SumanShakya

Going by its story, it's definitely not a noble concept; but yeah for Bollywood, it may be. It's about a robot (with emotions??) which falls for a robotic engineer or the else around. More than a science fiction, it's the story set on a wedding family with a stereotypical family and relatives, becoming a staple of typical family dramas of the time.

Well, it does entertain with few witty sequences in between with Kirti Sanon perfectly cast in the lead as a robot with emotions. But the problem is the role isn't developed with a centre and heads for a fuzzy denouement. Shahid Kapoor is okay, Dimple Kapadia is getting typecast in her roles following "Pathaan," and a pity to see Dharmendra in such an unimportant role. The film hints on a sequel and we expect it's better than this one.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

If you are expecting a film depicting the realities of air force pilots or a historical depiction in this film, you are sure to be disappointed. It's also wrong to see it as a technical extravaganza as better Hollywood stock scenes are available from the 80s -90s. And the drama and characters are just pathetic. The much demanded trio Anil Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, and Deepika Padukone are just simply childish in their roles. And what a tailor made villain. Overall, the film just doesn't hit the nail and looks just too surficial. Still Govind Nihlani's "Vijeta" steals the show on the subject.

Rating: 1.5 stars out of 4.

A town ruled by the local goons where the law and order has no influence over the denizens and enters a naïve outsider who challenges the mob ruling the town at the cost of his family and loved ones. This seems to be a perfect milieu of a 90s potboiler which patronizes one man standing against the police or goons resulting action throughout. Same implies with "Ghatak." There is no novelty to its story or execution with the usual improbabilities.

It's evident the director got carried by the success of "Ghayal," for which he has reprised almost the same cast and followed the same style. Still the film has some interest and freshness into it due to a tight pace and fine direction it has. It took long in making which seems evident from its look and cast, but still it grips till it lasts and can be seen to savour the regular gimmicks of a 90s potboiler tightened into a taut masala flick.

Rating: 1 star out of 4.

The film deals with the struggle of a Bengali woman, Sagarika Bhattacharya, to take the custody of her children taken by Norway government to foster homes, amid her disapproving and tormenting husband and in laws. The film is commendable for the bold subject it charts on which created some controversies as Norway government isn't happy of some factual liberties the film takes. Anyway, it still is a well accomplished effort on presenting a real life story and an eye opener.

The major strengths of the film are the astounding performance of Rani Mukherjee, perhaps in one of her bravest roles following "Black," a compelling performance from Jim Sarabh, and the revered milieu of Norway it depicts. However, the minus of the film includes its overstretched and ineffective finale which somehow fails to connect the emotions of a mother.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

Every family that looks perfect outside, has its problems and secrets. This is the theme of "Gulmohar," which is one of the revered family dramas lately to be churned from Bollywood. The film beautifully unravels the crises pertaining in the members of a family residing in an ancestral bungalow of Delhi. The members are dealing with several issues in their life like quest to find one's biological parent, the generation gap, persistence and frustration in career, sexuality, and keeping to put up with the family relations.

The film has several shades to its characters, which just get fully assorted in the drama; and all give a fantastic performance. A film has much of controlled performances, notably from Amol Palekar, Manoj Bajpayee, and Sharmila Tagore. The pace of the film is obviously very slow, but it's the beauty with which the characters and drama unravel makes it worth watching.

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 4.

I was pretty surprised to see very poor reviews and ratings the film earned. Well, it's nothing sort of that. It's a likable modern day drama on the relationship between a single mother and her son, whom she's really possessive of and raises him against all odds. It somehow connects the 90s with the modern day portraying the aspirations of a single mother, which she has forgotten of.

Perfomance wise, all make a good effort, notably Kajol. The drama is witty and somehow creates an interest throughout. However, the result stills deems a bit polishing as the script itsn't very taut an it lacks the seriouness in the emotions at instances. A bit of work on script and dialogues could have saved it. Anyway, it still is a good film; and I recommend it to be watched to celebrate the next mother's day.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

A couple sailing in a yacht following a tragedy bring a stranger on board with dire consequences to follow. It forms the plot of this suspenseful thriller which does grip at instances yet feels disappointing at times with the usual clichés, especially the weak climax and cardboard characters.

Story-wise. The film is a mere caper with intentions of the characters not very clear and lack a conviction to interest much. Yet it did two things right. First, it brought Nicole Kidman to limelight. Second, it inspired Yash Chopra to make "Darr" which burrows a lot from this movie in the climax.

