padmini movie review 2023

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Senna Hegde

Aparna Balamurali

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'Padmini' review: Senna Hegde delivers yet another light-hearted, innovative film

Senna Hegde, the director of 'Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam', has again delivered a film that is nearly as smooth and innovative as his critically-acclaimed work. 'Padmini' starring Kunchacko Boban, Aparna Balamurali and Madonna Sebastian in the lead, is a fun-filled tale of Rameshan who is jilted by his bride Smrithi on their first night together. Since Smrithi's lover arrives in a Premier Padmini car to elope with her, Rameshan earns the nickname Padmini in his village The taunts subsequently lead to a deep aversion to that name. However, things turn amusing when a teacher named Padmini (played by Madonna) arrives at the same school where he works.

Senna's works, including the 2022 film '1744 White Alto', have a quirkiness that is quite amusing. It's interesting to see how he weaves a narrative from an ordinary setting, which is centered on typical human behaviour and feelings. If elopement amid a wedding function was the theme of 'Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam', '1744 White Alto' had yet another interesting premise, that of a cat-and-mouse investigation involving a man and a car.

'Padmini' too appears as an ordinary feel-good movie, set in a village with the protagonist Rameshan hoping to settle down with a girl who understands him. However, scriptwriter Deepu Pradeep, whose initial work was 'Kunjiramayanam', does a wonderful job exploiting this situation, especially since Rameshan finds it hard to find a bride as it is his second marriage.

Kunchacko Boban, Aparna Balamurali roped in for 'Thinkalazhcha Nischayam' director’s next

Senna Hegde’s next ‘Padmini’ based on a marriage, again? See teaser

The humour initially seems a little silly, especially when Sajin Cherukayil's character Jayan, an entrepreneur who sells mattresses for a living, comes in. However, it soon turns entertaining with each scene complementing the other. Some might wish the climax ended differently, but given that it is an out-and-out entertainer, the quirky ending is fine.

It is also interesting to see how Senna brought in the two elements – a marriage and a car – that were part of his first and second film in 'Padmini'.

The performances of all the actors are quite good, but it is Aparna who steals the show. Her character Sreedevi is a lawyer who deals with divorce cases. Her expressions of disbelief, anger and cuteness are spot on. It's good to see her handle comedy, which was missing from her recent characters. Kunchacko, retains that charm he always exhibits when he plays a romantic guy. Madonna looks refreshing onscreen, adding charm to the whole movie. Though Vincy Aloshious has very little screen-space, she does justice to her role.

Some of the frames by Sreeraj Raveendran are breathtaking, capturing the beauty of the lush paddy fields and surrounding hills the film is set in. The music by Jakes Bejoy goes along with the mood of the film.

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Home » Review » Padmini movie review: Kunchacko Boban and team are delightful in this charming film, blotted only by a terse final act »

Padmini movie review: Kunchacko Boban and team are delightful in this charming film, blotted only by a terse final act

The first hour of Padmini will have the viewer smiling throughout, thanks to Kunchacko Boban and others’ lovely performances

• Sanjith Sidhardhan

Last Updated: 04.34 PM, Jul 14, 2023

Story: Two years after an embarrassing incident that made him the butt of all jokes, to move on, college lecturer Rameshan must revisit people he had left behind and some who left him behind.

Review: Though most of the Malayalam audience might have only got to see two of Senna Hegde’s movies – Thinkalazhcha Nishchyam and 1744 White Alto, by now, you have a fair idea of what to expect when the filmmaker is at the helm, at least in terms of humour. Padmini is also bolstered – in terms of commercial appeal and cast – with a script by Kunjiramayanam writer Deepu Pradeep, and the resultant light-hearted film benefits from all these aspects.

To start off, it’s a welcome comeback for Kunchacko Boban to his ‘chocolate boy’ roots; not exactly as a romantic-hero, but someone with all the love to give but just he can’t seem to find the right person to give it to. And even when he does, the hurdles make it tougher. Seena and Deepu have also peppered the film with references from the actor’s romcom days in the most subtle of manner, be it exchanging of a letter in a library setting, the dance moves or even the song from Kalyanaraman.

Also read: Kunchacko Boban: I used to read Padmini’s script to relax when I was emotionally drained during Ariyippu’s shoot  

The plot is simple. Two years lafter an embarasing incident, Rameshan’s (Kunchacko) life crosses paths with two other women. To move on from a heartbreak he had experienced that also made him the butt of all jokes, he must retrace the people he has tried to leave behind.

How the makers set up the protagonist’s plight and his present in the first half is what makes Padmini, one of the most charming Malayalam films this year. The first hour will have the viewer smiling throughout and that’s not just because of Kunchacko’s lovely performance, but also those of the other characters and their subplots.

For instance, as Aparna Balamurali’s character Sridevi gets ready to see a prospective groom, for whom it’s his second marriage, her mother tells her that at 32 years of age, she shouldn’t have a sky-high criterion of a romantic man, who would suffocate her with love and surprises. Sridevi’s retort is plain and simple, a reminder to the situation of her mother who has been living with her husband for years now, ‘Where is the husband you had married when you were just 18?’

The subplot between Sajin Cherukayil’s hilarious mattress entrepreneur and his prospective bride also adds to the joy element in the movie, which emanates with positive vibes from all of its characters including Madonna Sebastian, Vincy Aloshius and Anand Manmadhan. The film is breezy, but at the same time, it ensures that we feel and cheer for Rameshan. In a scene, you would smile when he smiles after hearing the name that annoyed him the hell out of him, also becomes the reason for him to overcome that shock.

Where the movie does take a predictable route is when Rameshan has to face a predicament. How the characters go about this, though has its moments and changes the relationship dynamics, it doesn’t quite sustain the momentum that the first half had going for it. The abrupt final act also leaves much to be desired.

Kunchacko seems to be so much at ease with Rameshan and that’s why he manages to hook the audience from the very beginning. It’s also a fun outing for Aparna, Vincy and Madonna, who is a refreshing casting choice in the role. Sajin adds to the humour element of the film and is becoming a natural choice to take over the comedian mantle in Malayalam cinema now.

That said, the duration of the movie, which is just two hours long, very few would walk out of theatres unsatisfied. Jakes Bejoy’s music and Sreeraj Raveendran’s soothing visuals, along with the work of the costume department, give it the sunny treatment it warranted to complete the magic.

