Category - Reviews

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Maatr’ Review – 2.3 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Maatr Review by Meena Iyer on The Times Of India Rating: Delhi, where this film is based is often referred to as the rape capital of India. And the film’s sole intention is to serve as a wake-up call for the atrocities against women. So you applaud the intention. However, the film itself is over-dramatized account of the heinous crime and what follows. Maatr Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: If you thought you have seen it all from Raveena Tandon, think again. She pumps in so much life into the film that it is her performance that steals the show. Her screen presence, her personality, the way she projects her character, her facial expressions are top notch. Turning your eyes elsewhere will be criminal when she is on screen in the film. Kudos to Madhur Mittal, the antagonist, who makes you feel disgusted throughout, that’s the beauty of his villainous character. Not undermining the efforts of other talents who make the film, as a whole, a very gratifying watch. Divya Jagdale, Anurag Arora, Alisha Khan were too good in their respective roles. They deliver a power packed performance in crucial scenes of the film. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: The writer director are the culprit for not giving the character of Vidya those moments of power and dominance that are so necessary in such format, Vidya’s transformation is pale and all is left on the acting abilities of Raveena Tandon to recharge this dying script on women empowerment. Maatr (also means just) a couple of scenes and Raveena Tandon’s earnest attempt are the only positives, rest the movie fails to deliver on the other essential fronts. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Long after you exit the screen after watching this film, what stays with you are a pair of eyes belonging to the lead. The distraught they project when they stare at the assailants who force themselves on her daughter could tear you apart. And while this gaze is tunneled, as this person is herself being gagged with a gunny bag and violated by several, it is one that unblinkingly looks on. Clearly, Maatr is not for the mild-hearted or the lily-livered and is a revenge thriller that keeps you hooked for a large part of its runtime. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: The film is being touted as Raveena’s comeback vehicle and we must say that the lady has put in a powerful and hard-hitting performance. Madhur Mittal too deserves kudos for effectively playing the baddie, though his character comes across as too caricaturist at times (just because he is the spoilt son of a corrupt minister, he is forever shown smoking and drinking or pawing his molls). The rest of the cast has performed decently. As far as the film plot goes, everyone loves a good old vengeance drama and there is something about the genre, which makes the Indian audience forget logic and root for the good guy and this is exactly what has happened with Maatr. The makers of the film have decided to sacrifice logic for the sake of melodrama, which may prove to be the film’s undoing. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Raveena Tandon is earnest as a mother who turns into an avenging angel. She looks great for someone who has stayed away from the silver screen for years. That said, the role she has to play in this movie is so melodramatic, it borders on ridiculousness. Review by Gaurang Chauhan on Bollywood Life Rating: A film works well when, in order to counter a strong hero, you have an equally strong, if not better, villain. Madhur Mittal as loathing Apurva Malik, makes sure you have nothing but sheer hatred for his character from the first scene till the very last. Madhur has acted in quite a few Hollywood films like Slumdog Millionaire and Million Dollar Arm and his menacing turn as rapist cum murderer is sure to get his character the brickbats and his performance the bouquets. I was bowled over by his performance. He is, in fact, the major reason you are engrossed in the film, if at all. Shoutout to the actors who played his friends and creepy uncle. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: The vile wrongdoers in Maatr, led by Apoorva Malik (Madhur Mittal of Slumdog Millionaire and Million Dollar Arm), son 0f the Delhi chief minister (Shailendra Goyal), receive their comeuppance in deservedly painful circumstances. But that doesn’t help matters at all. The film is so crudely melodramatic and ludicrously simplistic that none of the principal characters registers his or her presence firmly enough. The manner in which the screenplay approaches the inter-personal relationships between them is even more casual. Review by Sukanya Verma on Rediff Rating: In a performance marked by amazing maturity and restraint, the actress conveys the dark, brooding and internal process of recuperating from grief and finding closure. Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: While Sayed banks on Raveena to completely shock his audience, he fails to back her up with a good screenplay. More than a woman on a mission, Raveena appears like the female version of Sunil Shetty from Mohra, with less swag at that. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: This rape-and-revenge thriller plays it strictly by the numbers: the heinous crime (involving the gang rape of a mother and daughter), the aftermath (involving unhelpful officers of the law) , the wounded woman picking up the cudgels and going after the perpetrators. The roll-out is as formulaic as they come, and sometimes that can be okay too, but a film like this needs to be deeply sensitive and alert to lift the sordidness of the material. Maatr fails on this score from the first frame, with its improbable plot-points, and relentless crassness: I cringed from beginning to end. Review by Sameeksha on News18 Rating: Talking about the performances, Raveena Tandon is fairly average as a rape survivor and a warrior mother Vidya. There are scenes where her pain becomes real for once, but then it cuts to illogical gym sequences trivialising her sufferings. The diva must have done Nation Award winning worth performances, but Maatr isn’t one of them. Divya Jagdale as Ritu (Vidya’s friend) and Anurag Arora as Inspector Jayant Shroff are again average, with few scenes so cringe-worthy that you just don’t want to hear the monotonous dialogue delivery of the actors. Madhur Mittal as loathing Apurva Malik is the villain of the story and the only above average actor in the film. He makes you hate him from the first scene if that is what the director wanted the audience to feel. The only, truly authentic character in the film is a guard who appears onscreen for 5 mins and reminds you of all your real encounters with these blue shirt wearers. Review by Suhani Singh on India Today Rating: Maatr despite the gravity of the theme is a subpar drama. The film would have been more effective if the mawkish, flashback-heavy songs were skipped. Maatr is a missed opportunity to make a powerful statement against India’s poor track record in dispensing justice and tackling violence against women. Revenge is a dish best served cold; in Maatr it’s crass and oddly flat too. Review by Gaurang Chauhan on DNA India Rating: Despite its flaws, Maatr deserves a viewing as films like these are the need of the hour as it creates a world where justice is served someway or the other. Review by Indiaglitz Rating: Director Ashtar Sayed narrated a vengeance based story in total hard-hitting format. The styling and the treatment remind you of the Korean based vengeance films. He narrates the film in a sleek and realistic manner. Review by IANS on Sify Rating: In an author-backed role, which is touted to be her come-back film, Raveena with her steely hauteur is utterly arresting in this provocative film. She exercises restraint, exudes an eerie calmness and yet injects fresh blood to her persona. This is clearly a performance no other actor in her age bracket could have pulled off with such ease. Even though her character is wounded, her spirited performance, though flaunted with faulty and excessive make-up, emerges as a compelling element in the film. Review by Letty Mariam Abraham on Mid-Day India Rating: Raveena and Madhur play their parts convincingly, but fail to salvage the film with their earnest performances. Divya Jagdale, who plays Raveena’s best friend, was over-the-top and somehow didn’t fit in well. Anurag Arora as Inspector Akhil didn’t have a definite side — good or bad. However, he did a fairly good job. Review by Bollyspice on Subhash K Jha Rating: Tragically Raveena’s central performance is unaided by her co-actors. Talented actors like Divya Jagdale (playing Raveena’s best friend and confidante) and Rushad Rana (playing her husband) are annoying in their shadowy snapchat avatars. The climax with the worst computer-generated explosion seen in any films, also leaves us embarrassed and exhausted. Anaarkali of Aarah – 3.4 stars Trapped – 3.4 stars Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Poorna – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Rangoon – 3.1 stars Badrinath Ki Dulhania – 3 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Naam Shabana – 2.5 stars Phillauri – 2.4 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Commando 2 – 2 stars Irada – 2 stars Mona Darling – 1.9 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laddoo Deewana – 1.6 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars Machine – 1 stars Aagaya Hero – 1 stars

Sonakshi Sinha’s Noor has received mixed reviews. Not good enough for a film that has opened poorly at the box...

Sonakshi Sinha made a bumper debut with Dabangg and after that movie became such a huge blockbuster, she went on to make quite a few movies in that masala Bollywood entertainer zone. But those sort of movies have stopped being made in Bollywood because of a general fatigue. So it was only natural for her to transition into making Women Oriented films which had some logic in them. She started off with Akira and now she is back with Noor. Will she finally taste success as a leading lady? Is Noor worth a theatre outing? 

Vidya Balan hasn’t been going through a great phase in her career. Her hits have died down and the critical...

