The Expression Hub

  • A city of love and war?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Thriller/ Crime

    No. of episodes:10

    Presented by: Studio Next

    “We do not need guns and bombs to bring peace. We need love and compassion.

    Mother Teresa

    Its April which means the hot , sultry season of summer will start being at its peak . But summers can be fun and enjoyable if we know some hacks. These hacks can make our summers bearable if not completely fun. So, what are the hacks which you use to make your summer bearable? Do let me know in the comments section. For me, its always trying to maintain a fine balance of work and play. Or consuming lot of water as well as fruits and vegetables which contain a lot of water. So, if you are bored and wondering how to make your summer bearable, fret not I bring my picks for this month. Maybe they might help you to have a refreshing summer as well as be a powerhouse of information and knowledge. And isn’t it always a kind of flex when you can throw some facts around people and have them impressed ? After all, its always good to be a person of greater sense than being a person who indulges themselves watching some stupid stuff.

    So, this year, starting from mid April, we, the people of the world’s largest democracy are going to witness a festival which spans three months and comes once in every four years. Some people call it the elections, while for some it is a test of their elected representatives or a test of a strength of a democracy. So, keeping the current vibe in mind, lets dedicate this month to this festival called elections. Also, as the citizens of the world’s largest democracy, let us not forget to perform our duty whenever the need arises. After all, it is not a regular affair but an affair which comes after a very long wait and patience. And I do think we should not let our wait and patience go in vain. Therefore, don’t forget to cast your votes as a responsible citizen and do urge your family members to do the same.

    Okay, enough of me preaching you people, its time that we focus on the pick of this week. The pick of this week was supposed to be a story which actually did take place but has a dash of some romance added to it. Read on to find out more….

    Synopsis: Inspired by the 2005 Jahanabad prison attack, Jehanabad:Of Love and War narrates the story which inspired the prison attack. It revolves around Kasturi Mishra, a student who is in her last year of her college. She is a girl with big dreams and aspirations who wants to be a lecturer. Enter Abhimanyu Singh, a new professor who is supposed to be teaching English Literature in the same college in which Kasturi studies. Abhimanyu is handsome, and is also a person who is supposed to have a strong sense of justice.This attracts Kasturi to him as he fits into her definition of a life partner perfectly. She tries to win Abhimanyu by her actions. Abhimanyu is reluctant at first but slowly starts falling in love. While a love story is blossoming between the two, there is a condition of turmoil in the jail of Jehanabad as a notorious criminal Deepak Kumar is transferred there. Will Deepak Kumar create a condition of chaos in the peaceful small city of Jehanabad? If so, what are his intentions? Will Jehanabad be a victim of violence and disorder?What turn of fate will the love story of Abhimanyu and Kasturi take?The answer to these questions is what forms the rest of the story.

    Assessment: This is a show which is a fictional take on a real life incident which took place in Bihar in 2005. While creative freedom is always appreciated but when it just ruins the story that is supposed to be a very infuriating experience as a viewer. The show has a great story line initially and the romance between the two leads is somewhat tolerable. But as the story progresses, the romantic part starts getting on your nerves. Kasturi just seems to be a spoilt brat who is supposed to act like an emotional mature person but just appears to be way too impulsive as far as emotional maturity is concerned. Though the interesting part is that there are several plot twists in the story which does make the story interesting and keeps the viewer hooked.Another interesting part is that the story is pretty well- researched for which the writers need to be applauded.Also, the cinematography is to the point for which the people involved need to be appreciated

    Parambrata Chatterjee shines as the notorious criminal Deepak Kumar. Ritwik Bhomik too tries to strike a delicate balance between the chocolate boy Abhimanyu Singh and the cunning and shrewd Ajay who is seeking vengeance. Another person that deserves a mention and might be overlooked but should not is Satyadeep Mishra who shines as SP Durgesh Mishra.

