Namaste England

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)

quick review:

Dialogue-heavy. Has a supposed agenda which doesn’t connect because it feels exaggerated despite being one close to my heart – a woman’s struggle between own aspirations and family. The real agenda is even more tiresome.

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Running time: 140 minutes
Genres: Romance, Social
More Movie Info

Namaste England - Preview

It looks like the makers of Namaste England attempt to take women empowerment head-on. What comes across as the usual rom-com in the beginning of the trailer, turns into a married woman’s struggle between her family and career. Beyond this though, how realistic the film stays and how deep it takes its insights is yet to be seen. But, it is difficult to not expect much because shaking off all that was wrong with Namaste London is difficult.

It doesn’t help that both Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra seem to be on autopilot for want of better written characters. Also, the dialogue is rather uninspiring. But, this is just an impression from a 2-minute trailer. There’s ample scope for me to be proven wrong for the film.

Namaste England releases on 18 October, 2018.

- meeta, a part of the audience

To complain about the ridiculous situation(s) presented in Namaste London on a day that you have watched Badhaai Ho brings up existential questions. What else can you call it when a woman so desperate to have a career sounds more ridiculous than a 50+ year old lady falls pregnant? Anyhow, this desperation and the drama that it brings along are exasperating to say the least.

I don’t question the believability because it takes all kinds to make this world and anything can happen. But, the way it plays out is not engaging at all.

It is clear that Namaste England has an agenda. You would think from the trailer and what I have said so far that it is about the inability of women having a career because of the patriarchy. But as the second half reveals itself, you realise this was a mask to tell you about the ridiculous desperation of people from the Indian sub-continent wanting to move to the UK.

I am not insensitive to the fact that there is a large section of the population in developing nations that is in a truly desperate situation and moving to developed countries seems like the only ray of hope. The methods used here though, are crazy. I don’t question the believability because it takes all kinds to make this world and anything can happen. But, the way it plays out is not engaging at all.

Given the lacklustre execution, and the easy-way-out story telling, Namaste England is boring and predictable. The performances are earnest but seem forced too. Arjun Kapoor plays the too-good-to-be-true Punjabi boy so sincerely that his act seems flat. Parineeti Chopra makes you believe her ambition but comes across as eccentric rather than persistent.

All of which might have worked for the film if it didn’t bank so heavily and yet superficially upon catchy themes – gender equality and women empowerment, and nationalism. Its potential strengths become its biggest failures.

- meeta, a part of the audience

28 reviewers(?) - 1 yays 1 so-so 26 nays

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

Thumbs up, by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice : ...Namaste England is beautifully shot by Yiannis Manolopoulos. The film looks and feels as though it has been shot in a dreamscape. The free-floating baby-shower feeling sees the saga to its unimpeded end. Of course Param and his truant bride (now fully sobered-down) live happily ever after. Given the film’s blithe mood that isn’t a spoiler. It is the need of the hour.... full review

So-So, by Susri Sahu, Bollywood Life : ...Go ahead if you have a lot of time to spare but don't expect to leave the theatre enthralled.... full review

Thumbs down, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...So you can easily skip it in the theaters as well as the online portals in the coming months, since it is not even worth trying wasting your precious time.... full review

Thumbs down, Bollywood Hungama : ...On the whole, NAMASTE ENGLAND is an extremely poor fare and is riddled with a terrible script and a juvenile screenplay. At the box office, it will face a tough time and will not find favour with the audience.... full review

Thumbs down, by Mayur Sanap, Deccan Chronicle : ...With poor-plot, banal lead characters and overall nothing really interesting, Namaste England is a romantic-comedy that falls short on both accounts. The film had the potential to be a real crowd pleaser, but it feels forced, confused and takes the audience for granted. It is better to say good-bye to this one.... full review

Thumbs down, by Meena Iyer, DNA : ...The music (Mannan Shaah, Badshah, Rishi Rich) has the Punjabi upbeat quality about it. But sadly, not one song stays in mind after you exit the theatre. The supporting cast, too, doesn’t offer any act that you can remember. In fact, Gurnaam Singh (Satish Kaushik) who is a thrifty travel agent with his innumerable ‘darlings’ is so bad; it makes you shudder.... full review

Thumbs down, by Rahul Desai, Film Companion : ...ill then, films like Namaste England will ensure that, in the spirit of true nationalism, India continues to avenge its colonization by shooting trash on British shores today.... full review

Thumbs down, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ...Both Parineeti and Arjun are in need of a hit and to that end they try hard to spice up the proceedings. However, their heroic efforts aren’t enough to salvage the disjointed story and screenplay. Tracks like Tere liye, Proper Patola and Tu meri main tera, do add some flair but it’s a case of too little, too late...... full review

Thumbs down, by UDITA JHUNJHUNWALA, FirstPost : ...The loose direction, tepid interaction between the leads, an immature premise, dull locations, and Jasmeet and Param’s illogical actions are exasperating. Namaste England is so dated in its ideas, storytelling and design that it even makes a stimulating city like London look rusty.... full review

Thumbs down, by Vishal Verma, Glamsham.com : ...can be included in filmmaking institutes that can offer a course to budding filmmakers on what to avoid during the second time.... full review

Thumbs down, by "Jyoti Sharma Bawa ", Hindustan Times : ...The biggest loser, however, in all of this is England. After LoveYatri earlier this month and now Namaste England, we completely agree with the above confused desi when he says Britishers should stop giving visa to Indians. Or at least to Indian film crews till better sense prevails.... full review

Thumbs down, by Suhani Singh, india today : ...Namaste England, starring Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra is a dull and boring tale with astounding levels of ludicrousness, says our movie review.... full review

