Main Atal Hoon Movie Review: MAIN ATAL HOON rests on Pankaj Tripathi's outstanding performance.

MAIN ATAL HOON is the story of India's respected leader. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Pankaj Tripathi) lives in Agra with his family. In 1938, as a school kid, he is not able to recite a poem in front of his class after he forgets the lines. This is when his father (Piyush Mishra) suggests that he should try to understand the moot point of his speech instead of rote learning. This lesson plays a huge step in Atal's rise as a great orator. He soon joins the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and becomes a close associate of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Pramod Pathak) and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay (Daya Shankar Pandey). He joins a political party, Akhil Bhartiya Jana Sangh, and even becomes a Member of Parliament in 1957. Soon, things deteriorate in the country. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay die under mysterious circumstances. Atal Bihari Vajpayee decides to take things into his hands for the sake of his country.

MAIN ATAL HOON is inspired by Sarang Darshane’s Book 'Atalji: Kavihridayachye Rashtranetyachi Charitkahani'. Rishi Virmani and Ravi Jadhav's story (co-written by Amol Bhor and Mayuresh Bhor) is captivating and could have made for a great biopic. Rishi Virmani and Ravi Jadhav's screenplay, however, fails to do justice. The writers do not delve into the episodes and briefly touch upon them before going ahead with the story. As a result, one doesn’t feel connected with the film. Rishi Virmani and Ravi Jadhav's dialogues are sharp but not as impactful as intended.

Ravi Jadhav's direction is not up to the mark. To give credit where it's due, he has got the technical aspects right. The film has a big-screen appeal and looks grand in every way. A few scenes stand out like Atal’s love affair with Rajkumari (Ekta Kaul), Atal’s first speech in Lok Sabha and his subsequent meeting with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (Haresh Khatri), Atal forming a bond with a schoolgirl, the Pokhran test etc.

On the flipside, the makers try to show too many life episodes of the former Prime Minister. While doing so, they keep jumping from one incident to another. As a result, most of the sequences don’t impress as they are not properly explained or are depicted too quickly to get registered. In some places, the narrative is also disjointed. The makers also never explain what happened to Atal’s family, why he was all alone or how Indira Gandhi got back to power in 1980.

Main Atal Hoon – Trailer | Pankaj Tripathi | Ravi Jadhav | Vinod Bhanushali

Speaking of performances, Pankaj Tripathi hits the ball out of the park. This is one of his best performances and the way he has got into the skin of his character is seen to be believed. It’s thanks to him that the film is watchable. Piyush Mishra is likeable in a cameo. Ekta Kaul leaves a mark. Pramod Pathak and Daya Shankar Pandey are decent. Raja Rameshkumar Sevak (Lal Krishna Advani) does quite well, though he’s a bit over the top in a few scenes. Payal Nair (Indira Gandhi) is okay. Prasanna Ketkar (M S Gowalkar), Ajay Purkar (Hedgewar) and Haresh Khatri leave a mark. Gauri Sukhtanker (Sushma Swaraj) tries too hard.

Songs are forgettable. 'Ankahaa' is a bit memorable for its picturization. The title song, 'Desh Pehle', 'Ram Dhun' and 'Hindu Tan-Man' won’t have a shelf life. Monty Sharma's background score enhances the cinematic appeal.

Lawrence DCunha's cinematography is quite good. Sandeep Ravade's production design is authentic. Sachin Lovalekar's costumes are well-researched. Bunty Nagi's editing is incoherent.

On the whole, MAIN ATAL HOON rests on Pankaj Tripathi’s outstanding performance. But it suffers big time due to its flawed and disjointed narrative. At the box office, due to very limited hype, it’ll face a tough time.

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Kho Gaye Hum Kahan Movie Review: KHO GAYE HUM KAHAN’s strength lies in its performances, memorable moments and depiction.

KHO GAYE HUM KAHAN is the story of three friends. Imaad Ali (Siddhant Chaturvedi) is a stand-up comic with a dark past. He lives in Mumbai with his close friend, Ahana Singh (Ananya Panday), an MBA graduate and a working professional. Both are best friends with Neil Pereira (Adarsh Gourav), a gym trainer. Ahana is dating Rohan Bhatia (Rohan Gurbaxani) since three years. She wants to marry him but Rohan is not ready and he decides to take a break from the relationship. A distraught Ahana tries her best to get back to Rohan. When nothing works, she decides to resort to social media. Neil is having a fling with Lala (Anya Singh), an attractive fashion influencer. Neil is serious about her but she doesn’t want the world to know that they are seeing each other. Imaad, meanwhile, is a serial dating addict with commitment issues. He meets Simran Kohli (Kalki Koechlin), who’s older than her. Yet, both connect and get serious about each other. Meanwhile, Neil dreams of owning a premium gym where he’ll train only 10 members at a time so that they can be given adequate attention which might not be available in other fitness centres. Ahana loves the idea and offers to quit her job and help him in setting up his dream project. Imaad, who’s stinking rich, agrees to invest. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Zoya Akhtar, Arjun Varain Singh and Reema Kagti's story is relatable and relevant for today’s times. Zoya Akhtar, Arjun Varain Singh and Reema Kagti's screenplay is breezy and uncomplicated. Apart from the relatable aspects, what also touches viewers is how the life of the trio has been depicted. A few moments stand out. At the same time, the writing gets too stretched. Yash Sahai's dialogues are riddled with today’s lingo and again, have a relatable quality. Sapan Verma's dialogues for stand-up comedy scenes are hilarious.

Arjun Varain Singh's direction is neat. He ensures that one can connect with the goings-on, especially the urban youth. The issues, happiness, achievements etc. of the characters are a reflection of the lives many are living today. The social media angle also gives a nice touch. Arjun touches upon ghosting, the fake life of influencers, difficulties faced by people in staying away from their phones, using social media to get validation and even stalking ex-partners, bullying on social media etc. Some scenes that are well executed are Imaad and Simran’s first meet, Lala’s birthday bash, the epic showdown between Imaad and Neil etc. But it’s the song 'Ishq Nachaawe' which shows Arjun’s real strength as a storyteller. The finale is sweet.

On the flipside, there are times in the film where nothing much is happening. Hence, this 134-minute-long film could have been edited by 20 minutes. The track of Neil in the end will leave the audience divided. The turn of events is difficult to digest and also how he comes out of it is not convincing. This track is also left abrupt, which is strange since all the other tracks are nicely summed up in the end credits song. Lastly, the issues and lifestyle shown in the film is too urban and a big chunk of the audience won’t be able to relate.

Siddhant Chaturvedi delivers yet another commendable performance after GULLY BOY [2019] and proves why he’s an actor with immense potential. His comic timing is spot on but watch out for him in the emotional sequences. Ananya Panday, too, is a revelation with this film and perhaps, this is her best act. She performs with ease and looks natural. Adarsh Gourav is too good, as expected, and depicts the complexities of his part with utmost conviction. Kalki Koechlin is likeable and apt for the role. Anya Singh is convincing as an influencer who can go to any lengths for fame. She is a bit over the top but that was necessary. Vijay Maurya (Malcolm; Neil's father), Rahul Vohra (Aamir; Imaad's father) and Narendra Jetley (Paresh Phadnis; creepy neighbour) leave a mark. Rohan Gurbaxani, Divya Jagdale (Sally; Neil's mother), Garima Yagnik (Meher; Ahana's work colleague), Kashyap Kapoor (Melbun; Imaad's manager), Mahathi Ramesh (Aisha) and Roshmin Mehandru (Harsh; Malaika's primary trainer) are fair. Malaika Arora Khan is sizzling in a cameo.

KHO GAYE HUM KAHAN’s soundtrack also has a niche feel, just like the film. 'Ishq Nachaawe' stands out due to the tune, singing and picturization. 'Hone Do Jo Hota Hai' and the title track come next. 'I Wanna See You Dance', 'Teri Yeh Baatein' and 'Baahon Mein Teri' are okay. Sid Shirodkar's background score is appropriate.

Tanay Satam's cinematography is first-class and has a bit of a noir touch. Sally White's production design is superior. Bridget Baker's costumes are glamorous and stylish. Nitin Baid's editing could have been slicker.

On the whole, KHO GAYE HUM KAHAN’s strength lies in its performances, memorable moments and most importantly, depiction of the reality of today's social media era. The target audience, that is the urban youth, is sure to lap up the film.

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Dunki Movie Review: DUNKI bears the Rajkumar Hirani stamp of filmmaking with the right message and emotions.

DUNKI is the story of four youths trying to fly abroad for a better life. The year is 1995. Army officer Hardayal Singh Dhillon aka Hardy (Shah Rukh Khan) arrives in Laltu, Punjab to meet Mahendar, who saved his life. He reaches his house and finds out that Mahendar is no more.  Mahendar lost a golden opportunity in sports while trying to save Hardy and then passed away in an accident. Hardy takes it upon himself to help Mahendar's family. Mahendar's sister Manu (Taapsee Pannu) asks Hardy to help her with wrestling. This is because she wants to go to the UK to earn and win back her house that her father had lost due to non-payment of a loan. An agent has assured her that she can be sent on a sports visa and hence, she wants to learn the basic techniques of a sport. Hardy teaches her wrestling. However, the agent usurps money from Manu, Balli Kakkad (Anil Grover), Buggu Lakhanpal (Vikram Kochhar), and others and runs away. With no other option, Manu, Balli, and Buggu approach Geetu Gulati (Boman Irani) for help. He runs an English-speaking institute and promises to help those trying to clear their IELTS exam. The trio along with Hardy enroll in his classes. Here, they meet Sukhi (Vicky Kaushal), and all five become close friends. They aim to reach the UK by hook or by crook. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani and Kanika Dhilon's story is superb and very relatable, especially for those from the South Asian diaspora. Many people from this belt have faced issues with immigration and hence, they’ll connect with the plot. Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani, and Kanika Dhilon's screenplay is a mixed bag. While some moments are emotional and hilarious, the script overall could have been much better, especially when it's penned by Abhijat and Rajkumar. Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani and Kanika Dhilon's dialogues are witty at places but again, going by their previous work, the one-liners should have had far more punch.

