Ramayana: Rise of a Legend
Fantasy, Action, Adventure (Hindi)
An ancient epic follows a young prince and princess whose marriage and subsequent exile mark the beginning of a legendary journey. Their story of love, duty and destiny sets the stage for greater challenges ahead. (more…)
Parivarik ManuRanjan
Romance, Comedy (Hindi)
Ranjan Dubey, Lucknow's most eligible bachelor, finds his search for a bride taking an unexpected turn when Helen, his charming new househelp, walks into his life. With everyone having an opinion on this unlikely duo, will their companionship blossom into (more…)
Student of the Year: After Dark
Mystery, Drama (Hindi)
Student of the Year: After Dark reimagines the St. Teresa's campus as the setting of a murder mystery after the school's queen bee, Aayesha Malik, is found dead in a frozen lake. Refusing to believe it was an accident, her (more…)
Blind Game
Crime, Thriller (Hindi)
A suspended police officer tracks down a missing fortune and a dangerous secret. (more…)
Guild Reviews by Film Page 1 of 114
Student of the Year: After Dark
Mystery, Drama (Hindi)
Student of the Year: After Dark reimagines the St. Teresa's campus as the setting of a murder mystery after the school's queen bee, Aayesha Malik, is found dead in a frozen lake. Refusing to believe it was an accident, her introverted twin sister Aditi goes undercover at the elite institution to investigate her death.
Cast:
Shanaya Kapoor, Abhinav Santosh Singh, Manya Grover, Deeya Damini, Sheeba Chaddha, Vivek Gomber, Ayesha Raza Mishra, Paresh Rawal
Director:
Reema Maya
Fri, November 13 2026
Blending mystery while simultaneously navigating the deeper psychological minefield that inhabits today’s young minds isn’t easy. For most parts, the director pulls it off
Remember Karan Johar’s much-loved franchise ‘Student of the Year’, which was all gloss and romance? In its third edition — in the form of a web series — can the franchise be reimagined to shed the glitter and wade into the darker recesses of being young, and still be irresistible? Strangely enough, as two disparate cinematic universes, Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment and Reema Maya’s indie and individualistic style of filmmaking, collide, the answer is not confusion or chaos. Reema takes the basic template of ‘SOTY’ and turns it on its head. Yes, it’s still the same elitist St Teresa College, where “privileged children are taught how to struggle”. They are still competing for the elusive Student of the Year trophy. Beyond that, Reema, also the co-writer and co-creator of the series along with Debashish Irengbam, invents her own module and plays by her own rules.
Fri, November 13 2026
The vacant young-adult pseudo-thriller stars Shanaya Kapoor as a vengeful student who joins an elite school to get to the bottom of her twin sister’s death
It takes a lot to stay level-headed about a bad show, but here goes. Somewhere deep within the edgy-Halloween-party-gone-wrong hollowness of this six-episode riff on Karan Johar’s nepo-induction franchise featuring teeny-bopper colleges and bubblegum love triangles and prestigious annual competitions, there is an idea. It has something to do with the aesthetic of Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in the Wall’: a schooling system so abusive that the Student of the Year contest is an exclusive Squid Game-like tournament with red jumpsuits designed to make unstable Indian teens destroy each other for a mythical survival-of-the-fittest prize. But it’s a hipster idea so blunted by the folds of ivory-tower storytelling and Instagram-filmmaking that, by the time it emerges, it’s an icy corpse floating under a frozen pond.
Fri, November 13 2026
Student of the Year: After Dark follows Aditi as she investigates her twin Aayesha's death. The franchise's darker makeover is undermined by scattered storytelling, uneven performances and shallow characterisation.
“Poori duniya hi jhooti hai (The whole world lies).” There is a line in Student of the Year: After Dark that pretty much sums up the world this show wants to create. And, honestly, it isn’t entirely wrong. Everyone is in a race to win, and when the stakes are high, morality, friendship and basic humanity can take a backseat. The real question is: how far will you go to get what you want? The original Student of the Year, with Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra leading the campus race, gave us a rather PG version of ambition, popularity, youthful rivalry and relationships. Its latest instalment, SOTY After Dark, wants to take things several shades darker. This time, the Gen Z crowd comes armed with secrets, sinister social media pages, messy relationships and a murder mystery. Except, somewhere between wanting to be a campus drama and a psychological thriller, the show loses its plot. Quite literally, at times.
