wogma.com latest reviews and articles

30 reviewers have given Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumarian average rating of 3.2/5.0 (?)

14 yays 5 nays 11 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Don't bother (?) quick review: Love is fickle—that's my takeaway from this boring romance. The only highlights are some song and dance sequences.

Streaming Partner: Netflix

  Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...The film is insanely good-looking and incalculably entertaining. The characters are so misplaced in their romantic judgements, they seem to be in the wrong wedding venue. It’s in how much fun they have with their anomalous courtship games that this riotous rom-com scores baloney brownie points....  full review

  Thumbs up by Simran Singh,  DNA  ...Overall, Sunny Sanskari ki Tulsi Kumari is welcoming the return of comedy entertainer, with nostalgia for the 90s' laugh-riot, which should be enjoyed with family....  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...All in all, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is a good-hearted rom-com that never turns cynical, delivering mischief, warmth and relationship chaos in equal measure....  full review

  Thumbs up by Ganesh Aaglave,  FirstPost  ...On the whole, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is a fun entertainer filled with humour, heart and romance....  full review

  Thumbs up by Murtuza Iqbal,  Free Press Journal  ...Overall, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is undoubtedly one of the best romantic comedies we have seen in recent times. It is fun, entertaining, and filled with some wonderful performances....  full review

  Thumbs up by Nitin Sethi,  Glamsham.com  ...In the end, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari doesn’t reinvent the romcom wheel, but it doesn’t pretend to either. Think of it as a Bollywood cocktail that borrows the festive chaos of Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety and the narrative hook of, I Want You Back, shaken up with Khaitan’s flair for witty writing and colourful staging. The result is a film that may be familiar, even formulaic, but remains undeniably entertaining....  full review

  Thumbs up by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...By bunging in a cosy-letting-it-all-hang-out-scene between Sunny and Tulsi, as they lie next to each other, displaying nary a whisper of passion, the fraternalisation of lovers in Bollywood is complete. So much so, that when they actually lock lips, it comes as a belated surprise....  full review

  Thumbs up by "Rajiv Vijayakar ",  koimoi  ...Rohit Saraf impresses despite his template hangdog expressions and performance—he probably got a character that was perfect for him here! Sanya Malhotra is excellent as the practical Ananya. From the rest, Abhinav Sharma is lovably cute as Buntu, while Maniesh Paul largely plays himself. The rest of the cast has nothing much to do, though Dharna Durga and Prajakta Koli are brought in as Gen Z social media addicts’ allure in measly roles....  full review

  Thumbs up  Movie Talkies  ...Overall, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is a festive dhamaka, perfect for Dussehra viewing. It is a colourful, feel-good entertainer that delivers comedy, romance, and family values in equal measure. While not without its clichés, it does what it promises—offers a wholesome experience for multiplex and single-screen audiences alike. In short, a fun, vibrant family drama that is worth a watch for its humour, performances, and colourful treatment....  full review

  Thumbs up by YATAMANYU NARAIN,  News18.com  ...The film leaves you with laughter in your chest, warmth in your heart, and the faint aftertaste of nostalgia. It is cinema that does not shy away from its filminess, and perhaps that is its greatest gift, an unabashed celebration of love, heartbreak, and the chaos in between....  full review

  Thumbs up by Pratik Shekhar,  News18.com  ...अब बात करें फिल्म की कमजोर कड़ी की फिल्म का प्री-क्लाइमैक्स सेक्शन थोड़ा धीमा है. यह हिस्सा फिल्म की तेज रफ्तार में थोड़ा ब्रेक लगाता है. क्रिस्पर एडिटिंग इसे एक नॉन-स्टॉप अनुभव बना सकती थी. इस वजह से सेकंड हाफ बीच-बीच में आपको थोड़ा बोरियत महसूस करवा सकता है. कुल मिलाकर देखा जाए तो ‘सनी संस्कारी की तुलसी कुमारी’ एक मनोरंजक और फैमिली एंटरटेनर है. आप इस फिल्म को वरुण-जाह्नवी की जोड़ी, सुपरहिट संगीत और शशांक खेतान के कुशल निर्देशन की वजह से देख सकते हैं....  full review

  Thumbs up by Gayatri Nirmal,  Pinkvilla  ...If you enjoy romantic comedies and are craving a hearty laugh, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari checks all the boxes. It’ll make you believe in the most illogical, impractical things, but that’s what cinema is all about, right? It transports you to a world where everything seems believable, and suddenly, life is good....  full review

  Thumbs up by Nirali kanabar,  Times Now  ...All in all, Varun and Janhvi's Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is a wholesome entertainer that blends romance, comedy, drama and emotions in true Bollywood style. Barring few hiccups, SSKTK delivers laughs and heartfelt moments. It is a feel-good watch that will keep you entertained from the beginning to end....  full review

  Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...At its core, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari delivers what it promises: a glitzy, colourful rom-com packed with humour, charm, and entertaining performances....  full review

  So-So by Arkadev Ghoshal,  Deccan Herald  ...Overall, SSKTK is a lighthearted romp: It ends on a slightly problematic note, but who cares when the guy gets the gal of his literal dreams at the end of a shallow entertainer targeted at the masses? Honestly, this reviewer hopes that some filmmakers do, and strike a balance between entertainment and message. We want to exit a theatre with a little more grey matter than when we entered it....  full review

  So-So by Aakash Kumar,  Filmi Beat  ...Overall, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari has a mix of fun, drama, and romance, but fails to leave a lasting impression. While there are enjoyable moments sprinkled throughout, the film often feels like it plays too safe and couldn't create something more memorable. Despite good performances, the predictable storytelling makes the movie an average watch....  full review

  So-So by Baradwaj Rangan,  galatta.com  ...The finishing stretch is a joy, and I left the theatre on a small high. When it comes to star chemistry and laughs and tears, there hasn’t been something like this since – I guess – Rocky Aur Rani. The long wait between the two films makes you easily overlook the flaws....  full review

  So-So by Rishabh Suri,  Hindustan Times  ...Overall, what Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari suffers from is not a lack of ambition but a lack of clarity. It wants to be a romance and a family drama all at once, yet it never commits fully to any of these tracks. For a story about fighting for love, SSKTK doesn't make you fall in love with it....  full review

  So-So by Tushar Joshi,  india today  ...Shashank Khaitan’s USP has always been witty dialogues, light humour, and true-blue romance. With 'Sunny Sanskari...', he revisits his comfort zone while attempting to experiment. At times, he soars; at others, he stumbles. The result is a film that entertains, charms, and frustrates—sometimes all at once....  full review

  So-So by Sakshi Verma,  India TV  ...This film is made for audiences who enjoy lighthearted Bollywood fare. Families, who are looking for a festive outing, couples wanting a breezy date movie or Varun and Janhvi fans, will likely enjoy it. Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari doesn’t aim to be groundbreaking cinema. It doesn’t pretend to reinvent the rom-com wheel. Instead, it positions itself as an easy, colourful entertainer, one that relies on tried-and-tested formulas to deliver a cheerful viewing experience....  full review

  So-So by Lekha Menon,  Khaleej Times  ...Overall, Sunny Sanskari…is a lazy stress-free watch, the kind you call ‘timepass’ films. Don’t expect too much, don’t ask too many questions, feast your eyes on the colours, songs and the actors and you can have a fine time at the theatres. It’s charmless but entirely harmless....  full review

  So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...The actors give it all they have but since the screenplay is unable to give them all they need, their efforts are, at best, inconsistent. Janhvi Kapoor skirts around the pitfalls and provides the film its more sprightly moments....  full review

  So-So by Deepa Gahlot,  Rediff  ...For its flimsy plot, which the title gives way, it's much too long. One big thing in its favour -- no macho posturing by the guys. And, everybody dances well, but Dhawan is the clear winner in this as well as the comedy and emotions departments....  full review

  So-So by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Dhawan is fully alert and entirely in form in a film that is most alive whenever he is around. Although Sunny’s effortless charm doesn’t always work on Ananya, it carries the movie all the way through...  full review

  So-So by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...However, the moment you see Rohit, you know that he is going to be the third or fourth angle in the love story. The plot points and punchlines work like an algorithm where the support cast intervenes with automatic precision. The songs are not as catchy as the previous iterations of Khaitan’s love stories, but still, it is a kind of film that you don’t mind if someone else is paying for the ticket....  full review

  Thumbs down by Divya Shah,  India-Forums  ...Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is like that Instagram reel that you watch, laugh at, and swipe past remembering later. It is colourful, funny, and occasionally charming, but it never moves you. For those looking for a weekend escape filled with wedding chaos, ex drama, cheeky meta jokes and Varun Dhawan in his OG form, this film delivers exactly that. In the end, it is love that wins, because in Bollywood, all it takes is for the girl to finally say yes...  full review

  Thumbs down by UDITA JHUNJHUNWALA,  Live Mint  ...Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is like a glossy magazine: you flip through, admire the costumes and locations, look at the models, but nothing lingers once you close it....  full review

  Thumbs down by Mayank Shekhar,  MiD DAY  ...Such as this movie. Which, having given up on watching for its own worth — here I am, looking for the hero ka best-friend (where did he go?), and the side-cast (Maniesh Paul, Dharna Durga, et al), who could be more fun, in fact....  full review

  Thumbs down by Isha Sharma,  NewsBytes  ...kip this routine rom-com; 2/5 starsThere is an immense amount of fluff and desperation in the film, and no depth. It is a Karan Johar production, so, naturally, there's glitz and glamor all around, but that can never compensate for solid, gripping writing. Despite Dhawan's evident efforts, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is a turbulent ride, one you should steer clear of....  full review

  Thumbs down by Srishti Walia,  Outlook India  ...It ends leaving this spectator gladly excusing herself from watching another minute of hammed up performances by Dhawan and Kapoor....  full review

See Also    wogma review     30 Critic Reviews 3.2/5.0    Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Dharma Productions, Mentor Disciple Film
Producer: Karan Johar, Shashank Khaitan, Apoorva Mehta, Adar Poonawalla
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Lead Cast: Varun Dhawan, Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf, Janhvi Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Akshay Oberoi, Manini Chadha, Maniesh Paul, Prajakta Koli, Kavita Pais, Nazneen Madan, Monika Kohli, Rohitashv Gour, Dharna Durga, Gaurav Sikri, Mallika Chhabra, Neel Salekar, Karan Sudhakar Sonawane, Salim Arif, Seema Singh
Story: Shashank Khaitan
Screenplay: Shashank Khaitan
Cinematography: Manush Nandan
Editor: Manan Sagar, Charu Shree Roy
Background Score: John Stewart Eduri
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Bosco Martis, Piyush-Shazia
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty, Ravi Pawar, Tanishk Bagchi, Krishna Kishor
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Ajay Jhingran, Sonu Nigam, Tanishk Bagchi
Costume Designer: Manish Malhotra , Kunal Rawal, Shilpa Makhija, Varsha Chandanani
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Romance

View Details

25 reviewers have given Homeboundan average rating of 5/5.0 (?)

25 yays 0 nays 0 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?) quick review: Homebound touches you because it's intentionally unsettling. A no-frills look at society, with simple-AND-powerful storytelling and grounded, heartfelt performances.

Streaming Partner: Netflix

  Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...Oh, I could go on. But where are the words? I have seldom seen a film where not a single frame can be removed without seriously damaging the end product. This is it....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rajiv Vijayakar,  Deccan Herald  ...Neeraj Ghaywan has made this film as a catharsis in part, infusing it (as he told me) with many personal touches that question not just India, but the world at large. It is a story that can resonate from Bikaner to Boston and beyond....  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...Watch the film for its brutal display of reality and for the fabulous performances by Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa. Do films bring about social change? We hope Homebound does. If nothing else, it should become a conversation starter. Fingers crossed....  full review

  Thumbs up by Baradwaj Rangan,  galatta.com  ...The final stretch is incredibly moving. What starts as a story about getting a job ends as a story that says education is the only way forward – and even more so when you don’t have the backing of the majority....  full review

  Thumbs up by Iqbal Pervez,  Glamsham.com  ...Homebound is a story that touches the heart, connecting friendship, social struggles, career dilemmas, and personal choices. There is pin-drop silence in the theater. This means the film leaves such an impact that not a single second diverts your gaze and attention. If you enjoy realistic and emotional cinema like this, Homebound is definitely a film worth watching. I am sure that when you watch Homebound, you will emotionally connect with it. You might even find your eyes welling up....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rishabh Suri,  Hindustan Times  ...Overall, Homebound is not just a film about friendship, caste, or migration. It is a reminder of humanity brought to its knees by a pandemic, and of the invisible lives that bore the heaviest weight in our country....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sana Farzeen,  india today  ...That is the true triumph of Homebound: it doesn’t just make you watch; it makes you witness. And once you’ve witnessed, you can’t claim you didn’t know....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sakshi Verma,  India TV  ...Technical aspectsVisually, the film is striking. Pratik Shah’s cinematography creates intimate close‑ups and then pulls back to show the wide, daunting landscape of migration and movement. The framing often emphasises the absence of opportunities, of transport, of comfort, but also the presence of more comforting things like friendship, home and small acts of kindness. The sound design and score by Naren Chandavarkar and Benedict Taylor complement this quiet, respectful writing that aims to point at emotion without forcing it....  full review

  Thumbs up by Divya Shah,  India-Forums  ...Homebound is not a spectacle; it is a quiet storm. Neeraj Ghaywan has crafted a work of rare compassion, one that exposes the fault lines of caste and religion while celebrating the unbreakable bonds of friendship and hope. It will move you, unsettle you and, perhaps most importantly, make you listen to voices we often fail to hear. This is than cinema. It is a reminder that empathy is not a luxury but a responsibility, and that even in the harshest times, the human spirit can still find a way home....  full review

  Thumbs up by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...A lone film cannot call into account centuries of systemic discrimination, and disenfranchisement, but if you have to see one film which talks of all these elephants that have gone missing from so many rooms over so many unconscionable years, make it this one....  full review

  Thumbs up by Uday Bhatia,  Live Mint  ...A simple shot: the sun almost set, Shoaib and Chandan sitting on top of a truck, gazing at the road ahead with something like hope, their thoughts escaping home....  full review

  Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar,  MiD DAY  ...Which, basically means, merely one thing. That a jury, across multiple languages, deemed it the year’s best Indian film, thus far. Think, I agree....  full review

  Thumbs up by Amarylisa Gonsalves,  MiD DAY  ...Homebound is definitely worth a watch, as it gives a reality check while making you reflect. The climax is certainly the cherry on the cake. Expect a few sobs around you if you’re watching this one in the cinema hall....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...Ultimately, Homebound succeeds as a heartfelt story that mixes friendship, social struggles, career dilemmas, and personal choices into a meaningful narrative. For those who appreciate realistic cinema with emotional resonance, Homebound is well worth a watch....  full review

  Thumbs up by Radhika Sharma,  NDTV  ...Here's hoping Homebound, which also has Hollywood legend Martin Scorsese attached as executive producer, brings that Oscar home....  full review

  Thumbs up by TITAS CHOWDHURY,  News18.com  ...And that makes Homebound cinematically rich and a must watch...  full review

  Thumbs up by Isha Sharma,  NewsBytes  ...Homebound is a gripping tale of dreams and humanity, and Ghaywan's characters are soaked in extreme authenticity. Its unpredictability is another strength, and it's the kind of film you want to watch without distractions because the characters demand your unwavering attention. It may seem a bit melancholic, but then, it's this rawness that gives the film meaning and purpose. Don't miss it....  full review

  Thumbs up by DEBANJAN DHAR,  Outlook India  ...Though the film’s final stretches lend a fervid, gutting showcase for the actors, they are equally tremendous in flickering snatches of few seconds....  full review

  Thumbs up by Deepa Gahlot,  Rediff  ...The performances by Khatter and Jethwa are wonderfully empathetic. The fury, pain and hopelessness are expressed with a raw sincerity....  full review

  Thumbs up by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Vishal Jethwa isn’t always up to conveying Chandan’s angst. Ishaan Khatter is more compelling as Shoaib, expressing controlled rage and a maturity beyond his years when he is treated like dirt. As Phool, Shalini Vatsa has some moving scenes....  full review

  Thumbs up by leslie felperin,  The Guardian  ...Another film-maker might have confined the story to just this last part, and focused on the young men’s many challenges as they try to make their way home to their families with curfews in place and limited transport options....  full review

  Thumbs up by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...Still, Homebound is a significant document of our times when social trust seems to be in a long-term decline and is a worthy bet for the elusive Oscar....  full review

  Thumbs up by Namrata Joshi,  the new Indian Express  ...Homebound gives voice to the voiceless but more significantly implicates and indicts the powerful and the privileged for the status quo. It's a film powered by vital, essential urgency of the times, and for the times....  full review

  Thumbs up by Tanmayi Savadi,  Times Now  ...Homebound lacks the glamour of an entertaining film, but it hits the right emotional spots with the right pace. Not made for all, this one requires patience, time and acquired appetite to understand Neeraj’s world. A hard-hitting portrayal of the marginalised, Homebound pricks when it should rightfully. This film shall be remembered for its no-nonsense approach, clean direction and incredible performances....  full review

  Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,  Times of India  ...Homebound raises many questions. How did we get here? What has made us so bereft of empathy and compassion? A soul-stirring observation of a world growing cold, this is filmmaking at its finest....  full review

See Also    wogma review     25 Critic Reviews 5/5.0    Homebound - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Dharma Productions
Producer: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Somen Mishra, Adar Poonawalla
Director: Neeraj Ghaywan
Lead Cast: Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa
Supporting Cast: Chandan Anand, Shalini Vatsa, Janhvi Kapoor, Shreedhar Dubey, Harshika Parmar, Vijay Vikram Singh, Yogendra Vikram Singh, Pankaj Dubey
Story: Neeraj Ghaywan, Sumit Roy, Basharat Peer
Screenplay: Neeraj Ghaywan
Dialogues: Varun Grover, Neeraj Ghaywan, Shreedhar Dubey
Cinematography: Pratik Shah
Background Score: Naren Chandavarkar, Benedict Taylor
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Varun Grover
Costume Designer: Rohit Chaturvedi
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story, Social

View Details

wogma rating: Don't bother (?) quick review: Love is fickle—that's my takeaway from this boring romance. The only highlights are some song and dance sequences.

Streaming Partner: Netflix

Review I admire how quickly and easily this film's characters fall in and out of love. Of course, story-wise, we all know that their initial "true love" existed only so that it could fall apart. Which also means to begin with, we don't believe that Sunny Sanskari (Varun Dhawan) is in love with Ananya (Sanya Malhotra) or Tulsi Kumari (Janhvi Kapoor) with Vikram (Rohit Saraf). The problem, then, is that given that knowledge, the very premise of the film falls apart. So, we have given up on any hope from the story at the very outset.

The next onus of engaging us falls on the situations and the dialogue. The situations reek of lazy writing. For instance, none of the characters question the logic of some very questionable actions and reactions. It is almost as if the makers wanted to make a film that had loads of wedding-y songs and dances. The rest is just padding for that to happen.

After a while, they even gave up on naming which wedding function was on. Thankfully, the music is peppy, and some of the songs are memorable too. And they have been picturised and executed well too. But they are just sewn together haphazardly. And why-o-why do we have a sleazy end-credit item number which is utterly disconnected with texture of the film?

Also, there is hardly any support from any of the other departments. If you are wondering whether the dialogue carries any weight, you are wasting energy. Are the actors able to bring life to the lines? Just about. The film is on the edge of being a full-fledged slapstick one.

Varun Dhawan and some of the actors playing smaller roles are loud and insufferable. The women, Sanya Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor, bring some semblance of calm and composure. But only occasionally. Rohit Saraf and Akshay Oberoi don't have enough screen presence for you to remember them. And so it goes with the rest of the character artists.

In this mess, then, it was surprising to see a comment on patriarchy and feminism. And just when I was willing to take that as the one thing that made the film worth being made. But I let my hopes rise a bit too soon. In the last scene, a woman who had found her self-worth through the film was asked to quit her job. Just like that. That hurt.

And with that, this supposedly romantic film leaves nothing warm to remember. A few of the songs, sure. But those you can watch stand-alone and continue to listen to online, right? Right.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Some people are being slapped. * Language: A couple of curse words slipped through. * Nudity & Sexual content: A lip-to-lip. An end-credit item number. * Concept: Boy meets girl because their exes are getting married. And they want to stop that from happening. * General Look and Feel: Bright, loud, peppy.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1 * Story: 0.5 * Lead Actors: 1.5 * Character Artists: 1.5

Dialogues: 1
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 2.5 See Also wogma review 30 Critic Reviews 3.2/5.0 Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Dharma Productions, Mentor Disciple Film
Producer: Karan Johar, Shashank Khaitan, Apoorva Mehta, Adar Poonawalla
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Lead Cast: Varun Dhawan, Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf, Janhvi Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Akshay Oberoi, Manini Chadha, Maniesh Paul, Prajakta Koli, Kavita Pais, Nazneen Madan, Monika Kohli, Rohitashv Gour, Dharna Durga, Gaurav Sikri, Mallika Chhabra, Neel Salekar, Karan Sudhakar Sonawane, Salim Arif, Seema Singh
Story: Shashank Khaitan
Screenplay: Shashank Khaitan
Cinematography: Manush Nandan
Editor: Manan Sagar, Charu Shree Roy
Background Score: John Stewart Eduri
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Bosco Martis, Piyush-Shazia
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty, Ravi Pawar, Tanishk Bagchi, Krishna Kishor
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Ajay Jhingran, Sonu Nigam, Tanishk Bagchi
Costume Designer: Manish Malhotra , Kunal Rawal, Shilpa Makhija, Varsha Chandanani
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Romance

View Details

Streaming Partner: Netflix

Review We are in a world where a family can own smartphones, yet live under a kutcha roof. And the irony is that we, the audience in air-conditioned theatres, know that world is real. Throughout Homebound, this stark contrast—between the viewer and the viewed, and within the film's world itself—is haunting, daunting, touching, upsetting, heartbreaking and a little warm too.

How can the suffocating circumstances of Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) as a Muslim in India and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa) as a person from a scheduled caste be warm, you ask? Because the filmmakers make you feel for them without making you feel sorry for them or their situation.

This could also be because the characters are all representatives of the groups they belong to, making them, especially Shoaib and Chandan, two-dimensional placeholders. The situations too are dictated by the single identities—a Muslim man and a man belonging to a scheduled caste. Each scene is charged with the looming implication of how other characters are going to respond to their identities.
That makes the film a tad predictable. It doesn't help that the film is quiet but not subtle about laying out the facts as they are. I wouldn’t fault the makers for refusing subtlety, given what we’ve become as a society.

Indeed, the predictability made me very aware of my privilege, the dire situation of these groups, and the sorry state of society that we live in. Why can I tell that some of the characters are likely to react to Shoaib and Chandan?

While I can take refuge under the protection offered by some deeply affecting performances by Vishal Jethwa, Ishaan Khatter and the entire ensemble, the truth is that these societal issues are glaring us in the face day in and day out. Making me, as a part of the audience, constantly aware of them is the film's win—taking nothing away from how lived-in and rooted the entire cast looked and felt. I wish Janhvi Kapoor had a bigger role she could dig her teeth into. Though from the trailers, it looks like some of her scenes with Jethwa and Khatter didn't make the final cut.

Once you get over the "representative" nature of the characters, which results in the broad predictability of the storyline—and even if you don't get over it completely—you care for the boys. You don't want them to constantly have to temper their aspirations, which would be truly humble goals in an ideal society. But real life has it otherwise. You want them to make it.

Other than that, the film is gracefully and elegantly framed and shot with a couple of beautifully heartbreaking aerial shots. Some of the dialogue might be slightly overwritten, but it stops right in time to not become jarring.

Homebound is a reminder of how films don't need to get into histrionics to be engaging and thought-provoking. Just a matter-of-fact narration and execution is enough. More power to the makers—directors, producers, and writers.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A fist fight, police beating up a mob. * Language: Clean. * Nudity & Sexual content: None. * Concept: Two childhood friends growing up in poverty try to balance their aspirations in a world that is staged against them from the word go. * General Look and Feel: Earthy, real.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 4 * Story: 4 * Lead Actors: 5 * Character Artists: 5

Dialogues: 3.5
Screenplay: 4
Music Director: 3.5
Lyrics: 3.5 See Also wogma review 25 Critic Reviews 5/5.0 Homebound - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Dharma Productions
Producer: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Somen Mishra, Adar Poonawalla
Director: Neeraj Ghaywan
Lead Cast: Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa
Supporting Cast: Chandan Anand, Shalini Vatsa, Janhvi Kapoor, Shreedhar Dubey, Harshika Parmar, Vijay Vikram Singh, Yogendra Vikram Singh, Pankaj Dubey
Story: Neeraj Ghaywan, Sumit Roy, Basharat Peer
Screenplay: Neeraj Ghaywan
Dialogues: Varun Grover, Neeraj Ghaywan, Shreedhar Dubey
Cinematography: Pratik Shah
Background Score: Naren Chandavarkar, Benedict Taylor
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Varun Grover
Costume Designer: Rohit Chaturvedi
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story, Social

View Details

30 reviewers have given Jolly LLB 3an average rating of 4/5.0 (?)

20 yays 2 nays 8 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?) quick review: A topic that should be part of every living room conversation plays out as a predictable yet meaningful courtroom drama. The strongest film in the series so far, but still weighed down by unnecessary, slapstick flab.

(Streaming Partner: Netflix)

  Thumbs up by Amit Bhatia,  abplive  ...राइटिंग और डायरेक्शन- सुभाष कपूर की राइटिंग और डायरेक्शन असली जॉली है. उन्होंने दिखा दिया है एक सीरीयस मुद्दे पर एंटरटेनिंग फिल्म कैसे बनाते हैं. उन्होंने हर किरदार का इस्तेमाल किया है. सिर्फ सुपरस्टार अक्षय पर फोकस नहीं रखा और इसलिए ये फिल्म भी कमाल की बनी और अक्षय भी निखर कर आए. कोर्टरूम के सीन हों या इमोशनल सीन, सबका बैलेंस कमाल का है....  full review

  Thumbs up by Bobby Sing,  Bobby Talks Cinema.com  ...In all finally , Bollywood finds the courage to make a potent, anti-establishment film about the farmers plight, as witnessed in south cinema. So, filmgoer's complaint that Hindi cinema is not courageous enough to show the real problems of our country gets strongly gets strongly addressed here....  full review

  Thumbs up  DNA  ...जॉली नंबर 1 के किरदार में अरशद वारसी अपनी अदाकारी से ज़बरदस्त जान डालते हैं, लेकिन इस बात से इनकार नहीं किया जा सकता कि फिल्म में उनका स्क्रीन टाइम अक्षय से कम है. 'जॉली एलएलबी 3' में सबसे ज़्यादा ध्यान खींचने वाले एक्टर सौरभ शुक्ला हैं. उन्होंने फिल्म में ज़बरदस्त काम किया है. इस फिल्म के ज़रिए अमृता राव भी लंबे समय बाद पर्दे पर नज़र आई हैं, लेकिन फिल्म में उनके और हुमा कुरैशी के लिए कुछ ख़ास नहीं है. गजराज राव और राम कपूर अपने-अपने किरदारों में जंचते हैं और सीमा बिस्वास ने अपनी अदाकारी से फिल्म के इमोशनल सीन्स को खूबसूरती से पेश किया है. इसलिए हम इस फिल्म को 5 में से 3 रेटिंग देंगे....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sarita A Tanwar,  DNA  ...Jolly LLB has its flaws but it makes up with its honesty and of course, the superb performances from the cast....  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...Watch the film for its powerful message. As said earlier, in today's times, when filmmakers are turning to propaganda, it's nice to see a director making films on real issues. Kudos to Subhash Kapoor for his courageous brand of filmmaking....  full review

  Thumbs up by Aakash Kumar,  Filmi Beat  ...Jolly LLB 3 succeeds in delivering a courtroom drama that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Backed by strong performances, the film keeps the audience invested till the very end. It may not be flawless, but it stays true to the spirit of the franchise - mixing satire, social commentary, and courtroom fun....  full review

  Thumbs up by Lachmi Deb Roy,  FirstPost  ...On the whole, Jolly LLB 3 just like the previous two parts may not be as humorous, but recreates the charm and intensity that made the franchise iconic. Produced by Star Studio18 and directed by Subhash Kapoor, the film releases in theatres today. My only advice is when you watch the film please watch it with an open heart and don’t compare it with Part 1 and Part 2. But one thing I can assure you is that Jolly LLB 3 is as political and intense as the previous two. May be the share of laugh is a little less as compared to the previous two, but the messaging is absolutely relevant. And sorry for not mentioning this before, Gajraj Rao’s performance is absolutely brilliant too and he is that man in the film whom you can’t stop hating!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Manmath Sahu,  fullhyd.com  ...In the end, Jolly LLB 3 is a rollercoaster of wit and tension, culminating in a hilarious courtroom showdown. Catch it in a single-screen theatre for the ultimate fun and audience reactions....  full review

  Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,  Glamsham.com  ...Ultimately, Jolly LLB 3 is entertaining in parts and socially relevant in essence. It may not carry the freshness of the first film or the sharper bite of the second, but it draws attention to the widening urban–rural divide, the anxieties of land acquisition, and the inequities between the affluent and the marginalized....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rishabh Suri,  Hindustan Times  ...Overall, Jolly LLB 3 may not outshine the first two films, but it keeps the courtroom drama spirit alive with enough laughs and solid performances to make it a worthy addition to the series....  full review

  Thumbs up by Vineeta Kumar,  india today  ...It may not be the most refined courtroom drama, but it proves why this franchise continues to matter. 'Jolly LLB 3' makes you laugh, think, and cheer, all at the same time....  full review

  Thumbs up by Jaya Dwivedie,  India TV  ...If you like films that delve deeply into social issues and enjoy courtroom dramas, 'Jolly LLB 3' can be a good one-time watch for you. The film has everything from comedy, emotion, social messages and light entertainment. While the courtroom drama isn't as strong as the previous two instalments, the performances of Akshay, Arshad, and Saurabh manage to carry the film. In short, if you've followed the Jolly LLB series, don't miss this one. With humour, conflicts and social messages, 'Jolly LLB 3' deserves 3 out of 5 stars....  full review

  Thumbs up by Kunal Kothari,  India-Forums  ...So what do we make of Jolly LLB 3? It is undeniably the weakest film in the trilogy. The satire is less biting.The villain is less threatening. The female characters are barely there. The writing sometimes wobbles between comedy and tragedy without landing gracefully....  full review

  Thumbs up by Trisha Gaur,  koimoi  ...Does Jolly LLB 3 come without flaws? Absolutely no! Do I want to highlight those flaws? Again, a no! Ask why? Because when you sit in a theater that erupts in a round of thunderous applause after every 16 – 18 minutes, then you do not need any more evidence to say that this is what a film should be! Telling an important story without being preachy, making a strong comment on a societal issue without creating a mess out of the pathos, and most importantly, entertaining the audience without fail!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar,  MiD DAY  ...I’m getting these thoughts through most of this film’s second half — so much superior to its first half (an absolute rarity) — that, true to its genre, culminates with a final showdown in the courtroom, which is hard to match. Did I expect this? Nope. Did I eventually love the film more, as a result? Yup. I suspect, so would you....  full review

  Thumbs up by Radhika Sharma,  NDTV  ...However, Jolly LLB 3 suffers from an uneven screenplay that breaks the spell of tense, sombre moments by inserting gags. It is beyond banal that the audience still laughs at jibes like "genda," "mota", and toilet humour....  full review

  Thumbs up by CHIRAG SEHGAL,  News18.com  ...Jolly LLB 3 is a fine example of how cinema can tackle pressing social issues with humour, without ever diluting their seriousness. The film seamlessly balances comedy and gravity, making the narrative both thought-provoking and highly entertaining. With its sharp writing and powerful performances, the film delivers a complete cinematic experience. It is pure entertainment and a must watch...  full review

  Thumbs up by Khushboo Ratda,  Pinkvilla  ...The first half could have been tighter, but its mix of biting humor, engaging courtroom battle, and the nostalgia of seeing the original cast back together makes Jolly LLB 3 an entertaining ride by the end. It’s a return of OG Akshay Kumar after a very long time. It may not break new ground, but makers succeed in keeping you invested, largely thanks to its cast. Akshay Kumar as 'Jolly No. 2' blends into the narrative rather than overshadowing it, while Arshad Warsi equally stands out— and that, surprisingly, is the film’s strength....  full review

  Thumbs up by Deepa Gahlot,  Rediff  ...Jolly LLB 3 does not have the scope to actually delve deep into the economical fallout of unchecked development, question the inherent inequalities in the system, the endemic corruption or the lack of political will that allows the poorest of the poor to fall through the cracks. But it does shift gears from humour to violence to courtroom rhetoric, so the right questions are highlighted....  full review

  Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...Jolly LLB 3 remains an engaging ride that keeps you entertained with its mix of courtroom drama and comic splits....  full review

  So-So by Murtuza Iqbal,  Free Press Journal  ...Jolly LLB 3 Review - MusicThe music of Jolly LLB 3 is decent. Most of the songs are used as background score, and they suit the film's theme.Jolly LLB 3 Review - FPJ VerdictOverall, Jolly LLB 3 is hilarious in bits and parts and has its moments. But it fails to take the franchise a notch higher. However, if you are an Akshay Kumar fan, this movie is a must-watch for you....  full review

  So-So by Manisha Lakhe,  Live Mint  ...Watch it, but do have an anti-ageing regimen ready at home because, in reality, filmy justice also takes too long to be served....  full review

  So-So  Movie Talkies  ...Director Subhash Kapoor once again brings his sharp storytelling style to the courtroom genre. While Jolly LLB 3 is not as tight or as impactful as the earlier films, it still manages to deliver an engaging, socially relevant entertainer. His strong focus on portraying farmers’ struggles and questioning blind industrialization gives the film its heart. Overall, Jolly LLB 3 is far from perfect—it is stretched, uneven, and at times illogical. But thanks to Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi’s chemistry, a powerful climax, and an important subject at its core, the film turns into a watchable courtroom drama....  full review

  So-So by Sakshi Salil Chavan,  Outlook India  ...Jolly LLB 3 wobbles in places and becomes quite forgettable. Kapoor keeps the circus rolling, with a fixed script to a play, clowns and crusaders sparring in equal measure, reminding us that in this universe, justice is never delivered quietly—it arrives with a grin and a glare. And in this case, with two slogans in the closing scene : “Jai Jawaan Jai Kisaan” and “If you ate today, thank a farmer”. This film is tailored for courtroom-drama loyalists and nostalgic fans awaiting Kumar and Warsi’s reunion. Its heart is in the right place, yet the delivery stumbles. The buildup strains without reward, the finale slips into sermon, and the audience exits restless, tugged about like mismatched puppet strings....  full review

  So-So by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...While both actors make for credible adversaries, their friendship is even less plausible than the tactics they use to battle Haribhai’s influence. The Jolly Square gimmick soon runs its course, which is probably why Saurabh Shukla’s judge has a bigger role to play. Saurabh Shukla has a whale of a time reining in the Jollys and wooing a police officer (Shilpa Shukla) alongside keeping rapacious businessmen like Haribhai in check....  full review

  So-So by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...Once again, Saurabh Shukla is the biggest star of the show as he keeps the franchise fresh. His Judge Tripathi has already become one of the iconic characters of Hindi cinema. In the third instalment, Shukla adds a few more nuances to his performance as Tripathi discovers a new meaning of date. Meanwhile, you keep a date with this hearing to understand the plight of the peasant....  full review

  So-So by HARIPRASAD SADANANDAN,  The Week  ...On the whole, Jolly LLB 3 is a social drama that has its moments for sure but mostly ends up as a preachy lecture than an engaging film....  full review

  So-So by Tanmayi Savadi,  Times Now  ...Jolly LLB 3 has the potential to be a clean and happy family entertainer. Slightly inclined towards preachy, it picks up soon and rectifies before ending up as a complete shipwreck...  full review

  Thumbs down by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...Jolly LLB 3 is not an all-out disengaging dissing zone. Nothing for which you might want to take the makers to court for psychological abuse. But the freshness, cheekiness, and satirical swipes of the first film have been progressively diluted....  full review

  Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...I really enjoyed Jolly LLB part 2. But in this one, the story-telling is at its most basic, and it is far and away the weakest part of the franchise....  full review

See Also    wogma review     30 Critic Reviews 4/5.0    Jolly LLB 3 - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Star Studio
Producer: Ajit Andhare, Alok Jain
Director: Subhash Kapoor
Lead Cast: Arshad Warsi, Akshay Kumar
Supporting Cast: Amrita Rao, Seema Biswas, Saurabh Shukhla, Shilpa Shukla, Vibha Chibber, Ram Kapoor, Avijit Dutt, Huma Qureshi, Sameer Khurana, Robin Das, Gajraj Rao, Srikant Verma, Kharaj Mukherjee, Mahender Singh Bisht, Rajshree Sawant, Vinod Suryavanshi, Mahesh Sharma, Raman Atre, Sukumar Tudu, Vandana Rao Pianist, Ankur Rastogi, Aadarsh Giri, Deepak Gurjar, Sajid Akhtar, Rajendra Mathur
Story: Subhash Kapoor
Dialogues: Subhash Kapoor
Cinematography: Rangarajan Ramabadran
Editor: Chandrashekhar Prajapati
Background Score: Mangesh Dhadke
Music Director: Vikram Montrose, Anurag Saikia, Aman Panth
Lyrics: Puneet Sharma, Ram Kumar Singh, Pardhaan, Megha Bali, Akhil Tiwari
Costume Designer: Veera Kapur
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social

View Details

(Streaming Partner: Netflix)

Review Jolly LLB must be one of those rare series that is getting better with every episode. Not by a lot, though. And considering the first one was barely memorable, that is not saying much now, is it? Yet, this one will stick mainly because of the premise of the plot and the arguments on both sides. But it won't stick a lot better in memory because it is padded up with way too many side-tracks.

Jolly LLB 3 is, certainly helped by the topic—development, farmer suicides, inequality, and how the rich and powerful manipulate to marginalise the already marginalised. It is a burning current issue that is talked about way too flippantly in middle- and upper-class societies. Jolly LLB does well by giving the generic "farmer" a face and a story, even if it is as predictable as any such courtroom drama.

It is not just that you know what the general outcome of the case and the film will be. You even know which defence arguments are going to be picked up by the plaintiff's lawyer—line-for-line. And that would still be okay. It is an important enough conversation that I was willing to sacrifice my need to be surprised or blown away.

The fluff around this solid storyline is problematic, though. Of course, there is the passing derogatory language-tone combination used about gender and skin tone. But there is also the trans person prelude, the lawyers' personal life, and most of all, the judge's personal life—all extraneous, doing little to add context, and adding unnecessary minutes to the runtime.

Unnecessary because the film has so much going for it. There are lovely background-music-free conversations that allow you to soak in the vibe. The one stand-off between Khaitan (Gajraj Rao) and Janki (Seema Biswas) leaves a much more powerful impact compared to all the arguments in the courtroom.

It does help that a couple of the actors do justice to their characters. For instance, you do feel like slapping Ram Kapoor's Advocate Vikram for thinking poor people ought to feel obligated to his client for buying their land. And you feel infuriated on behalf of the villagers led by Seema Biswas. Shilpa Shukla's role might be the most inconsequential one, but she takes it on earnestly. She blushes so well!

The other actors such as Arshad Warsi, Akshay Kumar, and Gajraj Rao might not inspire any strong feelings, but they don't turn you off either. Huma Qureshi and Amrita Rao, though, are mere props. And, of course, there is Saurabh Shukla, who does what he is told to do so well. But, should he really be made to say or do all the inanities his role demands? Shouldn't he be treated better?

Despite all of that, I did walk out of the theatre feeling grateful to all these people for taking on this all-important and controversial social commentary. Maybe one day, real life will match reel life.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Police beating protestors. A fist fight. * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: David vs Goliath. Marginal farmers vs business tycoon. * General Look and Feel: Crisp, no-frills.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2.5 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 1.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2.5 See Also wogma review 30 Critic Reviews 4/5.0 Jolly LLB 3 - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Star Studio
Producer: Ajit Andhare, Alok Jain
Director: Subhash Kapoor
Lead Cast: Arshad Warsi, Akshay Kumar
Supporting Cast: Amrita Rao, Seema Biswas, Saurabh Shukhla, Shilpa Shukla, Vibha Chibber, Ram Kapoor, Avijit Dutt, Huma Qureshi, Sameer Khurana, Robin Das, Gajraj Rao, Srikant Verma, Kharaj Mukherjee, Mahender Singh Bisht, Rajshree Sawant, Vinod Suryavanshi, Mahesh Sharma, Raman Atre, Sukumar Tudu, Vandana Rao Pianist, Ankur Rastogi, Aadarsh Giri, Deepak Gurjar, Sajid Akhtar, Rajendra Mathur
Story: Subhash Kapoor
Dialogues: Subhash Kapoor
Cinematography: Rangarajan Ramabadran
Editor: Chandrashekhar Prajapati
Background Score: Mangesh Dhadke
Music Director: Vikram Montrose, Anurag Saikia, Aman Panth
Lyrics: Puneet Sharma, Ram Kumar Singh, Pardhaan, Megha Bali, Akhil Tiwari
Costume Designer: Veera Kapur
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social

View Details

22 reviewers have given Baaghi 4an average rating of 1.3/5.0 (?)

3 yays 14 nays 5 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Don't bother (?) quick review: It's so bloated that every thump in the music, each fight sequence, nearly every song, every attempt at comic relief seems like a huge, stinky burp.

  Thumbs up by Amit Bhatia,  abplive  ...साजिद नाडियाडवाला ने रजत अरोड़ा के साथ मिलाकर ये कहानी लिखी है और कहानी अच्छी है. सबसे बड़ी बात यही है कि एक एक्शन फिल्म में कहानी डाली गई है. कन्नड़ फिल्मों के डायरेक्टर A Harsha फिर से दिखाया है कि साउथ वाले जब बॉलीवुड एक्टर को डायरेक्ट करते हैं तो कमाल अलग ही होता है. इस फिल्म के अच्छा होने के पीछे बड़ा क्रेडिट इसके डायरेक्टर को जाता है. म्यूजिक फिल्म का म्यूजिक अच्छा है, गाने खतरनाक एक्शन सीन्स के बीच एक रिलीफ देते हैं. कुल मिलाकर एक्शन के शौकीन हैं तो ये फिल्म देखिए...  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...At close to three hours, Baaghi 4 is more indulgent than it needs to be, and patience does wear thin. Yet, it is a marked improvement over its predecessor. Tiger Shroff, in need of a hit, delivers what his fans expect, while Harnaaz Sandhu makes a promising debut. Whether the masses embrace it remains to be seen but there’s no denying this film gives the franchise a much-needed shot in the arm....  full review

  Thumbs up by "Rajiv Vijayakar ",  koimoi  ...Baaghi 4 is a good watch for Tiger Shroff fans and those who are loyal to this franchise. It is decidedly much better than Baaghi 2 and Baaghi 3 and is technically and cinematically just a whit superior to Baaghi....  full review

  So-So by Simran Singh,  DNA  ...Baaghi 4 is still a pleasant watch for Tiger fans, as he delivers more than what is promised. Go with no expectations, and you'll find it entertaining....  full review

  So-So by Aakash Kumar,  Filmi Beat  ...On the whole, Baaghi 4 offers a mix of thrills, emotions, and action. It may not be the best in the franchise, but it is definitely a one-time watch for fans of action dramas. Despite its flaws - stretched parts, overdone violence, and weak dialogues - the film surprised me by being better than expected, as I had zero hopes for it....  full review

  So-So by Ria Sharma,  Free Press Journal  ...What works are the performances and the music and what falters is the predictability of the story.Baaghi 4 tries to infuse the franchise with more romance and emotion, but the story often feels predictable and could have benefitted from tighter suspense. While the action is occasionally over-the-top to the point of unintentional comedy, the film remains entertaining in parts. Tiger's all-round performance, Harnaaz's promising debut, and the strong music keep it afloat. It's not a knockout punch, but it's not a letdown either....  full review

  So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...Unfortunately, and perhaps expectedly, Baaghi creaks under the weight of the excess that it packs into its 160 minutes of relentless bloodletting. Impalements, dismemberments and bullets through hearts and heads - most of them, mercifully, are kept off camera - are strewn across the film....  full review

  So-So by Gayatri Nirmal,  Pinkvilla  ...Certain scenes defy logic, but that's the charm of mainstream cinema, where heroes arrive like knights in shining armor to rescue love against all odds. You'll step in to watch Baaghi 4, but may walk out with flashes of Animal lingering in your mind. Either way, it's a one-time watch on the silver screen that won't hurt....  full review

  Thumbs down by Vinamra Mathur,  FirstPost  ...It’s a film whose commercial prospects look better than Shroff‘s last few films. It’s also a film that’s not done with its hideousness. It’s a film that will come back. As I said, never give up!...  full review

  Thumbs down by Rishabh Suri,  Hindustan Times  ...In the end, Baaghi 4 is like being promised a roller coaster and being handed a merry-go-round. It goes in circles, makes some noise, and looks flashy from a distance, but once you are on it, you just wait for the ride to end....  full review

  Thumbs down by Vineeta Kumar,  india today  ...Watch it if you have wronged humanity in your past life and this is your karmic punishment!...  full review

  Thumbs down by Jaya Dwivedie,  India TV  ...With a muscular body, action moves and limited dialogues, Tiger Shroff is seen in his familiar style. In this film, an attempt has been made to show him as a mentally confused person, but his acting does not touch that depth. Sanjay Dutt seems to be following the trend this time too. Earlier, he did the same thing in films like 'Policegiri' and 'Bhootni', choosing the wrong films at the wrong time. In 'Baaghi 4', he plays a character called Chako, who neither manages to be scary nor impressive....  full review

  Thumbs down by Shalini Langer,  indian express  ...One star for surprising us every time we think Ronny surely has butchered enough, Sanjay Dutt surely can’t be doing his maniacal laugh one more time, the film surely has shown all it wanted to till it springs up again, God’s name surely can’t be taken more in vain particularly inside a church, and for having someone declare: “I will marry you Chaakoo.” Chaakoo, it turns out, is Bollywood for Chacko....  full review

  Thumbs down by Lekha Menon,  Khaleej Times  ...Baaghi 4 has many such unbelievable scenes, but the best is for the last when our lead pair pay homage to the villain who has been laid to rest with an unintentionally funny epitaph! I guess that says it all....  full review

  Thumbs down by Manisha Lakhe,  Live Mint  ...Bollywood has never answered why villains want to marry the heroines! Sanjay Dutt putting make-up on the heroine bride was as creepy as Steve Buschemi having tea with the little girl in Con Air. Shudder. But my favourite character is Jesus himself! In South Park, he faces off Satan as well as Labubus and the chicken eating, but he’s got the winning moves in this film! Watch it at your own peril....  full review

  Thumbs down  Movie Talkies  ...In the end, Baaghi 4 is not just a bad sequel—it’s easily the worst entry in the franchise and among the most unbearable films of the year. With no story, no emotions, no memorable performances, and no technical brilliance to fall back on, it becomes a test of patience for anyone daring enough to watch it. If you had low expectations, be prepared for an even harsher reality. This is one franchise that truly needs to be put to rest. Baaghi 4 is an exhausting, illogical, and soulless film that neither entertains nor engages. The only thing shocking about it is how it managed to get made at all....  full review

  Thumbs down by Shachi Chaturvedi,  News18.com  ...Violence? Over the top. Story? Barely there. Acting? Suffocated by poor writing. Baaghi 4 delivers clichés, making the film feel more like an exhausting action reel than a coherent drama. Best advice? Save yourself....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sakshi Salil Chavan,  Outlook India  ...Overall, the constant twists, sudden betrayals, and endless fights pile on confusion and stoke the fire, yet the storytelling struggles under glaring plot holes and unresolved threads. The spectacle keeps you hooked, but the narrative logic often takes a backseat, leaving moments that should land with impact feeling oddly hollow....  full review

  Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,  Rediff  ...If it wasn't so violent, there would have been a few unintended laughs in Baaghi 4, but this one has not a shred of humour amidst the nonstop mayhem....  full review

  Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...The cast includes Upendra Limaye playing a wisecracking Mumbai cop yet again and Saurabh Sachdeva as a peacocking villain yet again. Sonam Bajwa plays a nightclub dancer who tends to Ronnie’s wounds in the hope of eliciting a response, any response, from him....  full review

  Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...Amidst all the manufactured mayhem in this crude universe, Sanjay Dutt is the saving grace, bringing gravitas to the larger-than-life villain Chacko, who challenges Jesus Christ. Sonam Bajwa is not bad either as the beautiful distraction planted in Ronny’s life. In the limited screen time she has, Sonam lends dignity to a loosely written character. And how can one miss Saurabh Sachdeva’s menacing presence?...  full review

  Thumbs down by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...Baaghi 4 relies on stylised action but often goes overboard. It also fails to back it up with a gripping story, leaving this franchise outing more exhausting than entertaining....  full review

See Also    wogma review     22 Critic Reviews 1.3/5.0    Baaghi 4 - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment
Producer: Sajid Nadiadwala
Director: A. Harsha
Lead Cast: Tiger Shroff, Harnaaz Sandhu
Supporting Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Shreyas Talpade, Upendra Limaye, Sonam Bajwa
Screenplay: Rajat Arora, Sajid Nadiadwala
Dialogues: Rajat Arora
Cinematography: Swamy J Gowda
Editor: Kiran Gowda, Nitin FCP
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Farah Khan, Raju Khan, Bosco Martis, Aadil Shaikh
Music Director: Gourav Dasgupta, Badshah, Tanishk Bagchi, Payal Dev, Aditya Dev, Suyyash Rai, Aagaaz Virk, Ganesh Waghela, Siddhaant Miishhraa, Mani Moudgill, Salamat Ali Matoi, Josh Brar
Lyrics: Kumaar, Sameer (2), Danish Sabri, Badshah, Mani Moudgill, Josh Brar, Farhan Memon, Gopi Sidhu, Paradox, Starboy Loc, Diljan, Jagdeep Warring
Costume Designer: Manish Malhotra , Aki Narula, Navin Shetty, Rushi Sharma, Manoshi Nath, Ashish Sharma, Chetna Rawat
Running time: 155 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action

View Details

30 reviewers have given Param Sundarian average rating of 2.5/5.0 (?)

10 yays 10 nays 10 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Don't bother (?) quick review: Using 2020s' slang can't hide the jadedness of the girl-meets-boy plot. Dropping Shah Rukh Khan and Sri Devi references only highlight the story's age-old, simplistic "What if?" Even these icons, four decades ago, knew they had to reimagine the genre.

Streaming Partner: Amazon Prime

  Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...Janhvi and Siddharth make an appealing couple. But Kerala, sensibly but scenically and never cynically photographed by Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran, is the real hero of Param Sundari....  full review

  Thumbs up  Bollywood Life  ...The music is film’s emotional backbone. With six stellar tracks, the soundtrack does the heavy lifting of bringing every romantic beat to life. Whether it's the mischievous Pardesiya, the sensual Bheegi Saree, the banger Danger, or the heartbreakingly lovely Sunn Mere Yaar Ve and Chand Kagaz Ka, every number hits the spot. Title song Sundari Ke Pyar Mein is already a chartbuster — and rightly so....  full review

  Thumbs up by RIDDHIMA KANETKAR,  DNA  ...And of course, the backbone of the film is music. Packed with one banger after another, the music carries an enormous share of the emotional weight. From the naughty Pardesiya, the sensual Bheegi Saree, the funky Danger, to the heart-wrenchingly tender Sunn Mere Yaar Ve and Chand Kagaz Ka — all of these songs are made-to-order. The title track Sundari Ke Pyar Mein is already a hit, and so it should be. The score doesn't just suit the story — it deepens it....  full review

  Thumbs up by Aakash Kumar,  Filmi Beat  ...Param Sundari is more than just another romantic comedy - it's a vibrant cross-cultural journey that blends modern aspirations with traditional charm. Strong performances, captivating visuals, and a heartwarming story make it a film worth watching. If you're a fan of soulful romances with a dash of humor and breathtaking visuals, Param Sundari deserves a spot on your must-watch list....  full review

  Thumbs up by Jaya Dwivedie,  India TV  ...Both Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor are comfortable in their roles. Sidharth looks great in a romantic style, even though he doesn't have the old 'chocolate boy' innocence anymore. Janhvi has shown great comedic timing, and her on-screen presence is absolutely stunning, especially in traditional saris. However, the film could have reached greater heights if the chemistry between the two had been explored more deeply....  full review

  Thumbs up by "Rajiv Vijayakar ",  koimoi  ...Manjot Singh is effective as Param’s inseparable buddy, and Renji Panicker as Bhargavan Nair is very convincing. Siddhartha Shankar, as his son, Venu, is low-key but good. All the other actors playing Keralites impress, and so does Inayat Verma as Sundari’s sister...  full review

  Thumbs up  Movie Talkies  ...Like every Maddock production, Param Sundari delivers family entertainment with the right mix of romance, comedy, music, and emotions. It is a film you can enjoy with friends, family, or loved ones, and it guarantees value for your ticket and popcorn. Simple, soothing, and heartwarming, Param Sundari is easily one of the most enjoyable rom-coms of the season....  full review

  Thumbs up by Radhika Sharma,  NDTV  ...Though a must-watch for all Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor fans, Param Sundari is not serving anything new in the romantic comedy genre. While it never promised to be a Saiyaara (a film set in the same umbrella genre of romance but not an intense drama), this new film is not as engaging. One will come back from the theatres humming the dreamy Pardesiya, which reminds the viewer of Yeh Haseen Vadiyan from Roja....  full review

  Thumbs up by YATAMANYU NARAIN,  News18.com  ...In the end, Param Sundari is a comfort food cinema. Paneer Butter Masala, idli-sambar, choose your metaphor. Familiar, yes, but warm, fragrant, and deeply satisfying. It may not aspire to gourmet innovation, but it fills the heart with the uncomplicated sweetness of first love, and the nostalgia of a genre once adored but now endangered. It leaves you smiling, maybe even believing, however briefly, in the miracle of soulmates, algorithm or no algorithm...  full review

  Thumbs up by Tanmayi Savadi,  Times Now  ...Param Sundari is a visual and musical treat. Pardesiya is already a chartbuster, and it sounds even better in theatres. Kerala’s beauty is breathtaking and the cinematography is on point. At 2 hours and 16 minutes, Param Sundari is a balanced film....  full review

  So-So by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...In the end, Param Sundari has the music, the scenery, and the sincerity, but not the soul…...  full review

  So-So by Lachmi Deb Roy,  FirstPost  ...What the movie required was the right amount of aesthetics, which lacked to quite an extent even when it came to the costumes. Though Sidharth Malhotra looked smashing as always, but a lot of work needed to be done on Janhvi considering that she has been portrayed as a girl from Kerala....  full review

  So-So by Manmath Sahu,  Fully Hyderabad  ...Eventually, Param Sundari is for those who believe in "App ne bola toh soulmate, nahin toh checkmate" or "Galat app bhi sahi ladki se mila sakta hai" (both, verbatim dialogues from the film)....  full review

  So-So by Baradwaj Rangan,  galatta.com  ...I guess this is what you’d call the ideal second-screen movie. It’s the kind of movie you switch on and keep watching from time to time as you work on your primary screen. They may not have meant it that way, but I guess Param Sundari ends up making a comment about today and technology after all....  full review

  So-So by Iqbal Pervez,  Glamsham.com  ...Sachin Jigar has given the music of this film. The music of the film Param Sundari is fine. Some songs are good. The song Pardesiya sung by Sonu Nigam is good to listen to, although this song seems to be inspired by Hariharan’s song Kehna Hi Kya....  full review

  So-So by Vineeta Kumar,  india today  ...Rom-coms are meant to be a guilty pleasure, the kind you sneak back to when you want comfort. 'Param Sundari', unfortunately, is the kind you forget about the moment the lights come back on. If a love story can’t sell love, what exactly is it selling?...  full review

  So-So by Rishil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...Sidharth Malhotra, as Param, brings his signature charisma and good looks, effortlessly embodying the Delhi boy charm. However, his performance lacks depth. Janhvi Kapoor, as Sundari, is decent. She shines in lighter moments. Also, she looks stunning in elegant sarees. Manjot Singh, as Jaggi, steals the show with his comic timing, delivering laughs that keep the film afloat....  full review

  So-So by Deepa Gahlot,  Rediff  ...The lead pair looks good on screen. Sex appeal was the obvious instruction given to them, and they have a kind of manufactured, slo-mo enhanced chemistry....  full review

  So-So by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Kerala survives the invasion of the northerners – yet again. The 136-minute movie takajum-takajums its way to the exit. When snake boat racing turns up, it’s indubitably evident that the film’s creators have done their homework....  full review

  So-So by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...Even if it largely remains in the known territory, fans of breezy romances will find it a pleasant watch....  full review

  Thumbs down by L Ravichander,  Deccan Chronicle  ...In the cast, Siddhartha Shankar as the unsuccessful arm of the love triangle looks more like a leftover than a preparation. Sanjay Kapoor tries hard to bring in the Punjabi flamboyance and fails. Inayat Varma mouths the typical, choti mooh badi bath. Abhishek Banarjee, in a short role, is realistic. The screen chemistry between Sidharth Malhotra and Jahnavi Kapoor is conspicuously missing. It is a clear case of miscasting Sid Malhotra as the young romantic careless hero. As a script that offers multiple opportunities, unfortunately, it goes abegging. Jahnavi’s bold career decision to take up roles which are not run of the mill are not backed by proportionate talent....  full review

  Thumbs down by Taher Ahmed,  Deccan Herald  ...The movie lacks substance, with no noteworthy performances. The dialogues are intended to make you laugh but fall flat. Overall, one can predict what happens next and Param Sundari fails to make a mark on your heart.Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/param-sundari-movie-review-old-wine-in-new-bottle-3703179...  full review

  Thumbs down by Murtuza Iqbal,  Free Press Journal  ...Overall, Param Sundari is visually a very sundar film. But, not-so-great performances and cliches just ruin this rom-com.P.S. Don't compare Param Sundari to Chennai Express because Shah Rukh Khan & Deepika Padukone starrer was a far better film!...  full review

  Thumbs down by Rishabh Suri,  Hindustan Times  ...Overall, if rom-coms are meant to sweep you off your feet, Param Sundari barely manages a polite handshake. Sometimes, technology may help you find a soulmate, but no algorithm can save a film that forgets to make you feel....  full review

  Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...You do end up smiling, but it’s too little, too late....  full review

  Thumbs down by Lekha Menon,  Khaleej Times  ...Param Sundari suffers from its delusion of busting stereotypes. Writers Tushar Jalota, Gaurva Mishra and Aarsh Vora write quite a few lines that glorify Kerala’s intellectual and cultural richness while deriding the archetypal images of the South that Indians hailing from the north carry....  full review

  Thumbs down by Isha Sharma,  NewsBytes  ...Param Sundari reminds you of all the run-of-the-mill, routine Bollywood flicks you grew up watching. The humor doesn't land, the storyline is entirely predictable, and, at 136 minutes, the film overstays its welcome. Though the music and the stunning Kerala backdrop add value to the project, they aren't enough to salvage it. Param Sundari doesn't offer anything you haven't seen already. ....  full review

  Thumbs down by DEBANJAN DHAR,  Outlook India  ...Buried amidst the endless references and throwbacks lies nothing—just a lazy, listless film, overly prettified and entirely perfunctory in shaping characters and key decisions....  full review

  Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...Sachin-Jigar’s music is not bad. It is heartening to listen to Sonu Nigam in a new film song after a while. It is a lovely tune, but in 2025, the metaphor of “Pardesiya” for a boy from the North feels a tad jaded....  full review

  Thumbs down by Kartik Bhardwaj,  the new Indian Express  ...The biggest issue is that Param Sundari offers no surprises. It becomes as predictable as it proceeds. Param and Sundari’s love story seems like it has been generated with the help of an AI prompt....  full review

See Also    wogma review     30 Critic Reviews 2.5/5.0    Param Sundari - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Maddock Films
Producer: Dinesh Vijan
Director: Tushar Jalota
Lead Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Janhvi Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Sanjay Kapoor, Manjot Singh, Renji Panikkar, Inayat Verma, Siddhartha Shankar
Story: Aarsh Vora, Tushar Jalota, Gaurav Mishra
Screenplay: Aarsh Vora, Tushar Jalota
Dialogues: Aarsh Vora, Tushar Jalota, Gaurav Mishra
Cinematography: Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran, Jani Master
Editor: Manish Pradhan
Background Score: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Choreography: Brinda Gopal
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Sheetal Iqbal Sharma
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy, Romance

View Details

23 reviewers have given War 2an average rating of 1.3/5.0 (?)

0 yays 11 nays 12 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Don't bother (?) quick review: Reasonably decent conceptualisation of fight sequences with tacky execution. The rest—patriotism, plot, etc—is anyway only padding around the cool-on-paper action.

  So-So by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...One final question: was Ayan Mukerji the right person to direct this?...  full review

  So-So by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...Summing up, see the film for the confrontation scenes between Hrithik Roshan and NTR. Fans of both the stars won’t get disappointed. Both the stars have extended themselves for the film and let’s hope their efforts bear fruit....  full review

  So-So by Aakash Kumar,  Filmi Beat  ...Final Verdict: War 2 is a one-time watch for its action and star performances, but lacks the gripping narrative to make it truly unforgettable....  full review

  So-So by Ria Sharma,  Free Press Journal  ...War 2 is a mixed bag - a treat for die-hard action lovers and fans of Hrithik and Jr NTR, but not quite the adrenaline-fuelled blockbuster it could have been. It thrives on star power, slick action, and grand visuals but stumbles with an overlong runtime, exaggerated stunt logic, and underwhelming dialogues....  full review

  So-So by "Manmath Sahu ",  fullhyd.com  ...In the end, War 2 is a solid one-time watch for anyone seeking a pure cinematic adrenaline rush despite its weak storyline - and an absolute keeper for die-hard action enthusiasts. The movie ends on a high note, teasing a bigger and more emotionally charged next chapter, with the same duo reprising their roles. Let's hope for a better story next time....  full review

  So-So by Rishabh Suri,  Hindustan Times  ...Mostly because their characters are not all that interesting. Towards the interval, there is an interesting turn of events. Groundbreaking? No....  full review

  So-So by Shyamoo Pathak,  India TV  ...War 2 seems like a shiny but hollow action thriller which has been completely covered by star power. The film takes you to foreign locations, grand sets and many wonderful places.The film takes the story from Spain to Manali and many countries of the world, but still, its impact is not very special. But if you are fond of action films, then you can watch it again. But if you like to watch a sensitive and logical story, then you may find it boring and deafening. The film is definitely worth watching once....  full review

  So-So by "Rajiv Vijayakar ",  koimoi  ...I think that this time the film will lose its battle (War?) with the ticket-paying audiences....  full review

  So-So by TITAS CHOWDHURY,  News18.com  ...Watch War 2 if you’re a fan of Hrithik and Jr NTR. The script offers not much else....  full review

  So-So by Isha Sharma,  NewsBytes  ...Nothing you haven't seen already; 2.5/5 starsThe Spy Universe has overstayed its welcome and completely run out of ideas and creative elements. Everything that it had to offer has already been shown, and it's now running on a ventilator, trying to survive through logic-defying action sequences. Toward the climax, a character says, "Ye kya raita faila rakha hai?" I have the same question. 2.5/5 stars....  full review

  So-So by Rishil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...Hrithik Roshan is the heart of the film. He looks incredible and plays Kabir with restraint, letting subtle expressions do the heavy lifting. His maniacal laugh is chilling and adds a layer of menace. Jr NTR owns the screen with his intensity. His commanding presence makes Vikram a worthy counterpart to Kabir. Kiara Advani is solid as Kavya but feels underused....  full review

  So-So by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...War 2 offers high-octane moments, striking visuals, and polished production to make for a passable big-screen experience. Strictly watchable only if you’re in it purely for the action and spectacle....  full review

  Thumbs down by Pranati A S,  Deccan Herald  ...Now that even ‘War 2’ has failed to make an impact, director Ayan, who’s given hits like ‘Wake Up Sid’ and ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’, should accept action is not his strong forte....  full review

  Thumbs down by Simran Singh,  DNA  ...Overall, War 2 is a disappointment of giant size. Easily the weakest of the YRF Spy Universe. After watching this, I don't have much expectation from the next instalment, which is Alia Bhatt, Sharvari-starrer Alpha....  full review

  Thumbs down by Iqbal Pervez,  Glamsham.com  ...Pritam’s music is average. You may like a song while watching it, but it is worth forgetting as soon as you step out of the theatre. The background score makes an impact in some scenes, especially the action and emotional moments....  full review

  Thumbs down by Vineeta Kumar,  india today  ...An unimpressive BGM (particularly the lion roar for NTR), and misplaced songs do not satiate your excitement about watching a larger-than-life spy drama on the big screen. When the credits roll, you are left with the faint hum of jet engines (running on a racetrack), and the feeling that the only real war here is between logic and budget. And the budget wins....  full review

  Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...I’m also sure NTR Jr missed his fizzy RRR co-star Ram Charan when swinging through the air, and Kiara Advani, playing the sprightly army woman Kavya, missed an actual fleshed-out role in this boys-and-their-toys flick....  full review

  Thumbs down by Mayank Shekhar,  MiD DAY  ...Sadly, the same can’t be said for the sensory overload, with non-stop stunts, that makes for War 2. It’s something so charmless, humourless that instead of even having senseless fun, you’re forever forced to frickin’ take it seriously as well....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...War 2 is a waste—of money, time, and talent. What was marketed as a high-octane face-off between two megastars turns into one of the most tedious, logic-defying, and poorly crafted big-budget films in recent years. For a franchise that once promised adrenaline-pumping thrills, this is the equivalent of serving a gourmet meal with stale leftovers....  full review

  Thumbs down by Radhika Sharma,  NDTV  ...Any war is about choice. Decisions are made, and sides are picked. Films are also about choice. Wish War 2 makers had thought long and hard about what they wanted to say and why. Maybe choose to kill a lead character? At least then, we'd go home with some sympathies for the dead character, just like Jai from Sholay....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sakshi Salil Chavan,  Outlook India  ...The film pivots on Kabir and Vikram (NT Rama Rao Jr), whose relationship twists between alliance and rivalry. Yet, the real adversary is the spy genre itself. The plot stumbles over cardboard-cutout templates, predictable beats, and excess spectacle. Kabir goes rogue, taking a job from KALI—an international power bloc led by Gautam Gulati (K.C. Shankar)—but remains tethered to India’s greater good. NT Rama Rao Jr is the archetypal lone wolf, defying logic as he clings to a plane or decimates armies single-handedly. These two men operate as military-grade tanks, impervious to injury long enough to distract from a storyline that threads random, often unnecessary plot points....  full review

  Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...The action directors seemed to have worked the hardest, staging encounters on land and in the air between the well-matched heroes. Anil Kapoor enters the YRF Spy Universe as the spy chief Vikrant, but he is no match for the avuncular Luthra. Varun Badola plays the minister Sarang....  full review

  Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...You can see that a lot of money has been spent on choreographing action sequences in global tourist hotspots, but none of them have the intensity that could bring one to the edge of one’s seat. Curiously, the camera cuts to Jr. NTR’s face in the middle of the action, slowing down the sequence unnecessarily. The face-offs between Kabir and Vikram look like variants of a soft drink commercial, where the star would come up with a punchline about winning over your fear. It’s cinema without fizz!...  full review

See Also    wogma review     23 Critic Reviews 1.3/5.0    War 2 - Movie Details  * **Banner:** Yash Raj Films

Producer: Aditya Chopra
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Lead Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Kiara Advani, Jr NTR
Supporting Cast: Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Varun Badola, Gautam Gulati
Story: Aditya Chopra
Screenplay: Shridhar Raghavan
Dialogues: Abbas Tyrewala
Cinematography: Benjamin Jasper
Editor: Aarif Shaikh
Background Score: Sanchit Balhara, Ankit Balhara
Choreography: Bosco Martis
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Anaita Shroff Adajania, Niharika Jolly
Running time: 170 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Thriller

View Details

29 reviewers have given Metro…In Dinoan average rating of 3.8/5.0 (?)

17 yays 2 nays 10 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?) quick review: What a quick dive this one took from being chique and warm to annoying and infuriating! Just like the relationships it uses to give you the "boys will be boys" vibe.

  Thumbs up by Amit Bhatia,  abplive  ...Pritam’s music deserves special mention. Each song is woven into the narrative so organically that it feels like an extension of the characters’ emotions. It's rare to see music becoming a part of the screenplay, and here, it's done with commendable skill....  full review

  Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...Nonetheless it is a work worth a watch for its interweavement of music and drama, albeit in an infirm clasp....  full review

  Thumbs up  DNA  ...The film is imperfect, vulnerable, and quietly beautiful — just like love! Come fall in love again!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...Is Metro… In Dino better than the 2007 original? Unfortunately, no. The earlier film boasted stronger storylines, better music, and the unmistakable presence of Irrfan Khan. While the new film has its flaws, Anurag Basu still manages to craft a romantic drama that doesn’t flinch from real emotions. In an era of half-hearted filmmaking, Metro… In Dino is an earnest attempt at genuine storytelling, something which most directors of today have become negligent about....  full review

  Thumbs up by Aakash Kumar,  Filmi Beat  ...Metro In Dino may not be a flawless film, but it is certainly a well-made and emotionally rich drama. The storytelling is engaging, the characters are relatable, and the performances are top-notch. Despite a slightly slow second half, the film redeems itself with a moving climax that makes it worth your time. If you enjoy slice-of-life dramas filled with emotions, love stories, and relatable characters, Metro In Dino is a must-watch. You'll leave the theatre feeling happy and fulfilled....  full review

  Thumbs up by Lachmi Deb Roy,  FirstPost  ...Metro..In Dino’ truly deserves every bit of your time. This feel-good love story is indeed a must watch. Even after the movie ends, you may feel just the way I did, ‘I wish it was a little longer.’ The music and the snap shots of the film just lingers in your mind. The direction, the story, the dialogues and screenplay effectively creates an engaging narrative....  full review

  Thumbs up by Troy Ribeiro,  Free Press Journal  ...Performance-wise, the ensemble delivers with conviction. Aditya Roy Kapur shines as the charming yet commitment-phobic Parth, carrying a carefree energy that hides deeper fears. Sara Ali Khan brings endearing vulnerability to Chumki, a woman confused yet optimistic, viewing life through love-tinted glasses. Pankaj Tripathi’s comic timing is razor-sharp, elevating scenes with quiet brilliance, while Fatima Sana Shaikh delivers a nuanced, poignant portrayal of Shruti. Veterans Anupam Kher and Neena Gupta are sincere, but they offer little in terms of emotional layering....  full review

  Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,  Glamsham.com  ...For a film titled after a track (In Dino – ‘Life in a… Metro’) that once defined heartbreak for a generation, the soundtrack this time feels underwhelming. Pritam’s compositions are pleasant but rarely stirring. While the live-band concept is novel and well-intentioned, it lacks the haunting melancholy or lyrical punch of the 2007 album. It’s a missed opportunity in an otherwise emotionally rich film. Songs like ‘Dil Ka Kya’ and ‘Zamaana Lage’ strike an emotional chord, though nostalgia for iconic KK-led originals remains strong....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rishabh Suri,  Hindustan Times  ...And now, the hero of the film- the music. It’s a pity it hasn’t managed to top the charts before the film’s release, because it truly sucks you in and makes you stay seated. Pritam deserves applause for his compositions, while lyricists Sandeep Srivastava, Mayur Puri, Anurag Sharma, Qaisar Ul Jafri, Neelesh Mishra and Momin Khan Momin weave some lovely songs....  full review

  Thumbs up by Jaya Dwivedie,  India TV  ...If you crave fast-paced plots and high drama, Metro… In Dino might feel too slow. But if you appreciate films that touch your heart and linger in your mind long after the credits roll, this film is made for you. It captures fleeting emotions — heartbreak, forgiveness, reconnection — in their most honest form....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rajiv Vijayakar,  koimoi  ...In Dino, we get rare films where music is treated as a part of a movie. At least for that, if not for its overall content, I will strongly recommend Metro, for all, not just denizens of the metros!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Abhishek Srivastava,  Money Control  ...Anurag Basu sets the tone beautifully right from the start, with the Holi sequence that introduces all the characters in one joyous swirl of colour. There’s something very comforting about how he stages scenes — nothing is overly dramatic, nothing is played up for effect. The songs slip in quietly and do what film songs are meant to do — move the story along and deepen the feeling. Pritam’s music here does the heavy lifting without ever making a show of it....  full review

  Thumbs up  Movie Talkies  ...Overall, an layered, urban relationship drama that entertains while gently nudging you toward introspection. A win for its intended crowd. Pretty decent otherwise....  full review

  Thumbs up by TITAS CHOWDHURY,  News18.com  ...It’s not every day that we get to see a Bollywood love story written with so much heart, maturity, intensity, intimacy and subtlety. Metro In Dino is a masterclass on modern-day love. It’s for the lonely, for the ones who won in love and then lost some. It’s as much Anurag’s film as Pritam’s. Zamaana Lage, Dil Ka Kya and Mann Ye Mera stand out particularly. Rush to the cinemas now!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...In hyperlink films, establishing the character quickly is crucial, making the choice of actors all the more important. Aditya Roy Kapur and Sara make the lust/ lost confusion of today’s generation relatable....  full review

  Thumbs up by Tanmayi Savadi,  Times Now  ...Metro…In Dino comes with its flaws and familiar structure. None of that affects the core of Basu’s storytelling. In the end, it’s warm and fuzzy, just like the tightest and longest hug from a loved one....  full review

  Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,  Times of India  ...There has been a scarcity of love stories in Bollywood and Metro In Dino, elevated by some fine performances, fills that gap perfectly. It is a breezy, intimate watch tailor-made for a rainy day....  full review

  So-So by Amogh Ravindra,  Deccan Herald  ...Visually, it’s shot well. Warm, moody, consistent. Pritam’s soundtrack isn’t instant chartbuster material, but it grows. The songs linger quietly, like the film itself. Soft, slow, and meant to sit with you. Metro…In Dino isn’t trying to surprise you....  full review

  So-So by Baradwaj Rangan,  galatta.com  ...Experimental filmmaking is necessary to break the monotony, but not at the cost of old-fashioned values like emotional connect. Otherwise, it’s just the filmmakers having fun, not the audience....  full review

  So-So by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...But there’s enough zest in the rest of it to keep us humming, and the film, even in its looseness and overly-stretchiness, thrumming. And what a relief, in these days of ham-fisted badly-made patriotic sagas and loud family melodramas, to find adult characters doing adult things, talking up desire and lust and love, even if you can see hints of conservativeness– characters getting into bed, but not going all the way– perhaps as a nod to these times which is bent upon taming all individual passion....  full review

  So-So by Lekha Menon,  Khaleej Times  ...Metro…In Dino may not match the original’s emotional depth or impact, but it’s a warm, well-intentioned take on modern relationships enjoyable in some parts, but with a little more narrative finesse, it could have been truly memorable....  full review

  So-So by Uday Bhatia,  Live Mint  ...There are other directors who’ll do a job, do it efficiently. But filmgoing is more fun when Basu’s playing in his sandbox....  full review

  So-So by Radhika Sharma,  NDTV  ...Director Anurag Basu himself makes an appearance in a key sequence in Metro... In Dino. The film has Barfi! like emotions, the whimsical quality of Jagga Jasoos, and the chaos of Ludo. There's also another cameo by a director, who is believed to be the god of modern Hindi romance movies....  full review

  So-So by Isha Sharma,  NewsBytes  ...Basu's intention to entertain and innovate is evident in nearly all frames and Metro...In Dino's opening sequence will take you back to Jagga Jasoos. Basu has dedicated the movie to KK and Irrfan, and the film's striking frames beam with his creativity. Extremely overstretched, Metro...is never unwatchable, but its parts work much better than the whole....  full review

  So-So by DEBANJAN DHAR,  Outlook India  ...One of the major refrains insists on placing trust in a relationship, lending second chances-allowing for reconciliation, despite how tough, humiliating the ask is. Amidst transgression, allure of a better-seeming life with some stranger who might bring greater joy and stability, how do you stick with your partner? It’s a constant tussle between snipping the bond and believing the other to pull through. There are all sorts of straying, long-repressed desires of women gaining express, the stasis of no longer being giddy about the same partner. Basu lets women be impetuous, silly, brittle and sassy....  full review

  So-So by Rishil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...Metro... In Dino may not match the brilliance of Life in a... Metro, but it certainly has a beating heart. The sincerity in Anurag Basu's craft is undeniable. While the film falters in structure and pacing, it succeeds in capturing the emotional messiness of modern relationships. Despite its flaws, it stands as a genuine, heartfelt attempt to tell personal and human stories....  full review

  So-So by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...Pritam's songs are tuneful but far from groundbreaking.The writing is sharp but not razor.Confusing Siri for a sex expert is neither wise nor witty....  full review

  Thumbs down by Suhani Singh,  india today  ...Amidst the ensuing half-baked conflict, Basu shows some of his characters live life vicariously albeit fleetingly. But to serve what purpose is the question? In the quest to pack in Pritam’s voluminous output, Metro... In Dino turns into a protracted saga whose conclusion is long foreseeable. It doesn’t help that logic too has taken a trip, much like many of the characters do. Love certainly has evolved since the first Metro, but in Metro... In Dino, it surprisingly seems dated....  full review

  Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Whether awake or asleep, the women of Metro in Dino are in more peril than the film cares to admit. The light-hearted tone has hints of darkness and the stench of compromise. At least in this regard, Metro in Dino leavens its insistent banality....  full review

See Also    wogma review     29 Critic Reviews 3.8/5.0    Metro…In Dino - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube

Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Anurag Basu Productions
Producer: Anurag Basu, Bhushan Kumar, Kishan Kumar, Tani Basu
Director: Anurag Basu
Lead Cast: Anupam Kher, Konkana Sen Sharma, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Neena Gupta, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sara Ali Khan
Supporting Cast: Anurag Basu, Imtiaz Ali, Saswata Chatterjee, Rohan Gurbaxani, Kush Jotwani, Darshana Banik, Pranay Pachauri, Pihu
Story: Mayur Puri, Anurag Basu, Momin Khan Momin
Screenplay: Anurag Basu
Dialogues: Sandeep Srivastava, Samrat Chakrabarti
Cinematography: Anurag Basu, Abhishek Basu
Editor: Bodhaditya Bandyopadhyay, Satish Gowda
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Sandeep Srivastava, Neelesh Misra, Qaisar-Ul-Jafri, Anurag Sharma
Costume Designer: Aashish Dwyer
Running time: 160 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Relationships, Romance

View Details

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?) quick review: A film that could've been a warm hug misses the chance by being way too preachy, pushy, and Aamir-Khaney. Such golden intent gets lost because it is enamoured by itself.

Review I'll go for the low-hanging fruit. There's a scene in which the coach of a differently-abled basketball team, Gulshan (Aamir Khan), is yelling instructions at a player, asking him to focus hard. After having had enough, the player pretty much yells back, "Sir, shut up!" echoing the exact sentiment I felt for Aamir Khan, "Sir, move the spotlight away from you!!" And I had had enough in the first few minutes.

It's a shame that that's my takeaway from a film about such an important topic. Sure, there are some warm, cute, charming scenes when the real protagonists of the film get a moment to be themselves. And how each one of them shines! <3 <3 <3

But, the rest of the film pretty much involves Aamir Khan getting lectured about neurodivergence or him showing us how his character is gaining insight. Both of these would have been wonderful if they were shown, not told.

I understand and appreciate that Gulshan is a representative of how society at large treats people who are "different." But, was there no other way to do it than making it all about the STAR? It doesn't help that Aamir Khan's acting is so on-brand that you even for a frame, you can't forget who you are watching on screen—the patronising know-it-all.

Sure, on paper, you see episodes with Gulshan realising the shallowness of his thought processes. But, the vibe is that of Aamir Khan knowing his character is going to recover from his follies, which he will soon reveal to the audience. But, as with most films of this genre, the audience knows.

Of course, the climax is a refreshing change—my prediction for the climax of only one out of the three plot points came through. But, that too feels forced. More like the writing process was, "We want the people to know about neurodivergence. We will have the following climax. Let's put this together in a story even if all we are doing is making the right noises."

A few of the pieces strung together work. Most don't. I quite enjoyed the cheeky inclusion of religious and political statements. I also liked how various aspects of bullying, body-shaming, and the idea of inclusivity were brought to the fore, including openness to non-standard relationships. But, these are fragments. The larger tone is that of the audience being taught.

There is some respite with the songs and in episodes like the training montage, the lift scene, and the matches. There's nothing very fancy going on in any of these—and that is the charm, the simplicity and heart with which they are executed.

I left the theatre with one overwhelming thought, "please tell me, another film on this topic can still be made." Sure, use the tropes. Of course, create awareness. Absolutely, no need to reinvent the wheel. Just weave the details of the "how"s better, without losing heart while having so much of it.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None. * Language: Clean. Mention of a prostitute. * Nudity & Sexual content: None. * Concept: Awareness about neurodivergence. * General Look and Feel: A light, breezy vibe.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2.5 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 2 * Character Artists: 5

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 3.5
Lyrics: 3.5 Sitaare Zameen Par - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Aamir Khan Productions
Producer: Aamir Khan, Ravi Bhagchandka, Aparna Purohit, B. Shrinivas Rao
Director: R S Prasanna
Lead Cast: Aamir Khan, Genelia Deshmukh
Supporting Cast: Brijendra Kala, Dolly Ahluwalia, Gurpal Singh, Rishabh Jain, Deepraj Rana, Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Naman Mishra, Simran Mangeshkar
Story: Amitabh Bhattacharya, Divyanidhi Sharma
Screenplay: Divyanidhi Sharma
Dialogues: Divyanidhi Sharma
Cinematography: G Srinivas Reddy
Editor: Charu Shri Roy
Background Score: Ram Sampath
Choreography: Vijay Ganguly, Ruel Dausan Varandani
Music Director: Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonca
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Sachin Lovalekar
Running time: 160 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social

View Details

wogma rating: Don't bother (?) quick review: Two elements exist. The time-loop concept and the "moral of the story." Whichever came to the makers first, the other feels terribly forced. In either case, what's the case for the loud story-telling, the stretched-out pacing, the thoughtlessness of it all?

(Streaming Partner: Amazon Prime)

Review I have so many questions, all of which can be summed up with, "What were they thinking?"

Why is Titli (Wamiqa Gabbi) in love with Ranjan (Rajkummar Rao)? The man has no redeeming qualities. And the writers knew there was no reason for her to love him, which is why they narrate the love story through animation in the title sequence. Cool, it is, but it's not followed up with anything worthwhile. The bigger question is…

Why is it accompanied by extra loud music? Why does the entire movie have extra loud, extra slapstick and extra random music? The music is so loud that it feels like even when the shooting was on, the actors couldn't hear each other. This would explain why they all ended up shouting at each other and over one another throughout the film. And it's not like they have anything of import to say.

It is to their credit that despite the lack of depth in the writing, at least a few times in the film, I wondered if they weren't made to shout, we would have seen some very good performances. They deliver the few good lines with decent timing. But there's only so much they can do because yelling-contests are marked by regressive, problematic one-liners—from misogyny and body-shaming to classism and casteism.

What made them give away the crux of the film in the trailer when they were going to spend half the film on the set-up? The first hour seems atrociously long—I couldn't wait for the interval break. The second half picks up pace, but it's too late by then.

What was the whole preachy speech in the end for? It is not like Ranjan did what he did out of the goodness of his heart. He is pretty much forced to do it. He didn't really have a moral compass, even a tiny one. And the film itself uses a suspicious mechanism to bring its "moral of the story," into play. Sure, "do your deeds, don't expect results from them," is a good go-to mantra to make a "message" out of. But the other one seemed highly dubious.

Was Varanasi chosen as the backdrop to bring the end "angle" into the works? Because it is not like Varanasi had anything to do with the rest of the story. Just like the other angle. It could have been any other town, just like it could be a person with any other name. Maybe just like Ranjan, the makers wanted to feel good about themselves.
~ ~ ~
Oh, and wait, why was a break-up song chosen as the end-credit sequence?

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: A few instances of inappropriate language. * Nudity & Sexual content: An item number objectifying women. * Concept: A man is stuck in a time loop, waking up on the day before his wedding day. * General Look and Feel: Loud and garish.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1 * Story: 1 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 1 Bhool Chuk Maaf - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Maddock Films, Amazon MGM Studios
Producer: Dinesh Vijan
Director: Karan Sharma
Lead Cast: Wamiqa Gabbi, Rajkummar Rao
Supporting Cast: Zakir Hussain, Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, Ishtiyaq Khan, Raghubir Yadav, Anubha Fatehpura
Story: Haider Rizvi
Screenplay: Haider Rizvi
Dialogues: Haider Rizvi
Cinematography: Sudeep Chaterjee
Editor: Manish Pradhan
Background Score: Ketan Sodha
Choreography: Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Tanishk Bagchi, Gifty Mehra
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Costume Designer: Sheetal Iqbal Sharma
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Slapstick

View Details

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?) quick review: Repeat performance of Raid. Raid 2 = 2x the drama and associated pain. 2x the slack writing. About 1x the fun of watching corrupt politicians get their due—fair and square, without involving police brutality.(Streaming Partner: Netflix)

Review Despite all the tiring and unnecessary drama, the first half creates intrigue. A cold face-off between two smart people—you know they will soon start outwitting each other. And bam! One of them exposes the laziness in the writing. Why-oh-why—in any movie—does the hero or the villain tip the other on what the other is missing? And in this movie then, the two get into a tip-exchange programme. Raid 2 never recovers from that.

Raid has created this brand of providing a special thrill and a dose of fun, despite the predictability. In one scene, you have elected officials mocking democracy. In the next, you are watching these corrupt politicians, who strut around with impunity, being brought down legally. So enjoyable!

But, beyond that, everything else just feels like it is for effect. Not germane to the plot; not cohesively linked from one sub-plot to the next; not fully thought out; just for the effect, for the drama. Whether it is the Income Tax Department's motto in Kusho Mulo Danda, which Ajay Devgn can barely pronounce or invoking Ram, Ramayan and Mahabharat into the conversation or presenting a character's devotion to his mother—it is all to serve the drama. Whether it connects to what the character was saying before or after is not important.

So, except for one or two instances, the witty lines from Raid go missing in Raid 2. This makes the performances of two of the supporting actors even more remarkable. One is Amit Sial as Lallan Sudheer, with his timing and just general presence. And the other is Shruti Pandey as Geeta Devi. Her energy had me smiling a couple of times.

The same cannot be said about Vaani Kapoor, whose role as Amey Patnayak's (Ajay Devgn) wife exists, just because. The role she does play in the actual meat of the story is clearly an afterthought. The things she gets done could easily have been done by Patnayak himself. Thankfully, the romantic scenes in Raid 2 take a cut compared to Raid.

A similar "just because" role exists for Saurabh Shukla, who continues to play Tauji from Raid. It is an obvious set-up for the next episode in this series. I don't completely roll my eyes at that prospect. I like the basic premise of the series. An honest income tax officer raids corrupt politicians. It's just that, beyond that, the form takes over substance.

There is potential for a coherent screenplay where the moles on one side are not conveniently placed, where the dots can be connected beyond rapidly spoken lines. There is a lot more scope for energy in the writing where the landline phones won't have to do the heavy-lifting of creating drama every time they ring and are lifted in slow-motion; where an item number isn't inserted at the slightest excuse.

Aren't they out of fashion already? Both slow-motion and item numbers. Speaking of which, it is high time that casual sexism and overt patriarchy are made out of fashion too. The whole "sasuraal ki rotiya tod raha hai" (feeding off of his wife's parents) ridicule was distasteful.

But that becomes a minor quibble compared to what could have been. It was sad to see the well-done build-up amount to something so hollow. How can a character be so corrupt and have such a spotless image? Oh well, who am I to argue if this was a real-life story like Raid? Is it, though? I looked it up, but couldn't find anything. Meanwhile, I continue to hope that the next round of Raid fulfils its capacity to be truly engaging.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Angry mobs * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: There is reference to rape and physical abuse. Two item numbers. * Concept: An honest income tax officer raids a corrupt politician's home, office, etc. * General Look and Feel: Dramatic

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2.5 * Story: 2.5 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 1.5
Lyrics: 1 Raid 2 - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Panorama Studios
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Abhishek Pathak, Kumar Mangat Pathak
Director: Raj Kumar Gupta
Lead Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Supriya Pathak, Ajay Devgan, Vaani Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Saurabh Shukhla, Rajat Kapoor, Amit Sial, Jacqueline Fernandez, Yo YO Honey Singh, Tamannaah Bhatia, Shruti Pandey
Story: Ritesh Shah, Raj Kumar Gupta, Jaideep Yadav, Karan Vyas
Cinematography: Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary, Chinmay Salaskar
Editor: Sandeep Francis
Background Score: Amit Trivedi
Choreography: Ranju Verghese, Rajit Dev, Piyush-Shazia
Music Director: Amit Trivedi, Yo YO Honey Singh, Rochak Kohli, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sachet Tandon, Parampara Tandon, White Noise Collectives
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Kumaar, Kausar Munir, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Nusrat Badr, Yo YO Honey Singh, Jaani, Purnam Allahabadi
Costume Designer: Naveen Shetty, Priyanka Christina Castelino, Mehak Shetty
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Politics, Social

View Details

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?) quick review: What an inspiring story. What an uninspiring, episodic, loud, and dramatic treatment. And yet, better watch this one because it's unlikely to be made again. And there's never harm in knowing the oppression we are capable of as humans and the fight we can give if we set our minds to it.

Review It's a shame that, well over a century later, even making a film on the fight against caste oppression has to be considered 'brave.' And a bigger shame that despite being a mediocre film at best, this is likely the only one we'll get on such an important part of our history.

The movie feels like a chapter in a school history textbook that touches upon different parts of the historical personalities' lives in disconnected paragraphs. It's not like you don't see the logic. But you jump from one instance in Jyotiba and Savitribai's lives to the next without any attempt at a connecting line.

It's not that I didn't learn anything new from the film about their lives. I got a brief backstory about the lack of support at home. I understood how they managed the finances. But, this still gave a feel of scratching the surface. Anyone who knows even a little more, about the history of the time, than I do is likely to know at least this much.

And, of course, the film had a huge gap. You just don't get the extent of the atrocities committed by Brahmins under the garb of Hinduism. This could be owing to the censor board cuts. Or it was a call at the writing stage. For what has reached the screen, though, it assumes the viewer already knows the degree of injustice.

It doesn't help that the performances are just about par. While Pratik Gandhi pulls it off as a social reformer, Patralekha is more distracting than anything else. From a weird accent to the botoxed lips to a new sari in every scene, it just doesn't feel like she belongs in the milieu. None of the other cast members have a big enough role to be memorable, other than Jyotiba repeatedly thanking them for their involvement and support. We hear, we don't get to see.

And Phule, the film, probably had one of the worst endings, for an otherwise decent film, I've seen lately. I wonder what Phule, the man, would have to say about it. Anyway, it's not like we should watch films like these to learn about history. But, as the film repeats a few times—we ought to learn from history and not repeat it. So, even if the film prompts some of us to read up on Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule, their supporters, and their work, the film has succeeded. Hopefully, the protests against the film have already made that happen.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: People being beaten up. But nothing compared to the atrocities Dalits went through at the time. * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None on screen. Rape implied in words and situations. * Concept: The life story of social reformers Jyotiba and Savitri Phule * General Look and Feel: Sanitised view of a dark history

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 5 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 2.5
Music Director: 1.5
Lyrics: 1.5 See Also wogma review Notepad Phule - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Zee Studios, Dancing Shiva Productions, Kingsmen Productions
Producer: Saurabh Varma, Raj Kishore Khaware, Pranay Chokshi, Utpal Acharya, Anuya Chauhan Kudecha, Ritesh Kudecha, Sunil Jain, Jagdish Patel
Director: Ananth Narayan Mahadevan
Lead Cast: Patralekha, Pratik Gandhi
Supporting Cast: Vinay Pathak, Darsheel Safary, Joy Sengupta, Amit Behl, Alexx O'Nell, Suresh Vishwakarma, Sushil Pandey, Vishal Tiwari, Akshaya Gurav, Jayesh More, Dhanjay Madrekar, Asit Redij, Abhinav Patekar, Akanksha Gade, Abhinav Singh Raghav, Ellie
Story: Ananth Narayan Mahadevan
Screenplay: Muazzam Beg, Ananth Narayan Mahadevan
Dialogues: Muzzam Beg
Cinematography: Sunita Radia
Editor: Raunak Phadnis
Background Score: Rohan Rohan
Music Director: Rohan Rohan
Lyrics: Kausar Munir, Sarosh Asif
Costume Designer: Aparna Shah
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story, History, Social

View Details

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?) quick review: It's gut-wrenching. It's hair-raising. Goosebumps rose. But that's the story. The movie unabashedly dramatises it, shining the spotlight on the star instead of the character, luring more with form than content.

Review "Indians don't know how hard a lawyer fought for justice on behalf of those who died in the Jalianwala Bagh massacre." That's a reasonably fair claim. And it is a shame, too, considering there is so much that went on. It did bother me in school that General Dyer pretty much got away. When I heard of this film, I wondered if he did suffer more than was let on—was that the untold story? Oh well. Even so, the story is dramatic in itself and dramatising it the Hindi-filmy way took away from it. A lot.

Firstly, because the focus moved from Sankaran Nair, the lawyer, to Akshay Kumar. Were it not so, we would have known a little more about Sankaran's backstory. Why did he take pride in serving the crown? What turned him over? The transformation shown in the film feels incomplete, superficial, taken for granted, even.

Let's say the intent was to tell us about this lawyer. Then, the fact that, were it not for him, General Dyer wouldn't have faced any repercussions at all needed to be spelt out. Its omission was rather conspicuous.

Now, I understand that both these things could have made the film take cliched routes or make the film hagiographical. But, Kesari Chapter 2 is not that bad a film that we give it points for not doing something. Surely, there is enough talent out there that could have included these things without taking the usual routes.

Oh! And why does the film's title have "Kesari"? What has Kesari got to do with anything? I looked it up a bit, and aside from the thematic connection to the first film titled Kesari, there's little justification. Even if we shrug a "whatever" at that, the usage of the word in the film is highly sus.

Anyway, other than the remarkable story, which could have used a better screenplay over a broad overview, there is nothing much to hold on to. You have seen Akshay Kumar do his intense brooding far too many times. So often that I am bored of wondering, "how he cannot be bored doing it when I am bored writing about it."

Ananya Panday doesn't have much to work with, and she fumbles through the one scene that focusses entirely on her. The gold that Regina Cassandra wears seems to play a bigger role than her character's existence in Sankaran's life. Similarly, Amit Sial just exists. If I remember anything from this film other than the story, it will be R Madhavan's short but effective act.

You have a decent-ish courtroom drama. But, it feels more like a wannabe "A Few Good Men" than holding on its own merit. The theatrics overshadow and distract from the substance.

Then what you are left with is…is the core story enough? Yes, but might not be for the right reasons. It is unlikely that there will be another film made on this story. And the story is one that needs to be heard and told. Even if it might not be the whole truth…or even if it might be more than "nothing but the truth."

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: The massacre. Another torture scene. * Language: Use of curse words in a couple of scenes. * Nudity & Sexual content: None, mention of rape and a hint of a making out scene * Concept: A lawyer's fight to get justice for the victims of the Jalianwala Bagh massacre * General Look and Feel: Crisp and clean but unnecessarily loud at times.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2.5 * Story: 5 * Lead Actors: 2 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 2.5
Music Director: 1.5
Lyrics: 2 Kesari Chapter 2 - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Dharma Productions, Cape of Good Films, Leo Media Collective
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Anand Tiwari, Aruna Bhatia, Apoorva Mehta, Amritpal Singh Bindra, Adar Poonawalla
Director: Karan Singh Tyagi
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar, Ananya Pandey
Supporting Cast: R Madhavan, Amit Sial, Luke Kenny, Alexx O'Nell, Mark Bennington, Regina Cassandra, Rohan Verma(I), Sammy Jonas Heaney, Simon Paisley Day, Krish Rao, Steven Hartley, Alexandra Moloney, Jaipreet Singh
Story: Amritpal Singh Bindra, Karan Singh Tyagi
Screenplay: Amritpal Singh Bindra
Dialogues: Sumit Saxena
Cinematography: Debojeet Ray
Editor: Nitin Baid
Background Score: Shashwat Sachdev, Azeem Dayani
Music Director: Shashwat Sachdev, Azeem Dayani, Sangtar
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil, Sukhwinder Amrit
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story, History

View Details

wogma rating: Don't bother (?) quick review: What is worse? A film that wants you to leave your brain at home while watching it? Or one that is under the impression that it follows logic and has a heart, but is in reality a mess of a film? Sikandar might pass muster for both failing to engage or entertain.

Review The first few minutes of Sikandar fool you into believing that you might actually get something more than the low bar you have set for brand Salman Khan. Crawls creep under the skin—as is clearly the intention. You even admire Prateik Babbar for setting the tone, even as you want his character to be out of sight as soon as possible. And then Salman Khan enters. Logic and creativity leave, never to return.

I know, one is not to expect that from a film of this genre. But the film is continuously wanting you to see its good heart. From organ donation awareness to frustration with the businessman-politician-police nexus, to battling poverty, beating patriarchy, confronting toxic masculinity, and even offering relationship advice, Sikandar, the character, tackles it all. And Sikandar, the film does it all in one fell swoop.

But the very basis is disturbing, especially because it seems like the makers think it is crowd-pleasing—the whole lot is quick to vandalise—hero, villain, regular people on the street. It’s troubling how far the film goes in glamorising both—the police intimidating the common citizen and the uncommon citizen intimidating the police.

And these are only the broader strokes that don't sit right. The shabby handling of the details only makes it worse. The writers have clearly decided that filling logical gaps isn’t worth the effort. Which is why you have this all-powerful protagonist's wife coordinate with his manager and henchmen to protect him without his knowledge. Yes, he's so stupid he hasn't figured it out.

And it's not even like there is a larger point being made about the character or the situation. Or if there is one, it is too convoluted and exists only to force-fit action sequences or Sikandar's casually violent personality.

It is amusing that almost every action sequence that has his henchmen around, they exist only to show how cool Sikandar is, that he doesn't even need them to raise a finger. The one scene in which they do get involved when Sikandar isn't around, and they get beaten up, only for Sikandar to come save them. The action in itself is dull and performed mainly by the camerawork and editing rather than choreography or Salman Khan's agility.

Of the top ten members of the cast in terms of screen-time, Prateik Babbar was the most effective. We know he is not the best actor on the block, but you feel the sleaze his character was to portray from a mile away. But the next nine cast members are all at one level, miles behind. Yep, that's how bad it is. As if, Salman Khan's frozen dialogue delivery is contagious and his colleagues have all caught it, including Sharman Joshi. Rashmika Mandanna is consistent and continues with the plain act from her earlier films.

Despite that, maybe, maybe if there had been some time spent on tying logic in with some of the details, the film would have been a little less jarring. Yeah, but only a little less because the order of sequences and the patching up of them together is beyond repair. Especially since it seems intentional.

When it is assumed only minimal thought and effort needs to be put into drawing the crowds in; when it is assumed that the "star" is enough; when complex societal issues are resolved with a-line-or-two or a-punch-and-four from the star—this is the quality we will get. No better. Worse, maybe. So, maybe I should just be thankful that it wasn't worse.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Regular action film fare, nothing overly gory. * Language: A few curse words * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: Sikandar takes on several social issues and dismantles them as if he were brushing his teeth * General Look and Feel: Flashy and loud

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 0 * Story: 0.5 * Lead Actors: 0 * Character Artists: 1

Dialogues: 0
Screenplay: 0
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2 Sikandar - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment
Producer: Sajid Nadiadwala, Wardha Nadiadwala
Director: A R Murugadoss
Lead Cast: Salman Khan, Rashmika Mandanna
Supporting Cast: Sharman Joshi, Prateik Babbar, Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, Anjini Dhawan
Story: A R Murugadoss
Dialogues: Rajat Arora, Hussain Dalal, Abbas Dalal
Cinematography: S Thirunavukkarasu
Background Score: Santhosh Narayanan
Choreography: Ahmed Khan, Farah Khan, Brinda, Dinesh Master
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty, Jam8
Lyrics: Sameer Anjaan
Costume Designer: Alvira Agnihotri, Puneet Jain, Meagan Concessio
Running time: 150 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Social

View Details

30 reviewers have given Devaan average rating of 2.9/5.0 (?)

14 yays 9 nays 7 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?) quick review: A slick whodunnit with a finger pointed to almost every character, but subtly. The final twist isn’t easy to guess though many sub-plots are predictable. The lingering pace is enjoyable but could’ve been a tad crisper for a better impact.(Streaming partner: Zee)

  Thumbs up by Amit Bhatia,  abplive  ...This film is a complete entertainer, packed with thrilling action, suspense, and a mind-blowing performance by Shahid Kapoor. If you’re a fan of gripping thrillers and high-energy performances, this one is not to be missed!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...The cop-criminal chases are wildly engaging. I am baffled by the film’s supercilious reviews. The same critics ravaged about the most mediocre movies in the past weeks. The disdain for Deva proves we are not quite ready for stories that go beyond the surface....  full review

  Thumbs up by Smrity Sharma,  Bollywood Life  ...Deva is a pure treat for Shahid Kapoor fans aka Shanatics. After the rom com Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya in 2024, the actor is back in an intense avatar and brings his A-game to this cop drama. While the film has its flaws, Shahid delivers a flawless performance and once again proves what an effortlessly versatile actor he is....  full review

  Thumbs up by Taher Ahmed,  Deccan Herald  ...A remake of the Malayalam movie ‘Mumbai Police’, ‘Deva’ does not try to oversell itself in a world where Bollywood movies aim to go over-the-top when it comes to recreating south Indian movies....  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...All in all, watch Deva to see Shahid Kapoor’s take on playing an angry cop. We’re sure Rohit Shetty would be pleased with the result…...  full review

  Thumbs up by Prathamesh Jadhav,  Free Press Journal  ...As for the performances, Shahid is intense and engaging. Watch him alternate between being restless and restrained with ease. Pavail Gulati adds the much-needed thehrav and emotional depth to the story with Pooja Hegde gets limited and abrupt exposure. All in all, Deva may test your patience if you like you action films breezy, but ultimately it is a rewarding watch given the way things unspool in the second-half only to compensate for the slow-burn of the first!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Manmath Sahu,  fullhyd.com  ...Deva is a must-watch for those who appreciate layered storytelling and powerhouse performances. Yes, the pacing stumbles briefly, and certain characters could have been better developed, but these are minor blemishes on an otherwise compelling narrative. Action, mystery and psychological depth - Deva delivers on all fronts. This memory-loss movie is one of the most engaging Bollywood thrillers in recent memory....  full review

  Thumbs up by Shawn Dass,  india.com  ...Deva is a must-watch for Shahid Kapoor fans, as he delivers one of his best performances. His strong screen presence and the film’s gritty visuals make it exciting. However, the movie focuses too much on him giving other actors little to do lacking emotional depth. While the action and story keep you engaged, the lack of balance and emotional connection holds it back. Still, it’s worth watching for Shahid’s standout role....  full review

  Thumbs up by Shreshtha Chaudhury,  koimoi  ...The technical aspects of the Rosshan Andrrews directorial are top-notch. The cinematography and the production design add a fine catalyst to the plot. The background score by Jakes Bejoy, which plays the rap song ‘Marji Chaa Maalik’ keeps the adrenaline levels high, especially during the action sequences....  full review

  Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...Mercifully, such gaps aren't the rule in Deva. The plot amendments that provide the film with a new run-up to the climax and the final denouement serve the purpose of keeping the audience guessing. So, even if you remember the Malayalam film and know how it winds up, Deva has something in store for you. It is a Shahid Kapoor show all the way but Deva certainly isn't only for fans of the star....  full review

  Thumbs up by YATAMANYU NARAIN,  News18.com  ...Ultimately, Deva finds its voice in its second half, evolving from a standard action thriller into a gripping, character-driven mystery. It may not be without its flaws, but its unpredictability, strong performances, and polished execution make it a compelling watch....  full review

  Thumbs up by Pratik Shekhar,  News18.com  ...डायरेक्शन की बात करें तो रोशन एंड्रयूज का डायरेक्शन भी कमाल का है. उन्होंने जिस तरह से कहानी को अपने डायरेक्शन में पिरोया है, वो काबिले तारीफ है. फिल्म में गाने कम हैं, लेकिन जेक्स बेजॉय का म्यूजिक भी आपको निराश नहीं करेगा. अब बात करते हैं फिल्म की कुछ कमियों की. फिल्म पहले हाफ तक अपनी सामान्य गति से तेज चलती है, लेकिन दूसरे हाफ में यह धीरे-धीरे बहुत धीमी हो जाती है, जो आपको थोड़ा बोरियत जरूर महसूस कराएगी. अगर कहानी धीमी से तेज होती है, तो बाद में अपनी गति की भरपाई कर लेती है, लेकिन ‘देवा’ के साथ इसका उल्टा हुआ है. इसलिए मेकर्स को फिल्म की गति पर थोड़ा ध्यान देना चाहिए था. हालांकि फिल्म के धीमी होने की वजह फिल्म में देव का किरदार भी हो सकता है, जो आपको फिल्म देखने के बाद ही पता चलेगा....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sushmita Dey,  Times Now  ...While the film celebrates its heroic cop, it doesn’t shy away from critiquing the very institution Dev represents. Despite the flaws, Deva is a slow-paced and engaging investigative thriller. It's entertaining and the biggest strength of the film is Shahid Kapoor!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...The overall pace remains slow, yet it manages to keep you engaged and entertained. The film has inconsistencies, however, its intensity, raw appeal, and slick execution make it worth a watch....  full review

  So-So by Iqbal Pervez,  Glamsham.com  ...The film’s director Roshan Andrews has tried to make an intelligent film which perhaps has become a little too intelligent. Pooja Hegde has nothing special to do in the film. Overall, the film Deva is an average masala entertainer, which is saved by Shahid Kapoor’s performance. Shahid Kapoor fans can watch this film....  full review

  So-So by Zinia Bandyopadhyay,  india today  ...One of Deva's biggest flaws is its uneven pacing, which should have been corrected at the edit table. Also, why cut out the best parts of the original and keep everything else the same? Well, novelty is important, after all. Thankfully, Shahid Kapoor's swag keeps the film afloat, making Deva a one-time watch....  full review

  So-So by Sakshi Verma,  India TV  ...Shahid Kapoor's Deva clearly disappoints despite having potential. However, the film ends on a note that opens the gates for a second part, and knowing the filmmaker in Rosshan, one can expect something positive. However, as for the first part, the film is an average one-time watch with a few highs. With much said and done, Shahid Kapoor's latest release deserves 2.5 stars and is out now in theatres....  full review

  So-So by Lekha Menon,  Khaleej Times  ...Let’s just say this is yet another case of the actor being better than the movie. And once again, a case of a movie that is pretty good but could have been much better....  full review

  So-So by Isha Sharma,  NewsBytes  ...Toward the end, the film becomes scattered, almost as if it's in a rush to make the final reveal.Supporting characters come and go, without adding much to the plot, and Deva doesn't exploit its complete potential.Despite these flaws, however, Kapoor, Rana, and Gulati ensure that you stay hooked to the story, and the twists make the film worth your time.3/5 stars....  full review

  So-So by Rishil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...If you're a fan of intricate, character-driven dramas that take their time to unfold, Deva will be rewarding, especially for its last 30 minutes. For others, the film might not meet the high expectations set by its promotional material, but it's still worth watching for the performances and the beautifully woven extended climax at the end....  full review

  So-So by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...However, while tweaking the original story, the makers resort to procrastination, stretching the middle and emasculating the climax. The shock value doesn’t add up in the adaptation, leaving a shining Shahid in the lurch....  full review

  Thumbs down by Abhishek Ranjit,  Filmi Beat  ...Deva was said to be 'deadly, daunting and destructive' but it turned out to be a fuski bomb....  full review

  Thumbs down by Vinamra Mathur,  FirstPost  ...There could be two reasons why the makers decided to change the finale. They wanted to be firm that this was not a remake of the Malayalam thriller. Or maybe the leading man wasn’t comfortable in essaying a queer. Maybe the makers wanted to give a more stylized and bronzed look to Dev-A. Style hai babu Bhaiyaa makers ka style. No points for guessing which film comes to mind....  full review

  Thumbs down by Rishabh Suri,  Hindustan Times  ...Deva review: While Shahid Kapoor shines as Dev, the film's second half falters with convoluted twists, leaving potential arcs incomplete.Deva review: Underwhelming. That’s the one word review of Deva. And here’s why....  full review

  Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...There are at least a couple of instances when Shahid Kapoor does come alive, reminding us of the actor that he can be. Both are scenes in which he allows his character to be vulnerable, and you wish there were more of these, rather than the loose threads and the long slack-blah stretches which make you feel every minute of its nearly two-and-a-half hour length....  full review

  Thumbs down by Mayank Shekhar,  MiD DAY  ...I speed-watched Mumbai Police. I feel Deva has kinda bettered that climax, in the sense of how dated the point of the original was. The film, in that sense, suffers from a problem that’s opposite of several scripts....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...The biggest fault in Deva is its technical aspects. The action scenes are poorly designed, and the sound design for the same is terrible. You just can't feel the intensity of those action scenes. Deva is beating the goons brutally, but that brutality is hardly visible to the eyes and ears....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...Alas, like many Hindi remakes of acclaimed South movies, a bold, clever, layered thriller takes the shape of a safe playing vanity project.Quite needless when you already know the extent of Shahid Kapoor's talent.PlayMuteFullscreenThe only person who needs reminding, in a movie, ironically, about remembering, is him....  full review

  Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...The dilemma that dogs Deva after his memory loss, which could have been the crux of the movie, is cursorily handled. Despite superb visuals and a blazing Shahid Kapoor, Deva is as cold to the touch as its treatment of weighty themes such as guilt, culpability and redemption is clinical....  full review

  Thumbs down by Kartik Bhardwaj,  the new Indian Express  ...There is a feeble attempt in Deva to humanise its angry protagonist, to give a cause to this rebel. There are frequent mentions of how Dev put his own father behind jail, how his father once came back home drunk and broke his leg. Daddy issues as the reason behind flawed personalities has become passe....  full review

See Also    wogma review     30 Critic Reviews 2.9/5.0    Deva - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Zee Studios, Roy Kapur Films
Producer: Siddharth Roy Kapoor, Umesh KR Bansal
Director: Rosshan Andrrews
Lead Cast: Shahid Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Pooja Hegde, Kubbra Sait, Pavail Gulati, Pravesh Rana
Story: Hussain Dalal, Sumit Aroraa, Abbas Dalal, Bobby Sanjay, Arshad Syed
Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad
Background Score: Jakes Bejoy
Choreography: Amit Ray
Music Director: Vishal Mishra
Lyrics: Raj Shekhar
Costume Designer: Niharika Jolly, Malavika Kashikar
Running time: 150 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Suspense, Thriller

View Details

wogma rating: Don't bother (?) quick review: A collection of one bad scene jerkily stitched to another, adding up to a mess of a film. An intriguing plot—kiss-as-a-service—but you can't help being wary because of the potential to be sleazy. Indeed, it is borderline creepy and goes full throttle into boring you.

