Sparking an optimistic hope of a Utopian world. Sohail presents our ‘Hero of the Masses’ fabulously – with all Salmanisms perfectly in place. The premise pompously alerts us of cliches and trappings of a commercial masala fare. The screenplay is not as inspiring as the noble message, the story cuts into too many episodes and the underlying idea is repetitive.

The plot unfolds at a lethargic pace, with long-drawn scenes filled in with few dialogues. Some crucial scenes lack the emotional depth and connect you’d expect, inhibiting us from empathising with the protagonists. Nawazuddin shines brilliantly even in the smoky shadows of this sexploitative world, Niharika and Anil play their parts well. The film is stylishly sleazy, that’s what works for it. Watch it for a retro-ride into the naked innards of a soft-porn world and its bared bosoms.

‘Yaariyan’ is nothing to gush about, but the teenies can watch this one for a lark…and some yo-yo beats!

While ‘R…Rajkumar’ entertains at some levels, it suffers from utter plainness and predictability. The raw action is impressive (Ravi Varma), the songs (Pritam) and the choreography are routine attractions. The second half seems like a sari too long and the comedy is often forced.

It has some ‘Must Haves’ of a pot-boiler, but misses the real thing – a SOLID STORY!

This isn’t the most rousing romance (second-half lacks ‘rom’), but has its feel-good moments. Chew it up with some ‘Chingam’ and a cute date.

This one falls many notches below expectation. And not even a Rajjo-nautch can swing it out of the red-light zone.

Truth be told, iss film ko goli maaro, and for the sake of nostalgia, watch the original, for posterity.

For sheer vision, bravado and superlative execution, this one soars to new orbits. Latch on to this cape for an exhilarating ride.

Varma allows his characters to flourish in wit and humour. The plot is intelligent; there are laughs (sample: a tee printed – ‘Jab Tak Hai Trojan’), some suspense and surprises too. Though direction is not error-free, it could’ve been more innovative and he often tips the balance between comedy and thriller. This virus won’t crash your system. Watch it!

Raj Kumar is superb; he peels layers to strip to the core of his character. He magnifies the most intense scenes with sheer brilliance of an understated, realistic performance. It warrants applause. And an unadulterated encore. Catch it if real cinema is what you crave.