Star Cast: Paresh Rawal, Adil Hussain

Director: Ananth Narayan Mahadevan

The Storyteller Movie Review Synopsis:
THE STORYTELLER is the story of two elderly men. Tarini Bandhopadhay (Paresh Rawal) lives in Kolkata and has just retired from his job. His son is asking him to join him in the USA, but Tarini is reluctant to shift. One day, his friend Bankim (Rohit Mukherjee) and Bankim’s wife (Tapati Munshi) inform him that there’s an offer for the job of a storyteller in Ahmedabad. Tarini has been an avid storyteller his whole life. Hence, he’s asked to take up the offer. Tarini agrees and he moves to Ahmedabad. The job application was published by a rich businessman, Ratan Garodia (Adil Hussain). Ratan is suffering from insomnia and hence, he wants someone to tell him stories so that he can have a sound sleep. Thus, Tarini begins narrating him stories every night. He also learns that Ratan never married, and he still longs for Saraswati (Revathy), his sweetheart from his young days. But that’s not all. Tarini also stumbles upon a shocking secret about Ratan. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

The Storyteller Movie Story Review:
THE STORYTELLER is based on Satyajit Ray’s short story ‘Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro’. The film’s plot is a bit different from Ray’s short and it is novel. Kireet Khurana’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Allcap Communications and Srijato Bandyopadhyay) is slow-moving but has engaging moments and also unexpected turns. Allcap Communications and Srijato Bandyopadhyay’s dialogues are quite memorable.

Ananth Narayan Mahadevan’s direction is simple. This is a film devoid of action, thrill or violence and relies completely on storytelling (pun intended) and performances. The characters of the protagonists are well fleshed out and the bond they share is heartening. Also, Tarini, a hardcore fish lover, moving to Ahmedabad, that too in a vegetarian household, makes for a fun watch. There’s a twist in the tale that comes unexpectedly.

On the flipside, it is not convincing to see Tarini, a staunch Kolkata resident, agreeing to move to an alien city. Also, the manner in which Suzy Fibert (Tannishtha Chatterjee) befriends Tarini and they start hanging out looks difficult to digest. The bigger problem with the narrative is the absence of conflict. Both Tarini and Ratan are hurt by each other, but they never get into confrontation. It, somewhere, takes away from the realism of the film. Lastly, the film has a niche appeal and is not for everyone.

The Storyteller Movie Review Performances:
Paresh Rawal delivers a smashing performance and gets into the skin of a character of a Bengali intellectual. Adil Hussain, as expected, gives his hundred per cent. He, too, is convincing as a Gujarati businessman. The equation between the two actors is one of the strong points of the film. Tannishtha Chatterjee is quite likeable. Revathy delivers a confident part and slips effortlessly into the role. Jayesh More (Manikchand) has a crucial role and leaves a mark. Anindita Bose (Anuradha; Tarini’s wife) has an arresting screen presence though she’s hardly there. Rohit Mukherjee, Tapati Munshi and Kaveri Basu (Mouli; maid) are okay.

The Storyteller movie music and other technical aspects:
Hriju Roy’s music is soulful but doesn’t have a shelf life. Hriju Roy’s background score is subtle. Alphonse Roy’s cinematography is stunning, and the locales of both Kolkata and Ahmedabad are well captured. Preetam Rai and Bablu Singha’s production design is classy yet realistic. Ritarupa Bhattacharya’s costumes are straight out of life. Gourav Gopal Jha’s editing could have been faster.

The Storyteller Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, THE STORYTELLER makes for a hatke experience and rests on the towering performances of Paresh Rawal and Adil Hussain. However, due to the slow narrative and negligible awareness, the viewership might be affected.

Star Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Madelyn Harris  Topher Grace

Director: Mel Gibson

Flight Risk Movie Review Synopsis:
FLIGHT RISK is a survival thriller. Winston (Topher Grace), an accountant to the gangster Moretti, is hiding in a remote part of Alaska after the gangster gets arrested. Madelyn Harris (Michelle Docker), a deputy US Marshal, locates Winston and nabs him. She is given a small plane and a pilot, Daryl Booth (Mark Wahlberg) to take her and Wiston safely to the city of Anchorage. The plane takes off and soon, Wiston and Madelyn realize that their pilot is actually a hitman sent by Moretti to assassinate the accountant. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Flight Risk Movie Story Review:
Jared Rosenberg’s story is arresting. But Jared Rosenberg’s screenplay is not without its share of blemishes. Jared Rosenberg’s dialogues are okay and some of the one-liners uttered by Mark are quite graphic and shocking.

Mel Gibson’s direction has the old-world feel. In fact, this genre, too, has been attempted after a long time. Some of the scenes are very nail-biting. The first half is much better and the way Winston realizes that the pilot is not who he claims to be is intriguing. The scene where Madelyn tases the hitman is also a great sequence. Since the run time is just 90 minutes, the film moves at a great pace.

On the flipside, the film gets quite silly after a point. The makers want to show the hitman creating havoc after being tied down. But in order to get to that point, the writer inserts a laughable bit of Madelyn’s sunglasses falling on the hitman and he uses it to break free. Moreover, the hit man is literally 5-6 feet away and it’s bewildering how Madelyn and Wiston didn’t realize what he is upto. The villain doesn’t have much to do after a point. Lastly, the buzz is limited and the absence of subtitles makes some dialogues difficult to comprehend.

Flight Risk Movie Review Performances:
Mark Wahlberg is damn good in the first negative role of his career. His body language and evil smile further enhance his performance. Michelle Dockery plays the lead role with panache. Topher Grace raises laughs and later on, gets the serious act right. Maaz Ali is great as the voice of Hasan, though a similar track was seen in the 2021 Hindi film FLIGHT.

