Sun, October 18 2026

Created by Debora Cahn, the political thriller kicks into second gear as the US and UK relations are especially fraught in the fictional series.

The addition of Allison Janney, who just won an Emmy Award for her supporting role, may be the best thing The Diplomat has done. The Debora Cahn series is back for a tense fourth season which deals with the fallout of the events from the Season 3 finale when the US covertly takes a nuclear machine from a Russian submarine that’s lying in UK territory. Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), the American ambassador to the UK, and her husband, Vice President Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell), balance not only their marriage but also the growing tensions between the two countries. The result is a delicious interplay of politics and diplomacy as the US leader, President Grace Penn (Janney), establishes her presidency.

Continue reading …

Sun, October 18 2026

Yami Gautam and Anurag Thakur do the heavy lifting in a film that has a convoluted screenplay. While the first half entertains, post-interval, the film nosedives into a deep illogical pit.

The flight of fancy scales unimaginable heights with this one. In director Balaji Mohan’s supernatural-meets-mythology comedy caper Nayyi Navelli, Yami Gautam plays a mysterious woman with special powers. On the onset, the film appears to mix comedy and horror- a template well established by the Stree franchise. But the film’s punchlines and wit soon segue into mythology. No harm there either, considering the film is one of the big Dussehra releases this year in India. However, the film quickly spirals thanks to a convoluted plot that infuses too many things into one story, making the second half extremely tedious to watch. The story of Ramayan has been a source of inspiration for filmmakers for decades. The entire concept of good vs evil is a theme that never goes out of fashion and can be interpreted in multiple ways. Nayyi Naveli, to its credit, takes a lesser-known part of the Ramayana and spins an intricate tale. It may not always make sense, but it still makes for an interesting plot.

Continue reading …

Sun, October 18 2026

Sat, October 17 2026

Horror, comedy and horror-comedy may all work perfectly well as genres in their own right. But Nayyi Navelli proves that horror-comedy-mythology is a genre caught in no man’s land — or, in this case, no woman’s land. The film seems to have an idea but hasn’t the faintest clue what to do with it. Directed by Balaji Mohan, a Tamil filmmaker making his Hindi debut, Nayyi Navelli loses its way by introducing supernatural and mythological elements that are not only unnecessary but also end up derailing the narrative.

Continue reading …

Sun, October 18 2026

‘Street Fighter’ is better at recreating the experience of the game than making a case for its characters

Translating a video game into a feature film requires more than recreating its characters and signature moves. In Street Fighter, the appeal of the arcade game lies in its colourful fighters, distinctive techniques and the immediacy of one-on-one combat. A film, however, needs to give these characters a reason to occupy the same space beyond the prospect of a fight. The latest adaptation of Capcom’s video-game franchise understands the spectacle better than the storytelling. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, this is the third live-action feature film based on Capcom’s video-game series, which began in 1987 and became a landmark in the fighting-game genre with Street Fighter II in 1991. Sakurai’s film draws on this legacy, though familiarity with the game does not necessarily translate into an interest in the lives of its characters.

Continue reading …

Sun, October 18 2026

Avinash Arun's heavy-handed ‘Prahaar’ stars Rajkummar Rao as Ujjwal Nikam, public prosecutor in the Ajmal Kasab trial

The trial for Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist captured alive in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, has just begun when public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam (Rajkummar Rao) plays his first hand. He refers to the defense attorney, Abbas Kazmi (Sikandar Khen), as “terrorist lawyer”; when Kazmi objects, he says he meant “terrorist’s lawyer”. Later in the film, Kazmi brings this up with Nikam, tells him how it stings to be called that when you’re Muslim. Nikam says it wasn’t personal and that’s the last we see of Kazmi. Unwittingly or not, the lawyer’s strategy is echoed by the film. Nikam knows his wordplay will be censured but says it anyway, for the drama and the swarm of reporters. Prahaar, directed by Avinash Arun and written by Sumit Roy, is careful to explain that Kazmi is just doing his job, that he’s taking a huge risk as a Muslim lawyer accepting this case. But there in the trailer, attention-grabbing and meme-ready, is “terrorist lawyer”. It’s a little jab in the film, but it feels more significant out of context. For the many who’ll see the trailer but never get around to watching the film, it might be the one thing they remember about Prahaar.

