Star Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor

Director: Amar Kaushik

Stree 2 Movie Review Synopsis:
STREE 2 is the story of a dangerous monster. Few years after the events of the first part, the peaceful life in Chanderi is disrupted as certain girls start disappearing. Vicky (Rajkummar Rao) is still waiting for his love interest (Shraddha Kapoor) to return. His friends Bittu (Abhishek Banerjee) and Rudra (Pankaj Tripathi) advise him to move on but he refuses to listen. Bittu is in love with a girl named Chitti (Anya Singh) and one day, she disappears mysteriously. A drug addict, who witnesses her abduction, says that a headless man (Sarkata) took away Chitti. Meanwhile, Vicky’s love interest returns all of a sudden and she tells Vicky about Sarkata and his evil plan. She asks his help to defeat the monster. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Stree 2 Movie Story Review:
Niren Bhatt’s story is terrific and takes the story of STREE nicely forward. Niren Bhatt’s screenplay is full of entertainment and gives audience their money’s worth. Niren Bhatt’s dialogues are one of the USPs of the film and would bring the house down.

Amar Kaushik’s direction is supreme and its clear that his storytelling is evolved. The way he has infused humour while also scaring the audience is seen to be believed. The scene before the interval and the one in the mental hospital stand out. At the same time, he also takes the horror comedy universe forward and also connects STREE’s world with that of BHEDIYA [2022].

On the flipside, a few questions from part 1 still remain unanswered. Secondly, having two end credit songs gets too much.

Stree 2 | Official Trailer | Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi | Amar Kaushik

Stree 2 Movie Review Performances:
Rajkummar Rao is entertaining as ‘Chanderi Ka Rakshak’. His comic timing is spot on. Shraddha Kapoor has limited screen time but she makes up for it with her performance and screen presence. Pankaj Tripathi is the soul of the film and the way he effortlessly raises laughs is praiseworthy. Aparshakti Khurana is too good in the first half but is hardly there later on. Abhishek Banerjee (Jaana) rocks the show. Tamannaah Bhatia (Shama) is sizzling. Anya Singh leaves a mark while Mushtaq Khan is wasted. Akshay Kumar and Varun Dhawan’s cameos are outstanding.

Stree 2 music and other technical aspects:
Sachin-Jigar’s music is of chartbuster variety. ‘Aaj Ki Raat’ is already a hit and comes at a crucial juncture. ‘Tumhare Hi Rahenge Hum’ is lovely. ‘Aayi Nahin’ and ‘Khoobsurat’ are great. Justin Varghese’s background score is apt for the genre.

Jishnu Bhattacharjee’s cinematography is neat. Mayur Sharma’s production design is impressive. Sheetal Iqbal Sharma’s costumes are earthy yet glamourous. The saree worn by Shraddha Kapoor in ‘Khoobsurat’ is appealing. Darrell McLean and Amrit Singh’s action packs a punch. Digital Domain’s VFX matches global standards. Hemanti Sarkar’s editing is slick.

Stree 2 Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, STREE 2 marks the birth of a successful Bollywood franchise and is laced with humour and horror in ample doses. At the box office, it has taken a flying start and will comfortably enter the Rs. 300 cr club keeping the producers and exhibitors happy. Strongly Recommended!

Star Cast: John Abraham, Sharvari

Director: Nikkhil Advani 

Vedaa Movie Review Synopsis:
VEDAA is the story of a lower caste woman forming a bond with a rough and tough man. Vedaa (Sharvari) resides in Barmer, Rajasthan with her father (Rajendra Chawla), sister Gehna (Tanvi Malhara), and brother Vinod (Anurag Thakur). She belongs to a lower caste and has accepted the discrimination in the society. She is studying law and wants to learn boxing, hoping it will make her life better. Jitendar Pratap Singh (Abhishek Banerjee) resides in the same village and is the unofficial chief of 150 villages. His brother Suyog (Kshitij Chauhan) organizes a boxing club at Vedaa’s college. Abhimanyu Kanwar (John Abraham) joins as the assistant sports coach. He was in the army and was court-martialled after he beheaded a terrorist as revenge for killing his wife Rashi (Tamannaah Bhatia). Vedaa is not allowed to enroll in boxing classes due to her caste and gender. Abhimanyu sees a spark in her and trains her secretly. Meanwhile, Vinod is in love with a girl from an upper caste. Suyog catches them red-handed and a kangaroo court, presided by Jitendar, punishes Vinod. Yet, Vinod and the girl elope and get married. Jitendar kills them and is about to harm Vedaa and Gehna as well. The sisters run away but Gehna gets caught and is killed. Vedaa manages to escape and seeks Abhimanyu’s help. Abhimanyu decides to go all out to save Vedaa’s life. What happens next forms the rest of the film. 

Vedaa Movie Story Review:
Aseem Arrora’s story is ordinary. Aseem Arrora’s screenplay is peppered with massy moments. However, the writing has its share of blemishes. Aseem Arrora’s dialogues are sharp. Nikkhil Advani’s direction is fair. He deserves kudos for showing the caste atrocities, a rare aspect in Hindi cinema. A few scenes are disturbing but they help as viewers feel the pain of the lower caste population and how they face discrimination on so many fronts. Technically as well, he has impressed. The scene where Vedaa is attacked on the highway in the first half is taken from a distance and it adds to the impact. The massy scenes of Abhimanyu and Vedaa teaching baddies a lesson would be loved by the masses.

