49 reviewers have given Guzaarish an average rating of 3.3/5.0 (?)
Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.
Thumbs up by Naresh Kumar Deoshi, Apun Ka Choice ...Guzaarish, with excellent cinematography by Sudeep Chatterjee, carries forward Bhansali’s penchant with the nocturnal hues. ... full review
Thumbs up Best Of Bollywood ...Only a prolific director manner like Sanjay Bhansali, who understands emotions well, can do poetic justice like this. ... full review
So-So bigoye.com ...how many times can you see Ash’s tearful eyes turn red with emotions to perfectly match her lip colour? And who can believe that Ash as a nurse has never taken a leave in 12 years or Hrithik has a patient has never stepped out of his home for last 12 years? ... full review
So-So by Baradwaj Rangan, Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express ...The last scene, the last image actually, is over-the-top ludicrous – but perhaps it’s because the film can never decide on which side of the good-taste divide it wants to fully settle into. Had Bhansali given himself full rein, that image might have made sense, if only emotional sense, and if only to a handful of people.... full review
So-So by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com ...as an inspired movie it is not upto the mark since it keeps deviating from its main topic and is not able to generate any similar kind of impact like its Original Sources.... full review
So-So by Roshni Mulchandani, Bolly Spice ...When you bring subjects like euthanasia, mercy killing and even quadriplegics to the forefront, you better be damn sure you depict a correct picture of the pains they endure for them to feel the need to end their lives. And this brings me to the biggest problem of the Guzaarish: you don’t feel the anguish... full review
Thumbs up by Deepa Karmalkar, Bollywood Chaska ...The major drawback to the film is for sure the excessive use of English. This may act as a barrier in regional India. ... full review
Thumbs up by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama ...Bhansali has worked himself to the grind and his presence is felt in every frame of GUZAARISH. ... full review
Thumbs up Bollywood Mantra ...is engrossing... full review
Thumbs up by Akshay Rane, BookmyShow ...The maverick director has handled a sensitive topic with excellence.... full review
So-So by Gautam Chintamani, Buzz in Town ...The initial brisk twenty minutes done Guzaarish jumps between sequences that don’t really add anything substantial to the basic plot.... full review
Thumbs up by Bollyfan, Cinemaa Online ...Though the main plot is a clear inspiration from Alejandro Amenabar masterpiece The Sea Inside, Bhansali manages to craft a fiercely individual film, spurred on by his larger than life cinematic vision, memorable characters and some lusty performances.... full review
Thumbs up desi hits ...Guzaarish breaks boundaries and brings Bollywood a beautiful story and film. ... full review
So-So by Aniruddha Guha , DNA ...While you can’t but be impressed by the film’s visual appeal — and typical Bhansali touches — why watch something that gives you a ‘seen-that-before’ kind of feeling?... full review
Thumbs up by Renuka Rao, DNA ...Rai, for a change, delivers a commendable performance as the affectionate yet stern caretaker; but her peculiar costumes and garish make-up act as a downside. ... full review
Thumbs up Dunkdaft ...I am not a fan of Aishwarya, but somehow there are some directors who know how to present her such beautifully, how to get her act, and SLB is the one who knows that.... full review
Thumbs down by Shubhra Gupta, Express India ...You see Hrithik helpless in that bed, and you see an actor who can’t seem to put his handsomeness aside.... full review
So-So by Deepa Gahlot, Film Impressions ...a very handsomely mounted, well acted, but not particularly earth-shattering film, given the enormity of the debate at its core.... full review
So-So by Deepa Deosthalee, Film Impressions ...Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who brings to mind the description 'porcelain beauty'... full review
So-So by Sukanya Venkatraghavan, Filmfare ...You feel his unspoken love for Sophiya and her brusque yet deep chemistry with him... full review
Thumbs down by Deepa Garimella, fullhyd.com ...Aishwarya Rai is a symptom of just how not aligned Bhansali's vision and audience expectations are - she looks smothered in blindingly-gaudy make-up and incongruous clothing, and doesn't give you anything else to remember her in this movie for.... full review
Thumbs up by Pankaj Sabnani, Glamsham.com ...Watch out for the argument scene between Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Shernaz Patel.... full review
