Spoilers ahead... 


Is Love Enough? Sir
Directed by : Rohena Gera

Log majaak udayenge. 
Mujhe koi fark nahi padta.
Mujhe padta hai, Sir. 


A young high society living man Ashwin (Vivek Gomber) falls in love with his servant Ratna (Tillotama Shome) who is widow and wants to be a fashion designer. Easily one of those movies that could go in various cliche zones and end up doing no justice to the tabooish relationship if you can call it that which society/relatives wont accept. But here, that doesn't happen, wonderful performances by leads especially Tillotama Shome who gets a full fledged role and she shines right through it very convincingly. The conversations Ashwin and Ratna have are fun to watch, but its what they don't talk about gives the mood of the movie extra edge. And love the ending on a hope of maybe there's more to their story. 

My Rating : 7.5/10 


Saina 
Directed by : Amole Gupte

Game jeetne ke liye tum kya karti ho yeh important nahi hai, important hai ki game jeetne ke liye tum kya chorhti ho.


A biopic based on famous Indian badminton player, Saina Nehwal. When the trailer released, I was oddly happy and excited, not because it looked like a proper biopic but it felt like 'entertaining hogi'. I was so wrong and clearly misread the trailer. I never liked Saina Nehwal, mainly because I started watching badminton when she was on decline and now she is almost over. So, I missed her glory days. Coming back to the film, the narration is total cliched, showing journey of Saina from a kid to national level and finally success playing for India. With a sports biopic, you want something new.. even those who don't watch badminton won't find anything 'wow' feel because you are just showing the rise with montages of winning matches. What were other options then? Show the equation between coach Rajan (Manav Kaul) and Saina (Parineeti Chopra) in detail, instead Rajan's character felt so cringeworthy at times as if he wasn't happy for Saina doing well. It didn't help that Parineeti strangely looked out of touch, I expected her to nail the acting part because looks wise she definately wasn't the right choice, Shraddha fitted it to the tee. The romantic angle of Saina and Kashyap was very meh too. The actor playing mother of Saina, was very hammy much like the Yograj Singh of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, yet I did like the scenes involving her and Saina. I don't think I enjoyed a single match shown with camera angles and not enough drama induced major culprits. To cut the long story short, Saina is easily one of the most forgettable biopics ever, they even failed to use the very motivating track 'Parinda' properly. And I couldn't care to check how much they used real scores of tournaments, and how much they fictionalised, because the film never generates interest to research.. Sigh! 

My Rating : 3/10 


Roohi 
Directed by : Hardik Mehta

Your rashee? Personality se toh Leo lag rahi hai tu. Gussa bahut aata hai tumhe. 


Pakdaai Shaadi is famous in Bihar where the bride is kidnapped and forced to marry the guy who loves her. Working in this business are two friends, Bhawra Pandey (Rajkummar Rao) and Kattani Qureshi (Varun Sharma) whose boss Guniya Shakeel (Manav Vij) orders them to kidnap Roohi (Janhvi Kapoor). After some complications they do manage only to be told to keep Roohi safe somewhere until the new formed circumstances are settled. The twist comes when they find out Roohi is possessed. Unlike everyone else, I didn't feel bored by this film, specially the Afza (name of spirit) angle with Kattani was hilarious and that 'Saagar' track was very well put in. Varun Sharma's comic timing was on right track and also enjoyed Rakummar chemistry with him. Janhvi worked for me in the Afza role, not much as Roohi though. What spoils the movie is the lazy 3rd act, all the chudail or dog marriage angle and even the climax was more of finding a way to finish unlike stree where it made you think for good. Still an entertaining movie in parts for me. 

My Rating : 5.5/10 


Pagglait 
Directed by : Umesh Bist

Agar hum apne faisle khud nahi lenge na, toh doosre le lenge.. phir chaahe woh humhe pasand ho ya na ho, toh phir kuch toh badalna hoga na.