On the flipside, the film is predictable and there’s no twist or unexpected development in the narrative. After a point, too many cinematic liberties are seen in the film. For instance, it’s bewildering how Abhimanyu managed to escape from the temple without changing his appearance. The finale is too far-fetched. To see goons attacking a high court and cops don’t come to the rescue is just too much. In fact, the climax is the weakest part of the film. 

Vedaa | Official Trailer – Hindi | In Cinemas 15th Aug | John Abraham | Sharvari

Vedaa Movie Review Performances:
John Abraham has minimal dialogues and speaks through his eyes and fights. Performance wise, he manages to do a good job though he could have done better. Sharvari rocks the show and proves yet again why she’s a promising talent. She also gets to essay a well-fleshed performance. She is not helpless; she is a fighter and this would be appreciated by the audience. Abhishek Banerjee delivers a power-packed performance and also uses his voice to add to the villainous act. Kshitij Chauhan leaves a huge mark. Ashish Vidyarthi (Jitendar’s kaka) is decent and raises laughs. Paritosh Sand (Uttamlal; Abhimanyu’s father-in-law) and Kumud Mishra (Vedaa’s mausa) perform ably in small roles. Rajendra Chawla, Tanvi Malhara, Anurag Thakur, Danish Husain (Sunil Mahajan) and Kapil Nirmal (Inspector Purohit) are fine. Tamannaah Bhatia is dependable. Mouni Roy is sizzling in a cameo. 

Vedaa music and other technical aspects:
The songs are poor. ‘Mummy Ji’ is memorable only for its picturization. The same goes for’ Holyaan’. ‘Zaroorat Se Zyaada’ and ‘Dhaage’ fail to entice. Kartik Shah’s background score is praiseworthy, especially the theme played when Abhimanyu is training Vedaa.

Malay Prakash’s cinematography is stylish and adds to the cinematic appeal. Priya Suhass’ production design and Ayesha Dasgupta’s costumes are straight out of life. Amin Khatib’s action is a bit gory and a few scenes would elicit claps and whistles. Maahir Zaveri’s editing is functional and the second half could have been trimmed by 5-10 minutes. 

Vedaa Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, VEDAA is a predictable fare with a weak climax and an unremarkable second half.  At the box office, it will struggle to make any impact.

Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Fardeen Khan, Vaani Kapoor, Ammy Virk, Aditya Seal, Pragya Jaiswal

Director: Mudassar Aziz

Khel Khel Mein Movie Review Synopsis:
Khel Khel Mein is the story of a night of madness. Rishabh Malik (Akshay Kumar) is a plastic surgeon and his second marriage with Vartika (Vaani Kapoor) is on the rocks. However, both have decided to give each other three months before coming to any decision. Vartika’s sister Radhika (Diljot Kaur Chhabra) is getting married and Rishabh and Vartika head to the hotel where the wedding is taking place. They are joined by their friends Harpreet (Ammy Virk), his wife who’s also named Harpreet (Taapsee Pannu), Samar (Aditya Seal) and his wife Naina (Pragya Jaiswal). Kabir (Fardeen Khan) was going to join them with his girlfriend Akshita. But he comes solo and doesn’t give any reason why his partner couldn’t make it. At night, these seven friends come together and discuss infidelity. Vartika suggests playing a fun game – everyone should unlock their mobile phones and put them on the table. Whoever gets any message or email should be read aloud in front of everyone. And if there’s a phone call, it should be answered in speaker mode. The women agree readily while the men also agree, albeit reluctantly. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Khel Khel Mein Movie Story Review:
Khel Khel Mein is the official remake of the Italian film PERFETTI SCONOSCIUTI [original script and directed by Paolo Genovese]. Mudassar Aziz’s story has all the trappings of a crazy entertainer. Mudassar Aziz and Sara Bodinar’s screenplay is highly entertaining and keeps viewers engaged. However, it has a few rough edges. Mudassar Aziz’s dialogues are one of the best parts of the film.

Mudassar Aziz’s direction is superb. He ensures that the characters are well-fleshed out. During their introduction, he makes it clear that they all have some secrets and this sets the stage for the madness that unfolds later on. A few scenes stand out like Harpreet getting a call from her friend, a character changing his phone with the other, the intermission point etc. The second half also has its share of dramatic scenes.

On the flipside, a few scenes are convenient. It is also difficult to digest that everyone has such deep dark secrets. Secondly, the track of the accident is not well utilized. One doesn’t understand what exactly happened and how the accused walked away scot-free. The director should have spent some time explaining these aspects. In fact, except for the seven main characters, the rest of the characters suffer a raw deal. Maybe, the intention was to keep the focus on the protagonists. But a few minutes of giving importance to the rest of the characters would have added to the impact. Lastly, this is an urban film and has certain themes and tracks that won’t be appealing to the mass audience. The fact that its set in one hotel suite also restricts its cinematic appeal.

