Srivathsan Nadadhur

Five friends who fail their 12th-grade exams seek college admission through sports quota (boxing). Led by Jojo Johnson, they join the local Alappuzha Gymkhana boxing school under coach Salim, and later, Antony Joshua. What begins as a casual effort to bide their time evolves into a tale of friendship, self-discovery, and grit as they train and compete in district/state championships. Though Naslen is the most recognisable face in the film, the story wisely avoids overly distracting itself to give him more prominence. It still makes the most of his goofy persona, and the actor fits the role of Jojo perfectly. Lukman Avaran is well-cast as the hot-blooded coach, while Anagha Ravi has a lot of fun in her brief appearance.

Based on the popular Dutch reality show De Verraders, The Traitors is hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar. In this psychological game, 20 players are stationed at the grand Suryagarh Palace in Rajasthan, openly betraying each other to compete for a prize of ₹1 crore. Hidden among the innocents are the traitors, who secretly ‘murder’ players. The contestant line-up includes Karan Kundrra, Anshula Kapoor, Sudhanshu Pandey, Jasmine Bhasin, Ashish Vidyarthi, Mukesh Chhabra, Raftaar, Jannat Zubair, Sahil Salathia, Uorfi Javed, Harsh Gujral, Maheep Kapoor, and Raj Kundra. The Traitors, in its Indian debut, could be labelled a social deduction game – a classier hybrid of Bigg Boss and Roadies, where players are housed in a royal mansion, pitted against each other, guarding their true identities and undertaking adventurous tasks that lead to eliminations every episode.

Rana faces a deadly mission to rescue his kidnapped son Ani, reluctantly teaming with his estranged father Naga. His conflict with underworld kingpin Rauf escalates, involving family tensions, a dangerous heist, and brutal attacks on his allies. As betrayal looms, Rana joins hands with a business honcho, Viraj Oberoi, to protect his family and confront Rauf’s forces, going on the offensive. Rana Daggubati is totally in his zone as the angsty, middle-aged fixer and family man. He’s solid as a flawed character willing to do whatever it takes to protect his people. With his action-hero vibe, natural ease in family scenes, and steady presence around shady power players, he once again delivers strong, impactful screen presence. Surveen Chawla, as his troubled partner, delivers well in a meatier role this time.

Raghu, a Surat boy, flees home to join a Mumbai esports team for the Tournament of Champions, where they’ll challenge the elite Wolf Clan. The team faces internal struggles, including Joanna’s mounting debt and the shocking revelation of Raghu’s minor status, which leads to her arrest. Despite multiple setbacks, Gamerlog overcomes adversity, ultimately reaching the finals to face their formidable rivals. Darsheel Safary makes a convincing return to the screen as an adult, playing a confused yet passionate kid, eager to prove himself, yet unsure of how to connect with his gaming peers. But the real standout is Anjali Sivaraman as Joanna. She’s the emotional core of the show, essaying a layered character whose inner conflicts never overshadow her fierce loyalty to her team.

At a railway station in a remote village, Gautam waits to pick up his brother Raman. Their mother is getting married again, and they’re running late for the festivities. Suddenly, chaos erupts when a baby named Champa is kidnapped from the station. Raman, accompanied by a snobbish and reluctant Gautam, takes it upon himself to help Jhumpa find her missing child, fighting through the chaos and uncertainty. Abhishek Banerjee, the only familiar face in the cast, delivers a credible performance in a life-and-death situation, convincingly sells his transformation to the audience.

The Khatu family gathers for Dinushet’s last rituals, each with hidden agendas concerning their ancestral home. As young Sayali senses a ghostly presence, the mystery of Dinushet’s death unfolds amidst family arguments. Secrets of Manoj and Shalaka are revealed. Nayana and jewels vanish. Sayali befriends a spirit. Is it too late before Kartik and Madhavi realise the mastermind behind the murders? Kishor Kadam is undeniably the show-stealer in Andhar Maya, with his superb screen presence gradually building an element of mystery, even though the writing isn’t always sharp. Among the other actors, Rutuja Bagwe and Shubhangi Bhujbal make an impression within the limitations of their roles. Anup Belwalkar, Shubhankar Tawde, and Omprakash Shinde deliver decent performances. The child artist, Pihu Gosavi, also manages to shine in a few moments.

There are no hard and fast rules for remaking a successful film in another language. Yet, a director would do well to remember why a story is being retold for a new audience, even while not aiming to better the original. Bhairavam, the Telugu remake of Soori’s Tamil film Garudan, aimlessly rehashes a hit formula, making little effort to decode the merits of the original. In a vain attempt to lend socio-political relevance to a story about the looting of temple wealth, Bhairavam begins with a disclaimer on the need to safeguard our temples and dharma from falling into the wrong hands, even throwing in a passing reference to the Mughal era. The rural drama, at its core, is a straightforward tale of a crooked politician exploiting the rift among three friends for personal gain.

Govindu, a police officer by profession and a farmer by passion, leads a quiet life with his family in Nalkeri, a supposedly crime-free village nestled in Malenadu. His idyllic routine is disrupted when Srinivasaiah, a respected elder, dies under mysterious circumstances. Sensing something amiss, Govindu begins an investigation that draws in Rohit, a tech enthusiast, and Pankaja, the former lover of Srinivasaiah’s son, Arun. Rangayana Raghu gets a rare role that fully taps into his experience and range, with a solid, layered performance. His brooding screen presence is a delight to watch. Similarly, Sharath Lohitashwa, often cast in one-note roles, is refreshing in a sedate, well-intentioned part – a smart casting choice.