Akhil Arora

Accused, the tone-deaf “feminist” film on Netflix, is the equivalent of Neha Dhupia going “It’s her choice” on Roadies. We discuss the film’s utterly misguided defence of a serial harasser, groomer, and all-around toxic human being, and its baffling attempts to pass her off as “ambitious”. We also question the film’s understanding of sexual harassment as a concept, and disapprove of anybody trying to make a movie about false allegations in a post-#MeToo world. Additionally, we poke holes in the film’s central mystery, the decision to have not one but two eccentric detectives, and an irrational villain reveal that disregards the laws of the genre.

Once again, we find ourselves watching a Kartik Aaryan movie and wondering why… We discuss Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’s pointless travel vlog first half, which unexpectedly transforms into a combination of Baghban and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. We also discuss the film’s awkward projection of seemingly progressive values, which happens to be filtered through a deeply regressive lens. We conclude by wondering if Croatia even knows what it has gotten itself into by inviting the Kartik Aaryans of the world to visit.

Subedaar fools you into watching a ‘70s-style neo-Western about corruption and caste by presenting it as a South Indian remake. We discuss Anil Kapoor’s refreshingly muted lead performance, the film’s pointed nods to John Wick, and whether its disguised social commentary makes up for its tonal missteps. We also discuss Mona Singh and Aditya Rawal’s characters and who they represent in the context of contemporary India.

It took three years for Anurag Kashyap’s Kennedy to secure a release after its Cannes premiere, and that, too, on the D-list tier streaming service ZEE5. We discuss the film’s baffling narrative, vague rumination about corruption and power, and long stretches of inaction that don’t feel authentic to Kashyap. We also spend way too much time discussing the ill-fitting costumes of Rahul Bhat and the underused Sunny Leone, and end with unverified rumours about the movie’s long-delayed release. Hint: It had something to do with a certain ‘Bade Papa’.

Sabar Bonda, the Marathi film that won a prestigious honour at Sundance last year, is either a poetic exploration of the road not taken or a pretentious try-hard desperate to feel important. We discuss the film’s unconventional dramatic choices, the effects of its stillness, and the lacklustre quality of the central performances. We also debate its performative nature and wonder how it turned out to be so divisive.

Sthal, the Marathi-language feature from debutante director Jayant Digambar Somalkar, is one of the best films of 2025. It’s a deftly written, confidently shot, and expertly performed psychological drama about the commodification of women. We discuss the anger at the film’s core, its bleak view of Indian society, and the catharsis it provides with an instant-classic climax.

Tere Ishk Mein, the new film from director Aanand L. Rai and his longtime writer Himanshu Sharma, might be more offensive than anything Sandeep Reddy Vanga has ever made. A misogynist, hate-mongering pile of slop, the movie exists to validate its incel male audience’s opinions about all womankind. It would be foolish to question why Dhanush and Kriti Sanon agreed to make this film, but for A.R. Rahman and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub to participate in something like this says a lot about their politics. We talk about the film’s unhinged story, the poor acting by the two leads, and its overall disdain for the audience.

Kalamkaval—the new investigative thriller in which Mammootty plays a serial killer—is a dull, dour, and deeply frustrating film. We talk about director Jithin K. Jose’s indisciplined screenplay, which repeats the same information over and over again as if it knows audiences are going to tune out. We also discuss its lack of interest in the killer’s victims, whom it treats as mere plot devices. We find that the performances of the two leads are entirely mismatched, and the movie is more interested in pulling the rug from under the audience’s feet than examining why people do what they do.