Exclusive Premium Content
Insha Is A Goodhearted but Dull Story Of Humanism

Insha(Neestream , Malayalam)
Starring Prathana Sandeep, Directed by Siju Vijayan
Rating: **
Sometimes the best of intentions can go to waste, specially if you have no backup hardware for your emotions. Insha is heartfelt emotionally flush but finally too aimless and dull to put forward the dreams and yearnings of a 13-year old girl, well played by young Prathana Sandeep.
At the cusp of puberty, one would expect the girl’s immobile condition to secrete a chaos of dreams and yearnings. But none of that. No curiosity about life and, ahem, sex. All Insha wants is to see the sea. Just a hop away from the ocean , her wheelchair-bound existence has robbed her of all rights to step out of her home. Her bully of an uncle who (could do with some tutoring in child rearing) wouldn’t hear of Insha taking an afternoon out with her supportive friends who then have to plan her secret outing lest Uncleji gets to know.
It is baffling why Insha would not be allowed to go out with her friends specially when they are so caring and attentive. The director constructs his case for Insha’s “normal” joys on inexcusably shaky grounds. The child actors playing Insha’s chums are so cloying in their sweetness that the mood of the proceedings begins to get progressively annoying.
By the time a tragic turning-point is reached in the lifeless plot, it is too late to breathe fire into the dying embers .Tragically a film founded on the noblest of intentions resembles propaganda for the paraplegic associations’ annual fund-raising event. Insha’s desire to witness the waves(after seeing the seas) is so mundane it makes no sense to make it the central crisis of a plot woefully bereft of real drama
The acting is largely of the so-what-is-my-next-line variety . There is little resonance or lucidity in the characters .And that that includes Insha’s kind grandmother and forever-hysterical mother. A female teacher keeps dropping in with sugary homilies. She has no idea how to improve the girl’s restricted movement so she can fly higher that fate willed.Not even a warning to the bullying uncle.
At the end life seems to have worked out well for Insha.We see her blissfully settled with a partner(her childhood chum), the coveted sea-view at her toes .Barring the girl who plays the title role the children though natural are sadly devoid of charisma. The film is turgid in tone and severely restricted in its persuasions.Somewhat like the protagonist in her wheelchair.
Exclusive Premium Content
Jamuna Had A Love-Hate Relationship With Bollywood

Veteran Telugu actress Jamuna who passed away on Friday, shared an uneasy relationship with the Hindi film industry.She did eleven Hindi films including the iconic Milan in 1967 where Jamuna agreed to play the second lead, or the supporting role if you will, to Nutan.
Jamuna as Gauri was the Other Woman who craved for the hero Sunil Dutt’s attention whereas he had eyes and devotion only for Nutan. In later years Aruna Irani played a similar role in Caravan.
In Milan Jamuna was not keen to do a supporting role. Producer L V Prasad tempted her with three chartbusting songs. Besides, Jamuna had played the same role in Mooga Manasulu, the Telugu original of Milan. But it was the songs composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal which convinced Jamuna to take up the second lead in Milan.
While Nutan had no solo songs in Milan, she did have the chartbuster duet Sawan ka mahina . Jamuna on the other hand, had two splendid Lata Mangeshkar solos: Tohey saawariya naahin khabariya and the magnificent Ghazal Aaj dil pe koi zor chalta nahin.Not only these, Jamuna also had a hit duet with Mukesh based on her character Gauri: Bol Gauri bol tera kaun piya.
But then, fate intervened. After the film released one of Jamuna’s solos, the poignant and memorable Aaj dil pe koi zor chalta nahin was snipped out of the film.
Here is what happened: the Ghazal , one of Lataji’s all-time greats, was very much a part of Milan when it released on 17 March 1967. But then it was seen to hamper the flow of the film and edited out. The beautiful song occurred right after intermission. Producer Prasad, a shrewd filmmaker, got to know that audiences prolonged their loo breaks as there was a song after the break. Hence the sacrifice of a seriously sonorous melody.
Jamuna hardly did Hindi films after Milan. Her last Bollywood appearance was in Raj Kumar Kohli’s Raj Tilak where she was lost in a multistarrer as the royal queen.
Exclusive Premium Content
Karan Johar Moves Alia Song From Switzerland To Kashmir

