Bahut Huya Samman review: a comical spectacle with a revolutionary message

Taking advantage of the long weekend, the film Bahut Huya Samman was dropped on 2nd October on Disney+Hotstar. Helmed by the director Ashish Shukla, the movie in the guise of comedy takes a dig at today’s political and economic climate with some hilarious sub-plots for the comic relief.

Set in the town of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, the film recounts the journey of Bony (Raghav Juyal) and Fundoo ( Abhishek Chauhan), two mechanical engineering students who couldn’t land up a job during the placement session. Depressed by their own failure and frustrated by the success of others (capitalism spotted), these two set out to loot the university bank “MCBC” under the leadership of none other than Bakchod Baba, played by Sanjay Mishra.

However, the D-day didn’t go as planned by the trio, landing poor Bony and Fundoo behind the bars. What follows next is an extensive hunt for the looted materials by the police inspector, Bobby Tripathi (Nidhi Singh) which leads to some startling revelations.

If the first half of the film revolves around the robbery and its execution, the second half is lit up by the scores of new characters and new themes to add a twist to the plot. The film has surely some clownish scenes but it cannot be passed off as another senseless comedy-drama. The director Ashish Shukla and the writers, Avinash Singh and Vijay Narayan Verma very meticulously peel off the comic layering from time and again to show what lies underneath are some present-day issues that are plaguing our country.

Sanjay Mishra as Bakchod Baba is the soul of the film. Under the hands of the writer-director, the depth of his character has been quite well managed against this hilarious roller-coaster ride. The film, through the unfiltered tongue of Bakchod Baba, gives us a message to save democracy by questioning it and not to fall prey to consumerism and capitalism.

Both Raghav Juyal (Bony) and Abhishek Chauhan (Fundoo) are the gems who happen to complement each other pretty well on screen. Fundoo’s frustration and aggression have been balanced quite well by the depressed yet cooler demeanor of Bony. Their perfect comic timings, abused packed dialogues and some mindless acts tickle our funny bones.

Nidhi Singh shines in her role as a tough woman cop who can go to any length to unearth the truth. In this chaotic drama, her humorously, kinky personal life has been integrated quite skillfully by the writer-director. She is certainly more comfortable with handcuffs in a jail room rather than in her own bedroom. The film through its comic trope takes a subtle dig at the society that expects women to work tirelessly to strike a perfect balance between their personal and professional lives.

Ram Kapoor surprises us with his unconventional role as a cold-blooded murderer. Other actors like Bhupest Kumar Singh, Namit Das, and Flora Saini deliver good performances.

What works in the favor of Bahut Huya Samman is its potential to make us laugh throughout the film. The 1990’s theme background songs seem over the top at times but are nonetheless well blended with the scenes and the hilarious speech balloons seem straight out of a comic book. The heart of this film is surely in the right place but it wishes to achieve too much in the 2-hour duration. You can hear yourself screaming “Bahut Huya” during the second half of the film which has some loose ends and mindless acts. Nonetheless, the brilliant performances of the star cast, the perfect comic timings, and the revolutionary message surely make it a good weekend watch.

The film is currently streaming on Disney+Hotstar.

Tokyo: the predictably unpredictable character from the series Money Heist

Characters from Money Heist

Dear Tokyo,

Remember how Nairobi pleaded you consistently to hand her over to the doctors’ outside when she was shot for the first time? In that critical moment when she was oscillating between life and death, she pinned her hopes on you as she knew that if there is someone who could make unbelivable happen, then it’s only you.

You are not someone who could be captured in a frame and kept at one place. The only way to talk or write about you is by letting one’s imagination free. You are truly an epitiome of freedom. For you, home is not the four walls, rather it’s breaking away from those four walls into the unexplored terrains of life. On that secluded beach, you were happy with Rio. You made love, partied, swam yet all it took you were just couple of minutes to leave behind your little paradise for some unknown corners of the world.

Rio and Tokyo’s love story

In a world that reeks of patriachy and male domination, where women as strong and powerful as Raquel had to suffer domestic abuse, men fear you and that my friend is what makes you invincible. You bring fear in men not by bashing them or standing upto them, but by just being yourself.