Continue reading …

Sun, October 18 2026

The Avinash Arun directorial might present a utopian vision for the country at the moment, but it is still a vision worth fighting for

There’s nothing better than a film that surprises you. I admit, I did preemptively box Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story as another propaganda piece– a subtler one if not of the blaring loud type. It wasn’t an unfounded opinion. If you read up about Ujjwal Nikam you will find an impressive CV. Before getting on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks trial, the Maharashtra-based lawyer had already served as a special prosecutor on high-profile cases like that of the 1993 Bombay bombings and that of T-series head Gulshan Kumar’s murder. If you research a layer deep, you will find that the lawyer was a candidate for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 Maharashtra state assembly elections. A Caravan article details how the BJP played up Nikam’s image as the lawyer who delivered the death penalty to terrorist Ajmal Kasab and reduced the whole campaign to be either for or against terrorism. Nikam lost the election but was given a Rajya Sabha seat by the ruling party in 2025.

Continue reading …

Sun, October 18 2026

Sun, October 18 2026

Marvel Television's family trilogy revolving around the Maximoffs ends in an emotional and satisfying flourish.

To launch their streaming service, Disney+, in 2020, the series WandaVision came out the gate with a bang. Created by Jac Schaeffer, it set the standard for all other shows to follow. The limited series featured Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) dealing with the death of Vision after Infinity War. To overcome her grief, she creates a suburban haven in Westview until reality sets in. The second part of the trilogy, Agatha All Along (2024), introduced one more part of the puzzle with her son Billy Maximoff (Joe Locke). Now, with the final instalment, VisionQuest, created by Terry Matalas, reveals two more pieces as Vision (Paul Bettany) and Tommy Maximoff (Ruaridh Mollica) reunite. But what happens when Ultron (James Spader) interferes in the long-awaited father-son reunion?

Continue reading …

Sun, October 18 2026

Inspired by the Mattel toys, John Cena plays an undercover agent who unwittingly involves his friends in an uninteresting adventure across the world.

Following in the footsteps of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, Matchbox The Movie tries to replicate the formula. However, it falls flat in its execution. The only thing impressive about the spy thriller is its high-octane action stunts and sequence envisaged by Extraction director Sam Hargrave. John Cena is the spy in question as he reunites with old friends to go down memory road and instead takes them as hostages in a plot to save the world. The Matchbox IP never properly lands, and the narrative doesn’t even connect.

Continue reading …

Sun, October 18 2026

‘Jailer 2’, like the first film, is a rare late-stage Rajinikanth work that doesn't demand kinetic stunts and cuts around him, and allows the actor to project an easy magnetism

Two months have passed since the events of Nelson Dilipkumar’s Jailer (2023). After dissolving Varman’s (Vinayakan) body in acid, Tiger Muthuvel Pandian (Rajinikanth) is quietly living as a supermarket supervisor somewhere in the hills near Coimbatore. He doesn’t look for trouble, but it tends to follow him, first in the form of a young man picking up a street fight and then by way of a government officer who, in a petty show of might, simply torments the family by supplying dirty water. All this is in keeping with Nelson’s low-key treatment of Rajinikanth’s star wattage, making him a leaner, meaner family man who prefers to delegate action rather than wield it himself. Muthuvel solves the water issue on his own and when push comes to shove, a mild thrashing does the job. Nothing life-threatening. Nelson maintains the same somber beginnings of the first film.

Continue reading …

Sun, October 18 2026

Sat, October 17 2026

What new can a formulaic Tamil actioner offer in 2026? At a time when global event cinema is finding new ways to engage with themes such as climate change and animal abuse, our superstar vehicles remain stubbornly risk-averse. In a political and cultural climate where taking a stance carries commercial liability, a legend of Rajinikanth’s stature is unlikely to put his legacy on the line. And that is precisely where Jailer 2 fails to flourish: it prioritises maximum scale and safe fan-service over any kind of narrative courage. Back in 2023, director Nelson Dilipkumar’s Jailer delivered unadulterated Thalaivar spectacle. Despite a wafer-thin plot, Rajinikanth carried the weight on his shoulders, bolstered by showy cameos, a viral soundtrack, and Nelson’s signature deadpan dark comedy. It was hardly innovative, but it knew exactly what it had going for it and had fun with its superstar.

