The Long Take

Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2 is a thoroughly unhinged and deeply misogynistic sequel that trades a coherent plot for a never-ending parade of celebrity cameos and slow-motion walking. The film’s baffling second half transforms Rajinikanth’s character into a CIA-level director operating at Fast & Furious levels of absurdity. We discuss the frustratingly low bar for mass masala entertainers, particula...

Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar is a frustratingly illogical police procedural that ruins an engaging premise by burying it under an avalanche of unearned twists. We discuss the film’s baffling disregard for realism, which repeatedly sacrifices basic police procedures just to serve its protagonist. We also talk about how the script bends backwards to transform Parvathy’s rookie character into an infa...

Bethlehem Kudumba Unit , the new Malayalam film starring Nivin Pauly, is a brilliantly localised, laugh-out-loud rom-com that has become the highest-grossing Malayalam movie of all time. We discuss the film’s respectfully handled age-gap romance, praising how the narrative gives Mamitha’s character the agency to initiate the relationship. We also dive into director Girish A.D.’s masterful visual s...

Don’t Be Shy , the new Prime Video original movie directed by Sreeti Mukerji and produced by Alia Bhatt, is a coming-of-age drama that fundamentally undercooks its characters. We discuss how the film’s bloated, two-hour-plus runtime wastes the potential of its unlikable protagonist and buries meaningful character development under unnecessary musical numbers and low-stakes college fest drama. We a...

Lust Stories 3, the new Netflix anthology featuring films from Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra, and Vishal Bhardwaj, is an uneven collection that mostly wastes its stellar ensemble cast. We discuss the frustratingly derivative nature of Batra’s divorce drama, Rao’s contrived thriller complete with an unnecessary twist, Motwane’s confused exploration of partner swapping, and Bhardwaj’...

Instead of a gritty, remorseful gangster saga, Toxic is an exhausting 194-minute ego trip for its lead star, Yash. We discuss the clash of visions between director Geetu Mohandas’s attempt at an emotional father-son remorse drama and Yash’s demand for high-octane KGF -style star worship. Naturally, the film collapses under the weight of its conflicting ambitions. We also talk about the baffling vi...

After the success of Amar Singh Chamkila , Imtiaz Ali returns with Main Vaapas Aaunga —a film that desperately wants to build a timeless love story, but forgets to make its lead characters believable. We discuss the movie’s sanitised and one-dimensional depiction of Partition trauma, the bizarre inclusion of stand-up comedy monologues, and question Ali’s “political reawakening”. Along the way, we...

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey serves as a massive anti-war critique of the insatiable appetites of men and the erosion of trust. From useless suitors to disgraced conquerors, and from Agamemnon’s bloody fate to the dishonour trailing Odysseus’ crew everywhere they go, the film isn’t subtle about its themes. We also talk about the terrifyingly atmospheric hell scene, contrast the stunning visual...

Satluj traces the long battle human rights activist Jaswant Singh Kalra fought to uncover the insidious violence embedded in ’90s Punjab—and just like its protagonist, the biopic too fought its own battle to release. We discuss Honey Trehan’s documentary-like realism, the film’s uncompromising, eerie atmosphere, and its uncompromising visuals of dread and fear that establish the sheer horror of po...

Dug Dug , the long-delayed satirical comedy from director Ritwik Pareek, doesn’t take its intriguing premise to the pinnacle. We discuss the film’s languid opening act that has little to do with the following hour. We also talk about its commentary on blind faith and superstition, and wonder why it doesn’t train its targets on bigger enemies, choosing instead to punch down. — Hosted by Akhil Arora...

Apex —the new Netflix survival thriller starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton—is like an anti-Australia propaganda video paid for by people still traumatised by the 2003 Cricket World Cup final. We discuss Netflix’s dedication to making instantly forgettable movies, its digitally created natural landscapes, and its by-the-numbers plot that has exactly two unexpected twists. — Hosted by Akhil...

Samay Raina reveals his opportunistic soul in the self-aggrandising comedy special Still Alive . We discuss his decision to portray himself as a victim, to conflate the suffering of his parents with his own, and the consequences of giving in to bullies while projecting himself as a martyr. We also compare his stance to that of his fellow comedian Kunal Kamra and discuss the differences between the...

