Merry Christmas Movie Review: MERRY CHRISTMAS is well made and laced with a fine performance.

MERRY CHRISTMAS is the story of two strangers and their unforgettable adventure. In the late 80s, Albert (Vijay Sethupathi) returns to his home in Bombay after several years on Christmas Eve. His mother passed away a year ago and he's devastated over the loss. He goes out to have a drink. At a restobar, he meets Maria (Katrina Kaif) and her mute daughter, Annie (Pari Maheshwari Sharma). Albert and Maria start talking and soon, Maria invites him home. She reveals that her husband Jerome (Luke Kenny) is cheating on her. Albert, meanwhile, opens up about his dead girlfriend Rosie (Radhika Apte). Maria puts Annie to sleep and goes out with Albert. When they return, they get the shock of their lives. And this is just the beginning of many twists and turns that await them.

MERRY CHRISTMAS is based on the book 'Le Monte-Charge' by Frédéric Dard. Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Surti and Anukriti Pandey's story is unconventional and gripping. Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Surti and Anukriti Pandey's screenplay is captivating and after a point, doesn't let your attention wander even for a second. But the writing stretches at some parts. Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Surti and Anukriti Pandey's dialogues are sharp and witty, especially the ones mouthed by Vijay Sethupathi.

Sriram Raghavan's direction is bravura. The filmmaker's distinct execution style and trademark stamp are visible from start to finish, be it in the film's vintage aspects, music and of course, in the twists and turns. Also, this time he gives an out-of-the-box experience as he uses the slow burn technique. As a result, nothing shocking happens until a few minutes before the intermission. Post-interval, the film goes on a high as too many amusing and thrilling developments occur. From here on, the audience will be completely on the edge of their seats. The climax is unexpected.

On the flipside, the film might test the patience of the audience in the first half, especially in the first 15 minutes. Ideally, the run time should have been two hours. The ending is a bit abrupt and it might not be acceptable to some of the moviegoers. Lastly, the film has a niche appeal and is not meant for the mass audience.

Speaking of performances, it’s a Vijay Sethupathi show without a shred of doubt. The actor, with his deadpan expressions and dry sense of humour, takes the cake. Only he could have pulled this role off so smoothly. Katrina Kaif also puts her best foot forward and delivers a stupendous performance. Certain scenes were challenging but she manages to deliver a convincing act. Sanjay Kapoor (Ronnie Fernandes) is entertaining. Vinay Pathak (Paresh Kamdar) is rocking, though he has limited screen time. Tinnu Anand (Albert’s uncle) and Pratima Kannan (Lakshmi; cop) leave a huge mark. Ashwini Kalsekar (Scarlett) is there for just a scene and is memorable. Pari Maheshwari Sharma is cute. Luke Kenny and Radhika Apte are fair in cameo appearances.

Merry Christmas – Hindi Trailer | Vijay Sethupathi | Katrina Kaif | Sriram Raghavan | Ramesh Taurani

Pritam's music is well-woven into the narrative. The title track and 'Raat Akeli Thi' are the best of the lot. 'Nazar Teri' and 'Dil Ki Mez Pe' are just okay. Daniel B George's background score enhances the impact, especially in the climax.

Madhu Neelakandan's cinematography is topnotch. Mayur Sharma's production design is realistic yet appealing. The same applies to Anaita Shroff Adajania and Sabina Halder's costumes. Hira Yadav and Sunil Rodrigues' action is devoid of gore and is minimal. Pooja Ladha Surti's editing could have been sharper.

On the whole, MERRY CHRISTMAS is a well-made thriller and is laced with a fine performance by Vijay Sethupathi. At the box office, it’ll need a strong word of mouth to succeed as it appeals only to the multiplex audience in the urban areas.

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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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Salaar Movie Review: CEASEFIRE boasts of moments that will be loved by the masses.

