Star Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, Pravessh Rana, Pavail Gulatie

Deva Movie Review Synopsis:
Deva is the story of a rowdy cop who gets entangled in a complicated murder case. The film is the official Hindi remake of the Malayalam hit Mumbai Police, which was also directed by Rosshan Andrrews himself. The story revolves around inspector Dev Ambre (Shahid Kapoor) from Mumbai Police. He is arrogant, hot-headed, violent and known for not obeying rules. But he is good at heart and takes pride in carrying out his duty as a cop, even if it means upsetting a powerful politician like Apte (Girish Kulkarni). He is also emotional towards his near and dear ones. Dev’s sister Alka (Bhawana Aneja) is married to his respected senior Farhan (Pravessh Rana). He also shares a brotherly relationship with his colleague ACP Rohan D’Silva (Pavail Gulatie). Fate brings Deva close to constable Sathaye’s daughter Diya (Pooja Hegde), who is an honest crime journalist with a newspaper. The two eventually fall in love. But Dev’s life goes through an unpleasant twist when Rohan gets killed by a mysterious killer while he was being felicitated. On top of that, just when Dev cracks the case, he meets with a serious accident.

Deva Movie Story Review:
Bobby Khan’s story is interesting in parts. Although the film is about the working of the police department through the character of Dev, it is more like a murder mystery. Of course, there have been plenty of whodunits in films and, especially, web shows in recent years. But Deva stands apart due to the angle of amnesia thrown into the mix. However, the story doesn’t culminate in a convincing way. Although the identity of the killer is a surprise, it raises a few major questions. The angle of amnesia, although interesting, is not dealt in a satisfying manner.

Bobby Sanjay, Abbas Dalal & Hussain Dalal, Arshad Syed and Sumit Arora’s screenplay is also a mixed bag. While it was a smart idea to start the story at an important juncture and then move to the flashback, what follows in the first half isn’t pleasant as this portion is too lengthy. In fact, it takes around 1 hour 20 minutes or so for the interval to arrive. The narrative in the second half also moves at a sluggish pace at times. There are also a few major questionable points. The track of the politician Apte is forgotten for unknown reasons. The romance between Deva and Diya is also half-baked. The audience doesn’t realize when the two fall in love. Also, the film is promoted as a massy entertainer but it doesn’t exactly fall in the genre. Abbas Dalal & Hussain Dalal’s dialogues are mostly conversational.

Rosshan Andrrews’ direction is impressive. He has handled a number of sequences like a pro. However, he is let down by writing.

Deva Movie Review Performances:
Deva rests on Shahid Kapoor’s strong shoulders and he doesn’t disappoint. He is outstanding and brings in the arrogant attitude of Dev in a convincing manner through his heroisms. He also switches on to a calmer state in the second half, which was the requirement of the story. Pavail Gulatie once again displays his mature acting skills. He is impactful despite limited screen time. Pravessh Rana is good in the role of Dev’s senior. Pooja Hegde is more than a typical heroine and she does well. But, as mentioned above, her love track with Dev is half baked. Meenal Sahu, as Rohan’s fiancée, is fine in a supporting role. Kubbra Sait is wasted in an inconsequential role as Dev’s junior. Girish Kulkarni once again succeeds while playing a crooked man with a touch of humour.

Deva | Official Trailer l Shahid Kapoor | Pooja Hegde | Rosshan Andrrews

Deva movie, music and other technical aspects:
Deva has an enjoyable track ‘Bhasad Macha’ by Vishal Mishra right at the start. But strangely, there are no other songs in the film, except composer Jakes Bejoy’s ‘Marji Cha Malik’, which only plays for a short duration twice in the background. This point also stops the film from being a massy affair. Jakes Bejoy’s powerful background score suits this kind of a flick.

Amit Roy’s cinematography is impressive as he captures the city in a different way. Supreme Sundar, Abbas Ali Moghul, Anl Arasu, Parvez Shaikh and Vikram Dahiya’s action packs a punch. Sandeep Sharad Revade’s production design is a nice mixture of real and rich. Niharika Jolly and Malavika Kashikar’s costumes are praiseworthy and they suit the character.

