Suhani Singh
India Today
Most Divergent Takes
- Rustom (2016)2.0 vs TRM 5.6-3.6
- I Love New Year (2015)1.0 vs TRM 4.1-3.1
- Omerta (2018)3.0 vs TRM 6.0-3.0
- Cinderella (2015)3.0 vs TRM 6.0-3.0
- Action Jackson (2014)0.0 vs TRM 2.9-2.9
Sitaare Zameen Par
2025 · India Today
The film packs in some strong messaging and feel-good moments, but leaves one thinking—a little less education, a little more story please?
Pihu
2018 · India Today · Nov 2018
A two-year-old actress rules this exploitative horror...Vinod Kapri's Pihu, which is inpsired by a true story, is not for the faint-hearted
Baazaar
2018 · India Today · Oct 2018
Bazaar, starring Saif Ali Khan and Rohan Mehra, is a drama that fails to shine due to its sketchy screenplay...
Namaste England
2018 · India Today · Oct 2018
...is an exasperating romantic drama with astounding levels of ludicrousness...
Badhaai Ho
2018 · India Today · Oct 2018
Badhaai Ho, starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Neena Gupta, is delightful in the first half but soon loses its fizz...
Pataakha
2018 · India Today · Sep 2018
Pataakha, starring Sanya Malhotra and Radhika Madan, marks the return of Vishal Bhardwaj to direction. The film is entertaining in parts, but fails to leave a mark...
Manto
2018 · India Today · Sep 2018
Nandita Das film is a brilliant portrait of a self-destructive creator...
Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se
2018 · India Today · Aug 2018
The Gujarati-Punjabi culture clash offers nothing ingenious; the courtroom scenes are a farce and the special appearances of Asrani and Shatrughan Sinha are risible to say the least. After two hours and twenty seven minutes one can only hope YPD3 is the finale in Deols series of buffoonery. What's certain is that their enthusiasm and humour is now tiring.
Satyameva Jayate
2018 · India Today · Aug 2018
With the clock ticking past the two hour mark, all the spiel on farz, izzat, imaandari is too familiar. You are left with a realisation: truth hurts but Satyamev Jayate hurts more.
Vishwaroopam 2
2018 · India Today · Aug 2018
Vishwaroop 2 is a reminder that killing off a villain in the first part is always better than keeping him alive especially when he is on the verge of dying anyway. Haasan could have invested his energies on something more constructive - his second last Sabaash Naidu sounds fun - and audiences would have been spared a dull film.
Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster 3
2018 · India Today · Jul 2018
The Saheb Biwi aur Gangster movies have thrived on the combination of sex, power, lies and backstabbing but this time around Dhulia is low on ideas, humour and most importantly a compelling narrative.
Dhadak
2018 · India Today · Jul 2018
With a more substantial and empathic script, Dhadak could have struck the heart. Instead it barely touches the surface.
Race 3
2018 · India Today · Jun 2018
Avoid this Salman Khan action thriller at all costs...
Veere Di Wedding
2018 · India Today · Jun 2018
Everything is so rosy and pretty in Veere Di Wedding that all the issues are needlessly amplified to build a sense of drama and conflict. The brazen and unapologetic behaviour seen here extends to the number of product placements thrown into the film. The sisterhood of Dilliwali girlfriends for all their rebellion and nonstop whining and profanities ultimately seek validation in the most conventional way. Veere Di Wedding emphasizes on the need to make mistakes and learn from them. The makers are guilty of not following the diktat.
Bhavesh Joshi Superhero
2018 · India Today · Jun 2018
...the film's biggest weakness is its inability to make one root for the missionary zeal of the superhero. A hastily and lazily put together finale, which opens door for a franchise, the film feels distant from reality.
Raazi
2018 · India Today · May 2018
Raazi never deviates from its mission to reiterate the patriotic fervour of its leading lady who happens to be a Kashmiri. It's a fascinating situation but little screen time is given to explore the family backdrop. Because as Raazi reminds us, all is fair when it's a matter of motherland.
Omerta
2018 · India Today · May 2018
Ultimately his portrait of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh inspires neither fear nor disdain. It leaves you empty and wondering as to what drew Mehta to this guy in the first place.
Daas Dev
2018 · India Today · Apr 2018
With all the bad cards played - backstabbing, lies and mudslinging - Daas Dev drags on to a predictable end. The shades of Mishra's last great film Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi are evident in the climax but this film is no match.
Blackmail
2018 · India Today · Apr 2018
Unlike Deo-directed Delhi Belly! Blackmail's black comedy lacks pace and absurdity for viewers to be entirely sold to the events. Plot contrivance comes in as all characters indulge in blackmailing far too easily and with little repercussions. You stick around for the Irrfan show and he doesn't disappoint.
Hichki
2018 · India Today · Mar 2018
Some scenes may invite the eye roll for their mawkish quotient but even in them you can't take your eyes off Rani Mukerji. In her first film post motherhood, Mukerji reminds why she is one of the naturals in business of pretence. Rarely does Mukerji hit a false note as the driven and happy-go-lucky Naina who refuses to play the victim card and goes about embracing the kids that are not all right. It's her true grit that makes Hichki appealing.
Aiyaary
2018 · India Today · Feb 2018
As Aiyaary trudges to the finish line, Pandey belatedly throws a housing society scam, clearly inspired by Adarsh. It's the only part that resonates thanks to Shah in fine form and adorable strays in the frame. Lest it seem that the repute of Indian army is being questioned and its work being discredited Aiyaary hastily celebrates its valour and loyalty. But the film makes the mysterious world of military intelligence a big bore.
