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Gone Kesh
...is an important story to tell in the hair-normative culture we live in, where hair is seen as representative of femininity.
Mar 2019
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Genius
It does not take a genius to figure out that the smart play for Utkarsh might have been to debut in a role better suited to his personality and appeal, over an old-fashioned showcase mounted by a zealous father designed to deliver his son as a lover-boy and action hero.
Aug 2018
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Game Over
...is inventive, it is intelligent, it does not take the viewer lightly and above all else, it is terrifying.
Jun 2019
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Gali Guleiyan
It’s an ambitious first feature, and while Jain manages to pull off many things rather ably, he falters at other points. Many of the stumbles are painted over by a fine cast.
Sep 2018
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FryDay
Dogra’s direction is unimaginative and the production values so sub-par that besides Govinda fans with a penchant for physical comedy, there is no reason to thank god for this FryDay.
Oct 2018
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Fredrick
...Butalia’s laborious storytelling punctures the thriller narrative by the mistimed interjection of songs...
May 2016
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Freaky Ali
Though it’s called Freaky Ali, Siddiqui’s Ali is the least freaky of all the characters and his performance is the only reason this film is not a complete washout.
Sep 2016
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Fitoor
...is one of the most disappointing literary adaptations ever attempted in Indian cinema.
Feb 2016
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Fanney Khan
A weak script with some directing inconsistencies, Fanney Khan had room to be an enjoyable comedy or satire. Instead it careened towards over-the-top melodrama with debatable messaging.
Aug 2018
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Evening Shadows
It is the coming out film that many gay men and women probably wish they had when they struggled to have the conversation with their families. And they will surely recognise pieces of themselves in it.
Jan 2019
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Ek Paheli Leela
It’s been sold to tongue-wagging consumers as a historical sex drama, with a thrilling reincarnation twist. What Ek Paheli Leela actually is may cause some shock – it is soft porn, only without the porn.
Apr 2015
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Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga
Leading the positives in Ek Ladki is the use of the comedy genre for such grave social commentary, and the skill the writers and director display while pulling it off without mocking the LGBT+ community.
Feb 2019
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Dum Laga Ke Haisha
This is as crowd-pleasing as a film gets, only without mawkish manipulation or contrivances. It’s also the best Yash Raj film in a very long time.
Feb 2015
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Drishyam
...is in a perpetual loop of rise and fall. Seldom has an Indian film trundled along its runtime with such a cycle of offering promising elements, tripping over those very elements, getting up unscathed and falling again, only to rise yet again, and so on.
Jul 2015
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Do Lafzon Ki Kahani
The story is full of holes and the narrative leans too often on ballads and ‘sad songs’ to establish mood. While not short on words or emotional manipulation, this film is short on allure and artfulness.
Jun 2016
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Dilwale
...wasn’t a tough film to salvage, and wouldn’t have been this unbearable, if Shetty had the basic skills to execute its most crowd pleasing bit — the chemistry between Khan and Kajol — superficially well.
Dec 2015
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Dil Juunglee
...the huge potential of two talented actors was completely wasted because the filmmakers decided to stick to the same old formulaic and cheesy way of making a typical Bollywood ‘love’ story.
Mar 2018
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Dil Dhadakne Do
For better or for worse, Dil Dhadakne Do quickly reveals itself to be a hipster version of a Sooraj Barjatya film. It’s pretty but artificial, with a tissue-thin story told through flat characters played by gorgeous actors.
Jun 2015
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Apr 2015
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Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!
...is slow and lacks tension, which is criminal for a thriller. The lazy and inept editing makes the entire film suffer and exposes the weaknesses in Banerjee's story.
Apr 2015
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Dear Maya
...is a surprisingly satisfactory watch, mainly for the winsome performances and Bhatnagar's ability to deliver an immersive experience.
Jun 2017
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Dear Dad
...there’s only so much the actors can do with a script that started off boldly but blinked when it mattered most.
May 2016
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De De Pyaar De
...has been marketed as an older-man-younger-woman romance, but make no mistake about this: what it truly is is a vehicle for claims of universal male victimhood, better disguised than its co-producer and co-writer Luv Ranjan's three directorial ventures
May 2019
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Court
...comes closest to showing how an actual court functions. It captures the impact those undramatic courtrooms have on people who are unwittingly trapped in the labyrinth justice system.
Apr 2015
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Dec 2020
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Commando 3
...is technically glossy and the fight choreography is slick. The writing though is contrived.
Nov 2019
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Coffee With D
...made me angry because it has managed to come to theatres and get good time slots in prime halls despite being a zero, while some excellent small films never manage a theatrical release.
Jan 2017