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If you are in the mood for a creepy story that makes the hairs at the back of your neck stand, I suggest you read ‘The Sun Down Motel’ by Simone St. James. It’s a bit slow and there aren’t many jump scares but it feels like watching a good suspense thriller movie. The vibe is kind of like that of ‘The Shining’ by Stephen King, perhaps the ultimate horror book/movie set in a hotel. The Sun Down Motel is a family drama, ghost story, and murder mystery all rolled in one. The initial few chapters feel a bit bleak and that might make you want to stop reading. But once the story picks up pace—after a 100 or so pages—you can’t put it down. 

Told in two different timelines, The Sun Down Motel takes you to a small town in upstate New York. The setting is very eerie. In 2017, a young woman, Carly Kirk, arrives in Fell. She wants to find out what happened to her aunt, Viv Delaney, who disappeared from The Sun Down Motel in the 1980s. Carly’s mother never talked about her sister but Carly could sense that she was haunted by Viv’s disappearance till the day she died. 

For that reason, Carly has never been able to let go of the past and is determined to figure out just what happened to her aunt. She takes up the same job—as a night clerk—that Viv had when she disappeared and starts poking around. She finds out that nothing much has changed in Fell and at the motel since 1982 and is quickly ensnared in the same mysteries that apparently claimed her aunt. 

I don’t usually read books with ghosts and otherworldly stuff but I quite enjoyed this one. Maybe that’s because the supernatural element is just one aspect of the story. The plot moves forward even without it; the story’s mystery isn’t explained by the supernatural events. The ghosts give you goosebumps but the story is grounded in reality. Trigger warning: There are mentions of rape and some of it is horrifyingly graphic. The reason it’s a three-star read and not a four-star one is because the story wraps up a little too tidily for my liking. Otherwise, it’s a great book with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep you hooked.

Three stars

Fiction

The Sun Down Motel

Simone St. James 

Published: 2020

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 342, Paperback

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45885644-the-sun-down-motel

Rarely do we come across a film like “Sharmaji Namkeen.” Available on Amazon Prime, the 2022 Hindi-language comedy drama has two different actors playing the titular role of Sharma ji. Unfortunately, the decision to feature two actors interchangeably in the lead role was not creative experimentation. The sad demise of actor Rishi Kapoor in April 2020, when the shooting was only half complete, forced the filmmakers into this bold experiment. 

Brij Gopal Sharma (Rishi Kapoor/Paresh Rawal) is given voluntary retirement by his company, much to his displeasure. A workaholic all his life, now the 58-year-old middle-class widower from West Delhi does not have anything useful to do and as energetic as he is, the first few months of retirement drive him near-crazy. His sons—the elder Rinku (Suhail Nayyar) and younger Vincy (Taaruk Raina)—live with him but are of no help when it comes to finding something for him to do all day. 

After having tried a few antics to get back into action, Sharma’s close friend Chaddha (Satish Kaushki) gets him a gig as a ‘specialist cook’ for a kitty party. Having cooked for himself and his sons all his life, Sharma’s first attempt as a professional cook impresses the women in the party, and they start hiring him on a regular basis. Sharma also becomes friends with the ladies, special Veena Manchanda (Juhi Chawla), a recently-widowed boutique owner.   

Sharma is having the time of his life experimenting with cooking and enjoying himself in the process, without letting either of his sons know about his new venture as a home chef. How long Sharma ji hides this secret from his family and what happens when they find out makes up the rest of the film. 

Sharmaji Namkeen’s storyline is simple and organic. There are no dramatic conflicts and plot twists of regular Bollywood movies. The film opens and closes in feel-good notes and everything we see in between are relatable and enjoyable. The setting and the characters of Sharmaji Namkeen are the products of thoughtful writing that do not go overboard at any time. 

Had Sharmaji Namkeen not had a backstory of its own, it wouldn’t have been as poignant to watch though. This has less to do with the filmmakers and more with the loss of Bollywood’s iconic actor Rishi Kapoor. Coming from the grand family of Kapoors, Rishi Kapoor was one of its most successful among them. Having watched most of his movies and applauded his acting over the years, watching Sharmaji Namkeen as his last ever appearance was kind of unpleasant. 

But staying true to his family’s motto of “the show must go on,” Kapoor does perform in Sharmaji Namkeen like he knew it was his last film. He is so comfortable with the character of Sharmaji that it feels like he has been preparing for it for years. As the happy-go-lucky Sharmaji, Kapoor oozes with energy and positivity.

While Kapoor embodies Sharmaji with natural elegance, Paresh Rawal had an even bigger challenge. After Kapoor’s untimely demise in the middle of production, his close friend Rawal was roped in to complete the film. And it’s not like he had to appear somewhere in the climax for a couple of scenes. Rawal in fact gets almost as much screen time as Kapoor. 

The senior actor with decades of experience playing all kinds of roles fills in Kapoor’s big shoes just right. Rawal matches Kapoor’s skill and energy without trying to overshadow any of the scenes performed by the late actor. I would like to call this a tag team wrestling match where the combo of Kapoor and Rawal beat all odds. 

Who should watch it? 

Sharmaji Namkeen is the last Rishi Kapoor film. If you have any attachment with the Kapoor family or Bollywood, you’ll probably watch this or have already done so. If not, this is a wholesome movie you can enjoy with your family and friends or absolutely alone too. It is basically 119 minutes of good writing, direction and acting. 

