Reviews | Business Upturn

L2: Empuraan Movie Review: Mohanlal’s empuraan dazzles with scale but stumbles on pace

News Desk — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 03:11:17 +0000

“L2: Empuraan,” released on March 27, 2025, marks the second chapter in the Lucifer trilogy, bringing Mohanlal back as the enigmatic Stephen Nedumpally, aka Khureshi Ab’raam. Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, this action-crime-thriller aims for grandeur, and it certainly delivers on scale—boasting international locations, IMAX and EPIQ formats, and a reported Rs 50 crore opening day worldwide gross, per Indian Express. But beneath the gloss, our take is that it’s a mixed bag, thrilling in moments yet weighed down by its own ambition.

The film opens with a gripping flashback that sets a high bar, pulling us into its sprawling world of crime and power. Mohanlal’s entry, delayed nearly an hour, is a standout—his commanding presence electrifies the screen, a testament to why he’s the backbone of this franchise. The interval block is another peak, with stunning visuals and a cinematic punch that had us hooked. Shot across India, the UK, US, and UAE, the production values are undeniably top-tier, paired with Deepak Dev’s pulsating score and Stunt Silva’s slick action choreography. It’s a visual feast, no question.

Yet, the pacing drags it down. The first half, heavy on character introductions and world-building, feels overly long and slow, echoing “Lucifer’s” deliberate style but testing our patience in an era of shorter attention spans. Posts on X echo this sentiment, noting a reliance on slow-motion and gadgets that doesn’t always land. Mohanlal’s limited screen time early on—just three scenes in the first half, per some feedback—left us wanting more of his gravitas to anchor the narrative. The mix of Hindi and English dialogues alongside Malayalam reflects its global reach but occasionally feels jarring.

The ensemble cast, including Prithviraj, Tovino Thomas, and Manju Warrier, adds heft, though their roles remain under wraps in early reactions. The second half reportedly picks up, setting the stage for the trilogy’s conclusion, but we found the setup uneven—strong in parts, sluggish in others. It’s a film that banks on spectacle and Mohanlal’s star power, and while it’s a milestone for Malayalam cinema’s global push, it doesn’t fully hit the mark as a cohesive thriller. Still, its record-breaking pre-sales (over Rs 60 crore, per BookMyShow) and massive Kerala rollout (700 screens, per The Times of India) signal its undeniable draw. For us, “Empuraan” is a bold swing that shines bright but doesn’t always connect.

Movie review: Samarpan Singh and Rajesh Sharma film Pad Gaye Pange may spring box-office surprise

News Desk — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 14:34:34 +0000

Blending humour with irony and heartfelt moments, Pad Gaye Pange showcases lead actors Samarpan Singh and Rajesh Sharma's chemistry and comedic timing.

Trailer Review: Ajay Devgn-Tabu starrer ‘Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha’ could be an emotional rollercoaster

News Desk — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 22:42:12 +0000

The trailer for ‘Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha’ unveils a poignant and timeless love story that captivates from the very first frame. Directed by the renowned Neeraj Pandey, this cinematic masterpiece stars the powerhouse duo of Ajay Devgn and Tabu in the lead roles, promising a performance that will leave an indelible mark on the hearts of viewers.

The trailer transports us on a profound journey spanning over two decades, chronicling the epic romance between the two protagonists. The melancholic background score sets the tone, hinting at the tumultuous past that has shaped their lives. The visuals seamlessly transition between vibrant hues and muted tones, mirroring the emotional rollercoaster that the characters endure.

Ajay Devgn and Tabu’s chemistry is electric, and their portrayal of the characters appears to be a masterclass in nuanced and emotional acting. The story revolves around Krishna and Basu, former lovers whose passionate romance was tragically severed by fate. The trailer teases their reunion in the present day, where Krishna grapples with the resurgence of his feelings for Basu, who is now married to another man.

The trailer raises profound questions about the nature of love, loyalty, and the consequences of choices made in the past. It leaves the audience yearning for more, eager to unravel the intricate tapestry of emotions that weaves together this epic tale.

Business potential

With its unique blend of romance, drama, and music, coupled with the star power of Ajay Devgn and Tabu, ‘Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha’ holds significant business potential. The film’s epic scope and universal themes of love, loss, and redemption are likely to resonate with a broad audience, making it a potential commercial success and a critically acclaimed work.

Trailer Rating: ★★★

Trailer Review: ‘Kill’ makes ‘Animal’ look like kindergarten

News Desk — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 21:56:48 +0000

The trailer for the upcoming film ‘Kill’ has finally been released, and it promises an adrenaline-fueled, action-packed ride. The high-octane action sequences are undoubtedly praiseworthy. The storyline revolves around a pair of commandos facing off against an army of invading bandits during a train journey to New Delhi.

The trailer is intense, action-packed, and thrilling from start to finish. Its dark and gritty tone sets the stage for a realistic and punchy portrayal of events, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats.

Initial response and business prospects

Based on the trailer, ‘Kill’ is poised to attract a solid initial audience and increase its chances of commercial success, despite the gruesome violence depicted as a cat-and-mouse game. The film’s action sequences and suspenseful storyline are likely to resonate with fans of the thriller genre.

A race for violence?

While Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Animal’ was touted as the most violent film in Bollywood, the ‘Kill’ trailer seems like ‘Animal’ was mere child’s play in comparison to the brutality showcased in ‘Kill.’

Comparisons

‘Kill’ seems to have drawn some inspiration from various internationally acclaimed action films. It reminds us of the intense action sequences of the John Wick series, the martial arts sequences of the Indonesian film ‘The Raid,’ the action-packed train sequences of the South Korean film ‘Train to Busan,’ the dark tone of the Marvel superhero film ‘Ghost Rider,’ the realism of the American action film ‘The Crow,’ and the intense action sequences of the Australian film ‘Mad Max.’

Final take

If the trailer is any indication, audiences are in for a treat with ‘Kill.’ The film’s action sequences, dark tone, and gritty realism, reminiscent of popular action films, are sure to leave a lasting impression on viewers, setting new benchmarks for action thrillers in India.

Trailer Rating: ★★★★

Kung Fu Panda 4: Here’s everything you need to know

Shukrta Vaigankar — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 08:41:08 +0000

Few franchises have captured the hearts of audiences worldwide like the Kung Fu Panda series. Since its inception, the beloved narrative of Po, the cuddly panda turned Dragon Warrior, has risen beyond mere entertainment to become a cultural phenomenon. However, with the release of Kung Fu Panda 4, viewers are faced with the melancholy fact of the end of an era.

At the heart of this emotional journey is the heartbreaking moment when Po, the legendary Dragon Warrior, resigns from his position. This announcement is nothing short of shocking for those who have followed Po’s adventures since the beginning. Po’s metamorphosis from a clumsy, noodle-loving panda to a talented and renowned martial artist has inspired and pleased millions across the world.

His charming demeanour, unwavering determination, and significant betterment have left an indelible impact on audiences of all ages.

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A post shared by Jack Black (@jackblack)

Even when Po steps down from his role as the Dragon Warrior, he does so with grace and humility, knowing that it is time for a new generation to take up the mantle and for him to take on greater responsibilities as the Spiritual Realm’s leader.

Enter Zhen, a grey corsac fox whose arrival heralds a new era in the Valley of Peace’s long history. Po’s decision to hand up the torch to Zhen is more than just a symbolic gesture; it represents a profound shift in the dynamics of the Kung Fu Panda world.

As fans bid farewell to Po’s reign as the Dragon Warrior, they are struck with mixed emotions. They are sad to say goodbye to a figure who has become like a family member, but they are also excited to witness Zhen’s story unfold. Zhen, like Po before him, bears the duty of honouring her predecessor’s legacy while forging her own path.

Finally, ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ is more than just a picture; it’s a testament to legacy, camaraderie, and the unbreakable human spirit. As fans bid farewell to Po and anticipate the adventures that await them, they are reminded that no matter how the story progresses, the lessons acquired and memories shared will endure. So, with mixed feelings of loss and hope, we say goodbye to one era and welcome the beginning of another in the amazing world of ‘Kung Fu Panda’.

‘DEATH’ IS NOT A JOKE: Poonam Pandey faking her own death has caused chaos on social media

Shukrta Vaigankar — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 10:16:32 +0000

In the entertainment industry, rumours or lies about an actor or actress faking their death for attention have become a huge topic. However, it is important to point out that such rumours are frequently false and can generate undue anxiety and confusion. Faking one’s own death for publicity is a major offence that is generally not accepted or ethical in the entertainment industry.

False death claims in publicity stunts can damage a person’s reputation while also causing distress to their fans and the general public. Also, spreading false information about someone’s death can result in legal ramifications and harm the credibility of media outlets or those involved in the rumours. But here, Poonam Pandey faked her own death.

An Indian model triggered an online outrage on Saturday when she revealed in an Instagram post that she had faked her death as part of a cervical cancer awareness campaign.

Poonam Pandey “bravely fought the disease” and died, according to a statement posted on her social media on Friday, but the bogus revelation was quickly slammed with online criticism, including claims that it was a “deceptive stunt.”

Following the initial statement, a flurry of obituaries were put out by media sites, and her Wikipedia page was changed to reflect her alleged death, while Bollywood stars paid their respects.

Poonam Pandey has a history of significant controversies, and this one is just the most recent. Her antics have wreaked havoc on the internet, including among celebrities.

This cheap marketing stunt has impacted not only numerous individuals but also people’s emotions. Her actions are extremely unethical. She attempted to use her stint to raise awareness, but it has sadly taken a toll on her.

Poonam Pandey is Alive!
She played the death prank to create awareness for 'Cervical Cancer'.
Do you think one can joke around like that?#PoonamPandeyDeath #PoonamPandey #PoonamPandeyDead @iPoonampandey pic.twitter.com/TJDpqxnIvg

— Payal Mohindra (@payal_mohindra) February 3, 2024

In an unexpected disclosure, Poonam Pandey, who had previously been declared dead due to cervical cancer, confirmed her well-being on Instagram. While she intended to raise awareness about cervical cancer prevention, netizens were enraged, calling it the “worst publicity stunt.” Comments include calls for her arrest as well as criticism of her way of raising awareness.

Her stunt has caused a lot of anguish for people, and the comment section of her post has netizens slamming her. Some of them are calling for her arrest. One netizen wrote, “WORST PUBLICITY STUNT EVER!” while another one said, ” Am happy she is alive but Pls arrest her for this drama and publicity stunt.”

There were also netizens who felt this was no way of creating awareness about the dreaded illness, one netizen wrote, ” This was the most ridiculous way to promote something…” while another said, “Next time people won’t take you seriously, you just destroyed your entire credibility” and another netizen wrote, ” I knew it But this is not the right way to teach something.” ” Another one wrote, “You’re the most disgusting human ever..Disgusting publicity”

When celebrities wish to generate buzz or promote their work, they can do so in more ethical and legal methods, such as through formal announcements, press conferences, interviews, social media engagement, and other marketing strategies.

Vicky Kaushal: ‘Sam Bahadur’ is not just a film, but a shared journey

Siddharth Chavan — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 18:08:52 +0000

Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal is playing the character of Sam Manekshaw in the biographical war drama film ‘Sam Bahadur’. The film is based on the life of India’s first Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the war biopic chronicles Sam Manekshaw’s extraordinary journey, from his early days of being the chief of army staff to his well-deserved retirement. The film explores the milestones and triumphs of his illustrious career.

Vicky Kaushal expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to portray such a brave and celebrated personality. He said that stepping into the shoes of Sam Manekshaw comes with immense responsibility and he is proud of the love and support that fans have shown towards the character during its theatrical release. The film’s digital premiere on ZEE5 will help the story reach a wider audience, and Vicky is proud to present ‘Sam Bahadur’ on the 75th Republic Day as a tribute to the undying spirit of our nation.

Director Meghna Gulzar considers creating this biographical drama film a life-changing experience and a blessing. The story of Sam Bahadur will serve as a great inspiration for all who witness it. From the very beginning, she knew Vicky Kaushal was the perfect fit for the role, seamlessly slipping into the character with unparalleled authenticity and dedication. She firmly believes that ideals and role models are timeless, and if someone has lived a life of truth, righteousness, and integrity, that can never go out of style or time.

This biopic sheds light on Manekshaw’s unparalleled contributions, showcasing his valor, strategic brilliance, and unwavering dedication to the nation. The film also delves into the intricate dynamics of military and political relations, adding depth to the narrative and providing a comprehensive understanding of Sam Manekshaw’s impactful contributions to the nation.

Manish Kalra, chief business officer, of ZEE5 believes that the film is a compelling tribute to a true hero. Their collaboration with Ronnie Screwvala Productions has been exceptional and has helped them offer back-to-back patriotic films like ‘Tejas’ and ‘Sam Bahadur’.

The film stars Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub in pivotal roles.

Sam Bahadur Movie Review: Vicky Kaushal Is Spectacular In Meghna Gulzar’s War Drama

Shafali Nagar — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 11:33:48 +0000

Movie: Sam Bahadur
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Sanya Malhotra, Fatima Sana Shaikh
Rating: 3/5

Sam Bahadur Movie Review:

The film Sam Bahadur is based on the real-life story of India’s first field marshal, Sam Manekshaw. The titular character is played by Vicky Kaushal. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, Sam Bahadur is a great effort. If we look at the filmography, the filmmaker has made many thoughtful films over the years.

In the film, Vicky Kaushal does a swell job. It seems like a lot of research has been done on his role. At the same time, Vicky exaggerates Sam Bahadur’s characteristics. Sanya Malhotra as Sam’s wife, Siloo Manekshaw brings simplicity to the film. On the other hand, Fatima Sana Shaikh as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is decent in her role.

Sam Bahadur is set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war where Sam Manekshaw led the Indian Army, following which a new nation Bangladesh was born. The war sequences have been shot nicely, and the cinematography is first rate. Sam Bahadur has been woven well with actual historical footage.

