Reviews

The show starts off with Ronny(Zakir Khan) coming back to Indore via train. His cronies Anwar & Kranti receive him at the station. He comes out from the AC compartment by threatening the security guard that "Chacha Vidhayak Hai Humare". The show revolves around Ronny & the hilarity that ensues thanks to his tall claim that the local MLA is his uncle. Truth is there no connection whatsoever between the local MLA & him. But all his friends including his crush Avantika believe his claims that the local MLA is his uncle. He uses this fake association with the MLA to lord over his friends, threaten random strangers & to impress his crush. Ronny is a street smart, smooth talker who is no aim to land a plush job. He wants a cushy job at a bank & earn money with minimum effort. His character will remind people of Salman Khan's character - Radhe Mohan in Tere Naam. The characters in the show even mention the legendary character in one of the episodes. He has a government employee father - brilliantly portrayed by Zakir Hussain, dramatic mother & a nosy sister. Does Ronny get caught in his lie or does he manage to evade getting caught throughout? Does he manage to make Avantika fall for him? Does he land a job at a bank? This is what forms the big part of the story.

Zakir Khan is a gifted topic. Fans of his stand up acts will be able to associate the jokes which he cracks about him going all out to woo his crush & him running around Avantika in the show. Zakir's comic timing & dialogues are hilarious. The other show stealer is veteran actor Zakir Hussain. His acting is brilliant. He is brilliant as the hapless father. His dialogues especially " Zindagi main Salman Banna, Radhe Mohan nahi" will be remembered by fans of this show for years to come. The character who plays Avantika looks pretty. Ronny's cronies do a good job. Rest of the supporting cast too is decent.

There are no flaws that we can think of. At barely 25 odd mins per episode, there are barely any time for your mind to wander. The script writers have done a fab job of keeping the viewers glued to their screens throughout. Amazon Prime has a good track record & they do not disappoint.

It is a show which should be enjoyed with your entire family. Well done Zakir Bhai!

Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety is the 4th film from the hit team of Pyaar Ka Punchama. Is it as good as the PKP films or does it fail to impress like Aakash-Vani? Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety stars Luv Ranjan's regular cast of Kartik Aaryan as Sonu & Nushrat Bharucha as Sweety. Sunny Nijar who has been part of 3 of the 4 films directed by Luv Ranjan is also a part of this movie. The movie stars off with Titu breaking up with his GF - Pihu, thanks to his BFF Sonu. Titu is the wealthy scion of the Ghasitaaz sweet franchise. Sonu is his BFF since childhood & they live together. Sonu makes Titu realize that his GF is cheating on him & doesn't deserve his love. Six months later, he meets Sweety through an arranged marriage setting. While Sonu feels there is something amiss, Titu is totally floored by Sweety. Sonu & Sweety square off against each other. Both proclaim that Titu will eventually side with them. What follows is a series of funny incidents, ending with Titu choosing one over the other. Luv Ranjan has a flair for comedy. His PKP franchise is testament to that fact. Thankfully he doesn't disappoint us in this movie. Kartik Aaryan is fantastic as Sonu. He is the lead character & he shoulders the film well. A star truly has arrived. We do hope other film makers take note of this bundle of talent. Nushrat Bharucha is fire to Kartik's ice. Their games of one upmanship will leave you in splits. Their scenes together are gripping. Sunny Nijjar is decent, but could have played his part better. Alok Nath is hilarious as the Ghasitaaz family's shrewd patriarch. His scenes with Virendra Saxena are dynamite. The movie will make people reminisce about the two PKP films & its misogynistic themes. The weirdest part about the movie is that the villain does nothing wrong apart from saying that she is "chaalu"! Yes, she does threaten the hero that she will throw him out, post her marriage to his friend. But then again, isn't that every woman? Are the makers trying to say that all women are evil? The ending too did look a a bit impractical. But hey! it's bollywood. Please don't analyze the movie too much & just enjoy it. It is highly recommended to watch this movie with your guy buddies & not with your wife/GF who would ask you, your opinion on the dilemma the hero's friend faces - which may lead to disastrous results! It is a funny movie which shouldn't be missed.

Anushka Sharma starrer Pari is the latest horror movie to hit the screen. The actor managed to create a buzz via the screamers which Does it manage to spook the audiences or is it a drag? Does Anushka Sharma's acting live up to your expectations? Read our review to find out.

Pari starts off with Arnab(Parmabrata Chatterjee) meeting a woman through an arranged marriage setup. Arnab is an introvert, but the girl - Piyali, manages to break the ice. They both agree to the match. While Arnab's family is on their way back home from the meeting, they accidentally run over a women. The woman dies on the spot. The woman had a daughter - Rukshana(Anushka Sharma), who stayed with her. They live in the wilderness with barely any exposure to electricity & hence technology. Post her mother's death, a few men are chasing Rukshana & she goes to Arnab's house to save herself. Arnab intends to leave her at a women's ashram, but as expected is unable to do so. Arnab is now caught juggling his prospective wife & Rukshana - both have secrets of their own.

Is Rukshana as evil as the women chasing her, make her out to be? Does Arnab get married to Piyali? Does he live to tell the tale? Do the men chasing Rukshana manage to kill her?

Pari is an outright Anushka Sharma vehicle. She is there is almost every other frame. She is convincing in her role of a woman with spooky traits. Parambrata who became a household name across India, post Kahaani is good. Rajat Kapoor is menacing as the islamic ghostbuster. The movie captures the beauty of Kolkata's parks & its streets well. It will make you want to visit Kolkata. While we have been exposed to stories dealing with Christian & Hindu ghosts, it is the first time we are told a story with a muslim backdrop. This does add a certain degree of novelty.

The movie is let down by the weak script & sub standard direction. Director Pari is director Prosit Roy's debut & his lack of experience is clearly visible. The first half is a complete drag. The story barely moves forward. The second half is better, but by then the damage is already done. The editing & screenplay is poor. There are barely any scenes which manage to spook you. The thrills are not thrilling enough.

As our readers must have noticed, we are pretty lenient with our ratings. But this movie was a complete letdown. We suggest you wait for this movie to release on an OTT platform. Do not waste money on movie tickets.

