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Batla House
...make no mistake, Batla House isn’t a Rashomon-like investigation of many truths. The film is firmly on the side of the beleaguered cops and it makes its point with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Which is why Batla House will satisfy John Abraham fans. Those biceps were not made for nuances. Viewers looking for a more layered exploration of izzat, farz, desh should probably go elsewhere.
Aug 2019
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Bareilly Ki Barfi
There is little here that will stay with you but while it lasts, you’ll have a smile on your face. And that’s exactly what this amiable film is designed to do.
Aug 2017
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Mar 2019
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Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
...has sparks of originality but they get buried in a convoluted story that is tired and tiring.
Aug 2017
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Baahubali 2: The Conclusion
There’s none of that ‘leave your brains at the door, just go have fun’ condescension, and there’s no star-pandering. Rajamouli takes the genre seriously – he doesn’t pander to the audience either.
Apr 2017
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Baahubali 2: The Conclusion
...revisits the themes of honor, duty, goodness and courage. It doesn’t always succeed but the sheer ambition and scale deserves applause.
Apr 2017
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Baaghi 3
Bronzed and shirtless, Tiger can outrun helicopters, tanks, men. What he can’t outrun is the mediocrity of this film.
Mar 2020
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Baaghi 2
...is an improvement on the generic Tiger action movie. At least the action is grounded in some emotion.
Mar 2018
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Baadshaho
If you are willing to buy into the ridiculous premise, the first half has moments of fun but in the second, Baadshaho becomes like a flat comic book.
Sep 2017
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Article 15
Article 15 of the Indian Constitution prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth but in much of India, caste continues to constitute identity. Article 15 is that rare thing – a mainstream Hindi film that confronts this horror. For that alone, it deserves applause.
Jun 2019
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Jul 2019
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Arjun Patiala
No matter how low your bar is, Arjun Patiala won’t meet it. Making movies is hard work and I always try and look for something to recommend in each film. The only plus here is that it’s short. You’ve been warned.
Jul 2019
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Angrezi Medium
...even when the writing gets sloppy and tedious, the emotions feel authentic because the actors in the frame are so damn good.
Mar 2020
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Andhadhun
With precision and control, Sriram constructs a theatre of the absurd. The surroundings – high-rises, leafy streets and old houses in Pune – seem perfectly normal but what’s happening inside is deliciously twisted. There’s murder, betrayal, sex and a mountain of lies. In short, you can’t look away.
Oct 2018
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Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Aaata Hai?
...made with crowdfunding and good intentions but it never comes near where it wants to go.
Apr 2019
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Ajji
In some scenes, it feels like the director is almost reveling in your discomfort. The bleakness snuffs out the humanity of these characters. The ugliness is so unrelenting that you begin to ask, why am I subjecting myself to this.
Nov 2017
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Feb 2018
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A Gentleman
...despite the clunky plotting, A Gentleman never becomes a crashing bore. Credit must go to Sidharth Malhotra, who is in almost every frame.
Aug 2017
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3 Storeys
This isn’t a film that lacks ambition but it never becomes one that is essential.
Mar 2018
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2.0
Shankar’s cinema uniquely combines scale with social message. Just in case you’ve missed the point of this film, at the end, Dr. Vaseegaran spells it out again. Like everything else in 2.0, it’s a tiring overdose.
Nov 2018
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102 Not Out
Despite the flaws, the emotions connect. And if like me, you are of a certain vintage, you will get a nostalgic head-rush when you see Rishi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan in the same frame.
May 2018