Love Aaj Kal, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, Malang or Thappad – Ranking All February 2020 Releases in Bollywood From Worst to Best

February is supposed to be the month of love. After all, it has Valentine's Day in it, doesn't it? Well, tell that to our countrymen, as India just witnessed riots happening in the capital, New Delhi, with over 40 people losing their lives in the clashes between two communities. The protests over CAA-NRC are still happening, and the international media is all over our political climate. And it looks like this feeling of un-love have also permeated the audience's liking for movies in February.

The much-hyped Love Aaj Kal failed to work wonders at the box office, giving Sara Ali Khan her first flop at the box office. Malang did make some noise, but the audiences were more invested in Disha Patani's curves and the thriller aspect of the film, rather for the romance. Shikara was a disaster, and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, the better grosser among all, didn't perform as well as you expect from an Ayushmann Khurrana film. But it couldn't be always that the audience have lost love for 'love'; perhaps the movie isn't that great.

In this special feature, let's rank the major theatrical releases of Bollywood in February 2020, from worst to best.

Hacked

Popular television star Hina Khan's feature film debut has every trope that we associate with a Vikram Bhatt product these days. From psycho antagonists to bold content, Hacked has it all, except for good, logical storytelling. As for Hina Khan, while she ups the hotness quotient, her performance clearly lacks in the emotional scenes. Definitely not the big-screen break that Hina Khan fans want her to be in. Hacked Movie Review: Hina Khan Is Both Bold and Beautiful in Vikram Bhatt’s Listless Cybercrime Thriller.

Doordarshan

The movie, directed by Gagan Puri sets out to recreate a time when Doordarshan was the only channel on Television. That's supposed to reel us back in time to a period we sorely miss now. It's supposed makes us feel all the feels, especially the ones who grew up devouring everything from Chitrahaar to Krishi Darshan to Buniyaad on Doordarshan. But the movie ends up as a yawn-fest with such unimpressive comedy that bores you throughout the runtime. Doordarshan Movie Review: Manu Rishi Chadha, Mahie Gill's Trip Back To The Golden Era Of Television Is Half-Baked And Banal.

Malang

Mohit Suri's dark romantic thriller took off to a good start at the box office, owing to the saucy appeal of the lead stars. As a film, Malang does manage to evince your interest as to where the film is heading with its mystery of a man killing cops over the duration of a night. But once the dots become visible enough to connect, especially since the trailer ruins two major twists, the suspense loses its appeal before going for a predictable conclusion. Kunal Kemmu and Anil Kapoor make things watchable enough, but they cannot compensate for the pretty average performances by Disha Patani and Aditya Roy Kapur. Malang Movie Review: Aditya Roy Kapur-Disha Patani's Film Is High On Romance And Thrills, Kunal Kemmu Steals The Show.

Love Aaj Kal

Imtiaz Ali's latest film might have gotten a better reception if it can come out a few years back. Actually, it did and that Saif Ali Khan-Deepika Padukone starrer was a much better film than what we got with this Kartik Aaryan-Sara Ali Khan-starrer. To be fair, Love Aaj Kal 2020 isn't a bad film; it is just a rehash of several of Ali's recent movies. The '90s portions fare better than the present timelines, especially the dark turn it takes and Randeep Hooda is fantabulous. The talented Sara Ali Khan, however, churns out a surprisingly awful performance that ruins key moments of the film. Love Aaj Kal Movie Review: Imtiaz Ali Puts Up Another Disappointing Show in Kartik Aaryan-Sara Ali Khan’s Vaguely Annoying Love Story.

Shikara

Okay, my biggest criticism about Shikara may align with what rightwingers also call out the film for - it plays safe. But the context is pretty different. While the RWers wanted the movie to call out a particular community for being solely responsible for the Kashmiri Pandit exodus, I am unhappy with the fact that Shikara didn't delve into the political circumstances surrounding the exodus, and how the film sails over the Pandits rehabilitation. Don't blame me for having these kinds of expectations, as the makers promoted the film as 'The Untold Story of Kashmiri Pandits'. Shikara is, in fact, a love story caught in dire circumstances, and this part of the film works well thanks to the performances of the lead debut actors. Also, some really lovely visuals. Shikara Movie Review: Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Exploration of Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits Is Affecting in Parts.

Bhoot – Part One: The Haunted Ship

We all love a good horror movie that scares the shot out of us. The good news about Dharma Productions' latest offering in the genre is that it has plenty of scares, especially in the first half. The setting of a haunted, marooned, dilapidated ship is definitely fascinating and the spooky mystery does intrigue you. Then the second half happens, and the makers decides to ditch the novelty of their setting to get into the mumbo-jumbo that we usually seen in Bollywood horror. The climax is pretty laughable. What's more, even Vicky Kaushal couldn't do much to save the film, putting up a very inconsistent performance. Bhoot Part One – The Haunted Ship Movie Review: Vicky Kaushal’s Horror Film Runs Out of Good Scares Before An Absurd Third Act.

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is bold but not beautiful enough. The first mainstream gay romcom, directed by Hitesh Kewalya, deserves plaudits for bringing homosexuality out of the closet and calling out on the inherent homophobia in the society. Also for Ayushmann Khurrana, for not shying away from taking a risque role that he performs with panache. It is the Ayushmann formula, however, that bogs down the film, with the trademark humour of his films working only in parts, and making the proceedings needlessly farcical. Which is kinda sad, for SMZS is a landmark moment in Hindi cinema that deserves better. Thankfully the super-talented cast makes the film more than bearable, and the climax is a winner as per expected lines. Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan Movie Review: Ayushmann Khurrana, Jitendra Kumar Are Spot On in a Film That Struggles to Come Out to the Viewer.

Thappad

Anubhav Sinha is turning out to be one of the most socially conscious filmmakers after Mulk and Article 15. His latest film Thappad reintroduces the topic of male privilege in conversation and delves into how men cannot take the women in their lives for granted. And violence on them, definitely not! Thappad boasts of a strong narrative, fantastic performances from the cast, led by a supremely confident Taapsee Pannu, and some hard-hitting moments. Sure, Thappad is not completely flaw-free; there are pacing issues and one particular performance isn't that strong enough. But Thappad manages to wake the 'woke' men into thinking they aren't as woke enough, while the misogynistic dudes are busy trying to downplay the film. That's a victory in itself! Thappad Movie Review: Anubhav Sinha’s Social Drama Is a Stinging Slap on Male Privilege With Taapsee Pannu in Stellar Form.

Agree with our ranking? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 04, 2020 11:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).