Rahul Desai
Mumbai Mirror·Film Companion·CatchNews·Hyperbola·HollywoodReporterIndia·Bangalore Mirror·Mid Day
Most Divergent Takes
- Satyameva Jayate (2018)0.0 vs TRM 3.9-3.9
- Jai Jawaan Jai Kisaan (2015)0.0 vs TRM 3.9-3.9
- Meinu Ek Ladki Chaahiye (2014)0.0 vs TRM 3.6-3.6
- Namaste England (2018)0.0 vs TRM 3.5-3.5
- Fanney Khan (2018)1.0 vs TRM 4.5-3.5
Baby Do Die Do
2026 · HollywoodReporterIndia
As an assassin story, Baby Do Die Do is not out of the ordinary. The only novelty is that the brooding hero is a deaf-and-mute hitwoman, not a hitman.
Alpha
2026 · HollywoodReporterIndia
The YRF spy franchise finds its most hesitant soldier in Alpha, a film that struggles to balance its ambitions with execution.
Bad Newz
2024 · Film Companion
Bad Newz takes the eggless cake in terms of name-dropping and pop-cultural winks. Half the screenplay is just that.
Kill
2024 · Film Companion
Kill is DDLJ reimagined as a gory, gruesome action spectacle that somehow works as both a violent thriller and a romantic drama, delivering awesome entertainment through its brutal execution of familiar tropes.
Laal Kaptaan
2019 · Film Companion · Oct 2019
Laal Kaptaan is a boring and self-absorbed period drama – one that is so obsessed with historical detailing, eccentric characters, bare physicality and country-style pace that it forgets to be narratively and humanely absorbing.
Hustlers
2019 · Film Companion · Sep 2019
Hustlers' biggest triumph lies in how it ceases to matter who the Caroline of the story is and who the Natalie. At times, it counts on the possibility that we can't tell one from the other. After all, if motherhood is a mental illness, friendship is a viral infection.
Mission Mangal
2019 · Film Companion · Aug 2019
It's hard to make intelligence look entertaining. But it's harder to make intelligence look stupid. And yet, this is exactly what Mission Mangal manages to do
Batla House
2019 · Film Companion · Aug 2019
A Semi-Effective Police Portrait That Commits To Its Hero...Batla House is forced to take a stand. And it does, in good conscience. Which is more than can be said about other Hindi movies of whitewashed history
Arjun Patiala
2019 · Film Companion · Jul 2019
A Profoundly Unfunny Comedy That Oversells Its Spoofy Tone...A feature-length comedy that somehow manages to embody all the lazy stereotypes it makes fun of
Article 15
2019 · Film Companion · Jun 2019
A remarkable film which cuts deeper and darker into Uttar Pradesh, a State (and a state) that best reflects the nation's mass rhetoric
Bharat
2019 · Film Companion · Jun 2019
A Greatest Hits Mixtape Of A Fading Superstar...Khan goes from age 8 to 70 in an awkward, episodic narrative that tips its hat to his transformation from Prem to Chulbul to Tiger
India's Most Wanted
2019 · Film Companion · May 2019
India's Most Wanted is a tragic waste of its source material. A real-life chase demanded the bare-knuckled Paul Greengrass, Kathryn Bigelow or Delhi Crime treatment. The feasibility of the story itself is the film. But the language it uses – that of Kabir Khan and Neeraj Pandey spy/action dramas – is more suited to the fetishization of a make-believe genre. Almost as if the director doesn't trust us to understand that capturing terrorists is not a mundane 9-to-5 job. This, however, does sort of explain the coming-of-age soundtrack. Forget finding the bad guys; I hope they found themselves.
De De Pyaar De
2019 · Film Companion · May 2019
A Crude Social Comedy With A Man Problem ...The film starring Ajay Devgn and Tabu as a divorced couple isn't a very thoughtful 'social comedy'
Student of the Year 2
2019 · Film Companion · May 2019
SOTY2 can be described as a parody of Main Hoon Na, which itself was a parody of every desi college-campus movie ever made; a parody of a parody is called…reality
Kalank
2019 · Film Companion · Apr 2019
The Film Is Consumed By Its Commitment To Beauty And Boredom...The film decorates, pauses, gasps, whispers, sighs, romanticizes and ultimately chokes on its own derived sense of (slam) poetry
No Fathers in Kashmir
2019 · Film Companion · Apr 2019
A Decent Kashmir Premise Undone By Its Desire To Be Heard...No Fathers In Kashmir is scripted smartly but the execution is a bit muddled, almost as if the director decides to compromise his awareness in favour of on-the-nose activist filmmaking
The Tashkent Files
2019 · Film Companion · Apr 2019
A Second-Hand History Lesson In Third-Rate Politics...
Romeo Akbar Walter
2019 · Film Companion · Apr 2019
RAW never really examines its main character's obvious identity crisis and his conflict of faith – partly due to the actor's limited abilities, but mostly due to the mood of our times
Badla
2019 · Film Companion · Mar 2019
For a director whose breakthrough film centered on a woman out for revenge under the ruse of impending motherhood, Badla remains forcibly consistent to this oeuvre of maternal rage. Only, it focuses on the other side of the kahaani, which is why you can see the strings and the puppeteers running the show. Making something – or someone, in this case – look better than it is maybe an art, but it is clearly a dying one.
Luka Chuppi
2019 · Film Companion · Mar 2019
I dozed off during one of the "hysterical" situations involving a temple and a beard (don't ask), and woke up only to realize that everyone in the frame was still…speaking. Monsieur Aaryan was quiet, bruised, stunned, hands on head, oblivious to the noisy characters around him. At this point he looked like the existential protagonist of a social message drama about an abusive marriage between film critics and their rants about cash-grabbing comedies. That would explain the beard. And the tattered clothes.
Total Dhamaal
2019 · Film Companion · Feb 2019
The Best Part About This Film Is That It Is Not A Sex Comedy...In this diluted adult spin on children's humour, everyone is a Cartoon Network character, making faces at the camera as if it were a two-year-old infant
The Accidental Prime Minister
2019 · Film Companion · Jan 2019
The film is so incompetently crafted, terribly performed and transparently petty that it isn't even pathetic enough to be panned as a "propaganda" movie
Simmba
2018 · Film Companion · Dec 2018
The most disheartening part about Simmba is its bipolar pursuit of relevance. The setup was the film; there was no need to embrace the guileless-sermon path. Just letting Singh play the fool, without hindrance, might have finally lent credence to the Rohit Shetty School of non-storytelling.
