Tag: Netflix India

  • Punjabi boys just want to have fun: Wild Wild Punjab review

    Punjabi boys just want to have fun: Wild Wild Punjab review

    I recently watched ‘Wild Wild Punjab’ on Netflix and thoroughly enjoyed it. The film is  the story of a group of friends who embark on a riotous journey to crash their buddy’s ex-girlfriend’s wedding. Determined to seek closure and declare, “I am over you,” they set off on a mission to Pathankot, fueled by heartbreak and a few drinks.The cast, including Varun Sharma, Sunny Singh, Jassie Gill, and Manjot Singh, deliver impressive performances in this comedy. The film’s writers and directors, Luv Ranjan and Simarpreet Singh, deserve credit for giving new faces a chance to shine in roles that fit their characters perfectly.

    The story is engaging, with the friends navigating their conflicting desires and misadventures, all while maintaining a light-hearted, comedic tone. The music in the film is exciting and enhances the film’s lively atmosphere. The film features upbeat tracks like ‘Meri Baggi Mera Ghoda’ and ‘Husn Irani,’ which add to the energetic vibe.The film’s message about the importance of friendship and adventure is valuable.

    While the friends’ journey is entertaining, it also highlights the significance of embracing life’s chaos and unpredictability.

    This could be a one-time watch film recommendation. ‘Wild Wild Punjab’ is a fun, colorful, and heartwarming film that you can enjoy with family but I will not recommend you to watch with family because of the slang language used in the film.

    One drawback of the film, in my opinion, after the interval was becoming drag there were some extra scenes.The film can be a little short instead of dragging it.

  • Video: Netflix’s ‘Indian Matchmaking’ season 2 is back, trailer released

    Video: Netflix’s ‘Indian Matchmaking’ season 2 is back, trailer released

    The much-awaited trailer of the second season of the reality show, Indian Matchmaking has been released. The new season will be released on Netflix on August 10.

    The caption of the trailer read: “If you’re not getting married this year, you can meet us at the buffet.”

    Matchmaker, Sima Taparia, said while talking to People magazine, “Every new client brings a new adventure, and the people I worked with in season 2 gave me all sorts of challenges,”

    “From height to hair to very specific dietary requirements, it seems clients are getting pickier by the day. But I love what I do so I am up to the task,” she added.

    Taparia also said, “My goal is always to help my clients see beyond the superficial and focus on the qualities that will matter for a lasting relationship.”

    “But that is getting harder and harder with every new generation,” she added. “Especially when dating apps have made everyone feel like choices are limitless.”

    “I don’t want to give anything away, but let’s just say the stars aligned more than once in season 2,” she concluded.

    The first season of the show was released in July 2020. It threw light on the highly controversial Indian (and Pakistani) wedding and matchmaking culture, stirred debate online and received mixed reviews about the toxicity ingrained in the country’s age-old process of finding a life partner.

  • Movie review: Is trending on Netflix, Haseen Dillruba one to watch?

    Movie review: Is trending on Netflix, Haseen Dillruba one to watch?

    Trending at number one since it released on Pakistani Netflix, Haseen Dilruba is India’s latest, winning movie on the streaming platform. An easy watch for a suspense thriller, the story revolves around the murder of a husband after his wife has an affair.

    It’s a perfect set up and it begins at full speed. Shy and sweet, seedha saadha sa Rishu (Vikrant Massey) has an arranged marriage with the hot, loud and opinionated Rani (Taapsee Pannu) and beychara Rishu is so intimidated by Rani that he is unable to perform in the first month of their marriage. He overhears Rani telling her family members about their private sex life and decides to never speak/touch her again. Meanwhile, Rishu’s super hot and dashing cousin Neel (Harshvardhan Rane) comes to stay with them and thats when the trouble begins.

    The beauty of the film is how fast paced it is, even though it is more than two hours long. The story begins with a bang, slows down but not too slow in the middle, and then ends with a not to unexpected ending.

    The downside of the film is really the acting. It’s very evident that the writer has written a strong and thoughtful script but the acting is flat and the chemistry between all the characters is blah at best. Rani is the weakest link with the biggest role. Despite being the hero (and somewhat the villain) of the story, Taapsee’s acting leaves you yawning in the middle and asking, ‘is that the best she can do’ near the end. The only character that comes close to his role is Vikrant as Rishu.

    Despite the slow drawl in the middle, the storyline is solid and the movie is definitely worth a watch. But in the end you will wonder if star actors had taken on the role, what an actual big blockbuster it could be.

    Watch the trailer here:

  • Arjun Kapoor praises Pakistanis for offering help to India

    Actor Arjun Kapoor who’s movie Sardar ka Grandson has been recently released talked about Pakistan and India’s relationship in a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama. He praised Pakistan and also mentioned gestures of love India had received from the people of Pakistan during the current COVID-19 crisis.