Flight Risk movie music and other technical aspects:
Antônio Pinto’s music is well woven into the narrative. Johnny Derango’s cinematography is decent and thankfully, not jerky, as it happens in such films. David Meyer’s production design and Kristen Kopp’s costumes are appropriate. Action is realistic and not gory. Steven Rosenblum’s editing is slick.

Flight Risk Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, FLIGHT RISK rests on a superb idea but is marred by a weak and silly script. At the box office, the limited buzz will impact its box office collections.

Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Sara Ali Khan, Nimrat Kaur

Director: Sandeep Kewlani, Abhishek Anil Kapur

Sky Force Movie Review Synopsis:
SKY FORCE is the story of two brave pilots. The year is 1965. India and Pakistan are on the verge of a war. Kumar Om Ahuja (Akshay Kumar) is a group captain of the Indian Air Force and is stationed at the Adampur Air Base in Jalandhar. Ahuja is married to Preeti (Nimrat Kaur) and he has a close bond with Squadron Leader T Krishnan Ahuja aka Tabby (Veer Pahariya). Tabby is married to Geeta (Sara Ali Khan) and she is pregnant. One day, station commander David Lawrence (Manish Chaudhari) asks Ahuja to recce and find out about the preparation by the Pakistani forces. Ahuja asks Tabby to join him. Both enter the Pakistani territory and get attacked. Ahuja and Tabby hit back. They click photographs of their artillery and warn the Indian forces to be ready. Their request is not taken seriously and a day later, their base gets attacked severely, leading to the loss of lives and planes. Yet, the Indian Air Force decides to hit back. While the Pakistani air force has the fast-paced American Starstriker planes, Indians are in possession of the comparatively weaker Mystere aeroplanes. Nevertheless, Ahuja and his Tiger Squadron attack that too at an air base situated deep in the Pakistani territory. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Sky Force Movie Story Review:
Carl Austin, Sandeep Kewlani and Aamil Keeyan Khan’s story is novel as not many are aware of this chapter of history. Carl Austin, Sandeep Kewlani and Aamil Keeyan Khan’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Niren Bhatt) is engaging and doesn’t waste a single moment. Carl Austin, Sandeep Kewlani, and Aamil Keeyan Khan’s dialogues (additional dialogues by Niren Bhatt) are weak. There’s only one clap-worthy dialogue in the film and ideally, a movie like this should have had more exhilarating one-liners.

Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Anil Kapur’s direction is quite good, considering that it’s their first film. The characters are neatly defined and the film scores on the emotional front, especially in the second half. What’s also refreshing is that there’s no jingoism and the whole Pakistani angle, especially the track of Flight Lieutenant Ahmed Hussain (Sharad Kelkar) is very touching. Though the first half has issues, it does have memorable scenes like Ahuja and Tabby recceing in the Pakistani territory and the sudden attack at the Adampur air base. Post-interval, one gets a surprise as one gets to know that even Tabby left the air base. The investigation by Ahuja in 1984 is engaging while the finale is very moving.

On the flipside, the first half doesn’t pack a punch as intended. Some of the aerial scenes give a déjà vu of FIGHTER [2024]. After a great start in the second half, the narrative again dips for a few minutes, though it picks up eventually. The soundtrack doesn’t work and lastly, the mass appeal of the film is limited.

Sky Force Movie Review Performances:
Akshay Kumar delivers a power-packed performance. He’s there throughout the film and though he excels in action, he is even better in the dramatic and emotional scenes. This role required an actor of his calibre and as expected, he does full justice to it. Veer Pahariya makes a fine debut but has scope for improvement. Thankfully, he plays a heroic character and hence, even his performance gets liked a lot. Sara Ali Khan and Nimrat Kaur add star value and perform ably. But their screen times are limited. Sharad Kelkar leaves a tremendous mark and his casting is apt. Manish Chaudhari, Soham Majumdar (Debashish Chatterjee aka Cockroach), Varun Badola (Air Vice Marshal Amit Narang), and Gurpal Singh (Mehta) lend able support. Rajat Kaul (Sandhu aka Bull), Mohit Chauhan (Air Chief Marshal Arjun Sinha) and others are fine.

Sky Force | Official Trailer | Akshay Kumar | Veer Pahariya | Sara Ali Khan | Nimrat Kaur

Sky Force movie music and other technical aspects:
Tanishk Bagchi’s music is okay. ‘Ae Mere Watan’ is the only song that is touching. ‘Maaye’ is on the lines of ‘Teri Mitti’ [KESARI; 2019] but doesn’t hit viewers like the latter. ‘Rang’ is well shot while ‘Kya Meri Yaad Aati Hai’ and ‘Tu Hai Toh Main Hoon’ are forgettable. Justin Varghese’s background score is exhilarating.

Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran’s cinematography is splendid. Craig Macrae and Parvez Shaikh’s action is spectacular while Double Negative’s VFX is top class. Sujeet Subhash Sawant and Sriram Kannan Iyengar’s production design is superior. Shivank Kapoor’s costumes are reminiscent of the bygone era. A Sreekar Prasad’s editing is slick and the film packs in a lot despite the 125-minute run time.

Sky Force Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, SKY FORCE is the ideal Republic Day entertainer. It has not just action, scale, and grandeur but also a strong emotional connect. More importantly, it tells a fascinating and unknown chapter from history that’s sure to make every Indian proud. The performance of Akshay Kumar is like an icing on the cake. At the box office, it might start slow but has the potential to pick up significantly from the second day onwards due to positive word of mouth.

