A converted muslim women Fatima Ba narrates her ordeal of how she once wanted to become a nurse but was abducted from her home and manipulated by religious vanguards and turned into an ISIS terrorist and landed in Afghanistan jail.

Directors :Sudipto Sen, Vipul Amrutlal Shah
Writers : Suryapal ,SinghSudipto Sen,Vipul Amrutlal Shah
Stars : Pranav MisshraAdah SharmaYogita Bihani

The movie stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani. It is scheduled to be released on 5 May 2023. 

Premise and factual accuracy

The movie is captioned as being based on a real-life incident, while the reliability of the statistics shown are not backed by any real evidence. It makes a reference to Love Jihad propaganda in Kerala, where Muslim youth allegedly lure Hindu girls to convert them to Islam. 

The teaser, released on 3 November 2022, featured Adah Sharma playing the character of Fathima Ba — a Hindu Malayali nurse — who had converted to Islam and joined the ISIS, before ending up in an Afghan jail. She identifies to be one of the 32,000 girls, from the Hindu and Christian communities, who are missing from Kerala and have been recruited to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) after being converted to Islam. The claimed figures are widely inaccurate, being based on mistranslations, misquotes and extrapolations from misrepresentations of unrelated statistics. 

The Observer Research Foundation in a 2019 report notes that about 60 to 70 individuals had joined ISIS from Kerala between 2014 and 2018. According to Indian government figures not more than a total of 100 – 200 Indians had joined the organization over the years, one of the smallest figures of any country with a substantial Muslim population. The US Department of State in its 2020 report on terrorism had documented that there were a total of 66 individuals from India who were affiliated with ISIS at that time. 

The events portrayed in the movie seem to be inspired by four women from Kerala who converted to Islam and traveled with their husbands to Afghanistan to join ISIS between 2016 and 2018. They were part of a 21-member group from Kerala to join ISIS in 2016, remain incarcerated in Afghanistan since surrendering in 2019. 

Opposition

Both Indian National Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) — the only two parties to have governed the state since Independence — have objected to the release of the movie for propagating communal misinformation. They have further alleged that the filmmakers are promoting the agenda of the Sangh Parivar of defaming Kerala and propagating the idea of “love jihad”, a Hindutva conspiracy theory. Responding to the allegations, producer Shah has said that “nothing we say will be without evidence” and that Sen had conducted four years of research for the movie . 

After a Tamil Nadu-based journalist filed a complaint with the Kerala chief minister, by stating that false propaganda is being done against Kerala and communal harmony is being destroyed, Kerala state police chief Anil Kant directed the Thiruvananthapuram City Police to register a case based on a report by hi-tech crime inquiry cell of Kerala Police. However, based on legal counsel’s advice, as of 15 November 2022, an FIR was not filed. As of 9 November 2022, the movie is subject to an investigation. 

Cast

• Adah Sharma as Shalini Unnikrishnan / Fatima Ba
• Yogita Bihani as Nimah
• Sonia Balani as Asifa
• Siddhi Idnani as Geetanjali

Production and release

The movie was produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who is also the creative director of the movie. It is scheduled to be released in theatres on 5 May 2023.  

Starring: Trinadh Varma, Bhavana Sagi, Mounika Reddy, Ravi Teja Mahadasyam

Director: Shravan Kumar

Producer: Vijaya Lakshmi Veluri

Music Director: Pratik Abhyankar and Anand Nambiar

Cinematography: Shashank Sri Ram

Editor: Shravan Kumar

Small budget movie Two Souls, starring Trinadh Varma and Bhavana Sangi hit the screens today. Check out our review to know how the film is.

Story:

Akhil (Trinadh Varma) is a carefree young man who believes that his girlfriend Priya (Mounika Reddy) is cheating on him and decides to commit suicide. He survives the attempt and ends up in the hospital, where he realizes that his soul leaves his body. He meets Priya (Bhavana Sagi), the only soul he can see. Who is Priya? What happened to her? Is there any connection between them? What happened next between them? Did they finally meet in reality?

Plus Points:

The point the director Shravan Kumar wanted to convey is so good. Though it is his debut film, the director neatly handled the film and to say, he also takes care of the crafts like editing and DI.

Actor Trinadh Varma looks good and his on-screen behaviour is neat. He performs fine as a disturbed person who missed his mother followed by his girlfriend.

Young actress Bhavana Sagi also delivers a fine performance. She may sound hyperactive on screen but it is how the character is and she gave her best. On the other hand, she looks good. Ravi Teja Mahadasyam and Mounika Reddy have limited screen presence but did justice to their roles.

The climax portion is fine. The visuals and the background score are really good. The beauty of Sikkim is showcased well in the film, especially in the second hour.

Minus Points:

These kinds of films which are merely based on conversations need to be engaging throughout. Otherwise, they give enormous boredom to the audience. Unfortunately, Two Souls lacks such an engaging dialogue exchange.