Verdict: Boosted by Kunchacko Boban, Aparna Balamurali, Madonna Sebastian and Sajin Cherukayil’s performances, Senna Hegde’s Padmini is a definitely one of the best feel-good movies in Malayalam this year, in spite of its terse ending.

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Padmini Movie Review: Light entertainment, well-served 

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

I admit to feeling a bit of trepidation when I saw the promos of Padmini . The first thought was, "This doesn't look like a Senna Hegde film. Why is he doing a 90s-style entertainer?" But aren't we being unfair when we expect the man behind Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam to make the same kind of (*cough* realistic, realistic *cough*) film every time? I admire a filmmaker who dares to try different cinematic exercises each time, the outcome notwithstanding.

Director: Senna Hegde

Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Aparna Balamurali, Madonna Sebastian, Sajin Cherukayil, Vincy Aloshious After the lacklustre crime caper, 1744 White Alto , we find, in Padmini , Hegde's most lighthearted film. I say this because even in the 'feel-good' Thinakalazhcha Nishchayam , there are moments where one or two characters feel glum and become prone to angry outbursts. That's not to say Rameshan (Kunchacko Boban), the college professor in Padmini, doesn't ever feel the blues. He does, but Hegde has couched his predicaments in ample wrappings of humour. And this approach works because Kunchacko Boban (putting on his best charming self) has the backing of well-cast supporting actors adept at balancing Rameshan's 'darkness' with 'light' in the most opportune moments. Padmini has a remarkable quality that some recent Malayalam comedies don't have: the ability to make even the lines spoken by a one-minute character memorable. I don't remember even Romancham , the first big hit of the year, having such lines. I recall almost every background character in Padmini . It's like those 90s films you watch with your folks and then discuss them afterwards and erupt in laughter when you suddenly remember that background character who said something funny (sometimes offscreen). The college principal with a broken nose. The unpaid wedding photographer or his assistant who suddenly feels 'worthy'. The gossiping tea stall patrons. Rameshan's younger brother, who is prone to sudden online 'diversions' in the middle of an important assignment. The funny, well-meaning judge from Malabar (who may or may not be related to the judge from Nna Thaan Case Kodu). Padmini sees Hegde collaborating with Deepu Pradeep, who co-wrote the brilliant Kunjiramayanam. In Padmini, they tread a path never taken before. I liked how a female name -- the film's title -- is given to the male protagonist after an embarrassing incident in the film's opening (I don't want to ruin the surprise). And what happens when a man nicknamed 'Padmini' crosses paths with a woman named Padmini? It isn't the sort of situation Mammootty experienced in the film Hitler, mind you. Rameshan is already going through the pain that afflicts most unmarried males in their 30s. If you are an unmarried male in his 30s, you could find something to take away from it, but Padmini isn't necessarily the kind to aim for intellectual depth. Well, different strokes for different folks and all that. Much of the humour comes courtesy of competent actors like Anand Manmadhan (as Rameshan's brother-in-law and sounding board), Sajin Cherukayil (as an affluent mattress brand owner who owns every scene he is in) -- and, of course, all the characters I mentioned previously. Padmini is also a story of all its women. They are not on the posters for nothing. All three women -- Smrithi (Vincy Aloshious), Sreedevi (Aparna Balamurali), and Padmini (Madonna Sebastian) -- have a role to play in the emotional journey of Rameshan. By 'emotional journey', I'm not implying Padmini is an acting exercise. You won't find Kunchacko Boban bawling his eyes out like Fahadh Faasil in that scene from Maheshinte Prathikaram . Each of these women has reasons for behaving the way they do. Smrithi is the unpredictable, hyperactive sort; Sreedevi is the lawyer with zero success rate but shows up every day in court because survival matters; Padmini is the classy, reserved type burdened by pressures from home. Of course, through the course of the film, one might have certain expectations of which of these women Rameshan would end up with, but going by Kunchacko Boban's recent selection of stories, the predictable route isn't likely, that's for certain. I'm not sure the finale, albeit decent, isn't as effective as the similar trick Hegde did in Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam . But I've no complaints about the actor who makes the cameo appearance. Oh, and the interval and climax 'punch' is certainly worthy of mention. I cracked up. One of the merits of Padmini is its presentation, be it the placement of some comical flourishes or Sreeraj Raveendran's cheerful imagery which doesn't go overboard with the pastels or sunlight. When some of today's Malayalam filmmakers claim to "pay homage" to the 90s, rarely do they get it right. Padmini is the rare kind. 

Where to Watch

Althaf Salim (Siju) Anaswara Rajan Aparna Balamurali (Shreedevi) Madonna Sebastian (Padmini) Kunchacko Boban (Rameshan) Ganapathi (Rahul) Malavika Menon (Laya) Vincy Aloshious (Smrithi) Seema G. Nair (Santha) Sajin Cherukayil (Jayan)

Senna Hegde

A part-time poet and a full-time college teacher Rameshans life take a standstill when an extremely embarrassing situation makes him the target of all jokes.

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Film Review: ‘Padmini’ Through A Feminist Social Lens

Padmini (2023) which made it to the theatres in the first week of July, is the third Malayalam movie of Senna Hegde. He has already established his audience purely by the simplicity of his theme and presentation through his Malayalam debut Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam (2021). Padmini (2023) is a light family entertainer featuring multiple reflections of several social issues especially those surrounding marriage. Owing to its harmless portrayal, the movie is continuing to enrapture the audience without much publicity or advertisement. The movie shares the events in the life of the protagonist Rameshan who had to undergo a tragedy in his first marriage.

Matrimonial crisis

For a country facing severe gap in sex ratio, matrimonial crisis is not new and it is rightly dealt with in the movie which explores the weight of the issue. Therefore, the heroes Rameshan and Jayan, though well settled and eligible bachelors, have to face a tough competition in finding their life partners.  Most of the proposals end up catastrophically and hence it portrays the issues in finding a suitable bride which is often quite depressing.

It is quite reflective of the recent marriage surveys and protests that took place in India- the most recent one taking place Karnataka, when the bachelors took part in a walk to a temple to gather public attention. Female infanticide, demand for dowry and the high criteria for brides including the unrealistic beauty standards pose as grave threats while finding a suitable bride.

Marriage of calculations in Padmini

It was the celebrated English novelist Jane Austen who popularised the term ‘ Marriage of Calculations ’ in her work Pride and Prejudice . The goal of marriage has evolved from the need to find a soulmate to the desire to settle down with a person from a secure background. These types of matings exclude mutual compatibility and above all, the love and self-respect between individuals.

