arupghose Reviews

The Final Table (2018)

A culinary journey worth watching

[7/10 · 24 May 2020]

Some of the 'traditional dishes' that the chefs were required to create were a joke - how is Butter Chicken India's? How is the English breakfast England's? Seems a little disappointing but hey.

Then let's take a minute to talk about the judges. Why and how did the creators think it was okay to have celebrities judging food? Hassan Minhaj had NO clue how to judge food but thought being funny would get him through it. Also why did they have 'celebs' who aren't even famous? Hassan Minhaj doesn't even reside in India! They should have just had food critics for each country and left it at that. No need to commercialise the program - people are watching it for the love of food and not celebs.

Then onto the final. Timothy played it safe and created a dish he has made before, many times! So why did the judges think it was the best? I felt for Darren, whose dish was technically amazing and seemed like it hit the right notes. It was also new, something he never did so why wasn't he the winner?

Mahabharat (1988–1990)

Never ever will anything else compare!

[10/10 · 4 May 2020]

Nothing will ever compare, it's as simple as. No matter how many times it gets recreated, the simplicity and effectiveness of this Mahabharat is on another level. Considering the budgets (lack of), it is remarkable what the end result was.

I cannot image anyone else in the major character roles now which shows how amazing the casting was done and I am glad that no major celebrities were chosen as it would have added too much glam to the role.

If only technology was better back in those days, but considering it wasn't, the creators did a fantastic job in making it look realistic.

It's a must watch for every household, whether Hindu or not, whether Indian or not.

War (2019)

Huge potential but massively underwhelming

[6/10 · 10 February 2020]

I had very high expectations of this film. The trailer had me jaw dropping at the action sequences and the screen presence of Hrithik and Tiger. The build up was immense, but sorry to say it was a mega disappointment on the big screen.

The film had everything in it to become a hit - a brilliant lead duo, Yash Raj banner, chart-topping music but it just didn't hit the right note because of a poor script! Too much of the film is unrealistic. I know that colossal hits like Baahubali were unrealistic too BUT they're set in a periodic/mythological scene so it's fine! WAR isn't such a film so the filmmakers need to appreciate that!

Hrithik looks a million dollars. He oozes class, looks the part and plays his role perfectly. Tiger matches up brilliantly and their on-screen chemistry is phenomenal. Vaani Kapoor is a waste. Why the YRF banner is hell-bent on selecting her I don't know? If they want someone with a low budget sex-appeal they could've gone for so many others who would've pulled it off better - Jacqueline or Kiara for example.

The music is another plus point - from the background score to the chart-topping Jai Jai Shiv Shankar and Ghungroo. The action is first-rate and at times, no different to what we're used to seeing in Hollywood.

On the whole this could've been something else, but instead due to a poor script it was a massive flop for me. Yes it'll break lots of BO records, but it could've been closer to Baahubali if there was a proper script.

Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019)

Watch it once, but don't rush!

[6/10 · 10 February 2020]

Enjoyable. Nothing special but worth a watch.

Kartik is quite natural and does a pretty good job. I think the role is too easy for Bhumi so knows she can do far better, but it's a commercial film so why not. Ananya is pretty poor. She has no screen presence and at times it feels like she's reading dialogues - I can't see her around for long. Aparshakti is a star and I hope to see him in more films - his comic timing is excellent.

Marjaavaan (2019)

Worse than a B-grade film

[2/10 · 10 February 2020]

I've never watched a B-Grade film but this gave me the perfect understanding of what it would be like! Trashy dialogues, unconvincing actin and diabolic script. The only one saving grace is that the music is fantastic, but in that case just listen to it on YouTube or whatever.

Tara can be forgiven for choosing this as her second film - she's new and will take whatever comes her way but why did Ritesh and Sidharth, both established actors, think that this would be a good option?

Super 30 (2019)

Inspirational

[10/10 · 14 July 2019]

I've been so happy with the kind of films Bollywood have been creating in the past 3-4 years and Super 30 continues that trend. Biopics can be a wonderful way of learning about people and their struggles to become the great human they are and this is a special tribute to the selfless Anand Kumar.

This is amongst Hrithik's finest work alongside Jodha Akbar, Lakshya and Koi Mil Gaya. He has practically entered the soul of Anand Kumar and put it on the big screen for us to all see. The way he inspires the kids throughout the film is an inspirational for us all. I was really impressed with Mrunal Thakur even though her role was a small one, she was energetic and had a great screen presence.