The romantic duet in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani which was to be shot in Switzerland and which was delayed due to the film’s leading lady Alia Bhatt’s motherhood, is now being relocated to Kashmir.
Purely out of the love for new mom Alia.
Says a source in the know, “Karan loves Alia like his own daughter. He would do anything for her. He postponed the release of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani as the love duet could not be shot before Alia’s maternity leave. Karan had decided to shoot the song in Switzerland after Alia’s maternity love. But now he has relocated the song to Kashmir as Alia doesn’t want to leave her baby girl behind for long stretches.”
And as Karan Johar argued, snow is snow. How does it matter whether it is Switzerland or Kashmir?
This song would be Karan Johar’s tribute to his idol Yash Chopra. Alia would be dressed in chiffon sarees while Ranveer, for a change, would be seen in formals.
Exclusive Premium Content
Bobby Deol’s Switchover To Villainous Roles

After Prakash Jha’s webseries Ashram where Bobby played a sleazy godman, and Love Hostel where he was a ruthless assassin, he is playing the villain to Ranbir Kapoor in Sandeep Vanga’s Animal.
Bobby says it is not conscious career decision to play negative characters but a conscious decision to play interesting characters. “ I don’t look at characters as positive or negative.When I watch films there is always one character that stays with you. I want to play that character.”
Prakash Jha’s Ashram proved a gamechanger for Bobby. He admits finding challenging roles is tough. “I am trying. I am doing Sandeep Vanga’s Animal with Ranbir Kapoor , Parineeti Chopra. Then I am doing the family film Apne 2 which I am very excited about.”
In an earlier interview with this writer Bobby spoke about his long absence from screen before Prakash Jha’s Ashram. “My fans would ask why I wasn’t being seen on the screen.And I couldn’t tell them it was because I wasn’t getting good roles. But my fans stood by me. They gave me the strength to keep looking for the right roles. Thankfully I found the roles I liked. My new films have given me some new fans. I am thankful I am still here. Yeah , I am in a good space right now.”
Exclusive Premium Content
Pathaan Collects 55 crore nett in India On Day 1

YRF’s Pathaan has apparently wiped out all previous records as it collected 55 crore nett in India and recorded the biggest ever Day 1 for a Hindi film. The total collections of Pathaan on Day One is 57 crore nett (Hindi – 55 crore and dubbed versions 2 crore).
It is the widest Hindi release of all time in India and also the highest grossing 1st Day for a Hindi film.It is also the highest grosser on the first first for a non-holiday release. Pathhan is also the highest opener for Shah Rukh Khan.
Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films, says, “It is a historic day for Indian cinema and we are humbled to see the love and appreciation that is flowing for Pathaan globally. For Pathaan to shatter records in this fashion on a non holiday, just proves that the theatrical business is here to stay, provided we make films that entice people to come to the cinemas to witness a never seen before experience that entertains them thoroughly.“
He adds, “We, at YRF, are thrilled with the start that the film has got across India and we are hopeful that Pathaan brings joy to cine-goers globally in the days to come! Pathaan is the fourth film of our YRF Spy Universe and we are thrilled that we have been able to elevate the cinematic experience of audiences with each film from this franchise. We humbly share this moment with all the stake-holders of the film who have given their blood, sweat and tears to give people a movie-going experience like never before.”
-
Exclusive Premium Content4 days ago
Pathaan Is A Slick Spin On SRK’s Stardom
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Has Mahesh Bhatt Undergone Heart Surgery? Bhatt Clarifies
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
What Happened To Hera Pheri 3?
-
Exclusive Premium Content6 days ago
Would Gautam Tinnanuri’s Film Save Vijay Deverakonda’s Career?
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
On To The Oscar, RRR Team To Focus On Naatu Naatu
-
Exclusive Premium Content5 days ago
Chhatriwali So Earnest Yet So Awful
-
Exclusive Premium Content6 days ago
Hema Malini On Working With Ramesh Sippy
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Mission Majnu: Crossborder Rom-Kaum
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Shashi Kapoor’s Grandson Hosts Special Screening Of His Debut Film For The Kapoor Clan
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Rajamouli Heckling Karan Johar Was One Big Joke
-
Exclusive Premium Content5 days ago
India Shines bright at the Oscars
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Furore In The Censor Board Over Kuttey Cuss Words
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Kashmir Files To Clash With Pathaan
-
Exclusive Premium Content5 days ago
No Leading Lady For Akshay Kumar In C Sankaran Nair Bio-pic
-
Exclusive Premium Content3 days ago
5 Most Relevant Patriotic Songs
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Reena Roy: “I Was Offered Heeramandi”
-
Exclusive Premium Content3 days ago
“Professionally, What A Year It Has Been For Me,” Raveena Tandon On Her Padma Shri
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
To Avoid Questions On Nepotism, Raj Santoshi Keeps His Daughter Out Of Media interactions
-
Exclusive Premium Content3 days ago
Pathaan Collects 55 crore nett in India On Day 1
-
Exclusive Premium Content4 days ago
Will Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan Break All His Previous Records?