Review What if your superpower was that your cheek-kiss gets the kissee married to another person in the next week? What if you made a business out of it? What would the unintended consequences be? Well, as a film, one intended consequence is low-hanging fruit, right? To make it sleazy. Thankfully, they don’t go all out, but my muscles were in a state of cringe from the opening sequence, right till the end.

The red flags begin with the opening sequence's orange flags and other in-the-face religious notes. Why is that a red flag? As I watched the ridiculously placed, worded and executed, even if well-choreographed, song-and-dance sequence that the film starts with, the vibe guaranteed that religiosity had nothing to do with the rest of the film. It existed, just because.

And this irrelevant over-arching theme of religion continued throughout the film. This wouldn’t have been an issue if it was somehow related to what was going on in the film or told us something about the characters. And if it told us that they are oh-so-devout, you then see them doing something that no religion could condone, in the very next scene.

Maybe, may… be… it’d have been fine if this was the only problematic theme in the film. But oh-boy, it is not! Where do I begin? Let’s see…The film's very premise is that the only role of a woman is to be married. Education secondary, job…”what job?” Then, the film goes ahead and shows soft-support for the dowry system. As in, the characters speak about it matter-of-factly and with pride that they are willing to pay a dowry.

Then, of course, there is the standard trope of a woman in Indian attire is a better person than the one wearing western outfits!?! Also, what world is this film set in? Strangers ogling at women doesn’t creep the women out. They are comfortable with it. I want to live in a world, where advances made towards women aren’t creepy.

Moving on to the next problematic take—body-shaming, both subtle and overt. I can imagine someone being repulsed by the idea of kissing someone, even if it is a peck, who they don’t want to kiss. But the implication here was clearly that the body’s shape was a problem.

Then, of course, you have sexuality-shaming. Not only is the only evidently gay person in the film, super-sleazy, but there is a wrongness attached to being anything other than heterosexual. Sure, there is space given to the trans community, but it is restricted to the norms associated with them.

It is a shame that these were the makers’ choices given a premise that could have made you laugh and cry with even half an attempt at basic storytelling. Instead, the effort is spent on over-written lines that go out of their way to make the sentiment at hand relatable to current times.

So, you have words and concepts such as OTP, emoji, buffering, RTGS, virus, and quarantine force-fitted into scenes. At other times you have lame puns and of course, the least shocking of them all—absolutely yuck, cheap humour. Thankfully, there’s not too much of that, but whatever is, is more than enough.

The one bit in the writing that is sorta, kinda redeeming, is the signature line Jaggu dada (Vijay Raaz) resorts to. But that is clutching at straws because it is repetitive and used rather unimaginatively.

While we look for things to appreciate in a haystack, there is some creativity in the song and dance sequences. I can see some of the hook-steps catching on in dance parties. But that is only if the songs reach the clubs. Some are so loud, they seem off-key. Others aren’t snazzy enough.

I noticed something about the beat-lyric combination though. There is something about the lyrics that you don’t miss a word. For one, it could be that they use contemporary language, even if, again, it feels forced. It could also be because of the rhythm and how well the poetry fits, that you follow the lyrics effortlessly. So, sure there is some creativity there, but not all ingenuity is appealing. And it certainly is not enough.

When a film becomes amusing because characters suddenly resort to logic isn’t really selling itself. In fact, within the first 10 minutes, I felt like if this is what makes it to the big screen, maybe I could make one too. Especially given the resources and exposure that the makers have in the industry. Wish I had half the confidence that Ganesh Acharya or Sushant have. The former is loud, the latter lacks the charisma to pull something like this off. Murli Sharma and Vijay Raaz are wasted here. We can’t tell much about the women’s skills, especially, Jaanyaa Joshi, because they are used as props.

I was done with the film in the first 20 minutes. But, of course, I watched through. It made me realise my problem with star-centred masala films. It encourages films like these. And I think I “get” the star system a bit. Some actors can pull off such absurdity, at least for their fan-base. Others can’t even create a fan-base.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A few fight scenes, but that doesn’t mean anyone should watch it, even adults, regardless of their inclination for or against violence. * Language: Some innuendoes, but that doesn’t mean anyone should watch it if that wasn’t so. * Nudity & Sexual content: None, but that doesn’t mean anyone should watch it, even adults, regardless of their inclination for or against sexual content. * Concept: Pintu has a superpower; his kiss gets the kissee married to another person in the next week. What could the unintended consequences be? * General Look and Feel: Bright and loud.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 0 * Story: 0.5 * Lead Actors: 1 * Character Artists: 1

Dialogues: 0.5
Screenplay: 0
Music Director: 1
Lyrics: 1 Pintu Ki Pappi - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: V2S Production & Entertainment, Mythri Movie Makers
Producer: Vidhi Acharya
Director: Shiv Hare
Lead Cast: Ganesh Acharya, Shushant, Jaanyaa Joshi
Supporting Cast: Sunil Pal, Vijay Raaz, Murli Sharma, Ali Asgar, Viidhi, Ajay Jadhav, Puja Banerjee, Aditi Sanwal, Ria S Soni, Urvashi Chauhan, Pyumori Mehta Das, Mukteshwar Ojha
Story: Shiv Hare
Screenplay: Shiv Hare, Anadi Sufi
Dialogues: Farhad Samji, Anadi Sufi, Piyush Singh
Cinematography: Ajay Pandey
Editor: Manoj Magar
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Sachin Poojary, Jayshree Kelkar, Tushar Shetty, Sanjeev Howladar
Music Director: Ankit Sharma, Nitin Nitz Arora, Abhinav Thakur, Sonal Pradhaan, Shafaat Ali
Lyrics: Shiv Hare, Nitin Nitz Arora, Sonal Pradhaan, Raman Raghuvanshi, Kumar Nigranth
Costume Designer: Jimmyz Designer, Barkha Kumari, Anisha Pal, Diya Barkha
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Relationships

View Details

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?) quick review: So much heart. Such a lovely tribute to the passion for cinema, both as makers and as audience. Sure, it slacks for a good 20 minutes post-interval, but we can cut it some slack if we have tears of cinema and tears for cinema, right?

(Likely streaming partner: Amazon Prime)

Review For the entire first half, I was absorbed by the streets of Malegaon and the story of the boys who wanted to tell a story for their crowd, their people. And yet it was a microcosm of the larger world, especially the Hindi film world—where the makers decide what the consumer wants and shoves only that down their senses, Friday after Friday. While the film gets stuck in the middle for a bit—much like its characters—you are in for an ace of a finale. What fine writing!

And it’s not just that; this is an example of some remarkable film-making. Like the other film I watched today, Crazxy, this one too sets the tone just right in the first five minutes. Two films in a day! What are the chances of that, right?

And this one has your heart beating for its three protagonists, despite their flaws. The characters unravel with the story, without much time spent on separate character exposition. The film is filled with moments of camaraderie and strife in their inter-relationships. You find out about the characters as you observe these interactions, making the film flow so well.

Why-o-why, then, did we need the jumps in the timeline? Surely, people capable of such smooth writing could have connected without the jerky non-transitions. It didn’t help that the middle of the three sections that the film was chopped into went into a slump in terms of the vibe the first part created and the zest that the last part was to bring.
Yet, and thankfully so, that is not what will stay with us. The cast carries the slump well, too. They all seem comfortable as if this is their habitat, including the three women with less screen time but disproportionate impact. Not a single actor can be singled out to be better than the rest of the cast. Except for the few times they perform so well that you remember their off-screen name and/or go, “Where have I seen this guy before?”

Anyway, nothing to make you grab your phone to look it up. Yet, adding to the meta milieu maintained throughout the film is the awesome feeling that this is based on real life. So, this warmth exists in the real world.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: A few lip-to-lips. * Concept: A few young men from small-town India set out to tell their stories on the big screen. * General Look and Feel: Realistic, earthy and polished at the same time.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3.5 * Story: 3.5 * Lead Actors: 4.5 * Character Artists: 4.5

Dialogues: 3.5
Screenplay: 3
Music Director: 3.5
Lyrics: 3 Superboys Of Malegaon - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Excel Entertainment, Tiger Baby, Amazon MGM Studios
Producer: Farhan Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Zoya Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani
Director: Reema Kagti
Lead Cast: Vineet Kumar Singh, Shashank Arora, Adarsh Gourav
Supporting Cast: Jagdish Rajpurohit, Sanjay Dadhich, Gyanendra Tripathi, Riddhi Kumar, Anuj Singh Duhan, Saqib Ayub, Pallavi Singh, Manjiri Pupala, Muskaan Jaferi, Anmol Kajani, Abhinav Grover, Neha Mishra, Yash Yogendra, Athar Nawaaz, Kavita Pais, Nirbhay Jain, Dhananjay Kapoor, Varad Bhatnagar, Faird Kazi, Ranjit Deval, Amita Pavera, Nand Kumar Deshpande, Harshad Kumar, Nitin Salunke
Story: Varun Grover
Dialogues: Varun Grover
Cinematography: Swapnil Sonawane
Editor: Anand Subaya
Background Score: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Costume Designer: Bhawna Sharma
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story, Relationships

View Details

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?) quick review: It’s crisp. It’s intense. It’s experimental. It’s relevant. Its grey characters get you involved in the story without ever being on screen because the only person you see properly on screen is Sohum Shah. If only it didn’t resort to being gimmicky every once in a while.

Review A man wakes up not looking forward to the day ahead, only to watch it worsen by the hour. The cornered man is whirling into a vortex, and you realise why his name is Abhimanyu (Sohum Shah). “aah…clever,” you say and hear the riff of a song from your teenage years. “Naaaice!” you say, and a few minutes later, the song blares out loud. I felt a little disappointed that the makers didn’t trust us to get it without them spoon-feeding us. That about sums up how the film made me feel. I appreciated it mostly, but would sense a slight, “oh no…why did they do that!” every once in a while.

I enjoyed the ambience created from the word go. The sense of urgency comes through even in its super-slow first few minutes. And that the makers picked that pace is a testament to their skill. The film is only 90 minutes long and has a lot going on, yet it chooses to take its time to expose us to the set-up and set the tone for the film. All departments seem perfectly in sync with the camerawork, and the editing doing a lot of the heavy-lifting.

And then, of course, Sohum Shah takes over. He’s the only actor you see completely on screen until the last scene. Most of the others are either voices on the phone or faces on DPs or photographs, and there is one on a video call. There are these two bit-roles, one of whom is masked, and the screen has only half a face of the other. I wouldn’t say they created fully fleshed-out characters before you despite none-to-very-little screen time. But they did their job, which was to tell you the relevant past and present of Abhimanyu’s life.

Sohum Shal, on the other hand, is mind-blowing. You know Abhimanyu is the kind of character who is composed and loving when he wants to be but pretty self-centred otherwise. Not the most likeable character, but you understand his motivations. The one sequence post-interval, though, he outdoes himself by showing all of this at once. And without once letting it feeling like a “performance”.

The film then goes ahead and wraps it up with a nice message, but it also made me wonder, “What if that person* wasn’t as capable?” and “Do we really want to say end justifies the means?” I am not too sure about that, and it bothered me enough to not like the movie as much as I liked most of it.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Show of torture. * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None, a couple of lines of dirty talk between a couple over phone. * Concept: A doctor’s daughter is kidnapped. * General Look and Feel: Slick and realistic

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3.5 * Story: 3.5 * Lead Actors: 4 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 4
Screenplay: 3.5
Music Director: 3.5
Lyrics: 3 Crazxy - Movie Details * Banner: AA Films
Producer: Mukesh Shah, Sohum Shah, Adesh Prasad, Amita Shah
Director: Girish Kohli
Lead Cast: Sohum Shah
Supporting Cast: Piyush Mishra, Shilpa Shukla, Tinu Anand, Unnati Surana, Nimisha Sajayan
Story: Girish Kohli
Screenplay: Girish Kohli
Cinematography: Kuldeep Mamania, Sunil Borkar
Editor: Sanyukta Kaza, Rythem Lath
Music Director: Vishal Bharadwaj, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Manan Bhardwaj, Harshavardhan Rameshwar, Osho Jain
Lyrics: Gulzar, Anand Bakshi, Manan Bhardwaj, Ashim Kemson, Osho Jain
Costume Designer: Abhilasha Devnani, Nakshatra Dewadikar
Running time: 90 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family, Relationships, Social, Suspense, Thriller

View Details

27 reviewers have given Stree 2an average rating of 4.3/5.0 (?)

19 yays 0 nays 8 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?) quick review: “WHY SO LOUD?” Would’ve asked the question if I got a feeling that there’d be a well thought out reason for the decision or any film-making decision at all. That’s how haphazard it all is. (Streaming Partner: Amazon Prime)

  Thumbs up by "Pooja Darade ",  Bollywood Life  ...Stree 2 is a thoroughly entertaining sequel that will leave you with a smile on your face. It’s a well-crafted film that not only entertains but also delivers a meaningful message, supported by stellar performances. Maddock Films has succeeded in creating another memorable horror-comedy, following the success of Munjya, and Stree 2 stands as a worthy sequel that hits all the right notes. Don’t miss the chance to experience this film in theatres....  full review

  Thumbs up by Abhimanyu Mathur,  DNA  ...Stree 2 is a winner on most counts, the event film-summer blockbuster combination that Hindi cinema had been missing all this year. It asks you to leave your intellect at home and just come to the theatre for good old entertainment. In that, it succeeds. I just have one wish – that it could have been less loud. The constant banshee screaming from the demons does make you wish you carried ear buds to the hall....  full review

  Thumbs up by "Devesh Sharma ",  Filmfare  ...In summary, Stree 2 is a commendable follow-up that effectively balances chills, thrills, and laughs. The stellar performances, particularly by Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi, alongside the intriguing new antagonist, make it a worthy watch for fans of the genre....  full review

  Thumbs up by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...The songs in the film are impressive. Aaj ki Raat and Aayi Nai are already chartbusters and even the romantic tracks leave a mark.Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2024/stree-2-review-ratings-shraddha-kapoor-rajkummar-rao-pankaj-tripathi-a-super-entertaining-film-412301.html...  full review

  Thumbs up  FirstPost  ...On the whole, Stree 2 is easily one of the most entertaining films of 2024 and a perfect Independence Day watch for cine lovers. Maddock Films and Jio Studios have definitely delivered a blockbuster of the year....  full review

  Thumbs up by Baradwaj Rangan,  galatta.com  ...I wish the climax face-off had been more thrilling. But why complain that Stree 2 isn’t a better movie? It gives us exactly what we go in for, and these days, that seems like achievement enough. Plus, the four actors at the centre: as long as they sign on, I am game for any number of Stree-quels....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rishabh Suri,  Hindustan Times  ...Some starry cameos are sprinkled and bring the house down. Tamannaah Bhatia steals the show the moment she enters the proceedings. What has worked in the favour of Stree 2 is the music, specially Aaj Ki Raat. Where the sequel lacks is the unimaginative cameo by Bhediya (played by Varun Dhawan) in Stree’s universe. I wish the connection was more elaborate....  full review

  Thumbs up by Tushar Joshi,  india today  ...Stree 2 is funny, has some good scares, and is a step forward for the franchise. While Hollywood boasts of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), our made-in-India SCU (Stree Cinematic Universe) also has great potential....  full review

  Thumbs up by Aseem Sharma,  India TV  ...Stree 2 is without a shadow of a doubt one of the finest films of 2024 with a perfect storyline, acting performances, and beautiful direction. The VFX in the film will also not disappoint you and the horror scenes are going to give you nightmares for sure. If you have watched the OG film, then there should not be any dilemma about whether to watch this one or not. Or if either horror or comedy is your favourite genre then also Stree 2 is highly recommended...  full review

  Thumbs up by Lekha Menon,  Khaleej Times  ...Despite these glitches, Stree 2 is one of the better comedies to have come out of Bollywood in a long time. The humour is clever and watching it in a packed theatre that is chuckling along with the antics of the leads make it a worthy trip to the cinemas. During bleak times such as these, trust a 'stree' to bring in some cheer!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Rajiv Vijayakar,  koimoi  ...Here’s wishing that the makers had put less tropes and more substance to chortle and shiver about rather than star cameos, post-climax, a post-post climax and so on, besides a stretched second half. But the film does not disappoint as a sequel, or as a member of the horror-comedy fraternity, and thus for value-for-money entertainment....  full review

  Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar,  MiD DAY  ...Stree 2 has been neatly/smartly scripted by Niren Bhatt, credited in the past, notably, for Serious Men (2020), Bala (2019), and Bhediya (2022), which is now part of Stree producer Dinesh Vijan’s funny-supernatural universe. Bhatt can happily place this pic on top of his CV....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...Stree 2 will give jump scares with its background score, camera angles, and visual effects. This is how you create an atmospheric horror film. A textbook to every new film maker who wants to crack it, or else you have The Conjuring franchise too....  full review

  Thumbs up by "Dishya Sharma ",  News18.com  ...Bottom Line: The film is entertaining, despite a confusing climax. Watch it for the laughs—it’s worth the ride....  full review

  Thumbs up  NewsBytes  ...Stree 2 is one of the rare films that have the same magic ingredients that made the first part such a runaway blockbuster.It is not afraid to experiment, it can take a joke or two on itself, its performances never miss, and most importantly, its narrative core isn't hollow.Maddock's horror-comedy universe has truly come of age with Stree 2.Don't miss it....  full review

  Thumbs up by sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...Especially when a bunch of scared boys hide behind heaps of bangles while the girl whips the baddie with her all-powerful pigtail. Chanderi Puran is ready to add new chapters to the spectacle.'Stree 3's kal aana' is as inevitable as the purush threatened by it....  full review

  Thumbs up by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Abhishek Banerjee, Pankaj Tripathi and Aparshakti Khurana supply the giggles as Chanderi’s unlikely Avengers, rushing headlong into situations they are ill-equipped to handle. Varun Dhawan has an electrifying cameo, while another movie star turns up in a less effective guest appearance that is mercifully short-lived – but hold the thought. This monsterverse is only just getting started....  full review

  Thumbs up by Simran Khan,  Times Now  ...On the brighter side, the cameos (spoiler alert) work in favour of Stree 2. The movie is a full-fledged entertainer with the perfect dose of laughter and scares. It is everything we hoped for and a little bit more....  full review

  Thumbs up by Abhishek Srivastava,  Times of India  ...The pacing feels rushed, and one wishes the writers had given more attention to this part of the film. Despite this, ‘Stree 2’ delivers plenty of entertainment, and Amar Kaushik once again excels in direction. The film retains the energy and charm of the original, with a clever script that brings a fresh twist....  full review

  So-So by Prathamesh Jadhav,  Free Press Journal  ...All in all, 'Stree 2' is quirky, funny and entertaining at places, it lacks a concrete plot and precision. We wish the editing could have been as sharp and sleek as the flourish with which Sarkata decapitates!...  full review

  So-So by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...The film also give us an all-too brief glimpse of the real monster, which is the power tyrannical men have to subjugate women, and when the red-sari clad women of Chanderi reclaim the night, it speaks to something that’s happening on our streets outside movie theatres....  full review

  So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...Puerile and dragged out to snapping point, Stree 2 is not as much of a washout as it could have been because of the occasional flashes of bright comicality and straight-faced gullibility that shine through in the writing and the unwavering quality of the performances....  full review

  So-So by "Rishil Jogani ",  Pinkvilla  ...There are definitely a lot of things to appreciate about Stree 2, but as a film, it seldom hits the right notes because of the hit and miss comedy and the forced attempt at building a movie universe....  full review

  So-So by Shilajit Mitra,  The Hindu  ...As you already know, Stree 2 is part of an ongoing cinematic universe. The film ends with a post-credit sequence and then a post-post-credit sequence. An actor who utterly jars with this world is shooed-in. This is a desparate new fad that has enchanted Indian cinema....  full review

  So-So by Pratikshya Mishra,  The Quint  ...As a result, the sequel simply isn’t as scary as the original which is a pity because switching the sex of the antagonist in the themes that Stree operates with should’ve had the opposite effect. Stree 2 is still immensely watchable and is a theatre viewing experience I have missed – go with friends, go with family....  full review

See Also    wogma review     27 Critic Reviews 4.3/5.0   1 Reader Review 2/5.0    Stree 2 - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Maddock Films, Jio Studios
Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande
Director: Amar Kaushik
Lead Cast: Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao
Supporting Cast: Akshay Kumar, Sunita Rajwar, Atul Srivastav, Mushtaq Khan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aakash Dhabade, Varun Dhawan, Tamannaah Bhatia, Anya Singh, Abhishek Banerjee, Amar Kaushik, Aparshakti Khurana, Simran Sharma, Bhoomi Rajgor, Shruti Pandey, Arvind Bilgaiyan, Mustaqeem Shah Khan, Sunil Kumar, Ajay Pal, Uday Newalkar, Kusumlata Shastri, Swastika Chakraborty, Badriprasad Chavan, Vipasha Arvind, Aatmaja, Swati Joshi
Story: Niren Bhatt
Screenplay: Niren Bhatt
Cinematography: Jishnu Bhattacharjee
Editor: Hemanti Sarkar
Background Score: Justin Varghese
Choreography: Vijay Ganguly, Jani Master
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Sheetal Iqbal Sharma
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy, Horror, Romance, Social

View Details

23 reviewers have given Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillrubaan average rating of 2.4/5.0 (?)

5 yays 6 nays 12 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?) quick review: Pulpy entertainment for the time it lasts. There’s not much beyond that. But, doesn’t look like the makers were shooting for more.(Available on Netflix)

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...The ending of Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba leaves a door open for a potential sequel, hinting at unresolved threads and future possibilities. While the film's latter half may not sustain the high standards set by its beginning, it remains an engaging watch thanks to good performance by its stellar cast....  full review

  Thumbs up by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...Overall, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba is much better than its first part and that's how a sequel should be. It is thrilling, entertaining, and filled with twists and turns. In fact, now we are waiting for a third part as well....  full review

  Thumbs up by Lachmi Deb Roy,  FirstPost  ...Netflix’s Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba ends with a bang. There are certain things which are unrealistic. But let us for once make peace with finding flaws in films. Till then enjoy the movie and keep waiting for part three....  full review

  Thumbs up by Divya Shah,  India-Forums  ...From a technical standpoint, the film is a well-oiled machine. The editing is crisp, ensuring that the narrative flows smoothly, even when the plot becomes convoluted. The transitions between past and present are handled well, although the frequent shifts might confuse some viewers. Some plot twists might also feel like, what is happening and how is it even possible, buy you just need to swallow it and move on with the pulpy ride....  full review

  Thumbs up by Trisha Gaur,  koimoi  ...Have you ever been on a Tinder date? The one where you keep swiping right or left. Then, move forward to a casual date, which might or might not turn into something fruitful. So, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba is exactly what could happen if Ajay Devgn‘s Drishyam and Rekha’s Khoon Bhari Maang go on a date. The premise is very spicy to look forward to. But how does this date go? Well, interesting enough, until a point when things don’t get serious and no feelings are involved. A good casual date. Just a meet, some healthy flirt, and a rematch!...  full review

  So-So by Angel Rani,  Deccan Herald  ...While the scheming couple holds its own, the movie truly belongs to Sunny Kaushal, the amoral lover who will go to any lengths to obtain the object of his desire....  full review

  So-So by Zinia Bandyopadhyay,  india today  ...However, one aspect Dhillon seems to have overlooked is how the characters reflecting societal expectations added depth to the first film. The original film featured parents, best friends, and other characters that enriched the story. This element appears to be missing in the sequel, except for the lusty Poonam, who is solely focused on getting intimate with Rishu....  full review

  So-So by Sakshi Verma,  India TV  ...'Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba' majorly revolves around Vikrant, Taapsee and Sunny. While Taapsee as stated before is ravishing in every frame, Vikrant looks dull in the film. Moreover, both his rage and craze in the first part seem missing. Remember, the portion of the first film, where Rishu did everything to hurt Rani, those eyes, those anger and bitterness, are all missing in the sequel. Even though the character had full scope to go insane, there's not much left for the actor to do. The same could be said for Taapsee as well. The twisted Rani is all goodie-good in most parts of the sequel. Her passion and fanatics seem to be missing in the 'Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba'. But it's Sunny Kaushal that lights up the screen, every time he appears. The psycho lover that he is, brings the charm of film series like Hasseen Dillruba. At major points, he becomes the anchor of the film....  full review

  So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...Consequently, matters turn hotter for the absconders but Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba is, in the ultimate analysis, more cat-and-mouse than cobras and crocodiles. Indications in the film's final moments in a north Indian hill town are clear enough - the story is far from over. But are we ready for more? Yes, if Taapsee Pannu keeps propelling this female-led genre exercise with the same gusto....  full review

  So-So by KASHVI RAJ SINGH,  News18.com  ...The climax is particularly disappointing, raising questions about various plot points and leaving viewers with a sense of dissatisfaction. It feels underdeveloped and inadequately resolved....  full review

  So-So by Snigdha Nalini,  Outlook India  ...It is evident that the director, Jayprad Desai, relied on the actors’ screen time rather than plot development. There have been scenes when unnecessary emphasis on the characters’ reactions or facial expressions was given, rather than making the story more thrilling. Instead, the scenes take a long time to simmer and boil and delve into the action. Overall, the direction is earnest, at best....  full review

  So-So by Rishil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba, despite interesting characters and solid performances, fumbles because of the juvenile plot, lack of thrill and an anti-climatic finale. There was so much potential but it is wasted.On a positive note, the last scene ignites some interest for the sequel of Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba....  full review

  So-So by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Taapsee Pannu and Vikrant Massey inhabit familiar roles, with Massey proving better at mining the material’s dark depths. But even Massey is overshadowed by Sunny Kaushal, who is excellent as Abhimanyu. While Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba yields diminishes returns, Kaushal startles and shines....  full review

  So-So by Pratikshya Mishra,  The Quint  ...The film's other highlight is its music – the songs and the background score. And while the camerawork in the sequel feels more artificial than its predecessor it isn't a big turn off....  full review

  So-So by SUPARNA SHARMA,  The Week  ...Despite that ‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’ works because it is directed very well and is pacy, juicy, wicked, and fun....  full review

  So-So by Sonal Pandya,  Times Now  ...While Pannu and Massey slip right back as Rani and Rishu, they don't bring anything new to the table in the sequel. The new additions to the cast, Kaushal and Shergill, are a bit more intriguing as one tries to figure out which way they stand. However, they too are limited by what the script has in mind for their characters. Aditya Srivastava also reprises his role as ACP Kishore but mostly defers to Shergill's Montu chacha in the investigation....  full review

  So-So by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba is engaging, if not awe-inspiring, and has some entertaining moments. While it maintains a stylish aesthetic and a talented cast, the film ultimately lacks the originality and suspense required to truly captivate audiences. With some tighter writing and more focused storytelling, this could have been a memorable sequel....  full review

  Thumbs down by Abhimanyu Mathur,  DNA  ...Phir Aayi Haseen Dillruba gets lost in its own ambitions. It tries to do too much while not executing any of it on screen. The stories are ambitious but the premise is sloppy. And on top of it, it just goes on far too long than anyone would have liked....  full review

  Thumbs down by Rishabh Suri,  Hindustan Times  ...The fictional Pandit Ji’s romantic thriller novels are Holy Bible for all characters in this, much like the first film. At one point, in the anti-climax, a character remarks, ‘Humne samajhdaari bauhaut peeche chhod di hai Pandit ji ke shagird ban ke.' After watching this misfire of a film, I couldn't agree more....  full review

  Thumbs down by Rohan Naahar,  indian express  ...They’re not the same thing! One cannot be questioned, but the other must. Rani and Rishu are free to kill as many people as they’d like but when Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba starts pretending like they’re the ones being unfairly treated, it’s essentially hopping onto the ‘kathghara’ and begging to be cross-examined....  full review

  Thumbs down by Uday Bhatia,  Live Mint  ...The final twist is ridiculously wishful. Ulajh, released last week, tries in its dying moments to will into being a sequel that will probably never happen. If tentatively leaving a door open for another film is this damaging to the one you’re releasing, saner heads should prevail....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...Taapsee, Vikrant, Sunny are a fine fit on their own as well as around each other and prove themselves to be well equipped to survive the air of double dealing....  full review

  Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...The sexual tension between Taapsee and Harshvardhan Rane’s characters that kept us anxious in the middle overs of the first installment is missing here because the bond between Rani and Abhimanyu lacks the covalent charge. Sunny is a fine actor but the role required a little more charisma....  full review

See Also    wogma review     23 Critic Reviews 2.4/5.0   1 Reader Review 2/5.0    Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba - Movie Details  * **Banner:** T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Colour Yellow Production

Producer: Aanand L Rai, Himanshu Sharma, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar
Director: Jayprad Desai
Lead Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey, Sunny Kaushal
Supporting Cast: Jimmy Sheirgill, Aditya Srivastav, Trupti Khamkar, Manoj Kumar Singh, Alok Kumar Pandey, Manwendra Kumar Tripathy, Bhumika Dube, Gautam Shanathappa Gadaballi, Sahela Raza, Ambrish Kumar Saxena, Sapana Paritosh Sand, Pramod Rana
Story: Kanika Dhillon
Cinematography: Vishal Sinha
Editor: Hemal Kothari
Background Score: Anurag Saikia
Music Director: Anurag Saikia, Sachet Tandon, Parampara Tandon
Lyrics: Kumaar, Raj Shekhar
Costume Designer: Shilpa Makhija, Varsha Chandanani
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Murder Mystery, Noir, Romance, Suspense, Thriller

View Details

Review “Continue the story” or “Pass the story”, you might have heard of this game. You can see how it plays out as a movie if you end up watching Stree 2. It’s a game in which one person starts a story and thereafter people take turns to continue the story with a line or two. A lot of fun, but a movie it makes not. And no, just in case you read that wrong, Stree 2 is the opposite of a lot of fun.

Ok, I lie. Along with the beginning in this game of “continue the story”, the writers had the end ready too. So, they had to reach that end somehow as they played along. Or, that’s how it felt. And that end is leading to another episode that promises an army of well-meaning monsters.

The disappointing bit is that this is such an exciting prospect! A Hindi film franchise of sorts with a universe that is haunted by spirits at war—some disgruntled, some helpful. The former holds real-world mere-humans hostage. What fun!

But, there has to be a better way of coming up with the plot and sub-plot. Better than the slapstick we see here; better than the chillum-chilli, the cacophony on display here; better than the misuse of ace-rate actors.

Yes, I doubt this is arguable—Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, and Abhishek Banerjee—all of them definitely deserve better character writing, and equally emphatically a better story. The glaringly missing name there of course is Shraddha Kapoor. Have we seen her in a role that challenges her beyond the average?

But that is a problem for later, right? This one has a lot of things to be fixed before we get to whether or not the lead lady can be a better actor. Other than the story and its writing, a huge one is in the song department too.

Even as I grudgingly accept the existence of an item number because it is “for the plot”, I acknowledge that the lyrics of that one are pretty creative. But then you have a commentary on consent with “khareedi nahi ja sakti haseen ki ijaazat”* alongside some generic line to the effect “how can anyone be so beautiful?” repeated ad nauseam.

The latter is a post-climax song leading up to the next episode in the series. Actually no, it is a post-post climax song. And there is one more post-post-post climax scene. I know, right? You’d think there is a better way to segue into what’s coming up next than abruptly sewing together all the post and post-post stuff.

Anyway, let’s hope the next one goes back to *Stree*’s writers. What a fun surprise of a movie that was. I surely don’t remember that one having so many irrelevant scenes that are so long drawn out and slapstick to top it off. Maybe the very obvious social issues will be highlighted appropriately again too. Maybe it’s time to go watch that one again to wash this one out of memory.

~ ~ ~
*A woman’s consent cannot be bought

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: Horror film with ghosts and evil spirits. * General Look and Feel: A comic-horror feel throughout.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 0.5 * Story: 0.5 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2.5 Stree 2 - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Maddock Films, Jio Studios
Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande
Director: Amar Kaushik
Lead Cast: Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao
Supporting Cast: Akshay Kumar, Sunita Rajwar, Atul Srivastav, Mushtaq Khan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aakash Dhabade, Varun Dhawan, Tamannaah Bhatia, Anya Singh, Abhishek Banerjee, Amar Kaushik, Aparshakti Khurana, Simran Sharma, Bhoomi Rajgor, Shruti Pandey, Arvind Bilgaiyan, Mustaqeem Shah Khan, Sunil Kumar, Ajay Pal, Uday Newalkar, Kusumlata Shastri, Swastika Chakraborty, Badriprasad Chavan, Vipasha Arvind, Aatmaja, Swati Joshi
Story: Niren Bhatt
Screenplay: Niren Bhatt
Cinematography: Jishnu Bhattacharjee
Editor: Hemanti Sarkar
Background Score: Justin Varghese
Choreography: Vijay Ganguly, Jani Master
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Sheetal Iqbal Sharma
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy, Horror, Romance, Social

View Details

Review Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba is certainly much more engaging and even enjoyable than the first episode. It carries pulpy humour in the foreground and the background. The characters might be one-toned and their situation repetitive, but they are more likeable and thus you are a little more engaged.

Straight up, I quite enjoyed Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’s style of recapping Hasseen Dillruba for us. The makers decide what details are not important enough to revisit and you get a big picture idea without losing out on the essence of the story so far. I loved the fact that they skipped the “why”s which were important for that movie but have to be taken as given when you are watching this one.

The writing only slips up later in the film with the back and forth, the double crossings and double-double crossings, and double-double-double crossings. These get tiring. Fortunately though, this starts to get annoying only when the film is wrapping it up and you don’t suffer too bad.
Of course, the performances keep you invested. Even though, they are bland in the sense that the characters catch one tone and hold on to it through the film. But, the trio, Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey and Sunny Kaushal, has their basics so right that they hold you through the film too. Same goes for Aditya Srivastava and Jimmy Shergill, and Preeti Singh.

The crux remains that there is only one point to be made: “how far can you go for someone you love?” The answer we know well from the first film, “very.” The ups and downs that the characters get themselves into to prove it are done well and worth a watch. At leisure though, no rush.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads * Language: Mostly clean * Nudity & Sexual content: A couple of making out scenes * Concept: Love triangle plus murder mystery * General Look and Feel: Neat and crisp

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2.5 * Story: 2.5 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 2.5
Lyrics: 2 Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba - Movie Details * Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Colour Yellow Production
Producer: Aanand L Rai, Himanshu Sharma, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar
Director: Jayprad Desai
Lead Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey, Sunny Kaushal
Supporting Cast: Jimmy Sheirgill, Aditya Srivastav, Trupti Khamkar, Manoj Kumar Singh, Alok Kumar Pandey, Manwendra Kumar Tripathy, Bhumika Dube, Gautam Shanathappa Gadaballi, Sahela Raza, Ambrish Kumar Saxena, Sapana Paritosh Sand, Pramod Rana
Story: Kanika Dhillon
Cinematography: Vishal Sinha
Editor: Hemal Kothari
Background Score: Anurag Saikia
Music Director: Anurag Saikia, Sachet Tandon, Parampara Tandon
Lyrics: Kumaar, Raj Shekhar
Costume Designer: Shilpa Makhija, Varsha Chandanani
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Murder Mystery, Noir, Romance, Suspense, Thriller

View Details

30 reviewers have given Sarfiraan average rating of 3.7/5.0 (?)

18 yays 4 nays 8 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?) quick review: A story with so much heart told with such little spark. Instead, the telling is LOUD, s…l…o…w…and basically uninteresting.

  Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...Radhika Madan typecast as a firebrand, is no patch on Aparna Balamurli in the original . But Akshay Kumar is every bit as cogent as Suriya in the original. Their chemistry on screen, especially the way they burst into Maharashtrian dance moves , is delightful....  full review

  Thumbs up  Bollywood Life  ...The film's narrative and character depth make it a compelling watch. Sarfira stands out as a testament to the power of dreams and the unyielding spirit required to achieve them. Watch out for Suriya's dashing cameo in the end!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Manisha Chauhan,  DNA  ...One thing that really touched me is the message that having people who care about you and wish for your success can protect you from anything. There's a scene where villagers and Air Force officers come to support Vir when powerful businessmen and the system were trying to stop his business. It shows how when many people want you to succeed, no powerful person can harm you....  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...Watch the film for its story depicting the rise of an underdog. And for the inspired acting displayed by Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, and the ensemble cast....  full review

  Thumbs up by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...Overall, Sarfira is a well made remake. Even if you have watched Soorarai Pottru, you will enjoy watching this one and one of the major reasons for it is Akshay Kumar. So, watch this one in a theatre near you.Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2024/sarfira-review-ratings-akshay-kumar-radhika-madan-suriya-soorarai-pottru-a-well-made-remake-406091.html...  full review

  Thumbs up by Lachmi Deb Roy,  FirstPost  ...Sarfira , a promising film is written by Sudha and Shalini Ushadevi, with dialogues by Pooja Tolani, and a G.V. Prakash Kumar musical, Sarfira is produced by Aruna Bhatia (Cape of Good Films), South superstars Suriya and Jyotika (2D Entertainment) and Vikram Malhotra (Abundantia Entertainment). Slated for a nationwide release on July 12th, the film promises to captivate audiences with its powerful narrative....  full review

  Thumbs up by Manmath Sahu,  fullhyd.com  ...This movie is a must-watch in theatres for biopic lovers, Akshay Kumar fans, or aficionados of South Indian remakes - it won't disappoint. Plus, you get to see Akshay Kumar in a role unlike any he's played in years. This film is a breath of fresh air, proving that sometimes, it really is possible to teach an old dog new tricks....  full review

  Thumbs up by Baradwaj Rangan,  galatta.com  ...This is not a flavour you usually find in our films, and this is the smooth runway on which Sarfira takes off and lands.....  full review

  Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja,  Hindustan Times  ...Sarfira soars high and keeps you invested in the story, and at the end, you are left smiling and feeling proud of Vir's achievements. It's a perfect family watch that gets you emotional, happy and inspires you to dream big. Watch it to celebrate yet another true story, and also to witness Akshay's 150th film as a leading hero. Stay till the end if you don't want to miss Suriya's cameo....  full review

  Thumbs up by Tushar P. Joshi,  india today  ...'Sarfira' is a return to form for Akshay Kumar and definitely worth a watch for the real-life drama it portrays....  full review

  Thumbs up by Jaya Dwivedie,  India TV  ...Overall, 'Sarfira' is a must-watch film, which is successful in giving many messages. The story of the film gives the spirit to fight challenges, hence, we are giving it 4 stars....  full review

  Thumbs up by "Rajiv Vijayakar ",  koimoi  ...After a long time, we have a biopic that is full of entertaining sequences and not just seriousness. Akshay Kumar has been having a bad patch since 2021’s Sooryavanshi (but for his cameo in OMG 2) and this one deserves to end the dull phase....  full review

  Thumbs up by TITAS CHOWDHURY,  News18.com  ...In a nutshell, don’t miss out on this lovely film. It’s a masterclass on meaningful commercial films. And don’t let Akshay’s last few outings shake your conviction when it comes to Sarfira. It celebrates what’s most important in life – human spirit, dreams, simplicity and goodness and that’s all that matters....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rishil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...Sudha Kongara, Akshay Kumar and Radhikka Madan breach 'Sarfira' heights with their deeply moving and delightfully inspiring aviation-drama, that warrants a watch on the big screen. Don't miss it....  full review

  Thumbs up by pratikshya Mishra,  The Quint  ...You can’t help but indulge in Sarfira though – it might even make you cry more than once depending on how easily you tend to tear up. Towards the end, you find yourself so engrossed that you can’t help but give into what the film is asking you to do....  full review

  Thumbs up  Times Now  ...However, since the remake already exists there will be several comparisons between the two and in the first half there are some noticeable flubs with the dubbing. But do stay through the end credits of Sarfira for some special scenes....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sonal Pandya,  Times Now  ...But do stay through the end credits of Sarfira for some special scenes....  full review

  Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...While the film's narrative could certainly be crisper and the length tighter, ultimately, it lands safely. It turns out to be an inspiring tale elevated by top-notch performances from the lead cast. Buckle up for this flight!...  full review

  So-So by Neha Sen,  Deccan Herald  ...Overall a mediocre watch, Sarfira manages to neither disappoint nor soar to heights hitherto unachieved.Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/sarfira-based-on-capt-gopinath-s-life-takes-off-well-but-doesn-t-fly-high-3103962...  full review

  So-So by Rahul Desai,  Film Companion  ...But in the context of this film, it is jarring. It’s hard to enjoy a story that’s so conscious of its themes. It’s hard to admire a hero when his heroism rests on the portrayal of others. Put it this way: Sarfira looks at economy passengers from a business class seat. It empathises with poignant ground realities, but from the sky. As a result, it’s hard to tell a soaring take-off from a choppy landing....  full review

  So-So by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...The nicest part of the film, like in the original, are the ordinary folk who come out of the first flight, their faces lit-up and beaming. That’s what you take away from this loose adaptation of G R Gopinath’s memoir ‘Simply Fly : A Deccan Odyssey’, as well as the freeze frames of Gopinath and his fellow pioneers who started out with an impossible dream, and turned it into reality....  full review

  So-So by Mayank Shekhar,  MiD DAY  ...As the lead character, however, relentlessly overcoming multiple such obstacles—with all the masala, deliberately mixed with the meat—I think Akshay aces it, in his own athletic way. I guess it’s just easier for me to connect with Akshay, as a Bollywood audience over almost four decades, than, say, Suriya....  full review

  So-So by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...As a whole, Sarfira is a decent watchable film for freshers, but a subpar remake for those who have loved Soorarai Pottru. Choose your side....  full review

  So-So by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Age presents an even greater problem in the case of 29-year-old Radhika Madan, who is cast as Vir’s wife. Did nobody on this production top to think that the Kumar-Madan pairing looks utterly unconvincing, especially since they have several lovey-dovey scenes? In Soorarai Pootru, the cute romance between Suriya and Aparna Balamurali provided a soothing touch, which is missing in the remake....  full review

  So-So by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...More importantly, the intensity and purpose in Suriya’s portrayal of the character were the selling points of the film. The different looks that he donned to portray different periods felt organic but with Akshay the layers in storytelling get ironed out. Of course, he is sincere but these days his sincerity feels more like that of a punctual factory worker who has put the machine on auto mode....  full review

  Thumbs down by L Ravichander,  Deccan Chronicle  ...How miscued it all is is clear from the fact that a visionary is perceived as a ‘sarfira’....  full review

  Thumbs down by Uday Bhatia,  Live Mint  ...But in Sarfira, Veer hardly seems to care about becoming a profitable business. He only gets down to numbers when he has to attract or reassure investors, and then too all his talk is about breaking even. Success for him is helping ordinary Indians fly on the cheap—a part that comes attached, almost inevitably, to an actor whose penchant for playing virtuous innovators has become a ready punchline. Does anyone know which phase of the Akshay Kumar Social Work Universe we are in?...  full review

  Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...If you have seen Soorarai Pottru, Sarfira will spring no surprises. If you haven't, are an Akshay Kumar fan and do not mind overboiled, excessively stirred drama, it might be worth a trip to a multiplex near you....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...It's never a good sign when the villain starts making more sense than the hero. And often the nature of Veer's actions strike more as sanki (eccentric) than sarfira (hot-headed)....  full review

See Also    wogma review     30 Critic Reviews 3.7/5.0    Sarfira - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Cape of Good Films, Abundantia Entertainment, 2D Entertainment
Producer: Suriya, Aruna Bhatia, Vikram Malhotra, Jyotika
Director: Sudha Kongara
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan
Supporting Cast: Seema Biswas, Paresh Rawal, Iravati Harshe, Suriya, Rahul Vohra, Prakash Belawadi, Jay Upadhyay, Anil Charanjeett, R. Sarathkumar, Saurabh Goyal, Krishnakumar Balasubramanian, Raj Jadon
Story: Shalini Ushadevi
Screenplay: Sudha Kongara, Shalini Ushadevi
Dialogues: Pooja Tolani
Cinematography: Niketh Bommi
Editor: Sathish Suriya
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Uma-Gaiti
Music Director: Tanishk Bagchi, G.V.Prakash Kumar, Suhit Abhyankar
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Tanishk Bagchi, Shloke Lal
Costume Designer: Falguni Thakore
Running time: 150 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social

View Details

Review “Who are the rich to tell us what we should want!” A truer sentiment, there cannot be, right? And least expected, it was for me to hear that in a film. B-u-t, for a film that claims to be speaking for the masses, it’s sad that Sarfira decides that the masses like loud melodrama. You know the kind in which the background music is music-ing a bit too much, the drama, drama-ing you to the brink of boredom and then beyond.

That’s par for the game for an Akshay Kumar film, you say. I know-I know. I just wish it wasn’t for this story. A common man from a small, Indian village dreams of building a low-cost airline company. He feels this from his gut and puts in all his might and more to make it happen. The movie, though, makes a hotch-potch of it.

To begin with it goes back and forth in time, without there being an real reason to do so. Then it is uneven in its telling. For instance, it spends too much time on some scenes that don’t serve the film like the security check-up that Vir (Akshay Kumar) goes through. Then there are important scenes that lose impact because they are stretched out a little too long—like the desperation of a man trying to reach his village from a city.

To this weird choices in what makes it to the film and how much time it deserve, add a whole load of song-and-dance sequences. They are abruptly placed and even if you accept that they are needed to keep us interested, you cannot shake off the feeling that they broke the flow.

Maybe all these things are because the makers know that they are going to stick to just one note…Vir truly believes in his cause and there are a bunch of bad guys out to make sure he doesn’t achieve it. It is believable, the extent to which businessmen and bureaucrats can control an industry such as aviation. That even the best interests and interventions of politics cannot stop business is a remarkable side-comment. Yet, you get that gist even by watching the trailer.

Sure, the fault here lies with marketing. It annoys me no end that everything the film contains is known to you in the first two minutes of information you consume about the film. And don’t even get me started about the longer trailers.

All-in-all, you end up spending 2.5 hours and barely learning anything new or being entertained. Because, despite sharing a decent chemistry, Akshay Kumar and Radhikka Madan are not convincing you that they are poor people from a village…na-a! Their accents are uneven and body language too performative.

This is sad because all they had to do was look at the supportive cast around them—Seema Biswas, not Paresh Rawal, nor Prakash Balewadi. Rawal plays a caricature of a villain and Balewadi’s dialogue delivery is unexpectedly jarring. While Biswas is loud, which seems like a directorial call, she is convincing.

Oh! That seems like a metaphor for the film! Take a good quality base and dial up the volume—figuratively and literally.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: A common has big dreams * General Look and Feel: Generic

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1 * Story: 3.5 * Lead Actors: 2 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 1.5
Lyrics: 2.5 Sarfira - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Cape of Good Films, Abundantia Entertainment, 2D Entertainment
Producer: Suriya, Aruna Bhatia, Vikram Malhotra, Jyotika
Director: Sudha Kongara
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan
Supporting Cast: Seema Biswas, Paresh Rawal, Iravati Harshe, Suriya, Rahul Vohra, Prakash Belawadi, Jay Upadhyay, Anil Charanjeett, R. Sarathkumar, Saurabh Goyal, Krishnakumar Balasubramanian, Raj Jadon
Story: Shalini Ushadevi
Screenplay: Sudha Kongara, Shalini Ushadevi
Dialogues: Pooja Tolani
Cinematography: Niketh Bommi
Editor: Sathish Suriya
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Uma-Gaiti
Music Director: Tanishk Bagchi, G.V.Prakash Kumar, Suhit Abhyankar
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Tanishk Bagchi, Shloke Lal
Costume Designer: Falguni Thakore
Running time: 150 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social

View Details

33 reviewers have given Kalki 2898 ADan average rating of 3.9/5.0 (?)

19 yays 1 nays 13 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?) quick review: 2898AD…when asking, ‘Why?’ seems to be the most illogical thing to do. Though, we as an audience are seasoned for that, right? But, 175/180 minutes of boredom! How are we to handle that?

  Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...In spite of an incoherent first-half Kalki leaves us with a deep impression, largely for the way Amitabh Bachchan’s Ashwathama has been projected. Kamal Haasan’s creepy part as some kind of evil messiah, lasts for barely ten minutes. His prosthetics are so elaborate it is hard to tell whether the actors are active or just the makeup....  full review

  Thumbs up by Smrity Sharma,  Bollywood Life  ...There are some unexpected cameos in the first half and more lined up in the second half as well. However, despite such a cast and character heavy narrative, everyone seems to have their well deserved space in the storyline, even the AI assistance Bujji....  full review

  Thumbs up by Taher Ahmed,  Deccan Herald  ...This mega starrer begins slowly but picks up the pace towards the end, with the promise of an even better sequel....  full review

  Thumbs up by Abhimanyu Mathur,  DNA  ...But Kalki is more than just the visuals. Nag Ashwin’s beautiful marriage of mythology, dystopia, science-fiction, and world-building is what sets it apart from other films....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sagar Tetali,  Film Companion  ...- [ ] The marriage of mythology and science-fiction shouldn’t work as well as it does, but the attention to detail in crafting a world where the two can meet makes it work. Endure its flaws, make sure you watch it in 2D, and there’s a lot of fun to be had...  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...Watch the film for of its VFX wizardry, impeccable acting by the entire cast and the confrontation scenes between Amitabh Bachchan and Prabhas....  full review

  Thumbs up by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...Overall, Kalki 2898 AD is a visually grand film, narrated wonderfully by Nag Ashwin. Amitabh Bachchan is simply excellent, and other actors also leave a mark. So, it is surely A Must Watch...  full review

  Thumbs up by "Sai Tulasi Neppali ",  fullhyd.com  ...Kalki 2898 AD arguably pushes the boundaries of the "pan-India film" label to its farthest extent. But it many ways, Nag's ambitious project, and the most expensive Indian film made yet, wants to be seen as not just pan-Indian, but trans-India....  full review

  Thumbs up by Neeshita Nyayapati,  Hindustan Times  ...Kalki 2898 AD might not be flawless, but it’s gutsy and intriguing enough to be watched on-screen. Nag has always excelled at human emotion (Yevade Subramanyam, Mahanati), and this film works because of that. As fun as it is to see a superhero-style sci-fi film from Telugu cinema to pushes the boundaries of what can be done, it works because you care about some of these characters. Here’s hoping the sequel is even bigger and better....  full review

  Thumbs up  india today  ...Composer Santhosh Narayanan, with his background music, gave life to the music. The elevation scenes featuring Prabhas, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan turned out to be epic because of his score....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sakshi Verma,  India TV  ...Kalki 2898 AD is a pure build-up for what's coming next in the sequel. The film is purely fictional but makes you believe that it is reality. Its larger-than-life spectacle transports you to Kashi, Complex and Shambala. The choice of actors and their perfect portrayal make this film a must-watch. Nag Ashwin's concepts are of good level and spark imaginative experiences. However, the msuci of Kalki 2898 AD is another underwelming part of this film. But Nag Ashwin directorial's epic battles, clap-worthy VFX, high points and surprise elements clearly deserve four stars. If you are a fan of action and sci-fi films, Kalki 2898 AD is just the one for you....  full review

  Thumbs up by Divya Shah,  India-Forums  ...Kalki 2898 AD is an ambitious film that pushes the boundaries of Indian cinema. While it has its flaws, particularly in the first half, it more than makes up for......  full review

  Thumbs up  indiaglitz  ...Verdict: Kalki 2898 AD a slow build with visually stunning and emotionally powerful journey but culminates in an explosive finale....  full review

  Thumbs up by "Shalmesh More ",  koimoi  ...On the whole, Kalki 2898 AD has a share of both positives and negatives, but the good thing is that positives are overpowering the downers. The craving to watch a visually stunning film, a brave attempt to create something unique, and a show-stealing performance by Amitabh Bachchan will help the film put on a solid show at the Indian box office....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...Kalki 2898 AD had no scope for music, and whatever music we have is pretty dull. It was a total waste of time. What makes this film slow? The songs, the editing, the melodramatic score, and the outdated execution. It wasn’t necessary to stretch the film for 3 hours; I mean, it could have easily been trimmed by 30 minutes,...  full review

  Thumbs up by Dishya Sharma,  News18.com  ...Even the writing of the first half lacked the punch. It is boring and confusing but wait for the second half of the film. The film develops post-interval and starts to fall into place. You finally begin to understand what was happening in the first half and the plot becomes clear. It then plays on the intriguing factor and makes you wonder, ‘What will happen next?’ It combines action with visual spectacle and mythology with technology and science – which makes the film worth watching....  full review

  Thumbs up by Gouthams,  Pinkvilla  ...The movie Kalki 2898 AD is just the beginning of a cinematic universe that has the potential to become the greatest experience in Indian cinema. With each character serving their own purposes, the film successfully connects the world of sci-fi and myth under a single umbrella....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...Kalki 2898 AD’s spectacle set in a timeline far, far away is just the beginning of a franchise that’s got a whole lot of dramatic confrontations, spirited battles and mythical madness on its mind....  full review

  Thumbs up by Ronak Kotecha,  Times of India  ...Kalki 2898 AD’ is undeniably a larger-than-life visual spectacle that transports viewers into a vividly imagined universe. In fact, the film’s visual quality is so high that it overshadows many of its obvious flaws by engaging the audience into the atmospherics of the make-believe world of Kasi and the Complex....  full review

  So-So by Rahul Desai,  Film Companion  ...Every time Kalki 2898 AD got a little dull or tangential, I tried to look at the brighter side. After all, it takes guts for a movie of this magnitude to be just alright in an age of lofty adjectives. Which, if you think about it, is an impressive act of dissent...  full review

  So-So by Sruthi Ganapathiy Raman,  Film Companion  ...In the end, even if the film might be emotionally weak, its dark-horse-shaped Ashwatthama largely redeems its journey for audiences. Bachchan brings depth to this wounded character, making us feel his pain beyond just his wearied face and 8-feet structure....  full review

  So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,  Free Press Journal  ...Amitabh, Prabhas and Deepika are in their usual best forms. Ashwin uses the star powers quite aptly. But, to like Kalki 2898 AD, you need to be aware of Hindu Mythology, its gods, their motives, why and how Mahabharata happened and so on.Kalki 2898 AD is a technically potent kids' film that is enjoyable in parts....  full review

  So-So by Baradwaj Rangan,  galatta.com  ...Bhairava is all technology and holograms, while Ashwathama is all about brute strength and traditional action moves. Kalki is certainly a towering technical achievement, but I wished it had been an emotional achievement as well.. Read more at: https://www.galatta.com/telugu/movie/review/kalki-2898-ad/...  full review

  So-So by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...The only exception is a robot called Bujji (voiced by Keerthy Suresh), fashioned as Bhairava’s cutesy, smart-mouthed side-kick, who induces a smile.Kalki 2898 AD Movie Review Live Updates: Prabhas-starrer Kalki 2898 AD releases in theatres on June 27 Prabhas-starrer Kalki 2898 AD releases in theatres on June 27.And yes, this may have Prabhas as the headliner, but it is Amitabh Bachchan all the way: his Ashwatthama is suitably gravelly and epic-like, as he sets about roundly bashing and punching poor Bhairava, in one of the best set-pieces in the film. He towers over the film, both literally and metaphorically, reminding you of the Bachchan of yore, who ‘made the line begin where he stood’. As to Kamal Haasan, he comes on sparingly, and saves his best for the last, but being Kamal Haasan, does leave an impact....  full review

  So-So by Lekha Menon,  Khaleej Times  ...In a nutshell, despite the praise-worthy scale, imagination and ambition, this 6000-year-old tale can be described as sci-fi-meets-mythology-meets-Marvel with comedy, tragedy, emotion, betrayal, mother angle and an item number. Sadly, too many ingredients do spoil the broth....  full review

  So-So by Uday Bhatia,  Live Mint  ...For a Telugu film, the violence is dialled down, an indication that Kalki 2898 AD has a family crowd in mind. Perhaps this and other concessions to gaining the widest possible audience—actors from across India, a litany of cameos, a song by Diljit Dosanjh—will pay off....  full review

  So-So by Mayank Shekhar,  MiD DAY  ...I hope she got half her work-day’s worth, eventually. There is similarly the sequel lined up of Kalki; seemingly with several set-pieces, that are seriously second to none here, already. I’m looking forward to that. You could, to this, surely....  full review

  So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...Kalki 2898 AD has the firepower that an aspiring futuristic franchise needs and it harnesses it pretty well. So, for all its flaws, it does not ever careen out of control....  full review

  So-So by Isha Sharma,  NewsBytes  ...Far from perfect, but not unwatchable; 3/5 starsWhile the film certainly feels naked at times because of the lack of events (it feels like the same sequences repeat), it's tough not to be impressed by Ashwin's vision, brought to life by DNEG's otherwordly visuals.For all its flaws, however, I would still recommend watching it on the big screen, because this is the best depiction of Mahabharata you'll ever see.Done!...  full review

  So-So by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...There are cameos for Telugu directors SS Rajamouli and Ram Gopal Varma. Rajamouli’s character has an exchange with Bhairava that is meant as an inside joke about the Baahubali movies, which starred Prabhas. The last thing Kalki 2898 AD needs is a reminder of Rajamouli’s talent for localising Hollywood-style spectacle – borrowing and repurposing, rather than merely borrowing....  full review

  So-So by Sangeetha Devi Dundoo,  The Hindu  ...Kalki’s narrative has several subtexts to decode, long after the film is over. The parallels drawn between Yaskin and Kamsa, the design of the Complex, the surroundings of Yaskin and the flying machine used by Manas. There is a lot to root for. If only it had sidestepped the lacklustre romance and the underwhelming dialogues to make for a more cohesive narrative. Despite these shortcomings, Kalki is a brave new attempt that deserves big cheers....  full review

  So-So by SUPARNA SHARMA,  The Week  ...Watch Kalki 2898 AD for the crackling chemistry between Prabhas and Bachchan if you have the patience to sit through its first half....  full review

  Thumbs down  Glamsham.com  ...Kalki had the potential to be a captivating blend of mythology and modern storytelling, but it ultimately falters due to its uneven pacing and inconsistent performances. Despite Amitabh Bachchan’s commendable efforts in the second half, the film cannot overcome its tedious first half and Prabhas’s underwhelming portrayal. Overall, Kalki is a missed opportunity that leaves much to be desired....  full review

See Also    wogma review     33 Critic Reviews 3.9/5.0   1 Reader Review 2/5.0    Kalki 2898 AD - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Vyjayanthi Movies
Producer: Aswini Dutt, Swapna Dutt, Priyanka Dutt
Director: Nag Ashwin
Lead Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Prabhas
Supporting Cast: Kamal Hassan, Brahmanandam, Disha Patani
Cinematography: Djordje Stojiljkovic
Editor: Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao
Music Director: Santhosh Narayanan
Costume Designer: Archana Rao
Running time: 180 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Fantasy, Mythology

View Details

20 reviewers have given Ishq Vishk Reboundan average rating of 1.5/5.0 (?)

2 yays 10 nays 8 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?) quick review: The freshness wilts rather quickly as young adults go about sorting their lives and minds out. Their match-ups, break-ups, and patch-ups neither engage nor entertain.

  Thumbs up by Ganesh Aaglave,  FirstPost  ...On the whole, Ishq Vishk Reboud’s plot, treatment and vibe are truly relatable to the current generation and is expected to garner appreciation and love from the college-going crowd....  full review

  Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar,  MiD DAY  ...Both are easy on the eye—checking off all the departments for desi romcom; dance, dress, soft dialogues, sufficient screen presence—seemingly enjoying themselves before the camera. Saraf is potential star-material....  full review

  So-So by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...Summing up, Ishq Vishk Rebound starts off as being a frothy romantic comedy but then loses its fizz midway. Watch it if you have a yen for rom coms and have to catch every such outing…...  full review

  So-So by Bhavana Agarwal,  india today  ...The major problem with the film is not that it makes rebound seem 'frivolous'. But, it makes a half-hearted attempt or resorts to tokenism to entertain. It is funny and cheesy, yes! But all of this without a soul, feels like a wasted opportunity....  full review

  So-So by Mallika Mehzabeen,  india.com  ...For anyone going to watch the film, we recommend not to expect anything and let the story unfold itself. You never know you might like some or the other thing in the 1 hour and 46 minutes of the movie. From watching Gen Z making their choices when it comes to love to witnessing boomers putting all their efforts into continuing a relationship after years, Ishq Vishk Rebound has come a long way and would definitely leave you thinking about the generational gap....  full review

  So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...The best way to approach Ishq Vishk Rebound as a viewer is not to expect the world from it. At least parts of it might then pleasantly surprise you....  full review

  So-So by "Dishya Sharma ",  News18.com  ...Bottom line: Ishq Vishk Rebound is for today’s young adults. The youngsters will enjoy the film but those seeking a hint of Ishq Vishk nostalgia will be in for a heartbreak....  full review

  So-So by Rishil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...Ishq Vishk Rebound is a fun and breezy watch but it had scope for better and deeper conflicts....  full review

  So-So by Risha Ganguly,  Times Now  ...The audience today has unlimited access to films and shows that talk about friendship, love, breakups, and rebounds. To stand out in the crowd, a film has to deliver something out of the ordinary, which is not the case with Ishq Vishk Rebound. However, it is a breezy watch that does not require extra thought or attention to detail, which, in addition to the short run-time, is an advantage in the rom-com genre. If you are looking for a movie with a simple plot to watch with your friends and have found yourself humming songs from the album, Ishq Vishk Rebound can be an option you can settle for....  full review

  So-So by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...Ishq VIshk Rebound is a film for Gen Z. While older viewers might not fully connect with its portrayal of modern love, the humour, engaging performances, and entertainment value make it a decent one-time watch....  full review

  Thumbs down by Riya Sharma,  DNA  ...As an audience, you keep waiting to see something more real, mature, and believable to be addressed in the film, but the film falls flat. Though it is written for Gen Z, it still comes out to be a cheesy, soulless film that neither gives the characters nor the audience time to feel what's happening. It's more like a rebound for Ishq Vishk lovers, and rebound relationships don't always work. The film should come with a disclaimer "watch at your own risk and only if you are a Rohit Saraf fan."...  full review

  Thumbs down by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...Overall, Ishq Vishk Rebound turns out to be a boring film because of the weak narration. Maybe if you are a GenZ or Gen Alpha, this movie might attract you, but on the whole it fails to entertain. So, it's better to watch Shahid Kapoor-Amrita Rao starrer Ishq Vishk on Amazon Prime Video....  full review

  Thumbs down by Rohit Bhatnagar,  Free Press Journal  ...Rohit Saraf looks cute and fits the bill perfectly. Jibraan is the another debutante in the film. He came prepared, dances well, and has a great sense of technical ability and dialogue delivery....  full review

  Thumbs down  Glamsham.com  ...Overall, “Ishq Vishq Rebound” is a disappointing sequel that fails to live up to expectations. With poor acting, a lack of direction, and a painfully short runtime, it earns a well-deserved one-star rating. This film is best avoided by fans of the original and new viewers alike....  full review

  Thumbs down by Monika Rawal Kukreja,  Hindustan Times  ...Is Ishq Vishk Rebound better than Ishq Vishk. No! Is it bad? Not really! To simply put, it’s an easy-breezy watch that’s fun and frivolous at the same time. As Pashmina says to Rohit in one of the scenes, ‘Your characters are mature, but you still have a lot of growing up to do’. This is exactly what I’d like to tell the whole team of Ishq Vishk Rebound — your story is mature and intense, but there’s still a lot that can make it convincing and clearer....  full review

  Thumbs down by Aseem Sharma,  India TV  ...If you are planning to watch Ishq Vishk Rebound in theatres this weekend, you can easily avoid it and save 106 minutes of your precious time of your life. Rather sit outside a college and enjoy a good 'Ishq Vishk' vibe. If you are a Rohit Saraf fan, I would suggest you watch his popular films like The Sky Is Pink and Hichki, instead of watching the spiritual sequel to the 2003 film. Out of five, we give it 2 stars....  full review

  Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...The film seems to forget Grewal (last seen in courtroom drama ‘Mamla Legal Hai’) for long stretches. The same goes for third-fiddle Khan, who reminds us strongly of the boy he was in ‘K3G’. Despite the uneven time-share on screen, you can see each has potential...  full review

  Thumbs down by "Pooja Darade ",  koimoi  ...In conclusion, ‘Ishq Vishk Rebound’ had the potential to be an intriguing exploration of friendships and love in the context of modern relationships. However, it falls short due to its weak script, lack of genuine character development, and poor execution. It’s a missed opportunity to create a memorable rom-com for the Gen Z audience....  full review

  Thumbs down by Mayur Sanap,  Rediff  ...The result is a drab romance and dull comedy that even the intended teen audience might have a hard time keeping up with....  full review

  Thumbs down by Pratikshya Mishra,  The Quint  ...Towards the end, a single cameo from Sheeba Chadha floors you – in a few minutes, she reminds you of how natural an actor can look on screen. It’s like watching your ‘ishq vishk’ for cinema come back in real time....  full review

See Also    wogma review     20 Critic Reviews 1.5/5.0    Ishq Vishk Rebound - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Tips Films
Producer: Jaya Taurani, Ramesh S Taurani
Director: Nipun Dharmadhikari
Lead Cast: Rohit Saraf, Pashmina Roshan
Supporting Cast: Akarsh Khurana, Sheeba Chaddha, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Jibraan Khan, Naila Grewal, Kusha Kapila, Shataf Figar, Anita Kulkarni
Story: Vinay Chhawal, Vaishali Kamalakar Naik, Ketan Pedgaonkar
Screenplay: Akarsh Khurana, Nipun Dharmadhikari, Vinay Chhawal, Vaishali Kamalakar Naik, Ketan Pedgaonkar
Dialogues: Akarsh Khurana, Lisha Bajaj
Cinematography: Milind Jog
Editor: Chandan Arora
Background Score: Ketan Sodha
Choreography: Farah Khan, Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Rochak Kohli
Lyrics: Kumaar, Gurpreet Saini, Gautam G Sharma
Costume Designer: Abhilasha Devnani, Manisha Melwani
Running time: 105 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Philosophy, Relationships, Romance

View Details

26 reviewers have given Mr. & Mrs. Mahian average rating of 2.0/5.0 (?)

4 yays 9 nays 13 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?) quick review: The grey characters, the man-woman equation, the light yet philosophical touches make it a good watch. Wish it didn’t try so hard in the beginning and didn’t rush so badly to the climax.

  Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...Good actors don’t need a wide platform to prove their mettle.The same goes for stories that connect with us not for their larger-than-life design, but for their proclivity to peep into life’s harshest truths without getting overly grim in tone....  full review

  Thumbs up  Glamsham.com  ...Beautiful Cinematography: The film is visually stunning, with beautiful cinematography that brings both the cricket matches and emotional moments to life. The attention to detail in the visual storytelling is commendable....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...Mr & Mrs Mahi doesn't really dwell into the politics of patriarchy but stops to note the difference between control and support shows in intent....  full review

  Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...Mr & Mrs Mahi also celebrates the unsung heroes – the coaches, the spouses – who stand silently behind those who achieve glory. Ultimately, the film beautifully depicts the idea that true victory lies in finding fulfillment within yourself, not in the eyes of others. This tale with a heart is for everyone, and you will come out learning valuable lessons....  full review

  So-So by Nikita Thakkar,  Bollywood Life  ...Mr and Mrs Mahi is a feel-good film that speaks more of emotions than the sports. Thus, BollywoodLife would like to give it 3 stars for the efforts made....  full review

  So-So by L Ravichander,  Deccan Chronicle  ...While the likes of Zarina and Rajesh Sharma deliver what little is asked of them, it is a delight to watch Kumud Mishra who never disappoints. Janhvi does — that is if you had expectations in the first place. She is working on her skill sets, but the speed is visibly inadequate. Rajkumaar Rao is predictably brilliant, like with ‘Srinath’, in the earlier scenes he looks a tad too old to carry off the youngster. However, as the frustrated individual aching for success, he is brilliant. ‘Mr. and Mrs. Mahi’ is worth seeing only for Rajkumaar Rao and Kumud Mishra....  full review

  So-So by Neha Sen,  Deccan Herald  ...The actual message of the story gets lost in the multiple meandering conflicts and the many cricket idioms. The parents remain unidimensional, and only Rajesh Sharma as the coach shows occasional depth. The dialogues often teeter on the edge of being didactic, but is it really a Dharma production without its dose of preachy one-liners about family and love....  full review

  So-So by Lachmi Deb Roy,  FirstPost  ...actors like Rajkummar Rao, Janhvi Kapoor or Kumud Mishra were unable to live up to the expectations of the audiences. It’s not that they didn’t try, but sadly it faltered in many places, unable to bring out the right emotions and the depth that the characters demanded. The pace of Mr. & Mrs. Mahi is inconsistent and the film failed to bring about that excitement which a movie on cricket does....  full review

  So-So by Manjusha Radhakrishnan,  Gulf News  ...As far as performances go, all the key players are in good form. Rajesh Sharma as Mahendra’s brutal coach, who tells him that he doesn’t have the pedigree and skill to be a professional athlete, is an interesting specimen. Rao shines in the dramatic scenes and Kapoor is on a strong wicket too. While the conflict of a jealous husband is staid and familiar, Rao makes it engaging through his acting prowess alone. For a one-time watch, this movie is serviceable. It may not be as exciting as an IPL final match, but it has its good moments that make it worth our time....  full review

  So-So by Monika Rawal Kukreja,  Hindustan Times  ...Mr and Mrs Mahi is a one-time watch for its earnest performances, but the film is devoid of a superlative script or wow moments. It's an ambitious sports film that tries to make a point, but sadly misses the shot. I wish at least in the title, Mrs came before Mr and we could have then celebrated women in cricket a little more....  full review

  So-So by Sana Farzeen,  india today  ...To wrap up, while 'Mr and Mrs Mahi' might have seemed promising on paper, the final product fails to strike the right chord. The team's earnest efforts are evident, but the film falls short of creating a lasting impact....  full review

  So-So by Pooja Darade,  koimoi  ...Overall, “Mr & Mrs Mahi” intends to tell an inspiring story about a couple helping each other achieve their dreams. The narrative is filled with hurdles, reflecting the challenges in their journey. Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor’s love story has moments where you can’t help but smile at how adorable they look together on screen....  full review

  So-So by Dishya Sharma,  News18.com  ...Bottom Line: Mr & Mrs Mahi is not a bad film but it isn’t a great film either. Consider it was marketed as a sports-themed film, the film needed a few high moments of a sports drama to truly allow viewers to resonate with the characters and their struggles. I would recommend watching Mr & Mrs Mahi for the performances, music and cinematography....  full review

  So-So by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Like the tail-end batsman who walks into disarray and sets the scoreboard right, Rao overshadows his co-star and the rest of the cast without ever trying to. Rao is especially memorable when Mahendra is at his most desperate, grasping for a shot at fame that will never be his....  full review

  So-So by Pratikshya Mishra,  The Quint  ...Mr & Mrs Mahi is a film that leaves you speechless because it doesn’t give you much to talk about....  full review

  So-So by Simran Khan,  Times Now  ...Mr and Mrs Mahi is supposed to be about the "imperfectly perfect partnership" between Rao and Kapoor's characters. However, it falls short of perfect. The film suffers from serious pacing issues and only picks up when it's almost too late. Makers should consider themselves lucky if the audiences fight their yawns till then. Fortunately for them, it is the soundtrack that keeps pulling their eyes to the screen after dull moments. A few chuckle-evoking jokes here and there add some warmth to this flawed film, but overall, Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor's sixes lack impact....  full review

  So-So  Zee News  ...The camera work and the music are effectively and quite satisfactorily executed to suit a film of this genre. What comes as a surprise is why Dharma Productions would make such an unexceptional and average film!...  full review

  Thumbs down by Abhimanyu Mathur,  DNA  ...Mr & Mrs Mahi may connect with the audience in the end. It is a film that knows how to present its emotionally high moments. It presents a simple story rather aesthetically too, and touches upon some nice points about self awareness, knowing one’s ceiling, and most importantly, what makes one happy in life. It is a good film but could have been so much better....  full review

  Thumbs down by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...Mr & Mrs Mahi Music Well, none of the songs have the element to become a chartbuster. Dekhha Tenu does leave a mark when it comes on the big screens. Mr And Mrs Mahi Review Final Verdict Overall, Mr & Mrs Mahi is simply a boring, predictable film offering nothing new. It is like watching the cricket version of Abhimaan. So, you can surely skip it....  full review

  Thumbs down by Rohit Bhatnagar,  Free Press Journal  ...Mr & Mrs Mahi is a big let down. Avoid even if you want to get away with the hangover of IPL....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sakshi Verma,  India TV  ...Mr and Mrs Mahi is a slow film with a very predictable plot. Rajkummar had more chemistry with Janhvi in Roohi when she played a possessed girl than in this film. Some instances in the film make you believe that the characters are not even on the same page. Sharan Sharma's second film can also remind you of several Star Plus and Zee TV's daily soaps. With no impactful music and nothing to take by, the film feels bland, boring and joyless...  full review

  Thumbs down by Uday Bhatia,  Live Mint  ...Mr and Mrs Mahi remains a watchable film despite all the narrative shortcuts and a tendency to spell things out is in large part due to Rao and Kapoor. Whoever thought of pairing the two had a good hunch; there's a believable, fond quality to their scenes together. Still, I'm hoping for a strategic time out of my own, a few years if possible, from Hindi cricket films....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...Mr. & Mrs. Mahi could have either been a good film or a bad film, and both because of director Sharan Sharma. He chose the latter one, sadly. The film could have done so many things so much better and so differently, but all Sharan had to do was go and pick some old dramatic segments and drag the film with them....  full review

  Thumbs down by Prateek Sur,  Outlook India  ...Janhvi Kapoor does get the physicality right as you can see that she did train a lot to get the cricketing shots perfectly, but still that hunger of a cricketer seemed to be missing. You can see women cricketers in today’s times and you would know that their body language is much more studier than what Janhvi Kapoor brings to the table with ‘Mr. & Mrs. Mahi’. It felt like she was just there and doing everything that the director was saying perfectly, but not putting in that adrenaline rush from her end to make the character come out with flying colours. The girl who did so well in ‘Mili’ is somewhere crying deep inside looking at this film....  full review

  Thumbs down by Shilajit Mitra,  The Hindu  ...The cricketing action in Mr. and Mrs. Mahi is nearly as forgettable as the combat sequences in Gunjan Saxena (2020). Kapoor, nine films old, struggles to access the requisite ease in performance, both on and off the pitch. Rao effectively sells the frustration and peevishness of a dunce like Mahendra. He is skilled with character psychology; as a romantic lead, however, he casts less of a spell. He soldiers on regardless, out there in the stands, trying to imbue some plausibility and heart into this ho-hum tale. He’s playing a one-man inning, and he knows it....  full review

  Thumbs down by Kartik Bhardwaj,  the new Indian Express  ...Mr. & Mrs. Mahi, at most, is a shake-up to the tired genre of sports films in Hindi cinema. It is not exactly a patriotic story or a feminist tale. What it’s trying to tell is that fame is fickle but passion stays. That real joy comes from the act of doing something and not being applauded for it. That while telling a story of an insecure, devious man, makers still can’t afford to punish him too much. That women still need to be told by men to find their calling. That mothers know everything. That there is far too much to tell but nothing to convey....  full review

See Also    wogma review     26 Critic Reviews 2.0/5.0   1 Reader Review 2/5.0    Mr. & Mrs. Mahi - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Dharma Productions, Zee Studios
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Umesh KR Bansal
Director: Sharan Sharma
Lead Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Janhvi Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Kumud Mishra, Deepak Dhariwal, Zarina Wahab, Rajesh Sharma, Sandesh Kulkarni, Yamini Das, Purnendu Bhattacharya, Arjit Taneja, Dheerendra Kumar Gautam, Shashie Verma, Dev Chauhan, Girish Thapar
Story: Nikhil Mehrotra, Sharan Sharma
Cinematography: Anay Om Goswamy
Editor: Nitin Baid
Background Score: John Stewart Eduri
Choreography: Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Dhruv Dhalla, Aadesh Srivastav, Tanishk Bagchi, Jaani, Vishal Mishra, Achint, Bunny
Lyrics: Sameer, Kausar Munir, Dr Devendra Kafir, Jaani, Vishal Mishra, Azeem Dayani
Costume Designer: Varsha Shilpa, Anaita Shroff Adajania
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family, Philosophy, Relationships, Sports

View Details

23 reviewers have given Srikanthan average rating of 3.5/5.0 (?)

14 yays 5 nays 4 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?) quick review: An inspirational story, if there was one! And yet so, human. Well performed too. All good enough to overlook the episodic writing in the first half.

Streaming partner: Netflix

  Thumbs up by Nikhita Thakkar,  Bollywood Life  ...Srikanth is a good film to watch to seek some inspiration and change the way one looks at the specially abled people. They aren't different!...  full review

  Thumbs up by सौभाग्या गुप्ता,  DNA  ...अगर आपको बायोपिक देखने का शौक है और राजकुमार राव के फैन हैं तो इसे जरूर देखें. आप एक्टर के फैन नहीं भी हैं तो भी वो अपनी एक्टिंग से आपको इंप्रेस करने में कामयाब होंगे. वहीं इसमें कई सीन आपको इमोशनल कर देंगे. हां, कुछ सीन को देख आपको तरस भी आएगा पर कुछ ही पल में वो प्रेरणा बन जाएंगे. फिल्म में सभी स्टार कास्ट की एक्टिंग इंप्रेस करेगी. फिल्म के कई डायलॉग भी काफी अच्छे हैं जो आपके दिल को छू लेंगे. फिल्म में वैसे तो सबकुछ बहुत शानदार है पर सेकेंड हाफ में फिल्म थोड़ी खिंची हुई लगी....  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...In conclusion, Srikanth is a poignant and inspiring tale brought to life by director Tushar Hiranandani's directorial acumen and the writing prowess of Jagdeep Siddhu and Sumit Purohit. With stellar performances from the cast, particularly Rajkummar Rao's powerful portrayal of the titular character, the film is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit against all odds...  full review

  Thumbs up by Murtaza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...Overall, Srikanth is one of the best biopics we have seen in recent times. Rajkummar and Jyotika's amazing performance surely take the film a notch higher....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar,  Free Press Journal  ...Srikanth is that rare biopic which might not be in the commercial race but has its heart in the right place. It's a biopic that comes once a year, perhaps, a completely experimental one. This is by far Tushar’s best as a filmmaker. Laced with purity, morality, righteousness, Srikanth needs empathy and not sympathy....  full review

  Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja,  Hindustan Times  ...Srikanth is not preachy; it's just stating facts. It does stress on the fact that while others have sight, the visually challenged have a vision, but it never tries to show them as less privileged. With tons of humour laced carefully to not take away the seriousness of the subject, Srikanth is a heartwarming tale that leaves you feeling inspired and instils a feeling of self-belief. If Sri can, so can you...  full review

  Thumbs up by Sana Fardeen,  india today  ...While the songs of the film are just about average, the usage of Aamir Khan's 'Papa Kehte Hai' needs a special mention. The track not only instantly hits the nostalgic spots, but also aids the story of Srikanth, every time moving one step closer to his dreams. The film deserves a watch, if not for anyone/anything, then at least for Srikanth Bolla, a man, who, even without sight, truly sees the world in so many different hues....  full review

  Thumbs up by Pooja Darade,  koimoi  ...Overall, Tushar Hiranandani’s film about Srikanth’s journey is a beautiful ode to human spirit and determination. It tells us that what we see as weaknesses can be another person’s strengths. Rajkummar Rao’s stellar performance and the compelling narrative about how dreams are beyond what we see through our eyes will leave a smile on your face....  full review

  Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...Srikanth, as uplifting a film as any, deserves a wide audience. It is more than a mere story. It is a heartwarming celebration of a way of seeing the world in a new light....  full review

  Thumbs up by Dishya Sharma,  News18.com  ...Srikanth completely rests on Rajkummar Rao’s shoulder. The actor has put himself outside his comfort zone to ace the nuances of the character. However, due to the screenplay’s lack of depth, the actor looked like he was hamming in a few scenes in the second half. I wished the second half was tackled a lot better because the film could be bigger than it already is. Another issue I had with the film was the length of Alaya F’s role. She seamlessly fits into the film but the film doesn’t explore her role....  full review

  Thumbs up by Deepa Gahlot,  Scroll.in  ...Jyotika brings warmth and Sharad Kelkar charm to their characters, as they willingly allow themselves to bend to Srikanth’s steely will, Alaya F has a brief and mostly unremarkable role. The film is so earnest, so sunshine-y, the hero so inspiring, that one could overlook the slight sags along the two-hour runtime....  full review

  Thumbs up by Pratiksha mishra,  The Quint  ...The background score, too, is way too jarring at first. There is too high a contrast between the subject of the opening scenes and the treatment. It is perhaps the film’s most evident flaw. Even the product placement feels too on the nose to feel authentic. The camerawork is…experimental but doesn’t always pan out the way you would expect it. There are some moments that feel slowed down for no rhyme or reason....  full review

  Thumbs up by Mudit Bhatnagar,  Times Now  ...Overall, Srikanth is a thought-provoking and inspiring journey that highlights the importance of inclusion and equal opportunities for people of all abilities....  full review

  Thumbs up by Dhaval,  Times of India  ...Roy...  full review

  So-So by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...When Srikanth says knowingly, ‘hamaare chakkar mein mat padna, bech ke kha jayenge’, you are startled, and then you laugh out loud. You know instantly that this is a guy who has learnt that self-pity is self-defeating, that he is grateful to have been supported to be able to reach a point where he can make the best of his innate abilities, that he is a winner. And everyone loves a winner, right?...  full review

  So-So by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...Overall, Srikanth has some highs and some lows, making it a fairly average-to-decent watch. But yes, the potential was much higher....  full review

  So-So by Mayur Sanap,  Rediff  ...In the end, it's Rao who does the best with what he is given and he ably elevates the generic story-telling. Too bad that his performance remains the only takeaway from such an inspiring real-life story....  full review

  So-So by Suparna Sharma,  The Week  ...The film exhibits confidence only when it is around him. But the film’s director and cinematographer Pratham Mehta are so in awe of Rao's performance that they constantly elevate him, framing him like a hero and not a man. This creates an admiring distance between us and Rao, when what we really needed was some intimacy....  full review

  Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,  Film Companion  ...A drone shot snaking through the halls of Srikanth’s American campus made me imagine a frantic honeybee late for class (or a spelling bee?). At a narrative level, Srikanth tries to be interesting. For instance, it isn’t entirely hagiographical. He is disillusioned by his country at first and, like Anil Kapoor’s character in Nayak: The Real Hero (2001), expresses his reluctance to shoulder the burden of talent; why attempt to revolutionize a system that’s so broken? But he changes in a heartbeat...  full review

  Thumbs down  galatta.com  ...The big emotions feel truly earned. We finally feel we are watching something close to the real Srikanth Bolla’s life. I don’t care if a biopic takes liberties, like axing some characters or adding new ones. The point is not exactness, but whether we get the essence of the person. And that, Srikanth manages only sporadically.. Read more at: https://www.galatta.com/hindi/movie/review/srikanth/...  full review

  Thumbs down by Uday Bhatia,  Live Mint  ...Instead of showing us a visually impaired person’s life with clarity and honesty, the film keeps repeating that they shouldn’t have to be beggars. I’m sure the young minds at my screening absorbed that lesson, since it was offered at least a dozen times. “We only have sight, he has vision," someone says of Srikanth. They could be talking about the film: wide-eyed, no vision....  full review

  Thumbs down by Isha Sharma,  NewsBytes  ...Srikanth suffers from the same problem as Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, where another remarkable true story was reduced to shreds due to a juvenile style of filmmaking.It's surprising that despite the gravity of this story, we never really feel connected to Srikanth and he is always at a distance from us.The credits begin rolling, but the gap is tragically never bridged....  full review

  Thumbs down by Kartik Bharadwaj,  the new Indian Express  ...I didn’t quite get what Srikanth was trying to get at. Its sermons of ‘empathy not sympathy’ felt hollow since the film couldn’t go beyond Srikanth’s disability. It felt rushed, trying to squeeze in the lifetime of a person in two hours, hoping it would present a vivid image of his personality....  full review

See Also    wogma review     23 Critic Reviews 3.5/5.0    Srikanth - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Chalk N Cheese Films Production LLP
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Kishan Kumar, Nidhi Parmar
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Lead Cast: Rajkummar Rao
Supporting Cast: Jameel Khan, Hansal Mehta, Vivek Mishra, Bharat Jadhav, Sharad Kelkar, Jyothika, Om Kanojiya, Alaya Furniturewalla, Arun Malik, Srikant Manna, Arnav Abdagire, Srinivas Beesetty, Anusha Nuthula, Sridhar Murthy, Sukhita Aiyyar, Vinita Venugopal, Aarav Khot, Clarissa Saaiman, Siboniso Tadeus Mbatha, Akshay Chaudhary, Arnav Bansal, Saurav Joshi
Story: Sumit Purohit, Jagdeep Sidhu
Cinematography: Pratham Mehta
Editor: Sanjay Sankla, Debasmita Mitra, Rana Biswas
Background Score: Ishaan Chhabra
Choreography: Punit Pathak
Music Director: Anand Milind, Tanishk Bagchi, Sachet Tandon, Ved Sharma, Aditya Dev, Parampara Tandon
Lyrics: Kunaal Vermaa, Anand Milind, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shloke Lal, Yogesh Dube
Costume Designer: Rohit Chaturvedi
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story, Philosophy, Social

View Details

23 reviewers have given Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2an average rating of 2.7/5.0 (?)

6 yays 4 nays 13 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?) quick review: Experimental, it is. But not an experiment that I enjoyed. It could be a me thing, though. The film’s subject matter is stuff that I actively avoid in real life. To top it off, my mind couldn’t keep up with the chaos + frenzied presentation.

Streaming Partner: Netflix

  Thumbs up by Shivani Pawaskar,  Bollywood Life  ...Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 showcases the ugly truth behind the OTT shows, virtual world and AI. All three segments have relatable stories that will make you think about finally drawing the line between real and reel worlds. It makes a good one-time watch....  full review

  Thumbs up by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...Overall, LSD 2 starts with a bang, but dips a bit in between, and then goes for a very entertaining finale. So, this one is an entertaining and relatable film, especially for youth....  full review

  Thumbs up by खुशबू डोगरा,  FirstPost  ...Talking about the performances, Paritosh Tiwari, Bonita Rajpurohit and Abhinav Santosh Singh portray their characters to the T. However, a versatile star like Swastika Mukherjee was seemingly wasted as her character had no meat. Cameos from Mouni Roy and Uorfi Javed are simply outstanding....  full review

  Thumbs up by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...This ‘LSD’ redux is not as original, but is as sharp, and as impactful. When Banerjee cuts us, we bleed....  full review

  Thumbs up  Movie Talkies  ...Banerjee’s experiments with the form and the content are quite revolutionary and he ensures that his audiences will get shocked, provoked and entertained, in turn, with his movie. And he couldn’t have found a more apt title for the movie than ‘Love Sex aur Dhokha’. This is a movie of the times, told in a manner that today’s generation can clearly relate to. Bravo Banerjee!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...The great thing about a Dibakar Banerjee film is that it never fails to spring surprises. LSD 2 has more than its share of fearless flights of fancy. Some land, some don't. But that takes little away. Even when it tends to be baffling, the film makes you think....  full review

  So-So by Aniruddha Guha,  DNA  ...LSD is the ‘cool’ film youngsters would enjoy, and its realness will strike a chord with a few. The more discerning audience may be left disappointed. But it is film you can’t ignore....  full review

  So-So by Rahul Desai,  Film Companion  ...Firstly, it’s people who are now extensions of technology, not vice versa. It’s hard to tell a lens from a gaze, or light from the limelight. And secondly, living itself is an endless live-streaming session. Everyone is a character and everything is an act....  full review

  So-So by Prannay Pathak,  Hindustan Times  ...Banerjee gives it all a whirl and by way of the act of you watching this film, snips the connection of subjectivity between the screen and its audience. The formal chaos and the self-reflexivity of the plot and its treatment might suggest it is more suited to the self-guided OTT experience, but perhaps that’s not the point of LSD 2....  full review

  So-So by Sana Farzeen,  india today  ...Given its 'A' certification and the noise around the election, LSD 2 may see a lukewarm response at cinema halls. However, it would certainly get its own share of the audience once it arrives on Netflix....  full review

  So-So by Uday Bhatia,  Live Mint  ...The muting of cusses through the film is a reminder of the censors LSD2 had to negotiate to reach theatres. That the film is no more provocative than the 2010 one (some might argue it’s less so) is an indication of how difficult it is to make Hindi films that agitate today...  full review

  So-So by Dishya Sharma,  News18.com  ...Bottom line: In a world where there are several projects around the impact of social media on human behaviour, Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 falls short in giving a true picture on the subject. I would only recommend you to watch Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 if you have nothing else to do this weekend....  full review

  So-So by Isha Sharma,  NewsBytes  ...Several parts of LSD2 brim with potential and Malik is particularly funny, but, its merits seem to be clouded by its overwhelming issues.Too much content, not as much breathing space, lack of gravity, and a chaotic sense of urgency ultimately mean that the movie isn't able to tie its loose ends properly.Skip it in theaters, but watch on Netflix later....  full review

  So-So by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2's gawdy demeanour and unflattering camera plays its part in calling out the rot deciding an individual's self-worth....  full review

  So-So by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Love Sex Aur Dhokha was edgy, insightful and urgent – the episode about an honour killing still hasn’t lost its raw power. But the sequel, while following the same format of three loosely interconnected stories and pursuing similar concerns, feels redundant, laboured and barely challenging....  full review

  So-So by "Aashna Nadkarni ",  Spotboye  ...Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2, despite its good plot line, stories, songs, and amazing camerawork suffers from impersonal character portrayals and rushed storytelling....  full review

  So-So by Sonal Pandya,  Times Now  ...The second story on Lavina and Kulu which slowed down its pace from the others was where the film found time to breathe and connect. That can't be said about...  full review

  So-So by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2's gawdy demeanour and unflattering camera plays its part in calling out the rot deciding an individual's self-worth....  full review

  Thumbs down by Rohit Bhatnagar,  Free Press Journal  ...GBTQIA+ community is well established and respected at least in our films, if not society yet, but what makes Dibakar to come out of his cocoon and make a film on their hanging issues?LSD2 is a bad trip. Avoid the hangover!...  full review

  Thumbs down by Rajiv Vijayakar,  koimoi  ...This is excruciatingly impoverished cinematic material in the name of daring, evolved cinema. If this is what “evolution” in movie making is, give me the worst of potboilers any day!...  full review

  Thumbs down by Rashil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...LSD 2 may be a unique attempt but on the face of it, it is just an extremely tiring and exhausting watch that doesn't offer much in the name of stories based in the age of social media and digitalisation. You can watch LSD 2 now in theatres....  full review

  Thumbs down by SUPARNA SHARMA,  The Week  ...But curiosity can’t make up for the lack of compelling storytelling. And that’s where LSD2 falters. It has visual bits and bubbles, but it lacks purpose. It doesn’t seem to know why it is telling us these stories....  full review

See Also    wogma review     23 Critic Reviews 2.7/5.0    Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube IMDB

Banner: Balaji Telefilms Ltd, Cult Movies
Producer: Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor
Director: Dibakar Banerjee
Lead Cast: Swastika Mukherjee, Abhinav Singh, Paritosh Tiwari, Swaroopa Ghosh
Supporting Cast: Tusshar Kapoor, Anu Kapoor, Sophie Choudry, Mouni Roy, Bonita Rajpurohit, Uorfi Javed
Cinematography: Riju Das, Anand Bansal, Priyashanker Ghosh(II)
Music Director: Sneha Khanwalkar, Meet Bros Anjjan
Lyrics: Kumaar
Costume Designer: Nidhi Agrawal, Juilee Borse
Running time: 115 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Noir, Social

View Details

24 reviewers have given Do Aur Do Pyaaran average rating of 4.0/5.0 (?)

16 yays 2 nays 6 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?) quick review: The film is a metaphor for its subject matter—relationships. It starts with excitement and freshness, goes through a phase where the effort shows, and moves into a plainness, that’s simple but boring.

  Thumbs up  The Guardian  ...Nevertheless, Balan’s assured performance, in which her character speaks frankly about abortion and sexual pleasure, is an impressive avatar of modern Indian womanhood....  full review

  Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...Here is a rom-com which is funny and puckish, tender and savage. I really can’t find any flaws in this one....  full review

  Thumbs up by Nikita Thakkar,  Bollywood Life  ...Do Aur Do Pyaar is a sweet film to watch over the weekend with a tub full of popcorn, especially for married couples....  full review

  Thumbs up by L Ravichander,  Deccan Chronicle  ...The lyrics of a song say: ‘Khwabonmein jo sochatha…’ that is that. I loved the simple film. Simple because it mirrors life without taking sides and deals with simple people. Go for it. Don’t miss tasting this slice of life.https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/taste-the-slice-of-life-in-do-aur-do-pyaar-890421...  full review

  Thumbs up by Shambhavi Ranjan,  Deccan Herald  ...Overall, the movie surely makes you laugh. But more importantly, it shows the institution of marriage in a new light and highlights the complexity of modern relationships. Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/do-aur-do-pyaar-movie-review-feel-good-movie-about-complex-marriages-2986612...  full review

  Thumbs up by Lachmi Deb Roy,  FirstPost  ...As for the performances, it looks like a Pratik Gandhi year. It is great to see his comic and romantic roles, first with Madgaon Express and now with Do Aur Do Pyaar. Vidya Balan seems to be in her full form. It is good to see her back in a rom-com. Vidya and Pratik’s chemistry work well on screen. And it is a welcome break to see, a couple in their late thirties-early forties having a flawed yet beautiful relationship. Hoping for more such realistic stories from Bollywood!...  full review

  Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja,  Hindustan Times  ...Watch it for some easy breezy and endearing performances, and storytelling that’s simple yet so impactful....  full review

  Thumbs up by Bhavana Agarwal,  india today  ...There is no wrong or right in this story. It is just emotions, both fleeting and constant. That is where Shirsha deserves applause. In times, when relationships are getting complicated, ‘Do Aur Do Pyaar’ is a reminder that maybe it’s not as complicated. It’s really about ‘showing up’ after all!...  full review

  Thumbs up by https://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-movies/movie-revi,  koimoi  ...Overall, the movie is a touching tale of redemption, loss, and love. Through its enthralling storyline and sincere performances, it highlights the complexities of human relationships and the value of communication in overcoming challenges....  full review

  Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...The dreariness of domesticity and the lure of liberating dalliance collide in Do Aur Do Aur Pyaar but not for a moment does the film adopt a moralistic stance on the married couple cheating on each other....  full review

  Thumbs up by TITAS CHOWDHURY,  News18.com  ...Do Aur Do Pyaar will make you want to fall in love despite all its chaotic messiness. It’s a warm and fuzzy ode to love in all its glory and grime....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rashil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...Do Aur Do Pyaar is warm and fuzzy, and is made with a lot of love. The film takes time to get its momentum but once it does, it's a pleasant ride....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...Unpleasant ends are neatly tied as faith and fantasy come out on top.Clearly, Do Aur Do Pyaar is more attached to 'institutions' than Groucho Marx ever claimed to be....  full review

  Thumbs up by Pratikshya Mishra,  The Quint  ...A film like this could’ve easily taken the easy way out but, till the very end, it focuses on its main characters – it focuses on the love Ani and Kavya once held close. Maybe their love lost its sheen once they ran out of things to fight against or maybe they forgot to keep showing up. But somehow, Ani and Kavya are always around. Their lives are so tightly knit together that a simple stepping away wouldn’t do it justice....  full review

  Thumbs up  Times Now  ...The film's music complements its themes, adding emotional depth and resonance to pivotal moments. The soundtrack enriches the viewing experience, further immersing audiences into the world of Kavya and Anirudh....  full review

  Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...Do Aur Do Pyaar falters with its uneven pacing, especially in the latter half. Despite this, the stellar performances, humour-infused script, and beautiful visuals make it a watchable romantic comedy....  full review

  So-So by Rahul Desai,  Film Companion  ...The endings isn’t perfect, but it comes close to confessing that this is no aspirational tale – it’s a film about compromised people making peace with their defects and choices. It’s a story about reluctant spouses and former lovers trying to survive the coercions of storytelling. And when all else fades, it’s a platform for Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi to hit the sweet spot between a feel-good tragedy and a feel-bad comedy....  full review

  So-So by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...The songs in the film are strictly okay. Jazbaati Hai Dil surely grabs the attention, and yes, it is a treat to watch Vidya dance to Bin Tere Sanam Mar Mitenge Hum......  full review

  So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,  Free Press Journal  ...Do Aur Do Pyaar is an easy breezy affair but it’s certainly not the best portrayal of finding peace and solace outside a toxic, rather a silent, relationship. The film is completely an aimless one. You will find better suggestions on OTT to binge watch....  full review

  So-So by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...Humans are strange creatures. They long for what they don’t have, and when they do get it, they don’t want it any more. This is the premise, and for a Bollywood movie, it’s new enough. Rekindling banked embers can be a thing. Again, something not done to death in our rom coms. When these strands are playing out, the film has a satisfactory sting, but it makes us wait for those bits....  full review

  So-So by Uday Bhatia,  Live Mint  ...I will say that Do Aur Do Pyaar grew on me as it went along. It sticks to being a life-like, level-headed relationship drama. I was struck by how it never undermines the depth of emotion in any of the three relationships, leaving all romantic possibilities open till the last scene. I loved Gandhi’s deflecting, easily hurt Ani, and his scenes with the daffy, vulnerable Nora. It’s also nice to have a film that doesn’t try to soundtrack the audience’s every emotion—the score is mostly reduced to a short acoustic guitar figure reminiscent of ‘Blackbird’ that plays every now and then. Speaking of music, there’s a Lucky Ali track in there that’ll gladden the hearts of ‘90s kids. Sometimes all it takes to make everything seem right with the world is Lucky Ali humming for a few seconds before he starts singing....  full review

  So-So by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...There are numerous predecessors to Do Aur Do Pyaar with varying approaches to morality in Hollywood, Bollywood and Indiewood. Guha Thakurta’s mission to treat marital ties differently is never anything but sincere. Cinematographer Kartik Vijay’s muted palette and intimate close-ups draw us towards the quartet of consenting adults. But banal dialogue, overly complicated plotting and nervousness at skewering the institution of marriage chase us away....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...Just imagine this metaphor: “cheating someone who is already cheating you.” Who’s at fault? The one who’s cheating, or the one who’s also cheating, or both? And how can one not be sensible enough to see itself in the mirror before or while pointing a finger at someone? See, this conflict is tough to crack, and one needs a lot of brainstorming to make a go at it. Do Aur Do Pyaar isn’t that. No, not by far....  full review

  Thumbs down by SUPARNA SHARMA,  The Week  ...Even this could have been turned into something interesting, but that’s a tall order for writers who can make extramarital affairs asexual and tiresome....  full review

See Also    wogma review     24 Critic Reviews 4.0/5.0   1 Reader Review 2/5.0    Do Aur Do Pyaar - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Ellipsis Entertainment, Applause Entertainment
Producer: Sameer Nair, Atul Kasbekar, Tanuj Garg, Deepak Segal, Swati Iyer
Director: Shirsha Guha Thakurta
Lead Cast: Vidya Balan, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Ileana D'Cruz, Pratik Gandhi
Supporting Cast: Thalaivasal Vijay, Rekha Kudligi, Hitha Chandrashekar, Gireesh Krish Nair
Story: Suprotim Sengupta, Eisha Chopra
Screenplay: Suprotim Sengupta, Eisha Chopra
Dialogues: Suprotim Sengupta, Eisha Chopra
Cinematography: Kartik Vijay
Editor: Bardroy Barretto
Background Score: Subhajit Mukherjee
Costume Designer: Veera Kapur
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Relationships, Romance

View Details

Review If you can believe that Tom Cruise defies death by jumping off high cliffs and tall buildings, what’s your problem with accepting Shah Rukh Khan doing it? If you can engage with dystopia from Hollywood, what’s your argument against a similar dystopia set in India? The thing is sometimes, it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. This time it doesn’t. I, for one, have lost interest, in gloomy dystopian set-ups, whether they are grey or sepia, like this one. Now, if it has an engaging narrative, then we are on! This one’s game is so off though.

The visual effects merging with the live action were jarring to begin with. Despite all my efforts, I couldn’t settle in with the comic strip aesthetic. The patchiness is the culprit—roughly and obviously treated voices, staggered-fragmented dialogue delivery, frog-like jumpy logic in the story-telling—are just some examples of the bumps added to the three-hour tour through the makers’ imagination of a world 874 years from now.

Sure, the treatment given to the vocals, both singing and speaking, might have come across as jarring to me because I watched a dubbed show in Hindi. The same can be partly blamed for the dialogue delivery too. But the plot skipping two steps in logic, and sometimes ten and a half, is extremely difficult to get over.

Ironically, this stands out even more because the movie does some bits well every once in a while. How we come to know what is becoming of the women in confinement is done well, for instance. I also liked the idea of the impact of an evil person’s tears. Is “Complex” made to sound like “Congress” intentionally, or is that just a coincidence? If the latter, then a catchphrase I caught must also be a fluke, right?

Some references—to Mahabharata, obviously, some of which work like a person gambling dear ones away; or like how the good and evil of the past have to come together to save the world; or to Christianity like with immaculate conception—are done subtly enough contrary to the rest of the film’s tone. There is no subtlety with the Buddhist iconography though and some religions are conspicuous by their absence.

So yeah, that is pretty much it. You can barely talk about the good without running into the unenjoyable. For other problems and problematic issues loom larger. Like the rather crass remark on feminism. Let alone that, right why-oh-why was Roxy played by Disha Patani in the film?!

It’s telling, right? That the only actor-character I feel like talking about, is the one who is on screen for all of 6.895 minutes. Not that Deepika Padukone or Prabhas aren’t noticeable. Just that these roles are likely to be easier than doing in their sleep for any actor, let alone them. Of course, Amitabh Bachchan’s breath alone, which is how he is introduced, makes his baritone’s presence felt, and how! No one is complaining. Come on, I mean, he is convincing as a 6,000-year-old, no extra zeroes there.

If only he wasn’t involved in one boring, slow fight sequence after another. If only the film didn’t have one boring, excruciatingly slow, and awfully choreographed action scene after another.

That brings me back to what I started with. The problem with being like films from outside India is ok when there is contextualisation. But if you are just going to make one of your main characters look and behave like one of the not-so-main characters from Dune, it feels like you don’t believe in your creativity. It’s not that it doesn’t exist, creativity, you see glimpses of it. Just that it is nowhere close to being enough.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: Vishnu takes his 10th avatar. Wait, not yet. There are few wars to be fought before that. * General Look and Feel: Gloomy, dusty-dystopian sepia

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 0.5 * Story: 1 * Lead Actors: 2 * Character Artists: 2

Dialogues: 0.5
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 0
Lyrics: 0.5 Kalki 2898 AD - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Vyjayanthi Movies
Producer: Aswini Dutt, Swapna Dutt, Priyanka Dutt
Director: Nag Ashwin
Lead Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Prabhas
Supporting Cast: Disha Patani, Kamal Hassan, Brahmanandam
Cinematography: Djordje Stojiljkovic
Editor: Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao
Music Director: Santhosh Narayanan
Costume Designer: Archana Rao
Running time: 180 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Fantasy, Mythology

View Details

Review A love triangle has to be really really well-made for it to work well after 100 years of movies being made. A romantic film doesn’t have to answer “Why are they in love with each other?” But if the question arises in the audience’s mind, then they have either lost the audience or have set themselves up for an uphill task. And that they do. Multiple times. In all available combinations.

Boy1 loves Girl1. Girl1 loves Boy1. So far, so good. I mean, I’, not convinced, but I’ll take it. Girl 1 loves Boy2. O..kay…if you say so. Boy2 loves Girl1 too. Ok, fine. I had signed up for a triangle, so can I complain? But wait, there is a Girl2 too. At this point, any interest I might have had is spread very thin.

Now, you can pad it up with weird trips that a couple takes, or daddy issues, or breaking fourth walls. Oh, by the way, I hope that the trip organiser has a horrible rating! They don’t offer help to participants when the latter are in trouble! Some deep trouble, that too!

Anyway, even as the young concepts and phrases pique interest. I mean it is a documentation of the times that people can go from a favourites list on your phone to a blocked list. Or how tattoos and piercings are the new retail therapy. Or when you see young adults justifying their actions by pushing away their maturity under the ‘over-thinking’ carpet. But you realise how vain the attempt at being contemporary is, once these things spurt in and out of the film. The writing is inconsistent in its tone.

I was thoroughly amused when the writers pointed out how beautiful their scene was from about an hour ago. Almost as if thinking out loud, “The viewers aren’t going to get this unless we bring it to the foreground. So, here look-look, how ‘layered’ our story is!”

That’s not to say the film doesn’t have decent philosophical takes. In fact, I loved that it champions the cause of confrontation in close relationships. And that it mulls over the meaning of happiness. Just wish it didn’t come across as superficial.
It doesn’t help that Pashmina Roshan, Naila Grewal, and Jibraan Khan have a lot to grow as far as their craft goes. While Rohit Saraf is better than the rest, he makes his eyes work too hard, letting the effort show. The rest of the supporting cast, too, looks like they are going through the motions.

That is the crux of the issues with Ishq Vishk Rebound. The writing, too like the acting, feels like it is going through the motions. Deciding on the destination and force-fitting the journey, rather than having them from and into each other.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A few scenes when people are beaten up. * Language: Clean. * Nudity & Sexual content: A few lip-to-lips. * Concept: Boy meets girl meets boy meets girl. * General Look and Feel: Young.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 1 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 1 Ishq Vishk Rebound - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Tips Films
Producer: Jaya Taurani, Ramesh S Taurani
Director: Nipun Dharmadhikari
Lead Cast: Rohit Saraf, Pashmina Roshan
Supporting Cast: Akarsh Khurana, Sheeba Chaddha, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Jibraan Khan, Naila Grewal, Kusha Kapila, Shataf Figar, Anita Kulkarni
Story: Vinay Chhawal, Vaishali Kamalakar Naik, Ketan Pedgaonkar
Screenplay: Akarsh Khurana, Nipun Dharmadhikari, Vinay Chhawal, Vaishali Kamalakar Naik, Ketan Pedgaonkar
Dialogues: Akarsh Khurana, Lisha Bajaj
Cinematography: Milind Jog
Editor: Chandan Arora
Background Score: Ketan Sodha
Choreography: Farah Khan, Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Rochak Kohli
Lyrics: Kumaar, Gurpreet Saini, Gautam G Sharma
Costume Designer: Abhilasha Devnani, Manisha Melwani
Running time: 105 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Philosophy, Relationships, Romance

View Details

Review There are a lot many things going for Mr and Mrs Mahi, the film. A few are alright, no great shakes. Only two things against it—the way it starts and how it ends. The relationships, the philosophy, and the characters give you something to munch on. The story is sweet and has its adorable moments. Those are more than enough to make the film a winner. At the same time, what they haven’t gotten right is too out there to ignore completely.

Mr and Mrs Mahi begins clumsily. To begin with, a batsman is run out without crossing the center of the pitch and the non-striker takes strike in the next ball? Huh? But that is just a technicality, right? Doesn’t necessarily change a viewer’s experience of the story, if it’s a good one. Which, this one ultimately is.

The real issue with the beginning is the effort expended in putting the protagonist down. The even bigger problem is that the effort shows. To the extent that within the first ten minutes, if not five, my mind was screaming, “ok-ok, I get it, this character has a sorry life! Move on, already!” To the extent that my mind began to threaten the makers, “If you are showing abc, you better show xyz too to back it up.” And show, they do, xyz and more.

That the lack of empathy is intentional came as a surprise to me. You aren’t meant to root for that character. That set-up in the first 5-10 minutes doesn’t make you question their actions through the rest of the film. A pretty consistently written character, if there was one. The @7$340!3 in them stays through most of the film. They remain the sulker they started as. This consistency turned the film for me, even if I wish it was done better as a whole.

To be fair, it didn’t help that story-wise, I knew whatever was going to happen in the film up until the intermission from reading a two-line synopsis. I really wish I hadn’t. All I wanted to know was if it was based on the cricket star Dhoni’s life; it isn’t. People who have watched the trailer would know even more. If you have, there is very little in the first half to engage other than the newlywed’s awkwardness.

Yes, Mr and Mrs Mahi, the reel-couple, start clumsily too. A charming clumsiness though. One that warms you up to their relationship, even if you didn’t care for either of them individually. They make you believe they are attracted to each other. As they win each other’s hearts because of their love for cricket they won mine because the first match they watch together is a test match instead of the shorter formats! Of course, I did a quick bias check at this point.

