Last Man in Tower
Drama (Hindi)
Masterji is a retired schoolteacher whose refusal to go along with those around him places him in direct conflict with his own community. His act of quiet resistance ripples outward, throwing into relief the choices and compromises of neighbors – (more…)
The Revolutionaries
Drama (Hindi)
The Revolutionaries narrates the inspiring tale of brave young Indian freedom fighters who fought for ending British Raj with their unwavering spirit and ideology. (more…)
Guild Reviews by Film Page 8 of 111
Modha Rathri
Romance, Comedy (Tamil)
Two strangers are brought together at an unusual wedding where, in one night, too many surprises unfold and several lies are told, spiraling into chaos that changes everything.
Cast:
Rishikanth, Anishma Anilkumar, Bagavathi Perumal, Chetan, Abdool Lee, A. Venkatesh, Sangeetha Balan, Shelly Kishore, Karthikeyan DK, Banupriya
Director:
Raja Karuppasamy
Writer:
Raja Karuppasamy
Fri, September 18 2026
In 'Modha Rathri', there is an excitement for the form of cinema—and what it is capable of saying, doing, and undoing — but there is such a chasm between the design and the delivery
I can understand why people warmed up to Modha Rathri (now out on Netflix). In a landscape ransacked by Anirudh’s BGM shoring up reluctant films and heroes whose heroism is leaning more towards parody than piety, here is a film and filmmaker—debutante Raja Karuppasamy—who dared to tell an intimate, many-splendoured story set over the course of a day. Based on events that director Karuppasamy has himself witnessed and endured, casting family members, there is a warmth here that filters through even the most devious observations of its heady, nauseating cast of characters, and a desire to tell a story that means something, where reformed characters are, in fact, part of the arc—but Karuppasamy does this without flat finger-wagging. A clutter-breaking miracle.
Fri, August 21 2026
It's a Medical Miracle
Fantasy, Thriller (Malayalam)
A young man declared brain-dead suddenly awakens with the ability to hear everything. Seeking the nurse whose voice saved him, he's drawn into a dark game of masks, memories, and revenge where every sound may be a clue or a trap.
Cast:
Sangeeth Prathap, Sharafudheen, Akhila Bhargavan, Anand Manmadhan, Kiran Peethambaran, Parvathy Krishna, Kottayam Nazeer, Nileen Sandra, Zhinz Shan, Hezzah Mehak
Director:
Shyamin Gireesh
Fri, September 18 2026
An intriguing premise about a man with extraordinary hearing ability lends It's A Medical Miracle a distinctive edge, before it gradually loses its way
It’s A Medical Miracle is a ‘concept film’ about a protagonist with extraordinary hearing. Ruben has been declared brain-dead for over two years, with his family even contemplating the idea of euthanasia when a freak accident wakes him up rather dramatically. Once awake, the young man is all ears. Quite literally. He can now hear every little sound around him with unusual clarity. It extends from something as minute as a fly’s flapping wings to the arrival of raindrops to a lying person’s pounding heartbeat. It’s something like a superpower, and with superpowers you are more often than not dealing with a lot of trouble.
Waiting Hai
Comedy, Drama, Crime (Hindi)
Sugam joins the RPF and investigates a Tatkal scam. Hamza and Mama turn booking software into a business, facing rivalry and betrayal. Sugam arrests the agents and tracks Hamza, ending the scam before his escape to Dubai.
Cast:
Divyendu Sharma, Bhuvan Arora, Kumud Mishra, Vijay Maurya, Harshita Shekhar Gaur, Sunita Rajwar, Dayashankar Pandey, Yashpal Sharma
Director:
Sameer Vidwans
Fri, September 18 2026
Sugam Mishra is a newly married railway cop who has just joined duty, juggling pressures at home and at work. He finds a mentor and a father figure in his senior. Afroz Hamza, a hacking enthusiast nursing a heartbreak in college, takes to crime for a living – joining hands with his uncle to do the dirty backend work for travel agents. While most films try to milk Divyendu Sharma’s Mirzapur image, a show like Waiting Hai actually showcases his range. As an earnest, newly-married man in his 20s starting a new job, he mirrors the character’s rebellion and idealism with honesty. Bhuvan Arora is decent as the invisible hacker wronged by the system. One of the more moving portrayals comes from Kumud Mishra as Sugam’s senior on the verge of retirement. The supporting cast – Vijay Maurya, Harshita Gaur, Sunita Rajwar and Dayashankar Pandey – deliver the goods.