About Sandhya Giri (Sanya Malhotra) who becomes a widow just after some months of marriage. The usual 13 days of mourning happens with most of the family gathered around, only odd thing is that Sandhya doesn't show any kind of sadness, which makes her question her own attitude very much like others in the family do. With actors like Ashutosh Rana, Sheeba Chaddha, Raghuvir Yadav, Jameel Khan and Rajesh Tailang in the supporting cast, there is always quality acting on display along with lead Sanya. Its just the message this film tries to deliver in the 3rd act or should say final part of the act, comes way too late. Some of the subplots could had been avoided specially the husband and Akansha Roy (Sayani Gupta) angle felt didn't make any impact and stretched a lot. As a social drama there's lot to take in here, from the traditions of funeral that last 13 days, usual family drama, taunts, hints of open-minded family trapped in the society prejudices and then insurance money angle. We get some dark comedy specially involving Sandhya's hilarious reactions to facebook comments, craving for various food and a doorbell that has Dirty Picture's 'Oh la la' song. Its all about Sandhya slowly realizing what she must do before she gets stuck in this mess. Its also a take on women in India, most of them won't follow Sandhya's decision, and as she herself says, either she can change her fate or let people decide it. Its slow going, but if you can manage till the end, you may not regret watching the film even if its still a one time watch, bit too lighthearted to my liking. 

My Rating : 6/10


Ludo
Directed by : Anurag Basu

Kam paiso mein khush rehna mushkil hai, par jyada mein impossible. Soch sahi hai madam, zamana galat hai. 


The game of Ludo is used as a metaphor as 4 stories are shown, Yellow belongs to Akash Chauhan (Aditya Roy Kapoor) who goes on a road trip with ex-girlfriend Shruti Choksi (Sanya Malhotra) because a sextape of their past has gone on a porn site. Red belongs to Bittu Tiwari (Abhishek Bachchan), an ex-criminal bonding with a little girl Mini (Inayat Verma) who has faked her own kidnapping, the story is inspired by Kabuliwala. Then, there's Green for Alok Kumar Gupta (Rajkummar Rao) who has been in a one-sided love with Pinky (Fatima Sana Shaikh) since school days and even now when she is married with a kid, he is helping her set her husband free from jail. Finally there's Blue for a sales guy Rahul Awasthi (Rohit Saraf) who is constantly abused verbally at workplace, meets a Malayali nurse Sheeja Thomas (Pearle Maaney) who also gets made fun of for her different dialect, they both get hold of plenty of cash that could change their life. Sattu bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi) plays the role of 'dice' who decides the fate and luck of all the characters involved, he's the local don.

Much like the game that's slow and becomes interesting moment other tokens come close to snatch your place out, same is case with film as first 30-40 mins are taken to set up all the 4 stories. Totally loved the use of 'Arre o babuji, kismat ki hawa, kabhi naram, kabhi garam' song many times in narrative. Pankaj Tripathi stands out, a character he has played a lot and yet he brings out something fresh and enjoyable again. His scenes with the nurse Lata Kutty (an excellent Shalini Vatsa) are hilarious. Also, Rajkummar Rao is in excellent touch with the mimicry of Mithunda, the way he would go in a corner and cry everytime Pinky comes to ask for help, or his idea of dancing out the excess emotions, simply hilarious. Aditya-Sanya story I liked but the chemistry was a major letdown here. While Abhishek Bachchan puts off a great act, just felt the story needed more of Mini in it. Rohit Saraf and Pearle Maaney gives most laughs, getting in many unwanted chaotic scenarios, making their story most interesting. Pritam's music is another plus, and a lovely climax. Little too long but Ludo works and entertains despite its share of flaws, its still a film that you would enjoy watching just like most of Anurag Basu films. 

My Rating : 7.5/10 


Lootcase
Directed by : Rajesh Krishnan

Aakhiri baar pooch raha hoon, yeh suitcase kiska hai. 


