Kajal and Vishal Jethwa’s Salaam Venky is a film that celebrates life and embraces passion. It talks about the sensitive topic of euthanasia and organ donation. Read our review.

In Short

Salaam Venky releases on December 9.
The film stars Kajol and Vishal Jethwa in lead roles.
It is directed by Revathy.

You may feel overwhelmed seeing the number of heartfelt emotional dramas at the moment, and we totally understand! But Kajol and Vishal Jethwa-starrer stands apart from the rest. Directed by Revathy, Salaam Venky is a wonderfully made dark movie despite not hitting the right notes on all fronts. Based on the novel The Last Hurrah by Shrikant Murthy, the film touches upon a grave subject of euthanasia, which in simple terms, means the act of deliberately ending a person’s life to end their suffering.

When Kajol’s character Sujata finds out that her son Venky, played by Vishal Jethwa, has a rare health condition, she is heartbroken. Based on a true story, the film is about Venky suffering from a terminally serious problem called Duchenne muscular dystrophy which makes him bedridden. His mother battles the challenges thrown at her with a brave face. Sujata has always granted her son’s wishes, but a mother can’t grant her child’s request to die now, can she? This is where the story starts. Venky wants to donate his organs by opting for euthanasia, but it’s illegal in India (FYI, passive euthanasia has been legal in India since 2018.)

In the first half of the film, we see Venky being rushed to the hospital where he is hooked to machines. The boy remains positive throughout and even calls it ‘decorations’ on him. Kajol says that he’s back to the hospital in just a week, indicating that Venky’s death is near. Several flashbacks are thrown in where we get a glimpse of Venky’s childhood, his troubled relationship with estranged father, his list of wishes, and his bond with her peers. Though the film moves at a slow pace, it is worth the time.

The second half focusses on Kajol’s Sujata finally accepting her son’s will to die. She runs pillar-to-post to allow her son to get euthanised so that he could donate his organs. Rahul Bose and Priyamani play opposing lawyers while Aahana Kumra impresses as the television reporter who is giving the mother-son duo some positive media coverage.

Venky is filmy guy who loves Bollywood. He swears by Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Anand’s line, “Babumoshai, Zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahin!” And when his love interest is leaving the hospital room, Venky whispers Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘palat, palat, palat’ with his earnest eyes. For a boy who knows he’s going to die, Venky teaches you to make the most of life.

Vishal Jethwa has given an incredible performance in Salaam Venky, probably one of his best. He brings in multi-layered emotions and wit with so much life. This is ironical for a person who so desperately wishes to end it. Vishal should be given a standing ovation for making everyone cry and smile at the same time, and he barely had to lift a finger to do it. While lying on the hospital bed, he won our hearts with his raw emotions. Watch out for the scene where he is crying out for his mom helplessly because she won’t speak to him.

Kajol has once again proved that it is her world when it comes to movies, and we are just living in it! For a mother who knows her child is going to die, she has the toughest job. Her expressions will leave you in tears. Her banters with her dying son is immensely cute.

Revathy’s affection for her film’s characters is evident, and balanced equally by her respect for them and her filmmaking process. Three cheers for the screenplay though. From the four corners of the hospital room to the beach shots, Salaam Venky’s scenes are visually hypnotic and will keep you hooked.

However, the film isn’t one without faults. The first half of the film could have been written tighter. It drags on that you momentarily lose interest. Aamir Khan’s cameo looks forced because the makers wanted another star appearance. Another thing where the makers went wrong were the songs. Salaam Venky almost looked liked a musical. In one of the scenes, Venky’s team decides to make a video montage of him to show the court that he is mentally stable to express his wish to die. The film failed to overlook that the judge might see it as a sign that Venky is not in pain. The tragedy in this film is that it is based on a true story, so it didn’t really need all this ‘masala mirchi’. The intention might have been right, but it failed evoke positive emotions in some parts.

One side character which was beautifully written was of Aneet Padda’s Nandini, who is Venky’s love interest. She is visually impaired, and she sees the world through Venky’s eyes, whereas she is his legs. When Venky is on the verge of dying, and he can’t speak, he communicates with Nandini by writing on her hand. It’s so beautiful how even the most strained of love stories can be revitalised by a human touch. Prakash Raj, Kamal Sadanah, Anant Mahadevan and Parvathi T’s also give commendable performances.

