drhemantsant Reviews

Laapataa Ladies (2023)

Sublime is in seemingly Ordinary

[10/10 · 3 May 2024]

Can a whole film be made focused on very ordinary Indians which turns out to be so extraordinary? This one Reveals deeply entrenched Indian values which emerge despite dark news bombarded on us from same geography. Nothing bad happens despite possibility of charachters sliding down the slide of human weaknesses! The seemingly worst one of Police man rises to uphold the good punish the tormentor and protect the weak even as he lines his pocket .Railway platform & Village is the stage and all actors rise to create a world which it's script writers,director & team creators want us to appreciate.

Cinematography and editing is crisp and all characters rightly chosen emerge very well.

12th Fail (2023)

RamRajya is Prevailing of Order Dharm

[9/10 · 18 January 2024]

Film wins on script and theme itself. Struggle against all odds to fulfill a dream which is Shreyas as well as Preyas is revealed. Crucial is Shraddha-Faith Selfbelief seeded by Love.

Thanks to VVC who saw to it that idea seeded in One reaches fruition. All who participated in this creative deserve credit as protagonist gives! Civilization is sustained by those who uphold law order prevent injustice and who assure Swift punishment to real defaulters. That edifice stands on Deciders Implementors-begins from top to bottom of Governance. Their Foundations are Teachers & All who support Truth-Nyay Niti gives Yash Kirti.

Tarla (2023)

Misses making it a Food classic

[7/10 · 8 July 2023]

What do viewers want to see when it is a biopic of a Indian housewife who rose to become a Celebrated cook show 30 years back? How did she do it. The inner charachter strength should have been shown to emerge in her as she faces vicissitudes of life. Her vague wish to do something Better in her life fades away after 12 years as a home maker. But magic of learning & making different recipes which won hearts fails to be shown in movie .Why her books or show sold well is missed. Her place as a Pioneer Indian modern cook book author and tv chef is not hight lighted. Whether older regional cook books family notes helped her? Did she herself learn western or non Gujarati non Indian recipes from other resources? Only Credit given is to her slipping sometimes supportive Husband for her success.

Food photography could have created many a Ratatouille or food classics visual moments .

Huma Qureshi gives her all to present herself as a Gujarati girl a home maker and Celebrity woman who knew what needs to be done to succeed. Sharib Hashmi shorter than her rises to present a typical husband who has a atypical grateful trait of supporting his spouse .Why that could have been revealed by flashes of family backgrounds of both the families? But one thing is sure that these two stayed with me longer than i had expected by their performances.

Can the film makers not add Visuals of most famous recipes taking shape revealing the seed of the magic why million Cook shows have blossomed across tv and youtube today. We have a 14"tv in the kitchen just to watch and learn how to make new recipes step by step today .

Kantara (2022)

Awaken Self , Expand to Fuse with Mother Nature

[9/10 · 20 October 2022]

The common sentiment of this Land Bharat is beyond limitations of language geography local beliefs. Life is potential rise of One to the very Zenith of existence one with Nature .OneDivinityInAll in OneNationIndia.

That is possible even with One consumed & trapped within basic instincts-ShadRipus -Laze Lust Greed Anger Jealousy & Hate dormant in us all. A extreme shock or genteel Shaktipaaat divine touch can allow that to rise step by step or in a lightening speed to the very top. Some call it SahastraHaar "1000 petaled Rose"an awakened open mind from all directions .

Energy Exploding Event happens where all Shakti power physical strength included transcends all boundaries like last Glow before the lamp "goes off" to be one with TheLight beyond Sight.

The self expands its limited radius to infinity to include all. Gratefulness fuels more Gratitude towards All that which Gives-Deva forces of Nature and society. Then One can easily see through the Evil hidden behind decorated facades and fake words. Injustice looses to universal judgement of GreaterGood of the innocents & vulnerable. SACRED Grove Kantara is not only in woods but within each one of us. A time will come when a "shout shriek" so shaterring will break all that binds us makes us limited .That day universe will conspire to make thing that is needed to happen.

The Film takes us to Dakshin Kanara TuluLand around Mangalore. Uses great skills in art direction music sets acting & camerawork to Immerse us in its ways through revelation of lives of real people of all kinds.

Selfishness looses and universal good wins-cliche is juxtaposed here in this unique scenario. It comes out winner as creators participants are all very sure ,full of self esteem and pride about its SelfLess Goodness .

Go watch it to know it, feel it and experience it just as the hidden ancient Rigvedic Verses of PurushSukta echoes from each corner of this BharatBhoomi .It Accepts Divinity in all forms Saguna to Nirguna as forces of Nature that gives us birth,sustains us and destroys us to be born again.

