Anupama Chopra
Top CriticFilm Companion·TheFrontRow·Hindustan Times·NDTV·India Today·Firstpost
Anupama Chopra is an Indian author, journalist and film critic. She has written several books on Indian cinema and has been a film critic for NDTV, India Today and Hindustan Times. She hosted ‘The Front Row With Anupama Chopra’ on Star World and has recently launched her web series ‘Film Companion’. She won the 2000 National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema for her first book 'Sholay: The Making of a Classic'.
Most Divergent Takes
- Kesari (2019)1.0 vs TRM 5.6-4.6
- Rowdy Rathore (2012)2.0 vs TRM 5.2-3.2
- Holiday - A Soldier Is Never Off Duty (2014)2.0 vs TRM 5.1-3.1
- The Raid 2 (2014)3.0 vs TRM 5.9-2.9
- Youngistaan (2014)2.0 vs TRM 4.9-2.9
Fighter
2024 · NDTV
The film feels hollow. Siddharth's insistent high-decibel nationalism, ultimately, damages his story-telling.
Dabangg 3
2019 · Film Companion · Dec 2019
When you step into Dabangg 3, you know you're in for a Salman Khan extravaganza. Which would be fine if there was some attempt to tweak the formula or push it into a new direction. But sadly, the makers seem content to deliver another dose of the same. But it's been 9 years. Even the mighty Chulbul needs an upgrade.
Pagalpanti
2019 · Film Companion · Nov 2019
A Sloppy TikTok Video Stretched To A Torturous 2 Hours And 29 Minutes...
The Sky Is Pink
2019 · Film Companion · Oct 2019
The Sky is Pink deals with extreme anguish but it feels too sanitized. Still, at the end, when you see photos of the real Aisha, Ishaan, Niren and Aditi, the weight of their tragedy and force of their indomitable spirit hits home. I just wish I had felt that through the film.
Chhichhore
2019 · Film Companion · Sep 2019
The one-liners keep coming so that even when the film tests your patience – and let me assure you that it does – you keep rooting for these people to succeed
Saaho
2019 · Film Companion · Sep 2019
Both Bizarrely Complicated And Incredibly Silly...
Judgementall Hai Kya
2019 · Film Companion · Jul 2019
Judgementall Hai Kya dips and soars. Like Bobby, the film can be exhausting. But like her, it's also a true blue original. And you should give it a shot.
The Lion King
2019 · Film Companion · Jul 2019
The original The Lion King had gorgeous hand-drawn animation, oodles of charm and a great, beating heart. This one is almost a frame-to-frame remake
Article 15
2019 · Film Companion · Jun 2019
A Grim And Gripping Film That Deserves Our Applause...Subtlety is not his strong point, but director Anubhav Sinha has a talent for staging drama
Bharat
2019 · Film Companion · Jun 2019
Sweep And Swagger But Not Enough Soul...The South Korean film on which this is based in a masterclass in melodrama, while this is bloated and inconsistent
Blank
2019 · Film Companion · May 2019
When you decide on a title like Blank, you must make sure that your film is exactly the opposite. Otherwise you unwittingly end up providing ammunition for critics and viewers. You remember Paul Verhoeven's deliciously awful film about Las Vegas strippers called Showgirls. New Yorker critic Anthony Lane had written in his review that the title is "not so much a noun as an imperative". Here too Blank isn't merely an adjective, it's an entire sensibility. Which, as you can imagine, makes for a pretty dull movie.
Avengers: Endgame
2019 · Film Companion · Apr 2019
Infinity War didn't wear me down in the way that Age of Ultron did, it didn't give me the high of the first Avengers either. Like I said, manage expectations and you'll be just fine.
Junglee
2019 · Film Companion · Mar 2019
Let me be clear – I didn't go in looking for complexity. Junglee could've played like a fun action adventure. One of my fondest childhood memories is watching Haathi Mere Saathi which had Rajesh Khanna cavorting with four elephants. I don't remember what the film was about but I remember the delight I felt when I saw it. I was really hoping that Junglee would recreate some of that magic.
Kesari
2019 · Film Companion · Mar 2019
Three hours after the press show, I'm yet to regain my senses of smell, taste, touch, hearing and full eyesight. If I were a character in the film, there would have been eight bullets in me by now but I'd still be writing. And milking my last line. So I'm going to be as polite and restrained as possible here. The only way Kesari could have done justice to its source material is if it didn't exist.
Photograph
2019 · Film Companion · Mar 2019
Photograph doesn't come together as beautifully as The Lunchbox did. The screenplay isn't as sharp or insightful. In places the film is so quiet that it feels inert. I'm not going to lie – I did get impatient. And yet the next morning, I found myself thinking about Rafi and Miloni. There is a tenderness that stays with you.
Captain Marvel
2019 · Film Companion · Mar 2019
A Serviceable Placeholder That Also Delights And Entertains...
Sonchiriya
2019 · Film Companion · Mar 2019
Sonchiriya tries to blend Spaghetti Western style-action drama with social commentary but it isn't entirely satisfying on either count. You might also struggle with the language – Bundelkhandi – and it will help to see it with subtitles.
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
2019 · Film Companion · Jan 2019
At two hours and twenty-eight minutes, Manikarnika is unforgivably long. It's been directed by both Krish Jagarlamudi and Kangana herself. In interviews, Kangana has said that 70 percent of it is her work. If yes, then she is an effective storyteller but the actor in her undermines the director. Because the actor becomes larger than the narrative. But despite these flaws, Manikarnika reveals Kangana as an artist with boundless ambition and I'm excited to see what she creates next.
Why Cheat India
2019 · Film Companion · Jan 2019
Why Cheat India can't decide if Rocky is a hero or villain. I don't have a problem with that. What's harder to take is the inconsistent tonality and the convoluted second act. Every time you think the film has reached a climax, Soumik tacks on another end. Because Why Cheat India wants to both celebrate and punish Rocky. But that, like the hybrid of fact and fiction, needed far more imagination and audacity.
Uri: The Surgical Strike
2019 · Film Companion · Jan 2019
An Unabashed Love Letter To The Indian Army...The dance between a realistic terrorist drama and rousing action thriller proves to be too much
Mary Poppins Returns
2019 · Film Companion · Jan 2019
If you have young children, you might consider giving Mary Poppins Returns a chance. I think they will enjoy it. There is less fodder here for adults but perhaps like me, you can distract yourself by admiring the sharp cut and fit of Mary's coats.
Zero
2018 · Film Companion · Dec 2018
A Bizarre Story That Leaves You Stumped, And Eventually, Sad...
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
2018 · Film Companion · Nov 2018
There are many magical things onscreen – including some wonderfully creative creatures – but the film is weighed down by its dense plot
Pihu
2018 · Film Companion · Nov 2018
A Script So Visibly Manipulative That It's Difficult To Stay Invested...The film is basically every parent's nightmare, but attempts to up the emotional stakes fall flat because they are repetitive and obvious
Tumbbad
2018 · Film Companion · Oct 2018
Tumbbad is inspired by the works of Marathi horror writer Narayan Dharap. At the screening I was at, someone during the interval remarked, "It seems like a Marathi film." I don't know how he meant it but I take that as a compliment because even though the language spoken is Hindi, the atmosphere of the Konkan is so rich and the period details so well executed, that you feel it's Marathi. I left the theatre with images swirling in my head and a few questions that the film doesn't answer. Which is not a bad thing.
Helicopter Eela
2018 · Film Companion · Oct 2018
Kajol and Riddhi Sen feature in this story about a middle-aged, middle-class woman who must rediscover herself and find a life outside of her son. It's a worthy idea but the narration is almost entirely lacking in insight or authenticity POSTED
Venom
2018 · Film Companion · Oct 2018
Director Ruben Fleischer tries to make this Tom Hardy, Riz Ahmed starrer thrilling and funny but the screenplay has little that is inventive or original
Andhadhun
2018 · Film Companion · Oct 2018
Sriram Raghavan's thriller is about a blind pianist (Ayushmann Khurrana) who gets accidentally embroiled in a murder
Loveratri
2018 · Film Companion · Oct 2018
The most mystifying part of LoveYatri is Aayush's hair, which rises a good three to four inches above his head. At one point, I wondered – what does it take to keep that up? Yes, this is that sort of film.
Sui Dhaaga
2018 · Film Companion · Sep 2018
So Sui Dhaaga: Made In India is unsatisfying but also poignant. I think the best analogy might be Anu Malik's song in the film – Chaav Laaga, which isn't as soul stirring as Moh Moh Ke Dhaage from Dum Laga Ke Haisha – but it's still worth listening to.
