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Kick Start Your Valentine’s Week with 5 Most Romantic Tamil Films of All Time

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Has the post-Covid world put a dampener on your Valentine’s Week this year? While we were stuck at home since March last year, movies and shows have been a good escape from the chaos around the world. Continuing with the same thought, we thought it might be a good idea to stay at home and watch some of the most romantic regional movies this week to celebrate with your partner.

We’re starting with the most romantic Tamil movies of all time. This one’s an easy list to make – four out of five of these have AR Rahman’s music. You’ll surely find your favourite love story and song here.

Roja (1992)

Since it’s Rose Day, Roja has to be on the top of my list. While this Mani Ratnam film is known for dealing with patriotism and national security, it’s a love story at the core. A city-bred man marries an innocent village woman after being rejected by her sister. While he falls in love with her, she keeps him at an arms’ distance thinking she has taken her sister’s place. His gentle manners and dedication towards her eventually wins her heart. The period of their separation is a painful part to watch, as she runs from pillar to post to free her husband from the hostage situation. AR Rahman, debuting as a composer and winning a National Award, gave us some of the most romantic songs of all time.

Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000)

This film brought together big names like Mammootty, Ajith Kumar, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai and Abbas. In this Bollywood rendition of Jane Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility, two daughters Sowmya (Tabu) and Meenakshi (Aishwarya Rai) of a single woman struggle to find the right man. Their lives go through an upheaval after they lose their country estate. Sowmya is branded “unlucky” after her fiancé decides to commit suicide. Meenakshi appears to find love in the form of a poetry-loving businessman. Still, many hurdles remain as both girls struggle to keep the family’s finances in order. The film also offered some breathtaking locations, including the filming of the title song in Scotland with the castle of Eilean Donan as a backdrop. Enna Solla Pogirai was shot in the deserts of Egypt, with the pyramids of Giza featuring in it.

Alai Payuthey (2000)

You cannot make a romantic Tamil movies list and not include films of R Madhavan. This film is another example of the musical genius of AR Rahman, which went a long way in making this movie a hit. The story was a departure from the melodramatic love stories of the 90s, showing the ups and downs in the relationship of a modern-day couple. They choose to go against parental opposition to marry, and find out differences between them while living together. The lead pair goes through a whole gamut of emotions, from flirtation, wooing, emotional attachment, arguments, separation, and eventually, fear of losing your partner forever.

Minnale (2001)

R Madhavan followed the success of Alai Payuthey with Minnale, another romantic film which was remade in Hindi. His character falls in love with a woman after seeing her dancing in the rain one day – it doesn’t get more romantic than this. But the woman is already supposed to get engaged to someone she hasn’t met in years. The love-struck man steals the identity of his former college foe to pursue his lady love. He has to face repercussions eventually when his cover is blown, but the romantic moments they spend together stays with you, and love wins finally at the end. This film’s music too was a chartbuster, especially the song Vaseegara continues to be popular among today’s generation.

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010)

Another romantic film by Gautham Menon after Minnale, with music by AR Rahman, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa had all the right elements to make it a hit. Starring Silambarasan and Trisha, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa explores the complicated relationship between a Hindu Tamil boy, Karthik Sivakumar, and a Malayali Christian girl, Jessie Thekekuttu from Alappuzha, Kerala. Karthik falls in love with Jessie only to be met by her indifference and reluctance as they belong to different religions and her strict conservative family will never consent to their union. The moment Karthik meets her under her house, leaning over its white gate, has since become an iconic boy-meets-girl scene.

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Leave a comment Aishwarya Rai, Ajith Kumar, Alai Payuthey, AR Rahman, Gautham Menon, Kandukondain Kandukondain, Mammootty, mani ratnam, Minnale, R Madhavan, Roja, Silambarasan, Tabu, Tamil romantic films, valentine's day, Valentine's week, Valentines Day 2021, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa

Jehan Daruvala Grabs Second Position for Mumbai Falcons

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Mumbai Falcons’ Jehan Daruvala continued to sparkle in the Formula 3 Asian Championship, grabbing the second position in Race 1 of Round 3 at the Yas Marina International Circuit on Saturday.