Black Panther is the latest movie from Marvel Universe based on the eponymous character. The movie is already a big hit across the globe. Team OI reviews the movie & tells you whether the movie is worth the hype. we wish to inform our readers that, we are not die hard Marvel fans. We went to the movie with no expectations as such. But we were curious to learn as to why the world is going gaga about this movie.

The movie starts off with the story of how the Black Panther came into existence several centuries back. We are told that vibranium is the source of all the power of Wakanda. Wakanda is the Black Panther's kingdom in Africa. While Wakanda is advanced in terms of technology, they prefer to be isolated from the world. They decide to pose as a third world nation. King T'Chaka accuses his brother N'Jobu of assisting Ulysses Klaue & kills him. Post the death of King T'Chaka, his son - T'Challa returns to Wakanda to lay claim to the throne. Post becoming King & being bestowed with the powers of the Black Panther, King T'Challa unsuccessfully tries to nab Ulysses Klaue. We are later informed that N'Jobu fell in love with an American woman. They had a kid together, Erik A.K.A The killmonger, comes to Wakanda to challenge T'Challa & lay claim to the throne. Does he succeed? Does Wakanda attack the world & end up ruling it as per Killmonger's plans? Watch the movie to find out. Director Ryan Coogler must be credited for portraying Africans like never before. African culture has been brilliantly showcased in the movie. Africans across the globe are sure to be proud of this movie. The two duels involving T'Challa are excellently shot. This story moves at a brisk pace. One need not be an ardent Marvel or Black panther comics fan to enjoy the movie. Chadwick Boseman is excellent in his role as the Black Panther. He has set the benchmark in terms of portraying the superhero. He has perfected the African accent to suit the character. Michael B. Jordan as The Kilmonger is bad ass. His menacing looks & superb acting makes you hate him. There are several known African Americans in the movie. Martin Freeman who plays CIA agent Everett K Ross is good in his role. ever Forrest Whittaker(Zuri) adds weight to the supporting cast. The soundtrack is one of the best we have heard for the longest time. The music will haunt you for days or probably weeks. There are no flaws in the movie whatsoever. Go watch the movie without contemplating any further. This movie is a treat for people of all ages.

Breathe is Prime Video's biggest Indian TV Show till date. While it has produced several shows, it is the first show which features renowned names of Bollywood.

R. Madhavan & Amit Sadh are both well known for their acting chops. A project featuring both of them is sure to garner eye balls. But does the script do justice to them? Breathe is about a doting father & sports academy owner - Danny Mascarenhas(R. Madhavan), whose son is six months away from death. He is a widower, who stays with his mother. Danny's son, Josh is the apple of their eyes. Danny's wife is no more. Josh is the 4th recipient on the organ donor list. But he has remained the 4th recipient since the past one year.

On the other hand, you have Inspector Kabir Sawant(Amit Sadh). Kabir lost his daughter in an accident. He & his wife have been distant since then. Kabir is yet to recover from the loss. He relies on alcohol to relieve the pain of being indirectly responsible for the accident. The story heats up, the day Danny decides to eliminate three organ donors to help his son live. This leads to a cat & mouse game between the two protagonists. Does Danny succeed in his mission of eliminating three organ donors & save his son? Or does Kabir stop him in his tracks?

Both R. Madhavan & Amit Sadh are superb in the show. Both are very convincing in their roles. Although one must admit, it is Madhavan who has the author back role. All the 5 episodes we have seen till now, kept us enthralled. The screenplay & brilliant acting will keep you at the edge of your sofas. There are barely any unwanted scenes or characters in the show. We loved how the show doesn't have any scenes involving the slums of Mumbai. The show has only been shot in & around high rises. The beauty of Mumbai & its skyline is well captured in the show. All the scenes involving Danny planning his murders are very well executed.

We are yet to encounter any major flaws in the show till now. We highly recommend our readers to watch it!

Black Mirror - Netflix's hit sci-fi drama is back with its fourth season. While the first three seasons raised the bar for sci-fi dramas, a lot is expected from the fourth season. Will the makers live up to the sky high expectations of their fans? Does it get repetitive? First off would like to make it clear that we are not on the payroll of Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. But when these compete with each other to give us the best content, we can't help but be in awe. Like in any other season the latest season consists of a bunch of standalone episodes. Some episodes have some familiar faces in terms of TV celebs. Each episode speaks about the perils of technology & how adversely it will affect us in the future. The scripts are one of the best we have seen. Each episode got us thinking & stayed with us post the show. The fourth season is similar in execution as compared to the previous season. The episode about the dating app simulation was our favorite. The first episode about an IT honcho, who has made his fantasies come true in his own private world sets the tone for the remainder of the series. New viewers will have no difficulty whatsoever following the show. Black Mirror is easily one of the most flawless show on Netflix. The only hitch is that since there are no recurring characters, it fails to build an emotional connect with its viewers. But you can;t have it all can you? What it lacks in emotional connect, it makes it up in freshness. each episode is diverse from the others. Please do not miss this show for anything under the sun!

