Had writer-turned-director Varun Grover's All India Rank released a few years back, the film would have been termed as groundbreaking. But it releases at a time when OTT has spread its wings in India far and wide and given us (and continues to) stories from every corner of the country. All India Rank also releases months after the stupendous success of 12th Fail, which takes you back in time and tells you the story of the Indian middle class and its ability to fight the odds, face hardships, and still work hard to realise its dream. Set in 1997, Grover's film talks of wide-eyed Vivek and his parents and their contrasting dreams. The film gets a lot of things right but treads familiar territory- one that has been shown to the audience quite a bit in the past few years.&nbsp; 
 
Lucknow's Vivek is packed off to Kota by his middle-class parents to prepare for the IIT entrance exams. He is told that he needs to work hard for a year and crack the exam and life will be rosy once he is in one of the premier engineering colleges of the country. His father, RK Singh (Shashi Bhushan) has lofty dreams for his son and is holding his breath till Vivek gets into IIT. Vivek meanwhile, isn't too convinced about the plan himself. He is diligent, obedient, and a loner - who is ok to follow what his father has decided&nbsp;for him, but in his heart not sure where he wants to be.&nbsp; 
 
The narrative switches between Lucknow and Kota- both strikingly different in the ways the people live- but both rapidly changing and adapting to the ways of the world as India celebrates its 50th Independence Day and liberalization is knocking at the door. Parents represent the more settled Lucknow, where Singh and his diabetes-stricken wife (Geeta Aggarwal) hustle daily in the hope that the son in Kota gets to study properly. They have altered their lifestyle to afford the expensive coaching that Vivek is undergoing- a fact that is reminded to him in every conversation over STD calls. Kota, meanwhile, serves as a place where Vivek, a loner, and an introvert, finds himself and comes of age. He hates the place initially and longs to be back home but over time finds his space there. He befriends Rinku, Chandan and Sarika who seem to be living their life with more calrity than Vivek ever has. All students in the coaching institute, all hustling to crack the coveted test- but still knowing how to live life.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ahttNxGnLsQ?si=0fo_jMen8sBrwYz1" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> 
 
The film uses animation copiously in the first half, making it more immersive. The first half is seeped in 90s nostalgia, poster of Sachin on the wall, Citra cold drink, Rangeela soundtrack, walkman, Shah Rukh Khan films, Indian Ocean- all 90s and all accurately depicted in the film.&nbsp; 
 
While the first half is engaging and somewhat whimsical (it breaks at a point where erasers and pencils rain down on a tired Vivek ) , the second half meanders a bit too much. By this time the premise is well set- his middle-class family struggling in Lucknow while he discovers life outside books and thereby slackening in class. But the writing never clearly points out at solutions and leads to a conclusive end which is where All India Rank becomes a mediocre story.&nbsp;

The film's actors are mostly new faces. Bodhisatva Sharma (who plays Vivek) seems too raw to take on the weight of the entire film on his shoulders. His chemistry with Sarika (Samta Sudiksha) seems rushed and predictable. His bond with Chandan and Rinku is also not well-established or explored. The young actors try to deliver to their parts but patchy writing makes their characters limited. Meanwhile, Bhushan, and Aggarwal - who play Vivek's middle-class parents, feel more real almost as if they are a married couple who tread a difficult life together to make a family, a home together. Their scenes are more authentic, feel more genuine.&nbsp;

 
That being said, the production design and Gorver's eye for details put a smile on your face as All India Rank takes you back to your childhood (I grew up in the '90s). A shot of school students lined up for morning assembly in the sun is aimed at showing Vivek's academic accomplishments through the years is striking due to a minute detail of a child fainting in the heat- a very common sight in all school assemblies across north India. Such moments make the screenplay so special. Then a local pervert called 'Shawn Michaels' - a wrestling star back when WWF ruled pop culture- traumatizes Vivek's mom who runs a PCO booth- something that has faded away from the fabric of India with mobile phones becoming accessible to all strata of the society. The detailing is what makes All India Rank an endearing film. It may be slightly half-baked in terms of the plot, but when you see it in its entirety, it steals your heart for its little moments and its nostalgia.&nbsp; 
 
I do wish Grover, one of the most talented and sensitive writers in the Hindi film industry right now, had narrated a more coherent story. It's a sweet slice-of-life film but its meandering plot never elevates the film to a level one expects it to neither does it leave a defining impact.&nbsp;

Had writer-turned-director Varun Grover's All India Rank released a few years back, the film would have been termed as groundbreaking. But it releases at a time when OTT has spread its wings in India far and wide and given us (and continues to) stories from every corner of the country.