Salaam Venky is a film that celebrates life and embraces passion. It fully encapsulates human spirit and in an unique way, shows how it’s the birthright of everyone to choose their own journey in life. It stands out with its beauty, intellect and spirit. The film will teach you that life is short, so if you are upset, sad or feeling dejected, get up, rise and shine! Let’s see that smile on your face like Venky.

Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Rakul Preet Singh, Shefali Shah, Sheeba Chadha, Indraneil Sengupta

What’s the recipe for a new-age everyman film?

Take a mould and add in not-so-gourmet ingredients, ranging from small towns and funny best friends to nagging mothers and interfering uncles and aunts, in generous quantities and sauté them. Pepper the mix with social commentaries, romance, humour and a language, which is a cultural reflection of its backdrop. Finally, garnish it with dollops of rib-tickling one-liners and good-old nostalgia that takes you back to your summer breaks when you lived in your home-town before you shifted to a metropolis to chase your dreams.

Also read: Doctor G Box Office: Ayushmann Khurrana Film Witnesses Growth on Day 2, Earns Rs 5.22 Cr

In 2012, actor Ayushmann Khurrana kick-started his acting career with filmmaker Shoojit Sircar’s Vicky Donor. The film, set in Lajpat Nagar, a cosy nook in the Capital that still reeks of puraani Dilli, intended to normalise sperm donation and bust the stigma surrounding it. Thus began the rise of a new genre in Bollywood known as the Ayushmann Khurrana genre, which is often compared to late filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s cinema. He followed it up with Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), Bareilly Ki Barfi, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (both 2017), Dream Girl (2019) and Gulabo Sitabo (2020). These films went on to perform well and earned critical acclaim.

But for how long can you keep tweaking with the formula? The debacle began with Bala (2019). And then happened Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020). One can call these films old wine in a new bottle or more contextually speaking – it’s a classic case of vegetable biriyani, pulao and tehri.

Ayushmann’s latest outing is Doctor G, a film that addresses gender stereotypes in a female-dominated space. Sounds familiar? Hold on! This is a film which talks about a male doctor trying to come to terms with his role as a gynaecologist and doing his best to let go of his ‘male touch’ so as to make his female patients feel at ease around him. Here, the mother (played brilliantly by actor Sheeba Chadha) isn’t obsessed with getting her son married and is remotely removed from being a nagger. A single mother, she is cool, enterprising, progressive, doesn’t cower at the thought of her Hindu son’s potential girlfriend being a Muslim and perms her hair to up her Tinder and selfie games. What’s also refreshing is the romantic angle (rather the lack of it) between the film’s protagonists – Uday (played by Ayushmann) and Fatima (essayed by Rakul Preet Singh).

Set in Bhopal, Doctor G opens with a conversation between Uday and his best friend, Chaddi, an IAS aspirant, who also lives with him and his mother as a paying guest. It sees Uday, fondly referred to as Guddu, moaning about wanting to get a seat at the orthopaedic department of a medical college. However, he ends up at a gynaecology class and that’s where all the trouble begins.

Without meandering and beating around the bush, the makers straightaway dive into the subject of the narrative right since the first sequence and successfully make the audience a part of Doctor G’s world. While there’s nothing that’s not out-of-the-box in terms of its treatment and template in the first half, what keeps us engrossed is the fast-paced unravelling of simplistic events. And before you know, it’s already time for the interval. The second half incorporates a new storyline, which might seem abrupt on the surface but with time, seamlessly becomes one with the crux of the plot.

The weakest link, however, in the film is the portion that encapsulates the evolution in the dynamic shared by Uday and Fatima. The track adds no value and substance to the narrative and the complete lack of it wouldn’t have affected the flow of the film in any way. To some, it might even appear to be a purposeless hodgepodge and the biggest hiccup in Doctor G.

But Ayushmann shoulders the film like a true-blue seasoned actor. He’s clearly in his comfort zone here and slips under the skin of his character with a rare finesse. The only complaint is the inconsistency while he speaks English. While in some scenes, his English is fluent, in others, the Bhopal boy in him struggles to word his feelings.