Continue reading …

Sun, October 18 2026

Sohla, revolves around a school going kid Prasad aka Pashya (Devdatta Ghone). He stays in a small village in Maharashtra named Sudkoli with his father Ramdas (Pravin Dalimbkar), a farmer, mother Nirmala (Varsha Malwadkar) and elder sister Gauri (Vaishnavi Ghodke). Ramdas is having a tough time financially since his produce isn’t fetching him much money. Pashya is all set to turn 13 in two months. As per the tradition in the village, the 13th birthday of boys is celebrated through a ceremony called ‘Sohla’. It is a symbolic ritual indicating that the boy is now ready to take on the responsibility of the family. Pashya can’t wait for his sohla. As he is a die-hard Salman Khan fan, he wants to buy the expensive kurta endorsed by him for the event. Ramdas agrees to Pashya’s demand despite his financial condition. However, soon, a major incident occurs in Pashya’s life out of nowhere, which brings a major change in him.

Continue reading …

Sat, October 17 2026

Director Rahul Sankrityan’s Telugu film uses Burra Katha and the 1876-78 famine to give the narrative a fresh look, but some portions struggle under the weight of history, devotion and myth

For a long time, there has been an overarching image of how Telugu cinema has portrayed the Rayalaseema region, with tales of faction wars and machismo where subtlety is a forgotten trait. Some of these films, blockbusters of the 1990s and 2000s, have become pop culture references. However, a fresh look at this region and its stories was needed. Director Rahul Sankrityan’s Ranabaali, headlined by Vijay Deverakonda and co-starring Rashmika Mandanna, is an attempt in that direction. In this film, too, the leading man is portrayed as a fierce, warrior-like figure. The difference lies in its history-inspired setting, with a mix of folklore. The result is an interesting concoction. Some portions genuinely pique interest in the history and folk tradition of Rayalaseema, while others struggle to rise above the done-to-death mainstream cinema framework.

Continue reading …

Fri, October 16 2026

Films like Tenzing don't come very often, because people like Tenzing Norgay don't come very often. A deeply moving portrait of the man who climbed many mountains before Everest.

Films like Tenzing don’t come very often, because people like Tenzing Norgay don’t come very often. Most of us know his biggest achievement. In 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary became the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest. We know the historic story, we have seen the photographs, and we know how significant that climb was. But do we really know Tenzing? What did he have to go through before he finally reached the top of the world? That’s where this film makes a difference. Available on Apple TV, Tenzing, directed by Jennifer Peedom, takes us beyond the famous climb and tells us about the man behind it. And what I found most interesting is that Tenzing’s biggest challenges did not begin on Mount Everest. They began much earlier in his life.

Continue reading …

Thu, October 15 2026

டெல்லியில் குடும்பத்துடன் வசித்துவரும் பூஜாவை (மிருணாள் தாகூர்), அனிகெட் (விக்ரம் சிங் சௌஹான்) ஒருதலைப்பட்சமாகத் துரத்தித் துரத்திக் காதலிக்கிறார். திடீரென அனிகெட் தற்கொலை செய்துகொள்ள அதற்கு பூஜாவே காரணம் எனக் குற்றம் சாட்டப்படுகிறது. இந்த வழக்கில் பூஜாவுக்கு ஆதரவாகக் களமிறங்குகிறார் வக்கீலான சனா மெஹ்ஃபூஸ் (ஹூமா குரேஷி). அனிகெட்டின் மரணத்துக்கு யார் காரணம் என்பதே இந்த ஜி5 இந்தி சினிமா. மொத்தப் படத்தையும் கிட்டத்தட்ட ‘ஒன்வுமன் ஆர்மி’யாகத் தாங்குகிறார் மிருணாள் தாகூர். பூஜாவின் அச்சம், கோபம், வேதனை, தன்னைக் காப்பாற்றிக்கொள்ள வேண்டிய போராட்டம் என நீதிமன்றக் காட்சிகளில் ஒவ்வோர் உணர்வையும் மிக இயல்பாகக் கடத்துகிறார். வழக்கறிஞர்களாக ஹூமா குரேஷி, விஜய் ராஸ் ஆகியோரின் வாதக் காட்சிகள் படத்தை அடுத்தகட்டத்துக்கு நகர்த்துகின்றன. பெண்களைப் பற்றிய சமூகத்தின் பார்வை, பாலினப் பாகுபாடு எனப் பல கேள்விகளை முன்வைக்கிறது படம். ஆனால், முக்கியமான அனிகெட்டின் பாத்திரத்தை இன்னும் ஆழமாகக் கட்டமைத்திருக்கலாம். இருந்தும் முக்கியமான கோர்ட் ரூம் டிராமா இது!

