Top movies to watch this weekend like 'Kantara: Chapter 1', 'Madharasi', and Janhvi Kapoor's glossy romantic comedy

Dubai: From candy floss romance in Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari to high-octane international espionage starring Hrithik Roshan in 'War 2', psychological thrills in Julia Fox’s Him, and explosive action in Madharaasi, this week’s must-watch releases serve everything from love and betrayal to guns, grudges, and dark ambition. Here are our top picks!

Kantara: Chapter 1 (UAE cinemas)

If you think history is just dusty textbooks, think again. Kantara: The Seal of Fate isn’t here to tiptoe—it’s 175 minutes of full-blown epic chaos. Rishab Shetty, Gulshan Devaiah, and Rukmini bring swagger and grit as a forbidden land’s lost past crashes into its present. So the story goes thus: When the ancient seal of Kantara breaks, faith, destiny, and a seriously intense battle make history feel dangerously alive. Kannada, yes, but with Arabic and English subtitles, this is the kind of epic that makes you forget the popcorn and just sit back, jaw dropped, wondering why every historical movie can’t be this bold.

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari (UAE cinemas)

Are you in the mood for a benign, vanilla and glossy Bollywood romance led by one good-looking bunch? Say hello to Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari,t this week's Bollywood rom-com that sparkles in bits but never fully delivers. Janhvi Kapoor lights up the screen as Tulsi, and Varun Dhawan adds his usual, familiar charm, yet their romance feels recycled. Rohit Saraf and Sanya Malhotra offer the film’s most grounded performances, but their story is underdeveloped, leaving the love quadrangle unbalanced. Director Shashank Khaitan packs the film with song-and-dance numbers, humor, and drama, but it’s all style over substance. Fun in patches and visually vibrant, it’s a candyfloss rom-com best enjoyed without expecting depth.

War 2 (Netflix)

War 2 kicks off five years after our dashing spy Kabir went rogue, but don’t be fooled — the Hrithik Roshan starrer is less betrayal, more adrenaline buffet. From assassinations in Japan to icy showdowns in Davos, Kabir navigates criminal cartels, corrupt ministers, and a best-friend-turned-nemesis (played by Jr NTR) with brooding charm. The action is stylish, the plot twists wild, and the emotional baggage surprisingly heavy. While it occasionally gets tangled in its own chaos, the film delivers enough spectacle — stealth bombers, boat chases, and ice-cave duels — to keep you hooked. A glossy, over-the-top spy thriller that entertains in bursts.

Him (UAE Cinemas)

The film pairs sports spectacle with supernatural unease, following a young rising star’s Faustian slide into ambition’s darkest corners. Marlon Wayans surprises in a brooding turn and Julia Fox electrifies every frame with her flawed, fearless charisma. Creepy, stylish, and unsettlingly relevant — this one lingers long after the lights come up. Get onboard if you are in the mood for a psychological horror razor-sharp morality tale.

Madhraasi (Prime Video)

This is a slick Tamil action thriller that pairs brains with brawn. Sivakarthikeyan steps into an intense new avatar as an honest cop determined to bring down a sprawling gun-running syndicate. But what starts as a straightforward chase turns messier when an ordinary man (played with raw urgency) is pulled into the violence after his girlfriend is kidnapped. Vidyut Jammwal adds serious firepower with his trademark action set pieces, while Rukmini Vasanth grounds the chaos with emotional heft. Dark, fast-paced, and high on adrenaline, Madhraasi is a gritty ride perfect for your weekend binge.