Pink Reviews by Critics

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Pink Review by Indicine

Rating: ★★★★☆

Anirrudha Roy Choudhury brings his years of experience and talent to Hindi cinema with an assured debut that doesn’t shy away from the hard facts about how women are treated in India by the educated AND also the uneducated men. The story is brought together in a harrowing recollection through the court room scenes. Pink gets straight to the point from the get go and doesn’t miss a beat in the first half. It is a story that almost every Indian woman will identify with because the experience that these women go through is not uncommon. At all. The courtroom scenes in the second half are stellar even if they are a tad bit over dramatic. Anirrudha Roy Choudhury makes one of the best directorial debuts of the year with Pink. Pink works because like Shoojit’s Piku and Vicky Donor, it gets the Delhi milieu right. This time they capture the South Delhi aspect perfectly. The detailing in the movie is one of the finer aspects of the movie. The production design and the costume design are apt. The editing is very good and doesn’t linger on to a scene for longer than required. Pink’s background music isn’t grating and highlights the moments in the film all too well.

Pink Review by Bollywood Hungama

Rating: ★★★★☆

When PINK’s promos came out, one expected an edgy and a realistic cinema. The fact is that PINK does not disappoint at all in this aspect. It boasts of a gripping screenplay that holds your attention till the end. Despite the film’s slow narrative, especially in the first half, it keeps you engaged and hooked. The film has some hard hitting dialogues (Ritesh Shah), which elevates the situations and the corresponding elements. Do not miss the entire courtroom drama, especially when Amitabh Bachchan grills Taapsee Pannu and Angad Bedi and also when Kirti Kulhari breaks down in the courtroom. The film’s director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, who happens to be a big name in Bengali cinema makes his Bollywood debut with PINK as a master storyteller. While he uses the first half to just set up the film, it’s actually the gripping second half that helps the film in reaching its crescendo. The manner in which Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury has extracted realistic performances from the film’s actors is definitely laudable. Despite the film being rich in content, the film does carry a grim feel due to its subject matter. Also, the film does not explain certain elements very clearly like the relationship between Amitabh Bachchan with an ailing lady named Sarah. Another big loophole was that, despite Taapsee Pannu’s character being molested in a car the second time, there is not mention of such a major event in the court case. Also, the scene of Kirti Kulhari’s fake ‘obscene poster’ that costs her the job, seems totally forced into the film.

Pink Review by Meena Iyer on The Times Of India

Rating: ★★★★½

Pink is a powerful statement on the existing feudal mindset of a majority of India, where men and women are judged by a different yardstick. And if the man happens to be from a powerful family, then the fight for justice is even more skewed.

Pink Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror

Rating: ★★★★☆

This is the third renaissance in Amitabh Bachchan’s career. After masterfully playing a concerned grandpa harbouring a secret in Ribhu Dasgupta’s Te3n, he returns with this megawatt performance where he packs in his quiet reserve and explosive outbursts with equal flourish. While his death stare is sufficient to do the job, when he drops the bass and picks it up again in his dialogues, we’re assured the baritone is trademark. Taapsee Pannu distinctly stands out from the female cast and lends her Meenal Arora a feisty edge of a determined woman. Kirti Kulhari’s Falak is portrayed throughout the film as the most collected of the three but when her character is thrown from the pan to fire, even she cracks. Daughter of Shillong-based musician Rudy Wallang and guitarist of Lavender Groove, Andrea Tariang may be an accidental actor but going by the Andrea she essays on the big screen, we’d surely like to see more of this petite wonder. Veteran actor Dhritiman Chatterjee’s voice may have turned a bit quivery with age, but he draws much attention through his dramatic pauses and his almost-clinical dialogue delivery.

Pink Review by Mayank Shekhar on Mid-Day India

Rating: ★★★★☆

Bachchan, like Sunny Deol from that iconic pic, plays a retired lawyer who returns to fight a case worth fighting for, in a riveting court-room drama, with Bachchan’s relatively under-stated baritone serving as the much needed voice of reason. So, yeah, you know where this film is coming from. What I’m interested in, or at least we ought to be, is where this film is going — ideally to all those people and places in India, still grappling with a seemingly radical idea that men and women are just, well, you know, equal. It’s shocking, as Pink puts it, the views some of the most unlikely men hold about women — on the basis of how they dress, what they drink, who they love, where they live… Even as we see more and more females in public, party, and work places. Yes, Pink does compel you to think. And that’s not all it does.

