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Guild Reviews

Image of scene from the film Swapped
Swapped

Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy (English)

A tiny woodland creature and a majestic bird suddenly swap bodies, forcing them to team up to survive the wildest adventure of their lives.

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Juno Temple, Tracy Morgan, Cedric the Entertainer, Justina Machado, Nate Torrence, Camden Brooks, Tata Vega, Ambika Mod, Lolly Adefope
Director: Nathan Greno


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Rohan Naahar | Independent Film Critic writing for Collider

Michael B. Jordan's 'Swapped' Is a Pokémon Movie Mirroring Real World Conflict

Sat, May 9 2026

There was a time not too long ago when animated films provoked introspection. In recent years, however, the medium has pivoted to pacifying overstimulated children. The Super Mario Bros. Movie, for instance, is less a movie than a daycare to occupy kids’ time for 90 minutes. But hope has a tendency of revealing itself when you least expect it. Not many would’ve expected a new children’s movie on Netflix to offer more insight about the world than the recent films of Darren Aronofsky or Robert Zemeckis, but sometimes that’s how it goes — just look at KPop Demon Hunters. Now, the streamer’s latest offering, Swapped, takes the tropes of body-swap comedies of the past and filters them through a decidedly contemporary lens.

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Sonal Pandya | Times Now

Michael B Jordan Leads Animated Freaky Friday Tale On Unity, Compassion

Fri, May 1 2026

Directed by Nathan Greno, the body swap tale between two creatures of an enchanted forest is surprisingly touching.

Produced by Skydance Animation, the new Netflix animated feature Swapped tells the story of a magical valley that has fallen on hard times. A woodland creature and a majestic bird swap bodies to figure out a way to restore it to its glory. While the storytelling and look of the animated fable feel a bit familiar, its sure-handed execution is what sees Swapped through. Nathan Greno’s film is led by the stunning visuals and empathetic voice performances of actors Michael B Jordan, Juno Temple and Tracy Morgan. The Netflix film is a perfect lesson to introduce children about compassion towards others, though very young children might find the latter portions a bit scary.

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Image of scene from the film Citadel S02
Citadel S02

Drama, Crime, Action & Adventure (English)

What if you lost your memory? What if a spy didn't know they were a spy? Years ago, the top agents of Citadel, Mason Kane and Nadia Sinh, had their minds wiped. But, they're called back to action as sinister forces emerge from the past. With the help of spymaster Bernard Orlick, these former lovers must remember the past to save the future.

Cast: Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ashleigh Cummings, Roland Møller, Lesley Manville, Stanley Tucci, Gabriel Leone, Jack Reynor, Matt Berry, Lina El Arabi


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Nonika Singh | The Tribune

Citadel spy-ride worth your time

Fri, May 8 2026

The series remains high on glossy entertainment

Games that spies play… full of intrigue and treachery. And when it’s a high-stakes thriller like ‘Citadel 2’, no less than a Russo Brothers production, espionage moves touch a new level, certainly better than in the prequel. We have seen the first season where our very own Priyanka Chopra did a wonderful job. She is no less impressive in the second outing as Nadia Sinh. Only, the series, which moves from one European nation to another, kickstarts with the man, Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci), who envisioned Citadel as a conglomerate of spies. He is held to ransom by Paulo Braga (Brazilian actor Gabriel Leone), who wants Bernard to develop a software to be co-opted in a person’s mind and turn him or her into an assassin.

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Sukanya Verma | rediff.com

Has Worn Out Its Welcome

Fri, May 8 2026

Falls short of its global ambitions due to muddled writing and a lack of compelling narrative depth

When the Russo Brothers, Joe and Anthony, launched the espionage vehicle along with showrunner Davil Veil three years ago, the idea was to create something grand, global and glamorous. Given their success with the Avengers factory, one envisioned a slick Bond sort of brand taking on worldwide threats. It’s a shame then to see their ambitious vision marred by hackneyed writing and muddled goals. Neither the international Citadel nor its Indian (Citadel: Honey Bunny) and Italian (Citadel: Diana) counterparts to follow made the grade.

