Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 58

December 5, 2024

The Penguin Review: Cristin Milioti Makes It ‘The Hangman’

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Some of us didn’t really care about how unrecognizable Colin Farrell was as Penguin in the 2022 Robert Pattinson-led Batman movie. Without all the prosthetics, there wasn’t much to note about the character in the film. However, in the 2024 series The Penguin, Farrell takes center stage as the titular character, AKA Oswald Cobb, who does everything he can to climb Gotham’s criminal food chain.

“Looting and rioting have become the norm,combined with the scarcity of illicit drugs, and an increase of gang warfare, the city has reached a boiling point. The murder of longtime mob boss Carmine Falcone outside the iceberg lounge has complicated efforts to restore order, creating a power vacuum in Gotham’s underworld.”

Spanning eight episodes, The Penguin kicks off with a somber breaking news segment detailing a series of explosions tearing through Gotham City, alongside the murder of mob boss Carmine Falcone. Oswald Cobblepot, aka the Penguin, sees an opportunity to take control of the city’s underworld. But with Carmine’s daughter, Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), freshly out of prison and hell-bent on revenge from her father’s lackeys, Oswald’s rise to kingpin status won’t be an easy one.

The cinematography is gritty from the very first frame, and Colin Farrell immediately establishes Oswald Cobb as a slimy, short-tempered, power-hungry thug. But here’s the thing about the Penguin—he always feels like the henchman, no matter how ruthless, bloodthirsty, cunning, or conniving he is. In fact, in Cristin Milioti’s very first scene as Sofia Falcone—the mob boss’s daughter, convicted for murdering several women and dubbed “The Hangman” by the media—she instantly comes across as more intimidating than Oswald, despite his bulky, shadowy presence. As the plot progresses and we see more and more of Sofia, I kept getting more disinterested in The Penguin’s struggle for dominance and needed this show to be about Sofia.

Cristin Milioti & Colin Farrell.

That said, Colin Farrell does a great job as the Penguin, making you forget the layers of makeup and prosthetics beneath the character. In the comic book world, the Penguin is considered one of Batman’s greatest adversaries, and Farrell captures that essence—a criminal you’d never want to root for. He’s a cockroach, a chameleon—resilient, opportunistic, and utterly devoid of scruples. Oswald Cobb’s only weakness? His desperate need to impress his mother, Frances Cobb, played brilliantly by Deirdre O’Connell. To the world, Oswald’s family is presumed dead, but he keeps his mother hidden away in a secret safe house, visiting her regularly to check in and boast about his exploits.

Much of The Penguin revolves around the power struggle in Gotham’s underworld, with Oswald’s primary obstacle being Sofia Falcone, who has her own ambitions of taking over the drug market and claiming her father’s empire. Despite being born with a silver spoon, Sofia’s backstory is far more compelling than Oswald’s, filled with greater hurdles and betrayals. In comparison, Oswald’s rise feels relatively easy and lucky. Cristin Milioti delivers what might be the best performance of her career as Sofia Falcone—stormy, unpredictable, complex, and utterly unhinged.

The only other character that stands out in this series is Victor Aguilar, played entertainingly by Rhenzy Feliz, a young kid from an impoverished Gotham locality, who runs into Oswald at the wrong time, and is forced into becoming his flunkey. Victor transforms from an under-confident, stuttering, scared kid, into Oswald’s second-hand man. Child actor Ryder Allen shines as the young Oswald in the childhood flashbacks—surprisingly, he’s even creepier than the older version.

Overall, The Penguin offers an intriguing glimpse into Gotham’s criminal underbelly, delving into the lives of its many antagonists and the brutal dynamics that govern Batman’s city. The show is steeped in violence, betrayal, and power struggles, but it’s Cristin Milioti’s standout performance as Sofia Falcone that truly elevates the series. Her character’s relentless cycle of betrayal and revenge often makes it feel like the show was crafted more for The Hangman than for the Penguin. The underworld’s bloody scramble for power reaches a gripping climax, with the final episode delivering decisive outcomes and setting the stage for a potential season two.

Rating: 7 on 10. You can stream “The Penguin” on JioCinema.

