rekha netflix movie review

'Rekha' review: Vincy Aloshious soars in minimalist revenge drama

Jithin Issac Thomas’ second feature-length film Rekha sounds like one of the many twisted tales narrated by his main character from his debut feature, Attention Please. The setting is Kasaragod, and the makers were wise enough to keep English subtitles. Despite being someone from the Malabar region, I had to look at the translation below to comprehend some of the characters’ lines.

The first film that comes to mind when I think of Kasaragod is Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam, and for a while there, Rekha moves with a kind of pace and tone that makes one assume that it’s going to be another one like it. But this being a Jithin Issac Thomas film, anything can happen. I mean, this is the same guy who made the segment ‘Pra. Thoo. Mu’ from the anthology Freedom Fight. If you think you are getting a feel-good film, think again. Even if that were his intention, I believe he’ll make sure you get very uncomfortable first.

The star and USP of Rekha are Vincy Aloshious playing the titular tomboyish woman in love with Arjun, an unemployed young man from the neighbourhood, played by the gifted Unni Lalu, who essayed the rebellious protagonist from ‘Pra. Thoo. Mu’. The lion’s share of Rekha’s pre-interval portions sets up the romance between the two while giving us a sense of the neighbourhood—its sights, sounds, the homes of Rekha and Arjun, their neighbours, the mundane small talk comprising subjects irrelevant and insignificant to an outsider but a big deal for these people.

When you have characters exchange banter in their own dialect, peppered with their own quirks, you sit there soaking it all in. It’s just the little things—an argument about a hen laying eggs in the next home, an attempt to retrieve a metal vessel that has fallen into the well, a local member moonlighting as a broker... In the meantime, we get a bit of background about Rekha. She has been to a sports school and is prepping for PSC. Only one of these details would turn useful at a crucial juncture in her life.

There is an immersive quality to the visual and sound design, notwithstanding the minimalist approach. Director of photography Abraham Joseph, who made a mark in Kumari, fills the atmosphere with enough grit and menace. The closing nighttime stretch in a deserted Kochi street has an otherwordly quality while being careful not to make every frame look pretty.

One of the film’s most notable sequences has the main couple engaged in a phone text interaction before they video call each other. We have seen the onscreen chatbox display approach before, but if I recall correctly, the actors’ voices ‘reading out’ their respective messages while their lips don’t move is a first. Impatient viewers might find such a thing cumbersome, but there is a seemingly good reason for Jithin to extend these digital interactions.

Another scene has Arjun barging into Rekha’s home unannounced in the hope of making love. This moment is remarkably staged, with Vincy superbly portraying Rekha’s concerns about discovery and apprehension at making physical contact for the first time. For a while, you think it’s all so sweet until this clandestine rendezvous’ true and twisted implications become apparent much later.

Unlike Attention Please, Rekha manages to venture outside the main characters’ setting after a point—when it morphs into an intense revenge thriller after Rekha discovers an act of injustice. When Arjun goes on the run, she is devastated. Jithin, who has in his last two films shown a penchant for conveying a character’s troubled state of mind through masterful editing, portrays some of Rekha’s most turbulent episodes similarly, with intercuts, blurs, and surreal imagery.

When Rekha finally goes into avenger mode, the film brings the promise of severe retribution, be it the way she deals with Arjun or any other sicko she meets along the way. And, in any film featuring characters with deviant behaviour, unsettling situations go with the territory. But unlike this week’s other release, Christopher, these are not too disturbing as Rekha is a film where fate favours the woman more. However, if you are a pet lover, the offscreen murder of a dog might shake you.

Rekha is not an easy film to watch. However, the protagonist’s ‘sports background’ offers a comforting cushion in several situations of peril for the once-naive woman who got into a relationship because she was bothered by all her ‘taken’ friends. I found the third act chase stretched out more than necessary; perhaps Jithin wanted to present a stark contrast to the elongated lovey-dovey portions I mentioned earlier. The sustained tension works in most places, but at the same time, there was the nagging feeling that perhaps taking out 15 mins could’ve made the third act tighter and more engaging.

As the end credits rolled, I remembered that Valentine’s Day arrives in four days. Perhaps Rekha was intended as a cautionary tale for those desperate to get into a relationship to show others that they also “have a line.” Tread carefully, young ones.

Film: Rekha Director: Jithin Issac Thomas Cast: Vincy Aloshious, Unni Lalu Rating: 3.5/5

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp  

Download the TNIE app to stay with us and follow the latest

Related Stories

Home » Endings Explained

Rekha Ending Explained – why did Arjun kill Rekha’s father?

We discuss the ending of the 2023 Netflix film Rekha which will contain spoilers.

During the first half of   Rekha , it is easy to forget you’re watching a thriller, as the vibe is more in the romance genre . The titular heroine ( Vincy Aloshious ) is an atypical teenager who lives with her parents.

She’s pursuing an education in sports and hates household chores but is very close to her kind and permissive father. Like many teenagers, Rekha is in the early stages of a relationship with the local shopkeeper’s unemployed son, Arjun ( Unni Lalu ). 

Arjun is older yet insists he’s madly in love. He’s also a bit too handsy and demanding when it comes to asking Rekha for physical affection. One night, he sneaks into her room and coerces the young woman to sleep with him.

The very next day, she realizes that she’s made a terrible mistake when her beloved father is found dead on the porch, and her new lover is nowhere to be seen. 

During their night together, Arjun confessed to having killed Rekha’s dog because it kept barking at him.

While all her neighbors and the authorities were quick to dismiss her father’s death as a heart attack, the young woman is left wondering if her boyfriend could have committed murder just to have sex with her.

Rekha Ending Explained

While asking around the village about Arjun’s whereabouts, Rekha learns that he moved to the city of Ernakulam to find work with his uncle Kannan (Prathapan K.S.).

She follows him and tracks down Kannan, who pretends to want to help her but instead tries to assault her. Unfortunately for him, Kannan underestimated Rekha’s strength, and she overpowers him and beats him to a pulp with a saucepan. 

When she finally comes face to face with Arjun, he flat-out denies hurting her dad. Strangely, she seems to accept his explanation and walks away. 

Why did Arjun move away?

During Rekha’s investigation, we learn more about Arjun’s character; He didn’t just leave the village to ghost our protagonist, but he was also running away from a scandal. As it turns out, Arjun was having an affair with the village teacher, and when her husband found out, she took her own life because of the shame. 

Rekha continues stalking her former lover until she calls him and promises to leave the city if he agrees to meet her one last time. Reluctantly he agrees to set up a meeting with her but also brings a knife with him. 

As soon as the two faces each other, Rekha again asks Arjun about her father’s fate, and he denies involvement. She follows him around the city for a while before the two eventually get into a physical fight. At first, it seems like Arjun is about to smother the poor girl to death, but she manages to get the upper hand and ends his life by stabbing him in the groin. 

How did Rekha’s father die?

Flashbacks show that on the night Arjun forcibly seduced Rekha, he was caught sneaking inside her house by her dad, who was sleeping on the porch. During the struggle, Arjun killed the older man by smothering him. Even more disturbing, after murdering her dad, he went into Rekha’s room and took advantage of her. 

The movie ends with Rekha back home being questioned by police. We learn that authorities are looking for Arjun because of his connection to the school teacher’s death. Unsurprisingly, Rekha feigns ignorance and pretends she had little more than a fleeting affair with the wanted man. 

What did you think of the ending of the 2023 Netflix film Rekha? Comment below.

Article by Lori Meek

Lori Meek has been a Ready Steady Cut contributing writer since September 2022 and has had over 400 published articles since. She studied Film and Television at Southampton Solent University, where she gained most of her knowledge and passion for the entertainment industry. Lori’s work is also featured on platforms such as TBreak Media and ShowFaves.

The Book of Boba Fett season 1, episode 1 recap - "Chapter 1"

Roar season 1, episode 7 recap - a reality that you may wish actually existed

This website cannot be displayed as your browser is extremely out of date.

Please update your browser to one of the following: Chrome , Firefox , Edge

• About Contact Sitemap Privacy & Policy Terms & Conditions PRODUCTION INSIGHTS

‘​Rekha’ Netflix Movie Review - Jithin Issac Thomas' Film is Impressive and Well-Made

Most people are likely to nod their heads in agreement if you say that Malayalam movies are excellent at observing the everyday life of their characters. The opening portions of Jithin Issac Thomas' Rekha validate this point. The daily routine and conversations inside Rekha's (Vincy Aloshious) household are keenly recorded, bringing the dramatis personae to life. Thomas finds playful rhythms in ordinary circumstances, like retrieving a vessel from a well or a wife's grumbling about hens. Everything initially feels cheerful, so much so that you think Rekha would turn out to be one of those pleasant, slice-of-life films. Just notice how lovely it is to watch a video call between two lovers or their WhatsApp conversations. You smile when Rekha blushes while reading the flirty text messages.

In between all the chores, the movie establishes that Rekha loves her father, and the two of them have a good rapport. We are also told that Rekha went to a sports school and has "manly" strength (a character even refers to her as someone looking like a man). She frees herself from Arjun's (Unni Lalu) grasp (he is her boyfriend) and tightly squeezes his arm. These moments are presented to us in a matter-of-fact way, but our intuitions tell us to firmly hold on to the details. There is definitely something important in these scenes, but at first, the movie's motives are not very apparent.

It's when the illusion of happiness breaks that you fully comprehend the purpose of these "lighthearted" moments. They were gently planting the seeds for the thriller portions. The movie effortlessly transforms into a thriller when Arjun confesses to killing a dog. You are further alarmed when Rekha's father doesn't wake up the next day. At this point in the film, you look back at that video call between Rekha and Arjun and find a streak of creepiness in his behavior. The lovemaking scene looked hot and erotic at first (no wonder we saw Rekha turning on a table fan), but now, you notice rapey vibes from the moment. It's impressive how the film's breezy tone covered the traces of ugliness from our sight. We were as blindsided as Rekha.