Paltan
2018 · Film Companion · Sep 2018
J.P. Dutta's film, based on a military operation against the Chinese at the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim in 1967, is structurally clumsy, bland and flat-out tedious
Gali Guleiyan
2018 · Film Companion · Sep 2018
There is enough to admire in Dipesh Jain's ambitious first film about a lonely paranoiac living in Old Delhi – especially the unstinting talent of Manoj Bajpayee
Stree
2018 · Film Companion · Aug 2018
...a horror-comedy, which turns out to be subversive commentary on the position and treatment of women in India
Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se
2018 · Film Companion · Aug 2018
Navaniat Singh's film tries to be a comedy, an Ayurveda commercial, a plea for national integration, a love story and a moral science lesson. Dharmendra still has dollops of charm but even he or Sunny Deol's iconic 'dhai kilo ka haath' can't lift this incoherent film
Gold
2018 · Film Companion · Aug 2018
The straitjacket of the sports film seems to have flattened writer-director Reema Kagti's distinctive voice but there is a palpable high when the team finally coalesces into one and goes for the kill
The Meg
2018 · Film Companion · Aug 2018
What's less fun is the exposition and necessary lessons on how humans have messed with Mother Nature. The romantic angle between Jonas and Suyin will make you cringe – in one scene, she walks into his room without noticing that he has only a towel on. And they continue to flirt with each other even as they descend into the ocean to battle a monster. You'll have to get past that. And focus instead on the impressive giant CGI shark, a surprising mid-film twist and the climax when through some supremely illogical turn of events, we get Statham going mano a mano against the shark. Which is exactly what we paid for.
Karwaan
2018 · Film Companion · Aug 2018
If the story had more depth, these three could have worked magic. But Karwaan stays on the surface. Which, it must be said, is beautiful – this film will make you want to book a trip to Kerala. But it could have been much more.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
2018 · Film Companion · Jul 2018
Apart from Cruise, the film is bolstered by the usual suspects – Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg playing Hunt's team members. There's also a trio of fabulous women – Rebecca Ferguson, Michelle Monaghan and Angela Bassett, who plays the CIA director. At one point, she disdainfully declares: IMF is Halloween – a bunch of grown men in rubber masks playing trick or treat. There's also Henry Cavill, showing us that he can do much more than be Superman.
Hereditary
2018 · Film Companion · Jun 2018
Director Ari Aster's masterful slow burn horror film starring Toni Collette and more works at two levels – familial and supernatural
Lust Stories
2018 · Film Companion · Jun 2018
My advice would be to watch all four films as a whole and in the order the filmmakers intended. It's more enriching.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
2018 · Film Companion · Jun 2018
Fallen Kingdom springs to life when Jeff Goldblum, as the chaos theory expert and all around rockstar Dr Malcolm, makes an appearance. 25 years ago, in Jurassic Park, he had warned us that this will not end well. Once again, he plays the voice of reason. Of course we refuse to listen. We can't because there is one more film to come.
Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain
2018 · Film Companion · May 2018
There is an airport ending, too, but not in the classical sense. Again, the thought is pragmatic and sensitive; distance, at times, is the only way to create space for better engagement. And then you hear his voice, "Not all stories have heroes called Shah Rukh Khan…" – and you instantly know why a movie that thrives on inverting the angrezi of love isn't as novel as it should have been: it is too busy flaunting its humble grammar.
Deadpool 2
2018 · Film Companion · May 2018
Be warned that like the first, this film is also ultra-violent with impalings and decapitations. If you like your cinema understated and refined, then this is not for you. But for the rest of us, there's enough to enjoy here.
Avengers: Infinity War
2018 · Film Companion · Apr 2018
Infinity War didn't wear me down in the way that Age of Ultron did, it didn't give me the high of the first Avengers either. Like I said, manage expectations and you'll be just fine.
Daas Dev
2018 · Film Companion · Apr 2018
Daas Dev is meant to be a study of power and what happens to those who lust for it. It's a solid idea lost in execution.
Beyond the Clouds
2018 · Film Companion · Apr 2018
Ultimately Beyond the Clouds is a mixed bag. It is likely to be a footnote in Majidi's rich filmography. But the film is worth seeing as an intriguing experiment. I'm going with three stars.
Mercury
2018 · Film Companion · Apr 2018
Because Mercury finds context, and not just gimmickry, in its treatment of sound. It remains scary precisely because the actual ghosts are never seen, but only ever heard about. Just like real life.
Rampage
2018 · Film Companion · Apr 2018
Rampage veers between exhausting action sequences and eye-glazing exposition. Characters says lines like – get me the neuromuscular synapse activity. I wanted to interrupt with – get me a good time. But the writing is so lame that even Johnson's Herculean charisma can't make this compelling.
October
2018 · Film Companion · Apr 2018
...this is the sort of film that will divide audiences – for some, it will play as painfully pretentious. For others, it will evoke a depth of emotions. I belong to the latter.
Missing
2018 · Film Companion · Apr 2018
Somewhere, buried in this wreck is a satisfying suspense thriller. But it never emerges.
Blackmail
2018 · Film Companion · Apr 2018
Abhinay Deo's film starring Irrfan Khan is about controlled chaos but to pull that off, you need much sharper writing and a faster pace...
Baaghi 2
2018 · Film Companion · Apr 2018
This remake of a 2016 Telugu thriller Kshanam, is an improvement on the generic Tiger Shroff action movie. At least the action is grounded in some emotion...
Padmaavat
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
I'm an admirer of Sanjay's passion and rigour, of his operatic sensibility and his commitment to creating epics. He isn't subtle but he always plays for broke. To steal a line from the poet Robert Browning – Sanjay's reach always exceeds his grasp. That's what a heaven's for. This time he doesn't quite get there.
Darkest Hour
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
Wright sets this up an inspiring drama, which culminates in Churchill's watershed 'we shall fight them on the beaches' speech, which we also heard at the end of Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk. In fact, Darkest Hour works as a nice companion piece to that film. Unlike Nolan however, Wright opts for easy sentimentality. McCarten invents a scene in which Churchill takes the tube for the first time in his life and finds strength in the courage of ordinary Londoners. It's so cheesy that a B-grade Bollywood director would have rejected it. But there is enough to enjoy here. Especially Oldman's towering achievement.
Vodka Diaries
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
Debutant director Kushal Srivastava is trying to create a twisty suspense thriller – a la M. Night Shyamalan. But the script is riddled with football-size loopholes.
Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
Director Luv Ranjan does have a flair for comedy but the laughs can't compensate for the lack of logic in this film about a man trying to break off his best friend's marriage
Aiyaary
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
With films like A Wednesday, Special Chabbis and Baby, Neeraj Pandey has established himself as Bollywood's go-to director for stories of men in uniform. He has a genuine love and flair for making these worlds come alive. But Aiyaary is a misstep.
Black Panther
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
Black Panther is a landmark in terms of representation. It is the first, big-budget superhero movie to have a predominantly black cast. Coogler had a massive responsibility and he shoulders it magnificently. Black Panther speaks to the traumatic history of a continent but it also challenges every perception you might have about Africa and its people. And Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole give you enough besides politics to chew on.
The Shape of Water
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
The Shape of Water is a love story set in the 1960s. The lovers are a mute cleaning lady and an amphibian man who has a muscled torso but also scales and gills. On paper, it sounds preposterous. On screen, it is poetry. Guillermo del Toro's film is fantastical, gorgeous, nutty and so moving that I wept.
Pad Man
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
Pad Man, a superman without the cape, is a memorable character. Like the real Pad Man, Lakshmi is self-deprecating and very funny – especially in the climactic speech at the United Nations. I wish the film matched his sparkle.
Phantom Thread
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
Phantom Thread is breathtakingly elegant. The costumes by Mark Bridges aren't ostentatious but they are drop-dead gorgeous. I usually start noticing clothes in a movie when I'm bored but here costumes are one of the many elements to savour. As is the production design by Mark Tildesley. With extreme precision, director Paul Thomas Anderson creates a beautiful but claustrophobic world. And you are trapped in here with three individuals who are fascinating but not very likeable.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
What didn't work for me was the open-ended finale. It is both unsettling and distancing and feels like a cop-out. Still this film must be seen. If only to witness the towering talent of McDormand who is almost guaranteed to pick up the Best Actress Oscar in March.
Welcome to New York
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
... this incoherent mess of a film plays out more like an extended skit or a school play
Pari
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
Pari asks the big question – are human beings in fact the biggest monsters? I say the biggest horror is a lame script.
Lady Bird
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
Lady Bird combines wisdom and tenderness, humor and grace. It's light-footed without being lightweight. And it captures, with great feeling, the turbulence of a girl growing up. I can't recommend it enough.
Raid
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
In its textures, Raid aims for a gritty realism but the characters are painted in broad strokes. Eventually the punch is predictable but after a few stumbles, it does land.
Pacific Rim Uprising
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
I'm not sure even fans will find this industrial-strength head-banger entertaining. The best thing is that Pacific Rim: Uprising is under two hours though I have to warn you – it feels much longer.
Hichki
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
Hichki is a genuinely earnest film made with heart. But it doesn't take enough risks and consequently doesn't touch a raw nerve in the way that Taare Zameen Par did. But it's always nice to see a talented actress with all guns blazing.