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laddoo Deewana ‘ Review – 1.6 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laddoo Deewana Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Akshara Haasan is beautiful, she has inherited her mother Saarika’s hazel eyes… But she truly, truly lacks any sort of expression. Even when there are tears running down her face, the rest of her face is blank. She smiles, but her eyes are vacant. With the lead pair being disastrous to watch, you fervently wish the rest of the cast will help pull the convoluted story through. There’s Saurabh Shukla and Darshan Jariwala, Suhasini Mulay, Gurmeet Choudhary (famous after hit TV shows like Ramayan and Geet – Huyi Sabse Parayi) and even Sanjay Mishra. But when you see Suhasini Mulay slap Sanjay Mishra each time they meet, you wonder what the filmmakers are thinking. Saurabh Shukla is shown to be a lush, a bottle of dubious liquor in his hand. Not funny. Darshan Jariwala is meant to be uptight so he shows his disapproval by turning away physically in a huff. Watching them all interact with each other, is pure torture. And since it’s a wedding at a castle (Gurmeet is the prince), everyone is dressed in bling. Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laddoo Deewana Review by Joginder Tuteja on Movietalkies Rating: Amongst actors, Vivaan has already shown his good comic timing in Happy New Year and in Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana, he is required to play a goofy character, which he does well. In the dramatic portions he needs to get more controlled though. Akshara has a natural charm about her and she can do even better in roles where she is required to be non-filmy. Gurmeet has more of a supporting role and he is decent and constrained. Sanjay Mishra brings on the laughs in every scene of his, Saurabh Shukla is good, especially in pre-climax where he has a monologue in presence of Akshara while Darshan Jariwala is reliable. Ravi Kishan is very good. On the whole, Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana works as a light hearted harmless flick which can be given an easy smile-through watch. Review by Nihit Bhave on The Times Of India Rating: Akshara and Vivaan deliver embarrassingly over-the-top performances. Sanjay Mishra plays the same odd character which he routinely does now, and talents like Darshan Jariwala and Saurabh Shukla are reduced to doing goofy physical comedy. The film is structured so that you connect all the dots within half an hour and are then left with a whole lot nothing to look forward to. Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana has to be some kind of a scientific experiment to study the frequency of fidgeting in a theatre seat. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Director Manish Harishankar may have been too thrilled with the concept of getting his characters to narrate the story in flashback, but manages a sketchy job in joining the dots. With the premise inspired from the reality show Big Switch, he left the khichdi on the stove for way too long without stirring. The result: a steaming pile of you-know-what. But it’s not just the plot, even the execution is below average and the cinematography leaves much to be desired (each time the camera pans, a hazy blur fills the screen). Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: The performances are as stale as age old aloo puri, the movie is another example of terrible miscasting. Akshara Haasan is bland and her voice and accent doesn’t do any good. The role was challenging and a better actress could have done wonders. Vivaan Shah shows some improvement but he is too limited to be a performer. Gurmeet gazes, rides horses, dances all in one expression. The veterans however save their nose at least lead by Saurabh Shukla, Darshan Jariwala and Sanjay Mishra. Production values are fine and some portions are well shot and the movie looks colorful. Otherwise, LAALI KI SHAADI MEIN LAADDOO DEEWANA is a shiny dead weight bauble that is painstakingly boring to the hilt. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: The story penned by Manish Harishankar comes as a shocker since the film has nothing to do with it. The film will remind you of Preity Zinta starrer Kya Kehna in the second half. In a desperate attempt to save the script, the writer-director has included unnecessary humour that will make your head spin. The film is a proper yawn fest. 130-minute is so difficult to spend in the theatres that one might walk out of the theatre. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: The leads – Vivaan Shah, Akshara Haasan and Gurmeet Choudhary – are given the onus of livening up a monotonous film that has little by way of genuine flow and flounce. It is a tall ask and failure is inevitable. Laali Ki Shaadi… is done in by major structural flaws and glaring lack of logic. It lurches from one scene to another, moving back and forth between the point where the film begins and the different junctures in the story revealed via multiple flashbacks. Keeping track of all the to-ing and fro-ing that unfolds on the screen takes some doing. It’s just not worth the trouble. Review by Sreehari Nair on Rediff Rating: This is a movie so naïve both in its worldview and how it goes about disseminating that worldview, that you can enjoy it on a completely harmless level. You can literally feel the ‘Cuts’ in certain scenes. Manish Harishankar’s staging of drone shots are of the kind born out of Google searching ‘How to stage a drone shot?’ Even his strategy for double crossing the audience is so underdeveloped, it becomes rapturous. Harishankar comes up with poorly composed punchlines and then places them in scenes, so that even those flimsy lines don’t get their due. It’s not the ancient theory of ‘So bad, it’s good’ that works as a descriptor for this movie. This one is so sincere, it’s fun. If you want to be disappointed, there are better movies to be disappointed by. This is a half-star picture with one extra star for how ignorant it is about its own quality. Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laddoo Deewana Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The story idea is quite similar to the Priyadarshan kind of movies. The concept despite of being weird is still unusual. Though, there are a couple of tiff and discussion scenes between Darshan Jhariwala, Saurabh Shukla and Sanjay Mishra, which are engaging. The cinematography is good and the movie has been shot quite well. Director Manish Harishankar comes up with a script which had the potential to become a non-stop laughter ride, but ends up being a victim of weak and half-baked script. Saurabh Shukla, Darshan Jariwala, Sanjay Mishra and Ravi Kishan lend good support in their respective roles. Best Rated Films in 2017 Anaarkali of Aarah – 3.4 stars Trapped – 3.4 stars Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Poorna – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Rangoon – 3.1 stars Badrinath Ki Dulhania – 3 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Naam Shabana – 2.5 stars Phillauri – 2.4 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Commando 2 – 2 stars Irada – 2 stars Mona Darling – 1.9 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars Machine – 1 stars Aagaya Hero – 1 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Poorna ‘ Review – 3.2 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Poorna Review by Neil Soans on The Times Of India Rating: Returning to a directorial capacity after 16 years, Rahul Bose recognizes the beauty in simplicity and uses it to the film’s advantage. Grounded performances combined with stirring music elevate this relatively straightforward tale, making it essential viewing not only for the young Indian woman, but for anyone looking to scale great heights against all odds. Poorna Review by Dhrubo Jyoti on Hindustan Times Rating: Unfortunately, it’s all downhill from here. As Poorna climbs higher and higher, so does the rhetoric pitch in the movie. There are jarring songs in Hindi that clash with the Telugu dialogues and the rural Telangana setting of the movie, formulaic plants like a letter from a dead relative and the compulsory rousing song at the climax. Most of all, Poorna cannot bear the weight of Bose’s savior character who is going to change people’s lives and a state’s education all single-handedly – the talented girls and the amazing support cast of Dhritiman Chatterjee and Heeba Shah all recede to the background. Poorna Review by Mayank Shekhar on Mid-Day India Rating: At the centre of it all is still a film that checks all the boxes so far as the running box-office formula is concerned. Yes, it’s a sports film. Yeah, it is a biopic. Sure, it is female-centric, and about gender empowerment. And while relatively low-budget, no doubt, it is cinematic enough, given that the camera really travels from Telangana, Darjeeling, to the supposed heights of the Himalayas. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Poorna is not just a film, but also a source of light that illuminates the conditions of social welfare schemes by the government and the plight of certain sections of the society. There is one scene in the film where these bunch of girls from poor families play a game wherein they have to compete about who is the poorest and though the scene may make you grin at their cheekiness, it will also pack a punch to the gut. The film has been shot quite realistically and beautifully and certain scenes in the film will make you realise what a tough task it must have been to shoot this film. Review by Sreehari Nair on Rediff Rating: Three performers here exist only to make Rahul Bose’s Praveen Kumar look good: Harsha Vardhan as the chief minister standing in for the confused state of our governance, Dhritiman Chatterjee who comically interrupts conversations to say nothing of significance, and Heeba Shah who can be heard mau-mauing through most of Bose’s plans. By the end, Rahul Bose the director shortchanges everything from our bureaucracy, to our politics, to our social structures, so that his kindness can shine through and make Poorna smile. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: The recreation on film can be patronising, or it can bump up the protagonist falsely to create a sense of their importance. Poorna stays away from these pitfalls: Bose, whose second directorial venture this is, gives us closeness without cloying sentimentality, and saves the triumphal swelling music for the climax, when Poorna makes her ascent. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Bose, the forgotten hero and reluctant filmmaker, has taken on the Herculean task of delivering this ambitious tale with limited means. Many argue that budgets barely restrict one’s vision. But when you’re showcasing the Himalayas and fail to furnish breath-arresting shots from strategic mid-air vantage points, the lack of resources proves to be a handicap. While Poorna is dedicated to two people who happen to be the maker’s “auricles and ventricles”, it ironically lacks just that — heart. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Technically sound, Subransu lense does the required talking and the shots of snow-clad mountains are eye popping. Manan Mehta’s editing is crisp. Salim-Sulaiman’s music receives special mention for its ability to seamlessly push the narrative forward with the desired effect. Poori Qayanaat and Kuch Parbat Hilaayein are well tuned and performed. POORNA is a story that needs to be told. The movie upholds the power of will, determination and confidence that can make you scale the highest peak, it’s a small little motivating gem recommended for those who look for some meaning in their life and cinema. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Aditi Inamdar is perfectly cast, as is S. Mariya as Poorna’s spunky cousin Priya, who eggs the heroine on to change her fate. Aditi and Mariya are such naturals that they do not need to ‘act’ to convey their emotions. The delightful little shenanigans that the two girls indulge in until the real world catches up with them give the audience a reason to forge an instant connect with them. It lasts all the way to the end of the film. Aditi’s scenes with Bose, too, come off rather well. Segments of the audience might however be left feeling a tad shortchanged by the limited focus on the eventual expedition that catapulted Poorna Malavath into mountaineering history. But Poorna is a large-hearted film: more a heartfelt portrait of courage than just another routine underdog film. Small gripes shouldn’t offset its overall impact. It is considerable. Poorna Review by Indiaglitz Rating: Everything is easily shown in the movie. The hardship track seems to be missing. The finale part of Mt. Everest should have been meatier. Lack of face value and low marketing might hamper the film. The real life story has more substance than the one presented in the movie. The climax part was bit hurried and needed some drama in it. Rahul Bose’s character was over sweet and did not have any layers attached to it. ‘Poorna’ is a beautiful messaged based film which displays a real life heroic tale of a young girl from the rural parts of India. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The film is a straightforward narration: Little girl from the back of the beyond finds her calling in climbing mountains and then goes on to climb the Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Her story is inevitable. There are no surprises at all. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: For a director, it is not easy to execute the plot keeping factual accuracy in contention in every frame. The hard work that Rahul and his team have been putting since the last two years is commendable. The film might not have commercial viability in terms of a big star cast or massive production value but Poorna is a film which surely moves your heart. Review by IANS on Sify Rating: Aditi Inamdar shines as the fragile but strong-willed Poorna, essaying her character with amazing sincerity and naturalness, making it look convincing. S Mariya as Priya is equally delightful and strikes an emotional bond with the audience. The duo and their camaraderie is a treat to watch. Rahul Bose as Praveen Kumar is earnest and effortless. Heeba Shah as an official in a no-nonsense and stern avatar and Dhritiman Chatterjee in an insignificant role, are wasted. Arif Zakaria too goes unnoticed. The other actors in fact support them ably and are aptly cast as they lend a natural flavour to their characters. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: Poorna’s triumphant ascent to the snowy peak is left to the final moments in the film. Bose chooses silences and quiet interludes over booming background music to highlight these bits, and it’s a wise choice. Because while Mount Everest may be the reward, it’s Poorna’s journey overcoming poverty and patriarchy to find her wings that the film is actually about. Best Rated Films in 2017 Anaarkali of Aarah – 3.4 stars Trapped – 3.4 stars Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Rangoon – 3.1 stars Badrinath Ki Dulhania – 3 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Phillauri – 2.4 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Commando 2 – 2 stars Irada – 2 stars Mona Darling – 1.9 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars Machine – 1 stars Aagaya Hero – 1 stars

Naam Shabana has received mixed reviews, which once again makes the decision of screening the film two days in advance for the ‘critics’ seem quite stupid. Most reviews are between 2 to 3 stars. 

