Category - Bollywood

Phillauri has received mixed reviews from critics. Out of the 16 reviews that we have compiled, the film has scored 2.3 stars out of 5. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Phillauri ‘ Review – 2.4 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Phillauri Review by Indicine Rating: Phillauri looks like a deft movie because it has been shot so well. The camerawork is absolutely top notch with very carefully crafted frames and scenes. The production design makes the film look a lot bigger in scale than it normally would have been. The visual effects are stunning as the CGI ghost character doesn’t tow the stereotypical line of a Bollywood bhoot, they almost reinvent the Bollywood bhoot. The editing could have been tighter because the film didn’t need to be almost 2.5 hours long. The music of Phillauri suits the nature, even though none of the songs have become Bonafide chartbusters. The songs in the movie, work. Phillauri Review by Bollywood Hungama Rating: Despite the film’s concept having immense potential, writer Anvita Dutt fails create magic with her writing. The film’s story and screenplay have no logic or direction. Besides being confusing, the film’s screenplay also slows down the narrative. PHILLAURI, which begins on a positive and funny note, starts getting endlessly dragged and predictable. Thanks to the confused screenplay, the viewers will find it extremely tough to relate to. The film’s dialogues (Anvita Dutt) are lucid and do not hamper the film’s proceedings. The film has its share of comic moments in the first half, but that too disappears as the narrative moves forward. Phillauri Review by Manjusha Radhakrishnan on Gulfnews Rating: The computer graphics in this movie is notable, barring the climax which feels overdone. It’s the predictability of the story that lets this film done. You know what’s coming long before it plays out and that makes it tedious and soul-destroying. Phillauri Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: The pacing is not just languid, it is positively slow, and it allows scenes to go on for much longer than they should. I found myself getting impatient in too many places. And though Suraj Sharma and Mehreen Peerzada are likeable and easy on the eye, surrounded by their very agreeable large Punjabi families (of special note is the whiskey-swigging grandma who doles out self-improvement tips and has the answer to a crucial ghostly problem), they are flat. Anushka Sharma is good, but not as good as she can be, and that too only in bits and pieces. A lovely song — ‘dam dam dam hai dua sau pankh lagaa tere naam ke’– which features her and Dosanjh, made me sigh. With pleasure. As a romantic interlude between two adults, it is the beating heart of ‘Phillauri’. Phillauri Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life Rating: Phillauri has some spirited performance from its lead actors, unfortunately, the same spirit has not gone into the making of the movie. What’s started off as a promising film ends up as a boring and a tiresome hotchpotch by the end. Going by the nearly empty theatre hall where I watched the movie and the muted response the movie received at the end, I am sure #ShashiWasThere is actually scaring people away from the screens. Highly Avoidable! Review by Devarsi Ghosh on India Today Rating: Phillauri’s concept is good and novel. But the delivery is what North Indians call KLPD. The climactic payoff at the end comes way too easily. It’s just lazy writing after a point. If only Shashi emerged in the writer’s room before filming and smacked some imagination into her head. Review by Ritika Handoo on Zeenews Rating: Diljit and Anushka’s chemistry looks fresh and believable. The supporting cast too has done a great job. Besides, the music by Shashwat Sachdev and Jasleen Royal and the background score by Sameer Uddin is quite in sync. But some things remain unexplained in the narrative. Like how does Kanan know that Anu can just see the dupatta on Shashi and not the ghost like him? Editing could have been a bit tighter as some scenes look too much stretched. Review by Rohit Bhatnagar on Deccan Chronicle Rating: Debutante director Anshai Lal does a phenomenal job of picking up a subject which has two parallel stories. Defining romance in the past and the present day is a task which he handles sharply. First half looks slow and goes in the characters’ establishment but the second half melts your heart. The narrative of the film looks a lot like Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal but Phillauri has its own historical backdrop as a saving grace. In fact, one sequence in the film reminds you of Lawrence D’souza’s cult romantic film Saajan. Review by Nihit