KebbyPro Reviews

Yodha (2024)

Nice story but hyped up antics

[5/10 · 21 March 2024]

This movie is about a special unit in the Indian Armed Forces that specializes in dealing with extreme situations, mainly counter-terrorism. The story is written in an extremely good way, with plot points being revealed slowly throughout the movie.

However, the screenplay is bogus. The makers have tried to portray the lead actor in a larger-than-life role where he kills people half a mile away with his pistol! Moreover, there are plot loopholes that are quite laughable. For example, the Prime Minister of India is visiting a foreign country (especially a hostile one), and all the bodyguards are so incompetent that they are killed off and shot by the terrorists. The Prime Minister and the Principal Secretary are alone with the terrorists, which shows how lowly the makers think about the Indian Armed Forces. Due to these loopholes, this movie could not become a cult classic action movie, and the hard work done by the actors went off the drain. I would recommend watching this movie once, but never twice.

Dream Girl 2 (2023)

Comedy of Errors did not land

[4/10 · 23 October 2023]

This movie attempts to do a comedy of errors but not able to land the jokes. Very few of its jokes land properly and most of them seem outdated. In 2023, jokes about replacing b reasts with oranges seem to be 20 years too late.

Ayushmann Khuranna is the only saving grace of this film. He looks more confident in his look as a female than Ananya Pandey in her look as an actual female cast. This could easily chosen a single topic and ddress it, yet the makers chose to bank on the good name of its prequel. The confusion and hoch-poch do not make much sense, except for some jokes by the other character actors. I would not recommend watching this, either in a movie theatre or on Netflix.

Kaala Paani (2023– )

Well written thriller with social commentary

[9/10 · 23 October 2023]

Kaala Paani is a viewer's delight. The beautifully written storyline is a testament to the writing chops of Biswapati Sarkar, who adds social commentary in this beautifully narrated story. Set in 2027, it does not leave a chance to comment on a pandemic/epidemic stricken world and the experience of human survival through the COVID-19 pandemic may be a major factor behind this.

Moreover, I like how the Andamans and Nicobar Islands are treated in this story. These islands are not included in the general discussions in Indian households as there are very few mainstream movies/series based on these islands. The writers have good knowledge of the geography and history of Andamans.

Overall, this is a good series that keeps you hooked to your seat.

Heart of Stone (I) (2023)

Nice Venture - Beginning of a series

[8/10 · 19 October 2023]

Heart of Stone is quite an edge-of-seat thriller that can appeal to a large set of audience. The star cast will also attract a lot of people to watch this on Netflix. I liked the pacing of this film, with always some new action happening on the screen. The chase sequences are awesome, especially the one in the desert.

However, though with the ensemble cast, it becomes predictable at some points. It becomes quite obvious what would be the next step for a certain actor. Gal Gadot and Alia Bhatt are sure audience-pullers, but I don't believe that they will boast of this proudly on their resumé. Overall, this is a good one-time watch, and I would wait for its next installment.

Khufiya (2023)

Not a great Espionage Thriller

[5/10 · 19 October 2023]

In short, I expected better from Vishal Bharadwaj. I did not read the book before watching this movie, yet parts of it were quite predictable. The primary condition of creating a spy movie is to add twists and turns to the plot. Khufiya has very minor twists, and that is through the camerawork. The plotline was as straight as a nose.

However, I would give credit where it is due. The background score and the dialogues are quite good. The acting is good, too, with credible performances from Wamiqa Gabbi, Tabu, and Ali Fazal. The character of the grandma is quite entertaining, too, in spite of being predictable.

I would like to rate this as a one-time watch.

Fair Play (2023)

Changed my mind midway

[8/10 · 19 October 2023]

The trailer depicts this film as a raunchy affair between two people who work at the same place. This may be a good marketing call as this strategy can attract a lot of audience to this movie. However, it has quite a boring start. But it picks up pace in the later part and ends on a high note. With this pace, I was expecting twists and turns at any point in the movie.

I am delighted with how this movie turned out to be. It shows both the man's perspective and the woman's perspective in a nuanced way. At one point, I felt that the man was guilty, and the next minute, I felt that the woman was quite cunning. This feeling oscillated between both protagonists and when the movie ended, I needed around 15 minutes to think about the final outcome and who should be pronounced guilty. I realized that both of them have fallen prey to their situation and I hope that is what the director wants to portray.