Phillauri has received mixed reviews from critics. Out of the 16 reviews that we have compiled, the film has scored 2.3 stars out of 5. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Phillauri ‘ Review – 2.4 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Phillauri Review by Indicine Rating: Phillauri looks like a deft movie because it has been shot so well. The camerawork is absolutely top notch with very carefully crafted frames and scenes. The production design makes the film look a lot bigger in scale than it normally would have been. The visual effects are stunning as the CGI ghost character doesn’t tow the stereotypical line of a Bollywood bhoot, they almost reinvent the Bollywood bhoot. The editing could have been tighter because the film didn’t need to be almost 2.5 hours long. The music of Phillauri suits the nature, even though none of the songs have become Bonafide chartbusters. The songs in the movie, work. Phillauri Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: Despite the film’s concept having immense potential, writer Anvita Dutt fails create magic with her writing. The film’s story and screenplay have no logic or direction. Besides being confusing, the film’s screenplay also slows down the narrative. PHILLAURI, which begins on a positive and funny note, starts getting endlessly dragged and predictable. Thanks to the confused screenplay, the viewers will find it extremely tough to relate to. The film’s dialogues (Anvita Dutt) are lucid and do not hamper the film’s proceedings. The film has its share of comic moments in the first half, but that too disappears as the narrative moves forward. Phillauri Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: The computer graphics in this movie is notable, barring the climax which feels overdone. It’s the predictability of the story that lets this film done. You know what’s coming long before it plays out and that makes it tedious and soul-destroying. Phillauri Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: The pacing is not just languid, it is positively slow, and it allows scenes to go on for much longer than they should. I found myself getting impatient in too many places. And though Suraj Sharma and Mehreen Peerzada are likeable and easy on the eye, surrounded by their very agreeable large Punjabi families (of special note is the whiskey-swigging grandma who doles out self-improvement tips and has the answer to a crucial ghostly problem), they are flat. Anushka Sharma is good, but not as good as she can be, and that too only in bits and pieces. A lovely song — ‘dam dam dam hai dua sau pankh lagaa tere naam ke’– which features her and Dosanjh, made me sigh. With pleasure. As a romantic interlude between two adults, it is the beating heart of ‘Phillauri’. Phillauri Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: Phillauri has some spirited performance from its lead actors, unfortunately, the same spirit has not gone into the making of the movie. What’s started off as a promising film ends up as a boring and a tiresome hotchpotch by the end. Going by the nearly empty theatre hall where I watched the movie and the muted response the movie received at the end, I am sure #ShashiWasThere is actually scaring people away from the screens. Highly Avoidable! Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today Rating: Phillauri’s concept is good and novel. But the delivery is what North Indians call KLPD. The climactic payoff at the end comes way too easily. It’s just lazy writing after a point. If only Shashi emerged in the writer’s room before filming and smacked some imagination into her head. Review by Ritika Handoo on Zeenews Rating: Diljit and Anushka’s chemistry looks fresh and believable. The supporting cast too has done a great job. Besides, the music by Shashwat Sachdev and Jasleen Royal and the background score by Sameer Uddin is quite in sync. But some things remain unexplained in the narrative. Like how does Kanan know that Anu can just see the dupatta on Shashi and not the ghost like him? Editing could have been a bit tighter as some scenes look too much stretched. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Debutante director Anshai Lal does a phenomenal job of picking up a subject which has two parallel stories. Defining romance in the past and the present day is a task which he handles sharply. First half looks slow and goes in the characters’ establishment but the second half melts your heart. The narrative of the film looks a lot like Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal but Phillauri has its own historical backdrop as a saving grace. In fact, one sequence in the film reminds you of Lawrence D’souza’s cult romantic film Saajan. Review by Nihit Bhave on The Times Of India Rating: The actors sweep in and carry the film, though. With his body language and voice modulation, Suraj Sharma nails the confused-aimless millennial and lightens the mood. Mehreen Pirzada’s helpless and hopelessly-in-love Anu is endearing. Diljit Dosanjh brings his trademark goodness to a rather bland role. And as the translucent ghost (kudos to the VFX team), Anushka delivers a solid performance with a weird mix of sadness and humour. It seems as though Phillauri could have gone in a lot of directions, but it took the road usually travelled. Review by Tushar Joshi on DNA India Rating: It isn’t easy playing a friendly ghost. You not only have to come across as likeable but there also have an element of believability. Full marks to the VFX team for making Anushka look like a spirit. Her movements in the frame, the close ups and even her attempt to spook Suraj win major brownie points. Anshai Lal does ample research to recreate the pre independence era. Everything from the costumes, to the props to the set decor transports you to that era. Anushka’s Shashi scenes are more impressive than her moments as the ghost. She manages to make us feel for her even if the premise is laden with cliches. Diljit strikes a chord with his performance and we wish there were more scenes with him and Anushka. Suraj Sharma too is a perfect cast in the role of a bumbling young man whose life is now in the hands of a ghost! Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Phillauri is an unconventional Bollywood entertainer that is watchable all the way. It does not rely on star power. It draws its strength instead from an off-kilter screenplay that for once might make you want to believe in the existence of ghosts, especially if they happen to be like the one that Anushka Sharma gets into the spirit of. Review by Sweta Kaushal on Hindustan Times Rating: Phillauri does not give away any interesting bit almost till the interval. It is only in the second half when the film focusses on Diljit-Anushka’s story that it becomes engaging enough. And the credit for this must be given where it is due – the enchanting presence of the two actors and the lovely chemistry between them. Review by Sukanya Verma on Rediff Rating: Producer and leading lady Anushka Sharma looks ethereal and conveys the enlightenment of a woman before her time. What is amiss in her performance is whimsy. Perhaps, well behaved is not such a nice trait for a ghost after all. Dijit Dosanjh employs his earthy charm to Phillauri’s many songs and scene whereas Suraj Sharma’s terrified commitment-phobe is like witnessing Chuckie Finister in live-action. He does it convincingly too but it’s exasperating when Phillauri doesn’t allow him to be anything else. Newcomer Mehreen Peerzada exudes an impressive confidence and vulnerability, which is even more laudable given cinematographer’s Vishal Sinha’s penchant for close-ups. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Debutant director Anshai Lal sticks to the tropes by weaving in the lighter scenes with chest-beating drama to ensure the proceedings don’t turn too overwhelming. But he fails to maintain the economy of screen time in the telling of this tale which is surely 30 minutes over. This is perhaps because many emphasise on the importance of editing as a function and it’s ability to transform storytelling but few empower their editors to take difficult calls. Depicting Punjab in 1919 was barely a task as the film largely sticks to courtyards of rural homes and dusty markets and maidans. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: When the end finally comes upon the audience, the feeling of being arm-twisted into tearing up for a historic tragedy makes you feel disconnected. You just want the whole thing to be over with. Even this takes more than 20 minutes. You wish the editing had been so much tighter, and the filmmaker had given us more of the romance than painful village wedding rituals that seem to go on and on… The film has flashes of brilliance, but the tedious sequences go on for so long you think you have aged when you emerge out into the sunshine Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Though the initial twenty minutes of the film seem to promise an entertaining tale, the plot starts going downhill from then on. The pace is slow and sluggish and the screenplay is quite loose. While Suraj and Shashi’s sequences seem promising, the portion involving Shashi and her life in pre-Independent India, ends up boring the hell out of you with its pace. Anushka and Diljit have zero chemistry, which further proves to be the film’s undoing and the music of the film is not memorable at all. The second half has been stretched unnecessarily and the director seems eager to take twenty minutes to explain something that could have taken five minutes. The special effects are quite decent, but that’s the only good thing to be said about this flick. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: All four leads put in strong performances, but Suraj Sharma’s flair for physical comedy is a refreshing revelation, and Diljit Dosanjh is impressive, particularly in the intense bits. Anushka Sharma, who’s also produced the film, brings a nice old-world charm to Shashi. She shines both in the dramatic portions and the comedic ones. Phillauri isn’t a consistently smooth ride. It’s uneven and bumpy and unforgivably slow in portions. But a lot of it works and some of it flies. In a landscape where original ideas are hard to come by, I’m willing to settle for that. Review by Mohar Basu on Mid-Day India Rating: A film like this is frustrating, to be frank. The narrative is refreshingly written, brimming with breezy humour. But it is ironic that the haunting spirit is lacking, both metaphorically and literally speaking. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: After NH10, the promos of PHILLAURI promised some fun but it sadly ends as a pun on itself in trying to do so many things in one film, a comedy that too supernatural one and an old fashioned romance that forces the friendly spirit to hang out from the screen wondering who is suppose to take charge of the proceedings. Phillauri Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The curse of second half strikes back as the narrative gets super slow, bland and boring at times. The initial romance track between Anushka and Diljit is interesting and so is the later part of their love story. It’s the middle part which drags to the fullest and looses it’s connect with Suraj and Mehreen’s track. Even this unique climax scene gets diluted as it’s stretched to the fullest. If only the writing in the second half would have been strong and the connect factor would have been high, the impact in the finale would have been like a masterstroke. Sadly, due to lengthy and bland second half, after a point you might not even care about Diljit and Anushka’s love story. The romantic track of Anushka fails to connect and also lacks the intensity. The movie should have been bit crispier and with some more detailing in the second half. Anushka Sharma role should have been meatier. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: Movies like Phillauri make me wonder about talented actors, producers with a said vision, music, special effects – some bits underdone, some overdone and some like story – not done at all. And how not all departments put together can compensate for the one that is way off the mark. Review by Rima Bhatia on Bollyspice Rating: Phillauri should do well at the box office as the initial trailers were well presented and were good enough to spark the interest in the audience, the challenge the film will now see is whether it can keep going through word of mouth. With a run time of 2 hours the film could have been edited by at least 10 minutes; however there are some aspects of the film that the team have managed to keep quiet about and leave till the very end to explain. If you don’t know your history it will keep you guessing, if you do it might be a bit predictable. A special mention goes to the films VFX team for making ghost Shashi so beautiful. Best Rated Films in 2017 Trapped – 3.4 stars Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Rangoon – 3.1 stars Badrinath Ki Dulhania – 3 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Commando 2 – 2 stars Irada – 2 stars Mona Darling – 1.9 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars Machine – 1 stars Aagaya Hero – 1 stars

Swara Bhaskar’s Anaarkali Of Aarah has won over the critics. The film has managed to score more than the bigger release this year – Anushka Sharma’s Phillauri. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Anaarkali of Aarah ‘ Review –  3.4 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: The payoff seems to have been created for an upbeat ending, but we can’t help cheering when Anar rises, refuses to be cowed : whatever kind of labour it may be— which includes women who strut their stuff– dignity is paramount. Anaarkali manages to hit many marks. Bhaskar gets a lead role worthy of her. Das is a new director to watch out for. And more than anything else, it is a ladies-oriented film. Enough and more, in these dismal times. [advert] Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Savera R Someshwar on Rediff Rating: Swara Bhaskar has the pulse of every emotion she has to portray — flirty, joy, sorrow, anger, weakness, frustration and you-don’t-know it-yet-but-I-am-going-to-get-you. Sanjay Mishra too is consistently good, especially in that chilling moment when he moves from cajoling to threatening in a second. Pankaj Tripathi and the young actor who plays Anwar, the teen who crushes on Anaarkali, are perfect as foils to the fiery Swara. There is impressive attention to detail in the music, the sound, the cinematography, the production design, the dialogues and the direction. Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: Director Avinash Das displays his understanding of the delicate social structure of Bihar, where pretention of being a morally righteous guy is more important that actually being one. He very smartly makes the audience the third party, and then makes it difficult for them to stay neutral. Slowly and steadily the tide takes a turn in favour of the underdog. Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Anaarkali of Aarah is the kind of film that you want to applaud, especially on account of the concerns that it articulates. But it leaves you deeply dissatisfied. It could have done with much more passion and flair. It is worse than a misfire. It doesn’t fire at all despite the magnificently full-blooded pivotal performance from Swara Bhaskar. But let’s cut writer-director Avinash Das some slack. He knows what he is talking about. If only he had managed to pack a little more zip and zing into the exercise, the whiplash would have hit home harder. But this critic, despite the disappointment that Anaarkali of Aarah is, will look forward to Das’ next outing. There is a better film hiding in him. Review by Pallabi Dey Purkayastha on Deccan Chronicle Rating: The film does have its moments of sheer brilliance, specially in the humour department. But its adamancy with the narrative technique and unnecessary inclusion of minutest of details spoils the game. Both Sanjay Mishra and Pankaj Tripathi (as Rangeela) have played their parts well but they are nowhere close to what you would expect out of two experienced actors like them. Just like another female-centric film of recent times, Anarkali sets foot on the unexplored territories of revenge and redemption, only this time, she is both the damsel in distress and her knight in shining armour. Review by Mayank Shekhar on Mid-Day India Rating: Anaarkali sings and dances to them on stage. While Bihar’s ‘launda dance’ (cross-dressed men) is quite famous, I haven’t seen a live performance like Anaarkali’s before. And no, it’s nothing like Bipasha’s ‘Bidi jalaile’ from ‘Omkara’. This is feisty Swara, simultaneously submissive and full of desi swag—her gait, expressions, and accent absolutely spot-on. She floors you with her subtle moves. As does her movie, for the most part. It’s hard to come across a performance so gut-wrenchingly real. It’s hard to tell Swara from Anaarkali of Arrah, who’s thankfully not another ‘abla nari’ either. Review by Renuka Vyavahare on The Times Of India Rating: Given its risqué subject, the film could have gone awfully wrong if the execution had faltered or tilted on sleazy over substance. But writer, director Avinash Das’ execution lends gravitas to the proceedings, making you feel for the lead character. Most importantly, this film finally gives Swara Bhaskar an opportunity to put her exemplary acting chops on display. She is a revelation as a pan-chewing, courageous woman, who won’t buckle under pressure. Ishtiyak Khan of ‘Tamasha’ fame is impressive too. The music compliments the film’s raw and rustic setting as well. Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: A dizzying, combative explosive expose of smaltown hooliganism and a spunky girl’s determination to survive all odds, “Anaarkali Of Aarah” has a memorable gallery of actors giving the goings-on a sterling push and a bracing vigour with their performances. I have to single out Sanjai Mishra as the sleazeball academician, Vijay Kumar as his murky cop in crime, Pankaj Tripathi as Anaarkali’s partner on stage, Mayor More as her callow infatuated utterly devoted lover-boy. Nitin Arora as back-alley music baron and last but certainly not the least Ishteyak Khan as a smalltown man who knows how to respect a woman. These are not just performances. They are classrooms of impeccable characterisations. But above all there is Sawara Bhaskar giving what history will record as one of the bravest and most important performances by a female actor in post-modernist Bollywood. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: A movie surrounded by strong actors, ANAARKALI OF AARAH sees magnificent contribution from Sanjay Mishra as the villain -this actor can never go wrong. Pankaj Tripathi as the leader of Anar’s band is outstanding and perfectly natural. Ishtiaq Khan is completely endearing. Vijay Kumar as Bulbul Pandey is fabulous. Mayur More as Anwar is fantastic. It’s debatable how much it will excite the hoi polloi but certainly ANAARKALI OF AARAH is an appositely trenchant and rustic cry for women empowerment backed by Swara Bhaskar’s top notch performance. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Credit goes to the writer-director for creating such amazing ensemble. You even notice the grumpy goon (called Muffler) who does not like what the VC is doing. Yes, the recording studio owner does overdo it a bit, but on the whole you are happy you watched the film without feeling like you need to be a part of the anti-lewd song brigade. It could have been sleazy so easily. You know and anticipate the end from a mile away, but when it comes, somewhere inside you like the comeuppance. Swara Bhaskar holds the movie in her manicured hands. She is magnificent. You can’t help but stare at her, unabashedly. Watch! Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: As for the film itself, Anaarkali Of Aarah comes across as the rural equivalent of Pink but what makes the film bigger is the fact that it doesn’t have the megastar Amitabh Bachchan admonishing the audience in his impressive baritone that a ‘No means No’. Here, Bhaskar does most of the talking and that too, with dialogues liberally peppered with abuses. The film has some powerful dialogues and the climax scene is sure to make you pump your fist in the air as Anaarkali finally gets her vengeance. Don’t be discouraged by the rural flavor or the small-budget of the film… Anaarkali Of Aarah is definitely worth watching, even if you have seen and enjoyed Pink. Review by Subhash K Jha on DNA India Rating: As the protagonist’s destiny goes out of control so does the narrative. ?After a point this heroine’s tale has a will of its own. You suspect neither the writer-director nor the actress playing Anaarkali can control her destiny.They, like us, can only move back and gawk in amazement as this astounding female hero takes on the empowered goons co-powered by the louts LaLu Land.?It could be daunting for those who do not understand the sexual politics of the North Indian hinterland.? The smell,the feel, the flavour and the emotions of the stiflingly patriarchal small-town is so palpable, you are swept into the vortex of the film’s vibrant vista. Full marks to the film’s cinematographer Arvind Kannabiran for making Aarah and Anarkali seem wedded to one another , and of course Rohit Kumar’s authentic folk songs ….they add so much value to the proceedings. Review by Shomini Sen on News18 Rating: the film works for its tight script- which never dwindles- and for its powerful story. That a marginalized section also has the right to speak up against any kind of atrocity is something that the film highlights well. Its a small film with no ‘big’ star in it, yet it is perhaps the most important film of this season. Because once again, yet another film drives home a very important point. No matter what strata you belong to, no matter what your profession is- a ‘No’ always means just that. Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Mumbai Mirror Rating: Writer-director Avinash Das deserves credit for drafting visuals that build tension and keep one consistently worried for the characters on screen. While the story had only as much, he manages to intensify the proceedings by throwing his characters in situations they’d barely be imagined to swim out of. Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The story is on the lines of ‘Pink’ and still has its own distinctive points. Also, the treatment is slow and repetitive after a while and drags a lot in the second half of the film. The second half could have been up to the mark, if only the story and the screenplay in that part would had been more detailed and connecting. There are many songs in this movie, especially in the start of the film. These songs lack the connectivity, but at the same time are essential enough to establish the character of Swara Bhaskar. Sanjay Mishra does a decent job as a comical villain, but ends up being a victim of half-baked script. Pankaj Triparthy is cute, but wasted. Best Rated Films in 2017 Trapped – 3.4 stars Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Rangoon – 3.1 stars Badrinath Ki Dulhania – 3 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Commando 2 – 2 stars Irada – 2 stars Mona Darling – 1.9 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars Machine – 1 stars Aagaya Hero – 1 stars

