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The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Kesari 2' and more: Revisionism, representation and appropriation
Welcome back to FOMO Fix, your weekly dose of what to watch — and what to dodge — across film and television. This week, we take a hard look at revisionism in storytelling: the kind that reimagines history with purpose and perspective, and the kind that distorts it to fit an agenda. From the jingoistic inventions of Kesari 2 to the smarter narrative choices of Quentin Tarantino and Aaron Sorkin, we unpack the essentials of revisionism. Also this week, we applaud a sharp animated satire from Ramy Youssef, a surprisingly effective thriller with a terrible name — Crazxy — and a take an honest look at representation and appropriation in Superboys of Malegaon. HYPE CHECK: Kesari 2 'Beep off.' 'Beep right off.' 'Go beep yourself.' 'Get the beep out of my country.' Yes, that's the complete collection of Akshay Kumar's punchlines and 'winning arguments' in Kesari 2, a film that takes a nugget of history and revises it into jingoistic mythology. Despite criticism for historical distortion — and plagiarism accusations over a Yahya Bootwala poem — the film has collected over ₹70 crore in its second week. But this courtroom drama is no The Trial of the Chicago 7 or A Few Good Men. Those films made the war of ideas compelling with well-crafted arguments and ideological nuance — not just one-sided F-bombs thrown around like confetti. Tarantino rewrote history too — by killing Hitler in Inglourious Basterds and saving Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. But if you're presenting an alternate timeline, the least you can do is not market it as The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh. It's not just dishonest — it's straight-up pretentious to end the film with names of real-life victims followed by an asterisk: 'Names from public domain.' Translation: 'No attempt was made to verify these names, but Aaron Sorkin did it too, so… vibes?' Representation? Akshay Kumar plays Sankaran Nair — which now apparently makes him an expert on all things starting with K: Kerala, Kathakali, Kalaripayattu. Meanwhile, R. Madhavan is fantastic in the film — making you wonder: why isn't he Sankaran Nair? Why not stay true to the book it's based on — The Case That Shook the Empire? Maybe because real history doesn't stir up the nationalism quota enough to provoke? The only history lesson Kesari 2 teaches is that Bollywood doesn't care about representation, sensitivity, or even basic screenwriting — even when dealing with one of the most haunting tragedies in Indian history. TV GOLD: #1 Happy Family USA In the wake of the Pahalgam tragedy and the surge of hate Muslims across India have endured lately, the show to watch is Ramy Youssef's animated series #1 Happy Family USA on Prime Video. Set in the aftermath of 9/11, the show follows the cultural fallout faced by the Husseins — now under the scanner for being Arab.. Ramy leans into absurdity, throwing in nosy neighbors, shady FBI agents, and even the American President. Yes, George W. Bush shows up for a sleepover. The lead, a teenager named Rumi, joins a punk rock band. 'We need Satanic Verses — Rushdie, not Rumi.' (That line alone deserves a standing ovation.) If you liked Ramy or Mo, this one belongs on your watchlist. If you haven't seen either, it's time. HEADS UP: Crazxy You know those titles that are trying too hard and turn you off instantly? Crazxy — yes, that's 'crazy' with an X — is one of them. Surprisingly, it's actually good. Sohum Shah stars in this real-time thriller about a bag of money, two parties waiting for it, and escalating stakes. He can either use the money to save his career — or ransom it to rescue his kidnapped daughter with Down syndrome. What would you do? The thriller rarely slows down — except for one surprisingly tense tyre change mid-surgery. By the end, you've had so much fun, the slightly predictable climax barely matters. If it had just been titled 'Crazy', more people would've watched it. STREAM THIS FIRST: Superboys of Malegaon Zoya Akhtar's Superboys of Malegaon, on Prime Video, is a fictional adaptation of Supermen of Malegaon, Faiza Ahmed Khan's beloved documentary. It's a classic case of cultural appropriation. Not only does it fail to credit the original as 'based on' or 'adapted from,' it gives it a shoutout — like tagging it in a meme. To be fair, the film — written by Varun Grover — is entertaining and lovingly captures the spirit of Malegaon's mumblecore parody-makers. But the documentary already did that — with authenticity and humility. The appropriation here is twofold: A privileged member from the Javed Akhtar family tree — Sholay lineage and all — gets her writing partner Reema Kagti to direct instead of empowering