Alfonso Cuarón’s sun-drenched odyssey of youth, desire, and disillusionment still feels urgent more than two decades later © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)
Freedom, flesh, and the road: The enduring power of the Mexican film ‘‘Y Tu Mamá También’’ (2001) directed by Alfonso Cuarón.
“Freedom, if pursued without awareness, can become just another illusion.”
A film ...
Spike Lee film ‘‘BlacKkKlansman’’ (2018) is a daring, cathartic, and critically acclaimed look at race and power in modern America © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)
Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman is a film that lives in the intersection of comedy, crime, and profound social commentary. Based on the memoir of Ron Stallworth, a retired African American detective from Colorado Springs, this 2018 film brings a story of an audacious infiltrati...
American film “Boyz N The Hood’’ (1991) depicts the violent education of a forgotten generation of black youth’’ by © film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)
When Boyz N the Hood was released in 1991, it announced the arrival of a new and authentic voice in American cinema. John Singleton, then only 23 years old, became the youngest person and the first African-American ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. His...
The cry of the city: poverty, power, and the monkeys of Lutyens' New Delhi in ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ directed by Prateek Vats © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)
Director Prateek Vats’ ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ (2019) is one of the most strikingly original Indian films of recent years — a daring blend of absurdist satire, social realism, and political commentary. It takes an idea so improbable that ...
Filipino cineaste Mike De Leon’s Kisapmata (1981) is a family tragedy as well as a national allegory about patriarchy, possession, and death © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)
There are a very few films in Southeast Asian cinema that have left as haunting and unforgettable an impression as Kisapmata (1981), the seminal Filipino masterpiece directed by Mike De Leon. The film is often labeled as horror, but such a label fails to grasp its true textur...
Cinema as the seventh art, at its most inspired, often turns the camera back upon itself, or upon its cousins in the performing arts, to explore how illusion and reality collide. From Mrinal Sen’s classic ‘‘Akaler Sandhane’’ (1980) to Shyam Benegal’s ‘‘Bhumika’’ (1977), films have long probed the fragile borderlines between life onstage and life offstage. In Malayalam cinema, there are a very few works that embody thi...
‘‘A cash cow amidst cultural crossroads in Rajasthan’s Thar desert’’ : Migration and selfhood in French documentary filmmaker Fabienne Le Houérou’s film : ‘‘Self Fiction, Self Migration’’ © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)
French anthropologist, historian and documentary filmmaker Fabienne Le Houérou’s latest work, ‘‘Self Fiction, Self Migration’’, stands at a cu...
‘‘Sandesham’’ (1991): is a classic political satire rooted in Kerala’s middle-class life © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)
Cinema has always been a powerful medium to hold a mirror to society. Some films entertain, some inspire, and a rare few manage to distill the complexities of life into satire so sharp that it continues to remain relevant decades after its release. Malayalam language film‘‘Sandesham’&r...
NFDC (1975-2025) : Celebration of 50 years of innumerable stories that shaped the destiny of meaningful cinema in India © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)
The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), founded in 1975 by the Government of India, has played a defining role in shaping Indian cinema beyond mainstream conventions. Its mandate was to support quality films that struggled to find space in a marketplace dominated by commercial Hindi productions a...
Indian documentary film ‘‘The King on the Border’’ [2025] is a quiet plea for unity beyond nations © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 28.08.2025
Borders, in the modern nation-state system, are rarely innocent lines on maps. They carry within them stories of displacement, conflict, and uneasy compromises that ordinary citizens must negotiate in their daily lives. In his début short length documentary ‘‘The King on th...
Guru Dutt’s classic film ‘‘Pyaasa’’ (1957) remains a timeless gem of Indian Cinema © film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 09.08.2025
In 1957, Indian cinema saw the emergence of a masterpiece that would forever mark the history of the seventh art : Pyaasa, directed and acted by the legendary Guru Dutt. More than six decades later, this film remains a landmark work—not only for the richness of its narrative and the ...
Ajit Rai (1967-2025) The critic who bridged worlds between theater, cinema, literature and society by © film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 10.08.2025
On 23 July 2025, the world of Indian arts criticism lost one of its most well-connected and distinctive voices. Ajit Rai, a seasoned theater critic who, by a twist of fate, ventured into the realm of cinema, passed away in London. His death leaves behind not only a personal void for those who knew him but ...
Indian director Muzaffar Ali’s brilliant film ‘‘Umrao Jaan’’ (1981) is a timeless, cinematic masterpiece that has been restored by NFAI for the entire world to see and appreciate © film critic Mr. Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 30.07.2025
In the vast landscape of Indian cinema, ‘‘Umrao Jaan’’ (1981), directed by the aesthete Muzaffar Ali, occupies a rare and hallowed place. A film that is both visually encha...