Kedarnath
2018 · Film Companion · Dec 2018
This is basically a paranoid movie embracing social relevance to compensate for daring to accessorize a tragedy through the medium of art. Given the current climate, these inclinations aren't surprising. After all, you know a film is on shaky ground when it's a natural disaster that must rescue it from being a man-made disaster.
Bhaiaji Superhit
2018 · Film Companion · Nov 2018
The Most Incompetent And Tasteless Vanity Vehicle Of The Year...Starring Preity Zinta, Sunny Deol, Arshad Warsi and Shreyas Talpade amongst others, this film should have been titled Ghosts of Bollywood Past.
Bohemian Rhapsody
2018 · Film Companion · Nov 2018
A Shamelessly Passionate Movie About A Hopelessly Passionate Musician...This is not so much a historically inaccurate biopic as it is a celebration of art through its artist
Thugs of Hindostan
2018 · Film Companion · Nov 2018
Thugs of Hindostan is the Bollywood manifestation of Halloween – an amusing, self-gratifying but altogether pointless fancy-dress ball designed to trick audiences under the guise of treating them
Namaste England
2018 · Film Companion · Oct 2018
The Most Unwatchable Hindi Film Of 2018 Is Here...
Badhaai Ho
2018 · Film Companion · Oct 2018
An Enjoyable, Well-Scripted Look At The Contrasts Of Social Stigma...
First Man
2018 · Film Companion · Oct 2018
A Powerful, Masterfully Crafted Biopic That Dissects The Man On The Moon There's much to appreciate about the way director Damien Chazelle magnifies the journey of Neil Armstrong – a man who finds solace in telescopic emotions
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
2018 · Film Companion · Sep 2018
This is just shabby filmmaking all around. It goes to show that today's producers don't care for the craft either, as long as there's a "message," a digital revolution (you know how most new-age filmmakers depict the power of the internet – a video goes viral, and the nation and news channels react in phases?) and a rousing monologue. So what if a few thousand screens squeeze the region's power stations dry to broadcast this three-hour-long exercise of crippling nobility? It's the thought that counts.
Manto
2018 · Film Companion · Sep 2018
Director Nandita Das beautifully stitches five of the famous Urdu author's short stories into the narrative of his life's definitive five-year period
Manmarziyaan
2018 · Film Companion · Sep 2018
Anurag Kashyap's film, essentially a story about people who crush hearts instead of bodies, features terrific performances by Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal
Halkaa
2018 · Film Companion · Sep 2018
Nila Madhab Panda's film, a children's version of Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, might have worked as a concise short film, but at some point in a two-hour-long story, the tone gets self-righteous and repetitive, and the politics whitewashed
Laila Majnu
2018 · Film Companion · Sep 2018
What do you say about a film that contains the most exasperating thirty minutes as well as the most enthralling thirty minutes of the year?
Satyameva Jayate
2018 · Film Companion · Aug 2018
There's a twist at the interval of Satyameva Jayate that left me truly gobsmacked. Mostly because I couldn't really believe that legitimate human beings are given millions of rupees to execute these ideas. With full consent. Without a gun to their heads. Or kerosene on their bodies. In 2018. The Gods must be crazy.
Fanney Khan
2018 · Film Companion · Aug 2018
Nobody seems to have told the makers that the script is daft enough to ensure that Race 3 wasn't the worst film of Anil Kapoor's year
Mulk
2018 · Film Companion · Aug 2018
Mulk, though, is a reminder that we are all part of that courtroom. Being surprised is a condescending emotion – and inherently a product of our own preconceived notions. It is also a reminder that the right film in this country is often better than a good one. Raazi was an example, but it was perhaps Meghna Gulzar's Talvar that had already conditioned us expect a skillful take on the rift between mulk and mazhab. In contrast, I came out of Sinha's film admittedly humbled, and of the belief that verdicts are best delivered after the closing statements.
Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster 3
2018 · Film Companion · Jul 2018
If only this series had revolved around some deliciously convoluted method to eliminate real gangsters – imagine Saheb and Biwi's mind games as a warped brand of social vigilantism. If a criminal can't be rehabilitated, simply throw him into their clutches. But alas, this country will run out of figurative gangsters before an Indian couple acknowledges divorce as a solution.
Soorma
2018 · Film Companion · Jul 2018
Soorma doesn't rouse as much as it should. It doesn't stop to feel its own heart beat. It tick-marks all the boxes and explores none. The goalposts are broadened – it drags home the same age-old clichés, and flicks our sensibilities by the wayside.
Sicario: Day of the Soldado
2018 · Film Companion · Jul 2018
Other than the way things are shown in director Stefano Sollima's sequel to Denis Villeneuve's 2015 film, there's nothing new about what it shows...
Isle of Dogs
2018 · Film Companion · Jul 2018
Because the invisible thread of kinship connecting a child to a dog is the same one that connects this filmmaker's vision to our perception of controlled imagery. It is, in essence, a language private and beyond reason. Clearly, for Wes Anderson, all the world's a postman, and its men and women merely dogs.
Race 3
2018 · Film Companion · Jun 2018
From the trailer itself, it was clear that Remo D'Souza's Race 3 would be a shameful exercise in Botox-injected vanity because its hero is also the co-producer. But there's a strange kind of smug awfulness attached to this sequel. Even though the first two installments were ridiculous, there was something infectiously silly about them – because we knew they were conceived by two small little Indian uncles dressed in pristine colour-coded whiteness in an effort to come up with bombastic ideas to out-spy James Bond. The self-seriousness, naivety and datedness were almost cute – like watching our analogue dads trying to figure out the latest smartphone.
Bhavesh Joshi Superhero
2018 · Film Companion · Jun 2018
Motwane, too, much like his mentor Anurag Kashyap, proves that he is prone to indulgence – not the good kind – at the worst of times. It's difficult, no doubt, to be such a solid craftsman that the landscape demands from you the willingness to experiment with different genres. It's a pressure not unfamiliar to those like Kashyap – who have so many skills at their disposal that anything is possible. But that is a happy problem to have, like the batsman with plenty of time and options to execute a shot. It shouldn't be a dull, derivative and depressing problem, like the superhero that relies on cameras and clicks to outline his legend.
