, a deeply personal and politically charged film that documents the Israeli government’s attempts to expel Palestinians from Masafer Yatta in the West Bank.

Filmmakers Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, and Yuval Abraham took the stage to accept the award, using their moment in the spotlight to call for an end to the war in Gaza.

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"We call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people,” said Adra, a Palestinian journalist and one of the documentary’s central figures. “About two months ago, I became a father, and my hope to my daughter that she will not have to live the same life I’m living now.”

The film, which premiered at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival and won the Berlinale’s Best Documentary award, follows Adra’s efforts to document the demolition of his hometown by Israeli forces. His footage captures the violent reality of eviction, arrests, and resistance, highlighting the imbalance of power under military occupation. The story gains momentum when Adra befriends Abraham, an Israeli journalist, who helps amplify his message.

Abraham addressed the audience about the urgency of their collaboration. “We made this film, Palestinians and Israelis, because together, our voices are stronger,” he said, adding, “We see each other, the destruction of Gaza and its people which must end, the Israeli hostages brutally taken in the crime of October 7th, who must be freed. 

When I look at Basel I see my brother but we are unequal. we live in a regime where I am free under civilian law but Basel has to live under military laws that destroy his life and he cannot control."

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He also made a pointed statement about the role of U.S. foreign policy in the region. 

“There is a different path. A political solution. Without ethnic supremacy, with national rights for both of our people. And I have to say, as I am here, the foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path. Why? Can’t you see that we are intertwined? That my people can be truly safe if Basel’s people are truly free and safe. There is another way. It’s not too late for life, for the living. There is no other way.”

 to take home the Oscar. Its win comes at a moment of heightened global attention on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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 in conversation with Anushka Shah, founder of Civic Studios, for an evening that traced the emotional and cultural threads running through Chadha’s body of work. Speaking to a packed room, the 

. She reflected on how diasporic memory, identity, and the feeling of “carrying your parents with you” continue to shape her filmmaking. Chadha also revealed that her film’s contemporary Scrooge is inspired by a close friend from Uganda who arrived in the UK as a refugee — a reminder, she noted, of the lived histories that underlie her stories.

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 was launched in Kochi on December 16, a little more than a week before the release of the period fantasy film. It opens with a psychologist breaking down what might be happening to Mohanlal. He wakes up one day 

 vivid dreams of living the life of a kind person from centuries ago. His son begins to worry about these visions, and the film aims to connect an event from several centuries ago to the events troubling the father-son duo in the present day. 

At the event in Kochi, Mohanlal spoke about how he hadn’t yet been involved in such a different film, and hoped the audience too would be seeing a new him in this film. Talking about taking on the role of a mentor to Samarjit Lankesh, who plays his son in the film, he added that it was simply his duty to extend the same care, love and respect to Samarji that was extended to Mohanlal by the great actors of an older generation, including Prem Nazir, Sivaji Ganesan, Rajkumar and more. 

The Telugu-Malayalam bilingual will also 

 is jointly produced by Connekkt Media and Balaji Telefilms, in association with Abishek S Vyas Studios, and is written and directed by Nanda Kishore. Kishore has previously directed Kannada films such as 

 (2014), and Kichcha Sudeep, Prakash Raj-starrer 

 (2015). His latest release was the 2021 action drama 

 starring Dhruva Sarja and Rashmika Mandanna. Mohanlal’s next release in Malayalam will be 

, which was initially set for a November release, the makers put out a note on social media, with the tagline, “The Preparations Must Be Grand.” The film will be released on December 25.

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 will premiere on Netflix on January 14, 2026, the platform has announced. 

Created by Neeraj Pandey and directed by Raghav Jairath, the series centres on the high-pressure operations of Indian customs officers tasked with intercepting smuggling activities across international airports. Hashmi’s character, Superintendent Arjun Meena, is described as “razor-sharp, calm, and calculating.” He leads a specialised customs unit dealing with contraband. Their job is to intercept everything from luxury goods concealed in everyday luggage to busting complex crime syndicates operating across borders. 

marks the first collaboration between filmmaker Neeraj Pandey and Emraan Hashmi. This is Pandey’s fourth with Netflix. He previously created two seasons of the Khakhee series. 

