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Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1 is a visual spectacle that will amaze you, but it also raises many questions. Is it worth the hype? The answer is both yes and no.

The movie is a prequel that explores the origin story but fails to make the same impact as the first film. The visuals are stunning from cinematography to action choreography, everything is brilliant but the goosebump factor is missing.

Rishab Shetty shines in the Daiva-possessed scenes. Rukmini Vasanth and Gulshan Devaiah are fine, but their characters have little to contribute. The first half is slow, and the editing could have been tighter, as many scenes feel out of place. The second half, however, is quite pacy, and the final act is staged beautifully.

The main issue lies in the buildup, staging, and emotional high points they just don't work as intended. Overall, this movie is technically brilliant, but as a prequel, it could have been much more gripping. Hopefully, the next chapter will focus more on substance rather than style.

Raktabeej 2 is a half-baked film with a poor screenplay and a routine storyline. The uniqueness that the predecessor had is missing. A bunch of capable actors have been unnecessarily wasted. The forced comedy falls flat, the songs are below average, and the slow-motion action scenes don't work due to poor choreography.

Abir has nothing much to do, although he looks handsome throughout the film. Ankush delivers his best, but his character is not well-written. Mimi and Koushani are reduced to mere eye candy.

Ace actors like Victor Banerjee and Anusuya Majumdar don't have much to do either. Seema Biswas and Subrata Dutta are good as usual. The cinematography is decent, and the background score by Bonnie Chakraborty is good.

Overall, Raktabeej 2 is a below-average movie that relies solely on its franchise value. If Raktabeej 3 is to be made, it should be backed by a strong script not just created to cash in on the franchise.

Raghu Dakat is a big-screen spectacle that delivers on its promise of mass entertainment. The screenplay holds attention throughout, sharpened by Mohammad Kalam's slick editing. For its scale, the VFX and CGI are impressive among the best seen in Bengali cinema. Soumik Halder's cinematography, Rathijit-Nilayan's music, and striking production design, especially the pyro-driven night sequences, create strong visual impact.

Dev is pitch perfect as Raghu it's hard to imagine anyone else carrying this role. He once again proves why he is the go to star for a Bengali magnum opus, and why his Pan-India appeal is undeniable. Sohini Sarkar delivers a standout performance, while Anirban Bhattacharya adds gravitas to a classic villain's arc. Idhika exudes charm opposite Dev, Om Sahani impresses, and Roopa Ganguly remains effortless. The ensemble cast, drawn partly from theatre, adds freshness and surprise.

Director Dhrubo Banerjee improves on his last two outings, balancing scale with pace. The massy treatment may divide opinions, but during the Puja season, Raghu Dakat's 152 minutes of unapologetic entertainment is exactly what audiences seek. It's a reminder that cinema doesn't always need heavy intellectual debates . Sometimes, it just needs to thrill, dazzle, and entertain.