Sheeba, who has proved his mettle with Badhaai Ho, Taj Mahal 1989 (2020), Pagglait (2021) and Badhaai Do, among many other projects, is stupendous in Doctor G. She’s one of the biggest highlights of the film. She steals the show with a top-notch comic timing and the way she brings her vulnerability to the fore in a confrontation scene with Ayushmann’s Uday in the second half is stunning.

Shefali Shah, who plays Dr Nandini, the head of the gynaecology department in the medical campus and Uday’s mentor, plays her part to a T. The dearth of nuances, however, in her character stops her from blossoming with her signature glory. Once again, she plays a part that’s stern, restraint and resolute. A surprise revelation is Abhay Mishra, who plays Chaddi. His one-liners and straight-faced humour will crack you up every now and then. His scenes with Ayushmann are thoroughly entertaining. Rakul doesn’t bring much to the table solely because she has no meat to chew. Indraneil Sengupta and Ayesha Kaduskar are decent.

Director Anubhuti Kashyap delivers an impressive act with her debut project. It is said that when stories are told and helmed by women, there’s a certain tenderness attached to their approach and treatment. Needless to say, Doctor G is told from a female gaze. Here, the women might not be man-haters but they surely are portrayed from the lens of a feminist, which is also reflected in the way their disposition and demeanour towards Uday – the only boy in the gynaecology class – transitions. Without any kind of gender role reversal happening, they are made to operate and maneuver in a world that belongs to them.

Watch this film if you want to take a break from the actioners and mystery-thrillers that are gracing the big screen every other Friday of late. Despite its run-of-the-mill template, Doctor G manages to offer a kind of novelty and brings us back the Ayushmann Khurrana we have been yearning for.

Alia Bhatt, who has co-produced and acted in Darlings, spoke about her decision to opt for the film’s digital release. It started streaming on Netflix from August 5.

Alia Bhatt co-produced Darlings along with Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment. It began streaming on Netflix from August 5. The film is a dark comedy and features Vijay Varma and Shefali Shah along with Alia in the lead. The Gull Boy actress has bankrolled Darlings under her banner Eternal Sunshine, which is a dark comedy directed by debutant Jasmeet K Reen. In an exclusive chat with IndiaToday.in, Alia Bhatt spoke about the reason for releasing the film on OTT instead of theatres.

ALIA BHATT ON WHY SHE CHOSE OTT RELEASE FOR DARLINGS

When asked Alia Bhatt if it was always her plan to release Darlings digitally, the actress quickly replied ‘Yes’. Further explaining the reason, Alia said, “It was not something that we discussed during the pandemic. In 2019 we all had met with regards to Darlings, that’s where the initial talks began. Then in 2020, the world went into lockdown, but from the very beginning, we said that this is that kind of film which on a platform like Netflix will be very good, for various reasons. On Day 1 itself you reach out to over 190 countries, so who wouldn’t want that reach? As we all know the world has become a very small place thanks to content lying on OTT. We are consuming content of all languages – Korean, Spanish, South Indian, etc. It is something that has become very easily accessible now. We don’t have to take a flight or go to film festivals, it’s just a unique way of consuming content.

ALIA CALLS DARLINGS AN INTIMATE WATCH

She continued, “Also Darlings is not a large-scale, larger-than-life sort of spectacle, it’s an intimate, intricate story of all these characters and their lives and their journeys. So,I don’t mind where you watch it as long as you watch it. A film like Gangubai (Kathiawadi) you had to consume that film in the theatre first because that was the style, it was just a spectacle. But, Darlings is not that kind of a film, I am not saying it negatively. I’m just saying that it’s an intimate watch. So, I don’t mind watching it by myself. We are very happy that it is releasing on a platform like Netflix.

ALIA’S FAMILY LOVED DARLINGS

Alia also revealed that her family loved Darlings and had only good things to say about the film. She said, “When my father and my mother both love something they go on and on. Even Neetu aunty, when she saw the film, she also kept praising it. I feel like these are people who don’t need to praise me because they believe in not praising too much. They have that attitude that they want me to keep myself grounded, but they were extremely surprised and impressed. All those lovely words that you want to hear after the movie, they had all that to say.”

