September felt like the month the entertainment world hit refresh. From hard-hitting auteur cinema to glossy star-driven popcorn fare, the slate delivered mood swings, controversies, and a few undeniable crowd-pleasers. Below I rank the major September releases. I’ve covered the plot, principal cast, how critics and audiences received each release, and a final take on whether the film (or series) is worth your time.
- One Battle After Another
Why it’s #1: A bravura, big-stakes film from a major auteur that split and then united audiences, delivering both critical heft and notable box-office traction.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another (often referred to in headlines simply as One Battle After Another) is a sprawling, ambitious political/period drama that blends Anderson’s signature human-scale intimacy with large, often ruthless social canvases. The film folds family drama into a broader cultural reckoning and runs long, but rarely feels boring. It’s been talked about as awards-season material and has generated sizable opening numbers for an auteur picture.
Without giving spoilers away: the story centers on a fractured family whose private disputes intersect with a rising national crisis. Anderson crafts set pieces that feel both intimate and operatic; the narrative moves from small domestic betrayals to public collapses, then to an explosive, morally complicated finale. The film leans into its length to build slow-burn revelations and character work.
Led by Leonardo DiCaprio with strong ensemble support (including Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, and Sean Penn in standout turns). Anderson’s seasoned collaborators help anchor the film’s tone and shifts between satire, heartbreak, and moral fury.
Critics have praised its daring and emotional muscularity; many reviewers flagged it as some of Anderson’s boldest work in years. It opened strongly at the box office for an A-list auteur picture, a rare feat, and earned widespread critical conversation and award-season buzz.
Final verdict: This is the kind of film that will be debated for months: imperfect, indulgent, and frequently brilliant. If you love director-driven cinema that asks more of its audience than your average studio blockbuster, this returns a high artistic dividend.
- The Bastards of Bollywood
Why it’s #2: A buzzy, polarizing Netflix project that doubled as a cultural talking-point, partly for its satire and partly for a legal/PR storm that followed.
The Bastards of Bollywood (sometimes stylized in press as The Bads/Ba**ds of Bollywood) landed as a streaming series that satirizes industry machinations, power plays, and the very public tropes of Bollywood stardom. It’s a glossy, self-aware take that balances satire with affection for its source material.
A behind-the-scenes dramatization-of-a-dramatization: a film production becomes a mirror for the industry’s hypocrisies and power imbalances. The series tracks a misfit ensemble of creatives, an ambitious director, a troubled star, backroom fixers, as their project spirals into scandal and unexpected human costs.
The series is notable for a high-profile debut from Aryan Khan as director/creator, produced under a high-profile banner. The cast mixes up-and-comers with established names, producing a comfortably chaotic on-screen dynamic.
Early responses called it sharp, hilarious, and at times cringe, in a good way. Social media chatter skewed positive for its satire and visual style, and critics noted the series’ ability to skew affectionate while still skewering the industry. It also generated legal controversy: high-profile figures claimed certain portrayals were defamatory, spawning at least one lawsuit and plenty of headlines, a reminder that satire about real life in India can quickly bleed into real-world consequences.
Final verdict: A smart, watchable piece of streaming satire. The salacious headlines add oxygen to the show’s profile, whether you watched for the meta-commentary or the messy, addictive drama, it’s worth a stream.
- Jugnuma: The Fable
Why it’s #3: A quietly powerful piece of filmmaking festival pedigree meets local storytelling, yielding one of the month’s most graceful and haunting films.
Jugnuma: The Fable is Raam Reddy’s follow-up after ‘ Thithi’ that leans into magical realism, mythic atmosphere, and slow-burn mood. It’s the kind of film that festival programmers loved and critics applauded for its craft and restraint.
Plot (brief): Set against a remote, rural landscape, the film centers on a family living atop a Himalayan-like orchard estate. Small, apparently ordinary events, burnt trees, a string of strange occurrences, unspool into a mythic mystery that questions community, belonging, and the natural world. It is more fable than thriller, choosing mood and implication over explicit resolution.
Manoj Bajpayee anchors the film in a bruised, human center; the supporting cast includes sensitive performers like Priyanka Bose and Tillotama Shome. Raam Reddy’s direction emphasizes texture, soundscapes, and a deliberate rhythm.
Jugnuma carried festival honors and a chorus of strong reviews praising its lyricism and Manoj Bajpayee’s performance. Critics highlighted its cinematic sound design and the film’s ability to feel simultaneously intimate and elemental. Many reviewers recommended it to viewers who appreciate a contemplative, art-house approach.
Final verdict: Not a popcorn crowd-pleaser, but a beautifully made film that rewards patient viewers. If you want cinema that lingers, this is one of the month’s most satisfying offerings.
- Nishaanchi
Why it’s #4: A messy, energetic return to form from a celebrated director. It polarizes audiences but offers bold performances and a distinct voice.
Anurag Kashyap’s Nishaanchi is recognizably Kashyap: loud, indulgent, and alive with local color and ambitious scope. It plays like a modern crime epic with comedic veins and stretches long, confidently inhabiting its rough edges.
Twin brothers, identical but morally opposed, find themselves entangled in local crime, family expectations, and a series of escalating betrayals. The film walks a line between savage satire and heartfelt family drama, occasionally collapsing under its impulses but often finding startling, memorable moments.
The film features a mix of new and veteran talent, the casting choices create a raw, textured screen chemistry. Behind the camera, Kashyap’s authorship is clear: he’s unafraid of tonal shifts and long stretches of character-driven scenes.
Reviews leaned mixed-to-positive: many praised the performances and the audacity of Kashyap’s vision, while others found the film overindulgent and uneven. Critics noted its messy brilliance — it’s the kind of film that divides taste but earns respect for ambition. Box office and audience reactions were mixed, with some reporting a struggle to cut through more mass-market competition.
Final verdict: If you’re an admirer of Kashyap’s particular brand of rough-edged, culturally specific storytelling, Nishaanchi will likely click. If you prefer cleaner plotting and lighter tonal palettes, it might exhaust rather than reward.
- Homebound
Why it’s #5: A crowd-pleasing slice of empathetic social drama: warm, well-acted, and surprisingly resonant.
Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, arrived as one of the month’s most talked-about Indian theatrical releases. It’s a grounded, human film about friendship, migration, and the quiet indignities of daily life. The film’s tone is humane and often tender rather than showy.
Plot (brief): At its center: a group of friends whose lives and relationships are reshaped by economic realities and personal compromise. The film uses domestic settings and workplace vignettes to illuminate larger systemic issues, always keeping the story anchored in character choices rather than overt sermonizing.
The film features Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, Vishal Jethwa, and Reem Shaikh — performances that reviewers noted for subtlety and truth. Ghaywan’s direction focuses on texture and the small formal choices that build empathy.
Homebound received strong reviews for its performances and its emotional intelligence; many critics praised it as a timely, humane piece of filmmaking. Audience word-of-mouth was positive, and the film was widely described as “moving” and “authentic.”
Final verdict: A dependable, affecting drama. Not flashy, but sincere — the kind of film that grows on you and rewards repeat thinking.
- Jolly LLB 3
Why it’s #6: Big star energy and box-office muscle, but lighter on cinematic risks. Designed for mass audiences and largely succeeds as a crowd-pleasing entertainer.
The Jolly LLB franchise returns in its third installment, once again blending courtroom hijinks with broad social satire and a star leading the way. This chapter is built for mass-market appeal and contains the franchise’s trademark mix of drama and comedy.
The familiar formula, an underdog lawyer (this time fronted by a big star) takes on a morally fraught case that exposes systemic dysfunction. The movie balances courtroom set-pieces with populist commentary.
High-profile lead performances and dependable supporting comedic actors carry the film. As a commercial project it’s polished and clearly designed to be accessible to a wide audience with Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi returning from the first film.
The film performed strongly at the box office, becoming one of the month’s top grossers and adding to its lead actor’s string of hits. Critical response was mixed: reviewers praised the film’s heart and crowd-pleasing beats but noted it rarely took narrative risks.
Final verdict: If you want a feel-good courtroom drama with a crowd anthem element, this is built for you. It’s not audacious filmmaking, but it works for its intended audience.
- Baaghi 4
Why it’s #7: Big-action showcase, light on plot. If you came for stunts and star charisma, this delivers; if you wanted depth or a tight story, you’ll feel shortchanged.
Baaghi 4 continues the franchise’s emphasis on kinetic, often over-the-top action set pieces built around its star’s physicality. The film’s visual set pieces and stunt choreography are the main draw.
The franchise’s hero faces a new global threat that serves mostly as an excuse for relentless action sequences. The emotional stakes are present but secondary to spectacle.
Tiger Shroff owns the action sequences; ensemble casting brings additional star wattage but is less crucial than the stunt-work.
Early reactions have been mixed. Critics and trade reviewers praised Tiger Shroff’s physical work and certain moments of spectacle but criticized the thin screenplay and repetitive genre beats. Some observers flagged the film as more suited to single-screen/masala audiences than critics seeking narrative depth.
Final verdict: Watch this if you want adrenaline and stuntcraft. Skip it if you want character-driven storytelling.
