Anupama Chopra Reviews: Recent Episodes
Film Companion
Anupama Chopra, founder & editor of Film Companion, is a film critic, television anchor and book author. She has been writing about Bollywood since 1993. Her work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Hindustan Times, The Los Angeles Times and Vogue (India). Here you can find all of her reviews for movies from across the globe.
"Bad Newz," a sequel to "Good Newzz," explores a complex pregnancy scenario where a woman is pregnant with twins from two different fathers. Featuring Vicky Kaushal, Tripti Dimri, and Ammy Virk, the film includes nostalgic music and glossy visuals. Does the gloss get into the way of sincere storytelling, or do we find ourselves in the midst of an earnest Bollywood Comedy?
BadNewz #VickyKaushal #TriptiDimri #AmmyVirk
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"Kill," directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, is a raw and thrilling film set on a train, featuring intense close-quarters combat and extreme violence. The story follows commandos Amrit and Viresh rescuing Amrit’s girlfriend from dacoits. Despite its brutality, the film captivates with powerful performances, dark humor, and social commentary, blurring the lines between heroes and villains.#Kill #Lakshya #RaghavJuyal
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"Kalki 2898 AD" is an ambitious film by Nag Ashwin, blending Indian mythology with Western sci-fi. The story, inspired by the Puranas and the Mahabharata, echoes classics like "Dune" and "Metropolis." While the visuals are stunning and the cast star-studded, the film's creativity and ambition shine through, offering a unique cinematic experience. We dissect the film in this video, and talk about what worked and what didn’t in the same.
Kalki2898AD #Prabhas #AmitabhBachchan #DeepikaPadukone
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Munjya is a rakshas from Maharashtrian folklore, a malevolent spirit born from an incomplete ritual. In this horror-comedy, a boy's unrequited love and violent tendencies turn him into a Munjya, haunting his love interest. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, the film blends traditional horror with humor and social commentary, featuring Abhay Verma as the unlikely hero. Is this addition to the Stree-Bhediya universe worth the watch, or is another hit-and-miss in the horror-comedy genre?
Munjya #Sharvari
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In this review, Anupama Chopra dissects “Srikanth," a biographical drama featuring the talents of Rajkummar Rao and Jyotika. She journeys through the film's portrayal of Srikanth Bolla's inspiring life, tracing his journey from adversity to triumph. Delve into the analysis of the missed and laudable narrative opportunities and character dynamics of the film, as she answers the one question - Is the film a profound and authentic depiction of Srikanth's remarkable journey? Find out in this review, and tell us what you thought about the film, in the comments below.#Srikanth #RajkummarRao #Jyotika
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"Manjummel Boys" is a deeply emotional tribute to friendship, inspired by a true incident. Director Chidambaram masterfully captures the bond of ordinary men facing extraordinary circumstances. The film's power transcends screen size, evoking gasps and tears even on a second viewing. Through poignant flashbacks and powerful visuals, it explores themes of courage and camaraderie, underscored by the timeless song "Kanmani Anbodu Kadhalan." In this review, we analyse the Soubin Shahir and Sreenath Bhasi starrer, and talk about the film in detIl. #ManjummelBoys #SoubinShahir #SreenathBhasi
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Discover the charming journey of Kavya and Anirudh in 'Do Aur Do Pyaar,' as they reignite their love after 12 years of marriage. This Hindi adaptation of 'The Lovers' explores the dynamics of relationships with humor and warmth. Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi shine in this relatable tale of rediscovery, where love, friendship, and intimacy take center stage. Does the film come together and prove be as fresh as the on-screen pairings, or does this become another slumber rom-com?
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Amar Singh Chamkila starring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra is Imtiaz Ali's powerful exploration of freedom of expression, depicting the tumultuous life of Punjabi singer Amar Singh Chamkila. Through Chamkila's controversial songs, the film delves into themes of morality, fame, and societal judgment. Check out our review for the film, and tell us what you thought.
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"Maidaan" depicts the remarkable journey of Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim, who led the team to unprecedented success in the 1950s and 1960s. Director Amit Ravindranath Sharma captures the emotional intensity of Rahim's story, in a runtime that lasts around 3 hours. Ajay Devgn's portrayal of Rahim is marked by brooding intensity, complemented by Priyamani's nuanced performance as his wife. But does the film’s writing, and execution do justice to the story being told?
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Explore Prithviraj's compelling portrayal of Najeeb in Aadujeevitham, depicting the harsh realities of migrant life in the Middle East. Amidst breathtaking visuals and immersive sound design, and music by A.R. Rahman, witness Najeeb's journey of endurance and resilience through the lens of Director Blessy and his astounding direction capabilities.
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Embark on a comprehensive exploration of 'Crew' with our detailed review! Delve into the captivating performances of Kriti Sanon, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Tabu, while navigating through the twists and turns of this star-studded heist comedy. From dissecting the intricacies of the storyline to unraveling the impact of its writing, we offer a nuanced perspective on this chick flick.
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Ae Watan Mere Watan is a cinematic exploration of Usha Mehta's courageous journey during the Quit India Movement. Directed by Kannan Iyer, the film delves into the captivating story of the underground Congress Radio and its pivotal role in galvanizing the nation. However, despite its historical significance, is the film's narrative able to captivate audiences, and leave viewers longing for a deeper exploration of the characters and their struggles? Discover more about this tale of sacrifice and determination, in our review. Tell us what you thought about this review.
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Sidharth Malhotra shines as Arun Katyal, the head of a special task force named Yodha, in this adrenaline-pumping thriller. Directed by debutants Sagar Ambre and Pushkar Ojha, 'Yodha' blends broad-stroked storytelling with dialed-up desh bhakti, delivering an immersive cinematic first-half. Does it fly high and land well in time, though? Find out in our review.
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Experience the chilling depths of 'Shaitaan' where R. Madhavan, in a standout performance, portrays an intruder from hell. Unravel the dark narrative as Vanraj, a black magic connoisseur, inflicts unimaginable torment on a hapless family. Director Vikas Bahl explores the eerie atmosphere of a farmhouse, echoing classic horror tropes. As parental love clashes with supernatural horrors, 'Shaitaan' takes you on a rollercoaster of fear and suspense. Is the family able to replicate the terror we see in their eyes, to the one the audience feels while watching the same?
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Timothee Chalamet's Paul Atreides navigates a visually stunning universe on Arrakis, rich in spice and ripe for exploration. Director Denis Villeneuve's aversion to excessive dialogue pays off with mesmerizing visuals and an entrancing score by Hans Zimmer. However, the most good-looking films have the deepest fault lines. And to find out what they are, check out our review of Dune: Part Two; and let us know how you liked the film
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Laapataa Ladies, starring Nitanshi Goel and Pratibha Ranta - is a charming feminist tale set in 2001's fictional Nirmal Pradesh is a smile-inducing, tear-jerking ode to the strength and struggles of women, leaving you hopeful for their triumphant journey. Director Kiran Rao crafts a grounded fairy tale with sweetness and simplicity, using humour as a not-so-secret weapon. But does it live up to its expectations as a whole? Find out in our review, and tell us how you liked the film.
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Explore the world of coaching in Kota through 'All India Rank,' a film directed by Varun Grover. Set in the late 1990s, it follows Vivek's journey, blending the pressures of cracking IIT with the essence of life. Grover, a multi-faceted artist, infuses nostalgia and tenderness, making a plea for young minds to wander before finding their true path. Does Grover pass in his first attempt, though? Find out in our review, and tell us how you liked the film.
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Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya directed by Amit Joshi, Aradhana Sah, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon explores the whimsical scenario of a man falling in love with a stunning robot named Sifra. Despite its potential for social commentary, satire, and comedy, the film's execution fluctuates between fun and flat moments. However do its shining moments really add up to being an unforgettable romantic comedy? Find out in our review.
Bhakshak, inspired by the 2020 Muzaffarpur Shelter Home case, addresses the horrifying issue of child abuse. The film follows Vaishali, a determined journalist played by Bhumi Pednekar, as she exposes sexual exploitation in a girl's shelter. While the film highlights societal challenges faced by women, is it able to land all its merits, and all in the right place?
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A film soaring on patriotism, Fighter starring Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, and Anil Kapoor tries hard to be an inspiring aerial actioner; but is the Pathaan and War Director Siddharth Anand able to replicate the same magic felt throughout his previous films, in this? Find out in this review.
Main Atal Hoon is a biopic of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of India's most formidable statesmen. The film begins with the Kargil War, with Vajpayee pushing back against Pakistan with force and determination. The film then zips through 60 years, documenting Vajpayee's rise and the way in which the political landscape and the country changed. The film features a stellar performance by Pankaj Tripathi, but does it hold one's attention? Find out in our review.
After a stellar 2023 for Indian Cinema, we at Film Companion are back with our top picks on a new day and in a new year. The year ahead seems to have a package of the both mass and class cinema, and we can’t wait to savour it all. From Hrithik Rohan in Fighter to Tabu in The Crew, in this video, Anupama Chopra lists her most anticipated films of year, hoping you’d do the same too, in the comments below.
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2023 has been a year filled with comebacks, surprises, and unanimously loved characters; all tied together with some stellar storytelling and direction. As the curtains close, we embark on a celebratory journey to unveil the top 5 Indian films that redefined cinematic excellence. In this video, Anupama Chopra lists her favourite movies of the year, and we hope you’d do the same in the comments below.
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In Sriram Raghavan's Merry Christmas - under the lights, two strangers, Maria and Albert, try to find solace in each other's lies and broken hearts. In this video Anupama Chopra reviews this Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi starrer, and suggests if you should watch this in a theatre near you, or not.
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Salaar starring Prabhas, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Shruti Haasan, and Meenakshi Chaudhary is unapologetically over-the-top, and yes, it can be confusing. It's the kind of film that would benefit from a 'KUNJI' – essentially, a guidebook for dummies.Will I return for part 2? Absolutely.Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
The Archies presents a Zoya Akhtar-lite experience, offering a less rich and satisfying rendition of the themes that Zoya and her creative partner, Reema Kagti, have woven into their impressive careers. These themes include coming-of-age, class and cultural conflicts, the significance of inclusion and ambition, the power of storytelling, the transformative nature of art, and, consistently, the splendor of rebellion.Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
When I interviewed Sandeep following the release of Kabir Singh, our conversation concluded with him stating that "if people thought this was a violent film, he would show them what a violent film actually is." Sandeep has indeed kept his promise. Animal showcases various forms of violence, including emotional, psychological, sexual, and physical. The film features Ranbir Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna, and Anil Kapoor.Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
Vicky Kaushal's acting talent shines as he effortlessly switches between diverse roles. Earlier, he successfully portrayed an average, clumsy man in Zara Hatke Zara Bachke. Now, he transforms into the formidable hero in his latest film, Sam Bahadur. Vicky embodies the character with light eyes, a distinct posture, and a powerful speaking style, marked by dramatic pauses. However, the film's writing limits his portrayal, focusing more on external traits and lacking depth in showing the character's internal complexities.#vickykaushal #sambahadur #moviereview Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
Director Soumendra Padhi, previously known for his notable work on the Netflix hit series Jamtara - Sabka Number Ayega and the National Award-winning film Budhia Singh - Born to Run, demonstrates his exceptional suitability for this film. His direction is especially commendable with the debutant cast, prominently featuring Alizeh. For those who haven't experienced Bad Genius, Farrey provides a captivating series of twists and turns. The film has been co-produced by Alizeh's parents, Alvira Khan Agnihotri and Atul Agnihotri, along with her superstar uncle Salman Khan.
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The first 20 minutes of Apurva are intense. Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat plunges us into the world of four ruthless modern-day dakus in the Chambal. They're sadistic psychopaths who revel in violence, and when they kidnap a young girl, it's chilling to watch. It's so gripping that I almost didn't want to continue watching, and that's a compliment.#moviereview #filmcompanion #tarasutaria Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanion
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Be aware that the law of diminishing returns applies to Tiger 3. It's the weakest installment in both the trilogy and the entire franchise. These films should function like a giant slot machine, consistently delivering dopamine hits at regular intervals, yet this one falls short. However, what does work effectively is the relationship between Tiger and Zoya, portrayed by Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif.