Khel Khel Mein (Official Trailer): Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor, Ammy Virk, Taapsee Pannu, Fardeen Khan, Aditya Aditya Seal, Pragya Jaiswal

Khel Khel Mein Movie Review Performances:
The film rests on solid performances from all the actors. Akshay Kumar is in top form and it’s a pleasure to see him in a comedy after a long time. His comic timing is outstanding but watch out for him when he gets a call from his daughter in the second half. Taapsee Pannu doesn’t get much to do initially but later on, she shines. Fardeen Khan underplays his part and is lovely, especially in the second half. Ammy Virk is dependable. Aditya Seal is apt for the part. Pragya Jaiswal is very impressive in her Bollywood debut. Chitrangda Singh (Kadambari) looks stunning and gives a lovely performance. Malti (Ishitta Arun) leaves a mark. Diljot Kaur Chhabra, Kiran Kumar (Vartika’s father), Alka Badola Kaushal (Vartika’s mother), Gaurav Manwane (Varun) and Maahi Raj Jain (Anaya; Rishabh’s mother) are okay.

Khel Khel Mein music and other technical aspects:
The music is okay with ‘Hauli Hauli’ standing out for its tune and picturization. ‘Duur Na Karin’, ‘Kooch’, ‘Baari Barsi’ and ‘Do U Know’ are not memorable. John Stewart Eduri’s background score is impactful, especially the use of the recreated version of the song ‘Parde Mein Rehne Do’. Manoj Kumar Khatoi’s cinematography is fine and the lensman tries his best to give the film a cinematic look and also capture the madness. Rupin Suchak’s production design is neat while Sanam Ratansi’s costumes are very appealing. Ninad Khanolkar’s editing is slick.

Khel Khel Mein Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, KHEL KHEL MEIN rests on a novel plot that not only entertains but also boasts of excellent performances by the lead cast, with Akshay Kumar taking the cake. At the box office, it will appeal only to the multiplex-going audience while strong competition from Stree 2 will impact its box office prospects to a great extent.

Star Cast: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson

Director: Fede Alvarez 

Alien: Romulus Movie Review Synopsis:
ALIEN: ROMULUS is the story of young space colonists fighting a dangerous creature. In the colony named Jackson’s Star, Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny), an orphan works as a farmer with her adoptive brother Andy (David Jonsson), who’s a synthetic human. She’s hoping to get free of her contract from the megacorporation Weyland-Yutani Corp so that she can migrate to her home planet Yvaga. Sadly, the contract forcibly renews her contract for 5 more years. A dejected Rain is approached by her ex-boyfriend Tyler (Archie Renaux). He along with his sister Kay (Isabela Merced), cousin Bjorn (Spike Fearn) and Bjorn’s girlfriend Navarro (Aileen Wu) plan to escape to Yvaga using a spacecraft hovering above the colony and believed to be abandoned or decommissioned. Rain and Andy join them as the latter is required for his ability to interface with the on-board computer system, a crucial step for the success of their mission. Rain, Andy and the rest of the people manage to reach the spacecraft. Sadly, things go wrong for them and they come face-to-face with dangerous aliens. What happens next forms the rest of the film. 

Alien: Romulus Movie Story Review:
Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues’ story is imaginative as it is set after the events of the first part and throws light on what happened on the ill-fated spacecraft. Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues’ screenplay is gripping and does scare the viewers, more so with its gore. The dialogues are conversational and some of them give an homage to the previous parts.

Fede Alvarez’s direction is decent. The execution is a bit old school and hence, it feels like it is made at the same time as the first two parts. This is evident in storytelling, background score, etc, and even the futuristic technology shown in the film (which interestingly looks vintage by today’s standards, giving it a nice touch). A few scenes keep viewers on the edge of their seats like the zombie-style attack by the aliens, characters compelled to go through a room full of aliens in silence, etc. The change in personality of Andy and the revival of Rook add to the drama. The finale is also quite tense.

On the flipside, the biggest issue with the film is that its makers assume that moviegoers have seen ALIEN [1979] and would understand the goings on. However, it came 45 years ago and a majority of people, especially youngsters, don’t have an idea of the series. As a result, they’ll get confused with certain plot points and they might even lose interest. And if viewers have seen the first part, they might find the scenes repetitive. Secondly, there are a few cinematic liberties, especially the way in which the protagonists are able to fight the aliens with ease in certain scenes. Lastly, the ‘A’ rating might restrict its audience. 

Alien: Romulus Movie Review Performances:
Cailee Spaeny has the maximum screen time and she puts her best foot forward. David Jonsson gets to play the most interesting character and he shines. Archie Renaux lends able support. Isabela Merced is okay in a small role. Aileen Wu and Spike Fearn are fair. 

Alien: Romulus music and other technical aspects:
Benjamin Wallfisch’s music is exhilarating. Galo Olivares’s cinematography will leave viewers spellbound. The VFX is in sync with the ALIEN films and at the same time, also has a modern touch and matches global standards. The action is disturbing. Carlos Rosario’s costumes are appropriate while Naaman Marshall’s production design is grand. Jake Roberts’ editing is good but it’s slow in the first 25-30 minutes when nothing much happens. 