Govinda’s much-delayed film ‘Aagaya Hero’ has received poor reviews too. The box office opening is extremely dull too and the film will fall below the 1 crore mark on Day 1 unless there’s a turnaround in the night shows. Too many films in the same week, with last week’s release Badrinath Ki Dulhania still going strong. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Aagaya Hero ‘ Review – 1 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Aagaya Hero Review by Mihir Bhanage on The Times Of India Rating: As is expected from a Govinda movie, there are song and dance sequences, over-the-top dialogues and the likes. But in Aa Gaya Hero, he tries to eclipse all the mindless comedies of the 90’s while doing a supposedly serious role, dressed in track suits and tuxedos. There are actors like Ashutosh Rana, Milind Shinde, Makarand Deshpande and Murli Sharma who are completely wasted. The film is full of inconsequential comedy that goes on for two hours and if you survive by the end of it, a ‘Finisher’ trophy is the least the makers can give you. Aagaya Hero Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: Tacky visual effects seem straight out of 90s television show Shaktimaan sans Mukesh Khanna’s charm. Probably budget was an issue, so every time a bad guy falls on the walls, the whole frame shakes. Govinda’s old friends such as Chandrachur Singh and Harish return after long, and contribute their share of hamming. It’s really hard to understand why Govinda was so desperate to do this film. It feels bad to rate two films zero in the same week (Abbas-Mustan’s Machine), but then you’re left with no option when you see even the hall attendants yawning. Aagaya Hero Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Aa Gaya Hero is a story of a policeman who makes an elaborate plan to trap the assorted bad guys by closing all loopholes they usually employ to escape justice. The whole thing is handled so badly, the songs and dances are a relief from the strangest goings on. Aagaya Hero Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: Forgotten actors like Chandrachur Singh and Harish are cast for no reason, and I am feeling really bad for talented performers like Ashutosh Rana, Makarand Deshpande, Murli Sharma for agreeing to be a part of this farce and make a mockery out of themselves. And I am pretty sure the names they mentioned under the screenplay, editing and direction credits are as real as the Loch Ness monster. Aagaya Hero Review by Syed Firdaus Ashraf on Rediff Rating: Actually, it won’t even work if he plays the typical ‘Bollywood’ honest cop, as he does in his ‘comeback’ venture, Aa Gaya Hero. Even if he is not, thankfully, wooing a heroine half his age. Even if his dances as wonderful as ever. The fact is: He is 53. He is NO LONGER young. His skin is sagging. The flab is showing. What he is, is a fantastic actor. And if he wants to give Bollywood’s filmmakers a wake up call, he needs to do a film that showcases his acting talent. And Sirji, in order to do that, you need a good script. Not trash that masquerades as a film. Till then, it’s better to bid the idea of a ‘comeback’ goodbye. Review by Sonil Dedhia on Mid-Day India Rating: What’s more, Govinda seems to be competing with Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan (Messenger of God) for a record on bagging maximum credits — producer, story, screenplay and dialogues. And mind you, at 53, he can still charm you with that million-watt smile, funky dance moves and his colorful costumes, but that’s not enough to pull off a film anymore. Once deemed a hero of the masses, an entire generation has grown up watching his brand of comedy, but it is unfortunate to see the legend making a mockery of himself in this one. I’d rather suggest watching the re-run of his ’90s movies. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: It is upsetting to see Govinda here. With an enviable filmography, one wants to remember him as the ‘Number 1’ star whose memorable one-liners and dance numbers can’t be replicated by any contemporary actor. The film also stars Murli Sharma, Ashutosh Rana and a range of retired villains. The film’s modest budget doesn’t keep them from realising their grand vision. One of the master villains has a foldable airplane which slides into his evil lair — inside a mountain which swishes open like a PowerPoint slide. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Govinda is associated with buffoonery and it’s fun but here things get so overboard that Govinda starts dancing after every 10-15 minutes so that we forget what has happened just before but the dil of entertainment hungry souls of Bollywood wanted so much more from this talent who promised a revival in PARTNER and still we are waiting. Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: The film feels like a Z-grade film of the early 1980s. Packed with numerous characters hamming while mouthing inane lines is saying the least. Joining Govinda in this jamboree are Ashutosh Rana and Murali Sharma as brothers and local goons, Makrand Deshpande as the spineless MLA, Surendra Pal as a politician, Harish Kumar and Chandrachur Singh as inspectors along with Poonam Pandey and Richa Sharma as their colleagues in disguise. Best Rated Films in 2017 Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Rangoon – 3.1 stars Badrinath Ki Dulhania – 3 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Commando 2 – 2 stars Irada – 2 stars Mona Darling – 1.9 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars

Vikramaditya Motwane’s Trapped has received good reviews from critics. From a box office point-of-view, the...

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Badrinath Ki Dulhania has received good reviews from critics. Considering the genre of the film, a rating of 3 star or better is excellent. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania ‘ Review –  3 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Indicine Rating: Badrinath Ki Dulhania is a movie which holds the standard set by Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. It is entertaining, it gives out a social message, it has great performances from the two leads and it holds a nice page throughout the duration of the movie. If you liked the first part, you should definitely check out Badrinath Ki Dulhania. It doesn’t try to outdo or copy the original and that is what makes this sequel unique. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: Dhawan and Bhatt are surrounded by a bunch of able actors, all of whom are given things to do. Of special note is a terrific act by Sahil Vaid as the Hero’s Best Friend, who bids fair to be the best part of the film. Apart, of course from Alia Bhatt, who manages to pull off a pitch-perfect performance as the ‘dulhaniya’ with a mind and will of her own. Varun Dhawan is good too, as the entitled wealthy boy-who-may-never-turn-into-man, and then finding his feminist feet. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: The first half of the film moves at a brisk pace, while the second half gets bogged down by an overly long stretch about Vaidehi’s profession as an air hostess. We are given a crash course on what it takes to be a flight attendant and it isn’t always riveting. However, it’s the chemistry between the lead pair is what keeps you hooked to this romance. While the comical twists put a smile on your face, a stray joke about homosexuals was unwarranted and grating. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Nihit Bhave on The Times Of India Rating: The runtime doesn’t help either. This is a story with an obvious climax, so sitting through two and a half hours to find out what you already know might get uncomfortable. But the breezy vibe of the movie and back-to-back hilarious lines should get you through it. Together, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt are the best thing that could have happened to our screens. The beautiful effortlessness of their onscreen companionship plasters a grin on your face. Dhawan as Badri is adorable; you instantly take to him. He even pulls off some high-drama scenes impressively. Bhatt, unsurprisingly, gives it her all, and her sincerity comes through. But her accent, casually swinging between Juhu and Jhansi, is bothersome at times. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Tushar Joshi on DNA India Rating: Mid way through the film, you get a sense of been there seen that. Varun-Alia’s pairing is terrific, but the novelty is missing. Scenes of auditioning a bridegroom for a bride seem dated. Also the second half gets a bit lazy before leading to a very predictable climax. There are moments when you wish the screenplay had something more to offer. Varun and Alia’s hinterland accents take some time to get used to. Vaidehi and Badri are from Kota and Jhansi, which aren’t necessarily small towns, yet their characters seem too urban in terms of their look and styling. Badrinath Ki Dulhania is light, entertaining and likeable. Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt prove that on screen chemistry can be enough sometimes to keep you engaged in an average plot with a predictable narrative. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: That Aalia Bhatt is a wonderful actor, and can just as easily be Kumari Pinky, a laborer in Udta Punjab as Vaidehi Mishra in this film, is a given. She is luminous. But Varun Dhawan is a revelation. He can prance and dance like the best of the younger lot, but there is something vulnerable about his muscle bound Badri and that is commendable. Saahil Vaid is truly a super support, a friend you’d want if you are in trouble. This is certainly not Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, but stands in its own place. Happy to entertain. Review by Rashma Shetty Bali on Bollywood Life Rating: The second half falters and the efforts to incorporate Singapore tourism is too on your face. While we see Badri and Vaidehi’s relationship build, the build-up itself is a little boring. Again the film is too predictable and in fact right before the interval the twist too becomes a little too predictable. The movie could have been edited better. The climax is almost like the makers were in a hurry to sum up their film. It’s shoddy and a very strong message gets lost. Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan prove that their pair means a bona fide success. Shashank Khaitan gives you a movie that you can relax with family and friends on an extended Holi weekend. Go watch it especially for Varun Dhawan! Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Sukanya Verma on Rediff Rating: By rendering her character as a picture of refined grace and magnanimity, Alia makes Varun’s turnaround seem emotional not enforced. She is Badrinath’s greatest asset and ability. Both the film and its leading man have the good sense to recognise that. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Many might see Badrinath Ki Dulhania as largely inoffensive, harmless fun. But the subliminal points that the film makes about the way men treat women in Indian society borders on the dangerous. Badri wants Vaidehi to believe that simply because he has never misbehaved with her nor held her hand by force, he has done no wrong. But his endless badgering of the girl compels her to take a step that places her instantly in opposition with her own people. Not done! Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: Director Shashank Khaitan’s understanding of modern-day relationships is a job well done. He has managed to capture the intricacies and complications of a human mind in a pretty relatable way. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: Discrepancies in screenplay don’t help either. In order to keep up a fast pace, the story hops locations. It appears that the filmmakers succumbed to the conventional demand to feature an exotic, shooting-friendly location rather than being guided by the script. So the story moves from Jhansi to Singapore via Mumbai. Sahil Vaid, Badri’s English-fearing friend, grabs his chance here and shines. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Samrudhi Ghosh on India Today Rating: Badrinath Ki Dulhania is peppered with humour; some of it great, but some horribly misplaced. For instance, Badri gets molested by a bunch of muggers who suddenly shift focus from robbing him to make the most of his good looks. As he tries to cover up his torn t-shirt with Vaidehi’s dupatta, the theatre erupts in rip-roaring laughter. So much for a film which champions feminism! Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Raghav Jaitly on Zeenews Rating: ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’ turns out to be a complete entertainer. Keeping in mind the Holi spirit and festivities, the movie not only brings smiles on your faces but also forces you to question meaningless traditions and other social evils. In the flick, Varun Dhawan shines as an innocent lover while Alia makes an impact with her firm attitude. The film also carries the fragrance of Indian small towns in its heart. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Coming to the actors now. Varun Dhawan is an eye catcher in every frame. He represents the entire clan of boys who are suppressed by their families to take dowry from the girls they want to marry. His dialogue delivery and tone are just perfect. With every film, Alia Bhatt proves that she is the best of the current lot. She represents the section of upper middle class society who aspires to dream big and voice against the evil society. Yash Sinha, Shweta Basu, Swanand Kirkire, Aparshakti Khurrana and Gauahar Khan are good in their respective roles. A huge round of applause to Sahil Vaid who adds a comical element till the last frame. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: Even though the film is not laced with memorable one liners, the film does have its share of hard-hitting dialogues and funny moments. Do not miss the scenes where they hold an audition to find a suitable groom for Alia’s sister, Varun wooing Alia in the running bus, the introduction scene of Aparshakti Khurana, Alia Bhatt’s ‘cover-up’ act of Varun’s bare chest’ with her dupatta, the fighting between Varun and his friend in the sea and also the oxygen cylinder scenes, which symbolises the state of Indian fathers in a very humorous way. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Director Shashank Khaitan, who also helmed the Alia-Varun starrer Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, takes a boy-meets-girl story (with snatches from a dozen similar films) and gives it a predictable spin. But he manages well in drafting the emotional peaks — a memorable one being Vaidehi’s heartfelt call to her parents to inform them about her new job after absconding for a year. From the soundtrack, the Tamma Tamma reprise stands out, while most others do little beyond extending the film’s runtime. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: All said and done, in spite of its flaws, BADRINATH KI DULHANIA is a sweet and enjoyable rom com that has an undercurrent of dowry for a change. Previously Bollywood has handle dowry in its social melodramas like DULHA BIKTA HAI, GHAR HO TOH AISA, RAJA KI AAYEGI BAARAT, DAWAAT-E-ISHQ. Shashank Kahitan could have made a better film on the issue and given it a quirky, funny thought provoking turn but he allows this film to get happily surrender to the formulae of a rom com. It’s more crowd pleasing then soul stirring. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Badrinath Ki Dulhania sends across a message effectively that in the absence of respect, love cannot survive and there are moments in the film, which will make you cheer the makers. Though some scenes may come across as contrived, the makers have their hearts in the right place and so, the film does manage to touch your heart. Review by Mayank Shekhar on Mid-Day India Rating: Maybe, on occasion, you could. And this is mainly because the lead actors look so effortless and easygoing on screen, even as they try rather hard to sound like small-townies. This is a story of young love, if you may. Alia’s the only under-25 star suited for that bracket. Varun, on the other hand, is the only proper, under-30 male star around, who often aims his antics at the front-bencher, single screen audiences that this dance-drama also seems to be aimed at. Review by Sonia Chopra on Sify Rating: It’s nice that the film has a heroine with an ambition; god knows how puzzlingly rare that is. It’s wonderful to see the relationship evolve as the two understand each other better, and develop respect along with love. But did such a wonderful message have to be incorporated with chauvinistic clichés like stalking and sexist dialogue? Several films, in their bid to please a varied audience, give muddled insights, but this one is the queen of the mixed message movie. Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review by Indiaglitz Rating: Director Shashank Khaitan fails to connect properly due to the lethargic screenplay in the second half. The director diverts his movie from its main roots for unnecessary reasons and that too for a long period. The grip over his character, their stories and the whole entertainment quotient in the film slips out at several times. Gauhar Khan is highly wasted. ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’ is entertainingly meaningful and will be liked by the youngsters as well as the family audience. Review by meeta on Wogma Rating: The other actors do play their parts alright, but the thick accents seem too put-on. It is difficult to believe that Varun Dhawan or Alia Bhatt have grown up with that background. Their performances are not bad at all. However, knowing what they are capable of, his performance came across as too generic and Alia in fact felt a little too shrill. Sure, the attempt at being progressive is obvious. But Badrinath Ki Dulhania seems to go about it rather lazily – taking the simplest “next steps” without a introspective and/or an exploratory eye at, what real life dowry cases or cases where a woman is held down, look like. Review by Manju Ramanan on Masala Rating: The film has various small pointers to characters – the giant chess-board outside Badri’s house that is dominated by his father, Alia answering ‘claustrophobia’ to a question posed to her and later explaining it as ghutan or being stifled into roles expected of her. Best Rated Films in 2017 Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Rangoon – 3.1 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Commando 2 – 2 stars Irada – 2 stars Mona Darling – 1.9 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars

Shashank Khaitan, the complete outsider, made huge inroads into Dharma Productions and into Bollywood with his debut...

Critics have slammed Commando 2. The film has received extremely poor reviews. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Commando 2 ‘ Review – 2 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Commando 2 Review by Indicine Rating: Commando 2 is a movie which would have worked very well about 5-6 years back but will find it difficult to make a mark in the current scenario. It is a below average movie which doesn’t entertain a lot, and the action scenes don’t look realistic. The pace drops off quite a lot in spurts and the climax doesn’t redeem the movie either. It is a sequel which should have remained in the planning stage. And while we are at it, let’s call for a surgical strike on money-grabbing sequels. Commando 2 Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: After having achieved laurels in acting and directing TV serials, Deven Bhojani makes his debut as a film director with COMMANDO 2. Even though he does a decent job as a debutant director, it’s the film’s script that does the film in. Deven Bhojani, who has laced the film with some interesting twists and turns, does manage to catch you unaware with a handful of the shock elements in the film. Despite having done so much work as a director in many TV shows, it is sad to see Deven Bhojani struggle as a story teller with COMMANDO 2. While the film’s first half successfully manages to build momentum and the pace in the form of the introduction of the characters with some really stylish action scenes thrown in, the film’s second half starts dragging and also becomes predictable at many places. The second half, which looks very disjointed in many places, goes in random and unexpected directions and lands up confusing the viewers. It does come as a shock to see Ritesh Shah’s poor writing in COMMANDO 2, considering that he is the same man who was appreciated so highly for his extremely powerful and convincing writing in the smash hit film PINK. At the same time, one really wonders about the need for the film’s makers to infuse the patriotism angle, which looks heavily forced in the film. Amongst all this, there are some memorable scenes as well in the film in the form of the post interval action sequence outside the mall, the massive fight during the climax and also the interval scene. Commando 2 Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: There’s no denying that Bollywood action hero Vidyut Jammwal is strikingly good at hand-to-hand combat. His ripped torso and sinewy arms seems to have a life of its own, but that vibrancy wasn’t reflected in its story or in the way the characters were fleshed out in Commando 2: The Black Money Trail. Commando 2 Review by Renuka Vyavahare on The Times Of India Rating: Director Deven Bhojani tries too hard to evoke intrigue but the absurd script leaves no room for thrill. The multiple illogical twists leave you frustrated and in no mood to connect the dots and decode the mystery. Also, the director seems to be a diehard fan of Mission Impossible series and American superhero films as various scenes remind you of the original versions. Barring Esha Gupta’s ravishing looks and permanent smirk, nothing quite stands out in the film. None of the lead actors are able to show a single expression. Ada Sharma’s attempt at speaking comic Hyderabadi Hindi (or at least that’s we thought it was) fails to amuse. Commando 2 Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: The sequel of Commando, called Commando 2: The Black Money Trail, gives Vidyut Jammwal large tracts of the film to flex his awe-inspiring biceps, and other equally spectacular muscles, in the service of his ‘desh’. He’s also given a bunch of unlikely companions, in the shape of the most shapely Esha Gupta, the played-for-laughs Adah Sharma, the mandatory computer geek, and the lean mean cop with dubious loyalty (Freddy Daruwala). Review by Samrudhi Ghosh on India Today Rating: It looks like debutant film director Deven Bhojani learnt from the flaws of Commando, and irritating songs do not distract from the fast-paced cat-and-mouse game that plays out on the screen. The big song of the film, the reinvented Hare Krishna Hare Ram (originally from Akshay Kumar’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa), comes during the end credits. Commando 2 does not explore a novel theme – it’s the classic good vs evil – but the high-voltage action makes this an entertaining one for fans of the genre. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Commando 2 is a slow moving movie, which has absolutely nothing original. The fight sequences are borrowed, the dialog is sloppy and the end is as good as propaganda. Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: Action scenes look forced in a story that takes the audience for granted. Illogical twists are thrown at you every 10 minutes, which eventually end up in a fight between the same people you saw in the last scene. It seems they first planned the action scenes and then tried to put a ring around it. Sadly the action alone can’t suffice for the lack of a narrative structure. Review by Ankita Chaurasia on Bollywood Life Rating: Vidyut, of course! There’s a certain raw charm about him and the manner in which he performs his stunts. At a time when every other actor is an action hero, what sets Vidyut apart is that his style is organic. The action sequences don’t look choreographed and that’s saying something. He repeats his feat of squeezing through extremely tight spaces numerous times in this film as the same had fetched him much appreciation in the last one. Also the fact that the makers have not given way to a full-blown love story helps the film’s cause. The film also ends on a positive note, making you hopeful of the sitution in the country. May be by the end of it all, you would be convinced that the fight against black money is indeed going somewhere. Review by Sukanya Verma on Rediff Rating: There’s more unintended hilarity and very little combat to justify the existence of a sequel. And while Jammwal definitely can score in the daredevil department, he needs a script much more robust than his physique for the viewer to endure everything between the stunt scenes. Commando 2’s endlessly mindless proceedings do not come anywhere close to fulfilling that criterion. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Vidyut stands out with his excellent stunts until the last frame of the film but with each film he proves that he isn’t a good actor. At the same time, he knows his way about with action movies so well that he sails through the entire film flawlessly. Adah Sharma is a comic relief in the role of a blonde inspector accompanying two hot men on the mission. Freddy Daruwala, Adil Hussain, Sumit Gulati, Shefali Shah and Satish Kaushik are good in their respective roles. The biggest disappointment is Esha Gupta who plays a grey role for the first time. Though her reason for doing a ‘Vidyut Jammwal’ film is clearly understandable but she is awful. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Commando 2, helmed by comedian and sitcom director Deven Bhojani, is a rather dreary affair. It generates no edge-of-the-seat excitement because the fight sequences are drably mechanical and, therefore, utterly monotonous. To aggravate matters, the film’s principal antagonist, around the halfway point, turns out to be a femme fatale who makes far too many fatal mistakes to stand a real chance against a glib soldier who is Bollywood’s very own version of a combination of Vin Diesel and The Rock. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Deven Bhojani, making his directorial debut in Hindi films following an illustrious TV career as an actor and director, dares to venture out of his comfort zone to attempt this action thriller. While he tried the genre with the limited TV series Pukar, comedy and drama seem a more likely association for the director of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. He sticks to the tropes — inserting explosions when things get dull, kahaani mein twist just prior to the interval and an unpredictable reveal in the end. But the film lacks the much-needed surprise element and the story, at one point, seems to be written while filming. Even the action sequences offer little novelty. That our virtually indestructible lead dodges every strike while his opponents endure every blow, takes away from reality. Also, including powerbocking and elaborately-choreographed parkour sequences doesn’t necessarily add a feather to the action director’s cap unless he’s able to utilise the same to evoke emotion. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: The best thing that Deven Bhojani does in this escapist pop corn action is that he keeps the pace moving and avoids songs that help in maintaining the interest level of the nerds and junkies of this genre. Production values are good and technicalities are fine. Chirantan Das’ cinematography and crisp editing of Sanjay Sharma and Amitabh Shukla maintain the adrenaline rush. If you are an action junkie and looking for an action glory without minding much about the story then COMMANDO 2: THE BLACK MONEY TRAIL kicks some butts of an escapist pop corn fun. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: As for the film itself, Commando 2 may be bigger in terms of budget, but when it comes to content, the prequel is any day better. Commando was made with simplicity and honesty, which appealed to viewers, but with Commando 2, the makers have gone out of their ways to cook up a contrived plot, which combined with a weak screenplay, poor performances and forgettable dialogues, makes for a deadly dull fare. If that was not all, there are a lot of indirect endorsement of Government campaigns like ‘Swachh Bharat’ and Demonetisation, which may leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Deven Bhojani makes his protagonists wear their patriotism on their sleeves, which comes across as way too immature and unnecessary. Commando 2 may boast of exotic locales and slick action scenes, but it remains a below average film. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: Director Deven Bhojani ought to have cut the flab out of this movie and made it, metaphorically speaking, as tight as his leading man’s abs. Vidyut does a crazy, eye-popping number of stunts – including one in which he slips effortlessly through a cubby hole – but the action feels overlong and repetitive since it’s in service of a frankly underwhelming plot. And while Vidyut may flex his muscles like few can, his acting chops need work. Commando 2 Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The editing in order to keep the movie crisp is a bit jittered. The story, despite of being interesting keeps wandering in various places. The second half becomes repetitive and bit boring after a while. Every happening in the second half is shown in an easy manner without any conviction. The execution in few scenes is bit juvenile. Director Deven Bhojani should have focused more on the screenplay of the second half, where nothing concrete is happening. The movie drags in between and should have more fight sequences. Vansh Bharadwaj overacts. Freddy Daruwala and Adil Hussain are wasted. Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: The film is grandly mounted with excellent production values. The cinematography is of fine quality, the background score which mostly consists of a rock-n-roll beat, makes the film seem like a frothy and laidback entertainer. Review by Subhash K Jha on Bollyspice Rating: The screenplay about black-money, demonetization, and yes, desh-bhakti plugs all the holes in its script with commanding cleverness. The plot is designed as a brick-building toy that moves in a sly sexy slant and manages to stay up there. Writer Ritesh Shah and Suresh Iyer combine political savvy and pulp fiction with much gusto. And yes, there is even a message about bankrupt farmers at the end, which is a bit hard to swallow. Best Rated Films in 2017 Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Rangoon – 3.1 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Irada – 2 stars Mona Darling – 1.9 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars

Vidyut Jamwal built up quite a fan following with his debut performance in Force. He was quite the revelation and a...