The same issue occurs in the case of Rameshan who marries Smrithi in an arranged marriage planned by their respective families. Though the marriage takes place with a lot of cheerfulness and good wishes, it ends disastrously on the first night of their marriage. The background commentaries in the credit rolls discuss the size of the bride and the weight of Smrithi’s gold jewellery, a planned jibe at the Kerala society by Senna Hegde. Later into the night, Smrithi elopes with her boyfriend and although it takes place with the knowledge of Rameshan, it culminates into his depression and delay in marriage for another two years.

Another instance, when Rameshan’s calculations go wrong is his love affair with Padmini, a new colleague. Padmini, though impressed with Rameshan in her first encounter with him, eyes him with deep intentions. Padmini who is a guest lecturer in the same college as Rameshan hears from the peon that Rameshan is from a wealthy family in addition to being a permanent faculty of the college. Suddenly, after this scene, their liking turns into courtship and later into a marriage proposal backed by their mutual love without much time.

Therefore, this marriage of calculation, too, soon fails due to Padmini’s impatience to wait for Rameshan. Thus, Padmini loses importance for Rameshan just like his first wife, Smrithi. The crucial reason for this fallout is the lack of understanding and love between Padmini and Rameshan- while the former falls for his wealth and status, the latter falls for her youth and looks. 

Society – a source of taboos and oppression in Padmini

As a married man whose wife eloped on their wedding night, Rameshan has to endure hardships at home and in his neighbourhood. He becomes a laughing stock to the people around him, which in turn aggravates his pain and dislike for marriage. The jibes of society torment him and reduce his confidence to move on and settle down in another marriage.

The slim chances of suitable proposals reaching men and women who are separated cause serious issues that require grave consideration. Nevertheless, they impact a woman more severely compared to a man. 

The scene where Rameshan and his brother visits a local hotel in Smrithi’s village exposes the prejudiced tendencies of society regarding everything, even on issues beyond their reach. Secondly, the taboo Rameshan has to face as a separated man undercuts throughout the film’s narrative. The slim chances of suitable proposals reaching men and women who are separated cause serious issues that require grave consideration. Nevertheless, they impact a woman more severely compared to a man. 

Sreedevi, the character played by Aparna Balamurali reminds viewers of the many women who wait for a marriage of her choice, not caring about the age factor. When Sreedevi gets a marriage proposal from Rameshan, she hardly nods, but agrees to meet him as per the wishes of her mother. She does not consider him an equal proposal since he is a separated man, but in the eyes of the society he is more eligible than Sreedevi. This is because Sreedevi has significantly crossed the age limit for a suitable marriage and therefore, she is dealt with like a liability that needs to be cleared out soon. She receives few proposals since she is almost thirty years of age and without much choice left, she agrees to marry Jayan whom she had rejected once.

Here also, Sreedevi unlearns her romantic notions and prepares herself for a realistic life where independent and self-reliant women get alliances only from much older men. She is quite aware of the wide gap in thinking between herself and Jayan who is a misogynistic and possessive man. Here, it is not the mentality of Sreedevi that keeps matrimonial alliances away but the social taboos placed upon independent unmarried women, that too with only a single parent living, that limits her options.

Empowered vs enslaved women in Padmini

Padmini (2023) features a complex set of women who occupy different positions with regards to empowerment all throughout the movie. This instability is the result of the curbing force of society on women. For instance, when Smrithi elopes with her boyfriend, she believes she is empowering herself through her independent decision in life after receiving constant torments from her family. She lives for two long years away from her place evading public scrutiny and moral judgement, but when she is on the receiving end of her boyfriend’s constant doubts, she realises she is in a trapped state. Hence, she wishes to join hands with Rameshan again.

Padmini on the other hand has access to a lot of opportunities and can decide her fate, but she lacks deep moral judgement and hence cannot make the best choices in life.

But, compared to the other women in the narrative, Sreedevi does not limit herself and undo her actions. She breaks up the engagement with Jayan for the welfare of her career and personal life. She becomes a noteworthy character who, by reversing her wrong decisions, inspires women to break free from toxic relationships.

Likewise, Sreedevi though the most empowered of all, also submits herself to the dictations of society out of choice. But, compared to the other women in the narrative, Sreedevi does not limit herself and undo her actions. She breaks up the engagement with Jayan for the welfare of her career and personal life. She becomes a noteworthy character who, by reversing her wrong decisions, inspires women to break free from toxic relationships.

At last, the minor character of Monisha, played by Anashwara Vijayan is a mix of both Padmini and Sreedevi who learns to handle society and at the same time attain her dream life, albeit with social approval.

The movie has successfully critiqued and entertained the society by incorporating several relevant concepts, helping society to expand its horizon a bit more. But, above all, it instructs the audience to take charge and redeem their own life instead of waiting for others to transform it. 

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• What is the release date of 'Padmini'? Release date of Kunchacko Boban and Aparna Balamurali starrer 'Padmini' is 2023-07-07.
• Who are the actors in 'Padmini'? 'Padmini' star cast includes Kunchacko Boban, Aparna Balamurali, Madonna Sebastian and Vincy Aloshious.
• Who is the director of 'Padmini'? 'Padmini' is directed by Senna Hegde.
• What is Genre of 'Padmini'? 'Padmini' belongs to 'Drama,Comedy,Romance' genre.
• In Which Languages is 'Padmini' releasing? 'Padmini' is releasing in Malayalam.

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Kunchacko Boban: ‘I used to unwind myself by reading Padmini’s script during the filming of the highly-challenging Ariyippu’

Malayalam actor kunchacko boban is all set for the release of padmini, which marks his return to the romance genre after quite some time..

After three releases during the first half of this year, Kunchacko Boban is now preparing for his fourth release, Padmini, scheduled to hit screens on July 14. However, the actor reminds us that Padmini is his first film of 2023 where he takes on the lead role. “While I appeared in guest roles in the first two films, Pakalum Paathiravum and Enthada Saji, 2018: Everyone is a Hero was a multi-starrer,” he says during an exclusive chat with The Indian Express.

It may come as a surprising fact to many that 26 years have elapsed since Chackochan (the name by which he is widely recognised and referred to by all Malayalees) made his debut in the film Aniyathipravu. A quarter of a century has passed since he embarked on entertaining us. When asked how he manages to keep up this momentum, the 46-year-old thespian said, “Having spent 26 years in the industry, I am now in a position where I can explore and experiment with various types of storylines, films, and characters that constantly challenge me. I have a deep desire to break free from the image that was associated with me in the past and continue to push my boundaries.”

