Devara Part 1
Action, Drama (Telugu)
Devara, a fearless man from a coastal region, embarks on a perilous journey into the treacherous world of the sea to safeguard the lives of his people. Unbeknownst to him, his brother Bhaira is plotting a conspiracy against him. As (more…)
Guild Reviews
Bohurupi
Action, Drama (Bengali)
A mysterious dacoit is on the run. A supercop gets involved with him in a cat and mouse chase.
Cast:
Shiboprosad Mukherjee, Abir Chatterjee, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Koushani Mukherjee, Pradeep Bhattacharya, Sridip Mukhopadhyay, Sujan Mukherjee, Reshmi Sen, Rajat Ganguly, Rohit Mukherjee
Director:
Nandita Roy, Shiboprosad Mukherjee
Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Abir Chatterjee gift us a wholesome entertainer
Thu, October 10 2024
Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy’s Bohurupi delivers what it promises: unadulterated entertainment. It is fun watching this mad cat-and-mouse game. The film is lavishly shot, and most importantly, made with care. It excels in almost every department with Shiboprosad’s skillful acting hogging the lion’s share of the limelight.
Shahkot
Drama (Punjabi)
Iqbal Singh, a determined Punjabi youth who decides to pursue his passion of venturing abroad, only for his life to take an unexpected turn.
Cast:
Isha Talwar, Guru Randhawa, Gurshabad Singh, Hardip Gill, Raj Babbar, Seema Kaushal, Jatinder Kaur, Shahid Gulfam, Neha Dayal, Bikramjeet Singh
Director:
Rajiv Dhingra
Writer:
Rajiv Dhingra
A Cross-border Story With a Heartening Message on Love
Tue, October 8 2024
Beyond religious divides, cross-border love is not new to Hindi or Punjabi cinema. Back in 1999, the National Award-winning Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Boota Singh was set in the backdrop of the Partition. So, can the controversy of Shahkot being pro-Pakistan — which also follows a theme similar to Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Boota Singh — be put to rest? However, haters will be haters, and the detractors who whipped up a storm before Shahkot’s release might continue to spew venom. Only as popular singer Guru Randhawa makes his acting debut in Pollywood, his launch vehicle steadfastly refrains from hatemongering or demonising Pakistan and Pakistanis. The period the film refers to is uncertain — mobile phones are not yet in vogue, and the relationship between India and Pakistan is not hunky-dory. But, for this detail, the timeline does seem contemporary, yet quite in sync with the milieu of Pakistan it cares to depict. Director of Photography Vineet Malhotra, rises to the occasion and captures the time aesthetically.
Guru Randhawa, Isha Talwar star in a deeply felt, thought-provoking film
Fri, October 4 2024
The town of Shahkot in Punjab marks one of the many intersections between India and Pakistan, nations with a shared history that have vacillated between hatred and amity, with the former triumphing more than the latter. Written and directed by Rajiv Dhingra, and starring Guru Randhawa, Isha Talwar and Raj Babbar, the Punjabi-language romance drama Shahkot (2024), makes a bold statement as it explores the possibility of friendship and love winning despite all odds. Iqbal (Guru Randhawa) and Sharafat (Gurshabad Singh) meet while trying to sneak out to foreign lands out of their respective countries. When Iqbal is caught in Pakistan, he is mistaken to be from Shahkot, Pakistan, and starts finding a way to get back home and evade the police. In doing so, he starts working in Abbaji’s (Raj Babbar) home, a politician whose clout keeps Iqbal from being detected. His daughter Marvi Cheema (Isha Talwar) takes a liking to Iqbal, but her father is all set to get her married to Nihaal. Iqbal is torn between doing the right thing and looking out for his own interests. However, when Abbaji decides to get Marvi married to Iqbal, things get complicated and Iqbal must decide what to do.
Colourrs of Love
Romance, Drama (Hindi)
Avee, a young doctor, finds himself in a state of depression after his break-up. To help him, his mother calls in her friend, Rajat, a psychologist. Can Rajat bring a change in Avee's life?
