poulomihari Reviews

The Menu (2022)

Was intrigued by social media, and found it one of the most memorable tales of all time

[9/10 · 11 May 2024]

This movie is a wonderful commentary about art and artist. An art is savoured by all- some enjoy it, some dislike it, and many people are simply cluless. Yet, most people pretend they understand the art MORE than the artist. It is this pretense that bothers the artist. Sooner or later they begin to loose the fun of creating something unique. What people fail to realize is that an artist is also a mad person. There's a hunger in their eyes, to be appriciated for once. They want an honest opinion, not reviews or criticisms, not even fan worship- they just want to be appriciated for what they have done. As somebody pointed out, the art can be anything- fashion, movies, music.... But the artist simply craves for genuine appriciation.

*spoilers*

The story is about a highly accomplished Chef who has 'lost it'. His passion has died out and he can no longer put up with his pretentious customers. Since he runs a very high-end exclusive restaurant, his customers are people who are rich enough to afford it. And yet these customers know not even a dime about what he does or how. Even the food-critic he had invited was trying to figure out the greatness in his food which was purposely made bad. The chef gave her two extra servings of one of his bad soup because she claimed it had some meaning (lmao). Then there was this foodie who literally worshipped the chef, was willing to die even just so he could taste his dishes. He knew a lot about food and constantly bragged about how good it tasted, interjecting about all the ingridients that were used and the presentation of it all. But when he was finally given a chance to cook, he showed to everyone that he knew nothing. As a person who knows cooking, this kinda filled me with rage. I have personally dealt with people who'll have all the opinion about food and yet, couldn't cook for life. Then there are others, who are just there for the hype and know nothing. They pay for the experience- the feel of royalty; to hold the power of luxury, unaware of what makes it a luxury....

So eventually a tired, defeated, unhappy and exasperated Chef loses his mind and decides 'to hell with it'. He executes a meticulous mass murder plan, involves his loyal subordinates and invites some of his most long-time customers. There are his regulars who can't recall even a single dish, his investors, foodies, food-columnist/critic, a failed film-star who he thought should retire because his art has degraded. Amidst this hell, there's an unexpected guest- a hooker played by Anya Taylor Joy, who wasn't supposed to be there but gets entangled in the drama. She doesn't belong to this world and doesn't buy into the hype. She sees the whole thing from an outsider's perspective and finds it bizzare. As the killings begin she realizes she has been trapped in a chaotic mess where a mad-man is willing to doom everyone only because he doesn't feel appriciated anymore. And thus she has to find a way to get out.

I personally believe this is one of the finest tales that has come out in recent years, and it will go on to gain a cult status in future. This movie is a commentary about art afterall. We have seen plenty of superhero movies and heard plenty of nasty songs to know that this is something different. Stories like this come out only once in a blue moon. For it was one of the rare instances where the story was not a treasure hunt. There was no puzzle to solve, no horcruxes to find, no dragons to tame. It was simply, a movie with a good story.....

Crazy Love (2022)

Suprisingly hillarious: Kim Jae Wook made it funnier than it was

[7/10 · 10 April 2024]

The story is age old tale- a timid secretary and an overly ambitious, narcisstic boss. Very formulaic indeed. If not for Kim Jae Wook, this show would have been forgotten somewhere deep under the cliché. This show's soul and heart was Kim Jae Wook and his brilliant comic timing. He has forver done these stoic, melodramatic, sad man that it was almost impossible to visualize in something like this. His character Noh Go Jin is someone you may have seen many times, (Boys over Flowers, Full House, Whats Wrong with Secretary Kim, My Name is Kim Sam Soon). The episodes are filled with typical Kdrama scenes where the girl is always slaving around or getting berated, scolded, bullied, then the male lead has a change of heart after seeing the poor girl's family. The female lead will almost always puke on the male lead at least in one episode. And despite all odds, the male lead and female lead will fall in love at the end. Yeah, same old story.

But the driving factor for this series was Kim Jae Wook's hillarious physical comedy. He is a gem. A very underrated actor indeed. If you can forget his previous sad brooding characters like the sad priest in The Guest, or the gentleman Ryan Gold in Her Private Life -although that one was filled with a few cliches too, you will have a laugh riot. Watching the bloopers was equally funny coz you see the actor is a pro in real life but is also equally jovial.

There are scenes where Jae Wook blurs the line between human world and cartoon/anime perfection. He is extremely aesthetic to look at, and so are his moves. If Jae Wook swoops away a box, it goes in style. If he eats a sandwich, he eats in style. If he throws it in the garbage, even the garbage-bin opens in style. I had never laughed so hard before the way I did watching this series. The series is aware that it's a K-drama, so it takes its sweet time to poke fun on every K-drama cliche that exists. The story is absurd, as in Waikiki level absurd. There are times when actors break the 4th wall and its almost like reading a funny webtoon where they are holding childish grudges.

(BTW, this show fulfils the fantasy of 'throwing the resignation letter on the boss's face', and adds even more voilence).

My favourite episode has to be episode 6 where the two go to Sin Ah's (Krystal Jung) country home and meet her dad. That episode is a genuine laugh riot. There were times I had to pause the show so I could catch a breath. Who knew Kim Jae Wook could be this funny? How he kept a straight face throughout all that will be a mystery. Whats funnier is that in the BTS we see that he delivers his lines within the first take, its the others who burst out laughing.... Supreme physical comedy.

Other than Kim Jae Wook, there is not much to the drama. Same old story, albeit with an additional pun at Kdrama clichés. You will enjoy it if you are an avid Kdrama fan. The subplots regarding the villains and ex-lover was such drag, I had to skip through. Infact it seemed like they created another villain so as to keep the popular 2nd lead in a good light. The plot ending was stupid and overall, unnecessary. The problem with the story was that there really was no conflict. And stories do not get engaging unless there's a conflict. I wish they went on with Oh Se Gi as the real villain but oh well...

Overall, enjoyed it solely for Kim Jae Wook's shenanigans. He kept the episodes enjoyable, right upto the very last episode. The laughter seldom subsided. I am going to see him in a very new light post this series. Great going Kim Jae Wook. First it was Coffee Prince, then Antique, then Marry Me Marry.. Then it was Voice, then he did The Guest, then Her Private Life, then Crazy Love... My man has a range! All sorts of characters in his arsenal.