someone from Malegaon to tell the story. And it mines a marginalised, low-income community while sidelining a documentary filmmaker — one of the most undervalued voices in the industry. So how do you celebrate without appropriating? Take notes from Netflix. When they acquired One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez's sons insisted it be made in Spanish, shot in Colombia, using local talent. That's called platforming the people who lived the story. Want to celebrate the filmmakers of Malegaon? Start by watching Faiza Ahmed Khan's Supermen of Malegaon on YouTube — before streaming the fictional take. JUST SAY NO: You (Netflix) This is not a recommendation. This is your cue to skip. The stalker series You has ended after five seasons. While the show had its guilty-pleasure highs, the final season offers nothing new. The thrills are limp, the ending is predictable. and the Joe Goldberg is too tame for a psycho we've watched get away with murder for five years. Landing a show is an art form. This one crash-lands into clichés. Skip the FOMO. Embrace the JOMO: Joy of Missing Out. Watch Jewel Thief instead. The Vijay Anand one.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Watch: Kesari 2, #1 Happy Family USA - Revisionism & Representation
When does creative liberty cross the line into propaganda? On this week's FOMO Fix, Sudhish Kamath dives into Bollywood's obsession with rewriting history — and how filmmakers like Tarantino and Sorkin show a smarter, more honest way to do it. In this episode: Hype Check: Kesari 2 turns a national tragedy into jingoistic fan fiction, with F-bomb punchlines and dishonest representation TV Gold: Ramy Youssef's #1 Happy Family USA is the sharp, poignant satire you need to be watching right now Heads Up: Crazxy — terrible title, surprisingly good thriller. Superboys of Malegaon — a sincere and entertaining film that still raises tough questions about credit, voice, and representation. You (Netflix) — the stalker saga ends, and you're better off skipping the finale. Skip the cringe. Stream the gold. Your weekly film companion, Bollywood reporter, and TV guide is here.
Indian Express
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Ground Zero box office collection Day 1: Emraan Hashmi's military drama falls behind Loveyapa, Azaad; earns Rs 1 crore
Ground Zero box office collection Day 1: With multiple films releasing every week in the theatres, it becomes all the more important that a film has a certain buzz to ride on. It could be due to the star cast, the collaborations, or just the content of the film. Despite having all three, albeit with varying levels of impact, Emraan Hashmi's latest film, Ground Zero, hasn't made a huge splash at the box-office. Ground Zero, which had positive reviews from critics, and the audiences who turned up to watch the film, made just around Rs 1 crore on the opening day, as per Sacnilk. This was, unfortunately, one of the lowest showings of a Hindi film in 2025. The rather poor hype for the film resulted in just 8.63% occupancy for Ground Zero across the country. Although the night shows did show a considerably improved 14.06%, it is purely due to the word-of-mouth rather than the promotions, and considering the late upswing in the collections of Ground Zero, the makers would hope the weekend looks better for the film, which is directed by Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar. The film just surpassed the numbers of Superboys of Malegaon (Rs 50 lakh), and has fallen in the same territory as Sohum Shah's Crazxy. In fact, Ground Zero opened to numbers lower than Loveyapa (Rs 1.15 crore) and Azaad (Rs 1.5 crore). Nevertheless, one thing that stands out in Ground Zero is the overwhelming positive reviews, and it can effect a turnaround in the film's fortunes. ALSO READ: We have already seen it happen in another national fervour-filled film, The Diplomat, which opened to Rs 4 crore, and sustained the onslaught of films like Chhaava and Sikandar to remain a crowd-favourite. This could be the case with Ground Zero too, but it might not have the strength of a long and uninterrupted run. With Kesari: Chapter 2 already drawing in the crowds, another sequel, Raid 2, is set to hit the screens on May 1, and might just stop Ground Zero on its tracks. Apart from Emraan Hashmi, Ground Zero also stars a competent ensemble including actors like Sai Tamhankar, Mukesh Tiwari, Zoya Hussain, Mir Mohammed Mehroos, and Deepak Paramesh. In SCREEN's review of Ground Zero, Shubhra Gupta wrote, 'It's tempting but not a good idea to extrapolate from films. But Ground Zero, which takes time to build an atmosphere of tension — stepping out to a market, even with your armed mates around you, can be your last day alive — is perhaps the much-needed kind of balance a film can achieve in these fraught times.'
