Based on Bina Nayak's book Starfish Pickle, this two hours long movie turns out to be a royal bore. Beware guys as it can genuinely lull even insomniacs in to a deep snore...sorry to say but Starfish goes astray despite quite a few positives up its sleeve. Like the exotic locales of Malta and Sicily (Italy) which are beautifully captured here! The underwater sequences are also wonderfully shot which reminded me of one more Bollywood biggie called Blue (2009). Unfortunately just like Blue, Starfish rests on a wafer thin plot which just doesn't go anywhere. After all, how many times can you watch the voluptuous Khushalii Kumar drinking like a fish, doing drugs and partying hard like there's no tomorrow. Glug glug!! Khushalii Kumar was impressive in last years Dhokha Round D Corner and in Starfish too, she displays adequate acting chops coupled with her abundant sex appeal quite effectively. Kudos to that!! I was actually expecting some hot chemistry between the macho Milind Soman and Khushalii but just as they come close to kiss, the director shifts focus away from them. Oooff, that's sacrilege!! As for those two (supposed) hunky heroes who get lucky with the leading lady, the less said the better!! To sum up, Khushalii soars but Starfish drowns... Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 3.5/5 (Khushalii Kumar)2. Direction : 1.5/53. Music : 2/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 1.5/55. Cinematography : 4/56. Editing : 2/5 7. Costume Design : 3.5/58. Special Effects and VFX : NA9. Action : NA10. Production Quality : 3.5/5 #SNRating for #Starfish : 2 stars out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni Liked the review? Click on the link below and like the #SNRatings page to subscribe to honest and unbiased reviews of all latest movies : https://m.facebook.com/SNRatings You can also follow us on Twitter handle : @sumu76in * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #Starfish #UnderwaterDrama #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #KhushaliiKumar #MilindSoman #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Netflix #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 2023 SNRatings. 

"Mera Naam Apurva Hai" is her clap-worthy concluding line to one of her abductors. Indeed, this is Tara Sutaria's finest performance till date and the titular film, which premiered directly on Disney Hotstar this mid-week, will hopefully give her career the much needed boost!! Tara plays the about to be married Apurva, who gets abducted from her bus on the Chambal highway. The four sadistic robbers, who take her away just to add some fun element to their night out, don't know whats in the offing for them though!! As such, Apurva's plot is pretty much predictable like any survival drama...but it's the execution and the acting department that works in its favour. The film's crisp pace at just one hour thirty five minutes run time is another plus. I was actually reminded of Anushka Sharma’s far superior NH10 (2015) during some chilling moments. And that's a compliment!! Expectedly, Abhishek Banerjee and Rajpal Yadav are first rate as the uncouth rabid criminals, who derive perverse pleasure in killing humans -male or female!! Particularly, you will just loathe Banerjee's character as he cares two hoots for even his own gang members... The surprise revelation of Apurva is but of course Tara Sutaria, who makes most of the golden opportunity she gets to shoulder an entire movie on her own and comes up trumps at the end of it. Atta Girl!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 4/5 2. Direction : 3/53. Music : 3/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 2.5/55. Cinematography : 3/56. Editing : 3.5/5 7. Costume Design : 3/58. Special Effects and VFX : NA9. Action : 3.5/510. Production Quality : 3/5 #SNRating for #Apurva : 3 stars out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni Liked the review? Click on the link below and like the #SNRatings page to subscribe to honest and unbiased reviews of all latest movies : https://m.facebook.com/SNRatings You can also follow us on Twitter handle : @sumu76in * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #Apurva #SurvivalDrama #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #TaraSutaria #RajpalYadav #NH10 #AbhishekBannerjee #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Hotstar #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 2023 SNRatings.

