Star Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade

Director: Kangana Ranaut 

Emergency Movie Review Synopsis:
EMERGENCY is the story of a woman that shaped India’s history. Indira Gandhi (Kangana Ranaut) becomes the third Prime Minister of India two years after the death of her father and the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (Sanjay M Gurbaxani). She is considered a weak leader who would be dominated by the Cabinet. But soon, she shows her worth. She successfully gets cooperation from the Russian and French governments during the 1971 crisis with Pakistan. She also outsmarts US President Nixon (Alexander Scott Young). After India’s victory in the war, her popularity rises considerably. Soon, however, the country is plagued by strikes and hartals, denting her popularity. In 1975, she loses a decisive case in Allahabad High Court. The Court makes it clear that her victory in the election is null and void and hence, she’ll have to step down from the post of the Prime Minister. But motivated by her reckless son Sanjay Gandhi (Vishak Nair), she does the unthinkable – she imposes an Emergency in the country. What happens next forms the rest of the film. 

Emergency Movie Story Review:
EMERGENCY is adapted from the books ‘Priyadarshini’ by Jaiyanth Vasanth Sinha and ‘The Emergency: A Personal History’ by Coomi Kapoor. Kangana Ranaut’s story draws from real-life happenings. Ritesh Shah’s screenplay is gripping, with a constant stream of events keeping the film engaging. However, some scenes fall short, and the narrative occasionally adopts a documentary-like tone. Ritesh Shah’s dialogues (additional dialogues by Tanvi Kesari Pasumarthy) are realistic and yet sharp.

Kangana Ranaut’s direction is decent. The film is made on a certain scale and she handles it well. At the same time, she ensures that the grandeur doesn’t overpower the film. The highlight of her execution is the portrayal of Indira Gandhi. She’s not depicted as an antagonist but rather as a complex, human figure, presented with finesse, which greatly enhances the film. There are moments where you’ll admire her, moments where you’ll dislike her, and moments where you’ll feel sympathy for her. The film spans multiple decades, showcasing several key episodes from her life. But the track that truly stands out is Indira’s bond with Sanjay Gandhi. It’s the best part of the film, without any doubt. The other scenes that work are Indira’s meeting with Nixon, Sam Manekshaw’s (Milind Soman) entry, the Turkman Gate and sterilization controversies by Sanjay Gandhi, Sanjay’s death being celebrated on the road, Indira heading to sleepy Bihar village Belchi on an elephant etc.

On the flipside, as mentioned before, the film is more like a documentary or rather a docu-drama. Hence, it doesn’t have much for the mainstream audience that expects wholesome entertainment. A few aspects of her life are rushed. Also, Sanjay enters the narrative all of a sudden. Even the Allahabad court case springs up suddenly in the film, catching viewers unawares. Lastly, the scenes where characters break into songs in the Parliament and even during torture in jail come across as unintentionally comical. These moments undermine the realism and leave one questioning how they were approved in the first place.

Emergency | Official Trailer | Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade

Emergency Movie Review Performances:
Kangana Ranaut excels not only as a director but also as an actor. Her ability to fully immerse herself in the character is remarkable, making her performance so compelling that viewers completely forget it’s Kangana on screen or recall her previous films. Vishak Nair leaves a tremendous mark. He, too, puts his best foot forward and is sure to get noticed. Shreyas Talpade (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) is impressive and gets the mannerisms right. Anupam Kher (Jayaprakash Narayan) keeps his act restrained and it works. Milind Soman is superb and the only actor to have a clap-worthy entry in the movie. The late Satish Kaushik (Jagjivan Ram), as always, is dependable. Mahima Chaudhry (Pupul Jayakar) is memorable. Sanjay M Gurbaxani is okay and his track shouldn’t have been so one-sided. Alexander Scott Young is a bit over-the-top but it works. Darshan Pandya (R K Dhawan; Indira’s PA), Avijit Dutt (J Krishnamurti), Deepak Anand (Bhindranwale) and Akash Sinha (George Fernandes) are fair. Deepansha Dhingra (Maneka Gandhi), Kateryna Grabovska (Sonia Gandhi) and Adhir Bhat (Feroze Gandhi) are hardly there. Anoop Puri (Yahya Khan) hams while Rajesh Khatri (Motilal Nehru) is okay in a cameo. 

