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Sonal Pandya

Times Now, Zoom

Sonal Pandya is the Associate Producer for Times Now and Zoom, and earlier worked at Hindustan Times, and Cinestaan.com as deputy editor. Prior to becoming a film journalist, she worked as a CG artist and digital compositor in the animation industry.

All reviews by Sonal Pandya

Image of scene from the film Real Kashmir Football Club

Real Kashmir Football Club

Drama (Hindi)

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Manav Kaul's Trope-Filled Sports Series Is Heartfelt

Tue, December 9 2025

Inspired by a true story, the journey of an underdog sports club hits all the predictable beats in a heartwarming tale.

The emergence of a professional football club is the unlikely “underdog success” story of Real Kashmir Football Club. The SonyLIV series, directed by Mahesh Mathai and Rajesh Mapuskar, highlights the passion of two men who try to get the club off the ground and change the future of Kashmiri youth. The well-meaning series hits all the right notes of a sports drama while incorporating the real-life obstacles of fronting a professional football club. The story of hope and courage is inspirational.

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Image of scene from the film Stephen

Stephen

Thriller (Tamil)

Tamil Serial Killer Thriller's Intriguing Premise Wilts With Predictable Twist

Sun, December 7 2025

Writer-director Mithun Balaji's mystery drama about the psyche of a serial killer starts off promisingly but overexplains itself in the finale.

The psychological thriller Stephen opens with a chase to find a serial killer responsible for murdering nine women. Filmmaker Mithun’s feature twists the tale by revealing the killer early on. The Tamil film is more about Stephen’s past and motives that led him to become a cold-blooded killer. As investigators and psychologists probe into his mind, the movie paints a sympathetic picture until that shocking ending. It’s a switch and bait that almost works.

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Image of scene from the film Stranger Things S05

Stranger Things S05

Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Mystery, Action & Adventure (English)

Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown Starrer Has Slow Start Yet Ups Emotion And Action

Thu, November 27 2025

Co-created by Matt and Ross Duffer, the global hit series returns to Hawkins, Indiana, and the Upside Down for one final epic battle.

After three and a half years, Stranger Things is back, promising a return to the Upside Down and a conflict with Vecna, the big bad who has been controlling the alternate dimension underneath the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. Co-created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things is an ode to the 1980s, with terrific references to its music, movies, and pop culture moments. But at its heart, the Netflix story is about friendship and the lengths they will go to save one another. With the first batch of episodes dropping on November 27, it’s time to check back in with the Hawkins gang.

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Image of scene from the film Dining With the Kapoors

Dining With the Kapoors

Documentary, Family (Hindi)

Ranbir, Kareena And Karisma Serve Up A Playful Celebration Of Family, Films And Food

Sat, November 22 2025

Created by Armaan Jain, the documentary special is a candid and nostalgic look at the Kapoor family legacy, with some of its most famous members.

Raj Kapoor’s daughter Rima Jain proclaims in Dining with the Kapoors, “The entire Kapoor family is a dramatic family.” Several generations of India’s famous film family come together to celebrate their roots, especially Raj and his wife, Krishna Raj Kapoor. The hour-long special brings cousins, siblings, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and in-laws together for a chaotic but candid ode to family and the bonds that endure. Directed by Smriti Mundhra and created by Armaan Jain, Dining with the Kapoors is not a deep dive into family history but instead a snapshot into some of their traditions.

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Image of scene from the film The Family Plan 2

The Family Plan 2

Action, Comedy (English)

Kit Harington Makes For Weak Foil In Mark Wahlberg's Action Comedy Sequel

Fri, November 21 2025

The Mark Wahlberg sequel improves in some areas, but like the first film, it cannot muster up more thrills.

The Family Plan, starring Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan, was a surprise hit of 2023 for Apple TV, so naturally it must be brought back. In the holiday sequel, The Family Plan 2, the Morgan family once again find themselves going on the run. However, changing the setting from the US to Europe lifts the spirit of the feature overall. But director Simon Cellan Jones and writer David Coggeshall have a villain problem on their hands for a second time.

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Image of scene from the film Palm Royale S02

Palm Royale S02

Drama, Comedy (English)

Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney's All-Star Period Drama Grows Overly Complicated

Thu, November 13 2025

Kristen Wiig returns as the aspiring socialite in this shaky, complex period drama that quickly becomes melodramatic.

The first season of Apple TV’s Palm Royale, while intriguing, had a shaky narrative. That mainly had to do with its large cast of characters; it was hard to keep up with who’s who. Loosely based on Juliet McDaniel’s 2018 novel, Mr & Mrs American Pie, the series adds a few more characters and ups the melodrama, making for a confusing watch. Despite the complexity, the ensemble cast of the dark comedy plunges on with their stylish costumes and lavish production that takes the action away from 1960s Palm Beach, Florida.

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Image of scene from the film Maharani S04

Maharani S04

Drama (Hindi)

Huma Qureshi's Political Drama Leaps Forward In An Exciting New Direction

Fri, November 7 2025

Huma Qureshi's Rani Bharti ends up repeating history on the national stage in the new season.

The political series Maharani returns with a big time jump and a new era as it expands beyond the state. Huma Qureshi is joined by several new faces in this latest instalment that sees the politics and the collaborations grow murkier. This next generation of the Bharti clan is more in focus as they begin to grow their political roots as well. Created by Subhash Kapoor, the SonyLIV show manages to inject more intrigue in its fourth season, leaving audiences keen to wonder what will happen next.

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Image of scene from the film Pluribus

Pluribus

Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy (English)

Rhea Seehorn's Commandeering Performance Anchors 2025's Most Intriguing Sci-Fi Series By Vince Gilligan

Fri, November 7 2025

Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan's new sci-fi series is delightfully unpredictable and innovative.

Two of Vince Gilligan’s creations likely sit on the list of the best all-time great TV shows of all time. After Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, all eyes are on Gilligan’s next Pluribus starring Rhea Seehorn, and it does not disappoint. Set in a world where a virus has taken over humanity, one woman fights to save civilization from being taken over. Will she be successful? To find out more about this complacent new world, tune in weekly on Fridays to Pluribus.

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