Leave all preformed notions behind if you really wish the Film to rub in and unravel the magic within you too.

Dr. Arora (2022– )

Sex problems caricatures Quacks all Hindus?

[5/10 · 1 August 2022]

A very humane problem of sex is tackled in this series. Sensitive, quit, rooted to ground varied spectrum of sex problems and its treatment scene in a segment of North India is shown with all skills of cinematic talent. BUT one who has walked these grounds or visited India might be in for a filtering surprise. Imtiaz and other Alis who have created this ,wrote the most script & directed them exclude one whole community from this secular problems? As if the men, the q for guidance for sexual weakness ,women thronging BABAS,the baba system & quacks their pimps are never ever MuslimIndians? Sunrise to sunset in The geography shown here begins ends with 4 loudspeakers call 2 prayers ? Markets abound with black robed figures ? Qs in any hospitals or Hakims Safakhana Dawakhanas here cater to the needy of all hues of Indians even in skull caps and burkhas ! DO the creators want to convey that MuslimIndians are beyond all the human weakness strife and only Hindu charachters abound on both sides of this humane problem solutions? As usual a firangi but a baba a Hindu faith leader is stripped naked and garden full of Hindu women in all their pooja gear are shown eager for private meeting with a Baba ? Nice .Make fun in secular way .Expose reveal problems taking liberty beyond bounds of faith. Human problems are humane. Dare to show them as such. Till then should we too count faiths of those in Q for sexual weakness and its social manifestations like extra marital affair escapades ?

Mimi (I) (2021)

Acceptance gives you a joy

[7/10 · 15 September 2021]

Film Review: Mimi 2021 Dr Hemant A Sant Vadodara Entertainment means amusement, Pleasure, leisure, relaxation, Refreshment Or a distraction. A Film must do all or any of the above. Film Mimi does that for a message. It may not reveal whole science or truth. This is a story telling by its team of creators. Script direction acting camera location reveals unique individuals and their lives.

Acceptance is its first message. See the twisted convoluted plot reveal that the moment we accept and open our hearts and minds to the new changes and its obvious solutions life offers all will be well. Till a new day shines!

If along with unique story telling a person or event sparks a debate within us it becomes more meaningful. Straight forward way is to deliver direct message. 'This is better than That' .

Debate this film should surely provoke. Surrogacy is the topic.

The childless couples have many alternatives which todays science offers. One of it is using other women's womb body to grow couples lab made test tube embryo. That has many facets-sentimental ,social and ethical issues. More Money is needed.

The dreams of a Girl from typical Indian home change as event unfolds. Mimi and her family accepts the changes and challenges to find bliss grace . 'The Others' too accept the change at the very end and show us a beacon of hope for a joy that can be yours if you shed bias of limited identity of self.

What are the twisted lanes of Surrogacy and its easier alternative needed some more science or sentiment than this film manages to reveal. Script could have easily revealed facets of science behind the twist the story has been given.

Those screening Tests are undergone by all pregnant Women today before a red timeline is crossed. The women of today have choices offered by science .Hiding behind a false positive test has been back bone of many a Indian film scripts which this film creators too succumb to. They need not have. Repeat the Test. Take second opinion. But let us give creative freedom to its makers -Laxman Utekar and Rohan Shankar. Original Story by Samruddhi Porey(Mala Aai Vhay chayy-I want to be a Mother) in Marathi.

The will of the Girl Mimi Rathore of Rajasthani Shekhavati village who is left to fend for herself is well enacted by Kriti Sanon. Her 'charioteer' is Bhanu Pandey -well enacted by Pankaj Tripathi .He is a Delhi Tourist Driver looking for easy money to survive. The way he too metamorphosizes into a different person is side spice of the story.

Supriya Pathak and Manoj Pahwa as parents are epitome of the virtue of acceptance. Glam Girl Sai Tamhankar excels as Shama -a muslim maulvi's talaq victim and best friend of Mimi.

Bhanu and Shama virtually hold 'pregnant for Money' - Mimis hand as life reveals a roller coaster testing times for her.

Evelyn Edwards as Summer and Aidan Whytock as John are given adequate screen to reveal the vaccilitating moods and anguish of a couple who see no other choice than surrogacy.

In the end they find there is an easier option that can give them joy. That it also gives a new life to child already born but has no one to care is the main message from this film. Millions of children are waiting to be adopted. Remove all bias of skin and race as you accept adoption. The child which arrives in the house converts it into a true Home. Its presence electrifies a whole bunch of People with different hues in one common positive Colour of Joy!

That joy stays with you after the film ends for a time enough to wash out biases we all have been growing with.

What Mimi got or what happens next is left to our imagination to accept complexities of life where one plus one may not be a two. Leave Me-Me and accept MIMI or We-We!

