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Reel Take

With Blurr, Taapsee has found her space in thrillers. Zee5 film is a huge win for Bollywood

The movie shows Bollywood is finally learning how to produce fantastic thrillers with solo female leads.

Revathi’s Salaam Venky a celebration of human spirit. Kajol-Vishal Jethwa pairing unmissable

After the critically acclaimed Phir Milenge in 2004, Revathi takes the road less travelled once again by documenting legal battles tied to medical issues.

Vadh brings Neena Gupta and Sanjay Mishra together. The result is pure brilliance

Directors Sandhu and Barnwal lucked out in the casting department, as two veterans–Gupta and Mishra–shine through each scene.

Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Gold is a one-man show. Nothing else glitters here

Murugesan's music and Sukumaran’s acting are the good parts, but they do little to save the day. There's nothing much that stays with you as you leave the theatre.

With Hotstar’s Freddy, Kartik Aaryan’s slasher is more contrived than thrilling

Kartik Aaryan gives a committed performance as socially inept Parsi dentist Freddy Ginwala but his descent into incel madness is more cringe than horror.

Adivi Sesh’s HIT: The Second Case is thriller of the year. Twists, conflicts make it richer

Director Sailesh Kolanu has managed to create a bankable and gripping series with HIT, and The Second Case is a worthy successor in the line.

An Action Hero is mindless one-time fun. Watch for Ayushmann Khurrana, Jaideep Ahlawat

Directed by the debutant Anirudh Iyer, An Action Hero is an anomaly in Khurrana's filmography, who is known to star in social dramas sprinkled with comical elements.

Netflix’s Qala will break your heart. Irrfan’s son shares crackling chemistry with co-stars

One is reminded of Natalie Portman's Black Swan. There is tragedy lurking at the edge of almost every frame.

Nothing to Marvel about Guardians of The Galaxy Holiday Special

Despite being half the length of a feature film, which means little room for error, Marvel manages character assassinations of otherwise brilliant character arcs.

Netflix’s Khakee is no Gangs of Wasseypur but manages to be entertaining and engaging

Neeraj Pandey's Khakee is a take on IPS Amit Lodha’s book, Bihar Diaries: The True Story of How Bihar's Most Dangerous Criminal Was Caught.

On Camera

Imtiaz Ali obsesses over vulgarity. Misses Chamkila’s cultural resistance against purity

‘Cassette culture’ discusses the boom of Bhakti music during the '80s and '90s when Anoop Jalota, Gulshan Kumar saw the pinnacle of success by singing the sanitised Bhajans.

Economists vs statisticians — the battle being fought over the soul of India’s GDP data

Economists say there are weaknesses in India’s GDP data. But statisticians claim the accusations are based on flawed understanding, saying while GDP has problems, the economists are looking in the wrong places.

India and Japan hold 10th round of consultations on disarmament, non-proliferation, and export control

The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in outer space security, conventional weapons, and export control

These 6 states are key for Modi’s ‘400 paar’ target. They’re also where Opposition can stop him

While this contest looks so predictable in large swathes of our political landscape, it is also more keenly contested than 2019 in some states.