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Image of scene from the film Main Actor Nahin Hoon
FCG Rating for the film Main Actor Nahin Hoon: 43/100
Main Actor Nahin Hoon

Drama (Hindi)

A frustrated actor in Mumbai connects with a retired banker in Frankfurt through an online audition and ends up teaching him acting over video calls. Their sessions unfold across two cities, pushing both to confront buried emotions and truths they have long avoided.

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Chitrangada Satarupa, Naveen Kasturia, Ayushi Gupta, Yasir Iftikhar Khan, Aarti Desai, Meenakshi Arundhati
Director: Aditya Kripalani
Writer: Aditya Kripalani


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Renuka Vyavahare | The Times of India

Compelling performances, exhausting self-indulgence

Fri, May 8 2026

An indie conversational drama that digs deep but struggles to engage.

A struggling Mumbai actress, Chitrangada Satarupa as Mouni, and a retired banker in Frankfurt, Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Adnan, form an unlikely connection through a series of video calls over the course of a single day. As their conversations deepen, the lines between performance and reality begin to blur, gradually uncovering buried emotions and unresolved trauma. Director Aditya Kripalani crafts an introspective indie drama driven by two compelling performances. Siddiqui stands out, especially in the emotionally charged climax, while Satarupa brings both intensity and vulnerability to Mouni. The film aims to be a layered character study, exploring empathy, anger, loneliness, and emotional unrest. However, its excessively verbose and self-indulgent writing often weighs down the narrative, making the drama feel repetitive and emotionally static at times. Since much of the story unfolds through extended virtual acting sessions, the film may struggle to connect with mainstream audiences.

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Rahul Desai | The Hollywood Reporter India

The Nawazuddin Siddiqui Starrer Is Full Of Empty Calories

Fri, May 8 2026

Aditya Kripalani’s conversational drama is about two strangers who connect through the craft of acting

The cinema of “strangers connecting on a call/walk” is a trope as old as time. It’s almost a rite of passage for independent film-makers with lower budgets. The narrative is inherently actor-driven. The context of this connection is what distinguishes a story that has something to say from a film that tries to flaunt its intellect. Writer-director Aditya Kripalani seems to have an affinity for this genre. His previous film, Not Today, revolved around the first day of a female suicide-prevention counsellor who gets on a long and vulnerable phone call with a suicidal man to stop him from jumping off a terrace. The one-line premise eventually became a medium to stage a clunky and meandering conversation — the kind that’s derived from thinking and appropriating life rather than experiencing and feeling some truth.

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Image of scene from the film Lukkhe
FCG Rating for the film Lukkhe: 48/100
Lukkhe

(Hindi)

A young sportsman infiltrates the wild and dangerous world of Punjab's rap music to investigate a drug syndicate, only to find himself torn between love, family, guilt and brotherhood.

Cast: Raashii Khanna, Palak Tiwari, Lakshvir Saran, Shivankit Singh Parihar, Nakul Roshan Sandev, Kritika Bhardwaj, Yograj Singh, Ayesha Raza Mishra
Director: Himank Gaur


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Suchin Mehrotra | The Hollywood Reporter India

The makers wrestle with how much fun they’re allowed to have, lean too heavily on lengthy backstories, and never let stakes truly rise.

Fri, May 8 2026

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Rahul Desai | The Hollywood Reporter India

A Middling Musical Drama About Deranged Rappers and Dull Druglords

Fri, May 8 2026

Starring King and Lakshvir Saran, Lukkhe (“Slackers”) starts off promisingly before collapsing into a series of Punjab-set cliches

A rising hockey star, Lucky, is admitted to rehab after a tragic accident. He kicks his drug habit, unpacks his trauma and falls for his recovery buddy, Sanober. After their breezy stint, the boy meets the girl’s volatile “family”: a hotshot Punjabi rapper named MC Badnaam, his girlfriend Paddy, and bestie Jazzy. In a heartbeat, a lovelorn Lucky is blackmailed and recruited as an informant by a narcotics officer named Gurbani; she has been working for years to bust an undercover drug ring led by none other than MC Badnaam. Now Lucky is her trump-card. But it’s not so simple. Lucky is morally conflicted as the mole; he is integrated into Badnaam’s side hustle but feels too hard for Sanober, even as a rival rapper and villain emerges as a ghost from their past. Things get knotty and violent. Cue climax at a music concert. Where else can things end?

