Your Weekend Planner December 13: Saree in Sweden, Mardaani Rani

From movies to TV shows, fashion trends to Google trends, our comprehensive list will get you through the weekend.

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Your Weekend Planner December 13: Saree in Sweden, Mardaani Rani
Your Weekend Planner December 13: Saree in Sweden, Mardaani Rani.

Dear Reader,

Friday, finally. Or as our millennial friends would say, FRIYAY. You have two days to yourself now and a bevy of options to spend your time on. Our Weekend Planner this week starts with a tinge of pride and happiness: Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo taking Indian traditional attire to Stockholm. Banerjee's dhoti-panjabi (dhuti, anyone?) and Duflo's saree made Internet stand up and say, "Wah!" From Stockholm to closer home, what's in the theatres this weekend? Rani Mukerji returns as Shivani Shivaji Rao in Mardaani 2. On your binge-watch list is Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver's Golden Globe hit Marriage Story. December is also the month of weddings in India and Classic Blue is the colour the Fashion Police has their bet on. It's the colour of 2020, after all. And if you're done with your fill of weddings and want to plan that New Year getaway, how about Thailand? All this and more in our Weekend Planner this week. Psst: Did you know Abhijit Banerjee is the first person to sport that dhoti at the Nobel ceremony? More on that here.

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AT THE MOVIES

Mardaani 2

Starring: Rani Mukerji

Rani Mukerji is back as Inspector Shivani Shivaji Roy in Mardaani 2. The film is set in Kota, Rajasthan, and shows Shivani's quest to nab a serial rapist. It is directed by Gopi Puthran. Our review of Mardaani 2 rates the film a strong 3 out of 5.

Did you know?

Rani Mukerji didn't make her debut with the Hindi film Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat. The actress was first seen on the big screen in the 1996 film Biyer Phool, a Bengali romantic comedy. It was directed by Rani's father Ram Mukherjee.

Jumanji: The Next Level

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, etc

Jumanji: The Next Level hit the screens today in four languages - Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and English - in India. The fantasy comedy-adventure boasts of a stellar cast, including Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan and Nick Jonas. It is directed by Jake Kasdan.

ON YOUR BINGE SCREENS

What to watch: Marriage Story

Where to watch: Netflix

With six nods, Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson's Marriage Story is leading the Golden Globes nominations this year. The film, which shows the journey of a couple going through a divorce, has been released on Netflix and is among the hot favourites this weekend.

What to watch: Confession Killer

Where to watch: Netflix

Netflix is back with another crime saga. The documentary recounts the story of Henry Lee Lucas, a serial killer who confessed to murdering more than 100 people. The documentary is a collection of Henry's interviews and old videos.

What to watch: The Expanse - Season 4

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

The Expanse ran for three seasons on SyFy, but was cancelled. Now, it makes a debut on Amazon Prime and has already been confirmed for the fifth season. The Expanse essentially belongs to the sci-fi genre but has strong political undertones and imagines a world beyond just feuding nations: one of feuding planets.

What to watch: The Marvelous Mrs Maisel - Season 3

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

As Midge's stand-up comedy career flourishes, she is now touring for shows. On the other hand, she and husband Joel Maisel are divorced, while her parents Abe and Rose Weissman are homeless after Abe quit his job at the Columbia University. In all this, Midge is struggling to balance between spending enough time with her kids and dedicating her life to her new career. (Read our review of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel 3 here.)

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What to watch: Inside Edge - Season 2

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

The enigmatic Vikrant Dhawan is at the centre of Inside Edge Season 2. Arvind Vashishth wants to catch him for the murder of Niranjan Suri. Zarina Malik never wants to see him again. And Bhaisaab has decided to step into the game himself after sending Dhawan into exile. Except, Dhawan has other plans for all these people. And, blissfully unaware, they are simply walking into Dhawan's trap. (Read our review of Inside Edge 2 here.)

What to watch: The Irishman

Where to watch: Netflix

Martin Scorsese's The Irishman has emerged as the most-watched Oscar-nominated film of the year. 26.5 million people have already watched it on the streaming platform. Or, at least, 70 per cent of the 209-minute film. Have you? (Read our review of The Irishman here.)

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What to watch: The Sky Is Pink

Where to watch: Netflix

Shonali Bose celebrates life in death with this unique story. Zaira Wasim, Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar headline this film, but Rohit Saraf stands out amid the star-studded cast. This slice-of-life film is a must-watch. (Read our review of The Sky Is Pink here.)

What to watch: Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

If Baahubali is your kind of cinema, you cannot afford to miss Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy. Sye Raa stars Chiranjeevi in the role of the Telugu freedom fighter Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy, and has Tamannaah and Nayanthara by him. Apart from that, watch Amitabh Bachchan in a special appearance too. (Read our review of Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy here.)

What to watch: Queen

Where to watch: MX Player

Gautham Vasudev Menon and Prasad Murugesan's Queen is based on a novel of the same name by Anita Sivakumaran. But it is the buzz-word right now for its striking likeness to the life of J Jayalalithaa, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. If that doesn't get you hooked, the fact that Ramya Krishnan will be seen in the lead, will. Queen lands on December 14.

ON YOUR TELEVISION SCREENS

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What to watch: Bigg Boss 13 Weekend Ka Vaar

Where to watch: Colors TV, 9 pm

This weekend on Bigg Boss Weekend Ka Vaar, we get to see a lot of drama, some fun, and an eviction. Madhurima Tuli, Shehnaz Gill, Hindustani Bhau and Sidharth Shukla are nominated for eviction. Out of these four contestants, one will get evicted this weekend. Superstar host Salman Khan will also invite celebrity guests to grace the stage.