And for this, you have to hand it to the actors. Both Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor have you lapping up their simplicity, their frustration, their conviction or lack thereof, off their palms. Both of them want me to watch their next film because of the characters they choose to play—the character’s complexity made to look simple; simple characters peeling off one layer after another—because which human is truly simple? This is also true of the character artists, Mr Mahi’s mother played by Zarina Wahab more than the rest. Though they, that is Kumud Mishra and Rajesh Sharma make you believe in their borderline caricature characters too.

The overall story too moves from one conflict to another, not letting you settle down once it has roped you in. As if you can sense the comfort and ease that the writers have found in their craft. They smoothly weave a story where you don’t question how one incident follows the other, one scene the other.

Until, of course, the end which makes you feel like there was no patience left for being creative with a run-of-the-mill sports-movie climax. However, they do try to give a nice spin to the all-important final inspirational speech right before the most important match of the…film. But, that is not enough to let go of the quick transitions in characters. It’s sad because it did feel like the makers had it in them to work on making it more fluid.

But I am willing to let it go. Because it does a good job with a solid hour and a half in between. It’s been a while since a film touched upon so many philosophical issues without it feeling like a clutter-dump of the makers’ thoughts. It felt like the many thoughts that run through your mind as you go about the business of living this thing called life.

Don’t you wonder about our need as a people for “star”s, a messiah, someone to put on a pedestal? This also highlights how some people are behind-the-scene people and love it there while the limelight is all-important to others. The film is an ode to coaches and mothers, even if it creates sorry figures out of them. That one line about the mother could have been done so much better by these writers. I say that with confidence because of lines throughout the film that invoke intended emotions. For example, the sledging during the matches.

Within that theme is also another large theme—and from the trailer looks like the main theme—that of parents’ dreams or lack thereof being shoved down their children’s throats. Both the lead characters have some serious daddy issues. How do they deal with them? What gives them strength? The answer to that also made me ruminate over what attracts one person to another. The crisp commentary on how we set moving goalposts for ourselves is slightly out-of-place but still went with the flow because of the larger context it was set in—between a mother and her child.

Yes, it wouldn’t be too off-target to say that Mr and Mrs Mahi’s women are at the center of the film. But you cannot deny that the woman is tossed from one man’s aspirations to another’s. And that the woman needed the man to make her and break her. Yeah-yeah, we all need someone to make and break us. But, this seemed more than just that.

Other than that, Mr and Mrs Mahi doesn’t have state-of-the-art production values. The training montage is generic, the sports shots are too. Maybe because in the makers' minds and hearts, it is not a sports film.

It is a film about two people and how they grow together. Towards their goals, against family and societal norms. Not in a selfless, romantic way. In a complex but one-thing-makes-way-for-another way. The combination makes Mr and Mrs Mahi worth at least one replay.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A slap. No other physical violence. Though there is mental torment to some extent. * Language: Clean. * Nudity & Sexual content: None. * Concept: A couple finding their place in the world. * General Look and Feel: Functional set in an Indian city.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 5 * Character Artists: 4

Dialogues: 3.5
Screenplay: 3
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2 Mr. & Mrs. Mahi - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Dharma Productions, Zee Studios
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Umesh KR Bansal
Director: Sharan Sharma
Lead Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Janhvi Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Kumud Mishra, Deepak Dhariwal, Zarina Wahab, Rajesh Sharma, Sandesh Kulkarni, Yamini Das, Purnendu Bhattacharya, Arjit Taneja, Dheerendra Kumar Gautam, Shashie Verma, Dev Chauhan, Girish Thapar
Story: Nikhil Mehrotra, Sharan Sharma
Cinematography: Anay Om Goswamy
Editor: Nitin Baid
Background Score: John Stewart Eduri
Choreography: Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Dhruv Dhalla, Aadesh Srivastav, Tanishk Bagchi, Jaani, Vishal Mishra, Achint, Bunny
Lyrics: Sameer, Kausar Munir, Dr Devendra Kafir, Jaani, Vishal Mishra, Azeem Dayani
Costume Designer: Varsha Shilpa, Anaita Shroff Adajania
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family, Philosophy, Relationships, Sports

View Details

Streaming partner: Netflix

Review Accessibility, generally is a tough one. But it is a whole another level when it is denied to you at the very beginning. Imagine your community prefers to deny you access to life itself. For your sake. Then you spend your childhood tied down, literally and metaphorically. And bullied, of course. To still have the spark in life, the zeal for it is inspiration enough. Srikanth does more and aspires for the beyond. Salute to the chemistry in the human body that takes away a physical capability but gives you a never-consider-I-can’t mindset.

Like I say for any such truly inspirational real-life story, the job is half done for the writing department. The other half is all about presenting it with creativity so that the viewer doesn’t lose interest even if they know it all. No mean feat, this. Srikanth’s writers made it feel a little episodic in the first half, jumping from one life stage or milestone to the next. In the second half though, they recover. The flow is smoother and the narrative, more engaging.

This could be because Srikanth’s very raw, human side is exposed post-interval—he suddenly turns into a regular ol’ human being from an extraordinary one; someone more like you and me. The film keeps this part simple and that is what makes it engaging too.

If at all there is a moment or two when you are distracted by the jerkiness in the first half, Rajkummar Rao’s performance yanks your mind back to your seat. And what he does well before the interval, he does even better after it. It’s almost as if he’s saying, were you distracted by my character’s disability, let me show you what happens to him when he goes really blind. The rest of the cast do well—Jyotika, Alaya F, and Sharad Kelkar. but their act seems pale given the lead actor’s naturalness and ease of portraying his character’s disability—physical, emotional, and mental. Sure, Rao is pretty uneven with his diction, but that didn’t bother me too bad.

What was the most jarring was Aamir Khan’s presence throughout the film. I saw no reason for ‘papa kehte hain…’ to be blaring through most of the background score. Seemed relentless. On the other hand, you have sequences that break the flow of the film but are well done because they give you a peek through a visually impaired person’s sense of space, like the one in the post-grad university. Another one that will stick to memory is the one in which Srikanth is being rushed to the dark side.

You know you have a winner when you find yourself heaving a sigh of relief when you realise that Srikanth won’t succumb to the frailties of being human though. Even if it means that you will have to be satisfied with a standard biopic climax.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A disable person being bullied, thrown around. * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None. Except a passing word or two like ‘sex’ or ‘kissing’. * Concept: Inspirational true life story of a visually challenged man who is born in the deep interiors of India too an extremely poor family. * General Look and Feel: Functional and just right for the narrative.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3.5 * Story: 3.5 * Lead Actors: 4.5 * Character Artists: 3.5

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 3
Music Director: 2.5
Lyrics: 2.5 Srikanth - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Chalk N Cheese Films Production LLP
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Kishan Kumar, Nidhi Parmar
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Lead Cast: Rajkummar Rao
Supporting Cast: Jameel Khan, Hansal Mehta, Vivek Mishra, Bharat Jadhav, Sharad Kelkar, Jyothika, Om Kanojiya, Alaya Furniturewalla, Arun Malik, Srikant Manna, Arnav Abdagire, Srinivas Beesetty, Anusha Nuthula, Sridhar Murthy, Sukhita Aiyyar, Vinita Venugopal, Aarav Khot, Clarissa Saaiman, Siboniso Tadeus Mbatha, Akshay Chaudhary, Arnav Bansal, Saurav Joshi
Story: Sumit Purohit, Jagdeep Sidhu
Cinematography: Pratham Mehta
Editor: Sanjay Sankla, Debasmita Mitra, Rana Biswas
Background Score: Ishaan Chhabra
Choreography: Punit Pathak
Music Director: Anand Milind, Tanishk Bagchi, Sachet Tandon, Ved Sharma, Aditya Dev, Parampara Tandon
Lyrics: Kunaal Vermaa, Anand Milind, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shloke Lal, Yogesh Dube
Costume Designer: Rohit Chaturvedi
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story, Philosophy, Social

View Details

Streaming Partner: Netflix

Review I am actually tired. My brain feels worn out. No, it is not because this is the second film I watched. I quite enjoyed Love Sex Aur Dhokha. So, I was looking forward to this one along with the trepidation of walking into a sequel. But, Love Sex aur Dhokha 2 turned out to be a little too much for me. A little too edgy. A little too shaky. A little too quirky. Yeah, I never thought I’d ever say that.

The beginning and end of it could have been the choice of subject. Reality shows and gaming—the first and last ones of the three shorts. The middle one is not that new-age, which is why I might have liked the best. But, then it is more of the same and pretty much a carry forward of the first instalment in 2010. So, I cannot imagine three of such shorts holding my attention.

On the other hand, I would just have been bored. Not dizzy. And it is not just the continuously wobbly camerawork. The content itself, the language too, feels alien. And too snappy to keep track of. Especially of the Love Like and the Dhokha Download segments. In that sense, I can’t really blame the makers. They cannot be faulted for my lack of understanding of the gaming or reality show lingo.

I didn’t help that some of the storylines were missing continuity. Again, the middle one is less than the other two. Why did the mother sing that song? I also wondered what was making the popularity of the reality show contestants rise and dip. But, I assume one of the points of the story was that no one really knows. Then, where did the content of the augmented reality bit in the end come from? Was it a comment on what our future is likely to be? All boloney?

What I can say though is that I enjoyed the rawness for a total of about half an hour through the film. I absolutely appreciate the makers’ hard and whole-hearted attempt at bring to light the issues that the LGBQTIA+ community faces. That is a theme that runs through the three stories.

Kudos to the cast too, for pulling it off brilliantly, making it look only as hard as it must be in real life. And this spreads to the actors playing straight characters too. Of all the gorgeous performances, the one that stood out was the woman playing the assistant producer. Her act was so nonchalant, so normal, so much like real-life people that I have seen in those jobs. And she had a screen presence too, for that bit part.

I know it sounds like I am grasping at straws here. But, for a less than 2-hour run-time, Love Sex aur Dhokha 2 can be a more enjoyable experience for someone more interested and knowledgeable about the content. On the other hand, is alienating the regular audience what the makers were shooting for?

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Not direct. But rape, bullying is alluded to. People being beat up have been shown. * Language: Muted out curse words * Nudity & Sexual content: Blurred out * Concept: A commentary on social media and its effects in three short stories * General Look and Feel: Extremely quirky and shaky

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3 * Story: 2.5 * Lead Actors: 4 * Character Artists: 4

Dialogues: 3.5
Screenplay: 2.5
Music Director: 2.5
Lyrics: 2.5 Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube IMDB
Banner: Balaji Telefilms Ltd, Cult Movies
Producer: Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor
Director: Dibakar Banerjee
Lead Cast: Swastika Mukherjee, Abhinav Singh, Paritosh Tiwari, Swaroopa Ghosh
Supporting Cast: Tusshar Kapoor, Anu Kapoor, Sophie Choudry, Mouni Roy, Bonita Rajpurohit, Uorfi Javed
Cinematography: Riju Das, Anand Bansal, Priyashanker Ghosh(II)
Music Director: Sneha Khanwalkar, Meet Bros Anjjan
Lyrics: Kumaar
Costume Designer: Nidhi Agrawal, Juilee Borse
Running time: 115 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Noir, Social

View Details

Review Do aur Do Pyaar’s first half is so refreshing and pleasant that the second half, especially the last forty-five minutes or so made me sad. The charm and joy left the screen. The lightness blew away. The spark died.

How? For instance, the writing adds flourishes to its protagonists' characters that are subtle and get you interested in them. They do feel like the man, woman, and couple next door. Yet, they have a quiet uniqueness about them. You want to know more. You notice that the supporting cast is not as detailed, but you don’t mind because enough is going on in the story.

But suddenly, it becomes too identifiable, too ordinary, too dreary. So much so that, you know they could end up in one of two ways as a couple. And you aren’t interested in either. From the feeling of, “Wow, not a single frame has been wasted”, in a matter of 10-15 minutes I transitioned to “When will this be over?” My heart broke as I realised this.

And none of this is because the actors lose steam. Ileana D’Cruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy, have less and less to do as the movie progresses, but they are present, they make you believe them and their actions. Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi are only a notch farther up. They do not lose their charm from minute 1 to 140ish.

That is the heart of the problem. The film is 20 minutes over 2 hours when it ought to have been 10 under if not 20. There is only so much of the philosophy, the metaphorical fireworks, the characters’ dilemma that you can watch on repeat. In its attempt to drive home the point, the makers unfortunately lose their audience which was not too long ago captivated.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A scene with a couple throwing things around during a fight. * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: Love making is alluded to and a couple lip-to-lips * Concept: A married couple and its affairs * General Look and Feel: A largely sepia tone, though doesn’t feel serious at least in the first half

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3 * Story: 2.5 * Lead Actors: 4 * Character Artists: 4

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 3 Do Aur Do Pyaar - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Ellipsis Entertainment, Applause Entertainment
Producer: Sameer Nair, Atul Kasbekar, Tanuj Garg, Deepak Segal, Swati Iyer
Director: Shirsha Guha Thakurta
Lead Cast: Vidya Balan, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Ileana D'Cruz, Pratik Gandhi
Supporting Cast: Thalaivasal Vijay, Rekha Kudligi, Hitha Chandrashekar, Gireesh Krish Nair
Story: Suprotim Sengupta, Eisha Chopra
Screenplay: Suprotim Sengupta, Eisha Chopra
Dialogues: Suprotim Sengupta, Eisha Chopra
Cinematography: Kartik Vijay
Editor: Bardroy Barretto
Background Score: Subhajit Mukherjee
Costume Designer: Veera Kapur
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Relationships, Romance

View Details

29 reviewers have given Amar Singh Chamkilaan average rating of 4.6/5.0 (?)

25 yays 1 nays 3 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?) quick review: Ali injects a touch of experimentation with youthful vigor. Rehman pulsates. Dosanjh and Chopra embody innocence & liveliness. Kamil's lyrics enhance the narrative's depth. Together, they weave a compelling narrative.

  Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...The same way, Hollywood shows their hit artists having sexual and extramarital affairs, sometimes homosexual, drugs, psychological frustrations, and depression, and then gets away with rave reviews. What’s wrong with Chamkila, then? Have a look, not because Chamkila was a legend or anything like that, but because he brought out what was inside you, even if it was bad. “Karte to sab hai, but chup chupke.”...  full review

  Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja,  Hindustan Times  ...Watch Amar Singh Chamkila for its honesty, purity, fun, spunk and outstanding music. It's nothing short of attending a live concert, and Diljit, Imtiaz and AR Rahman is a trio that you can't get enough of....  full review

  Thumbs up by Smrity Sharma,  Bollywood Life  ...Watch Amar Singh Chamkila for the firebrand performer Diljit Dosanjh. Watch it for Imtiaz Ali's flawless direction and a heartwarming story of a simple singer with big dreams who threw caution to the wind and paid a heavy price for entertaining his audience. A special shoutout and big congratulations to MAMI Year Round Programme for bringing to us a story made with so much heart, Amar Singh Chamkila....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rashmi Vasudeva,  Deccan Herald  ...The songs are earworms and the only grouse is the unnecessary distraction of the Hindi supers (lyrics projected on the screen for extra measure). A must-watch...  full review

  Thumbs up by Deepa Gahlot,  Deepa Gahlot  ...Ali uses animation, photos and footage of the real Chamkila and Amarjot, and a fantastic dance number which shows why women also liked his raunchy numbers, to tell the story that took too long to reach the screen. Maybe it was waiting for the right actor to bring Chamkila to life....  full review

  Thumbs up by Abhimanyu Mathur,  DNA  ...To say that Chamkila is the best Imtiaz film in years is an understatement. It is also his bravest film and the most politically charged since...well...all roads lead to Rockstar. But in many departments, Amar Singh Chamkila surpasses its spiritual predecessor, giving us a film for the ages....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rahul Desai,  Film Companion  ...That is the essence of Amar Singh Chamkila. It reclaims the words from the headline. And it grieves the death of not a person, but a place and time; it laments for a world that watched and wondered. The film isn’t a whodunit. It is a ghost story – and it haunts a culture that continues to shoot the messenger....  full review

  Thumbs up by Lachmi Deb Roy,  FirstPost  ...The story of Amar Singh Chamkila’s rise to fame and then murder takes place during the time of turbulent times of 1984 of Khalistani militancy in Punjab. Many say that the Khalistani leaders didn’t like his suggestive lyrics. Many even threatened him and he had to shut their mouths with money. Towards the end, Chamkila became fearless and he stopped paying them....  full review

  Thumbs up by Baradwaj Rangan,  galatta.com  ...But, indirectly, at least, Imtiaz lets us see where his sympathies lie. He is for Chamkila, and against cultural censorship. The film gives us “logical” explanations – for example, that Chamkila’s caste-mentality never really went away, that he remained a “slave” of the audience, giving them what they wanted.....  full review

  Thumbs up by Arushi Jain,  india today  ...Amar Singh Chamkila' is worth watching simply for its music and Diljit Dosanjh performing it. That it looks deeper and gives us a sense of the man himself is what makes it special. Imtiaz Ali brings quick sympathy to Chamkila as a performer and as a man....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sakshi Verma,  India TV  ...Amar Singh Chamkila is a must watch. A film that deep dives into an emerging artists life that deals with everything only to perform. The one who known that he won’t last forever and makes a choice. The one who finds a perfect age and life partner and the couple who gets to enjoy their successful and death together. Imtiaz Ali makes sure that few scene stays with you. Dialogues like, ‘Chammar hu per bhooka toh nahin marunga’ and ‘maine banaya hai Chamkile ko’ will come with a baggage for the audience....  full review

  Thumbs up by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...But to Ali’s credit, there isn’t an overt flattening, showing a pleasing confidence in the way he uses AR Rahman’s compositions to buoy the bawdy, salty lyrics. He doesn’t draw back from letting us listen to what Chamkila sang. And that is a clear win. It also helps that all the actors have performed their songs live. Through the music, and through Dosanjh’s lived-in act, we get a powerful, moving portrait of an artiste who lived and died by his beliefs....  full review

  Thumbs up by "Pooja Darade ",  koimoi  ...Overall, Amar Singh Chamkila is one of Imtiaz Ali’s best movies. It helps you understand art and the artist and how it’s the people who have the power to make or break someone. Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra treat us with one of their career-best performances. The movie leaves such a wonderful impact on you and leaves you with a lingering question—why do some of the best, innovative and distinctive artists have to pay the price because of society’s hypocrisy?...  full review

  Thumbs up by Uday Bhatia,  Live Mint  ...we see Chamkila feel his way towards a new track, one secular, the other spiritual. He sings a line or two, stops, searches for words, goes again, a smile on his face. It’s a unique pleasure, mostly denied to us by the nature of Indian film, to see a singer play another singer coming up with a song....  full review

  Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...Diljit Dosanjh is at his very best as Chamkila. That, as his fans will vouch, should be enough to make the film a treat. But there is more to Amar Singh Chamkila, including Parineeti Chopra and Anuraag Arora's modulated interpretations and Imtiaz Ali's grasp on the material....  full review

  Thumbs up by Vanshika Singh,  News N9ne  ...Vanshika Singh...  full review

  Thumbs up by TITAS CHOWDHURY,  News18.com  ...Amar Singh Chamkila might not exactly be an antidote to Jab Harry Met Sejal and Love Aaj Kal. But it deserves a watch for Imtiaz’s fervent passion, Diljit’s grit and mettle, Rahman’s extraordinary tunes and Chamkila’s dignified bravado. It’s not every day that you get to witness a delightful concert packaged in the form of a musical. It might not be wholesome but is definitely a wholehearted attempt. After all, celebration of art against all socio-political prejudices and violence is what the world has always needed and craved for....  full review

  Thumbs up by Prateek Sur,  Outlook India  ...Sylvester Fonseca’s cinematography is good and helps you feel as if you’re right in the middle of everything happening. The way he has shot the musical scenes gives you a feel as if you’re one of the people standing in the crowd listening live. Also, he has kept the filming very raw which gives you a feel of how rural and rooted this story’s setting is....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...Amar Singh Chamkila's social commentary comes alive in its musical elegy for a ribald rebel.Brimming in exuberant covers of his original numbers, performed in person by its leads, the biopic finds its alter ego in Irshad Kamil's kaleidoscopic song writing....  full review

  Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,  Sulekha  ...Unknowingly or not, some portions of Chamkila’s life are filmed more as satire than tragedy when in fact the need of the hour was gravitas. There is this unintentionally hilarious sequence wherein a group of “fans” barge into Chamkila’s home, praise him to the skies and then threaten him in the same breath....  full review

  Thumbs up by Pratikshya Mishra,  The Quint  ...Amar Singh Chamkila is not a film looking for answers; instead it poses one question after another all while keeping its focus on one man and his story. What will we learn from Chamkila’s legacy and where will those learnings fit into an ever-changing world?...  full review

  Thumbs up by Priyanka Roy,  The Telegraph  ...Amar Singh Chamkila, however, may seem overlong and repetitive in parts and Parineeti’s performance, to be honest, pales in comparison to Diljit’s scenery-chewing act. Especially, when an undaunted Chamkila, his eyes blazing, sums up the spirit and soul of the man with: “Jeete ji marne se achha hain ki marr kar zinda rahein.”...  full review

  Thumbs up by SUPARNA SHARMA,  The Week  ...All of this is set against the backdrop of rising militancy in Punjab. Its continuous presence and threat are often conveyed in the film simply through the nozzle of an AK-47 that sticks out from behind the shoulders of men covered in heavy shawls. It's menacing and it's great filmmaking....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sonal Pandya,  Times Now  ...More than just a biopic, Imtiaz Ali's Amar Singh Chamkila also has a message about art, why we create it and why it is so necessary, no matter what decade it is....  full review

  Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,  Times of India  ...Given Chamkila's questionable reputation, unapologetic approach to life, the film doesn’t glorify nor justify his actions. It merely allows him a chance to be heard. This symphonic tale of survival, shame and social standing makes for an immersive watch....  full review

  So-So by Bobby Sing,  Bobby Talks Cinema.com  ...In other words, there is a big difference between A HIT Star, known for his incomparable sales/shows, and a legend, known for his mastery of the art, flawless renditions, soulful, gems and contribution to the world of music or art....  full review

  So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,  Free Press Journal  ...With a feel like docu-feature, Chamkila is definitely going to be in Imtiaz’s list of good films, but, away from the artful storytelling lies moral compass of the society. Imtiaz, go back and make your romance, ‘kyunki pyaar mein kuch sahi galat nahi hota.’...  full review

  So-So by Rashil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...Although Amar Singh Chamkila lacks the emotional depth of Imtiaz Ali films, it offers a very unique kind of cinema which is worth appreciating....  full review

  Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...The rest of the overly hearty cast flail about in a choppy narrative that tries a bit too hard to jazz up a simple storyline. The Chamkila mystique evades Ali’s take, paving the way for a deep-dive biopic on the singing sensation....  full review

See Also    wogma review     29 Critic Reviews 4.6/5.0   1 Reader Review 5/5.0    Amar Singh Chamkila - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Window Seat Films, Select Media Holdings LLP, Saregama India Limited
Producer: Imtiaz Ali, Mohit Chouhan
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Lead Cast: Parineeti Chopra, Diljit Dosanjh
Supporting Cast: Kumud Mishra, Navdeep Singh, Mohit Chouhan, Anisha Bano, Rahul Mittra, Anjum Batra, Apinderdeep Singh, Tushar Dutt, Robbie Johal, Pavneet Singh, Anuraag Arora, Jasmeet Singh Bhatia, Pranav Vashisht, Kull Sidhu, Ankit Sagar, Anjali Sharma, Udaybir Sandhu, Sahiba Bali, Gurteg Singh, Jashn Kohli, Vipin Katyal, Gurpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Rajinder Singh
Story: Imtiaz Ali
Dialogues: Imtiaz Ali, Sajid Ali
Cinematography: Sylvester Fonseca
Editor: Aarti Bajaj
Background Score: A R Rahman
Choreography: Sheetal Sharma
Music Director: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Costume Designer: Srusti Jain
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: Jeet
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story

View Details

30 reviewers have given Maidaanan average rating of 3.7/5.0 (?)

17 yays 3 nays 10 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?) quick review: A quiet, calm film with rushes that a football match can give to fans. Football enthusiast or not, the real-life story makes you clap for its hero. Watch it for the coach of the Indian football team of the 50s and early 60s, S A Rahim.

  Thumbs up  Bolly Spice  ...Maidaan is everything that the cinematic experience should be but seldom is: exhilarating, gladdening and motivating. Most important of all, you come away from the film a slightly different person; perhaps a little more kind, tolerant, generous, and compassionate than before....  full review

  Thumbs up by Simran Singh,  DNA  ...The director and cinematographer Tushar Kanti Ray deserve a lot of credit for showing the football games without any super slo-mo shots or overly dramatic scenes. AR Rahman then adds to the magic by providing an apt soundtrack and background score that syncs with the film. The one drawback I found was the drop in pace in the second half. Maidaan may not be Lagaan or Chak De India, but it will be remembered as one of the best sports dramas in India in recent times, and just for managing this, director Amit Sharma deserves praise....  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...All-in-all, director Amit Ravindernath Sharma has given us a riveting sports drama. Watch it to see the recreation of the golden period of Indian football and for the acting masterclass displayed by Ajay Devgn....  full review

  Thumbs up by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...Overall, Maidaan is a entertaining sports drama, but keep patience as the film takes a bit time to come into its element. By the way, this one is clearly a must-watch for football lovers, and Ajay Devgn and Rahman fans....  full review

  Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,  Glamsham.com  ...'Maidaan, directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma, manages to stand out among other sports films due to its engaging storytelling and emotional depth....  full review

  Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja,  Hindustan Times  ...Maidaan does get melodramatic at places it could have avoided, but what's a sports film without a bit of a drama on the field and off it, too. Watch this film on the big screen to feel the adrenaline rush, enjoy some thrilling football and laud a coach who was as good as his team....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sana Farzeen,  india today  ...'Maidaan' is not only a treat for football enthusiasts but also quite a delight for movie lovers. It immortalises the unsung hero, after whom India never qualified for the Olympics. Rahim, in one scene, says 'Kismat haathon se nahi, pairon se likhi jaati hai (destiny is written by foot, not hands)'. While it was the truth back then, you realise in reality, luck favours the brave, and SA Rahim was truly Indian football's Braveheart....  full review

  Thumbs up by Sakshi Verma,  India TV  ...There's not much to criticise when you have A.R. Rahman sitting on the composer's chair. Richa Sharma's 'Mirza' song is deep, rightly timed, and beautifully written. Manoj Muntashir could be pardoned for Adipurush's poor writing after this one. Another banger from the film, 'Team India Hain Hum' gives the perfect pace to the film. Ranga Ranga is fine but the Maidaan Anthem that too in Rahman's voice is a winning goal from the makers. The climax scene gets elevated due to the song and Ajay Devgn's presence. However, the background scores could have been better....  full review

  Thumbs up by Husain Rizvi,  Khaleej Times  ...For a film that does not shy away from dramatisation, there are no gut-wrenching speeches here. And yet, Maidaan, releasing on April 10 in the UAE, with its run-time of three hours, is fairly watchable because it sheds light on a largely forgotten chapter in India’s sports history. A time when Team India struck gold. Literally!...  full review

  Thumbs up by "Pooja Darade ",  koimoi  ...Overall, if you get past the slow-paced first half and some unnecessary scenes, Maidaan is an exciting sports drama. It ignites the sporting fervour within you as you cheer for Team India on the big screen. It’s important for the audience to know the story of Syed Abdul Rahim, because of whom India won at the Asian Games....  full review

  Thumbs up by "kamna Arora ",  News N9ne  ...“Ajay Devgn shines in a role that only an actor of calibre could’ve essayed with flourish. He’s the soul of Maidaan. Gajraj Rao is top notch, while Rudranil Ghosh is superb," Taran Adarsh wrote....  full review

  Thumbs up by Dishya Sharma,  News18.com  ...Bottomline: Maidaan deserves to be watched. The film brings back emotions that we once felt while watching Chak De! India. I assure you, you won’t leave the theatre without at least hooting once....  full review

  Thumbs up by Prateek Sur,  Outlook India  ...‘Maidaan’ goes beyond the traditional sports drama genre by delving into the protagonists’ inner journeys as well as their achievements on the field. The movie delves into the numerous sacrifices made by the players and the coach especially, emphasising the human element behind the desire of excellence. Ajay Devgn’s performance stands out, as it’s a welcome change to see him move away from his bulging-biceped action avatar. The story is compelling and the background score just leaves you feeling satiated to the core. The trailers may have suggested that it was just another copy of Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Chak De India’, but ‘Maidaan’ makes a mark on its own. Overall it’s a Breezy Repeatable Watch. I am going with 4 stars....  full review

  Thumbs up by Rashil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...Maidaan is a work of passion, that can only be envisioned by someone who is really passionate to tell the underdog story of the Indian National Football Team. It succeeds in making the audience relive the Golden Age of Indian Football. There are a few hiccups through the film but you take home a very fulfilling feeling as the credits roll....  full review

  Thumbs up by Pratikshya Mishra,  The Quint  ...Maidaan is, however, a film about the man behind this success. The film intercuts between Rahim’s professional and personal journey, often highlighting how the two merged into each other. The scenes between a brooding Rahim and his supportive wife Runa (Priyamani) would bring a smile to anyone’s face. The chemistry they share in their domesticity is portrayed beautifully by both the actors....  full review

  Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy,  Times of India  ...Maidaan is a must-watch on the big screen for the thrilling experience and outstanding storytelling. It truly emulates the dialogue in the movie, ‘Kismat haathon se nahi, paeron se likhi jaati hai,’ as the team puts its best foot forward with the stellar outing!...  full review

  So-So by Rahul Desai,  Film Companion  ...Maidaan scores in stoppage time, but it isn’t enough to salvage the scoreline. A thrilling finish doesn’t always amount to victory. Sometimes, it’s just a slimmer margin of defeat....  full review

  So-So by Vinamra Mathur,  FirstPost  ...When the Indian football team suffers an embarrassing loss, he says- ‘Jab Ghar Ki Neev Kamzor Ho To Chath Badalne Ka Kya Fayda.’ The actor has made a career out of delivering delicious dialogues with all his nonchalance. And in the case of this film, Sharma and Shah opt for a restrained approach to tell a story filled with pathos and glory....  full review

  So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,  Free Press Journal  ...Ajay is a great performer and doesn’t need any validation, and Maidaan is just another testament to it. He as Syed Abdul Rahim is impactful. Priyamani plays his wife, who is a driving force in his life and career and is watchable. Gajraj Rao plays the part of an arrogant sports journalist well enough. Rest of the actors play their parts aptly....  full review

  So-So by Baradwaj Rangan,  galatta.com  ...Maidaan should have been much better, but at least on the big screen, it has its moments. Read more at: https://www.galatta.com/hindi/movie/review/maidaan/...  full review

  So-So by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...Overall, ‘Maidaan’ is not without its flaws, but this underdog story makes you want to clap and cheer, and wipe away a proud tear....  full review

  So-So by "Shreyas Pande ",  indian express  ...Eventually, 'Maidaan' doesn’t use the inherent excitement of sports to elevate its storytelling. Rather, it depends too much on its sentimental values. So, when the whistle blows and the match begins, it is the storytelling that meets with a deadly tackle. No hands are raised; no efforts are taken for its recuperation. Yellow card to you, the audience, for not keeping your expectations in check....  full review

  So-So by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...So, as a whole, Maidaan should still be a one-time watch for people who aren’t familiar with Hollywood and foreign-language sports dramas because it has all the Indian masala you expect from a typical mainstream film. Sharma missed an opportunity to create a cinematic classic, though, and sadly, we don’t have many Syed Abdul Rahims in India to get such stories again and again....  full review

  So-So by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Syed Abdul Rahim himself needed a more rounded portrait, one that would include his background, his understanding of the beautiful game, and the personal belief system with which he infected the players. Maidaan gives some sense of Rahim’s doggedness, but the man himself remains only partly formed on the football field and elusive beyond it....  full review

  Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...Rahim, being the man he is, takes it all on the chin. The lead actor gets into the skin of the character without breaking a sweat. But the film is seldom that firm-footed. Maidaan tells an overlong, peppered-with-fiction narrative that struggles to balance the real and essential with its unabashed goal of working the audience up into a frenzy....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sonal Pandya,  Times Now  ...it's the camerawork and editing in the final 3o minutes that really impresses as it makes viewers feel we are right on the field alongside India. Combined with composer AR Rahman's Jaane Do hits you right in the feels. The final credits pay tribute to the real men behind Indian football's heyday and the stats shown will make one realize the real impact of Rahim's contribution to the sport....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...Maidaan is its truest when the real faces behind that historical win surface in their old glory. Too bad it's the end of what could have been a beginning....  full review

See Also    wogma review     30 Critic Reviews 3.7/5.0   1 Reader Review 5/5.0    Maidaan - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Zee Studios, Bayview Projects LLP, Freshlime Studios
Producer: Boney Kapoor, Akash Chawla, Arunava Joy Sengupta
Director: Amit Sharma
Lead Cast: Ajay Devgan, Priyamani
Supporting Cast: Saiwyn Quadras, Gajraj Rao, Nitanshi Goel, Bhavesh Lohar, Sunny Yadav, Maxx Taylor, Toplica Milan Dunjic, Allan Bazil Monteiro
Story: Saiwyn Quadras, Akash Chawla, Arunava Joy Sengupta
Screenplay: Ritesh Shah, Saiwyn Quadras, Amit Sharma
Dialogues: Ritesh Shah
Editor: Dev Rao Jadhav
Background Score: A R Rahman
Music Director: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir
Costume Designer: Kirti Kolwankar, Maria Tharakan
Running time: 180 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social, Sports

View Details

27 reviewers have given Bade Miyan Chote Miyanan average rating of 1.5/5.0 (?)

5 yays 16 nays 6 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?) quick review: It’s not the worst thing you will see. Only because Bade Miyan Chote Miya starring Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda exists. The action is crores combusting into prime meaninglessness. My cousin who is a PJ star cracks better PJs, just please don’t tell him.

  Thumbs up by Nikita Thakkar,  Bollywood Life  ...Watch Bade Miyan Chote Miyan if you are a die-hard fan of action thrillers. The movie hits the theatres on Eid and it certainly brings a treat for all....  full review

  Thumbs up by Kritika Vaid,  india.com  ...The first part of the movie is fast-paced with lots of exciting action and impressive stunts by Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff. In the second half, there are surprising twists that might lead to a sequel. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is full of energy and excitement, and it’s great that the female characters also have strong roles and important things to do in the story. This is a perfect Eid entertainer, a full-fledged package of style, mass and performances....  full review

  Thumbs up  Movie Talkies  ...In a nutshell, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan has everything from a big cast to larger-than-life action, patriotism, dialoguebaazi, bromance, eye-catching visuals, splendid locations, music, a deadly villain, two fancy lead heroes doing comedy and real stunts, and unexpected twists. So let’s not waste any time and make this Eid bigger and merrier with Bade and Chote in cinemas near you. Have a blockbuster experience at the movies....  full review

  Thumbs up by Roktim Rajpal,  The Guardian  ...To sum up, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is a well-packaged action entertainer that caters to the mass audience and makes for a good watch this festive season....  full review

  Thumbs up by Ronak Kotecha,  Times of India  ...Director Ali Abbas Zafar, who is known for giving explosive entertainers like the ‘Tiger’ series, once again displays his expertise in the genre. ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ goes out all guns blazing to make for an entertaining potboiler with heart-pounding action, cheeky humour and barely a dull moment....  full review

  So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,  Free Press Journal  ...Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is a typical single screen film that might suit Akshay and Tiger fans, and in fact, it is a lot better than those forgetful patriotic films....  full review

  So-So by Monika Rawal Kukreja,  Hindustan Times  ...Each time we see Chote has to introduce Bade, we hear him say, 'Mera ego mere talent se bada hai, unka sabse bada talent hi unki ego hai'. That's about it. If you can leave you ego aside and watch this without thinking much, give it a shot....  full review

  So-So by Jaya Dwivedie,  India TV  ...Music and choreography also play an important role in the film, where the story becomes weak, they act as a shield. There are many good dance numbers in the film wherein amazing choreography can be seen. The songs of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan may not interest you much but in the film, they have been included as per the situation between the scenes, hence they do not seem boring....  full review

  So-So by Garima Das,  Outlook India  ...This tried and tested template of hero/heroes on a mission to take down a villain is nothing new. It is like old wine in the new bottle. Except for Akshay and Tiger's camaraderie, there isn't anything new to offer. If you are a fan of Akshay and Tiger, give it a try or else you have another option to watch in theatres which won't disappoint you. I am going with 2.5 stars....  full review

  So-So by Anuj Kumar,  The Hindu  ...Targeted at the galleries, the film follows what Azad says in the film: intent is more important than talent. One advice for Akshay, though. It is high time he starts growing a real moustache for fictitious roles. It distracts!...  full review

  Thumbs down by Aman Wadhwa,  DNA  ...With a solid interval point, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan sets itself up for an interesting second half. But, as the lights go down, the film too starts sinking. The film tries to look at how latest technologies such as AI and cloning could prove to be a calamity in the hands of the ill-intentioned people, but the execution isn't affective enough. Also, the film is a tad too predictable and a bit too lengthy in the last hour. Some less action and more bromance between Akshay and Tiger is what this film essentially required....  full review

  Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,  Film Companion  ...Bade Miyan Chote Miyan lives and dies on one side of that line. If you can’t guess which side that is, Batman-Bane will have a not-so-quick word with you about world politics, global warming, India not being ruthless enough (in cricket), and Rocky and Freddy’s habit of running even after the film has ended....  full review

  Thumbs down by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...Overall, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan fails to deliver what we expected from it. It is entertaining in bits and parts, and has some funny dialogues; that's it! Akshay Kumar, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Sonakshi Sinha fans can give it a try (only if you are a die hard fan of these three actors). But, others can skip it....  full review

  Thumbs down by Ganesh Aaglave,  FirstPost  ...On the whole, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan could have been a perfect Eidi treat but missed the mark due to its strictly average execution....  full review

  Thumbs down by Zinia Bandyopadhyay,  india today  ...At a point in the film, a character says ‘hell will be unleashed’. We do not know how much of it was unleashed on the antagonists, but it surely was on the audience....  full review

  Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,  indian express  ...But she also does have the best line in the film, when she gets to tells Tiger – ‘biceps ki jagah brains ka istemaal karo’. That lands. As does this one, which could be a good descriptor for the whole thing: ‘hamaara ego hamaare talent se bada hai’. This, good people, is an actual line in the film. They should have censored this unfortunate dialogue, not blurred the middle finger our Bade and Chote miyaans are fond of sticking. Nope, not kidding....  full review

  Thumbs down by Lekha Menon,  Khaleej Times  ...There was one moment that made this film seem true to its description. During a tense exchange between a senior Army officer and the two soldiers, the former explains how a hostage situation had arisen because the militants were demanding the release of the son of a famous terrorist. “Terrorism mein bhi nepotism?” questions Tiger. It’s one of those few lines that elicits a chuckle....  full review

  Thumbs down by "Pooja Darade ",  koimoi  ...Overall, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is not an easy watch. If you take a shot every time Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff walk in slow motion, you’ll be drunk, and that’s the best state in which you can tolerate and survive the movie. It’s disheartening to see that despite having the lead actors known for delivering watchable and enjoyable action scenes, their fight sequences are completely uncharismatic....  full review

  Thumbs down by UDITA JHUNJHUNWALA,  Live Mint  ...If only the producers had spent a quarter of their action and explosions budget on a script and devoted a percentage more thought to giving the female characters more agency. In one scene, Bade and Chote are tied to the gallows flanked by captive women helplessly crouched at their feet. This summarises the testosterone-fuelled machismo of a movie that the dialogue writers themselves may have described best when, in a moment meriting some urgency, Pammi snaps at Rocky saying, “Sometimes use your brain instead of your biceps.”...  full review

  Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...The actors stand no chance at all here. The two male leads huff and puff their way through the film, Prithviraj Sukumaran strives in vain to make the nonsensical passable and Sonakshi, Manushi and Alaya are at best moveable parts of the backdrop....  full review

  Thumbs down by TITAS CHOWDHURY,  News18.com  ...Occasionally, a little glass of champagne between bottles of red wine, white wine and rosé shouldn’t hurt anyone....  full review

  Thumbs down by Avinash Lohana,  Pinkvilla  ...I genuinely believe that Ali Abbas Zafar is one of the most promising filmmakers of our times and his sleek and stylish sense of direction is truly classy yet massy. Somehow that seems to be missing in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. For me, it's a lost opportunity for everyone involved....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,  Rediff  ...But at the cost of viewers feeling like their eyeballs are being pulled out of their sockets by the nonstop beating and badgering of senses....  full review

  Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is stuffed with set-pieces in which the Freddy-Rocky combo spray bullets in all directions, flex their muscles, and blow up everything in sight. The relentless action pauses only to allow Kabir to expound on his dastardly plans....  full review

  Thumbs down by SUPARNA SHARMA,  The Week  ...His stunts are super cool, he carries the dead weight of the film with a spring in his step and though his dancing lacks rhythm, his dimples make you want to dance....  full review

  Thumbs down by Abhilasha Rawat,  Times Now  ...Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is a one-time watch, only if you are a fan of action-packed thrillers or the lead actors. While the film had a promising storyline and an ensemble cast, it suffered from cringe-inducing dialogue, overly unrealistic action scenes and illogical decisions....  full review

See Also    wogma review     27 Critic Reviews 1.5/5.0    Bade Miyan Chote Miyan - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Ali Abbas Zafar, Pooja Entertainment India Ltd., Himanshu Kishan Mehra, AAZ Films
Producer: Vashu Bhagnani, Deepshika Deshmukh, Jackky Bhagnani
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Alaya Furniturewalla, Manushi Chhillar
Supporting Cast: Ronit Roy, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Janhvi Kapoor
Dialogues: Suraj Gianani
Editor: Steven H. Bernard
Background Score: Julius Packiam
Choreography: Bosco Martis, Ceasar Gonsalves
Music Director: Vishal Mishra
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Costume Designer: Anisha Jain, Malvika Bajaj
Running time: 155 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-fi

View Details

Review Intriguing, pulsating, convincing, important, Chamkila leaves you thirsty for more.

14th April 2024: Two unidentified men open fire outside Salman Khan's Mumbai residence (News Headlines)

I am not a die-hard Salman Khan fan albeit I adore some of his earlier work. I am mostly numb to his news stories rife with controversies and lawsuits. But this incident gave me the chills.

Popular artists bask in public attention but are also prone to intense scrutiny by the same public that idolizes them. They are empowered and vulnerable in equal measures. In the shadow of the immense public affection, lurk unyielding hostilities. Imtiaz Ali's Chamkila, a period drama set majorly in the 1980s, is a topical and timely commentary on such susceptibility of artists.

Sidhu Moose Wala (Punjabi Rapper, 1993-2022) was shot dead a couple of years back, and actors like Deepika Padukone continue to face the brunt of prejudice since Padmavaat (2018). These are just recent cases. There could be a long list of threatened artists whose examples have not made it to prime-time news.

Chamkila is thus an important biographical film chronicling a popular artist-duo's life and career slashed by those they could have irked along the way. Their cold-blooded murder in broad daylight remains unsolved since 1988. The film gently explores several possible malevolent angles in this story about their meteoric rise eventually leading to their killing. In the process, exposing the hypocrisy of society at large, and underscoring a love-hate relationship onlookers tend to form with celebrities.

What you experience on the screen is both thought-provoking and entertaining. A. R Rehman's score creates a pulsating seamless canvas for an episodic narrative, rendering the screenplay palpable in some parts and evocative in others. Imtiaz Ali paints this canvas with fluid painterly strokes. Focusing on the spirit of the narrative rather than its form. Mild formal experimentation renders the screen with youthful verve.

The treatment of the subject is done with utmost care, detail, softness, and respect. Diljit Dosanjh emerges as the epitome of innocence and vivacity. The trio is incredible together. Not to forget Irshad Kamil’s contribution whose lyrics bare the subtext unintrusively. Together, the dream team creates a throbbing narrative. However, the quietest star to shine through this resplendent galaxy of talent is Parineeti Chopra. Her Amarjot lends a truly complementary pitch, texture, and coyness to Diljit's Chamkila. Parineeti's performance in parts reminds of her poignant rendition of Meeta Solanki in the magnum opus Hasee to Phasee (2014). After a long hiatus, we get to witness her acumen again. What a comeback, if one can call it that!

So, is it all perfect then? The question demands some contemplation.

Let's travel back to the Bollywood of the early 90s. "Cholee ke peeche...." the rhythmic utterance of these words in the movie Khal Nayak (1993) stirred a major controversy. Despite turning out to be an iconic song, the song and its creators faced severe backlash for the song's lyrics. The tune was catchy but the words were suggestive and sensational. Enjoyable definitely. Perhaps also questionable. But should the creators be therefore silenced? On the other hand, should popularity be the only benchmark of their creative choices? The debate around freedom of expression and blasphemy is a perennial one. The best way to treat it is as a debate. But when a director-writer team begins to defend the creative side too much with lines like, "That's what people want," the take is rendered feeble, repetitive, and lopsided.

Chamkila’s treatment undoubtedly offers an appealing and detailed period study of the milieu but it does not allow us to dive deep into the artist's psyche. Yes, Amar Singh is an underdog who grabs chance upon chance until it becomes a habit; his burning desire for dignity is rightful; his fight for survival is real; but is there more to his creative choices--other than growing up listening to lewd language and finding an audience hungry for innuendos? Could there be more to his lyrics? The film celebrates the popularity of his performances but doesn't entirely uncover the stories that inspire their writing.

Similarly, how were women singers in his league viewed and treated by society? Why were they encouraged to partner with sleazy song-writers in the first place? Their stories though intricately intertwined with their male counterparts, seem sketchy.

Perhaps, this first biographical narrative of the duo's life will incite more research on the subject and underpinning themes, and who knows there may be at least one more thorough documentary-series already underway. I guess, there's no harm in hoping for one.

Imtiaz Ali's Chamkila is thus a charming and impactful conversation starter. It has succeeded in intriguing us and leaving us craving for more on the subject.

This article is by guest author Jeet. Jeet is a workaholic turned film addict, and vice-versa. Basically, when he is not working, he is watching films. And when he isn't watching films, he is working. The funny thing is films are also a part of his work. Go figure!

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Murder at gunpoint, some shots of widespread commotion during communal violence, corpses of main characters * Language: Apart from the lyrics, mostly clean; occasional abusive slang here and there * Nudity & Sexual content: A few shots of women bathing and couples indulging in foreplay * Concept: Meteoric rise of a singer duo in Punjab (India), who became popular and notorious for writing and performing sexual lyrics * General Look and Feel: Period, upbeat

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 4 * Story: 4 * Lead Actors: 5 * Character Artists: 5

Dialogues: 5
Screenplay: 4
Music Director: 5
Lyrics: 5 See Also wogma review 29 Critic Reviews 4.6/5.0 1 Reader Review 5/5.0 Amar Singh Chamkila - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Window Seat Films, Select Media Holdings LLP, Saregama India Limited
Producer: Imtiaz Ali, Mohit Chouhan
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Lead Cast: Parineeti Chopra, Diljit Dosanjh
Supporting Cast: Kumud Mishra, Navdeep Singh, Mohit Chouhan, Anisha Bano, Rahul Mittra, Anjum Batra, Apinderdeep Singh, Tushar Dutt, Robbie Johal, Pavneet Singh, Anuraag Arora, Jasmeet Singh Bhatia, Pranav Vashisht, Kull Sidhu, Ankit Sagar, Anjali Sharma, Udaybir Sandhu, Sahiba Bali, Gurteg Singh, Jashn Kohli, Vipin Katyal, Gurpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Rajinder Singh
Story: Imtiaz Ali
Dialogues: Imtiaz Ali, Sajid Ali
Cinematography: Sylvester Fonseca
Editor: Aarti Bajaj
Background Score: A R Rahman
Choreography: Sheetal Sharma
Music Director: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Costume Designer: Srusti Jain
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: Jeet
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story

View Details

Review What do I feel more sorry for? My ₹400 and 3+ hours or crores blasting into flames scene after scene after scene? It is a tough call. I guess some part of the money is churning a part of the economy. The time, I will forever mourn.

Experiences such as these make it difficult for me to spend more time writing the review. But, hey the least I can do for the time and effort spent on the film is to tell you what didn’t work for me—all of it.

The main points—the CGI is sub-par, to say the least, and the action, I am convinced, existed for the sake of action.
The supplementary points—the humour is like that of that one person in every group, that uncle, that friend’s partner, who laughs at their own poorest of poor jokes. And all the eye-rolling only encourages them. The banter between Bade Miyan (Akshay Kumar) and Chote Miyan (Tiger Shroff) is so mundane that it feels forced. Or maybe it is so forced that it feels mundane. All the same.

The story, I am not even sure was a supplementary point, but was laughable. All I have to say is just because a movie is science fiction doesn’t mean the world has no rules. I mean, they slap a microchip on the ~~cervical area~~* neck and read a robot’s code.

Is there no redeeming point then? Well, it can thank its namesake for existing.

And then it did this one thing that stood out. For a film of this genre and scale, the women had actual jobs. They weren’t objectified too badly. In fact, the men took pleasure in sexualising themselves or the other men. Having said that though, the women were put down for being smart. Repeatedly. In fact, over half of Bade Miyan’s communication with Dr Pam (Alaya Furniturewalla) is him chiding her for speaking beyond his vocabulary. *That is why I struck out ‘cervical area’, supposedly that is too technical for our heroes.

Speaking of Dr Pam, there was spark in her lines and Alaya delivered them with spunk. Her character and lines stood out and were about the only thing I enjoyed in this long, long film. That’s as telling as much as it is not saying much about the film.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads and loads and loads * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: A psychopath has a thing against his country * General Look and Feel: Bleh

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1 * Story: 0.5 * Lead Actors: 1 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 0.5
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 0.5
Lyrics: 0.5 See Also wogma review 27 Critic Reviews 1.5/5.0 Bade Miyan Chote Miyan - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Ali Abbas Zafar, Pooja Entertainment India Ltd., Himanshu Kishan Mehra, AAZ Films
Producer: Vashu Bhagnani, Deepshika Deshmukh, Jackky Bhagnani
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Alaya Furniturewalla, Manushi Chhillar
Supporting Cast: Ronit Roy, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Janhvi Kapoor
Dialogues: Suraj Gianani
Editor: Steven H. Bernard
Background Score: Julius Packiam
Choreography: Bosco Martis, Ceasar Gonsalves
Music Director: Vishal Mishra
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Costume Designer: Anisha Jain, Malvika Bajaj
Running time: 155 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-fi

View Details

Review Even before it was put on paper, Maidaan had the remarkable true-life story on its side. Its hero’s fortitude defies what you believe a human being can do. To my simple mind, just grappling and tackling bureaucracy is a lifetime’s worth of work done. Syed Abdul Rahim had to deal with the problems of a nation that had regions forged together less than a decade ago—financial, political. And it was topped off by his health issues.

He took the Indian football team from times when the players weren’t given shoes, through when they wore inappropriate, sole-and-soul-crushing ones, to the finals of the Asia Cup. He dealt with forces that didn’t of themselves as a part of the country but had their own warped motivations and agenda.

But S A Rahim’s drive was greater. Greater than his failing health. And this is where Maidaan comes in. It balances the football and Rahim’s physical condition to create pathos that seems only natural. To the extent that the film seems as much an ‘Anti-smoking’ public service announcement as it is an inspirational story. I’m not sure, though, if the injurious effects of smoking on health were so widely known in India in the late-1950s.

In any case, if there is one thing that will remain with me from Maidaan, it is the visual of Ajay Devgn coughing his lungs out. There is this one scene when he enacts a coughing bout, it felt like my insides were churning out. This happened because the makers chose to give this aspect of S A Rahim’s life so much space and screen time. And of course, Ajay Devgn did full justice to it—one of his best performances. While the poker face with a twitch of an eye is his usual, the change in dialogue delivery before and after his health issues surface comes across as effortless.

He is supported well by Priyamani in her short role. But the same cannot be said about the other cast. Especially, Gajraj Rao, his stiff upper lip looked like too much of a put on making his character more comical than villainous. The other members of the football federation seemed like caricatures too. None of the team members either leave anything memorable except maybe their introduction.

Now, that might make you think that Maidaan is only about S A Rahim’s smoking, let me reassure you, the football bits play out well too. I haven’t seen too much football, and just know some of the basics. Yet the football bits in the film are easy to follow. And more importantly, they are engaging.

My heart thumped with the beat in the background. I enjoyed the sound of the kicks and the splashes. The cinematography too goes hand in hand, keeping up with the beat. I feel like calling some of the camerawork, lyrical visuals. The player Balram’s introduction in Secunderabad comes to mind immediately. This action contrasts well with the quieter, calmer frames. As if they are in a jugalbandi, an interplay, feeding off of each other. A lot of its time is used to just ‘be’.

On the flip side, that also means the players are all pretty much left at that, their introductions. We don’t know too much about them. While I understand the focus is solely on the coach, it did make me wonder if each player’s life would make for a good story too. That’s not this movie though.

This one doesn’t have some of the other typical sports drama tropes either. For instance, the training montage is saved for much later rather than being a part of the set-up. This one caught me by surprise—the interval drops in at the 1-hour mark in this 3-hour film. Then, the individual versus team is a passing reference rather than one of the main themes. Maybe that is how it was in real life.

In general, that era seemed to be a simpler time. The bureaucracy seemed painful but also easy to get around. Just a show of hands did the trick. The makers also subtly hint at the fissures in the nation along regional lines. The football federation seemed to be composed of Bengalis. And they seemed to protest the inclusion of people from other regions, but the struggle was reasonably easily overcome.

If this was the case indeed, a lot of the drama is out of the picture. Then this sports drama had to rely on how it tells the story, since the what is taken care of. Now, S A Rahim seems like a man of few words. And when he speaks, whether it is with his wife, his son, his federation, or his team, it is pithy and hence entertaining.

Of course, it is a sports film, so it has to have that one big speech. That one is ‘okay only’. Gave me enough time to wonder why coaches save their best speeches for the finals of tournaments. Or is it in the nature of coach-speeches to get better as the team reaches higher levels in tournaments?

So yeah, some tropes stay. And if a movie has to be watched for its protagonist and lead actor, this is certainly one. If not in the theatres because it is a long sit, when it’s out on OTT works too. Meanwhile, there are these little touches that make it worth the three hours you spend on it too—the use of the local script when a city’s name flashes on screen, the remark that 60 years ago was the pinnacle of Indian football, the adorable closing sequence.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: The struggle of a football coach * General Look and Feel: Rustic, sepia, simple and gorgeous in some of the fast-moving scenes.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3.5 * Story: 4 * Lead Actors: 4.5 * Character Artists: 3.5

Dialogues: 3.5
Screenplay: 3.5
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 2.5 See Also wogma review 30 Critic Reviews 3.7/5.0 1 Reader Review 5/5.0 Maidaan - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Zee Studios, Bayview Projects LLP, Freshlime Studios
Producer: Boney Kapoor, Akash Chawla, Arunava Joy Sengupta
Director: Amit Sharma
Lead Cast: Ajay Devgan, Priyamani
Supporting Cast: Saiwyn Quadras, Gajraj Rao, Nitanshi Goel, Bhavesh Lohar, Sunny Yadav, Maxx Taylor, Toplica Milan Dunjic, Allan Bazil Monteiro
Story: Saiwyn Quadras, Akash Chawla, Arunava Joy Sengupta
Screenplay: Ritesh Shah, Saiwyn Quadras, Amit Sharma
Dialogues: Ritesh Shah
Editor: Dev Rao Jadhav
Background Score: A R Rahman
Music Director: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir
Costume Designer: Kirti Kolwankar, Maria Tharakan
Running time: 180 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social, Sports

View Details

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?) quick review: Torn between shouting out ‘three cheers to a proper women-in-the-lead film and demanding a better-written film for the women in the lead. (Streaming Partner: Netlfix)

Review The trailer itself grabs your attention with three ladies who don’t look like they have any intention of being anywhere except at the center of the stage. Through. The. Film. And it delivers on that promise. So, Crew’s intent of being a woman-centric film is true. Thankfully, that resolve is not superficial. The men in their lives are a part of their lives, but the ladies’ lives don’t revolve around them. In that sense, Crew is as much a trend-breaker as it is a trendsetter. But, yeah, unfortunately, there is a but.

But, Crew doesn’t have the confidence to say only that. It wants to go beyond and in doing that it isn’t able to capitalise on its unique selling point. It wants to talk about the rich versus the not-so-rich. It wants to lament about the woes of the wronged. Which is all good. If only, it was done without short-changing on the writing of the women—their characters, their dialogues, their act.

Yes, their act too. We know Tabu can sleepwalk through any role. So it hurts to see her not get her timing right with her comic one-liners. And if she can’t, then neither can Kareena Kapoor and Kriti Sanon be expected. The sloppy dubbing didn’t help. Anyway, most of the jokes become a circle of one person being off with their dialogue delivery, just a fraction of a second late maybe, and the rest following their lead. Do they look gorgeous? Yes, and also when do they not? Have they given better performances? Yes. Full stop.

The blame lies as much on the writers as it does on the direction. The banter is cute, and would have passed too were it delivered well. But none of the lines are beyond the wittiness of what my friends and I would exchange. Okay, except for the ‘time machine’ one which we see in the trailer already. That was well written and well executed too. Unfortunately, there is nothing extraordinary about the context. If at all, it is a little out of place given where in the film it happens. Not to mention, the characters are quite similar once you go past the skin level. An opportunity lost.

This can be said about the entire film too. It certainly doesn’t continue what the film starts with, an attempt to connect with the air traveler in you and your common-yet-amusing experiences at an airport or when on a flight. It tries to create sympathy towards airline staff but becomes repetitive with the complaints losing its audience. And you are given enough time to wonder how this entire crew always flies together. Not reality from what I hear.

This thought came to me after I mulled over for a long time on how misunderstood the definition of ‘middle class’ is. None of the characters in the film belong to the actual middle class, not even the lady being tipped by Jasmine (Kareena Kapoor).

So yeah, a lot of time spent in a reasonably short run-time of 125 minutes thinking about the externalities. Gratitude where it’s due, I am thankful that the film revolves around three women. And yet cannot stop wishing my mind wasn’t allowed to wander and wonder.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A couple of slaps * Language: Muted out curse words * Nudity & Sexual content: Some objectification * Concept: Three air hostesses trying to make some money on the side * General Look and Feel: Low on production values, nothing glamorous about the framing and execution other than the three lead ladies

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2.5 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2 See Also wogma review 27 Critic Reviews 3.3/5.0 1 Reader Review 2/5.0 Crew - Movie Details * Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Anil Kapoor Films Company, Balaji Motion Pictures
Producer: Anil Kapoor, Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor
Director: Rajesh Krishnan
Lead Cast: Tabu, Kareena Kapoor, Kriti Sanon
Supporting Cast: Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajesh Sharma, Suparna Marwah, Charu Shankar, Vallabh Gade, Naisha Khanna, Diljit Dosanjh, Saswata Chatterjee, Trupti Khamkar, Ivan Rodrigues, Garima Yagnik, Rammakant Daayama, Pooja Bhamrah, Maeha Sharma, Chaitali Kohli, Shivam Khanna, Rahul Gilani, Juhi Arora, Mohit Gupta, Hetal A Puniwala, Dilip Kumar Vasu, Kulpreet Yadav, Myra Singh, Prashant Sethi, Noyrika Bhatheja, Krishna Verma, Bharat Khetalpar, Tanya Powell, Neel Kamal Sharma, Syscila Sampath
Story: Mehul Suri, Nidhi Mehra
Screenplay: Mehul Suri, Nidhi Mehra
Editor: Manan Sagar
Background Score: John Stewart Eduri
Choreography: Farah Khan, Piyush-Shazia
Music Director: Badshah, Diljit Dosanjh, Vishal Mishra, IP Singh, Akshay Raheja, Bharg
Lyrics: Raj Shekhar, Badshah, IP Singh, Srushti Tawade, Juno
Running time: 125 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy, Heist

View Details

27 reviewers have given Crewan average rating of 3.3/5.0 (?)

15 yays 6 nays 6 so-soWarning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

  Thumbs up by Shivani Pawaskar,  Bollywood Life  ...Crew movie is fun and glamorously entertaining. Tabu, Kareena and Kriti don't just steal gold but also hearts in this one. Take your crew along with you and watch this light-hearted heist comedy....  full review

  Thumbs up by Abhimanyu Mathur,  DNA  ...Hats off to director Rajesh Krishnan for making a film that takes you back years – to a simple time when bad could be good without moral justification, when stories were allowed to be simple, and when comedies need not be ‘clever’. How he manages to do this in the post-OTT era with such finesse is commendable. Our industry and audience need more films like Crew....  full review

  Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,  Filmfare  ...Watch the film for the barrelful of laughs it provides and for its powerful message in praise of female friendships. As also for the acting chops displayed by Tabu, Kareena Kapoor, and Kriti Sanon....  full review

  Thumbs up by Murtuza Iqbal,  Filmi Beat  ...Talking about performances, it is Kareena Kapoor Khan who steals the show. She is looking gorgeous in the movie and has performed very well. From comedy scenes to emotional scenes, Kareena has nailed it. After Kareena, it is of course, Tabu who grabs our attention. As we said earlier, she has been given some of the best one-liners, and she just once again proves why we call her one of the best actresses of the Indian cinema.Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2024/crew-review-ratings-kareena-kapoor-khan-tabu-kriti-sanon-entertaining-cinematic-ride-389939.html?story=3...  full review

  Thumbs up by Anuj Kumar,  FirstPost  ...On the whole , Crew is an entertaining and delectable film with hard realities of being a middle-class in India when you have to show to the world that all is fine, when in reality everything around you is falling apart. It is indeed an art to deliver a serious message with a hilarious tone....  full review

  Thumbs up by Baradwaj Rangan,  galatta.com  ...The character Tabu plays (her name is Geeta) is shown to be resolutely middle-class, and she gets some amazing zingers. My favourite is the one when she refuses to leave a very expensive cup of coffee. She says, “Sau dollar ki coffee mangvaai hai. Jhaag bhi peeke jaaoongi.” Diljit Dosanjh turns on the charm in a nice little role where he’s smitten by the Kriti Sanon character. Every time he calls her “Divya Rana from Haryana”, you wonder why he isn’t more of a leading man in Hindi films. Rajesh Sharma squirms marvellously as the target of our heroines. (Why don’t we see more of him?) By the last half-hour, the film really gets going, and if it’s not exactly Ocean’s Eleven, I was satisfied with the Ocean’s Five-and-a-half I got....  full review

  Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja,  Hindustan Times  ...In a nutshell, Crew makes you laugh, and have fun while serving some cheesy and cocky humour, and manages to stay afloat despite a lot of turbulence, all thanks to the threesome that you wish lasted a little longer....  full review

  Thumbs up by Zinia Bandyopadhyay,  india today  ...The writing, by Nidhi Mehra and Mehul Suri, is crisp and keeps the pace steady throughout the film. It very beautifully covers up the few loopholes here and there. The build-up in the first half is good, but the second half is where it gets better....  full review

  Thumbs up by Pooja Darade,  koimoi  ...Overall, Crew is a riveting and enjoyable heist comedy and takes you on a journey filled with laughter. Much like the smooth landing of flights in the film, the jokes land gracefully, keeping you hooked from start to end. Tabu, Kareena, and Kriti shine with their remarkable performances and entertain you with playful chemistry. You’ll cheer for them after all; our girls just want to have fun!...  full review

  Thumbs up by TITAS CHOWDHURY,  News18.com  ...Crew might not have reached the destination that it had set out for. It’s definitely not Kareena, Tabu or Kriti’s best work. Nonetheless, it’s a great attempt at being a cookie-cutter. Give it a chance because it celebrates female friendships and despite the troughs and the crests, they fiercely love, protect and support one another, and we don’t get to see these themes in our films too often....  full review

  Thumbs up by Garima Das,  Outlook India  ...Songs which serve as a life to any Bollywood movie, are quite peppy. Tracks like 'Ghagra' and 'Choli' have already become music lovers' favourite. The recreated version of 'Sona Kitna Sona Hai' is also catchy. The visuals in these songs make it watchable in the big screens....  full review

  Thumbs up by Divya Nair,  Rediff  ...Overall, Crew may fall short of a few elements to be declared a blockbuster but kudos to the makers for putting the pun, I mean fun, in the right place. This is an enjoyable flight you can watch without any seatbelts....  full review

  Thumbs up by Nandini Ramnath,  Scroll.in  ...Some of the 125-minute movie’s zingers and hilarious scenes simply whoosh by. Having grabbed us with the casting, and having done justice to its themes, Crew is sometimes in too much of a rush to reach its destination. Yet, Krishnan ensures that his heroines – smart without being smug, self-centred but sensitive too, always looking out for each other as women tend to – won’t be forgotten in a hurry....  full review

  Thumbs up by Toshiro Agarwal,  Times Now  ...Rajesh A Krishnan has done a commendable job at hitting the right spot that is sure to strike a chord with the audience, especially due to the film’s real-life inspirations cherrypicked from a rather dark phase of the Indian aviation industry....  full review

  Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,  Times of India  ...If you are looking for some light-hearted madcap comedy, Crew is worth diving into -- with all its frivolity, humour and glam....  full review

  So-So by Subhash K Jha,  Bolly Spice  ...Crew is filled with debt-defying potshots at economic absconders and other financial defaulters. But why are Maharastrian women with a certain body-type and speech pattern always cast as househelp and cops? Here it is Trupti Khamkar as a customs officer who gets laughs for the way she looks and talks....  full review

  So-So by Deepanjana Pal,  Film Companion  ...If Crew had just been able to show a truly authentic female friendship, it wouldn’t need anything else to justify itself. That’s it. The fact of a female friendship, covering everything from resistance to conflict to wish fulfilment, that’s the message....  full review

  So-So by Vijayalakshmi Narayanan,  Free Press Journal  ...Despite its turbulences, Crew doesn’t crash land as you’re left largely entertained by actresses who are unwaveringly dazzling (major props to the styling department) and are having a ball, on-screen. But, to be fair, it would be appreciated if better written material is offered for more films to be fronted by women. Because, Tabu, Kareena and Kriti have already proven their capability to lead films in the past, with elan....  full review

  So-So by Sakshi Verma,  India TV  ...Crew has some good music and some failed ones. Ghagra and Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai are perfectly placed in the film. These songs also add up to the story and you wouldn't feel board. However, the intro and sad song didn't work for me. Raj Ranjodh could have done better with these though. Naina sung by Diljit, obviously comes with the end credits and adds nothing to the story of this film. Overall, Crew has good party songs and you can hear them playing in parties now....  full review

  So-So by Rishil Jogani,  Pinkvilla  ...Crew heavily relies upon it's three leading ladies and the ladies rise up to the occasion too. However, the lack of spice, flavour and sharpness in the story makes Crew just another run-of-the-mill entertainer while it could have been much, much more.Crew now plays at a theatre near you now. Go book your tickets and enjoy the ride Kareena Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Tabu take you on....  full review

  So-So by Ankit ojha,  The National News  ...Crew is an easy, breezy film. Sure, it’s not the perfect movie – the humour doesn’t always work and the heist is very basic, but it is still a fun watch. The three protagonists are likeable, and the motive behind their quirky criminal escapades make this film worth watching on the big screen....  full review

  Thumbs down by Asra Mavad,  Deccan Herald  ...There are multiple points in the movie where you get your hopes up, hoping for ‘Crew’ to take off, only for it to run out of fuel soon enough. The predictable script and weak narrative make sure the movieRead more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/crew-movie-review-a-comedy-that-fails-to-reach-its-potential-2958108...  full review

  Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,  Film Companion  ...The reality of what Crew is hurts more than the empty hope of what it isn't....  full review

  Thumbs down by Nitin Jain,  Glamsham.com  ...Overall, a trip to a nearby mall doing window shopping could be money well spent instead of being seated for a shade over two hours watching stupidity unfolding in the name of a heist comedy....  full review

  Thumbs down by Mayank Shekhar,  MiD DAY  ...The film gets on a flight of imagination so ludicrous, without a bandwidth for it, that I felt like heading off the exit, at some point. Either way, hope this lands well for you. Not my scene, gonna crash now....  full review

  Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,  Movie Talkies  ...Crew is a little screwed—actually very much screwed—in the second half, but there are some scenes that give you a little pleasure of new-age female-driven comedy. The rest of the show is strictly below average, and no oxygen mask can save you from that....  full review

  Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,  NDTV  ...Crew is a flight that never reaches cruising altitude. It runs low on fuel precisely when it is time to get off the ground. Stuck on a narrative tarmac strewn with predictable inanities, the film is undoubtedly pretty to behold thanks to all the glamour and sass that the three lead actresses bring to the table. But all the beauty that we see on the screen is only skin-deep....  full review

See Also    wogma review     27 Critic Reviews 3.3/5.0   1 Reader Review 2/5.0    Crew - Movie Details  * **Official Sites:** YouTube Wikipedia IMDB

Banner: Anil Kapoor Films Company, Balaji Motion Pictures
Producer: Anil Kapoor, Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor
Director: Rajesh Krishnan
Lead Cast: Tabu, Kareena Kapoor, Kriti Sanon
Supporting Cast: Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajesh Sharma, Suparna Marwah, Charu Shankar, Vallabh Gade, Naisha Khanna, Diljit Dosanjh, Saswata Chatterjee, Trupti Khamkar, Ivan Rodrigues, Garima Yagnik, Rammakant Daayama, Pooja Bhamrah, Maeha Sharma, Chaitali Kohli, Shivam Khanna, Rahul Gilani, Juhi Arora, Mohit Gupta, Hetal A Puniwala, Dilip Kumar Vasu, Kulpreet Yadav, Myra Singh, Prashant Sethi, Noyrika Bhatheja, Krishna Verma, Bharat Khetalpar, Tanya Powell, Neel Kamal Sharma, Syscila Sampath
Story: Mehul Suri, Nidhi Mehra
Screenplay: Mehul Suri, Nidhi Mehra
Editor: Manan Sagar
Background Score: John Stewart Eduri
Choreography: Farah Khan, Piyush-Shazia
Music Director: Badshah, Diljit Dosanjh, Vishal Mishra, IP Singh, Akshay Raheja, Bharg
Lyrics: Raj Shekhar, Badshah, IP Singh, Srushti Tawade, Juno
Running time: 125 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy, Heist

View Details

26 reviewers have given Jawanan average rating of 4.5/5.0 ^(?)

21 yays

0 nays

5 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch but no rush ^(?)

quick review:

The whistles are back in the theatres. Such a joy! So what if I couldn’t stop shaking my head at the startling shrillness and mindlessness of it all? The only exception being the film’s potent central message. Streaming partner: Netflix

[Poster for Jawan]

Thumbs up by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com ...Jawan has brought the spine back into Hindi cinema and that is more important than any kind of box office success, records, or critical praise.... full review

Thumbs up by Nikita Thakkar, Bollywood Life ...Jawan is a complete package that comes with a dose of action, thrill, emotions and drama. If you have been missing out on full-on seeti maar entertainment, Jawan is for you. BollywoodLife gives it 3 and half stars.... full review

Thumbs up by Reshmi A R, Deccan Chronicle ...SRK seems to have hit a purple patch after his last outing and keeps his superstar star status intact until next release, thanks to Jawan.... full review

Thumbs up by Shreyas Pande, Deccan Herald ...With its simplicity, 'Jawan' works as a massy entertainer infused with a dose of idealism. Some scenes in the first half needed better handling and some sequences after the interval needed sharper editing. However, the film manages to enthral and pul...Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/jawan-review-shah-rukh-khan-is-epic-in-this-mass-entertainer-2677964... full review

Thumbs up by Abhimanyu Mathur, DNA ...Jawan is far from a perfect film. But it is an entertaining one, a film that uses the star’s aura and screen presence to full effect.... full review

Thumbs up by Rahul Desai, Film Companion ...a... full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare ...All-in-all, watch Jawan for its entertainment value, for pure SRK magic, slick action scenes and its social messages. It’s total paisa vasool fare, alright!... full review

Thumbs up by Murtuza, Filmi Beat ...Overall, Jawan has all the elements a moviegoer wants in a film. It's a perfect massy entertainer and you should surely enjoy it in theatres.... full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal ...SRK’s last Pathaan, although with a weaker plot, and not so believable screenplay sailed through his charm and received earth-shattering box office numbers, Jawan is a complete film that gives wholesome entertainment.... full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain, Glamsham.com ...All in all, if you are a Shah Rukh Khan fan and want to be part of the party that started with ‘Pathaan’, you sure cannot miss this ‘Jawan’... full review

Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja, Hindustan Times ...Nevertheless, Jawan is a wholesome watch that won't give you any dull moment. Keep your eyes and mind focused on screen for there's a lot to take in and you don't want to miss the action or know why it's happening in the first place. Watch out for a climax that's one paisa vasool moment.... full review

Thumbs up by Shruti Kaushal, India TV ...Atlee, who gave blockbuster hits like Bigil, Theri, and Mersal, skillfully ventured into Bollywood with his bagful of elemental quirk. Also written by Atlee, the film captures the nub of each character, be they key or cameo.... full review

Thumbs up indiaglitz ...Verdict : Go for this racy masala entertainer with a strong female presence filled with engaging elements... full review

Thumbs up by "Shalmesh More ", koimoi ...On the whole, Jawan is bigger and better than Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan in terms of box office. So, we’re all set to witness history being rewritten, and it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the film will do business in the range of 600-625 crores net in India.... full review

Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...Jawan is an out-and-out massy blockbuster that we have been craving, and thankfully, it’s not as mediocre as some of the recent blockbuster hits.... full review

Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...Jawan hits the bull's eye both as a movie that is out to entertain and a vehicle that demonstrates the power of a superstar endowed with a voice that is anything but ordinary. It manifests itself as much on the screen as it does outside its fictive confines.... full review

Thumbs up by Himesh Mankad, Pinkvilla ...Jawan packs a solid punch with action, drama, emotion and scale packaged to perfection in the screenplay by Atlee. It’s driven by Shah Rukh Khan like never before in a once-in-a-lifetime kind of heroic characters of Azad and Vikram Rathore. The action blocks are backed by emotions combined with a strong story. With plenty of mass moments, Jawan is PEAK COMMERCIAL ENTERTAINER and is headed to be a HISTORIC BLOCKBUSTER. Its vigilante done right, with Shah Rukh Khan’s touch in commercial palate of filmmaking.... full review

Thumbs up by Mayank Sanap, Rediff ...The second half is fixed upon the hero verus villain dynamic, but the film lags in these key moments because of Sethupathi's monotonous performance. It is high time Sethupathi does away with villain roles, or at least try to bring something new to them.Despite some gripes, Jawan works because of Atlee's total commitment to creating Shah Rukh Khan hysteria. It is filled with everything signature to the superstar.... full review

Thumbs up by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in ...Deepika Padukone has a superb cameo, with her character Aishwarya displaying more of a frisson with Khan than the neglected Narmada does. If Nayanthara is less than impressive in her Hindi language debut, it’s hardly her fault.... full review

Thumbs up by Soumyabrata Gupta, Times Now ...Jawan is an exemplary homage to both Indian and Western action flicks that inundated the industries in the early nineties. The movie could well be on its way to replicate what Top Gun Maverick did to an ailing Hollywood, in Bollywood. Slick action sequences, paired with romance, filial affections and some amazing music makes Jawan a perfect watch. That, paired with a double dose of Shah Rukh Khan is well worth the money.... full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare, Times of India ...Jawan feeds off SRK’s stardom. It isn’t intimidated by him.Like a paisa vasool desi thaali, it has all kinds of flavour to satiate your taste buds. The reincarnation of 'action hero SRK' hits the sweet spot.... full review

So-So by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice ...The film’s heart bleeds and cries for us Indians who are seem to be victims of an irredeemably corrupt administration. But the solution offered is seriously anarchic. Not that anyone cares. As long as SRK gets to pound the corroded system with his bare hands, all is well with the world.... full review

So-So by Tulasi Neppali, fullhyd.com ...Whether it was the recycled story, the total disregard for its themes, the so-so music, or the charmless villain, Jawan just didn't work for me. It does, however, feel like it might at the BO.... full review

So-So by Lekha Menon, Khaleej Times ...Jawan and while that is a tried-and-tested trope, director Atlee gives it the ultra-stylised Tollywood-meets-Bollywood treatment. It may have crater-sized holes as far as logic is concerned but what it has in oodles is Shah Rukh Khan. And that’s not bad news at all. Also, there are two fabulous cameos featuring A-listers, and a juicy possibility mentioned in the end credits. If you have the patience, wait for it.... full review

So-So by Isha Sharma, NewsBytes ...Atlee's collaborations with Thalapathy Vijay have proved his stories are propelled by a superstar, and Jawan, too, sans SRK, would have huffed and puffed more than it already does.If you're an SRK fan, you will cheer at the top of your lungs, but apart from that, it's an old bottle with expired wine that is high in "mass" moments but low in novelty.... full review

So-So by Mike McCahill, The Guardian ...Jawan will prove no more enduring than Pathaan in the Khan pantheon, but it’s a semi-fascinating display of star power, and a rollicking (if bumpy) Friday-night ride.... full review

Jawan - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Gauri Khan
Director: Atlee
Lead Cast: Shah Rukh Khan
Supporting Cast: Deepika Padukone , Priyamani, Girija Oak, Vijay Sethupati, Sunil Grover, Sanya Malhotra , Nayanthara, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Ridhi Dogra
Screenplay: Atlee, S. Ramanagirivasan
Dialogues: Sumit Aroraa, Atlee, S. Ramanagirivasan
Cinematography: GK Vishnu
Editor: Antony L. Ruben
Choreography: Farah Khan , Vaibhavi Merchant , Shobi Paulraj
Music Director: Anirudh Ravichander
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil, Kumaar
Art Direction: Sukracharyya Ghosh, Irfan Rashid Sheikh
Running time: 170 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Social, Thriller

View Details

wogma rating: Watch but no rush ^(?)

quick review:

[Poster for Jawan]

Review

Jawan’s heart beats for India’s common citizen and the many issues they face. But is this the only way to reach out to a mass audience? In a high-pitched and leave-your-brain-at-home manner? If yes, so be it. Otherwise, the film would be depressing—if not because it points to the sorry state of affairs in the country, then because it is formulaic, at least in the first half.

The agenda is certainly a noble one, relevant and urgent too. It makes its point through farmers’ suicides, inefficiencies and corruption in the health system, defence scams, and corporate loan waivers. It also has an all-encompassing larger message that is the need of the hour in real life.

I assume the hope is that if this lesson is handed out to its viewers the Shah-Rukh-Khan way, they will take heed. They will realise the power they have. They will take note that the country has resources—money, manpower, intellect. The only thing missing is the intent of the people at the top.

Regular people versus the system is an ages-old storyline, done many times over. Fortunately, Jawan doesn’t take it for granted and writes a story around it that makes it into an action thriller instead of just an action film. It’s a decent story too.

But the details take the spectators for a ride. Logic, continuity, practicality, and, of course, physics are asked to take a hike. You know, the kind in which a man’s clothes burn, but his skin is intact. In fact, it is glowing under the rags. 🤷‍♀️ And a man who looks like he is in a coma comes back from the dead with full strength. 🤷‍♀️ 🤷‍♀️ The kind in which the hero takes over the defibrillator from a doctor with a swagger. 🤷‍♀️ 🤷‍♀️ 🤷‍♀️

In that sense, Jawan is over-produced—a constantly piercing background score and melodrama reeking out of every pore. It’s as if the makers are worried that they will lose their hold on the audience if Shah Rukh doesn’t do Shah Rukh things for a few seconds.

Just like him, the action hardly stops. For the first half hour or so, there is one action sequence after another with generic action choreography. Just when I was thinking why the action is so ordinary, given the scale of the film, there is one sequence that uses up all its slick moves. As if they wanted to showcase all the ways of stopping a racing vehicle in those 5-7 minutes. And the funniest bit was, ultimately plain ol' vandalism worked better for them.

It is a pity that the beautiful cinematography that the film starts with doesn’t go past the first few minutes. Can’t blame them. After all, their target audience is in the theatre for a different kind of beauty. And Shah Rukh Khan knows it and owns it.

He also seems to have made a conscious effort to transition into older roles, preparing his audience on what to expect, in say, 10 years. I am quite enjoying this shift, for he carries salt-and-pepper with so much more elan than the hammy lover-boy. One of the experiments seems to be manufacturing a baritone. It didn’t work for me, but let’s see how it ages.

The rest of the cast is admirably women-heavy. However, the inclusivity seems to stop there, for the audience is repeatedly prompted to laugh at a midget. That these women are at their hero’s beck and call, is a different matter. The only other thing that stayed with me about the supporting cast is that they produce tears mechanically and on demand.

So, I came out of the theatre with mixed feelings. The cheers and hooting at every new look that Shah Rukh wore, at Nayantara’s and Deepika Padukone’s entries, were heartening. The cinema hall has missed that for too long. Jawan is out to get you back to the movies. It has a valuable message that is just right for the season. If only the details were not loud and lacking in attention to detail.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Lots and lots, and some gory too.
Language: A couple of curse words.
Nudity & Sexual content: None.
Concept: Common citizen versus the system.
General Look and Feel: Crisp with some tacky bits, darkish, slick and very loud.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 1.5
Story: 2.5
Lead Actors: 2.5
Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 1.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 1

Jawan - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Gauri Khan
Director: Atlee
Lead Cast: Shah Rukh Khan
Supporting Cast: Deepika Padukone , Priyamani, Girija Oak, Vijay Sethupati, Sunil Grover, Sanya Malhotra , Nayanthara, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Ridhi Dogra
Screenplay: Atlee, S. Ramanagirivasan
Dialogues: Sumit Aroraa, Atlee, S. Ramanagirivasan
Cinematography: GK Vishnu
Editor: Antony L. Ruben
Choreography: Farah Khan , Vaibhavi Merchant , Shobi Paulraj
Music Director: Anirudh Ravichander
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil, Kumaar
Art Direction: Sukracharyya Ghosh, Irfan Rashid Sheikh
Running time: 170 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Social, Thriller

View Details

22 reviewers have given Dream Girl 2 an average rating of 2.2/5.0 (?)

4 yays 7 nays 11 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Switch channels if it's on cable (?)

quick review:

Numbed me, in mind and body.

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Khurrana’s dance numbers are jokey versions of mujras which he performs in a sporting spirit. He gets the point: it’s okay to cross dress without becoming a flag-waving symbol of the LBGTQ community. Ananya Pandey has nothing to do.And she doesn’t do it well....

full review

Thumbs up by Urmimala Banerjee,

Bollywood Life

...Dream Girl 2 with its zany plot and sharp performances is a film that will drive away your stress. It is a comedy that will appeal to a majority of Indians with its desi vibes. Ayushmann Khurrana, Vijay Raaz and Ranjan Raj are stars of the show. For someone who has not watched Dream Girl, the movie is the perfect Bollywood comedy....

full review

Thumbs up by Ganesh Aaglave,

FirstPost

...On the whole, Dream Girl 2 is an absolute entertainer lifted by amazing performances by the ensemble cast....

full review

Thumbs up by TITAS CHOWDHURY,

News18.com

...Dream Girl 2 has chaos written all over it and that’s its biggest strength. Sometimes, all you need is a light entertainer to unwind and laugh till your stomach hurts, and Dream Girl 2 is exactly that. This Ayushmann starrer truly deserves a watch...

full review

So-So by Priya Hazra,,

ABP Live

...The Ayushmann Khurrana movie turns out to be merely a modernised version of a 90s crash comedy. One cannot make the argument that the actor's performance was the saving grace. Even though Khurrana pushes extremely hard to bring out emotions in the scenes (and it shows), it sometimes feels as though he himself lacks faith in his character. In a nutshell, if anyone plans on making a remake of Aunty No. 1, we have already got it in the guise of 'Dream Girl 2'....

full review

So-So by Abhimanyu Mathur,

DNA

...Dream Girl 2 ends with the only new thing it can offer in this genre – a typical Ayushmann monologue that descends into being a sermon pretty soon. That is the part where despite the short screen time, the film begins to feel a bit oblong. I wish mainstream Hindi films did not resort to spelling each and every message out in those many words and let the actions do the talking sometimes....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Watch the film if you love leave-your-brains-behind products. Don’t expect too much from it and you’ll be fine....

full review

So-So by Ganesh aag lave,

FirstPost

...On the whole, Dream Girl 2 is an absolute entertainer lifted by amazing performances by the ensemble cast....

full review

So-So by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...All in all, we have been seeing too much of male actors getting into the female getups on TV shows that the humour gets boring beyond a point and does not justify the time, money and effort spent on it. In ‘Vicky Donor’ or ‘Dream Girl’ (2019) Ayushmann was not required to get into the literal act to bring the house down or communicate the story unlike ‘Dream Girl 2’ where Khurrana looks uncomfortable and out of place while trying hard to pull off the act....

full review

So-So by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...Dream Girl 2 is full of massy humour and its sole intention is to entertain. And it more or less accomplishes that....

full review

So-So by Joyeeta Mitra Survana,

India TV

...While growing his franchise, Ayushmann has worked hard on his voice as well as his style. He does comic scenes very easily. The film has less scope for Ananya Pandey. She is looking very beautiful. The good thing is that she is not loud among so many senior and talented stars and her support is good. Paresh Rawal, Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, Abhishek Banerjee, Seema Pahwa, and Annu Kapoor are all seasoned actors and their performances are effortless....

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...Dream Girl 2 works best when it has Ayushmann Khurrana unerringly bringing out the concept of ‘ardhanareeshwar’ so strongly and with such ease: Pooja is Karam and Karam is Pooja. Genders can be beautifully fluid, and yes, men can like men....

full review

So-So by Ambica Sachin,

Khaleej Times

...'Dream Girl' is great for laughs and the message about the lack of affinity we have for each other and the loneliness faced by people in the modern world is one which needs to be paid attention to. But somehow 'Dream Girl' runs through it at such a pace, many of the jokes don't work and we are left wondering when matters will come to a head and the film will end....

full review

So-So by Himesh Mankad,

Pinkvilla

...Dream Girl 2 works primarily due to the gags and one-liners in the first half. While the novelty factor does evoke laughter in some instances, there isn’t enough situational humor in the second half to keep the entertainment factor intact. The film depends heavily on the gags, which go dull in the later part and rides on a rather thin storyline. Overall, Dream Girl 2 is a one-time watch for some solid punch lines, quirky characters, Ayushmann Khurrana’s performance, and a great ensemble of the finest comic artists. On the box office front, the business will benefit by the franchise value to reach a respectable number!...

full review

So-So by Dhaval Roy,

Times of India

...Dream Girl 2 relies on familiar territory, often straying into unnecessary comedic tangents. Despite some good performances and moments, the film falls short of recreating the quirky charm of its predecessor....

full review

Thumbs down by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Raaj’s Dream Girl 2 looks like a far-fetched dream that is anything but funny. Well, it is needless to say, the film with obligatory humour doesn’t land anywhere. Unfortunately, as audiences, we all take back the second half to our homes and that is questionable....

full review

Thumbs down by Mayank Shekhar,

MiD DAY

...That’s the thing, though, with a mindless movie, or pedestrian humour, and why it doesn’t merit much dissection—you either find it really funny, or care a sweet f*** all, for whatever’s going on. There’s no accounting for taste (and shouldn’t be). Wouldn’t be surprised if you returned from the theatre, thinking this was such a laugh-a-thon, while I wonder if we watched the same pic. Being kind!...

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Comedy is not easy. I agree, but it’s definitely easier than turning the same comedy into cringeworthy jokes. Raaj must have been very fond of Facebook memes and WhatsApp forwards because his writing seemed more dependent on them. Talking about technical aspects, Dream Girl 2 would land in a safe zone. The camerawork, editing, and background score have been decent enough. Raaj Shaandiyaa has directed only one movie to date, so it’s technically unfair to ask too much of him. If it weren’t for those expectations, or even the standalone sequel to cash in on the non-existing brand, then Dream Girl 2 would have been a decent, average comedy. But if he is trying to make something out of his previous box office hit and letting people think that this is the same material again, which is happening with Dream Girl 2 if I’m not wrong, then sorry. It’s a below-average film and an almost skippable affair. A wannabe dream comedy turned into a nightmare, but my question is, why dream so much in the first place?...

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...To the credit of Ayushmann Khurrana, he never gives the impression that he is on a sinking ship. He does not hold back one bit even when the writing lets him down. Manjot Singh, when the script permits, soldiers on gamely and lends the lead actor some support....

full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Dream Girl 2 has no story, only bad jokes in its big garish bag of entertainment where about 75 percent of its large cast fall for either coquettish Pooja or macho Karam's charms....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...While Khurrana’s comic timing is on point, he is defeated by the complexities of womanhood. The 133-minute movie has nothing to say on the subject either despite giving Karam a declamatory speech....

full review

Thumbs down by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...If this is a film that is attempting to recreate the nostalgia of the 90s (which I believe is what is happening), it almost succeeds. But ‘nostalgia’ isn’t easy to create and iconic cinema tropes aren’t easy to recreate. Above all, they require a strong vision and sensibility that is absent from this film. For a crowd that believes the world has become ‘too woke’, this film holds a lot to laugh at but even they would agree it lacks the charm of the first Dream Girl....

full review

See Also

wogma review

22 Critic Reviews 2.2/5.0

1 Reader Review 0/5.0

Dream Girl 2 - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Balaji Telefilms Ltd
Producer: Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor
Director: Raaj Shandilya
Lead Cast: Ayushman Khurana, Ananya Pandey
Supporting Cast: Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Vijay Raaz, Asrani, Manoj Joshi, Sudesh Lehri, Manjot Singh, Annu Kapoor, Seema Pahwa, Ranjan Raj, Abhishek Banerjee, Anusha Mishra, Dolly Singh, Ritu Singh, Raj Sharma, Sapna Sand
Story: Raaj Shandilya
Screenplay: Raaj Shandilya, Naresh Kathooria
Cinematography: C K Muraleedharan, Jitan Harmeet Singh
Editor: Hemal Kothari
Background Score: Hitesh Sonik
Choreography: Raju Khan, Bosco Martis, Ceasar Gonsalves
Music Director: Meet Bros Anjjan, Tanishk Bagchi
Lyrics: Kumaar, Rashmi Virag, Shaan Yadav, Jonita Gandhi
Costume Designer: Ankita Jha, Gauri Joshi
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Slapstick

View Details

27 reviewers have given Ghoomer an average rating of 3.9/5.0 (?)

16 yays 1 nays 10 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch for sure, preferably in theatre (?)

quick review:

Wholesomely satisfies the 3Es—Entertaining, Engaging, and Educational, and the last is not through sermons but through the story and its narration. Ghoomer leaves you with the satisfaction of having watched a good film. ❤️

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Ghoomer is a remarkably wry and humbug-free take on redeeming one’s soul after fate deals a low blow. Incredibly liberated from over-sentimentality its last thirty minutes on the cricket field are just delightful....

full review

Thumbs up

Bollywood Life

...All in all, R Balki wins this match for sure with his inspiring tale. Go watch the film for some motivation. It is a complete family entertainer....

full review

Thumbs up by Abhimanyu Mathur,

DNA

...Over the last few years, Hindi cinema’s theatrical content has certainly not been up to the mark. Many films have felt like watered down versions of what we have already seen before. The story does not have to be new eac time, but the treatment must be. That’s what R Balki does with Ghoomer. Essentially, all underdog sports stories do follow the same arc. It’s how you present it that makes the difference. With Ghoomer, R Balki gives that much-needed fresh and well-made film. Just be ready to shed a few tears when you watch it!...

full review

Thumbs up by Utkarsha Shriwasva,

DNA

...परफॉर्मेंस की बात करें तो इस फिल्म के लिए सैयामी खेर और अभिषेक बच्चन से बेहतर कास्टिंग नहीं हो सकती थी. सैयामी की डायलॉग डिलिवरी थोड़ी बेहतर हो सकती थी लेकिन वो अपने एक्टिंग टैलेंट से दर्शकों को बांधे रखती हैं. अभिषेक बच्चन एक बार फिर से बेहतरीन अभिनय का नमूना पेश करते हैं. पहले वो ऐसे पूर्व क्रिकेटर दिखते हैं जिसे पसंद नहीं किया जा सकता लेकिन वो धीरे- धीरे आपके पसंदीदा किरदार बन जाते हैं. फिल्म में अंगद बेदी ने भी शानदार काम किया है. इसके अलावा अमिताभ बच्चन का कैमियो भी शानदार है....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Watch the film for its lovely message and for the powerful performances by the two leads, Abhishek Bachchan and Saiyami Kher....

full review

Thumbs up by Aakash Kumar,

Filmi Beat

...Ghoomer is more than just a sports drama; it's a celebration of the human spirit's unbeatable will. With its compelling performances, poignant storytelling, and a message of unwavering determination, Ghoomer is a good watch for those seeking a cinematic experience that resonates long after the credits roll....

full review

Thumbs up by Lachmi Deb Roy,

FirstPost

...Ghoomer is an inspiration from the real-life story of the late Hungarian shooter Karoly Takacs, who won a gold medal in the rapid fire pistol event at the 1948 London Olympics with his left hand after his other hand was seriously injured. The film teaches you to dream big and it is the faith in your dreams that will give it a start. So, believe in yourself first and in those who have belief in you!...

full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...With Ghoomer, the case is different. It’s a safer film since cricket is an emotion in India. The story of a disabled girl is well touted to raise eyebrows. It could have gone wrong, but Balki is a genius technically. He beautifully weaves his own style into the entire chronicle. Though there are a couple of things that are flawed, they still can be overlooked since his intent is crystal clear. The film also raises a question against a religious belief which logically is imperfect but again, Balki gives a reasonable closure to it....

full review

Thumbs up by Baradwaj Rangan,

galatta.com

...Balki seems to have entered a new phase that's darker and more exciting than what we knew him for earlier. I have always been a fan (even when the films have been facile and underwhelming), but now, he may have just positioned himself at a place where the Balki-style glibness is giving way to Balki-style gravitas. Now that's a brand new spin. ....

full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...‘Ghoomer’ marks a milestone in Saiyami Kher and Abhishek Bachchan’s career, showcasing their remarkable journey to brilliance. It isn’t just a film; it’s a story that captures the moment, a cinematic experience into the world of cricket. It’s an expedition into the uncharted territories of human emotions, with Saiyami Kher proving to be the icing on the cake....

full review

Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...Ghoomer will bowl you over with its inspiring story, intriguing screenplay, impressive performances and a smooth blend of entertainment and messaging that fills you with pride and a sense of fulfilment. A pure family entertainer to be enjoyed in theatres, the film doesn't disappoint in any department....

full review

Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar,

MiD DAY

...The reverse, I suspect, is true for movies in theatres. Sometimes, people go to watch a film, because of the one before, that’s already lured them in! As we speak, there’s post-pandemic cheer at the cinemas (‘Barbenheimer’, ‘Rocky-Rani’, ‘Oh My Gadar’…). Wishing this well too....

full review

Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Ghoomer may not be his best or top 3 work for me, but he made me believe again that he can never make a bad film. Ghoomer will make you believe that even overdramatic films can be good. All you need is one genius like R. Balki. As a whole, Ghoomer is an honest attempt at an unbelievable story, but it sails rock steadily with the help of fine performances, strong emotions, and R. Balki’s conviction....

full review

Thumbs up

Outlook India

...'Ghoomer' isn't merely a film; it's a story that captures the moment. This film marks a milestone in Abhishek Bachchan's career, showcasing his remarkable journey to brilliance. 'Ghoomer' isn't just a cinematic experience into the world of cricket; it's an expedition into the uncharted territories of human emotions, supported by Saiyami Kher and Angad Bedi....

full review

Thumbs up by Mayank Sanap,

Rediff

...The result is this very efficient crowd-pleaser that puts a lump in the throat, a tear in the eyes, and a smile on the face, all at the same time....

full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...Your mind takes a sudden jolt when thinking, "What happens when everything's taken away from you in a span of few minutes? "Kisisay koi cheez bewaja cheeni jaye, woh galat hai." You can tell how obsessed Abhishek, Saiyami and Balki are about cricket while watching this one....

full review

So-So by Anupama Chopra,

Film Companion

...Still, in the last minutes, the match comes to life and culminates in to a crescendo. Ghoomer needed more rousing moments like that....

full review

So-So by Bhavana Agarwal,

india today

...Meanwhile, it was lovely to have Amitabh Bachchan in a cameo in the movie. The music justifies the emotions well. The movie is peppered with various tropes used in Balki’s direction, be it humour or emotional arcs. But despite a stellar battling lineup, if the top order fails (in this case the writing, the screenplay, and the actors), there is only so much the middle-order can do!...

full review

So-So by Anshul Gupta,

India TV

...Overall, the film is a good watch but not without its flaws. Balki's love for cricket is widely known, starting from his first film 'Cheeni Kum' and with the help of sports director Dhruv P Panjuani, the sport feels and looks authentic apart from the fake crowd noise. Ultimately, the film is about hope and staying resolute because when life gives you lemons, make a lemonade and drink it up....

full review

So-So by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, Ghoomer spins off the routine tropes from an ‘underdog to top dog’ movies based on sportspersons and lacks that one standout point that sets it apart from what we’ve already seen before....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...As for the film as a whole, if nothing else, it knows its target and gets there but with a bit too much of avoidable huffing and puffing....

full review

So-So by Sonal Dedhia,

News18.com

...Ghoomer sticks to familiar ground as far as a sports film goes, Amidst all the faux sentimentality, we still get a protagonist that we can’t help rooting for. That is the film’s real success....

full review

So-So by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...Ghoomer had all the markings to become much better than what it is currently—its rousing finale can move you to tears (Amitabh Bachchan's appearance does the trick). However, if we have to keep awaiting the climax to finally feel something, then that says everything about the quality of the film. An experimental idea and a sincere approach, but Ghoomer never rises above mediocrity....

full review

So-So by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...Some verdicts are hard to give. While the heart leans towards the emotions, the mind is unable to completely ignore the flaws. In both situations, what stays consistent is the human connection with the overall story, and that I think is why you should watch Ghoomer....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...This is Balki’s style — at times, it becomes a bit too much — but here it impedes the flow of Ghoomer a lot less than some of his previous works....

full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...With Saiyami Kher’s obvious efforts into understanding the visual language of the film and Abhishek Bachchan’s steady but effective act, Ghoomer ends up being an enjoyable watch, with its second half almost succeeding in steamrolling over the faults of the first....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...As the 134-minute movie’s ill-judged hero, Abhishek Bachchan glowers and grimaces his way through a few good lines and many groan-worthy scenes. Shabana Azmi, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and Angad Bedi are models of rectitude, all things considered....

full review

See Also

wogma review

27 Critic Reviews 3.9/5.0

Ghoomer - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Hope Film Makers, Saraswati Entertainment Private Limited
Producer: Abhishek Bachchan, Ramesh Pulapaka
Director: R. Balki
Lead Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Saiyami Kher
Supporting Cast: Shabana Azmi, Amitabh Bachchan, Angad Bedi
Story: Rishi Virmani, R. Balki, Rahul Sengupta
Cinematography: Vishal Sinha
Editor: Nipun Ashok Gupta
Background Score: Amit Trivedi
Choreography: Shampa Gopikishna, Bertwin Ravi D’souza
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Swananda Kirkire, Kausar Munir
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Philosophy,

Sports

View Details

24 reviewers have given OMG 2 an average rating of 4.0/5.0 (?)

15 yays 1 nays 8 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)

quick review:

A half-decent discussion on a much-needed discourse, unfortunately, is only a half-decent discourse.

Thumbs up by Amandeep Narang,

ABP Live

...Perhaps, the writer would have to watch the film once again to clear her confused and mixed stance on it....

full review

Thumbs up by Bobby Sing,

Bobby Talks Cinema.com

...Giving a another reason for OMG 2 being far ahead of any other Hindi film on a similar subject in the past....

full review

Thumbs up by Urmimala Banerjee,

Bollywood Life

...Amit Rai has sealed his place as an intelligent and masterful storyteller with OMG 2. This movie is a treat for all fans of Pankaj Tripathi who is fab. Akshay Kumar is back with a film that harnesses his charisma in the right manner. Do watch this film with your adolescent children as it has the positive message that piety, pleasure, love and sexual exploration can co-exist in a healthy beautiful manner....

full review

Thumbs up by Aman Wadhwa,

DNA

...The Amit Rai directorial has already gone through multiple cuts and changes in the last few days, so much so that even the Madhya Pradesh city where the story is set hasn't been mentioned once. Before OMG 2 suffers more, head to your nearest theatres with your family and watch this important film....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Watch the film for its powerful message and for the brilliant acting on display by the ensemble cast....

full review

Thumbs up by Aakash Kumar,

Filmi Beat

...The bravery of the director and writers shines through in tackling a topic that remains largely unexplored in mainstream cinema. Oh My God 2 breaks barriers by addressing the significance of sex education head-on, with the aim of triggering a positive shift in societal attitudes. It is a necessary watch for teenagers, parents, and educators alike, opening up essential conversations and fostering a more informed and responsible approach to this crucial aspect of human development....

full review

Thumbs up by Tulasi Neppali,

fullhyd.com

...OMG 2 is an impressive piece of storytelling, especially if you consider all the gimmicks that a lesser filmmaker may have grabbed onto to convey Indian historical pride. Although "God" drops in the clues for Kanti to pick up, Kanti must still do his homework - read the scriptures, construct arguments, present them logically, orate cleverly and, above all, do it with an air of decency rather than cockiness. It is details like these, and the overall mature treatment of the subject, that make OMG 2 a movie that won my atheistic heart....

full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...OMG 2 maintains a balance as an entertainer and evolves into an engaging and thought-provoking narrative. It seamlessly weaves entertainment into the critical debate on sex education, addressing pertinent topics and societal taboos with a remarkable blend of sensitivity and depth. OMG 2 acts as a clarion call for the youth to embrace the responsibility of shaping a more informed and enlightened future....

full review

Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...OMG 2 is the kind of film that is meant for family viewing, as it bridges the gap that has long existed between parents and kids who aren't comfortable talking about certain topics. The film opens a channel for conversations and the need to normalise sex education. Watch it with your kids and you'll go home with a smile, and maybe with a more open mind, too....

full review

Thumbs up by Tushar P. Joshi,

india today

...Overall, 'OMG 2' is a film that has the right mix of everything. In short, it succeeds in being an entertainer with a valid message. Akshay Kumar's fans will be in for a huge treat where the actor delivers one of his career-best performances....

full review

Thumbs up by Joyeeta Mitra Suvarna,

India TV

...The energetic background music added to the essence of the film. Mangesh Dhagde's music is great. Songs related to Lord Shiva are very powerful, especially Har Har Mahadev. In this song, both Akshay Kumar's look and dance add to the charm of the film. Apart from this, one also loves the emotional track 'Oonchi Oonchi Wadi'....

full review

Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar,

MiD DAY

...They don’t need to look up, or down; just look at him—slightly chubby cheeks, as if with paan in his mouth, spreading ‘mithaas’ (sweetness), uttering the most profound things, with a lightness of touch that no Indian actor, I know, can match. This script lands, because of the protagonist piloting the pic....

full review

Thumbs up by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...OMG 2 sets out to accomplish a task and hits the bullseye. Nourished by strong performances from Gautam Dhar, Kumar, Tripathi, and Malhotra, the film is an essential, consequential watch that leaves you brooding. Ultimately, OMG 2's gravest tragedy doesn't lie in any of its passable demerits, it lies in CBFC's decision to shield it from its target audience....

full review

Thumbs up by Himesh Mankad,

Pinkvilla

...OMG 2 is a well-intentioned film that has its heart at the right place. The film educates without getting too preachy. While the courtroom debates could have been a little more exciting, the biggest W for the film is its ability to engage and entertain despite falling in the bracket of a ‘Taboo’. The irony of the situation lies in the fact that the censor board itself fell for the taboo that the film is trying to address and break. OMG 2 is certainly a film that could start some conversations that people are usually awkward to talk about and full marks to the makers for attempting a film on this subject. It’s also commendable for a mainstream movie star like Akshay Kumar to touch upon the subject of Sex Education. Recommended....

full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...OMG2 shows you how a film can be entertaining, socially relevant and informative. You don’t need to leave your brain behind to have a good laugh. Take your family along to watch this interesting blend of social commentary and humour....

full review

So-So by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...But then we remember that ‘selfie’ is also slang for masturbating in the film, and all the wrong metaphors come to the fore. At least the title does a decent job of capturing my feelings....

full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...OMG 2 over-promises but under-delivers. The film neither has the gravitas of a thought-provoking courtroom drama nor gives comic relief. It is merely yet another attempt at making a social experiment in mainstream culture on the shoulders of ‘The Akshay Kumar’....

full review

So-So by Baradwaj Rangan,

galatta.com

...OMG 2 is way too long, and some plot points (like the one involving a big bribe, or the depressed teenage boy at the epicentre of this mess) are not fleshed out very well. But the reason the film is sit-through-able is the cast. Pankaj Tripathi is excellent as alway....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...OMG 2 falters at the writing. I appreciate the guts of the makers (half a star extra for that), but I wish they had brains too....

full review

So-So by Deepa Gahlot,

Rediff

...Akshay Kumar looks cool in that trippy get-up and adds his charisma to the film that is otherwise a lot of verbiage, without saying much....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...By contrast, Pankaj Tripathi appears hemmed in at all times. Kanti’s emotional journey doesn’t have the sweep it needed to convince us that a deeply religious man has suddenly turned into a super-progressive dad....

full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...OMG 2 ends up being a well-intentioned film that could've used more research....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...To sum up, OMG 2 aspires to be as sharp as a scalpel but is actually as blunt as the back of a knife....

full review

See Also

wogma review

24 Critic Reviews 4.0/5.0

OMG 2 - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Cape of Good Films, Viacom18 Studios, Wakaoo Films
Producer: Jyoti Deshpande, Ashwin Varde, Aruna Bhatia, Ajit Andhare, Swaroop Sampat, Vipul D Shah, Rajesh Bahl, Hemal A. Thakkar
Director: Amit Rai
Lead Cast: Yami Gautam, Pankaj Tripathi
Supporting Cast: Akshay Kumar, Pawan Malhotra, Geeta Agarwal, Govind Namdeo, Rajan Bhise, Vijay Mishra, Rajiv Kachroo, Arun Govil, Simran Sharma, Aarush Varma, Kshitij Pawar, Yash Bhojwani, Shruti Gholap, Vedika Nawani, Bhavesh Babani, Veena Mehta, Karan Aanand, Jyoti Tiwari, Aashriya Mishra, Ajoy Chakraborty, Pratap Verma, Namrata Kapoor, Hemant Soni, Manoj Dutt, Shiv Kumar Verma, Parag Chhapekar, Shreedhar Dubey, Jogi Mallang, Anvesha Vij
Story: Amit Roy
Dialogues: Amit Rai
Cinematography: Amalendu Chaudhary
Background Score: Mangesh Dhadke, Brijendra Kala
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Sneha Kapoor, Lipsa Acharya
Music Director: Sandesh Shandilya, Strings, Vikram Montrose, Hansraj Raghuwanshi, Pranaay, Kashh
Lyrics: Sandesh Shandilya, Strings, Shekhar Astitwa, Ginny Diwan, Hansraj Raghuwanshi, Kabir Shukla, Kashh
Costume Designer: Leepakshi Ellawadi, Jia Bhagia, Mallika Chauhan
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social

View Details

26 reviewers have given Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani an average rating of 3.9/5.0 (?)

18 yays 3 nays 5 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?)

quick review:

OH MY GOODNESS!

So loud! But hey, the lead women have proper jobs.

So much gyaan. But necessary too?

So many missteps. But woke too.

So predictable. But some unexpected decisions too.

So little physical chemistry between the lead pair. But they ace the non-physical one.

So so long. No buts after that, it is long.

