Srivathsan Nadadhur

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.

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.

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.

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.

Thella Kaagitham — a blank piece of paper — is a fitting title for a story dealing with two impressionable adolescents. The success of films like Courtand Little Heartshas thrown the ball open for filmmakers to dabble with tender love, bringing a much-needed innocence to storytelling in an industry caught between testosterone-heavy actioners, cushy romances and far-fetched comedies. Intermediate students Ramu (Harsh Roshan) and Asha (Nakshatra) are 16, neither children nor adults, curiously opening up to a world full of infinite possibilities. It is a sleepy small town in late-2000s Andhra Pradesh, where landlines are commonplace, and internet penetration is minimal. Their parents have tall dreams and lead modest lives, making small sacrifices to fund their education and putting their problems aside.

Dhadakpur erupts when a mobile tower is set to be built on Banwari’s field, sparking panic. His son Bhugol grows popular as an influencer, while his daughter Roshni feels the pressure ahead of the gruelling SSC exam, just a week away. Her ex Amavas offers her a shortcut with pure intentions, while local inspector Mithlesh investigates a scam. The performances are decent, though the characters don’t make much progress. The pivotal cast – Gajraj Rao, Renuka Shahane, Sparsh Shrivastava and Shivani Raghuvanshi – do the needful, but aren’t quite tested and their portrayals hardly offer anything new. Yashpal Sharma’s cop act deserved better writing. Bhuvan Arora is strictly okay. Anjuman Saxena’s presence offers rare instances of warmth.

Tara, an ambitious startup founder, and Matthew, a disinterested investor backing a rival product, set each other a 60-day challenge. Their ideologies clash as they date through each other’s platforms. When a genuine romance emerges, they are caught between their feelings and their corporate careers.

Pooja and Aniket perform a play in front of a live audience. Right after it ends, Aniket proposes marriage, only to hear that Pooja is already in a relationship with another man, Vikram. Aniket is hellbent on earning a yes from her and keeps calling her. The next morning, Pooja receives the news that Aniket is no more. How far was Pooja responsible for Aniket’s death?