Deva Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, DEVA delivers a mixed bag. Shahid Kapoor shines with a powerhouse performance, and the direction is top-notch, elevating the film’s cinematic appeal. However, the impact is diluted by weak writing, which not only hampers engagement but also stretches the narrative unnecessarily, making it feel overly intense and sluggish. At the box office, limited promotional buzz, its urban-centric appeal, and writing flaws will significantly hinder its prospects.

Star Cast: Paresh Rawal, Adil Hussain

Director: Ananth Narayan Mahadevan

The Storyteller Movie Review Synopsis:
THE STORYTELLER is the story of two elderly men. Tarini Bandhopadhay (Paresh Rawal) lives in Kolkata and has just retired from his job. His son is asking him to join him in the USA, but Tarini is reluctant to shift. One day, his friend Bankim (Rohit Mukherjee) and Bankim’s wife (Tapati Munshi) inform him that there’s an offer for the job of a storyteller in Ahmedabad. Tarini has been an avid storyteller his whole life. Hence, he’s asked to take up the offer. Tarini agrees and he moves to Ahmedabad. The job application was published by a rich businessman, Ratan Garodia (Adil Hussain). Ratan is suffering from insomnia and hence, he wants someone to tell him stories so that he can have a sound sleep. Thus, Tarini begins narrating him stories every night. He also learns that Ratan never married, and he still longs for Saraswati (Revathy), his sweetheart from his young days. But that’s not all. Tarini also stumbles upon a shocking secret about Ratan. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

The Storyteller Movie Story Review:
THE STORYTELLER is based on Satyajit Ray’s short story ‘Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro’. The film’s plot is a bit different from Ray’s short and it is novel. Kireet Khurana’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Allcap Communications and Srijato Bandyopadhyay) is slow-moving but has engaging moments and also unexpected turns. Allcap Communications and Srijato Bandyopadhyay’s dialogues are quite memorable.

Ananth Narayan Mahadevan’s direction is simple. This is a film devoid of action, thrill or violence and relies completely on storytelling (pun intended) and performances. The characters of the protagonists are well fleshed out and the bond they share is heartening. Also, Tarini, a hardcore fish lover, moving to Ahmedabad, that too in a vegetarian household, makes for a fun watch. There’s a twist in the tale that comes unexpectedly.

On the flipside, it is not convincing to see Tarini, a staunch Kolkata resident, agreeing to move to an alien city. Also, the manner in which Suzy Fibert (Tannishtha Chatterjee) befriends Tarini and they start hanging out looks difficult to digest. The bigger problem with the narrative is the absence of conflict. Both Tarini and Ratan are hurt by each other, but they never get into confrontation. It, somewhere, takes away from the realism of the film. Lastly, the film has a niche appeal and is not for everyone.

The Storyteller Movie Review Performances:
Paresh Rawal delivers a smashing performance and gets into the skin of a character of a Bengali intellectual. Adil Hussain, as expected, gives his hundred per cent. He, too, is convincing as a Gujarati businessman. The equation between the two actors is one of the strong points of the film. Tannishtha Chatterjee is quite likeable. Revathy delivers a confident part and slips effortlessly into the role. Jayesh More (Manikchand) has a crucial role and leaves a mark. Anindita Bose (Anuradha; Tarini’s wife) has an arresting screen presence though she’s hardly there. Rohit Mukherjee, Tapati Munshi and Kaveri Basu (Mouli; maid) are okay.

The Storyteller movie music and other technical aspects:
Hriju Roy’s music is soulful but doesn’t have a shelf life. Hriju Roy’s background score is subtle. Alphonse Roy’s cinematography is stunning, and the locales of both Kolkata and Ahmedabad are well captured. Preetam Rai and Bablu Singha’s production design is classy yet realistic. Ritarupa Bhattacharya’s costumes are straight out of life. Gourav Gopal Jha’s editing could have been faster.

The Storyteller Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, THE STORYTELLER makes for a hatke experience and rests on the towering performances of Paresh Rawal and Adil Hussain. However, due to the slow narrative and negligible awareness, the viewership might be affected.

