sara movie review in tamil

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Sara’s Review: Anna Ben's stellar act lifts this simple Amazon Prime film

Anna ben and sunny wayne’s film sara’s sticks to the concept till the very end - until and unless a woman is ready, she shouldn’t be forced into parenthood. directed by jude anthany joseph, the film might not convince everyone, but it sure starts a conversation. .

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Two school kids are sitting on a bench, very much in love, sharing an egg puff and talking about their future together. While both of them agree that they would like to have a career, when the guy starts talking about marriage and kids, the girl outrightly shares her opinion of never wanting to bear a child. In the very next scene, we see the guy walking away while the girl narrates his thought - ‘Without the egg, he didn’t want the puff’. The Malayalam film Sara’s on Amazon Prime Video revolves around a woman, who decides early on that she doesn’t want kids and the struggles and challenges she comes across in life.

Sara (Anna Ben) wants to be a filmmaker and her dream has always been to see her name in the credits roll. After assisting on several films, she finally wants to write and direct her own film. During research for her film’s climax scene with Dr Sandhya Philip (Dhanya Verma), she meets Jeevan (Sunny Wayne). The two enjoy each other’s company, fall in love, but what seals the deal for Sara is Jeevan’s belief that he never wants kids.

After marriage, just like everyone’s parents, Sara and Jeevan’s also ask the newlywed couple about the 'good news', but they both stand united and announce that they don’t want kids. But as the film progresses, we see the lead characters evolving and maturing with age and what once brought them together also drives them apart.

Jude Anthany Joseph’s Sara’s shows a mirror to society and its beliefs when it comes to pregnancy and parenthood. Though we all agree that a woman should have the freedom to decide when she is ready to have a child, family and society, in general, pressurises her when the time comes. How Sara struggles with these challenges while standing her ground forms the crux of the narrative.

Mallika Sukumaran (Jeevan’s mother) and Benny P Nayarambalam (Sara’s father) deliver noteworthy performances, depicting two polar-opposite perspectives. While Jeevan’s mother is overbearing with a conventional mindset, Sara’s father is understanding, supportive and will stand by his daughter, no matter what. Sara’s gynaecologist, Dr Hafees (Sidhique), also beautifully narrates how parents should take some time before taking the plunge into parenthood. He believes that it is ‘better not to be a parent than a bad parent’.

Writer Akshay Hareesh touches upon most of the taboo topics without losing the plot of the film. Music composer Shaan Rehman’s songs take the narrative forward with each emotion of the protagonist highlighted through his melodic compositions.

Most of the romantic scenes in Sara’s are relatable, reflective of couples in today’s time. Be it drinking together, sharing a cigarette or taking a trip to get to know each other better, the scenes are tied into the narrative beautifully.

But one of the best scenes has to be when Anjali (Meera Nair), a veteran actress, decides to make a comeback to films after having a kid. Though she is hesitant at first to leave her kid for so long, she does realise that she can find a balance. There is also a scene where Lissie (Srinda) is unable to tell her husband that she doesn’t want more children after giving birth to their fourth child. In the end, she finds the courage and it sums up the film beautifully.

All in all, we liked how the film didn’t change its narrative till the very end. With the help of various instances, the film depicts how different women might find happiness in different ways. While some would be happy to have children, others would want to build a career and there’s nothing wrong with either of them.

3.5 out of 5 stars for Sara’s.

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ALSO READ | Anna Ben and Sunny Wayne's Sara's to release on Amazon Prime Video on July 5 Published By: Ramya Palisetty Published On: Jul 5, 2021 --- ENDS ---

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Sara’s movie review: A brave film on women’s reproductive rights with its own share of unconscious bias

With Sara’s, Jude Anthany Joseph has created a mass-targeted, full-blown commercial film that takes this explicit stand: her body, her choice. About time too.

Language: Malayalam

Before turning to the new Malayalam release, Sara’s , let’s rewind to 2016 and the Indian film industry that still receives a disproportionate amount of media coverage: the Hindi industry a.k.a Bollywood. Remember Ali Abbas Zafar’s Sultan ? In that film, a talented woman wrestler called Aarfa Hussein gets pregnant before a critical phase of her career but has the baby anyway. Her decision is not beyond belief. Many women might do likewise, either under family pressure or because it is genuinely what they want– the improbability in that film, however, lay in the fact that in present-day India not a single person even mentioned the word abortion to Aarfa.

To not raise the issue at all, though it would in all likelihood have been raised in real life, amounted to the film not even recognising this option available to women.