The director wants to build an emotional connection between the characters Akhil and Priya with beautiful conversations. However, the conversations which need to be engrossing generate boredom in places.

The conversations in the first half are not that much impressive. Maybe, the director intentionally wanted to make better conversations in the latter half. Alongside, some of the conversations give repetitive feels.

Director Shankar should have taken better care of narration in the first half. Also, he should have shown some backstory related to the leads, which might have helped the film. The songs are melodious but a proper promotion before the release could have helped them earn more attention.

Technical Aspects:

The way the debutant director Shravan Kumar handled the movie is okay but he should have written better conversations to make Two Souls a better movie. It is important to mention that the director handled the climax very well.

Cinematography by Shashank Sri Ram is good. Music by Pratik Abhyankar and the background score by Anand Nambiar are fine. Production values are neat and the editing should have been crisper. There is a lot of room for trimming many scenes in the first half. Also, a crisp runtime should have helped the film big time.

Verdict:

On the whole, Two Souls has a nice concept that executed in a bad manner. Though it has a neat climax and decent performances from the lead actors, the screenplay and boring conversations in the first hour made the film a below-par fare.

Sai Dharam Tej stars in the highly anticipated 2023 Telugu film Virupaksha. You may have been anticipating this movie for a while if you enjoy mysteries or Dharam Tej. The movie Virupasksha will be available in theaters across all of India on April 21 in a variety of languages, including Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. Before you see this suspenseful murder mystery, read the Virupaksha movie review in its entirety. 

Storyline: In a village, mysterious deaths occur as a result of an unknown person’s occult practice. The entire town is terrified of these killings. Will they track down the person responsible for the deaths? The rest of the story is about the difficulties encountered during the process. 

Virupaksha Overall Rating – 7.5/10 

Full Review – “Virupakash” is a thrilling murder mystery movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the last moment. The film delivers mind-bending twists and a captivating story with a perfect blend of action, thriller, drama, and mystery. 

The movie follows the incidents in a village where some mysterious deaths occurred recently. Then Sai Dharam Tej comes to the village and investigate the incident and suffers some unexpected events in his life. You will see how he successfully catches the real killer and save the villagers from chronological murders. 

Key Points of Virupaksha film review:

The director Karthik takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride of twists and turns, leading to a shocking and unexpected climax. The cast of Virupakash movie is superb and Sai Dharam, Sunil, and Ajay give goosebumps performances. The supporting cast also did good work. 

The direction and cinematography are everything in a thriller mystery and both are executed well by the makers. The dark tone and horror sound enhance the suspense and excitement in the movie. 

You Should Watch or Not – According to our Virupakash Movie Review Expert: “Virupaksha” is a must-watch for fans of thriller and mystery, and Sai Dharam Tej. It’s a gripping and thrilling ride so everyone will enjoy this movie. 

Plus Points:

The first half is mostly racy except for the romantic track. The movie begins on an interesting note as the director wastes no time in setting up the plot. One would get involved in the proceedings right from the very first frame. Sukumar shows his brilliance with the screenplay in the first hour. The amount of effort put in by the production design team to take us into the world of Rudravanam is brilliant.

The sound effects in Virupaksha are scintillating and are sure to send chills down the spine. Not one, but there are many sequences in the film that are brilliantly executed with the help of these sound effects. The first half will thrill and scare the viewers at the same time. The makers made sure not to miss out even on the minute detailing and thus enhances the viewing experience.

Sai Dharam Tej sheds his mass image and plays his part neatly. He, as a person who tries to unravel the mystery in the village, did a fair job. The mega actor has shown a lot of maturity in his performance and did what exactly the script demands from him.

Samyukta Menon gets a meaty role, and she did a spectacular job as well. Samyukta played the village girl role with utmost conviction, and the film has ample scope for the actress to display her acting prowess. The gorgeous beauty grabbed the opportunity with both hands and gave it her all.

The writing is trenchant in most places, and the terrific background score elevates the proceedings superbly. The characterizations are strongly written, and even those who appear for a brief time will drive the story forward. Ajay, Sai Chand, Shymala, Soniya Singh, and Brahmaji did their roles well.

Minus Points:

After a very good first half, one would obviously expect the second half to have the same momentum, but this part disappoints slightly. Though it has a couple of well-executed twists, the pacing dips, weakening the impact. The climax also could have been a bit better.

The romantic track in the initial parts of the movie is a bit boring. The scenes that come in this regard could have been written better. The routine nature of the love track and the song here come as a speed breaker for the film’s flow. The movie is not for the faint-hearted, as it has gore sequences.

Technical Aspects:

Virupaksha is one of the well-crafted movies technically. The background score by Ajaneesh Loknath is top-notch, and it keeps one haunted till the end. It won’t be an overstatement to say that Ajaneesh Loknath is the second hero of Virupaksha. Kudos to the team for such exhilarating sound effects, which were made an integral part of the story. The cinematography by Shamdat is fantastic and gives the required depth. The production values are excellent. The editing could have been slightly better.

