Lost and Found

Indian cinema has surely taken gigantic leaps in story and concept if we’ve managed to pull an entire feature film exclusively about a man getting trapped in a highrise apartment in Mumbai. Yes, you guessed it, today’s Lost and Found is Trapped, the 2016 thriller starring Rajkummar Rao and well, a rat. This Vikramaditya Motwane film manages to infuse dread and discomfort into a plot whose premise would sound only mildly unsettling at best. Take, for instance, the very idea of being locked in your own flat in a densely populated metropolis with innumerable ways of staying connected and plugged in. It would seem hardly plausible if not fantastic. But this film’s story not only manages to furnish a series of turns that make this eventuality a reality, it also ensures the lead’s desperate state of mind translates across the screen.

For a film with a wafer-thin plot, this one pushes the boundaries of storytelling and keeps one on edge throughout its runtime. Trapped builds up like one of those Final Destination movies where every scene leaves one more anxious about the next. There’s a power cut, the phone is out of battery, the water supply is terminated and the film’s protagonist gets locked in his own apartment in a highrise where he’s the only resident. And like it happens in these kinds of movies, the film’s hero eventually cracks and is compelled to consider desperate measures. For e.g: hungry, disoriented and out of food and water, all sorts of creepy crawlies that he can cobble together are on the menu. Creeped out already? This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Rao closely follows his character’s disintegration and ensures the audience is able to empathise with his unique circumstances. But this one’s a Motwane show all the way. From managing to sell the concept of this film to executing it as a compelling watch.

If you haven't watched this flick yet do so on Amazon Prime Video and Zee5

Well, that's the OTTplay Lost and Found film, Trapped for today, I shall be back again tomorrow with a brand new hidden gem for you to watch. This is your host Nikhil signing out for now.

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Sometimes, even the most impactful films seem to slide away without being noticed or acknowledged. Perhaps, they weren’t marketed like wholesome entertainers. Or maybe they were perceived as festival films and thus considered suitable only for those with a nuanced taste. But if you’re one who doesn’t judge a movie by its trailer and is willing to try out something new, this one’s for you.

Today’s Lost and Found is Waiting. The 2016 film starring Naseeruddin Shah and Kalki Koechlin, turns the concept of grieving over its head. Its muted narrative occasionally laced with dark humour delves into the idea that while humans can get acclimated to extreme degrees of pain, moving on entirely can be an excruciating affair. 

Waiting introduces us to 70-year-old Shiv Natraj (played by Shah) whose partner has been in a comatose state for months. Shiv has come to accept the inevitable over time and has become a regular at the hospital where his wife has been admitted. When he chances upon a young woman (played by Koechlin) whose husband is recently admitted to the same hospital following a horrific accident, he decides to hand-hold her through the various stages of sorrow. Torn and shattered following their individual setbacks, the two are inflicted with varying degrees of pain, and the journey to acceptance is long and complex. But how they choose to grapple with their suffering make this film worth a watch. 

Directed by Anu Menon, Waiting is set in Kochi and offers some stunning vistas of God’s own country. The veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has often admitted that he’s accepted some films only because they paid him handsomely. But going by his compelling performance here, it’s surely not one you can put a number on.  

That was all the info about the hidden gem “Waiting”, I shall be back with another episode of OTTplay Lost and found, until then it's me Nikhil outta here.

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Today’s Lost and Found is Shubho Mahurat, directed by Rituparno Ghosh. With Rakhee as the protagonist, the film was Ghosh’s personal hat-tip to the innumerable Mrs Marples who reside in every household, unacknowledged, or even uncelebrated. Ghosh paints the character of Ranga pishi, played by Rakhee, with all the necessary quirks of a sharp detective mind. With straight-faced humour and whip-sharp instincts, Ranga pishi is always a step ahead of her miscreant. Pitted against Rakhee’s sedate smarts is Sharmila Tagore’s seamless flamboyance as a once-relevant Tollywood actress. 

Ghosh peppered the narrative with frequent cliff-hangers and prompt murders, all along focusing on his female characters’ narrative arcs. Ghosh uses Nandita Das’ Mallika Sen, the journalist who investigates the mysterious goings-on, as his audience’s proxy, thus ensuring that viewers aren’t alienated through the runtime of the film.

Despite being a murder mystery, Shubho Mahurat spotlit the lives of its multiple women. While Ghosh uses Ranga pishi to enumerate the wonders of homemakers and their adept deduction skills, Padmini Chowdhury, played by Tagore, becomes his muse to an outer, glamorous world of showbiz. As the film progresses, these parallel narratives led by these opposing personalities gain momentum until the rousing climax, where they meet for the first time. 

Shubho Mahurat is a heady concoction of revenge, love, forgiveness and brittle relationships. So if you’re up for a gripping story that also tugs at your heartstrings, you should definitely watch this one. 

If you haven't watched this flick yet then do so on Amazon Prime Video and Hoichoi

Well that's some info about the lesser-known film Shubho Mahurat on OTTplay Lost and Found, I shall be back again with another critically acclaimed film soon. This is your host Nikhil signing out for now.

