IKKIS
What: A war drama built around the 1971 aggression, Ikkis — which had director Sriram Raghavan venturing beyond thriller territory — focused on 21-year-old braveheart soldier Arun Khetarpal (a confident Agastya Nanda), looking back at his story through the eyes of his father, played by the late Dharmendra in his final film. Jaideep Ahlawat lent able support to Ikkis, a rare film (nowadays) that spoke about the human cost of war, instead of ferally calling for it.
What worked: The value for soul over spectacle, Dharmendra’s heartwarming act, the emphasis on themes of friendship, loss and unspoken memories, a rare plea for peace in times of war.
What didn’t: Slow in parts, underwhelming battle sequences.
t2 review: Honest, courageous and non-jingoistic, Ikkis, with its call for peace, silent patriotism and empathy, sets itself apart from most other recent war films.
Box-office performance: FLOP
Watch it on: Prime Video
HAPPY PATEL: KHATARNAK JASOOS
What: Vir Das made his directorial debut with this Aamir Khan-produced film that stars the comedian-actor as an incompetent secret agent who discovers his Indian roots while on a chaotic, high-stakes mission in Goa. Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos featured Aamir in a cameo and marked the return of Imran Khan, albeit briefly, to the screen after a decade.
What worked: The irreverent tone and treatment, its comically contagious feel, an in-form Mona Singh.
What didn’t: Sometimes chaotic, often inconsistent.
t2 review: Spoofing the genre of the spy thriller to create comedy, Happy Patel piles on the humour thick and fast, subverting the tropes of not only spy films but of almost every Bollywood genre.
Box-office performance: FLOP
Watch it on: Netflix
BORDER 2
What: Nearly three decades after Border, its spiritual sequel stormed cinemas, bringing back Sunny Deol from the first film and introducing Diljit Dosanjh, Varun Dhawan and Ahan Shetty into the mix. A box-office smash, Border 2 follows a battalion facing an immediate enemy offensive during the 1971 war, with a group of soldiers defending a strategic post against a multi-pronged attack.
What worked: An emotionally-charged theatrical experience, strong performances led by Sunny Deol, adrenaline-pumping action scenes.
What didn’t: Loud, high-decibel drama, its stretched runtime of nearly 200 minutes, weak visual effects.
Box-office performance: BLOCKBUSTER. Border 2 has earned close to ₹500-crore globally.
Watch it on: Netflix
MARDAANI 3
What: Rani Mukerji returned as super cop Shivani Shivaji Roy in the third film of the Mardaani franchise, up this time against beggar mafia and a trafficking racket, with events mirroring the first film, but updating its action and emotion for the here and now.
What worked: Rani Mukerji’s fiery and feisty turn, raw, grounded action and gritty atmospherics, the interval block.
What didn’t: The templatised nature of the story, plot loses steam midway.
t2 review: Mardaani 3 belongs to Rani. As a cop who relies on instinct, pummels her adversaries to pulp and rarely seeks permission, Shivani Shivaji Roy rolls up her sleeves and gets the job done.
Box-office performance: SEMI-HIT
Watch it on: Netflix
TU YAA MAIN
What: Two influencers — hailing from completely different backgrounds — are tested on various counts when they get trapped in a swimming pool with a crocodile. A remake of the Thai film The Pool, this survival thriller, despite positive reviews, came and went in theatres.
What worked: A fresh and unconventional (for Bollywood) look and feel, thriller with an edge, a confident performance from Adarsh Gourav.
What didn’t: A relationship-focused first half that delays the thriller element, too long for a creature-feature.
t2 review:Tu Yaa Main is a modern love story that survives on gore and grit. Blending familiar themes and devices of a survival thriller and romance, it delivers a story that is intense, edgy and exciting.
Box-office performance: FLOP
O’ROMEO
What: Based on real-life characters and set in the Mumbai underworld, O’Romeo had actor Shahid Kapoor and director Vishal Bhardwaj coming together for the fourth time for this no-holds-barred action thriller. The film blends revenge and romance, with Shahid’s Ustara, a dreaded gangster, falling in love with the fragile but fiery Afshan, played by Triptii Dimri.
What worked: Tempering Mumbai underworld lore with a Tarantino-esque treatment, dark and visceral atmospherics, electric performances from the eclectic ensemble cast, led by Shahid and Triptii.
What didn’t: Lagging chaotic screenplay, often unnecessary violence, confusing subplots.
t2 review: The minutes begin to tell on O’Romeo, which, having established its narrative framework, including a couple of plot twists, slowly degenerates into a slapdash montage of one action set piece after another.
Box-office performance: BELOW AVERAGE
DO DEEWANE SEHER MEIN
What: A young couple (played by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Mrunal Thakur) living in Mumbai navigate their relationship even as they deal with their individual insecurities. This simple nod to life’s imperfections and our need to celebrate them, came in with low buzz and lasted for a short time in theatres.
What worked: Realistic and relatable theme, the believable chemistry between the lead pair, prioritises emotional honesty over melodrama.
