Talking Talkies

Benny and Minal engage in an insightful discourse regarding the cinematic adaptation of Andy Weir's 'Project Hail Mary.' The principal focus of their conversation is the film's exploration of humanity, friendship, and sacrifice, particularly through the unique bond between the protagonist, Ryland Grace, and the alien Rocky. They reflect on the intricacies of character development, emphasizing the compelling portrayal of Grace, whose journey from reluctant participant to selfless hero unfolds against the backdrop of an interstellar mission to save Earth. Furthermore, they delve into the film's effective balance of humor and emotional depth, highlighting its visual storytelling and impactful soundtrack. Ultimately, the hosts express a shared appreciation for the film, rating it a perfect ten, while also contemplating the deeper themes that resonate with contemporary audiences.

Episode 15: Luck By ChanceRelease Date: 2009 This is the first episode of our dual episodic series where we explore films based on Bollywood. Luck By Chance is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Zoya Akhtar. It is her directorial debut. She also co-wrote the movie with her father, Javed Akhtar. The film stars her brother, Farhan Akhtar, in the lead role along with Konkana Sen Sharma. When it was released, Luck By Chance flopped at the box office and received mixed critical reviews. Over the years, however, the movie has become a cult film, extremely popular with hardcore Bollywood fans. Zoya and Ayan Mukherjee (Wake Up Sid) won the debutant director award. The movie is the most meta movie one can get in Bollywood—it blends humour, satire, and parody on the workings of the Bollywood industry. It has a plethora of cameos from the who’s who of Bollywood, including 17 A-listers, with Hrithik Roshan having an extended cameo. Plot Summary: The film’s plot revolves around the struggle of 2 outsiders trying to enter Bollywood as hero/heroine. Farhan Akhtar plays Vikram, who comes from Delhi to try his luck in Bollywood, and Konkana Sen Sharma plays Sona, a young girl who has escaped her small town life and marriage to try her luck as an actress in Bollywood. Rishi Kapoor plays the producer Romi Rolly, Juhi Chawla plays his wife, Dimple Kapadia plays the yesteryear actress Neena Walia, trying to get her daughter Nikki played by Isha Shravani her debut film with the hugely popular Zafar Khan by Hrithik Roshan.  As Vikram and Sona try to find their way in Bollywood, the audience goes along with their journey and learns about the inner workings of Bollywood. Where to watch: Prime VideoFavourite Scenes/Iconic Dialogues: Best opening credits in a Bollywood movie.Romi Rolly / Anurag Kashyap Scene - Oye Institute - Mein film festival ke liye nahi bana raha hoonAll the cameos - Akshaye Khanna nails itOutTakes:Irony of the Casting: The film is about struggling outsiders trying to get an entry into mainstream Bollywood. It's a movie made by nepotism kids starring nepotism kids—Zoya, Farhan, and Konkana.Soundtrack: One of the best soundtracks by SELBollywood Nostalgia: This film has so much Bollywood nostalgia - every frame has movie posters and meta references.Trivia: All the trivia from this film is here.Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-paradeLicense code: MIE1N7HAVI6KJOSGContact Us:Email: thetalkingtalkies@gmail.com Twitter: @_talkingtalkiesInstagram @_talkingtalkiesBenny (@RealBennyMan) / TwitterMi (@Mi_Rambles) / TwitterLeave us a review or rating on the podcast app.

