Horror show
‘The Man from Kathmandu’, an action thriller written and directed by Pema Dhondup, follows the story of Faizal Mustafa (Jose Manuel), a disaffected half-American-half-Nepali half-Hindu-half-Muslim man. He is in Kathmandu in his quest to find out if his jihadi fighter father has joined the war in Syria. The movie opens with a Dhaka Topi-clad Mustafa in an interview room at the American Embassy in Kathmandu. A Darth Vader-ish robotic voice comes from the other side of the glass (signaling the interviewer) which immediately puts you off. This sets the stage for a series of disappointments to follow throughout the movie.
The movie then takes you to a beach in Los Angeles where a couple of bystanders park their vehicle behind our hero’s. When Mustafa asks them to move their car, they make racist gestures and we are presented with our first action sequence.
By Nepali standards, the action sequences are good enough and Jose Manuel can be seen making the best of his martial arts skills, knocking down goons armed with hammers and screwdrivers with his bare hands and feet.
But who is Mustafa? There is a flag of the Islamic State over his bed. He can also be seen communicating with people who supposedly know the location of his dad. While in LA, Mustafa is arrogant, and takes every comment as racist and frequently lashes out at strangers. After a series of communication, Mustafa finds himself back in the country of his origin. We are then presented with our two antagonists: Panditji (Hameed Sheikh), a high-ranked Hindu priest, and Abu Miya (Gulshan Grover), a rising politician. From this point onwards, everything goes in a downward spiral.
While walking around town, Mustafa finds Namrata (Anna Sharma) getting harassed by a local goon connected to Abu Miya. He fights off the goon, and soon finds himself in a maze of criminal, social and political conspiracy in his grandfather’s life, and himself tangled in everything from local politics to US foreign policy. The story sounds or at least gives off a great vibe, right? I thought so too.
The film looks to mesh an already complicated genre of action with an even more complicating mix: that of politics, romance and religion. While it does some justice to its action genre, it fails in every other aspect. The politics is all over the place, with unexplained plots and inconsequential actions resulting in monumental consequences. The Hindu religion, meanwhile, is presented as a mantra-spitting, soul-possessing endeavor.
The movie tries to unrealistically link the Islamic State recruitment camps with Panditji. The transition is weak and so is the flow. In one scene, Namrata is oblivious about Faizal’s work and in the next scene she starts to blame him for everything. The dialogues are sub-par and the script does not align with what is being shown. Mustafa is seen wearing a normal hoodie with a small beard when a character says he has changed a lot, perhaps hinting of him turning into a Muslim, when, in fact, Mustafa’s get-up could be compared to any beard-sporting teenager in the world.
The cinematography also needs a lot of work. Many scenes are out of focus. Other than that, the film is technically sound—color grading is dynamic and the video quality also trumps that of other Nepali films.
With a plot this complicated, the filmmakers should have done more research. It appears the movie plot was copied from the first line of Wikipedia, with no understanding of the subjects that complicated.
The Man from Kathmandu is branded as Nepal’s first international movie. With star cast from all over the world, it could have been so much better. As it is, the movie looks like a product of a bunch of good-looking cultural exchange students with expensive camera gears doing a school project.
The best thing about the movie is that it ends. It is a 1 hour 47 minute movie that is 1 hour too long 47 minutes too boring. It is so bad it gives a good name to every other movie out there.
Who should watch it?
No one
By Nepali standards, the action sequences are good enough and Jose Manuel can be seen making the best of his martial arts skills
Movie: The man from Kathmandu
Genre: Action/Drama
Cast: Gulshan Grover, Hameed Sheikh, Jose Manuel, Karma Shakya
Direction: Pema Dhondup
Rating: 1/5
The search for meaning and identity
‘The Runaways’, Fatima Bhutto’s second novel, tackles a tricky topic: how poverty and alienation can lead to extremism. Anita Rose, Sunny, and Monty, who make up the three runaways, come from very different backgrounds but have one thing is common: They are all unhappy with their lives and are looking for something better. It is this search and a promise of change that lead them to adopt radicalism and they end up at a jihadi training camp in Mosul, Iraq.
