Reviews

Directed by K Madhu and written by S N Swamy, CBI 5: The Brain begins with CBI officer Balagopal (Renji Panicker) hosting a seminar for the new batch of IPS officers where he narrates an unusual but interesting murder mystery solved by the CBI team under the leadership of the brainy Sethurama Iyer (Mammootty).

The film begins with the state's home minister succumbing to a cardiac arrest on a flight from Delhi to Kochi. Although no foul play is established, two other people, including the minister's doctor and a journalist who suspects a link, are also found dead in mysterious circumstances. When former CBI officer Josemon is killed in an accident, the case is handed to the CBI after the police fail to nab the culprits.

When Mammootty marks his entrance on screen with the trademark CBI background score, I had goosebumps. Enter Mukesh as Chacko and as part of the investigation they bump into their old nemesis Sathyadas (Saikumar) taking you on a short nostalgia trip of the '90s. When they finally meet Vikram, (an ailing Jagathy Sreekumarshown as a retired CBI officer in a guest appearance) the CBI trio somehow feels complete.

By now, the makers have spent a good 30 minutes or more trying to establish the importance of its key characters and create some curiosity about the killings. But now what ? The chase leads to a set of useful and unimportant links which drag the film to another hour or so.

Frankly, I am tired, annoyed and want to fast forward to the mastermind, if there is one. The mastermind is only revealed in the last 15 minutes. But was it worth all the drama and chase ?

The movie boasts a bevy of stars-- Soubin Shahir, Dileesh Pothan, Sudev Nair, Kaniha, Ansiba Hassan, Sai Kumar, Anoop Menon, Renji Panicker, Mukesh, Asha Sharath, and Ramesh Pisharody. However, there are hardly any characters that are well-developed or have an arc. Shahir fails to exude the charisma and menace that his character of a psychopathic computer wizard demands, and instead ends up being loud and tedious, without an ounce of nuance. The talented Sudev Nair is wasted in the role of a cop who barely has anything to contribute to the proceedings, while Sai Kumar as DSP Sathyadas is just a pissed off cop brought in for old time's sake-there are a throwback sequences from earlier movies which have no bearing on the plot. Dileesh Pothan too has little to contribute.

CBI 5 does let Mammootty dominate every scene in which he is present, but it holds back enough to allow the actor's naturally towering presence to do its job. It is not as if Mammootty does anything new here, and the fact is, he falters with those oddly written English lines, but he is who he is, a giant who we have grown up loving, an actor who continues to imbue Iyer with dignity and gravitas, and ultimately, he is CBI 5's's saving grace.

DJ Tillu (Siddhu Jonnalagadda) is a crazy local DJ who is high on life. One fine day, he meets Radhika (Neha Shetty) and instantly falls in love. But to Tillu's shock, Radhika gets him involved in a murder case. The rest of the story is as to how DJ Tillu comes out of this big mess.

Even if the story is dull, there are films that have solid hero characters who engross you with their standout performances. DJ Tillu falls in the same category and has Siddhu Jonnalagadda who breathes life into his character. From scene one, it is DJ Tillu's character, the way he talks, walks, and handles the situations, everything is quite entertaining.

With this film, Siddhu is surely an actor to watch out for. He has a solid screen presence and terrific dialogue delivery. If he chooses good subjects, Siddhu will be a star for sure. Brahmaji is okay in his role. Prince was also neat as the hyper youth.

Last but not the least, Neha Shetty is quite convincing in her role. She looks extremely beautiful and does not make her character look vulgar and handles it nicely even though it is not justified in the film. One of the major assets of the film is the various conversations between the lead pair which have tongue-in-cheek humor and will be loved by the audience.

After an entertaining first half, things get a bit slow in the second half. The comedy quotient goes down and the scenes look rushed and the climax is wrapped up in a hurry. Even the heroine's role has no closures which leaves everyone clueless.

In the second half, the hospital scenes and the way the cops behave look forced in the narrative. Right when things start to get wayward, the impressive climax is rushed. If not for Siddhu's performance, the tempo would have gone down big time in the second half.

Thaman has given the BGM for this film and he has done a solid job. He elevates the character of DJ Tillu superbly with his quirky BGM. Songs are superb and so was the styling for Siddhu Jonnalagadda. Not many know that Siddhu has co-written the film and his dialogues are funny. Every dialogue that Siddhu mouths have a satirical tone which will be loved by the youth. The camerawork, production values by Sithara Entertainments are perfect.

Coming to the director Vimal Krishna, he has narrated the film on an entertaining note leaving the logic behind. The strength of the film is DJ Tillu's character and showcased it in such a way that whatever Siddhu does, it looks good on screen and entertains the audience irrespective of the weak storyline.

On the whole, DJ is a timepass comedy that has a standout performance by Siddhu Jonnalagadda. You will love his character and the comedy that he generates. The film has no strong storyline and rushed situations but when the hero's character is so jolly and the situations give you ample entertainment, you should give this film a shot and have a good weekend.

'Murder in Mahim' is a gripping investigative drama that promises to engage viewers with its intricate storyline. This series keeps audiences hooked until the final episode, delivering all the elements of a binge-worthy show. Beyond its suspenseful plot, 'Murder in Mahim' offers a commentary on the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community. It sheds light on the discrimination and exclusion they endure, revealing the societal prejudices that brand them as outcasts. Through its narrative, the series captures the struggles and stigma experienced by individuals within the community.

Yet, the show's depth extends beyond its social commentary. It delicately explores the complexities of familial relationships, particularly focusing on the nuanced dynamics between a father and his son. As a retired journalist grapples with his own inner conflicts upon suspecting his son's sexuality, the series navigates the intricacies of acceptance and understanding within the family unit.

Adapted from Jerry Pinto's novel, 'Murder in Mahim' follows the journey of Shivajirao Jende (Vijay Raaz), a principled police officer, as he investigates a series of murders targeting young men from the LGBTQ community in Mumbai's Mahim locality. The common thread linking these crimes is a secluded restroom located at the distant end of Mahim railway station. Assisted by Firdaus Rabbani (Shivani Raghuvanshi), Jende makes headway in the case, only to be thrown off course by a new murder, complicating their progress. Desperate for a breakthrough, Jende seeks help from Peter Fernandes (Ashutosh Rana), a retired crime journalist with a troubled history involving Jende's father, who was ousted from the force due to corruption allegations exposed by Peter's reporting. As Peter grapples with his conflicted feelings about his own son's sexuality, the investigation takes unexpected turns, challenging Jende and his allies to confront their pasts and biases in pursuit of justice.

Despite most episodes spanning 40 minutes, the series maintains an engaging pace. With a brisk narrative and no shortage of thrilling moments, viewers are drawn into an immersive exploration of human nature and societal realities. Packed with revelations and twists, the storyline keeps audiences invested in the characters from start to finish. Particularly compelling is the authentic portrayal of the father-son dynamic between Vijay Raaz and Shivaji Satam's characters, capturing the essence of a middle-class family with depth. Ashutosh Rana's character skilfully embodies the universal conflict faced by fathers when sensing something awry with their sons.

The strength of the series lies in its cast, many of whom embody their characters with sincerity. Led by Vijay Raaz and Ashutosh Rana, the actors fully inhabit their respective roles, with Raaz particularly shining as Shivajirao Jende. Raaz portrays the inner conflicts and struggles of a policeman facing overwhelming odds, delivering a standout performance. Ashutosh Rana's restrained portrayal adds authenticity to his character, enhancing the overall impact. Shivani Raghuvanshi's nuanced performance as Firdaus Rabbani further elevates the series, showcasing her talent once again. Additionally, standout supporting performances, like Rajesh Khattar's portrayal of Leslie Sequeira, contribute to the series' brilliance, with Khattar delivering a fabulous performance in his role.

