A supernatural horror film. A sex comedy. A rescue thriller. A sports biopic. A romantic drama. A slew of entertaining movies are here to entertain you at cinemas this Friday. Here’s a look.
The Exorcist: Believer (English)
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Leslie Odom Jr., Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles, Norbert Leo Butz, Lidya Jewett and Olivia Marcum.
The Exorcist: Believer is a supernatural horror movie helmed by director David Gordon Green. Serving as the sixth instalment in The Exorcist series, it acts as a continuation of the story from the original 1973 film. The story revolves around Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.), a single father, whose daughter Angela (Lidya Jewett) and her friend Katherine (Olivia Marcum) display disturbing signs of demonic possession. This triggers a series of events that compel Victor to seek the help of Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), the sole surviving witness to such horrors. Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles and Norbert Leo Butz also play pivotal roles in the film.
800 (Tamil, Hindi)
Directed by: M.S. Sripathy
Cast: Madhur Mittal, Mahima Nambiar, Nassar and Vela Ramamoorthy
800 is a biopic of legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Muthiah Muralidaran who is renowned for claiming 800 wickets in Test cricket. The film delves into the journey of Muralidaran's life, unfolding the story of his refuge in cricket, his resilience in confronting adversity and his transformation into the all-time leading wicket-taker in cricket history. It also explores the complex dynamics of national identity versus humanity, showing the dedication of Muralidaran, an ethnic Tamil, to the Sri Lankan team and its fans.
Dono (Hindi)
Directed by: Avnish S. Barjatya
Cast: Rajveer Deol, Paloma Dhillon, Poojan Chhabra, Aditya Nanda, Kanikka Kapur, Rohan Khurana and Manik Papneja.
Avnish S. Barjatya, son of acclaimed filmmaker Suraj Barjatya, makes his directorial debut with Dono, a romantic drama marks the acting debut of Sunny Deol’s son Rajveer and Poonam Dhillon’s daughter Paloma. Dono revolves around Dev (played by Rajveer) and Meghna (played by Paloma), two complete strangers brought together at an extravagant destination wedding. Dev is a friend of the bride, while Meghna shares a connection with the groom. The film delves deeper into their evolving friendship.
Mission Raniganj (Hindi)
Directed by: Tinu Suresh Desai
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra, Kumud Mishra, Ravi Kishan, Pavan Malhotra and Rajesh Sharma
Mission Raniganj is inspired by the real-life story of the late Jaswant Singh Gill, who led India’s first successful coal mine rescue operation. The movie recounts the harrowing incident of the 1989 Raniganj coalfields collapse where numerous miners found themselves trapped deep underground. Akshay Kumar portrays the character of Gill, spearheading a daring mission to rescue the miners, while Parineeti Chopra takes on the role of his wife in the film. The movie also features Kumud Mishra, Ravi Kishan, Pavan Malhotra and Rajesh Sharma in key roles.
Thank You For Coming (Hindi)
Directed by: Karan Boolani
Cast: Bhumi Pednekar, Shehnaaz Gill, Dolly Singh, Kusha Kapila, Shibani Bedi and Karan Kundrra
Thank You for Coming is a sex comedy helmed by Karan Boolani. The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in the Gala Presentations section. The film revolves around Kanika (Bhumi Pednekar), a single woman in her thirties, who hasn’t had an orgasm yet and faces challenges in finding the right partner. As she tries to search for the perfect partner, her girl gang — Shehnaaz Gill, Dolly Singh, and Shibani Bedi — provide her with support, while she encounters disapproval from a former schoolmate (Kusha Kapila). Karan Kundrra also appears as a potential love interest for Kanika.