Cut to 2021 and another Indian film industry headquartered a few state borders away: Malayalam cinema a.k.a. Mollywood has shown the guts this year to bring us not one but two prominent films on women’s reproductive rights, an issue that causes immense discomfort and resentment across all communities and countries.

Don Palathara’s Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam , which was premiered at the International Film Festival of Kerala in February, is about a couple on their way to a doctor’s clinic to confirm a pregnancy they had not planned for. And now in  Sara’s , the leading lady is not only vehemently disinterested in having children, most of the film is a conversation on a woman’s right to an abortion.

For an out-and-out mainstream Indian film to use that once-forbidden word without apologies, to spell out the details of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971, and to overtly, unflinchingly support a woman’s freedom in this matter makes it pathbreaking in and of itself. Sara’s is flawed in other respects, but over and above everything else that can be said about it, it must be lauded for its courage.

Anna Ben stars as the titular heroine of this film by Jude Anthany Joseph whose penchant for smart women protagonists is well known. Exhibits A&B: Ohm Shanthi Oshaana, Oru Muthassi Gadha . Anna plays Sara Vincent, an aspiring filmmaker in Kerala who tells her boyfriend Jeevan (Sunny Wayne) that she does not want babies.

“It’s not that I don’t like kids. I just don’t have the knack of handling them, and it hasn’t seemed essential to me,” she explains. “For me, a person’s ultimate aim should be to contribute something by which the world can remember you after you die, not just to have kids and be remembered by them.”

Jeevan doesn’t want children either, though for a different reason. The divergence in their motivations and which of these lines the film emphasises is where Sara’s reveals its own unconscious bias. More on that later.

As expected, soon the narrative shifts from addressing hypothetical situations to the hard realities Sara and Jeevan face. The director’s storytelling style remains easy and breezy even when his subject turns grim. It is not all smooth sailing in Sara’s though.

For one, at every step, the characters who openly, unequivocally support a woman’s bodily autonomy are men, not women. Sara’s mother never rises above being a background figure. (Minor spoiler ahead in this paragraph) And the most vociferous opponent of her right to choose is her mother-in-law throughout. (Spoiler alert ends)

The script’s propensity to over-stress a point rears its head more than once. Jeevan’s mother, played by Mallika Sukumaran, is an unfunny caricature of a pushy woman, never more so than when, (Minor spoiler ahead) on her very first meeting with a rank stranger, she gets the girl to clean a baby’s urine off the floor. (Spoiler alert ends)

The limits to the film’s subtlety are evident too in the portrayal of Jeevan’s sister, a full-time professional and parent who sweetly and politely treats her jobless brother and later, their mother, as domestic help. (Minor spoiler in this paragraph) She goes so far as to tell Sara in one passage: “Jeevan started at his new office today. Till the maid comes, I brought my mother here from her home.” (Spoiler alert ends) This is not to suggest that a self-centred woman should not be shown on screen, but this depiction becomes questionable in a film that plays up the heroine’s male allies and has little room for female solidarity. Contrast this to the astounding brilliance and nuance in the writing of the heroine’s relationship with her mother-in-law whose own daughter takes her for granted in The Great Indian Kitchen .

Half-baked writing kills every character whose presence could have illustrated how different women can be happy taking paths different from Sara’s , whether it’s Jeevan’s mother and sister or the actor who quit at her peak and whose husband tells Sara his wife has his “permission” to work. And fleeting though it is, the comical portrayal of a husband who repeatedly impregnates his reluctant wife in Sara’s is a continuation of Mollywood’s tradition of trivialising domestic violence and marital rape .

It is vital to keep all this in mind even while recognising the value of Sara’s and listing out its pluses. The film’s overriding pro-choice theme is brave. The heroine’s struggles are convincing, as is Jeevan’s fluid stand on parenthood. And the decision by the director and writer Akshay Hareesh to make a Muslim medico Sara’s strongest supporter is crucial in the current national socio-political context in which the Muslim community is being demonised as a baby-producing factory responsible for India’s population growth.

It is important too that Sara is a Christian because of the false impression prevailing among Indian liberals that opposition to abortion comes from Muslim and Christian conservatives alone, when in truth, committed religionists from every community in India are opposed to the termination of a pregnancy.

The cast of Sara’s is not uniformly impressive, but the leads are good and Benny P Nayarambalam playing Sara’s father stands out among the supporting actors.

Sunny Wayne delivers an easygoing, naturalistic performance as Jeevan. And Anna Ben follows up a run of solid roles in her fledgling career ( Kumbalangi Nights _, Helen , Kappela _) by carrying Sara’s on her shoulders, pulling off the range of emotions written into the script. When she is a school kid in Sara’s , she does not play cutesy, and through the years that pass on screen, her entire body language visibly matures.

