Awful and Awesome Ep 357: Federer: Twelve Final Days, A Family Affair, Sharmajee Ki Beti

While discussing A Family Affair:

Rajyasree: Did you like it? Or, did you think it was totally mindless?

Abhijeet: It was quite stupid, to be honest. 

Rajyasree: And something has happened to Zac Efron’s face. I think he’s been going to the same plastic surgeon as our Bollywood actors. 

This and a whole lot of awful and awesome as Rajyasree Sen and NL Subscriber Abhijeet Dangat discuss the films Federer: Twelve Final Days, A Family Affair and Sharmajee Ki Beti.

This episode is outside the paywall. Watch it, enjoy it, and subscribe to Newslaundry, so you can tune in every week.

Have something to say? Write to us at newslaundry.com/podcast-letters.

Audio timecodes

00:00 - Introductions

00:45 - Topics

01:26 - Announcement

02:07 - Federer: 12 Days

19:33 - Announcement 

20:48 - A Family Affair

28:02 - Sharmajee Ki Beti

39:15 - Best picks of 2024 so far 

References

NL Sena - NEET but not clean

Federer: Twelve Final Days

A Family Affair

Sharmajee Ki Beti

Subscribe to Newslaundry 

Click here to download the Newslaundry app on Android. And here for iOS.

Produced and recorded by Priyali Dhingra and Shubang Gautam, edited by Umrav Singh.

357 full audio

-: [00:00:00] This is a News Laundry podcast, and you're listening to Awful and Awesome.

Rajyasree: Hello. Hello. This is the Awful and Awesome Entertainment Wrap, episode 357. This is Rajashree Sen, and today we have a special co host. 

Abhijeet: This is Abhijit. I'm a subscriber of News Laundry, and I'm very happy to be here today. You 

Rajyasree: have to say this when you're invited, you have to say you're very happy to be here because we won't let you say one more word beyond that.

But Avijit is mainly here to bring a lot more, uh, perspective and more informed views on one of the documentaries, which everybody's talking about, which is FEDRA 12 Final Days. Because. Raja Federer, just not just two years ago, two years ago, he's, uh, this thing retired. I was going to say resign retired.

So we have that [00:01:00] documentary. We have, uh, Nicole Kidman's new film, which is a family affair, which is on Netflix and Tahira Kashyap Khurana's directorial debut. which is a directorial debut for a full length feature because she has done a short, one of those shorts in those compilations which happened called Sharma Ji Ki Beti.

But before anything else we have an announcement that the good days are over and Awful and Awesome will be going behind the paywall from next week. So if you want to catch the Full podcast. You have to be a subscriber. You have to go to newslaundry. com slash subscription and select a subscription plan of your choice.

The subscription will get you access to other subscriber only content as well, such as NL Hafta, NL interviews, and many of the paywall stories. So subscribe to News Laundry, don't only take [00:02:00] freebies and, but this week it's, we aren't behind the paywall, so that's, that's the good news. From next week we will.

So what should we start with? 

Abhijeet: Let's start with the Federal Documentary. 

Rajyasree: Okay, fine. I have not watched it, but I will therefore. Ask critical questions. So it's on, uh, Amazon prime. And, uh, it is, it has been directed by Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia. Joe Sabia had earlier done, uh, woke does this thing called 73 questions.

with various celebrities and so on. So Sabia had directed that. Asif Kapadia has done, uh, uh, directed a whole bunch of, uh, documentaries on Amy Winehouse, Maradona, uh, Senna, Ayrton Senna also. And he's, uh, like he's a very, very well established and well regarded, uh, documentarian. And, [00:03:00] um, now we will get to that.

So whether this is worth a watch or not and whether it's or how many episodes is it just one film? Oh, it's one film. It's a documentary film. It's not a series. So I could have watched it and not been lazy. I've heard it was a series and it's how long? 

Abhijeet: One hour, 20, 30 So it's like a short film, 

Rajyasree: but it's the last 12.

It's called. It's FEDRA 12 final days and it is the last 12 days of his 

Abhijeet: career. So what happened was when FEDRA announced his retirement, he decided to get Joe Sabe on board and just shoot this for his personal memory, for him, his family. And but the footage was good. And then they brought in Asif Kapadia and then they approached Amazon Prime and then they decided to release as a documentary.

Rajyasree: Okay. 

Abhijeet: So, uh, Federer retired in September 2022, uh, at this competition called Lever Cup. So just for the listeners, what Lever Cup is, Lever Cup is basically how in golf there's a Ryder Cup. 

Rajyasree: Yeah. 

Abhijeet: Right. Uh, in Lever Cup, it's, uh, Team Europe versus the rest of the world. [00:04:00] 

Rajyasree: Oh. 

Abhijeet: So in tennis, Europe. is like, you know, has been dominating for many, many decades before it used to be the Americans.

And so they wanted to make this competition to honor Rod Lever, one of the greatest players ever to, you know, pick up a tennis racket. It's 

Rajyasree: L A V E 

Abhijeet: R. L A V E R. L 

Rajyasree: A V E R. Okay. Yeah. 

Abhijeet: So the tournament is dedicated to him and the people who came from his generation, you know, the people who We're amateurs who turned professional and then who started the open era.

