Category - Reviews

Tiger Shroff has suddenly become the talk of the town after giving two back to back hits with his first two films...

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘A Flying Jatt’ Review – 2.2 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] A Flying Jatt Review by Indicine Rating: A Flying Jatt works as a goofy superhero movie when the hero is just dealing with his new powers but when it starts preaching the viewers about pollution and its negative effects, the movie gets diluted. Of course, the movie will seem very pleasant and impactful to young kids but to adults it doesn’t hold a lot of value. Remo inscribed a lot of his typical comic touch to the movie but lets us down with sub-par action scenes. A Flying Jatt feels very incoherent and the duration of the movie feels like a slow trudge in space. The effort can be appreciated but the final product is a total letdown. A Flying Jatt Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: The fight between good and bad, noble versus immoral, virtuous versus corrupt has been depicted in film after film. And if the fight between two extremes is portrayed in the most convincing manner, the viewer is bound to carry the film home and most importantly, return to watch the on screen clash again. In the case of A FLYING JATT, the film has a weak screenplay (Tushar Hiranandani, Remo D’Souza), which acts as a major spoilsport that runs across the film, which has a fragile storyline. While the film’s story has the genesis of good versus evil, the theme has been ‘Indianised’ and localised with a Punjabi tadka, so as to cater and appeal to the Indian sensibilities. Even though the film does offer entertainment in tangible proportion, there are places where the film starts looking lost. Scenes like fighting in the space in the climax is bizarre. And Remo adding a corny quote of himself while the movie is still running is laughable. Despite the fact that the film’s dialogues (Aakash Kaushik) do not qualify to be exceptional or extraordinary, they manage to be in tune with the flow of the film. The film’s story is relatable and the religious sentiments have been captured and portrayed in a clever manner. Director Remo D’Souza, whose last film ABCD 2 proved to be a Box-Office winner, does a decent job with A FLYING JATT, but the tacky VFX and weak screenplay overpowers the film’s ‘direction’ (quite literally!). Despite Remo D’Souza’s past laurels, one really wonders as to how he zeroed down and agreed upon the film’s illogical climax. While the drama in the film’s first half is pretty interesting, humorous and gripping, the film’s second half loses track, and turns too preachy regarding environment and religion. A Flying Jatt Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Yes, A Flying Jatt, anchored by a glassy Tiger Shroff whose acting skills are still pretty rudimentary, delivers a truckload of trash that inevitably stinks to high heaven. Flying on a wing and a prayer, this film about a young Jatt in a rut is a yawn-inducing exercise that only gets worse with every passing frame, each as fatuous as the previous one. A Flying Jatt Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: The film goes downhill from its second half taking a mighty tumble. There is a sudden change in Tiger’s demeanour and once Jatt starts taking himself too seriously, there is very little fun left in the film. Also the climax is a royal mess. Remo sort of loses his grip on the plot and makes it into a public service announcement to curb pollution. You really smack your forehead in dismay and go ‘no way!’ when that happens. The fun flying Jatt becomes a sullen flying Jatt who now has the job of promoting environmental welfare. The climax fight between Jatt and Raka takes place in space and on moon and even on an orbiting satellite. Of course there is ample scope for cinematic liberty in this genre but this was stretching it way too much. There are too many brand placements that pop up till the very end and several scenes straight lifted out of Hollywood superhero flicks. What starts off as a fun, light and breezy entertainer suddenly looks burdened by the weight of its bad plot. Jacqueline doesn’t have much to do but look glam in the Beat Pe Booty song and her chemistry with Tiger just didn’t work for me. A Flying Jatt would have soared had it not compromised its second half and become a preachy documentary on global warming. A Flying Jatt Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today Rating: Which brings us to A Flying Jatt’s weakest link: Jacqueline Fernandez. In the entire film, the only time she seems to be in control is when she beats her booty. Otherwise, she plays a character, which is at best, a human personification of Bubbles from The Powerpuff Girls. She squeals, squeaks, twitches, laughs, breaks down. She is not playing a person but probably, an anime girl. One would love to know what Jackie was high on all through the film. A Flying Jatt is meant for kids. If grown-ups don’t mind doing the fabled “leave the brain outside the home and enjoy” routine before stepping into the theatre, they will not mind A Flying Jatt. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Surprisingly A FLYING JATT scores on its comic elements and lighter moments and not on action though the man to man combat between Tiger and Jones is good but the expected sweep, thrill from a super hero flick is clearly missing. VFX is passable. Music by Sachin Jigar has caught the attention. Vijay Kumar Arora’s cinematography is fine. Editing by Nitin Fcp has nothing to rave about. In fact technicalities are plain okay which is another drawback in a super hero adventure. Like many dream bollywood projects, A FLYING JATT certainly appeared good on paper. It had a simple comical character having super powers with genuine feeling and big laughs standing for something essential for the mankind. Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India Rating: A Flying Jatt isn’t like your usual superhero film— it begins with being a bit more real and that’s endearing. The whole premise of a bumbling superhero who can fly but is scared of heights was a cracker of an idea. It’s these bits that make the first half of the film loaded with fun moments. The film takes about 20 minutes to hold your attention but after that it’s an exciting ride till intermission. The entire portion of the mother trying to prepare her son to be a superhero is hilarious. Aman’s antics are designed to attract kids and that formula is guaranteed to work. Tiger Shroff suits the title role perfectly and continues to have a strong screen presence. But this is his third film and the novelty of the acrobats and stunts is beginning to wear off. This film is a wake-up call for him to start focusing on his performances now. Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: A Flying Jatt begins on a good note, picks up the pace, throws some light-hearted moments, and then faces the curse of the second half. It drags its feet from becoming the smart film just when it’s needed and goes for the all-explaining commentary. Without the spoon-feeding, it would have become a much more entertaining film. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Tiger still has that slight awkwardness on camera, but because of his boy next door charm, he comes across as lovable and relatable. The lad is sheer magic to watch on the dance floor and in his fight sequences and his underdog character will remind you of Peter Parker. Jacqueline Fernandez, for reasons best known to her, talks in a squeaky voice throughout the film and her fringe haircut and nerdy glasses don’t really flatter her much. However, she does look like a million bucks in the Beat Pe Booty song. Kay Kay Menon is one of the most talented actors we have and it is sad to see him play such caricaturish roles when he can do much, much better. Nathan Jones has an immense screen presence, though he sounds funny when he talks in Hindi with an American twang. Amrita Singh has done a decent job, but it isGaurav Pandey as Aman’s brother, who comes across as a pleasant surprise. Pandey proves to be a decent actor in a supportive role and we wish to see more of him in the future, especially because of his comic timing. Review by  Shubhra Gupta  on Indian Express Rating: The second half goes south. The film starts getting preachy and heavy. A bad guy who fattens on pollution is a great stroke, but to keep belabouring the point is pointless. Except for a couple of effective scenes, the enormous Jones is a bore. And without the funny bits which kept the pre-interval parts afloat, the faults start glaring. The song-and-dances, bunged in just to show off Tiger’s limber moves, are a drag: Bollywood superheroes can save the world only after the ‘naach-gaana’ is over. Our Jatt Singh-Is-King-of-Kings superhero needs nothing but his ‘kada’: kryptonite is so last century. Nice touch. But he also needs a plot to help him fly all the way. This could have been such a rollicking film, especially for kids —it had all the ingredients, and an engaging start, fronted by a hero who is light on his feet. Too bad it ends up being a promo for Swachch Bharat. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: This reviewer wonders what Jacqueline was doing in this film. The so-called lead actress of the film is used more like a prop in it — and this is excluding her acting skills. Tiger flies so high as ‘A Flying Jatt’ that he disappears by the end of the movie. Of course, he steals the show with his dance moves and martial arts sequences, unfortunately that’s not enough to make him the saving grace of the movie. Amrita Singh is funny in bits and pieces as a loud Punjabi mother. Kay Kay is just about okay and Nathan is quite good in his monstrous avatar. There are so many flying cars in the action sequence of the films, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this to be a Rohit Shetty film. Shraddha Kapoor’s cameo is like a breath of fresh air, but her presence is obvious with this being a Remo movie. A Flying Jatt Review by Indiaglitz Rating: Tiger Shroff showed great improvement as an actor in his last film, out here he gets stuck to his typical facial expressions. The limitation as an actor is clearly visible in several key scenes of the movie.Jacqueline Fernandez has been criminally wasted in the film. Kay Kay Menon looked stale and repetitive. Nathan Jones hams to the fullest. ‘A Flying Jatt’ promises to be a fun-filled ride, but only for kids and for all others, it’s a turbulent journey due to its super length, tacky special effects and bad direction. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: You do like the idea of the villain feeding off the pollution, and wish to put the odd grammar of the title ‘A Flying Jatt’ into the incinerator. You come away, wonder if there was going to be ‘A Swimming Jatt’, ‘A Diving Jatt’ in the future and are grateful that Jerry Siegel and Jerry Shuster did not call their character ‘A Superman’. Review by Raghav Jaitly on Zeenews Rating: Second-half of the movie loses its track but, somehow, gains the momentum back during the pre-climax scenes. Last 15 minutes of ‘A Flying Jatt’ are thrilling. Final face-off between the superhero and supervillain is high on entertainment value.  Environmental concerns, religious sentiments, and social issues: the movie is dealing with a lot of stuff simultaneously. And, if you are a sikh, it will surely make you more proud.  Remo D’Souza as a director has done a decent job with ‘A Flying Jatt’. Despite loose ends, the film highlights issues that can not be ignored. Review by Srijana Mitra Das on The Times Of India Rating: And there lies the trouble with A Flying Jatt – the full, stark shebang of a superhero versus super-dark powers never comes through. The villains remain cardboard cut-outs and the clash grows predictable. These thrills don’t chill. On the upside, for children, A Flying Jatt provides clean entertainment – with its innocence, it evokes more Haathi Mere Saathi and less cool-cat Krrish. The film takes off only because of its simplicity – a flying jatt who’s afraid of heights, a rarity in dark times of Udta Punjabs. Review by meeta on Wogma Rating: The first half treats the audience with some respect, allowing them to figure at least some stuff out by themselves. Post-interval it feels like the writers get the jitters and don’t want to leave anything to chance. They quite literally spell out every thing. Like the film’s metaphors for good and evil are clearly defined, to such an extent that they aren’t representations any more. In fact, it is stretch out a bit too far. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: Unfolding over a punishing 2 hours and 30 minutes, A Flying Jatt hammers you on the head with repeated sermons about the valour of the Sikh community, and bandies on about its anti-pollution/eco-friendly agenda. These are noble ideas but they’re conveyed with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. I was also particularly surprised by a mean-spirited joke directed at an actress who makes a one-scene cameo. How cruel, to someone who’s done you a favor! When all’s done and dusted, there’s little to recommend in A Flying Jatt. Remo D’souza fails to infuse the film with a consistent lightheartedness, and as a result the fun dries up too soon. Tiger Shroff is both agile in the action scenes and flexible in the dance numbers, but no if no but, this Jatt is stuck in a rut. Review by Mayank Shekhar on Mid-Day India Rating: And here I’m thinking in my head, this movie was such a smooth sail up until half-time. And then, suddenly, the clock seems to have struck 12, as it were. That dipping point occurs every so often, especially in Bollywood pictures. It’s sometimes called the ‘curse of the second half’: a perfectly sorted film starts floating away into nothing. In this case, several side-tracks, disjointed scenes and sub-plots, multiple flying and fight sequences, and what have you. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Playing a superhero who mocks his kind, Tiger Shroff executes super bloopers with comic book sensibilities and the part is tailor-made for him. Donning a Clark Kent chashma, playing our super sardar’s love interest, Jacqueline’s giggly and flippant character seems to be an afterthought, fleshed out only to the extent of her twerking number “Beat Pe Booty”. In a rare appearance, Amrita Singh portrays a pitch-perfect feisty sardarni -natural enough to be an extension of the veteran actress. Kay Kay Menon hams it up like an overwritten Tim Burton reject, his plastic neckties do more than his synthetic grin in furnishing his evil avatar. Director Remo D’Souza, who quotes himself on an intergalactic canvas, with the far-from-prophetic words, `Everything has an alternative, except mother earth’, is on a noble mission. But repetitive gags, animated flashbacks and a misplaced sense of patriotism numb you to their impact. Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: Precious minutes are also wasted in showcasing Shroff’s dancing skills. Yes, we all know he’s a superb dancer and that director Remo D’Souza is also a choreographer. But was there a need to rub that in our faces? It’s believed that a superhero film is as good as its villain. Nathan Jones, the massive wrestling champion, channels his inner lion to play Raka, the bestial man who gains his strength from inhaling toxic waste. Yes, it’s a ridiculous premise. But his snarling and incessant roaring distracts us from seeking logic into a giant who eats garbage. Another grating factor in this film is Jacqueline Fernandez’s infantilisation. She squeals, giggles and does everything in between to appear cute. I am not a fan. Perhaps, this is all an attempt to appeal to the younger crowd. But the older ones might not feel the love. Review by Ians on Sify Rating: Technically, the film boasts of ace production values, but the spirit is diluted with poor craftsmanship. The effects are not at par with international standards and though the computer generated images mesh seamlessly into the live action, the finesse is missing. The songs are well choreographed and well picturised except for the “Beat pe booty”. This one seems forced and poorly mounted in a studio environment. Overall, the director seems to have lost the plot after the second act, as the narrative meanders making the entire comic affair agonising. Review by Raja Sen on Rediff Rating: The climax is painful and — as with all films that yearn to be really big films without having the budget — looks more and more pathetic. The film is riddled with issues from the start. Tiger is given far too many superpowers and we never quite understand their limitations but it is, for the most part, an amusing diversion with a leading man hard not to like. He might whimper too much, but I’ll take A Flying Jatt as a potentially decent franchise-starter even if the guy himself isn’t always in on the joke.   Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Budhia Singh – Born To Run – 3.4 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars Happy Bhag Jayegi – 2.9 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dishoom – 2.7 stars Madaari – 2.7 stars Rustom Reviews by Critics – 2.6 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Kabali – 2.6 stars Mohenjo Daro Reviews by Critics – 2.2 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars M cream – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars The Legend of Michael Mishra – 1.2 stars

Diana Penty made an impression on everyone with her debut movie Cocktail. That was a restrained performance, but the...

Happy Bhaag Jayegi is getting decent reviews, but the film will face tough competition from last week’s release...

