Anandu Suresh
Indian Express
Most Divergent Takes
- Dominic and the Ladies' Purse (2025)3.0 vs TRM 5.5-2.5
- Ananthan Kaadu (2026)2.0 vs TRM 3.8-1.8
- Thug Life (2025)3.0 vs TRM 4.3-1.3
- Drishyam 3 (2026)5.0 vs TRM 6.0-1.0
- Kattalan (2026)3.0 vs TRM 4.0-1.0
Chinna Chinna Aasai
2026 · Indian Express
...the movie fails to live up to its beautiful frames.
Ananthan Kaadu
2026 · Indian Express
Jiyen Krishnakumar's action drama tries hard, but Murali Gopy's text-heavy, pretentious screenplay strips the film of any real soul.
Drishyam 3
2026 · Indian Express
I am not saying that Drishyam 3 is a great movie — it really isn't! But Jeethu hasn't ruined the franchise's reputation this time either, which, in itself, is a big deal at this point. Among the actors, only Mohanlal delivers a performance worth mentioning.
Vaazha II
2026 · Indian Express
Unlike Vaazha (2024), which bluntly glorifies manchildren, including their irresponsibility and carefree attitudes that often harm others, Vaazha 2 presents a more sensible, sensitive tale that shows consideration and compassion to those who deserve it. In fact, that's one of the reasons Vaazha 2 is a far, far better film than its predecessor.
Kattalan
2026 · Indian Express
Kattalan serves as definitive proof that no amount of electrifying background score and slow motion can create mass appeal that isn't already present in the script. Most moments in the movie feel as though they were designed solely with the intention of being cut into short reels for social media, and the film suffers from a complete lack of substantive writing and character development.
Uyir
2026 · Indian Express
Director M Padmakumar's Roshan Mathew-Shruthy Menon starrer is a loosely written, spiritless affair that completely misses its emotional core.
Patriot
2026 · Indian Express
While this is a commendable approach, Mahesh's script ultimately falls flat, with mediocre writing throughout that fails to elevate Patriot to its true potential. Patriot's biggest drawback, even with its impressive visuals, is the sheer lack of soul and depth in the narrative.
Aadu 3 Part 1
2026 · Indian Express
Despite having many elements and an ambitious plot, Aadu 3 ends up being an absolute letdown. Although crafted by Midhun Manuel Thomas himself, the creator of the franchise, the movie comes across as an amateurish fan-fiction, with the soul of the original completely missing. What adds to the woes of Midhun Manuel Thomas' Jayasurya-starrer is the sheer lack of jokes and comedic situations that hit the mark.
Baby Girl
2026 · Indian Express
It's sad to see someone struggle with something they were once masters of... Baby Girl, bitterly accepting that it's penned by Bobby-Sanjay, the iconic screenwriting duo that showed Malayalam cinema a way forward when it was aimlessly meandering in the dark in the early 2010s, only to produce disappointing results. Not only do Bobby and Sanjay fail to raise the stakes in the Nivin Pauly-starrer, but they also fail to ensure adequate character development or to anchor the narrative strongly somewhere.
Chatha Pacha: The Ring of Rowdies
2026 · Indian Express
The biggest shortcoming of the action comedy is that it mostly works only when it's focused on the wrestling ring. When the narrative glides through the mundane, everyday drama of Vetri, Savio, Little, and Rose, Chatha Pacha never truly lands, largely because of poor writing.
Prakambanam
2026 · Indian Express
While the film is partly fun — thanks in particular to the impressive way in which Vijesh has extracted chaos from the scenarios — Prakambanam is one of those movies that has too many problematic layers beneath its glossy, hilarious surface. In fact, there are several scenes and situations in Prakambanam where it comes across as yet another savarna project that slyly trashes progressive ideologies, particularly Leftism, while presenting Brahmanism, and by extension Hindutva, as the ultimate, all-encompassing truth.
Athiradi
2026 · Indian Express
The Athiradi balloon is so transparent that the hollowness within is quite evident. Arun Anirudhan and his co-writer Paulson Skaria have tried to fill the gaps in the narrative with Gen-Z lingo, pop culture references, and the partial recreation of popular memes. Sadly, there were simply too many holes.
Kaantha
2025 · Indian Express
Although Kaantha opens strongly by throwing us into the middle of the duel of towering egos between TKM and Ayya, while also offering an exquisite overview of 1950s Tamil Nadu and its cinema, it doesn't take long for the movie's obvious flaws to become evident. Despite each scene carrying a certain degree of tension and drama, which is amplified by strong performances and even stronger technical aspects, the script's lack of cohesion leaves many moments in Kaantha disjointed from one another, which is palpable and impossible to overlook.