So Lever Cup started in 2017, Team Europe versus Team World and Federer's teammate along with his agent, Tony Godseck, they own this tournament. So they operate this tournament as well. And they made sure that it becomes a part of ATP Tour, an official event on the ATP Tour, which is a men's professional tour.

So how things work in tennis is usually, you know, you play for yourself, right? Individually. 

Both: Yeah. 

Abhijeet: Only at Olympics, you're representing your nation. Or for example, in Lever [00:05:00] Cup, uh, you're 

Both: like a continent, right? Like it's either Team Europe or the 

Abhijeet: rest of the world. Um, and it's a great format, right? Like, uh, beyond Borg.

He's the captain of Team Europe. Then there's Jean McEntire on the other side, who's the captain of the rest of the world. And then, uh, yeah, then these players play in a format. So Borg 

Rajyasree: is still playing? 

Abhijeet: Captain. So in tennis, funnily, uh, the captain of a team is usually a non playing captain. So his role is more of a coach.

So yeah, uh, same like Ryder Cup, you know, so the captain just comes, he, his job is to decide the team. team. Yeah. And then so basically 

Rajyasree: not playing. So 

Abhijeet: this started as an exhibition event, which has become an official event on the ATP tour now. So when Federer has been struggling with injuries for the past few years, pretty much since 2019, since the pandemic.

Both: Yeah. 

Abhijeet: And he wasn't getting better. He decided to take a break. Make a comeback in 2021 also, and his best result was at the Wimbledon when he reached the quarterfinals. Okay. But [00:06:00] then again, he was having these surgeries, surgery issues and a lot of trouble coming back. So finally in 2022, he decided to retire at Wimbledon.

Level Cup. Um, then, so he, he recorded that video at Level Cup. Okay. And then he recorded that first video. Next day it was announced to the World. Mm-Hmm. And then from that day until the His last Match Match at the Level Cup, those are the 12 days the documentary talks about. 

Rajyasree: Okay. And, uh, so the documentary has interviews with his family, 

Abhijeet: players as well, 

Rajyasree: but is it, does it seem like it's spontaneous?

People are being, 

Abhijeet: yeah, I mean, uh, like, uh, you know, the, uh, you can see the, First few, uh, interviews, they seem very, uh, pure and, you know, uh mm-Hmm, like because the family's talking on the camera. How, uh, but I feel like there was a lot of control on how the documentary is gonna come out. But if, you know Federer and his career and his, about his agent, they've always liked doing things that [00:07:00] way, which is not a bad thing.

I mean, Feder is no one which, 

Rajyasree: and he is very well mannered. All, it's a new, it's not like gay guy, like nice guy. It's not like he's like. Pat Cash or something. . Yeah. 

Abhijeet: Or ro Roe or something. That's sometimes 

Rajyasree: no. So his demeanor and persona is of, uh, quite a controlled Correct. Well, mannered. Polite, 

Abhijeet: yeah. 

Rajyasree: Sweet.

Abhijeet: Perfect as well. Yeah. You know, he likes things done his way perfectly. So that's how the documentary, uh, comes out. But again, as someone who's a Federer fan, for someone who's a tennis fan. I mean, this is perfect. Like, you know, you will enjoy watching this. You will feel emotional. Uh, I was, you know, 

Rajyasree: I 

Abhijeet: did cry in the last 12 minutes.

Yes, of course. He 

Rajyasree: cried. I was very scared. That was the last match, right? Where they're both crying. And it just to, it was so sweet because you realize how important this [00:08:00] career has been to them. And even though they are competitors and all to, Also appreciate the fact that today he's retiring, tomorrow I'll be retiring also.

And like, it's such a great competitor who is now stepping down. So I had really like, because I, so I'm very good with trivia on, but no, but I really thought it was very sweet that we had reacted. 

Abhijeet: Even in the documentary, you know, uh, Andy Murray is there. Joe coach is there. They all showed up for that event and they all were on team Europe.

Uh, so when, uh, even in the documentary, Federer says, you know, when he, uh, like that moment it happened, uh, I think that when Nadal also, you know, probably his career flashed in front of him, you know, same happened with Djokovic, Djokovic also broke down, you know, Annie Murray was also in tears. So that way it's quite emotional, not just for federal fans, but overall tennis fans.

Um, and, uh, yeah, uh, in the beginning it's about the announcement and, uh, you know, the family interviews and then things leading up to [00:09:00] the London, uh, where O2, where this event took place. They woke up and, um, So when they start the match, basically the doubles match, it's Federer and Nadal versus Jack Sok and Francis Tiafoe from United States.

Okay. So the first set is won by Federer and Nadal. And then the second set is won by the Americans. And then, uh, instead of the third set, they play the super tiebreaker. And that also, usually, basically you have to win 10 points, but then they get to the nine points. They have the match point. And from there, they lose 11, nine last tournament and he loses it, but it doesn't matter because the stage is set 

Rajyasree: for people 

Abhijeet: to celebrate him.

