‘Aranyak’ movie review: Raveena Tandon caps a stellar comeback
I do not usually review television series unless they are mighty interesting or are short and finish within a season. And had I not come across a review in an Indian daily that completely bashed the series as ‘problematic,’ I wouldn’t even have watched “Aranyak”, which was recently released on Netflix.
The reviewer had a problem with almost everything with the series, which currently has a user rating of 8.2/10 on IMDB. “How bad could it be?” I thought, as the trailer was not at all disappointing. Then I realized how subjective a series or film could be when one reviewer criticizes it as below par while a host of other, equally popular reviewers praise it as one of the best. What I think is, reviewers need to watch and write about a movie for what it is—a movie and not read in between the lines too much.
Aranyak is a suspense thriller based in a small, imaginary town of Sironah, somewhere in Himachal Pradesh. The simple townsfolk of the remote Sironah are leading a normal life until there’s a gruesome murder in town, brining back horrifying memories of ‘Nartendua’—a half-man, half-leopard that had last been on a killing spree some 19 years ago.
When Aimee (Anna Ador) is found raped and hanged to death in a forest, SHO Kasturi (Raveena Tandon), who is in her last day at work before a year-long sabbatical, becomes personally invested in the case, which would be her biggest so far. Unfortunately, for her, her replacement Angad (Parambrata Chattopadhyay) has already taken command of the post and begins the investigation. This leads to a power struggle as the two dedicated cops fight to find the culprit behind Aimee’s gruesome murder.
Fighting against each other for power would be the lesser of their challenges though. In a town mostly blinded by folklore, all fingers point towards ‘nartendua’ as the perpetrator. But along the lines of a classic whodunit, the investigation leads towards multiple suspects—powerful, high-placed humans. Soon the two cops—Kasturi, a local and a mother of two who has had problems managing work-life balance and Angad, an outsider who has had family problems of his own—find themselves in a storm of suspense, deception and political power which influences their investigation.
Also read: Jhyanakuti movie review: A film that tries too hard
With just eight episodes of around 45-50 minutes each, Aranyak is a gripping thriller that plays with the audiences’ mind. On the one hand, the audience might start imagining a mystic creature entering the screen anytime. On the other, there are so many possible suspects. The writer Charudutt Acharya and director Vinay Waikul spin a gripping tale until the very end of the series.
Aranyak also marks the return of Raveen Tandon to the screen. The actor, known for her beauty, dancing skills and comic timing in the 90s, is now a changed persona. As Kasturi, a character fighting many battles at home and outside, Tandon is stoic, strong and promises an extended OTT stay.
While the acting of the whole cast is commendable, the presence of veteran actors like Ashutosh Rana, Zakir Hussain and Meghna Malik bolsters the strength of the series. But maybe due to the brevity of the series or too much time spent creating suspenseful situations, the supporting actors—especially those mentioned—feel underutilized. The climax, after the big build-up, is also a bit underwhelming, but not a deal-breaker if you want to watch the series. There are hints of a sequel and we can only hope the few mistakes are rectified there.
Who should watch it?
Aranyak is a series that can be recommended to everyone interested in thrillers minus too much gore and violence. The story, screenplay and acting are packaged not to require anything gimmicky, which makes the film even more interesting. Also, the story finishes with the last episode, and so you have all the more reasons to binge-watch it over the weekend.
Aranyak
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Thriller, crime
Director: Vinay Waikul
Actors: Raveen Tandon, Parambrata Chattopadhyay
Run time: 5hrs 30mins approx.
Jhyanakuti movie review: A film that tries too hard
If you are planning on scrolling through YouTube this week, please do not miss the trailer of “Kathaputali” starring Karma, Mithila Sharma, Gauri Malla and Usha Rajak. This upcoming Nepali horror movie looks promising and if the trailer’s anything to go by, it could be one of those groundbreaking Nepali films. The acting, cinematography, editing and direction look top notch. I sincerely hope the movie lives up to the expectation created by this well-cut trailer.