Thudarum
2025 · Indian Express
Thudarum ranks among one of the finest Indian revenge thrillers that hasn't compromised on any of its aspects, both on the creative and technical sides, while also ensuring brilliant performances – particularly from Mohanlal and Shobana, together and individually – thus offering an unparalleled experience.
Sumathi Valavu
2025 · Indian Express
For a movie that's titled Sumathi Valavu, the fact that so much of it is about everything but that significantly detracts from the experience. Not just that Abhilash Pillai's writing is quite rickety, but Vishnu's direction is just as ineffectual, leaving the movie tottering almost throughout.
Su from So
2025 · Indian Express
Su From So serves as a lesson not just to Bollywood, but also to studios and filmmakers across the country who create big-ticket movies merely for the sake of it, without any substantial material to begin with. Despite being extremely predictable, the story still manages to keep the audience engaged, and JP Thuminad ensures that the moments are lively and vibrant, filled with situational and, at times, chaotic humour.
Odum Kuthira Chadum Kuthira
2025 · Indian Express
Odum Kuthira Chadum Kuthira is one of the most disappointing movies I have watched this year, even more so than Mohanlal's Empuraan and Rajinikanth's Coolie. The pretentious dream sequences, shallow metaphors, and unimpactful emotional moments only exacerbate the situation. Odum Kuthira Chadum Kuthira is an empty vessel.
Thalavara
2025 · Indian Express
The problem might not be with me but with the movie itself, wherein too many random elements are taped together to fill the runtime, with no effort to ensure quality in any aspect. Thalavara is, unfortunately, filled with such on-the-nose dialogues and scenes, devoid of any subtlety, appearing as if crafted simply to make a point or reach a preplanned plot point. The palpable level of predictability in the story and character arcs — with almost everything being entirely foreseeable — further makes one wonder if the makers put in any solid effort into writing.
Hridayapoorvam
2025 · Indian Express
Hridayapoorvam is one of the most confusing movies I have watched in recent times. What annoys the most about Sathyan Anthikad here is his inability to recognise the true potential of Hridayapoorvam and how the story could have been crafted into a far better film.
Mirage
2025 · Indian Express
In his crime thriller Mirage, director Jeethu Joseph has tried to inflate a wafer-thin plot and an equally papery script by slipping in twists very frequently. Although Mirage is packed with "twists," none of them manage to take our breath away, primarily due to the unimpressive screenwriting. Mirage fails to capture the audience's attention and interest, leaving viewers not care enough to whether the case is solved, let alone interested in the unravelling of the narrative's knots.
The Pet Detective
2025 · Indian Express
Pet Detective is one of those movies that's partly fun and partly funny, but rarely both at the same time and not consistently so. Although the Sharafudheen-starrer does not reach the level of evergreen comedies, it makes a solid effort by trying something different.
Kalamkaval
2025 · Indian Express
Amid all the shortcomings, it's Mammootty's courage to take on such a devilish character and his sharp performance that keep viewers engaged with the crime thriller. Despite a strong story, Kalamkaval disappoints by failing to keep viewers glued to the screen, suffering from being too dialogue-oriented throughout.
Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra
2025 · Indian Express
I believe Lokah is one of the finest superhero films India has ever produced. What makes it far better than other massive-budget fantasy spectacles is that its magnificence extends beyond visual brilliance to include impeccable writing, offering an experience like never before.
Sarvam Maya
2025 · Indian Express
If you are a fan of a simple movie that offers a momentary escape from reality and a few laughs in a stress-free setup, Sarvam Maya is definitely for you. However, for anyone expecting even a bit more than that, I highly doubt the Akhil Sathyan directorial would come across as even satisfactory.
Rekhachithram
2025 · Indian Express
In many ways, Rekhachithram (sketch) is a tribute to the magical allure of cinema, which not only captures stories but also preserves it all as historical records, ensuring that everything and everyone within it becomes an inseparable part of the tapestry. Unlike his debut directorial The Priest (2021), where he overused horror, Jofin has adopted a more measured approach here, allowing the narrative to unfold naturally, while also ensuring that it ends up being a compelling mystery thriller.
Dominic and the Ladies' Purse
2025 · Indian Express
While Gautham Vasudev Menon has mostly opted for simple scenarios, almost the entire film is handled in an unrefined manner, lacking a professional touch — almost as if the Mammootty-starrer's made by an amateur. From the very beginning, Dominic and the Ladies' Purse consistently evokes a feeling in us; and that's frustration. It's not that the GVM film is outright terrible, but the sheer carelessness in its execution is so palpable that the movie ultimately feels like a series of wasted opportunities.
Identity
2025 · Indian Express
Identity has strived too much to ground its story in scientific and psychological plausibility, that it ends up compromising thrills that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. From the outset, Identity feels more invested in tossing around scientific jargon and explaining behaviours than in crafting a narrative with emotional depth. What worsens this is the lack of emotional resonance as none of the moments feel impactful.
