Dharam Sankat Mein
wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)
A premise that could've been interesting is made long and preachy.
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A non-believer is made to try on religion for size due to social and emotional pressures. Off late we've seen a couple of films that go on to rebuke blind faith and they've done a decent job too. In fact, both PK and OMG have been referenced to in Dharam Sankat Mein. I was bracing up for yet another film along the same lines. While Dharam Sankat Mein is different in the way in which the religious dilemma presents itself, it turns out long-winded, rather instructional and most importantly underwhelming.
I am all for subtlety and am not looking for melodrama, but with a premise as this, Dharam Sankat Mein ought to have had a crescendo which is lacking. Our protagonist, Dharam (pun intended and works at multiple levels) is not so much of an atheist as he is a person who doesn't identify with blind faith. He doesn't care too much for the religion he belongs to.
Yet, the writer subtly slides in the nature of our society by having him make nasty remarks about another religion. True to his nature, Dharam does become neutral as the situation demands. And I loved how his precarious situation plays out, where agnostic Dharam ends up having to understand more than one religions.
Beyond this basic smartness in the writing though, the film falls limp very soon. The stage is set early on and you are waiting for something to happen, which doesn't. The two opposing directions that Dharam gets pulled into are not convincing enough for a man who is pretty comfortable with who he is. Somehow you can't visualise a person like Dharam submitting to anything meekly. The item numbers and shabby climax don't help either.
Also, the film becomes preachy all too often. This indirectly breaks the fourth wall and jolts you from a common middle class man's uncommon story into the film you are watching. This is despite yet another perfect common man portrayal by Paresh Rawal. Yet another film that he carries broadly on his shoulder.
Even so, I appreciate the fact that despite the preachy nature of the film, a different approach was endeavoured. More power to such trials even if not many of us are taken in by them.
- meeta, a part of the audience
Thumbs up, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...should be watched for its sheer simplicity... full review
Thumbs up, by Smita Vyas Kumar, Desi Martini : ...A well paced thinking movie with some great acting by Paresh Rawal. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ... A thought-provoking comedy about religious tolerance... full review
Thumbs up, by Mihir Fadnavis, FirstPost : ...there are enough goodies in the film to negate the negatives. ... full review
So-So, by Nikhil Kumar, Apun Ka Choice : ... a watchable satire on blind faith... full review
So-So, by Baradwaj Rangan, Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express : ...The worst scenes are the ones in which Naseeruddin Shah plays that godman. ... full review
So-So, Business of Cinema : ... inexperience is discernible across the canvas... full review
So-So, by Sushmita Murthy, Deccan Chronicle : ...Earnest, but clichéd ... full review
So-So, by Divay Agarwal, Desi Martini : ...It's no OMG... full review
So-So, by Sidhant Shori, Desi Martini : ...direction sankat mein... full review
So-So, by Aneela Zeb Babbar, Desi Martini : ...Lost in translation... full review
So-So, by Bryan Durham, DNA : ...Paresh Rawal shines, Naseeruddin Shah disappoints... full review
So-So, by Joginder Tuteja, Movie Talkies : ...Could Have Been Wittier... full review
So-So, by Divya Solgama, MoviezADDA : ...occasional dum in this movie and on an overall basis, a decent film... full review
So-So, by Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Reuters : ...If the film does work in parts, it is because of Rawal’s wry humour and the comic timing with which he delivers his lines... full review
So-So, by Srijana Das Mitra, Times of India : ...large sequences look low on energy and stereotypes, from lusty swami to kajal-eyed imam, stretch to yawning point.... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Gahlot, cinemaah : ...The three accomplished actors, Rawal, Shah and Kapoor are not at their best-- the film requires them to ham, just so that it can keep looking over its shoulder and saying, "Don't mind it." ... full review
Thumbs down, by Johnson Thomas, Free Press Journal : ...The performances by the three main leads and the all-too-brief bits of alleviating humor are the only magnets to your interest!... full review
Thumbs down, by Sweta Kaushal, Hindustan Times : ...This is nowhere close to OMG... full review
Thumbs down, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...It’s also much too long, saying the same thing over and over again... full review
Thumbs down, by Surabhi Redkar, koimoi : ...once again an all talk, no play movie... full review
Thumbs down, by Saibal Chaterjee, NDTV : ...one star for intention, but only half for execution.... full review
Thumbs down, by Jyothi Venkatesh, Star Blockbuster : ... you can skip this preachy film which lulls you to sleep... full review
Thumbs down, by Vishal Menon, The Hindu : ... Poor man’s PK... full review
varun_iiml: "Dharam Sankat Mein" is a hilarious movie with a surprise ending! Total paisa vasool! #MustWatch #Bollywood
TaterAditya2611: Dharam Sankat Mein conveys a message that there is no difference between caste, everyone is equal... Good act done by #Paresh Rawal
stuti_chats10: Loved the movie!!!!Dharam Sankat mein!!!Worth a watch!! laughed a lot.... #DharamSankatMein
snaidu666: Wish some religious groups to demand ban on movie Dharam Sankat mein, so that it can get publicity it deserve. A good watch
shadez: Dharam Sankat Mein is yet another interesting, funny take on religion conundrum.