The series also shines a spotlight on the persistent challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, revealing that despite the repeal of Article 377, meaningful change remains elusive. The portrayal of a dingy toilet at a Mumbai's Mahim local station as a supposed 'safe haven' for these individuals raises more questions than answers about societal acceptance. However, the series is not without its flaws. One such misstep occurs when Peter Fernandes' sudden appearance for an interview with Himali feels out of place and disconnected from reality. Additionally, the plot veers off course by focusing on a knife belonging to a character unrelated to the murders, unnecessarily diverting viewers' attention. Despite these shortcomings, the series excels in its brisk pace, gripping mystery, and exploration of human relationships, making it a gripping watch.

Rocky Randhawa (Ranveer Singh) is a flamboyant scion of a successful family mithai magnate, Dhanlaxmi (Jaya Bachchan). Rocky wants to trigger his amnesiac grandfather Kanwal's (Dharmendra) memories by reconnecting him with a woman from his past, Jamini Chatterjee (Shabana Azmi), who is also Rani's (Alia Bhatt) thakuma (grandmother). For this, he meets the intellectual and cultured Rani, and despite their personalities being dramatically different, love blossoms over song, dance and hilarious one-liners. The movie is also about clashing cultures and personalities and depicts how judgmental and dismissive people can be of each other. There is ample melodrama and tears-all in KJo's extravagant style.

With a dance number featuring a bevvy of Bollywood stars-Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, and Ananya Pandey alongside Ranveer Singh, the opening quickly indicates what's in store for us in this family drama. The film is colourful, entertaining, light, and glam and has all the tropes of a Karan Johar film, but there is a message and meaning beneath it all. It gently addresses deep-rooted issues such as patriarchy, gender bias, misogyny, body shaming, and the cancel culture in our society. But all of this is delivered subtly and clearly in the narrative, without letting go of the pulse of humour or clamouring for all the attention in the screenplay.

An out-and-out musical fare, one of its highlights being the medley of Bollywood classics woven beautifully through an old-world rendezvous and Rocky-Rani's new-age romance. The film is also peppered with self-references-matriarch Jaya Bachchan emphatically says, 'Bas, keh diya!' a la Amitabh Bachchan in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, 'Rahul, naam toh suna hi hoga,' and 'It's all about loving your family,' which will delight fans of KJo movies.

Ranveer Singh is perfectly cast as a loud but loving and sensitive Punjabi guy who is myopic about gender equality because of familial and social conditioning. He has the funniest one-liners in the film, which he delivers with great ease, and he handles the impressive character arc with finesse. Alia Bhatt shines as a fiery and self-assured girl and impresses in emotional scenes. But a better command of the Bengali accent would have helped. From being a docile wife in K3G to a shrewd and dominating matriarch in this outing, Jaya Bachchan displays her prowess. Whether unabashedly humiliating Rani's father Chandan (Tota Roy Chowdhury) publicly or being insecure about Jamini, the veteran actress pulls off a multi-dimensional character with panache. Shabana Azmi gets the act perfectly and is consistent with her twang when shifting between Bengali and Hindi. Dharmendra is delightful and stands out in a short but impactful role. Aamir Bashir, as Tijori, Rocky's misogynistic father overpowered by his mother, also delivers a powerful performance. Namit Das as Rani's colleague Soumen is entertaining and stands his might.

Pritam's music is striking, with bangers such as What Jhumka? And Dhindhora Baja Re, and the romantic Tum Kya Mile, all the songs are lavishly and beautifully shot. Dola Re Dola redux throws in a surprise and is sure to get a lot of claps from viewers.

Manush Nandan shows his prowess as the director of photography, and visually, the film is all glam and shiny in every scene, though one wonders why a television news anchor turns up dressed the way Rani does. Ishita Moitra's quick-witted and rib-tickling dialogues deserve a mention. Rocky says to take Rani's doli, he'll need to be as grand as Rajamouli. The story takes time to set up, the first half is slow and the scenes are stretched, but it picks up pace in the second half. There's nothing complex about the plot or anything we haven't seen before, and the climax, too, is predictable and simplistic. But the film throws in a lot of laughs. Towards the end, it subtly depicts the winds of change when Rocky's parents ask for Rani's hand in marriage, saying they want their son to be the Chatterjees' damad instead of asking their daughter to be their bahu.

At heart, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is an entertaining and sweet love story, with flashy and feisty characters given to us in a well-wrapped shiny package. And yet, it's all about loving your family.

Starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' serves as an adaptation of Doug Liman's 2005 action-comedy film of the same name. While the show boasts plenty of action with longer episode runtimes, it falls short of replicating the magnetic on-screen chemistry exhibited by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in the original film.

Created by Francesca Sloane and Glover, with Sloane also serving as the showrunner, the series introduces a fresh twist to the familiar narrative. Unlike the film, where the titular characters discover each other's true identities as rival spies, the adaptation sees Mr. And Mrs. Smith working for the same agency, forced to assume the roles of a married couple for their missions.

The heart of the story lies in the evolving relationship between John and Jane, as they navigate the treacherous waters of espionage while grappling with newfound emotions. Their cover story as software engineers seeking therapy adds a layer of complexity, though at times, the counseling sessions feel drawn out, hindering the overall pace of the show.

Nevertheless, 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' excels in its action-packed sequences, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats until the gripping finale. Whether it's high-speed chases or daring missions, John and Jane prove to be a formidable duo, despite the looming question of their true allegiance.

At its core, the series thrives on the palpable chemistry between Glover and Erskine, their on-screen rapport injecting a sense of authenticity into their characters' tumultuous journey. While the show may lack the sizzling allure of its cinematic predecessor, it offers a compelling narrative that will resonate with fans of the original film.

In a nutshell, 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' may be slow-paced and moderate in terms of entertainment, but it delivers a captivating blend of espionage and romance, anchored by strong performances and thrilling action sequences. So, if you're ready to embark on a rollercoaster ride of intrigue and passion, buckle up and join John and Jane Smith on their exhilarating mission through the streets of Manhattan.

Inspired by true events, this four-episode series is backdropped on the 1984 Bhopal gas leak tragedy and celebrates the 'unsung heroes' of the Indian Railways who rose to the occasion and saved hundreds of lives.

Director Shiv Rawail and co-writer Aayush Gupta have skillfully crafted a gripping narrative in their debut series, 'The Railway Men,' delving into the harrowing events surrounding the 1984 Bhopal gas leak tragedy. The story, centered on the lethal methyl isocyanate (MIC) leak from the Union Carbide factory, unfolds as a compelling account of human tragedy and the unsung heroes of the Indian Railways who risked their lives in the face of an unspeakable disaster.

At the heart of the tale is Iftekaar Siddiqui (Kay Kay Menon), the dedicated station master of Bhopal Junction, who becomes the linchpin in the rescue efforts on that fateful night of December 2, 1984.

Unexpectedly, a thug known as Express Bandit (Divyenndu) enters the scene, originally intending to exploit the chaos for personal gain but ultimately contributing to the rescue mission. The newly joined locomotive pilot Imaad Riaz (Babil Khan) and Central Railways GM Rati Pandey (R Madhavan) join forces with these railway men to evacuate thousands of residents via railway amid escalating chaos and obstacles.

As the minutes tick by, the gravity of the situation intensifies, with the series keeping viewers on the edge of their seats, questioning whether the railwaymen will succeed in their mission. Parallelly, journalist Jagmohan Kumawat (Sunny Hinduja) takes on a crusade against the American corporation through his newspaper, warning locals about the impending danger. Despite his efforts, scepticism and attempts to silence him add another layer of tension to the unfolding disaster.

The four hourly episodes provide a spine-chilling experience, vividly depicting the horrifying consequences of the gas leak. The close-up shots capturing the instantaneous deaths and the haunting images of poison emanating from people's mouths leave a lasting emotional impact. The realistic portrayal of the after-effects of the gas leak adds another layer of depth to the narrative.

