Mehul Joshi

Directed by Abhishek Varman Cast: Aditya Roy Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Madhuri Dixit, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Varun Dhawan Rating: 2/5 With changing times, what is the right way ahead - holding on or letting go? What happens when the majority and the ruler differ in opinions? Set during the times of partition, Kalank is the tale of the Chaudaris, an affluent and influential family which runs a popular newspaper and the Muslim blacksmiths of Husnabad. It is the story of how Satya tries to give her husband a better life, how Roop tries to find love in the streets, how Zafar in lieu of revenge destroys lives, how Dev submits to his destiny, how Bahaar Begum tries to suppress a lifetime of humiliation and how Balraj faces the haunting choices of past. Roop, played by Alia Bhatt, is the principle narrator who tells how her one decision taken in a fit of anger resulted in the destruction of four lives. Telling anything more about the story would spoil the cinematic experience. And...

Kota, the city of coaching classes. Every year numerous students rest their hopes on the shoulders of coaching classes here. PGs have bloomed across the city. Kota has now become a self reliant economy of delusions and consumerism. This mysterious and breathtaking side of Kota is what Kota Factory stands for. Produced by TVF, this show will stands for it offers. Shot with a subtleness, the show is completely black and white which is ironical to the theme. It entices you and makes you comfortable to the gray-scale. The storyline is solid and dialogues are outright hilarious and relatable. In one scene, a guy says, "Jiske liye IIT jana tha, wo toh Commerce wale ke sath bhag gayi." The humour is witty and show is engaging. The story eases you into it. It tells you that this world isn't a bed of roses but a thorny throne. The makers do not scream what they're conveying but it put it stealthily. The emphasis on reshuffling tests is redundant. The common nuances of...

Director: Vasan Bala Producer: Ronnie Screwvala Cast: Abhimanyu Dassani, Radhika Madan Rating: 4/5 What if I told you a film can make you laugh, think and learn, all at the same time? You would brush me off calling my proposal ridiculously unreal. But here's a film that breaks barriers and stipulations of genres to deliver a 2 hour 14-minute wholesome experience. There's drama, there's action and a generous amount of humor. Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota encompasses the story of Surya, a man who cannot feel any pain and Supri, his childhood companion. As unbelievable and unreal it may seem now, once you watch this film, these doubts will fade out. Written masterfully and executed skillfully by Vasan Bala, the film is set in Matunga, a locality in Mumbai. Surya wants to learn Martial arts but his aspirations are opposed by an overprotective father. Fighting all the odds, in the darkness of the night, he learns martial arts. As destiny has it, Surya and Supri meet again...

Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia Cast: Ali Fazal, Shraddha Srinath Rating: 1.5/5 Milan Talkies is a comedy-drama set in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. It revolves around the love story of aspiring filmmaker Anu and Maithli. The film has nothing new to offer. It is the same decade old, hero and heroine film. The film will sure take you back to the old days of Indian cinema. A question to the makers of this film: Why did you make this film? It is the same film I watch every day on Sony Max. The storyline is uncreative and lazy. The writer-director, Tigmanshu has not added any meat to the plot. The narrative dwindles in search of a reason. There is always a direction the film heads to but there a lack of motive. The screenplay is average. The length of the film is exhausting. By the end of the film, the audience is already desperate to run away. The film is completely predictable and bland. The lack of emotions makes the film worse. The rawness of the story gets shadowed by its stiff and...

Kehne Ko Humsafar Hai is a webseries created by Ekta Kapoor for her streaming platform AltBalaji. The story revolves around Poonam, Rohit and Ananya.  The first season of the show was predictable and mediocre but the second season is a revelation. The show touches upon themes Indian entertainment industry rarely does. The makers unapologetically place their characters. Rohit is still struggling with the deep rooted patriarchy he has grown up with all his life. Poonam is afraid of new relationships and self conscious. Ananya continues to be independent and self sufficient. What is commendable is the makers approach to Rohit's character. Marrying an independent working woman doesn't change the ideology a man has grown up with. His upbringing and adulthood which were ruled by patriarchal ideologies plague his new life. He might not be the most likable character but people fail to appreciate his efforts. The story feels real and as the show is moving ahead, we see how Rohi...

Boy meets girl. They like each other. In no time, infatuation kicks in. They get married. Time passes, infatuation wears off. What is now left is a hollow commitment of a lifetime. In India's popular culture (moreover, worldwide), marriages are looked upon as a social obligation. Time and again, we've questioned monogamy and fantasised about polygamy. Take for example, in 2006 film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Dev (Shahrukh Khan) and Maya (Rani Mukerji) realise that there's nothing left in their marriages (not even scope for reconciliation) and find solace in each other. But does that mean the film industry as a whole doesn't believe in marriage? Definitely, no! The same director (of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna , i.e, Karan Johar) has directed numerous dreamy love stories. Films constantly glorify the couples that have stood the test of time. The 2018 blockbuster Badhaai Ho is a sweet tale where Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao's characters love each with all commi...