Category: Movie Reviews

I’m not sure whether movies these days are amazing, or whether I’ve just been watching the right ones. I felt content after watching Project Hail Mary. That movie left me with warmth, and this one left me with satisfaction. Maybe the pre-movie incidents added a little something to it. But the intent of going to the theatre was for the music, and I ended up liking the various characters in the movie instead.

Disclaimer: Spoiler’s alert

This isn’t a normal commercial movie like the ones you usually see on screens. Though the movie had only a few characters, each one played a phenomenal role. The post includes a disclaimer. The pain underneath the anger and violence was shown well in the movie. The metaphors played out really well at various points. The act of naming them Devadas and Parvathi, the posters, the painting of Van Gogh itself (Painted inside his room at the asylum and Chandra says she has been inside that room for years), the simultaneous acts of enduring pain by Das and Chandra, the hidden frustration, the metaphors of the plastic rose and the gun, the wall colors, the shades of the sun, the fumes of dust after the bomb scenes, the guilt of man (while getting that money from Das) and many more. The details are something you can’t take your eyes off.

The core characters Das, Chandra, and Parvathi all carry pain in different forms. Obviously, everyone has pain and suffering in this world; how one carries it varies from person to person. Parvathi harms herself, while Das and Chandra turn theirs on the world. Though Parvathi’s role was very minimal, she acts as the driving force for the whole story. if He hadn’t gone to see her one last time, the plot would have been an entirely different one. The old songs were placed spot-on.

DC is the kind of man who never thought about getting married and having kids, but when he enters the lodge and sees Parvathi, the next story, the next stage of life begins. The song perfectly placed alongside Oru Kadhai Mudiyalam. I don’t know why, but little me was happy to see the reference to Aval Appadithan. The same song can be taken as a hint for Parvathi. Her toxic one has ended, and her feelings are changing. She understands that, and gives him an indirect warning by singing the lyrics of Nilave Ennidam Nerungathe.

நிலவே என்னிடம் நெருங்காதே நீ நினைக்கும் இடத்தில் நானில்லை!

Of course, it’s true that with strangers, it’s easier to open up, knowing we won’t meet them again. That frees us from judgment, responsibility, and accountability. But that’s how most relationships begin in the form of strangers and then the above ones are taken up. Same goes for Das. Das carries this pain of losing loved ones right from his childhood, his father’s distance included. Losing Parvathi burdens him even more.

Parallely, the introduction of Chandra was also beautiful. A few of Chandra’s initial scenes reminded me of Gangubai Kathiawadi movie. The pain and life of a prostitute, and how some managed to escape while others managed to survive in the same mess. The detail of the kajal on Chandra and Parvathi was worth noticing. Again, it reminded me of SSA – Part B. Traces of Parvathi reside in him (maybe out of love or guilt, let’s take it as love in this case), which came out as revenge at the end when he killed the officer.

The same goes for Chandra, in the case of the doctor. The buried anger and longing for a child came out like lava. Whether you’re Chandra or Shiv Roy (Succession), the feminine urge to give birth never dies. Some get it, and some don’t. The details of how Chandra wanders and looks at the walls of the building when she comes out the river, the sunrise, the people at the wedding all stood out as if she was born again. The scenes where Chandra sees Das as God for rescuing her, yet Das denies it, bring out the rawness of the character.

The caption for Das and Chandra madness meets madness was well written. Both hold their pain very well and understand each other. Das says he understands the pain of staying within four walls, very few can empathize with what others go through. Staying within four walls, whether by force or by choice, isn’t pleasant enough. Chandra did stay since she understood that he didn’t see her differently, yet the question remained within her. When he let go of her hands, Chandra’s expression said it all. She nailed it through out. Her recent role in Pati Patni Aur Woh Do was contradictory. Though she claimed she knew everything about him, reassurance was still needed, for her and for him, that she wouldn’t leave. Karuppan and Kitty was necessary for the same. Maybe that’s how human do operate. And it’s simultaneously the act of Das and Chandra saving each other from their pits.

There was one dialogue where the police say to find someone who understands your nature of work. That worked well for Das, the supporting police character, as well as the head of the police team. Moreover, the movie doesn’t want you to remember every name. Just a few.

