Category - Bollywood

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Rustom’ Review – 2.6 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Rustom Review by Indicine Rating: Tinu Suresh Desai who made 1920 London this year, manages to inscribe his touch into this movie but it eventually doesn’t feel enough. There are some cool transition effects between scenes and he tries to maintain a uniformity. But that’s about the only good or innovative thing about this vapid courtroom historical drama which does nothing to thrill and just like the time period it is situated in, it only takes Bollywood back to an age where the details feel half baked, the characters are sleazy stereotypes and the twists are uninspired. The fictional retelling of real life incidents could have been dealt with a lot more maturely and a flawed character like Rustom shouldn’t have become a jingoistic patriot who can do no wrong. The second half where most of the action shifts to the courtroom isn’t thrilling and pacy enough. Rustom Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: First things first. RUSTOM is essentially a crime thriller. While the film does not have a mystery element/ whodunit angle in the storyline, it becomes slightly predictable as it progresses. The fact also remains that, there have been two films that have been earlier made on the same premise. These films were the Sunil Dutt-Leela Naidu starrer YEH RASTEY HAIN PYAAR KE (1963) and the ?Vinod Khanna?-Farida Jalal? starrer ACHANAK (1973). The storyline of RUSTOM has been subjected to a contemporary treatment by Vipul K. Rawal, who is in charge of the film’s screenplay, story and dialogues. When a film has Akshay Kumar as its hero, it’s a given that the screenplay has to be essentially gripping which keeps the audiences on the ‘edge-of-the-seat’. This element however is missing in RUSTOM. The film’s screenplay not just slows down the film’s pace, but also is very average. Had the screenplay been engrossing and captivating, it would have been a different story altogether. The film’s narrative oscillates between ‘convincing’ and ‘not-so-very-convincing’. Even though RUSTOM has been largely inspired by the famous case of KM Nanavati, the film does have its moments that make it furthermore enticing. Those who do not know anything about the (Nanavati) case, will surely take a liking for RUSTOM. RUSTOM happens to be Tinu Suresh Desai’s second film as a director (his first being 1920 LONDON). Tinu Suresh Desai has done a decent job as a director. While the film is set up in the first half, the second half is filled with court room drama galore. Even though there are moments when the film starts lagging, Tinu Suresh Desai’s manages to put the film back on track towards the end. The flip side (read ‘shortcomings’) of his direction can be seen in the courtroom drama scenes. Generally, court room scenes are filled with high voltage drama and power packed dialogues, something that is totally missing in RUSTOM. On the other hand, it’s the ‘situational humour’ that connects with the audience. Rustom Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: The premise is fairly simple. Director Tinu Desai’s characters reveal themselves rather obviously: A heartbroken naval officer, his cheating wife, the Casanova lover, his evil sister, sympathetic cops, an ambitious reporter and an overtly confused jury. But, slowly and surely, the movie grips you. Rustom Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: When you go for a movie like Rustom, especially after watching the trailer, you expect high octane court drama proceedings. However, I feel it’s here that the film takes a beating. Blame it on our exposure to terrific shows like The People vs OJ Simpson (which again is based on a real-life trial), but we did expect a lot from Rustom, especially when the courtroom drama starts. But the director is more interested in Bollywood-ising the narrative than pulling off a tight narrative. We understand Rustom has to be perceived as a hero in public, mirroring what happened in the Nanavati case, but that portrayal is so sudden here that we are amused when Rustom is greeted by fans and wellwishers outside the court. It’s like Coldplay is in town. Moreover, the semi-cartoonish portrayals of the prosecutor (Sachin Khedekar, surprisingly hammy) and the judge (Anant Nag, reliving his Khichdi days) don’t help matters at all. Every character surrounding Rustom are too one dimensional, the biggest victim being Esha Gupta’s socialite, who mostly preens and pouts and smokes. The subplot of the Navy scandal is quite weak, and the romantic songs are forced. Rustom Review by Raja Sen on Rediff Rating: It is a case, in short, that deserves good cinema. Cinema that, like any intelligent murderer, understands that it is indeed all in the details. For half a minute, a highly distinguished Parsi gent shows up and immediately classes up this film, but that’s about all. Despite Kumar’s valiant (albeit overdressed) attempt at calm and gravitas, this film is bilge, unintentionally hilarious and