Star Cast: John Abraham, Manushi Chhillar, Hadi Khanjanpour, Madhurima Tuli

Tehran Movie Review Synopsis:
TEHRAN is the story of a Special Cell officer’s quest for revenge. The story is based in 2012. Iran and Israel are at loggerheads and carrying out operations against each other. In response to Israel’s action, Iran kills Israeli nuclear scientists in Georgia and Bangkok. But things heat up in India when an Israeli diplomat is killed in Delhi in his car through a bomb blast. A poor little girl selling flowers gets killed in collateral damage. Afshar Hosseini (Hadi Khanjanpour) is the man responsible for the attack. Special Cell officer Rajeev Kumar aka RK (John Abraham) takes over the case. There is pressure on him to hand over the case to RA&W since it’s an international matter. However, Rajiv won’t let that happen since the attack happened on Indian soil and, more importantly, an Indian kid got killed for no fault of hers, which affects him. In fact, Rajeev decides to go all the way to Iran, with his junior Divya Rana (Manushi Chhillar) and another officer, to eliminate Afshar Hosseini against the orders of his own department.

Tehran Movie Story Review:
Bindi Karia’s story is inspired from a real event of 2012. The story is interesting enough to gain your attention. Bindni Karia and Ashish Prakash Verma’s screenplay is fast-paced and it keeps you glued during majority of the film’s duration. Bindni Karia and Ritesh Shah’s dialogues are conversational and realistic.

Arun Gopalan’s direction goes with the realistic nature of the film. However, it fails in establishing an important point in the narrative. Rajeev doesn’t appear affected enough by the girl’s death. Hence, it becomes difficult to digest when he takes the major step of taking a dangerous journey all the way to Iran to kill Afshar Hosseini. Also, a lot of things happen conveniently for the protagonist. For example, he easily finds people to risk their lives to help him in his mission in different countries.

Although the finale is routine, the texts that appear in the end brings in some appeal.

Tehran | Official Trailer | John Abraham, Manushi Chhillar, Neeru Bajwa | Premieres 14th Aug 2025

Tehran Movie Review Performances:
This is a tailor-made role for John Abraham. He excels in action scenes, which is expected from him. But his performance falls in the average range when it comes to emoting. Hadi Khanjanpour excels as Afshar Hosseini. He is the best performer from the lot. Manushi Chhillar is wasted. She has limited screen time and, more surprisingly, hardly any dialogues. Alyy Khan comes up with a good performance as a RA&W officer. Neeru Bajwa as Rajeev’s colleague Sheilaja is decent. Madhirima Tuli, who plays Rajeev’s wife, is hardly there.

Tehran Music and other technical aspects:
The film has only one song ‘Hasraton Ke Baazar’, which is composed by Dhruv Ghanekar. It is ordinary and not memorable. Ketan Sodha’s background score succeeds in generating the effect in various sequences.

Ievgen Gubrenko and Andre Menezes’ cinematography falls in the positive category. Doug Coleman and Amritpal Singh’s action is raw, brutal and more in the realistic zone. It falls more in the international category. Meghna Gandhi’s production design is first rate as it makes various locations in India and outside believable. Ayesha Dasgupta’s costumes are straight out of reality. Visual effects by Redefine are impressive. Akshara Prabhakar’s editing is sleek.

Tehran Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, TEHRAN is a decent espionage drama that could have been more. The film scores more in the technical arena. It should find its audience amongst those who prefer realistic action dramas instead of the masala fare.

Star Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, Kiara Advani

Director: Ayan Mukerji

War 2 Movie Review Synopsis:
WAR 2 is the story of a fight between two warriors. Kabir (Hrithik Roshan) is now a mercenary who kills for money. He is compelled to be a part of a global secret society called ‘Kali’ and is asked to kill Colonel Luthra (Ashutosh Rana). Luthra’s daughter Kavya (Kiara Advani) is devastated and swears revenge. Vikrant Kaul (Anil Kapoor) takes Luthra’s place and he asks Vikram (Jr NTR) to join the mission. He’s the most ruthless spy of RAW and he is determined to go to any lengths to eliminate Kabir. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

War 2 Movie Story Review:
Aditya Chopra’s story must have sounded promising on paper. Shridhar Raghavan’s screenplay is clichéd and unexciting. Abbas Tyrewala’s dialogues are okay.

Ayan Mukerji’s direction is not upto the mark. To give credit where it’s due, he manages to handle the scale and grandeur well. He also holds interest in the first half. The chase sequence in Salamanca, Spain is exciting. The twist during the interval point is unexpected.

But the film goes downhill as soon as the second half begins. The childhood track is interesting but is stretched. In fact, this is a major issue of the film – every sequence goes on and on. The entire idea of ‘Kali’ will go above the heads of the masses. Things also get silly and one can feel this in the yacht sequence. Lastly, the romantic track also doesn’t work as intended.

War 2 Movie Review Performances:
Hrithik Roshan constantly rises above the script and delivers a dashing performance. Jr NTR has lesser screen time but makes up for it with his performance and star power. Kiara Advani looks stunning and delivers a sincere performance. She shines in the action scenes. Anil Kapoor is decent and is let down by the writing. Ashutosh Rana, K C Shankar (Gautam Gulati) and Varun Badola (Vilas Sarang) lend able support. Bobby Deol is fine in a cameo.

