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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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Dabangg 3
...isn’t funny or even campy enough to be anything more than an aging hero’s throw of dice, hoping that third time will be as lucky as the first two.
Dec 2019
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Running Shaadi
...a comic critique of arranged marriage? Or is it a quirky but slowburn romance between an odd couple? Running Shaadi tries to be a bit of both, and becomes neither.
Feb 2017
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Haseena Parkar
In its attempt to valourise Haseena as an innocent victim of destiny, the movie misses the opportunity to add another chapter to the ongoing saga of Dawood Ibrahim and his clan.
Sep 2017
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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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FryDay
How about crafting a role for Govinda that properly capitalises on his comic talents and persuades him to shed off the anything-goes quality and tackiness of his recent films? Fryday isn’t quite a comeback for Govinda, but it will have to do for his extant fanbase.
Oct 2018
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Begum Jaan
...is a mostly faithful remake of his 2015 Bengali movie Rajkahini – which means that the sensationalist plot, overwrought storytelling, screechy acting and tabloid account of the Partition have made it across the language divide unchallenged.
Apr 2017
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Hero
An ineffective remake of a 1983 box office hit mislabelled as a classic, Hero is yet another instance of the resilience of the ancient Indian tradition of nepotism.
Sep 2015
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Arjun Patiala
In trying to send up Bollywood cliches, Arjun Patiala becomes yet another Bollywood cliche itself.
Jul 2019
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Jan 2020
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Mar 2019
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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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Mahayoddha Rama
The movie is frequently loud, and the characterisations are black-and-white.
Nov 2016
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Satellite Shankar
...the movie isn’t interested in teasing out the shades and complexities of Shankar’s cross-country adventure. Ballad of a Soldier celebrates the Russian spirit while allowing for doubt and sadness. Satellite Shankar is all grins and salutes...
Nov 2019
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Tere Bin Laden Dead Or Alive
...tries very hard to squeeze humour out of a contrived plot.
Feb 2016
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Haraamkhor
Haraamkhor’s characters are supposed to have shades of grey, but their blandness can never be mistaken for maturity. About the most shocking thing about this major-minor affair is its sloppiness.
Jan 2017
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Nanu Ki Jaanu
Suspense is thin in a movie with three major characters. The staggering incompetence on display ensures that the events are neither funny nor frightening...
Apr 2018
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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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Fukrey Returns
Theoretically, a sequel offers up the opportunity to fix the flaws of part one and strengthen the story. In reality, this is unlikely to happen when your source material was unworthy of a follow up.
Dec 2017
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Romeo Akbar Walter
The twists in Romeo Akbar Walter don’t always work, and the narrative is stretched to 144 unearned minutes. The plotting barely rises above the level of the popular television series CID.
Apr 2019
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Pagalpanti
...pedestrian writing and severe shortage of engaging characters and imaginative gags.
Nov 2019
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Commando 2
...has a ludicrous plot, banal dialogue, action sequences derived from Hollywood and East Asian cinema, and mostly sub-par acting.
Mar 2017
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Hawaizaada
...would have worked nicely as a work of fiction about two individuals who dream of putting the allegories and myths on which they grew up into practice, but Puri wholly believes in his flight of fancy.
Jan 2015
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Baadshaho
...the main culprit is the execution that is so jaded and predictable that even if you dozed off and woke up after an hour, you would know exactly what’s happening on the screen.
Sep 2017
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The Legend of Michael Mishra
...is saddled with amateurish acting and a directionless plot.
Aug 2016
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Jan 2017
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Bank Chor
...is low on laughs, squanders its potential, and reflects the ineptitude of the heist in question.
Jun 2017