Coming to the director, Karthik Dandu, he has done a good job with the movie. The way he penned the story and the amount of depth in his writing is awesome. He made fantabulous use of technical values to present his story effectively on the screen. Sukumar’s association with the film is the icing on the cake. However the second half and climax were not that great.

Verdict:

On the whole, Virupaksha is an engaging mystical thriller that is high on technical values. A good storyline, commendable performances by the actors, pulse-pounding sound effects, and neat direction are its trump cards. Barring the slightly slow second half, this movie very much deserves a theatrical experience for its incredible technical values. Recommended.

Other details about the movie Virupaksha review 

Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, Mystery 

Duration: 2h 35m 

Director: Karthik Varma Dandu 

Writer: Sukumar 

Cast: Sai Dharam Tej, Sunil, Samyuktha Menon, Brahmaji, Ajay

Audience rating summary

Source : Google

• Kondraal Paavam is the official remake of the Karnataka-state award winning acclaimed film Aa Karaala Raatri (2018). The movie has been brought to Tamil by its original maker Dayal Padmanabhan, so a promise of a consistent remake is already in the offing. 

• Filmmaker Dayal Padmanabhan has worked in the Kannada film industry for nearly 2 decades and Kondraal Paavam is his debut into Kollywood. However since the director is a Tamil, nativity doesn’t come across as an issue with the remake.

The actor on her experience of being a part of Drishyam’s sequel, which released today, on growing as an actor, and roles being written for all ages

The sequel to 2015’s Drishyam, the Abhishek Pathak-directed Drishyam 2 is all set for a theatrical release on November 18. Starring Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Tabu and Akshaye Khanna in pivotal roles, the sequel, just like the first one, is a remake of the Malayalam films of the same name. Saran, who is enjoying playing real-life mother to two-year-old Radha, reprises the role of Nandini Salgaonkar in the crime thriller. She tells us more about her role and how motherhood has added to her experience as an actor. Edited excerpts:

It’s been seven years since the first instalment of Drishyam. How did it feel getting back to playing Nandini again? 

It wasn’t easy. So much has happened in our lives. Seven years have passed in reality and in the film as well. My character has been living with something which she cannot talk about. It’s a very complex character. What I normally do when I play complex characters such as these is that I write a little story around what probably happened between this film and the previous film. I wrote a few scenes; revisited the first film and somewhere between all this, I became Nandini again.

When I was doing the first film, I felt my character was way more mature than what I was. It was a huge responsibility but I went with my instincts. The story and the dialogues were so well-written that all one had to do was react. There was a line in the first film that really helped me, where she says that when all of this was happening, I don’t know where I got the strength to do it. It was really that for me. Nandini is all heart. She is innocent and simple. There’s a situation where her husband tells her that he thinks from his brain, not his heart, which is not the case with her. So that makes her character very complex and I enjoy doing that.

You also became a mother to your daughter Radha along the way.

When you go through such experiences in real life, they change you as a person. You come out stronger. I think it’s great that roles are being written for actors of all ages and they don’t get written off for being married or becoming parents. I feel I am a better actor than I was ever before. I am more driven because when I leave Radha behind and go to work, I want to give my best and make sure it’s worth the time away from her.

Ajay Devgn and you share a good on-screen chemistry. You were also part of RRR (2022) where you played his wife. How’s it to work with him? 

He’s a fantastic actor to work with. He’s very quiet on sets and doesn’t talk much. I have heard stories of him being a prankster but not with me; not on this film.

You have done movies in six languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, English, Malayalam and Kannada. Do you think working across many industries has added to your growth as an actor?

When I became part of the film industry almost 20 years ago, there was no thinking process or plan I was following. It was only about giving your best to what comes your way. At the time, I was only thinking about doing good films with good directors and I was getting really good directors to work with. It really didn’t matter what language it was. I learnt the language and I worked very hard at it. For somebody who would fail language in school, to be able to do that was an achievement. Now when I look back, I feel so happy I did movies in so many languages because it gave me a chance to connect with so many people from different parts of the country. I have an understanding of different industries now and I feel it is a huge advantage. I was guided by good work and good directors and I will continue doing that.

 Kantara movie box office collection: Kannada mega blockbuster reaches new milestone with MASSIVE worldwide record – Many people are waiting for Kantara’s OTT release after its phenomenal success at the box office. In fact, it has been in news for its premiere online for over two weeks now.

1. 100 Days

2. Gupt

3. Khiladi

4. Manorama Six Feet Under

5. Ittefaq

6. Teesri Manzil

7. Bhoot Bungla

8. Kaante

9. Talvar

10. Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!

11. Ugly

12. Kaminey

13. A Wednesday

14. Ek Hasina Thi

15. Johnny Gaddar

16. Kahaani

17. Deewaangee

18. Aamir

19. Baazigar