Haq: When a Film About Muslim Women Speaks to All Women
For the most part, Haq is not a story only about Muslim women. It is a story about women in general. Almost all of us know someone, married or unmarried, who has been cheated in love. We have seen that heartbreak up close, and we understand the emotional toll it takes. When Shazia feels betrayed,…
Keep ReadingThe Truth Behind Why Bail Was Denied to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam
With the Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam cases once again drawing global attention, especially after Umar Khalid’s father met US politician Zohran Mamdani, it’s the right time to scrutinize why the Supreme Court rejected bail pleas for both activists. The issue has sparked renewed discussion around India’s anti-terror law, the UAPA, and how it is…
Keep ReadingReal Kashmir Football Club on Sony Liv Shows the Power of Football and Hope
I wanted to watch the Real Kashmir Football Club series on Sony Liv the moment the teaser dropped. It felt positive and full of hope. The story promised a future built on progress, peace, and development through football. That feeling stayed with me through the series. I was not disappointed. Real-Life Inspiration While most stories…
Keep ReadingDhurandhar Lingers Long After the Credits Roll
I watched Dhurandhar a few days back, and it has stayed with me ever since. It keeps running in my head – the songs, the action sequences, the passion for the country. The nationalist in me is satisfied. For the first time in a long while, an Indian spy movie moved away from humanizing terrorism.…
Keep ReadingAn Ode to Feminichi Fathima
Feminichi Fathima is a Malayalam movie I had been waiting to watch for a long time. The film received strong appreciation at several film festivals. Many critics also spoke highly of it in their reviews. Now that it has finally released on OTT, the wait feels worth it. After watching the film, I can say…
Keep ReadingWhy ‘The Girlfriend’ Left Me Thinking About Parenting and Love
I started watching the Telugu film The Girlfriend with low expectations. I assumed it would be yet another romantic drama that glorifies toxic relationships and emotional manipulation in the name of love. To my surprise, the movie took a more thoughtful and layered route. Minor spoilers ahead for context The Girlfriend doesn’t just explore unhealthy…
Keep ReadingI Watched Homebound… and Ended Up Thinking About India Beyond the Film
I waited a while before watching Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound on Netflix. Even with glowing reviews and friends urging me to watch it, I knew it wouldn’t be an easy experience. It’s heavy in more ways than one, because the film doesn’t just explore caste discrimination, it also shines a light on the prejudice faced by…
Keep ReadingMunambam Waqf Fight: Will BJP Finally Crack Christian Vote? (Legal Delays Inside)
I recently came across a video featuring an interview with Stalin Devan, the activist managing the legal research and paperwork for Munambam. In this interview with Shajan Skariah, Stalin shares that Father Joshy added him to a WhatsApp group with the Munambam residents and said, “Explain one point from the Act every day in simple…
Keep ReadingRohit Saraf Feels Like Old-School Romance and I Love It
I often find myself missing the old Bollywood romance era. Films by Yash Chopra or early Karan Johar had a kind of magic that is hard to find today. The lead pairs had real chemistry, the kind that made you feel every emotion with them. When they looked at each other with misty eyes, you…
Keep ReadingAn Ode to 9 Thought-Provoking Life Quotes from Bonnie Garmus’s Lessons in Chemistry
I recently came to know that there is an Apple TV series based on Bonnie Garmus’s Lessons in Chemistry. Still, like many book lovers who believe the original story is always better than any adaptation, I chose to read the book first. And I am glad I did. Lessons in Chemistry is warm, quirky, and…
Keep ReadingCo-Ed Season 1 Review: A Warm, Surprising Gem That Won My Heart
It is by chance that I stumbled on the Co-Ed series on Amazon MX Player. The algorithm showed the trailer to me and I thought I would give it a try. I wasn’t expecting much but I was in for a surprise. Co-Ed looks like a simple school drama at first, but it quickly turns…
Keep ReadingNobody Wants This: Exploring Conversion & Interfaith Relationships in India
I recently watched Nobody Wants This Season 2. If you haven’t seen Season 1 of this Netflix series, I really think you should. It deals with a topic that most interfaith love stories never touch — conversion. It’s a sensitive issue, especially among Abrahamic religions. So it felt quite bold that the makers decided to…
Keep ReadingNetflix Movie Spotlight: Baramulla
What defines horror? We often think of ghosts, possessed souls, or strange creatures with no clear form. Yet I realized there’s another type of horror that hits harder. The ones that combine these supernatural ideas with the harsh truths of real life. This is a type of blend that creates an impact, which stays with…
Keep ReadingDating as a Divorced Woman
I recently watched Jovita George’s “Dating After Divorce” video on YouTube. First of all, kudos to her for creating such a video. This kind of content is still not very common, and many women, especially in the Malayalee community, hesitate to talk openly about their divorce stories. So seeing Jovita share her experience really impressed…
Keep ReadingAmazon Prime Spotlight: The Girlfriend
I watched The Girlfriend because most of my married (girl) friends praised it. After seeing it, I understood why. The story includes the classic “evil mother-in-law” angle, which many of them may relate to on some level. What’s It About? A psycho (but beautiful) real estate agent meets her boyfriend’s equally psycho (but rich) mother,…
Keep ReadingMovie Review: Param Sundari
When my mother heard Janhvi Kapoor speak Malayalam in Param Sundari, she said, “That’s how Tamilians in Kerala speak.” So I’m guessing Janhvi’s character in Param Sundari is meant to be Tamilian. She does say a line in Tamil at the beginning, which might be the clue. Still, it’s odd that her ammavan (Renji Panicker)…
Keep ReadingFrom 26/11 to Delhi Blasts: Why the “False Flag” Narrative Must End in India
What surprises me more than the terror attacks in India is the speed with which some Indians dismiss them as “false flag operations.” For instance, a look at the comments under Faye D’Souza’s Instagram post about the Delhi terror blasts shows several users mocking the incident and blaming the Indian government instead of the perpetrators.…
Keep ReadingShort Film Spotlight: Anuja
I was craving to watch a slice-of-life drama. Something simple, not too heavy or filled with dread. I honestly thought Anuja would be intense, given how the synopsis sounded. Plus, it’s a Hindi short film that was an Academy Award nominee. Now, why would I mention the Academy Award nomination like it’s a bad thing?…
Keep ReadingHorror Movie Spotlight: Diés Iraé
Like many, I found the movie’s name, Diés Iraé, tricky to pronounce. I’m quite sure I’m still saying it wrong. But the offbeat name adds to its charm. For those who don’t know, Diés Iraé is Latin for “Day of Wrath.” It’s a term from Christian theology referring to the day when souls are judged.…
Keep ReadingEven Goddesses Have Their Limits: Learning to Walk Away
I’m a divorcee. I have been for many years now. I’ve never hidden this fact. But I also never imagined my marriage would end the way it did. Then again, who does? We all grow up believing our marriages will last forever. I also used to think of myself as a tolerant person, so the…
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The Monkey Dilemma 