Amazon Prime Archives

Afsos Review: Gulshan Devaiah Kills It in this Crackling Tragicomedy About a Man Desperate to Die

It’s rare to make a comedy that is informed by its wickedness. Even rare to set it in a homegrown universe that pokes fun at the double standards of middle-class anxieties – death, religion, millennial indecisiveness, and existentialism – in a way which is immediately recognisable. Afsos manages to do both.

Poulomi Das July 22, 2016

Pop Culture

What Makes Mrs Maisel Marvellous is Her Pursuit of Perfection

The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, which drops its second season today, is one of the most anticipated TV events of the year. The show subverts the conventional trope of “the perfect female lead” by having a heroine whose perfectionism isn’t a temporary product of her circumstances.

Kahini Iyer July 18, 2016

Pop Culture

Jalsa review: Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah in top form

Suresh Triveni’s Jalsa is an unsettling story about two mothers who though miles apart in class, caste and social standing, speak the same language of motherhood.

Divya Unny July 18, 2016

Pop Culture

The Life of a Journalist in Four More Shots Please! (and Other Chick Flicks) is Fake News

Four More Shots Please! treats Damini no differently from the women journalists who have come before her in the chick flick genre. Like Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw, Damini is not just an unlikeable character – her many flaws are framed as aspirational.

Kahini Iyer July 8, 2016

Pop Culture

Hush Hush Review: Sensitively Crafted Tale led by Stellar Performances

Hush Hush is a familiar tale of elite crimes, but it is elevated by fantastic performances delivered by a diverse group of formidable actresses.

Pradeep Menon July 6, 2016

Pop Culture

The Temptation of Trash TV: Why You Need Need Bigg Boss After BoJack

It’s the age of #PeakTV, and there’s a plethora of content out there that is intellectually stimulating, aesthetically pleasing, and artistically rewarding. But it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Acclaimed shows are like caviar – perfectly fine to treat yourself to, but sometimes you just want good old vada pav.

Dushyant Shekhawat June 26, 2016

Pop Culture

In Defence of Four More Shots Please!, the Ultimate Guilt-Watch for the Lockdown

Like Tiger King, the breathless obsession with Four More Shots Please! has less to do with its quality and more to do with how unequivocally it commands our attention. Perhaps its best achievement is that it takes our minds off the lockdown and Covid-19’s progress.

Poulomi Das June 26, 2016

Bollywood

Gulabo Sitabo Review: A Bittersweet Film Elevated by Amitabh Bachchan, Ayushmann Khurrana’s Chemistry

In Shoojit Sircar’s Gulabo Sitabo, there is easy chemistry between Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana, the dialogue packs a punch, and the comic set-pieces are incessantly charming. Halfway through, when the film starts peeling its layers, it becomes all the more captivating.

Poulomi Das June 15, 2016

Pop Culture

The Family Man Review: We’ve Really Missed You Manoj Bajpayee

The Family Man is slick, fast, and in the hands of the peerless Manoj Bajpayee a delightful watch. His Srikant Tiwari is a hero, but can’t claim to be one – in some ways, a loser and tired evidently of being labelled so.

Manik Sharma June 10, 2016

Features

Bandish Bandits: Can A Couple With Nothing in Common Stay Together?

In Amazon Prime Video’s Bandish Bandits, we’re introduced to a young couple, who have very little in common, apart from their shared love for music. Despite their differences, however, they manage to persevere, which raises the question: Can a couple with nothing in common stay together?

Arré Bench June 7, 2016