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Rustom’ Review – 2.6 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Rustom Review by Indicine Rating: Tinu Suresh Desai who made 1920 London this year, manages to inscribe his touch into this movie but it eventually doesn’t feel enough. There are some cool transition effects between scenes and he tries to maintain a uniformity. But that’s about the only good or innovative thing about this vapid courtroom historical drama which does nothing to thrill and just like the time period it is situated in, it only takes Bollywood back to an age where the details feel half baked, the characters are sleazy stereotypes and the twists are uninspired. The fictional retelling of real life incidents could have been dealt with a lot more maturely and a flawed character like Rustom shouldn’t have become a jingoistic patriot who can do no wrong. The second half where most of the action shifts to the courtroom isn’t thrilling and pacy enough. Rustom Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: First things first. RUSTOM is essentially a crime thriller. While the film does not have a mystery element/ whodunit angle in the storyline, it becomes slightly predictable as it progresses. The fact also remains that, there have been two films that have been earlier made on the same premise. These films were the Sunil Dutt-Leela Naidu starrer YEH RASTEY HAIN PYAAR KE (1963) and the ?Vinod Khanna?-Farida Jalal? starrer ACHANAK (1973). The storyline of RUSTOM has been subjected to a contemporary treatment by Vipul K. Rawal, who is in charge of the film’s screenplay, story and dialogues. When a film has Akshay Kumar as its hero, it’s a given that the screenplay has to be essentially gripping which keeps the audiences on the ‘edge-of-the-seat’. This element however is missing in RUSTOM. The film’s screenplay not just slows down the film’s pace, but also is very average. Had the screenplay been engrossing and captivating, it would have been a different story altogether. The film’s narrative oscillates between ‘convincing’ and ‘not-so-very-convincing’. Even though RUSTOM has been largely inspired by the famous case of KM Nanavati, the film does have its moments that make it furthermore enticing. Those who do not know anything about the (Nanavati) case, will surely take a liking for RUSTOM. RUSTOM happens to be Tinu Suresh Desai’s second film as a director (his first being 1920 LONDON). Tinu Suresh Desai has done a decent job as a director. While the film is set up in the first half, the second half is filled with court room drama galore. Even though there are moments when the film starts lagging, Tinu Suresh Desai’s manages to put the film back on track towards the end. The flip side (read ‘shortcomings’) of his direction can be seen in the courtroom drama scenes. Generally, court room scenes are filled with high voltage drama and power packed dialogues, something that is totally missing in RUSTOM. On the other hand, it’s the ‘situational humour’ that connects with the audience. Rustom Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: The premise is fairly simple. Director Tinu Desai’s characters reveal themselves rather obviously: A heartbroken naval officer, his cheating wife, the Casanova lover, his evil sister, sympathetic cops, an ambitious reporter and an overtly confused jury. But, slowly and surely, the movie grips you. Rustom Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: When you go for a movie like Rustom, especially after watching the trailer, you expect high octane court drama proceedings. However, I feel it’s here that the film takes a beating. Blame it on our exposure to terrific shows like The People vs OJ Simpson (which again is based on a real-life trial), but we did expect a lot from Rustom, especially when the courtroom drama starts. But the director is more interested in Bollywood-ising the narrative than pulling off a tight narrative. We understand Rustom has to be perceived as a hero in public, mirroring what happened in the Nanavati case, but that portrayal is so sudden here that we are amused when Rustom is greeted by fans and wellwishers outside the court. It’s like Coldplay is in town. Moreover, the semi-cartoonish portrayals of the prosecutor (Sachin Khedekar, surprisingly hammy) and the judge (Anant Nag, reliving his Khichdi days) don’t help matters at all. Every character surrounding Rustom are too one dimensional, the biggest victim being Esha Gupta’s socialite, who mostly preens and pouts and smokes. The subplot of the Navy scandal is quite weak, and the romantic songs are forced. Rustom Review by Raja Sen on Rediff Rating: It is a case, in short, that deserves good cinema. Cinema that, like any intelligent murderer, understands that it is indeed all in the details. For half a minute, a highly distinguished Parsi gent shows up and immediately classes up this film, but that’s about all. Despite Kumar’s valiant (albeit overdressed) attempt at calm and gravitas, this film is bilge, unintentionally hilarious and eventually tedious. The only way to salvage it would be to add a too-loud laugh track, give Gupta a trampoline, and call it Carry On Rustom. Rustom Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: He plays the honest, integrity-filled naval commander Rustom Pavri, who shoots his wife’s lover and then slays it in the courtroom. He’s not a trained lawyer, but he could have fooled us. The manner in which he sticks it to the prosecution (Sachin Khedekaras) will please the fans of Kumar. But those who are looking for a gripping legal battle will be left disappointed. All the forces backing this film seemed to be working towards making the decorated naval officer into a stand-up guy. His intentions are always lofty and noble, and that gets tiring after a while. The supporting cast, such as Arjan Bajwa, who plays the devious Casanova Vikram Makhija, are reduced accessories. Esha Gupta, Makhija’s vengeful sister, does variations of her pink-stained pouts throughout the film. D’Cruz is also decidedly pink and weeps to express her remorse. They all seemed to be pawns in this elaborately staged play. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: As for the flaws, the sets come across as too artificial and we feel the makers could have taken extra efforts to lend some authenticity to the look of the film (case in point- ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, which was also a period film). Also, the way Rustom defends and exonerates himself in court after coming in possession of evidence from the police locker room seems a bit too easy, which is something of a letdown. Had it been a challenging task for the noble Rustom to get himself acquitted, the film would have certainly been more entertaining, we feel. However, all said and done, Rustom is an entertaining fare, even if you have read about the Nanavati case, so don’t let that dissuade you from watching the film. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: In Airlift, he showed how he could take a quasi-real part and run with it. The film, despite its many concessions to ‘reality’, worked because the star made sure he was believable. The only time we connect with Rustom is when we are allowed to see the anguish and pained resolve in Akshay’s eyes. If only that feeling, and other emotions—stuff that comes with the territory of love and betrayal and murder– permeated the film: the rest, alas, is cardboard. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Akshay Kumar in a uniform is enough to do no wrong. He sinks into his character’s regimented manner and decided demeanour with conviction. Ileana D’Cruz as the perennially teary wife is a mere prop, while Esha Gupta steals the show (unintentionally) with her OTT makeup and her misplaced expressions. When the public prosecutor (Sachin Khedekar) turns to her, shocked at the announcement of a surprise witness, she offers her standard response: a wide-eyed stare followed by a pout. She completes her society kitten image by wielding a cigarette in every scene, even when getting a massage. Arjan Bajwa couldn’t be more miscast. Playing an affluent lady-killer, his hairy legs peep out of his Hawaiian dressing gown in an intense scene to diffuse his threats and distract the audience. The use of long shots is often celebrated as the effort exerted is visible and this one has two — when the investigating officer Winston Lobo (Pawan Malhotra) questions his witnesses. It barely adds any cinematic flair but surely wraps up the scene in a crisp manner. The background score, hopeful of intensifying this thriller, is jarring. This one’s worth a watch only for Akshay Kumar. But if you’re looking for laughs, Esha Gupta could help too. Review by Lokesh Dharmani on Masala Rating: I loved the detailing in the film. They have created an almost perfect world of 1960s. The naval ships, the furniture, the sets, even that Godrej fridge in the kitchen, everything in the film is detailed so well. Rustom despite having an interesting plot tries to play safe, please everyone and resorts to Bollywood formulae of forced humour and even more forced insipid songs. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The courtroom drama, upon which the story hinges has a twist you can see a mile away. But you keep hoping Akshay Kumar will save the day, somehow. That is not so. Even his perfect posture, his awesome abs (even though he is wearing the uniform all through the movie) do not save the courtroom proceedings from being daft. The lawyer prosecuting the case (Sachin Khedekar) just makes a mockery of his role, so does the editor of the tabloid (Blitz in real life, and the tabloid played a huge part in swaying people’s emotions). And even though Pavan Verma tries his best to be the upright cop investigating the case, and Brijendra Kala his sidekick, there is no tension, no drama in the courtroom. There could have been added drama had they explained why a wife who cheated on her husband stayed by his side during the trial. But no. The silly comical treatment of what could have been stunning, tension-filled narrative fails to deliver anything but a ‘Akshay makes different films’ excuse. Law & Order on TV has better drama in one hour than this two and a half an hour long film. And the Pradeep Kumar moustache on Akshay Kumar doesn’t help. Review by Shaheen Parkar on Mid-Day India Rating: Akshay is yet again at his peak, choosing a film that gives him enormous scope to perform. Ileana’s pink cheeks are on display throughout the film (make-up highlights or natural?) apart from that perpetual tear on her eyelashes. Arjan Bajwa is back on scene after a hiatus as the flamboyant lover. He will be looking at this film to put his career back on track. Esha goes overboard wih her cleavage show. With some tight editing, especially in the second half when the court scenes become a drag, it would have made for a more riveting watch. A great deal of attention has been paid to the detailing and production values, and that’s commendable, and so is the direction. ‘Rustom’ is worth a watch for Akshay’s sake. Review by Renuka Vyavahare on The Times Of India Rating: Akshay Kumar is the backbone of Rustom. The Khiladi renders one of the most understated performances of his career, proving yet again that he can play a range of diverse roles with aplomb. The plot is interesting if not engaging. However, Rustom lacks the unnerving tension exuded by well made courtroom dramas like A Few Good Men (1992). It is not the gripping thriller one expects it to be, given the controversial case it’s based on. It tries to unfold like a whodunnit, and falters in its execution. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Tinu Suresh Desai’s narration is stylish but turns tedious towards the end. Santosh Thundiyil’s cinematography is glossy. Production values are rich. Music by Ankit Tiwari, Jeet Ganguly, Raghav Sachar and Arko Pravo Mukherjee is poor failing to make us sing along. RUSTOM certainly has a style and with an explosive subject like this, a lot more was expected from Neeraj Pandey. Ironically it’s more an escapist lesson on how to be a good husband then a captivating substance as a film but the power of Akshay Kumar as Bollywood’s most dashing and suave Naval officer makes this sail through resulting in a decent one time watch. Watch it for Akshay Kumar. Review by Mehul S Thakkar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Coming to the performances, it is Akshay Kumar who ensures that the audiences are glued in despite certain distracting elements in the screenplay. His role is complicated and needed a lot of effort to convince the audience that he is morally right. The behaviour and appearance of his character are very crucial to his impact on screen and he gets it absolutely right. Ileana D’cruz’s lack of chemistry with Akshay Kumar is a downer. Esha Gupta, with the swagger and the 60’s look does manage to leave an impact. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Akshay’s cool, calm, composed avatar is bound to floor many, and not just his ardent fans. There is little in this film that could displease the actor’s constituency. Rustom is largely inoffensive, even passable in the main, but could have been infinitely better had the screenplay not been so utterly conventional and unimaginative. Review by Ananya Bhattacharya on India Today Rating: The weakest part of Rustom is the treatment of the story. Despite emphasising that the film is a fictionalised account, and doesn’t bear any resemblance to anything real, the film is all about the Nanavati case. The tale could have been much better given that this was the last case in the country to be decided by a jury. The trailer promised a lot of that, but the story hardly bothers about it. Desai uses humour to lighten the courtroom proceedings. The problem with Rustom lies in its twists too. You can put your finger on them much before the twists actually play out in front of you, something which is fatal for a ‘crime thriller’. Rustom plays to the gallery, eliciting cheers and applause from the audience who want to see their hero reinstated as a hero. The focus shifts from a wronged husband and his wife’s extra-marital affair to something a lot more patriotic. The complete whitewashing of the dressed-in-white hero comes across as forced. Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India Rating: The Nanavati case is an incident that most people are familiar with, even after seven decades. Tinu Desai knew that he had to make the film more a human drama and less of a courtroom drama. Rustom is emotionally nuanced, and the treatment is serious and thoughtful. As it progresses, it provides a shift in perspective to keep you guessing. Cynthia goes from being the culprit to the victim, and Rustom from the righteous to corrupt. The recreation of well-known events is done so well that despite knowing the story, Rustom engages and holds your attention. Scenes of old Bombay bring on nostalgia. There are numerous surprises that will keep you wondering what’s coming next. The romance between Rustom and Cynthia has a fairy tale quality. Their relationship is the best thing about the film. Akshay Kumar is exemplary and brings so much dignity to the character. Ileana as the vulnerable Cynthia is captivating. Review by Raghav Jaitly on Zeenews Rating: What must not be neglected in ‘Rustom’ is that it has got many layers to it. The screenplay of the movie showcases various scandals taking place at the same time. Sadly, these simultaneous storylines often get neglected in the backdrop of the murder trail. Undoubtedly, the twists and turns will leave you on the edge of your seat from the beginning. But, at the same time, the delay in dissemination of the real content will test your patience. The second half of the film aims at doing justice to your time and money. The courtroom drama will ensure that entertainment quotient remains high. Be it arguments, witnesses or evidence, everything leads to a different revelation that is likely to stun you at all levels. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: Period details are hit and miss, facts are distorted for the sake of convenience, and technically the film is no great shakes. But most unforgivably, the film sacrifices the complexities of the Nanavati case for the sake of facile drama. In the end, Pavan Malhotra is typically dependable in the role of the investigating police officer, and Akshay Kumar shows some flair. They are the sole bright spots in Rustom, which is too long, wholly disappointing, and feels like an opportunity lost. Rustom Review by Indiaglitz Rating: Director Tinu Suresh Desai gets a great opportunity of making a film on one of the most dramatic cases from our country and fails to do proper justice to it. He presents the movie in total tacky and outdated manner, especially the court room drama. The movie is engaging and also entertaining, but in totally 80’s style of a pot boiler. His way of blending a different story to the Nanavati case fails to work in the favour of the film. Review by Subhash K Jha on Bollyspice Rating: Rustom is unmistakably a vehicle to showcase Akshay Kumar’s power to portray spiritual transparency during times of stressful betrayal and deception. He does so with a sincerity that is at times heartbreaking and at other times reassuring. After Airlift this is one more performance from Akshay that proves he can hold the camera without making overt attempts to get our attention. Most of the second-half of Rustom is a courtroom drama with Akshay fighting his own case. Indicative of the film’s battle ahead. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: The main characters all have to wear one expression through the film. Akshay Kumar, the accused, is stern (garbed as restrained?). Ileana D’cruz, the accused’s cheating wife is sorry. Arjan Bajwa, the supposed villain smirks and his sister, Esha Gupta, the supposed vamp, smirks more. That is more or less what they do. They are all styled like they are in the 50s-60s. Whether or not it is authentic, it sure is refreshing. At times even distracting from the story. The story by itself works, the back and forth in time-line notwithstanding. But, it all comes crumbling down in the end. It’s a safe bet to say that a thriller that goes wrong with its climax is likely to fail as a thriller. If it were not for that, Rustom might just have worked, despite its disengaging performances. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Budhia Singh – Born To Run – 3.4 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dishoom – 2.7 stars Madaari – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Kabali – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars M cream – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars The Legend of Michael Mishra – 1.2 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Mohenjo Daro’ Review – 2.2 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Mohenjo Daro Review by Indicine Rating: First things first, Mohenjo Daro is not a historical drama or a historical romance. It is a love story which happens to be a fantasy and has the setting of the Indus valley civilization as its background. Ashutosh Gowariker does a neat job of placing the love story in that era but the movie doesn’t quite come together in the end. It all feels a bit disjointed where we get to see snippets of life from that era for a few scenes and then a cheesy love story for the next few scenes and the cycle continues. There’s also the terrible visual effects work in the climax. How did Gowariker allow it to appear in the final movie? It is painful to see that Gowariker has forgotten to make his brand of epic sagas after Jodha Akbar. Mohenjo Daro lacks the deft touch of a Swades or a Lagaan. Mohenjo Daro Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: Ashutosh Gowariker, who has always emerged a winner with his previous attempts at historic and period films, fails miserably with MOHENJO DARO as a director. It just won’t be wrong to say that in the name of ‘cinematic liberties’, Ashutosh Gowariker has taken the audiences sense and patience for granted. While the film’s first half is slow, the film’s extremely dragged second half acts more villainous. The film’s second half totally takes the steam off the film. The film’s climax only makes things worse. Ashutosh Gowariker, despite his goliath attempt in fictionally (re)creating the Mohenjo Daro civilisation, fails to convince the viewers about the same. What one fails to understand is how can someone like Ashutosh Gowariker, who is known for making some of brilliant films, can go so wrong with MOHENJO DARO. Mohenjo Daro Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: The biggest reason why anyone would get into a theatre screening Mohenjo Daro would be to know about Indus Valley civilization, and the era in which the film is based. Though I cannot say that Ashutosh Gowariker has done complete justice to the era, he needs to be lauded for his courage to even attempt a film about that period. Only a visionary director like him can attempt to make a movie of this grandeur, and he succeeds to some limit in not making a complete mess of the period as everyone would assume. His direction also make the proceedings of the initial parts of the film bearable, especially after Sarman reached Mohenjo Daro and meets Chaani. Mohenjo Daro is also bearable thanks to a convincing performance by Hrithik Roshan, though it’s time he needs to pick up roles that challenges him to bring variety in his performance. Among the supporting cast, Manish Chaudhary and Nitish Bhardwaj stand out, while Sharad Kelkar is effective in a cameo. Mohenjo Daro Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The rest of the movie has been reviewed several times before. As 300, Spartacus, Moses, Hercules, Noah, Gladiator and every movie (and TV shows like Olympus) you can think up where the hero of fabulous parentage battles evil and saves poor suffering villagers… To watch Hrithik Roshan waste three hours trying to be so many heroes at once is heartbreaking. You wonder what colossal egos and madness must be at work behind this pointless ambitious nonsense! The movie movies from little to zero to negative plausibility within minutes and continues to plummet to stupidity. Not even the Indus river flooding the city of Mohenjo Daro can save this film. The only saving grace is that Hrithik is not made to wear a skirt a la Dharmendra in Dharam Veer. Mohenjo Daro Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Mohenjo Daro is a fantasy that has nothing fresh to offer. It banks on the same old brew of love, jealousy and violence, served up in an over-ambitious package that never assumes convincing proportions. Mohenjo Daro, which means Mound of the Dead, wasn’t the name of the place that this film is set in. It got the moniker only after it was discovered by archaeologists. Which city in the right mind would call itself Mound of the Dead? Well, this film is called Mohenjo Daro and it is really deadening. It’s a pile of stale tropes that is unlikely to help us understand India’s prehistory any better than we do now. Mohenjo Daro is stuck in the past and not just in terms of its substance. What the film clearly says is that both director Gowariker and Hrithik need to move on and reinvent themselves. Review by Ritika Handoo on Zeenews Rating: ‘Mohenjo Daro’ was smooth like silk in terms of cinematography by C. K. Muraleedharan. Music by maestro A R Rahman and especially the recurrent background theme was magical to the ears. Kabir Bedi as Maham and Arunoday Singh as Moonja played the negative force with much conviction. It was also a delight to hear the heavy baritone of Kabir Bedi. Overall, do watch ‘Mohenjo Daro’ for Hrithik Roshan only. But keep your history textbooks miles away from it! Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India Rating: By no standards is a film based on Mohenjo Daro easy to handle. In spite of that, Gowariker adds all the essential elements to make the film as much mass-appealing as possible. The music by A.R. Rahman is one of the highlights – it livens up the pace when you’re just about feeling restless. Gowariker also manages to get some effective performances from his lead pair. Newcomer Pooja Hegde exudes charm and has a striking screen presence. She makes the character of Chaani endearing. Hrithik Roshan holds the screen ably all through. His committed performance salvages the film. Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: Roshan, arguably one of Bollywood’s most handsome men, also lets his throbbing veins do the talking for some of the overwrought scenes. They have a life of their own. When he’s angry or frustrated, his pupils dilate and his cheeks begin shaking. Subtlety is shown the door. But, it’s not all bad. The morality tale of good trumping evil is engaging and the climax, which involves an all-consuming flood is well captured. While Hegde lends good support, Bedi and his on-screen son snarl and roar to make their displeasure known. This is Roshan’s showcase all the way. While it splutters in places, the folkish epic makes for a good one-time watch. Review by Raja Sen on Rediff Rating: The film doesn’t have much to offer. Historical accuracy be darned, Gowariker has served up a severely amateurish production with a weak script and an abundance of cliche. Review by Sweta Kaushal on Hindustan Times Rating: Made on an estimated budget of Rs 115 crore, the film has a grand canvas. The over-whelming long shots and beautiful close-ups are something to look forward to. The climax sequence is especially breathtaking. Watch the film if Hrithik’s physique, dancing skills and flexibility are enough to attract you but you can totally avoid it if a grandeur does not make up for the lack of substance, facts and logic. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: Right from the build-up, featuring what is meant to be a thrilling boat ride and a fight with a fake-looking crocodile, all the better to show off Hrithik’s rippling chest and ripping valour, Mohenjo Daro is a plod, and a heavily borrowed one to boot: the entry into a forbidden town (which strongly reminds us of Baahubali), the romance with a pretty stranger, the rivalry with a muscle-bound fellow, the unravelling of dark secrets, the saving of a town from a beastly ruler—we’ve seen so many versions of it before. Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today Rating: Mohenjo Daro is nothing you have not seen before. It is the same old hero-making tale where one man rises to become the leader by fighting the despot; the fight between Sarman and the giant men in the ring echoes Gladiator while the entire story echoes Gangs of New York or Baahubali’s Return-Of-The-Chosen-One-To-Kingdom-For-Baap-Ka-Badla narrative. Gowariker simply adds the ‘historic film’ tadka to package and sell it because on paper, the idea is great. Also, because he probably thinks he has a way with historical films. What we could have had was a better film, but that would have required different cinematic sensibilities. Ashutosh Gowariker does not make historical films, let’s get that clear. He is great at making spectacles using historical stories as a crutch. Sadly, this time, he picked the wrong story. Mohenjo Daro Review by Indiaglitz Rating: Hrithik fails to justify his character and Pooja fails miserably in all the dramatic scenes. Her dialogue delivery is terrible. Arunoday Singh looks bad and displays equally bad performance. Nitish Bharadwaj, Kishore Shahane, Suhasini Milay, Sharad Kelkar and others have hardly anything to do in this weak scripted film. ‘Mohenjo Daro’ is the worst film of director Ashutosh Gowarikar. One does appreciate the hard work and efforts behind this film. But at the end of the day, it’s on the lines of all those historical T.V serials with bad C.G.I work and overstretched love saga ruining the history and facts. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Hrithik, who plays the lead role, is in top form as the noble Sarman, who transforms from a humble farmer to the leader of the people. Hrithik’s terrific presence and powerful performance is sure to delight his fans, and his jaw-quivering intensity makes him a formidable protagonist and a force to contend with, and you just cannot take your eyes off him when he is on screen creating scorching drama. Needless to say, Hrithik was the apt choice to play the noble Sarman and it is tough to imagine anyone else in the larger-than-life character. Pooja Hegde, who makes her Bollywood debut with this film, is pretty and puts up a good performance, though we wish the makers would have signed up an A-lister to be romantically paired opposite Bollywood’s Greek God. Kabir Bedi is totally bang on as the evil Maham and his powerful screen presence, his baritone and his sinister sneer, makes him a worthy rival to battle. Arunoday Singh also performs well as Maham’s obedient son, a strong second adversary to Sarman. The action scenes between the two are raw and gritty, and extremely well choreographed by Amar Shetty. Review by Srijana Mitra Das on The Times Of India Rating: Straight away, if you want to enjoy Mohenjo Daro, leave your disbelief by the door for Ashutosh Gowarikar’s newest blast from the past only works as a fairy tale, not nailed in history, but hanging somewhere between Game of Thrones and Baahubali. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: The movie has some good aerial shots by KC Muraleedharan too. The runtime at 150 minutes is a huge relief, since Gowariker tends to have lengthy movies. The first half, however, was a tad too long, compared to the crisp second half. Ashutosh may have found a new way of filmmaking, but credit goes to Sandeep Francis who has run his scissors neatly through the movie, making it taut. It doesn’t help, however, that the movie is clichéd. Telling a story of 2016 BCE in the present day can be problematic if it’s not made well, and that’s Mohenjo Daro’s downfall. The movie is also reminiscent of ‘Kites’, which is a revenge saga, with an urban backdrop. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: Sarman and Channi’s love story is sleep-inducing, but there’s more drudgery to come once Sarman discovers the extent of Maham’s treachery. None of this feels even mildly interesting. Even the sight of Hrithik dueling with two hulking Neanderthals can’t nudge you out of your coma. Much of this is because of the flat writing and lazy casting. Review by Mayank Shekhar on Mid-Day India Rating: The filmmaker has every creative right to imagine an ancient civilisation, with its own intrigues and customs, making it the basis for a film that’s a potpourri of history, politics, disaster, gladiatorial action, romance, and everything in between, including Whirling Dervishes (that we last saw in Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘ Jodhaa Akbar’, 2008). Frankly, I would applaud the audacity of the idea. As could the audience. Gowariker is the Oscar-nominated director of ‘Lagaan’ (2001), also a period film. Even some of the better filmmakers tend to repeat their best works. Hrithik Roshan (earnest, no doubt), the hero in ‘Mohenjo Daro’, in sleeveless khadi, seems very much like Aamir Khan’s Bhuvan in ‘Lagaan’. So do parts of this story, where the dictatorial ruler also decides to levy higher taxes. Hrithik’s character belongs to the lower class, fighting against the evil empire. Mohenjo Daro Review by Mumbai Mirror Rating: Hrithik Roshan’s commitment to his character is unquestionable. Even when delivering lines, which would be a mouthful to repeat, he manages with sincerity and conviction. Pooja Hegde, with her feathery mukut and slit maxi dress, could pass for an extra from Coming to America (1988). And since most won’t recognise her without this garish garb, she can safely make a debut again in her next film. Kabir Bedi channels a mean version of Scar (the devilish villain from The Lion King) and is decidedly intimidating and abominable. Arunoday Singh packs his ruthless warlord image with a few extra sniggers and is well-cast. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: The chemistry between Hrithik and Pooja is cold. It threatens to become interesting but never quite achieves the task. Hrithik is watchable and the scale is laudable but rest is a boring circus that equally disappoints in its CGI, the longer it ran, the longer my demand to be out of this misery increased.Of the other cast, Kabir Bedi and Arunoday Singh are fine. Nitish Bhardwaj makes a comeback. Debutant Pooja Hegde is pretty and that’s it. Like the film A. R. Rahman is also a waste of available opportunity. Review by Prathna Tiwari on Bollyspice Rating: Your only saviour in the cinema hall is Rahman’s soundtrack which you hold onto with your dear life hoping it will make it all better… if only. Not only is every situation, twist and turn more laughable than the last in Mohenjo Daro, the screenplay drags each portion on excruciatingly, making you want to burst into tears when the words ‘intermission’ appears on the screen as you were so ready by then for the credits to roll. Mohenjo Daro is a film that should come with a warning sign. Not for the faint hearted. Maintain your sanity by steering clear of this cinematic tragedy. Review by IANS on Sify Rating: The climax is adroitly and astutely picturised with brilliant effects. The action sequences too are realistically designed. A.R. Rahman’s music enhances the viewing experience and the dances are brilliantly choreographed. They appear like a narrative in a ballad. Overall, Mohenjo Daro lights up the screen but only if it was crisp and thrilling. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde, Kabir Bedi are nothing but functional. I can only imagine the kind of energy some of the action sequences might have drawn from Hrithik Roshan, but the end result is nothing that stays in memory beyond the scene. What stays though is the pounding background music that refuses to be tamed down. What stays is the despair at being fed yet another romance in the name of epic saga. What stays is the hope, that maybe next time. There is always a next time. Review by Lokesh Dharmani on Masala Rating: Mohenjo Daro presents the age-old story of good versus bad in times so alien to all of us. Despite having a spectacular set, the film doesn’t give any great insights into history or the civilisation. There is hard work for sure. Full points to the team for recreating that era. I felt transported to that era, bought into their stories also but I feel sorry that the film didn’t cut much ice with me. Watch it for the sheer magnificence, the sheer scale. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Budhia Singh – Born To Run – 3.4 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dishoom – 2.7 stars Madaari – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Kabali – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars M cream – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars The Legend of Michael Mishra – 1.2 stars

Akshay Kumar has been on a decent streak lately with his Airlift and Housefull 3 doing well this year. He is back with...

