Movie Review: Tum Bin 2
The storyline of this movie offers nothing new for the most part. While such formulaic, done-to-death plots are hardly a challenge for viewers used to Bollywood love triangles, there are other damning factors that make the movie difficult to sit through. Full Article
John returns as angry, beefy cop in 'Force 2'
In Abhinay Deo’s sequel to the 2011 film "Force”, John Abraham returns as angry, beefy cop Yash who is out to catch a mole working for the Chinese. Packed with action shorn of cliched romance and full of breathless chase sequences though the cobbled streets of Budapest in Hungary, “Force 2” could have passed the action film test with flying colours if not for that pesky thing called storyline. Full Article
'POW' hopes to break new ground
"POW - Bandhi Yuddh Ke" is a rare finite series (126 episodes of half-an-hour duration each), is an adaptation of an internationally acclaimed show (Israeli drama “Hatufim”, which was also the basis for popular American series “Homeland”) and is about war and its aftermath – a far cry from the melodramatic prime-time shows in India that focus on scheming mothers-in-law. Full Article
Ranbir Kapoor manages to bring some empathy
In one of the most prescient lines in Karan Johar’s “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”, a character tells another: “Only the insecure hide behind big words.” This might as well have been a comment on the film, with all the verbosity that is encompassed in 157 minutes of this romantic drama. Full Article
'Shivaay' feels like a three-hour tribute to Devgn
More than 25 years after he first made his debut in "Phool Aur Kaante", Ajay Devgn directs himself in "Shivaay" and if the 172-minute evidence is anything to go by, it would seem he was looking for a Bollywood relaunch. Because that's what "Shivaay" feels like - a three-hour tribute to Devgn, his myriad talents and the unrelenting showcase of his many qualities. Full Article
Bollywood hopes Diwali will light up box office
Bollywood is pinning its hopes on two of this year's biggest films opening on Friday to rev up a lacklustre box office for the festive Diwali season. Full Article
Anupama Chopra on Mumbai Film Festival
The Mumbai Film Festival, which was almost cancelled two years ago due to lack of funds, has been given a new leash of life by sponsors such as Reliance Jio and Star. Festival Director Anupama Chopra spoke to Reuters about the challenges of running a festival and whether too much of Bollywood can be a good thing for an event that once stayed far away from the Hindi film industry. Full Article
Saat Uchakkey
Sanjeev Sharma’s “Saat Uchakkey” (Seven Loafers) is a supposedly absurdist comedy about seven wastrels who plan a treasure heist in an ancient mansion. The film begins in a mental hospital, where a gullible young doctor is told of the legend of Bichchi, the institution’s most dangerous inmate who’s been in solitary confinement for 20 years. Full Article
Celebrity opinions blown out of proportion: Irrfan
Irrfan Khan is just back from Florence in Italy where he attended the premiere of his latest Hollywood project - Ron Howard’s “Inferno”, based on Dan Brown’s best-selling book. He spoke to Reuters about his role in the film, diversity in Hollywood, and why more Indian actors will cross over to the West. Full Article
Movie Review: Mirzya
In the most complex of Punjab’s tragic love stories, Sahiban dooms her lover Mirza to death rather than have him kill her family. Why she did that has remained an unanswered question till now. And by his own admission, it was this very mystery that compelled Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra to make “Mirzya”, a modern-day take on the age-old tale. Full Article | Harshvardhan Kapoor on his ambition
M S Dhoni: The Untold Story
Neeraj Pandey’s “M S Dhoni: An Untold Story” opens with a story that has been told a thousand times. It is no surprise that this official biopic begins and ends with that pivotal match. The scenes in between are packed with three hours of cricket, some song and dance and a lot of Sushant Singh Rajput. Full Article
'Parched' seems a little too contrived
The three leading ladies in “Parched” shine in parts, but their performances are hampered by some predictable writing and a director who seems to treat her characters and setting as a tourist rather than someone with an insider's point of view. The film therefore seems a little too contrived to be a memorable tale of women empowerment. Full Article
'Banjo' cannot be rescued
If you saw Ravi Jadhav's "Banjo" without any knowledge of his filmography, you'd think this was an amateur effort rather than a film by an accomplished director. Jadhav, who made the wonderful "Balak Palak" and "Natsamrat" in Marathi, seems to have lost his mojo during the transition to Hindi films and slides deep into mediocrity and cliches. Full Article
'Pink' is largely a triumph
Some of the scenes in "Pink" are wonderfully handled and the acting, especially by the three lead actresses, is top-notch. But the lack of attention to detail makes you wish the makers had paid some attention to how basic court procedures are handled. The film is largely a triumph that talks about a burning topic and finds an entertaining way to do it. Review
Shoojit Sircar on what Bollywood is doing wrong
Shoojit Sircar is happy that his first project as a producer is being praised for boldly talking about the issues of sexual assault and consent. The film-maker spoke to Reuters about the significance of the message in “Pink”, whether or not he ghost-directed it, and what Bollywood is doing wrong. Full Article
Om Puri wants more 'socially conscious' films
The Indian film industry needs to break out of its mould and produce more hard-hitting films that challenge its audience, veteran actor Om Puri said. Puri, who has acted in both Hollywood and Bollywood and was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire), said Indian filmmakers should draw on the country's rich culture and history. Full Article
Baar Baar Dekho
In Nitya Mehra’s “Baar Baar Dekho”, a young man on the cusp of a new life gets a glimpse into his future, giving him an otherwise impossible chance to go back and forth in time to fix the mistakes that we all seem to make in our relationships. Full Article
“Freaky Ali” doesn’t quite “putt” it