3 Storeys
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
This isn't a film that lacks ambition but it never becomes one that is essential.
3 Storeys
2018 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2018
This isn't a film that lacks ambition but it never becomes one that is essential.
Padmaavat
2018 · FilmCompanion · Jan 2018
I'm an admirer of Sanjay's passion and rigour, of his operatic sensibility and his commitment to creating epics. He isn't subtle but he always plays for broke. To steal a line from the poet Robert Browning – Sanjay's reach always exceeds his grasp. That's what a heaven's for. This time he doesn't quite get there.
The Post
2018 · Firstpost · Jan 2018
It's also a rallying cry and an inspiration. Spielberg and writers Liz Hannah and Josh Singer who also wrote Spotlight, make an eloquent argument for a free and fair press and for courageous media company owners who are willing to speak truth to power. In the current scenario, especially in India, this seems almost as much of a fantasy as a Marvel superhero movie. Which is why The Post needs to be seen.
Pink
2016 · NDTV · Sep 2016
Pink works because the grimness of the material doesn't weigh on the telling. This isn't a laboured lecture on women's rights. Pink is a powerful film that needs to be seen.
Sultan
2016 · Hindustan Times · Jul 2016
I' ll warn you that at 2 hours and 50 minutes, Sultan is much too long. The music by Vishal and Shekhar is lilting but there are too many song breaks. But I left the film satiated, like I had eaten too much atarich, many-flavoured feast.
Housefull 3
2016 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2016
There are a few scenes in which the lunacy hits the mark, but they are painfully infrequent. At one point Sandy, pretending to be wheelchair-bound, lunges at Bakul's feet, saying: 'Wheel payna papaji'. I had to laugh. The men – Akshay, Riteish and Abhishek Bachchan – all seem to be having fun and their energy keeps the engine running. But it's not enough. And did I mention that Chunky Pandey reprises his role as Aakhri Pasta. In one scene, he appears disguised as the paravarik jyotish Akhri Aasta. It's very tiring.
Silver Linings Playbook
2012 · TheFrontRow · Nov 2015
Silver Linings Playbook is that rare thing - a romance with genuine chemistry, emotional heft and an edgy sense of humor that finds laughter in the darkest of places. Director David O. Russell creates a layered family drama that offers a real insight into the strain of living with mental illness. And yet, Silver Linings Playbook never becomes heavy or depressing because, as Pat puts it, it's all about having a shot at the silver lining.
Bachna Ae Haseeno
2008 · NDTV · Nov 2015
The film belongs to Ranbir Kapoor. Even when he's doing the most awful things you really can't get mad at him. Bachna Ae Haseeno is unapologetically shallow, highly improbable and despite the occasional kissing, absolutely sanitised. But that's precisely what we see Yash Raj films for. I recommend that you check- in reality at the door and enjoy this over-blown fantasy.
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
2010 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2015
Yes, the film is over-wrought, melodramatic and designed as pulp fiction. But it's intermittently fun.
Dhoom
2004 · India Today · Nov 2015
Plot and character are not the point here. The flimsy story about a cop engaging a motorbike dealer to catch a thief who runs a motorcycle gang is the least crafted element. But there are lots of trendy split screen shots of shiny bikes burning rubber and fast paced stunts involving boats and trucks. Not to mention sexy songs with water hoses.
Dil To Pagal Hai
1997 · India Today · Nov 2015
A dream in which impossibly rich and beautiful people who have never known dirt and sweat and grime will gambol in impossibly exotic locations (this time Baden-Baden in Germany), play games of love, even shed a few tears but always live happily ever after. In Chopra's chiffon and champagne cinema, there is little room for realism. And Dil to Pagal Hai (DTPH) is no different.
Guzaarish
2010 · NDTV · Nov 2015
This fantasy would be effective if the writing was more organic and the emotions felt more authentic but Bhansali never gives us a chance to invest in these people. Combining euthanasia with song-and-dance is a tough, tough feat and despite his prodigious talent, Bhansali can't pull it off. Since we don't have a two and three-quarter rating, I'm going with three stars.
Raajneeti
2010 · NDTV · Oct 2015
Raajneeti is as exhausting as it is compelling...
Bajrangi Bhaijaan
2015 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2015
This is an overblown, old-fashioned, feelgood film. But I recommend that you surrender, and keep a hanky handy.
Masaan
2015 · Hindustan Times · Jul 2015
Sanjay Mishra's grief is so palpable that it gets under your skin. Even the actors with smaller roles, like Shweta Tripathi and Pankaj Tripathi, make an impression. But the real find is Vicky Kaushal. He inhabits Deepak completely. When he falls in love, his face lights up. His joy is infectious. Which is why when he weeps, you break down with him. This is the debut of the year. At one point in Masaan, a character points out that there are 28 trains that stop at Varanasi but 68 that don't.
Dil Dhadakne Do
2015 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2015
What doesn't work so well is the pacing in the first half. The set-up takes too long. A voiceover, amusing at first, starts to grate because it's over-used. I also wished that the depth in the writing had extended to the characters of Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma. Both are charismatic, capable actors, but their parts are under-written. So be prepared to get restless in the first hour, but once Dil Dhadakne Do gathers momentum, it will force you to care about this frustrating, flawed family.
Welcome to Karachi
2015 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2015
In any case, how much can actors do, in what is essentially a live-action cartoon? Director Ashish R Mohan is mostly interested in jokes, and all the best ones are in the film's trailer. I recommend you watch that instead.
Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani
2009 · NDTV · Jun 2015
Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, a comedy set in a comic book universe, is a frustratingly uneven film. Some of it is genuinely funny and delightful and some of it is repetitive, and annoyingly tedious. But even in its most limp moments, what keeps the film from derailing is its lead pair: Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif. There is such sizzle and beauty and unadulterated charm here that you really can't look away.
Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year
2009 · NDTV · Jun 2015
...it is up to Ranbir to carry Rocket Singh over its limitations and he rises to the challenge exceedingly well. Watch his eyes in the scene in which he first discovers that honesty doesn't pay in this company or his body language in the scene, in which his grandfather has to come to jail to get him. He is outstanding.
Wake Up Sid
2009 · NDTV · Jun 2015
Wake Up Sid belongs to Ranbir. The actor is pitch perfect as the dazed and confused Sid. He manages to be infuriating, infantile and loveable in the same moment. We root for him from the minute we see his comic-book socks.
Tanu Weds Manu: Returns
2015 · Hindustan Times · May 2015
The strong writing is complimented by equally strong performances. Deepak Dobriyal is wonderful as the hapless, permanently rejected Pappi. However, Tanu Weds Manu Returns rests on Kangana's shoulders and she carries it with her Herculean talent. Parts of the film are over-stretched and clunky — especially the climax. But if you can get past the over-blown drama, this film is a treat. I left the theatre thinking about Kusum. She is so terrific that she overshadows the bumps in the film.
Badmaash Company
2010 · NDTV · May 2015
Badmaash Company is a proof that the Yash Raj Films formula is irrevocably broken. The posturing stars, snazzy styling, foreign locations, plastic textures and necessary dash of family values simply can't cut it anymore. Badmaash Company is a staggeringly tedious film, which takes two hours and twenty three minutes to give us the moral science lesson that honesty is the best policy.
Dil Bole Hadippa!
2009 · NDTV · May 2015
What saves Dil Bole… from being a total write off is Rani Mukherjee. The actress, looking better than she has in years, pours her soul into Veera Kaur. Her performance, like the film, is high-pitched and broad-stroked but she makes it work. She and Shahid Kapur have a nice chemistry.
Bombay Velvet
2015 · Hindustan Times · May 2015
There is almost too much plot, and yet it isn't gripping. Key plot points pop up and then randomly disappear. The climactic sequence has power and poetry, but it feels like too little too late. Bombay Velvet had the potential to be the definitive Mumbai noir. But the centre does not hold.
Piku
2015 · Hindustan Times · May 2015
Piku speaks its truth with simplicity and heart. It made me laugh and cry. And I can get behind any Hindi film in which a father says of his single daughter: "She's financially independent, sexually independent." Bravo.
Gabbar is Back
2015 · Hindustan Times · May 2015
For me, the final straw was Gabbar's last speech, in which he exhorts the youth to stand up against corruption and says that his mission was inspired by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda. It hit the sweet spot between outrageous and spectacularly dumb.
Harishchandrachi Factory
2009 · NDTV · May 2015
Harishchandrachi Factory is that rare thing - a delightful film that makes its point with charm, simplicity and a wonderful lightness of being. Director Paresh Mokashi's triumph is that instead of predictably eulogizing this extra-ordinary man, the film humanizes him and celebrates his utterly mad and ferocious passion for cinema.
Margarita, with a Straw
2015 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2015
This film is guaranteed to make you cry. But it will also fill you with hope. These amazing women will make you want to inhale life with a new ferociousness.
