When such movies connect, they often do so on a massive scale: Hindi cinema lovers of the 1970s will remember the resonance created by Jai Santoshi Maa (1975) and Shirdi Ke Sai Baba (1977). …
Rajiv Vijayakar
Rajiv Vijayakar
Rajiv Vijayakar is the Entertainment Editor at South Asian Herald. He has been a journalist and critic for over 25 years and was part of the National Film Awards Jury in India in 2011 and 2015. He has authored four books, the latest of which, “Music by Laxmikant Pyarelal,” won the National Award for Best Book on Cinema in 2021. He also was on the 2025 jury for choosing the Indian entry for the Oscars.
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Web Review: Operation Safed Sagar a Penetrating Insight Into the Kargil War
by Rajiv Vijayakar 6 minutes readWhen it happened in 1999, it was the height of treachery from the neighboring country. This stunning series opens the curtains on the pathological hatred of individuals in that rogue …
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Yash Expounds on Toxic: A Fairy Take for Grown-Ups, His Co-Stars, the Delays and More as Release Countdown Begins
by Rajiv Vijayakar 6 minutes readWith just eight days to go for Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups to hit cinemas, the makers have officially kickstarted the countdown to the film’s worldwide release on August 26. Sharing …
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Film Review: Does Awarapan 2 Confirm That the Dark Hero is the New Box-Office Dependable?
by Rajiv Vijayakar 6 minutes readA look at the 2025-2026 scenario shows clearly that, besides the Dhurandhar franchise, the films that have truly done great business are almost always multi-star films, nationalistic movies, comedies and horror comedies. …
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Film Review: Batwara 1947 is Heart-Tugging Saga on Humanity Rather Than on Partition
by Rajiv Vijayakar 6 minutes readThis year, we have seen Ikkis and Main Wapas Aaunga on the traumas of Partition. They were very personal for the protagonists and endeared us to their issues. But the films were probably rejected …
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Lokesh Kanagaraj is a writer-director of a decade’s standing. He has also made cameo appearances in a few films. But now he chooses to make a lead debut, and what …
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On the eve of the release of Aamir Khan’s production, Batwara 1947 we got a rapid-fire with Preity Zinta, who makes a comeback with the film after a gap of seven years. …
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Web Review: Amar Vishwas is Twisted Thriller That Could Have Been Crisper
by Rajiv Vijayakar 3 minutes readA convoluted murder mystery, Amar Vishwas (named after the hero, who like all crime-connected forces, has a traumatic backstory!) is about a lawyer who decides to investigate on his own when he …
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3-Day Global Celebration of Marathi Cinema in the US
by Rajiv Vijayakar 3 minutes readThe 3rd NAFA (North American Film Association) International Film Festival, organized in association with the Government of Maharashtra, is being held in San Jose, California, from August 7-9. The 2026 …
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Film Review: Ohh My Dog Is an Uplifting Love Story Between Humans and Their Best Friend, a Dog
by Rajiv Vijayakar 5 minutes readIt’s a canine carnival. The versatile writer-filmmaker, Amit Rai, who gave us Road to Sangam in 2010, I-Pad in 2015 and above all, the super successful OMG 2 in 2022, treks into another terrain—love between humans …