People say freedom and love don’t go hand in hand but you proved otherwise. You etched new definition of love and loyality: it doesn’t mean to be with someone forever, rather it means to go to any length to protect that person from the danger, and it’s in this territory, you outdid yourself. You moved the world, pulled off another heist, went to the Lion’s Den to bring back the love of your life-Rio.

If I were to place my bet on someone who could make it out alive from even the most impossible situations, then it’s you. Be it your wild goose chase with the police, your massy re-entry to the Royal mint or your sassy approach with an assassin Gandiya, you defeated all of them at their own game.

But to talk about you and not mention your flaws would be a great disservice to an empowered character like you. It was pleasant to see how your hot headedness scared the shit out of sexist and misogynistic man like Berlin so much that he had to turn you in to the police. But at another time, your hot headedness came with a price that had be be paid by Moscow by his life.

When Rio broke up with you, you behaved outrageously silly. In the midst of a heist with a man like Gandiya on the loose, you drank like it’s the end of the world. You were the human time bomb that could have blew up the entire plan to ashes if Denver and Nairobi hadn’t looked after you. If your fearlessness in the face of death was commendable, your callousness in the midst of the heist was fearful.

You don’t make for a leader, I would rather leave that job to Nairobi, you are rather one hell of a person who kicks ass as easily as fire guns. You are not a sunshine but a storm that uprootes and turns everything upside down and to quote Moscow “leave a trails of deadbodies behind”. Living with someone like you is like being in a heist, you don’t know what will happen next yet there is an immense pleasure in that uncertainity that gives you thrill and promises you a lifetime of souvenirs.

Women characters of Money Heist

Vibes’ of street market

Best street markets of India

Disclaimer :  If you don’t mind  the tobacco stained lanes, being pushed by unknown faces to the other part of the world, faces drenching with sweat,  the rowdiness of street vendors’,  or the group of vultures hunting for the next discounted deal, then you are fit to step into a street market just like I did.

With a strong will and stronger bargaining skill, I finally ventured out to explore the lanes of Sarojini Nagar, the famous street market of Delhi, but this time all by myself.

Once inside the market, everything became blur and all I could hear were the slurs. Yet in the midst of such a maddening rush, I still don’t know how did I managed to get adrenaline rush.

May be purchasing a couple of Tees at throwaway prices did the trick or finally stuffing my bag with beautiful pieces of junk jewellery that for months were in my online shopping cart. Just when I was brimming with joy, my eyes fell upon those elegant shades of lipsticks that made me want to pout more but at last what made my day were beautiful pair of heels that I got at the best possible deal.

For the first time in my life, I felt myself becoming Sherlock Holmes, my eyes never have been this wider and attentive before, grabbing each and every small detail that came my way. On top of it, the smell of food reaching my nostrils was icing on the cake. I mean, what could be better than having a bag full of clothes on one hand and a plate full of chaat on the other ?

After my little treat, just as I was making my way again into the cramped lanes, the bookworm in me soon jumped with joy at the sight of a book stall. From Chetan Bhagat, Nicholas Spark, Sydney Sheldon to Agastha Christie, Gabrielle Marquez, Amitav Ghosh, the shelf was hapharzadly arranged with some classics and some populars. The nerdy me was spoilt for choices but at last my literay aucumen came to my rescue and made me buy some good books.

After 3 hours of wandering into the gulliies of Sarojini Nagar, my limbs finally started to give in, I decided to put this adventure to a halt when again I spotted a good denim jackets stall. Looking deep into my wallet and deeper into my mind, I relized it was better to walk away whilst I had still some money and time.

Now sitting comfortably in my armed chair with cushions supporting my back, allow me to give you a sage advice: shopping in street markets is no cakewalk. The sweltering heat, jam packed gullies, deafening sound and the crazy crowd is enough to scare a ghost away. You have to constantly keep an eye on your belongings and keep pace with your surroundings. Hone your bargaining skills so you are not looted and buy some good quality clothes that are well suited.

Monsoon Special !

What is it about rain that makes you stop and look outside?