But we meet the three title characters much before that happens. Anita Rose lives in Karachi with her mother and brother in a small cement room. Monty, the son of one of Karachi’s wealthiest man, is in love with Lay- la and is ready to do anything for her, and Sunny, a motherless Paki- stani-origin Briton from Portsmouth, is desperate to realize his father’s dream, i.e. a life filled with security and luxury. Bhutto writes them each their own stories as they make their way from different cities to Mosul.
Bhutto seems to have given a lot of thought to her characters and their stories, besides minutely chronicling their eventual foray into radicalism. Through Monty, you get the idea that a life of comfort and privilege isn’t as interesting and glamorous as it’s made out to be. Anita Rose’s mother trying to force her to leave school and work as a domestic helper makes you sympathize with her and almost understand the choices she makes later on. And Sunny, who seems to be confused about many things in life, makes you realize that it’s easy to go astray when you can’t make sense of the things around you.
Though the narrative is slow and wobbly, the novel takes off when the stories start to converge. We urge you to have patience till then because, as the niece of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, it’s her understanding of politics that makes The Runaways feel very real. Also, having grown up in exile in Syria after her father’s assassination, and studying in the UK and the US, she brilliantly navigates the world of Islamist extremism.
However, The Runaways isn’t just a book about terrorism and radicalization. It’s also a story of how young people end up searching for a cause in life or redemption of sorts through religious violence when they feel out of place in their society and country. The overall effect of the book is in parts both under- and over-whelming but Bhutto’s ability to write sensitively and convincingly is what makes The Runaways a riveting read.
Book: The Runaways
Author: Fatima Bhutto
Genre:: Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Viking
Published: October 24, 2018
Pages: 402, Hardcover
Another Bachchan masterclass
Amitabh Bachchan’s longevity in Bollywood as the lead actor is breathtaking. The veteran thespian, now 76, started his acting career way-way back in 1969 with ‘Saat Hindustani’. Fifty years later, he continues to mesmerize audiences with his unmatched screen presence and that familiar deep, resounding voice. Having always ruled the big screen, the mass success of Kaun Banega Crorepati has ensured that there will be no star like him, ever, even on the small screen. And yet his career, in both these formats, is far from over.
Anyone who has watched his latest movie, ‘Badla’, would know exactly why. Bachchan fans of late have gotten some amazing psychological thrillers like ‘Wazir’ (2016) and ‘Pink’ (the same year). Badla is better still. This touch over two-hour dare-not-blink movie will hook you in right at the start, then take you down a roller-coaster murder-mystery storyline, before landing in a shocking dénouement. It’s as good a suspense movie as you will ever see, anywhere.
Who should watch it?
Let us say if you don’t like a film that makes you think, and constantly rethink, your assumptions, then perhaps skip it. For everyone else, go book a ticket RIGHT NOW.
The film starts with the celebrated lawyer Badal Gupta (Amitabh Bachchan) visiting the house of Naina Shethi (Taapsee Pannu), who has sought his services to get herself absolved of a murder charge. A wife and a mother, and an internationally celebrated businesswoman, Shethi has been caught red-handed inside a hotel room with the dead body of her paramour Arjun Joesph (Tony Luke).
The doors and windows are locked from the inside; no one else has entered the room; Shethi’s guilt is obvious; it’s an open and shut case. Even with all the evidence stacked against her, Shethi is determined to prove her innocence and the only person capable of getting her out of the mess is Gupta, the veteran lawyer who has never lost a case he has taken up.
If you love murder-mystery, there are unlikely to be many better than Badla
The whole movie revolves around a three-hour-long lawyer-client conversation inside Sethi’s apartment. The business tycoon recounts exactly what happened inside the hotel room; Gupta goads her to focus on the tiniest of details; and it’s a constant back and forth to establish what happened that chilly winter night.
