A mother who is incapable of staying out of her son's life, her domestic help with a Jeeves-esque energy, and a mamma's boy amidst it all who is very clearly blind to all that is unfolding around him - 'Aamras' offers all of this and some more. Alka Amin as the mother brings to life a chemistry with each character around her that is unmissable, a character of its own, and in many ways, the spine that not only holds the whole film together, but also keeps it running on its feet. 

As the younger generation conjures one unexpected, and deeply inconvenient for the mother, development after another - an unwanted girlfriend, a vegan diet, pronounced sexuality - the film very much keeps you involved and entertained. Along with the clash of generations, and all that it entails in terms of politics and relationships, the film pronounces its overarching metaphor, the aamras, which is sometimes sweet, sometimes sour - much like life itself. As for the characters before us, what would all their various antics lead them to - sweetness or something which might be a little too tough to swallow?

Aamras | Spotlight

‘Chimta’ loves to lead your expectations in a specific direction regarding the mood and intentions of the story, only to deliberately foil them. Consequently, it forms a bond with the viewer right at the onset, which ensures that they stay with it and its endearing protagonist, Chimta, till the very end. 

In a pandemic-stricken world, Chimta, a twelve-year-old boy who simply wishes to do his homework, goes on a little adventure seeking virality and perhaps an eventual television appearance with his trusted companion, Aashiq. While maintaining a lighthearted tone, marked by the humor generated at the expense of all the characters that find themselves at the unwitting mercy of two little boys determined to take on the world, the film also presents a subtle, but unmissable suggestion of darkness. 

Alcoholism, abuse, dire financial straits - the narrative invokes them all, and yet, never allows itself to be bogged down by any of them. Even though the writing seems to lose some of its tautness as the plot nears conclusion, the storytelling remains original and notable, becoming a standout characteristic of the film.

Chimta | Spotlight

The film has a very notable quality of not giving away at first glance what it's truly about. As two characters begin their banter, which eventually leads to a more intense and serious discussion, the viewer realises that this is not a simple story of a woman moving into a new house, and a man, perhaps a lover, helping her with the process. 
 
Aisha and Kabir share both an intimate and bitter past. However, affection does not always convey a happy ending or union. The film explores the same, as it lays bare the many intricacies of a relationship between two people where love could not be enough. 
The two characters are brought to life with remarkable performances that strongly bolster the writing and screenplay. Essentially a heartfelt slice-of-life story, the narrative manages to do justice to its many components, presenting a balanced whole to the audience.

Ghar | Spotlight

A strange figure on a terrace during a moonlit night is our first introduction to the film’s dreamy, almost surreal world. Soon, he is joined by a young woman, and an unexpected story spanning the past, an unwitting pizza delivery executive, and shared loss follows.

 
The film divides itself into three tightly controlled parts: the ghost, the human, and the ghost and the human. The narrative develops without any dialogue and ensures that the world-building and, notably, the performance keep the viewer involved in the fate of the protagonist all along. 

The visual grammar deserves a separate mention for the blue-tinged, near-ethereal realm it conjures to tell a story of a ghost and its unlikely companion in an even more unlikely manner, alongside a background score that supports this endeavor with equal vigor. At the end of it all, the film successfully conveys everything that it intends to with clarity as well as with a unique storytelling voice.

Goodbye, Hello | Spotlight

The film portrays a man’s life of exhaustion, hard work, and loneliness. By taking us into his daily routine and the silence that defines it, the film presents a rumination on what it means to be away from your loved ones, while also trudging forward, trying to fulfil your duties. Much of life is lived in the things and thoughts that are never shared or spoken out loud, underlines the film. 
As the narrative conjures a rural reality, away from smartphones and technology, it employs its visual grammar as a complementary force while exploring it all. A tighter control on the lighting and shadows would have elevated it further. Having said that, ‘Bhaar’ presents a heartfelt story of internal struggles, and a life that continues to flow like a river, carrying a tremendous amount of unspoken things within its ebb and flow.

Bhaar | Spotlight

Bhaag Chand is a fortune teller in Delhi, where he struggles to make ends meet. He is unable to send money home to his family, sneakily hides from his landlord who would ask for the long overdue rent, and as a result, finds himself consumed by despondency and desperation. His one true friend and supporter through all the hardship is Jaggi, a man who sells lottery tickets right next to Bhaag Chand’s spot in the park. 

One day, when Bhaag Chand manages to convert a chance encounter with strangers into a lucrative opportunity, things truly begin to look up for him. With a little cunning and presence of mind, he turns his fortune around, finally paying the rent on time and all his other dues. However, success in one’s endeavors can often prove to be a slippery slope, and before you can even realise, you have reached the point of no return in your hubris. This becomes the underlying message of the film. 

The writing, alongside the portrayal and performance of its protagonist, becomes a notable strength of the end result, even if a slight laxness appears within the sound department. As for Bhaag Chand, a development awaits that would take him right into the heart of an unexpected series of events, shocking the audience as well in the process.

Aaj Ka Raashifal | Spotlight

The film is a quiet rumination shared between two characters under the night sky. As they traverse the many currents of the flow of time, the past and the future, a heartfelt narrative comes into existence. 

A man and a woman lie on a rooftop reflecting on what it means to have left behind people in the past, the choices and decisions that led them to this precise moment in this particular life that they have built together, and the different directions this current could have potentially taken them in. 
 

The many experiences that shaped them, and how any number of decisions or forces outside their control could have even led them away from each other, become an overarching force in the story. All of these ideas are presented with a stillness that enhances the narrative, alongside the chemistry and performances of its actors. Notwithstanding a few rough edges in terms of the visual construction, the film succeeds in capturing all of this with its writing and screenplay, while throughout maintaining the tonality it conjured at the start.

Iravin Aravanaipu | Spotlight

The film presents an endearing story about a family that is just about to catch a flight to attend a wedding. In this moment of urgency, several emotional undercurrents are taking form. What begins as a haphazard rush to find ancestral earrings soon leads to crucial conversations that reveal a new side to relationships that the characters, or even the viewer, might not have been aware of at first glance. 



There is a sense of the past that the film invokes, while also looking ahead at the future. The manner adopted to do this demands introspection, all along being tied together by love, and the intention to do right by those you hold close. The narrative mixes drama with humor, serious emotional exchanges with banter, and in the process, presents a wholesome story of familial love and affection. Though a few rough edges remain in terms of the overall production, the strong performances, notable chemistry, and storytelling make them easy to overlook.

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