War 2 | Official Trailer | Hrithik Roshan | Jr NTR | Kiara Advani

War 2 movie music and other technical aspects:
Pritam Chakraborty’s music is just okay. ‘Janaab-e-Aali’ works chiefly due to the picturization. ‘Aavan Jaavan’ doesn’t entice. Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara’s background score is exhilarating.

Benjamin Jasper’s cinematography is first-rate. Spiro Razatos, Franz Spilhaus, Anl Arasu, Oh Sea Young, Craig Macrae and Sunil Rodrigues’s action is entertaining. Rajat Poddar and Amrita Mahal Nakai’s production design is top class while Anaita Shroff Adajania and Niharika Jolly’s costumes are glamorous. yFX’s VFX is decent but in many scenes, it doesn’t give a realistic feel. Aarif Sheikh’s editing is dragging. The film should have been shorter by 15-20 minutes.

War 2 Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, WAR 2 emerges as the weakest film of the YRF Spy Universe. At the box office, it may ride the advantage of the long weekend initially, but sustaining momentum beyond that will be an uphill task.

Star Cast: Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Aamir Khan

Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj

Coolie Movie Review Synopsis:
COOLIE is the story of a man fighting a dangerous gangster. Deva (Rajinikanth) runs a hostel like facility in Chennai. One day, he learns that his old friend, Rajasekhar (Sathyaraj) has passed away. As per autopsy report, he died due to cardiac arrest. But Deva learns that Rajasekhar has been murdered. Further enquiries reveal that he used to work for the dreaded businessman, Simon (Nagarjuna). Rajasekhar had created a device that helped Simon big time. Deva takes Rajasekhar’s place and thus, smartly becomes a part of Simon’s gang. Helping Deva is Rajasekhar’s daughter Preethi (Shruti Haasan). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Coolie Movie Story Review:
Lokesh Kanagaraj’s story is entertaining but also gets messy. Lokesh Kanagaraj’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Chandhru Anbazhagan) is a bit weak but at the same time, it is peppered with several dramatic and mass moments. The characters are well fleshed out. Lokesh Kanagaraj and Chandhru Anbazhagan’s dialogues are heroic.

Lokesh Kanagaraj’s direction is mass appealing as expected. There’s no doubt that Lokesh is a master when it comes to elevation and showing heroes in all their glory. In that regard, he doesn’t disappoint. There are a few interesting twists that will surprise the audience. The action scenes in the mansion and the way it is interspersed with the madness in the train is arresting. The finale will be loved by fans.

On the flipside, barring the twists, the plot lacks a pinch. The goings on also get confusing in many places and even unconvincing. The track of Dayal makes for a great watch but also gets tedious after a point.

Coolie – Official Hindi Trailer | Superstar Rajinikanth | Sun Pictures | Lokesh | Anirudh

Coolie Movie Review Performances:
Rajinikanth is in a terrific form. It’s commendable how he manages to put up such a fine act and excite the audience even at this age. His younger avatar scenes will create a frenzy in theaters. Nagarjuna rocks the show with his rare antagonist act. Soubin Shahir (Dayal) shines and is a surprise of the film. Shruti Haasan lends able support and manages to maintain a strong position. Sathyaraj has limited screen time. Nevertheless, he leaves a mark. Upendra (Kaleesha) makes an impression in a cameo. Aamir Khan (Dahaa), meanwhile, is too good. Pooja Hegde adds to the glam quotient.

Coolie movie music and other technical aspects:
Anirudh Ravichander’s music is peppy. ‘Coolie Disco’, ‘Chikitu’, ‘I Am The Danger’, ‘Mobsta’ and ‘Powerhouse’ stand out. ‘Monica’ is peppy but also forced into the narrative. Anirudh Ravichander’s background score is in sync with the film’s theme.

Girish Gangadharan’s cinematography is spectacular. Anbariv’s action is very gory. Sathees Kumar’s production design and Praveen Raja’s costumes are realistic. Philomin Raj’s editing could have been crisper.

Coolie Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, COOLIE has ample mass moments and swag of Rajinikanth. However, the unexciting writing in places act as impediment. Nevertheless, it has chances to score in the Hindi speaking markets due to the hype and long weekend.

Star Cast: Aayush Kumar, Aakaisha, Natasha Fernandez

Director: Suneel Darshan

Andaaz 2 Movie Review Synopsis:
ANDAAZ 2 is the story of two women in love with a man. Aarav (Aayush Kumar) is a struggling musician who barely earns by performing in small time restaurants and clubs. His father Vikas (Sanjay Mehandiratta) admonishes him constantly for not taking up a stable job. Aarav and his colleagues Tony (Srikant Maski) and Ehsaan (Parmarth Singh) are called to perform last minute with a popular performer, Priyanka (Natasha Fernandez), after the band, that was originally signed up for a show, fails to make it in time. Priyanka gets attracted to Aarav and decides to sign him, Tony and Ehsaan for an exclusive contract with her company. Priyanka hopes that this would give her a chance to be close to Aarav and start a relationship with him. However, Priyanka is unaware that Aarav is already in a relationship with Alisha (Aakaisha). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Andaaz 2 Movie Story Review:
Suneel Darshan’s story is okay. Suneel Darshan’s screenplay is peppered with certain interesting emotional and dramatic moments. But overall, it’s unexciting and obsolete. The dialogues are also nothing great.