OMG 2 (2023)

Fantastic storyline

[9/10 · 17 August 2023]

I watched this movie solely because I liked the prequel to this movie (OMG), and I had faith in the creators. And I was not disappointed. This movie presents a courtroom drama with the theme of sex education in India. It covers all the arguments from both sides - for and against - sex education from early education. The arguments are interesting yet funny. The story design is quite laudable, and I sincerely praise the creators for masking such a sensitive topic under the garb of courtroom drama with divine interventions. Pankaj Tripathi plays his part quite brilliantly and adds meat to the role. My only complaint is that the makers make him sing a song that does not match well with his normal voice. The creators could have easily chosen any other character/ side character/ extra for this song. Overall, I would recommend everyone to watch this movie, especially if you are a parent to a child/teen in India.

Gadar 2 (2023)

Encashing on the nostalgia

[4/10 · 17 August 2023]

This movie is purely based on the strong points of its prequel and plans to encash the nostalgia value. I believe people would flock to the theatre to watch Sunny Deol and his chemistry with Ameesha Patel. However, both of their roles seem quite minimal; instead, the role of Utkarsh Sharma seems to be quite elongated. It looks like he is the main hero of Gadar 2. Though he did well on his part, my money is still on the charisma of Sunny Deol, based on whose goodwill people may go to the theatre to watch this movie. The set design and the production value are not that great, as attention to detail is missing. I cannot fathom a truck driver in the 1970s living in a house with wooden floors. The creators have focused more on enhancing the sound of the bombs (I received notifications of loud noise on my mobile phone!). I would recommend not watching this movie in a theatre; instead, wait for an OTT release.

The Kashmir Files Unreported (2023– )

Good documentary

[8/10 · 17 August 2023]

This documentary converts the research footage Mr. Agnihotri and Ms. Joshi captured during their research for the movie The Kashmir Files. However, it's not just supplementary material for the movie; it stands out as a separate documentary itself. The narration and the story flow seem near perfect, with the creators combining interview portions that are similar and relevant. Moreover, the reflection episode where the creators comment on the effect of the movie on the conscience of the Indians and the Indian diaspora around the world is quite commendable. Critiquing your work takes some guts, and the creators were able to pull it off. Overall, I would recommend watching this documentary as it shows actual footage and the research on which the movie The Kashmir Files was based.

Bawaal (2023)

Nice storyline

[7/10 · 24 July 2023]

The writers of this movie have created a nice storyline with a mix of two plots that nobody can imagine. I never thought that I would watch these two plots, one on WWII and the other one on small-town marriage, in one movie (not a spoiler: revealed in the trailer). But somehow, the movie makers have managed to bind these two plots in a nice storyline. Jahnvi Kapoor plays her part quite well and looks like she wants to play the character and prove herself. On the other hand, Varun Dhawan looks like he is sleepwalking through this movie. His expressions are not quite impressionable, leaving viewers wondering why did he actually sign up for this file. Other characters like that of Manoj Pahwa add beautiful humor in the film. Overall, this is a one-time watch (probably with your significant other).

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Watch it in IMAX

[9/10 · 24 July 2023]

This movie can be easily called a masterpiece by Christopher Nolan. Though this is a well-known and well-documented story, I think the way it was presented by the director is jaw-dropping. Never in the entire running time of this movie, I felt bored. All the characters essayed the roles in a beautiful way too. Cillian Murphy looked and acted really like Dr. Oppenheimer. Robert Downey Jr.'s role as Lewis Strauss is a class apart too. From the promotions of this film, I thought Robert Downey Jr. Would play a side role, but his role was almost as important as the lead character in this movie. Nolan's play with the black-and-white scenes and their interplay with the chromatic scenes seem like a genius move. I would suggest people to watch it in IMAX, if possible.

Kohrra (2023– )

Thriller with an onion peel approach

[9/10 · 24 July 2023]

This thriller series is a slow burn and the story follows an onion peel approach where each layer of the story is revealed slowly through multiple episodes. It was even shocked with the truth bombs dropped even in the last 20 minutes of this series. All the actors have played their roles brilliantly. Special kudos to Barun Sobti, who has essayed the role of a Punjabi policeman without being a Punjabi by birth. His dialogue delivery and the accent capture is to the point. Also special thanks to the storywriter for developing this story with its beautifully stitched timeline and raw nature of the characters. I would recommend everybody to watch this series. You can also binge watch this as there are few episodes with running time of 40 minutes each.

Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023)

Nice story with a twist

[8/10 · 6 July 2023]

Satyaprem Ki Katha is a nice story with a sharp twist around the interval. It explores marriages in a traditional Gujarati society that is still divided by the rich-poor class divide yet joined with patriarchal notions. The topic it introduced still shocks me, and it is good to see such topics being discussed in an A-list Bollywood movie. The star cast of this movie fits the storyline quite well. It almost feels that this is the story of my next-door neighbor. The only criticism that I have is that the editor could have done a better job in editing the runtime of this movie. This 2hrs 25 mins runtime cannot be justified at any cost, it could have been easily fit into 1hr 50 mins. Overall, I would recommend everyone to watch this movie with their family.

Lust Stories 2 (2023)

Good anthology of short stories

[7/10 · 5 July 2023]

The stories in season two of Lust Stories revolve around different depictions of lust, revenge, and their effect on social life. The first story revolves around a free-spirited discussion of sex before marriage. It tries to normalize these taboo discussions but, in my opinion, fails to represent the topic whole-heatedly. If a discussion is supposed to be free and open, then replacement terms for the word "sex" should not have been used so often.

The second story revolves around the voyeuristic desire to watch other people have sex. This film by Konkona Sen Sharma brings to light a different way of enjoying sex in this sex-starved country.

The third story by Sujoy Ghosh is a nice attempt to present a thriller entrenched with lust. But I would prefer this more in the Ghost Stories franchise on Netflix. However, the acting and the chemistry of the actors in this short film are superb.

The fourth story revolves around the life of the character played by Kajol, a prostitute-turned quasi-queen of a village. The twists of this story make this a definite watch.

Overall, this is a good watch for both young and old generation. But who am I kidding? Most people will anyways watch this.

Afwaah (2023)

Good social commentary & bad direction

[5/10 · 5 July 2023]

The story is quite good as it reflects the current state of society which believes on an "afwaah" just like that. It shows how innocent people are brainwashed just for political bigotry. But the story is not well-knit. Some of the scenes are shot and arranged so haphazard that the audience may feel what the f just happened. There are glaring loopholes in the story which are not addressed by the creators. The cast does a good job. However, I think that the casting choices could have been better. Specially, the role of Sumeet Vyas could have been done by somebody else since he is so sweet that he does not fit the role of a villain. Still, I would say that this is a one time watch, mainly because of Sudhir Mishra.

Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (2023)

Waste of time

[3/10 · 28 June 2023]

Not sure who watches these kinds of movies but there is definitely some audience for it. The creators have played it to the gallery with the usual Salman Khan antics like naked abs, physics-defying action shots, crass and meaningless dialogues which only generate hoots and whistles from the audience. The whole film has been shot in a set with in-your-face brand promotions everywhere. The dialogues and story-writing is so bad that even the writers forgot that they had to explain the logic behind certain actions of the actors. VFX is the only saving grace for this film. The bullets and the action sequences have been edited in such a manner that they seem little bit entertaining.

Bheed (2023)

Magnifies the Societal Vices on the Big Screen

[7/10 · 28 May 2023]

The treatment of the subject is quite mature in this movie. The social commentary on the various aspects of the Indian society is well-written. The powerplay of caste and power in desperate times like this makes this an interesting watch. But it would have been great if the backstory of the female characters had been explored more. Neither the character of Dia Mirza nor that of Bhumi Pednekar were fleshed out well. They were merely second fiddle either to the scenario (Dia) or to the male actor (Rajkummar Rao). Overall, this is a good watch if you want to see the societal undertones magnify on the big screen.

Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway (2023)

Captures the mother's perspective

[8/10 · 20 March 2023]

This is based on a true story. In my opinion, it is easy to make the narrative quite boring while presenting true stories and cases since the audience is generally aware of the facts. But in this case, the narrative is quite entertaining and it keeps you hooked to your seat. There are quite a few tear-jerker moments, which is quite surprising since this is a known and well publicized story. I think the director was able to peep into the mother's psychology and treat the subject from her perspective, while also including the social commentary around her. The music does lend a good feeling to the story. Overall, it is worth watching with your family, specially if you stay overseas.

Kuttey (2023)

Nice storyline but bad direction

[5/10 · 20 March 2023]

This is a prime example of how bad direction can screw up even good storyline and screenplay. The ensemble cast played their roles properly, though the dark lighting makes it difficult to see the facial expressions of some of the actors. This movie has hired lot of good actors but failed to harness their full potential. I would say that the direction of the movie and its presentation could have been better. Introducing the cast in a hurry and then tracing back their motivation and story is not a good strategy. It almost feels like there are so many jump cuts which could have been easily avoided if a more linear storytelling format had been adopted. Overall, this is a one time watch. Kudos to the editor for keeping it short.

