Miss Shetty Mr. Polishetty

Those who make films are always looking for a new angle to an old story.  Romances are pretty popular, but there are few new angles.  "Miss Shetty Mr. Polishetty" (2023) try an odd duo with a master chef and a would be stand up comedian.  But another twist is the heart of the plot.  She wants to get pregnant, but not be burdened with a marriage.  He gets hooked pretty bad, but she is adamant.

Psychology plays a role only a little different from other romances.  If romances were straight forward, after a few they would be boring, but this one is not.

It takes a number of talented people to pull off such a romance film.  Here are some.

Mahesh Babu Pachigolia as director and writer.  This is his first movie as director/writer.  Previously he had a credit for camera and electrical department.

Radhan and Gopi Sundar combined for the music.  Radhan has 24 composing credits and wrote the songs including ""Arjun Reddy" (2017).  Gopi Sundar wrote the background score with 173 composing credits including "Chennai Express" (2013), "Bangalore Days" (2014) and "Uyare" (2019).  Check http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/09/arjun-reddy-and-kabir-singh.html  and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/03/bangalore-days.html

Nirav Shah was responsible for cinematography.  He has 47 film credits including "Super Deluxe" (2019).

Kotagiri Venkatheshwara, the editor has 157 credits including "Eega" (2012) and " Baahubali 2:  The Conclusion" (2019).

Anushka Shetty is the Miss Shetty of the story.  She has 53 film credits including  "Baahubali 2:  The Conclusion" (2019).  She is also a yoga instructor.

Naveen Polishetty is the Mr. Polishetty of the story.  He has 15 film credits including "Chhichhore" (2019).  Check  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/03/chhichhore-is-for-losers-ie-most-of-us.html

Murli Sharma plays the father of Mr. Polishetty.  Murli has 157 film credits including:  "Jaane Tu...Ya Jannne Na" (2008), "Badliapur" (2015), "Ala Vankunthapuramubo" (2020) and "Major" (2022).  He has been in Hindi, Tamil, Telegu, Marathi and Malayalam films.

Romances require happy endings and this one does deliver.  Humans are various and when you combine them in different ways you (sometimes) get different results.

Available on Neflix subtitled with  the original Telegu language.

Bangalore Days

This film was just supposed to be one paragraph on a larger theme, but it has been so engrossing I would like to specifically recommend this one for those who like such things as a well constructed movie with a happy ending.  It was a cross between a dramatic and comedic romance.  To me there was a unique twist which I won't reveal as well as the usual complications in romances.  There was also a play between modernism and tradition.  Available through Prime, the dialogue is in Malayalam with subtitles.

A young woman is coerced into meeting a prospective groom, although neither feels ready.   A plot tool is used to change their minds and later occurs for another slightly different change of heart.  She has two close male cousins, one of whom already lives in Bangalore (the destination of the newlyweds) and the other is keen for new adventures with his two youthful companions.  The groom is polite and considerate, but not too interested in consummating the relationship.  The three cousins entertain each other to the annoyance of the husband.  The adventuresome cousin turns out to be a motocross competitor who has been banned from racing for a year.  In a round about way he learns about the groom's history and tells the bride.  He meets a woman who gained his interest as a radio host but isn't what he expected.  Complications of course neatly and somewhat uniquely resolved. 

Writer/director Anjali Menon actually grew up in Kerala, but spent part of childhood in Dubai, finished high school in Kerala and later studied television production and joined the London Film School.  An early film, she wrote was, "Hotel Ustad" (2012).  She went on to adapt a script from the Marathi original, write and produce "Koode" (2018) another well worth watching movie.

Gopi Sundar has over 140 credits as a film composer and has served as a music director and playback singer.  Some of his films include "Uyare" (2017), "Chennai Express" (2013), "Pulimurugan" (2016), and "Take-off" (2017). 

Cinematography was handled by Sameer Thahir who has also been directing, writing and co-producing "Sudani from Nigeria" (2018).

Editing done by Praveen Prabhakar had also edited "Ustad Hotel" and "Koode."

Sophia Paul,  co-producer  this was her first film but has since gone onto produce more Malayalam films.

Anwar Rasheed, the other co-producer had directed "Ustad Hotel."  This was also his first film as a producer and gone on to produce 4 more films.

Actress  Nazriya Nazim played the main character who got married, moved to Bangalore where she was joined by her two cousins.  She played a twist I have never seen before.  She won best actress award for this role from the Kerala State Film Awards.  She went on to produce "C U Soon" (2020) and "Kumbalangi Nights" (2019).

Nivin Pauly plays one of the three cousins who works in software in Bangalore, but is looking for a traditional Malayi girl.  He has over 40 actor credits since 2010 and has started getting involved with producing.  He also acted in a movie, currently watching, "Om Shanthi Oshaana (2014).

