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Poorna
The film ticks all the boxes of a standard sports drama; it’s a bonafide underdog story. There are rousing speeches, training montages, and last-minute conflicts.
Apr 2017
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Naam Shabana
The problem at the root of this film is that it literally offers nothing new, other than the idea of a woman who knows her way around a fight. The plot is predictable from the word go, and yet it unfolds over an excruciating two-and-a-half hours.
Apr 2017
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Phillauri
...isn’t a consistently smooth ride. It’s uneven and bumpy and unforgivably slow in portions. But a lot of it works and some of it flies.
Mar 2017
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Trapped
...is a wholly involving drama that you become quickly invested in. The bulk of the credit for that goes to the film’s incredible leading man who delivers his finest work here.
Mar 2017
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Badrinath Ki Dulhania
...has its heart in the right place, but its writing is often clumsy.
Mar 2017
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Commando 2
It takes superhuman strength to stop yourself from nodding off to sleep, because Commando 2 just goes round and round in convoluted circles.
Mar 2017
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Raees
As a throwback to those thrilling gangster films from the 70s, many starring Amitabh Bachchan and scripted by Salim-Javed, Raees delivers ample bang for your buck.
Jan 2017
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Jan 2017
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Jan 2017
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Dangal
...it’s a solid and satisfying watch, a well crafted look at what went into the creation of two sporting champions. It’s a film that makes the heart swell… when it isn’t pounding from all the excitement of the bouts.
Dec 2016
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Befikre
What the film lacks is genuine feeling. Yes, even the frothiest of rom-coms need something real to keep you invested in its characters.
Dec 2016
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Moh Maya Money
The actors make the most of the material, which is frankly compelling for a good part of this film. The tragedy, alas, is that it could have been so much more.
Nov 2016
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Dear Zindagi
Gauri’s previous film, her directing debut English Vinglish, felt authentic and was powered by emotions that were real and relatable. The problem with Dear Zindagi is that so much of it – particularly the first half – feels superficial and even contrived.
Nov 2016
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Force 2
...isn’t unwatchable, and it won’t give you a migraine either. But it is a wildly inconsistent film that fills up the gaps between its many action sequences with ridiculous attempts at humor and drama.
Nov 2016
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Shivaay
...is basically Taken with a big helping of melodrama, and a lot of talking. A LOT of talking. Way too much talking.
Oct 2016
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Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
I suspect you’ll be a slobbering mess at the end of the film, a puddle of tears when the lights come back on. Johar knows how to do that. It’s a skill that’s stayed with him even if his grammar has changed.
Oct 2016
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Mirzya
There’s a lot to admire in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Mirzya, but coherent narrative and compelling characters are not among its strengths.
Oct 2016
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M.S. Dhoni
...the film is overlong and far from perfect. But climaxing with Dhoni’s incredible performance in the 2011 World Cup, Pandey pushes all the right buttons and leaves you, your chest swelling with pride.
Sep 2016
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Banjo
...the notion of a film about an undervalued genre of musicians is more compelling than "Banjo" itself.
Sep 2016
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Parched
The three friends, parched both emotionally and sexually, will have you rooting for them and cheering as they find their feet and their freedom in the end.
Sep 2016
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Pink
This isn’t just an important film, but also excellently made. It’s a giant leap for Hindi cinema, and easily the best film this year.
Sep 2016
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Baar Baar Dekho
For a film about romance and love, Baar Baar Dekho is curiously lacking the messiness of real relationships, and trades in quick-fix solutions to complex personal issues.
Sep 2016
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Akira
...built on a weak script that's sorely lacking in subtlety and nuance, the film is ultimately a bore.
Sep 2016
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A Flying Jatt
Weighed down by a script bursting with clichés, an assembly line of cardboard characters, and tacky special effects and production design, A Flying Jatt never emerges the crackling homegrown superhero film it so easily could’ve been.
Aug 2016
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Happy Bhag Jayegi
...is mostly fun despite its shortcomings, because the humor is earned.
Aug 2016