Ribbon
2017 · India Today · Jan 2018
Ribbon is an insightful and mature relationship drama that showcases the trials and tribulations of parenting in the city. In a way it's a perfect companion piece to Vikramaditya Motwane's Trapped in which a young man is pushed to his mental and physical limits as he becomes a forgotten entity in the crowded metropolis.
Fukrey Returns
2017 · India Today · Dec 2017
All good things come to an end so that they aren't stretched and made bad. Perhaps they should listen to the advice of their own creation Hunny who says "Yeh aukaad ka zamaana hai". Not risking another Fukrey unless they have a amazing trump card up their sleeves would be a step in that direction.
Kadvi Hawa
2017 · India Today · Nov 2017
Despite a running time of 95 minutes, Kadvi Hawa still feels a laboured watch. Nitin Dixit's screenplay trudges along, not digging deep into what has created the harsh landscape that has made the farmer woes from bad to worse.
Rukh
2017 · India Today · Oct 2017
Rukh has its moments as a story about a son driven to ensure that his father's reputation is not maligned after his death. But as a tale of a teenager seeking answers and atonement and a suspense around a death it doesn't arouse much interest. As Mukherjee lingers on with the far-too-restrained tragedy, it's the performances here that deliver. Tambe does a credible job as the grieving wife-mother struggling to cope with a death. But the shining, all-too-brief, star here is Bajpayee whose work brings this drama the poignancy it needs.
Golmaal Again
2017 · India Today · Oct 2017
In Golmaal Again, director Rohit Shetty takes pains to have a story even though the goal is the same: to laugh at all costs and here is our movie review.
Secret Superstar
2017 · India Today · Oct 2017
The film is not pitch perfect, but it has few memorable moments and a superstar-in-the-making in Zaira Wasim.
Chef
2017 · India Today · Oct 2017
Menon throws in a decent mix of father-son friendship and footage of food to keep Chef from falling flat. Some delightful moments emerge courtesy the generation gap between Roshan and Armaan. Credit goes to chef Sandhya C Kumar for picking out an array of dishes that will either make you step out for a meal or put on the apron on to attempt making the rotza. Ultimately Chef is that rare Hindi film that celebrates India's diversity of cuisine and its unfailing ability to whet our appetite and for that alone it's worth a watch.
Judwaa 2
2017 · India Today · Sep 2017
...even Varun Dhawan 's high-octane performance which includes many digs at the film industry can't hide how David Dhawan's idea of funny is loud, sexist, mostly cringe-worthy and frankly too outdated.
Bhoomi
2017 · India Today · Sep 2017
Omung Kumar's obsession for stylised cinematic moments is more melodramatic intolerable fare. Raaj Shaandaliya writes the most cringe-worthy dialogue of the year to reinforce the trauma inflicted on the father-daughter duo. Originality here means coming up with demeaning games such as 'hide and cheekh'. Its sleazy villains cross all borders of morality with their innuendo talk. The end result is a film which is an assault on the senses.
Haseena Parkar
2017 · India Today · Sep 2017
Siddhanth Kapoor gives Farhan Akhtar stiff competition in being the dullest Dawood Ibrahim on screen this year.
Newton
2017 · India Today · Sep 2017
Newton makes you want to be a more diligent Indian. It's a film that tells you that cynicism won't take us anywhere. It's a film that makes you want to not give up on incredible India. And it brings all these feelings by keeping you invested in the outcome of the election.
Daddy
2017 · India Today · Sep 2017
Daddy isn't lionizing or demonizing its hero but in its neutral stance it is also does not do a credible job of making him compelling for the audience. As Gawli makes a plea for an opportunity to redeem himself by doing public service one wonders if the Shiva devotee knows that karma's a bitch and it always catches up with you. Audiences won't cheer nor be mesmerised by Daddy and it's this detachment from the leading man that is Daddy's biggest pitfall.
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
2017 · India Today · Sep 2017
The manufactured climax aims for a brisk resolution without much explanation. The cameo preceding it makes even lesser sense. Nonetheless Shubh Mangal Saavdhan is yet another feel-good romance which, much like Bareilly Ki Barfi, works because of credible performances.
Baadshaho
2017 · India Today · Sep 2017
The nonstop action is a distraction for a lack of narrative. Luthria's great truck robbery is a thriller without thrills.
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
2017 · India Today · Aug 2017
Siddiqui is in command here be it as the hitman or the passionate lover but there is only so much he can do in a film which for all its activity of backstabbing and killings gradually begins to lose momentum. Babumoshai Bandookbaaz sticks to the crime drama template of guns, girls, sex and foul language, but ultimately like its hero runs short on ideas to keep the viewers hooked.
Jab Harry Met Sejal
2017 · India Today · Aug 2017
Despite the permanent sense of predictability Jab Harry Met Sejal works albeit only for the first half. The first 70 minutes are like the fun part of a holiday, when you are excited to discover and try new things.
Mubarakan
2017 · India Today · Jul 2017
Less tone-deaf humour, more quirks, a shorter running time and a more able younger cast and Mubarakan could have been more delightful.
Munna Michael
2017 · India Today · Jul 2017
Tiger Shroff's moves are all that's worth watching in this dance-action film...