    “You should not forget that in the time of need [Covid-19 crisis], there was a helping hand and that should be respected in the bigger picture,” Arjun said.

    “This is one such time when emotions have resonated and people are coming together and leaving aside borders and whatever the political scenario might have been, one or two years back,” he added.

     “Except for cricket, we have friendship and I just hope that friendship is kept alive and maintained,” he said while talking about the relationship between both countries.

    He continued by saying, “Today, the obstacles are more; I hope some obstacles get eradicated. I can just hope and pray that the distance and vacuum that has been created go away and we are able to co-exist in peace.”

    Sardar ka Grandson also stars Rakul Preet Singh and Neena Gupta alongside Arjun Kapoor in lead roles and was released on May 18. It is “a story of a romance that spans seven decades and two countries, a story of sub-continental hustling and earthy ingenuity, a story of victory against impossible odds.”

  • Richa Chadha’s ‘Madam Chief Minister’ is ambitious

    Richa Chadha’s ‘Madam Chief Minister’ is ambitious

    After the success of Sacred Games and Mirzapur, political and crime thrillers set in the corridors of power have become a thing in Bollywood. Indian politics has a history of being mired in plenty of controversy, drama and action and provides ample inspiration for gripping political dramas – one that will keep audiences engaged throughout the runtime.

    Madam Chief Minister featuring Richa Chaddha in the lead is the latest political drama to come out of Bollywood and while it may not be able to match the class and finesse of Raajneeti or Tandav, it follows closely behind and is an entertaining watch, though a little devoid of logic at places.

    Set in Uttar Pradesh (UP), Madam Chief Minister follows an ambitious, young Dalit woman Tara Roopram (Chaddha) and her journey to becoming the Chief Minister of India’s most populous province. However, it doesn’t stop there. The film also shows Tara as she manoeuvres the ‘kursi‘ battling misogynist and racist allies and opposition.

    According to reports in the Indian media, the plot of the film has been loosely inspired by the life and political career of Mayawati, India’s first Dalit chief minister. Dalits are a marginalised community and a Scheduled Caste in India and are considered to be ‘untouchables’. She was also the youngest chief minister in the history of UP and her rise in the world of politics was referred to as a “miracle of the democracy” by former Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao. Other characters, including Tara’s mentor Master Surajbhan (Saurabh Shukla) have also been inspired by Maya’s close associates. Master Surajbhan’s character has purportedly been based on the founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party Kanshi Ram. Nonetheless, creative liberty has been taken and Tara was given a husband, though Mayawati chose to remain unmarried.

    Mayawati with Sonia Gandhi

    While Chadda gave a solid performance as Tara and shouldered the role well, it was Manav Kaul, who shines as Danish Rehman Khan, Tara’s secretary and later husband. His performance, especially in the second half of the film was strong.

    Written and directed by Shubash Kapoor, Madam Chief Minister is ambitious given how the makers tried to squeeze a lot into just two hours. The writing was weak with too many jumps, leaving plenty to be desired. However, it was entertaining, gripping and feel-good – especially where seeing a woman shine in the male-dominated world of politics is concerned.

    On a parting note, the film doesn’t appear to have a very high budget which makes you wonder why Pakistan does not attempt to produce such thrillers. Not only are they entertaining but they also subtly pass messages and challenge societal norms.

    Madam Chief Minister is currently trending in the top 10 on Netflix Pakistan.

  • #BegumsforBegums: Pooja Bhatt sends love to Pakistani journalists

    #BegumsforBegums: Pooja Bhatt sends love to Pakistani journalists

    Pooja Bhatt has sent love to Pakistani journalists Mehmal Sarfaraz, Benazir Shah, Reema Omer and Natasha Zai for appreciating her latest web series Bombay Begums. The four journalists host the Aurat Card, a wide-ranging show which discusses everything from politics to Netflix, from a female perspective.

    “Thank you Begums. Loved this,” said Pooja, while responding to their review on the series.

    In another tweet, the Bollywood actor, while talking about the Pakistani journalists, said: “Asli Begums toh yeh hain!”

    The actor also coined the hashtag ‘#BegumsforBegums’ for the hosts of the Aurat Card.

    Bhatt also thanked fashion designer Deepak Perwani for appreciating her performance, saying: “Thank you my friend. Means so much coming from you.”

    Featuring Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash, Plabita Borthakur and Aadhya Anand besides Bhatt, Bombay Begums is a series about five women from different parts of society trying to get ahead in modern Mumbai, formerly called Bombay. Bhatt plays Rani in the series, who is the CEO of The Royal Bank of Bombay. A former bank teller from Kanpur, Rani is a self-made woman who has seen the dark side of life. The show deals with a variety of issues faced by women, including menstruation, menopause, sexual harassment, fertility issues and infidelity.