Gandhari
Action, Drama, Thriller (Hindi)
When a mother loses her eyesight and her daughter in a kidnapping, she takes matters into her own hands to hunt down those responsible.
Cast:
Taapsee Pannu, Ishwak Singh, Mita Vashisht, Swastika Mukherjee, Chhaya Kadam, Jatin Sarna, Prashant Narayanan, Chandan Roy, Vishwanath Chatterjee, Priti Shroff
Director:
Devashish Makhija
Writer:
Kanika Dhillon
Fri, September 18 2026
பானிக்கு ஏற்படும் பார்வைக் குறைபாடு, அந்தச் சூழலிலும் குழந்தையைத் தேடி ஓடும் கதை சுவாரஸ்ய லைனில் செல்கிறது. குழந்தை கடத்தல் மாஃபியா பற்றிய விவரிப்பும் ஆராய்ச்சியும் படத்துக்கு ஆழமானதொரு நிறத்தைத் தருகின்றன.
பானியும் (டாப்ஸி) அவருடைய கணவரும் ரயிலில் சென்றுகொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள். திடீரென ஜாய்புரா என்ற ஊரில் அவர்களுடைய குழந்தையைக் கடத்திவிடுகிறார்கள். குழந்தையைக் காப்பாற்ற ஓடிச் செல்கையில் பானிக்குத் தலையில் அடிபட்டு கண்பார்வையில் பிரச்னை ஏற்படுகிறது. ஜாய்புராவில் இப்படியான குழந்தைக் கடத்தல் அதிகமாக நடப்பது பற்றியும், அதை நிகழ்த்தும் நெட்வொர்க் பற்றியும் பானி அறிந்துகொள்கிறார். அதன் பிறகு, பார்வைப் பிரச்னை சரியானாலும், பார்வைச் சவால்கொண்டவர் என்றே தனது அடையாளத்தை வைத்துக்கொண்டு ஜாய்புராவில் தங்கி, தன் குழந்தையைத் தீவிரமாகத் தேடுகிறார். இறுதியில் தன் குழந்தையைக் கண்டுபிடித்தாரா, இந்தக் கடத்தல் குழுவின் பின்னணி என்ன, ஜாய்புராவில் அவை எப்படி ஊடுருவியிருக்கின்றன என்கிற முடிச்சுகளை அவிழ்ப்பதே நெட்ஃப்ளிக்ஸ் தளத்தில் வந்திருக்கும் இந்த ‘காந்தாரி’யின் கதை. (தமிழ் டப்பிங் உண்டு).
Sat, September 12 2026
A land that worships the divine feminine yet treats its women poorly. This is a paradox that rings tragic and true both in reality and in the fictional world of Gandhari. The film is set in Joypurra, an unsettling place where the disappearance of young girls has been frighteningly normalized. The story opens by establishing a happy family of three. Taapsee Pannu and Ishwak Singh play a husband and wife and parents to a young girl Mishti. When Mishti suddenly goes missing the narrative dives straight into the conflict.
Sun, September 6 2026
Haiwaan
Crime, Thriller (Hindi)
A retired judge faces difficulty keeping his daughter safe from a convict he imprisoned. Later, when he gets murdered, a man with visual impairment who was loyal to him tries to defend his daughter.
Cast:
Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher, Rajpal Yadav, Sharib Hashmi, Rajesh Sharma, Manoj Joshi, Asrani
Director:
Priyadarshan
Wed, September 16 2026
An intriguing psychological thriller is overwhelmed by Akshay Kumar’s star persona, implausible action, and a screenplay that sacrifices restraint for spectacle.