Rating: 1 star out of 4.

"Adrift" is a survival drama based on real life in which a couple are adrift in the middle of Pacific after their yatch is hit by a hurricane. Throughout the film we see a yacht adrift in the sea with a couple fending to survive for over 40 days in a bare ration of some can food and water. We have watched many survival dramas, notably "Cast Away." Hence, it terms of content, it's familiar and simply a plain storytelling with glimpses of "The Perfect Storm."

However, the film remains technically sound with terrific camera work in the sea. Most of the time the film remains suspenseful and gets carried well. Overall, it's not damn good but still good enough to hold your attention as long as it lasts.

Rating: 1.5 stars out of 4.

"The Deep End of the Ocean" is one of the most heart warming family dramas from 90s. I've watched in recent years with an enormous amount of clarity and an anticipation on things to resolve. It deals with a family coping with the sudden disappearance of a 3 year old son, only to find him after years and turmoil in the family to reconcile the relationship.

The drama is fabulous with the pleasure of reading a novel with a nice setting and the perpetual interest it imparts along outstanding performances in the center. However, the flaws are the inadequate fulfillment of the situation with a feel good ending or the implausibility in the drama including the investigation of the lost child and circumstances in which the child is found. Overall, it still offers a pleasurable watch keeping one engrossed.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

"A Little Princess" is based on the children's novel with the same title, published in 1905. Well, I haven't read this novel; and with what I watched in the novel, I can say the novel has to be something special churning the relegated childhood during wartime. Set as a fable, it depicts the childhood agony through a girl in an all girls' school, who is tormented to servitude by the headmistress after receiving the news of her father's death in the war.

The best thing of the film is the spellbinding central character performed by Liesel Matthews, which just sparks and leaves you mesmerized. Unlike the usual childhood innocence, it portrays the flaunting imagination and determination in a child. Apart this, it makes a lavish depiction of the period in the mood of a children's novel. Anyway, the depiction of Ramayan feels a weird though. But still in terms of the central performance and narration, the film is simply beautiful and imaginative, which still makes a fabulous watch with your young daughter giving a sense that every daughter is a little princess to her father.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

Very few movies have been centered in the medical profession and "The Doctor" is one of them, which the doctors ought to watch to reflect upon the relationship between patients and doctors. The subject indeed is commendable which hints the hardship of the profession and latent flaws in the attitude lurking in the health workers.

The film makes a realistic setting of surgeons and hospital arena discerning the .workload tackled by the surgeons. The film is moving and definitely makes a worth watching. However, it still lacks certain polishing in terms of acting and emotions it sweeps, perhaps for which it didn't make to much talked about movies, despite the goodness it has.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

Perhaps "Zakhm" is one of the overrated movies directed by Mahesh Bhatt. It's not bad, but still it lacks the ingenuity of Bhatt. It deals with communal harmony between Hindu and Muslim in which a single mother, Muslim lady, raises her sons following the Hindu traditions keeping her religion a secret amidst the communal riots raging in the country where her younger son turns into a Hindu fundamentalist while her elder son is aware of her identity as a Muslim.

A similar plot was weaved in Yash Chopra's second directorial venture "Dharmaputra." The plot had a lot of potentials to capture the emotions, which it does only in a retrospect. The film fails to provide any insights to end the religious disparity nor the narration of the film is very strong. The execution including the looks and supporting performances hardly raise above average. However, refreshing performances of Kunal Khemu and Ajay Devgan slightly raise the plodding script to a watchable movie.

Rating: 1 star out of 4.

A woman ditched by her husband in London opts for a fake marriage to return her country ultimately falling for him. This is the plot of this simple romantic comedy, which somewhat reminded me of Kangana Ranaut's "Queen." Perhaps it's one of the most underrated movies of the recent time, which has surprisgly garnered a low rating in imdb.

Believe me, it's not a kind of larger than life movie which will set history; but it's still an enjoyable film without a second of boredom, just like the light Hollywood entertainers "My Fat Greek Wedding" or "Nurse Betty." The non star cast gives a feeling of a TV movie but is nevertheless refreshing. The greatest virtue of the film is the refreshing camerawork and sound which superbly depicts the cityscape of modern London, for which I wished I had watched in it a theatre.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

This year I saw two recent Chinese series "Flight to You" and "The Centimeter of Love" which depicted aviation as a very serious business ad indeed it is. But "Airplane!" depicts the lighter side of aviation as a black slapstick with things beyond imagination. The wackiness of humor has no measures in it; and best of all, it entertains in the style of Marx brothers' classics like "Duck Soup."