Rajkumar Hirani's direction is simplistic. As always, he uses his laugh-cry-drama formula successfully. Hence, the film doesn’t ever get slow or boring. There’s no dull moment. The film starts in the present day and the way the dynamics are shown, one gets curious to know what must have happened with the characters. It also gives a déjà vu of the beginning of 3 IDIOTS [2009]. The scenes where Hardy and his team try to learn English and their visa interviews are worth watching. The intermission point is quite strong. In the second half, the scenes of Hardy in the UK court and the whole Saudi Arabia sequence turn out to be the best parts of the film. The ending is moving, and the stats mentioned are quite hard-hitting and depressing. Thankfully, the final scene is funny, and the film ends on a lighter note.

On the flipside, the writing is not up to the mark. The makers haven’t focused on the families and their sufferings. Viewers should feel that the characters had a strong reason to move to the UK. But this aspect was not properly touched upon. Secondly, the humorous scenes in the first half don’t bring the house down. The same applies to Manu’s fake marriage episode. And this was necessary as all previous works of Rajkumar Hirani wowed the audience. As a result, one can’t help but expect tremendously from his films. DUNKI is nowhere close to MUNNA BHAI, 3 IDIOTS, PK, etc, and hence, audiences will feel a bit dejected, despite the film’s strong points.

Dunki Drop 6: Banda | Shah Rukh Khan | Rajkumar Hirani | Taapsee Pannu

Speaking of performances, Shah Rukh Khan does well and brings alive the humour and emotions effectively. However, as an old man, he’s not quite convincing. Nevertheless, it’s heartening to see him shed his superstar aura and play a character role after witnessing him in massier avatars in PATHAAN and DUNKI. Taapsee Pannu is a revelation and delivers a smashing performance. She gets the nuances in the old-age scenes quite right. Vicky Kaushal rocks the show in a cameo. Anil Grover and Vikram Kochhar are lovely and lend able support. Boman Irani and Deven Bhojani (Puru Patel) are lovely. Others do well.

Pritam's music is not of chartbuster variety, but the songs are well-woven into the narrative. 'Lutt Putt Gaya' comes at a fine juncture and is pleasant. 'Main Tera Rasta Dekhunga' stands out. 'Nikle The Kabhi Hum Ghar Se', 'O Maahi' and 'Banda' are in sync with the film’s theme. Aman Pant's background score is appropriate.

Muraleedharan C K, Manush Nandan and Amit Roy's cinematography is breathtaking and gives the film a big-screen appeal. Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray's production design is authentic. Sham Kaushal's action is limited. Eka Lakhani's costumes are realistic and non-glamorous. Rajkumar Hirani's editing is slick.

On the whole, DUNKI bears the Rajkumar Hirani stamp of filmmaking with the right message and emotions as a backdrop. However, it is not as outstanding as his previous films as the writing plays spoilsport to a great extent. At the box office, it will turn out to be a mix bag.

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Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom (English) Movie Review: AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM works due to the performances but suffers from a disappointing climax.

AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM is the story of a man teaming up with his half-brother for a greater cause. Arthur Curry aka Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is married to Mera (Amber Heard) and are proud parents to a baby boy. Arthur is finding it difficult to fulfil his duties as a king. He wants Atlantis to establish contact with the surface world as the sea residents get sick due to pollution. But Lady Karshon (Indya Moore) rejects this idea. She also has reservations about Aquaman not being around half of the time. Meanwhile, David Kane (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) has teamed up with Dr Stephen Shin (Randall Park) and their expedition takes them to the farthest corner of the Earth. There, David finds a trident. The trident, belonging to an evil force, possesses David and he suddenly gets knowledge of a lot of Atlantean secrets. David takes Dr Shin and his team's help in extracting Orichalcum, a substance that fuels ancient technology but which also can cause catastrophe on the planet. While David tries to extract Orichalcum, he comes into contact with Atlantis. And all hell breaks loose. Aquaman decides to go behind David, for which he has no choice but to team up with his half-brother, Orm (Patrick Wilson), who is imprisoned following his crimes against Atlantis. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

James Wan, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Jason Momoa and Thomas Pa'a Sibbett's story is entertaining. David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick's screenplay has its share of fun and dramatic moments but leaves a lot to be desired. The dialogues are sharp and witty.

James Wan's direction is simple and to the point. The director doesn’t waste time and gets straight to the point. The USP of the film is how Aquaman and Orm form a bond and it makes for a great watch. In fact, it is the best part of the film. The scene where Aquaman rescues Orm and they both cross a 'bridge' are hilarious scenes. The track of Dr Shin is also quite good, especially how he introduces himself to Aquaman and Orm.

On the flipside, the climax is underwhelming. A lot of build-up is done for the villain but nothing much happens thereafter. The final flight is also quite clichéd. The family members of Aquaman are conveniently forgotten. One can understand Mera’s track being supposedly chopped off but it’s sad to see even Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) hardly being there. Lastly, the mid-credit scene is disgusting and the makers should have used their imagination better.

Speaking of performances, Jason Momoa is in fine form. One can sense that he enjoys playing the superhero. Patrick Wilson is too good and it’s fun to root for his character this time. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is decent as the villain. Randall Park leaves a huge mark. Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman and Dolph Lundgren (Nereus) don’t have much to do. The same goes for Indya Moore.

Rupert Gregson-Williams' music has a cinematic feel. Don Burgess's cinematography is breathtaking. Bill Brzeski and Sahby Mehalla's production design is world-class. Richard Sale's costumes are appealing. Action is not disturbing. VFX is great but could have been better. Kirk Morri's editing is slick.

On the whole, AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM works due to Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson’s equation and performances in the film but suffers on account of a disappointing climax. At the box office, it’ll face a tough time since it’ll get sandwiched between SALAAR and DUNKI.

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The Archies Movie Review: THE ARCHIES is a fine entertainer that will get whopping viewership

THE ARCHIES is the story of seven friends. The year is 1964. Archie Andrews (Agastya Nanda), Betty Cooper (Khushi Kapoor), Veronica Lodge (Suhana Khan), Reggie Mantle (Vedang Raina), Jughead Jones (Mihir Ahuja), Ethel Muggs (Aditi Saigal aka Dot.) and Dilton Doiley (Yuvraj Menda) are 17-year-old kids who reside in a picturesque town in North India called Riverdale, populated by Anglo Indians. They are extremely connected with each other and with the park in Riverdale, called Green Park. Meanwhile, Hiram Lodge (Alyy Khan) plans to demolish the shops on a crucial stretch in Riverdale and convert it into a plaza. Hal’s (Satyajit Sharma) bookshop, run by Betty’s father, has to shut down, as a result. If that is not enough, then Hiram plans to cut down trees in Green Park and convert the green lung into a luxury hotel. Hiram gets Dawson (Vinay Pathak), the Town Council chief, on his side and asks him to pass the order for the hotel. Hiram, however, ensures that his name doesn’t crop up. The seven friends, meanwhile, are finding it difficult to grapple with the changes happening in their beautiful town. They are also facing struggles among themselves. Archie is confused whether he’s in love with Betty or Veronica. He also wants to move to London for higher studies, much to the annoyance of his father Fred (Suhaas Ahuja). Reggie wants to be a comedian and contribute to the newspaper, run by his father Ricky Mantle (Luke Kenny). Ricky, however, refuses as he believes in serious journalism. Dilton is hiding a deep, dark secret while Ethel’s ambition comes in the way of her interpersonal relationships. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Ayesha Devitre Dhillon, Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar's story is very promising. Ayesha Devitre Dhillon, Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar's screenplay is decent. It keeps one engaged in the goings-on. But one wishes the film had more funny and emotional scenes. Farhan Akhtar's dialogues are conversational while the one-liners of Veronica are witty. The one-liners, interestingly, don’t seem to belong to the 60s era but that’s fine.

Zoya Akhtar's direction is uncomplicated. She deserves kudos as she has created a fictional world like never before and done justice to it. In no time, one gets sucked into Riverdale and even understand the landmark spots of the town. It’s fascinating to see the lives of teenagers in such a manner as it rarely happens in a Hindi film. A few of their dilemmas are well depicted. Two scenes that stand out are the date of Archie and Betty and Betty and Veronica confessing the truth and the scene thereafter. The political angle is well infused and parallels can also be drawn to the present-day happenings. The ending is predictable though the makers have tried to add a little nail-biting twist.

On the flipside, the film never gives a ‘Wow’ feeling, that one expects in a Zoya Akhtar film. A few of the conflicts are superficial and even convenient. There are far too many songs. Lastly, the performances of the debutants are good but not out of the world.

Agastya Nanda makes a sincere attempt. He definitely has the potential but in THE ARCHIES, he was a bit raw in a few scenes. The same applies to Suhana Khan. But she deserves kudos for convincingly pulling off the role of the spoiled brat. Khushi Kapoor’s character is restrained and she tries her best to do justice. Vedang Raina looks dashing and is fair. Mihir Ahuja is the one who raises maximum laughs. Dot is alright and suffers from limited screen time. Yuvraj Menda is lovely and the way he says ‘Thank You’ might get picked up. Speaking of the supporting cast, Alyy Khan, Satyajit Sharma and Vinay Pathak leave a tremendous mark followed by Luke Kenny and Suhaas Ahuja. James Alter (Mike Gomes; council member) and Puja Sarup (Mrs Otters; council member) are damn good in small roles. Tara Sharma (Mary Andrews), Koel Purie (Alice Cooper), Delnaaz Irani (Pam) and Sheena Khalid (new salon owner) are wasted.

