Barfi Movie Review

Director Anurag Basu (Life in a.. metro, Gangster) returns after Kites, an ambitious film that didn’t work due to it’s excess usage of Spanish. His latest, Barfi starring Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D’Cruz, is a cheerfully unconventional film.

Story: The film is about Murphy (Ranbir), who is lovingly called Barfi. He falls in love at first sight with Shruthi (Ileana D’Cruz) and expresses his feelings, even though he cannot hear or speak. Shurthi is engaged to her college sweetheart, but soon shares a warm friendship with Barfi that slowly turns into love. Their cute love story is cut short, when Shruthi’s mother convinces her to marry the man she is engaged to, as Barfi is deaf and mute.

The film has a second love angle between Barfi and Jhilmil (Priyanka), who is autistic. While her parents find it difficult to handle her, she gets along well with Barfi.

Barfi Poster - Ranbir Kapoor

Barfi Review

What works for Barfi

  • The performances: For a film with very few dialogues, Barfi relies almost entirely on it’s actors. Ranbir Kapoor is absolutely brilliant. He slips into the skin of his character and brings it to life – all without a single dialogue. His charisma, smile, facial expressions work big time. Undoubtedly one of the best performances of the year so far. As for Priyanka, in one of the toughest roles of her career, she delivers a stellar performance. Never for a second do you realize it’s her – a huge compliment for any actor. Ileana D’Cruz makes a confident debut, apart from her crooked teeth she looks lovely on-screen. Ranbir’s mannerisms deserves a special mention here – everything from the way he combs his hair, carries his weird hairstyle and even the way he rides his cycle make for a fun watch.
  • The fantastic moments: Again, for a silent film, Barfi has some genuinely funny and heart-warming moments that ensures the first half is high on entertainment value. Watch out for the scenes, where Ranbir tries to woo Ileana, his antics make you instantly fall in love with his character. And also the innocent moments between Ranbir and Priyanka in the second. Well written, skilfully directed and brilliantly performed.
  • Almost everything else: The background score is top-notch and so is the cinematography. Darjeeling has been beautifully captured on-screen. Pritam’s melodious music goes well with the film.

What doesn’t work

  • The last 20-30 minutes: A simple love story is made way too complicated in the end as the story suddenly has everything in it - murder, kidnapping, love-triangle, flashbacks, confusion.. you name it. The film is far from realistic, yet, the cinematic liberties that Basu has taken in the second half, to include the various twists and turns, are a little too hard to digest.
  • Slow paced: It’s a film that needs to be watched with a bit of patience.

Audience reaction: During intermission, the film got a stand-ovation. Yes, the first half was that good. Towards the end of the film though, quite a few people were seen leaving even before the credits rolled.

Overall, Barfi has a fabulously entertaining first half, with standout performances by the lead stars. Do watch it, preferably in theatre.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Box office: Has opened to a fantastic response at multiplexes. With strong word-of-mouth, Barfi should put up some big numbers in the first week.

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62 Comments

  • Yes fantastic movie. Such movies rarely come out these days. Special mention of ranbir’s natural acting and his stupendous performance and well complemented by priyanka and ileana. Multiplexes and urban centres are likely to do good business but in singles and smaller towns theatres the movie may not run that well. So a very good movie critically, but might be a hit or superhit at box office depending on the audience. Anyway all the best for ranbir,ileana and pc.

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  • How can any one that movie is boring???
    This movie is dame amazing!!!!
    Ranbir Is the next rockstar of Bollywood!!! He is having acting abilities just like aamir, hrithik, srk and BIG B!!
    It’s must watch movie guys!!!

  • @Indicine. Thanks. Well i should add that with this performance ranbir has proved that he is equally as talented as his legendary father rishi kapoor ji and i am pretty sure that rishi kapoor ji,neetu kapoor ji and the entire kapoor family are very proud of their ranbir’s performance. Well done ranbir kapoor. You are sure to win some genuine awards for such a performance.

  • just loved the barfi. Second actor after amir, whose movies become must watch.eg. wake up sid, rockstar and this barfi. waiting 4 anothe movie of ranbir.

  • After watched wake up sid, rockstar, barfi, Question arised “Is he the (performance wise) actor of bollywood after Amitabh Bachchan?”

  • Wow! I wanna watch this movie desperately. Did not read a single negative review so far. After 3 idiots, as I remember this was the only movie which has got positive reviews from all over.

  • @life in saw amitji is not done performance movies to reach top he has done masala and action entertainers…only dilip kumar done performance roles stop barkin first knw fatcs even rajesh is a classiacl actor dharmendra is good lookin guy and versatile actor thn amitabh

  • have just seen the movie (7-10pm)….it’s damn damn damn gr8…….rk rocks..pc is good too..& illana is also good…1st half is sweet ,little and charming..2nd half raises the bars…the whole film belongs to RK..
    he really deserves accolades for this…
    but i ld say one thing …this one is not for those who like typical masala flicks like RR,ETT etc…
    this one is for bit mature (in a sense who like story & performance)…
    the film has everything gr8 acting,good story…but music is just about o.k….simple feel good music …if there ld hv been just a single outstanding music it ld hv fetched better..
    but still it will be a hit…..will make good money…but hv no or very little chances to touch 100 cr….
    in short this one is for multiplex audiences…little scope at single screen..
    verdict will be a hit or may be superhit…
    but one thing this year award is booked for RK….no comparison with anyone else..he has surpassed everyone ….

    gr8 gr8 gr8 gr8 movie…

  • barfi is wil best film this year..performances r superb especially ileana..hats off gal look so natural..ranbir is gud but few parts i feel his actin bit repeat expressions in few scences..one time watch in theatre…

  • some of u don’t watch hollywood films.. while watching Barfi, reached to a scene which is copied (exactly) from the hollywood famous love story film ( The Note Book) where the heroine’s mother takes her daughter to show her her ex-boyfriend, whom she was in love with and sacrificed her love to marry someone with her brain, in order to convince her not to marry Barfi and not to follow her heart.. that scene is copied.. didn’t like it.

    And.. Priyanka’s role also was copied from the hollywood film ( The other sister) which I loved and adored so much.. there4 this film didn’t work for me and got bored while watching it.

    Go back to these 2 hollywood films and compare.

  • All superstar’s like Srk , amir , ajay , akki , ranbir ‘s fan are calm and humble on other favourites . But cant understand thy all sallu fans are seemingly bus$tard and so arrogant ? Is sallu is like that for which his fans are like so

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