SALAAR: PART 1 – CEASEFIRE is the story of a fearless man. The year is 2017. Aadhya (Shruti Haasan) arrives on a fake passport in India after hiding in the USA for almost 7 years. Aadhya keeps her father Krishnakant in the dark about her decision to land in Varanasi. Krishnakant’s enemies, however, get to know and they station their men outside Varanasi airport. They attempt to kidnap Adhya; on the other hand, Krishnakant asks Bilal (Mime Gopi) for help. Bilal smartly gets Adhya out of their clutches and takes her to Tinsukia, Assam. Here, he tells Deva (Prabhas) to take care of her. Prabhas’ mother (Easwari Rao), a strict headmaster of a school, has no idea about the danger to Adhya’s life. The mother employs Adhya as an English teacher in her school. Sadly, the plan is foiled as Krishnakant’s enemies find out about Adhya’s location. Meanwhile, from Kandla Port, a consignment with a prestigious seal is on its way to Burma. The men are told to go via Tinsukia and kidnap Aadhya. They do so but the truck is forced to stop as Deva attacks the team while trying to save Aadhya. However, it’s forbidden to stop the truck with the seal as it belongs to Khansaar, an autonomous, lawless territory. Vardharaja (Prithviraj Sukumaran) of Khansaar is informed about this fiasco and that his childhood friend Deva is the one who committed the ‘crime’. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Prashanth Neel's story is detailed and quite imaginative. At the same time, the mass moments are well taken care of. Prashanth Neel's screenplay is massy and entertaining. He uses the KGF template to heighten the tension and commercial moments to give the audience their money’s worth. However, there are far too many characters in Khansaar and it’s sure to confuse viewers. Dr Suri, Riya Mukherjee and Maneesh's Hindi dialogues are sharp.

Prashanth Neel's direction is exemplary. To give credit where it’s due, he has riddled the film with interesting characters and a fascinating lawless world. The depiction is superb and fit for a big-screen experience. His USP is that he adds to the scene by having parallel sequences which are as tension-filled as the principal sequence. The way he switches between the two sequences while establishing a common factor between them is seen to be believed. He also smartly doesn’t let Deva attack initially so that when he does, the impact is manifold. This happens in the second half as well, where the audience will go in a frenzy.

On the flipside, the biggest issue is that it’s extremely complicated. Apart from too many players in Khansaar, they have their politics and many of them are related to each other. The audience will find it difficult to get the hang of the complete picture and also the conflict. In fact, the whole ‘Ceasefire’ track is not easy to decipher. The twist in the climax is intended to amaze the audience and that doesn’t happen. Also, the pace is slow and the scenes of suffering go on and on. This formula worked well in KGF - CHAPTER 1 [2018] but here, the impact is limited.

Speaking of performances, Prabhas could have done better but his performance is much better than his works in ADIPURUSH [2023], RADHE SHYAM [2022], SAAHO [2018] etc. He looks at ease in doing action and his starry screen presence is enough for the mass audience to root for him. Shruti Haasan is hardly there and is just fine. Easwari Rao leaves a mark. Mime Gopi and the actor playing Krishnkant are quite good. Jagapathi Babu (Raja Mannar), Sriya Reddy (Radha Rama Mannar), Ramachandra Raju (Rudra) and Tinnu Anand (Gaikwad) deliver fine performances. John Vijay (Ranga) hams. The actors playing Selfie, Vishnu and Bharwa are okay.

Ravi Basrur's music is soulful but both the songs 'Sooraj Hi Chhaon Banke' and 'Qisson Mein' won’t have a shelf life. Ravi Basrur's background score is not too loud and works.

Bhuvan Gowda's cinematography is first-rate. Anbariv's action is very violent and disturbing. T L Venkatachalapathi's production design is well researched. Thota Vijay Bhaskar's costumes are stylish. Prime Focus's VFX is top-class. Ujwal Kulkarni's editing is stylish and could have been sharper as the film drags in certain places.

On the whole, SALAAR: PART 1 – CEASEFIRE boasts of whistle-worthy moments that will be loved by the masses. However, the excessive violence, a needlessly complicated second half and a limited showcasing due to DUNKI will affect its box office prospects to an extent.

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Dunki Movie Review: Though DUNKI isn't as outstanding as Hirani's previous ventures, it delivers and is worth watching.

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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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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Sam Bahadur Movie Review: SAM BAHADUR is a well intentioned biopic.