The Hindu
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
New on Amazon Prime Video this week: ‘Superboys of Malegaon', ‘Crazxy', ‘Veera Dheera Sooran Part 2', and more
Superboys of Malegaon - Now Streaming Superboys of Malegaon is a film based on the life of Nasir Shaikh, an amateur filmmaker from the town of Malegaon. Written by Varun Grover, Amazon MGM Studios' Original movie features a highly talented and versatile ensemble cast including Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, and Shashank Arora in lead roles. An Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby Production, produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, and Reema Kagti, the film is directed by Reema Kagti. Crazxy - Now Streaming Crazxy is an emotionally charged edge-of-the-seat thriller about a father`s redemption. Written and directed by Girish Kohli, Crazxy is produced by Sohum Shah, Mukesh Shah, Amita Shah, and Adesh Prasad and co-produced by Ankit Jain under the banner of Sohum Shah Films – the makers of Tumbbad. It features Sohum Shah as the protagonist with a stellar ensemble cast including Nimisha Sajayan, Shilpa Shukla, Tinnu Anand, Piyush Mishra, and Unnathi Suranaa in key roles. Veera Dheera Sooran Part 2 - Now Streaming Tamil action-thriller Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2 follows the story of Kaali, played by superstar Chiyaan Vikram, and is a gritty survival thriller, delivering emotional intensity, adrenaline-pumping action, and technical brilliance in equal measure. written and directed by S. U. Arun Kumar, and boasts a powerhouse cast, including S. J. Suryah, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Dushara Vijayan, and Prudhvi Raj in pivotal roles. Sonic The Hedgehog 3 - Now Streaming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 follows Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails as they reunite to take on Shadow, a powerful new adversary unlike any they've faced before. Directed by Jeff Fowler, the film's live-action cast boasts Jim Carrey in a dual role, alongside James Marsden, Krysten Ritter, Tika Sumpter, and Lee Majdoub, with returning favourites in the voice-cast including Ben Schwartz, Idris Elba, and Colleen O'Shaughnessey, alongside Keanu Reeves, who also joins the franchise. Mazaka - Now Streaming In the Telugu film Mazaka, Ramana, a dedicated single father, and his son Krishna both fall in love, but their dreams of a happy family crumble when they learn that their partners are related and hate each other. Directed by Trinadha Rao Nakkina, the family drama features Sundeep Kishan, Murli Sharma, and Ritu Varma in pivotal roles. Étoile Season 1 - Now Streaming Étoile Season 1 follows two elite ballet companies who swap their top dancers in a bold move to save their legendary institutions. Starring Luke Kirby, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou de Laâge, Gideon Glick, David Alvarez, Ivan du Pontavice, Taïs Vinolo, David Haig, Simon Callow, and Yanic Truesdale in pivotal roles. Ash - Now Streaming Ash revolves around Riya, who wakes on a strange planet to find her crew dead. As Brion arrives to rescue her, a tense battle for survival begins, testing their trust amid growing terror. Directed by Flying Lotus, starring Eiza González, Aaron Paul, Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott, Beulah Koale, and Flying Lotus. Common Ground - Now Streaming Common Ground, the sequel to Kiss the Ground, follows pioneers of the Regenerative Movement as they build a new food system that heals the planet and our health. Featuring Laura Dern, Rosario Dawson, Jason Momoa, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Ian Somerhalder, and Nikki Reed.