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Pippa has a scale. Some of the battle scenes, shot with vigour by DOP Priya Seth, who also did terrific work on Raja’s 2016 film Airlift, showcase her skill. Despite the roster of fine actors – Ishaan Khatter, Priyanshu Painyuli, and Mrunal Thakur – they aren’t able to fully breathe life into their characters, as they seem more like ideas on paper rather than fleshed-out people.
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In Ganapath: A Hero is Born, director Vikas Bahl introduces a new hero. For 10 years, Tiger Shroff has been famous in Bollywood for action, dance, and his fit body. But why can't directors find good stories for him? Many focus on his physical skills and forget to create strong characters and stories.Visit us at www.filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
Leo, co-written by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Rathna Kumar, and Deeraj Vaidy, is loosely inspired by David Cronenberg’s 2005 classic A History of Violence. The epithet Thalapathy usually precedes his name – it means leader or commander. However, Leo co-writer and director Lokesh Kanagaraj, who previously made Master with Vijay, aims to broaden the scope of mythic heroism in a mass movie.
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Vishal Bhardwaj's film, Khufiya, starring Tabu, Ali Fazal, and Wamiqa Gabbi, is inspired by the 2012 novel Escape to Nowhere by former intelligence officer Amar Bhushan. Loosely based on a true incident involving a missing suspected spy, the title Khufiya hints at both the mysterious world of espionage and the profound secrets harbored by its main characters, especially the women.Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
Thank You for Coming, starring Bhumi Pednekar, Shehnaaz Gill, Dolly Singh, Kusha Kapila, and Shibani Bedi, carries a double meaning in its title. The film relies heavily on the unbridled energy, strong comic timing, and complete lack of vanity of its lead, Bhumi Pednekar. Thank You for Coming juggles many themes – it's not only about female pleasure but also touches upon acceptance, self-love, slut shaming, and the mixed messages that women often grow up with.Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
What happens when a popular bhajan singer discovers that he might be Muslim by birth? That is the question posed by Vijay Krishna Acharya’s The Great Indian Family. The film stars Vicky Kaushal, Manushi Chhillar, Manoj Pahwa, and Kumud Mishra.
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Talents like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Vijay Varma shine, yet Jaane Jaan falls short of its potential. Sujoy and DOP Avik Mukhopadhyay, known for Sardar Udham, brilliantly craft an atmospheric mood with rolling fog and stylized lighting. While close-up shots of the leads and Anirban Sengupta's suspenseful sound design stand out, the script and character depth lag behind.
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Debutant director Akshat Ajay Sharma's Haddi, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Anurag Kashyap, and Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, drew inspiration from Hamlet, but its impact falls short of the Shakespearean masterpiece.Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
Debutant director Akshat Ajay Sharma's Haddi, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Anurag Kashyap, and Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, drew inspiration from Hamlet, but its impact falls short of the Shakespearean masterpiece.Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
Jawan, featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara, Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Sunil Grover, and Sanjay Dutt, is a bold cinematic venture by blockbuster director Atlee. Embracing his 'More is More' mantra, Atlee's fifth film, Jawan, showcases heroic protagonists, themes of justice, intense action, grand song sequences, and his signature lavish scale. With plotlines so dense, they could inspire an entire series.Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
Jawan, featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara, Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Sunil Grover, and Sanjay Dutt, is a bold cinematic venture by blockbuster director Atlee. Embracing his 'More is More' mantra, Atlee's fifth film, Jawan, showcases heroic protagonists, themes of justice, intense action, grand song sequences, and his signature lavish scale. With plotlines so dense, they could inspire an entire series.Visit us at http://filmcompanion.inHave you subscribed to Film Companion yet? Join us here - http://bit.ly/FCsubscribeFollow Us On:https://www.facebook.com/filmcompanionhttps://www.twitter.com/filmcompanionhttp://instagram.com/filmcompanion
When you hear the word Ghoomer, you probably think of Deepika Padukone, resplendent in red, performing the traditional Rajasthani folk dance in Padmavat. But writer-director R. Balki’s new film refers to a bowling delivery that the one-armed Anina specializes in. Listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
The first film was called Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. This one should have been titled Gadar 2: A Screaming Match. Because there’s a lot of shouting in this film. Here's Anupama Chopra's review of Gadar 2.
To watch this review, click here: https://youtu.be/W13ZWqnb4X4
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Watching strong, smart, sexy women kicking butt onscreen is one of my keenest pleasures. Add to that the thrill of seeing one of our finest, Alia Bhatt, go up against Wonder Woman Gal Gadot. I love that director Tom Harper cast a Bollywood A-lister as the baddie in a big Hollywood spy movie. All of which made Heart of Stone seem like a slam dunk. But the film’s vast potential is sabotaged by generic writing.
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Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is delicious eye-candy with a rebellious core. Despite the flabby portions, I exited with a smile, wishing that Rocky was real and wanting to give my family a japphi. There can be no downside to that.
You can also watch the review here, only on Reviews & More by Film Companion.
Twice in Bawaal, featuring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, Varun, who plays a Lucknow school teacher named Ajay, tells other characters, "The idea is a bit revolutionary, please listen with an open mind." I suspect he's a stand-in for director Nitesh Tiwari instructing his viewers. Because this film, based on a story by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and written by Nitesh, Piyush Gupta, Nikhil Mehrotra, and Shreyas Jain, definitely requires an open mind. Warning: this review includes spoilers.
At 61, Tom Cruise is so determined to make us happy that he’s willing to risk his life for it. And here’s the thing – he delivers. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1, the seventh instalment in the Mission Impossible series, is a dazzling, consistently pleasurable ride. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Neeyat starring Vidya Balan with an ensemble cast including Ram Kapoor, Rahul Bose, Dipannita Sharma, Shashank Arora, Shahana Goswami, Neeraj Kabi and Amrita Puri is a film brimming with possibilities. The end twist, though far-fetched, is wicked. And the set-up for a sequel is even more delicious. I can’t wait to see what these characters do next. The problem is the material before we get to this point. It’s an undercooked slog. To know more about the film, watch the full movie review by Anupama Chopra on Reviews and More by Film Companion.
Tarla’s story is fascinating because this stratospheric culinary stardom wasn’t planned. To know more about the movie, watch the full review by Anupama Chopra on Reviews and More by Film Companion. It stars Huma Qureshi, Sharib Hashmi, and Purnendu Bhattacharya.
To get to the meat and emotion of Satyaprem ki Katha starring Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani, you have to plow through a first half brimming with sparkly dance sequences, jokes that don’t land, and that stereotypical portrayal of the Gujarati community that Hindi cinema dishes out often. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra here.
The second edition of the Lust Stories anthology isn’t, strictly speaking, just about lust. To know more about the anthology, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra here.
When I told someone that I’m going to see a film called Bloody Daddy, he said it sounds like bad porn. As it turns out, Bloody Daddy is a solidly entertaining cops-and-gangsters saga. It features Shahid Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Diana Penty, Ronit Roy, Rajeev Khandelwal, Ankur Bhatia, and Vivan Bhatena.
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is both enjoyable and tiring, highlighting superhero fatigue in the 32nd film of the MCU. Director James Gunn continues to bring a unique sense of fun to the genre with this band of misfits. With the tagline "Once More with Feeling," it's a return to form for the Guardians. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Afwaah (starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bhumi Pednekar and Sumeet Vyas), similar to Anubhav's recent Bheed or Hansal Mehta's Faraaz, is a part of Bollywood's dissenting cinema. While it is crucial to have such films, they often assume a morally superior stance, neglecting the importance of narrating a captivating story, which can itself drive change. As the renowned late American critic Roger Ebert once said, movies are the most influential aid to empathy among all arts, and excellent films can transform us into better individuals. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Ponniyin Selvan 2 starring Vikram, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and Sobhita Dhulipala is a towering tale of ambition, tragedy, love, and greed. At stake is the crown of the Chola empire in 10th-century India. And where there is a throne, there must be blood. This film is a portrait of power, which we know is a Faustian bargain. It demands sacrifice – of lives, morals, and relationships.
U Turn starring Alaya F is a remake of the 2016 Kannada hit, also called U Turn. But debutant feature director Arif Khan isn’t content to merely retell the story of a makeshift divider on a flyover in a new language. To know more about the film, here's the full movie review by Anupama Chopra.
Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, starring Salman Khan & Pooja Hegde is a remake of the 2014 Tamil film Veeram. To be fair, this film has a more coherent narrative than Salman’s last few outings. But those were Radhe and Dabangg 3 so the bar is very low. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
In this review, film critic Anupama Chopra shares her review of the latest Telugu film, Shaakuntalam. She discusses her biggest takeaway from the film, the film’s soul-sapping tedium, VFX, and more.
A spy comedy with the formidable Radhika Apte as a Kolkata housewife who also happens to be an undercover agent. A sparkling idea. What could go wrong? As it turns out, everything. To know more about the movie, here's the full movie review by Anupama Chopra.
In this movie review by Anupama Chopra, with a gripping premise and a talented cast including Aditya Roy Kapur, Ronit Roy and Mrunal Thakur, the movie falls short due to dull storytelling and uninteresting characters. Gumraah stars Aditya Roy Kapoor in a double role. This thriller is a remake of the 2019 Tamil film Thadam. Listen to the full review to know more!
Bholaa is Kaithi on steroids. Director, leading man and co-producer Ajay Devgn take Lokesh Kanagaraj’s 2019 action drama – Kaithi means prisoner - and cranks up the volume, literally and metaphorically, to 11. The operating principle of this film is more is more. Bholaa stars Tabu, Deepak Dobriyal, Sanjay Mishra, and Gajraj Rao in pivotal roles.
There is one clever twist in Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga starring Yami Gautam, Sunny Kaushal, and Sharad Kelkar but to get to it you have to sit through a disjointed story that goes back and forth in time – first, the action moves to eight hours ago and then eight months ago. To know more about the film, here's the full review by Anupama Chopra on Reviews and More by Film Companion.
In Bheed, Anubhav revisits the horrors of March 2020, the early months of the pandemic when India went into lockdown. Anubhav and casting director Mukesh Chhabra have put together a superb ensemble cast – apart from Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar, there’s Pankaj Kapur, Ashutosh Rana, Dia Mirza, Aditi Subedi, Aditya Srivastava and Virendra Saxena. To know more about the film, here's the full review by Anupama Chopra on Reviews and More by Film Companion.
Gulmohar starring Manoj Bajpayee, Sharmila Tagore, and Amol Palekar begins and ends with a family gathering. There are lines in the film about the fast-changing landscape of Delhi where old bungalows are giving way to skyscrapers. But if strong enough, familial bonds outlast houses. This film gives us the comfort of that. To know more about the movie, Listen to the full movie review of Gulmohar by Anupama Chopra.
What is lost in Lost, on Zee 5, starring Yami Gautam, is not just a human being, but humanity itself. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Steven Spielberg’s new film The Fabelmans starring Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams and Paul Dano is a many splendored thing. For starters, it is the origin myth of the director himself. The film depicts events from Spielberg’s life from 1952 to 1965. To know more about the film, watch the full review by Anupama Chopra on Reviews and More by Film Companion.
The film Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat is about two couples – one in London and the other in Dalhousie. Both are played by Alaya F & Karan Mehta. There are differences in class, religion, identity but the barriers they face are the same – bigotry, patriarchy and hate so strong that there is no reasoning with it. Not surprisingly, tragedy strikes but Anurag, always an advocate of revolution, ends on a fiery note with DJ Mohabbat declaring: Mohabbat se hi toh kranti aayegi.
Listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
With Pathaan, the emperor gets his groove back. From his electrifying introduction scene to the end sequence, in which co-writer and director Siddharth Anand tips his hat to three decades of stardom Shah Rukh commands the frame. Pathaan stars Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, Ashutosh Rana and Dimple Kapadia. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Mission Majnu starring Sidharth Malhotra and Rashmika Mandanna begins with the declaration that it is inspired by true events. If we believe the events in this film, we have to conclude that Pakistan, in the mid-seventies, was run by men who could all fit under one label - Dumb and Dumber. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
In Chhatriwali, starring Rakul Preet Singh, Sumeet Vyas, Satish Kaushik, Dolly Ahluwalia, and Rajesh Tailang, writers Sanchit Gupta and Priyadarshee Srivastava are so keen to make their Let’s-talk-about-sex messaging land that the plot slowly veers into the absurd. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam starring Mammootty, Ramya Pandian & Ashokan, is Tamil for an afternoon nap. It’s the title of the new film by Lijo Jose Pellissery, one of Malayalam cinema’s most inventive and invigorating filmmakers– his earlier films include Jallikattu, India’s entry for the Oscars in 2019. Lijo is often referred to as the master of chaos. But this film is a departure – it’s quieter and more still. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
To the already busy plot in Cirkus, director Rohit Shetty & the writers add half a dozen characters, a superhuman ability for one twin to endure electric currents, which somehow transfers to the other twin even though he lives in another town, love interests who crowd the frame without adding much value and a larger philosophical debate about nature versus nurture. Apart from being an oversized entertainer, Cirkus also wants to advocate for tolerance and inclusivity. It’s a noble thought but the film is a mess. To know more about the movie, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
When a sequel arrives 13 years after the first film, no matter how much of a blockbuster that first film was, the question is: do we still care? James Cameron doesn’t give us a choice. To know more about the movie, here's the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Govinda Naam Mera ends with someone giving a lengthy explanation of how the pieces of the puzzle fit together but frankly by that time I was past caring. I was missing Karan Johar’s installment in Lust Stories, which was the first time we saw Vicky and Kiara together. That 33-minute short is way more fun than this film. To know more about the movie, here's the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Salaam Venky is based on a book called The Last Hurrah by Shrikant Murthy, which itself was based on the life of a young chess player named Kolavennu Venkatesh who suffered from DMD. To know more about the movie, check the review by Anupama Chopra.
First with Bulbbul and now with Qala starring Tripti Dimri, Swastika Mukherjee, Varun Grover, Swanand Kirkire, and Babil Khan, writer-director Anvitaa Dutt continues to carve her own sub-genre – perhaps we can label it the feminist fantastical.
Wonder Women directed by Anjali Menon stars Nadiya Moidu, Nithya Menen, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Padmapriya Janakiraman, Sayanora Philip, Archana Padmini, and Amruta Subhash. The story revolves around women, who come from different circumstances and varied socio-economic backgrounds and find a way to connect and support each other at a particularly bewildering and overwhelming time in their lives. The film is dedicated to “the sisterhoods that support us.” Here's the full review by Anupama Chopra.
How much plot can you fit into one film? I don’t think that writer-director duo Hari Shankar and Harish Narayan paused to ask that question while making Yashoda starring Samantha Ruth Prabhu as a lead. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review here.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a curious contradiction. The opening and closing sequences of Wakanda Forever will make your heart ache. But at two hours and forty-one minutes, this is also one of the longest films in the MCU. To know more about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra on Film Companion.
Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi, Radhika Apte, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, and Sikandar Kher starring Monica, O My Darling is directed by Vasan Bala who uses the phrase Monica, O My Darling and the song as scaffolding for a twisted tale of lust, blackmail, murder, greed, jealousy, class conflict, and corruption. Listen to the the full review by Anupama Chopra only on Film Companion.
Phone Bhoot starring Katrina Kaif, Siddhant Chaturvedi & Ishaan Khatter and directed by Gurmmeet Singh is one of those comedies in which the makers throw everything at the screen, desperately hoping that something sticks. Keep listening for the full review.
Ram Setu should have been a thrilling yarn. Instead, it’s an eye-glazing opportunity lost. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review here.
Goodbye belongs to a particular sub-genre – funeral films. I’m sure you’ve seen one before. A member of a family dies, which causes the extended family to gather. To know more about this black comedy-drama, here's the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Maja Ma is a tender, emotionally resonant story of a middle-aged married woman who slowly makes peace with the fact that she is a lesbian. Pallavi Patel played by Madhuri Dixit makes Maja Ma even more striking. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Ponniyin Selvan: I is the first in a two-part series, based on a five-volume novel written by Kalki, directed by Mani Ratnam. To know more about the PS: I, here's the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Ponniyin Selvan: I is the first in a two-part series, based on a five-volume novel written by Kalki, directed by Mani Ratnam. To know more about the PS: I, here's the full review by Anupama Chopra.
How much you enjoy Vikram Vedha starring Hrithik Roshan & Saif Ali Khan is directly dependent on how much you have already enjoyed Vikram Vedha. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
How much you enjoy Vikram Vedha starring Hrithik Roshan & Saif Ali Khan is directly dependent on how much you have already enjoyed Vikram Vedha. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Chup: Revenge of the Artist directed by R. Balki starring Dulquer Salmaan, Sunny Deol, Shreya Dhanwanthary & Pooja Bhatt is a suspenseful slasher film, a swoony romance, and a serious meditation on the contentious relationship between critics and artists.
Chup: Revenge of the Artist directed by R. Balki starring Dulquer Salmaan, Sunny Deol, Shreya Dhanwanthary & Pooja Bhatt is a suspenseful slasher film, a swoony romance, and a serious meditation on the contentious relationship between critics and artists.
Siya starring Vineet Kumar Singh and Pooja Pandey is the directorial debut of Manish Mundra – a name you might know from terrific, left-of-mainstream films such as Ankhon Dekhi, Masaan, Newton, and Ram Prasad ki Tehrvi. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Siya starring Vineet Kumar Singh and Pooja Pandey is the directorial debut of Manish Mundra – a name you might know from terrific, left-of-mainstream films such as Ankhon Dekhi, Masaan, Newton, and Ram Prasad ki Tehrvi. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Jogi starring Diljit Dosanjh directed by Ali Abbas Zafar takes place over three harrowing days in and around Delhi after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 31st October 1984. Into the larger socio-political tragedy unfolding, writer Ali and Sukhmani weave in a thread of personal revenge. To know more about the Jogi, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra on Film Companion.
Jogi starring Diljit Dosanjh directed by Ali Abbas Zafar takes place over three harrowing days in and around Delhi after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 31st October 1984. Into the larger socio-political tragedy unfolding, writer Ali and Sukhmani weave in a thread of personal revenge. To know more about the Jogi, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra on Film Companion.
There is oodles of talent, money, and sweat in every frame of Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva directed by Ayan Mukerji, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna & Mouni Roy. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra on Film Companion.
There is oodles of talent, money, and sweat in every frame of Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva directed by Ayan Mukerji, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna & Mouni Roy. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra on Film Companion.
Cuttputlli starring Akshay Kumar, Rakul Preet Singh & Sargun Mehta is a low-IQ retread with moments taken from classics like The Shining and Psycho. To know more about the film, listen to the full review by Anupama Chopra.
Liger is a hybrid bringing together artists from Hindi and Telugu cinema starring Vijay Deverakonda & Ananya Panday as the lead. To know more about Puri Jagannadh's storytelling, listen to the full review of Anupama Chopra on Film Companion.
Thiruchitrambalam has an inherently sunny disposition. There are no villains here – just flawed and fumbling human beings chasing slivers of happiness. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review of the Dhanush-Nithya Menen starrer.
Dobaaraa is so generic that it feels like Anurag Kashyap ison auto-pilot. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review here.
Laal Singh Chaddha is obviously a labour of love – just the number of states the film has been shot in will make your jaw drop – but it never finds those high notes. Listen to the full review to know more.
Darlings is a comedy about a grim subject. Does debutant director Jasmeet K Reen manage this ambitious balancing act? Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to find out.
Vikrant Rona is a 2022 Indian Kannada-language action-adventure thriller film written and directed by Anup Bhandari. It stars Sudeep as the titular character alongside Nirup Bhandari, Neetha Ashok, and Jacqueline Fernandez. Listen to Vikrant Rona's review on Film Companion by Anupama Chopra to know more.
Ek Villain Returns is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film written and directed by Mohit Suri, and a spiritual successor to his 2014 film Ek Villain. It stars John Abraham, Arjun Kapoor, Disha Patani and Tara Sutaria. Listen to Ek Villain Returns review by Anupama Chopra to know more.
Shamshera is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language period action film produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films and directed by Karan Malhotra. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor in a dual role with Sanjay Dutt as the antagonist alongside Vaani Kapoor, Ronit Roy, Saurabh Shukla, and Ashutosh Rana.
The Gray Man is an action thriller film directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay the latter co-wrote with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Mark Greaney. The film stars Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Dhanush. Listen to The Gray Man Review by Anupama Chopra to know more.
RK/RKAY is a comedy-drama film written and directed by Rajat Kapoor, also starring himself with Mallika Sherawat, Kubbra Sait, Ranvir Shorey, and Manu Rishi Chadha. Listen to this review by Anupama Chopra to know more.
Director-writer-producer-actor Taika Waititi is a singular sensation. In 2017, he directed Thor: Ragnarok starring Chris Hemsworth as a protagonist. Does he strike gold again with its sequel Thor: Love and Thunder? What is Anupama's take on Thor: Love and Thunder Let’s find out.
The story of Nambi Narayanan is a thriller soaked in tragedy. The ISRO scientist was a brilliant, arrogant, adamant rule-breaker, a man Tom Cruise’s Maverick from Top Gun might have admired. This is the review of the Bollywood movie Rocketry: The Nambi Effect written and directed by R. Madhavan.
Despite the fault lines, JugJugg Jeeyo remains watchable because the actors are uniformly good. Watch Anupama Chopra’s full review to know more.
With Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga, director Srijit Mukherji takes this material and tries to weave in a larger meditation on the deteriorating relationship between man and nature, and more. But these threads aren’t woven into the storytelling with any delicacy. Listen to Anupama Chopra’s full review to know more.
Nikamma is a remake of a Telugu film called Middle Class Abbayi which means ‘middle-class boy.’ I haven’t seen the original but the Hindi version could be titled 50 Shades of Ridiculous. Listen to Anupama Chopra’s full review to know more.
Anubhav Sinha's Anek starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, poses the critical question of: Who is Indian? Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
Jayeshbhai Jordaar makes a larger plea not just for gender equality but also for letting go of superstition and to stop judging people by appearances. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review to know more.
Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a sequel to the 2016 Doctor Strange. Director Sam Raimi, a master of horror, creates a twisty, visually imaginative saga. And yet the center does not hold. Listen to the full review to know more.
Thar visually echoes other Hindi films that have Hollywood Westerns imprinted in their DNA. Be warned, Thar is disturbingly violent. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review to know more.
Heropanti 2 is the spiritual successor of Heropanti, the 2014 film, which launched Tiger and Kriti Sanon. In my review of the first film, I had said that Tiger was absolutely a star but that the film was ‘comically bad’. Heropanti 2 has redefined the phrase for me. Listen to the full review to know more.
Runway 34 is a mashup of a movie, the 2012 Denzel Washington starrer Flight, and a real-life incident. Director Ajay Devgn and writers Sandeep Kewlani and Aamil Keeyan Khan combine these two stories. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review to know more.
Director Gowtam Tinnanuri doesn’t enlarge or significantly alter Jersey, the Hindi version. If you haven’t seen the original Telugu film, this one will work better for you. Listen to the full review to know more.
KGF: Chapter 2 is a sequel on steroids – everything is bigger, grander, louder. Everything in this movie is dialled up to 11. For Prashanth, more is more.
RAW, the Hindi-dubbed version of the Tamil film Beast is, forgive the pun, a strange beast. It offers keen pleasures – foremost among them is superstar Vijay delivering truckloads of charisma and his signature insouciance.
Here's Film Companion's review of Bachchhan Paandey. It has taken eight years for the story of Karthik Subbaraj's Jigarthanda to find its way to Hindi cinema, which is just as well because Bollywood has mangled it beyond recognition. Bachchhan Paandey is a loud, joyless bore. Here's the full review to know more.
Here's Film Companion's review of Jalsa. It is a gripping and unsettling dissection of morality, motherhood, money, class and the myriad ways in which people compromise. Here's Anupama Chopra's full review to know more.
