Baradwaj Rangan, Author at Film Companion

Perhaps the biggest divergence from the traditional thriller is the amount of time we spend with the cop’s wife. In the most unexpected scene, she pours herself a drink…

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20 Years Of ‘Sethu’, Which Made Vikram A Star And Bala A Brand-Name Director

Posted on December 9, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

Bala, as a filmmaker, is very much like Sethu, a very unique kind of brute force. His generation of filmmakers would go on to shape the Tamil hero we see on screen today.

jada movie review kumaran kathir yogi babu kishore

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Jada Movie Review: Kathir stars in an unremarkable sports drama that switches midway to...

Posted on December 6, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

Whether pure genre or a mix, what matters is the writing. And that’s all over the place. The football itself is reduced to a lesser version of the game we saw in the first half…

Irandam Ulgaporin Kadasai Gundu Pa Ranjith Dinesh Anandhi Athiyan Athirai

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Irandam Ulagaporin Kadaisi Gundu Movie Review: Athiyan Athirai’s Impressive Debut, Pr...

Posted on December 5, 2019December 5, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

It’s a great line, one that’s at the heart of everything Pa Ranjith stands for. But it doesn’t sound like a “lecture”. It transcends mere “advice” and becomes something purer, a kind of existential philosophy.

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Asif Ali is Part Ayushmann Khurrana, Part Arjun Reddy In ‘Kettiyolaanu Ente Malak...

Posted on December 4, 2019December 4, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

This could be a fascinating case study of how “arrogance” on screen (like in ‘Arjun Reddy’) makes it less easy for us to fully embrace a character, while innocence and humility make us sympathise more readily.

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The Debate Over Dhanush’s Voiceovers In Gautham Vasudev Menon’s ‘Enai Noki Paayu...

Posted on December 2, 2019December 2, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

Every time someone tries something new, audiences are amused. Take Mani Ratnam’s dialogues. People used to laugh: “Mani Ratnam padam hero maadhiri pesaadhe.” (As in, don’t speak in those clipped tones.)

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Enai Noki Paayum Thota Movie Review: Gautham Menon And Dhanush Give Us A Fine Romance T...

Posted on November 29, 2019November 30, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

Perhaps for the first time, the voice-overs feel not just like inner thoughts, but also contain fragments of information that make us anticipate things.

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Ilaiyaraaja’s Masterclass At The International Film Festival of India

Posted on November 27, 2019November 27, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

Balki gave Raja a situation and asked for the score to be composed on the spot. It was a privilege to watch the great man at work

Film-Companion-Android-Kunjappan-Version-5.25

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The Very Likeable And Entertaining ‘Android Kunjappan Version 5.25’ Could H...

Posted on November 27, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

We all know men like this, men who are uncomfortable with emotion and choose to remain distant from their own families but can get along amazingly with strangers. Spoilers ahead…

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‘Helen’ Shows How Even A Pure ‘Genre Film’ Can Be Elevated Thro...

Posted on November 26, 2019November 27, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

Anna Ben and Lal are wonderful. But when the writing gives you so much to chew on, the performances become so much better. Spoilers ahead…

Film_Companion_Dharamshala-International-Film-Festival-2019_Adil-Hussain

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Adil Hussain On Bonsai And Bachchan And The Art Of Acting, At The Dharamsala Internatio...

Posted on November 25, 2019November 25, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

Plus, brief thoughts on ‘Birha’, ‘Oh That’s Bhanu’, ‘Eeb Allay Ooo!’, ‘For Sama’, and why close-ups are necessary

Dhruv Vikram and Banita Sandhu in Adithya Varma for Review

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Adithya Varma Movie Review: Dhruv Vikram Makes A Confident Debut In A Faithful, Compete...

Posted on November 22, 2019November 23, 2019
by Baradwaj Rangan

And yet, why does the film remain at a distance for those who have seen one of the earlier versions? More than the familiarity, it’s the lack of chemistry in the love story

Baradwaj Rangan

Kaalidas Movie Review: Bharath Stars In A Not-Bad Investigative Thriller That’s A...

20 Years Of ‘Sethu’, Which Made Vikram A Star And Bala A Brand-Name Director

Jada Movie Review: Kathir stars in an unremarkable sports drama that switches midway to...

Irandam Ulagaporin Kadaisi Gundu Movie Review: Athiyan Athirai’s Impressive Debut, Pr...

Asif Ali is Part Ayushmann Khurrana, Part Arjun Reddy In ‘Kettiyolaanu Ente Malak...

The Debate Over Dhanush’s Voiceovers In Gautham Vasudev Menon’s ‘Enai Noki Paayu...

Enai Noki Paayum Thota Movie Review: Gautham Menon And Dhanush Give Us A Fine Romance T...

Ilaiyaraaja’s Masterclass At The International Film Festival of India

The Very Likeable And Entertaining ‘Android Kunjappan Version 5.25’ Could H...

‘Helen’ Shows How Even A Pure ‘Genre Film’ Can Be Elevated Thro...

Adil Hussain On Bonsai And Bachchan And The Art Of Acting, At The Dharamsala Internatio...

Adithya Varma Movie Review: Dhruv Vikram Makes A Confident Debut In A Faithful, Compete...

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Asif Ali is Part Ayushmann Khurrana, Part Arjun Reddy In ‘Kettiyolaanu Ente Malakha’

A Masterclass With Adoor Gopalakrishnan: Four Films, The Auteur’s Perspectives

Helen Movie Review: A Movingly Humane Reinterpretation Of The Survival Drama

Kaalidas Movie Review: Bharath Stars In A Not-Bad Investigative Thriller That’s Also About A Relationship

Rajinikanth Birthday: The Many Looks Of The Superstar

My Mother’s Love For Rajinikanth, And Her Treasured Photo Book

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