Star Cast: R Madhavan, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti Kulhari

Director: Ashwni Dhir

Hisaab Barabar Movie Review Synopsis:
HISAAB BARABAR is the story of a common man’s fight against a corrupt system. Radhe Mohan Sharma (R Madhavan) is a senior TTE and he lives in Delhi with his son Mannu (Shaunak Duggal). Radhe is divorced from his wife. He’s so honest that he gives a detailed accounting of the fines that he collected, down to the last penny. He meets a beautiful girl (Kirti Kulhari) on the train and soon, they start dating. Radhe has an account in DO Bank and one day, he realizes that Rs. 27.50 has been cut by the bank without any explanation. He goes to his branch and the clerk (Faisal Rashid) doesn’t take his complaint seriously. Radhe, however, persists, more so when he sees that a similar amount has been cut from his colleague’s account without explanation. Finally, the matter reaches the manager (Rajesh Jais). He credits Rs. 27.50 to Radhe’s account and also gifts him a TV worth Rs. 25,000. Radhe is happy with the gesture but also realizes that the gift is given to him to shut him up. But Radhe is unable to get over the fact that by deducting minuscule amounts from the accounts of every customer, the bank is doing a scam possibly of more than Rs. 2000 crores. He decides to investigate the matter. This brings him under the scanner of DO Bank founder Micky Mehta (Neil Nitin Mukesh). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Hisaab Barabar Movie Story Review:
Ritesh Shastri’s story is an eye-opener. Ashwni Dhir and Purva Naresh’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Ritesh Shastri and Dolphy Fernandes), however, doesn’t create an impact because of silly plot points. Ashwni Dhir’s dialogues (additional dialogues by Purva Naresh) are simple and in some places, hard-hitting.

Ashwni Dhir’s direction is okay. He keeps the narrative easy to understand, despite the fact that the scam being pulled off by Micky is a bit complicated. The character of Radhe is well-fleshed out and one roots for him. The scene where he explains the scam in a food court is memorable. Also, aspects like a bank looting public money, the system being friendly to the rich, the bulldozer justice, etc, make the film very relatable and true to life.

On the flipside, there are too many issues with the narrative. The twist at the interval point is unexpected. But soon, the Kirti Kulhari track raises a lot of questions. How come Radhe never asked her what she does for a living, though they were dating? And why does she suddenly become so tough on him? The makers reason that duty comes first for her. But even while doing so, she could have been a little gentler. The entire bit of Radhe rejecting her proposal 15 years ago is also added forcefully and gives a déjà vu of Rajkummar Rao’s revenge angle in SHAADI MEIN ZAROOR AANA [2017]. Further, Radhe, in his entry scene, jumps in a moving train with lots of oranges. But some scenes later, he’s unable to do so, without any fruits in his possession, even though the train picks up speed gently. The makers probably wanted to show Radhe pursuing his love interest but again, it could have been handled convincingly. Thirdly, the bulldozer justice track is also handled in a silly manner, especially the way Monalisa (Rashami Desai) behaves after the incident. Lastly, the finale is too convenient.

Hisaab Barabar | Trailer | R Madhavan | Neil Nitin Mukesh | Ashwni Dhir | Premieres 24th Jan On ZEE5

Hisaab Barabar Movie Review Performances:
R Madhavan is the best performer in the film. His sincerity and his straightforward dialogue delivery enhance his performance. Neil Nitin Mukesh gives his best foot forward but somehow, the performance leaves a lot to be desired. Kirti Kulhari is superb but is let down by the writing. The same applies to Rashami Desai. Ishtiyak Khan (Credit card seller) raises some laughs. Faisal Rashid and Rajesh Jais leave a mark. Manu Rishi Chadha (Dayal) is just okay. Shaunak Duggal doesn’t get much scope. Jyoti Negi (Railway clerk), Kalyani Jha (Ranganathan), Sukumar Tudu (Inspector Tyagi) and the other actors playing cops are fair.

Hisaab Barabar movie music and other technical aspects:
Aman Pant’s music is forgettable. All three tracks- the title track, ‘Mann Mann Rangeyo’ and ‘Sab Jag Andha’ – fail to impress. Aman Pant’s background score is better.

Santosh Thundiyil’s cinematography is neat. Laxman Keluskar’s production design gives the vibe of a TV show. Even the title styling is outdated. Masumi Mewawala and Irfan Khatri’s costumes are straight out of life while Irfan Khatri’s costumes for Neil Nitin Mukesh are stylish. Siraj Sayed’s action is minimal. Manan Sagar’s editing is too quick to leave an impact in some scenes.

Hisaab Barabar Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, HISAAB BARABAR makes an important comment and is embellished with a fine performance by R Madhavan. But the film fails to impress because of a weak script.

Star Cast: Sharib Hashmi, Sanjay Bishnoi, Shyamraj Patil, Vidya Malvade

Director: Sumit Kulkarni

Sangee Movie Review Synopsis:
SANGEE is the story of three friends. Baman (Sharib Hashmi), Karan (Sanjay Bishnoi) and Akhil (Shyamraj Patil) are childhood buddies. Baman, a single man, lives in Pune. Karan lives in Mumbai with his wife Mohini (Vidya Malvade) and ailing mother (Farida Patel) while Akhil is settled in Mauritius with his wife Brinda (Mira Jagannath) and son Abhimanyu (Anish Railkar). Both Karan and Akhil have achieved financial success. Baman, however, is still struggling. He took a loan of Rs. 18 lakhs from Akhil and started a tours and travel company. But it got shut down in the pandemic. He now wants to set up a strawberry products factory. He calls Akhil and asks for Rs. 15 lakhs, though he hasn’t paid back the earlier loan. Akhil expresses inability to give him the money this time. Hence, Baman heads to Mumbai to meet Karan. Akhil calls Karan and warns him that Baman might come to his place to ask for money. Karan makes it clear that though he’s a childhood friend, he’ll not lend a single paisa to Baman. Things, however, take a turn for Karan once the jovial Baman arrives at his place and persuades him to loan him the amount. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Sangee Movie Story Review:
Thopte Vijaysinh Sarjerao’s story is not much. Thopte Vijaysinh Sarjerao’s screenplay, however, is engaging and keeps the interest going due to the various funny moments. Thopte Vijaysinh Sarjerao’s dialogues are witty and raise a lot of laughs.