Ever heard of a RAW agent saving the Prime Minister (PM) of NOT India but our neighbour Pakistan. That too after almost gunning down the entire Pak army?!! Well, if you think that's unimaginable, please walk in to your nearest theatre screening Tiger 3. Brace yourself as you will get to see apna Tiger bhai saving the lady padosi PM (Simran Bagga) and moreover, witness the 'pyaare nanhe munhe' Paki kiddos singing our Indian National Anthem as a return gift to him. Wow o wow, really now that's Bollywood's new found creativity for you!! In fact, writer- producer Aditya Chopra seems to have this kinky fantasy of showing a male RAW agent falling for his female ISI counterpart and then both fighting together for a common cause which invariably brings India and Pakistan on the same level!! Ek Tha Tiger (2012) started it all, Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) took it ahead and then Pathaan released early this year, replicated the same RAW- ISI romance wala formula. So far, this YRF Spy Universe as they call it, has incorrectly shown both India and Pakistan as geo-politically equal with their 'Pakistan prem' rising alarmingly with every instalment. I won't be surprised if Tiger or Pathaan jive to a remixed version of 'Dil Dil Pakistan' in their next outing!!! Anyway, Tiger 3 is the weakest movie of this (so called) franchise till now, which even a Salman Khan can't rescue!! Ain't his fault; he has practically nothing to do here except go through the rut of those unrealistic action scenes, which our dear old Mithun Chakraborty mastered in his prime. Remember how those ten thousand bullets would just fly past him graciously while he would bump off two or three bozos with one pellet gun!! Well, Salman Bhai does exactly the same here... Obviously, the VFX and technical aspects are incredibly better than the regular Bollywood fare but still, Tiger 3 as an end product resembles a B grade Hollywood actioner. Basically a desi mission impossible with no mission in it!! As for the much touted Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) cameo, his entry is appropriately timed but the action is so unconvincingly overdone that the entire scene is reduced to a humbug. The climax, supposedly set in Pakistani PM office, is also overstretched to such an extent that you lose your patience. And pray, why is that building in Islamabad designed like the US White House. Eeps!! Of the cast, the gorgeous Katrina Kaif gets a fair share of glamour plus action and actually, pitches in an assured act. Her towel fight scene got the maximum 'ceetis' in the South Mumbai single screen, where I saw the film. Hmm!! Surprisingly, Emraan Hashmi is ineffective as the main villain and his role appears to be chopped off at the editing table. Revathi is the replacement for RAW Chief Girish Karnad in the first two parts and her interaction with Salman brings back the nostalgia of their yesteryear film together- Love (1991). The rest of supporting cast is strictly okey dokey. Finally, it is superstar Salman Khan whose undiminishing charisma and swagger will certainly pull in the crowd to watch Tiger 3 in this extended Diwali weekend. The survival after that, will become mission impossible for this movie though!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 2/5 2. Direction : 1.5/53. Music : 2/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 1/55. Cinematography : 3.5/56. Editing : 2.5/5 7. Costume Design : 3.5/58. Special Effects and VFX : 3.5/59. Action : 2/510. Production Quality : 3.5/5 #SNRating for #Tiger3 : 2 stars out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni Liked the review? Click on the link below and like the #SNRatings page to subscribe to honest and unbiased reviews of all latest movies : https://m.facebook.com/SNRatings You can also follow us on Twitter handle : @sumu76in * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #Tiger3 #SpyThriller #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #SalmanKhan #KatrinaKaif #AdityaChopra #YRFSpyUniverse #EmraanHashmi #Simran #Revathi #SRK #Pathaan #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Zee5 #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 2023 SNRatings.