The Post is the latest collaboration between the highly talented duo of Tom Hanks & director Steven Spielberg. With Meryl Streep added to the cast, the expectations were obviously sky high. When you think of the best actor-director duos of Hollywood, Tom Hanks - Steven Spielberg are right up there with Leonardo DiCaprio - Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro - Martin Scorsese & Johnny Depp - Tim Burton. These actors seem to give their best performances with these directors at the helm. They share a certain level of comfort, trust & understanding. It is very unlikely that films with these actor-director combos will disappoint. The Post starts off in the year 1965, when Daniel Ellsberg accompanies US troops in war torn Vietnam. He comes a pile of highly confidential documents which can harm the presidency & make Americans lose trust in their President. Years later he photocopies all the sensitive documents & leask it to the New York Times. The New York Times decides to publish these documents & is taken to court by the Attorney General, by President Nixon's orders. Elsewhere, Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) is finding it difficult to take over the reins of The Post from her husband, who recently committed suicide. She faces cynicism from her male dominated sexist board, who doubt her capabilities. Ben Bradlee(Tom Hanks) is the editor-in-chief, who wants to give NY Times a tough fight when it comes to reportage'. While the NY Times, is taken to court for publishing first set of sensitive documents, which the government feels can harm the national interest it is up to The Post to publish the remaining set of those documents. While her editor-in-chief strongly believes that the documents have to published for the sake of the nation, her board feels otherwise. Will the under confident female boss of The Post give the nod to a decision, which could shut down the company her father built? Or will her dominating board members prevail over her & make her toe their line? Watch the movie to find out. Meryl Streep who won a golden globe for her role, is good. Her performance in the second half is noteworthy. Although we did not find it to be a Golden Globe winning performance. We think her perception worked in her favor & helped her win another Golden Globe for her performance. The movie stars an ensemble cast which includes Bob Odenkirk, Matthew Rhys, Alison Brie, Sarah Paulson. Bob Odenkirk is good, but this role doesn't do justice to an actor of his calibre. It is largely a Tom Hanks movie & he doesn't let you down. He is superb in his role as the driven editor-in-chief, who wants to make a difference. The movie will strike a chord with people across the globe, who have worked for a media or rather a news reporting organisation. The tussle between editorial & management is brilliantly picturised by director Steven Spielberg. The supporting cast does its job well. The second half is gripping & is way better than the first half of the movie. Director Steven Spielberg brilliantly captures the sexist, fascist Presidency of America in the 70's. It will strike a chord with Americans who are reeling under the effect of President Trump's attacks on the media. There are no glaring flaws in the movie. Although, we did think that the first half could have been more impactful. The first half makes you wonder whether the heroes are at NY Times & not at The Post! But the second half makes up for it. Is it the best movie which is dedicated to the first amendment of the American constitution? No. Is this Tom Hanks-Steven Spielberg movie as good as one of Leonardo DiCaprio - Martin Scorsese ones? Not really. Should you go watch it? Hell Yeah. Although it is not the nest movie ever, one cannot deny the fact that it is a well made, entertaining movie based on true events.

Shaitaan Haveli's is comedian Varun Thakur's parody of the horror movies of the 70's. Is it as entertaining as Varun's stand up acts is the big question. Post Biswa, Sumukhi Suresh, Varun Thakur is the latest comedian to get his own show on Amazon Prime. The show is an out and out comedy. The story revolves around Rahul(Varun Thakur), who is a struggling actor. He lands a supporting role in washed out director Hariman's latest movie. Hariman used to be a successful director, but his movies have been bombing lately. In a bid to save his career & have one last shot at success he convinces a gangster to lend him money for one last movie project. He promises the gangster that he will make a successful movie with his son Monty in the lead. Lured by this offer, the gangster agrees to bankroll Hariman's horror movie. A series of mishaps happen at the shoot. Several people are murdered on the shoot. Monty acting talents or rather the lack of it worries Hariman no end. It now upto Rahul to save the day. While it is not one of the most rib tickling comedies we have seen, it surely is entertaining. Hemant Kumar who plays Monty - the muscled bimbo with a Salman Khan hangover is mad funny. Zahid Ali who plays Mukesh - a pot bellied has been actor is funny. Varun Thakur is convincing in his role. But, he doesn't have the best punchlines. Monty's Salman Khanesque antics will keep you amused. Pippa Hughes who plays Julia - Monty's gf & also acts in the movie, adds some romantic flavor. Kanchan Pagare(Gangu) is funny. The rest of the cast fails to make an impression. The jokes are not as funny as funny as one would expect from a Varun Thakur show. There was ample scope for funny scenes & evoke peals of laughter from the viewers, but the writers fail to do so. While the jokes failed to impress, we binged on the show, thanks to the script. The show is a typical masala entertainer of a web series. Do not watch it with high expectations as far as the comedy department is concerned. It is a good show to watch, post a stressful day.

Insidious: The Last Key is the fourth installment of hit franchise. While the first two movies revolve around Josh Lambert & family. The third & fourth installments mainly revolve around Elise Rainier & her encounters with supernatural elements. The movie starts off in the year 1953. Elise Rainier (Ava Kolker) is a young girl, who stays with her brother & parents. She has this innate gift/curse of seeing ghosts & speaking to them. While her mother understands her situation & is compassionate towards her, her father is completely annoyed with this weird ability. A childhood incident leads to disastrous results. Elise Rainier leaves her home & starts life afresh away from her family. She then grows up to be an accomplished ghost buster. Several years later, she gets a call from the new occupant of her house. The new occupant has been facing the wrath of the supernatural forces lurking in his house. He hopes that Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) will help him out. Psychic Elise is joined by her two sidekicks (watch the movie to get the joke) - Tucker (Angus Sampson) & Specs (Leigh Whannell). These two are the comic relief in the movie. What follows is a series of spooky incidents, which will keep you at the edge of your seats. The movie does have its share of emotional scenes. Family reunions post several years, strength of a mother's love for her kids are aspects on which the makers rely on to create an emotional bond with the viewers. There are enough twists & turns to keep you guessing. There were some twists, which no one can probably see coming. The script follows the usual crest & trough pattern. There are a few scenes which take the story further, followed by some horror scenes & again some scenes to take the story further. Thankfully, there are more crests than troughs. The horror quotient in this movie is very high. It did manage to scare us & the effects did manage to startle us. The movie is scarier than the latest movie from the Annabelle series. Producer James Wan is truly a genius. His collaboration with Leigh Whannell has always managed to impress us. Leigh Whannell acts, scripts & produces the movie as well. Music by Joseph Bishara does manage to accentuate the effect of the horror scenes. The acting by the cast is good. There are no flaws in the movie to speak of. Although we were a tad unhappy with the way the movie ended. The ending could have been scripted better. But, we strongly recommend this movie to all horror movie aficionados. Do watch it at a theatre near you!

