Biriyaani

My heading is not an overstatement. For the first time in an Indian movie you get to witness the kind of mind numbing savagery we saw in Irreversible or Martyrs or I stand Alone. It's not the gore but the remorseless execution by the director and unbelievable performances by an almost completely rookie cast. The story focuses on the misfortunes of Khadeeja who is from a very backward family, uneducated and a burden for her somewhat well to do husband and in-laws. Once her missing brother is accused of joining Isis her life turns upside down. She's divorced, abandoned and ostracized by the religious bigwigs. With a mentally ill mother at her disposal and left to fend for themselves Khadeeja takes on the society on her own terms. I don't want to further spoil the following mayhem. Keeping apart all the kudos the film has , its director has a political agenda and it's definitely right wing. The director very subtly establishes the existence of the love jihad propaganda through a muezzin or a Muslim cleric who is the greatest living socialist, who calls prostitution just another job. On a cinematic plain it's effective but in the current scenario many will find it offending. The star of the movie Kani Kusruthi is a volcano. She just gobbles up every challenge thrown at her with the nonchalance of flowing lava. Looking forward to more movies from this real 'lady superstar'

Raw, unconventional , bold, disturbing take on social stigma, religious oppression. Not everybody would appreciate this and might even offend few but gusty outing . Director tried to shed light on multiple topics but not completely fleshed out yet succeeded in showing his intentions through Kani Kusruti who brilliantly portrayed her role, hastoff for accepting a role like this. The final act is really unexpected and changed the entire mood of the film, if we keep this act aside, rest of the movie is just ok. But, that climax act gonna change your view on the film as it made me to praise it more. Check it out!!!

Just like the name signifies, this mind-blowing at the same time, disturbing film has kept a bunch of visual explosions of flavors keeping the viewers at awe. Choosing an unconventional and raw narrative style to unfold the banal story of religiously oppressed humanity, the film has made an exceptionally bold attempt to expose the sexual perceptions prevalent even in the current era. The film realistically showcases how society has become metaphorically blind and made each and every woman incapable of leading an independent life. The story is narrated putting Khadeeja, the protagonist in perspective, representing her as a victim of a patriarchal social situation and her grave situation is enhanced by the fanatic religious customs. The film has done a wonderful job in detailing how religious acts have evolved in favour of men and helped to build a patriarchal society. Even the sexual practices have to be done adhering to some dump customs which are no way connected to the pleasure gained from it. And, here too, women have to face terrible consequences if they do otherwise. Just like in 'The great Indian kitchen', here the protagonist is reaching a breaking point and breaking all the invisible chains to gain her sexual freedom. But, whether she has gained that freedom that she wanted for so long is still questionable. By showcasing this, the film is telling how extensive and deep the patriarchy is rooted in our society. The final scenes draw out Khadeeja's wish and dream , unattained and far-fetched and reminds us how adamant the conservative chains are. This movie is surely something we have not experienced even in Indian cinema and of course, it's disturbing to see some of the movie scenes which are not generally recommended to normal cinema viewers. But, the fact is that reality is even more haunting than this fictional piece of art.

Realistic and Bold undoubtedly. Rare one. Good watch.

The story revolves around a mother and daughter living in a coastal area trying to cope with certain events that affect their lives. The film will reflect some contemporary events which we are very familiar with. The story is told through the point of view of Kani's character Khadeeja. Without going much into it, I would say terrorism is one of its key themes. What would a mother and daughter do when they are faced with a difficult, scandalous situation? That's the crux of the story.The actress KANI wins the best actress award in Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF) 2020 October.