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The movie ‘Annapoorani’ advocates for women empowerment but a failure to execute the plot on many levels takes away from the story and leaves you feeling baffled. 

The story is female centric. Annapoorani (played by Nayanthara) sheds light on gender issues by entering the culinary business, a business dominated by men. She wants to become an inspiration for many women. 

Annapoorani is born to an orthodox Iyenger family but she is swept away by the aroma of a fish fried on a hot pan by the roadside.

The name Annapoorani means the goddess of food and she does indeed seem to have been born to cook and taste delicious food. There is magic in this girl. She was born with enhanced taste buds that allows her to differentiate flavors really well. 

The movie starts with Annapoorani walking next to her doting father, Rangarajan, (Achyuth Kumar) who is a chef at the Srirangam Ranganatham temple. They are seen carrying freshly made offerings. 

It’s the father’s love for cooking that inspires his daughter to become the best chef in the country like the famous chef Anand Sundarajan (Sathyaraj).

As she grows up she shares her wish to join a culinary school to become a chef. But her father Rangarajan forbids her to join the course, telling that she will have to cook and eat meat. As she belongs to a Hindu vegetarian family, she will not be able to chop chicken and is forbidden to eat meat. Her childhood friend and secret lover Farhaan (Jai) manages to help her join the culinary school despite her father’s disapproval.

Torn between her passion and her father’s orthodox ideologies, she aims to achieve her dream of becoming a corporate chef. Does she succeed? What kinds of difficulties does she face in the journey? 

The pre-intermission has a number of things but all of them are predictable. It’s a typical Hindi masala movie. But it doesn’t captivate you at any point. It feels lame and slow. 

There are many issues in the movie. Her father eventually finds out about her joining the culinary school. She is caught red handed inside the classroom chopping a chicken. The scene is predictable. The scene where Annapoorani lashes out at her landlord is too filmy and mechanical. It’s difficult to enter a five star hotel’s kitchen. But Annapoorani does it in just two scenes and something about this feels off. 

Karthik Kumar, in the role of chef Ashwin, is reduced to being a caricature. He is angry for no reason and doesn’t even hesitate to hit his father with a wine bottle.

The film takes a dramatic turn when Annapoorani loses her tastes because of an accident in the kitchen. Was that really an accident or was it planned? Again, you can guess what happened.

The use of an animated sequence to show a young girl climbing up Everest moving closer to her dreams facing multiple hurdles is well anticipated.

Annapoorani leaving the house when the groom is there on her wedding day reminds of the scenes of 2017 comedy, Raj Kumar Rao starrer, ‘Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana.’

However, it’s a good inspirational drama. Though there is nothing exceptional in the movie, it’s quite palatable. The film revolves around food and cooking but it has very few mouthwatering visuals of food one expects in such a film.

The film has tried to convey a message of women empowerment. It has heartfelt ideas but the narration feels rushed. The storyline is convenient. The writing is weak and thus the screenplay feels stretched. 

Nayanthara has given her all to the role. Sathyaraj as Chef Anand, a renowned chef who is Annapoorani’s role model, plays the role of a supportive mentor. He seems to be too soft in his role. Jai as Farhaan has very little to do as a chef. Karthik Kumar is the villain in the story. He is envious of the heroine and has to constantly seek validation from his father.

There is a lot of spoon feeding in the film. There are a lot of emotions, but nothing really sticks. The ideas seem to be forced. The film would have been better if it had focused on a particular theme. 

The film speaks about how taste isn’t the only sense that cooking requires but it fails to raise questions on why there isn’t an alternative for chefs to cook non-vegetarian food without having to eat it.

All in all, the movie doesn’t satiate your craving for a good story. 

3 Stars

Drama

Annapoorani

Cast: Nayanthara, Karthik Kumar, Jai, Achyuth Kumar, Sathyaraj, Redin Kingsley

Director: Nilesh Krishnaa

Runtime: 135 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED-4d0S4Mj0

‘The Housemaid’s Secret’ is the sequel to ‘The Housemaid’ and this is perhaps one of those rare times when the second book is better than the first. It’s much more engaging than the first, and that’s saying a lot because The Housemaid was a tense thriller.

In Housemaid, we met Millie as she was desperately searching for a job. Then Nina Winchester hires her to help clean her beautiful home. The messes keep piling up, Nina accuses her of stealing her clothes, and Nina’s daughter hates her. The only respite comes in the form of Andrew, Nina’s husband, who seems to understand Millie and the two soon develop feelings for each other. But things aren’t as they seem and everything quickly goes downhill for Millie.

The Housemaid’s Secret doesn’t begin where the first book left off. Quite a few things have happened in Millie’s life since then. Millie is now working as a nanny and has a wonderful, caring boyfriend called Brock. Then she gets fired from the job when the baby calls her ‘mama’ instead of her real mother. Brock asks her to move in with him but, as lovely as he is, she just can’t bring herself to take that next step in their relationship.

So, she needs another job immediately. She has to pay rent for her decrepit room. But she is unable to find one. Then Douglas Garrick, CEO of Coinstock, contacts Millie. He says he and his wife require Millie to cook and clean their house twice or thrice a week. Douglas tells Millie that his wife Wendy is sick and not to disturb her. It seems like an innocent request and Millie agrees.

But soon Millie starts to hear cries from the bedroom. She finds a nightdress with blood along the neckline when doing the laundry. She sees Wendy with bruises on her face. Millie realizes Douglas is an abusive husband and wants to help Wendy escape but Wendy is far too scared of Douglas to let Millie help her. But Millie doesn’t give up and manages to help Wendy. What happens after that is for the readers to find out. Saying anything more would spoil the fun of reading it.

