Srivathsan Nadadhur

Weeks after Lucky Bhaskar, a tale of a bank employee whose greed nearly leads to his downfall, another film centred on financial fraud in the banking sector, Zebra, is out in theatres. Incidentally, Zebra also begins with a bank official instructing his subordinates, “We don’t want another Harshad Mehta.” However, the similarities between the films more or less end there.

In times when films have become social/ideological statements, it’s refreshing how Miss You still wants to be a simple story about ordinary people, everyday situations. The plot, centred on memory loss, fragility of modern-day marriages and second chances, banks on its slice-of-life treatment to see itself through. Yet, its simplicity paves the way for mediocrity due to the jaded treatment, time-tested storytelling tropes and poor music. There are flashes of Siddharth’s good-ol charm and decent performances by Ashika Ranganath and Karunakaran for intermittent relief. Miss You has its moments but is too casual and lacks conviction to be a memorable romance drama.

After years of struggle, the idea of an independent India doesn’t seem a distant dream. The British looks ready to hand over the reins to the country by 1946, but at what cost? Nehru is at odds with Gandhi’s ideals and the interests of the Congress party, while Patel prefers to be the bad cop. A bitter and ailing Jinnah is desperate for the formation of Pakistan. Who has the last laugh?

Riya’s household has a new guest – Ved, son of her father’s close friend Dinesh. As the family gradually adapts to his presence at the house, Riya is desperate to stabilise her relationship with the divorcee Jogi. She finds a new friend in Ved, also her secret admirer. Meanwhile, aunt Rajjo is all set to enter wedlock with a neighbour but Riya is as confused as ever about her relationships.

After a messy breakup with his girlfriend Shehnaaz, Zubin moves to London for a holiday and bumps into Ruby, an intimacy expert on film sets. Realising Zubin’s love life is in disarray, she decides to help him out and even lets him stay in her room. He, in turn, restores the balance in Ruby’s financially insecure existence. Zubin, Ruby and her roommate Quinn forge an unlikely friendship over a week. Prateik Babbar is maturing like fine wine. He’s an apt choice for the role and one senses he’s similar to Zubin in more ways than one – just that he’s figuring himself in front of the camera. Sayani Gupta is equally convincing as Ruby, her characterisation is one of the film’s major strengths. Kubbra Sait is a natural, though one would’ve liked to see her role fleshed out more convincingly.

Many years later, Bunny and Honey have a daughter – Nadia – but are no longer together. However, they must look beyond their differences to guard their daughter against rival forces. What connects them to Vishwa, Citadel and an Armada? Performances There’s little to complain about the performances from the star-studded lineup. Samantha, continuing from where she left off in The Family Man, packs a punch with the action sequences and showcases restraint while handling Honey’s conflicting situations and emotions. She has the right style and body language to be an action star and makes the most of the opportunity.

Comebacks are always interesting, especially when an actor is willing to look back and understand what went wrong in the first place. After a series of misfires, a resurgent Kiran Abbavaram is back with a festive release, mysteriously titled KA, that invests in a solid story over the heroics of the male protagonist. The period thriller offers a rich blend of action and emotions with a karmic twist.

Anu heads to Varanasi to immerse her mother’s ashes in Ganga. During the trip, she meets a sage, who hands over an ancient relic to her and dies under mysterious circumstances. Though Anu is instructed to give it to a temple priest in a village, she is reluctant to take the initiative. What connects her to the relic, an ancient temple and the fifth veda?