Hunterrr
2015 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2015
Hunterrr runs for 141 minutes and feels even longer. That's just way too much time to spend on the life and emotions of a lech.
NH10
2015 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2015
Navdeep keeps you at the edge of your seat. The supporting cast — Neil, Deepti Naval and especially Darshan Kumaar — is solid. But ultimately, NH10 rests on the able shoulders of Anushka, who doesn't hit a false note. Her transformation from confident city girl to shattered victim and eventually avenging angel is entirely convincing. The almost-silent climax is brilliant. Meera's face — defiant, pitiless and unafraid — stayed with me. Go, see NH 10.
Badlapur
2015 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2015
The supporting players — from Huma to Kumud Mishra — are terrific. But ultimately, Badlapur rests on the towering talent of Nawazuddin.
Hawaizaada
2015 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2015
Vibhu has designed Hawaizaada to be an all-purpose vehicle that has romance, comedy and drama . But the writing is flat and the telling, clumsy. Ayushmann, who is in nearly every frame, trembles with fervour. Mithun matches him. The respite here is Pallavi Sharda, who lifts this film.
Baby
2015 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2015
It is a testament to Neeraj's skill that despite these flaws, he's created a film that has drama and moments in which you clap and cheer. I especially enjoyed watching Taapsee Pannu, who plays a female agent, kicking serious butt. There are glimmers of genuine insight — early in the film, the head of Baby (a suitably grim Danny Denzongpa) says that the fact that terror groups now have Indian recruits reveals a failure of the state. But Neeraj chooses not to pursue that thorny narrative thread. Instead, we stay with the far more palatable and heroic tale of a few good men and one woman ready to sacrifice their lives for their country.
Shamitabh
2015 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2015
Daanish and Amitabh are well-enacted, strong characters. Shamitabh is a lovingly crafted film that doesn't quite pan out. Which is a shame, because there is much to savour here.
Roy
2015 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2015
Vikramjit strains to create a moody, artistic angst. But it's impossible to take any of it seriously. The film's credits read: Ranbir Kapoor in a dynamic role. Even an actor as exciting as him doesn't possess the dynamism to lift this train-wreck.
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
2008 · NDTV · Dec 2014
The premise of Rab Ne is illogical but even if you are willing to overlook the fact that Tani fails to recognise her own husband because he loses his moustache and gels his hair, the film is a frustrating experience. Sporadic scenes play out nicely and Shah Rukh Khan works every acting muscle to bring conviction to this story but the overwhelming emotional inconsistency fractures the film.
Band Baaja Baaraat
2010 · NDTV · Dec 2014
The first half, in which him and Shruti set up their company is great fun, with weddings and struggle and a mid-point twist that will surprise you. Even Anushka, who has been tediously bland in the films she's done so far comes into her own as the ambitious Delhi girl, who dreams of upgrading to multi-crore Sainik Farms weddings. Sadly, the second half is a big let down with too much fighting, stretched-out wedding sequences and even an item number in which Bittoo and Shruti fill in for Shah Rukh Khan who can't dance at the wedding because he hurts his leg.
Action Jackson
2014 · Hindustan Times · Dec 2014
I've seen plenty of bad films this year but Action Jackson raises the bar on awful. I'm sure I've lost a few brain cells with this one. I request you to stay at home — I have suffered it so you don't have to.
Ungli
2014 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2014
The story is interesting, but it plays out at such an amateurish level that you can't take any of it seriously. The film is filled with fine actors but none of the characters has any meat on it. I felt especially bad for Kangana, who is totally wasted here. Ungli feels dated and tedious. A story like this needed to hit a lot harder.
Kurbaan
2009 · NDTV · Nov 2014
What if your husband - the man you love and share a home and bed with, turns out to be a terrorist? Kurbaan, produced by Karan Johar and directed by Rensil D'Silva, constructs this unimaginably tortured situation and then squanders it. The film has ambition but it is too flawed and simplistic to explore issues like religion, violence and the politics of terrorism with any conviction or gravitas.
Happy Ending
2014 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2014
Happy Ending isn't half as clever as it needed to be...I suspect that somewhere in there was a genuinely sparkling and subversive love story. Sadly, it never emerges.
Kill Dil
2014 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2014
Kil Dil doesn't have weight or enduring value. But while it lasts, Shaad makes sure you're having a good time.
The Shaukeens
2014 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2014
The Shaukeens improves substantially in the second half when it becomes more about Akshay and less about the buddies. In fact Akshay earns the film an extra star.
Super Nani
2014 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2014
Super Nani is a special kind of awful.
Happy New Year
2014 · Hindustan Times · Oct 2014
I have a very high tolerance level for anything Shah Rukh is in, and yet Happy New Year was a slog. Which compels me to repeat a line from my review of Chennai Express: Come back, Rahul. All is forgiven.
Kaminey
2009 · NDTV · Oct 2014
Kaminey will take some getting used to. It isn't the comfort food that Bollywood normally dishes out. But I strongly recommend that you see it. This taste is worth acquiring.
Haider
2014 · Hindustan Times · Oct 2014
At the heart of Haider is the love between a passionate, complex woman who seeks a sliver of happiness amidst overwhelming circumstances, and her son, who both loves her with an unnatural intensity and hates her for her betrayal of his father. Vishal handles the Oedipal undertones with exquisite daring and understanding. This relationship powers the film. Haider must be seen for this alone.
Khoobsurat
2014 · Hindustan Times · Sep 2014
Sadly, Shashanka displays none of the eccentric creativity that we saw in his earlier films, though he does create moments of charm.
Creature
2014 · Hindustan Times · Sep 2014
This is the type of film in which the human beings are so annoying that you are actually rooting for the creature that kills them. In fact, the creature had more personality than all of them put together. In an effective opening sequence, Vikram introduces him to us by only showing us isolated parts; his talons, monstrous eyes, powerful tail. I think this Creature should have demanded a better script.
Mary Kom
2014 · Hindustan Times · Sep 2014
Despite its flaws, though, Mary Kom is a worthy attempt. The film has sincerity and has been crafted with care. Apart from Mary herself, it gives us a terrific male role model — Onler, who encouraged Mary to return to boxing while he looked after their twin sons. Has anyone given that man a medal?
Dabangg
2010 · NDTV · Sep 2014
I recommend that you see the film for the sheer pleasure of watching Salman Khan in top form. And for the nicely smoldering Sonakshi who despite their difference in age and experience, holds her own effectively.
Raja Natwarlal
2014 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2014
Raja Natwarlal isn't one of those actively awful films. But neither does it sparkle.
Mardaani
2014 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2014
Post-interval, the story derails considerably. By the time we get to the climax, we are fully in avenging angel territory. And, just like in Singham Returns last week, the solutions suggested are problematic. Which is a shame, because this could have been so much better. In the rating above, one star is for Rani who, like fine wine, is only getting better.
Singham Returns
2014 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2014
The weakest link is the tedious romantic angle between Ajay and Kareena Kapoor, who plays his gluttonous girlfriend. Kareena's beauty is startling, but here she's not even attempting to act. Despite these soft spots, Ajay keeps the film moving. I was cheering for Singham, but ultimately his solutions are downright dangerous. I don't want to tell you what happens, but it made me very uneasy.
Kick
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jul 2014
...even if you're willing to ignore the logic-free story and buy heavily into the cult of Bhai, Kick is bumpy, and far too convoluted to deliver the joyride of a Dabangg. What does work are the thrilling action sequences; Rajat Aroraa's crackling dialogue; and, above all, Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the wicked Shiv Gajra.
Fugly
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2014
Now that's what I call Fugly. Despite the good intentions, this one is a misguided mess.
Grace of Monaco
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2014
Grace of Monaco works neither as fairy tale nor a deconstruction of a fairy tale.
How to Train Your Dragon 2
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2014
How to Train Your Dragon 2 has both visual and emotional density.
Filmistaan
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2014
Don't be put off by the name or the lack of stars. This is a lovely little film that will sneak into your heart.
The World Before Her
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2014
This film is frightening but it is also deeply moving and significant. I urge you to time for it.
Edge of Tomorrow
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2014
In a summer brimming with annihilating monsters, vicious aliens and assorted villains, Edge of Tomorrow just isn't dazzling enough to stand out.
Holiday - A Soldier Is Never Off Duty
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2014
Holiday - A Solider is Never Off Duty is a superstar vehicle without a brain or a heart.
Maleficent
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
Stromberg, an Oscar-winning production designer, gives us a lot to look at – luminous pixies, magical moors, a crow that takes on many avatars and lots of intriguing creatures, big and small. Even Maleficent's incredible wings have personality. I wish some of that had rubbed off on the writing.
The Raid 2
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
The Raid 2 is an ugly and brutalizing experience.
CityLights
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
Citylights is persuasive. It will work better for you if you haven't seen the original.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
Does it all make sense? I'm not entirely sure but I'm happy to sacrifice narrative coherence for pure adrenalin. Besides, it's such a pleasure to see so many terrific actors working off each other.
