Manikarnika is a blood-splattered odyssey that celebrates the warrior queen who stood her ground and even threatened the British Raj’s ambitions in India. Most know of Jhansi ki Rani from the poem that aptly described the fearless queen. This biopic goes beyond heroics to reveal a resolute yet vulnerable figure. And even while the authenticity of all the events detailed here is debatable, it makes for a decent watch.

What should a biopic deliver is a question that will garner various responses. A historian would want it to be a record of our times so that it could have resonance in the future. A filmmaker would seek dramatic points in the subject’s life that would render a compelling narrative. A sociologist would want to assess if the person’s life had any significant impact on society. We would like to stick with the one in the disclaimer: “this film is meant solely for the purpose of entertainment”.

This socially-awkward construct lends itself to such compelling material that even a compilation of reaction shots would suffice. But writers Shantanu Srivastava and Akshat Ghildial capitalise on the uneasiness of being in this pickle to script hilarious sequences that would leave you in splits.

What doesn’t kill you, makes you more resilient. And if you survive the version of Beelzebub in this film, you surely have the liver for heart-pounding horror.

Akshay Kumar’s portrayal of Tapan Das is convincing and effective…

Soorma applauds a deserving figure who has received national honours but sadly, hasn’t been celebrated with the same fervour. A worthy hat-tip!

Some may complain that Sanju makes light of the convicted actor’s inglorious misadventures. But if one really hoped for a bittersweet account, we’d watch an Anurag Kashyap.

While this one works as a breezy film on girl bonding, it gets a bit tedious while taking a stab at patriarchy. In fact, a message it hopes to convey on the societal pressures endured by women is lazily tucked into a dialogue. “Pehle shaadi karo, phir bachcha, phir bachcha hua toh doosre bachche ka pressure.” It almost seems like old whine in a new bottle.

Unlike most films within the genre that focus chiefly on the ‘operation’, Raazi also delves into the debilitating position that secret agents who stumble in and out of the margins of history must sometimes assume. Given the political climate, this one’s a relevant watch — especially since little has turned between the two nations over the years.

It takes a Majidi to rise above the plot and offer audiences hope when things look south. Even here, he’s determined to make it stick. It may not be a deep, immersive, dislocating experience one usually has when introduced to unwavering spirits and personal narratives that his cinema has come to be known for. But it’s surely reminiscent of his previous work and sparkles up an appetite to revisit them.