What didn’t: Predictable conflicts, love story lacks passion.
t2 review:Do Deewane Seher Mein doesn’t make the audience suffer any excess drama or emotion. The film marks a fine attempt to rejuvenate one’s faith in life and love.
Box-office perfomance: FLOP
ASSI
What: Director Anubhav Sinha teamed up once again with his Mulk and Thappad actor Taapsee Pannu to present a hard-hitting story tempered with heart and wrath. With its title derived from a horrifying fact — the number of rape cases in India every day — the film tells the story of a school teacher (played by Kani Kusruti) who is gang-raped and then as her case goes to court, with Taapsee’s character as her lawyer, she has to battle the societal prejudices and judicial challenges that follow. An urgent and thought-provoking watch.
What worked: A no-holds-barred look at sexual violence and its aftermath, along with systemic apathy, the melding of mainstream elements with a pressing social message, heartfelt performances from Taapsee, Kani as well as Sinha’s dependable foot soldiers like Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub.
What didn’t: Heavy-handed in parts, slow pacing.
t2 review: Assi is based on “everyday news but is a work of fiction”, says its disclaimer. A sentence as powerful and painful as the rest of the film.
Box-office performance: FLOP
DHURANDHAR:
THE REVENGE
What: Taking forward the events of Dhurandhar, the blockbuster spy thriller that released last December, Part 2 traced the backstory of Jaskirat Singh Rangi (Ranveer Singh) on his journey to becoming Hamza Ali Mazari, with Dhurandhar: The Revenge piling on double the gore and grit, violence and viscerality. Coming in with massive pre-release buzz, the Aditya Dhar-directed biggie arrived all guns blazing, ensuring it would turn out to be a box-office juggernaut even before the first ticket was sold.
What worked: The gripping plot and pace, Ranveer Singh’s raw, intense performance, the emotionally-charged and action-packed narrative, Shashwat Sachdev’s retro-powered soundtrack.
What didn’t: Too much gratuitous violence, blatant propaganda, token representation of women.
t2 review: In spite of the film’s show of brutality and violence, it ensures that the audience enjoys some lighthearted moments of laughter and entertainment. Aditya Dhar’s ability to spring surprises at the most unexpected moments provides the film with one of its most delightful elements.
Box-office performance:
ALL-TIME BLOCKBUSTER. On track to becoming one of the biggest Bollywood earners ever, Dhurandhar: The Revenge has crossed a whopping ₹-1,500-crore worldwide, setting and shattering many records — biggest Hindi opener of all time, biggest first weekend collections, fastest film to ₹1,000-crore globally, and many more. Powered by ‘honsla, eendhan, badla’, The Revenge is attracting audiences in droves worldwide, even three weeks after release.
DIRECT TO OTT KENNEDY
What: This long-gestating Anurag Kashyap-directed crime noir thriller was shouldered by Rahul Bhat in the role of an encounter cop who turns into a mercenary-for-hire. The events of Kennedy — which found a home on ZEE5 three years after its Cannes premiere — brought alive Mumbai by night — and presented a gritty look at the criminal underbelly of the city.
What worked: Rahul Bhat’s central act, a gripping soundtrack and a ’70s-toned thriller aesthetic, effective critique of institutional powers.
What didn’t: A weak act from Sunny Leone, stretched and indulgent, film lesser than the sum of its parts.
t2 review: Anurag Kashyap imbues Kennedy with both social commentary and humour, often unafraid to take more than a jibe at the powers that be. Kennedy is, ultimately, an acquired taste for many. Hop on and see how far it takes you.
Watch it on: ZEE5
ACCUSED
What: The relationship of a same-sex doctor couple in London is put to the test when one of them is accused of sexual misconduct at the workplace. Despite mixed reviews, Accused found takers from Day One of its streaming release, marking a run on the Netflix Top 10 list for many weeks.
What worked: An unconventional story packed with promising ideas, the fresh casting of Konkona Sensharma and Pratibha Rannta.
What didn’t: Half-baked thriller with a predictable ending, over-reliance on exposition, underdeveloped relationship dynamics.
t2 review: The film has a bunch of interesting ideas, which it starts off strong with, but squanders midway. Accused builds its intrigue by relying too much on conveniently placed red herrings.
Watch it on: Netflix
SUBEDAAR
What: Anil Kapoor frontlined this Prime Video film, playing a retired soldier named Arjun Maurya, struggling to adapt to civilian life in his hometown. Following his wife’s death, he clashes with a local sand mafia run by Babli Didi (Mona Singh) and her erratic brother, Prince (Aditya Rawal).
What worked: Anil Kapoor’s magnetic performance as a “desi John Wick”, the mix of brooding intensity and visceral action, the rugged crime world atmosphere.
What didn’t: Familiar template, formulaic in parts, the rootedness of the theme gives way to too much style and flourish.
Watch it on: Prime Video
The best and worst film I watched between January and March this year are... Tell t2@abp.in