Definitely aviation doesn't run in a way the film parodies. That's why the film was never included in in flight entertainment. But as an ingenuity of film making, the film still deserves an applaud as the makers sticked to their idea of making a mad comedy in which they succeed regardless the null message it conveys. So just sit and relax in one and half of madness feeling the humor of aviation cartoon strips for rest of the time. Overall, it's an experimental film in which it succeeds.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

Following Covid-19 pandemic worldwide, life wasn't same after government imposed lockdown nationwide in India in the beginning of 2020. The lockdown had a severe effect on the livelihoods of migrant workers and life came to almost a stand still when people were confined to their homes. The effect was adverse to completely cover in a movie.

The film focuses on a smaller social strata that were effected by the lockdown, including prostitutes, a workaholic pilot, youngsters trying to lose their virginity, an elderly man awaiting to visit his pregnant daughter, and a migrant worker. The film delves much into the world of prostitutes during lockdown, and in a way it seems Bhandarkar attempts to create more of a voyeuristic movie to lure the viewers than actually depict the plight of lockdown. However, the film achieves in depicting the hardship of migrant workers left in destitute to walk days to their villages, which appears much emotional in the screen. Overall, the film has its moments but is unable to leave the voyeuristic aspect of Bhandarkar movies, making it unsuitable to be watched with your family.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

The film deals with a morbidly obese teacher suffering from binge eating disorder and his relationship with his estranged teenage daughter. The film is more like a play than a feature film, which takes place in a tight apartment in a time span of few days dangling in the illness of the protagonist and just four characters who play their roles in his reconcilation.

It' s the power of mesmerizing performance of Brendan Fraser, which makes it a compelling watch despite raw premises it takes into., which some audiences might find obscure and incoherent. It's the relationship between Charlie and his teenage daughter which sparks by the end and makes it marvelous apart its fabulous setting, supporting performances, and Oscar winning role of Brendan Fraser.

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 4.

"Khal-Naaika" churns the story of the Hollywood flick "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" released a year ago its release; and it was released the same day Subhai Ghai's "Khalnayak" was released to tap in the later's controversy and success. Not jut the story, every scene and character is the same from the Hollywood flick though nowhere the credit is given.

In many parts the film stands inferior to its Hollywood counterpart. The film stars old stars, Jeetendra, Jaya Prada and Mehmood in the pivotal roles, which appear not more than the usual stereotypes and lack the freshness of the couple portrayed in the film. The saving grace is Anu Agrawal, who looks much meaner to the same in the Hollywood flick. The dialogues and gimmicks are ordinary; but the climax is a bit more fearsome to its Hollywood counterpart. Overall the film feels gripping and is watchable for Anu Agrawal and its stunning climax if you can let go the usual gimmicks of the 90s and the weary characters in the centre.

Rating: 1 star out of 4.

A posh bungalow with a happy American family and a nanny enters the house for her vengeance; sounds pretty cool., isn't it? It's a good looking thriller which holds your attention to some extent. At most it's a passable movie, good for its time; but anything extraordinary in it, perhaps not.

Overall the film does grip but whatever it projects lacks the tautness , the thrills are missing, and the characters are pretty bland heading for a weak climax. Certain portions are just inadequately done in this film. The fear and agony for the antagonist and the fire of vengeance is clearly missing in the antagonist.

Rating: 1 star out of 4.

"Faasle" is one of the movies of Yash Chopra, which isn't readily available in TV channels, streaming sites, or any other media; and rarely talked of. Well, I had to wait over 20 years to track it down; and surprisingly, it's one of the most unconventional and well made movies from the 80s.

The beauty with which Yash Chopra weaves romantic movies appears in "Faasle" in terms of its film making, narration, performances, music, and overall its beautiful filming locations. A trend of redefining romance and shooting foreign locations which continued in his better films like "Chadni," "Lamhe," or "Darr" started with this one.

Story-wise, it's an assorted tale of three love stories which take place under different circumstances and gaps created in between; adorned with delectable dialogues and superb ensemble acting along refreshing debuts of Farah and Rohan Kapoor. However, a shortcoming in its script overweighs its beauty; and it's the bland and surficial plot development which keeps one watching but doesn't strongly root the characters. Overall, it's one of those rare movies which despite the traits of good film making was written off to be dismissive.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

"Drishyam" was a taut thriller with some unexpected twists with a common man fending his family from law when his daughter accidentally commits a murder. The case is reopened after 7 years in this sequel, which is equally compelling and surprising to its prequel.