SAM BAHADUR is the story of India’s greatest soldier. The year is 1933. Sam Manekshaw (Vicky Kaushal) is posted in Mussoorie as a corporal in the British Indian Army. He comes across Silloo (Sanya Malhotra). Both fall in love and get married. Sam soon rises in the Army ranks thanks to his valour and no-nonsense approach. During World War II, he is posted in Burma where he fights the Japanese troops bravely. He gets shot 7 times and yet survives. During the partition, he gets an offer to join the Pakistani Army but he insists on being a part of the Indian Army. After independence, he continues to serve the army and is soon posted in Wellington, Tamil Nadu as Major General. A few years later, the Indo-China dispute erupts and this is when he comes across the future Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi (Fatima Sana Shaikh). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Bhavani Iyer, Shantanu Srivastava and Meghna Gulzar's story is worthy as the life of Sam Manekshaw is truly fascinating. Bhavani Iyer, Shantanu Srivastava and Meghna Gulzar's screenplay, however, doesn’t do complete justice. A film of this kind should have numerous high points which SAM BAHADUR sadly lacks. Bhavani Iyer, Shantanu Srivastava and Meghna Gulzar's dialogues thankfully add to the drama and humour.

Meghna Gulzar's direction is decent. To give credit where it's due, she makes a sincere attempt to tell the story of Sam Manekshaw. She doesn’t attempt to add unnecessary drama, action or dialoguebaazi for the heck of it. Everything in the film is there for a reason and it gives one a feeling that the director is serious about doing justice to his life story. Sam’s sense of humour was famous and this aspect is well taken care of. A few scenes are memorable like Sam’s brutal injury in Burma, Sam accused of being an anti-national and Sam’s bond with Yahya Khan (Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub). The manner in which Sam manages to fly the plane from Srinagar despite no lights is the best scene of the film.

On the flipside, the director should have added some sort of cinematic high, without compromising on other aspects. SAM BAHADUR is the biopic of an army man who has achieved so much. His life events have been dramatic and so much could have been done. Sadly, Meghna Gulzar, in the second half, chooses to simply document his life episodes without adding any cinematic value. This is pretty evident in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, which serves as the climax. It fails to give goosebumps as the audience will not realize the achievements of Sam in this battle, thanks to the execution.

Sam Bahadur – Official Trailer | Vicky Kaushal | Meghna Gulzar

Vicky Kaushal, however, doesn’t give any reason to complain. The actor gets into the skin of the character like never before and delivers the finest performance of his career. It’s also praiseworthy how he has worked on his body language and accent as well. Sanya Malhotra and Fatima Sana Shaikh, too, deliver fine performances. But they don’t have much to do. Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub is decent initially and looks unrecognizable and unconvincing in the second half. He’s wasted in the climax. Neeraj Kabi (Jawaharlal Nehru) is fine. Govind Namdev (Sardar Patel) is great but sadly, he's there for just a scene. Shreas Pardiwala (Behruz) and the actors playing Swami, Dippy and others are fair.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is forgettable. Both 'Badhte Chalo' and 'Banda' don't have a shelf life. 'Itni Si Baat', however, is well picturized. Ketan Sodha's background score uplifts the impact to some extent.

Jay I Patel's cinematography is neat. Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray's production design is detailed. Sachin Lovelekar, Divvya Gambhir and Nidhhi Gambhir's costumes are straight out of the bygone era. Parvez Shaikh's action makes its presence felt and isn’t disturbing. Nitin Baid's editing could have been sharper.

On the whole, SAM BAHADUR is a well-intentioned biopic and showcases Vicky Kaushal like never before. But it suffers due to the docudrama treatment. At the box office, the mighty opposition in the form of ANIMAL will affect its prospects to a great extent.

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Napoleon (English) Movie Review: NAPOLEON rests on fine performances and spectacular battle scenes.

