Poulomi Das, Author at Arré

Omerta: Hansal Mehta’s Dramatised Wikipedia Entry on 21st-Century Terror

Hansal Mehta’s biopics are marked by a deep-dive into the minds of his central characters. And that is the greatest weakness of Omertà, a film on the terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh. It is about as effective as a dramatised Wikipedia entry – there is nothing in its 96-minute runtime that we don’t already know.

Poulomi Das May 28, 2016

Pop Culture

Farewell Dear Mindy Project, The One-Woman Show Hollywood Needed

In The Mindy Project, Mindy Lahiri’s career and success is entirely of her making, mirroring its creator, Mindy Kaling’s, own life, where she been consistently shattering the glass ceiling on behalf of women and actors of colour everywhere.

Poulomi Das May 28, 2016

Documentary

Knock Down the House Isn’t About Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alone. It’s a Roadmap for a Political System

There’s more to Netflix’s Knock Down the House than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her journey to becoming a Congresswoman. Instead, the documentary is a record of the struggle of “getting everyday Americans represented by everyday Americans” and the near lack of space that the nation’s politics reserves for women.

Poulomi Das May 28, 2016

Pop Culture

In Nawaz We Trust

Babumoshai Bandookbaaz gains from the presence of Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who has taken on the role of a saviour of films in need of saving.

Poulomi Das May 27, 2016

Pop Culture

Hotel Mumbai Review: A Hollow Recreation of the 26/11 Terror Attacks Limited By its White Gaze

Hotel Mumbai makes the mistake of placing wealthy foreigners at the centre of its story, effectively taking a myopic view of the tragedy. The makers’ unfamiliarity with the cultural reverberations of the 26/11 terror makes it a classic victim of outsider-making-a-movie-about-India syndrome.

Poulomi Das May 27, 2016

Bollywood

Karwaan and the Road Less Travelled by Bollywood

Karwaan has its share of shortcomings but it is resolutely modern – by emphasising that a girl and a guy can just be friends. This road-trip film is also proof that you can find yourself without letting a manufactured love story derail it.

Poulomi Das May 26, 2016

Pop Culture

Rangoon and the Rise and Rise of Shahid

Rangoon shines because of Shahid’s stellar performance. In a way, the actor is still delivering on the faith that Vishal Bhardwaj had shown in him, eight years ago with Kaminey.

Poulomi Das May 26, 2016

Bollywood

Love Aaj Kal Review: A Relic From the Past Without a Clue About the Future

The torturous 141 minutes of Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal, starring a grating Sara Ali Khan and a scared Kartik Aaryan, plays out like a multiple choice question paper: Love or sex? Career or relationship? Uber driver or bike? Stalking or women's safety?

Poulomi Das May 25, 2016

Pop Culture

The Subversive Genius of Om Shanti Om

In an era of celebrity diplomacy, few actors have the courage to laugh at themselves, fewer even to laugh at the idiosyncrasies of the industry they belong to. That’s where Om Shanti Om stood out.

Poulomi Das May 24, 2016

Pop Culture

The Khaufnaak Maut of Horror Films

Ever since Ramsay Brothers and Ram Gopal Varma abandoned the Great Indian Horror Project, Bollywood has floundered in the genre. Where does one go to get their fix of daily dread?

Poulomi Das May 24, 2016