A joke to start with : When I told my wife that I am watching Pippa, she inquired if it was name of some computer virus or new thunderstorm. After watching the two hours twenty minutes war drama, I could finally confirm to her that Pippa is a amphibious war tank used by the Indian Army in the Bangladesh Liberation war of 1971. The movie per se, is sorta spiritual line up to Tejas released to a disastrous theatrical response two weeks ago. The producer Ronnie Screwvala seems to be making war based dramas on a spree but none of them are matching up to his truly spectacular URI (2019). Like Tejas, Pippa has an interesting and inspiring story to tell but the wrong casting and tepid execution play spoilsport. Based on the real life Brigadier Balram (Ballu) Singh Mehta and his heroic performance at the battle of Garibpur where he used the Pippa tanks to literally blow away the Pakistani intrusion, the film has some awe-inspiring moments but doesn't impress as a whole. Ishaan Khattar, playing Ballu is a complete misfit for this role. Sorry but he's just not convincing in a commanding part which would suit our dear old Sunny Deol in the '90s. The parallel track of Ballu's sister Radha (Mrunal Thakur, looking gorgeous as usual) rising up the ranks in RAW is another unconvincing element. And pray, are RAW officers really recruited like this just on a hunch??!!! On the positive, the war sequences are deftly filmed. The brother-sister equation is endearing. For a change, there is no mandatory love interest for our hero Ballu, thank you. And the end credit real footage of the 1971 war heroes makes you salute our army men with a loud "Jai Hind"!! With all its hits and misses, Pippa is at best, a one time watch on OTT. The makers seem to have learnt their lesson after Tejas and gone for direct digital release for this one. Its kinda wise decision, I would say. Better to avoid those cancelled shows in cinemas again!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 2.5/5 2. Direction : 2.5/53. Music : 3/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 2.5/55. Cinematography : 3.5/56. Editing : 3/5 7. Costume Design : 2/58. Special Effects and VFX : 3.5/59. Action : 4/510. Production Quality : 3/5 #SNRating for #Pippa : 2 & 1/2 stars out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni Liked the review? Click on the link below and like the #SNRatings page to subscribe to honest and unbiased reviews of all latest movies : https://m.facebook.com/SNRatings You can also follow us on Twitter handle : @sumu76in * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #Pippa #WarDrama #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #IshaanKhattar #MrunalThakur #RonnieScrewvala #URI #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Zee5 #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 2023 SNRatings.

The film's name belongs to its heroine (Kangana Ranaut), who turns in to a fierce deshbhakt cum airforce pilot after her loved ones are killed in the Leopold Café attack of 26/11. Tejas is also the name of India's first indigenously made fighter plane, which our heroine Tejas takes to Pakistan and gives hell to the terrorists there!! It is also the name of the undercover mission she is on... oh wow. TEJAS TEJAS TEJAS. Tejas raised to 3 actually!! In its just under two hours runtime, Tejas the film crams in everything you can expect in a typical hyper patriotic Bollywood fare. There is a RAW agent to be rescued, there is the nincompoop Paki army to be fooled and behold, there is even a sinister terror plot to blow up the (yet to be inaugurated) Ram Mandir to be foiled. Phew!! Quite a long "To do" list, you would say. But our dear olè Kangana does all of it with seemingly relative ease. No hurry, no worry!! Coming from Ronnie Screwvala who produced the infinitely superior Uri (2019), Tejas is a letdown on many fronts. The screenplay oscillating between the protagonist's past and present, is a distraction. There is an overdose of songs in the first hour. The air combat sequences don't excite much as you thought from the trailer. Moreover, two fighter pilots pulling down an entire terror camp in Pakistan doesn't appear real. As for the climactic showdown at Ayodhya Ram Mandir, the less said the better... Kangana didi, as her haters love to troll her, has been having a bad box office spell off late. That truly doesn't matter as even in her worst of outings like Dhaakad last year, Ranaut is top class. Her sincerity, her hard work and her performances are always outstanding. If I go by the turnout of just seven (including myself) in the Sunday matinee show at Mahim's Citylight Cinema, Tejas will only add to the list of Kangana Ranaut's increasing flops. But as an actress, she is absolutely flawless. Whether you like her or not!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 5/5 (Kangana Ranaut)2. Direction : 2/53. Music : 2/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 2/55. Cinematography : 3/56. Editing : 3/5 7. Costume Design : 2/58. Special Effects and VFX : 2.5/59. Action : 2.5/510. Production Quality : 3/5 #SNRating for #Tejas : 2 stars out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni Liked the review? Click on the link below and like the #SNRatings page to subscribe to honest and unbiased reviews of all latest movies : https://m.facebook.com/SNRatings You can also follow us on Twitter handle : @sumu76in * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #Tejas #ActionThriller #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #KanganaRanaut #RonnieScrewvala #URI #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Zee5 #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 2023 SNRatings.

