The Long Take
By Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar
The Long TakeJan 22, 2023
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s big-budget streaming debut, is yet another high-profile Netflix failure.
A summation and culmination of Bhansali’s lifelong ambitions, the show represents everything that is wrong with his sensibilities and style-over-substance storytelling.
We discuss the show’s flawed understanding of feminism, aestheticisation of female suffering, and haphazard structure.
We also talk about why the immaculate visuals and costumes that Bhansali is known for don’t contribute to his narratives.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Civil War
In addition to being a thought-provoking movie about how close we are to disintegrating as a society, Alex Garland’s Civil War is a rollicking cinematic experience.
We discuss the film’s affection for journalism, the intricate character work that Garland is able to accomplish via action sequences, and the film’s stand-out moments.
One of them involves a scene-stealing cameo by Jesse Plemons, and the other is an extended climactic action sequence that works viscerally and emotionally.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Amar Singh Chamkila
Is Amar Singh Chamkila a long-awaited return to form for director Imtiaz Ali, or is it another let-down from the once-promising filmmaker?
We discuss the film’s inventive approach to the music biopic genre, if not narratively then at least formally. We also talk about Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra’s central performances as the slain husband-wife folk singer duo and address the ‘Hindi gaze’ that Ali brings to this inherently Punjabi tale.
Along the way, we also discuss the nature of high and low art and the film’s many defences of Chamkila’s controversial music.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Aattam
Aattam, the latest Malayalam-language gem that further solidifies the industry’s artistic stronghold on the cinema landscape of the country, offers an inventive spin on the whodunnit genre.
We discuss the film’s gripping narrative, ambitious social commentary, and director Anand Ekarshi’s bold voice.
We also talk about the many moral quandaries that the movie puts its characters in, and how willingly it invites audiences to gaze inward and participate in the proceedings.
We also debate the merits of its final moments, which we compare and contrast with Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Fighter
Is Fighter another in the long and increasingly problematic line of hyper-nationalistic Indian action movies, or is its biggest problem that it can’t look beyond star Hrithik Roshan?
We discuss the many missteps that director Siddharth Anand makes in his follow-up to Pathaan, the unnecessary songs and the momentum-killing asides, but we also talk about how the movie goes out of its way to not paint all of Pakistan as evil terrorists.
Along the way, we also talk about the film’s many aerial fight sequences, the final showdown, the nonsensical attempts at comedy, and Anil Kapoor’s parallel mission to break some sort of decibel record.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Murder Mubarak
Murder Mubarak lowers the bar even further for Netflix India, and feels like a particularly annoying missed opportunity.
We talk about the inept filmmaking, the strange structure, and the over-the-top performances of its ensemble cast.
We also wonder how the finished film can look like something that was snatched away from director Homi Adajania and handed over to editors who’ve never met him.
And for the second time in two weeks, we find ourselves noting missing scenes from a big-budget movie featuring major Bollywood names.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, director Sriram Raghavan’s follow-up to the critical and commercial hit Andhadhun, is nothing to celebrate.
We discuss the film’s lack of discernible aesthetic, the complete absence of any spark between stars Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi, and its baffling climax.
Along the way, we discuss the decision to reduce an important child character to a plot device, and the increasingly illogical behaviour displayed by both central characters.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Dune: Part Two
Dune: Part Two is being called one of the greatest sequels ever made. It isn’t.
We discuss the problems that we’ve had with both Dune films, our issues with their cold tone, the seemingly rushed plot despite a nearly three-hour run-time, and the sheer number of characters to keep track of.
But we also appreciate director Denis Villeneuve’s handling of the action, particularly the sandworm sequence, and the film’s technical achievements.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
All India Rank
All India Rank, the feature directorial debut of Varun Grover, is a refreshing change of pace for Bollywood, but still not as good as it could have been.
We discuss all the ways in which the coming-of-age drama avoids making the same mistakes as 12th Fail or Kota Factory, its ability to evoke a particular time and place, and its reliance on tried-and-tested narrative tropes.
We also talk about the toxicity in the Indian familial set-up that the movie calls out in its own understated way while making larger statements about aspiration and ambition.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Dunki
Dunki, the third and final Shah Rukh Khan film of 2023, wastes all the goodwill he had built with Pathaan and Jawan.
Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, Dunki ranks among the worst films we’ve covered on the podcast and is outdated to the point of being offensive.
We talk about the film’s most insensitive scenes, Hirani’s disinterest in taking real-life geopolitical issues seriously, and ignoring the tragic love story at the film’s centre.
