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Jul 2019
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One Day
The Equaliser-like premise offered promise, but exaggerated performances, clichéd turns and inability to flesh out the idea, eliminate any possibility of being thrilled.
Jul 2019
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Article 15
...serves as a bitter reminder of the disdainful atrocities that befalls those who are profiled. The film, however, gets a bit tiring in parts when the message seems to be incessantly hammered down.
Jun 2019
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Kabir Singh
Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga barely alters his original script to localise this Telugu import. While most lines seem verbatim translations, some of the rage seems to have been diluted for a more universal appeal. In any case, snipping off 40 minutes from the runtime would’ve surely helped.
Jun 2019
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Game Over
If the first half could’ve been knocked off and this was dedicatedly a film about home invasion, it would’ve surely been a more focussed, if not a more thrilling watch. But then, that would have been an entirely different film.
Jun 2019
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Bharat
A scattered attempt at stringing a heart-wrenching story of separation and reunion, this one cumulatively results in a melodramatic mess that overtly idolises its one-dimensional lead.
Jun 2019
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Nakkash
...the makers barely manage to go beyond the compelling premise and its inevitable conclusion can be predicted just minutes into the film.
May 2019
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May 2019
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India‘s Most Wanted
Given the compelling material to work with at hand, this could’ve rendered a cracking, edge-of-the-seat watch. But predictable turns and lack of cinematic liberties fail to infuse the film with much-required tension.
May 2019
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De De Pyaar De
Akiv Ali (director, editor) and Luv Ranjan (producer, writer, screenplay) know precisely what each scene in this film is supposed to do and score largely for the tropes they don’t introduce to this story. The build-up gets dangerously close to that tipping point from where one expects it to nose-dive, but it doesn’t.
May 2019
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Student Of The Year 2
...Malhotra plays it on the back-foot, hoping to crack it with a formulaic plot and clichéd characters that barely go beyond the call of duty. Perhaps, it’s time for the makers to return to film school?
May 2019
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Setters
...the film attempts to ‘expose’ the manic mayhem and desperate measures that some adopt to clear competitive entrance tests for engineering, medical and management courses. But what it actually manages, is a scramble of fickle ploys, predictable scams and obvious turns.
May 2019
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Blank
Writer-director Behzad Khambata seems to have a healthy appetite for police procedurals and is aware of the basic construct required to make them tick. But in 2019, sticking to tropes can hardly trigger an exciting watch and the supposed turn in the climax seems more ridiculous than rational to be palatable.
May 2019
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Romeo Akbar Walter
Director Robby Grewal hopes to pay a cinematic ode to those selfless soldiers of war who give it their all, even with the knowledge that their efforts won’t be acknowledged. But the film nosedives in striving to meet its unrealistic ambitions.
Apr 2019
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No Fathers In Kashmir
Director Kumar manages to infuse a matter-of-fact manner in interpreting the grave issues covered. While he deliberately singles out religious fanatics from militants who consider themselves patriots, the delicate handling of the subject-matter retains the gravity of the issue, without being too overwhelming.
Apr 2019
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Junglee
It’s obvious that his (Chuck Russell) intentions here were to furnish the man-animal conflict and apprise one of the ramifications. But much seems to be lost in translation.
Mar 2019
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Gone Kesh
Debutant director Qasim Khallow should be lauded for managing to contain this story within two hours. He also ensures the proceedings aren’t hurried and keeps one hooked even when the inevitable climax is predictable.
Mar 2019
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Kesari
Apart from delivering as an inspiring tale of unparalleled bravery, it also drops subtle hints on the early cracks that eventually went on to corrode the colonial rule.
Mar 2019
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Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota
Some of the fight sequences in the film are reminiscent of Stephan Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle — magnifying the aesthetic and theatrics of every blow for maximum impact. The two films also share a common agenda — to tickle you where it hurts.
Mar 2019
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Hamid
...details Kashmiri cultural ceremonies and presents the Valley through the eyes of a local — something only a few filmmakers who’ve shot in the region have managed. But it also successfully manages to subliminally highlight the local sentiment without turning into a political statement — which is its biggest victory.
Mar 2019
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Milan Talkies
It seems like this film was made in such a crazed frenzy to catch up with the wave of small towns stories that the makers couldn’t wait for the script to commence shooting.
Mar 2019
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22 Yards
The incestuous relationship shared between sports agents, players and journalists offered enough fodder for an inspiring story. This film chews on that fodder and spits it out without a thought.
Mar 2019
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Photograph
An issue with the film is that while it tells a lot, it says very little — which is ironic given that a photograph is expected to convey a thousand words. Let’s just say this one’s a passport photo— a contained profile that offers a glimpse but not the big picture.
Mar 2019
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Badla
...while it manages to hold your attention and interest for the large part, the proceedings tend to occasionally get a bit too theatrical.
Mar 2019
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Mar 2019
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Sonchiriya
Having found his space in stories emerging from mofussil towns and the deep hinterlands, Chaubey may be in his comfort zone here. But he tries to keep the proceedings from seeping into tropes and weaves in a range of emotions that humanise — if not immortalise — his characters.
Mar 2019
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Total Dhamaal
...is a one-time watch but only when it airs on TV on a Sunday afternoon when you can’t seem to find the remote to turn it off.
Feb 2019
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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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Amavas
...each and every scene — from approaching a door with dread to bending over to reveal a dark apparition standing right behind, has been borrowed from some film or the other. That the makeup and prosthetics here seem dated and sourced from a Halloween party store also dilutes the overall effect.
Feb 2019