Alien: Romulus Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, ALIEN: ROMULUS gives an edge-of-the-seat experience to the viewers. However, it has a strong connection to the first film of the series, which might not be seen by youngsters as it was released 45 years ago. This and competition from STREE 2 might affect its collections.

ALIEN: ROMULUS gives an edge-of-the-seat experience. But it’s strong connection to the first film might affect its collections.

Star Cast: Fardeen Khan, Riteish Deshmukh, Krystle Dsouza, Priya Bapat

Director: Kookie Gulati

Visfot Movie Review Synopsis:
VISFOT is the story of two men in a dangerous situation. Shoaib (Fardeen Khan), a Dongri resident, shifts to Australia for a work opportunity. His mother Roshan Khan (Sheeba Chadha) falls ill and hence, he returns. He’s in love with Lucky (Krystle Dsouza), who works in a café. To run the house, Shoaib works as a driver for an app-based taxi company. One day, he meets his childhood friend Manya (Nachiket Purnapatre) in the former’s cab. He’s a drug peddler and realizing that the cops are behind, he leaves behind a jacket, containing drugs worth Rs. 20 lakhs, and escapes. He later calls Shoaib and asks him to keep the jacket safe and that he’ll take it from him the next day. Shoaib goes home and hangs the jacket. He then goes out to meet Lucky. While he’s away, an electrical appliance in his house catches fire. As soon as Shoaib is informed about it, he rushes home. Thankfully, there’s no damage and even his mother is safe. But the jacket goes missing. Manya arrives at his place to get the jacket. Shoaib informs him of what happened in his absence. Manya, who is high on drugs, threatens to kill Shoaib, his mother and Lucky if he doesn’t find the jacket in a few hours. Shoaib goes to meet Lucky in her café to inform her about this incident. Lucky’s boss, Cyrus (Saransh Taneja), angrily tells Shoaib to get out. A stressed Shaoib assaults him and asks Lucky to leave with him, fearing that Manya might hurt her. Shoaib exits the café with Lucky and leaves for his residence in his car. Suddenly, he realizes that a boy named Parth aka Paddy (Prithviraj Sarnaik) has also entered the car with Lucky. Paddy is the son of pilot Aakash Shelar (Riteish Deshmukh) and Tara (Priya Bapat). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Visfot Movie Story Review:
VISFOT is an official remake of the 2012 Venezuelan film PIEDRA PAPEL O TIJERA [written by Irina Dendiouk and Hernán Jabes; directed by Hernán Jabes]. The story is intriguing and shows two worlds colliding, resulting in chaos. Hussain Dalal and Abbas Dalal’s screenplay is gripping but has too many loopholes in the first half. Hussain Dalal and Abbas Dalal’s dialogues are a bit crude, but they are in sync with the characters’ personalities.

Kookie Gulati’s direction is uncomplicated. Despite two tracks and back and forth narrative, the film never gets complicated. The film moves at a nice pace and keeps one gripped. One expects Shoaib to be in a deep mess. But once Aakash’s track begins, you realize he, too, is in big trouble and the madness levels go some notches higher once they come into contact with each other. The track of Acid Tai (Seema Biswas) is menacing and gives a great touch to the proceedings overall.

On the flipside, the writing is unconvincing, and no attempt is made to cover it up. It’s bewildering that Aakash took his son to the cafe when he should have ideally dropped him off at school and then continued with his sleuthing. Taking him to the cafe and then leaving from there doesn’t make much sense. Similarly, after the jacket disappeared, Shoaib should have ideally checked with people in the neighbourhood if anyone entered his house and took away any item. Instead of doing this most obvious thing, he heads to Lucky’s cafe. All this perhaps was done to set the film for the second half but it could have been done in a better way. Moreover, the film drags a bit in the second half and the ending is slightly unimaginative.

Visfot | Official Trailer | Streaming 6 September | JioCinema Premium

Visfot Movie Review Performances:
Fardeen Khan is a bit raw in some scenes but overall, he manages to put up a fine act. He doesn’t get to do much heroic stuff but whatever we do get to see, it is clear that he deserves to do massier roles. Riteish Deshmukh, meanwhile, plays a character that he has never essayed before. He is known for his comic timing and here, there’s no room for comedy. Yet, he rocks the show. Krystle Dsouza looks appealing and has a great screen presence. Priya Bapat leaves a huge mark and performs ably. Sheeba Chadha is adorable and plays a difficult part with remarkable ease. Nachiket Purnapatre is the surprise of the film and the way he slips into his character is seen to be believed. Seema Biswas is terrifying. Prithviraj Sarnaik and Arhaan Khan (Mehmood) are okay. Satyajeet Kadam (Waghmare) and Inspector J K Fernandes (Purnendu Bhattacharya) are decent, and their track is far-fetched. Arjun Aneja (Javed Khan) is fair.

Visfot music and other technical aspects:
Amjad Nadeem Aamir’s music is okay. The sole song in the film – ‘Kamli Naam Piya Da’ – is foot-tapping but won’t have a shelf life. Amar Mohile’s background score has cinematic appeal.