Now back to the agenda for this week, I tried my best to find another enjoyable Nepali movie on YouTube—something I hadn’t watched and would like to recommend. But this process is getting a little boring. Finding a good Nepali film to watch on YouTube every week does not seem as easy as it sounds. Same for Bollywood and Hollywood ones. The argument being that YouTube is not a very good platform for movie-viewing. Unlike other OTTs, it’s not curated properly for movies.
But I did manage to watch a Nepali movie on YouTube—the 2017 flick “Jhyanakuti” starring Saugat Malla and Benisha Hamal. The popular Nepali video effects expert and film editor-turned-director Simosh Sunuwar directs this comedy drama that revolves around the unhappy married life of a low income, rural Nepali couple.
The film starts with a song where Buddhe (Saugat Malla) dances happily with his wife Malati (Benisha Hamal). But the first few scenes tell the audience they are not close to the perfect couple their song-and-dance sequence projects them to be. In fact, they can’t seem to stand each other and even resort to physical violence.
Also read: ‘The power of the Dog’ movie review: A different, deftly done Western drama
Buddhe is a drunkard who can go to extreme lengths, like stealing from his own house, to quench his thirst. Malati, a nursing mother to a newborn, has had enough of Buddhe’s behavior and wants to leave him. One day, she does. Malati disappears from the village, leaving their infant son in the care of Buddhe—who lacks emotional as well as economic independence. Buddhe spends the rest of the movie trying to find Malati while taking care of his son and also battling his demons—which attack him from within and without.
Jhyanakuti is a film that tries to show the evils present in the Nepali society—mainly alcoholism, voluntary unemployment, casteism and domestic violence. But with poor writing and direction, it fails to make the intended impact. For someone who grew up in the 90s, all these issues have been repeatedly raised by comedy shows like “Hijo Aajako Kura” and the numerous ‘MaHa Jodi’ productions.
Why would filmmakers want to try something similar in 2017 is the big question. Even if they felt the issues have been underrepresented in the media, their idea of representation does not fare well either. We all know alcoholism and casteism are problems in rural Nepal. So what are you trying to prove? And why are you romanticizing and normalizing domestic violence?
The film’s writing and direction take the focus away from the acting of Buddhe and Malati, the two main characters. The actors playing these lead roles—Malla and Hamal—have put in enormous energy but the writing fails to give meaning to the lives of their characters. Also, none of the supporting characters makes an impact for the sole reason that the writing has no depth. Can’t imagine how the filmmakers stretched the movie to way above two hours with such flimsy writing.
Who should watch it?
Solely as a film, Jhyanakuti is bearable enough till the end, the actors being the main reason. I personally felt the subjects it deals with were dealt a little too frivolously but I also know there are audiences who do not mind a superficial plot so long it entertains them. So I recommend you do a “trial and error” with Jhyanakuti. If you like its first 20 mins, you’ll enjoy the rest.
Jhyanakuti
Rating: 2 stars
Genre: Drama, comedy
Run time: 2hrs 21mins
Actors: Saugat Malla, Benisha Hamal
Director: Simos Sunuwar
‘The Secret Keeper of Jaipur’ book review: Slow and sweet
‘The Secret Keeper of Jaipur’ by Alka Joshi is the second part of a planned trilogy but it doesn’t matter if you haven’t read the first book, ‘The Henna Artist’. Though Lakshmi, the protagonist of The Henna Artist, is an integral part of the story, not knowing what happened to her previously doesn’t spoil things. Instead, it keeps you guessing and trying to put the pieces together based on little flashbacks the author has interspersed throughout the book.
