Indian Film Reviews Archives - Silhouette Magazine

Sangam – Of Choices and Consequences

Sangam’s...

Jagte Raho: A Night of Truth

Jagte Raho tears...

Ankur (1973): The Seed of Revolt Against Rural Power Dynamics

Shyam Benegal's Ankur explores class,...

Awara’s Dream Sequence: An Analysis

Raj Kapoor’s success as...

Sagina Mahato: The Bitter Brew of Labour Struggles

In the backdrop...

The Healing Touch: Doctors in Tapan Sinha’s Films

In Tapan Sinha's...

Harmonium — A Symbol of Interconnected Lives

A harmonium, as...

Ethics and Moral Lessons in Tapan Sinha’s Apanjan

Apanjan,...

Bancharamer Bagan: Between Parable and History in the Postcolony

Trinankur...

Jatugriha and Ijaazat: Love in Fragments

Jatugriha...

Khaniker Atithi and Zindagi Zindagi: Two Sides of One Coin

A...

Kabuliwala Champions a Humanity That Transcends Superficial Differences

Tapan Sinha’s Kabuliwala...

Upahar — The Unwanted Gift

Tapan...

Manik Babur Megh: Shibu, a Demon, the Cloud and a Man

Partha Pratim Ghosh reviews Manik...

Srikanth: A Biopic with Heart and Hope

The Rajkummar Rao starrer...

Srinivas Pokale as Chaitu in Naal Part 2

Naal Part II: Mundane Moments of Everyday Life Made Magical

The magic of Naal Part 2 is hidden...

Animal: A Violent, Unrelenting, and Unforgettable Cinematic Experience

Animal...

All That Breathes Review: Finding Exquisite Beauty in Urban ‘Low Life’

All...

Abhimaan (1973) — Where Music Leads the Way

Abhimaan,...

Gadar 2: Carrying Forward the Gadar Legacy

Gadar 2 is...

Visual Opulence Punched with Masala Destress — That’s ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’

Rocky Aur...

Suryatapa – The Indomitable Self-Respect of a Woman

Suryatapa...

Satya (1998) — A Game Changer in Gangster Movies

Satya,...

Bomman with Raghu (Still from The Elephant Whisperers)

Sound the Trumpets: The Elephant Whisperers

Netflix's The Elephant Whisperers...

Jane Chapman plays the harpsichord at the Royal College of Music

In Search of Forgotten Melodies: Vignettes From Bengal’s Musical History

Somdev...

Abhijan: Soumitra Chatterjee’s Biopic – A Mosaic Missed

Parambrata...

Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Uttara – Poetry on Celluloid

Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Uttara...

Vartak Nagar – A Story of Four Crows

A Unique Perspective...

Lagaan: The Fairy Tale of a Barren Land!

Lagaan is arguably the...

Anokhi Raat – A Unique Look at the Bitter Truths

Asit Sen's Anokhi...

Dharti ke Lal – Earliest Depiction of the Great Bengal Famine

The...

Dwelling in Travelling: Chronicle of the Baghdadi Jews of Calcutta

Subha...

Robibaar: Slow-burning, Rigorous Study of Two People

Atanu...

25th KIFF – An Event to Remember

Mayurakshee Gangopadhyay, the...

Rajlokkhi O Srikanto: Looking at the Quintessential Escapist in Retrospect

Inspired by the Sarat Chandra classic,...

Naal: An Eloquent Reconnection With the Nurturer

Naal...

Shantilal O Projapoti Rohoshyo: A Character Study Disguised as a Detective Film

Pratim D. Gupta's films...

Ladakh Chale Rickshawala: An Impossible Dream, An Arduous Journey

Bengalis are known...

Jeet and Koel in Shesh Theke Shuru (Pic: Pycker)

Shesh Theke Shuru: Jeet is the Saving Grace of an Otherwise Listless Film

In his 50th outing, Jeet attempts...

Enjoyable ‘Mystery in History’: Durgeshgorer Guptodhon Review

In...

Tarikh – Moving Beyond Deadlines and Datelines

Tarikh shows how the social media...

Nagarkirtan: Love that Transcends Conventional Gender Clichés

Kaushik Ganguly's mastery lies in seeking...

Ahaa Re: If Food be the Music of Love, Cook On…

Ahaa Re offers a unique perspective...

Nathicharami: A Journey of Self-exploration

Nathicharami...

An Exquisite Labour of Love

Bird of Dusk,...

Raghu Rai – An Unframed Portrait

Raghu Rai is considered the ‘father’...

Manojder Adbhut Bari – A Whiff of Fresh Air

Anindya Chatterjee’s third feature...

Gaheen Hriday: A Powerful Film by Agnidev Chatterjee

Are all adulterous relationships about...

In Search of History – A Review of Maati

Maati is a film about the nuances in...

Mahanati: The Story of an Iconic Actress

Mahanati (2018), is a biopic on the...

A Little Sci Fi Gem: To Celebrate 200 Years of Frankenstein

2018 marks 200...

Rainbow Jelly Looks Beyond the Obvious

Soukarya Ghosal’s latest Bengali film...