The Archies | Zoya Akhtar | Official Trailer | 7th December | Netflix India

THE ARCHIES has too many songs and the ones that leave the maximum impact are ‘Sunoh’ and 'Yeh Saari Aawazein'. The latter comes at a crucial juncture and has soulful lyrics (Javed Akhtar). 'Everything Is Politics' is a surprise. 'Dhishoom Dhishoom' and 'Va Va Voom' are based on fascinating ideas and are superbly choreographed. 'Jab Tum Na Thee' and 'In Raahon Mein' are okay. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Jim Satya's background score is in sync with the film's mood and zone.

Nikos Andritsakis' cinematography is as breathtaking as the locales shown in the film. Suzanne Caplan Merwanji's production design is award-winning. The sets are fascinating and yet very much seem believable. Poornamrita Singh's costumes are fashionable and can become a rage. Philm CGI, Netfx Mumbai and Cinegence VFX's VFX is top-class. Nitin Baid's editing is slick.

On the whole, THE ARCHIES is a fine entertainer that will get a whopping viewership on Netflix due to the fascinating setting, kids-friendly and family-friendly theme, style, music, message and above all, the excitement of watching the debut of the most talked about star kids in recent times.

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The Archies Movie Review: THE ARCHIES is a fine entertainer that will get whopping viewership

THE ARCHIES is the story of seven friends. The year is 1964. Archie Andrews (Agastya Nanda), Betty Cooper (Khushi Kapoor), Veronica Lodge (Suhana Khan), Reggie Mantle (Vedang Raina), Jughead Jones (Mihir Ahuja), Ethel Muggs (Aditi Saigal aka Dot.) and Dilton Doiley (Yuvraj Menda) are 17-year-old kids who reside in a picturesque town in North India called Riverdale, populated by Anglo Indians. They are extremely connected with each other and with the park in Riverdale, called Green Park. Meanwhile, Hiram Lodge (Alyy Khan) plans to demolish the shops on a crucial stretch in Riverdale and convert it into a plaza. Hal’s (Satyajit Sharma) bookshop, run by Betty’s father, has to shut down, as a result. If that is not enough, then Hiram plans to cut down trees in Green Park and convert the green lung into a luxury hotel. Hiram gets Dawson (Vinay Pathak), the Town Council chief, on his side and asks him to pass the order for the hotel. Hiram, however, ensures that his name doesn’t crop up. The seven friends, meanwhile, are finding it difficult to grapple with the changes happening in their beautiful town. They are also facing struggles among themselves. Archie is confused whether he’s in love with Betty or Veronica. He also wants to move to London for higher studies, much to the annoyance of his father Fred (Suhaas Ahuja). Reggie wants to be a comedian and contribute to the newspaper, run by his father Ricky Mantle (Luke Kenny). Ricky, however, refuses as he believes in serious journalism. Dilton is hiding a deep, dark secret while Ethel’s ambition comes in the way of her interpersonal relationships. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Ayesha Devitre Dhillon, Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar's story is very promising. Ayesha Devitre Dhillon, Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar's screenplay is decent. It keeps one engaged in the goings-on. But one wishes the film had more funny and emotional scenes. Farhan Akhtar's dialogues are conversational while the one-liners of Veronica are witty. The one-liners, interestingly, don’t seem to belong to the 60s era but that’s fine.

Zoya Akhtar's direction is uncomplicated. She deserves kudos as she has created a fictional world like never before and done justice to it. In no time, one gets sucked into Riverdale and even understand the landmark spots of the town. It’s fascinating to see the lives of teenagers in such a manner as it rarely happens in a Hindi film. A few of their dilemmas are well depicted. Two scenes that stand out are the date of Archie and Betty and Betty and Veronica confessing the truth and the scene thereafter. The political angle is well infused and parallels can also be drawn to the present-day happenings. The ending is predictable though the makers have tried to add a little nail-biting twist.

On the flipside, the film never gives a ‘Wow’ feeling, that one expects in a Zoya Akhtar film. A few of the conflicts are superficial and even convenient. There are far too many songs. Lastly, the performances of the debutants are good but not out of the world.

Agastya Nanda makes a sincere attempt. He definitely has the potential but in THE ARCHIES, he was a bit raw in a few scenes. The same applies to Suhana Khan. But she deserves kudos for convincingly pulling off the role of the spoiled brat. Khushi Kapoor’s character is restrained and she tries her best to do justice. Vedang Raina looks dashing and is fair. Mihir Ahuja is the one who raises maximum laughs. Dot is alright and suffers from limited screen time. Yuvraj Menda is lovely and the way he says ‘Thank You’ might get picked up. Speaking of the supporting cast, Alyy Khan, Satyajit Sharma and Vinay Pathak leave a tremendous mark followed by Luke Kenny and Suhaas Ahuja. James Alter (Mike Gomes; council member) and Puja Sarup (Mrs Otters; council member) are damn good in small roles. Tara Sharma (Mary Andrews), Koel Purie (Alice Cooper), Delnaaz Irani (Pam) and Sheena Khalid (new salon owner) are wasted.

The Archies | Zoya Akhtar | Official Trailer | 7th December | Netflix India

THE ARCHIES has too many songs and the ones that leave the maximum impact are ‘Sunoh’ and 'Yeh Saari Aawazein'. The latter comes at a crucial juncture and has soulful lyrics (Javed Akhtar). 'Everything Is Politics' is a surprise. 'Dhishoom Dhishoom' and 'Va Va Voom' are based on fascinating ideas and are superbly choreographed. 'Jab Tum Na Thee' and 'In Raahon Mein' are okay. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Jim Satya's background score is in sync with the film's mood and zone.

Nikos Andritsakis' cinematography is as breathtaking as the locales shown in the film. Suzanne Caplan Merwanji's production design is award-winning. The sets are fascinating and yet very much seem believable. Poornamrita Singh's costumes are fashionable and can become a rage. Philm CGI, Netfx Mumbai and Cinegence VFX's VFX is top-class. Nitin Baid's editing is slick.

On the whole, THE ARCHIES is a fine entertainer that will get a whopping viewership on Netflix due to the fascinating setting, kids-friendly and family-friendly theme, style, music, message and above all, the excitement of watching the debut of the most talked about star kids in recent times.

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Kadak Singh Movie Review: Despite the performances, KADAK SINGH has a complicated and disappointing second half.

KADAK SINGH is the story of a father and daughter. Arun K Srivastava (Pankaj Tripathi) works at the Department of Financial Crime (DFC), Kolkata and is very good at his job. His home environment, however, is not healthy. His wife Mimi (Khushboo Kamal) died some years ago. He single-handedly raised his children, Sakshi (Sanjana Sanghi) and Aditya (Varun Buddhadev). There has been a breakdown of communication between the father and the children. Arun usually gets angry with them, prompting Sakshi and Aditya to address their father as ‘Kadak Singh’. At DFC, Arun is working on the high-profile Golden Sun Chit Fund case. A man called Ashok Agarwal (Sanjeev Sharma) duped thousands of people of their hard-earned money and has gone into hiding. Acting on a tip-off, Arun goes to a shady hotel to catch Ashok. To ensure that no one gets suspicious, he and his female colleague head to the hotel as a couple in love. There, he bumps into Sakshi who has come there to pay off a cop who’s harassing Aditya after the latter was caught with drugs. Arun is devastated as he sees Sakshi with a male friend and assumes that he is her partner. Sakshi, meanwhile, is shocked to see her father in such a hotel with a woman and blasts him in the middle of the road. The same evening, Arun allegedly tries to end his life, presumably due to humiliation. He survives but loses his memory. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Viraf Sarkari, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, and Ritesh Shah's story is compelling. Ritesh Shah's screenplay doesn’t do justice to the promising plot in hand. All characters don’t get the required screen time and also, the narrative gets complicated. Ritesh Shah's dialogues, however, are witty and even raise laughs.

Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury's direction is not up to the mark. To give credit where it's due, he has fleshed out the characters and their equation with one another in a neat and entertaining manner. This is especially with regards to Arun’s bond with Sakshi and Arun’s bond with the nurse, Miss Kanan (Parvathy Thiruvothu). The patient-nurse bond shown in this film is a first of its kind. The first half is intriguing as weightage is given not just to the father-daughter equation but also to the scam. All is going fine until Naina’s (Jaya Ahsan) flashback.

From here on, the film goes downhill as the focus shifts to the scam which is not as exciting. The daughter’s track is more or less forgotten, and this is not done since viewers have invested so much time in this character. Also, the goings-on are a bit difficult to comprehend. The makers try to infuse tension here with the scene where Sanjana goes into the shop with several mannequins. However, it looks forced. The finale is unexpected but doesn’t work as intended.

The performances, however, are of a tall order and their standalone scenes are memorable. Pankaj Tripathi hits the ball out of the park with his performance which leaves viewers amused as well as moved. It’s a role in his zone and yet, he tries to make it stand out from the rest of his acts. Sanjana Sanghi is superb and shows that she has grown as an actor. It’s sad that she is hardly there in the second half. Parvathy Thiruvothu is highly entertaining and adds a lot to the film with her performance. Paresh Pahuja (Arjun) gives a sincere performance. Varun Buddhadev is dependable. Jaya Ahsan leaves a huge mark. Dilip Shankar (Tyagi; boss) and Rajan Modi (Subhash; Arun’s colleague) are fair.