Story is what stays back in your store .

Sherni (2021)

All who love Jungles need to watch this film

[9/10 · 24 June 2021]

See this film. Show this film. Make it tax free .Jungles should be understood not as man animal conflict but coexistence like Maldhari Ness colonies with Gir Lions Sanctuary NP. Take a bow makers ,supporters and teamSherni the film. The Friends of the Jungle esp women locals aa well as expert forest beat guards filled my heart with hope .The Greed and Selfishness of TheMean and The Non Science will loose if TheGood join hands. Support the honest .The evil are weak .Their fortress will surely fall. I could see and remember only the honest Forest Officer,the Zoology teacher and Friends of Forest from this epic movie on conservation like rarely get made in India. Kudos! Real Tiger abhi Zinda hai. Show it to all gen next especially those living next to forests. The weak are trembling already .See the film .It's impact is in last scenes on which titles are shown. See beyond them and dead eyes of stuffed animals.

Half Ticket (I) (2016)

Rubaab-Self Respect is in all

[8/10 · 23 April 2019]

Film takes one to ghettos of the poorest of the poor of India and reveals that children here too have same strengths,weaknesses ,dreams and Rubaab self respect as all others anywhere! Two children have a father who is in jail ,a sub judice tragedy .Mother toils for survival as Grandmother tries to keep Amber's of Dreams and self respect alive in two tender souls .Kids collect railway coals to survive.They see and dream of eating pizza and story meanders with this thread .The efforts and failures and ghetto goons and Rich Who can buy anything is revealed in each frames.The end ,if you filter off the sentimental colours and recollect all the lyrics written by Kshitijj Patwardhan reveal to you The Original Rubaab manifest in the kids in subtlest form !Kudos to cinematography which does not make you ashamed as so many have been doing filming Indian ghettos till now.Rest of the team and actors take a bow !For us let us be more empathetic as citizens , NGO,police lawyers social leaders to those less endowed ! Remember they have same Rubaab as You have!

Cycle (II) (2018)

Goodness shines like a light

[8/10 · 25 November 2018]

Goodness in a human being affects all .Good actions come back to help you when you need it most.Even a symbol of a good person permeates goodness in all.More you leave the attachment to a thing you love it comes back to you in another ways.Film flies high on character morals cinematography revealing simple life of Konkan Maharashtra India .Even theives forgot to steal and turn a good leaf.Feel good movie for all who believe Goodness wins .It is the light that can remove any negativity even if roof falls on one's heads as it does here on one!All non Marathi film lovers Must see with subtitles .

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

New Beginning of fight against dark forces for GenNext

[9/10 · 20 December 2017]

Go back to 1977 when Mark Hamill was our teen hero as Luke Skywalker whose journey as teen to a Jedi is scripted in subsequent sequels as we grew up.Today as I watch the latest -'Star Wars the Last Jedi' film with my son in 2017 at age of 56 I almost feel what Luke must be feeling interacting with young Rye who is not at all blue blooded but a child almost sold off by less gifted parents.Still she shows the will power to face the brute dark forces and takes over the mantle of the Last Jedi.The film is a new revelation which will hopefully lead to new sequels as the old from my generations are wiped off or disappear giving the fight against the dark forces to gennext. Visually this was superb with 3D viewing and great sound reverberating in better theaters we have today.Those who find some faults are reading too much or too little in the magnum opus.All those who have never seen SW just go and watch the stretch of Imagination that made our youth and George Lucas!My son enjoyed it all- right from first movie till this last which seems to us both as new beginning.

Masaan (2015)

As we all Live we are learning How to Die

[8/10 · 25 July 2015]

