Tag: zaira Wasim

The sky is pink (2019)

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One of the best films in 2019, the story of the movie had caught the pulse of the audience from the beginning.

Based on the true life story of Aisha Chaudhary, it chronicles the before, after and the beautiful and challenging in between.

Stellar performances by Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim and Rohit Saraf, capturing nuances of a real family, talking about things in a candid and meaningful way.

Shonali Bose had her own story to tell through this directorial, handling a sensitive subject beautifully.

A must watch before the year ends.

3.5/5

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Secret Superstar (2017)

Aamir Khan does it again. He embraces a sleazy personality in a small role and lets young Zaira Wasim shine. Like Dangal, he takes a back step and lets the story be the hero, something other A-list stars should consider as well.

The film addresses many stereotypes and pokes various elements of the glamour and film industry. Debut director Advait Chandan doesn’t waste time with trivial details and gets to the core, very quickly.

The plot is designed to make you uncomfortable and tense, much like wringing a wet cloth. The casting is brilliant, Raj Arjun as the father, Meher Vij as the mother and Farrukh Jaffer as the Grand mother, being pivotal with their actions and inactions, their silence and their words. Little brother Kabir Sajid is adorable and friend Tirth Sharma is endearing.

Zaira has enacted a role many older actresses would find challenging. She balances projecting her own circumstances and being compassionate with ease. It is a heart warming tale, with a message baked right into the title, and not as straightforward as you would expect.

Aamir Khan shows a sensitivity with children and stories which gets better with every film. This film walks the right rope between gut wrenching and liberating with panache. Watch for the superlative performances and simple story.

3.5/5

Dangal (2016)

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It took precisely 2 minutes to be drawn in to the world of Mahavir Singh Phogat. And there we stayed, engaged, spellbound and with insights into playful and emotional times, witnessing the staggering growth of the family, especially the girls, Geeta and Babita.

It is such a delight to see Aamir playing his own age, not romancing someone half his age, showing tremendous dedication to his craft with the weight gain. It was especially satisfying to see that he wasn’t self indulgent, we didn’t see him in every frame and he has limited lines. His presence as the patriarch is enough to demand constant and uninterrupted attention. This has been his most mature performance.

The focus and pride of the film are the girls. To start with, the younger Geeta and Babita played by Zaira Wasim and Suhani Bhatnagar, who quickly show us how crippling the burden of carrying their fathers’ dream is. There is a larger picture, which even Sakshi Tanwar, who plays their mother, cannot see. The girls grow to become formidable wrestlers. Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra are a product of discipline, their father’s foresight and rigorous training.

The film is tight, crisp, relevant and interesting. Never once does our attention waver. We didn’t want to miss a word, and devoured the authenticity and challenge presented. The decision taken by the father to transform and train his daughters is phenomenal in the time, place and circumstances he was in.

We have seen many Aamir films, but not a film which has Aamir in the feel, vibe and pulse of its every fibre. As mentioned before, he isn’t there in every frame, but you can sense the loyalty to the story in his unique manner at all times.

There are many sequences that stand out, and once is definitely not enough to process the film. The audience is educated about wrestling so that we too root for them as spectators of the actual fight. Director Nitesh Tiwari has made the message loud and clear for girls and women, and their families, to empower their destinies and live to their fullest potential.

A 7-course gourmet meal, with every flavour imaginable. Rich, pure, real and deep, it will tap into an adrenaline you didn’t know you had.

4.5/5