Emergency movie music and other technical aspects:
‘Singhasan Khali Karo’ is catchy but this track, along with ‘Shankhnaad Kar’, are badly utilized in the film. ‘Ae Meri Jaan’ and ‘Beqarariyaan’ fail to impress. Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara’s background score is much better.

Tetsuo Nagata’s cinematography is neat and in sync with the genre and period feel. Sheetal Sharma’s costumes and Wasiq Khan and Rakesh Yadav’s production design are detailed and realistic. David Malinowski’s prosthetics are quite good. Sunil Burman Rodrigues and Nick Powell’s action is disturbing, as per the requirement. White Apple Studio, Redefine and Futureworks Media Ltd’s VFX is satisfactory while Rameshwar S Bhagat’s editing is overall appropriate. But it’s too quick in some scenes. 

Emergency Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, EMERGENCY portrays the life and times of Indira Gandhi in an unbiased manner, elevated by stellar performances from Kangana Ranaut and Vishak Nair. At the box office, while the controversy surrounding the film and the Cinema Lovers Day offer may provide some support, it remains to be seen whether audiences will be drawn to a story set in a historical period nearly five decades old.

Star Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin

Director: Jesse Eisenberg 

A Real Pain Movie Review Synopsis:
A REAL PAIN is the story of two cousins on a life-changing trip. Jewish cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benjamin aka Benji (Kieran Culkin) reside in the USA. They head to Poland as part of a Nazi-German Holocaust tour. As per the arrangement, they plan to leave the tour a day early to visit the childhood home of their late grandmother who survived the Holocaust and shifted to the USA. They land in Warsaw and proceed to the hotel where they meet their tour guide James (Will Sharpe), a recently divorced middle-aged woman Marcia (Jennifer Grey), an old couple Diane (Liza Sadovy) and Mark (Daniel Oreskes) and a recently converted Black man Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan). David is an introvert and reserved while Benji is free-spirited and likes to speak his mind. Benji’s behaviour gets a little extreme at times and Benji has no choice but to bear it and even apologize to other tour members during the course of their journey. What happens next forms the rest of the film. 

A Real Pain Movie Story Review:
Jesse Eisenberg’s story is striking. Jesse Eisenberg’s screenplay incorporates laughter and tragedy beautifully. However, towards the end, the writing falters.

Jesse Eisenberg’s direction is simple. The film is just 90 minutes long and yet, Jesse manages to incorporate a lot into the narrative. The film begins on a funny note but soon, the confrontation and emotional moments take over and it makes for a great experience. The Indian audience will see a sort of familiarity – while the Europan road trip aspect gives a deja vu of ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA [2011], the Holocaust connection might remind one of BAWAAL [2023]. Of course, the goings-on here are totally different. The characters are also well fleshed out, especially David and Benji. Benji might also remind viewers of Zach Galifianakis’ character in THE HANGOVER but once the emotional and dark side of the character comes to the fore, the similarities end.

On the flipside, the scene where David and Benji finally reach their grandmother’s place is very underwhelming. The finale is probably justified but it’s also a bit abrupt and somewhere leaves a bit to be desired. Lastly, the film is too niche and will appeal only to a section of the audience. 

A Real Pain Movie Review Performances:
Jesse Eisenberg is behind the camera as well as in front of it and he comes out with flying colours on all fronts. He plays the socially awkward person with deep insecurity with panache. Kieran Culkin takes the cake as he plays the difficult part with ease. When David says ‘I love him, I hate him and I want to kill him,’ you can’t help but agree as Kieran brings that complicated aspect to life beautifully. Will Sharpe leaves a mark, especially in the scene where Benji gives him constructive feedback. Jennifer Grey is lovely while Kurt Egyiawan lends able support. Liza Sadovy and Daniel Oreskes also do well. 

A Real Pain movie music and other technical aspects:
A REAL PAIN has a minimal background score and it comprises piano pieces by Polish composer Frédéric Chopin (performed by Tzvi Erez). The use of little music adds to the realism and also niche value. Michał Dymek’s cinematography is spectacular and would tempt viewers to visit Poland. Mela Melak’s production design and Malgorzata Fudala’s costumes are straight out of life. Robert Nassau’s editing is slick. 

A Real Pain Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, A REAL PAIN has its share of funny and moving scenes and rests on an award-worthy performance by Kieran Culkin. At the box office, the film will struggle due to the niche appeal and little awareness. However, it might spring a surprise if the film manages to secure a couple of Oscar nominations, once the list is announced next week.