Cast:
Smaran Sahu, Deepika Amin, Pawan Chopra, Bhakti Kubavat
Director:
Divyesh Limbani
Writer:
Divyesh Limbani
This Breezy Urban Romance Works In Parts
Sat, October 5 2024
Avee Sharma, a sexologist, is traumatised after breaking up with Shruti at the cusp of marriage. While he gradually comes to terms with it, he indulges in a no-strings-attached relationship with a patient – a married woman Rekha. Later, he falls for a neighbour Nikita. However, she hides a secret from her life that could derail their equation. Meanwhile, Rajat, a psychologist, opens him to a new perspective towards love.
Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani
Romance, Comedy, Drama (Hindi)
Follows a freshly-engaged Amar who goes on a trip to London and falls heads-over-heels with Prem, a handsome man whose charm threatens to put Amar's marriage in danger.
Cast:
Sunny Singh, Aditya Seal, Pranutan Bahl, Diksha J. Singh, Chetan Mohture, Tarsem Paul, Baljinder Kaur, Sanju Solanki, Rajinder Sethi
Director:
Hardik Gajjar
Writer:
Rupinder Inderjit
Queer Romance Gets Slapstick Treatment
Sat, October 5 2024
Amar, who’s yet to come out as gay to his family, is off to London to meet his uncle. Over a flight, he falls in love with a flamboyant Prem. Despite initial friction, the two are inseparable and hit it off as a couple. As Amar returns to India, his conservative family is desperate to get him married. Prem decides to surprise him at the event and when they make their relationship official, all hell breaks loose.
Devara Part 1
Action, Drama (Telugu)
Devara, a fearless man from a coastal region, embarks on a perilous journey into the treacherous world of the sea to safeguard the lives of his people. Unbeknownst to him, his brother Bhaira is plotting a conspiracy against him. As events unfold, Devara passes on his legacy to his mild-mannered and timid son, Varada.
Cast:
N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Saif Ali Khan, Prakash Raj, Srikanth, Kalaiyarasan, Shruti Marathe, Janhvi Kapoor, Shine Tom Chacko, Ajay, Zarina Wahab
Director:
Koratala Siva
Writer:
Koratala Siva
NTR and Anirudh amp up the intensity in an overstretched action drama
Sat, October 5 2024
Nine years after SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali – The Beginning left viewers curious about why Kattappa killed Baahubali, a spate of films have been mounted ambitiously, with scope for sequels. This has turned out to be a double-edged sword. While filmmakers get the scope to present in-depth character delineations and build the world in which the story unfolds, there has also been a tendency to overstretch the narrative. A few questions are left unanswered, with the hope that the audience will wait in anticipation of a sequel.
Sat, October 5 2024
Sat, October 5 2024
The Signature
Family, Drama (Hindi)
Arvind’s life comes crashing down when his wife Madhu falls into a coma and is put on life support. Will situations hold him back, or will he be able to save his wife with the hope of a life together?