Rajyasree: Yeah. And it's a great game. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it was fantastic. The 

Abhijeet: way, because he hadn't played in many, many months. Yeah. So you won. Yeah. Uh, some of the, uh, you know, points he played in that match, it was like, wow, like a vintage feather, you know, and people were like, you know, you should continue for a couple of more years.

Maybe, uh, he's 

Rajyasree: how old he's 14. Uh, yes, 

Abhijeet: he, he [00:10:00] retired when he was 41. I think. Yeah. Oh, that's quite 

Rajyasree: old. That's 

Abhijeet: quite old. He was in, uh. Sports. Because in tennis, people used to retire by the age of 30, back in the sand press 

Rajyasree: days. 

Abhijeet: And then the new generation, like for example, Joe Kochi is 

Rajyasree: 37 now. Yeah, he's 45 now, or 44 now, 1981.

No, but do you get to see some like, uh, like the Beckham documentary? Correct. You do get a little bit of like, it's not, it wasn't so doctored that he said, okay, don't because he comes across as a bit of a clothes horse, which is sweet. Like either he plays football or he likes being a good looking man and living the good life.

And that whole thing about it, as he got. on money, Beckham immediately bought a car, like he just felt that I will live the good life. So that level of not controlling the documentary to show that I'm so mature and so wonderful. [00:11:00] So, Federer's thing, did it seem like you got a little bit of water? He is as a person.

Abhijeet: Yes. Uh, so that's what, but that's what fetter is like, you know, that gentleman is 

Rajyasree: a gentleman. He's just 

Abhijeet: that guy. Uh, now for documentary purposes or, uh, for the general public, I think a bit of a bad boy is important, right? Like you can make some 

Rajyasree: gray in your character, not more than bad boy. Some we, because even Beckham doesn't come across as a bad boy, but there's a thing like, you know, Well, he's constantly like he wants to be flashy and he likes the limelight.

So it's a little odd given that he's a sports person who's so focused on his career. So that be some grey streak. Beckham's 

Abhijeet: also, they did a like a longer documentary. And I think it was just last 12 days. So that's why it's a bit mellow. Yeah. But I've I feel like, uh, that still suits Federer because even in the document, he said, you know, when even on the tennis court, when people used to say, you're losing a point, you know, why are you not acting [00:12:00] like Djokovic or Nadal?

And he's like, it's just not natural to me. He says that in documentary. And I've, he's tried to, you know, 

Rajyasree: I read something, which is an interview of his. It was either an interview I read or he's speaking, I've forgotten now where he said when he was younger. very young. He said, I had a temper. I was a little like I, I was very impatient.

And then someone made a comment or something. And he said, I decided from that moment that I'm going to change. 

Abhijeet: That is true. So 

Rajyasree: it's so, and to change to this extent is because he's very controlled. happy, elegant, calm and 

Abhijeet: composed. Yeah, but that is true. Like he was when he started on the tour, he was really nasty.

Let's say he used to break. He said, I 

Rajyasree: got a lot of negative feedback about what kind of person I was. 

Abhijeet: So, but yeah, a lot of life changing events happened. His coach passed away. That really shook him. And then he decided to, you know, [00:13:00] uh, control his demeanor and control his shorts. And now, you know, he ended up, uh, winning 20 grand slams.

So that is a 

Rajyasree: fabulous career, but, uh, no, so I just find even, uh, his other like, like he did model for something and all that, but it's like his persona comes through a being this very modern sophisticated. He just seems very composed, like a composed. Nice person. He comes across as a nice person, which I think tennis, when we were growing up, at least means when I was growing up, when you were growing up, there were a lot of bad boys of tennis or they were sort of ending the era.

So Bjorn Borg had sort of was on his way out, but there was Pat Cash, there was McEnroe, Jimmy Connors. They were all a little like Like, they were quite wild and, uh, this thing, they were great players, but they had a, so I think now only Djokovic [00:14:00] and there's that other guy. He, those are the only two who are a little like uncontrollable, otherwise everyone's it suddenly become a gentleman's spot, which it wasn't earlier.

Right. 

Abhijeet: Yesterday only there was this player called Rublev, uh, he's from Russia and, uh, he was. He lost the point and then he was smashing his own knees, you know? So there are these outbursts that happened. Yeah. But I feel like, um, of Samra and then immediately after that, oh, there were Sam Press and all Yeah.

And Nadal, they kind of, uh, you know, made the sport more gentle. Yeah. And likely. And then that was a big impact on a lot of other players. Uh, and then you had like, you know, someone like Joko or Rios who are like, um, let's say, uh, but they're considered considered the 

Rajyasree: bad boys also. Yeah. 

Abhijeet: Comparatively. Yeah.

Yeah. So. I mean, that's the . Uh, so they 

Rajyasree: are both there in the nine Kio, but Joko, okay. 

Abhijeet: Uh, curious usually plays for the team world, but he was injured that year. Okay. Um, and, uh, Joe Coach was on Team Europe with Fedra, so that is [00:15:00] also just that image. You know, Fedra, Nadal, Joko is like Avengers of Tennis coming together.

Oh, that's. So that's pretty cool. 

Rajyasree: Which is why that whole thing of them are breaking down when he was retiring that these are these like athletic men who are not supposed to show emotion and they are you always see them laughing around and all but that it's such an important as that is their life there is and you I think they also realize none 40 right.