A must watch film.

Zero (III) (2018)

Pathetic attempt at making a film

[1/10 · 16 February 2019]

SRK - overacting Anushka - a disaster Katrina - a waste

The film - who thought this would even be good? The first half is acceptable but the second is a joke. I would've given this ZERO stars if it was possible. Worst film

Paltan (2018)

Extremely poorly made film

[3/10 · 6 January 2019]

Paltan is a very poorly made film. The first half is very slow and fails to grip you whatsoever. The acting is weak, the dialogues are awful and the screenplay average. The final was scene was marginally better but couldn't recreate the epic scenes from Border.

What made Border the film it is was it's performances. Sunil Shetty and Akshaye Khanna were at the start of their careers but were able to deliver career defining roles. Then add seniors like Jackie Shroff and Sunny Deol. Unfortunately in Paltan no one really steps up. I was extremely excited when I saw Gurmeet in the film but he lacked the power the role required. Arjun Rampal was ok. Sonu Sood a little disappointing. Harshvardan Rane actually impressed me so I'm surprised he hasn't done more films. Jackie Shroff has limited scope but delivers his role fine. Luv Sinha and Sidhanth Kapoor not worth talking about. On the whole the starcaste was not up to standards. I'm not saying you have to pick Sunny Deol to make a good war film but pick better actors!

Not sure what Anu Malik was thinking when he created the music. It's so bad!!! How amazing was the music in Border, Refugee etc but this is pathetic. Shame he used Sonu Nigam for 2 songs but they were extremely poorly created.

On the whole Paltan is an extremely weak film which fails to tell an epic war story well to its audiences. JP Dutta hasn't made a good film for a very long so perhaps he needs to reconsider his strategy.

Simmba (2018)

Don't think too much. Just enjoy it!

[8/10 · 2 January 2019]

Simmba was clearly made with Ranveer Singh in mind because I cannot think who else could play this high energy, over the top character but the man himself. The role is perfect for the kind of person he is (off screen) so quite naturally he did the role justice. His funny one liners will leave you in splits whilst his action is outstanding. YES it is over the top sometimes, but you just have to live with it and move on, after all it is Rohit Shetty and Ranveer Singh! The first half is full of fun and frolic whilst the second half is intense and dark.

Sara Ali Khan has very limited scope in the film but she looks stunning and has a nice chemistry with Ranveer. Sonu Sood is just fantastic and delivers a Dabangg like performance yet again. Ajay Devgn got the biggest cheer of them all after his entry and his small cameo performance was outstanding.

On the whole it's an entertaining film bringing out the best of Rohit and Ranveer's strengths. Rohit needs to continue with such police films as it is clearly his strength and perhaps give Golmaal a rest for a while!

Andhadhun (2018)

Indian cinema at its absolute best

[10/10 · 2 January 2019]

No doubt one of the best, if not THE best film of 2018. Soooo many twists and turns - you simply cannot predict what is going to happen next, which is what makes this film unique. This is a must watch.

Ayushman is the soul of the film and delivers his best role to date. I cannot believe the role was offered to Harshvardhan Kapoor initially, but thank god he turned it down! Tabu once again shows why she is one of the most underrated actresses of our time. She continues to get into the skin of the character and also delivers one her finest performances. Radhika Apte is natural.

Mirzapur (2018– )

Taking Indian TV to new heights

[10/10 · 18 December 2018]

Let's get this straight - this is nothing like Bollywood. Indian TV has never experienced anything like Mirzapur before. We've seen many gangster films like Kaante, Vaastav, Shootout in Lokhandwala/Wadala, etc but Mirzapur is different in many ways. There is no filter. There is no need for imagination. This shows it how it really is and actually how frightening life in India can be.

One of the best things about this is that you cannot predict what will happen. Just watch the first episode and try and predict it. I tried and failed, and that's why I was gripped throughout the 9 episodes.

Performances are top notch throughout even when you may question the casting initially. I never would've considered Divyendu as a Gangster or never would have considered Vikrant Massey in his role but they are excellent. I'm a big fan of Pankaj Tripathi and think he will go a long way in TV and Bollywood.

Can't wait for Series 2!

Thugs of Hindostan (2018)

A massive disappointment of what could've been something EPIC!