Never let them know your next move

Kunchacko further mentions that he is currently in a ‘never let them know your next move’ phase. “I thoroughly enjoy taking on new challenges, exploring different roles, and keeping people guessing about what lies ahead in my career.”

Despite the passage of time, Chackochan continues to be regarded as the epitome of romance in Malayalam cinema, even though it has been a while since he last appeared in a pure romantic film. When questioned about his interest in Padmini, a film belonging to the romance genre, he explains, “Over the past few years, I have been predominantly immersed in intense characters and films. Therefore, Padmini serves as a refreshing break, like a soothing breeze amidst these turbulent tempests.”

“During the filming of Ariyippu, which was a highly challenging movie shot under difficult circumstances and both emotionally and physically demanding, I would often unwind by reading the script of Padmini in my room at night. Padmini is precisely the kind of film that offers a feel-good romantic comedy experience, capable of providing people with a much-needed laugh. It’s a relatable movie that we hope the audience will adore, enjoying the delightful moments of laughter and smiles sprinkled throughout,” he adds.

Three reasons why cinema fans will wholeheartedly love Padmini

When asked if he could list three compelling reasons why he believes cinema fans will wholeheartedly love Padmini, Kunchacko Boban replies, “The first reason would be the director, Senna Hegde . Secondly, I would mention the collaboration between the director and scriptwriter Deepu Pradeep, known for penning films like Kunjiramayanam. Here, Deepu is returning with yet another lighthearted and fun movie. And the third reason is that audiences will once again get to see the softer and funnier side of Kunchacko Boban, infused with a touch of emotion.”

Despite becoming a quadragenarian, Chackochan is still the poster boy for romance in Kerala. In fact, most of his greatest successes came from that genre. However, considering the substantial evolution in both cinema and society over the years, The Indian Express was curious to know whether he observed any significant shifts in how romance is perceived and represented on the big screen. Acknowledging the evolution, he says: “It has become more realistic now.”

The transition from a ‘chocolate hero’ to a ‘dark’ chocolate version

Reflecting on his identity as a romantic hero, the thespian quips, “Although being labelled as a ‘romantic hero’ can be a double-edged sword, I consider myself fortunate and grateful for making my debut with the movie Aniyathipravu. Even now, people fondly recall the film and my character in it. While it’s true that I am currently striving to redefine my image, and my recent films have been successful in that regard, the impact of Aniyathipravu was so profound that people still refer to me as a ‘romantic hero’, despite transitioning from a ‘chocolate hero’ to a ‘dark’ chocolate version.”

“But, I must admit, I do enjoy it (laughs). Nowadays, when people call me a romantic hero and a versatile actor simultaneously, I feel like my dreams are finally coming true,” he says.

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Anandu Suresh is a Senior sub-editor at Indian Express Online. He specialises in Malayalam cinema, but doesn't limit himself to it and explores various aspects of the art form. He also pens a column titled Cinema Anatomy, where he delves extensively into the diverse layers and dimensions of cinema, aiming to uncover deeper meanings and foster continuous discourse. Anandu previously worked with The New Indian Express' news desk in Hyderabad, Telangana. You can follow him on Twitter @anandu_suresh_ and write (or send movie recommendations) to him at [email protected]. ... Read More

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Padmini Malayalam Movie

Padmini is a 2023 Indian movie directed by Senna Hegde starring Kunchacko Boban, Aparna Balamurali, Madonna Sebastian and Vincy Aloshious. The feature film is produced by Suvin K Varkey and Prasobh Krishna and the music composed by Jakes Bejoy.

After an ill-fated wedding night, a college professor becomes an object of ridicule. To win a second chance at love, he must face an uphill legal battle.

Director: Senna Hegde Producers: Suvin K Varkey, Prasobh Krishna Music Director: Jakes Bejoy Sound Designer: Nixon George Cinematographer: Sreeraj Raveendran Editor: Manu Antony Art Designer: Arshad Nakkoth Screenplay Writer: Deepu Pradeep

Popcorn Reviewss

POPCORN REVIEWSS

• Date of Release: 14 July 2023
• Genre: Comedy, Drama
• Language: Malayalam
• Watch On: Netflix

Farhad Dalal

Introduction

Onto the next release of the weekend(yes, the leftovers are still on) and I have finished watching the new Malayalam film Padmini which is now streaming on Netflix. By now you know my love for Malayalam cinema but the film gave me another reason to be excited for it. And this is because, the film is directed by Senna Hegde who had previously directed the phenomenal Malayalam film Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam, a film that I highly recommended to watch if you haven’t on SonyLiv. That film definitely established my faith in the director who did weave a heartwarming tale of confusion and chaos against the backdrop of a wedding which was underway. And while the Malayalam film industry is going through a minor lull(relatively speaking), I had my hopes pinned up on Padmini to bring back my enthusiasm to life(related to Malayalam films). That said, does Padmini manage to impress, lets find out.

Story & Screenplay

Padmini follows the story of a man who refrains from getting married again after his wife leaves him on the night of his wedding. Will he find love again? Now I have purposely kept the plot of the film vague to avoid any spoilers which would disrupt your viewing experience but the story here is hilarious to the core and accounts for an enjoyable watch. The screenplay standing at 2 hours does create some interesting situations with respect to the character dynamics that makes for a thoroughly entertaining watch! The drama does begin on a hilarious note with all the voiceovers that paint a picture of an ongoing wedding which is underway. The entire picture is so accurate with a tinge of humour that it does put a smile on your face instantly. Soon, you are introduced to the new married couple on their first wedding night together who decide to take a stroll following a powercut. In a hilarious turn of events, the bride has her lover waiting for her for them to escape, thus leaving the husband behind. This prelude of 10 minutes does sets the ball rolling for the rest of the drama to follow. The proceedings are engaging and meticulously written even with the references that act as a foreshadow for things to follow. In fact, I was often questioning as to why time was being invested in some of the subplots while slightly diverting from the main plot. But all of those references slowly started to make sense with the drama unfolding further. Another interesting aspect of the writing was its character development that often results in a bout of humour. Yet, it is a poignant satire that acts as an undercurrent after the halfway mark that truly hits home. I won’t be divulging much details about the case to avoid spoilers but it did tackle such a relevant issue in the most hilarious manner possible. The events leading up to the final act are interesting while primarily being centered about the ‘hunt’. However, I did feel that the final act was quite underwhelming as the flow in the screenplay was stalled while giving a feeling of the writing manipulating the plot as opposed to a natural progression to the end. Had the focus shifted to the court case before the final act(in a slightly more elaborate manner), it would have made a little more sense which was the missing link between the two events. But overall, the screenplay does work in generating humour while also leaving you with a lingering sense of poignancy.

