Episode notes
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…
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Talking Talkies
Benny and Minal · Film & TV · English
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.
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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