[5/10 · 26 November 2018]

Thugs of Hindostan is an epic disappointment but I still believe it's not as bad as some people have made it. There's been many worse films and in fact Aamir Khan has a few which would trump this!

The film has too many cliches, awkward dialogues and cringe worthy moments. Too much is placed on the Aamir v Amitabh line up but in the end, neither really match up. The direction is super poor. The major positive is the action sequences. The film does have some funny and exciting moments which does make it a 'watch it once' type film but yes don't waste your money and watch it in the cinema for sure!

Aamir does his best and his character comes off well at times but the majority of the time it does feel a little forceful. He is comfortable in the role, but the comedy element was lacking, especially when trying to speak English. Amitabh also does his best in a pretty flawed character but one does think why he would take such a role? Perhaps because Aamir was in it? Fatima Sana Sheikh was awful - God knows why she was casted (Aamir's recommendation no doubt) but she had no expressions whatsoever in what could've been a really career defining role. I don't see her as a leading actress that's going to do that well. Katrina does her job well - dance and look good, but she is pretty much there for eye candy and that's it.

Gold (I) (2018)

A full on entertainer reliving the glory days of India post independence

[8/10 · 26 November 2018]

It's without doubt a family entertainer giving a real sense of patriotism and pride for your country through the game of Hockey. It's very well written, with very good attention to detail. I'm no hockey expert so I can't comment too much but the games did look realistic and well directed.

This is no doubt one of Akshay Kumar's top performances of recent times and continues his love affair with patriotic films after Rustom, Airlift and soon to come Kesari. Mouni Roy is here to stay - she's got a lovely screen presence and plays her role with ease even though there wasn't much screen time for here. Amit Sadh is one of my favourite actors now. I loved his work in Breathe and this just shows what a versatile actor he is. Sunny Kaushal is also exceptional, especially when showing emotion and I think he'll go a long way. Kunal Kapoor shows why he is one of the most underrated actors but it would of been good to see more of him.

One of the biggest flaws in this film is the commentator's voice used for the 1948 Olympic games. Many in India may not appreciate it, but having been born in UK I can tell that the voice used is more from today's generation than one that would be from the 1940s. It very much ruined the experience for me because it just didn't go with the theme of the film. I also didn't think the excessive dancing and songs were required - especially Chad Gaya Hai.

M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016)

Cinematic excellence at it's absolute best!

[10/10 · 3 October 2016]

Doing a biopic is a tough job, especially when it is of a cricketer who is a national hero, loved like no other with a fan following no less than a big actor but hats off to Neeraj Pandey for nailing this one.

The film shows us the struggles of a young and determined Dhoni's ambition to become an Indian National team cricketer. The story grips you throughout! As you learn more and more about this amazing player and captain, your respect goes up for him by 10 times because of what he went through to get there. He isn't just your average man, and the film shows exactly why that's the case.

Neeraj Pandey is no doubt one of the best directors in the industry. His films are straight to the point, minus the commercial nonsense which too many of today's films contains. I loved A Wednesday, Special Chabbis and Baby so much, so I was so excited to watch this, and he hasn't disappointed. The amount of detail he has gone into is amazing.

As for the performances, Sushant's performance was breathtaking! As a cricketer myself, I can appreciate the work he put into really understanding the game and learning how to bat like Dhoni. It is safe to say that his hard work paid off - he's mannerisms, the way he walks to the creases and the shots were practically perfect and at no point do you think that this isn't Dhoni himself! This is no doubt his best work, and in my opinion the best male lead performance of the year to date! As for the two leading ladies, they both looked beautiful and did justice to their role. What can you say any Anupam Kher which hasn't been said before? He excels in every Neeraj Pandey film, and he does it again as Dhoni's father. All the other support case is excellent. I really like Dhoni's friend circle in the film and how they support him throughout all his troubles.

The music of the film is another highlight. Amaal Malik has done wonders and delivered one of the best albums of the year. Jab Tak, Kaun Tujhe, Besabriyaan are 3 of the best songs of the album and go perfectly with the film. Again, I'm happy there's no 'commercial' rubbish like an item song, which would have ruined the film.

Yes the film is over 3 hours but it honestly doesn't feel long enough. You won't want to leave the cinema hall because you'll feel you haven't found out enough about the legend. I can't wait to watch the film again!