Raazi
2018 · Film Companion · May 2018
Raazi is an excellent film because of how easily it could have not been one. On another day, this might have well been a jingoistic Neeraj Pandey actioner called Naam Sehmat. But Gulzar and her co-writer Bhavani Iyer don't lose cultural context of their material.
Omerta
2018 · Film Companion · May 2018
Omerta, a biographical drama on British-Pakistani terrorist Omar Saeed Sheikh directed by Hansal Mehta, opens with unidentified wails flooding a pitch-black screen. This might be the maker's way of informing us that the story – as is often the case, but frequently neglected by Hindi cinema's hasty biopic directors – began long before the film that will attempt to encompass it.
102 Not Out
2018 · Film Companion · May 2018
I suspect that this is the kind of average fare that relies on who its viewers are. Many parents might choose to overlook the flimsiness and view this as a winning unbeaten century in a chase. I'm not so sure others may look at it the same way. After all, if an opening batsman scores 102 Not Out in the first innings of an ODI match, it's more likely that the knock is slow, selfish, self-defeating and bereft of awareness.
A Quiet Place
2018 · Film Companion · Apr 2018
The horror film starring actor-director John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, is so current, uncomplicated and all encompassing with its narrative templates that it's impossible not to laud its slick form of genre activism
Baaghi 2
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
I suspect I will be reviewing Baaghi 8 in the near future. Perhaps by then, Hindi cinema will have moved on from believing that the Indian Army is composed of heartbroken college boys who decide to substitute women for country.
The Strangers: Prey at Night
2018 · Film Companion · Mar 2018
This film's inoffensive unoriginality is a reminder that Hollywood willfully abets the tired landscape by churning out a dozen identical sequels
Thithi
2016 · CatchNews · Aug 2016
An immersive rural tragicomedy built on loops of oppression...
Great Grand Masti
2016 · CatchNews · Jul 2016
Even Yashraj Films went through a phase of lazy, derivative wink-wink self-referential rom-coms when they ran out of ideas. Rohit Shetty's entire career is built on this. But the way Balaji has convinced repeat-offender Indra Kumar to run amok in their own film library points to a rather disconcerting possibility: Do they actually think this is a "homage" to themselves? That's like a schizophrenic copycat killer going on a rampage to pay tribute to his own gory legacy.
Rough Book
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Rough Book fails to be an affecting and timely film. Its lack of relevance lies in its first-bencher, textbook interpretation of India's most legal epidemic.
Udta Punjab
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
You can sense the makers' hearts breaking, as they dig deeper and harder into a world none of us wish we knew about. They're enjoying expressing themselves, but this isn't the kind of achievement they can shout out from rooftops about - much like a bittersweet, guilt-tinged victory over your best friend in a tournament final. It feels a bit unfair that its artistic merit may forever be transcended by the sheer heft and consequences of its subject.
Do Lafzon Ki Kahani
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
The words "Love never hurts, love heals," shine bright in the final frame, thereby proving that this film is like that mysterious facebook friend (you don't remember why and when you added this creature) who keeps sharing emo Archie-card forwards on their wall in ghastly sMs LiNgO.
Te3n
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
Te3n is far more competent than the similarly themed Wazir this year, but is nowhere near as smart as it pretends to be. It holds your gaze, and sucks you into the chase, only to shy away and go home with bat and ball once you get too close. At best, the film is an honest attempt at being dishonest - a slow and middling effort, given the remarkable resources at hand.
Housefull 3
2016 · CatchNews · Jun 2016
There's no point writing about the performances. They're all on an extended British holiday, being paid to behave like sugar-addled nincompoops at a funfair. What's not to love? (or hate, if you've paid for a ticket to watch rich stars vacationing abroad)
Waiting
2016 · CatchNews · May 2016
Eventually, 'Waiting' serves a calm and dignified reminder of how the act itself is anything but. It is a fine little film about love, and a kind of anguish that has its own little quirks and half-smiles.
Love Games
2016 · CatchNews · Apr 2016
Calling it a "posh urban thriller" is one thing, hijacking an entire landscape and soundscape to justify this inane production package is another altogether. I was planning to visit the country next year, and now I'm worried that I'll find rickshaws, overcrowded buses, honking scooters and hawkers selling Chetan Bhagat books and Bhatt DVDs at traffic signals.
Rocky Handsome
2016 · CatchNews · Mar 2016
I've seen worse, but to put things into perspective: The director's earliest Hindi film was the delightful 'Mumbai Meri Jaan'. This was before he discovered that making movies is a very lucrative business.
Jai Gangaajal
2016 · CatchNews · Mar 2016
The fortunate thing about Jai Gangaajal is that its politics is a bit more generic and easier to decode than Jha's previous efforts. But the unfortunate part is that it's just another 158-minute long Prakash Jha movie.
Aligarh
2016 · CatchNews · Feb 2016
The makers show considerable restraint with their film. It may be a story about hypocrisy, sexuality, intolerance, "coming out" and various relevant causes. But they will do well to remember that, first and foremost, Aligarh is a dignified account of two men who became necessary to each other - before the world (and the jowls of politics and Bollywood) consumed both, the movie, and its inhabitants.
Neerja
2016 · CatchNews · Feb 2016
Neerja isn't a movie I want to look back on and think about. I suspect it's meant to be felt - and reacted to - in real time. It doesn't matter if I discover tiny mistakes later. I feel shaken, and moved, and inspired right now. And occasionally, the first feeling while walking out the hall is the only analysis required, and the only instinct that matters.
Angry Indian Goddesses
2015 · CatchNews · Dec 2015
Make no mistake - this film could only have been about Indian women. It lays bare their inherent battles without being too gimmicky, pretentious or offering immediate solutions.
Shaandaar
2015 · CatchNews · Oct 2015
...we've seen it impersonating so many Indian properties on screen over the years that it now feels more like a party plot in Thane.
Kis Kisko Pyaar Karu
2015 · Hyperbola · Sep 2015
...this film is torturously dated, and runs far too long even as a glorified television episode. There have to be better ideas out there – like a spinoff movie on Sonam Kapoor's computer-genius character from 'Players'. You're laughing already. See.
Hamari Adhuri Kahani
2015 · Hyperbola · Jun 2015
Mohit Suri, who has progressively lost control over his craft, is only a step away from fashioning moving pictures out of illustrated music albums. As gratingly mediocre as Ek Villain was, this is easily Suri's worst film.