Ponman
2025 · Indian Express
Ponman is, in all honesty, one of those films that deserve appreciation for its technical brilliance and stellar performances, yet its glaring misrepresentations and the glorification of wrongdoings highlight how a well-executed film can subtly reinforce harmful ideas. While the movie shines in many ways, it is also deeply flawed and these flaws cannot be overlooked.
Maareesan
2025 · Indian Express
Fahadh Faasil and Vadivelu do most of the heavy lifting in this comedy thriller while director Sudheesh Sankar and others just watch with the cameras on. The movie wastes its potential by swerving into thriller territory with hollow writing, and the climax almost ruins the few good things about Maareesan.
Thalaivan Thalaivii
2025 · Indian Express
Although Thalaivan Thalaivii opens in a jovial manner, once the story settles in, the movie becomes a scream-a-thon where almost all characters are simply yelling at each other. After a point, Thalaivan Thalaivii is just a headache-inducing experience. What could have been an engaging absurd comedy is wasted by subpar writing.
Alappuzha Gymkhana
2025 · Indian Express
From the very first scene, Rahman makes it clear what he aims to do with Alappuzha Gymkhana and he nails the tone at the outset itself, brilliantly maintaining it until the very end. It's moments like these that give this Khalid Rahman directorial a sense of freshness.
L2: Empuraan
2025 · Indian Express
While Prithviraj Sukumaran's directorial sequel is visually ambitious with strong technical execution, the writing struggles to maintain dramatic tension as the narrative progresses, ultimately reducing complex political and communal dimensions to a simplistic tale of power-hungry politicians.
Bromance
2025 · Indian Express
While Bromance succeeds on multiple fronts, it is undeniably the contributions of these three [composer, cinematographer, editor] that make it an engaging experience, even concealing many of its narrative shortcomings. However, the script stumbles due to its excessive reliance on certain elements and plot devices, limiting its ability to explore other promising directions and leaving many aspects of the story underdeveloped.
Officer on Duty
2025 · Indian Express
Officer On Duty follows the familiar 'women in refrigerators' trope, while not even trying to be subtle about it. Countless titles have used this trope, treating female suffering as little more than a plot device while reducing the victims to side characters with no real agency or depth. While Kunchacko Boban's performance conveys far more than what is explicitly written in the script, the film's biggest shortcomings are its inability to fully explore its emotional and dramatic moments.
Narivetta
2025 · Indian Express
Tovino Thomas is solid as Constable Varghese Peter, but in scenes set in his hometown, both his performance and dialogue delivery often come across as artificial. Narivetta falls into the familiar trap of becoming yet another commercial film, revolving around a non-tribal hero and his life, with tribal characters remaining nameless and reduced to the backdrop.
Vyasanasametham Bandhumithradhikal
2025 · Indian Express
What works in the film's favour is the organic way in which Vipin ensures narrative momentum, allowing much of the humour to evolve naturally from the situations. Although the film has its fair share of shortcomings, the dark comedy works well for the most part, thanks to the conviction with which the writer-director has constructed the world, the characters and the events that unfold within it.
Padakkalam
2025 · Indian Express
Despite having a fascinating plot, Padakkalam is let down completely by aimless writing. Although the movie establishes its setting and central characters well in the first act and piques the interest of the audience with the introduction of fantasy elements, the script takes a massive nosedive after a point.
Thug Life
2025 · Indian Express
The Mani Ratnam directorial is plagued by extremely subpar writing that not only fails to make the most of its premise but also falls short in delivering an engaging experience. Filled with uninspired and undercooked moments that lead nowhere, Thug Life ends up as a cinematic endurance test.
Ronth
2025 · Indian Express
Although the basic idea of Ronth bears similarities to Shahi's sophomore screenplay Nayattu, what sets the two films apart is the way the writer-director has handled the overall narratives and characters. While Nayattu lacked sensitivity and followed a pattern of 'ruthless depiction', further marred by misrepresentations and a largely anti-Dalit undercurrent, Ronth is handled with far more care; but has its flaws.
Vaazha
2024 · Indian Express
While Vaazha might evoke laughter and nostalgia for many, a major issue with the film is its blatant glorification of male irresponsibility and a carefree attitude that often impacts others. The film's failure to emphasise the fact that these five too are part of the problem is something that cannot be overlooked, especially since its tagline says 'biopic of a billion boys.'
Nunakkuzhi
2024 · Indian Express
Jeethu Joseph ventures into a territory he previously never explored and emerges with flying colours, delivering a well-crafted comedy of errors that offers equal parts laughter and edge-of-the-seat moments. Basil Joseph is as impressive as it can get as the spoiled, narcissistic and egoistic, yet stupid, rich man, and he seldom holds back in packing punches.