Nearly the entire movie comprises flashbacks. If you think that is boring, think again. Written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh, you are guaranteed to be at the edge of your seat right through his tight-knit psychological thriller.
Bachchan pulls off another masterly performance as a ruthless interrogator; Pannu is as convincing in her role as a businesswoman who does not easily trust her lawyer and yet who will literally lose everything if she loses this case. Amrita Singh convinces as a distraught mother whose son has been murdered, while Tanveer Ghani pulls off another commendable, if low-key, performance as her husband.
The film has no songs to break the tension, nor one extraneous scene. The psychological back and forth between Bachchan, the lawyer, and Pannu, his client, is intense, each constantly trying to outsmart the other, even as they pursue a common goal: her acquittal.
Without giving the plot away, the movie has minor flaws and the ending may not satisfy everyone. But if you love murder-mystery, there are unlikely to be many better than Badla, not even Hollywood vintage.
Movie: Badla
Genre: Crime/Mystery
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh
Direction: Sujoy Ghosh
Rating: 4.5/5
Kartik-Kriti duo pulls off a rom-com coup
‘Luka Chuppi’ is a modern-day rom-com that revolves around the issue of live-in relationships. While the comedy stems from a blend of political satire and Bollywood stereotype of a weird joint family, the romance is pretty simplistic and at times feels rushed. If anything, this movie is a “brainless comedy” but nonetheless also a stellar entertainer.
The story follows Guddu Shukla (Kartik Aaryan), a reporter at a local TV station at Mathura who’s gotten himself quite a reputation for his quirky TV persona with his best friend and cameraman Abbas Sheikh (Aparshakti Khurana). Funded by Tripathi Ji (Vinay Pathak), the chief of a Hindu nationalist party (that makes demonizing live-in relationships and PDA its political agenda), the TV station assigns Guddu the issue of live-in relationships. For his new assignment he gets partnered with Rashmi Trivedi (Kriti Sanon), daughter of Trivedi Ji. Their friendship quickly escalates into full blown romance in the course of their assignment.
Who should watch it?
Fans of rom-coms should totally watch it. If you’re looking for a total entertainer to unwind this weekend, this is a good option. And most definitely if you’re a fan of Kartik and/or Kriti. They won’t disappoint.
Guddu then drops down on his knee and proposes Rashmi. Even though she freaks out at first—part confused, part curious—Rashmi proposes they first try a live-in relationship to test their compatibility. The story follows their adventure as they experiment with a post-modern concept in a conservative Hindu society.
Both Aryan and Sanon are fully into their roles, almost intoxicatingly so, with their amazing chemistry. While that can be said for most of the cast, the over-the-top character of Babulal (Pankaj Tripathi) feels a little out of place.
The comedy and the irresistible romance make up for an utter disregard for logic
With its political satire, situational comedy, and plot twists, the movie is sure to give the audience a good dose of laughter. The story also peddles a host of other societal issues like misogyny, gender inequality, caste bias and moral policing, all of which get a funny treatment. And the story couldn’t be easier to follow.
The plot is a little predictable; the trailer makes it even more predictable and spoils important scenes. The plot also feels repetitive at times. On the plus side, there a number of good political satires. (In a scene a journalist is seen asking “So you’re an anti-nationalist?” when an actor reveals he’s in a live-in relationship.) The subtle dig at the moral policing of the BJP-allied Bajrang Dal is also on the mark.
Again, while the movie displays an utter disregard for logic, the comedy and the irresistible romance make up for it. If you’re willing to leave behind logic at the ticket counter and watch the movie for what it truly is, you’re surely to be entertained for the two-hour runtime. As a debutant, director Laxman Utekar does an amazing job of bringing it all together.
Movie: Luka Chuppi
Genre: Comedy/Romane
Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon, Aparshakti Khurana, Pankaj Tripathi, Vinay Pathak, Atul Srivastava, Alka Amin
Direction: Laxman Utekar
Rating: 3.5/5