Supporting characters such as Kitty, Karuppan, Sebastian, and Sunnilal played a great role. One important note, maybe not emphasized much, was the role of education over money and its source. In the world of AI, where people are skipping college, education is still mandatory to reach the top from the bottom. The dynamics between father and son, though minimal, were pleasantly stated. Men, whether young or older, don’t learn to express emotions like women do they are more reserved. Though his father learns that Das did it for a good cause, the father’s attitude and sarcasm were still there. Parents do understand eventually come around after all it is their first time too. That was cute to see.

Overall, DC was good for a theatrical experience. The movie needed this level of violence to bring out the pain in the form of anger. But I hope this doesn’t encourage people to take up weapons instead of channeling their anger elsewhere. At the end, Das tells his father that he could have told him to study instead, but then there wouldn’t be a story. Yet Das always finds reasons to fight, be it for the kid, Parvathi, Chandra, Sebastian, Karuppan, or Kitty. The goodness in Das makes us forget the violence and the murder. Goodness, Das didn’t die and Paravati did. One question circled back, Do you love what you do?

Do give it try in theatres.

Cheers

PS: Mostly it’s a daughter incase of Loki!

Check out the previous post: On Purposes and Desires & Other Movie Reviews

Follow on IG & X for more!

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

There is a particular kind of harm that leaves no marks and not spoken much. It accumulates quietly, in choices the other person made before you even knew you were part of the equation. By the time you feel the walls or the bars, you have already been inside them for a long time. Its hard to break or come out of the cage.

Obsession gives this a supernatural frame and a psychological horror. A wish, a piece of willow wood, a transfer of will is the centre theme. It might sound as supernatural or something only on the screens. But this one reminds us about the pattern that runs through ordinary relationships unnoticed.

Disclaimer: Spoiler Alerts! Do watch it!

The real victim

Nikki, independent girl, with a dream of becoming writer or in avengers (lol). She likes someone else yet she asks him directly and he said as friend. Through the scenes, the poem, we come to know that she think Bear as brother. She created a space for him to open up yet then, he used the wish to take what he wants.

We are inside Bear’s longing for most of the narrative or maybe more explicitly stated. Hope, more people get that. Nikki exists, largely, as its object or even as psycho. But she is the one whose will gets overwritten gradually, then completely. In reality she did not choose.

Nikki snaps in and out of herself. Moments where she seems aware something is wrong, and moments where she cannot. Those scenes were really good actually. This is not dramatic. It makes you unreliable to yourself. You lose the thread back to your own self which was clearly brought out through acting.

Her victimhood is not loud. It does not look like suffering from the outside. It looks, for a long stretch, like toxic love who suffocates the Bear

The portrayed victim

Bear is also a victim, but of a self-authored kind. His cowardice is not a flaw that exists. It is mechanism of self or a just defected piece. He wanted the outcome without the risk of being told no. He looks calm, approachable and never violent you know yet quite dangerous. It is something the film handles with more precision.

Bear never tells anyone about the willow until things gets heated up for real. He watches people around him get hurt. He watches Nikki become someone she is not. Yet he still wants her to love him. That forceful wanting (not stated tho), in the face of everything it costs, is not love or romantic. It is how manipulation works. An inability to prioritize another person’s reality or wish over one’s own desire. Even Nikki did ask him to kill her once.

Most people who do this do not think of themselves as manipulators actually. They think of themselves as victim who love deeply and are not loved back enough. They influence, and then feel wronged by their own influence. They create the dynamic, and then experience themselves as its victim. Classic. Maybe out of conditioning or the way he grew up. Let’s not dig that for now.

What the cat already knew

There is a quieter detail the film plants early. Bear has a cat. The cat dies through carelessness because of the tablets left within reach. Bear cannot be responsible for the things he loves. Not because he is cruel, but because he is unable to hold the weight of other’s needs alongside his own. The cat is the first proof. Nikki is the continuation of that proof. Or is she the cat? I am not sure.

Some reviewers have noted that Nikki and the cat are linked. Both independent, both drawn to his orbit, both ultimately hurt by him. Negligence disguised as love and care.

And then the ending. When Bear tries to end things himself, he reaches for tablets over guns. Even in his final act, he cannot fully own it. He hesitates. He still wants her to love him more than he wants to take responsibility for what he has done. Even when friends ask questions and Sara dies and the world narrows around him, keeps returning to the same refrain and ego or even validation. What’s wrong with wanting her, why won’t she just stay with him?