The performances of the actors play a major role in fooling the audience. Both Aloshious and Lalu are chameleons. The latter is just perfect as a devil in disguise or a wolf in sheep's clothing. You are surprised by the quickness with which Lalu changes from being innocent to a full-blown devil. The gleeful smile that Aloshious gives while hitting an old man with pan rouses you but, at the same time, also sends chills down your spine. A part of you gets so shocked by this new facet that it questions whether this was the same actor who we watched during the initial portions.

Then there is Thomas, who should be applauded for merging two distinct styles and making them harmonious. Naturalism gives way to neon lights, and gentle music is replaced by electronic guitars. You can't help but treat every scene with importance. For instance, you consider that vessel retrieval scene and connect it to the struggles Rekha faces to take her revenge (she goes around asking for Arjun's phone number and the name of a watchman and has to put up a fight to defeat Arjun at the end). It's here where the movie can become a bit self-indulgent, and the brief appearance of a red-colored box around Rekha's eyes can be distracting and too much to bear. But this is undeniably an impressive and well-made film, and I can't wait to see what else Thomas will do next.

Final Score-  [8.5/10] Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav Follow  @vikasonorous  on Twitter Publisher at  Midgard Times

• Prime Video

Related Posts

AMC‘s ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Season 2 Review - An Outstanding Second Act!

Netflix ‘Blood of Zeus’ Season 2 Review - Returns With An Exciting Plot

‘Living with Leopards’ Netflix Review - A Documentary Delving into the Lives of Leopards

Twitter news feed.

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.

Bringing Pop Culture News from Every Realm, Get All the Latest Movie, TV News, Reviews & Trailers

Got Any questions? Drop an email to [email protected]

Popular Posts

‘Between Lands’ Netflix Series Review - A Family Drama With a Blend of Mystery

‘No Pressure’ (2024) Netflix Movie Review - Old Wine in a New Bottle

‘LaRoy, Texas’ (2024) Movie Review - An Okayish Crime Comedy Saved By Its Actors

• PRODUCTION INSIGHTS
• Standard & Ethics Policy
• Privacy & Policy
• Terms & Conditions

• ENGLISH HINDI MALAYALAM TAMIL TELUGU KANNADA BENGALI  

Rekha Malayalam Movie

The first half hour of Jithin Issac Thomas' Rekha gives us no clue as to what will happen in the rest of the film. Jithin introduces us to a seemingly happy middle-class family somewhere in north Kerala. Rekha (Vincy Aloshious) lives with her father and mother. Rekha's mother often complains about her daughter's behavior of being on the phone almost all the time. She is more emotionally attached to her loving and caring father. There is hardly any domestic trouble at play here.

Rekha is also dating a guy known as Arjun (Unni Lalu), and their romance seems as fresh as the couple's from Kumbalangi Nights. He is jobless, but she is OK with it. He looks at her with a sense of glee, and she likes him. But she also does not feel as at ease with the relationship as he does. What does she have to be wary of? Is it some sort of community pressure or fear of opposition from her parents?

The writing may not be good enough to explore such themes more deeply and maximise the potential heft in the script, but the filmmaking is top-notch here. There is a love scene involving Vincy and Unni's characters with a terrific stretch of foreplay where an array of emotions alternate between fear, lust, and love. Then something fateful happens, causing Rekha to lose grip with her sense of reality.

Rekha has a language that is so unlike Malayalam cinema. The soft music in the opening hour paves way to a Thaikkudam Bridge-like piece of techno music at the end. The music represents the journey of Rekha's character, something that starts with plenty of calmness and ends with a sense of release. The music acts as the crescendo of Rekha's creed of violence. There is neon lighting everywhere. There are also clever analogies to coconuts and kitchen knives. The language in the movie contains some slang words, which even a Keralite can find hard to follow without subtitles.

Rekha may not be for everyone, though. Not all viewers like such gratuitous levels of violence on screen. But the performances are world-class. Vincy anchors the film with a performance where moments of silence are interspersed with her volcanic outbursts. Her Rekha is a symbol of stealth. Unni's performance may be the more subdued of the two, but he is a brilliant actor who mostly lets his eyes do the talking.

Rekha Movie Review (2023)

• 10 Feb 2023

The filmmaking is better than the writing in Jithin Issac Thomas’s ‘Rekha’, a love story that morphs into a detective story

Rekha Movie Cast & Crew

The pre-interval stretch of Rekha gives no idea about what lies later. What we get at first is a beautiful depiction of a family and the small, sleepy community that surrounds them. If a vessel for filling up water falls accidentally into a well, the splash sound is enough to arouse everyone to action. Even earlier, we have had some amusement about a mother who's upset that her hen is not laying eggs. She vents her anger on her daughter, who's still asleep. The father is kinder. Even without overt gestures of affection, we feel his closeness with the daughter, who's the Rekha of the title. The director, Jithin Issac Thomas, seems to be in a much calmer mood than he was in Attention Please , which was an angry film about art being the ultimate weapon. Rekha is more about the heart. Again, I'm only talking about the pre-interval stretch.

Vincy Aloshious plays Rekha, and Unni Lalu is her boyfriend, Arjun. The film  spends a lot of time showing them being in love. Arjun sneaks into her house on his birthday and demands a kiss, and we feel Rekha's apprehension about expressing her love in this community. Is there a caste angle, too? There was a prominent Dalit angle in Attention Please , and in Rekha , there's an anganwadi teacher who's slut-shamed after having an affair. I couldn’t say if this was because this teacher belonged to a particular community, or because she was just a woman in a patriarchal society. Either way, the Rekha-Arjun  portions are brilliantly timed and shot – a mixture of chats and calls and, later, a mixture of hand-holding and pleading from both sides. Through the agonising length of this stretch (and it's a good kind of agony, almost like severely extended foreplay), the director makes us feel – almost at a molecular level – both Arjun's desire and Rekha's desire mixed with fear.

There are some wonderful bits of social observation here. A girl need not feel love in order to be in love. The fact that her friends are in love – that is, peer pressure – may be enough to make her crave these feelings. Another thing that makes Rekha different is her talent for sports and her muscular strength – she studied in a sports school. And of course, the men are appalled. One of them comments about the dishonour a girl can bring to her family if she is into such "unfeminine" activities. But Rekha’s father supports her when she says she doesn't want to get married at this moment. It's another reminder that Rekha is close with her father, as is her request that he stop sleeping outside the house just because it is too hot inside. She cares, she really cares about this man. And then something happens: to Rekha, and to her father.

And something happens to the movie, too. The gentle strings in the songs and the background score change into loud electric-guitar rock riffs. The naturalistic lighting turns into blocks of neon colours. A dog that dies in the first half returns as a barking banshee in the soundtrack, and there’s another off-screen incident of animal killing. And Rekha who used her muscular strength playfully in the first half now uses it in a different way. And we finally return to the anger of Attention Please . There, the anger belonged to a screenwriter sick of being suppressed in the hierarchy of cinema talent. Here, the anger belongs to a woman who needs closure. And also revenge. And also resolution of her own guilt in precipitating the big interval moment. Vincy Aloshious is amazing. She does not emote much but we feel everything she's feeling – on behalf of Rekha, and on behalf of other women. In a way, she becomes "the man of the house".

But midway through the second half, the film starts losing its grip. The writing follows the same feel as we got earlier. There, it was an agonising wait for the couple to come together. Now, it is an agonising wait for Rekha's to succeed in her mission. But this time, the agonising wait is really… agonising. For one, the events are predictable. And two, the change in genre, so to speak, isn't handled with much inventiveness. I liked small touches like a woman becoming a stalker – whatever the situation is – and a love story turning into something of a detective story. I liked how Rekha's fear in the first half now becomes the fear of another character. But I wish Jithin had been a little subtler. We get the instance of a man who turned into a womaniser almost genetically, because his father was one, too. But this is too simplistic for a film that wants to make big points about gender and guilt and patriarchy. There's no doubt that Rekha is a well-made movie. I just wished the writing had matched the filmmaking.

Dada Movie Review

Family movie review.

• 06 Feb 2023
• About The Author
• More From Author

Baradwaj Rangan

National Award-winning film critic Baradwaj Rangan, former deputy editor of The Hindu and senior editor of Film Companion, has carved a niche for himself over the years as a powerful voice in cinema, especially the Tamil film industry, with his reviews of films. While he was pursuing his chemical engineering degree, he was fascinated with the writing and analysis of world cinema by American critics. Baradwaj completed his Master’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations through scholarship. His first review was for the Hindi film Dum, published on January 30, 2003, in the Madras Plus supplement of The Economic Times. He then started critiquing Tamil films in 2014 and did a review on the film Subramaniapuram, while also debuting as a writer in the unreleased rom-com Kadhal 2 Kalyanam. Furthermore, Baradwaj has authored two books - Conversations with Mani Ratnam, 2012, and A Journey Through Indian Cinema, 2014. In 2017, he joined Film Companion South and continued to show his prowess in critiquing for the next five years garnering a wide viewership and a fan following of his own before announcing to be a part of Galatta Media in March 2022.

Christopher Movie Review

• 09 Feb 2023

Faraaz Movie Review

• 03 Feb 2023

Thankam Movie Review

• 26 Jan 2023

You may also like

Agent Kannayiram Movie Review

• 25 Nov 2022

Miral Movie Review

• 11 Nov 2022

Trigger Movie Review

• 23 Sep 2022

Diary Movie Review

• 26 Aug 2022

Paper Rocket Movie Review

• 29 Jul 2022

Stay Connected

• 1,957,217 Likes
• 402,501 Followers
• 6,670,000 Followers

Latest News

SURPRISE: Pichaikkaran 2 opening scene release - here's Vijay Antony's grand announcement!