Shikhar Bhatnagar’s cinematography is stunning and adds to the tension. Javed Karim’s action is entertaining. Sneha Bhandare’s production design is realistic, particularly the scenes shot in Shoaib’s house. Vibhuti Chamria’s costumes are straight out of life, but the one worn by Krystle Dsouza looks a bit out of place, especially for a waiter in a Mumbai café. Manish More’s editing is satisfactory in the first half but gets drags after the intermission.

Visfot Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, VISFOT has its share of engaging and tense moments and some fine performances. However, there are too many loose ends in the first half and hence, the film turns out to be an average entertainer.

Star Cast: Chiyaan Vikram, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Malavika Mohanan

Director: Pa Ranjinth

Thangalaan Movie Review Synopsis:
THANGALAAN is the story of a brave man. The year is 1850. Thangalaan (Chiyaan Vikram) is the chief of the Veppur village and resides with his wife Gangamma (Parvathy Thiruvothu) and four children. Though he is a chief, he has to work as a bonded labourer. After the zamindar’s (Vettai Muthukumar) men set fire to his land, his produce is destroyed. He is unable to pay taxes, and he is forced to give up his land. This is when a British Officer Lord Clement (Daniel Caltagirone) arrives in Veppur. He is seeking gold from a nearby region and asks Veppur villagers for help, as he’s aware of their ancestral expertise in tracing it. Everyone at first refuses as the story goes that the gold mine area is infested with ghosts. Thangalaan’s great-grandfather Kaadaiyan (Chiyaan Vikram) was one such expert too. Thangalaan agrees and a few villagers also join him in the gold finding exercise. Thangalaan, however, is harassed by hallucinations of Aarathi (Malavika Mohanan), a sorceress and protector of the gold land. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Thangalaan Movie Story Review:
Pa Ranjith and Tamil Praba’s story is imaginative and is not run-of-the-mill. Pa Ranjith and Tamil Praba’s screenplay has its share of blemishes but at the same time, it is detailed and gripping and also raises some important issues. Azhagiya Periyavan’s dialogues are sharp. The Hindi dubbed dialogues, however, are not up to the mark.

Pa Ranjith’s direction is first-rate. There’s no doubt that he’s technically sound. In the past, he has used sound, mood, camerawork, etc to deliver a unique cinematic experience and THANGALAAN is no exception. The scene in the pre-climax which switches from night to day and then night again shows his creative finesse. He also gives a commercial treatment to the film but at the same time, doesn’t follow the usual tropes that one sees in mass entertainers. He does it in his own style. While doing so, he speaks about caste atrocities and greed, and this adds a lot to the film.

On the flipside, in many places, the film gets too heavy and even messy. A lot is happening, and the audience might get overwhelmed while absorbing the goings-on. The film is also a bit abstract and secondly, despite commercial elements, it is not a typical mass-appealing film. These two factors would restrict its appeal.

Thangalaan – Trailer (Hindi) | Chiyaan Vikram | K E Gnanavelraja | Pa Ranjith | G V Prakash Kumar

Thangalaan Movie Review Performances:
Chiyaan Vikram looks unrecognizable. His transformation is unbelievable, and his performance is out of the world, to say the least. He has given several memorable performances, and this is surely one of his best acts. Parvathy Thiruvothu gets into the skin of her character and looks every inch a poor villager. She also plays a strong part and does justice to it. Malavika Mohanan has limited screen time but rocks the show. She suits the part to the T. Daniel Caltagirone is impressive. Vettai Muthukumar is hardly there. Hari Krishnan (Varada), Preeti Karan (Arasani), Arjun Anbudan (Asoka) and others lend able support.

Thangalaan music and other technical aspects:
G V Prakash Kumar’s music is not of chartbuster variety and won’t work among the Hindi audience. All songs of the film like ‘Murga Murgi’, ‘Katai Ghana’, ‘Koi To Aae Raah Dikhae’ and the title song fail to entice. G V Prakash Kumar’s background score is way better.

A Kishor Kumar’s cinematography is breathtaking. Stunner Sam’s action is a bit gory but works for a film of this kind. Aegan Ekambaram and Anitha Sundaresan’s costumes are non-glamorous and too real and earthy. S S Murthi’s art direction is well-researched. Hybrid 360’s VFX is first-rate. Selva R K’s editing could have been slicker and more fast-paced.

Thangalaan Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, THANGALAAN works due to its theme, Pa Ranjith’s execution and above all, an award-winning performance by Chiyaan Vikram. However, it’s not a typical mass entertainer. Its Hindi version, hence, will need strong word of mouth from its target audience to become a success at the box office.

Star Cast: Ishwak Singh, Aparshakti Khurana, Rahul Bose

Director: Atul Sabharwal 

Berlin Movie Review Synopsis:
BERLIN is the story of a deaf and mute man’s bond with a sign language expert. The year is 1993. Ashok Kumar (Ishwak Singh) is arrested in Delhi by the ‘Bureau’ for spying on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency. The investigation is headed by Jagdish Sondhi (Rahul Bose) in the Bureau. Ashok is deaf and mute and hence, a sign language expert Pushkin Verma (Aparshakti Khurana) is deployed to the Bureau office. His job is to ask questions to Ashok in sign language and find out who he’s working for. While questioning him, Pushkin forms a bond with Ashok. The mention of ‘Berlin’ crops up during the investigation and it intrigues Pushkin. He soon finds himself caught between a tussle between the ‘Bureau’ and the ‘Wing’ as well as a plot to assassinate the Russian president. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Berlin Movie Story Review:
Atul Sabharwal’s story is original, and the relevance of the title is fascinating. But Atul Sabharwal’s screenplay is very poor, especially in the second half. Atul Sabharwal’s dialogues, however, are sharp.

