The Family Man 3
Drama, Action & Adventure (Hindi)
The story of a middle-class man who works for a special cell of the National Investigation Agency. While he tries to protect the nation from terrorists, he also has to protect his family from the impact of his secretive, high-pressure, (more…)
120 Bahadur
Action, War (Hindi)
Valiant Indian soldiers fight against Chinese troops during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, preventing a potential occupation of Ladakh region in the Battle of Rezang La. (more…)
Guild Reviews
Victoria
Drama (Malayalam)
Victoria, a young beautician in a suburban beauty parlour, decides to elope with her Hindu boyfriend after a fierce clash with her conservative Catholic parents. Amidst the turmoil, a neighbour asks her to temporarily house an offering rooster destined for a festival at St. George church inside the parlour. Juggling the rooster's antics, unexpected clients, and her boyfriend's uncertainty, Victoria grapples with conflicting emotions leading to a day of intense personal and spiritual revelations.
Cast:
Meenakshi Jayan, Sreeshma Chandran, Jolly Chirayath, Darsana Vikas, Steeja Mary, Jeena Rajeev
Director:
Sivaranjini
Writer:
Sivaranjini
Mon, December 1 2025
In Sivaranjani’s Victoria, the most striking moment has more to do with a sound, rather than visuals. It feels like just another day at Victoria’s (Meenakshi Jayan) beauty salon when we hear this, as she waxes the arms of a customer. Until then, we see Victoria maintaining a happy face through it all, as she tries to manage the crowd at the salon with the worries of having to elope with her non-committal boyfriend. But each time Victoria tugs at a waxing strip in her hurry to remove them, the sound we hear is that of slaps falling on Victoria, along with the voice of a man shouting. Until that moment, we see bruises on her face, but the film doesn’t quite explain their origin. And with the sound of each waxing strip getting pulled, we listen in on the taunts being hurled at Victoria for her decision to marry outside of her religion. For women like her, the salon is therapy.
Sun, November 30 2025
Watching director Sivaranjini’s Victoria, there’s a sense of familiarity in the everydayness unfolding on screen. Meenakshi Jayan powers through a tale of silent resilience while dealing with a busy day at work and personal struggles. And Victoria just did a wonderful job of showcasing an all-woman cast, with the men mostly appearing through video calls or through audio.
Thu, March 20 2025
Two Malayalam films that world premiered at the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala in December 2024 share DNA despite employing different milieu and techniques. Fasil Muhammed’s Feminichi Fathima (also screened at the 14th Indian Film Festival of Bhubaneswar) is about the eponymous Muslim housewife in Ponnani in Malappuram and possesses a day-in-the-life narrative. Sivaranjini’s Victoria designs a single day as a series of single takes in the life of Victoria, a beautician at a parlor in Angamaly who is juggling a characteristically busy day at the office and a tenuous period in her personal life. The two films have little in common in terms of setting and visual grammar, but they share philosophies and wrestle with the politics of survival and existence. They focus on women’s labor, the physical strain on their bodies, and the casually developing solidarity with the women around them.
Zootopia 2
Animation, Family, Comedy, Adventure, Mystery (English)
After cracking the biggest case in Zootopia's history, rookie cops Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves on the twisting trail of a great mystery when Gary De’Snake arrives and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before.
Cast:
Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Idris Elba, Shakira, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson
Director:
Jared Bush, Byron Howard
Writer:
Jared Bush
Fri, November 28 2025
Of all the Disney movies over the years with PG-13 racial metaphors and diversity parables, Zootopia 2 faces the most uphill battle there ever was. For it takes on the task of doing the near-impossible: the destigmatisation of Snakes. The fear and distrust of this reptile is so historically and genetically entrenched in human systems that the real-world subtext is almost secondary. In Zootopia 2, the unlikely police pairing of hyper-rabbit Judy Hopps and red fox Nick Wilde try their darndest to unscramble snake propaganda — a pit viper named Gary De’Snake emerges in the mainland, and everyone is terrorised. Except Judy, who trusts that the snake is the good guy whose ‘people’ have been maligned by the ruling family of lynxes. Gary wants to prove that the land was theirs to begin with (duh), and the patent was stolen by the sly lynxes. History students, unite.
Cast:
Ram Pothineni, Upendra, Bhagyashri Borse, Rao Ramesh, Murali Sharma, Satya, Rahul Ramakrishna, VTV Ganesh
Director:
Mahesh Babu P.
Writer:
Mahesh Babu P.