R Madhavan and Kay Kay Menon deliver powerful performances, infusing their characters with heart and making them relatable. Divyenndu's portrayal adds a touch of intensity, accompanied by clever one-liners. Babil Khan performs flawlessly, especially in emotional passages. Even he impressively adopts the Bhopali accent, and Juhi Chawla makes a notable impact in her limited screen time.

'The Railway Men' not only serves as an eye-opener to the tragic events of 1984 but also sheds light on the moral corruption within the political landscape. Despite being based on true incidents, the series avoids a documentary-style approach, successfully forging an emotional connection with the viewers. It stands as a tribute to the courage of those who faced adversity and a stark reminder that, even in the face of calamity, some societal issues remain unchanged.

Starring Yami Gautam and Priyamani as the two forces driving this intense narrative, the film informs, educates and keeps you invested for all part. For everyone who is vaguely aware of what Article 370 stands for, its existence and abrogation, but has never really cared to understand its significance or relevance, this 2 hours 38 minutes film is nothing short of an impactfully narrated chapter that delves deeper into the intricacies of politics, and in a much simplified manner, presents an engaging watch for an average viewer to understand.

Article 370 not only outlines the events, but also but also details them to showcase how the uncontrollable violence in Kashmir promoted the current government to abrogate J&K's special status. I liked that the makers didn't lean on the crutches of patriotic cliches to make an impact instead it chose a hard-hitting narrative to tell an informative tale. Written by Aditya Dhar and Monal Thaakar, the film allows its story to remain the hero for maximum runtime, despite some powerful performances stealing the show throughout.

The film opens in 1947 with sepia tone visuals and Ajay Devgn's voiceover, explaining how a part of Kashmir went to Pakistan and how Article 370 came into being. The political action thriller then moves to 2016, when following Kashmir unrest, a local agent and an Intelligence Field Officer Zooni Haksar (Yami Gautam Dhar) is secretly recruited by the PMO Secretary Rajeshwari (Priyamani Swaminathan) to spearhead the National Investigation Agency (NIA) operation in Kashmir, uncover conflict economy, fight separatists and corrupt officers, and curb terror situation, months before the abrogation of Article 370 comes into play.

The first half is a slow burn that takes time to build the momentum to set the premise, and the tragic Pulwama attack is thoughtfully used as the interval block. With a more focused approach in the second half, the film gets fast-paced and well-knit, leading up to a fulfilling climax that lasts for an exhilarating 30 minutes. Some of the of the dialogues might sound repetitive of what we've heard in numerous films based on Kashmir, yet there are many portions where some power-packed lines make you laud.

The impactful writing is enhanced with a smooth screenplay (by Aditya Dhar, Aditya Suhas Jambhale, Arjun Dhawan and Monal Thaakar) that doesn't move back and forth, and lets key events leading up to the removal of Article 370 unfold with the desired impact. Dividing the film's screenplay in multiple chapters such as The Lover of the Tral, Blindspot, Save The Date, Sub-clause (d) and Was, Is and Always Will Be, further simplifies the plot leaving no loose ends. Kudos to Shivkumar V. Panicker's editing, who has paid adequate attention to stitching the portions in a manner that they weave a story evoking a sense of nationalism and emotions.

Yami Gautam packs a punch and is terrific in her portrayal. Her no-nonsense demeanor lends a gravitas to the film and she lets her action and intense dialogue delivery do most of the talking. I particularly loved the parts when she stands up for her fellow men in uniform or confronts another colleague for always jeopardizing her breakthroughs.

Delivering an equally powerful performance, Priyamani steals the show with her restrained yet effective act. Through the length of the film, she remains the calm in all the chaos around. Not too sure how much attention is given to the styling of the characters in a politically-driven narrative but a special mention to Priyamani's lovely cotton drapes - each one of them. Films like Article 370 give you a sense of pride to see two female carrying the entire film on their shoulders with able support of a bunch of men in the supporting cast. One hopes such films serve as an inspiration for more filmmakers to write such strong, driven and phenomenal roles for female actors.

Among the noteworthy ensemble cast, the ones those stand out definitely are Arun Govil as the PM and Kiran Karmarkar as Home Minister, characters based on Narendra Modi and Amit Shah respectively. Right from their prosthetics to make them look the part, their dialogue delivery to the whole aura they bring on screen, it was quite a fitting casting. Actors Raj Zutshi, Raj Arun and Vaibhav Tatwawadi, too, lend an able support to the leading cast.

Article 370 underlines one of the most crucial chapters in our nation's history. With an impressive writing, simple narrative and outstanding direction, it effortlessly manages to send across the message it intends to. Film made on Kashmir as the focal theme are aplenty in Bollywood, but this Yami and Priyamani-starrer will surely feature among the best ones out of the lot.

Ajay Devgn plays Kabir Rishi, the quintessential family man (the Drishyam kind not the Family Man kind) who is on his way to his farmhouse with his family that consists of his wife, Jyoti Rishi (Jyotika) and his two kids, Janvi (Janaki Bodiwala) and Dhruv (Anngad Raaj).

On their way, they meet a seemingly kind stranger Vanraj Kashyap (R Madhavan) who offers a sweet to Janvi. Here the words 'stranger danger' should've started flashing across the screen. The family soon realises, to their horror, that the sweet has put Janvi under Vanraj's hypnotic control.

Shaitaan's appeal lies in the atmosphere it creates, especially without the use of CGI. It mostly hinges on the antagonist's sinister intentions and games, which leave you with an unsettling feeling. Written by Aamir Keeyan Khan and Krishnadev Yagnik, the film sidesteps usual horror tropes. But it does touch upon the ageold supernatural versus science debate and human crudity that makes the species as basic as malevolent forces.

The narrative maintains a good pace and the treatment makes the movie gripping for the most part, although things gets a tad monotonous in the second half. Albeit not too suspenseful, the buildup is unnerving. The story has some unconvincing elements, and one scene gives away a pivotal plot point, which makes the climax predictable. Cinematographer Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti excels in creating an atmosphere of dread and darkness, further enhanced by Amit Trivedi's music.

R Madhavan is outstanding as the malevolent figure and pulls off every sinister deed perfectly. Ajay Devgn delivers a powerful performance as a helpless but determined father. Jyotika stands her might, too. Janki Bodiwala deserves to be lauded for her pitch-perfect performance as the young girl under a devious spell. She laughs, cries, dances, and attacks on cue in immediate succession perfectly. Anngad Raaj as the son performs well, too.

"Shaitaan" is a commendable addition to the psychological thriller genre, driven by the exceptional performances of R Madhavan and Ajay Devgn. Vikas Bahl's directorial vision, coupled with a gripping screenplay, makes it a worthwhile watch for those seeking a chilling and thought-provoking cinematic experience.

Set in a small-town colony of Delhi called Rajat Vihar, the series introduces the viewer to its leading characters, Dev Mishra (Abhay Mahajan) and Meher Sikka (Natasha Bharadwaj) and their backstories. The former is an average guy-the narrator describes him as the colourful colony's most colourless character, and the latter as savage.

Despite being neighbours, the two are practically strangers, but love blossoms when they get to know each other. Before they can confess their feelings to each other, in comes Meher's strapping stud of an ex (and the show's narrator), Ashwin Chauhan (Mrinal Dutt), who breaks up with her, unable to manage the long-distance relationship. The story is about their love triangle and what happens when Meher faces the same situation as she gets a scholarship to study in Italy.

Abhay Mahajan is convincing as the average dorky young man burdened with providing for his family and filling in for his late father. He pulls off the act of being a good-hearted and self-conscious guy well. As a self-confident and straight-talking girl, Natasha Bharadwaj is good, too, and has a pleasant screen presence.