After winning two out of the three races in Round 2 over the last two days, India’s top racer underlined his form by grabbing a double pole in the two qualifying sessions in the morning.

This is his fourth consecutive podium finish over three nerve-wracking days. On Sunday, the last two races of the round will take place. “After being on pole in both qualifying sessions, it is disappointing to fall to second,” Jehan, who relinquished his championship lead to Chovet, said.

“I did not have the pace to challenge for the lead. But we will work hard, and I am looking forward to the races tomorrow.” The Mumbai Falcons duo of Jehan and Kush Maini seemed to be in their elements as the action began. Jehan straightaway went to the top of the time sheet on his first flying lap itself. His laptime of 1:53.399 earned him his third pole position of the championship. Chovet, 0.190 slower, came in second while Alpine F1 Junior Guanyu Zhou from China took the third position.

Jehan did well in the second qualifying session too, immediately going to the top of the time sheets to earn his second consecutive Pole position. Zhou and Chovet were second and third respectively. Jehan did not have the best of starts from Pole in Race 1 though. Chovet made the best of the opportunity to reach the first corner even before Jehan. Zhou also had a sluggish start but managed to retain third.

Chovet steadily began to open up a small lead and Jehan could not catch him. But Zhou who was close on his tail and made sure that he remained alert. Mumbai Falcons’ Kush Maini, meanwhile, had a good race even though he started from 11th. He overtook two cars on the run down to the first corner, moving into ninth.

A few corners later, Kush managed to overtake yet another car, to move into eighth. A few laps later, Kush was up into seventh and drove an excellent defensive race. Eventually he dropped back down to eighth. The starting grid for Race 2 is based on the fastest lap from Race 1, which means Chovet will start on pole while Jehan will begin from sixth position and Kush from 10th. Race 3, though, will see Jehan start from pole.

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Lahore Confidential Movie Review: Half Hearted Attempt at Espionage Drama

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Lahore Confidential

Cast: Richa Chadha, Karishma Tanna, Arunoday Singh

Director: Kunal Kohli

Even at the run time of a little over one hour, ZEE5’s latest film Lahore Confidential is not intriguing. It tries to project itself as an espionage drama, based on Indo-Pakistan relationship and distrust, but uses no context whatsoever to rest its storyline on. The mere fact that the two neighbouring countries have been on not-so-friendly terms does not seem enough to carry the film forward. Moreover, this one has no juice or even a decent plot to be taken seriously. On top of everything, the cast also appears misfit.

Ananya (Richa Chadha) is sent to Pakistan on a diplomatic assignment. There she meets Yukti (Karishma Tanna), who is a RAW agent. The two women have different outlooks in life. While Yukti is fun-loving and gets joy out of risk-taking, Ananya is subdued and introspective in nature. Their camaraderie is acceptable to a point in the film but the give and take only works to a certain level as it does not help the story progress forward.

Enter Rauf (Arunoday Singh) who charms his way into Ananya’s life. But in the matters of the heart, she is bound to lose as he plays from the enemy’s side. Their romance takes the story ahead but the chemistry between the two is completely off-track. In fact, a couple of intimate scenes between Arunoday and Richa only indices more distraction. Ananya is seduced by the enemy, who she believes to be a vigilante. Will she betray her country for love?

It might be based on some ground realities, but Lahore Confidential does very little to push the envelope. We are just led from one scene into another without delving deep into anything. It’s nothing better than a half-hearted attempt.

Rating: 1/5

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Leave a comment bollywood, Lahore Confidential, movie review, Richa Chadha, Zee 5

KGF Chapter 2 Release Date, Cast, Budget and All You Need to Know About Yash’s Film

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Makers of blockbuster gangster film KGF Chapter 2 are all set to announce the release date of the sequel at 6:32pm today. Kannada star Yash will be reprising his role, while Bollywood stars like Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon have joined the franchise.