Continue reading …

Sat, October 3 2026

Pooja and Aniket perform a play in front of a live audience. Right after it ends, Aniket proposes marriage, only to hear that Pooja is already in a relationship with another man, Vikram. Aniket is hellbent on earning a yes from her and keeps calling her. The next morning, Pooja receives the news that Aniket is no more. How far was Pooja responsible for Aniket’s death?

Continue reading …

Fri, October 2 2026

The over-designed social drama struggles to stay mature about the premise of an ‘imperfect’ woman who is put on trial for the suicide of her boyfriend

Pooja Meri Jaan opens with a dramatic Romeo and Juliet rendition on a Delhi stage. The Shakespearean tragedy ends with both deaths, there is applause, and the lead actors proceed to hijack the spotlight: ‘Romeo’ Aniket (Vikram Singh Chauhan) proposes to ‘Juliet’ Pooja (Mrunal Thakur) in front of a packed theatre. Seconds later, she rejects him backstage. He is devastated, her words hurt, he rides home in the rain like a broken Vishesh Films hero — and kills himself. Pooja is soon booked for abetment of suicide, and the rest of the film revolves around her trial in the court of public opinion.

Continue reading …

Thu, October 15 2026

இருண்ட, சிக்கலான கேத்தி கதாபாத்திரத்தில் ஃபுளோரன்ஸ் பியூ (Florence Pugh) தனது அசாத்தியமான நடிப்பால் திரையை ஆக்கிரமிக்கிறார். கிறிஸ்டோபர் அபோட், மைக் ஃபெய்ஸ்ட் தங்களது எதார்த்தமான நடிப்பால் பெரும் தாக்கத்தை ஏற்படுத்துகிறார்கள். காலகட்டத்தை அப்படியே கண்முன் நிறுத்தும் பிரமாண்டமான கலை இயக்கமும், நேர்த்தியான திரைக்கதையும், மனதைத் தொடும் பின்னணி இசையும் தொடரின் ஆகப்பெரும் பலம். நாவலின் ஆழமான தத்துவங்களைத் திரைக்குக் கொண்டுவரும் முயற்சியில், திரைக்கதையின் வேகம் பல இடங்களில் தடுமாறுவது பார்வையாளர்களுக்குச் சற்று சோர்வைத் தரலாம். இருப்பினும், மனித உணர்வுகளின் இருண்ட பக்கங்களை மிக நேர்த்தியாகப் பதிவுசெய்திருக்கும் ஒரு தரமான கிளாசிக் டிராமா!

Continue reading …

Thu, October 1 2026

The latest retelling of John Steinbeck's classic novel by Zoe Kazan is an ambitious, sprawling saga that attempts to do justice to the author's work.

In 1955, Elia Kazan directed the James Dean starrer, East of Eden, which followed the last part of John Steinbeck’s semi-autobiographical 1952 novel. Dean played Cal Trask, who fights for his father’s love alongside his perfect brother Aron. A new Netflix limited series on the material, written and showrun by Elia’s granddaughter, Zoe Kazan, goes deep into the novel, exploring the Biblical themes, characters and the promise of America at the turn of the century. Backed by a strong cast, East of Eden follows the doomed marriage of Adam (Christopher Abbott) and Cathy (Florence Pugh) that spills over its sins to the next generation. Finely acted, the ambitious and largely faithful period drama really gets into the characterisation from the novel, while also immersing viewers into its self-righteous world.

Continue reading …

Thu, October 1 2026

East of Eden broke my heart more often through its supposedly good father than its murderous mother. That’s where this uneven adaptation finds its strongest drama. Zoe Kazan’s departure from John Steinbeck’s treatment of Cathy is welcome, but the series spends too much time explaining cruelty that Florence Pugh makes compelling enough. It’s more affecting when it follows the damage parents pass to their children. Those family conflicts give its ideas about choice a force the explanations often lack. Let’s dive in.

Continue reading …