Star Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Madelyn Harris  Topher Grace

Director: Mel Gibson

Flight Risk Movie Review Synopsis:
FLIGHT RISK is a survival thriller. Winston (Topher Grace), an accountant to the gangster Moretti, is hiding in a remote part of Alaska after the gangster gets arrested. Madelyn Harris (Michelle Docker), a deputy US Marshal, locates Winston and nabs him. She is given a small plane and a pilot, Daryl Booth (Mark Wahlberg) to take her and Wiston safely to the city of Anchorage. The plane takes off and soon, Wiston and Madelyn realize that their pilot is actually a hitman sent by Moretti to assassinate the accountant. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Flight Risk Movie Story Review:
Jared Rosenberg’s story is arresting. But Jared Rosenberg’s screenplay is not without its share of blemishes. Jared Rosenberg’s dialogues are okay and some of the one-liners uttered by Mark are quite graphic and shocking.

Mel Gibson’s direction has the old-world feel. In fact, this genre, too, has been attempted after a long time. Some of the scenes are very nail-biting. The first half is much better and the way Winston realizes that the pilot is not who he claims to be is intriguing. The scene where Madelyn tases the hitman is also a great sequence. Since the run time is just 90 minutes, the film moves at a great pace.

On the flipside, the film gets quite silly after a point. The makers want to show the hitman creating havoc after being tied down. But in order to get to that point, the writer inserts a laughable bit of Madelyn’s sunglasses falling on the hitman and he uses it to break free. Moreover, the hit man is literally 5-6 feet away and it’s bewildering how Madelyn and Wiston didn’t realize what he is upto. The villain doesn’t have much to do after a point. Lastly, the buzz is limited and the absence of subtitles makes some dialogues difficult to comprehend.

Flight Risk Movie Review Performances:
Mark Wahlberg is damn good in the first negative role of his career. His body language and evil smile further enhance his performance. Michelle Dockery plays the lead role with panache. Topher Grace raises laughs and later on, gets the serious act right. Maaz Ali is great as the voice of Hasan, though a similar track was seen in the 2021 Hindi film FLIGHT.

Flight Risk movie music and other technical aspects:
Antônio Pinto’s music is well woven into the narrative. Johnny Derango’s cinematography is decent and thankfully, not jerky, as it happens in such films. David Meyer’s production design and Kristen Kopp’s costumes are appropriate. Action is realistic and not gory. Steven Rosenblum’s editing is slick.

Flight Risk Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, FLIGHT RISK rests on a superb idea but is marred by a weak and silly script. At the box office, the limited buzz will impact its box office collections.

Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Sara Ali Khan, Nimrat Kaur

Director: Sandeep Kewlani, Abhishek Anil Kapur

Sky Force Movie Review Synopsis:
SKY FORCE is the story of two brave pilots. The year is 1965. India and Pakistan are on the verge of a war. Kumar Om Ahuja (Akshay Kumar) is a group captain of the Indian Air Force and is stationed at the Adampur Air Base in Jalandhar. Ahuja is married to Preeti (Nimrat Kaur) and he has a close bond with Squadron Leader T Krishnan Ahuja aka Tabby (Veer Pahariya). Tabby is married to Geeta (Sara Ali Khan) and she is pregnant. One day, station commander David Lawrence (Manish Chaudhari) asks Ahuja to recce and find out about the preparation by the Pakistani forces. Ahuja asks Tabby to join him. Both enter the Pakistani territory and get attacked. Ahuja and Tabby hit back. They click photographs of their artillery and warn the Indian forces to be ready. Their request is not taken seriously and a day later, their base gets attacked severely, leading to the loss of lives and planes. Yet, the Indian Air Force decides to hit back. While the Pakistani air force has the fast-paced American Starstriker planes, Indians are in possession of the comparatively weaker Mystere aeroplanes. Nevertheless, Ahuja and his Tiger Squadron attack that too at an air base situated deep in the Pakistani territory. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Sky Force Movie Story Review:
Carl Austin, Sandeep Kewlani and Aamil Keeyan Khan’s story is novel as not many are aware of this chapter of history. Carl Austin, Sandeep Kewlani and Aamil Keeyan Khan’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Niren Bhatt) is engaging and doesn’t waste a single moment. Carl Austin, Sandeep Kewlani, and Aamil Keeyan Khan’s dialogues (additional dialogues by Niren Bhatt) are weak. There’s only one clap-worthy dialogue in the film and ideally, a movie like this should have had more exhilarating one-liners.

Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Anil Kapur’s direction is quite good, considering that it’s their first film. The characters are neatly defined and the film scores on the emotional front, especially in the second half. What’s also refreshing is that there’s no jingoism and the whole Pakistani angle, especially the track of Flight Lieutenant Ahmed Hussain (Sharad Kelkar) is very touching. Though the first half has issues, it does have memorable scenes like Ahuja and Tabby recceing in the Pakistani territory and the sudden attack at the Adampur air base. Post-interval, one gets a surprise as one gets to know that even Tabby left the air base. The investigation by Ahuja in 1984 is engaging while the finale is very moving.

On the flipside, the first half doesn’t pack a punch as intended. Some of the aerial scenes give a déjà vu of FIGHTER [2024]. After a great start in the second half, the narrative again dips for a few minutes, though it picks up eventually. The soundtrack doesn’t work and lastly, the mass appeal of the film is limited.

Sky Force Movie Review Performances:
Akshay Kumar delivers a power-packed performance. He’s there throughout the film and though he excels in action, he is even better in the dramatic and emotional scenes. This role required an actor of his calibre and as expected, he does full justice to it. Veer Pahariya makes a fine debut but has scope for improvement. Thankfully, he plays a heroic character and hence, even his performance gets liked a lot. Sara Ali Khan and Nimrat Kaur add star value and perform ably. But their screen times are limited. Sharad Kelkar leaves a tremendous mark and his casting is apt. Manish Chaudhari, Soham Majumdar (Debashish Chatterjee aka Cockroach), Varun Badola (Air Vice Marshal Amit Narang), and Gurpal Singh (Mehta) lend able support. Rajat Kaul (Sandhu aka Bull), Mohit Chauhan (Air Chief Marshal Arjun Sinha) and others are fine.

Sky Force | Official Trailer | Akshay Kumar | Veer Pahariya | Sara Ali Khan | Nimrat Kaur

Sky Force movie music and other technical aspects:
Tanishk Bagchi’s music is okay. ‘Ae Mere Watan’ is the only song that is touching. ‘Maaye’ is on the lines of ‘Teri Mitti’ [KESARI; 2019] but doesn’t hit viewers like the latter. ‘Rang’ is well shot while ‘Kya Meri Yaad Aati Hai’ and ‘Tu Hai Toh Main Hoon’ are forgettable. Justin Varghese’s background score is exhilarating.

Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran’s cinematography is splendid. Craig Macrae and Parvez Shaikh’s action is spectacular while Double Negative’s VFX is top class. Sujeet Subhash Sawant and Sriram Kannan Iyengar’s production design is superior. Shivank Kapoor’s costumes are reminiscent of the bygone era. A Sreekar Prasad’s editing is slick and the film packs in a lot despite the 125-minute run time.

Sky Force Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, SKY FORCE is the ideal Republic Day entertainer. It has not just action, scale, and grandeur but also a strong emotional connect. More importantly, it tells a fascinating and unknown chapter from history that’s sure to make every Indian proud. The performance of Akshay Kumar is like an icing on the cake. At the box office, it might start slow but has the potential to pick up significantly from the second day onwards due to positive word of mouth.