Shantanu Moitra's music is forgettable. Both 'Tu Jo Hai' and 'Ae Mere Dil' are relegated to the background. Shantanu Moitra's background score adds to the intrigue factor.

Avik Mukhopadhyay's cinematography is lovely. The locales of Kolkata are captured in a beautiful manner. Natasha Gauba's production design is authentic. Vineet Chauhan's costumes for Pankaj Tripathi and Bidisha Kohli's costumes for the rest of the actors are realistic. Arghyakamal Mitra's editing is decent.

On the whole, KADAK SINGH has a complicated and disappointing second half. The performances are the saving grace of this film.

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Farrey Movie Review: FARREY is a well made and well intentioned film laced with fine performances.

FARREY is the story of a group of students trying to cheat the system. Niyati (Alizeh) is an orphan who is raised by a kind-hearted warden (Ronit Roy) at his orphanage, Ishrat Kada, in Delhi. Niyati is very intelligent and she emerges as a topper in her exams. She even gets admission to the prestigious Winston International School. The principal, Vedita Mathew (Shilpa Shukla), agrees to bear her transport and other costs, knowing her financial condition. Niyati joins the school along with Akash (Sahil Mehta), who also comes from an impoverished background and like her, is very intelligent. Niyati becomes friends with her rich classmates, Chavi (Prasanna Bisht), Prateek (Zeyn Shaw), Sahil (Arshvir Wahi) and Rishabh (Paras Nagpal). Chavi reveals to her that her father (Arbaaz Khan) has asked her to get good marks so that she gets admission to Stanford. However, Chavi is a weak student. For the mid-term exams, Niyati helps Chavi by giving her the answers written on an eraser. Chavi asks Niyati to help her again, for the next set of papers, and this time she’s ready to pay a huge amount. Niyati, at first, refuses due to the risk. Meanwhile, Vedita informs Niyati that the latter has a chance to bag a scholarship at Oxford. Niyati also learns that the warden, who is like her father, is struggling to run the orphanage. Hence, she agrees to help Chavi and her friends and even devises a smart way to cheat. All is going well until Niyati gets caught. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

FARREY is an official remake of the 2017 Thai film BAD GENIUS (Directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya). The story is fresh and relatable. Soumendra Padhi and Abhishek Yadav's screenplay is tight. Not many films have been made on this topic. Hence, one looks forward to what happens next. The ending, however, is shaky. Soumendra Padhi and Abhishek Yadav's dialogues are conversational.

Soumendra Padhi's direction is classy. This is not a conventional film. But he has executed certain scenes with style and it adds to the film's appeal. The scenes where the characters are copying are nail-biting. The Australia sequence, meanwhile, is intriguing.

On the flipside, the ending is sweet but there's a shift in the tonality. One expects the film to continue being thrilling and maybe even get violent. But the opposite happens, and it doesn't gel well with the overall tone of the film. Secondly, while the director tries his best to explain the complexities, in some places, he fails to do so. This will leave viewers confused. Moreover, the voice record scene is a bit misleading as well. Lastly, the title is not quite simple and appears confusing.

Alizeh delivers a smashing performance. It’s difficult to believe this is her debut film as she performs exactly as per the character's demand. Prasanna Bisht shines and rocks the show, especially in the second half. Sahil Mehta is decent initially but makes his presence felt in the second half. Zeyn Shaw is decent. Ronit Roy is dependable as always. Juhi Babbar Soni (Zoya) and Shilpa Shukla leave a mark. Arshvir Wahi, Paras Nagpal, Bhavna Choudhary (Priyanka) and Shivangi Negi (Monica) are okay and don't have much to do. Arbaaz Khan is fair in a cameo.

Farrey Official Trailer | Salman Khan | Alizeh Agnihotri | Soumendra Padhi

Sachin-Jigar's music is not of the chartbuster variety. 'Ghar Pe Party Hai' and 'Machade Tabahi' are peppy while 'O Bandeya' is intended to be soulful. But these songs are not memorable. Sidhant Mathur's background score is gripping.

Keiko Nakahara's cinematography is unusual. Susheel Mishra's production design is very rich, especially in the scenes set in Chavi's mansion. Natascha Charak and Nikita Mohanty's costumes are in sync with the characters and their class. Paramjeet Pamma's action is minimal and realistic. Zubin Sheikh's editing is slick.

On the whole, FARREY is a well-made and well-intentioned film and is laced with fine performances by the debutants. At the box office, the confusing title, the lack of promotions and awareness is likely to impact the footfalls and the collections. The film will need a strong word of mouth to attract the audience.

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Apurva Movie Review: On the whole, APURVA is a well-made gripping thriller

APURVA is the story of a girl in difficult circumstances. In Chambal, Madhya Pradesh, Jugnu (Rajpal Yadav), Sukha (Abhishek Banerjee), Balli (Sumit Gulati) and Chota (Aaditya Gupta) are highway thieves. They get a tip that a truck is carrying important goods that can fetch them good money. They start heading to their destination when suddenly, a tourist bus refuses to give them way. An angry Jugnu, who is behind the wheel, overtakes the bus and stops his car in front of it. He and the gang member kill the bus driver and the cleaner and begin looting the passengers. One of the passengers is Apurva (Tara Sutaria), a Gwalior-based girl who’s on her way to meet her fiancé, Siddharth (Dhairya Karwa). She hides her phone from the thieves. But Sukha spots the phone. At that moment, Siddharth calls her. Sukha picks up the phone and insults Siddharth. Siddharth hits back. Sukha gets enraged and kidnaps Apurva. They take her to a secluded place with the idea of raping her and then finishing her off. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's story is clichéd. But Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's screenplay is gripping. Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's dialogues are raw. Since it’s a realistic film, there are barely any punchy dialogues.

Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's direction is neat. He keeps the duration at check (100 minutes) and also the focus is on the principal track mainly. He makes good use of the arid landscape and peppers the film with a lot of nail-biting moments. The film gets better once Apurva decides to fight back. The scene involving the well is clap-worthy.

On the flipside, the film is okay in the initial portions until Apurva’s entry. A film like this needs to show violence and disturbing visuals, so that the viewers cheer for the protagonist when she succeeds. Yet, a few shots are crude and needlessly added. The ending is a bit underwhelming. Also, the film gives a déjà vu of films like NH 10 [2015].

Tara Sutaria delivers the best performance of her career and looks convincing as a girl fighting off dangerous goons. Rajpal Yadav is quite good and though he has a comic image, he slips into the role effortlessly. Abhishek Banerjee is dependable, as expected. Sumit Gulati and Aaditya Gupta also do well. Dhairya Karwa lends able support. The actor playing the jyotish and cop are fair.

Vishal Mishra's music is forgettable. Both 'Diwali' and 'Hai Khuda' don’t register at all. Ketan Sodha's background score adds to the tension.

Anshuman Mahaley's cinematography is terrific. The impact of a few scenes goes up thanks to the camerawork. Kristel Dias' production design is realistic. Anisha Jain's costumes are straight out of life. Salaam Ansari's action is as per the film’s mood. Shivkumar Panicker's editing is sharp.

On the whole, APURVA is a well-made gripping thriller.

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Tiger 3 Movie Review: TIGER 3 has SALMANIA written all over it with lots of seeti-maar moments

TIGER 3 is the story of a spy whose family is in danger. Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger (Salman Khan) goes on a dangerous mission to save Gopi (Ranvir Shorey) of R&AW. Tiger rescues Gopi who in turn gives the former the information that Pakistan is planning a dangerous mission. Before breathing his last breath, Gopi also tells Tiger that his wife Zoya (Katrina Kaif), an ex-ISI official, is also a part of this mission. Tiger keeps a close tab on Zoya and realizes that she hasn't compromised. Maithili Menon (Revathy), the new chief of R&AW, asks Tiger to go to St. Petersburg, Russia, and meet Jibran Shaikh (Neeraj Purohit), who has vital information. Tiger saves Jibran in the nick of time only to realize that Zoya is trying to assassinate the latter. Zoya then confesses that she is compelled to work for ex-ISI official, Aatish Rehman (Emraan Hashmi), as he has kept their son Junior (Sartaaj Kakkar) hostage. Aatish tells Tiger and Zoya to head to Istanbul, Turkey for a dangerous mission that will make them most wanted in their respective countries. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Aditya Chopra's story is promising. Shridhar Raghavan's screenplay is fine but is unimaginative in several places. Anckur Chaudhry's dialogues lack the punch. A film like this should have had many more hard-hitting dialogues.

Maneesh Sharma's direction is fine. To give credit where it's due, he handles the scale and grandeur like a pro. A few scenes are memorable like Tiger’s entry, Tiger getting suspicious of Zoya, Pathaan’s (Shah Rukh Khan) entry etc. The national anthem sequence in the climax will give goosebumps. Aatish’s flashback and his connection with Zoya is intriguing. Viewers will be fascinated to know that Tiger and Zoya almost came face to face before the events of EK THA TIGER [2012].

On the flipside, the direction is not smooth and is incoherent in some scenes. The action gives a feeling of been-there-done-that. The sequence of Tiger and Zoya robbing the briefcase is very similar to Pathaan and Rubai (Deepika Padukone) stealing Raktbeej in Moscow. Also, the whole mission is to save Pakistan and this might not go down well with certain sections of the audience. The makers should have clearly highlighted that saving Pakistan was important in order to safeguard the interests of India.

