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Lost and Found

OTTplay - HT Smartcast

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Welcome to OTTplay Lost and found, a podcast that tells you about critically-acclaimed yet lesser-known films and shows that you’ve probably not watched yet but should. This is an OTTplay Production, brought to you by HT Smartcast.
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The world is a confusing place. But it is also an endlessly fascinating place. The more we know, the more there is left to know. The Explainers know this all too well. Over the past ten years, this team of writers, researchers, and broadcaster has developed and delivered award-winning podcasts (Moneycontrol, Network18), game-changing apps (Saregama Classical, Shakti), and paradigm-shifting learning platforms (Infosys Lex, Aakash-Byju’s), to name just a few. And this time, they’ll be coming s ...
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The archetypes of legendary pairs such as Sherlock Holmes and his reliable friend and colleague Dr Watson is a trope that police procedurals have often adopted to great effect – an eccentric genius detective with heightened observational skills and his more level-headed friend and ally who sometimes can’t spot the obvious. The USA network TV series…
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The 2004 noir mystery series Veronica Mars is not a conventional production that is often associated with its genre. Helmed by Rob Thomas, the series is a satire of class disparity which is explored within the confines of a high school. The titular character Veronica Mars is a popular girl at high school who becomes a detective after the death of h…
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The 1993 film Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray is a comedy-drama that inspired countless films over the years. From Tom Cruise’s sci-fi action film Edge of Tomorrow, the slasher horror Happy Death Day, and the romantic comedy Palm Springs, Groundhog Day’s time loop trope has been reimagined across multiple genres.…
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“Aliens Working With The US Govt?!” is an entirely normal Tuesday lunchtime guilty pleasure video, if that is your wont. But UFOs and aliens have never been addressed seriously by governments and mainstream news outlets. Until now. Seetal explains why things may be a bit different this time around.By The Explainers
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The 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman for their discoveries" that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19." In this episode of The Explainers we look at Kariko's and Weissman's work that helped the world move on from the pandemic. And what a story it is!…
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Justice League is widely regarded as one of the greatest American animated shows of all time, a sharp contrast to the ill-fated 2017 film adaptation which was dismissed by fans and critics alike at the time of release. The animated series, although originally intended for children, features mature socio-political themes focusing on freewill, imperi…
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Hollywood appears to have moved on from the conventional war action genre in recent years. There are exceptions of course, like Tom Cruise’s 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, where a film offers pure unbridled entertainment loaded with slick action sequences and stunning visuals. For today’s Lost and Found podcast, we take a look at the 2001 film…
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Hollywood in the ‘90s frequently offered captivating gems that held our attention and interest from start to finish. Some may knock them for being a tad exaggerated and for leaning on set pieces and plot devices. But films such as Tremors, Army of Darkness, and the iconic Romy and Michele's High School Reunion are classics that have earned a cult f…
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In a significant step towards gender equality, the Women’s Reservation Bill passed on Sept 20 2023 will reserve 33% of all seats in the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies for women candidates. This is expected to commence after 2026. In this episode of The Explainers, Brian Christopher tells us more about the Women’s Reservation Bill, its history…
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Denis Villeneuve has firmly established himself as one of the best filmmakers of this era. His artistry in editing and framing shots and reliance on stellar sound design to enhance storytelling place him on a pedestal reserved for the best auteurs in cinema history. While his recent films have been big-budget productions such as Blade Runner 2049, …
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Serial killer movies follow a typical approach. Furnishing gruesome murders executed in cold blood, they try to depict sociopaths as those who just can’t help themselves when presented with an opportunity. To make matters even more horrific, these slayings are often committed without any remorse. Luckily, these crazed killers usually have an eye fo…
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Filmmaker Ridley Scott has produced timeless classics over the years. Films such as Alien, Blade Runner, Kingdom of Heaven, Gladiator, and Black Hawk Down remain widely regarded as some of his best films. However, his relatively lesser-known 1991 adventure road dramedy Thelma & Louise, deserves to be placed on the same pedestal as the aforementione…
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The hype surrounding The Flash leading up to its release was nothing short of monumental. There were even reports of early special screenings drawing significant praise from fans, filmmakers, and critics. However, the film underperformed at the box office, riddled with jarringly poor VFX and a disappointing third act. The film’s production itself w…