Sumit Kulkarni’s direction is simplistic. There’s not much of a plot and the film mainly relies on various funny moments and situations. And Sumit manages to succeed in this regard. The bond the friends share is heartening. The character of Baman takes the cake without a doubt and his antics will surely put a smile on the faces of the viewers. A few scenes that stand out are Baman pretending to be Karan’s servant on the phone while speaking to Akhil, Mohini claiming to start a condom business, Karan lying that he’s abroad, etc.

On the flipside, a little bit of confrontation and fights between the friends would have elevated the proceedings. After all, equations change as time passes and moreover, Baman is asking for a huge amount. Secondly, the track of the servant seems too similar to the Kanta Ben sequence in KAL HO NAA HO [2003]. The final scene of the servant, however, is funny. The climax is too convenient, especially Baman’s conversation with Shailesh (Rohit Kokate). Lastly, the ‘A’ rating is unjustified for this film.

Sangee | Official Trailer | Sharib Hashmi | Vidya Malvade | Sanjay Bishnoi | Gaurav More

Sangee Movie Review Performances:
Sharib Hashmi is the life of the film and in fact, he dominates everyone. He’s the apt choice for this role as he could nicely play a man who ideally should get on your nerves but at the same time, is too adorable. As expected, the actor nails it. Sanjay Bishnoi delivers a fine performance and compliments Sharib’s timing well. Shyamraj Patil has limited screen time and is fine. Vidya Malvade leaves a huge mark and even she shows her funny side in the condom scene. Mira Jagannath is decent in a cameo. Farida Patel is funny but her track should have had more meat. Anish Railkar and Rohit Kokate are okay. Gaurav More (More; servant) is fair.

Sangee movie music and other technical aspects:
There’s only one song in the film, the title track. It’s forgettable although it’s well-placed in the film. Anurag Godbole’s background score is in sync with the film’s mood. Sopan Purandare’s cinematography is neat. The production design is a bit theatrical and TV show-like. Gayatri Chakradeo’s costumes are straight out of life. Hemant Vansh’s editing is appropriate. 

Sangee Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, SANGEE stands out for Sharib Hashmi’s highly entertaining performance and its heartfelt commentary on friendship. However, at the box office, the film is likely to go largely unnoticed due to minimal awareness. The unwarranted ‘A’ certification for a film of this nature further limits its business prospects.

Star Cast: Ajay Devgn, Aaman Devgan, Rasha Thadani, Diana Penty

Director: Abhishek Kapoor

Azaad Movie Review Synopsis:
AZAAD is the story of a young man and a horse. The year is 1920. Govind (Aaman Devgan) lives with his father Braj (Sandeep Shikhar), sister Daani (Jiya Amin), and nani (Natasha Rastogi) in the village of Bhusar in Central Province. Braj works at the stable of the village chieftain Rai Bahadur (Piyush Mishra). He has a son Tej Bahadur (Mohit Malik) and a daughter Janaki (Rasha Thadani). Tej Bahadur, like the father, is evil while Janaki has a sensitive side. One day, Govind accidentally rides the horse of Rai Bahadur while Janaki is doing horse riding in the royal stable. Govind is whipped for his mistake. Govind assumes that Janaki complained about him and despises him. Janaki doesn’t celebrate Holi and no one in the village has the guts to apply colour on her. Govind, however, splashes colour on her face. Realizing that Rai Bahadur and Tej Bahadur might kill him, Govind runs away. In the jungles, he comes across a royal, beautiful horse. Govind immediately gets mesmerized. Soon, he realises that the horse’s name is Azaad and he belongs to Vikram Singh (Ajay Devgn), a dreaded dacoit. Vikram’s army captures Govind, assuming that he’s a cop or a spy. But they let him off when they realize that Govind is not harmful. Vikram gets fond of Govind and he also becomes a part of his army. However, Azaad has no such fondness for Govind. Meanwhile, Vikram’s former partner Kesar (Diana Penty) is now the wife of Tej Bahadur. Tej, along with the British, wants to finish Vikram and they can go to any lengths for it. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Azaad Movie Story Review:
Ritesh Shah, Suresh Nair and Abhishek Kapoor’s story has all the trappings of a mass entertainer. Ritesh Shah and Suresh Nair’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Chandan Arora) has its share of riveting and clap-worthy moments but leaves a lot to be desired. Ritesh Shah’s dialogues (additional dialogues by Chandan Arora) are memorable.

Abhishek Kapoor’s direction is average. On the positive side, he keeps the narrative uncomplicated. The horse and dacoit aspect gives a pleasant déjà vu of the films of the 70s and 80s. Also, one roots for the hero as the villains are shown to be very evil. A few scenes are memorable like Govind meeting Vikram for the first time, Azaad drinking alcohol, Govind sneaking into Janaki’s room, Govind trying to befriend Azaad, etc. The finale is engaging.

On the flipside, the first half might make viewers a bit restless. It’s only in the second half that the film becomes worth it to some extent during the climax. The character of Janaki gets a raw deal. The same goes for Kesar. In fact, except for Govind, Vikram Singh and the horse, the other characters are not given prominence. The love story is never established properly and this goes against the film heavily as one would definitely expect romance between the newcomers. The climax is a bit abrupt; ideally, there should have been a scene about what happened to the characters later on to sum up the tale. Moreover, the protagonist resorting to unethical means in the end might not be acceptable to a section of the audience.