Thumbs up by Baradwaj Rangan,

Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express

...Most of all, I loved the fresh and fantastic cast, especially Tota Roy Chowdhury, Churni Ganguly, and Kshitee Jog. Nobody is perfect in Rocky Aur Rani, and that is exactly what makes this exuberant film feel so heartfelt and human....

full review

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Ranveer’s Rocky is a masterclass in exuberant acting without heaving into the hemisphere of hamming. As for Alia, every time she has us wondering what she would do next. Every time she takes us by surprise. Among the supporting cast, Shabana Azmi as the grandmother who loved and lost, allows her silence to shriek her protest....

full review

Thumbs up by Urmimala Banerjee,

Bollywood Life

...Karan Johar is back with a bang. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is ace Bollywood style filmmaking. Ranveer Singh has proved why is one of the finest. Alia Bhatt has one more stellar act and potential blockbuster under her belt. Kudos to the entire team!...

full review

Thumbs up by Abhimannyu Mathur,

DNA

...Karan Johar has made better stuff. He still can make better films. But despite not being his best, Rocky Aur Rani is the most entertaining and engaging mainstream story to emerge from Bollywood in months, probably years. These are the kind of films that the audience have been asking for. It’s time someone delivers. Oh, and PS- Karan, please don’t take seven more years for the next one. You’re good at this!...

full review

Thumbs up by Anupama Chopra,

Film Companion

...Rocky aur Rani kii Prem Kahani is very much its own movie. It’s 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 jhappi. There can be no downside to that....

full review

Thumbs up by RAHUL DESAI,

Film Companion

...After all, transformation is the cornerstone of every unlikely love story....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Karan Johar shouldn’t take too long a sabbatical between directing films and should start filming his next pronto. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is a complete entertainer, having something for everybody. Watch it for its funny as hell storyline and some cracking performances from the entire ensemble cast....

full review

Thumbs up by Abhishek Ranjit,

Filmi Beat

...Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani deserves your watch if you are a true blue Hindi cinema fan. It has all the required masalas including dance, romance, drama, and emotions that are considered essential for a masala flick....

full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...A film that surprises in the second half and makes average music loveable much after you walk out....

full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...The music of the film is composed by Pritam and lyrics are written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. Arijit Singh and Sherya Ghoshal, Jonita Gandhi and Bhumi Trivedi lend their chiselled voices to full-toned beats that the youth love today. Having said so, what the audience seem to enjoy the most are some of the most popular Hindi film songs from the era gone by....

full review

Thumbs up by Tushar Joshi,

india today

...The second half does slow down towards the end and KJo feels a bit caught up in the trope of having too much on his platter. Nevertheless, 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' is a family entertainer that is a gentle reminder of Karan’s legacy and his love for blockbuster cinema. Go watch it at a theatre near you. Or in Jaya ji’s words - bas keh diya so keh diya!...

full review

Thumbs up by Aseem Sharma,

India TV

...anveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani are not just you want to see in the film. The film will also impress and connect you with the other important characters including Jaya Bachchan (Rocky's grandmother), Shabana Azmi (Rani's grandmother) Dharmendra (Rocky's grandfather), Tota Roy Chowdhury and Churni Ganguly as Rani's father and mother. The film is full of fun, drama, comedy and to keep it short it is a complete entertainer. There is something for everybody. There are high chances that many shows of its first weekend get housefull with big rush on the ticket counter....

full review

Thumbs up by Lekha Menon,

Khaleej Times

...a...

full review

Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar,

MiD DAY

...Either way, there’s something so unapologetic, unabashedly unsubtle about it all that it keeps you engaged in the hall, throughout—while the laughs land, and loud dialogues get the applause....

full review

Thumbs up

Movie Talkies

...You know Karan Johar’s cinema, and you get it here in true style, but the way he transforms his blockbuster rom-com and entertaining family drama into a progressive and meaningful film at the same time is what makes RRKPK special. That’s what Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is. What we need today is entertainment with content and a message, and Karan Johar gives you both. Book your tickets now....

full review

Thumbs up by Titas Chowdhury,

News18.com

...All in all, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is a joyful and nostalgic ride. It might not be Karan’s best work but it comes across as a gush of fresh wind. The filmmaker, once again, proves that there’s no one quite like him and when it comes to family sagas, he’s the undisputed king. It’s time to start a petition for the official coinage of ‘the Karan Johar genre of cinema’."...

full review

Thumbs up by Divya Raj Bhonsale,

NewsBytes

...Johar delivered a film that truly defines his styles of cinema- romance, drama, family values, humor, and larger-than-life houses (he brought Pataudi Palace to Karol Bagh). He also cleverly gave glimpses of his previous films through some dialogues, here and there (Bachchan's "Keh diya na, bas keh diya" is my favorite!)...

full review

Thumbs up by https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/,

Times of India

...At heart, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is an entertaining and sweet love story, with flashy and feisty characters given to us in a well-wrapped shiny package. And yet, it's all about loving your family....

full review

So-So by Bobby Sing,

Bobby Talks Cinema.com

...Overall Rocky Aur Rani mii Prem Kahani might not be a bad film for those who do not mind watching the same old stuff, presented in the same old manner with some deliberately added stuffing, making it appear as something grand and colourful worth trying. For the fan of stars, their rejection is also out of question as in the present world, anything and everything gets accepted and defended by the enthusiastic fans....

full review

So-So

Deccan Chronicle

...With Jaya and Shabana in the cast, you expect a ’Silsila’ clash, there isn’t any. However, the moment when the Jaya-Shabana battles show the victor and the vanquished quickly changing places, you realise that it is subtle and Karan Johar may well have missed a trick or two. Or he was missing a script writer like Javed Akhtar....

full review

So-So by Prathyush Parasuraman,

Film Companion

...One question lurks uneasily, which Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar unsatisfyingly but clearly articulated. Where will the couple stay after marriage? This was the central issue that spurred the film’s thudding second half. But in the larger context, this is not important. The film isn’t interested in making a statement as much as it is in how it is making that statement....

full review

So-So by Himesh Mankad,

Pinkvilla

...Karan Johar treats Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani as an entertainer that is sure to find its audience in the metros. It could have gone in the negative zone but is a result of the director’s conviction to make some of the most outlandish sequences land in the right way, especially for his audience. While some of the humor doesn’t land well, and trimming is needed in both halves, it’s Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt who lead the film to be a decent family entertainer. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is a teamwork of Karan's conviction followed to the T by Ranveer and Alia in their performances that should win appreciation in the urban audience and lead to a successful venture....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...As far as prem kahanis go, I am still rooting for Team Rahul and Anjali, but if we are talking subversion, Rocky and Rani's fully filmi revolution could truly be a start of 'soch nayi' if 'swad wahi.'...

full review

Thumbs down by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...What stood out in RARKPK has to be its music. While Jhumka and Dhindhora Baje Re are full-on party tracks, Tum Kya Mile and Ve Kamleya are soultouching. The film also pays an homage to classics by Mohd Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhonsle and Lata Mangeshkar and that ode to the old world charm of Bollywood music is what I truly enjoyed. Oh, and there's also Baba Sehgal's famous track,...

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...On one side is Randhawa Paradise, a sprawling mansion somewhere in National Capital Region. On the other is Chatterjee House, a no less impressive bungalow in (as we are tangentially told) in South Delhi. The two families that reside in these buildings are so different from each other that they could be from different planets....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Apart from the leads, there are noteworthy turns by Aamir Bashir as Rocky’s stern father and Kshitee Jog as Rocky’s long-suffering mother. Dharmendra, one of Indian cinema’s most handsome actors, is a worrying shell of himself. Jaya Bachchan, playing the female counterpart of Amitabh Bachchan’s unyielding pater familias in Mohabbatein (2000) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, carries on with such severity that you worry about her too....

full review

See Also

wogma review

26 Critic Reviews 3.9/5.0

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani - Movie Details

Official Sites: Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Dharma Productions, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apoorva Mehta
Director: Karan Johar
Lead Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt
Supporting Cast: Shabana Azmi, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Aamir Bashir, Namit Das, Jayati Bhatia, Navneet Nishan, Jiten Mukhi, Satish Sharma, Raj Singh Arora, Varun Dhawan, Harmanjeet Singha, Kshiti Jog, Tota Roy Chowdhury, Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Ananya Pandey, Sahil Patel, Lokesh Mittal, Kashish Rizwan, Anjali Dinesh Anand, Churni Ganguly, Abhinav Sharma, Veebha Anand, Akashdeep Sabir, Hiten Puniwala, Seema Anand, Rohan Gurbaxani, Sheeba, Kavita Ghai, Karmveer Choudhary, Ajay Paul, Neeraj Kalra, Hitesh Arora, Raashul Tandon, Jitendra Gaur, Vansh Sayani, Benazir Shaikh, Bharti Singh, Sriti Jha, Shraddha Arya, Arjit Taneja, Arjun Bijlani
Story: Ishita Moitra, Shashank Khaitan, Sumit Roy
Screenplay: Ishita Moitra, Shashank Khaitan, Sumit Roy
Dialogues: Ishita Moitra
Cinematography: Manush Nandan
Editor: Nitin Baid
Background Score: Pritam Chakraborty
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Farah Khan, Vaibhavi Merchant, Remo D'Souza
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Manish Malhotra , Eka Lakhani
Running time: 165 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Relationships,

Romance

View Details

25 reviewers have given Bawaal an average rating of 1.7/5.0 (?)

6 yays 14 nays 5 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)

quick review:

As much a lesson in love, life, and its philosophy as in history—that is not much. Though it doesn’t fall short trying (on loads of issues!), it takes “put yourself in the others’ shoes” a little too literally. (Available on Amazon Prime)

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...You know it will finally work out for Ajay and Nisha. You want it. They are played with such endearing fidelity. This is easily Varun and Janhvi’s career-best. As for Nitesh Tiwari, I am not too sure Bawaal matches the humanitarian spirit of Dangal. But then, that’s not even where Bawaal is going. The characters are not ambitious. They just want to find a place where they can breathe without wondering if the gas cylinder was switched off before they left home....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...We all know that War is bad, Hitler was a liar, and that every relationship goes through its own Auschwitz – the three prime learnings from the film. But what’s the harm in reiterating these simple truths in an era where living in denial is becoming the norm…...

full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Keeping aside his routine roles, Varun yet again showcases his acting prowess. His transition from a flamboyant guy to a sincere human is honest. In the past, with films like Badlapur (2015) and October (2018), he drew attention from his fans to critics — Bawaal showcases his ability for risk-taking. Janhvi, who is improving with each of her films, packs a solid punch as Nisha. Manoj Pahwa and Mukesh Tiwari are noticeable....

full review

Thumbs up by Sonil Dedhia,

News18.com

...Bawaal falls well short of perfection, but it never comes unstuck. It passes muster as a wholesome entertainer embellished with humour, warmth, authentic emotional trappings, and actors adept at going seamlessly along with the flow. Just like Varun Dhawan’s character says, ‘Mahul aisa banao, ki logon ko mahul yaad rahe, result nahi. Tiwari surely manages to create the ‘mahul’ and the audience will also remember the results....

full review

Thumbs up by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...On the technical front, cinematographer Mitesh Mirchandani beautifully captures the world of Bawaal through his lens, production designer Aditya Kanwar lives up to the vision of his director, Daniel B. George’s background music is in sync with the emotions portrayed on the screen, while Mukesh Chhabra’s casting for each character is bang on....

full review

Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy,

Times of India

...Bawaal is worth watching for World War II history, especially the recreation of the holocaust, and Varun as well as Janhvi’s stellar performances....

full review

So-So by Baradwaj Rangan,

Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express

...Despite being stuck in a rotten marriage, she has found a reason to be happy. That, really, is the attitude that wins wars....

full review

So-So by Nikita Thakkar,

Bollywood Life

...Bawaal is a one time watch movie but do not keep high expectations. It also has a good message to share with all....

full review

So-So by Shruti Kaushal,

India TV

...to paying tribute to the martyrs of World War 2, Bawaal gets lost somewhere in Western Europe. By the end of the film, you won’t even care about the performances. And yes, I am not going to mention it either....

full review

So-So by Husain Rizvi,

Khaleej Times

...A World War II theme in a love story. Sure, the premise makes Bawaal an interesting weekend watch, though it could have been more layered....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Despite the uproar in its title, Bawaal is mild even with jazzily-dressed Gujaratis and their love for food thrown into the mix. It's only when things get too schmaltzy for their own good, history is doomed to repeat itself....

full review

Thumbs down by Bobby Sing,

Bobby Talks Cinema.com

...Ending on a personal note, in Mumbai. It all depends upon who pitches such an absurd idea to the producers and what is his background/reputation. If a Nitesh Tiwari is narrating such a weird script, then the production houses will readly accept it as an interesting novel concept. But if the same comes from a fresh newcomer writer, then they will throw it right away, calling it ridiculous. That is the ground reality, whether anyone accepts, agrees, or not referring to BAWAAL....

full review

Thumbs down by Abhimannyu Mathur,

DNA

...With Bawaal, Nitesh Tiwari attempted something bold and brave. But sadly, the execution is where he faltered. This is a director who has given films like Dangal and Chhichhore, which is why Bawaal’s misfire looks all the more stark in contrast....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...Thanks to Bawaal, however, I am an enlightened moviegoer. A film teaching us to appreciate things through the relativity of hindsight has convinced me to criticise things through relative hindsight. you can't say Bawaal is a bad teacher, after all. This is not an education I will forget...

full review

Thumbs down by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...Coming to think of it, Bawaal as a concept, had scope to be made into a good comedy drama with Varun playing the lead had the writing been given more importance and not shooting insignificant foreign locales. All that one takes back, if at all, is that after so much of commotion, it is Nisha’s character that has to give her life / marriage one more shot....

full review

Thumbs down by Satatnu Das,

Hindustan Times

...There's no point in even trying to contextualise that horror and imagine what would one do in that situation. It is a deeply problematic exercise of narcissism and worse, invalidation of the stories of countless victims, whose experiences can never be put under the examining lens. Bawaal is perhaps the most tone-deaf and insensitive film Hindi cinema has produced in recent memory. This is a history lesson no one deserves to sit through....

full review

Thumbs down by Anvita Singh,

india today

...Saddled by the weight to be more than just your average romantic drama, Bawaal staggers throughout the duration of the film and ultimately ends on an all too predictable note with nothing new to add to the conversation about either war or love....

full review

Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...Instead of being moved by the plight of the millions who lost their lives in the concentration camps, as our leads do, walking through Auschwitz (imagine, a Hindi film actually being shot on location; that’s really something ), all we feel is a sense of waste: simplistic and trivialising takes on Hitler, ‘who was greedy for more countries’, something we get to hear in an actual exchange between Ajay and Nisha (you don’t say), and World War II, do not make a history lesson. Forget about heroes, when will our movies come of age?...

full review

Thumbs down by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, Bawaal has a few things going in its way but a lot of them are against it, hence proving why the decision of releasing straight to OTT was the wisest one the makers could’ve made....

full review

Thumbs down by Hiren Kotwani,

MiD DAY

...While the ending is predictable, it makes you feel that perhaps Tiwari could have told the story better without dressing it up with international locations, lavish production values, and unnecessary mahaul to make this bawaal of a film....

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Bawaal has Varun Dhawan in a heroic role, who later drops all the heavy stuff. Yes, Varun Dhawan is a fine actor, but only in Badlapur and the October zone, where the character graph takes complete control. Not something like Bawaal, which takes him to the Coolie No. 1 zone for half the time and makes him a contrary guy the rest of the time. Yes, Janhvi Kapoor can suit the role, but it has to be in the Dhadak or Mili zone, where she actually looks like the characters she is playing. Watching her play a wife, and such a mild one, is not at all appreciated, while her voice tone needs a lot of cleaning. And where was the chemistry we needed for this so-called romantic drama, which it hardly is? Bawaal hardly gives a chance to supporting actors, even if they are highly talented. Manoj Pahwa and Mukesh Tiwari are known faces, yet they get so little to do, while Anjuman Saxena, Vyas Hemang, Prateek Pachori, Shashie Vermaa, and child artists pass on without any impressive scenes....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Bawaal is as fake as its fibber-hero - a film that...

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Ajay’s redemption arc goes only so far. Varun Dhawan does a fine job of portraying an obnoxious man with a visibly nasty streak. But the speed with which Ajay is transformed beggars belief, just as the earnest endeavour to personalise history falls short. The recreation of key historical events reaches its nadir in Auschwitz, where a gas chamber becomes a staging ground for a peak lovey-dovey moment....

full review

Thumbs down by Shilajit Mitra,

The Hindu

...Shilajit Mitra...

full review

Thumbs down by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...Bawaal is the kind of film that subscribes to the folly of its own character: its beautiful imagery is supposed to mask its flaws but in the second half, it barely manages to....

full review

See Also

wogma review

25 Critic Reviews 1.7/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Bawaal - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Earthsky Pictures
Producer: Sajid Nadiadwala, Wardha Nadiadwala
Director: Nitesh Tiwari
Lead Cast: Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Manoj Pahwa, Parth Siddhpura, Arnob Khan Akib, Philipp Droste, Gunjan Joshi, Aariz Saiyed
Story: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Screenplay: Nitesh Tiwari, Shreyas Jain, Nikhil Mehrotra, Piyush Gupta
Dialogues: Nitesh Tiwari, Shreyas Jain, Nikhil Mehrotra, Piyush Gupta
Editor: Charu Shri Roy
Background Score: Daniel B George
Choreography: Caesar Gonsalves, Bosco Martis
Music Director: Mithoon, Tanishk Bagchi, Akashdeep Sengupta
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Kausar Munir, Arafat Mehmood, Shloke Lal, Shukla
Costume Designer: Maxima Basu
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Philosophy,

Relationships

View Details

23 reviewers have given Neeyat an average rating of 1.8/5.0 (?)

0 yays 6 nays 17 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)

quick review:

Too many suspects spoil the broth. Anyone could be the killer and yet your interest is not quite kindled. The dry and droopy narrative lulls the senses instead of engaging us in the whodunnit. (Streaming partner: Amazon Prime)

So-So by L. RAVICHANDER,

Deccan Chronicle

...An interesting cameo from an unannounced actor turning the table adds credibility and also the possibility of a sequel to Neeyat. A hundred and forty minutes initially seem a tad dreary, but Anu Menon ensures he catches the eyeballs of the viewer post the interval. ‘Neeyat’ may have its faults and its sketchy moments. But if you go to this Scotland castle, you are unlikely to crib about the effort....

full review

So-So by Abhimannyu Mathur,

DNA

...Neeyat is a good attempt in this underexplored genre, but you don’t get marks for trying in a field as cut throat as filmmaking. The end result is, sadly, not as slick as it could have been with all the ingredients director Anu Menon had with her. And that’s truly a shame!...

full review

So-So by Deepajana pal,

Film Companion

...Neeyat revels itself to be leaning heavily on contrivance and coincidence. Even if you have not read a single mystery by Agatha Christie, chances are you will anticipate the final twist (and reveal) in the film....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...All-in-all, watch the film if you like old school murder mysteries. Vidya Balan has excelled in another complex character. How we wish it was all better put together....

full review

So-So by LIPIKA VARMA,

Free Press Journal

...All in all, Neeyat is a one-time watch also because Neeyat marks Vidya Balan’s return to theatres after her successful stint on OTT with three super hits....

full review

So-So by JOYEETA MITRA SUVARNA,

India TV

...Apart from this, almost all the actors of Neeyat areknown for their performance like Ram Kapoor, Rahul Bose, Nikki Walia, Neeraj Kabi, Shahana Goswami but they fell prey to the weak story....

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...Post-interval, the petering out is rapid. Some of the performers are game triers, especially Ram Kapoor, but the milling around doesn’t help. Neither does Balan’s stolid clomping around, trying to pull off a smart sleuth, who also, that’s right, has something to hide. Smart viewers know a red herring when they see it....

full review

So-So by Shubham Kulkarni,

koimoi

...Anu Menon’s humour is something that always lands nicely without taking away anything from the moment. Neeyat is no exception. While she attempts to layer her script by adding a commentary of sorts on the exploitation of the have-nots at the hands of the wealthy, but it never blooms into a conversation. The mystery is fun to watch, and some twists even work nicely. You can expect a seasoned movie if she attempts to make another whodunit....

full review

So-So by Uday Bhatia,

Live Mint

...While I wish Neeyat was more its own film, it’s nice to see Balan continue to work regularly and well, on what seem like her own terms. She starred in one of the best Hindi films of 2021, Sherni, and one of the best of last year, Jalsa. In an industry where most actors are operating from a place of calculation and fear, hers will be a second and third innings to watch....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Neeyat is an honest attempt to bring Hollywood’s much-hyped humorous detective drama into the Hindi cinema industry. But the tactics and technical aspects haven’t been good enough to make a decent film....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Neeyat is able to sustain the mystery until the final act, with a massive twist or two thrown in for good measure. Therein lies the biggest success of a fast-paced, strictly by-the-book thriller that isn't exactly a true-blue humdinger but is never in any danger of going bust either....

full review

So-So by https://www.news18.com/movies/neeyat-review-vidya-,

News18.com

...Ram Kapoor’s act as a billionaire comes across as a parody of Vijay Mallya. His one-tone acting is something that he needs to seriously consider. Ditto for Shashank Arora who needs to come out of his serious boy image. Neeraj Kabi and Rahul Bose try to play their parts well. Shahana Goswami’s over the top acting feels a bit unnecessary while the rest of the cast are also passable with their performances."...

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Among the noteworthy actors is Ram Kapoor, in full-blown corporate charlatan mode. Rahul Bose has a few fun moments as the eternally vamping Jimmy. Vidya Balan, who has previously played a rookie detective in Bobby Jasoos (2014), is as serviceable as the film itself....

full review

So-So by Pooja Birala Jaiswal,

The Week

...Somehow surprisingly, nobody in the film is a happy soul. As if to declare that all rich people have some deep frustrations and such is the life of the rich! If as an audience, we'd have been served some happy times as well, may be Neeyat could have been worth a second time watch, too....

full review

So-So by Dhaval Roy,

Times of India

...The film is watchable purely for the performances and the way it's stylised. It offer a couple of spooky scenes, too. But for a thriller, the movie deserved a far tighter screenplay, more suspense and surprise elements thrown in. But we are left needing for that....

full review

Thumbs down by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...In a nutshell, Neeyat is far from perfect. It needed way better writing, a focused screenplay, and more nuanced performances. There's a cameo at the end, which might put a smile on your face, though it's not sufficient to save the sinking ship. Watch Neeyat in theatres for its sheer spectacular views and if you are a Vidya Balan fan, you may be left disappointed....

full review

Thumbs down by Mayank Shekhar,

MiD DAY

...My favourite line in the film, though? “It’s dangerous to believe in your own bullshit.” Applies equally to Neeyat. Naah, wish had said niyet to this, totally....

full review

Thumbs down by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...I had high hopes for the Anu Menon directorial, but the thriller limps on more than one front. How am I supposed to take a film seriously where a father calls his son "buddy" seconds after being punched by him? Neeyat features possibly Balan's most dispirited performance, and barring its final twist, nothing else will pull the rug from under your feet....

full review

Thumbs down by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...Vidya Balan’s portrayal of a CBI personnel is confusing and often frustrating during the narrative, but there is a reason behind that under confident depiction and the actress brings that to life beautifully on the big screen. However, I would like to add that from a genre perspective, I wish the makers would have taken some other route to portray that aspect of Mira Rao’s personality, because especially in the second half the lack of confidence really tests your patience as an audience....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,

Rediff

...Neeyat is not only sluggish, it also creates zero interest in the characters. From that bunch, only Rahul Bose stands out, because he plays Jimmy with comic eye-rolling staginess.

Vidya Balan is given an unflattering get-up and deadpan look.

The positives? It is not boring, and one didn't see the final twist coming.

Neeyat could, perhaps, be watched on OTT, where it is inevitably headed.

These days, repeat audiences to the cinema halls are rare but a film can at least hope for it.

Even after knowing how Christie's And Then There Were None (the idea behind this one) ended, one can still watch the Hindi version Gumnaam (1965) multiple times and enjoy it....

full review

Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...Amidst the long list of imposters, it is Shahana’s honest performance that stands out. She fills Lisa, a shallow socialite with lots of substance. Rahul provides a few moments of his whimsy magic and so does Shashank, but as one said, they only have a storm in a teacup to stir....

full review

See Also

wogma review

23 Critic Reviews 1.8/5.0

Neeyat - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Abundantia Entertainment
Producer: Vikram Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Lead Cast: Vidya Balan, Ram Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Danesh Razvi, Rahul Bose, Shahana Goswami, Amrita Puri, Dipannita Sharma, Neeraj Kabi, Shashank Arora, Prajakta Koli, Niki Walia
Music Director: Mikey McCleary
Lyrics: Kausar Munir
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Murder Mystery,

Suspense,

Thriller

View Details

wogma rating: Switch channels if it's on cable (?)

quick review:

Numbed me, in mind and body.

Review That felt like the longest 135 minutes I have spent in a theatre. I cannot even remember when I so desperately waited for the interval, just to get a break from what was going on. I never imagined a film with Ayushmann Khurrana had the capacity to induce adverse emotions.

From the word go, the movie is loud and has a 90ish feel to the story with a Maine-Pyaar-Kiya-esque challenge to the protagonist. Karam—earn XYZ if you want to marry my daughter. Only Karam is a good-for-nothing whose modus operandi is to vehemently resist job suggestions made by his father and best friend before taking the job on.

And yet, almost everyone is attracted to him. Not just like, attracted. Age, no bar. Gender, no bar. Religion, no bar. Marital status, no bar. Not because we know he is a good human being. Not that he might not be. We just don’t know. The writers skip the characterisation part of the character. For any of the characters.

If your aim is to make a slapstick film, writing is irrelevant, is it? Because the film doesn’t seem to have any purpose other than making a juvenile slapstick. For a bit, I thought it wanted to present a progressive view on topics such as gender, obesity, and appreciation of looks other than the norm. But if it was indeed the objective, it wasn’t working. Sure, it did bring a few laughs from the handful of people watching the film. But, they seemed to be laughing at the characters by passing judgments on them.

When you are not enjoying a film, it is difficult to appreciate the departments involved in the film. Sure, the actors are all performing as is required by the genre. It certainly must not have been easy for Khurrana to play a woman. But then, he is hardly able to carry the monologue in the climax. The other talent seems exhausted from being loud too.

I am trying to wrap my head around why anyone thought it was a good idea. And why do so many people don’t have a single person to tell them it is a bad one?

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: A lot of swearing * Nudity & Sexual content: A bare chested Ayushmann Khurrana. * Concept: Slapstick * General Look and Feel: Garrish

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 0.5 * Story: 0 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 0.5
Screenplay: 0
Music Director: 1
Lyrics: 0.5

Dream Girl 2 - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Balaji Telefilms Ltd
Producer: Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor
Director: Raaj Shandilya
Lead Cast: Ayushman Khurana, Ananya Pandey
Supporting Cast: Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Vijay Raaz, Asrani, Manoj Joshi, Sudesh Lehri, Manjot Singh, Annu Kapoor, Seema Pahwa, Ranjan Raj, Abhishek Banerjee, Anusha Mishra, Dolly Singh, Ritu Singh, Raj Sharma, Sapna Sand
Story: Raaj Shandilya
Screenplay: Raaj Shandilya, Naresh Kathooria
Cinematography: C K Muraleedharan, Jitan Harmeet Singh
Editor: Hemal Kothari
Background Score: Hitesh Sonik
Choreography: Raju Khan, Bosco Martis, Ceasar Gonsalves
Music Director: Meet Bros Anjjan, Tanishk Bagchi
Lyrics: Kumaar, Rashmi Virag, Shaan Yadav, Jonita Gandhi
Costume Designer: Ankita Jha, Gauri Joshi
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Slapstick

View Details

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)

quick review:

A half-decent discussion on a much-needed discourse, unfortunately, is only a half-decent discourse.

Review Certainly, we need to know that the prohibition on talking about sex is unnecessary. So much so that just by existing, such talk earns brownie points. After all, it has brought the forbidden to the table. For it to be a well-made film though, it has to be more than a drawing-room conversation.

OMG2's story seems as force-fitted as any other film which wears its agenda on the sleeve. The conclusion is ready. Everything that comes before is wedged into place. And if a response to an action doesn’t suit this motive, it is brushed under the carpet, if mentioned at all. Even if it is the most obvious reaction a human would have.

Then comes what seems like a lazy option to have such a discussion—a courtroom drama. I can see the lure. The format lends itself to being entertaining. But, it also feels like a copout especially when the writers have decided that there are no valid arguments against their agenda. Else, at the very least, they would have tried to give the lawyers in the opposition stronger opinions than “ridd-iculous”, “shameless!”, “the victim has an agenda of saving themselves…” Yeah, that last one is both ridiculous and shameless.

I didn’t enjoy the divine intervention either. Why invoke Them for a problem that humans created? But I understand that the convinced are not the film’s target audience. The need to invoke God to influence those less aware is ironically logical. But is the tackiness-smugness combination unavoidable? The unnecessary inclusion of drama towards the end of the film does it no service.

As much as I appreciate Akshay Kumar backing discussions on taboo topics in his films, I am glad the movie doesn’t bombard us with his presence. Else, tolerating that know-it-all expression constantly would have been painful. I do acknowledge that the preachiness has reduced considerably over the films. And yet, it has a long way to go.

It does help that Pankaj Tripathi, playing Kanti, carries much of the teaching load. He brings sincerity to all the grandstanding. After all, Kanti's main argument revolves around reminding us of what was in Indian scriptures. That sex is a natural act, and the distastefulness it is treated with is the doing of British prudishness take a back seat. But that is what would happen in a drawing room conversation, and Kanti isn't a lawyer. So, Tripathi does the role and its opinions much justice. Also contributing a My Cousin Vinny flavour to the proceedings.

Having a woman play the villain, given the subject of the film, is a nice touch, too. Though I do wish Yami Gautam's Kamini had weightier arguments. She can only do so much with the material she's given.

OMG2 gets added to the list of films about topics that need attention but does so as a sermon rather than convey it through a story. I get that the filmmakers think a direct approach will be more accessible to their audience. I don't agree. Also, we won't have a 'boy-meets-girl' number of films on the topic. So only the few that are made have to take on the onus of doing it well. A half-decent discussion on a much-needed discourse, unfortunately, is only a half-decent discourse.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None. * Language: Clean. Well, the film is about masturbation and sex education. * Nudity & Sexual content: The film is about masturbation and sex education. No nudity, though. * Concept: The importance of sex education. * General Look and Feel: A court-room drama.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 1.5
Music Director: 1.5
Lyrics: 1.5

OMG 2 - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Cape of Good Films, Viacom18 Studios, Wakaoo Films
Producer: Jyoti Deshpande, Ashwin Varde, Aruna Bhatia, Ajit Andhare, Swaroop Sampat, Vipul D Shah, Rajesh Bahl, Hemal A. Thakkar
Director: Amit Rai
Lead Cast: Yami Gautam, Pankaj Tripathi
Supporting Cast: Akshay Kumar, Pawan Malhotra, Geeta Agarwal, Govind Namdeo, Rajan Bhise, Vijay Mishra, Rajiv Kachroo, Arun Govil, Simran Sharma, Aarush Varma, Kshitij Pawar, Yash Bhojwani, Shruti Gholap, Vedika Nawani, Bhavesh Babani, Veena Mehta, Karan Aanand, Jyoti Tiwari, Aashriya Mishra, Ajoy Chakraborty, Pratap Verma, Namrata Kapoor, Hemant Soni, Manoj Dutt, Shiv Kumar Verma, Parag Chhapekar, Shreedhar Dubey, Jogi Mallang, Anvesha Vij
Story: Amit Roy
Dialogues: Amit Rai
Cinematography: Amalendu Chaudhary
Background Score: Mangesh Dhadke, Brijendra Kala
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Sneha Kapoor, Lipsa Acharya
Music Director: Sandesh Shandilya, Strings, Vikram Montrose, Hansraj Raghuwanshi, Pranaay, Kashh
Lyrics: Sandesh Shandilya, Strings, Shekhar Astitwa, Ginny Diwan, Hansraj Raghuwanshi, Kabir Shukla, Kashh
Costume Designer: Leepakshi Ellawadi, Jia Bhagia, Mallika Chauhan
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social

View Details

wogma rating: Watch for sure, preferably in theatre (?)

quick review:

Review Don’t let the first 20-30 minutes fool you. The time spent on the set-up pays off by tying up everything neatly at the end. It entertains with its poor jokes and good ones. It engages with a story well told. It does its bit to educate the audience about gender and, of course, cricket. All of the above, with a caveat or two. But the sum of the flaws isn’t significant enough to affect the overall impact.

The progressive tone of the film is set up from the first scene. Ghoomer uses cliches to do this through the first half hour, making it a tad annoying. It’s not like the cliches dry up in the next two hours. But as I walked out of the theatre, the context given by the opening seemed ever more crucial. The sudden transformations of characters seem natural because of what we know about them through the initial framework.

Yet, one can wish that a woke film didn’t find a way other than fat-shaming to accentuate its feminism. The same goes for the eye-roll-worthy grand entry given to its star, Abhishek Bachchan. That was one of the few scenes that take you away from the story. Another one also involves Abhishek Bachchan. The man makes ‘cool’ look simple and ‘being difficult’ look so easy, but he cannot carry a monologue. Also, doesn’t help that his drunk character can only remind you of his father every few minutes, who is also in the film! Supposedly to add spunk but I found it gimmicky and/or an attempt to steal the real star’s thunder, Saiyami Kher.

Her character, Anina speaks little, which is why maybe I found Kher’s dialogue delivery slightly awkward. But boy, does she more than make up for it through her expressions and body language. She doesn’t need lines to pack a punch. The subtlety seems effortless even as Anina is working hard on the screen.

Similar finesse is seen in other departments too. Some directorial decisions add to the beauty like you witness the passage of time through light seeping in from under a door. The long training montage is well worth the time it takes, owing to the details that shape it up.
Rarely do sequences like these feel like an integral part of the story. The same goes for the characters. Each one is consistent and flows/functions with the story. While the trans woman's inclusion could have used more nuance, the nature of their presence is heartening and on the right trajectory. I could have done with a little less of an a$$3#07e for a coach, even if he was the only person who didn’t patronise the protagonist. At the same time, by the end, his impudence seemed more a part of his character than an attempt to show that only rudeness gets results.

These thematic touches executed without much ado make Ghoomer a warm watch. Of course, the resilience of its lead character and the roll-out of the climax keep you hooked. However, that by the end, whether or not Anina’s team wins is truly irrelevant, is Ghoomer’s victory. Anina, cricket, and the film had already won by then.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A punch here, a slap there. An accident, some blood owing to the accident. * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: One lip-to-lip. * Concept: Human resilience * General Look and Feel: Crisp and real.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3.5 * Story: 4 * Lead Actors: 3.5 * Character Artists: 4

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 3.5
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 3.5

Ghoomer - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Hope Film Makers, Saraswati Entertainment Private Limited
Producer: Abhishek Bachchan, Ramesh Pulapaka
Director: R. Balki
Lead Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Saiyami Kher
Supporting Cast: Shabana Azmi, Amitabh Bachchan, Angad Bedi
Story: Rishi Virmani, R. Balki, Rahul Sengupta
Cinematography: Vishal Sinha
Editor: Nipun Ashok Gupta
Background Score: Amit Trivedi
Choreography: Shampa Gopikishna, Bertwin Ravi D’souza
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Swananda Kirkire, Kausar Munir
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Philosophy,

Sports

View Details

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?)

quick review:

OH MY GOODNESS!

So loud! But hey, the lead women have proper jobs.

So much gyaan. But necessary too?

So many missteps. But woke too.

So predictable. But some unexpected decisions too.

So little physical chemistry between the lead pair. But they ace the non-physical one.

So so long. No buts after that, it is long.

Review 25+ years since DDLJ and Hindi films are still trying different means to convince the disapproving families while staying loud, exaggerated, over-simplified, and slightly entertaining. Therefore, maintaining all that is unlikable about such films. But Rocky aur Rani kii Prem Kahaani tries a novel approach. That cannot be denied. A progressive one, at that. It even gives women proper jobs that they are passionate about. Yes, I am happy with that start. Yes, the bar is that low.

So, Dhanalaxmi (Jaya Bachchan) is a matriarch whose will is made the family’s way. She’s fearfully stern and appropriately dislikable. But Dhanalaxmi knows what she wants, grabs the chance when she gets it, and boy, does she not let it go! Unpredictably, the story revolves around her, and I absolutely loved the way her transition is done and the climax her arc gets. It is unreal how such a real thing crept into the script.

While Jaya Bachchan lets Dhanalaxmi become hateful and deservedly hated by the audience, she reminded me of Amitabh Bachchan’s characters from Mohabbatein and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham instead of reminding me more of Dina Pathak from Khoobsurat (1980). Yet, it is nice to see her hold her own over-shadowing Shabana Azmi and Dharmendra’s presence.

In fact, the two don’t quite look natural together. It is cute, only because they are old and are doing sweet couple things. But then again, Ranveer Singh and Aliaa Bhatt don’t have the coupl-y energy either. They are as awkward as the senior citizens in the scenes that require intimacy. Their chemistry in the non-physical or banter scenes—specifically those that do not require them to be physical with each other—shows how comfortable they are with each other. Yes, the bestie vibe shines through. I guess it is difficult to unsee their camaraderie once you have seen them as real-life friends in a Karan Johar environment.

Speaking of which, I am sure it is irresistible…the temptation to make an Aliaa-doesn’t-know-the-president’s-name reference in a Karan Johar film. And any day, I’d take self-deprecating humour over slapstick. I quite enjoyed the randomly spread political jibes too. And I actually laughed out loud at a couple of jokes.

While the writing is not sparkling, it has a few sparks. The underlying theme of ‘othering’—be it based on class, community, intellectualism, health, or profession—and how we have made a sport out of humiliating the ‘other’ has its high moments. Some of this is done the old-fashioned way, like reading aloud a WhatsApp lecture on Women’s Day. But some of it is slid in. Cheeky but enjoyable.

Just like colour, especially those of Aliaa Bhatt and Ranveer Singh’s costumes, is used to display their personality at first. And then in a dream sequence the colour of the clothes is used to show their influence on each other . I am yet to decide if it’s good or bad that I was looking forward to Bhatt’s next sari change, one more gorgeous than the other, especially in the film's first half.

The film’s real story begins in the second half. Until then is the set-up, which is why the film feels unnecessarily long. It’s not like you get bored while watching it. There is enough glamour, colour, and clamour to keep your senses engaged, even if it is to annoy you. Though the music from the 50s and 60s entertains you in the first half, it all disappears in the second half, I assume making way for the modern love story. Unfortunately, none of the original music is the foot-tapping memorable kind that we are used to from a Karan Johar production. And by the end of it all, you feel like you have been on that seat for a bit too long.

As creative as the film’s take is to familial disapproval of a youngster’s choice of spouse, it is a superfluous one too. It is neat that they do not offer a magic wand solution, nor do they have characters switch personalities in one swift scene with a few smooth lines. It indicates that the makers have grown in the last few decades to know that fairy-tale-like solutions won’t work. At the same time, they know as much as we do, that they are not here to bring a fool-proof solution. A potential option, a potential playout of the potential option. And a little entertainment on the side.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None. * Language: Some abusive language in passing. * Nudity & Sexual content: A few lip-to-lips. * Concept: A couple that is in love tries their hand at getting familial approval. * General Look and Feel: Bright, loud, alive.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2.5 * Lead Actors: 3.5 * Character Artists: 4

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani - Movie Details

Official Sites: Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Dharma Productions, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apoorva Mehta
Director: Karan Johar
Lead Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt
Supporting Cast: Shabana Azmi, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Aamir Bashir, Namit Das, Jayati Bhatia, Navneet Nishan, Jiten Mukhi, Satish Sharma, Raj Singh Arora, Varun Dhawan, Harmanjeet Singha, Kshiti Jog, Tota Roy Chowdhury, Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Ananya Pandey, Sahil Patel, Lokesh Mittal, Kashish Rizwan, Anjali Dinesh Anand, Churni Ganguly, Abhinav Sharma, Veebha Anand, Akashdeep Sabir, Hiten Puniwala, Seema Anand, Rohan Gurbaxani, Sheeba, Kavita Ghai, Karmveer Choudhary, Ajay Paul, Neeraj Kalra, Hitesh Arora, Raashul Tandon, Jitendra Gaur, Vansh Sayani, Benazir Shaikh, Bharti Singh, Sriti Jha, Shraddha Arya, Arjit Taneja, Arjun Bijlani
Story: Ishita Moitra, Shashank Khaitan, Sumit Roy
Screenplay: Ishita Moitra, Shashank Khaitan, Sumit Roy
Dialogues: Ishita Moitra
Cinematography: Manush Nandan
Editor: Nitin Baid
Background Score: Pritam Chakraborty
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Farah Khan, Vaibhavi Merchant, Remo D'Souza
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Manish Malhotra , Eka Lakhani
Running time: 165 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Relationships,

Romance

View Details

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)

quick review:

Review He’s an unlikeable person, Bawaal’s protagonist, Ajay. Sure, he might not be outright rude, but he is still not what you’d expect in a Hindi film, ‘hero’. The film borderlines on making the unlikeable, glamourous but keeps him largely unpleasant. And yet, it isn’t interesting. You kind-of know where it is headed and how it will end within the first few minutes. The ‘how’ ends up being a lot of metaphorical lessons through history.

Ajay’s concept of self-image is a tad exaggerated. Yet, it is intriguing that for someone so shallow, he has sparks of self-awareness and honesty that make you sit up and notice. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t land.

It is not for want of effort from Varun Dhawan. He plays the self-centred yet insecure Ajay well enough for you to dislike him ‘just right’. Even his chemistry with—the otherwise blandly written Janvhi Kapoor’s—Nisha shows disgust, disinterest, awe, and reverence as called for by the story. It is also evident that her demure personality is written with the intent of her shining quietly as we see Ajay come of age.

And maybe therein lies the problem. Bawaal is reverse-engineered. It has decided to use the horrors of World War II to bring forth the trivialities of today’s day-to-day issues. And everything else is force-fitted to this aim. Alongside, it takes a shot at bringing out the futility of war, which almost all Hindi war films glaringly miss out on. It also takes potshots on how Gujaratis eat and dress. The mocking is too loud, and the conclusion, “That’s just another way to live,” is too subtle. The purpose of it all, is too ambiguous.

The main plot’s purpose, though, is to teach us about perspective through the lives of holocaust victims and survivors. The analogy is a bit too far-fetched. Do I really need a gas-chamber-level horror to point out the size of my problems?

But, hey, it seemed to work for Ajay. And any day, it is better than him transitioning from a grade-A @**! with just one line or half an incident, like we are used to in watching mean characters change in Hindi films. And then again, maybe this is what some of us need. Someone to tell us that we should learn from our mistakes, as human beings, and as the human race.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A slap. * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: One scene with characters talking about Amsterdam’s prostitute and one brief scene with them. * Concept: Coming-of-age of a full-grown man. * General Look and Feel: Crisp and matter-of-factly.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 1.5
Screenplay: 1.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2.5

Bawaal - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Earthsky Pictures
Producer: Sajid Nadiadwala, Wardha Nadiadwala
Director: Nitesh Tiwari
Lead Cast: Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Manoj Pahwa, Parth Siddhpura, Arnob Khan Akib, Philipp Droste, Gunjan Joshi, Aariz Saiyed
Story: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Screenplay: Nitesh Tiwari, Shreyas Jain, Nikhil Mehrotra, Piyush Gupta
Dialogues: Nitesh Tiwari, Shreyas Jain, Nikhil Mehrotra, Piyush Gupta
Editor: Charu Shri Roy
Background Score: Daniel B George
Choreography: Caesar Gonsalves, Bosco Martis
Music Director: Mithoon, Tanishk Bagchi, Akashdeep Sengupta
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Kausar Munir, Arafat Mehmood, Shloke Lal, Shukla
Costume Designer: Maxima Basu
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Philosophy,

Relationships

View Details

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)

quick review:

Review You would think that if 10/10 character are suspects, you would be at the edge of the seat. Neeyat, though, spends way too much time in dry introductions that are made to sound peppy. If only sarcasm was enough to hook a viewer in.

It doesn’t help that the introduction leads you to believe that not one character is genuine and all have an agenda of their own. Is it a surprise then that you don’t like any of them, or don’t root for any of them? Just the one potentially unbiased character comes in too late, and the strangeness around them lasts long enough to wear you out.

It is cheeky of the writers to call our dislike for the characters ‘middle-class judgement’. My reaction to the blunt expression was perfectly captured by Vidya Balan. Unfortunately, that is the extent to which her talent is utilised. Otherwise, she could have sleep-walked through this portrayal of wannabe-Holmes-of-a-character.

When her character is not creating the intended impact of making her sound like she’s reading a Wikipedia entry, she makes interesting observations. And even more surprising is that she finds her equal in another character in terms of knowing human nature. But that bit is not put to use, and doesn’t raise the stakes. It doesn’t help that performances other than Ram Kapoor’s are theatrical, creating little to match what Vidya Balan does, let alone what she is capable of.

Other than that, Neeyat creates an obvious Knives Out atmosphere. However, the production is uneven. In one moment, it is comic, and in another, it has this artsy treatment. The music does it no favours by not coming together as a whole and seeming choppy.
With this lack of attention to writing and execution, I found its matter-of-fact treatment of homosexually most refreshing. I wish more Hindi films had such a natural hand at it.

Unfortunately, though this is hardly enough to make the film worth two-plus hours of your time, other effort, and, of course, money.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Murder * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: A murder mystery * General Look and Feel: Shot in what looks like a Scottish mansion with a darkish palette.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2 * Lead Actors: 2 * Character Artists: 2

Dialogues: 1
Screenplay: 1
Music Director: 1.5
Lyrics: 1

Neeyat - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Abundantia Entertainment
Producer: Vikram Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Lead Cast: Vidya Balan, Ram Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Danesh Razvi, Rahul Bose, Shahana Goswami, Amrita Puri, Dipannita Sharma, Neeraj Kabi, Shashank Arora, Prajakta Koli, Niki Walia
Music Director: Mikey McCleary
Lyrics: Kausar Munir
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Murder Mystery,

Suspense,

Thriller

View Details

26 reviewers have given Satyaprem Ki Katha an average rating of 2.7/5.0 (?)

7 yays 5 nays 14 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?)

quick review:

Its heart’s in the right place, but what’s the point if it’s left for too late into the film. Until then, we tolerate the usual hammy act in a sluggish film with loud caricatures.

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...This film is a new beginning for both Kiara and Kartik. They shine in the emotional scenes, maybe a little more than expected, as the supporting cast is woefully sketchy. If only Widhwans had stuck to the central story of a vagrant who finds an anchor in his commitment to that thing called love....

full review

Thumbs up by Smrity Sharma,

Bollywood Life

...Satyaprem Ki Katha is an unexpected and thought-provoking love story that surpasses expectations. While it comes with flaws, Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani's earnest performances shine through. Director Sameer Vidwans does a great job at successfully bringing to us an unconventional family dynamic. Overall, it is a heartfelt movie that delivers a strong social message....

full review

Thumbs up by Abhimannyu Mathur,

DNA

...Yet, Satyaprem Ki Katha falters. The first half, the build up to the real story, drags. You don’t feel that afection for Sattu as you should, not for long. You don’t sympathise with Katha when she acts aloof or annoyed. A tighter script could have fleshed out these characters and their motivations better. But the actors do their part and try to make these characters likable. The problem lies in how the overall package never appears completely cohesive....

full review

Thumbs up by Aakash Kumar,

Filmi Beat

...Kartik Aaryan looks endearing as Sattu while Kiara looks gorgeous as Katha throughout the film. For me, both of them have delivered one of their best performances in Satyaprem Ki Katha. While the duo shared absolutely thandi chemistry in their last outing Bhool Bhulaiyya 2, Kartik and Kiara look stunning together in this film.

Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2023/satyaprem-ki-katha-movie-review-and-rating-kartik-aaryan-kiara-advani-best-performances-must-watch-355928.html?story=4...

full review

Thumbs up by Ganesh Aaglave,

FirstPost

...Starting on a light-hearted slice-of-life note, Satyaprem Ki Katha takes a serious turn to give an important social message. But in the end, it leaves you with a smile on your face....

full review

Thumbs up by Himesh Mankad,

Pinkvilla

...Satyaprem Ki Katha is a love story with the heart at its right place. It’s Endearing, Emotional, and Entertaining with strong performances by the two leads – Kartik and Kiara. Slight trimming was needed but eventually, you leave the cinema halls with a smile on your face appreciating the maturity that Sameer Vidwans has treated the subject with. It’s a Prem Katha that deserves all the Prem!...

full review

Thumbs up by ANISH MOHANTY,

Planet Bollywood

...Director Sameer Vidwans and writer Karan Shrikant Sharma do a fine job of conveying an important message to the audience through a film which has been nicely packaged as a commercial entertainer. One of the better Hindi films to have arrived this year, ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’ should appeal to a wide segment of the audience....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...All in all, SatyaPrem Ki Katha is a love story with a difference, thanks to the cause it espouses. No means no. Watch the film for its powerful message and for the chemistry between Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani....

full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...The music might pick up during the upcoming Garba celebrations, but Satyaprem Ki Katha gives a solid feel of a Gujarati daily soap. Sadly, you won’t even get to see the Gujarati delicacies especially when the characters are eating or even mentioning them throughout. The film is an overdose of dramatic events in a lower middle-class society set against the backdrop of Gujarati culture....

full review

So-So by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...As Satyaprem Ki Katha ticks most of the boxes in the checklist, it could very well be the much-needed love story that Bollywood needed at this point. Watch it with your family and partners for there's a message for everyone and no, it won't bore you even for a bit....

full review

So-So by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, this is not your routine rom-com-drama, it has to say something apart from how madly the guy and girl are in love with each other. Though it overstayed its welcome, I’m glad it was at least here....

full review

So-So by Sonil Dedhia,

News18.com

...By the time the end credits begin to roll, you feel like you’ve been in that hall for what seems like an eternity. SatyaPrem Ki Katha is too long for a story that’s too familiar to begin with. It’s not a bad film, but it’s often dull and you can pretty much predict every next step....

full review

So-So by Divya Raje Bhonsale,

NewsBytes

...Sameer Vidwans's Satyaprem Ki Katha is an honest effort that talks about a serious issue but gets bogged down by a sloppy screenplay. The comic parts, including Aaryan's famous Pyaar Ka Punchnama monologue (Can makers please stop adding that to every film?), don't save the boat....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Kartik sparkles in certain moments of vulnerability, but Kiara Advani is the reason why Satyaprem Ki Katha's simplified, sugar-coated look into serious issues like consent doesn't hit problematic notes....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Advani’s sensitive, soulful Katha delivers her dialogue a few notches lower than her co-star, is effective in the serious moments, and affecting when she finally reveals her secret. Reuniting with Aaryan after Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Advani displays further evidence of her growing confidence as well as her ability to quietly keep some of the thunder for herself....

full review

So-So

The Guardian

...Before you can get too depressed by it all, though, the cast are signing, dancing and batting their lashes at one another, and everything feels all right again....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...One of Satyaprem's most endearing qualities is that he blurts out whatever's on his mind, because… why be afraid to tell the truth! There is, at first, a rebuttal of this thought – that some truths cannot be told so easily. But by keeping everything inside, your life becomes a lie. When Katha reveals her trauma, she begins to smile. That's this film's most beautiful image. That's why the title works both ways. Satyaprem makes Katha his – so she becomes "Satyaprem Ki Katha". But more importantly, the truth sets her free. Put differently, the film is about the love for truth: "Satyaprem Ki Katha"....

full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...Satyaprem Ki Katha’s biggest issue is that it loses its decent messaging under the loudness of the hero’s journey. In creating a “hero” out of its protagonist, it forgets who the actual survivor is. More than once, Satyaprem claims he will be a side-hero to Katha’s journey but that doesn’t materialise in the film itself....

full review

So-So by As Satyaprem Ki Katha ticks most of the boxes in t,

The Week

...The film could have elevated its plot by avoiding the dramatisation, simplification and Bollywoodification of a sensitive topic. Perhaps its National Award-winning director Sameer Vidwans (whose Anandi Gopal won a National Award for best feature film on social issues) wanted to highlight another important issue of the high number of unreported rape cases in India....

full review

So-So by Sumit Rajguru,

Times Now

...Overall satya prem ki Katha is an overage love story with powerful performances from its lead pair, Kartik and Kiara Advani if you are a fan of Kartik and Kiara, this will be treat for you. Otherwise the film doesn’t have anything new to offer....

full review

So-So by Ronak Kotecha,

Times of India

...Satyprem Ki Katha is driven by its need to preach and give a message. The subject does move you and leaves you with much to think about, however, it tends to take the more emotional route than an entertaining one....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepanjana Pal,

Film Companion

...By the end of Satyaprem ki Katha, the film feels more like an exercise in virtue-signalling. And less like a labour of love....

full review

Thumbs down by Zinia Bandyopadhyay,

india today

...The dialogues are quite cringe-worthy at several points. For instance, when the relationship is being compared to chai but takes a turn when Gajraj says, “Par gas pe chadhana to hoga”, implying relationships need some heat. And if the constant ‘ma-behen’ doesn’t test your patience, ‘maine suhagraat papa k saath manaya’ definitely will....

full review

Thumbs down by JOYEETA MITRA SUVARNA,

India TV

...What to like about the movie Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani's onscreen chemistry.A strong and interesting second halfGajraj Rao is Effortless Supriya Pathak's vital dialogues and Gujju Ben's character is endearing.Strong punches and one-liners.Kartik's monologue, Kiara's boyfriend's beating scene would definitely clap.

What was not impressive The screenplay is loose and stretched The important twist of the film comes in the second half which does not get much time to explore. None of the songs stand out except Gujju Patakha and Naseeb Se. Pasoori is not new to the people....

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Overall, SPKK is a wannabe social and good film trapped in a messy screenplay. I wish they had been aware of their own motives. Feminism, manhood, sexual trauma, social taboos, romance, comedy, and family drama—it was just too much for one film with no senior face....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...So, Satyaprem Ki Katha educates while it entertains, but many of the creative choices that the script by Karan Shrikant Sharma makes and the directorial sleights that Vidwans resorts to lead to avoidably mawkish convolutions that the film is unable to snap out of, especially in the second half....

full review

See Also

wogma review

26 Critic Reviews 2.7/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Satyaprem Ki Katha - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Namah Pictures
Producer: Sajid Nadiadwala, Kishor Arora (I), Shareen Mantri Kedia (I)
Director: Sameer Vidwans
Lead Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani
Supporting Cast: Rajpal Yadav, Supriya Pathak, Nirmitee Sawant, Anuradha Patel, Shikha Talsania, Gajraj Rao, Siddharth Randeria, Vijay Raval, Maira Doshi, Palash Tiwari, Arjun Aneja, Bhaumik Ahir, Kavya Jethwa, Shamim Mallick, Bijal Dave, Ajay Parekh, Hitesh Modi, Himanshu Gokhani, Anuja Shree Roy
Story: Karan Shrikant Sharma
Screenplay: Karan Shrikant Sharma
Dialogues: Karan Shrikant Sharma
Cinematography: Ayananka Bose
Editor: Charu Shri Roy
Background Score: Hitesh Sonik
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Caesar Gonsalves, Bosco Martis, Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Rochak Kohli, Tanishk Bagchi, Payal Dev, Manan Bhardwaj, X Ali Sethi
Lyrics: Kumaar, A.M. Turaz, Tanishk Bagchi, Gurpreet Saini, Manan Bhardwaj, X Ali Sethi
Costume Designer: Aki Narula, Sachin Lovalekar, Natasha Vohra
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Relationships,

Romance

View Details

22 reviewers have given Adipurush an average rating of 0.9/5.0 (?)

0 yays 14 nays 8 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to your never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)

quick review:

A pretty film. All energy and imagination spent on making it good-looking leading to a lethargic narration with no soul and no entertainment. (Streaming partner: Netflix)

So-So by Bharadwaj Rangan,

Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express

...Om Raut’s Adipurush dispenses with the early parts of Valmiki’s Ramayana, and deposits us in the forest with Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita. One of the first big events is the abduction of Sita, so allow me to describe this stretch. Ravana casts a spell that binds her in vines. She loses her senses and she begins to float like a corpse. Ravana discards his beggar disguise and balloons to his original size: he is a man-monster. An equally monstrous dragon-like creature descends from the sky. Ravana places Sita on it and begins to steer the dragon towards Lanka. Jatayu intercepts Ravana in an attempt to save Sita. He unleashes a sword and jumps off his mount, and he slays the giant eagle. The dragon makes a swoop and catches Ravana in free fall. They reach Lanka, and alight on something that looks like a spaceship docking station from the Star Wars films....

full review

So-So by Nikhita Thakkar,

Bollywood Life

...Watch Adipurush without too many expectations. Yes, it is visually beautiful and everything but it won't leave a lasting impact. Don't watch the film it you are looking to submerge yourself in mythology as it is all about the action....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Ramayana is a much revered epic and shouldn't be treated like LOTR. It has much to teach but its themes of sacrifice, brotherhood and love aren't brought to the forefront here in their full glory....

full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Adipurush isn’t that bad of a film, rather it is way above the expectations set by the pre-promotional mood....

full review

So-So by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...For Indians, Ramayan is a part of life and not just because it is in our mythology but because of the various teachings that we derive from it. It is also because of the drama that is involved every now and then. Om Raut’s Adipurush is probably derived from the fact that Ram is (considered) as the most optimum ‘man’, but the same could not be extracted in a short span of 179 mins....

full review

So-So

News18.com

...The dialogues, on the other hand, make the screenplay a bumpy ride. While credit goes to Manoj Muntashir for not resorting to Sanskritised Hindi for the dialogues that can be easily deciphered by the audience, some of Raghava’s lines are extremely didactic and intellectualised. In a few other scenes, the dialogues are so unintentionally colloquial that you end up cracking up. In a key scene, one of Ravana’s henchmen is seen hurling ‘yeh tera bua ka bageecha nahi hai…’ to Bajrang who is sent by Raghava to check on Janaki in Ashoka Vatika....

full review

So-So by Renuka Vyavahare I,

Times of India

...The VFX and visual appeal are passable if not impressive. The 3D feels like an unnecessary accessory. With a run time of 3 hours, you wish the story wasn’t as dependent on the special effects as it should have been on the nature of its revered characters or what set them apart. Despite the dramatic buildup, the climax doesn't live you with that sense of joy, reward or victory. This one’s a sincere attempt that gets a tad overwhelmed by its ambition of handling a story of this magnitude....

full review

So-So by Ritika Handoo,

Zee News

...Filmmaker Om Raut has made a huge attempt to re-telling the epic narrative in his own style with modern elements added to the screenplay. But why an overdose of Game Of Thrones (GOT) influence? Right from visuals of bats flying (replacing the dragons), darkness all around to background music. Then there's a concoction of characters looking straight out from Planet Of Apes and King Kong - this could be much better and more innovative....

full review

Thumbs down by L Ravichandran,

Deccan Chronicle

...This 500crore effort is in complete disarray. Decades ago, when O P Ralhan made Talash and marketed it as the first 1 crore budget film, it failed at the box- office. Is Johar speaking about it said: A fool and his money parts too soon....

full review

Thumbs down by Abhimanyu Mathur,

DNA

...Adipurush could have been the film the Indian film industry needed and looked up to – an example of how to make a modern epic based on the rich cultural treasure trove of stories our country has. In the end, it becomes a barely-watchable mess because the makers failed to understand that you don’t need grandeur to tell a simple tale like Ramayana. You need to undertsand the core emotions, which Adipurush does not....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...It acts as massage to newer generation that all the evolution in the world should not dilute the holy antiquity of storytelling....

full review

Thumbs down by Ram Venkat srikar,

Film Companion

...Ones again it’s not just the bad VFX that taint the film, it’s lack of strong, original vision. Ajay-Atul’s inspiring score can only do so much to salvage the flim....

full review

Thumbs down by Sai Tulasi Neppali,

fullhyd.com

...Ultimately, Adipurush ridicules its own purported goals. It was meant to be a proud celebration of Indian heritage, but sadly, it seizes every opportunity not only to imitate but to shamelessly steal ideas from other films, offering not even a shred of originality to our cinematic landscape....

full review

Thumbs down by JOYEETA MITRA SUVARNA,

India TV

...When a mythological film is made, the first emphasis is laid on the language, but Om Raut's Adipurush has nothing to do with this. Many Urdu words have been used whereas in the era of Ramayana, Urdu language was not even in existence. Hanuman ji will be heard speaking in colloquial Mumbai language like 'Kapda tere baap ka, tel tere baap ka.. jalegi bhi tere baap ki' may not be liked by the audience. The looks of the characters have been talked about before and Om Raut has said that it is his depiction....

full review

Thumbs down by Shubhara Gupta,

indian express

...his version of the Ramayan is not interested in connecting with the feeling of genuine religiosity that any reading of the ‘granth’ arouses, whether it is the most popular Tulsidas version or the Valmiki version. This is a beloved epic turned into an actioner, reminding you of a little of ‘The Lord Of The Rings’...

full review

Thumbs down by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...Ajay & Atul are the only two people from the entire team who got the assignment continuing to deliver a banger of a soundtrack despite all the negatives. The only reason why I would’ve liked this film as an audiobook more is because of this duo’s otherworldly background score. From Shivoham to Jai Shree Ram, trust them to deliver some ‘God Level’ songs (pun intended!)....

full review

Thumbs down by Uday Bhatia,

Live Mint

...The writing is amusingly ornate, your local Ramlila script but without the fun. For some reason, Raut and co-writer Manoj Muntashir are worried their audience won’t get 2000-year-old plot points. Which leads to scenes like this:...

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Nothing can be said about Adipurush’s VFX, as we all know how bad they are in the trailer and songs. In the movie, things just get worse. That Sanjeevani booti scene is turned into an alien pod, with lots of tools available to make juice in Tretayug. Lanka Dahan is more about Hanuman setting fire to ammunition and liquid gas, if I didn’t get it wrong. The songs are good because they have soul. “Ram Siya Ram” and “Jai Shree Ram” are known chants already, so no credit to the composers and lyricists. The cinematography is there but does nothing except capture things with blind eyes. A couple of frames shake a little as if it were a handy camera and they were shooting an Instagram reel, while some are cut in between. The editing makes the film a tedious affair. The only reason you don’t feel bored is because it’s a known story, and you all love watching the Ramayana. Om Raut impressed me with Lokmanya and Tanhaji, but by making Adipurush, he has committed the sin of a lifetime. I don’t know about others, but I will never forgive you for ruining the most beloved tale from Indian history like this. As a whole, Adipurush is a mockery of the Ramayana....

full review

Thumbs down

NDTV

...If there is anything worse than what Adipurush passes off as dialogues, it is the film's sound design. Not only is it ear-splittingly loud, it is shockingly unimaginative. But why complain when virtually everything else in Adipurush is as just as phenomenally slapdash?...

full review

Thumbs down by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...Prabhas as Raghav is limited in his performance with restrictive expressions. However, the actor shines in two sequences where he motivates his army. Kriti Sanon as Janaki lives up to her part and delivers a balanced performance. Though I wish she had more screen time in Adipurush. Saif Ali Khan has aced Raavan with his expressions, but it is the overall body language that doesn’t work. To show his large demeanor the makers have adapted to the Hulk walk, which doesn’t truly connect with the character. Sunny Singh as Lakshman seemed restricted in his performance, but Devdatta Nage as Bajrang and Vatsal Sheth as Indrajit deliver a good performance....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,

Rediff

...In probably the only really effective scene in the film, Ram tells his army to fight not for him, but for their place in history. Then a bunch of film people come along in 2023 and distort it....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...If Prabhas, whose voice has been dubbed by Sharad Kelkar, glowers monotonously and endlessly, Kriti Sanon is a questionable fit as Janki/Sita. The lack of chemistry between the leads is augmented by the heavily worked-upon backdrops and Manoj Muntashir’s pedestrian dialogue....

full review

See Also

wogma review

22 Critic Reviews 0.9/5.0

1 Reader Review 0/5.0

Adipurush - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Retrophiles Productions
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Om Raut, Prasad Sutar, Rajesh Nair
Director: Om Raut
Lead Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kriti Sanon, Prabhas
Supporting Cast: Sunny Singh Nijjar, Devdatta Gajanan Nage, Vatsal Sheth
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya
Music Director: Atul Gogavale, Ajay Gogavale
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir
Running time: 180 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Fantasy,

Mythology

View Details

26 reviewers have given Zara Hatke Zara Bachke an average rating of 2.5/5.0 (?)

4 yays 4 nays 18 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Loud treatment to a weird story that wants to be about supposed small-town issues, especially the lack of privacy for couples. But the lead actors are not able to look and feel their parts. Doesn’t help that the writing lacks spunk except for a couple lines here and there.

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Watch the film for its slice-of-life comic scenes and the chemistry displayed by the lead cast. It's a perfect one-time watch that'll surely put a smile on your face....

full review

Thumbs up by Grace Cyril,

india today

...Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is definitely a must-watch for its funny punchlines and coming timings. It is a pure family entertainer that could act as a stress buster in the current hustle and bustle of life. But, it had the potential to do more....

full review

Thumbs up by Aditi Giri,

News18.com

...All in all, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is a clean entertainer and doesn’t come off as too preachy. It has family-friendly written all over it and has all the elements of a typical commercial Bollywood entertainer....

full review

Thumbs up

Outlook India

...A magical family film such as this hasn't been seen in a long time. This has to be seen with your loved ones because apart from the fun and games this journey imparts a simple notion of love and family, the grounding foundation of our society....

full review

So-So by L. RAVICHANDER,

Deccan Chronicle

...The film borrows Anand Bakshi’s ‘Phoolon ke shehr mein hai ghar apna, kya sama hai, tu kahan hai’ (Dekho maine dekha hai ek sapna from Love Story). It labours to establish that buying a house is not the same as making a home. ‘ZHZB’ could have been a far better fare. Kapil addresses Saumya: "Dektha hoon to jhatka lagta hain." The film sure falls short of the said standard....

full review

So-So by Abhimannyu Mathur,

DNA

...Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is entertaining in parts and frustrating in others. It takes a strong premise and some strong performers but never fully utilises either. The film sags, drags, and crawls towards the end when the melodrama overpowers the narrative, stretching it longer than it should be. But it is watchable, even it largely for Vicky’s performance and the simpleness of the plot....

full review

So-So by Aakash Kumar,

Filmi Beat

...The film seems a little dragged in the second half, however, overall, it is a decent watch. Zara Hatke Zara Bachke has its share of comedy, romance, drama, and emotions, and can be enjoyed with the family.

Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2023/zara-hatke-zara-bachke-movie-review-vicky-kaushal-sara-ali-khan-endearing-romantic-comedy-must-watch-354088.html?story=2...

full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is laced with some great performances, but the core idea of the film seems illogical. The film is a forced adaptation of the current trend that sadly makes it a one-time watch....

full review

So-So by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...Overall, Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan try to fit in the non glamourous middle class zone and present a story told umpteen times....

full review

So-So by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...I never could wrap my head around movie trailers that give out the entire plot. Makers of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke made it worse with two trailers that revealed more than they should have and left very little for us to watch and find out on our own. Directed by Laxman Utekar, the romantic comedy has a lot going on at the same time and it does leave you with many questions at many places....

full review

So-So by Ridhi Suri,

India TV

...The film doesn’t try to be out of the box or preachy but comes from the most hustling corners of the streets. Perfect songs and ample comic scenes make the film an enjoyable one-time-watch....

full review

So-So by Shubham Kulkarni,

koimoi

...Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is Laxman Utekar building his universe by a step more with two good actors and a relatable tale. But maybe it is reaching its saturation and you can see it....

full review

So-So by Hiren Kotwani,

MiD DAY

...Along with production designers Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray, cinematographer Raghav Ramadoss has beautifully captured the essence of Indore, where the story is set, and also taps into the scenic beauty of nearby places, including Maheshwar, a riverfront that locals visit during the weekend....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...For now, all I can say about Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is that there is nothing hatke, but there’s a fair value to entertainment. Thumbs up for comedy; thumbs down for drama....

full review

So-So by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...Despite receiving credible support from the technical team, it is the overall story of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke that disappoints. For me, the film deserves two stars, but I would add an extra half for the music and Vicky Kaushal’s performance....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...When Zara Hatke Zara Bachke does slow down for some sombre introspection, it lacks the persistence to pursue the problems it gently points out on the matters of provisions and privilege....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...But it’s back to buffoonery soon after. Laxman Utekar’s previous credits include Luka Chuppi, about a live-in couple who pretends to be married after their respective families keel over in shock. That film handled wild tonal shifts much better than Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, which ducks and dives once too often....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...Yes, there are passages where the lead players overdo their organic and inorganic chemistry. Sara is improving with each outing but she needs to channelise her nervous energy in a way that doesn’t feel theatrical, particularly when you have a natural performer like Vicky or Dhanush (Atrangi Re) in the same frame. After a point situations and props start becoming repetitive, but like Kapil would tell his yoga students, the film rediscovers its “Chi” before it’s too late....

full review

So-So

The Quint

...At the end of the day, the comedy in the film has a lot to match up to. Is it funny that Kapil’s family is so comfortable chastising their daughter-in-law and then gets to have a redemption arc without having changed anything about themselves? Not really. I was also left wondering if Kapil’s flippant usage of a casteist slur was an indictment of his upbringing and circumstances....

full review

So-So by Pooja Birala Jaiswal,

The Week

...Although ZHZB feels like so many films one may have watched in the past, especially in the 90s, this one offers some soft moments one can take back and also a light-hearted take on love marriages and familial equations. For these reasons alone, the film is watchable. But not a second time....

full review

So-So by Nairita Mukherjee,

Times Now

...We wish Laxman uttekar had taken dash of that spice and given us same lip smocking moments. For in its current state, Zara Hatke Zara Bhachke is bland....

full review

So-So by Dhaval Roy,

Times of India

...Overall, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is an enjoyable one-time-watch for the funny punchlines, far-out characters and performances. But the unconvincing story and the temperate screenplay prevent it from reaching its full potential....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...I am still wondering how the makers messed up a harmless reverse Marrage story. In a parallel world, I'd have opened this review with "at last" and not "at first" but now more like "Alas" as in :Alas, the wait for a sweet and entertaining romcom.- one that does not overreach for cheap giggles; one that does not use Hrishikesh Mukherjee as a front to appropriate middle cinema; one that treats audiences as humans and not market demographic - will continue. Until then, I'll pretend to hope....

full review

Thumbs down by Lachmi Deb Roy,

FirstPost

...The only good thing about Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is the performance of Vicky Kaushal. He has done a good job. His performance and the way he looks is something that is relatable. And the best part about him is that there is machoism in his mannerism and his looks unlike the other heroes of Bollywood. He gives life to the movie, but some how I felt that the script failed him. And as for Sara Ali Khan, the poor actress just tried too hard, but failed miserably. Better luck next time Sara!...

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...The performances from Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan as the happily married couple whose desire for each other peaks in the face of the challenges that they encounter and then teeters on the edge of collapse are as wildly uneven as the film itself. When they are good, their chemistry is impressive. When they are not, they pull in different directions....

full review

Thumbs down by Divya Bhonsale,

NewsBytes

...Zara Hatke Zara Bachke has its moments that are too good. More than the lead actors, it's the supporting cast that I loved watching. Sharib Hashmi as the Daroga and Kanupriya Pandit as the nagging Mami are my favorite characters from the film....

full review

See Also

wogma review

26 Critic Reviews 2.5/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Zara Hatke Zara Bachke - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Maddock Films, Jio Studios
Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande
Director: Laxman Utekar
Lead Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Sara Ali Khan
Supporting Cast: Sushmita Mukherjee, Inaamul Haq, Neeraj Sood, Sharib Hashmi, Rakesh Bedi, Srishti Rindani, Anubha Fatehpuria, Meghana Agarwal
Story: Laxman Utekar, Ramiz Ilham Khan, Maitrey Bajpai
Screenplay: Laxman Utekar, Ramiz Ilham Khan, Maitrey Bajpai
Dialogues: Laxman Utekar, Ramiz Ilham Khan, Maitrey Bajpai
Cinematography: Raghav Ramadoss
Editor: Manish Pradhan
Background Score: Sandeep Shirodkar
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Relationships

View Details

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

Its heart’s in the right place, but what’s the point if it’s left for too late into the film. Until then, we tolerate the usual hammy act in a sluggish film with loud caricatures.

Review The title is quite off-putting as if Katha (Kiara Advani) is owned by Satyaprem (Kartik Aaryan). Uggh. That is why it took a little while for the ‘woman empowerment’ theme to grow on me. Of course, it is done rather shabbily. In fact, so shabbily that for a bit I was confused. Are they showing a flip case of ‘if women behaved like men’ to empower women or are they being sarcastic, given it is starring Kartik Aaryan? Even if it is the former, it didn’t work at all because of how loud and hyperbolic it is.

And if it was the latter, yes. Scars from Pyar Ka Punchanama don’t heal easily. In fact, every time the camera threatened to pan into Kartik Aaryan’s face in ‘that’ way my body began to cringe. Thankfully, it remains only a threat, as if the makers were teasing us. That doesn’t mean Kartik Aaryan hams any less. He does his whole cute puppy, best-human-being-in-the-world thing. Exasperating!

Kiara Advani balances it off a bit with her muted character. But it takes a village to recover from Aaryan’s do. And Satyaprem ki Katha has a full village of loud performers for Kiara Advani to cover, even if she has some support from Gajraj Rao.

The movie gets to what it really wants to do and say only in the last hour or so. And the intent is pretty valuable. Alas, it comes an hour and a half after boring you out of your wits.

Consent, modernity, and honesty are put forth in a refreshing manner. In fact, the truthfulness part of Satyaprem Ki Katha is as unexpected as it is unreal. For a change, I didn’t mind it being unreal, ridiculously so, at times. I somewhat agree with Katha when she says she wished the world had more Satyaprems. Yes, even if it borderlines on being crass more often than not. It deals a different and mature hand to relationships too.

Unfortunately, it just doesn’t connect. It feels like the actors are making the right expressions and modulations but they aren’t touching a chord.

Certainly not enough to make the film something I would recommend. Instead, I wish they give it another shot after going back to the writing board.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A fist fight. * Language: Some crass language though not abusive in nature. * Nudity & Sexual content: Talk of sex, virginity, asexuality, etc. A couple of lip-to-lips. * Concept: Boy meets girl. After marriage. * General Look and Feel: Colourful and loud.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 1.5

Dialogues: 1.5
Screenplay: 1
Music Director: 2.5
Lyrics: 2

Satyaprem Ki Katha - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Namah Pictures
Producer: Sajid Nadiadwala, Kishor Arora (I), Shareen Mantri Kedia (I)
Director: Sameer Vidwans
Lead Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani
Supporting Cast: Rajpal Yadav, Supriya Pathak, Nirmitee Sawant, Anuradha Patel, Shikha Talsania, Gajraj Rao, Siddharth Randeria, Vijay Raval, Maira Doshi, Palash Tiwari, Arjun Aneja, Bhaumik Ahir, Kavya Jethwa, Shamim Mallick, Bijal Dave, Ajay Parekh, Hitesh Modi, Himanshu Gokhani, Anuja Shree Roy
Story: Karan Shrikant Sharma
Screenplay: Karan Shrikant Sharma
Dialogues: Karan Shrikant Sharma
Cinematography: Ayananka Bose
Editor: Charu Shri Roy
Background Score: Hitesh Sonik
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Caesar Gonsalves, Bosco Martis, Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Rochak Kohli, Tanishk Bagchi, Payal Dev, Manan Bhardwaj, X Ali Sethi
Lyrics: Kumaar, A.M. Turaz, Tanishk Bagchi, Gurpreet Saini, Manan Bhardwaj, X Ali Sethi
Costume Designer: Aki Narula, Sachin Lovalekar, Natasha Vohra
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Relationships,

Romance

View Details

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online (?)

quick review:

A pretty film. All energy and imagination spent on making it good-looking leading to a lethargic narration with no soul and no entertainment. (Streaming partner: Netflix)

Review Growing up, I watched and rewatched Jai Bajrang Bali. I enjoyed and re-enjoyed. It was playful, it was witty, it told the story well. It wasn’t pretty, though. As I watched Adipurush, memories from the other film kept popping into my mind. Because Adipurush is far, far from entertaining. But hey, it is pretty, especially the first half. And the second half is gorgeous as hell in its depiction of a dark, almost always black Lanka.

Adipurush takes itself extremely seriously. That works in the visuals department. As in, the forest that Raghav’s troop finds itself in is depicted with a magical, majestical brush. It engages the eye.

But what the eye enjoys engages the brain and heart only for a bit. The over-arching story of Ramayana isn’t the most interesting one around, in the first place. What makes it charming are the little side stories, like those of Bali-Sugreev, Shabari, Hanuman’s witticisms, Sanjivani, etc. Adipurush gives it a dry, one-tone treatment void of substance, spirit, and soul. To top it off, it thinks that is a good thing and does so in slo-mo. The word melodrama doesn’t have the ring that ‘nautanki’ does. And nautanki is what all this comes across as.

And it's not that the visuals continue to entice. The makers commit to an extremely dark palette in the second half. Their use of contrast is interesting in that the pink/peach of the Ashok Vatika trees against the black looks gorgeous. But firstly, colouring a supposedly beautiful Ashok Vatika hues of dark grey and black is heartbreaking and a bit much. Yes-yes, we get it. Ravan, bad. Black, bad. So, all things Ravan, black. But hey, Ravan garden also bad? Come on!

Then we have the good guys have orange flags, their arrows have orange trails. No one could possibly miss the political symbology. eyeroll But the bad guys' weapons are identified by blue flames. Hmmm. Oh, and not to be missed, lotuses and peacocks supposedly make Janaki happy. I wasn’t too impressed by the part of the Ramayana that the film chose to focus on, just the war. Yep, the 1.5 hours post-interval is almost all war. Equally meh, is the choice of actor to play Ravan.

Anyhow good actors are pretty much wasted in the film. Potentially, the actors are intentionally playing it out like a comic strip, to give us a feel of reading the Ramayana in an Amar Chitra Katha. That is the only way I could explain Saif Ali Khan’s weird walk. Three hours of wooden acting makes it rather boring. Only Kriti Sanon feels like she has some variation to offer, and Devdatta Nage might have were he given something to work with.

The dialogue has no juice at all. The pep talks wear you down. The one-liners don’t land. Like one had me make a mathematical equation. maryaada > praana, Janaki is inside praana, therefore maryaada > Janaki. By some coincidence, there was a spark of a moment between Raghav and Bajrang when they first met. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was just me, given belief in Hanuman supported me through whatever little rough times I had in my childhood.

Other than that, the makers assume we know the story. This assumption allows them to focus on form rather than function. The liberties they take with the story reek of propaganda, like converting Ravan’s vehicle to a ravenous bat. A well-visualised bat, but a bat?

At the end of three hours, the only decent thing I have to say about the film is that it brought this song back to memory. For CGI-generated visual beauty, we are spoilt for choices these days, aren’t we?

~ ~ ~

I watched the film in Hindi, 3D.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A 1+-hour long war sequence other than a couple of other war sequences * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: Picturisation of the Hindu epic, Ramayana. * General Look and Feel: Pretty looking first half, aesthetic but overwhelmingly grey and black second half.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2.5 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 1
Screenplay: 1
Music Director: 1.5
Lyrics: 1.5

Adipurush - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Retrophiles Productions
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Om Raut, Prasad Sutar, Rajesh Nair
Director: Om Raut
Lead Cast: Kriti Sanon, Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan
Supporting Cast: Vatsal Sheth, Sunny Singh Nijjar, Devdatta Gajanan Nage
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya
Music Director: Atul Gogavale, Ajay Gogavale
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir
Running time: 180 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Fantasy,

Mythology

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do ^(?)

quick review:

[Poster for Zara Hatke Zara Bachke]

Review

Supposedly, Indore is a small town. Supposedly, small-town India hasn’t heard of spoons and eats cake by murdering it into their mouths with their fingers. It’s a shame that the writers thought this was the best way to set up the story’s context. It is difficult then to take it seriously when it comments on the sham that government schemes for the underprivileged have been turned into. Or when it talks about the privileged considering themselves unprivileged and trying to game the system. Or even when it revolves around what looks like its main theme, the lack of privacy for couples. Or the slight tapli* to patriarchy. Because, you know, patriarchal society or not, the liberal woman is largely unreasonable and self-centered.

It does the film no favours that neither Vicky Kaushal nor Sarah Ali Khan are convincing as small towners. If only it were as easy as dressing up as small-towners supposedly do. It is not that their faces are not creating the right expressions. They are. Actually, maybe they are doing so too correctly. They don’t own their parts, the act seems fabricated and far away from the situation. All the side characters, except a few like Anubha Fatehpuria and Srishti Rindani, are different variations of loud with the highest being the actor who plays Kapil (Vicky Kaushal’s lawyer friend) to Meghana Agarwal to Sushmita Mukherjee and Rakesh Bedi. In addition, the performances seem to snip from one emotion to another.

It doesn’t help that the writing itself jumps from one sentiment to another rather jerkily and of course, predictably. Sure, a human heart does react impulsively as the situation changes. But here it all seems to orchestrated.

Then there are the little quibbles. Like it is with any profession shown on screen, the one who is engaged in the profession in real-life, cannot stop rolling their eyes. So what is even bhastrika asana or chi vibration in yoga? I have a slight feeling that this was done intentionally, in that case it is funny. However, knowing a little about yoga, it ended up being a distraction for me. So it might work to the film’s disadvantage because there are likely to be quite a few yoga practitioners in their audience. Also, was guilt-tripping the younger couple the only way out of the weird situation that the film revolves around? Unless, of course, that was the primary intention of the film. In that case, I would have very little to say about the film.

Unfortunately, owing to this, the decent digs on aadhar and security guards are wasted. Similarly, I found the cheesy things that Kapil and Soumya have between them adorable because that is how cute relationships are. But none of this covers for the things that don’t work. Despite the self-awareness shown through dialogue used to reprimand characters about the loudness and brashness. Oh yes, and you can see the ‘twist’ coming, even if you might not be able to guess why and how.

Zara Hatke Zara Bachke seems to have some end goals in mind. But, they are reached through either bizarre or perfunctory means.

~ ~ ~
*slight banter-type tap at the back of the head

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: None
Language: Clean
Nudity & Sexual content: None
Concept: A couple doesn’t have privacy and wants to buy a house.
General Look and Feel: Crisp

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 2
Story: 1
Lead Actors: 2
Character Artists: 2

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 1.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2

Zara Hatke Zara Bachke - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Maddock Films , Jio Studios
Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande
Director: Laxman Utekar
Lead Cast: Vicky Kaushal , Sara Ali Khan
Supporting Cast: Sushmita Mukherjee, Inaamul Haq, Neeraj Sood, Sharib Hashmi , Rakesh Bedi, Srishti Rindani, Anubha Fatehpuria, Meghana Agarwal
Story: Laxman Utekar, Ramiz Ilham Khan, Maitrey Bajpai
Screenplay: Laxman Utekar, Ramiz Ilham Khan, Maitrey Bajpai
Dialogues: Laxman Utekar, Ramiz Ilham Khan, Maitrey Bajpai
Cinematography: Raghav Ramadoss
Editor: Manish Pradhan
Background Score: Sandeep Shirodkar
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi , Jigar Saraiya
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family, Relationships

View Details

24 reviewers have given Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norwayan average rating of 2.8/5.0 ^(?)

9 yays

6 nays

9 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online ^(?)

quick review:

A story that shook your insides when you read about it, is told so clinically that you aren’t stirred a bit. Despite an earnest performance by Rani Mukerji. (Streaming Partner: Netflix)

[Poster for Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway]

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice ...Some of the episodes, like Rani’s climactic monologue in the courtroom, can be seen coming from miles away. But we don’t mind being emotionally inveigled just this once. It is a bizarre story told with grace and restraint. It makes you worry about the civil rights of NRIs in foreign countries, and for Indian tourism in Norway.... full review

Thumbs up by Nikita Thakkar, Bollywood Life ...BollywoodLife gives the film three stars. It is a good film that will leave make you think.... full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare ...Watch Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway for its sensitive dramatisation of a real-life case. And for the superlative acting displayed by Rani Mukerji, and the entire ensemble cast.... full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal ...Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is a compelling watch but if you are looking to suit your entertainment palate, then you might want to reconsider. Overall, its a decent film that is high on emotional quotient.... full review

Thumbs up by Zinia Bandyopadhyay, india today ...Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is not a light watch, but something that is compelling and emotional.... full review

Thumbs up by JOYEETA MITRA SUVARNA, India TV ...Since the story of the film is based on a true incident and Sagarika has wholeheartedly accepted the film, the story cannot be questioned in any way. Director Ashima Chibber has handled this emotional journey in a very sensitive manner but she left a little void in some things which should have been clear from the point of view of the audience. The execution could have been a bit better. The film is linked to the child welfare scam, But it has not been shown very deeply. A country that has such strict rules and shows no mercy in separating its children from their mothers. It would have been better if a little investigation was shown as to why they do this.... full review

Thumbs up by Umesh Punwani, koimoi ...All said and done, in the spectrum of displaying mothers’ pain in cinema, this one would continue to ache for a long time owing to Rani Mukerji’s earnest presence in the film.... full review

Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway provides enough as an out-of-the-line and hard-hitting film, but most importantly, it delivers a fine human drama filled with pain and sentiments working overtime.... full review

Thumbs up by Prateek Sur, Outlook India ...The movie centres on motherhood and its challenges. It demonstrates how society's perception of the ideal mother varies by region and can sometimes cause problems due to cultural differences in today's world of widespread immigration. It also sheds light on Norway's lack of consideration and intolerance for cultural differences. The movie also sheds light on how some foreigners continue to regard India as a third-world country based on what little they see in the media.... full review

So-So by L. RAVICHANDER, Deccan Chronicle ...However, we live in times when narratives are accepted only when they are exaggerated and one-sided. I guess the filmmaker was at best making use of the shortcomings of the time.... full review

So-So by Nitin Jain, Glamsham.com ...Overall, at times one needs to get un-entertained, with a story like Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway, which had all the elements for a great story, but the writing spoils the plot.... full review

So-So by Monika Rawal, Hindustan Times ...Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway remains a true-to-heart account of a gut-wreching story of a mother but there are so many layers you wish the director dug deeper and explored with the main character. Nevertheless, I was surprised in the end that such a strong and moving story waited for over a decade to be made into a film. Watch it for a brilliant performance from Rani and keep a box of tissue handy for there are plenty tear-jerking moments.... full review

So-So by Alaka Sahani, indian express ...Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is a story that needed to be told to remind us about the power of a strong-willed mother. But it should have been told differently without giving in to the tropes of commercial cinema.... full review

So-So by Ambica Sachin, Khaleej Times ...But what ultimately works for Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is that this heart-wrenching story of a mother who goes on a rampage to win back her children is not a figment of some Bollywood screen writer’s vivid imagination.... full review

So-So by I wanted to feel more, or at least feel something,, Live Mint ...I wanted to feel more, or at least feel something, for the anguish of these parents separated from their children. I wanted to root for Debika as she fought for the return of her children. Her lawyer describes her as a well-educated woman, yet she is devoid of street-smarts, casually forgetting homework submissions, unwilling to heed the counsel of experienced professionals. But for all of Mukerji's histrionics, for all of Sarbh's efforts, for all of Anirban Bhattacharya's submission to the director, it was hard to root for the Chatterjees in a film that has greater recall as a tear-soaked Bollywood drama than a recreation of a real life human-interest story.... full review

So-So by Titas Chowdhury, News18.com ...Mrs Chatterjee VS Norway tries to tell an inspiring and tear-jerking tale of the fearless and resilient Sagarika Bhattacharya but its ham-fisted and bumpy treatment stops it from becoming one.... full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra, The Quint ...The long battle that Sagarika (and in the film Debika) fought for her kids often went around in frustrating circles but since the characters around Debika aren’t well-written, what should’ve seemed like a suffocating maze seems more like a convoluted, long-stretch of road.... full review

So-So by Renuka Vyavahare, Times of India ...Amit Trivedi’s music embodies the spirit of a fearless mother. ‘Shubho Shubho’ tugs at your heartstrings. The film could have achieved a similar effect if it wasn’t for its populist approach and melodramatic execution.... full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai, Film Companion ...I am Afraid that if I spell it out, the flim might write me into its narrative as a grouchy Indo-Norwegian reporter who gets imprisoned for criticising the facts rather than the fictionalisation of facts.... full review

Thumbs down by Vineeta Kumar, india.com ...The story of a mother’s struggle should have left you weeping as an Indian audience. A mother’s plea never needs anything extra to be sold to the Indian hearts. Underestimating the story is the most basic and probably the biggest mistake that the makers have done here. The failure of Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway is that it is a forgettable film, with such an unforgettable real-life story.... full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...Rani Mukerji, on her part, lets it rip and the film trips on its excesses. Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is an overheated affair that sucks the air out of an intrinsically moving story that deserved infinitely better.... full review

Thumbs down by Divya Bhonsale, NewsBytes ...Chibber has left many loose ends in the film. Important things such as the domestic violence, Nandini (the one who tells Chatterjee about the foster scam), Sarbh's character's empathy for Chatterjee, her divorce, and why her equation with the in-laws went sour, weren't addressed.These elements play an important role in the story, which is why it leaves you a little puzzled.... full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma, Rediff ...Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway's overwrought proceedings take a breather in Jim Sarbh's composed lawyer. His fine thoughts on adoption to an equally level-headed Balaji Gauri at the fag end is the only sobering, sensible thing uttered in this cacophonous ode to motherhood.... full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot, Scroll.in ...When the film shifts to India, where Debika’s theatrics would be considered normal behaviour, she actually calms down and acquires the dignity that would have worked for her in Norway (not to mention the Indian audience). Jim Sarbh and Balaji Gauri. playing lawyers on opposite sides of the lawsuit, go by the established norms of screen courtroom dramas and bring much-needed spark to the film. But it’s too little too late. By this time, Rani Mukerji going at it like a soldier with a grenade has done the damage.... full review

Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Emmay Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, Zee Studios
Producer: Nikhil Advani , Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani
Director: Ashima Chibber
Lead Cast: Rani Mukerji
Supporting Cast: Neena Gupta , Anand Sharma, Charu Shankar, Jim Sarbh , Barun Chanda, Sangram Singh, Anirban Bhattacharya, Bodhisattwa Majumdar, Saswati Guhathakurta, Soumya Mukherjee, Yuvaan Vanvari, Varun Vazir, Roopangi Vanvari, Mithu Chakraborty, Maahir Raghuvanshi, Aaira Jain, Jagriti Bhatt, Rohin Joshi, Sameer Trimbakkar, Yukta Sharma, Saad Baba, Kärt Tammjärv, Tiina Tauraite, Sara Soulié, Kristjan Sarv, Hendrik Toompere Jr., Elina Purde, Raimo Pass
Story: Rahul Handa, Sameer Satija
Cinematography: Alvar Koue
Editor: Namrata Rao
Background Score: Hitesh Sonik
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Kausar Munir
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma, Gerly Tinn
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story, Family, Relationships

View Details

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online ^(?)

quick review:

A story that shook your insides when you read about it, is told so clinically that you aren’t stirred a bit. Despite an earnest performance by Rani Mukerji. (Streaming Partner: Netflix)

[Poster for Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway]

Review

When Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway puts you right in the middle of the action in Scene One, you sense that you have a good two hours ahead of you. Unfortunately, that is not how it works out. In some sense, the first scene is the peak of the otherwise powerful and human story. In the movie though, Mrs Chatterjee’s struggle after the intense beginning gets a limp treatment.

Children being ruthlessly snatched away from their parents is a story that has readymade tugs to your heart. That the movie doesn’t once make my heart go out to Mrs Chatterjee is an issue of pace and narrative.

However, the inherent helplessness is not used by the screenplay. I suspect, in their attempt to not manipulate the audience emotionally or to not milk the situation into vulnerability-porn of sorts, the makers ended up distancing the audience from getting emotionally involved.

The protagonist is cursed with such an awful fate that she is surrounded by evil people, whether it's her husband or the ever-smirking Norwegians around her. The handful of supportive people either are as powerless as her or do not stay around for long. If it were not inspired by real life, I would have wondered why the writers were being so unrealistic.

In that sense, the pace can be blamed on reality too. The woman struggled for three years before that one day that she found relief. Similarly, in the film, things go her way in the last few minutes after a 2-hour fight against the system.

Fortunately, the film is not lacklustre for want of a good performance. Every shriek from Rani Mukerji feels justified and on the mark. At the same time, it justifies the response she receives from people, especially considering that they are all meant to be cruel and have an agenda.

Despite the dull narration, I quite enjoyed the side remark made by the film on the emotional labour involved in a homemaker’s day-to-day life. That it is a lot and that it is not considered as much by those not doing it. Especially, by an Indian man and his family. Though, I didn’t quite understand the necessity to have the national anthem running in the background in a scene towards the film's end.

As I walked out of the theatre, I wondered how the story would have been treated if it aimed at showing the struggle between the capacity of human beings to be mean and selfish versus their capacity to love and protect the ones they love. Yeah, that would be a different movie.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Domestic violence
Language: A few curse words.
Nudity & Sexual content: None
Concept: Kids are separated from their mother by the state.
General Look and Feel: Slick, modern

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 2
Story:
Lead Actors: 4
Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 2.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2

Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Emmay Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, Zee Studios
Producer: Nikhil Advani , Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani
Director: Ashima Chibber
Lead Cast: Rani Mukerji
Supporting Cast: Neena Gupta , Anand Sharma, Charu Shankar, Jim Sarbh , Barun Chanda, Sangram Singh, Anirban Bhattacharya, Bodhisattwa Majumdar, Saswati Guhathakurta, Soumya Mukherjee, Yuvaan Vanvari, Varun Vazir, Roopangi Vanvari, Mithu Chakraborty, Maahir Raghuvanshi, Aaira Jain, Jagriti Bhatt, Rohin Joshi, Sameer Trimbakkar, Yukta Sharma, Saad Baba, Kärt Tammjärv, Tiina Tauraite, Sara Soulié, Kristjan Sarv, Hendrik Toompere Jr., Elina Purde, Raimo Pass
Story: Rahul Handa, Sameer Satija
Cinematography: Alvar Koue
Editor: Namrata Rao
Background Score: Hitesh Sonik
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Kausar Munir
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma, Gerly Tinn
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story, Family, Relationships

View Details

21 reviewers have given Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaaran average rating of 3.0/5.0 ^(?)

9 yays

5 nays

7 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do ^(?)

quick review:

Do we fume at the regressive take? Or do we appreciate the effort at a progressive makeover? Try as I might to appreciate, I lean towards the former.

[Poster for Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar]

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice ...After being convinced that Tinni has a place in Micky’s family I hope she, as the daughter-in-law has more of a voice in the family than the son-in-law. For more on that, a sequel to this insanely engaging film that proves Luv Ranjan to be one of the most original and interesting contemporary filmmakers in Bollywood .... full review

Thumbs up by Urmimala Banerjee, Bollywood Life ...Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is a film which leaves you with a smile as you exit the theatres. It is highly relatable despite its flaws. Luv Ranjan has made an entertainer that is suited for the youth and families in the same breath. 3.5 stars for Tu Jhooti Main Makkaar.... full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare ...Watch Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar for the fresh pairing of Ranbir and Shraddha and for its several comic moments. At 164 minutes, it's a bit long. You laugh the most in the last 30 minutes. If only Luv Ranjan had sustained that manic energy throughout, he would have given us a great comedy. It’s infinitely better than his earlier products and let’s hope he continues to tread this newfound path.... full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal ...Well, with giving away no spoilers, Luv Ranjan’s Tu Jhooti Main Makkaar is supremely entertaining. If you all are up for a lengthy family drama with rona-dhona and naach-gaana, TJMM is a perfect watch.... full review

Thumbs up by Tushar P. Joshi, india today ...Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar’s second half and peppy climax redeem its lazy first half and making it a worthy entertainer. Someone give RK more rom-coms in the future please!... full review

Thumbs up by Ritu Tripathi, India TV ...If you are a rom-com lover, then you will enjoy the film a lot. A must-watch for Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor fans. If you appreciate good Bollywood songs, then you will like this film. If you have ever gone through a breakup then this movie is for you, if you love your family then this movie is for you and only.... full review

Thumbs up by Titas Chowdhury, News18.com ...Music is yet another strong point of the film. The colourful sets coupled with the extravagant song-and-dance sequences are a treat to watch. Pyaar Hota Kayi Baar Hai and Tere Pyaar Mein will remain with you long after the film is over. Kapoor’s suave avatar in Pyaar Hota Kayi Baar Hai might even take you back to Badtameez Dil.Advertisement... full review

Thumbs up by Himesh Mankad, Pinkvilla ...The dialogues are out right funny when needed, and don’t even shy away from going too serious and philosophical when demanded by the situation. The soul of Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar rests in the emotions, which are relatable for both the men and women, as also the families.... full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare, Times of India ...Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar has its humour and heart in place. Character building misses the mark, given the duration.... full review

So-So by Nitin Jain, Glamsham.com ...Overall, for Luv Ranjan’s audience who have loved his movies like ‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama’ and ‘Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety’ will feel in the same zone in ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar’ with resounding encore.... full review

So-So by Shubham Kulkarni, koimoi ...Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is Luv Ranjan trying to make a perfect movie for his audience but adds too much of everything. It could be appropriate for many and even problematic for some and neither are wrong. Choose your poison wisely.... full review

So-So by Mayank Shekhar, MiD DAY ...Of course, you wish them well. Inevitably what follows such a film is what makes this genre interesting—essentially gender debates, on whether the heroine is being gas-lit; gossip over the script, and if it’s really inspired by Ranbir-Alia’s life!... full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...TJMM has crispy dialogues and a lot of glamour that will attract young audiences, including pacy monologues. Some are obscene, though. In SKTKS we had Alok Nath drinking alcohol, which was quite opposite to his Sanskari image, whereas here you have a little girl going against her innocence and age.... full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma, Rediff ...Nor do her awkward comedy attempts like the 'Lala hai tu' joke cracked at Ranbir's expense land as Deepika Padukone's 'You are a halwa' jibe at SRK did in Chennai Express.It's tempting to envision Deepika in the same role.She would play her like an equal. And if Ranbir's enthusiasm in a meta moment of Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is to be believed , so would one half of a certain Ralia.... full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in ...The extended cast includes Dimple Kapadia and Boney Kapoor as Mickey’s over-the-top parents and Hasleen Kaur as Mickey’s harried sister. The talented child actor Inayat Verma plays Mickey’s precocious niece, who, unlike the other characters in the film, has her bullshit meter turned on at all times.... full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar, The Hindu ...Ranjan loves to see relationships from a male gaze and here again the title makes it amply clear whose point of view it is. The difference from his previous films is that here he attempts to create some sense of gender parity when it comes to investing in love before deciding to stand behind the male protagonist.... full review

Thumbs down by Abhimanyu Mathur, DNA ...In the end, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is a fun watch, but only if you have the patience to sit through a first half that is hammied and walks a long and winding route, taking its own sweet time to arrive at any point. It’s almost like Luv Ranjan is trying to test how many will tolerate the first hour and then rewards those who do with an actual good film.... full review

Thumbs down galatta.com ...The post-interval portions are better, but not by much. The film's biggest problem is that its central problem is not that big a problem at all. It could have been fixed with some talk, instead of the insanely convoluted route that's taken. We don't ever feel the deep love Tinny and Mickey are supposed to share.... full review

Thumbs down by Monika Rawal Kukreja, Hindustan Times ...Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is your age-old love story packaged in a modern day setup. It's weird and problematic but rendered in a funny manner, which might hook you in. You may struggle to sit through the pre-interval but things settle a bit after that. Definitely a one-time watch for some entertaining performances and monologues, if you love them as much as Kartik Aaryan does because it definitely helped him click with the masses.... full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...The first half of the film is a disorienting blur. The second is far less so. Post-interval,Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar carves out two random, unfunny cameos for Luv Ranjan's favourite lead pair, Kartik Aaryan and Nushratt Bharuccha. They appear separately as testing tools, one to arouse jealousy in the hero, the other to assess his loyalty.... full review

Thumbs down by Taru B Masand, Times Now ...I have to give it to director Luv Ranjan for touching on a very common issue that most couples go through, especially in today's time. Though the narrative of the film was weak, Ranbir and Shraddha starrer was good in bits and parts. The comic timings and punchlines of Bassi were good but he still needs to establish himself as an actor. Dimple Kapadia was an absolute delight and I wish Boney Kapoor was given some more lines and screen space.... full review

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Luv Films
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Luv Ranjan, Ankur Garg
Director: Luv Ranjan
Lead Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Dimple Kapadia, Nushrat Bharucha , Boney Kapoor, Kartik Aaryan , Rajesh Jais, Inayat Verma, Ayesha Raza, Anubhav Singh Bassi, Monica Chaudhary, Hasleen Kaur, Amber Rana, Jatinder Kaur
Story: Luv Ranjan, Rahul Mody
Cinematography: Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran
Editor: Akiv Ali, Chetan M Solanki
Background Score: Hitesh Sonik
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Bosco Martis, Ceasar Gonsalves
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya, Hitesh Sonik
Costume Designer: Samidha Wangnoo
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 165 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family, Relationships, Romance

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do ^(?)

quick review:

Do we fume at the regressive take? Or do we appreciate the effort at a progressive makeover? Try as I might to appreciate, I lean towards the former.

[Poster for Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar]

Review

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar’s protagonist provides solutions to problems that always existed but are in the open only in the modern day—a breakup service. Cute idea. A novel spin on the boy-meets-girl story too, at least for Hindi films. Unfortunately, in its attempt to be modern and thus progressive, I assume it wants the lead woman to feel gratitude for the illumination she is showered with. Yes, the standard yuckiness I associate with Luv Ranjan films.

The first half does a decent job setting up the story's real premise. In fact, neither the trailer nor anything in the first hour or so indicates the conflict. This is fresh for Hindi films. I was involved and wondered what the interval cliffhanger would be. I hoped that it would be high-stake enough. And I wasn’t disappointed.

Unfortunately, the story to come has a shabby tone and misogyny masquerading in the form of “if only the woman did this or did that…” Sure, she has some comebacks but all of them circle around to, "she doesn’t know better." I cannot say more because the makers took such care not to reveal the conflict—even camouflaged the basic premise with a sus title. All I can say is it safely transitions into Luv Ranjan territory, only this time, it does so subtly.

And you have Ranbir Kapoor making the moves and monologues, so that is a tad better. The good thing is I, for one, can see Ranbir Kapoor dance all day. The lightness and agility he brings to the choreography stun me every time. When he is not dancing though, Mickey is too over-written to use Ranbir’s capacity to emote. Ranbir doesn’t need so many lines. He certainly doesn’t need to call himself good-looking in every fourth line to impress a woman, does he? I had to shake off the Aryan Kartik vibe, even in one of Shraddha Kapoor’s mini-monologues.

The couple shares decent chemistry, though. And I am not talking only about his side planks on her waist. Unless wooing is enough to entice a character like Tinni, we don’t really know what the two like about each other. Yet, the two make love-at-first-sight believable. Tinni knows what Mickey means on their first date, so that’s something. But other than that initial spark, we really have to assume that they are totally and completely in love with each other.

The supporting characters are well, annoying. I suspect though that is intentional. But does that mean we can forgive having Dimple Kapadia be unbearably loud and violent even!? Or excuse a child who is obnoxious beyond her years. The others who play bigger or smaller bits don’t leave anything to remember them by.

Even so, given the story, as I walked out of the theatre, I could have mulled over whether couples go to such lengths to avoid conversation. Or will clothes always be a topic of discussion in a marriage proposal, even if it is in the reverse direction? Because if there was one thing real about the film, it was that entire sequence. Oh also, will the woman continue to be mansplained about the kind of liberation she is seeking? I could have also thought about how cool it is that we are in a space that has a breakup ecosystem. Even if the makers were being sarcastic, I am glad that we are in the space, at least in some social circles.

And instead, I had tangential thoughts, one too many. Why is this movie so long? Can Luv’s men speak a little less? Or a little more coherently when they are talking that much? Did Ranbir-Alia’s real life inspire the story? Is that why there was a self-reference? When as an audience, I am asked to lap up the addition of a moustache as a guise, why am I annoyed that a couple doesn’t recognise each other’s voice or one doesn’t have the other’s number saved? Did I hear that right, Tinni was born in 1974; When is the movie set, then? Did I just watch an almost three-hour advertisement for the ideal family which is called, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar? Is Luv Ranjan becoming such a brand that the actors he introduced have become his brand ambassadors?

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Slapping around in banter. Felt quite violent to me.
Language: Abusive language muted.
Nudity & Sexual content: Lip-to-lips.
Concept: Boy-meets-girl
General Look and Feel: Candy floss and gloss.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 1.5
Story: 2
Lead Actors: 2.5
Character Artists: 1.5

Dialogues: 0.5
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 2.5

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Luv Films
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Luv Ranjan, Ankur Garg
Director: Luv Ranjan
Lead Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Dimple Kapadia, Nushrat Bharucha , Boney Kapoor, Kartik Aaryan , Rajesh Jais, Inayat Verma, Ayesha Raza, Anubhav Singh Bassi, Monica Chaudhary, Hasleen Kaur, Amber Rana, Jatinder Kaur
Story: Luv Ranjan, Rahul Mody
Cinematography: Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran
Editor: Akiv Ali, Chetan M Solanki
Background Score: Hitesh Sonik
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Bosco Martis, Ceasar Gonsalves
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya, Hitesh Sonik
Costume Designer: Samidha Wangnoo
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 165 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family, Relationships, Romance

View Details

15 reviewers have given Selfieean average rating of 2.7/5.0 ^(?)

6 yays

5 nays

4 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: The keen must watch on screen; else TV/online ^(?)

quick review:

A different story, reasonably engaging too. Fleshed-out characters performed well. If only they had mellowed down the melodrama, it’d have been crisp and absorbing. Enjoyable if you can ignore the drama.

[Poster for Selfiee]

Thumbs up by Rima Bhatia, Bolly Spice ...Would I go watch it again, probably not. There are plenty of standout moments in the film that stand alone in themselves, but it was a tad to long for me. Go watch it if you are not tired of watching Akshay do remakes of South Films, it is worth a onetime watch, and you won’t regret it.... full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare ...Watch the film for the interplay between Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi, as well as for the comedy and the inside jokes. Akshay is sorely in need of a hit, and let’s hope Selfiee, his most meta film as yet, manages to start the new year on a high note for him.... full review

Thumbs up by Lipika Varma, Free Press Journal ...All in all, Selfiee is at least a one-time watch. It has all the ingredients needed for a film to click at the box-office.... full review

Thumbs up Hindustan Times ...Talking of chemistry, I rather liked the song Kudiyee Ni Teri Vibe where Akshay grooves with Mrunal Thakur and the two set the screen on fire. Even the remixed version of Main Khiladi Tu Anari that comes in the end credit is a sure shot party number and not to be missed.... full review

Thumbs up by Anuj Kumar, The Hindu ...The talented support cast adds to the fun. Meghna Malik is an absolute hoot in the role of a local politician desperate to use star power to push her career. Nushratt Bharuccha displays the excitement of a middle-class wife in the right measure. Cast against type, Abhimanyu Singh exudes the frustration of an aging actor in a fun way.... full review

Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy, Times of India ...Overall, Selfiee is an easy-breezy watch, with some good performances and several laugh-out-loud moments. If you're looking for a rib-tickling comedy over the weekend, this one could be a good pick.... full review

So-So by Shalini Langer, indian express ...But then Selfiee comes in the wake of at least two incidents involving celebrities, who were hounded and almost manhandled by fans seeking to be photographed with them. So who says that in a world where the self is instant selfie, we have grown up?... full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...You have Akshay Kumar, the king of the comedy genre, so we expect something really high-class. Not something mediocre like Selfiee, and definitely not a remake. I hope my voice reaches you and you and Akshay Kumar both come back stronger. For now, Selfiee remains an average stuff. In sarcastic language, aka Kataksh, “This Selfiee is Blur“.... full review

So-So by Himesh Mankad, Pinkvilla ...Selfiee is a one time watch that has entertaining elements in the first half with drama taking over in the second hour of the film. Watch it to get the shades of the witty Akshay Kumar side by side a sincere Emraan Hashmi. The Raj Mehta directorial has promising moments at regular intervals, but certainly warranted a better and tighter second half. The film's theatrical prospects will be limited as the conflict appears to be too small for a big screen watch in today's enviornment.... full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra, The Quint ...At the end of the day, too many slow-motion shots and what ends up being a medley of fragile male egos drags the film to a runtime that almost makes the audience impatient. Beyond the two protagonists, barely any other character gets enough substance to be noticeable.... full review

Thumbs down by Abhimanyu Mathur, DNA ...The film tries to entertain but in the safest and most market-friendly way possible. It props up on the shoulders of two likable stars and a decent plot but never dares to give the audience anything new or something they haven’t seen before. Watch it only if you are an Akshay or Emraan fan!... full review

Thumbs down by Prathyush Parasuraman, Film Companion ...The star becomes a harried everyman, and the fan acquires reluctant fame. At some point om all but spells it out: He can't even go to the liquor shop without worrying for the safety. It's a pity the rest of the struggles to supply - and smile at the symbolism of its title. I felt as a unsatisfied viewer. But at least I came out a better driver.... full review

Thumbs down by Deepesh Sharma, India TV ...Talking about the female leads, neither Om Prakash's wife Minty (Nushrratt Bharuccha) nor Vijay Kumar's partner Diana Penty had much to do in the film. They were not even given much screen time. The hottest figure in Selfiee has to be Mrunal Thakur... full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...With none of the characters allowed to evolve, Emraan Hashmi is compelled to struggle to create his space in the film. He does occasionally manage to rise above the din - the ear-splitting background score contributes to the decibel level - despite the odds being heavily loaded against him.... full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in ...Even more miscast than Hashmi is Abhimanyu Singh, reduced to a buffoon whose endorsements for obscure brands is treated with snobbish disdain (if Amitabh Bachchan can model for hair oil and cement…). The cast includes Diana Penty, as Vijay’s wife, Nushrratt Bharuccha as Om Prakash’s spouse, and Mahesh Thakur as Vijay’s manager. Meghna Malik plays an obsequious local corporator whose love for selfies inspires Om Prakash on his own misguided mission.... full review

Selfiee - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Dharma Productions , Cape of Good Films, Magic Frames, Prithviraj Productions
Producer: Karan Johar , Hiroo Yash Johar, Aruna Bhatia, Supriya Menon, Listin Stephen
Director: Raj Mehta
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar , Emraan Hashmi
Supporting Cast: Abhimanyu Singh, Nushrat Bharucha , Diana Penty
Story: Sachy
Screenplay: Rishabh Sharma
Dialogues: Rishabh Sharma
Cinematography: Rajeev Ravi
Editor: Ritesh Soni
Music Director: Himesh Reshammiya, Tony Kakkar, Tanishk Bagchi, DJ Chetas, Lijo George, Bharat Goel, Shivai Vyas
Costume Designer: Nuri Chimnani
Art Direction: Yogesh Bansode
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Drama, Social

View Details

wogma rating: The keen must watch on screen; else TV/online ^(?)

quick review:

[Poster for Selfiee]

Review

You don’t want to meet the person you admire from afar, the person you are a fan of. Because you will see the real person. That’s what happens when Om Prakash (Emraan Hashmi), a common man with a government job, comes face-to-face with when he sees his lifetime hero, Vijay Kumar (Akshay Kumar), an extremely popular star. The image is shattered. Now, all of this makes Vijay out to be a villain and Om, the underdog, the hero. But, Selfiee does a lot with this premise. And most of it is enjoyable.

The battle of wits, self-respect, and egos plays out like it would in an action thriller or a sports film. A sports film in which the underdog seems to have the upper hand for a good portion of the film, and not just the climax.

The real beauty though is the simplicity of the bone of contention. The number of things that make for the mountain that this molehill turns into covers a lot about life today. From media’s loudness to media trial. From the star culture in the Hindi film industry to the fans that are the cause and effect of that pedestalising culture. From the mutual scoffing of the massy and the classy that in turn, sort-a translates to a film having a producer’s actor versus having a director’s actor. From faith to blind faith. From boycotts to using stardom to sway the common man. From a lesson on idealistic civic sense to a reality check.