Dialogues, Music & Direction

The dialogues are hilarious and written with a sense of quirkiness that makes for a solid impact. The music and BGM are good and blend well with the drama, at times adding to its humour quotient as well. The cinematography is excellent capturing many frames with a tinge of humour. The editing is crisp and sharp only minutely faltering towards the end. Director Senna Hegde does a phenomenal job yet again in weaving a tale which is genuinely funny while also forcing you to think on the situation that the protagonist finds himself in. The drama was engaging and the director deserves full marks for that.

Performances

The performances are absolutely brilliant here. Anaswara Rajan as Monisha, Ganapathy Poduval as Rahul and Malavika Menon as Laya manage to impress despite a limited screen time. Althaf Salim as Siju and Anand Manmadhan are hilarious and do manage to tickle your funny bone. Sajin Cherukayil as Jayan was such a joy to watch as a goofy but regressive guy who suffers from suspecting his partner every now and then. He was hilarious to the core. Vincy Aloshious as Smruthy may not be a very affable character given her actions but she does a wonderful job in bringing out the psyche of her character with a tinge of humour. Madonna Sebastian as Padmini(trigger warning for her name : 😅) looks pretty and pulls off her character with a lot of dignity. Aparna Balamurali as Sreedevi is wonderfully restrained and just so affable, and she is brilliant to watch. Kunchacko Boban as Rameshan does a phenomenal job as well in a character that had a calm demeanor with sudden bouts of anger. This showcased his mindset of the negativity and the depression that he was undergoing in a balanced manner. A trust Kunchacko to pull off this complex character with ease!

Padmini is a hilarious joyride with stellar performances that makes for an enjoyable watch. Available on Netflix.

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Padmini: Release Date, Trailer, Songs, Cast

• Release Date July 2023
• Language Malayalam
• Genre Comedy, Drama
• Duration 2h
• Cast Kunchacko Boban, Madonna Sebastian, Aparna Balamurali, Vincy Aloshious, Althaf Salim, Ganapathy, Sajin Cherukayil, Anand Manmadhan, Gokulan
• Director Senna Hegde
• Writer Deepu Pradeep
• Cinematography Sreeraj Raveendran
• Music Jakes Bejoy
• Producer Prasobh Krishna, Suvin K. Varkey
• Production Little Big Films
• Certificate U

About Padmini Movie (2023)

A college teacher and a part-time poet Rameshans (Kunchacko Boban) faces an embarrassing situation.

Padmini Movie Cast, Release Date, Trailer, Songs and Ratings

Padmini Movie Trailer

Padmini movie songs, padmini photos.

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One of my great great great grandfathers fought for the Union and survived the Battle of Antietam. After his infantry unit was wiped out, he hid under a heap of corpses. As a child, I often found myself thinking about a person doing what he did and then going on to live a normal life, or whatever was classified as normal in the late 1800s. I thought about him again watching Viggo Mortensen's film "The Dead Don't Hurt," a movie that injects the sorts of monumental moments of suffering and violence that you're used to seeing in more traditional, action-oriented Westerns into a tale that is mainly interested in the relationship between a man, a woman, and a child, and the intrigue among various characters who live in the nearest small town. 

Written, directed and scored by Mortensen (in his second venture behind the camera, following the contemporary family drama “ Falling "), and set before and during the US Civil War, “The Dead Don’t Hurt” has standard genre elements, but treats them as a way into something different than the usual. There's a sadistic psychopath who dresses in black, some rich men who lord their power over a Southwestern town, a goodhearted and soft-spoken sheriff, his steely wife, their beautiful, innocent son, and other variations on types that you tend to encounter in movies set during this period of US history. But there are no stagecoach or train robberies, quick-draws at high noon, extended gunfights, dynamite explosions, etc. There is violence of various kinds, and it's presented realistically and unsparingly, but not at such length that the movie seems to be getting off on pain. The pacing is what you would call "slow" if you don't like the movie, "deliberate" if you do.

Mortensen stars as Holger Olsen, a Danish immigrant who ends up as the sheriff of a small town in the American West. He lives in a tiny cabin in a canyon. I won't tell you exactly where the movie begins or ends because it's nonlinear, and accounting for things in the manner of a linear timeline would give a false impression of the movie and spoil important moments. Suffice to say that Holger goes to San Francisco and meets Vivienne Le Coudy ( Vicky Krieps ), a French Canadian flower seller, and takes her back to his cabin, where she overcomes her disappointment at his bare bones lifestyle and tries to build a life for them and the son they will eventually raise together. 

At the same time, the movie keeps returning to the aforementioned town, which is controlled by an arrogant businessman named Alfred Jeffries ( Garret Dillahunt ), his violent, entitled son, Weston ( Solly McLeod ), and the town mayor Rudolph Schiller ( Danny Huston ), who controls most of the local real estate, plus the bank. There’s tension surrounding the ownership of a saloon that's tended by an eloquent barkeep-manager named Alan Kendall (W Earl Brown). A shootout depicted early in the movie passes the saloon into the hands of the Jeffries family. Vivienne ends up working there. Weston takes a fancy to her, and doesn't respond well to being told he can't have her.

I mentioned earlier that this is a nonlinear movie and I’m mentioning it again here just in case you think there’s any standard cause-and-effect dynamic at work. It takes a while to get used to how the story is  told. Mortensen’s script deliberately confounds the way our moviegoing brains are typically asked to function. He starts near the end of his story and moves from the present tense into different parts of the past as needed. Time-shifts are not tied to plot or even theme. They seem as intuitive as brushstrokes in a painting. 

There are also flashbacks to Vivienne’s childhood, wherein she lost her father to war against the English—a trauma that sparks a dream or fantasy about a knight in armor riding through a forest. This image connects to the midsection of the movie, which is where Holger impulsively decides to enlist in the Union army to go off and fight against slavery and earn a promised enlistment payment, leaving Vivienne alone in that tiny house in the canyon. This might strike contemporary viewers as a casually callous thing to do, but it’s the kind of thing that happened plenty back then, and tends to be described in family histories with a sentence like, “Then he went off to fight in the war and came home a year later.” 