The honest conclusion

At the end, it is the aware part of Nikki (the part still herself) that makes the final wish. Nikki making the wish is, in a way, him getting exactly what he always wanted. Someone else to make the hard choice for him. Most readings will call this a twist, or justice. But structurally, it is the only exit available to the story That is obviously not revenge.

Bear, in his final moments, is afraid. He did not want to die for it. He never thought that the wish would actually cost. This is the magical thinking at the center of manipulation. What’s even more surprising is that, there are Bears in real life and only very few Nikki’s can crawl out.

What the story doesn’t stay for

The film ends when Bear’s arc ends. What happens to Nikki after? The grief, the disorientation of coming back to yourself after being someone else. The story does not stay for that. Maybe, that absence is itself a statement.

The movie did leave me with two questions!

if you wished for something like genuinely, with no intent to override anyone and it arrived exactly as you imagined, would you still want it?

And if the answer changes, does that mean the wish was wrong? Or just that you are no longer the same person who made it?

Maybe wishing, like loving, carries within it the obligation to keep asking. Not once. Continuously.

Obviously, this movie is open for n of observations and interpretations. Btw how did nikki get connected over the call while he was asking for cancellation?

Cheers

PS: Why he was named Bear. The Bears are for yes chefs you know.

Check out the previous post: The Devil wears Prada: would Tamil Cinema? & Movie Reviews

Follow on IG & X for more!

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

Would Tamil Cinema?

People say geographical location is a myth when it comes to who you are. But there are advantages and disadvantages to being born in a specific place or country. Culture always shapes how you think, conditions you to an extent. Also, it influences on what and how you expect from the world and from yourself.

The later part of life is always in your hands, I believe. Either you relearn or you stay absorbed in the same world you were grown. In the current digital era, you have too many options to expose yourself to different cultures through media and people. Cinema plays a great role in it.

Which is why I keep thinking about Andy Sachs.

Devil Wears Prada came out in 2006. A normal girl shows up to a job she didn’t plan for, gets changed by the room she walked into. She loses herself a little, makes choices she isn’t proud of, and then walks away to start over. No grand lesson. No message delivered to the audience. Just a woman becoming something, gets messy, raw, unresolved. The ending wasn’t becoming a great writer, just a start over.

Andy has no safety net. No parents nearby framing her choices. Her boyfriend leaves. The film doesn’t mourn either for long. She has no power like physical (I mean more muscular kinda), institutional, or social. She just showed up. And the plot stays with her, on her, about her.

Coming here to Tamil cinema, it has given us women who struggle with a power or a resource. Ramya in Bad Girl, Manju in Aval Appadithaan, Kavitha in Aval Oru Thodar Kathai, Thulasi in Marupadiyum, all navigating a world that wasn’t built for them. All trying to establish something for themselves. But even in their struggle, the family is in the background or it revolves around the relationships. The camera returns to them.

The woman’s story is always legible through someone else’s witness.

Bad Girl came closest. But even there, the film needed to resolve. She ends up find a place, which is still a statement. A conclusion with a message attached.

Andy doesn’t conclude. She just leaves and starts over again.

What’s missing in Tamil cinema isn’t strong women. We have those as cops, as CEOs, as survivors. What’s missing is the unprotected woman. The one whose becoming has no grand witness. The one who is just alone in it, losing herself, finding herself, no one to report back to.

That feels real. That’s what a lot of women actually live.

Would Tamil cinema have Andy?

Maybe. But, again I think it would give her a mother who calls. A resolution that means something. A message to take home. The story would need to justify her choices to the family, to the audience, to even someone.

Andy doesn’t justify anything. She just lives it. Makes wrong turns, absorbs the wrong things, and walks away when she recognizes herself in someone she doesn’t want to become (Miranda). No one has to approve that arc. No one has to witness it for it to count.

That’s what’s missing i think. Not the story of a woman succeeding or suffering. The story of a woman just… happening in her world. To herself. On her own terms, even when those terms are messy.

I am not against Indian culture. We are a collective society and there is something real and sustaining in that. But wouldn’t it be nice to have a film on the other side of the coin? Not as a statement or a lesson. Just as a story that’s also true.