India.com
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
7 Must-Watch OTT Releases For April Last Weekend: Saif Ali Khans Jewel Thief To Mohanlals L2: Empuraan
photoDetails english 2890517 Updated:Apr 25, 2025, 07:00 AM IST Must-Watch OTT Releases For April Last Weekend 1 / 8 Must-Watch OTT Releases For April: With stars like Saif Ali Khan, Mohanlal, Chiyaan Vikram, and Penn Badgley leading the charge, watch these fresh movies and series promising to keep you hooked in the last weekend of April 2025. Here's taking a quick roundup of what's streaming this week on Netflix, Prime Video, JioHotstar, ZEE5, and ShemarooMe. Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins -Netflix, April 25 2 / 8 Get ready for a high-stakes adventure with Netflix's upcoming action-adventure thriller, releasing on April 25! Starring Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Kunal Kapoor, and Nikita Dutta in gripping roles, and directed by Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal, the film follows Rehan, a master thief, who sets out to steal the legendary African Red Sun diamond. Don't miss the ultimate showdown, streaming exclusively on Netflix from April 25! L2: Empuraan- JioHotstar, April 24 3 / 8 The much-awaited action thriller L2: Empuraan, the explosive second chapter in the Lucifer trilogy, is now streaming exclusively on JioHotstar. Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and headlined by legendary actor Mohanlal, it has an ensemble cast including Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, and Abhimanyu Singh. L2: Empuraan is a cinematic event you don't want to miss. Now streaming on JioHotstar from April 24! Crazxy- Prime Video, April 25 4 / 8 Crazxy, starring Sohum Shah, is a gripping mystery thriller that follows the mystery and web of troubles of Abhimanyu Sood—a brilliant surgeon, a failed father, and a deeply flawed man—enduring the worst day of his life. With a twisted plot and riveting performances, Crazxy premieres on Prime Video on April 25. You Season 5 - Netflix - April 24 5 / 8 The final chapter of the gripping psychological thriller You is now streaming exclusively on Netflix from April 24! Penn Badgley returns as Joe Goldberg in the fifth and final season, joined by Charlotte Ritchie, Madeline Brewer, and Anna Camp in pivotal roles. You: Season 5 promises a suspense-filled farewell to the beloved thriller. Don't miss the dramatic finale, now available to stream on Netflix! Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2 - Prime Video - April 24 6 / 8 The gripping Tamil action drama Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2 is now streaming exclusively on Prime Video! Released on April 24, 2025, the film stars Chiyaan Vikram as Kaali, a reformed gangster turned provision store owner, who is forced to return to his violent past to protect his family. Directed by SU Arun Kumar, this high-octane sequel also features Dushara Vijayan, SJ Suryah, Suraj Venjaramoodu, and Prudhvi Raj in key roles. Don't miss this intense action thriller, now available on Prime Video! Umbarro - ShemarooMe - April 24 7 / 8 Break boundaries with Umbarro, premiering April 24, 2025, only on ShemarooMe. Directed by National Award-winner Abhishek Shah, this heartwarming Gujarati comedy-drama follows seven women from across Gujarat on their first international trip to London. With a powerhouse cast including Vandana Pathak, Kaajal Oza Vaidya, Sucheeta Trivedi, Deeksha Joshi, and more, Umbarro blends laugh-out-loud humor with emotional depth, all set against the vibrant streets of London. Tune in from April 24, only on ShemarooMe. Ayyana Mane - ZEE5 - April 25 8 / 8 The haunting Kannada thriller Jaji is now streaming exclusively on Netflix! Centered around a newlywed woman's unsettling journey into her husband's family secrets, the series follows Jaji—played by Khushi Ravi—as she uncovers a chilling connection between a string of mysterious deaths and a sacred Kondayya idol. Also starring Manasi Sudhir and Akshay Nayak, Jaji delivers a suspense-filled narrative laced with mystery, folklore, and emotional depth. Don't miss this edge-of-your-seat thriller, available to stream on Netflix starting April 24, 2025.