Thu, November 27 2025
Some bonds defy rational explanation, like the devotion an ardent fan feels for a film star. What drives someone to go to extraordinary lengths for an actor who may never know they exist? Andhra King Taluka, written and directed by Mahesh Babu P, frames itself as a “biopic of a fan” to explore precisely this question. Through the fictional journey of Sagar (Ram Pothineni), an admirer of superstar Surya Kumar (Upendra), fondly called the “Andhra King”, the film examines how fandom shapes identity and ambition.
120 Bahadur
Action, War (Hindi)
Valiant Indian soldiers fight against Chinese troops during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, preventing a potential occupation of Ladakh region in the Battle of Rezang La.
Cast:
Farhan Akhtar, Raashii Khanna, Sparsh Walia, Ankit Siwach, Vivan Bhatena, Dhanveer Singh, Brijesh Karanwal, Sahib Verma, Eijaz Khan, Ajinkya Deo
Director:
Razneesh Ghai
Mon, November 24 2025
In the last decade, Hindi cinema has witnessed a surge of patriotic historical dramas, each striving to present tales of courage rooted in pivotal moments of India’s past. Within this landscape, 120 Bahadur, directed by Razneesh “Razy” Ghai, sets its sights on one of the most stirring chapters of the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict. Farhan Akhtar steps into the challenging role of Major Shaitan Singh, the charismatic commander whose steadfast leadership during the Battle of Rezang La has long been revered but insufficiently explored on film. The result is a work that marries emotional solemnity with the visceral spectacle of war, aiming to honour a legacy that remains vital to national memory.
Fri, November 21 2025
1962 का समय। हिन्दी-चीनी भाई-भाई के नारे को ठोकर मारते हुए चीन ने भारत की पीठ में खंजर भोंका था। उसी युद्ध में 18 नवंबर, 1962 को लद्दाख के रेज़ांग ला में एक ऐसी अनोखी लड़ाई लड़ी गई थी जिसमें 120 वीर सिपाहियों की चार्ली कंपनी ने मेजर शैतान सिंह की अगुआई में तीन हज़ार चीनी सैनिकों से भिड़ते हुए उन्हें पीछे हटने पर मजबूर कर दिया था। उस लड़ाई में मात्र 6 सैनिक जीवित बचे थे और मेजर शैतान सिंह समेत बाकी वीरों ने मौत को गले लगाया था। बाद में मेजर शैतान सिंह को मरणोपरांत परमवीर चक्र और उनके सिपाहियों में से आठ को वीर चक्र, एक को अति विशिष्ट सेवा मैडल, चार को सेना पदक व अन्य सम्मान दिए गए। अगर उस दिन ये लोग वहां डट कर नहीं रहते तो चीन भारत में काफी अंदर तक कब्ज़ा कर चुका होता। उन्हीं वीर अहीर सिपाहियों और राजपूत मेजर शैतान सिंह भाटी के अदम्य साहस को सलाम करती है निर्माता फरहान अख्तर की यह फिल्म ‘120 बहादुर’। फरहान अख्तर इसके लिए प्रशंसा के हकदार हैं।
Fri, November 21 2025
Partly by choice, partly through circumstance, 120 Bahadur is out of sync with the times. Razneesh Ghai’s film, about a famous battle in the Sino-Indian war of 1962, chooses to be stirring, even square. Most Hindi war films adopt a very different tone now. Some viewers might be reminded of the wholesomeness of Lakshya, directed by Farhan Akhtar, 120 Bahadur’s lead actor. That film was made 21 years ago but it may as well be 40 considering how little it has in common with hard, cynical, triumphant films like Uri and Shershaah and Fighter.
Vilaayath Budha
Action, Drama, Crime (Malayalam)
In the secluded hills of Marayur, a region steeped in the scent and lore of sandalwood, Vilayath Buddha unfolds as a potent character drama anchored in pride, memory, and resistance.
Cast:
Prithviraj Sukumaran, Shammi Thilakan, Priyamvada Krishna, Anu Mohan, Teejay, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Druvan, Rajashree, Pramod Veliyanad, Santhosh Damodharan
Director:
Jayan Nambiar
Writer:
G.R. Indugopan, Rajesh Pinnadan
Mon, November 24 2025
For a film named after the most fragrant sub-species of sandalwood, there’s a lot of talk about the stench people are forced to live with in Jayan Nambiar’s Vilayath Buddha. The most obvious of these stories belong to Bhaskaran (Shammi Thilakan), the out-of-work politician who cannot reverse his reputation, after he gets caught visiting the neighbourhood sex worker. Then there’s the stench Chaithanya (Priyamvada) wants to get rid off of her for being termed this sex worker’s daughter. She has no identity outside of her mother’s occupation and she fears she too will be seen as one. Then of course is the story of Double Mohanan (Prithviraj), the sandalwood smuggler, who will forever remain a thief to everyone in the hill station of Marayur.