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Films that revolve around the lives of movie stars are typical. Giving us a peek into their personal lives, they hope to allow audiences a chance to get to know them beyond the veil of celebrity and through a candid lens. But there are films that also delve into their fragile existence and their inability to accept their forced obscurity when they …
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Bhramaram: Even before Drishyam, here’s a Mohanlal mystery about a deceptive man with a shady pastMalayalam cinema’s most prolific actor and undisputed superstar, Mohanlal has featured in a fair share of tragedies over the years. Most notably, in films such as Thalavattam, Ennishtam Ninnishtam, Kireedam, Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam, Moonam Pakkam, a…
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The 2015 Bengali film narrates the fictionalised story of Kadambari Devi, who is better known as Jyotirindranath Tagore’s wife or Rabindranath Tagore’s sister-in-law. The unfortunate tale of her premature demise has been the subject of great intrigue for many years. And people have always been curious about the woman who was the inspiration behind …
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Feel-good films can singularly serve as mood-lifters when you’re feeling low. But there are those that can draw you in with a compelling narrative and evoke a range of emotions. Rituparno Ghosh’s National Award-winning Raincoat is one such film and is considered among the late legendary filmmaker’s seminal works. His vision is realised on the scree…
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Joel Schumacher will, unfortunately, forever be remembered as the man who directed the universally-panned Batman films from the 90s, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. Nevertheless, the late filmmaker did helm a few cult classics such as Phone Booth, The Lost Boys, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Client. A Time to Kill, which was released in 1996…
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For several decades, till the late 80s, Disney’s animation studio failed to recreate the magic and glory the company had managed during its early days. However, between 1989 to 1999, the studio enjoyed a resurgence popularly dubbed the Disney Renaissance with commercially and critically-successful animated films such as The Lion King, Aladdin, Mula…
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Robert Rodriguez has become one of the most celebrated filmmakers over the years thanks to his unique filmmaking style and signature visual aesthetics. Some of his biggest hits such as The Mexico trilogy, Planet Terror, Spy Kids, Sin City, and From Dusk Till Dawn have earned widespread acclaim over the years. But one might even argue that these tit…
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Before the 90s economic boom in India, there was a mass exodus of people migrating illegally to the Arabian Gulf in search of employment. This dangerous trip across the Arabian Sea was very common among Malayalis and it helped several families earn a decent living. The 2015 film, Pathemari, directed by Salim Ahamed tells the story of a man named Pa…
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A story of three generations of women and an auspicious box of jewels, this riveting tale by Aparna Sen is aimed at annihilating centuries of social stigma and established draconian traditions. The women of the story each have their own inner demons to overcome, but unfortunately, it is a losing effort. However, a box of jewelry, interestingly enou…
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Films have forever portrayed law enforcement officers in India through a one-dimensional lens. They’ve either been portrayed as government servants who relentlessly serve and go beyond the call of duty or those who’ve let their morals slide in exchange for commercial gains. But Shimit Amin’s 2004 film Ab tak Chhappan is one that depicts the precari…
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Most films that depict mental illnesses are focussed on the condition alone. Illustrating the symptoms and idiosyncratic behavioral patterns, they end up exaggerating the patient’s affliction and coloring them as dysfunctional beings unable to integrate with society. But few films have managed to sensitively portray mental patients through a lens t…
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Films that trigger nostalgia are a portrait of the past. They teleport us to a certain time, allowing a glimpse of dated social norms. And significantly, they alter the way we perceive the world and navigate the circumstances presented to us. Anjan Dutt’s compelling family drama Dutta VS Dutta is surely one such gem and it’s our Lost and Found for …
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Is it is a UPA plan? An NDA plan? A good plan? Or an absolutely disastrous one? Cheetahs are back in the news; back in India; and on the first episode of The Explainers. Join Rakesh Sharma as he, and Harish Puppala, take you through the story of this big cat in the country. Are they indigenous? Were they always an import? Is Kuno a good place for t…
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Every once in a while we chance upon a romcom that’s so delicious it just sweeps us off our feet. The true test for a romcom lies in its ability to engage the audience to such an extent… that we’re compelled to root for the couple on the screen as they tide over all obstacles that test their relationship. Laurent Tirard’s Franco-Belgian romantic co…
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Detective shows such as Elementary and The Mentalist had a good run, exceeding over a 100 episodes, and building a fan base that loves detective fiction. But Scorpion, which has largely been eclipsed by comparatively popular shows, has remained buried in the OTTverse. Loosely based on real-life experiences of its producer Walter O’Brien who is also…
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In recent years, few stoner comedies have been memorable enough to be lauded. Most would consider films such as Harold and Kumar go to White Castle and Pineapple Express for effectively and hilariously translating accounts of getting high in films. But Nima Nourizadeh’s American Ultra which stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Topher Grace am…