Here’s Film Companion’s review of Radhe Shyam, by Anupama Chopra. There is a fine line that separates swooning romance from unintentional comedy. Radhe Shyam is a masterclass in what happens when you cross it. Listen to the full review to know more.
Here’s Film Companion’s review of The Batman. The Batman is a standalone film, operating in its own continuity. Which means that even if you aren’t a comic book and superhero film connoisseur, and I’m certainly not, you can still wholly savour its dark, broody brilliance. Watch the full review to know more.
Here's Film Companion's review of Jhund. Jhund is the Hindi film debut of one of Indian cinema’s most invigorating filmmakers – Nagraj Popatrao Manjule. Jhund is the story of how Vijay changes the lives of Dalit youngsters in a Nagpur slum by getting them hooked on football. It's a rousing tale told with a stellar cast of professional and non-professional actors. Watch the full review to know more.
In the life of a sex worker Gangubai, played by Alia Bhatt, who thrived in the bylanes of Kamathipura in the 1950s, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali finds feisty feminism, joy, brutality, heartbreak and unstinting courage. He tells her story with dramatic flourish, rich emotion, gorgeous visuals and always, a bruised, beating heart. Listen Anupama Chopra’s full review of Gangubai Kathiawadi to know more.
Love Hostel is what you might call a Haryana Noir Western. This film is mostly a chase film with Dagar, played by Bobby Deol, in hot pursuit of his prey - Jyoti and Ahmed, played by Sanya Malhotra & Vikrant Massey. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review to know more.
A Thursday chickens out and becomes a partially effective, rabble-rousing film which offers dangerous and simplistic solutions to our failed polity. Listen to the full review to know more, and watch the movie on Disney+ Hotstar.
Gehraiyaan is intriguing but never reaches the poetic heights it aspires to. Watch Anupama Chopra's full review to know more about Gehraiyaan, streaming on @Amazon Prime Video India
Badhaai Do passionately advocates for inclusivity and acceptance. Which is always a welcome message. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review to know more.
In Looop Lapeta, an adaptation of Tom Twyker's 1998 film Run Lola Run, we see three versions of one life-altering day and how the choices the characters make have a butterfly effect and shape the outcome differently. Listen to the full review to know more, and watch the film on Netflix India.
There is one improvement in the Unpaused anthology series. In this one, there are two – Vaikunth, directed by Nagraj Manjule, and War Room, directed by Ayappa KM. Listen to Anupama Chopra’s review to know more.
In Atrangi Re, you can feel the maker’s intent and his commitment to dreaming big. But it doesn’t translate. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review to know more.
Director Kabir Khan and writers Sumit Arora, Vasan Bala and Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan take us through the highs and lows of an incredible underdog story that is 83. Watch Anupama Chopra’s review to know more.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is fan service at its best because even us, casual lovers, can enjoy the ride. Watch Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
Director-choreographer Jerome Robbins first had the idea of transposing Romeo and Juliet to New York. And all these decades later, Steven Spielberg's West Side Story continues to enthrall. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
I’m glad that Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui exists. It has taken us long to get to an empathetic portrayal. I hope more will follow. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review of the film, to know more.
Tadap is the launch vehicle for a star son, Ahan Shetty, which means that even a chhota shehar ka ladka must have a degree of swag. Listen to Anupama Chopra’s review to know more.
When we last saw Bob in Kahaani, he had been hit by a car after a botched attempt to assassinate Vidya. It’s eight years later. He has come out of a coma and is now played by Abhishek Bachchan. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review to know more.
Antim works as long as the film hews closely to the original Mulshi Pattern. The trouble is that the film, already shouldering the burden of Salman, soon dissipates into a head-swirling saga of guns and goons. The human cost of development, which was the key idea in Mulshi Pattern, is drowned out. At 142 minutes, Antim: The Final Truth also becomes a test of patience.
Satyameva Jayate 2, written and directed by Milap Milan Zaveri, is many things but it’s not a film. You could view it as an expansive showreel for John Abraham’s body. Anupama Chopra reviews the film here.
Chhorii belongs to an emerging genre in Hindi cinema – the message horror movie. It attempts to be a rousing statement of women empowerment but it contradicts itself. Anupama Chopra reviews the film.
Annette is accessible but also, gorgeously strange. And yet, Anupama Chopra strongly recommend that you give it a shot because this is storytelling with eccentricity, originality and jaw-dropping audacity. For which Carax won the best director award at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Listen to her review here.
It’s a clever setup with enough potential to create a franchise, but the real downer is that the film wastes its younger pair – Siddhant Chaturvedi and debutant Sharvari Wagh. Watch the full review to know more.
Dhamaka, which was shot during the pandemic in ten days, is essentially a vehicle for Kartik to show that he can do more than deliver monologues with aplomb. Watch Anupama Chopra's full review of the film, also starring Mrunal Thakur & Amruta Subhash, streaming on Netflix.
The character of Sooryavanshi doesn’t have the flamboyance or fun of either Singham or Simmba. Watch Anupama Chopra’s full review to knoe more about Akshay Kumar-Katrina Kaif-Ajay Devgn-Ranveer Singh starrer, directed by Rohit Shetty.
Meenakshi Sundareshwar, starring Sanya Malhotra & Abhimanyu Dassani in titular roles, doesn’t realise its full potential but the film is sweet and undemanding enough. Listen to Anupama Chopra’s review to know more.
The film Eternals is part of the MCU’s Phase Four. The story throbs with ache in a way that MCU films rarely do. Director Chloe Zhao has an uncanny talent for locating the poetry in loss. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
If Hum Do Hamare Do had focused more on the senior couple, it might have located the authenticity and emotion that the story hints at but never develops. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of the film starring Rajkummar Rao, Kriti Sanon, Paresh Rawal, Ratna Pathak Shah, streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
Of course, horror films are, by design, unrealistic. But the best ones are constructed so tightly that the viewer doesn’t have the breathing room to ask: How is this possible? Dybbuk misses this goal by miles. Listen to Anupama Chopra’s full review to know more about this film, streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Sardar Udham is the slowest of slow burns. Which isn’t unusual for Shoojit. The role of Sardar Udham comes with big demands and Vicky Kaushal delivers. Listen to the review for more, and watch the film on Amazon Prime Video.
Sanak is a Bollywoodised Die Hard. The load rests on the impressive shoulders of Vidyut Jammwal. Director Kanishk Varma and writer Ashish P. Verma deviate slightly from the Jammwal action-movie template. You can watch the film on Disney + Hotstar.
Rashmi Rocket begins as a soaring sports saga but pivots into a courtroom drama. Director Akarsh Khurana, his team of writers and leading lady Taapsee Pannu are trying to translate a complex, little-known subject into accessible and entertaining cinema. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of the film, streaming on ZEE5.
Radhika Madan and Sunny Kaushal are eminently watchable actors, who can't save Shiddat, a bewilderingly logic-free film about a man obsessed with a woman. Here's Anupama Chopra’s review of Shiddat, streaming on DisneyPlus Hotstar.
Anupama Chopra reviews Kota Factory season 2 streaming on Netflix India. What continues to propel the series is the seeming ordinariness of the leads. These kids are the polar opposite of the buffed and polished teenagers we see in Bollywood films like the Student of the Year franchise.
The overarching theme of Ankahi Kahaniya is love and longing in Mumbai. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of the anthology Ankahi Kahaniya, directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Abhishek Chaubey & Saket Chaudhary.
BellBottom, inspired by true events, is set in the 1980s, described as a time when hijacking had become rampant. The films propels itself forward on a certain caper-style energy, slickness and scale. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of BellBottom on @Amazon Prime Video India , starring Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta among others.
The word immersive gets tossed around a lot but Mumbai Diaries 26/11 actually achieves it. Over eight episodes, which range in duration from 35 minutes to 48 minutes, the series recreates the horror, beat by beat. Anupama Chopra reviews the Amazon Prime Video series.
Watching Bhoot Police on @DisneyPlus Hotstar, I realized that a film which is mediocre is more soul-sucking than one that is actively awful because you see glimpses of what might have been.
With his third film, Once Upon a Time in Calcutta, filmmaker Aditya Vikram Sengupta is back in Venice, being the only Indian film playing at the festival this year. The film has a lovely, lyrical quality to it. Here's Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
The Father is a devastating film. One man’s descent into dementia becomes a gutting reminder of your own mortality. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of The Father.
Shang-Chi is the MCU’s first Asian lead, and like Black Panther, this film carries the weight of the departure from the all-white pantheon of Marvel superheroes. The writing doesn’t have the heft or depth of that film. Still, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a strong step forward.
The Interview: Night of 26/11, starring Jackie Shroff & Anjum Nayar, is so bizarrely amateurish that it’s hard to adequately describe it. Watch Anupama Chopra's review to know more, and watch the film on BookMyShow Stream.
These stories are about mostly affluent people grappling with affairs of the heart – divorce, infidelity, the idea of an open marriage, coming out of the closet, one-night stands and love in the time of social media. The stories end with the characters in a Mumbai taxi, hence the title Kaali Peeli Tales. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to know more, and watch the anthology on Amazon Mini TV.
In Kuruthi, director Manu Warrier and writer Anish Pallyal build a Trojan horse – a home invasion movie that works as a gripping thriller but at the same time asks us to consider religious fanaticism, how faith can create good and evil, how hate persists and how ultimately, violence begets violence. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review, and watch the film on @Amazon Prime Video India .
Shershaah, on @Amazon Prime Video India , starring Sidharth Malhotra & Kiara Advani, doesn’t have the daring of its subject. The intentions are laudable but it feels tokenistic because the writing isn’t detailed enough. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
Navarasa is arguably the mother of Indian anthologies - nine films based on the nine emotional states prescribed by the Natya Shastra. It's bolstered by good intentions, some superb performances and craft but overall, the anthology doesn’t exceed the sum of its parts. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review here.
A remake of the National Award-winning 2011 Marathi film Mala Aai Vahhaychy!, buried somewhere inside Mimi is a moving story about parenting and what it means to raise and love a child. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review of the film starring Kriti Sanon, Pankaj Tripathi, Sai Tamhankar, Supriya Pathak & Manoj Pahwa, to know more.
Most of the films are thirty minutes long but truthfully, little in the three hours "feels like ishq". Much of it feels synthetic, simplistic, straining to be meaningful and, largely, insipid. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review of Feels Like Ishq to know more.
14 Phere is a bewildering film. It’s set up as a romance but the horror of honor killing looms large. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review of the film starring Vikrant Massey, Kriti Kharbanda, Jameel Khan, Gauahar Khan among others.
In Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Toofaan, Aziz, a street fighter from Dongri, the catalyst in his life is a doctor at the local hospital. To paraphrase Jack Nicholson’s great line in As Good as it Gets, Ananya makes Aziz want to be a better man. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
A short descriptor of Malik could be – a Malayalam Nayakan. Like Mani Ratnam’s 1987 classic, this film is also a sprawling story of crime and punishment spanning generations and decades – from 1965 to 2018. Here' Anupama Chopra's review of Malik on @Amazon Prime Video India, starring Fahadh Faasil in the titular role.
Haseen Dillruba, starring Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey & Harshvardhan Rane, is genre busting – it’s a murder mystery but also a feverish romance with dollops of comedy bunged in. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
The idea of contemporary directors interpreting Ray’s writing is instantly magical but this anthology is too uneven to do it justice. The master deserves more sparkling filmmaking.
Sherni has many stellar actors including Vijay Raaz, Neeraj Kabi and Ila Arun but the film is grounded by the gravitas and understated strength that Vidya Balan brings to Vidya Vincent.
After Skater Girl was shot in Khempur, a village near Udaipur in Rajasthan, the skating park that was built as a set for the movie was donated to locals. Which is probably the best thing about this well-intentioned but slight film.
The Family Man Season 2, on Amazon Prime Video India, doesn’t deal in simplistic heroes and villains. There are enough thrills here but what stays with you eventually is a sense of sadness - Anupama Chopra reviews the Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha Akkineni series created by Raj & DK.
