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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Entertainment News India Times (March 8, 2025 - March 14, 2025) March 14, 2025 27 The Storyteller Celebrates The Art And Craft Of Storytelling I t is inexplicable why this elevating film, based on a Satyajit Ray short story, was in the doldrums since 2022. Jio Studios and Jio Hotstar bring us this delight- ful fable at long last after its showing at the Busan International Film Festival then. Tarini Bandopadhyay in Kolkata (Paresh Rawal with stubble, spectacles and a resume of 73 jobs before he retires!) is a widower and has a yen for thinking up stories in a jiffy, but has never published any. He answers a call from Ahmedabad where the client wants a professional storyteller for some reason—kids maybe—for Tarini, it is going to be yet another novel experience. A hardcore fish-eater and a sworn hater of capitalists, he encounters there a vegetarian cotton tycoon, Ratan Garodia (Adil Hussain), and is surprised to know that the man has been a bachelor and an insomniac for 30 years. Ratan wants to know if his stories can put him to sleep. But he also wonders if Tarini’s stories are really original. He is then completely fascinated by how Tarini cooks up riveting stories on the spot from even mundane things like an old chair. The stories too have immense enter- tainment value, and clandestinely, Ratan begins to write and publish them in Gujarati under the pseudonym of Gorky. His old flame (Revathi), who never respected him and had married someone else, is now widowed, finally begins to admire him. For Gorky becomes a rage. Tarini has developed a friendship with the local librar- ian, Suzie (Tannistha Chatterjee) and by chance he comes upon the writings of Gorky, and tells his people back home that Gorky has indeed made him famous indirectly, which he could not do on his own. He happily continues to tell Ratan stories. Ratan, in turn, warns his servant, Manik (Jayesh More) that Tarini should never find out what he has done. But soon enough, at the release of Ratan’s latest compilation, a plagiarism charge with dam- ages for a million is filed against him, and not by Tarini. A surprise climax follows. Director Anant Narayan Mahadevan has always had this creative dichotomy. If he has made serious, topical films that include Mee Sindhutai Sakpal and Gour Hari Dastaan, he has also made rank commercial films like The Xpose and Aksar 2. This time, he picks up as base the Satyajit Ray’s Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro (which Ray is supposed to have experienced himself during a US visit, as per actor Adil Hussain) and the result is a languidly narrated story on values, ethics and relationships. The writing (adaptation) is bright and vivid and the dialogues are witty. Writer Khurana and Mahadevan (and obviously Ray) form a trinity of National award honorees who spin a tapestry of three unforgettable characters in Tarini, Rajan and Manik, with the two women in com- mendable support to the storyline in more than the cosmetic sense. Though only 116 minutes long, the film could have been at least 10 minutes shorter still and so film editor Gourav Gopal Jha could have taken a greater command. If more crisp, the film could have been even better. The cinematography (Alphonse Roy), background score (Hriju Roy) and production design (Preetam Rai and Bablu Singha) are very supportive of the fabric of the story. Paresh Rawal and Adil Hussain roam the film like two powerful lions who are technically friends and admirers of each other and yet have their own definite fodders to acquire and nurture. Their sequences of bon- homie are perfect examples of how two chiseled veterans demonstrate the histrionic understanding of their power- ful characters. Jayesh More is topnotch as Manik and, as stated before, Tannishtha and Revathi do great in their brief roles. As the film is streaming on OTT, you should not miss it because it forms a very illuminating home watch. Rating: ***1/2 By RajivVijayakar PHOTO:TrailerVideo Grab Adil Hussain and Paresh Rawal in The Storyteller. Chhaava Releases In Telugu Version On March 7 Colors Of Joy: ‘Laddu Mar’ Holi Celebrations Start At Shri Ladliji Maharaj Temple In Barsana I n response to overwhelming demand, Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films has released the official Telugu trailer for its blockbuster, Chhaava. It will release in cinemas on March 7. Maddock Films has officially set the stage for its high- ly-anticipated release. Following its phenomenal success in Hindi, the film is now set to reach a wider audience, thanks to the overwhelming demand fromTelugu fans all over. The Telugu release of Chhaava will be led by GA2 Pictures, the distribution arm of Geetha Arts—one of the most influential names in South Indian cinema. Geetha Arts entered Hindi cinema with their hit production, Pratibandh, in 1990. With a legacy of distributing over 300 blockbuster films across Telugu, Hindi, and English, GA2 Pictures is the perfect partner to bring Chhaava to audiences across the Telugu-speaking regions. Directed by Laxman Utekar, this historical epic stars Vicky Kaushal as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, along- side Rashmika Mandanna, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Ashutosh Rana and Divya Dutta. With its powerful story- telling and grand visuals, Chhaava has been a box-office sensation, amassing a staggering 447.26 crore NBOC in India. The worldwide gross of the Hindi film as of March 3 is Rs. 625 crore, while the Nett Box-Office Collection (NBOC) in India is Rs. 476.25 crore. Maddock Films is on a hit-streak after Munjya, Stree 2 and Sky Force. Even their Teri Baton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya has done average business last year. T he vibrant festival of Laddu Mar Holi kicked off with great enthusiasm on Friday at the Shri Ladliji Maharaj temple in Barsana, Uttar Pradesh. This marks the beginning of Holi celebrations in Barsana, which is renowned for its unique Holi tradi- tions. The temple premises resonated with devotional songs and chants as priests and devotees participated in the age-old ritual. One of the highlights of Barsana’s Holi celebrations is the famous ‘Lathmar Holi’, where women playfully hit men with sticks, reenacting Krishna’s legendary visit to Radha’s village. This year, Uttar Pradesh CMYogi Adityanath inaugu- rated Rangotsav 2025 at Shri Radha Bihari Inter College in Barsana, Mathura, and showered the gathered crowd with flower petals. During his visit, Adityanath said that after the develop- ment activities carried out in Ayodhya and Prayagraj, it was now the turn of Mathura and Vrindavan to witness the revival, and the state government would spare no ef- fort to develop the region. He offered prayers at Shri Radha Bihari Inter College in Barsana, Mathura, after inaugurating Rangotsav 2025. CMYogi said, “Those who come to Barsana are getting the facility of the ropeway for the first time. Development works worth 100 crores are ongoing. Under PMModi’s guidance, Kashi has been revamped. Ayodhya has been revived. Now it is the turn of Mathura, Vrindavan, and Barsana, Govardhan. There won’t be any stone unturned to develop this region. Now there is a BJP government in Delhi and Yamuna will be cleaned up.” The Uttar Pradesh CM extended his greetings ahead of Holi in the state. He further said, “During Mahashivratri, lakhs of people visited Kashi. From January 13 to Feb 26, in Prayajraj, Mahakumbh was organised, which broke all the records. The unity of Sanatan dharma and the gather- ing was witnessed by the world. Despite many people raising rumours about Sanatan dharma the believers proved them wrong. It is great fortune that UP is the birthplace of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna.” He further said that those who visited Mahakumbh and Ayodhya and now in Barsana are witnessing the de- velopment works carried out under PMModi. He further said that Holi is a festival of uniting people. “The message of Mahakumbh is further strengthened by Holi. All the problems will be taken care by the double engine government,” he added. -ANI By RajivVijayakar PHOTO:TrailerVideo Grab Vicky Kaushal in Chhaava, now being released in Telugu on March 7.