Queen
wogma rating: Beg or borrow, but do watch (?)
The worst break-up ever makes for a warm, spirited film.
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It is always awesome when you start watching a trailer with eyes ready to roll and instead they turn wide with amazement. Kangna Ranaut is actually playing a lively character with such honesty and grace, let alone without screeching.
The brilliant bit is that the writing is so good that it is difficult to distinguish if it is Kangna Ranaut or her character who is unpretentious and fresh. The story by itself is something that is intriguing but can go either way - a small-town Indian girl is stranded in Europe on her honeymoon.
Though Raj Kumar Yadav doesn't seem to have too big a role in the film, it is great to see him slotted against Kangna Ranaut - an unlikely couple. That along with the fact that the director, Vikas Bahl's co-directed Chillar Party makes me want to look forward to the film.
The music is quirky as one has come to expect from Amit Trivedi. Just wondering if my inkling, that the film will match up too, will be right.
Music Reviews:
Apun Ka Choice - "4/5"
Bollyspice - "4/5"
Bollywood Hungama - "2.5/5"
glamsham - "3.5/5"
IBN Live, IANS - "/5"
koimoi - "4/5"
Milliblog - in a 200-worder, "Queen is Amit Trivedi proving he’s king… again!"
Music Aloud - "9/10"
- meeta, a part of the audience
You could call Queen a chick-flick, you could call it a coming-of-age film. You could even say it is an apt one to release on "Women's Day" weekend. Bracket it as you like it, but there cannot be enough films made like Queen.
And I don't say that because Queen sees its protagonist empower herself from a small-town woman who is put down by all around her to a woman who is willing to find herself. Neither is it because a human being comes into their own despite being down in the dumps, without losing their innocence.
Films like Queen should be made for the way the story is narrated.
You relate to the protagonist from the word go - and that comes from a person who hates use of voice-over to introduce a film. You are with Queen, a part of her thoughts. You jump with her from thought to thought. And the best bit - the voice-over stops there. It isn't overdone.
Kangna Ranaut's Rani or Queen is innocent and that simplicity engages you instantly. Her character builds and grows ever-so-slowly, yet, you are far from getting bored. In fact, one of those rare films that I didn't want to end.
Rani and Kangna weave together so seamlessly, that you cannot tell if you are falling in love with the actor or the character. And while she (both Rani and Kangna) could have carried the film alone on her fragile shoulders, she is lent great support by the supporting cast and the characters they play.
Films like Queen also show you that there are things beyond character and situations and overall plot. It's the details and the traps that you keep yourself from falling into. Tiny things make Queen, the film, even more charming - like how she doesn't let go of her handbag - no, not to the street thug as you see in the trailer - but in a club, while dancing.
Also, it was so easy to have let Queen get a makeover and transform herself into a confident, outgoing girl, especially given Kangna Ranaut's glamour quotient. But, they don't take that bait. The character transforms but within a believable boundary. This aspect is so refreshing when you compare it to almost every other hindi film in which characters transform into the exact opposite at the slightest instigation.
Given all the things that are right about Queen, the discussion would still be incomplete without a word about the music. Wow.
Both, the writing and the performances in movies like Highway and Queen swoon you with surprise. It takes me a long while to get over this lovely feeling of being swept of my feet, especially when least expected. Good thing I am in no rush to come back to ground.