Bloody Heart (2022)

The wrong guy was made King

[6/10 · 24 December 2023]

The series began at a very interesting note when we see a mother going so far as to poison her son just to protect him, but soon in the second half we realize that the King has grown up to be a bad guy. At least that is what an itellectual would infer. We begin hating Counciller Park but he dies a hero in my eyes. The true villain of the story is the King himself. I think in his introduction scene where he broke the eggs which the kids were willing to hatch, that itself was a big red flag. If the makers are subtly telling us that the king is supposed to be a cruel tyrant and they build a second season to have him fall, then thats a brilliant idea. However if the writers want us to believe that the King was the good guy then I must spoil it for you- nah, he is evil, infinetely toxic, self-righteous brat who wants to rule people and force his command on everyone.

Counciller Park IMO was one of the greatest characters ever written. He starts of as the bad guy. But as the series progresses you realize he is actually a great king-maker. He rules with an iron fist. He had previously deposed a tyrant and installed the previous king. He was always wary of the small and big conspiracies going on and treaded accordingly. He would keep a grip on the royalities so neither of them could exceed their power. His ideology was to keep the nation safe. This is why he commanded respect and held authority in the whole game. It so happened that he came to odds with the King's mother- which led to her committing suicide so she could blame Counciller Park, who later had to frame Yoo Hak Soo just so he could save all his people.

Yoo Hak Soo and his family were presecuted while their daughter survived. She seldom had any interest in the Palace politics but the king's fascination had her dragged into it. For once I thought she was a great player and seeing Counciller Park deeming her worthy made me believe she would do something interesting. But nah, what a waste. While after the whole Dowager Queen blunder I was screaming on the top of my lungs "You fool, you NEED Couciller Park. You need Defence Minister Cho!" I was hoping Yoo Jeong would knock some sense into the king but oh well... Counciller Park and Minister Cho were misunderstood characters. They were both strong and forged in experience. Eliminating the two for an "eighth grade revenge" was stupidity. A King can not make decisions based on personal vendetta. He was simply against them because he blamed them for killing his mom, while he knew well enough that his mother willingly drank the poison so she could destroy them. This is a story of bad parenting, bad upbringing, bad behaviour.

Coming to the technical aspects, series was pleasant to the eyes. The camera-work was wonderful. The sets and locations were gorgeous. The acting was passable. The lead actor was good however I got sick of seeing him cry/tear up in every scene. Female Lead is a very known actress and I am actually quite fond of her. But in this series her charater was so dull, it was wooden. I grew tired of her expressionless face, which is a shame because she had done plenty other shows where she had shown a range of emotions. Waste of potential indeed.

The only actor who put its blood sweat and tears was Jang Hyuk. I absolutely adored his portrayal of Counciller Park. Through his performance you really begin to see the character as a fleshed out person. His character was magnanimous and trust me, he was the only reason I was hooked to the show. A senior actor indeed, Jang Hyuk showed the world why he is still a huge name.

Overall this series was average. Watch it for the politics. Keep in mind that if you are an intellectual being, you might end up hating the "hero" and loving the "villain". Afterall, the series does play with our minds.

My Dearest (2023– )

One of the greatest Kdramas after a long time

[9/10 · 9 September 2023]

The Kdrama industry had long been capitalizing on deadbeat tropes like cinderella stories, fantasy-thriller-romance, nine tailed fox etc. After a certain time you begin to see a pattern. So it was safe to say I took a sabbatical from Kdramas for almost a year. However I do have a liking for period dramas. My first Kdrama was infact the hindi-dubbed DD National edit of Emperor of the Sea. Ever since I have been in love with historical shows. Kdramas based on historical elements have their own charm. Last good one in this genre was Mr Queen and it was hillarious. The reason I love the historical fiction is because you get to see some politics which adds to the stakes of the story and makes the plot far more intense. I was craving for a fresh historical Kdrama with romance and everything. And so when I scrolled on the Viki app, "My Dearest" caught my attention with its lush scenery and gorgeous landscapes. Curiously, I clicked on the trailer and I was quickly taken aback by a familiar face- the most versatile Korean actor IMO, Nam Goong Min.

I vividly remember NamGoong Min playing various lead roles in several TV series. And yet his most memorable role so far had been the devious villain of "Remember". The actor has a charisma, there is no doubt about that. He donnes his character with such perfection that you soon forget who he is and suddenly find yourself lost in his eyes. The actor has extremely expressive eyes. I mean, he doesn't need a monologue, he can speak a whole page with the way he looks. All other actors pale before him, even the senior actors. He alone can carry the whole series on his shoulders. Even the worst, most corny lines can seem meaningful by the way he delivers them.

Coming to the plot, this one is a very fresh take on historical fiction. Most of the times historical fiction is layered with patriotism and unnecessary jingoism. This one however is tonally grim. It has a sarcastic overlook about the monarchy and the political system. The drama portrays the horrors of war, but adds a clever layer of dark humor. I was baffled at times when I found myself laughing at some scenes during the grim invasion sequence, and its not because of some crazy stunt. For example there is a terrifying scene of childbirth in the midst of an attack. The destitute women are hiding from intruders and they are trying their best to muff their voices. At that terrible moment when they are trying to help their companion deliver the baby, and the poor mother asks to check how far she is dilated. One of the maidens faint at the sight of blood, while the other somehow manages to see there's a 2 inch gap. The birthing mother then declares that its going to be a while. The humor was raw and it seriously made me chuckle even when I was at the edge of my seat. There is another scene which I'd say without spoiling much, its the scene where NamGoong Min stares at his lady love with a sort of disappointment laced curiosity as he watches her worry for another male while he is sitting right there.... He had that quintessential meme face, "the disappointed cricket fan" look. XD. I don't care what other people say, but this for me is a very fresh kind of humor.

Coming to the serious elements, this story is about star-crossed lovers. I binged through the 10 episodes and it was evident that this story is not going to end well. Its engaging because like the plot of Lucifer, you keep hoping that for once their timing would be right. But it keeps kicking you below the belt. You cry, you yearn, you pray for them but you always find they are victims of bad timing. Perhaps thats how the writers are keeping us hooked. In the meanwhile you get a glimpse of a war-torn country and the plight of commoners. It candidly explores the inner motives of people in power and how our loyalty and personal ideals serve really nothing. It slaps the system and those who wield power while it also shows a mirror to those who assume that their high morals are going to serve the nation. In today's social media world this story is extremely relevant. We are all keyboard warriors when it comes to defending our country, but how many of us can venture the real battlefield? Can we really pick a gun and shoot the enemies at the border? Showcasing enthusiastic confucian scholars willing to die for the nation and juxtaposing them with the central lead character who is a pragmatic fellow, it really humbles a whole sect of trolls and self-proclaimed intellectuals.

