FOUR TELUGU NOT-SO-HORROR MOVIES YOU NEED TO WATCH

By Sanika Shalgaonkar (Team Creative)

The first time I was exposed to a Telugu horror movie was over the summer and honestly, I wasn’t too thrilled about watching it simply (I’m easily scared). Considering it was an 8 year old kid whom I was babysitting who suggested that we watch the movie, I didn’t want to seem like a wimp. So I convinced myself that I’m an ‘adult’ and ‘capable of handling’ something an 8 year old kid can. I put on the movie that he suggested and I’ve honestly never laughed more.

DISCLAIMER: I don’t know Telugu, and these are all based on my interpretations of the movie as a non-Telugu speaker!

1) KALPANA GUEST HOUSE

The thing that struck me most about this movie was their idea of what a woman would look like if a ghost possessed her. They didn’t even bother to conceal the fact that she was wearing a mask, probably because they thought everyone would be too distracted by her hair whipping around in the wind.

2) NAGA BHAIRAVI

One of the funniest scenes I’ve ever witnessed is from this movie and involves a maid and the Devil. The maid is dressed in a blazer, sporting kickass shades and smoking inside a room (???). But all that was before she encountered the Devil. The Devil is actually a little girl in a cute pink sundress just standing behind a rack of clothes with half her face destroyed (a bad attempt at makeup).  The girl does absolutely nothing while the maid yells and screams. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

3) CHITRAM BHALARE VICHITRAM

This is a movie about a movie being shot (and obviously, a ghost is involved). The ghost enters the body of the lead actress (duh) and they shoot the entire movie knowing that the actress is possessed. The funniest scene in my opinion, is where a guy is supposed to be proposing to her, and he holds out a rose, his hands evidently shaking and while all this is happening, but she looks positively TERRIFYING. Her eyes are as wide as they can go and her movements very robotic, and to add to that, the director keeps yelling cut, saying there is no ‘feel’ in the acting.

4) AKIRA

In this movie, there’s a shadow-like woman wearing all blackm with long black hair, who enjoys slapping people (of course). I tried to count the number of slaps in this movie but there are just way too many. There’s one particular scene where an intoxicted man slaps her back until another man comes in and tells him she’s a ghost and they both run away. Just an average ghost story plotline, as always.

8 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA NOW

By Amrita Menon (Team Creative)  

1. The movie isn’t preachy; and while it is about women who in their own way subvert societal expectations, it doesn’t simplify or glorify them- it just shows you how things are and draws attention to things people don’t necessarily talk about in the mainstream. It doesn’t give you any answers but its message is still loud and clear. And the message is for you to find out.

2. The movie follows the lives of 4 women all of different ages with different personalities and different lives. There is diversity in abundance, but their underlying problem is inherently the same.

3. While the movie has some very emotional scenes (they’ll make you extremely angry, sad, scared- depending on your temperament), it’s not depressingly serious- it’s actually quite comical so you’re sure to have more than a few laughs.

4. It’s like nothing you’ve seen in Indian cinema before. While sex and sexuality is nothing new in Indian cinema, this is different because it’s not com modified for a male audience. It shows women as thinking, feeling humans; whose sexuality have been imprisoned by a patriarchal society that’s terrified at the thought of a liberated woman. 

5. At the same time it doesn’t demonise all men or paint them all with a single brush. Every man depicted in the movie has his own virtues and flaws. While you might hate some of them, you can’t help but feel sorry for them too; because in the end they are all products of the same society. 

6. The cast is brilliant and the acting is A+. Ratna Pathak Shah and Konkana Sen Sharma, as usual, were effortlessly perfect and Aahana Kumar and Plabita Borthakur weren’t far behind.

7. The writing is beautiful and at times, extremely poetic. The different story lines of the characters weaved themselves with each others’ brilliantly and filled the plot with complexity and nuance.

8. By paying money to watch it in the theatre you’re indirectly saying “Screw You” to the archaic and ignorant censor board that wanted to ban it and showing them that the more “lady oriented” movies that are made, the better.

BOLLYWOOD AND HORROR: A NON-APPRECIATION POST

By Milana Prakash (Team Creative)

Horror is a genre that very quickly garners an audience’s attention and intrigues them. Since horror plays with the universal emotion of fear, it often works well with most audiences and this explains why so many horror films are released every year. Bollywood, too has produced quite a few horror films right since its early days. Unfortunately, filmmakers never seem to have a genuinely eerie script or enough money to use satisfying CGI. Barring very few films, they’re usually dull, grotesque, devoid of logic and clichéd.