Pandey shared his excitement for unveiling the fascinating world of 

.  “Airports are familiar to all of us, yet what unfolds behind the scenes is rarely seen. The world of customs is not something that has been explored on screen, and that was part of the appeal in our endeavour to introduce our audiences to a new unexplored world which is quiet, disciplined, and high-pressure. With 

, we bring together an ensemble that could reflect the complexity with depth and conviction. And as always Netflix continues to be a strong partner in supporting stories that are rooted, authentic, and built for scale,” the filmmaker-creator shared. 

Reflecting on his role, Emraan Hashmi said, “Taskaree was exciting for me on many levels. It’s my first time working with Neeraj Pandey, and stepping into his world. Playing a customs officer is new territory for me, and Arjun Meena isn’t loud or flashy, he’s calm, observant, and always thinking two steps ahead. I enjoyed stepping into that space.”

Tanya Bami, Series Head at Netflix India, states the show offers “sharp and quirky tones and unpredictable twists,” filmed across four countries and multiple international airports, unpacking “an intricate smuggler’s network in classic Neeraj Pandey style.”

The series also features Sharad Kelkar, Amruta Khanvilkar, Nandish Singh Sandhu, Anurag Sinha and Zoya Afroz. 

Hashmi had previously starred in the Netflix series 

, and was noted for his hilarious cameo appearance earlier this year in The Ba***ds of Bollywood.

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Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s acclaimed drama 

has been shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Backed by Karan Johar, the film is among the 15 titles on the Oscars 2026 shortlist, from which five will advance to the final nominations, set to be announced on January 22.

With Martin Scorsese serving as an executive producer, 

stars Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa. Johar took to Instagram and wrote that he was "over the moon" with the news.

“I am not sure I can articulate how proud, elated and over the moon I am with the journey of 

. All of us @dharmamovies are privileged to have this proud and important film in our filmography. Thank you @neeraj.ghaywan for making so many dreams of ours come true. From Cannes to being on the Oscar shortlist this has been such an overwhelming journey! Love to the entire cast and crew and teams of this special special film! Upwards and onwards," Johar added.

finds itself in strong international company on the shortlist, which also includes Argentina’s 

Ghaywan also took to X to share the news and write, "We’re deeply grateful for the extraordinary love and support we've received from around the world."

The film’s story—of two friends from marginalised communities aspiring to become police officers in search of dignity and stability

is inspired by a 2020 New York Times op-ed, ‘Taking Amrit Home’, by noted writer-journalist Basharat Peer. In the next round, Academy members from all branches will be invited to watch the 15 shortlisted films to vote.

began its global journey with its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, followed by the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film was released theatrically in September.

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Saregama India Ltd, India’s oldest music label and a leading entertainment company, on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership anchored in a significant equity investment in filmmaker 

, scripting a new chapter in the Indian entertainment landscape.

As part of this partnership, Bhansali Productions will exclusively sell all its future film music to Saregama, based on a pre-agreed formula. The structure guarantees Saregama a steady pipeline of premium, marquee film music, eliminating competitive bidding, thereby securing long-term market share in new music and controlling acquisition costs. Aligned with its evolving content strategy, Saregama will gradually streamline its in-house film production activities over the next 1–2 years, focusing instead on such strategic partnerships.

Commenting on the alliance, Avarna Jain, Vice Chairperson, Saregama India Ltd, said, “This partnership underscores Saregama’s strategy of aligning with India’s finest creative minds while delivering long-term value to shareholders. Bhansali Productions’ excellence in storytelling and content creation perfectly complements our leadership in music and entertainment.”

The partnership brings together Bhansali Productions’ distinctive and unmatched cinematic storytelling with Saregama’s leadership position in Music and Live Events, setting the foundation for a next-generation media and entertainment house.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali said he has found a trusted partner in Saregama for his visionary cinematic endeavours.

“For me, powerful and meaningful cinema requires time, trust, and a deep respect for the process. In Saregama, we have found a partner that understands this philosophy. We share a deep respect for art, music, and story telling that is both grounded in tradition and resonates with audiences across generations,” Bhansali said.

Bhansali Productions has a pipeline of over 10 feature films planned over the next three years. Their upcoming release 

 and starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal; and 

, a romantic drama directed by Ravi Udyawar, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Mrunal Thakur.