- meeta, a part of the audience
Thumbs up, by Anna MM Vetticad, annavetticadgoes2themovies : ...Queen: a delightfully funny, sensitive, small, simple-but-not-simplistic film about coming of age past the age when most people get to do that. In a sense, it’s a sign that Bollywood too is coming of age. Queen is a royal triumph.... full review
Thumbs up, by Subhash K. Jha, Apun Ka Choice : ...If you miss "Queen", you may never get a chance to know how Rani journeyed into self-actualization. And that would be your loss entirely.... full review
Thumbs up, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...o QUEEN comes forward to break this questionable one sided thought process of our own society in an entertaining style with a clear message that yes a girl too has the right to say NO as per her own choice, without feeling any kind of shame or insult. In short here we have a Hindi film taking the next step forward in our Indian Cinema and the effort surely needs to be applauded by one and all, loudly.... full review
Thumbs up, by Núria Bonals Hidalgo, Bolly Spice : ...Queen is a must-watch film. The idea may not be original, but the way it has been brought to the screen is impeccable. The cast, led by a bubbly Kangana Ranaut, is flawless and dialogues are entertaining.... full review
Thumbs up, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...QUEEN reinvents the genre with its non-formulaic screenplay and skilled direction. A charming little film, this one's made with heart and feeling and it shows. Absolutely recommended! ... full review
Thumbs up, by Prateek Sur , Bollywood Life : ...It is impossible to not fall in love with Kangana’s performance as this is possibly her best performance till date. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Deepa Gahlot, cinemaah : ... Kangana Ranaut (also credited with additional dialogue) acts with a fresh-faced sweetness that is almost like a debut. For an actress in MCP-ish Bollywood to get a part in which she is not propped up by a hero is a small miracle—for Rani, the film deserves to be a hit.... full review
Thumbs up, by Deepa Gahlot, cinemaah : ... Kangana Ranaut (also credited with additional dialogue) acts with a fresh-faced sweetness that is almost like a debut. For an actress in MCP-ish Bollywood to get a part in which she is not propped up by a hero is a small miracle—for Rani, the film deserves to be a hit.... full review
Thumbs up, Daily Bhaskar : ...Queen is one such film which you don’t want to miss. It is one film which will be remembered for Kangana’s performance forever. You will tell your friends after 10 year, “maine Queen 5 baar dekhi hai.” ... full review
Thumbs up, by aneela.zeb.b, Desi Martini : ...Move Over Gaynor! Momma (and Survivors) Have A Brand New Anthem ... full review
Thumbs up, by SOMESH SINHA, Desi Martini : ... This slice of life affair is a crackerjack, which should not be missed for the world. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Smita Vyas Kumar, Desi Martini : ...An outstanding movie eery way you look at it. Kangana shines and how! ... full review
Thumbs up, by Rahul Menon, Desi Martini : ...Alia Bhatt' & Parineeti say hello to your biggest n toughest competition for 2014. Kangana Ranaut, ... full review
Thumbs up, by Sarita Tanwar, DNA : ...Queen is irresistible. Highly recommended. A must-see film. You will leave the theatre with your heart humming happily.... full review
Thumbs up, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ...Amit Trivedi’s score acts as a companion piece to the situations. Camerawork by Late Bobby Singh and Siddharth Diwan and editing by Abhijit Kokate and Anurag Kashyap too is impeccable.... full review
Thumbs up, by Tanushree Bhasin, FirstPost : ... a journey of self-transformation, realisation and actualisation that rejects all the rules and lets her chart a path that’s all her own.... full review
Thumbs up, by Nupur Barua, fullhyd.com : ...Of course you have to watch Queen. There is no reason to skip it, and it is a very entertaining movie. Did you know that Kangana Ranaut has written her own dialogues for this one? Take your whole family for the ride, and make sure you sit through the very interesting end credits as well. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...I can go on and on.... But I'll stop here. This Women's Day, go out and celebrate with QUEEN. A movie worth going miles to see! ... full review
Thumbs up, by Rajeev Masand, IBN Live : ...Ultimately, it's Kangana Ranaut who makes you root for Rani from the word go. The best way to describe her fabulous performance is by confessing that I forgot I was watching Kangana. It's a raw, nuanced, delicately comical perf... full review