Thumbs up by Divya Solgama, Gomolo.in ...Hrithik Roshan as Ethan is mind blowing and has done an award winning performance. His mannerism, psychic jokes {I have enough attachments, etc}, looks, dialog delivery, etc all are of top notch.... full review
Thumbs up by Paromeeta Mathur Banerjee, Gomolo.in ...an uncharacteristically restrained Aishwarya who looked mind numbingly beautiful... full review
Thumbs up by Aakash Barvalia, Gomolo.in ...Hrithik is back in action, and we just simply wish him to see not only in his home production but also in various other such films.... full review
So-So by Mayank Shekhar, Hindustan Times ...You can tell, the actor’s desperately aiming for major awards (the sort of acclaim Amitabh Bachchan earned for himself with Black). Thankfully the effort doesn’t show. Earnestness does.... full review
Thumbs down by Rajeev Masand, IBN Live ...While you may be willing to overlook the plagiarism (although you shouldn't!), it's hard to forgive the sloppy writing... full review
Thumbs down by Kaveree Bamzai, india today ...Whether it is her dancing to the Udi song or moaning in simulated ecstasy, she is lively, animated and pretty much stripped of the artifice we have associated her with forever.... full review
So-So by Komal Nahta, koimoi ...Hrithik Roshan lives the role of Ethan Mascarenhas. No amount of praise is too much to describe his performance of a paraplegic who is still so full of life that his appeal for death would seem a paradox in terms.... full review
Thumbs down by Udita Jhunjhunwala, Live Mint ...Aditya Roy Kapoor, as the apprentice magician dressed like Raj Kapoor, stands around trying to make an impact, but shows no range.... full review
Thumbs up by Sarita Tanwar, MiD DAY ...The track of the other jealous magician (Ash Chandler) is forced and unnecessary... full review
Thumbs down Mixed Bag ...i would have felt really good to say that ‘Guzaarish’ is a treat to watch but there is a little fly sitting on the tip of my nose and i am as helpless as Ethan.... full review
Thumbs up Movie Talkies ...Guzaarish' sees a flawless blending of technique with content. ... full review
Thumbs up by Raj Narayan, MSN Entertainment ...a veritable canvas painted by Bhansali through the eyes of cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee who uses Goa in the rains to tell this tale of a man doomed... full review
So-So by Anupama Chopra, NDTV ...Sanjay Leela Bhansali has positioned himself as Hindi cinema’s poet of pain. ... full review
Thumbs up by Noyon Jyoti Parasara, Now Running.com ...The pace, apart from the screenplay, is also helped by some remarkable performances.... full review
Thumbs up by Subhash K Jha, Now Running.com ..."Guzaarish" is a joyous, rapturous and ecstatic celebration of life.... full review
Thumbs down by Khalid Mohamed, Passion for Cinema ...Now even if you’re willing to ignore the ‘inspiration’ factor, the result is neither engrossing nor edifying. ... full review
Thumbs up by Ankit Ojha, Planet Bollywood ...Tubby and Parik’s background score is absolutely breathtaking, and one of the best since Love Aaj Kal.... full review
Thumbs down by Raja Sen, Rediff ...The laziest writing is saved for the courtroom, legalese thrown out in favour of lines soaked in extreme naivete.... full review
So-So by Ruchi Mehta, Roochster ...Sanjay Leela Bhansali has created magic… in his sets. Sorry, but the movie is just not that good.... full review
Thumbs up by K N Gupta, SmasHits.com ...an equally fantastic music to the movie's songs like "Tera Zikr Hai Ya Itra Hai" and "Sau Gram Zindagi' besides the title track... full review
So-So by Janhvi Patel, StarBoxOffice ...the production design is intoxicatingly vintage and beautiful, so are Ash’s costumes (though we don’t know who dresses like that in this day and age)... full review
Thumbs up by K K Rai, STARDUST ...The numbers ‘Tera Zikra hai’ and ‘Sau gram’ have earthy touch and are likely to strike a better chord with the audiences. ... full review
Thumbs up by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India ...Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai who leave an indelible impression with their interpretation of two extremely difficult and unconventional characters who do not have the usual props to express grief, joy, pain and passion... full review
Thumbs down by The ThirdMan, Upper Stall ...The set piece of the court room scene in Ethan's house just doesn't work and is easily the most theatrical scene of the film while the scene with Sofia's husband and her is the nadir of the film... full review
Thumbs down yahoo! India ...the court scenes are extremely smoky, like they were sharing the set with a horror film... full review
Thumbs up by SpiceZee Bureau, ZEENEWS.COM ...Shot in the picturesque locales of Goa, ‘Guzaarish’ makes the whole screen come alive with vivacity. ... full review
Comments (35)
The movie is quite paradoxical, quite like 100 gram zindagi song. Both restrained and un-subtle.