The primal, animalistic nature of men sits just beneath the veneer of civilization imposed by society. Poke a little and a man, who is a loving father and husband, turns into a creature so savage that he is barely recognizable.
Wherever you think this narrative might go, it doesn’t. And when the twist arrives, it’s so unexpected that just like the character it’s revealed to, you are also stunned into silence. The beauty is that all of this plays out amidst the humdrum rhythms of daily life. There is no drama or high emotion.
What happens when an expensive Sony camera is left by mistake on the backseat of an autorickshaw? Lives change. Because the camera enables people to become storytellers. It renews hope and ambition. That is the power of cinema and the story of Cinema Bandi, the delightful new Telugu film, directed by Praveen Kandregula, and produced by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK.
Sardar Ka Grandson plays neither as a coming-of-age saga of a man who learns to face challenges and deliver on his commitments nor as a cross-border comedy nor as a moving family drama.
The Salman Khan starrer is so free of craft that it hurts. Prabhu Deva delivers yet another loud, numbing, pointless paean to the cult of Salman Khan. Anupama Chopra reviews the film.
Nayattu is a chilling film about the machinations of the system. The title means the hunt in Malayalam. What makes Nayattu brilliant is the way director Martin Prakkat reworks it.
Godzilla vs Kong is the fourth installment in a franchise called the MonsterVerse. But even if you haven’t seen those films, you won’t have any trouble connecting the dots in this one.
Meel Patthar, which means milestone, is far from a road movie, which romanticises the journey and the learnings from it.
How do you repurpose a powerful and gripping story about women into an over-the-top star vehicle in which the hero towers above everything else? Vakeel Saab provides a masterclass.
The Disciple is a meditative character study of a Hindustani classical vocalist named Sharad Nerulkar. The film might be set in the esoteric world of Indian classical music but its concerns are universal.
Without Remorse is an adaptation of Tom Clancy’s bestselling 1993 novel. The film attempts to speak to the reality of contemporary polarised America but the plot is too formulaic and the commentary too thin to underpin the high-octane thriller with gravitas.
Sheela might be frail and mellow but she still knows how to deliver a memorable sound byte. Searching for Sheela is a minor companion piece to the mesmerising Wild Wild Country.
The dastaan in Ajeeb Daastaans is plural. There are plenty of ajeebs here, but what stayed with me was the expression in Bharti’s eyes in the last shot of Geeli Pucchi.
Jathi Ratnalu starring Naveen Polishetty, Rahul Ramakrishna & Priyadarshi, is the infusion of good cheer you need right now. Writer-director Anudeep K.V. stitches together a sparkling comedy that is cheerfully silly without being lazy.
Hello Charlie on Amazon Prime Video India starring Jackie Shroff, Aadar Jain & Shlokka Pandit, is one of those films that defies reviews. Because I’m not sure I can properly explain how excruciating it is to watch.
Joji is a reworking of Macbeth and while these words might suggest a period setting, Shakespeare’s tragedy has been reimagined in contemporary times, on a sprawling rubber plantation in Kerala. But Joji, the youngest of three brothers, is very much a subject of his father’s kingdom.
The Big Bull, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Ileana Cruz, Sohum Shah, and directed by Kookie Gulati, is contrived in the old-school Bollywood way. Props to Abhishek Bachchan for sincerely trying to hold the fractured screenplay together.
Director Chloé Zhao constructs Nomadland like a mournful, sublime poem. The film stars Oscar-winning actor Frances McDormand who acts alongside real-life nomads who were featured in Bruder’s book, who play themselves. Listen to the full review to know more about this globally-acclaimed film.
The film Pagglait, starring Sanya Malhotra among others, reminds us of the many ways in which society and men control women. The word becomes an aspirational state, suggesting a woman crazy enough to break the rules and take on the world. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
In the film Saina, starring Parineeti Chopra, writer-director Amole Gupte hits each of the usual sports film beats but also bungs in woman empowerment. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
Mumbai Saga is apparently inspired by true events. I think there is a compelling story here of how the contours and conscience of the city shifted in 1996 and what was lost when Bombay became Mumbai. But Sanjay isn’t really interested in that. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review to know more.
Be warned that Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, starring Parineeti Chopra & Arjun Kapoor in titular roles, doesn’t have the pacing that you might expect in a chase film. But ultimately, filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee steers it to a climax that is both stinging and satisfying. Listen to Anupama Chopra's full review to know more.
The film Roohi tries to continue in the tradition of feminist horror forged by films like Pari, Stree and Bulbbul. Director Hardik Mehta and writers Mrighdeep Singh Lamba & Gautam Mehra use Roohi’s story to deliver a message of self-acceptance and finding your inner strength.
MeToo, menopause, menstruation, motherhood, sex, adultery – it’s all here in Netflix India's Bombay Begums. These women, played by Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash, Plabita Borthakur & Aadhya Anand, lead fabulously messy lives filled with compromises and regrets. Here's Anupama Chopra's review of the series, to know more.
The Mohanlal starrer Drishyam 2: The Resumption on Amazon Prime Video India directed by Jeethu Joseph, is a genuine sequel as opposed to the ones in which characters or worlds continue with minimal connection to the earlier work. Here's Anupama Chopra's review of the film.
The strength of Unfinished is that it’s in Priyanka Chopra’s voice. At one point, she writes: "I get to choose what I share and when I share it." Of course she does, but there are several places in which you wish the curation had been less sharp. Here's Anupama Chopra's take on the memoir.
Debutant director Karishma Dube’s film Bittu is inspired by an infamous poisoning accident that took place in a government school in Bihar in 2013. Watch Anupama Chopra’s review to learn more about the film that has been shortlisted in the top 10 list in the Short Film in Live Action category for the 93rd Academy Awards.
Don’t go into the film expecting a retread of Slumdog Millionaire. In fact, the film positions itself as anti-Slumdog. Here's Anupama Chopra's full review of Ramin Bahrani's The White Tiger on Netflix India, starring Adarsh Gourav, Priyanka Chopra Jonas & Rajkummar Rao.
Ali Abbas Zafar's Tandav, starring Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub among others, has too much Bollywood masala in its DNA. Which makes it intermittently entertaining but also shallow and not very smart.
Ramprasad ki Tehrvi is a family drama directed by Seema Pahwa bursting with taujis, chachis, bhabhis and nanands. When they all gather after their father – the titular Ramprasad – dies, the gloves come off. But the arguments, old hurts and bitchy asides don’t lead to any earth-shattering confrontation. Just the understanding that human beings are flawed, relationships are fragile and yet, we must strive, as best as we can, to be happy.
The earlier Coolie No. 1 had a cheery lunacy and a degree of innocence that allowed the ridiculous plot to play out as an extended joke. But in 2020, the narrative is dated and offensive on so many levels. Here's Anupama Chopra's review of the Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan starrer.
In AK vs AK on Netflix, director Vikramaditya Motwane and writer Avinash Sampath construct a narrative that consistently crisscrosses the boundaries of artifice and truth. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
Unpaused, an Amazon Prime Video India anthology directed by Raj & DK, Nikkhil Advani, Nitya Mehra, Tannishtha Chatterjee and Avinash Arun Dhaware is a snapshot of a time when the world paused. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to find out more.
Durgamati The Myth on @Amazon Prime Video India (https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC4zWG9LccdWGUlF77LZ8toA) starring Bhumi Pednekar, Arshad Warsi, Magie Gill & Jisshu Sengupta among others, is a horror/thriller film which is the remake of 2018 Telugu film Bhaagamathie. Listen to the full review to know more.
Can a zombie movie make you cry? Yes, if it’s been directed by Yeon Sang-ho. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review of the South Korean film Peninsula, to know more.
Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari, directed by Abhishek Sharma, saddles its solid cast, Diljit Dosanjh, Manoj Bajpayee, Fatima Sana Sheikh among others, with lame jokes, inane plot twists and dull storytelling.
In Chhalaang, director Hansal Mehta and Rajkummar Rao, alongwith Nushrratt Bharuccha and Zeeshan Ayyub attempt to tell the uplifting story of a PT teacher in small-town Haryana, who finds his purpose in life through coaching the weakest kids in the school into a winning team.
Using the game of Ludo as metaphor and structural skeleton, writer-director & DoP Anurag Basu constructs four interlocking stories, starring Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Bachchan, Rajkummar Rao, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf, Pearle Maaney & Inayat Verma.
Laxmii is the remake of a Tamil film called Kanchana, written and directed by Raghava Lawrence. Watch the review of the film, starring Akshay Kumar & Kiara Advani.
Terrie Samundra's film Kaali Khuhi is a horror film with a message. The idea is to scare you but also to make you think beyond the horror onscreen and consider the horror in life. Listen to the full review of Kaali Khuhi, starring Shabana Azmi, Satyadeep Misra, Sanjeeda Shaikh and Riva Arora.
Every episode of A Suitable Boy is stuffed with plot, passion, conflict, faith and the endless push and pull between tradition and modernity, love and duty and above all, family. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to find out more.
Debutant director Puneet Khanna is not a fan of nuance. So his film has the straightforward title - Ginny Weds Sunny. Boy and girl (Vikrant Massey & Yami Gautam) meet-cute at a big, fat Punjabi wedding and their relationship culminates at a big, fat destination wedding. Listen to Anupama Chopra’s review to find out more.
Director Magbool Khan’s Khaali Peeli on @ZEEPLEX (https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCX3PcMUjayaB9ovRjoZacXQ) , starring Ananya Panday & Ishaan Khatter, tries to blend uncomfortable elements with Fast & Furious style car chases & romance. Listen to the review to know more.
Director Sudhir Mishra's film Serious Men on @Netflix India (https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCZSNzBgFub_WWil6TOTYwAg) , based on Manu Joseph's award winning novel, veers between sharp and sagging but ultimately Nawazuddin Siddiqui and the terrific child actor Aakshath Das steer the story to a satisfying close. Listen to the review to know more.
The best thing about Dolly and Kitty is that they are a mess. They can lie and steal. Both do really dumb things but because they are played by two keenly intelligent actors – Konkona Sensharma and Bhumi Pednekar – they don’t come off as silly or capricious.
Sadak 2 doesn’t just mirror the original in terms of narrative beats. The storytelling, performances, dialogue, cinematography, songs, background music – all seem to belong to the 90s, which was the last time Mahesh Bhatt directed a film before this. The film stars Sanjay Dutt, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, Jisshu Sengupta, among others.
Ram Singh Charlie, directed by Nitin Kakkar, and written by Kakkar and Sharib Hashmi, is a celebration of the artist. Kumud Mishra, playing the titular role, is a circus performer whose specialty is playing Charlie Chaplin. The film also stars Divya Dutta, Lilliput.
Mee Raqsam on Zee5 is presented by Shabana Azmi and directed by her brother, the acclaimed cinematographer Baba Azmi. Mee Raqsam is an ode to their father Kaifi Azmi. The film is about a girl Mariam obsessed with Bharatnatyam, played by Aditi Subedi, and her father Salim, played by Danish Hussain. The film also stars Naseeruddin Shah & Rakesh Chaturvedi Om.
Directed by Atul Sabharwal & produced by Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment, Class of '83 is a gritty drama about a batch of police officers who become famed encounter specialists. Set in Mumbai (Bombay) in the 80s, the film is inspired by a book named The Class of 83: The Punishers of Mumbai Police by S. Hussain Zaidi. You can watch this film on Netflix.
In Khuda Haafiz, writer-director Faruk Kabir ambitiously tries to expand the Vidyut Jammwal repertoire. With great action in place, the film has been inspired by a true incident. Also starring Shivaleeka Oberoi, Aahana Kumra, Shiv Panditt and Annu Kapoor, you can watch this film on @DisneyPlus Hotstar (https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0PTktRYpZXb6On0_zFKWIg) .
The film Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl shows Gunjan age from a schoolgirl to a young woman. With Janhvi Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Manav Vij, Viineet Kumar Singh and Angad Bedi in pivotal roles, and directed by debutant director Sharan Sharma, this is an incredible story that seamlessly blends emancipation, valor, duty and patriotism. You can watch this film on @Netflix India from August 12.