Thumbs up, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...Bahl’s second directorial venture is a delight: his first, ‘Chillar Party’, had some spark, but nothing prepared me for this. The story, which could easily have slipped into mush, stays free of drippy sentimentality, barring one or two raised-violin scenes. Rani is given interesting ... full review
Thumbs up, Indicine : ...Queen is supposed to take a below par opening but the word of mouth of this film can be expected to rise from the first day itself. By the end of its run, Queen should end up as a profitable venture for the makers.... full review
Thumbs up, Indicine : ...Queen is supposed to take a below par opening but the word of mouth of this film can be expected to rise from the first day itself. By the end of its run, Queen should end up as a profitable venture for the makers.... full review
Thumbs up, by Mohar Basu, koimoi : ...Queen‘ is easily one of the most accomplished films made in a long time. The skillful direction of Vikas and Kangana’s easy virtuoso makes this one an indulgent affair. For the constant smile that it left on my face, the hiccups were all forgettable. I am going with 4/5 and recommend you don’t it for the world. Scores above Bravura!... full review
Thumbs up, by Sanjukta Sharma, Live Mint : ...Queen is an ebullient, enjoyable film, its feminist points squirelled into the film’s margins. It’s the breeziest film you can imagine about a person’s transformation in a short span, and Ranuat is winningly responsible for it. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Shubha Shetty-saha, MiD DAY : ...This is a delightful coming-of-age story about a simple girl. Watch this film for Kangna Ranaut's brilliant performance ... full review
Thumbs up, by Joginder Tuteja, Movie Talkies : ...these are the very factors that not just make this Kangana Ranaut starrer stand out in the crowd, they also make the film a delightful affair on screen. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Divya Solgama, MoviezADDA : ...Well this movie has all the sweet and enjoyable dum what one does want from a good film... full review
Thumbs up, by Rahul Desai, Mumbai Mirror : ...Queen almost defies its bloated running time. I say 'almost' because one too many moments of enlightenment are piled on towards the end, none of which are surprising. This is instantly forgiven though, as soon as some very innovative end credits begin to roll. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ... Don’t miss Queen for anything. It is a sparkling little gem. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Mansha Rastogi, Now Running.com : ...Queen is one of the finest films this year that with all its simplicity strikes a chord with the mass. The movie deserves not one but repeated watch.... full review
Thumbs up, by Raja Sen, Rediff : ...Kangna Ranaut is gobstoppingly spectacular. The actress has always flirted with the unfamiliar but here -- at her most real, at her most gorgeously guileless -- she absolutely shines and the film stands back and lets her rule... full review
Thumbs up, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...A true coming-of-age-story… no cop-out. Now that's a rare Bollywood gem. Do Not Miss! ... full review
Thumbs up, by Janhavi Samant, Star Blockbuster : ...Queen is light and fun. A must watch. ... full review
Thumbs up, by SUDHISH KAMATH, The Hindu : ...A welcome vacation from structured, formulaic Hindi films. Feel good at its best ... full review
Thumbs up, by Meena Iyer, Times of India : ...Lisa Haydon and Rajkummar Rao lend good support. But this film belongs to its director Vikas Bahl. This is his first solo outing.... full review
Thumbs up, by Rummana Ahmed, yahoo! India : ...Vikas Bahl deserves applause for steering clear of melodrama and sparing us long monologues. I guess he was right to be satisfied with this film; there is really no need to change a single frame.... full review
Thumbs up, by Aparna Mudi, Zee News : ...Vikas has brought forward the side Kangana that was lost after `Gangster`. The story is etched out well, and it is perfect for the Women`s day theme. Watch the movie to break free from whatever holds you back, and of course Kangana Ranaut.... full review
So-So, by Suparna Sharma, Deccan Chronicle : ...Ms Ranaut is in complete control and is very good. Rajkummar Rao. is one of the few actors who does Bollywood proud. And with Queen, he adds another, small, feather to his hat.... full review
So-So, by Sweta Kaushal, Hindustan Times : ...Kangana really impresses with her performance. Though Rajkummar does not have much of a screen space, he plays the regressive fiancé perfectly.... full review
Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: None.
- Language: Clean.
- Nudity & Sexual content: Pole dancing, a visit to a sex toy store, prostitution. No explicit scenes.
- Concept: A small town girls discovers herself.
- General Look and Feel: A warm, cozy albeit dull feel.
