Queen is Dead - A Film, TV and Culture Podcast

In our second (!) episode that's on all things Karan Johar, Dhruv is joined by returning KJo-Stan Jasmin A. Singh (@jasssipinkman) and a brand new card-holding member of the party, Aryan (@aryantalksfilm), to discuss Karan Johar's latest film that's (to our surprise/shock) being liked by everyone. We reiterate what everyone loved -- Ranveer Singh, his chemistry with Alia Bhatt, and the film's status as a "corrective" to Johar's filmography. But we also try to make a case for what's potentially lost in this KJo-directed film that shone so brightly in his 2000s films that RRKPK wants to update.

Listen to this spoiler-filled episode to hear unexpected amounts of K3G gushing, KJo appreciation outside of RRKPK, and the cultural importance of his Big Bollywood Family Melodrama brand.

Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast    

You can also follow us on Instagram at:    
Jasmin: https://www.instagram.com/jasssipinkman/
Aryan: https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm/     
Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/       
Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!  

Follow us on Letterboxd at:

Jasmin: https://letterboxd.com/jasminasingh21/

Aryan: https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/ 

Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

Tis' Nolan Month!

Dhruv and Amartya conduct a full retrospective of the director's work, with Varun Bhakay (@cinephilestock) and Prithwish Roy (@little.lord_fauntleroy) joining in for all the discussions.

Ashwani Kumar Tiwari (@safaed_syaahi) returns.

And Sanjeet replaces Dhruv for this ep to take control of the exponentially increasing episode runtimes.

In Part 4, we look at two Nolan films set during World War II -- "Dunkirk" and the recently released "Oppenheimer" -- that provide thier unique spins to the traditional War and Biopic genres. Praising him for his ability to make both his least-talky and most-talky films equally compelling, we champion elements -- non-linear-screenplay, intercut editing, and bombastic music specifically -- that make these films incredibly different from each other without ever feeling that they don't belong to Nolan's brand of cinema.

Listen to the full episode for an extensive discussion about "Oppenheimer's" merits and demerits as a piece of adaptation, its expansive scope, and its impressive (some not so much) performances!

TIME CODES

"Dunkirk" (2017): [01:50-45:07]

"Oppenheimer" (2023): [45:08-01:47:00]

Follow our Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast

Please follow Varun's awesome blog!

Cinephile Stock: https://cinephilestock.wordpress.com/

You can also follow Varun at:

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/varunoakbhakay/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cinephilestock/

You can follow Ashwani at:

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/trast_akt/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashwanirdeshak/

You can follow Prithwish at:

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/prito98/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/little.lord_fauntleroy

You can follow us on Instagram at:

Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/

Sanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/  

You can also follow us on Letterboxd at -

Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/

Sanjeet: https://letterboxd.com/Sanjeet_Singh/

Tis' Nolan Month!

Dhruv and Amartya conduct a full retrospective of the director's work, with Varun Bhakay (@cinephilestock) and Prithwish Roy (@little.lord_fauntleroy) joining in for all the discussions.

New Team Member: Self-Ascribed “Nolan Megafan” Ashwani Kumar Tiwari (@safaed_syaahi)

In Part 3, we look at the films that gave birth to Dhoom 3 and Nolan’s annoying fandom. This is, of course, “The Prestige,” “Inception,” and “Interstellar.” Looking beyond that (tiring) discourse, though, we find all three of these films to be intricately structured, thrillingly original, and wildly ambitious works. “Interstellar’s” sentimentality and “Inception’s” style divides opinions. Nonetheless, there’s a general appreciation for the scope, scale, and imagination of all three films.

We also talk about “Tenet” briefly.

The two things that remain consistent, though, are -- (1) his experimentations with time and (2) his belief in lying (or deception) as a fundamental truth.

Listen to the full episode to hear us discuss all this in minute detail!

TIME CODES

“The Prestige” (2006): [06:50-43:10]

"Inception” (2010): [43:11-01:20:53]

"Interstellar" (2014) : [1:20:54-02:07:30]

"Tenet" (2020) : [02:11:45-02:23:00]

Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast

Please follow Varun's awesome blog!