Andy gets to just be a person. That’s the gap.

Cheers

Check out the previous post: What does an empty mind see? & Movie Reviews

Follow on IG & X for more!

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

Disclaimer: Full of spoilers!

The promotions were pretty heavy for this one. The interviews, the speeches, the protagonist talking at length about what the film is going to be about. Especially the one with Gopinath. Good one. Thaai Kelvi may not be with plot twists, but with the small things.

Yes, the film  talks about women’s financial independence. Radhika’s climactic speech makes that explicit. Earn your own money, have your own source, don’t wait for someone to rescue you. Important message, said well. But that’s not what I kept thinking about after the credits.

It was the Sunday ritual that she has in the movie. A woman who holds everything together all week and on Sundays, she watches a film. Alone. Just because she wants to. No guilt, no justification. That one detail quietly carries the film’s deepest argument: that having time for yourself, a space that belongs only to you, is not a luxury. It might actually be the whole point.

Some of the dialogues hit harder than you expect for how short they are. There’s a moment where she talks about how many generations it took for women to even earn the right to education. This one lands like something you’ve always half-known and never quite heard said out loud. The role of her daughter and her calmness.

The film also does something quieter in the background that’s worth noticeable. It doesn’t spell out what happens to a family when a woman is absent, but you feel it. The way society responds to a woman alone versus a woman within a household. It just shows you, and lets you sit with the discomfort.

Some of the slower middle portions reminded me of Ayothi. Same emotional weight around the final stages of life, how people process it, how absence makes you reckon with presence. It didn’t feel slow in a bad way, more like the film was asking you to sit with it.

If I were to nudge the film on one thing the ending. Gold is practical, yes, especially in the current world. But the whole film builds toward one quiet question. Where does a woman actually get to claim a place as her own? Not her parents’ house, not her in-laws’. Just hers.

So ending on Gold. Something she passes on, something that still depends on someone else’s roof. Felt like the film blinked right at the finish line. A piece of land, something immovable, something that says this is mine and I am not leaving would have closed the loop the film itself opened.

Bad Girl actually brought a sharper or closer answer to this the line about how a woman is always treated as a nomad. Never quite allowed to claim a place, stayed with me longer than most things I’ve watched recently. Thaai Kelvi gets close to that truth. Maybe the next one will go all the way.

Still, you can watch it. Especially if you’ve ever felt guilty for wanting something just for yourself.

Cheers

Check out the previous post: #DecodeAgri25: Designer Rice & Movie Reviews

Follow on IG & X for more!

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

Full of spoilers ! Don’t read before watching!

This movie might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Many might even dismiss such stories as unrealistic. But that’s exactly where it surprises you by taking a sensitive topic like honor killing (always reminded of V1) and turning it into something comical yet thoughtful.

Without revealing much of the concept, I’d say the film’s strength lies in its tone. It handles rituals, customs, and deeply ingrained social issues with a mix of satire and sensitivity. PR, Mamitha, and Sarath absolutely carried the show, while the others including Hridh (Parri) had minimal but fitting and impactful roles.

However, the issue is that while the movie lands several strong plot twists, and points, each is immediately followed by laughter leaving little time for reflection. The idea gets registered, but it doesn’t linger.

Still, here are some of the key scene that stood out for me

1. A girl can say no and that “no” deserves respect without needing justification.
2. Even a girl can have a confusion in her mind about her choices.
3. The thali is just a ritual emotions define love, not symbols.
4. Single parents (mothers) are often judged unfairly for their parenting choices.
5. Caste remains an undercurrent, even when people think they’ve moved past it.
6. Some viewers felt Paari’s role lacked depth, but giving him more weight would’ve shifted focus away from the central theme. If you look keenly, he carries more depth. No men would let other men marry their loved ones even in terms of survival.
7. True love thrives only with an abundance mindset both must be and can be happy.
8. Life matters more than caste, pride, or honor.
9. Sometimes it’s just about meeting the right people at the right time.
10. Can people really be this selfless? Maybe if they’re Shahjahan Pro Max, egofree.
11. Certain scenes especially where Mamitha takes the lead show that even in a male-dominated setup, the hero should be the scapegoat for her choice. That might not please everyone, but it’s honest. And he was willing (might not sound realistic)
12. I am not sure of Paari’s character in real life. Toughest of all male characters written. It reminds me of the Past lives movie (Husband’s role). Obviously, it’s just cinema.