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Mona Darling ‘ Review – 1.9 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Mona Darling Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The end is convoluted and a tad unbelievable, but a fun watch nevertheless. Frankenstein is a great inspiration, but we don’t know until the end why those four lads could not just be dead by broken necks. Why did they need to be dismembered and eaten? The last eye-opening scene is a fun end. ‘A’ for effort. Mona Darling Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The thriller part is highly missing and is more of a wait and watch type of drama, where one does expect to see some drastic change happening in the screenplay. The solo dance song is unwanted and is added only to add glamour quotient in the movie. The background music is jarring at times. The whole purpose of the film is diluted due to forced inquisitiveness in the film. Anshuman Jha is average and acts only with one type of expression in the film. Divya Menon is decent, but lacks the screen presence. Sanjay Suri is wasted. Mona Darling Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Though it’s unbelievable to understand why Shashi Sudigala after this smart builds up does a suicidal wind up that almost kills the fear but last minute sequence saves the good attempt in the end. Looking for a rare social media scare this weekend, MONA DARLING is the fare that a teen horror geek in you would like to dare. Mona Darling Review by Sify Rating: With moderate production values, Mona Darling is a technically sound film. The production design by Tariq Umar Khan, camera work by Sapan Narula, sound design along with the background score are all brilliant. The editing, though crisp, does not establish the time for the sequence of events. This is also one of the reasons why the film fails. Overall, Mona Darling may appeal to you only if you like a pretentiously convoluted film. Mona Darling Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Mona Darling Review by Reza Noorani on The Times Of India Rating: As far as thrillers are concerned, some essential elements are a tight story, an unexpected twist and a couple of nice frights. In this one, all three are missing. There are only about four or five good, hearty frights and the first half is painfully slow in establishing the mystery. The only reason to watch the second half is to know who is killing everyone; a ghost, the internet or are you merely being taken on a ride. A saving grace is the twist, which is so weak that one can spot it fairly early in the second half and just wait to be proven right. Its conclusion is decent, but until then almost two, unentertaining hours have elapsed. Shot stylishly, this movie is high on style and low on substance. Best Rated Films in 2017 Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Irada – 2 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars

Vishal Bhardwaj’s Rangoon has received mixed reviews. Some are extremely positive, while others are average to...

A Shoojit Sircar production does come with a certain amount of expectations, but ‘Running Shaadi’...

Irada has not only opened very poorly at the box office, but has received below-average reviews too. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Irada ‘ Review – 2 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Irada Review by Shalini Langer on Indian Express Rating: There has been very little good news coming out of Punjab, films wise. And Irada is no exception, but rather than drugs, it deals with the cancerous contamination of Punjab’s groundwater and fields. That is a film crying to be made, but instead of the characters, Irada gives us caricatures. Irada Review by Meena Iyer on The Times Of India Rating: Irada has its heart in the right place. Having picked up a subject that talks of environmental hazards, debutant director Aparnaa Singh’s conscientious streak shows. Her film that is being marketed as an eco-thriller (whatever!) draws inspiration from Hollywood thriller Erin Brockovich (2000).However, unlike the Hollywood film that managed to raise a red flag warning us of how pharmaceutical companies are playing with innocent lives, Irada barely scratches the surface. The film’s attempt to educate the audience on the perils of chemical contamination, reverse boring and groundwater pollution that is a harsh reality around urban townships is half-baked. Irada Review by Prasanna D Zore on Rediff Rating: Blame it on the director for Irada’s sloppy editing, the film fails to hold your undivided attention. The scenes and the plot are so loosely woven that the only saving grace of the film — of course, apart from the two fine actors — is its duration. Irada, then, is a film that could have been a superb take on how the political-industrial-corporate (in no particular order) nexus is destroying and poisoning the world’s food chain systemically even as it ruins young lives and shatters the dreams of their loved ones. Review by Saibal Chattarjee on NDTVMovies Rating: It is easy to empathize with their crusade, but the film does not generate enough suspense and tension to make their investigation an edge-of-the-seat affair. Nor does the film shock the socks off the audience despite trotting out disturbing details about the sheer enormity of the problem that the “wheat bowl” of India faces today. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Perhaps had they stuck to telling about groundwater contamination story like Erin Brockovich this movie may have meant something. But with factory blasts being made on the home compute by someone who did not finish their photoshop class, this film ends up being a waste of time. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: The movie even has a dark tone where we see Arshad Warsi in a ‘cancer train’ where patients are getting wooed by insurance agents. A brilliantly shot scene but doesn’t gel with the film even after having the mention of the disease in its story. What a pity. And that’s not all, Divya Dutta as the corrupt Chief Minister in that cracker of a scene in front of the mirror portraying her whimsicality is a gem but after that there is nothing to support that awesome moment. The bonding between Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi is also enjoyable but the director fails in possessing the skill to weave this individual goodness into a fine film and that’s makes it meandering. Review by Mohar Basu on Mid-Day India Rating: It’s an overcrowded plot with facile characters, and lacks both the required energy and depth of the subject. There are too many parallel narratives and Singh’s limited directorial skills aren’t enough to handle the snags. She spends the entire first hour creating the milieu and setting pace. It is horridly unbearable to sit through a bunch of unrelated scenes, appearing one after the other, that fail to stir an impact. The characters have a tendency of being overtly verbose (what’s with the shayari codes, man?). The documentary style of storytelling (diagrams, et al) isn’t exactly captivating. The drama of the climax and feeble final shot is, perhaps, the last straw. Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: It comes down to the actors to stop it from crumbling. Here, Singh enjoys assistance from stellar performers like Shah, Warsi, Kelkar and Dutta. Warsi reminds us of his 2005 Sehar. He doesn’t go overboard and underplays a sharp cop, a rarity in Hindi films. Shah displays a wide range which he has perfected over the years, and Dutta looks ruthless and ambitious as the corrupt CM. In between, Kelkar also throws in some punches. Review by Aarti Iyengar on Bollywood Life Rating: The film is clearly a leaf taken out of a Crime Patrol episode. It will remind you of the Bhopal Gas tragedy but you won’t be able to sympathise with anyone. Despite such a strong star cast, the film’s script seems like a lazy work. There is absolutely no suspense or intrigue element in the film. After having watched several crime shows myself, I would say that it’s a film you can’t enjoy, unless you keep your hopes low. There’s no attempt to make the script look new and interesting. I would say the same about the direction as well. The flow that one usually expects in a film is something you wouldn’t find here. The first half is crisp but without a proper flow. In fact, the scenes have been put together just so they’re able to introduce the characters and explain their background. The plot is so convenient that you’ll guess the story within the first half an hour. Its surprising that such fine actors chose to be a part of this film which lacks originality in all forms! I wouldn’t recommend the movie to anyone who expects suspense, intrigue factor or even interesting plotline. The songs are unnecessary and the dialogues are way too dramatic! Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Despite a scattered script, Naseeruddin Shah extends some dignity to this film with his signature matter-of-fact manner of channeling intensity. Rumana Molla, in her brief role, demonstrates her potential as an actor and does well in the emotionally charged scenes. Arshad Warsi seems to have lost his edge. His natural flair with comedy seems less spontaneous and barely effective. Sagarika Ghatge is compelling, even while the lines written for her keep her from delivering on her potential. Irada is ambitious and includes motivational shayaris which conceal riddles, a government servant who won’t be compromised and a present day Bhagat Singh who also sacrifices himself for the nation. But while we’re enlightened about how environmental damage can negatively impact our health, sitting through this one can also be hazardous to your mental wellbeing. Review by IANS on Sify Rating: While the intention of the film is clear, the plot and the screenplay lack depth. The narrative is amateurishly mounted making the entire attempt futile. The tackling of the investigation seems very superficial, packed with hollow, rhetoric dialogues. Also the constant allusion to Ajay Devgan’s Singham, makes the entire script seem tacky. It loses its seriousness, as it seems to caters to the front benchers. The genre fluctuates from an investigative thriller to a comedy with natural ease throwing the emotional quotient out of the window. Irada Review by Indiaglitz Rating: Director Aparnaa Singh comes up with a hard-hitting and powerful subject which would have made wonders if this movie was presented in the form of docu-drama or with an impactful screenplay. Failing to which the whole motive behind the movie is lost. The bad editing ruins it further more making the scenes look disjointed and abrupt at many places. Naseeruddin Shah is good, but nothing great. We have seen him portraying such roles for more than a dozen times. Arshad Warsi is great in his part and it’s good to see him doing such meaningful roles after a long time. Sagrika Ghatge is highly wasted. Sharad Kelkar and Rajesh Sharma lend good support. Divya Dutta is best of the lot. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: The characters are caricaturish, the screenplay is loose, the editing is sloppy and the story hasn’t been handled with the treatment it deserves. Even the scene involving the ‘cancer train’, which ideally should have been bone-chilling, fails to make an impact because the rest of the film is so below average. Review by Bryan Durham on DNA India Rating: Naseer, as always, is? ?a joy to watch. Warsi as the cop is quite engaging. But it is Divya Dutta, who has your attention as the scenery-chewing CM-you-don’t-want-to-cross. Kelkar as one of the bigshots at the pharma firm is efficient, too. Films like these, with better subjects, need to get made. Singh has made a good step in the right direction. But is it enough? Sadly, it isn’t. The writing immediately betrays Singh’s flaws. You’re not immediately invested in the lives of the characters on screen. Review by Arnab Banerjee on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Irada, thus, in a certain light, attempts to experimentally answer the question, what does it mean to be a whistleblower? And how does one depict such a huge threat to mankind that results in greed and manmade tragedies befalling human beings? Warsi seems to be enjoying himself thoroughly as we find one of the greater threads coursing through the tale that changes the expectation of the audience. It’s Kelkar’s typical Bambaiyya tone — more in the way his role has been written — that strikes a false note. There’s little else to drive a bit of box office, not much heft, or mellow treatment and control. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: Fortunately, we have performers who rarely let us down. Even, Rajesh Sharma who is usually made to ham and go over-the-top, delivers a relatively controlled performance. The film’s digs at Bollywood’s over-romanticisation of all things Punjab and all things idealistic too. But, then again it submits to the formula – a one-man stand against the system – that’s the only solution we can seem to think of, even as we speak of issues that exist in real-life. But, I guess, there are no better ideas out there and this one seems to sell. Anyway, the one reason to look this one up is to get a peep into the eco-terrorism supposedly rampant in Punjab and hope against hope that it is only in Punjab. Best Rated Films in 2017 Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars

Rana Daggubati brought Baahubali to Karan Johar who then helped make it a pan-India movie. So when they bring the same...