Lipstick Under My Burkha
2017 · India Today · Jul 2017
Lipstick Under My Burkha is truly an ensemble film in which every performer leaves her or his mark.
Tubelight
2017 · India Today · Jun 2017
The good message gets lost in the overload of 'yakeen' yarn. For a film that starts out by celebrating Gandhi's legacy, it's surprising to see Laxman lose his cool towards the end.
Raabta
2017 · India Today · Jun 2017
Love aaj kal, flowers, chocolates, kisses, Pritam, Deepika. Vijan lays out all his trump cards and tried-and-tested elements of his ouevre, but nothing can save Raabta.
Baywatch
2017 · India Today · Jun 2017
Baywatch is that lazy, cheesy summer tentpole film which sticks to a template and doesn't even try to be nifty. When there aren't drugs and dead bodies landing up on the shore, there is a person or two who needs to be rescued. Gordon rests entirely on Efron and Johnson's repartee which results only a few moments of mirth. Everyone's a loser in Baywatch but the biggest of them all is Pamela Anderson. Age has not been kind on the popular model and the filmmakers devote more time on her hair than her actual face.
Half Girlfriend
2017 · India Today · May 2017
Neither a compelling tearjerker nor an epic contemporary romance, Half Girlfriend is definitely not the film to celebrate modern love.
Meri Pyaari Bindu
2017 · India Today · May 2017
This film about the eternalness of first love has its moments - the nifty use of a few old hits such as Meri Pyaari Bindu and Sapno Ki Rani - and is laden with nostalgia (Dear old Rs 500 note, how we miss you) but unlike those songs in the mix-tape, Meri Pyaari Bindu fails to be an all-time classic.
Baahubali 2: The Conclusion
2017 · India Today · Apr 2017
Baahubali: The Beginning ended with the question that left everyone perplexed. Bahaubali: The Conclusions leaves you with another: How long before viewers are treated to another Rajamouli film? Is Bollywood the next stop? Will it be another magnum opus? How does he top this gargantuan effort? The wait will be a while, but then Rajamouli through Baahubali movies has proven that patience has its rewards and that those who dream and dare can succeed.
Noor
2017 · India Today · Apr 2017
The only thing that Noor gets right about journalism today is that it takes little to go viral. We still can't make sense of what Noor has done to become a sensation but by the looks of it recording a "Mumbai, You're Killing Me" rant, which will make Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation turn red, and uploading it on Facebook is all it takes.
Maatr
2017 · India Today · Apr 2017
Maatr despite the gravity of the theme is a subpar drama. The film would have been more effective if the mawkish, flashback-heavy songs were skipped. Maatr is a missed opportunity to make a powerful statement against India's poor track record in dispensing justice and tackling violence against women. Revenge is a dish best served cold; in Maatr it's crass and oddly flat too.
Begum Jaan
2017 · India Today · Apr 2017
Instead of being a story about looking at historical from a lesser-seen perspective, we get a tacky movie which soon seems like an exploitation flick. The move to weave in a contemporary sexual assault attack reeks of emotional manipulation and lacks coherence. What is meant to be an act of valour in the filmmaker's eyes comes across as a crude gimmick. Begum Jaan for all its good intent is a misfire of epic proportions.
Badrinath Ki Dulhania
2017 · India Today · Mar 2017
Badrinath isn't always successful in its continuous attempt to tickle and touch the heart. There are set-pieces that never quite work such as a scene where a man's molestation by a gang of men is supposedly a source of amusement and a superfluous audition to find a groom. Despite a share of dull moments, Khaitan does manage to give some tropes refreshing spins and does well by emphasising on the significance of respect in a relationship. He doesn't shy away from highlighting Badri's and Vaidehi's imperfections. The biggest takeaway from Badrinath is that a woman leads the way and saves the day. She alters the hero's mindset and makes him a more considerate man. A better title would have been Vaidehi Ka Dulha.
Raees
2017 · India Today · Jan 2017
Shah Rukh Khan is the star but you'll cheer more for Nawazuddin Siddiqui...
Kaabil
2017 · India Today · Jan 2017
The boy-meets-girl story of the first half hour is a cloying affair. Rajesh Roshan's dated soundtrack consists songs that drag the proceedings. It doesn't help that Gupta, who hearts item numbers in clubs, throws in a terrible one in "Saara Zamaana". The sudden mawkish tone in between the action furthermore disrupts Kaabil. Much like Mohenjo Daro, which showed that one man alone cannot save a civilisation, Hrithik Roshan alone cannot save the film.
Ok Jaanu
2017 · India Today · Jan 2017
Ali brings little other than a few visual flourishes to the original. OK Jaanu is a carbon copy which lacks the emotional cadence and vigour of the original.
Kahaani 2
2016 · India Today · Dec 2016
Lacking the pace of the first half, Kahaani wavers in the second even after its leading lady gets to her feet. Kahaani 2 has a story worth telling and a heroine worth rooting for but sadly it doesn't match up to the thrills of its predecessor.
Dear Zindagi
2016 · India Today · Nov 2016
The memorable moments here are between Bhatt and Khan albeit most of them are already seen in the many teasers. Khan with specks of white hair in his beard and understated approach here will remind viewers of the good old days of Chak De India! and Swades respectively. But the lifeline of Dear Zindagi is its heroine who at 23 is at the top of her game.