Thumbs down, by Charu Thakur, india today : ...Skip Namaste England. Neither the Proper Patola nor the Gentle Giant can make you fall in love with them or their London saga.... full review

Thumbs down, by R M Vijayakar, India West : ...Messy Tale That Heads Nowhere... full review

Thumbs down, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...But Namaste England is not that film. It’s been a while since I’ve seen something so clichéd and charmless.... full review

Thumbs down, by Umesh Punwani, koimoi : ...All said and done, there are good films, there are bad films, there are movies like MSG: The Messenger, Gunda, Race 3 and then there’s a movie like Namaste England. If you’re going to watch Badhaai Ho and are unable to get the tickets, come back home and watch Namaste London.... full review

Thumbs down, by Mohar Basu, MiD DAY : ...Namaste England is a shabbier version of Namaste London. In what may be seen as his attempt at inspiring laughs, Kapoor's deshbhakti speech is peppered with tiresome comical claims, like these: India has sent a spacecraft to Mars for "the cost of a rickshaw ride". Also, India will be a safe haven for Americans and Britishers to migrate to, in the next 50 years. While Namaste London wasn't particularly a gem, it at least had the brilliant... full review

Thumbs down, by Kunal Guha, Mumbai Mirror : ..., this film is an attempt to discourage those who illegally migrate to first-world countries to take up menial jobs?... full review

Thumbs down, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...Seriously, one more film of this quality and the careers of Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra could be in grave jeopardy. Hopefully, these two young actors know better. And one more movie of this kind and England could well contemplate slamming its doors on Bollywood storytellers. We do not see how the salutation that the film extends could soften the blow that this monstrosity delivers.... full review

Thumbs down, by Rohit Vats, News18.com : ...Namaste England goes nowhere and seems like that odd star in the space which all your childhood friends talked about but nobody could see and locate. You still don’t know if it was even there or not.​... full review

Thumbs down, by Rajeev Masand, News18.com : ...It’s hard to apply a traditional rating yardstick to a film that’s bereft of logic, or possesses even a modicum of common sense or plausibility. I’m going to skip rating Namaste England. Yes, this is that kind of awful film.... full review

Thumbs down, by Manisha Lakhe, Now Running.com : ...Jasmeet is married to Param. But Jasmeet's grandpa and brother don't want her to ever work because women are made to bear children and take care of men. Jasmeet thinks moving to England will give her freedom to work. She will stop at nothing to get to England, including 'getting married' in name only to a rich Brit when she realises Param will never get a visa. Param then goes the illegal route to bring her back, pretending to marry another rich Brit when he gets there. Far-fetched, ridiculous... full review

Thumbs down, by Urvi Parikh, Rediff : ...Namaste England drags after a point. You neither sympathise with the actors nor empathise with them. I won't recommend you to go through this one. Instead, watch Namastey London once again!... full review

Thumbs down, by SHILPA JAMKHANDIKAR, Reuters : ...None of this has any hope of working on screen, and the acting makes it worse. As if Arjun Kapoor’s “Johnny Bravo” haircut wasn’t distracting enough, the actor can barely muster up two expressions. Chopra is no better, sleepwalking through a role that didn’t have too much meat in the first place.... full review

Thumbs down, by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in : ...There is barely a moment of relief from the tedium of watching the leads go through the motions and tuning into the poorly written dialogue and endlessly uninvolving moments. Parineeti Chopra’s usual sparkiness is missing, and Jasmeet’s inherent submissiveness and inability to stand up to Param makes her a character not worth fighting for.... full review

Thumbs down, by Troy Ribeiro, Sify Movies : ...Overall, the narrative is slow with sensibilities of the late 1990s.... full review

Thumbs down, by Namrata Joshi, The Hindu : ...There is a flat, half baked subplot about illegal immigration and the usual righteous show of desh bhakti. And not a single intelligent moment to balance out the daftness on display. Just what were the makers thinking when they were hatching this senseless film in their collective head!... full review

Thumbs down, by Rachit Gupta, Times of India : ...The music, lead by tracks like 'Bhare Bazaar', 'Tu Meri' and 'Proper Patola', is far more entertaining than the film. 'Namaste England' has a lot of promise, but the film just isn’t able to shake off the ill-effects of clichéd storytelling. This one’s a classic case of love's labour lost.... full review

Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.

1 readers - 1 yays 0 so-so 0 nays

Not Interested in Watching, by TimELiebe : Wow - Am I Developing...Taste? This Sounds Appalling

Yay! Thumbs Up, by Hindi South Indian Movies

This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.

Parental Guidance:

  • Violence: None
  • Language: Clean
  • Nudity & Sexual content: Some mention of people sleeping around
  • Concept: A woman wants to move to England to make a career.
  • General Look and Feel: One that we could easily identify as Punjabi.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

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Namaste England - Cast, crew, links

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Running time:
140 minutes
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Comments (3)

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::I am not insensitive to the fact that there is a large section of the population in developing nations that is in a truly desperate situation and moving to developed countries seems like the only ray of hope. ::

Maybe Australia - but it sounds like the US and the UK are in a race to be the Most Xenophobic Nation on Earth right now!

Well, for starters, the income and wealth inequality is so high that it is not my place to say whether some people would be better off in UK/USA despite the xenophobia. Then you have a social structure here too which I can imagine people wanting to get out of. A discussion for another forum, I guess.

Meeta - that's very true, and something I wouldn't know as an American who's never been further abroad than Germany.

It came to mind with the recent wedding of Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. To us Jonas seems very religious conservative - but I would imagine to her, he seems like a breath of open but grounded fresh air.

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