Lost and Found

Welcome to OTTplay Lost and Found , one podcast that gives you all the info on 

lesser-known but critically acclaimed films. I'm your host Nikhil.

Today's episode is all about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. This Mike Newell directorial is set in the idyllic English town of Guernsey, in the final years of World War II and the consequent few years. During the German occupation of Guernsey, the inhabitants of the town were stripped off their daily professions and forced to take up livelihoods dictated by the SS army. Hence pig farmers were now forced to cultivate potatoes in their fields. In such dire circumstances, food was scarce and entertainment nil. That is when a few from the town decided to hold a covert dinner of roasted pig (the single animal which was hidden from the watchful eyes of the Germans). Hence Dawsey Adams, Amelia Maugery, Isola Pribbey, Eben Ramsey, along with Elizabeth (whose idea it was to hold the dinner) get together and have a wonderful night of laughter and memories. On   their way back home, they are intercepted by soldiers, who enquire about their whereabouts. They quickly string up these unlikely words (mostly based on the dishes served during the potluck dinner) and claim they are part of a reading club. They soon get registered and hold forced meetings with a German soldier presiding over them. But soon, they bond on literature, Charles Lamb becoming a favorite. 

Once the War is over, Dawsey reaches out to the author Juliet Ashton, who writes under the pen-name of Izzy Bickerstaff, as Juliet’s book on Lamb’s essays was the copy that the group lay their hands on. Juliet, who lost her parents in the war, now disguises as Izzy, a free-spirited rebel least affected by the war. Her books are popular and sell well. Yet, Juliet feels hollow inside. With Dawsey’s letter, she sees a new ray of hope and decides to make the journey to Guernsey and discover the goings-on of this unique society. The film unravels the story of two unlikely people falling in love despite their circumstances, all stitched beautifully by their mutual adoration for literature. So, if you’ve ever been moved by a lilting song, an evocative prose or a compelling poem, this film is the perfect fit for you. 

If you haven't watched this yet then do so, it's streaming exclusively on Netflix.

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Welcome to OTTplay Lost and Found, one podcast that gives you insights into critically acclaimed films but lesser-known. I'm your host Nikhil.

There have been many films that have depicted the convivial Chawl culture of Mumbai. But there are few that have managed to capture the true spirit of those residing in those middle-income  housing societies in India’s most populous metropolis. It’s an uber neighbourly environment where everyone is embedded in the other’s life and keeping to oneself just isn’t an option. And that is just something Sai Paranjpye’s 1983 classic Katha captures so immaculately. This forgotten gem will appeal to a wide range of audiences – those that prefer romantic comedies, light-hearted dramas and even those who fancy a good ol’ story of deceit and fraud.  

Starring Naseeruddin Shah, Farooq Shaikh and Deepti Naval in the lead, Katha is inspired by S.G. Sathe’s play The Hare and the Tortoise but offers a contemporary retelling of that famous race between the two animals and hopes to examine whether the result of the contest would be the same in today’s ruthless world. 

The film introduces us to Rajaram P Joshi (played by Naseer), a clerk who resides in a Mumbai Chawl and fancies his neighbour Sandhya Sabnis (played by Deepti Naval). But this seems to be an unlikely match as Sandhya hopes to find a partner who’s more gregarious and Rajaram is essentially tongue-tied in her company to spell his heart. Enter Rajaram’s college friend, Bashu (played by Farooq Shaikh), a smooth operator who drops in to shack up with Rajaram. Bashu is everything that Rajaram isn’t and manages to charm everyone he meets. But when Bashu gets into a relationship with Sandhya, Rajaram’s boss’s wife and daughter without as much as committing to either, we know we’re headed for an explosion.  

The film was lauded for its colourful depiction of Mumbai’s bustling chawl life. But it also packs an unlikely love story that keeps us hopeful for a happy ending. Watch this one to be transported to simpler times when one could pull through life with modest means and it took very little to manage a happy and content existence.

If you haven't watched this gem of a movie yet, then do so streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Mubi.

Well, that's the OTTplay Lost and Found film for today's podcast, I shall be back with another episode soon, until then it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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The popularity of true-crime TV shows has risen in recent years, coinciding with the surge in OTT and streaming platforms across the globe. More often than not true-crime series are well received and are widely popular. However, a few go unnoticed despite being critically acclaimed, and one such series is the Netflix Original TV show, Unbelievable. That's the OTTplay Lost and Found for today.