If Hollywood has MCU, we have our LCU!! That's the Lokesh Cinematic Universe which started with Kaithi (2019) and went further gun blazing in Vikram (2022). Leo, the third instalment in the action thriller series, rests on a weak premise but still makes it to the watch-worthy grade thanks to some high octane action sequences and Anirudh's pulsating background score. Parthiban (Thalapathy Vijay with salt and pepper beard) lives a blissful family life with wifey (Trisha) and two kiddos until he is haunted by the ghosts from his past in form of Antony (Sanjay Dutt) and Harold (Arjun Sarja) Das, two gangsters who believe he is their long lost heir Leo. So is Parthi really Leo Das or not??!! The basic theme reminded me of Amitabh Bachchan's Hum (1991), which was cleverly adapted as Superstar Rajinikanth's Baashha (1995) and later horribly remade as Sunny Deol's Big Brother (2007). Having said that, Lokesh Kanagaraj packages the oft repeated plotline wonderfully with right quotient of thrills as well as emotions. The family scenes for instance, touch your heart here. And the café fight sequence in the first half is a howl!! Expectedly, Thalapathy Vijay carries the film entirely on his able shoulders and gets two formidable villains to fight in form of Sanju Baba and Arjun. Both are first rate. There are ample references of Kaithi and Vikram, which I won't disclose here for spoiler purpose. On the technical front, the action set pieces are excellent right from the first hyena fight till the blood soaked climax. Moreover, Anirudh's music elevates the film to an altogether different level. The film is close to three hours long (with interval) but doesn't seem so. On the flipside, the VFX in the car chase scene between Vijay and Sanju Baba looks shoddy. All in all, Leo works well even with its wafer thin plot. The LCU is burning bright, no doubt!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 4/5 2. Direction : 4/53. Music : 4/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 3/55. Cinematography : 3.5/56. Editing : 3.5/5 7. Costume Design : 3/58. Special Effects and VFX : 2/59. Action : 4.5/510. Production Quality : 3.5/5 #SNRating for #Leo : 3 & 1/2 stars out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni Liked the review? Click on the link below and like the #SNRatings page to subscribe to honest and unbiased reviews of all latest movies : https://m.facebook.com/SNRatings You can also follow us on Twitter handle : @sumu76in * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #Leo #ActionThriller #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #ThalapathyVijay #Trisha #LCU #LokeshKanagaraj #SanjayDutt #ArjunSarja #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Netflix #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 2023 SNRatings. 

