where they won over fans with their chemistry.
The story is filled with twists and turns, although the villain is a comically stereotypical baddie. Jab Penpetch Benyakul portrays Mr. Chen, a wealthy but ailing old man who covets the magical stone— a part of which is still in San’s possession. Like in one of the climactic scenes, Chen literally turns up in a bathrobe with his gun-toting goons to attack San, and that was simply hilarious. In-fact, that reminds me, the costume team has done an awful job at dressing up San through the series, he is always in weird, loud, gaudy clothes. I understand he is an ancient old man in a young body, so he probably has no sense of fashion sense, but his outfits were an eyesore throughout “Century of Love”. Also, in another funny discrepancy, San has the same hair-cut across all the flashbacks, they should’ve given him different hairstyles as the era change, made him wear a wig maybe.
Daou Pittaya Saechua as San has generous amount of action scenes in “Century of Love”, and even though the combat sequences weren’t very exciting, Daou displays signs of an action star in the making. His movements are clean, intense, and convincing. While he struggles to accept that Vee could be the love of his life, his great-great-Granddaughter Chu (Xiang Pornsroung Rouyruen) tries to play cupid between the two. Offroad Kantapon Jindataweephol is blindingly bright and cute as Vee, a young, cheerful convenience store worker, who has a dramatic meet-cute with San in 2024. Although sometimes his cheery demeanor comes off as creepy, and it is the director’s fault, because they needlessly prolong his smile-y scenes.
As a fantasy show, Century of Love incorporates numerous magical elements, but some of the special effects fall short, coming across as sub-par and unintentionally humorous. For example, a scene where a bullet exits San’s arm looks particularly absurd. San’s unattractive wardrobe further detracts from the show’s visual appeal. However, the series does shine in its cultural aspects, with some charming scenes of San’s family temple and glimpses of the Chinese Opera adding a nice touch.
The creators maintain significant suspense over whether Vee is really San’s re-incarnated lover, or if it’s simply a mistake until the end. Some viewers might not like the open-ended way in which “Century of Love” finally ends, but overall, the show is entertaining, even though some of its tropes and conflicts are childish. If you enjoyed watching “The Sign,” you will like “Century of Love” too.
The series is available on Netflix Thailand and YouTube.
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August 12, 2024
Robbie Ain’t Right No More: Short Horror Film Review
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“It is hard for me to talk about ’cause I haven’t really gone through this myself”
“It is hard for me to talk about ’cause I haven’t really gone through this myself.”
The short horror movie ‘Robbie Ain’t Right No More‘ begins with a stark, vivid shot of a shotgun displayed on the wall of a living room. The camera slowly pans to reveal it hanging above a couch where a young girl sits, listening to her father struggle to articulate his thoughts. For a few seconds, you might think the dad is trying to explain something like menstruation, but they’re actually discussing how the girl’s older brother, Robbie, has been behaving strangely ever since he got back home from the war.
Written and directed by Kyle Perritt, ‘Robbie Ain’t Right No More‘ stars Jadon Cal as the titular protagonist, a young man who initially seems to be grappling with PTSD. But as the tense plot unfolds, viewers begin to wonder if he’s brought more than metaphorical ghosts home. Madeleine McGraw plays Robbie’s younger sister, who tries to understand why her brother is acting so eerily strange.
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At about 18 minutes long, ‘Robbie Ain’t Right No More‘ starts slow, with a very awkward family dinner setting the stage for Robbie’s unraveling. The film lives up to its tagline, “home is where you take it,” excellently symbolizing how war scars young individuals and affects their families. Kyle Perritt and his team use subtle ambient sounds to maintain a gloomy mood throughout the short runtime, while leaving plenty of visual cues about what could happen next.
‘Robbie Ain’t Right No More‘ ends with a dark twist that is partly predictable, yet still carries an element of surprise. Overall, it’s a gritty, watch-worthy horror film.
You can watch the film on ALTER’s YouTube channel.