Mrinal Dutt is impressive and does a good balancing act of being the troublemaker and a good guy. Purav Jha stands out as the spoilt and smarter brother who advises Dev on matters of the heart. He does well in comic scenes and delivers funny lines with ease, like "Keep your attitude in your pocket, I have enough of it."

The word 'Farrey' stands for ways to cheat, to devise ingenious ways to surpass the system and most importantly, do this without getting caught. But what makes the film a terrific watch is the treatment and performances of the lead cast.

'Farrey' sort of pushes the boundaries and caters to a more mainstream crowd. There is very little titillation or need to push the envelope in that space and instead, Soumendra Padhi and his troupe of kids focus on their characters and making the performances take the lead.

When we meet Niyati (Alizeh Agnihotri) in an orphanage wanting to go big, we actually also get into what an all-girls shelter home looks like from the inside. On the other side of the spectrum are the rich and very privileged Chhavi (Prasanna Bisht) and Prateek (Zeyn Shaw). How Niyati gets entangled in what seems like just a mere case of making a quick buck is what sets 'Farrey' apart from the rest.

Performances are the strongest pillars in 'Farrey'. After writing, if there is a force that makes the film worth watching, then it has to be the ensemble that Soumendra Padhi has put together. You can tell from the scenes that he has definitely put these kids through rehearsals and sessions before finalising the main take.

Alizeh Agnihotri, who makes her debut with 'Farrey', is perhaps the best find of 2023. Easy on the eyes and yet so riveting, she shines bright in some of the most complex scenes. The no-makeup, de-glam look also helps Alizeh make Niyati feel real. Her first big scene - the long monologue opposite Ronit Roy - is where you get to see that glimpse of someone who, with the right guidance and support, can be moulded into a terrific performer.

Prassana Bisht, who plays Chavi, is super terrific and so is Sahil Mehta, who plays Aakash. These two actors will go a long way and should get picked up for the right roles.

'Farrey' has a steady first half, but it's the second follow-up storyline post interval where you find the most juice. It's fast paced, makes you sit on the edge of your seat and the characters spring one surprise after another. There is, thankfully, no forced love angle or any other gimmick that might be a distraction to what the maker is set out to do.

'Farrey' is a solid effort that keeps you engaged. The fact that it is based on a real-life event makes it even more fascinating. A solid A + on the mark sheet for the cast of 'Farrey'.

The film is based on a book by Anuja Chauhan, and the book is titled Club Me To Death. Now, while Ghazal Dhaliwal and Suprotim Sengupta adapted this book into a screenplay and presented a whodunnit, they forgot to incorporate the most important and essential element of this murder mystery - mystery.

The whodunnit starts off straight with the point - a murder that happens in the first 5 - 10 minutes of the film. The case is entrusted with ACP, played by Pankaj Tripathi and his subordinate. Now, as soon as he starts the investigation, the main problem of this film gets highlighted. This murder mystery has been tried to present in a hilarious manner with shades of dark comedy, but the laughs definitely do not get catered.

The very next problem with this film arises when too much starts happening in a single scene. It is so cluttered that despite not suffering from OCD, you would have a terrible feeling to organize it in a much better way than Homi Adajania has attempted to. Definitely, murder mysteries need to develop a certain level of suspense to keep the audience hooked.

While none of the characters are strongly established, the second part starts shifting towards the main leads (so to say) Sara Ali Khan and Vijay Varma, trying to solve the case parallelly and taking their not-so-required romance to another level with a love-making scene and a song out of nowhere. By this time, my head was spinning way too much to empathize with those who had signed up for this film.

There is no star in the film because there is no performance in the film. In fact, it feels like no one knew what they were supposed to do on camera. And suddenly, everyone tries to put up a worthy performance or rather overperformance when the focus shifts to them for 60 seconds!

Homi Adajania has a good plot in his hands, and he certainly does not know what to do with this film. He took the herculean task of developing strong plots for eight suspects, he could not deliver justice to even one of them, and it is heartbreaking to see such a great ensemble shatter like a castle made of cards in lieu of a struggling script.

Adding to this already confused tale of mystery meets humor is an out-of-nothing song that you just want to fast forward.

There are only two ways I would suggest you watch this drowsy tale of multiple murders, all aimless, and an ensemble cast lost in the tale - either watch it in 2X or better start watching it backward and just get frakking done with it in 15 minutes! Ooof, it seems like a lifetime already !

Apple TV's offering is Idris Elba on a Plane. He plays ordinary guy Sam Nelson - known for his business negotiating skills back on Earth - who finds himself trapped on a hijacked flight and forced into the role of reluctant hero. So it's Idris Elba in Die Hard, too. And the seven-hour journey plays out in almost real time, so he is also Kiefer Sutherland in 24. Or rather it's Idris Elba in 7, but the actual title of this brilliantly executed, suspenseful, daft and wholly convincing ride is Hijack. It doesn't even have an exclamation mark.

To believe in the premise of Hijack for even one moment, you see, requires you to believe several difficult things. One: that there exists a man so potently charismatic he can persuade anyone - arrogant posh boy playing video games too loud, frantic passengers, jittery and bloodied hijackers, desperate people locking themselves in various unhelpful places - to listen to him and his reasonable proposals for turning down the video games, taking a deep breath, unlocking the door and generally trying to find a way to de-hijack the plane and not kill any of the 200-odd people on board.

Two: that there is a man so keenly alert and intelligent that he can deduce that a violent takeover is brewing from the presence of an unnaturally furrowed brow three rows down, and an aberrant washbag.

Three: that he could then keep his head sufficiently to orchestrate various plays, offences, measures and countermeasures up and down a plane among a disparate group of panicking passengers as the aisles are patrolled by an increasingly strung-out set of plane-nobblers.

But of course, Elba is - innately, majestically, irreducibly - all these things. And upon this rock, seven hours of preposterousness can safely be built. Which is not to say the creators have not taken their responsibilities seriously. It marshals its secondary characters with aplomb. The priest, the red herring (or is it two? Or three?), the stressed family of four either suffering marital difficulties or just having two children on a seven-hour flight from Dubai to London, the kind young single lady, the vulnerable schoolgirls, the stewardess having an affair with the captain (Ben Miles) are all given just enough personality to stop them becoming ciphers, but not enough to get in the way of the action. We care, but we are not asked to invest in any cumbersome way.

Hijack unfolds perfectly. Suspense builds, is released, builds again, a little more tension, a little longer wait until the elastic snaps back each time. Just when everything is at the point of being absolutely too much and you're at the point of switching off and going out for a walk to recover, it will cut to a domestic scene involving the boring family to which Sam is inexplicably wanting to get back safely. Or if it just wants to keep the motor purring, a scene with the increasingly concerned people on the ground - including Alice (Eve Myles), the air traffic controller who first notices something's amiss, counter-terrorism officer Zahra (Archie Panjabi) and eventually various government ministers trying to decide whether to shoot the plane down over water or let it crash into buildings.

Not a moment, not a drinks carton, not an in-flight entertainment system is wasted. Narrative seeds are sown, allowed to ripen and harvested at just the right moment. It works like clockwork without the (plentiful) larger twists being predictable. The only duff note is the brutal outbreak of violence from Captain Robin in the first episode, which stands out both for its moral and physical nastiness, and for the fact that nothing else in the remaining six-and-a-half hours suggests he is that type of man. Like everything else in Hijack, it serves to further the plot, but unlike everything else in Hijack, it comes at the cost of taking you out of the moment. And that is something you cannot afford to do too often when you are asking an audience to buy into Hijack's level of absurdity for the duration.

Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire, directed by Prashanth Neel, unfolds in the rustic and politically charged landscape of Khansar. This action-packed film, featuring Prabhas as Deva and Prithviraj Sukumaran as Vardharaja, is set against a backdrop of intrigue and rebellion, relying heavily on drama as well as swag and action. Prashanth has meticulously created the dystopian city of Khansar with intricate details, establishing a multitude of characters with a narrative spanning between 1747 and the present times. Reminiscent of Black Panther, the empire boasts 101 tribes with distinct characteristics, divided into three divisions, including Kaparlu (clan leaders) and Doralu (council members).