Speaking of performances, Salman Khan rocks the show. He underplays his part and looks great in action scenes. Katrina Kaif, too, gets the chance to shine. Her scenes in the hamam and the bunker are memorable. Emraan Hashmi looks dashing and tries his best to be menacing. But he is let down a bit by the script. Ranvir Shorey is fair in a cameo. Revathy and Simran (Pakistan PM Nasreen Irani) leave a mark. Kumud Mishra (Rakesh) is dependable. Anant Vidhaat (Karan), Chandrachoor Rai (Nikhil), Gavie Chahal (Abrar) and Danish Bhat (Javed) are okay. Vishal Jethwa (Hassan) and Sartaaj Kakkar don't get much scope. The same goes for Ridhi Dogra (Shaheen). Danish Husain (D G Riaz) and Shahid Lateef (General Haq) are passable. Aamir Bashir (Rehaan Nazar) passes muster. Michelle Lee (Gen Zimou) is too good. Lastly, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan add to the star value as well as the mass element of the film.

Tiger 3 Trailer | Salman Khan | Katrina Kaif | Maneesh Sharma | YRF Spy Universe

Pritam's music isn’t impressive. 'Leke Prabhu Ka Naam' is catchy but won’t have a shelf life. 'Ruaan' is more memorable for its situation than the tune. Tanuj Tiku's background score enhances the entertainment.

Anay Om Goswamy's cinematography is spectacular. The various locales of the world are well captured. Mayur Sharma's production design is appealing. Franz Spilhaus, Oh Sea Young and Sunil Rodrigues' action is quite good when seen individually. But when compared with the films of the Spy Universe, it is not novel. Anaita Shroff Adajania, Alvira Khan Agnihotri, Ashley Rebello and Darshan Jalan's costumes are stylish. yFX's VFX matches global standards. Rameshwar S Bhagat's editing is appropriate but isn’t smooth in a few scenes.

On the whole TIGER 3 is a predictable action fare that has SALMANIA written all over it with lots of seeti-maar moments - Salman's introduction scene, Shah Rukh Khan's cameo, and the climax. At the box office, it will start huge due to the immense hype and is likely to emerge as a super hit.

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Aankh Micholi Movie Review: Besides a bad climax, AANKH MICHOLI fails to induce laughs.

AANKH MICHOLI is the story of two crazy families. Paro (Mrunal Thakur) lives in Hoshiarpur, Punjab with her father Navjot Singh (Paresh Rawal), brothers Harbhajan Singh (Abhishek Banerjee) and Yuvraj Singh (Sharman Joshi), Yuvraj's wife Billo (Divya Dutta) and nephew Goldie. Navjot has the habit of forgetting, Yuvraj is deaf and Harbhajan stammers. Paro, meanwhile, suffers from night blindness. While she is on a trip to Switzerland with her friends, Paro comes across Rohit Patel (Abhimanyu Dassani) and falls in love with him. But Rohit doesn't notice her. Once Paro is back, she is informed by her family that they have found a match for her for marriage. The guy turns out to be none other than Rohit. Paro, however, is not able to see him as Rohit arrives at her place at night, when she can't see anything. Paro's family, meanwhile, hasn't told the truth about Paro's night blindness to Rohit and his parents (Darshan Jariwala, Grusha Kapoor). Paro is asked to pretend that there's no issue with her vision. Billo, however, is determined to mess things up, especially after she learns that even she wasn't told about Yuvraj's deafness before marriage. But that's not all. Rohit is also hiding a big secret. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

The story is promising and in the right hands, this would have been a laugh-a-minute-riot. The screenplay is not upto the mark and has limited humour. The dialogues are funny in places.

Umesh Shukla's direction fails to do justice to the plot at hand. The beginning portions are shaky. Thankfully, the film gets watchable once Rohit comes to see Paro. The intermission point has an unexpected twist and works well. Post-interval, the film suffers as the comic scenes are not that effective. And though one doesn't have to look for logic in such films, yet the absurdities will astonish viewers. This is especially true in the climax. It won't be a surprise if the serious scene in the end elicits more laughs than the scenes which are actually meant to be funny!

Abhimanyu Dassani is just decent at best. Mrunal Thakur has a superb screen presence and tries to rise above the substandard script. Paresh Rawal is dependable but looks a bit off in the initial scenes. Divya Dutta is too good and the best performer in the film. Sharman Joshi and Abhishek Banerjee are okay. Darshan Jariwala and Grusha Kapoor are passable. Vijay Raaz (Bhatti) tries his best to raise laughs.

Aankh Micholi – Official Trailer | Abhimanyu Dassani, Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal

Sachin-Jigar's music is forgettable. The title song registers but 'Kaleja Kad Ke', 'Ve Dholna' and 'Shaadi Dope Hai' are poor. Sachin-Jigar's background score is in sync with the film's mood.

Sameer Arya's cinematography is neat. Preeti Sharma's costumes are glamorous yet realistic. Parul Bose's production design is theatrical. Steven Bernard's editing is fine.

On the whole, AANKH MICHOLI fails to induce laughs and is laced with a very bad climax. A film like this would be ideal for TV viewing and won’t stand a chance on the big screen.

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Tejas Movie Review: TEJAS suffers due to a lack of logic and too many cinematic liberties.

TEJAS is the story of a brave officer. Tejas Gill (Kangana Ranaut) is a wing commander in the Indian Air Force. She and her colleague Arfa (Anshul Chauhan) are about to get suspended after they save an officer Vivek (Kashyap Shangari) from a prohibited area in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Vivek is thankful to Tejas and asks her out for a date. Tejas agrees but is still under the trauma of losing her parents and boyfriend Ekveer (Varun Mitra) during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. One day, news comes in that an engineer named Shikhar Ali has been captured by terrorists in Pakistan. They ask for Kashmir in return for his release. Videos of Shikhar being nabbed are viral on the internet. Tejas sees his videos and realizes that he’s none other than her batchmate, Prashant (Vishak Nair). She also realizes that he has used Morse code to send his location, which is Mir Ali. Tejas informs about it to the IAF chief R K Panicker (Ashish Vidyarthi). She also requests him to allow her to go to Pakistan and rescue Prashant. Panicker agrees. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Sarvesh Mewara's story has all the trappings of a blockbuster. Sarvesh Mewara's screenplay, however, is silly. The narrative is riddled with scenes of convenience and also gives a deja vu of films DUS [2005], CAPTAIN PHILLIPS [2013], MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, TOP GUN: MAVERICK [2022] etc. Sarvesh Mewara's dialogues are just fine.

Sarvesh Mewara's direction is not upto the mark. To give credit where it's due, some scenes are well executed like the sequence of the tribals and the 26/11 attack. He also packs in a lot in 118 minutes.

Sadly, the minuses outweigh the plusses. The film defies logic and how. After a rocking intro scene, the film falls when it’s shown that Tejas is the only one in her class to know about the Tejas aircraft. But the fact is that any IAF aspirant would know these basic details. Later, Tejas is the only one among all the defence officials in the country to guess that Prashant has used Morse code to send his location. When Tejas tells her senior that she wishes to go to Pakistan, we assume that the latter will have some hesitation. Instead, the senior officer straight away agrees as if infiltrating into Pakistan is akin to a cakewalk! Then the manner in which Tejas hides the aircrafts at the Pakistani airport is a smart idea but looks childish on screen.

Kangana Ranaut delivers a fine performance but looks quite stiff in scenes where she’s supposed to look rough and tough. Anshul Chauhan lends able support and also raises laughs. Ashish Vidyarthi is dependable. Varun Mitra is lovely while Kashyap Shangari gets no scope. Sunit Tandon (Academy teacher) leaves a mark. Vishak Nair is okay. Rohed Khan (Sarqalam), Rio Kapadia (RAW Chief) and Mohan Agashe (Prime Minister) do well. Mushtaq Kak (Khatooni) hams.

Tejas Official Trailer | Kangana Ranaut | Sarvesh Mewara | Ronnie Screwvala

Shashwat Sachdev's music fails to register. 'Jaan Da' and 'Aag Udi' are the best of the lot while the rest of the songs like 'Dil Hai Ranjhana', 'Reh Jao Na' and 'Ishq Hai Ranjhe Da' are forgettable. Shashwat Sachdev's background score is uplifting.

Hari K Vedantam's cinematography is appropriate. Harpal Singh Barda, Vikram Dahiya and Amin Khatib's action is entertaining. Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray's production design is passable. Rohit Chaturvedi's costumes are realistic. After Studios and Creative Doctor's VFX is tacky and very poor. Aarif Sheikh's editing is fine though it could have been crisper.

On the whole, TEJAS suffers due to a lack of logic and too many cinematic liberties. At the box office, it is likely to meet with a disastrous fate as there is hardly any buzz or excitement around the movie.

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Ganapath – A Hero Is Born Movie Review: On the whole, GANAPATH – A HERO IS BORN fails to impress.

GANAPATH – A HERO IS BORN is the story of a man who is meant for greatness. The year is 2070. Due to a major war, the poor have become poorer. They live in a settlement where the rich control the food and water supply. The rich, meanwhile, reside in the luxurious Silver City. A mysterious man named Dalini rules this territory. His trusted aide, John (Ziad Baki), conducts boxing matches and earns money through the bets placed by the uber-rich. Guddu (Tiger Shroff) works for John along with his uncle Kaizad (Jameel Khan) and Senior (Girish Kulkarni). The latter detests Guddu. One day, John asks Guddu to take his girlfriend Rosie (Elli AvrRam) out to a nightclub while he’s busy in a meeting. Rosie gets physical with Guddu. John catches them red-handed and buries them alive. Miraculously, Guddu survives. Kaizad asks him to move away to a settlement of poor people up in the hills and meet Shiva (Rahman). Once he meets Shiva, Guddu is supposed to tell him ‘Ganapath is here’. Guddu does as instructed. He meets Shiva and his close confidante, Jassi (Kriti Sanon). Shiva is blind while Jassi is tough and fights quite well. Unknown to Guddu, he is Ganapath or the saviour of the poor, as predicted by a revered man (Amitabh Bachchan). But while Guddu is good at analysing fighters and their strengths and weaknesses, he’s not a fighter himself. Shiva and Jassi decide to train him. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Vikas Bahl's story is clichéd and gives a déjà vu of CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA [2009]. Vikas Bahl's screenplay is unexciting. A few scenes are well thought of but they give a been-there-done-that feeling. Vikas Bahl's dialogues are just fine.