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
2016 · India Today · Oct 2016
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is at best a good watch for Ranbir Kapoor fan[girl]s who have been waiting to see the actor play the lover boy with a musical bent. That Ranbir is back and here he is even lip-syncing the songs with conviction.
Parched
2016 · India Today · Sep 2016
Parched packs in many social issues into the film - from violence against women to the need of education of girls - and it does so without screaming from the rooftop.
Banjo
2016 · India Today · Sep 2016
For a film about music none of the tracks scored by Vishal-Shekhar make an impression, with a few being indistinguishable from the other thanks to Jadhav's extravagant staging and Bosco-Caesar's uninspiring choreography. Banjo limps to its 137-minute running time leaving the viewers not high on great music but low on a listless outing.
A Flying Jatt
2016 · India Today · Aug 2016
Despite sticking to the tried-and-tested, A Flying Jatt doesn't quite take off as an action comedy. The makers, knowingly or unknowingly, do give a few interesting spins. Most foreigners will struggle with India's pollution and heat but Jones' Raka is show to thrive on it. D'Souza leaves the door open for a sequel. But given that Flying Jatt has come of age by the end of the film and scaled new heights - he even flies into space - D'Souza and writers will have to come up with something more substantial to justify the superhero franchise.
UNindian
2016 · India Today · Aug 2016
UnIndian won't bowl you over but it is that breezy film which has enough moments to make you chuckle and laugh.
Rustom
2016 · India Today · Aug 2016
The tacky production values (the Parsis will especially cringe at the neon green walls of Rustom's house) and poor CGI make the period film an eyesore.
The Legend of Michael Mishra
2016 · India Today · Aug 2016
The longer The Legend of Michael Mishra proceeds more the laughs come at unwarranted moments. Jha's exaggerated set-up turns into a shambolic mess with poor production values and a listless romance.
Madaari
2016 · India Today · Jul 2016
For a film which makes a call for cleaning up the system, its last scene is rather off putting. Kamath's second release of the year is better than his earlier effort, Rocky Handsome. Here the saving grace is Irrfan's act. He truly is the Madaari here.
Sultan
2016 · India Today · Jul 2016
Sultan is ultimately a tropes-laden affair, with unnecessary songs and plot contrivances.It does have its occasional charm courtesy a nice supporting turn by Anant Sharma as hero ka friend who provides the laughs and then suddenly in second half becomes Sultan's ringside aid. But what keeps the 170-minute sports drama from being a borefest is but of course Salman Khan.
Udta Punjab
2016 · India Today · Jun 2016
Udta Punjab is not the most comprehensive film on the state's vicious drug crisis. What it tries to be, with varying success, is a humane drama about the damaging consequences of drugs on the youth, and how the politicians and police forces are partners in crime as they facilitate the illegal industry for their own profit.
Phobia
2016 · India Today · May 2016
The makers tie the loose ends together albeit with a few contrived events and a few question lurking. Nonetheless with Phobia Kripalani succeeds in his mission to keep the audiences engaged and also constantly thinking.
Sarbjit
2016 · India Today · May 2016
The blame lies largely in the script which doesn't leave much for its actors to do other than excessively cry or scream or otherwise sit sulking.
Traffic
2016 · India Today · May 2016
Traffic is inspired by a real-life incident, but the filmmaker has turned an interesting idea into a mawkish drama and a stretched thriller.
Santa Banta Pvt Ltd
2016 · India Today · Apr 2016
Recovering from the mind-numbing assault of Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 and Mastizaade was hard enough, now audiences have to deal with yet another deadly blow in Santa Banta.
Nil Battey Sannata
2016 · India Today · Apr 2016
Mother's Day is on May 8 and Nil Battey Sannata is a timely, fitting tribute to the paramount figure in all our lives without whom we are all lesser beings.
Visaranai
2016 · India Today · Mar 2016
Visaaranai is an emotionally intense and engrossing drama which gets its point across without being overly preachy.
Teraa Surroor
2016 · India Today · Mar 2016
Barring a few whistle-worthy scenes which amp up Reshammiya's quest to take himself seriously so much so that it borders on hilarious, there is nothing remotely engaging about this very listless love story. Kapur sums it up with his apt line: "I hate love stories."
Tere Bin Laden Dead Or Alive
2016 · India Today · Feb 2016
The film within a film format doesn't pay humorous dividends. A few bright ideas such as terrorists playing landmine jump, bomb relay and enjoying a retrospective of Osama films draw a chuckle. But that's as close to a laugh you will get in this comedy.
Aligarh
2016 · India Today · Feb 2016
Like Shahid, Siras's fate was also tragic. He was found dead in his apartment, just a few days after he won the legal battle in Allahabad High Court and the day when the University sent a letter reinstating him. Apurva Asrani, screenwriter and also the editor, and Mehta deserve credit for reminding viewers of a forgotten, reluctant and wronged hero who happens to be gay. Their biggest accomplishment is that they have treated him with respect and sensitivity. Qualities we, as a nation, could all do with.
Neerja
2016 · India Today · Feb 2016
Neerja is a dream role for any actress and Sonam Kapoor pulls it off, delivering her career-best performance as she assuredly plays an abused wife, a beloved daughter and a flight attendant caught in her worst nightmare.
Ghayal Once Again
2016 · India Today · Feb 2016
Sunny Deol cries, screams, fights, jumps off trains, runs, falls and occasionally also attempts to act. The last one is especially hard but he is unfazed.
