Khakee (2004)

A politically-charged Bollywood drama in which five Mumbai police officers, led by India's finest Bachchan, travel to Maharashtra to ensure that a well-known terrorist (Atul Kulkarni) is safely brought to trial, but an additional, intelligent threat (Ajay Devgan) violently attempts to derail the process.
The comedy scenes aren't much good, the action is rarely smooth, and the small number of songs feel forced, but there's enough quality drama stitching it all together to ensure that the whole is better than the sum of its parts.
This one's about the men, meaning Aishwarya doesn't get to do very much.

3½ accusations out of 5

Zameen (2003)

It can be difficult to judge an actor's performance accurately when it's in a language you don't speak. Zameem makes it easy: the majority of the performances are patently awful. The remainder of the film appears to have taken a sympathetic approach and is equally bad. Even the songs feel like they're there solely out of obligation with nothing meaningful to add.
I appreciate that events were based on a real life incident and needed to be treated with some care, but a patriotic punch in the face has the opposite effect of what was intended if it ends up being just as much of a negative, nationalist commentary on the makers of the work as on the terrorists.

1½ background explosions out of 5

Raincoat (2004)

A simple title for a powerful film about two past lovers spending a rainy afternoon together. They share lies and half-truths and paradoxically, through a mingling of misdirection and symbolism, reveal more about their inner-feelings than even they’re aware of. It’s adapted from O Henry’s The Gift of the Magi (1906) short story, but even familiarity doesn't weaken it.
Ajay Devgn takes the idea of a broken man with a wounded heart and uses it as motivation for his every action. Aishwarya’s role is one that’s equal parts active and reactive, using one as a mask to hide the other. She allows the finely-drawn subtleties of her character to work their secret magic at the expense of her usual luminosity. Both actors are excellent. TV star Mouli Ganguly also impresses in a secondary, supportive role.

4½ unseen securities out of 5

Halla Bol (2008)

A much-beloved film star witnesses a murder but is too fearful to speak of it in case it ruins his flourishing career.
Ajay Devgn is the star. He’s cheesy enough to convince in the fake adverts and serious enough to be believable when he has an attack of conscience.
Pankaj Kapur, playing a reformed dacoit turned street actor, gets less screen time but he shines like a beacon when he is there and helps drive home the important message successfully conveyed in the script. A little extra care and attention could've made it a better film, but any refinement or changes would've needed to respect that message.

3 appeals out of 5