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘The Ghazi Attack ‘ Review – 2.9 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] The Ghazi Attack Review by Indicine Rating: The Ghazi Attack mostly delivers on its promises. It is a solid, suspenseful, taut thriller that stays true to the story without going overboard on its jingoism. It isn’t perfect, there are certain plot points which are unnecessarily added and certain characters aren’t etched out well. But having said that, The Ghazi Attack should be watched because of the unique experience it provides. It is doubtful another submarine movie with such high production standards will release in Bollywood anytime soon. So as long as it is there in theatres, it deserves to be watched. The Ghazi Attack Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: Despite THE GHAZI ATTACK being Sankalp Reddy’s debut film as a director, he shows immense promise and potential as a filmmaker. The way in which he has shot the film is extremely intriguing and engaging. He has, in true sense of the word, created an edge of the seat thriller war movie in the form of THE GHAZI ATTACK. The film’s first half not only establishes the film’s central characters, but also sets the technical know-how of how the Navy operates. It is however the film’s second half from where the story takes off. Brownie points to Sankalp for keeping the film’s narrative simple and to the point. As a filmmaker, Sankalp has ensured that there is never a dull moment in the film. Certain moments in the film when Pakistani Navy attacks the Indian submarine or when the Rana gives an inspirational speech to his crew are hair-raising and show the true talent of the director. There are also certain instances where the director could’ve made the moments more dramatic. Also, he misses out explaining certain crucial twists in the story like when Rana goes to rescue Tapsee and the time is running out, Tapsee’s relation with the small girl and the communication system breaking on S21. However, overall, he does a fine job of narrating a challenging story. The Ghazi Attack Review by Renuka Vyavahare on The Times Of India Rating: While the visuals and special effects lack finesse, the film compensates for it with its riveting story. The second half keeps you on the edge of your seat as the submarines go head-to-head, firing torpedoes while dodging and defending themselves. Despite the hitches, this underwater thriller is worth a watch. It leaves you in awe of the soldiers, who lay their lives for their country. The Ghazi Attack Review by Shalini Langer on Indian Express Rating: Clearly, some amount of effort has gone into understanding the makings of a submarine, running of a ship, and even firing of torpedoes and laying of landmines at sea. The film doesn’t cut corners on under-water shots of ships damaged, leaking, hissing and sputtering, even though the first shot of Singh and Arjun first venturing into the unknown is Titanically fake. You know how a film that strategically deploys – literally – the National Anthem, Saare Jahan Se Achcha and even the Tricolour will end. But for a while, The Ghazi Attack shows us glimpses of a crisis-at-sea film it could have been, even with unshaved, unfit Navy men who sweat at the possibility of going food-less for a day. The Ghazi Attack Review by Gautaman Bhaskaran on Hindustan Times Rating: Quite interestingly, Daggubati too is wonderfully restrained – a complete changeover from the kind of parts he has been playing so far. In addition, we also have an excellent performance from Atul Kulkarni, who as the executive officer, Devraj, on board the submarine has the trying task of keeping peace between a brash and ready-to-torpedo-the Pakistani submarine (Ghazi) Singh and, Varma, the man told by his bosses to ensure that the Indian captain does not provoke a war. Shot splendidly inside what looks like a real submarine, Ghazi has been mounted with a fair degree of authenticity and scripted quite impressively. Admittedly, the film may not be comparable to some of Hollywood’s unforgettable war classics, like Von Ryan’s Express and Battle of the Bulge – just to name two. But given the kind of handicaps Indian cinema faces in terms of budget and special effects, Ghazi is remarkable in the way it presents some of the most tense moments when the Indian submarine hits a landmine planted by the Pakistani vessel. Review by Prasanna D Zore on Rediff Rating: The Ghazi Attack is a riveting telling of a war story and absence of any unwanted distraction is only justified, though one is literally at sea trying to make sense of Tapsee Pannu’s — yes she is a East Pakistani refugee onboard a merchant vessel that is sunk by the Pakistani submarine — presence in this war film. Nevertheless, if you love watching a war movie, that too about a mission that is mired under the weight of being ‘classified’ and under the sea, the truth about which can surface only exploring the depth of the sea bed, then The Ghazi Attack is a must watch film. Review by Karthika Raveendran on Bollywood Life Rating: Right from the lead cast – Rana, Atul, Kay Kay to even the submarine engine drivers, everyone had a role to play but for Taapsee Pannu. Her character was a complete waste, as she was rescued out of nowhere and conveniently happened to be a doctor. She may have just had four dialogues. The story would have been the same with or without her. No difference. While Rana’s persona was impressive, his voice was a major put off. At certain instances, his body language and his voice weren’t in sync. While the story was interesting, certain sequences in the end dampened the impact of the movie. The Pakistani Captain’s plans conveniently went wrong and that fizzled out the victory to an extent. If you want to see an inspiring story into which great effort has been put in to make it as real as possible, The Ghazi Attack is definitely for you. Also, there’s Kay Kay Menon. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: As for the film itself, like mentioned earlier, it will remind you of Crimson Tide, but having said that, the makers do deserve a pat on their backs for maintaining nail-biting tension throughout the film, especially in the second half during the cat and mouse game between the two warring submarines. The first half of the film is solely dedicated to the clash between Singh and Verma, but that too is entertaining as you wait to see who will prevail. The underwater scenes with the submarines have been executed really well and the scenes within the submarine have been shot effectively enough to make you feel claustrophobic. It is quite evident that a lot of research has gone into the workings of a submarine and Navy protocols, which is quite admirable. As far as war films go, Bollywood has never seen an underwater film before and it sure is a treat to watch it on the big screen. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: The obvious challenge for director Sankalp Reddy was keeping things unpredictable in a story that has already been told. On that front, Reddy uses the tropes of a war thriller to his advantage and keeps audiences relatively intrigued. The film packs in enough near-collisions, engine failures and torpedo evasions to keep you excited through most of the 125 minutes that make up its runtime. Cumulatively, The Ghazi Attack makes for a history worthy of repeating on the big screen. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Director Sankalp Reddy has surely done his best to bring out the reality of this unexplored war tale. However, the movie begins with a long disclaimer that the film is fictitious and has nothing to do with any war between India and Pakistan. Along with Niranjan Reddy and Gunnam Gangaraju, Sankalp has nicely written the film but the biggest hiccup of the film is its length. The first half of the film is so slow that it becomes a yawn fest until Rann Vijay’s death propels proceedings, acting as a hook-point in the film. The film could easily have done off with a good 15 minutes worth of screen-time, especially in the first half. It picks up pace in the second half which is visually gripping too. Dialogues by Azad Alam are good enough to support a mellow patriotic film. Review by Mayank Shekhar on Mid-Day India Rating: So is Kay Kay in this film. Rana Daggubati and Atul Kulkarni play his deputies. Their Pakistani counterparts (led by actor Rahul Singh) aren’t shown to be dimwits either. While we have no back-story to emotionally connect, or strongly empathise with any of these characters, the fact that the actors make their parts seem so phenomenally believable is a feat in itself. They make up for what’s not there on paper, rendering the movie’s descent into schmaltzy patriotism, on occasion, wholly unnecessary. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: On the positive side, The Ghazi Attack offers an unprecedented and detailed peep into the workings of a Navy submarine and its crew although much of what is said and done in the course of two hours and bit could still be gobbledygook for the lay viewer. All that we can figure out amid the high-voltage action and the heroic declamations is that two sets of men in uniform, each as convinced of their nation’s might as the other, are plotting to hit each other where it hurts. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: THE GHAZI ATTACK is a rare phenomenon on Indian screen. We don’t have much war epics and further its shows underwater submarine combats and most important in today’s Bollywood days – this ode to Mother India doesn’t feature the current poster boy of patriotism Akshay Kumar and still its satisfyingly entertaining cinema that rings the right bells on our macho patriotisms meter. Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today Rating: The action set-ups are brilliant. The unobtrusive background score is a loyal second-in-command. Above all, the Ghazi Attack’s script-structure is beautiful. The first-half concentrates on the conflict between a hot-headed, trigger-happy but sincere Captain and a calm and composed ‘Company Man’ Lt Commander who has been specifically ordered to keep the Captain in check. The post-interval part witnesses a change in heart and methodology of the Lt.Commander after a tragedy and now the conflict shifts from personal to physical, from intimate to external, between S-21 and Ghazi itself. The Ghazi Attack Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The climax part fails to connect or surpass the high level of expectations set due to the first half of the film. Its a bit hurried and juvenile in comparison to the other parts of the film. The whole track of Taapsee Pannu is unwanted. She plays a role of a doctor who is just shown staring at the injured victims in the finale of the film, where the first aid treatment is given by someone else. The movie ends in a hurried manner due to which one fails to connect to the victory of the mission and also leave a few questions unanswered. The patriotic dialogues in the finale seemed forced. Review by Bryan Durham on DNA India Rating: Performances-wise, it’s Atul Kulkarni (who plays Devraj, Singh’s second-in-command), who makes it believable. Restrained is the word that comes to mind when you bring up Rana’s name. The Telugu star’s last biggie, Baahubali, saw him in an aggressive role. He looks the part. Of course, this is no Crimson Tide and so, while this film has its moments, none come as close to that level of tension despite a decent screenplay that doesn’t really beat around the bush. Director Sankalp shows a confident hand in his debut effort. He makes it apparent how much can be done with a little. Review by Divya Pal on News18 Rating: The film which is largely set in the interiors of the submarine comes across as a failed attempt by director Sankalp Reddy to the underwater genre. While we like the way he has used patriotism, his direction is as unimpressive as his writing. As far as performances are concerned, Rana Daggubati looks impressive, but can’t do much, courtesy poor script. Kay Kay Menon plays his part well. Atul Kulkarni doesn’t have to put extra effort to pull off his role. Taapsee Pannu has nothing to do, except stare as action gets started. Sadly, veteran actor Om Puri’s potential remains under utilised. All in all, “The Ghazi Attack” is utterly disappointing. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: It’s a fictionalized account of a brave unsung Indian submarine that downs the Pakistani super submarine, which is shoddily made, with terrible special effects and worse physics. Completely avoidable. Review by Subhash K Jha on Bollyspice Rating: Once we ignore the glaring generalizations and the broadly sketched definitions of valour and patriotism The Ghazi Attack comes across as a film that means well. The director has a firm command over the underwater escapades, more so than the power-tussle in which the commanding officers are shown to be embroiled. By the time Daggubati gives his big speech on sacrifices that soldiers make so that we civilians can sleep peacefully the narrative has exhausted its ability to hold our attention. The adventures of The Ghazi Attack are intriguing even exciting to begin with. But after a while repeated shots of torpedoes being fired from both sides gets repetitive. Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: This film is a feeble attempt by director Sankalp Reddy in making an underwater war thriller, with patriotism thrown in for good measure. Although a subject that had potential, this one falls short of expectations. His direction appears to be as amateur as the writing. Even the performances by competent actors cannot salvage the film. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: This build-up is thoroughly engaging, even if the end is mighty predictable from the beginning. However, post-interval this gives way to melodrama that you would expect in a typical war film. That is disappointing at first and gets boring soon enough. Then, our beliefs in bravery and a human body’s physical capacity are tested. Best Rated Films in 2017 Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars

Akshay Kumar’s Jolly LLB 2 has received good reviews from critics. The film, which opened in theatres today, was the second part in the ‘Jolly LLB’ series of films. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Jolly LLB 2 ‘ Review – 3.2 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Jolly LLB 2 Review by Indicine Rating: Subhash Kapoor knows the Indian judicial system in and out, and his movie proves that point. He starts Jolly LLB 2 in a very slapstick manner showing the innocent nature of the lead character and surrounds him with other believable North Indian characters. In the second half, a lot of important socio-political points are made which service the movie very well. Even though it isn’t always the most consistent film, you appreciate it because of the point it tries to make. The courtroom scenes are not as outlandish or dramatic as Rustom and are rooted in realism which helps bring believability to this worthy sequel. Jolly LLB2 was shot and completed in 33 days, and it is a miracle that the movie was made without many chinks. It is technically a good looking film because neither the sets nor the costumes come across as over the top. The editing is top notch as the court room scenes are very well cut and the movie itself has a pace about it throughout the duration. The music of Jolly LLB 2 isn’t exceptional and it doesn’t need to be either, but it stays true to the nature of the film and accentuates the tone and vibe. Jolly LLB 2 Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: When JOLLY LLB 2’s promos were released, it gave us a glimpse of what to expect from the film. The film, in totality, does not disappoint as it exposes the harsh truth of today’s law and order. The film’s screenplay (Subhash Kapoor) is extremely eloquent. Full marks to Subhash Kapoor for successfully positioning the film’s story as the David vs Goliath clash, which truly depicts the flawed judicial system in India. Subhash Kapoor has also managed to subtly (yet convincingly) touch upon the aspects like crime, terrorism, religion, society, actual courtroom drama, present judicial system, human emotions and sentiments in its raw form, without resorting to any kind of over the top antics. As a film maker, he has managed to do all of this without being even a bit preachy. Besides all this, Subhash Kapoor has also managed to exhibit the ‘procedures’ a common man has to undergo in order to get justice, whereas, the rich and powerful manage to get away with any kind of crime. What works in the film’s favour is the realistic setting that’s peppered with fast-paced satirical humour. While the film has its share of a handful of witty one liners (majorly in the form of ‘Akshay-isms’), it’s the film’s dialogues (Subhash Kapoor) which come across as powerful and hard-hitting. The film has its share of humour, but, in the form of ‘situational comedy’. Jolly LLB 2 Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: A few twists towards the climax unravelling the mystery around the murder seem unnecessarily convoluted. But Kumar has enough star power to keep us engaged in the first half. Shukla is in top form too as an eccentric and moody judge who blows hot and cold. Watch out for the crackling exchanges between Kapoor and Shukla. Actress Huma Qureshi, who plays Kumar’s wife, isn’t in a well-defined role either and is reduced to a loving mother who has a penchant for Gucci creations. Watch this if you are in the mood for a legal drama, albeit a long, arduous one. Jolly LLB 2 Review by Meena Iyer on The Times Of India Rating: Writer-director Subhash Kapoor who has studied India’s burgeoning legal system of `I-will-see-you-in-court’, definitely knows as much about the Indian Penal Code as most legal sharks because of his deep study of the subject. While the last instalment dealt with a hit-n-run case, this one deals with the case of mistaken identity of a J & K terrorist. The plot has enough laugh-out-loud situations and emotional outbursts to keep you invested especially in the razor-sharp first half. The film also provides the right dose of action inside and outside the courtroom. With cops playing villains and terrorists changing religions, legal greenhorn Jolly finds himself dodging bullets in Kanpur, Lucknow and Manali(doubling up for Kashmir.) Jolly LLB 2 Review by Lokesh Dharmani’ on Masala Rating: Subhash Kapoor handles many departments; story, direction, screenplay, though he scores high as a dialogue writer. The repartee among the lawyers and the judge in the courtroom has a good wordplay. Akshay Kumar usually strikes a balance with Housefuls and Airlifts of the world. Either he is the uncouth-bachche-ki-jaan-lega types or pulls a somber Rustom face on us. In Jolly he mixes both and doesn’t offer anything new that we haven’t seen. Anu Kapoor plays a flamboyant lawyer. Why? We have no clue, but he is sharper than his sharp tuxedos and brighter than his shiniest pair of shoes. He delivers his dialogues with such conviction that it’s applause worthy. Kumudh Mishra once again acts brilliantly with his eyes and shows what an underrated actor he is. We want to see him as a central character in a film!! Saurabh Shukla evokes a laugh or two as well. Alas the narrative of the film is extremely incoherent. There is no nail biting investigation but a couple of witnesses, whose stories, the writers don’t invest in at all. They are used like diapers and thrown leaving you disconnected. Review by Rashma Shetty Bali on Bollywood Life Rating: If you watched Jolly LLB and loved it, we bet you will miss Arshad Warsi terribly. And again let me assure you it’s not Akshay’s fault, it is the makers who get trapped in his superstar aura. There are few things that are very wrong about Subhash’s attempt at recreating the first part’s magic. JLLB2 gets extremely preachy and boring to a point where you almost end up losing focus. Some instances just don’t fit logic, like Jolly’s salary is a meagre Rs 15,000 but he’s impeccably suited. Yes, they did get Akshay to wear one sports shoes throughout the film however he’s pretty well turned out otherwise. Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: the movie appears confused between a satire and a thriller. The most effective scenes are cut short to pave way for action scenes. This way the pace is maintained, but the theme is ignored. It’s only in the second half that Jolly LLB 2 comes back to a prolonged courtroom battle and gives its actors a chance to rise and shine. Here, Annu Kapoor gives Akshay Kumar a solid run for his money. Overemphasis on melodrama also hampers a well though-out central idea. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Jolly LLB also, tangentially, brings into its purview the vexed theme of young Muslim men falsely implicated in cases of terrorism and not given a chance in hell by a police and a media all too eager to brand and hang them. The film also slips in allusions to the “anti-national” versus “patriotic” debate that dominates the political discourse in the country today even as it emphasizes the centrality of a free and fair judicial system in a polity controlled by the wealthy and the powerful. If all this sounds too solemn for a mass entertainer, do not be put off. Jolly LLB 2 does well not to take itself too seriously. It has the feel of a good-natured banter between friends rather than that of an inflated inquest conducted from a pedestal. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: Jolly LLB 2 is the kind of film Hindi cinema used to make at a time when its primary activity was to tell a rousing tale, using star power to embellish it. This sequel of Jolly LLB, infinitely superior to the first, brings back the joys of watching a movie with a solid plot, a strong sense of time and place and rhythm, and a confidence in itself that has been missing from Bollywood. Yes, there a few dips, and some slips, but on the whole, this Akshay Kumar-starrer is a win. It engaged me right from the first frame. And though you know exactly how it will end, there are enough good performances, and enough heft to keep us with it. Review by Ananya Bhattacharya on India Today Rating: Jolly LLB 2 feels stretched at times. It is a crowd-pleaser alright, but director Subhash Kapoor goes overboard with melodrama at certain points in the film. The film could have been a lot tighter and streamlined had the filmmaker concentrated on just the case. But no. It is an Akshay Kumar film. So you HAVE to have Akshay Kumar delivering lectures on patriotism in the courtroom. You have to have Akshay Kumar taking bullets on duty. You have to have Akshay Kumar breaking into song and dance at the drop of a hat, right when he’s out of the hospital, ad nauseum. Well, you do need the whistles for Kumar too. Jolly LLB 2 leaves you with a strong sense of deja vu. Annu Kapoor is among the weaker points of the film. Kapoor’s character is tolerable to a certain point before saturation hits you like a bus. Huma Qureshi doesn’t have much to do in Jolly LLB 2. The supporting cast is chosen well. Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India Rating: To the director’s credit, he’s assembled an outstanding cast, extracted effective performances and delivered a film that wants to mean well. There is nothing extraordinary about the film, its story or even its screenplay. But what sets it apart are the characters Kapoor has created and the way his actors have played them out on screen. Akshay Kumar gives a finely nuanced performance and has gone to great lengths to become the part, including the way he has looked. Huma Qureshi is very endearing despite the character not having much scope. Annu Kapoor is a powerhouse on screen – he adds dignity even to his vile character. Saurabh Shukla is the film’s biggest highlight and he performs like an ace. The climax is delightful mainly because of the camaraderie between him and Akshay. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Director Subhash Kapoor’s ‘Jolly LLB 2’ tracks and unravels the journey of the crooked police system. He highlights dirty situations which culminate in being victimised by power and politics. The movie is perhaps a reflection of the society and the upbringing of a huge population, who still aren’t aware of the twisted annals of the law and order. Subhash Kapoor has narrated a sensitive story in a nice manner. The humour added in the courtroom doesn’t look forced and rather justifies the role of actor Saurabh Shukla. The dialogues are crisp and thought provoking. First half of the film is much better than the second, with a hook point at the intermission, but the real drama unfolds in the second half which mainly pans out in the court room. The good part of the film is despite losing the grip in middle, it picks up the pace by the end credits. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Without getting accused of turning spoilers, we continue by saying that Subhash Kapoor’s characterization is spot on and his narrative is involving. First half is terrific. Second half poses some problems with its over-the-top dramatization and forced attempt to make our eyes moist and it’s a bit lengthy too but it ends up in successfully delivering the message. Akshay Kumar adds his own charm to Jolly and delivers a power-packed performance that gives the audience especially his fans chance to whistle and clap in regular intervals. Subhash Kapoor has smartly designed his character and the part where he cooks for his wife will be cheered by ladies. Huma Qureshi adds her charm though she had nothing much to do. Sayani Gupta, Inaamulhaq and Manav provide excellent support. JOLLY LLB is a perfect package, it makes you laugh, think and stand in support of the judiciary system that in spite of its flaws, delays and criticism, we still have a faith that it will follow the truth. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Akshay is in top form as ‘jugaadu’ Jolly-whether it be comic scenes or intense moments, Akki manages to pass with flying colours. Saurabh Shukla is humorous as Justice Tripathi while Annu Kapoor is effortlessly good as always in his role as the pompous Pramod Mathur. The film also stars Huma Qureshi as Jolly’s wife Pushpa, but she doesn’t get to do much apart from lending moral support to her better half. As far as the film is concerned, the plot is bigger and more dramatic than its sequel and takes Jolly from Lucknow to Benaras to Kashmir and back again as he chases clues to solve the case. However, while director Subhash Kapoor has come up with a better plot than the prequel this time, he somewhat messes it up by inserting unnecessary scenes leading to forced humour. Review by Sukanya Verma on Rediff Rating: What’s nice though that even when Jolly LLB 2 relaxes its fun side to venture into serious terrain, it retains its spunk and irony. Once again, Akshay Kumar leaps into the dramatic space of verbal volleys and paan-stained pearlies with ease never allowing the robust Khiladi to override the rustic Jolly. Though it is relegated to side-lines, the evolved equation he shares with his tough, supportive wife (a zippy Huma Qureshi) is duly noticed. All these superlative actors and their chuckle-worthy zingers penned by writer and director Subhash Kapoor makes it easy to overlook the problems in Jolly LLB 2. The needless song and dances, the somewhat preachy lessons in secularism and a lumbering episode featuring a stiff Sayani Gupta are first to come to mind. Except it’s a criticism that’s gladly washed away by the pungency at which Jolly LLB 2 scorns at the intense rot eating up a noble profession without compromising on the inherent rascality of its titular character. Review by Shomini Sen on News18 Rating: Jolly LLB 2 is based on the same format of its prequel, it works well. It lacks the surprise element that the first part had, it is not that cleverly written as well, yet Jolly LLB 2 manages to engage viewers and gives Kumar ample scope to perform. And he doesn’t disappoint. Review by Mayank Shekhar on Mid-Day India Rating: What’s become equally obvious of late is the ‘one-man industry’ Akshay Kumar green-lighting movies that are sensible and entertaining at the same time—where with every other movie since ‘Special 26’ (2013), one is tempted to dub his performance as his finest yet. No doubt, this particular turn as the mustachioed, simpleton Jolly—vulnerable, yet so full of earthy swagger—qualifies as his best. Yet again! Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Director Subhash Kapoor does well in keeping the audience glued to the screen and keeps the melodrama in check. If only a few songs could be eliminated and a few scenes were cut a bit more crisply, this could’ve been a much tighter film. Also, being a courtroom drama, much rests on the arguments that each opposing counsel presents. On that front, the writing falls a bit short and even when surprise witnesses take the stand, you know how things will fold up. Jolly LLB 2 Review by Indiaglitz Rating: ‘Jolly LLB 2’ had all the potential to become a jolly good film, but ends up being a mildly good type of product. It will be loved by all those who have not seen ‘Jolly LLB’ and for the ones who have, might end up watching this movie as a strictly one time watch. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Saurabh Shukla as an eccentric judge does rather well, playing the fool in the beginning but turning out to be sharper than he looks. The little eccentricities are okay, but the song and dance is not. There was no need for any song except the song during the Holi festival. They just add needless breaks. Huma Qureshi fits her role but the movie belongs to the two lawyers and the judge. There are twists and turns in the plot, but thankfully nothing unbelievable. In fact, you sit back and enjoy the popcorn courtroom (after ‘Court’ the movie, you want less melodrama than ‘Damini’, but it’s okay!). This date in court is very watchable! Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: The script meanders with some off-beat scenes and songs. The first half toils on establishing the characters and the Holi song in particular is incongruous to the plot. This feel-good satire seems to have lost its lustre. Not that this is a bad film, but it does tread on a predictable terrain with a plethora of poignant moments, some powerful ones. Some of the scenes seem forced with comedy, some of the parts are laugh-out-loud funny, but beneath the humour is the subtle criticism of the corrupt system which can be easily manipulated. The courtroom drama is indeed interesting albeit weary and it lacks the soul of its previous edition. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: What took me by surprise is the performances. They are not overboard. None of them were subtle, of course. But none were intolerably in-the-face. Each actor, be it Saurabh Shukla, Annu Kapoor or Huma Qureshi, owned the screen when they were on it. Akshay Kumar (Jolly) on the other hand merges with the background – in a good way. Even if I discount my bias towards “stars” who tone their stardom down, Akshay Kumar makes you believe equally his helplessness and his over-confidence despite some very filmy lines. The State vs. Jolly LLB 2 is worth the time you spend watching it. Whether or not it is worth the energy spent in going to the theater and back, and the extra multiplex bucks will depend on your affection for Akshay Kumar, satire, courtroom drama and so on. Review by Subhash K Jha on Bollyspice Rating: Akshay Kumar lets down the courtroom drama in the second-half. While he is brilliant in putting forward a case for his character’s ambitious downfall in the initial passages of the well-written if slightly over-cluttered screenplay, he is inadequate in his moral righteousness and out-performed by practically the entire cast in the courtroom. Best Rated Films in 2017 Kaabil - 3.2 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars

Jolly LLB which released in 2013, went on to be a sleeper hit and earned critical acclaim too. So when a sequel was planned, it came as a surprise that Akshay Kumar had been chosen to play the title role instead of Arshad Warsi. But it was understandable too, since it would give the sequel would reach out to a wider section of the audience because of Akshay’s presence. So is Akshay able to do justice to the franchise and continue his rich vein of form? Let’s find out.