Just when you thought it couldn't get worse than Heropanti 2 (2022), TIger Shroff unleashes this futuristic action drama, which sadly gets nothing right!! Neither the supposed 2070 era with its awful VFX and unimaginative landscape nor the WWE style action sequences which get plain monotonous after a point. Indeed, Ganapath turns out to be a torturous outing at the end of its two hours fifteen minutes runtime. Tiger Shroff, the sole reason I went in for the near empty morning show at Mahim's Citylight Cinema, is repeating himself in every movie. No doubt, he is sincere, he dances good, he kicks hard but all his films since Baaghi 3 (2020) haven't worked at the box office. It's a clear indication that the dude needs to reinvent himself fast. Being a Jaggu Dada fan, my best wishes always with his cub!! As for Ganapath, the dystopian world it attempts to create, where the rich oppress the poor and the common thread of WWE kinda matches between them, generates zero connect with the audience. The love angle also fails badly as there is hardly any chemistry between Tiger and Kriti here, though they always made a great pair right since their Heropanti (2014) days. The director is to be blamed!! Vikas Bahl has had a mixed filmography so far. For every Queen (2013) and Super 30 (2019), he has followed up with a disappointing Shaandaar (2015) and Goodbye (2022). With Ganapath, the director touches an abysmal low failing in every department from its music to VFX to action. Worse, he wastes the God of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan in a totally thankless role making you cry sacrilege!! The focus in Ganapath is purely on the free style wrestling bouts, which were comparably far better executed in Bollywood from Main Intaquam Loonga (1982) and Boxer (1984) right until the Salman Khan starrer Sultan (2016). In fact, the film's second half appears like a WWE tournament playing in a loop. Phew!! Undoubtedly, Ganapath would qualify as one of the worst I have endured this year. Let's see if Bollywood offers us a bigger bomb. After all, we still have two more months to go!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 2/5 2. Direction : 1/53. Music : 1.5/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 1/55. Cinematography : 2/56. Editing : 3/5 7. Costume Design : 2/58. Special Effects and VFX : 1/59. Action : 1.5/510. Production Quality : 1.5/5 #SNRating for #Ganapath : 1 star out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni Liked the review? Click on the link below and like the #SNRatings page to subscribe to honest and unbiased reviews of all latest movies : https://m.facebook.com/SNRatings You can also follow us on Twitter handle : @sumu76in * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #Ganapath #ActionDrama #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #TigerShroff #KritiSanon #VikasBahl #AmitabhBachchan #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Netflix #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 2023 SNRatings.

She's been looking for a frog to turn in to prince charming since her teens. At thirty plus of age, she's still not earned her orgasm. And that is after dating and mating with atleast half a dozen males, one of which is apna Anil Kapoor as a romantic shaayar twice her age. Meet Kanika Kapoor (Bhumi Pednekar), whose life apparently revolves around satisfying her Gspot. Frustrated and unsuccessful at it, she finally agrees to settle with a richie rich goodie good dude (Pradhuman Singh), who is as straight as Bharat Bhushan of yore. Oh Bore!! Finally, our Kanika aka Kannu experiences her first orgasm after a deep drunken party but unfortunately, doesn't remember whom she slept with. Was it her fiancé or the elderly shaayar or her bestie's curly burly hubby or someone else? Who gave her the satisfaction of a lifetime??!!! The film's second half is dedicated to finding who the gentleman was... as Kannu goes about questioning her suspects, "Kya tumne?". It actually reminded me of Akshay Kumar asking similar thing to a dozen girls in Heyy Babyy (2007). But guys, that was a Sajid Khan trash and hence, utterly excusable!! Here, the proceedings get thoroughly monotonous and boring after the interval... Bhumi Pednekar is an efficient actor and can rise above the script, given a good hand (pun unintended). But darlings, expecting her to shoulder an entire movie on her own, especially this one based on such a flimsy premise is taking things too far. About the rest of the cast, the less said the better. Thank You For Coming tries to drive a point that seventy percent women in this world don't experience orgasm in their entire lives. Dunno how true or false it is!! If it is indeed true, the movie treats it so frivolously that it fails to register in any manner. The climax offers a solution of "self help" as means to attain the ultimate sexual pleasure. "Aapla Haath Jagannath", it preaches unabashedly. But wasn't that the name of a blockbuster Dada Kondke movie of the '70s. Hmm, no further comment!!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 4/5 (Bhumi Pednekar)2. Direction : 1.5/53. Music : 1.5/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 2/55. Cinematography : 3/56. Editing : 3/5 7. Costume Design : 3/58. Special Effects and VFX : NA9. Action : NA10. Production Quality : 2.5/5 #SNRating for #ThankYouForComing : 2 stars out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni Liked the review? Click on the link below and like the #SNRatings page to subscribe to honest and unbiased reviews of all latest movies : https://m.facebook.com/SNRatings You can also follow us on Twitter handle : @sumu76in * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #ThankYouForComing #SexComedy #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #BhumiPednekar #AnilKapoor #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Netflix #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 2023 SNRatings. 