The film subtly highlights privilege that freedom of choice, voice, and safety aren’t available to everyone. Some scenes might feel unrealistic or idealistic, but perhaps that’s the point, to imagine a world where women  ( irrespective of gender) can choose love without fear. Maybe, it’s all about survival?

It’s a bold experiment but lighthearted, layered, and far from perfect. Songs were good but background scores could have been better. Give it try! Atleast you will laugh!

Cheers!

Happy Dilwali !!!!

Check out the previous post: Follow Your Plan, Not Your Mood! & Movie Reviews

Follow on IG & X for more!

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

This movie touched me personally. I think it will touch most girls and women irrespective of age.

Back in February, I watched the trailer. I couldn’t grasp much, but one dialogue between Ramya and her mom stayed with me: “Who will take care of you?” That question has been in my mind for a long time. My close circle knows this, we’ve often debated single life, married life, divorce, infidelity, and ended with different philosophies.

Most movies rarely portray women’s voices. They’re centered on men, his struggles, achievements, marriage, fights. Recently, some films have started focusing on women. Kannagi brought out the various stages of a woman’s life, but with more focus on her relationships and the spillover effects of choices. This movie is different, it centers more on Ramya and her mother, on the conditioning passed between them, and how women wrestle with themselves in silence.

The movie explores different stages of Ramya’s teenage life. The conversations are simple yet sharp. You feel it in the dynamics between her, her mother and grandmother. I often explain the love–hate relationship with mothers, and very few people get it. But this movie captured it raw and fresh. Maybe more, if ramya had a brother. We’ve had countless father–son movies, but rarely this.

From the beginning, Anjali fully lived the role of Ramya. Her first attraction, her questioning of “what’s wrong,” her desire to be with him, and her rebellion when parents separated them all felt real. In that same scene, both Ramya and her mother are questioned. Only Ramya tried to step out and managed to break the few tangles of the chain, but her mother cannot. Then Ramya falls for Arjun, a toxic pattern. She becomes self-focused, revolving around partners.

The friends’ roles were very well crafted. It showed how important a women’s circle is at every stage of life. The grandmother’s death revealed her conditioning yet felt the greif of her death. Ramya realizes she was never really single since her teens. Only when she chose herself stopping alcohol, fixing sleep, caring for her skin, did she start to shift.

I liked the re-entry of Nalan in her life. It made her question her choices. If she had married, she would be living the same life as Nalan, raising a child and carrying that routine. The writing around his character was strong. Among all male characters, Nalan stood out.

The scene where Ramya takes the baby out of the smoke during the function was powerful. The baby smiles in her arms but cries the moment it is taken back. A beautiful, simple metaphor for how conditioning works. This is where the “good girl syndrome” comes in the way women are conditioned to please, obey, and suppress their true emotions. It’s not just a cultural burden, research shows women who suppress anger, grief, or desire are more prone to stress-related health issues, including autoimmune diseases. Watching Ramya’s story, we could see how generations of suppression live in the bones of women.

The animals in the movie brought out two metaphors in the movie.

1. Ramya is like a cat, seeking space from conditioning, relationships, and chaos. Yet at one point she says she enjoyed being taken along in a cab, shown with the picture of a dog revealing both sides of her.
2. Ramya’s cat was her. Wandering, seeking freedom. Her mother kept trying to protect it, afraid it couldn’t survive outside. In the end, Ramya like the cat returned. Not in obedience, but in choosing connection on her own terms. It reminds me of how our feelings change over time like hating pink, then liking it again.

Over the years, I’ve realized mothers are also victims of conditioning, often without awareness. My perspective shifted. The lens changed. The movie shows the bigger picture, yet could’ve included the everyday details like no short dresses, not drying lingerie outside, wearing bindis and bangles, and more. I liked the climax. Many women, including me, were raised hearing: This is not your home. Your husband’s home is yours. But in reality, none of those feel truly ours. The movie emphasized the importance of having a woman’s own space.

The film doesn’t push a single choice. It shows women marrying, having children, divorcing all as possibilities. At the end, all you have is you to heal.

