Straight-forward, middle-class fellow up against the big, bad system. `Gali Gali Mein Chor Hai’ pours old wine into a cracked bottle, telling us everything we’ve always known even if we were afraid to ask. Corruption is all pervasive. Public servants—cops, lawyers, netas– do what they know best : extort, harass, intimidate. `Ek thaali, sab chatte batte’. Sigh.

The one thing Abbas-Mustan films practically guarantee, despite the degree of theft or ‘inspiration’ from Hollywood flicks, is pacy entertainment. The plot of `Players’ is not stolen, but honorably bought, and has a terrific pedigree : the original ‘Italian Job’ had the groovy Michael Caine as super-thief Charlie, and lots of lovely lolly; the remake nearly 40 years later had the beefy Mark Wahlberg reprising Charlie the Chor’s role, and the very dishy Charlize Theron as the bad-good girl. Both films gave us the kind of enjoyment the best heist movies do : slick thieves with slicker moves, blonde bombshells, zippy car-chases and worthy villains.

‘Don 2’ needed an energized, crackling plot. What it has, in almost too much abundance, is SRK dripping dimpled coolth. But cool can only take you so far.

The leads look as if they have just strolled off modeling assignments, and speak out their lines, putting their best profiles forward.

‘Ladies vs Ricky Bahl’ proves that old adage : newness has a habit of wearing off.

What makes us watch, despite everything—the overheating, the overwriting– is Vidya Balan, who dares to go where not too many leading ladies have. This is her film. But it would have been a better, braver film if it had let her go all the way, not just in bed.

There is a generous sprinkling of the F word, and juvenile phrases : one is unraveled, for those who do not know, as Kilometer Litre Petrol Diesel. Groan.

‘Rockstar’ looks as if there may be something in it, despite the familiar post-teen love tropes that Ali sets up. We’re still trying on new girl Fakhri for size, just as her hero is, and keeping an open mind.

The kindest thing I can say about ‘Miley Naa Miley Tum’ is that it is not a disaster.

It is a superstarry slurry sludge, with just the occasional consolatory sparkle.