Atul Sabharwal’s direction is not up to the mark. To give credit where it’s due, he has given it a very Hollywood-style treatment and it reminds one of films like TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY [2011], BRIDGE OF SPIES [2015], etc. The Berlin element is intriguing and so is the world of intelligence agencies fighting with each other. The scenes of Ashok and Pushkin are engaging while the bond between Pushkin and Jagdish adds to the tension.

On the flipside, the film goes downhill in the second half. The scene of Ashok putting up the poster at the bus stop is very far-fetched. If that is not enough, the following scene of him conveniently making duplicate keys, too, takes the aspect of cinematic liberty too far. The finale is confusing and soul-less and after a solid build-up in the first half, viewers would be disappointed with the culmination.

Berlin Movie Review Performances:
The performances save the day. Ishwak Singh doesn’t speak a single dialogue but rocks the show. He gets the nuances right and the way he laughs is amusing. This is easily his most accomplished performance. Aparshakti Khurana, last seen in a hilarious role in STREE 2, is in a diametrically different zone. Yet, his performance is top-notch. Rahul Bose gets overshadowed but manages to give his best shot. Anupriya Goenka has a stunning screen presence and does well. She has a crucial role to play but shockingly, her screen time is not more than 7-8 minutes. One wishes she got more footage, especially when the film revolves around her in a way. Similarly, Kabir Bedi (Jagdish’s boss) and Joy Sengupta (Archana’s father) are wasted. Late Nitesh Pandey (Mehta), Ujjwal Chopra (Kapil Mahajan) and Deepak Qazir Kejriwal (J V Raman) are fair. The actors playing Dhingra, Narain, Satpal, Aaron, Berlin café owner are decent.

Berlin movie music and other technical aspects:
BERLIN is a song-less drama. K’s background score adds to the tension and is in sync with the mood. Shreedutta Namjoshi’s cinematography is neat. Vikram Dahiya’s action and Divvya Gambhir and Nidhhi Gambhir’s costumes are realistic. Sandeep Shelkar and Ashok Lokare’s production design have a vintage as well as classy look. Irene Dhar Malik’s editing could have been slicker.

Berlin Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, BERLIN rests on the terrific performances by Ishwak Singh and Aparshakti Khurana. However, the film disappoints due to the slow narrative and a very poor second half.

Star Cast: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon

Director: Hansal Mehta

The Buckingham Murders Movie Review Synopsis:
THE BUCKINGHAM MURDERS is the story of a cop trying to solve a difficult case. Jaspreet Bhamra (Kareena Kapoor Khan), a cop, is grieving after her son was killed by a delinquent. She shifts from her town in the UK to High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. She knows that she’ll be demoted from DI (Detective Inspector) to DS (Detective Sergeant). Yet, she takes it up as a means to deal with her trauma. Her senior at High Wycombe is DI Hardy aka Hardik Patel (Ash Tandon). On the day she joins, Jaspreet is asked to accompany Hardy on the case of a missing child, Ishpreet Kohli (Sartaaj Kakkar). His father, Daljeet Kohli (Ranveer Brar) and mother Preeti Kohli (Prabhleen Sandhu) inform the cops that their child was adopted. As per the CCTV footage, the child was last seen in the sprawling Totteridge Rye Park. The cops decide to extensively search the site. They finally find him dead in a car. The car belongs to Akram Khan (Farhan Baqi). He informs the cops that he had lent the car to his nephew, Saqib (Kapil Redekar). Saqib is arrested and refuses to cooperate with the police. Meanwhile, Daljeet and Saqib’s father Saleem have a past rivalry, and both confront each other. The matter gets worse, resulting in communal tensions. Jaspreet, meanwhile, feels that the case is not as simple as it’s made out to be. Hardy, however, is not interested in listening to her and admonishes her at every given opportunity. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

The Buckingham Murders Movie Story Review:
Aseem Arrora, Kashyap Kapoor and Raghav Raj Kakker’s story is decent and could have made for a great whodunit. Aseem Arrora, Kashyap Kapoor and Raghav Raj Kakker’s screenplay, however, is not tight and has loose ends. Aseem Arrora, Kashyap Kapoor and Raghav Raj Kakker’s dialogues are normal.

Hansal Mehta’s direction is not up to the mark, and one expects a lot from him since he has proved his worth. To give credit where it’s due, he establishes the setting, the case, the characters and the complexities nicely. The 1 hour 49 minutes long film keeps one engaged. There’s no dull moment while the suspense is also a shocker.

However, the way it unravels makes you feel like you are watching an episode of ‘CID’ or ‘Crime Patrol’. A few things are bewildering. It’s astonishing that Hardy is able to locate a car, but the other officers can’t, though they passionately search the park. There’s another aspect to the dead body being shifted and that’s also not convincing at all. Also, one can understand that there are no CCTV cameras in the park. But the cameras are present outside the park. Yet, the cops never are able to understand who escaped from the park after committing the murder. Lastly, the communal tension angle doesn’t have much to contribute after a point.

