Thu, January 15 2026

Despite predictable elements typical of rom-coms, its charm is amplified by solid performances from Emily Bader and Tom Blyth.

We find ourselves in an age where romance — not to be confused with love — is manufactured, off screen as much as it is on it. The list of perennial favourites in the Hollywood romantic-comedy genre rarely deviate beyond When Harry Met Sally, Notting Hill, The Notebook, and You’ve Got Mail, and I am not just talking about someone like me who is of a certain vintage. Gen-Z may argue — “What about To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before?” or “Haven’t you watched La La Land?” — and with solid enough reason, but a classic rom-com for the ages has been a long time coming.

Continue reading …

Sat, January 10 2026

Adapted from Emily Henry's popular book, the story of best friends Alex (Tom Blyth) and Poppy (Emily Bader) soars beyond the cliches.

The first adaptation of author Emily Henry’s work is off to a flying start. Director Brett Haley stays close to Henry’s work with People We Meet on Vacation, as two best friends, Alex (Tom Blyth) and Poppy (Emily Bader), reunite every summer to travel to new places. Of course, with every trip, their relationship changes as they wonder if they could be right for one another. The Netflix film doesn’t change the genre by any means, but Blyth and Bader elevate the material with their chemistry and witty banter.

Continue reading …

Wed, January 14 2026

Naveen Polishetty and director Maari give a hilarious spin to a wafer-thin story. Though the gag-fest feels overdrawn and uneven, the lead actors make it watchable

Two years after the urban romcom Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty(2023), actor-screenwriter Naveen Polishetty returns with another film laced with humour. In contrast to the restraint he showed in that film, Naveen unabashedly plays to the gallery in Anaganaga Oka Raju. The humour is delivered through gags that come at such a rapid pace that the audience may not get a breather to pause and reflect.

Continue reading …

Mon, January 12 2026

Director Anil Ravipudi plays to the gallery once again, with comedy and a dash of nostalgia

Certain things are a given in a film written and directed by Anil Ravipudi. There will be ample comedy, even if much of it is unabashedly silly. Viewers familiar with his work know not to expect nuance, or much by way of technical polish. In Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, his first collaboration with Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi, Ravipudi leans into these strengths, loading the film with humour and fanboy moments that bank on the actor’s nostalgic appeal. The chief pleasure lies in watching Chiranjeevi clearly enjoying himself, aided by an extended cameo from Venkatesh Daggubati and the presence of Nayanthara.

Continue reading …

Mon, January 12 2026

लेखक विलियम एल शीरर की किताब ‘राइज ऐंड फॉल ऑफ थर्ड राईच’ की शुरुआती लाइन है, ‘दोज हू फॉरगेट हिस्ट्री आर कंडेम्ड टू रिपीट इट’ यानी जो अपना इतिहास भूल जाते हैं, वे उसे दोबारा दोहराते हैं। इसलिए, फिल्मकार निखिल आडवाणी अपनी सीरीज ‘फ्रीडम एट मिडनाइट’ के जरिए 1947 के उस ऐतिहासिक लेकिन विवादित पन्ने को पलटते हैं, जब देश को आजादी की कीमत बंटवारे के अब तक रिसने वाले जख्मों से चुकानी पड़ी थी। लैरी कॉलिन्स और डोमिनिक लैपियर की इसी नाम से लिखी चर्चित किताब पर आधारित इस सीरीज का दूसरा सीजन आ चुका है, जिसमें निखिल हिंदुस्तान और पाकिस्तान के स्वतंत्र अस्तित्व में आने के दौरान हुई हिंसा और उसके बाद के राजनीतिक-सामाजिक हालातों, चुनौतियों को बहुत ही गहराई और संवेदनशील ढंग से पर्दे पर उतारा है।

Continue reading …

Sat, January 10 2026

Intense, reflective, but selective in its depiction of events and agent provocateurs, the series humanises political icons and puts their era-defining decisions in perspective

History lovers often crave the human drama behind epochal events. They pine for the backroom intrigue, the clash of egos, the creases in the starched characters that decorate our history books, not to forget the impact of their moral stand on the man on the street. These days, ancient and medieval history offers plenty of elbow room to play with the past, but when it comes to modern Indian history, filmmakers tend to draw back, as the wounds are still fresh and memories of Partition linger.