NAPOLEON is the story of the rise and fall of one of the greatest kings in history. Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) rises to fame after the French Revolution of 1789. In September 1793, he successfully lays siege in Toulon and defeats the British. The battle gives him a lot of recognition and he's promoted from the post of colonel to brigadier general. He soon falls in love with Joséphine (Vanessa Kirby) and has a tumultuous relationship with her. In 1798, he proceeds to Egypt to further undermine the British and their trade interests in Asia. He cuts short his trip when he learns that Joséphine is having an affair with Hippolyte Charles (Jannis Niewöhner). This is seen as an act of desertion but Napoleon saves himself smartly. Later on, he, Sieyes (Julian Rhind-Tutt) and Roger Ducos (Benedict Martin) plan a coup. One thing leads to another and he becomes the king of France. He continues to rise with his tactical battle strategies but also commits certain mistakes on the way. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

David Scarpa's story is brilliant. The roller-coaster life of Napoleon Bonaparte is fit for a cinematic adaptation. David Scarpa's screenplay is interesting, but only in parts. The lack of a simple explanation goes heavily against the film. The dialogues are appropriate.

Ridley Scott's direction is cinematic. He has a certain style and finesse and that is surely evident in several scenes. He depicts Napoleon Bonaparte with all his glory and flaws and that makes him human and closer to reality. He wows the audience in the battle scenes and certain dramatic scenes like Napoleon confronting Joséphine after learning that she cheated on him, Napoleon running to save his life after attempting a coup, Napoleon’s mother proving who is infertile among the couple, Napoleon wittily convincing the fifth regiment to switch sides, etc. As for the action scenes, the opening sequence and the Battle of Austerlitz take the cake.

On the flipside, several scenes stand out when seen individually. As part of the film, it doesn’t make the desired impact as the makers skip several episodes of his life. It seems like the makers expect the viewers to know Napoleon’s life story before they catch the film. Since that’s obviously not possible, one might not be able to fully comprehend the goings-on or change in the equation between the characters. The track that is easy to comprehend is that of Napoleon and Joséphine. But the bond they share is crazy and might put off people. Lastly, it’s a niche film and not meant for mainstream audiences.

Speaking of performances, Joaquin Phoenix once again hits the ball out of the park. He depicts his valour and vulnerability with utmost conviction. Vanessa Kirby, too, puts her best foot forward and seems at ease in essaying the challenging role. Edouard Philipponnat (Tsar of Russia) looks dashing and does well. The other actors like Jannis Niewöhner, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Benedict Martin, Sam Troughton (Robespierre), Paul Rhys (Talleyrand), Anna Mawn (The Duchess Marie-Louise) etc perform ably but get overshadowed by Joaquin and Vanessa. Catherine Walker (Marie-Antoinette), however, leaves a huge mark in a cameo.

Martin Phipps's music tries to enhance the impact in several scenes. Dariusz Wolski's cinematography is top-class. Arthur Max's production design and David Crossman and Janty Yates' costumes are well-researched. Action is brutal and not for the faint-hearted. VFX is top-class. Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo's editing is weak. The 160-minute long film should have been shorter by 10-15 minutes.

On the whole, NAPOLEON rests on fine performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby and spectacular battle scenes. However, the long length, lack of simplistic narrative and niche appeal will restrict its box office collections.

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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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Khichdi 2 Movie Review: On the whole, KHICHDI 2 suffers from a weak second half

KHICHDI 2 is the story of a madcap family on a dangerous mission. Kushal (Anant Vidhaat) of TIA (Thodi Intelligent Agency) meets Hansa (Supriya Pathak), Himanshu (J D Majethia), Praful (Rajeev Mehta), Jayshree (Vandana Pathak) and Babuji (Anang Desai) and asks them for help. He wants them to go to a country called Paanthukistan. The ruler of Paanthukistan, Imam Kha Ke Thuk (Rajeev Mehta), looks like Praful. Hence, the plan is that Hansa, Himanshu, Jayshree and Babuji should enter Paanthukistan pretending to be documentary filmmakers. Praful will be kept hidden in a box. When the time is right, Himanshu will feed a spiked meal to Imam Kha Ke Thuk. The king will faint and Praful will masquerade as the ruler. Kushal then wants them to find a scientist, Makhanwala (Paresh Ganatra), who has designed a dangerous robot. TIA doesn't want the robot to fall into the hands of the king as he can use it for frightening consequences. The plan is simple, but the Parekh family is well...Parekh family. Training them for this mission is a mission in itself. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Aatish Kapadia's story is superb, though it gives a déjà vu of TERE BIN LADEN [2010] and THE INTERVIEW [2014]. Aatish Kapadia's screenplay (additional screenplay by Sourav Ghosh) is weak, though some moments are quite hilarious and well thought out. Aatish Kapadia's dialogues are one of the highlights of the film. In fact, it’s the dialogues that is the saving grace.