That you're retiring at 40, there's a whole different world, at least your career is going to take a different path now. That that realization and the impact you've had on so many people across the world. It's not just in your country or something. So I think that and Fedros just held up as the benchmark for 

Abhijeet: a great tennis player, 

Rajyasree: great This thing.

Yeah. 

Abhijeet: Ambassador. Yeah. Great. Uh, like even all the, uh, [00:16:00] uh, brand associations he has, you know, everything from Rolex to Mercedes, Uniqlo. Um, now he's started, uh, with that on running shoes, you know? Yeah. And there's 

Rajyasree: something else with this chapel. So with Nadal, he's doing, uh, Louis Vuitton, one of those, they did that luggage thing.

So it's so funny. 

Abhijeet: Like, you know, uh, that, uh, there are a lot of interviews where, you know, people asking Nadal, you know, about Federer and Nadal end up saying, you know. Like, I like Federer, but do not ask me. I don't want to look like his boyfriend. Yeah, because they 

Rajyasree: really look like a couple sometimes. They look like a very sweet couple.

Even 

Abhijeet: in the documentary, Federer says, you know, there were two angles I was worried about. One was Mirka, his wife, and then Rafa, you know, his friend and driver. But it's so 

Rajyasree: nice that they're such close friends. Exactly. 

Abhijeet: This will not happen in football, right? Messi and Ronaldo won't be crying at each other's retirement.

Rajyasree: Chris Evert and Navratilova, who were such, like, they were competitors, they were each other's nemesis. They are such close friends since the [00:17:00] last, I think, 30 years or something now. And it's remarkable when you hear them speak about each other. It's just, it's nice to hear, to see that people will transcend.

And because it's not a team sports, I think that's another thing, that these are individuals, nobody else is influencing you. During 

Abhijeet: their plays, usually they are. You know, uh, because they're fighting for the same thing. They are not that friendly, but, uh, Federer and Nadal was a great, uh, you know, uh, example like a friendship.

And then I think that is getting developed. Uh, I can see now the same thing is happening. Like for example, Djokovic, you know, they talk about Djokovic also in the documentary and Federer was like, you know, I did not like him in the beginning, uh, but then, you know, he refined his game and then now, you know, I started respecting him, uh, respecting, respecting him.

And then a lot of, uh, he said he's misunderstood. But, uh, we have the same thing in common that our values are the same. For example, family matters to us. So even that kind of, uh, you 

Rajyasree: have that also maturity, [00:18:00] mutual respect, 

Abhijeet: you know, putting yourself in other person's shoes. I think that's pretty cool. So, yeah, I enjoyed the documentary as a watch 

Rajyasree: it.

Abhijeet: You should definitely watch it because you are a tennis fan. So you don't, I don't know, but 

Rajyasree: I can't understand. Like I used to watch tennis when I was younger. But I get confused with that, what love, who's one and who is, so it takes me a little bit. So I can't watch the way people, 

Abhijeet: um, watch it. No, but it's okay.

You don't need to know too much though. Your tennis knowledge is, I think, great. Mine is okay. Of course, 

Rajyasree: I went to learn tennis. And because of my mother, I got a bad name because I was, I used to play every, not everyone. Most people in Cal play in Bengal play badminton. 

Both: Yes. 

Rajyasree: Lots of badminton courts and badminton nets.

And we used to have a badminton net set up in our garden and all. So you break your wrist while playing badminton. playing badminton because you have to. So in tennis, you're not supposed to. And I remember the coach said, uh, you're breaking your wrist. And then [00:19:00] he saw my mother came to pick me up. So he said, Oh, you're Mrs.

Sen, Gina Sen's daughter. Even she couldn't play tennis. So I felt very disheartened and I never went back for my tennis this thing. But, uh, no, so I used to, but we used to watch tennis at that time, right? When Agassi and all were playing, which was a lot of fun. Also because they'd win and they'd climb up.

into the stands. They'd be doing all sorts of weird things. So, but I will watch. Yes. Good. We have one more very important announcement. There's a new NLC in our project neat, but not clean. This is about the neat exam controversy, which has left thousands of students with shattered hopes they were to apply.

People appeared for the exams also, then they're supposed to be the government ruled out a wider retest. And now the apex court is looking into this matter. Who are the people who are the perfect scorers? Were papers leaked in an [00:20:00] organized manner? Have groups linked to it? Alleged paper leaks in other states had any role to play in this and what happens to all the people who took these exams as well.

So as part of this SINHA project, Basant Kumar and Sumedha Mittal will bring a series of ground reports from Bihar, Haryana and Delhi to answer these questions and to just try to get to the root of what has happened. But, uh, please contribute to the project, you have to go to the NLCNR page on newslaundry.

com. If you contribute, it just becomes easier to tell these stories because it takes a lot of money and funds to send people on ground and do these kind of reports. So please, please contribute. And to something more vacuous after that, which is, uh, Nicole Kidman has a new film out, which is the second in a series of, um, [00:21:00] films which have come out with well known actors who are actresses who are playing older women in love with younger men.