Parivarik ManuRanjan
Romance, Comedy (Hindi)
Ranjan Dubey, Lucknow's most eligible bachelor, finds his search for a bride taking an unexpected turn when Helen, his charming new househelp, walks into his life. With everyone having an opinion on this unlikely duo, will their companionship blossom into love?
Cast:
Pankaj Tripathi, Aditi Rao Hydari, Brijendra Kala, Sunita Rajwar, Vijayant Kohli, Mukesh Tiwari, Neelu Dogra, Kumar Saurabh, Simran Awasthi
Director:
Varun V. Sharma
Fri, November 13 2026
जिस फिल्म से अली अब्बास जफर, पंकज त्रिपाठी और अदिति राव हैदरी जैसे बड़े नाम जुड़े हों, उससे उम्मीद भी थोड़ी ज्यादा हो जाती है, लेकिन इस मामले में उनकी ताजातरीन पेशकश ‘पारिवारिक मनुरंजन’ एक साधारण सी टाइमपास भर साबित होती है। Sony LIV पर रिलीज इस फिल्म में पंकज त्रिपाठी और अदिति राव हैदरी की नई-नवेली जोड़ी आकर्षण का केंद्र जरूर बनती है, लेकिन ज्यादातर किस्सों और किरदार में दोहराव के चलते नयापन महसूस नहीं होता।
Fri, November 13 2026
The quiet life of Ranjan Dubey (Pankaj Tripathi), a kind-hearted 40-something bachelor in Lucknow, changes when he hires a mysterious woman named Helen (Aditi Rao Hydari) as his live-in house manager. As romance blossoms, town gossip and Helen’s past threaten to test their bond. The casting is generally apt, though, much like the storytelling, it plays things a little too safe and risk-averse, denying the film some spunk and character. Pankaj Tripathi bags a role that fits his persona to a T, and he breezes through it with ease. Aditi Rao Hydari, ever since Kaatru Veliyidai/Cheliya, has increasingly been cast in roles where she plays a woman waiting to be saved by a man. Though she does well here, the repetition in her choices hurts the impact. Brijendra Kala and Sunita Rajwar lend warmth to the film in familiar roles that do not break new ground. Mukesh Tiwari, meanwhile, does not leave a lasting impression.
Fri, November 13 2026
Starring Pankaj Tripathi and Aditi Rao Hydari, the surprisingly flat film revolves around forbidden feelings between a 40-year-old bachelor and his new housekeeper.
Parivarak ManuRanjan is about a soft 40-year-old bachelor, Ranjan Dubey (Pankaj Tripathi), who grows feelings for his new housekeeper and property manager, Helen (Aditi Rao Hydari). He is single because he spent his life getting his sisters married off; his duty is over, he works at the electricity board and lives alone. The story unfolds in the gossipy bylanes of Lucknow. If you close your eyes and think of a nosy neighbour, it’s a failure of Hindi cinema that Sunita Rajwar instantly comes to mind. Blame this setting and voice-over on Gullak, the virtuous protagonist on Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Raksha Bandhan, and the thorny premise on Rohena Gera’s Sir. This romantic comedy aims to be warm and feel-good, but there’s something uncomfortable about the way it stages its social framework. You don’t have to be woke to see through its nature.
DNK
Comedy, Crime (Telugu)
A young man with a compulsive stealing habit brings trouble upon his family, who must deal with the consequences of his actions.