Continue reading …

Sat, January 10 2026

After a compelling first season, Freedom at Midnight returns after a year for a stellar second season that follows the events after India and Pakistan's independence.

After premiering in November 2024 on SonyLIV, Freedom at Midnight has returned to pick up the story after independence was announced for India and Pakistan by the British Raj. The historical drama, created by Nikkhil Advani, is more thoughtful and poignant in this second season as the emotional impact of the Partition hits you deep. Backed by a strong cast and excellent writing, Freedom at Midnight takes viewers right in to the heart of creating the two neighbouring nations and the toll it created for the citizens, then and now.

Continue reading …

Sun, January 11 2026

Sudha Kongara gives her revolutionary a powerful outline — but withholds a complete shape, choosing symbolism and safety over political complication.

In Parasakthi — the 2026 version, not the seminal 1952 Krishnan-Panju film written by M Karunanidhi — Sudha Kongara often films Sivakarthikeyan in silhouettes. We meet Chezhiyan (helpfully working as a Tamizh name as well as a call to a revolutionary like Che) in 1959, and what we first see is his outline amidst darkness as he holds an effigy (the language of Hindi anthropomorphised) and threatens to stop a train. It is an immersive entry for a hero in a film based on the anti-Hindi agitations of 1965 in the Madras state. We see him as a student leader, an activist and a revolutionary. And the silhouette gives him shape and form, but not characteristics. It centres the movement and students as its ultimate progenitors.

Continue reading …

Sat, January 10 2026

Director Sudha Kongara Prasad's Parasakthi, starring Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa and Sreeleela, the film is about student revolution against Hindi imposition. With solid emotional beats, the film has all the potential to become a Pongal winner despite some shortcomings.

Parasakthi – the 1952 film title holds significance for multiple reasons in Tamil cinema. The original was crucial for catapulting Sivaji Ganesan’s stardom and popularising DMK’s (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) ideology in Tamil Nadu, championing Dravidian politics. Decades later, Sivakarthikeyan’s Parasakthi, which tackles Hindi imposition, hits theatres ahead of Pongal. Does it ignite fire among viewers? Let us find out!

Continue reading …

Sun, January 11 2026

Song Sung Blue is inspired by the music of Neil Diamond but it is not a biopic of the famed singer. Rather, it presents a biographical narrative of the individuals who established a tribute band dedicated to Neil Diamond. The documentary featuring Mike and Claire Sardina shares the same title as this film and acts as a source of inspiration for the storyline.

Continue reading …

Tue, December 9 2025

“Nostalgia sells,” says Patsy Cline impersonator Claire (Kate Hudson) to an exasperated Mike (Hugh Jackman) in Song Sung Blue. He had just refused to don a Don Ho getup at a paying gig. If it weren’t a film and the actors weren’t well-known, this would be the last scenario where any sparks might fly. In a striking dramatization of a true story, the duo come together, romantically and professionally, to become a hit among Milwaukee’s music lovers, who take Neil Diamond’s songs like a sweet pill. Beyond the onstage fireworks, the unbelievable love and family story of Lightning and Thunder takes shape in Craig Brewer’s musical melodrama.

Continue reading …

Sat, January 10 2026

Sat, January 10 2026

Prabhas, Zarina Wahab and Sanjay Dutt try hard, but director Maruthi’s ‘The Raja Saab’ is a messy horror-comedy fantasy

Early on in The Raja Saab, a health scare prompts Prabhas to ask comedian Mahesh Achanta to fetch an odd assortment of items, from footwear to cigarettes. When Mahesh asks if he is serious, Prabhas snaps back with: do the needful — call an ambulance. The exchange is meant to be funny, but it lands flat, setting the tone for what follows. Written and directed by Maruthi, The Raja Saab aims to rewind Telugu cinema to a pre-Baahubali Prabhas — when he thrived in light-hearted roles with space for romance and comedy, à la Darling or Mr Perfect. The actor appears willing to embrace this blend of horror, comedy, fantasy and romance. Yet the film collapses into a baffling hotchpotch that squanders a promising premise. At 189 minutes, it becomes an endurance test, where the occasional spark of fun is smothered by a dull, meandering narrative.