In covering this range, the film doesn’t seem like it is taking on too much in its plate. And neither does it let go of the grip it has on its main story. The foreshadowing of a major twist in the film is done with finesse. Other than that, we also have actual conversations between people making the do believable. These conversations are admirable just because they exist; just because they are so rare in Hindi films.

And of course, Akshay Kumar is comfortable in his skin because he’s being himself. Not his reel star self, but what he might be in real life, the star. His dedication to his fans comes across as sincere, cementing the fact that he’s done a fine job of acting ;) Emraan Hashmi makes for as adorable a fan, as he is dedicated and hurt a father. His accent is cute too. The other actors are either caricatures or have little to do. And most of them carry bright deep pink so well!

If only. If only they had toned down the melodrama, the slow-mos, the build-up to every part of the film. If only, this would have been a film I would recommend wholeheartedly.

Even so, it is nice to be taken by surprise when you go in thinking you are going to watch something kitschy, repetitive, and well, a producer’s dream. But come out watching a relatively sober, delightfully novel, and a strong story.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Action sequences in a film shooting within the film, stones thrown on a house. A mob getting violent against one person.
Language: Clean
Nudity & Sexual content: None.
Concept: The dynamics between a celebrity and his fan.
General Look and Feel: Slick, yet simple

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 3
Story: 3.5
Lead Actors: 3.5
Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 2.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2

Selfiee - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Dharma Productions , Cape of Good Films, Magic Frames, Prithviraj Productions
Producer: Karan Johar , Hiroo Yash Johar, Aruna Bhatia, Supriya Menon, Listin Stephen
Director: Raj Mehta
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar , Emraan Hashmi
Supporting Cast: Abhimanyu Singh, Nushrat Bharucha , Diana Penty
Story: Sachy
Screenplay: Rishabh Sharma
Dialogues: Rishabh Sharma
Cinematography: Rajeev Ravi
Editor: Ritesh Soni
Music Director: Himesh Reshammiya, Tony Kakkar, Tanishk Bagchi, DJ Chetas, Lijo George, Bharat Goel, Shivai Vyas
Costume Designer: Nuri Chimnani
Art Direction: Yogesh Bansode
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Drama, Social

View Details

23 reviewers have given Shehzadaan average rating of 2.1/5.0 ^(?)

6 yays

10 nays

7 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do ^(?)

quick review:

A step up for a Rohit Dhawan film. Doesn’t mean much, does it? Let’s just say we have an attempt at a story, even if outdated, which is refreshing given the brand.

[Poster for Shehzada]

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice ...From the vast supporting cast , Paresh Rawal and Ankur Rathee stand out for their emphatically inimical characters which are played with great affection. Raathee , playing the flip side of Kartik�s karma, is an actor to watch.... full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare ...Like in the original, the heroine has nothing substantial to do but look good. And that Kriti Sanon has done admirably well. She looks gorgeous in every frame and has a good enough chemistry with Kartik but that�s it. As said earlier, the film is Kartik Aaryan�s show all the way. He�s in his element here and one can see him enjoying himself doing hi-jinks actions and mouthing witty lines. His confidence level is on an all time high and as a result, he pulls off another improbable role with aplomb.... full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal ...Overall, Shehzada is quite entertaining and doesn�t cheat you at any cost. Although, Rohit Dhawan�s film never over-promised, it also did not under-deliver. No matter what, Maa and family logic always do wonders!... full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain, Glamsham.com ...Overall, Shehzada that has elements of everything from romance to drama, comedy to emotion, Kartik�s swag and of course his monologue, should not be missed.... full review

Thumbs up by BOHNI BANDYOPADHYAY, News18.com ...Only the audience will tell if the hit south formula is able to work wonders in the Hindi belt, too. But knowing Kartik's fan following, I won't be surprised if Shehzada turns out to be a croud-puller ultimately.... full review

Thumbs up by Priyakshi Sharma, Pinkvilla ...Overall, the actors� performances, and the comedy and action sequences elevate the entertainment quotient in Rohit Dhawan�s Shehzada.... full review

So-So by Namrata Thakker, Bollywood Life ...Shehzada is one-time watch movie for all those who love Bollywood and all the drama, comedy, action that comes along with it. BL gives the film 3 stars.... full review

So-So DNA ...The only saving graces in Shehzada are the background score, some of the action sequences, and yet another Kartik Aaryan monologue. They managed to make me smile, which is the most exercise my face got during the 145-minute run of the film.... full review

So-So by JOYEETA MITRA SUVARNA, India TV ...Shehzada leaves no stone unturned in the entertainment department. Along with comedy, there is also a family connection that viewers love. Keeping in mind the Hindi audience and today's youth, Rohit Dhawan has made relevant changes to the superhit Telugu film. However, the film is all about Kartik Aaryan and the leading lady, Kriti Sanon's track abruptly ends in the second half which is disappointing... full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...If Shehzada hits box-office paydirt, it could be a significant turning point in Aaryan's career. Given the effort and energy that he has put into this massy mixed bag of a film, that would be an absolutely deserved outcome.... full review

So-So by Divya Bhonsale, NewsBytes ...Shehzada is the official Hindi remake of Allu Arjun's Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo. Recently, the Telugu movie's Hindi dubbed version was released online. The original stands as the biggest competition for Shehzada since there'll be comparisons.However, it's still a decent remake that caters to the masses. It might not be a success like Aaryan's last film though.... full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in ...Aaryan�s fanbase will be thrilled at the insouciant punchlines and displays of superhuman strength. Any other cast member expecting to leave a mark � including Manisha Koirala as Bantu�s biological mother � finds themselves on the sidelines of a mission to sell Aaryan as an overachieving all-rounder.... full review

So-So by Dhaval Roy, Times of India ...Shehzada is meant to be enjoyed for its campy humour, irreverent hero, and action sequences. If watching a mass entertainer with a gang of friends is your jam, you could make a trip to the theatre for this one.... full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai, Film Companion ...A Kartik Aryan entertainer that forgets to entertain.... full review

Thumbs down by Deepanjana Pal, Film Companion ...a royal bore... full review

Thumbs down by Sonal Pandya, Hindustan Times ...While the screenplay and direction by Rohit needed more weight, Shehzada might appeal to those who might prefer an old wine in a new bottle.... full review

Thumbs down by Zinia Bandyopadhyay, india today ...The dialogues are by Hussain Dalal, and no, it is not like Brahmastra. Here, in fact, things do work out in his favour.... full review

Thumbs down by Shalini Langer, indian express ...Even if the film was not called Shehzada, Kartik Aaryan would have made it all come out right. But since it is called that, he does this being both badass and Bawarchi (remember that Rajesh Khanna character who used more than food to make families come together). And Aaryan doesn�t even have to change a hair strand from his usual loud, silly, bedraggled look.... full review

Thumbs down by Shalmesh More, koimoi ...On the whole, Shehzada has its share of struggles despite being a decent family entertainer. If released as per the original plan i.e. on 10th February, things would have been much different. Loss in the perception battle early on, poor release strategy and a drawback of being a remake are the factors acting clearly like a roadblock in Kartik Aaryan�s journey of becoming a bankable star from just a monologue specialist!... full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...Shehzada seems like an incomplete film. The fight sequence between Kartik and Sunny in the climax is left without any proper conclusion. You�ll notice many such mistakes in the direction and somehow lose all interest in the film. In short, Shehzada can be termed a Prince-Sized Disappointment.... full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma, Rediff ...If only making a mark in old-fashioned masala was as simple as craving for old-fashioned stardom.... full review

Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar, The Hindu ...At the core, it is a �Manmohan Desai meets Davi Dhawan� kind of masala recipe but in the hands of director Rohit Dhawan, it tastes rather bland and generic.... full review

Thumbs down by Pratikshya Mishra, The Quint ...If one were to look for the silver lining (the performances aside), the film is everything a mass entertainer is - if you're completely willing to leave logic at home. But how much does that really count for? Personally? Not much.... full review

Shehzada - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Allu Entertainment
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Allu Arvind, Aman Gill, Kartik Aaryan
Director: Rohit Dhawan
Lead Cast: Kartik Aaryan , Kriti Sanon
Supporting Cast: Paresh Rawal , Sachin Khedekar, Rajpal Yadav, Manisha Koirala, Ronit Roy, Sunny Hinduja, Ankur Rathee
Story: Trivikram Srinivas
Screenplay: Rohit Dhawan, Trivikram Srinivas
Dialogues: Hussain Dalal
Cinematography: Sudeep Chaterjee
Editor: Ritesh Soni
Background Score: Julius Packiam
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Caesar Gonsalves, Bosco Martis
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty , Abhijit Vaghani
Lyrics: Mayur Puri , Kumaar, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Ashish Pandit, Shloke Lal, IP Singh
Costume Designer: Aki Narula, Samidha Wangnoo, Tanya Ghavri
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family, Slapstick

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do ^(?)

quick review:

A step up for a Rohit Dhawan film. Doesn’t mean much, does it? Let’s just say we have an attempt at a story, even if outdated, which is refreshing given the brand.

[Poster for Shehzada]

Review

The two things I’ll retain from Shehzada are the relatively progressive texture in the story and that Kartik Aaryan plays a man who is respectful towards the women in his life. Everything else will get foggy in a couple of weeks.

I’m serious. Watching Kartik Aaryan be with a woman and not fret about her behind her back feels like a novelty, a welcome novelty. Also, this genre usually is regressive in its outlook. Shehzaada has a passing comment on consent and the ability to say and accept 'No'. When Buntoo (Kartik Aaryan) steps in to support Samara (Kriti Sanon) as she is telling a harasser off, she is impressed by his knowledge as a lawyer and not necessarily his muscle. It’s cute. Then there is an accepting tone towards bisexuality and even infidelity!

I admit some of the other stuff is partially entertaining too. The dig at cardiac surgeons needing to have a larger heart, for instance, cracked me up. And as out-of-place as the whole dupatta (scarf) fight sequence is, it is amusing. And a lot of it, unintentional.

Like any other film that falls in the loud-slapstick bracket, some attention to detail is interesting, and others are glaringly bad. On the one hand, you have tiny plastic bottles that look like they contain homeopathic medicines by the bedside of an ill person. And on the other, you have a comatose person suffering from fits while all the vitals are constant in the beeping screens behind. And yes, a doctor asks the nurse to check the patient's blood pressure while the boldest numbers on the monitor behind show the metrics. And then you have a see through window where a passer-by can watch an operation! Made me laugh out loud in an otherwise serious scene. Then there are other lapses that distract you, like a maternal grandfather (nana) calling his daughter’s son, ‘pota’ instead of ‘navasa’. Unless it was deliberate to stay in line with the progressive tone. ;)

It is not these things that make the film unpalatable, though. Or even its clear departure from reality, such as peacefully sleeping, new mothers. The steep drop from coherence and continuity in the second half become intolerable by the end. There are at least three diversions from the main story that cannot justify their existence. The scene with Rajpal Yadav is one such example. The one in Maldives is another one. Prominent characters in the first half go missing post-interval, making their earlier appearance gratuitous.

Even the lead female character, Samara, is conspicuous by her absence in most of the second half. This part of the movie is hijacked by Buntoo and his unrealistic 100%-angel-like personality. Sure, the film’s Bawarchi-usque touch is sweet. So is the attempt at paying tribute to Sholay’s ‘mausi’-scene. But, it is all too goody-goody to be believable.

Fortunately, it is not for want of trying from the actors. Kartik Aaryan has a better range than most of his other films, especially when he is not overdoing the I’m-rude-because-I-didn’t-have-a-polished-upbringing bit. Kriti Sanon doesn’t really have too much to play with. It is nice to see Manisha Koirala and Ronit Roy, even if, in roles that do little with their skills. Paresh Rawal is annoying and disgusting as his Valimiki is supposed to be, so job done well there. Ankur Rathee though is a pleasant surprise in the one scene where he’s not playing an over-acting goofball.

None of it, though, will stick in memory. Including the end credit item number. So unnecessary. That and most of the couple of hours that came before it.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: A few fight sequences, a murder.
Language: Clean.
Nudity & Sexual content: None.
Concept: A devious man exchanges his child with his boss’.
General Look and Feel: Candy floss, cheerful colours.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 1.5
Story: 2
Lead Actors: 2
Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 1
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 1

Shehzada - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Allu Entertainment
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Allu Arvind, Aman Gill, Kartik Aaryan
Director: Rohit Dhawan
Lead Cast: Kartik Aaryan , Kriti Sanon
Supporting Cast: Paresh Rawal , Sachin Khedekar, Rajpal Yadav, Manisha Koirala, Ronit Roy, Sunny Hinduja, Ankur Rathee
Story: Trivikram Srinivas
Screenplay: Rohit Dhawan, Trivikram Srinivas
Dialogues: Hussain Dalal
Cinematography: Sudeep Chaterjee
Editor: Ritesh Soni
Background Score: Julius Packiam
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya, Caesar Gonsalves, Bosco Martis
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty , Abhijit Vaghani
Lyrics: Mayur Puri , Kumaar, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Ashish Pandit, Shloke Lal, IP Singh
Costume Designer: Aki Narula, Samidha Wangnoo, Tanya Ghavri
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family, Slapstick

View Details

21 reviewers have given Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbatan average rating of 2.9/5.0 ^(?)

6 yays

3 nays

12 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online ^(?)

quick review:

How the 80s-90s kids think the new batch of young adults lives, loves and obsesses. 😊 Men—milder, meeker; women—cheekier, outspoken: alas, more in a Pyar-ka-Punchama-meets-Kabir way.

[Poster for Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat]

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice ...Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat is a charming mix of fluid fantasy and raw realism. Sometimes it is hard to tell the fantasy from the reality. The coincidences especially the one that ties the two couples, are a bit too much Gulshan Nanda in Shakespeare. But that’s what makes love what it is. A puzzle which only Gulzar’s lines can define: Sirf ehsaas hai yeh rooh se mehsoos karo pyar ko pyar hi rehne do koi naam na do. Touche.... full review

Thumbs up by Ganesh Aaglave, FirstPost ...But honestly, it is Vicky Kaushal, whose extended cameo as DJ Mohabbat will be remembered for a long time. His delicate yet amazing lines on love and relationships penned by Gulzar and Vishal Bhardwaj can be part of diaries if you are a fan of romantic lines and has a different opinion on Love with a touch of sufiness.... full review

Thumbs up by ARNAB BANERJEE, Glamsham.com ...Anurag Kashyap deserves kudos for the brilliant portrayal of the two actors in roles that aren’t regular. Mostly, it’s their passion that comes across intensely and fiercely, and the key role players lift the entire film on the strength of their acting. Kashyap’s understanding and perception of two people with unbridled desire and rage is poignantly written and performed competently.... full review

Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar, MiD DAY ...He’s astoundingly prolific. Yet, at no point, repetitive, regurgitating, or simply winging it. This, despite a fat filmography and few masterpieces behind him (Gangs of Wasseypur, on top) — staying relevant all through, rather than resting on (festival) laurels. I find all this deeply inspiring. And this film is a fair leap as well.... full review

Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat pushes rom-com conventions into uncharted territory and cannot, therefore, dodge a its share of wobbles. But, overall, it is a film that gives a love story strong legs to stand on and run. Run it does in a direction that tales of young love rarely do.... full review

Thumbs up by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in ...Like its title, the ambitious twinned narrative is almost there. Amit Trivedi’s tunes, the heartfelt performances and Kashyap’s trademark candour linger in the mind, like memories of a time filled with hope and possibility.... full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal ...Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat is not a new age love story or nowhere close to a cheesy high school romance — it’s only an Anurag Kashyap film.... full review

So-So by Monika Rawal Kukreja, Hindustan Times ...To conclude, I'd say, watch Almost Pyaar thinking that you're getting to watch a musical concert and in between, small skits are performed to keep you entertained, but don't try too hard to wrap your head around the motive of the film, because your efforts might not meet with an end result. And the end, a cliff-hanger might leave you intrigued. Is there a sequel already on its way? Kashyap can answer this for us, maybe.... full review

So-So by Grace Cyril, india today ...Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat might not be Anurag Kashyap's greatest work yet, but it is certainly worth giving a watch. The film is filled with a whole lot of love and the efforts show.... full review

So-So by Divya Shah, India-Forums ...Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat serves you with yet another 'Anurag Kashyap' kind of flawed love story which deals with various kinds of prejudices and paints a grey picture.... full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta, indian express ...The usage of an ugly phrase like ‘love jihad’ has been so normalised that you forget how it can be weaponised, or how thoughtlessly and effortlessly a heavy-handed patriarch can ruin a young life. Can love push back hate? That’s at the core of the film, and it’s a question worth singing out loud.... full review

So-So by Shubham Kulkarni, koimoi ...Anurag Kashyap sets out on a journey to tell love stories set against the backdrop of patriarchy by loses his way too.... full review

So-So by Titas Chowdhury, News18.com ...Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat isn’t one of Anurag’s better works, but it surely has a heart. It might not be as intense or Kranti-kari as it had promised, but it a sublime quality.... full review

So-So by Divya Bhonsale, NewsBytes ...Kashyap has connected this movie with his 2018 film Manmarziyaan by bringing back Vicky Kaushal as DJ Mohabbat. He's also the highlight of the movie, and so are his words of wisdom on love.His dialogues such as "Mohabbat tab hai jab tu hai, warna toh kya hi hai (Love exists when you exist, nothing matters otherwise)" are worthy of listening to.... full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma, Rediff ...Hands down though, the winner of Kashyap's patriarchy and privilege pooh-poohing exercise is Amit Trivedi and Shellee's spirited soundtrack.Not only do they capture the sound of modern love in all its spunky moods but also the timeless hope, fueling it generation after generation -- mohabbat se hi toh kranti aayegi.... full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra, The Quint ...Anurag Kashyap’s Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat might not be his best work but the film’s subliminal and astute messaging is enough to keep the story running, flaws kept aside.... full review

So-So by Tanul Thakur, The Wire ...Kashyap takes an unexpected but pleasant detour with this movie: confronting hate not with anger but… music and love. It ends with a song doubling up as hope and theme: “Mohabbat se hi toh kranti aayegi [love will bring revolution].” I’m sure there are many in this country who cling on to such a roseate worldview (including me). But an idealist piece hits even deeper when, like idealism itself, it feels complete – a world unto itself.... full review

So-So by Ronak Kotecha, Times of India ...Overall, it’s a love story fraught with regular societal challenges and clichés, told in a unique way. But beyond that it falls woefully short of making this film an entertaining and a deeply engaging experience. Like Alaya’s character Amrita tells Yaqub after their long and arduous journey, “Na koi plan hai, na purpose” – well, our thought precisely.... full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai, Film Companion ...There are other stereotypes, too, like a predatory gay club manager and a prison montage that looks straight out of Riz Ahmed’s breaking-bad phase in A Night Of. Kashyap’s best films have had rhythm and density problems, where the sheer volume of opinions is at odds with the expression of them. Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat is the reverse; the endless posturing is a ruse for its complete lack of depth.... full review

Thumbs down by Uday Bhatia, Live Mint ...There’s one intriguing bit in the film, when a kindly elderly couple is revealed to be bigoted on multiple levels. It’s something a younger Kashyap would have doubled down on, made menacing and significant. Here, it passes by unexamined. It’s been a while since Kashyap’s seemed like himself.... full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...Anurag Kashyap‘s direction is far below his own high standard. It’s a red card for him, I guess. Overall, Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat is almost a waste of your two hours and a couple hundred bucks you’d like to spend. Modern love can be far more intelligent and unique. This isn’t just that.... full review

Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Zee Studios
Producer: Ranjan Singh, Kabir Ahuja(II), Akshay Thakker
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Lead Cast: Vicky Kaushal , Alaya Furniturewalla, Karan Mehta
Story: Anurag Kashyap
Cinematography: Sylvester Fonseca
Editor: Konark Saxena
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Shellee
Costume Designer: Sawant Prashant
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Noir, Romance

View Details

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online ^(?)

quick review:

How the 80s-90s kids think the new batch of young adults lives, loves and obsesses. 😊 Men—milder, meeker; women—cheekier, outspoken: alas, more in a Pyar-ka-Punchama-meets-Kabir way.

[Poster for Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat]

Review

There are only so many ways you can tell a boy-meets-girl story. Even if there are two in one film. Packaging it in a new-age tragedy can only take it so far. And that too Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat’s attempts are either through the coloured lens of 40-50-year olds or superficially, through trendy words in lyrics and dialogue. Neither insightful nor intrinsic. The Hindu-Muslim division commentary is as relevant as ever. However, the skewed male-female equation makes you wonder what the makers are getting at. Similarly, stalking as a way of receiving reciprocation in love is problematic.

Having a woman as a stalker doesn’t make the creepiness any less…well, creepy. No. That she gets the attention she craves only makes it worse. The fixation is emphasised for so long and reasonably well that the repercussion she faces barely makes a mark. That’s one half of the film.

Intermitted with this love story of Sameer and Ayesha is another one with Yakub and Amruta, which exposes our rudimentary understanding of the young adults of the 2020s. That they are unthinking, unaware, irrationally, and irresponsibly spontaneous does a disservice to the socially aware and responsible kids I encounter. Sure, there can be a bunch who don’t fit what I see around me, but then there are Darwin’s awards for human stupidity. It cannot be shown as the sweeping generalisation that the movie seems to aim at.

In both cases, of course, I don’t think you ought to choose who you fall in love with. The way the characters choose to show it is tenuous. The indifference to society’s reaction is ridiculous. Both issues could have been taken in stride because, you know, nothing is impossible for human beings. The trouble is that the story makes these characteristics into the heroes of the film and the characters into martyrs. In its own noir way, Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat glamourises ‘rejection of rejection’ and ‘absurd self-absorption’. These things damage the lure created by the commentary on patriarchy and the religious divide. Or the occasional witticism.

Then, we have DJ Mohabbat gracing us with philosophical tidbits about love in an all-knowing manner. Tidbits that make little sense at most times. For instance, how does vulnerability become a weakness…vulnerability is the presence of weakness. And no, it wasn’t used poetically. It was meant to be teaching his listeners the way of life. Then there is a time when he says he will say a ‘sher’ and goes on to speak prose. Such logical lapses take away from the few good takes that he has on love, self-validation, etc.

Amongst all that goes against the film, some brilliant performances keep you with the movie. Karan Mehta’s Sameer is as focused, hurt, and angry as his Yakub is smitten and happy-go-lucky. Alaya F’s Amruta is a proper entitled, spoilt brat and is properly hateable; her Ayesha is aware, thoughtful, funny, and lovable. Vicky Kaushal is as tolerable as any DJ can be. That their traits get through is testimonial enough.

And yet, it isn’t enough to make you recommend the film. Alas, wish the writing was a little more responsible than what it makes the youngsters out to be.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Gun fights and fist fights.
Language: A few curse words.
Nudity & Sexual content: A rape scene in a men’s prison.
Concept: Love?
General Look and Feel: Modern and dark.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 2
Story: 1.5
Lead Actors: 3.5
Character Artists: 3.5

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 1.5
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 2.5

Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Zee Studios
Producer: Ranjan Singh, Kabir Ahuja(II), Akshay Thakker
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Lead Cast: Vicky Kaushal , Alaya Furniturewalla, Karan Mehta
Story: Anurag Kashyap
Cinematography: Sylvester Fonseca
Editor: Konark Saxena
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Shellee
Costume Designer: Sawant Prashant
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Noir, Romance

View Details

20 reviewers have given Pathaanan average rating of 3.9/5.0 ^(?)

11 yays

0 nays

9 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure ^(?) - SRK-fans, who can stop you from rushing to the theatre? Others, buy tickets to boycott boycotts ;)

quick review:

What is it about action films that feels funny when SRK does it, but we lap it up when it’s Tom Cruise? Once you shake that off, Pathaan is entertaining and good, silly fun. At times it’s so cheesy that you can’t help laughing. The stakes are high throughout the film, so you’re with it even if you know how it’s going to end.

[Poster for Pathaan]

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice ...Visually, Pathaan is a feast of fury. The fights especially between Shah Rukh and John Abraham(the latter as a seething terrorist grits his teeth so hard we fear for his teeth) are virile and boisterous. The sound decibel drowns out all subtlety.... full review

Thumbs up by Urmimala Banerjee, Bollywood Life ...Pathaan is one of the best action films made in India. It is a visual treat. Shah Rukh Khan proves yet again why he is king. His commitment to his craft and audience will make you Jhoom in the theatres and how.... full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare ...All-in-all, Pathaan announces in no uncertain terms that Shah Rukh Khan is back. After conquering romance, he looks set to scale new heights as an action star. Write him off at your own peril.... full review

Thumbs up by Aashu Mishra, Filmi Beat ...Overall Pathaan is a complete masala entertainer that you can watch with your entire family. Go watch a bucket full of popcorn to enjoy the film at a theatre near you.... full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain, Glamsham.com ...With not may compulsive reasons dished out from Bollywood, visiting the friendly neighbourhood cinema hall along with the family, watching a Shah Rukh Khan ensemble film once shouldn’t hurt.... full review

Thumbs up by Aparupa Devnath, India TV ...Overall, Pathaan is a must-watch if you are looking for a classic Bollywood adventure movie. There is no denying that the Shah Rukh Khan starter will make you leave the cinema halls with a smile and no disappointments. Pathaan is definitely worth the wait and all the hype.... full review

Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...With Shah Rukh Khan joining Tiger (Salman Khan) and Kabir (Hrithik Roshan) to complete a trio of invincible YRF spies, expect a lot of big-screen explosions, extremes and extravagances in the coming years. But it is doubtful if anything would be as big, ballsy or unalloyed as Pathaan. It comes closer to what mass-oriented Hindi cinema once used to be than any other recent star vehicle has done.... full review

Thumbs up by Titas Chowdhury, News18.com ...In Pathaan, he might be the saviour of the nation but is not threatened, rather, in absolute awe of Rubina as she takes down a bunch of spies through jujutsu. He has no apprehension about taking orders from his female boss, played by the inimitable Dimple Kapadia. What also makes him appealing apart from all the washboard abs and action-hero avatar is the fact that he is quite a feminist. Yes, we have an almost feminist action hero! That’s a pretty good start to an era that was long anticipated and it’s no surprise that Shah Rukh, rather inadvertently, has set the precedent.... full review

Thumbs up by Himesh Mankad, Pinkvilla ...Pathaan has all the ingredients that are needed in a Hindi Film to emerge as a BLOCKBUSTER. It has action, scale, emotion, and music alongside the presence of Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who is presented as a larger-than-life Superstar in a feature film after a while. Pathaan is ready to set the box office on fire and is also on a mission to create new records not just on the opening front but also in the long run. It’s a BONDAFIDE BLOCKBUSTER in the making and also sets up the YRF Spy Universe in a big way with Tiger, Kabir, and Pathaan!... full review

Thumbs up by Tanisha Bagchi, The Quint ...When it's Siddharth Anand, you can expect a smattering of soft nationalism, and Pathaan isn't devoid of that. However, the makers ensure that jingoism isn't generously served on a platter as is the case with a lot of recent films. There's no attack on a particular community, the antagonist isn't stereotyped and painted all black, rather the outstretched arms of inclusivity aren't just for India but other neighbouring countries as well.... full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare, Times of India ...Pathaan has all the ingredients of a masala potboiler — slowmo entries, iconic battle of good versus bad and most importantly, a sexy-smouldering Shah Rukh Khan, who can fight the good fight on and off the screen. He’s still the undisputed King.... full review

So-So by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com ...overall while Pathan success will boost some sprit back in to the ongoing projects of Hindi cinema, It is certainly not taking iin teran=ms forward, either in terms of content, execution or subject, completely ignoring the writing department. But the, success will surely get both the KHANS back in business, unarguablyone of the two superstars of Hindi cinema.... full review

So-So Deccan Chronicle ...Siddharth Anand and Shah Rukh Khan deliver a top-of-the-rack, leave-your-brains-behind action thriller that not only reiterates SRK’s position as the numero uno but also that hate and no-brainers have a great market.... full review

So-So by Vivek M V, Deccan Herald ...The final scene is a tad heart-warming as we see Shah Rukh and Salman, two of the biggest stars of Indian cinema, in a friendly chat. They talk about how irreplaceable their aura is. One hopes the actors are more self-aware and the scene was a nice l...Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/pathaan-movie-review-srk-is-back-not-really-1184479.html... full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal ...Overall, Pathaan doesn’t fool you and delivers what is promised from its trailer… A weak plot but Shah Rukh’s magnetic presence is enough to woo his fans.... full review

So-So by Sanjana Deshpande, Free Press Journal ...Pathaan, although is a typical Hindi spy film, is entertaining especially with Shah Rukh Khan displaying his tested charm amidst the save-India exercise. The break from jingoism spotted in films these days was refreshing.... full review

So-So Hindustan Times ...Go watch it for Shah Rukh Khan and you would only come back with a smile, and maybe grooving a bit. Don't miss the scene just before end credits for it's not everyday you see two superstars in a banter about their stardom.... full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta, indian express ...‘Pathaan’ is that sateek jawaab of this beleaguered pathaan, who manages multiple feats in his come-back after a clutch of medium-bad to terrible films : gives it those ones to the #BoycottBollywood brigade, pulls off the dishy-and-dishevelled look rippling those abs, give us a laugh-out-loud moment ( I won’t ruin it for you, but it involves a line from an early SRK character, also in a YRF film, which would have become eminently meme-worthy if memes were a thing those days) and saves Bharat Mata.... full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...Pathaan has two songs, Besharam Rang and Jhoome Jo Pathaan, and both are decent. The former is a visual phenomenon of glamour and sex appeal, while the latter is more like an anthem song that you usually expect in the end credits. And don’t you leave the auditorium because there’s another scene that confirms that “Spy-universe Zinda Hai…”. The cinematography and background score is captivating and thrilling.... full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar, The Hindu ...Siddharth focuses too much on choreographing action, often leaving emotions hanging by a thread, but it is the individual charm of the performers that makes up for the lack of strong emotional core. No wonder, early in the film, a scientist says, science is easy; love is hard.... full review

Pathaan - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Director: Siddharth Anand
Lead Cast: Shah Rukh Khan , John Abraham , Deepika Padukone
Supporting Cast: Salman Khan , Ashutosh Rana , Dimple Kapadia, Gautam Rode, Gavie Chahal, Rachel Ann Mullins
Story: Siddharth Anand
Screenplay: Shridhar Raghavan
Dialogues: Abbas Tyrewala
Cinematography: Vaibhavi Merchant , Satchith Paulose
Editor: Aarif Shaikh
Background Score: Sanchit Balhara, Ankit Balhara
Choreography: Bosco Martis, Ceasar Gonsalves
Music Director: Vishal Dadlani , Shekhar Ravjiani , Sanchit Balhara, Ankit Balhara
Lyrics: Kumaar
Costume Designer: Niharika Jolly, Shaleena Nathani, Mamta Anand
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Patriotism, Thriller

View Details

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure ^(?) - SRK-fans, who can stop you from rushing to the theatre? Others, buy tickets to boycott boycotts ;)

quick review:

[Poster for Pathaan]

Review

Squeals of “Shah Rukh” “Shah Rukh” from different corners of the theatre as I enter it. I’d say my movie is off to a good start already. There’s nothing like watching the exhilaration of fans. I don’t get it. But I love watching it. The rest? Well, once you see heavy-duty goons waiting their turn in line to be beaten up by the hero, you know not to take the film seriously. Having given into that, it is some solid action entertainment watching an agile Shah Rukh Khan twist and turn his body to get his way.

And that is what it really boils down to. Watching Pathaan is a lot about admiring Shah Rukh Khan’s physical dexterity. The man is 57!

Of course, this is within the context of some really high-stakes situations. The villain is butt-hurt and supposedly dispassionate. So, the end goal is something absolutely out-of-reach. The two timelines subtly add to the drama because through most of the film, we know what happened. But we don’t know how. A lot of it is shown, yet some of it is told—the latter, of course, is a put-off. A part of the disappointment is mitigated by the presence of a female soldier with a more-than-a-prop role. Put together, Pathaan’s writing becomes more than what one would expect from films of this genre.

To top it off, the stakes are always, always building up. Even in the details. So, there are two helicopters in air, attached to each other, approaching a tunnel. That’s thrilling enough. But wait, they can fly over the tunnel. Uh-oh, the rope keeping them together is maneuvered. Now what? And this goes on almost non-stop. And one situation subsides only so that another one can start. This means there is never a dull moment, and even though you know they are likely to get out of the mess, you want to know how. And to keep you on your toes, the good team loses a couple of times too.

Interestingly, given the decent writing, there are three gaping misses. Not holes in the plot, that there are many. Despite the constant action, there is enough time for me to predict what will happen next. There is always a pause, a slow-mo shot, and an emotional dialogue that brings the action to a standstill. Sure, this is par for the course in an action thriller, but it is clumsily done here. It seems like a pre-decided rhythm to which the pauses are inserted rather than an organic turn in the story.

Then there is the lacklustre dialogue. Even the most emphatic delivery cannot help if the deliverable is less than plain. And lastly, the film misses the chance to ask deeper philosophical and political questions that the story allows. And yet, it is understandable that they don’t have the luxury. And alas have to choose the easier path called Pakistan-bashing.

Having said that, the action choreography is slick and executed really well. Except for the shabby CGI in the UAE sequence, the other action sequences have some great moves. Yes, I repeat a line for Shah Rukh’s flexibility and grace. Is he agile! And hey, he even has a couple of good moments of acting.

John Abraham came across as an intriguing choice for a menacing villain. His character, Jim is menacing and brutal. He should scare me to the bones. But, I could think of him as either cute or wooden, not letting me take him seriously. I always wondered what a not-scary-looking but merciless villain would be like. And now I know, “not bad, a good change from the normal.” Similarly, Deepika Padukone’s presence is appreciated just because of the screen space she gets in a male-dominated genre. Else her action, dance, dialogue delivery are all a bit too mechanical.

But the action is wholesome. It is interspersed with some light moments. Sometimes they are entertaining because they are self-referential. At other times, the action is so ridiculous that you admire the creativity. And you remind yourself, you would have accepted it if it were Tom Cruise. My gut says that the pauses I spoke of earlier make the difference. We will have to see a couple more in the YRF Spy Universe to know if that’s true.

Meanwhile, this one was good fun. And as you watch the post-credit cuteness, you know the makers enjoyed bringing it to us. And hey, it helps that I get to participate in not boycotting the film.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Loads and loads. Even if it is not on the screen, some of the implied torture is gruesome.
Language: Clean
Nudity & Sexual content: Skimpily-clad people.
Concept: Soldiers gone rogue. Other soldiers trying to save the world from the rogue ones.
General Look and Feel: Slick action.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 2.5
Story: 3
Lead Actors: 3
Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 2.5
Music Director: 2.5
Lyrics: 2

Pathaan - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Director: Siddharth Anand
Lead Cast: Shah Rukh Khan , John Abraham , Deepika Padukone
Supporting Cast: Salman Khan , Ashutosh Rana , Dimple Kapadia, Gautam Rode, Gavie Chahal, Rachel Ann Mullins
Story: Siddharth Anand
Screenplay: Shridhar Raghavan
Dialogues: Abbas Tyrewala
Cinematography: Vaibhavi Merchant , Satchith Paulose
Editor: Aarif Shaikh
Background Score: Sanchit Balhara, Ankit Balhara
Choreography: Bosco Martis, Ceasar Gonsalves
Music Director: Vishal Dadlani , Shekhar Ravjiani , Sanchit Balhara, Ankit Balhara
Lyrics: Kumaar
Costume Designer: Niharika Jolly, Shaleena Nathani, Mamta Anand
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Patriotism, Thriller

View Details

29 reviewers have given Cirkusan average rating of 0.8/5.0 ^(?)

2 yays

22 nays

5 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online ^(?) - —unless you grew up up with Angoor or like; if so, skip.

quick review:

When Shakespeare meets Rohit Shetty. Obviously, Rohit Shetty’s movie gets a much-needed story. Also, it’s cute that he tries to add logic. But also, Shakespeare’s story gets an unnecessary visual and aural facelift; and the comedy gets mind-numbing slapstick.

(Streaming partner: Netflix)

[Poster for Cirkus]

Thumbs up by Ranpreet Kaur, Filmi Beat ...On the other hand, the music of the film gets an average reaction. However, Deepika Padukone's special number with Ranveer Singh (Current Laga Re) happens turns out to be one of the highlights of the film. Their chemistry in the song was electrifying. While the background score is decent as well, the sound effects were quite impressive for a comedy film. Overall, Cirkus gets 3.5 stars and the extra mark here goes for the fantastic supporting cast who did their well and brought the film to us in a different manner where we can laugh in these hard time... full review

Thumbs up by Smriti Sharma, india.com ...Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus stars one of the best performers in the country right now – Ranveer Singh is a festive appropriate film. ‘ Holiday cheer is in order! Cirkus is the perfect movie to watch this holiday season if you want to have some fun without getting too rowdy with the family.... full review

So-So by Smrity Sharma, Bollywood Life ...Cirkus is directed by Rohit Shetty, the man behind some of the most loved big Bollywood entertainers; it stars Ranveer Singh who is one of the finest actors we have in India right now and the film is fit for the festive-holiday season. 'Tis the season to be jolly! So if you are looking to enjoy a film with the family, with some harmless entertainment this holiday season, Cirkus is for you. Tip: Take the kids and the older folks in the family along for sure.... full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare ...Pooja Hegde’s character is said to be a suspense novelist but all we see of her is a weeping willow who wants to be a mother at all costs. Jacqueline Fernandez is seen in the opening ten minutes and then disappears, only to return in the last ten. Varun Sharma, who can be relied to provide light hearted moments is given a dazed expression throughout for some reason in both his roles. And Ranveer Singh, who was so good with one-liners in Simmba, is perhaps given the most underwritten role (s) of his career. He’s known for his flamboyance both off and on screen and it’s strange to see him in a role which doesn’t play to his strengths.... full review

So-So by Nitin Jain, Glamsham.com ...All in all, Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus spends more energy in creating colourful visuals trying to please your eyes but fails with below par writing and stagy performances. If you are in a ‘mood for an outing’ this weekend with your family than this might not hurt!... full review

So-So by Gayatri Nirmal, Pinkvilla ...Cirkus tick marks all the boxes when it comes to performance. Ranveer Singh’s finesse as an actor to portray dual characters with distinctiveness is applauseworthy. Varun Sharma is a surprise package, who effortlessly makes people laugh. However, for me, the actual heroes of Cirkus are Siddharth Jadhav and Sanjay Mishra. There isn’t a dull moment with them on screen. Both the girls, Jacqueline Fernandez and Pooja Hegde play their part convincingly. Johnny Lever as Polsan is mind-blowing. Tiku Talsania, Ashwini Kalsekar, Mukesh Tiwari, Anil Charanjeett, Vijay Patkar, Vrajesh Hirjee and Sulabha Arya steal scenes with their comic timing and acting skills.Final VerdictStrictly for Rohit Shetty fans!... full review

So-So by Shreya Tinkhede, Times Now ...All said and done, Cirkus is a decent comedy film, which we believe can be a good one-time treat with your friends and family this holiday season. If you are an ardent Ranveer Singh fan, you can certainly give it a go. But you will come out in awe of Sanjay Mishra.... full review

Thumbs down by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice ...Shetty and his team should be touching their own feet to reassure themselves that what they are doing is really respectable comedy.... full review

Thumbs down by L. RAVICHANDER, Deccan Chronicle ...This Cirkus gets everything, not just the spelling, wrong.... full review

Thumbs down by Vivek M V, Deccan Herald ...In Cirkus, one Roy is called Electricman as he has a superpower — he cannot get electrocuted. However, the other Roy gets electrocuted, whenever his twin brother comes in contact with electricity. In reality, it’s the audience who feels ‘shocked’ by ...Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/dh-talkies/cirkus-movie-review-rohit-shetty-s-worst-film-yet-1174564.html... full review

Thumbs down DNA ...Shetty, who has specialised in a certain kind of humour in superhits such as Singham, Golmaal and Chennai Express, fails miserably in raising laughs. The only thing that works for the film is Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh`s sudden impromptu jig to Current laga re. That`s the only paisa vasool part of the film, which must go down as a massive wasted opportunity.... full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai, Film Companion ...May be I’m missing the clown in his circus. Until then, I’m just going to picture Sanjay Mishra mumbling something along the lines of “Hey you Roy, bad boy, don’t be coy, where is the joy?”... full review

Thumbs down by Deepanjana Pal, Film Companion ...Growing up, one set of Ranveer and Varun make Cirkus their home while the other set is raised in the luxury of Bangalore. Both the sets are named Roy and Joy to add more confusion and comedy. Unaware of their twisted fate, their paths begin to align when the Bangalore set of Roy and Joy head to Ooty. During their one-day never-ending trip, Roy and Joy land in supposedly hysterical situations.... full review

Thumbs down by ANNA MM VETTICAD, FirstPost ...To get an idea of the triteness in Cirkus, sample this conversation that takes place when Sulabha Arya’s character aims a firearm at a man... full review

Thumbs down by Baradwaj Rangan, galatta.com ...The plot is based on Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, which was made as Do Dooni Char, and then remade as Angoor. Two pairs of twins are switched and we watch the resulting confusion, played out by two Ranveer Singhs, two Varun Sharmas, Pooja Hegde, Jacqueline Fernandez, and a riot of comic-book colours put in by the production designer. But where's the effort? There's a jeweller who doubles as an Urdu poet. There's a cab driver who says ominous things. But why are they so underused? Okay, I laughed at the running gag about a pair of spectacles flying off a man who is slapped hard. That's how it goes: ten dull bits and then one good laugh, ten dull bits and then one good laugh… The only takeaway from Cirkus is that it's not easy making lowbrow comedy. Excuse me now as I head to YouTube to watch Johny Lever and Upasana Singh going abba dabba jabba… Read more at: https://www.galatta.com/hindi/movie/review/cirkus/... full review

Thumbs down by Monika Rawal Kukreja, Hindustan Times ...Cirkus is based on William Shakespeare's play The Comedy of Errors. I would leave you with that thought and let this sink in as it may take a while. Watch it only if you are an ardent Ranveer Singh fan and can muster the courage to watch him get so terribly wasted.... full review

Thumbs down by Tushar Joshi, india today ...Cirkus works best when it lets its supporting cast shine. Be it Sanjay Mishra, Johnny Lever or Mukesh Tiwari, Shetty invests as much time as he can in making these characters enjoyable just like his protagonist. Empowering parallel stories and using characters to take the narrative ahead have always been Shetty’s strength and he shines the most in these scenes. The writing with the punches and rhymes works in a few scenes. Varun Sharma’s timing with Ranveer feels natural and the actor delivers punches even in the most subtle scenes.... full review

Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta, indian express ...But he’s not the only one. In a Rohit Shetty movie, everybody gets slapped. So this bunch, which includes a trio of thieves, moustachioed hoteliers, elderly aunts, jewellery shop owners, and sundry other folk trade slaps whenever they get a chance. Which happens a lot. I did hear a ripple of laughter in the theatre when a slap rings out, because for some strange reason, being slapped is deemed to be funny.... full review

Thumbs down by Umesh Punwani, koimoi ...Rohit Shetty somewhere said he got feedback that this is better than the original 2006 Golmaal. Why? When these ‘yes men’ will stop misguiding genuine filmmakers like Rohit who makes the films for masses. From a hand stuck in a car door to putting someone’s a** on fire, Shetty tries everything to evoke laughter but unfortunately, it’s not enough.Rohit’s films have never boasted of having great songs but they haven’t been as bad as this one. Three songs & I don’t even remember the other 2 apart from the trailer’s Current Laga.... full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...Cirkus is a high-scale production with good support from the technical team. Current Laga is the only saving grace in the music album, and wouldn’t you love the wild dance steps of Deepika Padukone. The cinematography is neat, the background score keeps you busy, and the locations and sets are eye-pleasing, though some of them look fake and banal. The VFX work didn’t provide details on the final output. Cirkus‘ dialogues might just go down in history books as one of the worst written dialogues for a Rohit Shetty film.... full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...Cirkus aspires to be a highwire act. The tightrope it walks is precariously weak and frayed. The result is a great fall for both Rohit Shetty and Ranveer Singh. Stay away.... full review

Thumbs down by Dishya Sharma, News18.com ...Growing up, one set of Ranveer and Varun make Cirkus their home while the other set is raised in the luxury of Bangalore. Both the sets are named Roy and Joy to add more confusion and comedy. Unaware of their twisted fate, their paths begin to align when the Bangalore set of Roy and Joy head to Ooty. During their one-day never-ending trip, Roy and Joy land in supposedly hysterical situations.... full review

Thumbs down by Divya Bhonsale, NewsBytes ...Whether it is the film's storyline, its music, or even Deepika Padukone's cameo for a dance number, there is barely anything that has worked. The only two actors who can possibly make you laugh are Mishra and Sharma, the Fukrey actor.Shetty's attempt to deliver a comedy-drama has fallen flat... full review

Thumbs down by Syed Firdaus Ashraf, Rediff ...The only saving grace of the movie is Deepika Padukone and her song, Current Laga Re.... full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma, Rediff ...Energy is Ranveer Singh's middle name. But in Cirkus, he's like a class clown on an off day.He plays both the Roys like a single-expression robot with zero comic timing or emotional response to anything. Even the usually chirpy Varun Sharma looks like he got grounded for gate-crashing a stranger's party.There's absolutely no chemistry between Ranveer and Varun. Or Ranveer and his love interests.... full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in ...The cast is stacked with comedians who have worked with stronger material in Shetty’s previous films. Siddhartha Jadhav plays Momo, a thief with an Ace Ventura haircut who has more energy than anyone else in the film. Momo’s boss is Polson, who resembles the American soul singer James Brown and is played by the redoubtable Johnny Lever.... full review

Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar, The Hindu ...At one point, running out of alliterations, Mishra describes the proceedings as Ooty ki ootpatang. That is what Cirkus is; a reckless ruckus in Ooty. Unless someone else is paying for the ticket, it is better to get into a quilt and catch up with the exploits of Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Verma on television once more.... full review

Thumbs down The Quint ...9. Veteran comedy actors keep dropping in, attempting to enliven the audience. We are introduced to Johnny Lever's character, who appears to be the ringleader of the gang of thieves. Upon asking Momo what has transpired, he points to the moon. A montage of the chase sequences start playing on the moon. I remain unamused, internally begging the theatre lights to switch on and announce the end of this film.... full review

Thumbs down by Ronak Kotecha, Times of India ...‘Cirkus’ is a busy film filled with a battery of characters put together with a purpose to make us laugh, but is far from that. Entertaining the audience with slapstick comedy and drama is a tightrope that Rohit Shetty has successfully walked before but this time he seems to have tripped several times along the way.... full review

Cirkus - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Reliance Entertainment, T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Rohit Shetty Picturez
Producer: Rohit Shetty, Bhushan Kumar, Gulshan Kumar
Director: Rohit Shetty
Lead Cast: Jacqueline Fernandez , Ranveer Singh , Pooja Hegde , Varun Sharma
Supporting Cast: Ajay Devgan , Tiku Talsania, Ashwini Kalsekar, Deepika Padukone , Vrajesh Hirjee , Sanjay Mishra, Brijendra Kala , Siddharth Jadhav, Sulabha Arya, Vijay Patkar, Uday Tikekar, Jatin Sarna, Johny Lever, Anil Charanjeett, Murali Sharma, Radhika Bangia, Saurabh Gokhale, Ashish Warang, Umakant Patil
Screenplay: Yunus Sajawal
Dialogues: Farhad Samji, Sanchit Bedre, Vidhi Ghodgaonkar
Cinematography: Jomon T. John
Editor: Bunty Nagi
Background Score: Amar Mohile
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya
Music Director: Devi Sri Prasad, Badshah, DJ Chetas
Lyrics: Kumaar, Badshah
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy, Slapstick

View Details

22 reviewers have given Govinda Naam Meraan average rating of 2.4/5.0 ^(?)

7 yays

8 nays

7 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do ^(?)

quick review:

If you can get past the 527 cringes in the first 5 minutes and some more in the next hour, the whodunnit is engaging with some decent performances, only asking you to make room for 1029 predictable squirms in the last 10 minutes. (Available on Disney+Hotstar)

[Poster for Govinda Naam Mera]

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice ...Those who are in it for unquestioning fun, this film delivers. For those who watch films for serious mayhem, wait for the next Anurag Kashyap film.... full review

Thumbs up by Manik Sharma, FirstPost ...There is a running joke in Govinda Naam Mera where the hyphenated identity of Govinda is often recognised as Govind. “Woh birth certificate mein galti hogya tha,” Kaushal tells a judge, and then some others, repeatedly in a film that in essence harks back to the days of the actor who last embodied madness, chic and exaggeration with such consummate ease. He was of course known as Govinda. This is probably an inexact tribute, but the fact that the film is set under the canopy of the film industry, makes it all the more resolute and relevant against the tertiary walls of access and privilege. That is of course, a deeper, more determined reading of a film that is content, and evidently adept at being about nothing in particular. Other than of course, fun.... full review

Thumbs up by Shubham Kulkarni, koimoi ...Govinda Naam Mera is a harmless absurd comedy that doesn’t take itself seriously but is also clever. You need to watch this for Vicky Kaushal and his range.... full review

Thumbs up by Sonil Dedhia, News18.com ...pretensions... full review

Thumbs up by Sameer Salunkhe, The Telegraph ...The best way to enjoy this film is to watch it with a clean slate, without trying to intellectualise everything you see. It’s not a ‘leave your brains at home’ comedy, for sure. (You’ll watch it on OTT, so where will you leave your brains anyway?) Govinda Naam Mera works because it is aware of the world it has created. Every character is more eccentric than the other. Every situation is more bizarre than the other. It’s a mad, mad, mad world with enough twists, turns and laughs to last you the entire runtime.... full review

Thumbs up by Taru B Masand, Times Now ...If you love comedy and thriller, then Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani, and Bhumi Pednekar's Govinda Naam Mera should be on your watchlist for the upcoming weekend. It is a family entertainer and a perfect pick for a movie night. Despite the slow build-up, the film emerges as a winner with its comic timings, a cameo by Ranbir Kapoor, brilliant climax, and just a perfect cast!... full review

Thumbs up by Archika Khurana, Times of India ...Right from Vicky and Kiara shaking a leg to the track Pappi Jhappi to donning matching outfits, everything reminds you of the madness and quirks of the 90s comedies. Govinda Naam Mera is definite crowd-pleaser that entertains with ample laughter, confusion and comedy.... full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal ...Overall, Govinda Naam Mera is a trippy laugh riot with a series of surprising events, but still it is only a one-time watch.... full review

So-So by Nitin jain, Glamsham.com ...Lately, filmmakers have been trying to dish out variety in entertainment and the Indian audience finally opening-up to content that is not their regular, but with Govinda Naam Mera the audience will get to revisit a masala comedy loaded with twists and turns, a tadka of murder making it a quirky thriller, the film keeps you hooked until the end. Govinda Naam Mera streaming on OTT will prove to be a decent dinner table entertainer.... full review

So-So by Parina Taneja, India TV ...Govinda Naam Mera, starring Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani and Bhumi Pednekar, is not just about comedy but is loaded with many twists and turns which makes it a quirky thriller. Although it becomes pretty predictable once the puzzle pieces start to come together, the film keeps you hooked until the end. A decent and entertaining watch for the weekend!... full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in ...Amey Wagh is a good foil to Vicky Kaushal, who is great form as the cuckolded Govinda. Kaushal’s fundamental nice-guy image and proven willingness to go with the flow hold him, and the film, in good stead as it wobbles dangerously and then sinks with the same sure-footedness with which the real-life Govinda made his screen moves.... full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra, The Quint ...But alas, all the fun and laughter (and there is some in there) isn't enough to save the film - it'd make for a good one-time watch with friends.... full review

Thumbs down by Deepanjana Pal, Film Companion ...Pednekar is the only actor who consistently extracts something entertaining out of Govinda naam mera’s mediocre script. Her sharp- tougued Gauri is very much a caricature of the domineering housewife, but pendenekar’s performance makes her funny and adds some of the nuance that the writing lacks Kaushal shows flashes of good comic timing, but struggles to make us care for Govinda. It doesn’t help that he has little chemistry with either Advani of Pednekar. That said Kaushal and the rest of the cast deserved better than what the storyline of Govinda Naam Mera affords them.... full review

Thumbs down by Monika Rawal Kukreja, Hindustan Times ...That being said, if a song and dance sequence could anyhow compensate, I enjoyed Bijli song, though even in that a precisely two-minute cameo by Ranbir Kapoor steals the show. Watch Govinda Naam Mera if you could sit through brainless a comedy that makes you laugh maybe at a couple of scenes but mostly keeps you confused as to why a story with much potential was treated so badly and half-heartedly.... full review

Thumbs down by Hiren Kotwani, MiD DAY ...Songs like Bijli and Pappi jhappi are good fun to watch, but don’t elevate the narrative. Ranbir Kapoor’s cameo in Bijli comes as a surprise, but that’s about it. The last 20-odd minutes are the best part of the movie, but that is too little and much too late to salvage the damage of over an-hour-and-half of a flat storyline and predictable fare.... full review

Thumbs down by Isha Sharma, NewsBytes ...his overcrowded film adjusts five characters in a scene that has space for only two; I had to rewind at least twice to fathom when some of them explained their needlessly bewildering puzzles.One can sniff twists from miles away, and by the time the final curtain drew, my patience had already worn thin... full review

Thumbs down by Himesh Mankad, Pinkvilla ...Govinda Naam Mera rides on a rather flat narrative where nothing really comes together apart from the final 20 minutes, which has an element of surprise in the twists and turns. The film tries to balance itself by bringing the world of commercial comedy and dark comedy together, but ends up being neither of the two.... full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma, Rediff ...Relationships take a backseat when someone of significance suddenly drops dead and Govinda-Suku nervously take charge of things amidst a motley crowd of legal eagles, lenders, brokers, builders, drug dealers and cops hot on their pursuit or haggling them for money.... full review

Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar, The Hindu ...There is not a single honest moment in the film that makes you surrender to the manufactured chaos on display. The crazy title promises some electric dance moves and music but there is hardly any current in the score. And, the sting in the tail that Khaitan keeps wrapped up comes long after we had given up on the shallow enterprise with a hollow premise. The natural flair and infectious charm of Vicky and Kiara fail to perk up the proceedings, and even the reliable Shinde and Shahane could not add any depth to the flimsy storyline. In the end, the title remains the only whacky thing about this ungainly chaos.... full review

Thumbs down by Pooja Birala Jaiswal, The Week ...Given the title of the film, one is reminded of Govinda, the 90s actor known best for his comedy with which he could effortlessly elevate films revolving around nonsensical plots and over-the-top characters to entertaining affairs. Unfortunately, this movie does not come anywhere close to the comedy movies of the 90s.... full review

Govinda Naam Mera - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Dharma Motion Pictures
Producer: Karan Johar , Hiroo Yash Johar, Shashank Khaitan, Apoorva Mehta
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Lead Cast: Bhumi Pednekar , Vicky Kaushal
Supporting Cast: Sayaji Shinde, Kiara Advani, Dayanand Shetty, Renuka Shahane Rana, Anindita Gogoi, Amol Wagh
Cinematography: Vidushi Tiwari
Editor: Charu Shri Roy
Music Director: Meet Bros Arjun Amit, Rochak Kohli, Tanishk Bagchi, Sachin Sanghvi , Jigar Saraiya , B Praak
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Dark Comedy, Slapstick, Spoof, Thriller

View Details

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online ^(?) - —unless you grew up up with Angoor or like; if so, skip.

quick review:

(Streaming partner: Netflix)

[Poster for Cirkus]

Review

If you thought previous Rohit Shetty films had a larger-than-life canvas that didn’t care what you had to say about reality and subtlety, I wonder what you’ll have to say about this one. Here is an attempt at exploring the “Nature vs Nurture” debate using his brand of humour.

This Christmas, Cirkus creates a fairy-tale world in which he throws the characters a party of bright colours and ear-throbbing sounds with intent and conviction. There is no reason for you to dislike this film any more than the others in the Rohit-Shetty genre. And if you have liked his earlier work, you are in for a cheerful, festive end to 2022. Me? I am in the former set of people and managed to find something cute despite the overall tedium of the film.

Belonging to a generation that has grown up on Angoor, it took an extra effort for me to see the brighter side of what the makers of Cirkus tried to bring to the table. Some of the additions to the story are cute in that, Rohit Shetty is trying to introduce logic and emotions into the story. Of course, the manner in which that comes about doesn’t deceive the loud texture of the film.

However, why a side-plot was introduced, a la Hindi films from the 80s and 90s is beyond me. The thieves-and-‘gang’ thread completely takes away from the point of the previous versions of the Shakesperean comedy—that one of the characters sees conspiracy theories everywhere owing to his love for detective novels. That it uses slapstick as a mode of communication for this subplot, complete with innuendo, only made it worse for me.

Of course, performances across the board are in line with the genre. So much so that, every once in a while, when Ranveer Singh and Varun Sharma take a breather and speak normally, it comes as a huge relief. However, I can imagine the entire cast and crew having a grand time with all the craziness.

For a person who uses Angoor references like ‘chirkut kumaar’, ‘gang’ and ‘khaate tum ho, ang mere lagta hai’ in everyday conversations, however, it is disorienting to watch an adaptation carry references from Sholay to Singham. And there are many tidbits that felt like references, but I didn’t get them. For instance, I would like to know the significance of the shop names in this La-la land, such as Higgin Bothams, Rhythm Corner, Madras Café, King’s Café, and John’s Bakery.

Similarly, references to older movies in terms of songs and personalities are unmissable. But the reason for their inclusion is elusive and thus feels random. Did Jalal Agha, Sunil Dutt, Polson, Padosan, or Pradeep Kumar have a connection with some version of A Comedy of Errors? I imagine, given the theme of electricity running through the film, it must have been too tempting to not replicate Hungama’s last scene.

Also, the timelines seem to be messed up. The movie references are all from the 60s and early-70s. But the costumes remind you of the late-70s and the original music reminds you of the early-80s. And when did trams exist in Bangalore? Yeah, that’s me asking for coherence and semblance to reality. This is after I had decided to not question things like neither Roy having their neurons reset despite multiple electric shocks. In fact, I appreciated that the newborn Roys and Joys weren’t real babies since I find the use of real babies in films quite problematic.

At the same time, the presentation of class inequality bothered me even though I understand that the character is most likely being portrayed as a villain for treating his ‘servant’ shabbily. It is heart-breaking then, that the good intention and prime agenda of pointing out unnecessary societal disharmony feel like an afterthought slapped onto the end of the film. The changes in the movie are engineered to make this currently relevant commentary. However, the execution makes it seem force-fitted and extraneous to the basic plot.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Slapsticky slapping around
Language: Clean
Nudity & Sexual content: None
Concept: Two sets of twins are separated at birth but brought together by fate
General Look and Feel: Bright, loud and cheerful. Very.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 1.5
Story: 2
Lead Actors: 2
Character Artists: 1

Dialogues: 1
Screenplay: 1
Music Director: 1
Lyrics: 1

Cirkus - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Reliance Entertainment, T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Rohit Shetty Picturez
Producer: Rohit Shetty, Bhushan Kumar, Gulshan Kumar
Director: Rohit Shetty
Lead Cast: Jacqueline Fernandez , Ranveer Singh , Pooja Hegde , Varun Sharma
Supporting Cast: Ajay Devgan , Tiku Talsania, Ashwini Kalsekar, Deepika Padukone , Vrajesh Hirjee , Sanjay Mishra, Brijendra Kala , Siddharth Jadhav, Sulabha Arya, Vijay Patkar, Uday Tikekar, Jatin Sarna, Johny Lever, Anil Charanjeett, Murali Sharma, Radhika Bangia, Saurabh Gokhale, Ashish Warang, Umakant Patil
Screenplay: Yunus Sajawal
Dialogues: Farhad Samji, Sanchit Bedre, Vidhi Ghodgaonkar
Cinematography: Jomon T. John
Editor: Bunty Nagi
Background Score: Amar Mohile
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya
Music Director: Devi Sri Prasad, Badshah, DJ Chetas
Lyrics: Kumaar, Badshah
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy, Slapstick

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do ^(?)

quick review:

[Poster for Govinda Naam Mera]

Review

I didn’t think I could finish watching the film. Talented actors like Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar, and Kiara Advani give the phrase, over-the-top, a run for its money within the first few minutes. The first line of the film itself is the most boring platitude given to Mumbai. The voiceover is so-so annoying. But then, I knew I wanted to write this piece. For that, I had to watch that film. I crossed my fingers, took a deep breath, and kept my fingers from pressing the “close window” button. Also, couldn’t let go of the feeling that these actors must have picked this script for a reason.

The good news is that it does get better. The plot warms up beyond its slapsticky, wannabe-pulpy first half. The loudness settles down. The performances sober up. You start taking your palms off your eyes from this mode 🫣*. And you even begin to get interested.

Here the thriller begins. This bunch of grey characters get into a tangle of deceit, trying to outwit each other. The annoying caricatures of a henpecked husband, raunchy girlfriend, etc. make way for situations that begin to engage. The performances aren’t good enough to make you forget that it’s Vicky Kaushal or Kiara Advani or Bhumi Pednekar or Amol Wagh, or Renuka Shahane. But, they are decent enough to make you admire the effort they have put in and the range they emote. From yelling at each other, they all start talking to each other and even listening! The writing also incorporates some sly digs at current event issues like appreciation of the country’s cleanliness drive in a dirty public toilet and black money presented in Rs 2000 currency notes.

Of course, you know bad news is coming. You get about 30-45 good minutes, with an acceptable number of lines and situations that make you flinch. Especially considering how you started off. And you are back to maybe fewer shudders but more predictable narration. The last ten minutes wrap the suspense off with the perpetrator explaining how he did it blow-by-blow only to show off. u.g.g.g.h.h.

