Hindi
Not so bossy after all
MUMBAI: Boss reminds you of a brand of hand mixer of the same name. It is a blend of similar films from 1970s and 80s with two brothers, a principled father and a misunderstanding where brothers are parted. Traditionally, one takes the illegal route while the other is the father’s blue-eyed boy. The brothers come together to prove blood is thicker than water a decade and a half later. How is the film contemporary? In those days, a mother slapped her elder one and threw him out, here it is done by the father; the hero does not have a childhood sweetheart pining and waiting for him to return; the music is louder and lyrics make no sense most of the time and mainly, the fight is over the villain’s sister.
The film starts in an old-fashioned way, trying to set the pace of the film with action by various artistes for the first 40 minutes before it introduces Akshay Kumar with yet another action sequence, a greedy one because it refuses to end! The only action hero of yore who does not have a fight scene is Mithun Chakraborty.
Akshay Kumar, who has been banished from his home in Banaras by his father, Mithun, ends up in Haryana in nick of time to save the local don and Big Boss, Danny. Seeing honesty mixed with anger in the young lad, Danny takes him under his wing to make him his heir, and names him Boss. Big Boss’s front is as the owner of a transport fleet but otherwise he is a supari contractor. On the other side is a policeman, Ronit Roy, who wants to be the commissioner of police and to achieve this, he handles the dirty deals department for the wannabe CM, Govind Namdeo.
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Producer: Ashwin Warde
Director: Anthony DSouza. Cast: Akshay Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Danny Denzongpa, Ronit Roy, Shiv Pandit, Aditi Rao Hydari, Johny Lever, Parikshit Sahni, Govind Namdeo, Sanjay Mishra |
It is time to work on a family story and to absolve Akshay of his childhood act which led to his ouster from home. Akshay’s kid brother, Shiv Pandit, is romancing Aditi Rao Hydari, the sister of Ronit. Ronit wants her to marry Namdeo’s son in exchange for the Commissioner’s post. Namdeo wants an outsider to kill Shiv so fingers don’t point at him. The contract to kill him is given to Akshay. At the same time, Mithun gives a contract to save Shiv to Akshay. The brothers combine to foil all the evil plans of the villains through expected twists and turns with no pretence of logic or justification. It is supposed to be old-fashioned entertainment after all!
A remake of the 2010 Malayalam movie, Pokkiri Raja, the film maintains its south flavour in treatment and even the choice of fighters and junior artistes. It also sticks to south style of action and stunts which is too much in vogue with Hindi films lately. Action and light banter of Akshay is what the film counts on to entertain the viewers. Direction is fair. The photography is good. Some one-liners are funny, some flat. Music is a lot of noisy stuff which makes following the lyrics tough. Akshay is his usual self in the roles he plays on regular basis now; a carefree character with unbeatable energy and fighting power. Shiv gets scope to showcase his action prowess and also his romantic side. Aditi Rao Hydari is okay. Mithun seems miscast in an Alokenath kind of role. Parikshit Sahani’s presence in the film is unexplained since he just has to hang around Mithun. It is nice to see Danny on screen after a long time. Ronit makes a perfect villain against Akshay. Johny Lever and Sanjay Mishra are okay with their comic input. Govind Namdeo is the usual villain like his many such roles before.
Hindi
Shekhar Suman opens acting academy in Mumbai
The veteran actor-presenter launches SSFA, promising immersive, mentorship-led training for aspiring actors and storytellers
Mumbai: Forty years in front of the camera, and Shekhar Suman still isn’t done. The actor, host, writer and director, one of Indian entertainment’s most restless polymaths, is now training his sights on the next generation, launching the Shekhar Suman Film Academy (SSFA) in Mumbai on 22nd April 2026. Registrations for the inaugural batch are already open.
SSFA pitches itself squarely against formula-driven acting schools, leading with an intensive three-month programme that Suman says he personally designed and will largely conduct himself. The curriculum blends voice and speech work, emotional access, body awareness and camera technique with the Linklater Voice Method, film language and on-set discipline, and rounds off with a student film, giving trainees their first taste of a real set.
Masterclasses with actors, casting directors and filmmakers sit alongside the core course. The academy is conceived as a platform that will eventually sprawl into screenwriting, direction, cinematography, music production and post-production: a full creative ecosystem rather than a single acting school.
“For me, this academy is not just an institution. It is a very personal way of giving back to the craft that has given me everything,” said Suman. “Over the years, acting has taught me discipline, imagination, resilience, and the importance of truth in performance. Through this academy, I hope to create something that goes beyond training and becomes a true creative journey for every student who walks in.”
Behind the scenes, the academy is backed by GBM Studios. Dharmesh Sangani, founder and visionary, is the driving force, bringing what the academy describes as “a focused approach to creating meaningful opportunities within the industry.” Adhyayan Suman, founder and director and Shekhar’s son, adds a performer’s perspective honed across acting, music and direction. Ekant Babani, partner and chief operating officer, handles strategy and operations.
Entry is deliberately low-barrier. No prior training is needed: applicants sit a basic self-audition test, shifting the focus firmly to potential rather than polish. The academy says it aims to stay accessible while delivering a premium, hands-on experience.
In a country where acting schools multiply almost as fast as OTT platforms, Suman’s personal stamp and his willingness to stand in the room and teach may be the sharpest edge SSFA has. For those ready to test that promise, the curtain is already up. Apply at shekharsumanfilmacademy.com