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Love Is Blind: Japan Review – Unexpected Romances
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
A friend of mine met her fiancé for the first time in person only on the day of their engagement because he was living abroad and their marriage was arranged by their parents. And this happened in 2017. So, the concept of Netflix’s dating reality show Love Is Blind won’t seem too “out of the box” for Indians, as the show format follows a group of men and women who don’t know each other, interacting through a wall over a period of ten days, going on literal blind dates before deciding to get engaged. Those who feel connected enough to want to marry each other get to meet only after they are engaged, and then they live together for three weeks before finally deciding if they want to tie the knot. The reality series started in America in 2020, and the franchise has since expanded to various other countries, with the American version having six seasons so far (as of 2024).
I decided to watch Love Is Blind: Japan (2020) after streaming four episodes of Love Is Blind: UK (2024) because the series is still ongoing and yet to air the entire season. The four episodes of the UK version were totally binge-worthy, and so was the entire season of Love Is Blind: Japan. Both versions feature some very interesting individuals, many of whom are in their 30s, making the majority of them seem genuine, smart, and earnest in their desire to find love on the show and settle down with someone at the end of the road.
The first few episodes are super entertaining because we get to see how people interact and flirt with someone without being able to put a face to the name. Many contestants candidly admit to falling for people based on looks alone, leading to unfulfilling romantic connections, so they hope that not seeing a person’s face will help them forge a deeper bond with their date and maybe lead to eternal love. The blind dates take place in the first four episodes, and it’s like watching people speed-date because everybody gets a chance to speak with all contestants, with a total of 24 participants—12 men and 12 women. The men and women thus carry diaries to make notes about who they’re talking to, which seems funny at first, but obviously makes so much sense.
From episode 5 onward, the couples who get successfully engaged go on a three-day romantic getaway to spend some time together in stunning beachside locations. The cultural differences between the Western versions of the show and Love Is Blind: Japan are striking, with Japanese contestants often being notably more polite and exceptionally mindful of their behavior. One humorous moment featured a couple who, despite living together, simply shook hands after having dinner at home after a heated discussion. An interesting cultural quirk I noticed was how everyone would say “sorry for the intrusion” each time they entered someone’s home, even if it was empty.
After the dreamy holiday comes the real test—they must live together in a flat (provided by the show) while going about their daily lives and jobs, like a regular couple would, to see if they can really stand each other’s quirks, habits, and behaviors. Not surprisingly, quite a few couples fail the cohabitation test, but some do make it to the altar. I spent half my Sunday watching this show and would totally recommend it to those who have some free time on the weekend and are open to exploring this reality series.
Stream “Love Is Blind: Japan” on Netflix.
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August 11, 2024
Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper Review: Manav Kaul Juggles Ledgers, Lies, Liaisons
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Tribhuvan Mishra is a chartered accountant with a government job, a loving home-baker wife, two adorable kids, and dependent parents. Unlike his peers, Tribhuvan doesn’t accept bribes or under-the-table payments, but with his entire family relying on his salary, he barely makes ends meet. So, when financial trouble comes knocking, he begins leading a double life: government officer by day, male escort by evening. This dual life comes at a steep price when the gangster husband of one of his clients starts hunting for his head.
The Netflix series Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper is a 9-episode show starring Manav Kaul as the titular protagonist. Tribhuvan starts off as a docile, shy, and honest officer, a loyal husband who despises corruption. However, as he starts earning more and more money through his unusual side-hustle under the alias ‘CA Topper,’ he begins to embody the same corrupt traits he once despised.
Set in Noida, the first three episodes of Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper are thoroughly entertaining, comically establishing the primary themes of the story—love, sex, dhoka, aur paisa. Ironically, Tribhuvan gets the idea to offer sex services due to his wife Ashoklata’s (Naina Sareen) constant compliments about how amazing he is in bed. On the other hand, it’s absurd how a chartered accountant is so bad at managing his finances—he keeps all his money and savings in a single account and has zero investments.
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Tillotama Shome shines as Bindi Jain, a Bollywood-obsessed woman trapped in a dull marriage to confectioner Teeka Ram Jain (Shubhrajyoti Barat), who secretly runs a deadly illegal racket. One of the most entertaining scenes features Bindi imagining herself and Teeka Ram dancing to iconic Bollywood songs like “Baazigar O Baazigar,” however, Teeka Ram has no interest in her silly whims. So, she turns to apps for sex, and soon becomes one of Tribhuvan’s most valued clients. Tillotama Shome is fantastic as Bindi—a diehard romantic whose head might be in the clouds when it comes to love, but who is also smart, cunning, and knows how to deal with men.
