Movie Reviews
Gaganachari movie review: Unique sci-fi mockumentary with ample laughs
Express News Service
It would’ve been strange to watch a whacky experimental indie film in a packed hall and then find out that only one or two people were laughing at the jokes. (That happened in the case of something like Everything Everywhere All at Once.) But, thankfully, that wasn’t the case with Arun Chandu’s Gaganachari, unleashed for the pleasure of preview audiences on Sunday at PVR Lulu, Kochi, in association with Kerala Pop Con. It would be disingenuous to suggest that every person who attended it had enjoyed it. But a lot of laughs—the good kind, of course—accompanied the screening, which saw a considerably enthusiastic crowd in attendance.
Despite its noticeable popularity outside India, science fiction remains a risky and relatively strange genre with which a majority of filmmakers and producers in the country are reluctant to play around. As with the fantasy or superhero genre, the only way to sell a sci-fi film here is to make it rooted and relatable to Indian audiences. Try to make it look Western—including the characterisation—and you create a disconnect.
However, Arun Chandu and co-writer Siva Sai understood the assignment. They pepper their dystopian mockumentary, which takes place in 2040, with Malayali pop culture references that sometimes might take a while to register. Your enjoyment of it is reliant, to a major extent, on your understanding of some of the old Malayalam classics such as Manichithrathazhu, Kilukkam, and certain B-movies (ahem… ahem), and how they helped the mental health of many a young Malayali man in times of distress.
Gaganachari comes from a team that demonstrates a deep love for cinema and an extensive understanding of sci-fi genre tropes and the mockumentary format. How do you deliver something fresh and unique with a device previously employed in anything from Slacker to The Spinal Tap to Borat? Despite being set many years in the future, with spaceships hovering in the distance, the atmosphere of Gaganachari seems eerily familiar. You immediately recall the texture of a Neill Blomkamp movie (District 9 anyone?), but the images also trigger memories of the 2018 floods, Nipah and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The political climate is an extreme, nightmarish version of our present. Think George Orwell’s 1984 with right-wing elements, where cops get their foot in the door because of their Brahmin lineage and moral police are on the prowl at night. In the midst of these, we find the film’s three principal characters, Victor (Ganesh Kumar), Allen (Gokul Suresh) and Vaibhav (Aju Varghese) trying to ascertain the intentions of a new arrival (Anarkali Marikar), an alien in human garb (Anarkali Marikkar).
For those who grew up watching 90s Malayalam cinema, Gaganachari feels like being in the company of a like-minded cinephile who shares your love for movies like Ramji Rao Speaking, Mannar Mathai Speaking, Babu Antony and Kunchacko Boban movies. If anyone were to ask me to describe Gaganachari in one line, I would call it ‘Ramji Rao meets District 9’ primarily owing to the nature of the camaraderie between Victor, Allen and Vaibhav. There is that joke about the last two staying rent-free in Victor’s futuristic, yet stifling, apartment.
The latter is to Gaganachari what Innocent was to the Ramji Rao films. Ganesh Kumar isn’t portraying the usual scientist/alien hunter stereotype. He looks like a middle-aged guy about to attend his wedding in a sherwani. Complications arise in the trio’s dynamic when the single Allen tries to woo the young alien, who later begins to sound like Mallika Sukumaran (an inspired touch). There is that joke about Allen believing that a French kiss is available only in France. There is that joke about changing aspect ratios. There is that joke about a beef alternative, which also sets up a product placement joke. There are many more, but mentioning each would only spoil it for those who haven’t seen it yet.
Gaganachari is a film that fits comfortably in this age of artificial intelligence and AI-rendered images. The makers use the limited settings and budget constraints to their advantage, with the competent hands of cinematographer Surjith S Pai, editors Ceejay Achu and Aravind Manmadhan and composer Sankar Sharma chipping in to provide a one-of-a-kind experience. The predominantly 4:3 aspect ratio, I imagine, not only helped significantly reduce art department and effects-related complications but also complemented the palpably oppressive quality generated by the material.
You also get the sense that retrofitting, especially the lights, came in handy to create a suitably convincing futuristic look with some decent post-production enhancements. Besides, the last-minute involvement of Aavasavyuham director Krishand as executive producer on Gaganachari begins to make sense when you think of the similarities in sensibilities. To put it simply, Gaganachari delivers a damn good time at the movies, especially if you happen to be a sci-fi devotee.
