(Crisp) Movie Review: BATWARA 1947 by FENIL SETA
4:18 PM
Batwara 1947's storyline is a winner and it has all the ingredients of a hard-hitting yet emotional film. Director Rajkumar Santoshi's direction is simplistic and his biggest strength is how he sensitively handles the religious aspect. The film speaks about humanity, a message that feels particularly relevant in today's times. The action scenes are superb, while the bond shared by the old woman with the new occupants in the house is heartening. The climax is very moving. On the flipside, the first half is thanda and devoid of enough action scenes. This is disappointing since the trailer promised loads of action. Even the dialogues aren't as hard-hitting as those in Sunny Deol and Rajkumar Santoshi's earlier films like Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak. In fact, the play from which the film is adapted is classier than Batwara 1947 and yet has far more clapworthy one-liners. The songs are forgettable while the film is too long. Sunny Deol, like always, is fiery during the action scenes. But watch out for scenes where he breaks down. Shabana Azmi's performance is very endearing, ensuring that one would connect with her from the very first scene. Preity G Zinta puts up a great act and it's a pleasure to see her again on screen. Karan Deol, Khhushi Hajare (Tanno) and Kanikka Kapur (Nishat) are decent. Ali Fazal (Habib Anwar) is too good in a supporting role, while Abhimanyu Singh is apt as the villain. Ira Sandhir (Tabassum) is wasted. All in all, Batwara 1947 could have been more hard-hitting but nevertheless, it is worth watching once.
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
(Crisp) Movie Review: AWARAPAN 2 by FENIL SETA
3:57 PM
Awarapan 2 begins on a nostalgic and massy note, immediately exciting the viewers. The makers kept the principal conflict hidden in the trailer and it is laid out neatly in the first 20 minutes. The villain's track is very interesting, especially his equation with his siblings. The action moments keep the interest going while the recreated versions of 'Toh Phir Aao' and 'Tera Mera Rishta' add a nice touch. However, the film is nowhere close to the greatness of Awarapan. The romantic track is weak and a few developments are plain silly. The film has many twists, but one can predict a few of them from a mile away. The rest of the songs are forgettable while the last scene feels forced. Emraan Hashmi makes a return to his much-loved mass avatar. Just seeing him play Shivam again is enough reason to buy a ticket. Disha Patani looks stunning and delivers a first-rate performance. Shabana Azmi is fair and one wishes she had more to do. Puran Gabbi (Zorawar) and Aniruddh Rawal (Sikandar) are great discoveries and surprises of the film. Suvinder Vicky (Jaideep), Vijayant Kohli (Mehmood) and Atul Kumar (Samarth) lend able support while child actor Myrah Shivan gives a confident performance. All in all, Awarapan 2 is a decent flick.
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
(Crisp) Movie Review: THE END OF OAK STREET by FENIL SETA
7:11 AM
The End Of Oak Street is the story of a family trying to survive when dinosaurs mysteriously appear in their neighbourhood. The plot is a winner and the execution adds to the impact. Director David Robert Mitchell has given the film a retro-style touch and it is evident not just in his treatment but also cinematography, the colour tone and background score. The camerawork is quite novel in certain shots. The jumpscares will lead to screams in cinemas while a few massy scenes will lead to claps. On the flipside, the actions of some characters seem illogical. A few sub-plots are forced. Removing them would have taken nothing away from the principal plot. A few funny scenes work but in some places, the humor feels forced. Lastly, a few questions remain unanswered until the very end. Anne Hathaway, who's on a roll this year, delivers yet another fantastic performance. This time, we see her do action but watch out for her in the emotional scenes. Ewan McGregor (Greg) dominates some key scenes. Maisy Stella (Audrey) and Christian Convery (Brian) lend able support. P J Byrne (Mel) is okay. Jordan Alexa Davis (Jeannette) does well but is let down by the writing. All in all, The End Of Oak Street is a fantastic, nail-biting thriller.
My rating - **** out of 5!
My rating - **** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 947
11:46 AM
AWARAPAN 2 TO OPEN WITH A BANG; WILL BATWARA 1947 MANAGE A RS. 10 CRORE PLUS OPENING?