Heropanti
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
Heropanti is designed to do exactly one thing - make us like Tiger Shroff and that it does exceedingly well. The film is a showcase for Tiger's talents - he is an incredible acrobat who does backflips in dance sequences and effortlessly leaps offs walls in action scenes. He is a smooth dancer. I can't wait to see what he does next. I can't wait to see what he does next.
Godzilla
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
Godzilla himself has weight, literally and figuratively. Can someone give this force of nature the film he deserves?
Mastram
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
There are so many ideas here about writing, sexual desire, fantasy, hypocrisy, the artist in the marketplace but they remain unexplored. Mastram is an opportunity lost.
Million Dollar Arm
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
What matters is that Million Dollar Arm leaves you with a smile on your face and a swing in your step and that's all it is designed to do. Besides it gave me a real kick to see the iconic Disney logo backed by A. R. Rahman's music.
Hawaa Hawaai
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
While Hawaa Hawaai isn't entirely satisfying, I still recommend that you see it. It is a timely reminder of the intractable horrors that children in this country face on a daily basis.
Kya Dilli Kya Lahore
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
Kya Dilli Kya Lahore demands that we stay interested in only two actors for almost two hours. Under any circumstances, that's a tall order.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 works in fits and starts. I recommend that you watch it for its gorgeous leads but have patience - it's long and in places, not entirely amazing.
Samrat & Co.
2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
Samrat & Co. is an intriguingly amateurish murder mystery in which Rajeev Khandelwal plays a Sherlock Holmes style detective. These are puzzles that even Samrat wouldn't be able to solve.
Revolver Rani
2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
If you like uplifting, cheerful cinema then this isn't the movie for you. But if like me, you can enjoy bad people doing bad things, then Revolver Rani is fun.
2 States
2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
Ultimately 2 States is unwieldy and disappointing.
Dekh Tamasha Dekh
2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
Dekh Tamasha Dekh offers a combination of farcical, funny and depressing. How many movies can you say that for?
Transcendence
2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
The film feels like Nolan lite. Which is a shame given the talent attached.
Fandry
2013 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
The beauty is that debutant director Nagraj Manjule doesn't give us a shrill polemic on the soul-crushing ugliness that exists in modern India. Instead he creates a poignant portrait of a keenly intelligent boy whose dreams defy his circumstances. Manjule gives us lovely little details - so Jabya, hoping to go a shade lighter, enthusiastically powders his face before school. And his bright, charming face fills with longing when he sees a pair of jeans, which are prohibitively expensive but essential in his Shalu plans.
Bhoothnath Returns
2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
Bhootnath Returns is unnecessarily bloated. It has far too much sermonising. The narrative is simplistic and naïve. And yet I recommend that you see the film — because it is also heartfelt, genuinely moving and, for the first half at least, slyly funny.
Rio 2
2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
Rio 2 is one of those sweet, generic, full of important lessons about family, ecology and bravery type of animated films that you might enjoy if you have children. It's visually rich, absolutely undemanding and so stuffed with formulaic plots and sub-plots that even small children will be hooked.
Divergent
2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
If The Hunger Games had never happened, then perhaps Divergent would have been a more compelling experience. But this film treads on much of the same ground - dystopian future, gutsy, teenage warrior heroine, dueling factions, an ominous, omnipresent Big Brother style government. Divergent ticks off all the boxes but with far less panache.
Main Tera Hero
2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
Main Tera Hero is dumbed down by design. I have no issues with that. My problem is that the frenzied plot didn't deliver enough funny lines. The burden of making this enterprise work rests mostly with Varun who is as hyper as a helium-filled energizer bunny. He romances, dances, punches and does comedy like his life depended on it. Meanwhile, the two svelte heroines - Ileana D'Cruz and Nargis Fakhri - simper around looking sexy. David believes in equal opportunity objectification so the camera caresses the girls as much as Varun's six pack abs. They are all lovely to look at. I just wish it had been more interesting.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014
Captain America: The Winter Soldier has verve and nerve. It's popcorn entertainment, in the best sense of the word, especially if you see the film in IMAX 3D like I did.
Youngistaan
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
The only bright spot here is the late Farooq Sheikh who brings his goodnatured gravitas to this unintentional comedy. Youngistaan is brain-dead and largely insufferable.
O Teri
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
It's Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro reduced to noise and nonsense.
Noah
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
If you have the patience and willingness to see a flawed but ambitious film by an intriguing and talented director then Noah is worth your time.
Ankhon Dekhi
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
Ankhon Dekhi is a lovely respite from the formulaic fare that clutters our multiplexes week after week. Make time for it.
Lakshmi
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
Honestly, I can't wholeheartedly recommend Lakshmi. In places, it's repulsive and yet, it demands to be seen.
Gang of Ghosts
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
Gang of Ghosts is an exhausting and depressing experience. Depressing because this film could have been so much better.
Ragini MMS 2
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
If instead of character and narrative, you're looking for a few cheap thrills, then Ragini MMS 2 might do the trick.
Zero Dark Thirty
2012 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
Zero Dark Thirty is deeply disturbing. There are scenes here that you can't watch and yet you can't look away. This film is gripping and visceral, in ways that can't be explained but should be experienced.
3 Days to Kill
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
If you like older action stars, then go back and revisit Liam Neeson in Taken or even better, Clint Eastwood in In the Line of Fire. This one is a dud.
Bewakoofiyaan
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
Bewakoofiyaan is one of those films that isn't actively offensive or actively engaging. It just goes on, in a bland manner, until we hit happily ever after. Honestly, it's going to take a better script than this to make me summon emotion for out of work yuppies.
Queen
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
Ultimately Queen is Kangana's triumph. I left the theater thinking about Rani and how the rest of her life would pan out. It's not often you do that with a Bollywood character.
Total Siyapaa
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
There is much humor to be mined from our fraught relations with our neighbor but Total Siyapaa is an opportunity lost.
Gulaab Gang
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
For a real dose of women empowerment, watch Gulabi Gang, a terrific documentary on Sampat Pal, which is still running in select theaters.
Nebraska
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
For a while, the deliberate pacing made me restless but then slowly, all the pieces fit together like poetry. The film is in black and white, which might be a daunting prospect for some of you. But the minimalism serves these fraught, sad lives well. And a special mention of 84-year-old Oscar-nominated actress June Squibb whose tart tongue is unforgettable. Do see Nebraska. It is a thing of beauty
Dallas Buyers Club
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
Why do you need to see Dallas Buyers Club? Two words - Matthew McConaughey. A profile of the actor in The New Yorker magazine uses the phrase The McConaissance - that is a bold second act. The lightweight rom-com hero has evolved into a ferocious actor and nowhere does his talent blaze more fiercely than in Dallas Buyers Club.
Shaadi Ke Side Effects
2014 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2014
The screenplay lurches randomly, eventually leading to a climax so convoluted and false that much of the affection I had for Sid and Trisha evaporated. Which is such a shame because until then, I was having so much fun. Shaadi Ke Side Effects is in equal parts, enjoyable and exasperating. Pretty much like the average marriage.
Highway
2014 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2014
Imtiaz skillfully creates moments that are at once, tender, funny and fragile. But my problem was that I simply didn't buy into the story.
The Monuments Men
2014 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2014
Eventually the film feels like a tidy museum piece, too bland to even work as escapist adventure.
Gulabi Gang
2014 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2014
Gulabi Gang is a fascinating portrait of the power of one. The documentary, Gulabi Gang is a record of an extraordinary women's movement started by the extraordinary Sampat Pal Devi in Uttar Pradesh in 2006.
Her
2014 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2014
Her has a profound melancholy. It directly speaks to our harried, technology soaked lives and our many selves who are, at once, virtually over-connected and yet, emotionally unmoored. In places, this film feels long and stretched. But it shifts something within you. When Theodore's love affair ends, as it must, I cried.
Gunday
2014 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2014
The story is both implausible and clumsy but sheer attitude - or tevar as we are reminded repeatedly - pulls it together. It's the second half, when Bikram and Bala are at each other's throats, that the film loses its spell. The narrative momentum is broken by unnecessary songs and a prolonged Bikram-Bala fight, in which Zafar succumbs to the Salman Khan rule - eventually shirts come off and well-oiled chests hurl against each other.
12 Years a Slave
2014 · TheFrontRow · Jan 2014
12 Years a Slave is the most devastating experience I've had in a movie theater in years. I first saw the film alone in LA and by the end, I was weeping uncontrollably into my popcorn. Salman Khan once said that going to a movie should be like going to a nightclub. If you believe that then don't step into this one. But if you want to experience a film that is, in equal parts, brilliant and brutal, then head to a theater now.
One By Two
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jan 2014
Mid-way through One by Two, an exasperated ex-girlfriend screams at the still-besotted boyfriend whom she recently dumped: You are so boring. Aur toh aur tumhara naam bhi boring hai. I felt her pain. Boredom weighed me down too as I watched this film.