In the midst of all this talk about the sensitive handling of the pivotal issue in Sara’s , it is impossible to escape the film’s own pre-conceived notions of parenthood and its stereotyping of those who prefer not to have children. The dominant social discourse in India leans heavily towards the view that those who do not wish to be parents are selfish and/or avoiding responsibilities. This school of thought holds that becoming a mother is a higher calling than any other, and that reproducing is the duty of women and men.

Even comparatively liberal folk who are parents tend to believe that child-free couples have picked an easier path versus those who are (a word commonly used by parents to describe themselves) selfless enough to have children. Sara’s fosters this traditionalist thinking, beginning with Jeevan’s initial explanation for why he does not want to be a Dad: “Career, hanging out with friends, travel – to sacrifice all this and be selfless for your kids, I don’t think I can do that like my mother’s and father’s generation.” The stereotype is underlined by Dr Hafees (Siddique) who is positioned somewhat as the voice of the filmmaker and whose counselling session towards the end of Sara’s seems to encapsulate the film’s stand on parenting and abortion.

Hafees rightly says that too many people become parents without being prepared for it and under social pressure to do so. His description of parenthood is telling though. It requires a “divine talent” he tells Sara and Jeevan, adding that “Not everyone can do it” and “It is better that people who can’t do it should not” to avoid being responsible for another human being’s “troubled childhood”. His monologue has no space for good people who are simply not interested in having children or the larger, far more controversial idea that the planet may at present need more such people. Hafees’ backing for couples who do not reproduce rests on his assumptions about what they lack –willingness to sacrifice, “divine talent”, abilities required for the job – and, by implication, the pedestal on which he puts those who do have children.

A complex issue is reduced to a simplistic argument here. Cultural commentators often speak of a male gaze in cinema; Sara’s does not offer a male gaze but the gaze of many liberals who are parents – supportive of those who don’t want children, but also quietly placing themselves on a higher plane.

A critique of this attitude is the next step to demand in mainstream Indian cinema. As we push for that to happen, it is necessary to acknowledge the extreme significance of Sara’s . This is not an esoteric film that might reach only the converted. Instead, Jude Anthany Joseph has created a mass-targeted, full-blown commercial film that takes this explicit stand: her body, her choice. About time too.

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

Sara’s is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

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Sara’S movie review: Anna Ben, Sunny Wayne film educates, but feels inadequate

Sara's movie review: every character in this anna ben starrer is agreeable to a fault. it works as an educational film, but the conservative setting fails to create any dramatic tension in the narration..

Director Jude Anthany Joseph’s latest film Sara’S, which released on Amazon Prime Video on Monday, follows his trademark narrative style — telling the story from the woman’s perspective. Given that Sara’S revolves around a woman’s right to abortion, there is no other way of telling this tale. It is Sara’s decision and so we get to experience this film through her eyes. If you wonder why there is an apostrophe and s after her name, it is the director’s way of giving her agency and emphasising that it is the woman’s decision.

Sara (Anna Ben) is blessed with a happy family that supports her at every turn, except when it comes to her marriage. Screenwriter Benny P Nayarambalam, actor Anna Ben’s real-life father, also plays her on-screen father in the movie. He wants to be the ‘cool dad’ who backs his daughter’s dream of becoming a filmmaker, but gives her a 6-month deadline to find a suitable boy for marriage. After six months, he says, he will be forced to pick a boy for her. Maybe he’s worried that his daughter is already 25, and her prospects in the marriage market are limited. So much was for his progressive outlook.

Benny’s character is just one of the male characters in the film who think they give enough freedom to women in their lives. Like the producer, who announces he is ‘not sexist’ but doesn’t want Sara to handle such a big film project. “You’re a girl, you will find it very difficult,” he says.

Sara’S is populated by a number of such ‘progressive, non-sexist’ men. Popular film actor Anjali has quit cinema to attend to her duties as a wife and a mother. She seems to find happiness in her everyday chores at home and chooses little moments with her family over an offer that can fetch her a National Award. Or at least that’s what she tells herself.

She is reluctant to accept a meaty role in Sara’s film, which would be perfect for her comeback. “I had already permitted her to do some television ads or become a judge in reality TV shows,” says Anjali’s husband, full of entitlement. He conveniently seems to forget that Anjali has her own free will.