Under the flimsy cover of a sports film, “Freaky Ali” is just another Bollywood ‘good guy versus bad guy’ movie. This is an unabashedly populist film that makes no attempt to actually understand the sport at the centre of it. Every character is a caricature and every plot point already seen in a thousand other films. Full Article
Interview: Nitya Mehra on 'Baar Baar Dekho'
For a debutant director, Nitya Mehra has an impressive resume. The Amritsar-born filmmaker has assisted Mira Nair in “The Namesake” and Ang Lee in his Oscar-winning “Life of Pi”. She also worked on the Indian version of the TV series “24” and assisted Farhan Akhtar on the crime thriller “Don 2”. Full Article
"Akira" suffers from outdated treatment
In A R Murugadoss’ action film “Akira”, Sonakshi Sinha plays the eponymous protagonist, a feisty college student who is being chased down by four corrupt police officers. In an industry flooded with macho heroes who save damsels in distress, Akira is an exception – a girl who fights for herself and punches the men where it hurts, writes Shila Jamkhandikar. Full Article
Movie Review: Island City
In Ruchika Oberoi’s anthology, three strangers and their fates interconnect in unexpected ways, giving us an intimate and wonderfully observed film about people who are, in some form or the other, isolated and desperately looking for an anchor in their lives. Set in Mumbai but with characters that could belong anywhere, Oberoi manages to sketch the lives of three lonely people eloquently. Read
Movie Review: A Flying Jatt
There are many limitations in Remo D’Souza's repertoire as a director but in “A Flying Jatt”, he combines humour, a social message and out-of-this-world fight sequences to give us a film that looks like a box-office winner, even though it won't win any prizes for film-making. Full Article
Movie Review: Happy Bhag Jayegi
Mudassar Aziz’s “Happy Bhag Jayegi” is a romantic comedy about a runaway bride who wants to escape an unwanted alliance, but lands in more trouble than she bargained for. The plan goes awry and she lands not in the arms of the man she loves, but in another country. Full Article
I love taking risks with my work: Anil Kapoor
Not many Bollywood film stars go from the big screen to television, but the Indian actor and producer Anil Kapoor has not had a traditional career. "People say that movie stars and big movie stars don't do television because from the big screen you're in everybody's bedroom, it's small screen. So that risk was there," Kapoor told Reuters in an interview in London. Full Article
UnIndian is the quintessential film for expats
Anupam Sharma’s “UnIndian” is the quintessential film for Indian expats - full of great locations, pretty houses and a thousand clichés about Indians and their ways. Set in Australia, but mostly among the Indian community there, the film is a somewhat clunky effort at a cross-cultural romance, with a predictable conflict and resolution, writes Shilpa Jamkhandikar. Full Article
Bollywood twist on time and love
It is not easy fusing a cocktail of genres including music, comedy and time travel into a movie, but the leading stars of new Bollywood film "Baar Baar Dekho" hope to convey a multi-faceted love story. Full Article
Movie Review: Mohenjo Daro
Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Mohenjo Daro” is supposed to be a historical epic that recreates one of the oldest-known civilizations and one that can still give us important lessons on democracy, the environment and good governance. Unfortunately, those lessons hardly get a chance to come to the fore, hidden behind tacky sets and a singularly one-toned film that never manages to create enough drama or entertainment. Full Article
Regional Focus
Bollywood’s new promotional hot ticket
“Chala Hawa Yeu Dya”, a garish, sometimes tacky but always boisterous show is Bollywood’s new hot ticket when it comes to promoting films, signalling an increased focus on regional markets. Full Article
Star Speaks
We don’t need to just shove in a song anymore, Shah Rukh Khan says
The Indian film industry is changing and films no longer have to have a song and dance sequence to be successful, superstar Shah Rukh Khan said. "The younger filmmakers and everyone, they know that, you know, we don’t need to just shove in a song anymore," he said. Full Article | Video
Latest News
Cash crunch puts brake on India's cotton exports; rivals to gain
MUMBAI/BENGALURU Exports of 1 million bales of cotton from top producer India have been delayed after a government move to ban high-value currency notes prompted farmers, who prefer cash payments, to postpone sales, industry officials told Reuters.
India aims to boost low-grade coal sales while global prices high
NEW DELHI India is trying to boost sales of its low-quality coal by offering more of the fuel at home and initiating steps to lower freight costs, while global prices are high, with the government hoping the moves will help cut imports.
IS claims attack that kills dozens at Shi'ite mosque in Kabul
KABUL Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a crowded mosque in Kabul on Monday that killed more than 30 people and wounded dozens, its third major attack on minority Shi'ites in the Afghan capital since July. | Video
India gets muted response to small discovered field auction
NEW DELHI India's first auction of small discovered fields drew a tepid response with local firms dominating the auction for operating assets estimated to hold 625 million barrels of oil and oil equivalent gas.
Government allows farmers to buy seeds with old 500 rupee bills - statement
NEW DELHI The Indian government has allowed farmers to purchase seeds with old 500 rupee banknote from state-run outlets, the finance ministry said in a statement on Monday.
Spinners wrap up India win over England in 2nd test
VISAKHAPATNAM, India India spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Jayant Yadav claimed three wickets apiece in the second innings to lead the hosts to a comfortable 246-run win in the second test against England on Monday and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Wall Street at record highs as techs, energy stocks rally
The Dow, S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit record intraday highs on Monday as Apple and Facebook propelled technology shares and oil prices boosted energy stocks.