(Crisp) Movie Review: DAADI KI SHAADI by FENIL SETA
8:33 PM
Daadi Ki Shaadi is in the zone of films like Bawarchi, Coolie No 1, Chupke Chupke and even Baghban. However, these films were backed by solid scripts, which Daadi Ki Shaadi doesn’t have. The loopholes start showing in the first 15 minutes itself. The entire angle of Daadi getting married, her pla and the feud in the family is so silly and foolish that one wonders how on earth a script of this kind was sanctioned. The climax, meanwhile, leads to unintentional humour. Thankfully, some funny scenes and the performances keep the interest going. Kapil Sharma puts up a sincere act, but is nowhere close to what he achieved in the recently released Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2. Neetu Kapoor tries her best to rise above the poor script. Sadia Khateeb does fine, but after a point, she doesn't have much to do. R Sarath Kumar (Col Theeran Devarajan) is decent. Riddhima Kapoor Sahni (Sunaina) has a late entry but makes her presence felt. Deepak Dutta (Jeevan), Jitender Hooda (Naag), Tejaswini Kolhapure (Romal) and Aditi Mittal (Baby) go overboard in some scenes. Nikhat Khan Hegde is lovely, but naming her character Shakti Kapoor was a bad idea. All in all, Daadi Ki Shaadi should be avoided.
My rating - * ½ out of 5!
(Crisp) Movie Review: MAIN ACTOR NAHIN HOON by FENIL SETA
8:08 PM
Main Actor Nahin Hoon is the story of an Indian-origin man in Frankfurt who tries his hand at serious acting at the age of 55. His acting teacher is a talented performer, 35, from Mumbai. How both form a bond over video calls forms the crux of the story. The film has been shot by two different units, one stationed in Mumbai and other in Frankfurt. Even the cinematographers are different for both schedules. Also, according to the makers, the actors were genuinely on live video calls while filming, lending the film an authentic touch. Some scenes are moving and funny and keep the interest going. However, after a point, it gets repetitive. Also, the last 20 minutes is very weak and puzzling, and dents the impact heavily. The actions of one of the characters is very unfair. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, as expected, rocks the show and gets into the skin of the character. But its Chitrangada Satarupa who's truly a surprise. She's an outstanding talent and the way she dominates certain scenes is noteworthy. All in all, Main Actor Nahin Hoon is a disappointing flick.
My rating - ** out of 5!
My rating - ** out of 5!
(Crisp) Movie Review: THE SHEEP DETECTIVES by FENIL SETA
7:40 PM
The Sheep Detectives rests on a fascinating idea - a flock of sheep decides to find out who killed their kind-hearted shepherd. It's not an easy subject to execute. But director Kyle Balda keeps the narrative believable. The film has lots of cute moments, but at the same time, it also touches upon grief and death. Yet, it never becomes too depressing. The sheep are adorable, while a few human characters add to the fun. However, while the sheep track is lovely, the same can't be said about the humans. The murder mystery is weak and one can predict the suspense from a mile away. Hugh Jackman has a limited screen time but leaves the maximum impact. Nicholas Braun (Tim Derry; cop) comes next and he totally slips into his character. Nicholas Galitzine (Elliot Matthews; reporter) is quite memorable. From the voice cast, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Lily) rocks the show, followed by Bryan Cranston (Sebastian) and Chris O'Dowd (Mopple) do a great job. All in all, The Sheep Detectives is a cute whodunit.
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
(Crisp) Movie Review: KRISHNAVATARAM PART 1: THE HEART by FENIL SETA
7:15 PM
Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart tells the story of Lord Krishna and his bond with Radha, Rukmini and Satyabhama. Director Hardik Gajjar mounts the film on a lavish scale. Yet, the grandeur is not in-your-face. The various chapters of Lord Krishna's life are presented with utmost sincerity. The soundtrack is catchy and soulful, adding to the appeal. At the same time, too many songs in the first half slow down the narrative. Moreover, the makers seem to assume that viewers are aware of Lord Krishna's story in minute detail. Hence, they don't bother to explain the goings-on in depth. Compare this to another film in the same zone, Mahavatar Narsimha, where everyone could fully comprehend the goings-on because of the storytelling. Speaking of performances, Siddharth Gupta delivers an authentic and divine performance as Lord Krishna. Sanskruti Jayana (Satyabhama) is a great find and dominates several key scenes. Sushmitha Bhat (Radha) and Nivaashiyni Krishnan (Rukmini) have less screen time but leave a huge mark. Akshara Shivakumar (Subhadra), Kartik Jayaram (Satrajit) and others do well. Jackie Shroff is lovely in a cameo. All in all, Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart could have benefited from simpler and more coherent storytelling. Nevertheless, it's worth watching for its sincerity (P.S.: Do not miss the beginning).