The series stars Kaitlyn Dever as Marie Adler, a young woman charged with lying about being raped. She soon finds herself ostracized by her friends and society after the systems in place designed to protect her become her worst nightmare. The narrative emphasizes how the authorities were callous and incentive in how they dealt with her allegations. It isn’t until the investigation is taken over by Toni Collette's Det. Grace Rasmussen and Merritt Wever's Det. Karen Duvall that Marie Adler feels hopeful that her reputation could be restored. 

The well-paced narrative and absorbing screenplay ensured that Unbelievable was one of the best-reviewed shows of 2019. Kaitlyn Dever’s performance was singled out from immense praise by the critics. 

The series is a commentary on how victims of sexual abuse are treated by society. It is inspired by a Pulitzer Prize-winning article by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong titled An Unbelievable Story of Rape". 

If you haven't watched this crime series yet then do so it's streaming exclusively on Netflix.

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Woody Allen once famously said, “I’m not afraid to die, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” And how one interprets and processes the end of one’s life can vary and also trigger a range of emotions – from self-pity to reflection. Even Rajesh Khanna’s eponymous character in Anand exploded with fundas on life on being diagnosed with an incurable condition. “Babumoshai, zindagi badi honi chahiye … lambi nahin,” is just one of his memorable nuggets.

But today’s Lost and Found is a film that takes a more restrained yet definitive jab at the very idea of death. We’re talking about  Shubhashish Bhutiani’s 2017 dark comedy Mukti Bhawan. The film revolves around a 76-year-old called Dayanand (played with conviction by Lalit Behl), who has an epiphany and announces to his family that he’s lost his desire for life. Keeping with his prophetic realization, this septuagenarian checks into Mukti Bhawan, one of the many ‘death hotels’ in Varanasi — meant for those who want to breathe their last in the holy city. Hindus believe that those who die in Varanasi achieve moksha or salvation and thus many flocks to the holy city when they feel their end is near. 

Dayanand is also accompanied by his son, Rajiv (played masterfully by Adil Hussain), to the holy city. Rajiv finds himself in a peculiar situation. He struggles to grapple with the fact that his father has relinquished his desire for life and the inevitable loss to follow, but also that he’s suddenly become extremely fastidious. For instance, in a scene, we find the elderly gent dismissing an obituary in the newspaper for its poor choice of words, even claiming that he would write his own. Later, when he announces that he’d rather stick to a diet of fruits just like the sadhus, his son corrects him saying, “Phal pandit nahin, udyogpati khaate hain.” 

The bittersweet exchanges and the dark humour is what makes Mukti Bhawan tick and it’s surely worth the 99 minutes of its runtime. If you’re looking for belly laughs, look elsewhere. The humour here is subdued and dark. This one also makes for a moving tale about a son struggling to salvage his fragmented relationship with his father.

And it’s surely one that will compel you to re-evaluate your priorities and re-calibrate your approach to life. 

If you haven't watched this yet, then do so as it's streaming exclusively on Hotstar.

 Well, that's the Lost and Found film for today's podcast, I shall be back again soon with a new episode. Until then it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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Rituparno Ghosh managed to churn out yet another unassuming gem with the turn of the century. Nestled in the quietude of suburban life, today’s Lost and Found is Bariwali (which literally translates to The Landlady). With this film, Kirron Kher imbued the nuances of Banalata, a naïve middle-aged woman, grappling through life in her sprawling-yet-crumbling residence. The Gods of Fate are less than favourable with her, having rid her of a married life a day before the actual wedding when her prospective partner dies after a snake bite.

Humble and hesitant, Banalata carves out a life of solitude within the walls of the house. Her life of ennui is suddenly upturned on the advent of a “shooting party” (a film crew who have hired a section of the house to shoot certain scenes). With a flurry of artists and technicians doing the rounds of her once-forgotten house, Banalata’s initial reticence gives way to enthusiastic participation. Filmmaker Deepankar (Chiranjeet Chakraborty) attracts her special attention. His maverick nature and never-say-die attitude work charmingly over Banalata, a woman completely inexperienced towards the affections of men.

