Indian Movie Reviews Roundup: War 2, 120 Bahadur, DNA, Kothalavadi, and Dhurandhar

Indian cinema’s latest releases show how wide the spectrum can be—mass entertainers chasing opening-day buzz, smaller dramas leaning on performance, and thrillers trying to balance message with momentum. Based on recent coverage and reviews, here’s a structured look at five titles making headlines, and the common creative trade-offs they reveal.

War 2: star power, spectacle, and a divided first impression

War 2, led by Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, appears to have landed with mixed early reactions, especially on social media. Much of the immediate chatter highlights the kind of things audiences often judge within minutes: the scale of action set pieces, the entry moments of major stars, and whether the first half sustains momentum.

Why the split? Big franchise-style action films tend to face two competing expectations:

“Give me the rush”—stylised action, sharp pacing, and crowd-pleasing elevation scenes.
“Give me the story”—coherent stakes, believable character motivations, and a payoff that feels earned.

When a film leans heavily into spectacle, it can win instant applause while still drawing criticism for narrative thinness. Early “mixed” responses usually reflect that tug-of-war rather than a single, agreed-upon flaw.

120 Bahadur: action with emotion at the center

120 Bahadur, featuring Farhan Akhtar, is reviewed as a film that pairs physical intensity with emotional weight. The praise focuses on the blend: action that isn’t just choreography, but a vehicle for camaraderie, sacrifice, and purpose.

This kind of war or mission-driven drama typically succeeds when it:

anchors set pieces in clear objectives (so action isn’t random),
builds a human core (so sentiment feels earned), and
controls tonal swings (so it doesn’t become either too grim or too melodramatic).

If audiences respond strongly, it’s often because the film makes the stakes legible and personal—turning “what happens next” into “why it matters.”

DNA: a promising investigative idea weighed down by familiar formulas

DNA has generated a notably consistent critique across reviews: it is seen as an investigative drama with intriguing, weighty ideas—but one that struggles under commercial cliches and a sense of contrivance.

That tension is common in Indian thrillers that want to be both mainstream and “issue-driven.” The risks include:

Over-explaining instead of letting clues and character choices do the work.
Adding mandatory beats (standard twists, forced sentiment, convenient coincidences) that reduce credibility.
Softening the edge of the investigation to keep it broadly palatable—sometimes at the cost of urgency.

In short, DNA is positioned as a film whose concept may be stronger than its execution—suggesting that a tighter screenplay and more disciplined plotting could have better served its themes.

Kothalavadi: a familiar village drama elevated by one standout performance

Kothalavadi is reviewed as a bland rural/village drama that nevertheless benefits greatly from Gopalkrishna Deshpande’s performance. This is a recurring pattern in grounded regional storytelling: when the narrative feels routine, a single actor’s craft can still inject texture, humour, menace, or compassion—whatever the film needs to feel alive.

Village dramas often rely on:

specificity of place (dialect, daily rhythms, community politics),
fresh conflict (not only the usual feuds and moral lessons), and
character complexity (beyond archetypes).

When those ingredients are muted, performances become the main reason to watch—turning the film into more of an “actor’s showcase” than a fully gripping story.

Dhurandhar: a Bollywood release stirring cross-border disagreement

Dhurandhar is noted for dividing opinion in India and Pakistan, signalling a film that likely touches politics, history, national identity, or representation—areas where audiences bring strong prior beliefs to the theatre.

Cross-border controversy often arises from questions such as:

Who is depicted as heroic or villainous?
What historical framing does the story endorse?
Does the film simplify complex realities into propaganda-like beats?

Even when made as entertainment, such films tend to be evaluated as cultural statements. That’s why reception can vary dramatically by geography and context: viewers aren’t only reacting to craft, but to perceived intent.

What these reviews collectively say about today’s Indian releases

Across genres, a few clear themes emerge:

Spectacle still opens the conversation (as with War 2), but story depth decides staying power.
Emotion works best when it’s structural, not decorative (a key compliment for 120 Bahadur).
High-concept thrillers need restraint; too many formula beats can dilute urgency (the central critique around DNA).
Performance can rescue familiarity, but it can’t fully replace narrative freshness (as with Kothalavadi).
Political subtext reshapes reception, sometimes more than filmmaking itself (as seen with Dhurandhar).