Vikas Bahl's direction is not up to the mark. To give credit its due, he has handled a few dramatic moments well. Guddu’s transformation also makes for a nice watch. The fight at the intermission point is worth it. The lead actors have also been presented stylishly.

Sadly, the film is riddled with shortcomings. The futuristic element could have been the USP but the makers fail to do justice to it. The poor VFX further messes things up in this regard. For a film about one man fighting the system, it’s mandatory that the audience should be moved by the plight of the have-nots and be wowed by the protagonist’s heroism. Both these factors are missing. Moreover, the twist in the climax is very predictable. One can guess it from a mile away.

Speaking of performances, Tiger Shroff has never looked so dashing. His performance is quite good. Kriti Sanon gives a sizzling performance. She looks convincing while doing action. Amitabh Bachchan is hardly there and is fine. Ziad Baki is decent. Jameel Khan and Girish Kulkarni are dependable. Rahman is the surprise of the film. Elli AvrRam looks hot but is wasted. Jess Liaudin (Tabahi) is over the top. Shruthy Menon (Shaina) is fine.

Ganapath Official Hindi Trailer | Amitabh Bachchan, Tiger Shroff, Kriti Sanon

Songs are well-woven into the narrative. 'Sara Zamana' manages to register to an extent followed by 'Jai Ganesha', 'Hum Aaye Hain', 'Lafda Kar De' and 'Time 2 Shine'. Salim-Sulaiman's background score is passable.

Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti's cinematography is neat. Amit Ray & Subrata Chakrobarty's production design is unimaginative. Aki Narula, Sukriti Grover and Akangshe Chopra's costumes are quite cool, especially the ones worn by Tiger and Kriti. Tim Man and Vikram Dahiya's action is entertaining and not at all gory. After Studio, Number 9 VFX and Maadfam Studios' VFX is tacky. Ritesh Soni's editing is appropriate.

On the whole, GANAPATH – A HERO IS BORN fails to impress due to a clichéd storyline, poor VFX and predictable second half. At the box office, the limited buzz and huge costs will prove detrimental.

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Yaariyan 2 Movie Review: On the whole, YAARIYAN 2 is a decent entertainer.

YAARIYAN 2 is the story of three cousins. Laadli Chibber (Divya Khosla Kumar) lives in Shimla with her mother (Lillete Dubey). She was suffering from thalassemia but has now recovered. Laadli wanted to fall in love and then get married. Her mother, however, asks her to meet Abhay Singh Katyal (Yash Das Gupta). Both click and they decide to get married. Laadli immediately calls Shikhar (Meezaan Jafri) and Bajrang Das Khatri aka Bajju (Pearl V Puri), her cousins who are closest to her, for her wedding. After marriage, Laadli moves to Mumbai with Abhay. Bajju, too, works in Mumbai. Shikhar is forced to shift to Mumbai and work as a delivery boy after he faces a roadblock in his biking career. Laadli faces trouble in marriage as Abhay seems indifferent to her. Shikhar changes his SIM card and gets hounded with calls from Ikroor (Anaswara Rajan). He meets her and both fall in love. Bajju, meanwhile, begins a relationship with Shona (Warina Hussain). Shikhar, however, has reservations about Shona and her behaviour. This causes a rift between the trio. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

YAARIYAN 2 is based on BANGALORE DAYS [2014] and the story is promising. We have seen films about siblings and friends. A film about cousins is rare. Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru's screenplay flows well and is replete with some nice dramatic and emotional sequences. Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru's dialogues are youthful and modern. However, the dialogue about nappies is repeated far too many times.

Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru's direction is creative. The director duo is known for adding a lot even to their ordinary shots. This trademark stamp is visible from start to finish. While they handle all tracks well, the track of the dead girl's parents is very moving. The race sequence, meanwhile, is gripping.

On the flipside, there's hardly any comedy. For a film about friendship, there should have been more humour. The character of Bajji gets a raw deal in the second half as he is hardly there. Moreover, at 150 minutes, the film is too lengthy.

Speaking of performances, Divya Khosla Kumar looks charming and performs the difficult role with ease. Meezaan Jafri shows a marked improvement compared to his work in HUNGAMA 2 [2021]. Pearl V Puri is decent but could have been better. Yash Das Gupta emerges as the best performer in the film. Warina Hussain looks stunning but could have done better in some difficult scenes. Bhagyashri Borse (Raajlaxmi) looks stunning and leaves a mark. Anaswara Rajan is lovely but goes over the top in emotional scenes. Priya Prakash Warrier is wasted. Murli Sharma is dependable. Lillete Dubey hams.

Yaariyan 2 (Official Trailer): Pearl V Puri, Divya Khosla Kumar, Meezaan Jafri

The songs are decent though it's in no way close to the hit soundtrack of YAARIYAN [2014]. 'Saure Ghar' is the best followed by 'Simroon Tera Naam', 'Oonchi Oonchi Deewarein', 'Suit Patiala', 'Heer Bhi Roye', 'Peene De' and 'Bewafaa Tu'. 'Sunny Sunny 2.0' and 'Blue Hai Paani Paani' are just okay. JAM8's background score is functional.

C R Ravi Yadav's cinematography is stunning. Mumbai has never been captured like this before. Shankar Samanta's production design is rich. Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru's costumes are glamorous, especially the ones worn by Raajlaxmi. Allan Amin's action is fine. Abhishek Kumar Singh's editing is weak. The film should have been shorter by 15-20 minutes.

On the whole, YAARIYAN 2 is a decent entertainer.

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Dhak Dhak Movie Review: DHAK DHAK is a well-intentioned genuine effort laced with some fine performances.

DHAK DHAK is the story of four women bikers. Sky (Fatima Sana Shaikh) is a vlogger specializing in bikes. She breaks up with her boyfriend Shrey (Nishank Verma) after her nude pictures are leaked from his phone. She wants to bag a contract to film the Barcelona Auto Expo. The person in charge, Nishant Kakkar (Hrriday Malhotra), agrees but on one condition - she should create a video series that will emotionally move people. This is when she comes across Manpreet Kaur Sethi aka Mahi (Ratna Pathak Shah). She is in her 60s and rides a motorcycle after she wins the two-wheeler in a contest. Mahi tells Sky that it's her dream to ride her bike at Khardung La Pass, the highest motorable road in the world. Sky agrees to take her there knowing that this is the story she wants to tell. When both try to get their bike fixed, they bump into Uzma (Dia Mirza). She comes on board as a mechanic. Then they are joined by Manjari (Sanjana Sanghi), a god-fearing vegetarian from Govardhan who lies to her parents that she's flying to Leh instead of going there by road. All four of them have distinct personalities and the journey is tough and full of obstacles. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Parijat Joshi and Tarun Dudeja's story is brilliant and waiting to be told. Parijat Joshi and Tarun Dudeja's screenplay does partial justice to the plot at hand. The characters are beautifully fleshed out and at the same time, they also raise some important issues. However, things don’t get properly established in the second half. Parijat Joshi and Tarun Dudeja's dialogues (additional dialogues by Anvita Dutt) are simple and some one-liners raise laughs.

Tarun Dudeja's direction is uncomplicated, despite the flashbacks. He begins the film by establishing that the four ladies have embarked on their biking trip. He then depicts their back stories and it makes for an engaging watch. It is not easy for women travelling alone and this aspect is depicted perfectly. At the same time, not everyone tries to take advantage and this is also taken care of by the beautiful truck driver sequence. Sky’s outburst, the reunion in the pre-climax and the finale are also worth watching.

Sadly, the film is not without its share of blemishes. Nothing much happens in the first hour of the post-interval portion. The four ladies spare Moshe (Benedict Garrett) despite his wrongdoing and this is difficult to digest. The same goes for the sequence when Manjari’s parents allow her to continue her journey on a bike, though they are livid with her. A few aspects like Mahi being ignored by her family and her bond with Prabjyot (Harshpal Singh) are not established well. The conclusion of Uzma’s track is too simplistic. Lastly, it is bewildering how no one from the ashram delivers the oxygen cylinder to a hospitalized Mahi. Agreed that Manjari was not in a position to do so but anyone else should have done the needful, especially when it was a life-and-death situation.

Dhak Dhak – Official Trailer | Ratna Pathak Shah | Dia Mirza | Fatima Sana Shaikh | Sanjana Sanghi

All four leading heroines do a fine job. Fatima Sana Shaikh has the maximum screen time and carries off the role with panache and style. Ratna Pathak Shah as always is a pleasure to watch. Dia Mirza is too good and she underplays her part with panache. Sanjana Sanghi goes a bit overboard in some scenes but otherwise, she puts up a fine act. Nishank Verma lends able support. The same goes for Hrriday Malhotra. Harshpal Singh is there only in the beginning and is okay. Dheerendra Dwivedi (Shabbir; Uzma's husband) leaves a mark. Kallirroi Tziafeta (Martha; Manjari’s foreign friend) is lovely while Dr Lakha Lehri (Taran; truck driver) is adorable. Ozgur Kurt (Bernett) is too good. Benedict Garrett is forgettable and hams. Poonam Gurung (Kung Fu Nun) is great, but her track doesn’t have the desired impact.

