Indian Movie Reviews Roundup: War Heroism, Star Power, and Modern Love

This week’s set of Indian film reviews spans very different ambitions: a patriotic war tribute built on remembrance, a star-driven action entertainer where screen presence is the main engine, and a relationship mosaic that argues love in big cities is both chaotic and strangely hopeful. Below is a structured roundup of what the critics broadly praised, where they felt the films faltered, and what kind of viewer each title is best suited for.

120 Bahadur: memorial cinema with a rousing purpose

What it is: A war drama headlined by Farhan Akhtar that positions itself as an act of public memory—foregrounding soldiers whose stories, as the review suggests, haven’t received proportional mainstream attention.

What works: The core appeal is its commemorative intent. Rather than treating conflict as spectacle alone, the film is framed as a cinematic monument: it wants viewers to leave with names, sacrifice, and duty lingering longer than the action beats. Farhan Akhtar’s presence is described as part of the film’s emotional anchor, helping the tribute register as personal rather than purely ceremonial.

What to expect: If you’re drawn to films that prioritize reverence—where the goal is to honor and unify rather than complicate geopolitics—this appears to deliver a stirring, audience-facing remembrance.

Best for: Viewers who like patriotic dramas, ensemble hero narratives, and stories designed to reinsert “forgotten” figures into popular consciousness.

Coolie: when the star becomes the style

What it is: A Rajinikanth-led film associated with Lokesh Kanagaraj, reviewed as an entertainer where the superstar’s charisma is the dominant creative force.

What works: The review’s key takeaway is that Rajinikanth elevates material that might otherwise feel thinner. That kind of praise usually points to a film built around entrances, attitude, rhythm, and crowd-pleasing moments—where performance and persona do as much narrative work as plotting.

Where it may fall short: The critique implied by “barely a Lokesh Kanagaraj film” is about authorship: fans expecting a strongly signature-driven directorial stamp may find the movie more star-vehicle than filmmaker showcase.

Best for: Audiences who go to the theatre for Rajinikanth’s screen command, punchy set-pieces, and mass-appeal beats—less so for those seeking a tightly authored director-first action film.

Metro... In Dino: modern love as beautiful noise

What it is: An Anurag Basu ensemble drama exploring contemporary relationships. Multiple reviews converge on a similar idea: the film is simultaneously frustrating and energizing—messy in the way city life can be.

What works: Critics highlight Basu’s ability to capture the poetry inside everyday romance—chance meetings, emotional detours, and the push-pull between commitment and freedom. The film’s tonal swing (exhilarating yet annoying) reads like an intentional mirror of modern dating: too many signals, too little certainty, and a lot of longing.

Notable performance note: One review points to Sara Ali Khan playing a character with echoes of a familiar mainstream romantic archetype (described as “Kareena Kapoor-coded”), suggesting the film knowingly plays with Bollywood’s own memory of urban love stories.

Best for: Viewers who enjoy relationship ensembles, overlapping storylines, and films that prioritize mood, conversation, and emotional texture over clean narrative closure.

Abhyanthara Kuttavali: a “men’s issues” premise under scrutiny

What it is: An Asif Ali-led film that advertises itself as addressing issues faced by men, while the review questions what the film is truly trying to say beneath that framing.

What stands out: The main critical interest here is intent versus execution. When a movie claims a socially responsive purpose, it invites closer reading: is it expanding empathy, challenging power dynamics, or using a provocative theme as a shield for more conventional messaging?

How to approach it: Expect a film that sparks debate. If you like stories that test how cinema handles gendered narratives—and you don’t mind ambiguity about where the film ultimately “lands”—this may be worth your time.

Best for: Viewers interested in Malayalam cinema’s social-commentary mode and audiences who enjoy discussing a film’s underlying politics as much as its plot.

Stolen: a thriller designed to keep you tense

What it is: A thriller reviewed as tightly constructed and relentlessly paced—built to sustain unease rather than provide comfort.

What works: “Never lets you breathe easy” signals disciplined suspense craft: escalating stakes, sharp scene-to-scene pressure, and minimal downtime. This is the kind of thriller that likely values forward momentum and constant risk over digressive subplots.

Best for: Fans of lean, high-tension thrillers who want sustained suspense and a watch that rewards attention rather than multitasking.

What to watch based on your mood