I also read a few reviews, including criticism. But I believe anything this raw will be criticized because it speaks the reality many don’t want to face. It’s about the life of an urban girl, which may differ for women raised in villages or tier-two and three cities. Some critics pointed out caste or other missing layers, but you can’t have too many main ingredients and still make a film with this kind of rawness and freshness. Its strength lies in its honesty, not in ticking every box.

Interestingly, on the morning before watching, my friend and I discussed habits, parents, meeting people, and routines. We were struggling to decide: do we need more alone time or constant socializing? Most of us are caught in this tug wanting to detach, but also wanting attachment. Not sure of car or dog or wanting both at various stands.

This film reflects that. Watch it, and you might see yourself too. The music was beautiful. I might rewatch it and come back here.

Cheers

Check out the previous post: Story Time #01: Layered! & Movie Reviews

Follow on IG & X for more!

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

When the teasers and trailers of Thalavan and Thalavi dropped, it seemed fun and interesting story. Like many others, I expected something powerful. But there were a wave of negative reviews and criticism. I assumed the same. Maybe the movie encouraged the couples to stay even though it was toxic.

At its core, the movie reveals a raw, uncomfortable truth: the real conflicts in a couple’s life are often not between them, but created externally especially by in-laws and family pressures.

In India, unlike in many Western contexts, couples rarely live fully independent lives. Except in cases of job migration, most couples either live with or eventually have their parents living with them. And unlike in countries where old-age insurance or government systems help the elders, in India the responsibility falls directly on children. This isn’t a criticism. It’s just the reality of our setup and the family dynamics weigh heavily on marriages.

If you look closely at Thalavan and Thalavi, the couple themselves never really had core issues. Their friction was initiated by the external world, then amplified into a ripple effect. The hotel business they ran only added another layer of stress, but the truth is, even without a business, many households in India face the same struggles such as ego clashes, generational differences, and power battles.

Most of the people struggle here. This reminds me of what I wrote about partner selection. Its not just being a “vibe check”, but about knowing yourself first. Because in our cultural context, a relationship is never just about two people in love. It’s about how strong their understanding is when dealing with unavoidable external challenges, especially family.

The parents in the movie (both sides), like in real life, cared deeply about their own children’s happiness, but failed to focus on the collective happiness of the couple. That imbalance naturally strains a marriage. And when couples break down under this pressure, the quickly solution suggested is divorce without realizing the source of the problem isn’t always the couple, but the external nuances around them.

Overall, Thalavan and Thalavi don’t give you a cinematic escape. They hand you a mirror. They remind us that interdependence with parents can be healthy, but letting them dictate a couple’s life can bring conflict too.

Give it a try, if you want to see a raw portrayal of marital realities. Available in Prime.

Cheers!

Check out the previous post: Subjective Nature of Every Solution! & Movie Reviews

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

There’s something about Ram’s movies I keep returning to. It’s not about a big message, not always. It’s more like you walk out of it and there’s this light ache, a soft warm, something that sits in your chest.

Paranthu Poo did that too. The entire narrative revolves around one family. Not a big, complicated one. Just real, layered like us or the neighbor. And that’s the beauty of it. The characters aren’t written to be loud or clever just raw.

The pacing is kind of slow. Like the story knew it didn’t have to prove anything. It felt like you’re allowed to sit still and enjoy. The story revolves around a single family and navigates parenting, not from a preachy lens, but from a child’s point of view.

As someone who hasn’t entered the parenting phase yet, I don’t want to comment on modern parenting, but as a child someone who’s been on the receiving end, I could sense how clearly Ram has captured that emotion. The lens starts from Anbu, the kid, and slowly change his parents.

Anbu, who starts off as this slightly notorious boy, naturally grabs our attention in. He just feels real. Watching him reminded me of something I’ve been feeling lately and how hard it is to find new friends as you grow older. People my age are caught in work loops, family demands, and unpredictable life curves.

So when the film hinted at the absence of in-person friendships and boredom. One of the strongest parts of the movie was the contrast between the two families that Anbu interacts with. In one, there’s an old motorcycle, a modest restaurant, warm conservation between the parents, and a child who runs and plays freely.

In the other, there’s a sophisticated household with all the amenities from body massagers to the latest motorcycles, but very little open space, both literally and emotionally.