Cinephile Stock: https://cinephilestock.wordpress.com/

You can also follow Varun at:

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/varunoakbhakay/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cinephilestock/

You can follow Ashwani at:

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/trast_akt/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashwanirdeshak/

You can follow Prithwish at:

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/prito98/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/little.lord_fauntleroy

You can follow us on Instagram at:

Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/
Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/

You can also follow us on Letterboxd at -
Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/
Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/

Tis' Nolan Month!

Dhruv and Amartya conduct a full retrospective of the director's work, with Varun Bhakay (@cinephilestock) and Prithwish Roy (@little.lord_fauntleroy) joining in for all the discussions.

In Part 2, we follow Amartya's lead into Nolan's Batcave -- the series that propelled him to fame. Discussing each film from the Trilogy, we note how he fuses his sensibilities with the studio's, sometimes thrillingly. ("The Dark Knight"), other times contentiously ("Begins" & "Rises").

The three things that remain consistent, though, are -- (1) his experimentations with time, (2) his film noir inspirations, and (3) his belief in lying (or deception) as a fundamental truth.

Listen to the full episode to hear us discuss all this in minute detail, with Amartya filling us in with essential comic-book-to-film adaptation context to make us better appreciate the triumphs and shortcomings of Nolan's "Batman" Trilogy.

TIME CODES

Introduction: [00:00 - 04:34]

Before "Begins": [04:35 - 10:19]

"Batman Begins" (2005): [10:20 - 51:40]

"The Dark Knight" (2008) : [51:41 - 01:37:45]

"The Dark Knight Rises" (2012) : [01:37:46 - 02:13:57]

After "Rises": [02:13:58 - 02:18:36]

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

You can follow Prithwish at:

Tis' Nolan Month!

Dhruv and Amartya conduct a full retrospective of the director's work, with returning guest Varun Bhakay (@cinephilestock), and new guest, Prithwish Roy (@little.lord_fauntleroy) joining in for all the discussions.

In Part 1, we discuss the director's humble beginnings before he took on the "Batman" franchise. Focusing on "Following," "Memento," and "Insomnia," we chart his journey from low-budget indie films to studio indie films that signal a shift in his filmmaking sensibility.

The three things that remain consistent, though, are -- (1) his experimentations with time, (2) his film noir inspirations, and (3) his belief in lying (or deception) as a fundamental truth.

Listen to the full episode to hear us discuss all this whilst trying not to talk about "Ghajini," Terrence Malick, and "Dhoom 3."

TIME CODES

Introduction: [00:00 - 07:53]

"Following" (1998) : [07:54 - 29:33]

Deviation No. 1 - Theatrical Experiences: [29:34 - 33:20]

"Memento" (2000) : [33:21 - 01:04:14]

"Insomnia" (2002) : [01:04:15 - 01:29:23]

Deviation No. 2 - The Nolan Complex(ity): [01:29:24 - 01:37:44]

Nolan's Early Inspirations & Later Imitators: [01:37:45 - 01:55:20]

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

You can follow Prithwish at:

In this special episode, Dhruv and Sanjeet invite guests Devi (@FilmTrance) and Yadhu (@Immersive Cinema) to discuss Director/Cinematographer Rajeev Ravi's directorial filmography. We touch upon his style & characters that conform to generic templates but still feel consistently expansive because of his unique ability to project them through his varied experiences of Kochi's diverse culture.

Briefly, then, we also discuss our favorite moments from his films and how each encompasses certain feelings attached to us personally.

To hear us geek out about all this in detail, please listen to the full episode!

\\Socials-

Follow our Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast

You can also follow us on Instagram at:

Sanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/  
Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/

Devi: https://www.instagram.com/film.trance

You can also checkout Yadhu's Immersive Cinema Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UuzqiKsfCGX7kVjt8HI8z

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

Follow us on Letterboxd at:

Yadhu: https://letterboxd.com/dehosure/

Devi: https://letterboxd.com/cinemamadhuram/

Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/  
Sanjeet: https://letterboxd.com/Sanjeet_Singh/

In this special episode, Dhruv invites Atlanta-based singer, actor, and cinephile Matthew Cody Lang to discuss the hypnotic allure of Slow Cinema -- a broad, relatively new cinematic movement characterized by filmmakers' use of varying aesthetic strategies usually NOT prioritized by mainstream cinema.

We first discuss our introductions to it, what we categorize as 'Slow Cinema,' and why we keep returning to it despite its reputation, in select quarters, as "cultural vegetables" cinema.