Released with almost zilch promotion, Mission Raniganj appears to be a neglected project of Akshay Kumar, which the superstar hasn't pined much hopes on. If my guess is indeed true, that's quite sad as the film has an inspiring true story to tell!! Narrating the 1989 Raniganj coal mine incident in which braveheart Jaswant Singh Gill, a dedicated mining engineer, saved sixty five miners of Coal India trapped after a flood wroke havoc in the colliery; the film was initially called Capsule Gill (which became Jaswant Singh's popular name after this heroic feat). Gill won the Bravery award from the President of India for his incredible act of valour. It is really thoughtful of Bollywood to make a full fledged movie on him. Kudos to that!! Akshay Kumar as Jaswant Singh Gill, is earnest enough to make you root for him right till the end. The strong supporting cast comprising Kumud Mishra, Ravi Kishen, Pavan Malhotra, etc pitch in reliably assured performances. Dibyendu Bhattacharya is also memorable as the wicked Coal India senior officer with a sinister agenda. On the other hand, Parineeti Chopra playing Akshay's wife, is shortchanged with exactly four scenes. In fact, a street dog gets more prominence than her in the movie. Bow wow, dunno how!! All seen and endured, Mission Raniganj reminded me of Yash Chopra’s infinitely superior Kaala Patthar (1979), which had a similar plot of near impossible rescue operation in a coal mine. That film was inspired by another such tragedy at Chasnala in the '70s. Technically, Kaala Patthar, made forty years ago, is way ahead of Mission Raniganj. The flooding sequence in Raniganj looks ridiculously fake. The two songs are not worth a hum. And more importantly, the movie length appears tad stretched even at just about two hours fifteen minutes. Ho hum!! To sum up short and quick, Mission Raniganj has its heart and intent in the right place but its tepid execution makes it look like a 'sasta' Kaala Patthar. Risk it if you wish!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 3.5/5 2. Direction : 3/53. Music : 2/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 2.5/55. Cinematography : 3.5/56. Editing : 3/5 7. Costume Design : 3/58. Special Effects and VFX : 1.5/59. Action : 2/510. Production Quality : 3/5 #SNRating for #MissionRaniganj : 2 & 1/2 stars out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni Liked the review? Click on the link below and like the #SNRatings page to subscribe to honest and unbiased reviews of all latest movies : https://m.facebook.com/SNRatings You can also follow us on Twitter handle : @sumu76in * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #MissionRaniganj #DisasterMovie #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #AkshayKumar #ParineetiChopra #RaviKishen #KumudMishra #KaalaPatthar #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Netflix #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 2023 SNRatings. 

