Bhandarkar’s stories might have had their showtime, but they’re passé now and “Calendar Girls” is an example of a film-maker who has run out of ideas.

Calendar Girls is more than a decent watch. It’s takes a frivolous subject and weaves an engaging story around it.

The biggest irony, of course, is that the movie is one long meta statement. As the story follows the predictable arc of the girls finding success only to face sexism, misogyny and betrayal at every corner, you realise with growing horror that Calendar Girls is also exactly that: an attempt at chixploitation in the garb of social-message filmmaking.

Calender Girls is too ordinary and routine to stand out, that too, with an all-new lead cast. It may attract the audience in the initial weekend but sustaining at the cinemas is a far cry. Flop.

It is a glossier, more rounded version of that B-grade entertainment that is increasingly becoming synonymous with Bhandarkar. It will be able to titillate the target audience but as far as reality and expose are concerned, it is as shallow as the television debate that masquerades as badi behas in the film.