Star Cast: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah

Director: Shankar

Game Changer Movie Review Synopsis:
GAME CHANGER is the story of an honest citizen of India. H Ram Nandan (Ram Charan) is a student with temper issues. He falls in love with Deepika (Kiara Advani), a medical student in the same college. She advises him to channel his anger for a better cause and also insists that he should try to be an IAS officer. She strictly instructs him not to be an IPS officer as she knows that he, with his anger issues, will cause havoc. As luck would have it, he fails to crack the IAS exam but manages to pass the IPS examination. As a result, Deepika dumps him. Ram turns into an honest cop and also keeps attempting the IAS exam every year and one day, he manages to pass with flying colours. He becomes the collector of his hometown Vishakapatnam and starts taking heavy action against corrupt industrialists and politicians. This affects the business of Mopidev (S J Suryah), the son of CM Satyamoorthi (Srikanth). Satyamoorthi’s dark past comes to haunt him, and he strictly tells his party members to not indulge in any form of corruption to earn money until the elections. Mopidev is anyway unhappy with this idea and Ram’s actions further hurt him. He decides to eliminate Ram once and for all. Meanwhile, Satyamoorthi has a strange connection with Ram, and it comes to the fore in the most unexpected manner. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Game Changer Movie Story Review:
Karthik Subbaraj’s story is hard-hitting. Vivek’s screenplay has a few rough edges but overall, it is peppered with ample action, drama, humour and even twists and turns. Rajendra Sapre’s dialogues in Hindi are normal.

Shankar’s direction is massy and after the very disappointing HINDUSTANI 2 [2024], he’s back in form in a space that he excels in. A lot happens in the film, and it even spans various eras. But thanks to his execution, it makes for a seamless watch. Most importantly, it is very simplistic and appeals to the common man. Since it deals with corruption, it is bound to touch a chord. Moreover, the various unexpected moments add to the fun. The intermission point is when the audience will go bonkers. The scene where drones lift the EVMs is another memorable scene.

On the flipside, Shankar doesn’t devote proper time to the very important flashback track, especially what happens to the young Ram after a certain point. The mother track is also not given the prominence as required and this dilutes the impact. In fact, Ram’s foster family is forgotten after a point. Lastly, though the second half has its charm, it pales compared to the very awesome first half.

Game Changer Movie Review Performances:
Ram Charan looks dashing and plays on the front foot. He’s superb while doing action and dance but watch out for him in the emotional scenes. Kiara Advani looks stunning and puts her best foot forward. Sadly, she’s hardly there in the film. S J Suryah is terrific. He plays to the gallery and his act would be loved by the masses. Anjali (Parvathy) is fine but is let down by the writing. Her act also gives a déjà vu of Devasena in BAAHUBALI. Sunil (Side Satyam) is too good and provides a lot of laughs. Vennela Kishore (stalker), however, is wasted and his role might not be liked by a section of the audience. Jayaram (Ramachandra Reddy) is over the top, but it works for his character. Srikanth and Samuthirakani (Sabhapati) lend able support. Brahmanandam is funny, as expected.

Game Changer Trailer (Hindi) | Ram Charan | Kiara Advani | Shankar | Thaman S | Dil Raju | Shirish

Game Changer movie music and other technical aspects:
Thaman S’s music is not up to the mark. ‘Dam Tu Dikhaja’ stands out thanks to its wonderful choreography. ‘Dhop’ is okay while ‘Jaragandi’ is forced. ‘Jaana Hairaan Sa’ is missing from the film. Thaman S’s background score is energetic.

S Thirunavukkarasu’s cinematography adds to the mass appeal. Anbariv’s action is not too gory and works well for a film of this kind. Avinash Kolla’s art direction is too loud, especially in the songs. But otherwise, it is fine. The costumes are rich. Shameer Muhammed and Antony Ruben’s editing is satisfactory but too quick during the flashback scenes.

Game Changer Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, GAME CHANGER is yet another mass-appealing anti-corruption saga from Shankar that works due to the clapworthy moments, twists and turns, relatable goings-on and performances of Ram Charan and S J Suryah. At the box office, the limited buzz will affect its opening, but it has the potential to pick up and take advantage of the dry period.