    The show earlier ran into controversy after India’s National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) demanded a ban on the show for normalising minors indulging in casual sex and drug abuse and objected to a scene showing “minors having cocaine”.

    Bombay Begums released on International Women’s Day (March 8) on Netflix and was trending at the number one spot in Pakistan for a few weeks.

  • India child rights body demands ban on ‘Bombay Begums’ for showing ‘minors having cocaine’

    India child rights body demands ban on ‘Bombay Begums’ for showing ‘minors having cocaine’

    An Indian government agency for protecting child rights has asked Netflix Inc to immediately stop streaming its new drama series Bombay Begums after it reviewed complaints around scenes showing children consuming drugs.

    According to details, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), in a letter to Netflix, asked the streaming giant to investigate the matter and submit a report within 24 hours or face further action.

    The NCPCR took action based on a complaint which alleged that the series normalises minors indulging in casual sex and drug abuse and objected to a scene showing “minors having cocaine”.

    “The series with this type of content will not only pollute the young minds of children, and may also result in abuse and exploitation of children,” the NCPCR notice said, adding “Netflix should take extra precaution while streaming any content in respect of the children or for the children and shall also refrain from getting into such things,” the commission said in its notice.

    Netflix did not respond to a request for comment.

    Featuring Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash, Plabita Borthakur and Aadhya Anand, Bombay Begums is a series about five women from different parts of society trying to get ahead in modern Mumbai, formerly called Bombay.

    The controversy is the latest to hit video streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in India, where they have faced complaints also around promoting obscenity or hurting religious sentiments. Industry executives say such complaints go against freedom of speech and expression in the country.

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    A member of India’s ruling party’s youth wing last year lodged a police complaint against Netflix objecting to scenes in the series A Suitable Boy showing a Hindu girl kissing a Muslim boy against the backdrop of a Hindu temple.

    Amazon recently became embroiled in legal cases following allegations that its political drama Tandav depicts Hindu gods in a derogatory manner.

    Several users on Friday tweeted their objections and support for the new Netflix show, making #BombayBegums a top trend on the microblogging website.

    “If your child is influenced to do drugs by scenes in which a young girl does cocaine … You need to talk to your child, not the show,” Twitter user Sahir said.

  • Netflix India announces star-studded lineup for 2021

    Netflix India has announced that it would release 41 shows and films in India this year, calling the move its “next big leap” in the world’s second-most populous nation India, where video streaming services have become more popular.

    According to details, Netflix’s new roster includes 41 titles featuring Bollywood actors, stand-up comedy shows and original series. Most shows will be in the Hindi language.

    The upcoming content will feature top Bollywood actors including Madhuri Dixit, Kartik Aryan, Sonakshi Sinha, Karan Johar, Manoj Bajpayee, R. Madhavan, and Raveena Tandon.

    “We are taking our next big leap in India,” said Netflix while announcing the news, adding that the upcoming lineup “features more variety and diversity than we have seen before”.

    India, whose Bollywood film industry makes more productions each year than Hollywood, remains a challenging market for the streaming services.

    Amazon’s Prime Video has become embroiled in legal cases and police complaints over a political drama Tandav deemed offensive to Hindu religious sentiments. The streaming platform apologised to viewers over some scenes.

    Earlier this year, Netflix announced that it will release more than 70 movies this year across comedy, drama, family and other genres, a lineup that underscores the streaming service’s growing prominence in the film business. It added that it plans to release a new movie every week for the entire year of 2021.

  • Parineeti Chopra appreciates makeup artist Natasha’s recreation of her look

    Parineeti Chopra has appreciated Pakistani makeup artist Natasha Ali Lakhani’s recreation of her look from her latest film The Girl on the Train. The Bollywood actor shared the tutorial of Natasha’s look on her Instagram story.

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    Sharing screenshots of Parineeti’s story, Natasha wrote: “When Parineeti Chopra reposts the recreation that I did of her look in her latest movie The Girl on the Train.”

    “I know it’s shameless self promotion but so fun,” she added.

    Earlier, Natasha also shared pictures of the recreation on social media along with the reason why she decide to recreate this look.

    Natasha said that she was inspired by a fellow makeup artist to recreate the look and also wanted to do it for fun.

    “I went back to my roots as an editorial makeup artist and other than the makeup created fake wounds/blood/bruising and I loved the end result,” wrote Natasha.

    The Girl on the Train is the Hindi remake of a 2016 Hollywood film featuring Emily Blunt, which was an adaption of Paula Hawkins’ bestselling novel. The movie released on February 26 on Netflix. The cast of the movie includes Aditi Rao Hydari and Kirti Kulhari, besides Parineeti.