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Published on December 05, 2024 09:15

Firecracker Short Film Review

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

If the non-Chinese have learned anything from movies, music videos, and social media about Chinese New Year celebrations, it’s that the event is a significant occasion for families to come together with fireworks, music, red envelopes, and lots of scrumptious food. So, Annie Wang’s mother wants to know if she will be visiting her hometown from Beijing for the New Year. “Ma, my battery is dying,” is Annie’s response – non-committal at best, passive-aggressive at worst.

Directed and written by Caroline Guo, the 2022 short film Firecracker follows 30-year-old Annie’s (Lydia Jialu Li) dilemma about whether she should finally introduce her girlfriend, Sam (Faye Tamasa), to her family or simply skip the celebrations. The women live in Beijing, with Annie as an aspiring photographer and Sam as an English teacher from the Philippines.

About 14 minutes long, Firecracker quickly establishes the spark between its protagonists. They’re celebrating their anniversary and seem happy together. However, the shadow of Annie’s family looms large over them. While Sam hopes to celebrate Chinese New Year with Annie’s family, Annie feels they’re better off without involving them. The story quickly and warmly explores how family acceptance and approval are key ingredients in romantic relationships.

Lydia Jialu Li and Faye Tamasa share an easy on-screen chemistry, and the cinematography evokes a cozy mood, briefly infused with tension over the couple’s uncertain future. It’s a bittersweet film, far too short to delve deeply into its themes, but bite-sized enough to offer viewers some food for thought. While the ending isn’t conclusive, Annie and Sam share an open-ended ‘happy’ climax.

Firecracker is available to stream on Netflix.

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Published on December 05, 2024 03:11

December 4, 2024

Our Little Secret Review: Big on Recycled Jokes

⭐ ⭐

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Before this review starts sounding like I might have something against Lindsay Lohan, here’s a friendly reminder that I really enjoyed her 2022 Christmas romance Falling for Christmas and gave it a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars—unlike the 2 stars for Our Little Secret, which falls under the same genre.

Directed by Stephen Herek, “Our Little Secret” follows childhood sweethearts Avery (Lindsay Lohan) and Logan (Ian Harding), who seriously date for years, until Avery decides to move away from the city for her career and rejects Logan’s last minute marriage proposal to keep her in town. They break and do not see each other for ten years, that’s until they show up as guests at a Christmas dinner and realize their new partners Cameron (Jon Rudnitsky) and Cassie (Katie Baker) are siblings! Now they must spend the holidays together and try to keep their past a secret. We all know what’s going to happen next.

The first fifteen minutes of Our Little Secret establish Avery and Logan as “made for each other,” and as soon as their future partners are introduced, it’s clear that neither protagonist is truly “into” them. Predictability isn’t the issue here—we all know how Christmas romances work—but the uninspired jokes and stereotypical characters make the film a yawn-inducing ride. There’s very little chemistry between Lindsay Lohan and Ian Harding, and the same goes for her and Jon Rudnitsky who plays the current boyfriend.

Lindsay Lohan in a scene from 'Our Little Secret'

Kristin Chenoweth plays Erica, the potential mother-in-law for both Avery and Logan. While Erica is supremely sweet to Logan, she’s a terror when dealing with her son’s girlfriend, Avery. Kristin Chenoweth does nail the ‘monster-in-law’ vibe, who loves to micro-manage everything. Logan offers to help Avery win Erica over in exchange for her assistance with a business proposal he needs to prepare. The exes essentially team up to charm their current partners’ family, and while this premise had so much potential for fun, the writers rely on tired jokes that fail to land. For instance, one character accidentally consumes drugs, and while the consequences could have been hilarious, they’re just plain awkward and unfunny in Our Little Secret.

Some of the chaos and confusion towards the end of the film is actually entertaining, but for most parts, this is a strictly very average affair.

You can stream Our Little Secret on Netflix.

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Published on December 04, 2024 08:28

December 3, 2024

Mononoke Movie Review: Mad, Mad, Visuals

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

If nothing else, the 2024 anime “Mononoke the Movie: Phantom in the Rain” is a frenzied, beautiful burst of colors, and if you’re a ‘subtle, monochrome’ kind of person, this fantasy-horror movie’s palette might seem overwhelming!