A man of few words, Prabhas packs a punch with his dialogues and looks slick in action sequences, making the film a feast for his ardent fans. Prashanth leaves no opportunity to elevate the character of Deva aka Salaar, masterfully making his protagonist appear larger than life. The screenplay takes its own sweet time in the first half to establish the character of Deva, creating a slow burn and preparing audiences for what is to come.

Prashanth Neel takes an unconventional route in narrating this dystopian world and its characters, leaning more towards international cinema. Much like the KGF franchise, the director adheres to a dark colour palette. The film eschews typical dance numbers or romantic melodies, instead relying on situational anthems sung by school children in the first half and by children from the Mahara tribe in the second half, which enhance the drama. The film explores themes of power, loyalty, betrayal, and the right to leadership, delving into the complexities of political machinations and personal allegiances, offering a compelling commentary on power struggles.

Prabhas, as Deva, is both electrifying and docile, delivering a performance that combines raw power with deep emotional depth. His portrayal of Salaar showcases his ability to balance raw aggression with subtle emotional nuances. Prithviraj Sukumaran, as Vardha, portrays the vulnerability and determination of a young heir caught in a political whirlwind, yet harboring his own strategic calculations. His compelling performance adds a layer of complexity to the narrative. As the film progresses, Prithviraj's character exudes strength and valour. Shruti Haasan, in her role as Aadhya, brings a sense of balance but is mostly limited to the first half and a few scenes in the second.

Jagapathi Babu, as Raja Mannar, delivers a commanding performance, while Bobby Simha, Tinnu Anand, Easwari Rao, and others contribute significantly to the story's depth. The supporting cast, including Sriya Reddy, Ramachandra Raju, Madhu Guruswamy, John Vijay, Saptagiri, Prudhvi Raj, Jhansi and Mime Gopi, adds layers to the narrative.

The cinematography captures the essence of Khansar's tumultuous atmosphere, immersing the audience in the city's tension and drama. Ravi Basrur's soundtrack adds a robust layer to the film's atmosphere, complementing the tone and heightening the emotional impact of certain scenes. The editing is sharp in the second half, though it cannot be said the same for the first. The special effects are effective, contributing significantly to the film's visual appeal.

Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire combines political drama with high-stakes action and champions brotherhood. It is a riveting watch for those with a taste for grand and epic narratives. Fans of Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran will find much to admire in this intense and captivating film. It's a film that will entertain and impress with its scale, but might require some patience in the initial stages, mostly establishing the world of Khansar and its inhabitants and setting the stage for Salaar: Part 2.

Siddharth Anand's Fighter takes several cues from Top Gun to lay the foundation for what becomes a pacy story about valour, patriotism and celebrating the birds in the sky that protect our country. It doesn't hurt that the cast is led by some good-looking actors -- Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor and Deepika Padukone.

Siddharth Anand has carved a niche for himself with his larger-than-life, good-looking masala entertainers. With Fighter, that writing has taken a patriotic flavour. Every time a film shifts to Kashmir and the Indo-Pakistan conflict, there is a certain template that is set. Siddharth Anand follows the cue but adds dollops of glamour, high-octane action scenes and loads of patriotism with 'Vande Mataram' and 'Jai Hind' playing in the background.

Siddharth Anand has a way of introducing his men in his movies. Be it the stylish entry scene of SRK in Pathaan or even back in the day, how Hrithik Roshan blazed on screen in Bang Bang and even War. But in Fighter, he tries something different. He gives Deepika Padukone's Minni a stellar entry scene before he brings in the big gun -- Hrithik Roshan's Patty. Given the scale of the film, the director doesn't rush into the big action scenes. He spends most of the first half introducing us to the Air Force pilots. Led by Rakesh Jaisingh aka Rocky (Anil Kapoor), the unit of Air Dragons comprises of Minni (Deepika Padukone), Patty (Hrithik Roshan), Taj (Karan Singh Grover) and Bash (Akshay Oberoi).

The plot revolves around the Pulwama attack and incidents leading before and after the incident. In terms of storyline, Fighter flies high on the newfound love of filmmakers to weave in patriotic sentiment in a bonafide potboiler. The action scenes are the real hero of Fighter. Anand steers away from any Top Gun comparisons by creating an original palette for the big-ticket shots.

The first half has the right mix of emotion and action, but the second half nose dives before picking up just in time for the juicy climax. Deepika and Hrithik's pairing is a winning master stroke. They not only look good as a pair, but also do justice to the characters when they are in uniform. There is a certain seriousness they bring to the table when they mean business. Anil Kapoor shows us why he's the real boss. His scenes with Hrithik and the team are a major highlight.

What helps Fighter maintain its pace is the lead hero Hrithik Roshan, who reminds us what makes him a true-blue Bollywood superstar. His committment to making Patty's journey feel personal is something the young blood should take a cue from. Deepika Padukone delivers in both the action and emotional scenes. Watching her and Hrithik flirt in the first half is pure thrill and so is their delicious dance in the air. Karan Singh Grover and Sanjeeda Shaikh provide the right support to these able front-footers. The weakest link however is the villain Azhar Akhtar, played by Rishabh Sawhney. His nearly ironed hair and lip-glossed pucker seem too pretty to be menacing.

Fighter is a big-screen spectacle. When those birds soar high in the air, there is nothing that can take your eyes off the screen. Hrithik and Deepika set the screen on fire and I won't be surprised if they become the go-to pair for big-ticket movies in the future. Siddharth Anand's Fighter soars high on the entertainment quotient.

Ved (Crazy) is a film that is miles apart from what crazy means. The movie is beautiful and heartwarming. Riteish Deshmukh in the role of Satya is the perfect mix of Kabir Singh and Chulbul Pandey as a lover. His frustration and will to get into fights and kill is pretty evident and the actor is seamless in his character.

Ashok Saraf in the role of his father, Mr. Dinkar, is a cutie. He is also a pleasant surprise and his acting skill is just on point as always. Genelia Deshmukh's entry in the film as Shravani is unique and pretty. She is extremely adorable as his wife. She narrating her side of falling in love is extremely beautiful.

Ashok and Genelia's bond is the best thing to happen to the film. Them bringing Jodha-Akbar, Salim and Anarkali is natural and entertaining. The movie has hilarious moments that make it beyond watchable.

In the second half, Riteish and Genelia become extremely adorable. They have their moments - both heartbreaking and loving. Riteish's scene with sign language is like a cherry on the top of a delicious cake. The song Besuri perfectly shows the bond between Satya and Shravani. The song also sees how their relationship has evolved over the years, making it an important track in the film.

Jiya Shankar in the role of Nisha has a brief yet lasting role. She comes back in the form of memories and all of them leave you smiling. Ved has equal amounts of comedy and action. Every actor nails the scenes that require both.

Riteish and Genelia's bond, as one would expect, is the highlight of this cutely wrapped gift of a movie. The two tend to overpower the other but still leave you rooting for them as a couple.

Ved is a beautiful film. It is better than Majili in many places. The movie, however, sticks to the adaptation. This is even when Ved could have ended many scenes before, making it more powerful than it currently is. Nonetheless, this movie is hilarious and action-packed aka a masala entertainer everyone loves seeing.

Having craved for his rich father's (Anil Kapoor) love and attention all his life, an unhinged Vijay (Ranbir Kapoor) gets obsessive and violent when his dad is attacked. Seeking revenge and hunting down the conspirators become his only aim. Picture Godfather on steroids, devoid of its psychological tension.

Blood is thicker than water according to the film's protagonist. The safety and unity of family is sacrosanct no matter how twisted the relations. We are even led to believe that dysfunctional is better than broken.