The Buckingham Murders | Official Trailer | Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ektaa R Kapoor, Hansal Mehta

The Buckingham Murders Movie Review Performances:
Speaking of performances, Kareena Kapoor Khan delivers a fine performance. She underplays it beautifully though she has a couple of massy scenes. Ranveer Brar shines. Prabhleen Sandhu is quite good, especially in the second half. Ash Tandon is decent and his actions in the second half are questionable. Kapil Redekar leaves a huge mark. Keith Allen (Miller; Jaspreet’s senior) and Adwoa Akoto (DC Sharon Marks) are lovely. Sarah Jane Dias (Indrani) is fair in a cameo; she should have had more to do. The other actors who do well are Sartaaj Kakkar, Darren Kemp (Detective Simon), Rukku Nagar (Harleen; liaison officer), Rahul Sidhu (Naved), Assad Raja (Salim), Ruchika Jain (Muneera; Saqib’s mother), Haider Javed (Syringe) and Manish Gandhi (Prithvi).

The Buckingham Murders music and other technical aspects:
‘Saada Pyaar’ is hardly there and is forgettable. The same goes for ‘Halki Khanak Si’. Ketan Sodha and Night Song Records’ background score is catchy and well-woven into the narrative. Emma Dalesman’s cinematography is great. The DOP focuses on the characters rather than the locales. May Davies’s production design is realistic. Charlie Knight’s costumes are non-glamorous. Amitesh Mukherjee’s editing is sharp.

The Buckingham Murders Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, THE BUCKINGHAM MURDERS is a lacklustre murder mystery. At the box office, it will face a tough time due to limited buzz and a surprise strong competition from the re-release of TUMBBAD.

Star Cast: Vikrant Massey, Deepak Dobriyal

Director: Aditya Nimbalkar

Sector 36 Movie Review Synopsis:
SECTOR 36 is the story of a killer and a cop. The year is 2005. Prem (Vikrant Massey) works as a caretaker at a bungalow in Shahdara, Delhi which belongs to Balbir Singh Bassi (Akash Khurana). Balbir is based in Karnal, Haryana and rarely comes down to Delhi to live in his lavish bungalow. Hence, Prem is all alone and he abducts children from a nearby slum settlement and kills them. The parents of these kids complain to Ram Charan Pandey (Deepak Dobriyal), sub-inspector at Rajiv Camp Police Station. However, he doesn’t take these cases seriously. It’s only when Prem tries to kidnap Ram Charan’s daughter Vaidehi aka Vedu (Ihana Kaur) that he decides to pursue the case. An adult girl, Chumki Ghosh (Tanushree Das) is also missing, and she is last spotted outside Balbir’s bungalow. Ram Charan, thus, sets his eyes on Prem. But arresting him is not going to be a cakewalk. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Sector 36 Movie Story Review:
Bodhayan Roychaudhury’s story is inspired by real events and is quite shocking. Bodhayan Roychaudhury’s screenplay is smartly written and moves at a proper pace. However, there are a few blemishes in the writing. Bodhayan Roychaudhury’s dialogues are realistic, crude and hard-hitting.

Aditya Nimbalkar’s direction is splendid. It’s difficult to believe that as a first timer, he has been able to do such a fine job. The film deals with the killings of children and is not for the faint-hearted. Instead of making it a graphic and grotesque affair, the director briefly gives a glimpse of it. He relies more on dialogues and even silences to convey the disturbing goings-on. Getting the dramatic sequences right is also his strength. Some of the confrontational scenes stand out, be it Ram Charan getting angry at Chumpi’s father Harisadhan (Subir Bisawas) backstage and later at Balbir’s bungalow or Ram Charan admonished by his senior DCP Jawahar Rastogi (Darshan Jariwalla). However, the scene that takes the cake is the investigation of Prem. It’s almost 17 minutes long and the way the scene grips you is seen to be believed.

On the flipside, a few aspects are ambiguous, and it’s left to the viewers to decode them. It’s also unconvincing why Prem behaved the way he did during the investigation. He seemed like a well-informed person and should have known that such behaviour could cost him dear despite his boss having contacts in the right places. The final scene is interesting but again raises questions. Lastly, in a way, it’s a two-hero film but they don’t have sufficient screen space and there are times when they are absent on screen while other characters take over.