Banalata’s unrequited romance with the ever-oscillating Deepankar lies at the crux of the film. The viewers are left guessing till the climax whether Banalata’s wish-fulfillment will ever reach fruition. Kher’s National Award win is a testament to Ghosh’s sensitivity while depicting someone, whose intricate character layers lie forgotten amidst the hustle-bustle of daily, quotidian life.

If you haven't watched this flick yet then do so exclusively on YouTube

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Every once in a while, we come across a movie that can hardly be slotted. Breaking the conventional mould of cinema, these gems redefine the landscape of storytelling. Onur Tuke l’s 2016 dark comedy-drama Catfight is one such film. And it’s our Lost and Found for today.

The title of the film may paint a mental image of two squabbling women, possibly taking off their earrings and accessories before going for the kill. Or perhaps, resorting to more subtle yet deceptive measures to trounce the other, while twirling their locks with their index finger. And we have pop culture to thank for this stereotypical depiction of female spats that have hardly gone beyond hair pulling and bitter insults. Take Feud  for instance, Ryan Murphy’s campy miniseries about the famous rivalry between Hollywood actresses Joan Crawford and Bette Davis which largely underlines the acerbic exchanges between the screen legends.

But Catfight packs a lot more grit, intensity, and graphic violence. The film revolves around two estranged college friends, Veronica (played by Sandra Oh) and Ashley (played by Anne Heche). When the two cross paths at a party, their deep-seated contempt for each other surfaces instantly. Veronica is a wine-sucking housewife who's a victim of excess privilege, while Ashley is a self-centred artist who’s struggling in her career. Things escalate rapidly when the two acid-tongued ladies share their views on the other and we’re led to the film’s first catfight. This is a bone-crushing, skull-smashing, body-dragging affair with no holds barred. The result is just as life-altering, and one of them actually slips into a coma. But when she does emerge from her prolonged state of unconsciousness, it’s time for round two. 

Catfight upends the conventional idea of a movie with two female leads. Companionship and sisterhood are swapped with seething rage and sweet revenge. Where this film takes the whole premise may seem a bit of  a stretch but it’s rather commendable for building a construct that delivers such a relentless story of hate. 

If you somehow missed watching this flick  then do so, it's streaming exclusively on Netflix.

Well, that's the OTTplay Lost and Found film Catfight for today's podcast. I shall be back again with another critically acclaimed film, until then it's your host Nikhil signing off.

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Action comedies featuring cops have ranged from slapstick blockbusters such as Leslie Nielsen’s The Naked Gun to cookie-cutter sitcoms such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But when this genre is interpreted in the UK, it packs a dash of cheeky one-liners, a smudge of irreverent humour and often, even presented with a mystery about a certain unsolved crime. 

Today’s Lost and Found is Vexed, the 2010 British crime comedy series about the bizarre adventures of DI Jack Armstrong and the comically volatile relations he shares with his partners, DI Kate and in the second season with DI Georgina. Starring Toby Stephans in the lead, this is a show about an obnoxious police detective who can’t be bothered to keep his arrogant, and sometimes offensive, thoughts to himself. From his partners on investigations to possible suspects, everyone must suffer his peculiar manner or lack thereof. 

Those who’ve not taken a fancy to this show have, in fact, pinned the blame on Stephans whose DI Armstrong is carved as unnecessarily atrocious and excessively intrusive, at least by British standards. But if you’re willing to accept this flawed cop, the hilarious banter that he shares with his partner detectives and inspectors makes it worth your screen time. Sure, there are plot points featuring a murder or three, various unexplained crimes and missing person tracks that lead us to some shocking revelations. But if you’re adding this to your watch list, be assured, it’s less for the taut suspense and more for the light banter, and sub-plots about DI Armstrong’s numerous misadventures.

You can watch Vexed on Netflix

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There are shows that teleport one to where they are set in, to such an immersive degree that one becomes familiar with the characteristic life of that place.  And today’s Lost and Found ushers us to the idyllic, sleepy Cornish fishing village of Port Isaac in Northern Cornwall which is depicted as Portwenn (pronounced ‘Port when’) on screen. Yes, you guessed it right, we’re talking about Doc Martin. 

