Movies | Mahdi Ahmed

Posts from the ‘Movies’ category

GOODBYE GIRLFRIENDS

I found myself caught in a bittersweet whirlwind of emotions as I typed the words “END OF SEASON 2” on the last page of the twelfth episode of the hit series, Girlfriends. A wave of feelings swept over me, the result of two months of immersing myself in the lives of Zila, Shamla, and Firushan.

Their flat became like a second home to me, their joys and struggles etched in my mind. Season 2, a year and a half after the first, explored the intricate webs of their fates.

Zila’s ascent in the architecture world was haunted by the ghosts of her past, a tribute to her unbreakable resilience in the face of old scars. Shamla, now a sound engineer for a Dhivehi film, faced her own labyrinth of difficulties, including the unresolved hurt and a new relationship fraught with its own challenges.

Firushan became the key that linked their stories, adding richness and nuance to the plot. His battle with a dark secret and his involvement in Zila and Shamla’s lives added a touch of intrigue and mystery.

Each episode unraveled against the colorful scenery of Male’, exposing secrets, pain, love, and finally, healing. It was a story about the human spirit’s amazing ability to bounce back, the bravery to face inner demons, and the lasting power of friendship.

Writing Season 2 was a deeply personal journey, filled with moments so moving that they brought tears to my eyes. As I reflect, my heart is filled with gratitude for Munko, the series creator, and Saaji, the producer, for giving me this captivating story. Their unshakable faith in my writing has been a fountain of constant inspiration and support.

As I say goodbye to Season 2, my eyes look forward to the dawn of Season 3, if destiny permits it to be. Until then, I send my best wishes to the cast and crew who are working hard to make it a reality.

RUGYAH: CRAFTING SHADOWS INTO ART

A Serendipitous Beginning

About three days ago, I received an exciting request from Mua, the director of the captivating short film ‘Rugyah’ which was aired on Raajje TV on 23 April 2021. He approached me for assistance in providing subtitles for the movie, as he plans to submit it to an upcoming Indian film festival. This opportunity sparked a rush of memories, taking me back to the incredible journey we embarked upon, from the birth of the idea to its final manifestation on the small screen.

Inception of a Vision

Our journey commenced in early March of the same year when Mua had a remarkable vision for a Ramadan special on Raajje TV. His unique idea was to create a horror screenplay, but with a twist – the production had to be relatively simple and confined to minimal locations. Our brainstorming sessions were filled with intensity, and it was during one of these sessions that inspiration struck me. I stumbled upon an online news article featuring a local island’s scandalous ‘Rugyah’ scam, and its gripping narrative potential immediately captivated me.

The Birth of ‘Rugyah’

Writing the screenplay for ‘Rugyah’ turned out to be a whirlwind experience. In merely four days, I had a draft ready for Mua, who was genuinely thrilled with the outcome. However, casting came with some unexpected hurdles, especially when it came to finding child actors within the tight time constraints we faced. It was during this challenging period that Mua came up with a brilliant idea – to reshape the cast and introduce two real-life sisters, Azza and Rishmy. This ingenious move brought a captivating new dimension to the narrative, as their personal history of reconciliation added depth and authenticity to their on-screen portrayal of sisters Zee and Adhila.

Unfolding the Tale

The revised plot now revolved around Zee and Adhila, both trapped in a house, desperately fighting for freedom from Adhila’s manipulative husband, Easa, and the enigmatic character of Usman, a rogue spiritual healer. What unravelled before the audience was a bone-chilling tale of manipulation, torture, and survival, intertwined with supernatural beliefs. By the end of March, I wrapped up the final rewrites, and in April, Mua delved into the production phase.

Mua’s Directorial Brilliance

Mua’s directorial skills proved to be nothing short of brilliant. Despite the demanding production schedule of two weeks – one for filming and another for post-production – the quality of the film remained uncompromised. His steady and innovative direction respected both the story and the actors, ensuring that ‘Rugyah’ was a riveting watch from start to finish. Mua’s exceptional ability to choose the perfect camera shots transformed the 58-minute film, set entirely within the confines of an apartment, into a visually captivating masterpiece. I must mention one scene, in particular, where Zee is forced to scrape food into a bin while a famished Adhila helplessly watches on, which left a profound impact on the audience.

Immense Pride and the Continuation of Creativity

As I hand over the completed subtitles, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride in having been part of the ‘Rugyah’ journey. The stellar performances delivered by the cast were truly remarkable, but it was Mua’s visionary direction that effortlessly showcased their incredible talents. His skill in maintaining engagement and conveying deep meaning through cinematography served as a testament to his artistic brilliance. And now, as he hints at a new project on the horizon, it seems that our creative journey is far from over, with the ball now in my court. ‘Rugyah’ was more than just a film; it was a remarkable voyage filled with creative challenges, constant adaptation, and ultimately, triumphant success.