KGF Chapter 1 won two National Awards in 2019 for Best Action and Best Special Effects. The period action film is written and directed by Prashanth Neel and produced by Vijay Kiragandur. KGF was one of the costliest Kannada language movies and many expect that it might be the next Baahubali of Indian cinema.

To add to the excitement about the release date, here are ten things that you need to know about KGF chapter 2.

1. Sanjay Dutt playing the role of Adheera will be the mean nemesis of Rocky (Yash) in the upcoming movie. Although the teaser did not reveal his complete look, we did see the back of Sanjay Dutt dressed in battle armour and a Viking inspired hairdo. He is also seen brandishing a sword in the teaser.

2. Adheera is the brother of Sooryavardhan, the late ruler of Kolar Gold Mines (KGF). Ramesh Indra played the role of Sooryavardhan in KGF Chapter 1. It was his son Garuda, played by Ram alias Ramachandra Raju, who was the villain in the first movie. Before stepping into the role, Ram worked as Yash’s bodyguard.

3. The teaser also gave us a glimpse of Raveena Tandon in a scarlet saree playing the role of political leader Ramika Sen.

4. Raveena might play a pivotal role in influencing Rocky’s control over the gold fields of Karnataka in the upcoming movie.

5. KGF Chapter 2 is the most expensive Kannada film with a budget of ₹100 crore, the film will be dubbed in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi languages.

6. The shooting of the sequel started in August 2019 at Cyanide Hills in Kolar Gold Fields (KGF).

Read: Adheera is One of the Craziest Characters I’ve Played So Far: Sanjay Dutt on KGF 2

7. The movie was scheduled to release on October 23, 2020, however, due to the coronavirus pandemic the release has been scheduled for this year.

8. The plot of KGF spans over thirty years and traces the changing dynamics of power-hungry politicians and gangsters who wish to control the business of gold.

9. The movie’s heart and soul are the one promise that Rocky made to his dying mother when he was a child. As the teaser suggests in the end that “that promise will be kept.”

10. The movie will also answer if Rocky chooses to keep his love Reena or goes all guns blazing to maintain his control among the wolves that might be planning to backstab him.

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Leave a comment Actor Yash, KGF Chapter 2 film, KGF Chapter 2 release date, KGF: Chapter 2, Prashant Neel, raveena tandon, Sanjay Dutt

‘Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story’ Sheds Light on Filmmaker’s Turbulent Life

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During my research for the book Guru Dutt An Unfinished Story, various accounts of Guru Dutt’s colleagues, close friends and his family members suggested that despite being at the peak of his success, Guru Dutt’s constant refrain used to be, “Mujhe lagta hai mai paagal ho jaoonga (I think I’ll go crazy!)”

As a biographer, I was curious to know what was the turbulence in Guru Dutt’s life and cinema? Why was Guru Dutt constantly restless and lonely? Why would he run away from Bombay looking for escape from his tortured state of mind. And finally, despite creating those masterpieces within a span of just 10 years, why did he end his life at the young age of 39?

A few people close to Guru Dutt blame his turbulent relationship with Geeta and the much talked about relationship with Waheeda Rehman? It is also said that he could never recover from the giant failure of his magnum opus Kaagaz Ke Phool. I learnt about the stories of his disturbed childhood and later his dependence on alcohol and sleeping pills. But was there a single reason that left him so heartbroken that he attempted suicide many times?

It was surprising that Geeta Dutt, a star in her own right was not a crucial character in all the previous accounts on Guru Dutt. Why was her version denied in almost all the write-ups about Guru Dutt?

Finally, through Guru Dutt’s sister Lalitha Lajmi’s the story of Guru and Geeta Dutt unravelled in the book. Lalitha Lajmi told me, “Guru Dutt and Geeta were deeply in love. But there was one major conflict in their relationship. Guru had promised that Geeta would continue singing even after their marriage. But now he wanted her to sing only in the films produced by Guru Dutt. He wanted Geeta to take care of the family, the big house they had built. With every successful film Guru achieved fame while Geeta felt that she has been denied her share of fame.”