The film’s music is by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The first half of the film is very gripping, but the second half pales in comparison.

Sam Bahadur is a reflection of a lot of things, but one that stands out is Meghna Gulzar’s love for cinema; it’s infectious.

Overall, the film is surely a one-time watch.

Watch The Sam Bahadur Trailer

Where And When To Watch Sam Bahadur

Sam Bahadur is now playing at a theatre near you.

Tejas Review – Kangana is all pervading in the film that holds its ground firmly with its taut writing and direction

Sandip Pal — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:18:21 +0000

Film – Tejas

Writer – Director Sarvesh Mehra

Actors – Kangana Ranaut, Anshul Chauhan, Veena Nair,

Tejas tells the story of Tejas Gill played by Kangana Ranaut who loses every single person she loves in the 26/11 attacks at the Leopold cafe. An ambitious and rainy girl who is sort of a prodigy at the Air Force training academy and has a right future ahead of her. She is young, vibrant and as all the qualities required of a girl who is ready to take on the world!

And then suddenly all hell breaks lose as her entire family is killed at Mumi’s Leopold Cafe during a jolly family night out and since then things have een differently with her. That was an event in her life that was responsible in shaping her into the Tejas she is presently and the beliefs she has about terrorism that makes it personal to her. As she aggressively yet confidently says, “Terrorism is personal to me aur woh sa ke liye personal hona chahiye to hi Terrorism ko is duniya se ukhaad ke pheka jaa sakta hai.”

She then becomes the team lead for operation Tejas which is essentially a rescue mission for an undercover soldier who posed as an engineer ut eventually is captured by the Pakistan army and to know what happens thereafter, you have to see the film in your nearest theatres.

Writer director Sarwesh Mewara as done a swell job in portraying the character of Tejas and the gradual increase in the graph of her character is noticeable. The non-linear narrative does that trick and the understanding of the workings of Tejas’s mind is palpable. Having said that, the entry of Kangana’s Tejas in the film is a tad it cheesy. Even though Kangana has a lovely gait and it looks fabulous as she runs, such a film doesn’t quite call for that typical Bollywood masala type her enty. Somewhere it looks and feels off.

There were a few glitches in the shots as well. For instance, in one of the shots that has Varun Mitra crooning to the crowd. There is a sargam in the song. While singing, Varun leaves the mike and moves towards the bandmates playing, mind you he doesn’t have any wireless mike on him, therefore I wonder how was his voice audible even then?! Keeping all these filming glitches aside, Tejas does amaze viewers.

Kangana Ranaut does it again with her performance and she is just too good! She has excelled in whatever role she played, an exception being Dhaakad, which was a disaster. However the writer and the director of the film are to be blamed for that. Kangana is back in her game with Tejas and how. She is a solid actor and I feel she should make sure that se focusses on that aspect always which will hone her craft. It is always good to be ambitious and graduate towards the other arenas of filmmaking ut when one tends to be part of everything that when the mess happens more often than not.

In the film Kangana is all-pervading, there is barely anyone else in the game other than her and that too is a it of a drawback. Everything cannot be about just one person. Whatever said and done, when it comes to a film like this one, there is nothing else to be noted. The film belongs to the leading lady. The scenes from just before the interval and post that were written in a very taut manner and they were filmed too in a similar way. The background music used was impactful and it did play a very important part in imparting the feeling every scene was meant to wring out from the viewer.

All in all a must watch film and deserves all the applause.

Thank You For Coming Review: Bhumi Pednekar’s restrained performance adds a sparkle to the film that calls for doing away with Patriarchy and hypocrisies that’re synonymous with it

Sandip Pal — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 10:07:16 +0000

Film: Thank you For Coming

Director: Karan Boolani

Actors: Bhumi Pednekar, Dolly Singh, Shibani Bedi, Kusha Kapila

My rating – 3 out of 5 stars

The fight between Patriarchy and matriarchy has caught some serious fire in the past few years and the flames continue to burn righter with each passing day! Bollywood has really taken to the trend and is churning out films left right and centre that focusses on the standards of right and wrong set by the pre-dominant patriarchal archetype.

Be it the pleasure seeking woman or the hypocritical stands of the society on various issues that are considered taboo in the open but not behind closed doors. Things that are looked down upon in the broad daylight are readily accepted and practised in the secrecy of the four walls and what’s worse – sometimes, they are videod and are circulated on the internet for voyeristic raptures. But in the end only one party is questioned and that happens to be the womenfolk, who are slut shamed and are pointed fingers at for being dirtier. What is conviniently forgotten is that Taali dono haatho se bajti hai…

Thank You for coming focusses on a lot of these issues and questions the very fabric of the society for being the way it is. And the best part is sometimes women who are strong, often see their own strength dissipate into this maze of patriarchy and they end up becomnig what they loathed all their lives.
The film is directed by Karan Boolani and has been writen by Radhika Anand and Prashasti Singh and all the three have done a swell job.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw18N1XIlmL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The film tells the story of Kanika who has been bullied throughout her school life for being “Thanda”, and who has been brought up by a single mother who has had quite a tussle with the society herself. Kanika has a different way of looking at things due to her upringing and still somehow considers herself to be a misfit because of all she endures throughout. And her only support are her two girlfriends, the Bengali Tina Das played by Shibani Bedi and the Punjabi girl Pallavi Khanna played by Dolly Singh. The way the lives of three girlfriends Kanika, Tina and Pallavi are entwined with a strong bond of friendship and love for each other, the way they stick around for each other suddenly changes in the end when Kanika wrongly feels, she had spent a night of absolute female bliss with her best friend’s husband. Suddenly the bonds of freindship seem too brittle and Kanika’s integrity and her very being is questioned by them. And finally what emerges is Kanika’s huge ballistic almost hysterical speech on the same school stage she was humiliated in front of the same guys who humiliated her! Tit for tat anyone?

Bhumi Pednekar’s restrained performance is good and works just the way it is meant to for the film. She is sharp, she is sassy and laidack where it is required. She hasn’t overdone one bit. Once again after Kiara Advani’s masturbation scene from Lust Stories we have Bhumi squirming on her ruffled bed sheets pleasuring herself to psychedellic music and the dizzying camera moves. This scene surely once again will be a highlight of the film. Shibani Bedi, Kusha Kapila and Dolly Singh have also played their parts nicely but they have to master the craft of acting big time.

The screenplay in the first half is quite mellowed and it is only during the second half that the film starts to bloom like the ladies in it. Anil Mehta’s cinematography is good, nothing special because the film doesn’t call for the showcasing of any badass camera skills. The music was minimal which was again a good thing. The edit was crisp and all in all it is a good film that calls mainly for the upmarket multiplex audiences.

The upcoming film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has receives a rating, Here’s all the information you need to know

Shukrta Vaigankar — Mon, 22 May 2023 20:52:20 +0000

After meeting Miles Morales in the 2018 film Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, Marvel fans are eager to follow his tale. Fans’ enthusiasm for the next film has grown with each action-packed trailer. Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse has been given a PG rating in advance of its June release.

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has released the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse MPAA rating. The movie will be rated PG for “frenzied sequences of animated action violence, some language, and thematic elements,” according to the description. The rating is largely identical to that of the previous Into the Spider-Verse film, with the exception that whereas the first installment was given a “mild” language grade, the future film has been given a “some” rating.

An F-bomb is prohibited even after the movie has been graded. The characters did occasionally swear in the first movie, but not excessively. Miles used the word “crap” once, Fisk used the word “hell” once, and Aunt May used the word “damn.”

But fans wouldn’t be shocked if Miguel O’Hara sometimes used the words “damn” or “hell” to distinguish himself from the other Spider-Mans in the film. For the Spider-Man 2099, who does not hesitate to murder in the comics, it would not be too out of character.

The jovial Indian Spider-Man has added variety and some much-needed flavour to the Spider-Verse. A preview of Pavitr Prabhakar has fans eager to meet this new Spider-Man who exudes 10 times more Peter Parker intensity. Being a superhero appears to be straightforward for Pavitr in the video as he declares, “Being Spiderman is easy.”

Miles and Gwen are given a tour of Mumbai by Pavitr, who makes clear that the city has a lot of traffic. When Miles claims he loves “chai tea,” the Indian Spiderman corrects him, stating, “Chai means tea, you’re saying tea tea.” The tape ends with Pavitr teaching the Americans some lingo.

On June 2, 2023, Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse is scheduled for theatrical release.

Meet Pavitr Prabhakar aka Spider-Man India in a new TV spot for Spider-Man: Across the #SpiderVerse. pic.twitter.com/1da0WTsrRW

— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) May 19, 2023

Netizens tweets on ‘Fast X’; Check what the audience has to say

Anushka Brahma — Sat, 20 May 2023 12:03:09 +0000

Fast X is the most anticipated newest film of the Fast & Furious series.

The movie star Vin Diesel as the lead movie and directed by Louis Leterrier, it has already released in theatres on May 19, 2023. The movie is penned by Justin Lin, Zach Dean, Dan Mazeau, and screenplay by Mazeau and Lin.

Instead of all the hypes and the hashtag #FastOnBigScreen trending on Twitter, the movie has currently received 58% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and only 116 reviews. Here are some of the tweets of the netizens you should check, if you are planning to watch the movie.

#FastX is the most bombastic, ridiculous entry yet in the franchise. Insane, relentless action blends well with a fantastic villainous Jason Mamoa, who steals the movie. If this is the beginning of the end of the franchise for Dom and his family, what a hell of a way to start. pic.twitter.com/xJF2Kt2Mm0

— Ryan McQuade (@ryanmcquade77) May 16, 2023

#FastX is another outrageous cinematic series of car crashes that defies the rules of god and gravity. Jason Momoa brings in a wild new dynamic that makes this long running franchise feel new again. Still has one gas in the tank, and a few surprises too. Pure popcorn fun. pic.twitter.com/SIHQt8whPI

— iammichaeljlee.bsky.social (@IamMichaelJLee) May 16, 2023

FAST X definitely feels like the first part of something bigger, and I think that weakens it a bit, but not enough that I didn't enjoy it.

Also my God no one else is having more fun in a movie this year than Jason Momoa had in this one.

— Matthew Jackson (@awalrusdarkly) May 16, 2023

#FastX: Big. Loud. Dumb. A High-Octane blast that recaptures the series peak.

The po-faced ridiculousness is wielded as a holy weapon, propelled by a relentless momentum. Faces old and new shine, the set pieces sizzle, and a doozy of a cliffhanger seals the deal.

Awesome. pic.twitter.com/uFJZnzPd1z

— James Preston Poole (@JamesPPoole) May 16, 2023

https://twitter.com/RealMr_Robinson/status/1658324775973040130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1658324775973040130%7Ctwgr%5E1d85d515a922e8d9e4f058245dffbf531182ea2d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-5380691573150854376.ampproject.net%2F2304262219000%2Fframe.html

https://twitter.com/BrianSilliman/status/1658279793207418881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1658279793207418881%7Ctwgr%5Eafd1c28e9951c9a250962ad57afa55ef6816f385%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-5380691573150854376.ampproject.net%2F2304262219000%2Fframe.html

Overall Review

Only during the extravagant “saving Seven Hills of Rome from an on-fire mega-sized iron ball” style of action scene have saved the film. The actors who performed the stunt scenes didn’t potrayed their characters well. Before the action scenes begin, it is easily predictable who will win the scene. All the actors performance felt like a forced reunion. Vin Diesel tried so hard to potray his best. The overall story line was slow and boring. However, Vin Diesel stated there will be one more film of this franchise before it officially ends.

While talking with the media, Vin said, “In Fast X you will see the representation of parenthood where survival is everything. It’s something that every father and mother in the world can identify with.”

Review: Suniel Shetty’s action thriller series ‘Hunter: Tootega Nahi, Todega’ is full of swag

Shukrta Vaigankar — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 12:22:15 +0000

Hunter bases his business decisions on the idea that Suniel Shetty’s appeal is growing as he gets older. The eight-part series is exclusively a Suniel Shetty production. The actor is given the opportunity to go rogue and to be blatantly moody and full of swag, and he does so with the finest panache. He appears in more than 90% of the frames, and his allure makes it impossible to take your eyes off of him in any of them.

Because to its passionate performances and chic packaging, the action series Hunter Tootega Nahi Todega is a passable watch and slightly engaging. It centres on Vikram Chauhan (Suniel Shetty), a police officer with a dark history and a reputation for brutality. He and his coworker Hooda Kartoos are both parties to a problematic equation (Rahul Dev).

It’s fantastic to see Suniel back at it after taking a break from being an action hero. On screen, he is still as athletic and seems much more modern than he did in the 1990s. Hunter makes the most of that aspect of himself, and that is the USP of the show as well.

The Invisible Lady is the book upon which Hunter is based. The plot revolves around a Mumbai-based organ trafficking crime ring and how Vikram, Suniel’s ACP, becomes involved in it. Although the story isn’t as compelling as I would have hoped, Suniel won’t let you go without letting you experience his entire roller coaster adventure.

In addition to him, Esha Deol is back in the picture, and the two of them appear to be a lethal duo. Throughout the combat scenes, classic throwback songs like Yahoo, Dum Maaro Dum, Jeena Yahaan Marna Yahaan, and many others are performed in metallica versions, which further heighten the tension.

After Suniel, action is Hunter’s strongest selling feature, and for the most part, it delivers. According to the current tendency, the climax prepares for a season 2, and the final two minutes are genuinely extremely exciting. It’s made even more enjoyable by a surpise cameo, which, if you look closely enough, you can see in the caravan as well.

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The show has flaws in addition to being enjoyable. The picturization is a little shoddy, especially in the first few episodes. The majority of road shots clearly employ green screens, and with all the VFX available in 2023, I expect much, much better.