Then, we turn our attention to three films, hoping to dismantle the idea that only movies with "long takes = Slow Cinema." Yes, we are discussing one of Slow Cinema's most emblematic works -- Belá Tarr's "The Turin Horse." But the other two films -- Angela Schanelec's "Passing Summer" & Lucrecia Martel's "The Headless Woman" -- swerve away from the stasis emphasized in Tarr's film. (At times, "Summer" even uses montage.) They still belong to 'Slow Cinema,' though, because they encourage, what we believe, is a form of thinking and feeling based not only on plot but on form and gesture itself.

To hear us geek out about all this in detail, please listen to the full episode!

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Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! 

You can (& should) follow Cody everywhere! Here are the links:

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@matthewlang7019/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/_matthewcodylang_/

LETTERBOXD: https://letterboxd.com/matthewcodylang/

You can watch "Passing Summer" officially here: https://dafilms.com/director/11919-angela-schanelec.

You can read the book referenced in the episode here:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/j.ctt1g09wrj.

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You can also follow our Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast 

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/ 

Follow us on Letterboxd at: 

Dhruv - https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

In this very special episode, Dhruv interviews Sidharth Jain -- the chief storyteller and producer of "The Story Ink," India's biggest book-to-screen adaptation company, and founder of the production house that gave us one of this year's TV shows, "Trial By Fire." We discuss the conception of both his companies and how they both serve the industry's need for stories while also trying to buck away from established trends.

Listen to the full episode to learn more about the specific challenges of adaptation, the difference between writing-for-the-page and the writing-for-screen, and the potential of turning something "okay" on paper to "great" on screen.

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Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people! 

Follow Sid & and House of Talkies here:

SIDHARTH JAIN: https://www.instagram.com/_sidharth_jain_

HOUSE OF TALKIES: https://www.instagram.com/houseoftalkies/

"The Story Ink" Tree Here:

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/the_story_ink/

SUBSTACK: https://thestoryink.substack.com/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/irocksid

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-story-ink/about/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheStoryInk

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You can also follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast 

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/ 

Follow us on Letterboxd at: 

Dhruv - https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

In this episode, Aryan and Amartya discuss the ending (and critical moments in Season 4 that led to it) of what they describe as "one of the seminal shows of modern Television." Everything from "The Sopranos" to "Game of Thrones" (spoilers for both!) to "The Godfather" films gets a reference as they draw these parallels to explain the tragicomic brilliance of the series.

Listen to the full episode for a spoiler-filled breakdown of the show's themes, motifs, and character dynamics that both the A's believe are central to its success.

You can read Amartya's detailed articles on the show he references here:

Episode 3: https://www.highonfilms.com/succession-season-4-essay/

Series Finale: https://www.highonfilms.com/succession-series-finale/

Follow our Instagram page:

Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

Follow us on Letterboxd at:

Aryan: https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/

Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/

In this episode, Dhruv and Aryan invite returning guest Ashwani Kumar Tiwari to discuss Anubhav Sinha's COVID-backdropped social issues drama "Bheed." Before that, however, Sanjeet joins them to talk about two other films directed by filmmakers frequently appearing in the "Special Thanks" section of every Sinha film -- Anurag Kashyap and Hansal Mehta.

These three films -- "Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat," "Faraaz," & "Bheed" -- together reflect a specific type of leftist didacticism that exists in opposition to the right-wing films raking in cash at the box office nowadays. We discuss the merits and limitations of this brand of cinema, the divergent specificities with which each filmmaker utilizes them in thier films, and if some approaches work better than others.

Listen to the full episode for a spoiler-filled discussion about the three movies!

TIME CODES

"Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat": 00:51 - 17:52

"Faraaz": 17:53 - 45:09

"Bheed": 45:06 - 01:40:00

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify and rate us, if you haven't already, to help the podcast reach more people!

You can read Ashwani's High on Film piece on "Bheed" here: https://www.highonfilms.com/bheed-2023-review/

You can read Aryan's Instagram Post on "Bheed" here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs2yh3Pt64i/

Follow our Instagram page:  

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast

Aryan: https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm

Ashwani: https://www.instagram.com/ashwanirdeshak/

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/  

Aryan: https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/