Azaad Official Trailer | Ajay Devgn | Aaman Devgan | Rasha Thadani

Azaad Movie Review Performances:
Aaman Devgan makes a confident debut and it’s clear that he has worked hard. He looks convincing while riding the horse and his dance in the Holi song is mesmerizing. Rasha Thadani commands attention with her captivating screen presence and displays immense potential. Unfortunately, her screen time in the first half is quite limited. Ajay Devgn has a supporting role and as always, he’s too good. Diana Penty is sincere but her character lacks meat. Mohit Malik does fine in his debut role. Piyush Mishra is fair. Sandeep Shikhar, Jiya Amin, Natasha Rastogi, Andrew Crouch (James Cummings), Dylan Jones (Lord Cummings), Rakesh Sharma (Jamal), Akshay Anand (Biru) and Neeraj Kadela (Mute Priest) are decent.

Azaad movie music and other technical aspects:
Amit Trivedi’s music doesn’t have the desired effect. ‘Uyi Amma’ is the only song that is memorable. ‘Birangay’ works due to the choreography. ‘Aazaad Hai Tu’ and ‘Azaad Hai Tu (Reprise)’ are forgettable. ‘Ajeeb-O-Gareeb’ has a vintage feel.

Hitesh Sonik’s background score has a cinematic feel. Setu’s cinematography is satisfactory and it’s very good in the race sequence in the climax. Akshay Tyagi and Jade By Monica and Karishma’s costumes are stylish and yet, in sync with the era. Saini S Johray’s production design is authentic. Ian Van Temperly and Aejaz Gulab’s action is not too gory. NY VFXWaala’s VFX is impressive but gets tacky in the hyena scene. Chandan Arora’s editing is functional.

Azaad Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, AZAAD struggles to captivate due to a lacklustre first half, a weak script, and the absence of a romantic angle. At the box office, the limited buzz around the film will pose challenges, though the Cinema Lovers Day offer might provide some relief to an extent on Day 1.

Star Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade

Director: Kangana Ranaut 

Emergency Movie Review Synopsis:
EMERGENCY is the story of a woman that shaped India’s history. Indira Gandhi (Kangana Ranaut) becomes the third Prime Minister of India two years after the death of her father and the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (Sanjay M Gurbaxani). She is considered a weak leader who would be dominated by the Cabinet. But soon, she shows her worth. She successfully gets cooperation from the Russian and French governments during the 1971 crisis with Pakistan. She also outsmarts US President Nixon (Alexander Scott Young). After India’s victory in the war, her popularity rises considerably. Soon, however, the country is plagued by strikes and hartals, denting her popularity. In 1975, she loses a decisive case in Allahabad High Court. The Court makes it clear that her victory in the election is null and void and hence, she’ll have to step down from the post of the Prime Minister. But motivated by her reckless son Sanjay Gandhi (Vishak Nair), she does the unthinkable – she imposes an Emergency in the country. What happens next forms the rest of the film. 

Emergency Movie Story Review:
EMERGENCY is adapted from the books ‘Priyadarshini’ by Jaiyanth Vasanth Sinha and ‘The Emergency: A Personal History’ by Coomi Kapoor. Kangana Ranaut’s story draws from real-life happenings. Ritesh Shah’s screenplay is gripping, with a constant stream of events keeping the film engaging. However, some scenes fall short, and the narrative occasionally adopts a documentary-like tone. Ritesh Shah’s dialogues (additional dialogues by Tanvi Kesari Pasumarthy) are realistic and yet sharp.

Kangana Ranaut’s direction is decent. The film is made on a certain scale and she handles it well. At the same time, she ensures that the grandeur doesn’t overpower the film. The highlight of her execution is the portrayal of Indira Gandhi. She’s not depicted as an antagonist but rather as a complex, human figure, presented with finesse, which greatly enhances the film. There are moments where you’ll admire her, moments where you’ll dislike her, and moments where you’ll feel sympathy for her. The film spans multiple decades, showcasing several key episodes from her life. But the track that truly stands out is Indira’s bond with Sanjay Gandhi. It’s the best part of the film, without any doubt. The other scenes that work are Indira’s meeting with Nixon, Sam Manekshaw’s (Milind Soman) entry, the Turkman Gate and sterilization controversies by Sanjay Gandhi, Sanjay’s death being celebrated on the road, Indira heading to sleepy Bihar village Belchi on an elephant etc.

On the flipside, as mentioned before, the film is more like a documentary or rather a docu-drama. Hence, it doesn’t have much for the mainstream audience that expects wholesome entertainment. A few aspects of her life are rushed. Also, Sanjay enters the narrative all of a sudden. Even the Allahabad court case springs up suddenly in the film, catching viewers unawares. Lastly, the scenes where characters break into songs in the Parliament and even during torture in jail come across as unintentionally comical. These moments undermine the realism and leave one questioning how they were approved in the first place.

Emergency | Official Trailer | Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade

Emergency Movie Review Performances:
Kangana Ranaut excels not only as a director but also as an actor. Her ability to fully immerse herself in the character is remarkable, making her performance so compelling that viewers completely forget it’s Kangana on screen or recall her previous films. Vishak Nair leaves a tremendous mark. He, too, puts his best foot forward and is sure to get noticed. Shreyas Talpade (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) is impressive and gets the mannerisms right. Anupam Kher (Jayaprakash Narayan) keeps his act restrained and it works. Milind Soman is superb and the only actor to have a clap-worthy entry in the movie. The late Satish Kaushik (Jagjivan Ram), as always, is dependable. Mahima Chaudhry (Pupul Jayakar) is memorable. Sanjay M Gurbaxani is okay and his track shouldn’t have been so one-sided. Alexander Scott Young is a bit over-the-top but it works. Darshan Pandya (R K Dhawan; Indira’s PA), Avijit Dutt (J Krishnamurti), Deepak Anand (Bhindranwale) and Akash Sinha (George Fernandes) are fair. Deepansha Dhingra (Maneka Gandhi), Kateryna Grabovska (Sonia Gandhi) and Adhir Bhat (Feroze Gandhi) are hardly there. Anoop Puri (Yahya Khan) hams while Rajesh Khatri (Motilal Nehru) is okay in a cameo. 