Directed by Kenji Nakamura, who also helmed the 2007 mini-series Mononoke, this 2024 film version follows a similar plot: a mysterious medicine seller travels across medieval Japan, hunting down malevolent spirits known as “Mononoke.” This time, he arrives at the Ōoku, the imperial harem of the ruling Shogun, a place filled with beautiful women tasked with ensuring the birth of a male heir. Two young women, Kame and Asa, newly arrive at the Ōoku to serve as handmaids. As they train for their roles, a series of eerie events unfolds, prompting the medicine seller to confront the Mononoke haunting the premises.

From the very first scene, it’s the bright, colorful 2D artistic animation style of “Mononoke” that will keep most viewers hooked to each moment in the movie. Just like the series, the artwork looks like it’s hand painted on aged paper, or like the animation has been cast on an old wall via a projector. The decoration within the gilded rooms of the Ōoku is quite stunning, with gorgeous painting all over its walls and sliding doors. Several transitions in the movie are achieved dramatically through the loud closing of the ornate sliding doors, which add a seamless rhythm to each changing scene.

A scene from Mononoke

Mononoke is 90 minutes long and dizzily paced; the story unfolds so quickly that it can be hard to keep up with what’s really happening. However, as the plot progresses, the writers answer almost every question that arises, particularly for viewers unfamiliar with the older series. For instance, in some scenes, the women in the Ōoku are shown to be faceless, and this initially serves as a metaphor for their invisibility and lack of identity as maids. But when characters within the film also start noticing something wrong with their faces, the medicine seller explains that the Mononoke is capable of inducing hallucinations.

Also Read: Ooku Review – Fascinating Retelling of Edo Era

In one scene, almost all the women in the Ōoku appear faceless, except for Kame and Asa, the new arrivals. This is because they still have their individual identities intact and haven’t yet been broken by the strict rigors and rules of the place. While Asa is mature, intelligent, and hopes that working in the Ōoku will help her become a scribe, the cheery and clumsy Kame is more interested in making it to the inner chambers of the Shogun. Despite their contrasting personalities, the two young women quickly form a friendship. However, while Asa immediately catches the eye of Lady Utayama, who wields all the power in the Ōoku, Kame is seen as more of a troublemaker.

Although some suspect the newcomers might have something to do with the eerie happenings, the truth is that their arrival awakens a spirit who was once part of the Ōoku. The medicine seller must uncover the secrets of this spirit to defeat the vicious entity, unraveling a tragic Pandora’s box in the process. The climactic minutes of “Mononoke the Movie: Phantom in the Rain” is a charged, crazy face-off between the medicine seller and the spirit, with the latter attempting to claim more women as its victims. And just when you think the medicine-seller has solved the case, a little twist indicates the worst isn’t over, and the film ends with the promise of a part 2.

Rating: 7.5 on 10. Stream Mononoke on Netflix.

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Published on December 03, 2024 12:24

Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Episode 9 Review

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Ooh, an action-packed edition of Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii! Lots of goons, plenty of fighting, and a fair amount of running and chasing too. But the stand-out moment comes right at the beginning when Yoshino tears her skirt so she can run through a crowd. It’s such a relatable scene for girls who often sacrifice comfort for fashion. Bonus points for another scene where she ditches her heels to sprint even faster—practical queen!

For Plot Overview Read: Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Episode 1 Review

Titled “To Be Honest, I Want to Marry You Part 2,” episode 9 kicks off with Yoshino and Kirishima heading to a park, where they’re ambushed by a group of hired goons. The events in this chapter continue Ozu Kento’s plot to trap the duo, but we finally get a glimpse of the mastermind pulling the strings. Remember the masked figure who made a brief appearance in episode 8? We learn more about his identity in this episode, and it turns out he’s a pretty big deal in Yakuza circles. But what does he really want? That mystery is still under wraps!

Contrary to the romantic-sounding title, there’s barely any romance in this episode. In fact, Yoshino and Kirishima hardly interact, though they’re united in their mission to outsmart Ozu Kento’s goons. The episode leans heavily on violence and combat, with a quick check-in on Shoma’s situation at the hotel (remember how he rescued Nao after being tricked by Kirishima into going to her location?).

Plot-wise, not much happens in this chapter, but it does highlight how Yoshino and Kirishima both thrive on living life on the edge. They’re crazy in their own ways—Yoshino may want peace between the Yakuza families, but she clearly enjoys wielding power and influence.

Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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Published on December 03, 2024 09:13

Genie Review – Melissa McCarthy Grants Laughs, But The Others Need A Wish or Two

⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Here’s one of the classic movie settings – overworked dad rarely makes time for the family, so he gets home late for a kid’s birthday and the disappointed wife mulls on separation. Most dads in such movies have to work hard to prove their worth, but Bernard, from the 2023 movie “Genie” gets lucky – right after his wife and kid leave, he rubs an antique box and a genie pops out, ready to fulfill all of his wishes. Well, with some limits.

Created by Sam Boyd (Director) and Richard Curtis (Writer), Genie stars Paapa Essiedu as Bernard, whose wife Julie (Denée Benton) starts questioning their marriage after he not only misses their daughter’s birthday but also turns up without a gift (it falls off the bike). Melissa McCarthy portrays Flora, a genie trapped in a box for over 2,000 years until Bernard rubs it. How Flora fulfills some of Bernard’s wishes and helps him win back his wife and daughter forms the rest of the tale.

Some of the first moments of comedy are based on Bernard’s disbelief at Flora’s claim that she’s a genie, like wondering if she is an intruder on drugs. One of the funniest scenes from their first interaction is the one that also made it to the trailer—Bernard asks for a pepperoni pizza, and Flora isn’t impressed by it. However, she is blown away after tasting it, so when he shows her his phone, she assumes it’s food too and bites it. Melissa McCarthy plays that scene with such pure innocence that it’s adorably hilarious. Three of us were watching Genie together, and all of us laughed out loud. In fact, the film’s only magic lies in Melissa’s joyous, godmotherly portrayal of Flora, the genie. Almost all the funny/cute scenes in “Genie” are courtesy her character.

Paapa Essiedu is just about okay as Bernard, a forgettable doormat character, while Denée Benton’s performance as his wife Julie was simply distracting (not in a good way) due to an unflattering haircut. Alan Cumming’s cameo is disappointingly short as Bernard’s evil boss, and just 2-3 more minutes of his role could have added more zest to the film, especially since a pretty funny twist towards the end involves him, even though he is mostly forgotten throughout the rest of the runtime. While quite a few things don’t make sense, it’s a movie about a wish-granting genie—sometimes, you just have to let practicality take a back seat.

Set during the holidays, Genie is a colorful Christmas comedy with a generous dose of funny scenes. It feels like a modern spin on Aladdin, where the genie and its master gradually become BFFs. And you know how that story ends—Genie delivers a similar kind of “happy” ending. It’s formulaic, yes, but a decent pick for family movie night, especially if you’re looking for something holiday-themed.

Rating: 6 on 10. Watch “Genie” on Netflix.

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Published on December 03, 2024 05:31

December 2, 2024

Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions Episode 22 Review

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“It’s unfortunate I turned out like this. A detective who gets emotional while solving cases is the worst.”

Ron Kamonohashi is getting serious about addressing his peculiar condition of instructing murderers to kill themselves whenever he solves a case. Episode 22 of Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions opens with Ron heading to a crime scene after taking a new batch of medication to manage his strange affliction.

If you recall, Ron had started this medication in earlier episodes to ease his condition. Episode 21 concluded with Ron and Toto narrowing down three research students as potential suspects in the psychological research lab murder at Tokyo University. Himeno, a hardworking and dedicated researcher, died in a lab explosion, and Ron, naturally, is convinced it was no accident. Toto then explains his hypothesis, finally revealing the primary suspect.

Suspects of the new murder case

This episode is divided into two distinct halves. The first half is tense and fast-paced, with new twists bringing the lab case to a dramatic conclusion as a particularly twisted murderer is exposed. The second half shifts gears entirely: Ron receives a mysterious letter inviting him to a meal at an intriguing location. As always, Toto tags along, and a new adventure begins.

This new storyline is reminiscent of the observatory murder case from season one of Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions, as our protagonists head to a stunning yet slightly remote location filled with an ensemble of new characters. What happens next remains a mystery, as all the intrigue is saved for the next episode!

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Published on December 02, 2024 10:03

Jack & Joker Review: Deals a Few Fun Cards Before Losing the Plot

⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Jack is a kind athlete turned debt-collector, whose dreams of living a simple life are dashed by a notorious thief named Joker, who robs a bank and the cops zero in on Jack as a primary suspect in the case due to misleading circumstances. The arrest changes their lives, Jack is forced to work for a loan-shark, while Joker lands in prison. Thus begins an “enemies to lovers” tale between the debt-collector and the expert thief.