Working for a newspaper printing press Nandan Kumar (Kunal Khemu) leads a routine normal middle class life with wife Lata Kumar (Rasika Dugal) and son Ayush (Aryan Prajapati). One night on way to home, Nandan comes across a suitcase full of cash, and his life changes all of sudden as he plans to hide the money and use when required. But little does he know, there's MLA Patil (Gajraj Rao), corrupt Inspector Madhav Kolte (Ranvir Shorey) and a gangster Bala Rathore (Vijay Raaz) all after the suitcase. Kunal Khemu as I have stated in past is one of most under-rated actors in present industry, and his comic timing again gives plenty of laughs specially the 1st act where he keeps falling in situations of getting caught, the fake calls he makes in autorickshaw while bringing suitcase or how he drops out at wrong location trying to be smart, and all the chinese food references with his wife. Rasika Dugal is in great form too with a typical housewife kind remarks all the time. Its the 2nd act that slows down the proceedings, some songs inserted, and very less shown about MLA Patil or Madhav or Bala. Vijay Raaz does bring a smile to face with a very laidback references to animal NatGeo channel during every conversation. Lootcase for me has a great 1st act, an average 2nd act with occasional laughs and a better final act let down though with the final shootout scene. But you never really feel bored due to the great starcast, and their comic timing bringing good laughs.  

My Rating : 6.5/10 


Haseen Dilruba
Directed by : Vinil Mathew 

Pagalpan ke hadd se na gujre toh woh pyar kaisa.. hosh mein toh rishtey nibhaaye jaate hai.


Set in a fictional Jwalapur, Rani (Taapsee Pannu) is the prime suspect along with her lover who is also her brother in law, Neel (Harshvardhan Rane) for the murder of her husband Rishu (Vikrant Massey). Its a very weird film unless you see it through the point of view of Rani who narrates the entire story to the police inspector Brijraj (Daya Shankar Pandey) which is equivalent to us knowing the story even if its unreliable and can't be fully trusted. The setting is completely off a pulp novel, whose references Rani herself takes endless times through 'Pandit ji kehte hai'. There's a hot sexy wife who gets married to inadequate husband, and then enters a handsome brother in law she lusts for. Such themes are common in the railway stations bookstalls where you may find such novels, specially the smaller cities. That is one reason I was able to take the tone knowing what the intentions clearly are. 1st act is hilarious, including Rishu's mother Lata (an excellent Yamini Das) whose reaction to bahu's regular pallu drops would make you smile or her anger for getting a daring bahu than the susheel one she was hoping for. Also, Rishu-Rani chemistry makes for an interesting watch because you can see they are poles apart from each other in their personality or for that matter taste too. 

I also like how they use food, once tea to bring Rani-Rishu closer having drifted apart, and then the mutton biryani which Rani actually made for Neel but has to serve to Rishu while revealing to him about her love for Neel. The transformation of Rishu is immense too, how from a deep soft lover he turns into a raging husband wanting to hurt and see Rani bleed kind of guy. Vikrant Massey is marvellous in achieving that without any hint of weirdness, you easily buy it way he acts. Even the toxicity in those portions didn't make me feel cringy or for that matter how Rani is willing to let him hurt her. Taapsee Pannu act works wonderfully, a tailor-made role for this character that is bold, outgoing and yet a girl who is willing to adapt for love. Infact there's almost everything to love in the flashback story, its good they keep Neel part shorter, otherwise he would had been my weak link. The 3rd act is where you would either love the film or call it meh! I was kind of in between, there's lot of coincidences happening, rushed up climax and yet that final shot and dialogue made me enjoy what just happened. And since the setup is based on the tone of those roadside crime novels, it would had been a sin to have a routine normal ending. Special mention to the writing of Kanika Dhillon, she was fabulous in Manmarziyaan too. And I love 'Mila yun' track a lot more after watching the film. Haseen Dilruba will surely receive different verdicts from people, for me it was a very bold attempt that works largely, only hiccups were portions of 3rd act and the length that is little too long.

My Rating : 7.5/10