Rating: 4 stars

On Amazon Prime

Genre: Comedy/drama

Actors: Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Juhi Chawla

Director: Hitesh Bhatia

Run time: 1hr 59mins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5U50vR3w4g

“Do anything and you’re canceled bro,” a Gen Z character tells Leatherface, as the latter approaches his group of friends with a revved-up chainsaw. His friends, also same-age, take out their smartphones and start live broadcasts, probably thinking the ‘freak show’ will not do anything to them so long as he is on camera. But how wrong are they! Leatherface massacres the whole bunch, without breaking a sweat. 

Netflix’s latest “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is yet another sequel to the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre from 1974. The American slasher film is the ninth installment of the TCM franchise and picks up almost five decades after a group of teens are brutally murdered in Texas by an unknown gigantic killer later named Leatherface, with just one survivor left to tell the horrid tale. 

The story now moves to Harlow, an almost deserted town in Texas. A group of young entrepreneurs—Melody, Dante, Lila, and Ruth—have bought the rights to most of the town’s houses, which they want to rebuild and auction off at better prices. While they visit the town for inspection, they find that an elderly woman and her son still ‘illegally’ occupy one of the houses. 

They call the police on the sick woman to evacuate her and unknowingly unleash the wrath of her son—Leatherface. For Leatherface, this time the number of targets increases as the group of entrepreneurs invites a bus full of young colleagues to showcase their project. 

The premise and physical setting for the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film is almost the same as its predecessors but there is some change in the context. While Leatherface has massacred boomers and millennials in the past, his encounter with Gen Z is a bit different. 

Also, for the first time, Leatherface is not only a predator but also a prey. Sally, the last remaining victim of the original Texas massacre from 1973, is now a retired Ranger, hardened with time and pursuit of vengeance. She wants to get rid of Leatherface once and for all and now that he has emerged from his hiding, this is her chance. 

Directed by David Blue Garcia and co-written by Fede Álvarez and Rodo Sayagues, Texas Chainsaw Massacre continues on the tradition of the classic out-and-out slasher movies. There is violence, blood, and gore throughout with only a few other scenes contributing to the story. 

But what makes this edition noticeably different are the slight political and social contexts underlying the movie’s plot. For instance, an old Confederate flag becomes a pivotal object to create conflict in the story. Also, some dialogues indicate racism that is still prevalent in the US. 

As a standalone film, the new TCM is not up to par with previous editions. Yes, there is the sub-plot of Sally and her revenge, but it feels forced. Her character does not actually get the justice it deserves or nearly enough screen-time. 

On these lines, there’s something amiss in the film. Modern-day technology has allowed the makers to insert some extreme scenes, but even they seem to lack the ferocity expected from a film in the TCM franchise. For lack of better words, in TCM 2022, you can watch the brutality but cannot really feel it. Maybe the filmmakers wanted to appease the newer generation audience than old school slasher fans. 

On Netflix 

Rating: 2 stars

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Actors: Mark Burnham, Elsie Fisher

Director: David Blue Garcia

Run time: 1hr 21mins

Who should watch it? 

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is bloody and cruel. So obviously, it’s not intended for the general audience. But even if you love extreme movies, you’ll not enjoy this one much. This TCM will probably cater to an audience looking for slasher-lite. More like regular action movies with slasher themes. 

Three stars 

Fiction

Radio Silence

Alice Oseman

Published: 2016

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 401, Paperback

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25322449-radio-silence

Alice Oseman signed her first book deal when she was 17. Her debut novel ‘Solitaire’ was published in 2014 when she was 19. ‘Radio Silence’ is her second book and she has meanwhile published a few other works including a web comic series titled ‘Heartstopper’. She has received some awards too and her stories are often praised for their realistic portrayal of contemporary teenage life. I read Radio Silence because a booktuber I’m fond of (@paperbackdreams) raves about this book every chance she gets. Even when the book doesn’t fit any of the prompts for recommendations, she will find a way to talk about it, often plucking it from her shelf and going, “Hey guys, read Radio Silence”. So, you could say I read it for her. 

Radio Silence would have hit differently if I were in middle or high school. As an adult, it didn’t resonate much but the plot is quite enjoyable and uplifting. The story is about an academically-driven teen named Frances whose only goal is to get good grades and secure a seat at a good university. But that’s ‘school-Frances’, the person everyone sees. At home, she’s obsessed with a science-fiction podcast and makes fan art for it. Then she meets the creator of the podcast, Aled, and the two strike up a friendship that changes the course of things for both of them.

 The book has strong themes of friendship, identity, and parental neglect. I liked the fact that Radio Silence isn’t your typical boy-meets-girl-and-romance-ensues narrative. Oseman doesn’t focus on romantic relationships as much as she does on friendship. When every other YA novel revolves around a love story, this new direction feels refreshing and lends a different perspective to what coming-of-age can feel like. And many times, that has nothing to do with raging hormones. 

The book has powerful messages for teenagers and those who are stressed about life after high school. Oseman’s writing is simple. You can hear the characters talk and their thoughts too. At times it feels like you are one of them as you get caught up in what’s happening. I would have given the book four or five stars if I were younger. I still give it three stars because I think it’s a book you couldn’t go wrong with. There are interesting bits that put you in a contemplative mood. And there is an element of suspense. She tells a good story and I will definitely be reading her other books.