Fighter
The film feels hollow. Siddharth's insistent high-decibel nationalism, ultimately, damages his story-telling.
Full review ↗TRM 6.1
Top critic
Anupama Chopra
In StepHindustan Times, Film Companion, NDTV, TheFrontRow+4 more
Reviewing since 2012 · Last review Sept 2026
In Step
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'.
Films
Anupama's highest scores
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How Anupama scores
271 scored reviews · 0–10
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Most given: 5 (56 reviews)9% of reviews not scored
In step with the room
Within a point of the Monk Score on 75% of 267 films
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Rajeev Masand
Agrees with Anupama on 93% of 210 shared films
Divergence
Where Anupama and the room split
AnupamaMonk Score0 ———— 10
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From the archive
All 298 reviews
Pushpa: The Rise
Pushpa 2: The Rule is dazzling, thrilling and ultimately overwhelming. The film has sweat, ambition, audacity, but three hours and 20 minutes is definitely an overdose. Pushpa 2: The Rule falters because from the first frame to the last, it stays in maximum mode—there is no place here for stillness or pause, and the grip inevitably slackens.
Full review ↗TRM 6.1
Dorothy
While the sharp narrative turns and a central twist that feels inorganic prevent every idea from landing, the film's craft and emotional ambition leave a lasting impression. Dorothy must be seen for its audacity and ambition, despite its uneven storytelling.
Full review ↗TRM 7.0
Thug Life
A strong start yields to a disappointing finish. Right after the intermission, Thug Life takes a plot turn so rushed and so implausible that even a directing maestro like Mani Ratnam and an acting legend like Kamal Haasan, reuniting 38 years after the landmark hit Nayakan, can't make it work.
Full review ↗TRM 4.6
Girls Will Be Girls
Female teenage sexuality has rarely been captured with this sensitivity and nuance in an Indian film
Full review ↗TRM 7.3
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani
Underneath the blinding star power, overbearing opulence and overblown production design, Rocky aur Rani kii Prem Kahani has a generous, beating heart, which exhorts us all to love a little more and judge a little less. It's delicious eye-candy with a rebellious core. Despite the flabby portions, I exited with a smile, wishing that Rocky was real and wanting to give my family a japphi.
Full review ↗TRM 6.2
Bawaal
Bawaal is an epic misfire. Bawaal trivializes this unimaginable horror. The Holocaust is conflated with strife in a relationship. Honestly, it's dumbfounding.
Full review ↗TRM 5.1
Darlings
Darlings wobbles, especially in the somewhat flabby second hour but eventually, Reen veers the story of Badrunissa Shaikh to a satisfying close. There is generosity of spirit, which makes it eminently watchable. This is the first film to be co-produced by Bhatt's production company Eternal Sunshine and it's a solid start.
Full review ↗TRM 6.6
Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2: Agni Pariksha
Khuda Haafiz 2 functions most effectively as a gore test — meaning the film serves as a barometer of how much brutality you can watch without flinching. The script cuts too many corners and the writing isn't erudite enough to have an impact. Violence needs to be rooted in insight. Otherwise, what's the point of enduring it?
Full review ↗TRM 6.0
Dabangg 3
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.
Full review ↗TRM 4.8
TRM 3.3
The Sky Is Pink
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.
Full review ↗TRM 6.2
Chhichhore
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
Full review ↗TRM 6.1
TRM 3.8
Judgementall Hai Kya
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.
Full review ↗TRM 6.4
The Lion King
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
Full review ↗TRM 6.1
Article 15
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
Full review ↗TRM 7.4
Bharat
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
Full review ↗TRM 5.8
Blank
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.
Full review ↗TRM 4.3
Avengers: Endgame
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 7.8−1.8
Junglee
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.0−1.0
Kesari
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.