We also talk about the film’s tonal imbalance, tendency to rely on cliches, and inability to make the best use of screen time.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Bhakshak
Bhakshak, starring Bhumi Pednekar, is the latest socially conscious call-to-action from Shah Rukh Khan’s production company, and even though it’s a more grounded film, its sensibilities aren’t too dissimilar from Jawan.
We discuss what we liked and disliked about the film’s portrayal of hyperlocal journalism, its depiction of real-life atrocities, and its tendency to shed all nuance and scream at the audience.
We also talk about the film’s odd pacing, the often confusing narrative, and overall inelegance despite director Pulkit’s noble intentions.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Joram
Joram, the fourth feature film from director Devashish Makhija, juggles multiple tones and narratives. But is it successful at it?
We discuss Manoj Bajpayee’s mostly silent central performance as a displaced tribal man running for his life, and the film’s heavy handed socio-political commentary.
We also wonder if the movie would’ve worked better as a tight 90-minute thriller, and point out a worryingly regressive trend in Makhija’s films.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Animal
Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor, is hardly as offensive as director Sandeep Reddy Vanga probably intended it to be, but it’s aggravating on many levels nonetheless.
We discuss the film’s infantile approach to its themes and Vanga’s dedication to being edgy at the expense of storytelling and character development.
We also talk about the film’s unbearable length, inconsequential subplots, and the odd decision to not introduce Bobby Deol’s villain sooner.
Along the way, we also talk about the numerous petulant attacks that Vanga has made on critics and how his neediness is reflected in the film.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Salaar
Is Salaar the worst movie we’ve covered on the podcast? It might be.
We discuss the incomprehensible plotting, Prashanth Neel’s overwhelming direction, and debate about the film’s three major action set-pieces.
We also eat our words about Salman Khan’s dedication and Zack Snyder’s poor world-building after having seen a disengaged Prabhas and an under-confident Neel’s work here.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Tiger 3
Shockingly, Tiger 3—the fifth overall instalment in the YRF Spy Universe—isn’t entirely unwatchable.
But the movie could’ve been so much better with just about any other star in the lead role instead of Salman Khan, who not only struggles to emote but also seems pained to move physically.
We talk about the film’s Pathaan-like progressive politics, flat visual effects, and Emraan Hashmi’s performance as the villain.
We also discuss Shah Rukh Khan’s cameo and wonder why even he wasn’t able to elevate the film.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
12th Fail
Is 12th Fail actually one of the best Hindi movies of 2023 or is it massively overrated?
We find ourselves wondering why writer-director Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s latest film is getting rave reviews, because all we could see was a deeply problematic, all too simplistic story about a young man let down by society.
We also talk about Vikrant Massey’s performance, and the egregious brown-face makeup that he’s been coated with.
Along the way, we discuss the film’s flawed perspective and disinterest in examining the more complex aspects of what is an undoubtedly stirring true story.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Kho Gaye Hum Kahan
Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, the new film from the team behind The Archies, is a rare Bollywood movie about millennial malaise.
But like its characters, it’s too distracted by social media and the desire to say something about our addiction to it.
We talk about the performances of its three leads—Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday and Adarsh Gourav—and discuss the many ways in which it honours and undermines their experiences.
We also admire the effort that writer-director Arjun Varain Singh has gone through to ground the movie in a recognisable reality, as opposed to most Hindi movies of its kind.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Rebel Moon
Rebel Moon is the worst film of Zack Snyder’s career, and that’s saying something.
We talk about the director’s uninspired homage to the works of Akira Kurosawa and George Lucas, his unusually bland visuals, and the film’s wooden writing.
We also wonder why the project looks so cheap, seeing as it comes from a streamer that is often willing to invest $200 million on less-deserving movies, and why Snyder has cast seemingly his second and third choices for most roles.
We also discuss Netflix’s cynical approach to fashioning a franchise, and reverse-engineering a director’s cut movement, all at the cost of producing a cohesive cinematic experience.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Priscilla
Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla is the antithesis of Baz Luhrmann’s terrible Elvis movie.
We discuss Coppola’s sad-core storytelling, her determination never to leave Priscilla’s side, and her absolutely damning portrayal of the King of Rock and Roll.
We also talk about Cailee Spaeny’s central performance as Priscilla, Jacob Elordi’s menacing turn as Elvis, and the movie’s delicate handling of their very complex relationship.
But we also wonder if Coppola’s emotionally distant direction might have made the stirring true-life story a little unaffecting.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
The Archies
In The Archies, writer-director Zoya Akhtar disguises her politics behind teen romance.