Directed by Tee Bundit Sintanaparadee (“I Feel You Linger In The Air”/“Step by Step”/”TharnType”), the 2024 Thai series “Jack & Joker: U Steal My Heart!” stars Yin Anan Wong and War Wanarat Ratsameerat as titular protagonists Jack and Joker respectively. Spanning 12 episodes, the show begins with a dramatic bank heist, which is preceded by a disclaimer that essentially tells the viewers – “we know this isn’t possible in real life, just go along with it”. The honesty was refreshing, and it was the creators’ way of saying this show is pure entertainment.

The first few episodes of Jack & Joker are fun, with the pilot introducing Joker as a bright young man who, mistreated by his father, turns to a life of crime for thrills. On the day Joker plans a big bank heist, athlete Jack visits the same bank to apply for a loan to start a learning center. Disguised as a bank manager, Joker approves the loan but later surrenders himself to clear Jack of suspicion after the robbery—though Jack never learns this. Years later, Joker, fresh out of prison, is shocked to find Jack, once a kind-hearted dreamer, now a feared debt collector working for the ruthless Boss (Beam Sarunyoo Prachakit). Hoping to make amends, Joker teams up with thugs Tattoo (Prom Ratchapat Worrasarn) and Hoy (Bonz Nadol Lamprasert) to steal a ring belonging to Jack, now held by Boss as collateral, hoping it would set Jack free. Their mission sets off a series of chaotic events, ultimately bringing Jack and Joker closer together.

The first few episodes were definitely fun, and I found myself looking forward to catching up with the series every Monday. Fans of Yin Anan Wong and War Wanarat Ratsameerat from the college drama Love Mechanics already know their onscreen chemistry is fantastic. That remains true in Jack & Joker as well, but unfortunately, the romantic subplot is quite thin, leaving their dynamic underexplored. There’s a generous amount of action across the episodes, although a lot of the sequences are poorly choreographed. On top of that, the comedic material becomes less effective as the series progresses, and the plot spirals into chaos. For example, a major subplot involves a wealthy heiress who is in love with Jack. At one point, Jack’s character is briefly reduced to an object of negotiation, as the heiress strikes a deal with Boss over a theft orchestrated by Joker—her end of the deal being to ensure Jack agrees to date or marry her.

While both Yin and War are entertaining in their roles, the plot is overstretched and this show should’ve only been about eight episodes long. Apart from the lead actors, the one character that stood out best in “Jack & Joker” was Mark Siwat Jumlongkul as Aran, the flamboyant, self-obsessed son of Boss. Mark brings a lot of sass and hilarity to Aran’s personality, and manages to make the stereotypical rich brat character somewhat likable in the show.

Overall, there was a lot of potential wasted in this show, if they wanted to make like a heist-parody series, they should’ve hired better comedy writers.

Rating: 5 on 10. Jack & Joker is available on iQIYI.

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Published on December 02, 2024 06:12

December 1, 2024

In Utero: Graphic Novel Review

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Imagine being a near-teen yet wanting to accompany your mom to her workplace instead of attending a holiday camp in an abandoned shopping mall. The camp must suck real bad. That’s the case with 12-year-old Hailey, who is one of the oldest kids at her oddly located camp. With nobody interesting her age, she sneaks out of the center, meeting Jen, a mysterious, curious, bespectacled teenager who befriends Hailey. Almost immediately, Hailey starts telling Jen random facts, while the older girl begins to talk about her own bizarre origins.

In Utero by Chris Gooch is a weirdly hypnotic sci-fi tale that starts with an unexplained explosion, the smoke plumes filling the sky, as a pregnant woman and her son watch the horror unfold. The woman is eventually revealed to be protagonist Hailey’s mother. Twelve years later, Hailey’s fateful meeting with Jen, a supernatural being who assumes human form, leads the girl to dark corners of the abandoned mall, full of scary secrets and a possible explanation to the explosion all those years ago. As a terrifying creature begins to rise, Hailey is caught in a violent face-off between the military and the “monsters.”