Suneel Darshan’s direction doesn’t entice. It is clear that his intention is to deliver a wholesome entertainer. Hence, the focus is not just on the love triangle but also on Aarav’s family and friends. There’s a villain angle as well. The first half is breezy as Suneel concentrates majorly on the romantic portions with the family track playing second fiddle. The twist about Alisha and Priyanka before the intermission is unexpected and adds to the drama.

Things go downhill in the second half when the family track takes centrestage. For a good 20-25 minutes, the romantic angle is completely forgotten. Secondly, there are several issues in the script. Aarav never informs his father that he has landed such a lucrative deal. Ideally, he should have done that as soon as he signed the contract since his father leaves no opportunity to troll him. The love triangle also loses sheen in the post interval portions. Lastly, the action packed villain track is needlessly forced. The goon, Yeda Anna (Jeetu Verma), has already exacted revenge when he badly assaulted Aarav in the first half. Yet, he returns to harm him in the climax and it makes no sense.

Andaaz 2 | Official Trailer | Aayush Kumar | Aakaisha | Natasha Fernandez | Suneel Darshan

Andaaz 2 Movie Review Performances:
Aayush Kumar looks dashing and delivers a sincere performance. He looks convincing as someone that can make two women fall in love with him. Aakaisha is cute and gives a fine performance. Natasha Fernandez has a strong screen presence and does well. However, she is hardly there in the second half. Sanjay Mehandiratta is laughable in the first half but gets better later on. Srikant Maski is funny while Parmarth Singh is fair. Bharat Bhatia (Bansal) leaves a mark. Jeetu Verma hams. The same goes for Dolly Bindra (Dolly). Neetu Pandey (Sulekha), Puja Sharma (Seema), Raj Dobariya (Somesh), Krishan Tandon (Doctor) and Manpreet Kaur (Receptionist) are okay.

Andaaz 2 movie music and other technical aspects:
Nadeem’s music is melodious. ‘Rabba Ishq Na Hove 2.0’ is the best of the lot followed by ‘You’re Beautiful’, ‘Hum Jaise Jee Rahe Hain’, ‘Tere Bin Kahin Dil Na Lagey’ and ‘Waqt Ne Kiya Iss Qadar Sitam’. ‘Ishq Junooni’ is okay whike ‘Shammak’ is catchy. Chander Harilal Makwana’s background score is passable.

Chetan Dholi’s cinematography is appropriate. The production design is realistic. The costumes are glamorous. The action has a cinematic feel. Kaushik Chakraborty’s editing could have been crisper.

Andaaz 2 Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, ANDAAZ 2 is embellished with great music but it suffers on account of a weak script and poor direction.

Star Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons

Director: Nisha Ganatra

Freakier Friday Movie Review Synopsis:
FREAKIER FRIDAY is the story of four women facing an extraordinary weekend. Nearly two decades after the events of the first part [FREAKY FRIDAY; 2003], Anna Coleman (Lindsay Lohan) is now a single mother of Harper (Julia Butters). Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis), Anna’s mother, dotes on her daughter and granddaughter. Harper gets into a fight with her classmate Lily (Sophia Hammons). The school summons Anna and Lily’s father, Eric (Manny Jacinto). Sparks fly between Anna and Eric and they fall in love. They decide to get married, much to the dismay of Harper and Lily as they can’t stand each other. At their pre-wedding celebration, they bump into a psychic, Madame Jen (Vanessa Bayer). The next day, they realize that they have switched bodies. Anna has turned into Harper while Harper has turned into Anna. Meanwhile, Tess and Lily have turned into one another. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Freakier Friday Movie Story Review:
Elyse Hollander and Jordan Weiss’ story is maddening. Jordan Weiss’s screenplay is a bit messy but is peppered with enough funny and touching moments. The dialogues are on point and enhance the craze quotient. The one-liners about the generational gap, especially those related to Facebook, are expected to receive a great response in cinemas.

Nisha Ganatra’s direction is breezy. She positions the film in the same zone as its predecessor. In fact, the makers allow the audience to draw parallels with life’s coming full-circle moments, like Anna being subjected to the same treatment from her daughter that she had meted out to Tess. The fact that the body swapping yet again occurs before the marriage of a character also brings out the nostalgia. This time, the madness is much higher as not just two but four bodies have been interchanged. Last time, the mission was to switch back ASAP, but this time there are ulterior motives which keep the interest going.

On the flipside, it takes a while to get a hang of who has switched into who. A few scenes like that of school detention don’t work. The manner in which Anna and Tess run away from the school without any consequence is unconvincing. Ella’s (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) track is also not fully digestible. Moreover, FREAKY FRIDAY was a bit in the nail-biting zone; in some scenes, tension levels went up. Nothing of that sort happens here. The makers could have added some tension in the pickleball scene but alas, it is quick and hardly funny. Lastly, the buzz is very limited in India.