Full review ↗1.0
TRM 5.6−4.6
Photograph
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.1−0.1
7.0
TRM 5.8
Sonchiriya
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.00.0
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.9+0.1
Why Cheat India
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 4.6+0.4
Uri: The Surgical Strike
An Unabashed Love Letter To The Indian Army...The dance between a realistic terrorist drama and rousing action thriller proves to be too much
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 6.0−1.0
Mary Poppins Returns
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.5−0.5
4.0
TRM 4.7−0.7
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
There are many magical things onscreen – including some wonderfully creative creatures – but the film is weighed down by its dense plot
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.7−0.7
Pihu
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
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.3−1.3
Helicopter Eela
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
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 5.0−2.0
Tumbbad
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 6.7+1.3
Venom
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
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.7−0.7
Loveratri
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 3.8
Andhadhun
Sriram Raghavan's thriller is about a blind pianist (Ayushmann Khurrana) who gets accidentally embroiled in a murder
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.5−0.5
Sui Dhaaga
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.9+0.1
Paltan
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
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.1−0.1
Gali Guleiyan
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
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.5+0.5
Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se
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
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 2.8−0.8
Stree
...a horror-comedy, which turns out to be subversive commentary on the position and treatment of women in India
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.3+0.7
Gold
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
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.00.0
The Meg
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 4.8+1.2
Karwaan
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.8−1.8
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.3+0.7
Hereditary
Director Ari Aster's masterful slow burn horror film starring Toni Collette and more works at two levels – familial and supernatural
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.1−0.1
Lust Stories
My advice would be to watch all four films as a whole and in the order the filmmakers intended. It's more enriching.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.1−0.1
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.8−1.8
Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.7−0.7
Deadpool 2
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 7.1−1.1
Avengers: Infinity War
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 7.0−1.0
Daas Dev
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.0−1.0
Beyond the Clouds
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.9+0.1
Mercury
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 4.9+1.1
Rampage
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 5.1−2.1
October
...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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.9+0.1
Missing
Somewhere, buried in this wreck is a satisfying suspense thriller. But it never emerges.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 3.6−0.6
Blackmail
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...
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.7−0.7
Baaghi 2
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...
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 4.7+0.3
Welcome to New York
... this incoherent mess of a film plays out more like an extended skit or a school play
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 2.8−0.8
Vodka Diaries
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 4.0−2.0
Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety
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
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 5.2−2.2
Aiyaary
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.4−0.4
Black Panther
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.7+0.3
The Shape of Water
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.4+0.6
Phantom Thread
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.6+0.4
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.8−0.8
Lady Bird
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 6.8+1.2
Pacific Rim Uprising
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 4.5−1.5
Hichki
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.7−0.7
Pari
Pari asks the big question – are human beings in fact the biggest monsters? I say the biggest horror is a lame script.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.4−1.4
Padman
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.
Full review ↗TRM 6.4
Darkest Hour
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.
Full review ↗TRM 6.4
Raid
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.1−0.1
3 Storeys
This isn't a film that lacks ambition but it never becomes one that is essential.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.3−0.3
Padmaavat
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 6.2−1.2
The Post
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.6+0.4
Pink
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.8+0.2
Sultan
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.5−0.5
Housefull 3
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 4.3−1.3
Silver Linings Playbook
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.2+0.8
Bachna Ae Haseeno
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.
Full review ↗TRM 5.5
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
Yes, the film is over-wrought, melodramatic and designed as pulp fiction. But it's intermittently fun.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.6+0.4
Dhoom
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.
Full review ↗TRM 5.0
Dil To Pagal Hai
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.
Full review ↗TRM 6.0
Guzaarish
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.6+0.4
6.0
TRM 5.7+0.3
Bajrangi Bhaijaan
This is an overblown, old-fashioned, feelgood film. But I recommend that you surrender, and keep a hanky handy.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.6+0.4
Masaan
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.7+0.3
Dil Dhadakne Do
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.3+0.7
Welcome to Karachi
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 3.9−0.9
Wake Up Sid
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.5−0.5
Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.5+0.5
Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year
...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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.7−0.7
Tanu Weds Manu: Returns
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.1+0.9
Badmaash Company
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 4.7−1.7
Dil Bole Hadippa!
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 4.5+0.5
Bombay Velvet
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.5−0.5
Piku
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.3+0.7
Gabbar is Back
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 4.8−2.8
Harishchandrachi Factory
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.4−0.4
Margarita, with a Straw
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 6.7+1.3
Hunterrr
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 4.7+0.3
NH10
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.8+0.2
Badlapur
The supporting players — from Huma to Kumud Mishra — are terrific. But ultimately, Badlapur rests on the towering talent of Nawazuddin.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.9+0.1
Hawaizaada
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.3−0.3
Shamitabh
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.7−0.7
Baby
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.3+0.7
Roy
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 4.1−2.1
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
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.