Saregama and Bhansali Productions Announce Strategic Partnership

 guns for glory in the action-packed teaser for 

, a sequel to JP Dutta's beloved 1997 classic. Directed by Anurag Singh, the sequel highlights major engagements from the 1971 Indo-Pak War, spanning land, sea and sky-bound skirmishes. 

, Varun Dhawan and Ahan Shetty play the other bravehearts in what is described as a rousing tribute to the Indian armed forces. Amid guns, tanks and explosions, we get glimpses of the soldiers' personal lives, with Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh and Medha Rana playing their wives and lovers. 

Deol, as expected, looms over the enterprise, firing a rocket at enemy battalions and extolling the might of the Indian army. "Awaaz kaha tak jaani chahiye?" he thunders, to which the response comes, "Lahore tak." 

 was released on occasion of Vijay Diwas, which commemorates the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971. The film is slated to release on January 23, 2026. 

 aims to recreate the emotions and scale that made the original film a landmark. The story is expected to celebrate the heroism and unity of soldiers while adding a contemporary layer through new characters and perspectives. The film is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, J.P. Dutta and Nidhi Dutta under T-Series and J.P. Films.  Releasing ahead of the Republic Day weekend, it's is positioned as one of the biggest theatrical releases of 2026.

, was also a box-office sensation. He's the only returning actor from the original cast of 

. Incidentally, Ahan, who plays a Navy fighter in 

, is the son of Suniel Shetty, one of the leads of the 1997 film. 

The iconic song 'Sandese Aate Hai' has been recreated in

 with Sonu Nigam, Diljit Dosanjh, Vishal Mishra, and Arijit Singh reportedly lending their voices to the emotional track. 

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 is now looking ahead. After the blockbuster opening of his spy actioner 

Ranveer is prepping to begin two tentpole movies, including a classic franchise and a zombie thriller.

The actor is now expected to begin filming 

, the film, which was announced two years ago. After numerous scheduling shifts, Farhan is believed to have locked the first half of 2026 when he plans to take the film on floors. 

 Ranveer's post-apocalyptic film, tentatively titled 

, will go on floors between July and August. The film will be helmed by director Jai Mehta, who had co-directed 

 with his filmmaker-father Hansal Mehta, and then made the show 

The report quoted a source, who stated that 

 will go on floors first in  2026, after that Ranveer will deep dive into 

will focus on building the post-apocalyptic zombie thriller world of the film, which reportedly follows the protagonist's fight for survival.

According to the report, Jai will "reimagine Mumbai in 

' style set-up" for the film, with the makers aiming to recreate a devastated Mumbai setting. "Large sections of the city will be digitally aged to give it an abandoned look. Parts of the film will be shot in Mumbai, before moving to other locations," the source was quoted as saying.

Ranveer, meanwhile, is basking in the glory of 

as the Aditya Dhar directorial is on a record-breaking run. The spy thriller minted a whopping ₹31.80 crore nett on its second Monday, setting the tone for a successful second week. In its first week, the film had collected ₹218.00 crore and then went on to record a second weekend of ₹146.60 crore. The 11-day total of the film stands at  ₹396.40 crore nett (India).

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India’s Union ministry of information and broadcasting has denied screening permission to 19 films at the 2025 

International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK)

, prompting criticism from festival organisers and filmmakers who describe the move as unprecedented in the event’s history.

The festival, underway in Thiruvananthapuram from December 12 to 19, was forced to cancel multiple screenings after exemptions were withheld for a group of films spanning continents, eras and political contexts. Among the titles affected were several Palestinian works, including 

, Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 Soviet classic, widely regarded as foundational to modern film language and celebrated globally this year on its centenary.

Although films screened at festivals are not required to obtain censor certification, they must receive an exemption from the ministry. Organisers say that while individual films have faced objections in the past, this is the first time such a large number of films have been blocked simultaneously, throwing the programme into disarray.

Cuckoo Parameswaran, vice-chairperson of IFFK, told reporters that the decision had logistical and financial consequences for attendees. “187 movies were sent to the I&B ministry for exemption. We did not get approval yet for 19 movies. There are many people who took flight tickets and registered for IFFK to come here. This creates a lot of issues,” 

said, adding that nine screenings were cancelled on December 15 alone.