The writing and acting of all the characters is intelligent and measured. You get a sense of a complete person who lived a full life offscreen even when you're observing a character who only has a few judiciously chosen moments, such as Brown’s character, who is a bit too pleased with his own eloquence but sometimes seems ashamed after he verbally runs roughshod over others; or a judge played by Ray McKinnon who presides over the trial of a citizen wrongly accused of a horrible crime, and carries on as if God guides his gavel (a pistol butt); or a reverend played by veteran character actor John Getz (of “ Blood Simple ” and “The Fly”) whose community role requires him to oversee an execution whether it's justified or not. (Brown, Dillahunt and McKinnon were all on the HBO Western “Deadwood,” a go-to casting resource for this type of project; it's a treat to see them fully inhabit very different characters from ones they've played in the past.) 

None of the characters unveil themselves as you might expect. Holger initially comes across as a Clint Eastwood-style, strong-silent he-man archetype, but he's less decisive, more sensitive and learned. We often see him reading books or writing in a journal or on parchment. He dotes on Little Vincent ( Atlas Green ), his son with Vivienne, with a sensitivity and physical warmth that’s unusual in male-dominated films like this. His relationship to the Western hero code that’s often summed up as “doing what a man’s gotta do” is complicated as well. Olsen makes a lot of decisions that would result in negative comments on audience preview cards at a focus group screening (hard to imagine Mortensen doing one) because they are, to say the least, not things that a typical Western action hero would do. They’re more like what a real person with a complicated psychology would do—things he might regret in hindsight. 

Krieps, who broke out with “ Phantom Thread ,” is the true star of this movie, even though it’s bracketed by Mortensen’s character riding out on a long journey. She's the only character who gets flashbacks and dreams. She threads the needle of making her character seem self-assured, tough, and self-respecting yet never anachronistically “feminist,” in the contrived, phony way that a lot of period pieces feel obligated to write female characters of earlier times. Though unassuming in how she applies technique, Krieps is a deep and substantive film star, in the tradition of actresses from earlier eras like Liv Ullmann and Ingrid Bergman . She makes a connection with the viewer. You can feel the hope drain from Vivienne when she keeps a stiff upper lip during awful experiences that she has no control over. But you also feel the resolve when she makes the best of a bad situation, and the excitement that blossoms in her when she's treated as a person of value.

Not too many filmmakers have ever made movies like this, and when you do come across one (such as Sam Peckinpah's " The Ballad of Cable Hogue " or the Charlton Heston movie " Will Penny ”, or “Deadwood”, or the 1970s movie " The Emigrants ") it stands out, in part because it avoids the predicable, ritualized high points that the genre is built upon, and instead concentrates on significant moments of interaction between characters who do not have a 20th or 21st century mindset superimposed on them. The lack of pandering to contemporary sensibilities means that all the characters remain slightly at a remove from us throughout the story. It also means that they come across as more real. Yes, certain aspects of the human experience are universal and have never changed. But there is a huge difference across time periods in how individuals understand themselves and each other, and this is a rare movie that respects that.

The movie also has a genuinely cinematic instinct for when to linger on a moment and when to cut around it, or allude to it as something that occurred offscreen. A lot of the longer sequences are just extended interactions between the film’s two romantic leads, who have a pleasing banter but derive a lot of their chemistry from looking at each other with resentment, yearning, gratitude, or disappointment. You almost never get to see material of this sort play out at length in a film set in the American West. Or any kind of film.

Mortensen is 65 now, three years older than Eastwood when he made “ Unforgiven ,” and the entertainment industry is even less hospitable to Westerns now than it was three-plus decades ago, so it’s tough to imagine him making more movies like this one. But he might turn out to be one of the great Western directors if he did. 

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

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Film credits.

The Dead Don't Hurt (2024)

130 minutes

Vicky Krieps as Vivienne Le Coudy

Viggo Mortensen as Holger Olsen

Solly McLeod as Weston Jeffries

Garret Dillahunt as Alfred Jeffries

Danny Huston as Rudolph Schiller

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‘What You Wish For’ Review: Nick Stahl Serves a Devious Dish in This Taut but Half-Baked Thriller

Suspense and stupidity are on the menu when a beleaguered chef with gambling issues takes over a colleague’s luxury gig and becomes indebted to a shady agency.

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It sounds like a dream for a chef: Every few weeks, fly first class to a tropical location to cook haute cuisine for a handful of VIPs, getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for your trouble. But that fantasy’s nightmarish reality hits hard for one talented chef after he assumes his culinary school comrade’s life in “ What You Wish For .” Filmmaker Nicholas Tomnay ’s sophomore feature percolates with atmospheric dread and austerity, but only superficially explores the twisted amorality of the 1% and those who service their whims. While not always successful in cooking up tantalizing commentary on human behavior, it offers a decent helping of Hitchcockian intrigue.

Popular on Variety

Alas, the plot hiccups midway through the brisk runtime, ultimately getting indigestion during the hokey finale where our antihero predictably values his former humdrum life. For every creative scenario that organically has characters — such as Detective Ruiz and Jack’s one-night stand Alice (Penelope Mitchell) — unable to leave the home after surprising everyone on event night, there’s a nonsensical contrivance holding it back. For Alice, it’s questionable that she doesn’t immediately flee after spotting Jack’s watch, which symbolizes Ryan’s greed, envy and failure, on his wrist. For Ruiz, dubious excuses don’t quite explain his inability to fetch his forgotten cell phone charging in the main kitchen. And considering how much the company insists it has hidden these insidious activities under the guise of altruism, their fail-safe tactics for dealing with authorities seem ridiculous.

While the narrative loses its grasp, the aesthetics hold a tight grip. From the God’s-eye perspective used in the opening credits (a visual indicator of the film’s continual judgement of Ryan in these sinister shenanigans) to the static camera shots imparting a sense of disarming unease, Tomnay’s acute design sensibilities add an entrancing pull. His edits slice through the scenery like a butcher’s knife. Mateo Guzmán Sanchez’s cinematography illuminates characters’ depths and dimensions. With its plucky staccato strings, Jeff Russo and Tracie Turnbull’s score hints at the puzzle our protagonist must piece together to survive. Ryan’s dual-sided internal struggles are reflected in Diana Trujillo’s production design, contrasting the sterility of the concrete-and-tile basement and the home’s warm, soft living spaces.