Dulquer Salmaan  played the adventuresome cousin.  In real life he is a son of the famous Mammootty.  Schooled in Kerala, Chennai and graduated from Purdue University.  His first film was "Hotel Ustad" for which he won a debut award.  Others of his films include "OK Kanmani" (2015), "Charlie" (2015) and "Solo" (2017).  He is also a director of the Bangalore based Motherhood Hospital

Fahadh Faasil played the groom.   He started his film career with a head start as his father was a Malayalam director and gave him a role at age 19 in 2002.  Unfortunately it was a commercial failure and Fahadh opted to complete his education in the United States.  He made his comeback in 2009 with "Kerala Cafe."  Since then he has been very busy with films including:  "Take Off" (2017),  "Njan Prakashan" (2018),  "Super Deluxe" (2019,) "Kumalangi Nights" (2019)) and "C U Soon" (2020).

Parvathy Thiruvothu has become one of my favorite actresses.  Some of her films include  "Qarib Qarib Single" (2017), "Take Off (2017) "Uyare" (2019) and "Virus" (2019).  My most recent blog on one of her movies, http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/02/take-off-brutality-in-tikrit.html

Isha Talwar played the match for Niven Pauley.  This was her tenth movie and she went on to do "Tubelight" (2017), and "Haar Kisse Ke Hisse Kamyaab" (2018) 

As part of my background research I watched two other movies written by Anjali Menon with some of the same cast and crew.  " Hotel Ustad" (2012), "Koode" (2018) were each excellent films and I am looking forward to future films involving these people.  All these films are part of a bigger project on Malayalam cinema which should appear in another week or so.

As I like to do I have bolded the movies I have seen for the first listing.

"Take Off" Brutality in Tikrit

The title "Take Off" is taken from the end of the movie when the horror is finally relieved and the victims take off for home.  It is a brutal movie about an unfortunate time in world history.  It recreates events of 2014 when ISIS captured Tikrit trapping several nurses and follows through to the rescue of 19 Mayali nurses.

Throughout the movie the nurses are asked why they want to go to Iraq.  One young nurse explained that her parents borrowed money for her education, but after graduation her salary would not cover the interest.  The main character, Sameera has divorced her husband, told by her father not to go, married a fellow nurse and shortly after learned she is pregnant.  Complicating matters she has a son who is scheduled to visit her in Iraq during his vacation.  At the time her first husband who is nice enough explains that he has had some major setbacks in his business and says their son should stay with her.  The son is mystified and then rebellious seeing his mother's new "friend."  Her son is part of the experience and is accepting of his new circumstances.  At one point he is the one who saves the whole group because he can finish a verse from Qu'ran used to test if all the nurses were Muslim (they weren't).

The viewer is confronted with violence when the nurses first arrive in Tikrit.  We see torn limbs, bloodied faces and chaos in the space.  ISIS takes over the hospital and we encounter random violence and the nurses enduring the whims of fanatics.  The nurses are trapped.  Not only are they needed for the ISIS soldiers they are also seen as a shield.  Diplomatic negotiations take place involving India and Saudi Arabia before with the aid of subterfuges.  Only Sameera is Muslim and speaks Arabic and is counted on to organize and coach the other nurses.  She is motivated to reunite with her husband who has been caught up at another ISIS camp and cannot be located.  The key negotiator decided he must lie to Sameera to keep her motivated.

If you have a weak stomach you will find much of this movie very difficult.  Personally the random violence is what freaks me out the most.  

The main dialogues in the movie are in Malayalam with English subtitles, but there are significant conversations in English and some words in Arabic (with Malayalam subtitles).

Mahesh Narayan was director, writer and co-editor.  After graduating from film school he started editing advertisements, than documentaries, then feature films.  He ventured from his native Malaylam language to successfully deal with Tamil, Telegu and Hindi films.  He edited "Traffic" (Malayalm version 2011),  "Traffic" (Hindi version 2017), and Uyare (2019).  He turned to writing and directing with this film to continue those two roles in subsequent films.   He produced, wrote, directed, edited and used a virtual camera for "C U Soon" "Uyare" was my second favorite film seen in 2019.  Read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/08/uyare-unexpected-gem.html

Shaan Rahman shared music duties with Gopi Sundar.  Shaan won an award in 2015 for most streamed film song.   Gopi's career included backup singer and music director.  He wrote for "Uyare" and won a best background score for this movie.  He composed music for "C U Soon."

Sanu John Varughese handled the cinematography.  He had worked on such films as "Karthik Calling Karthik" (2010), "Hasee Toh Phasee" (2014), "Wazir" (2016) and has gone onto to do "Badhaal Ho" (2018)

Parvathy  Thiruvothu who plays Sameera is a prolific  award winner including for this film.  Some of her films include  "Qarib Qarib Single" (2017),"Uyare" (2019) and"Virus" (2019).   She is an amazing actress becoming one of my favorites.

Fahadh Faasil played the key negotiator  for the India Embassy who despite criticism made the right choices.   He started his film career with a head start as his father was a Malayalam director and gave him a role at age 19 in 2002.  Unfortunately it was a commercial failure and Fahadh opted to complete his education in the United State.  He made his comeback in 2009 with "Kerala Cafe."  Since then he has been very busy with films including:  "Bangalore Days"  (2014), "Njan Prakashan" (2018),  "Super Deluxe" (2019) and "C U Soon" (2020).