The biggest clash of the season will take place tomorrow, August 14, and the excitement is tremendous. Both films – Awarapan 2 and Batwara 1947 – seem promising and can have a healthy run at the box office if word of mouth is positive.
Awarapan 2 is the second part of Awarapan, which released in 2007. Despite positive word of mouth, it was a disaster as it earned just Rs. 7.75 crores. The film clashed with Himesh Reshammiya’s debut film Aap Kaa Surroor and Apne, which brought Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol and Dharmendra together. Both these films had tremendous buzz, due to which Awarapan got completely sidelined.
However, over the years, Awarapan achieved cult status due to its unforgettable music score, Emraan Hashmi’s performance and the emotional and dramatic moments. Moreover, Emraan hasn’t done a film in the mass cinema space for the longest time, and there’s a huge demand among the audience to see him in this avatar. All these reasons have added to the excitement for Awarapan 2.
Besides Emraan Hashmi, Awarapan 2 stars Disha Patani, Shabana Azmi and others. The promotion and trailer have been underwhelming. But that hasn’t dampened the hype for the film. It was expected that the film would open at Rs. 10-12 crores. But ticket sales have been so huge that a Rs. 18-20 crore opening can’t be ruled out. In other words, it’ll earn double the lifetime of Awarapan in just one day!
At this rate, Awarapan 2 can have a weekend of Rs. 60-70 crores and has a shot at Rs. 100 crores. Thus, it has the potential to be Emraan Hashmi’s highest grosser, beating The Dirty Picture, which collected Rs. 79.78 crores.
Meanwhile, Batwara 1947 stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Ali Fazal and others. It reunites Sunny and director Rajkumar Santoshi after 30 years. Moreover, Aamir Khan is the film’s producer.
The trailer of Batwara 1947 is interesting. However, it hasn’t worked as intended among the audience. The film isn’t appealing to the audience due to the star cast and subject. Moreover, the music isn’t up to the mark. Awarapan 2 is far more exciting for the youngsters.
The advance booking of Batwara 1947 is slow and is expected to open in single digits, around Rs. 7-8 crores. However, if the film packs a punch, it can jump big time on Saturday and Sunday. If it manages to hold steady over the weekdays, it still has a chance.
The biggest clash of the season will take place tomorrow, August 14, and the excitement is tremendous. Both films – Awarapan 2 and Batwara 1947 – seem promising and can have a healthy run at the box office if word of mouth is positive.
Awarapan 2 is the second part of Awarapan, which released in 2007. Despite positive word of mouth, it was a disaster as it earned just Rs. 7.75 crores. The film clashed with Himesh Reshammiya’s debut film Aap Kaa Surroor and Apne, which brought Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol and Dharmendra together. Both these films had tremendous buzz, due to which Awarapan got completely sidelined.
However, over the years, Awarapan achieved cult status due to its unforgettable music score, Emraan Hashmi’s performance and the emotional and dramatic moments. Moreover, Emraan hasn’t done a film in the mass cinema space for the longest time, and there’s a huge demand among the audience to see him in this avatar. All these reasons have added to the excitement for Awarapan 2.
Besides Emraan Hashmi, Awarapan 2 stars Disha Patani, Shabana Azmi and others. The promotion and trailer have been underwhelming. But that hasn’t dampened the hype for the film. It was expected that the film would open at Rs. 10-12 crores. But ticket sales have been so huge that a Rs. 18-20 crore opening can’t be ruled out. In other words, it’ll earn double the lifetime of Awarapan in just one day!
At this rate, Awarapan 2 can have a weekend of Rs. 60-70 crores and has a shot at Rs. 100 crores. Thus, it has the potential to be Emraan Hashmi’s highest grosser, beating The Dirty Picture, which collected Rs. 79.78 crores.
Meanwhile, Batwara 1947 stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Ali Fazal and others. It reunites Sunny and director Rajkumar Santoshi after 30 years. Moreover, Aamir Khan is the film’s producer.
The trailer of Batwara 1947 is interesting. However, it hasn’t worked as intended among the audience. The film isn’t appealing to the audience due to the star cast and subject. Moreover, the music isn’t up to the mark. Awarapan 2 is far more exciting for the youngsters.
