Devesh Sharma

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The film unfolds at its own deliberate pace, punctuated by twists that never feel manipulative.

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It is a film about Partition, but more importantly, it is a film about what survives after Partition has done its worst.

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Yet, this restraint may also be its contemporary strength. In an era of heightened nationalism and performative outrage, Border 2 largely avoids slipping into shrill propaganda, even if it occasionally panders to crowd-pleasing rhetoric. Its respect for the armed forces feels sincere rather than exploitative, its violence stylised but not gratuitous, its emotions earnest if slightly controlled. Ultimately, Border 2 works best as a tribute, not a reinvention. It honours real heroes, celebrates inter-service unity, delivers rousing action and solid performances, and provides audiences with the comforting familiarity of patriotic spectacle. What it lacks is the raw, unfiltered emotional abandon that made the original Border an enduring cultural artefact. This is a safe, well-mounted successor, stirring in parts, respectable in intent but one that reminds us that legacy is not merely inherited; it must also be boldly reimagined.

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They practically set the screen on fire together.

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Still, it is difficult to completely dismiss Daadi Ki Shaadi because its heart is in the right place. In an era increasingly shaped by nuclear families and emotional distance, the film addresses a growing social issue: elderly parents abandoned emotionally even when materially comfortable. Vimla’s loneliness feels painfully real and the film deserves credit for centering that experience within a mainstream entertainer. For all its over-the-top execution, the film’s compassion ultimately shines through. It may exhaust you with its noise but it also reminds you, quite movingly at times, that growing old should not mean becoming invisible within one’s own family.

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Aditya Dhar crafts a film that is detailed, unapologetically loud, and steeped in hyper-nationalism.

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This is less a conventional whodunit and more a slow, deliberate excavation of human nature, of the resentments, insecurities and quiet violences that simmer beneath seemingly civil relationships. The film uses the scaffolding of a murder mystery not to deliver shocks, but to peel back layers of its characters, revealing how fragile the idea of "love" can be when placed under pressure.

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Gandhari is like a layer cake put together badly. There are layers upon layers. Blindness, motherhood, child trafficking, mythology, revenge, a mysterious deity, Behrupiya culture, police investigation, betrayal, organised crime… but the layers don't hold.

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The screenplay is meandering, the editing slack and the direction often veers into juvenile territory. There are flashes of humour, mostly courtesy of Rohit Chaudhary as Sunny’s best friend but they are too few and far between to salvage the experience. Avinash Tiwary and Medha Shankr, both capable performers, do what they can with the material but even their sincerity cannot rescue a script that feels fundamentally out of step. One can’t help but wonder what drew them to a project so tonally confused and ideologically regressive. Ironically, the original Ginny Weds Sunny (2020), hardly a classic, now appears far more palatable in comparison. Perhaps the bigger question is whether Bollywood can move beyond this well-worn arranged marriage template. Because if this film is anything to go by, the genre isn’t just tired, it’s in desperate need of reinvention.

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Ironically, Governor leaves audiences with plenty of questions. The problem is that none of them are the questions the film itself seems interested in asking.

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None of the new tracks possess the infectious quality associated with classic David Dhawan entertainers. Ultimately, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai functions as a farewell letter from a filmmaker who once defined mainstream Hindi comedy. It is loud, excessive, illogical, politically incorrect in places and completely unashamed of its silliness. Some will find it exhausting, while others may appreciate its commitment to uncomplicated entertainment. As David Dhawan's swansong, it serves as a reminder of a cinematic era when laughter often came from chaos and absurdity rather than cleverness. Whether today's generation embraces this over-the-top brand of comedy the way audiences did in the 1990s remains uncertain. But there is no denying that Dhawan exits the stage staying true to the formula that made him one of Bollywood's most successful comedy directors.

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Haiwaan may not reinvent Oppam, but it remains an engaging thriller because its central character and cast keep it interesting. Priyadarshan understands that the best way to remake his own film is not to merely reproduce it.

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Despite its narrative shortcomings, Ikka remains an intelligent courtroom drama that values moral complexity over easy applause moments. It asks interesting questions, even if it doesn't always dramatise them as effectively as it should.

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Jab Khuli Kitaab, directed by Saurabh Shukla, is a tender, wise and unexpectedly witty meditation on love in its twilight years. Adapted from Shukla's own play of the same name, the film retains an intimate, almost theatrical texture, allowing silences and glances to speak as eloquently as dialogue.

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There is something reassuringly old-fashioned about a comedy that knows exactly what it wants to be. This film does not aspire to be clever, profound or particularly inventive. It simply wants to put a bunch of increasingly confused people in one place and watch them make a complete mess of things. And, for the most part, it succeeds.

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