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No matter how hard you try to avoid reviews and spoilers, they always creep in on social media and influence an avid movie lover’s point-of-view. These quick social media reviews distract the clean state of someone who wants to approach a movie unbiased.

This happened to me most recently with the new Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer “Raat Akeli Hai.” Released on July 31 on Netflix, Raat Akeli Hai was immediately compared to last year’s Hollywood thriller “Knives Out”, with many film buffs posting non-stop on social media about their similarities. This made me want to avoid the ‘Hindi version’ but again, I have a soft spot for Siddiqui and missing out on his movie just because some people claimed it was a rip-off would be unjust.

Thank god! I again learned not to take people’s claims online too seriously. For any sane viewer who understands both the languages, the only similarity between Raat Akeli Hai and Knives Out is that they are both modern whodunits. Also, the premises are similar, where an old man gets murdered in an old house and family members are suspects. But the same can be said of many other murder mysteries starring superstar detectives Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot.

In Raat Akeli Hai, a rich old man Raghubeer Singh (Khalid Tyabji) is found murdered with his own gun on the night of his wedding inside his haveli. Inspector Jatil Yadav (Siddiqui) is assigned to investigate the murder, where everyone in the family, including Raghubeer’s newly wed wife, Radha (Radhika Apte), is a suspect.

Now it’s up to inspector Yadav to bring the killer to justice. But his work in made hard by toxic relations between the family members, their secretive nature, their resistance to the investigation, as well as a past relationship the detective had with one of the family members. There is also outside interference in the investigation from powerful people and at the same time, more people get murdered. Also, a double robbery plus homicide from five years ago resurfaces as a connecting dot to Raghubeer’s murder, adding even more complexity.

Complications, or conflicts, are what drive the movie from the beginning. The dark, gritty, suspense film creates crisis after crisis for the detective, culminating in one fine example of the ending of a film noir. Inspector Yadav struggles to find the killer, fighting off his family issues at the same time, as well as facing adversities from his seniors and colleagues. Raghubeer, who always appears in the past, shows how a person with power and money can keep corrupting the system, even after his death.

Director Honey Trehan creates an exemplary show-reel for a murder mystery in this film written by Smita Singh. Raat Akeli Hai maintains a realistic approach to filmmaking, most likely in honor of its talented cast. And despite the 2hrs 29min length, which is considered rather long for a feature film these days, the screenplay is engaging enough to capture the audience attention throughout. There is a lag at times though, where some scenes feel stretched and redundant, but given the rest of execution, they seem more like a stylistic touch than a weakness.

Although it is a murder mystery with half a dozen suspects, Siddiqui as the investigating officer steals the limelight. This is also where Raat Akeli Hai differs from Knives Out, the latter being an ensemble while the former mostly banks on one popular actor. With his ability to take on any role and convince the audience it was written just for him, Siddiqui again proves his worth. The weak character and lack of screen time for the unofficial face of Netflix India, Radhika Apte, is a bummer though.

Who should watch it?

Whether you’re a Nawazuddin Siddiqui fan or not, Raat Akeli Hai is a must-watch if you’re into movies that play with you mind and leave you thinking frantically for a couple of hours. This is the kind of movie you can watch now, and would not mind re-watching a year later.

Raat Akeli Hai

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Crime/Drama

Actors: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte

Director: Honey Trehan

Run time: 2hrs 29min

My reader friends have really good things to say about Elif Shafak, particularly ‘The Bastard of Istanbul’ and ‘The Forty Rules of Love’. But I didn’t like either of those books much. I found them a bit slow and they spun around in circles without the stories going anywhere for the most part.

I picked up ‘Three Daughters of Eve’ as I wanted to give Shafak another chance, for the sake of one of my closest friends who absolutely adores her.

I wouldn’t say Three Daughters of Eve is great. It takes time to build up and there are clichés that make you cringe. But the inner turmoil of the main character where faith and religion are concerned is palpable and the novel has conversations and contemplations on god that make it a riveting read. Shafak’s writing has also become much more nuanced than before.