Having endured it, I cannot stop wondering what prompted those decisions in writing and execution. Did it really sound funny or cool? It felt like they were going for a spoof-of-a-B-grade-film feel. But did they think they could make a spoof look better than the target of their humour? If they weren’t going for that texture, what was that? Why was that?

~~~

*:face\_with\_peeking\_eye:

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Gun shots, murder, even if all of it is spoofy.
Language: Brash language
Nudity & Sexual content: A few suggestive scenes, an item number
Concept: Whodunnit with a slapsticky spoofy humour
General Look and Feel: Synthetic and cheap-ish

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 1.5
Story: 3
Lead Actors: 3
Character Artists: 2

Dialogues: 1.5
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 0.5
Lyrics: 0.5

Govinda Naam Mera - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Dharma Motion Pictures
Producer: Karan Johar , Hiroo Yash Johar, Shashank Khaitan, Apoorva Mehta
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Lead Cast: Bhumi Pednekar , Vicky Kaushal
Supporting Cast: Sayaji Shinde, Kiara Advani, Dayanand Shetty, Renuka Shahane Rana, Anindita Gogoi, Amol Wagh
Cinematography: Vidushi Tiwari
Editor: Charu Shri Roy
Music Director: Meet Bros Arjun Amit, Rochak Kohli, Tanishk Bagchi, Sachin Sanghvi , Jigar Saraiya , B Praak
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Dark Comedy, Slapstick, Spoof, Thriller

View Details

22 reviewers have given Salaam Venkyan average rating of 2.8/5.0 ^(?)

9 yays

6 nays

7 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure ^(?)

quick review:

Does a film about a mother and son grappling with the idea of euthanasia really need added drama and songs to say what it has to say? No. These water down the merit of the topic and the performances ☹

[Poster for Salaam Venky]

Thumbs up by Aditya MNI JHA, FirstPost ...Under Revathy’s expert steerage, Salaam Venky also tackles these ugly truths at the intersection of law, medicine and sociology (much like her earlier film, Phir Milenge did). That it does so without compromising on narrative momentum is doubly admirable. Watch this accomplished tear-jerker with friends and family, I’d say, and feel free to bawl your eyes out afterwards.... full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain, Glamsham.com ...The music of Salaam Venky is composed by Mithoon. Lyrics are penned by Mithoon, Sandeep Shrivastava and Kausar Munir. There is nothing much about music except the ‘Dhan Te Nan Zindagi’ song sung by Mohit Chauhan & Mithoon that attracts one’s attention, rest are mostly used as backgrounders.... full review

Thumbs up by Grace Cyril, india today ...Salaam Venky is a film that celebrates life and embraces passion. It fully encapsulates human spirit and in an unique way, shows how it's the birthright of everyone to choose their own journey in life. It stands out with its beauty, intellect and spirit. The film will teach you that life is short, so if you are upset, sad or feeling dejected, get up, rise and shine! Let's see that smile on your face like Venky.... full review

Thumbs up by Devasheesh Pandey, India TV ...Salaam Venky presents a deeply humane subject. It should be enjoyed with your near and dear ones.... full review

Thumbs up by Hiren Kotwani, MiD DAY ...To sum up, apart from the top-notch performances by Kajol and Jethwa, credit also goes to director Revathy’s treatment, aided by good writing (credit to Sameer Arora and Munir), that Salaam Venky doesn’t become a sob-fest.... full review

Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...Outstanding as the performances are, Salaam Venky does not eventually hinge on the glamour of a star. It is the story that is the star. The director does full justice to it.... full review

Thumbs up by Sonil Dedhia, News18.com ...Through its hiccups, Salaam Venky is a respectable outing by Revathy. The film s decidedly somber; with many moments to laugh about. Be warned though, overwhelming sadness will take a piece out of you and will even tear you up.... full review

Thumbs up by Divya Bhonsale, NewsBytes ...While Kajol and Jethwa are the stars of the film, their glitter could not have been possible without a strong cast put together by Revathy.With Rajeev Khandelwal as the doctor, Rahul Bose, and Priyamani as opposing lawyers, Prakash Raj as the judge, and Aahana Kumra as the journalist, every character including Riddhi Kumar and Aneet Padda have added life to this film.... full review

Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy, Times of India ...he last scene is so poignantly powerful that it will leave you misty-eyed. The heart-touching fare, replete with positivity as much as pain, is a must-watch.... full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal ...Kajol has proved her acting ability time and again, she knows her zone, audience, camera angles, she is best when she cries. Revathy has made her look like Sujata, who is a mother of two kids and her stardom doesn’t take away one bit from the film. Vishal Jethwa is a firecracker. After Mardaani 2 (2019) and Human (2022), Salaam Venky is yet another testimony of his great craft. Rahul Bose, Rajeev Khandelwal, Aahana Kumra and Prakash Raj are good in their respective roles.... full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta, indian express ...Movie-mad Venky exchanging sweet nothings with a childhood sweetheart who happens to be visually impaired. Venky being chummy with his favourite nurse, teaching her to play chess.... full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...Revathy‘s conviction on the subject is something you want to believe, even if her storytelling transports you to a bygone era. Salaam Venky works because of emotions and human connection, and who can forget Anand‘s biggest on-screen lesson: “Zindagi lambi nahi badi honi chahiye…” Salaam Venky salutes this spirit, along with a mother’s brave choice in difficult situations. Watch it to learn that lesson again and to see Kajol’s heartfelt performance.... full review

So-So by Karishma Shetty, Pinkvilla ...Inspite of its many obvious flaws, Salaam Venky tends to work its charm thanks to Kajol, Vishal Jethwa and the carefully curated supporting cast's authenticity. Keep those tissues by your side, because it's a cry fest from start to finish.... full review

So-So by UDITA JHUNJHUNWALA, Scroll.in ...Kolavennu Venkatesh passed away in 2004, the same year Revathi’s Phir Milenge was released. Like its inspiration, the Hollywood film Philadelphia, Phir Milenge dealt with the subject of AIDS and unfair dismissal from work. Salaam Venky too tries to spotlight important issues and hopes to be a conversation starter. The intention is right, but this is too sorrowful a film that pries open a tiny crack of hope.... full review

So-So by Shilpa Nair Anand, The Hindu ...However, the advantage is that the movie could bring the focus back to organ donation, if not euthanasia for the terminally-ill. It is an uncomfortable, controversial topic, but the discussion has to start at some point.... full review

So-So by Simran Khan, Times Now ...Venky mouthing filmy lines may make you cringe a little and Sujata, on the other hand, will sometimes remind you of the mothers from typical 90s daily soaps. A few lines are so melodramatic that they even make you go 'WHAT?!'That said, Salaam Venky is perfect for those who need a good cry.... full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai, Film Companion ...Salaam Venky remembers that it can not offord to be so human. WhT will people say ? So it reverts to being a difficulty escapist movie, where every scene lodges a formal request for our tears.... full review

Thumbs down by Monika Rawal Kukreja, Hindustan Times ...There's no way a film like Salaam Venky won't remind you of Shonali Bose's The Sky is Pink or R Balki's Paa and that's where you feel it could have been so much better and hard-hitting. The film may have had its heart at the right place, but the soul, I felt, was totally missing.... full review

Thumbs down by Kartik Bhardwaj, indian express ...In the film’s final act, Rahul Bose, who is the representing lawyer for Venky’s euthanasia appeal, presents a video in court to prove his client’s mental stability. The video is a bunch of interviews with those who were with Venky since his childhood. His teachers from the Ashram he grew up in, classmates talking about how optimistic he is, and staff members remembering his jovial nature. After the video, the presiding judge, played by Prakash Raj, takes a moment. He pauses, sighs and tells Rahul, “Can you please wrap up your closing argument without any more drama?”... full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot, Rediff ...Kajol, shot in many flattering close-ups, does the best she can with the role though it is a bit limiting -- after all, how many expressions can an actor come up with to portray sorrow or misery?Vishal Jethwa (a big change for the actor, who played the villain in Mardaani 2) has the expressive face and eyes to do the role that has him immobile most of the time, and he does give the movie-crazy Venky a bright charm... full review

Thumbs down by Pratikshya Mishra, The Quint ...That’s perhaps what makes the film – lines on the script – because Salaam Venky is a powerful script on paper and an almost successful film on-screen but the former trumps the latter. And that…is unfortunate.... full review

Thumbs down by Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri, The Telegraph ...I began this review with Whose Life Is It, Anyway?. I end it with a reference to the same. That film, a work of fiction, felt authentic. This one, a true story, arguably more inspiring, comes across as packaged.... full review

Salaam Venky - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Blive Productions, Take 23 Studios Production
Producer: Suuraj Singh, Shraddha Agrawal, Varsha Kukreja
Director: Revathy
Lead Cast: Kajol , Rajeev Khandelwal, Vishal Jethwa, Riddhi Kumar, Aneet Padda
Supporting Cast: Rahul Bose , Aamir Khan , Kausar Munir, Prakash Raj , Priyamani, Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, Aahana Kumra, Jai Neeraj, Maala Parvathi, Kamal Sadanah
Story: Sammeer Arora
Screenplay: Sammeer Arora
Dialogues: Kausar Munir
Cinematography: S Ravi Varman
Editor: Manan Sagar
Choreography: Pony Varma
Music Director: Mithoon
Lyrics: Mithoon, Sandeep Srivastava
Costume Designer: Radhika Mehra
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family, Philosophy, Social

View Details

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure ^(?)

quick review:

[Poster for Salaam Venky]

Review

“Dying with dignity” I have mulled over this a lot, and my thoughts align with the film’s agenda. So, the film’s arguments were like preaching to the choir for me. However, I was keen on knowing how the film stages the arguments on both sides. And I was left disappointed.

Salaam to the effort of paying tribute to the person and family that made the advance directive a reality in India. Kudos for taking on a challenging, complicated, and controversial topic. Salute to creating awareness about organ donation as a concept.

But then, why the confusion? Simple questions like “Why couldn’t organs be donated after a natural death?” and “What was the legal status of euthanasia before the ‘Advance Directive’ was made legal?” are not given straightforward answers in the film. Of course, the writers must have known the answers. It feels like they assumed the audience would know too.

Then you have the melodramatisation of an already pretty dramatic situation. I am not talking about the emotional blackmail in the dialogue or the rubbing-it-in in every scene. After all, what do I know about how people, who know they will die soon, talk? Maybe, and arguably right in doing so, they cannot help milking their situation to get what they want. Maybe some of them cannot let people forget their looming end, even for a moment. As a viewer of the story, I found that annoying. Especially, for a person who is supposedly being practical about his death.

But that irritation was nothing compared to the misuse of background music throughout the film. Do I really need a string instrument to tell me that a holy person is about to deliver a philosophical sermon? Are 237 songs that take away from the fluidity of the narrative necessary? You have so much content in the basic material—doctors, lawyers, media, a mother-son relationship, and parent-kid dynamics, to name a few. Using these devices to guide emotions is a disservice to the substance of the story.

Interestingly, though, the grounded performances across the board take the edge off the over-the-top music and writing. It is admirable that with so much potential to go overboard, each actor was kept from and was able to stay restrained. This made their predicament real and their behaviour believable.

I am quite enjoying this version of Kajol—her third film I have seen as a formidable mother. Vishal Jethwa had a challenge that any actor would look forward to and does well even though I found his character borderline toxic at times. Rajeev Khandelwal brings ease to any character he plays as if he were meant to be the character, and the same goes for the doctor he plays here. I loved the simplicity Aneet Padda and Riddhi Kumar bring to the film, like naturally growing flora in a manicured lawn. It is their combined effort that brought tears.

It, indeed, is a shame that such capable actors, a powerful story, and an intense debate are tempered by the supposed need to make it more palatable. It is not like the film’s scale is such that it will appeal to what is known as the ‘masses’. Then why not have a subtler, more sensitive, and more mature approach to telling it? A poignant telling it would have been.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: None
Language: Clean
Nudity & Sexual content: None
Concept: A terminally ill person fights for his right to die with dignity.
General Look and Feel: A neat and clean presentation with a limited budget

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 2.5
Story: 3.5
Lead Actors: 4
Character Artists: 4

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 1.5
Music Director: 1
Lyrics: 1

Salaam Venky - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Blive Productions, Take 23 Studios Production
Producer: Suuraj Singh, Shraddha Agrawal, Varsha Kukreja
Director: Revathy
Lead Cast: Kajol , Rajeev Khandelwal, Vishal Jethwa, Riddhi Kumar, Aneet Padda
Supporting Cast: Rahul Bose , Aamir Khan , Kausar Munir, Prakash Raj , Priyamani, Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, Aahana Kumra, Jai Neeraj, Maala Parvathi, Kamal Sadanah
Story: Sammeer Arora
Screenplay: Sammeer Arora
Dialogues: Kausar Munir
Cinematography: S Ravi Varman
Editor: Manan Sagar
Choreography: Pony Varma
Music Director: Mithoon
Lyrics: Mithoon, Sandeep Srivastava
Costume Designer: Radhika Mehra
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family, Philosophy, Social

View Details

23 reviewers have given An Action Heroan average rating of 3.9/5.0 ^(?)

14 yays

1 nays

8 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online ^(?)

quick review:

A spoof that doesn’t rely on slapstick comedy! Yet, doesn’t engage with the details. Sincere and believable performances, an interesting basic plot, and a few quips are the big-picture plusses.

[Poster for An Action Hero]

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice ...he comments on media trial and the demonization of Bollywood are hilarious. This is a clever intelligent film that sometimes trips over in self-admiration but manages to stay afloat most of the way.... full review

Thumbs up by Rahul Desai, Film Companion ...But An Action Hero is far more astute... full review

Thumbs up by Prathyush Parasuraman, Film Companion ...An Action hero, they don't even try. Instead all that expectant sexual tension is thrown at Maanav and Boora wondering. if these two people who just want to get at each other's thouats, will, eventually, find reasons to hold hands, and not twist them, instead.... full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare ...Kudos to Anirudh Iyer for making a witty and clever film, keeping a healthy mix of satire, action and comedy to keep one entertained throughout. Cinematic liberties have been taken for sure and the treatment is definitely over the top. But as long as one keeps smiling, who's complaining.... full review

Thumbs up by Anna MM Vetticad, FirstPost ...Ayushmann has had an uneven 2022 so far with Anek and Doctor G. An Action Hero is an excellent showcase for him. He revels in the silliness that the script sometimes throws his way, but cleverly makes silly look serious. Even when the film lags, Ayushmann does not.... full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal ...An Action Hero might derail from the set formula concept, but it might entertain and delve deeper into world affairs.... full review

Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja, Hindustan Times ...Watch An Action Hero for some brash and raw action, and if you enjoy cat and mouse chase, you would find this crazy ride equally funny.... full review

Thumbs up by Umesh Punwani, koimoi ...All said and done, this is a ‘bring your brain to the theatres’ film as even though this is a masala entertainer, it’s not mindless at all & Ayushmann Khurrana steers in the right direction!... full review

Thumbs up by Uday Bhatia, Live Mint ...An Action Hero is a sly, nimble thriller, as unimpressed by Bollywood as it is scathing about the people who hate it.... full review

Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...An Action Hero bustles with coiled energy every time Jaideep Ahlawat is on the screen as a toughie responding to a rough, ready and rustic notion of justice and self-worth. An inveterate scene-stealer, the actor keeps the 'action hero' Ayushmann Khurrana on his toes. The two principal performers lend the movie some of the power and energy that it requires to keep firing on all cylinders. The rest is provided by the canny screenplay and the directorial panache.... full review

Thumbs up by Sonal Dedhia, News18.com ...This isn’t a great piece of cinema or anything but it doesn’t pretend to be one either. It sets out to be an absurdly funny, unpretentious crime comedy and it totally lives up to that hype. An Action Hero is wacky, breezy, bizzare, outlandish and yet makes a statement.... full review

Thumbs up by Himesh Mankad, Pinkvilla ...An Action Hero is an intelligently written action thriller, wherein the director follows his conviction to strike the right balance in the genre with some humor and whacky scenarios. The conflict does get repetitive in the second half, but the finale saves the day for this Ayushmann Khurrana film. It’s definitely Worth-A-Dekho this weekend.... full review

Thumbs up by Anuj Kumar, The Hindu ...However, it is Jaideep who sets up the pace of conflict with a pitch-perfect performance of a wrestler-turned-politician, fuelled by caste pride. Jitender Hooda is equally impressive as the slimy local police officer serving the interest of the local star. Watch out for the scene where Jitender questions a DOP’s contribution to society, which is a hilarious social comment on the region. The conversations between Jaideep and Jitender sets the pace for this off-roader.... full review

Thumbs up by Pratikshya Mishra, The Quint ...An Action Hero makes fun of everything it can get its hands on while weaving a story worthy of its strong cast. Jaideep Ahlawat remains an actor who steals the scene every time and Ayushmann is still a star who knows how to keep the audience watching.... full review

So-So by Anindita Mukherjee, india today ...All in all, if you are in the mood for some mindless action and wish to see Ayushmann perform car chases and action sequences for the first time (and the chiselled body), you may still give the film a shot. And all you Jaideep lovers, this man nails it, yet again. However, if you plan to book An Action Hero tickets thinking of it as yet another hatke Ayushmann film, we would ask you to pause and give it a second thought.... full review

So-So by Ridhi Suri, India TV ...Overall, the film is a decent blend of satire, comedy, action and hilarious punchlines! The combination of some really good action, and situational comedy makes 'An Action Hero' an engaging watch.... full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta, indian express ...we want the action heroes to only do what they do best: kick and chop their way through a throng of baddies. Those little moments when nothing much is going on slows down the proceedings, and prevents this one from being a total humdinger. That also goes for a song-and-dance sequence featuring the very svelte Malaika, who shares a terrific raised brow moment with our hero.... full review

So-So by Mayank Shekhar, MiD DAY ...The pre-interval portions, being the set-up; it’s total payoff, after. This leap of imagination lands nowhere after halftime — once the hero himself starts getting deeper and deeper into shit. As does the film, with no way to get out of it too. Full respect for the dive/effort though.... full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...An Action Hero would have been a solid debut for him. Nevertheless, it’s a decent film that has unnecessarily gone into the exaggeration zone.... full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma, Rediff ...An Action Man simply cannot decide whether his objective is vendetta or voicing fan-star obligations.Any time an opportunity for some exciting existential conversation between these two men, as two sides of the same coin, presents itself, Iyer opts for a less complicated chase-and-combat routine.... full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in ...An Action Hero careens out of control after a superbly taut beginning and begins to resembles the anything-goes movies that have earned Bollywood a bad name. An allegory about post-truth and fake news in present-day India emerges on the horizon, which simultaneously weakens the man-on-the-run thriller and gives the film higher purpose... full review

So-So by Archika Khurana, Times of India ...Nora Fatehi and Malaika Arora's dance numbers to reprised versions of 'Jehda Nasha' and 'Aap Jaisa Koi,' respectively, bring in the dose of oomph factor. The background score complements the ongoing drama and establishes the tone of the film.... full review

Thumbs down by Sushmita Dey, Times Now ...In a nutshell, just imagine two talented and versatile actors in an action film with a bad plot!... full review

An Action Hero - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Colour Yellow Productions
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Anand L. Rai
Director: Anirudh Iyer
Lead Cast: Jaideep Ahlawat , Ayushman Khurana
Supporting Cast: Harsh Chhaya, Gautam Joglekar
Story: Anirudh Iyer, Neeraj Yadav
Screenplay: Neeraj Yadav
Dialogues: Neeraj Yadav
Cinematography: Kaushal Shah (II)
Editor: Ninad Khanolkar
Background Score: Sunny M.R
Music Director: Biddu, Tanishk Bagchi, Parag Chhabra, Faridkot
Lyrics: Vayu, Tanishk Bagchi, Indeevar, D’Evil
Costume Designer: Ankita Jha
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Dark Comedy, Noir, Social, Spoof

View Details

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online ^(?)

quick review:

A spoof that doesn’t rely on slapstick comedy! Yet, doesn’t engage with the details. Sincere and believable performances, an interesting basic plot, and a few quips are the big-picture plusses.

[Poster for An Action Hero]

Review

The pulp genre has room to stretch imagination in all directions and planes. Coincidence is usually forgiven here. It is thrilling and most-fun when the story happens in a couple of days. It has smartly written lines and slick execution. An Action Hero has all the markings of a good pulp film—but it feels like it is being held back.

The one-line description offers a broad canvas—a Hindi film star lands in a soup that keeps getting thicker, digs a hole to drain the soup into, only to find the hole getting deeper. An Action Hero manages the broad strokes well, setting the audience up for a fun ride. Especially, because it is spiced with a dash, or few, of spoof and goof.

Unfortunately, it stays at that. For instance, not all the dialogue has spark. The few witticisms that sound cool, only reveal the superficial approach to the lines. After all, ‘spiced truth is going to be bitter’ seems chic at first. But, neither does it hold strong when you think about it, nor does it make sense as an analogy beyond the surface level.

Similarly, the film wants to deliver a commentary. A commentary on stars being put on a pedestal, media trials, the show of power by small-time politicians, the dynamics and relevance or lack thereof of the underworld. Its protagonist, Maanav (Ayushman Khurana) is a haughty, popular film star who takes pride in being socially responsible but is reduced to dancing at parties. The satirical spoof of the entire spectrum in the media, the medial trial and its draw to TRP are too obvious. Likewise, you don’t have anything unexpected in the remarks about politicians or the underworld.

Sure, some of the stuff works. Like the snide remark on the political situation in the country works; or henchmen telling an actor about their love for their job bring a smile. But other stuff falls flat under the guise of being goofy. For example, the weird mockery of the beard and cinematographers make it look like an inside joke that isn’t meant for the viewers.

What you have then is some decent action choreography and earnest performances. I especially enjoyed the first chase sequence in London that looked like it was stylised based on Super Mario. After a while, though, the action gets repetitive, making you wonder how the character who is playing an actor goes about wilfully committing murder without remorse like it were his day job.

From Ayushman Khurana to Jaideep Ahlawat, including Harsh Chhaya and Gautam Joglekar, the performances do their best to keep you engaged and believe the pulpy situation imagined. Even Akshay Kumar gives his best performance to-date in his cameo. Well enough for me to mention a special appearance, something I usually avoid. Yep, there is no room for women here. 🤷‍♀️

An Action Hero leaves you with ‘wanting more’ feeling. But for what it could have done rather than what it did. A little more chemistry between Maanav and Bhoora, a little more insight in the dialogue and situations, a little more meaning to the action, and so on.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Loads of fistfights, gunfights and murders
Language: Curse words are muted out
Nudity & Sexual content: A bare-chested Ayushman Khurana, a couple of item numbers
Concept: A film star is caught up in a tricky situation that involves him fleeing from the police of two countries
General Look and Feel: Pulpy narration

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 2
Story: 2.5
Lead Actors: 3.5
Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 1.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2

An Action Hero - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Colour Yellow Productions
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Anand L. Rai
Director: Anirudh Iyer
Lead Cast: Jaideep Ahlawat , Ayushman Khurana
Supporting Cast: Harsh Chhaya, Gautam Joglekar
Story: Anirudh Iyer, Neeraj Yadav
Screenplay: Neeraj Yadav
Dialogues: Neeraj Yadav
Cinematography: Kaushal Shah (II)
Editor: Ninad Khanolkar
Background Score: Sunny M.R
Music Director: Biddu, Tanishk Bagchi, Parag Chhabra, Faridkot
Lyrics: Vayu, Tanishk Bagchi, Indeevar, D’Evil
Costume Designer: Ankita Jha
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action, Dark Comedy, Noir, Social, Spoof

View Details

23 reviewers have given Bhediyaan average rating of 3.4/5.0 ^(?)

9 yays

1 nays

13 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online ^(?)

quick review:

Quick-fix, unnuanced writing skims over some social issues preachily. Tries hard to have its heart in the right place. Loses out on a relatively fresh and charming take that had the potential to appeal to the urban conscience.

[Poster for Bhediya]

Thumbs up by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com ...lastly f; lim like Bhediya are best enjoyed in the theatre as a collective watch. Though I personally prefer 2D but it does have a few jump scares demanding a 3D watch. Hence do not wait for OTT release of the film missing the theatre ecperience.... full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare ...The film’s creature effects and computer generated imagery is excellent. Cinematography and the background score are good as well. The film is a tad long and could have been better at a crisp 140 minutes. It does keep you in the laughs throughout and has an important message to convey. If nothing else, it’ll make you want to explore the pristine beauty of the North East for sure…... full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain, galatta.com ...Overall, the film reminds us of the ‘Bhediya’ in all of us that we exert for our selfish motives and benefits without considering the damage that we are doing. The film leaves you with an experience and a thought to ponder upon, maybe deeper than the forests of Ziro. Waste no time, this one is a must watch.... full review

Thumbs up by On another level, the film reminds us of our anima, Hindustan Times ...Sachin-Jigar's music is decent, but not all songs leave a mark. Jungle Mein Kaand makes you groove for its peppy music, Baaki Sab Theek is interesting with the quirky rap. Background score is extremely on-point and creates an impact in the jump-scare moments.... full review

Thumbs up by Tushar P. Joshi, india today ...But if you leave aside these flaws, the rugged wolf on the full moon night is a howling entertainer. Watch this in 3D to get the full bang for your buck.... full review

Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar, MiD DAY ...man vs nature... Nope, greed’s not good — this wolf’s against Wall Street, you know… Baaki sab? More than theek thaak!... full review

Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV ...Bhediya, both enjoyable and thought-provoking, is helped along by lively performances. Varun Dhawan gives the unconventional role his best shot. Abhishek Banerjee and Paalin Kabak are terrific as much with their comic timing as with their dramatic flourishes. Kriti Sanon has comparatively limited footage but does all that it takes not to be swamped out of the picture.... full review

Thumbs up by Sukanya Verma, Rediff ...Varun Dhawan ups his entertainer game exponentially in Bhediya.Between a smooth talker channeling Anil Kapoor, ever the symbol for all things hirsute (as if to confirm the similarity, a character actually quips, 'Anil Kapoor ki tarah kyun chal raha hai?' and a lycanthrope bewildered by the sudden shift in skin and status quo until compelled to preserve the only pair of pants he's left, the actor finds much to wag his tail about.... full review

Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy, Times of India ...On another level, the film reminds us of our animal instincts and how there could be a bhediya in all of us. But how we wish to unleash it, for better or worse, is up to us. Beauty and the beast are all in us, we only have to look deep within. The film leaves you with an experience and a thought, maybe deeper than the forests of Ziro. So, set out and watch this one. For a howling good time, this one's worth a hike to the theatres. There's also a delightful surprise at the end. The film that releases in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu is best viewed in 3D.... full review

So-So by Nikita Thakkar, Bollywood Life ...Bhediya is a one-time watch film but only if you watch in 3D.... full review

So-So by Rahul Desai, Film Companion ...The big picture is the actual picture; broad daylight is the only colour tone. After all, the fury beneath the frolic matters. Otherwise, Bhediya is just a film with a penchant for fleshy narrative jackets. Otherwise it’s just a sheepish creature comedy in wolf’s clothing.... full review

So-So by Prathyush Parasuraman, Film Companion ...Our man Bhaskar, who needed to be bitten in his bum, transformed into an animal, fall in love with a mysterious vet with dense bangs, and have that snake in his pants stare him in the face, to realize — hey, cutting trees is not cool.... full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar, Free Press Journal ...Overall, Bhediya is a good one-time popcorn entertainment and a decent distraction from the monotony.... full review

So-So by Akansha Tiwari, India TV ...Director Amar Kaushik has done a good job and has taken up the subject of the film well. There is a need to work on the matter of environment which is shown in the film. The weakest part of the film is its music. Sachin Jigar's music is not showing anything special. Hard work has been done in the background score but the songs of the film are average. A star of the film can only do its VFX, which is amazing.... full review

So-So by Shilajit Mitra, indian express ...It feels strange to say, but Bhediya is more forthright and observant about the everyday problems of the Northeastern states than the more politically-minded Anek some months ago. Bhaskar’s appeal to the villagers isn’t so much evil as a practical eventuality. He too, in time, finds a compromise.... full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta, indian express ...A couple of moving moments, shared between Sanon and Dhawan, break the ha-ha-hee-hee, and provide a bit of depth. But so determined is the film to not get ‘serious’, that those moments come and go, making you wish there were more of them.Clocking 2.36 hours, ‘Bhediya’ starts wearing out its welcome around its stretched-out climax. But when the going is good, this rumble in the jungle is quite a romp.... full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies ...Bhediya could have been cleaner and sharper, but Kaushik does unnecessary and unwanted stuff to bring it down. That organic humor, like Stree and Bala, is badly missing. Don’t see any reasons why someone like Amar Kaushik would need the kind of “below the belt” humour and cheap jokes we see in Sajid Khan or Farhad Samji movies. Bhediya couldn’t hunt that myth of Bollywood filmmakers and, hence, remains at an average height. This one was expected to reach the top of the roof but jumped down somewhere close to the side windows. Watch it for some laughs and a few visually amazing scenes. Dinesh Vijan‘s horror universe seems to be in trouble again. They desperately need Stree back!... full review

So-So by Sonil Dedhia, News18.com ...shortcomings... full review

So-So by Divya Bhonsale, NewsBytes ...Since the time its trailer was released, high hopes were held with two actors—Banerjee and Dobriyal. Most of the film's humor is on Banerjee's shoulder which makes him the star of the film.Unfortunately, the makers could not utilize Dobriyal to his best, knowing his past performances, such as in the Tanu Weds Manu franchise. Dobriyal's character lacks the meat and falls flat.... full review

So-So by Himesh Mankad, Pinkvilla ...Bhediya rides primarily on the strength of gags, visual effects, and performances, but warranted a bigger conflict with regard to a hero and villain in the second half. Despite the flaws, it makes for a fairly entertaining watch for the youth, and families, who wish to experience something unique on the big screen from the Hindi Film Industry.... full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in ...Kaushik’s shaky hold on his narrative steadies when it comes to his actors. Deepak Dobriyal and Paalin Kabak are memorable foils to an in-form Varun Dhawan. Putting his buffness to good use and sportingly letting himself be the butt of humour, Dhawan display heroic levels of commitment to a film that doesn’t trust its audiences or its own animal instinct enough.... full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra, The Quint ...Jishu Bhattacharjee as the DOP does a commendable job and editor Sanyukta Kaza uses his well-shot scenes to their maximum potential to tell a story. The music by Sachin-Jigar with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya is catchy but for some might be an acquired taste... full review

Thumbs down by Akash Hegde, Deccan Herald ...Bhediya’ fails to emotionally resonate with the viewers because of poor character development and weak chemistry between the leads. The man vs nature conflict too is resolved in a rather unspectacular fashion. Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/bhediya-review-an-over-the-top-varun-in-a-tame-horror-comedy-1165803.html... full review

Bhediya - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Maddock Films , Jio Studios
Producer: Dinesh Vijan
Director: Amar Kaushik
Lead Cast: Varun Dhawan
Supporting Cast: Deepak Dobriyal, Shraddha Kapoor , Flora saini, Kriti Sanon , Abhishek Banerjee , Paalin Kabak
Story: Niren Bhatt
Cinematography: Jishnu Bhattacharjee
Editor: Sanyukta Kaza
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi , Jigar Saraiya , K4 Kekho
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya, K4 Kekho
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Fantasy, Social, Thriller

View Details

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online (?)

quick review:

Review Bhediya has long stretches where nothing happens—and that nothing happens in a boring fashion. Leaving you a lot of time to wonder if Bhediya really has its heart in the right place or if it is pretending so. If it really meant well, in all that time, it could have built a better world that conveyed the message with conviction rather than with fear and/or easy, convenient mocking.

Some of the jeering might make sense because of how true to life it is. For instance, the stereotyping of the manner in which urban Indian population in the rest of India think of and talk about Indians from the North-eastern states of India seems about right. But then, when it tries to have a conversation around how problematic it is, it shabbily ends in a similar ‘joke’. Why the discomfort in accepting that putting someone down is not funny? And if you can’t own up to your uneasiness, are you doing any good?

This discomfort is even more jarring because the film has a clear agenda. It wants to say our attitude towards those who aren’t like us is not right. It wants to say our definition of development needs to change. But at the micro level, Bhediya chooses to add details in very superficial ways. It doesn’t bother with nuances and suffices itself with portraying the most drawing-room-level discussions on screen. No, parents showing nose hair on video calls isn’t enough to capture the world it is building, even if it is based on very real life.

Bhediya is stuck between wanting to be close to real life and building a fantasy world. The ideation of this world seems to be restricted to the one-line description of man turns into a wolf. Any fantasy beyond that isn’t given enough thought. Just saying the wolf can do whatever it wishes doesn’t explain why it does what it does? Why do storms brew suddenly? How can they open a locked door but not a locked cage? And so on.

Bhediya wants to convey a messages and few, and it wants to do it with a dose of humour. Unfortunately, it relies heavily on slapstick right down to toilet humour and innuendo. All of it, unfunny. When it is not trying to be funny, it is delivering preachy monologues. The inconsistency with its arguments are made worse by the logical gaps in the situations. It is also predictable with its sub-plot like in the “Boy who cried wolf.” Situation or in the main twist of the film.

What then makes the film worth watching even ‘sommme’ day? The basic concept is endearing. Also, Varun Dhawan has put in his all. While the other cast with very good actors are more or less required to stick to slapstick, Kriti Sanon does well in the one scene she has to show a different facet of her character. But Varun Dhawan makes up for the rest. The first time he’s shown transforming completely, you could sense his character’s resistance to the transformation. He plays the confused and reluctant hero well too. That along with the prosthetic work and the CGI brings some thrill.

The development versus environment and indigenous population arguments come out in spurts. And some bits are stretched and repeated. Enough for you to wonder if they did a carbon footprint analysis of going into the forest to shoot the film versus doing it all on CGI.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Animals devouring humans. * Language: Curse words muted. * Nudity & Sexual content: Varun Dhawan in his boxer shorts * Concept: Development verus environment and indigenous population * General Look and Feel: Can get scary with its sudden cuts to ferocious animals running in the forest.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2 * Lead Actors: 3.5 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 1
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2

Bhediya - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Maddock Films, Jio Studios
Producer: Dinesh Vijan
Director: Amar Kaushik
Lead Cast: Varun Dhawan
Supporting Cast: Deepak Dobriyal, Shraddha Kapoor, Flora saini, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Paalin Kabak
Story: Niren Bhatt
Cinematography: Jishnu Bhattacharjee
Editor: Sanyukta Kaza
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya, K4 Kekho
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya, K4 Kekho
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Fantasy,

Social,

Thriller

View Details

23 reviewers have given Drishyam 2 an average rating of 3.5/5.0 (?)

12 yays 3 nays 8 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: The keen must watch on screen; else TV/online (?) - (if you haven’t seen other makes of the film)

quick review:

A compelling story, even if the plot is far-fetched, is executed reasonably well to give us closure after Drishyam. If you have seen the original, though, you will find enough to complain about while appreciating some deviations.

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Watch out for Saurabh Shukla as a producer and scriptwriter. You never know whose side he is on. The hallmark of a truly dedicated suspense character....

full review

Thumbs up by Urmimala Banerjee,

Bollywood Life

...Drishyam 2 is a movie that will leave you cheering in the halls, and you will be talking about the climax for some days. This is one film you should not miss....

full review

Thumbs up by L. Ravichander,

Deccan Chronicle

...Drishyam 2 is an interesting carry forward from the original and makes for interesting viewing. Good thrillers are rare to come by. It is now for the viewer to make good use of the opportunity....

full review

Thumbs up by Vijay Mruthyunjaya,

Deccan Herald

...You will enjoy 'Driysham 2' better if you watch it without any needless distractions, like, for example, wasting time on finding faults in it.

Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/drishyam-2-review-a-fitting-remake-of-a-hit-sequel-1163695.html...

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...The film rests squarely on Ajay Devgn’s able shoulders. He plays the concerned father and husband with the gravitas it deserves. He never strays off character and his sincere performance stays with you from the first frame to the last. He infuses his character with so much conviction that you’re willing to forget the implausible happenings on screen. The film is set for a sequel, so be prepared to be surprised once more....

full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Overall, Drishyam 2 ticks almost every box on the checklist of a Bollywood film lover and makes it a great watch for massy cinephiles....

full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...There are very few true sequels Bollywood have produced that have proved itself worthy of its making, keeping the excitement and entertainment level for the movie buffs. Drishyam 2 could well fall under that category. All in all, for all Drishyam and Ajay Devgn fans, this is unmissable....

full review

Thumbs up by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...Drishyam 2' deserves a spot on your watchlist! Despite having seen the Malayalam original, Drishyam 2 worked for me rather excellently, to the point that even its runtime didn't dilute the impact. The mystery-thriller doesn't undermine the audience's intelligence and feels like a natural extension of the first part. Cinematic liberties at the end may raise eyebrows, but as they say, engaging films make the outlandish believable....

full review

Thumbs up by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Steered by an efficient cast – many of them older versions of their characters from the 2015 remake – and crisp writing by Abhishek Pathak and Aamil Keeyan Khan, Drishyam 2 does what it sets out to do. The biggest surprise isn’t Vijay’s latest feat of prestidigitation but Akshaye Khanna, who has immense fun narrowing his eyes and queueing up to become the latest target of Vijay’s smug scheming....

full review

Thumbs up by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...While some reveals might be expected, there are some that a viewer might not see coming (unless they’ve watched the Malayalam original starring Mohanlal). The film remains, at the end of it all, a battle of wits akin to a chess match...

full review

Thumbs up by Taru B Masand,

Times Now

...If you love crime thrillers, then Drsihyam 2 is for you! Ajay Devgn's film is a truly wholesome experience that makes you laugh but also makes your jaws drop with its brilliant climax, leaving you clapping and whistling in the cinema hall....

full review

Thumbs up by Archika Khurana,

Times of India

...A gripping sequel with ample twists, turns and drama...

full review

So-So by Urmimala Banerjee,

Bollywood Life

...The first half is a build-up for the unbelievable climax. Some might find it a bit uneventful but that's inconsequential....

full review

So-So by Anindita Mukherjee,

india today

...Drishyam 2 is the Hindi adaption of Mohanlal’s film of the same name. Ajay Devgn had promised us a different storyline. Don’t go with that mindset for you will be disappointed. There are a few plot twists here and there, but the majority remains the same. Not to forget, punched with Ajay’s magic....

full review

So-So by Shalini Langer,

indian express

...Bollywood isn’t really known for pulling off suspense thrillers, certainly not for sustaining the steam over a sequel. But, like Drishyam in 2015, Drishyam 2...

full review

So-So by Kartik Bhardwaj,

indian express

...“The audience for a book and a film are different,” he says. Drishyam 2 doesn’t try to become literature. Like a great medium, it teaches the viewer how to consume it: “Focus on the visuals because words can lie.” Were you watching closely?...

full review

So-So by Mayank Shekhar,

MiD DAY

...Yup, this sequel is actually better than part one. The Hindi copy feels tighter than the Mallu Drishyam 2, in parts as well — just wish hadn’t seen it though. No excitement or suspense left for me, sadly....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Abhishek Pathak is promising in his second film, but I think he has a lot to learn, especially in the cinematic sense of storytelling. You remember the courtroom scene in the Malayalam flick when the judge says it and the camera goes zooming in on George Kutty with slow motion visuals and a staggering background score? That was a damn classy frame. Believe it or not, but Abhishek Pathak has missed it here. Yes, you heard it right—he missed the best moments from the classic thriller while remaking it in Hindi. Jeethu kept it intact even in Venkatesh’s Telugu remake, but Pathak just couldn’t understand what it actually meant. He missed many important pauses, too. As you know, copy-pasting a story or film is easy, but copying somebody’s vision is not possible. Drishyam 2 Hindi remake might prove it to you. Except for a few faults like this, there is nothing majorly wrong with the Drishyam 2. And like he says, hero to aakhir me jeetna chahiye! We all enjoy that....

full review

So-So by Sonil Dedhia,

News18.com

...Make no mistake, Drishyam 2 is not a perfect crime thriller. Any thriller needs to be gripping and put its audience at the edge of the seat experience. It is only in the last 40 minutes that the film picks up pace and leads us to one of the most engaging climaxes where it unravels one twist after the other....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...In its Hindi counterpart, Vijay harps about man writing his own destiny yet believes way too much in serendipity.

There's a potential third film in the works and we can only wonder what new Plan B Georgekutty and, like it or not, Vijay Salgaonkar have in mind....

full review

Thumbs down by Prathyush Parasuraman,

Film Companion

...You don't walk out of Drishyam films satisfied because they are smart, but because characters you grew to love are finally safe. But you can ask, rightfully, where are these characters in Hindi adaptation?...

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...Drishyam 2, then, becomes the cinematic equivalent of a person who would rather be admired than be seen. In doing so, it reduces image to visuals. And story to commercial success....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Drishyam 2 is shorter than the original and thinks up a few cosmetic changes. Yet, it is at best a dreary, if steady, carbon copy with only a stray line here or an insignificant stroke there that might be deemed somewhat fresh. Not enough to hold the film together....

full review

See Also

wogma review

23 Critic Reviews 3.5/5.0

Drishyam 2 - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Panorama Studios
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Abhishek Pathak, Kumar Mangat Pathak
Director: Abhishek Pathak
Lead Cast: Tabu, Ajay Devgan, Shriya Saran
Supporting Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Saurabh Shukhla, Rajat Kapoor, Neha Joshi, Kamlesh Sawant, Nishant Singh, Ishita Dutta, Mrinal Jadhav, Haresh Khatri, Yogesh Soman, Sharad Bhutadia, Anil Rasal, Siddharth Bodke, Ajeeth Singh, Prathmesh Parab, Ashmita Jaggi, Ramchandra Singh, Samvedana, Abhishek Kulkarni, Pakshal Jain, Vineeth M V
Story: Jeethu Joseph
Screenplay: Abhishek Pathak, Aamil Keeyan Khan
Dialogues: Aamil Keeyan Khan
Cinematography: Sudhir K. Chaudhary
Editor: Sandeep Francis
Background Score: Devi Sri Prasad
Choreography: Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Devi Sri Prasad
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Naveen Shetty, Tanaya Oak, Sanam Ratansi
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Murder Mystery,

Suspense,

Thriller

View Details

22 reviewers have given Uunchai an average rating of 3.5/5.0 (?)

13 yays 4 nays 5 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: The keen must watch on screen; else TV/online (?)

quick review:

Froth-free, gloss-free, relatively dogma-free unlike any Sooraj Barjatya film. Disperses ‘gyaan’ like any of them though; even if it’s surprisingly progressive while doing so.

Thumbs up by Bobby Sing,

Bobby Talks Cinema.com

...Becoming a part of new trend, it would get widely appreciated post its OTC releaseby the audience watching it at home. But if you haven't seen a film with the entire family in the theatres for long. then this should be the choice for one of your next family outings celebrating love and togetherness....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...The film is shot well by Manoj Kumar Khatoi. Whether it’s the car sequences or the trek across the hills, the camerawork provides an immersive experience. It’s a delight for the foodies, as it introduces us to yummy treats found on the way from Delhi to Kathmandu. It’s hard to believe that Director Sooraj Barjatya can make a film which doesn’t involve marriage. It’s brave of him to take senior actors and weave an ode to friendship around them. He tells a tale which unfolds at its own pace and will surely appeal to your heart....

full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...'Uunchai' not only breaks every stereotype of their own films — no longish songs, no wedding sequences etc. but doesn’t let the old-fashioned charm go away....

full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...Overall, Rajshri productions being one production house that tells the most emotional and family stories’ Uunchai is the best family outing this season....

full review

Thumbs up by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...What I particularly loved in the film is that the makers didn't rush into showing the group of friends on the final trek instead they took their sweet time to soak into their respective stories. As the trio along with Neena Gupta took the road trip to reach Kathmandu, we get to see India in its full glory from places like Agra, Kanpur to Lucknow and Gorakhpur and their cultural influences. Every scene celebrating this friendship and emotions puts a smile on your face and that makes Uunchai worth it....

full review

Thumbs up by Shubham Kulkarni,

koimoi

...Uunchai is a movie made with a lot of heart and a whole lot of nostalgia involved. Watch it with no expectations and with the thought that it is a filmmaker who wants to talk about love and its purity....

full review

Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar,

MiD DAY

...This is his most contemporary film. Also one that remains truest to its age-category — something that we classify in movies as merely fit for children or adults. This is a pic I’ll instantly recommend to my parents, foremost....

full review

Thumbs up by Sonal Dedhia,

News18.com

...Uunchai is uneven but heartfelt. Despite its flaws, the emotions connect. Getting to see some of the finest talents in Indian cinema together is enough to pull anyone to the theatre. And if you are game for a family drama with a message, Uunchai is a film for you. It has its heart in the right place, if not many other things....

full review

Thumbs up by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...Uunchai is a reminder of holding on to life's delightful aspects, while also knowing when to let go. It emphasizes that when life refuses to slow down, why should we? Uunchai has its heart in the right place; while the climb is sometimes bogged down by hindrances and the film runs out of oxygen in places, the eventual view is worth it....

full review

Thumbs up by Himesh Mankad,

Pinkvilla

...Uunchai is a well-made film, that serves as a rooted version of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara for senior citizens. The emotions are relatable and the journey is motivating. You can’t help but smile through the narrative and root for the characters to reach the Everest Base Camp. Some trimming is needed in the second half, but thankfully, the film has enough high points to hold attention and pack a punch. It’s a heart-warming watch....

full review

Thumbs up by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...However, for all the talk of accepting change, Barjatya himself remains stuck to the template of a three-hour-long film. It takes away some of the bite. So does the complete silence on the spiritual side of Javed throughout the journey. And despite signing up Amit Trivedi and Irshad Kamil, the most meaningful and hummable song that captures the crux of the film is Anand Bakshi’s Ye Jeevan Hai which was composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal for Rajshri Production’s Piya Ka Ghar in 1972. Well, it is not for nothing that they say ‘old is gold’....

full review

Thumbs up by Taru B Masand,

Times Now

...Director Sooraj Barjatya has come out of his shell when it comes to family drama movies. In Uunchai, he explores different dynamics of relationships - be it friends, or family. The film is overall a heart-warming watch that will bring a smile to your face but will also leave you teary-eyed....

full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...Life is too short to say ‘phir kabhi’ and friends can be family. Uunchai scales new heights in terms of storytelling and concept, but never quite reaches the top. The film is not solely about older people, and even with its flaws there’s a certain relatability to the characters and the story. We wish the writing was stronger and did more justice to the fabulous cast....

full review

So-So by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Nonetheless, Uunchai has a sufficient heart to make it a special film. But it could have been much more special with more skilled writing....

full review

So-So by Anindita Mukherjee,

india today

...All in all, Uunchai is all about feelings, love, emotions, compiled into one term, commonly called friendship. The film also draws a sensible comparison between old school friendships with the Gen Y. If you are looking for good content merged with some great acting, Uunchai is the film for you. Go with your friends and family but with a disclaimer to carry lots of tissues. Afterall, who has ever said bye to a Barjatya film without a heavy but sweet lingering in the heart?...

full review

So-So by Shalini Langer,

indian express

...A bit fewer of several stretches towards the second half where the film meanders into more than one man-made crises, and this Uunchai would have been mission truly accomplished....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...As a whole, Uunchai deserved to climb more heights, but limited air from the director kept it at a moderate altitude....

full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...When it comes to performances, every actor on screen, including Neena Gupta and Sarika, are masters of their craft. The four friends have an indelible chemistry on-screen which makes it easier to believe their motivations. Amitabh Bachchan, once again, proves that he can go from humorous to morose in the blink of an eye....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...It doesn’t help one bit that Amit Trivedi’s autopilots anthem music sounds as uninspired as Everest looks....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...A large part of the story is set in the Himalayas, which are captured translucently by cinematographer Manoj Kumar Khatoi. Is the eye-popping beauty of some of the frames the reason why the editor has been lenient with them? Uunchai needed a far sharper edit. Like Mount Everest, which can be spotted in the distance in several frames, the peak that the film seeks remains elusive....

full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...If one half of Uunchai documents the difficulties of hiking on bumpy terrain and high altitude guided by tour leader Parineeti Chopra (her real life commitment to fitness reflects in her no nonsense detailing of what to expect on a tough trekking turf), the other half is an meandering road trip to Kanpur, Agra, Lucknow of foodies feasting on kachoris and imartis.

Guess it won't be a Sooraj R Barjatya film without one elaborate scene of breakfast on the table.

Hunky-dory scenarios can get dreary even for a dove like Barjatya. To make the six-day trek eventful, he manufactures medical issues around Bachchan, gives Parineeti something to grumble about and tosses in (a wonderfully natural) Sarika's mystery woman harbouring a secret about their late friend.

The upshot is needless delay and endless rona dhona....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,

Scroll.in

...If the over-long film is bearable, it because the actors make their characters endearing. Bachchan, of course, is pitch perfect (and is given a wardrobe of enviable athleisure and winter wear). Like the man he plays on screen, he chivvies the other along till they reach the finishing line. Uunchai could have been entertaining if it wasn’t so sanctimonious. A film about endurance shouldn’t end up testing the audience....

full review

See Also

wogma review

22 Critic Reviews 3.5/5.0

1 Reader Review 5/5.0

Uunchai - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Rajshri Productions Pvt Ltd, Mahaveer Jain Films, Boundless Media
Producer: Ajit Kumar Barjatya, Kamal Kumar Barjatya, Rajkumar Barjatya, Natasha Malpani Oswal
Director: Sooraj Barjatya
Lead Cast: Boman Irani, Anupam Kher, Amitabh Bachchan
Supporting Cast: Sarika, Danny Denzongpa, Nafisa Ali, Neena Gupta, Parineeti Chopra
Story: Sunil Gandhi
Screenplay: Abhishek Dixit
Dialogues: Abhishek Dixit
Cinematography: Manoj Kumar Khatoi
Editor: Shweta Venkat Matthew
Background Score: George Joseph
Choreography: Shabina Khan
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Costume Designer: Mohit Rai, Priyal Patil
Running time: 160 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Adventure,

Relationships,

Social

View Details

wogma rating: The keen must watch on screen; else TV/online (?) - (if you haven’t seen other makes of the film)

quick review:

Review I’ve always maintained that a remake should be viewed independently of the original. If seen with the ‘comparison’ tab open, it is unlikely to be a wholesome experience—unlikely to be the one intended for sure. So, if you watch Abhishek Pathak’s Drishyam 2 by itself, it serves the purpose of getting you to care for the Salgaonkar family and thrilling you right up to the last minute.

Could the film have been less melodramatic? For sure. I’m hardly a fan of slow-motion-induced theatrics. And least of all, the deliberate introduction of a star actor under the guise of a key-character introduction. I wish Hindi films outgrew that, like two decades ago.

Other than that, though, the film is a gripping watch owing to the mystery and background it created in the first episode. Being a continuation of Drishyam brings its advantages and disadvantages. Drishyam 2’s narrative makes it clear that it doesn’t want to be told as a stand-alone film. Sure, you are given a recap a couple of times. Once, with the stylish and slick opening credits and the second time, as a spoon-fed dialogue exchange. But, having seen the first film, it is difficult to gauge if the summaries are enough.

Also, if you compare the two films, the twists and turns in this part seem convoluted and far-fetched to be believable. Once you subscribe to the protagonist’s intelligence though, how he uses it makes for a ‘must watch’ murder mystery. After all, you have already committed yourself to worry about Vijay (Ajay Devgn) and his family.

That you are not sure if he will be able to squirm himself out of the situation is to the credit of the direction. Just like Drishyam, in Drishyam 2 too I was fascinated by the actors playing the Salgaonkar family (Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta, Mrunal Jadhav). Their balancing act— between pretending to be not guilty and ensuring that we understand why the police don’t believe them—is mind-blowing

Parallelly, what was jarring in Drishyam, continues to be jarring in this one. For instance, Shriya Saran's mannerisms don’t convince us that she is someone who doesn’t understand the difference between demoralise and demonetise. Of course, the writers know it is not enough to tell us that she’s an uneducated simpleton. She is a reasonably smart woman, like almost every character in the two films.

I think that is the Drishyam series’ appeal. That almost all characters are sharp and behave so. Within the boundaries defined for the characters, they all act like real-life people would in the given situation. I quite enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek humour too.

Sure, there were discrepancies such as poverty-ridden family, which couldn’t afford their child’s education even though they would like prioritise it, seemed to have too full a kitchen. The Deshmukh family’s interest in Jain philosophers made me wonder what IG Meera’s birth family was like.

This brings me to the unavoidable—a comparison between the Malayalam film and the Hindi one. It is really a mixed bag enough to make a matrix. The remake has additions, some of which make sense and others don't. I really missed some of the nuances in the original one. For instance, the missing reason behind the villagers turning against Vijay or how Anju Salgaonkar’s mental health is downplayed. Also, the last line in the Malayalam Drishyam 2 served as a beautiful explanation and closure—a curious omission in the Hindi one.

Indeed, having seen the Malayalam one will take away from the enjoyment of the Hindi one unless you are getting your joy from the comparison itself. So, if the latter is your aim, go for it. I’d think you ought to watch Drishyam before you watch Drishyam 2, but if you decide to go for the latter without watching the first one, I would love to hear from you. Do leave your experience in the comments.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: The movie is about a murder, though nothing too explicit is shown in this one. There are scenes of police torture. * Language: A few Hindi curse words. * Nudity & Sexual content: A making out scene. * Concept: A clever man trying to protect his family from the consequence of a crime they have committed. * General Look and Feel: A real-life touch to a suspense thriller.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 2.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2

See Also

wogma review

23 Critic Reviews 3.5/5.0

Drishyam 2 - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Panorama Studios
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Abhishek Pathak, Kumar Mangat Pathak
Director: Abhishek Pathak
Lead Cast: Tabu, Ajay Devgan, Shriya Saran
Supporting Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Saurabh Shukhla, Rajat Kapoor, Neha Joshi, Kamlesh Sawant, Nishant Singh, Ishita Dutta, Mrinal Jadhav, Haresh Khatri, Yogesh Soman, Sharad Bhutadia, Anil Rasal, Siddharth Bodke, Ajeeth Singh, Prathmesh Parab, Ashmita Jaggi, Ramchandra Singh, Samvedana, Abhishek Kulkarni, Pakshal Jain, Vineeth M V
Story: Jeethu Joseph
Screenplay: Abhishek Pathak, Aamil Keeyan Khan
Dialogues: Aamil Keeyan Khan
Cinematography: Sudhir K. Chaudhary
Editor: Sandeep Francis
Background Score: Devi Sri Prasad
Choreography: Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Devi Sri Prasad
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Naveen Shetty, Tanaya Oak, Sanam Ratansi
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Murder Mystery,

Suspense,

Thriller

View Details

wogma rating: The keen must watch on screen; else TV/online (?)

quick review:

Froth-free, gloss-free, relatively dogma-free unlike any Sooraj Barjatya film. Disperses ‘gyaan’ like any of them though; even if it’s surprisingly progressive while doing so.

Review Given that the film is about 65+-year-olds, it would seem unreal if, every once in a while, it didn’t go, “in our times…” or “kids these days…” So, when that happens, you roll your eyes at the exaggeration, but you know Uunchai is keeping things close to real. Pleasantly, though, the person passing the remark is given a reality check instead of going all Baghbaan on you.

I actually found myself holding my breath in disgust as Uunchai threatened to be at the brink of making innocent victims out of the older generation. And heaved a lovely sigh of relief as it pulls itself back. Similarly, no traditional values are imposed upon you as the only way to live. Instead, a rather philosophical approach makes you wonder if the writer is hinting at lessons he has learnt the hard way.

Lessons that he cannot seem to impart without making them sound so. The best he managed was to call them out as such. Unexpectedly, I found that self-awareness adorable.

It might sound like Uunchai is to be liked only for the things it kept itself from doing. Far from it, though, right? Arguably, the one-line concept itself is refreshing. A group of senior citizens set out on a adventure trip and end up finding themselves. Yes, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realise that it is Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara in old bottles. In fact, Uunchai even tips its hat with the ‘throw away your phone’ scene. By definition, then, it is a coming-of-age film, and what’s new about that, right?

There are touches and insight that give you pause. Enough of a pause to enjoy the otherwise overly-relaxed pace. I took to the slow pace and sensed love in the making of the film. The situations created and the sub-plots give an everyday charm to the film. Even if I wish some of the ‘telling not showing’ was given a little more thought.

Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the writing of the characters. The jumpy, traditional Om; the over-protective, jealous 60+-year-old Shabina; the obnoxious tour guide—are unidimensional and contrived. Sure, Shabina is a lovely summary of many real-life women from that generation who have literally forgotten themselves in service of their families. But that is her only redeeming feature, and it comes across too late in the film.

It doesn’t help that the performances were rather lacklustre. Other than Amitabh Bachchan, who wears the skin of the famous character he plays, the others are either over-doing their act like Anupam Kher or feeling out-of-place like Sarika. Neena Gupta and Boman Irani do well but aren’t required to do anything extraordinary. My response to their characters, Javed and Shabina, though, was telling. I was happy that this group of friends had Muslims. This effect is interesting because a few years ago, I would have rolled my eyes at how characters were picked to demonstrate representation. And now I appreciate the gesture.

As I did some of the progressive takes too. Unexpected as they were, after a ridiculously cringe-inducing start, with inane dialogue, lusting old men, commonplace husband-wife exchange and tiresome banter between friends. But, it lets go of a lot of this immaturity as it progresses and introduces engaging obstacles and resolutions. The end-credit scenes has a cute Sooraj Barjatya touch. I enjoyed the portrayal of the Himalayas as a great leveller too. Indeed, they are.

25-30 years ago, if you’d have told me I would like a Sooraj Barjatya film, I wouldn’t call you crazy but would think it improbable. 16 years ago, or even 7 years ago, if you’d told me that I wouldn't constantly cringe through a film written and directed by him, I’d have wanted a dose of what you were having. And here we are—having sat through a sappy film, trying to overlook its flaws and admiring how refreshing and grounded it was. Recalibrating…

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: Three old men decide to trek to the Everest Base Camp * General Look and Feel: Real-life but not the usual grey/brown treatment

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3 * Story: 3.5 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 3
Music Director: 2.5
Lyrics: 3

See Also

wogma review

22 Critic Reviews 3.5/5.0

1 Reader Review 5/5.0

Uunchai - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Rajshri Productions Pvt Ltd, Mahaveer Jain Films, Boundless Media
Producer: Ajit Kumar Barjatya, Kamal Kumar Barjatya, Rajkumar Barjatya, Natasha Malpani Oswal
Director: Sooraj Barjatya
Lead Cast: Boman Irani, Anupam Kher, Amitabh Bachchan
Supporting Cast: Sarika, Danny Denzongpa, Nafisa Ali, Neena Gupta, Parineeti Chopra
Story: Sunil Gandhi
Screenplay: Abhishek Dixit
Dialogues: Abhishek Dixit
Cinematography: Manoj Kumar Khatoi
Editor: Shweta Venkat Matthew
Background Score: George Joseph
Choreography: Shabina Khan
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Costume Designer: Mohit Rai, Priyal Patil
Running time: 160 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Adventure,

Relationships,

Social

View Details

16 reviewers have given Phone Bhoot an average rating of 1.9/5.0 (?)

1 yays 5 nays 10 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Most attempts at humour are scarily unfunny. No attempts at horror, so no fun there either. And yet the same concept with another story might be worth a try.

Thumbs up by Rachana Dubey,

Times of India

...Overall, Gurmmeet Singh puts out a unique horror comedy which is a departure from most material one has seen in the year so far. For that itself this one deserves a visit to the theatre....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...As said earlier, all the elements of the film don’t hang together well. Watch the film if you like silly comedies....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Keeping in mind the theme of the film, cinematographer KU Mohanan makes use of some kitsch elements to add a gothic flavour to the film. Manan Ashwin Mehta's editing turns out to be a blunt knife....

full review

So-So by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...Overall, don’t let the ‘bhoot’ mislead you with nothing bhootiya about this story, had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy....

full review

So-So by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, Phone Bhoot is howlarious with its comedy but it doesn’t have anything spooktacular to add when it comes to its secondary genre. A fun watch despite all the grievances...

full review

So-So by Mohar Basu,

MiD DAY

...I didn’t mind spending a lazy afternoon watching a lazy film, comfortably tucked in a lazyboy at the multiplex near my house. There’s something so carefree about laughter and sometimes, that’s all you need!...

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Phone Bhoot has a decent music album, but the video songs are smartly choreographed. Ganesh Hegde has taken us back to Govinda‘s Money Hai Toh Honey Hai dance form with Kinna Sona. The earlier portion of Kaali Teri Gutt is so good. Especially Ishaan has gone crazy there, and it’s somewhat funny too. The cinematography, editing, and VFX fare at a below-par level. Gurmmeet has studied a lot about horror legends, maybe. He mixes all the pop culture references, old horror comics, modern thoughts, social media and WhatsApp jokes, and even the technology into making one film. That’s quite confusing, for him and for the audiences as well. I saw the entire film but still couldn’t make out if the RAKA was a sculpture/idol of Boris Karloff from Frankenstein or Anirudh Agarwal from Bandh Darwaza (1990). Gurmmeet goes over the top with everything in the film, causing an alternate fall to his own building. As a whole, Phone Bhoot builds a decent structure out of multiple designs but forgets the basic engineering rules. Who knows; it was made for ghosts, not the audience....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Recommended but with a minor health warning: Phone Bhoot isn't for all palates....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Playful is fine.

What Phone Bhoot lacks is personality.

The makers are clear on the nature of Major and Gullu's bromance, but we still get glimpses to read more into it.

Gullu has dreams about Major taking a bloody shower -- in case it doesn't ring a bell for those born in the last couple of decades, it's a hat tip to Purana Mandir, a gory classic of the Ramsay brothers.

Rather than tease us with the sexual ambiguity, Phone Bhoot childishly jumps out to highlight the trivia lest us less horror buffs miss the connection....

full review

So-So by Deepa Gahlot,

Scroll.in

...And this is just skimming the surface. The production design and VFX team must have had fun on this one. The actors – Jackie Shroff in particular – are in on the adolescent humour and deliver without trying too hard. Without its over-the-top cleverness, Phone Bhoot is an unstructured, make-it-up-as-you-go-along jumble. Just like the Ramsay Brothers horror movies, this one is either an acquired taste or goes straight into the so-bad-it’s-a-hoot pile....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...Not everybody’s cup of tea, Phone Boot is like the spirited blend of coffee and lassi that helps Gullu and Major take on the bluff of Atmaram....

full review

Thumbs down by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...From primitivism to paganism to heretic mumbo jumbo, where is Hindi cinema heading in pursuit of that elusive success? This is the same production house which has given us milestones like Dil Chahta Hai and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara? Is success so vital that you sell your soul to the devil?...

full review

Thumbs down by Anand Singh,

Deccan Herald

...There is nothing extraordinary about Katrina’s role and I am not sure if it warrants a visit to theatres....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/bollywood-review/phone-bhoot-review-a-terrifyingly-bad-horror-comedy...

full review

Thumbs down by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...An obvious, evident cinematic pastiche, Phone Bhoot has an interesting concept at its core, but the lack of sharp writing and hysterical instances stab it repeatedly. It tries, but it tries a little too hard. Forget about the extravagant popcorn, simply order a Disprin tablet, perhaps....

full review

Thumbs down by Himesh Mankad,

Pinkvilla

...Phone Bhoot fails to deliver as a film – it’s neither scary nor funny – and ends up being a forgetful affair. Some of the gags and dialogues work in isolation, but that’s all about it. The world of spoof cinema won’t have many takers at the box office....

full review

See Also

wogma review

16 Critic Reviews 1.9/5.0

Phone Bhoot - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Excel Entertainment
Producer: Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani
Director: Gurmmeet Singh
Lead Cast: Katrina Kaif, Ishaan Khatter, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Supporting Cast: Jackie Shroff, Sheeba Chaddha, Nidhi Bisht, Manu Rishi Chadha, Manuj Sharma, Shrikant Verma, Kedar Shankar, Surendra Thakur
Story: Jasvinder Singh Bath, Ravi Shankaran
Cinematography: K. U. Mohanan
Editor: Manan Ashwin Mehta
Background Score: John Stewart Eduri
Choreography: Ganesh Hegde, Adil Shaikh, Raju Sundaram, Ruel Varindani
Music Director: Rochak Kohli, Mikey McCleary, Tanishk Bagchi
Lyrics: Kumaar, Tanishk Bagchi, Baba Sehgal
Costume Designer: Poornamita Singh
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy,

Horror,

Slapstick

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Most attempts at humour are scarily unfunny. No attempts at horror, so no fun there either. And yet the same concept with another story might be worth a try.

Review It’s difficult to respect a comedy film’s writing that relies so heavily on poking fun at ethnic stereotypes. Some of the other ‘comedy’ is annoying innuendo, silly and repetitive breaking of the fourth wall, and cringe-inducing slapstick. These attempts at humour water down the smiles coming from the jokes that are left over. And it’s not that that humour is rolling-on-the-floor funny, anyway. They are just regular ol’ Hindi film references, etc. Nothing too witty.

In the almost 140-minute runtime, one line brought me a wide grin. The one said by the narrator at the interval break.

Unfortunately, it is not for want of comic timing by the actors that the lines fall flat. The performances actually made it possible to sit through the film, now that I was there. Katrina Kaif looks refreshingly comfortable in her game. Siddhant Chaturvedi can now add 'convincing buffoon' to his repertoire. Also, I was pleasantly surprised by Ishaan Khatter’s boyish charm. That Jackie Shroff restrains from bringing creeps and crawls despite ample potential is a credit to the direction he was under.

Yet, none of this can nudge Phone Bhoot into the watchable category—a shame, considering under the all-over-the-place fits-and-starts screenplay, was a concept well worth giving a shot again. Souls are being kept from being liberated, just because. Doesn’t that deserve a revamp with fresh eyes instead of a more-of-the-same sequel?

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A few slaps, a supposedly comic climax fight * Language: Curse words are alluded to but not said out loud * Nudity & Sexual content: a lip-to-lip, mention of sex * Concept: Souls are being kept from being liberated, just because. * General Look and Feel: Loud and garish

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1 * Story: 2 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2

Dialogues: 1
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 1

Phone Bhoot - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Excel Entertainment
Producer: Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani
Director: Gurmmeet Singh
Lead Cast: Katrina Kaif, Ishaan Khatter, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Supporting Cast: Jackie Shroff, Sheeba Chaddha, Nidhi Bisht, Manu Rishi Chadha, Manuj Sharma, Shrikant Verma, Kedar Shankar, Surendra Thakur
Story: Jasvinder Singh Bath, Ravi Shankaran
Cinematography: K. U. Mohanan
Editor: Manan Ashwin Mehta
Background Score: John Stewart Eduri
Choreography: Ganesh Hegde, Adil Shaikh, Raju Sundaram, Ruel Varindani
Music Director: Rochak Kohli, Mikey McCleary, Tanishk Bagchi
Lyrics: Kumaar, Tanishk Bagchi, Baba Sehgal
Costume Designer: Poornamita Singh
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy,

Horror,

Slapstick

View Details

20 reviewers have given Thank God an average rating of 1.1/5.0 (?)

0 yays 11 nays 9 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Maybe, just maybe, the premise is okay. The details, though, are either convenient, patronising or both. And the execution is tacky, slapsticky and cringe-inducing.

So-So by Russel D'Silva,

Bollywood Life

...Thank God may be no PK, OMG or Taqdeerwala among the pantheon of religious comedies, but does enough to sparkle this Diwali, especially with the second half packing a real emotional punch balanced with subtle humour. Ajay Devgn shines like only he can while both Sidharth Malhotra and Rakul Preet Singh are adequately sufficient. All in all, a good watch with your family this festival weekend. I'm going with 3.5 out of 5 stars....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Watch Thank God for its light-hearted moments. Then go home and watch the classic It's A Wonderful Life (1946), the granddaddy of all such films involving alternate lives....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Barring to the viral 'Manike' (a huge credit goes to Nora Fatehi's sultry dance moves) and the reworked version of 'Dil De Diya Hai,' none of the songs from Thank God are loopworthy....

full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Thank God is a so-called family entertainer that is stuck in the '90s. Watch it if you are okay to expect a sob tale rather than a pure comedy....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Thank God it’s not a performance-oriented film, so let’s not blame the actors here. Ajay Devgn is one of the finest actors we have in the industry, but this role of CG isn’t suitable for the actor in him. But the superstar Ajay Devgn can have fun like this. Yes, it’s a funny role with a lot of brain and emotions attached to it. You expect CG to be an intelligent and philosophical person, and Ajay is that person here, but he comes with a light-hearted approach rather than some heavy stuff. Sidharth Malhotra appears irritating in his first scene, as if he is impersonating a child, but after a while, you grow to like him. It gets better with each passing scene, and then Sid shows a mature actor in him in the climax scene. Rakul Preet‘s role was quite ordinary, but it has many shades. Rakul had Attack, Runway 34 (the most challenging role for her), Cuttputtli and Doctor G this year, but Thank God was the easiest role amongst them. Nora Fatehi looks super hot in her item number and the supporting unit of Urmila Kothare, Seema Pahwa and Sumit Gulati is very okay....

full review

So-So by Sonil Dedhia,

News18.com

...On the whole, Thank God is an entertainer with its share of funny moments. If you are not looking for wisdom and rationale in a light-hearted entertainer, then this movie is definitely for you....

full review

So-So by Anuj kumar,

The Hindu

...https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/thank-god-movie-review-ajay-devgn-shines-in-old-school-family-melodrama-with-a-twist/article66056461.ece...

full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...Writers Madhur Sharma and Aakash Kaushik create a story that seems appropriately linear till it becomes predictable. Thank God isn’t a film of logic or science, it is purely based on emotion and pathos and in a story like that, predictability can have quite the adverse effect....

full review

So-So by Dhaval Roy,

Times of India

...The story is stuck in the 90s and oversimplified but the movie makes for an easy watch. It might find favour with audiences who want a clean entertainer, as the film has a message or two about moving on about tribulations, being humane and the importance of one’s family....

full review

Thumbs down by L. Ravichander,

Deccan Chronicle

...The game in white ball and black ball tempts you to wonder if it is not the singular. However one will stop short of that and leave the white and black ball game to the dubious idea of the film. Give it a miss....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...My opinion about this film will never change. Does that imply I’ll never grow old? Is Thank God that rare drug of agelessness? Is this my afterlife? Questions, questions....

full review

Thumbs down by Prathyush Parassuraman,

Film Companion

...But ultimately, Thank God makes being moral, clipped and prim look so boring, you prefer the arrogance and the lust and the ineptitude. Rakul Preet Singh’s Ruhi is the perfect wife, apologising when Ayaan throws a tantrum, sexualising a moment when he is the one with the erotic range of a rock...

full review

Thumbs down by Suchin Mehrotra,

Hindustan Times

...Thank God is forgettable storytelling of the first order....

full review

Thumbs down by Shubra Gupta,

indian express

...The official remake of Norwegian film ‘Sorte Kugler’, ‘Thank God’ marks Indra Kumar’s return to Bollywood after a sizeable gap. Best known for his musical rom coms with Bollywood stars acting as overgrown delinquents (‘Dil’), and the raunchy ‘Masti’ and ‘Dhamaal’ franchises stuffed with oversexed men and double-meaning dialogues, his style is still same-old, and it does nothing for a fantasy which needed to be light on its feet....

full review

Thumbs down by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, Thank God had the potential to be much more than what it is today. The imbalance between multiple genres dents the fun-watching experience it should’ve ideally been....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...The film has no such chance. Its contrived arc and cliched plot devices do not generate any empathy for the plight of the hero and his family, which includes his mother (Seema Pahwa), another woman in his life who has faced a lifetime of neglect....

full review

Thumbs down by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...Overall, Thank God had potential with a unique idea and sincere performances at its helm, but it is the weak writing that makes it a lacklustre affair....

full review

Thumbs down by Namrata Thakker,

Rediff

...Sidharth as Ayaan is pretty decent till the interval. His comic timing isn't the best, but he manages to tickle your funny bone more than a few times.

Despite his towering presence, Ajay Devgn's role doesn't make an impact.

Rakul Singh is wasted as is Seema Pahwa. While Rakul plays Sid's wife, Seema is shown as his mother.

Nora Fatehi's dance number is the only good thing in the second half which is unnecessarily stretched out with too much melodrama and rona-dhona....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...The humour of the original film has been replaced by excessive verbosity and finger-wagging. The film even accommodates a Nora Fatehi dance number and a sacrificing mother (Seema Pahwa)....

full review

Thumbs down by RAM VENKAT SRIKAR,

the new Indian Express

...In Thank God, a tragedy that strikes on a fateful Diwali is quite integral to the story and the character arc of the protagonist. For a film that was released on Diwali, it is, unfortunately, quite ironic....

full review

See Also

wogma review

20 Critic Reviews 1.1/5.0

Thank God - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Maruti International, T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.
Producer: Indra Kumar, Bhushan Kumar, Ashok Thakeria, Kishan Kumar, Sunir Kheterpal, Anand Pandit, Deepak Mukut, Markand Adhikari
Director: Indra Kumar
Lead Cast: Ajay Devgan, Siddharth Malhotra
Supporting Cast: Kanwaljit Singh, Sandeep Kumar, Rakul Preet, Nora Fatehi, Seema Pahwa, Manoj Shukla, Jitendra Kumar, Kiku Sharda, Vikram Kochhar, Mahesh Balraj, Urmila Kanetkar, Pratik Dixit, Kiara Khanna, Anjali Schmuck, Rushali Yadav, Sunita Shirole, Dhanay Sheth, Gyanendra Tripathi, Gurindra Sethi, Satish Nakyodi, Sumit Gulati, Soundarya Sharma, Rupali Yadav, Sanjay Gurbaxani
Story: Madhur Sharma, Aakash Kaushik
Screenplay: Madhur Sharma, Aakash Kaushik
Dialogues: Madhur Sharma, Aakash Kaushik
Cinematography: Aseem Bajaj
Editor: Dharmendra Sharma
Background Score: Amar Mohile
Choreography: Ganesh Hegde, Dilip Mestry, Tushar Kalia
Music Director: Anand Raj Anand, Rochak Kohli, Tanishk Bagchi, Chamath Sangeeth
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Sameer (2), Rashmi Virag, Mellowd
Costume Designer: Naveen Shetty, Anirudh Singh, Ami Patel, Kirti Kolwankar, Maria Tharakan, Abu Jani, Sandeep Khosla, Dipika Lal
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Philosophy,

Social

View Details

24 reviewers have given Ram Setu an average rating of 0.5/5.0 (?)

0 yays 19 nays 5 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Amusing that a film with such a strong agenda cares about proving the “scientific-ness” of its claim. Why even bother? Otherwise, interesting premise with yadi-yada dialogue, performances, special effects, music, etc.

So-So by Bobby Sing,

Bobby Talks Cinema.com

...Overall, though RAM SETU had a significant theme, strongly related to our Indian religious beliefs and emotions, it sadly doesn’t come-up with any worthy interpretations missing a potential opportunity. The writers strangely conceive the content as if nothing has been done, and no exploration has been made in all these decades before 2022. Nothing much to write about the performances too as they all remain a victim of poor writing. But here we at least have the protagonist not faking his age, proudly having a white beard....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Apart from Akshay Kumar, the actor who gets the most footage is South actor Satya Dev, whose antics remind you of Circuit from the Munna Bhai series. Unlike Circuit, he remains a mysterious figure and provides the only real twist in the film. Both the girls, be it Jacqueline Fernandez or Nushrratt Bharuccha, don't have much to...

full review

So-So by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...Overall, a technically average film based on information converted into an adventure thriller, Ram Setu is just passable, a one-time watch at max for the sake of Hanuman. Go watch it for him....

full review

So-So by Hiren Kotwani,

MiD DAY

...The under-water sequences are a little underwhelming and don’t exactly take your breath away. Considering all the equipment at their disposal, even if Indrakant’s team had managed to source one loose rock from Ram Setu earlier, Aryan’s character would be irrelevant in the whole scheme of things....

full review

So-So by Himseh Mankad,

Pinkvilla

...Overall, Ram Setu isn’t a bad film, but it’s not good either – It lies somewhere in between. The subject will have some takers, but we wish, the director had gone wider with his vision by integrating opposition from the natural forces too, and not just stick to the human evils. Watch it for Akshay Kumar, Satyadev, and a rather novel though despite jitters in the screenplay and execution. It’s a mixed bag, though better than the last 3 Akshay Kumar films – Cuttputtli, Raksha Bandhan, and Samrat Prithviraj....

full review

Thumbs down by Subhash k Jha,

Bolly Spice

...The cinematography (by Aseem Mishra) is a saving grace, as it trails Archeologist Akshay, and his comely assistants Jacqueline Fernandez and Jeniffer Piccinato(who are in it for the ride in the jungles of Sri Lanka) and a South Indian Hanuman AP, short for Anjani Putra played by a lively Satyadev Kancharana....

full review

Thumbs down

Deccan Chronicle

...Satyadev Kancharana is the only person who adds some credibility to the entire tale. Coming as it does just a couple of weeks after the Telugu film Godfather shows that Satyadev is in good form and should be encashing the good times. Amazing cinematography and poor graphics are also facets of the film that make it a tad amateur. The script is more than anything else needed to be buried outside the dig and dust of any enthusiastic archaeologist....

full review

Thumbs down by Jagdish Angadi,

Deccan Herald

...Many of the characters have not been cast properly. There is hardly any screen presence for Nasser, the antagonist and Nushrratt. Akshay Kumar and Pravesh Rana, however, impress. Those valuing their money and time may skip this ‘Diwali gift’.

Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/dh-talkies/ram-setu-review-akshay-kumar-delivers-another-dud-1156655.html...

full review

Thumbs down by Deepanjana pal,

Film Companion

...Akshay Kumar's Ram Setu has a brilliant story at hand - where does science end and faith begin? Can literature, just because it has years on its side, be declared history? The argument rings obvious bells as you sit and watch Akshay's Aryan tread this tricky path. Unfortunately, a brilliantly debatable and thought-provoking issue such as this is completely marred by terrible, terrible execution. Apart from tipping his hat to everything he thought he needed to - religion, faith, wokeism, wokeism in the realm of religion, religion in the time of wokeism - Abhishek Sharma (director, Ram Setu) does little more to really stir the pot....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...Thank God made me cringe, not only because the film itself is so dull and juvenile, but also because it brought back memories of how my pre-teen head used to process such low-IQ comedies....

full review

Thumbs down by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Vikram Montrose's 'Jai Shri Ram' blends well with the narrative of this Akshay Kumar-starrer. The background score of the film too, works fine....

full review

Thumbs down by Nairita Mukherjee,

india today

full review

Thumbs down by Devasheesh Pandey,

India TV

...Satya Dev as AP has a decent enough role apart from Akshay Kumar. When he joins the crew on their expedition to unravel the truth, the film shows some potential but it was never meant to be one person's job. In fact, Satya Dev's character gives the film its biggest strength, the climax. However, Ram Setu is too weary of a film to sit through for 2 minutes of an interesting ending....

full review

Thumbs down by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, while I give this film a glowing one star, I’d still want you guys to watch this. Not because it has some saving grace, but because if Rajkumar Kohli (Jaani Dushman’s director) set out intentionally with an unlimited budget to make the worst movie ever, he could not have made something this bad....

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Ram Setu should have gotten a better background score than Om Namah Shivaay. It is a songless film in that sense, and yet it’s 144 minutes (if that makes sense for you). The score in Jai Shree Ram is electrifying, but the scenes aren’t elevated well with it. Most of the scenes lack a chilling background score, such as verbal mantras or shlokas....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Ram Setu seeks to drive home one singular point, and in unambiguous black and white: "Iss desh mein Ram ko jo nahin manta uska muh toh kala hona hi hai (In this nation, one who denies Lord Rama's existence deserves to have his face blackened)."...

full review

Thumbs down by NISHAD THAIVALAPPIL,

News18.com

...Overall, the movie is not something that I would recommend. In this year that has terribly gone wrong for Hindi films, we’ve added another that would fight for a spot on the top among the flops of the year. Abhishek Sharma and Akshay Kumar have missed out on the opportunity to release a good work of fiction this Diwali....

full review

Thumbs down by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...Not worth a trip to the theaters, watch on OTT The convoluted narrative tests your patience to the extent that neither you immerse yourself in the plot nor do you care about the characters at all. This indifference sums up one's complete experience toward the movie. The forced rivalries and ulterior motives can be sensed with closed eyes. You can miss the ride to the theaters for this one....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,

Rediff

...Akshay Kumar's choice of films is getting to be increasingly bizarre, though this one would have been tough for anyone to carry off.

Logic is not the film's strong point, and it takes the audience's credulity for granted....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...There is no scope for logic or even basic common sense in a narrative that insists that religious belief must be placed above secular knowledge. Portions of Ram Setu are set in Sri Lanka, where a civil war rages between the Lankan military and Tamil separatists....

full review

Thumbs down by Anuj kumar,

The Hindu

...The makers want to see the issue from the prism of faith, and instead of negotiating the complex layers of the past, Ram Setu seeks to jump to an imagined golden age, without building a bridge...

full review

Thumbs down by Shilajit Mitra,

the new Indian Express

...Akshay puckers his face in an odd squinch, like someone constantly smelling conspiracies in the air. It is unexplained why his character—a reasonably skeptical, well-esteemed researcher—would undergo such a sudden change of heart, or extract grand theories from flimsy, incomplete evidence....

full review

Thumbs down by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...Having watched a film like Kantara that takes mythology and creates magic on screen, Ram Setu disappoints primarily because of how shoddy the script and its treatment is. The lore in epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata is extensive and have potential for many interesting arcs and side-arcs but Ram Setu is not it....

full review

Thumbs down by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...Barring a few decent chase sequences, Ram Setu has no spark and is way too preachy. Lord Rama doesn’t need a salesman or films acting as Instagram influencers for him....

full review

See Also

wogma review

24 Critic Reviews 0.5/5.0

1 Reader Review 0/5.0

Ram Setu - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Cape of Good Films, Abundantia Entertainment, Lyca Productions
Producer: Aashish Singh, Aruna Bhatia, Vikram Malhotra, A. Subaskaran, Mahaveer S. Jain
Director: Abhishek Sharma
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar
Supporting Cast: Nasser, Nushrat Bharucha, Jacqueline Fernandez, Pravesh Rana, Satya Dev, Shweta Kawatra, Jennifer Piccinato
Story: Abhishek Sharma
Dialogues: Abhishek Sharma, Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi
Cinematography: Aseem Mishra
Editor: Rameshwar S Bhagat
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya
Music Director: Atul Srivastav, Vikram Montrose, Ved Sharma, Ajay Shrivastav, Dr. Zeus
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Irshad Kamil, Shekhar Astitwa, Ved Sharma, Raja Hasan, Baljit Singh Padam
Costume Designer: Rushi Sharma, Manoshi Nath, Leepakshi Ellawadi
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Adventure,

Mythology

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Review You know that Aryan played by Akshay Kumar, Akshay Kumar himself, and Ram Setu, have a chip on their shoulder from the opening sequence itself. Here’s an Indian archaeologist rubbing off banter towards him by a Pakistani archaeologist as dust on his sleeve. The Pakistani archaeologist, though, is apologetic and accepts the banter thrown at him by Aryan. Only the Indian knows how to be patriotic and, with all his largesse, compels others to be patriotic too. You then have Aryan pretending to be unbiased as Akshay Kumar seems to push an agenda.

My question is: Why? The claim is that xyz is what many people believe and thus must be true. Then why spend 2+ hours trying to prove or disprove? And while doing so, expose the lack of logic and back it up with, “if this is not scientific enough for you, it’s your problem!” Why not say with conviction what it wants to say and let the non-believers continue on their trip? Why does religion think it is essential for science to be on their side? It’s not like the believers need science. It’s not like the non-believers will glance over and let go of the gap in logic.

So be it. Everything else about the film is half-decent. You don’t go in expecting breathtaking graphics, music, or performances and you don’t get them. Had it not been for the premise of figuring out if Adam’s bridge between India and Sri Lanka was built by the Indian mythological figure Lord Ram, Ram Setu is a lot like other Akshay Kumar films. It is about him, the jarring age difference between him and his partner, his character’s heroism, and how cool and brave he is. You know things like how he doesn't need noise-cancelling headphones in a helicopter and coral doesn't hurt his bare hands. In that sense, I am grateful for the promising stakes the film begins with, even if the writing is less than ordinary.

The dialogue isn’t great, to begin with, and gets worse with more inanities as the film progresses. The film’s point isn’t to develop any character arcs, and it knows that. Two people have a change in character—one is inconsequential, and the other is unconvincing, to say the least. In fact, the latter’s transition is convenient to suit the film’s agenda. It isn’t clear when he moved away from what he spent a good hour of the film telling us, “Religion divides, culture unites.”

The film is littered with eye-roll-inducing arguments, incidents and revelations. Thank goodness a film’s script can be thought of as, at most, literature and cannot claim to be history.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Bombing, gun fights, fist and verbal fights * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: An archaeologist sets out to prove that Adam’s bridge is a natural phenomenon and not man-made.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2 * Lead Actors: 1 * Character Artists: 1

Dialogues: 0.5
Screenplay: 2
Music Director:
Lyrics:

Ram Setu - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Cape of Good Films, Abundantia Entertainment, Lyca Productions
Producer: Aashish Singh, Aruna Bhatia, Vikram Malhotra, A. Subaskaran, Mahaveer S. Jain
Director: Abhishek Sharma
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar
Supporting Cast: Nasser, Nushrat Bharucha, Jacqueline Fernandez, Pravesh Rana, Satya Dev, Shweta Kawatra, Jennifer Piccinato
Story: Abhishek Sharma
Dialogues: Abhishek Sharma, Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi
Cinematography: Aseem Mishra
Editor: Rameshwar S Bhagat
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya
Music Director: Atul Srivastav, Vikram Montrose, Ved Sharma, Ajay Shrivastav, Dr. Zeus
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Irshad Kamil, Shekhar Astitwa, Ved Sharma, Raja Hasan, Baljit Singh Padam
Costume Designer: Rushi Sharma, Manoshi Nath, Leepakshi Ellawadi
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Adventure,

Mythology

View Details

17 reviewers have given Maja Ma an average rating of 1.5/5.0 (?)

3 yays 10 nays 4 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

An awareness film that might actually open a few minds, even if it might not change them. If only, it felt less like a lecture. (Available on Amazon Prime)

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...On the other hand, some of the other performances blend fluently with the ebullient mood. Gajraj Rao (as Madhuri’s supportive husband), Ninad Kamat ,Simone Singh and Shristi Shrivastava lend solid support to Madhuri Dixit’s quietly effective performance. This is a film where the flaws are easily overlooked in favour of the larger picture....

full review

Thumbs up by Devasheesh Pandey,

India TV

...Maja Ma has a socially relevant plot and solid performances to push it across the line. It is the film of the hour and must be viewed with family. It is humourous when it needs to be and eventually an eye-opener....

full review

Thumbs up by Rachana Dubey,

Times of India

...All in all, 'Maja Ma' is a cool family watch, which feels very relatable, at times in ways that can difficult to put into words....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...The film, which is saying such an important thing, could have been made with a little more sensitivity. That it’s still watchable is thanks to Madhuri Dixit, who makes it all seem believable....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...As a whole, Maja Ma delivers a strong message with a festive mood, but it has got all the tough vibes going too easy for it....

full review

So-So by Kartik Bhardwaj,

the new Indian Express

...She passes the test and when Tejas asks her how she did it, she replies “They asked the wrong questions. They asked me if I ever had sex with a woman. Instead, they should have asked me if I ever loved one, I would have happily failed.” Um, that’s not, well, never mind....

full review

So-So by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...ADVERTISEMENT

Home Entertainment Movie reviews 'Maja Ma' Review: We Need More Madhuri Dixit and More Simone Singh

'Maja Ma' Review: We Need More Madhuri Dixit and More Simone Singh 'Maja Ma', starring Madhuri Dixit and Sheeba Chaddha and Ritwik Bhowmik, is directed by Anand Tiwari.

PRATIKSHYA MISHRA Published: 06 Oct 2022, 10:50 AM IST MOVIE REVIEWS 3 min read Share Share Share Share Share Comments (Spoiler Alert: This review contains minor spoilers).

With the way thrillers like Forensic and Cuttputlli have been treating queer characters, I was afraid Indian cinema would fall back into Dostana-esque queer stories. But Maja Ma is an interesting exploration of an alternative.

Maja Ma tells the story of Pallavi (Madhuri Dixit), a woman widely popular in her society (enough to make her husband win society elections). A mother of two, she must grapple with being outed while trying to come in terms with her sexuality.

Madhuri Dixit and Ritwik Bhowmik in a still from 'Maja Ma'. (Photo Courtesy: YouTube) ADVERTISEMENT

Her family consists of her husband Manohar (Gajraj Rao) and her kids Tara (Srishti Shrivastava) and Tejas (Ritwik Bhowmik).

The kids' reactions to their mother's sexuality are drastically different - Tejas is worried it'll destroy his 'reputation' and Tara wants her mother to just 'come out already'.

A still from 'Maja Ma'. (Photo Courtesy: YouTube) To its credit, Maja Ma attempts to challenge how both the approaches are wrong, with both of them forgetting that the situation is about Pallavi.

But Madhuri Dixit doesn't. With every scene she's given, she outperforms everyone around her except Simone Singh (Kanchan), who is a delight to watch. Both Dixit and Singh have amazing chemistry as actors and it does wonders for a half-baked script. After the 134-minute runtime, I only wanted more of these two actors on screen.

Sheeba Chaddha and Rajit Kapoor play Pam and Bob, Tejas' would-be in-laws. Their fake accents are hilarious but not that jarring (perhaps because they're both fabulous actors).

A still from 'Maja Ma'. (Photo Courtesy: YouTube) They're established as extremely regressive characters (I'd be upset but the man follows Trump, so…) but their daughter Esha (Barkha Singh) 'loves them anyway'.

If their characters had more dimension, they'd be more memorable but all three do the best with what is given to them. Debojeet Rey's cinematography heavily used close-ups, even when they're not necessary but the way he frames every shot makes up for it.

Appropriate wide angled shots with magnificent art design and use of colour make some of the scenes as effective as they need to be.

A scene where Dixit and Singh's characters are sitting in their respective rooms in front of the mirror is one such example.

Maja Ma is trying to tackle a lot - homophobia, how people view queer lives purely through the lens of 'sex', the sheer danger queer people face every day, and how difficult accepting one's identity can be.

But alas, the film, directed by Anand Tiwari and written by Sumit Batheja isn't mature enough to tackle the questions.

It oscillates between offensive dialogues and sensitivity so often that it'll cause whiplash. The film's insistence on letting the lesbian characters (and even for consistently using the term instead of leaving it ambiguous) feel queer joy is a respite.

Barkha Singh in a still from 'Maja Ma'. (Photo Courtesy: YouTube) Maja Ma spends too much time on unnecessary gags instead of fully achieving its aim. Instead what we have is a queer film with a lot of potential but little execution to support it....

full review

Thumbs down by Soumya Srivastawa,

Hindustan Times

...Let Maja Ma be another lesson in why social comedies will never work without the ‘comedy’ bit....

full review

Thumbs down by Shweta Keshri,

india today

...Written by Sumit Batheja and directed by Anand Tiwari, Maja Ma tries to tell the story of a lesbian woman who has been in the closet for more than 30 years and finally embraces her identity. They have dealt with the topic sensitively and not made a mockery of it. However, the film's ending is disappointing. Life is not so rosy and things don't end up being all hunky-dory. The climax act could have been a little more realistic....

full review

Thumbs down by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, Maja Ma takes off a high flight which really gets turbulent forcing an emergency landing. This topic either required better sensitivity or class-apart humour, it has neither!...

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Unfortunately, Maja Ma does not have too many scenes to remember notwithstanding Madhuri Dixit's magnetic presence. It is film that is akin to an undercooked dish whose ingredients and spices go their separate ways and do not seep into each other....

full review

Thumbs down by Dishya Sharma,

News18.com

...Among the flaws, I appreciated that the film did not sexualise the idea of lesbians. The scenes showing the two young girls in love are dealt with simplicity and honesty. I just wished the whole movie was dealt with in a similar way....

full review

Thumbs down by Prateek Sur,

Outlook India

...The music of the film by Souumil Shringarpure, Siddharth Mahadevan, Gourov Dasgupta and Anurag Sharma is definitely a delight. Songs like Boom Padi, Kacchi Doriyaan and Ae Pagli are definitely a must-have in your playlists this season.Madhuri Dixit is the only thing working in favour of this movie. Rest everything is over-the-top without too much of logical explanations. The woke concept picked up by Anand Tiwari is good, but showing a downtrodden patriarchal path to achieve the goal is not the best way forward. Watch ‘Maja Ma’ only for some great Garba numbers and Madhuri Dixit Nene’s awesome dance on them. Rest Avoid....

full review

Thumbs down by Priyakshi Sharma,

Pinkvilla

...Maja Ma’s strength lies in the thought and intention behind it. However, the movie lacks the nuance and risk that the story deserved. Apart from Madhuri Dixit’s on-screen charm, and a couple of engaging scenes, there’s hardly much to look for. Anand Tiwari’s Maja Ma is a hard pass for me....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,

Rediff

...The actors are competent enough.

Gajraj Rao, Sheeba Chaddha and Simone Singh get a couple of scenes to shine in.

Madhuri Dixit's brief seems to have been to look glamorous, which she does, while others struggle to hold the film together....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Srishti Shrivastava survives the carnage, with her portrayal of Tara giving some sense of what is at stake for Pallavi. Sheeba Chaddha has a couple of excellent scenes in which she lays bare both her prejudice and her disgust at Bob’s hypocrisy....

full review

Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...As the title in Gujarati suggests, the issue doesn’t come in the way of maja (fun) but the two have been blended like oil and water — superficial!...

full review

See Also

wogma review

17 Critic Reviews 1.5/5.0

Maja Ma - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube IMDB
Banner: Leo Media Collective
Producer: Amritpal Singh Bindra
Director: Anand Tiwari
Lead Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Gajraj Rao, Ritwik Bhowmik
Supporting Cast: Rajit Kapoor, Simone Singh, Sheeba Chaddha, Kavin Dave, Ninad Kamat, Srishti Shrivastava, Barkha Singh, Malhar Thakar
Story: Sumit Batheja
Screenplay: Sumit Batheja
Dialogues: Sumit Batheja
Editor: Sanyukta Kaza
Choreography: Kruti Mahesh
Costume Designer: Manoshi Nath, Rishi Sharma
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Social

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Maybe, just maybe, the premise is okay. The details, though, are either convenient, patronising or both. And the execution is tacky, slapsticky and cringe-inducing.

Review A near-death experience brings perspective. Believable.
The perspective coming about in a predictable manner, given that a Computer Graphic assistant to God is in the picture. Yawn-inducing.
A film-maker teaching a human being how to be a decent person. Acceptable.
The writers rewarding him for being just a decent person. Disturbingly low standards.

The film’s inept writing stares glaringly at you within the first few minutes. Ayaan Kapoor (Siddharth Malhotra), a shamelessly corrupt real estate agent, seems to be a rather unresourceful businessman. He is denied loans and is unable to convert his old currency notes to the new one after India’s demonetisation in 2016. The exhibition of his misfortune is predictable and caricaturised. It doesn’t help that his man-child behaviour is contrasted against his wife’s strikingly kind and generous nature. You can tell already that Thank God will exaggerate to make a point. And well, unfortunately it doesn’t disappoint.

As it moves along in its plot, Thank God becomes a lecture series of civic sense and moral education, with each episode taking on one or the other social or personal behaviourial aspect ranging from anger management and jealousy to parental neglect and meaning of religion. In its telling, there are a couple of instances when you feel, “oh! well-thought!” but these are too few and very far between.

The rest is either too obvious or is making too much of an effort to outsmart Ayaan’s character and through him, the audience. The effort fails and gives the audience too much time to guess what’s to come.

Over and above this shabbiness are problematic takes such as the support to blind faith in things like vastu shastra, false equivalences like the one between laughing at a joke and crying about a misfortune, treating devotion and donations as mutually exclusive, and the teaching of lessons by putting a person in a corner. This overwhelmingly overshadows the couple of worthy arguments the film wants to make about gender equality and misunderstanding the intent of faith.

When there is so much wanting in the content, the other technical aspects of the film matter little. And it is not like the script demanded any great shakes from the actors. Small mercies are that they didn’t make Thank God even more unbearable. The production can be thought of as a well-done for live performances. But for a film, it comes across as make-do, especially one that stars some A-listers—so it’s not like they were on a tight budget.
Thank God’s narration is too focussed on the end and cares little about the means. Thank God’s lessons, a half-decent person won’t need, and a not-decent person won’t heed.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: An item number * Concept: A social studies lesson on being a decent human being * General Look and Feel: Tacky even if not garish

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1 * Story: 1 * Lead Actors: 2 * Character Artists: 2

Dialogues: 1
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 1
Lyrics: 1

Thank God - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Maruti International, T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.
Producer: Indra Kumar, Bhushan Kumar, Ashok Thakeria, Kishan Kumar, Sunir Kheterpal, Anand Pandit, Deepak Mukut, Markand Adhikari
Director: Indra Kumar
Lead Cast: Ajay Devgan, Siddharth Malhotra
Supporting Cast: Kanwaljit Singh, Sandeep Kumar, Rakul Preet, Nora Fatehi, Seema Pahwa, Manoj Shukla, Jitendra Kumar, Kiku Sharda, Vikram Kochhar, Mahesh Balraj, Urmila Kanetkar, Pratik Dixit, Kiara Khanna, Anjali Schmuck, Rushali Yadav, Sunita Shirole, Dhanay Sheth, Gyanendra Tripathi, Gurindra Sethi, Satish Nakyodi, Sumit Gulati, Soundarya Sharma, Rupali Yadav, Sanjay Gurbaxani
Story: Madhur Sharma, Aakash Kaushik
Screenplay: Madhur Sharma, Aakash Kaushik
Dialogues: Madhur Sharma, Aakash Kaushik
Cinematography: Aseem Bajaj
Editor: Dharmendra Sharma
Background Score: Amar Mohile
Choreography: Ganesh Hegde, Dilip Mestry, Tushar Kalia
Music Director: Anand Raj Anand, Rochak Kohli, Tanishk Bagchi, Chamath Sangeeth
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Sameer (2), Rashmi Virag, Mellowd
Costume Designer: Naveen Shetty, Anirudh Singh, Ami Patel, Kirti Kolwankar, Maria Tharakan, Abu Jani, Sandeep Khosla, Dipika Lal
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Philosophy,

Social

View Details

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

An awareness film that might actually open a few minds, even if it might not change them. If only, it felt less like a lecture. (Available on Amazon Prime)

Review With many a ‘message’ film, I feel like the makers are preaching to the choir. As in, the people who are watching the film are already on the same side as the film because they most likely know what it's about. And even if they don’t, the film is not looking to change their mind. The film’s real target audience, the ones whose minds they wish to influence, are unlikely to be convinced by a film. Every once in a while, there is a film that might have an impact. And Maja Ma, in its own convoluted way, might get a few people to question their beliefs, even if momentarily. How I wish, it had been a little less preachy and a little more engaging.

On the second count, just not doing a few distracting things would have gone a long way. Like having Rajit Kapoor, Sheeba Chaddha and Simone Singh carry accents. I understand some non-resident Indians (NRIs) do develop an accent and some put them on, especially those running for mayor. At the same time, this was done rather poorly. The quality of the accent drew attention away, so much so that it is likely to stay with me as one of the things I remember about the film.

Then there’s the preachy nature of the narrative. Sure, there are breaks from the sermons in the form of story and character development, so it’s not one long lesson. But, just when the film gets into some form of a flow, it is interrupted by someone lecturing the other—be it in the form of an activist protesting or a mother teaching something to a child or whatever. This made the experience one full of fits and starts. Not only did this break the rhythm of the story-telling, but it gave the feeling of a stalled narration.

None of this undermines the film’s bravery, though. A woman in her 50s, with kids in their 20s, comes out of the closet. Whoa! Who would have thought we would see a Hindi film with that one-line ‘what-if’? That too, the woman is played by a mainstream actor who was a star in her prime!

That Madhuri Dixit picked this project is enough for me to watch her next few films. That she hasn’t lost an iota of her grace when she dances, smiles, and just is, is a bonus. The film starts her off as a caricature of sorts and got me worried if that was what I was getting into for the next couple of hours. But as soon as her character, Pallavi, is trapped in a corner, Dixit goes mute so naturally and understandably, that you realise how nicely her character and situation were set up.

Unfortunately, that is not carried forward in the rest of the film. As in, you don’t know when her mind changes and what provokes the transition. Of course, given the nature of the film, the climax is sort of a given, hence making it predictable. Even so, it would have been nice to have some insight into what made it happen, other than bottled-up emotions.

Sure, the film is a lot about LGBQTIA+ awareness. It is also very vocal about the NRI community’s weird conservatism. In real life, I have encountered enough superficial traditionalism to find anything in the film as an exaggeration. The same goes for the extent to which parents can go when it comes to a marriage they do not approve of. The tongue-in-cheek Baghban reference had me in splits because I have heard it in real-life drawing-room conversations. Yes, plural. But, there is an artificial ring to it that doesn’t let you settle into it as reality. For instance, Pallavi’s friend, Kanchan’s (Simone Singh) overt flirting too obviously contrasts with her reality making her character seem flaky when it is far from it.

That is how uneven Maja Ma is. Such valiant attempts at normalising conversation about taboo topics. But taken a little too far to seem real. A couple of honest conversations, which are rare in Hindi films. But too few of them. The broad streak of feminism is heartening, especially the comment on pedestalising women. The subtlety with which it shows how a woman is rarely asked what she wants or who she is, but even the most well-meaning people assume things about her. Only to spell it out toward the end. And as usual, I don’t know what to make of the in-the-face symbolism like that used here for ‘coming out of the closet’.

And yet, despite all of that, because it does what very few dare to do, Maja Ma is a film that we should encourage everyone around us to give a shot. Here was my attempt, while keeping it real.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: A few curse words used * Nudity & Sexual content: A couple of lip-to-lips. Some talk about sexuality and sex. * Concept: A woman in her 50s comes out of the closet, even if accidentally.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2.5 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2

Maja Ma - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube IMDB
Banner: Leo Media Collective
Producer: Amritpal Singh Bindra
Director: Anand Tiwari
Lead Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Gajraj Rao, Ritwik Bhowmik
Supporting Cast: Rajit Kapoor, Simone Singh, Sheeba Chaddha, Kavin Dave, Ninad Kamat, Srishti Shrivastava, Barkha Singh, Malhar Thakar
Story: Sumit Batheja
Screenplay: Sumit Batheja
Dialogues: Sumit Batheja
Editor: Sanyukta Kaza
Choreography: Kruti Mahesh
Costume Designer: Manoshi Nath, Rishi Sharma
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Social

View Details

25 reviewers have given Brahmastra – Part One: Shiva an average rating of 3.3/5.0 (?)

12 yays 4 nays 9 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

It’s repetitive. It’s mediocre. It tells more than it shows. It’s not creative, visually or aurally. YET, it is charming and got me curious about what it holds next.

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...The heartstopping chases never stop and the search for a secret talisman split into three parts echoes Marvel’s super-hero universe. And yet for all its derivative hints, Brahmastra is original, fresh, vibrant and quite irresistible. This, you cannot afford to miss....

full review

Thumbs up by Russel D'Silva,

Bollywood Life

...The visual treat alone is worth the prove of admission for Brahmastra twice over. The dialogues and romance could've been streamlined, but the fantasy world and folklore that draw you in are enough to ensure that hardly anybody should walk out of the theatre saying that they didn't have a good time....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Watch the film for its visual appeal and for the burning chemistry between Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor. A stage has now been set and let's hope Ayan Mukerji doesn't take five years more to bring out the next installment....

full review

Thumbs up by Punarvasu Pendse,

fullhyd.com

...Pritam's songs are more hit than miss, with some numbers including Kesariya already being chart-toppers. Simon Franglen's score is interesting, but gets repetitive soon. More than the quality of the sound, it is the incredibly loud volume of everything that stands out, and not in a good way - our ears were ringing by the time we left....

full review

Thumbs up

Hindustan Times

...Watch Brahmastra because it's not every day that Bollywood churns out a film on this grand scale, with top-class VFX and creates a mystical universe that we only see in the West or closer home in the south film industry. And given that it's a planned trilogy, you'd be already left craving for a part two sooner....

full review

Thumbs up by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, Brahmastra has pro-level VFX bundled with enough mythology to keep things interesting. It contains everything that the best-looking Indian film should have with some obvious flaws....

full review

Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...On the acting front, Ranbir and Alia achieve the impossible: they ensure that Shiva and Isha are always believable even as the goings-on around them are beyond fantastic. Mouni Roy, playing the arch-villainess who is out to wrest the brahmastra and wreak havoc on mankind, carries the daunting weight of the role without wilting....

full review

Thumbs up by Sonil Dedhia,

News18.com

...But at the heart of the film is an incredible performance by Ranbir Kapoor, who doesn’t just play Shiva he becomes him. Just like the director, the actor too has been committed to the project for a decade and that can be seen in the performance....

full review

Thumbs up by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...Surreal experience that stays with you much after credits roll The strokes that have painted Brahmastra have Mukerji's vision written all over them. It encapsulates love, emotions, action, violence, death, and is a kaleidoscopic story fueled by jaw-dropping VFX and a potent background score. Mukerji's maverick genius mostly succeeds in achieving the rare fusion of exquisite mythology and modern sensibilities, and even though it falters, the film picks itself up soon enough....

full review

Thumbs up by Sukanya Varma,

Rediff

...Brahmastra shines best in action mode.

Of its many set pieces, the highway car chase is one of the most thrilling.

Like a relentless T-1000 going after his targets in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, this one too goes for the same brand of full throttle menace.

Wish Ayan had gone for the same degree of aggression in Shiva's training instead of doing it the cliché Bollywood song and dance way.

Its pacing may waver as rapidly as its attention span, but Brahmastra's love for light is steady.

Frames brim in pyrotechnics, bokeh effects and hues of red, blue, pink, purple and orange powering a blazing spectacle....

full review

Thumbs up by Make McCahill,

The Guardian

...The film eventually assumes the familiar shape of the pixelated beat-’em-up, with Amitabh Bachchan outgrowling MCU’s Patrick Stewart as a guru overseeing a Himalayan training camp. Yet the emphasis on light as a special power banishes the murkiness of certain entries in the Marvel and DC universes, and Mukerji brings a peppy, wide-eyed spirit to the superhero-movie model, adorning tried-and-tested arcs and beats with workable Pritam songs, ravishing colours and gorgeous people. History suggests there are less effective ways of drawing a crowd on a Friday night....

full review

Thumbs up by Rachana Dubey,

Times of India

...The line between great and good lies in a believable, character-led story that emotionally engages you. The most imaginative worlds created by cinema’s geniuses eventually rely on the writing to keep everything else glued perfectly in their places. With all its pluses, nothing makes up for the emotional deficits that Brahmastra suffers. If that had been paid more attention to, it would have gone a long way in making the proceedings more praise-worthy....

full review

So-So by Sagar Tenali,

Film Companion

...And yet, Despite the appalling flaws in its writing. I enjoyed Brahmastra as a theatrical experience primarily because of the superficial appeal of the constant stream of stars who get their own "mass" scenes and the prettiness of the land pair....

full review

So-So by Deepanjana Pal,

Film Companion

...Brahmastra is supposed to be the Bollywood equivalent of a marvel franchiseand Thank you. to the budget lavished on VFX, is a decent first attempt....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Pritam's music in Brahmastra is a mixed bag. Our pick from the music album is Arijit Singh's melody 'Kesariya' which is already topping the music charts and the beautifully picturized 'Deva O Deva.'...

full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Undoubtedly Ranbir and Alia are solid performers and so does Amitabh Bachchan and Nagarjuna Akkineni, but watch out for Mouni Roy’s bright performance throughout. She draws parallel to Ranbir-Alia in the film. Dimple Kapadia is a blink-and-miss...

full review

So-So by Ambica Sachin,

Khaleej Times

...So as much as it may be a sight for sore eyes, a buff Ranbir Kapoor dancing around giddily in the middle of a field in awe of his fire harnessing power, doesn't impress us much....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Brahmastra is watchable for its big-screen value that introduces you to VFX-led grandeur, though it lacks both a storyline and storytelling, which could have taken it to the next level. The young guy has done more than his age, though....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...And what’s with the brahmastra itself, which resembles a glistening paperweight and is tossed about at will? The weapon’s undignified treatment is on par with Guru’s banal advice to Shiva that in order for him to discover his powers, he needs to be “on”....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...Perhaps, the big boys of Bollywood are missing the plot. They need to combine the courage and the visual flair of an Ayan Mukerji and the research of a Chandra Prakash Dwivedi to come up with something original....

full review

So-So by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...As things stand Brahmastra grabs us in parts. If the unnecessary parts about love and lovers could have been avoided the impact would have been stronger. For now, the sound and light show should suffice....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...As a Bollywood enthusiast I am conditioned to root for the rare mega budget fantasy title. I look forward to a first date of jitters : will this finally be the one? I go in with hope, despite being armed with the knowledge that thinking big in Hindi cinema is too often sacrificed at he alter of thinking wide....

full review

Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...Films so stuffed with special effects need to maintain a balance between parts which are meant to astonish us with their wares, and the parts which allow it to slow down and breathe. The VFX is non-stop (at one point, a troll-like army appears, and disappears), the blaring music keeps wanting to bludgeon us into submission, and we are left yearning for magic....

full review

Thumbs down by Mayank Shekhar,

MiD DAY

...Brahmastra, I’m told, is India’s most expensive film—the cheque of around R500 crore, signed off by Disney (then Star). It shows. As does the audacity of the producers, to announce its sequel in the final frame (Part Two: Deva), which is otherwise contingent on the commercial success of Part One. Hollywood has regularly pulled off such franchises, on account of its global audience. And comic-book fans over generations...

full review

Thumbs down by Pooja Birala Jaiswal,

The Week

...At the end of the film, the makers announced Brahmastra – Part 2. Ayan Mukherji has wasted the skills and popularity of Shah Rukh Khan, Nagarjuna, and of course, Amitabh Bachchan. The same will happen with the next set of actors who decide to be part of Brahmastra movie cast. The best the audiences can do is brace themselves and just avoid it....

full review

See Also

wogma review

25 Critic Reviews 3.3/5.0

Brahmastra – Part One: Shiva - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Fox Star Studios, Dharma Productions
Producer: Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar, Ayan Mukerji, Apoorva Mehta, Namit Malhotra, Marijke Dsouza
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Lead Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt
Supporting Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia, Divyendu Sharma, Mouni Roy, Nagarjuna, Saurav Gurjar
Dialogues: Hussain Dalal
Cinematography: Sudeep Chaterjee, V Manikandan, Vikash Nowlakha, Pankaj Kumar, Patrick Duroux
Editor: Prakash Kurup
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Anaita Shroff Adajania, Samidha Wangnoo
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 160 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action,

Adventure,

Fantasy

View Details

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

It’s repetitive. It’s mediocre. It tells more than it shows. It’s not creative, visually or aurally. YET, it is charming and got me curious about what it holds next.

Review Swush. Swoosh. Swirrl. Swwirrrl. Svuuuuuush. Almost everyone of any importance in the film can have pixie dust and fire-like swoosh emanating from their palms. They all twiirrl their hands like martial artists and have magical powers serve them. It seemed so common that as I walked out of the theatre I moved my palms to see if I could produce fire. Not exaggerating. That is a huge win for this first installment of Brahmastra. Because you want to know more despite Brahmastra being a pretty run-of-the-mill superhero film. Especially for those of us, seasoned on the likes of Star Wars, X-Men, to the latest The Sandman and The Rings of Power. Brahmastra manages this because of a decent underlying story, Ranbir Kapoor’s energy, and the Ranbir-Alia vibe.

You are thrown into the thick of it from the word go. You are introduced to a prime player in a parallel fantasy world that exists along with our normal 2022 world. You meet the villains and the extent of their viciousness. You know this is a part of the puzzle, and there is much to unfold. Obviously. The movie is, after all, 2 hours and 40 minutes long. And is only the first of the three parts. That the film managed to hold interest for the long run-time is a huge plus. Even though I did get a chance, in the beginning, to wonder how Alia Bhatt would fare in a non-cute role, or dare I say a villainous one. Meanwhile, I was pleasantly surprised that we weren’t being spoon-fed and were given room to piece things together.

I also enjoyed that Shiva, played with the quintessential Ranbir Kapoor fervor, was discovering things along with us. Unfortunately, the writers let go of this show-don’t-tell as Shiva begins to figure out his powers and their origin. The second half goes into using Amitabh Bachchan’s baritone as the sole super-power of the film. Can’t blame them. But, it left me feeling a little short-changed after the narrative style of the first half. Even though it does this cute thing of using the mata-pita-astra* in the midst of having an entire armoury of magical weapons.

The other problem is by interval, you are not really expecting the special effects to be any better than those on display in the first scene. With one exception, they all spin here and there and produce granular stuff and fire-like stuff, and their weapons produce granular stuff and fire-like stuff. We have to be happy that every once in a while, the stuff takes forms? And that each person is assigned a different colour? Thankfully, the colours are nice and bright despite being 3D, which usually gives the film a dull and dark gloomy feel. Unfortunately, nothing very unusual is done with the 3D itself.

It doesn’t help that the characters are all unidimensional, and amidst all the colour, the characters stay as black and white as they go. Whenever fire and dust aren’t flying from one end of the screen to the other, or sometimes even as that is happening, we have Shiva and Isha romancing with pretty much repetitive lines and “I love you”s.

And despite all these major-major irritants, the story carries an underlying strength. A story that seems to have a lot going on, and you enjoy knowing as it is told to Shiva. A story that holds promise. Sure, I wish I was allowed to figure it out instead. But, for this first installment and all that the film is trying to do in terms of breaking Hindi film norms, it will do. For now, this fantasy world holds interest and promises to do so for another 2-3 hours at least.

However, Part Two will have to up its game. In its artwork, it could follow the creativity on display in Part One’s end credits and take it from there instead of just relying on colour schemes from mood boards. In its special effects, it will have to think out of the box and way-way beyond bling and sparkle. In its editing, it would have to rely a lot less on pace and more on skilled action choreography.

In its writing, it will have to dig deeper than using character names as symbols from Mohan Bhargava and the light connection (Swades) to Zor (force), Raftaar (speed), and Junoon (Obsession) as the villain’s weapons. In its telling, it can take a cue from Part One’s first half. In its underlying philosophy, it does have a strong, even-if sappy one of using love to accept fear. It has to direct that energy to do better than becoming monotonous. 5-6 hours more is a long, long way to go. Else, it will feel like a lovely opportunity lost.
~ ~ ~
*Using the parent card

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads. Like any other superhero action film. A few gory scenes. * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: A superhero discovers his powers * General Look and Feel: Bright, dark, superhero-ey.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 3.5 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 1.5
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 2.5
Lyrics: 2.5

See Also

wogma review

25 Critic Reviews 3.3/5.0

Brahmastra – Part One: Shiva - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Fox Star Studios, Dharma Productions
Producer: Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar, Ayan Mukerji, Apoorva Mehta, Namit Malhotra, Marijke Dsouza
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Lead Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt
Supporting Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia, Divyendu Sharma, Mouni Roy, Nagarjuna, Saurav Gurjar
Dialogues: Hussain Dalal
Cinematography: Sudeep Chaterjee, V Manikandan, Vikash Nowlakha, Pankaj Kumar, Patrick Duroux
Editor: Prakash Kurup
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Anaita Shroff Adajania, Samidha Wangnoo
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 160 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action,

Adventure,

Fantasy

View Details

21 reviewers have given Cuttputlli an average rating of 2.7/5.0 (?)

8 yays 6 nays 7 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

A reasonably well-made Hindi suspense thriller. A non-agenda Akshay Kumar film. Both rare things I get to say. Aptly spooked and pleasantly surprised to say both of them together. (Available On Hotstar)

Thumbs up by Russel D'Silva,

Bollywood Life

...All things considered, Cuttputlli is a welcome return to form for Akshay Kumar both as a movie and when it comes to his own performance. In fact, this should've made it to the big screen over any one of his three erstwhile releases this year. I'm going with 3.5 out of 5 stars....

full review

Thumbs up

DNA

...The film offers a tight and smart narrative, which thrillers require making it one of the most binge-worthy movies to watch this weekend....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Akshay's recent releases like Prithviraj and Rakshabandhan haven't done well over the box office and this may have prompted the makers to go for an OTT release for Cuttputlli. It's an engaging thriller and all we can say is that perhaps they should have gambled and released it in theatres…...

full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Sargun Mehta is a surprise. She is brilliant, sincere and of high quality as SHO and even hijacked Akshay’s scenes. She is perhaps the best out of the whole ensemble. Antagonist Joshua McLaire, originally a magician, is average and contributes a bit in unravelling the truth....

full review

Thumbs up

Hindustan Times

...Watch this thriller for its sheer intrigue and the nail-biting screenplay that keeps you hooked wondering what's next. Even if the story gets sloppy at places, Akshay Kumar doesn't disappoint....

full review

Thumbs up by Tanya Garg,

india.com

...Those who have seen Ratsasan would love to re-watch the original again but for those who haven’t, this Akshay Kumar film brings a lot of thrill, suspense and drama to the table. The mystery keeps challenging your wit and you constantly remain hooked to the story. The climax is one of the most important parts of any murder mystery, and Akshay Kumar’s film will keep you guessing until the very end (only if you haven’t watched Ratsasan). Highly suggested for OTT viewing over the weekend!...

full review

Thumbs up

Pinkvilla

...Overall, Cuttputtli is a faithful remake of Ratsasan that has some pros and some cons, but won’t let down the audience of suspense thrillers as also the fans of Akshay Kumar. It’s not a classic.. far off... but a worthy OTT watch for some who have not seen the original....

full review

Thumbs up by Ronak Kotecha,

Times of India

...With its cold and damp setting in a nondescript hill town, ‘Cuttputlli’ gets the eerie atmospherics of a campy whodunit quite right. It goes to the extremes of a serial killer’s psychopathic exploits keeping in mind the sensibilities of its target audience....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Oh, how I missed Ghibran's haunting background score from Ratsasan in Cuttputlli! Instead, what we get are two forgettable songs ('Saathiya' and 'Rabba') which merely comes across as glam props in the narrative.

Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2022/cuttputlli-movie-review-akshay-kumar-rakul-preet-singh/articlecontent-pf326844-339840.html...

full review

So-So by Nairita Mukherjee,

india today

...Cuttputlli, now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, is not a bad watch. But, with Ratsasan already available, and several other such thrillers in Hindi at your disposal - Raveena Tandon's Aranyak and Vikrant Massey's Forensic, to name a few - would you watch this one? The answer is clearer than who the killer is in Cuttputlli....

full review

So-So by Shilajit Mitra,

indian express

...Early on, we glimpse a 'Raman Raghav 2.0' poster on Arjan’s bedroom wall. It’s an apt reference: the 2016 film is the last great Hindi serial killer flick of our times. It’s also a confession: Ranjit cannot fathom executing his at a comparable level. 'Cuttputlli' doesn’t elevate its genre of choice. It just makes the cut....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Cuttputlli looks like a very low-budget film on screen. The screen filters are bad. Even the prosthetics are visible, from eye brows to powder to every cosmetic. Didn’t the editor see it? What was Ranjit Tewari doing in front of the monitor anyway? Julius Packiam‘s background score with no words and dance is better than Tanishk Bagchi and Dr Zeus‘s boring songs with lyrics and dance. Cuttputlli is badly edited and shot, just like any low budget thriller from a substandard industry...

full review

So-So by Zinia Bandyopadhyay,

News18.com

...All in all, the film would manage to hook you, but only if you watch with a clear head, and if you have not watched the original. There are quite a few distractions too, but overall the film does manage to maintain its pace, and hold the audience’s attention....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Some of the underplaying works against Cuttputlli, especially in the scenes that require the film to shift gears from police procedural to emotional drama. The revelation of the killer’s identity is similarly rushed through. At least unlike recent films of this type, including Forensic and HIT – The First Case, Cuttputlli has a suitably shocking monster pulling the strings....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...The underrated Chandrachur once again excels in a small part. Cast in an interesting role, Sargun is a little too conscious in portraying the cop who leads a team, and a little more layering of her character would have helped. The talented Rakul Preet Singh seems to be using small parts with big stars as an investment for the future. With hardly any character arc, her performances are very much like this generic thriller... that has no authorial signature....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...The good news is tight the ending of cuttputlli is bot absurd as the ending of recent forensic a serial killer story the treats gender dymorphai as a visual gimmick. The bad news is that it's in a league of its own....

full review

Thumbs down by Devasheesh Pandey,

India TV

...Interestingly, Cuttputlli is a remake of the 2018 Tamil thriller Ratsasan that had everything going for it that is off in the Bollywood version. In comparison, the original scores way above Akshay's half-decent attempt at creating an intriguing thriller. The genre is ripe for the taking, but somehow, Bollywood has more misses than hits. And Cuttputlli too is a letdown....

full review

Thumbs down by Shubham Kulkarni,

koimoi

...don’t want to be this rude, I love cinema. But Akshay Kumar and his urge to churn out zillion movies in a year has now started making us fear his content, and that is definitely not a good space. Smell the tea creators, before it’s too late....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Cuttputlli is the sort of film in which the cops are a clueless bunch who seem to be preparing for a mock drill on the morrow rather than chasing a deranged murderer. One suspect is identified but, unsurprisingly, it turns out to be a false alarm. The film gets extended by another hour. When the climax is eventually upon us, it is as underwhelming as anything else in the film....

full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Cuttputlli is likely to follow suit what with an absolutely absurd climax and super amateurish execution that will have you rolling on the floor in unintended laughter. Or maybe they decided to 'make this into a comedy' after all....

full review

Thumbs down by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...Maybe that’s why it’s disappointing to see a glimpse into what could have been when compared to the end product....

full review

See Also

wogma review

21 Critic Reviews 2.7/5.0

1 Reader Review 0/5.0

Cuttputlli - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Vashu Bhagnani, Deepshika Deshmukh
Director: Ranjit Tiwari
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar, Rakul Preet
Supporting Cast: Chandrachur Singh, Hrishitaa Bhatt, Sargun Mehta, Gurpreet Ghuggi, Sujith Shanker, Shahid Lateef, Renaye Tejani, Rahul Kakkar, Divvya Wadhwa, Suhani Sethi, Guruvesh Pandit
Cinematography: Rajeev Ravi
Editor: Chandan Arora
Costume Designer: Gunpreet Kaur Mann, Deepali Singh
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Crime,

Horror,

Social,

Suspense,

Thriller

View Details

20 reviewers have given Liger an average rating of 0.5/5.0 (?)

0 yays 16 nays 4 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

So-So by Sarvepalli Bhavana,

Bollywood Life

...Liger starts taking it seriously as revenge on Taniya. But it is Liger’s responsibility to win because he becomes and inspiration to many gully boys like him. Also, his mom has been dreaming to see him becoming a champion....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...All-in-all, Liger is a case of missed opportunities. Vijay Deverakonda is a genuine star and certainly could have hoped for a better film than Liger to be his Bollywood debut. Even his infinite charm and dedication aren’t enough to uplift it....

full review

So-So by Tulasi Neppali,

fullhyd.com

...No doubt the Liger team held it together during the challenging pandemic times, battling budget-bloat and delays to finally get the movie out. If good intentions and hard work were enough to make a successful movie, Liger would be an ace. But there is that pesky little issue of having a good story and script. Hopefully, Puri and Devarakonda take note before losing the next two years in their upcoming movie, JGM....

full review

So-So

India TV

...However, they were some who were very disappointed. "Abbailu very below average 1st half. Very routine story, no gripping screenplay, 0 exciting moments. Wasted #VijayDeverakonda Caliber. Feels like watching a dubbing movie. Totally on second half now.. Assam train kosam ticket tiskunatle anipistondi as of now #ligerreview #Liger."...

full review

Thumbs down by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Amidst the hamming , heaving and heavy lifting Deverakonda shows off his admirable fighting and dancing skills. It’s like playing the piano in a room filled with tone-deaf revelers high on hooch. Spare yourself this ordeal unless you are a diehard Deverakonda fan....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepanjana Pal,

Film Companion

...The story telling of Liger is disappointing . Mass entertainers are supposed to be fun and inventive. They are supposed to respect the audience's time and money. Instead we have been given a saala crossbreed that's all about stupidity and rage....

full review

Thumbs down by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Puri’s Liger is an absolute yawn fest. You’d be better off watching any popular dubbed South film on your television sets accompanied with a homemade ‘rasam’....

full review

Thumbs down by Janani K,

india today

...Liger also joins the long list of films that blame women for men getting distracted. The film makes us question if the team spent ample time writing the script. If only Puri Jagannadh, Charmme Kaur and Karan Johar had set aside half of the time and money for the script instead of the promotions, Liger could have been a much better film. If only....

full review

Thumbs down by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, it hurts to see projects such as this making it to the theatres even in 2022. I understand cinema is subjective & this is my just opinion: “Please start making films for moviegoers, instead of just fans.”...

full review

Thumbs down by Mayank Shekhar,

MiD DAY

...The Rock-like ‘mard’ growls. Some dialogues are on echo mode. I’m more interested if the peppy dance tracks — with lyrics that go ‘Dikidi dikido’ or ‘Jawani teri aafat’ — shot with speeding drones will bang it at nightclubs. At some point, this cartoon show slips so lower than the deepest trenches that I can’t even bother to look up on the screen anymore....

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Liger has music, but what it has got to do with situations is a bigger puzzle than why did Katappa kill Bahubali? Akdi Pakdi has massy beats but a non-fitting situation. Better call it an illogical song that has been put in the film only to extend the runtime and, for that matter, your boredom. Aafat is a big aafat for the music lovers but a pleasure to eyes as Vijay and Ananya‘s super hot looks kill the other germs. Liger’s editing lacks basic sense. If you want to disappoint the audience, at least do it with a short runtime. Why take 140 minutes? Those dialogues were written in the 80s but used in 2022...

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Indeed, that is where Liger begins to hover by the time it has run its course. It is massive mess of a movie that Vijay Deverakonda's newfangled physique and action chops cannot salvage. As for the other actors in the cast, they ham their way through and compete to outshout each other.

22 Comments...

full review

Thumbs down by Sonil Dedhia,

News18.com

...Liger was targeted to be this crossbreed cinema that was filmed simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi. Aimed as the first pan-Indian film, Vijay Deverakonda surely misses the punch. At 140 minutes, Liger seems so long that by the end, I started feeling why did I get into this ‘Aafat.’...

full review

Thumbs down by Aishwarya Ragupati,

NewsBytes

...I don't recall even one serious issue that the film spoke about. If the makers had invested in the story and screenplay at least half as much as they did in Deverakonda's body transformation, the film wouldn't have been half as bad....

full review

Thumbs down by Arvind V,

Pinkvilla

...Ronit Roy looks fit and mouths quotable quotes as a coach. "They ignore you. Then they insult you. Then they fight you. Then you win." And then the audience ignore you. Getup Srinu gets more space than he actually deserves. Mike Tyson's cameo is a dud....

full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...One can only hope the legendary boxer made a killing for an awkward appearance that somehow ends with him on a Nevada ranch flanked by cowboys and fanboys....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Tyson, playing the fictional character Mark Anderson, arrives at the point at which the 140-minute film has already run out of juice. Having exhausted his energy on woman-bashing, shrew-taming and filming Devarakonda’s physical prowess from every imaginable angle, Jagannadh doesn’t quite know what to do with the mercurial pugilist.

