…a lurid explosive which is ace for its perilous acting and stirring space action. However the excitement it invokes is familiar and the point it tries to make gets lost amidst a flurry of some breathtaking action. I am going for a 3/5 for this one. Slightly above average, the film borders on typifying Star Trek series with mostly nothing unique to offer.

Mira Nair’s interpretation of Mohsin Hamid’s novel is an inhibited work trying to be politically correct while dealing with inflammable issues. Sheathing too many subtle emotions that the book had elucidated well, the film doesn’t go beyond being average.

Aurangzeb could have been so much better, perhaps even a classic. It is Atul Sabharwal’s faulty treatment that leaves it shaky. There is immense passion and thrill in the story, which its actors remit strongly. I am going with an average 2.5/5 for the film. The thrill ends up flaccid killing all that could have been sensational! Optimistically, I expect something more stirring and less misplaced from the team sometime soon!

The Great Gatsby is a perfect example of all phantasmagorias and no substance. Quoting Fitzgerald for their rescue in an attempt to save their loose screenplay, the film barely invokes a few heartfelt moments. Eroding the power of a classic, it is only Leonardo DiCaprio who delivers magnanimously.

Go Goa Gone is a must one time watch. Stomping off a naïve horror concept in India, borrowing from a hit Hollywood formula, it is an unabashedly crazy film with Vir Das and Kunal Khemu delivering super performances. Relegated into the premise, the film is an exuberantly hilarious laughter riot that shouldn’t be missed. Honestly, I haven’t laughed this much in a film since Delhi Belly. Take a break from all the morose things in life and catch this one, believe me there can’t be any regrets!

Gippi instilled in its stereotypical clichéd format, is still a pleasantly surprising venture on celluloid. Made with great sensitivity, it is a tender story of adolescent age. There are minor hiccups in the plot; but Riya Vij’s immaculate work, in a story that is Bollywood’s answer to Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries, is commendable. There isn’t anything pristine in the film, but it evokes a sense of nostalgia that embeds with its story to leave a salient impact.

Bombay Talkies is a novel concept, glistening with bravura short films. With the script predominating the film’s flavor, it is a sincere attempt to provide a Eulogy for Bollywood. The passion and craze for cinema in India dictates most part of the film. Here’s a piece of advice -Walk out of the hall before the 20 star song. The bromidic and hackneyed feeling it leaves by, spoils the entire beauty the film distinctively weaves all through. I am going with 3.5/5 for Bombay Talkies. It could have been way more entertaining, but overall it comes across as a perseverant effort!

Shootout At Wadala is an ingeniously made entertainer. Sanjay Gupta creates a well balanced venture which is beseeching for its crime thriller premise. John Abraham captivates in his charismatic role brimming with vicious grandeur. I am going with a 3.5/5 for this one. This one is a must watch adrenalin incurring, electrifying and at places a spine chilling action film.

Aashiqui 2 is a sermon on alcoholism. Faintly trying to revive a dead script with soothing music and appealing chemistry, the film has a hasty and unpredictable wrap up which kills its tempo. A stone faced actress and a perpetually stoned protagonist do to the film irreparable damage. Novice Aditya Roy Kapur’s fiercely strong efforts are the only consistent bits of the film, despite a hollow premise. I am assigning a 2/5 for Mohit Suri’s Aashiqui 2. If you have the appetite for romance, this is an apt palette or else it could easily be missed.

Ek Thi Daayan is an enriching idea of a supernatural thriller that blends the fear of paranormal with ethnic stories of Daayans, grandmothers had narrated to us as kids. The ambience it creates eventually dooms for its wavering second half and shakily written screenplay. Beginning a fresh trend in horror films, it disappoints solely for its inability to deliver innovation as promised. It is indeed watchable, but only for its first part. However, do not go with heightened expectations presuming a classic, since the second half might dampen your spirits!