The book starts with the mugging and attempted assault of a wealthy Turkish woman, Nazperi Nalbantoğlu, or Peri for short, on her way to a fancy dinner party. This incident leads her to think back about her life—growing up in Istanbul and then moving to Oxford University for higher education, her friendship with two Muslim women, and a scandal that changes everything.  

Narrated in two timelines—the present day (which is 2016) and 1990s/early 2000s, the story moves seamlessly between the chaotic and complicated Istanbul and the contrastingly calm Oxford. The novel also has Shafak’s trademark touches of magical realism—Peri experiences visions of a baby in a mist that is both comforting and unsettling. I have to say Shafak is skilled at alternating between timelines and infusing a bit of surrealism into everyday life.

The blurb says it’s a story about three friends—Peri, Mona, and Shirin—but it’s actually mostly about Peri. There’s very little about Mona or Shirin, with the former making fleeting appearances. I wish Shafak had focused a bit more on Shirin because I liked the unapologetic, fierce, and rebellious Shirin I got a glimpse of and felt her story could have been more interesting than Peri’s.

As for Peri, she has had a troubled childhood, having been torn between her mother’s and her father’s versions of religion. Her mother was a devoted Muslim and her father was always questioning the idea and existence of god, and thus getting into heated arguments with his wife. Peri never knew just what to believe in and the confusion follows her well into adulthood. It is this figuring out what or who god is and eventually coming into her own that is the theme of Three Daughters of Eve.

The verdict: The book deserves a read as it makes you think and rethink about your faith. It could have been better. For me, the ending was a little off. But it’s not bad. I would definitely recommend it, especially to those who have always been undecided about god and wanting to make up their minds.

Fiction

Three Daughters of Eve

Elif Shafak

Published: 2016

Publisher: Penguin Random House UK

Language: English

Pages: 367, Paperback

After last week’s Turkish delight “Mama’s Boy”, I wanted to explore more Turkish comedies, which this week led me to this absurdly named movie “Bir Baba Hindu”. Although it is listed under IMDB’s “Action, adventure, comedy” section, the 2016 release is a goofy slapstick that makes fun of everything Indian—including Bollywood, Hindu religion and culture, as well as India’s liberator Mahatma Gandhi. All in good humor and only borderline offensive tone.

So in Bir Baba Hindu, Fadil (Sermiyan Midyat)—a disillusioned gangster who overestimates his power and labels himself ‘Godfadil’—falls in love with his yoga teacher Gundhi (Nicole Faria). He is yet to confess his love when a turban-wearing Punjabi gang kidnaps her.

Fadil finds Gundhi has been taken to Mumbai and travels there with his trusted henchman Hulusi (Burak Satibol) in her search. There, to his shock, he discovers that Gundhi is the daughter of the biggest gangster in Mumbai, Jagadamba (Füsun Demirel), who has pledged her in marriage to someone else, and who also hates Fadil’s Turkish mafia family.

I haven’t watched many Turkish movies to be able to make a broad generalization, but BBH’s plot resembles that of a typical Indian film—especially one from down South. After a conflict is introduced, the movie revolves around Fadil trying to solve it and get back Gundhi, while there’s plenty of resistance from all sides.

Now as clichéd as the storyline sounds, the execution makes BBH interesting, to say the least. I mean, how many times have we seen Turkish actors dance to Bollywoodish music? Yes, there are plenty of song and dance sequences in BBH, as well as many other stereotypical Bollywood elements, all done to look like a spoof. The humor quotient in BBH mainly comes from absurdity, stereotyping and over-generalization, and given that Indian cinema is no less guilty of stereotyping Arabs, this Turkish film serves its own form of justice.

With comedy as its forte, BBH first takes a dig at India’s love for cows. While cows are worshipped in most parts of the country, they’re also left astray to starve and get hit by vehicles on busy roads. BBH takes more than just a light stab at this hypocrisy and has a whole comedy number dedicated to cows.