Screenwriter Akshay Hareesh seamlessly navigates Sara’s story through the cesspool of blatant misogyny and this sort of casual sexism. When men support women to pursue their dreams, it always comes with a set of terms and conditions. In case there is an impasse, it is upto the men to decide what’s best for women. The ironies in this film need no explanation.

As much as this film is Sara’s story, it is also the story of her husband Jeevan (Sunny Wayne). When Sara accidentally gets pregnant, she treats Jeevan with contempt. Jeevan, who never wanted to be a father, has now mellowed and wants to keep the baby. It is not an easy decision for Jeevan and it is supposed to be an emotional roller-coaster ride for him. But, the film hardly makes an effort to let us in on Jeevan’s thoughts and emotions.

The film’s half-baked comments on realities that drive the business of mainstream films in Malayalam is another letdown. The film wastes time repeating the obvious and well-known facts for the sake of sounding bold and conscious.

The major drawback of Sara’S is that every character in this film is agreeable to a fault. The conservative setting, the outdated belief of women don’t need a life outside family, and hardliners in Sara’s family, who believe in women’s traditional roles, fail to create any dramatic tension in the narration.

Sara’S works as an educational film. It could start a conversation in conservative households on subjects that are touted as beyond discussions. Like a pregnancy is God’s will, and humans, especially women, don’t get to have a say in it. But, artistically, it feels inadequate.

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Home » Reviews » Malayalam Movie Reviews

Sara’s Movie Review: Anna Ben Starrer Is A Conversation Starter But Not Enough To Keep It Going

Sara’s is about this single conflict which talks about the agency of a woman on her body..

Star Cast: Anna Ben , Sunny Wayne, Benny P Nayarambalam and ensemble.

Director: Jude Anthany Joseph.

What’s Good: of course Anna Ben who becomes the torch to a conversation that needs our attention.

What’s Bad: The inadequacy at many places including some crucial points.

Loo Break: If you can take off your eyes from Anna, go ahead. But she is in every single frame of the film.

Watch or Not?: You should. The flaws are not criminal that you don’t even give it a chance. If not thoroughly entertaining, it is educational and a conversation starter that we definitely need right now.

Language: Malayalam (with English subtitles)

Available on: Amazon Prime Video

Sara’s tells the story of Sara Vincent (Anna Ben), a girl aspiring to be a filmmaker with a story ready in her hands. But, there is a catch, she is 25 and her parents want to get her married soon. And on top of that Sara never wants to be a mother. In this mix she finds a boy Jeevan (Jeevan), who follows the same thought process, and they fall for each other and get married. But what happens when Sara gets ‘accidentally’ pregnant is the story.

Sara’s Movie Review: Script Analysis

The agency and whom does it belong to, is a conversation eminent for ages. Not to forget, patriarchy ingrained in our DNA has always made us feel that the male gender is superior to the female, and the former can take right decision for the latter. Sara’s written by Akshay Hareesh, is about this single conflict which talks about the agency of a woman on her body.

Here is a girl who doesn’t want children. Technically it is her choice and must be respected. But, families don’t give you that much privacy and choice, isn’t it? A storm is caused when she announces that and, Hareesh is quick to show you how the agency on her body is not just hers, but roughly 10 other people.

Talking about those 10 other people, they also include men. Sara’s is full of men who on the outer surface seem like feminists who support every step women in their life take. But Akshay and director Jude are clever enough to make you see their saviour complex beneath. Take her father for instance; while he is all supportive and cute when he tells her daughter that the decision is ultimately hers, there is also a sense of pride that he gave her the freedom to make that choice, relatable! Or Meera Nair’s Anjali who is a big star and her husband says he controls her as if a robot shows the extent of patriarchy we are marinated in.

The writing in Sara’s never gets too heavy to digest. It is at the end of the day, a slice of life film that is dealing with a subject that is taboo. There are many questions from why does a woman have to justify her decisions? Why can’t the society take it easy and mind their own business? Why is abortion such a moral crime in India? But are all of them answered? Well, 50 percent. The rest of it is busy in its on repetitiveness and inadequacy.

I call it inadequate because not just 1 but many plot points are initiated but never spoken about enough to have a conclusion. Take Sunny Wayne’s Jeevan. He is a man who just like his wife Sara neither like nor want kids. But when she is accidentally pregnant, a change in his heart leads to him wanting to have the child. While it is a legit thought and dynamic, we are never taken into his mind, his catharsis as to what did he go through to have an entirely different opinion now.

Similarly, digs are taken at the Malayalam cinema culture on the behind the scenes, but never spoken enough to make that a strong debate.

