The Long Take with Akhil, Rohan & Devika

Gangubai Kathiawadi—the latest Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, out now on Netflix—proves that the director hasn’t outgrown his worst tendencies.

We discuss the Alia Bhatt-led film’s jarring episodic structure, the fantastical visuals, and Bhansali’s problematic romanticisation of female victimhood.

We also talk about his fear of depicting sex, his puerile portrayal of Mumbai’s red light district, and the Ajay Devgn saviour complex.

—

Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.

The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Gaana, JioSaavn, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at [email protected].

Every week, we tell ourselves that Bollywood cannot possibly hit new lows, and every week we are surprised.

London Files—the new Voot Select series starring Arjun Rampal—is among the worst things we’ve covered on the podcast.

We talk about the show’s illogical plotting, the seemingly random twists and turns that it throws at you every few minutes, and its bizarre tendency to forget important characters.

—

Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.

The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Gaana, JioSaavn, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at [email protected].

Mai—the new Netflix thriller starring Sakshi Tanwar—is a deceptively bad show that actively tries to distance itself from its compelling hook.

We discuss the show’s leaps of logic, gaping plot holes, and Tanwar’s two-note performance.

We also find time to chat about Abhishek Bachchan and his analysis of Dhoom, and inevitably conclude by shaking our heads at Netflix India yet again.

—

Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.

The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Gaana, JioSaavn, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at [email protected].

Pada—the Malayalam next-gen movie, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video—has an unconventional structure and uncommon thematic depth. But does it come together?

We discuss the film’s extended opening act, the sudden switch into hostage thriller mode, and the poignant note on which it ends.

—

Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.

The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Gaana, JioSaavn, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at [email protected].

Is Sharmaji Namkeen—Rishi Kapoor’s final film, out now on Amazon Prime Video—a noble failure or an unlikely success?

We discuss the movie’s unconventional production, which was marred by the tragedy of Kapoor’s death; the differences between the two central performances by Kapoor and Paresh Rawal; and whether the film manages to balance its broad humour with genuine moments of drama.

—

Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.

The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Gaana, JioSaavn, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at [email protected].

And just in the nick of time, here are our predictions in every category at this year’s Oscars.

From Best Picture (will it be CODA or The Power of the Dog?) to Best Animated Short (hint, we don’t have a strong take), we predict who will win—and make an argument for who should win.

—

Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.

The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Gaana, JioSaavn, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at [email protected].

To paraphrase Oh Dae-su, just because we don't like 83, does that make us bad people?

Now that the sports drama is out on streaming platforms, we take the opportunity to discuss Kabir Khan’s swing-and-miss.

We also talk about the caricaturish performances of the Ranveer Singh-led cast, and how the movie fails to bring any nuance to its inspirational true story.

—

Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.

The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Gaana, JioSaavn, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at [email protected].

Can Eternally Confused and Eager for Love—the new Netflix sitcom co-produced by siblings Zoya and Farhan Akhtar—stand out amid bigger (and much worse) shows on the same platform?

We discuss the eight-episode series’ lighthearted take on millennial culture, the scene-stealing voice-only performance of Jim Sarbh, and how it can be improved in future seasons.

—

Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.

The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Gaana, JioSaavn, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at [email protected].

The Adam Project might be a slight improvement over Ryan Reynolds’ two previous attempts at starting a Netflix franchise—6 Underground and Red Notice—but it’s still a Ryan Reynolds movie, for better or worse.

We discuss the Deadpool star’s dedication to playing himself in every movie that he does, the admittedly well-done action, and how the movie wastes all its female characters.

We also talk about Walker Scobell’s impression of Reynolds, the digital de-ageing of Catherine Keener, and Shawn Levy’s direction (who reunites here with Reynolds after Free Guy).

—

Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.

The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Gaana, JioSaavn, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at [email protected].

The Batman—director Matt Reeves’ three-hour detective noir, starring Robert Pattinson as the iconic superhero—couldn’t nail the landing.

We discuss the film’s dense plot, its dour tone, and its similarities to Christopher Nolan’s masterful epic The Dark Knight.

And then, we lament about the third act, the ill-conceived romantic angle, and the non-ending that doesn’t adhere to the movie’s internal logic.

—

Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.

The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Gaana, JioSaavn, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at [email protected].