Queen is Dead - A Film, TV and Culture Podcast Queen Is Dead

Hello, Hello, Hello!



In our first (of three!) episodes on Queerness in Film this month, Dhruv invites Queer Academic & SRK and KJo Fanboy Cris Patrick (@limjaeseven) to discuss the one thing he "avoided like the plague for the longest time as he himself came to terms with his identity" -- Queer REPRESENTATION in Bollywood.



We emphasize the word "representation" because our focus for this episode is on films that overtly position themselves as queer narratives about queer people. This includes films that belong to, as Cris points out, the "Ayushmann Khurrana Social Messaging Industrial Complex" ("Chandigarh"), mainstream melodramas ("Ek Ladki..."), and incredible shorts buried within otherwise abhorrent Netflix anthologies ("Geeli Pucchi" in "Ajeeb Daastaans").



Listen to the full episode to hear us detail the history of Queer Representation, its aesthetics, and politics in Bollywood, especially before we tackle these three individual films -- two of which Dhruv and Cris are split on, one which they unabashedly adore.



TIME CODES



Introduction & Episode Overview - [00:00 - 13:31]

History of Queer Representation, Aesthetics & Politics in Cinema - [13:32 - 41:39]

"Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga" (2019) - [41:39 - 01:11:39]

"Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui" (2021) - [01:11:39 - 01:41:41]

"Geeli Pucchi" (2021) - [01:41:41 - 02:23:21]

Other Favorite Queer Films in Bwood & The Future of Bwood Queer Cinema - [02:23:21 - 02:45:43]



Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!



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YOU CAN (& SHOULD!) FOLLOW CRIS IN ALL THESE PLACES -



Twitter - https://twitter.com/limjaeseven

Letterboxd - https://letterboxd.com/crislim/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/prdscris/



Articles & Research Papers Referenced in this Episode -



1. "Gender Minority and its Changing Portrayal in Bollywood Films" (Ankita Chowdhury, 2019).

2. "Indian Cinema and the Queer Gaze: Presentation of LGBTQ+ in Bollywood" (Neha Jain, 2021).

3. What's Happening to Queer Cinema in the LGBT Boom? (Alex E. Jung, 2018). https://www.vulture.com/2018/05/queer-cinema-whats-happening-to-it.html



Audio Excerpts -



1. "Ek Ladki Ko Dekhta Toh Aisa Laga" Trailer

2. "Chandigarh Kare Aashqui" Netflix Promotional Clip

3. "Geeli Pucchi" Netflix Promotional Clip

4. "Sang Rehna" - Geeli Pucchi

Hello, Hello, Hello!



In our latest episode, Sanjeet, Dhruv, and Hemant discuss Alex Garland's Civil War, which is now available to buy/rent on all OTT platforms. Using the film's increasingly divisive reception as a jumping point, we try to reason out its potential explanations; then, we center our main discussion on what we thought about the film itself.



Listen to the full episode for a spoiler-filled discussion that praises Garland's late-70s/early-80s-style direction and character work. But, also debates the merits and demerits of posing such bleak questions without proposing any answers.



TIMECODES



Intro/Random Chit Chat: [00:00 - 04:20]

Alex Garland, the director: [04:20 - 41:00]

"Civil War" (2024): [41:00 - 01:28:00]

Outro/(more) Random Chit Chat: [01:28:00 - 01:43:03]



Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!



Follow our Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast



You can follow us on Instagram at:



Sanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/

Hemant: https://www.instagram.com/hemantganti/

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/



Follow us on Letterboxd at:



Hemant - https://letterboxd.com/ganti117/

Dhruv - https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

Sanjeet - https://letterboxd.com/Sanjeet_Singh/

In another long-overdue episode, Dhruv welcomes Sanket back to discuss two underseen films (both premiered at Cannes but got lost in the mix) that provide a depressing diagnosis of Europe and England's rapidly multiplying racism and xenophobia.



Ken Loach's "The Old Oak" (2023) provides potential solutions to it; Cristian Mungiu's "R.M.N." (2022) leaves the decision up to us.



Listen to the full episode for a spoiler-filled discussion on the uncanny thematic similarities between these two films, the tonal differences that make them unique, and other films of a similar ilk that tackle politically charged subject matter in similarly explosive and nuanced ways.



TIMECODES



Introduction: [00:00 - 05:35]

Ken Loach-Paul Laverty Collaborations: [05:35 - 15:11]

"The Old Oak" (2023): [15:11 - 55:20]

"R.M.N." (2022): [55:20 - 01:34:44]

Closing Thoughts: [01:34:44 - 01:44:20]



Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!



Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast



You can subscribe to Sanket's Channel on YouTube:



https://www.youtube.com/@CinephileSanketFilmLover/about



You can follow us on Instagram at:



Sanket: https://www.instagram.com/cinephile_sanket/

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/



Follow us on Letterboxd at:



Sanket - https://letterboxd.com/cinephilesanket/

Dhruv - https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

In this episode, Sanjeet and Amartya welcome Devi (@film.trance) back to talk about two new Malayalam movies recently released on OTT: Jithu Madhavan's high-voltage action-comedy "Aavesham" (on Amazon Prime Video) and Girish AD's tender rom-com-drama "Premalu" (on Hotstar).

Both films serve up narratives that are largely popular in the Indian cinematic landscape but feel unique because their screenplays are shaped by rich characterizations, not elaborate plots. In "Aavesham," Fahadh Faasil's electric performance lights up the screen; "Premalu" is a carefree, almost experiential story of burgeoning youthful love.



Interestingly, both films are produced by Faasil. We discuss how his productions' stamp on contemporary Malayalam cinema makes them feel refreshingly unique.



Listen to the full, spoiler-filled episode to know what we thought about each of these movies and how pale Bollywood films look & feel compared to these films.



TIMECODES



Random baat-cheet - [00:00 - 04:13]

Intro - [04:13 - 05:33]

"Aavesham" - [05:33 - 01:12:00]

"Premalu" - [01:12:00 - 02:14:05]



Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

You can also follow our Instagram page:



https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast



Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/Devi: https://www.instagram.com/film.tranceSanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/

Follow us on Letterboxd at:



Devi: https://letterboxd.com/cinemamadhuram/

Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/Sanjeet: https://letterboxd.com/Sanjeet_Singh/

Looking for your jidaigeki fix after the finale of FX's "Shōgun" (2024)?



Travel back to the 1960s and watch the jidaigeki phase of one of the most celebrated (and yet still somehow not as widely known) Japanese filmmakers, Masaki Kobayashi. All these films -- "Harakiri" (1962), "Kwaidan" (1964), and "Samurai Rebellion" (1967) -- take place in the Edo period (the early 1600s to mid-1800s) -- right after the explosive battles of the FX series.



In this very special episode, Dhruv and Amartya spend the first half-hour contextualizing the timeline for both those aware and unaware of Jidaigeki films. Then, they make their way through the staunchly anti-authoritarian (hence, anti-samurai) films of Kobayashi that, piece by piece, dismantle what they so proudly call their "code of honor."



Listen to the full episode for a detailed appreciation of Kobayashi's formal excellence, screenwriter Shinobu Hashimoto's mazey screenplays, and composer Tōru Takemitsu's violently unnerving scores—all discordant elements that, when played together, manage to shake the towering foundation of the spick-and-span Samurai.



TIME CODES



Masaki Kobayashi: [00:00 - 06:56]

Jidaigeki Films: [06:56 - 12:14]

Samurai History and Terminology: [12:14 - 27:14]

"Harakiri" (1962): [27:14 - 01:07:53]

"Samurai Rebellion" (1967): [01:07:53 - 01:27:42]

"Kwaidan" (1964): [01:27:42 - 02:07:05]



Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify and rate us if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!



Follow our Instagram page:



https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast



You can also follow us on Instagram at:



Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/



On Letterboxd at:



Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/

In what is undoubtedly our most publicized episode, we -- Dhruv, Sanjeet (!), Varun, Aryan, and Prithwish -- discuss the three Imtiaz Ali - A.R. Rahman collaborations that make up the most “sufiyana” phase of the director’s filmography. We first discuss the exhilaration and exasperation of glorifying Ruminess in “Rockstar” (2011); then the exhilaration and exhaustion of Indianizing Stockholm Syndrome in “Highway” (2014); then, finally, the exhilaration and excessiveness of stylizing storytelling in “Tamasha” (2015).



Listen to the full episode to learn not only what we like/dislike about these individual films (disagreements and civil arguments aplenty) but also what we think of how Ali uses Rahman’s music in all three of these films to guide us through his soul-searching narratives.



TIME CODES



Matargashtiyan: [00:00 - 07:00]

"Rockstar" (2011): [7:00 - 53:05]

Understanding filmmaking: [53:05 - 57:00]

"Highway" (2014): [57:00 - 01:04:20]

Can an Imtiaz character consume Petrol?: [01:04:20 - 01:05:15]

Back to "Highway": [01:05:15 - 01:35:00]

“Tamasha” (2015): [01:35:00 - 02:21:00]

Khatam kahaani?: [02:21:00 - 02:30:26]



Follow our Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast



You can follow us on Instagram at:

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/

Sanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/

Varun: https://www.instagram.com/varunonfilm/

Prithwish: https://www.instagram.com/little.lord_fauntleroy/

Aryan:  https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm/



You can also follow us on Letterboxd at -

Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

Sanjeet: https://letterboxd.com/Sanjeet_Singh/

Varun: https://letterboxd.com/varunoakbhakay/

Prithwish: https://letterboxd.com/prito98/

Aryan: https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/