Episode 14: Laapataa LadiesRelease Date: 2024 This episode is our first listener request. Minal’s cousin Mitali asked us to do a podcast on the recently released movie Laapataa Ladies which is garnering great reviews from critics and audience alike. We are joined by special guest Amit - a marketing professional, an aspiring cricket umpire, and a food lover. You can follow him on Instagram @fooodzilla where he posts about his food, travel, and umpiring adventures. The movie’s greatest strength lies in calling out patriarchy, portraying feminism, and taking every single character big or small on a road to self-discovery, while maintaining a light-hearted tone throughout. Laapataa Ladies is a 2024 Hindi/Bollywood comedy-drama film directed by Kiran Rao whose last directorial venture was Dhobi Ghat/Mumbai Diaries, which was released in 2011. The film is produced by Aamir Khan Productions The film stars two debutants Pratibha Ranta who plays Jaya and Nitanshi Goel as Phool as the 2 brides who get mixed up. Sparsh Srivastav of Jamtara TV series (Netflix)  fame plays the groom DeepakOther supporting cast members include: Chaya Kadam as Mai the tea shop owner, an established actress in Marathi films/TV and theater industry. Ravi Kishan as the inspector who after a not-so-promising career in the 90s in Bollywood moved to Bhojpuri films and became a superstar there. He took up character roles in Bollywood and re-established himself. Geeta Agarwal Sharma - Deepak’s mom who we recently saw in 12th Fail and Fighter. Plot Summary: The film is set in rural India in a fictional state called Nirmal Pradesh in 2001. 2 brides are traveling with their respective grooms on a train and there are many more newlywed couples in the same compartment. As was/is the tradition - the brides are in similar red sarees (bridal attire) with the veil over their faces. One of the grooms gets off at the station at night with the wrong bride and chaos ensues. Do the 2 brides return to their rightful destinations - Laapataa Ladies is the answer to this question. Where to watch: NetflixFavourite Scenes: Inspector Manohar’s funny quips Mai explains the ‘Fraud’ sold to Indian girls Saas, Bahu and Friendship Inspector Manohar interrogates Pushpa/JayaDirector/Cast Interviews: Round table with Neelesh MishraKiran Rao with Anupama Chopra on Film CompanionMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-paradeLicense code: MIE1N7HAVI6KJOSGContact Us:Email: thetalkingtalkies@gmail.com Twitter: @_talkingtalkiesInstagram @_talkingtalkiesBenny (@RealBennyMan) / TwitterMi (@Mi_Rambles) / TwitterLeave us a review or rating on the podcast app of your choice!

Episode 12: 12th FailRelease Date: 2023In this episode, we discuss the success of the movie '12th Fail’. This is a 2023 Hindi film which is a biographical drama film directed, produced, and written by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It is based on the 2019 non-fiction book Twelfth Fail - Har Vahi Jo Lada Nahi by Anurag Pathak about Manoj Kumar Sharma, who overcame extreme poverty to become an Indian Police Service officer.The film stars Vikrant Massey as Sharma, alongside Medha Shankar, Anant V Joshi, Anshumaan Pushkar, and Priyanshu Chatterjee. The film received widespread critical acclaim and emerged as a sleeper hit, grossing over ₹69 crore (US$8.6 million) worldwide on a ₹20 crore (US$2.5 million) budget. At the 69th Filmfare Awards, it won five awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor (Critics) (Massey). Synopsis: 12th Fail traces the journey of a young man Manoj Kumar who overcomes poverty and extreme adversities to achieve his dream of becoming an IPS officer after being inspired by an honest police officer in his village Chambal (notorious for its dacoits). Favorite Scenes: DSP Dushyant Singh - Stop Cheating - The moment that changes the course of Manoj’s life.Manoj comes home to learn about his Grandmom’s death - Topnotch performance by both actors (mother-actor Geeta Sharma)Manoj’s dad comes to see him - powerful and right there with the climax as the best scene from the filmGauri Bhaiya backs Manoj as he prepares for his last attempt at the civil services exams  Restart Shraddha’s proposalThe climax - as predictable as it was, it was pure satisfaction. Other movie recommendations to watch:How Phoolan Devi after the atrocities she faced, went on to become Chambal’s famous dacoit known as The Bandit Queen.   Seema Biswas starred in and as The Bandit Queen directed by Shekhar Kapoor.To understand the true genius of Vidhu Vinod Chopra watch the cult classic that changed the course of Bollywood films - the noir film based in Mumbai - Parinda Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-paradeLicense code: MIE1N7HAVI6KJOSGContact Us:Email: thetalkingtalkies@gmail.com Twitter: @_talkingtalkiesInstagram @_talkingtalkiesBenny (@RealBennyMan) / TwitterMi (@Mi_Rambles) / TwitterPlease leave us a review or rating on the podcast app!

