indian films – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

THE UNDERBUG (Slamdance 2023) – Review by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

January 22, 2023January 26, 2023 Alexandra Heller-Nicholas Ali Fazal, Hussain Dalal, indian films, Shujaat Saudagar, Slamdance 2023, The Underbug

It’s the evening before Independence Day in India, an event that plays a significant although subtle backdrop to the events that unfold in Shujaat Saudagar’s gripping supernatural chamber piece The Underbug. While the radio talkback shows that pepper the film in the background feature a steady flow of callers chatting with the host about what “freedom” means to them, we have already, at the outset of the film, learned that not everyone is feeling so celebratory. Riots have broken out with terrifying violence permeating some areas, and people are warned to stay indoors.

Reviews

FIRE IN THE MOUNTAINS – Review by Jennifer Green

May 14, 2022May 14, 2022 Jennifer Green (Harshita Tiwari, Ajitpal Singh, Chandan Bisht, Fire in the Mountains, indian films, Mayank Singh Jaira, Vinamrata Rai

It would be hard not to be affected by Fire in the Mountains‘ dire story of one woman’s personal struggles in a Himalayan village. Embodied within her story are larger themes, clear but crafted in subtle and realistic ways, about a woman’s place in her world and the simmering conflict between traditional and modern India. Set in a beautiful area touted as the Switzerland of India for its spectacular Himalayan views, the film contrasts that natural beauty with the scarcity and hardships of its villagers.

Reviews

KAALI KHUHI – Review by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

April 8, 2021April 11, 2021 Alexandra Heller-Nicholas horror, indian films, Kaali Khuhi, netflix, Riva Arora, Terrie Samundra, The Black Well

Kaali Khuhi is a horror delight for those willing to open their mind to genre entries that fall outside typical Western fare. Starring an impressive Riva Arora as Shivangi, she is a young child at the heart of the film’s drama and its unlikely heroine. The film begins as her grandmother falls ill, her distraught father taking Shivangi and her unimpressed mother to the small village where the old woman lies ill. Almost instantly, through her newfound best friend Shivangi discovers that the village is riddled with dark secrets, all of which lead to a mysterious, spooky room on the top floor of her grandmother’s home, marked by the presence of the ghostly, ghastly spectre of a girl around her own age marked by a signature red dress.

Reviews

THE WHITE TIGER – Review by Susan Granger

February 24, 2021February 27, 2021 Susan Granger Adarsh Gourv, indian films, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ramin Bahrani, the white tiger

“The Indian entrepreneur has to be straight and crooked, mocking and believing, sly and sincere – all at the same time,” says Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourv) as an introduction to India’s immobile, insidiously complex caste system. Balham comes from lowly candy-makers. A precocious student, Balram’s potential is so stellar that he’s dubbed “a white tiger,” indicating he’s a rare, symbolic, once-in-a-generation phenomenon.

Guest Posts Interviews

Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh on Making WRITING WITH FIRE – Mythily Ramachandran interviews (Exclusive Guest Post)

February 22, 2021October 27, 2021 Jennifer Merin documentaries, indian films, Khabar Lahariya, Mythily Ramachandran, Rintu Thomas, Sundance Film Festival 2021, sushmit ghosh, the female gaze, Waves of news, writing with fire

Debutant directors Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh received two awards-Audience award and Special Jury award at Sundance Film Festival 2021 for their documentary Writing With Fire, chronicling the rise of ‘Khabar Lahariya’ (Waves of news), India’s only newspaper run by Dalit (considered untouchables) women and which recently went digital. em>WWF is produced by Black Ticket Films, a production company cofounded by Thomas and Ghosh and recognized for its award winning shorts including Timbaktu that received the Indian national award in 2012 as Best Environmental film. Mythily Ramachandran talks to the duo on the making of this documentary.

Festivals Reviews

WRITING WITH FIRE (Sundance2021) – Review by Leslie Combemale

February 11, 2021February 17, 2021 Leslie Combemale dalit caste, documentaries, indian films, Khabar Lahariya, kl, Rintu Thomas, Shushmit Ghosh, Sundance Film Festival 2021, writing with fire

“Instead of patronizing me, why don’t you give me an interview.” This is the sort of fearless response offered by one of the intrepid female reporters from the Indian newspaper Khabar Lahariya (Waves of News), which was started and is entirely run by Dalit women. The Dalit caste is considered the lowest, or ‘untouchable’ societal group in India. These women, their courageous work, and the rise of Khabar Lahariya (or KL) is the subject of the new documentary Writing with Fire.

Guest Posts Interviews

Kavya Prakash on VAANKU – Mythily Ramchandran interviews (Guest Post)

January 28, 2021October 14, 2023 Jennifer Merin Anaswara Rajan, indian films, kavya prakesh, Mythily Ramachandran, unni r, VAANKU

Indian director Kavya Prakash opens her directorial career with Vaanku, about a young Muslim woman’s wish to lead the Islamic call for prayer, Adhan, generally done by men. When a young woman, Razia, expresses her wish to lead the prayer, it sets rolling a ripple effect in her family and society around.

Reviews

THE WHITE TIGER – Review by Diane Carson

January 16, 2021January 17, 2021 Diane Carson Adarsh Gourav, indian films, netflix, Ramin Bahrani, the white tiger

Tackling India’s repressive, inflexible caste system, The White Tiger chronicles Balram Halwai’s fawning deference, growing resentment, and eventual violent rejection of his submissive station. Adapted from Aravind Adiga’s 2008 Man Booker Prize winning novel, director Ramin Bahrani manages to create a quirky, even occasionally and unexpectedly amusing presentation of Balram’s abject subservience evolving into self-assured entitlement.

Guest Posts Reviews

SHAKUNTALA DEVI – Review by Mythily Ramachandran (Guest Post)

August 4, 2020August 5, 2020 Jennifer Merin 0 Comments amu menon, indian films, Shakuntala Devi, the female gaze, Vidya Balan

Shakuntala Devi is a spirited tale of India’s mathematical genius. Vidya Balan completely owns the titular role while bringing alive this rags to riches story in director Anu Menon’s film. Independent and daring Devi lived life on her terms with a never say die attitude. Narrated through the eyes of her daughter, the film takes us on a journey that begins in Bangalore in 1934 where the little Shakuntala astounds her cousin with her mathematics acumen.

Guest Posts Interviews

Filmmaker Anu Menon chats SHAKUNTALA DEVI – Mythily Ramachandran interviews (Guest Post)

July 30, 2020July 30, 2020 Jennifer Merin 0 Comments Anu Menon, biopics, female directors, hindi films, indian films, Kalki Koechlin, Mythily Ramachandran, Naseeruddin Shah, Shakuntala Devi, Vidya Balan

Indian filmmaker Anu Menon busts Bollywood stereotypes, Known for films with stories about strong female characters, her latest feature is Shakuntala Devi, a biopic that chronicles the life of the legendary female mathematician known alternatively as the ‘wizard of India’ and the ‘human computer.’ Menon chats with Mythily Ramachandran about the titular character and making the film.

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