Varshangalkku Shesham
2024 · Indian Express
The major disappointment in Vineeth Sreenivasan's Dhyan Sreenivasan and Pranav Mohanlal-starrer lies in the fact that, despite the ensemble cast, it's only Nivin Pauly, in an extended cameo, who delivers a standout performance. The film takes a downturn once Pranav Mohanlal enters the scene, and the attempt to force the two actors on each other backfires instantaneously as they lack chemistry, at least on screen.
Thalavan
2024 · Indian Express
Jis Joy's film suffers from poorly crafted dialogues, a weak script that fails to elevate the film and abrupt shifts in tone between a police procedural and a crime thriller that detract from the overall experience.
Turbo
2024 · Indian Express
Even as the script drags on endlessly, Vysakh's movie is predominantly salvaged by Mammootty's no-holds-barred performance, operating in top gear, complemented by Raj B Shetty's remarkable presence as the villain. Unfortunately, the megastar's towering presence is one of the few redeeming qualities in an otherwise thinly plotted film.
Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil
2024 · Indian Express
The most impressive aspect of the Vipin Das directorial is the on-screen chemistry between Prithviraj Sukumaran and Basil Joseph, who set the screen ablaze whenever they appear together with their remarkable handling of humour.
Pani
2024 · Indian Express
While the world-building and character introductions in the first act are solid, suggesting that Joju and team are on track to deliver an outstanding actioner, Pani's script falters very soon and begins bombarding viewers with stale moments, incidents and dialogues, ultimately diminishing the impact, leaving the film unimpressive.
Aavesham
2024 · Indian Express
Jithu Madhavan's gangster comedy is arguably Fahadh Faasil's first all-encompassing masala film and the actor unabashedly uses it to silence all the criticisms against him that he can't handle mass characters. Fahadh unleashes Rangan in a 'verithanam' manner and that too in a style unseen from him before, excelling in both comedic and mass moments and making Aavesham his own.
Bougainvillea
2024 · Indian Express
From the outset, Amal manages to create an atmosphere that is eerie and fragmented, mirroring the disjointed memories in Reethu's mind. Throughout the film, Jyothirmayi's eyes indeed serve as the window to Bougainvillea's soul, reflecting what the film aspires to convey and what it ultimately achieves. However, one crucial area where Lajo and Amal's script falls short is its inability to maintain suspense for an extended period.
I Am Kathalan
2024 · Indian Express
Although Girish's decision to keep I Am Kathalan under 120 minutes is commendable — any longer might have made it feel dragged out — the film still struggles to keep viewers fully engaged due to the lack of depth in Sajin's script. In contrast to Girish's previous films which stood out for their memorable, well-rounded moments and strong characterisations that gave the narratives rhythm, Kathalan lacks these qualities and even its lead character, Vishnu, feels inconsistently developed.
Mura
2024 · Indian Express
However, the film struggles to make viewers feel sympathetic towards the four youths due to the constant bombardment of crimes. Although we see the four protagonists together frequently and catch glimpses of their camaraderie, the narrative rarely explores their lives beyond the world of crimes. The film's heavy emphasis on violence undermines its emotional depth and while the action sequences are compelling, they don't compensate for the lack of emotional nuance in the portrayal of the four characters.
Malayalee from India
2024 · Indian Express
Dijo Jose Antony's Nivin Pauly-starrer Malayalee From India is loud, irritating and underwhelming and serves as a reality check for Malayalees amidst the recent flurry of successful films. The film is marred by subpar writing that fails to resonate with viewers, let alone provoke reflection, with disjointed moments that fail to coalesce into a cohesive narrative.
Hello Mummy
2024 · Indian Express
Hello Mummy is one of those films that struggle to find a clear tone or voice, leaving it in a constant loop of uncertainty without ever settling into something cohesive or fully engaging. From the start, Sanjo Joseph's script and Vaishakh's direction fail to deliver the comedy, only evoking weak smiles from audiences. After the introduction of Grace too, Hello Mummy fails to deliver either effective horror or comedy, remaining a middling experience overall.
Sookshmadarshini
2024 · Indian Express
From the outset, MC and writers Libin TB and Athul Ramachandran have a clear vision of what they want to achieve and they build only what's necessary, ensuring everything aligns seamlessly. With a steady focus, an acute awareness of its surroundings and careful execution, MC's film takes viewers on a captivating journey. Navigating the narrative's twists, turns and bumps with finesse, MC and team deliver a 'perfect OK' mystery comedy, although not without flaws.
Kishkindha Kaandam
2024 · Indian Express
For those who may have doubted Asif Ali's acting prowess, this film serves as a testament to his untapped potential. The beauty of the film lies in the fact that it evolves into a gripping mystery drama that strikes all the right notes.