The Family Man 3
Drama, Action & Adventure (Hindi)
The story of a middle-class man who works for a special cell of the National Investigation Agency. While he tries to protect the nation from terrorists, he also has to protect his family from the impact of his secretive, high-pressure, and low paying job.
Cast:
Manoj Bajpayee, Priyamani, Vedant Sinha, Ashlesha Thakur, Darshan Kumaar, Jaideep Ahlawat, Nimrat Kaur
Sun, November 23 2025
In episode four of the third season of The Family Man – Srikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee) gets nostalgic. He asks JK (Sharib Hashmi) if he remembers Kareem – a dissident Kashmiri student who was killed in the first season because of Srikant’s misplaced suspicion. I might be reading too much into it, but it almost felt like creators Raj Nidimoru, Krishna D.K. and Suman Kumar were getting wistful about a time during the first season when there was endless possibility.
Sat, November 22 2025
Gifted actor Jaideep Ahlawat is not the only common factor between the second season of ‘Paatal Lok’ and the third outing of ‘The Family Man’. At first glance, the plot too seems achingly similar. The storyline is set in the beauteous Northeast — Nagaland, to be precise. A peace accord with the rebels is in order and a grandfather-grandson conflict forms a solid leitmotif. Despite these familiarities, creators Raj & DK are on top of their game once again.
Fri, November 21 2025
The Family Man Season 3 starts from where Season 2 had left off, with top TASC agent Srikant (Manoj Bajpayee) finding himself embroiled in a snowballing crisis in Nagaland. The stakes are higher than ever. Serial bombs have claimed lives. A major casualty can be the high-profile ‘Project Sahakar’, which we are told is on the verge of being signed by ‘all rebel leaders’ in the North East: it is an initiative close to pro-active PM Basu’s (Seema Biswas) heart, meant to address long-standing grievances, and hold out promise of lasting peace and prosperity.
Theeyavar Kulai Nadunga
Crime, Thriller (Tamil)
An Investigative Police officer teams up with an autism school teacher to solve the mystery of a cruel murder happened in a school for autistic children.
Cast:
Arjun Sarja, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramkumar Ganesan, Abhirami Venkatachalam, Prankster Rahul, Guruappa Krishna Reddy, Praveen Raja
Director:
Dinesh Lakshmanan
Sun, November 23 2025
Theeyavar Kulai Nadunga opens with the gruesome murder of writer Jebanesan (Logu NPKS) on a lonely road, in the middle of the night, by someone wearing a black suit, black shades, and a black helmet. Is it a serial killer? Why was the writer in tears when talking to his daughter? Why was he killed so brutally? Even as these questions crop up, we are introduced to Inspector Magudapathy (Arjun), a no-nonsense cop, who casually reads the book, “Hidden Evidence”. The film wastes no time in plonking Magudapathy right in the middle of this murder, and he is assigned the case since it happened in his jurisdiction. So far, so good, and I hoped this feeling would stay longer… Alas!
Mask
Comedy, Crime, Thriller, Drama (Tamil)
Cast:
Kavin Raj, Andrea Jeremiah, Ruhani Sharma, Vetrimaaran, Kalloori Vinoth, Nelson Dilipkumar
Director:
Vikranan Ashok
Writer:
Vikranan Ashok
Sun, November 23 2025
Mask opens with a heist done by a masked gang, and a quirky voiceover by director Nelson. He introduces the players in a rather whimsical way. We have a gang of robbers. We have the philanthropist Bhoomi (Andrea Jeremiah), who needs to find the robbers. We have politician Manivannan (Pawan Krishna), who also needs to find the robbers. And then… we have Velu (Kavin), who… You guessed it right… has to find the robbers. And what do the robbers have to do? Exist in plain sight and wait for the various players to find their way to them. But Mask doesn’t build up to a crescendo as most of the films in this genre do. Instead, it is happier giving brief bursts of energy that might not stay for long, but it is entertaining while it lasts.