The much-awaited video from Ajith Kumar's THUNIVU is out - AK's fans rejoice! WATCH IT...

Suriya 42 team makes an exciting new announcement - a big opportunity for Suriya fans! Check out!

EXCLUSIVE: Vaathi director Venky Atluri reveals what he decided to skip for Dhanush's...

BIG SURPRISE: 'Thalapathy' Vijay and Lokesh Kanagaraj's new 'Bloody...

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Link to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
• The Fall Guy Link to The Fall Guy
• The Last Stop in Yuma County Link to The Last Stop in Yuma County

New TV Tonight

• Doctor Who: Season 1
• Blood of Zeus: Season 2
• Dark Matter: Season 1
• Bodkin: Season 1
• Black Twitter: A People's History: Season 1
• Hollywood Con Queen: Season 1
• Pretty Little Liars: Summer School: Season 2
• The Chi: Season 6
• Reginald the Vampire: Season 2
• Love Undercover: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• A Man in Full: Season 1
• Fallout: Season 1
• Hacks: Season 3
• The Sympathizer: Season 1
• Them: Season 2
• Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
• X-Men '97: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Doctor Who: Season 1 Link to Doctor Who: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

100 Best Movies on Tubi (May 2024)

The Best Shows on Amazon Prime Video to Watch Right Now (May 2024)

Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

8 Things To Know About The New Season Of Doctor Who

Owen Teague and Wes Ball Break Down a Scene From Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

• Trending on RT
• Furiosa First Reactions
• Streaming in May
• New Doctor Who
• Planet of the Apes Reviews

Where to Watch

Watch Rekha with a subscription on Netflix.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Jithin Issac Thomas

Vincy Aloshious

Vishnu Govindhan

Premalatha Thayineri

Renji Kankol

Stream or skip: Female-led gory revenge drama 'Rekha' on Netflix

Jithin Issac Thomas's Malayalam revenge drama Rekha arrived on Netflix earlier this week after its theatrical run. Atmospheric and volatile, the action-filled drama feels like two different chapters rolled into the same story—the first half gravitates toward the titular protagonist falling in love, while the second half focuses on hardcore revenge. However, Rekha eventually boils down to an underwhelming watch with terribly lost potential.

Film is about woman on mission

Set in a Kerala town, the film illustrates Rekha's life—a young adult, a tomboy, who is athletically inclined and wishes to garner higher education while people around her try to limit her to her gender, calling her of a "marriageable age." She has a torrid affair with Arjun, but when her father dies mysteriously and Arjun flees, Rekha takes the reins into her hands.

Intense first half, but loses steam thereafter

While the plot has no dearth of potential, and the lead actor gives the role everything she can muster, Rekha still falls short of becoming an engaging watch that the audience can easily connect with. After an intense first half, the film begins to search for breathing space and struggles with pace, coherence, and continuity, making everything a dull, patience-testing, and botched-up affair.

Story doesn't move ahead, leaving viewer frustrated

Once Arjun flees, and Rekha (Vincy Aloshious) takes it upon herself to make him confess the secrets up his sleeve, the story refuses to move ahead. We learn nothing new than what we already know courtesy of the drama's first hour. The same set of events move in a circular motion, and ultimately, they add only to the runtime and not to the story.

Missed potential evident in multiple scenes

Not using words and yet saying a million things is a rare quality—one that is seen in the best art films from across the world. There are moments in the second half of Rekha when you can see tensions simmering on the surface as Aloshious makes her eyes do all the work, but alas, the scenes still feel superficial, rubbed clean of fervid emotions.

Romantic aspect between duo is well-sketched-out

There are multiple traces of what Rekha could have been instead of what it ended up being. For instance, from the sequences when the couple's love blossoms in a clandestine manner to the parts where this "forbidden" romance metamorphoses into passionate intimacy to the times they chat at a shop while hiding from the literal and figurative societal gaze—there's a lot at work here.

'Rekha' can be given complete miss

For what it's worth, Rekha has a promising story, a rustic setting, an ambitious, non-traditional heroine, and limited characters—something that would have worked in its favor and kept the viewer engaged, but alas, the second half doesn't match the intrigue value of the first one. It bubbles with potential for a while, but it has a short shelf-life. Rekha fails to receive our recommendation.

• Series Recaps
• Film Artist
• Screen Writing

Latest articles

‘paashbalish’ recap & review: the story has potential, but the execution is poor, ‘bodkin’ series recap & ending explained: was dove extradited, ‘acide’ ending explained & movie recap: do michael and selma survive the acid rain, ‘8 a.m metro’ ending explained & movie recap: what happens to ira, ‘paashbalish’ ending explained: are anchal and chandu dead, ‘mother of the bride’ review: a cliched romantic comedy mired in with nostalgia that has nothing new to offer, gilbert in ‘bodkin’ series explained: did gilbert survive the blast .

Masonry of Angry Filmmakers

• Privacy Policy
• Write For Us

To get email updates from Film Fugitives

Rekha (2023)

• User Reviews

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews

• User Ratings
• External Reviews
• Metacritic Reviews
• Full Cast and Crew
• Release Dates
• Official Sites
• Company Credits
• Filming & Production
• Technical Specs
• Plot Summary
• Plot Keywords
• Parents Guide

Did You Know?

• Crazy Credits
• Alternate Versions
• Connections
• Soundtracks

Photo & Video

• Photo Gallery
• Trailers and Videos

Related Items

• External Sites

Related lists from IMDb users

Recently Viewed

• Entertainment
• New Hindi Movies

Rekha: Release Date, Trailer, Songs, Cast

• Release Date 10 February 2023
• Language Malayalam
• Genre Drama, Romance, Thriller
• Duration 2h 3min
• Cast Unni Lalu, Vincy Aloshious, Vishnu Govindhan, Premalatha Thayineri, Renji Kankol, Rajesh Azhikkodan, Ashik Safiya Aboobakker
• Director Jithin Issac Thomas
• Writer Jithin Issac Thomas
• Cinematography Abraham Joseph
• Music The Escape Medium, Nikhil V., Milan V.S.
• Producer Kaarthekeyen Santhanam, Karthik Subbaraj
• Production Stone Bench Films
• Certificate U/A

About Rekha Movie (2023)

After a fateful night, Rekha (Vincy Aloshious), a young woman who happens to be in love, finds herself on a vengeful mission to seek revenge.

Rekha Movie Cast, Release Date, Trailer, Songs and Ratings

Rekha Movie Trailer

Rekha photos.

More Movies With These Actors

Latest Bollywood Movies

You May Be Interested In

• Upcoming Bollywood Movies
• New Hollywood Movies
• Upcoming Hollywood Movies
• New Web Series
• Upcoming Web Series
• New Tamil Movies
• Upcoming Tamil Movies
• New Telugu Movies
• Upcoming Telugu Movies

Popular Stores

• iPhone 16 Leaks
• Apple Vision Pro
• Apple iPhone 15
• OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
• Xiaomi 14 Pro
• Oppo Find N3
• Tecno Spark Go (2023)
• Best Phones Under 25000
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Series
• Cryptocurrency
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
• Apple 'Scary Fast'
• Housefull 5
• GoPro Hero 12 Black Review
• Invincible Season 2
• HD Ready TV
• Laptop Under 50000
• Smartwatch Under 10000
• Latest Mobile Phones
• Compare Phones
• Realme Realme GT Neo 6
• Nokia 3210 4G
• Vivo Y38 5G
• Nokia 235 4G (2024)
• Nokia 225 4G (2024)
• Nokia 215 4G (2024)
• Dell Alienware X16 R2
• Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
• Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) Wi-Fi
• Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) Wi-Fi + Cellular
• boAt Storm Call 3
• Lava ProWatch Zn
• Samsung Samsung Neo QLED 8K Smart TV QN800D
• Samsung Neo QLED 4K Smart TV (QN90D)
• Sony PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition
• Sony PlayStation 5 Slim
• LG 1.5 Ton 3 Star Inverter Window AC (TW-Q18WUXA)
• Godrej 1.1 Ton 3 Star Inverter Split AC (SIC 13DTC3 WWB)
• Xiaomi Redmi 13C 5G Review
• iQoo Neo 9s Pro+ Specifications Leak Revealing Display Dimensions, RAM, Storage and More
• Google Chrome Working on Feature Similar to Circle to Search on Android: Report
• OnePlus 12, OnePlus Open Spotted Offering Bloatware During Setup, Company Responds: Report
• OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite Moniker Spotted Via IMDA Website; Specifications Tipped via Geekbench Listing
• Binance Fined $4.4 Million in Canada for Violating Anti-Money Laundering Laws
• Vivo X Fold 3 Pro India Launch Set for Early June: Report
• OpenAI Said to Plan Launch of Google Search Competitor on May 13
• Clinical Research Firm for Nykaa, FirstCry Partners Qila.io to Receive Blockchain Revamp
• iPad Pro (2024) Geekbench Scores Highlight Performance Boost Over Older iPad Pro, MacBook Pro Models
• Oppo Reno 12 Pro Spotted on NBTC Listing; Enco Air 4 Pro Allegedly Appears on IMDA, SIRIM Websites

• Privacy Policy
• Editorial Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Complaint Redressal

FOLLOW US ON

BOLLYWOOD NEWS

Rekha’s heartfelt words of praise leave manisha koirala teary-eyed: “my prayers have come true”.

Bollywood icon Rekha lauds Manisha Koirala's portrayal in Netflix's Heeramandi, revealing her past connection to the role.

Veteran actress Manisha Koirala, who shines in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's latest Netflix venture, Heeramandi: The Diamong Bazaar, received heartfelt accolades from none other than the legendary Rekha.