Shakuntala Devi on Amazon Prime Video is the biopic of a woman without limits. The real life Shakuntala was a math wizard, who was famously known as the human computer. Directed by Anu Menon, this film features Vidya Balan playing Shakuntala Devi, Sanya Malhotra and Amit Sadh playing her daughter and son-in-law. Listen to this review to find out more.
Raat Akeli Hai on Netflix India begins as the classic whodunnit – one murder, many suspects. With Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte, Shweta Tripathi in pivotal roles, debutant director Honey Trehan and writer Smita Singh use the genre conventions to create a horrifying portrait of patriarchy. Listen to this review to find out more.
Presented by siblings Anushka Sharma-Karnesh Sharma's Clean Slate Films, Bulbbul is the story of a chudail with Tripti Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, Rahul Bose, Paoli Dam and Parambrata Chattopadhyay in key roles. The directorial debut of Anvita Dutt, this film is about the cruelties of men and the compromises that society forces women to make. You can watch the film on Netflix.
Bulbbul #Netflix #AnushkaSharma
Chaman Bahaar, starring Jitendra Kumar and Ritika Badiani, has been written and directed by debutant director Apurva Dhar Badgaiyann. Set in Lormi, a district in Chhattisgarh, this is a story about Billu, a paan seller, who along with some other men in the village, is yearning for Rinku's love. You can watch the film on Netflix.
The name Gulabo Sitabo comes from traditional puppet art, in which the two characters quarrel incessantly. Like Gulabo and Sitabo, Mirza and Baankey are always at loggerheads. Directed by Shoojit Sircar and written by Juhi Chaturvedi, the film is a bittersweet study of greed and its consequences. You can watch this film on Amazon Prime Video.
The title Choked applies to many things in this film – a pipe, a marriage, a woman’s voice, her life, a society, a country. In the latest Netflix Original film, starring Saiyami Kher and Roshan Mathew, director Anurag Kashyap rolls political critique into a suspense drama about a middle-class woman who discovers that a pipe in her kitchen is spewing cash. Listen to the review to find out more.
Chintu Ka Birthday is a modest film with an outsized heart. Directed by debutant directors Satyanshu Singh and Devanshu Singh, starring Vinay Pathak, Tillotama Shome, Seema Pahwa and Vedant Chibber in the titular role, this is a film brimming with sweetness and innate human decency.Listen to the review to find out more.
The story of an outsider in Bollywood isn't exactly new, but writer-director Pushpendra Nath Misra attempts to spice it up by being inventive. Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays the titular character, with Raghubir Yadav, Ila Arun and Anurag Kashyap in pivotal roles. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review of Ghoomketu to find out more.
The first streaming series by Anushka Sharma's Clean Slate Films, Paatal Lok is a nine-episode series, created by Sudip Sharma, who wrote NH10 and Udta Punjab. It's constructed as an investigative thriller following four killers who tried to kill a journalist. The series features Jaideep Ahlawat, Neeraj Kabi, Abhishek Banerjee and Gul Panag in pivotal roles. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review for more.
Netflix Original film Mrs. Serial Killer, directed by Shirish Kunder, is a thriller set in an unnamed hill station, with Jacqueline Fernandez, Manoj Bajpayee, Darshan Jariwala and Mohit Raina playing pivotal roles. Listen to Anupama Chopra's review to find out more.
Does a white saviour movie become more palatable if the white saviour is Chris Hemsworth? That is the critical question that Extraction presents. Anupama Chopra reviews Netflix's latest release Extraction, also starring Randeep Hooda and Pankaj Tripathi, created by Sam Hargrave and the Russo Brothers.
With the release of Netflix India's new web series Hasmukh, Anupama Chopra reviews the show, with Vir Das and Ranvir Shorey in lead roles. The show takes us on a journey about a stand-up comic turned murderer. Listen to the review to find out more.
This week, Anupama Chopra reviews Amazon Prime Video's Four More Shots Please! Season 2, with Sayani Gupta, Kirti Kulhari, Bani J and Maanvi Gagroo in the lead roles.
A first on video - Anupama Chopra reviews the newly released web series 'Panchayat' streaming on Amazon Prime Video. With great performances by TVF's favourite Jitendra Kumar, and stalwarts like Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta, TVF brings a story rooted in rural India.
The heart of this film and this franchise is Irrfan, who renders with singular elegance, the lunatic love and the ache that a parent feels. But honestly, it’s a pretty convoluted story. Here's Anupama Chopra's review of Angrezi Medium.
Sudheer is played by a wonderfully frayed, fumbling, tragi-comic Sanjay Mishra, in writer-director Hardik Mehta's film Kaamyaab. The film brings back the nostalgia with scene recreations from the 70s and 80s, and actors who lived this life, like Avtar Gill, Lilliput, Birbal, Guddi Maruti, and more.
Baaghi 3 is an adaptation of the 2012 Tamil film Vettai. Starring the platonic ideal of the Bollywood action hero Tiger Shroff, and Riteish Deshmukh & Shraddha Kapoor, more than action, this film needs a story to hang on to.
Thappad, starring Taapsee Pannu, is the story of a single slap. The beauty is that director Anubhav Sinha, who has co-written the film with Mrunmayee Lagoo Waikul, doesn’t tell this story in a strident tone.
Debutant director Hitesh Kewalya, who has also written the story, tries valiantly to establish that a same-sex relationship has the same passion, heartache and insecurity. Here's Anupama Chopra's review of Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan.
ShubhMangalZyadaSaavdhan #AyushmannKhurrana #JitendraKumar
Debutant director Bhanu Pratap Singh takes the true incident of a cargo ship stranded at Juhu beach in Mumbai and spins a story about why it’s haunted. Here's the movie review by Anupama Chopra.
BhootTheHauntedShip #VickyKaushal #BhumiPednekar
Written and directed by #ImtiazAli (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23ImtiazAli) , #LoveAajKal (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23LoveAajKal) starring Sara Ali Khan and Kartik Aaryan is a confounding film about confused people. With this film, Imtiaz who is Hindi cinema’s high priest of romance tries to dive deeper and go darker. He wants to show us the loneliness of pure ambition and the emptiness of hook-up culture. Does the film land? Listen to Anupama Chopra’s review.
Director Taika Waititi, who adapted the screenplay from a novel called Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, works a miracle here. Jojo is a 10-year-old boy who lives in a small German town and spends a lot of time chatting with an imaginary buddy – Adolf Hitler.
Jawaani Jaaneman is an official adaptation of the 2010 Argentinian comedy Igualita A Mi which means Just Like Me. Somewhere in it is a tender, funny story about parenting, growing up, the importance of family and what a character calls ‘old-school love.’ But director Nitin Kakkar only skims the surface. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of Jawaani Jaaneman.
Panga works on the strength of its performances and its writing. Ashwiny, co-writer Nikhil Mehrotra and Nitesh Tiwari, who has been credited with additional screenplay create a lived-in world with characters who have depth and personality. Here is Anupama Chopra's review of the Kangana Ranaut starrer.
Street Dancer 3D is a master-class in all the incredible things the human body can do. If the script was half as nimble as these gifted people, this film would have been a smash. Sadly, that is not the case. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of Street Dancer 3D, directed by Remo D'Souza, starring Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Aparshakti Khurana and more.
Just Mercy is a thoughtful meditation of the nature of compassion and cruelty. It’s a startling reminder that human beings are capable of both extremes. The film has been adapted from the memoir of Bryan Stevenson, a Harvard-trained lawyer, who moved to a small town in Alabama in 1989 to review charges against death row inmates. Here's Anupama Chopra's review of Just Mercy, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.
In 1917, director and co-writer Sam Mendes, co-writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns and DOP Roger Deakins deliver a film that combines high impact with high artistry. Lance Corporal Blake, played by Dean-Charles Chapman and Lance Corporal Schofield, played by George MacKay have a youthful bravery that is heart-breaking. Watch Anupama Chopra's review here.
Jai Mummy Di’s only redeeming factor is that it’s short. Genuinely, there is nothing else I can recommend in this film – the acting is bizarre, the writing is sloppy, the plot is incoherent and the background music is so purposefully annoying that you want to weep. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of the film here.
Writer-director Om Raut, co-writer Prakash Kapadia and leading man and co-producer Ajay Devgn seemed to have cracked the formula – Tanhaji, based on the life of Shivaji Maharaj’s lieutenant, is an action movie rolled into an Amar Chitra Katha comic. Here's Anupama Chopra's review of the film.
Laxmi Agarwal's remarkable survival story is the inspiration for Chhapaak, in which Deepika Padukone plays Malti, a middle-class Delhi girl whose pleasantly ordinary life is wrecked by an acid attack.The film's biggest success is that Deepika becomes Malti.
With The Rise of Skywalker, the story that George Lucas started on May 25th, 1977 finally comes to an end. It is, as director J.J. Abrams, said the ‘trilogy of trilogies.’ The Rise of Skywalker had to be the ultimate grand finale. Sadly, the film is much less.
When you step into Dabangg 3, you know you’re in for a Salman Khan extravaganza. Which would be fine if there was some attempt to tweak the formula or push it into a new direction.
Mardaani 2 is a sequel dedicated to Shivani Shivaji Roy, a lady super cop, who locks horns with the devil incarnate, a young & remorseless criminal who is murdering young women. Starring Rani Mukerji as Shivani, it is directed by Gopi Puthran and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films.
Writer-director Mudassar Aziz attempts to deliver a reboot that is lively, funny and at least superficially, progressive – he doesn’t always succeed but there is fun to be had here. Pati Patni Aur Woh stars Kartik Aaryan, Bhumi Pednekar, Ananya Pandey and Aparshakti Khurana.
Panipat should have been the 18th century version of Uri because the josh of Sadashivrao and his men is always high. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, this films stars Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon.
In Hotel Mumbai, writer-director Anthony Maras and co-writer John Collee revisit the first night of the three days the terror lasted. Starring Anupam Kher, Dev Patel, Armie Hammer and Nazanin Boriadi, watch Anupama Chopra's review of Hotel Mumbai.
Knives Out is a delicious, twisted, witty murder mystery. The film, written and directed by Rian Johnson, manages at the same time to be both meta and self-aware but also satisfyingly old-school. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of the film, starring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, Don Johnson and Ana de Armas.
The religious conflict between Hindus and Muslims is one of India’s gravest fault lines. Commando 3 offers a simple solution – Vidyut Jammwal in a manbun. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of Commando 3, directed by Aditya Datt, also starring Adah Sharma, Angira Dhar and Gulshan Devaiah.
Pagalpanti is a sloppy TikTok video stretched to a torturous two hours and 29 minutes. Whatever dimag you might mistakenly bring to the film will definitely be depleted by the end of it. Director Anees Bazmee may be a veteran of mindless comedies but Pagalpanti is so soul-sucking and brain-dead that it makes Bazmee’s last film Mubarakan look like high art.
Like the title suggests, Motichoor Chaknachoor is sweet and slight. Director Debamitra Biswal follows the standard beats of these films. But, the film has modest aspirations and it never soars above them because the writing isn’t strong enough. Watch Anupama Chopra's review of Motichoor Chaknachoor, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Athiya Shetty.
Writer-director Milap Milan Zaveri blends his favourite 80s and 90s Hindi film clichés with ear-splitting background music, bombastic dialogue-baazi and frantic over-acting by Sidharth Malhotra, Tara Sutaria and Riteish Deshmukh.
The Ayushmann Khurrana social message movie is now a bonafide Bollywood sub-genre. Bala is a balding 25-year-old living in Kanpur. He is an aspiring stand-up comic. He entertains people by mimicking Bollywood stars, especially Shah Rukh Khan. This film is like his act – fun in places, flat in others and not enough sticks.
Neil Nitin Mukesh has written the story, screenplay and dialogue of Bypass Road, which is a fantastically convoluted thriller. There are so many twists, reveals, false alarms, schemers and disgruntled lovers that you lose track of the story. Here is Anupama Chopra's review of the film
Drive starring Sushant Singh Rajput and Jacqueline Fernandez dropped on streaming platform Netflix this week. Subtlety is not the film’s forte. Neither is clarity, characterisation, coherence or anything else that any reasonable person requires. Anupama Chopra reviews the Tarun Mansukhani directed film.