Piku (2015)

Two stars at the peak of their powers

[9 September 2015]

You have to love Shoojit Sircar and the way he takes a topic from every day life onto the big screen. Looking after an ageing parent is something most children will have to go through but the pressures and precious moments involved in this experience is told beautifully in this film.

When you have Amitabh Bachchan in your film, you know he will be the life and soul of the film, but in this one he isn't the only one. Deepika has come leaps and bounds as an actress in the past 2 years. I'm so glad that she is doing roles like Piku which challenges her to take on different languages, genres and therefore experiences. She is brilliant in her role as Piku and her father-daughter bond with Amitabh is priceless. Amitabh is just superb! His witty one liners, his funny bengali dialogues and his body language is perfect! There is simply nothing to fault in the legends performance. Irfan Khan just goes from strength to strength and it's no longer a surprise when he delivers sublime performances anymore. He is so natural in his character.

The music of the film is perfectly suited! No lip syncing, no item songs and no silly lyrics - it's what more films needs to do! Anupam Roy has a great voice and a brilliant talent.

Overall Piku is a great family film. You'll love it more if you're a Bengali.

Mahabharat (1988–1990)

The greatest story ever...told in the most majestic way!

[10/10 · 10 June 2015]

Mahabharat is the finest story in the history of Hinduism and India (then known as Bharat), and one of the finest in the world. It teaches us so many things - family, friendship, love, patience, truth and truth amongst a few. Regardless of your religion or culture, it is something every individual should have the chance to experience.

A key factor to the success of Mahabharat is the characters that have been chosen. You really struggle to find someone who doesn't suit their role. The obvious stand outs are Nitish Bhardwaj as Krishna, Mukesh Khanna as Bheesma, Feroz Khan as Arjun, Virendra Razdan as Vidhur and Pankaj Dheer as Karna but every single character plays their role so well. They are all power houses in their own rights! I feel bad to leave out the likes of Gajendra Chauhan as Yudishtir, Roopa Ganguly as Drapaudi, Puneet Issar as Duryodhan and Gufi Paintal as Shakuni, but the characters mentioned were just above everyone else in terms of their performances.

My favourite scenes (in chronological order): - Vasudev walking across river Ganga with baby Krishna - Pandavas and Kauravas exhibition - Draupadi Swamvyaar - Gambling game - Arjun's meet with Lord Shiva - Krishna going to hastinapur as peace messanger - Krishna virat roop - Kurushektra entrance song - Arjun and Yudishtir returning Bheesma's blessings - Bheeshma's falling - Arjun and Karna fight scenes - Karna's death

The attention to detail is brilliant too. Little things like Krishna, Drona and Draupaudi were known to have darker skin tones - this was shown.

Unfortunately there is a lot of major stories that were missing, but it's understandable that not everything can be shown. For instance, Arjun's marriage to Ullupi and Chitrangda were not shown (although were shown in Mahabharat Katha) and Karna's marriage (also shown in Mahabharat Katha).

I know there has been many remakes of this epic - Sanjay Khan's version, Ramakant Sagar's version and the more recent Star plus one but my god they're all miles away! Visually this Mahabharat isn't fantastic - in the late 80s they wouldn've have had such visual skills available to them but they've still managed to achieve a lot. The focus on the story, character choice and the acting is more important, and that is something this Mahabharat will always have over the other versions.

I've watched Mahabharat endless amount of times so I pretty much know the story off by heart now. It's amazing and something I will always watch, and hope my kids will enjoy too. I would love to meet the actors to listen to their stories and what happened behind the scenes.

Shamitabh (2015)

Two powerful performances, but far from Balki's best!

[6/10 · 14 May 2015]

Shamitabh...Instantly you think of two legends - Shammi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachan. Obviously there is no link to Shammi Kapoor in this film but you have to admit it's a great title.

Shamitabh isn't quite what I expected it to be when seeing the trailers and reading the synopsis. Amitabh and Dhanush are both nothing short of brilliant in their respective roles, but i think the story is flawed in many areas and just doesn't grab your attention. I'm not sure how big Dhanush will be in Bollywood, but he clearly has created a niche for himself. Without a single dialogue, he matches Big B in terms of his screen presence so well. He is full of expression and very energetic. Amitabh, as always is the soul of the film. Not only is his acting just top notch but when you watch Dhanush, but hear Amitabh's voice you remember just how amazing his voice actually is. Akshara wasn't as a bad as I thought, but she does not have the looks to go far in Bollywood. Perhaps if we could merge the two sisters (her acting and Shruti's looks) and you'd have something pretty decent!