Freakier Friday Movie Review Performances:
Both Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis once again impress as Anna and Tess. This time, the dynamic is different as life of two decades have happened to them and also, they are not themselves due to the body swap. As expected, both light up the screen with their performances. However, there was a lot of potential for Jamie Lee Curtis’ character to get very funny, especially when she turns into Lily, but the humour quotient in this regard is limited. Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons have important parts and perform ably. Manny Jacinto looks dashing and delivers a lovely performance, especially in the climax. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is fair. Vanessa Bayer and Chad Michael Murray (Jake) are entertaining in small roles. Mark Harmon (Ryan) doesn’t get much scope. Stephen Tobolowsky (Elton Bates) is okay.

Freakier Friday movie music and other technical aspects:
Amie Doherty’s music is in sync with the film’s mood. The new version of ‘Take Me Away’ is foot-tapping.

Matthew Clark’s cinematography is neat. Kay Lee’s production design is classy. Natalie O’Brien’s costumes are glamorous and also wild. Eleanor Infante’s editing is slick.

Freakier Friday Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, FREAKIER FRIDAY rides high on its zany premise, nostalgic callbacks and strong performances. However, at the box office, it’ll face a tough time due to limited popularity of the franchise in India and competition from other releases.

Star Cast: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Cary Christopher

Director: Rajiv Rai

Zora Movie Review Synopsis:
ZORA is the story of a mysterious killer. The year is 2003. Viraat Singh (Vikas Goswami) is an honest inspector of the Jaipur Police who exposes a gang publishing fake stamp paper. Before he could arrest them, a dangerous female killer, Zora, kills them and also a few cops. Viraat runs away with the cash that he confiscated from the scene of the crime. He goes to his house, takes away his son Ranjit (Jay Kishan Mangwani) and escapes to a faraway safehouse. Sadly, Zora manages to reach there and she kills Viraat by hanging him. Zora is covered from head to toe and Ranjit, who’s in hiding, sees her appearance and not her face. Zora and her boyfriend, John Lobo (Niloy Banergee), cleverly make it seem like it was Viraat who killed the gang members and the cops, as he wanted the money for himself. They further cook up a story that Viraat was overcome by guilt and thus, he ended his life. The court declares Viraat guilty. Twenty years pass. In the present day, Ranjit (Ravinder Kaur) has followed his father’s footsteps and entered the police force. He reports to Iqbal Sheikh (Karan Vir). Ranjit is seen as a timid and frightened cop. But in reality, Ranjit is fearless. Without the knowledge of Iqbal or the Commissioner (Tarun Kumar Chauhan), he has taken the law into his own hands and killed many dreaded gangsters in Rajasthan. Iqbal is suspicious that Ranjit is the one who is doing it, but he’s unable to prove so. Meanwhile, during one such ‘clean-up’ operation, Ranjit meets those who were involved in the 2003 stamp paper case. Ranjit delves into it so that his father can get justice. But all of a sudden, Zora makes a comeback and is determined to stop Ranjit in his tracks. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Zora Movie Story Review:
Rajiv Rai’s story is outdated but still could have made for a decent entertainer. Rajiv Rai’s screenplay, however, is lacklustre and has no modern touch at all. Raashid Rangrez’s dialogues are okay and too filmy.

Rajiv Rai’s direction is not up to the mark and nowhere close to the expert direction that we witnessed in films like VISHWATMA, TRIDEV, MOHRA, GUPT etc. It seems like he’s still stuck in the 90s. One might argue that old-school style films are working. However, these films have a balance of yesteryear sensibilities and modern-day touch. The latter is completely missing in the film. He surely gets a few aspects right like Iqbal getting frustrated over not being able to nail Ranjit, the use of perfume, confusing the audience into believing that certain characters could be Zora, etc. He also uses the background score to his advantage. But the minuses outweigh the minuses heavily. The goings-on are silly and also the execution style is not just like a vintage film but also in the zone of crime TV shows. The finale might have been unexpected; however, it’s also a bit predictable.

Zora Movie Review Performances:
Ravinder Kaur looks dashing but hams in scenes where he’s playing to the gallery. Karan Vir is better as the second hero of the film. Vikas Goswami does well in a cameo. Niloy Banergee leaves a mark with his act and look, though he has a cameo. Nikhil Dewan (Kamal Nath) plays a difficult role with ease, but he also goes overboard. Sofia Parveen (Bindu Solanki) looks charming and gives a fair performance. Dilraj Kaur (Kaur) is passable and her character is bewildering. She’s shown as someone who was present even in the 2003 track but she doesn’t look that old. Meena Vaibhav (Seema) is average. The makers fail to convincingly establish why she was so scared of Zora. Neetu Bhatt (Freida Lobo) hams and the same goes for Gajendra Rathi (lawyer Narayan Solanki). Jay Kishan Mangwani, Tarun Kumar Chauhan, Leena Sharma (Dr Vandana), Sohani Kumar (Deepa; rescued girl), Nishant Verma (Gullu Gujjar), Vikram Singh (Khabri), Altaf Husain (Kishori Lal), Sharad Sharma (Dhannu Gujjar), Manish Vashisht (Badru) and Rony Kaula (Luka) are fine.

Zora movie music and other technical aspects:
Viju Shah’s music is energetic. The title song is stylish and catchy. However, it’s disappointing to know that there’s only one track in the whole film. There’s no romantic angle and hence, probably there was no scope for more tracks. But when Rajiv Rai and Viju Shah collaborate after so many years, one would have expected a couple of songs, if not more. Viju Shah’s background score is the best part of the film.

