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Thursday, December 4, 2025
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Reel Take

Nida Manzoor’s Polite Society is a self-aware superhero flick. Smart writing does the trick

British-Pakistani director Nida Manzoor wants Polite Society to be a celebration of sisterhood; a showing of how it trumps everything else.

Mani Ratnam’s PS: II is a gripping game of thrones. But viewers must brave through its slow pace

All unanswered questions and loose ends come full circle as Ratnam brings his star-studded cast back on the silver screen.

Amazon Prime’s Citadel is an expensive misfire. Good actors, drone shots, terrible script

Directed by David Weil, Citadel's flawless CGI and sleek action scenes do not make up for its lack of original material.

Indian Matchmaking isn’t worth the hate-watch anymore. Sima Aunty is stuck on ‘compromise’

Netflix is milking India Matchmaking for all it’s worth but it’s no longer entertaining.

Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’s last fight is the best one. It means you finally get to leave

This year’s Eid offering from Salman Khan creates a new benchmark with its logic-defying plot.

Tooth Pari: When Love Bites opens a new side of vampires. A good weekend watch

Even though the plot may not be the newest on the block, this rendition of the human-vampire love story certainly has a newness to it.

Chris McKay’s Renfield is a hilarious mess. Dracula is just a gaslighter

In Chris McKay’s world, Renfield finds a support group to discuss his toxic boss—Dracula.

Gunasekhar’s Shaakuntalam has the bones of an epic love story but nothing else

Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Dev Mohan play their part well but there’s no spark. It’s Allu Arjun’s daughter Arha who steals the show in her debut performance.

‘Mrs Undercover’ is desperate to prove it’s a feminist film. Radhika Apte can act only so much

Zee5's 'Mrs Undercover' is a half-hearted attempt by Anushree Mehta in her directorial debut. But a 'housewife'-turned-spy storyline looks good only on the paper.

Balraj Sahni and Nutan’s ‘Seema’ is a simple story, almost ahead of its time

The powerful dynamic between the two lead characters can remind one of modern-day films like Dear Zindagi.

On Camera

Why Bihar migrates has a 500-year old answer — from Mughal taxpayers to peasant warriors

Migration in North India isn’t just due to lack of development today. It was shaped by the evolution of labour markets under Sher Shah, Mughals, and the East India Company.

India’s Russian oil imports are showing up in cryptic new places. The crude map stands redrawn

December oil imports from Russia may drop nearly 50%, but Indian buyers already shifting to non-designated Russian entities and opaque trading channels to keep Russian oil flowing.

From nuclear cooperation to defence, trade to oil, what is expected from Putin’s two-day India visit

New Delhi is interested in firming up bilateral agreements for increased trade, mobility, upgrade of Su-30 MKI fighters and the increased range of BrahMos supersonic missiles.

Gaali cricket: Bavuma stands tall, India’s Test ego cut to size

The India-South Africa series-defining fact is the catastrophic decline of Indian red ball cricket where a visiting team can mock us with the 'grovel' word.