The Crown - Neflix's critically acclaimed drama is back for a second season. What can viewers expect fro the second season of the hit show? The first season of The Crown starring Claire Foy, as Britain's longest serving monarch was one of the best drama's of the year. Netflix seems to have perfected making dramas. We were impressed with the amount of pain staking research that went into making a show based on a living legend. While the first season dealt with The Queen ascension to her throne & the 1940's to early 50's. The second season deals with major issues concerning The Crown & UK in the late 50's & early 60's. Suez Canal Crisis, trouble in the royal marriage, Princess Margaret's affairs are the story arcs which dominate the second season. Lord Mountbatten makes an appearance in this season & is shown to acknowledge his wife's dalliance with PM Nehru. The episode involving Lord Altrincham is our favorite episode from the second season. It is an episode which will resonate with people across countries, who are passionate about challenging the status quo. President Kennedy & his wife Jacqueline Kennedy make an appearance. Prince Philip continues his philandering outside his marriage & someone close to him pays a hefty price. Although Prince Philip himself works out a neat deal with his wife, post being involved in a scandal. The scenes involving Princess Margaret & her new love interest are very romantic. The makers of the show have done a splendid job. Just like the first season, the second season too is a delight. The casting, script, direction, set all are perfect. Credit does go to Netflix, for raising the bar for dramas by wholeheartedly backing the show. Netflix has spent a huge amount on the sets, costumes, research & it shows. Netflix truly has ushered in the golden age of television. It is shows like The Crown, Mindhunter, Narcos, House Of Cards to name a few, which make the monthly charges worth every penny. Netflix is the gold standard when it comes to dramas. With such an excellent team of writers, there is nothing that they can do wrong! Do we need to really spell it out whether we recommend you to watch this show? This show is highly recommended viewing. Not only is the show entertaining, you will end up learning a lot about British history thanks to this show.

Jumanji, starring Robin Williams in the year 1995 was one of our favorite films growing up. The novel concept, brilliant acting & intriguing script made it one of the most entertaining films of the year. People of all ages loved it. Is the new version of the cult favorite as good as the original? Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a story about four high school students placed in detention together, who discover the five player action player called Jumanji. The writers have smartly included all the stereotypical high school students - the nerd, the football star, the babe & the shy bookworm. Everybody who has been through high school thus has that one character they can relate to. They all end up choosing avatars who are polar opposites to their real life identities. Spencer the nerd, chooses Dr Smolder Bravestone - a 6 ft 5 inches tall archaeologist & explorer. Bethany the pretty & self centred cheer leader becomes Sheldon "Shelly" Oberon (Jack Black)-a cartographer, a cryptographer, an archaeologist . Football Jock Fridge chooses to become Franklin Finbar(Kevin Hart) - a short zoologist & weapons valet. Bookworm Martha Kaply chooses to become Ruby Roundhouse(Karen Gillan) - a commando, martial arts expert & a dance fighter. They all have three lives. If they lose all their three lives in the game, they actually die in the real world. They all have their strengths & weaknesses. They learn from Nigel, an NPC guide that Van Pelt wants to obtain a Jewel - Jaguar's Eye, which gives him power to manipulate all the animals in Jumanji. It is up to to our four heroes & another character Alex Vreeke - who chooses the character of Jefferson McDonough to return the jewel to the jaguar statue & shout "Jumanji". The movie kept us entertained throughout & kept us glued to our seats. Some of the situations & dialogues were outright funny. Dwayne Johnson sticks to his strength - action. He has several action packed scenes to showcase his bravado & he doesn't disappoint. Jack Black nails his act of a cheerleader trapped in a obese cartographer's body. Kevin Heart is funny as the short zoologist. His scenes with Dwayne Johnson are hilarious. Karen Gillan is eye candy & plays her part convincingly. Viewers who haven't seen the original will find the reboot thoroughly entertaining. But those who have seen the original will be a tad disappointed. The anxiety viewers felt every time the characters in the original rolled the dice, could not be replicated in the movie. The board game provided much more fodder for entertainment as compared to the console version. Hence while the board game version became a cult favorite, the new one will be soon forgotten. We would recommend you to not miss watching the movie at a theatre near you & not miss the 3-D effects. Do take kids along. They will love this one.

Pushpavalli is Amazon Prime Video's latest sitcom starring comedienne Sumukhi Suresh. Amazon Prime has managed to impress time & again with their shows. Does Pushpavalli live up to their high standards? A friend of mine broke up with his gf of 2 years. While he was done with the relationship, she was still in love with him. She constantly kept tabs on him via his friends, stalked him on social media & waited for 3 years before moving on. Watching Pushpavalli reminded me of my friends & his crazy ex. Sumukhi Suresh plays the eponymous Pushpavalli & is also the show creator. Pushpavalli has a huge crush on Nikhil(Manish Anand). While we have all heard stories of crazy gf's stalking their bf's, Pushpavalli has been stalking Nikhil even though they never dated. She even moved towns to be close to him. She keeps calling him from different phones, often borrowing stranger's phones to call him. She even pays off people to keep her updated about his whereabouts. The storyline keeps moving between the past & present, while telling us about Pushpavalli's first interaction with Nikhil & their current equation. Pushpavalli has a over bearing & dramatic mom. She stays in a PG in Bengaluru with several other working women. She works in a children's nursery, owned by her ex-schoolmate - played by Naveen Richard. Does Nikhil find out about Pushapavalli's obsession for him? Do they end up together? Watch the show to find out. While the dialogues alone won't make you roll with laughter, the brilliant casting more than makes up for it. The coffeewala cum informer & her boss are good. Pushpavalli's mother & landlady are scene stealers. The makers need to be lauded for the brilliant casting of these two characters. Sumukhi Suresh shoulders the responsibility of the lead role well. Several of the dialogues & jokes are in South Indian languages. But viewers can rely on subtitles to do the job. The direction is near perfect. The makers have done an excellent job of getting the best out of the cast. There are no glaring flaws in the show. We did wonder why the character of Pankaj was so angry & abusive? While the show is good, it will make you cringe at Pushpavalli's behavior at times. The show is good, it is not addictive as hell. it does grown on you though. We did find ourselves thinking about the characters on the show & laughing about their antics. But we would recommend you to watch it nonetheless. It is quite unlike what you have seen for a while.