Cast:
Mouli, Sushmita Shetty, Ali, Raghu Babu, Rajitha, Bhadram, Gundu Sudarshan, Ramana Bhargava
Director:
Sreenu Kambala
Writer:
Sreenu Kambala
Fri, November 13 2026
Debut director Sreenu Kambala’s Telugu film has a cheeky premise, but excessive subplots and gags dilute its appeal
A relatively foolproof formula for making underdog stories work is to cast emerging faces as the leads. The connection is instant, and the audience tends to root for them. YouTuber-turned-actor Mouli Tanuj Prashanth made the most of that advantage with his feature debut, Little Hearts, a year ago. When the same actor tries to punch above his weight, outsmarting his kith and kin at every turn in his sophomore outing, DNK (Donga Naa Koduku), a crime comedy, it can leave viewers with mixed feelings. DNK, marking Sreenu Kambala’s Telugu directorial debut, is desperate to impress. The low-stakes crime caper is a hotchpotch of several Telugu hits over the years, tailored specifically for an Instagram Reels/YouTube Shorts-consuming audience. So much so that there is barely any breathing space between its dialogues or plot turns. The pitch is high, silence is rare, and every second sequence feels like the director’s attempt to prove himself a cinephile.
Itllu Arjuna
Action, Romance, Thriller (Telugu)
A mute man with exceptional skills falls in love, proving that true feelings do not always need words.
Cast:
Aniesh, Anaswara Rajan, Vennela Kishore, Mukesh Rishi, Kalaiyarasan, Elango Kumaravel, Brahmaji, Getup Srinu, Raghu Babu, Aruna Bhikshu
Director:
Mahesh Uppala
Writer:
Mahesh Uppala
Fri, November 13 2026
Debut director Mahesh Uppala’s Telugu entertainer has slick visuals and tolerable humour, but plays it too safe
The much-publicised Telugu film Itllu Arjuna, helmed by debut director Mahesh Uppala, is designed to be a slick showreel for newcomer Aniesh. Yet, for a conventional launchpad, it is relatively grounded, stylish and lightweight. The action-romance follows two young, lovestruck protagonists: a speech-impaired boy and a spirited medical student, as they navigate a high-stakes situation. Itllu Arjuna’s storytelling has an assured, easy-going rhythm. Cinematographer Raja Mahadhevan lights up every frame with enthusiasm. Even a speck of dust has a symmetry to it, carefully orchestrated to add to the film’s visual appeal. The drama is gentle, the humour just about tolerable, and the romance generic. No sequence is blown out of proportion. Arjun (Aniesh) may be non-verbal, but he is the know-it-all too.
Blind Game
Crime, Thriller (Hindi)
A suspended police officer tracks down a missing fortune and a dangerous secret.
Cast:
Arjun Rampal, Priyamani, Rohit Chandel, Nakul Roshan Sandev, Shayank Shukla, Akash Makhija, Noyrika Bhatheja
Director:
Sangeeth Sivan
Writer:
Sangeeth Sivan
Fri, November 13 2026
In Manali, a suspended IPS officer, Sikander (Arjun Rampal), accidentally hits two friends, Vicky and Shaan, with his car. When Vicky, a local cafe owner, goes missing from the hospital, Sikander helps Shaan search for him, only to get entangled with his estranged wife and fellow cop, Yamini (Priyamani), in a game of betrayal, a missing fortune and deadly criminals. None of the performances really land. Arjun Rampal is an actor with limitations and needs a team that knows how to work around them. Otherwise, his supposedly suave, cold persona can feel like a chunk of wood. Priyamani stays focused in a limited role, but the character has neither context nor a backstory. She is far too good a talent to be wasting herself in random outings like these. Others, including Nakul Sahdev, Rohit Chandel, Shayank Shukla and Noyrika Bhateja, look too listless to salvage the film from its mediocrity.
Fri, November 13 2026
Starring Arjun Rampal as a stylish cop stumbling onto a crime in the mountains, 'Blind Game' is defeated by its own mind-games
The first fifteen minutes of Blind Game are ominous. And I’m not talking about the story. The film-making is so dated that it made me feel like a child again. The dubbing is very 1980s: the foley effects are almost a character. You can hear the studio-produced footsteps and the synthetic breathing of a man being chased in the jungle. A gunshot sounds like a human mouth imitating the whizz of a bullet (“dishkiyaoon!”). A cop taking on a bunch of crooks on a Manali road lands punches with a distinct “dishoom!”. The fundamental nature of the craft is reduced to a punchline. If it weren’t unintentional, it’d be nostalgic.