However, the plot is less compelling and depends entirely on Suniel. The actor does a good job handling that duty, but after a while, I also desired more from the narrative. The story did not have any particularly high points. It largely followed a steady course. Also, many of the cast members’ performances lacked conviction.

Although the action is Hunter’s plus point, in the initial episodes, the fights seem too choreographed to be taken seriously. Mostly, the series felt technically a few years behind than the time it released.

It goes without saying that Suniel Shetty’s performance is the driving force behind Hunter Tootega Nahi Todega. The action moments showcase the actor’s coolest work. His swag is impossible to miss. But, the performer is not given enough room to internalise the emotive scenes.
Rahul Dev makes himself known. His authentic desi accent is difficult to miss. Yet the performer deserved a more substantial role. His past also needed to be thoroughly investigated. Esha Deol is forced to play a poorly developed character. The remaining cast members are useful.

In Hunter Tootega Nahi Todega, remixes of well-known Bollywood chart-toppers are featured. These songs have been employed quite effectively and provide viewers a burst of adrenaline during some difficult scenes.

Suniel Shetty gets a terrific star vehicle in Hunter Tootega Nahi Todega, demonstrating his continued status as a legitimate action star. But it need a stronger screenplay.

TAJ: Divided by Blood series review

Muskan Moirangthem — Sat, 04 Mar 2023 16:34:23 +0000

Taj: Divided by Blood is a Zee5 historical fiction series, it is produced by Mumbai-based Contiloe Pictures. The story of the series revolves around the 50-year reign of Emperor Akbar, the series shows war, bloodshed, palace intrigue, conspiracies hatched in the shadows, and forbidden love that turns father against son. The series has a total of 10 episodes, it portrays Emperor Akbar as a man and a ruler navigating the pulls and pressures of his onerous royal duties, shouldering his paternal responsibilities, and dealing with his consorts. The series is now streaming on Zee5.

In all 10 episodes, there is no clear-cut antagonist, Mirza Hakim seemed like a good antagonist but he was quickly sidelined. The three sons of Akbar- Salim, Murad, and Daniyal competency and incompetency occupies the primary chunk of the plot. And before the show premiered, it seemed like Anarkali (Aditi Rao Hydari) will be having a major role to play, but as per the series she does not have much to do other than giving long gaze at her prince. Salim and Anarkali’s relationship does not have any lasting impact on the series. Akbar has an important role to play and is basically the heart of the show, he is controlling all the characters with an iron grip.

Audience are disappointed with the series because the show has not dug deeper into the characters, the characterization of the main characters is limited to only three-four objectives. Salim is an opium lover, Jodha is a concerned mother and Akbar is a ruthless ruler.

Watch the trailer here:

Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Movie Review

Muskan Moirangthem — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 17:02:45 +0000

Marvel films do really well, no matter how bad the movie is in Marvel Cinematic Universe it won’t be a washout as it enjoys a huge fanbase. Ant-Man 3 marks the beginning of Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 5. Phase 4 saw some mediocre films, so there are high hopes for Phase 5. The most important thing in Phase 5 is the introduction of mega villain Kang the conqueror and his story arc leading to the Avengers; Secret Wars. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania had a decent pre-release buzz and it looked like it will be another success story for the studio.

The Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is the third part of the Ant-Man Film. This new film has exciting things going as compared to its predecessors, but it barely remembers what made its hero so special in the first place. Quantumania follows Scott Lang AKA Ant- Man, now a successful author, living happily with his partner Hope AKA Wasp, Hope’s parents Hank and Janet , and Scott’s daughter Cassie.

Cassie is a tech smart girl, and with her device the whole family gets unintentionally transported to the quantum realm, a dangerous place where Janet Spent years and holds dark secrets about its power mad ruler Kang. As majority of the film takes place in the quantum realm, the movie is VFX- heavy. The tone of the film is similar to Disney’s Strange World, but this film lacks material that would keep us emotionally hooked to the story. The movie runtime is only two hours, which is not enough to understand all the characters and themes because the quantum realm is a lot to take in. It seems that Director Peyton Reed have put all the efforts into building the quantum realm instead of working around dramatic urgency and conflict.

Good Luck Jerry: Janhvi Kapoor starrer movie will make you fall for its silliness

Bhavya Rai — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 15:21:30 +0000

It is obvious from the start that Jerry, the protagonist of this adventure, utilises her timid emotional attitude as a cunning shield. A dark comedy starring a clever woman (Janhvi Kapoor), her cheerful younger sister (Samta Sudiksha), and their mother (Mita Vashisht), the source of their intelligence, is the official adaptation of the 2018 Nayanthara movie “Kolamaavu Kokila.” In a town in Punjab, these ladies make up a small Bihari family unit that is surrounded by various types of males. Neeraj Sood is a kind-hearted uncle ji kind who is gentle with the mother. Deepak Dobriyal, a layabout with multicoloured hair streaks, keeps a close eye on Jerry. eccentric drug traffickers who are eager to fire their firearms and are always on the watch for couriers.

The story centres on Jerry (Janhvi Kapoor), a young lady who, after experiencing a life-changing incident, chooses to covertly join the drug trade in order to get quick cash for her mother’s medical expenses. She discovers that she isn’t awful at the job with her naïve manner not inviting any suspicion until, as a result of a series of circumstances, Jerry becomes involved in a drug ring stint. She decides to start selling drugs actively in order to get quick cash for her mother’s medical bills, but she quickly learns that she has plunged headfirst into a grotesque and perilous sea.

Regarding the performances, Janhvi Kapoor tries her best despite a few wobbly moments. Particularly in situations where she portrays her manipulative side while wearing an innocent persona, the actress seems enhanced. Goodluck Jerry is without a doubt Janhvi’s most spectacular filmography to date in terms of her performance, it can be mentioned. She still has to improve on the emotionally intense situations that have been difficult for her thus far. But the performances of the supporting cast members give the movie the much-needed Tadka.

Rangarajan Ramabadran’s cinematography does a good job of depicting the rural areas of Punjab and also creates an ominous undertone while displaying the shadowy dungeons and bustling centre of the drug trade. Although Parag Chhabra’s score doesn’t contain any particularly memorable songs, it does a good job of moving the story forward and, in particular, makes up for a strong opening credit. To see a well-produced dark comedy with some minor successes and misses, watch Goodluck Jerry.

Padma Shri Kaur Singh: Bringing glory to breaking a chair in frustration, trailer takes you through love, emotions, sports and comedy

Akash Dhanurkar — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 14:00:58 +0000

Sports biopics have proven to be quite profitable, with successes like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag leading the way. They serve as an example for other sports biopic projects. However, some of the recent Bollywood boxing films – ‘Toofan’, ‘Mary Kom’- have been produced while keeping in mind how they would affect the audience. Based on the life of Padma Shri awardee Kaur Singh, Padma Shri Kaur Singh is an exceptional case in the Punjabi film industry as is evident from its recently released trailer.

Movie: Padma Shri Kaur Singh

Cast: Karam Batth, Prabh Grewal, Raj Kakra, Malkeet Rauni, Sukhi Chahal, Baninder Bunny, Gurpreet Bhangu, Seema Kaushal and Sukhbir Gill

Director: Vikram Pradhan

Producers: Karam Batth and Vicky Mann

Review:

The film tells the story of Kaur Singh, who won the Arjuna Award in 1982 then was given the Padma Shri in 1983. The trailer evolves with a love story that leads to the protagonist joining the Indian Army. When in the army, his career took an unexpected turn. He was introduced to boxing and it changed his perspective on things.

The film, in tribute to veteran boxer Kaur Singh, once fought against boxing champion Muhammad Ali, could be a powerful watch. This is a biopic about the boxer rather than a sports-focused drama. There are not many boxing scenes and it’s more of a romantic story than an action thriller hits trailer.

The film could be considered promising after being featured as the story of India’s unsung boxing hero who once went on to fight the champion Muhammad Ali. The trailer shows how Kaur Singh lost his faith in sports in India, ending by breaking a chair in frustration.

Watch out the trailer

The film will hit theatres on July 22, 2022.

Ajay Devgn starrer ‘Rudra’ getting positive response for its stellar performance and scary moments

Vaishali Pandey — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 07:11:02 +0000

‘Rudra: The Edge of Darkness,’ a psychological crime mystery series, has gained wide attention on all social media platforms with fans anxiously anticipating Ajay Devgn’s OTT premiere.

The show is based on the British TV series Luther and stars Ajay Devgn, Esha Deol, and Raashi Khanna, among many others.

As soon as it was released, fans went to Disney+ Hotstar to see ‘Rudra: The Edge Of Darkness.’ Soon after, they began writing on different social media platforms about how much they appreciated the show.

One fan praised the cast members’ performances, calling them “superb” and praising Ajay Devgn and Raashi Khanna’s chemistry. Some fans expressed their excitement for the show’s second season, while others praised Ajay Devgn for his OTT debut.

https://twitter.com/AjayDevgnLoverr/status/1499530309703847949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1499530309703847949%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dnaindia.com%2Fentertainment%2Freport-rudra-the-edge-of-darkness-twitter-review-viewers-hail-ajay-devgn-intense-acting-spine-chilling-sequences-2937503

Several fans appreciated the series’ unexpected twists and remarked that it shocked them, while others recommended that everyone see it. People complimented Ajay Devgn for his role in the programme on the one hand and were surprised by Raashi Khanna’s amazing performance on the other.

@RaashiiKhanna_
Just finished Watching Rudra ❤️
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rashi I m in love with Your character what a amazing Performance ❤️
Have seen a lot of ur telugu movies but this was ur career best performance by far 🙌#RudraNowStreaming #RudraTheEdgeOfDarkness

— Ashish Pandey (@iap92) March 4, 2022

DCP Rudraveer, also known as Rudra, a character played by Ajay Devgn, is a super-cop in a movie who is always the perfect guy for the darkest crimes due to his willingness to stretch the legal limits, which continuously puts him at odds with his department as well as his personal life.

Love Life Season 2 Review: William Jackson Harper’s Performance transforms the Rom-Com Genre like never before

Sandip Pal — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 11:23:16 +0000

There have been umpteen romantic slapsticks we have seen in the past and enjoyed. Nothing seems to elicit much a meaningful change in our perspectives but the second season of Love Life meanders quite a lot from the trodden path.

Marcus Watkins a 30 something Manhattanite is kind of undergoing an evolution of sorts in his outlook and as a result is quite confused and he doesn’t know what is it exactly that he is on the lookout for. He makes a living as a book editor at a mediocre publishing house and is living in with his woman Emily (Maya Kazan).

He gets himself involved sexually and emotionally with Mia Hines (Jessica Williams), who has an emotional baggage of her own and kind of sees this fling as an escape from what she calls a “sad-burro marriage”.

In the aftermaths of their straying with each other, it is not just Mia’s marriage that is in doldrums, Marcus too bears the heat as Emily won’t take it lying down! This premise is as age-old as the city it is based in.

What impressed me is that the premise is so assertive that, unlike other films and shows of the same genre, it doesn’t end up being overtly funny. In all this though Mia’s character becomes shadowed. She is just remaining the unapproachable friend. There are so many questions that would swirl in your head while you watch Love Life 2. Harper’s tour-de-force performance would take you on a rollercoaster often confounding ride of emotions. He makes sure that he grabs the opportunity given to him via Marcus’ role and gives the rom-com genre a twist that was absolutely unexpected.

Movie Review: Bhoot Police, Neither Bhoot nor comedy !

Sudhanshu Mishra — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 14:27:45 +0000

Balancing is the main craft that cinema portrays, but Pawan Kripalani’s Bhoot Police is not able to find that balance between horror and comedy. It neither gives ingenuity of horror nor laughter of comedy. Written by five writers the story of the film ‘Bhoot Police’ is not new but probably incomplete.

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Sons of a famous Tantrik-Baba of his time, Chironji, and Vibhuti are earning a living with the help of their inheritance in Pilibhit’s numbered vehicle. The story begins on the corner with Baba & Sons making money through the mischief and reaches where they have a face-to-face encounter with a spirit. Both the brothers are out to capture ghosts. The twist is just that one takes this job seriously and the other jokingly. The film tries to play the strings of nepotism as well as that of Go Kichkandi Go.

The two brothers look like Uncle Nephew’s duo but these are two heroes in the story. Following the tradition of Mumbaiya film, two actors are bound to have two actresses. Yami Gautam and Jacqueline Fernandez have been cast in for this. Both of them have inherited a tea plantation. Here too one has a heartfelt attachment to heritage and the other has to settle down in London. The story starts coming into pace only after coming to the tea garden. However, after early chaos, timepass sequences, and interpolation anecdotes set to increase the length of the film, the story only keeps the audience hooked for only the last half an hour.

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Very weak at the script level, ‘Bhoot Police’, is a film that disappoints you in every sequence. On acting even the seniormost actor, Saif Ali Khan seems out of blue. It looks like he has given up efforts to do something better as an actor. His facial expressions look similar in case of shock, sensuality, and joke. Arjun Kapoor does not seem to be doing any special charisma in the film. However, his role implied him to be a little patient and serious. But, his dialogues seem artificial and are not convincing.

However, there is nothing special for Yami Gautam to do in the film. She has done better characters than this in her earlier films. Jacqueline Fernandez has even a lesser share in the story than Yami’s contribution. Nobody expected her to be good in Hindi, so the writer has to tell that her heart is in London. The scene formulated to create the character of Javed Jaffrey is the most extended as well as the fragile scene in the film. Rajpal Yadav also lagged to make an impact in this scene. The same is the case with Girish Kulkarni. The only shining star is a little appearance by Jamie Lever. She has put on much of the wonderful timing of her father’s (Johnny Lever) skills.