I didn't like the music. Piddly is no doubt the most catchy and what most people will remember the film for.

On the whole Shamitabh is an okay film - a must watch for both Dhanush and Amitabh, but considering the work Balki did with Paa and English Vinglish it's a disappointment.

Haider (2014)

An acting masterclass, but a plot that loses you too many times

[7/10 · 16 March 2015]

Vishal Bharadwaj has an excellent reputation in the Hindi film industry, but his films clearly aren't for everyone. You could never sit with the entire family and watch Omkara, Saat Khoon Maaf, Kaminey or Haider but he does what he does pretty well. Haider is no doubt one of his better films, but it's a story that loses you way too many times. Not that I glance away from the screen that much, but some of the dialogues aren't clear enough for the average movie watcher to understand.

Shahid Kapoor delivers his best work to date. He eases into the role of Haider and shows what he is really made of. It seems that only Bharadwaj can bring out the best in him because his other films clearly don't bring out anything in him! His on screen presence with Tabu is excellent and one of the best mother-son combinations in recent times. Tabu is back with a bang and it's great to see her in a different avatar to what we've seen in the past. She is a powerhouse of acting talent, and Haider allows her to portray this. KK Menon is also back with a bang, and does an excellent job in the negative role. Shraddha Kapoor looks beautiful, and delivers another good role to her already growing portfolio of good work. Irrfan Khan is just too good and I wish he had a more meatier role.

The music of the film is really good - Khul Khabi and Aao Na are my favourites. Not sure what Vishal is doing with the song Jhelum though?!

On the whole Haider is a good film, but certainly not one that I would put forward to win any best film awards. It does deserve two awards - Best actor for Shahid and Best supporting actress for Tabu.

Queen (2013)

The Queen of all films in 2014

[9/10 · 24 February 2015]

I finally managed to get round to watching Queen, months after it was released and a month or so after it started winning the best film awards so I knew the film was good but just not how good! Queen is a proper family film - something they don't really make these days. It's a film full of emotions - touches of romance, touches of sadness, and lots and lots of laughter! The performances of every individual (including the non Indian actors) were perfect, and I now cannot see anyone else doing it better.

Kangna is the heart and soul of Queen and puts together her best performance to date. We all loved her roles in films like Gangster, Fashion and Once Upon a Time in Mumbai but this is head and shoulders above them all - firstly in terms of screen presence but also her actual performance. I love her simplicity and naiveness at the start of the film and how she develops into an outspoken street smart lady by the end. This is performance is one of the best female centric roles in recent times.

Lisa Haydon is a revelation. She looks super sexy on screen but also very funny and shares a lovely on screen friendship with Kangna. Rajkumar Rao looks at such ease in his role and does a fantastic job.

The music of the film is definitely catchy, and suits the film but not quite an album that I'd listen to on a regular basis.

Overall the film deserves all the accolades. It shows the sky is the limit for all individuals, and nothing should ever stop a female from thinking this. Watch this film for Kangna and her electrifying performance.

PK (2014)

Another inspirational blockbuster by Hirani and Aamir Khan!

[9/10 · 30 December 2014]

5 years is a long time to wait for Hirani and Aamir's next, but after 3 Idiots you knew it would be worth the wait. PK does not disappoint whatsoever. It brings together everything Hirani's films are about, with on screen excellence by all involved. I'm not sure whether PK will escalate to the same levels as 3 Idiots did, but it won't be far behind that is for sure.

PK heavily relies on Aaamir, and there is no way you can imagine anyone else in this role - It is one of those films simply made for an Aamir Khan. Every single scene in the film is interesting. Not at any point will you think the film is slow or you're lost. From the very start where PK enters, to the interval to the final scene - you're simply laughing non stop with endless emotions to go alongside it. There are a few flawed scenes however which is why I didn't give it a perfect 10 score. Also the condom scene and the 'dancing car' scenes are a little cringe and quite awkward to watch if you're watching with family.