Sanam Teri Kasam
2016 · India Today · Feb 2016
A romantic, cloying story to avoid at all costs...
Mastizaade
2016 · India Today · Jan 2016
Mastizaade has no masti whatsoever. This is intolerable cruelty, a vicious attack on the senses.
Dilwale
2015 · India Today · Dec 2015
One can't help but think is Dilwale really worth the ticket and popcorn and fizz. The verdict: It isn't.
Main Aur Charles
2015 · India Today · Nov 2015
Writer-director Raman spells everything out to build an aura around a character that is inspired by the infamous criminal Charles Sobhraj. But words alone are never enough to convince you that this is a man capable of seduction, deception and murder. You need to see it to believe it. That's where Main Aur Charles fails - You are never quite sold on Charles.
Titli
2015 · India Today · Oct 2015
Titli works because it is not just a poignant character study of an angry young man but also an incisive and intense family drama.
Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2
2015 · India Today · Oct 2015
It's an annoying series of rants rather than an entertaining film The heroes are frustrated, bullied and unhappy fools in love. The heroines are unsympathetic, unreasonable, temperamental, deceptive and intrusive. It takes over two hours for the men to figure out the mess they are in.
Jazbaa
2015 · India Today · Oct 2015
Based on Korean drama Seven Days, Jazbaa shows the Indian judicial system working at the speed of light and also a leading lady going over the top. Jazbaa is a ham-fisted drama which is loud and never hits the right notes.
Meeruthiya Gangsters
2015 · India Today · Sep 2015
It's hard to not see the influence of Anurag Kashyap, who enjoys credits not only as a presenter but even as an editor. Kashyap's style here sees a few slo-mos and a pivotal gun fight sequence unfolding in fast motion. But these techniques don't make for a gripping watch. Instead it is Qadri, who wrote and acted in Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur, who occasionally shows promise and lifts the film with a few amusing scenarios in which the lads pull each other's legs.
Hero
2015 · India Today · Sep 2015
Producer Salman Khan, who is also the singer of the only tolerable track in the film, continues his rather poor innings as a supporter and encourager of new talent in Bollywood. Pancholi and Shetty will hope that they get a second shot at glory. Hero is a debut film that makes Saawariya and Student of the Year seem good movies. That says a lot about the film itself.
Phantom
2015 · India Today · Aug 2015
Phantom is a hotchpotch of many Hollywood films such as Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, Mission Impossible series, Captain Phillips and towards the end even Titanic. The end result is a thriller sans thrills.
Manjhi: The Mountain Man
2015 · India Today · Aug 2015
Manjhi tries to be many things - a biopic, a social drama, a love story, a superhero flick with bad special effects - and fails to be good at being either of them.
Brothers
2015 · India Today · Aug 2015
Brothers is supposed to be an action drama but it ends up being an action comedy. Characters cry here at the drop of a hat. That's because three leading males have a lot of issues.
Jaanisaar
2015 · India Today · Aug 2015
There are far too many songs, all of which seem akin. It is not just that Jaanisaar doesn't draw viewers to the epic romance of Ameer and Noor, it also fails to evoke any animosity for the British who are shown here to destroy Awadh. That is ultimately the film's undoing - its inability to make viewers care about anything in the film.
Bangistan
2015 · India Today · Aug 2015
Good intent doesn't translate into a good movie. As Pravin and Hafeez engage in religious discourse, they get a better understanding of their own religion. But these scenes are so contrived that they irk more than enlighten. By the time the wannabe terrorists have a change of heart and head and turn peace activists, the audience is exasperated with the events.
Drishyam
2015 · India Today · Jul 2015
With the sluggish first half in which Kamat gives Tabu a dramatic slo-mo entry, the more suspense-driven second half is a vast improvement. Kamat just about holds it together as he takes a will-they, won't-they approach to the Salgaonkars and engrosses viewers into their fate. Nonetheless, you'll be better off watching the Malayalam original.
Masaan
2015 · India Today · Jul 2015
After Chaitanya Tamhane, who impressed with his sterling debut Court, Masaan sees the birth of yet another talented filmmaker in Neeraj Ghaywan. Masaan may not be as pitch perfect a first film as Court but it is not far behind in its accomplishments. Tackling topics such as love, loss, redemption with skill and ease, Ghaywan is a filmmaker in command of the narrative and the world his characters inhabit.
Bajrangi Bhaijaan
2015 · India Today · Jul 2015
Bajrangi Bhaijaan is by far the best film in the Swachh Salman Abhyan series. It will give his fans the Bhai they want and the remaining a Salman Khan who isn't always larger-than-life character. That is the film's biggest accomplishment.
I Love New Year
2015 · India Today · Jul 2015
The biggest flaws of the film, which was reportedly shot in 2011 and nobody wanted released until Ranaut struck big, are its shoddy screenplay, bland characters and unfunny jokes. It's a mind-numbing watch.
Amy
2015 · India Today · Jul 2015
In what's a gloomy watch, the moments of respite come when Amy is in the recording studio, crooning some of her classics or talking about music. "I was sick of the crap and watered-down stuff," she says explaining why she started writing her own songs. The Grammy win for Song of the Year draws tears of joy. It's fitting then that Kapadia ends the film with Valerie, which was Winehouse's last great recording. Amy may be gone, but her music remains.