Sara’s Movie Review: Star Performance

Anna Ben is Anna Ben, and how can one even expect her to not give her best at this point. She yet again camouflages in the surrounding and becomes a part of the world she is thrown into. She is not ‘a shouting at the top of her voice’ girl about the decision she has taken. Rather her rebellion is personal and only bursts when pressurised.

Sunny Wayne adds the needed charm in Sara’s and becomes Jeevan who sees a transformation. While the script fails to give him a detailed arc, the actor manages to grab attention. Screenwriter Benny P Nayarambalam who plays Sara’s father, is Anna Ben’s real father. He does the job just right.

Sara’s Movie Review: Direction, Music

Director Jude Anthany Joseph knows he is making a film that needs to educate and entertain subtly while leaving a smile on his viewer’s face. He treats Sara’s similarly. Never does he tap the darkness in a way that it reflects in the visuals. Even when producers try to do wrong with Sara his vision stays simple and not over the top.

But the same thing also turns out to be a con when the repetitiveness takes over. While the journey to the conflict takes most of the time, the conflict once introduced starts running in full speed. More emphasis on the latter part would have done wonders to the script. Music supports the film nicely and is a soothing album to tune into.

Sara’s Movie Review: The Last Word

You cannot completely ignore Sara’s at all. It has Anna Ben, there has to be many things good for her to say yes to a film, and there are. Watch the movie on Amazon Prime Video and tell me what you think about it.

Two and a half stars! 

Nehha Pendse fans,  check out last week’s release June’s movie review, click here

Sara’s Trailer

Sara’s releases on 06th July, 2021.

Share with us your experience of watching Sara’s .

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Sara’s Movie Review: Anna Ben’s Nuanced Performance Steals The Show!

Star Cast: Anna Ben, Sunny Wayne, Benny P Nayarambalam, Mallika Sukumaran Director: Jude Anthany Joseph Available On: Amazon Prime Video

Anna Ben's Sara's has become the latest Malayalam film to get a direct-to-OTT release on Amazon Prime Video. Helmed by Ohm Shanthi Oshaana director Jude Anthany Joseph, the film features Sunny Wayne in a key role. Bankrolled by producer PK Muralidharan, the film's story is penned by Akshay Hareesh.

Interestingly, Sara's marks renowned writer Benny P Nayarambalam's maiden collaboration with his actress-daughter Anna. In addition to that, Divya Vineeth, wife of singer-director Vineeth Sreenivasan has made her debut as a playback singer with the romantic drama.

Did Anna Ben's film Sara's live up to the expectations of the audience? Read on to find out.

What's Wow? Intriguing storyline, Casting, Anna Ben's performance and her combination sequences with Sunny Wayne What's Ouch? Too many subjects

Plot ( SPOILERS AHEAD )

The film revolves around an ebullient-high spirited associate director Sara (Anna Ben) who dreams and works her fingers to the bone to become a filmmaker. During her journey, she bumps into Jeevan (Sunny Wayne), a carefree youngster with whom she shares similar traits, especially of not having much liking towards kids. They fall in love and later enter wedlock, owing to family pressure.

As they decide on working on their respective careers post wedding, things take a turn after Sara gets pregnant and simultaneously finds a producer for her big project. With incessant pressure from the family, what will Sara choose? Well, you will have to watch the film on Amazon Prime Video to see what unfolds at the end.

Story and Direction

Sara 's is all about breaking stereotypes and undoubtedly, the film has proved its point with a fresh and intriguing story written by Akshay Hareesh. Having said that, though the story touches an assortment of relevant subjects like feminism, generation gap and societal norms, the film time and again loses focus and sometimes from the main subject itself. To be precise, Sara's looks compelling in parts, however, it loses the real essence when viewed through a wider lens simply due to the addition of multiple subjects.

One thing that makes Jude Anthany Joseph's film different from others is the fact that it doesn't use cliched concepts. For instance, Sara's doesn't display the protagonist as someone who is 'perfect' in every sense. Sara has her pros and cons, she is independent, the decision-maker of her own life, she makes mistakes, she is career-oriented and feels okay to confess that she had been in multiple relationships.

With a powerful yet refreshing concept and intriguing storyline, the Jude Anthany directorial might remind many of his 2014 film Ohm Shanthi Oshaana , not because of any major resemblance but solely owing to the breath of fresh air both offered at different periods of time.

Performances

Anna Ben : As expected, the starlet has been able to leave a mark on the audience with her portrayal as Sara Vincent. Anna doesn't overdo her acting stints and simply goes with the flow of the narration. On the other hand, she has also taken care of her character's minute detailing which serves as the cherry on the cake.