Emergency movie music and other technical aspects:
‘Singhasan Khali Karo’ is catchy but this track, along with ‘Shankhnaad Kar’, are badly utilized in the film. ‘Ae Meri Jaan’ and ‘Beqarariyaan’ fail to impress. Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara’s background score is much better.

Tetsuo Nagata’s cinematography is neat and in sync with the genre and period feel. Sheetal Sharma’s costumes and Wasiq Khan and Rakesh Yadav’s production design are detailed and realistic. David Malinowski’s prosthetics are quite good. Sunil Burman Rodrigues and Nick Powell’s action is disturbing, as per the requirement. White Apple Studio, Redefine and Futureworks Media Ltd’s VFX is satisfactory while Rameshwar S Bhagat’s editing is overall appropriate. But it’s too quick in some scenes. 

Emergency Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, EMERGENCY portrays the life and times of Indira Gandhi in an unbiased manner, elevated by stellar performances from Kangana Ranaut and Vishak Nair. At the box office, while the controversy surrounding the film and the Cinema Lovers Day offer may provide some support, it remains to be seen whether audiences will be drawn to a story set in a historical period nearly five decades old.

Star Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin

Director: Jesse Eisenberg 

A Real Pain Movie Review Synopsis:
A REAL PAIN is the story of two cousins on a life-changing trip. Jewish cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benjamin aka Benji (Kieran Culkin) reside in the USA. They head to Poland as part of a Nazi-German Holocaust tour. As per the arrangement, they plan to leave the tour a day early to visit the childhood home of their late grandmother who survived the Holocaust and shifted to the USA. They land in Warsaw and proceed to the hotel where they meet their tour guide James (Will Sharpe), a recently divorced middle-aged woman Marcia (Jennifer Grey), an old couple Diane (Liza Sadovy) and Mark (Daniel Oreskes) and a recently converted Black man Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan). David is an introvert and reserved while Benji is free-spirited and likes to speak his mind. Benji’s behaviour gets a little extreme at times and Benji has no choice but to bear it and even apologize to other tour members during the course of their journey. What happens next forms the rest of the film. 

A Real Pain Movie Story Review:
Jesse Eisenberg’s story is striking. Jesse Eisenberg’s screenplay incorporates laughter and tragedy beautifully. However, towards the end, the writing falters.

Jesse Eisenberg’s direction is simple. The film is just 90 minutes long and yet, Jesse manages to incorporate a lot into the narrative. The film begins on a funny note but soon, the confrontation and emotional moments take over and it makes for a great experience. The Indian audience will see a sort of familiarity – while the Europan road trip aspect gives a deja vu of ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA [2011], the Holocaust connection might remind one of BAWAAL [2023]. Of course, the goings-on here are totally different. The characters are also well fleshed out, especially David and Benji. Benji might also remind viewers of Zach Galifianakis’ character in THE HANGOVER but once the emotional and dark side of the character comes to the fore, the similarities end.

On the flipside, the scene where David and Benji finally reach their grandmother’s place is very underwhelming. The finale is probably justified but it’s also a bit abrupt and somewhere leaves a bit to be desired. Lastly, the film is too niche and will appeal only to a section of the audience. 

A Real Pain Movie Review Performances:
Jesse Eisenberg is behind the camera as well as in front of it and he comes out with flying colours on all fronts. He plays the socially awkward person with deep insecurity with panache. Kieran Culkin takes the cake as he plays the difficult part with ease. When David says ‘I love him, I hate him and I want to kill him,’ you can’t help but agree as Kieran brings that complicated aspect to life beautifully. Will Sharpe leaves a mark, especially in the scene where Benji gives him constructive feedback. Jennifer Grey is lovely while Kurt Egyiawan lends able support. Liza Sadovy and Daniel Oreskes also do well. 

A Real Pain movie music and other technical aspects:
A REAL PAIN has a minimal background score and it comprises piano pieces by Polish composer Frédéric Chopin (performed by Tzvi Erez). The use of little music adds to the realism and also niche value. Michał Dymek’s cinematography is spectacular and would tempt viewers to visit Poland. Mela Melak’s production design and Malgorzata Fudala’s costumes are straight out of life. Robert Nassau’s editing is slick. 

A Real Pain Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, A REAL PAIN has its share of funny and moving scenes and rests on an award-worthy performance by Kieran Culkin. At the box office, the film will struggle due to the niche appeal and little awareness. However, it might spring a surprise if the film manages to secure a couple of Oscar nominations, once the list is announced next week.

Star Cast: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah

Director: Shankar

Game Changer Movie Review Synopsis:
GAME CHANGER is the story of an honest citizen of India. H Ram Nandan (Ram Charan) is a student with temper issues. He falls in love with Deepika (Kiara Advani), a medical student in the same college. She advises him to channel his anger for a better cause and also insists that he should try to be an IAS officer. She strictly instructs him not to be an IPS officer as she knows that he, with his anger issues, will cause havoc. As luck would have it, he fails to crack the IAS exam but manages to pass the IPS examination. As a result, Deepika dumps him. Ram turns into an honest cop and also keeps attempting the IAS exam every year and one day, he manages to pass with flying colours. He becomes the collector of his hometown Vishakapatnam and starts taking heavy action against corrupt industrialists and politicians. This affects the business of Mopidev (S J Suryah), the son of CM Satyamoorthi (Srikanth). Satyamoorthi’s dark past comes to haunt him, and he strictly tells his party members to not indulge in any form of corruption to earn money until the elections. Mopidev is anyway unhappy with this idea and Ram’s actions further hurt him. He decides to eliminate Ram once and for all. Meanwhile, Satyamoorthi has a strange connection with Ram, and it comes to the fore in the most unexpected manner. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Game Changer Movie Story Review:
Karthik Subbaraj’s story is hard-hitting. Vivek’s screenplay has a few rough edges but overall, it is peppered with ample action, drama, humour and even twists and turns. Rajendra Sapre’s dialogues in Hindi are normal.