Some thrillers are so absorbing that they persuade us to surrender logic at the door and simply follow the action wherever it takes us. A good mystery, particularly one built around a cat-and-mouse chase, can make even the most improbable turn feel plausible because the characters, the atmosphere, and the suspense are persuasive enough to keep disbelief suspended. Haiwaan begins with precisely that promise — a potentially engrossing tale of guilt, vengeance, betrayal, and retribution, populated by characters whose secrets could have sustained a gripping psychological thriller. Instead, Priyadarshan’s remake of his own 2016 Malayalam film Oppam gradually loses sight of the thriller it could have been, drowning a promising premise in star power, implausible action, and a screenplay that repeatedly mistakes excess for excitement.
Sat, September 12 2026
Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan is a remake of his own Malayalam film Oppam (2016), which was a big hit a decade ago. After watching Haiwaan, I spent some time wondering why Priyadarshan chose to remake a successful film of his own. What value addition could he possibly bring to it? Alas, I couldn’t think of a satisfactory answer - except that commercial considerations must have warranted it.
Sat, September 12 2026
This overlong psychological thriller starring Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar struggles on pretty much every front
At the start of Haiwaan, Shyam (Saif Ali Khan) boards a ferry, teases a man who owes him money, sings and plays guitar. If it wasn’t for his dark glasses and cane, it would be hard to tell he’s blind—indeed, it’s a running conspiracy theory through Priyadarshan’s film that he’s only pretending he can’t see. Shyam has heightened senses of sound, touch, taste and smell, which provide him an uncanny mental picture of the world around him. But when his sister tearfully asks for his blessings, he responds after a few seconds and doesn’t realise that she’s left. He’s left patting the air around him while violins play sadly on the soundtrack.
Neagley
Drama, Mystery, Crime (English)
Frances Neagley is a private investigator in Chicago and former military colleague of Jack Reacher in the Army's 110th Special Investigations Unit. When she learns that a beloved friend from her past has been killed in a suspicious accident, she becomes hell-bent on justice.
Cast:
Maria Sten, Greyston Holt, Adeline Rudolph, Matthew Del Negro, Damon Herriman, Jasper Jones
Wed, September 16 2026
My loudly-declared soft spot for Reacher has always had room for Neagley, and when they are together, they rekindle old magic: maybe in the next Neagley outing, have more of Reacher? And maybe more Neagley, in the next Reacher?
At the outset, let me confess how keenly I was waiting for this Reacher spin-off, with his favourite team-mate Neagley at its centre: the fierce ex-Armywoman who went on to become a PI in Chicago, has been a staple in the best Reacher adventurers, and has livened up things everytime she shows up in the show. In her first solo outing, Maria Sten’s Neagley fills the screen with her presence, the creators Nick Santora and Nicholas Wootton wisely surrounding her with an interesting ensemble from the get-go: smart cop Hudson Riley (Greyston Hold), an equally smart secretary Renee Birdwhistle (Adeline Rudolph) and homeless orphan Keeno (Jasper Jones), who get enough to do together and on their own.
Last Man in Tower
Drama (Hindi)
Masterji is a retired schoolteacher whose refusal to go along with those around him places him in direct conflict with his own community. His act of quiet resistance ripples outward, throwing into relief the choices and compromises of neighbors – including Mrs. Puri – as an offer of change tests what each of them is willing to hold on to.
Cast:
Manoj Bajpayee, Divya Dutta, Boman Irani, Sukant Goel, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Ujjwal Chopra, Swaroopa Ghosh, Uday Chandra, Madhuri Bhatia, Shrikant Yadav
Director:
Ben Rekhi
Mon, September 14 2026
Sat, September 12 2026
Rekhi’s film on Aravind Adiga's novel is passable in theory but I wish I was more affected by it when it ended.
In a hyper-capitalistic city where everything/one is for sale, where desires can be preyed upon as a means to an end, how does one take on a man who wants… nothing? It’s the question at the heart of Aravind Adiga’s Last Man in Tower (2011) – following Yogesh Murthy, a resident of Vishram society, who refuses to cower in front of a gleaming offer by builder Dharmesh Shah. In director Ben Rekhi’s feature film adaptation, Murthy is changed to Mishra, presumably because of Manoj Bajpayee playing the part. Bajpayee played a similarly stoic, wilting Mumbai resident in Bhonsle (2018). Shah is played by Boman Irani, who was a builder in Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006) too. Irani is great at making his villains palpably human. There’s a wonderful moment where he coughs through his chronic bronchitis—and then takes a deep breath of the noxious fumes at a building site. “It gives me life,” he tells a doctor earlier in the film, after being informed about his deteriorating lung condition because of his very line of work.