Here are the features of every traditional Bollywood horror film:

 1) Most Bollywood horror films that we see today seem like borderline B-grade films. The horror does not lie in the film, but in the shallowness of storytelling. It’s heartbreaking to realize that the CBFC often ends up awarding the film an ‘A’ certificate not for the spooks but for the explicit content. E.g.: the Raaz franchise or Ragini MMS. 

2) They are a poor attempt at copying successful horror films. It’s an undeniable fact that Bollywood across all genres seeks ‘inspiration’ from other industries; however, they manage to practically ruin it because the scripts are never adapted to suit the Indian sensibilities. The Bipasha Basu starrer ‘Alone’ was a dismal attempt to recreate the successful Thai horror film, ‘Alone’.

3) Every horror film features a tantrik, clad in orange. If the makers are extra-pious there is also a soothsayer who tries to warn the protagonists, but tragically, no one cares about her. The solution to every ‘bhoot’ or ‘Kaali Shakti’ is either a black string or Hanuman Chalisa. If that wasn’t enough, there are also mysterious lemons that spew blood when cut or ‘Diyas’ that refuse to stay lit.

4) If Bollywood horror films were to be a brand, Bipasha Basu should have been the brand ambassador. Somehow, every third Bollywood film appears to feature Bipasha Basu. Right from ‘Gunaah’ to ‘Raaz’ and then ‘Aatma’ to ‘Alone’. Unfortunately, they almost always end up as a disaster at the box office. 

5) They have no sense of logic. To begin with, the leading character ridicules the idea of the paranormal. For no plausible reason, the leading couple decides to move into a cottage in the middle of nowhere. For no explicable reason, there’s a creepy watchman or a housekeeper trying to drop subtle warnings; and when something abnormal happens, the characters decide to act brave and wander in the dark (without even bothering to turn on their flash lights – Hail Bravery!) to find out what’s happening (where ideally one should call someone else or run).

Nevertheless, there are Bollywood horror films that can make a shiver or two run down your spine, like 13B or Pizza, that thankfully have better logical explanations and relatively better and engaging stories. These are the ones we’d suggest you watch.

MADHUR BHANDARKAR: AN APPRECIATION POST

By Komal Badve (Team Creative)

Always more interested in movies than studies, celebrated filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar was very different from the kids his age. While they read books like Tintin, he devoured every possible movie magazine (he would buy them cheap from the ‘raddiwala’), making him quite the hit among his friends since he could fill them in with all the gossip.

By the age of 14, alongside managing academics, he worked at a video library as an errand boy since his father’s business suffered heavy losses. Bhandarkar would deliver cassettes to a variety of people, from bar dancers to filmstars. To support his family, he later dropped out of school and took up various jobs from selling chewing gum at traffic signals to working as an assistant to small-time directors for the salary of a thousand bucks.

His first proper job was that of an assistant director to Ram Gopal Verma on his movie Rangeela (1995) after which he went on to direct his first film Trishakti (1999). Although his first film bombed, his second movie Chandni Bar (2001) was a huge success at the box office.  Critically acclaimed, this film earned him his first National Award, making him a part of the top league of filmmakers in Bollywood.

He then went on to receive National Awards for his movies Page-3 and Traffic Signal. Bhandarkar says he was inspired to make the latter while walking to the Siddhivinayak temple every Tuesday. He would see beggars and eunuchs at the signals and would wonder about their origins and friendships, and found it very intriguing that the red signal meant employment for them.

Known to make some of Bollywood’s most hard-hitting and realistic films, Madhur Bhandarkar’s works touch upon the grim realities from various walks of life. Chandni Bar portrays the gritty life of the Mumbai underworld, along with the vicious world of prostitution. Through Page 3 he exposed the truth about the elitist culture and glamour world in Mumbai.

Movies like Fashion and Heroine not only explore the charm attached to fame but also reveal its darker side, alongside portraying the struggle and hard work that goes into making it large in the fashion and film industry.

  Bhandarkar once said in an interview, “My movies are not exposes, maybe they just hold up a mirror to society. My movies are not judgemental; I just show what happens in our society, sometimes there could be a solution and sometimes there may be none. Life goes on.”  

BOLLYWOOD MOVIES BASED ON NON-INDIAN LITERATURE

By Milana Prakash (Team Creative)

While Bollywood’s latest trend appears to be to adapt every book that Chetan Bhagat releases, adapting literary works on the big screen is not a new phenomenon. Bollywood is constantly on a look-out for ‘inspiration’, and written works are always a go-to, owing to their textual richness and detail. The selection of books is not confined just to Indian authors and often storytellers seek inspiration from works written by non-Indian authors.