Bāhubali: The Beginning
2015 · India Today · Jul 2015
In Baahubali, SS Rajamouli manages to break many rules even as he stays close to the formulaic path. The film has all the essential ingredients of a mythical epic.
Spy
2015 · India Today · Jun 2015
McCarthy is likeable even as she hurls abuses. This is a riotous comedy with women power at its amusing best.
Hamari Adhuri Kahani
2015 · India Today · Jun 2015
What was Vidya Balan thinking when she agreed to play a distressed, self-sacrificial, traditional wife making the most foolish choices for herself? How is it possible to waste Rajkummar Rao's talents? Why does Emraan Hashmi, who here is a rich hotelier and ahem India's most eligible bachelor, look so jaded and blank? Where is this gorgeous lily field in Bastar, Chattisgarh?
Jurassic World
2015 · India Today · Jun 2015
...won't make you scream but thankfully it doesn't make you yawn either. It just has enough of creatures to hold your attention.
Kaaka Muttai
2015 · India Today · Jun 2015
Ultimately, Kaakka Muttai celebrates the joys of childhood and the vivid imagination of kids, who find a way to reach their goal even if it is the most arduous one.
Welcome to Karachi
2015 · India Today · May 2015
The laughter tracks in the background score are desperate attempts to remind audiences that these are humorous moments. You may think that looking for accuracy and insight in a film like Welcome 2 Karachi is expecting too much, but if the generous creative liberties taken don't result in an entertaining film then one has to fault the filmmakers even more. Welcome 2 Karachi is a comedy of errors with few laughs and more exasperating sighs.
Tanu Weds Manu: Returns
2015 · India Today · May 2015
While the first half is pacy, fun and eventful and spearheaded fabulously by Ranaut, the second is a disappointment. Devoid of ideas to reach the inevitable climax, Rai crams it with wedding festivities (three in a span of an hour) and far too many songs, which drag the proceedings and contribute little to the story.
Bombay Velvet
2015 · India Today · May 2015
Kashyap's foray into mainstream is ambitious in its scale but flawed in its execution.
Shahid
2013 · India Today · May 2015
Traditionally, Bollywood is known to turn biopics into hagiographic accounts of the subjects. But Shahid stops short of hero worship and is a fitting tribute to an inspiring figure.
Piku
2015 · India Today · May 2015
Piku brings to attention the changing trends in developing India in which young people living in metros struggle to make time for themselves and attend to needs of their ageing parents. There are some memorable scenes in which characters are unafraid to be vulnerable as they let go off their emotions. Credit goes to Chaturvedi that she does so simply, movingly, delightfully and more so in an unpredictable manner. Piku is a lovely tale which will touch your heart even if it does so by talking about bowel troubles.
Court
2015 · India Today · Apr 2015
In a film of many highs, the film's real star though is Tamhane, who is in control of the proceedings from the beginning. His detailed eye and wry sense of humour only enhance the courtroom experience.
Margarita, with a Straw
2015 · India Today · Apr 2015
It is for Kalki's fine performance and Bose's commendable effort to treat its lead just like any other person, we recommend watching Margarita, With a Straw.
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy
2015 · India Today · Apr 2015
Bandopadhyay's stories are a page-turner. The same cannot be said for Banerjee's story which while it is ambitious on scale falls short on pace and thrill. Banerjee gets a tad too indulgent with the technical crafts. It comes at the cost of a lack of engaging tug-of-war between Bakshy and his nemesis; Banerjee and Juvekar don't manage to give him enough weight in screen time. The editing is sluggish which only hampers the narrative. Overall, the canvas is great but the work on it leaves a lot to be desired.
Hunterrr
2015 · India Today · Mar 2015
Hunterrr has its share of dirty jokes, frivolous fun and the uninhibited moments which will increase its appeal from boys to men. However, one wishes that as the film reaches the always foreseeable end there was a better depiction of Mandar's redemption.
Cinderella
2015 · India Today · Mar 2015
Cinderella is a colossal waste of great talent and viewers' time.
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
2015 · India Today · Mar 2015
Unlike most, this sequel is not totally superfluous. Parker's screenplay gives almost all the central characters something to occupy themselves with, though only a few have well-detailed journeys. The film, however, is best when it focuses on key issues of old age with subtlety and dignity, never making it mawkish. That Madden and Parker have Smith taking on that responsibility on her firm shoulders makes the film worth a watch.
NH10
2015 · India Today · Mar 2015
Even as the edgy second half engrosses you, NH10 still feels contrived as it nears the finishing line. But that's not taking away from Sharma's performance, which adds vigour to an average screenplay and sets aside other characters as superfluous, so much so that you don't remember their names.
Dum Laga Ke Haisha
2015 · India Today · Mar 2015
...one of those rare family entertainers which tick all the right boxes.
Ab Tak Chhappan 2
2015 · India Today · Feb 2015
For an action drama, there is a lot of talk in Ab Tak Chhappan 2 but not all of it is worth a listen. Obviously, Patekar's Agashe has the best lines as he shoots wisecracks and indulges in sardonic talk. Some of it draws a few laughs, making it the only redeeming bit of the film.
Badlapur
2015 · India Today · Feb 2015
Dhawan's attempt is earnest but the laboured performance leaves you desiring for more especially when you are up against the more assured and at ease, Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Roy
2015 · India Today · Feb 2015
For a film about inspiration, Roy fails to inspire any emotions other than frustration.
