Singham Returns, with its kitsch, hyperbole and melodrama, is a smartly-made film, where the manipulation is apparent, but not always a put-off. Unabashed pulp can be fun too.

What saves Humpty Sharma is that unlike other formulaic love stories set amid burgeoning families and wedding shenanigans, it spells out its references, and constantly hat-tips iconic Hindi cinema moments from the ’90s. It reminds you that, sometimes, dal chawal is sufficient, and if you are looking for some comfort food this weekend, you probably won’t mind a helping of Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. The film took its time to grow on me but by the time Singh looked at Humpty with long-last affection and said “Jee le apni zindagi” (instead of saying it to Kavya), I knew the time spent on the film wasn’t wasted.

It’s a pity Suri can’t find an original enough story to put his craft to good use to. There’s no shame in wanting to remake a film, but plagiarism reflects poorly on a team that has otherwise spared no effort to make a competent film.

Purely as a film that explores the connection between immigration and crime – and for its ability to come together beautifully as a collaborative effort – City Lights is a fascinating watch.

There’s so much goodness, so much warmth and such honesty in Hawaa Hawaai’s intentions, it’s hard to not have your heart melt. Chances are, the film will also make you want to put on those rolling skates, even though at the risk of landing you hard on your behind or – as Gochi calls it – “naram naram bun pav”.

The film is a searing satire, where fantasy and humour mingle with stark reality

A tedious second half apart, the well-timed political satire has its moments.

Breezy at best and hilarious in parts, Main Tera Hero is a trip down memory lane, where the original king of comedy – I mean David Dhawan here – regains some of his touch. Let’s go the whole hog next time, Mr Dhawan.

With Lakshmi, Kukunoor goes the whole hog, opting for a raw, jagged style of storytelling, losing some of the finesse you associated with some of his earlier films like Teen Deewarein and Iqbal. It’s a tightrope walk for a director, depicting harsh realities as authentically as possible, but hoping they don’t seem obtuse. He slips at places, but largely pulls off the job, helped along by a motivated ensemble of actors and by infusing the film with honest, hard-hitting moments.

The brilliance of Queen lies in its subtlety. The film is essentially a feel-good tale about triumphing against the odds, and utilises all possible tropes you’d associate with similar films (English Vinglish, for example), but does so with a slight flourish. The writing is consistently witty. Even in its more indulgent moments, it’s the humour that pulls the film through. Queen is a consistently funny and heart-warming film made of little gems, Kangana Ranaut being the brightest, biggest jewel of the piece. Shine on, you crazy diamond.