Anbu’s behavior in both settings is shown beautifully. In the first, he exchanges his skating board for a pambaram. In the second, he silently leaves a duck egg for the girl and learns how that girl brought a shift in the father’s behavior. There’s no black and white here, just a soft observation that the environment we grow up in subtly shapes us, and sometimes, a child teaches the adult, not the other way around.

The ending of the film made me smile, but in a peaceful one. Anbu chooses to stay in the countryside because he wants to be around people. That one choice says a lot. It reminded me that in between all the noise of progress and individualism, what we really need is human connection of loved ones. Or at the very least, nature.

That felt like the real takeaway for me, to not chase more, but to stay connected. I also really liked the communication between the couple, Gokul and Glory. Their relationship was shown and frequency of communication and softness that’s rare to see on screen. They literally back each other amidst the chaos. I’m not sure how easy it is to replicate that in real life, but I do know that such couples exist. Sunflower! lol, cute and matured conservations. The generous of glory and few scenes gives you warmth.

It was refreshing to see. If I had one small critique, it would be the songs. They felt slightly unnecessary. It’s available on JioCinema. It reminds of song that I was introduced to while watching Modern family. Its called Cats in the cradle. Song is little heavy tho. Pace yourself to hear.

Cheers

PS: Smoking kills

Check out the previous post: Strength that lasts!

Follow on IG & X for more!

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

It’s been a while since I wrote a movie review. This one just happened. The movie was playing at home. Not sure if it was my brother or mom who put it on because I was reading “The mediations”.

Spoiler alert: Watch before you read.

The film tries to cover almost 30 to 40 years of life in 2.5 hours. That’s a big stretch. The core message was there, but not kind of said straight. In India, “owning a house” is like a stamp of adulthood. Especially after 25, families expect it or they push towards it.

Before proceeding any further, lets understand the two sides of coin here

The family struggling to buy a home in the city. Every time they save, an emergency hits. That’s real. Renting means less freedom, annoying owners, noisy neighbors, and that constant instability.

On the flip, owning isn’t perfect either. You can’t expand easily, old houses eat up money in repairs, you pay taxes, and if you rent it out, you deal with tenants. The grass is always greener.

The debate on rent vs. buy is subjective. YT financial gurus might say rent and the family will say buy. Real estate developers will say buy now. In the end, it’s about one’s income, expenses, and peace of mind. Its always subjective.

One thing the movie made clear. If you hate your job and you have an long term loan, life feels like a trap. Paycheck to paycheck. I just hope viewers don’t get stuck on details on like his IT degree or her marriage story for getting a housing loan. At the end, the last stretch felt like an ad for Casagrand. Marketing always knows where to poke you emotionally.

The role of house head, elder son, middle class dynamics, unnoticed contribution of women to the savings, forced choices, uncertain situations, non physical violence were beautifully portrayed. Yet, I am furious on role of devayani. More dialogue could’ve been. I have grown up watching her in kadhal kottai, suriyavasam, kolangal. Idk!

In the end, the choice is yours to rent or buy, don’t get influenced. The movie is available at Amazon Prime

Cheers

Check out the other post: Routine

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

Vineeth Srinivasan always has a unique way of telling stories but his movie choices are quite rooted in everyday life. Oru Jaathi Jaathakam is no different. I’m not sure if it’ll hit the same way for everyone, but it does have that typical Vineeth vibe characters who evolve, perspectives that shift with time (for instance Hridayam).

The film follows a 38+ unmarried man who’s trying to find a life partner through matrimony. He’s got his own set of filters strongly influenced by scripts and traditional beliefs. But as expected, things don’t go as planned.

The story has its funny moments, though I felt the humor could’ve been pushed a bit more. Somewhere in this search, he even starts doubting his own sexuality, not in a dramatic way, but as a passing confusion. His friend plays the classic role of enforcing patriarchal ideas, the usual you’re the man, don’t bend advice. Role of a girl who reads the palms.

But eventually, when things get too much, he just says yes to anyone who fits somewhat okay. The ending though, was surprisingly grounded. It hints that companionship isn’t about age, gender, or background. It’s about the choice two individuals make not what society expects. And the film doesn’t force that message on you. It just leaves it there.

In today’s modern dating world, this situation isn’t rare. The real mess begins when people themselves don’t know what they want, and so many layers to it. Not gonna add on GenZ terms here!

