One is a recently series on Amazon Prime and the other is a Netflix movie. The first season of Bandish Bandits featuring Naseeruddin Shah released on Prime Video recently and receives largely positive reviews. The movie about the Indian Air Force pilot who participated in the Kargil War, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl releases on Netflix on 12 August. Both are creating a buzz on social media – here is what the reviews /previews say:
So there is the family patriarch and Sangeet Samrat Pandit Radhemohan Rathod played by Naseeruddin Shah. He is a traditionalist to the core and has unrealistic expectations of musicians; particularly his students.
Ritwik Bhowmik as Radhe and Shreya Chaudhry as Tamanna are star-crossed lovers – one who aspires to becoming a Sangeet Samrat like his grandfather, the other a free-spirited pop musician.
The music includes light pop tracks, semi classical compositions, classical bandishes and more – the classical stuff is not arcane or too technical and is quite beautifully done.
The music is accessible and enjoyable even for those who are not into shastriya sangeet. This brilliant trio of musicians has used traditional bandishes in well-known raags such as Bhairav (jaago mohan), Raag Bihag (Latt Uljhi), and some lovely thumri composition as well as other original songs.
Shot in various parts of Rajasthan, the series is visually beautiful. The music, the love story and the narrative of the conflict between rigid traditionalism and modernity makes a welcome change from recent content seen on streaming services.
While Naseeruddin Shah's performance is predictably brilliant, every other character more than pulls their weight. The supporting actors are also well cast and exceedingly competent.
The show is creating a positive buzz on social media – as evidenced by the memes it triggered.
Then a Flt. Lt., Gunjan Saxena is the first female recipient of the Shaurya Chakra and the only woman combatant of the Kargil War. The movie was slated for a March 2020 release but will now release on Netflix on 12 August 2020.
This is not a ‘war movie’ in the sense that we usually understand. It is nevertheless a story about battles – fought by a woman for achieving her dreams, in an overwhelmingly male milieu.
The story is about Gunjan Saxena the air warrior as well as Gunjan Saxena the woman, daughter and sister. It is about her rare courage in war; but it is also about her personal struggles – a supportive father but a skeptical brother; also a fauji.
The film is also about change – desirable, inexorable social change. The fauj claims not to be the harbinger of that change, but it certainly reflects welcome social evolution that makes the world more inclusive and diverse.
Boycotting Bollywood seems to be a constant preoccupation with the tweeple these days. Apparently any content featuring people who have taken advantage of nepotism is worth boycotting (like Janhvi Kapoor). But what about supporting those who have had no nepotistic advantage (like Pankaj Tripathi)?
They have questioned the histrionic ability of Janhvi Kapoor as well as her casting in the film. They feel that her abilities are of a piece with her half-brother Arjun.
This scene of Janhavi Kapoor has triggered memes.
Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl releases on Netflix on 12 August 2020, but already it has very positive reviews. Meanwhile, Bandish Bandits streaming on Prime Video also has been very well received. Enough quality content for Janmashtami and the Independence Day weekend, methinks.
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