, Sandhya Suri’s internationally acclaimed film examining caste hierarchies, which premiered at Cannes and has yet to receive an Indian theatrical release. Suri is serving as a jury member at the festival this year. The Spanish film 

, which traces the life of a rising rap artist and bears no political connection to its title, was also among those denied permission.

 by Mauritanian filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, who is being honoured with a lifetime achievement award at this edition of IFFK, as well as films previously screened at the festival, such as 

Veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan criticised the decision, calling it an act of cultural illiteracy. “All these movies are very important movies in the history of cinema. If they say it cannot be screened then that is because of ignorance,” he told reporters. “

 can be considered a textbook to study cinema. The authorities should reconsider this decision.”

The ministry has not yet issued a public explanation for the refusals.

Centre Blocks 19 Films at Kerala Film Festival, Including Palestine Titles and Cinema Classic 'Battleship Potemkin'

was released on December 15, giving audiences a glimpse of the unpredictable, frenetic nature of the philosophical actioner. The film, co-starring 

, and Raj B Shetty, revolves around an event that changes all their lives. "There's a day you're born and the day you die. Life is just a dash in between these two dates," we're told in the voiceover, as the tightly cut trailer then shows us these three pivotal characters whose lives are intertwined. While Raj B. Shetty appears to play an innocent civilian caught in a chaotic circus, Shiva Rajkumar and Upendra's roles seem to have a touch of surrealism. 

The film is written and directed by Arjun Janya and will be out in theatres on December 25. 

Produced by Ramesh Reddy under the Suraj Productions banner, it features Satya Hegde as the cinematographer. Upendra was last seen in the 

, alongside Ram Pothineni, while Shiva Rajkumar was seen in 

 (2024). Raj B Shetty, on the other hand, comes fresh off the success of 

 in the wake of the film’s soaring success, Shetty opened up about the evolving landscape of Kannada cinema and the urgent need for homegrown films that the audience appreciates. “We need Kannada films that will pull people to the theatres,” he said, indicating that the industry hasn’t had the smoothest run this year.

He recalled the initial hesitation from distributors. “They told me clearly; don’t release it on the 25th, there are bigger films from other languages coming out. But I told them I’ll try. For me, the first week was a trial,” Shetty shared. “The first day we had 70 shows in Bangalore. Second day? 180. By the third day, we hit 340 shows. On Sunday, they started opening 6 PM shows because they just couldn’t accommodate any more demand. Now

 is one of the biggest films in Bengaluru.”

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, being a parent to grown-up children comes with a particular kind of helplessness. Watching them stumble, he admits, is often harder than stepping in to fix things. “For parents, I think one of the hardest things is to watch your kids struggle. You want to say, ‘Forget it. I can fix this for you’,” he says. 

But over time, he has had to make peace with the fact that he can’t. “It’s been a process for me, understanding that I can’t fix everything. They need to have their own struggles and their own challenges.”

Asked how much he’s able to distance himself from 

 journeys, especially given how unforgiving the film industry can be, Khan is honest. “I can’t really distance myself,” he says. A line shared by a friend has stayed with him. “You can only be as happy as your least happy child,” he says. 

He speaks warmly about Sara’s life outside films, mentioning that she’s back at Columbia University and is currently in New York. “She’s in the library, she watched a good play yesterday. I’d love to encourage that side of life apart from the stress of movies.” Acting, he believes, should be approached as a craft, not a competition. “All too often, it becomes stressful and competitive,” he says, adding that it’s something he actively tries to guide his children away from.

With Ibrahim, Khan often talks about visibility. “I keep trying to say something about appearances,” he explains, noting how constant public exposure can dilute mystery. “It’s very old-school to say I should only see you on screen, but every time you go out, you’re recorded.” 

He also admits to something many parents quietly fear. “There’s this scary idea that it won’t be perfect for everyone. If every child has a good school, good college, good job, happy life, that would be a dream. But there might be some rocks in the road for some of them.”

