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Why Cheat India
From the very first frame, this one has its audience figured. It knows that someone who’s drawn to a Hashmi caper has specific expectations — glib dialogue baazi, a lip-lock or three, and a surreal conman who can charm the pants off his partner.
Jan 2019
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Angrezi Medium
If only director Homi Adajania would have trusted his material and not underlined and spelt out everything, this could’ve been a sharper and perhaps, more introspective watch.
Mar 2020
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Tutak Tutak Tutiya
If you’re one for typical South Indian dubbed films that play on loop on weekends, this one’s for you.
Oct 2016
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Anaarkali Of Aarah
Writer-director Avinash Das deserves credit for drafting visuals that build tension and keep one consistently worried for the characters on screen.
Mar 2017
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Batla House
Filmmaker Nikhil Advani and writer Ritesh Shah manage to assemble this story with multiple flourishes that often break the monotony of storytelling.
Aug 2019
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Moh Maya Money
A mystery this is not as the film follows the inevitable. But how it wraps up may not be anticipated and is worth a watch.
Nov 2016
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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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Tere Bin Laden Dead Or Alive
The film sets the premise and labours in detailing every sequence, but somehow it doesn't add up.
Feb 2016
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Helicopter Eela
Kajol may look like a million bucks but her version of a pushy mum who tries a bit too hard to fit in is little short of caricature. To her credit, it is the writing that often lets her down.
Oct 2018
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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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Good Newwz
...the excessive melodrama that dominates the second half, renders this one as a mildly humourous watch with a misplaced moral.
Dec 2019
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Bangistan
The premise offered the maker a lot to play around with. If only, he could put it all together, without resorting to a predictable end.
Aug 2015
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Sep 2017
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Sep 2016
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Beyond The Clouds
It may not be a deep, immersive, dislocating experience one usually has when introduced to unwavering spirits and personal narratives that his cinema has come to be known for. But it’s surely reminiscent of his previous work and sparkles up an appetite to revisit them.
Apr 2018
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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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Waiting
The film deserves a watch for being one that doesn't try too hard and for its approach to an extreme situation.
May 2016
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Naam Shabana
...if you're up for a flick about a lady agent kicking serious behinds, this could float your boat. Even otherwise, it's worth a watch.
Mar 2017
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Mukkabaaz
Anurag Kashyap fans may be a bit disappointed here. The filmmaker who doesn't hold his blows, seems constricted in telling this story. Not that there aren't enough bloody noses and hammered eyes, but the overall treatment seems to be tweaked for universal appeal.
Jan 2018
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Bhavesh Joshi Superhero
This one had the potential to be the surprise hit of the year. Sadly, it’s too dark for a superhero film and yet distinctly flaky to be taken seriously.
Jun 2018
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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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Tumhari Sulu
Director Suresh Triveni draws from his ad-film experience to assemble a tightly-knitted story but loses focus in the second half.
Nov 2017
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Manikarnika
Most know of Jhansi ki Rani from the poem that aptly described the fearless queen. This biopic goes beyond heroics to reveal a resolute yet vulnerable figure. And even while the authenticity of all the events detailed here is debatable, it makes for a decent watch.
Jan 2019
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Angry Indian Goddesses
AIG's selling point is the honesty with which the leading women approach their characters and the uncontainable chutzpah they exude.
Dec 2015
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Phobia
Director Pawan Kripalani manages to tightly pack in the thrills, with careful consideration of timing and audio-visual technique.
May 2016
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Veere Di Wedding
While this one works as a breezy film on girl bonding, it gets a bit tedious while taking a stab at patriarchy. In fact, a message it hopes to convey on the societal pressures endured by women is lazily tucked into a dialogue. “Pehle shaadi karo, phir bachcha, phir bachcha hua toh doosre bachche ka pressure.” It almost seems like old whine in a new bottle.
Jun 2018
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Haraamkhor
...may not be a film that sets a cinematic benchmark but it is an important one as it dares to explore a forbidden subject, without condemning or legitimising it.
Jan 2017
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Mulk
Director Anubhav Sinha touches a relevant nerve with Mulk, and this fictional story seems believable as marginalised groups continue to be routinely targeted in this country.
Aug 2018
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Jagga Jasoos
Catering to every childhood fantasy, Jagga Jasoos keeps you hopeful and rooting for its spectacled snoop, especially in situations where chances of the eponymous jasoos' survival seem bleak.
Jul 2017