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3 Idiots
...one of the best Indian films of the year, perhaps even the decade, and should not be missed for any reason.
Dec 2009
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Apr 2011
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Well Done Abba
...a must watch movie for the Midas touch of Shyam Benegal and the sheer mastery of Boman Irani.
Mar 2010
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Pankh
...is fiercely individualistic cinema. Those who support for edgy, mind-pubbing cinema, should check it out immediately…
Apr 2010
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No One Killed Jessica
...one helluva knockout of a movie, the sort which lingers in the heart and mind long after its 16 reels have ended on a note of hope and interiorised glory.
Jan 2011
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My Name is Khan
At the end of 18 reels, you do carry something precious home – SRK and Kajol. They are absolutely electric. Undoubtely, they don’t make’em like that anymore. And never will, which is why MNIK is absolutely compulsory viewing. You may have problems with it. Yet it is a must-must-see.
Feb 2010
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Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani
..connects the present age hindi films to the glorious lineage of romantic comedies of hindi cinema made in the era of 60s.
Nov 2009
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Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey
...the period picture is a valuable addition to the director’s oeuvre...
Dec 2010
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Phas Gaye Re Obama
...like a breath of fresh air. This film is a good example of how an interesting premise, a credible closure, and, heads-on-your-shoulder approach to filmmaking results in a solid film that stands on its own two feet despite a low budget and no stars.
Dec 2010
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Ishqiya
...a charming, enticing flick that commits the mistake of biting a little more than what it could actually chew. In the process, Ishqiya, like its lead protagonists, digs up its own grave!
Jan 2010
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The Japanese Wife
It stays with you. Although the tempo is excruciatingly slow and the screenplay repeats lines of dialogue as if they had been written by a squawking parrot, the result is limned with that near-extinct quality in cinema – humaneness.
Apr 2010
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Raat Gayi Baat Gayi
...raises many pertinent questions, some very uncomfortable ones too.
Jan 2010
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Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?
...a great attempt at the slapstick genre where surprisingly you don’t have to leave brains at home , as is the norm . Though it overstays a bit , its still a fun watch.
Mar 2010
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Antardwand
Although technically jejune with the tempo slower than a bullock cart at key points, the outcome still arouses your curiosity, and admiration for its indie spirit.
Aug 2010
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Love Sex Aur Dhokha
Dibakar Banerjee has delivered a third interesting and watchable film in a row.
Mar 2010
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I Hate Luv Storys
...oozes a fair amount of charm. For the viewer, exasperated by the ragbag of movies in recent months, here’s a designer bottle of balm.
Jul 2010
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Lamhaa
...may not be a completely satisfying two-hour experience. Yet its noble intentions and a bid to go beyond the surfacial situation in the troubled valley of Kashmir, elevate the outcome to a notch above the candy-floss and the commonplace.
Jul 2010
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Striker
Arora’s effort does leave an impact but the wallop is not as strong as it could have been. A pity.
Feb 2010
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Do Dooni Chaar
Neither rabidly formulaic nor elliptically arty, this look at the aspirations and anxieties of a lower middle-class family, evokes a smile of rueful recognition.
Oct 2010
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The Great Indian Butterfly
...if you can imagine some well-written conversations that reflect a lot of our lives in a piece of cinema, and would like to see how it’s done well – go for it.
Apr 2010
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Udaan
There are choices involved in the telling of a story; and I felt the story-teller opted for the easier, more accessible ones. This correction could have lent more subtlety and depth to Vikramaditya Motwane’s otherwise accomplished film.
Jul 2010
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Yeh Saali Zindagi
Yup, it does get very complicated but what the hell, still the result is a pretty engrossing mind-teaser. Can’t leave your brains at home for this one.
Feb 2011
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Daayen Ya Baayen
For all those who care about defiantly individualistic cinema, Daayen Ya Baayen is quite a few steps in the right direction.
Oct 2010
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Aladin
Aladin is a decent film – not great, but not as bad as some people seem to be gleefully making it out to be.
Nov 2009
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Aug 2010
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London Dreams
...is a robustly made, popular Bollywood drama that does not pretend to be otherwise.
Nov 2009
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Feb 2011
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Peepli [Live]
For avoiding the route of fantasyland, for narrating a story hooked on fact rather than fiction, and for being remarkably observant about the quirks, anxieties and hopes of the BPL (those subsisting below the poverty line), Rizvi makes an auspicious debut as a director of substance.
Aug 2010
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Lahore
...this Indo-Pak treatise may have been wah-wahed at film festivals, but all said and seen just about makes it to a notch above the average.
Mar 2010
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Raavan
...the narrative is choppier than the monsoon sea, frequently disjointed, terribly repetitive...
Jun 2010