Wed, November 11 2026
हिमाचल का मनाली शहर। पांच दोस्त हैं, पक्के वाले, एकदम फैमिली के माफिक। सबने मिल कर एक कैफे खोला। एक दिन कोई उस कैफे में पांच करोड़ रुपए से भरा एक बैग रख गया और इनकी ज़िंदगी बदल गई। अब एक तरफ इनके पीछे एक गैंग्स्टर के लोग पड़े हैं तो दूसरी तरफ पुलिस। और दिक्कत यह कि, वह पैसा कहीं गायब हो चुका है और जिस पर शक था, वह दोस्त भी मर चुका है। तो अब…? इस किस्म की सस्पैंस, थ्रिलर के स्वाद वाली फिल्मों की लिखाई की बुनावट में जो कसावट होनी चाहिए, वह इस फिल्म ‘ब्लाइंड गेम’ (Blind Game) में सिरे से गायब है। ऐसी फिल्मों में घटनाओं की उलझन को सुलझाते समय जिस किस्म के तर्कपूर्ण सीन लिखे जाने चाहिएं, वे इसमें बहुत हल्के और कमज़ोर हैं। कहानी में आगे क्या होने वाला है, वह पहले ही रिसने लगता है। पटकथा के धागे कायदे से पकड़ में ही नहीं आते और संवाद इस कदर हल्के हैं कि उन पर ध्यान ही नहीं जाता।
Bouma
Mystery, Thriller (Malayalam)
A struggling singer returns to an isolated, secret-shrouded estate tied to her own forgotten past. Simultaneously, a police investigation into a series of missing women intersects with the estate, blurring past memories and active crime.
Cast:
Dileesh Pothan, Vineeth Radhakrishnan, Sagar Surya, Revathy Sharma, Aditi Balan, Madhupal, Lenaa, Mokksha, Merin Philip, Raghunath Paleri
Director:
Rejin S Babu
Writer:
Rejin S Babu
Fri, November 13 2026
Despite a weak third act, ‘Bouma’ is an interesting mix of twists and engaging drama, boosted by standout performances from Dileesh Pothan and Vineeth
Rejin S. Babu, the writer and director of Bouma, probably believes in the adage that the journey is more important than the destination. Predictably, the destination in this gothic horror is an old haunted bungalow, where the film ends with a rather underwhelming, open-ended climax. The mysterious happenings within the bungalow give one a ‘been there, done that’ feeling, for the setting is familiar from numerous films. However, the happenings outside, where the film spends much of its runtime, evoke much curiosity. The movie maintains this until the last act. The choice to not confine the characters mostly within the bungalow did pay off in a way. Bouma begins unhurriedly from the point of view of Celine (Revathy Sarma), a singer at a resto-bar, and her live-in partner Jacob (Sagar Surya), a food delivery worker. The struggling couple lands the jackpot when she realises she has been bequeathed ancestral property of immense value.
I Play Rocky
Drama, History (English)
The electrifying true story about an unknown actor with an unshakable belief that he wasn't just meant to write Rocky—he was meant to be Rocky Balboa. Told "no" at every turn, Sylvester Stallone bets everything on himself, holding the line on playing the lead against seemingly impossible odds.
Cast:
Anthony Ippolito, AnnaSophia Robb, P.J. Byrne, Toby Kebbell, Jay Duplass, Tracy Letts, Matt Dillon, Stephan James, Kiki Seto, Robert Morgan
Director:
Peter Farrelly
Writer:
Peter Gamble
Fri, November 13 2026
A powerful screenplay, a determined rookie actor, and an origin story that would become film history. Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky goes beyond this one-liner synopsis, capturing the irony of a legend that seems like it wrote itself, even though Sylvester Stallone had to bleed for every single page.