Based on the book 'Going Viral' by Prof. Balram Bhargava of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), The Vaccine War narrates the intriguing development of India's indigenous vaccine called Covaxin with all the internal as well as external challenges encountered during its making...Publicised as India's first bioscience film, producer- director Vivek Agnihotri and team deserve a huge applause for putting the spotlight on our unsung heroes - the scientists at ICMR and National Institute of Virology (NIV), who toiled day and night for months to combat the formidable enemy called Corona. The fact that majority of these scientists were women also makes it a pertinent subject of women power. The film is a must see only for that...Vivek Agnihotri's political leanings are well known and no surprises, he layers his script with an elaborate sub-plot of an almost evil journalist (Raima Sen) plotting against the desi vaccine on orders of the foreign pharma conglomerates hell bent on arm twisting India. While a particular obscure media portal has indeed been indicted of spreading fake news, there were ten other major media channels promoting the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative at that time. The Vaccine War forgets this and instead paints the whole media as anti-establishment. In the climax, they are actually equated to terrorists, which is seriously not done!! Assuredly, the casting is perfect and Nana Patekar and Pallavi Joshi, appearing together after three decades since Trishagni (1989), are truly outstanding. Girija Oak and Sapthami Gowda pitch in sincere performances. It is interesting as well as ironic to watch the extremely pretty Raima Sen in such a vicious role and boy, does she nail it. Kudos!! The Vaccine War soars and roars till the time it stays true to its source content of how Covaxin was developed in record time and ended up saving countless lives across the globe. The minute it switches gears to the toolkit narrative, it somehow withers and dithers...Nevertheless, this is a relevant film of our time which leaves us with a positive message that India CAN do it. Covaxin, Chandrayaan, G20... we have seen it happen in last few years. Three cheers to that!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 4.5/5 2. Direction : 4/53. Music : 3.5/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 3/55. Cinematography : 3/56. Editing : 3/5 7. Costume Design : 3/58. Special Effects and VFX : 3.5/59. Action : NA10. Production Quality : 3.5/5#SNRating for #TheVaccineWar : 3 & 1/2 stars out of 5. - Sumeet NadkarniLiked the review?Click on the link below and like the #SNRatings page to subscribe to honest and unbiased reviews of all latest movies : https://m.facebook.com/SNRatingsYou can also follow us on Twitter handle : @sumu76in* - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #TheVaccineWar #Docudrama #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #VivekAgnihotri #PallaviJoshi #NanaPatekar #RaimaSen #GirijaOak #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Hotstar #SNRatings#SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 

Lights, Camera, Review! Adgully launches film review column SCREENXX REVIEW. Adgully is thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new film review column 'SCREENXX REVIEW' by none other than Sumeet Nadkarni. By day, he's a Chartered Accountant, but by passion, he's a self-styled film critic. Sumeet is no stranger to the world of cinema; he's been captivating audiences with his insights for years. Sumeet's film-related articles have appeared in leading publications. He brings a fresh and unique perspective to the world of Indian cinema with his unbiased film reviews. Stay tuned for a cinematic journey like no other, right here on Adgully.Lady Drishyam. These two words would sum up the latest crime thriller from Sujoy Ghosh, which is being publicised as Kareena Kapoor's OTT debut. Whateva!! Jaane Jaan is basically an adaptation of The Devotion of Suspect X, a popular novel made in to a Hollywood movie earlier as well as wonderfully Indianised by Jeethu Joseph and the late Nishikant Kamat as Drishyam (2015). The plot premise plus the alibi offered by the suspect are identical here though Sujoy Ghosh begins and ends his movie on a totally different note. And mind you, I found the climax quite abrupt and disappointing.The lovely Kareena Kapoor is obviously the centre of attraction here - for her next door neighbour cum mathematics teacher (Jaideep Ahlawat) as well as the investigating cop (Vijay Varma) cross-examining her in a murder case. The victim is supposedly Kareena's ex-husband, who was a dirty cop indulging in shady deals from hawala to dance bars.Like Ghosh's earlier films, the characters are well etched and deliciously quirky!! Jaideep Ahlawat is outstanding as the socially awkward Maths genius who sees logic as well as magic in numbers. Vijay Varma playing the tough cop, pitches in a competent act. In one scene, he finds it difficult to resist Kareena's charm and sorta self admonishes himself. Haha!!Ultimately, Jaane Jaan belongs to Kareena Kapoor, who is the "jaan" of this otherwise average flick. Her looks, body language, eye contact and dialogue delivery are just perfect. Watch her in the scene where she sees her ex-hubby for first time or later, when she grooves to the iconic Lata Mangeshkar song from which the movie title is borrowed. This is indeed Kareena 2.0. Yup, she's come a long way from playing Poo and hamming to glory in films like Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon and Khushi (both 2003). This lady has matured beautifully, knows how to act now and most importantly, means business. Lady Drishyam, actually!! Ratings on some key aspects* :1. Acting : 5/52. Direction : 3/53. Music : 3.5/54. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 2/55. Cinematography : 3/56. Editing : 2.5/57. Costume Design : 3.5/58. Special Effects and VFX : NA9. Action : NA10. Production Quality : 3/5 #SNRating for #JaaneJaan : 2 & 1/2 stars out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni. * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #JaaneJaan #CrimeThriller #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #KareenaKapoor #JaideepAhlawat #VijayVarma #SujoyGhosh #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Netflix #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Watchable3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a theatrical watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding.