Film: Gaganachari
Director: Arun Chandu
Cast: Ganesh Kumar, Aju Varghese, Gokul Suresh, Anarkali Marikar
Rating: 4/5
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NEW YORK (OSV News) – Many potential brides and grooms-to-be have experienced cold feet in the lead-up to their nuptials. But few can have had their trotters quite so thoroughly chilled as the previously devoted fiance at the center of writer-director Kristoffer Borgli’s provocative psychological study “The Drama” (A24).
Played by Robert Pattinson, British-born, Boston-based museum curator Charlie Thompson begins the film delighted at the prospect of tying the knot with his live-in girlfriend Emma Harwood (Zendaya). But then comes a visit to their caterers where, after much wine has been sampled, the couple wanders down a dangerous conversational path with disastrous results.
Together with their husband-and-wife matron of honor, Rachel (Alana Haim), and best man, Mike (Mamoudou Athie), Charlie and Emma take turns recounting the worst thing they’ve ever done. For Emma, this involves a potential act of profound evil that she planned in her mind but was ultimately dissuaded from carrying out, instead undergoing a kind of conversion.
Emma’s revelation disturbs all three of her companions but leaves Charlie reeling. With only days to go before the wedding, he finds himself forced to reassess his entire relationship with Emma.
As Charlie wavers between loyalty to the person he thought he knew and fear of hitching himself to someone he may never really have understood at all, he’s cast into emotional turmoil. For their part, Rachel and Mike also wrestle with how to react to the situation.
Among other ramifications, Borgli’s screenplay examines the effect of the bombshell on Emma and Charlie’s sexual interaction. So only grown viewers with a high tolerance for such material should accompany the duo through this dark passage in their lives. They’ll likely find the experience insightful but unsettling.
The film contains strong sexual content, including aberrant acts and glimpses of graphic premarital activity, cohabitation, a sequence involving gory physical violence, a narcotics theme, about a half-dozen uses of profanity, a couple of milder oaths, pervasive rough language, numerous crude expressions and obscene gestures. The OSV News classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
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Movie Reviews
Thimmarajupalli TV Movie Review: A grounded rural drama that works better in the second half
The Times of India
TNN, Apr 18, 2026, 3:39 PM IST
3.0
Story-The film is set in a quiet, close-knit village, Thimmarajupalli, where life follows a predictable rhythm, shaped by routine, relationships and unspoken hierarchies. The arrival of a television set marks a subtle but significant shift, slowly influencing how people see the world beyond their immediate surroundings. What begins as curiosity and shared entertainment starts to affect personal dynamics, aspirations and even conflicts within the community.Amid these changes, the film follows a group of villagers whose lives intersect through everyday interactions, simmering tensions and evolving relationships. As the narrative progresses, seemingly ordinary incidents begin to connect, revealing a layer of mystery beneath the surface.Review-There’s a certain patience required to settle into Thimmarajupalli TV. It doesn’t rush to impress, nor does it lean on dramatic highs early on. Instead, director Muniraju takes his time — perhaps a little too much, to establish the world, its people and their rhythms. The first half feels like a long, observational walk through the village, capturing its textures, silences and small interactions. This slow-burn approach may test your patience initially. Scenes linger, conversations unfold without urgency, and the narrative seems content simply existing rather than progressing. But there’s a method to this stillness. By the time the film begins to reveal its underlying tensions, you’re already familiar with the space — its people, their quirks and their unspoken conflicts.It is in the second half that the film finds its footing. The mystery element, hinted at earlier, begins to take shape, pulling the narrative into a more engaging space. The shift isn’t dramatic but noticeable, the storytelling gains purpose, and the emotional stakes become clearer. What once felt meandering now starts to feel deliberate. The film benefits immensely from its rooted setting. The rural backdrop isn’t stylised for effect; it feels lived-in and authentic. The cast blends seamlessly into this world, delivering natural performances that add to the film’s grounded tone. There’s an ease in how the characters interact, making even simple moments feel genuine.The background score works effectively in enhancing mood, particularly in the latter portions where the mystery deepens. It doesn’t overpower but gently nudges the narrative forward, adding weight to key moments. Visually too, the film stays true to its setting, capturing the quiet beauty and isolation of rural life. That said, the pacing remains inconsistent. Even in the more engaging second half, certain stretches feel slightly indulgent, as though the film is reluctant to let go of its observational style. A tighter edit could have made the experience more cohesive without losing its essence.Thimmarajupalli TV is not a film that reveals itself instantly. It asks for time and patience, but rewards it with sincerity and a quietly engaging narrative. It may stumble along the way, but its rooted storytelling and stronger latter half ensure that it leaves a lasting impression.—Sanjana Pulugurtha
Movie Reviews
‘Roommates’ Review: Sadie Sandler Navigates the Highs and Lows of Freshman Year in Chandler Levack’s Formulaic Netflix Comedy
The new Netflix comedy “Roommates” wastes no time before immersing audiences in campus co-habitation drama. We see a girl running through the quad before helplessly looking up to see her angry roommate throwing her underwear and used sanitary products out the window. A screaming match ensues, and we’re immediately left to wonder how they got here and how the feud will be resolved.
