Trans: Courage

No songs, no dances, no romance. What the hell is happening in Bollywood? A New Wave of young directors who avoid the clichés of the past and are willing to take chances. Over the last couple of years,  I have seen some terrific films coming out of this movement. If Bollywood has always scared you off because of the  lavish musical numbers and big fat romances, give some of the new films a chance. And one actress to look out for is the star of this one, Alia Bhatt. Like most Bollywood actresses, she started off in romances but has taken on more challenging roles in edgy non-traditional films. In Gangubai Kathiawadi she is a prostitute who rises to become a powerful Madam and in Gully Boy, she is the tough Muslim bottle breaking  girlfriend of a wannabe rap singer. Here she is just a protective sister who will kill anyone out to hurt her brother.


Also, worth mentioning is the director Vasan Bala who has helmed some terrific films in the past few years. Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota is great fun about a martial artist who can feel no pain, 83 is about India winning the world cricket championship and Monica, O My Darling is a twisty murder film. Teaming up with Alia is a treat as he hands the film over to her intensity. She was to win Best Actress for the seventh time.


As young children Satya and her younger brother Ankur (Vedang Raina) witness their father killing himself and she swears that she will protect her brother no matter what. When years later, Ankur goes to a fixational country, but likely modeled on Singapore, with his good friend, he is tricked into taking the blame for his buddy. Drug possession. Three months he is told by his lawyer only to find out he will be executed. No appeal. No mercy. An impenetrable prison. Satya goes to the country and tries by legal means to have him released. When that doesn't work, she recruits an ex policeman ( Rahul Ravindran) and a  retired gang leader (Manoj Pahwa) who have prisoners to be executed in helping her break them out. Up to this point, it has mainly been drama and then it goes insane in a burst of violence and chaos. She has the heart of a killer. To save her brother. "We're going home. I promise".

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