Jai Ho
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jan 2014
In all honesty, I'm confused about how to evaluate Jai Ho. Because it's not a film. It's a cartoon. So, to point out that the story is laughably ridiculous or that the characterisation has no depth seems churlish. After all, you can't go to see a cartoon and then complain about its disconnect with reality.
American Hustle
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jan 2014
...So much fun that I wonder if viewers will recognize what a staggering artistic achievement it is. Don't miss this film.
Carrie
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jan 2014
I had only one question after watching Carrie - what was the point? This Carrie isn't worth spending time with but I do recommend that you find the De Palma film.
Miss Lovely
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jan 2014
I recommend that you see Miss Lovely. Yes, it is an acquired taste. But Ashim Ahluwalia's distinct and intriguing voice is one more sign of how fundamentally and excitingly the Hindi film topography is changing.
Yaariyan
2014 · Hindustan Times · Jan 2014
Its stuffed with banal but infectious songs that lodge themselves in your head like Yo! Yo! Honey Singh's aaj blue hai pani pani. But everything else in this film is a train-wreck.
Dedh Ishqiya
2014 · TheFrontRow · Jan 2014
There is a lovely running gag about the stages of love and a gorgeous climactic shoot-out. Best of all, the film gives us women who are unapologetically scheming and lusty. They break all the rules and get away with it. It's wonderfully refreshing. And yet, Dedh Ishqiya doesn't have the seductive sparkle that Ishqiya did.
Dhoom 3
2013 · The Front Row · Dec 2013
So see Dhoom:3 but with your expectations at half-mast. It's not the popcorn thrill ride that I expected. There just isn't enough joy in it but Aamir and the stupendous action make this worth watching. I'm going with 3 stars.
Oldboy
2013 · TheFrontRow · Dec 2013
I'm not sure why Spike Lee's Oldboy exists. The original film, made by South Korean director Park Chan-wook in 2003, is a cult classic that won the Grand Prix in Cannes. ...recommending that you enjoy the original Oldboy. The new one is too dated.
What The Fish
2013 · TheFrontRow · Dec 2013
This could have been a fun romp but in the hands of director Gurmmeet Singh, it's an excruciating exercise with vapid characters, bewildering plot twists and dismal acting - even Dimple Kapadia has only one note - she cribs, screeches and hams. What the Fish is basically cinema as root canal. I suffered it so that you don't have to.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
2013 · TheFrontRow · Dec 2013
The good news is that The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is less laborious and more exciting than the first film. The bad news is that at two hours and forty-one minutes, it's still a slog. It isn't essential viewing. But you won't be entirely disappointed either. Just come armed with patience and a full stomach. I'm going with three stars.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
2013 · TheFrontRow · Dec 2013
Why do you need to see The Hunger Games: Catching Fire? Two words – Jennifer Lawrence. I think how much you enjoy the second installment in the best-selling trilogy by Suzanne Collins, depends on how invested you get in this dystopian world, in which the few haves keep the many have nots hungry but entertained by a gladiator style reality show in which contestants kill each other.
B.A. Pass
2013 · Hindustan Times · Dec 2013
B.A. Pass holds your interest as long as Bahl sticks to Sikka's darkly twisted story. But each time he diverges — including his choice of the film's cheesy name (Sikka's story is titled The Railway Aunty) — the narrative wobbles.
Bullett Raja
2013 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2013
Bullett Raja has flashes of fire but mostly it seems to be hobbled by a misguided sense of machismo. Everyone struts — including Vidyut Jamwal who makes an appearance as a dynamic cop — but no one goes anywhere. Which is a shame because these UP cowboys could have been fun.
Singh Saab the Great
2013 · TheFrontRow · Nov 2013
Singh Saab The Great is a singularly soul-sucking experience. It doesn't even work as unintentional comedy.
Gori Tere Pyaar Mein
2013 · TheFrontRow · Nov 2013
...is fun as long as it sticks to the formula. The best thing about Gori Tere Pyaar Mein! is Imran who maintains an easy charm, even when he's adjusting to gobar and garibi.
Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela
2013 · TheFrontRow · Nov 2013
Deepika and Ranveer make Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela worth watching.
Rajjo
2013 · TheFrontRow · Nov 2013
The good thing about bad films is that sometimes they are so bad that they become good. Which means that at some point, they stop being merely run of the mill mediocre and transcend into a delirium of bewildering narrative, inane dialogue, bad acting and general all around absurdity thereby becoming pure unintentional comedy. Rajjo is such a film.
Satya 2
2013 · TheFrontRow · Nov 2013
Watching Satya 2 is like being bludgeoned. I say, stay at home and revisit the first film.
Krrish 3
2013 · TheFrontRow · Nov 2013
... isn't a patch on the best superhero films made in Hollywood but it is a step forward for Bollywood. Somewhere in the future of this franchise, the superhero concept and the requirements of mainstream Hindi movies will merge seamlessly. Until then, cut the Roshans some slack and enjoy. I'm going with three and a half stars.
The Fifth Estate
2013 · TheFrontRow · Oct 2013
...the story is so compelling and the questions it raises are so urgent.The Fifth Estate is an opportunity lost.
Mickey Virus
2013 · TheFrontRow · Oct 2013
The trouble is that writer-director Saurabh Varma makes this story so unnecessarily convoluted and long that by the time we have the great climactic reveal of who did what, we don't really care. The forgettable songs and synthetic leading lady - Elli Avram - don't help. Neither does the somewhat forced desi dilli vibe - you know characters going on about siyapa and chand mar deni hai. Or the laughable scenes of hackers with names like Floppy and Chutney congregating.
Escape Plan
2013 · TheFrontRow · Oct 2013
There are enough twists, turns and built-in nostalgia to make this reasonably fun. I'm going with two and a half stars.
Shahid
2013 · TheFrontRow · Oct 2013
Ultimately however, Shahid is Raj Kumar's triumph. His Shahid has strength, anguish and a controlled anger but also real charm. His smile lights up the frame. See Shahid for him. I'm going with three and a half stars.
Captain Phillips
2013 · TheFrontRow · Oct 2013
Captain Phillips isn't easy entertainment but it is a film that will force you to think. It's also a visceral experience that shouldn't be missed. I'm going with four stars.
War Chhod Na Yaar
2013 · Hindustan Times · Oct 2013
I only wish the material had lived up to its potential.
Diana
2013 · TheFrontRow · Oct 2013
Diana is an inexplicably bland portrait of an extraordinarily dramatic life. It takes some talent to make Lady Di boring.
Besharam
2013 · TheFrontRow · Oct 2013
The producers' money and the actors' time have already been wasted by Besharam. I recommend that you save both by skipping it. I'm going with one star.
Phata Poster Nikla Hero
2013 · TheFrontRow · Sep 2013
Phata Poster Nikhla Hero is intermittently entertaining. If you are undemanding or a Shahid Kapoor fan, you might enjoy it.
Fruitvale Station
2013 · TheFrontRow · Sep 2013
Fruitvale Station doesn't stridently point fingers or offer any comfort. It depicts an awful tragedy with restraint and power. I'm going with four stars and recommending that you see it.
Dabba (The Lunchbox)
2013 · TheFrontRow · Sep 2013
The Lunchbox is poignant and powerful. It will make you laugh and cry. And it will also make you hungry – I was dying to eat paneer kofta and bhindi when it finished. I'm going with four stars and absolutely insisting that you see it.
Rush
2013 · TheFrontRow · Sep 2013
Rush is gripping and deeply satisfying. I'm going with four stars and recommending that you see it.
Grown Ups 2
2013 · TheFrontRow · Sep 2013
Grown Ups 2 is too shoddy, lazy and low-IQ to be fun.
Grand Masti
2013 · TheFrontRow · Sep 2013
I can't think of a single reason why you should see this film.
John Day
2013 · TheFrontRow · Sep 2013
Is this film more interesting than a documentary of the same actors having lunch? The answer is no.
Shuddh Desi Romance
2013 · Hindustan Times · Sep 2013
Shuddh Desi Romance loses steam in the second half — it's almost as if, suddenly, Manish and Jaideep didn't know where to take their story and characters. Also, I'm old school, so the ending left me dissatisfied. But that doesn't take away from what has been accomplished here. This film is a dose of adrenalin.
We're the Millers
2013 · TheFrontRow · Sep 2013
We're The Millers is the cinematic equivalent of fast food – formulaic, disposable entertainment that will keep you busy, even make you laugh out loud but leave no trace once it's over.
Satyagraha
2013 · TheFrontRow · Aug 2013
If good intentions were enough to make good movies, Satyagraha would be a masterpiece. Prakash Jha is one of the few directors in Bollywood who has consistently championed political cinema. His rage at the rotten state of the system has simmered through his movies for nearly three decades. But from the National Award-winning Damul in 1984 to Satyagraha, his stories have become increasingly simplistic, star-driven and heavy-handed.
