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Joker: Folie à Deux review: A Masterpiece of Tragedy and Theatrics

It masterfully turns fantasy into reality, refusing to indulge the audience’s desire for escape.

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1 year ago

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By Inderjit Badhwar

For those seeking the heart-pounding chaos of Gotham—the car chases, explosions, and violent mayhem that punctuated Joker: Folie à Deux’s 2019 predecessor—you’re bound to feel cheated. This film shuns the devilish spectacle, the apocalyptic laughter, and numbing bloodletting that made audiences reel last time. Instead, Joker takes a different path—one that draws you into a theatrical allegory, where sorrow lurks behind every scene like the unspoken melancholy of Busby Berkeley’s gals, whose smiles mask tears behind the brass and drums. It’s a film that will break your heart if you’re willing to look beneath the surface.

Most critics who have panned this work have utterly missed its genius. They’ve approached it as another instalment of the Batman universe or a Marvel spin-off, never realising they should have been viewing it through a Bergmanesque or Kafkaesque lens.

This is not a superhero movie; it is a meditation on despair. In fact, even with its colour palette, the film strikes the mind in grainy black and white, resonating with the heavy weight of reality and the tragedy that lies at its core.

Tragedy reigns in every frame. From the grimy, passionless prison where Joker awaits trial for his previous murders, to his imploding visage as he engages in cramped and joyless lovemaking with Harley Quinn in a dingy cell, the mood is one of relentless gloom. As the film unfolds, we understand one central truth: Joker is already dead. Joaquin Phoenix’s face in the opening shots tells us this immediately—the rest of the movie exists to prove why this is so. It’s not a question of fate; it’s an exploration of inevitability.

This film becomes a tug-of-war—not just between Joker and the world around him—but between director Todd Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix, and the audience. Phillips and Phoenix push a painful reality down the throats of viewers and characters alike, while the world around them begs for fantasy. It’s as though the cast itself, along with the audience, yearns for the Joker of old—the virile, immanent figure who once offered Gotham’s downtrodden an escape, a chance at vengeance, a wild ride through the storm. But that Joker is gone.

Fantasy, it turns out, is what many wanted—and critics, too, missed the film’s central theme of “fantasy as entertainment.” The repeated number, “That’s Entertainment,” becomes the leitmotif, a sardonic nod to an audience desperate to maintain illusion. The powerful Joker of the previous film offered this fantasy. He was an avenging angel, the ultimate escape hatch for Gotham’s wretched—their abused and neglected, whose collective pain he embodied. He thrilled the wealthy, the beautiful people, the theatre-going elite, who saw in him a Marvel comic made flesh.

Even Harley was captivated by this illusion, but unwittingly, she played the role of femme fatale. In love, Joker became Fleck once again, irreversibly human. And this was his fatal flaw. Joker could never survive as a human. His love for Harley shattered the very fantasy he had created, and in doing so, he signed his own death warrant. The human Fleck had to die, tried and convicted not only for his crimes but for betraying those who longed for him to remain the Joker—the untouchable, the fantastical. Even Harley, in the end, turns her back, revealing that she, too, was just another devotee of the illusion.

This film is an extraordinary piece of art, driven by Joaquin Phoenix’s near-flawless artistry and supported by brilliant character performances from an impassioned cast. It masterfully turns fantasy into reality, refusing to indulge the audience’s desire for escape.

Go see it. Joker is not entertainment for entertainment’s sake—it is art, designed to rip away our comforting illusions and force us into deeper reflection. This is not a film that indulges the tooth fairy; it crushes her underfoot, daring us to see the world as it truly is.

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Gaurav Khanna wins Bigg Boss 19, lifts trophy and Rs 50 lakh prize

Gaurav Khanna has been crowned the winner of Bigg Boss 19, securing the trophy and Rs 50 lakh after a competitive finale.

Published

7 days ago

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December 8, 2025

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Television actor Gaurav Khanna has been declared the winner of Bigg Boss 19, bringing the curtain down on a season packed with drama, intense face-offs and emotional moments. He secured the top spot after a closely fought finale, with Farhana Bhatt finishing as the first runner-up.