Had writer-turned-director Varun Grover's All India Rank released a few years back, the film would have been termed as groundbreaking. But it releases at a time when OTT has spread its wings in India far and wide and given us (and continues to) stories from every corner of the country. All India Rank also releases months after the stupendous success of 12th Fail, which takes you back in time and tells you the story of the Indian middle class and its ability to fight the odds, face hardships, and still work hard to realise its dream. Set in 1997, Grover's film talks of wide-eyed Vivek and his parents and their contrasting dreams. The film gets a lot of things right but treads familiar territory- one that has been shown to the audience quite a bit in the past few years. Lucknow's Vivek is packed off to Kota by his middle-class parents to prepare for the IIT entrance exams. He is told that he needs to work hard for a year and crack the exam and life will be rosy once he is in one of the premier engineering colleges of the country. His father, RK Singh (Shashi Bhushan) has lofty dreams for his son and is holding his breath till Vivek gets into IIT. Vivek meanwhile, isn't too convinced about the plan himself. He is diligent, obedient, and a loner - who is ok to follow what his father has decided for him, but in his heart not sure where he wants to be. The narrative switches between Lucknow and Kota- both strikingly different in the ways the people live- but both rapidly changing and adapting to the ways of the world as India celebrates its 50th Independence Day and liberalization is knocking at the door. Parents represent the more settled Lucknow, where Singh and his diabetes-stricken wife (Geeta Aggarwal) hustle daily in the hope that the son in Kota gets to study properly. They have altered their lifestyle to afford the expensive coaching that Vivek is undergoing- a fact that is reminded to him in every conversation over STD calls. Kota, meanwhile, serves as a place where Vivek, a loner, and an introvert, finds himself and comes of age. He hates the place initially and longs to be back home but over time finds his space there. He befriends Rinku, Chandan and Sarika who seem to be living their life with more calrity than Vivek ever has. All students in the coaching institute, all hustling to crack the coveted test- but still knowing how to live life. The film uses animation copiously in the first half, making it more immersive. The first half is seeped in 90s nostalgia, poster of Sachin on the wall, Citra cold drink, Rangeela soundtrack, walkman, Shah Rukh Khan films, Indian Ocean- all 90s and all accurately depicted in the film. While the first half is engaging and somewhat whimsical (it breaks at a point where erasers and pencils rain down on a tired Vivek ) , the second half meanders a bit too much. By this time the premise is well set- his middle-class family struggling in Lucknow while he discovers life outside books and thereby slackening in class. But the writing never clearly points out at solutions and leads to a conclusive end which is where All India Rank becomes a mediocre story. The film's actors are mostly new faces. Bodhisatva Sharma (who plays Vivek) seems too raw to take on the weight of the entire film on his shoulders. His chemistry with Sarika (Samta Sudiksha) seems rushed and predictable. His bond with Chandan and Rinku is also not well-established or explored. The young actors try to deliver to their parts but patchy writing makes their characters limited. Meanwhile, Bhushan, and Aggarwal - who play Vivek's middle-class parents, feel more real almost as if they are a married couple who tread a difficult life together to make a family, a home together. Their scenes are more authentic, feel more genuine. That being said, the production design and Gorver's eye for details put a smile on your face as All India Rank takes you back to your childhood (I grew up in the '90s). A shot of school students lined up for morning assembly in the sun is aimed at showing Vivek's academic accomplishments through the years is striking due to a minute detail of a child fainting in the heat- a very common sight in all school assemblies across north India. Such moments make the screenplay so special. Then a local pervert called 'Shawn Michaels' - a wrestling star back when WWF ruled pop culture- traumatizes Vivek's mom who runs a PCO booth- something that has faded away from the fabric of India with mobile phones becoming accessible to all strata of the society. The detailing is what makes All India Rank an endearing film. It may be slightly half-baked in terms of the plot, but when you see it in its entirety, it steals your heart for its little moments and its nostalgia. I do wish Grover, one of the most talented and sensitive writers in the Hindi film industry right now, had narrated a more coherent story. It's a sweet slice-of-life film but its meandering plot never elevates the film to a level one expects it to neither does it leave a defining impact.