Full review ↗TRM 5.8
Band Baaja Baaraat
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.1−0.1
Action Jackson
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.
Full review ↗1.0
TRM 2.6−1.6
Ungli
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.8−0.8
Kurbaan
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.6−0.6
Happy Ending
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.3−1.3
Kill Dil
Kil Dil doesn't have weight or enduring value. But while it lasts, Shaad makes sure you're having a good time.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 4.4+1.6
The Shaukeens
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.9−0.9
2.0
TRM 3.0−1.0
Happy New Year
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.4−1.4
Kaminey
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.1+0.9
Haider
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.1−0.1
Khoobsurat
Sadly, Shashanka displays none of the eccentric creativity that we saw in his earlier films, though he does create moments of charm.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.5−0.5
Creature
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 3.9−0.9
Mary Kom
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?
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.1−0.1
Dabangg
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.8−0.8
Raja Natwarlal
Raja Natwarlal isn't one of those actively awful films. But neither does it sparkle.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 4.5+0.5
Mardaani
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.8+0.2
Singham Returns
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.3−0.3
Kick
...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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.5−0.5
How to Train Your Dragon 2
How to Train Your Dragon 2 has both visual and emotional density.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.8+0.2
Fugly
Now that's what I call Fugly. Despite the good intentions, this one is a misguided mess.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 3.4+0.6
Grace of Monaco
Grace of Monaco works neither as fairy tale nor a deconstruction of a fairy tale.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 3.9+0.1
The World Before Her
This film is frightening but it is also deeply moving and significant. I urge you to time for it.
Full review ↗TRM 6.8
Edge of Tomorrow
In a summer brimming with annihilating monsters, vicious aliens and assorted villains, Edge of Tomorrow just isn't dazzling enough to stand out.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 6.7−1.7
Filmistaan
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.2+0.8
Holiday - A Soldier Is Never Off Duty
Holiday - A Solider is Never Off Duty is a superstar vehicle without a brain or a heart.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 5.1−3.1
3.0
TRM 6.0−3.0
Maleficent
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.8−0.8
CityLights
Citylights is persuasive. It will work better for you if you haven't seen the original.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.8−0.8
X-Men: Days of Future Past
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.6+0.4
Heropanti
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.2−0.2
Godzilla
Godzilla himself has weight, literally and figuratively. Can someone give this force of nature the film he deserves?
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 6.4−1.4
Mastram
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.5−0.5
Million Dollar Arm
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.9+0.1
Hawaa Hawaai
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.7−0.7
Kya Dilli Kya Lahore
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.5−1.5
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.9+0.1
Revolver Rani
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.6+0.4
Samrat & Co.
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 3.0−1.0
Transcendence
The film feels like Nolan lite. Which is a shame given the talent attached.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.1−0.1
5.0
TRM 6.0−1.0
Dekh Tamasha Dekh
Dekh Tamasha Dekh offers a combination of farcical, funny and depressing. How many movies can you say that for?
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.2+0.8
Fandry
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.
Full review ↗TRM 7.6
Divergent
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.0−1.0
Bhoothnath Returns
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.8+0.2
Rio 2
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.8−0.8
Main Tera Hero
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.5−1.5
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.2+0.8
Youngistaan
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 4.8−2.8
3.0
TRM 2.8+0.2
Noah
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 6.5−1.5
Gang of Ghosts
Gang of Ghosts is an exhausting and depressing experience. Depressing because this film could have been so much better.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 3.6−1.6
Ankhon Dekhi
Ankhon Dekhi is a lovely respite from the formulaic fare that clutters our multiplexes week after week. Make time for it.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.7+0.3
Ragini MMS 2
If instead of character and narrative, you're looking for a few cheap thrills, then Ragini MMS 2 might do the trick.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.4−0.4
Lakshmi
Honestly, I can't wholeheartedly recommend Lakshmi. In places, it's repulsive and yet, it demands to be seen.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.00.0
Zero Dark Thirty
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 6.5+1.5
3 Days to Kill
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 4.4−2.4
Bewakoofiyaan
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.6−0.6
Queen
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.8−0.8
Total Siyapaa
There is much humor to be mined from our fraught relations with our neighbor but Total Siyapaa is an opportunity lost.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 3.6−0.6
Gulaab Gang
For a real dose of women empowerment, watch Gulabi Gang, a terrific documentary on Sampat Pal, which is still running in select theaters.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.5−0.5
Nebraska
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
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.9+0.1
Dallas Buyers Club
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.2+0.8
Shaadi Ke Side Effects
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.6−0.6
The Monuments Men
Eventually the film feels like a tidy museum piece, too bland to even work as escapist adventure.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.1−1.1
Gulabi Gang
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.9+0.1
Highway
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 6.3−1.3
Her
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.7+0.3
Gunday
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 4.9+1.1
Jai Ho
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.2−0.2
12 Years a Slave
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.
