Tue, May 5 2026

After their troublesome Intermediate years, Sammy, Milky and Sid are all pumped up for their engineering life. On day one, Sid is instantly attracted to Goldie, an NRI girl and gifted dancer. She turns out to be his classmate and soon joins their gang. But while they are being ragged, the gang earns the wrath of a senior, Suhas, who starts harassing Goldie. Sai Sriram Vemparaala looks right for the part, is confident and has a camera-friendly presence. The girls in the gang, played by Sindhu Reddy and Geervani Reddy, are just about okay. Anthony Karthik fails to tickle your funny bones while Bindu Madhavi, in a cameo-like role, passes muster and is expected to have more prominence in the later episodes.

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Sun, May 3 2026

Hindi remake of the Thai romantic drama One Day, questioning whether its poignant premise, emotional performances, and picturesque Japanese setting can overcome a romance that struggles to truly resonate.

They say it is the mere conception of an idea—the first glimmer of narrative possibility—that sets a journey in motion. In the realm of creativity, that initial spark is often so invigorating that one feels half the battle is already won, especially when the ambition is to tell a story that reaches beyond the self and resonates with a wider audience.

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Sun, May 3 2026

Sat, May 2 2026

Sai, who is making her Hindi debut with the film, is the heartbeat of this delicate romance that feels like a sincere wish fulfilled for viewers craving silence, subtle emotions, and quiet chemistry in their cinescape

At a time when the box office menu is brimming with masala entertainers, Ek Din tastes like a palate cleanser, blending mood and memory with a touch of magic. A gentle, heart-tugging alternative to spectacles and morally twisted love stories, the film leans into a quiet, introspective, and emotionally tender atmosphere. Set amidst the corroding corporate culture, where relationships tend to be transactional, it explores how a single shared memory or a single day of connection can feel like an entire relationship. Not a fantasy but a light whimsical sprinkle that makes the impossible feel real, raising questions about identity, fate, truth, and what lingers when everything else fades.

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Sun, May 3 2026

Sun, May 3 2026

Director Mahesh Narayanan's Patriot, starring Mammootty, Mohanlal and Fahadh Faasil, is a surveillance thriller that exposes the perils of spyware installed in civilians' tech devices. With intelligent writing and a grounded vision, it is spy cinema done right — minor shortcomings and all.

What does a spy thriller warrant in 2026? Pan-India ambition, big scale and even bigger stars? That’s mostly what most directors are aiming for. But Mahesh Narayanan does the unthinkable with Patriot — a largely engaging intelligence procedural featuring the Big M’s of Malayalam cinema and most of the industry’s popular faces. He keeps it grounded, letting the story lead rather than the stardom or pan-India ambition. The film begins with Dr Daniel James (Mammootty), a scientific analyst who works for the government agency DRW. A false case pushes him to quit and fly to London, where he runs a YouTube channel called Vimathan — meaning dissident — through which he exposes how civilians are being monitored via their laptops and phones.

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Sun, May 3 2026

A cat-and-mouse thriller in a country where privacy is a luxury

Mahesh Narayanan’s Patriot begins with a curious disclaimer: “This film is not against digitalization of India”. For any piece of popular entertainment in India today, it helps to be as vanilla and nonconfrontational as possible, and at least in southern India few things are more popular than a Malayalam film starring Mammootty and Mohanlal, and directed by Mahesh Narayanan. Add to that roster names like Fahadh Faasil, Nayanthara and Kunchacko Boban, and this is a film that comes preloaded with self-marketing torpedoes. The two Ms are coming together after 16 years, and their fortunes over those years create fluctuating waveforms even as they sit comfortably as Malayalam’s biggest stars. Will such a film take the pains to offend popular sensibilities?

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Sun, May 3 2026

Sun, May 3 2026

Raja Shivaji — written, directed, and produced by Riteish Deshmukh — has released in both Hindi and Marathi. Interestingly, history repeats itself: back in 1952, the legendary Bhalji Pendharkar made Chhatrapati Shivaji, which was also released in both languages (and featured a cameo by Lata Mangeshkar). This new film similarly features a cameo by a major star, which stands out as one of its highlights — though the film itself otherwise follows a fairly predictable path. Worth noting: the Marathi version runs 8 minutes longer than the Hindi cut I watched, though the nature of those additions remains unclear.

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Sun, May 3 2026

Raja Shivaji leaves no stone unturned when it comes to recreating the bygone era. The production design and costumes are both eye-pleasing and appropriate for that period. The visual quality is further enhanced with the camerawork of the veteran cinematographer Santosh Sivan. However, the film suffers when it comes to the crucial aspects of writing and direction. The screenplay lacks proper flow as a large number of events are presented in a haphazard manner, especially before Riteish’s late entry. Things get streamlined once he enters the scene but only to some extent. The narrative comes somewhat on track once the battle lines are drawn between the protagonist and Afzal Khan but their all-important meet gets stretched.