Through an exhausting runtime of 3 hours, 21 minutes, comprising extreme bloodshed, testosterone and blatant misogyny, writer-director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, known for his controversial statements and thoughts, glorifies the alpha male once again through his Godfather-esque tale.

When his father is shot, Vijay declares himself as the 'man of the house' and takes matters into his own hands. He assures his father that he'll safeguard their steel empire and family's legacy but revenge first.

Despite anger and daddy issues, he has an active love life. He seduces Geetanjali (Rashmika Mandanna), through his toxic macho traits and erratic, inappropriate humour. "Don't call me bhaiyya. I don't have brotherly feelings for you." He compliments her childbearing hips and like Christian Grey, whisks her away in his private jet for some high-altitude dom/sub love making. "You were the bottom, you didn't have to do much", he comments after. He even expects her to forgive his infidelity because she forgives his other crimes anyway. "Aap log mahinay ke chaar din pad badalne par bolte ho, main din mein chaar baar pad badal raha hu", he argues post an injury, questioning women's right to complain about period pain.

Pop culture has often glorified bad boys. There's always something attractive about people who refuse to toe the line. Vanga takes this romanticisation a bit too far. Even as his take on women and violence unsettle you immensely as a viewer, those are his preferences for a protagonist as a director, and he is free to have them. The bigger issue is the lack of purpose in the story. His gun-wielding angry young man comes across as a rebel without a cause.

Cocky, broken, and problematic characters can be celebrated if they have a reason strong enough to explain the mayhem, if not justify. Vijay has none and in the absence of it, Animal ends up as all swag and no substance derailed family drama. What is fuelling his fire and the rage within? The father-son discord that forms the crux of the story itself stays unexplored. Barring Ranbir, the story barely invests in other characters, turning them into silent spectators, including the very talented Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol. AK is excellent in the confrontational scenes and Bobby looks menacing, but both have very little to do. Women are submissive puppets. Mandanna's Hindi dialogues are harder to comprehend than the film's intention.

'Animal' relies heavily on Ranbir Kapoor's talent and stardom. His raw sex appeal and unmatched intensity are the film's highlights. One of the finest actors of this generation, you find yourself trapped in his troubled mind as his blood-soaked eyes seethe with rage. Uninhibited, his ability to become the character he plays, shocks, stuns, and draws you in each frame. RK lends that dangerously unpredictable quality to this deranged character and aces it especially in that Vaastav-like crucial climax scene. He deserved a better script to match this level of performance.

Ranbir Kapoor can be Joaquin Phoenix but Animal's no Joker. This entire film could have just been a conversation between the father and his son.

The story opens with a series of blasts happening in Delhi on the Delhi Police Raising Day, staging it as a challenge thrown at the Delhi Police. So DCP Kabir Malik and Joint CP Vikram Bakshi are on it immediately. Even though they were almost on the verge of nabbing the culprits, some things didn't go as planned, and the main men behind the attack managed to escape after causing heavy losses to the Delhi police. What we see in the series is the efforts by the Delhi Police, especially Kabir Malik, to find those who were behind the whole attack.

Unlike Rohit Shetty's movies, the writing credit of this series is shared by five individuals, and the directorial responsibilities are shared with Sushwanth Prakash. But to my surprise, the screenplay was never going beyond a bullet point level scene order creation. And the dialogues were so flat and outdated that you could witness an Amazon Prime original series competing with something like CID in terms of coherence. Even the way the opening credits are rolled out before every episode would make you realize how lazy was the scripting process as there is no effort to make things exciting for the audience.

The warm and blue contrast of the colors in the initial episode made me think that they had given some extra care to the frames and how the show should look. But pretty soon, it slips into that high saturation zone, and the monochromatic Bangladesh of Rohit Shetty was so bad that even Hollywood folks will feel like criticizing it. The action set pieces are of course the highlight of this movie, oh sorry, series. But none of them has an organic landing.

Rohit Shetty wants to experiment with different kinds of action set pieces, and he tries out all that but never bothers whether it serves the series in any way. The set pieces that pop out unnecessarily have these swirling camera movements using drones similar to how Michael Bay used to give the audience a headache with his helicopter shots. The whole Bangladesh episode in the series is Shetty's attempt to make his Sastha version of Extraction, and the vehicles in Bangladesh are extremely sensitive to touch.

Sidharth Malhotra, as the typical Rohit Shetty hero, gets to mouth these lame heroic dialogues, which you might predict before he opens his mouth. In a Rohit Shetty creation, the theatricality level in acting is always high, and Sidharth, who isn't that loud by default, occasionally becomes a misfit. The veterans like Vivek Oberoi and Shilpa Shetty, on the other hand, know how to deliver those clunky lines in the least awkward manner. The villain, played by Mayyank Taandon, is struggling to make an impact in terms of performance, and a good share of that should be given to the generic writing of the series.

The problematic politics of the Rohit Shetty cop movies are going to be a constant it seems. With the current mood in the larger society, he won't feel the need for introspection in the way he creates his antagonists and stories in ChatGPT mode. Even if you look at it purely on a craft level, there is absolutely nothing there to applaud. At a time when audiences are struggling to complete one movie in a single stretch, Rohit Shetty sort of makes it easy for them by splitting it into 7 episodes.

There are a couple of episodes in the second half of Thunivu, which, if they were played separately, might make someone mistake the film to be something from the Shankar stable. Or from an AR Murugadoss. We get a Shankar-style tragic flashback that explains the motivations of the protagonist, who is on a mission. The other is a crowdpleasing bit in which the antagonists who have been taking advantage of a gullible public are made to answer for their wrongdoings on live television even as we get to know the evil machinations of a familiar industry.

But unlike Shankar or Murugadoss, H Vinoth doesn't seem to believe in packaging his film's core subject into an expansive, grander and conventional narrative that first sets up the characters before diving into the plot. This film dives right into the plot in the first few scenes, keeping us in a state of uncertainty as it gives us events that are unfolding in real time and introduces characters along the way. And so, we get straight to the bank robbery that's the film's inciting incident.

Gangster Radha (Veera) and his men plot to rob a bank and land up there only to realise that there is a mystery man (Ajith Kumar) who is already in the bank, and is only too eager to take over the task. Even as the police, led by the Commissioner (Samuthirakani), is figuring out a way to capture the man, he learns that there is something else sinister afoot. Who is this man and what is he after ?

The first thing that strikes you about Thunivu is its pace. The scenes move from one to the next in breakneck speed, and there are times when we wonder if the editor, Vijay Velukutty, is playing them at 1.5x speed. It does take some time to settle down to this, as it does with Ghibran's wall-to-wall background music as well. And for a big-budget film, the production design is quite tacky.

Meanwhile, Vinoth keeps packing the screenplay with all the information he must have come across while writing the film. From the way financial scams are done to what happens to the hard-earned money that customers deposit in a bank, he fills us in with a lot of info. Some of this even flows right over our heads given the fast-paced nature of the film. There are moments when we desperately wish for the director to slow down so that we can get to know the characters and the issue better. The villains here are not just bankers, but policemen, media and politicians as well. But the rapid pace never lets us get an idea on how one feeds off the other.

The director choses to give the film its highs with scenes in which his star, Ajith, lets loose and does stuff that is more anti-heroic. From dancing like Michael Jackson to coming up with smart quips, the actor just takes over the scenes in the first half, coming up with an enjoyable over-the-top performance that brings out the whistles from the fans.

Meanwhile, Manju Warrier, who plays the protagonist's partner (the film never bothers to specify if they are strictly professional partners or romantically involved as well) gets to perform some stunts and gets a terrific mass moment in one scene. However, the role doesn't offer her anything more other than that.