The show’s about the eponymous grumpy and uptight doctor who finds himself in a pickle when he decides to move to rural Cornwall to set up practice. Headlined by Martin Clunes, the show works for its disarmingly matter-of-fact style of comedy which is rarely seen on TV anymore. 

The 2004 show hardly made a splash on TV and some even found it to be rather uneventful. One may agree that there’s very little that happens in Portwenn and what does transpire may seem too trivial to make the audience sit up and take notice. But it’s the bumbling exchanges between the idiosyncratic characters that make up for the show’s sluggish pace.

 The muted humour largely centres around Doc Martin’s inability to keep up with Portwenn’s locals – a gossipy bunch with little refrain who can’t be bothered to maintain the British reserve. Needless to say, each episode follows the hapless doctor as he goes beyond his call of duty to assist a Portwenn local negotiate a peculiar challenge. So, if you’re in the mood for a show that helps you unwind and furnishes a comforting mood with some light comedy tossed in, add Doc Martin to your watchlist right away. 

Doc Martin can be streamed on Netflix.

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Films about cities tend to take a deep dive into the cultural and political fabric that drives its residents.  But today’s Lost and Found, which is Ruchika Oberoi’s Island City, takes a satirical stab at the isolated, marginalized yet hopeful lives that many lead in India’s Maximum City. 

This one packs three connected stories that allude to the fears, regrets, dreams and joys that make Mumbaikars from various walks tick. The first, starring Vinay Pathak, features a single-minded executive with a corporate firm being assigned a day off and handed ‘fun coupons’ to unwind. This regimented exercise to help employees break free is triggered by a study that pins the company’s slipping productivity on overworked staffers. 

The second and most compelling story of the three features a saas-bahu pair who find the time and opportunity to indulge in all that they desire when their mutual link slips into a coma. Headlined by the remarkable Amruta Subhash and the instinctive Uttara Baokar, this onscreen saas-bahu jodi tethers on dangerously dark humour, a rarity among over-the-top Hindi comedies.    

The third one’s a love story featuring Tannishtha Chatterjee, a daily wager whose life takes a turn when she receives an anonymous love letter. Ecstatic at the prospect of the unknown, her character romanticizes an idyllic life with this andekha anjaana, even while she’s engaged to be hitched soon. 

Bagging the Fedora Award at the Venice Film Festival in 2015, Island City is a dark and delightful triptych-of-sorts that’s synonymous with Mumbai. After all, it’s a city that doesn’t curb your dreams, allows you to choose your preferred path, pulls you up and sends you reeling and yet, keeps you hopeful for a tomorrow that will make it all worth your while.  

You can watch Island City on Disney+Hotstar, Airtel Xstream and EpicOn

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Arriving three years after the brilliant horror-comedy Makdee, The Blue Umbrella (2015) was Vishal Bhardwaj’s sophomore children movie offering.   As far as tone is concerned, the two movies could not have been more different. While Makdee was eerily discomfiting, The Blue Umbrella pulsates with a throbbing heart. Based on Ruskin Bond’s story of the same name, The Blue Umbrella is a children’s film set in an appropriately candy-coloured cosmos. The vibrant and scenic Himachal Pradesh village Banikhet thus becomes the stage for the story to unfold. 

The film revolves around a nine-year-old Biniya, played by Shreya Sharma, who finds a blue Japanese umbrella and immediately becomes the apple of Banikhet's eye. Biniya has but one enemy, the old and cantankerous shopkeeper Khatr, played to absolute perfection by Pankaj Kapur. He tries bribing, threatening and scaring Biniya to acquire this umbrella. 

Biniya’s sleuth-like quest for the umbrella after it suddenly goes missing one day makes the otherwise languorous narrative taut. Indeed, the pace of the film is indulgent. But once you submit to Vishal Bhardwaj’s vision, it is difficult to tear away from the screen. Everything from the dreamy cinematography to the lilting soundscape works in tandem to make this film soar. The film also succeeds in not becoming a good versus bad morality tale, keeping the tone light and breezy. 

If you haven't been able to catch up with this flick, you can now do so streaming exclusively on Netflix.

That's the OTTplay Lost and Found film The Blue Umbrella for today's podcast. I shall be back with you soon with a brand new critically acclaimed film but a hidden gem. This is your host Nikhil signing out for now.

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