Cast:
Anupam Kher, Nina Kulkarni, Annu Kapoor, Mahima Chaudhry, Manoj Joshi, Sneha Paul, Sangita Jain Bokadia, Kevin Gandhi, Varun Seth, Herman D'Souza
Director:
Gajendra Ahire
Writer:
Gajendra Ahire
संदेश और उपदेश ‘द सिग्नेचर’ में
Sat, October 5 2024
अरविंद और मधु अपनी शादी की 35वीं सालगिरह मनाने विदेश जा रहे हैं। अचानक मधु बीमार होकर वेंटिलेटर पर पहुंच जाती है। अरविंद जैसे-तैसे कर के अस्पताल के लाखों रुपए का बिल भर रहा है। लेकिन मधु के बचने की अब किसी को उम्मीद नहीं है, खुद इनके बेटे को भी नहीं। हर कोई चाहता है कि अरविंद उस फॉर्म पर सिग्नेचर कर दे जिसके बाद मधु का वेंटिलेटर हटा दिया जाएगा। लेकिन अरविंद का सवाल है कि मधु के मरने-न मरने का फैसला मैं क्यों लूं? कुछ अलग-सी कहानी है ‘द सिग्नेचर’ (The Signature) की, संजीदा किस्म की। इस कहानी को लेखक गजेंद्र अहीरे ने फैलाया भी बहुत संजीदगी के साथ है। गजेंद्र के निर्देशन में भी उतनी ही संजीदगी दिखाई देती है। दरअसल यह 2013 में आई गजेंद्र की ही मराठी फिल्म ‘अनुमति’ का हिन्दी रीमेक है जिसमें विक्रम गोखले ने मुख्य भूमिका निभा कर सर्वश्रेष्ठ अभिनेता का राष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार पाया था। अब इस हिन्दी फिल्म में उसी भूमिका को अनुपम खेर ने निभाया है।
To Pull the Plug Or Not
Fri, October 4 2024
It is a poignant dilemma familiar to most families. When a loved one is on life support, and prolonging it is unaffordable, can you bring yourself to sign the Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) form? For retired librarian Arvind Pathak (Anupam Kher), it is unthinkable. It’s easier for his pragmatic son (Kevin Gandhi) and daughter (Sangeeta Jain) who have their own lives to lead.
Heartstopper S03
Drama (English)
Teens Charlie and Nick discover their unlikely friendship might be something more as they navigate school and young love in this coming-of-age series.
Cast:
Joe Locke, Kit Connor, William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edgell, Tobie Donovan, Rhea Norwood, Jenny Walser, Leila Khan
Director:
Andy Newbery
Writer:
Alice Oseman
Queer Teen Romance Is Unapologetically Heartwarming And Meaningful
Sat, October 5 2024
Nick and Charlie are back with a summer to remember. The third season of Heartstopper, based on the best-selling graphic novel by Alice Oseman, continues with the love story between Kit Connor’s Nick and Joe Locke’s Charlie as their relationship grows stronger despite their fears and insecurities. There is a whole new vibe to the series (the teens are now allowed to curse and become sexually active) that shows how the material has evolved along with its characters. At its heart, Heartstopper is a sweet romance with depth, especially due to the sparkling chemistry of its leads.
Meiyazhagan
Family, Drama (Tamil)
Twenty-two years after losing his home, Arulmozhi Varman returns to his native Thanjavur to attend his cousin's wedding. Amidst the celebrations, Arul is reintroduced to an upbeat man whom he cannot recall. With the help of the unknown man, Arul reconnects with his past.
Cast:
Arvind Swamy, Karthi, Rajkiran, Jayaprakash, Sri Divya, Devadarshini, Swathi Konde, Rajkumar, Ilavarasu, Karunakaran
Director:
C. Prem Kumar
Writer:
C. Prem Kumar
Karthi and Arvind Swami shoulder this spirited bromance drama
Sat, October 5 2024
While most filmmakers focus on the bigger aspects of their story to substantiate the so-called big-screen experience, C Prem Kumar belongs to a niche group of directors who like to concentrate on the finer, intimate moments of life. Probably because of his time spent behind the viewfinder as a cinematographer, Prem’s scenes look like animated still photographs, and just like his directorial debut 96, his sophomore outing Meiyazhagan is a series of moments in motion.
Hitler
Action, Drama (Tamil)
A man and his new love are caught in the middle of a dangerous conflict between a tough detective and a tyrannical politician.
Cast:
Vijay Antony, Riya Suman, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Vivek Prasanna, Redin Kingsley, Tamizh, Aadukalam Naren, Charan Raj
Director:
Dhana
Writer:
Dhana
Vijay Antony’s revenge drama is outdated and ordinary
Sat, October 5 2024
Vijay Antony is on a spree with his recent films. While his contemporaries rarely churn out a couple of releases each year, the music director-turned-actor starred in four films last year and his latest release Hitler marks his third outing of 2024. But given how almost all of them turned out to be underwhelming, it feels like he’s shooting for quantity over quality, and Hitler, unfortunately, is the latest addition to that list.