    Even though the show tries to be realistic in nature by undertaking some hard hitting issues , questions do arise in the mind of the viewer- is violence the answer to all the issues ailing the country? Or is it justified to undermine the power of democracy?Or is it okay to take law in one’s own hands just because the legal system of the country is taking time?

    Scrutiny: What could have been a great show to watch is just ruined by the makers at the end. The creative freedom which the makers of the show undertook just ruined the beauty of an incident which could have raised some serious questions to the viewers. My reaction after watching the show was like why did I take the pain to finish this one ?Why did the makers did not think of a great ending is all I could ask ? If you do want to watch it , watch it only for the acting chops of Parambrata Chatterjee and Satyadeep Mishra. They are the only ones who make it worthy to watch. The others are just annoying characters to watch. And if you can avoid it altogether, please do the same atleast you will save yourself from the embarrassment.😩

    Rating: ** and a 1/2 stars

    Baap Dialogue: “Love revolution- to succeed in these it is necessary to win not wars but hearts.”(Abhimanyu Singh in his first lecture)

    Que: What is the name of the lady with whom Abhimanyu interacts often apart from Kasturi?

    a. Ragini Tripathi

    b.Sona Mahato

    c. Kumudini Mishra

    d. Ashadevi Chaturvedi

    Continue reading →: A city of love and war?

  • The hunt for the one who hunts

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Author: Kate Quinn

    Genre: Historical-fiction

    Trigger warnings: cold-blooded murders, sexual references and alcoholism

    “If we act like prey, they will act like predators.”

    Alyxandra Harvey

    It is the last Sunday of the month of March . This means it marks the end of the series of posts which revolved around celebrating women in the real as well as reel life. Maybe you guys will have to wait for another year to see more posts which are related to the same. Though personally, I feel that deeds of inspiring people should be celebrated everyday irrespective of whether the person is a man or a woman. I do hope you enjoyed the picks which revolved around the women who inspired this month. Do tell me about the same in the comments section. Also, do tell me about who inspires you in the real as well as reel life and why so that maybe your picks can make it to the post of this blog someday. Plus, it enables me to get an insight into your minds as well as get some good picks to read, watch , listen and gain wisdom and knowledge 😅. So, don’t forget to mention about the same in the comments section. Don’t worry, you will get your due credit:p for the same.

    Therefore, let’s end this month in a bang by talking about a book which revolves around three female protagonists and two male leads who are connected to each other. Not by blood but by a purpose. Did this intrigue you? Read on to find out more.

    About the book: The Huntress revolves around the lives of Nina Markova, Jordan McBride and a woman who is known as die jägerin but no one knows her real identity.Apart from them we also have Ian Graham and Tony who is an assistant to Ian. A little light on the characters before we proceed further. Nina Markova is a tough woman who has always dreamed of escaping the drudgery of her life. She does so by becoming a pilot and a part of the Night Witches regiment which wrecked havoc on the Germans. Ian is a former war correspondent who after witnessing the horrors of war decided to hang his boots and thus becomes a Nazi hunter. Jordan McBride is a 17 year old girl who is raised by her single father who runs an antique shop and aspires to be a photographer someday. The thread which connects these four people is a woman who is supposed to have shot a young man and killed six children in cold blood next to a lake in German occupied Poland.

    Who is this cold-blooded woman and what was her objective behind these killings? Also, why is this woman important to these four people? What is the purpose of these four people to track this woman down? Will this woman be tracked down or will she be a wild goose chase?

    Analysis: This is a book which explores the impact of a war on women. Nina was a pilot in the Soviet Air Force who rose up to several ranks . But somewhere, she has to pay the price for the same as her endless sacrifice goes in vain. Ian too is suffering from the post trauma effects of the same due to which he has stopped doing what he was good at. Die Jagrin in order to escape her fate does something which is supposed to be rational but at the same time rises the suspicion of her step daughter. And finally Jordan, is finding it difficult to accept the reality of her familial life as she is suspicious of her so called step mother even though she is the very mother anyone would want.