This series also has an LGBTQ+ representation. Its a very sexy undertone I must say. Ryang, the handsome sidekick of Jang Hwan, although not shown to be openly gay, but is evidently in love with his master. You can't tell me otherwise. There is no other reason why he would try to sabotage their relationship. There is a scene where he delicately places his head on his arm and contemplates how much it hurts to see his master obsessing over that girl.

While I don't know how many stories are yet to unfold, whether Lee Jang Hwan and Gil Chae Agassi would ever get to reunite, or whether they all die gruesome deaths leaving that one survivor in the beginning who is telling the story from a prison cell. I am however sure that this one will pull your heartstrings. I am mentally prepared to see a very tragic end to a love story (another Kdrama cliche). Overall this series is a must watch for people who love mature content. And by that I don't mean nudity or adult content. A mature content is food for an intellectual mind and blood for an empathatic heart. Its a kind of show that deserves an audience who are certainly a tad more elevated than society. People who love cheap content might find it boring or maybe too confusing, but for a grownup soul this one is a breath of fresh air.

Kohrra (2023– )

Eghhh..... Boring, cliched, waste of time.

[2/10 · 20 July 2023]

This has become a regular nonsense now- come across a murder case, show the environment in sepia tone, waste your time with family drama, throw in the glimpses of the cops' sad pathetic lives. Overall, bore your viewer to death with too many subplots and drag the mystery that could be solved like in 2 episodes. People don't watch crime shows to see cops' lives. We watch crimes shows to solve a puzzle. This cliche has doomed so many shows by now, Delhi crime 2, Dahaad, now this. Why? Why do the directors have to bore the audience with long onners. A chase scene, picking up a phone, looking for someone.... these are unnecessary long shots that add nothing to the story except footage. If that is your purpose- to drag a run time long enough to milk out watch hours, then I will gladly give up my netflix subscription. I have kept it for Bridgerton anyway, which they dont seem to launch any time soon. This is the first time I had fast forwarded the scenes at a crime show. I mean lawd! Documentaries are much more intersting than these. Seriously, watch Indian Predator and you will get more entertaintment than this. Giving up halfway by episode 4. I no longer care. I came here to see some spoiler reviews. Suffice to say I have solved the crime. And those who are still wanting to give it a try, good luck.

Myopia (2020– )

Could have been better.

[5/10 · 15 July 2023]

I was a fan of Mahabharat by Swastik House, which is why I was interested to see the actors' later work. I got interested in the show because Yudhishthir and Bheem were there. The trailer looked interesting and it said it was based on a true story. So voila, I checked it out.

The cinematography was old school. I survived it because I had grown up watching DD National shows. Old school cinemarography has its own charm so it can be forgiven if the story is good. Then comes performances. Rohit Bharadwaj was the star performer of the show. He expressed quite well with his expressions, body language and dialogue delivery. However the remanants of Mahabharat's pure Hindi would randomly appear out of him, like "Satya ki khoj" or "mai pashu pakshiyon ke case nahi leta". It was cute and hillarious at the same time. Also Saurav Gurjar who happened to be one of the greatest finds of Mahabharat, surprisingly appeared as a fantastic actor on this series. His chemistry with his "jyeshta" was on par. These two brothers had a commanding screen presence to be honest. So I stayed for them and luckily their performance did not disappoint me.

It was however the editing, direction and overall execution of the series that ended with an unsatisfying conclusion. Without spoiling much, let me reframe the story for you. Its about a very charming but broke private detective (Rohit Bharadwaj), who lives with guilt and sorrow in his heart. He sees his girlfriend's ghost in his dreams and is unable to move on or even forgive himself. He comes across a case where he has to look for a parrot, of a woman whose husband (who is a scientist) has gone missing for a long time. He didnt want to take the case of a parrot but his broke ass forces him to go for it. Things get complicated as the woman who hired her dies and then he gets entangled in a way bigger crime that he can't figure out.

Don't worry, even we the audience can't figure it out. They give the explaination but really, had the execution been better we would have actually taken interest in what really happened. The story had potential but the director didn't. The editing was messy. The scriptwriter was amateur, the scene transitions were inconsistent. The ending left me scratching my head not with wonder but rather confusion.

Overall the show could have succeeded if the director and editor worked harder. The actors were all great. They were the people who kept the series tolerable. And I mean all the actors, even the supporting cast. If they had been bad at acting this series would have been insufferable.

Dear Rohit Bharadwaj, if you are reading this, I watched this show only for you and Saurav. I sat through ads and what not only to make sure you guys get your due credit at the end. I am leaving an honest review so that you do better next time. I am a writer too BTW and yes, I loved your work. But I didn't enjoy this series as much I wanted to. However I give points for attempt and I hope to see you soon with something better and interesting.

Mukhbir: The Story of a Spy (2022– )

Tasteful and engaging, this series is one of the better spy thrillers of all time

[8/10 · 11 July 2023]

Zain Khan Durrani is such a breath of fresh air. After a long time I have seen an actor command such presence, not just with looks but also with his performance. He was on par with Prakash Raj, Harsh Chhaya and Adil Hussain, all veteran and seasoned actors. The screenplay was very well written and the story unfolded seemlessly. I am glad that in this era of webseries, the real good actors are getting their due appriciation. Ashim Gulati got his recognition in Taj and now Zain has gotten a great platform. Zee5 should keep up the hunt for good scripts, it gets viewers's respect. Now that OTT platforms like Netflix, Prime and Hotstar have become trashbins, its lovely to see an underrated OTT platform like Zee5 are emerging with great concepts and good scripts. BTW, if you have seen Raazi, trust me, after watching Mukhbir, Raazi will seem mediocre.

Adhura (2023)

Engaging, suspenseful, tragic more than horror.

[8/10 · 9 July 2023]

I presume the writers put a lot of effort while conceptualizing the plot. Unlike other horror films, this story is not about a 'demon in the house'. This one is an old-school horror where the ghost is a vengeful spirit of a wronged man. It is a tragedy masking as a horror. The horror infact was a clickbait. The story is also about a ghost-of-past. The protagonist lives with a heavy heart burderned by the guilt of failing a loved one. He doesn't have a plot-armor like every other film these days. He rather has genuinely earned his protection with his previous karma. The story revolves around his redemption of that one mistake he had committed unwittingly.

The story however lacks intensity. The core story is about bullying and struggles of the queer community. But the struggles that are shown are nothing compared to the real world. I am from a very small town, and in my school which was perhaps the only good english medium school of its time, I have heard of a boy in my junior batch who was forced to eat dog-poo. Now I do not say the makers had to show something as graphic as that, but an intense and humiliating experience could have raised the bars and had made his revenge more satisfying. Towards the end I was hoping Adhiraj and Ninad get to spend some time alone, letting out all the guilt and sharing their unsaid feelings but they ended it too soon.