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Following the tradition of featuring critically-acclaimed films that hardly got the attention they deserved when they were released, today’s Lost and Found is Kaamyaab. This Hardik Mehta directorial released in March 2020 but barely managed a few weeks in theaters on account of the pandemic and was only discovered by some when it dropped on Netflix. 

Kaamyaab delves into the mundane life of a retired character actor Sudheer, played by Sanjay Mishra, who decides to return for a second innings when he learns that his filmography is one short of 500. Through Sudheer, we’re introduced and sensitized to the significant yet often ignored role that character actors are confined to. Often blending into the narrative like a backdrop, their presence, while pertinent, is largely peripheral to the proceedings. So even though they’re firmly embedded in films, they’re denied the stardom or heft assigned to film stars and must grapple with a life of anonymity despite featuring in hundreds of onscreen turns.      

From those doctors who appear on-screen only to state that the patient is beyond dava and at the mercy of dua to those henchmen who go flying across the screen once punched by the hero, character actors and junior artists are omnipresent in Indian films. Mehta’s film makes for a bittersweet watch and one is able to closely follow the protagonist’s state of mind and how he deals with his existential crisis. The film also stars Deepak Dobriyal, who plays a renowned casting agent, and features cameos by actual veteran character actors from Hindi films and TV shows such as Avtar Gill, Lilliput and Viju Khote.   

If you haven't watched this flick yet then do so on Netflix, Youtube, Google Play and iTunes.

Well, that's the OTTplay Lost and Found film for today, I shall be back soon with another  lesser-known film but critically acclaimed. This is your host Nikhil Signing off for now.

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Neeraj Ghaywan’s 2015 directorial debut Masaan also launched Vicky Kaushal in a compelling turn. The film, which also stars Richa Chaddha and Shweta Tripathi, is a deeply moving depiction of how some are profiled on account of their caste and also packs a heart-wrenching love story. 

The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where it bagged two awards and Kaushal’s performance also earned him an IIFA and a Screen Award for Best Male Debut, among other accolades. The movie sways between parallel stories that unfold in Varanasi before converging in the climax. 

The first narrative revolves around Devi, a computer teacher who’s apprehended by the police in a supposedly compromising position in a hotel room and how it alters her life and that of those close to her. 

The second delves into the budding love story of a polytechnic student belonging to a marginalised community who falls for someone from a different caste. Both these stories are equally heart-breaking and yet, there’s something that keeps you hopeful and engaged throughout the proceedings.

If you haven't watched this gem, you can stream it right away on Netflix, Jio and Disney + Hotstar.

That's the Lost and Found film for today. I shall be back with another hidden gem pretty soon on OTTplay, until then it's your host Nikhil signing off.

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Shankar Nag’s socio-political Kannada feature film Accident, released in 1985, bagged the National Film Award and several Karnataka state film awards for Best Picture. Acting alongside him was his real-life brother Ananth Nag and his wife Arundathi Nag. The film was critically acclaimed for its engaging storyline about the tussle between corrupt politicians and the Indian judiciary in the 80s. Colloquially dubbed as Auto Raja by fans, Shankar Nag has delivered some of the most iconic Kannada movies of all time. 

The film, also directed by Nag, sees him play a journalist. The film follows a corrupt politician who would go to any lengths to protect his son and his own reputation. His son Deepak runs over a few pedestrians while in an inebriated state. Only one man survives. The rest of the film plays out like a cat-and-mouse chase, with police and media in tow. 

Though there are no songs in the movie, music maestro Illayaraja was hired to score the background for a few scenes in the film.The sounds of retro car screeches, typewriting, camera shutters, the silence during accident scenes, the pink television noise all add up to lend the film its discomfiting environment. Although shot 35 years ago, this deep-rooted film is definitely worth revisiting for its relevance and depiction.

If you haven't watched this classic then do so on Jiocinema, Youtube and MX player.

Well, that was the Lost and Found Kannada language film Accident for today on OTTplay.

I shall be back again with another critically acclaimed film but lesser-known. Until then it's your host Nikhil signing out. 

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Batman is arguably the most popular superhero in the world. The DC comic book character has appeared in countless adaptations over the years ranging from film, television, and video games. In the past decade alone, the character has been played and voiced by several actors. But, fans and critics will point towards one adaptation as the most definitive version of the caped crusader - Kevin Conroy’s 1993 version of the Dark Knight in the animated film, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. 

The film is part of the critically acclaimed animated universe created by Bruce Timm, popularly called the Timmverse. It was also the first Warner Bros DC animated film to get a theatrical release. It features an original story with a few plot lines taken from the Batman: Year One and Batman: Year Two graphic novels. It is set in two time periods. One is set in the early days of Bruce Wayne donning the cape and cowl as an inexperienced Batman, where he is engaged to marry Andrea Beaumont. The second timeline features Batman at the peak of his powers, investigating a new villain named Phantasm, years after Andrea broke off their engagement. 

