Reviews of the latest (and sometimes not-so latest) independent films from South Asians everywhere.
IIF Podcast: Laapataa Ladies, Fairy Folk
Film critics Rahul Desai, Uday Bhatia and Ishita Sengupta discuss Laapataa Ladies and Fairy Folk.
IIF Podcast: All India Rank, Poacher
IIF PODCAST: Film critics Rahul Desai and Uday Bhatia discuss All India Rank and Poacher.
12th Fail: The Light Within
Pankaj Sachdeva writes about Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail.
IIF Podcast: Bhakshak
Film critics Rahul Desai and Ishita Sengupta discuss Bhakshak, the latest Bhumi Pednekar film.
Goldfish: The inheritance of memory
Film critic Rahul Desai writes a personal essay featuring the film Goldfish.
Three of Us: Back to the Origin
By Pankaj Sachdeva In Three of Us, Avinash Arun takes us on a journey to contemplate the realm of memories. Do our memories define us? Do we cease to exist if we forget our memories? Do we eternally remember some of our memories? He tells the beautiful story of Shailaja (Shefali Shah), who is on the cusp of losing her memories due to dementia. Before she forgets everything, she takes a trip with her husband, Dipankar (Swanand Kirkire), to the quaint hamlet of Vengurla. She seeks rediscovery of the girl she was before age caught up with her. She seeks forgiveness [...]
12th Fail: The indefatigable cinema of life
Rahul Desai writes about Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail, one of the finest Hindi films of 2023.
Review: Killers of the Flower Moon
Film critic Rahul Desai writers about Killers of the Flower Moon.
IIF Podcast: MAMI 2023
With the return of MAMI, film critics Rahul Desai and Uday Bhatia reminisce about the festival and their memories of previous editions.
Goldfish: Remembering to forget
By Rahul Desai Goldfish opens with a 30-something Anamika (Kalki Koechlin) storming back into her childhood home. “Let’s just get through this, shall we?” she hisses. The recipient of her curt greeting is Sadhana Tripathi (Deepti Naval), her mother. The older woman, who lives alone, is in the early stages of dementia; she is no longer as self-sufficient as she’d like. A kitchen fire forces Anamika to return after what seems like years of estrangement. Like most her age, Sadhana is in denial; she claims that her new dictaphone is for the music she teaches, and that her notepad is [...]
“Past Lives” and the grammar of dreaming
Rahul Desai writes about Celine Song's PAST LIVES, one of the best films of the year.
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani: It’s all about living with parents
Pankaj Sachdeva writes about Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani.
IIF Podcast: Made In Heaven Season 2
Film critics Rahul Desai and Ishita Sengupta discuss Made In Heaven 2.
Review: The Broken Table
Rahul Desai writes about the short film, The Broken Table.
Aftersun: The luminosity of an aftermath
Rahul Desai writes about AFTERSUN.
The Wonder & the cult of narratives
Rahul Desai writes about THE WONDER, the new Sebastian Lelio thriller on Netflix.
IIF Podcast: Doctor G, Ram Setu
Film critics Rahul Desai and Uday Bhatia discuss DOCTOR G and RAM SETU on the same podcast. How's that for balance?
Chhello Show: Honestly Personal and Slyly Political
Sashi writes about Pan Nalin's Chhello Show, India's official entry to the Oscars.