A powerful screenplay, a determined rookie actor, and an origin story that would become film history. Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky goes beyond this one-liner synopsis, capturing the irony of a legend that seems like it wrote itself, even though Stallone had to bleed for every single page. What really stuns you is the amount of faith the studio had in a script (of the 1976 blockbuster Rocky) from a total unknown. Watching it from India (where writers are routinely discarded from trailer end slates and their scripts are constantly reworked), you feel the weight of Stallone’s decision not to sell his work unless he was going to play the lead in a movie that would make history.
The Rings of Power S03
Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy (English)
Beginning in a time of relative peace, we follow an ensemble cast of characters as they confront the re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
Cast:
Morfydd Clark, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Sophia Nomvete, Markella Kavenagh, Ismael Cruz Cordova
Wed, November 11 2026
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 is the show’s strongest season yet, embracing Tolkien’s spirit even when it strays from the lore. Here’s why its tighter storytelling, stronger character work, and compelling take on Sauron make it worth watching.
I like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. I like its third season more than the first two, which is saying something. Tolkien fanatics, I have decided make poor critics of adaptations. I say that as one. We fixate on the wrong things, like how faithful the show is to the source material in terms of plot points. But this show works because it grasps the text in spirit if not in body. Peter Jackson-directed trilogy, which went on to win gazillions of Oscars, also chose to discard material that did not fit into the story it was telling, and my fellow nerds tend to forget that. Of course, it adapted the closest thing geek culture has to a sacred text, the main tome.
Ramayana: Rise of a Legend
Fantasy, Action, Adventure (Hindi)
An ancient epic follows a young prince and princess whose marriage and subsequent exile mark the beginning of a legendary journey. Their story of love, duty and destiny sets the stage for greater challenges ahead.
Cast:
Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Ravi Dubey, Arun Govil, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta, Indira Krishnan, Sonal Jha, Adinath Kothare
Director:
Nitesh Tiwari
Mon, November 9 2026
The film is a huge technological leap and imposing in scale, but runs mostly like an adaptation busy ticking off the events than exploring the complexities at play
Tales of the battle between good and evil never get old, and in the case of the Ramayana, it is as old as it gets, and still quite resonant in Indian socio-politics. The characters are well-etched in the nation’s psyche, the turning points are all too familiar and the lessons learned ample. Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana: Part 1 is well too aware of what’s at stake while tackling a Hindu epic that inspires devotion as well as religious fervour. In scale and spectacle, too, there’s no stone unturned, for the film is as imposing as it gets.
Sun, November 8 2026
Even though Valmiki’s Ramayana is one of the most revered epics, the question remains: does it really warrant a film, particularly after Adipurush (2023) turned out to be such a disappointment? Produced by Namit Malhotra and directed by Nitesh Tiwari (of Dangal fame), the film certainly goes all out in terms of scale. The budget runs into four figures in crores, although one wonders if all that expenditure was necessary. At its heart, the Ramayana is about the triumph of good over evil. While vanquishing evil is central to the story, the film could probably have done without the long, drawn-out battle sequences that often resemble a video game.
Sun, November 8 2026
Diwali Diwali
Comedy (Hindi)
Ansh Sikkha returns to his Punjabi family home for Diwali after years working abroad. As the Sikkas gather for the festival, their clashing views on what constitutes a fulfilling life create friction and connection.
Cast:
Mihir Ahuja, Manoj Pahwa, Neelu Kohli, Aura Bhatnagar Badoni, Manmeet Singh Sawhney
Director:
Ritesh Menon
Writer:
Ritu Mago
Mon, November 9 2026
Why do these projects fail to shake off the feeling that they are sets?
Ritesh Menon’s short-long film, lasting just a little over an hour, is literally like the kind of Diwali mithai which leaves a mildly sweet after-taste which doesn’t linger. You can eat it, and forget about it. Ansh Sikka (Mihir Ahuja) is about to give his parents a surprise. He will be home for Diwali. No advance warning. It’s just the kind of news that would make most desi parents jump for joy. But the Sikkas, daddy (Manoj Pahwa), mommy (Neelu Kohli) and sister (Aurra Bhatnagar Badoni), have a secret: they do not love the fancy high-rise flat Ansh has bought for them, for which they have had to leave their beloved middle-class colony, missing the warmth and joy spread by close-knit neighbours who are like extended family.