Aatish Kapadia's direction is okay. He keeps the direction simple and uncomplicated. The run time is just 121 minutes, and the film doesn’t bore even for a moment. He smartly starts the film with the helicopter sequence and then goes on a flashback. It sets the mood instantly.

On the flipside, the second half is weak. With a plot like this, the film could have gone anywhere. But the writers and director let go of the opportunity. They rely solely on dialogues and gags to infuse entertainment instead of adding some physical comedy. After all, this is a film, and they should have tried to add some cinematic value. A few jokes are funny but don’t get registered. For example, the name of the British official in the 1947 sequence is Lord Mittibartan, but the audience won’t notice it properly. A crucial character is wasted, and the death of another character is unimaginative and needlessly violent for a film of this sort.

Speaking of performances, Supriya Pathak takes the cake as she gets to mouth the maximum jokes. Rajeev Mehta plays both the roles with ease. J D Majethia and Vandana Pathak add to the fun and entertainment convincingly. Anang Desai is adorable. Kirti Kulhari (Parminder) is wasted. She should have been there in the climax, ideally. Anant Vidhaat lends able support. Paresh Ganatra doesn’t get much scope. Kiku Sharda is entertaining as the robot. Reyaansh Vir Chaddha (Wazir) is okay while Flora Saini (Rani Gulkanda) is over the top. Farah Khan and Pratik Gandhi are fair.

Chirantan Bhatt's music is poor. 'Vande Raka' has bizarre lyrics but is shot well. 'Naach Naach' is well woven into the film. The Paanthukistan national anthem is funny. Raju Singh's background score is in sync with the film’s tone. Vijay Soni's cinematography is appropriate. Jayant Deshmukh's production design is theatrical. Falguni Trivedi's costumes are as per the character’s traits. Raj Shinde's action works. Crazy VFX's VFX is very poor. Aajay A Kumar's editing is fine.

On the whole, KHICHDI 2 suffers from a weak second half and an unimaginative script. At the box office, it might surprise if the target audience accepts the film.

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The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes (English) Movie Review: On the whole, THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES is an entertaining flick

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES is the story of a bond shared by a mentor with his tribute in times of despair. The film is set 64 years before the events of the first film in the series. 18-year-old Coriolanus (Tom Blyth) lives in the capital city of Panem. He belongs to the Snow family which was once quite powerful but suffered immensely in the War. To win back the prestige of his family, he studies hard and comes out with flying colours. As a result, he's chosen to mentor a tribute (a participant) in the 10th edition of The Hunger Games. He is assigned the District 12 female tribute, Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). She catches attention with her singing skills. When she reaches the capital city, Coriolanus goes to meet her in the Capital Zoo, where all the players are kept. The footage is shown on television and it earns the sympathy of the residents. Dr Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis), the head gamemaker, is upset with Coriolanus's behaviour. But Coriolanus explains that the games are not getting good viewership as viewers don't feel connected to the players. He gives ideas to increase the viewership, which gets accepted. Meanwhile, Coriolanus forms a bond with Lucy and both get quite close. The games finally begin and Coriolanus tries his best to help Lucy win, by hook or by crook. Unknown to all, Coriolanus has a hidden agenda. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

The film is based on the novel ‘The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes’ by Suzanne Collins. The story is gripping and imaginative. Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt's screenplay is effective but gets too lengthy after a point. The dialogues are normal. The absence of English subtitles makes it a bit difficult in some scenes.

Francis Lawrence's direction is neat. He keeps the storytelling simple and introduces the characters and the setting effectively. The previous two parts of the series had faced criticism and the director seems to have corrected those minuses. A few scenes stand out like Lucy’s entry, Coriolanus and Lucy bonding in the zoo at night, Lucy being sent water bottles to save herself, etc. The finale of the games is very memorable. In fact, the nail-biting moments are aplenty in the film.