Continue reading …

Sat, January 10 2026

Director Maruthi's The Raja Saab, starring Prabhas, Sanjay Dutt and Nidhhi Agerwal, is a fantasy horror comedy that relies heavily on the lead actor. However, there's hardly anything that's redeemable in this soulless film.

Prabhas’s much-anticipated film, The Raja Saab is about a search for a missing grandfather. Over its three-hour runtime, viewers also end up searching for more than a grandfather. They seek plot cohesion, character depth, genuine scares, or consistent entertainment value - must-haves for every film. Like the film’s protagonist wandering through a haunted palace, you may feel a lack of clear direction or a fully satisfying destination. The Raja Saab begins with Raja (Prabhas) living with his grandmother Gangamma, played by Zarina Wahab. Gangamma suffers from Alzheimer’s and remembers only her missing husband Kanakaraju (Sanjay Dutt) and her grandson. She tells Raja to keep looking for his missing grandfather, who often appears in her dreams.

Continue reading …

Sat, January 10 2026

Sat, January 10 2026

पहले तो यह जान लीजिए कि ‘लालो’ हिन्दी में डब होकर आई एक गुजराती फिल्म है जिसे बिना उपयुक्त प्रचार के रिलीज़ कर दिया गया है, शायद यह सोच कर कि यह अपनी राह खुद बना लेगी। लेकिन इसे बनाने वाले लोग शायद हिन्दी के दर्शकों का मिज़ाज नहीं जानते कि ये लोग सिर्फ उसी चीज़ के पीछे भागते हैं जिसके भीतर भले ही दम हो या न हो लेकिन जिसका ढोल ज़ोर-ज़ोर से बजाया गया हो। तो सुनिए, इस फिल्म ‘लालो-श्रीकृष्ण सदा सहायते’ का ढोल इस तरह से बजाया जा सकता है कि अक्टूबर, 2025 में गुजराती में रिलीज़ हुई यह फिल्म गुजराती सिनेमा के इतिहास की सबसे बड़ी हिट फिल्म है। इसके आने से पहले जहां सबसे बड़ी हिट गुजराती फिल्म का कलैक्शन 50 करोड़ था वहीं इस फिल्म का कलैक्शन 120 करोड़ तक जा पहुंचा है। माउथ पब्लिसिटी के दम पर इतनी बड़ी हिट होने के बाद अब यह हिन्दी में डब होकर आई है। ज़ाहिर है इसमें कुछ तो खास होगा ही, आइए देखते हैं।

Continue reading …

Wed, January 7 2026

Haq, the new propaganda movie starring Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi, is even more insidious than Dhurandhar. We talk about the film’s harmful stereotypes, the irresponsibility of presenting an entire community as savages, and drawing a direct line between bad behaviour and faith. We also discuss the film’s sloppy storytelling, childish approach to complex ideas, and its constant need to spoon-feed its audience.

Wed, January 7 2026

Haq, the new propaganda movie starring Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi, is even more insidious than. We talk about the film’s harmful stereotypes, the irresponsibility of presenting an entire community as savages, and drawing a direct line between bad behaviour and faith. We also discuss the film’s sloppy storytelling, childish approach to complex ideas, and its constant need to spoon-feed its audience.

Tue, November 11 2025

Haq, designed as one woman’s battle against the system, underlines the patriarchal readings of the Quran, the redundancy of triple talaq, and how women are forced to bear the brunt of religion.

HAQ becomes a better film once it ends. The Suparn Verma directorial feature is based on the landmark 1985 Shah Bano case, where a Muslim woman won her right to alimony. Although personal, her fight assumed big proportions because it revealed the knotty relationship between Muslim Personal Law, where a husband is entitled to provide maintenance during the iddat period after divorce, and the Indian secular law. In this particular case, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Bano; later, the then-Congress government offset the judgment by sanctioning women to receive “reasonable and fair provision and maintenance" for three months after the divorce; Haq concludes by mentioning this, applauding, in the same breath, the current government for criminalising triple talaq and passing the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019.

Continue reading …

Tue, January 6 2026

Created by R. Scott Gemmill, the series is back for another grueling 15-hour shift that gives an enlightening look at the American medical system.