Is it the drops that drench your soul and wash away all the numbness that you have been fighting against for long,

is it the soft brush of cool breeze against your skin that tickles your emotions to let out that joy from which you have been divorced far too long,

is it the sound of rain that falls on your ears like sweet melody which makes you dance away all your pain ,

is it the lightning that takes us to our moment of epiphany-  life doesn’t have to be long but delightful, or

is it the sight of blooming flowers or trees impregnated with happiness that reminds you of the simpler days when life wasn’t this complicated?

Isn’t it the rain that evokes all those warm and passionate emotions that humans are capable of ?

Keep your buddies close and your chai buddies closer

Dear Chai,

While the world is still holding up without the cure for COVID 19, I am sure that it will crumble if it were to go a moment without you.

You are that one special moment of the day that calms my puzzled mind or helps me find that one missing jigsaw that completes the puzzle. Either way, each sip brings me an inch closer to peace. 

After gulping innumerable cups of tea, some alone, some in the company, I’ve come to realize that chai buddies are the best. After all, those deep conversations at our favorite chai adda empty our hearts before we empty our cups. 

Be it early morning lectures, the yawny professional meet-ups, late-night study, or a sleepy film, you have always been there for my drooping eyelids that have otherwise put me to shame more than you can imagine.

You are truly my all-weather friend. The warmth of ginger tea in winters, the subtle sweetness of cardamom tea in summers, the kick of masala chai with some hot pakoras in monsoons, you, along with your flavors, help me sail through all the seasons. 

Be it the fancy restaurants where one can’t get enough of you or the roadside tea stalls where one has to brave the crowd for a cutting chai or a sudden stop at the tapri somewhere in the middle where maggi gulped with some tea is the absolute joy, you, my dear, always make me feel at home. 

Yours truly,

 (forget it, you have too many) 

Sadak 2 review : this snail paced journey is full of bumps

After braving the storm, Sadak 2 at last made its way to OTT platform, only to dig its own grave.

Helmed by the director Mahesh Bhatt, the film embarks on the journey of two different characters whose paths are meant to be crossed with each other. On one hand, Arya Desai, played by Alia Bhatt, is hell bent on taking down and exposing the fake gurus who make money out of people’s misery, on the other hand , we have Ravi Kishor Sharma, portrayed by Sanjay Dutt, who is drowned in grief after his wife’s death, Pooja, played by Pooja Bhatt. His only desire is to be reunited with her in heaven. But before leaving, he must keep her last word- drive Arya to Kailash. Thus, bought together by the same destination, the journey to the Kailash commences.

As the journey continues, the ride is further boarded by Arya’s beau, Vishal, played by Aditya Roy Kapoor. Tall, charming with an air of mystery surrounding him, he tags along with Arya. However, this seemingly simple journey is marred by suspicions, some dark past revelations and poorly shot action sequences between the men of Guruji and Ravi.

While the destination of both Sadak and Sadak 2 is same- protect the closed ones from the evil forces and practices of the world, Sadak 2 takes a detour from the well charted out love saga of Sadak to carve out its own way — one that is marked by revenge and vengeance.

From time and again, we are compelled to deboard this journey which drags at a snail pace. It’s nothing short of an irony that how Sadak 2 whose mission was to take the journey forward put the gear in reverse to take us back to the era of 1990’s where dialogues rode high on morality and heros could make a re-entry after being shot to kick asses of goons, who for some strange reason always attack one by one and not together.

Sanjay Dutt, who reprises his role as a taxi driver, shines in his role. His meltdown scenes and his moving love story will move you to tears. However, his character remaines largely underdeveloped owing to the poor script. The struggle of Ravi- to find a reason to live, in both Sadak and Sadak 2 is congruent. While in Sadak, the struggle and the outcome were lauded by the audience, the same is being decried in Sadak 2, a film that is stuck in the era of 1990’s.

Review of Sadak 2

While the first part of the franchise revolved around Sanjay Dutt, the second part puts Alia Bhatt at the forefront who nails her role perfectectly as Arya. Young and rich, she is driven by vengenance but is also full of love. Her simple causal style blends well with the story that demandes her to be on the front seat and takes in charge of steering.