Sun, November 8 2026
The 61-minute Netflix film breathes life into the Diwali genre of tender, tangy family dramas.
If those conveyor-belt, Hallmark-card-coded Christmas romcoms on Netflix starring versions of Lindsay Lohan are anything to go by every year, it’s normal to be wary of their Indian festive counterparts: the Cadbury-advert-coded Diwali family movie. Last week it was Meethe Mein Kya Hai; this week, it’s the 61-minute-long terribly-tiny-feature Dilwali Diwali. Both minor-key and glossy, both in and around ancestral houses, both sweeter than sugar — and both surprisingly disarming. These are the sort of streaming productions that used to be skit-like YouTube featurettes: a little bit of heart and soul posing as content.
Disco
Action (Malayalam)
An ordinary man undergoes a transformation as he enters the dark and dangerous world of the underworld.
Cast:
Antony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose, Femina George, Arjun Ashokan, Lukman Avaran, Dev, Vishnu Unnikrishnan, Shebin Benson, Sinoj Varghese, Meera Vasudevan
Director:
Ullas Jose Chemban
Writer:
Chemban Vinod Jose
Sun, November 8 2026
Just like Ullas Chemban’s debut work Anchakkallakokkan, Disco too is strong in its technical department, but that is not enough to save a film which banks a little too much on stylistics
Everyday is Halloween in the ganglands of Ullas Chemban’s sophomore film Disco. In whatever grim situation they may be caught in, the mafia men in this film somehow find the adequate time and mood to dress up in matching colourful costumes before they carry out the hit. While the opening sequence has one gang dressed up in Santa Claus costumes, another sequence has yet another gang with goat head masks launching an attack on a police van. Going by how this keeps repeating for the entire length of Disco, its costume designer was probably working overtime. Or, the screenwriter also pitched in, since the film borrows much of its story from typical gangster films and hopes to get away with it using its stylish treatment. Just like Ullas Chemban’s debut work Anchakkallakokkan, Disco too is strong in its technical department, but that is not enough to save a film which banks a little too much on stylistics.
Sat, November 7 2026
While Ullas Chemban's thriller has a handful of moments that hint at a more ambitious film, it relies a bit too heavily on swag to power over what it lacked in terms of real drama.
In an otherwise unwatchable thriller that prioritises swag over everything else, there’s a handful of moments with genuine spark which suggests a film with particularly idiosyncratic ambitions. One of these is an interrogation scene in which the character played by Gayathri Suresh negotiates with two nosy police officers. Just when you think of the need for this scene, the camera angle shifts downward to capture the top angle, drawing our attention to Gayathri’s naked legs. It’s staged awkwardly and one can make the case for it being her negotiation tactic. Linger a second longer and it’s just the film’s way to pay tribute to the infamous interrogation scene from Basic Instinct (1993) featuring Sharon Stone in similar predicament. After working overtime to build a world that’s part Guy Ritchie, part Latin American gang movie, it feels refreshing to see this hat-tip to classic 90’s Hollywood.
Sattamum Needhiyum
Crime, Drama (Tamil)
Sundaramoorthy, a timid lawyer, takes on the case of a man who sets himself on fire outside the court to protest his daughter's abduction. Can Sundaramoorthy confront his fears and reveal the truth?
Cast:
Saravanan, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Lavanya, Prem
Director:
Balaji Selvaraj
Sun, November 8 2026
t is like that random page-turner one buys before boarding a train. We might not put too much thought into it, but a few surprises here and there makes the ride worth it
Truth. Throughout our lives, well-meaning people tell us to stick to the truth and stand by what is right. But that pursuit is rarely pure and never simple. It gets even more complicated in legal cases, where the lines between objective and subjective truth blur. Probably why director Balaji Selvaraj’s ZEE5 series, Sattamum Needhiyum, is titled so. Between what is legal and what is just, many stories reside, and the second season tells the story of dirty cops, not-so-dirty lawyers, and what happens when the two worlds collide.