Tarantino’s cinema is not for the faint-hearted. However, the maker of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, in his by now famous signature style, once again gives you substance to lose sleep over.

Rohit Shetty’s films are big-ticket adventures; a genre unto themselves. Low on content — plot lines borrowed (in this case Hum and Kasme Vaade), incohesive screenplay and lowbrow dialogues (Sajid-Farhad) — the film leans heavily on Shah Rukh’s mega-stardom, Varun’s effervescence, breathtaking locales (Iceland and Bulgaria), orchestrated car chases and over-the-top situations, which have you chuckling.

…while the film is good-looking, the plot is convoluted. There’s bizarre justification for the poison-ivy women and avaricious despots. But then again, these sequels are about erotica being served piping hot Bollywood style.

Like the protagonists, all of us know what it is to be tied down and not do what our hearts long. But the route Tamasha takes is long-winded and plain boring at times.

Deepika and Ranbir convey their angst and passion so convincingly that you’re hooked. Except for the curiosity about them, the rest of the drama is `oh,never-mind’.

Prawaal Raman does a commendable job of recreating the 60s-70s. He also gets his protagonist’s physicality and smugness bang on. Working on a wafer-thin account given to him by the real-life Delhi cop, Amod Kanth, Raman still manages to infuse life (at least partly) into this film and into the life of the notorious killer.

Jazbaa’s narrative has pace and power. From screeching car sequences to emotionally-charged showdowns between his accomplished lead cast; the film throbs. Which is not to say that there are no flaws. The green hue overshadows Mumbai’s skyline. Aishwarya is rusty at the start but eventually takes charge of the dual aspects of her character.
Aishwarya has made a judicious screen choice after that five-year hiatus!

Just when you thought Hindi cinema had evolved, comes Welcome Back, an indulgent potboiler.

As cinema, this thriller is over-simplified, though the gloss adds to the large-screen appeal. Saif is adept; Kat is pretty appealing (pun on the pretty because her make-up is intact even in the battlefield). Zeeshan and his jingoism in the climax gives you that proud-India moment. And, if you’re still licking the wounds of that senseless Mumbai massacre, then Phantom is the balm you should reach out for.

Why this film that had so much potential doesn’t deserve superlatives is because of the inconsistency in the story-telling. While some scenes leave you scarred and teary-eyed, others don’t even scratch the surface.

Despite the dry choice of subject, Bangistan makes valiant attempts to keep the humour alive during its two-hour running time.

The characters of Riteish and Pulkit, who do not have a single mean bone in their bodies, are convincing as the Dumb and Dumber combo; blundering bumpkins who are a misfit on a terror journey.