Sector 36 | Official Trailer | Vikrant Massey, Deepak Dobriyal, Dinesh Vijan | Netflix India

Sector 36 Movie Review Performances:
Vikrant Massey delivers one of the most accomplished performances of his illustrious career. He is known to often play positive characters, and he was loved by one and all for his portrayal in the recently released film, 12TH FAIL [2023]. But here, he’ll have the opposite effect as the audience will feel disgusted by his character. He gets the nuances and body language just right. Deepak Dobriyal, too, puts his best foot forward. He impresses the most with his silences; in a crucial scene, he hardly has any dialogues and the way he speaks through his expressions is praiseworthy. Akash Khurana and Darshan Jariwalla lend able support. Subir Bisawas leaves a mark in a small role. Kacho Ahmed (Compounder Chote Lal), Ajeet S Palawat (Constable Pathak) and Mahadev S Lakhawat (Constable Bishnoi) have limited screen time, and they do very well. Baharul Islam (Bhupen Saikia), recently seen in MAIDAAN [2024], is fair. Raghav Kalra (young Prem) and Fareed Ahmad (Prem’s uncle) stand out. Trimala Adhikari (Jyoti; Prem’s wife) is dependable. Tanushree Das, Ihana Kaur, Varun Bhiletia (Ali), Arun Marwah (Hiramal; old Jat), Sachin Lakra (Yogesh) and Monu Khatri (Rajbir) also do well.

Sector 36 music and other technical aspects:
SECTOR 36, ideally, should have been a song-less film. ‘Damru’, nevertheless, works due to the placement and picturization along with Mohit Chuhan’s voice. The other songs are forgettable. Ketan Sodha’s background score has a cinematic appeal.

Saurabh Goswami’s cinematography is splendid; the aerial shots are exceptional. Shivank Kapoor’s costumes are straight out of life. Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray’s production design are well-researched. Harpal Singh’s action is realistic and a bit gory. A Sreekar Prasad’s editing is smooth.

Sector 36 Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, SECTOR 36 is not for the faint-hearted and works due to its theme, dramatic moments and brilliant performances by Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobiryal.

Star Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Diana Penty, Rohan Mehra

Director: Sabbir Khan

Adbhut Movie Review Synopsis:
ADBHUT is the story of a detective solving a complicated case. Aditya Rawat (Rohan Mehra), MD of Good Life Hospital shifts to a sleepy hill station near Shimla with his wife Shruti Rawat (Shreya Dhanwanthary). Shruti is suffering from depression and is on meds. Suddenly, mysterious things start happening in their new mansion. When things go out of control, Aditya and Shruti hire a private detective, Gajraj Awasthi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). Gajraj begins his investigation but is unable to understand the source of the mysterious and eerie happenings in their lives. During an event at Good Life Hospital, things go haywire and Aditya and Shruti almost get killed. Gajraj goes through the footage of the event and realizes that a woman named Mary Mathews (Diana Penty) was present and her behaviour was suspicious. Gajraj keeps a tab on her and is stunned to learn that she has no social media presence. No one is aware where she’s from. As Gajraj digs deep, he realizes that her name might not even be Mary Mathews. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Adbhut Movie Story Review:
Sabbir Khan’s story is decent though it gets clichéd at places. Sabbir Khan’s screenplay is engaging but many of the spooky moments give viewers a been-there-done-that feeling. Sabbir Khan’s dialogues are sharp. A few lines of Nawazuddin Siddiqui fail to make the desired impact.

Sabbir Khan’s direction is fine. He’s known to make mass films like HEROPANTI [2014], BAAGHI [2016], MUNNA MICHAEL [2017], NIKAMMA [2022], etc. ADBHUT is in a completely different space, and he does justice to the genre. He handles a few scenes with élan like Mary running behind Aditya’s car, the madness in the church, etc. The scene where the fan comes flying towards Aditya and Shruti is terrifying. One might guess that the film will take a certain path. But it doesn’t and that makes the suspense unpredictable.

On the flipside, Sabbir falters with certain scenes meant to induce fear due to the clichéd approach. Gajraj’s investigation, in places, also raises questions, especially why he doesn’t approach Mary the second time. The fan-flying scene sets the mood. But it’s bewildering that such a shocking episode, which happened in front of almost a hundred people, doesn’t snowball into a controversy. A hundred witnesses move on in their lives as if it’s an everyday occurrence! Lastly, the climax of such films is when the tension and horror levels go on a high. Nothing of that sort happens here and that might disappoint those expecting a horrifying finale. Thankfully, the suspense makes up for it to some extent.

Adbhut Movie Review Performances:
Nawazuddin Siddiqui delivers a fair performance and is apt for such a part. However, his dialogue delivery in some scenes seems rehearsed. Shreya Dhanwanthary gets into the skin of her character and is quite good. However, her screen time is limited. Diana Penty rocks the show. What also works in her favour is that she has never done a role like this before. Rohan Mehra gives a fine performance. Sohila Kapur (Amy’s mother), Shashank Shende (Ramakant Yadav; truck driver) and the actors playing Gajraj’s wife, Gajraj’s assistant Sonu and Rakesh Malhotra are fine. Sanjay Gurbaxani (Priest) is wasted.

Adbhut movie music and other technical aspects:
ADBHUT is a song-less film. Julius Packiam’s background score has a cinematic feel. Binod Pradhan’s cinematography is splendid, and the locales of Himachal Pradesh are captured beautifully. Rajat Poddar’s production design is appealing. Sonakshi Raaj and Kartik Damani’s costumes are realistic yet glamorous. Amin Khatib’s action and Image Device’s VFX add to the horror quotient. Manan Sagar’s editing is smooth.

Adbhut Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, ADBHUT is a watchable horror film, despite its minuses. Looking at its star cast and merits, it should have been released ideally on an OTT platform first rather than being premiered on a television channel.