Crew, the new heist movie starring Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Kriti Sanon, effectively weaponises middle-class angst against corporate overlords. We praise the film’s dedication to punching up, the instant relatability that it is able to generate for its characters, and its tightly constructed first half. But we also criticise its endless produ…

Writer-director Kunal Kemmu’s Madgaon Express smartly avoids taking the sleazy route and mostly succeeds in finding the soul of its cartoonish characters. We talk about the film’s familiar set-up, and how it transports a Hangover-like premise to India. We also discuss the performances of Divyenndu, Pratik Gandhi and Avinash Tiwary, while noting the…

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s big-budget streaming debut, is yet another high-profile Netflix failure. A summation and culmination of Bhansali’s lifelong ambitions, the show represents everything that is wrong with his sensibilities and style-over-substance storytelling. We discuss the show’s flawed understanding …

In addition to being a thought-provoking movie about how close we are to disintegrating as a society, Alex Garland’s Civil War is a rollicking cinematic experience. We discuss the film’s affection for journalism, the intricate character work that Garland is able to accomplish via action sequences, and the film’s stand-out moments. One of them invol…

Is Amar Singh Chamkila a long-awaited return to form for director Imtiaz Ali, or is it another let-down from the once-promising filmmaker? We discuss the film’s inventive approach to the music biopic genre, if not narratively then at least formally. We also talk about Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra’s central performances as the slain husband-w…

Aattam, the latest Malayalam-language gem that further solidifies the industry’s artistic stronghold on the cinema landscape of the country, offers an inventive spin on the whodunnit genre. We discuss the film’s gripping narrative, ambitious social commentary, and director Anand Ekarshi’s bold voice. We also talk about the many moral quandaries tha…

Is Fighter another in the long and increasingly problematic line of hyper-nationalistic Indian action movies, or is its biggest problem that it can’t look beyond star Hrithik Roshan? We discuss the many missteps that director Siddharth Anand makes in his follow-up to Pathaan, the unnecessary songs and the momentum-killing asides, but we also talk a…

Murder Mubarak lowers the bar even further for Netflix India, and feels like a particularly annoying missed opportunity. We talk about the inept filmmaking, the strange structure, and the over-the-top performances of its ensemble cast. We also wonder how the finished film can look like something that was snatched away from director Homi Adajania an…

Merry Christmas, director Sriram Raghavan’s follow-up to the critical and commercial hit Andhadhun, is nothing to celebrate. We discuss the film’s lack of discernible aesthetic, the complete absence of any spark between stars Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi, and its baffling climax. Along the way, we discuss the decision to reduce an important ch…

Dune: Part Two is being called one of the greatest sequels ever made. It isn’t. We discuss the problems that we’ve had with both Dune films, our issues with their cold tone, the seemingly rushed plot despite a nearly three-hour run-time, and the sheer number of characters to keep track of. But we also appreciate director Denis Villeneuve’s handling…

All India Rank, the feature directorial debut of Varun Grover, is a refreshing change of pace for Bollywood, but still not as good as it could have been. We discuss all the ways in which the coming-of-age drama avoids making the same mistakes as 12th Fail or Kota Factory, its ability to evoke a particular time and place, and its reliance on tried-a…

Dunki, the third and final Shah Rukh Khan film of 2023, wastes all the goodwill he had built with Pathaan and Jawan. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, Dunki ranks among the worst films we’ve covered on the podcast and is outdated to the point of being offensive. We talk about the film’s most insensitive scenes, Hirani’s disinterest in taking real-life g…

Bhakshak, starring Bhumi Pednekar, is the latest socially conscious call-to-action from Shah Rukh Khan’s production company, and even though it’s a more grounded film, its sensibilities aren’t too dissimilar from Jawan. We discuss what we liked and disliked about the film’s portrayal of hyperlocal journalism, its depiction of real-life atrocities, …

Joram, the fourth feature film from director Devashish Makhija, juggles multiple tones and narratives. But is it successful at it? We discuss Manoj Bajpayee’s mostly silent central performance as a displaced tribal man running for his life, and the film’s heavy handed socio-political commentary. We also wonder if the movie would’ve worked better as…

Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor, is hardly as offensive as director Sandeep Reddy Vanga probably intended it to be, but it’s aggravating on many levels nonetheless. We discuss the film’s infantile approach to its themes and Vanga’s dedication to being edgy at the expense of storytelling and character development. We also talk about the film’s unbear…

Is Salaar the worst movie we’ve covered on the podcast? It might be. We discuss the incomprehensible plotting, Prashanth Neel’s overwhelming direction, and debate about the film’s three major action set-pieces. We also eat our words about Salman Khan’s dedication and Zack Snyder’s poor world-building after having seen a disengaged Prabhas and an un…

Shockingly, Tiger 3—the fifth overall instalment in the YRF Spy Universe—isn’t entirely unwatchable. But the movie could’ve been so much better with just about any other star in the lead role instead of Salman Khan, who not only struggles to emote but also seems pained to move physically. We talk about the film’s Pathaan-like progressive politics, …

