The four-day CIFF was packed with so many other new projects, like Radhika Apte's first directorial effort Koyta, with Vikramaditya Motwane as the producer, Venkatesh Maha's Ko Ko Ko, Jeo Baby's Punishment and Shonali Bose's Black Mountain Monpa.
Food, feminism, fights, father-son issues, famous rivalries, OTT is as loaded as it gets this week.
'I hope this film will bring some change in people, their homes, and in our society.'
Mrs succeeds in riling you up for all the right reasons. And without resorting to high-pitched drama, applauds Sukanya Verma.
'As I watched Mammootty 'try out' Mathew Devassy, I could hear from my theatre seat the ready-made appreciation of the liberal press, their applause for the great actor having flirted with queerness on screen.' 'But it is a flirtation and nothing more, for I could not detect in Devassy any hint of love, not for his homosexual lover, not for his wife,,' observes Sreehari Nair.
Lawyers flooded the courtroom of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud to witness the proceedings as one special guest -- Aamir Khan -- was seated in the front row.
Here's some sizzle from the IIFA Utsavam night, which was dedicated to the south film industries of Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
'Family is the most important thing in a society.' 'That's why I am always thinking about family and society. I want it to be better.'
Catch one of Mammootty's career best works, Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh and more on OTT this week.
'I don't know whether it was the Sabarimala issue that made them reject my film.'
The major fallout is the complete obliteration of religion and politics from Indian cinema, notes Subhash K Jha.
From domestic noir to domestic animals, the themes range far and wide on OTT this week. Sukanya Verma makes her recommendations.
Prominent regional platforms are giving competition to mainstream players Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Disney+Hotstar.
If you think the film is gutsy, you are simply being blind to the truth that the whole men-are-worthless slant is saleable right now, argues Sreehari Nair.
'Rapists do have families. I wanted to see how a father or mother would deal with it.' 'They go through shame as well and get discriminated from the rest of the village.' 'Why don't we show it that way?'
An eight-part crime drama set in the mid-1970s highlighting notorious serial killer and conman Charles Sobhraj's sinister activities around the hippie trail.
The OTT menu is looking hot as ever with brand new offerings. Sukanya Verma tells you what you can catch this week.
Aseem Chhabra lists his favourite Indian films of 2021.
The Great Indian Kitchen is one of the most powerful films Divya Nair has watched in recent times. One that will unsettle you long after you've watched it. And that's why everyone -- married or single, man or woman -- must watch it.
'If questioning and dethroning hierarchies is your primary motive, why not put an end to the practice of announcing your shining star, your box office draw, in big flaming letters and mentioning everyone else's name in small font at the bottom of the screen?' asks Sreehari Nair.