'80's - '90s Bollywood ka masalaUss par South cinema ka tadka. That sums up Shah Rukh Khan (SRK)'s latest blockbuster Jawan. In fact, it seems like a Tamil movie in which SRK tries to do a Rajinikanth!! No kidding ya, he even flips a cigarette to match the famous 'Thalaivar' swag. The end result is an over the top action drama, which entertains aplenty!! Truly, after the independence weekend blockbuster Gadar 2, which raked in some five hundred plus crores at the domestic box office, Jawan has all the ingredients to take it forward from here. It's massy. Its fun. Its pure unadulterated entertainment. There's also a social message thrown in through SRK's brilliant monologue where he directly converses with the audience... wow!! Admittedly, the plot is oft repeated and seen before type!! Without giving away spoilers, Jawan is a frothy mix of multiple masala movies rooted in the '90s. The vigilante against corruption angle is liberally borrowed from Kamal Haasan's Indian (1996) (Hindustani in Hindi) as well as Akshay Kumar's more recent Gabbar is Back (2015). There is also an added dash of Mammootty's Bollywood turnip called Dhartiputra (1993). In fact, the entire jail sequences of the mother (Deepika Padukone) and her infant son are a direct lift from this Iqbal Durrani directed disaster. Also, let me put those rumours of Jawan being a modern day remake of Amitabh Bachchan's Aakhree Raasta (1986) to rest. Nope, Aakhree Raasta it ain't!! Having said that, the mass masala works big time and makes for a satisfying watch even at close to three hours of run time. Inspite its evident South cinema hangover, the action and song choreography are imminently catchy. The production values are expectedly avant-garde. On the flipside, Anirudh's songs (except the 'Zinda Banda' number) don't meet the humongous expectations though his background score for most parts is striking. The cast deserves full marks. Nayanthara in her Bollywood debut, looks super gorgeous and conjures a great chemistry with SRK. Deepika Padukone leaves a mighty impression even in a special appearance. Sunil Grover is noteworthy. Vijay Sethupathi playing the main antagonist named Kaali, is simply super duper. Note his scene with Deepika in jail. Awesome!! Finally, Jawan is an out and out SRK film and the Bollywood superstar sinks his teeth in to the dual role emerging the clear winner. Donning multiple avatars and juggling between a complex father and son character, he is just outstanding. From the TV series Fauji (1989) to Jawan, SRK has indeed come full circle as an actor and a self made superstar. The last decade was harsh on him mainly due to his choice of films. With Pathaan and now Jawaan, it is safe to say that SRK is back and here to stay. I betcha!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 5/5 (SRK)2. Direction : 3.5/53. Music : 2.5/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 3/55. Cinematography : 4/56. Editing : 4/5 7. Costume Design : 4/58. Special Effects and VFX : 4/59. Action : 4.5/510. Production Quality : 4.5/5 #SNRating for #Jawan : 3 & 1/2 stars out of 5. - Sumeet Nadkarni * - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. #Jawan #ActionThriller #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #SRK #Atlee #Nayanthara #DeepikaPadukone #VijaySethupathi #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #Netflix #SNRatings #SNRatings barometer:1 star = Poor1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable2 stars = Average2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it3 stars = Good enough/ Watchable 3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a theatrical watch4 stars = Very good5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding.