Satyamev Jayate

#SatyamevJayate -
S - Such
A - An Atrocious
T - Tale (of)
Y - Yucky
A - Arsonistic
M - Manslaughter (that)
E - Even (the)
V - Verbose lines (and)
J - Jumbled
A - Acronyms
Y - Yield no
A - Abetment
T - To the
E - Enthusiastic moviegoers!

Phew!! That took a lot of patience to write but nothing comparable to what it took to watch the entire film!

The actual “plot” or “theme” is about 15 mins and the rest is repetition of the same event till you get bored to death!

John Abraham is at his brawniest best but stone-faced throughout. Manoj Bajpayee is typecast as a good cop yet again. Rest all is just meh.

Probably the only “decent” 'item' is the “Dilbar dilbar” song!

Overall, nothing worth looking forward to. 2 ⭐️ from me.

Badhaai Ho

#BadhaaiHo - Another “unconventional” feather in Ayushman’s hat!

However, the film is average with not much unpredictability.

The only ‘hatke’ thing is the subject, which is awkward/uncomfortable as per societal norms. Rest all is full-on Delhi- the setting, language, characters et. all to the extent that it reminds of #DoDooniChar.

Ayushman meets expectations and so do Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta. Surekha Sikri stands out as the grandmother. Sanya Malhotra is just lovely; would love to see more of her!

Overall, its a decent mix of wisecracks and emotions. Average one time watch.

2.5⭐️ from me.

Fanney Khan

#FanneyKhan - Fann (hai toh you) Can! Thats basically the gist of the film. Dream big and don’t let dreams die.

Its a simple feel good story about a father and his dreams for his kid.

That said, the plot lacks much depth and newness. Everything is pretty much meh although it tries to touch upon a range of topics from dreams to reality (read poverty) and glamour (and casting couch) to body shaming.

Anil Kapoor does well and for a change looks his age. Divya Dutta is good and so is Rajkumar Rao although both have much higher potential. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan looks good and supports well. Girish Kulkarni is a misfit and looks kinda creepy! Loved Monali Thakur’s singing.

Overall, not too bad to watch on #AmazonPrime.

2⭐️ from me

Go for it blindly...

#Andhadhun - An ‘edge-of-the-seat’ thriller with twists and turns at regular intervals all throughout!

Although the premise is pretty common, the execution is just brilliant.

The background score is enthralling and blends perfectly with the essence of the plot

All performances are excellent.

Basically, just expect the unexpected. Overall a must watch. Go for it blindly. 😉

4⭐️ from me.

Home Sweet Home

#HomeSweetHome - A warm and simplistic film which pretty much everyone can relate to.

The bottom line is that there is no place like home and this is made very clear throughout.

Loved the opening and end credits. Also the poems interwined in the plot are just delightful.

The cast is star studded and does justice to all characters.

Overall a good watch. 3.5⭐️ from me.

Mugdha Godbole Ranade - kudos to you and your team. We thoroughly enjoyed the film. 😊

Sab Badhiya Hai

#SuiDhaaga - Another one to join the ‘slice of life’ genre.

Its a simplistic film with tight performances.

The story moves at a steady pace and the length is just about perfect.

Varun Dhawan does well as the simple guy Mauji; Anushka Sharma is pretty good as the non-glamorous Mamta; rest of the team is also apt.

Some parts are kinda over-the-top and unrealistic; but then this is “mad in India”- utna chalta hai!

Overall, definitely worth a dekko. “Sab badhiya hai!” 😬 3.75⭐️ from me.

O Stree Kal Phir Aana... ;-)

#Stree - “Based on a ridiculous phenomenon”, as they declare at the beginning, this horror comedy is gripping all through.

Although not unique, the story is fun and has its moments.

The casting is near perfect! Rajkumar Rao’s comic timing is impeccable. Pankaj Tripathi’s straight-faced comedy and witty dialogues often leave you in splits. Even Shraddha Kapoor is bearable and does her bit! 😏

Overall, a highly recommended watch. Its different! 😎

3.5⭐️ from me. 0.5 less than I would like to give as the end was not as great as it could have been!

Gold!

#Gold - Akshay Kumar scores a hattrick with this independence day release by tugging the right strings of patriotism yet again!

The story follows the standard formula of a typical sports film but makes you all patriotic and proud in the end (d’uh).

Just when Chak De India marked its 10th anniversary, this one, which draws parallels with several of the Chak De concepts, was released. Akshay says in the film that he can see 2 matches in parallel; I could see Gold and Chak De in parallel.

This one has the potential of becoming a cult classic by growing on you every time you watch it. Its a great team effort and all characters are pretty much equal in depth and scope. Was wonderful to see Kunal Kapoor make a comeback.

Check it out for the sheer spirit; do not try to figure out the percentage of authenticity vs drama.

3.5⭐️ from me.

Mulk

#Mulk - A powerful, hard-hitting and impactful film.

Its not just a story; its more of a sentiment.

There is no subtlety or metaphors or beating around the bush; its all right there in your face.

Rishi Kapoor is in his Rauf Lala look and gives a solid performance; Manoj Pahwa, Nina Gupta and Prachi Shah support ably; Ashutosh Rana is okay but not quite as good as he used to be; Pratik ‘Smit’ Babbar is just his mediocre self despite the new middlename; Taapsee Pannu steals the show with her poignant performance.

Overall, worth a watch.

3.5⭐️ from me.

Karwaan

#Karwaan - A ‘comedy of errors’ so to say.

The story is simple but somewhat uncommon. The characters are relatable with real-like problems.

The film journeys through numerous scenic locales in South India which are very pleasing to the eyes.

Dulquer Salmaan makes a promising Bollywood debut and fits the part to a T(although the southern accent is kind of a deal breaker); Mithila Palkar is alright; Irrfan just rocks the part and carries the film through. He has some extremely witty/quirky lines which he delivers to perfection. Really liked the background score.

All in all, a decent one time watch.

2.5⭐️ from me.

Ranangan

#Ranangan - Happened to watch this on Prime and would like to give myself a pat on the back for making it through the entire film.

Its overly dramatic with a impractical and kinda nonsensical plot.

Everything is over the top - be it Sachin Pilgaonkar’s acting, Swapnil Joshi’s curly locks, the spooky basuri background track or a song featuring Santosh Juvekar, Vaibhav Tatwawadi and of all people Ali Asgar. Really...what were you thinking??

That said, the story has a flow and is tightly woven.

Overall cannot be dismissed as a hopeless flick. Watch if you have immense patience and nothing much to do.

2⭐️ from me.

Bucket List

#BucketList - A simple and predictable story with zero element of surprise, thanks to their excessive promos!

The story at times feels incomplete as if some required part/clarification either got chopped off during editing or wasn’t written at all.

The performances are inversely proportional to the stellar cast!

Renuka Shahane, Milind Phatak, Pradip Velankar are almost like fixtures with minimum scope. Shubha Khote’s Marathi sounds weird and impacts her seamless performance. Vandana Gupte’s Marathi coated Hindi was just meh. Sumedh Mudgalkar is okay but not even comparable to his performance in Manjha. The only 2 characters having scope are Sumit Raghavan’s and Madhuri’s. He meets expectations while she is just a pleasure to watch with her charm and effortless acting. Her NRI accent is kind of a turn off though.

Overall a one time watch. Madhuri fans might enjoy it more.

2.5⭐️ from me.

102 Not Out

#102NotOut - A slice of life film with a typical and predictable plot.

You know what you are in for right from the get go; no surprise elements except for a rare one here and there.

The story is simple and based on a ‘gheese-peeta’ premise but the take is somewhat fresh.

Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor are seasoned actors and this is a piece of cake for them. However, I found Amitabh’s Gujju accent a bit weird. Jimit Trivedi supports ably; in fact he seems to be straight out of a Gujarathi family sitcom like Khichadi or Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma!

Absolutely loved the title track - audio as well as the video. All in all nothing to go ga-ga about; its a one time watch.

2.5⭐️ from me.

Sanju Aa Gaya Mamu...

#Sanju - Rajkumar Hirani has hit a sixer yet again!

The biopic flows at a steady pace and depicts the upheaval in Baba’s life perfectly. The narrative is crisp and just when things get extra-serious, you are served a Hirani style mood lightener!