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Udita Jhunjhunwala | Mint writing for Scroll.in

Some highs in an overly ambitious show about drugs, rap music and crime

Fri, May 8 2026

Set against the restless, neon-tinged underbelly of Chandigarh and soundtracked to Punjabi rap, Lukkhe wants to be many things at once. The Prime Video show created by Agrim Joshi and Debojit Das Purkayastha is a rap saga, a crime thriller, an addiction drama and a story about broken young people trying to regain their footing. Intoxication, violence and tragedy are embedded in this world. Remorse, revenge and redemption follow.

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Image of scene from the film Patriot
FCG Rating for the film Patriot: 62/100
Patriot

Thriller, Action (Malayalam)

When a famous Malayali YouTuber tries to expose a corrupt regional politician from Kerala and his malpractices, he is soon forced to go on the run and clear his name of all the false allegations that are levelled against him.

Cast: Mammootty, Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, Revathi, Zarin Shihab, Rajiv Menon, Darshana Rajendran, Renji Panicker
Director: Mahesh Narayanan
Writer: Mahesh Narayanan


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Vishal Menon | The Hollywood Reporter India

Patriot stays slick across its 180-minute runtime — miles away from greatness,

Fri, May 8 2026

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Anmol Jamwal | Tried & Refused Productions

A reunion not worth the wait

Sun, May 3 2026

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Janani K | India Today

Mammootty is invincible, Mohanlal-Fahadh Faasil boost spy drama

Sun, May 3 2026

Director Mahesh Narayanan's Patriot, starring Mammootty, Mohanlal and Fahadh Faasil, is a surveillance thriller that exposes the perils of spyware installed in civilians' tech devices. With intelligent writing and a grounded vision, it is spy cinema done right — minor shortcomings and all.

What does a spy thriller warrant in 2026? Pan-India ambition, big scale and even bigger stars? That’s mostly what most directors are aiming for. But Mahesh Narayanan does the unthinkable with Patriot — a largely engaging intelligence procedural featuring the Big M’s of Malayalam cinema and most of the industry’s popular faces. He keeps it grounded, letting the story lead rather than the stardom or pan-India ambition. The film begins with Dr Daniel James (Mammootty), a scientific analyst who works for the government agency DRW. A false case pushes him to quit and fly to London, where he runs a YouTube channel called Vimathan — meaning dissident — through which he exposes how civilians are being monitored via their laptops and phones.

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Image of scene from the film Retirement Plan
Retirement Plan

Animation (English)

Disillusioned with his life, Ray dreams of the beauty and joy he will find in retirement.

Cast: Domhnall Gleeson
Director: John Kelly
Writer: Tara Lawall, John Kelly


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Kriti Tulsiani | WION

This Oscar nominated short film reminds us to seize the day in just seven minutes

Fri, May 8 2026

Oscar nominated short film Retirement Plan is the perfect antidote to jolt you out of that constant feeling of overwhelm and return to what is - the present.

At a time when social media is flooded with information on varying topics, digital distractions compete with everyday tasks for attention, and plans are only in the making, John Kelly’s film Retirement Plan is the perfect antidote to jolt you out of that constant feeling of overwhelm and return to what is - the present. The animation by Marah Curran and Eamonn O’Neill is just as simplistic yet moving as the premise - a man leaving some basic and some extravagant plans for a future he is certain he will have. But life, unlike fiction, rarely follows a coherent plot. What is particularly moving is that in under seven minutes, we get to be with a man whose journey from the present day to the afterlife has countless relatable moments. And even though Ray is in his retirement, the appeal of the story certainly goes beyond age.

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Image of scene from the film Batchmates
Batchmates

Drama (English)

When four wide-eyed first-year students enter the world of engineering, they undergo a rude shock as they face the harsh realities of college life.