Review by Anusha Iyengar on Bollywood Life

Rating: ★★★★☆

The courtroom scenes are cut to cut without any unnecessary scenes about interrogations and finding the proofs, or any songs for that matter. There is not one soul in the movie that has disappointed the audience with their acting skills. Piyush Mishra, who plays the role of the prosecution lawyer, has done exceptionally well. His performance will make you hate him so much that you’ll whistle and clap every time Big B has brilliant comeback to his accusations. And we meant that as a compliment to him. Even the girls have delivered a terrific performance. Not to forget, the dialogues are to the point and witty. The second half of the movie is more gripping and Big B steals the show in the second half. The last scene in the movie is bound to give you the chills. This is Bengali film director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s Bollywood debut and is produced by Shoojit Sircar. All in all, this is the Movie of the Year for me. I urge you to watch it with your family and friends.

Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies

Rating: ★★★★☆

The film is a must-watch on many levels. The first half of the film is dedicated to establishing the main characters and the mysterious incident that provoked the legal action. Indeed, there is a sense of mystery about what actually happened that night and the director skillfully and slowly unravels the plot in the second half. The second half is a cracking legal thriller as the two lawyers indulge in a no-holds barred legal battle to establish the truth and is a sheer delight for fans of courtroom dramas. However, Pink is not just a legal thriller. Director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury raises many pertinent questions about what constitutes acceptable behavior for women, the hypocrisy of genders, the concept of morals in an Indian society and the question of consent. My only complaint with the film is that though it is gripping on an emotional level and kept me engaged till the very end, the final judgement in the case seemed more influenced by a moving speech rather than proving of facts and law points. Nevertheless, the film could not have come at a better time- even in this era, when women are still expected to adhere to certain guidelines to avoid being molested or raped, a dose of Pink is what everyone needs this weekend…

Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham

Rating: ★★★★☆

On the flip side, the first half takes it time to set the court room drama. Falak’s ouster from her job sequence lacks conviction. It’s a theme based film, those looking for wholesome entertainment will be put off. All said and done, PINK is an essential piece of cinema. Having Mr. Bachchan in an act which nobody can afford to miss, the topical courtroom drama questioning the mindset of the society on women and the prevailing double standards demands compulsory viewing. Do yourself a favour, watch PINK.

Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express

Rating: ★★★½☆

The only weak link in this film is the elderly lawyer played by Amitabh Bachchan. Deepak Sehgall, we are told, is suffering from bipolar disorder, which means mood swings, which means Bachchan alternating between chewing out dialogue and being growly and forced. He takes on the girls’ case, and we want to cheer because he is the Bachchan and will make everything come right. But because he is Bachchan, the director handles him with kid gloves, and there goes the naturalism with which everyone else is playing their parts so effectively.

Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today

Rating: ★★★★☆

As for the performances, Mr Sehgal’s role is a cakewalk for Amitabh Bachchan. Piyush Mishra’s acting has become very predictable and his turn as the slimy lawyer here too delivers no surprises. Taapsee Pannu is excellent, but more so is Kirti Kulhari. It is refreshing to see her in a strong, demanding role after a promising performance in 2011’s Shaitaan. And last but not the least, Angad Bedi. Bedi, as the spoiled son of a politician, rages and froths with hyper-virile masculinity and institutional entitlement. He is a treat to watch.

Review by Tushar Joshi on DNA India

Rating: ★★★★☆

Pink has its fair share of hiccups. In a scene, Bachchan tells the judge, “Your honour, I am digressing”, just like the uneven second half. The court room scenes are epic because of the dialogues and Bachchan’s execution, but they tend to get a bit predictable along the way. Also, it would have been a treat to get us a short back story for Bachchan’s battle with his mental disorder and how he came to be the way he is. The North Indian girl angle with Andrea seemed weak and an attempt to up the drama quotient. It didn’t flow with the narrative that well. Piyush Mishra’s lawyer act is loud and he could have done a way with his trademark diction and style of talking. Pink is a film every woman and every man must watch. It carries an important message. And even if it changes the mindset of one percent of the country’s population, it’s a big win.

Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times

Rating: ★★★★☆

Every single actor has upped the ante in this 136-minute riveting drama. If Taapsee excels in initial courtroom scenes, Kirti takes it to a whole new level in the finale. The girls have shown a tremendous range and Pink belongs to them. Nobody has overshadowed them, not even Bachchan or a shrewd lawyer Prashant, played by a super intense Piyush Mishra. Vijay Verma, who plays Angad Bedi’s friend Ankit in the film, also leaves his mark. He has shown a lot of promise in a cameo.

Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews

Rating: ★★★½☆

Pink is no moral lesson on women empowerment, but it hits home when dealing with matters of what constitutes consent among adults. The scene in which Bachchan, an ageing lawyer who represents these women, spells out the significance of the word ‘no’ is understandably theatrical and manipulative, but it weirdly works. Pannu and her on-screen friends must take a bow for lending such grace and gravitas to their roles. You feel their collective anger and helplessness of living in a male-chauvinistic world filled with double-standards and moral policing. It’s also interesting that the director didn’t stoop to dwell on the graphic details of the sexual violence that took place at the party, but trains his lens and his energies on the devastating effects felt by women instead.

Review by Lokesh Dharmani on Masala

Rating: ★★★★☆

The best thing about the film is its telling, its narrative. The film (right till the end) doesn’t show the actual sexual assault on women yet manages the viewers to empathise with them. The film never titillates, neither does it use disturbing visuals to cajole sympathy out of its viewers and it’s this non manipulative treatment of the film that makes it a class apart. Little things in the movie stand out like the strong bond the three female protagonists share. There is a quotable quote in their house that reads, ‘What I love the most about this house is who I share it with.’ The first half, though slightly slow, shows the incident as is, without ever taking sides or preaching and creating just the right build-up for the brilliant courtroom drama in the second half. A film like Pink is so imperative that everyone must watch it. We as a nation keep telling our girls, our daughters and our wives to behave a certain way, to dress a certain way, to even talk a certain way so that they are not misread or misunderstood.

Review by IANS on Zeenews

Rating: ★★★★☆

The strength of the film, apart from its great performances, are its taut screenplay and dialogues. Flavoured with a language that the youth of today will relate to, the dialogues are hard-hitting and strike a chord immediately, as they are packed with relevant messages. Humour comes in the form of the satirical dialogues, and lightens the tenor of the otherwise intense film. With moderate production values, Cinematographer Abhik Mukhopadhay`s lens captures the drama in a realistic manner. The only song in the film, “Kaari kaari raina”, is used effectively to encapsulate the mood and messages in the film. Overall, ‘Pink’ is an evocative film about women, brimming with messages relevant for society, and keeps you riveted to the screen.

Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning

Rating: ★★½☆☆

You wish Tapsee Pannu did not have to be such a wuss at the trial (remember Jodie Foster in The Accused? You want that!). You wish the film had been crisper. You wish there was at least one Amitabh Bachchan dialog you could take home with you. ‘No means no’ does have the same drama as Sunny Deol’s ‘Tareekh pe tareekh’ or the laconic brilliance of ‘Tera naam kya hai Basanti’… Watch it because you cannot miss out on a film that attempts to talk about a subject that needs talking about. Just remember that the subject alone does not make it an amazing film.

Review by Raja Sen on Rediff

Rating: ★★★★☆

Pink eventually goes from a nightmare to a film of wish-fulfilment, because not just do we have Bachchan as a stupefyingly articulate orator scolding witnesses with panache “I object… to this awkward performance. He is overacting.” — but we have Dhritiman Chatterjee playing a judge who understands rhetoric. If that entire courtroom drama feels too good to be true, that’s because, soberingly enough, it is. Amitabh Bachchan isn’t around to stand by our women. We should be.

