If you're under the impression that people in the film industry lead a glamorous life, that it's all rainbows and roses for them, then, sorry to say it, guys, you're on the wrong side of the coin. And if you need a reality check, you urgently need to watch this slap-in-the-face of a film, MOLLYWOOD TIMES.
In a nutshell, it follows the journey of a director who dreams of establishing himself as the greatest horror filmmaker Mollywood (the Kerala film industry) has ever seen. But his dream is merely the surface. Along that journey lies the true essence of this film.
I watched it with only one intention: it came from the same director who made Mukundan Unni Associates. (Do watch that film, guys. It's a masterclass in portraying an anti-hero.) Had it been directed by someone else, I probably would've ignored it altogether. Perhaps that's destiny—I was meant to watch this film. The moment I hit the play button, believe me, I was pulled into its magic from the very first frame.
Now, hear me out for a second.
I have my own theory on judging a film's success. Even if a film is a B-grade movie with questionable scenes, if it manages to make you invest your valuable time and keeps you glued to the screen until the very last frame, then—and only then—it has succeeded.
Cheers to the director for pulling that off.
I give Abhinav Sunder Nayak full marks for achieving exactly that.
I did notice several similarities between MOLLYWOOD TIMES and Mukundan Unni Associates. But rather than making the film feel repetitive, those similarities establish Nayak's signature style—one that helps him stand apart from the crowd. The film flows effortlessly without losing momentum, and the screenplay keeps surprising you every now and then, making it consistently engaging.
As an audience, we simply watch a film and judge it, rarely stopping to think about the circumstances under which it was actually brought to the screen.
MOLLYWOOD TIMES does a fantastic job of tying together the behind-the-scenes struggles, industry politics, backbiting, discrimination, and countless other ugly realities into one compelling narrative.
In doing so, it becomes nothing less than a hate letter to cinema.
So, do watch it and let it enlighten you about what truly goes into making a film... a film.
Just watch it and thank me later, cinephiles.
Okay then, till next time.
Take care, be happy, and goodbye.
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