Jurassic World
2015 · Mid Day · Jun 2015
Certain classics, novel and inventive, because of the eras they occupy, don't need to be remade or franchised with similar strokes. Unless one redefines the grammar of its genre ('Mad Max: Fury Road'), it makes no sense; like building the Titanic again and promising passengers a whiter iceberg. Even Indominus, a fair-complexioned creature who takes forward recent female-centric themes, would much rather stay in test tubes. While the nostalgic child in me is curious, the adult in me is disappointed.
Dil Dhadakne Do
2015 · Hyperbola · Jun 2015
There's nothing wrong in making a rich film about hollow 'rich' problems. That she generates empathy for characters whose introspective sessions happen in luxurious suites and velvet bathrobes instead of cramped flats doesn't make this a lesser representation of mournfulness. These folks are victims of their own becoming, and it's as compelling to watch, if not more, than a caricatured rags-to-riches journey.
Tanu Weds Manu: Returns
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2015
This isn't the first time Rai has left us gasping for more at interval point, only to overindulge with his treasure trove of actors. Tanu Weds Manu derailed similarly with some strange behavior-powered formula, and Raanjhanaa self-immolated with passion and soul. Mr. Sharma is a skilled writer as far as situational awareness is concerned. Now only if he can string lesser situations together in a more coherent manner.
Surkhaab
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2015
Many Indians leave in search of a better life, convinced that a dollarwielding pauper is more respectable than a rupee-wielding pauper. Surkhaab exposes their naivety, albeit with dignity, despite an awry third act that threatens to dilute the strength of its hero. As a frustrated Kuldeep wryly notes, Jeet eventually lives up to her name. In a way, this film does too.
Bombay Velvet
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2015
Had this universe existed in a film not directed by Kashyap, I suspect it would have been appreciated more. But his voice precedes him, for he represents a fearless brand of Indian cinema. In this context, Bombay Velvet is a moderate Hollywood imitation; significant for the craft it brings on screen, but little more than an excessive footnote in a universal genre. I'd rather revisit On The Waterfront or Goodfellas instead.
Piku
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2015
Unlike its cagey titular character, Piku is a film that's hard to dislike. It is structured as a journey that relies, at times forcibly, on the relatable nature of its protagonists. The music feels like a warm breeze, worldviews and personalities seem familiar, and the quiet final minutes reiterate the circular motion of life.
Kuch Kuch Locha Hai
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2015
This is the kind of seedy effort that makes me wonder if director Dholakia wrapped up shooting every night, met friends at a bar and cackled at lewd jokes about which body part got maximum screen time. Before another male director has Leone play a nurse so that innuendos revolve around body exams and instruments, I suggest a blanket ban on bananas and Indian sex comedies.
Gabbar is Back
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2015
This loud movie predictably offers kindergarten representations of Indian corruption, and even the execution is awful. Buildings that resemble Jenga towers collapse in a camera-trembling earthquake, while tired combat scenes show Kumar barely touching his opponents. Don't take your children to this film, lest they watch Sholay later and exclaim that Amjad Khan shamelessly apes the original Gabbar played by Akshay Kumar.
Kaagaz Ke Fools
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2015
I'm usually a sucker for stories about frustrated artists. But this one is presented in a dated and garish manner that makes you wonder if the filmmakers think this is actually a groundbreaking concept.
Jai Ho Democracy
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2015
...the digs become so obvious, and the intention to frustrate viewers so desperate, that the message of Indo-Pak brotherhood and procrastinating politicians is lost in an absurd haze of theatricality.
Ishq Ke Parindey
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2015
Our filmmakers have milked the cross-border eternal romance angle dry. It's hard to tell if it's Indo-Pak tension that provides fodder for these done-to-death stories, or the stories that actually create tension between the nations.
Mr. X
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2015
Mr. X is a tremendously unimaginative film about a wronged ATT Cop who uses his accidentally acquired invisibility to exact revenge on his colleagues. More than Emraan Hashmi's hollow man Raghu, the script remains invisible with greater authenticity.
Margarita, with a Straw
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2015
This is a film that attempts to make us comfortable with the viewing and experience of disability, by exposing us to its protagonist's most monotonous and private moments. Charming title aside, Margarita, With A Straw-though a crushing experience deserves to be watched for her.
Court
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2015
The painstaking strength of this film could also be misconstrued as its weakness; Court is perhaps so good a movie that it doesn't look like one. It is unyielding, funny, mundane, occasionally boring and thought provoking, if only in hindsight. Just like life. Live it.
Barefoot To Goa
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2015
Though it combines my favourite cinematic devices—senior citizen, kids, road trip-I'm quite sure most kind-hearted adults would first dump the runaways at the nearest police station. But here, hitchhiking is eerily simple, and any stranger displaying concern comes across as a responsible pedophile. Performances largely involve walking and using different modes of transport.
Broken Horses
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2015
With the showboating Broken Horses, he joins the growing herd of Indian cinema's finest filmmakers who surprisingly find more merit in adapting and remaking old literary and film works. Perhaps it's time to stop romanticizing the past, and create a more original legacy-original stories, new visions, enduring cinematic memories that can be frequented with admiration by future generations. Instead of recreating Parinda, perhaps it is time for someone to create a new Parinda.
Ek Paheli Leela
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2015
Ek Paheli Leela is just an insincere, lavish and titillating compilation of every item song ever made.
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2015
Other than a memorable villain and franchise possibilities, this film-much like Shanghai-leaves me with a vague awareness of its quality. It's good, but I'd much rather enjoy this director's cheeky experiments with characters and convention, over pulp and form. Banerjee is the truth, but must he prove his versatility?
Barkhaa
2015 · Bangalore Mirror · Mar 2015
Invariably, Hindi cinema's depiction of bar dancers is straightforward: trash-talking roadies by night, virginal white-salwaar angels by day. There is such a vast difference between these two avatars that it becomes more difficult to digest than Puneet Issar playing a respected lawyer.
Yahaan Sabki Lagi Hai
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2015
Perhaps it is the filmmakers' intention to irritate viewers with irritable characters and existential rants, but it soon becomes an irritating watch. Pankaj Awasthi's cool fusion score makes their personal journey worth hearing, but there is little else that makes it worth watching.
Dozakh In Search of Heaven
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2015
I suppose there's a poignant message in having a Hindu play a Maulvi, and a Muslim actor essay the role of a Pandit, but such meta attempts are best left to the confines of an elevated wooden stage.
