‘Maa’: An Atmospheric Watch that Delivers Chills in Flashes
By Dhaval Roy Story: After her husband’s sudden death in his hometown of Chandarpur, West Bengal, Ambika (Kajol) returns to his ancestral haveli to sell it. But the village is plagued by a demonic curse—and demands the sacrifice of her daughter Shweta (Kherin Sharma) to end it. Will the mother save her child? Review: The film opens […]
‘Sitaare Zameen Par’: Wholesome & Feel Good
By Dhaval Roy Story: Gulshan Arora (Aamir Khan) is a brash basketball coach suspended for punching the head coach and facing a jail term for drunk driving. Instead, he is sentenced to community service — training a team of players with intellectual disabilities to compete in a national basketball tournament. As he coaches them, he embarks […]
‘Housefull 5’: Mistakes Noise for Humor
By Renuka Vyavahare Story: The death of an ageing billionaire (Ranjeet) on his luxury cruise brings chaos to the lives of those aboard the ship. His will names his son ‘Jolly’, as an heir to his property. Chaos turns into frenzy when three Jollys (Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh) show up to claim the wealth. If the […]
World Bindi Day Hosts Inaugural Bindi Cultural Fashion Show
HOUSTON: On a vibrant Saturday evening at the sacred grounds of ISKCON Temple Houston, colors, culture, and consciousness converged in a dazzling debut event — the Bindi Cultural Fashion Show 2025, hosted by the nonprofit organization World Bindi Day. With all tickets sold out days in advance, the event drew an enthusiastic and diverse crowd […]
Whodunit in H Town: Book Talk by Mystery Writer Nev March
By Zubeen Mehta HOUSTON: Neither the notorious Houston traffic nor the threat of severe thunderstorms stayed the fans of Nev March (aka Nawaz Merchant) from showing up at the iconic Murder by the Book store on Bissonnet on Friday, May 30th 2025, to meet the award-winning author of historical mysteries. She was to talk about […]
Sister Midnight Movie Review : Amid the Chaos of a Surreal, Plotless Experiment, Radhika Apte Stands Tall
By Abhishek Srivastava Story: Uma, a headstrong small-town woman, moves to Mumbai after an arranged marriage but feels out of place. Restless and trapped, she undergoes a wild transformation that breaks society’s rules. Review: ‘Sister Midnight’ is one of those films that’s hard to describe without resorting to words like “bizarre,” “surreal,” or simply “what did I […]
Samskriti’s 30th Anniversary Gala Celebrates Culture, Legacy, and Community
HOUSTON: Samskriti’s 30th anniversary gala, held on May 9 at the Junior League of Houston, was a resounding success — a celebration that honored three decades of dedication to promoting Indian performing arts in the United States, and a testament to Samskriti’s enduring commitment to cultural preservation and innovation. True to its mission of bridging […]
‘Bhool Chuk Maaf’ : There’s Meaning to this Madness on Repeat
By Renuka Vyavahare Story: Both hopeless romantics, Ranjan (Rajkummar Rao) and Titli (Wamiqa Gabbi) are desperate to get married. When they pull all the strings to make it happen, Ranjan finds himself stuck in a time loop. He keeps waking up on the same day — a day prior to his wedding day. Review: Bhool Chuk Maaf’s […]
ARISI from Samskriti: RICE — A Unique and Delectable Visual Feast
HOUSTON: Rice, Grains of Life, the staple food in many South Asian countries, and the ‘Master Chef’ was Aravinth Kumarasamy, Artistic Director of Apsaras Arts Foundation, Singapore. And serving this delectable fare to Houstonians was Samskriti, the organization that had brought ARISI to the city, in celebration of its 30th anniversary. ARISI was an unusual […]
Indian Consulate Hosts Curtain Raiser for International Day of Yoga 2025
HOUSTON: A curtain raiser event in the run-up to the International Day of Yoga 2025 was held last week. The event was attended by members of Yoga and Diaspora organizations that are organising events separately and also partnering with the India in USA (Consulate General of India, Houston) events to observe 11th International Day of […]
Tagore Center Foundation’s 2025 Spring Festival Delights with “A Latin Flair”