The conversation that persuaded Tyson to be in Liger could be its own movie. It might be more entertaining too....

full review

Thumbs down by Sangeetha Devi Dundoo,

The Hindu

...This big-ticket film that aimed for pan-India attention ended up as an embarrassment. At the start of the film, the protagonist says that he is not good at narrating a story, but he will try. Perhaps that was a warning about the film. Thankfully, Liger does not end on a note that allows room for a sequel....

full review

Thumbs down by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...Vijay Deverakonda’s debut in Bollywood has him with a head full of hair, body full of bulging muscles and a performance full of ham. The film, which was supposed to be this big pan –India entertainer, is a disappointment of colossal portions....

full review

Thumbs down by Neeshita Nyayapati,

Times of India

...It’s ironic that Liger is asked to focus multiple times in the film, but the script itself lacks the same focus. Things just keep happening for no rhyme or reason and Puri fails to deliver a satisfactory conclusion to any of the tracks. Vijay deserved better, so did we. As the filmmakers promised, watt laga diya, but not in a good way....

full review

Liger - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Dharma Productions, Puri Connects
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Puri Jagannath, Charme Kaur, Apoorva Mehta
Director: Puri Jagannath
Lead Cast: Ananya Pandey, Vijay Deverakonda
Supporting Cast: Makarand Deshpande, Ronit Roy, Ramya Krishnan, Vishu Reddy, Mike Tyson
Screenplay: Puri Jagannath
Dialogues: Puri Jagannath
Cinematography: Vishnu Sharma
Editor: Junaid Siddiqui
Music Director: DJ Chetas, Jaani, Vikram Montrose, Lijo George
Lyrics: Farhad Bhiwandiwala, Shekhar Astitwa, Vikram Montrose
Facebook Page: Link
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action

View Details

22 reviewers have given Raksha Bandhan an average rating of 1.5/5.0 (?)

3 yays 12 nays 7 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...This is a film that tells you, it’s okay for a man to cry when he hurts . It’s okay to let it all hang out. Go have good cry in the movie theatres this weekend. Watch out for Seema Pahwa as a self-important professional match maker. She is part of an improper joke about stammering Luckily the film know exactly what to say and how to say it....

full review

Thumbs up

Bollywood Life

...All said and done, Raksha Bandhan brings back old-school Hindi cinema with old-school values to good effect. BollywoodLife is going with 3.5 out of 5 stars....

full review

Thumbs up

Hindustan Times

...Raksha Bandhan is a family entertainer that takes the form of social commentary at some places, but not at the cost of losing its main essence of celebrating the sibling bond and its beauty. Watch it with your folks and definitely your partner in crime, your siblings....

full review

So-So by Aman Wadhwa,

DNA

...Aanand L. Rai and his writers, Himanshu Sharma and Kanika Dhillon, must be credited for getting the pulse of the heartland right. The emotional beats work well with Akshay and Bhumi shining in a couple of scenes, which will certainly get you teary-eyed. However, the implausible and over-dramatic sequences derail the film....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...The film rests squarely on Akshay Kumar’s able shoulders. He gives off the perfect elder brother vibes, despite the age difference he shares with his screen sisters, from the first and the last frame. And handles all the heavy-duty emotional scenes well too. Full marks to him for sincerity and commitment....

full review

So-So by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...On the whole, despite being flawed, Raksha Bandhan will enjoy its theatrical run. Not-so-threatening competition from Laal Singh Chaddha, multiple holidays, and the absence of a major Bollywood film for the next two weeks will give a boost to the film. It is expected to earn between 85-105 crores at the box office....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Akshay Kumar, ALR and company bring a rollercoaster of comedy, emotions, drama, family values, north flavour and socially important topics for the family audience who are not heading to theatres often in recent times. Hopefully, Raksha Bhandhan will “Done Kar Degi” Inka kaam....

full review

So-So by Zinia Bandyopadhyay,

News18.com

...All in all, it is one of those films that you can watch with the entire family, as they come together for Raksha Bandhan. Moreover, it will make you laugh and cry in equal parts. And while it has its fair share of flaws, watch it for the simplicity, and for Akshay and Bhumi’s performance....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...There are times when it feels that, in the name of creating an atmosphere of everyday toxic patriarchy, the writers begin to enjoy fat-shaming and colour-shaming the sisters. But eventually, Himanshu and Kanika return to 2022 and redeem Raksha Bandhan....

full review

So-So by Archika Khurana,

Times of India

...Raksha Bandhan’ reflects the stories of people from small-town India, and in that effort, it does entertain especially in the first half. However, the story about bandhan between siblings soon turns into a social commentary about dowry, which takes up a lot of screentime of this 110-minute movie. This highly emotional drama doesn’t fail to touch you, but it had the potential to be a far more entertaining watch....

full review

Thumbs down by Jayadeep Jayesh,

Deccan Herald

...While the first half is objectively bland, the second half will polarise the audience. People looking for old-school entertainment may absolutely enjoy it but melodrama dilutes the message. None of the emotional scenes seems warranted due to flimsy c......

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...Raksha Bandhan is, at its core, a nasty swipe at wokeness parading as a fable of family values. And there is no redemption for that, just like there is no redemption for a character that might have mocked my receding hairline as a “half-moon” despite sporting a glaringly fake moustache himself....

full review

Thumbs down by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...The songs composed by Himesh Reshammiya lacks recall value. However, they work fine when they play out in the narrative of the film....

full review

Thumbs down by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...No Indian family will entertain or appreciate the ‘twist’ and a ‘so-called high point’ which they believe will impress the audience. 'Raksha Bandhan' is a big turn-off and a huge letdown just when Aanand gives a nod to the death sequence on the day of the Raksha Bandhan festival in the narrative. The social media boycott is for real since they both claim their writing sensibilities are rooted but Raksha Bandhan is definitely a regressive film in disguise of a progressive one. No congratulations to the team, only CONDOLENCES!...

full review

Thumbs down by Punarvasu Pendse,

fullhyd.com

...Stay home, or watch the Forrest Gump remake that also releases this week. If you really must watch Raksha Bandhan, wait for it to hit streaming platforms - you can skip to the last thirty minutes and be fine with it....

full review

Thumbs down by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...Overall, like most Aanad L Rai films, this one too tries to deliver a message. Having said so, it still appears to be too late to satiate and convince in 2022....

full review

Thumbs down by Tushar P. Joshi,

india today

...Raksha Bandhan scores with performances by its lead pair - Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar. This one is strictly for those who want to focus on the emotional appeal and leave their moral policing hat at home....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Raksha Bandhan is so, so yesterday in both substance and spirit that it could be passed off as a soggy 1950s film that has wended its way through the decades to land in our midst for no rhyme or reason....

full review

Thumbs down

Pinkvilla

...All in all, a pure title like Raksha Bandhan warranted a better film. The film has all the trappings to manipulate the audience on the emotional front, but nothing really connects towards the end due to the rather superficial treatment....

full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...It's only 110 minutes long ,but by the time Raksha Bandhan is done moping over its manipulative melodrama and patriarchal virtue, an eternity has passed....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Rai crafts numerous sequences in which characters rush about from one end of the screen to the other. The dialogue, delivered at a volume aimed at waking up the dead, only amplifies its tin-eared quality....

full review

Thumbs down by Isha Sharma,

The Guardian

...Really all the development and character depth is reserved for selfless, noble souled Lala. He hires matchmaker and is willing to spear a kidney to pay for his sisters dowries. Late in the day genuinely moving section featuring a woman in post marriage life, harassed by her husband and in lows who see her as a cash cow with awful cocsequences.Here is that massage about the ills of the dowry culture, and a bit of sincerity not quite enough and too late....

full review

Raksha Bandhan - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Cape of Good Films, Colour Yellow Productions, Zee Studios
Producer: Aanand L Rai, Himanshu Sharma
Director: Aanand L Rai
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar
Supporting Cast: Sadia Khateeb, Deepika Khanna, Smrithi Srikanth, Sahejmeen Kaur
Story: Himanshu Sharma, Kanika Dhillon
Cinematography: K.U. Mohanan
Editor: Hemal Kothari
Background Score: Ishaan Chhabra
Choreography: Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Himesh Reshammiya
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Costume Designer: Ankita Jha
Facebook Page: Link
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family

View Details

25 reviewers have given Laal Singh Chaddha an average rating of 3.6/5.0 (?)

13 yays 2 nays 10 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Where do I place Laal Singh Chaddha in the phalanx of mediocrity in Hindi cinema? Far ahead of all that you have seen in recent years, Laal Singh Chaddha should be on your must-see list even if you watch only two films a year....

full review

Thumbs up by Vijeth Balila,

Deccan Herald

...Among the different possibilities of adapting ‘Forrest Gump’ to Hindi, the one done here is justified and totally makes sense on screen. Whether the adaptation was required in the first place is a whole different argument to make. Perhaps, if a perso......

full review

Thumbs up by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a Hindi big-screen experience like Laal Singh Chaddha. A lot of it is down to the film’s marriage of mind with heart. The thinking often morphs into a way of feeling. The writing often digs a tunnel through the political to reach the personal – and it’s this fable-like dimension that finds new context. In Forrest Gump, the journey of an underdog accidentally winning at life is staged as an ode to unhealthy coping mechanisms – where the grief of heartbreak becomes the cornerstone of greatness and fame. But Laal Singh Chaddha’s seamless embrace of sentimentality turns this journey into a more grounded metaphor: Even the most invisible people end up meaning something and shaping someone in their quest to survive. Even the most ordinary of us put a dent in the windshield of time. After all, life can only happen to those who’re busy making other plans – or simply running because they feel like....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...We've always made remakes since time immemorial. Most are frame-to-frame copies. Watch Laal Singh Chaddha to understand why you don't need to do that to make a quintessentially Indian product out of a foreign import....

full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...Being an Aamir Khan film, it cannot go uncompared with his evergreen films like 3 Idiots, Lagaan, etc. in terms of the story and the overall entertainment factor. Laal Singh Chaddha, though does not have anything unlikeable but the challenge that the film might face is that it is a way too old story and might not be liked by the regular entertainment movie buffs. All in all, Laal Singh Chaddha is a definitive watch for Aamir Khan fans...

full review

Thumbs up by Devasheesh Pandey,

India TV

...Laal Singh Chaddha is worth watching in cinema halls. It will leave you teary-eyed, laughing and thoughtful in equal measures. It is a film of the present and might just become as timeless as Forrest Gump....

full review

Thumbs up by Ambica Sachin,

Khaleej Times

...We could harp on the saccharine idealism that weighs down the lengthy movie with messages about universal brotherhood; love is the solution to all the ills, etc, sprinkled liberally around. But a surfeit of feel-good factor and wide-eyed optimism isn't exactly the worst thing to come away with at the end of a movie, is it?...

full review

Thumbs up by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, Laal Singh Chaddha is much more than a tribute to Forrest Gump. It has its unique characteristics which also include some flaws but overall, a great attempt at retelling a classic story in your way.

Three...

full review

Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...A well-made film drops on the wrong occasion but will make an impact on classes and real critics. This is the second best thing in Bollywood after Jhund from whatever we have seen so far....

full review

Thumbs up by Sonal Dedhia,

News18.com

...In a dialogue, Laal says, ‘Meri mummy kehti thi ki ‘zindagi golgappe jaisi hondi hai, pet bhale hi bhar jaawe, man nahi bharta.’ I wasn’t satisfied with Laal and wanted to patiently hear his story. Laal Singh Chaddha leaves you with tears, smile and a reflective state of mind....

full review

Thumbs up by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...Considering the stature of the original, it’s hard to not compare Laal Singh Chaddha with Tom Hanks’ Forrest Gump. But even after that, Aamir Khan and his team manage to live up to the original and present an entertaining watch. Those who will be seeing it as a standalone film will be pleasantly surprised. The Hindi version is not flawless, but isn’t perfection overrated anyway? Maybe, Aamir would agree to that this time…...

full review

Thumbs up by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Whether or not a Forrest Gump remake was needed, Laal Singh Chaddha does not let its source down. And replacing a box of chocolates with a ready-to-eat gol gappe kit is geeeenius, like Laal's Ustad would say....

full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...Shot extensively across India, equally cathartic and outstanding, 'Tur Kalleyan' breathes life into the film. Director Advait Chandan enters Rajkumar Hirani’s warm, funny and provocative satire space and succeeds partially....

full review

So-So by Bobby Singh,

Bobby Talks Cinema.com

...going back to the iconic quote...

full review

So-So

Bollywood Life

...Laal Singh Chaddha is a film that needed a far better emotional resonance, far higher inspirational high and far better act from its lead star, Aamir Khan. All these things are there, but in short measure. BollywoodLife is going with 2 out of 5 stars....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...The music album of Laal Singh Chaddha is a blend of different moods which seeps effectively in Advait Chandan's story telling. Out of the lot, it's Sonu Nigam's rendition of Kahaani which lingers for long....

full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Watch 'Laal Singh Chaddha', only if you are a fan of the original film 'Forrest Gump', it won’t disappoint you. The film is a bit too lengthy but Shah Rukh Khan’s cameo will make it up for you....

full review

So-So by Punarvasu Pendse,

fullhyd.com

...Ultimately, what you get is a disciplined recreation of a crowd favourite, with elements tweaked to suit the Indian cinema-goer's palate. And despite a surprisingly weak performance from its lead actor. It's not often that one says that a film is decent in spite of Aamir Khan, but that's the case with Laal Singh Chaddha. And we come full circle....

full review

So-So

Hindustan Times

...It's difficult to talk about Laal Singh Chaddha in isolation and not draw comparisons with Forrest Gump. If you haven't seen the original, I suggest you watch Aamir's film first and you'd then you would know for yourself if you indeed want to watch the original. The loyal Forrest Gump fans, I feel, won't really be super impressed by this remake, which remains a faithful adaptation, loyal tribute because yeah, that's what we have been seeing in all official remakes so far. Watch Laal Singh Chaddha for ace performances from Aamir and Kareena and that cute kid....

full review

So-So by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...LSC's emotional thumping necessitated more beats to stay with the audience for a longer time. There are dramatic moments, but they are largely hit-and-miss. Two particularly heart-rending scenes are abruptly cut short. Chandan's direction sometimes steps into Rajkumar Hirani's school of filmmaking, peppering the screenplay with heartfelt aspects that elicit a smile from the viewer. It still misses the mark....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Kareena Kapoor Khan, whose power to stop a film in its tracks with minimal make-up and ordinary costumes is only getting stronger, is luminous as Rupa. Among the supporting cast, Manav Vij has a memorable cameo as Mohammed, the Kargil prisoner of war who forges a firm friendship with Laal....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...Similarly, Advait is competent, but is like that efficient factory worker who has to make a new product from an old dye. One wonders whether Raj Kumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi would have been a better choice to bring Forrest closer home....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

V Love Movies

...One could say pretty much the same about Laal Singh Chaddha. Its flaws notwithstanding, it is a highly watchable film that hits the right buttons for the most part....

full review

Thumbs down by Murtuza Iqbal,

Bollywood Life

...Directed by Advait Chandan, Laal Singh Chaddha is the remake of the Hollywood film Forrest Gump. Aamir, Kareena, and Chay have been busy with the promotions of the film, and they have given many interviews in which the actors have spoken up about the movie....

full review

Thumbs down by Nairita Mukherjee,

india today

...Laal is a boy from an affluent Sikh family living in Pathankot. And the fact that Laal Singh Chaddha's timeline ends abruptly in 2018, right before the Balakot Air Strike, says a lot about how scared this Chaddha is of the 'chaddis'....

full review

Laal Singh Chaddha - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Aamir Khan Productions Pvt Ltd, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures
Director: Advait Chandan
Lead Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Aamir Khan
Supporting Cast: Mona Singh, Manav Vij, Naga Chaitanya, Richard Bhakti Klein, Abhinay Raj Singh, Shovon Jaman (I), Rofique Khan
Story: Atul Kulkarni
Cinematography: Setu
Editor: Hemanti Sarkar
Background Score: Tanuj Tiku
Choreography: Raju Khan
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Costume Designer: Maxima Basu
Facebook Page: Link
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social

View Details

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

Review Granted, I get spooked easily and take absolutely no pleasure in watching mutilated bodies of teenage girls, but I wouldn’t want that to take away from the suspense and drama Cuttputlli creates.

The crime drama maintains an even pace from the word go, even if it takes some time to set up the background, and does so quite shabbily. Actually, for the first half hour, I was pretty much setting myself up to watch one cliché after another.

What else can one expect when characters who have known each other for years talk to each other as if they are meeting each other for the first time? This is done obviously to tell the audience about the character. The same goes for the introduction given to the mind of a serial killer by a scriptwriter who does his research well. Are they telling us that police officers know less than the seasoned Dexter-watching audience?

Fortunately though, soon enough, this gives way to some decent story-telling. Or it builds up the drama well, for sure. The writing, once the initial spoon-feeding wears off, comes across as self-aware too. Just when the story starts to become repetitive, you are thrown into a tangential subplot. This is a detour of sorts and interestingly isn’t jarring. While some credit can go to the writing that weaves it into the main story, it is also the inherent strength of that sub-story. Also, an unexpected victim raises the stakes, which is very unlike an Akshay Kumar film.

In fact, this is one of his rare films in which the actor doesn’t come in the way of the story’s telling. Also, he sports a few more expressions than his usual bravado, macho ones. Interestingly, even though there aren’t too many other actors who get as much screen space as he does, enough side actors get space to not let Cuttputlli become an out-and-out Akshay Kumar film. I still cringe at the sight of this 50+-year-old romancing a woman almost half his age. No, it doesn’t matter that the character is said to be 36 years old. Thankfully, there isn’t much romancing.

Yes, Cuttputlli also becomes one of those films that is made better because of what it doesn’t have than what it has—like an overwhelming star or opportune coincidences. This doesn’t mean there are no loopholes after the first half hour. A few clues seem to drop as it suits the writer rather than the story. A particularly jarring one was when the motivation of a person who recorded a weird video, as he follows one of the victims, is never questioned. And once they show the video, no one asks them why they didn’t let the cops know earlier.

Having said that, this is also one of the rare suspense thrillers in which I didn’t mind the perpetrator just narrating their motivation as a part of the climax. I wonder if it has anything to do with me being done with the gore and not having the stomach to watch anymore. I hope not.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: A serial killer on the prowl * General Look and Feel: Crisp. Scary.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3.5 * Story: 4 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 3.5
Music Director:
Lyrics:

Cuttputlli - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Vashu Bhagnani, Deepshika Deshmukh
Director: Ranjit Tiwari
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar, Rakul Preet
Supporting Cast: Chandrachur Singh, Hrishitaa Bhatt, Sargun Mehta, Gurpreet Ghuggi, Sujith Shanker, Shahid Lateef, Renaye Tejani, Rahul Kakkar, Divvya Wadhwa, Suhani Sethi, Guruvesh Pandit
Cinematography: Rajeev Ravi
Editor: Chandan Arora
Costume Designer: Gunpreet Kaur Mann, Deepali Singh
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Crime,

Horror,

Social,

Suspense,

Thriller

View Details

22 reviewers have given Shamshera an average rating of 0.9/5.0 (?)

0 yays 14 nays 8 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Lovely form, little function. The attempt to throw a light on casteism gets overshadowed by the oppressive drama imposed on every single frame.

So-So by Russel D'Silva,

Bollywood Life

...Shamshera has a very entertaining first half, capped off by a good interval block, but things dip in the second half only for proceedings to pick up again the climax, which is a major high point. Ranbir Kapoor completely nails it in his first double role, with both intensity and paisa-vasool mass heroism, while Sanjay Dutt is deliciously diabolical. Regardless of the highs and lows, those who love 60s, 70s, 80s dacoit curry westerns of Bollywood, will dig this. I'm going with 3 out of 5 stars....

full review

So-So by Mugdha Kapoor,

DNA

...Conclusion: While in parts Shamshera does seem a little too stretched and boring, it is a high-octane, adrenaline-pumping entertainer that you wouldn’t want to miss watching at a theatre near you....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...The South film industry has been making such films for the last few years, and Shamshera is Bollywood’s bold attempt at replicating the formula. The Hindi film industry needs a renaissance and let’s hope this film becomes a catalyst towards it....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...If only stealing the audience's hearts was as easy as Shamshera and his tribe looting gold in the film! But, beware, all that glitters is not always gold....

full review

So-So by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...Nevertheless, Shamshera has enough moments to give you adrenaline rush. And Ranbir Kapoor totally justifies his new avatar, makes it all worth the wait....

full review

So-So by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...A sure-shot treat for Ranbir's fans Shamshera will go down in Ranbir's filmography as one of his career-best performances, particularly the climax sequence which is a show-stealer. Although it falls prey to a fatigued storyline, Shamshera remains watchable due to Ranbir's class-apart act and "massy" entertainer elements. There are also intelligently embedded metaphors—such as crows beings harbingers of doom. Watch Shamshera only for Ranbir and the cinematography....

full review

So-So by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...His actions often make you wonder if there is more to his power hungry character, and maybe a spin off on Daroga Shuddh Singh in the future would be a good idea to explore that aspect of the part. Other supporting cast including, Saurabh Shukla and Ronit Roy play their parts to the T. However, Ronit’s character could have been experimented with a little more, as it gets completely stagnant after a point in the film....

full review

So-So by Rachana Dubey,

Times of India

...To sum it up, director and co-writer Karan Malhotra surely seemed to have had a grand vision at the onset, but it’s his execution that seems to have betrayed him. Given the scale, the canvas and talent the makers had at hand, we only wish that it had all been pieced together better than what one saw....

full review

Thumbs down by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...It’s all done in a tone of self-mockery that never quite makes it into the hall of flames. The spark, sorry to say, is missing. A semblance of order is desperately needed in the soul-dead chaotic universe of our protagonist Balli who doesn’t seem sure whether he wants to be Raj Kapoor in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai or Sunil Dutt in Mujhe Jeene Do....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...For me, the final straw was seeing birds in the role of a saviour. Malhotra adds a touch of magic realism to the film so Shamshera has a special connection with birds – I can’t tell you exactly what birds these are, but...

full review

Thumbs down by Anupama Chopra,

Film Companion

...Those are the big screen, adrenalin-packed, YRF spectacles I want to see....

full review

Thumbs down by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...'Shamshera', or rather ‘Shame’shera, is a big disappointment. It’s a huge letdown to Ranbir Kapoor’s fans, who were eagerly waiting for his comeback on the silver screen....

full review

Thumbs down by Punarvasu Pendse,

fullhyd.com

...The music of Shamshera has been given by Mithoon, and it manages to provide appropriate fanfare to the events on the screen. And by appropriate, we mean appropriately average like the movie it has been composed for. The songs are catchy, but nothing spectacular - you have the rousing title track, a dance-along-to-this fun number like "Ji Huzoor", the usual Arijit Singh romantic melody in "Fitoor", and an item song - "Kaale Naina" in this instance. All standard stuff, with the polish you would expect from a Yash Raj Films presentation....

full review

Thumbs down by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...All in all, the long wait of watching Ranbir Kapoor (and Sanjay Dutt face off) on the big screen seems like a wasted effort. A wakeup call for the makers one could say....

full review

Thumbs down by Tushar P. Joshi,

india today

...Shamshera is a mess that needs more than just star power to come to its rescue. Ranbir Kapoor, you deserved better!...

full review

Thumbs down by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, Karan Malhotra & YRF witnessed how Thugs Of Hindostan faced the wrath of the Indian audience & still they went ahead to make Sharamshera on a similar template, this is as ambitious as KRK coming with Deshdrohi 2....

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...All said and done, Shamshera is a total waste of a huge cast, big budget, and valuable time. Ranbir Kapoor‘s first double role gives you a double dose of headache, and I hope he quickly brings the antidote for his fans with further projects. Shamshera Movie Details

Shamshera Release Date: 22 Jul 2022 Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama Banner: Yash Raj Films Producer: Yash Raj Films Director: Karan Malhotra Cast: Vaani Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Ronit Roy, Saurabh Shukla View Movie Details Vaani Kapoor Ranbir Kapoor Sanjay Dutt Karan Malhotra Shamshera Recent Reviews Shamshera Review : Ranbir Kapoor’s First Double Role Falls Prey To Grossly Outdated Story & Terrible Execution Shamshera Review : Ranbir Kapoor’s First Double Role Falls Prey To Grossly Outdated Story & Terrible Execution

24 Jul, 2022 The Gray Man Review : The Russo Brothers’ Adaptation of ‘Gray Man’ Novel Is All About Merciless Action The Gray Man Review : The Russo Brothers’ Adaptation of ‘Gray Man’ Novel Is All About Merciless Action

22 Jul, 2022 Ananya Review : Hruta Durgule Debuts With A Bang In The Extended Cinematic Version Of A Classic Play Ananya Review : Hruta Durgule Debuts With A Bang In The Extended Cinematic Version Of A Classic Play

20 Jul, 2022 Recommended For You Review : A Short Thrilling Game With Multiple Pop-Ups Recommended For You Review : A Short Thrilling Game With Multiple Pop-Ups

20 Jul, 2022 Dr. Arora Review : An Important Sex Capsule Misfires At The Last Stage Of Emission Dr. Arora Review : An Important Sex Capsule Misfires At The Last Stage Of Emission

22 Jul, 2022 Ladki Review : Ram Gopal Varma Turns India’s First Martial Arts Film Into A B-Grade Adult Film Ladki Review : Ram Gopal Varma Turns India’s First Martial Arts Film Into A B-Grade Adult Film

15 Jul, 2022 View All Reviews

What's Trending ‘Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain’ Deepesh Bhan NO MORE, co-star Rohitashv Gaud, Salim Zaidi’s Emotional Tribute ‘Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain’ Deepesh Bhan NO MORE, co-star Rohitashv Gaud, Salim Zaidi’s Emotional Tribute

23 Jul, 2022 John Abraham breaks silence on Jr. NTR’s ‘RRR’ bike scene vs ‘Satyameva Jayate 2’ Bike Scene comparison John Abraham breaks silence on Jr. NTR’s ‘RRR’ bike scene vs ‘Satyameva Jayate 2’ Bike Scene comparison

23 Jul, 2022 Tara Sutaria would love to Date Villain Riteish Deshmukh while Disha Patani Picks Mogambo Tara Sutaria would love to Date Villain Riteish Deshmukh while Disha Patani Picks Mogambo

23 Jul, 2022

Salman Khan Ko GUN Dena Chahiye’ Rakhi Sawant reacts on applying for a gun license post life threat Salman Khan Ko GUN Dena Chahiye’ Rakhi Sawant reacts on applying for a gun license post life threat

23 Jul, 2022 View All Videos...

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Much worse than how the film looks is how it feels - an all-out assault on the senses. While on the VFX, one would be hard-pressed to figure out if the birds in the film are a kettle of hawks or a murder of crows. It really doesn't matter because they do not actually stick out in a film that scrapes the very bottom of the barrel with its detailing of the principal props and period components....

full review

Thumbs down by Sonil Dedhia,

News18.com

...Shamshera doesn’t really have the punch or the thrill that is required to pull off a film of this scale. At 2 hours and 38 minutes, the film feels a little too long, blame it on weak editing. The grand canvas of the film does hold sway in terms of the visual experience, but at the end, this one is all show and shallow in substance. If you are expecting the film to give you a dose of entertainment, you’d be disappointed....

full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...There's no sense in the out-manoeuvring that jumps from looting in secrecy to openly challenging British officers in a duel.

Who are the men dressed up as fakirs shaking a leg around a nautanki dancer?

Does anyone really care for Shamshera's rescue plan?

What's the creepy Gollum-ish voice popping in the background accompanying Shudh Singh after the interval?

Even 158 minutes later, it's still up in the air....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Shamshera is based on a story by Neelesh Mishra and Khila Bisht and a screenplay by Karan Malhotra and Ekta Pathak Malhotra. With a brief to make it big, if not quite coherent, the 158-minute film is overstuffed with scenes mounted on a grandiose scale, cranked-up emotions, and flights of fancy as Balli evolves from pirouetting thief to a liberator on horseback....

full review

Thumbs down by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...ADVERTISEMENT

Home Videos 'Shamshera' Review: Ranbir Kapoor's 'Shamshera' Is Boring and Predictable

'Shamshera' Review: Ranbir Kapoor's 'Shamshera' Is Boring and Predictable 'Shamshera' starring Ranbir Kapoor, Vaani Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt released in theatres on 22 July.

STUTEE GHOSH Published: 22 Jul 2022, 7:51 PM IST VIDEOS 2 min read Share Share Share Share Share Comments Actor Ranbir Kapoor has finally made his comeback on the big screen after a gap of four years, with filmmaker Karan Malhotra's periodic-drama Shamshera. As we slide into the film, we have no choice, but to brace for impact.

The expectations from a Ranbir Kapoor film, that too from the house of Yashraj come crashing down, as we stomach a story that is both predictable and pointless. A period film that doesn’t want to burden itself with either research or to evoke any authentic sense of place or time.

So, while the film opens in 1871, the music and motions all belong to the contemporary kitschy Bollywood. Revenge and revolt prove to be the leitmotif of the story. Central to the action is Shamshera, who is the leader of the Khameeran tribe and fights to give his people a better life. Deceit and treachery at the hands of the British push them to unspeakable horror and torture.

The slimy and conniving Daroga Shudh Singh, remarkably played by Sanjay Dutt in the film, keeps the imprisoned innocent tribals as slaves. When Shamshera’s efforts fall short we have his son Balli step in. Both are played by Ranbir Kapoor and he never misses a beat. This is why watching Shamshera tires us out and also makes us sad.

Ranbir has astonishing hold mining the weariness and fury with the grace of a consummate actor, while everything around him disintegrates. The blaring background score subsumes everything and this in addition to the fact that the plot isn’t even a sliver here.

We wait for the narrative to follow the expected trajectory, for the son to fulfill his father’s wish. But the lack of attention to detail and disregard for historical accuracy makes it a messy, supremely boring film. Sanjay Dutt sleep walks through yet another “larger than life” antagonists role. Vaani Kapoor tries very hard but fails to bring the kind of gravitas required. Iravati Harshe, Saurabh Shukla and Ronit Roy all get token attention and for most parts, but the proceedings blur everyone in the background. Except for the CGi-generated black birds hovering over the remains of a film, that could have lent itself to something more intriguing and beguiling had the writing not been this pedestrian....

full review

See Also

wogma review

22 Critic Reviews 0.9/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Shamshera - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Director: Karan Malhotra
Lead Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Ranbir Kapoor, Vaani Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Saurabh Shukhla, Iravati Harshe, Ronit Roy, Craig McGinlay
Story: Neelesh Misra, Khila Bisht
Screenplay: Karan Malhotra, Ekta Pathak Malhotra
Dialogues: Piyush Mishra
Cinematography: Anay Goswami
Editor: Shivkumar V. Panicker
Choreography: Chinni Prakash, Brinda, Shakti Mohan
Music Director: Mithoon
Lyrics: Mithoon, Piyush Mishra, Karan Malhotra
Costume Designer: Rushi Sharma, Manoshi Nath
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 160 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action,

Social

View Details

20 reviewers have given Darlings an average rating of 4/5.0 (?)

13 yays 1 nays 6 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

Women take centre stage, and how! Unfortunately, the intentionally created queasy feeling in the pit of the stomach stayed too long for me to enjoy the end. In that sense, the film achieves what it sets out to do, making you uneasy.

(Available on Netflix)

Thumbs up by Urmimala Banerjee,

Bollywood Life

...Whatever you might feel about gender equality or flawed laws in the space of domestic abuse, Darlings is a good watch. It is realistic, breezy, emotional and terrifying too. The performances of the main cast is the cherry on top....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...The proceedings take on absurdist hues at times, but that sort of adds to the lure of the film. Watch Darlings for its message and for the fine acting displayed by the entire ensemble class....

full review

Thumbs up by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Gulzar's lyrics coupled with Vishal Bhardwaj's music lends different moods to the narrative. However, our pick from the album would be Mika Singh's 'Pleaj' which is all things quirky....

full review

Thumbs up by Shilajit Mitra,

indian express

...The second half loses some of its edgy focus. Having pushed its characters to a corner, the film struggles to bail them out. Jasmeet appears to be searching for a clean finish, despite the obvious messiness of what’s unfolding onscreen. Certain indulgences, like portraying the cop characters in strictly comic terms, could’ve been avoided. On the whole, though, Darlings entices and thrills, even if I wish the film had gone all out. I wish it had killed its darlings....

full review

Thumbs up by Mayank Shekhar,

MiD DAY

...This is Bhatt—such an indecipherably instinctive performer, with hardly a social access to parts she pulls off—hot on the high heels of Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), from Kamathipura, that wasn’t too long after Gully Boy (2019). Making Darlings, in effect, a trilogy of sorts, set in lower-deck Bombay, in Bhatt’s solid, eclectic filmography. If you took out the rappers and their face off from Gully Boy, what would be it if not the story of Murad and Bhatt’s Saifeena, from Kurla. Which is totally the case with Bhatt’s Badru, from Byculla. The two female leads, from a similar community/economic milieu, have only one thing in common though. They’re both fools in love. Something that can go either way. Loved the way Darlings goes—so cathartic!...

full review

Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Speaking of actors, Darlings is a top-notch show. Alia Bhatt proves again why she is one of the finest actresses of her time. She is phenomenal as Badru, and you are going to love the transformation from a cow-natured woman to a tigress. Look at her expressions, shivering and quivering, and you’ll feel it. Watching it on a big screen would have helped a bit, but let’s just forget that for now. The second lady, Shefali Shah, is equally great. Her experience and calibre are so high that she just can’t feel as you assume, and she does exactly that. Most of the dark punches fall at her feet with that impeccable dialogue delivery. Vijay Varma is surely raising the bar with every film, and Darlings is another step on the ladder for him. In the supporting roles, Roshan Mathew, Santosh Juvekar and Vijay Maurya are fantastic. As a whole, the acting unit had a blast, and you’re in for a treat....

full review

Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Darlings, which ploughs a dark furrow all its own while making judicious use of genre elements while shunning standard narrative tropes, is watchable all the way....

full review

Thumbs up by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...Overall, Darlings stays consistent even in the second half, and a few high points scattered periodically in the script keeps you hooked to the narrative. Watch it for the message and the performances....

full review

Thumbs up by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Though it fumbles on a few occasions, Darlings is a well-rounded effort by Jasmeet K Reen, supported by bold ideas and clever imagery.

The movie titles (both belonging to co-producer Red Chillies) playing in a theatre Badru visits in the first and final scene, smartly reiterate the value of Zero over the power of Badla in the hope that no frog needs to bear any scorpion’s burden....

full review

Thumbs up by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...While there are no precedents to Badru’s reinvention, we instantly recognise Varma’s Hamza – vapid, unctuous, monstrous, pathetic. In a narrative that leans in the direction of fantasy, Hamza is the real article. Not for the first time is a film about a late-blooming heroine memorable because of the thorn in her side....

full review

Thumbs up by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...Satire is a tough tool and Darlings wields it well. Even though sometimes the satire might not translate and the pacing might wobble, the pros heavily outweigh the cons. The film’s focus remains on being modest and real– for instance, there are no unnecessary redemption arcs. Yet, its vision remains clear till the end....

full review

Thumbs up by Tanul Thakur,

The Wire

...They carry the film so well that they end up justifying every little thing in it, even its title, which on a considered look doesn’t seem like an endearing grammatical error – a singular noun used as plural – but a collective gratitude from the makers, even the audiences, telling the pair how precious, how important, they are to this smug industry: original performers in the sea of second-handers, the real darlings who can teach the rest of Bollywood what it means to live, to love....

full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...Darlings makes a compelling case study on domestic violence but it wouldn’t be what it is, if it wasn’t for Shefali and Alia. Both actresses speak through their eyes and make up for the dreary pace at times with their outstanding performances and chemistry....

full review

So-So by Bobby Sing,

Bobby Talks Cinema.com

...I certainly wish we soon get to see a Hindi movie deserving loud praises as a film, moving ahead of just being the sum of outstanding performances....

full review

So-So by Deepa Gahlot,

Deepa Gahlot

...If Darlings is still watchable, it is because the acting is uniformly excellent; Shefali Shah and Alia Bhatt have that rapport that allows them to communicate with their eyes—a mother like Shamsu, who wants her daughter to be rid of that brute of a husband is rare in Hindi films; mostly they are shown telling their daughters to somehow make their marriage work....

full review

So-So by Tushar P. Joshi,

india today

...Darlings is a film with a message. It touches upon the subject of domestic violence and addiction. Alia and Shefali’s timing and Vijay Varma’s acting save Darlings from becoming just another film with a social message....

full review

So-So

News18.com

...Darlings might not be the best black comedy out there, but it definitely is worth a watch, especially if you are looking for stories about strong women taking charge of their own lives....

full review

So-So by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...Darlings is a rousing tale of feminism and will remind you of other female-centric narratives such as Mirch Masala or Lipstick Under My Burkha. It is an ambitious film, evidently so, and swerves between fatal tragedy and witty humor, though not always successfully. Nonetheless, it still remains arresting because although it's Badru's story, it might as well be anyone's story....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...Not bad, but Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad, made on a similar theme, was a more satisfying experience....

full review

Thumbs down by Devasheesh Pandey,

India TV

...On the positive side, the performances keep us hooked. The shades Alia shows in Darlings have been diplayed in her previous performances too. Nothing extraordinary from the actress, but she gets by. Shefali and Vijay are the show stealers. The latter particularly has a meaty role on his hands and presses ahead in the right manner till the end. Shefali too plays her part to perfection. Her look and mannerisms speak to us in silence and her maturity as an actor does come across. Darlings is let down by its screenplay. The subject, although questionable, has been treated with a progressive eye. But it is far from hard-hitting as it delves into the ordinary like its characters and their environment....

full review

See Also

wogma review

20 Critic Reviews 4/5.0

Darlings - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Red Chillies Entertainment, Eternal Sunshine Productions
Producer: Gauri Khan, Alia Bhatt, Gaurav Verma
Director: Jasmeet K Reen
Lead Cast: Vijay Varma, Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah
Supporting Cast: Vijay Maurya, Santosh Juvekar, Rajesh Sharma, Kiran Karmarkar, Roshan Mathew, Puja Sarup, Ajit Kelkar, Divya Vinekar, Sachin Kathuria
Story: Parveez Shaikh, Jasmeet K Reen
Screenplay: Parveez Shaikh, Jasmeet K Reen
Dialogues: Vijay Maurya, Parveez Shaikh, Jasmeet K Reen
Cinematography: Anil Mehta
Editor: Nitin Baid
Background Score: Prashant Pillai
Music Director: Vishal Bharadwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Costume Designer: Veera Kapur
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Noir,

Social

View Details

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

(Available on Netflix)

Review The cliches spouted by the wife-beater, the victim’s submissiveness, the relentless manipulation by the abuser, the victim’s tip-off point, and her struggle with self—are all relatable even through the quirky pulp-style treatment. Undoubtedly, some of Darlings’ commentary on many a social aspect revolving around domestic abuse will stick in my memory. Yet, the entire do seemed too stretched out for its own good. The abuser’s brutality was too gut-wrenching for too long, for me to enjoy the rest of the film.

And there is a lot to enjoy. The dark humour does bring enough smiles. Other than the darkness behind them though, the smiles are weighed down by the anticipation of the abuser’s next gruesome act.

Of course, that also means that reality has been depicted well in the film and it has been performed to engage and entertain. And that is what would make me recommend the film. The dose of reality, the successful attempt at giving it a touch of dark humour, and its performances do justice to the consistent character build-up.

Yes, you genuinely care for Badru (Alia Bhatt), weirdly fear Hamza (Vijay Verma), and are amused by Shamsu (Shefali Shah). When the characters and situations build they spark interest. Like even as Hamza spouts one platitude after another, you recall the number of times you have heard it in a different context. The only way in which such banal lines can work, when it characterises the character without normalising the statement or sentiment. And of course, the film tries hard and partially succeeds in allowing the women’s points of view to come to the fore.

Meanwhile, when the build-up is not happening, you shudder at the constant reminders of Hamza’s entitled barbarism, especially when he’s being a doll, like the broken mirror alongside the kitchen wall. But, there is only so much of that you can do. After a point, Darlings feels too long drawn out.

These days, I often suspect, that the last two years have made me incapable of stomaching cruelty on screen. I would like to believe the movies are just well made. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make them any more enjoyable for me.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads of domestic abuse. * Language: A few abusive words. * Nudity & Sexual content: A lip-to-lip. * Concept: Domestic abuse packaged by dark humour. * General Look and Feel: A grim feel.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 4.5 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 4
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 2.5

Darlings - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Red Chillies Entertainment, Eternal Sunshine Productions
Producer: Gauri Khan, Alia Bhatt, Gaurav Verma
Director: Jasmeet K Reen
Lead Cast: Vijay Varma, Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah
Supporting Cast: Vijay Maurya, Santosh Juvekar, Rajesh Sharma, Kiran Karmarkar, Roshan Mathew, Puja Sarup, Ajit Kelkar, Divya Vinekar, Sachin Kathuria
Story: Parveez Shaikh, Jasmeet K Reen
Screenplay: Parveez Shaikh, Jasmeet K Reen
Dialogues: Vijay Maurya, Parveez Shaikh, Jasmeet K Reen
Cinematography: Anil Mehta
Editor: Nitin Baid
Background Score: Prashant Pillai
Music Director: Vishal Bharadwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Costume Designer: Veera Kapur
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Noir,

Social

View Details

23 reviewers have given Shabaash Mithu an average rating of 2.6/5.0 (?)

5 yays 4 nays 14 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

A sobering watch about cricket, especially for a nation that pulsates with every ball the men play the sport. It engages, entertains and makes you wonder, “why did we take so long, if at all, to be engaged and entertained by Indian women’s cricket?”

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...The film rests on Taapsee’s able shoulders, and she has given her all to the cause. Her cricketing stance, her poise, and her shot selection look natural. And she makes you feel like it’s Mithali’s inner struggles you’re watching when she breaks down. It’s a straight-from-the-heart performance, and she should be lauded for her sincerity and commitment....

full review

Thumbs up by Sachin Mehrotra,

Hindustan Times

...But for all its harshness, it's a film that gave me a sense of journey. During the final moments of Shabaas Mithu, we see Mithali and her team overrun by a horde of young girls begging for their autographs, to the gentle anthem of Amit Trivedi’s Hindustan Meri Jaan. It’s manipulative and conventional but I was overcome by every beat of it. Athletes and achievers finally acknowledged. Finally seen....

full review

Thumbs up by Anindita Mukherjee,

india today

...The film also had multiple instances where the difference in hype between the men’s cricket team and the women’s cricket team is honestly depicted. For instance, the women’s cricket team members were asked to move out of the airport queue due to heavy luggage, while members of the men’s cricket team had armed security around them and, of course, zero queue. Another taste of reality came in the form of no proper resources for women’s basic necessities. To even address nature’s call, women cricket team members had to find bushes, while things would be the opposite for the men....

full review

Thumbs up by Mohar Basu,

MiD DAY

...For most women, this is a film whose beats you’ll know by heart. It’s our story in some way or the other. And yet, somehow Pannu and her girls keep this one engaging for us. Pannu captures the quiet spirit of Raj, which shines on screen. “Every time I am playing like this is my last game…” Just for that alone, the film wins...

full review

Thumbs up by Deepti Patwardhan,

Rediff

...Despite the glaring misses, two things keep the movie relevant: Taapsee Pannu and the sheer grit of the Mithali Raj story.

Pannu captures the dualism of Mithali, of being a quiet leader.

Mithali Raj was an articulate but largely unemotive captain, whose strength was always staying on an even keel, no matter what the odds or opponents, no matter with how inexperienced the team was....

full review

So-So by Baradwaj Rangan,

Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express

...The challenge of making a truly memorable biopic may be greater than anything Mithali Raj faced....

full review

So-So

Bollywood Life

...Mithali has had a privileged childhood where for the longest time, until she lost the 2017 World Cup match in England, her ‘Have Not’ list remained empty. Director Srijit Mukherji keeps that moment in his film. He also establishes Mithali’s bond with her coach Sampath sir (played brilliantly by Vijay Raaz) by having repeated closeups of the Rudraksha chain that proudly sits on her neck. But, even with all these endearing moments at his disposal, the director fails to group them all to give a memorable film for the ages. The saddest part is that Mithali’s life is no less than a filmy story itself but when it actually comes out as a film, it makes you realise that something’s missing at every step of the way. Add to it the untimely songs running in the background and you get the perfect recipe for ruining a heroic story in an attempt to make it look more commercially appealing....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Tik ke dikha," Mithali's fellow cricketer tells her in an intimidating tone and lunges deadly bouncers and wides at her during the net practice. In a similar way, Srijit Mukerji also bowls in his own style. Like Mithali, you hit some and miss others....

full review

So-So by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Shabaash Mithu has nothing new to offer being a sports biopic unless you are curious to know who Mithali Raj is. It’s strictly a one-time watch....

full review

So-So by Punarvasu Pendse,

fullhyd.com

...Despite the sensible decision of opting to go with no background music during some of the more important moments, Shabaash Mithu's score leaves much to be desired. The music is loud, and not very memorable. Oh, and having to hear Kailash Kher, who was accused of being a serial harasser by multiple women in the industry, belt out a song about women's empowerment is the final straw....

full review

So-So by Manjusha Radhakrishnan,

Gulf News

...when you have films about the triumph of the underdogs like ‘Chak De! India’ and ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’ embedded in your collective consciousness, Mithali’s trials and tribulations seem almost pedestrian. The other supporting characters – barring Raaz and Mumtaz Sorcar who plays Noorie – are stock characters who don’t leave a lasting impression. Since it’s a real-life story of a young woman who smashed gender barriers and made Indian take notice of their team, you tend to expect a rousing climax. But the staged cricket matches like the finals of the World Cup are just a drag. This is one those film which may have worked wonderfully as book about a plucky batswoman but isn’t the perfect fodder for a gripping film. While we tip our hats to Mithali Raj’s brave and bold victories, her biopic doesn’t hit it out of the park when it comes to entertainment....

full review

So-So by Shubham Kulkarni,

koimoi

...Srijit Mukherji is stuck between creating a to the point, serious sports biopic like Jhund, and also one that moves people emotionally. He ends up creating one that is completely neither of the two but something entirely confused. Like as a director he choses to open his movie with a scene that we are going to see in the second half, was that another teaser before the movie? He plugs in some scenes with a shayari in the background, or just a spoof like character making them look like those 30 second Melo dramatic advertisements....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...But all things considered, and owing in large measure to Taapsee Pannu's impressively steady performance, Shabaash Mithu is anything but a washout. The occasional false stroke does mar the overall impact but as a fond tribute to a cricketer whose feats transformed the fortunes of women in India's most popular sport, it puts just enough on the scoreboard not be dismissed as an innings without substance....

full review

So-So by Sonil Dedhia,

News18.com

...However, despite its flaws, Shabaash Mithu is a worthy attempt. The film has sincerity and has been crafted with care. It deserves to be watched for the journey of a woman, who is responsible for the incredible rise of Indian Women’s cricket in the last two decades....

full review

So-So by Himesh Mankad,

Pinkvilla

...All in all, Shabaash Mithu deserves to be watched to witness the journey of a woman, who is responsible for the incredible rise of Indian Women's cricket in the last two decades - Mithali Raj. Srijit Mukherji marries cricket with drama and emotions, though there are instances where he does fall in the troops of making a sport film, that bring in the deja-vu factor. Slight trimming would have made the film even more impactful. But nonetheless, by the end of it, the film makes you say, "Kya Baat Mithu". Worth A Watch....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...It becomes all the more apparent after the winsome flamboyance of young Inayat Verma and Kasturi Jagnam who play the young Mithali and her friend Noorie respectively, without any artifice. It was Noorie who showed Mithali how her margam lies not in Bharatanatyam but on a cricket pitch. Their little joys and camaraderie form the highlight of the film and are the reason to get you emotionally invested in the film....

full review

So-So by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...This sudden shift in the narrative tone is both inexplicable and unforgivable and Shabaash Mithu is poorer for it. It’s a pity because Mithali’s inspiring story and Taapsee’s solid performance deserved better....

full review

So-So by Pooja Birala Jaiswal,

The Week

...Yet, Shabaash Mitthu is worth a watch, especially for its very gripping first half, most of which is pulled off by the child artist Inayat. She is adorable and so expressive that even if the entire film was centered around her as the subject, it would have made for a very enjoyable watch. The movie is far too stretchy and towards the end of the second half, it becomes a bit boring and tedious to stick around. No, not even the cricket coverage comes to the rescue. It goes so fast, that you want to take a shut-eye and come back once the match is over. Yet, the story of Raj remains inspiring as ever. If you must watch the film, watch it for her....

full review

So-So by Rachana Dubey,

Times of India

...Those keenly waiting to finally watch a movie revolving around Mithali, one of women’s cricket’s most iconic contemporary players, will certainly be left asking for more. Maybe a rerun of one of her milestone matches will help....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...I’ve always wanted to use the phrase “right off the bat” without sounding pompous, and there’s no better context than a cricket film review. Maybe the moment has passed. I should have started with the phrase. But here goes anyway. Right off the bat, Shabaash Mithu descends into an unusually bland curation of a complex legacy. Right off the bat, the obviousness of this biopic is evident in the opening-credit collage of men playing cricket across the country. Right off the bat, the film understands precious little about its iconic protagonist – except that she’s a woman....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepanjana Pal,

Film Companion

...Perhaps the worst part of Shabaash Mithu is that it makes women’s cricket seem boring and women cricketers uncouth. Mithali, with her zen calm, comes across as an exception in a sports scene peopled with spiteful, superficial and egoistical characters. Despite stretching across an interminable 162 minutes, there’s nothing in the film that gives you a sense of what makes these players special or why their demand that they be considered equal to their male counterparts is justified. The re-enactments of the matches have none of the tension that makes limited-overs cricket so entertaining. Instead, they become repetitive loops of scuttling balls and beaming players. Shabaash Mithu should have made us curious about women’s cricket and its champions. Instead, both the game and its players come across as forgettable....

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...The music is also disappointing as far as the audio is concerned. However, the situational values are kept intact. Sirsha Ray‘s camera work captures a couple of beautiful frames, but otherwise it’s a strictly average show. Speaking of editing, Shabaash Mithu has got as long of a runtime as a T20 match. I hope you’ll be able to sit in the stands until this long match is over....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...With little to work with, Taapsee Pannu gives the sense of being adrift. Alternating between two facial expressions – stricken and determined – and saddled with being a feminist flagbearer, Pannu focuses on her athleticism. Pannu effectively reflects Mithali Raj’s batting prowess, but a different kind of biopic was needed to crawl into the cricketer’s mind....

full review

See Also

wogma review

23 Critic Reviews 2.6/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Shabaash Mithu - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Colosceum Production
Producer: Ajit Andhare
Director: Srijit Mukherji
Lead Cast: Taapsee Pannu
Supporting Cast: Vijay Raaz, Brijendra Kala, Sameer Dharmadhikari, Mumtaz Sorcar, Manohar Teli, Inayat Verma, Kalyani Jha, Sampa Mandal, Swayam Joshi, Arun Malik, Nirali Oza, Priya Kumari, Ramya Suresh, Titeeksha Tawde, Kajal Shishodia, Manashree Gavande, Vaishnavi Desai, Ramsingh Falkoti, Kasturi Jagnam, Shilpi Marwaha, Anushree Kushwaha, Nishant Pradhan
Story: Priya Aven
Cinematography: Sirsha Ray
Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad
Background Score: Salvage Audio Collective
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Swananda Kirkire, Kausar Munir, Raghav M. Kumar
Costume Designer: Sachin Lovalekar
Running time: 165 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social,

Sports

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Lovely form, little function. The attempt to throw a light on casteism gets overshadowed by the oppressive drama imposed on every single frame.

Review We often speak of movies having their heart in the right place. And for a lot of the first half, I wanted to believe Shamshera was one of them wanting to target casteism. While entertaining at that. But very soon, it is consumed by its need for glamour and drama. Oh, so much drama! Every shot oozes drama with the over-written lines and the stylistic execution. Now, each of those scenes is consumable, even enjoyable, but becomes overwhelming when they relentlessly occur for over 2.5 hours, 160 minutes! Doesn’t help that the story doesn’t add up to anything worthwhile.

After a first half-ish hour of brutal violence which shakes your insides with its inhumanity, the Ranbir Kapoor form of entertainment is more than welcome. Not only because of the contrast with the dark introduction to his community, the Khameran but also because of the charm he brings to his characters’ mischief and frolic. The kind of shoulder rotations that would make Salman Khan jealous. The kind of performance that makes his Balli look confident when he is and insecure when he can’t believe his love interest is actually interested in him.

But the fun is short-lived. Because, you know, people change. Unfortunately, the transitions here make the character out to be naïve, and the very premise of why he knows so little of his history, is a mystery. I already have to suspend my disbelief as I watch one breath-taking action sequence after another. The action choreography is neat, indeed. A lot of it is gruesome but crisply and stylishly executed, magnified by the IMAX experience. Zero believability, though. Over and above this, then, I am expected to believe the illogical and/or impractical situations and character arcs.

Of course, I am game for thinking of the movie as a fairy tale. A fairy tale, which has a few lovely lines, delivered with conviction by the likes of Saurabh Shukla. He does his best to channel Piyush Mishra’s conscience, making me wonder why Mishra didn’t play that character himself. Anyway. I enjoyed Ronit Roy’s presence too.

But, Shamshera is also a fairy tale with way too many film-y lines (also by Mishra) delivered with irritating energy by Sanjay Dutt. Yep, he manages to spoil some witty ones, too, like the one about the upper caste wanting to accumulate dirt, equating filth to wealth. Given the atrocities that his character executes, though, I would have expected to be scared rather than annoyed. That is why Shamshera doesn’t work, even in fairytale form. You have good things to say about it, but it is followed by a “but”.

Sona has a couple of awesome lines delivered with gumption by Vaani Kapoor. But the script thinks she is worthier of dance numbers where her waistline is the centre of attraction.

The cinematography captures the dessert in a way that I want to book tickets for Rajasthan as I was walking out of the theatre. But form cannot really take over the function of function, right?

The premise of oppressed versus oppressor, especially in the caste dimension, is worth every repeat exposure. But, it is a disservice when it makes you think that it is a child from the marriage of Thugs of Hindostan with Mard.

Oh, here’s something that has no follow-up buts. The attempt at balance by asking the oppressor to consider why the oppressed behave the way they do is, in nice words, “yuck”. It is too nuanced a debate for a film that wishes to entertain and titillate.

Yes, the film begins well. But, it has a couple of unnecessary flashback sequences and about 40 minutes of extra material. And ultimately has little novelty in how the story pans out. Every time you wonder how the protagonist will get out of ‘this’ soup, one of the usual aids is brought to work—people power, nature’s intervention, unimaginative coincidences. :/

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Lots. Gory. Lots gory. * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: Dance numbers with suggestive lyrics. A making out scene. * Concept: The oppressed fighting for freedom. * General Look and Feel: Stylish and serious.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1.5 * Story: 1 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 1
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2.5

See Also

wogma review

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Shamshera - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Director: Karan Malhotra
Lead Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Ranbir Kapoor, Vaani Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Saurabh Shukhla, Iravati Harshe, Ronit Roy, Craig McGinlay
Story: Neelesh Misra, Khila Bisht
Screenplay: Karan Malhotra, Ekta Pathak Malhotra
Dialogues: Piyush Mishra
Cinematography: Anay Goswami
Editor: Shivkumar V. Panicker
Choreography: Chinni Prakash, Brinda, Shakti Mohan
Music Director: Mithoon
Lyrics: Mithoon, Piyush Mishra, Karan Malhotra
Costume Designer: Rushi Sharma, Manoshi Nath
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 160 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action,

Social

View Details

23 reviewers have given Khuda Haafiz: Chapter ll – Agni Pariksha an average rating of 1.3/5.0 (?)

1 yays 12 nays 10 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Just like you wouldn’t be able to guess the end of the film’s title from how it begins, you wouldn’t be able to imagine the film would end where it does, given how it starts. All this, not in a good way.

Thumbs up by Dhaval Roy,

Times of India

...Overall, Khuda Haafiz 2 is worth a watch for the heavy-duty action and the story that’s high on emotion. The plot remains formulaic but the drama will keep you going....

full review

So-So by Russel D'Silva,

Bollywood Life

...Khuda Haafiz 2 is not old wine in a new bottle, but an old wine cellar in new barrels, made glossy by Vidyut Jammwal's ability to make the most rudimentary action scenes look better than they deserve to. A prolonged fight sequence in a prison is very well choreographed though and is alone worth the price of admission. I'm going with 3 out of 5 stars....

full review

So-So by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Khuda Haafiz truly had the potential to be a cracker of an action-filled romance. But patchy writing has diluted its impact. The only thing that works here, as said earlier, is Vidyut’s virtuosity as an action star. Watch the film for some well-crafted set pieces and you won’t get disappointed......

full review

So-So

Glamsham.com

...Like the old saying goes, never mess with a man’s family and if you do, make sure that the man is not Vidyut Jammwal, as he will tear your heart out without caring much about the consequences....

full review

So-So by Soumya Srivastawa,

Hindustan Times

...A by-the-book thriller, Khuda Haafiz is just entertaining enough. Dive even an inch deeper and the flaws are there for anyone to see....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...In keeping with the direct and quick ways of the protagonist, barring the jail brawl sequence, none of the scenes plays out too long. Even the chases are staged with a welcome touch of minimalism, unusual for an action film fronted by a 'tough guy' actor. Definitely not the kind of cinematic trial by fire that many such films can be, Khuda Haafiz: Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha is reasonably watchable....

full review

So-So by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...Khuda Haafiz 2 touches upon multiple uncomfortable realities ravaging society, such as the police-politicians' nexus, jilted lovers, and the usage of women's bodies as sexual territories. However, it is marred by many plot holes, half-baked characters, and a rather long (over two hours) runtime. Had it not been for the action scenes, the real pariksha would have been that of the audience....

full review

So-So by JOGINDER TUTEJA,

Planet Bollywood

...Shiv Pandit and Aahana Kumra are good to begin with but then are thrust with such thick Arabic accent that it begins to sound forced (and at times even funny) after a little while. As for Vipin Sharma, he has a knack of making a scene entirely his own whenever he appears on the frame and one just longs to see more of him every time. As a villain, Nawab Shah is there for just one scene but does well, as always....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...But much like the pulpy novels, the film does exactly what it complains against. It comments on the voyeuristic gaze of electronic news but finds it hard to eschew it itself. It wants us to ponder on the social shaming of survivors of physical assault and on action against juvenile perpetrators of rape, without munching on the consequences of taking the law into one’s hands. That’s some Agnipariksha, a test by fire! The last page of the chapter suggests that the next part will address it....

full review

So-So by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...Shivaalika Oberoi walks into the proceedings and is scooped out at will. Sheeba Chhadha speaks her dialogues with relish but she knows as well as we do precious little is going to come out of it. If checking out Vidyut’s action is your greatest pull. Go watch it....

full review

So-So by Pallabi Dey Purkayastha,

Times of India

...Khuda Haafiz’ — literal meaning ‘May God be your Guardian’ — does not have the most innovative script on the planet but it still could have worked had it not been for the randomness in the second half and the outrageously sham Arabic accents. Watch it for Vidyut flexing his muscles in the most amusing way imaginable, peeps!...

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...Casting Rajesh Tailang as a morally sound reporter based on Ravish Kumar is smart, but his character is as disposable as the film itself. A film that doubles up as a ‘trial by fire’ for the brave people who watch it. There, I made it till the very last line. But it had to be done. Restraint is overrated....

full review

Thumbs down by Anupama Chopra,

Film Companion

...I think Khuda Haafiz 2 wants to be so purposefully disturbing that it shakes viewers out of their lethargy and complacency. Which might have happened if the narrative had more heft. Violence needs to be rooted in insight. Otherwise, what’s the point of enduring it? Also, a request to filmmakers – can we please stop brutalising women so men can be heroes...

full review

Thumbs down by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...The music album of Khuda Haafiz: Chapter 2 consists of four tracks- 'Chaiyaan Mein Saiyaan Ki', 'Rubaru', 'Junoon Hai' and 'Aaja Ve'. Though they flow seamlessly in the narrative, they lack a recall value. An absolutely 'thanda' album from Mithoon & Co.

Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2022/khuda-haafiz-chapter-2-agni-pariksha-movie-review-vidyut-jammwal-shivaleeka-oberoi/articlecontent-pf326345-337365.html...

full review

Thumbs down by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Bollywood has earlier seen several revenge dramas on similar lines, and 'Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 Agni Pariksha' is just another addition to the stack. Highly avoidable!...

full review

Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...The climactic chase involving SUVs and gun-toting baddies takes place in the shadow of the Sphinx, and a leading man who seems to have internalised the mantra — see neck, will slice. But like in the first part, and the way this one ends, which leaves us in no doubt that there will be a third, no one has bothered answering that question: how does a software engineer turn into roaring Rambo? Does he have a secret life that we are not aware of? Maybe the third part will give us those answers....

full review

Thumbs down by Shubham Kulkarni,

koimoi

...Go for it if you are a Vidyut Jammwal fan, there’s a lot of him. But if you are not, this one doesn’t have much to offer....

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2: Agni Pariksha would have been a much better film with a sensible storyline. The same social appeal was made by Rohit Shetty‘s Simbba in 2019 only, and even that film needed a boost from Cop-universe. Consider Khuda Haafiz 2, which is neither a cop universe movie nor a South remake. The film makes for a below-average product that has got some hot action sequences but is pulled down by a terribly cold and outdated storyline....

full review

Thumbs down by Kunal Guha,

Mumbai Mirror

...For an all-out action thriller, there’s a lot of fast-paced

Read more at: https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/movie-review/khuda-haafiz-movie-review-2-stars-this-vidyut-jamwal-starrer-packs-some-mindless-blood-spilling-action/articleshow/77548146.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst...

full review

Thumbs down by Rohit Vats,

News18.com

...I know it’s tough for Nargis in a foreign land, but it’s even tougher for us to bear Annu Kapoor’s put on accent. May she return safely, but I wouldn’t want us to pay for it....

full review

Thumbs down by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...Overall, Khuda Haafiz 2 – Agni Pariksha has a purpose but lacks direction....

full review

Thumbs down by Namrata Thakker,

Rediff

...Khuda Haafiz 2 comes across as an unnecessary sequel that has been made just to showcase Vidyut in action mode....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Kabir brings visual flair to a 146-minute film that is also avoidably sordid and needlessly ponderous. The makers and cast put on a good show for what is essentially a garden-variety vigilante movie....

full review

See Also

wogma review

23 Critic Reviews 1.3/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Khuda Haafiz: Chapter ll – Agni Pariksha - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Cinergy Production, Panorama Studios, Zee Studios
Producer: Abhishek Pathak, Kumar Mangat Pathak
Director: Faruk Kabir
Lead Cast: Vidyut Jammwal, Shivaleeka Oberoi
Supporting Cast: Dibyendu Bhatttacharya, Sheeba Chaddha, Gauahar Khan, Ashwat Bhatt, Satish Sharma, Ishtiyaq Khan, Rajesh Tailang, Danish Husain, Lokesh Mittal, Siddharth Bhardwaj, Ritik Ghansani, Bodhisattva Sharma, Riddhi Sharma, Anushka Merchande, Ashutosh Srivastava, Saad Bilgram, Shahnawaz Pradhan, Gargi Patel, Madhu Sachdeva, Deepak Harpal Singh, Bachchan Pachera, Pawan Chopra, Raju Pandey, Aslam Khan, Monica Sharma, Varun Pande, Sangram Singh, Rajveer Gaur, Anurekha Bhagat, Rakhi Kishor, Elsa Nilaj, Adnan, Deepak Tokas, Achala, Sanket Bhatia
Story: Faruk Kabir
Cinematography: Jitan Harmeet Singh
Editor: Sandeep Francis
Music Director: Mithoon, Vishal Mishra
Costume Designer: Preeti Sharma
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action,

Crime,

Social

View Details

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

Review When I first heard of the film, I wondered if Mithali Raj’s life had enough ‘struggle’ to make for a good sports film? I was pleasantly surprised to see the film point out the lack of struggle straight-up and make the movie larger than Raj’s career as a cricketer. She repeats through the film that she’d rather her team win than be happy that she scored. It is only apt that the film about her life is more about the episodes in Indian women’s cricket rather than her life story.

And you hit the irony right there. Would the story have made it to screen if it were marketed as the life of Indian women’s cricket and titled so? Only because it is about a player we know now, would there have been takers and now viewers. Thankfully, the makers picked the pivotal role she played in bringing the plight of women’s sports under the spotlight.

And politically, you can tell that the film is walking on a tightrope. The Indian cricketing board’s name has been altered in the film, but it has been thanked in the credits. The players’ frustration seems to have been presented in a measured fashion. Indeed, the lady cricketers must have gone through much more than that shown to us.

Sure, some of this frustration seems sugar-coated because of the episodic manner in which events are placed one after the other, lacking any flow. Especially the second half suffers from a jerky screenplay. This is in complete contrast with a smooth and thoroughly enjoyable first half which covers Mithali Raj’s childhood in much detail.

While I quite liked the first half, it could also be this disproportionate focus on her childhood that makes the film seem unevenly paced. In fact, for a person who eye-rolled at the film’s 2.5+-hour length and who had to watch the first 40 minutes of the movie in a really weird aspect ratio because of a technical glitch, I was surprised I hadn’t even realised that it was interval o’clock. Disappointingly, though so much has happened in Raj’s life after she made it to the Indian team, the second half feels slow and under-written.

Along similar lines, the child artist playing Mithali Raj has much more spunk than Taapsee Pannu. Pannu seems unusually out of sorts, though she is one of the best women actors to play a sports person. It could also be because Mithali Raj’s character doesn’t overshadow others, especially considering this is a biopic. The writing allows the other characters to shine, whether it is Raj’s friend Noorie in the first half or her teammates in the second half. Fortunately, the rest of the supporting cast does a decent enough job of making us believe in the cricketers’ life stories. They add a zing to some witty dialogue.

Of course, the field is set against women in society. Women in a job that is typically treated as a man’s job have it bad. It won’t be surprising if it is even worse for women in a “gentlemen’s game”. Shabhaash Mithu does a decent job of inspiring women to keep at it against all odds. This is why it seems okay to ignore Taapsee Pannu as a 15-year-old (No, two plaits do not do the job!).

Along with the big-picture focus, little things make the film a pleasure to watch. That it is a sports film without a training montage is a win. It also chooses subtlety over the other tropes. This one could have gone ballistic with jingoism, but it picks its own song instead of the usual heart-thumping national anthem. When it is time to deliver the big speech, it gives Mithali Raj a crisp monologue that seems like something that happens in real life.

Sure, it is not the best sports film around. But it does some things differently, and they work. The one I enjoyed the most—through a song playing in the background, we are told to change our point of view, to observe women rather than stare at them.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: Some profanity. Some curse words muted out. * Nudity & Sexual content: None. * Concept: The life and role of Mithali Raj in Indian women’s cricket. * General Look and Feel: Simple and to-the-point. No grand sports editing.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 3.5

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 3
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 3

Shabaash Mithu - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Colosceum Production
Producer: Ajit Andhare
Director: Srijit Mukherji
Lead Cast: Taapsee Pannu
Supporting Cast: Vijay Raaz, Brijendra Kala, Sameer Dharmadhikari, Mumtaz Sorcar, Manohar Teli, Inayat Verma, Kalyani Jha, Sampa Mandal, Swayam Joshi, Arun Malik, Nirali Oza, Priya Kumari, Ramya Suresh, Titeeksha Tawde, Kajal Shishodia, Manashree Gavande, Vaishnavi Desai, Ramsingh Falkoti, Kasturi Jagnam, Shilpi Marwaha, Anushree Kushwaha, Nishant Pradhan
Story: Priya Aven
Cinematography: Sirsha Ray
Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad
Background Score: Salvage Audio Collective
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Swananda Kirkire, Kausar Munir, Raghav M. Kumar
Costume Designer: Sachin Lovalekar
Running time: 165 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social,

Sports

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Review The film’s title intrigued me so much that I had to watch it. Three languages are used with no seemingly obvious connection between the three phrases used. I intentionally avoided the trailer, willing to be surprised by whatever came my way. And boy, was I taken aback. Sure, the topic at hand is disturbing, and the violence has shock value. But the one-line plot, “What if a simple, kind man is pushed over the edge by the system?” takes the protagonist from one extreme to another with some shoddy, half-hearted transition in character.

Each of the three sub-plots is interesting in its own right. One deals with the mental health journey of a rape survivor. Another is the blatant misuse of power to cover up heinous crimes. And in culmination, we see the wrath of the common man unleashed when he is frustrated by the unfairness of it all. These are shabbily patched together one after another.

From being a mute spectator of life, our protagonist transitions into one who takes matters into his hands. The word ‘transition’ softens the jerky manner in which this happens. Almost like the writer knows that do what they may, it will be unbelievable, so why spend the effort making it smooth.

The female protagonist conveniently enters and drops from the picture like a prop. Sure, the character is given agency, but it is difficult to believe it when she is missing in action in crucial stages of the story. As if the agency is only for effect and not an intrinsic characteristic. The same goes for the other characters. The traits chosen for them seem like convenient hooks or inclusions to titillate rather than an organic part of the story.

The film’s first half also has a nuanced way of presenting the characters and situations by showing things rather than telling them. As an audience, I felt respected when little details were left for me to figure out by being observant rather than spoon-feeding. However, all this subtlety goes for a toss in the second half, where in-the-face violence becomes the main consumable.

If at all there is anything that makes things believable, it is the performances across the board. I quite enjoyed the choice of keeping almost all characters and people of few words. This gave the actors room to speak with their expressions and body language. All of them, from Vidyut Jammwal to Shivaleeka Oberoi to Sheeba Chaddha, create a response within the viewer, whether it is sympathy or anger. In fact, Rajesh Tailang even carries off a long preachy monologue even though it is out-of-place in an otherwise quiet film and is over-written.

Having said that, I cannot stop thinking of how the child actor must have felt when they watched the film. A film where their character suffers so. A film that they are not old enough to watch.

Khuda Haafiz Chapter II Agni Pariksha is grim and disturbing. At first, it churns your insides with the rapes and shakes you up mentally. Later in the film, the violence is gut-wrenching and makes for a difficult watch. All of which could have made for a movie that addresses a social cause. Alas, it becomes a story that knew where to begin and end. But didn’t know how to make the distance.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads and loads. Gory too. * Language: Some profanity. * Nudity & Sexual content: A making out scene. Central theme is rape, of minors too. * Concept: Revenge * General Look and Feel: Grim

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 1
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2

Khuda Haafiz: Chapter ll – Agni Pariksha - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Cinergy Production, Panorama Studios, Zee Studios
Producer: Abhishek Pathak, Kumar Mangat Pathak
Director: Faruk Kabir
Lead Cast: Vidyut Jammwal, Shivaleeka Oberoi
Supporting Cast: Dibyendu Bhatttacharya, Sheeba Chaddha, Gauahar Khan, Ashwat Bhatt, Satish Sharma, Ishtiyaq Khan, Rajesh Tailang, Danish Husain, Lokesh Mittal, Siddharth Bhardwaj, Ritik Ghansani, Bodhisattva Sharma, Riddhi Sharma, Anushka Merchande, Ashutosh Srivastava, Saad Bilgram, Shahnawaz Pradhan, Gargi Patel, Madhu Sachdeva, Deepak Harpal Singh, Bachchan Pachera, Pawan Chopra, Raju Pandey, Aslam Khan, Monica Sharma, Varun Pande, Sangram Singh, Rajveer Gaur, Anurekha Bhagat, Rakhi Kishor, Elsa Nilaj, Adnan, Deepak Tokas, Achala, Sanket Bhatia
Story: Faruk Kabir
Cinematography: Jitan Harmeet Singh
Editor: Sandeep Francis
Music Director: Mithoon, Vishal Mishra
Costume Designer: Preeti Sharma
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action,

Crime,

Social

View Details

25 reviewers have given Jugjugg Jeeyo an average rating of 3.4/5.0 (?)

10 yays 1 nays 14 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Life after the grand wedding deserves a few films. But I wish it wasn’t in the form of Jugjugg Jeeyo’s slapsticky treatment.

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...One of the marriages survives the onslaught of spousal selfishness and temper tantrums, the other marriage we are not too sure about… a sequel perhaps?...

full review

Thumbs up by Russel D'Silva,

Bollywood Life

...Jug Jugg Jeeyo is a good movie, make no mistake of that – it has enough going for it by way of both humour and emotions, making for a fairly enjoyable family entertainer. It's just that it could've been even better with more assured direction, less regression, less pseudo-feminism and a background score that had no business leaving the recording studio. That being said, Varun Dhawan, Neetu Singh, Maniesh Paul and above all, the legendary Anil Kapoor make it worth the trip to a theatre at least once. I'm going with 3 out of 5 stars....

full review

Thumbs up

Filmfare

...Watch the film for the acting chops displayed by the ensemble cast and for its modern take on good old fashioned family drama....

full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Touted as a comedy, 'JugJugg Jeeyo' has much more to offer. In the last four to five years of Hindi cinema, only 'Badhaai Ho' and 'Good Newwz' have managed to get families to the theatres, but it seems like 'JJJ' is joining the bandwagon now. Don’t miss this pure roller coaster ride....

full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...All in all, Raj Mehta’s Jugjugg Jeeyo is a mocktail of emotions, the humour and the message that the story gives, is soothing, to sip in and enjoy in a relaxed mood… unmissable....

full review

Thumbs up by Tushar P. Joshi,

india today

...At the heart of it, Jug Jugg Jeeyo is all about saving a marriage and realising that making a compromise and keeping your self-respect are two different conversations. Despite how deep the subjects might be, director Raj Mehta manages to use humour, sarcasm and wit to keep the proceedings light and engaging. Just like all marriages, the film isn’t perfect and has its fair share of flaws, and those imperfections make the film worthwhile....

full review

Thumbs up by Zinia Bandyopadhyay,

News18.com

...Jugjugg Jeeyo will make you laugh, cry and join the characters on the emotional roller coaster. The film is thoroughly entertaining, and paisa wasool, and you should definitely give it a watch...

full review

Thumbs up by Isha Sharma,

NewsBytes

...JugJugg Jeeyo is a true-blue Bollywood movie, with Dharma Productions written all over it. A few flaws aside, it's largely an enjoyable ride and keeps you intrigued. Toward the climax, there is one cliche and one progressive ending, possibly to cater to everyone. All in all, watch it for the performances, the songs, and for over two hours of powerful entertainment....

full review

Thumbs up by Himesh Mankad,

Pinkvilla

...Overall, Jug Jugg Jeeyo marries comedy with drama and emotions and is a full on package that will entertain the audience. Yes, there are some drawbacks, but end of the day, you leave the auditorium with a smile on your face, and isn't that what one needs in today's time? It's an entertainer with heart at it's right place, and the credible performances by entire ensemble makes it worth a dekho....

full review

Thumbs up by Ronak Kotecha,

Times of India

...The runtime is slightly problematic and it could have done with a tighter edit. What really draws you in are the powerful performances and quirky dialogues. Just like its characters, ‘Jugjugg Jeeyo’ too has its flaws but at the end of the day, it’s all in the family and this is just the kind of wholesome family entertainer that we need to watch in the theatre....

full review

So-So by Anupama Chopra,

Film Companion

...This is inevitable because JugJugg Jeeyo is a sanitized and purposefully crowd-pleasing view of what happens between men and women. There’s enough here, including some very catchy remixed songs, that is enjoyable. I wish it had transcended to memorable. But I’m grateful to Raj for bringing back the gorgeous Nadeem-Shravan song ‘Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain’ from Pardes back into the conversation. All over again, I’m hooked....

full review

So-So by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Jugjugg Jeeyo is that it – sometimes clumsily, sometimes smartly – frees one generation from the responsibility of living for another. It is the second successive Dharma title after Gehraiyaan to suggest that it can only be all about loving your parents if it’s all about understanding – and accepting – them as people first. It’s a tough truth, and the film throws the kitchen sink at us to prove that most Indian households are incomplete without kitchen sinks....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...A scene in Jugjugg Jeeyo has Bheem (Anil Kapoor) comparing his wife Geeta to a 'shakahari sherni'. Well, when it comes to the film, Neetu Kapoor roars aloud like a tigress with her superlative performance as a woman who is fierce and vulnerable in equal measures.

Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2022/jugjugg-jeeyo-movie-review-varun-dhawan-kiara-advani-neetu-kapoor-anil-kapoor/articlecontent-pf326216-336684.html...

full review

So-So by Punarvasu Pendse,

FirstPost

...Jugjugg Jeeyo tries to take the safe way out despite being based on a concept that isn't explored very often in Hindi cinema, and opts to try and make everyone happy. Once again, it is a case of what could have been. The only thing going for this one is the Dharma production values, and its ability to showcase its excellent cast front and centre. Oh, and carry earmuffs....

full review

So-So by Manjusha Radhakrishnan,

Gulf News

...But since it’s a romantic comedy on the nose, it shouldn’t be a deal break. Solid acting from all actors make it a pleasant watch. There’s a lot of drama and less trauma while watching this amicable and overall pleasant film....

full review

So-So by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...JugJugg Jeeyo is an absolute family entertainer that talks about choosing relationships over selfishness and while doing so, there's nothing preachy about it. There's aren't any vulgar jokes or slapstick humour to infuse laughter and that makes JugJugg Jeeyo a clean comedy drama. Watch it on the big screen for it's one of those typical commercial potboilers that you call paisa vasool....

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...Lovers looking at each other through rose-tinted glasses turning into loveless partners is still quite a novel idea in mainstream Bollywood. When school sweethearts Kuldeep aka Kukoo Saini (Varun Dhawan) and Naina Sharma (Kiara Advani) find themselves snarling more than smiling, ‘JugJugg Jeeyo’ feels like a set-up for a modern-day dive into post-marriage shenanigans....

full review

So-So by Shilajit Mitra,

indian express

...n the big dance number ‘Nach Punjaban’, Kukoo and Naina share a distressed glance before continuing with their steps. They have a marriage to dissolve, and years of bitterness to pick through, but the dancing gets in the way. This scene, like several others in Jugjugg Jeeyo, suggests that families are like movies — hectic, busy affairs, merrily delaying a confrontation when they can’t seem to resolve it....

full review

So-So by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, JugJugg Jeeyo delivers what it promises – harmless fun while being a family entertainer & if you’re expecting anything more than that, it’s on you....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Performance wise, the biggest show stealer in Jugjugg Jeeyo is Anil Kapoor. In one word, he is JHAKAAS! What energy, what comic timing, and what ageless looks he has.. ohh man, how is this even possible for someone at 65? He is bringing the 25s to shame. Varun Dhawan is coming back after the disaster show in Coolie No. 1, and Jugjugg Jeeyo seems like a nice recompense. This man deserves more roles like this rather than those forgettable ones, and he is surely capable of surprising the audience....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Very broad strokes are the stock-in-trade of this film, which, of course, could go a long way in endearing it to segments of the masses. But do not expect any nuanced ideas to flow out of this battle of the sexes that loses quickly its way in a maze. As a cinematic 'treatise' on marriage, Jugjugg Jeeyo for the ages. Watch it. You might find it entertaining. But insightful it certainly isn't....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...JugJugg Jeeyo's gleeful lack of responsibility advocates good times over everything else.

Luckily for Mehta, the actors in play are a complete hoot even when you aren't taking any of it seriously....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...There’s a discernible point at which Jugjugg Jeeyo throws in the towel and decides to ignore its own honest streak. It’s a cop-out that brings the film’s schizoid self even more glaringly in view. And yet, enough blows have been landed by then on the institution of marriage. The bruising survives the trappings of the big fat Punjabi wedding, the perfectly turned out characters and the aptly eclectic bhangra pop score....

full review

So-So by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...Complexities and nuances are summarily dismissed as it all boils down to “garmagaram rotis”. Turns out this is the only thing that the trailer doesn’t speak about and so for the sake of not giving out spoilers yours truly will not elaborate any further. Jugjugg Jeeyo. It’s adorned with all good stuff that will put you in a forgiving mood. Music, visual pleasure and a brilliant act by Anil Kapoor....

full review

Thumbs down by ANNA MM VETTICAD,

FirstPost

...ugjugg Jeeyo comes from a long tradition of Hindi cinema (sample: No Entry and the Masti series) treating male infidelity as a comedic device while of course a similar lens is not trained on female infidelity. It is also a ear-drum-splitting experience. Not every film can be a Great Indian Kitchen in its attitude to patriarchy, but this one is a hyperventilating Jo and Jo that dilutes its gains with a heavy dose of backtracking and by creating a din....

full review

See Also

wogma review

25 Critic Reviews 3.4/5.0

Jugjugg Jeeyo - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apoorva Mehta
Director: Raj Mehta
Lead Cast: Anil Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Varun Dhawan, Kiara Advani
Supporting Cast: Tisca Chopra, Maniesh Paul, Prajakta Koli, Elnaaz Norouzi
Story: Anurag Singh
Screenplay: Anurag Singh, Neeraj Udwani, Rishabh Sharma, Sumit Bhateja
Cinematography: Jay I. Patel
Editor: Manish More
Background Score: John Stewart Eduri
Choreography: Adil Shaikh, Bosco Martis, Ceasar Gonsalves
Music Director: Mithoon, Kavita Seth, Tanishk Bagchi, Kanishk Seth, Diesby, Pozy
Lyrics: Mithoon, Tanishk Bagchi, Ginny Diwan, Diesby, Dhruv Yogi
Costume Designer: Eka Lakhani
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 150 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy,

Family,

Relationships,

Slapstick

View Details

10 reviewers have given Sherdil – The Pilibhit Saga an average rating of 1.0/5.0 (?)

0 yays 6 nays 4 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

The screenplay forms the meat of Sherdil. Around its unusually sturdy but otherwise unremarkable skeleton, the flesh forms a curious animal. One of which, were I a biologist, I would like to dissect and explore every nook and cranny.

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Kismat kabhi kabhi saadharan aadmi ko bhi asaadharan bana deta hain," goes a man's voiceover as Srijit Mukerji introduces us to his world of 'Sherdil'. Sadly, the filmmaker's weak execution of an extraordinary concept fails to pique your interest in a similar way like how the tiger acts when it finally comes face-to-face with Gangaram.

Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2022/sherdil-the-pilibhit-saga-movie-review-pankaj-tripathi-neeraj-kabi-sayani-gupta/articlecontent-pf326210-336613.html...

full review

So-So by Tatsam Mukherjee,

FirstPost

...Without necessarily the charm of a Panchayat or the straight-forward sincerity of a Sherni, Sherdil begins to feel like neither here, nor there. Not nearly as provocative to be a memorable satire, nor as dramatic to be meditation on the man vs wild conflict. The film ends up being a version of a ‘state of the country’ conversation in a party taking place in Mukherji’s living room. The self-seriousness and the nobility cannot be doubted here, but it’s also just… talk....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Sherdil - The Pilibhit is perhaps too gentle a social satire to grab you by the scruff of the neck and show you a worm's level view of a benighted world where humans are worse off than animals. It is effective nonetheless at least in parts....

full review

So-So by Rachana Dubey,

Times of India

...All in all, Srijit Mukherji’s intent as a director seems to have been in the right place when he started penning this film. But somewhere along the way, he couldn’t keep it tight, and together, which affects the eventual result drastically....

full review

Thumbs down by Anupama Chopra,

Film Companion

...Sayani Gupta, who plays Gangaram's harried wife, doesn't find her footing. Her character, firebrand who puts her husband and the other elders in the village in their place is too poorly written. Which is the overarching problem with Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga. It suffers from being over-stretched and under -cooked. Srijit, who also has a cameo in the film, selects a superb story but slowly drains the delicious ironies out of it....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...The line between actor and character gets blurred and satire lies in the eyes of the beholder....

Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...Only someone like Pankaj Tripathi could have pulled off this role, with a sincerity which doesn’t feel practised. His Gangaram is the soul of the film, which relies far too much on its lead character. Everyone else looks as if they are playing a part. Done well, this could have been a strong satire, but it turns into a listless saga, which lifts only a little by its lovely music, scored by Shantanu Moitra. The songs, one sung by KK whom we sadly lost recently, deserved a better film....

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Director Srijit Mukherji’s approach seemed a little loose towards the extremity of the subject. The same happened with Amit Masurkar‘s Sherni (2021) — the same man who made a classic like Newton (2017). I don’t see what Srijit Mukherji could have done with this script, so it’s not him to be blamed. The same film might have looked better 10-15 years ago when this topic was new, but now, the OTT and other films have made it difficult for the outdated topic to hold up. Sherdil could have played well with the emotions though, but it never really focuses on them while being busy with its satirical treatment. As a whole, Sherdil is a wannabe tiger film that comes with cub-sized content, and even Pankaj Tripathi’s tiger-sized performance couldn’t save it....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,

Rediff

...The absurdities pile up and the film goes on long after the message has been delivered and underlined several times.

The forest (north Bengal standing in for Uttarakhand) is beautifully shot (Tiyash Sen), which is the only commendable thing about this film.

Otherwise, it is a waste of a good idea and a waste of two competent actors....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Srijit Mukherji’s screenplay finds its satirical tone too late into the movie. Sluggishly paced, poorly written and cursorily performed, Sherdil doesn’t come even close to such films as Sherni and Ajoba in examining the precarious equation between impoverished humans and endangered species....

full review

See Also

wogma review

10 Critic Reviews 1.0/5.0

Sherdil – The Pilibhit Saga - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Reliance Entertainment, T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Vivek b Agrawal
Director: Srijit Mukherji
Lead Cast: Pankaj Tripathi, Neeraj Kabi, Sayani Gupta
Supporting Cast: Srijit Mukherji
Story: Srijit Mukherji
Dialogues: Srijit Mukherji, Sudeep Nigam, Atul Kumar Rai
Cinematography: Tiyash Sen
Editor: Pronoy Dasgupta
Background Score: Shantanu Moitra
Music Director: Shantanu Moitra
Costume Designer: Sabarni Das
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: Arsh Kabra
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy,

Politics,

Satire

View Details

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

Review I used to hate poetry. I always found it impenetrable and excessive. “Just say what you want to in plain language, why don’t you!” I’d scream at long-dead poets, throwing the tiny book across my room. But then a professor at college described poetry as emotion distilled to the purest form that it can be. Every poem, at its core, is trying to make you feel something. It is using language to effectively and viscerally remind you of a very specific feeling.

In many ways, Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga reminded me of a poem. On its surface, it looks benign or even boring. But when you see it for what it is—language manipulated to make you think and make you feel—you can’t help but smile.

The language it uses is simple, and one most moviegoers are familiar with. If you are an avid viewer of satire cinema, you will be intimately familiar with these techniques. It plays exactly like others in this genre: engaging camerawork, likable characters, and a government system that refuses to work, despite everyone’s best efforts. Relatability is the backbone of this story’s set-up, and a dynamic camera forms the rest of the skeleton.

But as always, it is the meat that entices the most. The screenplay forms the meat of Sherdil. Around its unusually sturdy but otherwise unremarkable skeleton, the flesh forms a curious animal. One of which, were I a biologist, I would like to dissect and explore every nook and cranny. Whether I like the taste of the meat, however, is a difficult question to answer.

Despite how well made the movie is, the main character tip-toes dangerously close to the problematic. I am still making my mind up about what he was supposed to be—satire of the powerful, or caricature of the poor. The point, however, is that I am still thinking about the movie. I want to study it, to see what makes it tick.

We need more movies like Sherdil, not because of the way it handles its extremely volatile subject matter, but because it tries creatively. It doesn’t want to simply expose. If it did, it would have been a documentary. Instead, it is fiction.

The writer didn’t just want to tell us about the way our country treats its poor. The writer wanted to show us an experience, to make us feel absurdity, tragedy, and frustration.

This article is by guest author Arsh Kabra. He is an English and Creative Writing student at Ashoka University. This is really enabling his vindictive attitude towards movies.

Arsh Kabra also blogs at http://abu.smritiweb.com/.

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Very little. No blood visible, though. * Language: No foul language. * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: Would be hard to grasp for children because of the politics involved. * General Look and Feel: Political satire that would be better enjoyed with a nuanced understanding of ecological politics.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 4 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 3.5 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 3.5
Screenplay: 4.5
Music Director: 3.5
Lyrics: 3.5

Sherdil – The Pilibhit Saga - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Reliance Entertainment, T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Vivek b Agrawal
Director: Srijit Mukherji
Lead Cast: Pankaj Tripathi, Neeraj Kabi, Sayani Gupta
Supporting Cast: Srijit Mukherji
Story: Srijit Mukherji
Dialogues: Srijit Mukherji, Sudeep Nigam, Atul Kumar Rai
Cinematography: Tiyash Sen
Editor: Pronoy Dasgupta
Background Score: Shantanu Moitra
Music Director: Shantanu Moitra
Costume Designer: Sabarni Das
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: Arsh Kabra
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy,

Politics,

Satire

View Details

Now Playing This page lists all slightly older movies that are playing in theatres, or are available on pay-per-view / video-on-demand on cable / dish services. (The information in these lists are as available on the official sites of the said services) Last updated: 24-Jun-2022

1920 Evil Returns,

7 khoon maaf,

Aagey Se Right,

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil,

Agyaat,

Airlift,

Aligarh,

All the Best,

Azaan,

B.A. Pass,

Baaghi 2,

Bahubali,

Bahubali 2 - The Conclusion,

Bajirao Mastani,

Band Baaja Baaraat,

Barah Anna,

Befikre,

Bheja Fry 2,

Bhindi Bazaar Inc,

Bittoo Boss,

Blood Money,

Blue,

Bodyguard,

Boss,

CHAKDE! INDIA,

Chalo Dilli,

Chase,

Chashme Baddoor,

City of Gold,

D-Day,

Dabangg,

Dil Dhadakne Do,

Do Dooni Chaar,

Don 2,

Drishyam,

Ek Thi Daayan,

English Vinglish,

Fan,

Force,

Gangs of Wasseypur 2,

Golmaal Returns,

Guru,

Guzaarish,

Halla Bol,

Hate Story,

Hello,

Hello Jai Hind,

Hindi Medium,

Hum Dono (Rangeen),

I am Kalam,

I, Me Aur Main,

Iron Man 3,

Ittefaq,

Jab Harry Met Sejal,

Jab Tak Hai Jaan,

Jab We Met,

Jannat,

Jism 2,

Jodhaa Akbar,

Jolly LLB 2,

Kapoor & Sons,

Khosla ka Ghosla,

Kismat Konnection,

Kurbaan,

Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum,

Lingaa,

Lootera,

Luck,

Madras Cafe,

Manorama Six Feet Under,

Mardaani,

Mary Kom,

Mere Baap Pehle Aap,

Meri Pyaari Bindu,

Mickey Virus,

Mumbai Meri Jaan,

Murder 2,

Naqaab,

Nil Battey Sannata,

Oh My God,

Om Shanti Om,

OMG Oh My God,

Once Upon A Time In Mumbai,

Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbaai Dobaara,

Piku,

Policegiri,

Pyar ka Punchnama,

Queen,

Raaz 3,

Race,

Ragini MMS - 2,

Rajneeti,

Ram-Leela,

Rocket Singh,

Sachin - A Billion Dreams,

Sahi Dhande Galat Bande,

Sankat City,

Shagird,

Shootout At Lokhandwala,

Shootout At Wadala,

Singh is Kinng,

Singham,

Singham Returns,

Special Chabbis,

Striker,

Sultan,

Talvar,

Tangled,

Tanu Weds Manu,

Thank you,

The Dirty Picture,

The Machinist,

Tiger Zinda Hai,

Titli,

Toy Story 3,

Tum Mile,

Bhuj – The Pride Of India,

Hum Do Hamare Do,

Attack – Part I,

Jugjugg Jeeyo,

Review - 1920: Horrified...at the take on religion!

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

It horrifies for sure. Both by its thrills and its insensitive take on religion. Decent special effects cannot help forgive extreme irresponsibility in this age of communal riots.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 1.8/5.0 from 19 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 5/5.0 from 2 Reader Reviews

See All

1920 Evil Returns - Review

wogma rating: Don't bother (?)

quick review:

Mystery of a possessed goody-good girl builds up to a lame backstory. This is only the excuse to show some disgusting kind of gory horror.

See full review

External Reviews: 1.2/5.0 from 23 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 3 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 2.2/5.0 from 106 Tweet Reviews

See All

7 khoon maaf - Review

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

This movie is worth watching just for Priyanka Chopra's performance. The rest of the lead cast is only a bonus. Now how I wish, there was a little bit of a surprise in the narration or at least I understood even half of why the characters behaved the way they did. Now if the only explanation is weird attracts weird and together they all get weirder, either I didn't get the film or it is one zany experience that didn't go down all that well with me. And yet I wouldn't have wanted to miss watching this one.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 2.4/5.0 from 51 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 22 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 2.9/5.0 from 156 Tweet Reviews

See All

Review - Aagey Se Right: Loads of fun yet a bit undone

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

Following a gun is brings roars of laughter. The wit is completely enjoyable and so are some of the performances. Padded with the usual spoof-material, only a little funnier.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 0.5/5.0 from 23 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 1/5.0 from 2 Reader Reviews

See All

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil - Review

wogma rating: Beg or borrow, but do watch (?)

quick review:

An ode to unrequited love and its victims. Reminds them to bask in their one-sided love's glory. The film slices and dices emotional relationships in many, many ways. Watch but please not with cynical unromantics.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 2.8/5.0 from 36 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 6 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 3.9/5.0 from 109 Tweet Reviews

See All

Review - Agyaat: Gore thrills unknown & bit of us too

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?) - Only for thriller buffs who don't mind absense of substantial story

quick review:

Weird camera angles used wisely, wish background score was used miserly. Nevertheless, the pace and visuals used are well placed to thrill and create curiosity. Alas, the climax is pretty predictable and that takes away a lot from the enjoyment of the film.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 1.1/5.0 from 20 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 15 Reader Reviews

See All

Airlift - Review

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

A dusty desert wrought with equal measure of humanity and inhumanity. A film that shows you both facets without making much ado about either. Ought to be watched because these 'too good to be true' events are true.

See full review

External Reviews: 4.4/5.0 from 35 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 6 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.9/5.0 from 129 Tweet Reviews

See All

Aligarh - Review

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

It is an important film. It is a courageous film even. The film does some things really well. But, it isn't necessarily an absorbing one.

See full review

External Reviews: 4.7/5.0 from 29 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 5/5.0 from 3 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.6/5.0 from 115 Tweet Reviews

See All

Review - All the Best: closer to worst

wogma rating: Don't bother (?)

quick review:

Same ol' senseless slapping about, fooling around and basically random running all over the place. The regular elements of a typical slapstick coexist and as always, don't entertain.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 4.0/5.0 from 34 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 6 Reader Reviews

See All

Anek - Review

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

Preachy, but about a situation that many of us might need schooling for. Series of debates and monologues are sewn together to ensure the rest of the country knows that they don’t know the lived reality of fellow citizens from the seven sister states. A stimulating 2.5 hours followed by a killer of a 3-letter word climax that summarises the attitude at the root of the problem.

See full review

External Reviews: 3.0/5.0 from 16 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 2/5.0 from 1 Reader Review

See All

Attack – Part I - Review

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

You are promised an action film; you get an action film. The hint of a story is a bonus. The action is slick, even if a tad monotonous by the end.

See full review

External Reviews: 2.5/5.0 from 17 Critic Reviews

See All

Azaan - Review

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

Azaan is a well-stylized action thriller. However, its punctuated by tiring romance. What could've been a gripping drama, stretches too long and outstays its welcome by just that bit.

See full review

External Reviews: 0.5/5.0 from 20 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 5/5.0 from 2 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 2.7/5.0 from 27 Tweet Reviews

See All

B.A. Pass - Review

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Emotions are kept at bay in this dark drama. A story with a lot of meat is dealt with pretty superficially.

See full review

External Reviews: 3.5/5.0 from 28 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 1 Reader Review

See All

Twitter Verdict: 3.9/5.0 from 75 Tweet Reviews

See All

Baaghi 2 - Review

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

I am pleasantly surprised by the attempt at a detailed story. That, in the end, it all turns out to be rather ‘meh’ as expected, is another matter.

See full review

External Reviews: 1.6/5.0 from 31 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 2 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 3.3/5.0 from 115 Tweet Reviews

See All

Bahubali (Hindi, Telugu) - Review

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?) - But if you do, you may want to go to the cinema halls.

quick review:

One epic war sequence at the end of a story that is not only half-hearted, but also half-told.

See full review

External Reviews: 4.3/5.0 from 27 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 12 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.7/5.0 from 107 Tweet Reviews

See All

Bahubali 2 - The Conclusion - Review

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?) - However, if you watch a film just for the grandiose, go to the theaters.

quick review:

There is drama in a film and then there is grand drama. In the latter, the story matters even less. It is the scale, the action, the special effects that the film is shooting for and achieves.

See full review

External Reviews: 4.3/5.0 from 37 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 10 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 5/5.0 from 15 Tweet Reviews

See All

Bajirao Mastani - Review

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

One mesmerizing experience, visually. The film is good too.

See full review

External Reviews: 4.3/5.0 from 31 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 2 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.5/5.0 from 107 Tweet Reviews

See All

Band Baaja Baaraat - Review

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

Band Baaja Baaraathas umpteen points where a viewer could suggest changes to make it a better film BUT that doesn't make it a bad one. The super-basic plot looks naïve but has nice facets of a man-woman relationship built into it.

See full review

External Reviews: 4.0/5.0 from 52 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 10 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.7/5.0 from 235 Tweet Reviews

See All

Review - Barah Anna: a decent watch

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

A dark comedy about the needs of the common man. Similar needs put all three lead players on a bumpy quest of fulfilling their dreams. Laced with very strong performances

See full review

External Reviews: 3.8/5.0 from 17 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 4 Reader Reviews

See All

Befikre - Review

wogma rating: Don't bother (?)

quick review:

I physically had my head in my hands during the grand finale. Yep, it is that kind of a film.

See full review

External Reviews: 2.2/5.0 from 36 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 8 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 1.8/5.0 from 117 Tweet Reviews

See All

Bheja Fry 2 - Review

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

It's longer, it's snazzier, it's louder but it's not funnier or better. Sure, it makes you laugh a few times, but it loses the plot and goes over the top more number of times. Besides it doesn't offer anything new in terms of simpleton vs. the "classier" people.

See full review

External Reviews: 1.0/5.0 from 31 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 4 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 1.8/5.0 from 188 Tweet Reviews

See All

Bhindi Bazaar Inc - Review

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

Same old underworld world. Same old violence. Same old attempt at creating value through shock. Gore and sexual titillation are abundant. Over-dramatization and slo-mo exposition throughout drags the film. There is an attempt to tie all ends neatly, but there are only a few lines that make an impression, that too not a lasting one.

See full review

External Reviews: 1.3/5.0 from 20 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 4 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 2.5/5.0 from 12 Tweet Reviews

See All

Bhoot Police - Review

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

Borderline cute and barely horrifying, this supposed horror film is just about watchable. (Available on Disney-Hotstar)

See full review

External Reviews: 1.7/5.0 from 16 Critic Reviews

See All

Bhuj – The Pride Of India - Review

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

The story is captivating. The movie though is a hotch-potch of situations strung together messily. The war might be better served if we educated ourselves about it rather than watched this botch-up of a film.

(Available on Disney+ Hotstar)

See full review

External Reviews: 0.8/5.0 from 21 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 0/5.0 from 1 Reader Review

See All

Bittoo Boss - Review

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

Bittoo Boss has a couple insights about society and its outlook towards porn and sex. But it puts these points across in a dull, jerky manner and often without energy. Not discardable, neither enjoyable.

See full review

External Reviews: 1.2/5.0 from 35 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 0/5.0 from 2 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 1.8/5.0 from 46 Tweet Reviews

See All

Blood Money - Review

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

A strong middle hour sandwiched between twenty minutes of silliness at the beginning and an absurd last half hour, make Blood Money hanging between engaging and ridiculous. A clear indication that the writers didn't quite believe that they had it in them to give Blood Money a fair chance.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 0.5/5.0 from 32 Critic Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 1.6/5.0 from 52 Tweet Reviews

See All

Review - Blue: In Deep Water

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

The typically banal formula of action and skin packed in with some mind boggling underwater sequence. It will leave you with a bad after taste of what could’ve been a treat! After a while, you might feel you re watching National Geographic packaged the ‘bollywood ishtyle.’

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 1.4/5.0 from 37 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 4 Reader Reviews

See All

Bodyguard - Review

wogma rating: Don't bother (?)

quick review:

For once, a film made me wish it didn't have a story and was the usual Salman Khan "cool". That, at least I'm prepared for. The attempt at putting in sorry, convoluted twists just kill whatever other fun you could have had.

See full review

Audio review (subscribe):

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 2.4/5.0 from 36 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 2/5.0 from 10 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 3.8/5.0 from 59 Tweet Reviews

See All

Boss - Review

wogma rating: Don't bother (?)

quick review:

Another one of those falling in the "What else did you expect?" genre.

See full review

External Reviews: 1.8/5.0 from 35 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 2/5.0 from 6 Reader Reviews

See All

Review - CHAKDE! INDIA: Exhilarating!

wogma rating: Beg or borrow, but do watch (?)

quick review:

I am not a hockey fan and usually can just about tolerate Shah Rukh Khan. And yet, I enjoyed the movie thoroughly. Brilliant writing by Jaideep Sahni!!

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 4.8/5.0 from 31 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 5/5.0 from 9 Reader Reviews

See All

Chalo Dilli - Review

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

It is one adorable road trip! Another awesome performance by Vinay Pathak & a good one by Lara Dutta too! If only there was some control on the urge to do something dramatically drastic in the second half.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 2.2/5.0 from 32 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 5/5.0 from 6 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.0/5.0 from 72 Tweet Reviews

See All

Chase - Review

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Run away. And run away fast. You don’t want to watch a bunch of non-actors in a shabbily edited thriller, even if the story is not-bad.

See full review

External Reviews: 0.2/5.0 from 12 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 6 Reader Reviews

See All

Chashme Baddoor - Review

wogma rating: Don't bother (?)

quick review:

Chashme Baddoor is loud (like that's a surprise!), shamelessly mind-numbing, and exceeds your expectations at being miles away from logical. Bad performances, awful one-liners, ridiculously thoughtless situations make it even worse.

See full review

Audio review (subscribe):

External Reviews: 1.9/5.0 from 44 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 2/5.0 from 10 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 3.5/5.0 from 145 Tweet Reviews

See All

City of Gold - Review

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Sure, the concept is nice. But, the nice stuff stops there. I'm not at all passing a moral judgement on the characters' lack of character. It's just the loud and annoying way in which things play out that gets on your nerves after about an hour. And there is another 1.5 hours to go.

See full review

External Reviews: 3.1/5.0 from 20 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 17 Reader Reviews

See All

D-Day - Review

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

A thriller which tries hard to be way too much more.

See full review

External Reviews: 3.8/5.0 from 33 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 3 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.5/5.0 from 92 Tweet Reviews

See All

Review - Dabangg: fearless mix of masalas

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Dabangg, and more so, Salman Khan, won't even allow a reviewer her right to roll her eyes. How can she be the snoot who ignores a packed house is dancing and clapping its way to the background score of an action sequence? She laughs at the silliness on screen and off. She walks out of the theater feeling happy for the people who had come to enjoy and made sure they had a good time. But enjoy, for her own self, did she? Nope. Not a chance.

See full review

Audio review (subscribe):

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 4.0/5.0 from 53 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 2/5.0 from 8 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.7/5.0 from 106 Tweet Reviews

See All

Dil Dhadakne Do - Review

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

A few laugh out loud moments, a smile through and through. A few real problems looked at superficially. Some #FirstWorldProblem you smile a cynical smile at. Unfortunately, a little shallow, a little too flaky and preachy too.

See full review

External Reviews: 3.5/5.0 from 32 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 7 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 3.8/5.0 from 107 Tweet Reviews

See All

Do Dooni Chaar - Review

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

Stories from the lives of the middle class, a generation gap where the children want to move up to the next level in socio-economic ladder. Sounds boring and is too. But the relationships are warm and the issues are real. Unfortunately there is a patch in between which makes the film a drag. That along with the preaching takes away from the crisp film it could have been.

See full review

Audio review (subscribe):

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 4.5/5.0 from 32 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 5/5.0 from 2 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.8/5.0 from 108 Tweet Reviews

See All

Don 2 - Review

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

Smart lines and slick camerawork turns into tiring witticism and regular big-budget technicalities because it is over-written and over-stylized. The few extra seconds taken to establish a scene with elegance give the crux of the scene away. This keeps this action-thriller from being crisp. Multiple, smart twists are pointless if you are going to chicken out in the climax.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 2.6/5.0 from 43 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 18 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 3.8/5.0 from 224 Tweet Reviews

See All

Drishyam - Review

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

I don't remember the last time my emotions were engaged in a thriller, let alone a pounding heart and racing mind. A psychological thriller that hooks, thrills and keeps you thinking after it is done.

See full review

External Reviews: 3.8/5.0 from 32 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 5/5.0 from 6 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.9/5.0 from 123 Tweet Reviews

See All

Ek Thi Daayan - Review

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

Ek Thi Daayan builds at a good pace and takes the proceedings to a great peak at mid-time. Unfortunately, it goes only down after interval. Yet, there are a few genuine scares and good performances. A casual DVD watch.

See full review

Audio review (subscribe):

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 3.1/5.0 from 44 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 4 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 3.0/5.0 from 109 Tweet Reviews

See All

English Vinglish - Review

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

A simple Indian woman's complexes are explored with warmth and charm. Sridevi brings to us a home-maker's self-doubt with a wonderful performance despite the squeak in her voice and distracting accent.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 4.8/5.0 from 54 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 5/5.0 from 9 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.9/5.0 from 301 Tweet Reviews

See All

Fan - Review

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

“You want real acting from me? Here! Take that! And some more!” an emphatic announcement by Shah Rukh Khan in a not-bad thriller.

See full review

External Reviews: 4.4/5.0 from 39 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 4 Reader Reviews

See All

Force - Review

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

Force is a perfect masala film, which also means, it is perfectly predictable. And yet, Force keeps you engaged. It has everything in the right proportion - romance, action, drama. But it doesn't have that one overwhelming factor which can make me recommend it to you without any reservations. I have to add caveats like, if you are into hard-core action, if you like borderline genuine romance, if you don't mind the two interrupting each other, then watch it for sure.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 2.1/5.0 from 37 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 7 Reader Reviews

See All

Gangs of Wasseypur 2 - Review

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

Gangs of Wasseypur II delivers on the promise of being a quirky revenge saga. A saga which holds no bars and lets loose the internal animal which revenge itself seems to have given birth to. A saga so full of characters that a keen film-lover would want to watch twice – only if they can stomach the violence in almost every frame and profanity in every other sentence. Others, shouldn't even bother.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 3.8/5.0 from 49 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 8 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.7/5.0 from 94 Tweet Reviews

See All

Review - Golmaal Returns: And how I wish it didn't!

wogma rating: Don't bother (?)

quick review:

As loud as Diwali and as bright as Diwali and Holi put together. A festival of poor writing, gay jokes, random songs, SMS forwards, etc

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 1.3/5.0 from 28 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 7 Reader Reviews

See All

Review - Guru: Guru never gives up, but looks like Mani did, towards the end…

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 4.1/5.0 from 11 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 4 Reader Reviews

See All

Guzaarish - Review

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

Guzaarish is an art museum. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is the perfectly chiseled curator and Hrithik Roshan an almost statue. And this once, it’s not his acting I’m complaining about, the script demands him to stay put. You are watching them etched in many exotic, exquisite paintings frame after frame. So, what if the very basis of the story is pointless and there are gaping holes which are difficult to digest.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 3.2/5.0 from 47 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 23 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 4.0/5.0 from 419 Tweet Reviews

See All

Review - Halla Bol: Immature execution

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Loads of improvement needed and possible in almost all departments. Barring a few sequences, the movie seems very superficial.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

External Reviews: 2.3/5.0 from 33 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 1 Reader Review

See All

Hate Story - Review

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

The story - beyond the lead lady turning into a prostitute - might still have worked, I can imaginably have given that much to the writers. But, the film that it has turned into is certainly well worth hating. From acting to music to pretty much everything else, Hate Story pushes your patience to the brink.

See full review

External Reviews: 1.2/5.0 from 27 Critic Reviews

See All

User Ratings: 3/5.0 from 3 Reader Reviews

See All

Twitter Verdict: 2.6/5.0 from 66 Tweet Reviews

See All

Review - Hello: Trying to tell a story when there isn't one.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

One wonders if books should really be converted to films. It doesn't always work out better.

See full review

Notepad: The notepad contains other notes, what worked, what did not work, and might contain spoilers. Click at your own risk.

See Notepad

User Ratings: 4/5.0 from 2 Reader Reviews

See All

Hello Jai Hind (Marathi) - Review

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?) - Basically, the keen must watch it!

quick review:

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Life after the grand wedding deserves a few films. But I wish it wasn’t in the form of Jugjugg Jeeyo’s slapsticky treatment.

Review Even as a child, when I saw romantic films, I wondered why no popular movie ventured into life after the big happy wedding. This couple fought tooth and nail with family and society. How did they do after getting married? Maybe because it will be a run-of-the-mill story. Jugjugg Jeeyo takes on the challenge and does it in two stages too. Unfortunately, the details and the execution are so cheap and cheesy that I cannot even make a “Watch it for the novelty” recommendation. It doesn’t help that the man-woman relationship’s presentation is skewed by stereotypes making the film uneven.

Jugjugg Jeeyo looks at life after marriage along two intersections through two married couples—modern-traditional and, of course, man-woman. It also uses the narrative tool of having a soon-to-be-married character as an onlooker. She, like us in the audience, is looking at these two couples wondering why anyone gets married at all. So far, so good.

But, oh dear, does the film lose it in the details. The film hop-scotches from ridiculous to yuck to whatever to boring in the situations it goes through. Save a couple of brilliantly insightful lines, there is nothing in the writing—from dialogue to characters to sub-plots—to show that the writers were serious about taking up the challenge that the premise provides.

Indeed, that is the strain throughout the film—the humourlessness of the topic versus the slapstick treatment it is given. It is as if the makers were afraid to present the grim situations as so. One could argue that post-marriage life does not offer much to explore. But to treat it so casually and show an unworthy man’s blasé behaviour as a joke reeked of fear of becoming staid.

It is no surprise then, that Anil Kapoor’s overacting becomes annoying, given the tacky situations his character, Bhim, is put through. So over-the-top is Kapoor that Maniesh Paul’s caricature-of-a character Gurpreet comes across as charming despite the innuendoes he’s asked to carry. In fact, in their side roles, he and Prajakta Koli stand out despite being slapstick and muted, respectively. This, in fact, worked in favour of Jugjugg Jeeyo. That the main characters share space with the supporting ones. Neetu Singh, Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani hold their own in some intense scenes. If only the scenes were not long drawn out and written with a little more insight.

Unfortunately, perceptions of and perspectives on marriage make way for monotonous lectures on the meaning of marriage and shouting matches. And each situation is stretched and forced to make a point where subtlety might have worked better.

Interestingly, the nuances of the changes in the concept of marriage, especially that of gender roles, are presented with more dexterity. Except for one scene, where it is said aloud, the other ideas revolving around the man-woman part of a straight marriage or the transformation of the nature of couplehood in the past few decades register subconsciously. In hindsight, I wonder if it was intentional at all because of the cringe-inducing chaos it is injected into. Just like the attempts at a feministic take smack in the middle of a “men will be men” one.

Though I was flinching every few minutes, the same premise holds promise to be made into a better film. In fact, the same cast would work because of the potential we are already aware of. With so, so, so many films that continue to be made about life before marriage, life after marriage surely has enough content worth making films about. Yes, plural.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A couple of slaps. * Language: A few curse words. * Nudity & Sexual content: A bachelor party that has skin show; A shirtless Varun Dhawan and skimpily clad women. * Concept: Life after the grand wedding. * General Look and Feel: Bright

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1 * Story: 1 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 2.5
Lyrics: 2.5

Jugjugg Jeeyo - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apoorva Mehta
Director: Raj Mehta
Lead Cast: Anil Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Varun Dhawan, Kiara Advani
Supporting Cast: Tisca Chopra, Maniesh Paul, Prajakta Koli, Elnaaz Norouzi
Story: Anurag Singh
Screenplay: Anurag Singh, Neeraj Udwani, Rishabh Sharma, Sumit Bhateja
Cinematography: Jay I. Patel
Editor: Manish More
Background Score: John Stewart Eduri
Choreography: Adil Shaikh, Bosco Martis, Ceasar Gonsalves
Music Director: Mithoon, Kavita Seth, Tanishk Bagchi, Kanishk Seth, Diesby, Pozy
Lyrics: Mithoon, Tanishk Bagchi, Ginny Diwan, Diesby, Dhruv Yogi
Costume Designer: Eka Lakhani
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 150 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Comedy,

Family,

Relationships,

Slapstick

View Details

19 reviewers have given Samrat Prithviraj an average rating of 1.8/5.0 (?)

3 yays 8 nays 8 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Switch channels if it's on cable (?)

quick review:

You get exactly what you expect. Over-dramatised in almost every frame. Provoking cynicism in each one. The mythical tone it is drenched in makes you laugh aloud in a story about valour.

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Watch the film for its combination of myth and history. It’s fondly trying to recreate a time when everything was just and honourable, while also showing that it's our own disunity which allowed the invaders to step in. A lesson to be learnt, perhaps…...

full review

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...All in all, Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi’s ‘Samrat Prithviraj’, with great cast and impactful writing is a celebration of valour and a must watch...

full review

Thumbs up by Rachana Dubey,

Times of India

...Overall, Samrat Prithviraj is a well-performed and well-directed family drama. It doesn’t have the opulence that we have seen in other historial dramas, but there is enough to keep you invested and also take you back into the pages of our glorious history....

full review

So-So by Rohit Maurya,

Bollywood Life

...So, is Prithviraj Chauhan worth the watch? Well, to be honest, you can try. There are some scenes which will stay with you even after leaving the theatres. Going with 2.5 stars out of 5 for Akshay Kumar's Samrat Prithviraj....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

..."Ek rajkumari ne ek rakumar ki veerta ki kahaaniya sun sun kar sapne bun liye thhe, ki ek din woh rajkumar aayega aur usse ghode pe le jayega," goes a dialogue in Samrat Prithviraj. While Akshay Kumar's warrior king does arrive in a grand way, he simply fails to transport you to a world that has a lot of blood rushing through its veins. Despite all the opulence, his historical film leaves you feeling underwhelmed....

full review

So-So by Devasheesh Pandey,

India TV

...The movie's final act is impactful. The return of a former enemy raises the stakes and the climax battle builds beat by beat suspense eliciting some edge of the seat moments and gasp inducing thrills. The final scene is a fitting tribute to the bravery of Prithviraj Chauhan and will leave you teary eyed. As compared to the first half, the second half has a better balance of action and drama....

full review

So-So by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, A good period film has always comprised of two good parts – the first one, of course, being the mob-swarming wars & second are the sequences that led the rulers to the battlefield. Akshay Kumar’s Samrat Prithviraj fails in having the second part in its place which leaves quite a few things half-baked....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan's story is so big, so massive, but Dwivedi failed to understand the potential of his own writing when he was in that director's chair. This story could have been taken to such a level that even Baahubali would feel humiliated, but all it offers is strictly an average viewing experience. As a whole, team Samrat Prithviraj puts a lot of effort into filmmaking, but unfortunately at the wrong place. Watch it only to know the glorious story of Hindu Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan, not for the cinematic experience....

full review

So-So

Pinkvilla

...Overall, Samrat Prithviraj is strictly an average affair, with a rather flat screenplay. The historical is primarily watchable due to three strong sequences – The opening act, the intermission block, and the finale. While the three key actors deliver an earnest performance and the director has mounted the film well, the narrative surely demanded a lot more drama, and at-least a war sequence in the second half. The brave Indian warrior deserved a better film....

full review

So-So by Deepa Gahlot,

Rediff

...However, like the listeners of the balladeers of yore, watch it as entertainment or a heavily fictionalised version of history....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Yet, when Prithviraj has Ghori at his feet, he let his adversary off. It is the first of a series of questionable decisions, for which the blame is apportioned elsewhere. If Prithviraj’s astrologer and confidante Chand (Sonu Sood) is to believed, his king’s eclipse is predestined. And then there is the treachery of people like Jaychand to consider....

full review

Thumbs down by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Debutant Manushi Chhillar is graceful, but emotionally unequipped to play such a pivotal role. The well-known incident from history here Sanyukta elopes with Prithviraj during her own swayamvar could have aimed for a deeper impact.

The same goes for film which falls short of an epic breadth by a wide margin....

full review

Thumbs down by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Music by Shankar, Ehsaan, and Loy is good. Hari Har, Yodha, Hadd Kar De and Makhmali have the flavour of that era in addition to the modern-day touch. Overall, 'Samrat Prithviraj' is a one time watch that is nowhere close to the noted historical dramas Bollywood has produced....

full review

Thumbs down by Soumya Srivastawa,

Hindustan Times

...Based on poem Prithviraj Raso by the king's loyal Chand Bardai (played by Sonu Sood in the film), Samrat Prithviraj often crosses over to panegyric, bhajan territory rather than stay believable as a story of a brave but still 'human' king. There is nothing more distancing than a man who is already a god....

full review

Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...As befits its simplistic, shorn-of-nuance tone, the film is loud and lurid, lurching between dialogue-baazi and blandness, and staying determinedly faithful to its stated intent....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...A historical drama of this magnitude needed more than just a big budget. It required a sharper eye, a larger vision and a greater degree of integrity, none of which is within its grasp....

full review

Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...No Chand Bardai can save this Prithvirajl he will require political bandmasters to extol its mediocrity for some time....

full review

Thumbs down by Pratikshya Mishra,

The Quint

...The film isn’t all bad though. The music is brilliant, and the script was clearly written after research. What a debut for former Miss World Manushi Chhillar! While she isn’t the best actor on screen, she was memorable and for a debut, that’s good enough....

full review

Thumbs down by Pooja Birala Jaiswal,

The Week

...Samrat Prithviraj might test your patience and endurance levels. The only compelling narrative in this dull drama is that of Manav Vij's character of Ghori who itches to invade and pillage....

full review

See Also

wogma review

19 Critic Reviews 1.8/5.0

Samrat Prithviraj - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Director: Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar, Manushi Chhillar
Supporting Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Manoj Joshi, Sonu Sood, Ashutosh Rana, Sakshi Tanwar, Manav Vij, Varun Buddhadev
Story: Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi
Cinematography: Manush Nandan
Editor: Aarif Shaikh
Background Score: Sanchit Balhara, Ankit Balhara
Choreography: Vaibhavi Merchant
Music Director: Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonsa, Alap Desai
Lyrics: Varun Grover
Costume Designer: Sanjeev Rajsingh Parmar
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action,

War

View Details

wogma rating: Watch for sure, preferably in theatre (?)

quick review:

Lightyear is, at the same time, a celebration of the science fiction genre, a reminder of the magic of Toy Story, and a solid science fiction story in its own regard.

Review Both Jurassic World: Dominion and Pixar’s latest film, Lightyear, are movies that will make a lot of money regardless of how good they are. They don’t need to have good stories as long as they do the bare minimum to deliver on their one selling point—reminders of legendary movies that already have dedicated fanbases. Every year, there are at least three movies that follow this route—huge budgets, pre-existing fandom, and zero need for a story.

Dominion conducts its business in a way that makes you want to stop watching it and put on the 1993 classic instead.

Lightyear chooses to forgo that in favour of doing something revolutionary: telling a story… all by itself.

Lightyear is, at the same time, a celebration of the science fiction genre, a reminder of the magic of Toy Story, and a solid science fiction story in its own regard. It is a glowing example of what filmmaking can accomplish only by following the basic rules of storytelling. It uses a time-tested formula without feeling formulaic. It weaponizes long-loved tropes of science fiction and the fanbase that Toy Story has accrued, to sell you a well-executed by-the-numbers “teamwork-makes-the-dream-work” story.

In an age of sprawling cinematic universes coasting on the popularity of A- movies, Lightyear is a strong A. It uses the attachment to better movies as a pole-vault to situate itself in the animation sci-fi canon. In an age where every mainstream movie relies on the viewer having watched and enjoyed seven others, Lightyear stands tall, providing satisfying entertainment in one.

It is true that the movie follows a formula. Every Creative Writing rule that I’ve heard of, has been followed here to the letter. Stories walk a fine line when following rules—they run the risk of being predictable. But even though I knew all the rules, their execution surprised me a few times. In the end, that’s what stories are meant to do—surprise, excite, and invigorate. This movie does all three, albeit to a lesser extent than some of Pixar’s other work. It doesn’t play with expectations that come with a genre, but it plays to them well, enhancing them ever so little, enough to keep you entertained.

Lightyear is a joy to watch not only because of the storytelling, but also because of the painstaking animation of the magicians at Pixar. Talent and love pour out of every frame. The camera flies around the digital space in a more thrilling way than I’ve seen for a while. If you are willing and able, please watch this movie in the full IMAX.

This article is by guest author Arsh Kabra. A sixteen year-old who's probably watching a movie right now.

Arsh Kabra also blogs at http://abu.smritiweb.com/.

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Mild. It is an action movie, but an action movie for children. * Language: No foul language. * Nudity & Sexual content: None. * Concept: Science fiction, like Star Wars or Star Trek. * General Look and Feel: Animation, fun, and action-packed.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 4.5 * Story: 4 * Lead Actors: 3.5 * Character Artists: 4

Dialogues: 3.5
Screenplay: 4
Music Director: 3.5
Lyrics:

Lightyear - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter Wikipedia IMDB
Director: Angus MacLane
Lead Cast: Chris Evans
Supporting Cast: Taika Waititi, James Brolin, Keke Palmer
Story: Angus MacLane, Matthew Aldrich
Screenplay: Jason Headley
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 105 minutes
Reviewer: Arsh Kabra
Language: English
Country: USA
Genres: Adventure,

Animation,

Family,

Kids,

Sci-fi

View Details

wogma rating: Switch channels if it's on cable (?)

quick review:

You get exactly what you expect. Over-dramatised in almost every frame. Provoking cynicism in each one. The mythical tone it is drenched in makes you laugh aloud in a story about valour.

Review Samrat Prithviraj opens with a long-drawn-out, excruciatingly slow-motioned, yawn-inducing sequence of Prithviraj Chauhan (Akshay Kumar) fighting lions. Even as you remind yourself that the story is inspired by a poem—so it doesn’t carry the responsibility of being true to history scene-by-scene—you can’t stop laughing as your mind runs to the scene from Mard, in which Amitabh Bachchan’s character is fighting crocodiles. You bring your racing mind back to the present—a blinded man in the middle of a dusty arena. You can tell that this will soon go to a flashback and are only hoping that the film will not end with you struggling with your mind in the same arena at the end of the film. Your prediction is correct. Your hope is futile. This is what you experience in almost every scene of the film—amusement over historical correctness or lack thereof-->mind pacing to something remotely relevant and fighting lions of restlessness and boredom-->optimism that the prediction you are making right now will not come true-->disappointment when it inevitably does-->repeat.

There are two ways to look at Samrat Prithviraj, whether the film is historically accurate or not. If it happened for real, the sewing together of bits from the warrior’s life is abrupt. Also, his greatness is put on such a pedestal that it comes across as an agenda rather than sincere. The analogies with mythical characters in its songs and dialogue don’t help, giving it a fairy-tale feel rather than a genuine tribute. The lack of flow cutting from war to family drama to a king’s courtroom throws you off. This is a comment on the screenplay rather than the film’s editing.

Watching the film felt like the makers wanted to show us a trailer of the king’s life rather than his essence or what made him as great as he is made out to be. As you watch Prithviraj Chauhan advocate for his wife and other women’s rights, you can’t help but wonder if they really wanted to pay tribute to the man's greatness, would a 54-year-old Akshay Kumar be shown as married to a 25-year-old Manushi Chhillar? As he speaks of gender equality, you cannot respect the feminism on display before you find out how the film paid the men and women working on it.

Yes, the above holds true even if the film is inaccurate. Maybe even truer. Because, after a point, historical figures can only be held so much to today’s social norms. But, if today’s standards are attributed to those who lived 8 centuries ago, the least the cast and crew can be expected to do is hold up to those standards in real life. No?

Additionally, if it is inaccurate, then why the choice of over-the-top melodrama. It could have been over-the-top, or it could have been melodramatic. Why both? Each dialogue feels over-written. Sure, individual lines might have something important to say, but it is overbearing when each one is spoken with so much intensity and sounds so laboured. Especially with the background score blaring.