Report : 7th Edition of Bioscope Global Film Festival 2025 – A Grand Celebration of Independent Cinema by © film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 29.07.2025
The 7th edition of the Bioscope Global Film Festival (BGFF) was successfully held in Cuttack from 24th July to 26th July 2025, establishing itself once again as India's biggest showcase for independent cinema. Organized in close collaboration with the National Law University of Orissa (NLUO), ...
Review of the Finnish Film ‘‘SISU’’ (2022) directed by Jalmari Helander © film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 16.02.2025
Finnish cinema has long been synonymous with the arthouse sensibilities of auteurs such as Aki Kaurismäki and Mika Kaurismäki, whose works explore existentialism, social commentary, and the quirks of Finnish life. However, Sisu (2022), directed by Jalmari Helander, marks a significant departure f...
An overview of 15 important cinema related programs (In conversation, Masterclasses and Panel discussions) to be organized during 55th International Film Festival of India IFFI Goa 2024 by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 14.11.2024
At film festivals, cinéphiles gain invaluable insights from conversations, masterclasses, and panel discussions that deepen their understanding of cinema. These events provide them unfettered access to filmmakers, critics, and...
18th MIFF 2024 showcased an impressive global diversity with 314 films from 59 countries, representing 61 languages. This broad cultural representation not only emphasized MIFF’s role as a hub for international exchange but also highlighted the power of documentary and short films in connecting people across cultures. By including films from countries such as Russia, Japan, and Mali, MIFF positioned itself as a bridge for cross-cultural storytelling, encouraging mutual u...
Film historian Lalit Mohan Joshi’s poignant film ‘‘Angwal’’explores the vibrant yet often overlooked culture of Kumaoni poetry © film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 05/11/2024
“Angwal,” which translates to “embrace,” is a documentary directed by Lalit Mohan Joshi that explores the vibrant yet often overlooked culture of Kumaoni poetry. A BBC journalist based in the UK and founder of the South Asian Cinema Foundation, J...
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On 2nd March 2024, after having watched Indian maestro Mrinal Sen’s critically acclaimed film ‘‘Kharij’’ [1982] on Screen 9 of PVR Cinema during 15th Bangalore International Film Festival 2024, Haobam Paban Kumar sat together with film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) to talk about the theme of disappearance in his latest film ‘Joseph’s Son’ [2023]&n...
Interview with Indian director Leslie Carvalho by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 01.03.2024
Leslie Carvalho is a multifaceted personality of Indian independent cinema. Apart from being a filmmaker, Leslie also happens to be a professional Tennis coach, German language teacher, painter and a book writer. He has been on India’s national jury for choosing films for ‘Indian Panorama’ section of India’s most prestigious film festival ‘IFFI’. He ha...
Review of American film ‘‘Killers of the Flower Moon’’ (2023) directed by Martin Scorcese by film critic © Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) 01/11/2023
‘‘Killers of the Flower Moon’’ (2023) is certainly not the best film of Martin Scorcese's career nor his best film in last 10 years.
What happens when a new film by an acclaimed director is released in cinemas? Let us analyze some common possi...
‘‘Barbie’’ directed by Greta Gerwig film review © Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) 10.08.2023
Audiences and critics will remember ‘‘Barbie’’ for a long time as a light-hearted film that came at a time when the entire world was going gaga over big films such as Oppenheimer and MI-dead reckoning part one.
It is said that most children play with toys in their childhood. However, there are also a lot of people who never got to play with toys especi...
It was with an Austrian film ‘‘Alma and Oskar’’ directed by Dieter Berner that 53rd International Film Festival of India 2022 got off to a good start. It is a film about one of the greatest expressionist artists of the 20th century Oskar Kokoschka who dominated the world of painting in Austria during 1900s. In the history of IFFI, it was for the first time that an Austrian film was chosen as the opening film. Apart from the director Dieter Berner, the film’s produ...
Book Review ‘‘Film Appreciation’’ written by Mr. Utpal Dutta and translated by Dr. Dipshikha Bhagawati © Mr. Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) dated 28.05.2022.
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Indian film ‘‘The Tree full of parrots’’ (2021, Malayalam language) directed by Jayaraj talks about compassion which is vanishing from society © Mr.Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI) 27.05.2022
Cinema as an art form is important in India as more than 1000 films are made annually. Indian cinema is one of those rare national cinemas which has challenged the hegemony of Hollywood. Cinema as an industry gives numerous opportunities to various indigenous film industries to mak...