In a conversation with Filmygyan, Koirala unveiled Rekha's emotional reaction to her performance, sharing, "She was telling me that 18-20 years ago, she was offered this role." Moved by Rekha's endorsement, Koirala recounted, "Bachcha, I was praying that if I don’t do this role, you should do it. My prayers have come true. You have done it marvellously; you have gone through so much in life and you have brought life to the character."

Rekha's admiration didn't just leave a mark on Koirala; it reverberated through the industry as well. During the Los Angeles premiere of the series, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali disclosed Rekha's previous association with the project, stating, "This was 18 years ago, at one point it was Rekha ji, Kareena and Rani Mukerji." Bhansali's revelation sheds light on the intricate casting journey that ultimately led to the current ensemble featuring Koirala alongside Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, and others.

In Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, Koirala, along with a stellar cast, brings to life the rich tapestry of characters residing in the enchanting world of tawaifs. Reflecting on Rekha's influence, Koirala expressed her admiration, proclaiming, "Rekha Ji is a goddess. I love her. She is the most graceful and poetic. What an artist she is." With Rekha's blessing echoing in her heart, Koirala's portrayal adds another layer of depth and authenticity to the narrative, enriching the viewer's experience of Bhansali's magnum opus.

Also Read: Manisha Koirala on her Heeramandi experience, “When I first saw the set, I was taken aback”

BOLLYWOOD NEWS - LIVE UPDATES

Catch us for latest Bollywood News , New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection , New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi , Entertainment News , Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2024 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.

• Facebook Comments

Recommended for you

Varun Dhawan spotted shooting with actress…

Kunal Kemmu opens up about Go Goa Gone as…

Priyanka Chopra gives an adorable shoutout…

Raashii Khanna reflects on working in…

Chandan Prabhakar weighs in on Netflix…

Vikrant Massey caught in an inflamed…

Jawan Prevue: Shah Rukh Khan creates a STORM in this…

BREAKING: Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is the first…

Aanjjan Srivastava recalls the financial crisis of…

Bawaal Trailer Launch: Sajid Nadiadwala reveals the…

Karan Johar REVEALS his next after Rocky Aur Rani Kii…

Aamir Khan recalls being drunk with Salman Khan and…

Ranveer Singh shares romantic photo with Deepika…

SCOOP: Rajkumar Hirani and Shah Rukh Khan crack the…

Madhoo speaks on gender disparity in film industry;…

Mahesh Manjrekar reveals that he is the kind of father…

Nitesh Tiwari on Hitler and World War II references in…

Shah Rukh Khan starrer Jawan preview to drop on July 10…

Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 hits theatres on THIS date :…

Lagaan actress Rachel Shelley returns to Indian…

Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira Khan shares her struggles…

Mark your calendars as Vicky Kaushal and Triptii Dimri…

Kiara Advani reveals the adorable gesture to impress…

Shahid Kapoor breaks silence on how he felt when his…

Shah Rukh Khan and Atlee reunite to shoot a song for…

Sanjay Dutt starrer Pan-India film to commence shoot…

OMG 2: Teaser of Akshay Kumar starrer to release on…

Shahid Kapoor reveals he faced a tough time in finding…

Nitesh Tiwari on Varun Dhawan – Janhvi Kapoor starrer…

Saira Banu shares throwback photo; fondly recalls her…

• VC 571 Movie
• Two Zero One Four Movie
• Bombay Movie
• Kartam Bhugtam Movie
• The Garfield Movie (English) Movie
• Bhaiyya Ji Movie
• The Heist Movie
• Barah By Barah Movie
• Mr. And Mrs. Mahi Movie
• Chhota Bheem And The Curse Of Damyaan Movie
• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (English) Review
• Srikanth Review
• Heeramandi Review
• The Idea Of You (English) Review
• The Fall Guy (English) Review
• Do Aur Do Pyaar Review
• Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 Review
• Civil War (English) Review
• Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout Review
• Amar Singh Chamkila Review
• Crew Public Review
• Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya Public Review
• Fighter Public Review
• Salaar Public Review
• Dunki Public Review
• Animal Public Review
• Sam Bahadur Public Review
• Tiger 3 Public Review
• Thank You For Coming Public Review
• Mission Raniganj Public Review
• Challengers (English) Box Office
• Abigail (English) Box Office
• Late Night with the Devil (English) Box Office
• Ruslaan Box Office
• Gabru Gang Box Office
• Rosy Maam I Love You Box Office
• Main Ladega Box Office
• Razakar Box Office
• The Legacy of Jineshwar Box Office
• Appu (English) Box Office
• Akshay Kumar
• Katrina Kaif
• Ranveer Singh
• Deepika Padukone
• Vaani Kapoor
• Salman Khan
• Rashmika Mandanna
• John Abraham
• Ayushmann Khurrana
• Tara Sutaria
• Rajkummar Rao
• Box Office Collection
• Analysis & Features
• All Time Top Grossers
• Overseas Box Office
• 100 Crore club
• 200 Crore club
• Top Actress
• Box Office Collection 2022
• Box Office Collection 2021
• Box Office Collection 2020
• Bollywood News
• Featured Movie News
• Latest Box Office News
• Box Office Updates
• Box Office Business Talk
• Box Office Overseas News
• Latest News Slideshows
• Upcoming Releases
• Movie Reviews
• Bollywood Hindi News
• Parties and Events
• Latest Celeb Photos
• Celeb Wallpapers
• Movie Stills
• Movie Wallpapers
• Top Movie Video Songs
• Celebrity Interview Videos
• Movie Trailer Videos
• Party & Event Videos
• Exclusives & Specials
• Barah By Barah | Official Trailer | Gyanendra…
• SAVI: Humdum (Teaser) | Divya Khossla,…
• Bhaiyya Ji (Trailer) Manoj Bajpayee, Zoya Hussain…
• New Thug In Town | #Thug Life | T.R. Silambarasan…
• Mango Dreams | Trailer | Pankaj Tripathi, Ram…
• Savi – A Bloody Housewife (Teaser 3) Divya…
• Latest Hindi News
• Latest Bhojpuri News
• Celebs@twitter
• Hungama.com
• Artist Aloud
• Hungama Games
• Music Reviews
• Bharat Official Trailer
• Download Celeb Photos
• Download Celeb Wallpapers
• Download Movie photos
• Download Celebrity Party Photos
• Download Movie First Look Poster
• Download Magazine Cover
• Download Movie On Set Photos
• Download Movie Wallpapers

• Date of Birth Month January Febuary March April May June July August September October November December Date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Year 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913
• Gender Male Female

Skip this step for now

• Your Rating Click to rate on scale of 1-5
• Review Title

5000 characters remaining

• The Membership Club
• #EndSARS Dashboard
• Advert Rates
• Digital Store

• Presidential
• Gubernatorial
• Headline Stories
• Blood on Uniforms

EXCLUSIVE: Inside Nigeria’s legal battle with US over $8.6 million arms fund

INVESTIGATION: TETFund’s N3.8 billion training contract triggers procurement controversy, concerns

Hard hit by climate change, farmers in Nigeria’s ‘food basket’ face new foes

From Saddiya to Edu: Nigeria’s humanitarian ministry illegally transferred N1.4 billion into private accounts

INVESTIGATION: How Nigerian soldiers killed unarmed civilians in Kaduna community

INVESTIGATION: Beautiful infrastructure but poor staffing, lack of drugs hinder PHC services in Borno communities

In Ondo coastal community, fishermen, farmers struggle to adapt to recurring sea surge

EXCLUSIVE: Northern senators move against Akpabio over alleged N4trn budget padding

SPECIAL REPORT: Rape survivors demand justice as Kano fails to domesticate important laws

• News Reports
• Financial Inclusion
• Analysis and Data
• Business Specials
• FAAC Reports
• Contributors

President Tinubu: A year of healing and unifying Nigeria, By Fredrick Nwabufo

We need new elites, By Ireti Bakare-Yusuf

Friday Sermon: Lets pray constantly and fervently for Nigeria’s peace and progress, By Murtadha Gusau

Foreign military bases in Nigeria: The dynamics of the geopolitics, By Jibrin Ibrahim

Yahaya Bello versus EFCC, By Nosike Ogbuenyi

Thrills, joys and surprises of selling, By Azu Ishiekwene

Trending tags.

• Special Reports and Investigations
• Health Specials
• Features and Interviews
• Primary Health Tracker
• News Report
• Special Reports/Investigations
• More Sports News
• Sports Features

Cast of Postcards

MOVIE REVIEW: Postcards: Another Nollywood – Bollywood production that struggles to reach its bar

Despite the lofty expectations this movie sets for itself, postcards struggles to reach its bar, as several subplots still need to be solved..

Movie Title: Postcards

Date Release : 3 May 2024

Streaming platform: Netflix

Episodes : 6 Episodes

Running time: 32 minutes per episode

Director : Hamisha Ahuja

Cast : Sola Sobowale, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Rahamu Sadau, Nancy Iseme, Rio Kapadia, Rajneesh Duggal.

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

At Premium Times, we firmly believe in the importance of high-quality journalism. Recognizing that not everyone can afford costly news subscriptions, we are dedicated to delivering meticulously researched, fact-checked news that remains freely accessible to all.

Whether you turn to Premium Times for daily updates, in-depth investigations into pressing national issues, or entertaining trending stories, we value your readership.

It’s essential to acknowledge that news production incurs expenses, and we take pride in never placing our stories behind a prohibitive paywall.

Would you consider supporting us with a modest contribution on a monthly basis to help maintain our commitment to free, accessible news? 

Indeed, Nigeria and India share profound similarities stemming from shared colonial histories, vast populations, and rich heterogeneous cultural heritages.