Sat, September 12 2026
Directed by Ben Rekhi, Last Man in Tower is an adaptation of Aravind Adiga’s novel of the same name. The story revolves around a decrepit residential building in Mumbai and its residents, and how the lure of a better future changes ties when a builder arrives with an offer to acquire and reconstruct the property.
Directed by Ben Rekhi, Last Man in Tower is a perfectly pleasant adaptation of Aravind Adiga’s novel of the same name. But therein lies the problem; it is well-behaved when it should have been transgressive. At its core, this is a cautionary tale about the decaying morality of the Indian middle class, a satire about our collective lack of social trust. But filtered through Rekhi’s lens, the movie comes across as an ode to the undying spirit of Mumbaikars. The story revolves around a decrepit residential building in Vakola, Mumbai, an almost fantastical vessel where men and women of all ages, sexes, and social classes live in relative harmony. The building can be seen as a metaphor for India; a society we imagine existed before it was shredded to pieces by populist politicians. At its (moral) centre is a retired teacher affectionately known by everyone as ‘Masterji’. He’s played by Manoj Bajpayee in a terrific central performance that occasionally reveals the underlying rage that should have been more palpable in the film itself.
Mandaadi
Action, Drama (Tamil)
A fishing captain applies his maritime knowledge in a traditional boat race along Tamil Nadu's coast during a festival, leading a six-person team against other crews.
Cast:
Soori, Suhas, Mahima Nambiar, Sathyaraj, Mithun Jai Sankar, Ravindra Vijay, Balasaravanan, Stun Siva, Achyuth Kumar, Sachana Namidass
Director:
Mathimaran Pugazhendhi
Mon, September 14 2026
Fri, September 11 2026
Director Mathimaran Pugazhendhi's Mandaadi, starring Soori, Suhas and Mahima Nambiar, is an interesting film centred on a sailboat race. The film tackles themes of friendship, mentorship, betrayal and second chances in life.
Actor Soori’s transformation from a comedian to a protagonist is a testament to his hard work, perseverance and resilience. If there’s one thing that deserves appreciation in this renewed journey, it’s his script choices. With Mandaadi, Soori has picked a story centred on a sailboat race, a sport rarely seen in films. The unusual setting gives the film a distinct identity from the outset. A young Maari (Mithun Jai Sankar), in the opening sequence of Mandaadi, almost kills antagonist Saatapuli (Suhas) and his son. A commotion at a local temple festival stops Maari from completing the murders. Saatapuli, an influential man who controls the sailboat business and racing team, is now hunting Maari. He escapes to Chennai and seeks help from Muthukaali (Soori), who works at a theme park in the city.
Thu, September 10 2026
The film’s emotional stakes are so simplistic, it feels like it has picked the easier race to run—and is content with that victory
Bearded, unkempt, brash, and smoking, the Tamil film hero is no obvious object of desire—they get sloppy drunk; you see them waking up hungover; they romance reluctantly, and then recklessly; their lips are cracked, their skin discoloured; if you kiss them, your skin might scrape off; grooming is unbecoming. Charisma, then, is what elevates them to heroism, that ephemeral star quality of re-framing even bad breath as a sign of a night spent sleeping under the stars. The actor Soori, whose very visage is an image of innocence, stepping into this heroism in Mandaadi, plays this charismatic abrasiveness as sincere and patient—this is not collar-up coolness, but button-up kindness. Soori, after stepping away from comedic gaffes and supporting characters, has embraced being the central, impregnable presence in films like Viduthalai (2023-24), Kottukkaali (2024), and now Mandaadi.
Ghamasaan
Thriller, Action (Hindi)
A cat-and-mouse tale set in the Hindi heartland, where male friendships and rivalries unveil homoerotic tensions. Men on both sides of the law traverse arid lands, creating a sense of place where unexplored histories reside.