So, um, There was the idea of you, which is Anne Hathaway was, uh, shown in a romance. She's a 41 year old mother, which is very young, actually, now that I'm above 40, I feel it's very young. But she, uh, falls in love with a rock star. And in this, Nicole Kidman, her daughter is working for a film star, Zac Efron, and, uh, Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron meet and they start having an affair.

They start having a relationship, not an affair. Her mother in law is played by one of my favorite actors. And, uh, her daughter is obviously not happy about this relationship. And it's, it's a rom com. It's lighthearted. There's no great [00:22:00] deeper meaning to it. Did you like it? Or did you think it was totally mindless?

Abhijeet: It was totally mindless. I 

Rajyasree: found it very mindless. 

Abhijeet: Quite stupid to be honest. 

Rajyasree: I was like it was very trying on the patrons. 

Abhijeet: I think the Anne Hathaway movie still had, you know, Zac 

Rajyasree: Efron's face has, uh, He's definitely 

Abhijeet: done something to his face. Something very 

Rajyasree: bad has happened. He's been going to the same plastic surgeon that our Bollywood stars who are not told as like one kid you have collagen in your face.

So his face has changed. And again, I I don't know. It just didn't even seem plausible. The relationship. You don't care. There's no chemistry between Zach and Nicole. And you didn't care whether they broke up or did not break up. Nicole Kidman is Nicole Kidman in it. But I think these are the kind of films they choose when they want to break from all the heavy rules.

For sure. And I'm sure 

Abhijeet: the money is good. So, you know. Yeah, the 

Rajyasree: money is good. You have to just look as nice as you do. Cool. [00:23:00] And you have, uh, interesting actors around you because I can't understand why else you would do 

Abhijeet: this. Yeah, I think, uh, uh, these, uh, OTT platforms, uh, they just have that kind of a demand.

You know, once you, something goes on like a rom com, uh, let's do rom coms, right? Uh, I remember, so you mentioned the Anne Hathaway movie, right? So that came out. I remember there was another Emma Thompson movie also called, uh, Good Luck to You. You know, 

Rajyasree: that was at least a good different one. 

Abhijeet: Yeah. Right.

Because I think it was a very 

Rajyasree: nice film. Good 

Abhijeet: luck to you. Uh, Rio Grande. Yeah. So at least it was something different, right? Because that guy's a sex worker and you know, so there was something different. But here, uh, it's just a normal rom com where, uh, the women is like, you know, older than the guy and, uh, you know, she's taking on a young lover, but I just feel like it just 

Rajyasree: the women are very good looking women.

It's not like they are older women who look. that much. Any guy would like to be blessed to have a girl. [00:24:00] So you've chosen also two actress. So the Emma Thompson one, that's what I like that. She looked older. She does not have this supermodel figure and all that. Over here, these women are like supermodels.

Abhijeet: It's Anne Hathaway and Paul Kidman. And they 

Rajyasree: don't have a wrinkle on their face also. That's the other thing. So I just, like, I found it very trying. After a point, I was like, what is happening? Nobody cares. And then it became sort of like, Parent Trap. Have you watched Parent Trap? No, I haven't. Oh, so you should watch the original Parent Trap.

Had. Then another one was made with Lindsay Lohan, which was very good also. But the original Parent Trap film, it's a very well known Oh, the original one is the one with Lindsay Lohan. In fact, when she's younger. Yeah. And, uh, it's about these twins who get their parents back together. So it was like that cat and it's a very sweet film.

It was April, May [00:25:00] 1986. And, um, Oh, that's the one I watched, the original Parent Trap came out in 1961. Who's in it? That's not Lindsay Lohan, because she was not born. She's in the 98. Yeah. So wait, wait. You have a fact checker. Yeah. Because I need this is what I need. Basically. No. So you must watch the original Parent Trap was so good.

As a. 1961 film, Hay Dee Mills. 

Abhijeet: Okay, I'll check it out. None of 

Rajyasree: us know, but, I mean, know now, but it was just a very, very sweet, nice. I'll check it out. Like, it's like a rom com only. Yeah. That one, but it's worth a watch. And Maureen O'Hara was the mother and all that. And, um, the, it's about them getting their parents together.

So I felt this Kathy Bates and her granddaughter when they do that. thing in the supermarket. 

Abhijeet: Yeah. [00:26:00] 

Rajyasree: I was like, okay. Thoda 

Abhijeet: Bollywood ho gaya. Haan, thoda 

Rajyasree: jyada. When, I feel when Hollywood goes Bollywood, they really go Bollywood. They just don't have a song and dance thrown in. 

Abhijeet: So you don't feel the emotions.

Yeah, 

Rajyasree: but nothing appeared. You're like, okay. This was a strange film to watch. Exactly. So I apologize for this. It's okay. I mean, 

Abhijeet: uh, you know, it was on the program. So I did watch it. Uh, and it's okay. I mean, you know, it was one 

Rajyasree: and a half hours or one hour, 45 minutes. I 

Abhijeet: love watching rom coms and, uh, and that Anne Hathaway movie wasn't that bad, to be honest.