DHAK DHAK has several songs but only 'Re Banjara' and 'Akhiyan Criminal' get registered. The rest of them like 'Sadke Sadke', 'Woh Tara', 'Safar Pe Chale' and 'Farzi Duniya' are forgettable. Anurag Saika's background score is in sync with the film’s theme.

Sreechith Vijayan Damodar's cinematography is splendid. The locales of the mountain ranges, especially, are captured beautifully. Nilesh Eknath Wagh's production design is realistic. Natasha Vohra's costumes reflect the character’s personalities. The ones worn by Fatima are appealing. Abdul Aziz Khokhar's action is minimal. Manish Sharma's editing is slick.

On the whole, DHAK DHAK is a well-intentioned genuine effort laced with some fine performances by the leading ladies. But due to a weak second half and negligible buzz, the film will suffer at the box office.

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Dhak Dhak Movie Review: DHAK DHAK is a well-intentioned genuine effort laced with some fine performances.

DHAK DHAK is the story of four women bikers. Sky (Fatima Sana Shaikh) is a vlogger specializing in bikes. She breaks up with her boyfriend Shrey (Nishank Verma) after her nude pictures are leaked from his phone. She wants to bag a contract to film the Barcelona Auto Expo. The person in charge, Nishant Kakkar (Hrriday Malhotra), agrees but on one condition - she should create a video series that will emotionally move people. This is when she comes across Manpreet Kaur Sethi aka Mahi (Ratna Pathak Shah). She is in her 60s and rides a motorcycle after she wins the two-wheeler in a contest. Mahi tells Sky that it's her dream to ride her bike at Khardung La Pass, the highest motorable road in the world. Sky agrees to take her there knowing that this is the story she wants to tell. When both try to get their bike fixed, they bump into Uzma (Dia Mirza). She comes on board as a mechanic. Then they are joined by Manjari (Sanjana Sanghi), a god-fearing vegetarian from Govardhan who lies to her parents that she's flying to Leh instead of going there by road. All four of them have distinct personalities and the journey is tough and full of obstacles. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Parijat Joshi and Tarun Dudeja's story is brilliant and waiting to be told. Parijat Joshi and Tarun Dudeja's screenplay does partial justice to the plot at hand. The characters are beautifully fleshed out and at the same time, they also raise some important issues. However, things don’t get properly established in the second half. Parijat Joshi and Tarun Dudeja's dialogues (additional dialogues by Anvita Dutt) are simple and some one-liners raise laughs.

Tarun Dudeja's direction is uncomplicated, despite the flashbacks. He begins the film by establishing that the four ladies have embarked on their biking trip. He then depicts their back stories and it makes for an engaging watch. It is not easy for women travelling alone and this aspect is depicted perfectly. At the same time, not everyone tries to take advantage and this is also taken care of by the beautiful truck driver sequence. Sky’s outburst, the reunion in the pre-climax and the finale are also worth watching.

Sadly, the film is not without its share of blemishes. Nothing much happens in the first hour of the post-interval portion. The four ladies spare Moshe (Benedict Garrett) despite his wrongdoing and this is difficult to digest. The same goes for the sequence when Manjari’s parents allow her to continue her journey on a bike, though they are livid with her. A few aspects like Mahi being ignored by her family and her bond with Prabjyot (Harshpal Singh) are not established well. The conclusion of Uzma’s track is too simplistic. Lastly, it is bewildering how no one from the ashram delivers the oxygen cylinder to a hospitalized Mahi. Agreed that Manjari was not in a position to do so but anyone else should have done the needful, especially when it was a life-and-death situation.

Dhak Dhak – Official Trailer | Ratna Pathak Shah | Dia Mirza | Fatima Sana Shaikh | Sanjana Sanghi

All four leading heroines do a fine job. Fatima Sana Shaikh has the maximum screen time and carries off the role with panache and style. Ratna Pathak Shah as always is a pleasure to watch. Dia Mirza is too good and she underplays her part with panache. Sanjana Sanghi goes a bit overboard in some scenes but otherwise, she puts up a fine act. Nishank Verma lends able support. The same goes for Hrriday Malhotra. Harshpal Singh is there only in the beginning and is okay. Dheerendra Dwivedi (Shabbir; Uzma's husband) leaves a mark. Kallirroi Tziafeta (Martha; Manjari’s foreign friend) is lovely while Dr Lakha Lehri (Taran; truck driver) is adorable. Ozgur Kurt (Bernett) is too good. Benedict Garrett is forgettable and hams. Poonam Gurung (Kung Fu Nun) is great, but her track doesn’t have the desired impact.

DHAK DHAK has several songs but only 'Re Banjara' and 'Akhiyan Criminal' get registered. The rest of them like 'Sadke Sadke', 'Woh Tara', 'Safar Pe Chale' and 'Farzi Duniya' are forgettable. Anurag Saika's background score is in sync with the film’s theme.

Sreechith Vijayan Damodar's cinematography is splendid. The locales of the mountain ranges, especially, are captured beautifully. Nilesh Eknath Wagh's production design is realistic. Natasha Vohra's costumes reflect the character’s personalities. The ones worn by Fatima are appealing. Abdul Aziz Khokhar's action is minimal. Manish Sharma's editing is slick.

On the whole, DHAK DHAK is a well-intentioned genuine effort laced with some fine performances by the leading ladies. But due to a weak second half and negligible buzz, the film will suffer at the box office.

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The Exorcist - Believer (English) Movie Review: On the whole, THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER fails to impress.

THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER is the story of two girls who get possessed. The year is 2010. Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr) visits Port Au Prince, Haiti with his pregnant wife Sorenne (Tracey Graves). An earthquake takes place that severely injures Sorenne. She dies but the baby survives. 13 years later, Victor is settled in Percy, Georgia with his daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett). One day, Angela makes a plan with her classmate Katherine (Olivia Marcum) to go to the woods after school. When they don't return, their worried parents call the cops. The police officers try their best but are unable to locate their whereabouts. 3 days later, Angela and Catherine are found in a barn 30 miles away from the woods. Shockingly, they have no memory of how they reached the barn, that too without shoes. On top of that, they believe that they were gone only a few hours. Once back home, both Angela and Catherine start behaving weirdly, scaring their parents. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Scott Teems, Danny McBride and David Gordon Green's story is promising. Peter Sattler and David Gordon Green's screenplay, however, is devoid of tension and scary moments. The dialogues are normal.

David Gordon Green's direction is just okay. The director sets up the story well initially. The sequence of the earthquake and that of the missing girls is very captivating. Moreover, getting the character from the first part, THE EXORCIST [1973], is a masterstroke.

Unfortunately, the makers fail to utilize this trump card to its potential. Firstly, many are not aware that the character they see on screen has a connection with the first part. The makers should have established it well. Secondly, the second half is clichéd and something we have seen countless times before. The film also ends abruptly, probably because a sequel is in the offing.

Leslie Odom Jr doesn't put on a nice act and is emotionless in several scenes. Lidya Jewett and Olivia Marcum, however, are excellent in their respective parts. Tracey Graves is lovely in a cameo. Norbert Leo Butz (Tony; Katherine's father) and Jennifer Nettles (Miranda, Katherine's mother) are decent. The same goes for E J Bonilla (Father Maddox) and Ann Dowd (Ann). Okwui Okpokwasili (Dr Beehibe) doesn't have much to do.

David Wingo and Amman Abbasi's is functional. Michael Simmonds' cinematography is appropriate. Brandon Tonner-Connolly's production design is nothing special. VFX is minimal and works. Tim Alverson's editing is sharp.

On the whole, THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER fails to impress due to a weak and clichéd second half. At the box office, it'll face a tough time though the association with the brand EXORCIST might attract a tiny section of the audience.

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Khufiya Movie Review: On the whole, KHUFIYA is a well-made gripping saga.

KHUFIYA is the story of a mole in India’s intelligence agency. The year is 2004. Krishna Mehra (Tabu) works for the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) and is based in Dhaka. She comes across Heena Rehman (Azmeri Haque), who offers to spy for India in exchange for money, which she desperately needs for her father’s illness. Krishna agrees and while working with her, both fall in love. Unknown to Krishna, Heena is sent on a mission to eliminate Brigadier Mirza (Shataf Figar). Before she can do so, Mirza is informed of the plan. He eliminates Heena. A few months later, Krishna's boss Jeev (Ashish Vidyarthi) learns that Ravi Mohan (Ali Fazal), an employee at RAW, told Bangladesh about Heena's involvement, leading to her death. His office is bugged and that's when the RAW finds out the truth about Ravi. But to gather more evidence, his house too is riddled with surveillance cameras. Krishna, too, is made a part of this operation which she names 'Brutus'. While spying on them, Krishna learns about Ravi's bond with his wife Charu (Wamiqa Gabbi), son Kunal (Swastik Tiwari) and Ravi's mother Lalita (Navnindra Behl). At the same time, Krishna also gets the shock of her life when she finds out who Ravi is actually working for. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

KHUFIYA is based on the book 'Escape To Nowhere' by Amar Bhushan. The story is one of the strengths of the film as it's very arresting. Rohan Narula and Vishal Bhardwaj's screenplay does justice to the superb plot in hand. The focus is chiefly on the characters and the madness that ensues in their lives. Vishal Bhardwaj's dialogues are sharp and well-worded.