Saheb_Engineer: Dharam Sankat mein is a good movie. Go and watch it guys.
Revolution_A: Dharam Sankat Mein(2015), a brilliant movie to watch for! :)
Reetesh777: "Dharam Sankat Mein" such a nice movie again by @SirPareshRawal Ji.. इंसानियत ही पहला धर्मं हैं।
NextToSRK: Watched 'Dharam Sankat Mein' Loved it Paresh Rawal & Annu Kapoor rocked it totally. I love this type of Satire
kaupar: Just watched Dharam Sankat Mein. Nice movie. But will surely get compared to #OMG https://t.co/kTUgIPmEiT
dilkul: Watched Dharam Sankat Mein. Entertaining, can watch. #Bollywood #movies
bollywoodden: #DharamSankatMein is paisa vasool. Read about @annukapoor_ and @SirPareshRawal's movie on God http://t.co/NR1uij1ovC http://t.co/BDhLPgs2Fa
bobbysings: Dharam sankat Mein half way thru,,,,interwal,,,,,,must watch,,,,,comedy by Reliable Paresh rawal
ankitkatyal: I rated Dharam Sankat Mein (2015) 7/10 #IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4354740
aayushjoshi: Watch the movie Dharam Sankat Mein. Awesome movie completely loved it.
ravidatt13481: परेश रावल या अन्नू कपूर के लिये देख सकते हैं. http://nbt.in/micron/redirect.html?str=bTBSib
sagar7737984032: 'Dharam Sankat Mein' review: Despite Paresh Rawal's strong performance, the film fails to create an impact 2 stars
Plebeian42: 'Dharam Sankat Mein' is a film that is, for the most part, clueless about what it's trying to say. My review: https://tanulthakur.wordpress.com/2015/04/12/dharm-sankat-mein-weak-writing-ruins-a-potentially-powerful-film/
Niharika0611: Dharam sankat mein was such a waste of my time.
mayakalalu: Dharam sankat mein could have Been mAde better.
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: None
- Language: Clean. Communal differences highlighted.
- Nudity & Sexual content: None. A couple of conversations involving sexual orientation
- Concept: All roads lead to one God
![[Facebook page of Dharam Sankat Mein]](/static/images/icons/facebook_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Twitter account of Dharam Sankat Mein]](/static/images/icons/twitter_small.png){kind=icon}
![[YouTube channel of Dharam Sankat Mein]](/static/images/icons/youtube_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Wikipedia page of Dharam Sankat Mein]](/static/images/icons/wiki_small.png){kind=icon}
![[IMDB Page of Dharam Sankat Mein]](/static/images/icons/imdb_small.png){kind=icon}
Comments (5)
Those are pretty dismal ratings, i don't think i need to look at this one.
Good review!
Thank you @Alok
another great review as usual... But where was the reference to PK? also where did they break the fourth wall? I think all people who believe in God should see the movie... to understand that we have created God and not the other way around...
@saurabh, sorry, my memory is foggy now but once a character tells another "PK aaye ho kya?" or something to that effect. I thought it was a reference to the film.
Fourth wall - again, I remember Paresh Rawal doing that a couple of times. Not very in the face, and not for too long. Don't remember the exact scene in which it happens though. Sorry.
This one was on my to-watch list since some time now. So I did finally take the time to watch it. In fact preferred to watch this over Piku, simply because of Paresh Rawal and his previous track record on OMG.
Personally I was disappointed with the film. If nothing then at least the film had huge comic potential with the guy getting confused on his identity whilst being in between people of another faith. I.e. behaving like Muslim whilst among Hindus, and the other way round. It was used a bit but not with strong writing to generate enough guffaws.
Also: as is the trend, I found the film once again an attempt at Hindu and Hinduism bashing; and appeasement at all costs of minorities - maybe to please the pseudo seculars and people who consider themselves liberal and intellectual. Although all credit to Paresh Rawal that the bashing was done in a dignified manner, without making a mockery of beliefs as did Raju. Beliefs cannot and should not be made fun of. Also, since the Hindu bashing and Muslim appeasement comes from a Gujarati Hindu, it has some credibility - unlike attempts by the Khans to do that which always give the uncomfortable feeling that a Muslim is preaching to be nice to other Muslims.
Overall: watch it if you are a Paresh Rawal fan, he is the show stealer yet once more. Annu Kapoor does justify his role, Naseeruddin is loud unlike real-life babas who are the exact opposite. Message is simple, but lacks strong writing to support the 100 odd minutes of the film.
PS: @Meetu, reading the above remarks, yes I also thought immediately that an oblique reference was made to PK when somebody from the crowd shouted that peekay aaya hai kya?
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