Hrithik Roshan is known as one of the most hardworking actors in the industry. But he does very few films which shows...

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘The Legend of Michael Mishra’ Review – 1.2 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] The Legend of Michael Mishra Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: The film’s director Manish Jha (who had made films like MATRUBHOOMI and ANWAR) lands up doing a shabby job with THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL MISHRA. Even the presence of a seasoned actor in the form of Arshad Warsi, was just not good enough to salvage the film from drowning. The film has a shaky start, and continues to wobble till the end. What really works in the favour of the film is the sudden twist (in the second half). As far as the performances are concerned, Arshad Warsi disappoints the viewer with his performance. His disconnect with his part is pretty evident as the film progresses. Even though the director has infused many of Arshad Warsi’s trademarked comedy and mannerisms, the sad part is that, all of this does nothing to the film. It lands up looking like a caricature and a parody of all his previous roles! Aditi Rao Hydari, knowingly or unknowingly, lands up looking totally outspaced in the entire film. Even though Kyroze Irani tries to do a ‘Circuit’ act, he fails miserably. Boman Irani, in a cameo is just about bearable. The Legend of Michael Mishra Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: The lack of hype around The Legend Of Michael Mishra isn’t going to help it either as it’s clumsy beyond expectations. Even the most optimistic of us would find it difficult to sit through this cheerless drama. The Legend of Michael Mishra Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The story meanwhile takes us to some ‘Kala Pani’ a jail where Arshad Warsi is brought in by the cops in a bullock cart. You don’t want to know why and how he gets there, but her does. And you see the only guffaw inducing moment in the entire film when the jailor and he share a Jai and Veeru moment (from Sholay!) when the cruel jailor begins to play the harmonica and plays Elvis’s ‘I can’t help falling in love with you!’ Of all the songs to choose! The ending is so terrible, you facepalm when you realise FP is really Half Pant grown up. This legend is best forgotten. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: As for the film itself, the first half brings to mind Munnabhai MBBS, which also had a kidnapping kingpin deciding to turn over a new leaf. The humour is juvenile at best, barring a few gags and the second half drags on and on, though there is a delicious twist near the climax, which hits you like a sucker punch (I really didn’t see that one coming!). However, sadly enough, a film cannot rely on just one magnificent twist in the tale if the story revolving around is it not up to the mark and this is what The Legend Of Michal Mishra suffers from. The lackluster performances, the pallid humour, the numerous and unnecessary songs contribute to making The Legend Of Michael Mishra a very average fare. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: The Legend of Michael Mishra is an unmitigated disaster: so ham-fisted that it’s all fingers and thumbs pointing in no particular direction. Arshad Warsi (looking dreadfully scruffy for the most part) and Aditi Rao Hydari (straining to get the Bihari lingo right) have never looked more ill at ease in a film. As for Boman Irani, the less said the better. What on earth is he doing in The Legend of Michael Mishra? One can only wonder. Review by Suhani Singh on India Today Rating: The so-called plot twist is easily foreseen, leaving viewers pondering why Manish Jha drags the proceedings to the point of inertia. The songs here aren’t just superfluous they are ridiculously banal, most of which Aditi Rao Hydari has the misfortune to perform to. Boman Irani’s job is to narrate Mishra’s legend to a bunch of tourists. Warsi’s desperate attempts at being a larger-than-life hero with a sense of humour are in vain for the script is insipid and utterly devoid of fun. Kayoze Irani is the sidekick who instead of providing comic relief is a source of constant annoyance with his OTT antics. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: Misraji decides to go straight and narrow because that’s Barsaji wants, and the film goes all over the place, thinking it’s all very quirky and phunny, but it’s as bereft of any humour as water in a desert. Yeah, I know, such a horribly clichéd analogy, but it is a perfect fit for the antics of Misraji, Barsaji, and two other characters who call themselves Full Pant and Half Pant ( who should rightfully have been labelled `Phull’ and `Haaph’ played respectively by the Irani pere and fils, Boman and Kayoze). Difficult to believe that this the same Manish Jha who gave us the throught-provoking Matrubhoomi, and Anwar. Review by Renuka Vyavahare on The Times Of India Rating: The film aspires to spoof small town goons in a filmy way but the execution lacks style, substance and humour to fulfill this desire. You wonder why someone like Arshad Warsi or Boman Irani would agree to be in it. Arshad looks uninterested, Boman’s son Kayoze, who was nicely cast in Student of the Year, is just another guy trying to be funny because he is fat. The film’s extras come across like they were hired from the streets without any prior acting experience. Aditi Rao Hydari’s good looks is the only good thing about this amateurish attempt, masquerading as a feature film, aimed for adults. Don’t know about ‘Legend’ but this insipid film ijj epic fail for sure. The Legend of Michael Mishra Review by Indiaglitz Rating: Director Manish Jha is known for his hard-hitting film ‘Matrubhoomi’ and some wonderful songs from ‘Anwar’. Sadly, out here none of his brilliance is visible. It’s shocking to know that a director with so much caliber ends up giving this filthy work in the name of cinema. Arshad Warsi is stale and repetitive. He needs to work hard on his looks and typical mannerisms. Aditi Rao Hydari looks good, but suffers badly due to the half-baked role. BomanIrani is wasted. KayozeIrani is loud and irritating. ‘The Legend of Michael Mishra’ is a proper example of good actors and director landing up into the fool’s paradise. It’s one of the idiotic films from recent times. Review by Sameeksha on News18 Rating: The cinematographer took no pain to do any worthy work and lousy direction and narrative is a big letdown for the audience. From a director who has done brilliant job with films like Anwar and Matrabhoomi, this film is a disgrace. It’s better to ignore this tedious disaster and invest money on a much better small budget watch. As for Warsi, we know he has the potential if only he chooses to showcase it in films with better narrative and storyline. Skip this one and keep your peace of mind intact. Review by Shaheen Parkar on Mid-Day India Rating: In the second half, the actors seem to realise that things are not right. Warsi as an overgrown lover boy hams his way through the film, while Irani Sr and Jr go about their supposedly fun roles to lighten up the scenario, but in vain. Aditi appears to be in a perpetual state of discomfort. Warsi and Irani are known for their comic timing, but are sadly wasted in this one. This legend is certain to be doomed. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: It’s upsetting, but Warsi has aged, and unlike single malt, this doesn’t imply accumulation of character. Once an actor who could spell moronic mayhem even with a comatose script, he is today reduced to a caricature of himself and our beloved Circuit has lost some of his signature spark. Aditi Rao Hydari would want to expel this film from memory like her worst nightmare. She delivers an OTT version of the worst reality show audition. Kayoze is left to mouth half-witted lines that insult his potential. Even the usually in-form Boman Irani is wasted here as a dull sutradhaar. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: The movie gives a sort of tribute to Dev Anand’s GUIDE in one scene (aren’t the one who are still alive watching this enough that Manish Jha wants to disturb the peace of the Bollywood’s evergreen hero in heaven). An atyachar (torture) to the hilt where we see the Jailor after been saved by Misra is playing mouth organ. Saja-e-maut to such imaginations and creations. Ironically, the routine Warsi, Boman, Hydari and Kayoze make us belief that some things are normal over here. Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: Nothing in “The Legend Of Michael Mishra” will make sense to you if you watch it as a feature film. Just pretend it’s an a animation film, that Warsi is a cartoon character whom narrator Boman Irani has invented at a roadside dhaba to entertain an American tourist (at least someone is entertained) and then, the imbecilic proceedings begin to make sense. Though you may still wonder what made Manish Jha made a movie about Bihari Romeo called Michael Mishra. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: Love stories in which the protagonists go to extremes to prove their love are common enough. Love stories in which the hero thinks he is going to an extreme when he isn’t really, can only get your eyes to roll. Top it off with lame dialogue and average performances and there is barely anything to appreciate about it. The Legend of Michael Mishra has no substance what so ever, which is alright, right? We are used to films with no substance. Well, this one has no form either. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dishoom – 2.7 stars Madaari – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Kabali – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars M cream – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars Great Grand Masti – 1 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Budhia Singh – Born To Run’ Review – 3.4 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Budhia Singh – Born To Run Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: The film’s screenplay has been written by Soumendra Padhi, who also has doubled up as the film’s director. Soumendra Padhi has penned the story of BUDHIA SINGH – BORN TO RUN with utmost simplicity and as much realism possible. Even though the film is based on a real life story, Soumendra Padhi has ensured it never gets slow. Even though BUDHIA SINGH – BORN TO RUN is Soumendra Padhi’s debut film, his past experience in directing short films, documentaries and music videos has come very really handy while directing this film for the big screen. His storytelling ability through the medium of celluloid is crisp and impeccable. It’s a given that working with children is way different than working with grown-ups. The last time one saw such a spectacular performance from a kid was in TAARE ZAMEEN PAR. Full marks to Soumendra Padhi for having extracted a tremendously outstanding performance from Mayur Patole, the film’s protagonist. While Soumendra Padhi has managed to set the film’s pace with its first half, it’s the film’s second half that does miracles for the film. Do not miss the scenes of Budhia Singh’s dope tests and his interaction with coach Biranchi Das in the sports hostel. Budhia Singh – Born To Run Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: The frenzy and enigma surrounding a small boy is conveyed with precision. The meticulously planned screenplay makes the audience a party to the story. More like a fly on the wall, the viewer keeps watching everything from an objective distance. Despite dramatic crests and troughs, Budhia Singh – Born To Run is true to the original story. At 111-minutes, Budhia Singh – Born To Run doesn’t give us any dull moments. It’s a fantastic relationship drama in the disguise of a tout thriller. Budhia Singh – Born To Run Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Budhia Singh – Born to Run is by no means a perfect film, but it is an honest, heartfelt and highly effective tribute to a coach and his ward who were bafflingly stopped in their tracks. Mayur Patole, the child actor who plays Budhia with admirable felicity, lends authenticity to the character by virtue of being a real, believable face. The perfectly cast Mayur isn’t one of those chocolaty boys/girls that Mumbai directors turn to when they want to add a syrupy spin to their larger-than-life tales. Budhia Singh – Born to Run hinges on two emotional bonds. One is of course between Biranchi and Budhia, a father figure-gifted disciple relationship that weathers many storms. Budhia Singh – Born To Run Review by Snehal Rajani on Bollywood Life Rating: The film is no different from any Bollywood sports film. Although there are certain emotional, heartbreaking scenes, the film is clichéd. The film gets a little too melodramatic. The plot is very basic. It isn’t a perfect film. Budhia Singh-Born To Run is an emotional film that highlights the story of a young boy whose story has been long forgotten. It is a story that deserves to be told! Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today Rating: The film falters, somewhat, because of its length. As much as you go handheld, use Amit Trivedi, and try quasi-documentary, you won’t or can’t lose the instincts of an Indian filmmaker and the run-time reminds one of that. Padhi, after a point, is probably not sure about how to end the story. The boy has run the marathon, Padhi has sufficiently shown the ‘bad side’ of the hungama, he has milked the story to its fullest, now what? So he keeps throwing scenes of more and more problems for Budhia and Biranchi. That is another drawback of the film. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The movie raises so many questions, it feels longer than the runtime of one hour and fifty minutes. But not in a bad way at all. In fact, Manoj Bajpayee is so good, you should watch the movie just for him. As parents you do the best for your kids, but where is the final line? Today Budhia Singh is being made to play cricket, sprint 100m at the government coaching facility. Will Coach Birinchi Das’s dream be un-fulfilled? Or has Budhia Singh really been rescued? Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: BUDHIA SINGH – BORN TO RUN is definitely a story that needs to be told, in real the sensation is still staying in the State’s sports hostel with the ban on his running still on. Soumendra Padhi’s gem of a soul stirring motivator rises above the formulaic sports dramas that keep your eyes wide open in excitement, enrichment and ends with a tragedy that makes you ‘run’ high in support of India’s running sensation who after 10 years in spite of a ban is waiting for a ‘Biranchi’ and still wants to run. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: The lead performances are spot on. Bajpayee as Biranchi is stellar, playing him with just the right mixture of truculence and affection. And fittingly again, the real star of the movie is Budhia, played by Mayur Patole without an ounce of artifice: he runs with his entire being, with an eye on the finishing line. Review by Sukanya Verma on Rediff Rating: Mayur Patole, it must be said, does mighty good capitalising on his roguish eyes and artless enthusiasm. After watching stars visibly deglamourize themselves to play famous sportspersons, his lack of technique is heart-warming. That supervising characteristic of Bajpayee’s Das extends itself to their equation as actors too. He treads the fine line between ambition and entitlement, father figure and guru in a dazzlingly sharp manner. At his best when playing people of tremendous spine and sharp tongue, the actor laces his performance in dynamic details. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Mayur Patole, who plays little Budhia, owns the film with his wide-eyed enthusiasm for running as and when ‘sir’ wants him to because he has been promised new running shoes and a red bicycle. Unlike other child artistes, who come across as precocious (or ‘oversmart’, as my high school teacher used to say), Mayur nails the role of an underdog with such raw expertise that one cannot help but be awed by the little one. The rest of the cast, including Shruti Marathe (who plays Biranchi’s wife), Tillotama Shome,Gajraj Rao and the various kids staying with Biranchi, has also done a great job. The film is software engineer-turned-director Soumendra Padhi’s directorial debut, but you could be forgiven for assuming that the film has been helmed by a veteran filmmaker. The pace is taut, the treatment is realistic, the performances are awesome and the plot is thankfully bereft of any ‘filmy-giri’ that some filmmakers are tempted to insert in their stories to make it more audience-friendly. Without a doubt, Budhia Singh-Born To Run is one of the finest biopics to have hit theatres and should be on your ‘must watch’ list this weekend. Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: Minor quibbles apart, this is a film that must be seen by every Indian. Without getting preachy hysterical or self-important, it tells us where we are going wrong in nurturing young talent. It also tries to find the dividing line between altruism and self-interest when the little boy’s coach begins to overstep the call of duty. Extraordinary in ever sense, this is a story that had to be told. Just as every Budhia needs a Biranchi Das, every story of an unsung hero needs a filmmaker with a dispassionate vision. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: The only problem the film may face is the lack of a big name to pull the crowds to the theatres and is not exactly a mass movie. Thankfully, the opening show of the film had a good 20 per cent occupancy even on a rainy day, which could be a good sign. Even while the movie doesn’t have a Shah Rukh Khan or a Farhan Akhtar, it’s on par with a Chak De! India or a Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Budhiya Singh is a great film with its emotions in place. Budhia Singh – Born To Run Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The pressurizing scenes of Manoj seemed bit forced. One fails to understand the director’s point of forcing such scenes which had no relevance with the story of the film. It felt like they added it just to add some dramatic moments in the film. Also, the movie ends on a shocking note, leaving some questions unanswered. Tillotama Shome is wasted. ‘Budhia Singh – Born to Run’ is feel-good film worth a shot for everyone who appreciates realistic films. Its a strict no for all the masala film lovers. For others catch it fast before it runs away. Review by Renuka Vyavahare on The Times Of India Rating: This incredible film must be lauded for presenting a debatable topic in the most balanced fashion. It doesn’t take sides; however, it questions the society at large for making a joke out of a boy who deserved to dream big. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: The film raises pertinent questions about exploitation and the loss of childhood, while never offering any easy answers. Biranchi, who goes on to legally adopt Budhia, clearly cares for the kid. But Bajpayee’s nuanced performance doesn’t let you miss such details as Biranchi’s growing arrogance and defiance in the face of opposition, and his inability to recognize that the Olympic dream he is fighting for the boy to fulfill is his own, and not necessarily the kid’s. Review by Shaheen Parkar on Mid-Day India Rating: Manoj Bajpayee as Biranchi displays his histrionics as a man obsessed with making little Budhia a worldwide sensation and fighting government officials who feel he is exploiting the child for personal gains. Mayur Patole, who plays Budhia, keeps it so real that you feel it is Budhia himself on screen. The film’s release coincides with the Rio Games where Biranchi wanted Budhia to compete in. But, his dream remained unfulfilled. There are no star trappings, but the film leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling. So much so that you will want to overlook the flaws and just enjoy the experience. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Manoj Bajpayee brandishes his Biranchi Das as a manipulative opportunist and establishes a selfish streak in the otherwise doting coach. The actor channels his character’s internal conflicts and blends his charitable side with shades of grey. Mayur Patole convincingly captures the spirit of an athlete and Shruti Marathe contains her character, that of Das’ wife, who passively supports her husband’s ways, with decided restraint. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dishoom – 2.7 stars Madaari – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Kabali – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars M cream – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars Great Grand Masti – 1 stars

Average of 2.9 stars is a good rating for a film like ‘Dishoom’, which falls in the category of films that the critics have generally liked. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Dishoom’ Review – 2.7 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Dishoom Review by Indicine Rating: Dishoom is an enjoyable film. If you’re familiar with buddy cop movies you will easily recognise the clichéd tropes used in the movie and overlook it. The film feels breezy and it is light because the stakes are not that high. The makers have set the movie up for possible future sequels and we can only hope that Varun and John will have better chemistry if the sequel gets made. If you are in the mood to burn some steam with humour and enjoy rollicking action then Dishoom is a good recommendation. Just don’t expect a lot from it. Dishoom Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: First things first. DISHOOM’s script (Rohit Dhawan, Tushar Hiranandani) is predictable, however the chemistry between the actors, especially during the comic scenes make for an entertaining watch. As for the film’s direction, Rohit Dhawan (whose last film was the John Abraham-Akshay Kumar starrer DESI BOYZ), has handled the entire proceedings of DISHOOM with extreme élan, style and panache. His efforts in mounting the film on such a large canvas pays off rich dividends. While Rohit Dhawan has ensured that the film’s first half is crispy and tight, it’s the film’s second half that starts lagging midway, which, then, gets overshadowed by the breath taking action sequences. With DISHOOM, Rohit Dhawan proves his ability to handle big scale and glossy production with utmost comfort and ease. Though the film takes many creative liberties and some moments in the film don’t seem justified, it doesn’t fail to entertain. Dishoom Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: While the first half is engaging, the second half is ridden with cliches and corny twists. A sight for the sore eyes was the bromance. As far as buddy-cops go, they are cute together. They have an impish charm about them, but it’s painfully predictable. What holds up Dishoom, filmed extensively in the UAE, are the two A’s: action and Abu Dhabi. Dishoom Review by Ritika Handoo on Zeenews Rating: The only thing which bothers is the fact that a lot of stuff happens while you still try to figure out the scene. But maybe that’s because the entire film runs on a 36-hour-long deadlock. Be ready for many highs but do not think on ‘how is it possible?’. Do not forget, it’s Bollywood and nothing is impossible. Go ‘Dishoom’ for a weekend blast! Dishoom Review by Mehul S Thakkar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: This is Rohit Dhawan’s second film after Desi Boyz and as a director he too has evolved. Unlike his debut film, where the pace of the movie was slightly slow, this movie is much faster. He has shot scenes from various angles that has allowed the editor to keep the film edgy and fast paced. The climax scene has been shot well but doesn’t appear too effective. This is an out and out pot boiler film which does have its moment where logic can be questioned. But as long as the film keeps you entertained, it won’t hurt watching this film. Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: Talking about the performances, John Abraham, Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez give a good account of themselves. John used his physique well for his role as the tough cop. Varun continues his Dilwale act, as he shines best in the comic interludes. Their camaraderie is biggest USP of the film. The first half is entertaining thanks to this. Jacqueline Fernandez is pretty and makes us invested in her character. Saqib Saleem is also good in his limited role. However, its Akshaye Khanna who makes the biggest impact in his negative role. Among the few cameos in the film, Vijay Raaz and Akshay Kumar are fine. We have to admit Akshay’s courage for doing such an unconventional role, though it needs to be mentioned that his act could offend a certain community. Review by Ananya Bhattacharya on India Today Rating: Rohit Dhawan and Tushar Hiranandani’s story is paced well. With not too many songs, Dishoom moves at a commendable speed. The screenplay has loopholes, but the story doesn’t meander from the course a lot. Dishoom deserves accolades for the slickly choreographed action scenes. The chase sequences are fun to watch. The lavishly done helicopter chase deserves a special mention. Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: The director knows his strengths and keeps feeding us clichés. With whistles in mind, he makes us wait for the hero’s lethal moves, and increases the background score right before it happens. Been there, done that, but nicely done all the same. The relatively short length of the movie (124 minute) helps Dishoom rise above the clichés. It’s a formula potboiler that serves the purpose of entertainment if you’re looking for some light moments. Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India Rating: When you’re making a film of this size and magnitude, the least a filmmaker can do is arm himself with a decent screenplay. The writing by Rohit and Tushar Hiranandani is the worst part about Dishoom. The emphasis is only on one-liners and not on making the scenes interesting. In a film like this, no one goes looking for logic. But at the same time, you cannot treat the audience with contempt. The second half of the film drags only for this reason. The entire segment where the two heroes go looking for Rahul Dev is annoying and boring. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: Dishoom rejigs the buddy cop movie, with John Abraham and Varun Dhawan being assigned to the Case Of A Vanishing Indian Cricketer. The film is fashioned as a fast-paced caper. It’s got flash but the plot keeps stuttering and stops the film from really zip-zap-zooming. Dishoom Review by Indiaglitz Rating: As the chemistry between John and Varun dries out, you are exposed to the weak and dragging screenplay which works on a snail pace. The story lacks thrilling moments along with the much required intensity. The second half is totally stretched especially the whole Rahul Dev part leading to silly finale. If only the screenplay would had been crispier and the finale bit intense the impact would have been super strong. The movie could have been double entertaining. Review by Raja Sen on Rediff Rating: Done well, this often obvious style can be rather rollicking, and there are times when Rohit Dhawan’s Dishoom is actually fun. The first half is breezy and snappy, and the increasingly irrepressible Varun Dhawan is on point. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: It is an action-packed buddy film in which both John Abraham and Varun Dhawan, playing a bumbling police department rookie who is reduced to running errands for his exploitative boss and seeks liberation and greater glory, are pretty much stuck in a rut. Abraham, as always, makes a fair fist of playing a dishy hunk who broods endlessly and revels in scoffing at the world. He growls rather than speaks. Dhawan, too, is the boyish prankster that he has always been on the screen, a man blessed with clean-cut charm. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: The one thing that the film has going for it is the pace, but though the premise of the plot is promising, the shoddy execution manages to ruin the deal. Bollywood has not seen a good ‘buddy cop’ film since ages and with some intelligent writing and originality, Dishoom could have been an entertaining fare. In conclusion, watch the film only for Varun Dhawan’s antics or for Akki’s delightfully wicked cameo. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: DISHOOM is rightly dominated by John and Varun. The movie cashes on their potentials. John as the poker faced no nonsense cop is perfectly casted and does well. Varun Dhawan stamps himself as an ‘entertainer’ with this film. Jacqueline Fernandez shows some acting in that interrogation scene. DISHOOM is a warm welcome back of Akshaye Khanna who is brilliant as the baddie. Rahul Dev is fine. Saqib Salim does well. Nargis Fakhri and Parineeti Chopra are okay. Veteran cricketers Javed Miandad, Mohinder Amarnath and Atul Wasan also do their bit. And last but not the least, ‘Khiladi’ Kumar – Akshay Kumar as a bad gay man steals the show. He is hilarious in that cameo and worth a ticket. Review by Srijana Mitra Das on The Times Of India Rating: Not that there are too many nail-biters – with its careening plot, Dishoom doesn’t fulfil the promise of a taut thriller but its mad, zany moments make up with entertainment. The film evokes 1990s hits, from Main Khiladi Tu Anari to Govinda’s many friendly leers – presenting a new-age masala movie, full of choppers, chummas, cheetas, cheese-bhara lines and spicy dishooms. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: You won’t remember Dishoom for its plot or for its performances. It’s like junk food that’s meant to be savored in the moment, but cannot be counted on for nutrition. At two hours flat it’s that rare masala film that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Review by Shaheen Parkar on Mid-Day India Rating: The film belongs to Varun, who does his bumbling act to the T. He may have done it before, but he is endearing in this one. As far as John goes, since ‘Dhoom’ (2004), he has been sticking to the name ‘Kabir’ as well as those stoic expressions. Jacqueline doesn’t have much to do and her rescue scenes unnecessarily drag the film. Akshaye Khanna barely makes an impact in his comeback after a four-year hiatus. There are cameos by Nargis Fakhri (to raise the hotness quotient), Parineeti Chopra (for that mandatory end credits track) and Akshay Kumar (who steals the show). A big shout-out to the Khiladi’s zany act. He is quite a revelation in his do-not-forget-to-pout selfie-loving character and drew the loudest roars. It is a pity that the makers gave away the only surprise element before the film’s release. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Dhawan’s last directorial venture Desi Boys (about two accidental male escorts) is theoretically similar to this one. In that one, his two leads were willing to shed to impress, here they’re willing to shred their opponents for frontbencher seetis. Review by IANS on Sify Rating: Visually, the film is all gloss. Ayananka Bose’s cinematography captures the locales and the action in full glory. His frames and lighting are picture perfect. The songs fit snugly into the narrative. And the background score, which is overpowering at times, gives an adrenaline boost to the viewing experience. Dishoom offers nothing that you have not seen before, yet entertains you. An ideal watch for John and Varun fans. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: All the events in the film are rather well connected even though you are distracted by Jacqueline Fernandez and her nimble fingers. She has a better role than she has ever performed. And considering she’s mostly used for ornamental parts, this is a good role choice. The movie is fun, and fast paced. The funny parts make you smile even when they’re silly lines like, ‘Arre Bradman, tu toh Byomkesh nikla!’ Review by Prathna Tiwari on Bollyspice Rating: The suspense/thriller element in Dishoom works to keep you engaged and a fast paced screenplay helps in ensuring you are never bored but sadly the lack of chemistry between the male leads (not for a lack of chemistry between the actor but rather because of a fault in the writing), the lack of comedy, and the obvious Varun Dhawan fanfare take a toll on the whole film. Dishoom may not be a waste of your ticket money but at the end of the day it does not deliver all that it promised. If only Rohit and team had further developed this script instead of penning down half baked concepts, Dishoom had the potential to be every bit of a winner as Desi Boyz was. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: John Abraham is as expressionless as is possible. And Varun Dhawan is as comic as a sidekick comic relief usually is. Neither of these mean a thing, right? Varun Dhawan barely makes you smile and for all the grimness John Abraham might muster, you still can’t take the film seriously. No wonder then, that when a bomb is counting down 3..2..1…you can’t muster an iota of anxiety. Akshaye Khanna does bring in a tad bit of fear for a few seconds on his entry into the film, but that doesn’t stay too long. That is why it is difficult to give Dishoom any benefit of doubt. For even in a comedy, you can take it seriously and laugh only if it has real comedy in it, right? Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Madaari – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Kabali – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars M cream – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars Great Grand Masti – 1 stars

Varun Dhawan has had the best start imaginable to his career with half a dozen successful films. With Dishoom, he unites with his big brother Rohit Dhawan who directs the film. Rohit teams up with his ’Desi Boyz’ star John Abraham. The trailers have pointed to Dishoom being a buddy cop action adventure comedy. Does it live up to all the expectations? Is the film entertaining? No better time to find out than now.

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘M Cream’ Review – 1.7 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] M Cream Review by The Times Of India Rating: Debutant director Agneya Singh takes an uncanny approach in his depiction of the Indian middle class. Instead of glorifying them, he unravels their flawed side. These youngsters are from affluent families, lacking a sense of purpose. They are losing their bodies and soul to alcohol and drugs. At its basic premise, the plot has promise. But its slim screenplay fails to delve better into the psyche of these youngsters, making the characters caricaturish. M Cream Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The story on papers, looks good and has lots of layers attached to it. Few scenes between Ira and Imaad are enriching. Also, the scenes involving the arguments related to revolutions are worth a watch. The cinematography is great and all the locations of the Himalayas were breath-taking.Imaad Shah reminds you of young Naseeruddin Shah. Ira Dubey looks sweet. Aurita Ghosh and Raaghav Chanana looks great and are fine in their respective parts. M Cream Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: Director Agneya Singh is ambitious like most debutants. He wants to present his side on so many things: Drugs, politics, literature, alcohol, love, sex, freedom and revolution. He mostly speaks through Shah’s Fig, a guy with a mop of hair and a love for poetry. He loves to quote authors and can differentiate between Vikram Seth, Rabindranath Tagore and Jimmy Hendrix. It’s been a while we saw a well read Indian youth on screen. M Cream Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today Rating: The saving grace of the film is its cinematography, music, and well, Imaad Shah. Thank heavens, the film looks good, if not anything else. Cinematographer Mingjue Hu is a talent to watch out for. So is the music ensemble of Srijan Mahajan, Arsh Sharma and Nikhil Malik whose brilliant soundtrack did not deserve this film. Finally, Imaad Shah. The young lad fits the role of Figs to the T. If good acting is something where you cannot see the effort, something which convinces you about the reality of the character, then Imaad Shah is fantastic in M Cream. Nothing else matters. Review by Aastha Atray Banan on Mid-Day India Rating: Director Agneya Singh had earlier told us that through the film, he wants to address the new youth of India, which has an opinion and wants to voice it. He has managed to do that with M Cream with characters that believe in different things — Jay who wants to change the world and Figs who wants it to burn down. Dubey and Shah are adept at what they do. But it’s Shah who really steals the show. The character seems to be an extension of his real self, and you will have newfound respect for him. All in all, a fun, unusual watch for the weekend. Review by IANS on Indian Express Rating: The script written Agneya Singh is an impassive, meandering narrative with verbose expositions that discuss; freedom, revolution, faith etc… The film is crafted like a soapbox lecture and you keep wondering where the narrative will lead to, till you realise that this is a slice of life film. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: ‘This film is about drugs and alcohol, but it will be in ‘art’ space.’ The moment that is decided, then you also know the fate of the four protagonists of the film whose stories are so hysterically mundane, you find yourself napping. Napping, opening eyes, finding nothing has really happened, napping, opening eyes, discovering empty coffee cup in your hand cannot keep you awake. And there’s plenty to keep you awake: poetry, sex, views of the Himalayas. The film fails here too. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Having acquired a censor certificate from CBFC’s previous administration, this cinematic blot takes pride in managing to release the international version in India. But save a few close shots of lovemaking, where the act is furnished with just enough to suggest much, there’s little that would’ve raised objection. When Imaad Shah squints, he reveals a fleeting glimpse of his legendary thespian dad. Sadly, he knows this and does just that — once in every scene. Ira Dubey’s restrained performance is tolerable but fails to change this film’s fate. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Imaad Shah is cool and it’s a pleasure to find a well read youth quoting from Tagore to Seth and remains a care free dude who rebels without a cause. Ira Dubey is fine, Auritra Ghosh is okay, Raaghav Chanana is passable. Other cast Tom Alter, Lushin Dubey, Tenzin Woeser, Barry John and Beatrice Ordeix are fine. Beyond some festival recognition for being an indie M CREAM at the most can put a fleeting smile to the hip-hop junkies for the rest the ‘Doors’ remain close. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Rough Book – 2.1 stars 7 Hours To Go – 1.8 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars Shorgul – 1.6 stars Great Grand Masti – 1 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Kabali’ Review – 2.6 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Kabali Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: The film’s script (written by Pa. Ranjith) is something that may not be as tangible to a non-Rajinikanth fan. There are scenes in the film that may defy human imagination and logic, but, then, with Rajinikanth at the helm of things, logic and rationalism be damned! Having said that, the script also does not fully provide Rajinikanth’s onscreen antics, something that he is known for over the years. The film’s director Pa. Ranjith (whose last film MADRAS was a blockbuster) needs to be applauded for having made a film that shows Rajinikanth playing his age. Even though Pa. Ranjith does not do anything way different from what we have seen before in the past Rajinikanth films, still he manages to keep the film engaging for the audience. The flip side is that, even though there are ‘Rajini-isms’ that the film boasts of and rests on, KABALI leaves a huge vacuum devoid of Rajinikanth’s histrionics, something that his hardcore masala fans will miss. Additionally, the film also starts lagging at many places (especially during the second half). Add to that is the film’s slow pace and irregular narration, which takes the steam out of the film. It will just not be wrong to say that it’s only the screen-presence and the inimitable charisma of Rajinikanth that rises up to save the film on many occasions. Kabali Review by Srivatsan on India Today Rating: As for the performance, Kabali is easily Rajinikanth’s best performance in recent years. Very few actors have matched Rajinikanth’s performance in his other films; Radhika Apte as Kabali’s wife Kumudhavalli does it here with top-notch acting, reminding one of actor Lakshmi’s role as Rajini’s wife in Netri Kann. However, apart from its leads, Kabali falls short of performance as far as the supporting cast is concerned. Pa Ranjith could have easily roped in some well-known actors from the industry who could actually bring some flavour to their roles. Kabali Review by Ritika Handoo on Zeenews Rating: Kabali is a poor man’s messiah—the good Samaritan who might be holding guns and flying bullets yet he is revered as great. Pa Ranjith has written and directed this open-ended affair, hinting clearly at a sequel in the pipeline. Had the storyline been something really different and not a predictable one, we would have loved it more. Although, the dubbing makes the original dialogues look a little over-the-top and superficial yet we love to see those patent Rajini moves and actions. The signature pose where Kabali comes and sits all suited-booted with one leg on the other has been beautifully captured from low angles—giving that larger-than-life feeler to his stature. G Murali’s camera work is brilliant and not to miss the action loaded punches in the movie. Kabali Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: There is nothing wrong in cashing on a superstar’s aura, but you need to back it up with an engaging plotline. However, director Pa Ranjith is more obsessed in being awe with Rajinikanth than write a good story around him. There is nothing new in this gangster flick that we have not seen in Tamil film before – one dimensional villains, hero remaining unharmed even when he is shot, becoming a one-man army who eliminates his enemies. The film is too predictable with very few surprises. This is inexcusable coming from such a talented director. The scenes involving The Free Life foundation that Kabali runs and that subplot involving one of its inmates, Meena, is so boring and should have been trimmed. If the first half has a little to cheer about, the second half is just a boring, dragging mess. You could see a little intelligence somewhere where the director shows his geeky love (an ageing don is named Ang Lee, while two companies of the villains are called Tony Pvt Ltd. and Stark Corp.), but there are very few. Radhika Apte gets no scope, although she acts admirably with what she has. The biggest victim is Malaysia that is shown as the land of gangsters, pimps and drug dealers, and all the Indians there are Tamilians. The final scene of the film will leave you confused. Also, for a Rajinikanth film, the film has very few punchlines. Surprisingly for a film with so much blood and shootings, its rated U. What happened there, Censor Board? Kabali Review by Thinkal Menon on The Times Of India Rating: As Ranjith isn’t a run-of-the-mill director, and is considered as someone whose screenplay and dialogues have hidden meanings, comparisons with his previous films are but in order. In Kabali, one shouldn’t expect the freshness in script and making style which his Madras offered. The flashback portions, on occasions, test one’s patience, and lack evenness. The songs by Santhosh Narayanan are soothing to watch on screen, too. The stunt sequences and shoot-out scenes choreographed by Anbarivu, with Rajini putting his best foot forward, is sure to give adrenaline-rush to his fans, and are, in fact, among the things that work in favour of the film, in addition to an emotional scene. The story, perhaps, needed a tighter screenplay, but watch it for ‘Thalaivar athiradi’. Nothing more, nothing less! Kabali Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Director Pa Ranjith, who has also written the screenplay, reins in some of the megastar’s defining traits. While he is indeed Kabali the Boss, he isn’t a self-multiplying Robot. Rajini’s achievement, as always, is that he manages to hold the audience in thrall even when the film threatens to flag – this despite the fact that he is only peddling time-worn tricks. Review by Krishnakumar Padmanabhan on Mid-Day India Rating: In theory, this could have been a great film, but the characterless – literally and figuratively – script is not only bereft of any intelligence or imagination but also telegraphs what little plot twists it has. The resultant soggy mess of a film is thus neither director’s nor star’s. Ranjith has, somehow, managed to deliver a Rajini movie with no ‘Rajini’ in it. Review by Vignesh Radhakrishnan on Hindustan Times Rating: Like every other such movie, there are revenge kills and fast-paced scenes that keep you on edge. But just as things start getting wild, an emotional drama starts and puts you in sleep mode. This start-stop nature of the film will be criticised and analysed in days to come. But where the plot stutters the subtle mannerisms become the strength of the film – deft hand movements, a sarcastic smile on the corner of the lip and close-ups of Rajinikanth where the raw actor in him comes out, reminiscent of his past character roles. And that is why Kabali will be talked about, for Rajinikanth’s emotions. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: Actually, Kabali does make an attempt at a plot, but it is half-baked. It is set in Malaysia. The arch villain is a local. The superstar has been given not one but two young women as adoring satellites. But nothing in this bloated, overlong enterprise can hide the fact that the superstar is distinctly slower, less nimble on his feet, making the holes in the film much more visible. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: The film lacks a cohesive script and tends to drag a lot at times and had it not been for the Thalaiva, the film might have even been termed as intolerable. The supporting characters ham with a terrifying gusto and apart from Rajini, Radhika and Dhansika, who plays Kabali’s daughter Yogita, there is nothing worth watching performance-wise in the film. Furthermore, some of the scenes are quite disjointed, which makes you wonder what is going on at times. Review by Raja Sen on Rediff Rating: The drama is all there but as the bodies pile up, so do the laughs, and the whole thing comes together rather cartoonishly. All the actors seem to be performing in a different pitch, and — besides Rajinikanth enjoying this rare modern-day performance of relative restraint — everyone else is all over the place. At one point in the film, Apte hyperventilates with such enthusiasm I was convinced her character had been rendered mute. Review by Arun Venkatraman on Deccan Chronicle Rating: As the film opens, you see a Rajinikanth who is broken and bruised. Of course he still beats up goons to a pulp, but there’s something that’s not the same. The difference is, this time around, he is more convincing than ever as the ageing don, who returns with vengeance in his heart after 25 years in jail. It’s clear that Ranjith is at the helm and that is new. You don’t often get to notice the influence of a director in a Rajinikanth film, not in recent times at least. Even before his gritty Madras hit the screens, Ranjith had established his potential to play with undertones in the critically acclaimed and appreciated Attakathi. And credit should be given where it is due. There are no needless songs and even the over-the top punchlines have been toned down. It is Ranjith’s genuine attempt at showing us the Rajini that K. Balachander discovered. However, it’s only an attempt; not a success. Ranjith’s choices for cast seem to be a little skewed as John Vijay as Ameer and Attakathi Dinesh are largely unimpressive and Dhansika’s character loses its punch in the second half. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: The film’s first half moves briskly as flashbacks detail our hero’s rise to power, and the history behind Kabali and Tommy Lee’s rivalry. Also, a key plot twist reveals the real identity of a significant character, which subsequently leads to another major discovery. Post intermission, however, the film becomes an orgy of gunfire and violence, and any semblance of plot and story quickly goes out of the window. Is it merely enough to give fans a larger-than-life Rajni who delivers punchy dialogues, dresses like a dude, walks with a swagger, and yanks out a wrench from inside his sleeve to pummel his rivals? As it turns out, it’s not. That formula’s gotten rusty. Which is why Kabali, while definitely an improvement on Lingaa, is still a disappointment. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: The most striking aspect of KABALI is the emergence of actor Rajinikanth overpowering the superstar Rajnikanth in the film. The scene in which he meets Radhika Apte after 25 years is a testimony of Thalaivar’s acting powers. The talented Radhika Apte delivers a top notch performance and it’s her big leap in the popular format. Winston Chao is strictly okay. The Hindi dubbing is passable. Nasser is fine in his limited footage. What’s cringing is the lethargic pace which makes the narrative boringly long and of course the style Badshah of south forgot to fickle his glares, ruffle his hair (only once), toss chewing gum or something else in place of those cigarettes for his dear ‘Rajiniatics’ round the globe. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Rajnikanth, at 64, seems like a clone of himself. His performance is like an artist’s ‘best of’ album. A signature line, a distinct manner of sliding a gun from within his cuffs to spring into action and the kind of insults that would make his opponents feel and seem small. Apte’s performance is restrained, save the scene where she breaks down. