-
Warning
For avoiding the route of fantasyland, for narrating a story hooked on fact rather than fiction, and for being remarkably observant about the quirks, anxieties and hopes of the BPL (those subsisting below the poverty line), Rizvi makes an auspicious debut as a director of substance.
Aug 2010
-
Shuddh Desi Romance
An absolutely engrossing shaadi caper for starters which fizzles out into a shallow sermon on the institution of marriage, or the lack of it.
Sep 2013
-
Feb 2014
-
Lootera
...with just some more fluency in the dramaturgy and less self-indulgent pacing, 'Lootera' would have been unforgettable, deserving of an unconditional two, instead of a one thumbs up.
Jul 2013
-
Aug 2010
-
John Day
...can’t be described as an admirable work. It is certainly not meant for the squeamish or the 'Chennai Express' constituency. Yet, neither is it dismissable as an average, formula thriller. It has it engaging moments.
Sep 2013
-
Feb 2011
-
Highway
With all its pros and cons, here’s one of those films: ponderous enough to encourage a snooze but also with its rewarding side-effects. Needless to emphasise, Veera lingers on in the memory. And Alia Bhatt’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary, especially her solo stanzas of dialogue, executed in long takes.
Feb 2014
-
Highway
For all those who care about defiantly individualistic cinema, Daayen Ya Baayen is quite a few steps in the right direction.
Oct 2010
-
Tum Mile
While the first film or the heartistic section is scripted, shot and performed marvellously, the second one, is for want of a better word, sorry. Er..soggy.
Nov 2009
-
Makkhi
Yup, it does get very complicated but what the hell, still the result is a pretty engrossing mind-teaser. Can’t leave your brains at home for this one.
Feb 2011
-
Makkhi
You may have some issues with The Dirty Picture. Never mind because Ms Balan rocks big time.
Dec 2011
-
Makkhi
...may not be a completely satisfying two-hour experience. Yet its noble intentions and a bid to go beyond the surfacial situation in the troubled valley of Kashmir, elevate the outcome to a notch above the candy-floss and the commonplace.
Jul 2010
-
Besharam
Doubtlessly, this actor loves the camera. And the camera loves him back. Because of that rare interaction, you come out of 'Besharam', feeling elated.
Oct 2013
-
Shootout At Wadala
Gratifyingly, Sanjay Gupta doesn’t glorify Manya Surve. He is presented as someone whose life spiralled out of control, more of a doomed figure than a wonder hero. And that’s what makes 'Shootout at Wadala', quite a few cuts above the commonplace.
May 2013
-
Shootout At Wadala
Neither rabidly formulaic nor elliptically arty, this look at the aspirations and anxieties of a lower middle-class family, evokes a smile of rueful recognition.
Oct 2010
-
Shootout At Wadala
...oozes a fair amount of charm. For the viewer, exasperated by the ragbag of movies in recent months, here’s a designer bottle of balm.
Jul 2010
-
Ek Tha Tiger
Like the title Ek Tha Tiger deserves to be spoken of in the past tense. In two words, eminently forgettable.
Aug 2012
-
From Sydney With Love
It’s a pleasant surprise that newbie Prateek Chakravarty displays a command on the technical front, extracting competent work from his cinematographer, editor and sound designer.
Sep 2012
-
Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya
All said and endured, it isn’t a shudderfiesta. If you have some goodwill for the Deshmukhs, it’ll help considerably.
Feb 2012
-
Shanghai
Why Dibakar Bannerjee went derivative is a conundrum, especially when he has a 1,001 real-life stories to tell around him.
Jun 2012
-
Jul 2013
-
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns
...you desperately want to like 'Saheb...' and You-Know-Who-All-Returns, because you admire Dhulia’s craftsmanship and social concerns. In vain, this time.
Mar 2013
-
Jun 2012
-
Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani
Without Ranbir Kapoor, of course, this one would have been a mere ajab movie. He brings the much-needed underlining of ghazab to it.
Nov 2009
-
Tum Milo Toh Sahi
You’re glad you saw it for Dimple Kapadia and Nana Patekar. As it happens, the rest of the film doesn’t live up to their participation in the project.
Apr 2010
-
Gangs Of Wasseypur
...despite an outstanding ensemble cast and quite a few other merits, why does Gangs of Wasseypur leave you dissatisfied? Three main reasons: it’s too lengthy, too distracted and much too full of violence and fury signifying nothing.
Jun 2012
-
Heroine
Truly Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine is stale, a late delivery already pipped to the post by the far more incisive The Dirty Picture.
Sep 2012