What I can say is that McFadden’s writing and craft have gotten better with each book. The Housemaid’s Secret kept me riveted. I was constantly second-guessing every action and I got quite a few things right. I could see where the story was headed yet I wasn’t prepared for many of the twists in the book.

There is a lot of tension and a fair bit of drama in the book. The story picks up in the second half and I didn’t want to put it down. You could read The Housemaid and then read the second book in the series if you want to know Millie’s backstory but it isn’t necessary. The Housemaid’s Secret works well as a standalone novel. With short chapters and crazy situations, the book will keep you entertained.

Fiction

The Housemaid’s Secret

Freida McFadden

Published: 2023

Publisher: Penguin Books

Pages: 365, Paperback

Lok Raj Baral’s ‘Nepal: From Monarchy to Republic’ is a highly recommended read for everyone. Baral skillfully divides the book into chapters such as ‘The Native Construction of a Nation State’, ‘The Rise and Fall of Monarchy’, ‘Parties and Problems’, ‘Institutional Crisis of Governance’, ‘Problem of Democratization’, ‘Economics of Governance’, ‘Geopolitical Dimensions and Change’, and ‘Conclusion’.

Within the ‘Parties and Problems’ chapter, Baral adeptly elucidates the chronological progression from historical backgrounds to the current situation. His thorough exploration makes this chapter particularly engaging for theorists. However, in practical terms, some aspects might encounter limitations. There exists a disparity between understanding and experience—what one comprehends versus what one witnesses and encounters. I observed similar disparities between understanding and experiencing while reading this book. For instance, the key problems of Nepali political parties and leaders have not been mentioned in the chapter which will create problems for the upcoming generations to understand and find solutions.

In the chapter ‘Institutional Crisis and Governance’, Baral adeptly explores the insights of American political scientist Lucian W Pye and his four principal sources. It’s an important and highly recommended read. Additionally, the chapter delves into the controversy surrounding Rookmangud Katawal and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. However, despite its significance, I found that it still lacked a complete understanding and experience in grasping certain aspects of this chapter.

Entitled as it is, Baral delves into a comprehensive exploration and analysis of Nepal’s political parties and system, spanning from historical contexts to contemporary developments. Additionally, he lightly touches upon the country’s geopolitical relationships with neighboring nations.

Baral, a prominent theorist within the Nepali political sphere, has produced a highly commendable book that is a must-read for anyone interested in politics and seeking a deeper understanding of Nepali political dynamics. Within its pages, Baral adeptly elucidates and provides solutions for the country’s political landscape, drawing references from diverse national and international case studies.

What I saw in the book launch event:

• I wasn’t invited by the author or the publisher, however, upon the recommendation of one of the invitees, my friend Prem Kantha Makaju, I attended the book launch ceremony of Lok Raj Baral’s ‘Nepal: From Monarchy to Republic’ in Kathmandu on Nov 6. Former President Ram Baran Yadav graced the occasion as the chief guest.
• At the podium, Baral’s students and well-wishers were present, while in the audience, Daman Nath Dhungana, Dr Mohan Prasad Lohani, and Kedar Bhakta Mathema among others were in attendance. 
• The audience murmured that it would have been better if these personalities had been offered a seat at the podium and given a few minutes to share their remarks.
• Only those who spoke positively about Baral were on the podium to share their thoughts; critical analysis was notably absent from their speeches.
• Economist and MP from Rastriya Swatantra Party Swarnim Wagle was noticeably held in high regard by Baral.

The author is a member of the Supreme Court Bar and has been practicing corporate law for around three decades

Some books never leave your mind. You see their spine on the bookshelf and are transported back to that time and space. You remember how you felt while reading it. ‘The Missing’ by Chris Mooney is one of those books for me. I had to sleep with the lights on after finishing the book. I must have recommended it to all of my reader friends and they too had similar reactions. It’s horrifying. It’s so good.

Mooney is the critically acclaimed author of Deviant Ways, World Without End, and Remembering Sarah, which was nominated for the Barry Award and the Edgar Award for Best Novel. Mooney’s other works are also equally terrifying and I love many more titles apart from The Missing. But The Missing is my favorite because it was my first time reading the author and I wasn’t prepared for what was coming. I later found out that it was also the first book in the CSI Darby McCormick series.

Specific scenes of the book still make me shudder. I decided to reread it to see if it still evokes the same feelings as it did a decade ago when I first read it. It was every bit as satisfying. Mooney is a great storyteller with a special penchant for crafting characters you will come to love and then throwing them into highly unlikely and unsettling scenarios. Something about it just makes your heart race. You feel for these people and become invested in the story.

CSI Darby McCormick finds an emaciated woman hiding at a kidnap site. DNA tests confirm she is the same woman who has been missing for five years. She has somehow managed to escape the dungeon in which she had been held captive. Then a teenage girl goes missing and Darby begins to hunt for the dungeon as she suspects a sadistic serial killer is on the prowl. She soon discovers that she has a past with the kidnapper/murderer and that she might be his next victim.

I don’t want to say anything else and ruin the suspense. I feel too many emotions for this book so I don’t trust myself not to say anything to spoil it for those who haven’t read it. But I can safely say that everyone will enjoy this book. The plot is good. The writing is superb. The author has mastered the pacing and tension-building that makes a good thriller. But The Missing isn’t just a blood-curdling psychological thriller. Mooney knows how to evoke empathy and question your morals. So, it makes for an interesting, wholesome read. Best, the ending will make you squirm.

Fiction

The Missing

Chris Mooney

Published: 2007

Publisher: Penguin Books

Pages: 403, Paperback