But does this diffuse the impact of what she’s trying to say? We talk about the film’s coming-of-age themes, how each character is given definitive traits, and whether it’s successful in capturing teen angst.
We also discuss the cast of newcomers, and wonder if the movie will be offensive to certain sections of the audience.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Kaathal – The Core
Kaathal – The Core, directed by Jeo Baby, is shaping up to be a real word-of-mouth hit, purely on the strength of its sheer quality.
We speak about the many reasons why the new Malayalam-language drama left us so moved, and highlight the two central performances by Mammootty and Jyotika.
We appreciate director Baby’s command over visual storytelling, and how effectively he uses silences to convey volumes about his characters.
We also discuss the delicate tonal balance that the film strikes, making sure to not paint anybody as the “villain”.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Leo
Leo, the new Tamil-language blockbuster starring “Thalapathy” Vijay, is now on Netflix.
We discuss the film’s abysmal storytelling, the charmless central performance, and poorly designed action sequences. We also talk about the larger Lokesh Cinematic Universe and how shoehorned-in the references to the franchise feel.
Along the way, we attempt to dissect the Inception-level flashback sequence and discuss the strange decision to cast Sanjay Dutt as the villain, only to dub over his original voice and reduce his character to a motiveless henchman.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
The Railway Men
Watching The Railway Men is like taking an express train back to Netflix India circa 2019 when the bottom of the barrel would be scraped week after week.
Almost unwatchable at even four episodes long, the new YRF-produced series is so inept that it makes you lose faith in the art of storytelling as a whole.
We discuss the show’s bizarre approach to a real-life tragedy, its wafer-thin characters, countless contrivances, and unintentionally hilarious plot devices.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
The Killer
Is The Killer one of David Fincher’s most inconsequential movies?
We discuss the film’s subversive approach to the conventions of assassin cinema, Fincher’s clinical treatment of the subject matter, and the odd bursts of humour that he peppers through the two-hour narrative.
We also talk about Michael Fassbender’s statue-esque performance, and spend a considerable amount of time trying to decipher the meaning behind the meaninglessness.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Is Killers of the Flower Moon a culmination of what director Martin Scorsese has been trying to achieve his entire career, or is it an overlong, overindulgent slog that general audiences will turn their backs on?
We discuss the film’s simmering tone, the epic tragedy at its core, and the performances of its central cast, which includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone.
We also talk about the film’s memorable ending, which recontextualises not only everything that has come before, but also Scorsese’s own career.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
OMG 2
OMG 2, starring Pankaj Tripathi as a saintly middle-aged man, is a bizarre concoction of ideas that ultimately comes across as a lazy attempt to pander to the Hindu majority.
We discuss the film’s odd approach to a straightforward story, its stretched, preachy narrative, and the fact that the decision to package it as a religious drama feels like an afterthought.
We also talk about Akshay Kumar’s glorified cameo, which feels completely shoehorned into the story, and the film’s tentative approach to the very real themes that it occasionally touches on.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Khufiya
Khufiya, the new spy movie on Netflix, might just be one of the worst things that Vishal Bhardwaj has ever done.
We discuss the film’s tonal inconsistencies, incoherent plotting, odd performances, and most of all, that wild second-half.
We also talk about the background score and how completely out of step with its story; the strange decision to include full musical interludes and introduce entire subplots that lead nowhere.
We also delve into how secondary Tabu feels to the film, which replaces her character as the protagonist halfway through with Wamiqa Gabbi.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Wes Anderson x Roald Dahl on Netflix
Released as four separate shorts, Wes Anderson’s Roald Dahl adaptations for Netflix are some of the best films that he has ever made.
We discuss his minimalist approach to each story, the offbeat narration and stagey production, and also the deeper themes he wants to tackle. Anderson also flips through genres and tones, but presents each movie in his own unique style.
While The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is by far the most uplifting of the bunch, the rest—Poison, The Swan, and The Rat Catcher—are a more cynical experience. Together, these films are a deeply personal expression, and a great entry point into his filmography.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Jaane Jaan
Jaane Jaan, director Sujoy Ghosh’s Hindi-language adaptation of the Japanese bestseller The Devotion of Suspect X, is a competently made thriller with a hint of playfulness.
We discuss the trio of central performances by Kareena Kapoor Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma, and talk about the change in perspective that Ghosh has introduced in his adaptation.
We also dissect the other changes the movie makes to the source novel, most notably the ending, which is toned down substantially.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani plays like director Karan Johar’s apology for his own past filmmaking, and for the many missteps that Bollywood has made over the years when it comes to gender politics.