In Accordance to the films of Bhoot-Pret, the producer of the film Ramesh Taurani has spent a good amount of money on it and it’s visible too. Jayakrishna Gummadi with his cinematography and lighting combinations gives the film a nice and eye-catcher wrapping. He was victorious in bringing the shades of Rajasthan on the screen and developing the mysterious atmosphere of Himachal Pradesh.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CStFnD4pLvs/?utm_medium=copy_link

What has helped the film the most in this is its sound design and background music. Anirban Sengupta and Clinton Cerejo deserve applause for this. But yes, being a film of Tips Music Company, the audience was expecting a couple of haunting songs in it but here we get disappointed again. The film’s look, colors, decor, noise are all great, it’s just that its soul is ‘missing’.

The movie is streaming on Disney + Hotstar.

Review- Bhuj: The Pride of India; an untold history

Sudhanshu Mishra — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 04:06:10 +0000

Ajay Devgn-starrer Bhuj: The Pride of India premiered today on Disney Plus Hotstar.

The Independence Day weekend release, also starring Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Sharad Kelkar, and Ammy Virk, takes a tale of the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

The First 5 minutes explain the context through a montage and also with the scene of Pakistani officials discussing their evil plan with striking action sequences and a fascinating storyline that gives you a perfect watch.

Storyline

Image courtesy -: News18

The movie tells the story of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. India gets involved in the persecution of East Pakistan residents by the state military conflict and deploys a majority of its troops on the Eastern border. In revenge, Pakistan conspires to destroy Bhuj Airstrip so that they can negotiate with India regarding Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). On December 8, 1971, the Pakistani troops destroyed the Bhuj airstrip and also all the bridges connecting Kutch to India. This left Kutch with no contact with other parts of India.

They intend to capture Bhuj Airbase. Pakistan deploys 100 tanks with 1800 soldiers to seize it. Sharad Kelkar, who played military officer RK Nair along with his team of 120 soldiers tries to stop them midway near Harami Nala. They moreover have Ranchordas Pagi played by Sanjay Dutt, who is an Indian Army scout. Nora Fatehi is seen playing spy Heena Rehman in Pakistan.

The squadron leader Vijay Karnik is played by Ajay Devgn is a commanding officer at Bhuj Air Base. His work is to repair the runway so that India can combat back. Vijay Karnik got aid from nearby villagers led by Sunderben played by Sonakshi Sinha. Ammy Virk, who plays Flight Lieutenant, decides to land the airforce plane at the Bhuj runway. Will the runaway complete within time? How will India stop Pakistan? Watch the movie to find out.

Direction, dialogue, screenplay

Image courtesy -: Cinetales

The story is captivating and also unique to most people. Abhishek Dudhaiya, Raman Kumar, Ritesh Shah, and Pooja Bhavoria’s screenplay is a mixed bag and hence a little confusing with a lot of things happening simultaneously. The first half doesn’t have much development in the story but introduces you to a lot of things. But it’s in the second half where the writers show their brilliance. The climax is very well thought of and keeps you enchanted. Dialogues are intended to generate claps. Ajay’s monologue while convincing the villagers is heartful.

Certain dramatic and action scenes are well-executed and this also enhances the impact. Also, certain one-take action scenes add to the entertainment quotient. In many action scenes, you can aside logic. The scene of Ranchod in the trench, in the end, will be tickling but it’s hard to digest.

Acting and Music

Image courtesy -: Cinetales

Bhuj The Pride Of India works in pieces. It has a running time of 1 hour and 54 minutes. The movie is fast-paced. The actress does not have enough work in the movie. Pranitha Subhash has played the role of Ajay Devgn’s wife Usha and doesn’t have much to do. Nora Fatehi with a mere 8 to 10 minutes of role, stands out. She is terrific with her actions, expression, and dialogues. Sonakshi looks well in her role. Aj ay Devgn, Ammy Virk, Sanjay Dutt performed their roles well and look decent and fit in their characters.

Sharad Kelkar deserves more as he doesn’t have any shining moments. Navni Parihar (Indira Gandhi) is fair. Mahesh Shetty gets scope. The actors playing General Yahya Khan, Heena Rehmani’s husband Md Hussain Omani, Wing Commander A A Sahu, Mukhtar Baig, and Taimoor Rizvi are okay.

Music does not have much scope. A few songs like ‘Rammo Rammo’, ‘Bhai Bhai’ and even the famous ‘Zaalima Coca Cola’ tracks are missing. ‘Hanjugam’ is passy but ‘Desh Mere’ is touching. The devotional song of Sonakshi Sinha (‘He Ishwar Maalik He Daata’) is powerful but looks a bit out of place.

Final word

Bhuj The Pride Of India is directed by Abhishek Dudhaiya. It has incredible visuals and remarkable aerial warfare. The aerial warfare scenes are outstanding and will mesmerize you. The story works fast and in patches. The second half is fascinating. The climax is terrific. Overall, Bhuj The Pride Of India is a mass entertainer and keeps you intrigued.

Movie Review: Shershaah, War drama ends but ‘Yeh Dil mange more’

Sudhanshu Mishra — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 09:52:28 +0000

Shershaah, apparently to be perceived as a war drama, derailed way off to deliver a brand new depiction of a heroic tale that has been present beneath the sun for the last two decades.

Storyline

Narrated by Vikram Batra’s twin brother, Vishal Batra (additionally performed by Sidharth Malhotra), Shershaah seems scattered in its first half. The childhood depiction of Batra’s life seems simply a strive to inform people why he chose the Army, as scenes fail to create any emotional heft.

The Movie begins with a highlight of the final war, which makes you hold onto the screen, however within the first five minutes, it loses all its charm. Moving forward, the scenes expand to Vikram’s heroic deeds to begin within Sopore (his first posting), and the amazing camaraderie together along with his seniors and juniors alike.

The tale additionally dives right into a flashback of Chandigarh college, where the lad Vikram, falls in love with a classmate, Dimple Cheema (Kiara Advani). Campus romance blossoms and the film seems like a Dharma romance’s family drama. But those are some supposedly “charming” quantities of Sidharth as Vikram Batra when outside the battlefield.

With the war scenes that follow, Shershaah makes up for its mishaps in the second half and Shershaah strikes something which was expected. A proper half-hour, in the end, is non-prevent combat, much of it graphic and realistic. Director Vishnuvardhan and writer Sandeep Srivastava waste no time establishing Vikram as a model soldier from scene one.

Elements

The film features some super dialogues, like – “Ho tayyaar? Karoge vaar?, “Meri cheez mere se koi nahi cheen sakta” or “No one will die on my watch again,” which Vikram tells Captain Sanjeev “Jimmy” Jamwal (Shiv Pandit). “If there is any casualty other than the enemy, it’ll be me,” Vikram completes, and lastly, “Live by chance, love by choice and kill by profession”, Vikram’s motto as a soldier. With super flavour in music with artists like Tanishk Bagchi, B Praak, Jaani, Jasleen Royal, Javed-Mohsin, and Vikram Montrose.

Whether younger officer’s boss, Lt. Col Y.K. Joshi (Shitaf Figar) or Vikram’s six-month senior officer Jimmy, in addition to several other officers’ characters, are closely underwritten. The actors gambling those secondary roles – Shiv Pandit, Nikitin Dheer, Anil Charanjeett – have only stray scenes to make their presence count.

Sidharth Malhotra shines in the war scenes and his overall performance evolves through the film. Efforts to recreate the aura appearance throughout. Kiara Advani seems best as a determined Sardarni, who loves her guy with all her heart.

Final Word

Thankfully, Shershaah does not try to showcase any chest-thumping and flag-waving but rather it celebrates an intrepid soldier. The hero isn’t, however, given to both superficial swagger or bellicose bravado. He is the form of a clear-headed man, who knows what he was given to do and chips away at it with unwavering intent. The film seems to tap into the tragedy of a life cut short by war, as also into the guts and glory inherent in Captain Batra’s splendid sacrifice.

Co-produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and streaming on Amazon Prime Video, this War drama leaves you with “Yeh dil mange more”. Either as a catchphrase or need for a better film.

Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari trailer : Dijlit Dosanjh vs Manoj Bajpayee, who will win the fight?

News Desk — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 14:08:00 +0000

The trailer of Manoj Bajpayee, Diljit Dosanjh and Fatima Sana Shaikh-starrer Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari is finally out. Fans were excited to see what Diljit Dosanjh can deliver in Bollywood.

The trailer starts with setting up the plot in Bombay in the year 1995. Suraj Singh, played by Diljit, introduces us to his life and how his family wants him to marry. With this motive, the whole family tends to search for an ‘ideal’ bride. In the process, one family reveals pictures of Suraj drinking beer. With so many rejections due to his personality, Suraj couldn’t accept the fact that he was rejected because of drinking beer. He then decides to find the one who clicked the picture. This is where, Madhu Mangal Rane, a detective whose main motive is to break marriages walk in. Played by Manoj Bajpayee, one will witness his versatility as he portrays different characters.

The real twist comes in when Suraj finds out that Mangal has a sister, played by Fatima Sana Sheikh and then he moves forward to take revenge by making her fall in love with him.
Now, the real question is, who will win between the two?

The trailer is full of comedy scenes and will tickle your funny bone.

Watch the trailer here:

The film directed by Abhishek Sharma and will promise a laugh riot with dynamic cast. The story has been penned by Shokhi Banerjee, while the dialogues and screenplay are by Rohan Shankar. Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari also stars Annu Kapoor, Manoj Pahwa, Seema Pahwa, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Neeraj Sood, Abhishek Banerjee and Vijay Raaz.

Scam 1992 The Harshad Mehta Story Trailer: Watch the biggest scam unfold

News Desk — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 11:55:19 +0000

Hansal Mehta, known for his social as well as political depicting movies, is now releasing a web-series, named Scam 1992 The Harshad Mehta story.The plot of the web series is based on the business journalist Sucheta Dalal and her husband Debashis Basu’s book ‘The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away.’

On 1st October the makers released the trailer. The trailer shows the glimpse of stockbroker Harshad Mehta portrayed by actor Pratik Gandhi. In the trailer, the story summaries the character’s whole life, from chawl to the stock market billionaire and then to jail. Trailer begins with people asking, “Who is Harshad Mehta?”, then the story unfolds. The whole trailer takes us to a chaotic ride, where a common man rises up to a level and ends up committing a scam of Rs 5,000 crores. It ends with outrage and the chase to find the criminal. Rajat Kapoor will be seen as CBI officer investigating the case.The whole series is set in Bombay during the era of 1980s.

Watch the trailer here :

The star cast of the series will also feature Shreya Dhanwanthary and Sharib Hashmi, in the lead characters. The web series is all set to release on Sony LIV, on 9th October.

Amazon Prime Original’s The Lie Trailer Analysis: How far parents can go to protect their child?

Disha Deepa Jani — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:16:09 +0000

The official trailer for ‘The Lie’ has arrived and this psychological drama-thriller which is an Amazon Original Movie, is all set to be premiered on the 6th of October.
This movie is a line up of ‘Welcome to the Blumhouse’ film produced under the Blumhouse Productions banner.

Stars like Joey King, famed for Kissing Booth series, is shown as a teenager girl who admits of killing her best friend. The role of parents in the trailer explains us that are trying to protect their daughter for the crime that she has committed which end them up into a pool of lies. Mireille Enos and Peter Sarsgaard are seen as playing Joey’s parents in the drama-thriller, who decide to cover up the entire incident.

The trailer leaves us with a thought that how everything changes in one instance.

This movie is said to be a remake of 2015 German film ‘We Monsters’. ‘The Lie’ is a write up and directorial of Veena Sud, this movie seems promising showcasing an amazing start cast and a very strong storyline with mysterious plots. It’s definitely a good one and we await for it’s release on the 6th of October.

‘The Lie’ was filmed back in 2018 and has been delayed with it’s release.

‘Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakta Sitare’ might be another subtle callout for the patriarchal society

Suchismita Maity — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:00:03 +0000

Movie: Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitaare

Director: Alankrita Shrivastava

Cast: Konkona Sen Sharma, Bhumi Pednekar, Amol Parashar, Vikrant Massey

Rated: 3.5 out of 5

Alankrita Shrivastava is back with yet another path breaking film after ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’. The film delivers strong messages which go unnoticed in our society with a hint of comedy. It is a stunning yet ironic attempt at communicating the issues that exist in patriarchal societies through two women, named Dolly and Kitty (played by Bhumi Pednekar and Konkona Sen Sharma). The later drama and climax adds an emotional touch to the movie which might end up tugging the strings of your heart.

The two protagonists, Dolly and Kitty are cousins who are completely different in their personalities, thoughts and outlook on life. Konkona Sen Sharma’s Dolly is the elder one who settles with her husband quite early and has two children. Kitty, played by Bhumi Pednekar somehow manages to reach Greater Noida to her sister from a small village of Bihar. She has aspirations and dreams but the girl is completely lost in a big city where the rate of competition is high and being the one with less skills she suffers the most. The two sisters manage to put up a fake image of themselves to suit their lifestyle and the milieu they are part of. The movie surprisingly opens in a scene where the two sisters are having a gala time in a mela along with Dolly’s husband and children. Aamir Bashir who plays the part of Dolly’s husband tries to touch Kitty inappropriately in the mela which discomforts her. Later she does confronts her sister saying, “Jiju humare sath sex karna chahta hai” to which Dolly nonchalantly replies, “Iss age main hota hai, sayad tum attracted ho unn sa”, (it is normal to experience all of this in the age you are in, perhaps you are attracted to him) The scene is somewhat discomforting yet raises a question on the mentalities and how one conveniently tries to evade the truth. Well there are certain comic scenes which bring a sense of ease and joy of laughter. The film also targets the ‘mard’ on a whole different level and how we mould them according to the preordained norms of the society. Dolly’s younger son who is very much fond of girly stuff is not quite appreciated by his mother and people around him. One scene clearly shows the division of a gender where a school plans for a museum trip and boys are sent to watch railway stations whereas girls go to a doll museum. The little boy is hindered from going to the museum only because of his gender. It surely will break one’s heart. Many instances in the movie proves time to time the collateral damage adults might wreck on children at a young age.

