Movie Reviews

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Dam 999

  Walking over a bridge, the Kerala couple in this film, ex-lovers, look towards a river embankment before them. "Do you remember this dam?" the hero asks. "They're like us, holding pressure!" Audience laughs. Here's why. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Desi Boyz

  You figure this formula for the moolah could be a post-2000 film by David (born Rajinder) Dhawan. It turns out his son’s the director. Generations change. So do audiences. Same garbage gets recycled still. We deserve it.

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Shakal Pe Mat Ja

  Don’t judge a book by its cover. So this film’s title suggests: Shakal Pe Mat Jaa, don’t go by the looks. I see the hopeless looks on people’s faces as they emerge from this movie just as I’m about to enter its next show. Read On..

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  Critics' verdict: Rockstar gets mixed reviews

  Though Ranbir Kapoor has delivered one of his best peformances so far, the film's script fails to live up to expectations. While AR Rahman's music is a plus point, Nargis Fakhri's performance disappoints. Here's what critics are saying about the movie.

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Rockstar

  The canvas is wide like early Sanjay Leela Bhansali's; bird's eye view of the stunning bridge is very Mani Ratnam; witty, earthy dialogues are so Vishal Bhardwaj. Director Imitiaz Ali manages to retain a personal, auteur's touch in a genre vastly commercial. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Loot

  Govinda is yet the super-star here, who doesn’t need dialogue sheets for his lines, he can get away blabbering anything. Javed Jaffery ad-libs alongside. Sunil Shetty is He Man. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Miley Na Miley Hum

  How many times must a debutant hero emerge from the same screen, to repeatedly announce his arrival: The one here first gets out in slo-mo from a BMW (first shot), then out of a chopper (to meet his mother), on a Lexus convertible (that his mother gifts him), bang in the middle of a wedding dance party (in a village), into the tennis stadium (where he plays the National finals)…. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Damadamm

  This film has a special song. The hero creates enough excitement in its anticipation. He finally takes the stage. We’ve all gathered at a posh, aiyash party. The announcement begins, “Ladies and gentlemen. Here’s presenting a philosophical research that has been conducted on mangoes, incorporating in it romance, humour and fun. Please give it up for Sameer…” The song goes, “I miss you baby. Like mango. Oh, ho, like mango!” Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Tell Me O Khuda

  Here’s the story: The heroine’s an artiste of sorts. Much later in her youth, she figures that she’s in fact an adopted child. Confused by this strange turn of events, she leaves home, generally curious to finally meet her biological parent. Her boyfriend remains by her side. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Ra.one

  Before adequately warning children against trying any such stunts, the super-hero leapfrogs over and at right angles of a running train. writes Mayank Shekhar. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar Review: Mod

  Women hesitate when they talk (“hitchkichate hain”), only if they’re confused about someone. Or very confused,” says the aunt (the warm Tanvi Azmi), nabbing on to the fact that her niece might be in love. The girl Aranya (Ayesha Takia, charming, refreshingly different, no doubt) is 25, I guess. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Azaan

  India’s under biological attack. Why, is unnecessary for you to know. Any gibberish will do. One man can save this country. How, is irrelevant. The only important thing for us to worship is, this man. “Kehte hain iss par Allah ka haath hai (They say, he’s blessed by Allah).”

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: My Friend Pinto

  The film’s lead character is a proverbial village idiot. Prateik Babbar plays Pinto. There is a visceral quality to his screen presence. You can sense it right away. It may not be enough to support an entire movie. But it’s endearing.

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Love, Breakups, Zindagi

  He’s young, in his early thirties, yet already twice divorced. His father was in the ball bearing business, which as you may guess, must be a fact quite hard to grow up with. Kids at school would give him a hard time, his dad was after all the “ball bearing man.” Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Soundtrack

  These are musicians world-famous, north of Mumbai’s Worli. The front man is the resident DJ at a nightclub called Tango Charlie. When not spinning on the console, his partner’s busy with a groupie going down on him in the greenroom. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's Review: Rascals

  The two main blokes in this movie are called Chetan Chauhan or Chetooji, and Bhagat Bhosle aka Bhagguji, named after, we presume, Chetan Bhagat, popular writer of lowbrow English fiction. These fellows play small-time thugs, conmen; out to kill each other’s game. It might of interest to viewers to know exactly who they are, besides the characters they fake. A background might take, maybe a minute or two, to explain. The writers couldn’t care less. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Chargesheet

  Of the trio that ruled Hindi cinema in the 1950s, Raj Kapoor is long gone, Dilip Kumar has been ailing for a while, Dev is still a competing star, director, writer, and if need be, the audience for his films. Dev's genius may defy description. Mayank Shekhar writes.

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Force

  You could see this film following the return of seriously mind-numbing violence at the theatres. But that’ll only be partly accurate. Action mainly for action’s sake had never really left the building. Mayank Shekhar writes.

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster

  It's the page-turner script that steals the show. It's packed with enough turns, intrigues and twists to hold your attention, keep you guessing. All of it bound by some sort of logic still. Mayank Shekhar writes.

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Speedy Singhs

  The makers have roped in actor Rob Lowe who plays a sports coach and Candian stand-up star Russel Peters who does the same old, jaded gags that he’s doling out, I hear, for 22 years now! Between the two of them, the producers could have run out of money to spare. The movie’s execution remains slightly amateurish, fairly tacky, mostly "NRI movie" type. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Mausam

  Harry (Shahid) doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t womanise. In the real world, such a man would be dangerous! In the pictures, he makes for the ideal Rajshri Prem-type Bollywood hero. Ayat (Sonam), on the other hand, rarely talks, radiantly smiles, shyly whispers. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Jaana Pehchana

  I walked into a film called Jaana Pehchana, a prophetic title, given that the phrase means familiar. Unlike most readers on this page, I knew this was going to be a sequel to Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se. I stepped out having watched two pictures for the price of one, both this, and almost wholly, the 1978 Rajshri hit. Read On..

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

  Katrina Kaif plays the said "rock chick". It’s hard to tell if her character’s restlessly rebellious, or plainly retarded. There's a thin line between the two, something that relatively similar, far more enjoyable, recent romantic comedies have managed to balance out incredibly well, writes Mayank Shekhar.

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  'Mummy Punjabi' - a condensed soap opera (Movie Review)

  Today there are more soaps on television then the real soaps in people's homes. Hence, when going to watch films, audiences expect more than a melodramatic, disappointing and condensed soap opera, which is exactly what "Mummy Punjabi" is.

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  Movie Review: Bol

  Shoaib Mansoor is one of the brightest names to come out of Pakistan. A few years ago, his film KHUDA KAY LIYE, which tackled the theme of terrorism, won wide acclaim and praise. The supremely talented storyteller is back with another bold and hard-hitting effort called BOL. Read On..