Is 12th Fail actually one of the best Hindi movies of 2023 or is it massively overrated? We find ourselves wondering why writer-director Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s latest film is getting rave reviews, because all we could see was a deeply problematic, all too simplistic story about a young man let down by society. We also talk about Vikrant Massey’s perf…

Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, the new film from the team behind The Archies, is a rare Bollywood movie about millennial malaise. But like its characters, it’s too distracted by social media and the desire to say something about our addiction to it. We talk about the performances of its three leads—Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday and Adarsh Gourav—and disc…

Rebel Moon is the worst film of Zack Snyder’s career, and that’s saying something. We talk about the director’s uninspired homage to the works of Akira Kurosawa and George Lucas, his unusually bland visuals, and the film’s wooden writing. We also wonder why the project looks so cheap, seeing as it comes from a streamer that is often willing to inve…

Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla is the antithesis of Baz Luhrmann’s terrible Elvis movie. We discuss Coppola’s sad-core storytelling, her determination never to leave Priscilla’s side, and her absolutely damning portrayal of the King of Rock and Roll. We also talk about Cailee Spaeny’s central performance as Priscilla, Jacob Elordi’s menacing turn as Elv…

In The Archies, writer-director Zoya Akhtar disguises her politics behind teen romance. But does this diffuse the impact of what she’s trying to say? We talk about the film’s coming-of-age themes, how each character is given definitive traits, and whether it’s successful in capturing teen angst. We also discuss the cast of newcomers, and wonder if …

Kaathal – The Core, directed by Jeo Baby, is shaping up to be a real word-of-mouth hit, purely on the strength of its sheer quality. We speak about the many reasons why the new Malayalam-language drama left us so moved, and highlight the two central performances by Mammootty and Jyotika. We appreciate director Baby’s command over visual storytellin…

Leo, the new Tamil-language blockbuster starring “Thalapathy” Vijay, is now on Netflix. We discuss the film’s abysmal storytelling, the charmless central performance, and poorly designed action sequences. We also talk about the larger Lokesh Cinematic Universe and how shoehorned-in the references to the franchise feel. Along the way, we attempt to …

Watching The Railway Men is like taking an express train back to Netflix India circa 2019 when the bottom of the barrel would be scraped week after week. Almost unwatchable at even four episodes long, the new YRF-produced series is so inept that it makes you lose faith in the art of storytelling as a whole. We discuss the show’s bizarre approach to…

Is The Killer one of David Fincher’s most inconsequential movies? We discuss the film’s subversive approach to the conventions of assassin cinema, Fincher’s clinical treatment of the subject matter, and the odd bursts of humour that he peppers through the two-hour narrative. We also talk about Michael Fassbender’s statue-esque performance, and spen…

Is Killers of the Flower Moon a culmination of what director Martin Scorsese has been trying to achieve his entire career, or is it an overlong, overindulgent slog that general audiences will turn their backs on? We discuss the film’s simmering tone, the epic tragedy at its core, and the performances of its central cast, which includes Leonardo DiC…

OMG 2, starring Pankaj Tripathi as a saintly middle-aged man, is a bizarre concoction of ideas that ultimately comes across as a lazy attempt to pander to the Hindu majority. We discuss the film’s odd approach to a straightforward story, its stretched, preachy narrative, and the fact that the decision to package it as a religious drama feels like a…

Khufiya, the new spy movie on Netflix, might just be one of the worst things that Vishal Bhardwaj has ever done. We discuss the film’s tonal inconsistencies, incoherent plotting, odd performances, and most of all, that wild second-half. We also talk about the background score and how completely out of step with its story; the strange decision to in…

Released as four separate shorts, Wes Anderson’s Roald Dahl adaptations for Netflix are some of the best films that he has ever made. We discuss his minimalist approach to each story, the offbeat narration and stagey production, and also the deeper themes he wants to tackle. Anderson also flips through genres and tones, but presents each movie in h…

Jaane Jaan, director Sujoy Ghosh’s Hindi-language adaptation of the Japanese bestseller The Devotion of Suspect X, is a competently made thriller with a hint of playfulness. We discuss the trio of central performances by Kareena Kapoor Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma, and talk about the change in perspective that Ghosh has introduced in his a…

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani plays like director Karan Johar’s apology for his own past filmmaking, and for the many missteps that Bollywood has made over the years when it comes to gender politics. We appreciate the film’s progressive ideas, its frank depiction of desire, and how willing it is to embrace its camp nature. But we also point out t…

We didn’t enjoy the Shah Rukh Khan-led Jawan as much as Pathaan, but it gave us enough to chew on. We praise the film’s thrilling opening sequence, but complain about the unnecessary flashbacks and Vijay Sethupathi’s poor performance as the villain. We also talk about how effective the film’s political messaging could be, and appreciate Khan for st…