    The book narrates the tale from the eyes of the three protagonists even though there are five characters who play an important role in the story. The story seamlessly shifts from one viewpoint to another that it does not create any confusion in the minds of the reader. Another highlight of the book is that though the setup is fictional in nature, but there are segments which have actually occurred in history. The book has strong female characters who have been portrayed as women who are way ahead of their times. Imagine being a woman who lives in the cold areas of Siberia and yet breaking the shackles which tie her by being a decorated pilot. That is Nina for you. Imagine a woman who wanted to escape her past and start her life afresh in a country with no connections and yet succeeds in doing the same. That is Annelise for you. Imagine being a 17 year old girl who wants to live life on her own terms and harbors a dream of being a world famous photographer . That is Jordan McBride for you. The beauty of these women lies in the fact that each one has her own aspirations and are willing to bend circumstances in their favor despite the difficulties faced by them. Out of the three if you ask me who is the most favorite, I would personally pick up Nina over the two. She is a character which according to me has been written the most beautifully.This is because she represents how a badass woman looks and acts like. Others might perceive her crazy or weird but when a woman knows her worth and capabilities, she does start acting like a woman in charge. Thirdly, the story line is gripping in nature that you feel as if you are a part of the story.

    Even though the story has traces of mature themes thrown into it , it does not feel overburdening to the extent that it might affect the psyche of the minds reading it. Still, if you are someone who seems to be affected by such themes, it is better to exercise caution. The only drawback I personally felt was that the book was a bit lengthy that I had to chalk out a lot of time to finish it. I don’t mind long novels but given my busy schedule , it does a feel a bit of drag to finish long pieces of work. That is the only complaint I have.😅

    Verdict: An exciting piece of work which explores how life was in the Second World War with three women in the picture. This one will never fail you nor disappoint you as it will keep you hooked to your seats.So, do give it a read if you are a lover of stories which have strong female characters or if you are a history enthusiast. I personally enjoyed this one and hope you will do so. Believe me this one has a great potential to be made into a great movie provided some shoddy work is not done while converting this piece of literature into the big screen as some works disappoint with their onscreen conversions. Also, this book has traces of mystery and thrill added to it which should also excite the people who are big fans of the genre. So, do give it a read in your spare time and do tell me about your experiences. Will be waiting for your lovely feedback as well. Meet you next week with a new pick . Till then take care and have fun.

    P.S. – If you ever feel that do I have a thing for books which are supposed to be New York Times best sellers because a lot of the books that I have covered as a part of book reviews are a part of , believe me there is no such things. In fact, it is more of a coincidence that the books which I select to read turn out to be in the list 😅🤣. So, in no manner am I connected to New York Times nor do I personally endorse their best sellers. I just review books which I feel must be read and share my opinions about it. I really need not had to post this justification but I thought it is always good to post a disclaimer instead of letting people assume things.😝😄

    Cite Bite: ““What is the opposite of a lake? What is the opposite of drowning? What lies all the way west?” (Nina in an attempt to discover herself as an individual)

    Rating: ****

    Que: What is the name of the brand of the camera that Jordan uses to click pictures with?

    a. Kodak

    b. Canon

    c. Nikon

    d. Leica

    Continue reading →: The hunt for the one who hunts

  • A story of Mumbai’s fearless matriarch (Lets reminisce)

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Starring: Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Vijay Raaz, Seema Pahwa, Jim Sarbh

    Directed by: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

    Genre: Biographical crime drama

    “There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise.”

    Bosa Seble

    Disclaimer: This post contains a lot of sexual references and a lot of references to crime as well. Readers are advised to exercise caution while proceeding ahead with the same.

    This is a new column which will make its appearance once in a while when we want to walk down the memory lane by recounting stories which have been read or watched earlier. This is a small gift to my subscribers as well as my readers without whom the blog has no identity as part of the 5th year anniversary . And since its the International Women’s Month, lets celebrate the story of a woman who was shown a tough time by her destiny. But instead of bowing down to the destiny she was offered, she rose up to become one of the most powerful as well as dreaded women of Mumbai’s underworld .

