Doctor Strange, Trolls, Ventilator, Naruda Donoruda: This week's film releases

It’s that time of the week again! Friday is what every cine buff looks forward to. However, there is a sad news for the Bollywood brigade as there is no Hindi release this week. But they do have the choice to resort to the two big Diwali releases from last week — Shivaay and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. This Friday, 4 November, has two Hollywood releases and a couple of regional movies in store. Let’s see which ones those are: Film: Doctor Strange What’s It About: For the uninitiated, no it is not a film on medical miracles. In fact, it is anything but that. A Marvel Studios offering, the film is all about superheroes and sorcery. A surgeon meets with an accident and loses the use of his hands consequently. Despite repeated attempts, science can not bring his hands back but a sorcerer does. Doctor Strange goes on to protect the world against evil forces. Who’s In It: Benedict Cumberbatch. Period. What May Work For It: Marvel fans have not experienced even a glimpse of Doctor Strange in the past 13 movies of the Marvel Comic Universe (MCU). This will serve as a curtain raiser to the sorcerer supreme of Earth. Add to that, Benedict Cumberbatch’s hangover as Sherlock. Can’t wait!

Film: Trolls What’s It About: An animated buddy film which sees two trolls, perennially joyous creatures, trying to save their troll village from getting destroyed by the Bergens, who are jealous of trolls and can find happiness only when they eat the them. Who’s In It: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake and Russell Brand. Only their voices. Troll! What May Work For It: Established stars lending voices to adorable characters. Also, after the record-breaking success of _The Jungle Book_in India, animated movies have transcended the limitations of their traditional target group, the children, and found an audience in the adults.

Film: Ventilator (Marathi) What’s It About: The Kamerkar family finds its doyen, Gujju Kaka admitted to the hospital and put on life support just days before Ganesh Chaturthi. Sounds like a sad story? Well, going by the trailers, it is not. It’s a funny take on the chaos that ensues in the family and the comedy of errors that follows. Who’s In It: Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker makes his return to acting after 18 years and to make matters more interesting, the film is the maiden Marathi production of Priyanka Chopra. It is a role reversal of What’s Your Rashee, with Chopra helming the behind-the-scenes management and Gowariker adorning the silver screen. What May Work For It: The trailers suggest that the film is a laugh riot with an emotional undertone. It is directed by Rajesh Mapuskar who made Ferrari Ki Sawaari. The film features some of the bigshots of the Marathi film industry and also boasts of an extended cameo by Boman Irani. Irani plays a doctor in the film, transporting the audience back to his hilarious portrayal of Dr. Asthana in Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.

Film: Naruda DONORuda (Telugu) What’s It About: Okay, it is the Telugu version of Vicky Donor. Not officially, but the story revolves around an infertility doctor’s quest to find a potential donor. Who’s In It: Tanikella Bharani, who has worked in more than 750 films, and Suman Setty. What May Work For It: This one might be a laugh riot, given its similarities to Soorjit Sarcar’s hilarious Vicky Donor.