Tag: india

The Jeff & Ishan Show #7 – Maareesan

We’re back in action after summer break! Watch our review of Maareesan (which means Imposter Demon, kind of), a 2025 Tamil-language thriller starring Fahadh Faasil and Vadivelu, written by V. Krishna Moorthy and directed by Sudheesh Sankar, streaming now on Netflix.

It’s very unpredictable. One minute you think this is a heartwarming story about Dhaya and this old man with dementia; you think you’re watching Rain Man, then it turns into Zodiac and you’re soon wondering which of these three men is the real villain . . . I thought it was going to be, old guy who changes the heart of a thief. And then suddenly it takes on a darker tone.

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Screenwriters: There’s No Such Thing as the 3-Act Structure

Who invented this thing called the 3-act structure used in movies around the world? Neither Aristotle, Hollywood studios, Robert McKee nor Syd Field (contrary to New Yorker magazine) had anything to do with it. I thoroughly explain the structure in a way that will be of practical use to new screenwriters while simultaneously debunking its existence.

I was happy to be able to share a little more of my Fulbright India research in exploring this topic. I promise you will learn something new.

Original music by Ano Malee.

The First Talkies: a Global Race

If you lie in bed at night staring at the ceiling wondering about things such as who invented talkies like I do, this video is for you. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t one person but a global evolution.

It gave me a chance to use a small bit of my Fulbright-Nehru research. This was not my primary research topic but a subplot I stumbled upon, so India makes a couple of guest appearances.

I enjoyed creating the opening animation using generative AI to create a thematically relevant image, then generative AI video to animate it. In later a portion, I used two old photos of the 1900 Paris Exposition and an Edison wax cylinder recording to make a brief film sequence using generative AI video and Adobe Premiere Pro to bring to life the moment when the auxeto-gramophone was blasted from atop the Eiffel Tower.

Original music by Ano Malee.

Mr. Padaki goes to Delhi

For my friends in Delhi, my old friend and colleague, the amazing, highly accomplished, internationally renowned playwright Vijay Padaki will be speaking on 11 July on Writing in English for the Indian Stage. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed by his lifetime of words and wisdom.

The Jeff & Ishan Show #5 – COURT: State vs. A Nobody

Watch our full review of COURT: State vs. A Nobody, a 2025 Telugu-language courtroom drama about a boy, a girl, and a dastardly uncle, streaming now on Netflix.

Priyadarshi Pulikonda as the lawyer was amazing. It’s a David and Goliath kind of story. And I love the message of the film, which was to find your allies and fight for justice…The film doesn’t criticize the POCSO Act. It’s critical of the court system, which very much favors the wealthy. And that’s not just true in India…It was realistic. Its structure wasn’t typical but it didn’t drag on.