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 933
3:26 PM
RAJA SHIVAJI, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 SUCCEED; NEW RELEASES TO FACE A CHALLENGE
The exhibitors had a gala time last weekend. The majority of new releases like Raja Shivaji, The Devil Wears Prada 2, Patriot etc., as well as holdover releases like Bhooth Bangla and Michael performed brilliantly at the ticket window.
As expected, Raja Shivaji opened at Rs. 10.25 crores with a majority of earnings coming from the Marathi version, which released majorly in Maharashtra. The May 1 Maharashtra Day holiday also went in its favour. After a huge first day, the numbers dropped to Rs. 9.25 crores on Saturday and then jumped to Rs. 11.50 crores on Sunday. On Monday, Raja Shivaji collected Rs. 5.25 crores. This way, the film collected Rs. 36.25 crores in 4 days. The first week's earnings are expected to be around Rs. 50 crores. With negligible competition this week, Raja Shivaji has a chance of hitting the Rs. 100 crore mark.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 collected around Rs. 5 crores on day 1 + paid previews and held strongly over the weekends and weekdays too. The first week's collections are expected to be around Rs. 20 crores. This film should remain steady over the next few weeks and the target would be to cross the Rs. 35 crore mark and hopefully, enter the Rs. 40 crore club as well.
Sadly, Ek Din was an exception. As predicted in last week’s edition, it opened at Rs. 1 crore. The film dropped to Rs. 75 lakhs, which should not have happened despite the May 1 holiday, as its day 1 collections were paltry. In an ideal situation, word-of-mouth should have taken the collections to Rs. 1.50 crore, but the opposite happened here.
On Sunday and Monday, Ek Din collected Rs. 85 lakhs and Rs. 25 lakhs, respectively. This way, the film has collected just Rs. 2.85 crores. Even a lifetime collection of Rs. 5 crores now looks very difficult.
Three films will be released tomorrow, May 8, and in terms of opening, none of them stands a chance. Daadi Ki Shaadi is the most star-driven film of the three. It stars Neetu Kapoor and marks the debut of her daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni. Kapil Sharma and Sadia Khateeb also feature in the movie. It looks like a slice-of-life, light-hearted flick, but excitement for it is negligible. Due to the cast and genre, the film will hopefully cross the Rs. 1 crore mark, though the advance sales at present do not suggest so.
Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart stars newcomers and is a devotional film on Lord Krishna. Its trailer and songs have been noticed and its ticket sales have been fine. If word of mouth is positive, then it can surprise at the ticket window. The makers misled viewers by claiming that it was releasing on May 7. However, it only has paid previews starting tonight and not a full-fledged release.
Finally, Main Actor Nahin Hoon stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead. It’s a niche film with limited release.
The exhibitors had a gala time last weekend. The majority of new releases like Raja Shivaji, The Devil Wears Prada 2, Patriot etc., as well as holdover releases like Bhooth Bangla and Michael performed brilliantly at the ticket window.
As expected, Raja Shivaji opened at Rs. 10.25 crores with a majority of earnings coming from the Marathi version, which released majorly in Maharashtra. The May 1 Maharashtra Day holiday also went in its favour. After a huge first day, the numbers dropped to Rs. 9.25 crores on Saturday and then jumped to Rs. 11.50 crores on Sunday. On Monday, Raja Shivaji collected Rs. 5.25 crores. This way, the film collected Rs. 36.25 crores in 4 days. The first week's earnings are expected to be around Rs. 50 crores. With negligible competition this week, Raja Shivaji has a chance of hitting the Rs. 100 crore mark.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 collected around Rs. 5 crores on day 1 + paid previews and held strongly over the weekends and weekdays too. The first week's collections are expected to be around Rs. 20 crores. This film should remain steady over the next few weeks and the target would be to cross the Rs. 35 crore mark and hopefully, enter the Rs. 40 crore club as well.
Sadly, Ek Din was an exception. As predicted in last week’s edition, it opened at Rs. 1 crore. The film dropped to Rs. 75 lakhs, which should not have happened despite the May 1 holiday, as its day 1 collections were paltry. In an ideal situation, word-of-mouth should have taken the collections to Rs. 1.50 crore, but the opposite happened here.
On Sunday and Monday, Ek Din collected Rs. 85 lakhs and Rs. 25 lakhs, respectively. This way, the film has collected just Rs. 2.85 crores. Even a lifetime collection of Rs. 5 crores now looks very difficult.