Cast:
Pratik Gandhi, Arshad Warsi, Ishita Dutta, Rajpal Yadav, Jatin Goswami, Deepraj Rana, Pankaj Saraswat, Anurag Thakur, Paritosh Sand, Kumar Kanchan Ghosh
Director:
Tigmanshu Dhulia
Writer:
Ram Yash Singh, Piyush Singh
Sun, September 13 2026
मध्य भारत के डकैतों की बात होती है तो चंबल नदी के आसपास के बीहड़ वाले डाकू (ओह सॉरी, बीहड़ में बागी होत हैं, डकैत होत हैं पार्लामैंट में) ही याद आते हैं। यही कारण है कि किसी ज़माने में कुख्यात रहे डकैत ददुआ यानी शिव कुमार पटेल को भी चंबल से जोड़ लिया जाता है जबकि उसका इलाका उत्तर प्रदेश के चित्रकूट में माणिकपुर के आसपास का पाठा (पठारी) क्षेत्र था। कभी बीहड़ की फूलन देवी पर बनी कमाल की फिल्म ‘बैंडिट क्वीन’ से जुड़े रहे और वहीं के पान सिंह तोमर पर ‘पान सिंह तोमर’ नाम से एक उम्दा फिल्म दे चुके फिल्मकार तिग्मांशु धूलिया अब पाठा के ददुआ पर यह फिल्म ‘घमासान’ (Ghamasaan) लेकर आए हैं। मगर क्या यह फिल्म उन दो फिल्मों की तरह शानदार बन पाई है? आइए देखते हैं।
Sun, September 13 2026
Set in the Hindi heartland, Bundelkhand, Ghamasaan delves into the conflict between a powerful dacoit named Maharaj (Arshad Warsi) and a fearless officer, Aditya Singh (Pratik Gandhi). As Aditya tries to dismantle Maharaj’s reign, he needs to rise above deep corruption, taking stock of power struggles and the thin line between the law and the outlaws. Pratik Gandhi is decent as an approachable, earnest cop and gives it relatability. And, after a while, Arshad Warsi sheds his comedy image and brings an earthy flamboyance to a ruthless, proactive dacoit. Rajpal Yadav bags a unique role, and among the supporting cast, Deepraj Rana, Jatin Goswami and Ishita Dutta make a mark.
Fri, September 11 2026
Arshad Warsi as Maharaj didn’t make me believe all the way that he could be a cruel man with zero compassion. And there’s also Rajpal Yadav, in a striking supporting role, which leaves a mark.
The arena is Bundelkhand, not Chambal, but Timanshu Dhulia knows his terrain. And that familiarity makes Ghamasaan stand out from the series of films shot on locations created on sets, their artifice seeping into the story-telling: the best part of this conflict between cops-and-robbers is the authenticity of the place, and the people. Maharaj (Arshad Warsi) is Bundelkhand’s Bandit King, as opposed to Phoolan, Chambal’s Bandit Queen (in which Dhulia was casting director) , as well as Paan Singh Tomar (which Dhulia directed, turning it into one of his, and lead Irrfan’s, best collaborations) from the same area who famously gave us that line about ‘baaghis’ and ‘dakaaits’.
Panchanama
Crime, Mystery (Telugu)
Police officer Jai Ram refuses to accept his brother Aadi's death as an accident. His investigation leads him to reopen other suspicious death cases involving Aadi, Praveen and Joseph, eventually uncovering a much larger conspiracy connected to a medical syndicate.
Cast:
Bharath Srinivasan, Shivaji Raja, Medha Reddy, Charan Babu, V. S. Roopa Lakshmi
Director:
Mohan Srivatsa
Sun, September 13 2026
Cop Jai Ram’s life takes a drastic turn when his younger brother dies under mysterious circumstances. The local authorities and the officials quickly dismiss the tragedy as a mere accident. Refusing to buy it, he kickstarts an investigation to uncover what truly happened. Bharath fits the part of a hardened cop with a past and has the right composure and body language expected of a protagonist in a tight investigative thriller. Medha Reddy is decent in a role with limited scope. The show is particularly noteworthy for Roopa Lakshmi, who gets to do something substantial beyond her goody/emotional mother roles. Sivaji Raja does what’s expected of him, with no surprises there.