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In recent years, movies and shows about time travel such as The Paper Girls and even the grossly-underrated JL50 have challenged the possibilities that the genre has to offer. From allowing one to envision an opportunity to alter the past to accepting a future which seems too convoluted, perplexing and beyond one’s imagination. There’s never been a…
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There are few films that have managed to capture the desperation and dread that some folks in the world of entertainment go through in their quest for ultimate glory. The exhausting journey of trying to nab that one big break has been detailed to some degree in many films and shows. But the extreme lengths that one can go to in an attempt to achiev…
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If you’re a sucker for whodunits, it’s impossible you’ve not kept up with the works of Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. Their contributions to the world of amateur and professional sleuths has defined the debilitating role of detectives in contemporary literature and popular culture. Many author-backed screen iterations have managed to reali…
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Lost & Found- Bridge of Spies - episode 77 Steven Spielberg is possibly one of the most popular filmmakers in the world. He has helmed critically acclaimed films across genres and formats for more than 60 years. However, there are few films that have slipped through the cracks in terms of mainstream popularity, and one such film is the 2015 Cold Wa…
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Lost and Found - Good Girls (Netflix) - Episode 76 Shows where those who keep to the straight and narrow decide to (cough) break bad, have forever clicked on streaming platforms. Well, there’s just something deliciously dangerous about dropping regular folks into extraordinary situations where they must strive to survive, and the payoff just makes …
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Lost and Found - Community - series (Netflix) - Episode 75 Before Dan Harmon attained cult status for creating the black comedy satire animated series, Rick and Morty, he was known for a relatively lesser-known comedy television series called Community. That's the Lost and Found for today's episode, I'm your host Nikhil Set in Colorado in the ficti…
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Stories about Artificial Intelligence becoming self-aware have always been a matter of great interest ever since Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 was sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor in James Cameron’s Terminator in 1984, just a couple of years after Rutger Hauer’s Ray Batty delivered the iconic ‘Tears in the rain’ monologue in Ridley Scott’s Bl…
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The Malayalam film industry’s poster boy for its new wave of cinema is undoubtedly Fahadh Faasil. The acclaimed actor has amassed a cult following in Kerala, and across India, for riveting performances in recent films such as Kumbalangi Nights, Trance, Joji, and Malik. The 2016 film Maheshinte Prathikaaram is a relatively lesser-known classic and f…
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The Malayalam film industry has produced some iconic films based on the state’s complex political structure. Political satire such as Sandesam remains one of the best Malayalam films ever created for its use of humour to tell a compelling tale of family, society, and politics. However, the more serious political films have often been tainted by ove…
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British filmmaker Martin McDonagh earned global recognition for the 2017 filmThree Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which earned seven Academy Award nominations and two wins. But his relatively lesser-known 2008 film, In Bruges, is our Lost and Found for today. Set in the city of Bruges in Belgium, a city renowned for its medieval architecture …
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British black comedy crime dramas were brought to global attention, thanks to the efforts of filmmakers Guy Ritchie and Matthew Vaughn, who set the standards for the genre. The 1998 film, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, directed by Ritchie and produced by Vaughn, is a relatively low-budget indie film that was well-received by critics.…
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There are not many writers who can completely thrill, traumatize, and even captivate their readers in the manner in which Stephen King has over the past few decades. And it is for the same reason, King’s novels have been adapted into several films, often with great success. Films such as The Shawshank Redemption, It, Carrie, The Shining, and The Gr…
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Lost and Found - Talvar - Episode 68 Talvar Films based on or inspired by true events rely heavily on the filmmaker’s approach and narrative style. After all, the makers are aware that they’re only telling a story that has already been told. Stripped from the opportunity to embellish facts for cinematic flourish, factual accuracy often eclipses the…
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The success of a thriller often lies in its ability to translate fear, dread and tension across the screen. When you can closely experience the gravity of the situation that the characters find themselves in, the job is done. And Kaun?, our Lost and Found for today, hits the nail on its head. The 1999 thriller, directed by Ram Gopal Varma, is an ex…
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Lost and Found - Rush ( 2013 ) - Episode 66 Rush (LionsgatePlay) Films about cars and racing have piqued the interest of global audiences for decades. The commercial success of the Fast and Furious franchise despite its glaringly obvious shortcomings reaffirms the notion that adrenaline-fuelled films about fast cars appeal to a wider demographic. H…
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