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Ugly
Ultimately Ugly rests on an irony, and although there are some masterfully-crafted scenes to build up suspense, none of it can hide the writer-director’s moral gaze—how depraved are you, he seems to ask, leaving his audience uneasy.
Dec 2014
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Queen
...an ebullient, enjoyable film, its feminist points squirelled into the film’s margins. It’s the breeziest film you can imagine about a person’s transformation in a short span, and Ranuat is winningly responsible for it.
Mar 2014
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Shanghai
An immensely enjoyable thriller, helmed by a brilliant cast of actors and a master storyteller in Dibakar Banerjee.
Jun 2012
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Haider
...an immensely effective reimagination of Shakespeare—and the film’s biggest triumph is that the provincial, in this case Kashmir and the characters defined by its reality, shine in a universal and timeless tragedy.
Oct 2014
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Gangs Of Wasseypur
...is relentless in its ability to entertain, and that’s possible purely because of highly accomplished film-making. A new template for the Indian blockbuster.
Jun 2012
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Lootera
It may be a couple of notches short of a masterpiece, but Lootera is the kind of film you will remember long after watching it.
Jul 2013
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Margarita With A Straw
Watching Margarita with a Straw, I smiled and laughed a lot. Even in moments when I felt deep sympathy for her, the girl was sassy.
Apr 2015
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Tumbbad
...is the personal exploration of one man’s demons and the inevitability of him living with them forever no matter what he achieves. Rigorously detailed as a period film, Tumbbad has resonance with class structures that exist today.
Oct 2018
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PK
...the director’s biggest feat is the idea, its effortless translation and its politics.
Dec 2014
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Raanjhanaa
...the lead performance shines, the writing complementing it. Rahman’s music set to the tragicomic beats of this man’s life makes Raanjhanaa a film to watch.
Jun 2013
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The Lunchbox
While being an immensely enjoyable and competent film, the universality of The Lunchbox tends to exclude its setting’s all-important provinciality.
Sep 2013
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Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu
...has an easy, comforting charm. It is more a buddy film than a romance, which works in its favour.
Feb 2012
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Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana
The combination of a good story and its nimble execution work along with some terrific performances.
Nov 2012
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Nov 2013
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Kahaani
...is one of those rare films which makes you want to wince once in a while, but keeps you hooked throughout.
Mar 2012
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Kai Po Che!
A well-crafted mass entertainer about sweeping emotions rarely comes along. Kai Po Che is one of them.
Feb 2013
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Ship Of Theseus
...a passionate and clever film, brimming with sharp and original interpretations of age-old philosophy.
Jul 2013
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Oct 2013
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Dekh Tamasha Dekh
...political satire is a scarce commodity in Hindi cinema. Khan makes one without alienating any kind of audience. Far from being preachy; its politics is utterly engaging.
Apr 2014
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Jun 2014
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Jul 2012
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Aiyyaa
...is triumphant because its originality matches the director’s assured film-making. Kundalkar is a director with a confident, uninhibited stamp.
Oct 2012
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Hasee Toh Phasee
It is an extremely likable balance between light and shade, the sadness in his beautiful lead woman sitting happily alongside her smiles. The sugar is pleasingly granular.
Feb 2014
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Katiyabaaz
It is heartening to see documentaries release on the big screen, and Katiyabaaz is the clever new avatar of this genre that turns the mundane and the extraordinary in reality into marketable and watchable cinema.
Aug 2014
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Special 26
An insipid lead character and unnecessary digressions derail a good heist story.
Feb 2013
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Shuttlecock Boys
...will not induce happy sighs or tears, but the simple, spirited storytelling makes it worth a watch.
Aug 2012