Ranbir Kapoor is just amazing with the body language, look and style perfected to the T. No words to describe his fab performance. Worth a special mention is Vicky Kaushal as the best friend. The other cast is also apt - be it Manisha Koirala, Paresh Rawal, Dia Mirza or Anushka Sharma. Anjan Shrivastav is extremely hilarious in his 2 minute cameo.

A perfect blend of a very interesting story, dialogue, acting, direction and so on, there is hardly any room to find flaws. The only mood dampner for me was the English subtitles where Pani puri was translated as Waffles, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi as Mary Poppins and Shivaji as Santa Claus!

That forgiven, its definitely worth a dekko mamu! 4.5⭐️ from me.

P.S. Please consider room for the maker’s creative liberty and take the film with a pinch of salt.

Vroooooom....Dhishooom.....

#Race3 - Vroom dhishoom vroom dhishoom vroom dhishoom 🏎👊🏼....thats about it!

The “plot” seems like a whiteboard version where all possible “twists” were outlined and the director threw them all in just in case! The dialogues are cheesy with lines like “our business is our business; none of your business” and “usey dil nahi dell khol ke dikhao”. To add to the nonsense is sudden bombardment of Bhojpuri!

At some point you feel its a tussle between Muscular Oldies (Sallu and Bobby) vs Washed out newbies (Saqib and Daisy).

Anil Kapoor is so-so; Sallu looks flabby and lethargic; surprisingly Bobby looks fitter than Sallu; rest of them are just there.

Songs are pathetic and Sallu seems to be forced to move his body, forget about signature steps!

Often you are left feeling “mere Abbas Mastan ayenge..” but alas! You have to make do with Remo D’Souza and his disastrous effort.

It was a Race to fall asleep in the theater and I’m damn sure I must have made it to the top 3.

Please avoid. 1⭐️ from me.

Manjha

#Manjha - Happened to catch this one on TV.

Kinda the marathi variant of the movie ‘Mom’, this is an engaging thriller.

Sumedh Mudgalkar is brilliant as the psychopathic Vicky - one just can’t fathom how sadistic he is and just end up hating his guts!

Ashwini Bhave shines in her character and looks as pretty as ever!

Cannot figure out the reason for casting washed out/low key Hindi actors in the supporting parts. Their accent is a big turn off.

Overall, was an interesting one time watch.

3⭐️ from me

I Spy....

#Raazi - An engaging tale of espionage, patriotism, love, pathos and so much more!

Story-telling is an art and #MeghanaGulzar has aced it with this one. The film moves at a constant pace, while keeping the viewers engaged the whole time.

Hats off to #AliaBhatt! She is top-notch as #Sehmat and effortlessly osciallates between the plethora of emotions that she needs to portray. #VickyKaushal portrays his character’s restraint as well as the aggression with equal brilliance. The rest of the actors are aptly cast.

Overall, a must watch!

4⭐️ from me.

Tendulkar Out!

#TendulkarOut - Happened to catch this comic thriller on TV today.

The plot was simple; there is the guy (10dulkar), his pregnant wife, their respective lovers, and 3 killers along with some eccentric characters like a sadhu-aspirant rickshaw-wala thrown in.

What ensues is a chase for the target and the things that happen enroute. Slight warning about the language; numerous *beeps* are present.

What makes it unique is the narration; it draws parallels with a cricket match where each defining moment in the characters’ life gives you some sort of an adrenaline rush!

All actors are completely in the zone; be it Santosh Juvekar, Sayaji Shinde, Aniket Vishwasrao, Atul Parchure or Vijay Maurya. Sai Tamhankar is the only one with a passable role.

Overall worth a dekko if you want something different in Marathi.

3.5⭐️ from me

Dark Comedy

#Blackmail - A ‘black’ comedy about a distressed ‘male’!

Simple yet engaging story which is entertaining all through. The humour is mostly crass but has its own moments.

#Irrfan is brilliant; trust him to emote the quirkiness of the character perfectly. The rest of the cast is also excellent, be it Arunoday Singh, Pradhuman Singh or Anuja Sathe.

This genre is Abhinay Deo’s niche; the entire film is executed brilliantly.

Overall, definitely worth a watch.

4⭐️ from me.

Hichki

#Hichki - Basically #DahaviFa meets #FreedomWriters, this is a mashup of numerous films with inspirational teachers having out-of-the-box methods!

