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

It’s a miracle that they’ve been able to conjure a similar kind of magic as the first film while going in an entirely new direction.

The world must be changing fast and beyond recognition if even Miranda Priestly can’t afford to be nonchalant anymore. Played by Meryl Streep in the 2006 film, it was a rare instance of a star marrying the material. Streep, in her 50s then, was planning to retire from Hollywood (which she revealed in an interview recently), when a studio offered her to play the Darth Vader of bosses from hell – the kind who does more damage with a well-timed sigh than most can with 20-minute rants. Priestly, a demanding editor-in-chief for the fashion magazine Runway, also had the layer of an ambitious woman fending off sharks at work.

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Sat, May 2 2026

Mammootty and Mohanlal’s long-awaited team-up in Mahesh Narayanan’s 'Patriot' yields a glossy but hollow thriller.

Two titans of cinema team up after aeons in Mahesh Narayanan’s Patriot, which is easily among the most eagerly anticipated Indian films of the year. If Mammootty and Mohanlal are in the same frame, powering the same narrative, crafted by one of our most celebrated filmmakers (Take Off, C U Soon, Malik), and that isn’t a thing to be excited about, I don’t know what is. It’s also interesting to consider what the term “spectacle” or “event film” means with respect to modern Malayalam cinema, known for producing India’s most refined and boundary-pushing mainstream cinema. It’s often said that hollow spectacle and empty movie star calories alone won’t fly for Malayalam cinema audiences. Even sweeping blockbusters need to be rooted in character and narrative—and offer something substantial, new, and evocative.

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Fri, May 1 2026

Mohanlal and Mammootty are tools for a socio-political endeavour in Mahesh Narayanan’s ‘Patriot’, which doesn’t engage in star service

An almost archaic communication method takes center stage when the characters played by Mammootty and Mohanlal first make contact in Mahesh Narayanan’s Patriot, well into the film’s second half. It would seem apt in a way, hinting at the vintage quality of their association while also fitting well inside the theme of the film on digital mass surveillance. For that matter, the last time the duo came together in a film, almost two decades ago, digital surveillance was just an emerging public concern. Now, it seems rather ubiquitous, and Mahesh Narayanan appears fully taken in by the urgency to convey these fears to a larger audience. The two superstars are thus tools for this socio-political endeavour rather than the screenplay being in service of their star aura, as often seen in such star-studded movies.

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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

A gritty, atmospheric thriller that lets formulaic contraptions and uneven gaze overshadow its deeper thematic ambitions

Glory fits right into that popular OTT template where a murder or whodunit serves as the entry point, but the real focus is peeling back layers of a specific society, its pressures, dysfunctions, and cultural realities. As Kohrra subsides from the mindscape, Karan Anshuman takes us to the neighbouring Haryana and pegs a story on the boxing culture rooted in patriarchy that underlines the prosperous State. Karan, known for exposing cricket’s underbelly in Inside Edge and power struggles in Mirzapur, blends sports drama and crime thriller in a rustic flavour to tell a compelling tale with uneven outcomes.

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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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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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Fri, May 1 2026

Fri, May 1 2026

ऑफिस के सब लोग घूमने के लिए जापान गए हैं। साथ काम करने वाली मीरा को चुप-चुप के देखने वाला दब्बू दिनेश वहां विश मांगता है कि मीरा उसकी हो जाए, एक दिन के लिए सही। और ऐसा हो भी जाता है। एक हादसे में मीरा को टी.जी.ए. हो जाता है, यानी उसकी याददाश्त चली जाती है, सिर्फ एक दिन के लिए। यह एक दिन मीरा और दिनेश एक साथ बिताते हैं। अगले दिन मीरा की मैमोरी वापस आ जाती है लेकिन वह दिनेश के साथ बिताए इस एक दिन को भूल जाती है। जाहिर है कि दिनेश को सदमा तो लगेगा ही, मगर फिर एक ट्विस्ट आता है…! 1983 में आई कमल हासन-श्रीदेवी वाली फिल्म ‘सदमा’ में याद्दाश्त खो चुकी श्रीदेवी की महीनों तक देखभाल करने वाले कमल को तब गहरा सदमा लगता है जब याद्दाश्त वापस आने के बाद श्रीदेवी उसे पहचानने से इंकार कर देती है। कुछ वही बात इस फिल्म (Ek Din) में भी है, लेकिन कुछ अलग अंदाज में, एक अलग ट्विस्ट के साथ। वह ट्विस्ट ही इस फिल्म में नया है वरना दो घंटे की इस फिल्म का पूरा निचोड़ तो इसके दो मिनट के ट्रेलर में दिख ही चुका है।

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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

Based on the life of the warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the film traces his journey from birth to laying the foundation of Swarajya.