Friday Night Plan—the new Netflix movie starring Babil Khan—is the kind of film you forget the moment you turn off the TV. We discuss its eagerness to borrow from classic teen comedies, but complete inability to offer heart or pathos. We also talk about its odd perspective on teenage life, which seems like it is based more on films than actual expe…

Satyaprem Ki Katha, the new Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani movie, left us incensed. We discuss the many ways in which the movie is actively anti-feminist; its horrific treatment of Advani’s character, the obvious perspective problem, and its casual disregard for very real, and very delicate themes. We also talk about its triggering tone, the film’s…

Guns & Gulaabs is a high-profile dud from Netflix, a major step down from the surprisingly effective Kohrra. We discuss the involvement of creator-directors Raj & DK, the show’s complete lack of identity and urgency, and its failure to make the most of its outlandish setting. We also talk about the flat performances, the unfunny jokes, and speculat…

Heart of Stone, Netflix’s latest franchise-starter, is a step up from the likes of Red Notice and The Gray Man. But it’s far too generic to recommend. We discuss the film’s rudimentary representation of something as complex as artificial intelligence, the thinly-written characters, and Alia Bhatt’s thankless role. We also talk about the action set …

The Long Take is doing its first ever retrospective episode! Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro turns 40 this week, and we rewatched the cult classic and discovered that it still holds up. We discuss our favourite scenes, the simmering anger under the film’s goofy surface, and appreciate the skill required to play a dead body on screen. We also talk about how diff…

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie divided us like no movie ever has on this podcast. Is it a sharp satire of patriarchy, or is it simply making the most obvious points about how unfair the world is for half the population? Is it an imaginative skewering of consumerism, or is a particularly annoying attempt at covert marketing? Is it another win for Gerwig, or …

Oppenheimer is Christopher Nolan’s most political movie yet, and in many ways, among his most sobering. We discuss the film’s dialogue-heavy storytelling, the epic Trinity test sequence, the moral dilemma at its core, and Nolan’s deliberate artistic deviations from his past work. We also talk about the hourlong final act, which turns Oppenheimer in…

Kohrra, the new Netflix crime drama series co-created by Paatal Lok’s Sudip Sharma, is a grim experience that takes a character-first approach to its complex storytelling. We discuss the performances of Suvinder Vicky and Barun Sobti, the rich and textured world that the show is able to create, and the social commentary about Punjab that it offers …

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the fifth film in the long-running franchise, is a bloated, overlong and ultimately empty experience. We discuss the film’s action-first plotting, abundance of cameos and references, and unsatisfying attempt at giving Harrison Ford an emotional send-off. We also talk about that ambitious ending, and unpack the…

Sudhir Mishra’s Afwaah—now out on Netflix after a negligible theatrical run—feels like watching someone engage in a primetime TV “news debate” with themselves. We discuss Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s miscasting, Mishra’s convoluted approach to several important themes and ideas, and the movie’s complete failure as a genre exercise. We also do a post-morte…

Tiku Weds Sheru, the new rom-com/crime drama starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Avneet Kaur, sent us into an existential spiral. We wonder how Kangana Ranaut could make her film production debut with something as pedestrian as this, and come up with conspiracy theories for how Siddiqui and Prime Video would agree to associate themselves with this mov…

Extraction 2, the sequel to Netflix’s hit pandemic-era action movie Extraction, resurrects Chris Hemsworth’s black ops mercenary Tyler Rake for some more high-stakes action. We discuss the film’s by-the-numbers plot, but also praise its central extraction sequence, edited to appear as one 21-minute sequence. We also talk about the Russo brothers’ f…

Bloody Daddy, the new action thriller film directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and starring Shahid Kapoor, marks a new low for them both. It’s streaming for free on JioCinema, but audiences should demand money for surviving it. We discuss the film’s laughable John Wick and Jason Bourne ambitions, given Zafar and Kapoor’s sheer disinterest in doing the actu…

Director Anubhav Sinha’s Bheed—out now on Netflix in a badly mangled form—attempts to condense India’s pandemic experience into one location and a handful of characters. We discuss the filmmaker’s tendency to use his characters as a mouthpiece, his decision to present this movie in black and white, and his use of symbolism to capture the pandemic e…

Vikram Vedha, the Hindi-language remake of directors Pushkar and Gayatri’s Tamil-language original, pretends to be smarter than it actually is. And what it is is a loud, nonsensical actioner that has more in common with the KGF films than Heat. While Hrithik Roshan is having fun as the antihero Vedha, Saif Ali Khan is too bland as his foil, the mur…

Ben Affleck’s Air—out now on Prime Video—is an old-fashioned Hollywood drama featuring charismatic performances and propelled by a smart script. We discuss how the film avoids coming across as an ode to corporate America, and how it uses the grammar of sports dramas to tell an enjoyable and earnest underdog story. We highlight the film’s best scene…

Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor play semi-humans in director Luv Ranjan’s baffling new film, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, now out on Netflix. We discuss the unbelievable plotting, contrived character motivations, and truly terrible visual aesthetic. How could something that reportedly cost ₹200 crore look this cheap? We also talk about the casual mis…