Zinia Bandyopadhyay

in Firstpost

At times, it feels as though you are watching the movie in 0.75x speed. At 3 hours and 15 minutes, Toxic could have benefited from some serious trimming.

in India Today

Directed by debutant duo Debatma Mandal and Tushar Kanti Ray, the series encapsulates all the classic elements of a Neeraj Pandey production, including its signature sepia-toned aesthetic. With Pandey at the helm of the script, the show unfolds as a taut thriller, packed with twists that keep you hooked till the very end. While some moments may be predictable, the unexpected turns far outweigh them. The first episode, though loaded and dense, effectively lays the groundwork for what follows. The pacing remains consistent throughout, and the authenticity is maintained with a well-balanced integration of Bengali dialogue (as a Bengali, I found it seamless and was relieved to find no mispronunciations). However, what truly elevates the show is its cast and their performances.

in India Today

The character, who idolises Mahatma Gandhi, just suddenly decides to take up celibacy, with the makers not giving the audience any understanding whatsoever as to why it would be important for her. At times, the dialogues turn unintentionally funny too (which, sadly, is fatal for a biopic like this)!

in India Today

The songs of these films are forgettable, and do not stand out at all. It is also ill-placed. With a 2 hour 44 minutes run-time, it just goes on and on, to a point where you may feel like why are you even in the theatre.

in India Today

Probably this scene, more than showcasing the brutality with which the Maoists operate, establishes the fact that the makers will exercise no nuance or subtlety whatsoever. Oddly reminiscent of the scene in ‘The Kashmir Files’, the makers seem to have taken the note from them (and not the best note).

in India Today

Shoojit Sircar has his signature way of dealing with subjects in his films. Many might consider it slow, and there is no denying that. But that’s the same quality that makes them heartfelt and poignant. He did it with October and Sardar Udham Singh, and he does it with I Want To Talk. The film is a display of Sircar’s craftsmanship and his grasp of the film. If you are into heartfelt dramas, the pace of the film will not bore you. Instead, it will make you more invested in the character through its fly-on-the-wall-style storytelling. Arjun Sen’s journey feels personal, and that is all thanks to how Sircar chose to execute the film. Kudos to Ritesh Shah too for bringing a story like this to life. Sircar also intersperses the narrative with comic elements. It is brilliant how he introduces relief through Sen’s interactions with Dr Deb.

in India Today

Firstly, the film’s runtime seems to be its biggest hurdle that stops it from becoming the perfect heist drama. Spanning for almost two and a half hours, it could have been significantly shorter. In fact, this was a feature film and not a web series, which is why the melodrama fitted here and there, the constant flashbacks of something we saw just minutes ago, and the stretched climax do not quite work in the film's favour.  As the film approaches its end, you see what's coming, something that mars the build-up for a thriller. Of course, you get the whiff of what might ultimately happen in the end, but then, stretching it sort of kills the thrill. The screenplay is what could have been majorly worked on. With Neeraj Pandey being the screenplay writer as well as the director, he had more control. Yet, the loopholes are glaring that hamper the cinematic experience. The editing could also have been worked on, to make the heist drama more engaging and thrilling. The sepia tone also looks a bit too much, given we aren't even going back to the 90s here.Â

in India Today

Hansal Mehta is a master craftsman, and he proves it once again with The Buckingham Murders. He holds the reins of the film with the perfect grip – neither too tightly for it to be just another run-of-the-mill murder mystery nor too loose for it to spill everywhere and let audiences’ attention scatter. And, he also knows how to get the best from the actors. In fact, he even amazingly portrays grief with the change in appearance of his lead actor, Kareena Kapoor. He makes it a point to show a stark contrast in her appearance in frames where she remembers the moments with her son.

in India Today

The best thing about the film is, undoubtedly, Rani Mukerji’s performance. To play a mother who is fighting for her kids in a foreign land, being questioned about her way of raising them can be very difficult and emotionally straining. It is evident that the actress gives this role and this film her all. She is brilliant in every frame and keeps her performance consistent throughout the film. She has the power to move you, to make you understand how heartwrenching it is for her to be separated from her young children for no concrete reason. She is also fighting a lone battle where no one is truly understanding the emotional turmoil she is facing. She hits the ball out of the park and delivers one of her career-best act.

in India Today

Much of the credit actually goes to Raj Mehta, who was able to take the original and mould it perfectly to suit the sensibilities of the Hindi film audience. What’s even better is that the director, who had collaborated with Akshay in Good Newwz, has been able to tap into his comic timings and make Vijay Kumar a shadow of how Akshay Kumar is. So, you see a character who is just like how fans see Khiladi Kumar to be and who is not afraid to take a few jibes at himself as well. So you have his wife, played by Diana Penty, making fun of the star’s ‘masoode wali smile’ and you will not be able to hold back the laugh and marvel at Kumar’s ability to take a joke on himself at the same time.

in India Today

Directed by Himank Gaur, the screenplay of the series has been written by Hussain Dalal and Abbas Dalal. It is the screenplay that you might have a complaint about, as it seems not-so-genuine. What was very important for the series to achieve was empathy for its lead character, as well as the friends he has. However, it is this that is not well established, which in turn creates this gap for the audiences to stand with Vasya in whatever he does. The series would be a treat for Bhuvan Bam fans, who would get to watch the YouTube sensation play a completely new character for close to three hours. But beyond that, the show might not hook you on to its narrative. It’s a 2.5 out of 5 stars for Taaza Khabar.

in India Today

Watching the film might give the impression that the entire industry made it their mission to undermine the vaccine and the dedicated scientists behind it.