Podcast · Film & TV

Talking Talkies

by Benny and Minal · English · Film & TV

Movie buffs Benny and Minal break down some of their favorite movies from across the globe, by discussing what worked for them, what didn't, how the movie has aged over the years, interesting trivia, and much more.

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 1 hr 41 min
Latest: 23 May 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

23 May 2026 · 2 hr 30 min

Dhurandhar Unleashed: Plot Twists, Punchlines, and Pandemonium

Benny and Minal engage in a comprehensive discussion centered around the cinematic phenomenon that is the 'Dhurandhar' franchise, delving into both parts of the film series. The hosts emphasize the films' significant cultural impact and commercial success, particularly the profound themes of patriotism and sacrifice woven into the narratives. They meticulously analyze the character arcs, especially that of the protagonist, Hamza, portrayed by Ranveer Singh, and the ensemble cast's compelling performances, including Akshaye Khanna and R. Madhavan. Throughout their discourse, Benny and Minal…

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Earlier episodes 19 most recent

E18 · 9 May 2026 · 1 hr 33 min
Project Hail Mary - Amaze Amaze Amaze
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…
E17 · 30 Jun 2025 · 1 hr 41 min
Om Shanti Om: Where Nostalgia Meets Satire in Indian Cinema
Episode 16: Om Shanti Om Release Date: 2007 This is the second episode of our dual episodic series where we explore films based on Bollywood. Om Shanti Om is a 2007 Hindi romantic fantasy film written and directed by Farah Khan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone (in her Hindi film debut), Shreyas Talpade, Kirron Kher, and Arjun Rampal - with a slew of high-profile cameos from Bollywood. The film was a huge hit, becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2007 and the highest-grossing Hindi film ever at its release. Plot Summary: The story follows Om Prakash Makhija (Khan), an obscure…
E16 · 23 Jun 2025 · 1 hr 28 min
Luck by Chance: A Cinematic Reflection on Nepotism and Struggle in Bollywood
Episode 15: Luck By Chance Release 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…
E15 · 5 Feb 2025 · 54 min
From Merry Christmas to Aavesham: A Year in Review
The central theme of this podcast episode revolves around a discussion of our personal favorite films from the year 2024, specifically focusing on "Merry Christmas" and "Aavesham." We delve into the nuances of these films, sharing our thoughts on their narratives, performances, and the emotions they evoke. "Merry Christmas," directed by Sriram Raghavan, is lauded for its engaging storytelling and strong character dynamics, particularly the chemistry between the lead actors. Meanwhile, "Aavesham," featuring Fahad Fazil, captivates us with its inventive plot and the versatility of its central…
E14 · 20 May 2024 · 1 hr 55 min
Laapataa Ladies - Lost and Found
Episode 14: Laapataa Ladies Release 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…
E13 · 22 Apr 2024 · 1 hr 19 min
The Beauty Inside - A unique love story
Episode 13: Beauty Inside Release Date: 2015 In this episode we discuss the romantic film ‘Beauty Inside’ which had the most unique premise among the romantic films we have watched. The movie blends fantasy with real-life situations and makes you think about what you truly value in the person you love. 2015 South Korean romantic comedy film starring Han Hyo-joo and a multitude of actors portraying one character WooJin. The film was moderately successful, both commercially and critically. It led to a failed attempt to remake the film in Hollywood, starring Emilia Clarke of Game of Thrones…
E12 · 25 Mar 2024 · 1 hr 27 min
12th Fail - Restart!
Episode 12: 12th Fail Release Date: 2023 In 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…
E11 · 29 Jan 2024 · 1 hr 26 min
Our Favorites of 2023
Episode 11: The Year End Wrap - 2023 Happy New Year to all our listeners! This is our first episode of 2024 and co-hosts Benny and Minal summarise their 2023 in movies, the notable mentions, and their respective Top 5. Rest assured you will get many movie recommendations from us since we don’t have many overlaps in our lists! These movies were not necessarily the best of the year but the ones we enjoyed watching! If you have any common movies with either of the hosts, tag us on Twitter/Instagram, and if you have any recommendations to share with us, please do so! Top 5 of 2023 Benny’s Picks…
E10 · 26 Dec 2023 · 1 hr 49 min
Inglorious Basterds - Tarantino's Masterpiece?
Episode 10: Inglorious Basterds Release Date: 2009 In 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.…
E9 · 11 Dec 2023 · 1 hr 52 min