Cast: Bindu Madhavi, Sindhu Reddy, Anthony Karthik, Geeravani Reddy, Sai Sriraam Vemparaa
Director: Anu Prasad


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Srivathsan Nadadhur | Independent Film Critic writing for M9 News

Only Fresh Faces, No Freshness

Tue, May 5 2026

After their troublesome Intermediate years, Sammy, Milky and Sid are all pumped up for their engineering life. On day one, Sid is instantly attracted to Goldie, an NRI girl and gifted dancer. She turns out to be his classmate and soon joins their gang. But while they are being ragged, the gang earns the wrath of a senior, Suhas, who starts harassing Goldie. Sai Sriram Vemparaala looks right for the part, is confident and has a camera-friendly presence. The girls in the gang, played by Sindhu Reddy and Geervani Reddy, are just about okay. Anthony Karthik fails to tickle your funny bones while Bindu Madhavi, in a cameo-like role, passes muster and is expected to have more prominence in the later episodes.

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Image of scene from the film Raja Shivaji
FCG Rating for the film Raja Shivaji: 46/100
Raja Shivaji

Action, History, Drama (Marathi)

Chronicles the rise of young Shivaji Bhonsale, who challenged the might of established empires to found the Maratha kingdom and lay the groundwork for 'Swarajya' (self-rule) during a turbulent period of Indian history.

Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Genelia D'Souza, Vidya Balan, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi
Director: Riteish Deshmukh
Writer: Riteish Deshmukh


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Anmol Jamwal | Tried & Refused Productions

Let’s cast friends and family

Sun, May 3 2026

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Sachin Chatte | The Navhind Times Goa writing for Medium

Broad but Cautious Canvas

Sun, May 3 2026

Raja Shivaji — written, directed, and produced by Riteish Deshmukh — has released in both Hindi and Marathi. Interestingly, history repeats itself: back in 1952, the legendary Bhalji Pendharkar made Chhatrapati Shivaji, which was also released in both languages (and featured a cameo by Lata Mangeshkar). This new film similarly features a cameo by a major star, which stands out as one of its highlights — though the film itself otherwise follows a fairly predictable path. Worth noting: the Marathi version runs 8 minutes longer than the Hindi cut I watched, though the nature of those additions remains unclear.

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Keyur Seta | Bollywood Hungama writing for The Common Man Speaks

Focuses more on being a masala entertainer

Sun, May 3 2026

Raja Shivaji leaves no stone unturned when it comes to recreating the bygone era. The production design and costumes are both eye-pleasing and appropriate for that period. The visual quality is further enhanced with the camerawork of the veteran cinematographer Santosh Sivan. However, the film suffers when it comes to the crucial aspects of writing and direction. The screenplay lacks proper flow as a large number of events are presented in a haphazard manner, especially before Riteish’s late entry. Things get streamlined once he enters the scene but only to some extent. The narrative comes somewhat on track once the battle lines are drawn between the protagonist and Afzal Khan but their all-important meet gets stretched.

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Image of scene from the film The Devil Wears Prada 2
FCG Rating for the film The Devil Wears Prada 2: 66/100
The Devil Wears Prada 2

Comedy, Drama (English)

Andy Sachs returns to Runway as Miranda Priestly navigates a new media landscape and Runway's position within. The duo reconnect with former assistant Emily Charlton, now the head of a luxury brand that possesses funding which could ensure Runway's survival.

Cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Kenneth Branagh, Justin Theroux, Simone Ashley, Lucy Liu, Tracie Thoms, Tibor Feldman
Director: David Frankel
Writer: Aline Brosh McKenna


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Sachin Chatte | The Navhind Times Goa writing for Medium

Is That All?

Sun, May 3 2026

The hardest part of making this sequel to the thoroughly enjoyable 2006 original was probably getting the cast together — once Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt were signed on, the film was essentially sold. The screenplay, however, tells a different story: it feels like an afterthought. The film is charming, and the trio — along with the supporting cast — is a genuine pleasure to watch, but there’s little beneath the glossy surface. Unless name-dropping Gucci, Chanel, and their ilk is enough to keep you entertained, don’t look for much more. Fans of Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) and her former assistant Andy (Anne Hathaway) from two decades ago will find this a breezy reunion. Remarkably, neither actress appears to have aged a day — and the same goes for Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci.

