Thumbs up, by ASIRA TARANNUM, Deccan Chronicle : ...Debutant director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari has shown this heart-warming story in an entertaining and emotional way. The climax of the film makes one choke. Though the first half is slow, the second half picks up the pace. The casting of every character by Mukesh Chhabra is apt and Riya is a great find. It’s refreshing to see Swara switch from being a talkative sister to Salman Khan (Prem Ratan Dhan Payo) to a single mother. She bears the burden effortlessly. Producer Aanand L Rai and Eros have shown that small films can be brought to the celluloid with entertainment. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Yatharth Chauhan , Desi Martini : ...Nil Battey Sannata is an accomplishment because it doesn’t try to win your sympathies, but successfully attempts to earn your hearts. I spent most part of my time watching this crisp film with a smile and yet came out with my heart filled with the rooted emotions brought out later. If it could make ‘Mathematics’ look sweet, think what it can do to you! ... full review

Thumbs up, by Rachit Gupta, Filmfare : ...The best films, like the best stories tell you something about yourself. Through their characters and situations these films show you a mirror not just to life itself but to your own personality and experiences. Also, such films are a rarity. They're about as abundant as most people's bank accounts. And yet, their richness leaves a lasting impact on you. ... full review

Thumbs up, by UDITA JHUNJHUNWALA, FirstPost : ...Using locations, sets, costumes, language and setting (Agra), Iyer Tiwari creates an authentic world with a universal emotional core. However, at the close, the narrative trips over its own benevolence. The relationship between Bhaskar and Pathak Shah is a touch overdone and, while it managed to skip melodrama and manipulation throughout, the end succumbs to sermonizing (and a kitschy song called ‘Maa’) which dilutes the impact of an otherwise assured debut delivered with a lightness of touch and a positive message. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Johnson Thomas, Free Press Journal : ...There are no flashy moments, no cut-aways to scenic splendors – just everyday, routine visuals made classy because they lend contextual vividity and texture to moods and moments enshrined within. The editing, background score and production values are also first rate. Ashwiny, an advertising professional, had assisted her husband Nitesh Tiwari on ‘Chillar Party’ and ‘Bhoothnath Returns.’ She also has a nine minute short ‘Whats for Breakfast?’ in her credit list. This film proves that she is a talent to be reckoned with. The simplicity and eloquence with which she has managed to tackle a serious and dry subject sets her up as prodigious and imminently worthy. And never mind the title, this film is bound to achieve cent per cent results! ... full review

Thumbs up, by Vishal Verma, Glamsham.com : ...All said and done, NIL BATTEY SANNATA is an applauding cinematic triumph, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari gives a little gem of a humanistic, motivating and beautiful fable that celebrates the joy of having a dream and is an ode to woman hood and motherhood, anchored by Swara Bhaskar's career best performance till date. Highly recommended, it's a must if you love good, inspiring cinema. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Gautaman Bhaskaran, Hindustan Times : ...Bhaskar affirms this with a rare power and simplicity -- a yawning difference from the parts she played as a modern woman in the Tanu Weds Manu series. As is often believed in Bollywood, an actor must be able to let go his/her own self and sink into a character and she does. ... full review

Thumbs up, by RAJEEV MASAND, IBN Live : ...But at the heart of the film is Swara Bhaskar as Chanda who refuses to give up on her dream and her daughter. Not one note out of place, she grabs your attention, be it in shining hope or in crushing disappointment. Tiwari directs the film as a touching ode to motherhood, even if it does seem to labor the point towards the last half hour. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Uday Bhatia, Live Mint : ...In her second lead role after Listen… Amaya, Bhaskar slips under the skin of the wily, determined Chanda, her mobile face switching from broad comedy to panic as she realizes she’s scrounging for money to pay for dreams she isn’t sure her daughter even has. Shukla deserves credit for playing up Apeksha’s brattiness; it’s a combative, un-endearing performance, unusual from a child actor. Pankaj Tripathi, on the other hand, could hardly be more delightful as the principal of the school and Chanda and Apeksha’s sarcastic math teacher. As has rightfully happened with Bhaskar, it’s time someone cast him in the lead. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Jaidev Hemmady, Movie Talkies : ...It takes real courage to attempt a film on a social issue without any big stars and send across a message with a dose of entertainment and humour and Nil Battey Sannata accomplishes this with flying colours. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Kunal Guha, Mumbai Mirror : ...Director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari deserves credit for transforming a very average story with a predictable moral into a film that leaves you feeling snug and content. Composer duo Rohan and Vinayak strum up a refreshingly soothing soundtrack, from the playful "Maths Mein Dabba Gul" to the tingling earworm "Murabba", which plays during the opening credits. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...This film says a great deal about a girl-child's struggles, a mother's hopes and the ways of the education system. But, in the end, Nil Battey Sannata is also a good old story about life and its vicissitudes. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Namrata Thakker, Rediff : ...Watch this film with your mother. The film is truly a fitting tribute to mothers and their unconditional, selfless love. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...For the outstanding story, interesting storytelling style, and incredibly authentic performances, this one is a must-watch! ... full review

Thumbs up, by Namrata Joshi, The Hindu : ...There are plot points you could nitpick on but at the end of the day Nil Battey Sannata remains a warm, feel-good film which offers hope and the promise of upward mobility that doesn’t depend on the social strata you come from but your own will and diligence. ... full review

Thumbs up, by Mohar Basu, Times of India : ...Swara Bhaskar, Ria Shukla and Pankaj Tripathi enthrall with their riveting performances. Though the tempo drops considerably in the second half, Ashwiny ensures that the film never loses its charm. It does get preachy and you find yourself shifting in your seats a lot towards the final scene, but the movie wins you over with its innocence and simplicity. ... full review

So-So, by Suparna Sharma, Deccan Chronicle : ...But Nil Battey Sannata belongs to Swara Bhaskar who has till now played motormouth, opinionated, fiery peripheral characters. Here she takes centrestage and holds us — Lo and Behold Messrs Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra — not with a truckload of costume, hair and make up experts, but the sheer strength of her talent. She is an incredible actress. Watch Nil Battey Sannata for its acting talent, if nothing else. ... full review

So-So, by Suhani Singh, india today : ...The brightest stars of the film are its actors and Tiwari and her team of writers who celebrate the mother-daughter bond. Mother's Day is on May 8 and Nil Battey Sannata is a timely, fitting tribute to the paramount figure in all our lives without whom we are all lesser beings.... full review

So-So, by Shubha Shetty-Saha, MiD DAY : ...While the first half is smooth and keeps you involved, the second half falters at many points and the climax seems too convenient and hurriedly wrapped up.... full review