All India Rank review: Varun Grover narrates a familiar story wrapped in 90s nostalgia

Netflix Inc said it would stick with the team behind Indian hit show 'Sacred Games' for a second season after an independent investigation into allegations of sexual <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/sacred-games-in-trouble-after-sexual-harassment-allegations-against-its-writer-170804">harassment against two individuals involved with the show.</a> 
 
In a statement emailed to Reuters, Netflix said it would continue to work with the show`s lead writer Varun Grover, one of two men called out in a wave of #MeToo allegations in India in recent weeks.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-sacred-games-review-saif-ali-khan-nawazuddin-siddiquis-new-series-is-an-edgy-thriller-thats-worth-your-time-149242">Also read: Sacred Games review&nbsp;</a> 
 
It said it would continue to work with directors Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, whose production house Phantom Films was behind the Mumbai-set thriller and who have not been mentioned in the allegations. 
 
Netflix announced a second season of 'Sacred Games' in September but ran into trouble earlier this month when Phantom Films disbanded in a cloud of allegations against one of its partners, Vikas Bahl, and Grover. 
 
Both men have denied the allegations.&nbsp; 
 
Bahl was not listed as a producer on the first season.&nbsp; 
 
Netflix gave no details of the outcome of the investigation. 
 
"After an independent investigation, the results helped inform Netflix’s decision to continue with Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap on season 2 of Sacred Games," the company said. 
 
"We continue to collaborate with our production partners to ensure and maintain a safe and respectful working environment." 
 
Kashyap, who directed the first season, said in a statement this month on his Twitter account that he regretted not acting on allegations of sexual misconduct made against his partner and producer Bahl in 2015.<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/people-need-to-look-beyond-nudity-in-that-lovemaking-scene-in-sacred-games-rajshri-deshpande-153867"> Also read:&nbsp;People need to look beyond nudity in that sex scene in 'Sacred Games': Rajshri Deshpande</a> 
 
The streaming giant launched in India two years ago. It has a library of local content comparable to rivals and scored a big hit in July with the release of 'Sacred Games', a hard-boiled thriller built around Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.&nbsp;

Netflix Inc said it would stick with the team behind Indian hit show 'Sacred Games' for a second season after an independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against two individuals involved with the show.

Netflix Inc said it would stick with the team behind Indian hit show 'Sacred Games' for a second season after an independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against two individuals involved with the show. In a statement emailed to Reuters, Netflix said it would continue to work with the show`s lead writer Varun Grover, one of two men called out in a wave of #MeToo allegations in India in recent weeks. Also read: Sacred Games review It said it would continue to work with directors Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, whose production house Phantom Films was behind the Mumbai-set thriller and who have not been mentioned in the allegations. Netflix announced a second season of 'Sacred Games' in September but ran into trouble earlier this month when Phantom Films disbanded in a cloud of allegations against one of its partners, Vikas Bahl, and Grover. Both men have denied the allegations. Bahl was not listed as a producer on the first season. Netflix gave no details of the outcome of the investigation. "After an independent investigation, the results helped inform Netflix’s decision to continue with Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap on season 2 of Sacred Games," the company said. "We continue to collaborate with our production partners to ensure and maintain a safe and respectful working environment." Kashyap, who directed the first season, said in a statement this month on his Twitter account that he regretted not acting on allegations of sexual misconduct made against his partner and producer Bahl in 2015. Also read: People need to look beyond nudity in that sex scene in 'Sacred Games': Rajshri Deshpande The streaming giant launched in India two years ago. It has a library of local content comparable to rivals and scored a big hit in July with the release of 'Sacred Games', a hard-boiled thriller built around Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

'Sacred Games' Season 2 on track after Netflix probe gives writer Varun Grover clean chit

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All India Rank review: Varun Grover narrates a familiar story wrapped in 90s nostalgia

'Sacred Games' Season 2 on track after Netflix probe gives writer Varun Grover clean chit