AN INGILI REUNION

A decade has gracefully glided by since the glorious unveiling of “Ingili” on that unforgettable 16th of May in 2013. The devoted team, whose unwavering commitment birthed this cinematic gem, etching its name in the annals of history by clinching an international accolade for a Dhivehi film for the very first time, reunited today at the Film Festival for the Sake of Humanity. As the lights bathed the hallowed hall of the Olympus Cinema, our cherished creation graced the screen, reigniting the same enchantment that had enthralled audiences years ago.

It was a heartwarming reunion, a nostalgic journey, as our entire team rallied once more, transporting us back to the days when we valiantly battled through a myriad of production challenges. We reminisced about those moments of uncertainty and the immense pride that surged within us when, against all odds, we unleashed our creation for everyone to witness.

Our versatile director Ravee, the exceptionally gifted cast, led by the indomitable Mua and Ismail Rasheed, our brilliant maestro of melodies, Ikram, the visionary behind the camera, Munawwar, and our ever-dependable Production Manager Sofee, all united in celebration on this special day. The film itself, I am thrilled to declare, has not lost an ounce of its impact over the years; if anything, it has grown more poignant and captivating with time.

My heart overflows with gratitude for the entire team for their enduring dedication, as we persist in leaving our indelible mark on the tapestry of the film industry, fueled by our boundless passion and creativity. Here’s to many more years of triumph and unforgettable memories. Let us once again dare to make a bet! 🎥🌟🍾

REUNITED WITH MY GIRLFRIENDS

After an agonizing 2 years, 0 months and 7 days hiatus, I’m finally back with my Girlfriends – no, not the kind you’re thinking, but the hit web series I penned for Orkeys Inc. that streamed on MediaNet. It just got a green light for season two, and I will be teaming up again with the genius series creator, Munko, to dish out another 12 episodes of pure awesomeness.

Our fab trio – Zila, Shamla, and Firshan, brilliantly portrayed by Mye, Aisha, and Sharif – are back in town. This season, they’ve packed up and moved to a brand-new apartment. Expect even more drama, adventures, and daily life face-offs. Not to mention, a cocktail of intriguing (and a bit menacing) old and new characters!

Quick brag: I’ve already penned down episodes one and two, and the first episode’s shoot? Done and dusted! Can’t wait to sneak a peek at the rough cut.

Alright, I think I’ve rambled on enough for now. Time to dive back into the world of my Girlfriends. Catch you on the flip side! Cheers! 🥂

A GO-DOWN AND A FAMILY OF CATS

It feels like it’s been a gazillion years since my last post. So much has happened, but honestly, my aging brain has swallowed most of those memories. Luckily, the few projects I recently wrapped up are still clear as day in my cluttered mind.

Let’s rewind to last year when I triumphantly completed GUDHAN for the brilliant folks at Orkeyz studio. This intense thriller was a 12-episode web series, produced exclusively for the Baiskoafu streaming platform. Six strangers chilling at a massage parlor when the police decide to crash the party. Cue the chaos! They make a daring escape through a secret window, only to find themselves trapped in a sketchy go-down. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. Inside those four walls, tensions rise, and things get downright ugly.

As if that wasn’t enough, I ventured into uncharted territory and penned my very first cartoon series. Titled MIYO?, this whimsical creation served as an awareness campaign by the Ministry of Gender, shedding light on gender-based issues in our society. And guess what? It was another collaboration with the wizards at Orkeyz. MIYO? features a community of feline characters, and boy, did it strike a chord! The reviews poured in, and now there’s even talk of turning this into a full-fledged movie. Meow-velous, isn’t it?

Just three days ago, I put the finishing touches on my latest feature-length screenplay called FUN. Now, I can’t spill all the juicy details, because if I did, I’d be slapped with a lawsuit faster than you can say “spoiler alert.” Suffice it to say, this baby has an interesting concept and revolves around three characters stranded on a mysterious island. Intriguing, right? I must admit, I’m pretty stoked about it.

And guess what? Today marks the beginning of my next big adventure! I’ve started work on an untitled feature for the one and only Hussain Munvvaru. Picture this: drama, drama, and more drama! It’s the perfect recipe for captivating the masses. Hussain and I go way back, having collaborated on his directorial debut, SAZAA, which was a smashing success. We followed it up with DHILAKANI, which didn’t receive the warmest of receptions, but hey, you win some, you lose some. Oh, and how could I forget about our crazy experimental project, INGILI, with him and Ravi? It may have been a commercial flop, but it made history as the first Maldivian film to snatch up an international award. Sometimes you win awards, sometimes you win lessons, right?

Well, folks, here’s to more frequent posts in the future! Stay tuned for more updates and exciting stories from my chaotic yet fulfilling journey.

Cheers!