Star Cast: Sonu Sood, Jacqueline Fernandez, Naseeruddin Shah

Director: Sonu Sood

Fateh Movie Review Synopsis:
FATEH is the story of a man fighting cyber criminals. Fateh Singh (Sonu Sood) resides in Moga, Punjab, and works as a supervisor at a dairy farm. He’s well respected in the village and likes to secretly help those in need. His neighbour in the village is Nimrit (Shiv Jyoti Rajput) and they both share a lovely bond. Nimrit runs a mobile shop and she is also an agent of a loan app called ‘Kisht Pe’. Through her, many villagers opt for a quick loan and thus benefit. But later on, they have a hard time paying interest even after paying off the loan. The loan agents threaten the villagers and even resort to sending fake nude pics of their family members in case the money is not paid in time. Sandhu (Binnu Dhillon) is one such harrowed villager who takes a loan and then is unable to pay the interest. With no other option, he ends his life. Meanwhile, Nimrit has disappeared. Fateh decides to track her down. He heads to Delhi and soon, comes face to face with the loan app sharks. Unknown to them, Fateh is no common man. He’s a well-trained assassin. Meanwhile, Fateh is not alone. He’s helped by ethical hacker, Khushi (Jacqueline Fernandez). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Fateh Movie Story Review:

Sonu Sood’s story is just okay. Sonu Sood and Ankur Pajni’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Sankalp Rawal, Rudra Anand, Shyam Nirmal) is fast-paced and a few moments are well thought out. Sonu Sood and Ankur Pajni’s dialogues are ordinary.

Sonu Sood’s direction is stylish. He intercuts certain scenes with style and that adds to the fun. A few scenes that stand out are Fateh with Chaddha (Akashdeep Sabir) and his men at the theatre, Fateh meeting the cop Nishit Biswas (Dibyendu Bhattacharya) for the first time, a corrupt cop revealing that the password to his laptop is Satyamev Jayate etc. Also, the 140-minute-long flick doesn’t bore even for a moment. Moreover, its the first film that speaks about the horrors of loan apps and that makes FATEH an extremely relevant flick.

On the flipside, the film seems to have borrowed heavily from ANIMAL, JOHN WICK etc. The scene where Fateh fights masked men in a narrow corridor seems very similar to the Ranbir Kapoor starrer. Secondly, the audience will be left confused about Nimrit’s feelings for Fateh. Was she attracted to him or simply saw him as a brother? The makers should have simplified this aspect.

Fateh | Official Trailer l Sonu Sood | Jacqueline Fernandez | In Cinemas 10th January

Fateh Movie Review Performances:
Sonu Sood as an actor puts his best foot forward. He keeps his act restrained and looks great while performing action. Jacqueline Fernandez delivers a sincere performance. However, the romantic track is very weak. Naseeruddin Shah’s (Raza) casting adds a lot to the film and he’s dependable as always. Vijay Raaz (Satya Prakash) is seen in a very different role and does fine. Dibyendu Bhattacharya leaves a huge mark. Akashdeep Sabir is there for just one scene and is too good. Shiv Jyoti Rajput, Binnu Dhillon, Prakash Belawadi (Aayappa) and Sheeba Akashdeep (Nirmit’s mother) lend able support. Soundous Moufakir (Raza’s assistant) is fair.

Fateh movie music and other technical aspects:
The music fails to entice. ‘Fateh Kar Fateh’ is not well utilized. ‘Nindiya’ and ‘Rona Taqdeer’ are good compositions but seem a bit out of place in a film like this. ‘Call To Life’ is the best of the lot as it’s like the theme song. ‘Hitman’ is played in the end credits. John Stewart Eduri’s background score has a cinematic appeal.

Vincenzo Condorelli’s cinematography is slick, especially in the action scenes. Lee Whittaker, Rampyare Ramdhari Yadav, Riyaz Nasir Shaikh and Habib Haji Sayed’s action is very gory, as is the norm nowadays. Tariq Umar Khan and Nadiri Tariq Khan’s production design and Gopika Gulwadi’s costumes are appropriate. Yash Parikh’s editing is satisfactory.

Fateh Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, FATEH is a slick action entertainer that exposes the horrors of loan apps, a burning issue in the country right now. Sonu Sood is impressive as an actor and also as director in this film that has the potential to surprise though the opening will be impacted due to limited buzz.