Bhave on The Times Of India Rating: The actors sweep in and carry the film, though. With his body language and voice modulation, Suraj Sharma nails the confused-aimless millennial and lightens the mood. Mehreen Pirzada’s helpless and hopelessly-in-love Anu is endearing. Diljit Dosanjh brings his trademark goodness to a rather bland role. And as the translucent ghost (kudos to the VFX team), Anushka delivers a solid performance with a weird mix of sadness and humour. It seems as though Phillauri could have gone in a lot of directions, but it took the road usually travelled. Review by Tushar Joshi on DNA India Rating: It isn’t easy playing a friendly ghost. You not only have to come across as likeable but there also have an element of believability. Full marks to the VFX team for making Anushka look like a spirit. Her movements in the frame, the close ups and even her attempt to spook Suraj win major brownie points. Anshai Lal does ample research to recreate the pre independence era. Everything from the costumes, to the props to the set decor transports you to that era. Anushka’s Shashi scenes are more impressive than her moments as the ghost. She manages to make us feel for her even if the premise is laden with cliches. Diljit strikes a chord with his performance and we wish there were more scenes with him and Anushka. Suraj Sharma too is a perfect cast in the role of a bumbling young man whose life is now in the hands of a ghost! Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Phillauri is an unconventional Bollywood entertainer that is watchable all the way. It does not rely on star power. It draws its strength instead from an off-kilter screenplay that for once might make you want to believe in the existence of ghosts, especially if they happen to be like the one that Anushka Sharma gets into the spirit of. Review by Sweta Kaushal on Hindustan Times Rating: Phillauri does not give away any interesting bit almost till the interval. It is only in the second half when the film focusses on Diljit-Anushka’s story that it becomes engaging enough. And the credit for this must be given where it is due – the enchanting presence of the two actors and the lovely chemistry between them. Review by Sukanya Verma on Rediff Rating: Producer and leading lady Anushka Sharma looks ethereal and conveys the enlightenment of a woman before her time. What is amiss in her performance is whimsy. Perhaps, well behaved is not such a nice trait for a ghost after all. Dijit Dosanjh employs his earthy charm to Phillauri’s many songs and scene whereas Suraj Sharma’s terrified commitment-phobe is like witnessing Chuckie Finister in live-action. He does it convincingly too but it’s exasperating when Phillauri doesn’t allow him to be anything else. Newcomer Mehreen Peerzada exudes an impressive confidence and vulnerability, which is even more laudable given cinematographer’s Vishal Sinha’s penchant for close-ups. Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror Rating: Debutant director Anshai Lal sticks to the tropes by weaving in the lighter scenes with chest-beating drama to ensure the proceedings don’t turn too overwhelming. But he fails to maintain the economy of screen time in the telling of this tale which is surely 30 minutes over. This is perhaps because many emphasise on the importance of editing as a function and it’s ability to transform storytelling but few empower their editors to take difficult calls. Depicting Punjab in 1919 was barely a task as the film largely sticks to courtyards of rural homes and dusty markets and maidans. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: When the end finally comes upon the audience, the feeling of being arm-twisted into tearing up for a historic tragedy makes you feel disconnected. You just want the whole thing to be over with. Even this takes more than 20 minutes. You wish the editing had been so much tighter, and the filmmaker had given us more of the romance than painful village wedding rituals that seem to go on and on… The film has flashes of brilliance, but the tedious sequences go on for so long you think you have aged when you emerge out into the sunshine Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: Though the initial twenty minutes of the film seem to promise an entertaining tale, the plot starts going downhill from then on. The pace is slow and sluggish and the screenplay is quite loose. While Suraj and Shashi’s sequences seem promising, the portion involving Shashi and her life in pre-Independent India, ends up boring the hell out of you with its pace. Anushka and Diljit have zero chemistry, which further proves to be the film’s undoing and the music of the film is not memorable at all. The second half has