Movie Reviews

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Faltu

  Few titles express public sentiment better than this film’s. It’s called Faltu only, to use popular Indian expression. And that’s what most will assume the film to be – wasteful -- for two socially significant reasons. Read On..

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  'Memories In March' - cathartic saga on love between men (Movie Review)

  Strangely, it is women who render themselves effectively to the cinema of loss and bereavement. Don't men suffer when they lose someone precious? In a subtle sly way, debutant director Sanjay Nag's "Memories In March" poses this question on gender attitude towards loss and tragedy.

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  Mayank Shekhar's Review: Monica

  One MJ is a newspaper editor in this film. The reference, I suppose, is to Akbar. And not the king of pop with the same initials. Monica (Divya Dutta), a hot, hungry reporter, works under MJ. She also sleeps under a telecom minister to rise to the top of her profession. What that dizzy top means, we'll get to in a bit.

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  'Life Goes On' - a poised, gentle look at the bereaved heart (Movie Review)

  One of the many pleasures of watching this supple evocative family saga is to see the timeless Sharmila Tagore share screen space with her real-life daughter Soha, who by the way, has never looked lovelier.

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  Despite uneven edges, realistic 'Monica' worth a watch (Movie Review)

  One doesn't know if the real-life journalist Shivani Bhatnagar was meant to be a kind of promiscuous enigma. But that's how she is purported to be portrayed by writer-director Sushen Bhatnagar. A kind of Madame Bovary (a novel by French writer Gustave Flaubert) of the fringe world.

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Yeh Faasle

  Every film needn't merit a review. Some deserve little reports addressed to loved ones alone; just so they know you're fine, and that you really did survive the movie. Or as in this case, almost survived, up till a point, beyond which it became possible to take it anymore. Read More..

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  Tanu Weds Manu: Clichéd story, wonderful moments! (Movie Review)

  Tanu Weds Manu, according to critics, has a cliched storyline, but has some unconventional and unpredictable situations. The narration of the story is slow according to some critics.

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  'Tanu Weds Manu' - watch it for Madhavan (Movie Review)

  Why should you watch "Tanu Weds Manu"? For R. Madhavan who will win you heart as a sweet lovable NRI doctor Manu who has the misfortune of falling in love with a Kanpur-girl Tanu (Kangana Ranaut) who not only rejects him as a suitor but also uses him to elope with her ruffian boyfriend.

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  'Tanu Weds Manu' - a tale of attraction among opposites (Movie Preview)

  There is a saying that opposites attract -- and director Aanand L. Rai explores it in his romantic comedy "Tanu Weds Manu", starring Kangana Ranaut and R. Madhavan, which releases Friday.

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  '7 Khoon Maaf', a winner by Vishal Bhardwaj (Movie Review)

  Chalk up an absolute winner for the Vishal Bhardwaj-Priyanka Chopra team. They make a coherent vision out of an inconceivable marital crises.

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: 7 Khoon Maaf

  It's quite a 'David Lincher' (Zodiac, Se7en) sort of scene, if you will. A frustrated army major points his half broken leg towards his wife -- half-circling it to the right of the screen, calmly sipping on whisky from his couch.

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  Saat Khoon Maaf gets mixed reviews!

  While Priyanka Chopra's performance has been given a thumbs up, not all critics are happy with the flow of the film. While some say the movie loses its grip after the first hour, others feel the intense study of grief and grime is successful in touching the soul.

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  '7 Khoon Maaf' - Bharadwaj ready with black comedy (Movie Preview)

  Vishal Bharadwaj's fetish for big screen adaptations of books and plays is well-known. Continuing with what he is best at, the multi-faceted filmmaker is bringing on screen Friday "Susanne's Seven Husbands", which has Priyanka Chopra as a sinister woman who knocks off her husbands one after another.

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Patiala House

  To use popular journalese, the peg of this Patiala (House) story is British racism of the early '90s. This is around the time Indians and various other coloured minorities were targeted by white skinheads in the increasingly multi-racial neighbourhoods in the UK.

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  "Patiala House" -- A father-son story at heart (Film Review)

  It takes us just five minutes to get the hang of this film's narrative structure. It is as nimbly-paced as a fast-bowler playing cricket in a wide-open field trying to avoid all the roar and din of the cheering crowds in the stands.

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  Will 'Patiala House' mark bullish turn for Akshay? (Movie Preview)

  After a disappointing last year when most of his films saw a bearish turn at the box-office, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar is hoping that his first release of the year, cricket based family-drama "Patiala House", witnesses a bullish trend in the movie business. The film is releasing Friday.

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  "Yeh Saali Zindagi" - roller-coaster ride not for the weak-hearted (Movie Review)

  To describe the roller-coaster ride that is "Yeh Saali Zindagi" is to attempt to draw the picture of the Red Fort at the seaside. Every attempt to define the plot will be washed away by forces beyond our control.

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  Mayank Shekhar's review: Utt Patang

  Vinay Pathak, the hero of that 2007 sleeper hit Bheja Fry, plays the common man. Again. He’s 35, excited to have picked up a hot girl from an Indian bar. Good for him. His wife’s an imposter. She’s heading out of the country with someone else’s bag of money.

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  Movie Review: Yeh Saali Zindagi

  Irrfan plays a chartered accountant (CA) in New Delhi. His expertise, I suppose, should hold serious value in one of the most corrupt capitals of the world. It does.

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  'Yeh Saali Zindagi' about twisted tales of love (Movie Preview)

  Known for making realistic and thrilling cinema with romance as an integral part, director Sudhir Mishra returns with "Yeh Saali Zindagi", about the unpredictability of life and complexity in relationships.

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  Mayank Shekhar's Review: Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji

  Three things unite Indians, argues the hero's boss, repeatedly: films, cricket, and weddings. Most other occupations of the unengaged mind, it appears, Madhur Bhandarkar has made 'inspiringly' titled movies on already: Jail, Fashion, Chandni Bar (dancing women), Satta (politics), Corporate…!

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  Bhandarkar's 'Dil Toh Bachcha..' a charming sex comedy (Movie Review)

  Ummm….Picture to achcha hai jee. Disregarding the rather strenuously upbeat ending "Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji" (DTBHJ) turns out to be quite a charming and clever concoction.

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  'Dil Toh Bachcha..' explores child within every man (Movie Preview)

  They say men never grow up and filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar is exploring this pyche of men in a humorous way through his new romantic comedy "Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji" releasing Friday.

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  Mayank Shekhar's Review: Dhobi Ghat

  Munna (Prateik, immeasurably natural), Shai (Monica, easygoing) dig into keema pav at a local Irani cafe. The boy’s handsome. The girl’s hot. The two would yet make for a weird couple at a restaurant in Mumbai.

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  'Dhobi Ghat' - a stunning debut (Movie Review)

  Every year literally hundreds of thousands throng to the city of dreams, Mumbai. To cover so many dreams in a small span of an-hour-and-a-half calls for some brilliant filmmaking. And watching "Dhobi Ghat" will make you realise that there indeed have been very few debuts as stunning as this one.