Aditya Roy Kapoor, who plays the role of Vicky was pleasant to look at on sceen. His mysterious aura in the first half of the film made his character intriguing. However, in the second half of the film, he is reduced merely to a bystander with almost no dialouges to his credit. While Aditya and Alia complement each other well on screen, their chemistry in the film remaines largely unexplored.

Jisshu Sengupta, who played the role of Alia Bhatt’s father has done quite a decent job in donning various emotions. Other characters like Makarande Deshpande, as Guruji, Priyanka Bose, as Alia Bhatt’s step mother and Gulshan Grover, as Dilip Haathkatta, will make your eyes bleed with their overzealous perfomance.

Sadak, that was released in 1990’s had been a rage amongst the audience for its bold subject and the intense love tale. Though we see traces of Sadak in Sadak 2 through the eyes of Sanjay Dutt, Sadak 2 seems like a journey that has been half heartedly taken forward by Mahest Bhatt. The poor script, predictable storyline and too many songs took toll on the moving performances’ of Sanjay Dutt and Alia Bhatt and their beautiful dynamics that had all the makings of a father- daughter relationship.

Although the backlash this film received before its release was totally uncalled for, one might feel content now that luckily what is being boycotted by the public blindly is actually quite a poor script.

Sadak 2 is currently streaming on Hotstar.

• Sadak 2 Review
• Review Of Sadak 2
• Sadak 2
• Sadak

Rain, books and coffee- the most clichéd threesome

Rain, books and coffee – this much hyped threesome can actually be quite therapeutic.

The sight of rain drops on dusty land, the cool breeze, the greener trees, the visual appeal of the real world and the extraordinary pull of the fictitious world bridged finely by some freshly brewed coffee bring us closer to peace.

Gunjan Saxena review : the film leaves you wanting more

Review of Gunjan Saxena: the Kargil girl

Released at the time when Independance day was just around the corner, the film Gunjan Saxena: the Kargil girl, starring Jahnvi Kapoor is a biopic and a tribute to Gunjan Saxena, the first woman Indian Air Force pilot who served the nation during the critical Kargil war.

The film takes off on the right foot, chronicling the journey of Gunjan Saxena, who right from her childhood aspired to be the pilot. She has always been fascinated by the planes and her eyes has always been on the prize, the sky. The film sets the tone in the first scene itself when Gunjan’s father, played by Pankaj Tripathi delivers short but power packed line “The plane doesn’t differentiate between a man and the woman”.

The second half of the film narrates her struggles to find her footing in what had traditionally been a “male domain”. Her encounters with misogyny and blatant sexism at every step of her life brings forth the gender bias and discrimanation. She was checked and questioned rigorously both in the sky and on the land for her flying abilities.

As the movie progresses, one feels compelled to tighten the seat belt as the later part of second half takes you to the Kargil war where Gunjan finally takes off the plane from the base to the dangerous skies of the Kargil in the midst of the war. The nail biting climax coupled with impactful visual representation is bound to give you goosebumps.

The landing of the movie has been as smooth as Gunjan’s landing of the plane. The film rides high on patriotic sentiments and consciously distances itself from the hollow and hyper nationalism.

Helmed by director Sharan Sharma, the movie advances with a decent pace. On one hand, it brings to life very meticioulsly the inspiring journey of Gunjan Saxena as a pilot and on the other hand, the hardships she had to face as a woman. The overlapse between the two has been well curated. However, the training scenes in the movie were brief and short lived, thus, robbing the film of thunderous moments.

Jahnvi Kapoor, who carries the entire film on her shoulders, makes her debut yet again, this time as an actor. She looks convincing as the young Gunjan Saxena but there is still a long road ahead of her and a scope for improvisation.

Pankaj Tripathi, stands out in his role of Gunjan Saxena’s father. He has yet again proved that he can seamlessely fit into any character and stretch it well within its bounds. He seems truly a director’s actor.

Angad Bedi, who essayed the role of Gunjan Saxena’s elder brother, ticks off all the qualities of a sexist man. For him, the real war is to convince his sister to go back home and take care of “their parents”. He has justified his role by maintaing the same stern and rigid expressions throughout the film, mirroring his feelings.