Star Cast: Sonu Sood, Jacqueline Fernandez, Naseeruddin Shah

Director: Sonu Sood

Fateh Movie Review Synopsis:
FATEH is the story of a man fighting cyber criminals. Fateh Singh (Sonu Sood) resides in Moga, Punjab, and works as a supervisor at a dairy farm. He’s well respected in the village and likes to secretly help those in need. His neighbour in the village is Nimrit (Shiv Jyoti Rajput) and they both share a lovely bond. Nimrit runs a mobile shop and she is also an agent of a loan app called ‘Kisht Pe’. Through her, many villagers opt for a quick loan and thus benefit. But later on, they have a hard time paying interest even after paying off the loan. The loan agents threaten the villagers and even resort to sending fake nude pics of their family members in case the money is not paid in time. Sandhu (Binnu Dhillon) is one such harrowed villager who takes a loan and then is unable to pay the interest. With no other option, he ends his life. Meanwhile, Nimrit has disappeared. Fateh decides to track her down. He heads to Delhi and soon, comes face to face with the loan app sharks. Unknown to them, Fateh is no common man. He’s a well-trained assassin. Meanwhile, Fateh is not alone. He’s helped by ethical hacker, Khushi (Jacqueline Fernandez). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Fateh Movie Story Review:
Sonu Sood’s story is just okay. Sonu Sood and Ankur Pajni’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Sankalp Rawal, Rudra Anand, Shyam Nirmal) is clichéd though a few moments are well thought out. Sonu Sood and Ankur Pajni’s dialogues are ordinary.

Sonu Sood’s direction is stylish but suffers due to certain reasons. To give credit where it’s due, he intercuts certain scenes with style and that adds to the fun. A few scenes that stand out are Fateh with Chaddha (Akashdeep Sabir) and his men at the theatre, Fateh meeting the cop Nishit Biswas (Dibyendu Bhattacharya) for the first time, a corrupt cop revealing that the password to his laptop is Satyamev Jayate etc. Also, the 140-minute-long flick doesn’t bore even for a moment.

On the flipside, the film seems to have borrowed heavily from ANIMAL, JOHN WICK etc. The scene where Fateh fights masked men in a narrow corridor seems very similar to the Ranbir Kapoor starrer. The plot of an assassin who picks up the weapons once again after living a peaceful life has also been beaten to death in many films, including in the recently released BABY JOHN. The backstory of Fateh and even Nimrit is weak and the makers should have invested more time in it. A novel aspect of the story is loan apps and their dangers but it doesn’t get the prominence it deserves. The focus is on Fateh and how he fights the baddies but this aspect has been seen many times. Lastly, the audience will be left confused about Nimrit’s feelings for Fateh. Was she attracted to him or simply saw him as a brother? The makers should have simplified this aspect.

Fateh | Official Trailer l Sonu Sood | Jacqueline Fernandez | In Cinemas 10th January

Fateh Movie Review Performances:
Sonu Sood as an actor puts his best foot forward. He keeps his act restrained and looks great while performing action. Jacqueline Fernandez delivers a sincere performance. However, the romantic track is very weak. Naseeruddin Shah’s (Raza) casting adds a lot to the film and he’s dependable as always. Vijay Raaz (Satya Prakash) is seen in a very different role and does fine. Dibyendu Bhattacharya leaves a huge mark. Akashdeep Sabir is there for just one scene and is too good. Shiv Jyoti Rajput, Binnu Dhillon, Prakash Belawadi (Aayappa) and Sheeba Akashdeep (Nirmit’s mother) lend able support. Soundous Moufakir (Raza’s assistant) is fair.

Fateh movie music and other technical aspects:
The music fails to entice. ‘Fateh Kar Fateh’ is not well utilized. ‘Nindiya’ and ‘Rona Taqdeer’ are good compositions but seem a bit out of place in a film like this. ‘Call To Life’ is the best of the lot as it’s like the theme song. ‘Hitman’ is played in the end credits. John Stewart Eduri’s background score has a cinematic appeal.

Vincenzo Condorelli’s cinematography is slick, especially in the action scenes. Lee Whittaker, Rampyare Ramdhari Yadav, Riyaz Nasir Shaikh and Habib Haji Sayed’s action is very gory, as is the norm nowadays. Tariq Umar Khan and Nadiri Tariq Khan’s production design and Gopika Gulwadi’s costumes are appropriate. Yash Parikh’s editing is satisfactory.

Fateh Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, FATEH rests on an ordinary storyline and also gives a déjà vu of films like ANIMAL and JOHN WICK. At the box office, it’ll face a tough time despite limited competition until Republic Day.