Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

‘Farray’ Review: Imaginative, intelligent and features a starmaking performance from Alizeh

Farray opens in cinemas today on November 24.

‘Farray’ Review: Imaginative, intelligent and features a starmaking performance from Alizeh

Jamtara director Soumendra Padhiis back to woo audiences with yet another intriguing tale in his new film Farray, which translates to chits. It is based on the Thai film Bad Genius, which in turn was inspired by true-life events.

Farray has been in the news for quite some time now as it marks the acting debut of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s niece Alizeh and also features newcomers Zeyn Shaw, Prasanna Bisht, and Shahil Mehta in principal roles.


Set in Delhi, Farray follows four students at one of the most reputed schools in India. One of them is Niyati Singh (Alizeh Agnihotri) who has been raised in an all-girl orphanage by its warden (Ronit Roy) and his wife Zoya (Juhi Babbar Soni) and the other, Akash (Sahil Mehta) does a part-time job as a food delivery guy to support his education and his single mother who irons clothes to earn her bread and better. Their lives take an unexpected turn when exam topper Niyati is pulled into a cheating racket by her wealthier classmates Chavi (Prasanna Bisht) and Pratik (Zeyn Shaw). What happens next forms the crux of the story.

Director Soumendra Padhi, who has previously made Budhia Singh: Born To Run and Jamtara, once again succeeds in telling an impactful story about dreams and ambitions, while also focusing on the class divide without going overboard. He keeps his storytelling simple but, at the same time, highly engrossing.

Talking about performances, debutante Alizeh looks extremely confident in front of the camera and shines in the role of Niyati. She portrays her character’s strengths and vulnerabilities with panache. The newcomer trained rigorously before starting shooting for the film and that shows in every scene. In fact, there are a few scenes in the film where she outshines an established actor like Ronit Roy. In a nutshell, director Padhi brings out a star-making performance from Alizeh. Sahil Mehta also delivers a commendable performance. He looks the part, never forgets the pulse of his character, and impresses you with his acting chops. Zeyn Shaw and Prasanna Bist are perfectly cast as rich students who believe they can buy anything with their money. Bisht gets more screen time than Shaw and she utilises every second of it to her advantage. Ronit Roy and Juhi Babbar are perfect as the guiding forces in Niyati’s life. I am going with 4 stars.

Farray opens in cinemas on November 24.

More For You

BTS

BTS attend Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2020

Getty Images

BTS confirm 2026 comeback with new album and world tour after completing military service

Quick highlights:

• BTS will release a new group album in spring 2026, followed by a world tour.
• All seven members have now completed South Korea’s mandatory military service.
• The announcement was made during their 1 July livestream, their first group appearance since 2022.
• The band will begin regrouping in the U.S. this month to start production.

BTS have officially confirmed their long-anticipated comeback. The global K-pop phenomenon announced that a new group album will be released in spring 2026, alongside a worldwide tour, marking their first full-group activity since 2022.

Keep ReadingShow less
south asian cinema

Raw, grounded, and impossible to ignore; these films captured the year’s deepest emotions

Youtube Screengrabs

Top 10 South Asian films from 2025 that hit harder than expected

Quick highlights:

  • These 10 films weren’t just hits; they started conversations and held up a mirror
  • Malayalam cinema leads the list, with 4 standout films pushing boundaries
  • Stories tackle caste, grief, gender, and class without sugar-coating
  • From indie gems to box office smashes, they prove truth sells too

Some films punch you in the gut. Others sit quietly with you after the credits roll, refusing to leave. This year, South Asian cinema has delivered both, and more. It hasn't been about larger-than-life heroes or formula plots. It's been about discomfort. Tenderness. Grief. Guts. From sun-drenched fields in rural Maharashtra to gritty courtrooms in Kerala, filmmakers across the region are telling stories with a kind of bravery that feels new and honestly overdue.

Here’s a list of 10 films from 2025 that haven’t just made money but also moved people. If you haven't seen these yet, fix that.

Keep ReadingShow less
Diddy trial

Jury reaches partial verdict in Diddy trial but stalls on racketeering charge

Getty Images

Sean Diddy Combs trial sees jury deadlock on racketeering as verdict reached on sex trafficking charges

Quick highlights:

• Jury reaches verdict on 4 out of 5 charges in Sean Combs’ federal trial

• No consensus yet on racketeering conspiracy charge carrying life sentence

Keep ReadingShow less
Rachel Zegler’s ‘Evita’ Performance Sparks Broadway Buzz

Rachel Zegler stuns in Jamie Lloyd’s Evita as Palladium crowds grow nightly

Instagram/officialevita

Rachel Zegler shines in Jamie Lloyd’s ‘Evita’ as West End hit eyes Broadway transfer

Quick highlights:

  • Rachel Zegler plays Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s radical Evita revival at the London Palladium.
  • A viral moment features Zegler singing live from the theatre’s balcony to crowds on the street.
  • Lloyd’s stripped-down staging amps up visuals and sound but sacrifices storytelling depth.
  • Talks are on for a Broadway transfer as early as 2026 with Zegler confirmed to reprise her role.

Rachel Zegler commands the London stage as Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s daring reimagining of Evita, a production that trades subtlety for spectacle and could soon be heading to Broadway.

Following the success of Sunset Boulevard, Lloyd’s signature stripped-down style meets rock concert intensity in this revived version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical. Zegler, in only her second major stage role, dazzles with commanding vocals and presence, even as critics debate the show’s dramatic clarity.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ramayana

Fans await Ramayana teaser as early reviews spark buzz online

Instagram/iamnamitmalhotra

‘Ramayana’ first exclusive review calls Ranbir Kapoor's film a visual spectacle for generations

Quick highlights:

  • First glimpse of Ramayana to release on 3 July; teaser is three minutes long.
  • Taran Adarsh calls it “a film for generations,” praises vision and visuals.
  • Ranbir Kapoor leads as Lord Ram, alongside Sai Pallavi and Yash.
  • The film is split into two parts: Diwali 2026 and Diwali 2027 releases confirmed.

Nitesh Tiwari’s much-awaited cinematic adaptation of Ramayana is finally ready to be unveiled. The first official glimpse of the mythological epic drops on 3 July, but even before its release, early reactions are adding to the anticipation.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh, who got an exclusive preview of the three-minute teaser and an extended seven-minute vision reel, has described the film as “a timeless saga” that will not only captivate today’s audience but also resonate with generations to come.

Keep ReadingShow less