Ask her who is her biggest critic and she said, ‘My audience. See I don’t have the biggest critic like that. I think everybody is an audience at the end of the day. Having said that, there are a few people in my life who are very difficult to please, they don’t like anything that I do. Won’t name them, they are just a few friends of mine. For a change they really liked Darlings, so for me, it was like a win-win.

Ek Villain Returns released on July 29. Fans have flooded social media with reviews for Mohit Suri’s directorial starring John Abraham, Arjun Kapoor, Disha Patani and Tara Sutaria.

HIGHLIGHTS

Ek Villain Returns released in the theatres on July 29.
It stars Arjun Kapoor, Disha Patani, John Abraham and Tara Sutaria.
The film is directed by Mohit Suri.

Your wait for Ek Villain to ‘return’ is finally over! The film, which released on June 27, 2014, starring Sidharth Malhotra and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead, was a box office success. The sequel to the film is titled Ek Villain Returns which stars John Abraham, Arjun Kapoor, Disha Patani and Tara Sutaria in lead roles. The second part released today, July 29, and Twitter is exploding with reviews. Here’s what fans have to say.

FANS REVIEW EK VILLAIN RETURNS

Ek Villain Returns pits John Abraham’s character Bhairav against Gautam, played by Arjun Kapoor. The two leading ladies, Disha Patani and Tara Sutaria also add the fiery quotient to the film. Fans who watched the early morning shows of Ek Villain Returns took to their social media and reviewed the film.

3 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR EK VILLAIN RETURNS

IndiaToday.in gave Ek Villain Returns 3 out of 5 stars. Our review read, “The gripping plot of Ek Villain Returns is the winner with an engaging storyline. Mohit Suri, who did a good job with the first film of the Ek Villain franchise, brings a masala entertainer with massy dialogues, thrilling moments and good performances in the sequel. While there are some impressive stunts in the films, there are a few bad VFXs as well. The film’s music is good and the songs are melodious, but none other Galliyaan has a shelf life.

The film had many illogical twists and action sequences. They tried to show John Abraham to be immensely powerful, whose expertise lies in breaking glass, be it in high-rise buildings or a metro rail. He might also also remind you of Sunny Deol when he easily dislodges the pole in the metro train and breaks the iron gate in the zoo.”

ABOUT EK VILLAIN RETURNS

Ek Villain Returns is the sequel to the 2014 hit film, Ek Villain, which starred Sidharth Malhotra, Shraddha Kapoor and Riteish Deshmukh. While the first film of the franchise was about a conflict between a hero and a villain, Ek Villain Returns follows the story of two villains, with John Abraham and Arjun Kapoor essaying negative roles. Tara Sutaria and Disha Patani play the female leads in the thriller. The film is helmed by Mohit Suri. Ek Villain Returns marks John Abraham’s first collaboration with the director. Meanwhile, Disha Patani played the lead role in Mohit’s last directorial, Malang.

The Kashmir Files starring Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty released on March 11. The film, which faced many hiccups prior to its release, saw a brilliant opening of Rs 3.55 crore.

Anupam Kher and Mithun Chakraborty’s film, The Kashmir Files has finally seen the light of the day. The movie released as per its schedule on March 11 amid multiple legal barriers. Helmed by Vivek Agnihotri, The Kashmir Files is a true story based on the lives of the Kashmiri Pandits in 1990, during the Kashmir insurgency. The film released in limited theatres. Despite the same, it collected a steady sum of Rs 3.55 crore.

THE KASHMIR FILES: DAY 1 COLLECTION

Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, co-starring Anupam Kher and Mithun Chakraborty, The Kashmir Files faced multiple hiccups before it finally saw the light of the day yesterday, March 11. Reportedly, The Kashmir Files is running in selected theatres (630-plus screens). Despite this, the film saw a steady growth of Rs 3.55 on the first day. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the box office number and also predicted that the film would see a solid jump over the weekend.

ABOUT THE KASHMIR FILES

The Kashmir Files is based on the life of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990, during the Kashmir insurgency. Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the film is produced by Tej Narayan Agarwal, Abhishek Agarwal, Pallavi Joshi and Vivek Agnihotri under the Zee Studios, IAmBuddha and Abhishek Agarwal Arts banners. The ensemble cast comprises Mithun Chakraborty as Brahma Dutt, Anupam Kher as Pushkarnath, Darshan Kumar as Krishna Pandit, Pallavi Joshi as Radhika Menon, Bhasha Sumbali as Shraddha Pandit, Chinmay Mandlekar as Farooq Malik aka Bitta (Inspired by Farooq Ahmed Dar), Puneet Issar as DGP Hari Narain.

On Day 15, Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi managed to earn Rs 256 crore worldwide. The film is expected to cross the Rs 300-crore mark soon.

Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi clocked two weeks of its release yesterday, November 19. The film, which released on Diwali, has been a massive success. Fans have flocked to the theatres in huge numbers to see their favourite actors Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif. On Day 15, the film managed to earn Rs 256.72 crore, almost Rs 4 crore more than Day 14. Directed by Rohit Shetty, Sooryavanshi is the fourth film from the director’s cop universe.
SOORYAVANSHI EARNS RS 256 CRORE

Sooryavanshi is already a hit at the box office and it is expected to cross the Rs 300-crore mark soon. On Day 15, the film’s overall box office collection reached Rs 256.72 worldwide. It is almost Rs 4 crore more than Day 14 which was Rs 252.34 crore. Trade analyst Manobala Vijayabalan tweeted, “#Sooryavanshi WW Box Office. Week 1 – 190.06 cr. Week 2 Day 1 – 11.38 cr Day 2 – 15.74 cr Day 3 – 18.07 cr Day 4 – 6.83 cr Day 5 – 5.35 cr Day 6 – 4.91 cr Day 7 – 4.38 cr Total – 256.72 cr.

In North America, Sooryavanshi was released on 520 screens in 490 locations. It is running on 137 screens in the United Arab Emirates and 107 screens in Australia. Sooryavanshi was released in 158 locations across Europe, including 29 screens in France, 36 screens in Germany, 20 screens in Spain, and 19 screens in Italy. Not only that, Israel, Japan, Chile, Egypt, Iraq and Djibouti are amongst the non-traditional countries where Sooryavanshi was released.
ALL ABOUT SOORYAVANSHI

Sooryavanshi is the fourth film in Rohit Shetty’s cop universe that began with Ajay Devgn’s Singham in 2011. The latest film features cameos by Ranveer Singh and Ajay Devgn. This is for the first time that Shetty has collaborated with Akshay Kumar. The action film’s theatrical release was postponed twice due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Sooryavanshi’s first song, Aila Re Aillaa, was released on October 21 and became the most viewed Bollywood film song in 24 hours. The film is produced by Reliance Entertainment and Rohit Shetty Picturez in association with Dharma Productions and Cape of Good Films.

Netflix’s new film, Dhamaka, starring Kartik Aaryan, Mrunal Thakur and Amruta Subhash, starts off with a blast but ends in a dud, says our Dhamaka Movie Review.

Movie Name: Dhamaka
Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Mrunal Thakur
Director: Ram Madhvani

Every now and then, we come across a film where an unassuming actor is entrusted with the task of pulling off a role that’s seemingly larger than their cinematic persona. More often than not, director Ram Madhvani is known to throw such googlies at us. Cue: Sonam Kapoor in Neerja. In Kartik Aaryan’s Dhamaka, Ram does it again. He picks a man infamous for his monologues, known for his unruly mane and a toothy smile endearing to many, and places him as his prime-time news anchor – Arjun Pathak – with terrifying bombs exploding on the Bandra Worli Sea Link in Mumbai in the backdrop – both figuratively and literally. And he manages to squeeze a dhamakedaar performance out of this Kartik Aaryan.

Kartik’s Arjun, at the start of this Netflix offering, is a radio anchor, demoted from his prime-time television anchor role despite a five-year successful run. He’s also sitting at his corner radio studio, in a whirl of smoke from his cigarette, going through a divorce draft, reminiscing the life that was. Eventually, we learn about the conflict and how his personal and professional life came to what it is today. He goes on air, starts off with some traffic update – the Sea Link will be shut between 9-10 am due to some construction work, so avoid it – and then he gets his first caller. A man, who identifies himself as Raghubeer Mhate, declares, “Main Sea Link udane wala hoon.