Just for this review, I felt more pictures would have have helped reemphasize your point and helped the reader decide if he really wanted to watch the movie on screen.
I just saw this movie, first day third show, sanjay leela bansali has been my most favourite, his name is enough for me to see his movie.... and true to his name, he is a `WOW' creates magic and here too ha has done that, I will see this movie again n again n again n again till...i don't know. I haven't had yet enough of `hum di de chuke sanam, devdas or black' i have seen them so many times, I got all the dvds and see sanjay leela bansali through them, his work of genius. I wish I could meet him, see him at his sets working, spend time there with such a genius.
I think Hritik Roshan is doing a great job these days.But one thing I must say and that is , he is focusing his attention on roles which are more challenging and requires special efforts.
The concept of the Movie is superb and one should definitely watch the movie..it is better if you watch it in a movie hall.
Meetu, I don't agree with your take on the 'plot' (you call it silly!!) and the narrative adopted by Bhansali.
I don't know what were you expecting in the name of a plot - a Manmohan Desai/ Prakash Mehra/ Subhash Ghai-sque canvas of events?! Thank god, we have come far from those kinds of storylines and narrative frameworks!! I loved how Bhansali chooses to restrain the palette of events to a small time-capsule. That gives him both the opportunity and challenge to detail the movie better and keep it crisp, and to the point, without wandering away into sub-plots and personal histories of each of the characters. I particularly like the restraint adopted in introducing Ethan's past love interest, and Sophia's troubled marriage. If in the hands of any other director, each of these subplots had a huge potential to be stretched into competing storylines. Thank Bhansali for not doing so. It is by choice, I believe, that he does not allow us to think a lot beyond Ethan.
Anyway, what's 'silly' about the basic plot? Euthanasia? Arguments around euthanasia? What? I feel the film is a well-attempted discourse on Euthanasia; one that would be comprehensible to ‘aam junta’ because it is dealt with through a poignant story. Rarely have I seen films taking a discursive turn, and if they do, they have to bear the brunt of being classified as art-house/ parallel cinema. Thankfully Guzaarish manages to meander out, without being labeled as either.
I also disagree with your comments regarding the timing of introducing other less important characters, some 4 or 5 of them, u say. I think those are the kind of choices every storyteller has to make, and in Bhansali's case, these characters came out at a point when Ethan's struggle (personal as well as legal) has been totally established. So these characters don't compete with his fair-share of screen time, but instead help render Ethan's character with more colors – love and forgiveness. E.g. Mr. D'Souza's entry marks the validity of Sophia's divorce, which leads Ethan to propose. Also, indicating that he did secretly love her. Similarly, Senior Siddiqui’s entry provides a background to Omar Siddiqui and Ethan’s accident, besides reflecting that Ethan had, in spite of all that he had gone through, forgiven Senior Siddiqui. Two major shades that would have gone missing if not for these extra characters.
In short, what you call Bhansali’s mistakes, I call them his craft.
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie; even the pseudo-Gulzar-ish lyrics (100gm etal.) seemed to make sense once Bhansali gave a context to it (7.5 pounds vs. 100gm).
@shruti unfortunately, the official site doesn't have the particular scenes i'm talking about.
@G-10 The basic plot is "a person who is tired of his physical ailments and wants to end life is making an appeal to the court" My problem - "people who want to kill themselves, do it. They don't go about asking for permission."
The smaller issue - I didn't mind the no backstory, in fact as you have noted i have an issue with the number of characters introduced.
Guzaarish is an outstanding film. Hrithik is a pure genius and every award this year should go to him. Wish our filmakers start venturing more and more towards alternate cinema and break away from the medicority that is regularly churned out in Bollywood films. Loved Guzaarish and will watch it again and again.
This sounds like a grander version of 'Sukhant' A Marathi film... where Atul Kulkarni fights with the system (on behalf of his mom) for Mercy Killing...
I like your review style. Keep it up..
@Shiv so i am told. haven't seen 'sukhant'. Thanks, I do hope to keep it up.
@ Meetu: I think you are over-simplifying Euthanasia. If the movie was 'Suicide' or something like that, then what you suggest might work. But the very premise of Bhansali's movie is the legal battle that started with Ethan's Guzaarish (plea) to the court. How can you challenge that premise. Sorry, I fail to see the pointlessness of it.
About the other matter: the characters introduced towards the end were 2, not 4-5 as you say. Now, please don't count those 2 housemaids, they had been amply introduced much earlier. :)
It's impossible to stop personal biases from coming in the way, but to base a review entirely on a personal bias ("silly plot") is taking it a bit too far.
Hoping for evenly addressed content in the future. :)
@G-10 aah, the legal battle. that didn't quite work for me either. The last one's location was just way too distracting.
side-characters: 4-5 in the second half (not the end). 1 or even 2 in the second half would have been acceptable. but 4-5 in the second half with 2 in the last 15-20 minutes was a bit much for me.
evenly addressed content: the only consistent thing i can offer is my opinion, one movie at a time. i can tell you what worked for me, and what didnt. And like with any review, you decide if my justifications (not the opinions that are justified) work for you or not and decide accordingly. More on that here http://wogma.com/article/why-read-a-review/
@ meetu: ok for plot and additional characters.
but, don't you think an opinion needs to be evaluated, validated using some method...some yardstick...to elevate it to a status of a review?! if not then, all the likes of A.O.Scott should be just happy giving their opinions!
The bottom-line is that I love your website. But don't like to see your writings shrink from 'review' to a mere 'view'.
Cheers!
@G-10 that's a tough one, you know. I think this is my evaluated, validated view. There were things that bothered me and I mentioned those. I didn't trash the movie because of those things, because there were other things that compensated for it. Sure, there might be a movie that has just that one thing that bothers me so much that the rest of the film doesn't matter. And so on.
This is the third movie Iam Watching from the direction of Sanjay Leela Bansali. Very Neat.
Hats off to the entire crew. Each and every frames are painted. The Long shot of the Villa, the balcony, the pond inside the villa, climax set... list cont...
Locality of the plot GOA gives a huge support to make and watch the film in Hollywood feel.
Narration is awesome and its the strength of the film. Before the release critics were there like its a remake or copy of hollywood movie Prestige. But there is nothing compared to it, except the profession of the hero.
Scenes I like :
1. The teasing b/w hrithik and ash while she gave towel bath.
3. Rain drop disturbing hirthik sleep.
4. Court scene in home.
5. Climax dialogues.
6. Not to miss the Udi song.
Very well written review, you almost said everything that I felt was wrong with the film. Except for the grand sets, exotic designer costumes, Aish's chambor lip color there was no other substance in the film. The subject needed research, court room dramas need much more attention to details... quite a lot of disappointment actually in many fronts.
After my tryst with sawariya I decided to go in with zero expectations but absolutely louved it!!
here's what i thought
http://eatpraylovemovies.blogspot.com/2010/11/guzarish-2010.html
Strange Mathematics:
The movie rated on individual department scores above average or excellent, but the sum average of its total is marginally above "zero". Only as deep as our times of neo-liberalism and YOGA.