I MISS MY GIRLFRIENDS

I wrapped up writing the web series, Girlfriends, 12 episodes yesterday. The feeling is indescribable, and my heart is overflowing with emotions. This was not just a project but a journey that left an imprint on my soul, and it was an experience I will forever cherish and hold close to my heart.

From the moment I sat in the first pitch meeting with the series creator, Munko, to the character build-up sessions with the entire cast, I knew this would be special. The concept was simple yet so emotionally charged that I was utterly drawn and immersed in it.

Girlfriends is a story of three twenty-something girls sharing one room, struggling to fulfill their dreams while making ends meet amidst the chaotic city life of Male’. It was a tale of trials and tribulations, heartbreaks and triumphs, and the unbreakable bond of friendship. It was a story that resonated with me on so many levels.

And yet, this was not the first series I have written where the entire series revolves around women. Hinithunvelaashey Kalaa, with fifty-two episodes aired on TVM eons ago, explored the lives of two best friends, girls living on the island of Kelai. While writing Girlfriends, I felt the same intensity and compassion I had for Hinithunvelaashey Kalaa, but a notch above, given that I had to deal with not just two but an array of women characters. And they were tossed into today’s society, which has changed considerably and is fierce and harsh.

I am grateful to Munko and executive producer Saaji for trusting me to write this series to all my heart’s desires. I hope I have delivered to their satisfaction. If only the streamer had given some analytics after premiering each episode. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bugged them occasionally for feedback.

But my gratitude extends beyond Munko and Saaji. I am indebted to the entire cast, especially the four central characters, for their stunning performances. Zila, Shamla, Hawwa, and Firushan, acted by Ayecha, Myeha, Lahfa, and Sharif, respectively, are mesmerizing. They brought their characters to life in an authentic and heart-wrenching way. They are a treat to watch.

Even the actors in the supporting roles were fabulous. Shout out to Maria, Alam, Axam, Afrah, and the rest of the cast. They all stood out and brought a unique flavor to the series.

And let’s not forget the music. Shahyd Legacy’s composition touched every string of my heart, and it was the beat of the entire series, elevating every scene to another level.

Sami has given this series a striking visual with his lensing, an infectious color with his color grading, and his editing is well-paced. He is a true artist in every sense of the word.

Last, I bow to director Kandi Wisan for his assured direction and for giving this series a completely different visual flair with dramatic undertones. He has squeezed the very best out of every actor, and the result is a job well done.

Girlfriends have been etched deeply in my heart, and I miss writing about them. A few months back, I was making their lives happy, fun, sad, and miserable, sometimes putting them in grave danger. Sometimes I felt a lump in my throat to throw any of them into such emotional turbulence, and I felt that none deserved such treatment.

But that is the nature of storytelling. We create characters, put them through trials, and watch them grow. And that is precisely what we did with Girlfriends

Cheers!

BIGIL (2019) REVIEW

This film is an entertaining mix of crime and sports. It’s engaging, action-packed, fast-paced, funny and dribbles its way to an exciting conclusion.

Bigil, played by Joseph Vijay, is a gifted soccer player whose career comes to a halt due to a tragic turn of events. Years later, he is forced to become the head coach of a women’s soccer team and steers them to their dream of winning the national championship, a feat he missed as a player.

The team comprising of women from impoverished rural areas with the dream of making it big, at first refuses Bigil as a coach due to his criminal life. But he eventually wins their heart and along the way not only earns their respect, but he empowers them on and off the field.

Like a soccer match, the film has two halves. The first half is an intense build-up to the second half that entirely deals with the soccer team while examining the lives of the key players and tackling timely women related issues.

Vijay is mesmerizing in a dual role as father and son. The scenes they share are heartwarming and at some point, heart-wrenching.

Nayanthara as Aasirvatham is Gibil’s love interest. Here, she is not just a pretty face. Her character is pivotal to the narrative. She uses compassion when dealing with situations where Gibil fails, or most men would in general. Also, her comic timing is spot on.

The stories of Anitha and Gayathri performed with aplomb by Reba Monica and Varsha Bollamma respectively as the late inclusion to the team are both moving and inspiring.

It’s writer-director Atlee Kumar who steals the match. In the second half, he creatively puts the protagonist in the backseat and let the remarkable team of women take over to fight their way to victory. It has a rousing finale that made me jump out of my seat.

The song Singappenney by A.R. Rahman gave me goosebumps. In it, watch for Rahman and Atlee in a cameo.

Though the film has a running time of almost three hours, I couldn’t care less. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Highly recommended.

SUPER DELUXE (2019) REVIEW

This Tamil dark comedy with three main eccentric stories arrested me from its very opening credits on a black screen.

The first story has an unfaithful wife whose life turns into a whirlpool when she finds her secret lover dead on her bed right after having sex.