Can a single film give us all so many messages, some so universal that it touches all of us as Human beings?Death is as certain as our birth.All of us of whatever culture or faith we are born or bred in know that basic fact.It does not need a thinker or great education. But a film and its audio visual story telling has such an impact that few film like this one can reveal to you all about living even as One faces death all the time or suddenly at any time unexpected.How like flow of river Ganga which begins as many rivers but merges at a geographical place in India the characters of the film begin far apart from each other.The stage is set all along the river and camera captures it in pain, suffering, will to live on and beauty it shares with those who resides along her banks. The spasm of a growing up youth beyond genders and culture or geography is well captured by first part of the film.Two different approaches to Courtship and eventual beginning of a unit of civilization-The family is revealed.One is daring and experimental walking the talk till its unexpected turn and the Other soft and smooth slowly inter twining relationship which too faces its test.Suddenness of turn of events in both stories shake you up and tests the will power of the protagonists.How they climb the uphill climb challenge that the life suddenly throws against them leaves us with immense faith in the flow of time ,life and ability of the Human beings to live on despite it all.The river along is the perfect analogy that any one can relate it all with.The ghats and life of the most ancient city in the world-Kashi,Benares ,Varanasi is captured with caring camera work.Despite the stage where last rites by Fire are performed as a routine occupation by few of its actors the life of courtship ,education, finding job, friendship between genders and within themselves all blossom in front of you.How friends are add ons to the family helping one in many ways during all times is what we all can relate to.How one has to walk out of it all as life moves on too we all know.Barriers of age,culture,ethos,caste and economic difficulties are multiplied by by gross inhuman injustice of corruption and exploitation from those who are our protectors.How in our utopia we all dream of fair-play justice, freedom to be oneself and power to explore all aspects of life as we want!The central characters have acted so well with such finis in direction of each frames and scenes that we all feel the ups and downs in their lives as if our own for 109 minutes we share with them till screen is lit.What else is life but certainty of death looming large silently unseen over it.Still we all live ,enjoy its each moment,and have ability to heal the wounds and learn to live on as a river does.Film will reinforce a belief that Life will help you ,the world will conspire to help you if you help yourself and continue the journey called Life.Walk On despite it all..

Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)

VFX helps Indian Director weave a Grand Good v/s Bad story

[8/10 · 25 July 2015]

Pure 'forget the reality' entertainment with improbable VFX stretched to its limits literally climbing up from deepest down in all sense which is what we all like, more so Indians more so South Indians! Indian mythological or films with imaginary storyline from the past have always tried to high light the efforts of the Hero or the Villainy or the Miracles with help of whatever special effects technology then gave them. Creative Team of this film Bahubali-the Beginning is lucky to harness the best VFX special effects that present technology can offer to present to the world a Good v/s Bad story against an Indian backdrop.All over Indians are proud and happy that 'we too can do it'with help from the best in the world!Even the customary item song or singing around the trees have not been missed by the Creative Team led by the Director.White skin of the heroine and great bulging muscles of the super hero reinforces the Indian Ethos that heroes are indeed needed and they get the best girls !India has always waited for an Avatara a hero to begin lead and complete a heroic work for the social good ,lifting of a Govardhana mountain , Bhagiratha diverting the Ganga river and such legends are all over across this vast and varied land .What every one likes is to reinforce this idea that all the changes has to be brought about by a single person doing a super human act.Actual fact that all such legendary changes or acts were all just led by a beginner a honest leader with greater Vision or all round ability than the ordinary is reinforced.The film has woven the story spanning generations of an Indian kingdom and machinations for the power by people victim of human weaknesses like any where in the world.The One who is selfless beyond them ultimately wins or brings about the change.Film shows great craftsmen ship of merging actual camera work with efforts magnified by a Mouse and a powerful computer graphics programs.The mythology reaches its zenith in the scenes of city or the war and details must have taken immense creativity and efforts which till today few film creators have shown in India.For that alone and for the immense captivating show they all have put together the film has to be viewed in a proper theater with best projection and sound facilities to enjoy its final outcome fully.That too is a triumph of this film as no one will enjoy its pirated CD!Sure the film leaves us all gasping at scenes as if they are real and we travel along and feel along with all its characters,such is their acting and pre- filming efforts of dialogue and scene compositions.Go with your family and enjoy the Story telling through a Film with today's technology at its best retaining the old world charm of good acting and all that makes a film stay with you even after one has left the theater returning to the real world of parking lot traffic jams and long drive home.What turn the story will take in its second edition for which we have to to wait till next year..Why? Who? questions linger as many scenes from this story told with help of a grand Visual spectacle stays on in your visual and sound cortex!

Killa (2014)

Come out of the dark FORT-Killa of your doubts and fears

[9/10 · 5 July 2015]

Watch Marathi film with good English sub titles - KILLA if you want to relive the fears trials tribulations and the sheer Joy of being a eleven year std 7 th child, a boy with gang of Boys to deal with.How to deal with changes in the Life whatever it throws to you and your family.Go watch the greens rains seas and beaches of Maharashtra at its pristine self alive even in silence.One is surrounded by symbolic Fortifications ,our doubts our Fears our preconceived notions.One is cowed down by circumstances and lack of material and Human support.Still one finds ones way even if one has a single Mother and few friends that too memories of them .Life teaches you to adapt and come out of the tunnel to see light at end of which your bright future and friends,loved ones are waiting.So get up shake out all your webs and slack to walk the talk,learn to climb up the steps of the staircase a ladder of life which looks difficult to you before you just Begin with a right frame of mind,attitude.All of us face the fire before we come up well.So be it young men..Go see the film to relive your childhood or recharge your 11 year old son or daughter or an Orphan like a Bandya!Contribute to some needy ones growth then.