Three films will be released tomorrow, May 8, and in terms of opening, none of them stands a chance. Daadi Ki Shaadi is the most star-driven film of the three. It stars Neetu Kapoor and marks the debut of her daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni. Kapil Sharma and Sadia Khateeb also feature in the movie. It looks like a slice-of-life, light-hearted flick, but excitement for it is negligible. Due to the cast and genre, the film will hopefully cross the Rs. 1 crore mark, though the advance sales at present do not suggest so.
Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart stars newcomers and is a devotional film on Lord Krishna. Its trailer and songs have been noticed and its ticket sales have been fine. If word of mouth is positive, then it can surprise at the ticket window. The makers misled viewers by claiming that it was releasing on May 7. However, it only has paid previews starting tonight and not a full-fledged release.
Finally, Main Actor Nahin Hoon stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead. It’s a niche film with limited release.
Prabhas-starrer Spirit postponed to December 2027 after Salman Khan locks Eid release for his next?
10:53 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 6, 2026)
Whenever a big-ticket movie locks its release date, there is almost always a ripple effect. This time, it’s got to do with Prabhas’s Spirit and Salman Khan’s next with director Vamshi Paidipally, the working title of which is SVC63. Spirit, helmed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, was announced as a March 5, 2027, release. But now according to multiple trade sources, it has been postponed to December 1, 2027. What’s the trigger? Khan’s actioner.
An industry insider told mid-day, “Salman locked Eid 2027, which will fall in early March, for his next with Nayanthara. Once that date was taken, it didn’t make sense for Spirit to arrive in the same window. Vanga’s films rely heavily on sustained buzz and clean runs. So, the delay is a calculated move, not due to production issues.”
Now, Vanga appears to have chosen a date that brought him luck the last time around — December 1, which was Animal’s (2023) release date. Spirit, which pairs Prabhas with Triptii Dimri, is currently in production. Sources indicated that the filmmaker is sticking to an aggressive shooting schedule of the cop actioner, aiming to wrap principal photography by early 2027 regardless of the new date.
A source revealed, “Vanga wants enough room for editing, background score, and readying it in Hindi, Telugu, and other languages. The latest move shows that big-ticket offerings are increasingly averting clashes unless unavoidable.”
-------------------------------
Besides ‘Spirit’, Prabhas has the sequel to ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ in production. Director Nag Ashwin recently kicked off the latest schedule in Hyderabad, with the superstar expected to shoot the film’s core portions through May
Ekta Kapoor, Priyanka Chahar Choudhary react to VFX blunder on Naagin 7
10:45 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (May 6, 2026)
After TV show Naagin 7 grabbed attention online for an unedited VFX shot that aired in a recent episode, producer Ektaa R Kapoor and actor Priyanka Chahar Choudhary have finally responded to the reactions.
The episode in question, titled Radhika’s Deadly Betrayal, featured a visible blue screen and exposed wires, as Priyanka stood on one side, in what was meant to be a high-action sequence. The slip quickly went viral, with viewers flooding social media with memes and calling out the error.
Sharing a video of the exact scene, a social media user wrote, “Ektaa Ma’am on her way to the office from Thailand after yesterday’s Naagin blue screen mistake by the editors.” Reposting it on her Instagram Stories on Monday, Ektaa wrote, “Eggjacctlyyy [Exactly].”
Priyanka, who plays the lead in the show, also took the whole blunder sequence in zest. When a paparazzi asked her about the whole fiasco, she replied, “Human error hai...Ab dekho kya hi keh sakte hain, iss cheez par kaam kiya jaa raha hai taaki future mein aisi galti na ho. Guys human error hai, ho jata hai kabhi kabhi.”
Is Daadi Ki Shaadi plagiarized from a Pakistani telefilm? Sadia Khateeb reacts
10:43 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 6, 2026)
With days to go before Daadi Ki Shaadi’s release, the Neetu Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, and Sadia Khateeb-starrer finds itself at the centre of speculation. Rumours are rife that Ashish R Mohan’s directorial venture is plagiarized from a Pakistani telefilm by the same name, which was aired in March 2026. Khateeb is unfazed by the plagiarism rumours.
“We announced our title way before [in December 2025]. We did so when we started shooting for the film, and this Pakistani [offering] came much later,” she stated.
The May 8 release revolves around a family’s matriarch who falls in love and decides to remarry, to her family’s surprise. Coincidentally, a similar theme is explored in the Pakistani family comedy.
Dismissing the comparisons, Khateeb clarified, “It’s not that we have copied from anyone. Our Daadi [protagonist] is not [similar to] what we have seen in their trailer. It’s a different plot.”