On the flipside, the run time of 157 minutes is way too much. Secondly, moviegoers might feel a bit cheated since The Hunger Games episode ends an hour before the end credits roll. The third act has its share of moments but it’s not something viewers have signed up for. Also, it is not as thrilling as the second act.

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES belongs to Rachel Zegler. The actress has been getting better with each film. She performs the difficult role with élan and perfection. Tom Blyth gets a bit overshadowed by Rachel but delivers a solid performance. Viola Davis is needlessly loud, although her act is watchable. Peter Dinklage (Casca Highbottom) leaves a mark, as expected. Jason Schwartzman (Lucretius Flickerman; television host) is entertaining. Josh Andrés Rivera (Sejanus Plinth) is okay. Hunter Schafer (Tigris Snow) and Fionnula Flanagan (Grandmother) don't get much scope. Nick Benson (Jessup; male tribute from 12th district) and Mackenzie Lansing (Coral; who is determined to finish Lucy in the games) make their presence felt.

James Newton Howard's music has a cinematic feel. Jo Willems' cinematography is spectacular, especially in the games arena and climax. Uli Hanisch's production design is very appealing. Trish Summerville's costumes are stylish. The action is not too gory. VFX is top-class. Mark Yoshikawa's editing is weak. The film should have been shorter by at least 15 minutes.

On the whole, THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES is an entertaining flick and will be loved by the fans of the series. But the lack of promotion, competition from TIGER 3 and the crucial World Cup final match on Sunday will eat into its business.

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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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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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The Lady Killer Movie Review: THE LADY KILLER fails to entice

THE LADY KILLER is the story of a man who gets entangled in a mess. Rajendar Joshi (Arjun Kapoor) runs a chemist shop in Nainital. He wants to set up a diagnostic centre but the bank refuses his loan as he is a defaulter. He is in a relationship with Gajra (Priyanka Bose), a married woman. One day, Rajendar’s cop friend Rawat (Deepak Tokas) asks him to meet Vikram Burman (S M Zaheer), a former prince who is now settled in Nainital. Vikram wants to set up a hospital and Rajendar realizes that he might benefit. Rajendar goes to his mansion where he’s greeted by Vikram’s daughter Jansey (Bhumi Pednekar). Vikram gets attracted to her and is moved when he learns that Vikram sexually assaults her. Both decide to murder Vikram. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Ajay Bahl, Pawan Sony and Mayank Tiwari’s story is fine and has a James Headley Chase feel. Ajay Bahl, Pawan Sony and Mayank Tiwari’s screenplay, however, is not effective, especially in the second half. Ajay Bahl, Pawan Sony and Mayank Tiwari’s dialogues are normal.

Ajay Bahl’s direction is disappointing. He handles a few portions well in the first half like Rajendar and Jansey’s first meeting, the lovers deciding to murder, the intermission point and the day of the murder.

From here on, things go downhill. Instead of giving a thrilling and nail-biting moments, the film will make viewers restless as they would wonder what exactly is happening. Moreover, there are gaps in the narrative. The entire track of Rajendar’s ex-girlfriend is not explained and one wonders why it is even there in the film in the first place. No explanation is given as to why the overdose of insulin didn’t have the desired impact. Lastly, it’s also bewildering that the cops failed to track the running lovers though they switched on their phones a couple of times.

The Lady Killer (Trailer): Arjun Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar

Speaking of performances, Arjun Kapoor looks dashing and does well, more so in the finale. Bhumi Pednekar rocks the show. It’s a very difficult and challenging character but she pulls it off with ease. Priyanka Bose is terrific and her character’s actions save the film from becoming a disaster. S M Zaheer and Deepak Tokas are okay. Ekavali Khanna (Madhuri) and Denzil Smith (Dr Khurana) leave a mark.