Black Home
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2015
Hindi cinema, unlike its documentaries, has a long way to go before becoming effective agents of awareness and change. Till then, my loyalties lie with sensationalist news tickers and good newspapers.
Dilliwali Zaalim Girlfriend
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2015
As mainstream Hindi cinema often teaches us, when in doubt: Sting operation. When in further doubt, let the heroes ignore journalistic ethics and indulge in morally ambiguous hidden-camera tactics more criminal than the villain.
NH10
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2015
NH10 is atmospheric, well acted, moody and crafted with a definite vision. A little more writing and less 'inspiration' would have made this its own distinct film. Perhaps if the filmmakers didn't assume that not more than fifty Indians have watched Eden Lake, I'd recommend this in a heartbeat. Of a strong, thumping heart.
Dirty Politics
2015 · Bangalore Mirror · Mar 2015
I feel sorry for the crew that works hard on these goodwill efforts, for they're at the mercy of unprogressive creative minds.
Coffee Bloom
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2015
Coffee Bloom eventually reiterates the importance of strong fine black coffee, if only to get through the movie.
Dum Laga Ke Haisha
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2015
Unsurprisingly, the studio's last-gasp stamp—in the form of an against-all-odds race that somehow becomes relevant and holds the contrived key to the fortunes of our mismatched couple—is visible in the dying minutes of Dum Laga Ke Haisha. Inserted for cheap thrills, this still doesn't take away from a charming end-credit setup that leaves us grinning all the way home. Highly recommended, and hopefully, a sign of faster times in Bollywood High.
Ab Tak Chhappan 2
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2015
This sequel will only dilute memories of the original. Unless you're looking for 56 shades of dull, dated and contrived grey.
Badlapur
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2015
It is easy to mistake an unpleasant viewing experience for a bad one. Badlapur is as uncomfortable as it gets, but it's also as good as it gets. Exemplary craft apart, this film also reiterates the importance of challenging convention-an art long abandoned for the haze of commerce.
MSG: The Messenger of God
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2015
Arrange processions, food banks, blood donation drives, but it is foolhardy to infiltrate an art form beyond one's capabilities. Perhaps it's time to stop gracing these vain projects with endearments like 'epic', 'so-bad-its-good' and 'cult', and reclaim the audiovisual medium for what it is: Canvas for Storytelling. Or be prepared for many more propaganda biopics masquerading as movies—terminal blows in the ongoing roast of the Silver Screen.
Roy
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2015
If anything, Roy absolutely merits an ambiguous ending, but again, maybe the time has not come to over-decorate a risky concept. The presentation is fine and for now, an idea, in Don Cobb's words, is the most resilient parasite.
Jai Jawaan Jai Kisaan
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2015
Usually, if anyone dares to criticize the craft behind 'well-intentioned tributes', the perpetrator's lack of patriotism and respect is invoked. However, today I am fighting for freedom: from mediocrity, and from oppression in cinema halls.
I
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Jan 2015
I is anything but uninventive car-smashing, doppelganger-farting Bollywood fare. Shankar's brand of escapism usually clocks Thalaivaa on a scale of 1 to Tim Burton, but this is an adrenalinfueled and, hopefully, permanent step up for him.
Mumbai Can Dance Saala
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Jan 2015
Bar dancer Tarannum Khan financed C-grade movies at her prime, only to have an F-grade film "loosely based" on her made a decade later. ...if this is a sign of things to come in 2015, I might consider alternate career options.
Take It Easy
2015 · Mumbai Mirror · Jan 2015
Just like cinematic villains verbally spell out their master plans, children in this movie seem to be completely self-aware. Their lines are like recitals; a little girl who can barely pronounce her own name tells her friends that she fails purposely so that her parents don't expect too much. It's clear that these kids don't know any better, and are voicing their writers' opinions.
Ugly
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Dec 2014
This isn't an easy film to watch, and not each of its 127 minutes is entirely purposeful. Everyone is an antagonist; there's not a moment when they are not driven by oppression and greed. I disliked what I saw, and I dislike thinking or even writing about its familiar environment. And this vile aftertaste is perhaps Mr. Kashyap's most significant achievement.
PK
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Dec 2014
I can think of nobody but Aamir Khan as PK, and nobody but Rajkumar Hirani as our teacher. Take in what they say. Enjoy the way they say it. Make this mandatory for impressionable children waiting to hope. After all, these kids will be the ones in charge if extraterrestrials ever pop in to review our planet. And for once, let them think past the stars.
Badlapur Boys
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Dec 2014
Badlapur Boys, a remake of Tamil hit Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu, is yet another unfortunate account of a sport that doesn't deserve to play second fiddle anymore. This film is surreal in its lack of structure, tone and motivation.
Main Aur Mr. Riight
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Dec 2014
I've watched many poor movies this year, but none as consistently cringe-worthy as this delusional fashion parade.
Sulemani Keeda
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Dec 2014
If you're of the opinion that Luck By Chance is the definitive B-town film of our times, chances are you will appreciate this appropriately low-budgeted, homegrown writer rendition.
Action Jackson
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Dec 2014
There's suspension of disbelief, and there's Action Jackson—where suspension climbs to the top of Everest, moonwalks and floats into the stratosphere strapped with eardrum-shattering jetpacks. Not usually my cuppa, but perhaps this one time, it is. With a shot of rum.
Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Dec 2014
This isn't an easy event to storify, because it is even harder to watch. While much of it merely lends grainy well-cut images to pages we've been hesitant to read about, this is a film that shouldn't be escaped.
Zed Plus
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Nov 2014
After the admirable Dekh Tamasha Dekh, Zed Plus - directed by Dr CP Dwivedi (Chanakya, Pinjar)-is another largely uncompromised and well-crafted example this year. What works in its favour is the primary thread of an ordinary man in an extraordinary situation.
Happy Ending
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Nov 2014
Average fare, but an extra half-star for inventive dialogues; for reminding us that his timing is intact, if only just.
Kill Dil
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Nov 2014
Kill/Dil is eventually the kind of lightweight effort watchable not for its content, but because you see the makers enjoying themselves. We admire the way they laugh, not the joke they laugh at. That said, more is expected of director Shaadi Ali (Saathiya), and perhaps this is just the rusty beginning of his comeback.