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
2013 · TheFrontRow · Aug 2013
Earlier this year, when I watched The Host, I thought this is so bad that it makes The Twilight series look like The Godfather. Well, as it turns out we weren't at the bottom of the barrel yet. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is so bad that it makes The Host look like high art.
Madras Cafe
2013 · TheFrontRow · Aug 2013
Madras Cafe is flawed but also ambitious and brave. I'm going with three stars and recommending that you see it.
Planes
2013 · TheFrontRow · Aug 2013
Planes, a spin-off from Disney Pixar's Cars, is a genial but painfully familiar story of an underdog who chases his dreams, overcomes his fears and comes out a winner. It was originally meant to be a direct to DVD film. I think it's wise to just wait for the DVD.
Jobs
2013 · TheFrontRow · Aug 2013
Steve Jobs was brilliant, mercurial, arrogant, petty and manipulative. In short, everything you need for a great drama. Instead what director Joshua Michael Stern and writer Matt Whiteley give us is a comatose narrative filled with clunky dialogues that traces Jobs' journey from his start-up days in a garage to Apple becoming the most valuable company in the world.
Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara
2013 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2013
The beauty is that underneath the swagger, Akshay also locates the loneliness and heartache of a monster hobbled by love. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed watching him this much.
Chennai Express
2013 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2013
So it breaks my heart to tell you that Chennai Express left me cold. This hyper, eager-to-please Rahul sorely tested my patience. And after a while, the innumerable references to DDLJ seemed like a lazy shot at siphoning some of the enduring affection we have for that film.
Fukrey
2013 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2013
There is enough pep in Fukrey to make it pleasantly diverting. I'm not suggesting that you drop everything and get to the theatre. But if you happen to stroll in, you are likely to come out smiling.
The Hangover Part III
2013 · The Front Row · Jun 2013
It's not often that you come out of a film feeling grubby, like you need to take a shower or partake in something cleansing like a yoga class. But that's exactly how I felt after watching The Hangover Part III
Go Goa Gone
2013 · Hindustan Times · May 2013
Post-interval, the film does a zombie on us — it becomes dead, lumbering and tedious. But the first part is absolutely crackling.
Aashiqui 2
2013 · Hindustan Times · May 2013
The film, however, never becomes more than the sum of its parts. Aashiqui 2 falls into that lukewarm category of 'I didn't mind it,' which is not the same as 'I liked it.' It could have been so much more.
Bombay Talkies
2013 · Hindustan Times · May 2013
Bombay Talkies is a unique experiment that works very well. The collaboration between four leading directors suggests a confidence that was rare in the industry even a decade ago. I believe that things can only get better from here on.
Ek Thi Daayan
2013 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2013
Ek Thi Daayan had the potential to be an A-grade horror film but it's an opportunity lost. However, I would love to see Diana get her own film and I'm very curious about what Kannan will do next.
Chashme Baddoor
2013 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2013
Chashme Buddoor delivers the occasional laugh but the level of the joke is someone slapping someone else or a tired Bollywood reference. If you can settle for that, check it out.
Nautanki Saala
2013 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2013
Nautanki Saala! has all the ingredients of a peppy, amiable comedy but this soufflé doesn't quite rise.
Aatma
2013 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2013
It's impossible to be scared by any of this.
Jolly LLB
2013 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2013
Despite the uneven writing, Jolly LLB works because it has heart. Make time for it this weekend.
Khiladi 786
2012 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
If I wasn't so exhausted, I would have been offended. Box office figures suggest that many people enjoy this school of cheerfully moronic cinema, but Khiladi 786 really isn't my idea of a good time.
Dabangg 2
2012 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
My review of Dabangg ended with a plea for a better story for Chulbul. Like so much else in Dabangg 2, that too remains the same. Can someone please write a terrific plot for this terrific character?
Love, Wrinkle-free
2012 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
Wrinkle-Free is one of those films that mix charm and tedium in equal doses. Debutant director and writer Sandeep Mohan creates a clutch of quirky, permanently perplexed characters who are all struggling.
ABCD: Any Body Can Dance
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
...the best thing you can say about this film is that it's earnest. It could have been so much more.
Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
Saheb Biwi aur Gangster Returns doesn't fully deliver the juicy thrill of the first film. But it should be seen for its characters and dialogue. These thoroughly nasty people are worth spending time with.
The Attacks of 26/11
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
The Attacks of 26/11 is a powerful subject watered down by ineffective story-telling. This could have and should have been so much more.
Kai Po Che!
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
Kai Po Che! is Gujarati for "I've cut". It is used as a cry of victory in kite-flying contests. Here victory is hard-earned and tinged with tears and regret. But it's also deeply satisfying.
Murder 3
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
With a little more imagination, Murder 3 could have been deliciously dark. I'm pinning my hopes on Murder 4.
Special 26
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
SPECIAL 26 is an intelligently woven, slick and smart period thriller with its subject matter as its USP. It's sure to get listed as one of the most gripping heist dramas based on real life occurrences. A film that's sure to win accolades, acclaim and awards. Also, box-office rewards!
Vishwaroopam
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
I think it's worth watching Vishwaroop just to see Kamal Haasan in form, especially as the effeminate dance teacher. After all, how many terrorist thrillers start with a kathak dance performance artfully choreographed by the legendary Birju Maharaj?
Race 2
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
I went into Race 2 totally prepared to have a blast, but here's the shocker: The first half is just plain boring.
Table No. 21
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
Echoing films as diverse as Oldboy and Slumdog Millionaire, director Aditya Datt creates a reality game show-revenge saga that gathers some steam in the last act, but by then it's too little, too late.
Inkaar
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
There are too many cheesy parties where everyone gets drunk, and the climax is a staggeringly disappointing cop-out. It undermines everything that has gone before.
Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola
2013 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2013
Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola feels like a puzzle in which all the pieces don't fit. Its idiosyncrasies are both its strength and its undoing.
Makkhi
2012 · Hindustan Times · Dec 2012
By the end, I was clapping and rooting for the fly. How many films can get you emotionally invested in an insect? Makkhi is a mad roller coaster ride that's worth taking.
Chalo Dilli
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Chalo Dilli strains hard to be uplifting and poignant but it doesn't quite make it. I'm going with two stars.
Shaitan
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Shaitan loses steam, becomes repetitive and ends in a whimper. Which is a shame because Nambiar has talent to burn.
Ready
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Ready made me laugh sporadically but beyond a point I could almost feel my brain cells shrinking and exhaustion setting in, one joke at a time.
Stanley Ka Dabba
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Let me warn you that Stanley Ka Dabba is slow. In places, the story seems stretched. The climax is predictable and not entirely convincing. But I recommend that you make time for the film. It has an inherent sweetness and honesty that will stay with you long after the film is over.
Shagird
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Nana Patekar fans will enjoy his purposefully eccentric, casually ruthless cop but honestly, it felt like déjà vu to me.
Haunted – 3D
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Formulaic horror tropes – mist, screeching doors, books that fall by themselves and blaring background music that insists that you be scared.
Shor in the City
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Shor in the City is a terrific film. It's surprising and disturbing and has a vein of rich, dark humor coursing through it. With great skill and inventiveness, directors Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK capture the chaos, absurdity and cacophony that constitutes India's maximum city: Mumbai.
Yamla Pagla Deewana
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Unfortunately, it's only intermittently funny and extremely exhausting.
Dum Maaro Dum
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Dum Maro Dum could have been so much more.
Teen Thay Bhai
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Debutant director Mrighdeep Singh Lamba strains hard to make you laugh – Teen Thay Bhai includes everything from fart jokes to a purposefully loud Ram Leela – but I barely smiled. I'm going with one and a half star.
Thank You
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
I can assure you that my ego was not boosted. In fact my brains were battered to pulp and my eardrums are still recovering from Pritam's cacophonous sound-track. I'm going with one and a half star.
F.A.L.T.U
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Stray bits of F.A.L.T.U feel sincere but the film is so staggeringly moronic that you walk out completely exhausted. I'm going with one and a half star.
Game
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Characters behave randomly and at the end, when you try to tie it all together, it unravels even more.
Yeh Faasley
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
The tragedy is that Yeh Faasley isn't even unintentionally funny so it doesn't make the grade of so-bad-that-it's-good. It's just pure tedium. I'm going with one and a half stars.
Kaccha Limboo
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Kaccha Limboo could have broken new ground but its insights are few and far between. See it if you must.
Patiala House
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Patiala House never soars but it is a notch better than the mediocre fare that we see every week. If you have patience and not much else going on, check it out.
Yeh Saali Zindagi
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Yeh Saali Zindagi needed to be shorter and less flabby. I also wish that Arunoday and Chitrangda were more forceful actors - thankfully Irrfan Khan, Saurabh Shukla, Sushant Singh and a host of other strong performers ably prop them up. Eventually then, Yeh Saali Zindagi doesn't hit all the high marks it sets for itself but it provides enough crackle to keep you entertained. Check it out.
Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji has an interesting story but the characters and situations aren't fleshed out enough. There is an inherent clumsiness and in places the film feels long and leaden. Still, if you keep your expectations low, it makes for mildly diverting entertainment.
Turning 30!!!
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
At the end of the film, I wondered: if turning 30 is so devastating, where does that leave us 40-year-olds. I'm going with two stars.
No One Killed Jessica
2011 · NDTV · Nov 2012
No One Killed Jessica is several notches ahead of the tripe we've been subjected to in theatres lately.
Dhobi Ghat
2010 · NDTV · Nov 2012
If you are willing to have patience, Dhobi Ghat comes together nicely. It has a poetry and melancholy that stays with you. I recommend that you give it a shot.
Jab Tak Hai Jaan
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
It helps enormously that the waiter is played by Shah Rukh Khan with charm turned on high-beam. In any case, you don't go to a Yash Chopra movie to delve into realism or the messiness of relationships. You go to partake in a fantasy of swooning, idealised love - and Jab Tak Hai Jaan delivers plenty of that.
Student of the Year
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Karan Johar's forte is excess. He creates fantastical worlds brimming with beautiful people and expensive things and yet anchors them in high emotion. His films work as both designer porn and soap opera.
English Vinglish
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
English Vinglish falters in the second half. The pace drops and Shashi's English class seems like an outtake of Mind Your Language, the successful television series about a motley group of people learning English. There's also a clumsy sub-track about Shashi's English teacher being gay, complete with a sermon on equality.
Ek Tha Tiger
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Ek Tha Tiger is Salman Khan's best film since Dabangg. But because his last two films were Ready and Bodyguard, the bar is not exactly high. Still, Ek Tha Tiger has more of a story as well as greater coherence and emotion than both those films put together.
Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Boman's heart-felt performance lifts the film to some extent. He gives Farhad dignity. You feel for him, even when he's selling fluorescent green underwear. Clearly Bela has great affection for her characters. I just wish she had given them a better plot to play in.
OMG! Oh My God
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
OMG Oh My God! is about something that touches all our lives - religion. It is a film about our relationship with God, how instead of being God-loving, we have become God-fearing. How religion has become a business run by godmen (here aptly referred to as 'salesmen') who aren't in fact very spiritual at all. A note to atheists and agnostics - the film is not an endorsement of those views. It insists on the existence of God.
Heroine
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
At one point in Heroine, a character asks: Iss glamour industry mein kaun fraud nahin hota. This film certainly is one.
Joker
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Joker testifies to the power of the star in Bollywood. It is staggeringly inept. I can't imagine that it was persuasive even as a concept.
Cocktail
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
It helps that the material is directed by Homi Adajania, whose first film Being Cyrus was a dark, twisted look at a dysfunctional Parsi family. Adajania keeps it crisp. He reins in the melodrama, until the last half hour when emotions go ballistic and the plot gets needlessly convoluted, and the actors — Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty — bite into their roles. Cocktail is a fun, romantic romp.
Jism 2
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Jism 2 should have been way more fun than this. The film is an anti-climactic let-down. We used to have a word in college for experiences like this: I can't use it here but I think you know what I mean.
Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum becomes a drag within the first twenty minutes and then continues for another two hours or so. Before you are done, you will have to suffer Chunky Pandey in a hideous wig, playing a fake godman named Baba 3G, and Tusshar Kapoor in drag wearing eyeliner, lipstick and a gown with a plunging neckline.
Gattu
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
The film does become a little far-fetched as Gattu, an illiterate, continues to fool his teachers and spins an unbelievable yarn for his classmates. But Khosa gives it a fable-like texture so that you don't mind too much when reality takes a backseat.Gattu is small in scale, but this is a film with heart.
Bol Bachchan
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
The best thing about the film is Abhishek Bachchan, who lets loose without inhibition. He manages to sparkle even in a script that is lazy and determinedly lowbrow, so the alter ego Abbas is an effete dance teacher who wears flowery shirts. The climax has people hanging on the side of a cliff, which immediately took me back to the equally infantile films of Anees Bazmee (No Entry, Welcome), which is never a good sign for any film.
Jannat 2
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Logic isn't a priority here. Deshmukh is creating an old-school Bollywood film with high drama, punchy dialogue, thunderous background music and villains who glare and maim with aplomb. Some sequences are nicely done, including a chase sequence in a dargah. Emraan Hashmi and Randeep Hooda are also extremely watchable. But there are no surprises here and by the second half, Jannat 2 starts to feel like an endurance test with your head being bludgeoned by the violence and incessant Hindi swear words.
Maximum
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Maximum has stray moments of power but the film feels like a Ram Gopal Varma rehash; mercifully though there are no cameras zooming into teacups like there were in Varma's recently released Department, which was also about power-hungry, corrupt encounter specialists.
Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Gangs of Wasseypur is by turns absorbing and frustrating. Watching it feels like gorging on too much good food, leaving you feeling more exhausted than satiated. But there is enough in the sound and fury to enjoy.
Teri Meri Kahaani
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
What I enjoyed most was the recreation of Mumbai in 1960 — empty streets, an Art Deco movie theatre, women in breathlessly tight blouses and bouffant hairdos. But the film's main ingredient — love — is too synthetic to soar.
Shanghai
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Writer-director Dibakar Banerjee and co-writer Urmi Juvekar tell this brutal story with minimal drama. There is nothing high-pitched here, except Kalki's one-note performance.Shanghai warms up slowly, so you need to have patience — especially in the first half. But the pleasure of the film is in the details. Shanghai doesn't provide the comfort of answers or happy endings. But it forces us to ask urgent questions. It is the best Hindi film I've seen this year. I strongly urge you to make time for it.
Rowdy Rathore
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
The film is one more in the line of movies — many of which are remakes from the south — that value masala above all else. But Dabangg and even Wanted, the latter of which was also directed by Prabhu Deva, were far more cohesive and compelling. Rowdy Rathore is pure noise. Only the brave should venture in.
Department
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Varma has described Department as "Quentin Tarantino meets Prabhudeva." I honestly couldn't find flashes of either. To me, it felt more like pedestrian Ram Gopal Varma. We are still waiting for him to return to form.
Ishaqzaade
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
I wonder if the Indian film ritual of intermission also functions as a creative road-block. Because so many fine films derail exactly there; I call it the curse of the second half. Ishaqzaade is one of these.Faisal sets up the story with great precision. Kapoor and Chopra are terrific as the explosive twosome. The music, composed by Amit Trivedi, works well.Which is why it's so disappointing to see it unravel. Still, Ishaqzaade does provide half a good time. How many films can you say that for?
Vicky Donor
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
What doesn't work as well is the love story (though the Bengali-Punjabi parental clash is laugh-out-loud funny) and the resolution of Vicky's thorny problem. Sircar wants to make a case for sperm donation but the film falters when it moves into preachy melodrama. Still, there is much to like here, including Khurrana's performance though I'm still figuring out what was going on with the pink lips! Check out Vicky Donor. It's a nice surprise.
Kahaani
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
The first-rate performances help steer it to shore - from Vidya Balan to Parambrata Chattopadhyay to Nawazuddin Siddiqui who plays a hard-nosed IB agent and Saswata Chatterjee who plays the insurance agent. Balan, quite effortlessly, manages to be both vulnerable and resilient. So despite the loopholes, Kahaani fulfills what it sets out to do and keeps you hooked and guessing. Which in itself is no small accomplishment.
Housefull 2
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Housefull 2 has exactly the same mix of stars, foreign locations, farcical plot and spectacularly dim-witted comedy as the first Housefull. This is the cinematic equivalent of junk food - when you walk in, you know exactly what you're going to get.
Agent Vinod
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
The result is that Agent Vinod never becomes more than the sum of its parts and even though it picks up speed in the second half, it leaves you both exhausted and unsatisfied. But I enjoyed the character of Agent Vinod. If he does get a sequel, I hope he has a better narrative to romp in.
Barfi!
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
This is a film made with love, bolstered by wonderfully etched vignettes, Ranbir Kapoor's stupendous performance and a gorgeous soundtrack by Pritam. And yet, for me, Barfi was a singularly frustrating experience there was so much to like, but the film never became more than the sum of its parts. As long as Basu stays with the love track, the film moves, but then we are sidetracked by suspense, which isn't all that suspenseful because you can predict exactly who did what. The film insists too hard that we find the magical in the mundane. I wish Barfi! the film was as magical as Barfi the character. See it for him.
Aiyyaa
2012 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2012
Aiyyaa is a bewilderingly odd film. Rani is delightful as a woman in heat.She expertly manages to be both a simpleton and a seductress. She looks stunning and dances like a dervish. But the film can't match her performance. Kundalkar's story soon runs out of charm and wit. His lovely idea and original voice is stretched to the point where even Rani's mannerisms start to feel repetitive.