This weekend is going to be eventful with a slew of new releases, which include
an extreme sports action movie and the next chapter of a popular anime franchise, hitting the theatres on Friday. Here’s all you need to know about them.
All India Rank (Hindi)
Directed by: Varun Grover
Cast: Bodhisattva Sharma, Samta Sudiksha, Shashi Bhushan, Geeta Agrawal, Sheeba Chaddha, Neeraj, Ayush Pandey, Saadat Khan
Lyricist-comedian Varun Grover delves into the stress youngsters experience during the preparation of competitive exams in his directorial debut All India Rank. Set in 1997, the film introduces us to Vivek (Bodhisattva Sharma), a young man who gets enrolled in a coaching institute with aspirations of becoming an IIT graduate. Through the course of the film it becomes evident that this pursuit is more of his father’s dream than his own.
Crakk (Hindi)
Directed by: Aditya Datt
Cast: Vidyut Jammwal, Nora Fatehi, Arjun Rampal, and Amy Jackson
Crakk, alternatively titled Crakk - Jeethegaa Toh Jiyegaa!, is touted as India's first extreme sports action movie. Vidyut Jammwal takes on the role of Siddhu, a resident of the Mumbai slums who delves into Maidaan, an underground survival sports competition led by Dev (Arjun Rampal). Siddhu enters the competition with the aim of uncovering the mysteries surrounding his missing brother.
Article 370 (Hindi)
Directed by: Aditya Jambhale
Cast: Yami Gautam, Priyamani, Arun Govil, Vaibhav Tatwawadi, Ashwini Koul, Kiran Karmarkar
Article 370 delves into the circumstances surrounding the repeal of the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir. Yami Gautam assumes the role of an intelligence officer deployed in the mountain valley to spearhead a critical mission in the movie. The storyline focuses on the escalation of terrorism in the region and the government’s efforts to annul Article 370. It touches on both personal and public plight as Yami’s character grapples with a personal tragedy.
Mean Girls (English)
Directed by: Arturo Perez Jr.
Cast: Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auliʻi Cravalho, Christopher Briney, Tina Fey and Tim Meadows
Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, Mean Girls revolves around Cady Heron (Angourie Rice), a new student at North Shore High School, who gets invited to join the Plastics, an elite group of students led by the scheming Regina George (Reneé Rapp). When Cady inadvertently develops feelings for Regina's former boyfriend Aaron (Christopher Briney), she finds herself in the middle of Regina’s vengeful schemes. Tina Fey and Tim Meadows reprise their roles as faculty members of the school.
The Teachers’ Lounge (German)
Directed by: İlker Çatak
Cast: Leonie Benesch, Michael Klammer, Rafael Stachowiak, Anne-Kathrin Gummich and Eva Löbau
Nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards, The Teachers’ Lounge revolves around a high school teacher, Carla Nowak, who faces a cascade of challenges when a series of thefts rocks her school. Accusations, racial profiling and a controversial investigation unfold as Carla discovers the true thief, only to face unexpected consequences. Tensions escalate, leading to a dramatic climax that leaves the school community divided.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To The Hashira Training (Japanese)
Directed by: Haruo Sotozaki
Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Kengo Kawanishi, Akari Kitô, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Hiro Shimono
Anime enthusiasts get a chance to relive the gripping conclusion of the Swordsmith Village Arc and catch an exhilarating preview of the highly awaited Hashira Training Arc in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To The Hashira Training. Based on Koyoharu Gotouge’s 16th volume of the Demon Slayer manga, the narrative of the Hashira Training Arc delves into Tanjiro's (Natsuki Hanae) intensive training on his journey to attain the esteemed rank of Hashira within the Demon Slayer Corps.
Sada Ronger Prithibi (Bengali)
Directed by: Raajhorshee De
Cast: Srabanti Chatterjee, Sauraseni Maitra, Arindam Sil, Rwitobroto Mukherjee, Sneha Chatterjee, Mallika Banerjee, Devlina Kumar, Ananya Banerjee
Sada Ronger Prithibi, helmed by Raajhorshee De, is a suspenseful thriller that centres around the illicit trafficking of widows from Varanasi. A young police officer takes on the task of tracking criminals by choosing to go undercover in the process. However, she encounters unexpected challenges along the way.
Ahalya (Bengali)
Directed by: Abhimanyu Mukherjee
Cast: Bonny Sengupta, Paayel Sarkar, Priyanka Sarkar, Bishwanath Basu
Bonny Sengupta takes on the role of Rehan, a gym instructor, in Abhimanyu Mukherjee’s supernatural suspense thriller Ahalya. Rehan falls in love with a girl (Priyanka Sarkar) after a chance encounter but the relationship doesn’t last because of his peculiar ways. As Rehan navigates post-breakup life, the appearance of a mysterious girl from the neighbouring flat adds an unexpected twist to his story. The trailer hints at potential domestic violence involving the girl’s parents — played by Paayel Sarkar and Bishwanath Basu.