Ayasha Raze, who played the role of Gunjan Saxena’s mother managed to lit up the screen with her wry humor. The perfomance of other actors’ like Manav Vij as the difficult yet encouraging boss and Vineet Kumar Singh as a senior officer leaves a lasting impression on the screen.

The film is currently streaming on Netflix.

When sky is the limit, mind becomes an ocean

My Badge of Honor

They say think as clear as the blue sky but what they don’t say is how they jump with joy to capture the image of sky when it has turned all grey and sombre, when the wind blows with all its might and the night comes unannounced. But people, they just wait for that one perfect click which they carry around as a badge of honor.

They say that sky is blue but what they don’t say is how they wish to catch a glimpse of the sky when it takes different hues and colors. From blue to grey to orange to pink, the splash of all these colors onto this huge canvas is nothing short of magical realism. But Alas, all these thoughts are transitory and what remains is the universal truth : Sky is blue.

They say cloudiness in mind is our enemy but what they don’t say is how sometimes they desire be carried away just like the clouds, changing their shapes and wearing new disguises, to the farthest corners possible with no intention of looking down or behind.

No matter how much they are in awe of rainbow, they will still paint the life as black and white riding high on societal morals.

They say sky is the limit and yet at every step in your life, they will remind you of your limits and limitations.

But at last, only a mind as inclusive and elusive as a sky will know that the sky could never be caged by the words and the mind, as vast as the ocean, couldn’t be imprisoned by just one stream of thought.

The story of Connaught place : From glory to ruins

Strolling around the lanes of iconic Connaught place on a cool and pleasant Sunday evening, what met my eyes couldn’t be shed off for years to come.

What once used to be the famous hang-out spot for Delhiites now find its destiny hanging by a thread. With almost every shop closed, the tobacco stained lanes were covered up in layers of dust and mountain of garbage. Going ahead, there were only few people to be seen, drenching in sweat and faces covered by masks but what couldn’t be masked is the sorry state of the place and the world at large.

Having frequented the area gazillion times, with tons of pictures in my phone, the place never seemed more foreign and hostile than today. The empty lanes and the emptier stomach of poor were nothing short of horrendous.

The illuminated streets, the sound of the music being played in the cafes, the lanes filled with the aroma of brewing coffee, the sight of people trying their hand at creativity for few bucks, the books and junked jewellery being sold at every nook and corner coupled with the patriotic and religious sights once marked the joyous ambiance of Connaught place.

Now, the deafening sound of the place has now been reduced to a silent cry. The lanes are screeching with poverty, the air is laden with fear, the land is shrouded with dust and heap of garbage and with just a dozen souls in sight, the danger is lurking around the corner.

What once used to be the second home for Delhiites is now home to dozens of cobwebs and mosquitoes, all breeding upon the crippled economy, poverty and the worsening state of affairs.

Songs – The magic wand

Dear songs ,

Often, I see people humming lyrics and swinging their heads in public as if they were hypnotised by you.

In a hustle and bustle of today’s life , you are the only one with no sense  of rush. That one favorite verse in a song is just like a moment which I never want to let go of, where everything around me becomes quite and still and the only thing I could hear is my heart thumping with joy to your tunes.

In a world where people get bored of each other , where we want to erase our past as if it never existed, you are the only thing that is constant which we want to replay again and again.

You are my morning dose of mediatation which brings me to peace and puts to sleep all the problems of my life momentarily.

Yesterday, you came to my head when I was in the shower, the other day, you came to my mind in the midst of an important meeting, you are truly omnipresent just like God who can be felt at any time and everytime. 

Sometimes, when words and people fail me completely, I often come and knock at your door knowing very well that there has been at least one great artist who must have composed  you for me, only for me and for once it’s good to know that you will always be there for me. 

You are a wave of nostalgia that drown us in the memories of the past, you are a wizard and your lyrics are a magic wand that breathes life and liveliness to our present numb days’ , you are a ray of hope that shines brightly on our cloudy future to make it look a bit promising. You, my dear friend, make this world certainly a better place to live. 

Your faithful lover,

forget it, you have many 😉