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Yes. The film exhausts everyone. As a Rajini fan, I have come away feeling demoralized. Was it the language? There is a Tamil, Telugu as well as the Hindi version. But it’s not that. It’s the lack of a story. It’s like a fanboy film. Is that why the star laughs at it so much? Kabali Review by Indiaglitz Rating: ‘Kabali’ is a film that you should not miss for Rajini’s fantabulous acting, clap worthy dialogues, and sparkling emotional moments. A more powerful story and a tighter screenplay would have made it much better. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: In fact, even Kabali’s catchphrase is outright lame. It all boils down to Rajinikanth’s delivery to make it as stylish as he possibly could. And yet it doesn’t work. Other than that then, he plays his suave best. One scene in which he is overwhelmed by emotion stands out giving you a glimpse of what the actor can do despite the star in him. The rest of the film is only to serve the over-arching purpose called “Rajinikanth”. In that too, Radhika Apte tries to hold her ground. You can tell she is trying to blend into the genre but can’t help herself every once in a while. The other members of the cast overdo everything with shrills. It becomes repetitive and annoying. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Rough Book – 2.1 stars 7 Hours To Go – 1.8 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars Shorgul – 1.6 stars Great Grand Masti – 1 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Madaari’ Review – 2.7 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Madaari Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: The film’s director Nishikant Kamat (who had directed the action packed Rocky Handsome earlier this year) does a very average job with MADAARI. Given the fact that, hard hitting films happen to be Nishikant Kamat’s homeground, the audiences’ huge expectation that he would bring something new with MADAARI, sadly remains unmet. While the film’s first half is average with no edge-of-the-seat thrills, the film loses its remaining charm in its stretched second half. Its only the film’s last 15-20 minutes that actually have a gripping effect on the viewers. Madaari Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: Madaari may have its heart in the right place, but an average direction and flawed narrative let down the movie’s honest intentions. Watch it only for a terrific Irrfan Khan! But then, the man is good even he is being shown just sitting on a bench! Madaari Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: Director Kamath doesn’t utilise heavy-duty action sequences or bombastic dialogues to drive the story forward. He lets the characters play out their emotions. While the second half meanders, the conclusion isn’t a let down. The face-off between a criminal and the corrupt politicians packs a punch. Madaari would have benefited hugely from a 10-minute trim (the songs underlining the father-son bond were excessive). But in all, Madaari was engaging and touched upon some deep subjects such as corruption, the power of social media and public opinion, with alacrity. Madaari Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Madaari, directed by Nishikant Kamat, makes the right noises about the state of the nation and its people owing to the machinations of avaricious and insensitive politicians and crony contractors. However, the methods that the film uses in order to do so are rather fanciful, if not outright harebrained. Irrfan, at the top of his game as an actor, goes all out to inject some energy into the narrative. Review by Savera R Someshwar on Rediff Rating: Madaari does not make you cringe. It does not make you angry. It does make you, at least for the few hours that you are in the theatre, want to stand up and do something about the system. It is not a film that will stay with you as you, in your day to day routine, succumb to the pressure and become part of the corruption that ails our system. At the end of the day, it does not even make you applaud the protagonist or his journey. It was a film that needed defter handling. Stronger performances. Better editing. Review by Sweta Kaushal on Hindustan Times Rating: Ultimately though, Madaari crumbles under its own lofty ideals and ambition. The slow pace makes the fall even more painful and enduring. And that it had two brilliant actors in Irrfan and Jimmy, who were grossly under-used, only adds to injury. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Irrfan’s chemistry with the child actor is non-existent and it is tough to swallow the ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ theory that the kid prattles on about simply because there are no such moments between the kidnapper and his victim, which could have justified a bond between the two. The second half of the film drags on and on, making you wonder when the film will end. We agree that the plot had potential and could have been a hard-hitting drama if it had been handled well but the loose screenplay, the uninspiring dialogues and the weak climax is bound to leave you sorely disappointed. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Had this movie been short and succinct, the rating would have been through the roof. The child actor does a decent job and Irrfan is good too when he’s not hamming the ‘I’ve been wronged!’ part. The movie is average because there is nothing subtle and instead of coming away with any hope for change, you come away as if you have been attacked by a sledgehammer for almost three hours. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Director Nishikanth Kamath does well in limiting the action to minimum and staying on father son emotions for a change and it has come out well but the wait is too long. It’s disappointing to see a relevant backdrop to the story fails to make the impact and further the hackneyed and hurried climax adds to the wounds. Irrfan Khan plays with his known force of a gifted performer and is consistently brilliant throughout. The talented actor is the only reason that makes you sit through this routine affair. The kid Vishesh Bansal as Rohan Goswami is excellent. Jimmy Shergill as the investigating officer is fine in the available footage. Tushar Dalvi as the home minister is good. Madaari Review by The Times Of India Rating: Kudos to Irrfan and Nishikant Kamat for daring to make this poignant, provocative and politically incorrect piece of cinema, that makes its point unabashedly. Though predictable and a tad stretched, the emotional crime drama unfolds like a thriller. It tears your heart out by exposing the plight of the Middle-class citizens and their ‘aukad’ in the eyes of those in power. Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: Directed astutely by Kamat, the film is compact and never digresses from the core subject. It is engrossing and powerful. The screenplay is taut and the characters well-etched and real. ‘Masoom sa’ rendered powerfully by Sukhwinder Singh is emotionally disturbing. It drives home the message of the father’s irreversible loss and captures the mood of the film. The unhurried pace of the narrative, does not seem out of place and in fact gives ample time to let the plight of the father grow. The final face off, although overtly dramatic would incite and appeal to the common man. With a wide range of lenses, cinematographer Avinash Arun brilliantly captures the locales and finer nuances of the performances. Overall, ‘Madaari’ is an absolute treat both for cine-goers and every citizen of India, who is concerned about his country. Review by Suhani Singh on India Today Rating: Irrfan juggles between being the emotionally manipulative and impatient kidnapper to a father struggling to cope with the tragedy. There are moments of vulnerability too which he handles well to draw viewers’ sympathy – especially in one striking scene in the hospital in which he breaks down. But Madaari’s preaching for a better world doesn’t always inspire, it more often bogs you down. Is Nirmal’s outrage enough to change the system? For a film which makes a call for cleaning up the system, its last scene is rather off putting. Kamath’s second release of the year is better than his earlier effort, Rocky Handsome. Here the saving grace is Irrfan’s act. He truly is the Madaari here. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: It seems like Nishikant Kamat has a special affinity to kids being a huge part of his movies. His previous two outings had emotional trips with the kids along with the protagonists of his movies. The director has managed to encapsulate beautifully the father-son relationship throughout the film. While the backdrop of the film bears striking resemblance to Neeraj Pandey’s ‘A Wednesday’, ‘Madaari’ has an emotional journey attached to it apart form the critical take on the political system. The movie clocks in at about two and a half hours and will keep you glued to the screen till the very last frame. The film also showcases shades of Stockholm Syndrome, which will remind you heavily of Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Highway’. The director, however, manages to make ‘Madaari’ stand out in every possible manner. Madaari Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The story has lots of similarities with several films like ‘A Wednesday’, ‘Andha Yudh’, ‘Gabbar’, ‘Te3n’ and many more. It’s something which we have seen several times, making it highly predictable. The second half has been stretched a bit along with bit unconvincing climax part. If the finale part would have not been so predictable, it would have managed to leave a hard-hitting impact on its viewers mind.The movie also needed bit trimming in both the parts of the film. Some of the positive merits of this movie gets diluted due to the predictable tale and less amount of freshness attached to it. ‘Madaari’ narrates you a gripping tale with mind-blowing performance by Irrfan Khan along with a good dosage of emotions. The lack of freshness hampers the film in a big way, but nevertheless it’s a decent film for all those who love good cinema. Review by Bryan Durham on DNA India Rating: The film’s a little too long at two hours-plus. One feels that shaving off at least half an hour, would’ve kept one more invested in the story (apart from the performances). There are truly beautiful scenes that come too few and far between to really let it sit with you. The music is very middling. This film needed a strong supporting cast, and that only comes from Bansal and Sheirgill and that really doesn’t say much. While one agrees that we need a mirror to our lives and that this follow-up to A Wednesday (it follows the same idea – a common man righting wrongs) played its part, it needed to make us more a part of its supposed movement than just treat this as another film. But it doesn’t and that’s really sad. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: Big words, these. And big concepts. Their utilization in the film’s plot is too literal, first in the way Nirmal tries to avenge a personal tragedy by targeting a top politician through his son, and then in all the oratory. In between the speechifying is the action which involves Nirmal being on the run with a little boy (Bansal), a cop (Shergill) hot on their heels, a teary mum, and a bunch of fat cat ‘netas’ and contractors who are all part of the corruption that has eaten into our nation. Review by Rajeev Masand on News 18 Rating: Madaari sticks to a template similar to Neeraj Pandey’s A Wednesday, but doesn’t drum up the same urgency. The cops, led by a solemn-faced Jimmy Shergill, find themselves engaged in a wild goose chase for Nirmal, but there’s very little tension to this battle of wits. Review by Shaheen Parkar on Mid-Day India Rating: Jimmy Sheirgill as the cop sleepwalks through the role. He has done similar stuff umpteen times. It is sad to see him typecast. Towards the end, when you feel for Nirmal and his loss, comes a pretty dramatic and filmy end — when the protagonist brings everyone associated with the bridge collapse down to their knees begging forgiveness. This is coupled with a lot of dialogue-baazi about corruption, inefficiency, accountability and red tape. Pretty much as expected, the film concludes with victory of the common man’s voice. Watch it only for Irrfan and to know why he is top of the heap when it comes to histrionics. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Madaari is saved to large extent by its eponymous lead Irrfan Khan, who manages a striking performance, despite the predictable storyline. Child actor Vishesh Bansal has a fair share of screen space and delivers on the job. Jimmy Shergill, though largely marginalised after an elaborate introduction, is unobjectionable. Returning to the big screen after long, Tushar Dalvi is as dependable as ever. The film’s tagline, “Sshhh… desh so raha hai” is apt as it truly depicts the audience watching this film. Review by meeta on Wogma Rating: In fact, there are times in movies with a social message make you wish even adults didn’t speak like adults. Madaari doesn’t have too much of it but it does fall into the preachy category towards the end, in a very, “you can’t handle the truth” manner. That aside, use of daydreams is another element that was quiet annoying. It’s alright for the first couple of times because they are small sections. But playing with the audience using longer sequences of such gimmickry is almost like cheating, like saying it out loud that they aren’t confident of the real drama, the real story. Also, it breaks the rhythm of the film. Though the pace of the film slackens because there is nothing new happening in one section of the film, it had a tone. This tone becomes uneven and distracting. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Rough Book – 2.1 stars 7 Hours To Go – 1.8 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars Shorgul – 1.6 stars Great Grand Masti – 1 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Great Grand Masti’ Review – 1 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Great Grand Masti Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: On the other hand, we must give it to the Masti boys, namely, Vivek Oberoi, Aftab Shivdasani and Riteish Deshmukh who seem to have mastered the art of playing Meet, Prem and Amar respectively. The trio’s comic timing is probably the saving grace of the film even though their humour seems to be over-the-top in certain scenes. However, none of the actresses manage to match up to their co-stars’ talent. Mishti, Pooja and Shraddha who play the wives fail to live up to the expectations and their acting seems to be little forced at certain points. On the other hand, while this was a great opportunity for Urvashi to showcase her comic side, her performance is strictly average. Certain other characters like Sanjay Mishra and Usha Nadkarni have delivered interesting performances. While Sonali Raut in her cameo too is average, Shreyas Talpade as Babu Rangeela does a decent job.

Sultan has received fantastic reviews so far. The film currently averages 3.7 stars, which is what films like Airlift and Kapoor & Sons received. We’ll be adding more reviews to this page, it’ll be updated once every hour. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Sultan’ Review – 3.3 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Sultan Review by Indicine Rating: The first half of Sultan is replete with character building and building the life of Sultan, and Ali Abbas Zafar is smart enough to show that Sultan reaches the zenith of success before tasting the mud of failure. This way, the redemption is a lot more effective and meaningful. Sultan flows freely through the first half, and after slight hiccups in the second half finally comes into its own. The screenplay manages to capture the local dialect of Haryana but makes it difficult for the rest of India to grasp the words. We wished the characters spoke a bit slower. Ali Abbas Zafar shows his true commercial cinema acumen with Sultan and this could mark his entry into the big league. The makers did well by hiring a cinematographer like Artur Zurawski, who is a famous Polish cinematographer, to shoot Sultan. He sees things which probably an Indian wouldn’t have seen. Sultan is beautifully shot, both the rustic rural settings and the urban arena settings where most of the action takes place. The editing of Sultan is a bit average as a few scenes which slow down the movie could have been cut. The production design and costume design give it a big movie feel without losing the realism angle. The background score is a bit too loud and overdone. Sultan Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: The story grabs your attention since the start and thanks to the perfect blend of emotions and action, SULTAN turns out to be a quintessential potboiler that packs the right punches that will keep you glued. Here we would like to mention the introduction scene of Salman Khan that will prove to be a treat for his fans. The first half that explores the rise of the wrestler has a blend of humour that keeps you highly entertained. Besides the powerful ‘kushti’ matches that often leave you wanting for more, it also has a sweet love story that focuses on the romantic side of Sultan. On the other hand, the second half is serious and emotional comparatively. While we must give it to director Ali Abbas Zafar for exploring the deeper emotions of failure, losing his fame and Sultan’s aggressive and desperate attempts to get back into the sport in the second half, too many emotional scenes slows the pace of the film. However, Ali Abbas Zafar’s directorial skills seem to have grown by leaps and bounds since his last film. A special mention to the way the wrestling matches have been shot in the second half, which are crisp and impactful. Sultan Review by Tushar P Joshi on Bollywood Life Rating: The way Salman and Anushka execute the dramatic scene leading to the interval showcases Ali’s brilliance. Anushka might not have been the first choice to play Aarfa (Kangana Ranaut, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone were considered) but she goes for the kill and makes the most of this role. She shines in every single scene with Salman. Amit Sadh is a natural and commands attention even when standing opposite Salman in some heavy duty scenes. That brings us to the questions, how good is Salman Khan in Sultan ? The obvious comparison will be with Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and for me his act in Sultan aces that by miles. It’s not just the physical transformation but the mental prowess and technique that he uses to bring Sultan Ali Khan alive which impresses you. This is the messiah of the box-office and favourite of the front benchers, yet Salman strips off all those adjectives and gives an unplugged acoustic performance without the bells and whistles. There are ample paisa-vasool lines and moments that remind us of his super stardom but for the larger part of the film we get to see a restrained side of Salman we haven’t watched in a very long time Sultan Review by Ananya Bhattacharya on India Today Rating: Director Ali Abbas Zafar crafts an interesting and emotional tale out of the most-used tropes in the history of Hindi cinema. Even after employing every run-of-the-mill cliche in the book, Sultan doesn’t fall flat. The story entertains, largely because of the invested performances by the actors. Salman Khan’s hard work is more than visible in every frame when the man is in the wrestling pit. From the dhobi-pachhads to slamming his opponents on the ground, this desi pehelwan uses technique to flatten anyone who crosses him in the ring. And the viewer. Wolf-whistles and claps greet every minute of Salman’s time in the pit. In the akhada, Sultan is the man to watch out for. Anushka Sharma’s Aarfa is the result of months of training, and the actor nails it. Sharma turns wrestlers over with equal ease as telling a pestering Sultan to bugger off. The post-NH10 Anushka Sharma is a delight to watch on screen. There are moments when she tears your heart apart with her pain; and others, when you want to cheer for her when she is in the pit. Amit Sadh, along with the rest of the supporting cast, does a commendable job of steering Sultan forward. Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: Aditya Chopra’s screenplay ensures Sultan has all the popular ingredients and Khan’s superstardom is the cherry on the cake. His fans wouldn’t mind if his accent is not up to the mark and other characters are not given the chance to spread their wings because the heavy dose of popular mainstream Bollywood is enough to do the tricks. Then there are some UFC fighters and wrestler Kurt Angle, who will more or less quench the thirst of the audience looking for a thorough entertainer. Review by Raghav Jaitly on Zeenews Rating: First-half of the film is high on romance. Wait, not the typical Bollywood love. Instead, the director has put an uncanny feel to it. The dialect and accent of Haryana are the true winners. You will be amazed to know that, unlike the popular opinion, even Salman’s accent isn’t bad at all. Amalgamated with his performance, the portrayal of a pahalwan is pretty gripping in some of the scenes. And, then enters Anushka Sharma. Her role has the potential to overshadow the titular character but, all thanks to Salman’s stardom, the theatre will go crazy about ‘Sultan Ali Khan’. Before the interval, the movie showcases how love motivates a person to become a better human. The battle between confidence and arrogance continues as the screenplay progresses. Second-half of ‘Sultan’ is powerful enough to give you an adrenaline rush. This is what we were expecting from the film. The old and rustic ‘Sultan’ struggling hard to make a point in his personal life by setting brand new professional goals. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Sultan, written and directed by Abbas Ali Zafar, may have been designed to pull Salman Khan away from his comfort zone, but, in the ultimate analysis, it is just another bloated affair that rides on the bluster and bombast typical of a film featuring the superstar. Salman Khan is after all a genre unto himself. It matters little whether he is in a sports drama or in a mish-mash of flighty romance and high-voltage action – Sultan is a bit of both. In the end, Sultan remains a Salman Khan vehicle, pure and simple, gift-wrapped for his constituency of filmgoers.So those that manage to set aside the misgivings about the excesses that come with this form of storytelling might actually enjoy the film, at least some parts of it. Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India Rating: The last 30 minutes of the film within the MMA ring will have you on the edge of your seats. To Ali’s credit, he’s also managed to get both Salman and Anushka deliver remarkable performances. Anushka is outstanding as Aarfa and lights up every frame she’s a part of. It’s her nuances that make the love story so solid. Salman Khan continues to better himself with every film – this is one of his career-best portrayals. Ten minutes into the film and you’re into Sultan Ali Khan’s world – it’s Salman’s performance that makes the character so multi-dimensional. This is indeed his crowning glory as a performer. His masterstroke is a scene where Sultan is looking at his body in the mirror when it’s out of shape. It’s just the placement of a couple of songs that is slightly erratic – it disturbs the screenplay for that brief period. Also, the film could have been shorter by a few minutes. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: The support is able, but the star holds firm at the centre. Swelling background music threatens to mar even the most effective parts, which is something most films should watch out for, especially when their lead is willing to go down and dirty. Salman has perfected these rough-hewn, heart-of-gold, man-child parts (Anushka even has a line citing his ‘bachpana’) which coast on his ability to boost ‘desi’, flag-waving patriots who can beat smooth English-speaking rivals to a pulp. Here he takes it further, gets grizzled and grey, and admits to being has-been forty plus. And comes out on top, battered, bloody, but unbent. It is a full-bodied, fully-earned performance, and Salman Khan aces it. Review by Srijana Mitra Das on The Times Of India Rating: Salman gives a fighting performance, his character graph moving plausibly from a cheery, everyday “loojer” to a determined athlete, an arrogant star, a crushed, depressed, lonely guy. Anushka plays her familiar feisty girl, with a rustic twang and self-control, but fairly little change. The performance which really impresses is Sultan’s friend Govind (Anant), who stands by his buddy through broken heart and crushed rib, charming throughout. Amit Sadh presents an attractive persona while Kumud Mishra, as Anushka’s father and Sultan’s guru, adds noticeable subtlety to the drama. Sultan’s dialogues also “oopher” a Haryanvi kick while its visuals are fresh and attractive, swaying with Rewari’s eucalyptus trees and gushing canals. The trouble is its length. At nearly three hours of runtime, Sultan gets heavy and repetitive – only so many training sequences can look sharp and by the time Randeep Hooda shows up as MMA coach Fateh Singh, resembling a perennially eating Brad Pitt from Ocean’s Eleven, but overacting as he gets senti about Sultan, you become restive. By cutting 30 minutes of flab – running commentaries, kite-running, taalas, taalis – Sultan could’ve been a leaner, meaner movie. As it is, it’s more a large lassi, not an espresso shot. Review by Sukanya Verma on Rediff Rating: Make no mistake. Sultan is a classic Salman Khan vehicle in the skin of a sports drama imagining itself to be more profound than it really is. Doesn’t mean it’s not engaging, a lot of it is but, despite the possibilities, writer-director Ali Abbas Zafar relies solely on its main star’s drawing power and offers nothing novel in terms of storytelling. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Director Ail Abbas Zafar has finally added a feather of a well made film on his cap. His debut ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’ went unnoticed at the box office and his second directorial ‘Gunday’ sank without a trace. But Ali’s ‘Sultan’ comes out as a champion. Though he had too much to do in just one film, the filmmaker managed to make a film that wins in every aspect. His narrative is engaging to the core. Though the film is pretty long, the emotions and humour quotient in the film will succeed in keeping you on the edge of your seat. Few dialogues where we see Salman expressing his liking for Shah Rukh Khan or Randeep Hooda calling Salman a true Jatt, are realistically humorous. The best part of the film is its easy flow. With ‘Sultan’, one can easily say that Ali has made a mark for himself in the industry. Helming a film with huge star cast and appropriate narrative is commendable. Cinematography by Artur Zurawski is praise worthy as he has shot such beautiful locations in Rewari district. Review by Shomini Sen on News18 Rating: The only flaw that the film has is that it is long. With almost 3 hour-run time, the film uses a lot commercial aspects to make it a mass entertainment which are not so relevant for the story. Like the song ‘Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai’ is absolutely unnecessary for the film. The film could have been easily half an hour shorter. Despite a few glaring flaws, the film is worth your time and money mainly because of the coherent, good story and performances by its actors. It’s a film that has Salman Khan playing a character whose career graph has seen similar ups and downs that the actor has seen in real life. Perhaps, that’s why Khan appears this convincing. Review by Aastha Atray Banan on Mid-Day India Rating: ‘Sultan’ is a fun watch, offering the perfect fix to lift a not-so-great day. It’s about love and the will to do anything that comes with protecting it. It’s also about bringing yourself back from the dead, and saying, ‘I am not going anywhere’ — something that Sultan and Salman Khan, the man, have in common, despite their disparate destinies. The ‘public’ is going to lap this one up. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Khan’s Sultan is an uncertain, vulnerable simpleton, and he serves his character well by not seeming like a village idiot. His performance can be best described in words his character uses to reflect on his love: “pheel hain usme”. Anushka Sharma manages the Haryanvi accent and the athletic locks and grips with commitment. Anant Sharma, playing Sultan’s friend, is a great find and deserves a mention for his natural performance. Hooda, in a prominent cameo as Sultan’s MMA coach, is dependable. Sadh, though a bit theatrical in parts, is largely bearable if not laudable. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: SULTAN sees Salman Khan staying at the top of his game delivering another knockout punch after BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN. The actor as the Haryanvi hunk pleasingly invests in his known swagger with that winning Haryanvi accent ensuring the expected commercial expectations to a winning result and gets good one-liners. Anushka Sharma as Aarfa outstandingly holds her own in her determined brilliance. The actress has meat in her role and is much beyond a mere show piece that is normally seen in such commercial format. For Amit Sadh it’s a career-reviving role and he justifies it. Sultan Review by Sify Rating: All said and done, Sultan is a love story first, then a sports film. Director Ali Abbas Zafar doesn’t distil the drama with interpolations. Though lengthy, the characters never lose their plot. They are written into a tightly edited pastiche of pain and pleasure unleashed with honesty and charm. The film is shot by Artur Zurawski with the stress on capturing the glory and grandeur of the sport only in the context of the protagonist’s emotions. Nothing in Sultan stands out. It all blends in and merges into the very impressive larger picture. Staggeringly engaging, remarkably rugged and unexpectedly romantic, Sultan is every bit the comprehensive blockbuster it promised to be. Watching the accomplished storytelling and the deft characterisations in Sultan, it is hard to believe that this work comes from the director of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan and Gunday. Quite a dizzying climb! Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Anyway, the MMA matches are horrendously long and predictable. Yes, there are some beautiful touches like Sultan wanting to call his wife but hesitates and so on, but there’s not a thing new in the entire second half. Even the most enthusiastic fans seemed to have lost their collective ability to whistle and clap. After 170 minutes of graphically designed muscles, you emerge exhausted, and hope you will find a re-run of Chak De! India on cable when you return. Give me the ‘Tumhare paas sattar minutes hain to prove yourself’ any day over this protracted ‘It’s Salman Khan, so he will win’ pro wrestling story. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: Despite being a sports film, at its heart Sultan is romantic. But it is very conscious about being romantic. So, a boy woos a girl – twice. Each time, the boy is willing to go to any extent to win her love but of course he is too macho to accept it. Instead he calls it a fight with himself. eyeroll That and dialogue you would find in any coach-prodigy film like, “I see myself in you.” make Sultan even more predictable. The only surprises then, can come from individual situations or performances. Individual situations try hard to seem progressive in the form of the lead lady giving a lecture on a woman’s rightful place in this new age. Unfortunately, it cannot hold its own for too long and falls prey to putting the man on a pedestal despite his faults. So be it. Anyway, so is it in real life. With a pinch of salt, we can applaud a Salman Khan film to be close to reality. Sultan Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The biggest negative part in the movie is that everything is shown with total ease. Salman learns wrestling and MMA very easily within a short span. He also excels in these sports and emerges as undefeatable winner.The finale fight should have been more entertaining and energetic. Also, the drama in that part was totally forced. The conviction factor in these important part of the film was very low and was totally impractical. The movie should have been trimmed down by ten to fifteen minutes, especially in the middle part of the film. The movie could have been much better only if the screenplay in several parts would have been a bit crisp and convincing. The finale part needed bit more masala. Review by Lokesh Dharmani on Masala Rating: Anushka Sharma is always extremely earnest and puts some life into a half-heartedly written character of Aarfa. The supporting cast: Kumud Mishra (as Aarfa’s father) and Anant Sharma (as Sultan’s best friend Govind) are brilliant as well. And, of course, my favourite Amit Sadh. He is not only earnest but extremely endearing as the franchise owner of an MMA premier league. There are a couple of scenes where Salman shines too. Besides his commendable body language in the ring, watch him in a scene where he breaks down. A vulnerable Salman is something we want to watch more often. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Salman, who had impressed the hell out of us in Kabir Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan is in top form as Sultan Ali Khan. Unlike his roles in Dabangg or Kick, Salman doesn’t play to the gallery here and instead focuses on becoming the character, a raw ‘son of the soil’ wrestler, burdened down by the weight of a tragedy, but unwilling to throw in the towel. Salman’s Sultan is one of the best wrestlers that India has produced, but that doesn’t make him invincible. Indeed, his humility and his vulnerability makes the character more endearing and even if you are not a Salman fan, you might be tempted to cheer for the underdog here. Anushka Sharma deserves a pat on her back for not being a typical ‘Salman Khan heroine’, who gets nothing to do but look pretty opposite the Bhaijaan. The actress has put her heart and soul in the film and there are scenes where she totally overpowers the Dabangg dude. Sharma’s Aarfa is no shrinking violet, but a strong woman, who is sure about what she wants and doesn’t need a man to tell her this, even if it is none other than her husband Sultan Ali Khan. The film also stars Amit Sadh and Randeep Hooda in less meaty roles, but both the actors, especially Hooda, who plays Sultan’s crusty coach for the MMA championship, put in a solid and decent performance. Anant Sharma, who plays Sultan’s loyal sidekick Govind, makes you sit and take notice. Kumud Mishra, who plays Aarfa’s father and Sultan’s wrestling coach, is dependable as ever. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Rough Book – 2.1 stars Independence Day Resurgence – 2 stars 7 Hours To Go – 1.8 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars Shorgul – 1.6 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Shorgul’ Review –  1.6 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Shorgul Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Directors Jitendra Tiwari and Pranav Kumar Singh make a great deal of noise about humanity being the biggest religion, but they show no mercy at all to the medium that they have chosen for the purpose of making the point. The quality of the acting is disorienting in its inconsistency. While Ashutosh Rana and Jimmy Shergill do their very best to inject some life into the film, the lead actress is a letdown, to say the least. Shorgul is so horridly ham-handed that it merits no rating as a film. But for the statement that it strives to make, no matter how feebly and incoherently, it deserves one star. And that is all it’s worth. Shorgul Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: Lack of resources can be blamed for dubious sets, but unintentional screaming can’t pass off as acting, not all the time. There is an overflowing love for melodrama that goads the characters to talk unto eternity, even when stating the obvious. While Jimmy, Hiten and Jha shine in patches, their roles are frivolous and crave substance, making Shorgul a lost opportunity. If you aren’t familiar with what happened in 2013, or were looking for a new perspective on the incident, Shorgul isn’t for you. The movie is a disappointment. Shorgul Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: Casting is another highlight. Hiten Tejwani plays a besotted young man, whose only purpose in the film is to look awkward and deflect any attack on his girl onto himself. Eijaz Khan as a college student is as believable as the fake scar on his neck. Then there is the debutant heroine who looks like Sonakshi Sinha’s irritating cousin. All she does is smile gratingly, cry buckets and run all around the place with her arms flailing. Unfortunately for us, it’s her we have to bear for the entire runtime. Shorgul Review by Mohar Basu on The Times Of India Rating: The performances are earnest, especially Jimmy Sheirgill and Ashutosh Rana. You’ll find yourself deeply engrossed in their war of words and clash of ideas. But the film doesn’t deserve such heartfelt acting. Every time you try to invest in their characters, the director shifts your attention to a loud Hiten Tejwani (who looks every bit like his brooding character from the daily soap Kutumb). Actress Suha Gezen is a misfit and bites into more than she can chew. Given that she is the central character, her performance is the film’s weakest link. In a pivotal scene, she stands surrounded by dead bodies, screaming for help in an overdramatic (read -laughable) manner. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: The fact that most of the characters seem to be based on real life politicians might provoke your curiosity (Ranjit Om is allegedly based on Sangit Som, Alam Khan is based on Azam Khan, Chief Minister Mithilesh is based on Akhilesh Yadav) and so on and so forth. However, in the absence of a powerful storyline and an impressive screenplay, such gimmicks are bound to make the film fall flat on its face and this is exactly what happens with Shorgul. Also, the fact that the second half seems to go on and on, adds to your frustration. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: There’s potential to begin with. A luckless Hindu-Muslim romance. Weapons changing hands. Leaders readying to grab power at any cost. A ‘ghar-waapsi’ situation. We even hear people mention such incendiary words as ‘gau mata’, so loaded that just their utterance can cause a fatal conflagration. But despite all this, and the fact that the film touches upon how tenuous life can be, Shorgul is reduced to a clichéd melodrama with its bloody clashes between the sword-wielding `Musalmaans’ and `trishul-dhaari’ Hindus. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The dialog is so terrible and cliched you can predict it. You know which characters are going to die. So horribly cliched are the sets, you know it’s a Muslim house because it has green walls. All the actors sleepwalk through their roles because you have seen them before in many movies doing the same thing. And no matter how blue the Pretty Chirpy Muslim Girl’s eyes are, Ashutosh Rana’s mooches win the two hour sixteen minute battle for attention hands down. Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today Rating: The film’s biggest star is the screenplay by Jitendra Tiwari. The screenplay follows a join-the-dots, cause-and-effect structure – each small conflict gives way to something bigger and serves to further the plot. However, the film loses steam once the riot begins. Because, now the filmmakers are probably confused as to how to tie the several threads together, how to round up all the character arcs, etc. Thus, the film drags a good fifteen minutes longer than it should. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Jimmy Shergill and Ashutosh Rana’s decent act is the only creditable point in this movie which is wobbly directed and lacks depth in its narration and characters. Dialogues are so routine like it seems we are watching a loud debate on TV. Other actors just sign the muster and technicalities are just passable. SHORGUL is nothing but a hopeless political drama that gets played on our T.V. Channels just to fill the slot. Review by Shubha Shetty-Saha on Mid-Day India Rating: It is sad to see actors like Jimmy Sheirgill and Ashutosh Rana wasted in a film that is too wishy-washy to deal with a topic of this kind, and a good enough story to narrate. Narendra Jha, who plays Om’s mama, is effective. Hiten Tejwani is pleasing to look at and gives a convincing performance. But the other actors (especially Gezen) has a long way to go before she tackles an emotional role of this kind. The director seemed to be too taken up by her beauty and the camera kept lingering on her face for too long to worry about her acting capabilities. Surprisingly Sanjay Suri who plays the CM, Mithilesh Yadav is too stiff. Review by Kriti Tulsiani on News18 Rating: ‘Shorgul’, for the most part, has been reduced to a clichéd-driven film trying hard to give away a message of peace but ends up losing its essence amid its complicated narrative. Rana shines in this political fiasco covering up for over-the-top performances of other actors. It’s only Rana’s dialogue delivery that keeps bringing you back to the loosely weaved story. Sheirgill is impressive with his words but one feels that he should have been given more screen time. Running-crying-blushing; Gezen will often remind you of a heroine from the 60s era which by the way, doesn’t work well for the film. While Tejwani’s acting takes you back to his daily soap days, Khan’s cameo will leave you wishing for more of him! Shorgul Review by Nabilah Husain on Rediff Rating: Ashutosh Rana and Jimmy Sheirgill are impressive and play their roles convincingly. Newcomer Suha Gezen ends up overacting or crying in most of the scenes. She is the weakest link among all the performances. All in all, Shorgul had the potential to be a great movie but directors Jitendra Tiwari and P Singh seem lazy and incompetent. Shorgul Review by Arnab Banerjee on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Instead, the dramatisation of events insipidly tries to answer a few questions. Considering the film’s impressive cast and compelling message, I was willing to cast aside many downers that the film’s narrative is saddled with. But couldn’t overcome its preachy didactic and facile dramatisation of quite a few nuanced real-life tales. Both Rana and Shergill are competent and could force you to admire them as they try to add some heft to the proceedings. Wish there was enough laudable meat to this saga that seems to have misfired! Shorgul Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Veteran Ashutosh Rana is mostly contained and Jimmy Shergill is controlled in his insults. But Turkish debutant Suha Gezen is a bit too loud by average sonic standards of someone grieving multiple setbacks. A highoctane dialogue in the film reinstates the supposed moral of the film, “Dangon mein Hindu ya Mulasmaan nahin marta, insaniyat marta hain.” While this is true, watching this film till the very end can be terminal for audiences of all religions too. Shorgul Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: With a strong screenplay and astute direction, the film is a perfect example of good intention of bad direction by the duo, causing the film to go awry. Confusion reigns supreme somewhere, as the film progresses in time, but goes nowhere as a narrative. Violence, incitement and vengeance takes precedent over everything else. Reputed actors like Ashutosh Rana, Jimmy Sheirgill and Narendra Jha, essay their roles with sincerity and conviction, but fail to salvage the film. Debutante Suha Gezen is over dramatic and a miscast, in a role which offers tremendous scope to perform. Hiten Tejwani and Anirudh Dave are earnest as the lovers in the love triangle and Anirudh’s plight, tugs at your heart strings. The songs are situational, dwelling upon on the emotions of the moment and add nothing to the narrative. The riot scenes are generic, lengthy and chaotic making the entire experience tedious and boring. Considering the subject had tremendous potential if well-handled, “Shorgul” makes noise, which all hear, but no one listens to. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Fitoor – 2.3 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Rough Book – 2.1 stars Independence Day Resurgence – 2 stars 7 Hours To Go – 1.8 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Rough Book’ Review – 2.1 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Rough Book Review by Mohar Basu on The Times Of India Rating: The narrative is subtle but doesn’t focus much on the teacher-student camaraderie, which is pivotal to such a story. Neither does Anant delve deeper into Suhail’s (a rich brat whose father is a top notch lawyer) journey from reckless to studious. The transformation happens abruptly sans a prelude, which is not impactful enough. The story touches upon a few necessary themes – from teacher poaching to the excessive emphasis on coaching over regular classes – but the ideas don’t find a strong voice in the movie. Their mission of portraying education as a calling and not a money-minting business gets lost in the film’s half-baked execution. Rough Book Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Director Anant Narayan Mahadevan, who has made several attempts in the thriller and romance genres, comes out with flying colours with his film ‘Rough Book’. The film is more of an eye opener as it gives a hard and critical look at the education system in contemporary India. Writers Sanjay Chauhan and Anant Narayan Mahadevan have beautifully narrated the issue of ‘teacher poaching’ and the conspiracies running rampant in the Indian educational system. Maneesh Chandra Bhatt’s cinematography keeps the film close to home that you feel like you are living the story. Rupendra Das does a commendable job as a production designer. Rough Book Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Thankfully the locations where the movie has been shot, the gorgeous weather that has been captured beautifully in the movie are such an awesome relief, you understand why the writing may have meandered off into the misty hills… Might make for a decent watch on tv at home where you can start a conversation. Until then you just wish for something sharper than this blunt pencil… Rough Book Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Rough Book is tiringly slow, lazily written and offers no novel insight into the acute crisis that our educational system presently faces. But it’s still watchable for Tannishtha Chatterjee. Her reading of a passionate teacher is a little less enthusiastic than Jack Black in School of Rock, and a little more practical than Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society. From the rest of the cast, which largely comprises of cameos, Suhasini Mulay, Joy Sengupta and Vinay Jain — all seem casual yet confident of their craft. The location used to convey the rural confines of Suhasini Mulay’s school is perfectly misty for cinematic frames and is a great production find. Review by Shubha Shetty Saha on Mid-Day India Rating: Considering that our cookie cutter education system is in dire need of an overhaul, the intention of this film is right. But, unfortunately, the lethargic script and dialogue give away a lot more than they should. There is obviously no homework done on the subject and hence, the teachers in the film, which includes a few of Santoshi’s supposedly ‘bright’ teacher-friends, dole out gems of advice which even primary school student would scoff at. One such line goes like this: ‘Likhne se pehle question paper ko theek se padh lena’. Tannishtha and the rest of the cast including Suhasini Mulay, Vinay Jain and Joy Mukherjee make a sincere attempt. But that obviously is not enough in the absence of the required research needed to tackle a subject of this sort. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Further the writer and the director fail to engage and inspire us from the transformation and change in the idea and belief of students. It happens so easily and conveniently to make any impact. Ananth’s earnest thought only gets full support from Tannishtha who delivers a fine performance. Theatre actors Amaan Khan, Joy Sengupta, Kaizaad Kotwal and Suhasini Mulay are competent but a talent like Ram Kapoor is wasted. Juvenile handling and lazy ending adds further to the wounds. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dear Dad – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Jai Gangaajal – 2.3 stars Fitoor – 2.3 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘7 Hours To Go’ Review – 1.8 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] 7 Hours To Go Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: ‘7 Hours To Go’ will leave you tangled in a poorly woven web of multiple mysteries. The first half raises your expectations from the film, but all falls flat in the second half. As there are multiple releases this Friday, the film has a fair chance at the box office where it will clash with ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’. ‘7 Hours To Go’ is not a good pick unless you want to witness a murder mystery of 114 minutes and wouldn’t mind leaving the theatre with a muddled head. 7 Hours To Go Review by Mohar Basu on The Times Of India Rating: Saurabh Varma’s inept film can be best summed in Varun Badola’s dialogue that translates to – “Make such an outrageous plan that even in 50 years, no one can believe that we pulled off something like this.” Well, that rings true for the movie as well. 7 Hours To Go is mind numbing. What was touted to be taut thriller, ends up as a damp squib. It probably had a promising idea on paper but loses the grit in transition. 