Watch the full interview with Saif Ali Khan on our 

Saif Ali Khan on Parenting Sara and Ibrahim: 'You Can Only Be As Happy As Your Least Happy Child'

The beginning of the year was anything but easy for 

. A break-in at his home left the actor injured, placing him in a situation that could have permanently altered his life. Asked whether surviving a 

 fundamentally changed him as a person or an artist, Khan says, “No, not really. I think I’ve always been aware of some of these things.”

He draws a parallel to the questions he was asked during the pandemic. “People asked me during COVID, ‘Have you changed? Do you have a different outlook?’ And after this incident as well… no, not really. I can’t say I’ve had some kind of epiphany or that I now suddenly know what’s important,” he says.

What the experience did leave him with, however, is a sharper awareness of how close he came to lasting damage. “I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to have gotten away with it the way I did. It was very close,” he admits. The injury, he explains, narrowly missed his spinal cord. “There was a nick there, and that could have led to paralysis. I had lost feeling in my leg for a while.” That brief brush with immobility lingers. “The concept of being bedridden forever or being paralysed is frightening. It still frightens me,” he says.

Khan doesn’t frame the experience as a transformation, but as gratitude. “I’m appreciative that I’m healthy. That keeps me grateful,” he says, adding that the incident may have “accentuated it slightly” without revealing anything new to him. “I’ve always known every day is a blessing. I’ve always lived a certain way, knowing that it’s a privilege to even go through life the way we do.” 

Even ambition, he suggests, exists within that awareness. “My life itself, even though I have aspirations and sometimes fall short or achieve things, is still an incredible privilege. I’m massively lucky anyway,” he says.

With a smile, he adds, “I get the feeling that I have nine lives. Having said that, I might be gone tomorrow.”

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 has signed on to a new film that he admits he can’t fully talk about yet. “It’s a biopic and it’s Bengali, which is a bad clue because it sounds much more regional than it is. There will be a bit of a Bengali accent,” and adds that its something he’s looking forward to figuring out.

What excites him most isn’t the label, but the process. “I’m not doing anything for three months except figuring that out,” he says. For an actor who often juggles packed schedules, that kind of uninterrupted preparation feels rare. “I’m very excited to prep and really get into it. To understand why you’re saying what you’re saying. I just got the line, now I have to understand it,” he adds.

When asked about the last time he felt he truly put in that kind of work, he doesn’t single out a recent film. “I think I’ve worked hard on all of them. Whether it shows or whether it doesn’t,” he admits. Still, he admits that projects allowing deep preparation have been few and far between. “Maybe 

 was the last thing we prepped that way. That was a long time ago,” he says.

Over the years, Khan says his understanding of effort has shifted. “Sometimes I feel you can work too hard at the wrong thing,” he says. Long hours, travel, and exhaustion don’t always translate into meaningful work. “You spend ages, you bleed all your blood out, and it doesn’t go anywhere. It’s heartbreaking.”

What he values now is focus. “More concentrated work with sharp directors who don’t exhaust you. Nine to six, rock and roll, and you’ve done something amazing,” he says, That, for him, is real work. “You’ve sweated a bit, but it’s not wasted,” he adds.

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Move over superheroes and song-and-dance spectacles. In a refreshingly sinister turn, this year will perhaps be remembered as the year India swept its hair back, offered up her neck and said, “Fine, go on then — take a bite.”

Vampires have always been everywhere. But curiously, India has somehow remained a strangely reluctant host to bloodsuckers. We opened the door, peered out, shrugged and went back to watching family melodramas.

Sure, there were early attempts. In 1989, Bengal gave us 

, featuring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Moon Moon Sen, heavily reliant on earnest gazes and a very tired fog machine. A year later, the Ramsay Brothers graced us with 

, a B-grade sex-slave horror oddity where the vampire was named Nevla. Yes, mongoose. This one specialised in biting young women to spread his evil seed, because the Ramsays never met a metaphor they couldn’t make slightly uncomfortable.

And then… silence. Decades passed, during which Indian cinema flirted with the vampire myth the way filmy heroes flirt with heroines — lots of circling, very little commitment. A Malayalam film titled 

staggered onto screens in 2013. Bengal tried again with 

 in 2020. Then there was the Netflix show 

 in 2023, but none of these quite pierced the jugular of the zeitgeist. An awkward scratch rather than a seductive bite. India, it seemed, just didn’t have the neck for vampires.

 technically arrived last year, but its India release in early 2025 set the mood — a bit of German Expressionism and a lot of eyeliner. Then came 

, and overnight, the undead and the uncanny were once again coursing in the cultural bloodstream, strolling through trend pieces, and on X threads.