The Revolutionaries
Drama (Hindi)
The Revolutionaries narrates the inspiring tale of brave young Indian freedom fighters who fought for ending British Raj with their unwavering spirit and ideology.
Cast:
Bhuvan Bam, Pratibha Ranta, Rohit Saraf, Gurfateh Pirzada, Jason Shah, Paoli Dam, Prosenjit Bhattacharya, Pallavi Chatterjee
Director:
Nikkhil Advani
Writer:
Sanyukta Shaikh Chawla, Akshita Wadhwana
Sat, September 12 2026
The Revolutionaries is a vivid document of the lesser-known armed resistance of India’s independence movement. Set in the early 20th century, it tells the stories of young, fearless freedom fighters, including Rash Behari Bose, Sachindranath Sanyal, and Bagha Jatin, as they risk everything to challenge the might of the British Empire. The series brings together several exciting talents that have made use of OTT as a talent showcase, including Bhuvan Bam, Rohit Saraf, Pratibha Ranta and Gurfateh Pirzada. Yet, they seem overwhelmed by the prospect of carrying the density of the theme. Bhuvan, Rohit and Pratibha get to shine in flashes, though nothing consistent enough to make it a poignant performance. Jason Shah, as General Dyer, is hardly intimidating.
Fri, September 11 2026
Fri, September 11 2026
Nikkhil Advani earlier floored us with ‘Freedom At Midnight’, which recounted the years that led to India’s freedom struggle
“Hum se pehle bhi kranti, hamare baad bhi kranti…” Yet many of us are not fully clued into the tale of armed resistance and revolutionaries who fought for the freedom of our country, not always successfully, but never in vain. Creator-writer Nikkhil Advani, who floored us with ‘Freedom At Midnight’, recounting the years that led to India’s freedom struggle in many sterling ways, is back again. This time, he digs further back into history — early 20th century. The heroes of his earlier series — Gandhi, Nehru, Patel — are household names. But Rash Behari Bose, Jatindranath Mukherjee aka Bagha Jatin and Sachindranath Sanyal urf Sachin are at best names which ring a bell, but only a few among us fully know or understand their tales of valour.
Fall 2: Deadpoint
Thriller (English)
On a perilous climb across Thailand's Mount Kwan, two climbers become trapped thousands of feet above the ground, where vertigo-inducing heights, sheer exposure, and impossible odds turn every moment into a fight for survival.
Cast:
Harriet Slater, Arsema Thomas, Tom Brittney, Virginia Gardner, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Korakod Yensuk, Jordan Coleman, Maryna Bennett, Noen Perez, Nattapon Sukphiam
Director:
Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
Writer:
Scott Mann, Jonathan Frank
Sat, September 12 2026
Fall 2 Deadpoint does its job of inducing altitude terrors pretty efficiently. The writers of Fall are also associated with its sequel, and they do take their job seriously.
When a regular-Joe film is titled just Fall, you can be pretty sure it will be about a rise. When it is followed by a Fall 2, you can swear by it. The first Fall released to decent success in 2022, and achieved some bigger highs via social media reels. In that, two best friends climbed up a desolate TV tower to bury their grief, and encounter heartbreak and vultures. Fall 2 substitutes the tower for a fictional Mount Kwan in Thailand, but can’t resist the grief, betrayal or vultures still, with an over-the-hilltop ending that suggests our survivor is headed for Fall 3.
Sat, September 12 2026
Sequel to 2022 original, Fall 2 is too grim for its own good. The film appears to believe that it is a meditation on grief and an inspiring fable about emotional emancipation, without actually tackling either idea with any depth.
Released in 2022, Fall stood out as an uncommonly well-made survival thriller — it had a killer premise, excellent performances and surprising emotional depth. The genre has only become more popular in the years since. This year alone, we’ve seen the Netflix films Apex and The Last House and the Prime Video title The Devil’s Mouth. None of them were any good, although Apex featured a memorably unhinged performance by Taron Egerton. This week’s Fall 2: Deadpoint most definitely comes up short of its predecessor, but more disappointingly, it can’t quite match the camp qualities of this year’s three other survival thrillers either.