Performance wise Aamir Khan is at his supreme best and this will be considered up there with his best work ever. His bhojpuri dialogues, his silly mannerisms, his naivety and simpleness are all portrayed on screen with such ease. Anushka Sharma is outstanding in her role as Jaggat Janani and you really do find it difficult to think who else could have done the role as well as she did. To stand so tall in every scene with a powerhouse like Aamir - a lot of credit has to go to her! Sushant is effective in his short role. Boman Irani and Sanjay Dutt are two who could have had meatier roles, but then again the film didn't require it. Saurabh Shukla is first rate! All the performances in the film leave their mark, which is something we have become used to with a Raju Hirani film!

The music of the film certainly adds to it, and it's a typical Hirani album. My favorites are Bhagwan hai kaha hai tu and Chaar Kadam.

Overall PK is a super hit film. One of those films which you can watch over and over again. Watch it for the simple facts that it is a Raju Hirani film. If you're an Aamir fan - you're in for a delight. If you're not - watch it for an outstanding performance!

Ungli (2014)

A welcome take on corrupted India

[7/10 · 7 December 2014]

I didn't really have much expectations of Ungli. The trailers looked okay, but it didn't give much away and didn't really excite me but the film really does surprise and is very much worth the watch. Ungli is all about corruption in India, which is by no means a new story line but its portrayed quite nicely in this film. While there is nothing 'outstanding' about the film, and its not likely to come close to any box office records it's one of those films that is a good family film - without an obvious genre.

Performance wise it's really a group effort. Randeep Hooda has a lot more screen time in the first half, but Emraan Hashmi in the second. Sanjay Dutt is pretty much the main character throughout the film and does a stellar job of a role that is very easy for him. Randeep yet again puts in a brilliant performance and is now such a reliable actor. It's quite clear that he isn't a mainstream hero, but as a supporting actor he is one of the best in the industry. Emraan is his charming self, and it's quite nice for him to do a film which contains no obvious romance. Kangna and the others do well in their respective roles too.

The music is catchy and suits the film well. I'm quite happy that the songs weren't randomly pushed in requiring the actors to actually sing, but more in the background which suited the film. Dance Basanti is very catchy (Shraddha looks fantastic!), Auliya and Pakeezah are both beautiful.

Overall the film is a good watch but nothing amazing. Watch it for Randeep and Emraan.

The Villain (2014)

A brilliant story centered around two villains

[7/10 · 1 December 2014]

The massive hype around Ek Villain was for two major reasons - Mohit Suri's next directional project post the huge success of Aashiqui 2 and for the same reason, Mihtoon and Ankit Tiwari's music and on both fronts, the film must be deemed as a success.

Mohit Suri hits the nail yet again with this film, and has no doubt become one of the top directors within the industry. What I like about him, is that he does brilliantly with upcoming actors (think of what he has done with the likes of Emraan Hashmi, Siddharth Roy Kapur and now Siddharth Malhotra). Ek Villain is an emotional roller coaster! Certain scenes between Siddharth and Shraddha leave you fuzzy and romantic, and then other scenes (involving Riteish) leave you angry! I loved the way the story was told.

This film is a turning point in Sidharth's career. Initially I was worried he would turn into another Imraan Khan, but far from it. The guy has talent, looks the part and had a lovely on screen chemistry with Shraddha. Looking forward to his next films. Shraddha is awesome! She's charming, energetic, romantic and cute all packed into one small package. I must admit that her constant 'Hey Villain' throughout the film can get a little irritating, but when you look at her sweet smile, you tend to forget everything else. Riteish is a revelation and I hope to see him in such negative shaded roles in the future. He plays the 'innocent but deadly' part so naturally, and he has set very high standards for himself that he needs to continue meeting.Good to see Aamna Sharif back - not only did she look stunning but she played Riteish's wife very well.

Regardless of how good the script and performances was, the real winner of the film is the music. Mithoon is one of the best talents in Bollwyood, and every time I see his name as the music director, I know the album is going to be a super hit (Bas Ek Pal, Aggar, Lamhaa, Anwar, Murder 2, Aashiqui 2 and now add Ek Villain to that list). Each and every song is brilliant but my favs are Humdard (Arijit does it again), Galiyaan (Ankit's best work to date) and Awari.

Overall the film is a big hit with the twists, performances and music. An overall winner for me!

