Shababa Iqbal

Few genres are as unapologetically optimistic as romance. At its core lies the Happily Ever After (HEA), a convention so fundamental that it often stands in for the genre itself.

Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series has captivated pop culture with its bold take on tyranny, sacrifice, and resistance, spanning Katniss Everdeen’s blazing defiance in The Hunger Games (2008) to her final stand in Mockingjay (2010) against Coriolanus Snow’s cold cruelty.

There is a great debate about nepotism in Hindi cinema. It's upsetting for everyone when clearly unskilled children of famous people are paraded as readymade movie stars, increasing the rift between the haves and the have-nots and highlighting the inequities of various systems across the screen. "Nadaaniyan", starring Khushi Kapoor and Ibrahim Ali Khan in the lead roles, is yet another example of this.

The Roshan family has been active in the Hindi film industry for multiple generations, contributing to music, acting, and direction for over 60 years or so. Naturally, there was a story waiting to be told. Their dynasty includes the patriarch and music maestro Roshan Lal Nagrath, his sons Rajesh Roshan, the music composer, and Rakesh Roshan, the director, and actor, as well as his grandson Hrithik Roshan, who became an overnight sensation with his first leading role in “Kaho Naa… Pyar Hai” (2000) and is one of Bollywood’s most beloved stars today.

The basic premise is a powerful one: What if the Wicked Witch of the West wasn't so bad after all, and what if the Wizard and the seemingly perfect society he oversaw were the real threats?

The most positive aspect of “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3” (2024) is its unpredictability. While the climactic twist is audacious and unique, the film suffers from clumsy execution, falling short of evoking the intended emotions. It's a fine thought, albeit underwritten, and it deserved a bit more complexity than the film's chaotic momentum allows. Nonetheless, I have to say that I did not see it coming.

“Call Me Bae," created by Ishita Moitra with co-writers Samina Motlekar and Rohit Nair, follows the story of poor little rich girl Bella Chowdhary, affectionately known as Bae, played by Ananya Panday. For those who may not be familiar with generational slang, 'Bae' is a term of endearment used to refer to someone's sweetheart.

The success of “Emily in Paris” reveals that there's room for both highbrow, thought-provoking TV and light, unchallenging fare. While there are plenty of complex, intellectually stimulating shows, there are times when we just want something easy and predictable—shows like “Suits”, “The Office”, and “Friends” continue to top streaming charts long after their original air dates for precisely this reason. There's comfort in knowing what to expect and in watching a storyline wrap up neatly within 30 minutes.