Bullying is a subject that has immense potential. This year's biggest Korean hit series, The Glory, had managed to milk it well. Adhura had a more solid subject- bullying of an LGBTQ person. I don't consider it horror because neither the bullying horrified me nor did the horror scenes. However I gave so many stars to it because it gave me a compelling story of a deep tragedy. The story of two friends, who had lost each other in the sad world they live in. One was lost in supression, another unknowingly failed him.

Roktokorobi (2023)

Engaging, thrilling, absolutely worthy of your time

[9/10 · 23 March 2023]

This series has a very interesting plot and the central characters are wonderful. Its like a game of chess, where the opponent is like an unseen God, striking before we are prepared. The story is also a psychological thriller and shows the capacity of a woman's manipulation. Its also unravels a great mystery and dark secrets, and is unafraid to go beyond our imagination when it comes to sexual abuse. Although this show has no nudity, everything is implied and therefore, horrifying. In a way its a story about a woman's innate motherly instinct, and her calliber. Its about how a woman can hold a house and destroy it too, when it comes to saving her child.

Coming to the acting, it boasts a lot of great actors, but the lead actors of Satyaki and Ranja Boudi, aka Raima Sen, have nailed it. Raima Sen is effortless, her charisma draws the viewer in. Its simply impossible to take your eyes off of her. Her character is definetely one of the best written femme-fatale's of all time. She isn't the villainess, she is rather the Anti Hero- the "Mother", the famed Goddess of Bengali culture who protects her children from every harm. On that path she kills the demons and rids the soil from evil. This complex "mother" could only be understood if you have been a Devi-bhakt.

I enjoyed the show quite as much as I did watching films like Shutter Island, or A Tale of Two Sisters. I adore psychological thrillers and this one from India, my own country, in my very own mother tongue, is an absolute delight. This one is a must watch.

Rana Naidu (2023)

Not worth the hype

[6/10 · 13 March 2023]

The series is targeted towards the male audience. The typical gangster world merged with daddy issues and racy scenes. The emphasis is more on BJs than the story. Manly men are attractive to women, so women may find Rana's character desirable. But except him all other characters are bland, one dimensional. With that I mean, all others have only one trait and they drag the story around it, with BJs, and doggy styles and occassional throw of Cowgirl position for portraying "true love" scenes. As a woman it felt crass and derogatory to have been bombarded with the same scene over and over. Each and every supporting character is obsessed with their peepee. They talk about it, slur about it, dream about it. What a waste of such a talented pool of actors. From north and south they brought in the best acting powerhouses and yet, they created a story about- wait, what was the story? Ah, daddy issues.

Rana has daddy issues. Big deal. Thats the whole story. Rana hates his father and his father doesn't hate him for that. Its not as mind blowing as it was portrayed in the trailer. Rana's dad is a drunk neglectful father and Rana blames him for everything. That is all.

There are child abuse references. There is Rana's youngest bro who has been sexually abused when he was five. But his character and his storyline is more about decorative purposes. The end result of his character is still somehow about Rana. How does it impact him? Nah, not explored. Its only rage which has always been justified as Rana is a level headed boss-man.

The series is a remake of a Hollywood series but lacks the gravity of the storyline it carries. Moreover the cultural differences make it harder for us audience to relate to. For Indian audience to showcase a neglectful father who comes back is seldom as relatable as a junkie mother. And the series has both such characters. And then throw in some crass cuss words without any boundaries, in a Hyderabadi accent. It just doesn't leave a lasting impression.

Overall, I think Rana's character has potential to pull the series. His dad, well, not so much. The other characters are decorative set pieces. The only thing that I actually liked is the relationship he has with his wife (and children). I dream to have that sort of partnership in future. Which is also a living nightmare. For every woman who dreams about a brooding handsome Byronic ganglord, this series is like a reality check because these men are very much lost in their mess. The series chose style over substance. (Rather sex over substance). Having watched better erotic thrillers like She (Netflix) and Taj: Divided by blood (Zee5) recently, this series felt underwhelming.

Taj: Divided by Blood (2023– )

Quality Entertainment, Cinematic, Bingeworthy.

[9/10 · 8 March 2023]

I am a fan of good cinema and a sucker for period dramas. I feel the historical fiction provides a huge backdrop for drama, high stakes and world building. Its a whole other experience, being lost in the world of Kings and harems. Unlike fantasy (where every story is about a character going through self discovery), a good period drama shows the powers of mind, heart, conflicts and scheming politics. You are helpless, naive and gullible but soon you see your character turning into a merciless tough guy because of the major consequences of his previous stupid decisions.

That is all, if and only if, the story is about the politics and internal conflicts and not pointless jingoism or larger than life portrayals. Most of the Indian period dramas tend to portray, rather glorify its main characters and drown the screen with excessive jewellery or costumes (ahem Bhansali ahem). The practicality of costumes is given away for style, and it often ends up being distracting than serving the story.

This show is so so good, it blends the world of real and fiction with a pinch of modernity and style, so subtly that you dont even question the authenticity of it. For example, I know for sure women most possibly never wore deep cut blouses back in those days, but the style of royal garments are so beautifully crafted that it seemlessly blends in the overall look and feel of the show.

Now coming to the writing of the script. The polt is vivacious. And so without proper character building it is practically impossible to stand by the 10 long episodes of the show. The story hence is absolutely well written. It ties all the lose ends and keeps it subtle. The dialogues, oof.... Remind me the last time I had watched a movie or series and heard such classical dialogues, every word taken from a literary artwork. After listening to all modern mixed up Hinglo-punjabi trash for so long, I felt someone blew some air into my lungs.

All the actors gave a powerpacked performance. Everyone, and I mean even the common foot soldier who may have a screen presence of say 2 lines, has given a fantastic performance. Special shout out to the actor who plays Prince Daniel. What a performance. He is up there with Naseeruddin Shah when it comes to his acting. He wasnt really acting, he was reacting. And that makes him a shining star.

For modern viewers, this one is pretty voilent. It doesnt shy away from showing heads hanging down walls or spikes. Not as gory as GOT (those directors were perverts), but enough to have you invested in the intenstiy of the consequences. Also this one is quite a bit sexy. The story is about Salim and how his sex life ruins his family, so obviously this one has some softcore. Daniel is shown as Gay/Bisexual so thats there too. But it is not overt so dont expect much. There is limited nudity and its certainly not racy. Their whole purpose is to accelerate the plot, not titilate the audience, hence they are shot tastefully. (Unlike ahem alt balaji).