Full review ↗9.0
TRM 7.4+1.6
One By Two
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 3.5+0.5
American Hustle
...So much fun that I wonder if viewers will recognize what a staggering artistic achievement it is. Don't miss this film.
Full review ↗9.0
TRM 7.6+1.4
Carrie
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.8−0.8
Miss Lovely
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.3−0.3
Yaariyan
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 3.0−1.0
Dedh Ishqiya
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 7.4−1.4
Dhoom 3
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.00.0
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 7.0−1.0
Oldboy
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 3.7−0.7
What The Fish
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.
Full review ↗1.0
TRM 3.5−2.5
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 7.0−2.0
B.A. Pass
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 6.3−1.3
Bullett Raja
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.1−0.1
Singh Saab the Great
Singh Saab The Great is a singularly soul-sucking experience. It doesn't even work as unintentional comedy.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 4.7−2.7
Gori Tere Pyaar Mein
...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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 4.7+0.3
Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela
Deepika and Ranveer make Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela worth watching.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.4−0.4
Rajjo
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 2.7−0.7
Satya 2
Watching Satya 2 is like being bludgeoned. I say, stay at home and revisit the first film.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 3.1−0.1
Krrish 3
... 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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 5.7+1.3
Mickey Virus
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.8−0.8
The Fifth Estate
...the story is so compelling and the questions it raises are so urgent.The Fifth Estate is an opportunity lost.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.2−0.2
Captain Phillips
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.0+1.0
Escape Plan
There are enough twists, turns and built-in nostalgia to make this reasonably fun. I'm going with two and a half stars.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.4−0.4
Shahid
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.4−0.4
4.0
TRM 4.6−0.6
Diana
Diana is an inexplicably bland portrait of an extraordinarily dramatic life. It takes some talent to make Lady Di boring.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.1−0.1
Besharam
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 4.0−2.0
Fruitvale Station
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 6.8
Rush
Rush is gripping and deeply satisfying. I'm going with four stars and recommending that you see it.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.3+0.7
Phata Poster Nikla Hero
Phata Poster Nikhla Hero is intermittently entertaining. If you are undemanding or a Shahid Kapoor fan, you might enjoy it.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 4.8+0.2
The Lunchbox
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 8.4−0.4
1.0
TRM 2.7−1.7
4.0
TRM 3.5+0.5
John Day
Is this film more interesting than a documentary of the same actors having lunch? The answer is no.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 4.2−1.2
Shuddh Desi Romance
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 6.2+1.8
We're the Millers
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.3+0.7
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 4.1
Satyagraha
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.2−0.2
Madras Cafe
Madras Cafe is flawed but also ambitious and brave. I'm going with three stars and recommending that you see it.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.8−0.8
Planes
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.00.0
Jobs
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.6−0.6
Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 4.6+1.4
Chennai Express
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.3−1.3
Fukrey
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.7+0.3
The Hangover Part III
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
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 4.7−1.7
Go Goa Gone
Post-interval, the film does a zombie on us — it becomes dead, lumbering and tedious. But the first part is absolutely crackling.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.7−0.7
Bombay Talkies
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 6.7+1.3
Aashiqui 2
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.00.0
Ek Thi Daayan
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.7−0.7
Nautanki Saala
Nautanki Saala! has all the ingredients of a peppy, amiable comedy but this soufflé doesn't quite rise.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.3−0.3
Chashme Baddoor
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.2−1.2
Jolly LLB
Despite the uneven writing, Jolly LLB works because it has heart. Make time for it this weekend.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.9+0.1
4.0
TRM 4.6−0.6
Khiladi 786
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.1−0.1
Dabangg 2
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?