The artwork by Chris Gooch is slightly retro in tone, very expressive and immersive, immediately pulling the viewer into its strange sci-fi world. The color scheme for the graphic novel is largely black and blue, while a few pages also feature shades of red. Chris Gooch sparingly but cleverly uses red and peachy tones in selective scenes, where the red highlights the mood of the moment. For instance, the first time we see the color red is in a panel where police cars and fire trucks rush to control a fire.

Hailey is short, plump, with inquisitive eyes, while Jen is taller, nerdy-looking, with a “know-it-all” kind of face, like she could be the next big tech billionaire. As the story progresses, we learn Jen is also a transcendental being who can take any shape and travel anywhere. She gives Hailey a trip to her birthplace—a giant egg—hence the title In Utero. The plot interestingly brings out the differences between the friendly curiosity of children and the hostile cynicism of adults. When the kids find creepy creatures in the mall, they are excited to interact with them, play with them, while the first instinct of an adult is to throw up.

Overall, Chris Gooch’s artwork is the biggest highlight of In Utero, while the story could’ve used a longer gestation period and more development. Ultimately, even though it seems to be a “man versus monster” tale, it’s really a story about how one friendly conversation is enough to forge a strong bond between two beings from vastly different worlds.

Rating: 3.5/5. In Utero is also on Kindle Unlimited.

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Published on December 01, 2024 06:39

Sikandar Ka Muqaddar Review: A Heist of Time, Not Entertainment

⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Ah, a heist movie, where the suspense is over who the real thief is. There are only three suspects, so the list is narrow, and the real question is “how did they pull it off?”—the “who” is pretty secondary. Unfortunately, the 2024 Sikander Ka Muqaddar is such a slow-burn, sleep-inducing movie that if I had known beforehand how inconsequential most of the middle half was going to be, I would’ve just skipped to the end to find out the “who” and “how.” The “who” was always predictable, but the “how” is even more disappointing. At least the makers manage to keep viewers interested in finding out the truth until the very end, so points for that.

Directed by Neeraj K Pandey, who co-wrote the story with Vipul K. Rawal, Sikander Ka Muqaddar stars Avinash Tiwary (Madgaon Express/Khakee: The Bihar Chapter) as Sikander, the primary suspect in a diamond heist, while Jimmy Shergill plays Jaswinder, the tough cop hellbent on cracking the case. The only two other suspects in the theft are Kamini Singh (Tamannah Bhatia) and Mangesh Desai (Rajeev Mehta), two colleagues who were in charge of the stall where the gems went missing at a jewelry expo.

Sikander Ka Muqaddar begins on an interesting note: the cops are alerted about a heist attempt by armed gunmen, and even though the gunmen are quickly neutralized, gems worth crores go missing from a stall. Instead of diving straight into the suspects and investigation, the story skips 15 years into the future, where star investigator Jaswinder is now a washed-up, drunk officer on the verge of being fired, while Sikander, the primary suspect, appears to be living a cushy life in Abu Dhabi. Flitting between the past and present, the movie explores the hardships faced by Sikander, Mangesh, and Kamini, the three suspects. However, the maximum spotlight is on Avinash Tiwary and Tamannah Bhatia’s characters, making it clear that either one of them is the thief—or perhaps a surprise ending will introduce an unexpected twist to the plot.

Jimmy Shergill as the obstinate cop determined to catch his thief (very similar to his cop character in Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba) is the only interesting personality in the story. And for a movie with a 2-hour 22-minute runtime, Sikander Ka Muqaddar is quite the drag, focusing heavily on Sikander’s domestic life and the many obstacles he faces due to the taint of being the primary accused in a major case. A minor romantic subplot between Sikander and Kamini lacks spark, with negligible onscreen chemistry. Like most of the film, everything feels rather “constructed.” Maybe this would’ve been a lot more entertaining if it had come out in the 1990s, when viewers weren’t spoiled for choice with endless options on TV. But for a 2024 release, this film was quite the downer.

It did lead to an exciting climax, and for a moment, I thought, “Oh, maybe this is going to be satisfying after all!” However, the creators chose to close the story with an open-ended cliffhanger and a cheeky text on screen that reads: “Oops! The End.”

Oh well… Oops! Don’t think viewers will find that as amusing as the makers intended it to be.

Rating: 5/10. Watch the film on Netflix.

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Published on December 01, 2024 02:49