The other actors, including Samuthirakani, remain more or less functional. The film falters mainly with the performances of the actors who play the antagonists. None of them appear as a threat to Ajith's character, not even remotely. Supreme Sundar's action choreography, too, pushes implausibility quite a bit, especially, the numerous gun shoots.

Despite raising many relevant questions about the operations of our financial institutions and the impact that has on the common man, the film's refusal to show it as something that affected the protagonist directly makes it impossible to root for him whole-heartedly. And when the film turns into a logic-defying chase on the sea, we begin to wonder if guts alone can be enough for glory.

An AI gone rogue threatens to disrupt the world as we know it, and its key is a hotly sought commodity that Ethan Hunt and the IMF must find. This key is the McGuffin for a prescient plot, but audiences aren't watching 'Mission Impossible' films for their riveting stories. Since 'Ghost Protocol' (2011), Tom Cruise has been on his own mission as an actor and entertainer - to outdo himself with audacious stunts in each entry. 'Dead Reckoning Part One' is no different, where Cruise rides a bike off a cliff, as heavily promoted in the trailers. Naturally, this may appear to be the film's centrepiece, and while it looks jaw-dropping on a big screen, the action has much more in store across its close to 3-hour run-time. The screenplay's pacing takes a little beating, but the film is thrilling, especially in its climax.

Once again, Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie's constant need to challenge their respective boundaries result in some increasingly tense set pieces. Paired with the franchise's iconic theme, they succeed in pushing you to the edge of your seat. Additionally, the plot raises the stakes for Ethan and his team, including Benji (Simon Pegg), Luther (Ving Rhames) and Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson). Hayley Atwell shines as Grace and is a charming addition who pairs off brilliantly with Cruise's Ethan, both dramatically and comedically. In fact, this may be the funniest MI film in the franchise so far.

Of course, the star of the show is Tom Cruise, whose running antics are awe-inspiring despite his increasing age. His commitment to doing most of his stunts allows the fight choreography to breathe, and the film is so much better for it. In this year of adrenaline-driven action films, it has become increasingly hard to distinguish one from the other, but Cruise ensures he stands out from the rest. The fact that this franchise still has enough life left in it after seven films without feeling too exhaustive says a great deal about Cruise and McQuarrie's passionate dedication to action-based blockbusters.

There's a lot to register and process in Scoop, the new Netflix drama series created by Hansal Mehta. Reasonably, the conversation might kickstart whether the director has been able to surpass expectations that were created by the brilliant Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story. I am here to tell you in the affirmative, with enough proof and evidence. With Scoop, Hansal Mehta has set the bar even higher, creating a strikingly written and performed show that stands on its own ground with an immediacy attempted by very few shows in recent memory.

Not a single minute is wasted in the hour-long, 6-episode long series, created by Mehta and Mrunmayee Lagoo Waikul-- diving headlong inside the middle of everyday journalistic hustle: tracking breaking news, connecting with undercover sources, and bringing the report down to the page.

Based on journalist Jigna Vora's 2019 memoir 'Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison,' Scoop retells the true story of the murder of renowned journalist Jyotirmoy Dey, and the subsequent arrest of Vora. Here, it is mirrored in the cold-blooded murder of Jaideb Sen (Prosenjit Chatterjee, superb in a brief appearance) in broad daylight by gangster Chhota Rajan's men. The focus zooms in on senior crime reporter Jagruti Pathak (Karishma Tanna, easily delivering her career-best work) -- and Scoop devotes its initial episodes primarily in building the web of speculation that surrounds her, and which subsequently leads her to jail.

Jagruti Pathak is a single mother, a divorcee who lives with her loud Gujarati family in a tiny apartment in the city. The only aspect of her life that gives her purpose is her job as a crime reporter. When a junior reporter Deepa Chandra (Inayat Sood, registering a brief role with control) asks the resident photographer how she deals with her sources, he says that Jagruti always treats them first as humans and then as information bearers. It rings true, in the assuring and skillful presence of Jagruti's exchanges- she chooses to stay right on track, even when the motives of the other person might feel otherwise. She's tough and alternatively tender, confrontational but always authentic- and that rattles a few men around her. A woman with ambition, who has given the most front page exclusives for her newspaper. Scoop gets that thrill of nabbing an exclusive, proof-checked story for the next morning story extremely well.

Jagruti's equation bodes well with Imraan (played tremendously by Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub), the desk in-charge, who believes in her work ethics. He also cares for her a little too much in a profession where time and again, he is reminded to prioritize the audience and the views. He refuses to let the culture of consumerism get hold of his morals, and Mehta constructs him as a moral compass of the show. In one standout scene later in Scoop, he expresses how the entire media trial after Jagruti's arrest feels rotten. He can either stay and do his job or leave. What else are his choices? One can also ask DCP Shroff (Harman Bhaweja making his comeback), who becomes an important source for Jagruti and then an accomplice, accommodating himself according to the circumstances. Kudos to casting director Mukesh Chhabra for bringing back Harman Baweja- he is immensely watchable as the morally dubious player thrown in the ring, although his part does strike a little rushed.

Mehta is an immersive filmmaker, filled with a keen eye for world-building. He is interested in characters who demand control and agency; in constructing the spaces from which they generate that demand. There is no restlessness in his storytelling, as Scoop rarely feels hurried and burdensome with so much story to tell. Shoutout to the crisp, razor-sharp dialogues by Karan Vyas. Moreover, aided by Deepu Sebastian Edmond's impeccable research and Amitesh Mukherjee's taut editing, Mehta delves deep into the proceedings without losing touch of the authenticity. Scoop could have easily become a very different story of survival if he had just focused on the journey of Jagruti's arrest and subsequent days inside the Byculla jail for almost a year. Instead he avoids any of that narrative trickery and chooses to account for the story that began to unfold much earlier. This is no survival drama, nor it is trying to be a true-crime thriller that has suddenly becomes the vogue of the web series format.

Yet, when the proceedings take us inside the jail, Scoop does lose steam for a while. The segments involving Jagruti being bullied by her cell inmates to Shikha Taslania's underwritten cameo appearance as a cult-like figure-- with so much already piling up already, Scoop could have benefitted more with a tighter control in these transgressions. The focus is pulled right back in, thanks to a tight run back to the court proceedings with Jagruti on the strands. She's so exhausted with the toil and harassment of the media trial and the speculation on her motives, that words do not come out easily anymore. Karishma Tanna truly shines in what combines to form her breakout performance- nailing the body language and poise to precision. The toil that begins to get hold of her inside the jail is faultlessly expressed.

Scoop doesn't hate journalists, nor does it want you to. It respects the profession and acknowledges the dangers involved, but also points its finger at the increasingly volatile scenario of the current trend of controversy-happy, clickbait journalism. There is no time for truth, only views. Less facts, more gossip. All part and parcel of the hustle. Scoop is gripping, thought-provoking work- right down to its bone-chilling final credits, and it is brought together by a director in full command of his craft. All reports need evidence, while some mostly need courage.

Set in Himachal Pradesh, animal rescuer and coffee shop owner Parthiban (Vijay) becomes a local hero after rescuing the town from a Hyena attack. An unrelated incident in his coffee shop gets unwarranted attention from the world and hence, media. Brothers Anthony Das (Sanjay Dutt) and Harold Das (Arjun Sarja), who hear about Parthiban, assume him to be Leo Das (Vijay), the former's son. With guns blazing, they land in the tiny town to find out if Parthiban is Leo.

Brothers Anthony Das (Sanjay Dutt) and Harold Das (Arjun Sarja) run a tobacco business as a front to their illegal drug business. Anthony's son, Leo (Vijay) is one of the most powerful ground workers who ensures smooth running of drugs from one place to another. A harrowing incident causes fire in the tobacco factory, thus killing Leo. Cut to 20 years later, the Das brothers find out about Parthiban and his uncanny resemblance to Leo. Did Leo fake his own death to become Parthiban or are they two different people who simply look alike, is what forms the crux of the story.