The narrative is a psychological thriller in a noir-detective setting, which also explores Batman’s mental makeup after suffering several tragedies in his life. The film was lauded for its writing, animation style, music, and performances by its iconic voice cast, which featured Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamil as the Joker. Writer Paul Dini was also praised for how various themes such as trauma, revenge, and death were explored in the film.

While Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is revered as the greatest comic book adaptation of all time, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is the most authentic take on Bruce Wayne/Batman. 

Watch this hidden gem exclusively on Hungama.

Well,that's the end of today's OTTplay Lost and Found podcast. I shall be back again with a new episode until then it's your host Nikhil signing off.

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Hansal Mehta’s Aligarh is based on the real-life story of the Aligarh University professor who was persecuted and laid-off for his sexual orientation and translates as a heart-breaking story of discrimination. When a local news channel manages to shoot this professor allegedly having sex with a rickshaw puller, he’s singled out and ostracised and eventually, compelled to consider extreme measures.

Headlined by Manoj Bajpayee, who plays the wronged academic and Rajkummar Rao, who plays a journalist hopeful of getting to the bottom of the affair, Aligarh is a telling portrait of homophobia and a society that is blatantly intolerant of sexual minorities. 

The film also draws a compelling account of loneliness and how those who must fend for themselves get by with little help or support. But what really shines through in this film is Bajpayee’s ability to slip into his character with such immersion that you can weigh in on his thoughts and feelings in almost every single frame.  

Mehta’s immersive narrative and style of storytelling allow us a ringside view of the proceedings without manipulating how we process or accept this story. Aligarh is surely one of Mehta’s most compelling works, along with Citylight and Shahid. 

Some may feel that this film speaks for those who are routinely marginalised on account of their sexuality and makes a case for being more inclusive. But Aligarh also documents a man’s struggle to survive and be accepted for who he is, at a point when his right to have a private life has been violated. 

If you haven't watched this gem do so now on OTT. It is streaming now on Eros Now, Zee5, Aitel tv, Jio

Alright, that's the end of this podcast OTTplay Lost and Found, I shall be back again with a brand new film critically acclaimed but lesser-known, until then it’s your host Nikhil signing out.

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The horrifying and heartbreaking tales of war and destruction in certain African nations have often prompted empathy and concern. So it’s hardly surprising that the premise has been adopted in films, television shows, and even in video games over the years. Films such as The Last King of Scotland, Hotel Rwanda, and Blood Diamond have captured the tragedies as sombre reminders of those who’ve endured the ravages of war and political strife across the world. However, few films have focused on the plight of ‘child soldiers’ who are often employed in conflicts in some war-ravaged countries in Africa. And Beasts of No Nation is one such film. 

The film is narrated from the perspective of a child soldier from an unnamed African nation. His tragic journey from his village to joining a rebel militia group is captured with great attention to detail by director Cary Joji Fukunaga. Fukunaga is credited with directing the critically-acclaimed first season of True Detective and the latest James Bond film No Time To Die. Beasts of No Nation won several awards and was well received in various film festivals for its compelling narrative, visuals, screenplay, and performances. 

The film stars Abraham Attah as the young child soldier Agu, while British star Idris Elba plays the sadistic Commandant in the film. The film highlights the various atrocities and injustice thousands of children face in Africa on a daily basis, and how they are forced to join armed militia groups. The film also triggers a discussion about trauma, mental health, and how the rest of the world has turned a blind eye to these atrocities. There are certain themes from the movie which are similar to the ones in legendary video-game developer Hideo Kojima’s, critically-acclaimed Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.

So that’s our Lost and Found film for today and we hope you’re excited to check it out. Beasts of No Nation is available to stream on Netflix. I shall be back again with another episode until then it's your host Nikhil signing off.

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The Malayalam film, Ishq, surprised audiences with its intriguing narrative and thought-provoking subtext when it was released in 2019. The film, starring Shane Nigam, Ann Sheetal, and Shine Tom Chacko tackled issues on moral policing, misogyny, and also how society perceived victims of sexual assault.

The story is about a young couple, played by Nigam and Sheetal, who have their car stopped at night by a couple of con-men pretending to be policemen. The imposters, played by Chacko and Jaffer Idukki, demand that the couple do as they are told, and imply that they could be arrested for adultery if they refuse. 

The tense narrative revolves around the trauma the couple are subjected to, but also the fear and anxiety felt by Ann Sheetal’s character, Vasu. The engrossing screenplay will have you hooked through the film and the unexpected twist in the climax is surely worth sitting through this one. Ishq also explores ideas of how revenge and obsession could drive one to do unfathomable deeds. 

The film marks the directorial debut of Anuraj Manohar and Shine Tom Chacko as the sadistic antagonist pulls off one of  his career’s best performances. 

If you haven't watched this one yet do exclusively  on Amazon prime video

Well, that's the Lost and Found film for today Ishq, I shall be back with another new critically acclaimed film but lesser-known, This is your host Nikhil signing off for this podcast.

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