Kunchacko Boban played Sameera's second husband, also a nurse who went to Iraq and got separated by being sent to Mosul.  In his first film Kunchacko became an instant teenage heart throb and continued his popularity in romantic films till he himself graduated from college and sought more serious roles with depth.  He appeared in "Traffic" (2011) and "Virus" (2019).

Prakash Belawadi played a senior member of the Indian Embassy.  He has been in films with many different languages including:  in Hindu, "Talvar" (2015), "Airlift" (2016), "Wazir" (2016) and "Sanju" (2018); in Kannada, ""Aatagara (2015) and "India vs. England" (2020); in Telegu. "Saaho" (2019); and in Tamil, "Soorarai Pottru" (2020).

At the time of viewing I was only able to catch it on Hotstar.  One of those treasures hard to reach without the connections.

UYARE, AN UNEXPECTED GEM

If it wasn't for Netflix I would never have been aware of the existence of "Uyare."  I revisited the original  trailer to see if I recalled it correctly.  There definitely was an element that motivated me to see it--a high rating and the subject of a woman in India piloting an airplane seemed unusual enough to want to know more.  I anticipated there would be obstacles and the trailer hinted at an unhappy romance.  If you looked very closely (less than 1 second screen time) you might have been prepared for the mid film surprise that formed the main dramatic tension.  So I will try to respect the intention of the marketing people so you can be jolted like I was and perhaps appreciate the movie better.

The rating --at the time 8.2 is an indication of a superior movie, but the trailer underplayed the drama.  There is not much romance, but there is tension.  The professional quality raises it above what an outsider might anticipate in a regional Indian language, Malayalam.

Palavi, as a young girl is fascinated with flying and tells her father she wants to be a pilot and after awhile he takes her seriously and supports her.  As a young adult she earns her pilot license.

The only real romance in the film is a dud almost from the beginning as the heroine has loyalty to a chauvinistic man with problems.  Eventually she gets tired of his demands and verbally breaks off the relationship, but he is bitter and takes revenge in a violent way.  For the rest of the movie he occasionally re appears, not to ask for forgiveness, but to make her life more aggravating.

How she deals with a disfigurement is the crux of the story.  At first she is discouraged and her license is revoked.  Her friends are supportive, but only through some flukey circumstances she gets a breakthrough chance to be a airline hostess and you might guess later she gets to rescue a airplane headed for disaster.  The story is more than that.  There seems to be a chance at a romance, but she squashes it.  What keeps her going is the support of friends and especially one man, who was strongly criticized by his father, but defies him and others.

What sustains your attention is the lead actress, Parvathy Thiruvothu.   Before getting into films she had been popular as a tv anchor for a phone in program. Appeared mostly in films in the Malayalam language, but has appeared opposite Dhanush in a Tamil film and opposite, Irrfan Khan in a Hindi film,  "Qarib Qarib Singile"  She has been a big winner in regional awards.  In an IMDB feature asking what her favorite films she listed two of mine-- "A Separation" and "The Secret in their Eyes" specifically the Argentine version.  But she especially likes any film with Jake Gyllenhaal.

Her key supporter is played by Tuvino Thomas educated as a software engineer.  He was born a Syrian Catholic.  Also a regional award winner who is popular and busy, but mostly in Malayalam films.  He plays a sort of irresponsible son of a wealthy man who wants to prove himself and does take a dicey risk.

Asif Ali plays the boyfriend who you quickly come to dislike.  Generally he plays more likeable characters, but does well in this role.  He has produced two movies.

Siddique plays her father.  His career started in 1985 and he has appeared in at least two noteworthy films.  The original version of "Drishyam" (I blogged the Bollywood copy: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/11/driishyam-bollywood-remake-masterpiece.html) and was the lead in "Naa Bansaare Talli" a Telegu film about sex trafficking with a twist highlighted in my year end movie review for 2018.  He also has produced two movies.

Manu Ashokan, the director with his first feature.  He had been an associate director for the Bollywood version of "Traffic."

Bobby and Sanjay were a writing team involving the director and editor they brought everything together.  A highlight of the movie is started in the opening scenes, but without the necessary context that comes in dribs and drabs over the course of the film.  Soon you are introduced to the heroine as a young girl and quickly she grows up to a college student and some of her conflict with her boyfriend.

Editing keeps the story flowing under the guidance of Manesh Narayan.  Manesh started with Malayalam films, winning an award with his first.  He has done significant films in Tamil, Telegu and Hindi languages.  In 2017 he directed and co-wrote, "Take-off" that won awards for himself and the film.

Music by Gopi Sundar.  Music in the background is enjoyable.  Shakthisree Gopalan was a factor in my decision to watch this movie and she sings one song.

Cinematography was handled by Mukesh Muraleedharan.  This was his third film in charge after years of various tasks in the camera department.

It was released in India in April of this year and was listed on Netflix in August.  I am sure it will be nominated for awards.  This was the first Malayalam film released in South Korea.

If you fear watching a movie in a language you might not have heard of please be assured with subtitles you will soon be gripped.  It is very professional.  A post on regional films from India:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/01/regional-films-from-india.html