Vishal Bhardwaj's direction is exemplary and this is one of his best works. We have seen films in this zone like PARMANU (2018), RAAZI (2018), BABY (2015) or even in Hollywood like MUNICH [2005] to name a few. Thanks to his execution, one doesn't think of these films or draw parallels with them. Not a single moment is boring as a lot is happening. A few twists are unexpected and will leave audiences amazed. At the same time, the way the equation between certain characters changes is seen to be believed.

On the flipside, a few developments are confusing. It also takes a while to realize that the flashback has commenced or ended. A simple text like 'Dhaka - 6 months ago' would have been helpful. Secondly, the way our agencies are able to hoodwink foreign officials in multiple places is a bit hard to digest. The climax is gripping but could have been more nail-biting.

KHUFIYA begins with a very memorable scene and sets the tone. If you feel the film will drop as the makers would take their time to introduce characters, you are mistaken. The makers waste no time in explaining the situation of Ravi. A few scenes that stand out are Krishna and her team bugging Ravi's house, Charu dancing to 'Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani', Krishna's son blasting her mother, and what could be said as the interval point. In the second half, the scene where Ravi argues with his mother is funny. The pre-climax and climax are too good.

Speaking of performances, Tabu yet again gets to play a meaty role and she makes good use of it. There's no false note in her act and as always, it’s a pleasure to see her in such challenging parts. Wamiqa Gabbi once again hits the ball out of the park after her acts in JUBILEE and CHARLIE CHOPRA & THE MYSTERY OF THE SOLANG VALLEY. She is fully convincing as the bored housewife who is at heart a filmy bug and a devastated mother who has lost the will to live. Here's hoping she continues her great work as a talent like hers is rare. Azmeri Haque is the surprise of the film. She's sure to become a talking point after the film's release. Ali Fazal gets a bit overshadowed but leaves a mark nevertheless. Navnindra Behl is a bigger surprise of the film. See it to believe it! Shataf Figar and Ashish Vidyarthi are decent. Atul Kulkarni (Shashank) is fine in a special appearance. Swastik Tiwari, Lalit Parimoo (Home Minister Naren Mishra), Rahul Vohra (Wasan), Disney James (Kutty), Jan Graveson (Rachel Mcclane), Meet Vohra (Vikram; Krishna's son), Virendra Vashisht (Sardar old man in RAW), Shashi Bhushan (Michael; who is spying from milk centre), Geeta (Priyanka Setia; Michael's associate), Alexx O Nell (Dr David Langley) and Monica Rae (Langley's wife) are fine in small roles. Rahul Ram (Yaar Jogiya) is superb.

Vishal Bhardwaj's music doesn't have a shelf life but is well woven into the narrative. 'Mat Aana' is the best of the lot followed by 'Bujhee Bujhee' and 'Mann Na Rangaave'. 'Tanhaai Hai' and 'Naa Hosh Chaley' are okay. Vishal Bhardwaj's background score adds to the thrill and mystery.

Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi's cinematography is commendable. The locales of Alberta are well captured. T P Abid's production design is detailed. Karishma Sharma's costumes are realistic. The same applies to Harpal Singh's stunts. A Sreekar Prasad's editing is razor sharp.

On the whole, KHUFIYA is a well-made gripping saga. It works big time due to the intriguing plot, tight screenplay, twists and turns and exemplary performances by Tabu and Wamiqa Gabbi.

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Jaane Jaan Movie Review: JAANE JAAN is a gripping film and works due to the execution.

JAANE JAAN is the story of a single mother and a teacher who try to fool the police. Maya D'Souza (Kareena Kapoor Khan) lives in Kalimpong along with her daughter Tara (Naisha Khanna). Naren Vyas (Jaideep Ahlawat), a math teacher, is their neighbour. Naren is in love with her but is too afraid to confess his feelings to her. He comes to her food joint daily to pick up a parcel of Egg Fried Rice. He tries his best to talk to her but gets tongue-tied. All is going well in their lives until one day, Inspector Ajit Mhatre (Saurabh Sachdeva), enters the life of Maya and tries to create havoc. One thing leads to another, and Maya becomes a prime suspect. This is when Naren comes to her rescue. However, the investigating officer, Karan Anand (Vijay Varma), coincidentally also Naren's old friend, realizes that something is fishy. He decides not to stop until he finds out the truth. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

JAANE JAAN is adapted from the Japanese novel 'The Devotion of Suspect X' by Keigo Higashino. The story is gripping. Sujoy Ghosh's screenplay keeps one captivated. Sujoy Ghosh and Raj Vasant's dialogues are decent and some of them are quite meaningful and sharp.

Sujoy Ghosh's direction is great. He doesn't make the narrative nail-biting. Yet, he ensures that the audience is not bored. Thanks to his execution, the audiences will be deeply invested in the story and what happens next. A few sequences stand out, like Ajit's surprise visit to Maya's house, Karan consuming Dragon Momos, Naren practicing Dojo in the middle of the road at night, etc. The suspense is unexpected and is sure to amaze viewers as they won’t see it coming.

On the flipside, a few developments are unconvincing. The actions of Naren are difficult to digest. One wonders if he could have thought of a better solution. A few questions remain unanswered; in fact, the film ends abruptly. It would have been great if the makers had opened up on it, instead of not divulging the secret at all. Lastly, JAANE JAAN seems similar to a popular Hindi film franchise and comparisons are bound to happen.

Speaking of performances, Kareena Kapoor Khan delivers a riveting performance. She handles a difficult role in a very nuanced manner without going overboard. Jaideep Ahlawat, as always, scores a sixer. One has seen him in challenging parts before and yet, he’s sure to surprise the audience. However, he appears too tightened up in the intro scene at the café. Vijay Varma shines. He makes his performance seem easygoing. He, especially, is impressive in the spicy momo scene. Saurabh Sachdeva leaves a mark. Naisha Khanna is decent. Lim Laishram (Prema) and Denzom Lepcha (Babu) lend able support. Markush Lepcha (Dipok) is fine, but his track seems a bit forced. Karma Takapa (Sundar Singh; cop) is quite good. Habib Al Aidroos (Naidu; forensic doctor) does well in a small role.

JAANE JAAN is mostly a song-less film. The title track, a recreated version, is played at a crucial juncture. The end credit song is forgettable. Shor Police's background score is subtle but impactful. Avik Mukhopadhyay's cinematography is splendid, and the location is beautifully captured. The use of novel colour tones adds to the eerie and mystery feel. Aki Narula's costumes for Kareena Kapoor Khan and Dipika Lal and Anirudh Singh's costumes for the rest of the star cast are stylish yet realistic. Rajesh Choudhary, Madhumita Sen and Ajay Sharma's production design is appropriate. Heera Yadav's action is as real as it can get. Futureworks Media Ltd's VFX is top-class while Urvashi Saxena's editing is sharp.

On the whole, JAANE JAAN is a gripping film and works due to the execution, unexpected twists and turns and terrific performances of Kareena Kapoor Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma.

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A Haunting in Venice (English) Movie Review: A HAUNTING IN VENICE is a disappointing fare

A HAUNTING IN VENICE is the story of a renowned detective solving an unusual case. The year is 1947. Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is living a retired life in Venice. Many people ask him to solve cases, involving their dead family members or close loved ones, but he refuses them all. This is when Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey), an old friend and an author, approaches him on the day of Halloween. She asks him to meet Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh), who claims to talk to the dead. Ariadne himself doesn't believe in it but she said that after meeting Joyce, she is not able to understand whether she's bluffing or does she actually have powers. Hercule reluctantly agrees. The meeting is held in a spooky mansion where Joyce is all set to conduct a séance. The idea is to communicate with Alicia (Rowan Robinson), a young girl who mysteriously died. Many believe that the house is haunted by the evil spirits of orphans who were left to die here during the Plague. Hercule is confident that there are no ghosts in the mansion or anywhere else in the world. However, the mysterious developments that take place make him challenge his beliefs. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

A HAUNTING IN VENICE is adapted from Agatha Christie's novel 'Hallowe'en Party'. However, a lot of changes have been made to the principal plot. Michael Green's screenplay seems exciting on paper as this time, besides the numerous murders and suspects, there's also a hint of a supernatural element. But the same doesn't translate captivatingly on screen. The dialogues are just fine.

Kenneth Branagh's direction is not up to the mark this time. To give credit where it's due, the film begins in an entertaining manner. The way Hercule spends time during his retirement is too good. He has also established the eerie atmosphere convincingly. On the flipside, after the initial murder, the film drops. The film gets verbose and unexciting. A few developments are also predictable. The suspense is unexpected, but it comes too late in the day.

Kenneth Branagh, as expected, plays his part with utmost conviction. Michelle Yeoh leaves a mark in a supporting role. Tina Fey shines. Camille Cottin (Olga Seminoff) delivers a fine performance, especially in the second half. The same goes for Kyle Allen (Maxime Gerard). Jamie Dornan (Dr Leslie Ferrier) doesn't get much scope. Jude Hill (Leopold) puts up a confident act. Vitale Portfoglio (Ricardo) is decent. Ali Khan (Nicholas) and Emma Laird (Desdemona) provide able support. Rowan Robinson is okay in a cameo.

Hildur Guðnadóttir's music is in sync with the film's thrill and mystery moods. Haris Zambarloukos's cinematography is engaging. John Paul Kelly's production design is rich and straight out of the bygone era. Sammy Sheldon's costumes are researched but somehow don't stand out. VFX is top-class. Rome of the late 40s is neatly depicted on screen. Lucy Donaldson's editing could have been sharper.

On the whole, A HAUNTING IN VENICE is a disappointing fare due to an unexciting narrative. At the box office, it’ll appeal to very limited fans of the series.

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