Sunny Wayne : The versatile actor as Jeevan is a treat to watch. His effortless acting chops and his sporadic comic dialogue delivery are unmissable.

Technical Aspect

Cinematographer Nimish Ravi has done an incredible job with the lens and deserves applause for the visual treatment that gels with the storyline. A proper mixture of light and darkness has been used in the film, which adds visual depth to each and every sequence. Shaan Rahman's music composition needs a special mention as his soulful tracks leave an unending impact. Riyas K Badhar's flawless editing is also one of the key factors of the film that keeps it engaged, and a relatively short one with a runtime of 2 hours.

Sara's is a cliché-free, feel-good film that talks complete sense. Though the Jude Anthany directorial looks compelling in parts, the film at times loses the real essence when viewed through a wider lens simply due to the addition of multiple subjects. Anna Ben's nuanced performance is the highlight of the film and Sunny Wayne stands out with his effortless charm and excellent acting chops.

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Atrangi Re movie review: Sara Ali Khan, Dhanush are soul of a unique love story, Akshay Kumar adds the Midas touch

Atrangi re movie review: starring sara ali khan, dhanush and akshay kumar in lead roles, atrangi re boasts of a casting coup which can just not go wrong..

Atrangi Re lives up to its title. Directed by Aanand L Rai, it's refreshingly different, unique love story that so beautifully breaks through the clutter. It's not remotely close to how we have visualised or seen romances on screen over the years. The film delves deep into relations we hold onto, emotions that are left behind, the denial we often live in and the acceptance that follows after a lot of pain. The story subtly touches upon the issue of mental health as well but at no points gets preachy. Starring Sara Ali Khan , Dhanush and Akshay Kumar in lead roles, Atrangi Re boasts of a casting coup which just cannot go wrong. Though with energetic stars like Sara and Akshay, you think the story might go a bit over-the-top, but the director maintains a balance so brilliantly that none of his characters overshadow each other. Each one of them — even the supporting actors including Vishu's best friend (Ashish Verma) and Rinku's grandmother (Seema Biswas) — stand out in their parts. Akshay the superstar, allows Sara to take the forefront, while Dhanush complements her energy.

The story revolves around Rinku Sooryavanshi (Sara) and Vishu (Dhanush) being married to each other forcefully. On their way to Vishu's hometown, they come to an understanding that they'd follow their own paths because they're not meant to be together--and also because Vishu is getting engaged in two days. Now enters Sajjad Ali (Akshay Kumar) who Rinku is in love with. How Rinku deals with the dilemma of being in love with Sajjad and also having feelings for Vishu at the same time is what Aanand L Rai tells us through this film, but in a rather unconventional way.

The screenplay of Atrangi Re is perhaps one of its USPs after the music. Himanshu Sharma's writing takes you to a different world where love has a different meaning. The scenes have been stitched in a manner that they make you cry and smile at the same time. Atrangi Re is free from any cliches of Bollywood films. It doesn't stick to the tried-and-tested formula that we usually see in love stories. It is not your usual boy meets girl kind of a story. Neither is it about a couple who got married off forcefully, deciding to give their relationship a chance. It's way beyond what you and I could think of.

In the climax, you actually realise that the film deserved much more attention than what you would have given until that point. The story unfolds at quite a smooth pace without any needless subplots. Though honestly, I would have wanted to know a bit more of Vishu's background, his parents and fiance. That, I feel, would have allowed us to relate to his character better as we do with Rinku's.

In the end credits of Atrangi Re, Sara Ali Khan features at the top of the cast members, followed by Dhanush and then Akshay Kumar. This pretty much sums up how Sara is the soul of this film and holds her ground throughout. As Rinku, a small town girl, she's crazy, feisty, thick-skinned and quite the rebel, yet emotionally attached to her parents. This is Sara's fifth release, and you'd be mighty impressed to witness her range as an actor. The Bihari dialect that she’s picked in the film is on point and she never lets it go off track. Her performance in the song Chaka Chak is definitely her best so far. And not to mention her performance in the final act, which just pierces through your heart.

Playing the calm to Rinku's storm is Vishu, a doctor. Dhanush looks confident in his part and since his Bollywood debut with Raanjhanaa eight years ago, he has quite fitted into the Bollywood scheme of things. Assign him some dance steps, add quirk to his character or give him some funny antics to pull off, and he aces it. However, Sara and Dhanush together as an onscreen couple don't really trigger any sparks with their chemistry. It's quite bland to say the least. Then there's a dialogue in the film when Dhanush is talking and Sara says “Gaali mat do (don’t swear)” to which he replies, “Tamil mein bol raha hu (I’m speaking Tamil)”. Well, it's time Bollywood gets over with this obsession of including stereotypical humour in a bid to add a comic punch.