I think it was slightly better than this. It was 

Rajyasree: slightly better than this also, because Zac Efron. Fran's face was not moving. My other point was that I like when they're doing closeups, he looked very odd and nobody's told him he is. So I'll tell you the film, which was nice, which is also like a romcom.

Yeah. Is Hitman 

Abhijeet: okay 

Rajyasree: with Glen Powell? 

Abhijeet: Oh, you should watch the one. It's Richard Movie. I've seen it. Yeah. Yeah, that's a good one. So 

Rajyasree: that's a good, see, that's 

Abhijeet: like the, I enjoyed it, like it's [00:27:00] so 

Rajyasree: fun. And it has a slightly deeper layer. Yeah. As in you're like, oh, s lemme go away with everything. I enjoy that one.

So that's what I want to film like that. This was a bit rougher. Yeah. 

Abhijeet: Because that, that is also made by guy who's made before Sunset. You know, that kind of background. I 

Rajyasree: should not compare this. So, 

Abhijeet: because 

Rajyasree: I'm not a fan of Glen Powell. 

Abhijeet: Oh, yeah. I don't know. Like him in Top Gun. 

Rajyasree: Oh, I didn't watch the second one.

The new one. Yeah. The new Top Gun. Oh, he's in that. That's where the, where he came into being, basically. Because then 

Abhijeet: he did that movie with Sidney, uh, Yeah, that I saw. Anyone but you. Yeah. And then now, uh, I think he, he's like the, He's the new, he's 

Rajyasree: the Sidney Sweeney. Male Sidney Sweeney. Yeah. You could say 

Abhijeet: that.

He's everywhere. But the 

Rajyasree: film I had liked, which is a rom com, which again has no great deeper meaning is Fall Guy. 

Both: Yeah. Yeah. 

Rajyasree: So my point is with this side, I just felt and it's Nicole Kidman. I expect a little [00:28:00] better. Better. This was not good. Yeah. But the film which I was surprisingly as in surprised by is Tahira Kashyap Khurana's debut film, which is Sharma Ji Ki Beti, which is on Amazon Prime, I think.

I was a little hesitant about watching it because I just feel these, oh, it's only got female characters. It's all like, I'm like, okay, like you can have a normal film also. And your female characters can just be more well etched out than most. Uh, films are, but no, it's only women and also it's not only women, but it's, uh, it's stars.

I'll tell you who all Divya Dutta, it stars, uh, Sayami Kher who done that cricket film. So, she's playing a cricketer in this. Now, if she's only going to get cricketing roles, then her career will be very limited, I feel. Then, Sakshi Tanwar is there, who used to, [00:29:00] people who used to watch, uh, Kyuki Bahu Thi, she was in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, which were the two.

I remember. Yeah, which were the two. So, I remind my friends, there was one set of friends, I remember, who used to watch Kyuki Saas Bhi And I remember one of them telling me, you know, when you see Tulsi crying, you feel like crying. So now when she says things about Smriti Irani, I said, have you forgotten?

You felt like crying. Now you're making all of us cry only now, but, but, uh, so Sakshi Tanwar is in this. So there are three sets of. One, two, three sets of characters in this. There is Sakshi Tanwar who is a teacher and teacher, you would say upper middle class. They stay in a very nice fat and all. She also gives coaching.

She's part of one coaching center. And her husband is both. Both parts of the couple are working. They have a daughter who's, uh, [00:30:00] those two characters are the best. They are these two girls. One of them is this Sakshi Tanwar's daughter who has this wild, frizzy hair, which is uncontrollable. And she feels like she's just not fitting into school.

She's pre pubescent. It's that, oh, nobody likes me. I'm not nice enough. And she's quite a, and she's quite mean to her mother and all. So there's that because she feels her mother, which the mother does, is very focused on her career, but is also the person paying the bills primarily more than the husband.

And they are 50, like they're both, contributing to the household. So the husband does the, like, it's basically a flip of the mother father role. So the husband is the one who drops the child to school. He's the one who dresses the kid and all, and the mother does the other, oh, this needs to be done. These bills need to be paid.

What are the traditional mother father roles are? So there's this girl and her parents, [00:31:00] and the parents have a very nice relationship. Like the father, like he says, don't pay attention to what our kid is saying. Just being mean. It's 

Abhijeet: fine. A man written by a woman, basically. That's all. 

Rajyasree: Very good character.

Then there's Debiha Dutta's character. And they stay in this fancy, like one of those fancy Bombay apartments, which are overlooking the sea, big balconies and all that and fancy looking condo. She is married to Parveen Dabbas. You know Parveen Dabbas? I don't remember. He was, uh, he was, uh Khosla ka ghosla.

He's the son. Got it. 

Abhijeet: Got it. Got it. Right. 

Rajyasree: Other than Ranveer, the other son. So Parveen Dabas has some fancy job. 

Both: Yeah. 

Rajyasree: They have shifted from a small town and they've come, I think from Chandigarh or something. And they've come to this thing, to Bombay. And they, their daughter, these two girls are friends.

They have a daughter also. She is, uh, she's a little [00:32:00] tomboyish, but more than that, she's also obsessed with her hair is not looking nice and all because they're these 12 year old kids. And, uh, she is gay and she's like figuring it out that, am I gay? All that. So you have that. line happening. But Parveen Dabbas and his wife, basically she's a housewife and he goes to work, comes back, he pays all the bills.