Gaurav Khanna’s steady game pays off

Premiering on August 24 with 18 contestants, the season showcased shifting alliances, sharp strategies and memorable confrontations. Despite being seen as quiet in the early weeks, Gaurav Khanna gradually emerged as one of the strongest voices inside the house. His composed demeanour and calculated task performance helped him build momentum through the competition.

Farhana Bhatt ends as runner-up

Farhana Bhatt, known for her dynamic presence and determination throughout the season, finished second. Although she narrowly missed the title, her journey remained one of the standout tracks of the show.

Finale eliminations

The grand finale began with multiple eliminations — Amaal Mallik was the first finalist to bow out, followed by Tanya Mittal, and then Pranit More, leaving Gaurav and Farhana as the top two contenders.
Gaurav ultimately lifted the trophy and took home a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh.

With the conclusion of Bigg Boss 19, the show wraps another season marked by strategy, rivalry and heartfelt moments that kept viewers engaged from start to finish.

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Dhurandhar review: Ranveer Singh roars back, Akshaye Khanna shines in intense spy thriller

Ranveer Singh returns with a ferocious performance in Dhurandhar, supported by Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, and a gripping espionage storyline set against real historical events.

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1 week ago

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December 5, 2025

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Dhurandhar review

Ranveer Singh makes a striking return to the big screen with Dhurandhar, delivering a fierce, layered performance in Aditya Dhar’s ambitious spy thriller. Blending historical terror incidents with a fictional revenge saga, the film explores India’s covert response to cross-border terrorism through the secret project ‘Dhurandhar’.

A brutal world built around revenge and espionage

Set around the IC-814 Kandahar hijack and the 2001 Parliament attack, Dhurandhar opens with Ajay Sanyal, an Intelligence Bureau officer played by R Madhavan, who strongly opposes releasing captured terrorists. Despite his resistance, bureaucracy prevails, setting the stage for the covert mission he later leads.

The project introduces its central weapon — Humza Ali Mazari, later revealed to be Jaskirat Singh Rangil — portrayed by Ranveer Singh with ferocity and emotional depth. Dropped straight into Karachi’s dangerous Lyari district, Humza navigates a nexus of gangs, politicians, and the ISI, with the narrative also touching upon tensions between local Pakistanis and Baloch communities.

Performances that elevate the film

Akshaye Khanna nearly steals the spotlight as a feared Lyari gangster inspired by Rehman ‘Dakait’ Baloch. Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of SP Chaudhry Aslam brings an intimidating presence, while Arjun Rampal’s Major Iqbal leaves a lingering impact despite limited screen time.

Sara Arjun plays Yalina with conviction, and the film also features an unrecognisable Gaurav Gera in a surprise appearance.

Music, violence, and a split narrative

Shashwat Sachdev’s background score stands out, weaving classic Pakistani melodies with Indian retro hits to complement the film’s shifting tones. Viewers should be prepared for intense brutality, graphic torture scenes, and sudden shifts in narrative style — especially in a second half that feels markedly different from the first.

The episodic structure, archival footage, and mix of real and fictional characters add layers, though some may find the format distracting.

Ending that sets up part two

While the film does not end on a dramatic cliffhanger, its teaser for the second part — scheduled for March 19, 2026 — ensures audiences will return to witness the conclusion of Humza’s journey.

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120 Bahadur box office day 1: Farhan Akhtar’s film starts slow with Rs 2.35 crore opening

Farhan Akhtar’s new release 120 Bahadur opened to Rs2.35 crore, while De De Pyaar De 2 continued its strong hold on day eight.

Published

3 weeks ago

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November 22, 2025

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Farhan akhtar

Farhan Akhtar’s latest release 120 Bahadur hit theatres on November 21 but registered a dull opening on its first day, earning Rs 2.35 crore. In comparison, De De Pyaar De 2, which is now in its second week, continues to show stronger hold at the box office.

Slow start for 120 Bahadur on day one

The action-drama opened to modest numbers on Friday, collecting Rs2.35 crore on its first day. Despite pre-release buzz around Farhan Akhtar’s performance, the film has begun its run on the lower side.

De De Pyaar De 2 maintains its advantage

Meanwhile, De De Pyaar De 2 continues its steady run. On its eighth day, the film maintained an edge over 120 Bahadur in overall earnings, according to media. The strong hold of the Ajay Devgn-led sequel appears to have impacted the new release’s opening day business.

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