We appreciate the film’s progressive ideas, its frank depiction of desire, and how willing it is to embrace its camp nature. But we also point out the moments where it goes overboard.
We discuss Johar’s efforts to do better, and highlight a scene that represents how drastically his thinking has changed.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Jawan
We didn’t enjoy the Shah Rukh Khan-led Jawan as much as Pathaan, but it gave us enough to chew on.
We praise the film’s thrilling opening sequence, but complain about the unnecessary flashbacks and Vijay Sethupathi’s poor performance as the villain.
We also talk about how effective the film’s political messaging could be, and appreciate Khan for sticking his neck out when most of his colleagues would be happy staying quiet.
Later, we call out the film’s problematic feminism, and note how mellow Jawan is compared to writer-director Atlee’s earlier work.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Friday Night Plan
Friday Night Plan—the new Netflix movie starring Babil Khan—is the kind of film you forget the moment you turn off the TV.
We discuss its eagerness to borrow from classic teen comedies, but complete inability to offer heart or pathos.
We also talk about its odd perspective on teenage life, which seems like it is based more on films than actual experiences.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Satyaprem Ki Katha
Satyaprem Ki Katha, the new Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani movie, left us incensed.
We discuss the many ways in which the movie is actively anti-feminist; its horrific treatment of Advani’s character, the obvious perspective problem, and its casual disregard for very real, and very delicate themes.
We also talk about its triggering tone, the film’s last-minute rug-pull, and the potentially dangerous ideas that it propagates about retribution.
But we lose all hope when we consider the mostly positive reactions that the film received upon its theatrical release.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Guns & Gulaabs
Guns & Gulaabs is a high-profile dud from Netflix, a major step down from the surprisingly effective Kohrra.
We discuss the involvement of creator-directors Raj & DK, the show’s complete lack of identity and urgency, and its failure to make the most of its outlandish setting.
We also talk about the flat performances, the unfunny jokes, and speculate about Raj & DK’s overcommitment to multiple projects.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Heart of Stone
Heart of Stone, Netflix’s latest franchise-starter, is a step up from the likes of Red Notice and The Gray Man. But it’s far too generic to recommend.
We discuss the film’s rudimentary representation of something as complex as artificial intelligence, the thinly-written characters, and Alia Bhatt’s thankless role.
We also talk about the action set pieces, the overly serious tone, and Netflix’s plans for global domination.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro
The Long Take is doing its first ever retrospective episode! Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro turns 40 this week, and we rewatched the cult classic and discovered that it still holds up.
We discuss our favourite scenes, the simmering anger under the film’s goofy surface, and appreciate the skill required to play a dead body on screen.
We also talk about how difficult it is for a film to rewire the audience’s brains, how impossible Naseeruddin Shah found this on set, and why it’s a good thing that a planned sequel was never made.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Barbie
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie divided us like no movie ever has on this podcast.
Is it a sharp satire of patriarchy, or is it simply making the most obvious points about how unfair the world is for half the population?
Is it an imaginative skewering of consumerism, or is a particularly annoying attempt at covert marketing?
Is it another win for Gerwig, or a shockingly tone-deaf misstep? We discuss all this and more in our latest episode.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer is Christopher Nolan’s most political movie yet, and in many ways, among his most sobering.
We discuss the film’s dialogue-heavy storytelling, the epic Trinity test sequence, the moral dilemma at its core, and Nolan’s deliberate artistic deviations from his past work.
We also talk about the hourlong final act, which turns Oppenheimer into a wholly different experience, and make a feeble attempt to rank where the movie stands in Nolan’s filmography.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Kohrra
Kohrra, the new Netflix crime drama series co-created by Paatal Lok’s Sudip Sharma, is a grim experience that takes a character-first approach to its complex storytelling.
We discuss the performances of Suvinder Vicky and Barun Sobti, the rich and textured world that the show is able to create, and the social commentary about Punjab that it offers in an unusually subtle way.
We also talk about Sharma’s evolution from the Udta Punjab days, and our shared admiration for some of the show’s best scenes.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the fifth film in the long-running franchise, is a bloated, overlong and ultimately empty experience.
We discuss the film’s action-first plotting, abundance of cameos and references, and unsatisfying attempt at giving Harrison Ford an emotional send-off.
We also talk about that ambitious ending, and unpack the film’s tendency to repeatedly undermine its most heartfelt moments with Marvel-like humour.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Afwaah
Sudhir Mishra’s Afwaah—now out on Netflix after a negligible theatrical run—feels like watching someone engage in a primetime TV “news debate” with themselves.