Ujda Chaman is a remake of the Kannada film Ondu Motteya Kathe. Which means 'story of an egghead'. This film is about the ache of being ordinary, and actor Sunny Singh playing Chaman, does an adequate job at playing the role. Watch Anupama Chopra's review to know more.
TheSkyIsPink (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23TheSkyIsPink) is based on the true story of Aisha Chaudhary who was born with SCID, a rare genetic disorder. She eventually died of Pulmonary Fibrosis, which was a side-effect of her treatment for SCID. The film stars #PriyankaChopraJonas (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23PriyankaChopraJonas) , #FarhanAkhtar (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23FarhanAkhtar) , Zaira Wasim and Rohit Suresh Saraf and is directed by Shonali Bose.
DiegoMaradona (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23DiegoMaradona) is the modern equivalent of a Greek tragedy. An extraordinarily talented hero rises to fame and glory. But ultimately, he is defeated by his own fatal flaws – hubris, insecurity, a weak will. Chopra reviews #AsifKapadia (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23AsifKapadia) ’s documentary on the footballer.
Directed by #ToddPhillips (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23ToddPhillips) , #Joker (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Joker) played by #JoaquinPhoenix (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23JoaquinPhoenix) gives us a view of a deranged world but it never attempts to offer more than a simplistic causality. Listen to #AnupamaChopra (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23AnupamaChopra) 's review to know more.
In #War (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23War) , director #SiddharthAnand (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23SiddharthAnand) gets a chance to make a film with two of Hindi cinema’s best action heroes #HrithikRoshan (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23HrithikRoshan) and #TigerShroff (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23TigerShroff) but mercifully, he backs the propulsive action with a story. Listen to #AnupamaChopra (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23AnupamaChopra) 's review to know more.
Despite the obvious bumps, what keeps #Chhichhore (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Chhichhore) afloat is the sincerity in its messaging, the characters and the performances. Here’s what #AnupamaChopra (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23AnupamaChopra) thinks of the film directed by #NiteshTiwari (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23NiteshTiwari) starring #SushantSinghRajput (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23SushantSinghRajput) , #ShraddhaKapoor (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23ShraddhaKapoor) #VarunSharma (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23VarunSharma) , Tahir Raj Bhasin, Naveen Polishetty, Tushar Pandey and Saharsh Kumar. Watch her review here and leave your comments in the section below.
What did #AnupamaChopra (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23AnupamaChopra) think of the #Prabhas (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Prabhas) and #ShraddhaKapoor (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23ShraddhaKapoor) starrer #Saaho (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Saaho) ? Watch her review here and leave your comments in the section below.
Yomeddine (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Yomeddine) is an Egyptian film about a man afflicted with leprosy.
But isn’t just a film about leprosy. It features an actor, #RadyGamal (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23RadyGamal) , who has the condition. It’s heartbreaking. But Gamal and the director A. B. Shawky don’t want your pity. Instead with gentleness and humor, they persuade you to look beyond the obvious. Listen #AnupamaChopra (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23AnupamaChopra) 's review of the film.
OnceUponATimeInHollywood is a many splendored thing. It’s dazzling and meandering, brilliant and indulgent, sparkling but also stretched. It’s also a showcase for outsized, old-school stardom, with #BradPitt and #LeonardoDiCaprio delivering terrific performances. Listen #AnupamaChopra review the ninth film of #QuentinTarantino
JabariyaJodi (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23JabariyaJodi) is over-plotted – characters keep getting married, kidnapped, nearly married and separated. #Sidharth (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Sidharth) and #Parineeti (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Parineeti) ’s bogus accents, body language and demeanor don’t allow them to blend into this small-town story. Here's Anupama Chopra's review.
Ash Is Purest White is the first Jia Zhangke film to release theatrically in India. First, let’s just take a moment to celebrate that. The Chinese director is one of the world’s most acclaimed storytellers. #MartinScorsese (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23MartinScorsese) described his cinema as ‘the finest, toughest, most vitally alive work in modern moviemaking.’ Jia Zhangke’s films are a precise record of the sweeping social and economic forces that have shaped China in the last few decades. His films, which combine realism with playfulness, have won awards at leading film festivals including Cannes and Berlin. Ash Is Purest White premiered at the #CannesFilmFestival (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23CannesFilmFestival) last year. Here's #AnupamaChopra (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23AnupamaChopra) 's review.
Jaw-dropping action, cool one-liners and the industrial-strength charisma of #DwayneJohnson (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23DwayneJohnson) and #JasonStatham (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23JasonStatham) . Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw proves that these ingredients are enough to make a reasonably entertaining movie. Watch the movie review by #AnupamaChopra (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23AnupamaChopra) to know more.
KhandaaniShafakhana wants to deliver a serious message about the importance of being open about sex – so entire scenes play out like public service announcements, in which characters espouse the cause. The film puts too much pressure on #SonakshiSinha. She is in almost every frame of the film. We see her in close-up – literally and figuratively. Here's Anupama Chopra's review.
ArjunPatiala is designed as a spoof. #DiljitDosanjh has a simplicity and sweetness that connects whether he is playing a superhero or a cop. His comic timing is impeccable but even Diljit can’t salvage the train-wreck that is Arjun Patiala. Here's Anupama Chopra's review.
KanganaRanaut (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23KanganaRanaut) and #RajkummarRao (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23RajkummarRao) unite yet again with #JudgementallHaiKya (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23JudgementallHaiKya) . Like the film's protagonist Bobby, the film can be exhausting. But like her, it’s also a true blue original. Here's Anupama Chopra's review.
TheLionKing is visually stunning. Director Jon Favreau said that the attempt was to make an animated film feel like a live-action film. #ShahRukh and #Aryan are well cast. Shah Rukh’s voice of course has a wonderful familiarity. Aryan’s voice is introduced when Simba grows up and he sounds so much like his father. Listen to the review by #AnupamaChopra to know more.
Super30 (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Super30) is the ultimate underdog story, starring #HrithikRoshan (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23HrithikRoshan) , #PankajTripathi (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23PankajTripathi) , Mrunal Thakur, directed by #VikasBahl (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23VikasBahl) . There is drama, emotion, tragedy, struggle, good intentions and a necessary social message. Watch the review by #AnupamaChopra (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23AnupamaChopra) to know more.
Hirokazu Kore-eda’s #Shoplifters is a profound, deeply moving meditation on this question. The film won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 and was Japan’s official entry to the #Oscars. Listen to #AnupamaChopra's review of the film.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is a superhero film based on Marvel Comic's character #Spiderman (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Spiderman) . It is the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and the twenty-third film in the #Marvel (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23Marvel) Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Jon Watts, written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, and stars #TomHolland (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23TomHolland) as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, alongside Samuel L. Jackson. Here is Anupama Chopra's review of the film.
Here's Anupama Chopra's review of 'Game Over', starring Taapsee Pannu, Vinodhini Vaidynathan and Parvathi T.
Here's Anupama Chopra's review of 'Bharat', starring Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Jackie Shroff, Sunil Grover, Sonali Kulkarni and Shashank Arora.
Here's Anupama Chopra's review of the Netflix original film 'Chopsticks', starring Abhay Deol, Mithila Palkar, Vijay Raaz and a goat.
What did Anupama Chopra think of the second edition of the SOTY films? Listen to her review to find out!
A suicide bomber who can’t remember his mission is an inherently intriguing idea. And Hanif might have made more of an impression if the script was less sloppy. But Blank peddles in clichés – the bearded Muslim fanatic, Sunny Deol’s dhai kilo ka haath, the corrupt system.
For all those who know and relate to the MCU and for those who want to know what to look out for, here’s founder and critic Anupama Chopra’s movie review of the much-awaited 22nd film ‘Avengers: Endgame’
Kalank is a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, not directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Abhishek creates an operatic fantasy filled with staggering sets, swirling fabric and heartache. Let me warn you - this film is not for everyone.
One of the many movies that release this Friday is 'Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Aata Hai?' inspired by Saeed Mirza’s 1980 film 'Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai'. This film has been written and directed by Soumitra Ranade, and features Manav Kaul, Nandita Das and Saurabh Shukla.
RAW stands for Romeo Akbar Walter – three names of the same man, played by John Abraham. John’s most successful films put to good use his overpowering physicality – shoulders that stretch for miles and biceps that seem to burst out of sleeves. The opening sequence landed a solid punch and my hopes were raised. This material had the potential to be a suspenseful espionage drama.
The film is about a teenage boy Billy Batson who becomes a powerful superhero when he says the word 'Shazam'. So like Tom Hanks in Big, you have a young boy grappling with being in an adult body.
shazam #billybatson #dcfilms #superhero #zacharylevi #markstrong #asherangel #comicbooks #dceu
Hair might mostly be made up of dead cells but it is such an essential part of our vanity that this is a horror we can’t imagine. Which is why hair loss is a multi-billion dollar industry around the globe. And why the story of Enakshi, a young bald girl in Siliguri, instantly grabs you.
gonekesh #shwetatripathi #qasimkhallow
Junglee is an eco-message film that begins with the famous quote by Thomas Schmidt – No one in the world needs an elephant tusk but an elephant. The intentions and sentiments are admirable.
The narrative is mostly designed to serve Vidyut. The actor has an impressive physique and Chuck creates ample scenes to showcase it. Undoubtedly, Vidyut carries off the action sequences, which he also helped create, with conviction.
Junglee #ChuckRussell #VidyutJammwal
Kesari is a story so astounding that if it wasn’t true, you would never believe it. In September 1897, 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikh regiment of the British army fought valiantly against more than 10,000 Afghans. Using single-loading rifles, they kept the enemy at bay for hours ensuring that they didn’t succeed in their plan to take over two key British forts in the North West Frontier Province. The Battle of Saragarhi is known as one of the greatest last stands in military history.
Kesari’s main mission is to valorize the Sikh regiment. Right at the start, it is established that their leader Havildar Ishar Singh is a man of integrity and limitless courage. He isn’t afraid to risk his life to do the right thing.
Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota is a fanboy’s ode to the movies. Writer and director Vasan Bala goes back to his childhood and summons up the films he grew up loving - from Hong Kong martial arts movies to Manmohan Desai. And from this colourful, delightfully nutty source material, Vasan conjures up an action-comedy, which looks and feels like a comic book, about an unlikely superhero.
Vasan’s rich imagination gives us a roster of memorably kooky characters. Mard ko Dard Nahin Hota is self-aware.
Photograph is a meditative movie on a relationship that I hesitate to call love. It took me back to Gulzar Saab’s beautiful lyrics in a song in the 1970 film Khamoshi. To savor the gossamer emotions of Photograph, you first have to buy into the scenario that a girl like Miloni would agree to participate in Rafi’s charade. It is hard to believe but if you can suspend disbelief, you will be rewarded.
Photograph is Ritesh’s second film set in Mumbai and once again, the director captures the grimy beauty of the city.
Photograph #RiteshBatra #SanyaMalhotra #NawazuddinSiddiqui
Captain Marvel is the 21st film in the Marvel universe but it’s the first female-led film in the MCU. Her alter ego, Carol Danvers, first appeared in 1968 and was a regular supporting character in the Captain Marvel series alongside a character named Mar-Vell. Carol further came into her own in 2012 when she evolved from Ms. Marvel to Captain Marvel.
Badla is an official adaptation of the 2016 Spanish movie 'The Invisible Guest'. The good thing is that director Sujoy Ghosh, who also adapted the screenplay, wastes no time in getting started. We are immediately thrust into the cat-and-mouse-game with the murder-accused Naina meeting her potential lawyer, Badal Gupta. He obviously wants nothing but the truth but Naina is an unreliable narrator.
What keeps Badla going are the many turns of the screw. Nothing is what it seems. And the battle of truth between lawyer and client keeps you gripped.
Sonchiriya begins with the sound of flies buzzing and then we get a close-up of the carcass they are hovering on. The close-up holds for much too long, but from the first frame, director Abhishek Chaubey establishes two things – that we are in a lawless land and that he isn’t interested in making the ride comfortable for us.