@Sanjukta thank you!
@Raj individual department scores = above avg or excellent: correct.
sum average of its total = marginally above zero: how?
I might like individual departments, but the film as a whole might still not work for me. That's the whole point of the rating schema.
Watched it yesterday, the court scenes were definitely stale. The emotional scenes were mostly good, but the movie felt undercooked. Here was a novel idea (at least for mainstream bollywood) but it was not developed further. The performances (apart from the doctor - I didn't like him at all) were good.
Nonetheless, it was a good watch. Could have been a lot better though.
Meetu, for once, I feel, you have not been your usual incisive self. In other words I felt very let down by the review (I saw the film after reading it).
Except for the 'visual opulence' and 'lyrical treatment'(whatever that means!) the film had nothing to take back home. Perhaps the 'Udi' number was another exception.
From Hrithik hamming away to the prosecutor turning into a full blown villain and the sidekick trying to be the poor man's Farhan Akhtar(or should it be the rich man's----after all this is a Bhansali film) the film never even aimed for any kind of subtlety. All the tender moments were hammered in till you could almost yell for some relief.
And the sub-plots, thrown in as afterthoughts and not even contributing to the mood of the film.
Another addition to Bhansali's 'style without substance' repertoire. Very disappointing.
@Samir sometimes i find myself in a no-win position with my readers. Right here, is a prime example. :D oh well. Like I said the movies visuals and some of the things Ethan didn't do made me like the film. I didn't love it, i didn't hate it, so the incisive feel is missing, i guess.
On the whole it’s a lot better the SAAWARIYA!! But might face tough competition from GOLMAAL 3. Now it boils down to the audience and their mood.
That's what this movie was about - Casting, performance, sets, dialogues, music, cinematography etc. all scored high if scored individually, BUT overall movie - as you rightly said, "does not work"... That's why strange mathematics of SLB movie..! He must be a genius! :-)
@minesh1963 "mood" that's the word!
@Raj aaah. i thought you were commenting on my mathematics :D
Can I say am glad at least a few reviewers have the guts to speak their mind? a lot of people mainly liked it because the basic premise is that of a quadriplegic. but SLB doesn't seem to have the calibre to do full justice to the plot.
1.unrealistic setting/character depiction...picture-perfect hrithik and ash, who acts as though being a caretaker is a fairy-tale setting. except for lawyer and hrithik, all characters are cardboard cut-outs.
2. blatant plagiarism and various contradictions (e.g. ethan is poor but lives opulently. earlier he wants to die bcos of quadri and later declares its bcos of his organ failure. umm, really? he even sings outside with no paraphernalia to support him). the movie was stifling to watch. ethan is shown mainly confined to bed, dark colors in movie, sombre music, no outdoors activity, etc. either SLB could show him as someone who's depressed or someone who's full of life and tackles it head-on.
3. excessively glorifying ethan and doing so by painting other characters as dark, including sofia's ex-husband, omar's father, prosecutor etc. sorry even ethan as RJ was unbelievable. sanju in munnabhai connected better with listeners.
I love unconventional movies, but this movie was terribly made with a weak script and poor direction.
@abhay agree with some and some i don't. For example, this is where i disagree -
Point 2. I know many people who are living in mansions but can barely afford it. they are doing it with donations, selling jewelry, artifacts, etc. Also, one can be full of like on the outside and depressed inside.
Little Slow movie.
But good one by sanjay leela sir.
Hrithik is awesome.
well, I would like to disagree. a person living on donations and having about 3-4 caretakers and plushly decorated interiors do not match. even the wheelchair used is of the expensive variety, not frequently available in india. someone living on donations would also not have extra money left over to spend on expensive knickknacks that can be seen in the detailing of the interiors...the same things which as a whole contribute to the beautiful painting feeling to you as a reviewer.
I have interacted with a lot of quadriplegics and paraplegics myself. the movie seemed very one-dimensional, sure at the time of disability, they undergo intense discouragement, but they move on with time. anyone chaining himself to a bed in the house for extended hours at a time with limited interactions for years, is prone to brooding silences and very susceptible to depression (disability or no disability). I do not see ethan even visiting his mom or venturing out of his house until she dies or for a isolated trip here or there. he may be an RJ but he doesn't have any friends except for the people who make it a point to visit him. but I don't see him reaching out to people on his own. a person who genuinely loves life would be seen outdoors much more often, more actively engaged in his pursuits and cinematically have more 'light' in his life. and based on the depiction of the movie, ethan was actually very depressed but did a good job of faking it. which is why, someone describing him as full of life comes across as very unbelievable and very close to lying in a sense. there are a lot of dimensions and much more depth that could have been explored here, instead the movie seemed to do a very superficial job. Look at movies like sparsh, and SLB's own movie khamoshi and you will understand what is it that am referring to here.
Dear Meetu,
I respect your reviews, and I am an avid reader of them, "every week" since WOGMA started. Please do not think otherwise. Obviously there may be some agreements and disagreements. Sorry if I have said mine to you. I religiously visit your website and read your reviews, even though I am not a frequent commenter. Best
@abhay all very arguable and a never-ending argument it will be
@raj chill, it's cool. as long as the discussion is healthy, opposing view hardly matter
U mentioned in ur movie details this film is inspired by 'The Sea Inside'. What do U mean inspired?? He made terrible Devdas and people nominated it to Oscar, he lifted Black from a 1960 hollywood flick, people gave rave reviews and he made cosmetic changes to 'The Sea Inside' and made Guzaarish, U say 'must watch'....Do U guys ever change?
i really liked this review ; i m sorry to say I dont agree with the concept that "Ethan asks the permission to die" ... well he might get it .
There was not any need to make a movie on this with so much melodrama.
Guys we do rant about how great is our Indian culture But am sorry to say Indians dont have a sympathetic attitude to disabled people and geriatric people.
I step out of my house and i need not go very far take the rail way station(MMTS) for example they have a reservation for the physically handicapped but not of them enter that compartment ... why to get there a person has to climb an innumerable no of steps.
Check our foot paths for example..
This movie is irrelavent in the Indian context ...Sorry guys thats who we r ...be REALISTIC for once
I Loved The Movie..I Laughed..I Cried...
As Far As The Sub Plots And Narration Is Concerned...It Is Hard To Digest Because It Is New To Indian Cinema...We Are Used To Seeing Overstretched And Melodramatic Scenes In Our Movies...."Guzaarish" Wasn't Made To Be A Blockbuster...It Is Like A Painting..Some May Not Like It And Discard It Completely...But To Some People With The Eyes Of The Buyer...This Painting Is Worth A Million Bucks...
It Is High Time Our Directors Stopped Spoon Feeding Us..And This Is What Bhansali Sir Has Done With "Guzaarish"...We Do Not Get To See Much Of The "2 4 Characters" Thrown In The Second Half Because The DIrector Feels That We Are Intelligent Enough To Understand...
As Far As Hrithik's Acting Is Concerned..I Felt It Was Top Notch...And It Clearly Seems That When The So Called 'Reviewer' Above Says That "his head dropped to one side like a mentally imbalanced person - while this got annoying"...She Is Clearly Not Able To Understand What The Character Demanded Of Hrithik...Just Keep Yourself In The Shoes Of A Paraplegic Who Hasn't Been Able To move For 14 Bloody Years...Do You Think That He Will Live his Day Keeping His Head Held High..huh...Please Please Please Think Before You Write A Review...Because People Read What You Write And Then They Make Their Decisions To Whether Watch Or Not To Watch The Movie Depending On What You have Written....
so finally I watched this movie but missed the end..and I must say I was happily surprised with it for the part that I watched.
My biggest problem with SLB's movies is that his sets are out of here..he making it non real but he is claiming that it is the current century!
anyway, if I ignore all that, and think of this as a play with exaggerated sets then the acting was pretty decent. The screenplay was not bad.. and once I again think that he should be in theater and not in movies!
@ligne now there's a thought! you describe it perfectly.
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