Talking Talkies

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, especiall...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 port...

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 P...

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 e...

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 C...

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...

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 nove...

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 Gu...

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, Mar...

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...

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 fil...

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...

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 d...

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 th...

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 C...