Some popular Bollywood films that have been book adaptations (written by non-Indian authors) are:

1) Aisha (2010): This Sonam Kapoor starrer, which opened to mixed reviews, was an adaptation of Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ (1815). Set against a plush upper class backdrop in Delhi, it mirrors the Highbury society, where Aisha plays Emma, the titular protagonist from Austen’s novel.

2) Lootera (2013): Vikramaditya Motwane’s masterpiece, starring Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha, may not have been a quintessential Bollywood hit, but was appreciated widely by most critics. Lootera was a remake of ‘The Last Leaf’, by the noted American author, O. Henry.  Set against the picturesque backdrop of Manikpur and Dalhousie, the film captured the essence of the original story and at the same time, managed to adapt it to the Indian cultural sensibilities.

3) Saawariya (2007): Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor’s debut film, Saawariya, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, was an adaptation of the Russian author, Dostoevsky’s short story ‘White Nights’. The film had a dismal run at the box office, but is still remembered for having launched two of Bollywood’s highly celebrated actors today.

4) Kohra (1993): Kohra directed by Biren Nag, starring Waheeda Rehman, Biswajeet and Lalita Pawar, was an adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s ‘Rebecca’. While the film added a supernatural twist to it, which wasn’t a part of Maurier’s novel, it does revolve around Manderley and the iconic Mrs. Danvers (played by Lalita Pawar).

5) Omkara(2006): Quite a few of Vishal Bharadwaj’s films have been adaptations of Shakespeare’s popular works. Like ‘Omkara’, which was adapted from ‘Othello’, ‘Haider’, which was adapted from ‘Hamlet’, and ‘Maqbool’, an adaptation of ‘Macbeth’. Audiences and critics alike have appreciated all three films and these have gone on to win several awards. Bharadwaj has been praised immensely for his ability to adapt Shakespeare’s plays to suit the Indian cultural nuances so aptly.

FIVE MOVIES YOU SHOULD WATCH BEFORE YOU GRADUATE COLLEGE

By Amrita Menon (Team Creative)

1) The Social Network

The Social Network, based on the journey of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg and his partners, stars Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. Now, normally, that on its own is a pretty solid reason to watch a movie, but apart from just being an interesting take on the humble beginnings of the now-omnipresent Facebook, the movie gives an important message about ambition, success and loyalty- the things we’re all grappling with as the uncertainty of our futures stare at us in the face.

2) It’s Kind of a Funny Story

When the frustration with the present and the stress about the future gets too much, give yourself a break and watch this movie. While at first the notion of a teenager checking himself into a psychiatric ward may seem to strange to you, as the movie progresses you find yourself relating to the protagonist- 16 year old Craig- and (I know it sounds unlikely but its true) most of the other patients in the ward.

3) Little Miss Sunshine

 You think your family’s weird? Meet the Hoovers. They’ll change your perspective on what’s “normal” and what isn’t and will take you on a roller coaster of emotions while they do it. This endearing story about a dysfunctional family on a road trip to attend a beauty pageant is full of laughs, hurt and heart-constricting-ly sweet moments that will make you feel better about not conforming to society and following your own path to happiness. 

4) The Pursuit of Happyness

No matter how many times you watch this movie, it will end with you ugly-crying into your blanket for an hour. Starring Will Smith and Jaden Smith, this movie tells the real-life story of Chris Gardner who finds himself alone, almost broke and responsible for his 6-year old son, but who works his way into an investment bank. For those of you who, above everything else, are scared of failure, this movie makes you believe that it is possible to climb your way out of any situation, no matter how dark the hole may seem.

5)  The Devil Wears Prada

This may seem like a weird choice to have on this list but honestly, it makes complete sense. A story about a harassed assistant dealing with a crazy boss isn’t a story most of us are unfamiliar with. Starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, it follows the life of Andy, an aspiring journalist who lands a job as an assistant to the Cruella DeVille-esque Miranda Priestly, editor of the fashion bible, ‘Runway’ magazine.  It’s a hilarious (sometimes outlandish) depiction of experiences that most of us are familiar with (and for those who aren’t, are soon about to be).

ASK THE WORKFORCE: THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

By Komal Badve (Team Creative) and Mekhala Singhal (Team Creative)

This week, we asked the EC (Executive Committee) of Kaleidoscope about what their favourite films are and why. They all had unique and interesting answers (that most of us can agree with), so here’s what they said.