Luka Chuppi is a tiresome tale of a couple from Mathura, Guddu and Rashmi, who decide to experiment with a live-in relationship. They do this by pretending to be married. And all that can go wrong does.
Gully Boy is loosely based on the lives of real life rappers Naezy and DIVINE, who rose from slums to stardom. Hip hop, modern day protest music, which came out of the streets of New York, has inspired a flourishing music scene in Mumbai. But the beauty of Gully Boy is that even if you are entirely unfamiliar with this world, like I was, the film will still stir your soul.
The Wife has been adapted by Swedish director Björn Runge from Meg Wolitzer’s 2003 novel. The plot itself is a tad contrived and not always convincing but the performances power the film, giving it an emotional grip that doesn’t let up. Joan, played masterfully by Glenn Close, resembles a calm sea that has tectonic plates shifting and a tsunami brewing beneath the surface.
Mary Queen of Scots is a sumptuous tale of two cousins. Both are queens – one of England and one of Scotland. Elizabeth and Mary are kindred spirits but their relationship is strained by the power struggle between their two countries, between their two religions – Catholic and Protestant, and between the various ambassadors, emissaries and noblemen who flit in between their worlds.
Why Cheat India, the makers tell us, is a hybrid of fact and fiction. This blend – maybe we should call it faction – seems to have become Bollywood’s favourite genre. Think of Uri, Padman, Sanju, Raazi, Raid and so many others. These films want both – the authenticity and heft of fact with the dramatic possibilities of fiction. It’s tough to do and many directors topple. In Why Cheat India, Soumik Sen manages to stay standing for some time. Subtlety is not his strength but in his own, heavy-handed way, Soumik creates a reasonably engaging first hour. Ultimately however, he can’t resist the lure of full-blown, blaring background music, suspense via split screens and giving his star Emraan Hashmi a speech from the pulpit about how the system forces him to be corrupt.
The Accidental Prime Minister is propaganda. Strategically, it’s a smart move. In election year, the film takes us into the corridors of power and doesn’t shy away from taking names.
The Accidental Prime Minister, based on Baru’s book The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making And Unmaking of Manmohan Singh, gives us Baru’s version of events. He’s not a politician but he’s a Congress insider so the unmasking comes from within the party.
Uri: The Surgical Strike is an unabashed love letter to the Indian army. If you want nuance or insight into the hearts and minds of brave men and women who willingly put themselves in the line of fire, you won’t find it here. Writer-director Aditya Dhar positions soldiers as superheroes who might grieve but they never doubt or question their place in an increasingly complicated and polarized world.
Mary Poppins Returns doesn’t quite achieve lift-off. The sequel, which comes 54 years after the original film, is set in 1930s London. The backdrop is the Great Depression but here it is labeled the Great Slump – maybe the word depression is too depressing for Disney.
It’s 25 years after the events of the original so the Banks children, Michael and Jane, who were the focus of the first film, have grown up.
The truth is that I’m still trying to understand Zero. The story begins in Meerut and somehow moves to Mars. It’s so bizarre and implausible and incoherent that I kept wondering if pages in the script went missing or too many scenes were slashed or if I’m just missing the point.
Zero strains for sweep and scale. The visual language suggests a glamorous fairy tale. The VFX is convincing and I loved the Ajay-Atul ballad Mere Naam Tu. But the rest of this film left me stumped and eventually, sad.
Kedarnath is a film about the power of faith – faith in God, in love, in the goodness of human beings. The lead characters demanded commitment – physical and emotional – and both actors step up to the plate.
Their romance reminded me of all those films in which rich girls fall hard for boys who are beneath their status. It’s old school and so is this film, which eventually becomes a hurdle. Kedarnath feels like it belongs to an earlier decade.
Creed II also firmly establishes Michael B. Jordan as a major movie star. He combines charisma with formidable acting chops. His body resembles granite but the narrative is about Adonis’ vulnerabilities and when Jordan cries, you feel his pain.
Of course, Creed II is familiar ground. But it honours the genre and still has enough vitality to make us feel the thrill again.
Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se, the third film in the franchise, is an ode to Ayurveda. Yes, you heard that right. Sunny Deol plays vaid Puran Singh who can cure any ailment with an ancient herbal concoction called the 'Vajra Kavach'. Among the three of them, the Deols have over 100 years of making movies. I think it's time to reinvent.
A girl in a village with a guitar – that one image captures the spirit and originality of this charming and audacious Assamese film. Village Rockstars has been directed, produced, written, shot and edited by Rima Das. The film went on to do a stellar run at international film festivals including Toronto and Mumbai. It is India’s official entry to the Oscars. I’m telling you this because the film’s journey is one of those impossible showbiz fairy tales. And this unlikely success comes from Rima’s ability to tell a moving story with clarity and precision.
Tumbbad is a mysterious and magical movie. The story spans generations and decades - we begin in 1918 and end a little after Independence. The overarching theme is greed but we also witness corruption and betrayal, decadence and death. And what is it? There is horror and fantasy. But the film also works as a grim morality tale. You know how marketing folks entice you with the promise – you’ve never seen anything like this before. Well, you’ve truly never seen anything like this before – at least in Hindi cinema.
Sui Dhaaga: Made In India is earnest, simplistic and not entirely convincing. Writer and director Sharat Katariya immerses us into a beautifully detailed world with flesh and blood characters but halfway through, he goes into Bollywood fairy tale mode. Some scenes made me teary and others made me tear my hair out in frustration.
Stree is a Trojan horse. Director Amar Kaushik and writers Krishna D.K. and Raj Nidimoru create a horror-comedy, which turns out to be subversive commentary on the position and treatment of women in India. It’s clever and very funny. With laughs and scares, Stree delivers an important message.
Through the film, John Abraham inflicts various types of punishment on corrupt cops. His biceps do the emoting for him. His towering physicality is impressively showcased – there are even close-ups of his bulging muscles as he metes out justice. Which might be why Manoj decides to act for both of them – he grimaces and glowers and works hard to make this ludicrous material convincing. It’s impossible. Satyameva Jayate is the sort of film that bludgeons you and leaves you drained and entirely cheerless.
Pataakha is based on a short story called Do Behnein by Charan Singh Pathik. Vishal, aided well by his actors and crew, creates a colorful, textured world. Sanya Malhotra and Radhika Madan, who makes her film debut, work ferociously hard to become Badki and Chhutki. Both are fine actors who nail the difficult dialect but this is also a physically demanding role – the sisters are constantly punching each other, rolling in mud or screaming. With blackened teeth and strong body language, they become the characters.
For more than two decades, J. P. Dutta has served as Hindi cinema’s lone poet of war. He finds a profound passion and pride in stories of men in combat. In Dutta’s worldview, the battleground is where real heroes are forged. It is the ultimate showcase for pride, patriotism and an overarching masculinity. With Paltan, Dutta completes his war trilogy, which started with Border in 1997 and was followed by the interminable LOC Kargil in 2003. Paltan is leaden and one-dimensional. Incidentally, the word Paltan is repeated dozens of times, just in case you forget which movie you are watching.
Love, it is often said, is a many splendored thing. In Manmarziyaan, director Anurag Kashyap and writer and creative producer Kanika Dhillon offer us a deep-dive into this splendor. For years, I’ve exited Anurag’s films raging with frustration and wondering why he inevitably becomes indulgent. Manmarizyaan is no different. He’s so damn talented but he doesn’t know when to stop.
Loveyatri is a 1990s film being released in 2018. Twenty years ago, Hindi cinema specialized in NRIs, Hindu festivals, Indian values, large families and strict fathers who would invariably let go of their daughter’s hand and say, "Ja beta, jee le apni zindagi." Loveyatri is all about Aayush. He gets the traditional Bollywood hero entry. And debutant director Abhiraj Minawala ensures that Aayush gets to do it all – dance, romance, shed a tear, face-off with the father and of course drop the shirt, so we can all appreciate his gym-toned body.
Imprisonment is a recurring motif in Love Sonia – a film about sex trafficking. Women live and work in cage-like rooms. Films like this are a tightrope act. The material is inherently ugly. And the narrative needs to convey the horror and tragedy without making the viewer turn away. Thankfully Tabrez conceals as much has he reveals. He has spent more than a decade nurturing the project and working with NGOs. Which gives Love Sonia an authenticity – the brothel is a labyrinth of corridors, rooms and narrow spaces covered by saris where sex is traded.
Pihu is Trapped meets Home Alone without the anguish or the humour. A toddler, Pihu, wakes up next to her inert mother. Her father is not at home. Pihu shoves and calls and cries but her mom won’t open her eyes. It is now up to the two-year-old to survive the horrors of a modern high-rise apartment.
Green Book is inspired by a true story. The title refers to a travel book for African-Americans – it advised them on places where they could stay and eat in the Southern States. The Green Book is an awful artefact of a not-so-distant past but the film barely touches upon it. The film plays like a feel-good, lightweight treatise on racism and healing, which also makes it a crowd-pleaser.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a frantic movie – visually and narratively. So much happens to so many characters and the film is stuffed with so many marvels that by the end, I was both confused and exhausted. But I will admit that the sight of Hogwarts made me jump with delight. I love the Harry Potter universe and I wish I could recommend this film with greater enthusiasm. It’s competent but not enchanting enough.
The film, adapted from Garrard Conley’s memoir, is both efficient and effective. What I liked best about Boy Erased is that the film is driven by empathy. There are no outsized villains here – even Victor Sykes, played nicely by Edgerton himself, the bulldozer who runs the therapy program, has texture.
At one point in Bhaiaji Superhit, we arrive at a flashback in which Sunny Deol, as the uneducated Banaras don named Bhaiaji is serenading his wife, Sapna played by Preity Zinta, by reciting Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He’s wearing a shiny, black velvet coat and stumbling over the English. It was at this precise moment that I started to feel more pain for Sunny than I was feeling for myself. Of course Bhaiaji Superhit isn’t his tragedy alone though he does do the heavy-lifting. Preity returns as leading lady after five years. As Sapna, she gets to speak mangled English and have temper tantrums each time she sees her husband talking to a woman. Ameesha plays a Bollywood diva who gets Bhaiaji into trouble.
A Star is Born is a thing of beauty. It’s gorgeously romantic but also authentic and emotionally searing. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are both brilliant and heartbreaking. The film is of course a love story but it’s also a portrait of creativity and commerce and the difficulty of protecting the former from the latter. Through the film, Cooper’s character Jackson Maine talks about the importance of having something to say. But how do you get the world to listen without selling your soul and becoming a cog in the star-making machinery?
Eela, as the title tells us, is a nightmarish helicopter parent. She hovers over every aspect of her son’s life. Just like in the Melissa McCarthy film Life of the Party, Eela ends up going to college with her child. Which of course pushes her suffocating ways to the next level. The film is based on the Gujarati play Beta Kaagdo by Anand Gandhi who has co-written the screenplay with Mitesh Shah. The writers and director Pradeep Sarkar want to create a portrait of a middle-aged, middle-class woman who must rediscover herself and find a life outside of her son.
Gold is a fictional account of a real incident. I’m not sure how many people are aware of this victory so applause to Reema for bringing it to light. The film is handsomely produced. The period details are in place and despite some dull stretches, the narrative has hold. In the second half though, the wobbling becomes more precarious. The tonality alternates between dramatic and comic.
Gali Guleiyan is a film about a maze - both mental and physical. Khuddoos lives in one of the narrow lanes in old Delhi. It’s a vast and bewildering network of homes scrunched up against each other. A lesser actor would have asked more blatantly for our sympathy or given us some comfort to clutch on to. But Manoj Bajpayee understands that Khuddoos is broken irreparably. His mind is a fog of memories and punishments.
Sriram Raghavan is Hindi cinema’s thriller master. His films are filled with dark and dirty people – criminals and gamblers, murderers and conmen. His films are also filled with references to older Hindi films. But in Andhadhun, Sriram takes the homage further. Anil Dhawan, star of 70s pulp classics like Chetna and Darwaza, plays a version of himself – a yesteryear star who spends too much time revisiting his past glory.