Despite having an ensemble of actors, Leo is a one-man show. Vijay is terrific in the film, as Parthiban, as well as Leo. He keeps the audience guessing if he is really Parthiban or a Leo who has turned Parthiban right up to the climax. The scenes are wonderfully carved to keep the audience glued to the screens till the last minute. The pre-climax scene takes the cake. Writing is a bit inconsistent, but Vijay's charm and performance make it a believable outing. He has outperformed himself as he gets to be an out-and-out 'badass' Leo Das, a break from his casual, quirky, playful outings. He shines as dad, husband who is fighting an internal battle, but still keeps looking out of the bedroom window, just to ensure that no harm comes his way.

At the beginning of the film, Lokesh tells us that the story is inspired by David Cronenberg's A History Of Violence, thus preparing the audience to be taken to an action-filled violent world. Lokesh's previous films of LCU, Kaithi and Vikram, were strictly action films, though Vikram did have a small opening for family sentiment. But here, Lokesh dwells into family sentiment and equations, which disrupt the high-octane action flow. Leo is a trademark Lokesh Kanagaraj film with visible star service effects. The film creates for a visually compelling world of antagonists, but doesn't give them a strong platform to stick to. Despite having performers like Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Sarja, the film lacks a good climax showdown between protagonist and the antagonists. Anirudh's music peaks in the second half. A slow song in the first half and the much-hyped 'Naa Ready Daan' in the second half, keeps the movie balanced thus also setting the tone of the movie. The action sequences in the first half required a little more BGM energy.

Lokesh has chosen a well-known and age-old and tried and tested 'hero in exile' story and has embellished it with creative action-packed sequences. While one can guess where the movie is going within half an hour after entering the theatre, Lokesh shines in his 'innovative violence and action sequences'. The hyped Hyena scene fails to leave an impact in the first half, but the blood-thirsty animal comes for a perfect revenge act in the second half.

Trisha plays more than just a perfect partner, and thankfully, she is more than just an arm candy here. Her role gets the right kind of attention. Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Sarja, Priya Anand, Gautam Vasudev Menon, Mysskin get good credit marks for acing their roles, but their performance is dimmed amid the towering presence of Leo Das aka Vijay.

Though the whole 'LCU' part looks forced, one can say that with Leo, Lokesh has a strongest shot in his arm for the next franchise. Lokesh and Vijay's Leo is a lot 'bloody' than 'sweet'. Leo's roar may not be at its peak here, but, hey! It is still a Lion!

Director Raaj Shaandilyaa serves this comedy four years after the original Dream Girl, which was delightful for its quirky set-up and premise. The second outing has a similar premise. Karamveer (Ayushmann Khurrana) needs to raise an enormous amount of money quickly if he wants to marry his girlfriend, Pari Shrivastav (Ananya Panday). So, he pretends to be a woman, Pooja, and works as a dancer at Sona Bhai's (Vijay Raaz) bar. Thereon, the movie has little new to offer throughout its 133 minutes. Writers Raaj and Naresh Kathooria have tried to crank up the comedy, but the narrative goes haywire and ends up as just a mishmash of situations and characters pursuing each other.

Besides Sona Bhai, Pooja attracts unwanted attention from Shoukiya (Rajpal Yadav) as she pretends to be a psychiatrist treating his brother Shahrukh (Abhishek Banerjee), who is depressed after a breakup. The much-widely spoken issue of mental health could have been treated far more sensitively in the plot, instead, it's left to being called a 'rich person's disease.' Shahrukh's father, Abu Saleem (Paresh Rawal), believes marrying Pooja is the cure, and the family vows to reward her with Rs 50 lakhs for the unison. Amid this, there's Shahrukh and Shoukiya's sister Jumani (Seema Pahwa), who falls for Karam while his father Jagjit Singh (Annu Kapoor) is in love with her.

As the viewer tries to keep up with the characters' shenanigans, some tracks are long-drawn, such as when Karam switches between being himself and Pooja. Many comedy scenes come across as too forced, and simply add ot the film. In comedy films, dialogues and their comic timing play a pivotal role in bringing out the laughs, but here, the one-liners here are kitschy and don't always land. When trying to convince Karam to become a dance girl, his friend Smiley (Manjot Singh), pointing to an aged customer on the dance floor, says, 'Shakti nahi bachi par Shakti Kapoor poora bacha hai.' While songs pop up one after the other, the music by Meet Bros and Tanishk Bagchi is not memorable, except for Dil Ka Telephone 2.0, a redux of the hit from the movie's first instalment.

Ayushmann Khurrana skillfully switches between playing Karam and Pooja's characters in the film. He particularly shines in the dance sequences and gets the latkas and jhatkas perfectly. His knack at pulling off situational comedy shows and he owns some of the best parts of the film. Ananya Panday has little scope to perform, and struggles with consistency in her Braj Bhasha dialogue delivery. Annu Kapoor stands out, while other actors like Paresh Rawal, Seema Pahwa, Vijay Raaz, Manjot Singh, and Abhishek Banerjee offer commendable support.

Dream Girl 2 relies on familiar territory, often straying into unnecessary comedic tangents. Despite some good performances and moments, the film falls short of recreating the quirky charm of its predecessor.

'Scam 2003' chronicles the story of Abdul Karim Telgi, who goes from being a fruit vendor to becoming the mastermind behind the 'Telgi' scam in a matter of few years. Meet Abdul, a fruit vendor who knows his way with words. Don't be disarmed by his shy demeanour because Telgi's street smartness makes him somewhat dangerous. Once provoked by his friend to take a 'daring' step, Abdul's greed to earn more is unleashed. Once satisfied with taking a spoon of 'halwa' from a feast, comparing himself to a rat, Telgi did not stop at that.

The first volume delves into Telgi's exploration of system loopholes which fueled his meteoric ascent. Different from the flamboyant character Harshad Mehta, portrayed by Gandhi in the previous series, Telgi, played by Gagan Dev Riar, is a reserved personality with a sharp intellect, weaving his web of deception unnoticed amidst the crowd until it's too late.

Stamp paper scam is not as famous as the Harshad Mehta Scam, but the subject matter indeed has enormous potential, and the makers have explored that. While the first volume showcases how Abdul Telgi built his empire, the second installment depicts his downfall. How politicians and a few police officials tried to make Telgi a scapegoat is depicted well.

Volume 2 emphasizes more on the personal side and family angle of Telgi. The emotions weren't that great in the first season, but here, the emotions worked pretty well. Especially the scenes involving Gagan Dev Riar and Sana Aman Sheikh came out well. Sana Aman Sheikh's character says a nice dialogue that the criminals are unknowingly affecting their families, which is very much true.

The makers deftly recreate the Mumbai of the 1990s when life was simpler without mobile phones and social media. The timeline itself lends the show a unique charm and nostalgia. Compared to 'Scam 1992' however, the storytelling feels a bit uneven because the way Telgi's character switches from being content to dangerously ambitious, is a bit abrupt. He starts sabotaging his friendship with Kaushal Jhaveri (Hemang Vyas), a small-time con artist from Gujarat, who holds his hand when he is down in the dumps. Hemang Vyas is brilliant in his performance, as the foul-mouthed Gujarati vendor, who teaches Telgi to dream big. Achint Thakkar's pulsating beats from the Scam that are used quite effectively here by music composer Ishaan Chhabra.

A fine ensemble cast carries out the attempt to sentence Telgi as well as exonerate him of some of the more serious allegations. Among the noteworthy actors are Nandu Madhav as one of Telgi's early beneficiaries, Mukesh Tiwari, and Irawati Harshe as a Pune police officer who makes Telgi a deal he cannot refuse.

Taken as a whole, the 10-episode show makes more sense than its initial truncated run. Perhaps the best way to release a limited series is at one go, especially when the better bits are kept for the end.