At this point, you know that Dhamaka is taking an A Wednesday (2008) turn, also available on Netflix, if you want to give it a watch. The events that follow are predictable, yet adrenaline-pumping. A common man, a labourer who actually helped build that bridge is now hellbent on destroying it, to get attention. To get an apology. Three workers were killed one rainy day in Mumbai while patch-repairing that bridge. The compensations promised never reached the families. The news never made it to prime time. Everything was forgotten. But not forgiven. Sarkar ko maafi mangni padegi, he says.

The angst of this common man is not hard to identify. You empathise with him, while you ask yourself if a blast, that puts the lives of other innocent people in danger, the way to do it. Ram Madhvani keeps the conflict very basic here, almost not challenging the viewers enough. In all this, there’s the negotiation of an “exclusive”. Arjun bargains his prime-time news anchor position claiming this as his big exclusive and promising the channel higher TRPs. But the game he plays is dirty, and even though he might want to wash his hands off, there’s blood there, the blood of those three labourers, that connects him intrinsically to the main plot.

Neerja was a true story, and despite creative liberties, we knew how it would have ended. Dhamaka ends on a dud and that’s a flaw we cannot overlook. In a hurry to wrap things up, Ram Madhvani takes the righteous path out, that’s not only easy, it is also borderline ridiculous.

Kartik Aaryan does his best as Arjun Pathak. Though he gets ample scope to deliver those monologues that have become synonymous with him, simply by virtue of being a news anchor, they are not grating. Amruta Subhash as Ankita, the boss, is flawless. She owns the screen while she’s on it. Mrunal Thakur as Soumya Mehra Pathak, Arjun’s estranged wife, gets one romantic montage at the start and an emotional tugging-at-your-heartstrings scene on the bomb-affected bridge. Just not enough to decide her impact. We needed more of her.

Bunty Aur Babli 2 is enjoyable when the camera is on Rani Mukerji and Saif Ali Khan. And yes, you will miss Abhishek Bachchan.

Movie Name: Bunty Aur Babli 2
Cast: Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan, Pankaj Tripathi
Director: Varun V Sharma

Bollywood’s original heist duo is back. However, this time, with a makeover and a new team. The original Bunty and Babli – Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji entertained the audiences in 2005. Abhishek and Rani’s instant charm and impeccable chemistry contributed big time to the film’s success. Flash forward 16 years, and we have a Bunty aur Babli redux, jazzed up with a makeover and two new entrants. Directed by Varun V Sharma, the film has Saif Ali Khan replacing Abhishek Bachchan as Bunty, Rani reprising her Babli act, and two new faces – Siddhant Chaturvedi and Sharvari Wagh giving the franchise a younger fresh appeal.

The plot is pretty simple. The original Bunty and Babli face their biggest fear of being redundant and their brand being tarnished by two youngsters using their names to con people in the city. Now-retired Saif and Rani are happy in their family life until Inspector Jatayu Singh (Pankaj Tripathi) lands at their doorstep to arrest them for a robbery they didn’t commit. Now, the original B and B not only have to defend their brand but also hunt down the impostors and protect their legacy. Sounds fun right?

Bunty Aur Babli 2 has a lot that works in its favour. The writing is crisp, the dialogues laced with dollops of witty humour and Pankaj Tripathi is at his best. Also, the pace and length of the film work in its favour. It’s tight and doesn’t drag its feet in important scenes. Rani Mukerji as Babli is a major highlight. Her comic timing and humour are quite a revelation, and showcases a side we haven’t seen before. The over-the-top outfits and garish makeup only add to the caricature that is Babli – and what we love about her.

Amongst the youngsters, Sharvari exudes confidence and has immense potential. Even beneath the prosthetics and makeup, she has a spark and looks like this is what she was born to do. Siddhant uses his charisma to his advantage and goes full throttle when it comes to playing up his Casanova image.

The big elephant in the room is Saif Ali Khan replacing Abhishek Bachchan as Bunty. Those are big shoes to fill. Though the comparisons are unfair, there is an issue is with the casting. As the bumbling Bunty from Fursatganj, he feels out of place and a bit lost. Oddly enough he looks the most comfortable in his designer suits in the second half. You can’t help but think of Abbas-Mustan’s Race when you see a good-looking Saif Ali Khan donning stylish shades.

The songs and music in Bunty Aur Babli 2 are forgettable. That was one of the biggest reasons why the first one worked, with foot-tapping tracks like Kajra Re, Chup Chup Ke and the catchy title song. In fact, this one has a scene with the original Kajra Re playing in the background, which serves as a bleak reminder of how bad the music in the second part is.