Episode 10: Inglorious BasterdsRelease Date: 2009In this episode, we discuss the ‘Glory’ of the movie ‘Inglorious Basterds’.This is a 2009 alt-history war film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger and Mélanie Laurent.Inglourious Basterds is a firm favorite with both the hosts and Christopher Waltz's Hans Landa remains one of their favorite villains. Waltz’s Handa has gone down in movie history as one of the most iconic characters, sweeping all the acting awards that year. Tune into the episode, where the hosts tell you why this movie is rewatchable even after so many years and cannot stop mentioning Waltz/Handa every 5 minutes of the episode - because every favorite scene and dialogue is incomplete without Waltz’s reference. Synopsis: In Nazi-oc cupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers known as the Inglorious Basterds led by Lieutenant Aldo Raine played by Brad Pitt coincides with theatre owner Shosanna Dreyfus’s vengeful plans for the same. Melanie Laurent plays Shossana who had witnessed the slaughter of her family by Colonel Hans Landa played by Christoph Waltz. As the relentless executioners advance and the conspiring young girl's plans are set in motion, their paths will cross for a fateful evening that will shake the very annals of history.Favourite Scenes: Opening Scene - Waltz sends a chill down your spine. Hands down one of the best opening scenes in movie historyStrudel scene : Waltz meets Shosanna. This scene gave rise to many theories - Did Handa recognize Shosanna or not? Handa’s multilingual skills stun the Basterds.The massacre at the Tavern - Rookie mistake Mr Fassbender!Trivia: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Trivia/InglouriousBasterdsMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-paradeLicense code: MIE1N7HAVI6KJOSGContact Us:Email: thetalkingtalkies@gmail.com Twitter: @_talkingtalkiesInstagram @_talkingtalkiesBenny (@RealBennyMan) / TwitterMi (@Mi_Rambles) / TwitterPlease leave us a review or rating on the podcast app!

Episode 8: My Sassy Girl Release Date: 2001In this episode, we head over to South Korea for a film that was released more than two decades ago. ‘My Sassy Girl’ is a romantic comedy film directed by Kwak Jae-yong, starring Jun Ji-hyun and Cha Tae-hyun. The film is based on a true story told in a series of blog posts written by Kim Ho-sik, who later adapted them into a fictional novel.This film became one of the highest-grossing South Korean comedies of all time. It’s said to have sparked an international breakthrough for Korean cinema, and it played a key role in the spread of the Korean Wave.This is Benny’s all-time favorite romantic film from when he watched it closer to its release date. Minal only watched it in 2020 when she got hit by the K-drama wave during the pandemic. Has the movie aged well, and does the comedy and romance still work? You will be surprised that for once the co-hosts have quite differing views on a movie. Tune in to find out why! Plot summaryThe film tells the story of Gyeon-woo (Cha Tae-hyun), a kind-hearted but naive college student, and the Girl (Jun Ji-hyun), a sassy and unpredictable young woman.The Girl is constantly getting into trouble, and Gyeon-woo is often drawn into her schemes. She is also emotionally volatile, and her mood swings can be extreme. Over time, Gyeon-woo and the Girl realize their deep love for each other overcoming her past trauma. IMDB link : My Sassy GirlBest scenes: Mountain Top Scene: Girl ApologisesLetter from The Girl to Gyeon WooThe Ending scene Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-paradeLicense code: MIE1N7HAVI6KJOSGContact Us:Email: thetalkingtalkies@gmail.com Twitter: @_talkingtalkiesInstagram @_talkingtalkiesBenny (@RealBennyMan) / TwitterMi (@Mi_Rambles) / TwitterLeave us a review or rating on the podcast app!

Episode 6: The DepartedRelease Date: 2006In this week’s episode, we discuss one of our favorite Martin Scorsese films - the only film that won him his first and to date only Oscar - The 2006 multi-starrer, the mobster crime drama - The Departed. The Departed is a remake of the HK film Infernal Affairs with an all-star cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, and Alec Baldwin; Vera Farmiga plays the love interest of both Damon and DiCaprio’s characters. The Departed was a critical and commercial success, receiving acclaim for its direction, performances, screenplay, and editing. It won several accolades, including four Oscars at the 79th Academy Awards: for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. We both watched it in the theatres when it was released and 17 years on when we rewatched it for this podcast, we still rated it high on entertainment but we did find a few loopholes in the script - however, the acting by Leo & Matt still remains the highlight of the movie along with the shocking deaths of the main characters. We did conclude that Scorsese loved Wahlberg or his character Digman over the rest of the cast - tune into the episode to find out why! Synopsis: South Boston cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes undercover to infiltrate the organization of gangland chief Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). As Billy gains the mobster's trust and climbs up the ranks, Frank implants his mole Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) to infiltrate the police department and report its activities to him. When both organizations learn they have a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin must figure out each other's identities to save their own lives.IMDB Link: The Departed Where to Watch: Prime Video - Rent/BuyBest scenes:Baldwin - Wahlberg Best ScenesCranberry JuiceEveryone hates everybodyYou called me from a dead man’s phoneTrivia: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Trivia/TheDepartedMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-paradeLicense code: MIE1N7HAVI6KJOSGContact Us:Email: thetalkingtalkies@gmail.com Twitter: @_talkingtalkiesInstagram @_talkingtalkiesBenny (@RealBennyMan) / TwitterMi (@Mi_Rambles) / TwitterLeave us a review or rating on the podcast app!

