When India’s first zombie comedy, Go Goa Gone, released in 2013, it left me pleasantly surprised. However, even more surprising than the film, was the director duo – Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K.
Because just a year before Go Goa Gone, they’d directed the crime drama, Shor in the City. And this kind of diversity, so early in the career (Go Goa was just their third film), was definitely not common in Bollywood.
But since then, this director duo have continued to push the bar when it comes to commercial cinema, and gifted us engaging, entertaining, and most importantly, diverse stories:
1. Flavours
Raj and DK’s directorial debut, the romantic-comedy Flavours, was inspired by their own experience as software engineers. Cited by critics as the ‘second coming of Indian American cinema’, the film integrated five different stories to present a tale of NRIs. Despite a cliched subject, it managed to impress both, desi and foreign critics.
2. 99
A crime-comedy, the movie starred Boman Irani, Kunal Khemu, Soha Ali Khan, and Cyrus Barocha and was set against the backdrop of the 1999 cricket controversies. An unexpected but entertaining plot, that completely utilized the expert comedy timing of its lead cast, 99 was a laughter riot that deserved far more attention than it received at the time.
3. Shor in the City
Despite a talented star cast, great music (Saibo!), and sensible plot, Shor in the City failed to entice the audience – but it should have. Because it was one of those crime dramas that managed to be violent and vulnerable at the same time, ultimately becoming more than just the guns and violence.
4. Go Goa Gone
Undoubtedly one of my favourite films, Go Goa Gone is wacky yet relatable. Raj and DK really hit it out of the park with this one and Saif Ali Khan’s Russian avatar is one of the most memorable characters ever written. And while critics had been hailing Raj and DK’s directorial vision for some time now, it was Go Goa Gone that got them in the notice of a larger audience.
5. Happy Ending
Starring Saif Ali Khan and Ileana D’Cruz in lead roles, Happy Ending is not without flaws, the major being the tired storytelling. But it still has the kind of charm that makes it an easy watch. And sometimes, all you need are movies that can play in the background, as you sit cuddled up with popcorn and hot chocolate.
6. A Gentleman
I’ll be the first one to admit, I had little expectation from the movie and only got around to watching it when it played on TV. And I was left pleasantly surprised. It’s a masala entertainer that has its moments. Perhaps a tighter script would have allowed A Gentleman to join the league of 99 and Go Goa Gone, but despite not being groundbreaking cinema, this action-comedy is still worth a watch.
7. The Family Man
The series that marked Raj and DK’s second innings, The Family Man is easily one of the finest and most popular web series to come out of India. The show boasts of a novel premise –a spy juggling family life with national security–and a stellar star cast. And if the reception for S2 and theories of S3 are anything to go by, the popularity of The Family Man is not ending any time soon.
8. Glitch (Unpaused)
Amazon Prime’s anthology Unpaused offered a look at how the pandemic impacted the lives of people from different walks of life. While the anthology, in itself, made for a pleasant watch, Raj and DK’s segment Glitch instantly stood out. Because once again, the director duo had dared to present a novel idea – a romantic story set in a dystopian future. Hilarious and endearing in equal measures, Glitch was easily one of the best stories of the lot.
Apart from this Raj and DK have also supported original and unconventional cinema by producing movies such as Stree and Cinema Bandi.
The duo will be returning with season 3 of The Family Man, and have also been roped in to write and direct the Indian version of Russo Brothers’ global thriller, Citadel. And let’s just say, we can’t wait to see their upcoming projects.