Web Series
Director Sharmeen of Ms. Marvel speaks with us about recreating the Partition moment
The first episode of Ms. Marvel, the Disney+ Hotstar series that introduces the first Pakistani superhero to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, features Kamala Khan saying, “It’s not really the brown girls from Jersey City who save the world.” The fourth and fifth episodes of the superhero series are directed by prominent social justice documentarians Saving Face, A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, and A Journey of a Thousand Miles by Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
Young Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) travels from Jersey City to Karachi in the fourth episode to learn more about her ancestry and newly discovered powers. The show dives into the agony of Partition by studying the tales of Kamala’s great-grandmother, a being from another realm who gave Kamala her special skills.
I chatted with Sharmeen through Zoom about the show’s enormous goals, its portrayal of diverse viewpoints, and its attempt to recreate Karachi.
Nearly a thousand extras were working on the set of the moment where we travelled back to 1947 when we were standing on the platform. There was a time on set when everyone on set couldn’t believe that we were able to recreate Partition and present this tale to this generation while Kamala was walking on the platform and listening to these snippets of talks. We felt as though we had been transported to 1947 at the time we were recording her crossing the platform. Each of us sensed the suffering those families were through, and it seemed as though we were watching history unfold.
With this show, I wanted everyone to fall in love with Kamala Khan’s family and desire to live their lifestyle, including eating the same foods, using the same slang, and listening to the same music. We wanted to show people the depth of our culture and lives, which few people outside of our immediate area are aware of. Weddings and festivals were the only things we tried to use to entice them. I’ll give you an example: When Kamala first arrives in Karachi, the food she tries and the instructions she requests all serve as an introduction to the city, its culture, and its residents.
Group Media Publications
Entertainment News Platforms – anyflix.in
Construction Infrastructure and Mining News Platform – https://cimreviews.com/
General News Platform – https://ihtlive.com/
Legal and Laws News Platforms – https://legalmatters.in/
Podcast Platforms – https://anyfm.in/
Web Series
Review of House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1: A solid, albeit sluggish, comeback with more discussion and less action
There are high hopes for House of the Dragon’s nearly two-year return. The first season of the prequel series to Game of Thrones raised the bar by placing viewers squarely in the thick of action and including rich character development spanning about 20 years in the Dance of the Dragons. The second season picks up just after the horrific events of the first, in which Prince Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) and his dragon killed Rhaenyra Targaryen’s (Emma D’Arcy) youngest son, Lucerys (Elliot Mitchell). Now, intent or lack thereof is irrelevant. There’s been bloodshed, and the fallout will be far bloodier.
Fans of Game of Thrones may be reminded of the strategic war table scenes in which the protagonists scheme and plot in poorly lit interiors and consult council to choose the best course of action in the first episode of the second season, “A Son for a Son.” This time around, viewers should anticipate a more engaging comeback if the first episode is any guide. To be honest, it’s a pleasant diversion from the previous season’s unrelenting presentation of the developing conflict between the Blacks and the Greens. This season seems to be taking a much more methodical approach, focusing primarily on the internal conflicts. Peace is undoubtedly unattainable, but in the pursuit for revenge, what also meets the eye is the reclamation of power, and the expression of grief.
Emma D’Arcy is fierce from the moment they first appear, adding a hint of melancholy and sorrow to the cunning world of things. However, Daemon (Matt Smith) is not to be trusted because he has his own ideas about who will succeed him. He doesn’t understand why pursuing retribution must wait when it may be completed right away. He reasons, “The mother grieves as the queen shirks her duties.” Additionally, Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and her daughter Helaena (Phia Saban) need to go beyond being remorseful spectators. By the end of this grim tale, we realise exactly why Helaena says she is afraid of rats.
The first episode immerses viewers in the discussions and betrayals that take place in the council chambers and chambers. It takes a confident and poised stride towards intensifying hostilities. While some viewers may be taken aback by showrunner Ryan Condal’s approach, which emphasises character-driven intrigue over grand schemes and spectacular action scenes in the beginning of the season, the show delves deeply into themes of war, betrayal, and legacy. We do get a deeper look at the hopelessness and inner demons of these men who pleasure in killing and retaliation, which makes the first episode promising even though it is a little too inconsistent and constrained for its own benefit. Even now, the first episode is personal and moving, laying the necessary groundwork for the battles that will inevitably follow as the season develops.
Group Media Publications
Entertainment News Platforms – anyflix.in
Construction Infrastructure and Mining News Platform – https://cimreviews.com/
General News Platform – https://ihtlive.com/
Podcast Platforms – https://anyfm.in