Amidst all this chaos, Kitty joins a dating app company where she works as a cyber-lover. She continuously struggles with her dilemma to do her job with the unpleasant horny men. Later she falls in love with one of her clients named Pradeep, played by Vikrant Massey. Kitty being madly in love with her Prince charming loses her virginity to him, which ironically, she is not quite satisfied with. The turn of events jolts her back to reality when Kitty and Pradeep are arrested and he leaves her alone in the jail. The film reflects the indifferences between the two sisters as they start criticizing each other and Kitty tells her sister, “Kya boring si life jee raha ho aap”. Dolly kind of reflects upon that statement and viewers get to witness a brewing romance between her and a delivery boy named Osman. She indeed ends up being physical with him and it once again lights up the spark in her. Back in the day, Dolly had a mother crisis and this reflects on her marriage where the two individuals are unsatisfied with each other.

The movie is a constant beck and call to smash the toxic ideologies that we hold as society. It’s not just two sisters exploring their choices but also questioning those who have oppressed women in general. The viewers at last get to witness a beautiful bond between the two when they pour their hearts out during a drink. As the line goes ‘every story has a happy ending’, well in some cases it might be fifty-fifty. The climax of the movie arouses sudden change of events and leaves the viewers no time to feel the sorrow. A show is held where an artist showcases a model of vagina and explains its ‘meaning’ in a strong commendable manner. But it is hindered by a political party group who open fire in the area and Osman is shot along with few others. The last few scenes where Konkana confronts his husband regarding his faults, subtly tries to light upon the concept of – walk away where there is no happiness. The movie has many layers to it and it is completely up to the viewers how they perceive it.

In terms of mood and setting of the movie, it could have been much better as it may throw up some boredom at some point. The songs were mood lifters for sure with Karan being the DJ dancing and rapping his way through the movie to express his sorrow and happiness. The colour and cinematography is nothing extraordinary but usual, we have seen quite the same colour tones in almost every other such movie. The cast was definitely a stealer as Konkana is a sight to behold on screens and Bhumi just rocked the role of a small-town girl. Vikrant being always subtle and natural is no surprise and Karan Kundra is definitely a shock to discover in a new avatar.

As content, the movie is not quite ambitiously driven because it’s only Alankrita doing what she does best. We can safely conclude saying that she has played her cards right this time again.

Serious Men trailer: A journey of father and an extraordinary son

Amber Khan — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 07:12:29 +0000

Earlier, Nawazuddin Siddiqui shared a glimpse of his upcoming movie, “Serious Men.” Fans couldn’t contain their excitement and demanded for the trailer. With no further delay, Netflix India shared the trailer on the morning of 18th September. The movie is set to release on 2nd October. The film is based on a 2010 novel “Serious Men” by Manu Joseph and is written by Bhavesh Mandalia.

The film has the lead actor, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, playing the role of a middle-class family man, Ayyan, living in the Slums of Mumbai along with his wife, Oja Mani. In the trailer, he can be seen talking about how three generations of family progress as individuals. He shares how the character’s father never went to school, whereas he is a graduate and he believes that his son would be a successful businessman who will be able to own everything. As the trailer progresses, his wife delivers a baby boy who is shown to be really intelligent and smart thus, grabbing a lot of attention of not only his teachers from the school, but also news channels as well as Politicians. His son, Adi Mani, becomes the face of a political party and ends up being an easy target and gets hurt. Nassar can be seen to be playing the role of an antagonist of the stroy.

The movie revolves around Adi’s intellect and how he creates a wave in the current scenario of leading politicians and scientists.

Have a look at the trailer here –

“I am excited about this film as I waited almost 20 years to work with Sudhir Mishra. It’s a dream come true. I can’t wait for the audience to watch ‘Serious Men’ and join this journey with me, this Gandhi Jayanti,” Nawazuddin Siddiqui told Indian Express.

Halahal Trailer: Barun Sobti and Sachin Khedekar look fervid as they fight for justice

Ruchi Chandrawanshi — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 11:14:56 +0000

The most awaited trailer of Eros Now’s Halahal is here. Based on true events (Vyapam Scam), the fictional crime thriller will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Sachin Khedekar, who plays the role of father finds something suspicious in the post-mortem report of his daughter, Archana.

The trailer starts with intense background music and pans out to a charred dead body. To provide justice to his daughter, a father runs into a corrupt greedy police officer who is ready to help him. It further moves to the chase and chaotic scenes where both of them end up in a compromising situation. Now, to know if Archana gets justice or not, you will have to watch the movie on Eros Now, releasing on 21st September.

Till then, have a look at the trailer :

Barun will be seen in a new look where he plays the character of a macho policeman who is strong and unapologetic. Talking about his character, Barun told Pinkvilla, ‘I have lived this character every day and it was was an absolute ball for me. It might be difficult for a lot of people to understand, but every day that I was portraying Yusuf, I was at home!’

Directed by Randeep Jha and produced by Zeishan Quadri, this movie will keep you on the edge of the seat. With excellent dialogues and talented actors, this is a must watch movie. Besides Sachin and Barun, the movie also stars Vijay Shrivastav and Anuradha Mukherjee.

Akshay Kumar drops Laxmmi Bomb teaser, says ‘Get ready for a mad ride’

Shreshtha Gupta — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 09:59:33 +0000

Starring Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani in the lead roles, the movie will stream on Disney Plus Hotstar on 9 November’20.

Sharing a 30 seconds video on Instagram Akshay captioned, “Iss Diwali aapke gharon mein “laxmmi” ke sath ek dhamakedar bomb bhi aayega. Aa rhi hai #LaxmmiBomb 9th November ko only on @disneyplushotstarvip! Get ready for a mad ride”

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The teaser showcases Akshay Kumar’s transition from a man to a woman. It begins with a loud message as to what happens when the ‘outcast becomes outraged’.

Laxmmi Bomb is the official Hindi remake of hit Tamil film Kanchana. Helmed by Raghava Lawrence, who had also directed and starred in the original movie. The plot revolves around a man who is afraid of all things supernatural, but through a twist of fate, he is forced to confront his fear as his body gets possessed by the spirit of Laxmmi.

Laxmmi Bomb is the third project of Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani. The duo first collaborated for Akshay’s production Fugly which was Kiara’s debut hindi film. They later shared screen space in Good Newwz.

Laxmmi Bomb was set to release during Eid this year, but it got postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Dolly, Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare: A quirky tale of pursuit for freedom

Karishma Jangid — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 07:00:24 +0000

The much-awaited trailer of “Dolly, Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare” is finally out now!

The film is a satire comedy starring Konkona Sen Sharma and Bhumi Pednekar as the lead characters Dolly and Kajal respectively. The film is directed by the ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha‘ director Alankrita Shrivastava. Made under the banner Balaji Telefilms, it has been produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor. It also features actors Vikrant Massey and Amol Parashar in prominent roles opposite the leading ladies.

The trailer is a colourful, quirky, and bold one. Two cousins, Dolly and Kajal, refuse to bow down to a boring life that doesn’t fulfill their desires. Dolly, a house-wife, opts for an extramarital affair as she is sexually unsatisfied by her husband. Kajal, on the other hand, comes to live with her sister, Dolly, in hopes of achieving her dreams. In order to make it big in life, Kajal takes up the job of a cyber-lover at a romance app under the name of Kitty.

While life throws hurdles and constraints at these sisters, they fight, bond, weep, and dance together while battling their circumstances. The film clearly has a feminist take with two women going against stereotypes and restrictions to fulfill their desires.

The two dialogues, “Raasta galat nahi hai, alag hai, fast delivery ke liye” and “Sitare toh raat ke andhere me hi chamakte hai” perfectly sum up the trailer.

You can watch the trailer here:

Dolly, Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare will be streaming on Netflix from 18th September 2020.

JL50: A predictable but watchable tale of a plane travelling through time

Karishma Jangid — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 15:24:57 +0000

JL50, a sci-fi thriller, directed and written by Shailender Vyas, is said to be based on the conspiracy theory of aeroplane TWA Flight 513 that took off in 1954 but landed after 35 years with 92 skeletons. Apparently, the plane travelled through time.

In the series, based in West Bengal, terrorists hijack aeroplane AO26 demanding the release of their leader, Partho Majumdar. Majumdar heads a Communist organization ABA, which wishes to separate Bengal from India. At first, the CBI believes that AO26 crashed. However, on the site of the crash, they find JL50, which went missing in 1984. During his investigation, CBI officer Shantanu (Abhay Deol) finds the plane and everything surreal in it. Hence, along with Professor Das (Pankaj Kapur) and pilot Bhiu Ghosh (Ritika Anand), he travels through time to solve the mystery.

A miniseries with 4 short episodes, the series has a medium pace but lags sometimes. Filled with crime, science, politics, mystery, etc, it is a desi Dan Brown. Apart from a few twists, the script looks predictable with a hero solving a mystery with a messy personal life. The script also has multiple inaccuracies.

The direction is very disappointing. There seems to be a lack of effort. With a fairly fascinating concept, this series could have been much more impactful, but it lacks a smart and intense execution. Being a thriller, it portrays very less tension.

Pankaj Kapur is the best thing about this series. Right from the first scene, his acting is impactful. He is the only one holding the series together. Piyush Mishra, as a mad scientist, scares you with his terrifying gaze but has limited screen presence. Abhay Deol as the lead is underwhelming. He sports a bored look the entire time. Every actor has a Bengali accent except Deol. Ritika’s acting is suitable for a horror film rather, not a thriller. Rajesh Sharma, as Gaurango, Shantanu’s colleague, is there only to crack jokes about his wife. As a colleague, he has been given less than minimum space. Sharma could have contributed greatly if he was given more screen time.

The dialogues explain quantum physics in a simple language to the viewers. The sound is apt. It is dramatic, creepy and beautiful depending on the scene. Honestly, it adds more to the climax than the lead actor does.

The camera presents gorgeous landscapes that you must have missed during the lockdown! They didn’t capture the beauty of Kolkata, but there are enough scenes with soothing scenery. It is also creative, experimenting with light and colours.

A Sony Liv Original, JL50 will be streaming exclusively on Sony Liv from September 4, 2020.

Atkan Chatkan by AR Rahman and Shiv Hare: A tale of music and dreams

Karishma Jangid — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 05:58:42 +0000

The trailer of upcoming ZEE5 original film ‘Atkan Chatkan’ is out, and it looks like a captivating story of dreams and hope which is full of inspiration. The film revolves around Guddu, a child living in an economically weak household, who has a fascination for music. However, he doesn’t really have the resources to learn music.

Wanting to become a musician, Guddu creates music on whatever he can find. He forms a band with other children that could possibly win a competition and get them all into a music school. But the economic limitation isn’t the only thing setting Guddu back. Guddu’s father doesn’t approve of his dreams. So, he also has to fight his father in order to fulfil his dreams.

While AR Rahman is presenting Shiv Hare’s directorial Atkan Chatkan, the music of the film is composed by legendary percussionist Sivamani.

Lydian Nadhaswaram is playing the role of Guddu in Atkan Chatkan. Lydian, who plays the piano, is a protege of AR Rahman. The film also stars Amitriyaan, Sachin Chaudhary, Yash Rane, Tamanna Dipak, Aayesha Vindhara in pivotal roles.

Talking about the film, Sivamani said in a statement, “As kids, we have always been a little lost and looking for hope for our bizarre dreams that only make sense to us at that age, just like Guddu. It is an amalgamation of these four kids’ burning desire to fulfill their dream. A musical that will take you on a rhythmic journey of hope and dreams. We all need a bit of hope at this time.”

You can see the trailer here:

Atkan Chatkan starts streaming on ZEE5 from 5th September.

‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ teaser is a creepy ride like its past season

Karishma Jangid — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 08:47:45 +0000

The much-awaited teaser of the Netflix series ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ is out now. The show is said to be a predecessor to the critically acclaimed series ‘The Haunting of Hill House’.

Based on the gothic novella by Henry James called ‘The Turn of the Screw’, the new season stars the familiar faces from the first part of the show (Victoria Pedretti, Kate Siegel, Henry Thomas, Oliver Jackson-Cohen among others). However, these actors won’t be playing their old characters. They will be seen in new roles in the upcoming season.

The teaser looks creepy with a deserted house filled with creepy-looking dolls. Dolls seem to be the central theme of this show. The teaser doesn’t depict anything unusual apart from the typical ingredients of a horror story. The music sounds impactful though. However, the audience can expect an extensively scary ride since the first season ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ was wildly successful.

The official synopsis of the series reads, “After an au pair’s tragic death, Henry Wingrave (Henry Thomas) hires a young American nanny (Victoria Pedretti) to care for his orphaned niece and nephew (Amelie Bea Smith, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) who reside at Bly Manor with the estate’s chef Owen (Rahul Kohli), groundskeeper Jamie (Amelia Eve) and housekeeper, Mrs Grose (T’Nia Miller). But all is not as it seems at the manor, and centuries of dark secrets of love and loss are waiting to be unearthed in this chilling gothic romance.”

‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ will start streaming on Netflix from October 9.

Ashram web series Review: Prakash Jha directorial is an alarm for those who misuse religion for their personal agenda

Suchismita Maity — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 05:38:43 +0000

Web series – ASHRAM

DIRECTOR- PRAKASH JHA

STORY AND SCREENPLAY- MADHVI BHATT AND AVINASH KUMAR

CAST- BOBBY DEOL, ANUPRIYA GOENKA, AADITI POHANKAR, ADHYAYAN SUMAN, DARSHAN KUMAAR, TUSHAR PANDEY, TRIDHA CHOUDHARY, VIKRAM KOCHHAR

Rated: 3.5 out of 5 stars

In its attempt to produce a show on par with Netflix’s dramas, MX Player might have just subtly outdone itself. Ashram is a stunning achievement to potray the ‘not so good’ picture of people mishandling religion for their own sake. The beautiful yet brutally honest portrayal of caste division in society is delivered in full packged manner.