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Udita Jhunjhunwala | Mint

Sequel manages high expectations

Sat, May 2 2026

This glossy, fun sequel with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway is also a commentary on print media struggling in the digital age

The original 2006 film adapted from the novel by Lauren Weisberger, was a glossy workplace comedy that quickly became much bigger than its premise of a stressed assistant navigating fashion’s most terrifying boss. Inspired by Weisberger’s own experiences in magazine publishing, the David Frankel-directed film presented a sharp, endlessly quotable pop culture favourite with influence that stretched beyond cinema into fashion, and internet meme history, with Miranda lines like “That’s all” and “By all means, move at a glacial pace.”

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Upma Singh | Navbharat Times

Sat, May 2 2026

बॉलीवुड हो या हॉलीवुड, पुराने-आइकॉनिक फिल्मों के सीक्वल लाने का दौर इन दिनों दोनों ही जगह जोरशोर से चल रहा है। हालांकि, दर्शकों की यादों का हिस्सा रहीं यादगार फिल्मों के रुतबे को गिनती के ही सीक्वल कायम रख पाते हैं। इस मामले में मेरिल स्ट्रीप और ऐनी हैथवे स्टारर बेहद पॉपुलर फिल्म ‘द डेविल वियर्स प्राडा’ का सीक्वल मूल फिल्म के कद को भले नहीं छू पाता, लेकिन अतीत के नॉस्टैल्जिया और आज की मीडिया जगत की चुनौतियों के सुंदर मेल के कारण मनोरंजन की कसौटी पर खरा उतरता है।

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Image of scene from the film Undekhi S04
Undekhi S04

Crime, Drama (Hindi)

Show depicts the two aspects of the society - the power-drunk influential people who think they can get away with anything and the oppressed, subjected to years of torture, who finally decide to bring themselves to justice

Cast: Surya Sharma, Ankur Rathee, Ayn Zoya, Vaarun Bhagat, Harsh Chhaya, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Anchal Singh, Shivangi Singh, Meenakshi Sethi


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Srivathsan Nadadhur | Independent Film Critic

Oldschool Gangster Saga Works in Parts

Sat, May 2 2026

Five years after the turbulence within the family, the powerful Atwals are at war among themselves. Papaji, after his jail time, still tries to pull strings to keep his crown. Meanwhile, Rinku teams up with his real father, Mahinder, to take over the family business. As their crimes grow darker, DSP Ghosh returns for one last mission to solve the mounting mysteries. The performances, just like the writing, are standard and basic. They work, but there is nothing special about them. Among the cast, Ankur Rathee’s acting style feels very modern compared to the rest. His expressions and responses are precise and stay true to the show’s world. Surya Sharma’s physique and personality make him an obvious choice to play Rinku, but the performance lacks vigour, which is partly due to the role itself.

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Sonal Pandya | Times Now

Manali Crime Thriller Grows Laboured With Exhausted Revenge Saga

Fri, May 1 2026

The crime drama returns for another dense instalment that pits uncle and nephew on opposite sides of the conflict.

Created by Deepak Segal, Swati Patnaik, and Shreyashi Mukherjee, Undekhi started out as an insightful commentary on power, wealth and corruption. The first season hit it off on all cylinders, but this latest season has devolved as it has essentially recycled storylines to create a wedge between the once-close Papaji and Rinku Atwal. Directed by Ashish R Shukla, the once-familiar characters become one-note in their mission to get at the truth. But the one-promising Hindi thriller keeps hitting a reset button with every season.

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Image of scene from the film Glory
FCG Rating for the film Glory: 51/100
Glory

Drama, Mystery, Action & Adventure (Hindi)

In a small-town boxing hub, two brothers investigate a shocking murder while navigating a troubled reunion with their father, a renowned coach.