    Story Line: Ganga Jagjivan Kathiawadi was born in an affluent family in Gujarat who aspired to be a Bollywood actress. She ran away from her home with her older boyfriend Ramnik who sells her to a brothel owned by his aunt. There she is forced into prostitution as a result of which she renames herself as Gangu. She becomes a very highly valued asset of Sheela due to her beauty and wits. This urges Gangu to introduce labor rights for her fellow inmates which irritates her employer. Her employer decides to teach her a lesson by getting her badly assaulted by one of the clients who refuses to pay and indulges in some violent sexual fantasies with her. This makes Gangu seek justice for the same to the most feared man in the Mumbai underworld Rahim Lala. Does Rahim Lala serve her justice? And if he does, what impact does it have on her life? How does she become one of the most powerful women of the Mumbai underworld? And does power corrupt her or does she use it for the greater good?

    Scrutiny: This is a movie which shows how an innocent girl who belonged to a rich family is lured to the field of prostitution by the person she loved the most. She could have cried over the cruel situation her fate put her in . But instead she uses her fate to create an identity for herself as well as her community. Fear over grips her in a lot of situations but she uses it as a medium to become more powerful and resilient . That is how a innocent woman transformed herself into a woman who was feared. Also, her impeccable sense of justice made her a respectable figure in the eyes of the most dreaded men of Mumbai at that times Karim Lala portrayed as Rahim Lala in the movie.

    The movie advocates a very strong message to women that one needs to be fearless to face whatever situation life throws at you. It also highlights the lives of people working in the red light district of Kamathipura and how they are looked down upon in the society. It reflects the harsh realities of the lives of people living in the city. However, there are elements which feel are completely unnecessary or frivolous in nature. But that can be termed as the creative expression of the director. After all isn’t some spice required to make the story viewable for the viewers? Though that could have been ignored, but how will the makers of the film be able to sell their movie without the masala? A gripping story line , foot-tapping music , scenic cinematography and brilliant acting chops by Alia Bhatt and Vijay Raaz is what makes the movie worth watching.Also, Jim Sarbh shines as the journalist Hamid Faizi. A small role but a very impactful performance is what comes to the mind for him.

    The Sentiment: A good movie with most of the parts being portrayed realistically. Do watch for the message of woman empowerment highlighted in this one. Also, do watch it for the resilience of human spirit which is a very important trait if one has to face the uncertainties of life. Though it has some unnecessary stuff added to it but it tries to highlight the problems faced by the workers of the red light area of Mumbai very prominently. Though a word of caution, this movie is not suitable as a family entertainer due to its extremely promiscuous and violent theme. So, viewer discretion is super necessary.

    Rating: *** and a 1/2 stars

    The main protagonist with the journalist

    Que: In the movie, Gangu is shown to be reading a poem. What is the name of the poem?

    a. Koshish karne waalon ki haar nahi hoti

    b. Madhushala

    c. Hazaron Khwahishein Aisi

    d. Sang e manzil na bane

    Quote-Unquote: “Arey jab shakti, sampati aur sadbuddhi yeh teeno hi aurtein hai, toh in mardo ke kiss baat ka guroor?” (Gangu in her winning speech)

    Continue reading →: A story of Mumbai’s fearless matriarch (Lets reminisce)

Hello,

I’m Roshani

Welcome to The Expression Hub! I’m Roshani, who loves to express herself through the medium of writing. This blog is my little corner of the internet where I dive deep into the world of movies, books, and web series—reviewing, analyzing, and sometimes just ranting about the stories that make us laugh, cry, and question everything.

Beyond reviews, you’ll also find my personal musings—random thoughts, life reflections, and the occasional deep dive into the things that inspire me. Think of this as a space where art meets emotion, and where honest opinions matter more than star ratings.

Join me as we explore incredible stories together, one post at a time. Have a recommendation? Let’s talk—I’m always up for discovering something new!

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