Daadi Ki Shaadi came Khateeb’s way just when she was seeking a light-hearted subject. What it also brought along was a special co-star in Kapoor. “She is such a delight to work with. Neetu ma’am doesn’t meet you with the baggage of her legacy; she keeps it real. She made everything easy, light, and fun for me.”
Alia Bhatt to return to Cannes Film Festival; Ammy Virk to make his debut
10:42 AM
Abhimanyu Mathur (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 6, 2026)
The 79th Cannes Film Festival, set to run from May 12 to 23 in France, will see a strong Indian presence this year, spanning Bollywood representatives as well as regional voices.
Actor Alia Bhatt, who made her debut at the festival last year, is set to return. She will be joined by actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Filmmaker Karan Johar will also be there, along with actor Tara Sutaria, who is making her Cannes debut. Actors Mouni Roy and Pooja Batra will also be present.
India’s official delegation will be represented by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker as the newly appointed director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Punjabi cinema will make its debut with singer-actor Ammy Virk and actor Roopi Gill. From Marathi cinema, veteran actor Ashok Saraf and his wife, actor Nivedita Saraf, will attend the festival. Gujarati cinema will be represented by actor-producer Mansi Parekh, while from the Malayalam film industry, filmmaker Chidambaram will present his film Balan: The Boy at the Cannes market.
Zee Entertainment sues Nykaa for using its songs in Instagram reels without licence
10:40 AM
Retailer used its songs in brand promotion without permission, claims co
Rajesh N Naidu & Maulik Vyas (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; May 6, 2026)
Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd has filed a copyright violation case against FSN E-Commerce Ventures, the owner of beauty and fashion retailer Nykaa, in the Delhi High Court.
Citing the Copyright Act of 1957, Zee claimed that FSN E-Commerce had used the former’s songs in brand promotion in about a dozen Instagram reels without seeking permission or licensing.
Senior counsel Abhishek Malhotra and Madhu Gadodia of Naik Naik & Co, representing FSN E-Commerce, however argued that Meta Platforms, Instagram’s parent and Zee’s licence partner, should be included as a necessary party.
The lawyers for Nykaa stated that Meta provides licensed music to all users as a standard feature and that using Instagram’s native music tools falls within the licencing agreement between Instagram and Zee. They also argued that without Meta’ involvement, a licensing framework cannot be properly reviewed. They said the order to remove content cannot be effectively enforced since only the platform has the authority to mute audio, remove content, or restrict access.
FSN E-Commerce informed the court that the twelve identified Instagram reels have been removed and are no longer accessible to the public.
Harsh Kaushik, the counsel for Zee Entertainment, instructed by Anushree Rauta of ANM Global, argued that the licensing agreement with the social media platform is for non-commercial use, whereas any commercial use requires prior approval and payment.
Zee Entertainment declined to comment stating that the matter is sub judice.
In the past two years, there have been three similar cases of music copyright violation. These include Sony Music-Myntra, Saregama-Emami, and Sony Music-Marriott Group.
Lack of clear understanding between personal expression and commercial exploitation of music is one of the key challenges resulting in copyright violations.
“Today, brands routinely collaborate with influencers and creators to produce “organic” or “branded content” that blurs the line between personal expression and commercial promotion,” said a leading lawyer requesting anonymity. “However, under platform policies, such collaborations, where there is any exchange of value, constitute branded content which falls in the realm of commercial use.”
Due to a lack of strict compliance, the Indian music industry is losing Rs8,000-10,000 crore annually in royalty payments, said independent music analysts. According to a senior executive at a leading music licencing platform, the music industry may earn at least Rs 3,600 crore if all commercial videos are paid a minimum fee.
“A popular song drives engagement in a reel or a video by two times,” said Gaurav Dagaonkar, cofounder and CEO at Hoopr, a leading platform for music licensing which serves 125 brands in securing licensed music.
“When companies use music owned by labels in promotional content of their brands, they don’t realize that they are using intellectual properties (IPs) of labels. So, when brands use music without labels’ permission, they deprive labels of revenues emanating from licencing music.”
Some labels attribute low awareness among companies about the nuances of music copyright violation.
“Such cases create awareness among companies about music copyright violation,” said Shivansh Jindal, CEO, Merchant Records, a label launched by music composer duo Salim-Sulaiman. “Today, we live in a digital world where music is democratized. So, companies may not fathom the gravity and consequences of using music of labels or independent artists without their permission or paying them.”
In the Zee-FSN E-Commerce case, Justice Tushar Rao Gedela granted on April 30 two weeks to FSN E-Commerce to file its response and gave a week to Zee to reply. The next hearing is slated for May 26.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)