A quiet release on Amazon Prime in midst of the ongoing Animal shor-sharaaba; Mast Mein Rehne Ka turns out to be a breezy feel good fare with Jackie Shroff and Neena Gupta striking a sweet senior citizen friendship, which you would root and hoot...In fact, Jaggu dada is in top form (as usual) playing the Karwari Kamath to perfection. Neena Gupta, as the boisterous Punjaban cussing in every sentence and calling Jaggu "Madrasi" is also first rate. The angst and emotional pain of neglected senior citizens is effectively explored through their platonic relationship.There is a parallel love track between a petty chor (Abhishek Chauhan) and street hooker (Monika, impressive) surviving in the big bad Mumbai. Writer- actor turned director Vijay Maurya does quite well for his first full fledged movie. Mast Mein Rehne Ka easily fits in the "Can See" category. Make it your Sunday matinee!!Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 4/5 2. Direction : 3.5/53. Music : 2/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 3.5/55. Cinematography : 3/56. Editing : 3/5 7. Costume Design : 2/58. Special Effects and VFX : NA9. Action : NA10. Production Quality : 3/5#SNRating for #MastMeinRehneKa : 3 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. #MastMeinRehneKa #RomanticDrama #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #JackieShroff #NeenaGupta #VijayMaurya #BollywoodReview #Filmreview #TheatricalRelease #OTTRelease #AmazonPrime #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 Archie comics remain a memorable part of my growing up years apart from the Indian ones like Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle. The Archies was fun particularly for its characters (Betty is my personal fave) and its cheerful high school backdrop. Bollywood has borrowed its elements earlier in Mansoor Khan's Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) and Karan Johar's Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) as well as Student of the Year (2012). Zoya Akhtar now makes an entire movie on the comics... Adapted to the Indian milieu, the characters are transported to a fictional hillstation Riverdale, which comprises Anglo-Indian folks only. So far so okay. But Zoya tweaks the main characters unnecessarily. She prefers her Archie (Agastya Nanda) without freckles. Jughead (Mihir Ahuja, impressive) doesn't gobble up hamburgers like in the comics. Reggie Mantle (Vedang Raina) isn't the one we know in the book. He's painfully docile and uncharacteristically friendly here while the all brainy Dilton Doiley (Yuvraj Menda) is a closet gay!!! Moreover, the Archies I read wasn't ever a woke but here, the high school gang initiate the save trees campaign which incidentally, is the crux of Zoya's two hours twenty minutes movie. The humour is bland, the Archie-Betty-Ronnie chemistry is non-existent and worse, those Hinglish songs popping up every now and then, add zero value to the narrative. I have loved Zoya's past directorials right from Luck By Chance (2009) to Gully Boy (2019). There's certain smartness and intelligence in her execution and presentation technique. Her characters are invariably well fleshed out and suit the actors playing them. On that front, The Archies will certainly rank as her weakest film till date. What about the star kids will be the obvious question here. Well, none of them leave any impression. Agastya Nanda is no hero material. Suhana Khan doesn't know A of acting. Khushi Kapoor, the better of this nepo-trio, is somewhat sincere as the lovable Betty Cooper. Having said that, it might not be the end of road for these kiddos as their influential parents may ensure they get hundred chances in future and even that coveted blockbuster hit through corporate bookings. Oh yea!!! Overall, The Archies movie is a bland humourless dish, best left untouched. Go for the comic guys!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 2/5 2. Direction : 2.5/53. Music : 2/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 1.5/55. Cinematography : 4/56. Editing : 3/5 7. Costume Design : 4/58. Special Effects and VFX : 4/59. Action : NA10. Production Quality : 4/5 #SNRating for #TheArchies : 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. #TheArchies #TeenageComedy #HindiMovie #BollywoodFilm #ZoyaAkhtar #AgastyaNanda #SuhanaKhan #KhushiKapoor #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. 

A slow burner espionage drama with the early 2000's as its backdrop; Vishal Bharadwaj's Khufiya premiered directly on Netflix this weekend and despite its sluggish pace, kept me in an engaging mode right till the end. It's a tad long at near two hours forty minutes but still worth the time invested. I vouch!! The plot ain't that complicated: RAW officer KM (Tabu) is assigned the task of spying on a suspected fellow agent (Ali Fazal) and his family, who has evidently sold his soul to the CIA. But, has he really? There is also a parallel track of a Bangladeshi minister, who is conspiring something sinister. KM lays her trust on a new recruit Heena (Azmeri Haque Badhon) but can she pull off the seemingly impossible task??!!! Don't expect a high octane actioner or a screen scorcher as Khufiya takes its own time to build its core characters, involve you in the proceedings and then moves to its climax...which may make it a tedious watch for the impatient but then a Baby (2015) or Pathaan (2023), it ain't or expected to be!! Surprisingly, the espionage movie belongs to its ladies who truly impress big time. Tabu, the superlative actor that she is, leaves a mark though her role isn't entirely meaty. Wamiqa Gabbi as Charu, Ali Fazal's wifey delivers a knockout act especially in the film's second half. Bangladeshi star Azmeri Haque Badhon is outstanding in her complex role. Here's an actor to watch out for in future and hope Bollywood gives her more roles!! Overall, Khufiya has the trademark Vishal Bharadwaj touch though I personally feel the director gives his best when adapting Shakespeare. Who can forget Maqbool (2003), Omkara (2006) and of course Haider (2014), my personal favorite of the trio. Khufiya isn't as great as them but still makes the cut to a watch. Make it your weekend matinee!! Ratings on some key aspects* : 1. Acting : 4/5 2. Direction : 3.5/53. Music : 3/5 4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 3.5/55. Cinematography : 3/56. Editing : 2.5/5 7. Costume Design : 3.5/58. Special Effects and VFX : NA9. Action : NA10. Production Quality : 3.5/5 #SNRating for #Khufiya : 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