Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s recent films have famously existed in a world of his own creation, a world cut off from the one we inhabit, a world where logic is often a hindrance. Guzaarish, his latest offering, may be less esoteric than his last film, Saawariya, but it’s still an unsatisfying effort because the filmmaker continues to invest more in the appearance of every frame than in the emotional truth of his characters.

Directed competently by Dhulia, who’s familiar and comfortable even with the dusty terrain, ‘Paan Singh Tomar’ is made with great attention to detail, and paints an honest, realistic picture of an India few of us can claim to know. Although repetitive occasionally and a tad long, the film raises two important questions: What could possibly drive a patriotic soldier into crossing over to the dark side? And although we call them sporting heroes, do we really care about our athletes once their careers are over?

Watch it strictly for Salman, who delivers enough bang for your buck!

Beautifully shot and aided by an evocative background score, ‘Dhobi Ghat’ is occasionally indulgent and moves at a glacial pace. Yet Rao creates some endearing characters, and embraces Mumbai despite its dichotomies. The result is a film that slowly grows on you.

It’s a pointless, boring film. Watch it if you have 200 bucks to waste!

In setting the film in the 70s, Luthria borrows much of that period’s cinematic style. Every line is a punch line, every dialogue a clap-trap. The nostalgia is enjoyable initially, and the film successfully evokes the spirit of those Amitabh Bachchan starrers of the 70s. But you become numb to the impact of the dialogues when even supporting characters and bit players speak in clever quips.

Leading man Ali Zafar has an endearing presence, and Pradhuman Singh as the chicken farmer scores with his comic timing. But in the end the film is only moderately entertaining. I’m going with two-and-a-half out of five for first-time director Abhishek Sharma’s Tere Bin Laden. The kind of film to watch on a day you have nothing better to do.

… two big thumbs up for director Dibakar Banerjee’s Love, Sex aur Dhokha. It’s the kind of film you’ll be talking about for weeks.

It’s an assured, confident debut and one hell of a rollicking ride. A textured, compelling drama that’s unlike anything you’ve seen lately.

From the man behind those decade-defining Munnabhai films, however, it is far from his best work. I’m going with three out of five for director Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots, an earnest but calculated effort that runs, but never flies. Watch it anyway, because it’s the season to be jolly, and good laughs are guaranteed.