eventually tedious. The only way to salvage it would be to add a too-loud laugh track, give Gupta a trampoline, and call it Carry On Rustom. Rustom Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: He plays the honest, integrity-filled naval commander Rustom Pavri, who shoots his wife’s lover and then slays it in the courtroom. He’s not a trained lawyer, but he could have fooled us. The manner in which he sticks it to the prosecution (Sachin Khedekaras) will please the fans of Kumar. But those who are looking for a gripping legal battle will be left disappointed. All the forces backing this film seemed to be working towards making the decorated naval officer into a stand-up guy. His intentions are always lofty and noble, and that gets tiring after a while. The supporting cast, such as Arjan Bajwa, who plays the devious Casanova Vikram Makhija, are reduced accessories. Esha Gupta, Makhija’s vengeful sister, does variations of her pink-stained pouts throughout the film. D’Cruz is also decidedly pink and weeps to express her remorse. They all seemed to be pawns in this elaborately staged play. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: As for the flaws, the sets come across as too artificial and we feel the makers could have taken extra efforts to lend some authenticity to the look of the film (case in point- ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, which was also a period film). Also, the way Rustom defends and exonerates himself in court after coming in possession of evidence from the police locker room seems a bit too easy, which is something of a letdown. Had it been a challenging task for the noble Rustom to get himself acquitted, the film would have certainly been more entertaining, we feel. However, all said and done, Rustom is an entertaining fare, even if you have read about the Nanavati case, so don’t let that dissuade you from watching the film. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: In Airlift, he showed how he could take a quasi-real part and run with it. The film, despite its many concessions to ‘reality’, worked because the star made sure he was believable. The only time we connect with Rustom is when we are allowed to see the anguish and pained resolve in Akshay’s eyes. If only that feeling, and other emotions—stuff that comes with the territory of love and betrayal and murder– permeated the film: the rest, alas, is cardboard. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Akshay Kumar in a uniform is enough to do no wrong. He sinks into his character’s regimented manner and decided demeanour with conviction. Ileana D’Cruz as the perennially teary wife is a mere prop, while Esha Gupta steals the show (unintentionally) with her OTT makeup and her misplaced expressions. When the public prosecutor (Sachin Khedekar) turns to her, shocked at the announcement of a surprise witness, she offers her standard response: a wide-eyed stare followed by a pout. She completes her society kitten image by wielding a cigarette in every scene, even when getting a massage. Arjan Bajwa couldn’t be more miscast. Playing an affluent lady-killer, his hairy legs peep out of his Hawaiian dressing gown in an intense scene to diffuse his threats and distract the audience. The use of long shots is often celebrated as the effort exerted is visible and this one has two — when the investigating officer Winston Lobo (Pawan Malhotra) questions his witnesses. It barely adds any cinematic flair but surely wraps up the scene in a crisp manner. The background score, hopeful of intensifying this thriller, is jarring. This one’s worth a watch only for Akshay Kumar. But if you’re looking for laughs, Esha Gupta could help too. Review by Lokesh Dharmani on Masala Rating: I loved the detailing in the film. They have created an almost perfect world of 1960s. The naval ships, the furniture, the sets, even that Godrej fridge in the kitchen, everything in the film is detailed so well. Rustom despite having an interesting plot tries to play safe, please everyone and resorts to Bollywood formulae of forced humour and even more forced insipid songs. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The courtroom drama, upon which the story hinges has a twist you can see a mile away. But you keep hoping Akshay Kumar will save the day, somehow. That is not so. Even his perfect posture, his awesome abs (even though he is wearing the uniform all through the movie) do not save the courtroom proceedings from being daft. The lawyer prosecuting the case (Sachin Khedekar) just makes a mockery of his role, so does the editor of the tabloid (Blitz in real life, and the tabloid played a huge part in swaying people’s emotions). And even though Pavan Verma tries his best to be the upright cop investigating the case, and Brijendra Kala his sidekick, there is no tension, no drama in the courtroom. There could have been added drama had they explained why a wife who cheated on her husband stayed by his side during the trial. But no. The silly comical treatment of what could have been stunning, tension-filled narrative fails to deliver anything but a ‘Akshay makes different films’ excuse. Law & Order on TV has better drama in one hour than this two and a half an hour long film. And the Pradeep Kumar moustache on Akshay Kumar doesn’t help. Review by Shaheen Parkar on Mid-Day India Rating: Akshay is yet again at his peak, choosing a film that gives him enormous scope to perform. Ileana’s pink cheeks are on display throughout the film (make-up highlights or natural?) apart from that perpetual tear on her eyelashes. Arjan Bajwa is back on scene after a hiatus as the flamboyant lover. He will be looking at this film to put his career back on track. Esha goes overboard wih her cleavage show. With some tight editing, especially in the second half when the court scenes become a drag, it would have made for a more riveting watch. A great deal of attention has been paid to the detailing and production values, and that’s commendable, and so is the direction. ‘Rustom’ is worth a watch for Akshay’s sake. Review by Renuka Vyavahare on The Times Of India Rating: Akshay Kumar is the backbone of Rustom. The Khiladi renders one of the most understated performances of his career, proving yet again that he can play a range of diverse roles with aplomb. The plot is interesting if not engaging. However, Rustom lacks the unnerving tension exuded by well made courtroom dramas like A Few Good Men (1992). It is not the gripping thriller one expects it to be, given the controversial case it’s based on. It tries to unfold like a whodunnit, and falters in its execution. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: Tinu Suresh Desai’s narration is stylish but turns tedious towards the end. Santosh Thundiyil’s cinematography is glossy. Production values are rich. Music by Ankit Tiwari, Jeet Ganguly, Raghav Sachar and Arko Pravo Mukherjee is poor failing to make us sing along. RUSTOM certainly has a style and with an explosive subject like this, a lot more was expected from Neeraj Pandey. Ironically it’s more an escapist lesson on how to be a good husband then a captivating substance as a film but the power of Akshay Kumar as Bollywood’s most dashing and suave Naval officer makes this sail through resulting in a decent one time watch. Watch it for Akshay Kumar. Review by Mehul S Thakkar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Coming to the performances, it is Akshay Kumar who ensures that the audiences are glued in despite certain distracting elements in the screenplay. His role is complicated and needed a lot of effort to convince the audience that he is morally right. The behaviour and appearance of his character are very crucial to his impact on screen and he gets it absolutely right. Ileana D’cruz’s lack of chemistry with Akshay Kumar is a downer. Esha Gupta, with the swagger and the 60’s look does manage to leave an impact. Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Akshay’s cool, calm, composed avatar is bound to floor many, and not just his ardent fans. There is little in this film that could displease the actor’s constituency. Rustom is largely inoffensive, even passable in the main, but could have been infinitely better had the screenplay not been so utterly conventional and unimaginative. Review by Ananya Bhattacharya on India Today Rating: The weakest part of Rustom is the treatment of the story. Despite emphasising that the film is a fictionalised account, and doesn’t bear any resemblance to anything real, the film is all about the Nanavati case. The tale could have been much better given that this was the last case in the country to be decided by a jury. The trailer promised a lot of that, but the story hardly bothers about it. Desai uses humour to lighten the courtroom proceedings. The problem with Rustom lies in its twists too. You can put your finger on them much before the twists actually play out in front of you, something which is fatal for a ‘crime thriller’. Rustom plays to the gallery, eliciting cheers and applause from the audience who want to see their hero reinstated as a hero. The focus shifts from a wronged husband and his wife’s extra-marital affair to something a lot more patriotic. The complete whitewashing of the dressed-in-white hero comes across as forced. Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India Rating: The Nanavati case is an incident that most people are familiar with, even after seven decades. Tinu Desai knew that he had to make the film more a human drama and less of a courtroom drama. Rustom is emotionally nuanced, and the treatment is serious and thoughtful. As it progresses, it provides a shift in perspective to keep you guessing. Cynthia goes from being the culprit to the victim, and Rustom from the righteous to corrupt. The recreation of well-known events is done so well that despite knowing the story, Rustom engages and holds your attention. Scenes of old Bombay bring on nostalgia. There are numerous surprises that will keep you wondering what’s coming next. The romance between Rustom and Cynthia has a fairy tale quality. Their relationship is the best thing about the film. Akshay Kumar is exemplary and brings so much dignity to the character. Ileana as the vulnerable Cynthia is captivating. Review by Raghav Jaitly on Zeenews Rating: What must not be neglected in ‘Rustom’ is that it has got many layers to it. The screenplay of the movie showcases various scandals taking place at the same time. Sadly, these simultaneous storylines often get neglected in the backdrop of the murder trail. Undoubtedly, the twists and turns will leave you on the edge of your seat from the beginning. But, at the same time, the delay in dissemination of the real content will test your patience. The second half of the film aims at doing justice to your time and money. The courtroom drama will ensure that entertainment quotient remains high. Be it arguments, witnesses or evidence, everything leads to a different revelation that is likely to stun you at all levels. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: Period details are hit and miss, facts are distorted for the sake of convenience, and technically the film is no great shakes. But most unforgivably, the film sacrifices the complexities of the Nanavati case for the sake of facile drama. In the end, Pavan Malhotra is typically dependable in the role of the investigating police officer, and Akshay Kumar shows some flair. They are the sole bright spots in Rustom, which is too long, wholly disappointing, and feels like an opportunity lost. Rustom Review by Indiaglitz Rating: Director Tinu Suresh Desai gets a great opportunity of making a film on one of the most dramatic cases from our country and fails to do proper justice to it. He presents the movie in total tacky and outdated manner, especially the court room drama. The movie is engaging and also entertaining, but in totally 80’s style of a pot boiler. His way of blending a different story to the Nanavati case fails to work in the favour of the film. Review by Subhash K Jha on Bollyspice Rating: Rustom is unmistakably a vehicle to showcase Akshay Kumar’s power to portray spiritual transparency during times of stressful betrayal and deception. He does so with a sincerity that is at times heartbreaking and at other times reassuring. After Airlift this is one more performance from Akshay that proves he can hold the camera without making overt attempts to get our attention. Most of the second-half of Rustom is a courtroom drama with Akshay fighting his own case. Indicative of the film’s battle ahead. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: The main characters all have to wear one expression through the film. Akshay Kumar, the accused, is stern (garbed as restrained?). Ileana D’cruz, the accused’s cheating wife is sorry. Arjan Bajwa, the supposed villain smirks and his sister, Esha Gupta, the supposed vamp, smirks more. That is more or less what they do. They are all styled like they are in the 50s-60s. Whether or not it is authentic, it sure is refreshing. At times even distracting from the story. The story by itself works, the back and forth in time-line notwithstanding. But, it all comes crumbling down in the end. It’s a safe bet to say that a thriller that goes wrong with its climax is likely to fail as a thriller. If it were not for that, Rustom might just have worked, despite its disengaging performances. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Budhia Singh – Born To Run – 3.4 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dishoom – 2.7 stars Madaari – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Kabali – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars M cream – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars The Legend of Michael Mishra – 1.2 stars

[mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Mohenjo Daro’ Review – 2.2 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Mohenjo Daro Review by Indicine Rating: First things first, Mohenjo Daro is not a historical drama or a historical romance. It is a love story which happens to be a fantasy and has the setting of the Indus valley civilization as its background. Ashutosh Gowariker does a neat job of placing the love story in that era but the movie doesn’t quite come together in the end. It all feels a bit disjointed where we get to see snippets of life from that era for a few scenes and then a cheesy love story for the next few scenes and the cycle continues. There’s also the terrible visual effects work in the climax. How did Gowariker allow it to appear in the final movie? It is painful to see that Gowariker has forgotten to make his brand of epic sagas after Jodha Akbar. Mohenjo Daro lacks the deft touch of a Swades or a Lagaan. Mohenjo Daro Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: Ashutosh Gowariker, who has always emerged a winner with his previous attempts at historic and period films, fails miserably with MOHENJO DARO as a director. It just won’t be wrong to say that in the name of ‘cinematic liberties’, Ashutosh Gowariker has taken the audiences sense and patience for granted. While the film’s first half is slow, the