A Decent Arrangement
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Nov 2014
It's hardly surprising that NRI filmmakers manage to capture the essence and eccentricity of our ways with greater restraint. As evident here, theirs is essentially an outsider's inside perspective, an honest union of craft and storytelling uncluttered by commercial aspirations.
Rang Rasiya
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Nov 2014
Ketan Mehta's Rang Rasiya-a period biopic of arguably India's most influential painter Raja Ravi Varma-will be remembered not for its subversive images and tacky craft, but for its counterintuitive storytelling.
Fireflies
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Nov 2014
Fireflies is a brave effort, natural and languid for most parts. However, it fails to glow through its foreseeable conflicts and layers, and ends up being a statement in craft over storytelling.
Happy New Year
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Oct 2014
Surely, smarter films can be constructed with such resources, thereby opening up a new universe of possibilities for viewers and distributors alike. I can already hear box-office registers ringing, but ask yourself this: Would halls be full if Shahrukh Khan chose to forego his friends' films?
Mumbai 125 KM 3D
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Oct 2014
The 3D, worthless as ever, isn't post-converted for a change, with the use of stereoscopic cameras. This is a schoolboy error because the entire film is shot at night. The filmmakers try to overcompensate by lighting up every scene like the moon (you can literally see the source), thereby making this look like a grainy animated disaster.
Sonali Cable
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Oct 2014
The promise ends with the title. Sonali Cable is a superficial representation of a trade that has frustrated Mumbaikars for a decade-a relevant profession it had an opportunity to enlighten viewers about, the way Rocket Singh did for computer-service firms.
Ekkees Toppon Ki Salaami
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Oct 2014
This is probably the most entertaining out of the five films this week-with set pieces that crack you up and manipulate you-but invariably has you pulling out your hair in frustration. Such fine actors, but an opportunity lost.
Jigariyaa
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Oct 2014
Despite its design as a timeless saga, one ends up feeling most of the 135 meditative minutes. Nevertheless, there is something about this film, perhaps an oldworld charm and innocence missing in today's flashy love stories.
Spark
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Oct 2014
Spark is a dated political action flick that looks to have been concocted by melancholic film buffs in a smoky room during a mandatory 1-day editing course.
Beyond All Boundaries
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Oct 2014
Watch this, if only to be reminded how one man's passion is every other man's lunacy.
Bang Bang!
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Oct 2014
Bang Bang is one of the breezier Hindi-language action packages of recent times, but that really isn't saying much. The bar, albeit sparkly, still remains at the same desensitized height. It can best be described by my first answer when asked how the film was - 'Houseful'.
Haider
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Oct 2014
A more loosely based version might have provided a better structure and unpredictability to Haider's psychological battle. Even though the film's flaws are largely down to the nature of work it chooses to adapt, the universe it functions in is occasionally at odds with the characters.
Desi Kattey
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Sep 2014
You'd think it's virtually impossible to combine a Gunday-style exaggerated Eastern buddy flick with a fictional sports biopic with a dated 90s gangland drama. But Anand Kumar's Desi Kattey (presented by The Real Estate Guru), an outrageous exercise in anti-screenwriting, greedily does just that—albeit with an unintentionally comical outcome.
Balwinder Singh... Famous Ho Gaya
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Sep 2014
Brainless comedies can be fun to watch, what with the infinite characters, goofy plots and toilet humour. But the buck stops with lazy filmmaking—a crime that can ruin the best of punch lines.
Chaarfutiya Chhokare
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Sep 2014
Even earthy Rajasthani folk voices or Wikipedia statistics before the end credits cannot redeem an effort that would look best as a newspaper headline.
Meinu Ek Ladki Chaahiye
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Sep 2014
How disconnected with reality does one need to be to pen a screenplay, if there is one, that resembles a drunken twitter debate? I will spend sleepless nights thinking about the families of the unfortunate crewmembers. It is my job to tell you that the only inoffensive (and interesting) part is the preceding anti-smoking ad. It is also my job to ask the producers to withdraw this from cinemas in the name of public health and safety.
3AM
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Sep 2014
The most frightening aspect of a horror movie these days is its predictability. In this context alone, 3 AM is fearsome.
Daawat-e-Ishq
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Sep 2014
In tennis terms, Daawat-e-Ishq, much like its maker, resembles that big-serving player who can boom in aces at will. But as soon as the ball is returned for a rally to be constructed, the player freezes. And the ideas dry up.
Khoobsurat
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Sep 2014
Khoobsurat is a film that could have been infinitely worse if not for its supporting cast, cosmetically enhanced mansions and music (Sneha Khanwalkar) that is perhaps too funky and authentic for the candy-flossed treatment.
Creature
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Sep 2014
Somehow, Bhatt brings in a 17th century Peepal-tree connection instead of an interesting origin story. Why he always needs to link paranormal existence to some harebrained mythological legend is beyond the realms of alien understanding.
Finding Fanny
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Sep 2014
This film is exactly the kind of brave clutter-breaking effort that most critics wish for while lamenting the rigidness of mainstream stars. That it left me grinning long after the credit-roll is a testament to its ability to amuse, without resorting to gimmicky slapstick or toilet humour.
Mary Kom
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Sep 2014
While Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was a case of an overcooked narrative, Kumar's Mary Kom suffers from the contrary: an inconsistent narrative that seems too hurried to strike the right balance between her personal life and career, and ends up biting off more than it can chew. It could have done with 20 extra minutes of Kom's resilience, without liberally jumping time frames, to give shape to her stunted journey. I'd settle for an engaging documentary on the same, or better still, footage of her fights-and let the mere mental awareness of her struggles add to the gravity of battle.
Identity Card
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Aug 2014
A PPT history lesson about Kashmir at the end sums up a conflicted effort that could have been the new Wednesday. Instead, it leaves us to ponder over why the impetus was either on awareness or on storytelling, with both seldom combining to form a sequence.
Raja Natwarlal
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Aug 2014
This film is far from perfect, but makes for an acceptable non-Italian version of 'The Indian Job'-by entertaining solely within the confines of a revenge drama. The laughs are best left to Danny and gang.
Mardaani
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Aug 2014
That the trailers of Mardaani were disappointing could be a blessing in disguise. But for the climax, it is an understated and relatively agreeable mainstream film—manipulative but not exploitative—that thankfully falls short of sensationalizing a serious issue.