The very first scene opens with a young girl brutally hitting her hostel warden to flee, this creates doubts in the mind of viewers as the scene leaves a question mark yet thirst for freedom. The flashback ends and we are introduced to a wrestling match between two girls, one belonging from high class society and the other from Dalit section. The match creates a fuss as it clearly potrays the indifference and biasness towards the Dalit girl. Then comes a scene where the higher class society beats up a bunch of Dalit people for taking their ‘Baaraat’ from their colony. Jha has clearly shown how the lower class is always suppressed and looked down upon. We are then introduced to Babaji (Bobby Deol) who is not a ‘god man’ but a ‘conman’. He potrays a calm and composed guru who has a devoted set of disciples. Nirala is a popular and wealthy guru, helps the needy. But the Guru is no God. He too has his own share of nightmares. The flashbacks crawls up again and we are introduced to a disturbing scene here, the girl is brutally stabbed by 4 goons of Babaji and thrown in a jungle. The twist and turnover of events is what makes the series gripping and worth watching. The real face behind the mask of Babaji is a suspense to us as he is charged guilty for his deed. The mystery behind the dialogue, “Once you come to the ashram, you can never go back” is the one which needs to be decoded. The romance between a head constable and a doctor is the getaway from the world of Babaji for viewers to sit back and enjoy their chemistry. But the turnover of events without any signal is definitely eye catchy and builds up the interest.

Jha’s production has always examined with social and economic issues faced by small town people. Mrityudand(1997) dealt with gender violence, Apaharan (2005) dealt with kidnapping mafia of Bihar and Gangajaal(2016) to name a few. While Jha was one of the first mainstream filmmaker to take up social issues, Anurag Khasyap and Anubhav Sinha has made it trendy. Jha believes in telling stories with issues through which the main problem is correctly conveyed to the audience.

It’s an ambitious show, both in terms of narration and theme. The involvement of dirty politics is explored in the sub plot and the catch is beautifully potrayed in the series. The theme is strong and impactful, will leave the viewers to ponder for a while- where as a society have we have gone wrong? The color tone used throughout the series is subtle and apt for the topic. The cinematography should be specially appreciated, the close up shots are very strong and will give chills to the viewers.

A good series comes with a good cast and a power packed performance, Bobby Deol is the centre of attraction as he plays Babaji, but he is no Pankaj Tripathi. Having said that he is too good in the show and manages to wow the viewer in every scene. The show further shows how underrated an actor he is. Aditi Pohankar does an excellent job with the role of small town girl. Darshan Kumaar and Tushar Pandey do justice to their assigned role as well.

The concept of the series serves as neat metaphor for caste politics with an intense undercurrent of immorality. It’s a sure fire success for MX Player.

Khaali Peeli teaser: This mad ride with Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Pandey is a typical ‘masala entertainer’

Shreshtha Gupta — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 06:24:19 +0000

On the morning of 24th August, the teaser of most awaited movie, Khaali Peeli was released. Maqbool Khan directorial features Ishaan Khatter as a ‘chalu’ taxi driver and Ananya Pandey as a dancer.

The teaser shows Pooja, who is a dancer stealing money and jewels to escape the brothel and bumps into Blackie(Ishaan Khatter) who is accused of half murder. He agrees to drive her to ‘freedom’ in exchange for a hefty amount. From this point on, the mad ride begins in his taxi which is known as Kaali Peeli in Mumbai – with a peculiar number plate, 6969 followed by a series of chase and escape – with the goons on Pooja’s trail and the cops on the goons’ trail.

Khaali Peeli also stars Pataal Lok actor, Jaideep Ahlawat , is directed by debutant Maqbool Khan and is backed by filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar, Himanshu Mehra and Zee studios. It is written by Yash Keswani and Sima Aggarwal.

Sharing the teaser on his Instagram page, Ishaan Khatter wrote, “Shaano की बस्ती मे आ रेला hai ik डेढ़ शना to Chal abb batti bujha, aur dekh #KhaaliPeeli ka teaser Directed by @macriaan. Coming soon.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CEQjcjMjfGK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Khaali Peeli’s release date is yet to be announced.

The Batman teaser: Robert Pattinson is the ‘Darkest Knight’ seeking vengeance in Matt Reeves’ superhero film

Shreshtha Gupta — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 06:30:23 +0000

The first teaser trailer of ‘The Batman’ starring Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader has been unleashed in the DC FanDome convention and fans can’t keep calm about the “darkest” Dark Knight.

The promo has a very noir-ish tone and resembles old Hollywood crime movies and Detective Comics from the Golden Age in tone. There will certainly be humour to counterpoise the solemnity and bleakness but this teaser at least suggests this film is not going to be like conventional MCU movies.

The trailer also introduces the other characters, including Jeffrey Wright as detective James Gordon and Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle. While Andy Serkis hasn’t appeared, his voice as Alfred can be heard. The trailer also gives us a glimpse of an unrecognisable Colin Farrell as The Penguin.

Director Matt Reeves said at the convention that this version of The Batman isn’t an origin story but will “touch upon his origins.” The film takes place two years into Bruce Wayne’s career as The Batman, where he is still a vigilante.

Check out the teaser here:

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‘Tenet’ final trailer unleashed, from dazzling to kaput this Christopher Nolan’ time bending espionage is ‘grandiosely enjoyable’

Shreshtha Gupta — Sat, 22 Aug 2020 07:31:40 +0000

The final Tenet trailer is out. With Christopher Nolan’s epic time bending espionage movie out in theatres in Europe and elsewhere next week, Warner Bros. has released a final three-minute look at Tenet. Set to Travis Scott’s new single for the Tenet soundtrack, “The Plan”, the final Tenet trailer has a lot of new footage with most of it moving back in time though that doesn’t mean Nolan’s film is any less bewildering. While Tenet is opening in many parts of the world between August and September after being delayed repeatedly.

Set to the tunes of Travis Scott’s original song, the over three-minute trailer doesn’t unravel more about the plot than has previously been apprised ,but offers glimpses at unseen action scenes, and more looks at Kenneth Branagh’s villain.

Tenet was shot on location across seven countries, including India. But the promotional material has so far not revealed too much about the film’s Mumbai portions, besides a couple of interactions and a rapelling sequence. Dimple Kapadia, however, makes an appearance in this trailer as well.

The filmmaker had previously described it as the most ambitious project of his career. “This film is not a time-travel film,” Nolan told Entertainment Weekly. “It deals with time and the different ways in which time can function. Not to get into a physics lesson, but inversion is this idea of material that has had its entropy inverted, so it’s running backwards through time, relative to us.”

The film stars John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Martin Donovan, Fiona Dourif, Yuri Kolokolnikov, Himesh Patel, Clémence Poésy, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, with Michael Caine and Kenneth Branagh. It’ll be released where theatres are open on 3 September,20.

Check out the trailer here:

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Sadak 2 trailer gets a massive thumbs down from the netizens on YouTube, declared most disliked trailer

Shreshtha Gupta — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 10:45:39 +0000

In over 4 hours of its release it garnered only 75K likes and a whopping 9 lakh dislikes on YouTube. Netizens have already declared it the ‘most disliked trailer’.

As soon as the trailer released on Wednesday morning, netizens hit the thumbs down icon on YouTube. From the tweets put out by several users, it is clear that they were waiting for the trailer to drop in order to hit ‘dislike’, merit notwithstanding.

A spoof poster of the film also went viral on social media. Titled Sadak Chap 2, the poster features three donkeys standing on a road leading to a mountain. The poster spoofs the original poster of Sadak 2. The spoof poster mentions “Hawas Bhatt Daughter, Star Kid Kapoor and Aatankwadi Dhutt” as the stars of “Sadak Chap 2”, a “Mahawas Bhatt production”.

On Monday the hashtag #UninstallHotstar also trended on Twitter for the whole day as netizens urged everyone to uninstall the OTT app that is all set to premiere Sadak 2.

Shakuntala Devi’ trailer review: Vidya Balan takes you to a new journey into the life of the ‘human computer’

Shreya Rai — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 08:28:34 +0000

Vidya Balan starring Shakuntala Devi’s trailer is out. Vidya Balan is seen playing the role of famed mathematician in the film that will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on July 31.

The trailer gives glimpses of Shakuntala Devi’s journey from being a child genius to gaining global recognition as the ‘human computer’ and getting her name into the Guinness Book of World Records. The last part of the trailer shows her personal life in which she struggles to balance parenting and her love for math, it shows glimpses of the bitter-sweet relationship between Shakuntala Devi and her daughter which is essayed by Sanya Malhotra.
Vidya gave her fans a maths equation to solve if they wish to watch the trailer. Sharing a picture of a placard with the equation on it, she wrote, “Solve for c… if you do, you will c the SURPRISE! Get a chance to see the trailer before the world.”

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The film is directed by Anu Menon and produced by Sony Pictures Networks Productions and Vikram Malhotra of Abundantia Entertainment.

Speaking of Shakuntala Devi in an earlier statement, Vidya had said: “She was truly someone who embraced her individuality, had a strong feminist voice and braved many a naysayer to reach the pinnacle of success. But what truly fascinates me is that you wouldn’t normally associate a fun person with Math…and she completely turns that perception on its head.”

Undekhi Review: Love, Hate, Revenge. How far can you go to save your family?

Ruchi Chandrawanshi — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 04:42:02 +0000

Web series name: Undekhi

Undekhi Star cast: Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Harsh Chhaya, Abhishek Chauhan, Apeksha Porwal

Director: Ashish R. Shukla

Rated: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Streaming On: Sony Liv

The series starts with DCP Ghosh played by Dibyendu Bhattacharya examining his fellow police officer’s dead body in Sunderbans. He discovers bite marks on the body. The culprits are said to be two runaway tribal girls, who later are introduced in the series as Koyal (Apeksha Porwal) and Kanak (Apurva Soni).

On the other side in Manali, Teji (Anchal Singh) and Daman (Ankur Rathee) are getting married. The show turns ugly when Daman’s father Papaji played by Harsh Chhaya shoots Kanak during her dance performance, who were a part of Daman’s “only men” party.

The whole incident is recorded in Rishi’s camera. Rishi, who is played by Abhishek Chauhan is a mere videographer for the wedding. Rinku (Surya Sharma), who is Papaji’s beloved and a gangster tries to clean up the mess. He gets rid of every possible evidence. Howbeit, Rishi becomes a threat to the groom’s family when he tries to file a report to the police.

The main plot of the story revolves around this incident. The show gets intense when Rinku takes drastic steps to save his Papaji. On the other hand, DCP Ghosh ends up in Manali while searching for Koyal. He stumbles into the marriage incident and becomes a part of it. The chaos of saving Papaji and getting justice to Kanak will bring you to the edge of your seat.

Written by Mohinder Pratap Singh, the show is 10 episodes long, each episode lasting for 30 minutes. Every episode promises a cliffhanger, which will force you to binge-watch the show.

The storyline keeps you engrossed whereas the background score sets the mood. The only letdowns are the harsh cuts between the scenes, which are visible. Also, keeping a track of characters becomes tedious after a while.

Harsh Chhaya steals the show with his performance of a drunk powerful man. On the other hand, Surya Sharma delivers an excellent performance of a desperate gangster going out of his to save his family. No one could have played the character of DCP Ghosh but Dibyendu Bhattacharya, the non-macho yet smart cop trying to get his work done. Apeksha Porwal as a tribal girl, did a splendid job. The Bengali accent with few action scenes added charm to her character.

The genre is thriller which promises nail-biting experience. After every few episodes, there are twists which will surprise you. The only part that will keep you hooked is that every character outsmarts the other. In the end, the only question is who will win?

Bulbbul Movie Review : Anushka Sharma’s Bulbbul is a strange take on feminism, a MUST WATCH

Tanvi Gupta — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 14:26:34 +0000

Movie: Bulbbul
Cast: Rahul Bose, Tripti Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, Paoli Dam
Director: Anvita Dutt
Rated: Four stars

If you feel that Bollywood horror stories involve a demonic figure with long hair, waiting to kill the hero when the clock strikes at 12, then the new-age directors are here to change your perception about what ‘ghost-stories’ actually mean. Bulbbul, an unsettling, horror flick, produced under the banner of Anushka Sharma’s and brother Karnesh’s Clean Slate Films, is a story which doesn’t attempt to give you jump-scares but rather gives you disturbing thoughts of women’s sufferings in a patriarchal society which is prevailing from centuries.

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Set in the backdrop of Bengal province of 1881, the eerie, mystic looking setting is a good reminder that though the locations are beautiful, with wild greenery stretched into scenes, this movie is not here to treat you, but to make you think. The movie opens with the wedding of Bulbbul, a small girl who asks innocent questions which challenges stereotypical thinking that this society once had and maybe still has, and her pure hearted soul makes us bypass the idea of evil practices happening in front of our eyes. Child marriage, a social evil, was a normal scenario back then, and in this we are also introduced to a boy named Satya, who lures Bullbul in narrating Chudail(female demon) stories on the wedding night.

The story takes a leap of 20 years and in this time, Bulbbul turns into a gorgeous but oddly detached woman, who thinks too much and expresses less. That makes her look more dangerous at times. Satya returns to the village after completing his studies from London and on his return he gets to know that some demonic possession is eating people in the village. Then as a Sherlock, he dons the hat and a shotgun, to hunt down the person/animal behind this activity because he tends not to believe in any superstitious thing.

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Bullbul is director Anvita Dutt’s debutorial movie, and she marks her presence by combining various genres and society’s evil practices and perceptions against women into 1 hr 33 mins. This movie comes under fantasy, folklore, fable, orthodox, superstitious, mythology, historical, which doesn’t stop to explore only the spookiness by blending red flashes into the screen but rather takes us through an emotional journey which gets to the core of our soul.