Also read: Dhanush says Sonam Kapoor was better co-star compared to Sara Ali Khan, she reacts: 'Not offensive at all'

Akshay, who’s a magician in the film, brings the Midas touch to the story, playing a pivotal role. Call it an extended cameo or whatever, he doesn't let it affect his performance onscreen. Atrangi Re is Aanand and Akshay's first-ever collaboration and it definitely has upped the expectations for their upcoming projects — Raksha Bandhan and Gorkha.

Last but not the least, Atrangi Re's music is just pure gold and all credit goes to AR Rahman’s compositions and background score, and Irshad Kamil's lyrics. Each song sets a different mood, the essence of which you want to take back home. From Dhanush's Love Me Little Little and Akshay's Garda Udda Diya to the soulful tracks, Atrangi Re brings back the magic of musical love stories. Watch it on Disney+ Hotstar from December 24.

Movie: Atrangi Re

Direction: Aanand L Rai

Cast: Sara Ali Khan, Dhanush, Akshay Kumar

• Movie Review

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A Tamil boy meets a girl from Bihar, what follows is a love story for the ages. A non-linear narrative of two romances running in parallel from different timelines. A Tamil boy meets a girl from Bihar, what follows is a love story for the ages. A non-linear narrative of two romances running in parallel from different timelines. A Tamil boy meets a girl from Bihar, what follows is a love story for the ages. A non-linear narrative of two romances running in parallel from different timelines.

• Aanand L. Rai
• Himanshu Sharma
• Sara Ali Khan
• Akshay Kumar
• 692 User reviews
• 19 Critic reviews
• 12 wins & 33 nominations

• Dulhayen - Rinku's Naani

• Madhusudhan

• Mandakini aka Mandy

• Rinku's Mama 1

• Rinku's Mama 2

• Rinku's Mami

• Vishu's Father
• Vishu's Mother
• Mandy's Father
• Mandy's Mother

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Did you know

• Trivia 'Atrangi Re' is Dhanush's 3rd Hindi Movie after 'Raanjhaana' and 'Shamitabh' and 2nd collaboration with Anand L Rai.
• Crazy credits When the end credits roll, the first name to appear under the heading "A Film By" is of the film's music director, A.R. Rahman followed by the film's director, Aanand L. Rai.
• Soundtracks Garda Vocals by Daler Mehndi Lyrics by Irshad Kamil Music by A.R. Rahman

User reviews 692

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• Dec 24, 2021
• How long is Atrangi Re? Powered by Alexa
• December 24, 2021 (India)
• Official hotstar (ca)
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• Galatta Kalyaanam
• Cape of Good Films
• Colour Yellow Productions
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Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 18 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Maara Movie Review: A grounded remake of Charlie with quite a bit of heart

Rating: ( 3 / 5).

If you didn’t know that Maara is the remake of the Malayalam film, Charlie , the opening shot of fireflies fluttering about is a strong hint of the magic contained within the universe of this film. Shortly, you see little Paaru in rapt attention, as a nun narrates to her the story of a soldier who’s travelling across seas and jungles in a quest to find his soul. This is pretty much the story of this film as well, as Paaru (Shraddha Srinath) grows up to find herself in a similar quest for her soul, well, soulmate, in Maara (Madhavan). There’s another quest for a soulmate in this film, one undertaken by Vellaiyan (a wonderful Mouli), one that is later taken over by Maara. The film is a reinforcement of the power of stories, of the stories each of our lives are. This is why there are multiple characters with their own short stories, including those of Selvi (Abhirami), the sex worker, and Kani (Sshivada), the guilt-ridden doctor. The implication is that no one story is necessarily more important than another. I got the sense that Maara doesn’t think of himself as a hero or a saviour, even if those around him seem to believe that. He’s merely a tool, a person who breezes through life hoping to repay the extraordinary help that Vellaiyan has done to him. I loved this touch because shorn of it, Maara, the character, could have felt idealistic and unrelatable—which would have gone against the point of the film itself. This way, there’s a reason for why Maara is the way he is, why he can’t afford to stay at one place for too long. I quite enjoyed that Madhavan plays this character without a sanctimonious flavour—and more importantly, in a way that shows that Maara isn’t above vulnerability. There’s no moral superiority in that ascetic laughter of his—which probably can be thought of as even the desperate attempt of an unhappy man to be happy, chained as he is to his lifelong quest. Director: Dhilip Kumar