The Sinner is one of Netflix's most talked about shows right now. What makes the show tick? Let's find out. The Sinner stars Jessica Biel as Cora Tannetti. Cora is a married woman with a loving husband & a very young son. One fine day on the beach with her family, Cora just picks up her fruit knife & stabs a stranger. Is it an open & shut murder case? Or is there more to it than meets the eye, is what forms the crux of the story. Bill Pullman, plays Harry Ambrose - the police detective who pursues Cora's case & tries to make sense of the senseless murder. The Sinner is probably one of the best scripts of the year. Viewers who love a good suspense filled show will love this one. This show has us hooked till the end. Just when you think you can predict the next chain of events, the show will surprise you. Jessica Biel is brilliant in the lead role. She does manage to get into the skin of her character. This show would have fallen flat, had she been a misfit. Bill Pullman is convincing in his role of a sympathetic police detective, who has some shady secrets of his own. Jacob Pitts, who plays J.D is good. Christopher Abbott, who plays Mason Tannetti - Cora's husband is okay. He does need some acting lessons. He gives the same expression throughout. There are barely any flaws in the show. With such a water tight script, the makers have managed keep the viewer engrossed till the end. The twist in the plot, which is revealed in the end, will flummox a lot of people. We were watching Godless & The Sinner episodes alternately. While both the shows were good, we must admit that The Sinner was better. But we wonder whether either of them will have a second season.

Godless is Netflix's latest western drama. It stars Jeff Daniels as the villainous Frank Griffith, Jack O'Connell as Roy Goode & Michelle Dockery of Downton Abbey fame. The series starts off with Roy Goode being shot by Alice Fletcher. Frank Griffith loses his arm. We are then told that Roy Goode is the estranged, adopted son of Frank Griffith. Roy Goode ran away from his foster father. Frank Griffith has vowed to kill, destroy any town or person who helps Roy Goode. In the next few episodes, we are told why Roy Goode chose to run away from his foster father. The main plot revolves around Alice Fletcher & her family sheltering him. A strong bond is formed between Roy - Truckee, Roy - Alice. The story does touch upon feminism & women empowerment in a big way. The show is the most engrossing western dramas on Netflix. The acting, direction & script do adhere to the Netflix gold standard. Lost in translation scenes between Roy, Truckee & his granny will make you chuckle. Jeff Daniels is brilliant in his role of a ruthless outlaw. We can't help but admire him for his versatility. After vowing in his role of a news anchor in The Newsroom, he makes us hate him in his role of the villainous outlaw. Jack O'Connell who was last seen in Money Monster is good & so is Michelle Dockery. While she was seen in regal attire in The Downtown Abbey, she is seen in rugged clothes in this one. Lovers of westerns will love this one. It was very difficult for us, to find flaws in this show. There is rarely a dull moment. The story keeps moving & the actors never let you down. Although there are no major twists & turns, very few will be able to predict the ending. Our only complaint is that there was no hint of a second season! We strongly recommend you, to watch this show at the earliest. Do not miss this one!

ALTBalaji has a huge hit in Bose. The show garnered record number of views on the day the show was launched. Bose stars the highly talented Rajkummar Rao in the eponymous web series. He teams up with Hansal Mehta. This director-actor duo has worked in critically acclaimed films like Shahid & Aligarh earlier. There have been news reports which state that PM Jawaharlal Nehru had his spies go through all the mails of Bose's house in Calcutta to ascertain whether he was still alive. Another rumor doing the rounds was that Bose was captured by the then USSR. The USSR allegedly used Bose to blackmail PM Nehru, to toe their line. Many attribute India's freedom to Bose's revolutionary ways. With the mystery around Netaji's death still unsolved, any show or movie revolving around his life is bound to garner a lot of attention. ALTBalaji head - Ekta Kapoor, seems to have all the elements in place to guarantee a hit show. She seems to be leaving no stone unturned to make the show a hit. It is the first show produced by ALTBalaji, which is aimed not just at the masses, but at the classes as well. The web series starts off with news of Subhash Chandra Bose's death. The show goes back & forth between Bose's death in the year 1945 to his college days. The show mainly revolves around the British trying to find out whether Bose died in an air crash in Japan, or whether he is still alive. Rajkummar Rao is excellent in his role. His scenes with the British, especially the one where he slaps his professor during an exam gave us goose bumps. Rajkummar gets into the skin of his character. The people in charge of his makeup have done a good job. The script is tight & does not drag. The show is as good as any of the Hollywood dramas available on rival OTT platforms. The supporting cast which includes Rao's girlfriend Patralekha, Alex O Neill & some Bengali actors is good. The show has an excellent Bengali rock sound track, which will haunt you. The most annoying part about the show is its length. Each episode is barely 15-16 mins long (not including the credits). Just when you are engrossed while watching, the episode gets over. Each episode should have at least been 25 mins long to create an impact. The six episodes of Bose was actually a 90 mins movie, divided into episodes. The other issue is that only the first six episodes are free, post which you will have to pay to view the remaining episodes. Had ALTBalaji produced more such content, we would have loved to pay for their services. But Alas! Bose is the only show aimed at the classes. All of their other shows are for the masses - who love watching soaps & rural dramas. We strongly recommend you to view the first six episodes, but view the other episodes only if you feel like viewing the other shows on ALTBalaji.

Batman & Superman alone were enough to guarantee the success of a movie. It does add to the intrigue if the entire Justice League is part of the movie. Marvel has been milking its Avengers series for a long time. It was natural for DC to follow suit. While Batman V Superman was panned by critics & fans, Wonder Woman was a huge hit. The movie revolves around Steppenwolf, who with the help of parademons is out to conquer earth. He intends to do so, through the combined energies of three mother boxes. It is now up to the Justice League to try & stop him. The first hour is spent introducing all the characters. Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) make an appearance for the first time. Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) does a Tony Stark & tries to assemble a team of superheroes to fight Steppenwolf. This does sound & look formulaic, the writers could have come up with something new. Some superheroes readily accept, while some take their time. But predictably, all of them combine forces when it really matters. The movie does consist of a pleasant surprise in the second half, which will delight DC fanboys. The acting by the cast is decent. Ben Affleck & Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) are good. Ezra Miller as Flash provides comic respite. His friendly rivalry with another superhero in the second half will make you smile. Jason Momoa & Ray Fisher are decent. Would like to watch their standalone films in the future. We did not get bored during the movie & neither will you. Director Zack Snyder must be credited for keeping us entertained. While there were no glaring flaws, there was nothing special either. The movie follows a very similar trajectory as compared to Avenger series. It is very formulaic & cliched. We are die hard fans of Batman thanks to Christropher Nolan - Christian Bale's Batman trilogy. Unfortunately, the Zack Synder - Ben Affleck combo is no match to their predecessors. You will not be in awe of the film. If you enjoy superhero movies, you will like this one. But do not expect something out of this world.