The screen bathes in the red color most of the time, unlike what we have watched in Indian horror flicks, which mostly dips into black to make us believe that this is going to be horrific. The red splashes mixed gold is used as symbolism to compare the red wedding dress and sindoor of a woman who then bleeds on her wedding night and how over the years her sufferings goes silently into the long lost river, and she ultimately takes her sorrow to the other land to start a journey all over again.

Bullbul played by Tripti Dimri looks splendid on screen. Her innocent face with a dangerous smile, gives us chills and her gorgeousness on the screen takes us by surprise. She is vulnerable and emotionally broken at times, which gives us the illusion of who’s who. Avinash Tiwari in the role of Satya, is at times complicated. Watching him transform from a movie like Laila Majnu to a horror flick is amazing and he makes us believe in Satya who is also a victim of patriarchal society. Rahul Bose has given small screen time but his mere presence and deadly aggressive looks is a story in itself. Paoli Dam as Chotti Bahu and Parambrata Chattopadhyay as doctor, fits well in their roles and don’t leave any space to pick negative points.

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uAmit Trivedi’s music blended with Siddharth Diwan’s frames is the perfect match for a movie like Bullbul. We wish to see more of Bengal’s provinces to be explored in Bollywood movies, which now have taken heavy shifts on exotic locations and the northern side of India.

Bulbbul is one of those rare contemporary Hindi horror flicks which unlike Bhoot or Daayan – is scary but not because it has demonic creatures with loads of prosthetic that can give us nightmares but rather because of the circumstances that the protagonist faces in the movie, which gives us goosebumps and into deep thinking of how this creature came into existence. Because at last the question is ‘how’ and ‘why’!

Trailer Review: Aditi Rao Hydari’s Sufiyum Sujathayum is a story of ‘Love-Jihad’

Tanvi Gupta — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 07:29:26 +0000

Malayalam’s first OTT release, Sufiyum Sujathayum will hit Amazon Prime on 3rd July,’20. When Amazon Prime Video announced the release of 7 Indian films on it’s platform, Malayalam movie starring Aditi Rao Hydari in the titular role became one of the seven to bypass theatrical release and jump on ‘direct-to-web’ for the cinephiles out there.

Sufiyum Sujathayam, touted to be a romantic musical drama, highlights a very sensitive issue of ‘Love Jihad’. A unique love story which revolves around dumb and voiceless Sujatha and a Sufi priest lover, whom Sujhatha blindly falls in love with, despite the difference in their communities and preachings.

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The trailer recently took to the official YouTube page of Amazon Prime and in 2 minutes 55 seconds, we saw the glimpses of a beautiful Sujhatha and her love for a Sufi priest, their secret letter exchanges and how they are attract towards each other to ultimately fall in love with each other. But where there is love, there is drama. Heart-breaks and disparities in communities part their ways and how Sujatha’s life takes a twist and turn is all that you will see in the movie.

Check out the trailer.

Sufiyum SujathayumSufiyum Sujathayum marks the return of Aditi Rao Hydari to Malayalam cinema after 13 years. Her last Malayalam film was Prajapathi (2006). Apart from her, we see actor Jayasurya in a pivotal role. Produced by actor Vijay Babu, the beautiful cinematography is undertaken by Anu Moothedath.

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Director Naranipuzha Shanavas took his lens into wider space to mark a change in Malayalam movies. The trailer looks promising with a message imbibed in it which takes us through the social evils that still is prevalent in the society. The simplicity of the backdrop, and soulful music will excite you to look forward to the movie.

Aarya review: Uneven crime drama but Sushmita Sen balanced her role really well

Shreya Rai — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 09:03:14 +0000

Star Cast: Sushmita Sen, Chandrachur Singh, Sikandar Kher, Namit Das, Jayant Kripalani, Vikas Kumar, Manish Choudhary, Maya Sarao, Ankur Bhatia, Alexx ONell, Virti Vaghani, Viren Vazirani, Pratyaksh Panwar, Priyasha Bhardwaj, Flora Saini

Directors: Ram Madhvani, Sandeep Modi, Vinod Rawat

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Streaming On: Disney + Hotstar

Aarya Sareen (Sushmita Sen), Tej Sareen (Chandrachur Singh), and their three kids are living happily in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Tej along with friend Jawahar (Namit Das) and brother-in-law Sangram (Ankur Bhatia) run a pharmaceutical company through which they sell illegal medicines with an extra dose of opium. Sangram and Jawahar want to expand their business with the sale of heroin but Tej is against this because he doesn’t want to risk his family and all these years, he has anyway wanted to quit the business.

During a family wedding, something unwanted happens and Tej finally decides to quit the business. He and Aarya along with kids plan to shift New Zealand and start a fresh life but Tej is shot by someone. On the other hand, Sangram is jailed for keeping illegal heroin and Jawahar falls in trouble too.

Devastated by the huge loss, Aarya is then motivated by Daulat (Sikandar Kher) to continue the business herself and pull the family out of trouble. All this while she also sets on the journey to find the killer of Tej.
Based on Dutch series Penoza, Aarya gives us the story of a woman who is catapulted into the hot-seat of her dodgy family business. After initial reluctance, she takes charge, growing in confidence and aplomb, facing down one challenge after another.

Written by Sandeep Shrivastava & Anu Singh Choudhary, the show is 9 episodes long and each of them is of around 50 minutes duration. So it’s a long show. But as far as the screenplay is concerned it’s all foreplay but no climax.

The show has been written well as there are several subplots which keep you engrossed. The chemistry of Aarya & Tej is beautiful and their bonding over old songs is a masterstroke. The track of Aarya’s son and his girlfriend is very good and keeps you curious. Also while Aarya is chasing the murderer she is also trying to save her family from enemies which makes the show an interesting watch. But what’s the benefit of all the build-up if you don’t have a good conclusion?

The genre is Thriller so an edge of the seat drama and great suspense is a must. But unfortunately, after all the thrill, it offers very predictable suspense.The show gets a bit slow as it starts moving towards the end which makes it a tiring experience.

LalBazaar Review This Sayantan Ghosal directorial seems a little too run-of-the-mill and a bit too dull!

Sahejdeep Kaur Dadiala — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 11:30:02 +0000

Director: Sayantan Ghosal

Star Cast: Kaushik Sen, Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Gaurav Chakrabarty, Sauraseni Maitra, Ronjini Chakraborty, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Subrata Dutta

Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rated: 2.5/5

The story opens with a murder of a 3 months pregnant prostitute in Lal Bazaar. She is brutally killed by a man while having sex; her innards are stuffed in a bag and thrown in a river. The story moves forward with another killing. This is what they term to be a ‘pantie-murder’ (female under garment). The death of a prostitute and pantie murder opens up a whole new can of worms that is filled with cold killers and ruthless ruffians. The dedicated cops from the Kolkata Police want to eradicate crime and corruption from the City of Joy and thus, they start inspecting every facet of the murders taking place in their city. The story will keep the audience hooked to the mystery, lust, suspense, serial killing and all the slangs used.

The entire web series is distributed equally amongst the casts. The characters lack development throughout the season. To some extent, Ronjini Chakraborty has been given a small development from a common woman to prostitute. I thought, Sabhaysachi Chakraborty, Kaushik Sen and Ronjini Chakraborty have essayed their roles very well but other characters struggle to hold on to my attention and to add to it were their poor acting skills! Husky-voiced Sabyasachi Chakrabarty is barely there in the series, but he has made his presence felt in the little screen time he is allotted. Gaurav Chakrabarty, Sauraseni Maitra and Kaushik Sen did their bit but none of them fit the part.

Dibyendu Bhattacharya is seen in a negative role and his performance will surely attract the audience to some extent.

This trilingual web series – dubbed in Tamil, Hindi and Bangla – presented by Ajay Devgn and directed by Sayantan Ghosal, has no new concept. It starts off with a dramatic, over-the-top sex scene between an anonymous man and a local prostitute Ruby but as the story unfolds; the dramatic and engaging capacity of the content faces a dent. This crime thriller drama lacks the character development throughout the season. The screen is equally distributed to the characters which ultimately results into having no lead character.

In black and white, this series shows a lot of promise: tough goons, tougher-hardworking cops. We get that. But, in reality, the narrative of ‘Lalbazaar’ is flat-out outlandish and an insipid portrayal of the bravado of the Kolkata City Police. The story has a very neutral soundtrack that ended up making narrative inconsistent, boring and compromising on the authenticity of the story. To be brutally honest, the story is the worst version of soaps like Crime Patrol, Saavdhan India and C.I.D.

Talking about the positive aspects of the Lal Bazaar, the story has successfully delivered its message to the audience. It will surely induce an emotional feeling into the viewer when he/she will see how the murders takes place, how a poor suffers because of no money. The story will keep the audience glued to their seats because of its rich suspense.

All in all, ‘LalBazaar’ is a cop drama that needed to up its game in almost all the crucial departments.

Lalbazaar is a story that will promise action, murder, mystery, lust. Check-out trailer review here!

Sahejdeep Kaur Dadiala — Sat, 13 Jun 2020 10:50:41 +0000

Director, Sayantan Ghosal is all set to premiere his crime web series on Zee5 titled ‘Lalbazaar’. Yesterday, Zee5 launched the official trailer of LalBazaar. The series features a lot of popular faces, including Kaushik Sen, Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Gaurav Chakrabarty, and Sauraseni Maitra in pivotal roles. Lalbazaar trailer promises action, murder, mystery, lust, and much more that will surely keep the audiences hooked to the series.
Lalbazaar is a crime-based series shot in Kolkata-City of Joy.

This action-thriller series revolve around the story of a woman, who were killed brutally. Stuffed in a bag her innards are found by the cops. Her murder is being investigated by Gaurav Chakraborty and Sabyasachi Chakraborty who are playing the pivotal role of police officers. Cops try their level best to solve the case and arrest the culprits. Lalbazaar will definitely keep the audience at the edge of their seats because of its thriller and suspense at every step storyline.

As the drama unfolds, you will witness how the crime and case get entangled slowly and turn out to be the personal stories of people. Eye-catching scenes like sex, rape, and revenge come into notice and audiences will get to see how their lives are connected with the stories This series will surely give you chills because of its intense drama, power-packed action.

I am sure that these series will reveal the unspoken secrets of the underworld. This bilingual web series will be premiered on 19th June 2020 on Zee5.

Gulabo Sitabo movie review: Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana are a perfect fit for this ‘Haveli’ duel, Shoojit Sircar creates an on-screen deja vu

Tanvi Gupta — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 06:46:38 +0000

Movie: Gulabo Sitabo
Star Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Vijay Raaz, Brijendra Kala
Director: Shoojit Sircar
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Gulabo Sitabo is the first Bollywood biggie to take ‘direct-to-web’ release and carries humongous expectations as it is helmed by ace director Shoojit Sircar and showcases brilliant and scintillating actors Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana in the lead roles.

Gulabo Sitabo, as we might have thought by the trailer, is not a tale of not mere characters but rather folksy puppets, who are in constant banter with each other, just like two wives of the same husband.
As the screen comes to life, we witness a wizened Amitabh in the character of Marzi who appears to be curmudgeon miser. It is upon him to carry the whole story on his shoulders. He is the owner’s husband and employs his best efforts to take over Fatima Haveli from begum. Even behind loads of prosthetics, Mirza’s love for the haveli and his devious acts to miff the tenants reflects well on the screen.

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Ayushmann Khurrana, on the other hand, a school dropout, who is situated in the run-down of the mansion and works in an atta-chakki shop, comes across as a bitter and imprudent character who is unwilling to vacate the house in which his three sisters are also residing along with him.

The face-off between Baankey, who is an unstated leader from the tenant’s side and Mirza, a grumpy old caretaker of Fatima Mahal, takes off when the obsolete brickery wall of the common toilet used by the tenants falls off because of Baankey. Thereafter, begins the complications of addressing the question – ‘who will build the wall?’

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Making their own cuts in already troubled waters enters an archaeology department official, Gyanesh Shukla (Vijay Raaz), and a lawyer who specializes in disputed property cases, Christopher Clarke (Brijendra Kala), who assists Baankey and Marzi in their endeavours. But as the story progresses, the audience gets intrigued by what will happen with the old haveli? Who will win in the final chase? Will Bankey led tenants get the LIG flats as promised by the archaeological department or Mirza’s devious plan to take over the haveli will win over every other on-going plot?

This is the kind of writing we expect from writer Juhi Chaturvedi, a constant in Shoojit Sirkar films, who builds the plot step by step, without screaming aloud and getting violent with the narrative as well as with the characters. Her idea of minimalism with quality plot is well reflected in the story. The witty and wacky dialogues in between, is a major steal from the movie, though they do not stay for a long time, they will leave a smile on your face.

The best bit is Director Shoojit Sirkar’s gaze which kept on shifting to bigger spaces, with wide angles which showcase the beautifully crafted Nawabi city Lucknow. The essence of the city will be felt everywhere starting from the language used to the corners of the city where Mirza sells the stolen items in petty prizes, but the central point remains the dilapidated, dingy ‘Fatima Haveli’.

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The music is situational and comes on the way when needed. Some lyrics would match the frame so well, that you might feel more involved with the whole concept.

Amitabh Bachchan in the character of Mirza owns the space and rules it like a king though, in contrast with his role in the movie, his presence will make you irritated with the film till the end. Ayushmann is always a treat to watch. He is a master craftsman when it comes to acting and slips into the skin so easily, that sometimes, we forget who’s who! Special recognition to Srishti Shrivastava as Guddo, who plays off the edge without fear and beautifully makes her own space in the movie.