Still, compared to the devilishly nasty satirical bite of “The Menu,” Tomnay serves up a blandly seasoned dish lacking in wit and incisiveness. The film is done a disservice by equating the haves and the have-nots, positing that moral bankruptcy knows no economic background. Though Ryan ultimately feels the burden of his brash decision, the obvious Aesop’s Fables-inspired lessons make what could’ve been an extraordinary meal into something far less memorable.

Reviewed online, May 28, 2024. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 101 MIN.

• Production: A Magnet release of an Evergreen Avenue production, in association with Freestyle Picture Company, Cosmo Street Editorial, Jaguar Bite. Producers: Nicholas Tomnay, Francesca Silvestri, Kevin Chinoy. Executive producers: Heidi Arkinstall, Yvette Cobarrubias.
• Crew: Director, writer: Nicholas Tomnay. Camera: Mateo Guzmán Sanchez. Editor: Nicholas Tomnay. Music: Jeff Russo, Tracie Turnbull.
• With: Nick Stahl, Tamsin Topolski, Randy Vasquez, Penelope Mitchell, Juan Carlos Messier, Brian Groh.

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The Best Films of 2024, So Far

Our critics pick nine films that they think are worth your time on this long holiday weekend.

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By The New York Times

Looking for a good movie to pass the time this Memorial Day weekend? The New York Times’s chief film critic, Manohla Dargis, and movie critic, Alissa Wilkinson, have you covered. Here are their top picks for the year so far. All are in theaters or available on demand.

In theaters; June 7 on Netflix .

The story: Glen Powell is a philosophy professor who moonlights for the police in New Orleans when he finds himself undercover posing as a hit man in this Richard Linklater movie. An encounter with Madison (Adria Arjona), a housewife looking to hire him, raises the stakes, comedically and romantically.

Alissa Wilkinson’s take: “If I see a movie more delightful than “Hit Man” this year, I’ll be surprised. It’s the kind of romp people are talking about when they say that “they don’t make them like they used to”: It’s romantic, sexy, hilarious, satisfying and a genuine star-clinching turn for Glen Powell, who’s been having a moment for about two years now.” Read the review.

‘Civil War’

In theaters.

The story: Set in the near future, “Civil War” depicts a United States that has devolved into conflict between the Western Forces of California and Texas (yeah, yeah, we know) and the federal government. As photojournalists played by Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Cailee Spaeny make their way to Washington, D.C., they encounter dangerous and unsettling scenes, painting a disturbing portrait of America in this Alex Garland drama.

Manohla Dargis’s take: “Hollywood’s longstanding, deeply American imperative for happy endings maintains an iron grip on movies, even in ostensibly independent productions. There’s no such possibility for that in ‘Civil War.’ The very premise of Garland’s movie means that … a happy ending is impossible, which makes this very tough going. Rarely have I seen a movie that made me so acutely uncomfortable or watched an actor’s face that, like Dunst’s, expressed a nation’s soul-sickness so vividly that it felt like an X-ray.” Read the review.

‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’

The story: Picking up generations after the last trilogy ended, Wes Ball’s action-adventure follows Noa (Owen Teague) after his clan has been attacked. On his own now, he meets up with Raka, a disciple of Caesar, the leader in the earlier movies, as well as a mute human (Freya Allen).

Alissa Wilkinson’s take: “‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ is set in the future, but like a lot of science fiction … there’s a knowing sense that all this has happened before, and all this will happen again. That’s what makes ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ powerful, in the end. It probes how the act of co-opting idealisms and converting them to dogmas has occurred many times over.” Read the review.

‘Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World’

Stream it on Mubi ; rent or buy it on most major platforms .

The story: In Radu Jude’s scathing comedy, a foulmouthed production assistant named Angela (Ilinca Manolache) drives around Bucharest, Romania, looking for injured workers to interview for a workplace safety video.

Manohla Dargis’s take: “As she changes gears, and the movie switches between black-and-white film and color video, Angela flips off other drivers, acidly critiques all that she encounters, creates TikTok videos and effectively maps the geopolitical landscape of contemporary Romania.” Read the review.

‘Late Night With the Devil’

Stream it on Shudder ; also rent or buy it on most major platforms .

The story: In this horror show from the brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes, David Dastmalchian is a Johnny Carson-like late-night host desperate for ratings and awards. The film purports to be the footage of the episode that “shocked a nation.”

Alissa Wilkinson’s take: People watch late-night TV “to laugh, to be entertained and to feel some kind of companionship when the rest of the world goes to bed. ‘Late Night With the Devil’ twists that camaraderie around on itself, layering in familiar 1970s horror tropes about demonic possession, Satanism and the occult. The result is a nasty and delicious, unapologetic pastiche with a flair for menace. I had a blast.” Read the review.

‘Evil Does Not Exist’

The story: In a rural hamlet outside Tokyo, a developer tries to sell skeptical locals on the benefits of a glamping resort. As the residents push back against the prospect of tourism upending their quiet rhythms, the developer’s representatives come to see their point of view in Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s deceptive drama.

Manohla Dargis’s take: “I have watched ‘Evil Does Not Exist’ twice, and each time the stealthy power of Hamaguchi’s filmmaking has startled me anew. Some of my reaction has to do with how he uses fragments from everyday life to build a world that is so intimate and recognizable — filled with faces, homes and lives as familiar as your own — that the movie’s artistry almost comes as a shock.” Read the review.

‘Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus’

The story: In this documentary from Neo Sora, the influential Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto plays his entire final concert. It was filmed in a studio with only the crew watching.

Alissa Wilkinson’s take: “Even for the viewer without much knowledge of Sakamoto’s work, ‘Opus’ holds its own as the rare cinematic space for contemplation. There’s no context given, no attempt to create a narrative. Instead, the visual space is carefully filmed and the lighting manipulated to subtly shift the mood.” Read the review.

‘Io Capitano’

Rent or buy it on most major platforms .

The story: Matteo Garrone’s drama tracks Seydou and Moussa, two Senegalese cousins (Seydou Sarr and Moustapha Fall), as they try to reach the West on a journey that takes them through the Sahara to a brutal stay in Libya, and then eventually to the edge of the Mediterranean.

Manohla Dargis’s take: “Garrone doesn’t spare you much, but if the movie never turns into an exercise in art-house sadism, it’s because his focus remains unwaveringly fixed on his characters who, from the start, are fully rounded people, not props, symbols or object lessons. … His great strength here is the tenderness of his touch.” Read the review.

‘La Chimera’

Rent on most major platforms .