Turn Fears into Strength and Fly: Hichki Review

Hichki is the story of Naina Mathur,...

Haami – Too Much Noise for a Simple Peck on the Cheek!

Haami, the latest Bengali film from...

Haranath and His Gender-Bender Film Dharasnan

What really makes a man, a ‘man’? Filmmaker...

Barsat Ki Raat Part 2: The Qawwali Duels

Monica Kar revisits the classic...

Barsat Ki Raat Part 1: A Musical Romance

On the occasion of...

Atanu Ghosh's sensitive film - 'Mayurakshi'

Mayurakshi – the Stream Within

Atanu Ghosh’s Mayurakshi weaves a sensitive...

Calcutta Sonata – The City’s Sustained Love Affair with the Piano

The piano is essentially a Western musical...

Giving Wings to Dreams: Secret Superstar Review by a 12-year-old

Secret Superstar is the story...

Bilu Rakkhosh – How Does One Define ‘Success’?

There are two opposite dimensions that...

Mamata Shankar as Dev D’s mother in Maacher Jhol

Maacher Jhol Review: Cooked and Served as Delightful Entertainment

Pratim D. Gupta’s latest film Maacher...

Teesri Kasam – A Story of Love That Meandered to its Dead End

Teesri Kasam – the name given to Maare...

Dhananjoy – Challenging the Criminal Justice System

Dhananjoy, the film is based on the...

Bikas Mishra’s Pagla Ghoda – Pensively Relevant

Bikas Ranjan Mishra's Pagla Ghoda...

A travelling ‘madari’ family in Buddhadeb Dasgupta's Tope

Tope Review – Decimated Cinema

Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s latest...

Sonata – A Celluloid Tribute to Loneliness that is Out of Sync

Aparna Sen’s Sonata is about three,...

Rangoon – A Complex, Intricate Yet Incomplete Tapestry

Vishal Bhardwaj's Rangoon is a metafilm...

Lady of the Lake: Intermingling Politics and Fantasy

Loktak Lairembee is the debut...

Devi – What if Devdas was a Woman?

“What if Devdas were a woman?” is the...

Antarleen and Kahaani 2 – Polarised Yet Competent Thrillers

At the very end of the year, two...

Postmaster Review – The Tagore Connection is Superfluous

Postmaster marks the directorial...

A mother-daughter moment of Nil Battey Sannata

Nil Battey Sannata Review: Be What You Want to Be

Nil Battey Sannata is a well-knit,...

Shankhachil – Soppy, Syrupy, Sentimental and Sad

Goutam Ghose’s Shankhachil won the National...

Raja Sen’s Maya Mridanga is Set on a High Pitch

Raja Sen’s latest film Maya Mridanga which...

Comical Mirror to a Vivacious Village Vaudeville

Skeptical...

Chauranga – A Metaphor For Escape

Chauranga is a metaphor for the illusory...

The sensitive and delicate Tere mere sapne ab ek rang hain encapsulates love and dreams, empathy and companionship in every frame.

Guide: The Story of Ordinary People Leading Extraordinary Lives

Fifty years ago, Guide 1965 proved that...

All the World’s a Stage: Tamasha and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo

Tamasha...

Onyo Opala – An Unusual Perspective on the Gay Identity

Satarupa Sanyal’s latest film Onyo Opala...

Abby Sen and Time Travel

Atanu Sen’s recent film Abby Sen is about...

Rajkahini – A Valiant Effort

Srijit Mukherjee’s latest film Rajkahini...

4. Rituparna Sengupta in the last film - Telephone

Teen Kahon – Three Dimensions Of The Obsessive Mind

Is obsession...

Tom Alter and Oorvazi Irani in The Path Of Zarathustra

The Parsi Story – A Learning Experience

Oorvazi Irani’s debut...

Was it a suicide, a murder or an accident – the death of Kheya in Natoker Mato

Theatre and Life: Natoker Mato

In 1977 during a film shooting,...

Brothers versus Warrior: Why Brothers Fails to be a Knock-Out

Brothers is a Hindi cinema which has close semblance...

Ek Nodir Galpo: The Name of a River

From a simple story of a...

Anubrato Bhalo Aacho? The Caregiver’s Tragedy

Partho Sen’s Anubrato Bhalo Aacho...

Baahubali and Bhallaladeva – an epic rivalry

Baahubali: A Potential Game-Changer

S S Rajamouli’s Baahubali-the...

Between the Times – A Rare Experience: Asa Jaoar Majhe Review

Aditya Vikram Sengupta’s Asa Jaoar...

Hamari Adhuri Kahani – A Story Best Left Untold

Hamari Adhuri Kahani has outstanding...

Dil Dhadakne Do: A Triumph of Casting

The largest of the societal issues the...

Family Album – A Few Shades Of Grey

Family Album entertains in a certain way...

Jahnu Barua’s Halodhia Choraye Baodhan Khai : A Look Back

Jahnu...

Jogajog – Difficult to Translate

The original story triggers...

Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet – Falling Short of Expectations

In an effort to make a film that combines...

Uma is young and she is an instrument to pacify the lust of the local school master Nabin.

Suttee: Retelling the Myth

Analayzing Aparna Sen's Bengali movie...