Andhadun - Murder Who Wrote?
Episode 9: Andhadhun Release Date: 2018 Bollywood doesn’t often venture into the black comedy thriller genre but the rare times it does, it comes up with gems like Andhadhun. Today we have our second guest on this pod - Vipula, an avid book reader and culture blogger who chronicles her book reviews and travel logs. You can follow her features on Medium https://shadesofwords.medium.com/ Together we three discuss why Andhadhun has the makings of becoming a cult classic, and how it keeps the viewer engaged with every rewatch leading to new questions and leaving us in complete awe. The film is…
E8 · 30 Oct 2023 · 1 hr 29 min
My Sassy Girl - Sassy or Violent?
Episode 8: My Sassy Girl Release Date: 2001 In 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…
E7 · 16 Oct 2023 · 1 hr 32 min
Hera Pheri - woh meri machli ka kya hua?
Episode 7: Hera Pheri Release date: 2000 In this week’s episode, we go back two decades in time to discuss one of Bollywood’s top comedy films ‘Hera Pheri’. This movie is a remake of the 1989 Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking which was inspired by the 1971 film See the Man Run. The cast had Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar, Suneil Shetty, Tabu, Om Puri, Mukesh Khanna, Khulbhushan Kharbanda, and Gulshan Grover. The film was directed by Priyadarshan who is a renowned filmmaker in Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi film industries. Hera Pheri had an average run at its theatre release but went on to garner a…
E6 · 2 Oct 2023 · 1 hr 48 min
The Departed - Cops or Robbers?
Episode 6: The Departed Release Date: 2006 In 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,…
E5 · 18 Sep 2023 · 1 hr 58 min
Train to Busan - Are the Zombies Even the Worst Thing in the Apocalypse?
Episode 5: Train To Busan Release Date: 2016 In this week’s episode, we head over to South Korea to discuss one of our all-time favorite films - Train to Busan. This movie was released in 2016 - the first live-action film of director Yeon Sang Ho. It stars Gong Yoo, Ma Dong Seok, and Jung Yu Mi - all well-known stars - and was commercially successful as well as critically acclaimed. Train to Busan is hailed as one of the best zombie apocalypse movies of all time. Whilst the main theme is survival, it manages to weave in political and social commentary - a rarity for the horror genre. Minal…
E4 · 4 Sep 2023 · 2 hr
Nayakan - Are you a good man or a bad man?
Episode 4: Nayakan Release Date: 1987 This 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,…
E3 · 21 Aug 2023 · 1 hr 52 min
Oppenheimer - Savior or Destroyer of Worlds?
Episode 3 : Oppenheimer Release Date: 2023 This episode’s movie is not a “classic”, but is well on track to become one. A few years from now, people will look back at this magnum opus and host multiple podcasts dissecting this movie scene by scene, and dialogue by dialogue. So as not to be left behind in the latest summer blockbuster rage - Benny and Minal had to talk about the latest Nolan offering ‘Oppenheimer’. The pod’s first-ever guest David Longenecker - a friend of Benny, videographer by profession, and a huge Christopher Nolan fan - joins the hosts to dissect the movie. We discuss…
E2 · 7 Aug 2023 · 1 hr 47 min
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge - did the big-hearted take the bride?
Episode 2 : Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ) Translation: "The Big-Hearted Will Take the Bride" Release Date: 1995 Benny 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…
E1 · 24 Jul 2023 · 1 hr 27 min
La La Land - A romantic classic for the ages?
Episode 1 : LA LA LAND Release Date: 2016 Benny and Minal, the co-hosts kickstart the first episode of this brand-new podcast, where they revisit classic movies from around the globe, that at least one of the hosts has enjoyed, and try to answer the questions - what works, what doesn’t, and how does it hold up today. The episodes are full of spoilers, so we suggest you watch the movie first and then tune in to the episode. That way you will enjoy it more. But if spoilers don’t fuss you, and you are wondering whether to watch or not - well tune in to find out! Our first episode is on ‘La La…
11 Jul 2023 · 1 min
Talking Talkies - Trailer
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-beat License code: TTAP32WA7WMGMYAN

About Talking Talkies

Talking Talkies is a English film & tv podcast from Benny and Minal. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Benny and Minal
Language: English
Category: Film & TV
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 1 hr 41 min
Latest episode: 23 May 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1697149294

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