This is the moment when the Internet announces that vampire movies spike during recessions. Or that zombies flourish under Republican governments while vampires bloom under Democrats. These theories have charts. They have graphs. They have earnest young people explaining them in Reels. They are delightful and entirely useless when trying to understand why India, all at once, developed an appetite for the fang and the femme.

What is more helpful is to simply look at what has been happening on our screens. For the years since the Covid-19 pandemic, the theatrical space has been a sweaty, booming showcase of hypermasculinity. 

(all in 2023) showed that a certain kind of brawny cinema could flatten everything in its path. The trend picked up steam, and 

 followed in 2024. In that climate, anything stranger or led by women didn’t stand a chance — 

, for all its sleek action and ambition, was dead on arrival. 

Something shifted this year. A parallel movement slipped in. 

Rashmika Mandanna’s toothy theatrics in 

. Add to that Rukmini Vasanth’s occult charge in 

 — not a vampire film, but fluent in spell work — and suddenly you had a constellation of women who were more terrifying, more interesting, and more unapologetically feral than the bulky men on the marquee.

Squint at the rise of vampire films and you can almost see a cultural argument about who’s allowed to be monstrous now. As post-pandemic cinema doubled down on testosterone, the monstrous feminine crept in as aesthetic insurgency.

— but the scale is. These women refuse patriarchal legibility. They irritate, seduce, weaponise. The monster isn’t the point; the reclamation is. In 2025, monstrous women don’t soften. They stomp in, leave claw marks, and demand attention. Glorious.

Here’s taking a closer look at each one of them.

Apte’s Uma is the kind of woman your mother warned you about and your inner gremlin immediately roots for. 

 begins with the familiar tableau of an arranged marriage — nice girl, nice boy, nice suffocation — and twists it until something feral slithers out.

A tale about repressed sexuality, taboo longing, and all the desires we’ve spent decades training women to swallow politely. Uma simply wants to have sex with her husband; he doesn’t. Left alone, starved of connection, she becomes ripe for metamorphosis. The audience is invited to witness Uma’s hunger, her flesh-eating rebellion, and by the end, to become complicit in it.

 is technically a launching pad for a Malayalam superhero universe. The magic is in 

’s strange, shimmering presence as Chandra. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill “chosen one” plot. Dominic Arun (with co-writer Santhy Balachandran) fuses Kerala folklore with kickass action, giving Chandra a mythic energy that doesn’t become a cliché. Films of this scale often saddle their women with tragic-sacrifice arcs, but Chandra is power incarnate.

She is not here to prop up anyone else’s heroism. She’s flattening local goons in a parking lot fight that drains the testosterone out of the frame. Swathed in reds — hair, jacket, the electric glow that trails her — she becomes the film’s feminist antithesis to every mansplaining, posturing male around her. Chandra is part goddess, part avenger, part folklore. She’s the threat men never see coming until they’re on the floor.

is what happens when a big-budget mainstream entertainer flirts with vampire lore and then promptly fumbles it in favour of a mushy romantic arc. And yet, Mandanna as Tadaka does her best to sink her teeth into the role with wide-eyed abandon. The film itself has enough ideas to power three franchises but forgets to pursue any. Hidden inside its forest of cloaked vampires is a genuinely compelling conceit: vampirism as the short- hand for outsiders; the unwanted, the unseen, the communities pushed to the edges.

There’s an ambitious backstory too: these undead once tried to help humans, only to retreat after witnessing the brutality our species was capable of. Mandanna wraps Tadaka’s loneliness in her myth — an exile within an exiled people. Like Chandra and Uma, she strains against the limits of her world. The romance may be flimsy, but her choice still matters. Because this isn’t a B- grade horror sideshow; this is a Diwali-day mainstream release, a slot once reserved for the Khans. And here, at the centre of the spectacle, stands a woman reclaiming her agency, fangs and all. 

To read more exclusive stories from The Hollywood Reporter India's December 2025 print issue, pick up a copy of the magazine from your nearest book store or newspaper stand.

