Badrinath Ki Dulhania - Varun-Alia strikes gold with this one as well. The film is enjoyable throughout its runtime and that is quite obvious for a Varun-Alia starrer. Shashank Khaitan, after his debut in the form of Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, comes up with another heartwarming tale which is way different from the former. This one is more of a family drama whatwith a cute chemistry between the lead pairs, great cameraderie between Varun and his friend, dozes of great laughter throughout the movie and, showcasing a serious issue in the lightest way possible. The stylishness of Khaitan keeps the film going. The story revolves around Badrinath Bansal who thinks himself to be the most eligible bachelor of Jhansi and Vaidehi Trivedi of Kota whose only dream is to become an air hostess. Funny referrals are drawn such as Boy=Asset and Girl=Liability in those places. Direction has improved a lot since his debut film. Dialogues are excellent and they never go overtly preachy which is laudable. Chartbuster music supports the movie very well. Locations of UP, Rajasthan and Singapore are adorable. Screenplay is written so nicely that you never feel its a bore. The pre-interval twist works here which separates the two. The second half portrays how their love blossoms again and how it changes Badri's perspective about women and marriage. The director deserves a thumbs up for showing that the girl chooses her career over marriage which is neglected in most Bollywood flicks. The climax could've been more elaborate as it was mainly about gender equality. It seemed that the director was in a rush for 'Badri Ki Dulhania'. The characters have depth in this one and it's sure to make you emotional at a point of time. All done and dusted, its Varun's eighth superhit in a row with a 100% success rate. There's no one out there with so much consistency. Apaarshakti Khurrana and Swanand Kirkire also have important roles to play. The perfect watch for your Holi weekend.
Note :- If you're upset as there's no Alia Bhatt song, then wait, there's a big surprise for you.
Warning :- Strictly recommended for those who are Humpty Sharma lovers. Just tolerate the 'Aashiq Surrender Hua' track which is right after the start of the movie.

La La Land - Visually and Musically DIVINE. The title itself says a lot about the realism of the film. Today, I got to know all the answers to why this movie got as many as 14 nominations in the 89th Academy Awards. The story revolves around Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress who falls for a struggling pianist named Sebastian (Ryan Gosling). John Legend and Rosemarie DeWitt also had important roles to play. I won't say anything further about this magical film as it can't be described in words. The climax serves as the best part of the film. Not to mention, you will get to know its merit after watching only 15 minutes. Damien Chazelle's screenplay and direction played the trick here. It's a romantic fairy tale with soulful music by Justin Hurwitz. The music is so excellent that I am not able to judge which one was the weakest track. Well choreographed songs, superb dialogues and the stylish technique are just added perks for this flick. After Whiplash, Chazelle would surely stun you again with this musical piece of art. Won't be surprised if it wins the Oscar.
Note :- You are bound to fall for the songs, 'City Of Stars', 'A Lovely Night' and 'Audition' to name a few.
Warning :- It's a musical with more music and less dialogues, hence not everyone's cup of tea.

The Ghazi Attack - It's PNS Ghazi Vs INS S-21 in the movie. Yes, INS Rajput has been renamed as S-21 coz this is India. Sankalp Reddy's debut direction is commendable. His story and screenplay does have merit, what with keeping you engrossed till the end. Kay Kay Menon as Captain Rann Vijay Singh is excellent. It's only him alongwith Atul Kulkarni and Rana Daggubati who carry the film on their shoulders. Late Om Puri leaves a mark as usual. Taapsee Pannu has nothing to do here. She is wasted in her special appearance. It's a very brave attempt for a debutant director to deliver a 'no-song' affair. Excellent detailing, crisp editing and convincing performances make this movie a treat to watch. Throughout the movie, I did not understand why the captain was whispering and giving orders to other officers. I mean, the Pakistani soldiers won't be able to hear him, would they? Further I would like to mention that cinematic liberties are taken and certain scenes are also dramatised unnecessarily. Also the lead antagonist(Commander Razaaque) was giving the same expression every now and then. The first half is all about the execution of India's classified mission which is nothing but to defend themselves from PNS Ghazi. The second half is full of underwater action, what with shooting torpedoes one after the other and the submarines dodging them. Certain hard hitting dialogues do stay long even after the conclusion. Go for this patriotic thriller which is touted to be India's first 'war at sea' film.
Note :- Amitabh Bachchan is also a part of this film which glorifies our unsung soldiers.
Warning :- STAND UP for the National Anthem TWICE/THRICE.....