Haven’t there been enough films made on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the last few years? Yes. Will there be more in the near future? Most probably. Is Raja Shivaji different? Yes and no. For starters, this Riteish Deshmukh’s directorial traces the story of the warrior king from his birth to a pivotal chapter in Maratha history, the slaying of Afzal Khan. In doing so, it focuses more on the emotions and instances that shaped Shivaji Maharaj’s quest for Swarajya. The trailer shows scenes from some of his conquests where he took the enemy head on and simply put, that has become a requisite for a big screen action film of late. But the gory battle scenes are not the focus in Raja Shivaji. Riteish, along with his writers (Ajit Wadekar and Sandeep Patil) create a story that focuses on the strategic aspects, not on the brute force of a king’s army - something that many films in this genre have done exhaustively before.

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Fri, May 1 2026

Riteish Deshmukh’s expensive historical drama is another critic-proof and soundproof salute to the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat back when they divided audiences, but I miss them now. A decade ago, the prospect of a lavishly mounted period drama about an iconic Indian warrior or king felt loaded with possibility. These much-revered figures could be accessed through the human dimensions of their personality — and I like that genre specialist Sanjay Leela Bhansali often used love and romantic tragedy as his medium. These days, they can be accessed (if at all) from a space of love too: but only if this love is a form of nationalism. Nothing less than reverence — slow-mo praises, spotless courage and heroism — will do. As a result, most releases arrive with an air of caution and compliance. Reviewing the storyline, its inaccuracies and omissions can be akin to reviewing the country. Raja Shivaji is the latest critic-proof spectacle in this series.

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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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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

Showcases intense performances by Theron and Egerton in a gripping predator-prey dynamic.

If you have watched Charlize Theron in her multiple action avatars on screen (think Furiosa in Mad Max, Andy in The Old Guard, Lorraine in Atomic Blonde, et al), then you wouldn’t think of ever getting on the wrong side of her. Taron Egerton seemingly hasn’t, which is perhaps why we see him as the predator trying to make quick work of Theron as prey in the new Netflix thriller Apex. At least — tongue firmly in cheek — he should have taken a dekko at her serial-killer act in Monster — that won the always edgy South African-born actress an Oscar more than two decades ago.

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Wed, April 29 2026

Apex—the new Netflix survival thriller starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton—is like an anti-Australia propaganda video paid for by people still traumatised by the 2003 Cricket World Cup final. We discuss Netflix’s dedication to making instantly forgettable movies, its digitally created natural landscapes, and its by-the-numbers plot that has exactly two unexpected twists.

Mon, April 27 2026

Mon, April 27 2026

Mon, April 27 2026

Antoine Fuqua’s Michael might become a yardstick in how insincere a film can be.

As someone who has been watching Bollywood biopics for the last decade, there should be little in Antoine Fuqua’s Michael that should upset me. When the protagonist is not showing off his god-given talent on screen, all that the secondary characters talk about is how special he is. It is a film that mistakes superficial tics like voice, make-up and costume as authenticity. Also, a film that confuses grit for honesty. It’s eerie how much of Fuqua’s biopic on the ‘King of Pop’ seems to internalise and then channel Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju (2018). Hirani’s biopic on Sanjay Dutt is among the gold standards of Bollywood biopics; the hardest anyone’s worked to vindicate its powerful protagonist. Michael might be Hollywood’s answer to Sanju.

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Sat, April 25 2026

Nearly two decades after his death, Michael Jackson's family brings the King of Pop's story to the big screen

To understand the hysteria that once surrounded the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, one must be from that era. The pop legend’s biopic Michael comes nearly two decades after his passing. The man who had, in the later years, withdrawn himself from the public owing to a spate of controversies, was a conflicting personality. One that would amuse, shock and entertain in equal measure. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the biopic, which marks the acting debut of the late singer’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in the titular role, presents a very sanitised version of Michael Jackson and his rise to stardom. The film is backed by the late singer’s family and close aides, and perhaps that’s the reason that the film is so one-dimensional in its approach.

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Mon, April 27 2026

Developed by Eric Robles and Jennifer Muro, the animated spinoff adventure takes viewers on an exciting side quest.

On December 31, 2025, the Duffer Brothers brought their long-running series, Stranger Things, about the supernatural events in the town of Hawkins, Indiana, to an end. Vecna has been vanished and the Upside Down has been dealt with. However, a new animated series, Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85, winds the clock to take viewers between Seasons 2 and 3 for a new battle with some familiar but different monsters from the Upside Down. The stakes of the show are decidedly lower, as dedicated fans know what’s going to happen. But the series might just rope in younger audiences who have yet to discover the live-action series and might be motivated to check in after this.

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