Katiyabaaz
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Aug 2014
Katiyabaaz covers all bases and cause-and-effect repercussions riots and elections, mills, tanneries and hospitals cut with an engaging rhythm that brings to light one of the greatest failures of fifthworld India. It leaves you with enduring images of a calamitous environment navigated by two antivillains whose thoughts and souls form a storied documentary that could well be a game-changer.
Singham Returns
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Aug 2014
I yearn to see Rohit Shetty step out of his booby-trapped comfort zone and attempt something different, because his brand of entertainment leaves no scope for evolution. With 'Singham Returns', the wait continues.
Entertainment
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Aug 2014
I recommend this for viewers who genuinely believe in leave-your-brains-at-home fare. But it turns out that I'm born with a brain, and what it does during a movie is beyond my control, unless I physically remove it. This can only happen if I'm a cartoon character, or part of the absurd world of Entertainment (the business).
Kick
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jul 2014
Kick is harebrained, patronizing and regressive at most points, and makes the age-old error of being a live-action Salman-starrer. Purely as a kiddie flick though, this is passable—if not plausible—entertainment for children that have never been exposed to movies.
Pizza
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jul 2014
Filmmakers that venture into this genre must note that it is about what one doesn't see on screen the anticipation of fear rather than fear itself-that leads to effective results. For now, the fear of being too original is fast turning into an epidemic. And if I can go an entire Pizza review without using terms like "delicious", "thin crust" or "menu", maybe a day will come when writers stop using nurseryrhyme crooning zombie children and ringing phones as permanent items on the horror menu.
Hate Story 2
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jul 2014
Director Vishal Pandya could have gone all out and crafted a flamboyant saga of love, sex and dhoka. Instead, he settles for a gaudy half-tracker of a film-the kind that has a car harmlessly rolling bobbing down a slope instead of leaping from a cliff in flames.
Amit Sahni Ki List
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jul 2014
Unfortunately, Amit Sahni is not a character I'd ever want to see succeed much like that customary rich friend that thrives on self-created drama. And structured around his contrived situation is a film like him--it strains hard to find conflict even when there is none, and ends up as more like an Ashton Kutcher romedy than a Julia Roberts romcom.
Lekar Hum Deewana Dil
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jul 2014
Deeksha Seth shows some spark, but it requires a better film than this to judge her. Both she and Armaan are undone by some poor writing and direction, and that is indeed unfortunate. While all's well that end's well for their characters, we would be hard pressed to say the same for the film itself.
Bobby Jasoos
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jul 2014
There are few things to complain about with Bobby Jasoos. It's a delightful caper with a lot of heart, and you root for both the film and it's protagonist all the way till the end.
Ek Villain
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jun 2014
There is no doubting that Suri's vision is clear in its own space-evident from the usual heady cocktail of lilting tunes and brooding antagonists - but his storytelling leaves much to be desired. Ek Villain is a prime example, and even as a standalone effort (as it will be, for most viewers), it is perhaps his weakest.
Humshakals
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jun 2014
Humshakals is a defiant film made by a man who is fast becoming a rebel without a cause. His audacity is almost frightening, but I was reassured by the pin-drop silence in the hall-one that'd accompany the screening of a gutwrenching war drama. This is, in many ways, not too different.
Machhli Jal Ki Rani Hai
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jun 2014
The title is a popular Indian children's nursery rhyme, and perhaps kids under the age of ten would have been the perfect target audience to frighten. Unfortunately, this film is rated A (Adults only), and therefore, falls way short of remotely acceptable levels of spooky entertainment.
Fugly
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jun 2014
There will come a day when an ambitious filmmaker decides to raise awareness in a focused, entertaining and constructive manner, but that day isn't today. F*ugly is more of a fight for all that is ugly, than against it.
Chal Bhaag
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jun 2014
The story is of little consequence because the makers get the basics and technicalities all wrong. They are at odds with the concept of background music, instead relying on Tom-and-Jerry sound effects to single out nonexistent punchlines. In spirit of the ongoing World Cup, if Chal Bhaag were a football team, it would be relegated to tier 3 of qualifying on the first day of the season.
Filmistaan
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jun 2014
It is still worth a watch, at least for a genuinely unique protagonist that almost overshadows a botched-up final act.
Kuku Mathur Ki Jhand Ho Gayi
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
Perhaps this film lacked scope from the beginning, but its shortcomings are definitely not a result of less effort. Also, credit to the producers for making sure that every viewer grins at least once-while having to name the film at the ticket window.
CityLights
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
Citylights' frighteningly carnivorous undertow singularly restores Mumbai's reputation as India's most absolute cinematic city.
Heropanti
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
I understand the need to market this film as an oldschool launch vehicle, but I have a question for the producers: Is 'Heropanti' the real phrase that comes to your mind when unsuspecting viewers buy tickets to watch your film?
Kochadaiiyaan
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
Many parallels can be drawn between commercial Indian cinema and conventional superhero sagas. Its beauty lies in the fact that they are inherently cartoonish at heart, often at the cost of relatability, without being boring or animated. Unfortunately, Kochadaiiyaan is both, and even Rajinikanth's loyal fans will crave for the real thing.
Children of War
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
The magnitude of brutality and shock is always amplified if preceded by brighter times, but in Children Of War, there is rarely any cause for hope or joy and sadness is only succeeded by further despair. I recommend its power to feel alive, but this isn't for the faint-hearted.
The Xposé
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
Honey Singh proves to be mildly competent, thereby not fitting into the scheme. Still, this is nothing that can't be overcome with a rowdy gang of friends and pre-screening tequila shots. 3 stars for the entertainment. Note that the final rating is the Arithmetic Mean-still two more than the number of stars in the film.
Hawaa Hawaai
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
Gupte works hard to imbibe collections of moments into his storytelling; the love and conviction for his subject is indisputable. Hawaa Hawaai isn't as compelling as his previous efforts, but still merits a watch for the gratifying culture he has constructed.
Yeh Hai Bakrapur
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
The story about this miraculous goat heads nowhere. The satire is too consistent, and the same ignorance repeats itself in different ways. Inexplicably, there is no third act. It feels like the filmmakers ran out of unconventional characters, and didn't even bother to end on an ambiguous note.
Koyelaanchal
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
Commercialism, greed, murder, chaos, brutality, self-indulgence...the filmmakers are guilty of all these traits.
