Author: Praveen Nagda
Daadi Ki Shaadi is a film made with a lot of love, and that feeling stays with you as the credits roll on this beautiful family entertainer. After a long gap, Bollywood has delivered a clean, heartwarming comedy that not only makes you laugh but also leaves you thinking about family relationships. Daadi Ki Shaadi arrives like a warm hug at a time when larger-than-life action films and dark thrillers are dominating theatres. Written and directed by Ashish R. Mohan, the film is simple, emotional, entertaining, and strongly rooted in family values. It blends humour, emotions, and drama in a…
TOP OF THE MONTH: Making a biopic is an art, and the film Michael demonstrates this effectively. Written by John Logan and directed by Antoine Fuqua, it brings to life the early years of pop icon Michael Jackson. The story spans the 1960s to the 1980s, depicting his family life, upbringing, talent, and rise in music. It also captures the emotional struggles within the family, his bond with his parents, his ambitions, and his deep sense of compassion. Jaafar Jackson plays the adult Michael, while Juliano Valdi portrays him as a child. Valdi is charming as young Michael, portraying his…
The scale of Dhurandhar’s success points to something more than a well-packaged thriller landing at the right time. It signals a shift in how Indian audiences are thinking, reacting, and locating themselves within the idea of the nation. The film works because it aligns with changes that are already underway in society: changes in temperament, in expectations from the state and in how identity is being expressed in public spaces. One of the clearest shifts is a growing impatience with uncertainty. For years, many of India’s most visible conflicts have stretched on without resolution. Legal processes move slowly, diplomacy is…
Imagine making a cocktail by mixing the wrong ingredients; it would result in a confusing and unpleasant experience—and that’s exactly how Bhooth Bangla feels. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film attempts to blend horror and comedy but struggles to get the balance right. With a highly predictable storyline, it becomes rather messy, and the horror element only truly emerges in the second half, making the film feel like two mismatched halves stitched together. Bhooth Bangla boasts a strong cast, including Akshay Kumar, Rajpal Yadav, Paresh Rawal, and the late Asrani, all known for their excellent comic timing. However, their talent does…
Directed by Shaneil Deo, Dacoit: A Love Story (also known as Dacoit: Ek Prem Katha) is a powerful story of love, betrayal, and sacrifice. It is not just an action or romantic thriller, but a blend of both genres. In the first half, the film struggles to maintain the audience’s full engagement, but the second half becomes gripping and effectively holds their attention. With a strong cast featuring Adivi Sesh, Mrunal Thakur, Anurag Kashyap, and Prakash Raj, the film takes viewers on a journey filled with emotions, action, and suspense. As the story unfolds step by step, it keeps you…
Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge, directed by Aditya Dhar, is a high-octane Bollywood spy thriller that arguably features one of Ranveer Singh’s most compelling performances to date. As Jaskirat Singh, a man torn between duty and family, Ranveer commands the screen with remarkable control and effortlessly shifts between the subdued vulnerability of Jaskirat and the ruthless intensity of his alter ego, Hamza. Serving as the concluding chapter of the Dhurandhar series, the film delivers on scale and ambition. It layers action with political undertones, building effectively on the foundation laid by its predecessor. At the centre of the narrative is Jaskirat…
TOP OF THE MONTH The Bluff: Priyanka Chopra’s Blood-Soaked Rebellion The Bluff delivers a classic Schwarzenegger-style moment through Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Ercell Bodden, alias “Bloody Mary”, in a 19th-century pirate setting. Drenched in blood, her stark white dress becomes an arresting visual emblem that defines the film’s ferocious tone. Streaming globally on Amazon Prime Video, the film opens with a scorching sequence that showcases Ercell’s grit as she eliminates intruders threatening her quiet life on Cayman Brac Island. The film’s brutal register is reinforced by tightly choreographed action set pieces, in which she handles pistols, machetes and gunpowder bombs…
When a child’s mischief, curiosity, and innocent stubbornness combine with a surprisingly thoughtful mind, something unique takes shape, and it is that spirit which defines Boong. Directed by Lakshmipriya Devi, the BAFTA Award-winning children’s and family film offers a tender glimpse into life through the eyes of a young boy. Rather than relying on dramatic storytelling, the film unfolds gently, opening with an act of mischief in which the protagonist, Brojendra Singh (Gugun Kipgen), breaks the main gate of his Manipuri school, distorting the school’s nameboard. Gradually, the film continues to meander, drawing the audience into the quiet rhythms of…
Marty Supreme may be saturated with table tennis, but calling it a sports film would be stretching the definition faster than a warm-up rally. Basically, this is a study of ruthless ambition. The film tracks how ambition is born, how it swells, and how, with impressive efficiency, it corrodes everything it touches. Marty, played by Timothée Chalamet, is a man utterly convinced he knows what greatness looks like and precisely how to reach it, collateral damage notwithstanding. The narrative patiently dismantles his obsessive, passionate and deeply transactional pursuit of success, moving point by point through the anatomy of obsession. Marty…
A red frame with white text appears every 20 minutes during the film ASSI. It reminds viewers that in India, a rape is reported every 20 minutes, amounting to nearly 30,000 cases a year. This is underscored by the victim in the film, who points out that this number is large enough to fill an entire stadium. Spoken through the voice of the victim, this fact sets the tone for what follows. ASSI is based on the lives of rape survivors and captures their trauma, their struggle to rebuild their lives, the stigma they face, the pain their families go…