Jolly LLB 2 - A Jolly-Good film. So, my 100th movie in a theatre is nothing short of a BLOCKBUSTER. I won't compare it with its prequel as I haven't watched the latter yet. After Rustom, here comes another court-room drama from Akshay Kumar and as usual, he never disappoints us. This satirical drama which is directed by National Award winner Subhash Kapoor of Jolly LLB fame, tackles many issues such as terrorism, corruption, etc. and surprisingly Kapoor manages to handle all these with ease and perfection. Huma Qureshi does a commendable job as Pushpa. Sayani Gupta is strong as an actress and emotes well in all the scenes. Annu Kapoor is the perfect cast as the opposition's lawyer. His one-liners do work for the film. Kumud Mishra comes as a surprise as he is seen in a negative character for the first time. Saurabh Shukla doesn't need to be applauded. He deserves much more for elevating the level of humour in this flick. He shines in every frame, what with the 'Gulaabo' dance being one of the best. Akshay Kumar must be on cloud nine after delivering back to back superhits. He fits in as the titular character perfectly and we can't think any one else in his place. Kapoor never tries to be preachy and that's a winner in itself. In spite of portraying certain serious scenes, it never loses its humour and that works and justifies its satirical genre. Dialogues, direction, story and screenplay are managed by the director single handedly. The first half is a bit slow with the stretched 'Go Pagal' track, but it suddenly paces up from the commencement of the second half and never lags again. Some scenes are so touchy that it would force you to leave the theatre with a heavy heart.
Note :- Everything works for this seeti-maar entertainer except the abrupt songs.
Warning :- Akshay is in a winning streak. You just can't afford to miss this eye-opener.

Raees - An amalgamation of other Bollywood flicks such as Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara, Gunday and Shootout At Wadala. Wait! That doesn't mean that it is unwatchable. All SRK fans would be back in theatres hopefully after a long time as it assures you to give 100% entertainment, in the form of Shah Rukh in a grey shade, Nawazuddin's 'seeti-maar' one-liners as a cop, and the main thing-the villain is the HERO here. Nawazuddin is the real hero in Raees, as he outshines everyone else. Shah Rukh Khan couldn't have been any better. Md. Zeeshan Aiyyub deserves a special mention for his performance. They all just nailed it in their respective characters. Mahira is good enough but most probably, her Bollywood career has ended, all thanks to the MNS. Won't reveal anything about the plot, but expecting a paisa-vasool entertainer won't be a crime. If you have already watched the aforementioned flicks, then there is very less for you to watch in Raees. Still, it is always a treat to watch SRK as a negative character, isn't it?
Rahul Dholakia's direction is appealing with almost no dull moments throughout the film. Background music and cinematography serve as great catalysts. The action sequences are well choreographed, though some are overdone. The story is very much predictable and it never tries to show anything different from the above mentioned crime sagas. The fault lies here. The whole action sequence during the 'Laila' song is one of the most well crafted scenes. Box-office success is assured for this film. Surely, one and all would like it in spite of its shortcomings.
Note :- Watch Raees and you won't be disappointed. SRK and Nawaz's cameraderie is sure to impress you, if not the film as a whole.
Warning :- If you don't want to get disappointed, then please keep your brains at home, because there are many logic defying scenes. Good, nothing more than that. Could've been better.

OK Jaanu - A much better and cleaner version of 'Befikre'. Unlike the latter, this one has feelings and has its heart in the right place. Shaad Ali has improved a lot after his last unsuccessful venture titled 'Kill Dil'. The direction is nice and unique. The film definitely has its moments and is enjoyable for a happy watch and not more than that. Here, I won't discuss about Aashiqui 2, but I may assure you that this movie was on the same lines as that of Aashiqui 2.(Don't worry, it's a happy film altogether). Aditya Roy Kapur deserves to be lauded for his commendable performance. Definitely, he has improved a lot since his debut. Shraddha Kapoor is good as usual. Naseeruddin is a gem of an actor. He emotes well which is sure to make you emotional. Leela Samson's act is convincing and she shares a great cameraderie with Naseeruddin. They are cute and also very imporrant characters in the film. Relationships of two different age groups have been portrayed very well in the movie, what with modern day live-in relationships with 'No Strings Attached' Vs the old age pure love story where promises are never broken. Dialogues are a winner whereas the cinematography and screenplay(Mani Ratnam) is also commendable, though its adapted from OK Kanmani. The best thing is the style and technique as the movie begins and ends with a game scene. Even post-interval it starts with a game scene to justify Adi's character. The showstealer is Aditya-Shraddha's chemistry and the chartbuster music album by A.R. Rahman. Though there are many boring overstretched scenes but then again it picks up and what you are left up at the end, is only good vibes and a feel-good factor. An enjoyable and a happy one time watch. Specially recommended for couples.
Note :- A recommended one time watch. Watch it for Adi-Shraddha's chemistry and the feel good happy moments. The BEST thing in the movie is the black and white version of 'Enna Sona', which comes as a pleasant surprise.
Warning :- Don't compare it with 'Befikre'. It's much better. Don't expect another Aashiqui 2 as it ends on a happy note with typical Bollywood style. Really, Bollywood has to unite the pairs everytime even if the theme is of a 'no strings attached' modern day live-in relationship. Still worth a watch for its goodness.

Based on O' Henry's 'The Last Leaf', Lootera is nothing but a visual poetry. Not everyone's cup of tea, as it's a classy film and that too, slow paced. But, that works for the setting of the film. A masterpiece.