It’s seldom that we make introspective films laced with dark humour. It’s great to find such superlative effort from first time filmmaker. We need to invest in such cinema as it’s important that young filmmakers shouldn’t lose faith in their vision. Go watch the film to understand the futility of Partition and to laugh at our obsession with cinema. And yes, to support good filmmaking as well…

Like most Indian masala movies, Holiday tastes best with a generous few pinches of salt. Akshay Kumar’s face looks too old to be a young army captain. But the way he jumps over cars and navigates down building faces is a feat even the fittest 20-year-olds can only dream of. He is the soul of this film. He makes it fun. He gives you your money’s worth. End of the day, that’s all that matters.

It’s a barren canvas of Mumbai’s underbelly and poverty and corruption. Things we’ve seen a thousand times before. Only this time they’re show in softer focus, more artful lighting. That’s the thing about lights. They can create a wonderful optical illusion. But it only lasts till you get up close and realise there’s nothing there.

You have the enviable cast, the powerful premise and yet the end result isn’t as spectacular as it should’ve been. You can’t have everything.

You’ve got a film about a giant mutated lizard walking on twos and supposedly this biped super reptilian is to fight EMP firing monsters to save the day for humanity. A film with that story can’t take itself so seriously.

The Xposé has exposed a sad truth from our film industry. We have the ability to make really bad movies.

All said and done, Hawaa Hawaai is a feature film. It isn’t the tautest piece of artistic cinema ever made. In fact, at times, its emotion heavy scenes seem a little too scripted. But you can’t deny the fact that this film has a solid heart of gold.

The direction, editing and production values are all dismal. And the less you talk about the performances the better. The only thing worth mention is young Yoshika Verma’s porcelain looks. And if so little is the saving grace of a movie, then this is a certified lost cause. Don’t be a bakra. Save your time and money, and go get yourself some mutton and biryani.

There’s a brief period in the second half where Vir Das is getting married on the loop to different women and it’s truly hilarious. Pity then that the rest of the film is so bipolar in nature. Had Sai Kabir maintained the same vein of rhetoric throughout the film, this would’ve been a memorable adult, action comedy. Ironically it isn’t.

At two hours and twenty minutes, Kaanchi feels like a gruelling cinematic ride. You’re teased with A-list shot taking and composition and but served an amateur narrative and story. It just doesn’t have the magic of a Subhash Ghai film. Legends don’t make average fare.