Shankar’s direction is massy and after the very disappointing HINDUSTANI 2 [2024], he’s back in form in a space that he excels in. A lot happens in the film, and it even spans various eras. But thanks to his execution, it makes for a seamless watch. Most importantly, it is very simplistic and appeals to the common man. Since it deals with corruption, it is bound to touch a chord. Moreover, the various unexpected moments add to the fun. The intermission point is when the audience will go bonkers. The scene where drones lift the EVMs is another memorable scene.

On the flipside, Shankar doesn’t devote proper time to the very important flashback track, especially what happens to the young Ram after a certain point. The mother track is also not given the prominence as required and this dilutes the impact. In fact, Ram’s foster family is forgotten after a point. Lastly, though the second half has its charm, it pales compared to the very awesome first half.

Game Changer Movie Review Performances:
Ram Charan looks dashing and plays on the front foot. He’s superb while doing action and dance but watch out for him in the emotional scenes. Kiara Advani looks stunning and puts her best foot forward. Sadly, she’s hardly there in the film. S J Suryah is terrific. He plays to the gallery and his act would be loved by the masses. Anjali (Parvathy) is fine but is let down by the writing. Her act also gives a déjà vu of Devasena in BAAHUBALI. Sunil (Side Satyam) is too good and provides a lot of laughs. Vennela Kishore (stalker), however, is wasted and his role might not be liked by a section of the audience. Jayaram (Ramachandra Reddy) is over the top, but it works for his character. Srikanth and Samuthirakani (Sabhapati) lend able support. Brahmanandam is funny, as expected.

Game Changer Trailer (Hindi) | Ram Charan | Kiara Advani | Shankar | Thaman S | Dil Raju | Shirish

Game Changer movie music and other technical aspects:
Thaman S’s music is not up to the mark. ‘Dam Tu Dikhaja’ stands out thanks to its wonderful choreography. ‘Dhop’ is okay while ‘Jaragandi’ is forced. ‘Jaana Hairaan Sa’ is missing from the film. Thaman S’s background score is energetic.

S Thirunavukkarasu’s cinematography adds to the mass appeal. Anbariv’s action is not too gory and works well for a film of this kind. Avinash Kolla’s art direction is too loud, especially in the songs. But otherwise, it is fine. The costumes are rich. Shameer Muhammed and Antony Ruben’s editing is satisfactory but too quick during the flashback scenes.

Game Changer Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, GAME CHANGER is yet another mass-appealing anti-corruption saga from Shankar that works due to the clapworthy moments, twists and turns, relatable goings-on and performances of Ram Charan and S J Suryah. At the box office, the limited buzz will affect its opening, but it has the potential to pick up and take advantage of the dry period.

Star Cast: Sonu Sood, Jacqueline Fernandez, Naseeruddin Shah

Director: Sonu Sood

Fateh Movie Review Synopsis:
FATEH is the story of a man fighting cyber criminals. Fateh Singh (Sonu Sood) resides in Moga, Punjab, and works as a supervisor at a dairy farm. He’s well respected in the village and likes to secretly help those in need. His neighbour in the village is Nimrit (Shiv Jyoti Rajput) and they both share a lovely bond. Nimrit runs a mobile shop and she is also an agent of a loan app called ‘Kisht Pe’. Through her, many villagers opt for a quick loan and thus benefit. But later on, they have a hard time paying interest even after paying off the loan. The loan agents threaten the villagers and even resort to sending fake nude pics of their family members in case the money is not paid in time. Sandhu (Binnu Dhillon) is one such harrowed villager who takes a loan and then is unable to pay the interest. With no other option, he ends his life. Meanwhile, Nimrit has disappeared. Fateh decides to track her down. He heads to Delhi and soon, comes face to face with the loan app sharks. Unknown to them, Fateh is no common man. He’s a well-trained assassin. Meanwhile, Fateh is not alone. He’s helped by ethical hacker, Khushi (Jacqueline Fernandez). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Fateh Movie Story Review:

Sonu Sood’s story is just okay. Sonu Sood and Ankur Pajni’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Sankalp Rawal, Rudra Anand, Shyam Nirmal) is fast-paced and a few moments are well thought out. Sonu Sood and Ankur Pajni’s dialogues are ordinary.

Sonu Sood’s direction is stylish. He intercuts certain scenes with style and that adds to the fun. A few scenes that stand out are Fateh with Chaddha (Akashdeep Sabir) and his men at the theatre, Fateh meeting the cop Nishit Biswas (Dibyendu Bhattacharya) for the first time, a corrupt cop revealing that the password to his laptop is Satyamev Jayate etc. Also, the 140-minute-long flick doesn’t bore even for a moment. Moreover, its the first film that speaks about the horrors of loan apps and that makes FATEH an extremely relevant flick.

On the flipside, the film seems to have borrowed heavily from ANIMAL, JOHN WICK etc. The scene where Fateh fights masked men in a narrow corridor seems very similar to the Ranbir Kapoor starrer. Secondly, the audience will be left confused about Nimrit’s feelings for Fateh. Was she attracted to him or simply saw him as a brother? The makers should have simplified this aspect.

Fateh | Official Trailer l Sonu Sood | Jacqueline Fernandez | In Cinemas 10th January

Fateh Movie Review Performances:
Sonu Sood as an actor puts his best foot forward. He keeps his act restrained and looks great while performing action. Jacqueline Fernandez delivers a sincere performance. However, the romantic track is very weak. Naseeruddin Shah’s (Raza) casting adds a lot to the film and he’s dependable as always. Vijay Raaz (Satya Prakash) is seen in a very different role and does fine. Dibyendu Bhattacharya leaves a huge mark. Akashdeep Sabir is there for just one scene and is too good. Shiv Jyoti Rajput, Binnu Dhillon, Prakash Belawadi (Aayappa) and Sheeba Akashdeep (Nirmit’s mother) lend able support. Soundous Moufakir (Raza’s assistant) is fair.

