Rishabh Suri

in Hindustan Times

With an actor like Konkona at the helm, the film's world acquires gravitas. Uneven chemistry and a finale that lacks the sting it promises dilute the impact of what could have been a far more provocative film.

in Hindustan Times

The core problem is that this feels less like a film and more like an extended ‘maha episode’ of a daily soap.

in Hindustan Times

The second half is where my feelings about the film turn conflicted. While the idea of exploring the war through the lens of all three uniformed services is genuinely novel, the execution of the war itself is average at best. The budget and VFX are spent on expanding scale, but that becomes part of the problem. There is simply too much of it. The beats feel familiar, and in places, repetitive. We have seen this grammar of war cinema before. The climax, however, pulls the film back from the brink and redeems much of what precedes it, which means patience post-intermission is rewarded.

in Hindustan Times

But wait. There is a film here. A genuinely interesting one, buried somewhere between the cringe-filled beginning and the exhausting end. Whenever Chand Mera Dil shifts its focus to life after the honeymoon phase, it comes alive. The moment the conflict kicks in, the film pulls you in and surprises you with genuinely solid drama. The second half thus begins on a promising note. And then the makers get carried away, seemingly unaware that the film is entering its climax with an almost empty fuel tank. Lakshya delivers a genuinely sincere performance in a role that demands a great deal emotionally. When he breaks down on screen, the anguish seems real. But what’s a love story without chemistry? Locking lips, unfortunately, is not enough. Ananya Panday emerges as the weaker link here.

in Hindustan Times

Overall, perhaps the biggest issue with Cocktail 2 is that it constantly reminds you of a better film. The original Cocktail was messy too, but it had heart and characters you cared about. This spiritual successor has the gloss, the glamour, but not the emotional punch. Some drinks are best served once.

in Hindustan Times

Overall, Dhurandhar: The Revenge is a film of two very different halves. For its ambition, it doesn’t quite recreate the immersive world-building that made the first part stand out.

in Hindustan Times

Overall, Gandhari has the ingredients of an emotionally charged thriller, but fails to bring them together. Its familiar premise gets a few interesting twists, and director Makhija stages the action with conviction, but the writing is too convenient and the emotional core too underdeveloped to make Bani's journey truly moving.

in Hindustan Times

And yet, there are fleeting stretches where the film is easy to watch, almost in spite of itself.

in Hindustan Times

Hai Jawani Toh... proudly wears its nonsense on its sleeve. Yet, even by the standards of a David Dhawan comedy, the first half gets off to a dull start.

in Hindustan Times

Overall, Haiwaan is a thriller that promises more than it delivers. The premise is strong, and the climax finally brings the tension that the film has been searching for. But getting there is a long journey.

in Hindustan Times

Overall, Ikka doesn't leave you debating its twists or admiring its legal fight as the best courtroom dramas often do. Instead, it leaves you wondering how a film with Sunny Deol and Akshaye Khanna ended up feeling this ordinary.

in Hindustan Times

On paper, Kartavya, also written by Pulkit, has all the ingredients of a gripping emotional drama. Yet somewhere between it's political intrigue and caste commentary, the film struggles to make you truly invest in it's characters. It begins on an intriguing note, drawing you into Pawan’s race against time and the question of how he will track down the culprits on the run. As the narrative progresses, the beats become increasingly predictable. Two major factors hold the film back. First is the antagonist, Anand Shri, who doesn't leave the impact the story wants him to. His henchmen repeatedly build him up as a terrifying force, but the audience rarely gets to feel that menace. Apart from a couple of dialogue-heavy scenes, the character remains distant and underwhelming.

in Hindustan Times

The climax is nothing to write home about. Yet, the film finds its strength elsewhere. An actor as charming as Madhuri Dixit seamlessly into Rekha’s world. Ironically, the very beauty that has been celebrated for decades in real life becomes a burden for her character, something that invites gossip in a small-town setting. It’s a clever touch, and one that feeds directly into the film’s most effective turn towards the end, lending the story an emotional resonance that lingers beyond the laughs.

in Hindustan Times

Overall, perhaps what lingers most about Main Vaapas Aaunga is that it isn't really a film about Partition or even lost love. It's a film about memory itself. About the people and emotions that refuse to leave us, even when everything else begins to fade.

in Hindustan Times

Ultimately, Mardaani 3 may not reinvent the franchise, but it reinforces why it matters. Even when it treads familiar ground and doesn’t quite land all its twists, the film remains anchored by the sheer authority of Rani Mukerji’s Shivani, a screen presence that still cuts through noise. I am giving an extra half star for what gives this chapter its continued relevance- its refusal to look away from crimes against women and children. It treats the subject not as spectacle but as a grim, ongoing reality that demands accountability. This chapter works less as a shock and more as a statement of continuity. Mardaani 3 may not be the sharpest entry in the series, but it is a sobering reminder that Shivani’s fight, much like the crimes it confronts, is far from over.

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