Swag
Comedy, Drama (Telugu)
The eternal battle of the sexes is played out across several generations of a family who seek to obtain a fortune.
Cast:
Sree Vishnu, Ritu Varma, Meera Jasmine, Saranya Pradeep, Daksha Nagarkar, Goparaju Ramana, Vadivukarasi, Sunil Varma, Ravi Babu, Kadambari Kiran
Director:
Hasith Goli
Writer:
Hasith Goli
Hasith Goli and a brilliant Sree Vishnu strike again with a deceptive, layered satire
Sat, October 5 2024
When a man who wears his masculinity on his sleeve laments at how his son is growing up, displaying feminine traits, his wife tries to make him understand the importance of accepting an individual’s natural expression of gender. This segment and the portion that follows gives writer-director Hasith Goli’s Telugu film Swag the much-needed emotional anchor. Until then, the narrative is like a satire, with elements of farce and ‘absurd theatre’ as the several characters played by Sree Vishnu and the dual characters of Ritu Varma slug it out to assert the power of male versus female.
Superman
Comedy, Crime, Thriller (Malayalam)
Nithya is the deputy commissioner of the city who lives with her uncle since both her parents were killed in an accident. She was put on to investigate a corruption case done by the Home Minister and his friend a businessman called Rajan Phillip. Unknowingly she was helped in the investigation by a criminal nicknamed Superman.
Cast:
Jayaram, Shobana, Jagadish, Siddique, Sphadikam George, Cochin Haneefa, Janardhanan, Innocent, Nedumudi Venu, Zeenath
Director:
Mecartin, Raffi
Writer:
Mecartin, Raffi
Hundred Days Hundred Films Ep 5
Tue, October 1 2024
Sector 36
Crime, Thriller, Drama (Hindi)
When several children disappear at the hands of a serial killer in Sector 36, a corrupt cop is forced to pursue the chilling case at all costs.
Cast:
Vikrant Massey, Deepak Dobriyal, Akash Khurana, Darshan Jariwala, Baharul Islam, Ivana Kaur, Mahadev Singh Lakhawat, Ajeet Singh Palawat, Kacho Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad
Director:
Aditya Nimbalkar
Writer:
Bodhayan Roychaudhury
Revisiting the house of horrors
Mon, September 30 2024
Sector 36, based on the gruesome murders of Nithari village in Noida, which were uncovered in 2007, follows a serial killer who lives in plain sight. In Aditya Nimbalkar’s crime drama, Prem (Vikrant Massey) is the house-help of Balbir Bassi (Akash Khurana), an affluent businessman from Karnal. Bassi rarely visits his palatial bungalow in Delhi’s Sector 36, but when he does, his actions are also creepy. Prem, taking advantage of his unsupervised existence, far from his own family that lives in a village, abducts children from the neighbouring migrant settlement, mercilessly killing them to satisfy his deviant appetite.
A Spotify Review
Fri, September 13 2024
Sector 36 is a gratuitously grisly dramatisation of the gruesome Nithari serial murders from around two decades ago. But because it unfolds with zero nuance, the movie mines cheap thrills out of a real-life horror story. We talk about the strange arcs that Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobriyal’s characters have been given, the haphazard narrative structure, and seemingly missing sequences that could’ve helped make the story smoother. We also talk about Massey’s performance in the interrogation scene and the filmmakers’ odd decision to set the movie in Delhi and not Noida, where the actual crimes took place.
Botched just like the real-life investigation
Fri, September 13 2024
How do you approach a movie inspired by a series of gruesome killings that left a scar on the public but provided no closure? The police investigation into the 2006 Nithari serial murders—where a domestic help preyed on at least 19 minors, sexually assaulting them after their death, chopping their bodies into pieces and possibly indulging in cannibalism and organ harvesting, potentially with the tacit acknowledgement of his employer—was so badly botched that the case remains in the news in 2024, as the courts and agencies debate the sentencing. The two main accused were acquitted in 2023 over lack of sufficient evidence but India’s top crime body, CBI, has challenged it. With so many unknowable factors, this is rich territory for any filmmaker.