Shamitabh
2015 · India Today · Feb 2015
...even as Balki guides his third film to his trademark mawkish route, the effect is nowhere the same as Paa for the heart is missing.
Baby
2015 · India Today · Jan 2015
Following A Wednesday and Special Chhabis, Pandey works with a bigger canvas for his third film. But Baby proves that bigger doesn't always mean better.
American Sniper
2015 · India Today · Jan 2015
American Sniper's soul is Bradley Cooper...For all the bravado of Kyle, American Sniper lacks courage to realistically see the perils of war.
Paddington
2015 · India Today · Jan 2015
A feel-good, fun-tastic film, Paddington is a delight for both kids and adults.
I
2015 · IndiaToday · Jan 2015
A lot of parts of the story seem juvenile which can't be ignored because the scale is so large and so are the expectations. Full marks to Shankar's vision and Vikram's acting and that's reason enough to watch I.
Tevar
2015 · India Today · Jan 2015
Tevar has too little attitude and lesser in the name of entertainment.
PK
2014 · India Today · Dec 2014
It may not entirely live up to the lofty expectations one has of a Rajkumar Hirani film, but PK is still very much a Hirani film. It is a feel-good, family entertainer with a charismatic lead. It is well-meaning and amusing film, occasionally brimming with great ideas.
Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain
2014 · India Today · Dec 2014
Inspired by real events and characters, Kumar has said that he hopes to inform the newer generation about the tragedy. Unfortunately, this is not the film that does justice to it.
Action Jackson
2014 · India Today · Dec 2014
Action Jackson is a vicious assault to the senses...Move over Humshakals and O Teri. The award for the worst film of the year goes to Action Jackson.
Ungli
2014 · India Today · Nov 2014
Ungli has a lofty, well-meaning premise which is presented wearily, with dialogue writer Milap Milan Zaveri, the crew member most responsible for the mishap.
Happy Ending
2014 · India Today · Nov 2014
Happy Ending is barely 'hatke'...Endings, says Yudi, are hard as he explains why there is a stack of unfinished manuscripts on his shelf. The makers also struggle to reach their own version of a happy ending.
Kill Dil
2014 · India Today · Nov 2014
With its dialogues and incessant bullets and songs, Kill Dil tries to make a lot of noise. But the film's plain vanilla with little drama/thrill to keep you hooked.
Super Nani
2014 · India Today · Nov 2014
Mawkish, preachy and contrived, Super Nani is a tiring watch.
Roar
2014 · India Today · Oct 2014
Roar makes little sense...A friend summed it up best. "The audience will need tiger balm after seeing Roar."
Fury
2014 · India Today · Oct 2014
While Fury never lulls, it also doesn't surprise as a war drama, its emotional range rather limited. Nonetheless, the film is a hard reminder that with war leaves many scars, both seen and unseen.
Happy New Year
2014 · India Today · Oct 2014
The film, at best, seems like Shah Rukh paying a tribute to himself. He paraphrases dialogues of his earlier films. With his ten-pack abs, bronzed face and blond streaks, he goes for an image makeover. He is no longer the quintessential romantic hero but a patriot, a devoted son, a fighter and a leader. For Charlie's entry, a few of litres of water are wasted. In another entry, nearing the climax, a silhouette of Khan with his arms extended, is set against the backdrop of the Indian flag with chants of "We Want Charlie". Shah Rukh, you see, is as big as the nation. Ultimately, his film is big on scale and small on ideas.
Mary Kom
2014 · India Today · Sep 2014
For a sports biopic running at what seems a reasonable length of 2 hours 3 mins, there're innumerable moments of restlessness in the film. Mary Kom doesn't have enough to pack a punch.
Entertainment
2014 · India Today · Aug 2014
Entertainment is a bagful of boring tricks...The world as they say has really gone to the dogs.
Humshakals
2014 · India Today · Jun 2014
Simply put, comedy never looked this bad. Humshakals is an unforgiveable farce. At one point in the film, Chunky Pandey, whose cameo appearance is forgettable, says, "This is public harassment." That is the precise sentence we'll use to describe the experience of seeing this film.
Filmistaan
2014 · India Today · Jun 2014
Filmistaan depends far too much on its hero to control the proceedings. The climax drags as one awaits Sunny's fate. As a film recognising the influence of cinema, Filmistaan is engaging, but not as a kidnapping thriller.
Kochadaiiyaan
2014 · India Today · May 2014
Soundarya has stated in interviews that Kochadaiiyaan is her way to immortalize her father. Despite having two Rajinis in the film, she doesn't succeed as the revenge action drama the film never quite engrosses you.
Heropanti
2014 · India Today · May 2014
Ultimately, Heropanti becomes all about Shroff's athletic ability and has little to do with his acting ones.
The Xposé
2014 · India Today · May 2014
The Xpose is HR's way of saying he can do everything that Salman Khan, the man who gave him his big break, can do. With little merit in the film, we're more interested in seeing the featurette on the making of the film.
Million Dollar Arm
2014 · India Today · May 2014
Million Dollar Arm keeps you engaged as McCarthy succeeds in peppering the script with a balance of light-hearted and poignant moments. AR Rahman's score is mishmash, drawing sounds from everywhere leaving the soundtrack with no standout track.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
2014 · India Today · Apr 2014
Simply put, this Spider-Man has little to offer that truly amazes you.