The advance booking of Batwara 1947 is slow and is expected to open in single digits, around Rs. 7-8 crores. However, if the film packs a punch, it can jump big time on Saturday and Sunday. If it manages to hold steady over the weekdays, it still has a chance.
Paresh Rawal backs FDA’s Tukaram Mundhe: "We need this gentleman"
10:11 AM
Nishad Neelambaran (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 12, 2026)
Actor and former Lok Sabha MP Paresh Rawal has backed Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, whose statewide food-safety crackdown has targeted several prominent eateries, analogue paneer and hygiene violations across the state. Mundhe, a 2005-batch IAS officer, is also known for his frequent transfers, with his current posting reportedly his 25th in 21 years. On August 9, Rawal took to X to urge Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to ensure Mundhe is not transferred or “shunted out” of the FDA.
Explaining why he spoke up, Rawal tells us, “The kind of hygiene standards we are following, it is very frightful... So, when officers like Tukaram Mundhe come in, you are always happy and you celebrate.”
Calling food adulteration a “huge sin”, Rawal adds, “If there’s adulteration in paneer and milk, what should one eat?” He also urges people to back officers taking strict action: “Why just industry, even common man can come and raise their voice and say that we need this gentleman.”
With Mundhe’s tough-action image drawing comparisons online with Nayak (2001), the parallel is especially apt for Rawal, who played the CM’s secretary in the film and later assists Anil Kapoor’s character when he becomes CM for a day and pushes through sweeping changes.
Rawal quips, “It’s all fictional! But I wish Tukaram Mundhe stays for years to come.”
Credit card scam fallout landed me in the hospital-Kirti Kulhari
10:08 AM
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 11, 2026)
Actor Kirti Kulhari says she is feeling “good and surely better” after navigating through a harrowing experience involving an online credit card scam and a subsequent health scare.
Reflecting on, Kulhari shares, “It was one thing after another. It started with the credit card scam, followed by the whole process of filing a complaint and visiting the police station. That eventually took a toll on my health, leading to gastritis and hyper-acidity, which landed me in the hospital after two days of failed medication at home. I think skipping meals for four or five hours at a stretch while dealing with the fallout of the fraud could be the cause, but such is life.”
Recounting the moment the fraud unfolded, she adds, “I was at a movie screening, and later in the evening, during the interval, I checked my phone and saw a notification that a sum in USD had been charged to my credit card. It was for 2.42 lakh, and I was like, ‘Yeh kya hai? Is it some kind of mistake?’ I thought about waiting, assuming it would be reversed. Just like before, when I was in Kerala, a similar transaction for a smaller amount of 35 USD occurred and was immediately reversed. I remember temporarily blocking my card, but everything was fine then.”
“I came back, and raised a dispute with the bank. Next day I connected to the cyber helpline and then completed the process of filing an FIR and bank visits for the next two days. All our lives today are on our mobile and in today’s time it’s difficult to spot frauds that easily, you can’t be too careful, kabhi kisi din ho jata hain,” shares Kulhari.
Regarding the ongoing investigation, Kulhari remains hopeful. “It usually takes a 30 to 45 days period. The investigation is conducted at various levels. Banks will work at their end and so will the cyber cell and Police department to find out what actually happened. At my end I am hoping that the amount has not gone as its credit card and I did block it immediately. So I believe I should be able to hold the amount back and it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Finding a silver lining, she adds, “Today I know that acidity is a big issue and I need to be eating on time, so everything in life happens for a purpose. It happens multiple times in our lives when things are not going in our favour and a person gets caught into a whirlwind of affairs. So it’s just a matter of time, it can be at your side or against you and I feel we as humans can only surrender as everything passes.”
Despite the stress, the actor maintains her professional momentum. “Kaam toh rukta nahin hain,” she notes, as she prepares to head to the Melbourne Film Festival for her film, Full Plate, which has been doing the festival rounds for several months. Additionally, Kulhari has wrapped up her latest film, Kinaare, which is currently in post-production.
Amruta Khanvilkar warns of legal action over reports of separation
10:06 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (August 11, 2026)
Actor Amruta Khanvilkar has issued a legal warning after reports about her marriage to actor Himanshu Malhotra sparked speculation about a separation. On Monday, her legal team shared a statement on Instagram, calling the reports “baseless, defamatory” and privacy-invading content about her personal life. The team warned that those creating or sharing unverified allegations could face legal action, adding that such instances were being monitored and documented.
This comes days after a report claimed that Khanvilkar and Malhotra, who have been married for over 11 years, have been living in separate homes for around 18 months. The report, citing a source close to the couple, said there had been no discussion of divorce or legal separation and that the two remained in regular touch. At the time, the actors had commented they were still married.
The two met as contestants on India’s Best Cinestars Ki Khoj and subsequently began dating, before tying the knot in Delhi in 2015.
Sunita Ahuja hurls abuses and I take it-Govinda
10:05 AM
Actor Govinda has responded to wife Sunita Ahuja’s repeated claims about his alleged extramarital affairs, saying he sees affection even in her public criticism of him.
Speaking to ANI, he said, “Itne pyaar se gaali deti hain mujhe, aur main khaata bhi hoon unke haath se... She has a rightful claim over the many children in our family who have now grown up. She was also kind to them.”
However, Govinda also questioned why one needs to “bad-mouth” one’s own people to find success. “There are many things that remain unexpressed, things that can never be put into words. If I were to offer just a glimpse of these matters from the outside, would there really be a need to cast aspersions to create a distance? People often view that as an escape. Is it essential to say bad mouth your own people to gain success? That is a bit easy. Sunita does it tactfully. She offers four words of praise or perhaps the praise comes naturally and then voices a criticism. I see more love in that.”
The couple tied the knot in 1987 and have two children, Tina and Yashvardhan.
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Govinda’s remarks come after Sunita, during her recent stint on reality show Lock Upp 2, claimed that he has had multiple affairs. She said, “In love, you should be able to tolerate everything. Chi Chi had so many affairs in his life; well, heroes and heroines do have such things. I think that after standing by Chi Chi for so many years, I deserve to have a son like him.”
If we start playing safe, we’ll make bad films-Saurabh Sachdeva
10:01 AM
Vishakha Pandit (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 11, 2026)
At a time when filmmakers are grappling with the unpredictability of what will connect with audiences, actor Saurabh Sachdeva believes uncertainty might actually be cinema’s biggest creative advantage.
The actor, known for his roles in films such as Animal and Jaane Jaan (2023) and most recently Satluj and Ishqnama, says, “We don’t know what kind of success we will get from which project. We don’t know which film will work or not.”
He adds, “I always think that’s the best place because uncertainty is the mother of creativity. The more uncertainty we have, the more curious we will be and the more on the edge we will be to make the right project.”
The actor’s remarks come amid conversations around increasingly formula-driven filmmaking and after Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj recently made headlines when it was removed from ZEE5 in India just two days after its digital release.
For Sachdeva, unpredictability should encourage filmmakers to experiment rather than retreat to tried-and-tested formulas. “If we start playing safe, then we will get bored and we will start making bad films, which was happening,” he says, adding, “The formula that we are trying is not working, so it’s better to do something new.”
However, the actor acknowledges that creativity cannot be divorced from commerce. “Business and creativity have to go together,” he says, but cautions against reducing films solely to their box-office numbers. “With the numbers, the film cannot be judged… We are only running after that.”
Vamshi Paidipally creates Afghanistan in Mumbai for Salman Khan's action scenes in SVC63
9:58 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 12, 2026)
Salman Khan’s journey is taking him to Afghanistan. On screen, at least. mid-day has learnt that director Vamshi Paidipally has recreated an Afghan village at Prime Focus Studio in Film City, Goregaon, for the ongoing schedule of his next with Khan, the working title of which is ‘SVC63’.
The set comprises mud-plastered structures, narrow lanes, and weathered homes, designed specifically for several crucial action sequences.
A source revealed, “Nayanthara has joined Salman for this portion of the shoot. The duo will feature together in key action set-pieces. The Mumbai schedule, which began on August 6, is among the most important stretches during which the director plans to wrap a chunk of the action material.”
We’ve learnt that Jackie Shroff will also join the unit in the leg that will go on till early September. The veteran actor apparently plays a pivotal character who steps in when Khan’s protagonist finds himself in a difficult situation.
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