It is a wonder then that Sonu Sood and Manav Vij hold their own and do not give in to the cacophony around them. Their grounded presence stands out and might be just about what makes the film tolerable. Sure, the visuals are grand, but such a magnificent presentation is about average for a movie of this budget and stature. The one bit I really enjoyed was the juxtaposition of war scenes against dance sequences. Otherwise, it doesn’t really play around with colours as much and sticks to a dusty palate with shades of pink and orange thrown in.

Speaking of which, I would really like to know if orange/saffron indeed was the colour of his army’s flags and turbans. I would also like to know if not a single person wearing saffron other than Ghori’s brother got so much as a scratch in the first war. Were the war cries the same that we associate with Chatrapati Shivaji? Did they really hang him like Jesus Christ? Were his enemies really so enamoured by his fighting spirit? Didn’t he actually run away from one of the wars? While I am at it, when they say ‘Hindustan’ in a film set in the late-1100s, what do they mean?

Oh, oops, I am in the “if the film is not historically accurate” part of the review, aren’t I? Ok, then in the first scene, why didn’t Ghori (Manav Vij) kill Prithviraj Chauhan when he didn’t bow his head? Why the second chance? Why was Kaka Kan (Sanjay Dutt) tapping his heart when he said “hand”? Why was Prithviraj Chauhan given such a lame Hindi film line like, “If you have fed on your mother’s milk…”? Why do the makers think that not a single warrior in the Mahabharat had any hesitation while going to war? Why were most women grievers wearing matching green saris like it was the funeral uniform? Why did anybody second guess Ghori’s intentions when he clearly declared war? Why are we glamourising war?

This reminds me of a dinner conversation a few years ago. Someone at the table said, “We are too emotional and right-hearted. The rest of the world is selfish and cruel. They take advantage of our niceness.” It was a sweeping generalisation that had no basis in reality or even anecdotal relevance. Samrat Prithviraj came across as a story that stems from such a self-pitying victim-complex type of conversation. A holier-than-thou attitude that is so insecure that it needs reassurance from enemies. A film that doesn’t feel like its heart is necessarily all in the right place.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads. A couple of long war scenes. One long sequence of Akshay Kumar fighting lions. * Language: Clean. A name maybe intentionally tweaked to sounds like a Hindi curse word. * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: Prithviraj Chauhan’s bravery * General Look and Feel: Grand visuals. But nothing out of the ordinary for a film with this budget and stature.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 0.5 * Story: * Lead Actors: 1.5 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 1.5
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director: 2.5
Lyrics: 2.5

Samrat Prithviraj - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Director: Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi
Lead Cast: Akshay Kumar, Manushi Chhillar
Supporting Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Manoj Joshi, Sonu Sood, Ashutosh Rana, Sakshi Tanwar, Manav Vij, Varun Buddhadev
Story: Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi
Cinematography: Manush Nandan
Editor: Aarif Shaikh
Background Score: Sanchit Balhara, Ankit Balhara
Choreography: Vaibhavi Merchant
Music Director: Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonsa, Alap Desai
Lyrics: Varun Grover
Costume Designer: Sanjeev Rajsingh Parmar
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 135 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action,

War

View Details

3 reviewers have given Toolsidas Junior an average rating of 4.2/5.0 (?)

2 yays 0 nays 1 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

This predictable, run-of-the-mill underdog film skips the training montage and uses fun layman language to explain the technicalities of the sport. Indeed, not enough to warrant your time and energy. But not a complete loss if you end up watching it anyway.

(Available on Netflix)

Thumbs up by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...In one of the scenes when Mridal seeks advice from his mentor for always messing up with the black ball, the latter tells him about the 'finishing problem' where people start things well in the beginning, but fail to finish them. "Life ki chhoti choti cheezon ko khatam karna seekho. Kaaliya toh kya Gabbar ko bhi pocket mein thukaadongey," the trainer tells the snooker genius....

full review

Thumbs up by Shruti Pandit,

Free Press Journal

...Credit goes to director and writer Mridul Mahendra for a tight script and apt direction. Kudos to Ashutosh Gowariker for putting all this together. Though one wonders why didn’t they have a proper release…...

full review

So-So by Archika Khurana,

Times of India

...Due to its honest performances and simple storyline, 'Toolsidas Junior' will undoubtedly win hearts and leave you with a smile on your face while you walk out of the theatre....

full review

See Also

wogma review

3 Critic Reviews 4.2/5.0

Toolsidas Junior - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Ashutosh Gowariker Productions, T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.
Producer: Ashutosh Gowariker, Bhushan Kumar, Sunita Gowariker, Kishan Kumar
Director: Mridul Mahendra
Lead Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Varun Buddhadev
Supporting Cast: Dalip Tahil, Rajeev Kapoor, Ashish Shukla, Tasveer Kamil, Chinmay Chandraunshuh, Sara Arjun, Barun Chanda, Badrul Islam, Don Ray, Rajinder Sharma Nanu, Benjamin Yangal
Story: Mridul Mahendra
Screenplay: Ashutosh Gowariker, Mridul Mahendra
Dialogues: Mridul Mahendra
Cinematography: Kamaljeet Negi
Editor: Chandrashekhar Prajapati
Background Score: Daniel B George
Lyrics: Swananda Kirkire
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Relationships,

Sports

View Details

16 reviewers have given Anek an average rating of 3.0/5.0 (?)

4 yays 1 nays 11 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Anek parks its angst at the dead-centre of ambivalence. It has neither the patience not the bandwidth to explain the volatile situation to the conflicted characters, let alone to the audience. This is a film that demands an educated literate audience which can tell the difference between Pure Cinema and its hybridized films that flood the movie theatres these days....

full review

Thumbs up

Economic Times

...Anek is undoubtedly another conscious-keeper creation by Anubhav Sinha that compels you to think about justice and equality based on religion, gender, castle and now region. While the subject is exciting and unique, the representation could have been done with more subtlety. In contrast, the movie is a tad slow in the first half but comparatively fast-paced in the second half. Due to a weak narrative, the film leaves the audience with so many unsettling questions

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/anek-movie-review-another-unsettling-thought-providing-socio-political-drama-by-anubhav-sinha/articleshow/91833649.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst...

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Watch the movie for all the ugly truths it explores and for the inspired acting of the ensemble cast....

full review

Thumbs up

Times of India

...The film is engaging, but it could have done with a tighter screen time. It’s a tad slow pre-interval and comparatively fast-paced post that, and unpacks a lot in that timespan....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...In a crucial scene, when Aido discovers a startling truth about Joshua, she rebukes him harshly and exclaims , "What a waste!" Those words also sum up your disappointment as Ayushmann Khurrana's Anek falls short of being a powerful voice unlike his previous collaboration with Anubhav Sinha (Article 15)....

full review

So-So by Punarvasu Pendse,

fullhyd.com

...Anek is a beautifully shot film about a very real topic that most Indians are often clueless about. What lets it down is its reluctance to flesh out its storylines, instead settling for a middle-of-the-road approach that shies away from taking a stand. Still, worth a watch to understand Northeast India, especially when we can't think of a single mainstream film that does so....

full review

So-So by Manjusha Radhakrishnan,

Gulf News

...But if you are looking for solid performances by seasoned actors like Khurrana, Pahwa, and Mishra, then you will find a lot to enjoy in this film that takes a lot of time to get to the meat of the issue. But at times, you feel this provocative film cuts too close to our bone....

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...Anek movie review: Ayushmann Khurrana and the film stay woolly, being careful to stay in the middle of the while-on-the-one-side, but-also tightrope. Anubhav Sinha dips his toe into relatively unexplored territory, with mixed results....

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Anek makes it two in a row. First, it's Sinhaa's writing at fault here, then it's direction. Anek seems so clueless and off track for more than half of its runtime that you can't make head or tail of it. The new characters suddenly come into the picture, some suddenly disappear, and most of the time, it's the linear equation that seems lost....

full review

So-So by NAVNEET VYASAN,

News18.com

...The screenplay lags at many points. The first half may leave you twitching at your seats. Nevertheless, Sinha manages to pull you back in the second half, to an extent, somehow. A rare feat. Perhaps, what catches your attention is the authenticity that he stresses on. The characters are real and rooted. The questions that they ask are pertinent....

full review

So-So by Yvonne Jacob,

NewsBytes

...The representation of real events is commendable; so is the authenticity in terms of casting actors from the North East. It all adds a genuine touch to the film's context. The cinematography is well executed with brilliant but limited shots of the Seven Sister States. Overall, Anek is a decent attempt at an action film and religiously puts its agenda forward....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Anek is more credible when it lets the power brokers of Delhi conduct dirty business as usual.

They are not exceptionally written, but in the skin of Manoj Pahwa and Kumud Mishra, they gain nuance if not complexity.

Pahwa's Abrar, a Kashmiri Muslim often likening the NE situation to the Kashmir situation, oscillates between hostile and hardened.

No matter what direction one looks in, there's no country for people's voices.

Not in five years, not in 75....

full review

So-So by Swati Chopra,

The Quint

...The director uses a powerful scene to say that there are no winners in a political battle, unless you are the one wielding the power....

full review

Thumbs down by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Anek makes a big pitch for diversity in representation – best represented by Aido, who wants to participate in tournaments wearing the colours of the country seen as crushing her people. Yet, Anek opts for the age-old trick used by films set outside the comfort zone of the average mainland Hindi viewer: elision....

full review

See Also

wogma review

16 Critic Reviews 3.0/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Anek - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Anubhav Sinha Productions Pvt Ltd
Producer: Anubhav Sinha, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Lead Cast: Ayushman Khurana, Andrea Kevichusa
Supporting Cast: Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Rajendra Sethi, Jatin Goswami, Deeplina Deka, Loitongbam Dorendra Singh, Mipham Otsal, Sushil Pandey
Story: Anubhav Sinha
Screenplay: Anubhav Sinha, Sima Agarwal, Yash Keswani
Dialogues: Anubhav Sinha
Cinematography: Ewan Mulligan
Editor: Yasha Ramchandani
Background Score: Mangesh Dhadke
Music Director: Anubhav Sinha
Lyrics: Anubhav Sinha, Shakeel Azmi, Basharat Peer, Jonathan Lentur
Costume Designer: Vishakha Kullarwar
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 150 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Philosophy,

Politics,

Social,

War

View Details

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

Review In its quest to discern the meaning of identity, peace, and all things that come along, Anek morphs into a dramatised philosophical documentary. Once you are open to that experience, though, Anek has the potential to invoke thoughts that you and I would want to mull over. The film might not have many new arguments for those who think about racism and discrimination against an oppressed class. But you can see your head nod in agreement. The hope is, I assume, that those of us who don’t think any wrong is being done can catch a glimpse of the other side instead of just hearing it in a drawing room debate.

Many of us who have had these intellectualised discussions know that those who disagree aren’t really heeding logic or reason. So, while Anek’s philosophisation rings true, it is likely to fall on deaf ears. Do people who participate in calling North-eastern Indians derogatory names in real life under the guise of ‘just joking’ want to think about the essence of being an Indian or the true sense of ‘peace’? Aren’t these people the film’s true target audience?

Even so, those of us who are on the same side as Anek can look forward to some powerful lines that make our arguments about concepts such as diversity, democracy, republic, constitution, peace, citizens’ voice and more. Of course, the film makes snide yet subtle comments on contemporary politics which bring a wry smirk. The taunt in the form of the car license plates made me let out the loudest of my cynical laughs. And even the name of the protagonist is sarcasm done as well as it can be.

The characters are all representatives of the group they belong to. From the teenager who is drawn towards the fight his brothers are fighting to his mother who just seeks a simple life; from the lead lady character who wants to do the right thing from her point of view to her father who is the new separatist leader; from a special agent who sees that the government he is serving is not really helping the people they are meant to work for to the politician who has had a taste of his own medicine and wants to pass it on—all characters are symbols of everyone who has similar views. It is not any one person’s story. This is why Anek comes across more like a lesson than a film.

Given that the film isn’t character-driven, all the performances feel like they are in place but not necessarily making you feel for the character. Together, they want you to think about the situation and formulate your opinion. And that they do.

This is taken a step further, becoming even more meta. The film points out the conceptual similarity of the political trouble or separatist movements across the country. And the basic fact of current politics that no one who has power, no one who is in control, wants dissent and cares little for the common man.

While Anek presents the circumstance of North-Eastern India, I am sure it only scratches the surface. There is no way a 75-year history of ‘he-did-she-did’ can be translated into a 2.5-hour film. That, too, one that wants to show a gruesome civil war of sorts that the region has been going through since India’s independence from the British. The war scenes are many and horrifying. These sequences even come across as those belonging to films that are solely about war, stretching the fights, accentuating the pointlessness of it all. But Anek is attempting to be more than that.

Yes, it is wishful thinking that minds will change with what a film says. But what else do we have other than hope? Else, many of us know the conclusion of such arguments, and the film brings it out beautifully with literally one last word—a climax that is now one of my favourite ones.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads * Language: A couple of curse words said in passing * Nudity & Sexual content: None. Rape is alluded to in a conversation, but not mentioned explicitly. * Concept: The situation of the citizens of North-East India * General Look and Feel: Gritty and grim

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2.5 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 3.5
Screenplay: 2.5
Music Director: 3.5
Lyrics:

See Also

wogma review

16 Critic Reviews 3.0/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Anek - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Anubhav Sinha Productions Pvt Ltd
Producer: Anubhav Sinha, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Lead Cast: Ayushman Khurana, Andrea Kevichusa
Supporting Cast: Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Rajendra Sethi, Jatin Goswami, Deeplina Deka, Loitongbam Dorendra Singh, Mipham Otsal, Sushil Pandey
Story: Anubhav Sinha
Screenplay: Anubhav Sinha, Sima Agarwal, Yash Keswani
Dialogues: Anubhav Sinha
Cinematography: Ewan Mulligan
Editor: Yasha Ramchandani
Background Score: Mangesh Dhadke
Music Director: Anubhav Sinha
Lyrics: Anubhav Sinha, Shakeel Azmi, Basharat Peer, Jonathan Lentur
Costume Designer: Vishakha Kullarwar
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 150 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Philosophy,

Politics,

Social,

War

View Details

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

(Available on Netflix)

Review From the word go, you can predict where Toolsidas Junior is headed in the next 15-20 minutes. Of course, the climax will be the usual sports underdog drama. Understandably, there is not much a film in this genre can do with its finale. So, the audience is hanging on to the ‘how’. Alas, the film does very little to grab your attention, let alone keep it with the protagonists.

“How will Toolsidas Junior deal with the obstacles laid on his path?” “Which ones will he overcome?” “What will he do with those he cannot overcome?” It is not that the film doesn’t do anything at all with these questions. Unfortunately, it uses annoying slapstick to get through them. It also repeats a lot of the tackiness under the guise of displaying a character’s memory.

Amidst the ennui, there is a spurt of elegance when Toolsidas Junior (Varun Buddhadev) learns the tricks of the trade. The film chooses to do away with the typical training montage found in such films. Instead, it invests energy in educating its protagonist and the audience using relatable analogies and pop culture references. That is the only spark in writing, though.

The spark shines brighter because Sanjay Dutt delivers the knowledge in a fashion that comes most naturally to him. Throughout the rest of the film, he broods and broods well. Varun Buddhadev plays the titular character with the earnestness of an eager-to-please twelve-year-old. The rest of the cast has characters written way too superficially for them to be able to do much with it.

We cannot say that Toolsidas Junior must have stood out on paper because the premise itself is nothing out of the ordinary. Given that, I am happy that it created some interest, even if it was for a few minutes. And you can only give so much credit that a movie skipped doing.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A couple of slaps * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: A son wants to take over his dad’s responsibility take his legacy forward * General Look and Feel: Generic

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1.5 * Story: 1.5 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 1
Screenplay: 1
Music Director:
Lyrics:

See Also

wogma review

3 Critic Reviews 4.2/5.0

Toolsidas Junior - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Ashutosh Gowariker Productions, T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.
Producer: Ashutosh Gowariker, Bhushan Kumar, Sunita Gowariker, Kishan Kumar
Director: Mridul Mahendra
Lead Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Varun Buddhadev
Supporting Cast: Dalip Tahil, Rajeev Kapoor, Ashish Shukla, Tasveer Kamil, Chinmay Chandraunshuh, Sara Arjun, Barun Chanda, Badrul Islam, Don Ray, Rajinder Sharma Nanu, Benjamin Yangal
Story: Mridul Mahendra
Screenplay: Ashutosh Gowariker, Mridul Mahendra
Dialogues: Mridul Mahendra
Cinematography: Kamaljeet Negi
Editor: Chandrashekhar Prajapati
Background Score: Daniel B George
Lyrics: Swananda Kirkire
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Relationships,

Sports

View Details

12 reviewers have given Jalsa an average rating of 4.2/5.0 (?)

9 yays 1 nays 2 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

A thriller on a slow-burner that mulls over the inequalities in society without getting preachy. Well-shot, well-performed, and even well-written, except for one last bit where it gets manipulative—thankfully doesn’t take away from the experience. (Available on Amazon Prime Video)

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...All in all, director Suresh Triveni has given us a hugely satisfying film about choices that life offers us. Everything we chose has a consequence and that’s the point brought home by the film. The storyline is backed by solid performances not only by the two leads, Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah, but by the entire ensemble cast. Jalsa means celebration and the film truly is a celebration indeed of good filmmaking....

full review

Thumbs up by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...However, what kills the fun in Jalsa is the fact that the director takes his own sweet time to establish the conflicts. The cards are revealed quite early in the plot and to add more to it, the slow-paced narrative takes away some of your interest.

Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2022/jalsa-movie-review-vidya-balan-shefali-shah/articlecontent-pf325235-331516.html...

full review

Thumbs up by ANNA MM VETTICAD,

FirstPost

...Half the battle for Jalsa was won when Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah were roped in to share screen space. Balan has the ability to transport a viewer into the universe of her emotions, but rarely has she done so as thoroughly as in Jalsa, playing off Shah’s completely unself-conscious rendition of the distraught, progressively bitter Ruksana....

full review

Thumbs up by Tushar P. Joshi,

india today

...Jalsa is a celebration of two powerhouse performers - Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah. To watch these two women go for the kill and make the most of what’s offered is a big enough reason to make this your weekend watch....

full review

Thumbs up by Shubham Kulkarni,

koimoi

...Salsa gets its title from a trajectory you can’t even guess without watching the movie. It is a filmmaker evolving and two of the most prolific actors exploring their craft and maybe surprising their own selves as well. And the process churns out a film not just fresh but also an example of how a noir can be made differently....

full review

Thumbs up by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Despite the plot's incriminating tone -- peak effective in a symbolic moment where a huge tarpaulin cover is thrown over a press car -- Triveni is somewhat protective of his imperfect protagonists and wants to give them a shot at redemption.

The entire film is a lead up to a confrontation between wrong and wronged, but when the moment finally arrives, Jalsa leaves us in the cold and to mull over the state of things....

full review

Thumbs up by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...The nerve-shredding feeling of being in a disaster film or a horror movie is enhanced by Maya’s recurring nightmares. One of these nightmares, if we have understood it correctly, is among Jalsa’s best scenes – a chilling moment of reckoning for an avoidable tragedy....

full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...With a runtime of a little over two hours, Jalsa, a captivating drama with a complex moral center, keeps you on the edge of your seat for most part of the film. This one’s a must watch, all the more for its terrific climax....

full review

Thumbs up by IANS,

Zee News

...The film begins with a promise, but by mid-point, its tempo slackens and the pulse does not revive. In the final act, the narrative tries to resolve its multifaceted tensions neatly, but this appears like a flat-toned, rushed resolution, with Maya adrift with her own life and the bond with her maid resulting in conflict, and in this instance, the promise of potential understanding and reconciliation.

Overall, ‘Jalsa' is a well-made film at odds with its roiling emotions....

full review

So-So by Anupama Chopra,

indian express

...which develops the odd bump as the plot progresses, until it reaches a cathartic, if slightly designed end....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...The casting coup is not limited to Vidya and Shefali; the most eye-catching performance is of Surya Kasibatla, as the physically disabled Ayush. Surya, who is reportedly fighting cerebral palsy in real life, is a natural performer with not a single shred of artifice. Not to forget Vidharthi Bandi as Rohini George, the seemingly harmless journalist found in every newsroom who cracks the biggest of black holes. Iqbal’s timbre adds weight and the seasoned Rohini Hattangadi immerses into the household....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,

Deepa Gahlot

...Had the film been about the consequences of unintended actions, loyalty, sorrow and greed, it might have been emotionally affecting, but it inserts needless subplots and loses its grip on pace. There is also a bizarre reason why the relentlessly grim film is called Jalsa....

full review

See Also

wogma review

12 Critic Reviews 4.2/5.0

1 Reader Review 5/5.0

Jalsa - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Abundantia Entertainment
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Kishan Kumar, Vikram Malhotra, Suresh Triveni, Shikhaa Sharma
Director: Suresh Triveni
Lead Cast: Vidya Balan, Shefali Shah, Surya Kasibhatla
Supporting Cast: Manav Kaul, Rohini Hattangadi, Gurpal Singh, Vijay Nikam, Mangesh Desai, Abbas Dalal, Vidhatri Bandi, Mohammed Iqbal Khan, Kashish Rizwan, Shafin Patel, Ghanshyam Lalsa, Shrikant Mohan Yadav, Junaid Khan, Sharad, Uday Veer Singh Yadav, Sanjana Deshmukh, Sahil Brown, Trushant Ingle, Monu Gurjar, Gayatri Nayar, Archana Patel, Sofiya Khan
Story: Suresh Triveni, Prajwal Chandrashekar
Screenplay: Suresh Triveni, Prajwal Chandrashekar
Dialogues: Hussain Dalal, Suresh Triveni, Abbas Dalal, Prajwal Chandrashekar
Cinematography: Saurabh Goswami
Editor: Shivkumar V. Panicker
Background Score: Gaurav Chatterji
Music Director: Gaurav Chatterji
Lyrics: Sandeep Gaur, Charan Singh Pathania
Costume Designer: Sujata Kumari, Isha Bhansali
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 125 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social,

Thriller

View Details

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

Review Jalsa challenges the better-than-thou-ness of the righteous. Jalsa provokes its protagonist belonging to the lower-income group, to go over the edge. Jalsa makes us worry for both of them, making it a film that can be watched more than once just to observe the mix of emotions that the lead characters go through.

Our films rarely write characters as vulnerable as Maya (Vidya Balan) and Ruksana (Shefali Shah), and that too throughout most of the film. That kept me tuned in completely, constantly wondering about the possible resolutions. Yet, you do not lose what is happening at the moment. The film’s pace gives you time and mind-space to empathise with the characters, be with them, and be concerned about the well-being of their conscience.

Jalsa plays with our stereotypes of what we expect from the financially stable and those who are not. Of course, ideally, we want everyone to be equally ideal. But we do give leeway to context and situation. As we watch the story take its time to unfold, we see ourselves participating on both sides of the debate. Yes, one side has been wronged beyond measure. At the same time, given that the wrong has already happened, what do we want the wrong-doer to do?

I cannot imagine being so involved in a movie were the reins not in capable hands. Well thought out characters, the one-line ‘what-if’ premise, and the situations created for the what-if to play out—all do their bit to make sure we stay with the film. When you sit back and think about the film, you marvel at how much it made you think about societal injustice owing to wealth inequality without ever mentioning it.

It comes through with how the wrong-doer compensates for her guilt. It comes through in moments when she thinks she has done enough. You see a character’s helplessness not just because of the situation that life has thrown at her but also because of the gratitude expected of her. There is passing commentary on the behaviour expected from a young girl, which is extraneous to the main story but would be conspicuous by its absence were it not there. The pulp situation written into the story is half amusing and half indicative of desperate measures taken by the powerless.

Having seen the film, it is difficult to think of anyone else who could have essayed Maya and Ruksana the way Balan and Shah do. Young Surya Kasibhatla kept me in awe through and through. Rohini Hattangadi owns her space with elan. The relationships between them are made ever so believable with the palpable everyday life chemistry.

After a really long time, a film has made me feel like I wanted more, so much so that I want to watch it again. Sure, I would have liked it even better if it had not tried to manipulate my feelings in the climax. But then again, the characters’ feelings were ambiguous to themselves too.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: A gruesome accident and its impact * Language: A few curse words * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: A hit-and-run, the related guilt and grief * General Look and Feel: Polished presentation of urban life across the income spectrum

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3.5 * Story: 3.5 * Lead Actors: 4 * Character Artists: 4

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 3
Music Director:
Lyrics:

See Also

wogma review

12 Critic Reviews 4.2/5.0

1 Reader Review 5/5.0

Jalsa - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: T-Series Super Cassettes Industries Ltd., Abundantia Entertainment
Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Kishan Kumar, Vikram Malhotra, Suresh Triveni, Shikhaa Sharma
Director: Suresh Triveni
Lead Cast: Vidya Balan, Shefali Shah, Surya Kasibhatla
Supporting Cast: Manav Kaul, Rohini Hattangadi, Gurpal Singh, Vijay Nikam, Mangesh Desai, Abbas Dalal, Vidhatri Bandi, Mohammed Iqbal Khan, Kashish Rizwan, Shafin Patel, Ghanshyam Lalsa, Shrikant Mohan Yadav, Junaid Khan, Sharad, Uday Veer Singh Yadav, Sanjana Deshmukh, Sahil Brown, Trushant Ingle, Monu Gurjar, Gayatri Nayar, Archana Patel, Sofiya Khan
Story: Suresh Triveni, Prajwal Chandrashekar
Screenplay: Suresh Triveni, Prajwal Chandrashekar
Dialogues: Hussain Dalal, Suresh Triveni, Abbas Dalal, Prajwal Chandrashekar
Cinematography: Saurabh Goswami
Editor: Shivkumar V. Panicker
Background Score: Gaurav Chatterji
Music Director: Gaurav Chatterji
Lyrics: Sandeep Gaur, Charan Singh Pathania
Costume Designer: Sujata Kumari, Isha Bhansali
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 125 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social,

Thriller

View Details

12 reviewers have given Thar an average rating of 2.3/5.0 (?)

2 yays 3 nays 7 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

Gory and done well enough for you to want the stomach-churning onslaught to stop. Great performances and aestheticscannot build a connection between two stories that are forced together into a film.

(Available on Netflix)

Thumbs up by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

...Overall, Thar as mentioned earlier is not for the faint hearted but would be loved by audience who are aware of the genre and tend to enjoy it...

full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...har is brutal and if you cannot stand graphic violence, this one’s not for you. Switching on the English subtitles is also recommended for the desert dialect isn’t everyone’s cup of tea....

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Devoid of any songs, Thar is a crisp watch with a duration of one hour and forty-eight minutes. Ajay Jayanthi's background score seems a bit jarring at the beginning, but soon settles in.

Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2022/thar-movie-review-anil-kapoor-harsh-varrdhan-kapoor-fatima-sana-shaikh/articlecontent-pf325824-334148.html...

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...Thar has many elements jostling for our attention: a tiny outpost in a border town, a mysterious stranger, a couple of cops, and a series of bodies, draining of life-blood, decaying, dying. But this is one of those films where the setting is the real hero– the ‘marusthal’ (desert) stretching as far as the eye can see, crumbling forts, bare trees providing meagre shade, implacable, hard beauty. This stunning landscape and the haunting soundscape becomes the site of a ‘bawandar’ (storm), as a principal character describes it, which blows everything away in its wake. These sights and sounds of Thar will stay with me, even as I quibble about some of it....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Thar, a film with dialogues by Anurag Kashyap, has a few sharp edges, but it promises much more than it actually delivers. Vengeance, says a character, is a double-edged sword. In Thar, it has the feel of a mirage. It is bloody all right, but is far too pale to knock us out of our wits....

full review

So-So by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...Thar is not only a thriller, but also has an important message at the end. Overall the film had immense potential and manages to retain a lot of it too, but what disappoints is the lack of enough twists, predictable turns and dispensable additions to the story....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...The women in Thar are its frequent casualties but Mukti Mohan's bawdy belle makes a meal out of it and emerges as the only bit of spunk in an otherwise dreary deal.

Clint Eastwood could be well talking about the Western genre in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly when he famously said, 'There's two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.'

Thar is too pretentious to do anything else....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...We request you to support our award-winning journalism by making a financial contribution towards the Scroll Ground Reporting Fund. The fund will ensure we can continue to ask the questions that need to be asked, investigate what needs to be uncovered, document what must not go unrecorded....

full review

So-So by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...Anil Kapoor mines the weariness and wisdom on his face with aplomb. Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor plays the self-proclaimed antics dealer Siddharth with a hollow, vacant look throughout the film. His face really doesn’t give away anything, it registers no emotions and one is not sure if this is the best he could do or was he instructed to play the character with a lost look. Perhaps we will never know....

full review

Thumbs down by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Until the end I couldn’t figure out why Raahul Singh was going around shooting people . The more the merrier,I guess.Minimalist in mood, nihilistic in tone,and atrophied in its execution, Thar tries to be that dark brutal desi Western which is cannot be....

full review

Thumbs down by Russel D'Silva,

Bollywood Life

...Being boring isn't the only problem of Thar on Netflix as it's just scratchily plotted and weakly directed. These new-age Bollywood filmmakers need to first and foremost understand the difference between dull filmmaking and art filmmaking, and secondly that they're hardly reinventing anything as what they think they're doing, obviously motivated by international filmmakers, has been done decades ago by our own past masters. I'm going with 1 out of 5 stars for the spectacle and some bits of genuine horror....

full review

Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...However, the senior Kapoor can still wade through shallow waters and imbue life in dry situations. Like wine, he is getting better with age. In fact, it is the conversations between Kapoor and Kaushik over food that keep you spirited in Thar....

full review

See Also

wogma review

12 Critic Reviews 2.3/5.0

Thar - Movie Details

Banner: AKFC Network
Producer: Anil Kapoor, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
Director: Raj Singh Chaudhary
Lead Cast: Anil Kapoor, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Rahul Singh, Satish Kaushik, Akshay Oberoi, Jitendra Joshi, Nivedita Bhattacharya, Sanjay Dadhich, Mandana Karimi, Mukti Mohan, Akshay Gunawat, Sanjay Bishnoi, Suraj Vyas, Shubham Kumar
Story: Raj Singh Chaudhary
Screenplay: Raj Singh Chaudhary, Yogesh Dabuwalla, Anthony Catino
Dialogues: Anurag Kashyap
Cinematography: Shreya Dev Dube
Editor: Aarti Bajaj
Background Score: Ajay Jayanthi
Music Director: Ajay Jayanthi
Costume Designer: Priyanka Agarwal
Running time: 105 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Noir,

Social

View Details

17 reviewers have given Sharmaji Namkeen an average rating of 4.0/5.0 (?)

10 yays 0 nays 7 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online (?)

quick review:

The charm that Rishi Kapoor brings to a character is the only draw, and of course, that it was his last film. The rest is everyone struggling with the issue of generation gap, including the writers.

(Available on Prime Video)

Thumbs up by Bobby Sing,

Bobby Talks Cinema.com

...coming back to the film its light hearted project with entertaining sequences that deserves to be seen along with your family, remembering the charismatic Rishi Kapoor so with it at the earliest., enjoying a great evening together, having a delicious dinner....

full review

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...This brings us to Paresh Rawal who fills the blanks that Rishi left behind, with a huge amount of empathetic earnestness. There is no attempt to mimic Rishi. The two actors share the same character with seamless accord. At times the effect is surreal: Paresh climbs a water tank to jump: Rishi Kapoor wakes up from the nightmare…Rishi watching Paresh on television….It’s the supreme occasion for suspension of disbelief , and well, we are up to it. Because the narrative’s heart is in the right place. And well, because we love Rishi Kapoor even when he not fully there with us....

full review

Thumbs up by Russel D'Silva,

Bollywood Life

...Sharmaji Namkeen is a sweet, simple film, where you don't mind getting swayed by sentiment because of how it touches your heart. There are issues no doubt, but not once do they trump the fitting swansong this turns out to be for Rishi Kapoor. I'm going with 3 out of 5 stars....

full review

Thumbs up

DNA

...The film is a must-watch family entertainer that celebrates evergreen Rishi Kapoor. The film will touch your heart, as it sends out a strong message for different generations....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...Watch the film for its message and to see two actors on the top of their craft essaying the same characters and making you root for it…...

full review

Thumbs up by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Sneha Khanwilkar who is known for her experimental music, fails to cook a delicious music album when it comes to Sharmaji Namkeen. None of the songs register on your lips and that's where this Rishi Kapoor-Paresh Rawal starrer disappoints a bit.

Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2022/sharmaji-namkeen-movie-review-rishi-kapoor-paresh-rawal-juhi-chawla/articlecontent-pf325394-332231.html...

full review

Thumbs up by Anicadna MM Vatticad,

FirstPost

...Rishi Kapoor’s endearing swan song is like the food that Sharmaji dishes out: well-balanced with just the right amount of sugar and spice, not aiming to be flashy but offering the comfort of a home-cooked meal....

full review

Thumbs up by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...It's a lump-in-a-throat moment to watch him shine and smile against the most iconic song of his career and refuse to give another take in that trademark candour, 'Bhai, isse better shot nahi ho sakta.'

Absolutely.

Sharmaji Namkeen streams on Amazon Prime Video....

full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...A posthumous release, who better than Rishi Kapoor to portray a character, who loves his family and food. The late actor was blessed with the ability of baring his soul in every character he essayed. Like his illustrious father Raj Kapoor and son Ranbir, there was an inherent honesty and spunk in Rishi Kapoor that reflected in his roles. In his youth, his good looks often overshadowed his versatile talent. Over time, he made sure he retained that charm while giving some distinctly memorable performances and Sharmaji can be termed as one of his finest. While Paresh Rawal was gracious enough to fill in for the portions that the former couldn’t due to his deteriorating health, this film belongs to Rishi Kapoor alone. It is he who leaves you teary-eyed with his smile and a thought. Indian parents are so used to prioritising their children. What happens when they decide to turn the tables? Is self-love deemed reckless and selfish because parents are expected to toe the line? Sharmaji Namkeen gives you food for thought....

full review

So-So by Deepa Gahlot,

Deepa Gahlot

...Sharmaji Namkeen, is a pleasant watch, taking in an urban social issue of neglected elders, as well as the less-addressed one of dignity of labour. The film has its flaws, being somewhat half-baked being one of them, but Rishi Kapoor’s understanding of the character and his unbridled charm paper over the cracks; Rawal comes across as crabby (like the scene in which he nitpicks over the difference between momos and dimsums), but portrays a different trait of the same Sharmaji–one is sweet, the other spicy. Plus, there is the emotional hook of seeing the always fabulous Rishi Kapoor in his last role. It’s a pity that he never won a yearned-for National Award....

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

India Entertainment

...There are countless men like our Brij Gopal Sharma. Too young, at 58, to be given a golden handshake and turfed out of his workplace. Too active to ‘chill’ in his modest home and watch unending soaps where nothing ever happens, or lounge in the park, where the elderly gang gets together for yoga classes and neighbourhood gossip. The one distinctive thing about Sharmaji (Rishi Kapoor) is that he loves rustling up finger lickin’ food, and he is the one, as a single father, who has lovingly fed his sons, now grown, one with a job, another in college. How does someone like him pass the time, as the days hang heavier and heavier?...

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...who has lovingly fed his sons, now grown, one with a job, another in college. How does someone like him pass the time, as the days hang heavier and heavier?...

full review

So-So by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...This cook-based concept has the potential to reach any level of unique filmmaking, but Sharmaji attempts nothing else but the same family drama with light-hearted moments. However, it still makes a decent sweet dish with Rishi Kapoor adding enough sugar and Paresh Rawal adding the needed salt to it. As a whole, Rishi Kapoor's last cinematic dish is indeed tasty enough, and only movie buffs with good taste can understand why....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...This, however, is no reflection on Paresh Rawal's ability as an actor. It is just that nobody can play a Delhi dad quite as effectively and effortlessly as Kapoor could. From the middle-class man struggling to make ends meet in Do Dooni Chaar and to a father struggling to reconnect with his son in Chandni Chowk (Rajma Chawal), he transitions to a mid-level corporate functionary forced into voluntary retirement who must quickly find an alternative employment in order to keep ennui at bay....

full review

So-So by Sanjana Jhadav,

Pinkvilla

...Hitesh Bhatia's slice-of-life film will delight you with Rishi Kapoor's charm, its comedy and the food. The team also pays the sweetest tribute to the late legend in a touching post-climax scene. However, on the whole, Sharmaji Namkeen is strictly a few laughs with its heart in the right place...

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

full review

See Also

wogma review

17 Critic Reviews 4.0/5.0

Sharmaji Namkeen - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Excel Entertainment, Macguffin Pictures
Producer: Farhan Akhtar, Abhishek Chaubey, Ritesh Sidhwani, Honey Trehan
Director: Hitesh Bhatia
Lead Cast: Juhi Chawla, Paresh Rawal, Rishi Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Parmeet Sethi, Satish Kaushik, Sheeba Chaddha, Sulagna Panigrahi, Isha Talwar, Suhail Nayyar, Taaruk Raina, Shrikant Verma, Ayesha Raza
Story: Supratik Sen, Hitesh Bhatia
Screenplay: Supratik Sen, Hitesh Bhatia
Dialogues: Supratik Sen, Hitesh Bhatia
Cinematography: Piyush Puty
Editor: Bodhaditya Banerjee
Background Score: Sneha Khanwalkar
Music Director: Sneha Khanwalkar
Lyrics: Gopal Datt
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Relationships

View Details

19 reviewers have given Dasvi an average rating of 2.1/5.0 (?)

3 yays 6 nays 10 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online (?)

quick review:

If wishes were horses, politicians wouldn’t lie. Until then, if wishes were horses, better films about them not lying would be made. Hopeful Dasvi is and tries to entertain and educate. But it remains a largely predictable affair.

(Available on Netflix)

Thumbs up by Subhash k Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Dasvi is a well-intended tale of absolute power corrupting absolutely and the ultimate redemption. My favourite moment in the film shows Gangaram touching the jail superintendent Jyoti’s feet after sitting his examination. I won’t reveal what she gets as guru-dakshina. But there is a lot to be said about the kursi and a power-hungry politician when he sets his mind to it....

full review

Thumbs up by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Macha Macha Re' crooned by Mika Singh makes for a foot-tapping listen. The rest of the tracks, 'Ghani Trip', 'Thaan Liya' and 'Nakhralo' are forgettable. Ganga Ram Chaudhary and Bimala Devi quip, "Thoda uchaa bolo" to each other when the political power lies in their respective hands. However, in Dasvi, Abhishek Bachchan and his team let their work do all the talking and pass with flying colours....

full review

Thumbs up by Rohit Bhatnagar,

Free Press Journal

...Dasvi’ is entertaining and all about winning the battle with perseverance. The film might be a one-time watch, but how Tushar slyly dives into our nation’s shallow political and judicial system is surely something to watch out for....

full review

So-So by Urmimala Banerjee,

Bollywood Life

...Abhishek Bachchan and Yami Gautam are the only redeeming factors of Dasvi. The film only has a run-time of close to 130 minutes, which is great given the dearth of content. The lack of comic punches pull down Dasvi by several notches and you feel terrible as Abhishek Bachchan's natural flair in that department is one of the best in the business....

full review

So-So by Deepa Gahlot,

Deepa Gahlot

...The actors look like they are enjoying their interactions, so even with its missed opportunities, Dasvi (which should correctly be spelt Dasvin) has a warm vibe that may miss the Munnabhai level by miles, but makes for mildly amusing home viewing....

full review

So-So by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...Dasvi had a strong subject at hand, to focus on the importance of education, especially for our politicians, but in never really translates and remains limited to the silly treatment of its characters....

full review

So-So by Grace Cyril,

india today

...Dasvi promised to be a social comedy but the jokes were so 90s. The humour is repetitive and Abhishek saying “mere liver me pain hai” while pointing at his heart didn't make us laugh. The IAS officer, who acts as the CM's personal secretary, does sit-ups and cleans cow dung. Most comic punches fall flat and fail to leave a mark. Gangaram also gets so lost in the textbooks of history that he imagines himself meeting the likes of Mahatma Gandhi...

full review

So-So

India West

...Coming to Yami Gautam as the super-strict police inspector, despite delivering a competent performance, she does not have the persona to play such a character she seems to be a misfit in the film, and the makers of the film are solely to be blamed for it....

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...Abhishek Bachchan is a perfect match for the kind of character he is playing. It’s a pity that the material never quite knows whether it is an exaggerated parody or a sharp comedy with realistic overtones....

full review

So-So by GAUTAMAN BHASKARAN,

News18.com

...One would be tempted to give Dasvi a little concession, because it is a spoof, although it could have been more evenly tempered, and paid greater care to performances. Bachchan is far better than what we have seen of him in earlier works. Yami Gautam, however, is still to come anywhere near her style and substance of her debut outing, Vicky Donor. However, Kaur is splendid, transforming from a meek housewife to a haughty politician, who quickly learns the ropes of the game and understands how the system can be twisted for personal gains....

full review

So-So by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...Overall, when you see the film it is evident that the makers wanted to strike the right balance between conveying a message and entertaining the audience, but it ends up being more preachy than anything else....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Varma,

Rediff

...Some better writing and Dasvi would be too....

full review

So-So by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...Abhishek Bachchan tries to get into Bachchan Sr’s 70’s space by giving his character an OTT appeal. Strangely, he is way better when he is at his subdued best. He drops the act and comes into his own after a while and that’s when the film holds you momentarily. Nimrat Kaur is perfect as Vimladevi and Yami Gautam Dhar’s choice of characters of late is worth admiring. With every role, she’s ensuring she moves into uncharted waters....

full review

Thumbs down by Baradwaj Rangan,

Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express

...https://www.galatta.com/hindi/movie/review/dasvi/...

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...When a film is bad, the veneer of entertainment cracks and reveals a pattern of jokes without a punchline. When a film lacks identity, you also start to notice the misguided masculinity seeping through its veins. Forget accepting Dasvi for what it is, I not only failed to empathize with its protagonist but also failed to fathom how it so readily turns a strong police-woman into a subservient teacher and a housewife into a villain for wanting to defeat her terrible husband. It’s not entirely the film’s fault, though. Indian politics is such a sexist and broken ecosystem that a make-believe story about...

full review

Thumbs down by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...What makes this exam difficult for Dasvi is the director's ordinary vision of a high-scope storyline. Naturally, he can't be blamed for the writers' mistakes, but his storytelling wasn't all that great in the first place. You don't see any reason why those spoofy scenes are scheduled after some really good ones. Was that historical spoof made for KG students or what? And what was the outcome? Even the board members of SSC/CBSE would know no answer to that. Whatever exiguous scenes there are, I mean those studying techniques of Chaudhary sahab and his dialoguebaazi on Indian politics, are indeed enjoyable. Apart from that, there is nothing like a study material for cine viewers. Overall, it's a skippable flick, and it's good that it came on OTT....

full review

Thumbs down by All News 'Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Dasvi flunks the test because it walks into the examination hall without the necessary wherewithal. The principal characters - the politician, his wife, the policewoman and the CM's personal secretary - are all half-baked characters whose past is lost in a haze. The actors are reduced to fighting a lost battle....

full review

Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...Once again, Abhishek is earnest and eager to experiment, but has been tasked with bringing life to a cardboard crying for attention. He has worked on the lingo but hasn’t chewed it well enough to make the diction feel natural. The ever-reliable Chaddha shows how to do it. Abhishek also suffers because of the stagy atmosphere. Jalota employs the pace and techniques of Comedy Circus to paper over the cracks in writing, but it doesn’t work. Nimrat and Yami are competent performers who also suffer because of under-written parts....

full review

Thumbs down by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...Manu Rishi Chadha, Chittaranjan Tripathy, Arun Kushwaha try to make the most of what they have to offer, but Dasvi never recovers. It hurtles around aimlessly as if waiting for someone to whisper directions....

full review

See Also

wogma review

19 Critic Reviews 2.1/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Dasvi - Movie Details

Official Sites: Twitter YouTube IMDB
Banner: Maddock Films, Bake My Cake Film Production, Jio Studios
Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Sandeep Leyzell, Shobhana Yadav
Director: Tushar Jalota
Lead Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Yami Gautam, Nimrat Kaur
Supporting Cast: Manu Rishi Chadha, Danish Husain, Chittaranjan Tripathy, Arun Kushwaha, Shivankit Singh Parihar, Sumit Shekhar Rai
Story: Ram Bajpai
Screenplay: Suresh Nair, Ritesh Shah, Sandeep Leyzell
Dialogues: Suresh Nair, Ritesh Shah, Sandeep Leyzell
Cinematography: Kabir Tejpal
Background Score: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Lyrics: Ashish Pandit
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Politics

View Details

wogma rating: Catch on TV/online for sure (?)

quick review:

Gory and done well enough for you to want the stomach-churning onslaught to stop. Great performances and aestheticscannot build a connection between two stories that are forced together into a film.

(Available on Netflix)

Review From the first scene, Thar captures your imagination with its cinematography and the breathtaking part of nature the camera is trying to absorb. The performances keep you engaged, though the same cannot be said about the writing. The intrigue created is wasted because of the pace at first and then the relentless goriness.

If I ever think of Thar in the months to come, the visuals of the haunting, gorgeous arid desert will flash before my eyes with quirky music playing in the background. I will also remember how consistently the atmosphere was maintained right down to the last scene. Alongside though, will be the gut-wrenching violence that is more-or-less a constant throughout the film.

Unfortunately, the performance that makes the horror believable will be overshadowed by the nature of the bloodshed itself. As mysterious as the perpetrator is, the makers are also intentionally creating a soft spot for them. So, neither can you take their act too seriously, nor can you be entirely terrified by them. You just want to shut your eyes to whatever they will do next. The torture feels like an end in itself rather than a means to an end.

Within the first hour, you can either vaguely guess their motivation or have lost interest in knowing. This is a shame because, at a little less than 2 hours, Thar is a crisp film. It just has very little to say. This must be why two threads are forcefully sewn together. As a linear one-liner, the premise is pretty basic. The addition of another plot feels like a distraction to keep you from noticing the plainness of the writing.

Sure, the writing tries to add layers to Anil Kapoor’s character through his family life and his insecurities about his career progress. But, this is true only for his character. Therefore, this, like the side remarks on the caste system, doesn’t feel intrinsic to the film.

It is quite something then that Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor and Fatima Sana Shaikh play out the palpable chemistry between their characters from the first scene they are in together. Alas, these good bits are strewn across without them coming together to make a memorable film.

That is disappointing because the film is beautifully shot and executed. The noir ambience created like that of a well-made western film stays just that without the backing of a good story.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads and gory too * Language: Full of curse words * Nudity & Sexual content: A rape scene, a sex scene and a rape scene * Concept: A city-bred is in the interiors of Rajasthan with some mysterious agenda * General Look and Feel: Dry and sandy

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3 * Story: 2.5 * Lead Actors: 3.5 * Character Artists: 3.5

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 2.5
Music Director: 3
Lyrics:

Thar - Movie Details

Banner: AKFC Network
Producer: Anil Kapoor, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
Director: Raj Singh Chaudhary
Lead Cast: Anil Kapoor, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Rahul Singh, Satish Kaushik, Akshay Oberoi, Jitendra Joshi, Nivedita Bhattacharya, Sanjay Dadhich, Mandana Karimi, Mukti Mohan, Akshay Gunawat, Sanjay Bishnoi, Suraj Vyas, Shubham Kumar
Story: Raj Singh Chaudhary
Screenplay: Raj Singh Chaudhary, Yogesh Dabuwalla, Anthony Catino
Dialogues: Anurag Kashyap
Cinematography: Shreya Dev Dube
Editor: Aarti Bajaj
Background Score: Ajay Jayanthi
Music Director: Ajay Jayanthi
Costume Designer: Priyanka Agarwal
Running time: 105 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Noir,

Social

View Details

wogma rating: Even the keen, wait for it to come on TV/online (?)

quick review:

The charm that Rishi Kapoor brings to a character is the only draw, and of course, that it was his last film. The rest is everyone struggling with the issue of generation gap, including the writers.

(Available on Prime Video)

Review If I ever think of the film, the first thing that will come to mind is the transitions between Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal. The next thing I will recall is the ambience of an urban, upper-middle-class Indian household. Other than that, though, nothing about the story, situations or characters stand out enough to stay in long-term memory.

Ranbir Kapoor does an excellent job of taking the audience into confidence. A crisp explanation of having Paresh Rawal fill in for Rishi Kapoor in scenes that he couldn’t finish gets you curious. Yet, I was a little sceptical, to begin with. Despite the makers’ best efforts and intent, I wasn’t sure how it would work out.

Indeed, in the beginning, it did feel like the audience was being asked to “adjust a bit”. Like we were being told, “we know you understand.” Remarkably, though, soon enough, you get used to the transitions. Of course, some of them are well-executed, and most of them are not jarring. I also think it does help that the human mind when in a pliable mode, has immense capacity to get accustomed to whatever it is asked to consider the norm.

The transitions were also made easier to digest because of the consistency in the atmosphere created—the production design and how the characters look, talk and behave. The small details, from the ubiquitous use of a mosquito racket to a mobile holder, stuck to the windshield of a car—such details tell you the background of the characters without saying a word.

The judgmental attitude of the people who are slightly above this economic class—whether they think the other is cute or snicker at the behaviour—doesn’t let you forget that there is a certain divide and that the two classes are trying to make sense of each other’s worlds.

The rest of the film, though, feels dry. Sure the not-so-subtle political digs, the sibling banter, and the day-to-day language keep you listening. But that isn’t enough to add zing to the film’s premise. Ultimately, each viewer is living at some point in the generation gap spectrum.

If you are in or past the late-50s, you feel outdated, irrelevant, and bored. And you have picked either the grumpy side or the “I will live life fully” side. If you are on the younger side, you know you have to spend time on things that don’t seem to interest you. Some are managing unsatiable expectations too. And you have either chosen to understand or be exasperated. Of course, it is not binary, but we know what this is because we are living it. This is why it doesn’t seem interesting, even though the film doesn’t exaggerate or stereotype anything à la Baghbaan.

Even though Sharmaji Namkeen, the film tries to take both sides and presents everyone’s frustrations. It even shows the juxtaposition of the parent-child relationship when the child grows up to parent the parent. Unfortunately, the child who has a “why don’t you just stay quiet and do what I want you to do” gets a louder voice, thus making the movie annoying. I understand the world has enough children who are embarrassed by their parent’s behaviour, but that doesn’t make them characters I want to watch on screen. At least, not the way they are written here.

In all this social commentary, though, one thing stood out. Women in a kitty party are discussing the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” familial attitude towards women—across all ages. That hasn’t changed with generations.

Everything else in the film seems like a hotch-potch of themes being forced together. Thankfully, the cast, lead and supporting Rishi Kapoor’s unflappable, effortless charm don’t allow you to lose interest. Yep, that’s it. Ultimately, it is a film I would recommend only because it is Rishi Kapoor’s last film.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: Attempt to address the generation gap. * General Look and Feel: An urban upper middle class home

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 2 * Lead Actors: 3.5 * Character Artists: 3.5

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 2
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 2.5

Sharmaji Namkeen - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Excel Entertainment, Macguffin Pictures
Producer: Farhan Akhtar, Abhishek Chaubey, Ritesh Sidhwani, Honey Trehan
Director: Hitesh Bhatia
Lead Cast: Juhi Chawla, Paresh Rawal, Rishi Kapoor
Supporting Cast: Parmeet Sethi, Satish Kaushik, Sheeba Chaddha, Sulagna Panigrahi, Isha Talwar, Suhail Nayyar, Taaruk Raina, Shrikant Verma, Ayesha Raza
Story: Supratik Sen, Hitesh Bhatia
Screenplay: Supratik Sen, Hitesh Bhatia
Dialogues: Supratik Sen, Hitesh Bhatia
Cinematography: Piyush Puty
Editor: Bodhaditya Banerjee
Background Score: Sneha Khanwalkar
Music Director: Sneha Khanwalkar
Lyrics: Gopal Datt
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Relationships

View Details

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

(Available on Netflix)

Review Dasvi is what I would call a film that tries to appease the liberals by making all the right noises. There’s a dig on corrupt politicians using everything from voters to social media to stay on their thrones. There’s sarcasm pointed towards real-life political signature phrases and words. There’s also mimicking of current politicians’ actions and reactions. Enough to bring a smile. But, in Dasvi, it stays just that—direct referencing without making it clever or witty. Without this and a few other quips, Dasvi becomes a run-of-the-mill unconvincing coming-of-age film with decent performances.

Like any film about politics worth its salt, Dasvi, too, covers the politician-law-order-bureaucrat-media-business network in some form or the other. They are all called derogatory names for our benefit. There is not much novel about it other than women playing two out of the three lead roles. There might be a couple of mild surprises here and there, but nothing very creative in terms of story-writing.

In fact, the characters and situations are all over the place. For instance, Ganga’s (Abhishek Bachchan’s) brother is conveniently brought in and out of the story. The same goes for themes such as casteism, mental health, and rote-learning in the education system that are rather forced into the story. This makes the flow a bit of hotch-potch.

It doesn’t help that the awkwardness and the predictability are enhanced with one too many slow-motion shots and a little too eager background score. The latter was mildly amusing in the first few minutes but soon turned annoying because of its consistent existence in the foreground.

The same goes for the hat-tips to other films, some overt, some not so. The inspiration drawn, from Lage Raho Munnabhai and Rang De Basanti, and direct referencing to Taare Zameen Par, is cute at first and become annoying in a “got it the first time” way.
What is fortunately not annoying though are the performances. The characters are caricatures, so it could have gone all awry, but Abhishek Bachchan, Nimrat Kaur and Yami Gautam keep them from becoming so. The supporting cast, too, holds fort capably, making the most out of their broadly written characters.

Other than these straws, though, Dasvi doesn’t have much to hang on to. Yet it didn’t feel like a complete waste of time and energy. You could give it a go in passing if you run out of everything else to engage with.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: A rant of curse words in one instance. * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: A coming-of-age of a corrupt politician * General Look and Feel: Generic

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1.5 * Story: 1.5 * Lead Actors: 3 * Character Artists: 3

Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 1.5
Music Director: 1.5
Lyrics: 1.5

See Also

wogma review

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Dasvi - Movie Details

Official Sites: Twitter YouTube IMDB
Banner: Maddock Films, Bake My Cake Film Production, Jio Studios
Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Sandeep Leyzell, Shobhana Yadav
Director: Tushar Jalota
Lead Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Yami Gautam, Nimrat Kaur
Supporting Cast: Manu Rishi Chadha, Danish Husain, Chittaranjan Tripathy, Arun Kushwaha, Shivankit Singh Parihar, Sumit Shekhar Rai
Story: Ram Bajpai
Screenplay: Suresh Nair, Ritesh Shah, Sandeep Leyzell
Dialogues: Suresh Nair, Ritesh Shah, Sandeep Leyzell
Cinematography: Kabir Tejpal
Background Score: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Lyrics: Ashish Pandit
Costume Designer: Sheetal Sharma
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Politics

View Details

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

You are promised an action film; you get an action film. The hint of a story is a bonus. The action is slick, even if a tad monotonous by the end.

Review I went to the cinema hall!! After two years and half a month! It was like going back to a home that was waiting for me. Enjoyed every second of being there. It helped that the film was one that I could approach with absolutely zero expectations, and I liked what was going on at the moment. Well, most moments.

Anyone who has landed up in the theater to watch this one is there for the action. And they won’t be disappointed. At least quantity-wise. And in the beginning, quality-wise too. The action choreography is sharp and smart. Usually, the rhythmic beat to which it is edited makes me drowsy. But here, just when it begins to feel like more of the same, there is a camera movement or an action that shook me out of my lull.

Even in the non-action scenes, the editing and transitions between sequences keep you on your toes. This also means you are alert enough to realise that the country’s top military and political officials are watching the countdown of a ticking bomb in the situation room. But the makers have designed it to look like they are watching John Abraham’s antics like you are. Unfortunately, this break from the action to see a room full of decision-makers becomes disorienting.

This brings me to the romance and emotional angle the film has in the name of a story. The romance is as awkward as the action is smart. Calling it out as “cheesy” doesn’t make it any less so. The emotional angle, too, comes across as forced and dry. In fact, this part of the story seems functional rather than creative. The thriller bit with the bomb, on the other hand, is slightly better written.

Also, relatively better written are the lines said by the AI bot. It is good to know that in our imagination our future companions will have a dry sense of humour rather than a dad one. On the technological mumbo-jumbo front, the capabilities shown are scary because they are believable. Other tiny bits in the writing that caught my attention were inclusivity in terms of religious representation, a woman getting a prominent role without making a big deal about it. The snide remarks on current politics were thoroughly enjoyable too. It must have taken great strength of character to limit the climax to simple chants of “Bharat Maata Ki Jai” without going all berserk and dramatic. Also, I didn’t catch the origin of the terrorists. I don’t think it is mentioned at all.

Unfortunately, there is problematic stuff, too, like stereotyping under the garb of entertainment and insight. And also, product placement and lapses in writing from lousy grammar to hyperbole like a new technology taking care of the entire global terrorist community(!!?)

I have always found it tough to comment on performances in an action-thriller. Not much is expected. Not much is necessary. John Abraham’s facial expressions didn’t feel wooden and thus were not distracting. I am not sure I can say the same about his fitness. Other than the action, the film is about him and his character. So yes, the film is an out-an-out John Abraham affair and is complete to the extent of having him ride a bike. The rest of the cast is actually all supporting roles ably executed.

I did enjoy the film much more than I thought I would. It could be because I haven’t watched action films in a long while. It could be because I haven’t watched a movie in a theatre in even longer. Given that context, I am grateful it was a film I could enjoy.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Loads! * Language: Clean. * Nudity & Sexual content: A lip-to-lip, or was it? Shirtless John Abraham. * Concept: A soldier is called upon to save the day. * General Look and Feel: Action thriller :)

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2.5 * Story: 2.5 * Lead Actors: 2.5 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 2.5
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2

Attack – Part I - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Pen Studios, AK Productions
Producer: John Abraham, Jayantilal Gada, Ajay Kapoor
Director: Lakshya Raj Anand
Lead Cast: John Abraham
Supporting Cast: Prakash Raj, Jacqueline Fernandez, Rakul Preet, Ratna Pathak
Story: John Abraham, Sumit Batheja, Lakshya Raj Anand, Vishal Kapoor
Cinematography: P S Vinod, Will Humphris, Soumik Mukherjee
Editor: Aarif Shaikh
Background Score: Shashwat Sachdev
Choreography: Vijay Ganguly
Music Director: Shashwat Sachdev
Lyrics: Kumaar
Costume Designer: Rohit Chaturvedi
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 120 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Action,

Thriller

View Details

wogma rating: Add to “To Watch” list, watch some day (?)

quick review:

Trust and betrayal; lust, love, and infidelity; kinship and friendship—Gehraaiyaan could have weaved them all well together had it not steadily geared towards becoming bizarre. (Available on Amazon Prime Video)

Review Even an hour into the film, you know you don’t really know the characters well yet. The extent to which they can go to get what they want seems to be more than the previous sequence. But you are curious, and that is good enough. And then you realise it just might have more to do with you being a patient audience than your attention being held by great writing.

Four seemingly well-developed characters, all made stronger by the actors playing them manage to bore you by being repetitious and going out-of-character eventually. It’s a shame that you cannot root for any of them, even the nice ones, because you are feeling pity, not concern. It doesn’t help that the characters you want to like aren’t really nice people. In fact, the story seems to revolve around the nastiest of them all. It might have worked if the idea was to tell us an anti-hero’s story. But that’s not how it can shape when you are trying to show that you are doing justice to all characters or even the two main leads equally.

Interestingly, you don’t hate them either. In an unconventional way, you want to understand why they are doing what they are doing. So complicated gets their situation that you wonder how these not-nice people will get out of it. And then they try to convince themselves that they have no choice but to cross lines that the audience might or might not be ready for. This push makes Gehraiyaan shuttle between “shocking for the sake of being shocking” and “trying too hard to be different”.

The distance created is neither overcome by top-notch performances nor moving, believable chemistry. There is little hope then for the atmosphere created by the camerawork, music and production design to help the movie recover.

Interestingly, even as I tried to dodge spoilers, the mixed reactions were intriguing. I wondered if it was because of the mismatch between the viewers’ morality and the characters’ choices. Having watched the film, I understand the mild and yet complete dissatisfaction the audience experiences after the film. A rare film that doesn’t have an all-sad-climax yet leaves you gloomy. A not-so-nice rare.

~ ~ ~

Only recently has it so happened that most of the people I know have seen a film before I have. Me being wary of cinema halls doesn’t help either. Until I get there though, I am enjoying this place where friends and family want me to write about a film because they have watched it. Here’s hoping I won’t get used to it and will catch a film in a theater soon, maybe even next week.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Suicide referred to and shown * Language: Lots of curse words * Nudity & Sexual content: Lots * Concept: A man and a woman are in love. But that is not enough. * General Look and Feel: Dark and slick tones

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2.5 * Story: 1.5 * Lead Actors: 3.5 * Character Artists: 3.5

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 1.5
Music Director: 3
Lyrics: 3

Gehraiyaan - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: Dharma Productions, Viacom18 Studios, Jouska Films
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Shakun Batra, Apoorva Mehta
Director: Shakun Batra
Lead Cast: Deepika Padukone, Dhairya Karwa, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Pandey
Story: Shakun Batra, Ayesha Devitre, Sumit Roy, Yash Sahai
Cinematography: Kaushal Shah (II)
Editor: Nitesh Bhatia
Music Director: Kabeer Kathpalia, Savera Mehta
Running time: 145 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Noir,

Romance

View Details

22 reviewers have given Meenakshi Sundareshwar an average rating of 1.6/5.0 (?)

1 yays 9 nays 12 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Arranged Marriage 101. A decent bird-eye view of the concept. Once you get an idea, though, boring. (Available on Netflix)

Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...Sanya, on the other side, runs a riot of her own. That carefree and happy-go-lucky girl is very well played by her....

full review

So-So by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Sweet Moments Derailed By Unconvincing Writing...

full review

So-So by Anupama Chopra,

Film Companion

...Is Sweet And Undemanding...

full review

So-So by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Abhimanyu Dassani...is the most fun to watch when he is being timorous on screen....

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...But where the film falters is not giving us a believable conflict....

full review

So-So by Srijita Sen,

MSN Entertainment

...While long-distance arranged marriages as a subject might not have been explored enough in Bollywood films, the concept of love and separation has been done to death....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...The two principal characters do not rave and rant - most of their communication takes place through electronic means - nor do their parents and siblings....

full review

So-So by Sanjana Jadhav,

Pinkvilla

...Sanya and Abhimanyu make for a good looking onscreen pair and their chemistry also is relatable given their arranged marriage set up and circumstances....

full review

So-So by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...Not all its wit lands...

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...embraces the stereotype and then tries to subvert it with a zeal that can only be admired....

full review

So-So by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...won’t keep you awake but provides talk-points for dinner table discussion...

full review

So-So by Hiren Kotwani,

Times of India

...taken the road less travelled by opting for a subject like this, on long-distance relationships, and how the protagonists enjoy the few ups and cope with the many downs....

full review

Thumbs down by Prathyush Parasuraman,

Film Companion

...Meenakshi Sundareshwar So Preoccupied With Sweetness, It Forgets To Be Anything Else...

full review

Thumbs down by Anna MM Vetticad,

FirstPost

...Both actors and the lovely supporting artistes are left scrambling for an anchor though as the storytelling gradually becomes lifeless...

full review

Thumbs down by Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri,

Free Press Journal

...The filmmakers, however, make the cardinal sin of forgetting that whimsy can carry a narrative only so far – and definitely cannot stand in for good old conflict in a film that runs 142 minutes...

full review

Thumbs down by Namrata Joshi,

National Herald

...While Sanya makes a convincing Rajinikanth fan, the whole homage to him, Dhanush and Nayanthara, doesn’t add anything to the film, rather takes away from the core....

full review

Thumbs down by Poulomi Das,

News N9ne

...It's a familiar, predictable turn of events, executed for the most part, with ample charm and sincerity....

full review

Thumbs down by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...Snoozefest With Leads With Zero Chemistry...

full review

Meenakshi Sundareshwar - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta
Director: Vivek Soni
Lead Cast: Sanya Malhotra, Abhimanyu Dassani
Supporting Cast: Ritika shrotri, Sukash Arora, Richa Mohan, Khuman Nongyai, Varun Shashi Rao, Trishaan, Purnendu Bhattacharya
Story: Vivek Soni, Aarsh Vora
Cinematography: Debojeet Ray
Editor: Prashanth Ramachandran
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Relationships,

Romance

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Arranged Marriage 101. A decent bird-eye view of the concept. Once you get an idea, though, boring. (Available on Netflix)

Review When a film is realistic there could be resonation with the characters. And it could bring the boredom that comes from having been there, done that. Meenakshi Sundareshwar gently glides from being relatable to boring.

It started by making me nostalgic about having to clandestinely hold my husband’s hand in public. And ended with me being totally disconnected from whatever was going on. Not because I have almost 25 years of lived experience under my belt. But because, within just a year of this couple’s marriage, the movie jumped from one uninteresting situation to another forced one, that too predictably.

I rubbished the thought that I felt distanced because of the Tamilian setting as soon as I questioned myself. This arranged marriage seems as universal as arranged marriages could be. The yearning to know the stranger who is also your life partner; the invaluable extra hug between a new couple; the familial bickering; the misunderstandings that come with any relationship, let alone a long-distance one—are hardly new or specific to any region. Arguably they are true of non-arranged marriages too.

In fact, the regional setting seems to serve another specific function—that of adding texture to an otherwise bland story. Of course, great service is done to Hindi cinema by not making caricatures out of the characters’ origins. And also by choosing a region that is mostly ignored by the industry.

I thoroughly enjoyed actors slipping in and out of Tamil as they spoke. It helped keep things in sync with the setting. Though I can hardly be a judge, it wouldn’t be surprising if they got most of the accent wrong. I know for sure none of the characters carried an accent while speaking Hindi or English like people do in real life. But hey, they tried. Imagine otherwise, we would be in Rajni-land with all-Hindi-speaking people. Just like it is better to have non-Bombayites try Bombaiyya rather than have them speak in only one clean language through a 140-minute film.

At the same time, once the novelty wears out, you realise that ultimately the film banks on stereotypes, just different ones. The Hindi-film references are replaced by Tamil-film ones. The lungi is highlighted, though with respect instead of ridicule. And so on.

Once you see through this superficial layer, you are left with characters doing mundane things like struggling with notorious in-laws/bosses turning it into a family soap opera—without the dramatics, but still pretty dull.

Sure, the love story is fairly charming, and the goofy and/or relatable situations are mildly entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed the music and after a long while I will be listening to the songs of a Hindi film. The arrangement in the film’s screenplay is adorable and quirky, even if misplaced.

However, much of the heavy-lifting is done by the actors and their chemistry with each other. The lead pair’s awkward, fumbling relationship is believable. But even more genuine is the amicable one between Meenakshi (Sanya Malhotra) and her college friend, Ananthan (Varun Shashi Rao).

Abhimanyu Dassani is heartwarming with his coy, good-boy Sundareshwar. He presents the stereotypical software engineer to the audience without making it look like a stereotype. Sanya Malhotra transitions from a warm friend to a naughty wife to a dutiful new bride like any good family’s daughter-in-law worth her salt. eye roll While her Rajnikant mimicry brought a smile, her embodiment of a Rajni-worshiper is something I will remember every time I think of this film.

Now, should they have been played by Tamilians in real life gets us into a murky discussion, doesn’t it? Then, Amitabh Bachchan would have to always play an Allahbadi, and Konkona Sen Sharma, only a Sen-Sharma combination. You see where I am going with this. I am glad how this turned out, given the material.

Now, that the material itself wasn’t strong enough to hold our interest through and through is neither the fault of the actors’ origins nor that of the Madurai setting. It is just the fizzling out of an idea that seemed to be banking too heavily on the generalised South India novelty in Hindi films.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None. * Language: Clean. * Nudity & Sexual content: A kiss. Nothing overt. * Concept: An arranged marriage forced to become a long-distance one almost immediately after marriage. * General Look and Feel: Crisp.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2 * Story: 1.5 * Lead Actors: 3.5 * Character Artists: 3.5

Dialogues: 2
Screenplay: 1
Music Director: 3.5
Lyrics: 3

Meenakshi Sundareshwar - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta
Director: Vivek Soni
Lead Cast: Sanya Malhotra, Abhimanyu Dassani
Supporting Cast: Ritika shrotri, Sukash Arora, Richa Mohan, Khuman Nongyai, Varun Shashi Rao, Trishaan, Purnendu Bhattacharya
Story: Vivek Soni, Aarsh Vora
Cinematography: Debojeet Ray
Editor: Prashanth Ramachandran
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Family,

Relationships,

Romance

View Details

24 reviewers have given Hum Do Hamare Do an average rating of 1.9/5.0 (?)

5 yays 11 nays 8 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Don't bother (?)

quick review:

Exasperating lies over lies towards an extremely predictable end.

(Available on Disney+ Hotstar)

Thumbs up by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...It's been a while since Bollywood has treated us with some wholesome entertainers that can be watched with the entire family. Rajkummar Rao-Kriti Sanon's film makes a mark with its light comic moments and the heart in the right place. Barring a few slip-ups, Hum Do Hamare Do is a roller coaster of emotions which leaves you with a big smile at the end of the ride....

full review

Thumbs up by R.M. VIJAYAKAR,

India West

...shek Jain’s direction is wholesome, and he has a script (that he has also co-authored) to match. Technically sound, “Hum Do Hamare Do” (named after a government Family Planning slogan in the past, though used here with a twist) has humdrum songs, but overall, the movie is a decidedly pleasant watch...

full review

Thumbs up by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

...A glamorous number which appears with end credits is tappy enough. The film may look slow at the beginning but that's because he has something fantastic to show later. It keeps you busy for two hours so there'll be no moments to have a little nap. Overall, Hum Do Hamare Do is funny, dramatic and emotionally well balanced. There's something in the film which makes it a recommendable product that two generations in the family should watch together....

full review

Thumbs up by JOGINDER TUTEJA,

Planet Bollywood

...The film as a whole too stays reliable in its treatment and meets the kind of expectations that one has from it. It’s the kind of film that you can comfortably watch at home with family, especially this festive season where one is looking for clean entertainment. Watch it with everyone from 6 to 60 at home....

full review

So-So

Bollywood Life

...The Maddock team once again brings a story that can be easily enjoyed with your family – Hum Do Hamare Do is the perfect Diwali entertainer with some reality, enough drama, and a lot of fun....

full review

So-So by Grace Cyril,

india today

...Apart from the script, what lacks in Hum Do Hamare Do is the base. The story is good but what would have made it more interesting is if the makers hadn't just focussed on the love story of the characters. Rajkummar's Dhruv turned rags to riches in a minute but we wanted to know how? Also, nothing is shown about Kriti's professional or social life. All she is reduced to is a local lover. If you are a Bollywood buff, you might have already guessed the ending....

full review

So-So by Vineeta Kumar,

india.com

...Hum Do Hamare Do might not be a technically perfect film with not-so-regular punches and laughter moments for everyone, but its heart is in the right place. The Maddock team once again brings a story that can be easily enjoyed with your family – a perfect Diwali entertainer with some reality, enough drama, and a lot of fun...

full review

So-So by Shreya Mukkerjee,

NewsBytes

...Despite notable actors lining up the cast and a good message in its conception, Hum Do Hamare Do goes neither here nor there. Only some good moments and punch lines keep the film going....

full review

So-So by Himesh Mankad,

Pinkvilla

...Hum Do Hamare Do is made with the right intent, however, the premise had the potential of more humour through the narrative and required a rather nuanced approach in terms of emotions in the last 25 minutes. Debutant Abhishek Jain shows some spark in getting the tone and vibe of the film right in the first half, and will certainly get better with every passing film in the emotional and dramatic front. It’s an average film that can be watched by the families with a tub of popcorn on a lazy Sunday afternoon primarily for some smartly written one-liners alongside the charming Ratna Pathak Shah and her chemistry with a rather witty Paresh Rawal....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Ranna Pathak brings an emotional edge to the proceedings, while Paresh Rawal is in fine form as the gent whose foot is lodged in his mouth. Rajkummar Rao bravely navigates stretches of bad dialogue, while Kriti Sanon can be plucked out of this movie and set down in any of her previous releases and it wouldn’t make a difference....

full review

So-So

Sify Movies

...Overall, since the couple had adopted a dog too at the end, the numbers in the film literally or figuratively do not match....

full review

So-So by Hiren Kotwani,

Times of India

...Nonetheless, the film has some really nice and funny moments. At the same time, it also makes a telling comment on families portraying a happy and united image outside while squabbling and fighting within. And that one can choose a perfect family if need be. 'Hum Do Hamare Do' is a decent watch… but if only the second half had been more engaging with a few dollops more of humour....

full review

Thumbs down by Bobby Sing,

Bobby Talks Cinema.com

...Summing up the presents OTT culture has given rise to a new genre of time pass films that can be seen without expecting much while having your breakfast, lunch or dinner in a fast forward mode. Hum do Hamare do exactly fails in that catagory and the choice is all yours....

full review

Thumbs down by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Not even a passing glimpse of my all-time favourite Hindi film Shakti Samanta’s Amar Prem made me feel any kinder towards Hum Do Hamare Do....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,

Deepa Gahlot

...The young pair is so colourless that it is the seasoned performance by the senior actors that inches the film forward. Both Paresh Rawal and Ratna Pathak Shah display perfect comic timing, particularly in the scene when they meet Anya’s family for the first time....

full review

Thumbs down by Anupama Chopra,

Film Companion

...What Hum Do Hamare Do does is reaffirm that Bollywood is now ready for a full-bodied senior romance. Think of how magical Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao were in Badhaai Ho. Even without a sparkling script like that one, Ratna and Paresh manage to make you care about them. Let’s write these stellar performers their own sweeping love story. And perhaps the young ones can take a break....

full review

Thumbs down by Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri,

Free Press Journal

...At an appraisal of the app that Dhruv has created, he is told, ‘I wear the VR for hours … I put it off … there’s no product experience.’ Exactly what watching the film made me feel. I watched Hum Do Hamare Do for 128 minutes. I switched off the TV. There was no product experience....

full review

Thumbs down by Vaishali Jain,

India TV

...There's no denying that the film manages to make one laugh but repeated concepts, cliched plots and rhyming dialogues won't catch the audience's attention anymore, it is much smarter than this....

full review

Thumbs down by UDITA JHUNJHUNWALA,

Live Mint

...Smarter writing, a less conventional plot structure and more imaginative direction would have benefitted a story that had an emotional core—about growing up parentless, about what constitutes a family and about how tangible and convincing virtual reality can be....

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Hum Do Hamare Do Review: Kriti Sanon's Is Most Noteworthy Performance In Unfunny Caper Hum Do Hamare Do Review: A promotional poster of the film. (Image courtesy: rajkummar_rao )

Cast: Kriti Sanon, Rajkummar Rao, Paresh Rawal, Ratna Pathak Shah, Aparshakti Khurrana Director: Abhishek Jain

Rating: 1.5 stars (out of 5)

A patchy script, unimaginative direction and inconsistent performances queer the pitch for Hum Do Hamare Do. A profligate dramedy that fritters away the advantages of an admittedly unusual plot, all its calculations go amiss. Nothing that it proffers, no matter how harmless and well-meaning it might seem, delivers a rounded sum that makes sense.

Even pure drivel is known to have been saved when inspired lunacy and sustained comic fervour have been thrown into the mix in the right proportions. This comedy of error-prone, slipshod gags is desperately short on those two essential attributes.

At the heart of Hum Do Hamare Do, streaming on Disney+Hotstar, are a young man, played by Rajkummar Rao, who will do all it takes not to lose the girl he loves and an old loner, portrayed by Paresh Rawal, who missed the bus many years ago because he developed cold feet and continues to live to tell the tale of a thwarted liaison.

The unfunny caper, director Abhishek Jain's Hindi debut, revolves around a Chandigarh man who has nobody to call his own barring a best friend who is always at his beck and call. The enterprising buddy is the go-to man when the hero is at his wit's end, which is way too often for his own good.

The protagonist is introduced as a boy in a brief prelude. The orphan works at a highway dhaba for a man nicknamed Premi (Paresh Rawal). He is treated well enough by the employer but his life is a dead-end. A warm-hearted customer (Ratna Pathak Shah) comes by and gets chatting with the boy.

On learning that he is called Baal Premi, she suggests that he should think up a better name for himself. She tips the child generously and leaves. It is obvious that Premi and the kind lady will return to the boy's life. More on that later.

Years go by. The boy, Dhruv, now a busy VR gaming whiz kid who teaches impoverished children in his free time, has a chance encounter with a freelance vlogger, Anya Mehra (Kriti Sanon). The former's standoffish behaviour leaves the woman fuming. Sure enough, in keeping with the true tradition of Bollywood rom-coms, love blossoms between the two. But there is a hitch.

Dhruv figures out that Anya dreams of marrying a man who has a family and a dog. There is a strong reason for her desire. He, therefore, goes looking for a pair of fake parents. With his best pal Shanty (Aparshakti Khurrana) egging him on to go the whole hog, he does find what he needs but not before a few hiccups.

ALSO READ Hum Do Hamare Do Trailer: Rajkummar Rao And Kriti Sanon's Wedding Plans Interrupted By Comedy Of Errors Hum Do Hamare Do Trailer: Rajkummar Rao And Kriti Sanon's Wedding Plans Interrupted By Comedy Of Errors The dhaba owner from the opening sequence - we are told is full name is Purushottam Mishra - and Deepti Kashyap, the woman whose kindness left a deep impression on the foundling in the self-same scene, agree, after some prodding, to pretend to be Dhruv's parents. But the old man, who still rues the opportunity he missed to wed his sweetheart, has the tendency to go overboard when he has had one swig too many.

Awkward situations result and threaten to derail Dhruv's not so well laid-out plans to worm his way into the hearts of the girl's parents (Manu Rishi Chadha and Prachee Shah Pandya). Needless to say, it isn't a cakewalk. There is a worthy match for Anya lurking in the background and Dhruv and Shanty have very little time at their disposal to stall Anya's impending betrothal with a bridegroom chosen by her mom and dad.

When the counterfeit parents meet the girl's mother and father, who, too, aren't 'real' in the strictest sense, inevitable complications arise. But does the ensuing rigmarole generate genuine hilarity? Not at all. Riding on a storyline that is as insipid as it is illogical, Hum Do Hamare Do is a meandering mess that relies heavily on laboured humour and a cast of actors not fully in tune with the needs of the exercise.

The most noteworthy performance in Hum Do Hamare Do is delivered by Kriti Sanon, who does her very best to inject some life into the proceedings. She radiates charm and vitality. Every time one sees her on the screen, one cannot help feeling that she deserved a better film. Ditto for the impressive Ratna Pathak Shah, who is amazingly convincing as a woman called upon to playact as a mother to a stranger. Sadly, neither the character she essays nor the film that she is in comes anywhere near doing justice to her.

What of the male lead? Rajkummar Rao is saddled with the task of salvaging a poorly written protagonist whose impulses, compulsions and decisions border on the utterly inexplicable. Why an adult who has put the worst behind him and made a success of his life opt for falsehood in order to marry his true love is beyond comprehension?

It requires an uncommon degree of charisma and unerring comic timing to lift something as insubstantial and unappetising as Hum Do Hamare Do out of the muddle. No such rescue act materialises here. Since the character has no access to straws that are strong enough to cling to and the actor has to reckon with more questions than answers, the film flounders from the word go.

Even Paresh Rawal, a screen performer of proven comic prowess, is largely wasted in a role that dangles between the puerile and the miserable. That, in fact, is true of the film as a whole. It falls with a thud between two stools.

Hum Do Hamare Do is the sort of romp that depends wholly on ensuring a willing suspension of disbelief, which proves to be an unattainable goal for a screenplay that knows no better. The going gets especially tough because in its search for a droll core that can hold and go the distance, the film sinks into a welter of half-baked formulations about biological broods, fractured families and cobbled-up clans...

full review

Thumbs down by Sukanya Verma,

Rediff

...If it means to debate over the virtues of a traditional family versus the one a man chooses for himself, it shouldn't be as flimsy as picking custom topping pizza over frozen pizza. Except it is the kind of rush job rom-com that cuts to the chase after so much dillydallying and in such a dull manner, it completely misses the point....

full review

Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...Aparshakti Khurana repeats his friend-of-the-hero part, but here the colour scheme of his turbans is more vibrant than his character.

Overall, the film is a great example of how the right ingredients don’t guarantee a wholesome meal....

full review

Thumbs down by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...We also need someone to keep the humour quotient alive, and who better than a Sardar friend played by the effervescent Aparshakti Khurrana? Then there is the customary going about in circles to recruit the perfect candidates for mummyji and papaji. Saanand Verma enters the fray and ensures a few laughs in his signature style. When Paresh Rawal and Ratna Pathak Shah get locked in, even though we can see the denouement from a mile, but their solid presence makes us want to stay with the story ....

full review

See Also

wogma review

24 Critic Reviews 1.9/5.0

Hum Do Hamare Do - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Mahaveer S. Jain
Director: Abhishek Jain
Lead Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Kriti Sanon
Supporting Cast: Avijit Dutt, Prachi Shah, Ratna Pathak, Manu Rishi Chadha, Saanand Verma, Aparshakti Khurana, Shibani Bedi
Story: Deepak Venkateshan, Abhishek Jain
Screenplay: Prashant Jha
Dialogues: Prashant Jha
Cinematography: Amalendu Chaudhary
Editor: Dev Rao Jadhav
Background Score: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Costume Designer: Anisha Jain, Sukriti Grover
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Romance

View Details

wogma rating: Don't bother (?)

quick review:

Exasperating lies over lies towards an extremely predictable end.

(Available on Disney+ Hotstar)

Review Has couples lying to make their wedding happen become a genre? We saw it recently in 14 Phere. The reasons for lying are different, but the pattern is the same. Fake parents and relatives have to be auditioned, rejected, and accepted. The lies don’t stop. How will they? From the stories’ points of view, the reveal is inadvertent. So what if the audience could predict it when the first lie was told?

Hum Do Hamare Do doesn’t even pretend to be different. Not just the climax, but the sequences leading up to the finish go as expected. Unless the makers were expecting us to be on the edges of our seats to know precisely how all hell would be breaking loose and what unbelievable transition is going to sort everything out neatly. I would like to think the audience is too seasoned to be under any such delusion.

In such cases, the film has to rely heavily on well-thought-out situations, well-crafted lines and extraordinary performances. The choice of problems is bizarre when the writers seemed to have made an effort, which doesn’t happen too often in the first place. I am not saying that a woman staying with her future husband’s family cannot happen in real life. But, in the set-up here, it seemed strange.

Similarly, while the film starts with Dhruv’s (Rajkummar Rao) occupation, there is no mention of it for a long time. This would have been normal, right? Happens often enough in Hindi films. Careers are more or less fillers. But here, entirely out of tune and texture, Dhruv’s app appears. Sure, I could come up with possible reasons like trying to show his work process. But at times, the office’s appearance seems like it has a different agenda—like to show a mother-son relationship.

At other times, it comes across as a filler, something stuffed to plug into a void. Just like the sudden interaction between Dhruv’s friend, Sandeep and his wife. Where on earth did that come from. Maybe where Anya’s (Kriti Sanon) career disappeared. Well, it clearly existed only to establish why she met Dhruv.

The situations failed the film, and the lines didn’t do much either. The actors have nothing remarkable to say. We know they are all capable of invoking a laugh, an aww out of us. But nothing of the sort happens here.

Anyway, the film had lost me at its theme. People lie unsustainably so that the person being lied to feels better. That too, when common sense would suggest that the person being lied to would much rather be told the truth. Meh. Like a few characters in the film says, “unnecessarily complicated.”

All that was left for me to appreciate in the film was the pretty house that Anya lived in. And that Dhruv’s father mistakes his son’s friends’ names like some fathers I know. :)

Of course, it is a silver threading. Weddings are a project. But in films like these, things get worse just when you think the worst has passed. Hum Do Hamare Do turns into a movie where people get thrown in swimming pools, and men’s balls get catapulted. In that sense, the film was not entirely predictable. The big moment of revelation was worse than I thought, the resolution even more meaningless.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: None * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: None * Concept: Lying to get married in the name of love

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1 * Story: 0.5 * Lead Actors: 2 * Character Artists: 2

Dialogues: 1
Screenplay: 0.5
Music Director:
Lyrics:

See Also

wogma review

24 Critic Reviews 1.9/5.0

Hum Do Hamare Do - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Mahaveer S. Jain
Director: Abhishek Jain
Lead Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Kriti Sanon
Supporting Cast: Avijit Dutt, Prachi Shah, Ratna Pathak, Manu Rishi Chadha, Saanand Verma, Aparshakti Khurana, Shibani Bedi
Story: Deepak Venkateshan, Abhishek Jain
Screenplay: Prashant Jha
Dialogues: Prashant Jha
Cinematography: Amalendu Chaudhary
Editor: Dev Rao Jadhav
Background Score: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Music Director: Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya
Costume Designer: Anisha Jain, Sukriti Grover
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Romance

View Details

25 reviewers have given Rashmi Rocket an average rating of 3.1/5.0 (?)

11 yays 5 nays 9 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

A sports drama that is hardly the best sports film around yet goes beyond. A social drama that aims to get you involved in the topic, not deeply educated about it. Yet, together makes for a film worth your time and energy. (Available on Zee5)

Thumbs up by Stacey Yount,

Bolly Spice

...As I said, I went in with no idea what was about to unfold, and Rashmi Rocket surprised me in so many ways! It was a woman’s story, a runners’ story, a family tale, a romance, and a sports drama. There were so many layers to this, it is deep, but that is what makes it so good. It is such an important woman’s athlete story that must be told, and I, for one, applaud the entire cast and crew for bringing this tale to the world. Rashmi Rocket will blow you away. I say it is a MUST watch!...

full review

Thumbs up by Smrity Sharma,

Bollywood Life

...Rashmi Rocket is not just another sports film that is a story of grit of an ambitious individual fighting all odds. It stands out for delving deep into a lesser known, lesser discussed ‘real’ aspect that ails sports and sportswomen around the world. And therefore, deserves all the attention. Also, it’s the Dusshera long weekend and this family drama is just the prefect break from all the overdone, high-octane actioners with the ‘burai pe acchai ki jeet’ over the top theme. We go with three and a half stars out of five for Rashmi Rocket....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...The court case is overly dramatic, though the film’s writers are woke enough to take a dig at that too. The sub-plot consisting of a corrupt official using underhand antics feels hastily sketched. And we don’t know why Taapsee’s original complexion wasn’t retained in the film as the false tan doesn’t feel natural. But these are minor glitches in a film which raises crucial points. Female athletes should be treated more humanely and better facilities and pay grades be provided to them. Gender identity is the larger issue it raises. It’s up to an individual to identify with a certain gender and no one should question that. We’re slowly becoming more inclusive as a society and Rashmi Rocket will surely add positive vibes to that debate....

full review

Thumbs up by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...When Bhanuben (Supriya Pathak) casually complains to her husband how their daughter Rashmi doesn't listen to her, the latter tells her, "Arey, woh khud ki sunti hai na woh sabse badi baat hai." Rashmi Rocket is not just a tribute to women athletes who defy all odds to achieve their dreams, but also to every woman out there who dares to listen to her own voice, unafraid of breaking stereotypes....

full review

Thumbs up by R.M. VIJAYAKAR,

India West

...In smaller roles, Umesh Prakash Jagtap as the cop, Mantra as the coach, Chahat Tewani as Rashmi in her childhood, Kshitee Jog as the doctor, Zafar Karachiwala as the defense counsel and co-writer Lisha Bajaj as the nurse get special marks. And Akash Khurana as Dr. Ejaz is an effortless natural under the direction of his son, Akarsh Khurana! The rest are all good, though Miloni Jhonsa and Namita Dubey do veer towards stereotypes....

full review

Thumbs up by Shreya Mukkerjee,

NewsBytes

...In fact, such examples of female athletes being unfairly treated for their gender identity being brought into question are abundant. Thus the film was much needed. However, elements like romanticization of pregnancy (also seen recently in Mimi) sour the experience. While a woman can choose to balance her career and kids, it's also okay to prioritize her career....

full review

Thumbs up by Vaibhavi V Risbood,

Pinkvilla

...Rashmi faces such moments a few times in her journey, and every time she is reminded of the dialogue by her dad. Hence, Rashmi Rocket becomes a sprinter who turns her personal battle into a race for respect, honour, and even her identity....

full review

Thumbs up

Sify Movies

...The film is well-shot and boasts of good production values. Music, bursting with the flavours of Bhuj, is used fittingly. The songs 'Ghani Cool Chori', 'Zidd', 'Rann Ma Kutchh' and 'Zindagi Tere Naam', clearly, stand out in the narrative. Overall, 'Rashmi Rocket' is a film worth taking note of...

full review

Thumbs up by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...Overall, with its runtime of two hours, Rashmi Rocket does a fine job of keeping us hooked till the finish line. Watch it and you won't regret it....

full review

Thumbs up by Ronak Kotecha,

Times of India

...With powerful performances ‘Rashmi Rocket’ fires on all cylinders and stays the course of informing, entertaining and educating its audience about an archaic practice that should be left far behind in the race against inequality and bias....

full review

Thumbs up by Aditi Sharma,

Zee News

...On the whole, when you overlook the melodrama and rushed first-half, Akarsh Khurana’s Rashmi Rocket has an unconventional storyline that can greatly contribute to conversations around gender equalit...

full review

So-So by Roktim Rajpal,

Deccan Herald

...Music is an integral part of a film about the underdog. Chak De !, for example, featured the iconic title track that attained cult status, This is exactly where Rashmi Rocket triumphs as it features a couple of memorable songs. Zidd arguably is the p......

full review

So-So by Anupama Chopra,

Film Companion

...I think Abhishek had the most fun in this film – in the time-honored tradition of Hindi film lawyers, he chews the scenery, berating, cajoling and thundering. This is the best part of the film....

full review

So-So by Vaishali Jain,

India TV

...For 'Rashmi Rocket', it's reasonable to say that the film has its heart in the right place. It asks the right questions and indeed is a start to an important conversation but don't expect it to blow your mind away....

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...It’s good to see the criminally underused Varun Badola back on screen as a machinating Athletics Federation official, but you wish he had been given more to play with. Chirag Vohra, as part of Rashmi’s extended family, and so good in ‘Scam 92’, is wasted. You could put it down to the fact that most Hindi films which revolve around a titular character, create other characters solely to buoy or amplify the former....

full review

So-So by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...Rashmi Rocket, to be sure, has its heart in the right place. If only it had kept a check on its lungs, it might have been a winner. Watch it for the lead performance and the blows it delivers on behalf of all female champions who have to fight much harder than their male counterparts to hold on to their place in the sun....

full review

So-So by SRIJITA SEN,

News18.com

...Now the only thing that one should look forward to is Rashmi rocket starting a dialogue and making people ask why an archaic concept gender testing still exists after several examples of it wrongly ending the careers of women....

full review

So-So by Deepti Patwardhan,

Rediff

...It has been a year of immense growth in sport. The pandemic amplified the fault lines, sport stars became advocates and activists for social change, de-stigmatised the issue of mental health.

At a time when athletes are pushing boundaries of their scope of influence, Rashmi Rocket is politically correct without being enlightening....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Director Khurana works harder on the relationships, which turn out to the drama’s strongest aspect. Rashmi’s sweet romance with Gagan is both old-fashioned and modern, while her bond with her mother is the best thing in the movie. If Rashmi Rocket has a second heroine, it’s Supriya Pathak Kapur’s Bhanu, who deals her daughter the tough hand that the movie refuses to....

full review

So-So by Pooja Birala Jaiswal,

The Week

...While Rashmi Rocket makes for a decent watch for the subject, there are parts in the film where one is forced to question one's own intelligence. The film's music strikes a chord and leaves one humming long after the film is over. The dialogues - penned by Kanika Dhillon and Aniruddh Guha - are mostly conversational in nature. The supporting cast, too, is impressive, with Supriya Pilgaonkar in the role of Vira's mother, and others such as Priyanshu Painyuli, Varun Badola and Abhishek Banerjee, lending a fine hand....

full review

Thumbs down by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...But then again, I’m grateful for small mercies. At least the title isn’t literal; Rashmi Rocket could have well been the fictional biopic of the first astronaut to land on Venus. Because men are apparently from Mars....

full review

Thumbs down by Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri,

Free Press Journal

...One senses the important question underpinning the narrative: What does it take to be a woman — is testosterone all there is or is motherhood the answer? It’s not a question that has a ready, easy answer. The muddle of a narrative that Rashmi Rocket is — alternating between campy courtroom shenanigans and wannabe sporting saga — barely scratches the surface of that prickly issue....

full review

Thumbs down by Soumya Srivastawa,

Hindustan Times

...Rashmi Rocket does wish for better things for women. It makes resounding and loud calls for ending gender testing in sports, a practice that has traumatised many women over the years. However, how effective comparing women with high testosterone to Michael Phelps’ big hands will be, I am not sure...

full review

Thumbs down by ARNAB BANERJEE,

Outlook India

...In the midst of all the seriousness that the film is intended for, an out-of-the-blue song and dance featuring the lead actors, makes you wonder which way the film is headed. Pannu who is quite used to doing such characters with a deep seated conscience looks the part of a sportsperson admirably. Priyanshu is ably cast as an officer while Pathak by now must not be requiring lines to deliver as a mother- so often she has been playing such a role!...

full review

Thumbs down by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...The supporting actors Priyanshu Painyuli, Abhishek Banerjee, Supriya Pilagaonkar, and Varun Badola pass on the baton smoothly too, but Khurana seems to have forgotten Rashmi’s father’s mantra. He relies less on effort, focuses more on the result....

full review

See Also

wogma review

25 Critic Reviews 3.1/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Rashmi Rocket - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: RSVP, Mango People Media Network
Producer: Ronnie Screwwala, Pranjal Khandhdiya, Neha Anand
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Lead Cast: Tapsee Pannu, Priyanshu Painyuli
Supporting Cast: Supriya Pathak, Manoj Joshi, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Shweta Tripathi, Varun Badola, Abhishek Banerjee, Boloram Das, Namita Dubey
Story: Kanika Dhillon
Cinematography: Neha Parti Matiyani
Editor: Ajay Sharma, Shweta Venkat
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Costume Designer: Rohit Chaturvedi
Art Direction: Smita Kambli, RajuKumar Sahani
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social,

Sports

View Details

19 reviewers have given Chehre an average rating of 2.1/5.0 (?)

3 yays 6 nays 10 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Long, convoluted, over-performed. Pushes you to laugh at it. (Available on Amazon Prime Video)

Thumbs up by R.M. VIJAYAKAR,

India West

...The songs are created by two entities, come in as noisy interruptions, and, as almost always nowadays, are disastrous. Not so the performances, though. Amitabh Bachchan’s measured and cool performance is enhanced by his eyes, which alone do an amazing job. Emraan Hashmi is in form, though at times his character seems to be written over-the-top to accentuate his character...

full review

Thumbs up by JOGINDER TUTEJA,

Rediff

...The Anand Pandit production plays out well though the climax seems to be a little hasty and not quite conclusive.

Better written scenes here could have done the trick.

By and large, Chehre turns out to be a cerebral film that would be picked by those who loved Badla. Yes, the constant dialoguebaazi, especially at a single stage setting, may make a few people restless. But those who like to be mentally involved right through, Chehre makes for an engrossing watch....

full review

Thumbs up by Ritika Handoo,

Zee News

...Is it enjoyable? When is administering a strong dose of justice to slippery characters not enjoyable? Rumi Jafry, the director, keeps the pace going, with the screen characters knocking back drinks as easily as they unravel the case. Is it worth a visit to the theatre? Yes, just to remind ourselves that there is more to Bachchan than the KBC Uncle or Alexa's voice....

full review

So-So by Russel D'Silva,

Bollywood Life

...The biggest drawback of Chehre is how it's main point, when revealed, appears frivolous and stretched for no reason, and how the plot then looks coerced to make us believe the retired protagonists are holier-than-thou do-gooders, when all they appear to be after that point are senile hounds of justice, unable to let go of their once glorious past. Also, credit to Emraan Hashmi, Amitabh Bachchan, Annu Kapoor and even Rhea Chakraborty for essaying such poorly written roles so well. Plus, Amitabh's so-called big monologue has zero bearing on the actual plot.nces and first half, Chehre would have had hardly anything going for it. I'm going with 2.5 out of 5 stars....

full review

So-So by Monika Rawal Kukreja,

Hindustan Times

...Chehre can't be called a thrilling courtroom drama. So let's just say that Rumi Jafry has attempted something out of his comfort zone, but his film is merely watchable....

full review

So-So by Nairita Mukherjee,

india today

...In the penultimate scenes of Chehre, Amitabh Bachchan is given a freakishly long monologue, which may have been Rumi Jafry's proclamation of love for that deep baritone - and we love it too - but it is the film's final undoing....

full review

So-So by Vaishali Jain,

India TV

...Chehre has noble intentions with a visible motive of making a social commentary on lawlessness, judiciary proceedings and life in general, but it exhausts itself early on. Even a better-than-average cast isn’t sufficient to hold Chehre from tumbling over its faulty storyline. With a stellar star cast and some anticipation with Rhea's appearance in the film, it had the brevity to pull the audience, but what it doesn’t have is a tangible structure to last an hour, let alone a runtime of over 120 minutes. Chehre Trailer...

full review

So-So by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, Chehre could’ve easily been recognised as a film coming from the school of movies like Aamir, Table No 21, Pink, Badla and even Article 15 (to some extent, but its structure lacks two major things all of the above films had – ‘a good second & third act’. A good yet misdirected attempt!...

full review

So-So by Sonal Dedhia,

News18.com

...Chehre is not unwatchable but it is an inconsistent film has very little to offer. I was reminded sunny deol,s famous dialogue, "Tarikh pe Tareekh, Tareekh pe Tareekh Tareekh pe Yarieekh milti gay My Lord, per insaaf nahi mila" from the 1993 super hit film Damini. The audience surly not get any kind of insaaf alert investing their time in Chehre....

full review

So-So by Shreya Mukkerjee,

NewsBytes

...Although almost all characters are one-dimensional, all lead actors give good performances. But the script demands them to be melodramatic, animated at times which is irritating. Bachchan's ending monologue on the inefficiency of judiciary using real-life cases would have hit us harder if it was better written and a bit concise. It's not bad for a one-time watch though....

full review

So-So by Vaibhavi V Risbood,

Pinkvilla

...Overall, if you are a big Amitabh Bachchan fan and okay to watch a mediocre thriller just to see him on-screen, then you can make your choice....

full review

So-So by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...The rest of the actors, who include Siddhanth Kapoor as a mute character who stands around looking scary, are never allowed to steal Bachchan’s one-note thunder. Annu Kapoor’s overly emotive Paramjeet, as Sameer’s mock defence lawyer, is actually serving the needs of the prosecution, like the rest of the movie.

Cornered but defiant, Emraan Hashmi mounts a sparky and memorable defence for himself – and wins....

full review

So-So by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times Now

...Chehre aims to make a social commentary on the state of criminal justice in India. The idea at the outset is interesting, but it stops at just that. The film turns out to be a preposterous courtroom drama that feels longer than any longest-running lawsuit....

full review

Thumbs down by Deepa Gahlot,

Deepa Gahlot

...There is nothing much for Emraan Hashmi to do, but he still strives to move from smart aleck to desperate convincingly. Chehre has been released in the theatres, wherever they have reopened, but this one would have fared better direct to OTT....

full review

Thumbs down by Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri,

Free Press Journal

...Which brings me to the film’s three self-aware dialogues. One, Bhullar objecting to Zaidi’s fanciful assumptions in building his case against Sameer: ‘Preposterous, obnoxious, outrageous.’ You said it, sir. Describes the second half to a T. Zaidi himself in the middle of his filibustering, speaking of our propensity to use the law as a plaything: ‘It must stop.’ Yes, sir, and why didn’t you? And finally, Sameer, exhausted from the whole thing: ‘Main thak gaya hoon, pak gaya hoon.’ Yes, buddy, I hear you. I felt the same way. The filmmakers could have done well to reflect on these percipient observations. Title: Chehre...

full review

Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...Hashmi, togged out in fancy fur coats and Louis Vuitton bags, is given a backstory which gets the film into Delhi’s nightclubs, farmhouses and golf-course, in which his ‘crime’ is laid out, involving an overbearing boss (Soni), his attractive wife (Krystle D’Souza), and a murder disguised as a natural death. His is the case of lots of screen time for a talented actor, with nothing new in the way he comes at his...

full review

Thumbs down by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...A large chunk of Chehre, supposedly set in the hills of north India, has been filmed in Poland. The mansion in which the action - or, to be precise, the lack thereof - takes place is cavernous enough to conceal many secrets. It is littered with telltale signs to suggest that Sameer Mehra isn't the first man that the four have toyed with, nor will he be the last....

full review

Thumbs down by ARNAB BANERJEE,

Outlook India

...With brilliant camerawork by Binod Pradhan, the majority of the 138 minute film is peppered with deliberate attempts at creating shadowy moments devoted to arguments between the various characters. Once it becomes a routine, it quickly becomes awfully tedious. Jafry’s refusal to give us a reason to care about any of these characters ultimately sinks the film and, worse, makes it an uncommonly interminable experience!...

full review

Thumbs down by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...It’s absurd and dangerous given the times we are in. Amitabh Bachchan gets an almost 10min long monologue where he makes an impassioned appeal in favour of this kind of unlicensed practice. From Nirbhaya to acid attack victims and surgical strike, everything is called upon to justify it. It still remains such a waste of Big B’s talent and our time. Chehre makes no attempt to save face....

full review

See Also

wogma review

19 Critic Reviews 2.1/5.0

2 Reader Reviews 1/5.0

Chehre - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Anand Pandit
Director: Rumy Jaffery
Lead Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Emraan Hashmi
Supporting Cast: Raghuvir Yadav, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Samir Soni, Alexx O'Nell, Rhea Chakraborty, Siddhant Kapoor, Annu Kapoor, Krystle D'Souza
Story: Rumy Jaffery, Ranjit Kapoor
Cinematography: Binod Pradhan
Editor: Bodhaditya Banerjee
Music Director: Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani, Gourav Dasgupta, Clinton Cerejo
Costume Designer: Shivank Kapoor
Art Direction: Vijay Ghodke
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Murder Mystery,

Suspense,

Thriller

View Details

25 reviewers have given Sardar Udham an average rating of 4.3/5.0 (?)

18 yays 0 nays 7 so-so

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

It’s long. It’s slow. But it’s a necessary watch. Not just for the real-life martyr’s story but also for how a national hero’s story can be told without resorting to jingoism. (Available on Amazon Prime Video)

Thumbs up by Tanul Thakur,

The Wire

...By contextualising Udham and Bhagat Singh’s motives, Sircar accomplishes two main goals: a) making the revolutionaries bigger – and better – than the current discourse of parochial nationalism that often misappropriates them and b) exemplifying the true essence of azaadi. Because when it comes to independence, only two questions matter: Freedom to whom, freedom from whom?...

full review

Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

...Indeed Frederick Forsyth meets Richard Attenborough in this astute, if over-long cinematic replication of an assassination that shook the world. The film is punctuated by bouts of indefinable pathos and yet Sircar, a master when it comes to temperate storytelling, exercises an incredible restrain over his potentially unwieldy narration that takes its protagonist here, there, and everywhere.

Sardar Udham is not just a film but an event....

full review

Thumbs up by Sameer Salunkhe,

cineblitz

...The film’s non-linear narrative might not be the most appealing aspect for an Indian mainstream audience who are not used to watching this type of narratives. Which concerns me that they might not be able to notice let alone appreciate what the makers have achieved here. And this is not to over-intellectualize the film. When I had interviewed Sircar a few days ago and asked him about his vision behind the film, he had said that he would have made Sardar Udham in any case. Glad that he made it the way he made it....

full review

Thumbs up by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

...We seldom make biopics as good as these. After giving us Udham Singh, maybe Shoojit Sircar should give us Bhagat Singh next. This film deserved a theatrical release and we hope the makers give a thought towards that in near future....

full review

Thumbs up by Madhuri V,

Filmi Beat

...Sardar Udham steers clear of inserting unnecessary songs in its narrative and that works in its favour. The background score also lends to the sobriety of the film....

full review

Thumbs up by Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri,

Free Press Journal

...Shoojit Sircar is not interested in providing instant gratification. That is reflected in the film’s pace and length, which can be daunting. But for the patient viewer, the rewards are manifold....

full review

Thumbs up by Soumya Srivastawa,

Hindustan Times

...Sardar Udham, if there was ever any doubt, also proves once again that Shoojit Sircar is in top form and among the most dependable filmmakers in Hindi cinema right now. From slices of lives to biographies on historical heroes, he has been able to give his distinct stamp to any idea he has picked up. Hope the streak continues another 20 years....

full review

Thumbs up by Vaishali Jain,

India TV

...Sardar Udham is at best gratifying, levitated by the offerings of its cast and the finesse of its production. It brings the story arc of the revolutionary responsibly and with care but it takes too much time to reach there. Be patient watch the film and celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of the revolutionary. It is not the hardest thing that you have to do in your day....

full review

Thumbs up by R.M. VIJAYAKAR,

India West

...“Sardar Udham” is a must-watch for its spirit and content. The flaws were completely avoidable though because the film, good though it is, would have then emerged as a solid and true cinematic milestone....

full review

Thumbs up by Umesh Punwani,

koimoi

...All said and done, Shoojit Sircar makes a poignant point by plotting a heroic tale without making it just about the hero, focusing on his ideology of destroying imperialism to attain freedom using his ways. It not just informs you about a tragedy but also gives you a closure that is neither Black nor White...

full review

Thumbs up by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

...But not all the British characters in Sardar Udham are reprehensible creatures, certainly not Scotland Yard's Detective Inspector Swain (Stephen Hogan), who in the process of handling the O'Dwyer assassination case, develops a grudging admiration for the Indian revolutionary and then a full-blown understanding of his motives....

full review

Thumbs up by Shreya Mukkerjee,

NewsBytes

...Given the majority of the dialogue is in English (British English at that) and the movie is nearly three-hour-long, going OTT with the release is the correct choice. Interestingly, Sircar again casts Banita Sandhu in a voice-less role after October....

full review

Thumbs up by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

...Although Sardar Udham isn’t always successful in providing a rounded and complex portrait, Sircar’s sober and thoughtful exploration of the injustice that underpinned the British empire survives his tendency towards excess and bloat. In Bhagat Singh’s passion and Udham’s sacrifice, there are echoes of the sonic youth of the Indian present, who are facing the brunt of O’Dwyer’s declaration that “punishment that creates a fear of punishment is of great practical value”. In the field of bodies in Amritsar and the dank prison in London where Udham counts down to his final days, liberation from tyranny has never seemed sweeter, or more necessary....

full review

Thumbs up

Sify Movies

...The end of the film, maybe known to us and predictable, but the surge of patriotism and the awe-inspiring feeling for Udham Singh is something Shoojit Sircar manages to arouse in each viewer. The dauntless unremorseful Udham Singh, with Bhagat Singh's photograph in his clenched fist as he lies motionless, becomes an everlasting memory. Overall, with a runtime of 162 minutes, there are moments when you feel the viewing is a bit tedious....

full review

Thumbs up by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

...As Bhagat Singh, Amol Parashar looks the part in close-ups, but unlike Vicky, his effort shows in making the revolutionary look cool and happening. The strong English support cast led by Shaun Scott and Stephen Hogan makes it a wholesome experience....

full review

Thumbs up by Stutee Ghosh,

The Quint

...These are details that many of us know, have read in our history books and heard from our parents but the slow-burning period drama Sardar Udham is unrelenting in its pursuit to make us realise the enormity of it all. Udham Singh took 21 years to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Shoojit Sircar’s latest directorial venture, in its 2 hour 40 mins runtime, breathes thoughtfully, silently taking in the seething rage and pain. It doesn’t let us off easily, instead the understated elegance with which our brave-heart sacrifices his all stays with us long after the film is over....

full review

Thumbs up by Aishwarya Venugolan,

The Week

...Udham's transformation from a 20-year-old boy who witnesses a merciless massacre, to a man who boldly stands alone in front of hundreds to fight injustice, is powerful. Though controversial, he created his own mark in the history of independence which is glorified by many...

full review

Thumbs up by Renuka Vyavahare,

Times of India

...Sardar Udham’s courage never roared. It whispered. This freedom fighter traversed continents, used aliases and lied low throughout his life. He was too possessed by his singular quest for equality to make a noise. If you are as passionately curious about his quiet existence, this film is for you....

full review

So-So by Bobby Sing,

Bobby Talks Cinema.com

...Srdar Udham singh deserves to be seen for Vickey Kaushal as the actor puts his heart and soul in to the act coming up with his career best performance deserves a big applause. His efforts also need to be praised wholeheartedly.as the gifted youngsters never makes you feel that the film could hava been much better with Irfan Khan in the lead. If truth to be told then Irfan never missed, and Vickey did complete justice to the character enacting it with conviction....

full review

So-So by Russel D'Silva,

Bollywood Life

...Sardar Udham will prove decently engaging for proper art-film lovers, but would be quite challenging for commercial or even middle-of-the-road cinema viewers. If you manage to wade through the slipshod editing and snail-like pacing in the first hour, and could hold your patience for its interminable length of about 2 hours and 40 minutes, then Vicky Kaushal's earnest act and Shoojit Sircar's shot-taking and certain directorial decisions are sound enough to hold your interest. Is it enough though to bring forth the story of a largely forgotten freedom fighter? Nope, it isn't, but it's at least enough to reward your patience by the end of it all. I'm going with 3 out of 5 stars....

full review

So-So by Rahul Desai,

Film Companion

...I suppose its intellectual identity lies in the eyes of the beholder. At some level, I know I’m seeing what I want to see, irrespective of whether the makers intend it. Maybe I’m chasing shadows, looking for reasons to like a film that resists labels. I’m searching for a psychology, a method, even if there isn’t. But perhaps filmmaking is about surprising the audience just as much as stimulating them. Perhaps storytelling is about expecting as much as editing. One inevitably leads to another. All one has to do is imagine. The movie will – and won’t – do the rest....

full review

So-So by Tushar P. Joshi,

india today

...Sardar Udham deserves a watch for Vicky’s efforts and Shoojit’s vision in creating a canvas that tells the story of one of India’s most underplayed revolutionary heroes....

full review

So-So by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

...At one point, we hear a young rebel speak about how they cannot be biased or casteist or communal, and how ‘equality for all’ is the most important thing. If things had been different, if those young rebels had lived long enough to shape India, would their thoughts have made the country a different place? When Udham Singh is repeatedly asked his name, and brutally tortured for his silence, he thrusts out his arm on which is tattooed: Ram Mohammad Singh Azad. Would that composite name be given any credence in today’s India? And is this the country those young rebels gave up their lives for? It bears thinking deeply about....

full review

So-So by Avinash Lohana,

Pinkvilla

...As far as the performances are concerned, Vicky shines in the latter part of the film, but also seems a bit lost for direction in a few sequences, especially in the first half. Amol Parashar as Bhagat Singh is phenomenal in the few scenes that he has, while Banita Sandhu also does a decent job in her limited sequences....

full review

So-So by Syed Firdaush Ashraf,

Rediff

...Vicky Kaushal tries his best but 28 minutes into the movie, after Udham Singh shoots O'Dwyer, the script gets so haphazard that you wonder what is going on.

You neither get goosebumps nor the adrenaline rush of desh bhakti which a film like Sardar Udham should give every Indian.

The only great success of the film is its picturisation and the movie sets....

full review

See Also

wogma review

25 Critic Reviews 4.3/5.0

1 Reader Review 5/5.0

Sardar Udham - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Ronnie Lahiri, Sheel Kumar
Director: Shoojit Sircar
Lead Cast: Vicky Kaushal
Supporting Cast: Ritesh Shah, Banita Sandhu, Shaun Scott, Stephen Hogan, Amol Parashar, Kirsty Averton, Andrew Havill, Sam Redford, Albrecht Zander, Tim Berrington
Story: Ritesh Shah, Shubhendu Bhattacharya
Cinematography: Avik Mukhopadhyay
Editor: Chandrashekhar Prajapati
Music Director: Shantanu Moitra
Costume Designer: Veera Kapur, Baranova Tatyana
Art Direction: Pradip Jadhav
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 165 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story,

History,

Patriotism

View Details

wogma rating: Add to 'must watch' list (?)

quick review:

Review Every time we see an atrocity on-screen while watching Sardar Udham, we have to remind ourselves that squeezing our eyes shut is not an option. We need to know this; it’s not some ancient history. This happened in our world. The freedom we enjoy today is owing to the gruesome fights people like Udham Singh fought. Had they not rebelled, had they not started a revolution, I shudder to think where we might have been. Of course, the film is well-made. It is no mean task to keep you engaged through one of the most long-drawn sequences one can remember in Hindi cinemas.

This 40-45 minute sequence towards the climax itself is enough to make this film worth your time and effort. It requires a special acumen to keep your audience’s eyes glued to something that seems repetitive. It is also definitely predictable because it is from their history textbooks. This part of the film reminded me of well-made war films. The makers don’t want you to miss the magnitude and solemnity of the massacre. The intention is clear. They emphasise the situation through screen time spent on the butchery, and the choice of cases picked and left out to make the point.

Even in the almost two hours before this climax, the film hints at the direction it is taking. It is as if the gruesome torture scenes are preparing us for the end we should have the strength to stomach. Towards this end, the unsettling non-linear narrative makes sense. But that is an afterthought. While watching Sardar Udham, I was trying to mentally place the current scene in a timeline. At one point, I even felt like picking up a pen and paper to do so.

Would the film have been easier to consume if the story was told linearly? Sure. Would it have made the story any less interesting? Certainly not. But, these decisions seem to have a two-fold impact. The film wanted to give us a break from the cruel scenes without making it an easy watch. Else it would have been two big chunks of brutality while losing the impact of the climax.

At the same time, this back and forth in time didn’t flow smoothly. It felt like I was flipping through a book and randomly stopped at certain pages that caught my eye. It worked some times and got annoying at others. Never, though, did the pace bother me much. It felt like I was watching the makers savouring each sip of their tea, one lip-smacking drop after another.

Thankfully also, even when the film was feeling choppy, the primary performance did not waver. Vicky Kaushal’s staunch resolve in portraying Sardar Udham kept many a misgiving at bay. From an infatuated young adult, overnight, he grew into a helpless but good Samaritan. And the transition was as believable as it could be. The confused revolutionary, the self-assured freedom fighter, the righteous avenger all seem like a natural flow—different shades of the same colour, changing hue ever so subtly and yet remarkably. So strong is his performance that even though the support he gets from the rest of the cast is able, it fades to the background. Of course, that is meant to be; it is his character’s story, after all.

A character whose cameo in our history textbooks flickered back to memory with the announcement of this film. Of course, I speak for myself. At the same time, I am unlikely to be the only one. This faded memory made me wonder why some figures receive more attention than others? Can sacrifices be compared? Sardar Udham’s 20-year dedication to India’s freedom struggle and being hung to death couldn’t be less than anything else we remember more. It wasn’t as if his actions didn’t have an impact. More importantly, how many other such martyrs have receded in our history and memory? How many stories are enough to tell us what we need to learn from the past?

For now, though, the Sardar Udham has the spotlight. It was especially heartening to see his philosophy about freedom being given adequately inspiring words. Simple language, straightforward lines that are as applicable today as they were then: the good fight is against the oppressor, irrespective of the reason the oppressor chooses.

Socially and cinematically, Sardar Udham has a lot to say. For one, it is a lesson on doing nationalism right, an example of telling a valiant freedom fighter’s story without milking every jingoistic penny out of it. It keeps the telling grim but doesn’t lose out on what the camera can get out of majestic mountains, and beautiful buildings and their interiors.

Yes, a theatre screening would have been much more rewarding. And yet, I feel a little ashamed as I say that. Because here I am talking about how I could have enjoyed a movie while thousands were murdered just so that the murderer could keep claim to the fear they generated. That shame is the film’s victory.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Lots and lots. Gruesome torture scenes. The Jalianwala Bagh massacre. A very long scene of the aftermath of the carnage. * Language: Clean. * Nudity & Sexual content: None. * Concept: The story of freedom fighter, Sardar Udham. * General Look and Feel: Grim, mostly sepia.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 3 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 4 * Character Artists: 4

Dialogues: 4
Screenplay: 3
Music Director:
Lyrics:

See Also

wogma review

25 Critic Reviews 4.3/5.0

1 Reader Review 5/5.0

Sardar Udham - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Ronnie Lahiri, Sheel Kumar
Director: Shoojit Sircar
Lead Cast: Vicky Kaushal
Supporting Cast: Ritesh Shah, Banita Sandhu, Shaun Scott, Stephen Hogan, Amol Parashar, Kirsty Averton, Andrew Havill, Sam Redford, Albrecht Zander, Tim Berrington
Story: Ritesh Shah, Shubhendu Bhattacharya
Cinematography: Avik Mukhopadhyay
Editor: Chandrashekhar Prajapati
Music Director: Shantanu Moitra
Costume Designer: Veera Kapur, Baranova Tatyana
Art Direction: Pradip Jadhav
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 165 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Based on true life story,

History,

Patriotism

View Details

wogma rating: Watch, but no rush (?)

quick review:

Review Rashmi Rocket leaves you with a surge of mixed feelings. You want to admire it for not going the under-dog route, but you cringe at the other typical tropes it gleefully wears on its sleeve. After the problematic first half, you question yourself for being intrigued by the social issue it has taken up. You don’t want to be disappointed just because a court case got you excited, right? But Rashmi Rocket redeems itself by giving a rounded first set of arguments for and against gender testing in athletics.

It doesn’t intend to educate you about the issue in depth. And I didn’t resent it for that because it goes beyond scratching the surface. For a change, I didn’t mind that femininity was questioned from different angles, including motherhood. That last bit is a double-edged sword. I ended up liking it because the movie goes on to say that it is not enough. In the process, it becomes just a tool to make a point, exposing the lack of finesse in the writing.

Similar awkwardness shows in Rashmi Rocket’s portrayal of its villains. The characters seem forcibly mean. The film’s heart is so much in the right place that the nastiness seems like a means to an end, rather than being an organic part of the story. I guess the writers took their signature dialogue to heart—the process matters, not the end. Though, the contrived insertion of these vile characters does a disservice to the philosophy.

Having said that, not all is wrong with the writing. Rashmi Rocket (Tapsee Pannu) makes an endearing speech to an unexpected audience. The 13-second reminded me of the 70-minute speech from Chak De! India. Also, the overall story and what the film really wants to tell, compensates for the otherwise inconsistent writing. In fact, it has been a while since I enjoyed the second half of a movie much more than the first one.

At the same time, the first half allowed me enough time to wonder about all that was wrong. Tapsee Pannu’s forcibly darkened face was bothersome. Her character’s mom transitioning from conservatively asking her daughter to behave like a daughter to being a leading feminist in the village didn’t seem like a natural change. For the sake of drama, heads turned to notice Rashmi (Tapsee Pannu) was running faster than others, even when she was running by herself—the difference in speed was a little over 1 second for 100 meters. Maybe I am naïve, but the body-shaming that Rashmi was subjected to seemed out of place too.

However, even if not the telling, the story allows these follies to dissipate as the film progresses. Usually, when a scene is referenced later in the movie, you can tell that the scene has been positioned so just for the referencing. Rashmi Rocket manages to do a couple of such references slickly. Its comment on provoking jingoism offsets its criminal self-referential dramatics. It even goes a step further and does nationalism as right as it can be done.

It helps that all actors, from Tapsee Pannu to Supriya Pathak to Supriya Pilgaonkar, the cast do what they usually do well. So, there is nothing mind-blowingly different because it isn’t necessary. The ensemble, especially the goofy Abhishek Banerjee and charming Priyanshu Painyuli, add to the comfort brought about by the ladies.

Strikingly enough, the film doesn’t stray away from the norm too much but still manages to leave a mark. Just the relatively untouched topic. The straightforward court case, the simple performances take care of the overt drama when it occurs.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Slaps. A humiliating medical test. * Language: None * Nudity & Sexual content: None. * Concept: A female athlete is banned because she tests high for testosterone. * General Look and Feel: A not-too-slick not-too-sloppy sports-cum-courtroom drama

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 2.5 * Story: 3 * Lead Actors: 3.5 * Character Artists: 2.5

Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 3
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 1.5

See Also

wogma review

25 Critic Reviews 3.1/5.0

1 Reader Review 2/5.0

Rashmi Rocket - Movie Details

Official Sites: YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Banner: RSVP, Mango People Media Network
Producer: Ronnie Screwwala, Pranjal Khandhdiya, Neha Anand
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Lead Cast: Tapsee Pannu, Priyanshu Painyuli
Supporting Cast: Supriya Pathak, Manoj Joshi, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Shweta Tripathi, Varun Badola, Abhishek Banerjee, Boloram Das, Namita Dubey
Story: Kanika Dhillon
Cinematography: Neha Parti Matiyani
Editor: Ajay Sharma, Shweta Venkat
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Costume Designer: Rohit Chaturvedi
Art Direction: Smita Kambli, RajuKumar Sahani
Running time: 130 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Social,

Sports

View Details

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Long, convoluted, over-performed. Pushes you to laugh at it. (Available on Amazon Prime Video)

Review Chehre’s script is most likely a compelling read, at least until it reaches the climax. It must have started with an enigmatic aura about itself. It must then have moved on to become a suspense thriller with clashing philosophies being thrashed out. Right vs Wrong. Practical and street-smart vs Ideal. Sure, even in the script, the climax ought to have sounded haywire, if not ridiculous. But until then, it might have seemed held well together. However, in its execution on screen, the film just spreads out, stretches, and overdoes each bit, making it a cumbersome watch. You can imagine how the ending that didn’t sound good in the first place loses the plot in the film.

When I was done watching the film, my only takeaway was the beautiful snow-capped scenery of the first few scenes. That, too, must be because I am missing the mountains so much, not having been able to visit the Himalayas for over two years.

Indeed, it is a shame that Amitabh Bachchan’s baritone is milked to overwhelm you. I can look at it no other way because the film is bookmarked with his voice at both ends. Chehre begins with him reciting a poem forcefully and dramatically alongside the opening credits, punctuating every word. Same goes for his almost 13-minute monologue that makes for his closing argument as a lawyer. Growing up, I never thought I could have had enough of ‘main aur meri tanhayii…,’. And here we are, feeling it is all too much. Of course, I am glad between the set-up and the climax, we see a glimpse of the actor that we know exists.

I was thankful for that and the presence of poor-joke sprouting Annu Kapoor, weird and uncomfortable Raghuvir Yadav, and Dhritiman Chatterjee, who is appropriately sure of himself. Rhea Chakraborty tries to pull off her character’s eccentricity. Emraan Hashmi’s character doesn’t give him too much to experiment with but has an amicable presence. But most of all, they play their part in giving us a break from the ageing baritone.

This is despite them spouting inanities under the guise of dialogue. It doesn’t help that the story that sounded good on reading is weird when you see it play out on screen. Four old men living in the mountains, all supposedly retired from the judicial system, are clearly looking for a candidate they can try. It is made to look like it is just for kicks. But they are vigilantes who are trying any passerby for whatever wrong the latter might have committed. Yes, absurd.

I have an inkling that the makers knew how bizarre, undigestible and lacking in meaning the plot was. The closing argument I mentioned above goes off on such tangents in terms of content. Social issues are forced into the spiel as if the writers knew that Amitabh Bachchan’s voice would not be enough to make it persuasive.

What you have is a dialogue-heavy film that takes 40-45 minutes to set the story up and stretches each scene out. The predictable twists are made even worse because it takes way too long to get to the revelation. And of course, in the end, there are a few gaping loopholes that want you to dismiss the film as soon as you can.

meeta, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance: * Violence: Gun shots, mention of domestic violence * Language: Clean * Nudity & Sexual content: A making out scene * Concept: Four old men who are vigilantes * General Look and Feel: Sombre.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5): * Direction: 1 * Story: 1 * Lead Actors: 1.5 * Character Artists: 2

Dialogues: 1
Screenplay: 1
Music Director:
Lyrics:

See Also

wogma review

19 Critic Reviews 2.1/5.0

2 Reader Reviews 1/5.0

Chehre - Movie Details

Official Sites: Facebook Twitter YouTube Wikipedia IMDB
Producer: Anand Pandit
Director: Rumy Jaffery
Lead Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Emraan Hashmi
Supporting Cast: Raghuvir Yadav, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Samir Soni, Alexx O'Nell, Rhea Chakraborty, Siddhant Kapoor, Annu Kapoor, Krystle D'Souza
Story: Rumy Jaffery, Ranjit Kapoor
Cinematography: Binod Pradhan
Editor: Bodhaditya Banerjee
Music Director: Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani, Gourav Dasgupta, Clinton Cerejo
Costume Designer: Shivank Kapoor
Art Direction: Vijay Ghodke
Facebook Page: Link
Running time: 140 minutes
Reviewer: meeta
Language: Hindi
Country: India
Genres: Murder Mystery,

Suspense,

Thriller

wogma.com latest reviews and articles: Recent Episodes

None

See Also

Jawan - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Jawan - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Zara Hatke Zara Bachke - Movie Details

See Also

Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway - Movie Details

See Also

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar - Movie Details

See Also

Selfiee - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Selfiee - Movie Details

See Also

Shehzada - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

See Also

Shehzada - Movie Details

See Also

Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

See Also

Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat - Movie Details

See Also

Pathaan - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Pathaan - Movie Details

See Also

Cirkus - Movie Details

See Also

Govinda Naam Mera - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

See Also

Cirkus - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Govinda Naam Mera - Movie Details

See Also

Salaam Venky - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

See Also

Salaam Venky - Movie Details

See Also

An Action Hero - Movie Details

Review

Parental Guidance:

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

See Also

An Action Hero - Movie Details

See Also

Bhediya - Movie Details