Mardaani 3 has the same flawed feminism as its predecessors, but a larger canvas to project it on.  We discuss the evolution of Rani Mukerji’s vanity project, which is coming up on nearly 15 years. We also talk about the film’s jarring third-act plot twists and Shivani Shivaji Roy’s Bond villain-esque new adversary. Along the way, we touch upon its attempts to create some sort of Avengers-type tea...

Dhurandhar: The Revenge doubles down on everything that made the first film so controversial. The level of sycophancy on display borders on the pathetic.  We discuss the film’s plodding narrative, pointless diversions, and shameless devotion to the ruling party. We also talk about plot twists that you see coming from a mile away, the protagonist’s muddled motivations, and the convenience with whic...

Netflix’s new Indian original movie, Made in Korea , is a lazy excuse of a film made by an inept group of people with no idea what they’re doing. The very existence of such slop is a slap in the face of talented filmmakers who struggle for decades trying to do honest work. This is an insult not only to them, but also to audiences who pay hard-earned money to Netflix every month. Here is proof that...

Subedaar fools you into watching a ‘70s-style neo-Western about corruption and caste by presenting it as a South Indian remake. We discuss Anil Kapoor’s refreshingly muted lead performance, the film’s pointed nods to John Wick , and whether its disguised social commentary makes up for its tonal missteps. We also discuss Mona Singh and Aditya Rawal’s characters and who they represent in the context...

Accused , the tone-deaf “feminist” film on Netflix, is the equivalent of Neha Dhupia going “It’s her choice” on Roadies . We discuss the film’s utterly misguided defence of a serial harasser, groomer, and all-around toxic human being, and its baffling attempts to pass her off as “ambitious”. We also question the film’s understanding of sexual harassment as a concept, and disapprove of anybody tryi...

Once again, we find ourselves watching a Kartik Aaryan movie and wondering why… We discuss Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri ’s pointless travel vlog first half, which unexpectedly transforms into a combination of Baghban and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge . We also discuss the film’s awkward projection of seemingly progressive values, which happens to be filtered through a deeply regressive lens....

It took three years for Anurag Kashyap’s Kennedy to secure a release after its Cannes premiere, and that, too, on the D-list tier streaming service ZEE5. We discuss the film’s baffling narrative, vague rumination about corruption and power, and long stretches of inaction that don’t feel authentic to Kashyap. We also spend way too much time discussing the ill-fitting costumes of Rahul Bhat and the...

Sabar Bonda , the Marathi film that won a prestigious honour at Sundance last year, is either a poetic exploration of the road not taken or a pretentious try-hard desperate to feel important. We discuss the film’s unconventional dramatic choices, the effects of its stillness, and the lacklustre quality of the central performances. We also debate its performative nature and wonder how it turned out...

Sthal , the Marathi-language feature from debutante director Jayant Digambar Somalkar, is one of the best films of 2025. It’s a deftly written, confidently shot, and expertly performed psychological drama about the commodification of women. We discuss the anger at the film’s core, its bleak view of Indian society, and the catharsis it provides with an instant-classic climax. — Hosted by Akhil Aror...

Tere Ishk Mein , the new film from director Aanand L. Rai and his longtime writer Himanshu Sharma, might be more offensive than anything Sandeep Reddy Vanga has ever made. A misogynist, hate-mongering pile of slop, the movie exists to validate its incel male audience’s opinions about all womankind. It would be foolish to question why Dhanush and Kriti Sanon agreed to make this film, but for A.R. R...

Kalamkaval —the new investigative thriller in which Mammootty plays a serial killer—is a dull, dour, and deeply frustrating film.  We talk about director Jithin K. Jose’s indisciplined screenplay, which repeats the same information over and over again as if it knows audiences are going to tune out. We also discuss its lack of interest in the killer’s victims, whom it treats as mere plot devices. W...

Haq , the new propaganda movie starring Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi, is even more insidious than Dhurandhar . We talk about the film’s harmful stereotypes, the irresponsibility of presenting an entire community as savages, and drawing a direct line between bad behaviour and faith. We also discuss the film’s sloppy storytelling, childish approach to complex ideas, and its constant need to sp...

Is Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders more than just a way for director Honey Trehan to pay the rent, or is it actually worthwhile? We talk about the film’s differences from and similarities to the first one, and the sociopolitical commentary that Trehan and writer Smita Singh are able to sneak into it. We also discuss how the movie didn’t face any trouble despite naming and shaming the Uttar Prad...