So you wanna watch something…
Anek: Gather round Ayushmann Khurrana fans. He’s back in a new flick that’s very different from his recent small-town comedies. In Anubhav Sinha’s action thriller, he plays an undercover agent on assignment in the North East—no, the actual state is not specified. The movie looks at the thorny question of identity, patriotism and belonging—set in the volatile politics of the region. Also notable: Naga model Andrea Kevichusa makes her debut as Aido. The Guardian calls it “a welcome departure from the nationalistic jingoism that has ruled Hindi cinema”—and praises Khurrana’s “nicely understated performance.” You can also check out The Telegraph’s interview with Khuranna. Catch ‘Anek’ in theatres today.
Top Gun: Maverick: This is the weekend for big releases—and they don’t come bigger than a sequel to one of Tom Cruise’s most popular movies. He plays the same character—fighter pilot ace Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell—who has been called in to train a new generation of hotshots. The film is, predictably, a nostalgia-fest—with Maverick reconnecting with his old buddy Iceman (Val Kilmer). Also in the picture: His new boss (Jon Hamm) and ex-girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly).
According to Washington Post, “this is a movie that defines its lane early and sticks to it, with finesse, unfussy style and more than a few sneak attacks of emotion” and praises Cruise’s commanding and generous performance. CNN says the movie nimbly mixes nostalgia and full-throttle action, “soars higher than it has any right to, constructing a mostly terrific sequel 36 years later.” Oh and everyone agrees that this is a movie best appreciated at the theatre. So head on out this weekend.
Toolsidas Junior: In a cricket-crazy nation, it is brave to make a movie about a 15-year snooker prodigy (Varun Buddhadev) who sets out to win a trophy for his father—the late Rajiv Kapoor—who lost heart after losing to his nemesis played by Dalip Tahil. His coach is a now-reclusive former national champion Mohammed Salaam (Sanjay Dutt). Hindustan Times acknowledges the plot is all-too-familiar, but says it never gets boring: “it manages to stay fresh by steering clear of stereotypes and tropes. The characters are well-rounded, the writing crisp, the dialogue natural, and the performances measured.” You can catch it on Netflix.
A list of good reads
- BBC News reports on climate “doomism”—the belief the world has already lost the battle against global warming—and the people who are trying to fight it.
- In one sense, humanity is indeed doomed—when the earth becomes a super-continent millions of years in the future. Popular Mechanics looks at the distant future of our planet. It’s both cool and alarming.
- The Guardian has an important piece on rape and abuse in garment factories in Tamil Nadu—and why forcing global brands to pull their business actually hurts their women workers.
- Also in The Guardian: An amusing guide to taking the perfect profile pic for Tinder.
- Stat News looks at those other viruses which were on a hiatus during the pandemic—and are now back, and behaving in all sorts of unexpected ways.
- Harnidh Kaur in Vogue takes ‘second brain’ apps—like Notion, Roam, Mem, Obsidian and Coda—for a spin to test if they actually do make her more productive.
- Scroll reports on how caste threads are spawning deadly conflicts in Tamil Nadu schools.
- A BBC News investigation—based on secret documents—reveals the horrific truth about life in ‘educational’ camps in Xinjiang.
- The News Minute has a thought-provoking piece about the ideal female victim—and why the dowry death of a bright, upper caste woman sparks more sympathy than others.
- Mel Magazine asks an important question: Why do male action figure toys all look like they’re, um, jerking off?