About Waheeda Rehman, Lalitha said, ‘Waheeda and Guru Dutt had almost parted (in 1961). She used to invite us both sometimes for dinner and my brother knew she was friendly with me. l heard Guru Dutt went with a bouquet of flowers to her home and the doors were not opened to him. Perhaps it was after this incident l had visited him and for the first time he told me not to keep in touch with her any more.’

But she also added, “I don’t think he committed suicide over either of the two women. Professionally, Waheeda and Guru Dutt had moved away much before he passed away.”

Then what else was going on in Guru Dutt’s life that he had twice attempted to kill himself. He survived both attempts but was finally gone on 10th Oct 1964, he was gone at 39.

Lalitha Lajmi says, “For years I had dreams of Guru Dutt lying on his bed with his eyes half open and an unfinished book. I try to wake him up. I say, ‘get up! get up! your admirers are waiting below the balcony!’ I keep looking at his face. He looks like he is in a deep sleep. I keep waiting for him to get up but he is dead.”

I try to piece together the stories of Guru Dutt’s life and times in my book Guru Dutt An Unfinished Story. It is the story of Guru Dutt the genius filmmaker who remained an outsider in the film industry. It is the story of Guru Dutt, the person, a lonely, tortured soul and it is also the story of the Hindi Film industry of the 1950s and 60s.

(Yaaser Usman is a biographer, journalist and film critic)

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The White Tiger Movie Review: Adarsh Gourav, Priyanka Chopra Try Lifting A Jumbled Up Film

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The White Tiger

Cast: Adarsh Gourav, Priyanka Chopra, Rajkummar Rao

Director: Ramin Bahrani

“The Indian entrepreneur has to be straight and crooked, mocking and believing, sly and sincere, all at the same time.”

Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav), while continuously breaking the fourth wall through dialogues and gestures, readies us for the ‘dark times’. He asks us to not take the opening of the film on its face value as his story is not what it seems to be.

Director Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart, 99 Homes) focuses on the difficult choices made by an ambitious, fast learner and conniving Jharkhand boy in The White Tiger, based on a synonymous book by Aravind Adiga. In the process, he tries to explore the caste and economic divide and how they’re interrelated in modern India, which is not always about the shining module projected to the world. However, most of it fails to fetch any second looks.

Gourav stands his ground against Priyanka Chopra, who is brimming with confidence and a fantastic screen presence, and Rajkummar Rao, who struggles during accent swap. Because the narrator and the central character are one, bringing many sides of the story must have been tedious for Bahrani, but he somehow manages to give the audience a picture of how the rural-urban segregation could have worked during the initial days of liberal economy.

Despite promising a darker tale in the beginning, The White Tiger rarely ventures beyond the obvious. There is no denying that the privileged part of the West might find some portions unsettling, but overall, it doesn’t impact to the level that you begin pondering about the natural progression the story could have followed otherwise. Not comparing with Slumdog Millionaire, but at least Danny Boyle got the shock value to the optimum. Here, Bahrani entangles himself in metaphors that don’t generate any curiosity or are totally lost in translation.

Read: Coolie No 1 Movie Review

Read: AK Vs AK Movie Review

I also have issues with celebrating grimness or justifying poverty or being underprivileged as the ultimate catalyst to crime, which unfortunately is the sole reason behind the bulk of Gourav’s deeds in the latter half. Even if it is not directly about the victim and the predator, you wouldn’t want the makers to cheer for the right person while standing in the wrong court.

Also, because a lot has changed since the release of the book in 2008, some plots could have been read in a new light. One thing that has categorically changed in last 12-13 years is the upliftment of the high aspirational values of the youth, both rural and urban. With the support from the government and some protection by the law, youngsters probably wouldn’t go down the ambiguous path of fraud and crime. It’s debatable though.

The White Tiger,streaming on Netflix in India, keeps feeding the same poor-guy-turned-criminal narrative to its takers. It hardly shows any intentions of scratching beneath the surface. Not intriguing enough.

