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Ray on Netflix

 


I must confess at the outset that I have a partiality towards anthologies and when I knew that this anthology is based upon Satyajit Ray’s work, it pumped me all the more. I was really excited to see this one, though I must confess to never having seen or read any of the featured stories in this anthology.

In an ascending order my recommendation is for you to watch as follows:

1-Forget me Not- A crisp telling of man who gets his comeuppance by some serious psychological manoeuvring. It calls to mind the stories of Alfred Hitchcock and the twists in the tale that Agatha Christie used to deliver. This story also very smartly references Drishyam and its shrewd protagonist.

Ali Fazal as always, hits it above his pay grade and I so glad to see that via the OTT, talent like his gets a space. Shweta Basu is ok and she hasn’t much space to perform. Watch this one for the sheer force of Ali Fazal, who gets the Bangalore accent bang-on.

2-Bahurupi – This one is a serious mindf&**&k and though as a lover of suspense, I liked the way things get wrapped up, overall, the experience was non-immersive, in spite of Kay Kay Menon. My problem was that though the metrics were all perfect I just could not empathise with the main character, and in the absence of that bond, the entire experience was just plain creepy.

3-Spotlight – I know what I am about to say is not a very popular opinion, but I kind of like Harshvardhan Kapoor and I do feel that sooner or later he will get his just dues. Before you feel a giggly sneeze coming on, at this statement of mine, I recommend that you watch him in Bhavesh Joshi and also see his nuances in the Meta AK vs AK. In this one, he gets a lot of solo screen time and believe me you, he handles it really well and that isn’t an easy task. The talented Ms. Radhika Madan is a delight and the riff between the two is a thing of beauty. I enjoyed it, and I think you might too.

4-Hungama - Well! If you decide the entire anthology might not be your cup of tea then, I do whole heartedly recommend you watching this one compulsorily. The direction and the camera angles are weirdly wonderful and they draw out the quirkiness of the story and the protagonists so well. Manoj Bajpayee and Gajraj Rao in a “hum tum ik kamre band hon”, kind of situation and hitting it off so well. It’s a ghazal of its own. Throw in an overture of Raghuveer Yadav and Manoj Pahwa doing their thing and what you have is a symphony, created by the director Abhishek Chaubey, which will have you grinning away long after you have stopped watching. The end will certainly have you exclaiming “Ye kya that?” And, then recounting the characters and their foibles and then thinking well the world is a wonderful place only because of the quirky characters and not because of the recluses.

 

Happy viewing!

Let me know what you thought of the anthology.

Love and peace.

#Miniasreviews

#AllLivesMatter

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