Happy Ending (2014)

A totally disappointing attempt at a typically boring story

[3/10 · 1 December 2014]

RomComs (or Romedy as they refer to it in the film) has become such a major trend with Bollywood, and whilst there are many good ones out there - Happy Ending is certainly not one of them! Happy Ending is a typically clichéd film, with plenty of 'obvious' moments in the film, supported by very poor acting and a weak script. The story does not flow whatsoever, and after the intermission you're sort of unclear of what is actually happening. The 'happy ending' of the film is too obvious, and you already know what it will be around 3/4 of the way through the film.

Saif Ali Khan is a very seasoned actor, but he is not able to carry such a film on his shoulders. Whilst his performance is okay at best, the storyline of the film just doesn't help him whatsoever. He is able to pull off some funny scenes quite naturally, and plays the casanova guy role off with ease but how many times is he going to play such a role? Ileana looks lovely on screen, but her chemistry with Saif is quite dry. Ranvir Shorey is the scene stealer each time! He is brilliant as Saif's best friend and some of his one liners will leave you in stitches. Kalki is her usual annoying self, but I guess that is her forte right? Govinda is funny in bits, but a little over the top at times . It was lovely to see Preity Zinta back again, even though it was a small role, and while she pulled off her part quite effortlessly, she doesn't look nearly as good as she used to - unfortunately for her (and I absolutely love her), age has taken a toll on her look.

The music of the film is catchy with my favourites being Jaise Mera Tu and Khamma Ghani, but any music album that consists of a song like Paaji Tussi Such A Pussy Cat should be placed in the bin!

Overall the film is a total bore, and you really question why you even decided to watch it. My advice is to save yourself and watch a proper RomCom!

2 States (2014)

A beautiful reflection of Hindu marriages

[8/10 · 25 November 2014]

I haven't read the book by Chetan Bhagat so I had no idea how good or bad the film would be, but I was pleasantly surprised.

2 States portrays the every day troubles of different backgrounds of the Hindu culture coming together for marriage. A hardcore punjabi family vs the soft and calm tamil family, is a representation of all mixed Hindu marriages and Abhishek Varman showns this very naturally. Arjun and Alia's romance, especially in the university days is very cute and When the two families get together later on in the film, there is some brilliantly funny scenes!

Both Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt did justice to their respective lead roles and have a fantastic on screen chemistry. Alia comes off perfectly natural on screen (she has overacted in some films), I think a lot of people will stand up and notice her after this performance. This is a standout performance for Arjun, away from the action packed films like Ishaqzaade, Aurangzeb and Gunday. He plays the confused Punjabi boy perfectly. The scene stealer on many occasions however was Amrita Singh! She is a fantastic talent - why she doesn't do more films is beyond me, but hopefully after such a lovely performance she will catch more attention. Ronit Roy plays his role excellently. Revathi is also very sweet in her role.

The music of the film is another plus, and certainly adds a lot to the film. My picks are certainly Mast Magan and Locha-E-Ulfat.

2 States is a must watch, firstly to watch a simple but beautifully put love story, but also for some excellent performances!

Holiday (2014)

Akshay back to his best, backed with a solid script

[8/10 · 25 November 2014]

I've not been a die hard fan of Akshay Kumar but I've loved some of his serious roles like Special Chabbis, however he doesn't do enough films like that. Yes he is very good at comedy, so Holiday is a film right down his alley - funny, action and romance.

Holiday is a very well scripted and put together film. It's of course not crack free, but Akshay's performance manages to pave over most of them. I love the way the film leads up to the final scenes, with a lot of well built up drama, but the let down at certain times was due to the comic aspect of the script which sometimes took over too many scenes.

Akshay Kumar is effortless in his role, and I hope to see more roles like this in the future for him. His romance with Sonakshi is natural, his comic timing is perfect and his role as an Army Officer is played excellently. Unfortunately for him, Sonakshi Sinha is a major let down. Her performances all feel the same - Rowdy Rathore, Bullett Raja, R...Rajkumar and I doubt it will change any time soon. Her role adds no depth to the film, and whilst her chemistry with Akshay is fine, she needs to challenge herself far more. Newcome Freddy Daruwala is very good in a negative role and I hope to see him a little more in the future but he needs to work more on his expressions. Govinda is no more than okay.

The music of the film does help, but some of the songs are stuck into the film for no reason at times. The film is an Akshay film through and through so watch it for him. AR Murugadoss has put together a neat film, which will certainly make you feel a lot of respect for the world our Indian army do.