One notable similarity is the prominence of their respective film industries, Nollywood and Bollywood, which rank among the largest in the world.

Building upon these shared traits, collaborations between Nigeria’s and India’s film industries have become increasingly common, with projects like Namaste Wahala and, most recently, “Postcards” exemplifying this trend.

By bridging the gap between Nigeria and India through storytelling, the film showcases the beauty of diversity and highlights the universal themes that unite us all.

“Postcards,” a Netflix series created by Indian filmmaker Hamisha Ahuja, following the success of her 2021 film “Namaste Wahala.”

Ahuja’s work explores the rich cultural intersections between Nigeria and India, building upon the foundation laid by her previous cross-cultural venture.

Drawing inspiration from the romantic comedy genre synonymous with Nollywood filmmaking, “Postcards” navigates themes of love, marriage, and societal expectations with a fresh perspective.

However, despite the lofty expectations this movie sets for itself, Postcards struggles to reach its bar, as several subplots still need to be solved.

The series tells us the story of Aunty Olubunmi, who decided to live fully after losing her husband twenty years ago.

Living to her new resolutions, she’s now the mover and shaker of all the big parties in Lagos. With all its gilts and glamour, Aunty Olubunmi never misses out on any party.

Aunty Bunmi’s son, Oluyemi, struggles with the hardship of surviving in Nigeria as a dancer. With no goals and aspirations aside from dancing, Yemi anticipates leaving Nigeria someday. Well, luck came on his side, and an Indian agency selected him as a backup dancer for one of their projects.

Meanwhile, Aunty Bunmi’s brother Olumide has already settled in India for a long time. He is an established businessman without time for family, socialisation, or frivolities. If it is not business, he is not interested. This makes him inapproachable, cold, and challenging to work with, and the only person who can stand him is his accountant, Kabir.

However, Olumide is shocked to find Rekha, the woman he once loved, living in a property they visit. Rekha refused to marry him due to family pressure.

In the meantime, Aunty Bunmi finds herself in the hospital for neglect of her health. She had always resorted to prayers, herbs and also orthodox medicine, but it didn’t seem to help her situation. Doctors recommend that she travel to India to meet specialists for her care.

Aunty Bunmi tries to contact her son Yemi, who is passionate about dance and wants to become a star, but all to no avail. Little did she know that Yemi was finding his way to Mumbai, India, for his dance career.

When Aunty Bunmi arrives in India for her medical check-up, she meets her doctor, Siddarth, who feels connected because his wife is also Nigerian. Siddarth and his wife, Zainab, were having some crises because they had earlier decided not to raise kids; Siddarth now has a change of mind, but persuading his wife to do the same seems not to be making headway.

While Yemi faces challenges as a backup dancer in a Bollywood movie, he is troubled by Ronny, one of the lead dancers, who bullies him because he’s different. Although his fellow dancer Aarti stands up for Yemi and helps him with choreography, their relationship seems steaming to love.

Meanwhile, when Aunty Bunmi was told her health crisis would require an operation, she initially did not welcome the idea of the operation. Still, when it was clear that the operation was inevitable, She tried to make peace with her brother, Olumide and continued with her efforts to reach out to Yemi.

Would Aunty Bunmi ever reunite with her son? Would Olumide ever find love again? What will become of Siddarth and his wife, Zainab? How will Yemi navigate his new career in India?

Character Analysis

The cast of “Postcards” boasts a diverse blend of seasoned veterans and emerging talents, each bringing their unique flair to the screen. The actors are from Nigeria and India.

They include popular Indian actor Rajneesh Duggal, who portrayed Siddarth. He has appeared in several Bollywood movies, including Mandali (2023) and Inspector Avinash (2023).

The movie also featured veteran Indian actor Rio Kapadia, best known for films such as ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ (2001), ‘Chak De! India’ (2007), and ‘Happy New Year’ (2014). However, he died in 2023 after battling cancer. He played the role of Kabir, Olumide’s accountant and friend.

Some Nigerian actors in the series include Sola Sobowale, Tobi Bakre, Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD), Rahama Sadau and Nancy Isime.

The Nigerian actors in “Postcards” bring a dynamic energy to the series, enriching the narrative with their talent and charisma.

Sola Sobowale takes centre stage as Aunty Bunmi, anchoring the storyline with her powerful portrayal and commanding presence. She is a standout character in the series.

Rahama Sadau, playing the role of Zinab, shines with her captivating screen presence and impressive command of the Hindi language, infusing her character with authenticity and grace enhancing the cultural fusion at the series’ heart.

Nancy Isime played Isioma. Though a minor character, she impresses with her versatility and charm, effortlessly navigating between light-hearted moments and scenes.

Together, this talented ensemble cast elevates “Postcards,” weaving together rich performances that make the series a compelling watch for audiences seeking both entertainment and substance.

Movie Analysis

‘Postcards’ showcases a rich cross-cultural international collaboration, which speaks highly of the growth in the Nigerian film industry. However, the movie sets a height too far for it to reach.

The two significant recent attempts at Bollywood cum Nollywood collaboration, ‘Namaste Wahala’ and ‘Postcards’, have been two spectacular efforts at crossbreeding Nigerian and Indian values; it has not matched the anticipation and rave it comes with.

For ‘Namaste Wahala’, centred on an Indian Nigerian marriage and wedding, most of the shooting was done in Nigeria. However, Postcards is the direct reverse.

The movie presents the reality of India and Nigeria, which, like every other country in the world, has its fancy estates and slums. Although much attention wasn’t given to India’s different environs, the characters show us some exciting things about the country.

Aunty Bunmi’s eyes show the luxurious and compassionate India, showcasing plush hotels and caring doctors. Meanwhile, Yemi encounters the deceptive and harsh side, dealing with deceitful brokers and workplace bullies. Despite this, “Postcards” portrays both aspects of India with empathy, offering a balanced perspective.

The series excels with its cinematography and good visual odyssey of India and Lagos, Nigeria. The star performances from the Nigeran and Indian cast were exceptional and delightful. It fusses Nigerian and Indian language elements in such an exciting blend, and the music and dance sequence were as intriguing as they were entertaining.

It also highlights its didactic lessons on family, love, marriage, friendship, and communication themes, which merge from both cultures.

ALSO READ:  MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Sugar Mummy of Lagos’, yet another Nollywood film portraying men as scum

But where the series flickers is in its story. There were so many unresolved subplots, so much so that the central idea of the series, at some point, went missing.

This is seen in the movie’s last scenes, with little or no justification at the end. Usually, the end justifies the means, but with Postcards, there is no means to justify the end.

There is no explanation for why Ronny was bullying Yemi, as there were not many explanations for why Olumide and Rekha never married. We can’t even tell if Rekha’s daughter was his. The same goes for the distance between Yemi and his mother and the reason behind Siddarth and his wife, Zainab’s decision not to bear a child.

There were no concrete explanations, and where there were explanations, they needed to be more robust and sufficient to juxtapose the character’s actions.

It feels like “Postcards” is pushing a regressive notion that marriage isn’t complete without children. Moreover, Zainab’s concerns about how pregnancy might affect her career are left unaddressed, as we’re given no insight into her profession or workplace.

Consequently, her arguments need to be more weight. When Zainab stumbles upon a text message from Kareena on Siddharth’s phone, insinuating infidelity, the issue is casually dismissed to steer the narrative towards a happier tone.

“Postcards” presents a tangled web of characters and storylines that often miss the mark.

Despite some moments of emotional resonance, the overall execution could be more engaging and cohesive.

Share this:

TEXT AD: Call Willie - +2348098788999

Yahaya Bello and one-sided stories, By Nafisat Bello

Reader’s digest uk shuts down after 86 years.

Onu Stephen

Why I ventured into filmmaking, produced ‘Water & Garri’- Tiwa Savage

Actors Guild appoints new National Patron

Biodun Stephen’s ‘Sista’ wins big at NollywoodWeek Film Festival

2024 AMVCA Prediction: Why ‘Breath of Life’ deserves to win ‘Best Movie’

Jide Kosoko, others pay tribute to late ‘The New Masquerade’ star, Ovularia

2024 AMVCA: 10th edition kicks off with Cultural Day event

• Our Digital Network
• Election Centre
• Human Trafficking Investigation
• Centre for Investigative Journalism
• National Conference
• Press Attack Tracker
• Campus Reporter
• Oil & Gas Facts
• List of Universities in Nigeria
• LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
• NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
• Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
• Malabu Scandal Thread
• World Cup 2018
• Panama Papers Game

Projects & Partnerships

• AUN-PT Data Hub
• Parliament Watch
• Panama Papers
• #PandoraPapers
• #ParadisePapers
• #SuisseSecrets
• Data & Infographics

All content is Copyrighted © 2024 The Premium Times, Nigeria

• Presidential & NASS
• Gubernatorial & State House
• Investigations
• Data and Infographics
• Research & Innovation
• Paradise Papers
• SuisseSecrets

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Remember Me

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Add New Playlist

- Select Visibility - Public Private

Kareena Kapoor Khan Reacts to Crew’s Box Office Success

By Debmitra Chatterjee

Kareena Kapoor Khan expressed joy at the overwhelming response to her recent film, Crew . The film has amassed over $17 million at the box office. She highlighted the film’s significance in challenging gender norms in the industry. Crew, featuring a stellar cast including Tabu and Kriti Sanon, tells the story of three air hostesses taking fate into their own hands after their employer goes bankrupt.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan)

‘I’m happy that Crew has broken barriers’: Kareena Kapoor Khan on Crew’s box office success

During an interview, Kareena told PTI , “It’s not about whether it’s a hero or a heroine taking on a film. It’s a person and (their) performance that takes the film and content (forward). We are going to keep trying to do that. I will always choose roles that are interesting but in the form of entertainment. I’m happy ‘Crew’ has broken barriers. It started the conversation that women also can break box office rules.”

