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Sunday, January 11, 2026
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Reel Take

Shyam Benegal’s Bhumika is a raw portrait of a female film star’s turbulent life

In Bhumika, Usha chooses a life that does not align with societal expectations. And Shyam Benegal is not afraid to show her as a deeply flawed woman.

Loafer is proof of Dharmendra’s unmatched versatility

The film's appeal rests on three pillars: Dharmendra’s magnetism, Mumtaz’s glamour, and Laxmikant-Pyarelal's evergreen score.

‘Two Sinners’ is about vigilante justice. It asks tough questions in a 12-minute runtime

In Two Sinners, Azhar and his brother Hussain are on the brink of delivering vigilante justice to Mushtaq. The only information the audience knows is that he has assaulted a woman.

Raaj Kumar & Meena Kumari’s chemistry saves ‘Kaajal’

Known for his unique dialogue delivery and often stylish avatars, Raaj Kumar opts for subtlety in Kaajal. His eyes alternate with ease between anger and pain.

Khatta Meetha was Bollywood’s first blended-family film. Progressive without preaching

The beauty of Basu Chatterjee’s storytelling in Khatta Meetha was that he didn’t show remarriage as something frowned upon or in need of justification.

Gumnaam turned Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit into a Bollywood masala film

Unlike Agatha Christie's book, which explores the lives and thoughts of the characters, Gumnaam puts the spotlight on Mehmood's antics and Manoj Kumar and Nanda's chemistry.

Satish Shah played a dead body in ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’. And stole the show

Few movies have been able to do justice to dark humour the way this four-decade-old film does. The corpse at the centre of the film speaks loudly about the death of morality.

A ghost, war veteran & a lost nation—Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Naukri was ahead of its time

Similar to what Charles Dickens did in A Christmas Carol, the ghost in Naukri becomes a device to teach the living the meaning of life.

Amitabh and Amjad’s real-life friendship played out in Yaarana. It’s usually different on-screen

Tere Jaisa Yaar Kahan—a Kishore Kumar classic—not just echoed the friendship between the characters in the movie, but also how the duo stood by each other in real life.

Satyajit Ray’s 1960 Devi shows God-fearing rural Bengal—and devotion delusion

Sharmila Tagore delivers one of the most haunting performances of her career in Devi. She was only 14 years old.

On Camera

XUV 7XO shows Mahindra’s engineering prowess. DAVINCI suspension makes a world of difference

The old XUV 700 was an indication that the Indian manufacturer had begun to up their game. But 7XO is world-class in terms of fit, finish, and equipment.

Grounded no more: Andhra govt revives no-frills Dagadarthi airport near Nellore to boost south coast link

As Visakhapatnam readies a mega airport, the Andhra Pradesh government has revived its shelved Dagadarthi project, aiming to boost cargo and connectivity on the south coast.

Oreshnik, ATACMS & Storm Shadow: All about the missiles Russia and Ukraine are firing

Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries are leaning on drones, but they’re also firing cruise and ballistic missiles, some of them relatively new and experimental.

Thank you Trump, again. India now has reason to shed fear of free trade and spur reform

UK, EFTA already in the bag and EU on the way, many members of RCEP except China signed up, and even restrictions on China being lifted, India has changed its mind on trade.