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Sun, May 3 2026

The hardest part of making this sequel to the thoroughly enjoyable 2006 original was probably getting the cast together — once Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt were signed on, the film was essentially sold. The screenplay, however, tells a different story: it feels like an afterthought. The film is charming, and the trio — along with the supporting cast — is a genuine pleasure to watch, but there’s little beneath the glossy surface. Unless name-dropping Gucci, Chanel, and their ilk is enough to keep you entertained, don’t look for much more. Fans of Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) and her former assistant Andy (Anne Hathaway) from two decades ago will find this a breezy reunion. Remarkably, neither actress appears to have aged a day — and the same goes for Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci.

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Sat, May 2 2026

This glossy, fun sequel with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway is also a commentary on print media struggling in the digital age

The original 2006 film adapted from the novel by Lauren Weisberger, was a glossy workplace comedy that quickly became much bigger than its premise of a stressed assistant navigating fashion’s most terrifying boss. Inspired by Weisberger’s own experiences in magazine publishing, the David Frankel-directed film presented a sharp, endlessly quotable pop culture favourite with influence that stretched beyond cinema into fashion, and internet meme history, with Miranda lines like “That’s all” and “By all means, move at a glacial pace.”

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Sat, May 2 2026

बॉलीवुड हो या हॉलीवुड, पुराने-आइकॉनिक फिल्मों के सीक्वल लाने का दौर इन दिनों दोनों ही जगह जोरशोर से चल रहा है। हालांकि, दर्शकों की यादों का हिस्सा रहीं यादगार फिल्मों के रुतबे को गिनती के ही सीक्वल कायम रख पाते हैं। इस मामले में मेरिल स्ट्रीप और ऐनी हैथवे स्टारर बेहद पॉपुलर फिल्म ‘द डेविल वियर्स प्राडा’ का सीक्वल मूल फिल्म के कद को भले नहीं छू पाता, लेकिन अतीत के नॉस्टैल्जिया और आज की मीडिया जगत की चुनौतियों के सुंदर मेल के कारण मनोरंजन की कसौटी पर खरा उतरता है।

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Sat, May 2 2026

Five years after the turbulence within the family, the powerful Atwals are at war among themselves. Papaji, after his jail time, still tries to pull strings to keep his crown. Meanwhile, Rinku teams up with his real father, Mahinder, to take over the family business. As their crimes grow darker, DSP Ghosh returns for one last mission to solve the mounting mysteries. The performances, just like the writing, are standard and basic. They work, but there is nothing special about them. Among the cast, Ankur Rathee’s acting style feels very modern compared to the rest. His expressions and responses are precise and stay true to the show’s world. Surya Sharma’s physique and personality make him an obvious choice to play Rinku, but the performance lacks vigour, which is partly due to the role itself.

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Fri, May 1 2026

The crime drama returns for another dense instalment that pits uncle and nephew on opposite sides of the conflict.

Created by Deepak Segal, Swati Patnaik, and Shreyashi Mukherjee, Undekhi started out as an insightful commentary on power, wealth and corruption. The first season hit it off on all cylinders, but this latest season has devolved as it has essentially recycled storylines to create a wedge between the once-close Papaji and Rinku Atwal. Directed by Ashish R Shukla, the once-familiar characters become one-note in their mission to get at the truth. But the one-promising Hindi thriller keeps hitting a reset button with every season.

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Sat, May 2 2026

Brothers Dev and Ravi return home to Shaktigarh to find the person who brutally attacked their sister Gudiya. In pursuit of truth, they have a hard time dealing with their cold, distant father, Raghubir Singh. Their search leads them through a dangerous world of rival boxing clubs, undercover missions, and police chases. As Ravi fights his way towards Olympic trials, they also uncover a web of secrets. The casting choices and the performances in the show are generally neat. Apart from the chocolate boy looks, Pulkit Samrat’s athleticism is a major advantage for his portrayal of Ravi; you naturally buy his zeal to succeed in the boxing ring. Divyenndu Sharma plays the troubled, disgruntled son with assurance. His body language and expressions suggest what the character may have endured for years.

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Sat, May 2 2026

The series forces us to contemplate how often the quest for name and fame comes at a great cost

A web-series rooted in Haryana’s inimitable terra firma around one of its favourite sports: boxing. Yet ‘Glory’ isn’t your regular sports drama, or a story of an underdog making it big. Marrying murder mystery with the shenanigans of the game, which is at once dangerous and thrilling, the seven-episode series too treads the same path. In the very first episode, we are witness to the murder of a gifted boxer, Nihal Singh (Yugam Sood). An Olympic gold contender, he decides to elope with his girlfriend Gudiya (Jannat Zubair), daughter of his coach Raghubir Singh (Suvinder Vicky). Coming from the land where female foeticide and honour killings are rampant, you smell a rat. And the guessing game begins.

