Since I was a child, I've been a movie lover. I've always appreciated movies on enormous screens, particularly the silver screens of ancient old cinema theatres that suited the 35mm film format perfectly, and when the odd 70mm film came along, the frames would spill over to the sides. I think it unfortunate that, while the tragedies and sufferings of individuals as a result of the epidemic are incomparable, I've been deprived of regular movie theatre visits for over 18 months and have been missing out on the action. For people like me who are solely concerned with COVID-19 acceptable behavior and safety, OTT (Over the Top) streaming platforms have thus become the only option. As a result, I've been watching a lot on such a platform since the first lockdown, always selecting the best of available movies and the most-talked-about Series-but just on one platform because I don't want to injure my ears by wearing headphones all the time. A number of films from the golden era are included, yet the majority of recent films are not. However, I recently saw three contemporary films and web series that I'd like to discuss. The newest Bollywood film Bell Bottom (2021) is one of them, and it drew me in because of the name, which was a sensation in our college days, and because the film was in the vein of effective Indian spy thrillers, which I have appreciated tremendously in recent years in modern theatres.
Akshay Kumar, the film's protagonist, is another attraction because he has appeared in several popular thrillers directed by Neeraj Pandey, including Special 26 (2013), Baby (2015), Rustom (2016), and Naam Shabana (2017). Of course, Bell Bottom is not one of his films, but the format appeared to be intriguing. In general, I was dissatisfied with the film: it had an exciting plot that was severely harmed by an ineffective script. The film's basic theme, a hijack drama of an Indian Airlines plane (based on a true event during the last term of India's then Prime Minister, late Indira Gandhi. ), was hampered unnecessarily by the lengthy flashbacks, and finally, when the plot seemed to be picking up, there was not enough time to bring it to a worthy climax. Although the film shares similarities with another blockbuster hijack thriller, Zameen (2003), directed by Rohit Shetty, the film's climactic conclusion is overly basic and rushed.
The film contains some high-octane sequences, such as the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) agent, played by Akshay Kumar, whose code name is Bell Bottom, conducting investigations and raids on terrorist hideouts. His RAW boss, played admirably by Adil Hussain, is a pale shadow of the intelligence chief in Baby, played by Danny Denzongpa, who survives the high-octane drama and action. The hijackers' characters were also given little attention, with all of them failing to frighten the audience as they did in films such as Baby and Neerja (2016), the latter of which was superbly directed by Ram Madhvani. The Pakistani counterpart was similarly exhibited half-heartedly. The final twist involving Akshay's wife, played by Vaani Kapoor, exchanging a secret with the RAW chief was simply a surface-level one. Some critics have also pointed out factual mistakes, although these can be overlooked because this is, after all, a work of fiction. As a result, the film Bell Bottom, directed by Ranjit Tiwari, while handled successfully to some extent, falls short of being as captivating and riveting as the other films in the same genre discussed above.
When the new OTT web series Mumbai Diaries 26/11, produced by well-known filmmaker Nikhil Advani, went live, it came as a surprise. Having witnessed every agonizing moment of the dreadful Mumbai Terror Attack on November 26, 2008, through my employment in the media, anything regarding that attack piqued my interest. However, all the films made about the incident thus far have been poor attempts that fail to do credit to the terror caused. So I immediately began watching the nine-episode Mumbai Diaries 26/11, and to my great surprise, I found it quite fascinating and doing full justice to the actual fear still felt by both victims and the public at large, for the first time. Although it is portrayed from a medical perspective, chronicling the narrative of a Mumbai hospital that was eventually attacked by terrorists, practically all of the awful moments of the actual three-day reign of terror are beautifully documented and presented. The characters, most notably the doctors and personnel of the hospital, are portrayed with wonderful ease and brilliant performances by all performers, thanks to a powerful script.
The web series also addressed the much-discussed media involvement,' which was providing constant leads to the Pakistan control room of terror, which thus guided the terrorists in action in Mumbai, and the tragedy unleashed by an overzealous news reporter in this work of fiction was depicted with honesty and efficiency. If the chronology of the actual chain of events was not followed to the letter, this was never felt while viewing, and finally, it is a work of fiction, such complaint is unnecessary. . More positively, the Series avoids brutal violence or its glorification, as well as explicit sensuality, which has been a hallmark of practically every OTT Web Series streaming in India. Overall, Mumbai Diaries 26/11 is a must-see for all types of viewers of any age who want to relive the horror of the terrorist assault.
Finally, Taylor Sheridan directed Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021), a Hollywood movie. With Angelina Jolie in the lead and an intriguing tale about forest fire smoke-jumpers, I watched the film as soon as it was available on my OTT platform. To my surprise, I absolutely enjoyed it and did not find a single slack moment in this sleek thriller. What I found refreshing was how faithfully and precisely the picture followed the thriller genre of the 1990s, with an impeccably tight script. Lately, the majority of Hollywood films have been committed to the super visual effects treatment—either displaying all-consuming monsters or disasters, or unfathomable sci-fi fiction largely focusing on the outer world and the universe. It validated my long-held yearning for Hollywood to return to fundamental human dramas that are universally appealing. Those Who Wish Me Dead is a must-see for everyone who shares this regular mortal's worldview. Those who are able to go to the movies in complete safety are the luckiest.
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