Shahid Kapoor-Kriti Sanon film and 12 other theatrical releases this February

Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon-starrer Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya will release in theatres on February 9.

Is romance in films becoming a thing of rarity? Apart from the much-anticipated Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon-starrer, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, there are hardly a few love stories releasing in theatre this Valentine’s month. Instead, there is action and thrills galore on the big screen, with a dollop of horror and mystery thrown in. Here’s what’s brewing in theatres this month:

Section 108 (Hindi), February 2

Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Regina Cassandra’s crime thriller Section 108 released on Friday. Directed by Rasikh Khan, the film sees Cassandra play an insurance investigating officer who brings a case of a possible insurance fraud to Siddiqui, who plays the role of a lawyer. The latter was last seen playing a transgender in Haddi while Cassandra who primarily works in Telugu and Tamil films was seen playing Vijay Sethupathi’s wife in the Web-series Farzi.

Dheera (Telugu), February 2

Telugu actor and producer Laksh Chadalavada who has delivered hits such as Valayam (2020) and Gangster Gangaraju (2022) stars in the action-packed Dheera. Written and directed by Vikrant Srinivas, the movie revolves around the protagonist Ranadheer played by Chadalavada who gets hired to transport some dangerous cargo by road. Although the film has a lot of action sequences, there is also a romantic track to provide emotional heft to the storyline.

Yatra 2 (Telugu), February 8

A sequel to the 2019 film Yatra, Yatra 2 follows the journey of the current Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The much-anticipated sequel stars Mammootty and Jiiva, with the former reprising his role as YS Rajasekhara Reddy. In an interview, Jiiva has said, the film is more emotional than political as it narrates how the CM came to be in power after the death of his father YSR.

Eagle (Telugu), February 9

Starring Ravi Teja as a ruthless assassin with a heart of gold, Eagle has been written and directed by cinematographer Karthik Gattamneni. With the debacle of some of his last few films, the lead actor has a lot of hopes pinned to this action-thriller.

Lal Salaam (Tamil), February 9

Aishwarya Rajinikanth directs her father superstar Rajinikanth in this sports drama film. Vishnu Vishal and Vikranth are the main leads with Rajinikanth providing heft to the film with his extended cameo as Moideen Bhai, which was revealed in a promo video on the superstar’s 73rd birthday on December 12, 2023. Reportedly, the film also has a cameo by Kapil Dev.

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (Hindi), February 9

With a title like that it is but obvious that this is a romantic film but this Shahid Kapoor-Kriti Sanon romcom comes with a twist. The Mimi actress plays an AI female robot named Sifra. Things get funny when Kapoor, playing a robotics engineer falls in love with her and funnier, when he has to introduce his typically large Indian family to meet her. But the actor has revealed in an interview that there is more to the film than meets the eye in the trailer. The movie also stars veteran actors Dimple Kapadia and Dharmendra in pivotal roles.

Anweshippin Kandethum (Malayalam), February 9

Darwin Kuriakose’s mystery thriller follows Tovino Thomas as the star plays a police officer trying to solve a case. The gripping investigative thriller sees him in the company of talented actors such as Siddiqui, Shammi Thilakan and Kottayam Naseer, among others. Thomas who has played a cop in the past, has expressed his excitement about this project and stated that this film’s protagonist is very different.

Bramayugam (Malayalam), February 15

There’s no stopping superstar Mammootty. After his turn as a homosexual man in Kaathal – The Core, the Malayalam actor will be seen in a horror film directed by Rahul Sadasivan. The director has earlier made the brilliant Bhoothakaalam starring Revathy and Shane Nigam. The black-and-white teaser of the film shows a man entering a desolate mansion while Mammootty appears at the end with a sinister smile on his face. The filmmaker has said the plot of the film is rooted in the dark ages of Kerala.

Operation Valentine (Telugu and Hindi), February 16

After the Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone aerial thriller Fighter just a few days ago, here comes another film which celebrates the valour of the Indian Air Force officers. Telugu film actor Varun Tej makes his Hindi debut along with Manushi Chhillar in the film inspired by true events. There have been a few delays in the film’s release due to post-production work, but the bilingual project is now ready to take off.

Article 370 (Hindi), February 23

Two-times National Film award-winner Aaditya Suhas Jambhale is helming the new Yami Gautam-starrer which revolves around terrorism in Kashmir. Gautam plays the role of an intelligence officer in the movie inspired by true events in Indian history. The political action drama promises to be an intense and thrilling narrative inspired by the Government of India’s revoking of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 6, 2019.

Crakk — Jeetegaa…Toh Jiyegaa (Hindi), February 23

Billed as the first-ever extreme sports action film in India, Crakk stars Vidyut Jammwal, Nora Fatehi, Arjun Rampal and Amy Jackson. Written and directed by Aditya Datt, the narrative follows the life of a man from the slums of Mumbai to the world of underground extreme sports. Reportedly, the film was supposed to star Jacqueline Fernandes, but she was replaced by Fatehi due to creative differences. The director has promised a film which has “sports, gaming, action, drama and thrill.”

Family (Malayalam), February 23

Vinay Forrt's spellbinding performance as a man who commits crimes (child abuse) unapologetically, a layered narrative and a thought-provoking filmmaking style by director Don Palathara make this Malayalam film a must watch. The movie premiered last year in January at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam and went on to receive accolades at the 14th Bengaluru International Film Festival as well as the prestigious Cork International Film Festival in Ireland. The filmmaker has mentioned in interviews that he has always looked upon this film as a tale of horror.

All India Rank (Hindi), February 23

Tagged as a coming-of-age film about friendships, love and competitive exams, set in the '90s, All India Rank is comedian and lyricist Varun Grover's debut film as a director. The movie was the closing film at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam in February 2023 and has since gone on to be screened at various prestigious film festivals across the world. The film stars Bodhisatva Sharma as the young 17-year-old who is sent to prep school to study for the highly competitive Indian Institute of Technology's entrance exam. Samta Sudiksha and Sheeba Chaddha star in pivotal roles.