For someone who had loved reading Agatha Christie's acclaimed novel - The Murder on The Orient Express, watching the characters come to life in a movie was a dream come true. We obviously expected a great deal from a movie based on the best-selling novel. The problem with making a movie based on a whodunit novel is that some people already know the entire plot. We ensured that we do not read up on the novel again, as to have no recollection of the novel & to judge the movie solely on its merit. We had to catch the 10.45PM show. Due to the movie being in its second week since release, there were three shows per day. The movie had to better be good to compensate for us staying up & travelling late. Kenneth Branagh stars as Agatha Christie's legendary Belgian detective - Hercule Poirot. He also dons the director's hat for the movie. The movie boasts of an ensemble cast which includes Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Michelle Pfeiffer & William Dafoe among others. The movie starts off with a Hercule Poirot prequel in 1934 Jerusalem. We are then transported to Istanbul, Turkey from where the famed Orient Express is scheduled to depart. We are then introduced to all the co-passengers (most of whom can shoulder a movie all by themselves). A day post departure, one of the characters is murdered & the trains get derailed due to a snowstorm. It is now up to Hercule Poirot to solve the mystery before the train is pulled to safety & the police arrives. The stage is set for a grand & engaging whodunit. The movie takes its time to get to the central plot, but once it does there never a dull moment. The post interval part will keep you guessing about the culprit. There are several characters with a motive to kill the victim, but who killed him is a question you will be left grappling with. Within the last ten minutes of the movie the killer is revealed. Only those who have read the novel, could have guessed it right. Kenneth Branagh has largely done character roles in the past & that bodes well for the movie. There is no baggage of previous roles. He carries out both his responsibilities – acting & directing very well. He gets into the skin of his character. He embodies all the eccentricities & mannerisms including the French accent of the legendary detective. Not for once will be able to detect his British descent. Post viewing the movie, Kenneth Branagh's face will pop up in your head every time Poirot is mentioned. We loved the cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos. The movie is a visual treat. The Orient Express is the train version of The Titanic. The train looks luxurious. Trivia: It is one of the few movies to be shot on 65mm film since the 1970's

The only issue we had with the movie is its ensemble cast. There are some amazing actors in the movie. You can't help but feel let down by how their talent has been unutilized. All the actors barring Branagh barely have a few scenes to display their histrionics on screen. The director could have just as well cast lesser known faces for these roles. Johnny Depp barely has 5-6 scenes in the movie & is not playing the lead as one might expect. What is an A-lister like him doing in a movie not revolving around him? But barring this once hiccup, the movie is an absolute delight. It keeps you at the edge of your seats. You will definitely not repent watching it. We suggest you watch it soon!

The Big Bang Theory was an instant hit among fans & is one the most popular sitcoms ever made. The character of Sheldon Cooper had a huge part to play in making the show a hit. Never before had people seen anything like him. His mannerisms & total lack of social skills made him one of the funniest guys on TV. Jim Parsons won a fan following across the globe. He also won 4 Emmy's & a Golden Globe for his brilliant portrayal of the much loved character. The show's reruns on TV continue to boast of a huge viewer base. The Big Bang Theory fans will be delighted to know that the show has been renewed for two more seasons. Thereby bringing the total number of seasons to 12. Fans of the series have seen their transition from complete nerds to not so nerdy guys. The awkward scientists/physicists now have gf's/wives. The show has managed to build a lasting relationship with its viewers. It is the show which made being a nerd cool! It comes as no surprise that the makers of the hit show decided to make a spin off on the Sheldon Cooper character. While the other guys were weird as well, no one was as weird as Sheldon Cooper. His way of knocking on the door, not getting sarcasm, lack of empathy, humility & being honest to the point of being rude have made people fall in love with the character. Like Joey in Friends, Barney in HIMYM, Sheldon was the character who was the fan favorite. It was Sheldon who was the show's USP & the reason why viewers kept coming back for more. It was he who had all the punchlines. It comes as no surprise that the makers of the show, decide to milk the hit character. Expectations were high from the spin off, which was a prequel to the hit show. The show gave viewers a glimpse about the growing up years of Sheldon Cooper. Iain Armitage has been cast as the 9 yr old child prodigy with a genius level IQ. His family consists of a loving mother, a brother - George who is repulsed by him, a sports coach dad & a fraternal twin sister - Missy. The first episode has Sheldon join High School in his elder brother class, thanks to him skipping four grades. His exploits lead to unsavoury situations for his coach dad & brother. Goes without saying that all his teachers & classmates hate him because of his lack of humility, snitching on everyone & his condescending attitude towards others. It pains us to say that while we are huge fans of the original, we were totally disappointed by the prequel. Firstly the casting of Young Sheldon is totally off the mark. Iain Armitage is wrongly cast for the titular role. While he does try his best given his tender age, he is not able to do justice to the role. He doesn't convince us that he is the "Young Sheldon". The jokes lack punch & sound dull. The situations Sheldon gets into are not humorous. While Big Bang Theory has funny one liners a dime a dozen you will have to really look for a good joke in Young Sheldon. There is no laugh track in the show. But the show does have a Sheldon track voiced by Jim Parsons. While we generally watch the entire season before posting a review, we just saw the first 3 episodes in this case, before concluding that this show just doesn't work for us. We really wanted to like the show, but we just couldn't. Would recommend this show only to die hard Sheldon fans.