First up, we have Mannat Arneja who is not shy to admit that she is a huge fan of Dharma Productions! She admires the lavish sets and enthusiastic dancers, along with a pinch of drama followed by a happy ending. Mannat says, “You can easily spot me shaking a leg to Koi Mil Gaya or Rock and Roll, and I’m pretty sure you’d want to join me too!” She can never get enough of  Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Na Ho, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (the classics basically). Her evergreen love for these movies tells us that Dharma truly is her dharma!

Next we have Malka Rizvi, a total sucker for Bollywood and SRK! Among her favourite Hindi movies are Kapoor and Sons and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. According to her, Kapoor and Sons is one of the most realistic movies ever and is very well directed. She says, “It hits you in the right places and makes you feel the right things. Much thought has been put into the cinematography, location, and the scenes.” Not to forget, Fawad Khan.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai for Malka starts and ends at Shah Rukh Khan. She says, and I quote, “It’s my go to movie when I feel low. It’s just one of those movies you can never get sick and tired of.”

‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, sab nahi samjhenge...’         

Malka also loves movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Silver Linings Playbook and Perks of Being a Wallflower.

                  

To her, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a movie that expresses feelings which everyone has felt but never understood.

Odelia Rebello, our next EC member, has a list of non-fictional movies (Hacksaw Ridge, Theory of Everything, Zero Dark Thirty) that secure the top places in her favourites list. Theory of Everything is, to her, the ideal movie for a sapiosexual like her who isn't really into movies that are too romantic (it has just the right amount of romance, apparently). Zero Dark Thirty is a movie she watched with her dad, and is based on something that she's always (secretly) been interested in.

                              

When it comes to fiction, however, two films are very close to her heart- Dead Poets Society and 21 Jump Street. 21 Jump Street has sentimental values and family memories attached to it for her. Dead Poets Society was introduced to her when she was 18 and she says that what she loves is that Robin Williams is fantastic as he always is (no one can ever doubt that). She also says that (SPOILER!) Todd's breakdown at the end always gets to her.

                             

Last but not the least; Surina Dasgupta says her favourite Bollywood movies are English Vinglish and Piku. She particularly likes English Vinglish because Sridevi’s acting is spot on, along with the super accurate portrayal of the typical middle class Indian family and their first trip abroad. Piku, she says, is most definitely different than your typical Bollywood movie, and that sets it apart. Surina believes Amitabh Bachchan is the perfect Bengali grandfather and helps bring out the Bong in her! She loves the background score as well, and listens to the music every now and then because of how soothing it is.

  Surina is also a great fan of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them because of the gripping storyline, insane animation, and brilliant acting (and, of course, the Niffler).

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH OKJA RIGHT NOW

By Milana Prakash (Team Creative)

Netflix’s highly anticipated film ‘Okja’ finally released on the online streaming platform earlier this week. It explores the story of a super pig, Okja (A product of genetic experimentation done by a corporate giant in the US) who lives with her best friend Mija, amidst serene hills, somewhere in South Korea. However, Okja and 26 other Super Piglets turn out to be a part of a larger contest ever since their inception. More importantly, Okja is the prized winner of the contest, which leads upto her being taken away from Mija to New York. The film is largely humorous but at the same time exposes some of the morbid secrets of the slaughter industry and tells a tale of true compassion and love, between a beast and a human.

Here are 5 reasons why you need to watch it right now:

1)  The star cast. The film features Hollywood biggies like Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Lily Collins and Jake Gyllenhaal. In addition to that, the film also features a young South Korean actress, Ahn Seo-hyun, who plays a pivotal role (She’s awfully adorable and a terrific performer).

2)  The film features a CGI Super Pig-Okja, who’ll instantly make you drown in cuteness. She’s huge, she reminds you more of a hippo, as opposed to a pig, but she’s the kind of companion you’d give anything to have. She’s loving, she’s faithful, she teems with energy and she’s utterly delightful to watch. Who knew pigs could be this adorable?

3)  It exposes the underbelly of the meat industry. The Mirando Corporation (the corporate giant in the film) shrouds its atrocities on animals and clearly clandestine genetic experiments through carefully chalked out publicity campaigns and highly manipulative PR work.  

4)  It received a 4 minute standing ovation at the end of its screening at the Cannes Film Festival 2017. Isn’t the implication self-explanatory? It’s technically brilliant. It is a Hollywood film, without for once seeming like a quintessential one; there are conversations in Korean interspersed every now and then and quite some portions of the film have been shot against the picturesque backdrop of South Korean Hills.

5)  Finally, it stimulates you to think. It’s a fun film that is heart breaking at the same time and has several important underlying messages that it hopes to convey. (It might even make you contemplate turning into a vegan.)