We discuss Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s miscasting, Mishra’s convoluted approach to several important themes and ideas, and the movie’s complete failure as a genre exercise.
We also do a post-mortem on the four films directed this year by like-minded filmmakers Mishra, Anubhav Sinha, Anurag Kashyap and Hansal Mehta, and discuss the common problems with each of them.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Tiku Weds Sheru
Tiku Weds Sheru, the new rom-com/crime drama starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Avneet Kaur, sent us into an existential spiral.
We wonder how Kangana Ranaut could make her film production debut with something as pedestrian as this, and come up with conspiracy theories for how Siddiqui and Prime Video would agree to associate themselves with this movie.
We also talk about its jarring tonal shifts, its complete inauthenticity, and its refusal to be sincere about what it wants to be.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Extraction 2
Extraction 2, the sequel to Netflix’s hit pandemic-era action movie Extraction, resurrects Chris Hemsworth’s black ops mercenary Tyler Rake for some more high-stakes action.
We discuss the film’s by-the-numbers plot, but also praise its central extraction sequence, edited to appear as one 21-minute sequence.
We also talk about the Russo brothers’ franchise-minded approach to everything they touch, and analyse why that’s a bad idea for this series.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Bloody Daddy
Bloody Daddy, the new action thriller film directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and starring Shahid Kapoor, marks a new low for them both. It’s streaming for free on JioCinema, but audiences should demand money for surviving it.
We discuss the film’s laughable John Wick and Jason Bourne ambitions, given Zafar and Kapoor’s sheer disinterest in doing the actual hard work to achieve good results.
The action is choppily edited, the storytelling is confusing, and the background score is an assault on the senses. For a wall-to-wall action movie, you never actually get the sense that the main character is the one doing the fighting, but at least Ronit Roy and Sanjay Kapoor understood the assignment.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Bheed
Director Anubhav Sinha’s Bheed—out now on Netflix in a badly mangled form—attempts to condense India’s pandemic experience into one location and a handful of characters.
We discuss the filmmaker’s tendency to use his characters as a mouthpiece, his decision to present this movie in black and white, and his use of symbolism to capture the pandemic experience.
We also list down the troubling cuts imposed upon the film by the CBFC, and what precedent this sets for the future.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Vikram Vedha
Vikram Vedha, the Hindi-language remake of directors Pushkar and Gayatri’s Tamil-language original, pretends to be smarter than it actually is.
And what it is is a loud, nonsensical actioner that has more in common with the KGF films than Heat.
While Hrithik Roshan is having fun as the antihero Vedha, Saif Ali Khan is too bland as his foil, the murderous cop Vikram.
We discuss the film’s complicated storytelling, the jarring tonal shifts, and complete lack of tension.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Air
Ben Affleck’s Air—out now on Prime Video—is an old-fashioned Hollywood drama featuring charismatic performances and propelled by a smart script.
We discuss how the film avoids coming across as an ode to corporate America, and how it uses the grammar of sports dramas to tell an enjoyable and earnest underdog story.
We highlight the film’s best scenes, and wonder if its success could translate to an uptick in shoe sales for Nike.
We also chat about Matt Damon’s central performance, and the film’s decision to keep Michael Jordan literally in the shadows.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar
Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor play semi-humans in director Luv Ranjan’s baffling new film, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, now out on Netflix.
We discuss the unbelievable plotting, contrived character motivations, and truly terrible visual aesthetic. How could something that reportedly cost ₹200 crore look this cheap?
We also talk about the casual misogyny of the story, its reinforcing of traditional dynamics, and the film’s reliance on dramatic moments over relatable human behaviour.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Ghosted
Two charming movie stars, a director with a unique voice, and as many as four high-profile writers couldn’t salvage the new Apple TV+ action rom-com Ghosted, starring Chris Evans and Ana de Armas.
We discuss the film’s anonymous aesthetic, the nonsensical plot, and the worrying influence of the Russo brothers on big-budget streaming cinema.
We also unpack Ghosted’s pointless cameos, CGI environments, and wonder if Apple is headed down the same path as Netflix.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Jubilee
Vikramaditya Motwane’s period drama series Jubilee—now streaming in full on Prime Video—is meant to be a loving homage to the Golden Age of Hindi cinema, but it often comes across as emotionally distant.
We delve into the show’s fascination for backroom drama, personal betrayal, and behind-the-scenes politics.
We also talk about the several pivotal moments that take place off-screen, and wonder whether the quality of visual effects and set design is satisfactory for a show of this scale.
Later, we discuss the possibilities of future seasons, and whether any of these characters have a chance of returning.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Overcast, Stitcher, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.