Author: Madhuri Prabhu

Merry Christmas (Hindi) movie review: ‘Santa’ Sriram Raghavan delivers a wonderful gift that contains a heady mix of nostalgia, romance and thrill. Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Katrina Kaif, Sanjay Kapoor, Tinnu Anand, Vinay Pathak, Pratima Kazmi, Radhika Apte (cameo) Director: Sriram Raghavan Writers: Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Surti, Anukriti Pandey “Jab se yeh duniya bani hain na, har koi ek hi pal ki talaash mein hain. Aur woh pal jab aata hain tab samajh mein aata hain ki saikdon saal se chal rahi zindagi isse pal ke liye thhi,” Albert’s friendly neighbour tells him while explaining why he chose the name…

As we inch closer towards the end of 2023, we bring you a list of actors (male) from the world of Hindi television who left a lasting impression in their distinct ways. Genius is the gold in the mine; talent is the miner that works and brings it out. – Marguerite Blessington Love them, hate them but you can’t ignore them! Well, that’s Hindi TV shows in a nutshell for you. They tap into our deep desire for escapism from our daily routines and personal struggles. (Unfortunately) when the content here continues to remain formulaic, and steeped in deep clichés…

With just few days remaining to bid adieu to 2023, we list down 20 of our favourite Hindi songs from this year which left us mighty impressed. Whether you are happy or sad, nothing lights up your mood like Hindi songs! Like Danish author Hans Christian Andersen says, “Where words fail, music speaks.” The year 2023 brought us some amazing soundtracks that also turned up as our plus one; be it when letting our hair down at parties, nursing a broken heart or as a quick shot of energy on a drab day. Time to hit the play button as…

Mohit Malik, in an exclusive tête-à-tête with Cutting Shots, takes us through his process as actor and explains why he believes acting and spirituality is a hand-in-glove process. From his love for kids to how he tries to make the most out of television, the actor spills it all and how. “Medium doesn’t matter to me,” Mohit Malik tells me as he squeezes out some time from his choc-o-bloc shooting schedule for his popular daily soap, Baatein Kuch Ankahee Si and settles for a quick chat. His words drip with candour as he talks about his craft and how he always…

In an exclusive conversation with Cutting Shots, actor-producer Aashiesh Sharma reflects upon his journey in showbiz, talks about his absence from television as an actor and even busts a myth about the industry. More than a decade ago, Aashiesh Sharrma first caught everyone’s attention as the rustic Avdesh Singh in Imagine TV’s Gunahon Ka Devta. “It was destiny,” the actor tells me, reminiscing how his robust small screen debut brought him into limelight. What follows next is a series of heartfelt, candid revelations that prove his unwavering love for art and his craft. Excerpts from our exclusive tête-à-tête with the…

Animal movie review: Ranbir Kapoor goes for the big hunt in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘jungle’ and emerges victorious. Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Bobby Deol, Tripti Dimri Director: Sandeep Reddy Vanga Writers: Sandeep Reddy Vanga (story), Pranay Reddy Vanga and Suresh Bandaru (screenplay), Saurabh Gupta (dialogues) As a young Ranvijay narrates how he is in awe of his father, a fellow classmate shoots him a question- “How do we measure love?” The young boy replies, “Time.” and goes on to add, “Time batayega mere papa ke liye mera pyaar fail hain, pass hain ya duniya mein sabse first hain.”  …

Sam Bahadur movie review: Vicky Kaushal is a ten on ten but the dull screenplay makes him lose the final battle. Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Sanya Malhotra, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub Director: Meghana Gulzar Writers: Meghana Gulzar, Bhavani Iyer, Shantanu Srivastava There is a scene in Sam Bahadur where Sam (Vicky Kaushal) is seen boasting the morale of his soldiers by quoting a Kabir shabad from Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The lines translate as, “He who fights alone; who fights for the downtrodden, he may get cut into pieces, but he will never leave the battlefield.” In Meghana Gulzar’s…

Tiger 3 movie review: Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif’s spy thriller lacks sharp claws but has some ‘grrr-eat’ moments in between. Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, Simran, Kumud Mishra, Vishal Jethwa Director: Maneesh Sharma Writers: Shridhar Raghavan, Aditya Chopra, Anckur Chaudhry (dialogues) Right at the beginning of Tiger 3, a man while teaching some hand-to-hand combat moves to his young daughter, advises her, “Pehle wajah, phir vaar.” Unfortunately, director Maneesh Sharma fails to pay heed to these words as a result of which this Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif starrer ends up missing its target. What’s Yay: Katrina Kaif, action scenes, cameos by…

From her take on daily soaps sticking to the same tried-and-tested formulae to an interesting insight from her debut film Kya Kehna, actress Nivedita Bhattacharya spills it all in an exclusive conversation with Cutting Shots. It’s almost half past seven in the evening when I connect with Nivedita Bhattacharya. Despite a hectic working schedule, the actress is fresh as a daisy. What follows next is a freewheel chat where we discuss in length about various topics, ranging from how theatre has shaped her as an actor to why she took up Kya Kehna in 2000 when she wasn’t keen on doing…

In an exclusive conversation with Cutting Shots, veteran actress Neena Kulkarni opens up on her latest release Shastry Viruddh Shastry, breaks down her acting process, talks about why television is a demanding medium and even doles out some advice for young actors. “I don’t think I will ever quit this acting journey because there is no destination for me. I don’t want to reach somewhere,” Neena Kulkarni candidly tells me as she reflects upon her more than four decades long journey as an actor across different languages and mediums. The excitement in her voice and her love for her craft is…