Cast: Divyendu Sharma, Pulkit Samrat, Suvinder Vicky, Sayani Gupta, Ashutosh Rana, Jannat Zubair Rahmani, Sikandar Kher, Vishal Vashishtha, Kunal Thakur, Kashmira Pardesi
Director: Karan Anshuman, Kanishk Verma


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Srivathsan Nadadhur | Independent Film Critic writing for M9 News

Novel Sports Drama, Flawed but Watchable

Sat, May 2 2026

Brothers Dev and Ravi return home to Shaktigarh to find the person who brutally attacked their sister Gudiya. In pursuit of truth, they have a hard time dealing with their cold, distant father, Raghubir Singh. Their search leads them through a dangerous world of rival boxing clubs, undercover missions, and police chases. As Ravi fights his way towards Olympic trials, they also uncover a web of secrets. The casting choices and the performances in the show are generally neat. Apart from the chocolate boy looks, Pulkit Samrat’s athleticism is a major advantage for his portrayal of Ravi; you naturally buy his zeal to succeed in the boxing ring. Divyenndu Sharma plays the troubled, disgruntled son with assurance. His body language and expressions suggest what the character may have endured for years.

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Nonika Singh | The Tribune

Hard punches, not knockout Glory

Sat, May 2 2026

The series forces us to contemplate how often the quest for name and fame comes at a great cost

A web-series rooted in Haryana’s inimitable terra firma around one of its favourite sports: boxing. Yet ‘Glory’ isn’t your regular sports drama, or a story of an underdog making it big. Marrying murder mystery with the shenanigans of the game, which is at once dangerous and thrilling, the seven-episode series too treads the same path. In the very first episode, we are witness to the murder of a gifted boxer, Nihal Singh (Yugam Sood). An Olympic gold contender, he decides to elope with his girlfriend Gudiya (Jannat Zubair), daughter of his coach Raghubir Singh (Suvinder Vicky). Coming from the land where female foeticide and honour killings are rampant, you smell a rat. And the guessing game begins.

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Upma Singh | Navbharat Times

ग्लोरी नसीब होने से रह गई दूरी

Sat, May 2 2026

OTT पर खेल की पृष्ठभूमि पर कम ही शोज आए हैं। ऐसे में, क्रिकेट और मैच फिक्सिंग पर एमी नॉमिनेटेड सीरीज ‘इनसाइड एज’ बनाने वाले फिल्मकार करण अंशुमान अब नई सीरीज ‘ग्लोरी’ के साथ बॉक्सिंग रिंग में उतरे हैं। हालांकि, यहां जितने मुक्के रिंग में चलते हैं, उससे कहीं ज्यादा चाकू-छुरी, बम-धमाके उसके बाहर होते हैं, क्योंकि असल में यह सीरीज बॉक्सिंग के इर्द-गिर्द बुनी गई एक इन्वेस्टिगेटिव क्राइम थ्रिलर है। 50-55 मिनट के 7 एपिसोड की यह सीरीज दिखाती है कि एक इंसान अपने सपने और महत्वाकांक्षा को पूरा करने के लिए किस हद तक जा सकता है।

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Image of scene from the film Gaayapadda Simham
Gaayapadda Simham

Comedy, Drama (Telugu)

Follows Indians facing challenges while trying to travel to the USA and the struggles they encounter after reaching there.

Cast: Tharun Bhascker, Faria Abdullah, Maanasa Chaudhary, Kasyap Sreenivas, Vishnu Oi, Harsha Vardhan, Subhalekha Sudhakar, J. D. Chakravarthi, Siddharth Gollapudi, Tarun Rohith
Director: Kasyap Sreenivas
Writer: Kasyap Sreenivas


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Sangeetha Devi Dundoo | The Hindu

Tharun Bhascker and Faria Abdullah’s film is an uneven comic ride

Sat, May 2 2026

Kasyap Sreenivas’s debut is steeped with meta humour and film spoofs, but struggles to sustain its comic momentum

A character in Gaayapadda Simham (Wounded Lion) quips that police officers are holding a “success meet,” much like film teams that celebrate barely a day after a theatrical release. The officer shoots back, asking why such celebrations should be limited to reel heroes when real-life ones have more reason to revel. In moments like these, when the writing pokes fun at the Telugu film industry, debut director Kasyap Sreenivas’s film, starring Tharun Bhascker and Faria Abdullah, finds its comic edge. The premise is deliberately outrageous. Darahas (Tharun), content with his middle-class life, is told he must move to the US if he hopes to marry his girlfriend (Maanasa Choudhary). When shifting immigration laws derail his plans and he is deported, his response is extreme — he seeks revenge on Donald Trump.

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