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Sat, May 2 2026

OTT पर खेल की पृष्ठभूमि पर कम ही शोज आए हैं। ऐसे में, क्रिकेट और मैच फिक्सिंग पर एमी नॉमिनेटेड सीरीज ‘इनसाइड एज’ बनाने वाले फिल्मकार करण अंशुमान अब नई सीरीज ‘ग्लोरी’ के साथ बॉक्सिंग रिंग में उतरे हैं। हालांकि, यहां जितने मुक्के रिंग में चलते हैं, उससे कहीं ज्यादा चाकू-छुरी, बम-धमाके उसके बाहर होते हैं, क्योंकि असल में यह सीरीज बॉक्सिंग के इर्द-गिर्द बुनी गई एक इन्वेस्टिगेटिव क्राइम थ्रिलर है। 50-55 मिनट के 7 एपिसोड की यह सीरीज दिखाती है कि एक इंसान अपने सपने और महत्वाकांक्षा को पूरा करने के लिए किस हद तक जा सकता है।

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Sat, May 2 2026

Kasyap Sreenivas’s debut is steeped with meta humour and film spoofs, but struggles to sustain its comic momentum

A character in Gaayapadda Simham (Wounded Lion) quips that police officers are holding a “success meet,” much like film teams that celebrate barely a day after a theatrical release. The officer shoots back, asking why such celebrations should be limited to reel heroes when real-life ones have more reason to revel. In moments like these, when the writing pokes fun at the Telugu film industry, debut director Kasyap Sreenivas’s film, starring Tharun Bhascker and Faria Abdullah, finds its comic edge. The premise is deliberately outrageous. Darahas (Tharun), content with his middle-class life, is told he must move to the US if he hopes to marry his girlfriend (Maanasa Choudhary). When shifting immigration laws derail his plans and he is deported, his response is extreme — he seeks revenge on Donald Trump.

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Fri, May 1 2026

Directed by Nathan Greno, the body swap tale between two creatures of an enchanted forest is surprisingly touching.

Produced by Skydance Animation, the new Netflix animated feature Swapped tells the story of a magical valley that has fallen on hard times. A woodland creature and a majestic bird swap bodies to figure out a way to restore it to its glory. While the storytelling and look of the animated fable feel a bit familiar, its sure-handed execution is what sees Swapped through. Nathan Greno’s film is led by the stunning visuals and empathetic voice performances of actors Michael B Jordan, Juno Temple and Tracy Morgan. The Netflix film is a perfect lesson to introduce children about compassion towards others, though very young children might find the latter portions a bit scary.

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Fri, May 1 2026

Prashant and Jimmy both struggle for power in two different worlds. Prashant fights through the cutthroat Mumbai film industry to build an acting career after a personal setback. Meanwhile, Jimmy uses his skills as a master salesman to wage a bitter political war against his uncle. As their paths grow darker, both men must decide if they are victims of fate or masters of their lives. Ambrish Verma, also the director of the show, picks the messier role, stepping into the shoes of a roughened-up mard who is bleeding within. Besides portraying his massy, action side with ease, he mirrors the character’s vulnerabilities effectively. He depicts Jimmy as a broken man without going overboard.

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Fri, May 1 2026

The Satya-starrer takes potshots at everything and oversells its quirks to the point of exhaustion

A disappointing trend among Telugu filmmakers is the desperation to hold on to a specific genre or storytelling style and overuse it till the novelty wears off. It is like a magician relying on the same trick until the secret is laid bare. Director Ritesh Rana’s quirky, parody-style narratives set against crime — seen across the Mathu Vadalarafranchise and, to an extent, Happy Birthday — were one-of-a-kind when they first arrived, with the mark of a storyteller with a unique voice. With Jetlee, however, it appears as though his signature style has overstayed its welcome, struggling to offer anything new.

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Fri, May 1 2026

Director Vignesh Raja’s ‘Kara’, starring Dhanush and Mamitha Baiju, tries to be a heist film packed with emotions, but ends up being bogged down by melodrama

It’s a late night in the early Nineties in Tamil Nadu’s Thiruverumbur. Even as everyone is settling into slumber, Karasaami (Dhanush) is perched on a tree, keeping watch on a locked house. When the time seems right, Kara and his apprentice (played by Prithvi Pandiarajan) break in. Just as they are about to seal the deal, they hear someone at the gate. It’s the perfect start for a heist film – one in which the director wastes no time in the frills associated with regular commercial cinema fare. In fact, the protagonist appears within a couple of seconds of the film opening, a healthy sign that we are in for a pure genre film, rather than meander into formulaic elements. This sign strengthens with the introduction of DSP Bharathan (Suraj Venjaramoodu), who promises to close this case as soon as possible.

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Thu, April 30 2026

Director Vignesh Raja's Kara, starring Dhanush, Mamitha Baiju and Suraj Venjaramoodu, is a film about a robber caught in a life-altering situation that pulls him back into crime. It has some solid sequences, but doesn't quite come together as a whole.

There’s a vague similarity between Kara and Dhanush’s recent directorial Idli Kadai — both feature him as a grief-stricken son fulfilling his father’s wish. While Idli Kadai leaned dramatic, Kara builds genuine tension, especially in its robbery sequences. Kara is the stronger film of the two, though both arrive at a similar destination: good, but short of great. The film opens with Kara aka Karasaaami (Dhanush), who has committed to do his last robbery. He teaches his aide how to rob as it could help him, and he wants to get married to Selli (Mamitha Baiju). He succeeds in the plan, well, mostly. But, Kara is forced to return to his village to meet his father to sell his land for money to set up a hotel (aka mess), which could help them lead a dignified life.

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