Star Cast: R Madhavan, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti Kulhari

Director: Ashwni Dhir

Hisaab Barabar Movie Review Synopsis:
HISAAB BARABAR is the story of a common man’s fight against a corrupt system. Radhe Mohan Sharma (R Madhavan) is a senior TTE and he lives in Delhi with his son Mannu (Shaunak Duggal). Radhe is divorced from his wife. He’s so honest that he gives a detailed accounting of the fines that he collected, down to the last penny. He meets a beautiful girl (Kirti Kulhari) on the train and soon, they start dating. Radhe has an account in DO Bank and one day, he realizes that Rs. 27.50 has been cut by the bank without any explanation. He goes to his branch and the clerk (Faisal Rashid) doesn’t take his complaint seriously. Radhe, however, persists, more so when he sees that a similar amount has been cut from his colleague’s account without explanation. Finally, the matter reaches the manager (Rajesh Jais). He credits Rs. 27.50 to Radhe’s account and also gifts him a TV worth Rs. 25,000. Radhe is happy with the gesture but also realizes that the gift is given to him to shut him up. But Radhe is unable to get over the fact that by deducting minuscule amounts from the accounts of every customer, the bank is doing a scam possibly of more than Rs. 2000 crores. He decides to investigate the matter. This brings him under the scanner of DO Bank founder Micky Mehta (Neil Nitin Mukesh). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Hisaab Barabar Movie Story Review:
Ritesh Shastri’s story is an eye-opener. Ashwni Dhir and Purva Naresh’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Ritesh Shastri and Dolphy Fernandes), however, doesn’t create an impact because of silly plot points. Ashwni Dhir’s dialogues (additional dialogues by Purva Naresh) are simple and in some places, hard-hitting.

Ashwni Dhir’s direction is okay. He keeps the narrative easy to understand, despite the fact that the scam being pulled off by Micky is a bit complicated. The character of Radhe is well-fleshed out and one roots for him. The scene where he explains the scam in a food court is memorable. Also, aspects like a bank looting public money, the system being friendly to the rich, the bulldozer justice, etc, make the film very relatable and true to life.

On the flipside, there are too many issues with the narrative. The twist at the interval point is unexpected. But soon, the Kirti Kulhari track raises a lot of questions. How come Radhe never asked her what she does for a living, though they were dating? And why does she suddenly become so tough on him? The makers reason that duty comes first for her. But even while doing so, she could have been a little gentler. The entire bit of Radhe rejecting her proposal 15 years ago is also added forcefully and gives a déjà vu of Rajkummar Rao’s revenge angle in SHAADI MEIN ZAROOR AANA [2017]. Further, Radhe, in his entry scene, jumps in a moving train with lots of oranges. But some scenes later, he’s unable to do so, without any fruits in his possession, even though the train picks up speed gently. The makers probably wanted to show Radhe pursuing his love interest but again, it could have been handled convincingly. Thirdly, the bulldozer justice track is also handled in a silly manner, especially the way Monalisa (Rashami Desai) behaves after the incident. Lastly, the finale is too convenient.

Hisaab Barabar | Trailer | R Madhavan | Neil Nitin Mukesh | Ashwni Dhir | Premieres 24th Jan On ZEE5

Hisaab Barabar Movie Review Performances:
R Madhavan is the best performer in the film. His sincerity and his straightforward dialogue delivery enhance his performance. Neil Nitin Mukesh gives his best foot forward but somehow, the performance leaves a lot to be desired. Kirti Kulhari is superb but is let down by the writing. The same applies to Rashami Desai. Ishtiyak Khan (Credit card seller) raises some laughs. Faisal Rashid and Rajesh Jais leave a mark. Manu Rishi Chadha (Dayal) is just okay. Shaunak Duggal doesn’t get much scope. Jyoti Negi (Railway clerk), Kalyani Jha (Ranganathan), Sukumar Tudu (Inspector Tyagi) and the other actors playing cops are fair.

Hisaab Barabar movie music and other technical aspects:
Aman Pant’s music is forgettable. All three tracks- the title track, ‘Mann Mann Rangeyo’ and ‘Sab Jag Andha’ – fail to impress. Aman Pant’s background score is better.

Santosh Thundiyil’s cinematography is neat. Laxman Keluskar’s production design gives the vibe of a TV show. Even the title styling is outdated. Masumi Mewawala and Irfan Khatri’s costumes are straight out of life while Irfan Khatri’s costumes for Neil Nitin Mukesh are stylish. Siraj Sayed’s action is minimal. Manan Sagar’s editing is too quick to leave an impact in some scenes.

