The Long Take

Is Steve McQueen’s anthology film series— Small Axe —the most personal he has ever been? We dive into the first film in the series, Mangrove . We discuss its unexpected similarities to The Trial of the Chicago 7 , McQueen’s distinctive direction, and the ambition of his five-film experiment. Small Axe is available on BBC iPlayer in the UK, and Amazon Prime Video in the US. Later, we talk about Del...

Is the fourth season of The Crown —the Netflix drama about the British royal family—the best one yet? We discuss creator Peter Morgan’s impressionistic take on history, the performances of its ensemble cast—including Olivia Colman, Gillian Anderson, and Emma Corrin—and whether the show is an indictment of the monarchy, or a celebration of it. — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Tak...

Come for the rants about Laxmii , stay for recommendations on what to watch instead in the realm of transgender cinema. We discuss Akshay Kumar’s messiah complex, the film’s rotten writing, its harmful depiction of trans people, and whether it can even be described as a “movie”. Later, we talk about the government’s decision to regulate streaming content, and how that could affect the industry. —...

Is Hansal Mehta’s Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story worth the hassle of dealing with SonyLIV? We discuss the word-of-mouth hit, including the treatment of its controversial subject, its themes of morality, greed, and corruption, and the performances of its largely unknown cast. Later, we talk about the artistic counter-attack launched by Hollywood filmmakers against Donald Trump during his presid...

Is Sacha Baron Cohen’s secretly filmed satire sequel, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm , the final blow to an (hopefully) outgoing president or a pointed exploration of American society? We also discuss the legitimacy of that outrageous Rudy Giuliani scene, the film’s unexpected feminist values, and the performances of its leads: newcomer Maria Bakalova, and Cohen. Later, we talk about another Netflix I...

Is Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy a faithful adaptation of Vikram Seth’s lengthy novel, or does it get tangled up in its own excesses and restrictions? We also talk about its ensemble cast, the show’s relevance to today’s India, and whether making it largely in English was a good idea. Later, we discuss the reopening of Indian cinemas during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and whether or not we’d go to...

Where does Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 rank in his illustrious filmography? We discuss its similarities to the Oscar-winning screenwriter’s past work, the performances of the ensemble cast—including Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Rylance, and Jeremy Strong—and the film’s urgent message. Later, we talk about a viral review of Netflix’s horror series The Haunting of Bly Manor and whether film...

Is Amazon’s flagship series, The Boys , really as intelligent as it thinks it is? We discuss the show’s recently-concluded second season, its muddled plot-driven storytelling, and sprawling political and cultural themes. Later, we discuss the reported involvement of Jamie Foxx’s Electro and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange in Spider-Man 3 —the sequel to Spider-Man: Far From Home —and the quie...

Is Sudhir Mishra’s satire Serious Men —starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui—one of Netflix’s best Indian films or a half-baked exploration of delicate socio-political themes? Later, we discuss Disney’s decision to hire Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins to direct The Lion King 2 , and co-host Rohan Naahar talks about his return to the world of football. — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Take is...

Can the Millie Bobby Brown-led Enola Holmes be the start of another franchise for Netflix? We also discuss Henry Cavill’s take on Sherlock Holmes and the film‘s Brexit allegory. Later, we talk about Emmy winners— Schitt’s Creek (which wiped the floor) and (the brilliance of) Succession —and the disappointment that is Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare . — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar ,...

Is Netflix’s star-studded The Devil All the Time a major awards contender or an ambitious failure? We also discuss how Netflix is doing the sensible thing by going back to the drawing board with Baahubali: Before the Beginning , and why the “alarming” Netflix docudrama The Social Dilemma left us underwhelmed. — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please co...

Is Cargo —Arati Kadav’s debut sci-fi fantasy film, led by Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi—really as original as everyone says it is? We also discuss whether Warner Bros. is making a mistake by betting on Dune director Denis Villeneuve, and why Mrs. Serial Killer will be considered a masterpiece—in 30 years. — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please c...

Charlie Kaufman’s new film, i’m thinking of ending things , is a cerebral experience, but is it an emotional one? We also discuss the death of Chadwick Boseman, the lasting legacy of his films, and why stories about race might be more appealing if told through genre. — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work. The...

Does Mahesh Bhatt’s awful Sadak 2 have the power to ruin the careers of everyone involved? We also talk about the original Sadak , India’s obsession with godmen, and Alia Bhatt’s immense love for her dad. Later, we discuss the happenings of DC FanDome, from our hopes and fears surrounding Zack Snyder’s Justice League to why we’re excited for Matt Reeves’ take on The Batman . — Hosted by Akhil Aror...

Does the Bobby Deol-starrer Class of ’83 end Shah Rukh Khan’s dismal run with Netflix? We also talk about the film’s irresponsible tone, its committee-style filmmaking — and the ongoing controversy around Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl . — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work. The Long Take is available on Spot...

Does the Janhvi Kapoor-led Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl deserve all the hate coming its way? We also discuss progressive patriotism, the IAF’s efforts to clamp down on the film, and how self-censorship will ruin streaming. — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work. The Long Take is available on Spotify , Apple P...

Is the coronavirus pandemic going to change the entertainment industry for good? We discuss the future of streaming, the effect of COVID-19 on Bollywood, and whether the staggered release of Tenet is a good idea. — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work. The Long Take is available on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Go...

Is the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-led Raat Akeli Hai a desi version of Knives Out ? We also discuss the Emmy nominations, where we sing the praises of Watchmen and its creator Damon Lindelof, and debate Better Call Saul vs Breaking Bad . — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work. The Long Take is available on Spotify , A...

Is Dil Bechara the emotional send-off that Sushant Singh Rajput deserved? We also talk about how critics were bullied into giving it positive reviews, the meaninglessness of IMDb ratings, and Zee5’s deceptive marketing tactics. — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work. The Long Take is available on Spotify , Appl...

Will the Charlize Theron-starrer The Old Guard be the biggest superhero movie of 2020? We also talk about Netflix's upcoming Indian slate — including Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl and AK vs AK — and whether it is worth the hype. — Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar , The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work. The Long Take is available on Spotify , Ap...

Co-hosts Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar introduce their movie podcast — The Long Take — and why you should check it out.