Episode 4: NayakanRelease Date: 1987This episode features one of the ‘cult classics’ of Indian cinema from one of the largest regional film industries in the country - the Tamil Film industry called Kollywood - (based out of the Kodambakkam neighborhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu).Nayakan is a crime drama, written and directed by Mani Ratnam. Mani Ratnam today is heralded as one of the finest film directors in India. The film stars the great Kamal Haasan - one of the biggest superstars and finest actors in India, with support from Saranya (in her feature debut), Janagaraj, Delhi Ganesh, Nizhalgal Ravi, and Nassar. The story is loosely based on the life of the Bombay underworld Don Varadarajan Mudaliar and the American film The Godfather (1972). The movie became a critical and commercial success and won national awards for Kamal Haasan as best actor, PC Sreeram for best cinematography, and Thota Tharani for best art direction. It was India's official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 60th Academy Awards, and was included in Time's list of the "All-Time 100 Best Films".This is Benny’s all-time favorite movie. Minal watched this movie much later after its release as a teenager when regional films were telecast on the national channel on Sunday afternoons. 36 years down the line when they both sat down to discuss Nayakan - did they still stay in awe of this film and did it stand the test of time? Tune in to the episode to find out. Synopsis:A common man's struggle against a corrupt police force puts him on the wrong side of the law. He becomes a don, who is loved and respected by many, but his growing power and influence come at a heavy price. Specifically, it is the story of Velu Naicker, who transforms from an ordinary slum dweller to a feared don, and how his actions impact his loved ones. IMDB Link: NayakanWhere to Watch: YouTubeArticles/Interviews:Kamal Haasan on Nayakan - 25 years laterTwo scenes in Nayakaan - Where music tells the story. Mani Ratnam Interview - 35 years later Trivia60 lesser-known factsMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-paradeLicense code: MIE1N7HAVI6KJOSGContact Us:Email: thetalkingtalkies@gmail.com Twitter: @_talkingtalkiesInstagram @_talkingtalkiesBenny (@RealBennyMan) / TwitterMi (@Mi_Rambles) / TwitterLeave us a review or rating on the podcast app!

Episode 2  : Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ)Translation: "The Big-Hearted Will Take the Bride"Release Date: 1995Benny and Minal travel back 3 decades to discuss DDLJ - one of Bollywood’s biggest blockbusters that is still the longest-running movie in theaters and is playing at Maratha Mandir Theatre in Mumbai. DDLJ starred Bollywood’s superstars Shahrukh Khan (SRK) and Kajol, and is directed by Aditya Chopra (son of Yash Chopra) under the banner of Yash Raj Films (YRF). Minal watched it as a teenager when it was released, and Benny watched it only a few weeks ago. In this episode, we discuss why this movie was a huge success and whether it stands the test of time. Synopsis:DDLJ is a romantic film about two Indian youngsters Raj & Simran living in London, who meet on a vacation in Europe and fall in love. Simran is betrothed to her father’s friend’s son in India and Raj travels to India to win over her family. Will they or won’t they get their happy ending? IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112870/plotsummary/Where to Watch: Prime Video ScenesComedy Scenes: Raj & Dad - Raj fails his exam , Raj trying to impress Simran’s DadProblematic Scenes: First meeting Raj and Simran , Raj plays prank on SimranIconic Train SceneMusic : DDLJ - All Songs Trivia/Interesting LinksEpisode 2 of the The Romantics Documentary on Netflix - A Love Letter to DDLJUnknown facts about DDLJMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-paradeLicense code: MIE1N7HAVI6KJOSGContact Us:Email: thetalkingtalkies@gmail.com Twitter: @_talkingtalkiesInstagram @_talkingtalkiesBenny (@RealBennyMan) / TwitterMi (@Mi_Rambles) / TwitterLeave us a review or rating on the podcast app!

Hosted by Benny and Minal, please welcome the newest movie podcast in town - Talking Talkies!Tune in for a bi-weekly show on movies from around the world, where we will revisit some of the classics that has stuck with us over the years. New episodes coming soon!Follow us on Twitter: @_talkingtalkies--------------------------------------------------Vacation Beat:Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/vacation-beatLicense code: TTAP32WA7WMGMYAN