That said, this is a very well-made slice of life film drawing attention to another neurological disorder - Tourette’s syndrome.

The storyline is predictable and kind of abrupt in some places thus missing being “picture perfect” or should i say “picture prefect” 😉. But it did jog some wonderful memories of amazing school teachers. 😊

Rani Mukherjee is simply fab. All the kids are aptly cast and a couple of them do stand out. Would have liked to see more of the #NilBatteySannata girl but she barely has any scope. Sachin Pilgaonkar seems kinda lost much unlike any other film he has acted in!

Overall, a simple entertainer.

3⭐️ from me.

Hanging on a khil-ji!

#Padmaavat - Or should I say PadmAWat! While I was in AWe of the grandeur of the sets, I was equally upset by the AWful performance by Shahid and Deepika.

Ranveer Singh is the only Khil-ji on which this movie is hanging. He is simply brilliant as the obsessive lunatic! The other two could be easily replaced by mannequins with Mewar themed costumes.

That said, the supporting cast is pretty good. Special mention to Jim Sarbh (Malik Kafur) and Aditi Rao Hydari (Mehrunisa).

However, one can draw parallels with Bajirao Mastani and Bahubali in too many scenes, including the Khalibali song where Ranveer dances just like Malhari; thats where the 2.5+ hours saga starts to get a bit repetitive.

Wonder where Deepika lost her Mastani charm though! Also, in the subtitles, all words beginning with “Y” were missing the “Y”. Es. Ou must believe me! 😬

Overall, nothing great. 2.5⭐️ from me

Sweetness!

#Gulabjaam - Something whose sweet taste slowly grows on you, just like a gulabjaam.

The story is simple but the execution and performances are brilliant. Loved the subtle psychological undertones!

Hats off to the director Sachin Kundalkar for the detailing; *spoiler alert* be it the year on the calendar on the wall or the moped that Radha is seen riding.

Really liked the background score as well. The food shots are just too appetizing for words!!

Sonali Kulkarni is amazing as usual; Siddharth Chandekar is also good though he looks weird in the Harry Potter-esque look towards the end.

Overall, I really liked it.

Almost 4⭐️ from me.

Aapla Manus

#AaplaManus - It would be wrong to say that it is “based” on the Marathi play #KatkonTrikon; it is exactly #KatkonTrikon except the name of Nana’s character and the unnecessary deviation at the end.

Although overall flow is smooth and engaging, it gets a little dragged towards the end. Saw couple of people dozing off during the climax scenes (too much gyaan? 🤔).

I had absolutely loved the play and would have easily rated it 4/5.

Although Nana Patekar is amazing, Dr. Mohan Agashe was just at another level in the play! Same goes for the other characters as well.

Another observation was that the English subtitles were way off in plenty of places leaving a lot to the viewer’s ability to interpret!

Overall, if you have not seen the play, you may love this one. Else its just a repetition.

2.5⭐️ from me.

Genius

#Newton - A different and relevant story shedding light on the “gravity” of the sad state of affairs in the election process.

Like Sir Newton would say,

1. An object (Our hero Nyuton Kumar) remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity (in his life) till acted upon by a force (election duty)

2. The more the force (sincerity to perform his duty), the more the acceleration (for going against odds to hold a fair election)

3. For every action (steps taken to abide by the rules), there is an equal and opposite reaction (from people screwing up the process)

That said, the execution is excellent with hardly any loopholes.

Rajkumar Rao is simply superb as the quirky hero. In fact, the entire cast is apt. Special mention to the cinematographer for capturing the nitty-gritties of the landscape and region perfectly.

A worthy nomination for the #Oscars, this one is definitely worth a dekko.

4⭐️ from me.

Sweet

#BareillyKiBarfi - A sweet concoction of #Saajan meets #SirfTum.

Typical and predictable storyline of a friendzoned guy and the "other" guy with a bindhast gal.That said, the story is lucid and narrative is smooth.

I am beginning to like Ashwini Iyer Tiwari's simplistic presentations though this one is not as great as #NilBatteySannata.

Special mention to Rajkumar Rao for his impeccable comic sense. But somehow Ayushman is too much of a Punjabi munda to pass off as a "Dubey".

Overall decent one time watch.

3⭐️ from me.