They hardly have any relationship. And Divya Dutta can't understand what is happening. And then there is those two, yeah, so it's those two families and these two girls. Yeah. So three strains there. And the girls thing, the little girls is more about, oh, in school, who is popular? Who is this? thing. Am I going to get my PGA?

That's a very big, uh, theme line, which I felt was stretched out a little bit, but I don't know. Maybe I've forgotten what we were like when we were 12, but I don't think anyone was this obsessed with the relationships, the [00:33:00] married couple relationships. What I liked is There are no, oh, and then there's no, no, there's Sayami Kher is there.

She's a cricketer. She plays for the Mumbai cricket team, her boyfriend. She's in a steady relationship. He's a budding actor, and he keeps telling her that, you know, why do you have to keep playing cricket? You're getting so tanned. You feel so tired. You eat so many bananas because she comes back, I have to eat bananas, she eats bananas and eggs.

How many bananas will you eat in a day? You're constantly eating bananas and all. So there's that. That was the least interesting storyline, which is why I forgot it. Because you're like, also, so that the way it ended was, I just felt everything ended a little pat, like, oh, it's all tied up neatly. So that is one problem I had with it.

But otherwise the characters are very well, uh, you know, etched out. And, uh, [00:34:00] there are no black and white characters. So Parveen Dabas's character is having an affair. 

Both: Okay. 

Rajyasree: But the way he and his wife deal with it and how he deals with it with his wife and they find it, there's no, uh, now there's spoilers.

So when they separate, like it's not, It's as decently as someone can do something. So that and it's about women basically finding their footing and being comfortable in their own skin. But it's clearly you can make out the difference when a woman sometimes right. Not that I've seen some films where men have written beautiful female characters also, but these characters are very well thought out.

Oh, 

Abhijeet: that's nice. 

Rajyasree: So maybe 

Abhijeet: it's like, um, you know what Greta Gevig did in Hollywood. She came up with Lady Bird and then Little Women and you know, Barbie. Yeah, so that's the thing. So you would recommend this, right? I'd 

Rajyasree: recommend this and I'd recommend watching, it's also one of those films you can watch [00:35:00] with your family.

Yeah. And it's not It's far from mindless, but it's a very feel good. 

Abhijeet: So it's like a 

Rajyasree: comedy 

Abhijeet: drama. It's called comedy. It's 

Rajyasree: even though it's sadness, which you like Divya Dutta's character, figuring out what's happening with her. It's not done with so much pathos. You're like, Oh my God. God, what is going to happen to her now that way?

Because they are very funny sequences in that. And she has, it's cute. She has, they have a full time male help, house help, who's clearly gay. Yeah. And But he's very involved in like, what sari she'll say, should I wear the pink? Because her husband has no temper. She's a housewife. Her child has gone to school.

And she has a very nice relationship with her child. So that thing is there, the contrast between this other child and her mother and this child and her mother. And, uh, but She'll ask this guy, like, should I wear the pink sari or the red sari? And he [00:36:00] gives his inputs. He wears face masks and all. Like, you know, so in the middle of the seriousness, there's a little lightness thrown in.

But it's a nice, like, as a directorial debut, I have to say it's, uh, like, that skill that you You can see that. I would recommend watching it after a long time, but there is this film which I wanted to watch, which I didn't know had come out because it's on Zee. Nawazuddin's new film. Oh, wow. And it's supposed to be excellent.

I'll tell you what it's called. Rautu Ka Raaz. Rautu I think is the town's name and there's a murder which takes place and he's a cop, but he's very funny. Thank you. And it's like, it's supposed to be very, very good. So I'm impressed that it's sad that Z5 and Jio are the ones who are funding all this. But now, as long as they are funding good stuff, but, [00:37:00] uh, I will watch that for next time.

But, uh, That's about all we have for this time. Is there anything else that you watch that you want to recommend? I 

Abhijeet: watched, with Nanika, we went to watch the bike riders. Oh, was it 

Rajyasree: good? 

Abhijeet: Um, yeah, it was good actually, but in the beginning it's a bit slow and then it stretches out a bit. And 

Rajyasree: it has who? That guy who plays Elvis.

Abhijeet: Yes. Uh, Aus Butler. 

Rajyasree: Yeah. Austin Butler. And this 

Abhijeet: Jody Coma from Oh, Jody Coma, who I really like, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Uh, and there's Tom Hardier as well. So again, I think it's like, uh, uh, targeted at, uh, you know, uh, these people. Oh, Tom Hardy. Yeah. Who I love. So the book is, uh, the movie is based on, uh, photography book, which came out.

Yeah. Uh, documenting their stories. Uh, so yeah, I think it's, well-made, but it's just too long. Uh oh. And that was my issue with the film. Otherwise, yeah. 

Rajyasree: But otherwise, so what I read about it was it actually focuses on the riders and not biking. Yeah, that is true. Yeah. [00:38:00] But 

Abhijeet: like someone who's not too much into bike.

