(According to Fahim Shaikh Ishq Ke Parindey is a 4 star movie)

the sinking feeling began when the title appeared over grainy images of flying pigeons. this pigeon mayhem (instigated by an assistant throwing stones) is repeated fifty times later in various contexts and frame rates, most of which signify the lovers-against-odds and india-pakistan struggle. for once, hindus are excluded: this is (intended to be) a chaste love story between indian muslim faiz (verma) and pakistani muslim sheen (mehta; fake eyelashes), who recreate the old-world package of romance+eloping (roping?) in gang-war-torn lucknow. when he can't find her, he types 'women from karachi' into a search engine, but isn't bombed with 'feeling lonely?' pornographic popups. he then uses blank calls, kite flying and pigeons—in descending order of retro communication, before texting destroyed romance forever. they meet at canteens that have exactly two samosas on every plate, with glossy sandwich photos on clean walls. she mutters something about pakistani eyes attacking indian hearts. she runs like slow motion isn't an option, leaping into the air with the agility of a dancing peacock. their \union isn't simple because he has questionable family roots. when things go downhill, the generic 'maula maula' song appears. their saga is so dated, that i could swear i saw the berlin wall amidst mughal architecture. goons' choice of weaponry—hockey sticks and fake punches—only reiterates the ancient era, when hockey was a credible indian sport. snarling villains, mostly urdu-speaking caricatures, step over camera lens to demonstrate top status. these shots must have ended awkwardly for the cinematographer.
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(According to Fahim Shaikh Margarita With A Straw is a 3 star movie)

right from the word go, the film takes you into a world of its own. and the only person to be credited for this is its director shonali bose, who had earlier directed the konkona sen sharma starrer amu. with margarita with a straw, shonali takes a giant leap in terms of storytelling and directing. when it comes to films like these, wherein the protagonist is suffering from a physical disorder, it becomes the total responsibility of the director to extract a convincing performance from the cast and shonali manages that quite well. full points to her for handling the film sensitively! even though the film is slow paced, shonali, manages to make it power packed. margarita with a straw is one of the very few films where the silences and the pauses create more impact than the dialogues. shonali really needs to be applauded for shooting the sex scenes without making it look vulgar or cheap.
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(According to Fahim Shaikh Mr. X is a 3 star movie)

mr. x is watchable and engaging but shows spark in parts. its has a solid story in place, but the sharp twists fail to maintain consistency of the drama. however, what works in this film is its intention to deliver something different. the 3d effect does help its visual appeal. the film vfx could have been far better and looks shabby in place.
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