Naina Sareen, as Tribhuvan’s trusting, sweet, and simple wife Ashoklata, fits the role of a middle-class homemaker, but her performance feels bland, like a bowl of soup without seasoning. In contrast, Sumit Gulati and Shweta Basu Prasad bring some mild entertainment as Mr. and Mrs. Pathak, Ashoklata’s brother and his ambitious wife, who enjoy a more lavish lifestyle and serve as an amusing foil to the primary couple. While Ashoklata finds contentment in her kids and cakes, Shobha Pathak (Shweta Basu Prasad) is always experimenting and pushing her husband to think big, even if it means bending the rules. She even gets a hilarious gun-toting scene in the second half, facing down a goon with a song celebrating her guts.
I watched the first three episodes back-to-back, it took me over a week to finish the rest of the series because the plot quickly slows down when the writers let the gangsters take over Tribhuvan’s story. What begins as a quirky, exhilarating tale of a government officer’s journey as a gigolo in Noida morphs into the usual beaten-down narrative about extramarital affairs, where the angry gangster husband bays for the blood of his wife’s lover. The remaining episodes of Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper swing between boring stretches and shorts bursts of exciting moments.
Visually, this Netflix show is very engaging, with a vivid screenplay filled with interesting motifs. For instance, the hotel where Tribhuvan frequently goes to provide his services is called “Madhur Milaap,” which means ‘sweet union,’ and the neon sign bearing its name is shaped like a dildo. This sign is featured in almost every episode when Tribhuvan suits up for his evening job, and I couldn’t help but chuckle each time it flashed on the screen.
Thanks to his transactional dalliance with Bindi, the primary conflict in the second half of Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper revolves around escaping the murderous clutches of her gangster husband, Teeka Ram Jain. Guns, violence, and an unintended murder completely unravel Tribhuvan’s life. The final episode descends into utter chaos, with multiple characters involved in a ridiculous open-air gunfight. Shots are fired from all directions, and the climax ends with an abrupt twist that leaves both Tribhuvan and the viewer hanging.
While not binge-worthy, Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper is a bumpy yet entertaining attempt at a raunchy Indian drama focused on female pleasure and sexual gratification.
Rating: 6/10. Stream the show on Netflix.
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August 10, 2024
Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli Documentary Review
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Remember Eega, the 2012 Telugu hit about a housefly seeking revenge on those responsible for his death in a previous life as a human? Back then, no movie enthusiast could avoid hearing about this offbeat action-drama. Netflix’s documentary Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli is most engaging when the director and others share anecdotes about making Eega and the monumental challenges of getting the special effects right. Rajamouli even jokes about how the special effects team had panic attacks over the project, with some behind-the-scenes footage playing for viewers.
However, the one-hour-and-14-minute Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli feels more like a generic, extended interview than a documentary, with a particularly bland first half. Besides Rajamouli, the documentary features interviews with many of his family members, including his father, V. Vijayendra Prasad, an established screenwriter and director. For fans who never looked into Rajamouli’s life, his deep-rooted film industry connections might come as a surprise. What emerges is a picture of a storyteller passionate about bringing his stories to life on a grand scale, often leading to his titles exceeding their estimated budgets.
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Prabhas and Rana Daggubati, who starred in Rajamouli’s blockbusters Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, share their insights on working with him. The duo discuss how the director would minimize overhead expenses, like hotels and meals, to allocate most of the budget to lavish sets and visual effects. “He would stay in the stupidest hotels to save money,” Prabhas says of Rajamouli.
Actors N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, who co-starred in Rajamouli’s Oscar-winning historical drama RRR, also their share their insights on working with the director. Curiously, none of the leading ladies from Rajamouli’s films appear in the documentary, which makes it feel incomplete. It might’ve been entertaining to see Samantha, who won awards for “Eega”, to share what it was like to work with Rajamouli on a movie where a fly is the biggest hero. But well, just like his cinematic universe is dominated by men, so is this documentary.
From the vengeful little housefly to God-like war heroes, SS Rajamouli’s characters and stories have won over fans for his unique vision. However, unlike his well-crafted, entertaining movies, Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli is a halfheartedly executed documentary that feels like a PR Ad.
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