Then, we find out Gundhi is not a Turkish name but a misnomer for Gandhi. Her family wanted to name her after the Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi but there’s a spelling error while registering her birth and she ends up being called Gundhi forever.

Again, cow and Gandhi are not the only things about India that BBH mock. It attacks India’s people, customs, and traditions, but again, there is nothing truly offensive, and nothing that has not already been done by Hollywood and Bollywood movies. Despite heavy ridiculing and derision, the film is easy on the eyes.

As for the filmmaking, BBH does fall short in comparison to Mama’s Boy on various fronts. Sermiyan Midyat also takes credit for writing and directing the film, besides playing the lead role, and as such has too many things to do. There’s a feeling of hastiness in the script that doesn’t allow the audience to sit back and enjoy its humorous skits. The screenplay has many unwanted branches stemming from an already weak trunk and there are numerous jerks and jumps that don’t let the audience settle.

On the acting front, nothing stands out. Everyone’s doing their bit to make the film coherent, but the script and direction definitely hamper their efforts. Again, not having enough Turkish movie experience stops me from commenting on BBH’s acting in comparison to industry standards, but as a global audience, I think its tad below average on this one.

Who should watch it?

Despite all its shortcomings, BBH doesn’t deserve the 2.8/10 rating it has on IMDB. Maybe that has to do with a number of Indians taking offense at its theme. But for us neutrals BBH is definitely an enjoyable, nonsensical parody movie that is enjoyable while it lasts.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Genre: Comedy

Actors: Sermiyan Midyat, Burak Satibol, Nicole Faria

Director: Sermiyan Midyat

Run time: 1h 52mins

Xiaolu Guo’s “20 fragments of a Ravenous Youth” chronicles the life of Fenfang Wang, a 21-year-old girl who leaves the monotony of her village to start a new life in one of the most fast-paced cities in the world, Beijing. Determined to live a modern life but ill prepared for it, Fenfang struggles to make her dream come true, after having travelled 1,800 miles for it.

Originally written in Chinese in 2000 and translated into English in 2008, the novel doesn’t have a clear beginning or an end. Rather, it consists of a series of disjoined chapters and thus, feels more like listening to a friend sharing some memories with you in no particular order.

The book is essentially a compilation of little moments that make up life. You get to know about Fenfang’s attempts to get a job as a film extra—she is the 6,787^th person on the wait list for the job—her run-in with the police, estrangement with her parents, and financial struggles. Fenfang eventually gets around to writing scripts of her own, some of which are included in the novel.

But the story’s main theme is Fenfang’s failed relationships and how she desperately wants to be able to live independently of men. Fenfang is sardonic and detached, but full of dreams and is wise beyond her age. Her experiences are relatable and make her endearing, despite her sullen exterior.

20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth isn’t a happy story. It’s filled with pain, longing, and the struggle to survive in a city that doesn’t allow a moment’s rest. But the melancholic undertone is what makes the book irresistible. You want to know how things turn out for Fenfang and if she can indeed get some of “those shiny things” in life. Guo doesn’t sugar coat the trials and tribulations of daily life neither does she neatly wrap up loose ends which lends the slim novel a realistic feel.

Apart from Fenfang, her miseries and the zeal to power through, you get to know quite a lot about Beijing too. The city comes alive through Guo’s descriptions. She also writes about Chinese culture and lifestyle thus giving us a window into one of the world’s most populous countries. In these travel restricted times, it’s the next best thing to actually being there.

Another fun thing about Guo’s writing is that she leaves you with many quotable quotes. The book has many little gems that will have your scribbling on your notebook as you read it.  All in all, it’s a wonderful little story, brilliantly written, that takes your mind off things for a while. Isn’t that a good enough reason to pick up Guo’s debut novel? I’d think so.

Fiction

20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth

Xiaolu Guo

Translated from Chinese to English by Rebecca Morris and Pamela Casey

Published: 2008

Publisher: Vintage

Pages: 204, Paperback