Holly&Bolly New

Absolutely loved watching The Offer—a terrific series on the making of The Godfather and the challenges in its production and casting, especially those concerning the lead characters and the issues raised by Paramount’s top management during editing. To make matters worse, the crew had to deal with the involvement of the Italian Mafia, who wanted the studio to stall production because they felt it showed their community in a “bad light.”

The personal lives of the people involved, especially those working behind the scenes, are explored as the film goes through several stages—scripting, filming, editing, marketing, and final release—without compromising the director’s vision.

I adore movies about the making of movies, and this series, with its countless references, was a sheer delight. Miles Teller and every other actor lose themselves in becoming the real-life figures behind one of cinema’s greatest triumphs.

It also underscores an important point—one we continue to witness in movies released both at home and abroad: how often an artist’s vision is compromised to suit the demands of corporate executives and businessmen who think they know what works for a film. The Godfather became The Godfather because the director and his producer fought to make the movie exactly the way they envisioned it.

And maybe this is why we see so few gems in the era of franchise films, mindless superhero content, and ridiculous remakes. As corporate power has increased manifold, there are now fewer voices like Coppola’s—and fewer producers willing to back such a vision.

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Thudarum is essentially two films in one. The first half provides the setup and the promise of a Drishyam-like thriller, where you can feel the tension in the air fifteen minutes in. You know something is about to happen with the shady policemen and the lead character when they go for a ride in the latter’s Ambassador car—an object of deep affection and pride for him. But after raising expectations with a twist (and then a bigger one), the second half steers in a different direction, turning your expectations on their head—and not in a good way. Inexplicably, it takes the easy route and finds its resolution in violence, as if all the buildup was merely a lead-in to a Telugu-style revenge thriller.