Bunty Aur Babli 2 is enjoyable when the camera is on Saif and Rani. There is a chase sequence between the original Bunty-Babli and the newbies, which is a major highlight and is well shot. Overall, the film is entertaining and worth a watch. Yes, you will miss Abhishek and Rani’s chemistry, but don’t let that not be a reason for you to skip the film.

Sooryavanshi is receiving a good response at the box office. Directed by Rohit Shetty, the film stars Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif in lead roles.

The decision to wait for the theatres to reopen after the novel coronavirus pandemic and not take the digital route has proved to be beneficial for Sooryavanshi makers. The Rohit Shetty directorial venture is the first big-budget film that released in the theatres post pandemic lockdown. Akshay Kumar’s film is being received well at the box office as it earned Rs 26.29 crore on Day 1 of its release. On Day 2, the film collected Rs 23.85 crore.

SOORYAVANSHI EARNS RS 24.5 CRORE ON DAY 2

After receiving rave reviews from the film critics, Sooryavanshi is seeing cinegoers thronging theatres. The Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif film collected Rs 23.85 crore on Day 2 of its release. On Day 1, the film had earned Rs 26 crore. While it was anticipated that it would make more money on the weekend, the collection was recorded less due to Bhai Dooj. Sooryavanshi is expected to pick up on Sunday, November 7.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh wrote, “#Sooryavanshi crosses Rs 50 cr SUPER-STRONG HOLD on Day 2 Slight dip in night shows vis-à-vis Day 1 Expect a BIGGG SCORE on Day 3, should comfortably cross Rs 75 cr, may even touch Rs 80 cr [+/-], PHENOMENAL Fri 26.29 cr, Sat 23.85 cr.

ALL ABOUT SOORYAVANSHI

Starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif, Sooryavanshi is the fourth film in Rohit Shetty’s cop universe that began with Ajay Devgn’s Singham in 2011. The latest actioner also features cameo appearances by Ranveer Singh and Ajay Devgn. After Singham and Singham Returns, Ranveer Singh carried forward the baton with Simmba. Now, Akshay has won the hearts of the audience with Sooryavanshi along with Katrina Kaif. Sooryavanshi also stars Gulshan Grover and Jackie Shroff in pivotal roles.

Taapsee Pannu’s Rashmi Rocket and Shabaash Mithu to Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi and Darlings, women take the lead in many new films. Here’s the full list.

Movie theatres are back in business and the Hindi film industry couldn’t be more thrilled. While many production houses turned to OTT as the novel coronavirus pandemic confined us to our homes, things are finally getting back on track. In fact, after the Maharashtra government announced reopening of cinemas in the state, makers of big-ticket Bollywood films started announcing release dates of much-anticipated movies. From Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi to Ranveer Singh’s 83, Bollywood Calendar 2021-2022 has something for everyone.

The 2021-2022 calendar also has many films that are driven by strong female leads. From Taapsee Pannu’s Rashmi Rocket and Shabaash Mithu to Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi and Darlings, we have a list of upcoming films centered on powerful women – fictional and real.
TAAPSEE PANNU’S RASHMI ROCKET

Taapsee Pannu-starrer Rashmi Rocket premiered on Zee5 on October 15. Directed by Akarsh Khurana, the sports drama also stars Abhishek Banerjee and Priyanshu Painyuli. The film narrates the story of a small-town girl Rashmi, who aspires to be an athlete. She follows her dreams and becomes a national-level fast-runner, but her glory is hindered when she is asked to undergo gender tests. Rashmi Rocket is produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Neha Anand and Pranjal.

ALIA BHATT’S GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI

Gangubai Kathiawadi is a biographical crime drama based on Hussain Zaidi’s book, Mafia Queens of Mumbai. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and produced by Jayantilal Gada, the film also stars Ajay Devgn and Shantanu Maheshwari. The upcoming film narrates the story of a woman named Ganga, played by Alia Bhatt, who becomes a madame named Gangubai in the red light area of Kamathipura. The story shows how she rose to power, fighting one challenge after another. Gangubai Kathiawadi is set to release in theatres on January 6, 2022.