vbagnihotri-05468 Reviews

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar (2023)

Quintessential Ranbir Kapoor in a decent rom-com

[7/10 · 9 March 2023]

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is the romantic comedy Hindi film industry needed. It works because of its leading actors and a great supporting cast. The writing is upto the mark overall but strays from it in the second act. The third act makes up for it in the end. A solid entertainer.

Ranbir Kapoor is back! He's the epitome of charm and romance in his generation of actors. He plays the lover boy with such natural effervescence and panache. Brilliant performance. Shraddha Kapoor understands the assignment and how. She's a delight to watch.

Anubhav Singh Bassi is a revelation. His natural comic timing is wonderful on screen. Rest of the cast is pretty decent too.

A light rom-com which is funny and works for the most part. Go ahead and give it a shot if you like.

Shehzada (2023)

A Kartik Aryan show through and through.

[5/10 · 17 February 2023]

Shehzada might as well be called Kartik instead. It's a Kartik Aryan show through and through. The film is made for him, by him and for his fans. Rohit Dhawan borrows from his father by remaking a hit film from South India and marrying it with North India sensibilities.

Kartik who's also the producer of Shehzada, makes the protagonist Bantu, his own by playing himself on screen. His dry humour, slapstick comic timing and mischief defines a considerable body of work done by him in his past films. This is no different.

Kriti Sanon looks effortlessly gorgeous in every single frame she's in, with little more to do than being an eye candy.

Paresh Rawal plays the antagonist with dishonest intentions and a tough father with natural flair and command. He's a seasoned actor for a reason.

Manisha Koirala and Ronit Roy render some gravitas and dignity to their roles as the unfortunate parents. Sachin Khedekar is an endearing presence on screen as the grandfather.

The scene stealer has to be Rajpal Yadav as a confused cop who draws the maximum laughter and applause in the theatre with his signature comic timing.

Nothing much to say about the writing which is pretty average and nothing you haven't seen before apart from some funny dialogues and quirky moments here and there.

Rohit Dhawan is still a rookie filmmaker when compared to his father who made the comedy genre his own. Will take a while to reach a certain level of credibility.

Watch this strictly for Kartik Aryan and his antics if you're into it.

The Night Manager (2023– )

Looks promising yet short of the level of the original.

[8/10 · 17 February 2023]

The Night Manager has all the ingredients for a hit espionage adaptation of a hit novel and an original series. Yet it falls short of the level of the original.

The cast is good with some promising talent. Anil Kapoor as a baddie is a fun prospect to watch. He is cut for such roles. Aditya Roy Kapoor has the charm and persona of a spy. Sobhita Dhulipala plays the damsel in distress to the tee. Saswata Chatterjee is equally clever and conniving. Tilotima Shome is a bright spark. She plays a spy boss inimitably.

The series has good production value considering the way it is mounted by the makers. The writing by Sridhar Raghavan is intriguing. The storytelling by Sandeep Modi needs more urgency and astuteness I feel. Really wish it soars in the second part. Would be such a waste otherwise.

The Romantics (2023– )

A film lover's delight.

[8/10 · 14 February 2023]

The Romantics is a film lover's delight. If you love cinema in general, you'll like this comprehensive documentary on filmmaking by the leading filmmakers of our country. There's so much to unpack and unravel here. Kudos to its makers and Netflix too.

It's a fitting tribute to an all time great filmmaker, Yash Chopra. But my biggest take from it has to be the man, the myth, the legend, Aditya Chopra. He's a revelation in himself. One of the finest minds of modern day cinema. A must watch for that alone.

It's an eye opener on how the biggest Indian film studio came into being. It reflects on its glory and the legacy it'll leave behind for generations to come.

Farzi (2023– )

An original crime caper by Raj & DK

[9/10 · 10 February 2023]

Farzi is a stellar watch. Raj & DK outdo themselves with this original crime caper. Outstanding storytelling. A dream cast of Shahid Kapoor, Vijay Sethupathi and Kay Kay Menon at the top of their game. Brilliant performances by a terrific ensemble. The writing is sharp and witty, all thanks to Raj & DK along with Sumana Kumar and Sita Menon. The production value is top notch. The cinematography is amazing. The attention to details is the USP of this series. The amount of hard work put on the table by the cast and crew is incredible to watch. One of the best shows to come out of an Indian OTT space in recent times. Do not miss this.