Overall, watch it for a light hearted take on a very real situation. Might not blow your mind, but it’ll leave you smiling. Maybe! Available in Prime

Cheers

Check out the other posts in Movies

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

Late to review, Tourist Family, but I’m so glad I didn’t miss it. It’s a heartwarming film that makes time fly though it runs for 2.5 hours (as stated, maybe with deleted scenes), it never feels too long. I think, in theatres, it was just 2 hours.

The director has thoughtfully added a positive touch to almost every scene. While it might seem real in today’s world, the core message is powerful. It only takes one person to spark a wave of kindness. Every character adds their own drop to this ocean of goodness.

That doesn’t mean the movie avoids darker themes. It honestly explores misunderstandings, hatred, loneliness, death, and anger but it also shows how to face and heal from them. The relationships are beautifully portrayed. The bond between couples including the old ones, the father-son duo, moments of short-lived love, and instances of honesty and compassion.

Some films drag on for 3 hours without purpose. Tourist Family uses its time well. The message is clear. I shouldn’t say it as message but we might feel it. Be kind, give people the benefit of doubt, and have the tough conversations with your family. Peace follows when we learn to hold space for each other.

Special mention to the character Mulli, who truly stands out. Awesome, seriously !!! And the older couple, they quietly steal a place in your heart.

I won’t spoil anything, but don’t just scroll past the reels on social media. Go watch it in the theatre if you can. it’s worth it! I am not sure of the OTT platform.

Cheers

PS: Happy Weekend

Check out the other posts in Movies

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

I was never a big fan of Karthik Subbaraj’s films. But lately, his work has started to grow on me especially after Mahaan (Iraivi, ofcourse).

This recent movie felt like a return to his signature style. Quiet, layered, and emotional. It blends laughter, pain, anger, love, and the grief of missing someone all without being loud. Spoiler’s ahead!

The chemistry between Suriya and Pooja stood out. A few things really worked for me:

• The tension between father and son, need for validations
• How his rage finds form through martial arts
• Role of Sandhya ma
• Sharp one-liners, like how stress makes people forget to laugh
• Parri’s smile
• The subtle strength of the female lead (Sandhya, Rukmani, Parri’s biological mother)
• Struggles of Jayram to make those people laugh

It’s not a film for those looking for typical commercial entertainment or loud messages. Everything is tucked into the small moments. Clear and solid if you notice, but never spoon-fed.

Cheers

Check out the other posts in Movies

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates

This post has been sitting in my drafts for a while. With the current market situation and the rise in gold prices, I felt this was the right time to finally bring it out.

The movie moves at a slow pace, but the characters stay consistent throughout. It focuses on the impact of patriarchy and the dowry system, not just on women, but on men too. It shows how families, knowingly or unknowingly, get pulled into this loop of giving and taking dowry.

The story revolves around a woman (Steffi) getting married and how the demand for dowry creates emotional and financial pressure. When the breadwinner of the family is no longer around, it becomes even harder for her. The male lead (Ajesh) delivers a solid, grounded performance, and his presence adds weight to the narrative.

What I liked is that the film doesn’t paint dowry as a one-sided issue. Both men and women, shaped by societal expectations, become part of the system. The movie also touches on how men silently suffer, trying to balance tradition, pride, and love. Mariyano did a great role on balancing his family demands and sticking to his principles.

In between all this, there’s a quiet but sharp commentary on gold. Over the years, gold prices have shot up. It’s often seen as a safe investment and a way to diversify wealth especially in uncertain markets. But gold should stay in the realm of savings and not be the starting point of a relationship. The movie makes that point without being preachy. Gold can add value to portfolios, not marriages.

The ending might feel subtle to some, but it worked for me. The female lead (Steffi) doesn’t make a grand speech instead, she simply chooses to trust and help the Ajesh. One line stood out, “Women are beautiful without gold.” Hope it reaches many. Steffi wants to cut off these chains and fly. It’s not loud, but it stays with you. Do give it a watch ! It’s streaming now on JioHotstar.

Cheers

Check out the other posts in Movies

If you like what you see and wish to support my work, then

Share your thoughts/suggestion at the comment section or mail at

randomwhyss[@]gmail[dot]com

Don’t miss out! Get notified about new blog posts straight to your inbox !

(No spam, pinky promise!)

Enter your mail to receive updates