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.7−0.7
Love, Wrinkle-free
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.7−0.7
The Attacks of 26/11
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.3−0.3
Murder 3
With a little more imagination, Murder 3 could have been deliciously dark. I'm pinning my hopes on Murder 4.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.9−0.9
ABCD: Any Body Can Dance
...the best thing you can say about this film is that it's earnest. It could have been so much more.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.4−0.4
Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.5−0.5
Kai Po Che!
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.4+0.6
Vishwaroopam
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?
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.9+0.1
Race 2
I went into Race 2 totally prepared to have a blast, but here's the shocker: The first half is just plain boring.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.7−0.7
Inkaar
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.3+0.7
Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.7−0.7
Table No. 21
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.3−1.3
Makkhi
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.1+0.9
Ready
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.2−1.2
Stanley Ka Dabba
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.00.0
Shagird
Nana Patekar fans will enjoy his purposefully eccentric, casually ruthless cop but honestly, it felt like déjà vu to me.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 4.7+0.3
Haunted – 3D
Formulaic horror tropes – mist, screeching doors, books that fall by themselves and blaring background music that insists that you be scared.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 4.8−1.8
Chalo Dilli
Chalo Dilli strains hard to be uplifting and poignant but it doesn't quite make it. I'm going with two stars.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.6−0.6
Shaitan
Shaitan loses steam, becomes repetitive and ends in a whimper. Which is a shame because Nambiar has talent to burn.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.1−0.1
Shor in the City
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 6.5+1.5
Game
Characters behave randomly and at the end, when you try to tie it all together, it unravels even more.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 3.8+0.2
5.0
TRM 5.4−0.4
Teen Thay Bhai
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 3.4−0.4
Thank You
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 4.0−1.0
F.A.L.T.U
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 5.1−2.1
Yeh Faasley
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 3.2−0.2
Kaccha Limboo
Kaccha Limboo could have broken new ground but its insights are few and far between. See it if you must.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 3.7+0.3
5.0
TRM 5.3−0.3
Patiala House
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.2−0.2
Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji
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.
Full review ↗5.5
TRM 5.0+0.5
Turning 30!!!
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.00.0
Yamla Pagla Deewana
Unfortunately, it's only intermittently funny and extremely exhausting.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.00.0
Yeh Saali Zindagi
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.4+0.6
No One Killed Jessica
No One Killed Jessica is several notches ahead of the tripe we've been subjected to in theatres lately.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.4−0.4
Dhobi Ghat
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.3+0.7
English Vinglish
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.00.0
Student of the Year
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.4+0.6
Jab Tak Hai Jaan
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.5−0.5
Ek Tha Tiger
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.3−0.3
OMG! Oh My God
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.9−0.9
Heroine
At one point in Heroine, a character asks: Iss glamour industry mein kaun fraud nahin hota. This film certainly is one.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.6−0.6
Joker
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 3.4−1.4
Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.3−0.3
Bol Bachchan
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 5.0−1.0
Cocktail
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 5.3+1.7
Gattu
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.2+0.8
Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum
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.
Full review ↗3.0
TRM 4.7−1.7
Jism 2
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.1−0.1
Department
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.2−0.2
Rowdy Rathore
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.
Full review ↗2.0
TRM 5.1−3.1
Ishaqzaade
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?
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 5.4+0.6
Jannat 2
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 4.7+0.3
Vicky Donor
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 6.8+0.2
Maximum
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.1−0.1
Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 6.4−0.4
Teri Meri Kahaani
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.3−0.3
Shanghai
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.
Full review ↗8.0
TRM 7.4+0.6
Housefull 2
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.
Full review ↗4.0
TRM 4.8−0.8
Agent Vinod
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.
Full review ↗5.0
TRM 5.8−0.8
Kahaani
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.
Full review ↗7.0
TRM 7.3−0.3
Barfi!
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.
Full review ↗6.0
TRM 7.0−1.0
Aiyyaa
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.
4.0
TRM 4.6−0.6