been stretched unnecessarily and the director seems eager to take twenty minutes to explain something that could have taken five minutes. The special effects are quite decent, but that’s the only good thing to be said about this flick. Review by Rajeev Masand on News18 Rating: All four leads put in strong performances, but Suraj Sharma’s flair for physical comedy is a refreshing revelation, and Diljit Dosanjh is impressive, particularly in the intense bits. Anushka Sharma, who’s also produced the film, brings a nice old-world charm to Shashi. She shines both in the dramatic portions and the comedic ones. Phillauri isn’t a consistently smooth ride. It’s uneven and bumpy and unforgivably slow in portions. But a lot of it works and some of it flies. In a landscape where original ideas are hard to come by, I’m willing to settle for that. Review by Mohar Basu on Mid-Day India Rating: A film like this is frustrating, to be frank. The narrative is refreshingly written, brimming with breezy humour. But it is ironic that the haunting spirit is lacking, both metaphorically and literally speaking. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: After NH10, the promos of PHILLAURI promised some fun but it sadly ends as a pun on itself in trying to do so many things in one film, a comedy that too supernatural one and an old fashioned romance that forces the friendly spirit to hang out from the screen wondering who is suppose to take charge of the proceedings. Phillauri Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The curse of second half strikes back as the narrative gets super slow, bland and boring at times. The initial romance track between Anushka and Diljit is interesting and so is the later part of their love story. It’s the middle part which drags to the fullest and looses it’s connect with Suraj and Mehreen’s track. Even this unique climax scene gets diluted as it’s stretched to the fullest. If only the writing in the second half would have been strong and the connect factor would have been high, the impact in the finale would have been like a masterstroke. Sadly, due to lengthy and bland second half, after a point you might not even care about Diljit and Anushka’s love story. The romantic track of Anushka fails to connect and also lacks the intensity. The movie should have been bit crispier and with some more detailing in the second half. Anushka Sharma role should have been meatier. Review by Meeta on Wogma Rating: Movies like Phillauri make me wonder about talented actors, producers with a said vision, music, special effects – some bits underdone, some overdone and some like story – not done at all. And how not all departments put together can compensate for the one that is way off the mark. Review by Rima Bhatia on Bollyspice Rating: Phillauri should do well at the box office as the initial trailers were well presented and were good enough to spark the interest in the audience, the challenge the film will now see is whether it can keep going through word of mouth. With a run time of 2 hours the film could have been edited by at least 10 minutes; however there are some aspects of the film that the team have managed to keep quiet about and leave till the very end to explain. If you don’t know your history it will keep you guessing, if you do it might be a bit predictable. A special mention goes to the films VFX team for making ghost Shashi so beautiful. Best Rated Films in 2017 Trapped – 3.4 stars Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Rangoon – 3.1 stars Badrinath Ki Dulhania – 3 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Commando 2 – 2 stars Irada – 2 stars Mona Darling – 1.9 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars Machine – 1 stars Aagaya Hero – 1 stars

Swara Bhaskar’s Anaarkali Of Aarah has won over the critics. The film has managed to score more than the bigger release this year – Anushka Sharma’s Phillauri. [mks_button size=”medium” title=”Average Rating of All ‘Anaarkali of Aarah ‘ Review –  3.4 stars” style=”rounded” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””] Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express Rating: The payoff seems to have been created for an upbeat ending, but we can’t help cheering when Anar rises, refuses to be cowed : whatever kind of labour it may be— which includes women who strut their stuff– dignity is paramount. Anaarkali manages to hit many marks. Bhaskar gets a lead role worthy of her. Das is a new director to watch out for. And more than anything else, it is a ladies-oriented film. Enough and more, in these dismal times. [advert] Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Savera R Someshwar on Rediff Rating: Swara Bhaskar has the pulse of every emotion she has to portray — flirty, joy, sorrow, anger, weakness, frustration and you-don’t-know it-yet-but-I-am-going-to-get-you. Sanjay Mishra too is consistently good, especially in that chilling moment when he moves from cajoling to threatening in a second. Pankaj Tripathi and the young actor who plays Anwar, the teen who crushes on Anaarkali, are perfect as foils to the fiery Swara. There is impressive attention to detail in the music, the sound, the cinematography, the production design, the dialogues and the direction. Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times Rating: Director Avinash Das displays his understanding of the delicate social structure of Bihar, where pretention of being a morally righteous guy is more important that actually being one. He very smartly makes the audience the third party, and then makes it difficult for them to stay neutral. Slowly and steadily the tide takes a turn in favour of the underdog. Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies Rating: Anaarkali of Aarah is the kind of film that you want to applaud, especially on account of the concerns that it articulates. But it leaves you deeply dissatisfied. It could have done with much more passion and flair. It is worse than a misfire. It doesn’t fire at all despite the magnificently full-blooded pivotal performance from Swara Bhaskar. But let’s cut writer-director Avinash Das some slack. He knows what he is talking about. If only he had managed to pack a little more zip and zing into the exercise, the whiplash would have hit home harder. But this critic, despite the disappointment that Anaarkali of Aarah is, will look forward to Das’ next outing. There is a better film hiding in him. Review by Pallabi Dey Purkayastha on Deccan Chronicle Rating: The film does have its moments of sheer brilliance, specially in the humour department. But its adamancy with the narrative technique and unnecessary inclusion of minutest of details spoils the game. Both Sanjay Mishra and Pankaj Tripathi (as Rangeela) have played their parts well but they are nowhere close to what you would expect out of two experienced actors like them. Just like another female-centric film of recent times, Anarkali sets foot on the unexplored territories of revenge and redemption, only this time, she is both the damsel in distress and her knight in shining armour. Review by Mayank Shekhar on Mid-Day India Rating: Anaarkali sings and dances to them on stage. While Bihar’s ‘launda dance’ (cross-dressed men) is quite famous, I haven’t seen a live performance like Anaarkali’s before. And no, it’s nothing like Bipasha’s ‘Bidi jalaile’ from ‘Omkara’. This is feisty Swara, simultaneously submissive and full of desi swag—her gait, expressions, and accent absolutely spot-on. She floors you with her subtle moves. As does her movie, for the most part. It’s hard to come across a performance so gut-wrenchingly real. It’s hard to tell Swara from Anaarkali of Arrah, who’s thankfully not another ‘abla nari’ either. Review by Renuka Vyavahare on The Times Of India Rating: Given its risqué subject, the film could have gone awfully wrong if the execution had faltered or tilted on sleazy over substance. But writer, director Avinash Das’ execution lends gravitas to the proceedings, making you feel for the lead character. Most importantly, this film finally gives Swara Bhaskar an opportunity to put her exemplary acting chops on display. She is a revelation as a pan-chewing, courageous woman, who won’t buckle under pressure. Ishtiyak Khan of ‘Tamasha’ fame is impressive too. The music compliments the film’s raw and rustic setting as well. Review by IANS on Zeenews Rating: A dizzying, combative explosive expose of smaltown hooliganism and a spunky girl’s determination to survive all odds, “Anaarkali Of Aarah” has a memorable gallery of actors giving the goings-on a sterling push and a bracing vigour with their performances. I have to single out Sanjai Mishra as the sleazeball academician, Vijay Kumar as his murky cop in crime, Pankaj Tripathi as Anaarkali’s partner on stage, Mayor More as her callow infatuated utterly devoted lover-boy. Nitin Arora as back-alley music baron and last but certainly not the least Ishteyak Khan as a smalltown man who knows how to respect a woman. These are not just performances. They are classrooms of impeccable characterisations. But above all there is Sawara Bhaskar giving what history will record as one of the bravest and most important performances by a female actor in post-modernist Bollywood. Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham Rating: A movie surrounded by strong actors, ANAARKALI OF AARAH sees magnificent contribution from Sanjay Mishra as the villain -this actor can never go wrong. Pankaj Tripathi as the leader of Anar’s band is outstanding and perfectly natural. Ishtiaq Khan is completely endearing. Vijay Kumar as Bulbul Pandey is fabulous. Mayur More as Anwar is fantastic. It’s debatable how much it will excite the hoi polloi but certainly ANAARKALI OF AARAH is an appositely trenchant and rustic cry for women empowerment backed by Swara Bhaskar’s top notch performance. Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning Rating: Credit goes to the writer-director for creating such amazing ensemble. You even notice the grumpy goon (called Muffler) who does not like what the VC is doing. Yes, the recording studio owner does overdo it a bit, but on the whole you are happy you watched the film without feeling like you need to be a part of the anti-lewd song brigade. It could have been sleazy so easily. You know and anticipate the end from a mile away, but when it comes, somewhere inside you like the comeuppance. Swara Bhaskar holds the movie in her manicured hands. She is magnificent. You can’t help but stare at her, unabashedly. Watch! Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies Rating: As for the film itself, Anaarkali Of Aarah comes across as the rural equivalent of Pink but what makes the film bigger is the fact that it doesn’t have the megastar Amitabh Bachchan admonishing the audience in his impressive baritone that a ‘No means No’. Here, Bhaskar does most of the talking and that too, with dialogues liberally peppered with abuses. The film has some powerful dialogues and the climax scene is sure to make you pump your fist in the air as Anaarkali finally gets her vengeance. Don’t be discouraged by the rural flavor or the small-budget of the film… Anaarkali Of Aarah is definitely worth watching, even if you have seen and enjoyed Pink. Review by Subhash K Jha on DNA India Rating: As the protagonist’s destiny goes out of control so does the narrative. ?After a point this heroine’s tale has a will of its own. You suspect neither the writer-director nor the actress playing Anaarkali can control her destiny.They, like us, can only move back and gawk in amazement as this astounding female hero takes on the empowered goons co-powered by the louts LaLu Land.?It could be daunting for those who do not understand the sexual politics of the North Indian hinterland.? The smell,the feel, the flavour and the emotions of the stiflingly patriarchal small-town is so palpable, you are swept into the vortex of the film’s vibrant vista. Full marks to the film’s cinematographer Arvind Kannabiran for making Aarah and Anarkali seem wedded to one another , and of course Rohit Kumar’s authentic folk songs ….they add so much value to the proceedings. Review by Shomini Sen on News18 Rating: the film works for its tight script- which never dwindles- and for its powerful story. That a marginalized section also has the right to speak up against any kind of atrocity is something that the film highlights well. Its a small film with no ‘big’ star in it, yet it is perhaps the most important film of this season. Because once again, yet another film drives home a very important point. No matter what strata you belong to, no matter what your profession is- a ‘No’ always means just that. Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Mumbai Mirror Rating: Writer-director Avinash Das deserves credit for drafting visuals that build tension and keep one consistently worried for the characters on screen. While the story had only as much, he manages to intensify the proceedings by throwing his characters in situations they’d barely be imagined to swim out of. Anaarkali of Aarah Review by Indiaglitz Rating: The story is on the lines of ‘Pink’ and still has its own distinctive points. Also, the treatment is slow and repetitive after a while and drags a lot in the second half of the film. The second half could have been up to the mark, if only the story and the screenplay in that part would had been more detailed and connecting. There are many songs in this movie, especially in the start of the film. These songs lack the connectivity, but at the same time are essential enough to establish the character of Swara Bhaskar. Sanjay Mishra does a decent job as a comical villain, but ends up being a victim of half-baked script. Pankaj Triparthy is cute, but wasted. Best Rated Films in 2017 Trapped – 3.4 stars Jolly LLB 2 – 3.2 stars Kaabil – 3.2 stars Rangoon – 3.1 stars Badrinath Ki Dulhania – 3 stars Haraamkhor – 3 stars The Ghazi Attack – 2.9 stars Raees – 2.9 stars Ok Jaanu – 2.5 stars Running Shaadi – 2.4 stars Commando 2 – 2 stars Irada – 2 stars Mona Darling – 1.9 stars Kung-Fu Yoga – 1.9 stars Coffee With D – 1.5 stars Machine – 1 stars Aagaya Hero – 1 stars