Except they’re not the eponymous roommates we’re supposed to care about. Chandler Levack‘s new film is structured like a Russian nesting doll of roommate stories, as the two girls are confronted by a guidance counselor who decides to tell them another story of freshman year roommates who didn’t get along at first. Aside from the occasional “How I Met Your Mother”-style reaction cutaway, that’s the last we see of those initial foes.
The real story is about Devon (Sadie Sandler), a soon-to-be freshman who is going through the universal experience of hoping that everything clicks for her in college after failing to find the right friends in middle school and high school. She’s cautiously optimistic when Celeste (Chloe East) agrees to be her roommate after a chance meeting at orientation, hoping the party-loving free spirit will help her come out of her shell and separate her from the nerdy image she maintained in high school.
But Devon quickly has to learn the lesson that hits so many of us sitcom and rom-com enthusiasts hard in early adulthood: the notion that opposites attract is utter nonsense, and trying to merge your day-to-day life with someone dramatically different is far more trouble than it’s worth. The two girls instantly clash, and Celeste remains a consistent thorn in Devon’s side as she tries to navigate all the familiar story beats of freshman year (parties, boys, missed homework assignments, Thanksgiving, et al).
Levack, a promising indie filmmaker with credits like “I Like Movies” and “Mile End Kicks” to her name, does serviceable work on what is clearly a director-for-hire job. There’s only so much visual wiggle room when you’re working with the all-too-familiar Netflix comedy aesthetic, but she gets distinct and compelling performances out of her two leads, executing the “Odd Couple” schtick without devolving into caricature. Jimmie Fowlie and Ceara O’Sullivan’s script relies on formulaic coming-of-age beats before drifting unexpectedly into absurdism in the third act. The film would have been stronger and more consistent by embracing that weirder tone from the beginning, but we’ll take what we can get.
While “Roommates” boasts plenty of familiar faces in supporting roles of varying consequence — Nick Kroll runs through all of the cliched “liberal dad” tropes, while Natasha Lyonne shows up as Devon’s endlessly supportive mom in a role that makes little use of her myriad talents — it’s primarily a star vehicle for its two leads. The film was produced through Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production label, and it’s fair to assume that it exists to showcase Sadie’s talents as a performer. (Fittingly, parts of the film deal with the idea that being a nepo baby isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.) The young actress demonstrates a wide range of comedic and light drama chops, suggesting that she might be just as successful at playing approachable everywoman types as her father is.
While the comedy is hit-or-miss, “Roommates” does its best work when it shows how daunting teenage friendships can feel. Anyone who has ever defined themselves by an arbitrary social order designed by the cruelest and stupidest people on the planet (which is to say, anyone who has been a college freshman), should be able to relate to some of Devon’s struggles, and the film treats her problems with an admirable amount of empathy.
The film won’t be remembered as a campus classic, or even in the upper half of college movies, but it’s also not hard to see a world where somebody watches it at exactly the right time in their lives and proceeds to cherish it forever. “Roommates” has a real chance at being a formative experience for someone, which is more than a lot of movies can say. But those of us who have already been sufficiently formed? We can find better things to stream this weekend.
Grade: C+
“Roommates” is now streaming on Netflix.
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