Oh, 

Rajyasree: it's a crime drama. Yeah. Oh, I should watch it then. I'm waiting to watch something very mindless, but I love the Deadpool and Wolverine. Yeah. I think it will be lots of fun. 

Abhijeet: Have you seen the other MCU movies? Do you watch Marvel cinema? I've 

Rajyasree: watched Deadpool. 

Abhijeet: Okay. So 

Rajyasree: Deadpool wasn't 

Abhijeet: part of MCU. But then I think, uh, X Men also wasn't part of MCU.

But now those properties, Marvel Cinematic Universe. So Marvel, though Iron Man and all those 

Rajyasree: movies, but 

Abhijeet: now they are also part of MCU. Because the, what happened, uh, 20th Century Fox, they sold it back to Disney. That's right. So now these guys are. Coming back in the universe of Deadpool. So that's why Deadpool and X Men who are like, who are not Marvel properties, they are coming into the MCU.

Rajyasree: So I want to watch Deadpool, whatever, versus or with Wolverine. I don't know what it is, but I [00:39:00] find Ryan Reynolds very funny. Yeah, 

Abhijeet: he's funny. 

Rajyasree: Or maybe his promos are funny and the film. But I like Deadpool. Yeah. 

Abhijeet: Deadpool 1 and 2 were fun. I thought it was quite 

Rajyasree: good. 

Abhijeet: Yeah. 

Rajyasree: So those are, see, we got tidbits on other stuff also.

Abhijeet: Yeah. Not just one last. thing. Uh, so it's been six months, right? For this, uh, like, what, what are your favorite movies of the year so far? Like a couple of names you could, other than dune two, which I did 

Rajyasree: not watch. 

Abhijeet: Okay. That was, um, like really nice. So I enjoyed that one, but I can't like this year has been okay.

Yeah. There hasn't 

Rajyasree: really been anything, which is that. Spectacular 2024. Oh, so what I started watching and I'm quite enjoying is the bear. Oh, I have to start the new season. And I don't know why people maybe it will go down, but at least the first two episodes seem really good. Also, if you're a foodie like me and you, [00:40:00] so they've shot in, uh, Noma in Copenhagen, which is the like, consider the Mecca of restaurants and the mean chef is there in the background.

Then Olivia Colman is there in the first episode. It's a, so it has a lot of people who you would, Oh, I'll tell you the show. I loved it. Uh, what is it called? Siege, right? No, uh, regime. With Kate Winslet. Oh, wow. Have you not watched it? It's on Jio. Okay. That's fine. But, uh, it is one of the most clever shows I have seen in a long time.

She plays a dictator. Yeah. Who's a little off her head. A dictator who is, uh, heading one of these Eastern European countries. What, 

Abhijeet: uh, time? Today. Today's time. And it 

Rajyasree: is hilarious. Absolutely. I'll check it out. And you must watch it. It was very, very good. But [00:41:00] other than that, I can't think of anything else.

Abhijeet: Have you started watching House of the Dragons Season 2? 

Rajyasree: No, I 

Abhijeet: won't. That is also on Jio. That's 

Rajyasree: also on Jio. We have no choice. I'm seeing, I'm looking at this to see whether Crue, did you watch Crue? Yeah, 

Abhijeet: it was again. Which was not one of 

Rajyasree: the best. No, there's nothing really this time which has 

Abhijeet: Blown our minds.

Rajyasree: Yeah, I can't think of anything in fact. Oh, Barbie and all was this year. No, that's last year 

Abhijeet: That was last summer. Oppenheimer is also last year. They won the award this year, but yeah, it was all 

Rajyasree: last year. Okay, so I want to watch and it's on Prime to rent right now. It's called, uh, challengers with Zendia.

Abhijeet: Yeah, I watched that. 

Rajyasree: Did you like it? 

Abhijeet: Yeah. Oh, 

Rajyasree: I've got to watch it. I've got to rent it again 

Abhijeet: as a tennis fan. I loved it. The way they've showed not nice because they are such, uh, Not even great characters, like real, you know, [00:42:00] characters. Uh, but the way they've done, I think it's done really well. Uh, because Luca would directed call me by your name.

He's the one who's directed that. So, you know, it is like, uh, steamy and, you know, like how young tennis players behave, you know, what winning and losing means to them. Uh, I think it was done well, but, uh, people, a lot of people didn't like it because they went on that model journey with them. And I was like, you know, yeah.

Rajyasree: But you have to have three people in life, otherwise life would be very boring. Also, that's what I want to watch, yeah, because I just saw that it's up for rent. Although as I rent it, the next week it comes for free on the thing. So I always get jacked. 

Abhijeet: No, I always 

Rajyasree: get jacked. But we will see. But thank you so much for taking your time.

Abhijeet: for having 

Rajyasree: me. You're welcome. And it's a 

-: wrap.

Thank you for your subscription. You're changing the world by changing the way news is funded. For the [00:43:00] smoothest news laundry experience, download the News Laundry app. It is the best way to listen to our paywall podcasts. And you'll also get access to all free News Laundry shows. Keep us ad free and subscriber funded.

Help us grow. Tell people who listen to you to pay to keep news free. Subscribe to NewsLaundry. Keep journalism independent.