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Pink
The most pertinent point this film underlines is the feudal mindset of the milieu, amplified by the sense of male entitlement that eliminates consent.
Sep 2016
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Ajji
Evolving from shorts to full-length, director Devashish Makhija makes a remarkable debut. Having delivered in a format where every frame must offer something novel to justify its presence, Makhija manages to keep affairs crisp, pointedly aggressive and consequently, effective.
Nov 2017
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Bahubali
It not only sets a milestone in visual technique but also establishes a benchmark in storytelling.
Jul 2015
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Badhaai Ho
This socially-awkward construct lends itself to such compelling material that even a compilation of reaction shots would suffice. But writers Shantanu Srivastava and Akshat Ghildial capitalise on the uneasiness of being in this pickle to script hilarious sequences that would leave you in splits.
Oct 2018
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Talvar
...writer Vishal Bharadwaj deserves credit for penning a story that engages, presents multiple perspectives and provides just the right amount of distractions, without straying focus away from the core story.
Oct 2015
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Trapped
Director Vikramaditya Motwane deserves credit, not just for delivering on the construct, but for opening doors to filmmakers who will now dare to pitch a concept without worrying about the traditional yardsticks that govern the commerce of cinema.
Mar 2017
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Trapped
Director Vikramaditya Motwane deserves credit, not just for delivering on the construct, but for opening doors to filmmakers who will now dare to pitch a concept without worrying about the traditional yardsticks that govern the commerce of cinema.
Mar 2017
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Thappad
...is an essential and educational watch for a society which deserves a tight, resounding one on the cheek for dismissing such acts as ‘one-off episodes’, incapable of having life-altering ramifications.
Feb 2020
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Dil Dhadakne Do
There are films that win for their dialogue and there are those that say it all without literally saying much. Dil Dhadakne Do falls in the second category.
Jun 2015
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Baahubali 2: The Conclusion
With Bahubali: The Begining, S S Rajamouli gave us an epic that generations from now will watch — to appreciate and analyse, academically. With this sequel, he sets a milestone in visual technique and also establishes a benchmark in storytelling.
Apr 2017
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Aligarh
It's a film of many firsts. And given how most Hindi movies caricature homosexuals, this one is a reality check.
Feb 2016
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Kapoor & Sons
Director Shakun Batra has matured from a filmmaker solely capable of romcoms to one who can infuse depth into characters and script relationships in all its verity.
Mar 2016
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Manmarziyaan
Love triangles are as old as cinema itself. But this one marks an evolution of the genre that most reduce to “who gets the girl?” and comprehensively concludes that often, love is not all it takes.
Sep 2018
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Mukti Bhawan
Those hopeful for a rib-tickling comedy will be disappointed. This one is sharp, subtle and subliminally draws humour from misery.
Apr 2017
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Chhichhore
The devil surely is in Tiwari’s sharp dialogues that ensure the film is consistently breezy and even in the sentimental scenes, the message is dropped without sounding too preachy. That said, the film tends to sag a bit in the second half before managing to redeem itself before the climax.
Sep 2019
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Tanhaji
With filmmakers scrambling to convert historical accounts into big-screen spectacles, this one makes for a deserving tribute to a warrior who slipped through the cracks of history and arguably, was eclipsed by the Maharaj he represented.
Jan 2020
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Newton
Director Amit Masurkar packs in humour, tension and even adventure, in this political satire that despite being largely uneventful, keeps one interested and concerned about the proceedings on the screen.
Sep 2017
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Section 375
...this film dares to delve into the unchartered territory of convictions that disregard some of the equations pertaining to the case. If these often-ignored connections were to be highlighted, they may not undermine the heinous act but would surely put things in a new perspective.
Sep 2019
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Chhapaak
While this story lacks that tension, the horrific episodes of assault pack the proceedings with sufficient dread to leave one singularly disturbed.
Jan 2020
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Lipstick Under My Burkha
The film explores India's twisted relationship with intercourse. Patriarchy defines it as a male need delivered by a female who can barely voice whether the act evokes pain or pleasure. And it is this voice that the film deliberates while referring to 'sapne' and how Indian women can't dare to see them.
Jul 2017
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Sanju
Unsurprisingly, this one effectively carves him as a victim of circumstance, an addict of compulsion and as someone who was wronged by media reports and the public at large. But it also evens it out by presenting the actor as an unreliable boyfriend, a failure-of-a-son and a washed up actor who was notoriously unprofessional.
Jun 2018
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Soorma
Ali intensifies the falls and amplifies the sufferings to an extent that the inevitable win has a bittersweet tinge. If he could’ve cut down some of the bhangra and a bit of melodrama, this could’ve been a much crisper watch.
Jul 2018
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Raazi
Unlike most films within the genre that focus chiefly on the ‘operation’, Raazi also delves into the debilitating position that secret agents who stumble in and out of the margins of history must sometimes assume.
May 2018
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Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
The film perseveres to ensure it doesn't make light of the dysfunction in question, and chooses instead to parody the mayhem triggered by it. This is because aside from all the gags about performance pressure, ED happens to be a serious, rarely spoken of, debilitating condition that has altered marriages. But then, as they say, no hard feelings.
Sep 2017
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Padmaavat
Following the noise around this film, one can't help but scrutinise it for objectionable depiction. But even if Bhansali suspends reality in his immersive world, it's a strike from reality we'd like to hold on to.
Jan 2018
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Panga
...is refreshing. It’s a story that could be just as effective and inspiring if it were set just about anywhere. And it works for drafting relatable moments that offer a subtle yet distinct shift in sensibilities.
Jan 2020
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Jolly LLB 2
Director Subhash Kapoor does well in keeping the audience glued to the screen and keeps the melodrama in check.
Feb 2017
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Gully Boy
The biggest challenge for director Zoya Akhtar was to ensure her eponymous slum rapper’s journey doesn’t exaggerate his sufferings and stereotype his marginalised existence for impact. On that front, she scores and even nails the emotional peaks and crushing lows.
Feb 2019
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Chauranga
A pure festival film in treatment and manner of storytelling, it scores for allowing the audience join the dots and doesn't care to simplify or sanitize the proceedings for universal appeal.
Jan 2016