Kya Dilli Kya Lahore
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
You know exactly how it's going to end, you know this is technically a partition story set within the simplistic confines of a low-budget (anti) war drama. Yet, it is riveting to witness their body language, their lapse in ideologies, when facing the wrong end of a smoking Rifle. These are two artistes at the top of their game, engaging us in a battle that is not theirs to fight.
Purani Jeans
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · May 2014
Purani Jeans is an unfortunate throwback to a non-existent era-a constant struggle to climb down an escalator that is clearly going up.
Samrat & Co.
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2014
...displeased that Samrat was part-kickboxer like Robert Downey Jr. and partsociopath like Cumberbatch-a combination most unsatisfactory in a Rajshri setup.
2 States
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2014
'Two States' lacks that exact sense of casting, instead relying too heavily on people's perception of the book and its' modest goals.
Dekh Tamasha Dekh
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2014
The admirable part about this cleverly-mounted liberal dialogue is that despite its mid-90s setup, this film refuses to take sides. Khan tries too hard to stick to a multi-tracked parallel setup though, and perhaps loses out due to the absence of a sole protagonist. At times, he tilts towards an idealistic newly-transferred cop, but stops short of giving him a voice. Still, this unfamiliar balanced treatment only adds to its topicality today, at this moment, in a country on the verge of a fierce political revolution.
Bhoothnath Returns
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2014
It is disconcerting to suddenly be told that ghosts don't always result in horror films. In India, they almost never do, because we end up laughing at the screen anyway. Perhaps the term 'horror comedy' generates from here. This is also the self-referential humour Bhoothnath Returns, the sequel to Bhoothnath, excels at.
Jal
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Apr 2014
The story is tropical and interesting; the execution of screenplay, not so much. Jal is constructed as the kind of expansive cinema that begged to be shot on pure film. Rather unfortunate, because Jal ends up as the kind of film that begged to be pure unadulterated cinema.
Dishkiyaoon
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2014
Dishkiyaoon confounds on a very basic technical level. Baweja sincerely tries, but is undone by scrambled writing that relies more on colorcoding than action or entertainment.
O Teri
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2014
Pulkit Samrat ends the film with an impassioned speech about corruption and abuse of power right to the faces of the perpetrators. There is truth in these words, albeit one that barely registers because of the 106 long minutes taken to reach this moment.
Youngistaan
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2014
Despite its timely intentions and catchy soundtrack, Youngistaan is a skewered immature tale that caters to the lowest common denominator of hope. It doesn't give its viewers too much credit, and eventually resembles the political system it represents. Make of that what you will.
Ragini MMS 2
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2014
Are you okay with the fact that Divya Dutta is a psychiatrist that specializes in paranormal cases? Or that her initial scenes are preceded by the same stock footage of Marine Drive? It doesn't matter. The makers are sure you will be okay with Miss Leone wearing her sexiest lingerie to bed every night. Or tied to a chair in lingerie. Where will you ever see that?
Gang of Ghosts
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2014
I wouldn't go as far as declaring this imitation to be the best form of flattery, but Gang Of Ghosts does arouse enough curiosity to make you want to watch the real deal. Excuse me while I procure a DVD.
Lakshmi
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2014
Lakshmi is not without its flaws; the sort of topical theme Madhur Bhandarkar would have chosen at his prime. It makes you cringe for important reasons though, and must be watched for its relentless pursuit of relevance and authenticity.
Bewakoofiyaan
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2014
Bewakoofiyaan isn't Nupur Asthana's best effort (out of two), but I'm still going to look forward to her next. All she needs is an ambitious screenplay and a voice—perhaps her own?
Queen
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Mar 2014
Queen almost defies its bloated running time. I say 'almost' because one too many moments of enlightenment are piled on towards the end, none of which are surprising. This is instantly forgiven though, as soon as some very innovative end credits begin to roll.
Shaadi Ke Side Effects
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2014
There is nothing more heartbreaking than watching a promising film dissipate within the acid of its own intentions. That I still don't doubt its crowd-pleasing roots is a testament to the actors involved, despite the one unforgiveable behavioral flaw: A football fan that puts his wife, job and kids ABOVE the game?
Gulabi Gang
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2014
I doubt you will see a more important film this year. Gulabi Gang is an ideology, a searing exercise in awareness, which is why you must make this your mandatory watch this weekend.
Highway
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2014
Highway makes for the kind of cinema we need, perhaps not something we entirely deserve. Even if you aren't moved by its unhurried simplicity, or do not agree with this review, I challenge you to resist an overwhelming urge to rush out after dark hoping to get kidnapped (or simpler, just take off) to the foothills of the Himalayas. In that itself, is the battle won by a film that strives for little more.
Darr @The Mall
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2014
Within the confines of this stumbling genre, director Kirpalani does a decent job with a predictable script. There is only so much originality left to operate with; even the ghosts have begun to look alike. There are plenty of set pieces (elevators, AC ducts, Mannequins, kids, CCTVs), but none as jarring as the Raaz series.
Gunday
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2014
Most landmarks of Hindi cinema have invariably been buddy flicks. Though not always blessed with technical bravado, their hearts have been in the right place. Gunday fails to fulfill that basic aspect- leaving you mildly enraged with the hope of what could have been, especially given the inexhaustible resources at hand.
Ya Rab
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2014
...a woeful product that attempts to speak for Islam while trying to dispel false notions about the religion, but ends up as a discourse against every department of filmmaking.
Heartless
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2014
Shekhar Suman's directorial debut Heartless, starring his son Adhyayan Suman, would have been the butt of his own jokes in the immensely popular 'Movers and Shakers' back in the day.
Hasee Toh Phasee
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Feb 2014
At some level, the writers have been subconsciously inspired by the Anne Hathaway-starrer 'Rachel Getting Married': a bleak drama about a wayward rehab-returned woman attending her sister's wedding over a weekend... Parineeti as Meeta is one for the ages; she is the powering force behind a well-mounted film which, for most of its 141 minutes, is a timely shot in the arm for a traditionally mishandled genre.
One By Two
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jan 2014
This is a captivating cinematic risk on paper. It is the story before the love story, about how destinies possibly intertwine in a big city. Will their individual lives be interesting enough to hold out on us for so long? Not quite.
Jai Ho
2014 · Mumbai Mirror · Jan 2014
Purely as a superhero film, Jai Ho works on far greater levels than, say, a Krrish 3. Petty powers like flying, web-spitting palms or acting aren't required, because the man has hands. And they're not the 2.5-kilo version. He even has legs that can kickstart an ambulance.