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Mom
...while most thrillers tend to overstay their welcome beyond 90-minutes' screen time, this one doesn't feel almost two-and-half hours long. If anything, far too much is going on here. You might question a lot. But so much of it works.
Jul 2017
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Tumbbad
...an artsy, gutsy mix of mythology, history, horror, and moral science. Do these elements seamlessly add up for you to naturally feel for the characters in the story? Honestly, no. Does the incredibly strong visual craftsmanship (rare for an Indian indie) satisfyingly guide you into a world hitherto unseen/unknown? Oh, absolutely.
Oct 2018
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Tere Bin Laden
That a film can so convincingly make light of an unbearable tragedy is its astounding comic achievement.
Jul 2010
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Stanley Ka Dabba
The realism gently, warmly sucks you in. You sit back, sometimes reminisce, mostly observe.
May 2011
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Pagglait
Where the film manages to stay afloat with much aplomb though is turning all of this into a coming-of-age story of the young widow, whose life changes within the span of the 13 days it takes for the soul to exit a home.
Mar 2021
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Daas Dev
This rough, dusty roller-coaster ride though is still about the stolen moments (music included), some delightfully wonky folk, crackling scenes (screenplay co-credited to Jaydeep Sarkar), top-notch dialogues, soaked in the patois of contemporary Lucknow (co-credited to Tariq Siddiqui).
Apr 2018
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Badhaai Ho
...is just as funny, and as much fun; even as the point of the picture might seem progressively belaboured.
Oct 2018
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Karthik Calling Karthik
As an audience, you’re not always two steps behind the script either. But that doesn’t take away from how the film holds you, almost all the way. This isn't easy. I suspect you’re not going to love the sound of a ringing landline for a while. I hope you don’t question the workings of your brain as much.
Feb 2010
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Dear Zindagi
... it just appears as if the film's unable to find a point, place a nail there, and just hammer it in. Which was so not the case with Shinde's masterstroke, 'English Vinglish' (2012).
Nov 2016
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Dabangg
It'd be a shame to watch this anywhere outside of an old, decrepit single screen theatre, in the spirit of the loud tribal tradition that Hindi movies have always been: severely light on both the brains and the wallet. Mad stuff! Really.
Sep 2010
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Margarita With A Straw
The stories eventually boil down to common emotions. As does this film’s. Yes, there is a lot of pathos. But there is much joy. And enough empathy.
Apr 2015
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Dream Girl
Now should we think about the finesse of filmmaking here (there's very little of it), or gags overstaying their welcome (some of them do), or the political correctness of some of these small-town/mohalla gags... Should we think, about? Don't. Seriously, don't.
Sep 2019
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2.0
The star is the director Shankar still. As a story-teller, you can tell, he could do with simplicity, and a better sense of proportion. As a filmmaker, he's sheer genius. Need better proof? Yes, you could catch 2.0.
Dec 2018
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Befikre
Can a couple turn back from a serious relationship and genuinely remain friends still? The answer to that will always be fuzzy. A lot like this film. But, this is fun. What’s there not to like about that?
Dec 2016
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Kesari
Maybe there's more to the battle. Or maybe this in-your-face, goose-bumpy ride—heartwarming, because its history; and hysterical, because it's that kinda movie—is just the best one can do. Well, either way, this works alright.
Mar 2019
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Yeh Saali Zindagi
You leave for home with an exhilarating ride, still reeling in your head -- though not quite the heart.
Feb 2011
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Apr 2011
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Raag Desh
If this film feels slightly exhausting, even if exhilarating in parts, then that's because it is rather exhaustive in its exposition of facts. History fiends should jump at it right away.
Jul 2017
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Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai
The subject is immediately exhilarating still. As is this film.
Jul 2010
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Mirch
The four short films, fable-like, with fine actors, eventually turn out to be utterly simple and instantly amusing.
Dec 2010
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Kaalakaandi
Is it as good as Delhi Belly? As a script? Possibly. As a film, I felt it lacks rhythm, with too much being force-fed to suit the timeline of one never-ending night in Bombay, even if that's the genre. The end might make you go, 'Eh?' But through it all, you're more likely to go, 'Hah!' So nah, I'm not complaining at all.
Jan 2018
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Nanak Shah Fakir
It’s sensibly made; for the most part deeply engaging; and therefore universal in its appeal.
Apr 2015
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Road to Sangam
The questions are still important. They shouldn’t be ignored. Neither should this film.
Jan 2010
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Kites
It’s a passionately romantic pic, or at least hyped as one in ways that few films can live up to. The expression of that intense love, its most important element, is often lost in translation - what many might rightly perceive as lack of chemistry between the leading pair.
May 2010
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Simmba
This only brings back strong memories of large single-screen cinemas - on the verge of extinction - with people on both cheap and super-expensive seats, sharing entertainment as a common, tribal experience. That's where you should go for this.
Dec 2018
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Haraamkhor
Now this is the sort of movie that takes some getting used to, before you can fully dive into the experience.
Jan 2017
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Pad Man
...you know where this film is coming from. I'm actually really glad to know where it's going. Period.
Feb 2018
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Robot
This film, just a few feet too long, is fine entertainment by itself. I'm evidently an atheist to this religion, so I guess, you can trust this note.
Oct 2010
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Begum Jaan
This picture, though slightly low-budget, is more over-the-top, or bombastic, driven to much melodrama, in the interest of grabbing attention, and popular entertainment, as it were.
Apr 2017