Hindi
‘Fitoor:’ Confusing and dry
Fitoor is projected as ‘Based on the 19th century writer, Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations.’
A story of an orphan, his phases in life and his manipulation by various people unknown to him. Being a 19th century saga, it is about star-crossed lover and all the formulae like rich poor romance, evil forces, invisible benefactors that exists in our movies even now. The makers choose the scenic Kashmir for the Kent marshlands to tell their story.
Aditya Roy Kapur is an orphan under the care of his sister and brother-in-law living in Kashmir when the trouble is at its peak in the valley. He helps his brother-in-law who is an iron smith but has a knack for art as in drawing as well as sculpting. Then the film goes back into Dickens’ 19th century. Aditya is summoned by the Begum, Tabu. The film takes the liberty of introducing a Begum to Kashmir, the land of Maharajas. Tabu holds sway over the township and has a backstory to tell.
Tabu lives in a palatial house with her cute young daughter, Tunisha Sharma (to grow up as Katrina Kaif) who is enamoured by young boy Aditya. Her love for him happens after bossing over him for a time. Earlier, while only young Aditya was in love with her, now it is mutual. On the birthday of Tunisha, Aditya’s sister is felled by a bomb. When he reaches her home next day, she has already been dispatched to London for further studies by Tabu.
Tabu has an agenda. She also sends Aditya to London to study art in which he shows talent. Otherwise, in a slow moving saga, the story moves fast here. Aditya becomes a celebrity in London and also comes across Katrina (grown up Tunisha). He is very much in love with her, she is partly in love with him because, she has, by now, found a suitor in Rahul Bhat, a Pakistani guy who studied with her in London.
The script’s resistance ends here because it goes haywire here onwards. What follows is what you would have seen in hundreds of Indian movies from the industry’s inception till last week. Katrina is set to marry her Pakistani suitor, Rahul. Because, even if she loves Aditya, Rahul, a politician in Pakistan would mean status. As it happens in such love stories, Aditya goes berserk.
Actually, it is about Tabu, who was betrayed and playing with the lives of Aditya and Katrina for her personal reasons.
Actually, the whole narrative is so confusing and messed up, it is injustice to Dickens. Often during a film, you don’t fathom all things till they are unfolded at the end; trick with Fitoor is that you don’t understand what the film and issues were about even when you leave the cinema hall and reach home!
Fitoor is poorly put together script, which unfolds like a mismatched jigsaw puzzle. A simple old fashioned Dickens’ story remixed for MBA aspirants. Direction is aimless. Good editor would have cut down this film to about 45 minutes. Musically, there is one number to like. The only highlight is the cinematography of the film, which is excellent.
Talking of performances, only Tabu stands out besides the young kids playing Katrina and Aditya. Aditya seemed to show some improvement but carried the same expressions throughout. Katrina has lost her charm and fails to appeal.
Fitoor, a love story, despite its opportune Valentine weekend will not be able to cash in.
Producers: Abhishek Roy Kapoor, Siddharth Roy Kapur
Director: Abhishek Roy Kapoor
Cast: Aditya Roy Kapur, Katrina Kaif, Tabu, Aditi Rao Hydari, Rahul Bhat, Akshay Oberoi, Lara Dutta.
‘Sanam Re:’ Juke box!
With few writers around, filmmakers seem to be going back into past for film themes. Sanam Reresorts to an old-fashioned love triangle, sort of about cursed lovers never meant to come together.
Pulkit Samrat is a small town lad who has landed in Mumbai to make it good. His grandpa, Rishi Kapoor, used to be a photographer, afflicted by Alzheimer’s, he is incapable of running his shop anymore and wants the property to be appropriated by his wards. Pulkit is summoned back home for the purpose.
Back home, Pulkit is full of the memories of his childhood love, Yami Gautam, who he has not seen since he left for Mumbai.
In this script of convenience, Pulkit has to visit Canada on an urgent assignment. There, he cultivates Urvashi Rautela purely for personal reasons. But, as it happens in such love triangles, Yami surfaces just then.
Actually, there is no story in this love story. But, being a T-Series home production, the film has some very popular numbers and the film seems just like an excuse to package them.
Performances are generally routine as the roles offer no depth. Rishi Kapoor is the star talent in this film but has little to offer. The location being scenic, the film looks good visually. Direction is purely functional. The film could have done with some trimming. Musical score is an asset which can help the film to an extent through its Valentine’s Day opening weekend.
Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar
Director: Divya Khosla Kumar
Cast: Pulkit Samrat, Yami Gautam, Urvashi Rautela, Rishi Kapoor
Hindi
AI directors take the spotlight at India AI Impact Summit
LTM, NFDC and Waves Bazaar curate first AI Cinema Showcase with human-hearted films.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera, algorithm action! India’s film scene is about to get a futuristic twist as artificial intelligence steps into the director’s chair (well, sort of) at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. LTM, in partnership with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Waves Bazaar, is rolling out the AI Cinema Showcase under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s watchful eye. The event runs from 16 to 20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, pulling in policymakers, tech innovators, global creators and crucially storytellers who’ve already let AI into their edit suites.
This isn’t about robots churning out blockbusters overnight. The showcase spotlights a hand-picked collection of short films made by Indian filmmakers solo creators, collectives, studios and even students who’ve used AI as a genuine creative collaborator rather than a shortcut. Every selected piece has been judged on narrative punch, artistic vision, cinematic polish and, importantly, responsible AI use. The lucky films will screen in the sleek Immersive Room AI Theatre inside the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting pavilion.
The move builds on last year’s momentum, back in November 2025 at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, the same trio Waves Film Bazaar, LTM and NFDC staged India’s debut AI Film Festival and Hackathon. That experiment proved there’s real appetite for exploring where code meets creativity.
By bringing the conversation into the cultural spotlight, the AI Cinema Showcase aims to nudge discussions beyond dry policy papers and tech specs into something far more human, how emerging tools can amplify storytelling without drowning out the soul. It’s part of a bigger push for ethical, human-centred AI that keeps the artist firmly in the driving seat.
So while the rest of the summit debates algorithms and governance, this corner of Bharat Mandapam will be quietly proving that the future of Indian cinema might just feature a very clever co-writer, one that never asks for coffee breaks. Catch the screenings if you’re in Delhi next week; who knows, you might spot the next big twist coming from a prompt rather than a pen.