Fandry
2013 · India Today · Apr 2014
Manjule also offers a vivid, real picture of life in rural Maharashtra. There is Jabya ironing his clothes with the base of a hot glass. Or when the family goes out to collect wood to weave baskets. Proving that is a great storyteller, Manjule especially creates endearing scenes between Jabya and Piraji, who engage in fun and candid conversation about yearnings. Watch out for a lovely dream sequence which both tickles and moves.
O Teri
2014 · India Today · Mar 2014
Superfluous songs, poor characterization, sloppy editing and shoddy writing are just a few of the problems with O Teri. We think reading the investigation files on the many wrongdoings of the officials of CWG's organising committee including the controversial sports administrator Suresh Kalmadi will be more entertaining than watching O Teri.
Dishkiyaoon
2014 · India Today · Mar 2014
As temperaments rise, shootouts become common and the body count increases, Dishkiyaoon becomes more cumbersome to watch. There is nothing "poetic", as Lakwa likes to say, about the proceedings.
Ragini MMS 2
2014 · India Today · Mar 2014
For a film which is billing itself as India's first horrex (horror and sex) genre film, Ragini MMS 2 is hardly a spine-chilling tale. Ironically, the sequel to the 2011 film, which had genuine scream-inducing scenes, works better at tickling the funny bone.
Ankhon Dekhi
2014 · India Today · Mar 2014
Ultimately, Ankhon Dekhi's biggest strength lies in the subtlety of its emotions. This is a profound film but it never comes across as preachy.
Lakshmi
2014 · India Today · Mar 2014
Kukunoor opts for a documentary-style approach which offers little new insight about the plight of the women thrown into prostitution. The film slips in the second half when Lakshmi takes the perpetrators to court and doesn't buck under the pressure as she shares details about her ordeal. While the film avoids mawkish courtroom theatrics, the scenes are so listless and shoddily put together that they wear viewers out than draw a strong emotional response.
Bewakoofiyaan
2014 · India Today · Mar 2014
A romantic-comedy, the unfortunately titled Bewakoofiyaan offers a jaded romance and few laughs. Asthana's debut, Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge, had endearing characters, sizeable humour quotient and a decent soundtrack. All are missing in Bewakoofiyaan.
Total Siyapaa
2014 · India Today · Mar 2014
The film turns into an unfunny comedy of errors. One misfortune after another befalls Aman who finds his day getting worse as he is humiliated and insulted by Asha's family. There is no consistency in the plot either. One moment Aman feels guilty for accidentally killing his prospective father-in-law and moments later he is joyously dancing with his girlfriend's sister.
Gunday
2014 · India Today · Feb 2014
It helps that in the midst of all the intense action and drama, Gunday doesn't take itself too seriously. It's unpretentious in its aim to appease at all costs and be an entertainer with doses of action, drama, romance, humour and yes, bromance.
Hasee Toh Phasee
2014 · India Today · Feb 2014
Hasee Toh Phasee is a refreshing, much-needed entry in the contemporary romcom genre, which has lately seen a series of uninspiring films. It's largely to do with the presence of an unseen pairing with great chemistry - Chopra and Sidharth Malhotra - and Mathew and writer Harshvardhan Kulkarni's perky take on love.
Jai Ho
2014 · India Today · Jan 2014
Mr Khan has been the undisputed action star for a while but with Jai Ho the actor is keen to expand on his Being Human avatar and force on viewers a social message. Don't accept the gratitude of those who you help, instead ask them to help three people in turn. Given that audiences didn't react to these words of wisdom in the theatre and instead cheered and clapped when Khan tore his T-shirt and screamed and broke bones of his many opponents, we don't know how much of it will be soaked in.
Dedh Ishqiya
2014 · India Today · Jan 2014
Dedh Ishqiya's success can be attributed to the taut story of Darab Farooqui which is aided by Chaubey's fine screenplay, Vishal Bhardwaj's rib-tickling, naughty dialogues and Dr Bashir Badr's lovely Urdu poems. Chaubey conjures a quaint, lyrical and extravagant world, which he uses to highlight the waning wealth of feudal society. The film is at its best when characters poke fun at each other.
What The Fish
2013 · India Today · Dec 2013
If there is one thing that director Gurmmeet Singh gets right about his film, it's the title. What the Fish is filled with absurd situations and an array of supposedly quirky, certainly irresponsible characters whose job is to annoy you. Do they succeed! Their accomplice in this crime is a script which prides itself in being inane but fails terribly in being even remotely funny.
R... Rajkumar
2013 · India Today · Dec 2013
Everything is heavily choreographed: from the songs to the action sequences. Kapoor demonstrates that he is the best dancer in Bollywood with fluid moves and energy in "Gandi Baat" and "Sari Ke Fall Saa". But the action soon becomes tiring as there are only that many flying and rolling bodies that you can see. Towards the climax, one feels one is watching a bout of the Ultimate Fighting Championship whose result is long known.
Rajjo
2013 · India Today · Nov 2013
The film is full of absurdities which border on ludicrous. A Virar train has never looked this empty. A parrot dies and his remains are eaten by a cat. A sugarcane vendor does shayari.
Captain Phillips
2013 · India Today · Oct 2013
The film does occasionally seem like a battle of good vs evil and might vs mettle. As much as it is about Phillips' ordeal, it is also a battle in which the well-equipped American Navy SEALs take on four skinny Somali men stuck in a lifeboat. It's a sight that inspires as much awe as amusement.