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Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar arrives as a bold, painstakingly mounted espionage thriller that thrives on scale, ambition, and sheer cinematic craft. It is a film that demands patience for its towering 214-minute runtime, but richly rewards those who stay with it. With top-notch production values, memorable set pieces, and some of the finest performances of the year, Dhurandhar stands tall as a big-screen experience meant to be felt as much as watched.

Inspired by true events, Dhar's story is inherently gripping. The screenplay is layered and compelling, especially in how it maps the journey of an ordinary Indian man who infiltrates the heart of Pakistan's political machinery. The tension is relentless, yet the storytelling never becomes loud or preachy. However, the writing does stretch thin in the first half. Aditya Dhar dialogues are passionate, often theatrical, and suit the film's soaring tone.

Dhurandhar is packed with sequences that are crafted for maximum impact. The infiltration episodes are particularly thrilling sharp, suspenseful, and rooted in strategy rather than convenient heroism. The intermission arrives at a nail-biting turning point, leaving audiences gasping. Post-interval, Hamza's descent into madness is exceptionally staged. The finale, a brutal and emotionally charged fight sequence, serves as a fitting crescendo. The only major drawback: the length. At nearly 3 hours and 34 minutes, the film demands more endurance than necessary. A tighter edit could have easily elevated its impact.

Ranveer Singh delivers one of the most outstanding performances of his career. He inhabits the character with remarkable intensity and vulnerability. Akshaye Khanna is phenomenal, expressing oceans through the subtlest shifts in his eyes. Sanjay Dutt is electrifying, commanding, and immensely watchable. Arjun Rampal, though limited in screen time, makes every moment count. R. Madhavan is terrific, leaving a lasting impact with his portrayal. Sara Arjun makes a decent debut, though her chemistry with Ranveer feels oddly underdeveloped. Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera, Naveen Kaushik, and Danish Pandor round out the supporting cast with assured performances.

Music is a mixed bag but effective. The title track is already a sensation. "Ishq Jalakar - Karvaan" emerges as the standout. "Gehra Hua" is soothing and well-placed. Cinematography is spectacular, the frames are rich, atmospheric, and visually arresting, making the film feel even larger than its scale. The action Choreography is gritty, dynamic, and rooted in physical realism. A gripping spectacle that could have been a masterpiece with tighter editing.

Direction 3.5/5 Acting 4/5 Editing 2.5/5 Story 3.5/5 Screenplay 3.5/5.

Aanand L Rai's Tere Ishq Mein is a film that burns with intense emotions of love, longing, heartbreak and madness. It's crafted with sincerity, backed by powerful performances, and held together by a gripping first half. But the experience is ultimately weighed down by a stretched narrative and a unimpressive climax. Tere Ishq Mein is a film elevated by its spectacular performances and emotionally rich first half, but held back by a dragging second half, overwriting, and a climax that may not work for most viewers.

If there is one reason why Tere Ishq Mein stays with you even after the credits roll, it's the phenomenal performances. Dhanush as Shankar is outstanding as raw, vulnerable, tormented one-sided lover. Even when the film falters, he never does. Kriti Sanon continues her evolution as a performer. Prakash Raj and Priyanshu Painyuli are effective. Tota Roy Chowdhury lends solid support with a restrained performance. Paramvir Singh Cheema is decent in his portions. Viineet Kumar Siingh shines as Dhanush's chief in the Air Force. And Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub as Murari gets one perfectly written emotional scene, one that is sure to leave many viewers with teary eyes.

Aanand L Rai once again dives into the world of passionate, turbulent love, something he has always portrayed well. The direction is deeply rooted in human emotions and strong in portraying the suffering of one-sided love. The first half is tight, immersive, and hooks the audience instantly. However, the second half gradually loses its grip. What starts as an emotionally rich narrative becomes excessively stretched, especially in the final half hour, where logic is pushed too far and audience patience is tested.

The screenplay is a mixed bag, several scenes are emotionally gripping and engaging. Dialogues are a major highlight, adding drama, humour, and emotional resonance. The world-building and character motivations are solid in the first half. The screenplay becomes confusing after a point, the writing starts strong but loses steam in the latter half. The overlong runtime (169 minutes) dilutes impact. The final act feels like a drag, and the climax will likely divide the audience significantly.

Given the memorable legacy of Raanjhanaa, expectations from A. R. Rahman were sky-high. Unfortunately, the soundtrack doesn't reach those heights. That said, a few tracks still stand out, Title Track is well placed and emotionally resonant, 'Awaara Angaara' is atmospheric and gripping, 'Usey Kehna' - has a comforting melodic charm. Songs like 'Jigar Thanda' and 'Chinnaware' are fine but not memorable.

Direction 3.5/5 Acting 3.5/5 Music 2.5/5 Story 3/5 Screenplay 2.5/5.

And the worst movie of the year award goes to Mastiii 4. The franchise, once known for mindless yet harmless fun, hits an all-time low with a film that seems confused about what comedy even means. What unfolds on screen is a reminder of how bad things can get when a movie is built without a story, without a screenplay, and certainly without any humour. The screenplay is practically nonexistent, leaving the film to rely on slapstick gags that stopped being funny a decade ago.

Milap Milan Zaveri's direction is shockingly weak. The biggest downfall of Mastiii 4 is painfully clear. No real plot, just random sequences stitched together. Very poor jokes, many of which feel like rejected WhatsApp forwards. A few jokes may raise a laugh here and there, but nothing lands well enough to keep you engaged. The writing is unimaginative, repetitive, and feels like it was put together in a hurry. It's hard not to wonder if the makers have simply run out of ideas. The songs are easily some of the worst of the year.

Riteish Deshmukh tries. His sincerity shows, but even his comic timing cannot survive a script this weak. Vivek Oberoi and Aftab Shivdasani deliver below-par performances, affected badly by the writing. Elnaaz Norouzi, Ruhi Singh, and Shreya Sharma struggle, though it's hard to blame them, there's nothing in the script for them to work with. Their presence feels more decorative than purposeful. Genelia Deshmukh appearence was cute in a song.

Mastiii 4 fails on almost every front. It's a film that not only misunderstands comedy but also underestimates the audience.

Direction 1.5/5 Acting 1.5/5 Dialogues 1/5 Story 0.5/5 Screenplay 0.5/5.