In addition to her cinematic achievements, Kareena has been appointed as UNICEF India’s new National Ambassador. Since 2014, she has collaborated with the organization as a Celebrity Advocate, a role that has profoundly influenced her personal and professional life.

She remarked on her expanded role with UNICEF, “We have travelled to different places across India, where I have interacted with children, teachers, and parents. They have spoken about their story, aspirations and dreams. Through UNICEF, I have grown from the person I was 10 years ago to what I am today as a National Ambassador… It’s been a very fulfilling journey for me. I’ve had such amazing memories.”

Kareena’s new role as National Ambassador is a testament to her commitment to advocacy and impact on public awareness and social issues. As she celebrates the success of “Crew” and embarks on her journey with UNICEF, Kareena continues to inspire many with her dedication to her craft and charitable endeavors.

A self-proclaimed Bollywood enthusiast with a flair for funk and entertainment. She is a gold medalist from TISS and has contributed to different startups looking after their digital marketing section. She has always been an avid reader as well as a curious writer. In her leisure, she loves to spend time with her dogs and binge on organizational videos.

Share article

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Producers Have Vision for 5 More Movies

Godzilla x Kong Sequel: MonsterVerse Movie Nabs Shang-Chi Writer

You Gotta Believe Release Date Set for Luke Wilson’s Baseball Drama Movie

Peacemaker Season 2 Cast Adds Frank Grillo

MCU Galactus Actor Found for The Fantastic Four Cast

The Fantastic Four Cast Adds John Malkovich to MCU Movie

Fardeen Khan Reacts to No Entry 2

Did Aavesham’s Fahadh Faasil Praise Ranbir Kapoor? 

Kareena Kapoor Khan Reveals Her & Deepika Padukone’s Role in Singham Again

Toxic Cast Update: Kareena Kapoor Khan Quits?

• India Today
• Business Today
• Reader’s Digest
• Harper's Bazaar
• Brides Today
• Cosmopolitan
• Aaj Tak Campus
• India Today Hindi

Manisha Koirala moved to tears on being complimented by Rekha for 'Heeramandi'

Actor manisha koirala spoke about being complimented by veteran star rekha for her performance in 'heeramandi'. the actor also recalled that rekha was offered the role of mallikajaan almost two decades ago..

Listen to Story

• Veteran actor Rekha praised Manisha Koirala's performance in 'Heeramandi'
• Rekha was offered the role of Mallikajaan 20 years ago
• 'Heeramandi' is streaming on Netflix

Actor Manisha Koirala, who is receiving praise for her portrayal of Mallikajaan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Heeramandi,' was moved to tears when veteran Bollywood star Rekha called her after watching the Netflix series. Koirala also mentioned that Rekha was offered the role of Mallikajaan almost two decades ago.

Koirala, during a recent interaction with Filmygyan, said that Rekha called her a day after the release of 'Heeramandi' . Rekha told Koirala, "Bachcha, I was praying if I couldn't do the role, you get to do it. My prayers have come true. You have done it marvellously, you have gone through so much in life. You have added soul to the role."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in)

Rekha and Manisha Koirala were seen together in Rajkumar Santoshi's 2001 film, 'Lajja.' Koirala holds Rekha in high regard as she said about her, "Rekha ji is a goddess. I love her. She is the most graceful and poetic, and she is a great artist. Her voice, her dance, her adaa , her style, her aesthetics...she is a beautiful person. Ashok Mehta ji (cinematographer) would say about her, 'No actor can be compared to Rekha.'"

Earlier, Sanjay Leela Bhansali had also said that he had considered actors like Rekha, Kareena Kapoor Khan , Rani Mukerji, Mahira Khan, and Fawad Khan for 'Heeramandi.' However, eventually, he zeroed in on the current cast and was happy with the actors. During an event in Los Angeles, he said, "I am very happy with the cast. These are the girls who are extremely talented and beautiful."

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Movie Review: Brooke Shields and Benjamin Bratt deserve more than Netflix’s ‘Mother of the Bride’

This image released by Netflix shows Brooke Shields and Benjamin Bratt in a scene from “Mother of the Bride.” (Sasidis Sasisakulporn/Netflix via AP)

This image released by Netflix shows Chad Michael Murray and Brooke Shields in a scene from “Mother of the Bride.” (Sasidis Sasisakulporn/Netflix via AP)

This image released by Netflix shows Miranda Cosgrove, left, and Brooke Shields in a scene from “Mother of the Bride.” (Sasidis Sasisakulporn/Netflix via AP)

This image released by Netflix shows Brooke Shields and Rachael Harris in a scene from “Mother of the Bride.” (Sasidis Sasisakulporn/Netflix via AP)

This image released by Netflix shows Benjamin Bratt in a scene from “Mother of the Bride.” (Sasidis Sasisakulporn/Netflix via AP)

This image released by Netflix shows Sean Teale and Miranda Cosgrove in a scene from “Mother of the Bride.” (Sasidis Sasisakulporn/Netflix via AP)

• Copy Link copied

Romantic comedies are in a destination wedding rut. Perhaps it’s a collective post-COVID wanderlust kicking in, or, more cynically, some combination of tax credits and a place producers want to spend time. But between “ Ticket to Paradise ,” “Anyone But You,” “ Shotgun Wedding ” and now Netflix’s “ Mother of the Bride ,” the conceit is starting to curdle.

The problem is bigger than the setting, of course. There’s only so much heavy lifting a picturesque location, photogenic bodies and enviable resort outfits can do to make up for a lame story. Also, the appeal of an out-of-reach travelogue is limited in this age of influencers living wildly extravagant lifestyles around the clock on Instagram and TikTok (not to mention the sharp ways “White Lotus” has skewered and luxuriated in those worlds).

“Mother of the Bride,” now streaming on Netflix, wonders what might happen if you find out a few days before the wedding that your kid (Miranda Cosgrove) is marrying the offspring of the guy who broke your heart. That’s what happens to Brooke Shields’ Lana. She arrives in Phuket, Thailand, for her daughter’s wedding, meets the groom (Sean Teale), turns around and sees that his father is her college ex, Will (Benjamin Bratt). Barely a minute passes before they both fall into a pond.

Later, she’ll walk in on him emerging from the shower, hit him in a sensitive spot playing pickleball and, after they’ve made some progress, overhear the wrong conversation at the wrong time. This is a movie that is adhering to some kind of romantic comedy checklist, but whose ingredients add up to very little in the end.

Our tolerance for a silly set-up in a romantic comedy is usually pretty generous if we’re given a clever, charming script and authentic emotions. Just think of how ridiculous so many of the greats sound on paper, from “Sabrina” to “Sleepless in Seattle”? Is it fair to compare “Mother of the Bride” to Nora Ephron and Billy Wilder? Maybe not, but it never hurts to be aware of a North Star, which veterans like screenwriter Robin Bernheim Burger and director Mark Waters no doubt are. Just look at the title. This movie even has a romantic foil in a younger doctor (Chad Michael Murray) who is smitten with Lana, which can’t help but remind of Keanu Reeves in Nancy Meyers’ “Something’s Gotta Give.”

But this is so wildly contrived from the start that you never get to that moment where you’re enjoying it enough to stop asking questions, like did Lana never google Will in the 20 years they’ve been apart and find out that he’s a wildly rich and successful businessman? Or why would a major corporation offer an intern who has a barely maintained lifestyle Instagram that she started freshman year of college “six figures” to help promote their luxury hotels? Why are we supposed to root for these young people with seemingly infinite resources (one of their wedding presents in a multimillion Tribeca loft) who agree to get married in a month because a brand asks them to? Maybe more fundamentally, did the kids and a wedding have to be involved in this story at all? Does it make the idea of Will and Lana getting back together too weird to be fun? Couldn’t they have simply run into one another at a resort?

I won’t go so far as to say that “Mother of the Bride” feels like an AI creation but it does feel at least a little stitched together from pieces of other romantic comedies of varying quality. Why cast a capable comedian like Rachel Harris as the best friend only to have her say lines like “Is he on the menu”? Or give Wilson Cruz so little to do as Will’s brother?

And it’s a shame, too, because Shields and Bratt came ready to play, to fall in the pond and be minimally clothed for comedy’s sake. There must be a new generation of romantic comedy writers and directors who grew up on Ephron and Meyers out there and are ready to give us something that’s commercial and glossy but also smart and fun to revisit (ahem, remember “Set It Up”?). Maybe they just need to be given a shot.

“Mother of the Bride,” a Netflix release streaming Thursday, is rated TV-PG. Running time: 90 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

From 'The Iron Claw' to 'The Idea of You,' here are 10 movies you need to stream right now

Sure, you could surprise your mom with a trip to the movie theater to see some smart apes or Ryan Gosling . But if she'd rather spend Mother's Day hanging at home – and she loves movies, too – there are plenty of options to make the holiday entertaining.

Netflix, Amazon's Prime Video, Peacock, Max, Apple TV+, Paramount+ and others boast all sorts of streaming films for fans with various tastes, from comedy and horror to an Anne Hathaway double feature. There are recent theatrical releases like Zac Efron's buzzy pro wrestling drama , a restored 1970 Beatles movie available for the first time in decades, plus a slew of original flicks such as  Jerry Seinfeld's Pop-Tarts movie , a new film adaptation of a John Green book and a return to the film world for Brooke Shields, in a Netflix flick perfect for moms of all stripes.

Here are 10 notable new movies you can stream right now:

'The American Society of Magical Negroes'

Yarn sculptor Aren (Justice Smith) is recruited by wise mentor Roger (David Alan Grier) into a secret organization of Black agents whose mission is to keep white people comfortable, and Aren's first assignment turns messy when love gets in the way of the job. It's a satirical take on the "magical negro" trope that makes some points about race and culture before losing its way (and any sort of bite) when the film turns into a predictable rom-com.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Where to watch: Peacock .