The second story has a group of students who gather to watch porn only to find that the leading lady in it is the mother of one of the boys.

The third and the most sensitive story has a small kid who is eagerly waiting at the arrival of his father after a long absence. But to his surprise, his father is now a transgender woman.

All these stories then branch out with more engaging subplots until its expository and sometimes philosophical ending about existence and the origin of life, the design pattern and similarity of the universe, solar system and atomic structure of atoms.

But I must admit that the way one subplot unfolded, I wish it was done differently. Nevertheless, the powerful performances kept me glued to the seat. Even its almost three hours running time which again I thought could have trimmed down a little bit, I didn’t mind.

Though all the cast standout, its Vijay Sethupathi as the transgender woman who steals the show. His portrayal of Shilpa is heartfelt and compassionate. The scene where he dresses up in front of his shocked wife Jyothi played wonderfully by Gyathrie is stunning.

Bagavathi Perumal also turns in an outstanding performance as Berlin, a sadistic cop that I wanted to strangle him to death so badly.

But the real star of this film is writer-director Thiagarajan Kumaraja for weaving such an engaging narrative with multiple subplots. And through these subplots, he not only exposed the real problems persisting in Chennai but also India as a whole.

Another striking feature is the cinematography by Nirav Shah and P.S. Vinod. The use of colours, the lighting, the camera shots and movements are exquisite. Even the first scene grabbed my attention that I knew I was going to watch something special.

The original music by Yuvan Shankar Raja added more depth to the unfolding stories evoking sadness, sympathy and menace.

This film is a winner. It is highly recommended.

JERSEY (2019) REVIEW

This heart-wrenching yet deeply satisfying Telugu underdog sports drama kept my floodgates opened long after the end credits rolled. My wife and I kept sobbing loudly.

Arjun, played with restraint and conviction by Nani, is gifted but a down on his luck retired cricketer. When his life hits rock-bottom, he is forced out of retirement, at a cost. But his raison d’etre would never leave a dry eye in the house.

The entire cast hit sixes with their exceptional performances, especially Shraddha Srinath as Arjun’s abandoned wife who carries the burden of supporting the family. Sathyaraj as Murthy who is the long-time mentor and the only person who never stops believing in Arjun. And Ronit Kamra as Arjun’s son who adores his father despite his pitiful struggle to keep his family together.

Anirudh Ravichander hits all the right chords with his engaging music, and the cinematography by Sanu John Varughese adds a solemn depth to the intense drama and the sports sequences.

The screenplay is creatively written by Gowtam Tinnanur, keeping his nonlinear narrative poignant and straightforward. He even hits a biggie out of the stadium with his solid direction.

Highly recommended.

A NEAT SURPRISE!

When producer/ director, Mohamed Aboobakuru aka Maaenboo asked me to write Neydhen Vakivaakah, I repeatedly requested him that he should take it as a challenge to make it better than all the movies he has done so far. After watching the premiere of the film last night, I am impressed and happy to see that he has risen to the occasion by delivering a pleasantly well-balanced film that the audience thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. This is his best work to this date by many miles.

Official Poster

Few minutes into the film, I knew the audience was hooked. They had a whale of time reacting to the jokes, the unexpected twists and turns that were unconventional for a romantic drama including some red herrings thrown here and there. Above all the performances by the entire cast kept the audience fully engaged. My wife, my strictest critique from whose feedback I always consider if a film I have written has hit the bullseye, rated it as one of the most delightful screenplays I have written so far. Phew!

As usual, the heavyweight actors, Yoosuf Shafeeu, Fathimath Azeesha, Ahmed Saeed and Arifa Ibrahim were a real treat to watch. The role played by Yoosuf Shafeeu reminded me of his National Award-winning role from Vehey Vaarey Therein but with more contrast, control and maturity.

Fathimath Azeesha played the sympathetic girl next door who has shut herself from any romantic involvement because of a tragic past. She kept her acting believable and straightforward as her character comes out of the shell, goes back in, comes out again only to find that she has much bigger sufferings to confront.

There’s nothing more to be said of Ahmed Saeed. In this film, he once again turned in a memorable performance. This actor can play any given role he is offered with his eyes closed. He has proven how versatile he is by playing completely different characters in three of his films that were released this year.

But it was fashion designer/ choreographer, Jaadhulla Ismail in his first role in a film that surprised everyone. He was very likeable and showed great depth in his acting. He was funny in the first half with his comic timing spot on. He then showed unbelievable restraint in the second half by relying entirely on his acting as he had barely any dialogues to deliver. He understood his character well and was aware of his character arc. I hope he continues to appear in many more films.

Shoutout also goes to Ahmed Azmeel and Naashidha. Their roles were small, but they were essential to the narrative.

I congratulate the entire team for a job well done. Keep up the good work in entertaining the audience.

Cheers!