Lalit Sahoo’s cinematography is neat. Raashid Rangrez’s production design gives the film a TV show look. Shabana Khanam’s costumes are decent. Kinder W Singh’s action seems rehearsed. Rajiv Rai’s editing works.

Zora Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, ZORA is an outdated and poorly made film. At the box office, it’ll sink without a trace.

Star Cast: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Cary Christopher

Director: Zach Cregger

Weapons Movie Review Synopsis:
WEAPONS is the story of a small town shaken by a chilling mystery. In McCarren County, 17 children suddenly wake up from their sleep at 2:17 AM. They leave their houses and run away, never to be seen again. Shockingly, all 17 children belong to the same class in the same school, Maybrook Elementary. The cops begin their swift investigation. They learn that the class has 18 students in total and the only one who didn’t disappear, Alex Lily (Cary Christopher), is questioned. But he has no answers. The investigators also grill class teacher Justine Gandy (Julia Garner). She becomes the most hated person in the town as the parents of the missing children speculate that she must have some information or maybe she is responsible for it. A month passes since the disappearance. The cops are struggling to get any leads while anger against Justine increases. This is when Justine, overcome by guilt, decides to step out to look for answers. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Weapons Movie Story Review:
Zach Cregger’s story is fantastic. Zach Cregger’s screenplay is one-of-a-kind and doesn’t follow the conventional method. Yet, he ensures the entertainment and thrill quotient doesn’t get diluted. The dialogues are sharp.

Zach Cregger’s direction is terrific. He is equipped with a winning script and he enhances it with his storytelling. Nothing in the film is ordinary and hence, one can’t help but get engrossed right from the first scene. Instead of introducing principal characters at one go, he chooses to focus on them one by one. The experiment works [it kind of also gives a déjà vu of a similar narrative style in YUVA; 2004]. Since this is a horror film, the scary moments are bound to terrify viewers but again, it’s not run-of-the-mill and Zach adds a dash of humour to them. The sequence where Justine is camped outside Alex’s house is novel and chilling. Zach, however, reserves the best for the second half when the mystery finally unveils. The climax is outrageous and crazy. It’ll leave viewers in shock and also in awe.

On the other hand, although Zach Cregger has neatly tied up all loose ends, some aspects are unconvincing. These questions arise once the makers give out the suspense and it’ll make you wonder – did the authorities really go all out in finding the culprit? Thankfully, it’s a minor complaint and doesn’t detract from the film’s impact.

Weapons Movie Review Performances:
Julia Garner dominates the first half and delivers a fantastic performance. She was restrained in the recently released THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS but here, she gets in a different zone and does full justice. Cary Christopher has a crucial part and does very well. The way he expresses himself through his eyes is worth watching. Josh Brolin (Archer Graff) leaves a huge mark, as expected. Alden Ehrenreich (Paul) lends able support. Austin Abrams (James) is entertaining and gets into the skin of his character. Benedict Wong (Marcus) is okay initially, but goes to another level in the second half. Amy Madigan (Gladys) is the surprise of the film. Whitmer Thomas (Alex’s father) and Callie Schuttera (Alex’s mother) do well.

Weapons movie music and other technical aspects:
Ryan Holladay, Hays Holladay and Zach Cregger’s music gives the film a cinematic feel. Larkin Seiple’s cinematography is unconventional and stylish. Tom Hammock’s production design and Trish Summerville’s costumes are top-class. VFX is classy while the action is very gory. Joe Murphy’s editing is slick.

Weapons Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, WEAPONS will leave viewers astonished with its unique script, strong execution, chilling drama and shocking climax. The film is bound to enjoy positive word of mouth from the moviegoers but two factors go against the film – limited awareness and a shortened first week window due to the release of WAR 2 and COOLIE on Thursday, August 14. However, if it strikes a chord with its core audience, WEAPONS has every chance to become a sleeper hit and enjoy a steady run in the weeks that follow.

Star Cast: Ajay Devgn, Mrunal Thakur, Ravi Kishan

Director: Vijay Kumar Arora 

Son Of Sardaar 2 Movie Review Synopsis:
SON OF SARDAAR 2 is the story of a man in an extraordinary situation. Jassi (Ajay Devgn) lives in Punjab with his mother (Dolly Ahluwalia). Jassi is married to Dimple (Neeru Bajwa) and she has shifted to the UK for work. After several attempts, Jassi finally gets the visa to the European country. He flies to London only to realise that Dimple wants a divorce from him along with alimony. Jassi is shattered and doesn’t have the heart to tell the truth to his mother. Hence, he stays put in London. A local contact asks Jassi to hire a lawyer for the divorce case. Instead of a lawyer, Jassi meets Rabia (Mrunal Thakur), a marriage performer of Pakistan origin, in a case of a mistaken identity. She invites him to stay with her and step daughter Saba (Roshni Walia), Mehwish (Kubbra Sait) and Gul (Deepak Dobriyal). Saba is in love with Gogi (Sahil Mehta), son of Raja (Ravi Kishan), a dangerous businessman. He is clear that he wants his son to marry in a hardcore Sardar family. This is when Rabia and others convince Jassi to pretend to be Saba’s father. Moreover, Saba lies that Jassi is a Colonel in the Indian army! What happens next forms the rest of the film. 