Margarita with a Straw: True Taste of Life

A refreshing review...

Piku Enthralls

Piku is like a treat of golgappas in itself....

A Peek Into the World of Kadambari and Charulata

Champa Srinivasan...

Ek Din Pratidin – Mrinal Sen’s Indictment on Patriarchy

Ek...

Kaushik Ganguly’s Chotoder Chobi: A Giant Leap for Cinema Lovers

Kaushik Ganguly’s latest release...

Punjab 1984 Review: About Wounds, Emotions And Simplicity

There is no condoning...

Born Into Brothels
(Pic courtesy Worldette.com)

Born into Brothels: Looking Back at a Gem in Documentary Filmmaking

The portrayal of artistry and talent...

Watch Haider for Shahid, Kashmir And Humanity

Shahid Kapoor as Haider in the second half, etches...

Thanks Maa: An Innocent Conviction, An Insensitive Society

Thanks Maa is a superb story of 2 days in...

Million Dollar Arm Review: Emotions Win In Deja Vu Sports Drama

Million Dollar Arm does not fall in the...

Hawaa Hawaai Review: Ek-Lava And His Wings

Amole Gupte's Hawaa Hawaai is one of the...

Pyaasa: Pristine Poetry On Celluloid

On Feb 19, 1957, Guru Dutt's classic Pyaasa...

Guide – A Mortal Man Became An Immortal Institution

Guide starts with a dashing Dev Anand (Raju)...

Sadanander Mela: A Story Of Humanity

The hero of Sadanander Mela is undoubtedly...

The Lunchbox: Meeting Point Of Two Bland and Forlorn Entities

The Lunchbox...

Swet Patharer Thala explores the prejudices society holds on to for the Hindu widow even in circumstances that appear modern and contemporary.

Revisiting Swet Patharer Thala: Woman, Widowhood And Work

Swet Patharer Thala presents a different...

3 Idiots – All Izz Well

3 Idiots is not just a story of 3 engineering...

Aranyer Din Ratri: Holding a Mirror to the 21st Century Generation

Aranyer...

Amar Prem: True Love Blossoms Without Barriers

Amar Prem portrays a pure and selfless form of love...

Garam Hawa represents the predicament of one such family of Agra.

Garam Hawa: India’s Living Dead

The title “Garam Hawa” is...

Modes of Storytelling: Tapan Sinha’s Kshudita Pashan (1961)

The...

Playing Passion Over Penance – Re-viewing Chokher Bali (1902-2002)

In...

Deep Jele Jai: Representation Of The Physically And Mentally Challenged

Deep Jele Jai has survived the onslaughts...

In Ghosh’s Noukadubi Hemnalini’s father (Dhritiman) is much more self-assured and articulate then the Annadababu of the novel.

Tagore’s Noukadubi And Rituparno’s Inspiration: Interrogating Marriage And Home

The...

Alo (2003)
Cast: Rituparna Sengupta, Abhishek Chattejee, Soumili Biswas
(Pic: Youtube)

Narrative Of Tagore’s Songs Used In Tarun Majumdar’s Alo (2003)

While...

In late 60's when feminism was taking shape in Bengal, with this contextually primed, well-built story the director was already one step ahead.

On Streer Patra

Standing on a lonesome, vast seashore...

Ghosh’s Binodini does not repent as against Tagore’s Binodini who leaves for Kashi apologizing to Mahendra and Ashalata, thereby eliminating the anxiety for the masterless widow. Ghosh’s Binodini is not punished.

Chokher Bāli: Unleashing Forbidden Passions

Ghosh makes a remarkable...

The music-loving, clairvoyant Prashanta has a premonition of the disaster that is going to strike his father.

Satyajit Ray’s Sakha Prosakha: A Critic of Contemporary Ethics

Ray’s preoccupation...

Bollywood And The Diaspora: Namastey London

Namastey London offers intriguing...

15 Park Avenue: Mithi’s Magic Mind – A Human and Scientific Exploration

I...

The Moor Recontextualized Othello to Omkara

In the play Othello...

The Colours of Language and Legalities: Reviewing Gulaal

The...

Deepali Chakraborty on Koi Chupke Se Aake: The Unspoken Melody of the Past
First of all let me congrats to my bade bhai ya ji .....excellent presentation Sirish da.
Saket Waghmode on Koi Chupke Se Aake: The Unspoken Melody of the Past
Brilliantly elucidated. These are movies and actors whose performances just cannot be replicated because at the very least, it needs both skill and ta...
NS Rajan on Yogesh: Mastering the Art of Simplicity
Monica ji. Thanks. Lyric writers such as Yogesh, Neeraj, Shailendra (and others) always strove to deliver more than they were asked to; they did not ...
Monica Kar on Yogesh: Mastering the Art of Simplicity
NS Rajan ji, this is a beautifully researched essay on one of our more sensitive lyricists. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and learnt a lot! "The pou...
Arindam Banerjee on Koi Chupke Se Aake: The Unspoken Melody of the Past
You have come up with another Masterclass in writing. Perfectly captured the nuances of the song and its filming, Shirish ji. This song - among Geeta ...

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