It’s a fun, engaging read. The two different settings—Jaipur and Shimla—are such a stark contrast that you find yourself thrust from one world to another quite frequently. But it’s not at all jarring. Joshi is such a master storyteller that she pulls it off with ease. Set 12 years after The Henna Artist, Lakshmi is married to Dr Jay Kumar and living in the Himalayan foothills of Shimla. Malik, who makes his appearance in the first novel, is living under Lakshmi’s guardianship and he falls for Nimmi, a young, widowed mother of two. Just as their relationship starts to deepen, Lakshmi sends Malik to Jaipur to understand the construction business from her old friend Manu Agarwal, who is the facilities director at a Jaipur palace. When the Royal Jewel Cinema, the palace’s grand construction project, collapses during the opening night, killing and injuring dozens of moviegoers, chaos ensues. Lakshmi goes to Jaipur to see if she can be of any help, only to discover Manu is being blamed for the fiasco. Then Malik uncovers secrets that could potentially salvage Manu’s career and, together with Lakshmi, fights to save him. Besides this main plot, there is another subplot involving Nimmi and her tribe that is a good, refreshing diversion from all the glamor and glitter of Jaipur.
Also read: ‘The Secret Keeper of Jaipur’ book review: Slow and sweet
The story is slow but that doesn’t mean it’s boring as we often tend to equate the two. Joshi’s writing is so detailed that it sucks you right in. You are captivated by the scenes and characters’ behaviors and actions. Every character is so wonderfully written that they come alive right before you. You can clearly imagine their expressions and gestures. It’s a really comforting, beautiful read that way—the story and scenes are all that are in your head. Lakshmi and Malik are likeable characters that quickly worm their way into your heart. The other characters, all with their own secrets to protect, are fascinating to get to know as well. You are torn between who’s right and who’s wrong and the shifting loyalties is a tricky emotion to navigate. All in all, it makes The Secret Keeper of Jaipur a fascinating and enriching read.
The Secret Keeper of Jaipur
Four stars
Fiction
Alka Joshi
Published: 2021
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 330, Paperback
‘My Sister, The Serial Killer’ book review: Short and riveting
I have a feeling I’ve said this before but let me say it again: I love short reads. Books that I can finish in a single sitting. There’s something about finishing a book in a day that makes me feel extremely accomplished. There’s pretty much nothing that can go wrong that day and even if something does, I feel I can deal with it. It helps to have an entire story bouncing around in my head and characters to love and hate that I don’t actually have to deal with in real life. It’s the best kind of feeling.
I picked up Nigerian writer Oyinkan Braithwaite’s debut novel ‘My Sister, The Serial Killer’ as I wanted to read more works by authors of color. This past year, I’ve read works that have same sex romance or are written by those belonging to the LGBTIQA+ community. They have been refreshing and enlightening. For 2022, my agenda is to read more diversely, meaning I want to read across genres and include Asian and African authors and others of mixed ethnicities on my TBR.
My Sister, The Serial Killer is the story of two sisters—Korede and Ayoola—one of whom is a nurse and the other a murderer. This isn’t, however, a thriller. Braithwaite explores the relationship between two siblings who have had a difficult childhood and are shaped by it. Korede, the older of the two, thinks it’s her duty to protect her little sister. It was what her mother told her when Ayoola was a baby and it has stayed with her since then. That is why she helps Ayoola dispose of the bodies of boyfriends that she kills in ‘self-defense’. The opening scene has Korede scrubbing the bathroom to remove every trace of blood but finding it difficult to thoroughly clean the area between the shower and the caulking. It’s an engrossing start.
Also read: ‘We Are Okay’ book review: A simple, touching read
Korede wants to believe her sister kills to protect herself when her boyfriends become abusive and attack her. But she increasingly becomes suspicious that something is wrong with Ayoola. When Ayoola starts dating the cute doctor at the hospital where Korede works, Korede knows she must do something to save him. It doesn’t help that Korede has a crush on him. Though Dr Tade Otumu has a lot of admiration and affection for Korede, he quickly casts her aside for Ayoola. So smitten is he with her, he is willing to do anything she wants. He doesn’t believe Korede when she tells him Ayoola has killed before and that he might be in danger. Rather, he thinks Korede is the evil one—jealous of her sister and wanting to sabotage her relationship.
Braithwaite’s writing is simple and sharp and coupled with the story’s concept, My Sister, The Serial Killer is scary, funny, and insightful at the same time. It’s unlike anything I have ever read and though the ending leaves you wanting more, it’s precisely why the story stays with you long after you finish the book.