Cast: Madhavan, Shraddha Srinath, Mouli

The film is almost a homage to art—and the dreaminess inherent in it. This can be spotted throughout the film: In the pretty wall murals, in the art plastered across and drawn all over the walls of Maara’s home, in the designer kites, in the sketchbook and its pencil illustrations, in the sculptures… hell, even in the blotches of Maara’s acid-wash hoodies. There’s a call through this film, through its characters, to refuse to fall into the trap of mundanity and indifference, into routine and repetition. Maara is pretty much the film equivalent of ‘Follow the white rabbit’. That’s perhaps why during a conversation between Maara and a thief (Alexander Babu), you can see a neon sign in the background that reads ‘White Rabbit’. The usual response to such a call is to cite a lack of financial security, and while that is a reason to be empathetic about—especially given the enviably cushy work-free existence Paaru seems to be leading in this film—we could also note how Maara, who’s hardly a wealthy man (as a thief realises), makes the choice to get by, winning and returning favours in his small community. Maara , the film, suggests that perhaps, just perhaps, his way of life could also come down to the courage to choose to step away from the norm. Realise the magic of life in you, it seems to be saying… notice the almost mystical beauty of existence. It’s also likely that this is why the film’s many shots are lit as they are, with many faces often aglow, as though in the presence of a halo.

This is why the coincidences in this film become palatable. The central idea at the heart of this film is of two lonely souls in search of each other. Take note of that inexplicable attraction little Paaru feels as she sees a speeding train from within her bus. Or take note of that instinctive smile from Maara as he steps into his room, a room that Paaru has lived in briefly. In such a film, coincidences are to be thought of as divine providence, or as one character, when speaking about Maara says, “destiny”. Another likens him to a mythical character, Santa Claus, while commenting on Maara’s habit of sudden appearances that usually result in joy to whoever he meets. Maara himself, as he does many times in this film, underplays this notion that he’s a mystical being. It’s his understanding—and you will see it from his eyes when he’s engaged in conversation with every single character—that each of us is magical, as are our stories.

In this film with performances that range from great to over-the-top, I loved Mouli in particular, who plays Vellaiya, an old man consumed by his unrequited love. Watch him in that scene with Paaru as he brings to her an old photo of his beloved, Meenakshi, but hesitates after seeing her be so charmed by photos of Maara instead. Watch him in another scene with Paaru as she tells him about Meenakshi; watch his eyes grow wide in surprise, and almost well up under the weight of decades of mourning. Ghibran’s background music and Thamarai’s evocative lyrics add so much to such scenes as well. It’s wonderful that films like Maara are able to offer elderly characters like Mouli’s as much purpose and are able to see them for the individuals that they are, instead of simply as a crutch for a lead character. Of course, much of this credit must go to the original film, Charlie .

In a world that is in a tearing hurry, at a time when films and stories are designed to be rapid for fear of making audiences impatient, films like Maara come as a welcome relief. In this film, at least two important exchanges—between Vellaiya and Paaru, and later, between Maara and Kani—happen as wood slowly burns to ember, as tender faces are lit by the warm glow of a fireplace. It’s for such moments that I’ll remember this film, even if some inconsistent performances and some synthetic moments stop it from being truly great. Nevertheless, it’s a film that has heart and that encourages empathy towards those around us, and if possible, to note that magicality doesn’t need to be thought of an otherworldly trait, if only we cared to pay more attention to the beauty around us.  ( Maara is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video)

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The BBC ‘s news operation in India has formally split in two, as the UK broadcast organization seeks to comply with local media rules.

Four former BBC staff have launched Collective Newsroom as an independent Indian-owned media company. It will supply news to the BBC’s Indian operation, which has been targeted by officials several times in recent years.

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In December last year, BBC announced a restructure to its India operations to comply with the country’s investment rules. Publishing from India, Collective Newsroom will also be staffed by Mukesh Sharma, Sanjoy Majumder and Sara Hasan, who all bring extensive editorial and programming-making experience.

The arrangement with Collective Newsroom’s first client, the BBC, includes the contract to produce content for BBC News Hindi, the BBC’s language service with the largest audience. The company shared that in 2023, across all platforms, the service’s weekly reach figure grew 27% year-on-year.

 “I’m thrilled that Collective Newsroom has officially launched with a clear, ambitious mission to create the most credible, creative and courageous journalism, and with a wealth of experience and talent in our incredible teams,” Jha said. 

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