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Heterosexuals are really fraught. Their desires are mapped onto their gender privilege or lack thereof, so every act of penetrative sex can be framed as un-feminist, the man, literally, invading the woman, but because it is desire, and because the loins throb with a logic that the brain often cannot keep up with, this disjunction is left for the ‘political lesbians’ to debate and deal with. 

Writer-director Jeo Baby, who previously unmasked the gruelling and cumulative violence of heterosexual marriage in 

 and the tender dysfunction of queerness in a rabidly surveilled heterosexual world in 

, now wants to take a stab at open marriages. 

The problem is men, a man, really—Adarsh (Baby, himself), a graphic designer who works from home, fielding calls from clients, masturbating to his own erotic etchings. If as director Sanjay Leela Bhansali notes, the top shot is god’s view of the world, Baby’s god is a pervert. The first half of the film largely takes place through top shots of different beds in post coital hush. 

At first, Adarsh is masturbating. Then, Adarsh is in bed with a woman who, rambling and reluctant, brings up Maria (Divya Prabha), Adarsh’s wife. Maria knows about Adarsh’s affair, but the woman is unsure of how she will behave if they meet publicly. Adarsh swats her soft anxieties with his hard certainty. He seems to walk through the world knowing exactly what he wants—of himself, but as we grow to see, of others, too. 

The chronology is important here. Adarsh first pursued his affair. And then, he confronted his wife with it, opening up the marriage, because Adarsh, and perhaps, humans, but mostly men, and certainly this man is not made for monogamy. Maria concedes. Infidelity and open marriages are different, but here, the film tries to collapse these two. So far, so male. 

In the following scene, we see Maria in bed with Siddharth (Jitin Puthanchery), where his wife Farzana and his guilt is brought up. Farzana does not know about Siddharth’s affair. They have a child together, and their top shots are not post-coital, but with the child in between—this god is not a pervert, but a tender observer. 

The film turns on its head when Adarsh proposes a threesome with Maria and Siddharth. Maria, initially reluctant, agrees, but the image of his wife being eaten out by another man, not to mention Siddharth’s greater stamina, makes Adarsh spiral. The male instinct to thumb down competition kicks in. Siddharth’s exploits are not shown graphically or at all, framed through blurs or blocked foregrounds or brought up later in conversations—so many conversations, all sound and fury signifying nothing, to the point of verbal diarrhoea, the emotional riptide flattened out. The point is not Divya being pleasured; the point is Adarsh being ruined by this pleasure. Perhaps the top shot is the best visual language to give expression to this flat world, where there is no foreground—everything is distant, everything is background.

Obsessed with the aftermath of desire, the film forgets to stage desire itself, as though it is resolved. But it isn’t—to show the aftermath of desire, you must show what is at stake, the desire itself. The film wants to see Maria as a victim of Adarsh—literally, meaning principles—taking her side, without inhabiting her desire, because it is easier to apportion blame to him than to burn alongside her. Why does she stay with Adarsh after he cheats on her? Why is she drawn to him? 

I refuse to take a film seriously when it insists on how desire corrodes life, when it cannot or refuses to stage desire’s imbuing of life with pleasure, pleasure that upturns our received notions of self, dignity, and even desire. Desire is merely what is comprehended from conversations. 

turns desire into a man-ifesto, the way it turns feelings into words, because it is easier to poke at manifestos than fuller, realised lives. The film, though, breathes beautifully in the smaller details, the way Maria tries to retrieve a phone that is stuck between her and Adarsh as they are trying to cuddle, the small, charming idiosyncrasies of modern life; the way Adarsh keeps switching sides of the bed, unlike most people who prefer one side. 

Speak to anyone in open relationships and the one thing they will say is over-communicate. Every itch of the body needs to be accounted for, because it might grow into a scab that devours the body. In 

the over-communication is essentially Maria placating Adarsh—that she loves him, that he was the one who decided to open up the marriage, that then, she should not be held responsible for pursuing and feeling pleasure, and perhaps, (and this goes unsaid) greater pleasure from another man. These conversations, initially pointed, because recklessly repetitive, to a point of exhaustion. The circling around the same wound without really scrubbing it clean makes the film seem like it has run out of tricks. 

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