Overall, I have forever been craving for a series like this. Good lord after so long I could finally get some quality entertainment. Do not fall for boycott gang propaganda. This one is raw, it shows Mughals how they really were. From the first episode itself its shown how Akbar really was, a mass murderer and pro-Islamic invader who killed Hindus for being Hindus. But then he couldnt have children and had a one-on-one with Dharmendra Sahab who managed to change his heart. The show is shameless about how history truly is. It may offend everyone who thinks their side of story is true. But if you are a neutral sensible person, you will be satisfied as you clearly see, hate is spread only by people with worthless ambition.

The Invitation (II) (2022)

Absolutely unique and breathtaking

[9/10 · 28 January 2023]

This is one movie that I watched without any prejudices. I did not read any reviews, and only saw it for the beautiful visuals shown in the trailer. The story was usual, but the way they crafted it was unpredictable. Unlike other movies, here you genuinely want to trust the characters even though your heart knows there's something wrong. They make them extremely likeable in the first half and you are caught up in the warm, cozy, cindrella story that it offers. I quite related to the lonely Evylyn who lost her mother and was in dire need of a family. And these are the vulnerabilities that can be easily taken advantage of. You really ignore the red flags when everyone is this welcoming.

But even though the twist was shown in the trailer and you know whats about to happen, you still want to see how the protagonist rescues herself from the mayhem. The actors were good, the plot was engaging, the set design was magnificient. Everything was top-notch. Its been so long since I have seen so many vivid colors on screen because almost all horror movies in recent time have been dull, colorless and predictable. And kudos for making vampires scary again. The stories of Dracula and his brides now seem mythical and folklorish, thanks to the various new interpretations of vampires that have almost killed the horror in it. Today vampires are seen as pretty much superheroes. Seeing vampires as a menace was a fresh feeling altogether.

No idea why it got so low ratings. People have lost taste. If you pull down content like this, you get served content like Marvel's She Hulk and you are forced to be happy with it. Promote good films people. Rate them well. Otherwise be prepared to be served hot steaming pile of .. well you know what I mean.

Tara vs Bilal (2022)

Awesome

[10/10 · 30 December 2022]

Very rarely will you find an Indian movie smashing the romcom genre so perfectly. I mean on the name of romance you will only find films like Kabir Singh, or Ranjhana which are written for the male audience but rarely anything comes out for the women in this country while tapping on to the fine balance for every one else. This one was so well made. The story was very detailed with lush backstories and subplots of supporting characters. Each character was lovable and almost every scene was perfectly crafter. Harshwardhan is a fabulous actor, been a fan since his performance in Sanam Teri Kasam. But this time even the female lead was amazing. All the actors had solid performances, the story was engaging, the cultural comedy was fresh and relatable. I loved the inclusion of gay characters and the storyline of Ritz and Jiggy was played with so much dignity. It was such a warm and fuzzy rom com. Reminded me of old Hollywood romcoms that no longer come out. The last time any such sweet Romantic film was made in India, it was probably Namaste London. I loved this movie. Plan A Plan B was a good movie too, but the direction was quite amateur. But this one was so well made, it looked well enough for a theatre release. Absolutely amazing. Such movies should be appriciated through and through.

Plan A Plan B (2022)

Cute and sweet, an Indian movie for Kdrama lovers

[7/10 · 2 October 2022]

The direction was a bit chunky which is why the acting sometimes looked like overacting. Tamannah, Ritesh and Kusha were quite good when it came to their performance. But other actors ahem Poonam Dhillon ahem were so bad, their parts were a distraction. It is quite difficult to achieve the full rom-com joy or passion withing 2-3 hours but the story did progress quite organically and their attraction felt believable. Don't expect much skinship, I mean these are Indian actors and I am pretty sure Ritesh is very faithful to his wife. There is a kissing scene but you could tell they are not actually kissing, rather hiding it out. However I am thankful to the director to have churn out at least something for Indian audience. Here rom-com always means chasing a super rich manic pixie dream girl and giving her a "sanskar dose". So seeing a posh almost Kdramaish opposite attracts bubbly rom com is a fun change. It also works as a soft power for the nation- changing the image from our Gareeb desh to a rather chic urban upper-middle class lifestyle. I know the Hindi speaking audience might find it a little over the nose but in other languages and for people who need subtitles, they might quite actually enjoy it. Its complete OTT content, and I am happy for it. It had a feel of Masaba Masaba in it, and I dig those sort of web content. The direction could have been better, with more cameras and shots. The editing could have been better. The second half of the movie was quite good compared to the first half. The banter and all, although brilliantly written, often felt forced. I won't blame the actors, they were doing their best. This is probably a bad direction.

However points for trying. If the audience seems receptive of such stuff, they will make more and bring in more actors, which is a win for us. So I liked it. Certainly didn't hate it. Good film. One time watch.

Decoupled (2021– )

Hillarious, but also disturbing. Overall realistic.

[8/10 · 20 September 2022]

This series is about a frantically neurotic man, Arya and his divorce with his incredibly fed-up wife, Shruti. The series is well directed, well shot, well lit, and well crafted. It is high production with very carefully crafted jokes. Arya constantly causes troubles, and in the process constantly invites troubles. He is insufferable. He sees the world through a sarcastic lens, that often comes out inconsiderate. He loves calling out peoples' hypocrisies and thus manages to offend everyone. Except maybe his daughter. His wife Shruti is frustrated. She may have deep rooted feelings for him but at this point she needs to breathe. She was done "mothering" him, which means she had had enough of defending or rather correcting his self-sabotaging behaviour. As the series's protagonist, he may leave a negative influence on its target audience- the egocentric middle aged male audience. Many of Arya's jokes may enable "manchild" dude behavior. But the director has managed to portray the end of marriage, killing all hopes of reconcilliation, which is a justified punishment for a character like that.

Performance wise, it was quite refreshing to see Madhavan play a self-centered jerk. He has always been typecast as a sweetheart. This time he plays a wonderful annoyance. He is not wrong though, most of the time. I mean, after this series even I would never shake hands with teenage boys and rather practice "Namaste". And I totally stand by him for the men's-locker scene. The society does overreact on small things, ensuing unnecessary drama. But being insensitive to other peoples' jobs and their beliefs was a tad too much.

Overall I enjoyed this series quite much. I had sworn to myself I would never watch stuff that is reveled in unpologetic toxic masculinity but this one had me rolling. Its fun to see the world from a different lens and this one was good.