Fateh movie music and other technical aspects:
The music fails to entice. ‘Fateh Kar Fateh’ is not well utilized. ‘Nindiya’ and ‘Rona Taqdeer’ are good compositions but seem a bit out of place in a film like this. ‘Call To Life’ is the best of the lot as it’s like the theme song. ‘Hitman’ is played in the end credits. John Stewart Eduri’s background score has a cinematic appeal.

Vincenzo Condorelli’s cinematography is slick, especially in the action scenes. Lee Whittaker, Rampyare Ramdhari Yadav, Riyaz Nasir Shaikh and Habib Haji Sayed’s action is very gory, as is the norm nowadays. Tariq Umar Khan and Nadiri Tariq Khan’s production design and Gopika Gulwadi’s costumes are appropriate. Yash Parikh’s editing is satisfactory.

Fateh Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, FATEH is a slick action entertainer that exposes the horrors of loan apps, a burning issue in the country right now. Sonu Sood is impressive as an actor and also as director in this film that has the potential to surprise though the opening will be impacted due to limited buzz.

Star Cast: Sonu Sood, Jacqueline Fernandez, Naseeruddin Shah

Director: Sonu Sood

Fateh Movie Review Synopsis:
FATEH is the story of a man fighting cyber criminals. Fateh Singh (Sonu Sood) resides in Moga, Punjab, and works as a supervisor at a dairy farm. He’s well respected in the village and likes to secretly help those in need. His neighbour in the village is Nimrit (Shiv Jyoti Rajput) and they both share a lovely bond. Nimrit runs a mobile shop and she is also an agent of a loan app called ‘Kisht Pe’. Through her, many villagers opt for a quick loan and thus benefit. But later on, they have a hard time paying interest even after paying off the loan. The loan agents threaten the villagers and even resort to sending fake nude pics of their family members in case the money is not paid in time. Sandhu (Binnu Dhillon) is one such harrowed villager who takes a loan and then is unable to pay the interest. With no other option, he ends his life. Meanwhile, Nimrit has disappeared. Fateh decides to track her down. He heads to Delhi and soon, comes face to face with the loan app sharks. Unknown to them, Fateh is no common man. He’s a well-trained assassin. Meanwhile, Fateh is not alone. He’s helped by ethical hacker, Khushi (Jacqueline Fernandez). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Fateh Movie Story Review:
Sonu Sood’s story is just okay. Sonu Sood and Ankur Pajni’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Sankalp Rawal, Rudra Anand, Shyam Nirmal) is clichéd though a few moments are well thought out. Sonu Sood and Ankur Pajni’s dialogues are ordinary.

Sonu Sood’s direction is stylish but suffers due to certain reasons. To give credit where it’s due, he intercuts certain scenes with style and that adds to the fun. A few scenes that stand out are Fateh with Chaddha (Akashdeep Sabir) and his men at the theatre, Fateh meeting the cop Nishit Biswas (Dibyendu Bhattacharya) for the first time, a corrupt cop revealing that the password to his laptop is Satyamev Jayate etc. Also, the 140-minute-long flick doesn’t bore even for a moment.

On the flipside, the film seems to have borrowed heavily from ANIMAL, JOHN WICK etc. The scene where Fateh fights masked men in a narrow corridor seems very similar to the Ranbir Kapoor starrer. The plot of an assassin who picks up the weapons once again after living a peaceful life has also been beaten to death in many films, including in the recently released BABY JOHN. The backstory of Fateh and even Nimrit is weak and the makers should have invested more time in it. A novel aspect of the story is loan apps and their dangers but it doesn’t get the prominence it deserves. The focus is on Fateh and how he fights the baddies but this aspect has been seen many times. Lastly, the audience will be left confused about Nimrit’s feelings for Fateh. Was she attracted to him or simply saw him as a brother? The makers should have simplified this aspect.

Fateh | Official Trailer l Sonu Sood | Jacqueline Fernandez | In Cinemas 10th January

Fateh Movie Review Performances:
Sonu Sood as an actor puts his best foot forward. He keeps his act restrained and looks great while performing action. Jacqueline Fernandez delivers a sincere performance. However, the romantic track is very weak. Naseeruddin Shah’s (Raza) casting adds a lot to the film and he’s dependable as always. Vijay Raaz (Satya Prakash) is seen in a very different role and does fine. Dibyendu Bhattacharya leaves a huge mark. Akashdeep Sabir is there for just one scene and is too good. Shiv Jyoti Rajput, Binnu Dhillon, Prakash Belawadi (Aayappa) and Sheeba Akashdeep (Nirmit’s mother) lend able support. Soundous Moufakir (Raza’s assistant) is fair.

Fateh movie music and other technical aspects:
The music fails to entice. ‘Fateh Kar Fateh’ is not well utilized. ‘Nindiya’ and ‘Rona Taqdeer’ are good compositions but seem a bit out of place in a film like this. ‘Call To Life’ is the best of the lot as it’s like the theme song. ‘Hitman’ is played in the end credits. John Stewart Eduri’s background score has a cinematic appeal.

Vincenzo Condorelli’s cinematography is slick, especially in the action scenes. Lee Whittaker, Rampyare Ramdhari Yadav, Riyaz Nasir Shaikh and Habib Haji Sayed’s action is very gory, as is the norm nowadays. Tariq Umar Khan and Nadiri Tariq Khan’s production design and Gopika Gulwadi’s costumes are appropriate. Yash Parikh’s editing is satisfactory.

Fateh Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, FATEH rests on an ordinary storyline and also gives a déjà vu of films like ANIMAL and JOHN WICK. At the box office, it’ll face a tough time despite limited competition until Republic Day.