In my opinion, though I missed the zest and sharpness that Shoojit Sircar always delivers in his movie, Gulabo Sitabo is a mixed bag, amusing, witty here and there, but you would stay with the film because of the two stars and their cadences of the Lucknavi language, shines out of the ordinary in this otherwise middling tale.

Netflix’s ‘Home Stories’ is an anthology of unique tales of lockdown made at home, for you to watch at home

Tanvi Gupta — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 13:45:07 +0000

Lockdown!! This word is going to haunt us for years to come. We have experienced a life confined to our homes, and prepared ourselves in a way to be able to participate in activities that would otherwise require us to put our foot out of ‘laxman rekha’. We have laughed on video calls, slept on zoom calls, baked our hearts out and polished our forgotten skills.
Netflix’s upcoming movie is all about this journey!

Home Stories is an anthology of four short films which truly captures the essence of ‘life under lockdown’.
According to Netflix, all the four short films are shot indoors, with personal devices like smartphones, cameras, laptops and even the compilation and post-production was completely done from home.
‘Out With It’, featuring Arjun Mathur, revolves around a person who is germphobic and refuses to step out of the house due to the fear of catching the deadly virus. The dance of the deadly virus haunts him, even if someone rings the bell!

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The second short film in the anthology is ‘Will You Be My Quarantine’, similar to the hollywood movie ‘Two Night Stand’. Starring Saba Azad and Imaad Shah, the story is a comical representation of how a one night stand turns into a three week standoff. It is targeted to all the couples who are spending extra ‘quality-time’ together discovering their love for each other!

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‘Delivering Smiles’, is the third in the row, which revolves around a delivery executive who helms vlogs in order to cope with the situation. Starring Tanmay Dhanania, this short film is sure to touch hearts as we are acquainted with the plight of people stepping out in dangerous situation.

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The last one is more inclined towards ‘family drama’ in the digital age. The story, ‘Web Ne Bana Di Jodi’, talks about a couple who prepare to get married and try their best to go through ceremonies on a virtual platform. The hilarious parts include when ‘Haldi Rasam’ turns into a family havoc. This short film features Veer Rajwant Singh and Apoorva Arora.

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In a two-minute trailer, Home Stories grabs our attention and convinces us to watch this movie as the situation shown instantly connects somewhere with our own experiences of the past-three months. Though it is commendable diligence work of the director and actors to helm a film from their respective places and develop content for the audiences. The trailer looks promising and sure to leave you with an urge to look forward to the whole movie.

Home Stories is directed by Sahirr Sethhi, Anubhuti Kashyap, Tanvi Gandhi and Ashwin Laxmi Narayan. This film will premiere on Netflix India’s YouTube channel at 5PM on 12th June.

Actor Sohum Shah brings an interesting series of folk, fairy and mythological tales on his social media to keep the young generation aware about our Kathas

Sandip Pal — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 07:35:58 +0000

Well, mythological tales have always fascinated each one of us. Listening to old folk and fairy tales from grandmas are some of the golden days from our childhood that we would want to relive again and again. Yes !! Actor Sohum Shah brings in a lovely surprise for his fans and followers as he takes to his Instagram to narrate the ancient Kathas and the rich stories that our history has and keep the fans entertained. The first story that Sohum has narrated is of great Vikram and Betaal and we were quite thrilled to hear the story like a toddler and waiting for the next part of the story eagerly.

Sohum on this context added,” Our country has a vast reverse of stories. Folk tales, mythology, fairy tales, and many more. But we do not know many of these stories so I thought kyun na apko yeh kahaniyan sunayi jaye? Sohum has always been interested in our mythological diversity of stories and his spectacular film Tumbbad is proof of it. We frequently speak about heroes like Spiderman, Superman, and many more but our own mythological and folk stories are so impactful and teaches such fine teachings of life. We are glad Sohum in such a beautiful way came up with this out of the box idea to keep his fans entertained through these interesting and grasping tales from our own box of heritage.

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Sohum had earlier recited a poem on strong willpower “Koshish karne walon ki kabhi harr nahi hoti” to keep netizens motivated during the relentless extension of lockdown and this never-ending battle with Covid 19. He also gave us some insights on the perks of meditation that can solve many of our problems in minutes and how he learnt the art of meditation from his lovely co-star Kangana Ranaut. Sohum has given us some sneak peek in his kitchen earlier where he made a famous Indian delicacy with his mother and now coming up with this brilliant idea of narrating tales for the audience has all our attention and ears. We are waiting for Sohum’s two mega projects namely ‘Big Bull’ opposite Abhisekh Bachchan and Reema Kagti much spoken about web series ‘Fallen’ opposite Sonakshi Sinha, Gulshan Devaiah and Vijay Verma to hit the big screen anytime soon.

Choked Review: Anurag Kashyap’s demonetisation saga is curiously uncertain and dull

Shreya Rai — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 12:37:09 +0000

Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Choked’ has finally landed on Netflix today. Four years after demonetization, the movie is about that converse alchemy—where money turned to paper. Choked, is a clever film that concerns itself with the effect more than the cause. The film’s heroine is, fittingly, a bank teller. Sarita is a no-nonsense working woman with a jobless husband, a woman so visibly in charge that their young son routinely gossips on his father.

One night, Sarita discovers money. A clogged drainpipe in her kitchen bubbles over with excess water, black and dirty. Rolls of cash, tightly wrapped in plastic, come out from that choked wipe to her through that kitchen drain every night. This pay-out is life-altering. Suddenly there is money—money to pay for her husband’s debts, money to buy a wedding present, money for new cushion covers. This is her windfall and, because of her secrecy, something that finally feels like hers alone, while not being hers at all.

From this aspiring premise, Kashyap constructs a brief thriller. Written by Nihit Bhave and shot by Sylvester Fonseca, Choked is compelling from the start. We side completely with the heroine—an excellent Saiyami Kher—and wonder where she will take her damply grown money. Her husband remains a sore spot, neighbors continue to prevail on her for favors, and rumors begin following her around. There is no room for her to cut loose, and even her kitchen—the all-important kitchen where she gets the money from the drain is also occupied by strangers.

Then comes craziness. One evening, Tai—the downstairs neighbor, played by the fantastic Amruta Subhash, really reviving this film—rushes into Sarita’s house, jabbering and dumbstruck. Busy preparing for her daughter’s wedding, Tai’s world has caved in. “The ₹500 note has gone,” she says, laughing with the shock. “The ₹1,000 note has gone. Modi has discontinued them.” Sarita is understandably unable to process this. The bank teller can’t comprehend banknotes losing their value. “Kaun Modi?” she asks. Who, after all, could do such a thing?

Her husband, Sushant, knows who. He swells with pride as they stand in front of a television set on 8 November 2016. An admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi—and a man deep in debt, low in prospects—he is overcome by delight in another person’s misfortune felt that he has nothing to lose. The wealthy who have collected their black money will finally suffer, he believes, rejoicing on the streets with gusto. “Did you know how many years Modiji lived like a hermit in the Himalayas?” he asks his wife, gushing about this leader who actually does things. “Yes,” answers Sarita, looking longingly at her kitchen drain. “He made and sold tea, and swept his floors too. If you did just that, I would be content.”

The couple fights without restraint, even waking up their sleeping child to referee who-said-what and what-was-promised. Roshan Mathew is impressive as Sushant, a role a lesser actor may have reduced a caricature. Kher, playing a woman who once took the stage to sing but promptly lost her voice, says little and carries the film with a strongly adopted performance. She is effortless when cleaning up after husband and son—and as effortless when taunting them. Her varied concerns are made visible to the audience, but Sarita tucks them away, hiding them behind the same sigh.

Through the underachieving husband, Kashyap makes a point about masculinity and emasculation and the way toxicity is born out of insecurity. Sushant is usually humble at home, taking instructions from his wife, the breadwinner, but can’t accept being mocked by friends. There is a predictability to his simplicity, standing out in sharper contrast with the way Sarita quite simply gets things done.

The climax provides a smart turn, one that underlines how we all commit the same sins, and how in a city where it’s hard to tell our own arguments from ones neighbors are having, even secrets aren’t entirely our own. Choked keeps us guessing, but also throws in a clumsy “villain” character, entirely unnecessary in a story where the bad guys are all too obvious. We don’t have to wake any child to ask what was promised and what ended up happening.

We got through demonetization because of kindness. The kindness showed to us by patient cashiers, polite branch managers, guards who kept it together—people whose workload tripled without adequate warning or compensation. The first time we meet Sarita, she’s at her cooperative bank. A customer mocks her for double-checking the cash a machine has already counted out. “The machine has checked it twice, I have checked it a third time,” she says, wearily but calmly. “You won’t check it again then?” The customer falls silent. She knows what she’s doing.

Kaali 2 Review: Paoli Dam is lovely, the direction could have been better

Lokesh Choudhary — Fri, 29 May 2020 13:12:43 +0000

Kaali 2 director: Rohan Ghose and Aritra Sen

Kaali 2 Cast: Paoli Dam, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Abhishek Banerjee, Vidya Malvade, Arunoday Banerjee, Parambrata Chattopadhyay

Rating: 2/5

Review:

The much-awaited second part of the web series “Kaali” is out now, and we can say that it gives you another roller-coaster ride where none of the scenes looks or feels unwanted. Paoli Dam has once again lived the character of Kaali gracefully, but Abhishek Banerjee’s Jing Liang the drug dealer is just too good. His acting woos you and makes you watch the series despite the merry go around ride in the first few episodes. Rahul Banerjee looks confused for what’s happening most of the time and Vidya Malvade fails to convey the emotions through her eyes.

As I proceeded with the story, I got myself in a strange position. Having said that, I was surely be mesmerized by Kaali’s sheer will power and acting skills (we’re talking about acting skills of “Kaali” here). The story was gripping, and I looked forward to watching it but at the same time the direction was a little wavering and so was the supporting cast.

The supporting cast totally ruined the game, without a doubt. The gunmen of Jing Liang, the constables, the goons, everybody out there looked funny. The gunmen of Jing Liang are most funny, they shoot someone unnecessarily and leave the ones they were really supposed to shoot. There was no reason for Jing Liang to keep Ashwin alive. He was simply kept alive due to lazy writing.

The direction could be better, as the only mistake we noticed in the first few episodes was that it moved back and forth. The poor direction and execution, made me feel dizzy.

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Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Movie Review

Good Luck Jerry: Janhvi Kapoor starrer movie will make you fall for its silliness

Padma Shri Kaur Singh: Bringing glory to breaking a chair in frustration, trailer takes you through love, emotions, sports and comedy

Ajay Devgn starrer ‘Rudra’ getting positive response for its stellar performance and scary moments

Love Life Season 2 Review: William Jackson Harper’s Performance transforms the Rom-Com Genre like never before

Movie Review: Bhoot Police, Neither Bhoot nor comedy !

Review- Bhuj: The Pride of India; an untold history

Storyline

Direction, dialogue, screenplay

Acting and Music

Final word

Movie Review: Shershaah, War drama ends but ‘Yeh Dil mange more’

Storyline

Elements

Final Word

Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari trailer : Dijlit Dosanjh vs Manoj Bajpayee, who will win the fight?

Scam 1992 The Harshad Mehta Story Trailer: Watch the biggest scam unfold

Amazon Prime Original’s The Lie Trailer Analysis: How far parents can go to protect their child?

‘Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakta Sitare’ might be another subtle callout for the patriarchal society

Serious Men trailer: A journey of father and an extraordinary son

Halahal Trailer: Barun Sobti and Sachin Khedekar look fervid as they fight for justice

Akshay Kumar drops Laxmmi Bomb teaser, says ‘Get ready for a mad ride’

Dolly, Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare: A quirky tale of pursuit for freedom

JL50: A predictable but watchable tale of a plane travelling through time

Atkan Chatkan by AR Rahman and Shiv Hare: A tale of music and dreams

‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ teaser is a creepy ride like its past season

Ashram web series Review: Prakash Jha directorial is an alarm for those who misuse religion for their personal agenda

Khaali Peeli teaser: This mad ride with Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Pandey is a typical ‘masala entertainer’

The Batman teaser: Robert Pattinson is the ‘Darkest Knight’ seeking vengeance in Matt Reeves’ superhero film

Check out the teaser here:

‘Tenet’ final trailer unleashed, from dazzling to kaput this Christopher Nolan’ time bending espionage is ‘grandiosely enjoyable’

Check out the trailer here:

Sadak 2 trailer gets a massive thumbs down from the netizens on YouTube, declared most disliked trailer

Shakuntala Devi’ trailer review: Vidya Balan takes you to a new journey into the life of the ‘human computer’

Undekhi Review: Love, Hate, Revenge. How far can you go to save your family?

Web series name: Undekhi

Undekhi Star cast: Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Harsh Chhaya, Abhishek Chauhan, Apeksha Porwal

Director: Ashish R. Shukla

Rated: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Streaming On: Sony Liv

Bulbbul Movie Review : Anushka Sharma’s Bulbbul is a strange take on feminism, a MUST WATCH

Trailer Review: Aditi Rao Hydari’s Sufiyum Sujathayum is a story of ‘Love-Jihad’

Aarya review: Uneven crime drama but Sushmita Sen balanced her role really well

LalBazaar Review This Sayantan Ghosal directorial seems a little too run-of-the-mill and a bit too dull!

Lalbazaar is a story that will promise action, murder, mystery, lust. Check-out trailer review here!

Gulabo Sitabo movie review: Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana are a perfect fit for this ‘Haveli’ duel, Shoojit Sircar creates an on-screen deja vu

Netflix’s ‘Home Stories’ is an anthology of unique tales of lockdown made at home, for you to watch at home

Actor Sohum Shah brings an interesting series of folk, fairy and mythological tales on his social media to keep the young generation aware about our Kathas

Choked Review: Anurag Kashyap’s demonetisation saga is curiously uncertain and dull

Kaali 2 Review: Paoli Dam is lovely, the direction could have been better