Ek Villain Returns (2022)

Trashy but engaging

[6/10 · 13 September 2022]

I don't know why people are hating this movie so much. While people are looking out for massy south films, they are trying to dump this one which has entertainment value of most massy entertainers. The story was great, the plot was engaging. I have seen worse films. KGF for example, was too annoying and I have no idea why people love it so much. I couldn't sit throught it for more than 10 minutes. The screenplay, the plot of this movie was good enough. If they could have afforded better actors and dialogue writers, then maybe this movie would have done better as a whole. This movie has its flaws but it isn't as bad as people make it to be. I enjoyed it. I think instead of going for stylised masala pot boiler, had this been made specifically for OTT with more erotic R-rated scenes and gore, this movie would have achieved a cult status. I guess film makers should evolve theselves for OTT and give up this obsession for theatre audience. Let the theatre be for theatrical movies. Mystry thrillers deserve to be made with more grounded performance. The audience has evolved and so has our tastes. But anyways, this movie was a decent watch.

Bridgerton (2020– )

Season 2 puts content over nudity

[8/10 · 28 March 2022]

I am writing this review after having watched the series, followed by reading the book "The Viscount who loved me". This season has offended many ardent book fans and I can see why. The Kate Sheffield of the book and the Kate Sharma of the series are two entirely different people. The book was written primarily for female audience. Therefore Kate Sheffield appears to be similar to reader-favourite Elizabeth Bennet- a witty girl next door with some severe insecurities. And she has her feet swept away by the deveilish playboy of the 'ton' i.e. Anthony Bridgerton. Even though he is shown to have physically attracted to her, he always remains in control of the situation- in a way guiding Kate to a whirlwind of challenges and then confusing her feelings.

The series however was clear about its narrative character, i.e. Bridgerton. Hence Kate Sharma was written for the male audience. It takes a lot more than intelligence to impress a man. Men adore bravery, independence, free spirit and a great deal of selflessness. The charismatic Kate Sharma hence knows how to ride a horse, goes on hunting, remains undeterred by Anthony's or any man's advances, acts completely selfless to the point that she is willing to walk away after leaving her family with Sheffield money. She therefore makes Anthony crazy, as he finds absolutely no control over her. She pushes him to his extremes. When they speak its not just a witty banter, its a display of their strong character arcs. Kate Sharma is far more of a "tough cookie" than in the books. This is why its Anthony who feels swept away by the woman. He tries his best to get rid of his desire for her but she continues to make it harder, by doing , well, nothing. Yeah, its weird. While Anthony takes pride in confusing a woman in order to seduce her, he is maddened that he is unable to do that to Kate Sharma. He is unable to break her to the point until he finally breaks and admits that he loves her. He is forced to do so by his own feelings, as he grows into acknowledging that what he feels for Kate is far more than desire.

The 2 stars that I have deducted is for the almost dragging subplots of Eloise and Penelope. Even if I forgive Penelope storyline, Eloise perhaps became way more one-dimensional in the 2nd season. That is my opinion.

Nudity in this season was toned down to almost PG13 level because the content was stronger. Afterall its about a man growing out of his fear for true love and settling down with his muse. The target male audience perhaps appreciates less such scenes and more of the actual adrenaline rush.

Gehraiyaan (2022)

Great new age cinema

[9/10 · 17 February 2022]

I have no idea why it has been garnering so much hate. This movie reminded me of the old classic- Ijaazat. Naseeruddin Shah has been a part of both. It completely justifies it's title. "Gehraiyaan", aka depth. The story was deeper than I expected. On the surface it was about cheating. But deep down it was about the repercussions of it. And further deep, it was coming to terms with emotional scars, with past baggage, with relationships. The marketing team fooled us into believing that it was an adultery turned love story turned tragedy. It was infact about two sisters, one of who had serious issues and deep rooted insecurities. The death of the lover signified something.... the way the death scene was shot: the lover drowning into the depths of the ocean, it seemed like a metaphor of a lost love that Alisha had buried deep in her heart. Gehraiyan, was also clever into portraying its theme with the deep blues and greys, and picturesque scenes of the ocean waves. I think the whole story was a metaphor for having losing love, burying the past, and moving on.

W (2016)

Meh

[4/10 · 7 September 2021]

I have watched just 2 episodes and its already predictable. This fantasy has no rules. Maybe I am too old for such teen fantasies- an artist whose webtoon comes to life and their biggest fan gets sucked in the drama... I mean, you are building a fantasy, of a fantasy, of a character within the fantasy. That is too much fantasy. And yet, there are no clear rules. Things just happen.... they happen as per convenience. I assume this drama suffered the weight of multiple deadlines and the creativity was crushed to a pulp in the process. Heck, even I could have written a better story. If you are making a parallel world, and filling the parallel world with real people, make sure they are "real". If not, then make them all fake. If Lee Jong Sook's character can be a webtoon in Han Hyo Joo's character's world, then she should be a webtoon character too, in his world. Its then where we assume the game is fair, and the protagonists are equal. Otherwise its just a story building up for a collapse. This parallel universe plot seldom works, if the writers aren't fully committed to it. This is the same reason Lee Min Ho's highly anticipated, The King, stank so bad. They lose the plot midway, make it too convoluted, and then break all rules for convenience, just to come out with some garbage.

I came here to IMDB, just to read honest opinions. I found quite many people resonate with what I thought. Also, many people have reviewed it to be illogical- precisely as I predicted. So I am gonna give it up. Will save my time and data on actual good content.

Flower of Evil (2020)

Ground-breaking concept and a very mature content

[9/10 · 18 February 2021]

When you watch thrillers in general, you expect an outcome that has been thrust under your throat for several years by the gazillions of thrillers shows and movies that come out every year. To me thrillers are kind-of "burned out". But Korean thrillers have a unique way of grappling your attention. They mix thrillers with raw personal tragedies. You get to see tragedies of the victim, the tragedies of the police that has been circling around a dead-end, and then you see the tragedies of the people who were close to the criminal. In a way, you feel the very essence of Korean stroies- the "Han". The endless feeling of injustice and a grave desire to fix it. I have hence always been moved by the Korean thrillers, whether it be the Oscar winning Parasite, the Netflix movie Forgotten, Memories of Murder, and the latest update to this list: Flower of Evil. The reason I am putting this series up with those classics is what this review is about.

People often confuse Antisocial Personality Disorder with Psychopathy. The main reason for this is, an antisocial person may or may not be a psychopath, but a psychopath is always an antisocial person. Often psychopaths inhabit other traits as well, like having a cognitive empathy- which means they know what bothers you and can make yoy feel heard when needed. This makes them Dark Empaths. They can be sweet and manipulative, and pure evil at the same time. This is why the line between antisocial personality and psychopathy is often blurred.