What to watch: Indian Idol 11

Where to watch: Sony TV, 8 pm

Indian Idol 11 contestants perform with former contestants of Superstar Singer Season 1 this weekend. Legendary Bollywood stars Asha Parekh and Dharmendra will be on the singing reality show as special guests. Contestants will dedicate their songs to the veteran actors and will also sing their popular numbers on the show.

What to watch: The Kapil Sharma Show

Where to watch: Sony TV, 10.30 pm

Kapil Sharma will welcome the cast of Dabangg 3 on his show this weekend. Salman Khan, who is also the producer of the show, will be seen pulling Kapil's leg when the latter welcomes Dabangg Khan on the show. Bharti Singh will leave everyone in splits, dressed as Madhuri Dixit from Hum Aapke Hai Koun. Salman Khan will be accompanied by his Dabangg 3 co-stars Sonakshi Sinha, Saiee Manjrekar and Kichcha Sudeep, director Prabhudheva and producer Arbaaz Khan.

What to watch: Dance Plus 5

Where to watch: Star Plus, 8 pm

Dance Plus 5 promises to be super fun as Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Saiee Manjrekar and all the other members of the Dabangg 3 team will appear on the popular show. And also, evergreen actors Sunny Deol and Suniel Shetty will grace the stage this weekend.

What to watch: Naagin 4

Where to watch: Colors TV, 9 pm

Ekta Kapoor is back with the fourth season of her popular supernatural show Naagin: Bhagya Ka Zehreela Khel. The new season will premiere on December 14 at 9 pm. The story has Brinda (Nia Sharma) and Nayantara (Jasmin Bhasin) this time around, and how their lives are intertwined. Will Season 4 match up to its predecessors? We find out this weekend.

YOUR INTERNET RECAP

What's trending

In case you have been off track for a while, Google India released its annual Year in Search 2019 list in several categories including movies, sports and politics. While Shahid Kapoor's controversial film Kabir Singh made an appearance in the list more than once, Google stated that Cricket World Cup followed by the Lok Sabha Elections were the most searched for subjects in India this year. Internet singing sensation Ranu Mondal appeared on the 10 most searched personalities list - no surprise there - while Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman occupied the first spot in this particular index. Speaking of Twitter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's post after the BJP's Lok Sabha Elections victory in 2019 became the Golden Tweet in India.

Something to make you smile

Yes, it has been one hectic week with the Citizenship Amendment Bill. And that implies social media has been a battleground with myriad opinions and debates. However, we did manage to spot certain news updates that made us smile. To begin with, Abhijit Banerjee received his Nobel Prize in economics in Sweden, dressed in traditional Bengali attire - dhoti-panjabi. 3 Bengalis won the Nobel but Abhijit is the first to wear a dhoti to the ceremony. We were also delighted with a viral picture of a volleyball player in Mizoram. She was photographed breastfeeding her baby in between a game on the field.

YOUR READING LIST

The coming week also marks the seventh year of the horrific Delhi gang rape and reports say that the rapists are likely to be hanged soon. If you want to delve deeper into the capital punishments India has seen so far, Prateek Jain's new book Hang Till Death is a good companion for the weekend. Word of caution: It is quite heavy.

On the lighter side is Ajay Mankotia's There's Seven For You, Three For Me: Chronicles Of A Taxman. Mankotia takes you into the 'boring' lives of taxmen and smashes your preconceived notions about these men and women. From Bollywood celebrities to politicians, Mankotia's tax raids spare none.

In fiction, there is Nana Oforiatta Ayim's The God Child, the story of an immigrant who feels at home neither in Germany nor in Ghana. Ayim's debut novel has been called 'promising' in reviews. Give it a try.

YOUR TRAVEL ITINERARY

Crossing the Chao Phraya. (Photo: Ananya Bhattacharya)

It is December and if you are travelling to the land of beaches, delectable Pad Thai and intoxicating nightlife - Thailand - then there's more to explore than what the traditional travel guides tell you. Thailand this Christmas and New Year has quite a lot to offer. Here's our extensive guide on what you can do in Thailand other than just going to the beaches.

YOUR WORKOUT SCHEDULE

Katrina Kaif recently took the Internet by storm when she released a series of intense workout routines that she and her friends indulged in at the gym. So this holiday season, if you are planning to stay healthy like the fitness queen of Bollywood herself, take cues directly from her.

From burpees to push-ups to callisthenics, this routine by Katrina is not only intense but will surely take your core strength up by a notch.

YOUR GO-TO WEEKEND FASHION TREND

Pantone Classic Blue

Fashion trend alert: Classic Blue

Pantone recently announced Classic Blue as the colour of the year 2020. And of course, it is time to stock your wardrobe with some blues now!

Take sartorial cues from Malaika Arora who recently donned a stunning experimental saree with structured winged pallu in the classic blue colour. Or, grab a shimmer bodycon dress, just like Sonakshi Sinha, to dazzle at upcoming Christmas and New Year parties.

We have got you covered for weddings as well. Slay like a diva that you are and seek inspiration from Bhumi Pednekar's voguish lehenga, set replete with glimmering gota patti work.

Have a fun weekend!

(Compiled by Ananya Bhattacharya, Nairita Mukherjee, Krishna Priya Pallavi, Raya Ghosh, Kristina Das, Vibha Maru, Shweta Keshri, Medha Chawla)

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