7 Hours To Go Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: An angry young man takes seven hostages and asks the police for the head of a super rich man who has wronged him. The result is loud, chaotic and mostly pointless runaround. You want to empathise, take sides – the cops or the hostage taker – but the story is too convoluted for us to care. 7 Hours To Go Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: The first half of the film is tolerable, but it is during the second half that the director seems to have lost the plot. Quite literally. While the tale is designed as a thriller, the director has infused oodles of light moments with behind the scenes action involving his characters. This defuses the momentum of suspense and the thrill in the narration. The film is supposed to be about the hostages, but their anxiety or anguish is never shown. The only scenes with them are half-hearted and lukewarm. Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India Rating: In a thriller like this, the progression in the script needs to be very effective to keep the viewer engaged. Varma loses control of that in the film’s second half. It’s almost like he didn’t know how to fill the gaps. So he adds scenes and characters that add nothing to the drama and instead fail to hold your interest. For example, too much of screen time is given to the character of hitman Amol Palekar (played by Ketan Singh) when the film would’ve worked fine even without him. The film’s equilibrium is shaken when Varma shifts gears suddenly— just when you are appreciating the director’s detailing, bullets from cars come flying out on the roads of Mumbai in typical filmy style. And what was with making both his lead actresses undress casually in front of their colleagues? The problem with 7 Hours To Go is that style overpowers substance at all times. Review by Shubha Shetty Saha on Mid-Day India Rating: The movie starts going steadily downhill as strange characters like portly unhinged contract killer Palekar and item songs with laughable lyrics are introduced along the way. Except Badola, who has the some smart lines and is pretty good too, not one performance is convincing enough for you to want to believe what is happening on screen.   Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dear Dad – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Jai Gangaajal – 2.3 stars Fitoor – 2.3 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Junooniyat’ Review – 1.6 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Junooniyat Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Absolutely, all cinema has scenes and images. But not all scenes and images are not cinema. Pretty frames do not a film make. It isn’t that the pursuit of cloying sentimentality does not sometimes yield pleasantly surprising results. But don’t expect any such miracle from Junooniyat. Junooniyat Review by Kriti Tulsiani on News18 Rating: The plot is so predictable that it’s not just the next twist that you’ll be able to guess but also the dialogues. It is riding solely on clichéd twists and turns. Even if the actors try to raise the bar with their performances, the script pulls it down. Out of the many done-to-death concepts this film has, the notable ones include family’s resistance for their daughter marrying an army officer and a big fat Punjabi wedding towards the end. There are a whole lot of cliched dialogues such as ‘Dil de rahi hu Captain, toddna mat’ to ‘Aisi koi paheli nahi jo maine suljhayi nahi’ which take you back to the to the era of melodramatic Bollywood fillms and makes the film fall flat. To the film’s credit, the picturesque Himalayan locales have been explored beautifully. Yami’s on-screen persona works well for this one. Junooniyat Review by Namrata Thakker on Rediff Rating: Pulkit and Yami aren’t bad actors but they need to stop working with each other for a while. And no romantic movies either, please! The Vicky Donor actress looks pretty throughout the film but, when it comes to acting, she is just about okay. So is Pulkit. The first half of the film is still tolerable, courtesy the exotic locations but the second half is just too much to handle with all the drama and sappy sequences. Junooniyat Review by Meena Iyer on The Times Of India Rating: In all fairness, Pulkit and Yami breathe life into their characters. We wish they were not saddled with such a lacklustre script. The only thing you take back from this film are the breath-taking visuals of the snow-capped Kashmir mountains captured in their entirety. For the rest, this one draws a huge blank. Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: Pulkit Samrat tries, but never gets a chance to break free from the clutches of Bollywood’s stereotype of an army guy. Yami Gautam could’ve done better, but Junooniyat is more of a musical than a solid relationship drama. Confined to look good, dance well and act like typical Punjabi girls do in films, she fades. Gulshan Devaiah and the cinematography by Attar Singh Saini are the two good things going for the movie, but do little to salvage the bad script. Some melodious tunes may entice you, but that’s not enough to keep you hooked for the two-hours and odd saga. Review by Shaheen Parkar on Mid-Day India Rating: Writer-director Vivek Agnihotri seems to have put in a lot of efforts to come up with good production values — there are some picturesque locations and detailing of the regions where the film has been shot, including the costume department, seem bang on. But the bright and colourful phulkari dupattas of Punjab sadly cannot stop the film from being lacklustre. Junooniyat Review by Mumbai Mirror Rating: Yami Gautam’s Suhani is refreshing, enthusiastic and oblivious to the world around her — almost like someone in a talcum powder commercial. She pulls off the docile-yetheadstrong Punjaban to some extent and lines like “Main modern times hoon,” are mildly adorable. But in furnishing someone in love, she’s like a babe in the woods. Also, hoping to pass for a college-goer, she’s a bit overage, about a year or 10 that is. Pulkit Samrat has matured as an actor and flaunts a restrained confidence. But even he is unable to lift the low spirits of this predictable love story. It has been well established that Hate Story director Vivek Agnihotri is a master of none. To his credit, he manages to make the first half of this predictable tale bearable, if not enjoyable. But the second half drags on for eternity, making it a tiring watch. Review by Subhash K Jha on Bollyspice Rating: Thriving purely on corny lines and brainless situations the one bright spot in Junooniyat is Attar Singh Saini’s camerawork which captures the pristine snowpeaks of Kashmir with a care that is not evident in any other component that constitutes this excruciatingly trite and indifferent love story. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dear Dad – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Jai Gangaajal – 2.3 stars Fitoor – 2.3 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Independence Day Resurgence’ Review – 2 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Independence Day Resurgence Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: Back in 1996 when INDEPENDENCE DAY released, it fast became one of the best visual experiences on the big screen with a plethora of explosions and cutting edge CGI (for that time) literally wowing the audience. Another factor that worked for the original was Will Smith and his off handed attitude that despite coming off as an Elvis impersonator managed to keep the proceedings light yet gripping even when faced with dire consequences. Cut to two decades later, INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE certainly has been developed on a much bigger scale, with bigger budgets, more advanced visual technology and a more receptive audience, the film comes across as a worthy successor that despite having its pitfalls does manage to capture the essence of the first film. Speaking of pitfalls, INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE does have its share of drawbacks with a major one being, the lack of ability for the viewer to relate to and connect with the onscreen characters. While in the first film the viewer instantaneously connected to and developed a rapport with the characters, this one gives the viewer a feeling of being a mere spectator on a large battle field. As for the performances, Liam Hemsworth being the main protagonist, who reprises the title role that could have been compared to Will Smith’s from the first, does a good job. However, he falls massively short of being convincing as the film’s main saviour. Jesse Usher as Dylan Hiller, Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith)’s step son is underwhelming. The lad who survived the original invasion, should have been more inspiring especially since he along with Hemsworth are literally the only saviours. On the other hand, the conversations of Nicolas Wright as Floyd Rosenberg and Deobia Oparei, who essays the character of Dikembe Umbutu, bring in much needed comic relief that not just lightens up what could have been a never ending series of destructive assaults, but also brightens up the film. Independence Day Resurgence Review by Tatsam Mukherjee on India Today Rating: You don’t expect anything but superficial entertainment in this bang-for-buck movie, and this sequel doesn’t even deliver on that. It wouldn’t hurt to start with an interesting story, and not cash in on the sequel bandwagon of a successful film. It’s sad to see a man like Roland Emmerich struggle to make a decently entertaining film, right up his alley. Maybe he is not as good as he used to be. Or maybe the standard of a spectacle has shot way up in the past decade. Independence Day Resurgence Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: Though the later portions of the film, especially the climax, is total delight, the initial portions are a drag! We are left listening to a lot of boring expositions and twiddling our thumbs waiting for the aliens to attack and the fun to begin. Unlike the first film, there are too many characters for the film to focus on, so except for a couple of characters from the original, we are not really able to connect with the rest of the characters. This in particular affect the new heroes of the film, none of whom, save for It Follows‘ Maika Monroe, manage to make an impression on us. Here’s where we miss the charm of Will Smith, because the sequel had more than 4 pilots to replace him, and yet none of them could even steal a single scene on their own. The sequel uses the same plot devices of the original film – alien attack, cities and landmarks (including the White House) destroyed, a suicide mission and the defeat of the main ship that scutters others away. Yet, the film doesn’t have the heart of the original. I mean, when the White House was destroyed in the first film, it had an impact of how grave the threat was. Here the destruction is just a series of sequences that is building up for an epic match in the climax. Independence Day Resurgence Review by Rohan Naahar on Hindustan Times Rating: Independence Day: Resurgence ends on a terrifying thought. No, it has nothing to do with angry aliens or inept humans like the movie’s 2 hours will have you believe. But in its final moments, it gives the impression that director Roland Emmerich, sensing the inevitable global apocalypse that will be brought on by a Donald Trump presidency, got the narcissistic walking wig on the hotline, bent over in complete submission and swore his allegiance. The film takes a turn from which there is no coming back – it makes us, or at least ponders the possibility of making us, the perennial victims of alien invasions, the invaders. Independence Day Resurgence Review by Johnson Thomas on Mid-Day India Rating: ‘Resurgence’ is surely attempting to do a ‘Jurassic World’ for the franchise but this Roland Emmerich helmed sequel appears to have delayed it’s coming by a good ten years. The current generation has already seen countless repeat and reprise efforts from contemporary spectacle specialists so this one doesn’t quite have the blistering genre redefining power that the original did. The irreverence involved in the monument trashing on display here makes it all seem quite ridiculous, fanciful and tends towards tedium. To the extent that even a short 120 minute runtime begins to feel a little long in the tooth! Review by Sukanya Verma on Rediff Rating: One sees a lot more of the aliens in this edition though not necessarily in a good way. From shrewd control freaks engaged in absolute planetary invasion to sputtering monsters with Godzilla-sized egos, the indignity meted out at the extra-terrestrial ilk is unintentionally comic. Independence Day: Resurgence only reiterates one thing. Be it alien, superhero, monsters or natural calamity, the blockbuster factory acts on the same pig-headed formula of mindless explosion, collapsing buildings, vast amounts of rubble and everything going up in a giant ball of smoke. Review by Bryan Durham on DNA India Rating: There’s a new world to play with. A more evolved Earth. Space travel. Better tech. Better communication. The updation sits easy with Emmerich’s vision. A few familiar faces from the first movie share space with a lot of new ones. Goldblum has been a joy to watch ever since the mid-80s, if you were a sci-fi fan. Though, it was in the 90s that he lived his glory days. His dour, no-nonsense return to the franchise (we can call it that now!) as David, gives it the respectability we wouldn’t afford it otherwise. Pullman’s here, too. And while, he isn’t in the White House, anymore, he still commands the same respect they gave him two decades ago. They call these legacy roles for a reason. Among the new faces you’ll see going forward, Hemsworth gets the most screen-time. We loved Deobia Oparei as the deadpan katana-wielding warlord Dikembe Umbutu and we’d like to see more of him in a sequel. Review by Suraj Prasad on Deccan Chronicle Rating: This movie is an attempt to revive the storyline, and there are announcements for future episodes too. So next year perhaps we would be witnessing another sequel, and now with access to more advanced technology and another helpful alien specie we might be moving further away in the space. It is going to be interesting to see actual science catch up with science fiction though, who would not want to go for a special vacation on the Moon? The writer is founder, Lightcube Film Society Review by Renuka Vyavahare on The Times Of India Rating: The special effects used for destruction scenes are spectacular and enhance the visual experience. 3D viewing is avoidable as the perpetual dark hues on screen strain the eyes. The film also drags towards the end. Nonetheless, if you enjoy formulaic chaos and are fine with cliched celebration of human resilience, this one’s quite engaging. We wish there was at least one iconic scene though. The stuff that Marvel offers you in abundance. Review by Shalini Langer on Indian Express Rating: Some of the fights are impressive, most of the destruction routine (“The aliens are going for the landmarks,” comments Levinson at one point as the Tower Bridge of London collapses), and a large part of the dialogue perfunctory. And yes, there is the speech by the US President which “the world is listening to on short-wave radio”, about how, “irrespective of colour and creed”, everyone should pray for the soldiers going in for this inter-galactic war. And yet, the winner is clear. Producers skipped a release closer to July 4 apparently because of some big blockbusters then, but the film is replete with America’s independence day references. And guess what happens when the storm whipped up by the aliens washes up to the White House doorstep? It stops, after just tumbling the flag. Review by IANS on NDTVMovies Rating: Visually, this film does not offer anything novel. The CGI heavy frames with 3D effects, over a period of time, get tedious because most of the action has been seen in recent disaster films. The set-action sequences too are nothing to write home about. And the alien ‘Queen’ ship though gigantic, is pretty unimpressive. Overall, Independence Day: Resurgence is a huge disappointment. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The idea of a Queen alien insect controlling a hive is even older than the Borgs of Star Trek. And the Borgs could choose to beautiful when they wanted to… The joy of watching a science fiction movie is not knowing the enemy. That’s what offers us something to look forward when you watch sequels. That’s why Star Trek or Star Wars or indeed any other franchise move either forward or backward in time so there are new stories. This story should have been buried, not resurrected. Review by Rajeev Masand on News 18 Rating: The younger cast, they just don’t have the presence to match Will Smith’s hotshot pilot from the earlier film. We also don’t get one clear hero to root for. Apart from a few impressive bits of sheer CGI spectacle, the film is sorely lacking in memorable moments and ends up feeling like a slog. I’m going with one-and-a-half out of five for Independence Day: Resurgence. It doesn’t even deliver on the promise of dumb fun. For that, it needed to be a little less dumb and a lot more fun. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dear Dad – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Jai Gangaajal – 2.3 stars Fitoor – 2.3 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’ Review – 3 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Raman Raghav 2.0 Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: The film’s writers (Vasan Bala, Anurag Kashyap) on the ‘pretext’ of creating an edge-of-the-seat thriller in the form of RAMAN RAGHAV 2.0, land up doing a shabby job. Even though their writing helps in keeping the audience and their fears intact (strictly in places), it is the overdose of everything that kills the basic essence of the film. Because Anurag Kashyap has always delivered with his dark films (which majorly forms his home turf), the expectations from RAMAN RAGHAV 2.0 were sky high. Coupled with this were the film’s gripping trailers, which, only added to the expectations. Unfortunately, despite all this, Anurag Kashyap goes astray with his direction at many places, which greatly undermines what could have been an eerily gripping psychological thriller. In the name of ‘cinematic liberties’, there are way too many flaws in the film. To cite a few examples, where on earth does one find an IPS officer like Raghav, who is always high on drugs and flaunts his official revolver to have his way with the girls in night clubs? If that wasn’t enough, he also lands up killing someone, that too, at the behest of a dreaded criminal. Besides all this, during one of Raman’s escapades he manages to free himself from the clutches of the policemen and flee by simply unbuttoning his shirt! The cops in this movie are straight out of the 80’s Bollywood films where they basically can’t do a single task properly. While all of the film’s characters get established and justified in its first half, it’s the film’s second half that slips. The film’s first half tries to establish a promising plot, but the second half drags endlessly and is filled with meaninglessly gruesome murders. Add to that, Anurag Kashyap continues to suffer from his Quentin Tarantino hang over by breaking the film into ‘Chapters’ and stretching a scene for longer than expected, but many times it just feels too much to take. Raman Raghav 2.0 Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Watching Raman Raghav 2.0 is, therefore, somewhat like reading an incomplete map, with many boundaries and dabs of crucial info either completely missing or too inchoate to decipher. But that isn’t such a bad thing. The film demands from its audience more than the usual level of mental focus in order to mark off the units as they flash by with dizzying pace. Raman Raghav 2.0 Review by Aseem Chhabra on Rediff Rating: If there is one big surprise in Raman Raghav 2.0, it is Vicky Kaushal’s star-making performance, a far turn from his heartbreaking innocent Deepak character in last year’s Masaan. As cocaine takes total control of Raghav, the cop starts to break apart. His misogynist acts again makes Raman Raghav 2.0 a difficult film to really admire. Kaushal displays a lot of brave acting, including a terrific confrontation scene with his father (Vipin Sharma in a brief appearance). There is real good cinema in that scene towards the end of the film, and also a reminder that Kashyap has a lot of talent. He just needs to stop making films that are very similar. Raman Raghav 2.0 Review by Tushar P Joshi on Bollywood Life Rating: Kashyap is confused about the film he wants to make. Is the film about the serial killer? But then the start credits say that the film is not about the murderer, so then is it about the cop and his backstory? These questions are never answered. The first half holds your interest for a bit, but once the pace slackens you will be left twiddling your thumbs. There are very few light moments that provide relief. Vickey’s drugged out cop act too isn’t well explained. Where is his angst coming from? By the time you reach the climax that leaves you high and dry, there is very little that stays with you as you leave the theatre. Perhaps had the focus stayed on Nawaz’s character we could have got a better film. Review by Manjari Saxena on Gulfnews Rating: The story moves at a steady pace through chapters, but loses steam slightly after the interval. There are a couple of murders which really didn’t need to be part of the story. We were quite familiar with Ramanna’s depravity from the scene where he murders his sister and her husband and young son. Or, the one where he spends the day in a filthy drain, breathing through a hose, to escape the police. At times it can feel as if you are being bludgeoned. But Kashyap’s thriller will keep you glued to your seat in spite of an expected end. Both Kaushal and Dhulipala come up with brilliant performances, but it is truly Siddiqui who steals the show. Review by Sweta Kaushal on Hindustan Times Rating: Raman and Raghav are characters you cannot empathise with. They are sadistic to the core and co-writers Anurag and Vasan Bala make no attempts to justify their behaviour. There’s isn’t a society that can be blamed for their criminal behaviour and that’s the brilliance of the film. Much like Heath Ledger’s Joker, Ramanna doesn’t bother justifying his actions, he just enjoys them. Review by Lokesh Dharmani on Masala Rating: The biggest problem of Raman Raghav is that it justifies the evil characters it shows. Raman kills mercilessly. He is then shown rummaging through garbage for food. Aww so poor, so bechara. He even gives a monologue towards the end explaining how his killings are better than those killings that happen in the name of God or religion. Wow serial killer better than a Sadhu! Hmmm, that makes so much sense, yeah sure. Even the other dark character has his own set of excuses. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Usually, films stop being entertaining in the second half, but with Raman Raghav 2.0, the situation is reversed. The first half of the film moves at a slow pace with long-drawn scenes and one wonders when Kashyap will get to the point. It is in the second half that the story slowly unravels and offers you a glimpse into the darkness of the human heart and mind. Review by Mohar Basu on The Times Of India Rating: Director Anurag Kashyap treads familiar ground with Raman Raghav 2.0. It is overwhelmingly dark with deep macabre undertones. Kashyap gets the moral pendulum oscillating between his prime characters – one a cold-blooded murder and another who has all the makings of becoming one. He subtly draws parallels between the personalities of his men who stand on opposite sides of the spectrum. Raman beautifully puts it in one of the film’s early scenes that after all, he and Raghav are the same people but the police uniform validates or criminalises their actions. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Nawazuddin Siddiqui gives a stellar performance. The master actor is in complete command and the intensity is not at all missed even for a blink. A class act. Vicky Kaushal delivers in a tough role of a drug addict cop thrown between his dilemma, responsibility and duty. Fantastic. Sobhita Dhulipala is a beautifully stunning find. Those looking for fine points in morality, humanity and good virtues in this Anurag Kashyap’s RAMAN RAGHAV 2.0 will be disappointed. The woman characters shown in the film are weak plus the impulse of the coke ridden cop is unexplained. But for others and especially Anurag Kashyap, this dark, grisly and stylish pulse riser produced by Phantom films and distributed by Reliance should find solace amongst the followers of this genre. Those looking for a dark, de noire, and grisly time on screen with a twist in inhumanity powered by Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s topnotch performance. RAMAN RAGHAV 2.0 makes the kill. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: As Raghavan, Kaushal gets a little more. He has a scene in his home with his father (the excellent Vipin Sharma) which intrigues, which gives us a hint of an unusual father-and-son relationship. It left me hungry for more. But the film turns back all too soon to its bloody bodies and spilled gore, which in turn starts feeling gratuitous all too soon. There are some mesmeric bits in here, which belong to Siddiqui. But those are not enough. Without those crucial elements, the film is rendered atmospheric yet hollow, and we are turned into cringing voyeurs, into reluctant participants, without redemption. Review by Shubha Shetty Saha on Mid-Day India Rating: Nawazuddin breathes and lives Ramanna so effortlessly, when he in a nonchalant manner goes about dragging an iron rod in the dead of the night looking for his victims or coolly jots down the number of people he killed, in his small book. Vicky Kaushal is a green horn compared to Nawazuddin, but he does a pretty good job. What works against Kaushal is also the shallow character sketch that he gets as Raqhav. Amruta Subhash is fantastic. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Go watch this film because you learn to confront devil within you, and no one makes you want to side with the devil better than Anurag Kashyap. Review by Ananya Bhattacharya on India Today Rating: Over the 2 hours and 25 minutes of Raman Raghav 2.0, there is one emotion running through everyone watching the film: fear. Your intestines are in a knot. The moment you let out a breath, Ramanna strikes with his crowbar. You laugh nervously at Ramanna’s jokes, and the next moment, he strikes again. The film is more alive in these moments of apprehension than anything else. Within the span of Raman Raghav 2.0, Anurag Kashyap makes full use of his craft. Kashyap and Vasan Bala’s story finds an able companion in Jay Oza’s cinematography. When someone walks into a murder scene with a handkerchief on his nose, you automatically hold your breath. Mumbai is real in the buzzing of the flies or the bustle of the slums. Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: The film is astutely mounted with fine production qualities that make the entire setting appear ordinary and regular. This is brilliantly captured by Jay Oza’s camera work. Especially dramatic are his visuals captured in claustrophobic spaces. What adds to the viewing experience is Ram Sampath’s frenzied and adrenaline-packed background score, which is efficiently layered by Aarti Bajaj’s crisp editing. Overall, “Raman Raghav 2.0” is a cleverly crafted and compelling film. Review by Harshada Rege on DNA India Rating: Raman and Raghav are characters that you cannot empathise with and yet they are a reflection of the ugly reality of our society, which allows those with power to get away with their wrongdoings. The movie is constructed in an interesting chapter structure and well paced. A scene where you get a clear picture of Raman’s depraved mind is the one where he visits his sister. Aarti Bajaj’s editing deserve a special mention, as do the writing skills of Kashyap and co-writer Vasan Bala. The only thing that seems a little feeble is the reason behind Raman’s obsession with Raghav. Don’t miss this scary and unapologetically sadistic movie where Nawaz is at his creepiest best. Review by Suparna Sharma on Deccan Chronicle Rating: The film is shot as most of Kashyap’s films are shot — the outside is crowded, dirty, and the inside dingy and suffocating. And the camera is either lurking knee heigh, or, when it looks up it stares hard and long at Nawazuddin and Kaushal. While Kaushal, despite the fact that his character on paper is just too dull, is at times engaging and complex, Nawazuddin mostly hams his way through. In several aspects Nawazuddin’s character is true to the real-life Raman Raghav and, perhaps, psychopathic killers. There’s a lot written for him: Zero remorse, complete lack of empathy, manipulative, anti-social, demanding, yet scrupulous about clearing his debts. Nawazuddin Siddique is a very fine actor. But he is already repeating himself. In some scenes he shines, like the one in which he’s having a conversation with a cat, or when he’s animated and frantic. Review by Shomini Sen on News18 Rating: Despite a compelling star cast, the film majorly suffers because of a slow narrative. Perhaps there is too much emphasis given on setting up each scene or maybe the story takes time to set in – but the thriller slackens majorly in the second half. Perhaps our expectations from the filmmaker is too high or maybe we are now too used to seeing Kashyap’s hard hitting films, but ‘Raman Ragahv 2.0’ is not his finest. It does boast of a good starcast, a solid story line but somehow, Kashyap’s signature style of filmmaking is visible only in parts. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: For director Anurag Kashyap, this film falls into a comfort zone that he thrives on with devilish delight. While it strays away from stomach-churning gore, aside from a furtive glimpse of a corpse’s rotten foot, for instance, the unseen is enough to ignite one’s imagination. Indian slasher films (the few that have managed to be produced) have been typical fare: solely focusing on the act and the investigation that leads to the capture of the offender. But Raman Raghav 2.0 offers access to the dark mental alleys of its troubled hero, so much so that his parallel world and sick mind achieve a twisted logic. This one’s certainly not a date film. But hey, a jolty squeeze on the upper arm can do much for your love life . Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: If it were not for Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s spine-chilling performance, Raman Raghav 2.0 wouldn’t have had much of an impact. The story by itself barely has any material beyond its one-line plot. The big reveal would either be predicted by seasoned movie-goers or will seem too contrived when it comes about for those who didn’t guess it before hand. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dear Dad – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Jai Gangaajal – 2.3 stars Fitoor – 2.3 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Udta Punjab’ Review – 3.5 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Udta Punjab Review by Indicine Rating: Abhishek Chaubey has masterfully addressed the menace of drugs in Punjab with a sense of realism and urgency that has never been achieved in a mainstream form. His victory lies in the fact that he manages to show us a world which we are not used to seeing, but keeps it entertaining throughout. That’s how a good director takes a good story in the written form to a good movie in the cinematic form. The screenplay does get a big prosaic in the second half, but by then all is forgiven as Abhishek has already managed to win us over by then. Another one of Udta Punjab’s victories is how the story seems rooted to the ground because it is so well brought together by all the departments. The production design and the costume design get full marks for their consistency and effort. The editing is quite fast, moves along really well and makes the film a brisk ride. The music by Amit Trivedi suits the nature of the film. The title song, Ik Kudi, Da Da Dasse all take the film to the next juncture without making the songs seem unnecessary. Udta Punjab Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: First things first – UDTA PUNJAB is a dark and serious film. Also the film’s screenplay (Sudip Sharma, Abhishek Chaubey) jumps through multiple stories at the same time making it complicated. Abhishek Chaubey, who gave a glimpse of his supreme directorial abilities with his previous films like ISHQIYA and DEDH ISHQIYA faces a challenge to narrate the dark story of UDTA PUNJAB and does manage to do so. As the film progresses however, it does seem to slip in parts, especially in the second half. In an attempt to narrate multiple parallel stories, Abhishek Chaubey struggles to keep it engaging in the latter half of the film. As for the performances, it is the biggest of USP of UDTA PUNJAB. One has to give it to the actors to take up such challenging parts which are completely out of their comfort zone. Shahid Kapoor and his never-before-attempted ‘rockstar’ look had created a huge buzz, curiosity and excitement amongst his fans. He manages to pull off his role well while bringing in much needed humour in this otherwise serious film. He is strongly supported by the talented Satish Kaushik in the film. Alia Bhatt, on the other hand, goes totally de-glam for her role. She for sure has tried her best to portray a Bihari character in the film and does complete justice to her part. Kareena Kapoor Khan is good in her part. UDTA PUNJAB also sees the presence of Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh, who makes an impressive debut in Bollywood. If UDTA PUNJAB is a mere glimpse of what he is capable of, then Diljit is definitely a name to watch out for in Bollywood. Rest of the actors help the film move forward. Udta Punjab Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: While the first half is nearly spot on, the second half meanders here and there thanks to a few forced romantic subplots. There is a lot of lagging in these portions, and whenever the film switches from Shahid – Alia’s track to Diljit – Kareena’s, the result is very clunky to watch. This makes us feel that if these tracks have been made into separate films it would have worked better. Tommy Singh’s reasons for redemption and later his intent to save Alia’s character may look reasonable but is not very convincing. Unlike Chaubey’s more brilliant but very under-rated Dedh Ishqiya, the director is not able to balance the black comedy of the writing to the dark themes in the film this time. This is especially obvious in the climax, which is the weakest sequence in the film. Kareena’s character doesn’t have a definitive arc unlike the other three protagonists, though she does provide the catalyst to the finale. Udta Punjab Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: Credit is due to Chaubey for taking a grim subject and making it interesting. There are a few dull moments in the second half, but the climax packs a punch. The way the worlds of a cop, a heroin addict, a rock star and a doctor intersect is cleverly shown. Be sure to give Udta Punjab a shot. Udta Punjab Review by Lokesh Dharmani on Masala Rating: The performances of Udta Punjab are equally brilliant. Shahid and Alia anyway play characters with unique quirks. There is a lot to play with and they both do a decent job. It’s funny how dumb Alia jokes went viral where as she is the brightest, the smartest girl amongst the young crop of actors. Her film choices are proof enough of her intelligence. It takes a great deal of courage to pick a role like this and an equal deal of talent to pull it off. There is one particular scene where she reveals her story. I felt her pain. She is brilliant. Kareena Kapoor Khan is efficient except strangely Geet from Jab We Met keeps popping up every now and then in an otherwise consistently good performance. Diljit Dosanjh nails it in his debut. He gives such a balanced performance, feeling just the right amount of romance or grief, never dramatising it, never overdoing it. Udta Punjab Review by Meena Iyer on The Times Of India Rating: Chaubey uses a part-documentary-part-mainstream approach here. Post interval, the film is sometimes too indulgent and sluggish. Also this is not your sunny-side up cinema. It is stark and makes you cringe. However, its victory lies in making you empathise with its characters. As Alia and Shahid, both victims of drug and physical abuse fight their demons and destinies, you shed a silent tear. Shahid has got his act pat but Alia beats everyone hollow. Kareena and Diljit are adept. This review also doffs a hat to the nuanced performances of Satish Kaushik, Prabhjyot Singh and Manav Vij. Udta Punjab Review by Raja Sen on Rediff Rating: The film is trying to open our eyes to the drug menace, but the first half of the film seems confused about where it is pitched — dark comedy or preachy drama — and, as a result, feels a bit long in the tooth. It doesn’t help that the editing appears too abrupt: We cut from scene to scene (from a packet of brown sugar tossed in the air to a cleaver coming down to chop meat for a quirkily named dog) too rapidly, almost as if the filmmakers self-consciously want to rush through these uneven bits. It is in the second half, after the preachiness has made way for plot, that Chaubey’s finesse comes to the fore and the film gleams with originality. The leaps forward are unexpected, the narrative choices brave, and the detailing exquisite. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Moreover, the second half stretches on and on and one wishes the makers could have done some sharp editing to keep the narrative in check. Shahid Kapoor has played the quirky Tommy quite well, but he does tend to get carried away at times. However, one cannot deny that it is indeed entertaining to watch his antics. Kareena doesn’t lend depth to her character, though she is a good actress and had got a meaty role she could have done wonders with. Diljit, who makes his Bollywood debut with this film, impresses with his restrained performance as the cop facing a moral dilemma while Alia Bhatt, who has always played the modern urban girl, simply wows you with her role as the Bihari migrant and comes up with a heart-breaking performance. The supporting actors, like Satish Kaushik and Manav Vij, who plays Sartaj’s elder brother, have done great work in their short roles. Review by Mehul S Thakkar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Abhishek’s arresting narrative that ties Punjab’s drug crisis with its politics, gives enough space to all the characters to grow on you. A very smooth and engaging screenplay by Sudip Sharma ensures there is never a dull moment in a film that runs for around 2 hour 20 minutes. Abhishek flawlessly brings out the best in his leading cast by pulling them out of their comfort zones. Shahid breaks all barriers in bringing a drug-induced rockstar to life. Kareena delivers a strong and hard hitting performance with such ease. Although this is Diljit’s first Hindi film, his sincere performance will strike a chord. Alia Bhatt comes out in flying colours with her perfect Bihari accent and a performance that will leave you in tears. Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India Rating: Udta Punjab, with all the hype, could’ve been the true crossover film. It falters big time because it leaves you feeling unfulfilled with a tepid screenplay. And that is why none of the things that the director tries to shock you with (expletives, references, crudity et al) create any impact. After the first 30 minutes, the boredom sets in already. When the film’s first half ends, you expect something new coming up. But nothing happens. Like most directors of this specific genre, Chaubey also succumbs to creative indulgences at the cost of the film. The excessive use of Punjabi language will alienate those who don’t speak the language. The biggest disappointment is that the character fail to connect. Tommy Singh ends up being a caricature. Sartaj Singh and Preet remain one-dimensional. And her own performance restricts Alia Bhatt’s Bihari girl act. Despite the grimy appearance and the continuous usage of cusswords, Alia fails to breathe into her character. Even her breakdown scene (as if added for impact) cannot save the awkwardness. That’s what one can say about the entire film actually – it just tries too hard. Review by Shubha Shetty Saha on Mid-Day India Rating: Shahid Kapoor has proved his mettle earlier but it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this his best performance till date. A badass with a good heart, Shahid plays this complex character with an admirable ease. From someone who foolishly thinks he conquers the world to a frightful realisation of the truth, he goes through a transformation with an absolute conviction. Diljit’s charm is used to the fullest here, and he does a good job. Even though Kareena Kapoor Khan doesn’t get as much screen space as one would have liked, she leaves her stamp with her honest and natural performance. Walking out of the theatre, one is grateful that the filmmakers fought for this film. This had to be served undistilled, and untouched by people who don’t see or choose not to see the gravity of the situation. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Strangely, UDTA PUNJAB offered better opportunity in its premise to motivate the director spread its reach as drugs is a big problem but Abhishek fails to capitalize on it. The self indulgence of black humour and influence of Anurag Kashyap in adding radical quotient is clearly visible. The romanticisms between Shahid and Alia is completely unconvincing and the black humour inspired ending fails to add the required jolt. The makers try to cover it with a feel good softness just before the end credits but that’s not enough. Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: What begins as a satirical retort to Punjab’s social situation slowly turns into a thriller. Tommy and his gang’s antics amuse and ease us into this darker zone. He can’t control his actions. In fact, he is long past that now. He is only a mocking  representation of our transformed musical sensibilities. You hesitate to laugh when he blames his fans for taking his verbal diarrhea as creativity. Every bit of a cynical singing sensation, Shahid Kapoor is a treat to watch. Alia Bhatt, the show stealer, carries no baggage and delivers the performance of a life time. From accent to body language, she has got almost all of it right. Diljit Dosanjh is nuanced and likeable and carries his questionable morality with ease. Satish Kaushik deserves a special mention here. As Tommy’s manager, he knows how to ace the game. Witty and humorous, Udta Punjab works mostly because of its tone and stand against drugs, though the second half is no match for the first. Sometimes though, it appears like an opportunity lost as the narrative keeps dragging in search of closure. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: A bit of laxness comes from Shahid’s Tommy, who looks just perfect for his part — the strutting and the thrusting on stage, the tangled hair, the constant flashing of the V sign, the self-absorption are done just right. It’s what goes on inside of him that we don’t really see enough of, and what there is, is more tell than show — he should have been written better. He does have a few terrific scenes, though, and proves that he has a great line in swearing. But the two actors who make this thing sing are Diljit and Alia. The former, a huge star in Punjab making his Bollywood debut here, is very good. He adds enormously to the authenticity and heft of the film. The latter falters a little with her Bihari accent, but the way she channels the pain and the incredible strength of a young woman stuck in a terrible place, is searing. She soars. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: At two-and-a-half hours, Udta Punjab is an overlong film, but almost every scene, jointly written by Sudip Sharma and director Abhishek Chaubey, demands attention and propels the story forward. The dialogues, mostly in Punjabi (written by Sudip Sharma), are earthy and rooted in the soil, which augments the authenticity of the story and the characters that people it. Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today Rating: Kudos to the bravehearts at Phantom and Balaji who have made Udta Punjab possible. Udta Punjab is both an entertaining film (though one would be reluctant to admit that he/she was entertained by the relentless tragedy on screen) and an effective one. If starting a popular and public discourse about the Punjab drug menace was the objective of director Abhishek Chaubey and writer Sudip Sharma (whose crackling, detail-heavy screenplay brings to mind Stephen Gaghan’s Syriana script which explored the America and Middle east’s geopolitics surrounding oil), then they have been very, very successful. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: The film is also elevated by its terrific performances, especially from Alia Bhatt, who pours desperation, innocence and ultimately strength into her character. She blows you away with her acting. The surprise package is Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh, who has undeniable presence, and a sincerity that makes you root for his character. In addition, he brings an authenticity to the film. The tentative chemistry he shares with Kareena Kapoor is particularly charming, and it’s a sheer joy to watch the actress sink her teeth into a role that does justice to her talent. It’s not a showy part, but Kareena brings Preet to life with her easy, natural performance. Shahid Kapoor, meanwhile, although perfectly cast as the self-absorbed, swaggering rockstar, plays the part a little too on-the-nose. He plays Tommy for laughs mostly, and nails those bits. But you wish he’d give us a deeper sense of the emptiness gnawing away at his insides. Nevertheless, Tommy and his entourage, including a terrific Satish Kaushik as his manager-uncle, keep the absurd humor coming. A scene in which his hangers-on forget to bring him his Diet Coke is laugh-out-loud hilarious. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Conversely, for all its aspirations towards hip-dom, the film takes a preachy stance in repeatedly conveying the debilitating life of addicts. It adopts a Films Division documentary approach in a tedious sequence that explains the supply chain operation of various drugs. A scene in the film epitomises the experience of watching it: in attempting to escape, Alia Bhatt’s character pulls a blanket over her assailant’s face and in a continuous thumping motion stabs him in his face. Yes, we have watched Trainspotting, but can’t spot the sense in enduring this derivative trainwreck. Review by Sonia Chopra on Sify Rating: Since the film essentially showcases how subtly and effectively drugs destruct people and families, you wonder what was making the CBFC so antsy and uncomfortable. I’ve yet to see a better film about the topic. Yes, it’s gritty, but it is the other leave-your -brains-at-home “family entertainers” that one should be more careful of. This is a film to be encouraged, not silenced. Not only do I recommend Udta Punjab as mandatory viewing, I also urge that the film be made tax-free. Very few films touch a cord such that they can actually make a difference. The question is, do we want a difference? Udta Punjab Review by Indiaglitz Rating: ‘Udta Punjab’ is much above all the controversies and hypes. It’s a must watch for all those who love hard-hitting realistic type of films. The length might end up being a party popper along with the over usage of Punjabi language, but besides that there is a lot more to see and cherish in this film. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The violence in the words may not be what the big city coffee shop crowd tweets about, but then the big city coffee shop crowds are also dealing with uber urban recreational drugs. The story is the same. The vituperative language is so natural, you know the expletives belong there. They have not been added to make silly women giggle and go, ‘Haw!’ The movie is so claustrophobic at times, you begin to look at the Goa billboard with the same need for release. The events that hasten the end even I couldn’t have predicted. And when the credits roll, you begin to breathe. Review by Subhash K Jha on Bollyspice Rating: Udta Punjab is replete with encounters where strangers meet and strike up a rapport that changes their lives. Understandably this is a film that changes the audiences’ life too. No sensitive rational viewer can come away from this experience without in some way feeling transformed. Feral Frenetic, riveting, hypnotic, hallucinogenic and altogether incredible we’ve never seen anything quite like Udta Punjab before. Review by Dhriti Sharma on Zeenews Rating: ‘Udta Punjab’ lay bare the peril so monstrous, for all to ponder upon and open their half shut eyes and kick drugs’ butt. Lead performances will give you goosebumps and keep you wanting for more, only to complement further, supporting actor Satish Kaushik has yet again proved his talent through his on-screen character. ‘Udta Punjab’ is not hypothetical, fiction or a far sighted imagination, it is the root of our society that is flaring up and blazing into flames to kill itself and the surroundings with large diameters. Instead of being the pigeon with shut eyes thinking the cat won’t eat him, time calls for a roaring unison to recognise and burn down to earth, the ‘rotten future’ gifted by drugs.   Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dear Dad – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Traffic – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Jai Gangaajal – 2.3 stars Fitoor – 2.3 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars