Barsaat (2005)

aka Barsaat: A Sublime Love Story / A Sublime Love Story: Barsaat

A woeful Bollywood romance that failed to offset its main character's antagonistic traits with enough sympathetic ones, resulting in him not being even marginally interesting. The female lead, the one we're supposed to feel more sorry for, is better represented but still problematic because, even if approached from a different perspective, such as that of a desperate lover, the few things that are relatable are not something to be celebrated. They serve only to diminish the character to the point of ineffectuality.
One good thing that might come from a viewing is recognising that from time to time everyone needs reminding that what they have, if they're lucky enough to have it at all, should never be taken for granted. For many it will be a reminder; for others it may be a first time realisation.

1½ issues resolved 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