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Parched
The widow-wife-whore matrix is well performed by the actresses, whose mutual chemistry and feeling for their universal woes lift scenes that might have otherwise been trite and unconvincing.
Sep 2016
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Raaz Reboot
Why build a 127-minute narrative around false hopes, non-existent sexual frisson, non-scary horror scenes, songs that escape memory, and a plot that relies on the power of the mangal sutra to set things right?
Sep 2016
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Pink
The movie considerably enriches the screen treatment of sexual assault, but the moment for fewer lectures and greater observation is still some years away.
Sep 2016
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Freaky Ali
Nawazuddin Siddiqui lives it up as the hero, churning out punchlines and playing the romantic lead in a creaky fantasy about bridging the gulf between the working class and a rich person’s game.
Sep 2016
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Baar Baar Dekho
It wants to be seen as a departure from sentimental Hindi film romances, but it doesn’t want to let go of the messy bundle of emotions these films tap into.
Sep 2016
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Akira
The poorly directed action scenes number a handful, with most of the 139-minute running time devoted to contrivances and convolutions that do not do justice to an interesting premise.
Sep 2016
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A Flying Jatt
Since he also has a healthy stash of Hollywood DVDs, it’s clear that this Indian superhero is set for a bright future.
Aug 2016
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UnIndian
Although he clear finds pace bowling much easier than dancing, Lee delivers his one-liners with flair.
Aug 2016
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Happy Bhag Jayegi
Set in a world overflowing with characters perpetually on the prowl for a good joke, Happy Bhag Jayegi survives its manufactured premise.
Aug 2016
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Mohenjo Daro
...is far from perfect, but it’s also far more than the sum of its memes.
Aug 2016
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Rustom
Rustom’s recreation of an iconic trial echoes the narrative style of the lesser films of the period in which the actual crime occurred – it throws out the facts in favour of a simplistic and crowd-pleasing solution, glosses over its hero’s criminal behaviour, and paints its characters in black and white.
Aug 2016
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Budhia Singh
...fits the bill of the average sports biopic, but it rises a few notches above the Indian version of the genre.
Aug 2016
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The Legend of Michael Mishra
...is saddled with amateurish acting and a directionless plot.
Aug 2016
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Dishoom
Dishoom’s premise has promise – two mismatched police officers join hands to rescue India’s cricketing jewel from a kidnapping – but Desi Boyz director Rohit Dhawan simply cannot get the film to jumpstart despite all the elements being in place.
Jul 2016
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M Cream
If M Cream is what passes for underground cinema in India, perhaps it’s best that it stays underground.
Jul 2016
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Great Grand Masti
Despite the promise held out by the title, this kind of fun is neither great nor grand.
Jul 2016
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Sultan
Sustained by the leading man’s magnetic pull, nicely cast supporting actors, a welcome lack of melodrama, and a setting that looks less plastic than the average A-list movie, Sultan is the apogee of the Salman Khan cult.
Jul 2016
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Shorgul
...the filmmakers’ love for contrivance, simplification and populist rhetoric combine to make Shorgul yet another misfired investigation of the true nature of communal conflagrations in India.
Jul 2016
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Rough Book
The message is muddled and the pace glacial even at 90 minutes. Most of the acting is strictly functional...
Jun 2016
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7 Hours To Go
The message is muddled and the pace glacial even at 90 minutes. Most of the acting is strictly functional...
Jun 2016
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Raman Raghav 2.0
...might lack the layers needed to be a contemporary update of the serial killer movie, but it has plenty of surface pleasures.
Jun 2016
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Dhanak
...it is simply too cheerful and unconvincing to work as an Indian avatar of Iranian movies that feature adorable children grappling with adult problems.
Jun 2016
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Udta Punjab
...soars on the back of hard-hitting scenes and superb performances from its cast, but a shorter trip would have given the movie the kick it sorely needed to be counted as the definitive drama on the moral corruption of an entire society.
Jun 2016
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Do Lafzon Ki Kahani
All the ingredients are present for a three-hankie weepie about a love that survives obstacles, but the movie lacks energy and frisson between the leads.
Jun 2016
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Housefull 3
The filmmakers have aimed to deliver a puerile movie, and, in fact, will be offended by any discussion about Housefull 3 that does not involve its box office prospects.
Jun 2016
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May 2016
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Phobia
The set-up is convincing, and Radhika Apta’s central performance as Mahek makes it doubly so.
May 2016