The film just continues the saga with the same backdrop and characters, and the sequel retains the same freshness of the first part. Despite a different director and the time lapse, the film perfectly gels with the first part and nowhere feels a different territory which most of the sequels feel. The first half is a bit slow with the background getting built up with the reminiscence of the first part. The second half is fully surprising with the viewers left to ponder on what went reprising repeated viewings. Perhaps it sets a franchise in family thrillers with a next sequel to be anticipated in "Drishyam" franchise. Overall, the tremendous performances, family theme, and the low profile it keeps turns into a masterpiece.

Rating: 3 stars out of 4.

"Mili" is a Hindi remake of a Malyalam survival drama "Helen," in which a restaurant worker is trapped in a freezer for 5 hours under -17 degrees fending for survival against hypothermia. Technically, the film deserves an applaud for the depiction of a character inside a freezer to hold the viewers for the anticipation it creates. It does take a break from the regular masala movies, but nevertheless lacks an intensity. Jahnvi Kapoor feels refreshing in her role, yet not to the calibre of "Gunjan Saxena," but rest of the cast is a let down which doesn't raise the movie above a TV show. The songs and music are too a let down and the ease with which the film ends is disappointing.

Rating: 1.5 stars out of 4.

"Doctor G" deals with the plight of a male post graduate medical student in gynaecology and his reluctance in treating the female patients. More than a social issue, it feels the tantrum of an individual the film tries to portray including some adult contents to buy the audiences. But the film remains watchable for its coverage of a noble concept including the life of medical students, never before examined so minutely.

The film has obvious flaws in its storytelling including an absence of a nice center or an intensity in character development, and its feel good ending doesn't make an impact either. However, the film sparks to an extent with its performances. Ayushman Khurana is good, but Rakul Preet Singh and specially Shefali Shah steal the show.

Rating: 1.5 stars out of 4.

"Hey Ram" is a fictionalized period drama revolving around the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and delves into the Hindu Muslim riots during India Pakistan partition. Gandhi had been made accountable for these riots and few Hindus vowed to assassinate him. Such character is portrayed by Kamal Hassan whose wife is raped and brutally killed in the riots, which leads him to join Hindu extremities to kill the Muslims and Gandhi till he withdraws the idea.

Subject wise the film is commendable which delves into a much untouched arena. While "Garam Hawa" portrayed the agony of the partition and "Bombay" vividly portrayed the Hindu Muslim riots, "Hey Ram" shows much of the brutality of the riots and the assassination of Gandhi goes into a background. Undoubtedly the film is technically superb and makes a gruesome depiction of the brutality of the riots. The film gets some brilliant acting and a right touch of period details. But the film is not for the masses and fails to grip in the absence of a tight script. The film feels more a preachy drama which at times is messed in the lengthy sequences of the riots than the ideologies of Gandhi and misses the human theme, for which the film doesn't work with the masses despite a brilliant film making it treasures.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.

Box office success doesn't necessarily assure a good film, and "Vijaypath" is no exception to it. It's a simple revenge movie full of improbabilities and stupidity. Perhaps the success of "Phool Aur Kaante" compelled the film maker to churn the action image of Ajay Devgan.

The plot is much contrived and the sequences created are simply amateurish. In between there are some well choreographed songs, which does a little to geld the story and mostly not situational. Perhaps it's what 90s mass craved for, a lot of action though there is less to offer in the plot. Overall, the film looks technically well, otherwise it's a forgettable film in terms of story.

Rating: 1 star out of 4.

Just wondered why imdb users rated this film so poorly and gave poor reviews. Well, the film is nothing like that. It's a subtle and nuanced drama about the problems of old age, in which Asha Bhonsle debuts in acting in a lead role. And to one's surprise, she just sparks in acting, much than singing.

The film centers around a mother in her late sixties suffering from Alzheimer's, just to be left by her son leaving the eldest daughter to look after her against her family's will. It's one of those movies in which controlling your tears isn't very easy as it's a story that happens around us with victims and victimizers within us. Technical aspects doesn't matter for such films. Perhaps it's a marvelous film on motherhood if you delve into it's storytelling.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4.