The first season of HBO Max’s The Pitt became a breakout hit after it focused its attention on the forgotten frontline workers in a Pittsburgh hospital. Now, a year after its premiere, the medical drama is back with its unique storytelling format and more urgent conditions for its characters. With each episode taking place over an hour, The Pitt highlights the many challenges faced by healthcare workers in America. This time, the show unfolds over the busy national holiday on the Fourth of July and delves more into the doctors’ and nurses’ lives as well.

Continue reading …

Mon, January 5 2026

A meditation on war, memory, and humanism—moving beyond jingoism to examine loss, empathy, and the moral aftermath of conflict across borders.

Set against the turbulent dawn of the 1970s, Ikkis opens on the formative years of Arun Khetrapal (Agastya Nanda), a young army officer of exceptional promise undergoing rigorous training to command a tank regiment. Distinguished early for his leadership, Arun appears poised for a life defined by purpose and quiet fulfilment. Love, too, smiles upon him in the form of Kiran (Simar Bhatia), and the future stretches before him, radiant with possibility. History, however, is rarely so benevolent. The outbreak of the 1971 war with Pakistan violently disrupts this fragile equilibrium, thrusting Arun—just twenty-one—into the crucible where youth, duty, and destiny irrevocably converge.

Continue reading …

Mon, January 5 2026

Ikkis is primarily about a young man who fought the 1971 India-Pakistan war and attained martyrdom. In a typical Hindi war film, we would have shown his life from childhood or teenage years to him joining the army, fighting for the nation and ultimately sacrificing his life for the country. But Ikkis isn’t a typical war film by any means. Along with portraying the martyrdom of the young man, the film gives equal importance at giving an anti-war message through the track of Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat. It says loudly without saying much – ultimately there are humans on both sides of the border who die during a war. And the film achieves this even while showing the bravery of a young martyr.

Continue reading …

Sat, January 3 2026

In an era of easy outrage, Ikkis chooses restraint and moral clarity.

I found myself tearing up a few times while watching Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis. It’s not because of the film alone, which is based on the military service of India’s youngest Paramvir Chakra awardee, Second Lt Arun Khetarpal – who died during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. It had more to do with the Bollywood war film – a genre that has assumed the responsibility to rile up obvious jingoistic sentiments, thinking it’s the only way to make itself a successful enterprise. Raghavan is too much of a ‘thinking’ and a self-assured filmmaker to give into the temptations of the box office. We’ve also seen dozens of these idols exhibit feet of clay in the last decade.

Continue reading …

Sun, January 4 2026

After nearly a decade and 42 episodes, Stranger Things comes to an end with a thrilling final chapter.

It all comes down to this! The Netflix series, Stranger Things, ends with a big bang and lots of emotional moments with the last episode titled The Rightside Up. Co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer must wind down the story of Hawkins, Indiana, and its residents, who were terrorised by the Upside Down for the past five seasons. Now, they must vanquish the big villain and make it out alive. The result is a satisfying but expected ending that is sure to leave fans discussing it for years to come.

Continue reading …

Fri, December 26 2025

As the characters navigate dense lore and emotional arcs, Eleven teams up with Kali to combat looming threats in Hawkins.

Exposition. Explanation. Emotion. Stranger Things Season 5 Vol 2 rests on these three Es. The other ‘E’ that worms its way into the three episodes of this volume — before the grand finale drops less than a week later — is ‘Exotic Matter’ and with it the realisation (courtesy Dustin Henderson) that everything we have thought of the Upside Down over the last decade is not really it. In reality, the evil parallel dimension that has been at the heart of Stranger Things is, well, not a parallel dimension at all. It is, in fact, a wormhole to an even worse dimension that Vecna is trying to “collapse”, with an eye on taking over the world.

Continue reading …

Fri, December 26 2025

After a month, the hit supernatural sci-fi series returns to continue the story of Hawkins, Indiana, and its battle with the Upside Down.

The second part of Stranger Things opens after the exhilarating and devastating events of the last four episodes of Season 5. Noah Schnapp’s Will Byers has powers, and Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) has captured all 12 children to the Upside Down for his grand plan. What’s afoot? Co-created by the Duffer Brothers, Matt and Ross, the final season of the Netflix show hurtles towards an epic showdown that promises casualties this time. Who will make it out alive at the end?

Continue reading …