Going Viral Pvt. Ltd is comic Anuvab Pal & Kunaal Roy Kapur's collaboration for Amazon Prime. We were highly impressed with Amazon Prime's sports drama - Inside Edge, & their dramedy based on the life of an IIT aspirant - Laakhon Mein Ek. We had high hopes from their mockumentary - Going Viral. It stars the immensely talented Kunaal Roy Kapur & Kubra Sait. They play the husband-wife duo who are the founders of Going Viral Pvt. Ltd. It is a funny take on the current social media obsessed populace of the country & the globe. Viewers will be reminded of Steve Carrell's hit sitcom -'The Office'. The screenplay & camera angles seem to be heavily inspired from the cult classic mockumentary. While we were impressed by the first episode, our mind did start drifting away by the time we were on the fourth episode. Luckily, the show does pick up some steam towards the end of the season.The director relies too heavily on Kunaal Roy Kapur's (@Gaurav) comic timing & thankfully he doesn't disappoint. He plays the Steve Carrell inspired character - that of a boss who is a complete moron - to the hilt & had us smiling. But, the makers have to be blamed for making his jokes look repetitive as the show progresses. Kubra Sait who stars as his hot looking wife & CFO of the company is good in her role. The show revolves around the social media company. The company helps their clients in getting popular on social media. This quest for social media stardom, leads to comedic situations in every episode. The lead pair is ably supported by a talented cast of newbie actors. Anuvab Pal needs to be commended for some very intelligent writing & his way of looking at situations. But, the problem lies with him being inconsistent. While you will be hooked on to the show initially, you will get disappointed in between. The show does have some friendly appearances from several celebs. One of which includes Sophie Chaudhury (the episode featuring her is mad funny & is our favorite episode in the series. It is India's first English - Hindi mockumentary. We recommend our readers to give it a watch. But, the show's quality is not as high up as Inside Edge or Laakhon Mein Ek. Those shows were flawless & had us hooked till the very end.

While there are umpteen masala movies which are churned out by our film industry, there are a few filmmakers who travel the path less traveled & strive towards making movies based on topics which wake us up from our slumber & introduce us to people, situations we are hitherto unaware of. But not all are successful in their pursuit of making a hard hitting, realistic movie based on ordinary people who end up becoming heroes simply by carrying out their duties with utmost dedication. The film is set in the jungles of Chattisgarh & thanks to this movie we get a peek into the lives & situation in naxal infested areas of the country. Rajkummar Rao has become the go to guy for filmmakers of independent cinema. Post starring in several indie hits like Citylights, Shahid, Aligarh & the more recent Trapped, Rajkummar is perfectly cast in the titular role of Newton - an honest, upright election officer belonging to a lower caste & eager to make a difference. He is likely to win several awards & accolades for this role. The movie is a dark comedy, with several comic scenes & a stark look at ground realities of areas affected by Maoists insurgents . Pankaj Tripathi as Aatma Singh is superb & gets into the skin of his character of a cynical army commander. He owns his character. Raghubir Yadav as Loknath is hilarious & diffuses the tension during tense situation. The writer-director Amit Masurkar needs to be lauded for throwing light on the noble work done by election officers - the unsung heroes of the country, who carry out their job under trying circumstances & uphold the constitution of the country. The movie does in ways condone the violent actions of naxals, which wont sit well with a wide array of audiences. But the movie does manage to educate & entertain at the same time. It does not get preachy & that is where the beauty of the film lies. I promise you, you will vote in every elections henceforth post watching this movie!

Post passing my 10th std with a percentage which wasn't up to my expectations, I took a vow to improve my score in my 12th & take admission in a prestigious engineering college. My parents like the rest of India were convinced that engineering is the only degree worth studying for. Any other vocation was vetoed & I was dissuaded from taking it up. It didn't help that all the smart kids took up either engineering or medicine. The peer & parental pressure got to me & I too dreamt of an engineering degree, followed by MS in the US. The world we be at my feet post getting an MS degree. It didn't strike my parents or I that most of my marks were scored in languages, history, geography & social studies. Science & maths were pulling my score down! It was attributed to my lack of hard work & my laid back attitude. As expected my score worsened in my 12th board exams & my family was exalted that I did not fail. I scored just 60%. Now instead of using sound logic & quitting science & taking up commerce or BMS I died the most sensible thing - joined engineering in a college far off from the city & vowed again to work hard & improve my score, now that I had been given another chance. As you must have guessed, I flunked in my engineering several times & managed to pass with horrible marks. Luckily it dawned on me that engineering is not my calling I should try my hand at marketing instead. I gave competitive exams to get into a good B- school & luckily got through. The MBA degree turned my life around. I am now settled with a cushy job & the respect of my peers, unlike my engineering days when I no one wanted me in their projects! Till date I wonder how my life would have turned out had I chosen commerce post my 10th std itself. This is the story of several Indians, which is playing out till date. My happiness knew no bounds when I saw Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots. Finally a movie based on the lives of engineers & our flawed education system But 3 Idiots was about a fictional college based on IIT - the best engineering colleges of the country. All the students in the movie had job interview & subsequent offers post completing the course. What about the guys like me who studied in sub standard colleges, had a tough time understand the technical subjects & struggled to clear their papers? Luckily for me, my prayers have been answered. Biswa Kalyan Rath - of Pretentious Reviews fame needs to be thanked for making a show on the lives of the neglected, harassed & abused lot of engineers or wannabe IITians with no aptitude for engineering. Anybody who has struggled through their engineering or taken up science till 12th standard only to quit later on will relate to this show. The show revolves around Aakash Gupta(Ritwik Sahore) who has scored just 55% in his 10th std & now wants to take up commerce. But his father has other plans. He is shipped of to a town in AP, to prepare for IIT entrance exams. Aakash's expressions & situations are too funny. While Aakash is getting jacked, you can't help but feel sorry & laugh at his plight. We are then introduced to Chudail, Bakri & the rest of the supporting cast. Chudail & Bakri are perfectly cast in their roles. The show has even twists & turns to make you binge. Shivkumar plays his role of the greedy & cunning director of the institute-Murthy well. There are no known faces barring Biswa. The show does have some dark shades. While I may be biased towards the show, thanks to the central plot being something I closely relate to, I can assure you that you will love this show. Amazon prime has managed to impress me once again post Inside Edge. The last episode made us believe that there is ample scope for a second season & I don't see any impediment for Amazon Prime to sanction a second season to the makers. The Golden Age of Indian TV has begun!