Son Of Sardaar 2 Movie Review Synopsis:
Jagdeep Singh Sidhu and Mohit Jain’s story is very promising. But Jagdeep Singh Sidhu and Mohit Jain’s screenplay is the biggest culprit, as the humour quotient is extremely limited. Jagdeep Singh Sidhu’s dialogues are fine but not consistently funny.

Vijay Kumar Arora’s direction is okay. He handles a few scenes with panache like Jassi narrating scenes from the film BORDER [1997] and passing them off as his own experiences. Post-interval, the scene of the pole dancing is sure to raise laughs in cinemas. The madness that ensues in the finale keeps the interest going.

On the flipside, the first 30-40 minutes are very dull and one wonders where the film is headed. The story, moreover, is a bhel puri of comic capers like WELCOME, HOUSEFULL and even EK AUR EK GYARAH. The opium angle is bizarre and backfires. Also, the actions of character of Bantu Bhaiya (Sanjay Mishra) are weird, more so after his intention is known. But all these aspects would not have mattered much if the humour was in abundance, and sadly, that’s not the case. 

Son Of Sardaar 2 – Official Trailer | Ajay Devgn & Mrunal Thakur | Vijay Kumar Arora | 25th July

Son Of Sardaar 2 Movie Review Performances:
Ajay Devgn puts in a sincere effort and plays the role with panache. Mrunal Thakur delivers a fine performance and has a lovely screen presence. Ravi Kishan is the best performer in the film. Deepak Dobriyal gets to play an entertaining part. Kubbra Sait is quite confident. Sharat Saxena (Raja’s father) has a late entry but makes his presence felt. Vindu Dara Singh (Titu) and the late Mukul Dev (Tony) are adorable. Roshni Walia is cute and makes her presence felt. Chunky Panday (Danish) and Sanjay Mishra fail to impress. Dolly Ahluwalia is dependable. Sahil Mehta is fair. The actors playing the English mother and Janet are funny. 

Son Of Sardaar 2 movie music and other technical aspects:
The music is not upto the mark. The title track is mounted on a huge scale but doesn’t have the same punch as the title song in SON OF SARDAAR [2012]. ‘Pehla Tu Duja Tu’ works because of its novel dance step but is forced. The same goes for ‘Nazar Battu’. ‘The Po Po Song’ is disappointing.’Rabba Sanu’ and ‘Nachdi’ fail to register.

Amar Mohile and Salil Amrute’s background score is in sync with the film’s mood. Aseem Bajaj’s cinematography is grand and gives the film a rich look. Garima Mathur’s production design is classy while Radhika Mehra’s costumes are stylish. R P Yadav’s action is minimal. Ninad Khanolkar’s editing is passable. 

Son Of Sardaar 2 Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, SON OF SARDAAR 2 suffers because of limited humour. At the box office, it’ll face a tough time due to immense competition from new and holdover releases.

Star Cast: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Danny Huston

Director: Akiva Schaffer

The Naked Gun Movie Review Synopsis:
THE NAKED GUN is the story of a rebellious cop. Lt Frank Drebin Jr (Liam Neeson) works for the Police Squad and is notorious for his unconventional ways of bringing criminals to book. Despite successfully foiling a bank robbery, Chief Davis (CCH Pounder) downgrades him and asks him to investigate an accident case. Frank assumes that the case of the drowning of Simon Davenport is that of suicide. But soon, he realises that it’s even more so after he meets the deceased’s employer, Richard Cane (Danny Huston). Simon’s sister, Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), also convinces Frank of foul play. Meanwhile, Richard is all set to create havoc in the world and that may have led to Simon’s murder. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

The Naked Gun Movie Story Review:
Dan Gregor, Doug Mand and Akiva Schaffer’s story is clichéd, but it works. Dan Gregor, Doug Mand and Akiva Schaffer’s screenplay is crazy and peppered with outrageously funny moments. The dialogues add a lot to the humour quotient.

Akiva Schaffer’s direction is entertaining. He does justice to THE NAKED GUN series and keeps the film in the same zone. Hence, one will experience a bit of nostalgic, old-school filmmaking. But what works the most are the funny moments, many of which are unexpected and bizarre. A sequence that stands out is when Frank’s body camera footage is being accessed. The scene at the journalist’s residence is crazy and will be lapped up.

On the flipside, a crucial scene at mid-point seems heavily borrowed from a similar sequence in AUSTIN POWERS. A crucial plot point also reminds one of KINGSMAN. The climax could have been crazier, considering the zone of the film. Lastly, the buzz for the film is limited in India.

The Naked Gun Movie Review Performances:
Liam Neeson plays his part with innocence and that works best for the film. His comic timing is subtle yet impactful. Pamela Anderson delivers an apt performance and contributes to the madness well. Danny Huston is decent as the antagonist, while CCH Pounder is too funny. Paul Walter Hauser (Ed), Kevin Durand (Gustafson), Liza Koshy (Detective Barnes) and Eddy Yu (Detective Park) don’t get much scope. Dave Bautista is funny in a cameo.