Hisaab Barabar Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, HISAAB BARABAR makes an important comment and is embellished with a fine performance by R Madhavan. But the film fails to impress because of a weak script.

Star Cast: Sharib Hashmi, Sanjay Bishnoi, Shyamraj Patil, Vidya Malvade

Director: Sumit Kulkarni

Sangee Movie Review Synopsis:
SANGEE is the story of three friends. Baman (Sharib Hashmi), Karan (Sanjay Bishnoi) and Akhil (Shyamraj Patil) are childhood buddies. Baman, a single man, lives in Pune. Karan lives in Mumbai with his wife Mohini (Vidya Malvade) and ailing mother (Farida Patel) while Akhil is settled in Mauritius with his wife Brinda (Mira Jagannath) and son Abhimanyu (Anish Railkar). Both Karan and Akhil have achieved financial success. Baman, however, is still struggling. He took a loan of Rs. 18 lakhs from Akhil and started a tours and travel company. But it got shut down in the pandemic. He now wants to set up a strawberry products factory. He calls Akhil and asks for Rs. 15 lakhs, though he hasn’t paid back the earlier loan. Akhil expresses inability to give him the money this time. Hence, Baman heads to Mumbai to meet Karan. Akhil calls Karan and warns him that Baman might come to his place to ask for money. Karan makes it clear that though he’s a childhood friend, he’ll not lend a single paisa to Baman. Things, however, take a turn for Karan once the jovial Baman arrives at his place and persuades him to loan him the amount. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Sangee Movie Story Review:
Thopte Vijaysinh Sarjerao’s story is not much. Thopte Vijaysinh Sarjerao’s screenplay, however, is engaging and keeps the interest going due to the various funny moments. Thopte Vijaysinh Sarjerao’s dialogues are witty and raise a lot of laughs.

Sumit Kulkarni’s direction is simplistic. There’s not much of a plot and the film mainly relies on various funny moments and situations. And Sumit manages to succeed in this regard. The bond the friends share is heartening. The character of Baman takes the cake without a doubt and his antics will surely put a smile on the faces of the viewers. A few scenes that stand out are Baman pretending to be Karan’s servant on the phone while speaking to Akhil, Mohini claiming to start a condom business, Karan lying that he’s abroad, etc.

On the flipside, a little bit of confrontation and fights between the friends would have elevated the proceedings. After all, equations change as time passes and moreover, Baman is asking for a huge amount. Secondly, the track of the servant seems too similar to the Kanta Ben sequence in KAL HO NAA HO [2003]. The final scene of the servant, however, is funny. The climax is too convenient, especially Baman’s conversation with Shailesh (Rohit Kokate). Lastly, the ‘A’ rating is unjustified for this film.

Sangee | Official Trailer | Sharib Hashmi | Vidya Malvade | Sanjay Bishnoi | Gaurav More

Sangee Movie Review Performances:
Sharib Hashmi is the life of the film and in fact, he dominates everyone. He’s the apt choice for this role as he could nicely play a man who ideally should get on your nerves but at the same time, is too adorable. As expected, the actor nails it. Sanjay Bishnoi delivers a fine performance and compliments Sharib’s timing well. Shyamraj Patil has limited screen time and is fine. Vidya Malvade leaves a huge mark and even she shows her funny side in the condom scene. Mira Jagannath is decent in a cameo. Farida Patel is funny but her track should have had more meat. Anish Railkar and Rohit Kokate are okay. Gaurav More (More; servant) is fair.

Sangee movie music and other technical aspects:
There’s only one song in the film, the title track. It’s forgettable although it’s well-placed in the film. Anurag Godbole’s background score is in sync with the film’s mood. Sopan Purandare’s cinematography is neat. The production design is a bit theatrical and TV show-like. Gayatri Chakradeo’s costumes are straight out of life. Hemant Vansh’s editing is appropriate. 

Sangee Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, SANGEE stands out for Sharib Hashmi’s highly entertaining performance and its heartfelt commentary on friendship. However, at the box office, the film is likely to go largely unnoticed due to minimal awareness. The unwarranted ‘A’ certification for a film of this nature further limits its business prospects.