PONNIYIN SELVAN – PS 1 (2022)

Ponniyin Selvan mesmerizes and disappoints equally and that is its biggest problem — Ambar Chatterjee Ponniyin Selvan is based on the book of the same name by Kalki Krishnamurthy published in 1955. The book is widely regarded as the greatest literary piece in Tamil literature. While the story is essentially historical fiction, it references some of…

COBRA (2022)

Brimming with energy and non-stop entrainment, Cobra scores with its leading actors, able direction and investing screenplay — Ambar Chatterjee Cobra chronicles the story of Mathi (Chiyaan Vikram), a mathematical genius who uses his mastery over numbers to devise elaborate and complicated assassination plots and takes down people who are considered untouchable. He is also a…

VIKRAM: HITLIST (2022)

Release Date: 03/06/2022 Cast: Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil, Vijay Sethupathi, Narain Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj Vikram: Hitlist has most entertainment that you can expect from a masala potboiler in theaters — Ambar Chatterjee I have a friend who suffers from Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and has a history of walking out mid-way from films like “Judgementall Hai Kya?”,…

SAANI KAAYIDHAM (2022)

Platform: Amazon Prime Videos Release Date: 06/05/2022 Cast: Keerthy Suresh, Selvaraghavan, Kanna Ravi Director: Arun Matheswaran The most violent Indian revenge drama that I have seen in years — Ambar Chatterjee Ponni (Keerthy Suresh), a lower caste police constable and wife of a waged laborer (who dreams of making it big in village politics) is…

BEAST (2022)

Beast is unforgivably bad and even the mighty Vijay can’t make it a worthwhile watch — Ambar Chatterjee Veera Raghavan (Vijay) is a special operative working for the R&AW who witnesses the death of a child during a covert mission that changes his life forever. He gives up his job and is haunted by the…

VALIMAI (2022)

Ajith Kumar is so good and Valimai is so entertaining that you will forget its many flaws — Ambar Chatterjee Before Valimai, H. Vinoth directed Theeran Adhigaram Ondru, one of the best cop-procedural-action-thrillers to have come out in years. After Theeran, he made an effective remake of Pink (Shoojit Sircar, 2016) in Nerkonda Paarvai (Ajith Kumar, 2019) where he was able…

MAHAAN (2022)

A tale of two “Vikrams” that deserved a theatrical run for its stunning visual ballad and scintillating action — Ambar Chatterjee Mahaan chronicles the journey of Gandhi Mahaan (Vikram), a commerce teacher who was raised in a Gandhian family and was later married into a Gandhiyan family. He submitted to the strict Gandhian principles and instructions…

MAANAADU (2021)

Thrilling, outrageous, bonkers! Maanaadu takes the time-loop concept to the next level — Ambar Chatterjee I waited for enough people to watch Maanaadu before I expressed my views about it as this was a film about which I couldn’t write without giving out spoilers. There is so much to celebrate about the screenplay, editing, and execution that…

JAI BHIM (2021)

Release Date: 02/11/2021 Platform: Amazon Prime Video Cast: Suriya, Lijomol Jose, Prakash Raj, K. Manikandan, Tamizh Director: T. J. Gnanavel Harrowing in its depiction of police brutality, Jai Bhim is a gruesome and unabashed requiem for the oppressed — Ambar Chatterjee Sengani (Lijomol Jose) and Rajakannu (K. Manikandan) are a dirt poor but happily married…

JAGAME THANDHIRAM (2021)

Release Date: 18/06/2021 Platform: Netflix Cast: Dhanush, Joju George, James Cosmo, Aishwarya Lekshmi Director: Karthik Subbaraj Dhanush and Joju George are the only good things in a severely flawed and tedious film — Ambar Chatterjee I have no way to review this film without giving away spoilers. So for all those of you who plan…

MASTER (2021)

Release Date: 13/01/2021 Platform: Amazon Prime Video / Theatrical Release Cast: Joseph Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Arjun Das, Andrea Jeremiah, Mahendran Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj Master beats Baahubali 2 at the Tamil Box Office with its mass appeal and Sethupathi’s stellar act Master unravels in two parallel tracks that intertwine only in the last half of the…

KAITHI (2019)

Release Date: 24/10/2019 Cast: Karthi, Narain, George Maryan, Harish Uthaman Director: Lokesh Kanagraj Kaithi is a roller-coaster ride of action, thrill and intense drama with Karthi at his best A team of Anti-Narcotics Unit seizes a huge cache of cocaine. The team hides the cocaine in the police headquarters fearing a violent backlash from the…