Like "Carol" painted with some noir-ish shades, the 1960s-set thriller casts Thomasin McKenzie as the title character, a mousy secretary at a Boston boys prison who lives at home with an abusive dad (Shea Whigham) drinking himself to death. Eileen gets a pick-me-up at work with the arrival of sophisticated psychologist Rebecca (Anne Hathaway), who pulls the fragile younger woman into unfortunate circumstances.

Where to watch: Hulu .

'The Idea of You'

There's a bit of a "Notting Hill" vibe to this rom-com starring Hathaway as 40-year-old divorced mom Solène, who reluctantly takes her teen daughter to Coachella and inadvertently meets – and sparks a spicy romance with – Hayes (Nicholas Galitzine), lead singer of a popular boy band. It's a lot more serious and emotionally wrought than you might expect, but Hathaway nails her character's layered nuance as Solène's relationship goes viral.

Where to watch: Prime Video .

Get ready, arachnophobiacs: This deeply unnerving French creature feature has the Stephen King seal of horror approval . Kaleb, a sneaker-dealing collector of exotic animals, brings home an eight-legged new pet. What he doesn't realize is he's just bought a venomous super-spider, which gets loose in his decrepit apartment building and spawns an army of quickly reproducing (and increasingly sizable) critters that do gnarly things to the neighbors.

Where to watch: Shudder .

'The Iron Claw'

A very ripped (and amazing) Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson play members of the Von Erich pro wrestling dynasty in this gripping 1980s-set biopic. Raised by their ex-wrestler father (Holt McCallany), the Von Erichs find success in the ring while navigating a series of tragic losses outside it in director Sean Durkin's touching story of Americana mixed with sibling rivalry, parental pressure and brutal despair.

Where to watch: Max .

'Let It Be'

For Beatles fans or music lovers in general who've just never seen it, Michael Lindsay-Hogg's restored 1970 documentary is a fascinating, candid look at the Fab Four recording the "Let It Be" album, bickering, goofing off and also creating timeless gems. Not as exhaustive or drama-filled as Peter Jackson's "Get Back" docuseries – which pulled from Lindsay-Hogg's wealth of footage – it's still a groovy watch of musical geniuses at work.

Where to watch: Disney+ .

'Mother of the Bride'

It's nice to see Brooke Shields still relevant, and as a lead in a rom-com no less. ("Suddenly Susan" hive, rise up!) But this cheeseball affair is only for Shields completists: The actress plays a famous geneticist whose daughter (Miranda Cosgrove) drops the bomb that she's suddenly getting married, and then the protective mom finds out at the destination wedding in Thailand that the father of the groom is her college ex (Benjamin Bratt).

Where to watch: Netflix .

'Prom Dates'

What could easily be just another R-rated "one crazy night" teen comedy gets a boost from its lively main characters. Jess (Antonia Gentry) and Hannah (Julia Lester) made a pact to have the perfect senior prom at 13, but on the eve of the big night, Jess dumps her cheating beau and Hannah comes out as a lesbian. When they have to scramble to find the perfect dates, assorted shenanigans and, of course, personal growth ensue.

Where to watch: Hulu , Disney+ .

'Turtles All the Way Down'

Adaptations of John Green's young adult novels (including "The Fault in Our Stars") have been a mixed bag, but this one's the best if just for its effectiveness in capturing mental health struggles. Aza (Isabela Merced) dreams of going to college, has ride-or-die pal Daisy (Cree) in her corner and reconnects with camp friend Davis (Felix Mallard), though her crippling OCD – and fear of germs and infection – is a constant threat to foil each one.

'Unfrosted'

Jerry Seinfeld's delightfully ridiculous directorial debut explores the origins of Pop-Tarts with an extremely silly not-so-true story and tons of gags and cameos. The comedian and Melissa McCarthy play Kellogg's employees tasked in 1963 with creating a toaster pastry before their competitors, a processed food spin on the space race that also involves a milk mafia, disgruntled breakfast cereal mascots and a heap of nostalgia.

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘bodkin’ review: will forte in netflix’s low-key, ireland-set mystery-comedy about true crime podcasts.

Barack and Michelle Obama are among the executive producers of the seven-part series about podcasters investigating a cold case in rural Ireland.

By Daniel Fienberg

Daniel Fienberg

Chief Television Critic

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Email
• Show additional share options
• Share this article on Linkedin
• Share this article on Pinit
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on Tumblr
• Share this article on Whatsapp
• Share this article on Print
• Share this article on Comment

Bodkin , Netflix ‘s new darkly comic mystery series about true crime podcasting, is a slow burn, not to be confused with Slow Burn , the true crime podcast briefly adapted as an Epix series.

Related Stories

Tom brady roast comic says robert kraft massage jokes were off-limits, tom brady roast: netflix comedy exec on removing kardashian boos and what's next.

It’s a satire without any big laughs, a puzzle without many shocking twists and a character study, but of a very muted sort. If you go in looking for big reactions to anything, you’ll be disappointed. If you look for some minor insights into our instinctive love of voyeuristic storytelling, some smartly rendered Irish settings and a few terrific performances — Siobhán Cullen, in particular, needs to be in everything — Bodkin makes for an easy seven-episode binge.

My appreciation for the show is understated and appropriately so, since Bodkin is a show about a group of storytellers who go looking for something flashy and commercial, only to find something sadder and more human instead. It’s about making your peace when the truth falls short of expectations and learning that not everything has to be sweetened with narrative trickery and sensationalism.

Cullen plays Dove, an investigative journalist for The Guardian . Her latest story, which involved a whistleblower spilling secrets about the NHS, went horribly wrong, and she’s now under investigation herself. To avoid distractions, Dove’s editor sends her off to rural Ireland on a new assignment: She’s to lend assistance on a new podcast that The Guardian is partnering on with a respected podcast auteur, Gilbert Power (Forte). Dove hates podcasts and doesn’t especially respect what Gilbert does.

The reportorial trio is rounded out by Emmy (Robyn Cara), an eager-beaver researcher who idolizes both Dove and Gilbert without fully understanding the gritty reality of their jobs.

They arrive in Bodkin and, after a brief appreciation of the town’s quintessential quirkiness, they begin to get signals that the story Gilbert is prepared to tell isn’t the real story.

Nearly every episode of Bodkin begins with Gilbert’s voiceover, a set of general platitudes — “Folk tales are more than just stories. They’re a warning.” — that will be familiar to regular podcast listeners. Gilbert has pre-told and pre-judged what happened in Bodkin in his mind, and he’s trying to steer reality to match his preconception.

Viewers are undergoing a similar journey, because we think we recognize the sort of fish-out-of-water dark comedy that Bodkin wants to be. At least for an episode or two, the show gives us something that resembles that. In this respect, Forte is something of a Trojan horse. Nothing in the way that he’s playing Gilbert is overtly comedic, but our familiarity with versions of Forte’s man-child act suggests he’s supposed to be. For a little while, Bodkin puts Gilbert at the center and layers in various eccentric supporting characters and running jokes, mostly gently chiding podcasts and the people who love them. But it isn’t that story and it isn’t his story.

Several performances, starting with Cullen’s, keep the show anchored. Whether or not you’ve seen the Irish actress in previous TV work — Obituary is on Hulu, The Dry on BritBox — she’s immediately striking as both the funniest part of the early episodes and the rawest and most dramatic part of the show’s progression. More than any other character in the series, she has an appreciable arc. Whether she’s using the scripts’ myriad obscenities as a weapon or more quietly delving into Dove’s traumatic past, Cullen makes underwritten beats feel earned. Both Cullen and Cara get to play a wider range than Forte, who stays pointedly and effectively sincere throughout, naive without being cartoonishly so.

The series, which features Nash Edgerton and Bronwen Hughes among its primary directors, generally feels right thanks to its beautifully photographed West Cork locations and a deep supporting cast, topped by David Wilmot as a local with a disproportionate number of secrets and Fionnula Flanagan as a nun with a disproportionate number of secrets. Yes, everybody in Bodkin has a disproportionate number of secrets, but it’s fairly easy to keep them straight.

In Bodkin , the answers are muddier for the storyteller and the listener alike, and for each character, since nobody here is a clear hero or a clear villain. Though “muddy” isn’t always a recipe for dynamic and gripping drama, here it yields something that worked for me more as I mused subsequently than as I was in the immediate process of watching.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

‘housebroken’ canceled at fox, ‘baby reindeer’ alleged real-life stalker fiona harvey’s 5 wildest claims during piers morgan interview, nbc gets back to business as usual with fall 2024 schedule, ‘snl’ to mark 50th anniversary with a live primetime special (on a sunday), ‘law & order’ bidding farewell to camryn manheim, ‘doctor who’ stars ncuti gatwa and millie gibson talk naughty babies, former doctors and companions.

Rekha Movie Review: Vincy Aloshious soars in minimalist revenge drama

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

Jithin Issac Thomas' new film Rekha sounds like one of the many twisted tales narrated by his main character from his debut feature, Attention Please . The setting is Kasaragod, and the makers were wise enough to keep English subtitles. Despite being someone from the Malabar region, I had to look at the translation below to comprehend some of the characters' lines. The first film that comes to mind when I think of Kasaragod is Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam , and for a while there, Rekha moves with a kind of pace and tone that makes one assume that it's going to be another one like it. But this being a Jithin Issac Thomas film, anything can happen. I mean, this is the same guy who made the segment 'Pra. Thoo. Mu ' from the anthology Freedom Fight . If you think you are getting a feel-good film, think again. Even if that were his intention, I believe he'll make sure you get very uncomfortable first.

