“Parched” celebrates the joie de vivre of shared grief among women who live their wretched lives on the edge and are only too happily to topple over when pushed and provoked. Sometimes, feminism doesn’t need a full-blown messianic clarion call. A little tug, a firm push, will do. “Parched” hits us where it hurts the most.

PINK is an essential piece of cinema. Having Mr. Bachchan in an act which nobody can afford to miss, the topical courtroom drama questioning the mindset of the society on women and the prevailing double standards demands compulsory viewing. Do yourself a favour, watch PINK.

AR Murugadoss directed AKIRA has the kind of tempting action thriller allure that edges other routine adrenaline with its constant edge of the seat excitement showing Sonakshi Sinha’s in a power pack action avatar. Watch it.

HBJ has glaring flaws like Ali we are told is a musician but we never see him sing, is predictable and is a missed opportunity to turn itself into a laugh riot going by its premise and settings in Lahore with a couple of good punches on ‘urdu’ but still in totality it’s an harmless feel good fun that successfully puts a smile on your face when you come out. Go for it.

Though Akshay Kuamr fans will be awed and the theatres especially the single screen may burst with taalis and citis (claps and whistles), the thinking audience may wonder the need for the exercise to make Rustom Pavri so noble.

The winning and loving digital Mark Rylance as the good giant, Spielberg’s remarkable ability to make us believe in dreams again and of course the magnificent Big B mesmerizing all the way in his deep baritone as the good friendly Giant, THE BFG (BADE FARISHTAY JI) is the family stuff Disney and Spielberg are known for. – See more at: http://www.glamsham.com/movies/reviews/the-bfg-movie-review.asp#sthash.a2ELwROG.dpuf

DISHOOM lacks imagination, it’s formulaic but John and Varun make it watchable. Go for it if you love John and/or Varun or you are looking for a harmless fun.

What cringes SULTAN for a rational/reasonable viewer is the maker’s complete surrender of novelty, and innovations in his sports drama, considering the banner YRF, which gave CHAK DE! INDIA the SRK starrer has now become a cult and is hailed as SRK’s best ever.

SULTAN fails to break such norms while bhai happily breaks bones in the ring to please his fans thus ‘dhobi pachad-ing’ (limiting) this to a highly predictable but harmless watch.

Those looking for a dark, de noire, and grisly time on screen with a twist in inhumanity powered by Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s topnotch performance. RAMAN RAGHAV 2.0 makes the kill. Hit it.

All said and done, UDTA PUNJAB is certainly bold, highlights a critical issue and is powered by prize acts, though it makes the ‘thinking’ audience show a sign of concern, it fails to make the ‘aam junta’ react the way they should have. But for those who look for something out of the box, dark, with a ‘kick’ of realisms, UDTA PUNJAB is your shot. Take it.