film’s extremely dragged second half acts more villainous. The film’s second half totally takes the steam off the film. The film’s climax only makes things worse. Ashutosh Gowariker, despite his goliath attempt in fictionally (re)creating the Mohenjo Daro civilisation, fails to convince the viewers about the same. What one fails to understand is how can someone like Ashutosh Gowariker, who is known for making some of brilliant films, can go so wrong with MOHENJO DARO. Mohenjo Daro Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: The biggest reason why anyone would get into a theatre screening Mohenjo Daro would be to know about Indus Valley civilization, and the era in which the film is based. Though I cannot say that Ashutosh Gowariker has done complete justice to the era, he needs to be lauded for his courage to even attempt a film about that period. Only a visionary director like him can attempt to make a movie of this grandeur, and he succeeds to some limit in not making a complete mess of the period as everyone would assume. His direction also make the proceedings of the initial parts of the film bearable, especially after Sarman reached Mohenjo Daro and meets Chaani. Mohenjo Daro is also bearable thanks to a convincing performance by Hrithik Roshan, though it’s time he needs to pick up roles that challenges him to bring variety in his performance. Among the supporting cast, Manish Chaudhary and Nitish Bhardwaj stand out, while Sharad Kelkar is effective in a cameo. Mohenjo Daro Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: The rest of the movie has been reviewed several times before. As 300, Spartacus, Moses, Hercules, Noah, Gladiator and every movie (and TV shows like Olympus) you can think up where the hero of fabulous parentage battles evil and saves poor suffering villagers… To watch Hrithik Roshan waste three hours trying to be so many heroes at once is heartbreaking. You wonder what colossal egos and madness must be at work behind this pointless ambitious nonsense! The movie movies from little to zero to negative plausibility within minutes and continues to plummet to stupidity. Not even the Indus river flooding the city of Mohenjo Daro can save this film. The only saving grace is that Hrithik is not made to wear a skirt a la Dharmendra in Dharam Veer. Mohenjo Daro Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Mohenjo Daro is a fantasy that has nothing fresh to offer. It banks on the same old brew of love, jealousy and violence, served up in an over-ambitious package that never assumes convincing proportions. Mohenjo Daro, which means Mound of the Dead, wasn’t the name of the place that this film is set in. It got the moniker only after it was discovered by archaeologists. Which city in the right mind would call itself Mound of the Dead? Well, this film is called Mohenjo Daro and it is really deadening. It’s a pile of stale tropes that is unlikely to help us understand India’s prehistory any better than we do now. Mohenjo Daro is stuck in the past and not just in terms of its substance. What the film clearly says is that both director Gowariker and Hrithik need to move on and reinvent themselves. Review by Ritika Handoo on Zeenews Rating: ‘Mohenjo Daro’ was smooth like silk in terms of cinematography by C. K. Muraleedharan. Music by maestro A R Rahman and especially the recurrent background theme was magical to the ears. Kabir Bedi as Maham and Arunoday Singh as Moonja played the negative force with much conviction. It was also a delight to hear the heavy baritone of Kabir Bedi. Overall, do watch ‘Mohenjo Daro’ for Hrithik Roshan only. But keep your history textbooks miles away from it! Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India Rating: By no standards is a film based on Mohenjo Daro easy to handle. In spite of that, Gowariker adds all the essential elements to make the film as much mass-appealing as possible. The music by A.R. Rahman is one of the highlights – it livens up the pace when you’re just about feeling restless. Gowariker also manages to get some effective performances from his lead pair. Newcomer Pooja Hegde exudes charm and has a striking screen presence. She makes the character of Chaani endearing. Hrithik Roshan holds the screen ably all through. His committed performance salvages the film. Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: Roshan, arguably one of Bollywood’s most handsome men, also lets his throbbing veins do the talking for some of the overwrought scenes. They have a life of their own. When he’s angry or frustrated, his pupils dilate and his cheeks begin shaking. Subtlety is shown the door. But, it’s not all bad. The morality tale of good trumping evil is engaging and the climax, which involves an all-consuming flood is well captured. While Hegde lends good support, Bedi and his on-screen son snarl and roar to make their displeasure known. This is Roshan’s showcase all the way. While it splutters in places, the folkish epic makes for a good one-time watch. Review by Raja Sen on Rediff Rating: The film doesn’t have much to offer. Historical accuracy be darned, Gowariker has served up a severely amateurish production with a weak script and an abundance of cliche. Review by Sweta Kaushal on Hindustan Times Rating: Made on an estimated budget of Rs 115 crore, the film has a grand canvas. The over-whelming long shots and beautiful close-ups are something to look forward to. The climax sequence is especially breathtaking. Watch the film if Hrithik’s physique, dancing skills and flexibility are enough to attract you but you can totally avoid it if a grandeur does not make up for the lack of substance, facts and logic. Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: Right from the build-up, featuring what is meant to be a thrilling boat ride and a fight with a fake-looking crocodile, all the better to show off Hrithik’s rippling chest and ripping valour, Mohenjo Daro is a plod, and a heavily borrowed one to boot: the entry into a forbidden town (which strongly reminds us of Baahubali), the romance with a pretty stranger, the rivalry with a muscle-bound fellow, the unravelling of dark secrets, the saving of a town from a beastly ruler—we’ve seen so many versions of it before. Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today Rating: Mohenjo Daro is nothing you have not seen before. It is the same old hero-making tale where one man rises to become the leader by fighting the despot; the fight between Sarman and the giant men in the ring echoes Gladiator while the entire story echoes Gangs of New York or Baahubali’s Return-Of-The-Chosen-One-To-Kingdom-For-Baap-Ka-Badla narrative. Gowariker simply adds the ‘historic film’ tadka to package and sell it because on paper, the idea is great. Also, because he probably thinks he has a way with historical films. What we could have had was a better film, but that would have required different cinematic sensibilities. Ashutosh Gowariker does not make historical films, let’s get that clear. He is great at making spectacles using historical stories as a crutch. Sadly, this time, he picked the wrong story. Mohenjo Daro Review by Indiaglitz Rating: Hrithik fails to justify his character and Pooja fails miserably in all the dramatic scenes. Her dialogue delivery is terrible. Arunoday Singh looks bad and displays equally bad performance. Nitish Bharadwaj, Kishore Shahane, Suhasini Milay, Sharad Kelkar and others have hardly anything to do in this weak scripted film. ‘Mohenjo Daro’ is the worst film of director Ashutosh Gowarikar. One does appreciate the hard work and efforts behind this film. But at the end of the day, it’s on the lines of all those historical T.V serials with bad C.G.I work and overstretched love saga ruining the history and facts. Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Hrithik, who plays the lead role, is in top form as the noble Sarman, who transforms from a humble farmer to the leader of the people. Hrithik’s terrific presence and powerful performance is sure to delight his fans, and his jaw-quivering intensity makes him a formidable protagonist and a force to contend with, and you just cannot take your eyes off him when he is on screen creating scorching drama. Needless to say, Hrithik was the apt choice to play the noble Sarman and it is tough to imagine anyone else in the larger-than-life character. Pooja Hegde, who makes her Bollywood debut with this film, is pretty and puts up a good performance, though we wish the makers would have signed up an A-lister to be romantically paired opposite Bollywood’s Greek God. Kabir Bedi is totally bang on as the evil Maham and his powerful screen presence, his baritone and his sinister sneer, makes him a worthy rival to battle. Arunoday Singh also performs well as Maham’s obedient son, a strong second adversary to Sarman. The action scenes between the two are raw and gritty, and extremely well choreographed by Amar Shetty. Review by Srijana Mitra Das on The Times Of India Rating: Straight away, if you want to enjoy Mohenjo Daro, leave your disbelief by the door for Ashutosh Gowarikar’s newest blast from the past only works as a fairy tale, not nailed in history, but hanging somewhere between Game of Thrones and Baahubali. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: The movie has some good aerial shots by KC Muraleedharan too. The runtime at 150 minutes is a huge relief, since Gowariker tends to have lengthy movies. The first half, however, was a tad too long, compared to the crisp second half. Ashutosh may have found a new way of filmmaking, but credit goes to Sandeep Francis who has run his scissors neatly through the movie, making it taut. It doesn’t help, however, that the movie is clichéd. Telling a story of 2016 BCE in the present day can be problematic if it’s not made well, and that’s Mohenjo Daro’s downfall. The movie is also reminiscent of ‘Kites’, which is a revenge saga, with an urban backdrop. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: Sarman and Channi’s love story is sleep-inducing, but there’s more drudgery to come once Sarman discovers the extent of Maham’s treachery. None of this feels even mildly interesting. Even the sight of Hrithik dueling with two hulking Neanderthals can’t nudge you out of your coma. Much of this is because of the flat writing and lazy casting. Review by Mayank Shekhar on Mid-Day India Rating: The filmmaker has every creative right to imagine an ancient civilisation, with its own intrigues and customs, making it the basis for a film that’s a potpourri of history, politics, disaster, gladiatorial action, romance, and everything in between, including Whirling Dervishes (that we last saw in Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘ Jodhaa Akbar’, 2008). Frankly, I would applaud the audacity of the idea. As could the audience. Gowariker is the Oscar-nominated director of ‘Lagaan’ (2001), also a period film. Even some of the better filmmakers tend to repeat their best works. Hrithik Roshan (earnest, no doubt), the hero in ‘Mohenjo Daro’, in sleeveless khadi, seems very much like Aamir Khan’s Bhuvan in ‘Lagaan’. So do parts of this story, where the dictatorial ruler also decides to levy higher taxes. Hrithik’s character belongs to the lower class, fighting against the evil empire. Mohenjo Daro Review by Mumbai Mirror Rating: Hrithik Roshan’s commitment to his character is unquestionable. Even when delivering lines, which would be a mouthful to repeat, he manages with sincerity and conviction. Pooja Hegde, with her feathery mukut and slit maxi dress, could pass for an extra from Coming to America (1988). And since most won’t recognise her without this garish garb, she can safely make a debut again in her next film. Kabir Bedi channels a mean version of Scar (the devilish villain from The Lion King) and is decidedly intimidating and abominable. Arunoday Singh packs his ruthless warlord image with a few extra sniggers and is well-cast. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: The chemistry between Hrithik and Pooja is cold. It threatens to become interesting but never quite achieves the task. Hrithik is watchable and the scale is laudable but rest is a boring circus that equally disappoints in its CGI, the longer it ran, the longer my demand to be out of this misery increased.Of the other cast, Kabir Bedi and Arunoday Singh are fine. Nitish Bhardwaj makes a comeback. Debutant Pooja Hegde is pretty and that’s it. Like the film A. R. Rahman is also a waste of available opportunity. Review by Prathna Tiwari on Bollyspice Rating: Your only saviour in the cinema hall is Rahman’s soundtrack which you hold onto with your dear life hoping it will make it all better… if only. Not only is every situation, twist and turn more laughable than the last in Mohenjo Daro, the screenplay drags each portion on excruciatingly, making you want to burst into tears when the words ‘intermission’ appears on the screen as you were so ready by then for the credits to roll. Mohenjo Daro is a film that should come with a warning sign. Not for the faint hearted. Maintain your sanity by steering clear of this cinematic tragedy. Review by IANS on Sify Rating: The climax is adroitly and astutely picturised with brilliant effects. The action sequences too are realistically designed. A.R. Rahman’s music enhances the viewing experience and the dances are brilliantly choreographed. They appear like a narrative in a ballad. Overall, Mohenjo Daro lights up the screen but only if it was crisp and thrilling. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde, Kabir Bedi are nothing but functional. I can only imagine the kind of energy some of the action sequences might have drawn from Hrithik Roshan, but the end result is nothing that stays in memory beyond the scene. What stays though is the pounding background music that refuses to be tamed down. What stays is the despair at being fed yet another romance in the name of epic saga. What stays is the hope, that maybe next time. There is always a next time. Review by Lokesh Dharmani on Masala Rating: Mohenjo Daro presents the age-old story of good versus bad in times so alien to all of us. Despite having a spectacular set, the film doesn’t give any great insights into history or the civilisation. There is hard work for sure. Full points to the team for recreating that era. I felt transported to that era, bought into their stories also but I feel sorry that the film didn’t cut much ice with me. Watch it for the sheer magnificence, the sheer scale. Best Rated Films in 2016 Neerja – 4 stars The Jungle Book – 3.8 stars Airlift – 3.7 stars Kapoor & Sons – 3.7 stars Udta Punjab – 3.5 stars Fan – 3.5 stars Budhia Singh – Born To Run – 3.4 stars Sultan – 3.3 stars Dhanak – 3.3 stars Phobia – 3.3 stars Waiting – 3.3 stars Sarbjit – 3 stars TE3N – 2.8 stars Dishoom – 2.7 stars Madaari – 2.7 stars Azhar – 2.6 stars Kabali – 2.6 stars Laal Rang – 2.5 stars Ki & Ka – 2.5 stars Housefull 3 – 2.2 stars Veerappan – 2.2 stars Baaghi – 2.2 stars Rocky Handsome – 2.1 stars Do Lafzon Ki Kahani – 1.7 stars M cream – 1.7 stars Junooniyat – 1.6 stars The Legend of Michael Mishra – 1.2 stars

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