The series however is an effort to distinguish between the two. Lee Joon Gi's character, Do Hyun Soo is established as an antisocial person. He lacks the understanding of emotions. He doesn't "feel" anything for anyone. He didn't feel sorry for his father, or cried when he learnt his mother had died. He was always on his toes, fighting for survival. For him it was his survival instinct that carried him forward. He is shown to feel at least something for his sister- for whom he took the blame of a murder. But it is meticulously crafted as a survival instinct again. All he wanted was to come out of the mess. He took the blame, vanished from the village with his sister, and parted ways with her without thinking twice how she would feel. He never felt anything so it was easy to cut off all his ties.

He is shown to have assumed another identity, and used it to marry and have a child. He married a detective, who for 15 years had no idea that her husband was a fraud.

Do Hyun Soo, now living as Baek Hee Song, weaves a whole web of lies, going as far as having fake parents and government certificates. Here is where the series becomes interesting. Why would the Baek family- who are shown as a couple of rich and influential people agree to keep him as their fake son? Their family is shown as shady and un-welcoming. Through several flashbacks you learn that Do Hyun Soo was the son of a psychopath serial killer- Do Min Sook, and after his death the village shunned the Do siblings, retorting to exorcism of Do Hyun Soo who they believed was "possesd" with his evil father's spirit. Three months after their father's death, Do Hyun Soo killed the village head, put his house on fire and vanished with his sister without a trace.

Fifteen years later when Do Hyun Soo was perfectly fine with his family, a series of murders spike in the city very similar to those of Do Min Sook. The first murder is established as a copycat murder, where for the first time Do Hyun Soo's detective wife is confronted with a real Psychopath. Cha Ji Won caught the criminal but the earth beneath her feet was shook at the realization that such people do exist. Unbeknownst to her, the loving husband at her home was practicing how to smile watching a Youtube tutorial. She had no idea that a man was tied up and hidden inside the basement of her own house for three whole days.

The series goes on to keep you guessing about Do Hyun Soo. At some point you really start questioning whether Do Hyun Soo is a psychopath, or just a misunderstood man wrongly accused of his father's crimes. The police consider Do Hyun Soo as a murderer while Do Hyun Soo is seen investigating the murders on his own so as to know who was stirring up the past. Amidst all this, the real evil is somewhere in his slumber, hiding in plain sight.

Remember the Baek family? They are shady as hell. Do Hyun Soo had an accident while running away from another of his misadventures. He was hit by a car. When he woke up, he found himself in a lavish house. The owners told him that he can assume the identity of their son, who was incidentally the same person who was driving the car- The real Baek Hee Song. He was, for some reason, in a coma.

Do Hyun Soo found it strange that the driver was in coma while HE was the one critically injured. But slave to his own disorder, he didn't care enough to investigate. He was happy to take Baek Hee Song's place so to keep himself alive in the world. The new identity he had, helped him live through and he was more or less, relieved.

The "Flower of Evil", was hiding somewhere. Was it inside him? Or was it somewhere he hadn't looked upon? His father, Do Min Sook was a serial killer who used to collect the thumb nails of his victims- as souvenirs. But the police had only found the right hand thumbnails in his basement. The left hand thumbnails were missing, as if gifted to someone else. The last case- a woman name Jung Min Sook, was never found. She was assumed dead but her body was never discovered. And the way she was kidnapped raised further questions. She was never kidnapped by Do Min Sook, but his car was used for the kidnapping. Unless he had an accomplice, it wasn't possible to commit the crime.

Who was the accomplice?

The police assume it was the long lost Do Hyun Soo, the son of Do Min Suk. While Do Hyun Soo himself is shown trying hard to prove he is not.

So who was it?

Try watching Flower of Evil. The shock value of the reveal would pretty much destroy your prejudices about crime and ceiminal minds.

This series by far, is one of the most fantastic thriller series I have ever seen. The only thing I did not like about the series is perhaps the overuse of thriller music, which is why I had to reduce one star. But hey, for someone who enjoys thrillers, maybe its a whole package.

Mahabharat (2013–2014)

Amazing

[9/10 · 28 September 2020]

I remember having ignored the show when it was launched thinking it is some poor remake of Mahabharta. That was in 2013. I was in college back then and TV was not a commodity but a luxury for the person who gets to grab the remote at the common dining hall, when no one is present. Otherwise its just hoolabaloo and the remote is always passed to the seniors. So I ignored the show that time. However sometime around its original telecast, close to the Draupadi Cheerharan sequence, I happened to stumble upon one of its promos. It was obviously not a scene from the series but something that everyone would relate to, and would love scream out loud. It was Draupadi questioning her husbands, why they were silent. Arjun and Yudhisthir gave their excuses upon which Draupadi replied, very boldly, "na koi vivash tha, na koi vachanbaddh tha. Tum sab kayar the, jo paanch hokar bhi apni patni ki raksha nahi kar paye.." And here comes the line that still gives me goosebumps. "Bhari sabha me Draupadi nagn nahi hui thi. NAGN TO PAANCH NIRBAL PAANDAV HUYE THE!!!!"

That promo literally had my attention. It was exactly after which I googled the show. Back then Mahabharat episodes were available on Youtube for free. Star used to upload the episodes after their original run on TV. So first I watched the high-octane Vastraharan scene.. which was still to take place. I mean I had begun watching the show from the episode where Draupadi was dragged down to the main assembly and she questions Bheeshma. I still have that first impression, Pooja Sharma's brilliant acting. Now I dont deny that I was totally oblivious of the previous episodes, or the about the actors of the show prior to that episode. I have been a fan of Saurabh raj jain since I had seen him in Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, as Vishnu. I knew he was going to protray Lord Krishna in this series and he even got appriciated by my mom...who by the way is a really difficult person to impress. So I had seen snippets of the show here and there. But back then it wasn't as memorable as the drama that was presented in the Vastraharan sequence. Also the short 20 minutes format left the viewer blue balled because important scenes would often be broken to several days. Hence thanks to internet, I took my own sweet time of 2 days to binge all the previous episodes in one go.