1962: The War in the Hills (2021– )

Nice one time watch

[7/10 · 2 March 2021]

This movie is based on a good story and the screenplay is written nicely too. But I think the director became overwhelmed with the plot and was not able to execute it properly. It had all the elements of a good web series, but somehow something was missing. Whenever a movie/series based on Indian Army is released, it is bound to be compared with URI: The Surgical Strike. That story was also based on a plot in the same genre, but the music made all the difference. In 1962: A War in the Hills, only one music is original and the rest foley sounds seem to be different versions of tunes we have heard before. Hence, the background score could have been better. The actors did a good job and I feel this could be a one time watch.

Durgamati: The Myth (2020)

Bad first half complemented by an enthralling second half

[7/10 · 11 December 2020]

This movie is an official remake of the Telegu film Bhagamathie but lacks in its appeal. The horror scenes in the first half with Bhumi Pednekar are actually quite funny. I laughed to my heart content on her dialogue delivery. But that was later justified by the storyline in the second half. People who haven't watched the Anushka Shetty starrer Bhagamathie may feel a little bit suspense in the second half of the movie. The cast try to justify their roles, with Bhumi Pednekar, though doing a good job, did not match the aura of Anushka Shetty. Mahie Gill is not at all convincing as a Bengali detective. It is appalling to see Jisshu Sengupta standing beside her and see her falter her dialogues to make us believe in her role. But Jisshu Sengupta properly justifies his role as the ACP officer. Overall, this is a good one time watch.

Dil Bechara (2020)

Watched only for Sushant Singh Rajput

[6/10 · 10 August 2020]

The plot of this movie is completely known to people who have watched the movie "The Fault in our Stars". The storyline is exactly the same, just adapted to Indian context. But kudos to the actors who, in spite of portraying a known story, made it believable by their performance and on screen chemistry. The supporting actors like Swastika Mukherjee and Saswata Chatterjee have also played an important role in the movie. Considering this as the directorial debut of Mukesh Chabra, I would say that he has done justice to the movie. But WARNING: This may be not be a good movie to watch for people who are weak hearted as it may moist your eyes. The final scenes where the character of Sushant plays the role of a hero in a movie so that people can remember him after his death, feels eerily similar to the actual events where I believe most of the people watching this movie are doing so in order to remember and pay homage to Sushant Singh Rajput.

The Last Thing He Wanted (2020)

Good Story but Poor Execution

[6/10 · 10 August 2020]

This movie has a good storyline but totally poor execution. The story is quite thrilling and truly speaking, I did not expect the sequence of the events that took place in this movie. But if a person has to go to Wikipedia for understanding a movie like this, then I think it is the director's fault for not being clear enough in certain parts. Only the central character has been explored deeply. All other characters are superficial. Even the male lead, whose story is very important for this movie, is not explored properly, letting the audience ponder why this person is behaving in such a way. Or maybe (just a hypothesis), this could be a story for another movie. Overall, I expected more from this movie but I feel that it did not deliver as expected.

Bulbbul (2020)

Good Psychotic Thriller

[8/10 · 4 July 2020]

This is a good thriller and also touches the genre of horror in certain parts. The cinematography is quite outstanding. Normally we see black and white theme in horror/thriller movies but this is an exception. Red has been used as a symbol of blood, purity and sacrifice.

I liked the performance of Tripti Dimri. She is apt for this role. Though the side characters do not have a meaty role, it would be injustice not to mention Rahul Bose, who has a double role in this movie. He plays both the character of good and bad with equal panache.

I loved the make up and costume wore by Paoli Dam. She looks gorgeous in both her looks.

But the overall story is quite predictable. I guessed in the initial scenes that who would be the killer. But the director/writer has clearly highlighted all the logic and reasons for such behavior of the killer. In summary, this is a one-time watch and quite an entertainer.

Gulabo Sitabo (2020)

Good Acting but story not presented that well

[6/10 · 14 June 2020]

This is a good film with brilliant acting from the extraordinary cast. Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurana are the starcast of this film and they have done their part well. A big shout out to Srishti Srivastava for their excellent portrayal of her role. This is indeed a good satire on the society and the story is indeed good. The writers have done a good job but however I feel that the director is not able to justify this story on the screen. Though I felt lost in the medley of the Lakhnavi household, the story did not justify the flow. But I would still recommend this as a one time watch.