Pink Review by Indiaglitz

Rating: ★★★★☆

The first half of the film is very slow and keeps testing your patience level. There are minor tracks related to Amitabh Bachchan’s personal life, which could have been avoided. Amitabh Bachchan’s personal life not justified. The writers should have added some more detailing related to working structure of Amitabh Bachchan as he is shown getting all the right evidences and details related to the case. Everything is shown very easily in the film without any hard-ship attached to it. Music is weak and needed few good background songs to work in favour of the film. ‘Pink’ is a colorful rendering of various emotions and power packed screenplay. The masses might find a bit hard to digest this movie, but for all others it’s a must watch.

Review by Mehul S Thakkar on Deccan Chronicle

Rating: ★★★★½

Not undermining the efforts of other talent who make the film, as a whole, a very gratifying watch. Taapsee has graduated to an extraordinary actress managing to hold the viewer’s attention despite having Mr Bachchan in the same frame. Ditto for Falak and Andrea who deliver a power packed performance in crucial scenes of the film.

Review by Anupama Chopra on NDTVMovies

Rating: ★★★★☆

The first half works as a thriller and the second as a courtroom drama. Aniruddha keeps the scenes tight and tense. The writing by Ritesh Shah is terrific. So are the performances. The women – Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari and Andrea Tariang – don’t seem like they’re acting. These are women you and I might know, strong and vulnerable, angry and confused.

Review by Rajeev Masand on News18

Rating: ★★★★½

Pink is not easy viewing. It makes you uncomfortable and is a stark reminder that this could happen to any Indian woman anywhere, not just in Delhi. It works as much as a cautionary tale as it does a wake-up call. The writing, by Ritesh Shah, is excellent, and the performances are consistently terrific. From actors in smaller roles – the girls’ landlord, the unsympathetic female cop, the instigating friend – to the central players, there isn’t a false note here. Angad Bedi is suitably menacing, and Tapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, and Andrea Tariang deliver natural performances as strong but emotionally vulnerable women, without a hint of affectation. Amitabh Bachchan uses his booming baritone to great effect, and despite such contrivances as his bipolar disorder, his ailing wife, and his habit of wearing an anti-pollution mask, he creates a fully flesh and blood character that you can’t stop yourself from cheering for in the end. A word here also for Dhritiman Chatterjee who is so good, so effective as the elderly judge.

Review by Subhash K Jha on Bollyspice

Rating: ★★★★★

This brings us to the performances. Each actor big or small brings such vast amounts of credibility to his or her part that you are left with a feeling of having witnessed a surge of unostentatious excellence. The neglected Kirti Kulhari comes into her own as Falak with a lot to conceal in her life. Kulhari plays the character with such moral equity she leaves us no room to judge her blemishes. Her breakdown in the courtroom will shake every member of the audience, man woman or child. In contrast Tapsee Pannu who plays the main target of gender assault sheds no tears. She conveys her character’s textured torment with an austerity of expression that is remarkable. Andrea as the girl from Meghalaya who gets caught in the vortex of a murky scandal is the portrait of vulnerability. But it is finally the mighty Bachchan who holds the key to this remarkable film’s incontestable power and efficacy. He is the voice of reason and the conscience of a morality tale where right and wrong are not easily identifiable. Yet when he sets forth reasons as to why a no from a woman means no,we are looking not at a rousing courtroom performance but a voice that ricochets through generations of patriarchal smugness.

Review by Meeta on Wogma

Rating: ★★★½☆

In Amitabh Bachchan films, I always admire how you tend to forget the actor and remember the character he played, especially while you are watching the film. Here I was slightly worried that the film might become about this mentally deteriorating lawyer. But, the film is only and only about the issue. The lawyer, the victims, the culprits serve only one purpose – to bring the issue forth. And of course there is a sermon. It is broken into pieces and is not one long lecture. But it is a speech nevertheless. That Amitabh Bachchan is delivering it, makes you listen to it with rapt attention. That it is about a topic that means something to you, helps you too. But hey, it is a sermon nevertheless. And my problem with them is that they jolt you out of the story making you realise again that it is a film you are watching. Equally jarring is the song that abruptly begins in the background. Also, a little less of the setup and a little more of the courtroom drama would have worked better.

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