Director: Jithin Issac Thomas Cast: Vincy Aloshious, Unni Lalu The star and USP of Rekha are Vincy Aloshious playing the titular tomboyish woman in love with Arjun, an unemployed young man from the neighbourhood, played by the gifted Unni Lalu, who essayed the rebellious protagonist from Pra. Thoo. Mu. The lion's share of Rekha's pre-interval portions sets up the romance between the two while giving us a sense of the neighbourhood -- the sights, sounds, the homes of Rekha and Arjun, their neighbours, the mundane small talk comprising subjects irrelevant and insignificant to an outsider but a big deal for these people. When you have characters exchange banter in their own dialect, peppered with their own quirks, you sit there soaking it all in. It's just the little things -- an argument about a hen laying eggs in the next home, an attempt to retrieve a metal vessel that has fallen into the well, a local member moonlighting as a broker... In the meantime, we get a bit of background about Rekha. She has been to a sports school and is prepping for PSC. Only one of these details would turn useful at a crucial juncture in her life. There is an immersive quality to the visual and sound design, notwithstanding the minimalist approach. Director of photography Abraham Joseph, who made a mark in Kumari , fills the atmosphere with enough grit and menace. The closing nighttime stretch in a deserted Kochi street has an otherwordly quality while being careful not to make every frame look pretty. One of the film's most notable sequences has the main couple engaged in a phone text interaction before they video call each other. We have seen the onscreen chatbox display approach before, but if I recall correctly, the actors' voices 'reading out' their respective messages while their lips don't move is a first. Impatient viewers might find such a thing cumbersome, but there is a seemingly good reason for Jithin to extend these digital interactions. Another scene has Arjun barging into Rekha's home unannounced in the hope of making love. This moment is remarkably staged, with Vincy superbly portraying Rekha's concerns about discovery and apprehension at making physical contact for the first time. For a while, you think it's all so sweet until this clandestine rendezvous' true and twisted implications become apparent much later. Unlike Attention Please , Rekha manages to venture outside the main characters' setting after a point -- when it morphs into an intense revenge thriller after Rekha discovers an act of injustice. When Arjun goes on the run, she is devastated. Jithin, who has in his last two films shown a penchant for conveying a character's troubled state of mind through masterful editing, portrays some of Rekha's most turbulent episodes similarly, with intercuts, blurs, and surreal imagery. When Rekha finally goes into avenger mode, the film brings the promise of severe retribution, be it the way she deals with Arjun or any other sicko she meets along the way. And, in any film featuring characters with deviant behaviour, unsettling situations go with the territory. But unlike this week's other release, Christopher, these are not too disturbing as Rekha is a film where fate favours the woman more. However, if you are a pet lover, the offscreen murder of a dog might shake you. Rekha is not an easy film to watch. However, the protagonist's 'sports background' offers a comforting cushion in several situations of peril for the once-naive woman who got into a relationship because she was bothered by all her 'taken' friends. I found the third act chase stretched out more than necessary; perhaps Jithin wanted to present a stark contrast to the elonged lovey-dovey portions I mentioned earlier. The sustained tension works in most places, but at the same time, there was the nagging feeling that perhaps taking out 15 mins could've made the third act tighter and more engaging. As the end credits rolled, I remembered that Valentine's Day arrives in four days. Perhaps Rekha was intended as a cautionary tale for those desperate to get into a relationship to show others that they also "have a line." Tread carefully, young ones.

Related Stories

‘Mother of the Bride’ Review: Brooke Shields Says I Do to Netflix’s Aggressively Inoffensive Rom-Com

Miranda Cosgrove also stars in the respectable yet unremarkable streaming feature, in which a high-strung widow reunites with her ex-flame at her daughter’s destination wedding.

By Courtney Howard

Courtney Howard

• ‘Mother of the Bride’ Review: Brooke Shields Says I Do to Netflix’s Aggressively Inoffensive Rom-Com 2 days ago
• ‘Prom Dates’ Review: A Pact Goes Pear-Shaped in More Ways Than One in Hulu’s Reductive Raunch-Com 1 week ago
• ‘Unsung Hero’ Review: The Family That Prays Together, Plays Together in Uplifting Faith-Based Biopic 2 weeks ago

After “Ticket to Paradise” and “Shotgun Wedding” showed us the different ways in which calamity ensues when planning weddings abroad, Netflix releases “ Mother of the Bride ,” which combines the essential elements of both those recent romantic comedies into one passable package. The far-off setting emphasizes the lavish and luxe, though the narrative is cheaply woven and fairly threadbare. While “Mean Girls” director Mark Waters ’ latest fails to add anything unique to the conversation, it does scrounge up a modest amount of heart when it comes to its saccharine sweet message of never giving up on happily ever after.

Popular on Variety

Interpersonal relationships between the couples don’t hold a modicum of complexity, providing varying degrees of dampened, rushed resolutions. The audience rarely feels the pull of their emotions or the weight of their decisions. The inclusion of a gay couple is welcomed, though the filmmakers don’t do much with that couple, utilizing Clay and Scott primarily to aid Lana’s arc rather than giving them any internality.

Waters falters in exhibiting the nimble visual dexterity of previous projects. There’s no feeling connoted through aesthetic stylization, as when Regina George’s betrayal dawns on Cady in “Mean Girls” or the curse transference between mother and daughter in “Freaky Friday.” There are few grand movie moments to match the heart-swells in “Just Like Heaven” or the red dress reveal in “He’s All That.” The closest we ever get to something of tangible value are a sunset slow dance between the former lovers and copious drone shots of the sprawling resort property in travelogue-style transitional sequences. Perhaps the peppy, occasionally swoony soundtrack married to the perfectly lit imagery is supposed to inspire our connection to the material, but it doesn’t.

Even so, there are a handful of highlights within its algorithm-aided box-checking. Emma is empathetic to her mother’s extenuating circumstances, which is refreshing to see reflected in Robin Bernheim Burger’s writing and Cosgrove’s nuanced, thoughtful performance. Janice’s horny double-entendres (which Harris blessedly delivers with campy aplomb) are hilarious, especially since she’s never even shown kissing someone she’s hitting on, let alone getting her groove on with them. Shields and Bratt have a chemistry that sparks in their stolen looks and vulnerable intimacies, despite an overall lack of burning desire and heat conducted by their connection. It’s fun to see them stretching their muscles by incorporating genre-mandated physical comedy (via recurring clumsy pratfalls) as it helps to endear this cute couple to us.

Still, with its stale sentiments on social media’s toxic culture of likes and superficial depth exploring second chances at true love, the film’s more palatable qualities are needlessly subdued. In fact, it goes out of its way to not offend anyone with delicate sensibilities, whether it be over-explaining motivations or providing forgettable, reductive scenarios. And while a gentle, light-hearted romp is indeed welcomed in these taxing times, there’s much left to be desired from our journey with these likable but under-developed characters.

“Mother of the Bride” is now streaming on Netflix.

Reviewed on Netflix, May 5, 2024. Running time: 88 MIN.

• Production: A Netflix release of a Motion Picture Corporation of America production. Producer: Brad Krevoy. Executive producers: Brooke Shields, Oliver Ackermann, Galen Fletcher, Robin Bernheim Burger, Amanda Phillips, Jimmy Townsend, Vince Balzano.
• Crew: Director: Mark Waters. Screenplay: Robin Bernheim Burger. Camera: Ed Wu. Editor: Travis Sittard. Music: Caroline Ho.
• With: Brooke Shields, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove, Rachael Harris, Sean Teale, Chad Michael Murray, Michael McDonald, Wilson Cruz.

More From Our Brands

‘hades ii’ is one of the year’s best games — and it’s not even finished, a $17.3 million patek philippe minute repeater leads only watch auction, financial services firm broadridge boosts us rowing with job pipeline, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, scavengers reign cancelled at max, but finds a new home on netflix, verify it's you, please log in.

TYRE PARTNER

ASSOCIATE PARTNER

Bhumi Pednekar’s Bhakshak Secures 4th Position On Netflix's Most-watched Films List

Curated By : Entertainment Bureau

Local News Desk

Last Updated: May 10, 2024, 15:51 IST

Delhi, India

Bhakshak has been directed by Pulkit.

The first three films in the list include Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal and Shah Rukh Khan's film Dunki.

Actress Bhumi Pednekar recently achieved a massive milestone with her recent film Bhakshak. The film has been included in the list of most-watched films on Netflix. Bhakshak is placed in the 4th position on the list. The first three films include Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal and Shah Rukh Khan’s film Dunki. The director of Bhakshak Pulkit shared a picture of this on his Insta story, announcing the recent achievement. Speaking about the response of the film, Bhumi mentioned in an interview that Bhakshak was loved by audiences across the globe. She said, “The film was highly praised by the audiences. I am extremely proud of this achievement. Being included in the list of most-watched content on Netflix is truly a moment of joy for me as this list includes blockbuster films that feature some top names of the Bollywood industry. As an actress, this is a very proud moment for me and the full team of the film that we are placed in this coveted list.”

Bhumi Pednekar further mentioned that she really feels happy when someone praises her for her acting in the film. She said, “Bhakshak is based on a very simple story, which is why people can connect easily with the film. Achieving such an incredible milestone is proof that the movie truly touched the hearts of the audiences. I am sure more people will love the film and the viewership will grow more.”

She further said: “I feel great when my films perform well. Personally, I feel that a specific content or film becomes successful when it is watched by many people. If my films perform well I really feel happy as it inspires me to work better in my upcoming works.”

Bhumi is considered as one of the finest actresses presently in the Bollywood film industry. She made her acting debut in Ayushmann Khurrana’s Dum Laga Ke Haisha. She also worked in films like Shubh Mangal Savdhan, Toilet – Ek Prem Katha and Pati Patni Aur Woh.

• Bhumi Pednekar
• entertainment