Sat, November 22 2025
Vikarnan Ashok’s Mask begins in chaos. Not of the good cinematic kind. It’s not a film with a handful of characters overwhelmed by their own endgames. It’s not the cinema where chaos is orchestrated to give the audience a high, one where so many things happen so fast that we hold our breath in unison, only for that single moment to strike when we let loose. Mask inadvertently orchestrates chaos. It has a narration voiced by director Nelson Dilipkumar. It has overlapping dialogues, layer over layer, along with this narration. It also has GV Prakash’s incongruent score. We witness a loot, Money Heist style but with MR Radha masks and then Nelson introduces us to a host of characters, chiefly Velu (Kavin), who has caused two deaths thanks to his paramour Rathi (Ruhani Sharma), and Bhoomi (Andrea Jermiah), a philanthropist who saves children from human trafficking but she might also be into the flesh trade and probably moonlights as a power broker. Confused much? Mask is one such hurriedly put-together meal of different cuisines with no flavour profile.
Mastiii 4
Comedy (Hindi)
Three frustrated husbands seek freedom from their dull marriages. A wild idea promises escape and excitement. But what follows is anything but expected.
Cast:
Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi, Aftab Shivdasani, Ruhi Singh, Shreya Sharma, Elnaaz Norouzi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shaad Randhawa, Nishant Malkani, Arshad Warsi
Director:
Milap Zaveri
Writer:
Milap Zaveri, Farrukh Dhondy
Sat, November 22 2025
As someone in her 30s, I have a lot of worries: ageing parents, climate change, whimsical world leaders and the growing cost of living. But late at night, when struggling to sleep, one thought plagues me the most: how is Milap Zaveri still making films? This isn’t a personal affront, at least no more than what his films unleash on us. But really, lesser filmmakers have dwindled into oblivion and here’s Zaveri with two films in one year, and while one seemed like the worst, the other has somehow surpassed it.
Fri, November 21 2025
It’s only noon and I’ve already had three showers today. Under normal circumstances, I’d say it’s because I had to step out in the morning and Mumbai’s AQI is beyond redemption. Under normal circumstances, that’s a perfectly valid reason. But these are extraordinary circumstances. I stepped out to watch a morning show of Mastiii 4, a cinematic pollutant so noxious that I’ve been frantically trying to wash off its fumes after reaching home. Say what you may about a Milap Zaveri film, but it works wonders for my personal hygiene.
Premante
Romance, Thriller (Telugu)
A new bride's happiness is put to the test when she notices her husband's suspicious behaviour.
Cast:
Priyadarshi Pullikonda, Anandhi, Suma Kanakala
Sat, November 22 2025
This is a film in which a man slender enough to slip sideways through the bars of a police-station lockup chooses not to walk out when the cops are not watching. Instead, he quietly takes a constable’s phone while the officer dozes off, slips back into the lockup, and starts watching reels. With moments like this, director Navaneeth lays out the film’s grammar early on — through the quirks of the principal characters played by Priyadarshi and Anandhi, and even through this random man in the station — signalling that Premante (love means…) is not a conventional relationship drama. Anything can happen, and the film wants viewers to simply go along for the ride.
Dining With the Kapoors
Documentary, Family (Hindi)
Delve into the intimate world of the Kapoor dynasty, one of Hindi cinema's most illustrious families, as they share their treasured memories, laughter and culinary delights.
Cast:
Saif Ali Khan, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Armaan Jain, Agastya Nanda, Zahan Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Randhir Kapoor
Director:
Smriti Mundhra, Geeta Singh
Writer:
Armaan Jain, Smriti Mundhra
Sat, November 22 2025
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.
Fri, November 21 2025
Any mention of the Kapoors elicits certain images — a twinkle-toed Raj Kapoor in Mera joota hai Japani, Shammi Kapoor’s ducktail hair having a life of its own as he brought every scene and song alive, a boyishly handsome Shashi Kapoor memorably declaring: “Mere paas maa hain” and Rishi Kapoor’s infectious smile, easy moves and enviable collection of pullovers…. What also comes to mind when we think of the Kapoors is the clan — across generations — gathering for their annual Christmas lunch, a tradition that the youngsters in the family have made a point to keep alive.
The Family Plan 2
Action, Comedy (English)
Now that Dan's assassin days are behind him, all he wants for Christmas is quality time with his kids. But when he learns his daughter has her own plans, he books a family trip to London—putting them all in the crosshairs of an unexpected enemy.
Cast:
Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, Kit Harington, Zoe Colletti, Van Crosby, Theodore Lindsey, Peter Lindsey, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Reda Elazouar
Director:
Simon Cellan Jones
Writer:
David Coggeshall
Fri, November 21 2025
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.