When the first season has garnered rave reviews & has developed a cult following, expectations from the second season of Netflix's hit Show were abnormally high. The Duffer brothers had tough job at hand & had to present a bigger & better second season in order to satiate their show's huge fan base's thirst for quality entertainment. But the Duffer brothers luckily do not disappoint. Netflix has perfected the art of producing quality drama shows & then churn out several seasons of their hit shows. The second season starts off on a high & answers a lot of questions unanswered in the first season. The script is excellent. The show manages to keep you involved & intrigued throughout. Finn Wolfhard (Mike), who probably shot for IT simultaneously, must be given credit for portraying two characters who are polar opposites of each other. Such maturity in acting at such a young age is commendable. Series regulars Winona Ryder(Joyce Byers) & David Harbour (Jim Hopper) continue to perform to our expectations. A few new faces are introduced & we are even told that a much loved character will be a part of the second season as well. The second season delves deeper into Natalie Dyer(Nancy Wheeler)- Charlie Heaton(Jonathan Byers) & Joe Keery(Steve Harrington) as well. The demons are bigger, scarier & more powerful than the first season. The camaraderie between the four friends will make you miss your childhood friends & bring back some pleasant memories from school. Gaten Matarazzo(Dustin) is endearing. Noah Scnapp(Will Byers) who did not have much of a role in the first season has a prominent role in the second season & gives a fine performance. Caleb Mclaughlin(Lucas Sinclair) does a good job of supporting the cast, although he doesn't have much of a role himself. He is probably cast for adding some "color" (pun intended) to the show. The makers have even added a dialogue on these lines. On the whole, the second season will remind you why you feel in love with the first season. The Duffer brothers have to be thanked for not letting us down. Netflix has been kind to add a recap before the first episode starts. The last two episodes are out of this world! We are having withdrawal symptoms already & cant wait for the third season!

When your ,colleagues rave about a movie & claim to fall from their chairs laughing on the jokes in the movie, you too at some level are inclined to like the movie. You too, want to quote the jokes during lunch break along with them. Thus one can say that if the majority of movie goers like a movie, chances are that you will like it even if the movie is not that great. The fourth film in the series has all the male stars of the previous installment reprising their roles, albeit in a different setting. They do retain their traits, but have a totally different background. The latest movie in the franchise is a horror-comedy. You are told early on that the newest addition - Tabu(Annie) is someone with an innate ability to see ghosts & speak to them. She was an orphan & a librarian in an orphanage run by Seth Jamnadas. The other orphans in the first year of the orphanage being functional were Gopal (Ajay Devgan), Madhav (Arshad Warsi), two Laxman's (Shreyas Talpade & Kunal Khemu) & Lucky (Tushar Kapoor). Parineeti Chopra has a significant role in the film. Ajay Devgan is bearable in his role. Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Khemu & Arshad Warsi manage a few good laughs. Tushar Kapoor is totally sidelined in this movie & barely has a role. The saving grace of the movie are the supporting cast especially Sanjay Mishra as Babli Bhai, who is the funniest of the lot. Johnny Lever as Pappi is watchable. Being a fan of the Golmaal series, I entered the theatre with high expectations. I loved the first Golmaal, was not so impressed with the second one, but loved the third movie in the series. But as much as I wanted to like the fourth movie in the franchise, I just couldn't! The jokes are very lame, barring a few good ones. You will wait for the jokes to get better, but it just won't. The jokes are definitely not for the Netflix/Amazon Prime/Hotstar crowd. But if you are a fan of Comedy Circus or Kapil Sharma genre of comedy, you will love this one. Although I couldn't see the funny side of the movie, there were several in the theatre who were laughing hard at jokes I found to be pathetic. But the movie does pick up some pace in the second half. The people who loved the first half told me that they did not like the second half! The major chunk of the story is in the second half. The story barely moves forward in the first half. Neil Nitin Mukesh(Nikhil) makes an entry in the second half. His is more of a guest appearance. The film does have a few hummable songs & enough masala to in the plot. But it is predictable & clichéd. Would suggest you wait for the movie to premiere on a TV channel or one of the VoD platforms.

When a movie has Aamir Khan's name associated with it, expectations are naturally sky high. Post wowing one & all with Taare Zameen Par, Aamir's latest movie deals with teenage ambitions & realising your dreams by overcoming all obstacles. While the trailer depicted that the movie is about a talented Muslim teen who has to put up with an abusive father & her journey towards becoming a singing superstar we were excited to watch how well Zaira Wasim's movie turns out. The movie is set in Vadodra. The story revolves around Zaira Wasim(Insiya) who closely follows singing competitions & award shows with the hopes of making it big herself. She has a supportive mother Najma(Meher Vij), a loving brother Guddu(Kabir Sajid), abusive father Farookh(Raj Arjun) & a granny(Farrukh Jaffer). She also has a classmate - Chintan Parekh(Tirth Sharma) who is totally smitten by her. While she has a voice & talent which is one in a million, her conservative father plays deal breaker. The movie captures the innocence of youth, small town lives, dreams, ambitions very well. The story builds up gradually. There are no songs to disrupt the flow of the movie. Some scenes provide a satirical look at singing competitions, musicians & tuition classes. The scenes involving Insiya & Chintan will put a smile on your face. Zaira Wasim as the protagonist is top notch. You will find it difficult to believe that it is just her second film. Meher Vij as Najma is good. The scenes involving the mother-daughter duo are very well written. You will cringe at the sight of Raj Arjun(Farrukh) in the movie. Due credit must be given to him for a fine performance. The one scene involving domestic violence will make you hate Farrukh & pity those who have been victims of domestic violence. Chintan is the most lovable character in the film. His selfless devotion towards his sweetheart will make a lot of women & men think about their puppy loves. The screenplay is excellent. The writers need to be lauded for coming up with such a tight script. It is a movie which can be enjoyed by people across age groups. Advait Chandan does a fantastic job in what probably is his debut film as a director. Last but not the least, Aamir Khan must be thanked for giving us another terrific film. One can't help but admire him for taking a backseat & let others shine. Despite being in limited scenes in the movie, he is a complete scene stealer. His act of an air headed music composer-singer which seems to be a caricature of several artistes will make you guffaw with laughter at times. His mannerisms are too funny & are to be seen to be believed. The only drawback is that barring 1 or 2 songs the music is not what would one would expect from a movie which has music at its core. We would advise everyone to watch this movie in a theatre near you in the next available show along with their entire family. DO NOT MISS THIS ONE