Rating: 2/5

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Leave a comment adarsh gourav, Arvind adiga, movie review, Netflix, priyanka chopra, rajkummar rao, Ramin Bahrani, rating, review, Rohit Vats, stars, The White Tiger

Jeet Ki Zidd Review: Amit Sadh Shoulders the Tale of Courage and Perseverance

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Jeet Ki Zidd

Cast: Amit Sadh, Amrita Puri, Sushant Singh, Aly Goni

Director: Vishal Mangalorkar

There is honestly nothing in this world a person cannot do, if they put their heart and soul to it. In our lives, we have seen many extraordinary people, but some take the term to another level. Same is the case with Special Forces hero Major Deependra Singh Senger, who after being shot in September 1999 was told he could never walk again. With his sheer force of will, determination and unconditional love from partner, Senger re-wrote his destiny.

Major Senger’ story is different from any we have seen before. It is also not limited to his journey of recovery. Through the ZEE5 web series Jeet Ki Zidd, we see many different parts of his life. From the traumatic event that made him join the army to the various missions he led in his career. This is done in a non-linear, with different time-lines intersecting at what seems like appropriate moments.

While this is a great way to tell a real-life story and retain its suspense, something about the way it has been executed in the show throws you off.

Major Senger’s missions are terrifying for a normal audience. Hence, when we are in the scene, we want to stay in the scene. The adrenaline is what connects us to the character. However, instead of staying on a great moment, you cut into a different sequence two seconds too early, you lose your audience.

In many scenes, there seems to be jump cuts. This might have been intended to increase the tension conveyed by a scene, but it does the opposite. The show feels impatient, which rubs off on the viewer. It almost feels like shows with a strict air-time that cut their scenes short for television.

Read: A Suitable Boy Web Show Review

Read: Tandav Web Show review

It feels like certain actors are carrying the whole scene and everyone else isn’t giving their best. This might also be because the dialogues are underwhelming. When our protagonist is in a dangerous situation fighting terrorists, or in a great pain because of his injury, or putting his heart and soul to try and get better, the dialogues don’t match. In these places, probably the actors could have emoted better with silence.

Amit Sadh does most of the heavylifting. He could have benefitted more with attention to the little details in the script and production. Sushant Singh stands up to the expectations a viewer sets with him. He has always been versatile and here too, he fits like a puzzle. Amrita Puri, who plays Jaya Senger, also can convey a lot without saying much. She gives a balanced performance.

Despite flaws, it’s still a good watch. Without spoiling anything, it leaves you with a sense of positivity. We need that, right?

Rating: 2.5/5

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Leave a comment Amit Sadh, Amrita Puri, boney Kapoor, Jeet Ki Zidd, Vishal Mangalorkar

Happy Birthday, Boss Lady: Mahesh Babu Rings in Namrata Shirodkar’s Birthday with Loved-up Message

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Namrata Shirodkar is spending her 49th birthday with her family in Dubai. Her Telugu superstar husband Mahesh Babu kicked off the celebrations at midnight with a love-filled post on Instagram. He shared a candid photo with his wife of 16 years and said, “Someone I love was born today! ❤️ Everyday with you is special but today is a little more!! Celebrating my amazing woman. Happy birthday, boss lady.”

In the picture it seems the actor is showing her something on his phone and sharing a laugh. Take a look:

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Leave a comment dubai, Mahesh Babu, Namrata Shirodkar, Namrata Shirodkar birthday, Sarkaru Vaari Paata

Ahead of Birthday, Namrata Shirodkar Heads to Dubai with Mahesh Babu and Friends

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Namrata Shirodkar is flying to Dubai with husband Mahesh Babu. Before boarding the plane, the actress shared a few pictures on her official social media page. The former model and actress will turn 49 on January 22 and will be ringing in her birthday abroad.

On the trip, Namrata and Mahesh Babu are accompanied by a few close friends also. Sharing a bunch of selfies, Namrata mentioned that she is waiting to exhale as Dubai calls.

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