The Naked Gun movie music and other technical aspects:
Lorne Balfe’s music is in sync with the film’s mood. Brandon Trost’s cinematography is neat. Bill Brzeski’s production design is rich while Betsy Heimann and Maria Tortu’s costumes are classy. Action is usually gory in such films and also as per the present-day era. In that regard, THE NAKED GUN is an exception. Brian Scott Olds’s editing is slick.

The Naked Gun Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, THE NAKED GUN is a great A-rated Hollywood comedy after a long time and fulfils expectations. However, it has got limited shows and hopefully, strong word of mouth could very well ensure consistent footfalls in the coming days.

Star Cast: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Dhadak 2 Movie Review Synopsis:
DHADAK 2 is the story of two opposites in love. Neelesh (Siddhant Chaturvedi) belongs to the low caste and he has secured admission in the National University of Law through quota. His classmate is Vidhisha aka Vidhi (Triptii Dimri), who belongs to the upper caste. Both form a great bond and soon fall for each other. Vidhi’s sister Nimisha (Deeksha Joshi) is getting married and the former invites Neelesh for the wedding ceremony. Vidhi’s family has objections to this invitation but they allow him to attend anyway. Neelesh attends the wedding with a lot of excitement but here he gets the shock of his life. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Dhadak 2 Movie Story Review:
DHADAK 2 is the remake of the 2018 Tamil film PARIYERUM PERUMAL. Rahul Badwelkar and Shazia Iqbal’s adapted story is simple yet hard-hitting. Also, it’s not a scene-by-scene adaptation. Rahul Badwelkar and Shazia Iqbal’s adapted screenplay is a bit dry in the first half but is quite effective post-interval. Rahul Badwelkar and Shazia Iqbal’s dialogues are sharp.

Shazia Iqbal’s direction is quite good. It mirrors the reality and how caste-based prejudice plagues the society even today. This makes DHADAK 2 one of the bravest films in recent times. The protagonists are well fleshed out and the issues that arise because of their love story makes for a great watch. The intermission point is shocking and it takes the film to another level. Equally powerful is the climax; it’ll induce claps in cinemas.

On the flipside, the first half doesn’t pack the intended punch. The way Neelesh and Vidhi fall in love so quickly seems a bit unconvincing. The track of Shekhar (Priyank Tiwari) gets a raw deal and the makers don’t properly justify its presence in the narrative. Lastly, the music is not up to the mark.

Dhadak 2 – Official Trailer | Siddhant Chaturvedi | Triptii Dimri | Shazia Iqbal

Dhadak 2 Movie Review Performances:
Siddhant Chaturvedi plays a difficult role with ease. He is fully convincing as someone who wants to fight back but the limitations because of his identity prevents him from doing so. This dichotomy has been nicely brought alive by the young actor. Triptii Dimri delivers yet another superb performance. She maintains a strong position, even though her screen time is a bit limited in the second half. She shines in the pre-climax and climax. Saurabh Sachdeva (Shankar) has a crucial part and is terrific to say the least. Priyanka Tiwari is decent and she should have got more due. Vipin Sharma (Neelesh’s father) has the most unique character in the film and as expected, he’s dependable. Saad Bilgrami (Ronnie) is fair as the villain. Zakir Hussain (Principal Haider Ansari) and Harish Khanna (Vidhi’s father Arvind) leave a huge mark. Deeksha Joshi, Aditya Thakare (Vasu), Abhay Joshi (Vidhi’s uncle Prakash), Anubha Fatehpuria (Neelesh’s mother) and Manjari Pupala (Richa) do very well in supporting roles.

Dhadak 2 movie music and other technical aspects:
Songs are well woven into the narrative but won’t have a shelf life. ‘Bas Ek Dhadak’, ‘Preet Re’, ‘Duniya Alag’ and ‘Yeh Kaisa Ishq’ are soulful while ‘Bawaria’ is foot-tapping. Tanuj Tiku’s background score is in sync with the film’s mood.

Sylvester Fonseca’s cinematography is appropriate. Suman Roy Mahapatra’s production design and Prashant Sawant’s costumes are realistic. Amrit Singh’s action is gripping and not too disturbing. Omkar Uttam Sakpal and Sangeeth Varghese’s editing (supervising editing by Charu Shree Roy) is more or less satisfactory but the first half and some scenes in the middle of the second half could have been crisper.

Dhadak 2 Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, DHADAK 2 makes an important comment on the caste system and works due to the subject, performances, hard-hitting scenes and powerful climax.

Star Cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn

Director: Matt Shakman

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Movie Review Synopsis:
THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS is the story of superheroes saving the world. The film is set in a retro-futuristic world of the 1960s. On Earth 828, Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) reside in New York. They are astronomers who go to space for a mission but gain superhero powers after being exposed to cosmic rays. They now use their powers to save the Earth from trouble. Reed and Sue are married and the latter is pregnant. The superheroes are happy, but their celebration is short-lived when a mysterious woman, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), appears to announce to the people of Earth that their planet has been marked for destruction by the planet-devouring cosmic being, Galactus (Ralph Ineson). The Fantastic Four realize that she is not bluffing and that Galactus is indeed destroying and disappearing planets. With no other option in hand, they once again don their spacesuits and head to space, this time to find Galactus and stop him from attacking the Earth. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Movie Story Review:
Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer and Kat Wood’s story serves as a nice introduction of the superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer’s screenplay keeps viewers captivated but is also a bit stagnant in some places. The dialogues are entertaining.