HOUSTON: The Tagore Center Foundation, in proud collaboration with ALMAAHH (Advocates of a Latino Museum of Cultural and Visual Arts & Archive Complex in Houston, Harris County), hosted its highly anticipated 2025 Spring Festival on Saturday, May 10, from 6 to 8 PM. This year’s theme, A Latin Flair, celebrated the vibrant cultural connections between […]
‘Raid 2’ : A Faithful Sequel that Wallows in Self-admiration
By Renuka Vyavahare Story: Raid 2 follows the return of fiercely honest and incorruptible IRS officer Amay Patnaik (Ajay Devgn), as he goes after yet another powerful nemesis — Dadabhai (Riteish Deshmukh), who’s a snake in the garb of a saint. Review: Relentless Patnaik (Devgn) is a thorn in the lives of the corrupt. He is the […]
‘Ground Zero’ : Emraan Hashmi Shines in Gripping Real-life BSF Saga
By Dhaval Roy Story: The film follows the true story of BSF officer Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey (Emraan Hashmi) as he spearheaded a daring operation to kill Ghazi Baba (Rockey Raina), the Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist and the mastermind behind the Parliament Attack in 2001. Review: Movies centred on foiled terrorist plots or the capture of militants often deliver […]
Another Grand Vaisakhi Mela Brings the House Down!
STAFFORD: Riding on the heels of two years of successful and widely attended events, this year’s Grand Vaisakhi Mela was much anticipated by the local community, especially since the same team – the Punjabi Cultural Society of Greater Houston – brought it together this past Saturday, April 19, with the energetic Jasmeeta Singh once again […]
‘Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins’: A Slick Thriller with High-Stakes Entertainment
By Dhaval Roy Story: A notorious crime lord and master jewel thief attempt to steal the world’s most elusive African diamond, the Red Sun. However, the perfectly-planned heist spirals out of control, as loyalties shift and a dangerous web of deception and betrayal turns the high-stakes mission into a deadly game. Review: Jewel Thief follows a conman, Rehan […]
Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh
By Dhaval Roy Review: The conflict shifts from the battleground of Saragarhi in Kesari (2019) to the courtroom in director Karan Singh Tyagi’s historical drama. Inspired by The Case That Shook the Empire by C. Sankaran Nair’s grandson Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat, writers Tyagi and Amritpal Bindra evoke pathos, anger, and thrill in equal measure through their narrative. […]
‘Jaat’ : Brutal, Bloody, and Built for Deol Fans
By Archika Khurana Story: In a remote coastal village, ruthless criminal Ranatunga rules by fear. When a mysterious stranger confronts his men, he uncovers the villagers’ torment. Determined to end the tyranny, he takes a stand—can he bring justice to the oppressed? Review: Gopichand Malineni’s Jaat, marking his Hindi directorial debut, is an unabashedly loud, hero-driven spectacle […]
Introducing Hidden Ridge Productions’ Sanatan Kadakia
Getting to know the new Executive Producer, Sanatan Kadakia of Hidden Ridge Productions with some of the biggest projects in drama, horror, and thriller genre. Sanatan Kadakia of Hidden Ridge Productions has invested in six feature films, a documentary, and has joined the Broadway team “The Last Five Years” as an investor which stars Tony […]
‘Tumko Meri Kasam’ : This Stirring Story Could Have Soared with Sharper Execution
By Dhaval Roy Story: A fertility specialist’s life is upended when he is accused of attempted murder. The courtroom drama chronicles his journey as a pioneer in IVF treatment while simultaneously questioning whether he will emerge unscathed from the legal battle that threatens to destroy his legacy. Review: What happens when someone revered for bringing […]
‘Sikandar’: Let Down by a Weak Plot and a Tedious Narrative
By Dhaval Roy Story: The king of Rajkot takes on a powerful minister and embarks on a mission to protect the recipients of his late wife’s organs—preserving her memory at all costs. Review: Sanjay Rajkot (Salman Khan), the generous and courageous king of Rajkot, is fondly known as Sikandar or Raja saab by his people. His clash […]