The story: In Alice Rohrwacher’s 1980s-set tale, Josh O’Connor is Arthur, a tomb raider in rural Italy who pines for his missing lover. Through her mother, Flora (Isabella Rossellini), he meets a music student, Italia (Carol Duarte).

Manohla Dargis’s take: “‘La Chimera’ sneaks up on you. Rohrwacher is a discreet virtuoso with a visual style that is appealing and demonstrably unshowy. She likes to crowd the frame, yet does so coherently, and while she uses different film formats throughout to indicate distinct moments and spaces, she doesn’t make a fuss about it. She reveals beauty rather than pummels you with it.” Read the review.

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Screen Rant

What you wish for review: the menu part 2 serves up grotesque twists & delicious character dynamics.

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The Real Reason Palpatine's Face Changes In Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith

The movie series that was supposed to replace the hunger games is now on netflix, sean bean's national treasure character fate gets ambiguous update from director.

• What You Wish For has a well-executed, grotesque premise that comments on the nature of the upper class.
• Nick Stahl and Tamsin Topolski, as well as the rest of the cast, portray incredibly tense group dynamics.
• What You Wish For is slightly open-ended, leaving some plot holes unanswered.

Nicholas Tomnay’s What You Wish For is a thriller from which one cannot look away, even if the overall moral of the story falls just short of flawless. The story follows Ryan (Nick Stahl), a down-on-his-luck chef who travels to South America to meet up with his former roommate Jack (Brian Groh) and escape threats due to his gambling debts. Jack, whom Ryan hasn’t seen in a decade, has everything Ryan could want. However, things take a dark turn when Jack dies and Ryan assumes Jack’s identity, only to discover an ugly truth about Jack’s successful career.

What You Wish For (2023)

What you wish for's cast delivers tense group dynamics.

What You Wish For launches us into the beautiful setting of an unspecified South American country, with staging and cinematography that perfectly captures the private residence as well as the city. The first 20 or so minutes is a vivid illustration of professional jealousy, with Ryan dropping some not-so-subtle hints that he is looking for a job and Jack voicing his own woes, which clearly enrages Ryan, even if he maintains a façade of politeness. The two men bring home solo traveler Alice (Penelope Mitchell) for a cooking competition that Ryan wins, but she sleeps with Jack.

The interactions between these three actors are fantastic and painfully relatable to anyone who has experienced similar envy.

The interactions between these three actors are fantastic and painfully relatable to anyone who has experienced similar envy. However, What You Wish For's tension does not ease up once Jack is out of the picture. Ryan comes back to the house to meet two more hospitality professionals who work for Jack’s mysterious employer: Poised hostess Imogen (Tamsin Topolski) and versatile security and muscle Maurice (Juan Carlos Messier). Ryan keeps pretending to be Jack as Imogen explains the dinner for five ultra-wealthy guests they are hosting — with a grotesque twist.

Ryan is by no means a likable protagonist, landing in a morally gray area of self-perseveration and a guilty conscience. Once the real cooking starts, he slips into the role of chef with an uncomfortable but obvious ease. What You Wish For keeps us hooked with the disturbing scenario, and Topolski’s performance is sharp as she badgers Ryan to “get [his] s**t together,” the threat of death and dismemberment looming.

What You Wish For Doesn’t Quite Land On Its Final Point

The similarities to Mark Mylod’s T he Menu are obvious, although What You Wish For can be praised for its premise, which emphasizes both the brutality of the rich and the mental strain and moral degradation of those who rise to work for them. The complete absence of guilt among the dinner guests and Imogen’s justifications are morbidly fascinating. With the slick setting and impeccable professionals (or those trying to appear so) as the backdrop of the twisted story, What You Wish For is an engaging psychological horror.

Not everyone will amass massive gambling debts and will want a successful career for themselves, a plot hole What You Wish For doesn’t exactly address.

However, What You Wish For is a little condescending, with a title that mocks career ambitions and a plot that comes full circle with Ryan expressing his jealousy of another man’s standard and exhausting job. Continuing my comparisons to The Menu , the previous movie ends with a purifying spectacle that suggests there is a way out of the toxic cycle, but not without costs. In contrast, What You Wish For posits that the cycle of working for an evil, self-righteous entity never stops.

What You Wish For is now playing in theaters and available on VOD.

Not everyone will amass massive gambling debts and will want a successful career for themselves, a plot hole What You Wish For doesn’t exactly address. The Menu implies that “Chef” could have been content managing a homey, modestly successful burger joint. What You Wish For concludes that the upper class is horrific and there is no way out for the people who work for them, for a much bleaker ending. However, this finale left me with many more questions, which may have been the point, but doesn’t result in the most satisfying movie.

What You Wish For follows Ryan, a struggling chef with severe gambling problems, who flees to an unnamed Latin American country to escape his debts. His friend Jack, a renowned chef, welcomes him into his luxurious home. Ryan envies Jack’s opulent lifestyle but soon finds out the dark secrets behind it. A twist of fate allows Ryan to assume Jack’s identity, uncovering the sinister means by which Jack has sustained his life of luxury.

• A morbidly fascinating premise with broader implications
• Cast members collectively have great, tense interactions
• Stunning setting and perfect pacing
• Slightly open-ended, with minor plot holes

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Follows a passenger on a train to New Delhi. The train soon becomes a combat battleground as a pair of commandos face an army of invading bandits. Follows a passenger on a train to New Delhi. The train soon becomes a combat battleground as a pair of commandos face an army of invading bandits. Follows a passenger on a train to New Delhi. The train soon becomes a combat battleground as a pair of commandos face an army of invading bandits.

• Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
• Ayesha Syed
• Raghav Juyal
• Tanya Maniktala
• 4 User reviews
• 11 Critic reviews
• 1 nomination

• Baldev Singh Thakur

• Man with Mobile
• (credit only)
• Brahmeshwar

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Tribeca 2024 Film Festival Guide

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User reviews 4

• The first act. While I didn't dislike it overall, I think the first act suffers from some pacing issues that took me out of the film. It sorta gets started from the get go and I tend to prefer films that slowly lead us into the narrative.
• Tiluka. I know, I know. The love interest isn't the main part of this movie, and while I found her and our hero's relationship sweet for what it was trying to be, I couldn't help but feel her and him were a bit underwritten.
• ryanpersaud-59415
• Sep 8, 2023
• How long will Kill be? Powered by Alexa
• July 4, 2024 (United States)
• United States
• Sikhya Entertainment
• Dharma Productions
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 55 minutes

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