Matt Shakman’s direction is supreme. Like SUPERMAN, the origin backstory is also not given much prominence, though in this film, the beginnings of the superheroes are shown through montages and not just in text form. The 60s vibe is also well captured. What works big time is the bond between the superheroes and how they always stay united. The scene where they refuse to accept Galactus’ condition and the effect of it on the humans is quite dramatic. The subtle comment made here on trolling and sensational news debates is very relatable. Matt, however, reserves the best for the finale. It is exhilarating and also touching. The mid-credit scene, meanwhile, would lead to a frenzy in cinemas.

On the flipside, the pace of the film drops in a few places. The entire track of Johnny learning the alien language is difficult to comprehend. One also doesn’t fully connect to the idea of Harvey aka Mole Man (Paul Walter Hauser). In the quest to give a quick introduction, the makers didn’t give certain plot points their due. Meanwhile, the timing of the release can prove detrimental in India.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Movie Review Performances:
Pedro Pascal, as always, looks dashing and delivers a subtle yet effective performance. Vanessa Kirby gets to play a cool character, and she does total justice. She shines in the climax. Joseph Quinn is adorable and puts up a first-rate act. Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ralph Ineson make their presence felt. Julia Garner leaves a huge mark. Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles (Lynne Nichols), Mark Gatiss (Ted Gilbert) and Natasha Lyonne (Rachel Rozman) get limited scope.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie music and other technical aspects:
Michael Giacchino’s music has a vintage feel. Jess Hall’s cinematography is supreme. Kasra Farahani’s production design gets the retro-futuristic aesthetic right. Alexandra Byrne’s costumes are appropriate. Nona Khodai and Tim Roche’s editing could have been slicker.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS is yet another fabulous entertainer from the Marvel Cinematic Universe after THUNDERBOLTS. Though it has managed good advance sales, it might not be able to reach its full box office potential due to the gigantic SAIYAARA wave.

Star Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Paresh Rawal

Director: Kussh S Sinha

Nikita Roy Movie Review Synopsis:
NIKITA ROY is the story of a girl fighting blind faith. Nikita (Sonakshi Sinha) is an author and a part of the International Rationalist Community (IRC), London. Her brother Sanal Roy (Arjun Rampal) is also a part of IRC and a staunch rationalist. He is also her mentor and he dotes on her. One day, Nikita’s life comes crashing down when she is informed that Sanal has passed away. As per the cops, he died by suicide. But Nikita is confident that it’s a murder. She finds out that Sanal was working on the case of Godman Amar Dev (Paresh Rawal) of Tru Faith Foundation. IRC members are reluctant to help Nikita as Amar is very powerful and also dangerous. Hence, she decides to fight Amar alone. Help comes from her ex-boyfriend, Jolly (Suhail Nayyar). What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Nikita Roy Movie Story Review:
Pavan Kirpalani’s original story and Kussh S Sinha’s adapted story hold a lot of promise. Pavan Kirpalani’s screenplay (additional screenplay by Neel Mohanty, Kussh S Sinha, Ankur Vijay Takrani) is lacklustre. Belal Khalique’s dialogues are just okay.

Kussh S Sinha’s direction is not up to the mark. He is equipped with a great story about godmen. On top of it, there’s also bit of a supernatural element. Hence, if dealt well, this film could have made for a thrilling watch. Moreover, it starts on a chilling note. The first half is engaging and one expects fireworks in the second half.

Sadly, the post-interval portions are boring. The entire investigate bit falls flat. Nikita presents herself as someone who will expose Amar Dev but in reality, she doesn’t have any plan. She shoots arrows in the dark. Hence, one doesn’t see her in awe. Moreover, a few questions remain unanswered till the very end. The finale raises interest but at the same time, it is convenient and predictable.

Nikita Roy – Official Trailer | Sonakshi Sinha, Paresh Rawal

Nikita Roy Movie Review Performances:
Sonakshi Sinha yet again proves that she’s a fine performer and can nicely shoulder a film if given a chance. Paresh Rawal is top-notch as the villain. Suhail Nayyar gives a wonderful performance and has a great screen presence. Arjun Rampal is lovely in a cameo. Kallirroi Tziafeta (Freya) leaves a huge mark. Supreet Bedi (Tina), Kumall Grewal (Krishnan), Paul Coster (Inspector Brian), Beau Baptist (Inspector James), Adi Chugh (Sameer; IRC member), Calin Bleau (Luca; Amar Dev’s assistant) and Zara Zaidi (Rosemary; Amar Dev’s assistant) are fair.

Nikita Roy movie music and other technical aspects:
Abhinav Shekhar’s music is forgettable. ‘Kaali Raatein’ works due to the placement and graphics. Amar Mohile’s background score adds to the eeriness.

Anshul Chobey’s cinematography is normal. Ian Van Temperley’s action is cinematic. Sunil Nigvekar’s production design is convincing while Ankit Patel and Nuri Chimnani’s costumes are straight out of life. Ritesh Soni’s editing could have been better.

Nikita Roy Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, NIKITA ROY is a lacklustre investigative thriller. At the box office, it has released with negligible buzz and will go unnoticed.