A visually rich blend of fear and folklore…‘Tumbbad ‘ is a technically accomplished and edgy home-grown horror fantasy

‘Pataakha’ has the fuse, but not the firepower…Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaption is buoyed by crackling performances

The trailer of this film tells you almost all there is to know. Take that three minutes and add another 172: The main feature is a bloated narrative that skirts almost three hours. If the filmmaker had cut out the vapid first 15 minutes, and the black and white scenes (a narration device), think how much electricity and time could have been saved – not to mention how much more tolerable this film would have been.

Paltan is more testosterone and male ego than strategy or drama and, surprisingly, it’s tentative even in its jingoism.

There are shades of his tour de force performance as Professor Siras in Aligarh in Gali Guleiyan, with Bajpayee reiterating his command on his craft as he conveys so much while given so little to say or do.

Looking back at my thoughts on the second part of Yamla Pagla Deewana in 2013, it struck me that, besides changing a few names here and there, I could copy paste the analysis, sentiment and pain of that experience and it would be equally applicable to Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se.

Satyameva Jayate is a fairly illogical commercial thriller fronted by two actors who deliver forceful performances. It may not be the most intelligent thriller, but its lack of pretence is its greatest asset. It’s entertaining for some of the right reasons, and plenty of unintended ones.

A weak script with some directing inconsistencies, Fanney Khan had room to be an enjoyable comedy or satire. Instead it careened towards over-the-top melodrama with debatable messaging.

The weakest of the trilogy, this story takes exceedingly long to set up the key players and their motivations. Dhulia does end part three neatly poised for a follow up. That might work too, as long as Gill and Sheirgill are at the epicentre and the gangster is not required to dance and sing romantic songs amidst sand dunes.

Deadpool is a trash talker, but the brash attitude and incessant chatter are the balm that Wade spreads over his pain. His jibber-jabber gets tiresome after a while, however, and irreverent, subversive and shocking humour is funny only upto a point. After which, the grand action scenes aside, it feels like a pattern: Offend. Kill. Make an inside Marvel joke. Repeat.