Now you see how addictive this show really is. I mean the plot, if you start bingewatching on the internet, you will be stuck. Its impossible to leave in the middle. All my friends who begun watching the show during lockdown, had become crazy fans. They were the ones who thought this show was stupid back in 2013 but they too were stuck. I think the makers did a fantastic job, and the actors poured their heart to it. Special shout out to Riya Deepsi as Gandhari. She is such an underrated actress but honestly, Gandhari hadnt been so relatable if she hadnt acted so well. I noticed how she changed her voice through the show to imitate the character's age. She was just 17 when she was cast. Also the best actors in the series were: Praneet Bhatt as Shakuni, Pooja Sharma as Draupadi, SRJ as Lord Krishna, Shaheer Sheikh as Arjun, Aham Sharma as Karna, Arav Chaudhry as Bheeshma, Thakur Anup as Dhritarashtra, Shafaq Naaz as Kunti, Riya Deepsi as Gandhari, Saurav Gurjar as Bheema and Rohit Bharadwaj as Yudhishthir. Special note for Saurav Gurjar coz he was never a professional actor, he is rather a professional wrestler and kickboxer who happened to be selected for the show. But my God, he portrayed Bheema such a way that often he seemed to be the actual person reacting to the scene. I have never scene such a huge man cry like that before, the way he did in the Vastraharan scene. It felt real because perhaps it WAS real... kudos.

Bulbbul (2020)

The BEST Indian movie of this year

[10/10 · 25 June 2020]

This movie is perfect. In every sense. I couldn't find even one flaw in this entire movie. Just PERFECT.

I am a cinephile and I am very fond of classic, beautiful, intellectual movies. Many people love Christopher Nolan movies but I find them highly overrated. However, Bulbul uses the clean Nolan style Non-Linear story telling. And it does a fantastic job. The colors and shades of the screen, from the gloomy green to the bloody red, reminds me of the style of South Korean masterpieces like Kim Jee Woon's Tale of Two Sisters or Park Chang Wook's Oldboy. I am not ashamed to compare this movie to Korean horror movies. Its not horror, its a thriller. It IS a horror movie though for women because being at disposal of men is far more horrifying than being haunted. Men won't find it scary, just bizzare or maybe tragic. Which is why the hate.

Coming to the plot... I won't give any spoilers. The central plot is very similar to the Thakur Bari drama of Rabindranath Tagore. You can compare Bulbul to the tragic Kadambari Devi, and Satya is quite similar to Tagore himself. If you have seen Konkana Sen's bengali movie, Kadambari, you already know half the plot. But that's not the whole story. There is a different turn it takes later on, which is when you will find why it goes towards the horror genre. You can expect a chudail... the mythical Dakini-Jogini, companions of Goddess Kali, who eats the flesh of demons. And she will be dressed so.

This is such a brilliant movie. I can go on and on about it. Its been a very long time since I have seen a good movie like this. This might bring us an Oscar, if they send it to the academy. The set, the costumes, cinematography... the score... everything is perfect. The acting? I didn't even realize they were acting, until just now. It felt real. In every sense... real!

Asur: Welcome to Your Dark Side (2020– )

A cinephile's dream

[9/10 · 27 March 2020]

Do you remember how you felt while solving crimes with BBC's Sherlock? Do you remember how you felt, while watching Oldboy? Do you remember the sheer irony and helplessness that Joker left on his enemies? Well, now India has Asur, a dark webseries about crime, psychopathy, human nature. It will dismantle all your notions about right and wrong. Although this genre of the series is not very new, but coming from Indian cinema it is breath of fresh air. More so, the series makes it relatable to the Indian audience, with all the layers of grey and evil. Its very similar to satanic beliefs, the idea of evil lies within everybody- they just need to be pushed enough. The mythical "Asur" of this series pushes ypur buttons to fall in their traps, and make drastic choices while mocking your own helplessness, guilt, evil. This series is very clear about its motives, as in you know who the villain is from the beginning. But it makes it difficult to find him in the current time, while he is running a crime ring that is hell bent to show you your true colors...

Outlander (2014– )

Engaging, tormenting, addictive

[10/10 · 18 October 2019]

I am glued to this series. Thankyou Netflix for recommending me this. You know how we used to get addicted to stories of Harry Potter when we were young, or Game of Thrones when we grew up? This series has pushed the envelope. After the let down Game of Thrones was, and the crap that's coming out of JKR's wizarding universe, Outlander is the only show that's worth your time.

Lets begin with the acting. Seldom you find a strong female character in Hollywood cinema. And seldom you find intelligent actresses playing them. Caitrona Balfe is like breeze of fresh air. My other girl crush have always been Emma Watson and Priyanka Chopra. This time, I have become a huge fan of Cait. I am also jealous of her, because she is the one who gets to act opposite the smoking hot Sam Heughan. But I have to give it to her, because my goodness Sam, he is such a good actor. He acts and reacts exactly like the character, Jamie Fraser. I had hard time telling him apart, whether he is acting or he is actually making love on screen. Even the way he delivers his dialogues, its so real. You get goosebumps... real goosebumps.

There are other actors. Tobias Menzes, who plays a dual role. He plays the most supportive, kind, loving and forgiving husband of the world. And at the same time he plays the role of the most vicious, wicked, twisted sodomist you can ever imagine. And he plays them so well that on one side you want him brutally killed, while on the other side you weep when you come to know he is dead!

There is another interestinh character, played by David Berry. He plays Lord John Grey, a tragic gay man who is in love with Jamie. He can't even touch him coz Jamie has been through a lot. Even a touch will trigger Jamie. If you know what I am talking about, the season 1 finale was most harrowing episodes of television history. They could have cut it short, showing Jamie lying naked next to BJR, but they went on it, full detail, in the form of flashbacks. This series had the most gritty storyline, and an equally beautiful gritty cinematography to go with it.

The series is made with lot of soul and passion. It loved the series up until 3rd season. 4th season was a tad bit let down. I sincerely hope the 5th season lives up to the class the first 3 seasons had established.

Troy: Fall of a City (2018– )

Offensive indeed

[1/10 · 18 October 2019]

I am offended by the show's casting choices and I am not even white! I am from India and I don't give an eff about cultural appropiration, and even after that I feel offended. You see, casting actors from all skins is a progressive thing. But doing that where it isn't necessary is foolish. I would be equally offended if a white man was cast in the role of Will Smith in the movie Persuit of Happiness. I would hunt the producers with a cane had they replaced Lupita Nyon'g's character in Twelve Years a Slave with a Chinese girl. Even today I feel offended of casting Honkong actresses in the Japanese-English movie, The Memoirs of Geisha. And its the same thing which is done to this series. A Ghanan actor playing a legit blonde man's role? Really? Achillies was a white male with blonde hairs. Not a bald man from Africa! I was okay to see Zeus as a black man because he was playing the role of a God. And since no one can see or predict what God looks like, I was still okay with it. But Achillies? Oh C'mmon!

As a viewer I am seriously offended. I quit watching the show after second episode. To see a poorly crafted war just because one hairy fellow couldn't keep it in his pants, and the bored housewife obliged.... I think there are better shows out there, with much better storylines.