THE LADY KILLER is a song-less film. Ketan Sodha’s background score is intriguing. Anuj Dhawan’s cinematography is spectacular. The snow-capped ranges are beautifully captured by the lensman. Rita Ghosh’s production design is appealing. Eka Lakhani and Seerat Kaur’s costumes are stylish and at the same time, realistic. Aezaz Gulab’s action is fair.  Pranav Mistry’s editing is jerky.

On the whole, THE LADY KILLER fails to entice because of a weak second half. At the box office, it got a token and a limited release with no buzz or awareness whatsoever and will therefore meet with a disastrous fate.

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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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12th Fail Movie Review: 12TH FAIL is a well-intentioned inspiring saga.

12TH FAIL is the story of a man who rises against all odds. The year is 1997. Manoj Kumar Sharma (Vikrant Massey) lives in Chambal with his family. His father (Harish Khanna) has been suspended for his honesty. Manoj, meanwhile, appears for his 12th exams confidently though he hasn't prepared properly. This is because the school teacher himself is going to help the students in cheating. The plan gets foiled as Dushyant Sharma (Priyanshu Chatterjee), the newly appointed DSP, stops the malpractice. As a result, all the students fail, including Manoj. When Dushyant rescues Manoj's brother from corrupt cops, he realizes how power in the hands of an honest officer can bring positive change. Manoj expresses a desire to be like Dushyant. Dushyant asks him to not resort to cheating to become successful like him. After clearing his 12th exams successfully, Manoj graduates with BA and moves to Gwalior to appear for PCS exams. The exams, however, are discontinued, prompting Manoj to head to Delhi to appear for the IPS exams. Manoj develops cold feet when he sees the amount of people who have assembled just like him to change their fortunes. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra's story, based on true events, is superb. Vidhu Vinod Chopra's screenplay is engaging. This is not an easy topic but the master filmmaker-writer manages to pen an interesting script that keeps the interest going. Vidhu Vinod Chopra's dialogues are sharp and clapworthy.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra's direction is top notch. The impact in certain sequences is enhanced due to the creativity in the form of long shots, novel camerawork, background noise to depict realism etc. Some scenes that stand out are the beginning scene, Dushyant saving the life of Manoj's brother and the subsequent conversation, Gauri bhaiya (Anshuman Pushkar)'s entry, the intermission point, Manoj meeting his father at the flour mill etc. The climax is gripping while the final scene is touching.

On the flipside, a few developments seem convincing. The track of the love interest's family is not exciting. Manoj lying to Shraddha (Medha Shankar) is not well explained especially when he's very truthful otherwise. The finale is touching but it gives a déjà vu of THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS [2006] and 3 IDIOTS [2009]. Moreover, the film has a film festival-type treatment, which restricts its appeal. Lastly, the soundtrack is poor.

Vikrant Massey gets into the skin of his character. It’s difficult to believe that he’s not a villager turned IAS aspirant since he has given a very realistic portrayal. This is easily his best performance for sure. Medha Shankar is lovely and puts up a confident performance. Anant Vijay Joshi (Pritam Pandey) is likeable. Anshuman Pushkar leaves a huge mark. Priyanshu Chatterjee wins hearts with his cameo appearance. Harish Khanna is decent. Sarita Joshi (Manoj’s grandmother) is entertaining. Vikas Divyakirti (Teacher) delivers a stupendous performance. Geeta Agrawal Sharma (Pushpa; Manoj’s mother) doesn’t get much scope.

12th Fail – Official Trailer | Vidhu Vinod Chopra | In Cinemas Worldwide

Shantanu Moitra's music is poor. 'Restart' does get registered but is not a song which will have a long shelf life. Shantanu Moitra's background score is much better. Manav Shrotriya's sound design is award-winning

Rangarajan Ramabadran's cinematography is eye-catching, be it the scenes of Chambal or that of the crowded Mukherjee Nagar in Delhi. It’s also commendable that the film has been shot in real locations. Prashant Bidkar's production design is realistic. The same goes for Malvika Bajaj's costumes. Jaskunwar Kohli and Vidhu Vinod Chopra's editing is well-paced.

On the whole, 12TH FAIL is a well-intentioned inspiring saga. At the box office, it will find the going tough since the awareness about the film is near-zero.

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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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