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![[Twitter account of Queen]](/static/images/icons/twitter_small.png){kind=icon}
![[YouTube channel of Queen]](/static/images/icons/youtube_small.png){kind=icon}
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Comments (17)
..keenly waiting for this one...loved all promos ...
...absolutely loved it ...now eagerly waiting for your verdict ...be ready to fight ...if its anything less than "Must see - Only in big screen"
Great, now I really really want to watch this film. Of course, it won't release here so I will have to guiltily download it.
...feeling like the kid who after getting her marksheet is wondering why teacher gave me 99 ...where I lost that 1 mark..
@Divya Believe me, I thought long and hard as to why I don't feel like "Must watch...", but couldn't come up with a reason. Yet, couldn't make myself bump the rating up. :/
@Rahul oh so sad, that this film have to be downloaded because of unavailability. Feel worse that happening to films you like :(
Hi...Here's a thought: While there are tons of movie review sites to read BEFORE watching a movie, there are hardly any sites that are meant to read AFTER watching a good movie. For Hollywood movies, the IMDB forums are very active, and full of intersting observations. So here's an idea: why don't you start a separate section on your site called 'After Watching the Movie' (Leave it to you to come with a catchy acronym like Wogma). Maybe you can let users contribute a Notepad section!
Hi...Here's a thought: While there are tons of movie review sites to read BEFORE watching a movie, there are hardly any sites that are meant to read AFTER watching a good movie. For Hollywood movies, the IMDB forums are very active, and full of intersting observations. So here's an idea: why don't you start a separate section on your site called 'After Watching the Movie' (Leave it to you to come with a catchy acronym like Wogma). Maybe you can let users contribute a Notepad section!
Great movie ! Great Rani ! Great direction ! Apt performances by all ! First time I agree totally with meetus review !!!
@PB he he...true. Crowd-sourcing the notepad section. That could work. Will have to have strict guidelines about how not to keep people from giving the movie away, right? :P
@Anand :D
….so when the producers would have decided to back this female oriented story…in an industry where business of a movie largely linked with name of male actor …than story, music or choice of female lead…it was risk
…when they would have agreed to go with …a not very conventional sort of conclusion …in an industry where “and they all lived happily ever after” is norm …it was risk.
…but a part of audience wants them to take this risk …again …and again. Also due to absence of a big star …usually these movies fail to create ‘enough buzz’….and hence these movies start with a very low occupancy rate… it is expected to increase with critics rating and comment …now for a big star movie ToI rating varies between 3 to 4 stars…irrespective of content …something similar do exist for all hindi newspaper …in addition most movies ‘s print ad do contain critics rating …obviously they pick n choose the better ratings …which is 3 to 4 stars …even pathetic movies will find a weird critic / RJ / blogger who has given good rating …. and hence it is getting increasing difficult for an average movie goer to decide which movie to watch ….and in such scenario she relies on someone…with whom her choices resonate …usually friends, family or some niche web based movie reviewer ……..so if they don’t insist and give a rating that is anything less than 5 stars this average movie goer may or may not decide to watch this movie …depending upon logistics, timing, mood etc….but if they insist that you Must see it on big screen…in all probability …it will be adhered….leading to increased occupancy …which in case will further lead to additional word of mouth …thus ensuring movie does a decent business …ensuring that the risk taken by producer is rewarded …and he is motivated to invest in further such ventures …also giving hope to others to take such risks …with more such projects coming in …there is hope that slowly there will be change in taste of others …and this newly acquired improved taste will then be not only limited to movies but will extend to a general well-being …and …the world will be a better place to live in …
…with world peace in your hand… you were not able to find a reason to bump the rating up ;)
Thoroughly enjoyed the movie, from start to finish. This is what happens in real life. I could completely relate to it. But in that scene when Rani comes out running from the bathroom, scared of lizard, I was like....no! not this....don't use this cheap scene.
Otherwise totally enjoyable movie. Btw what do you say Heengh in English :)
Saw this last week! Loved it. As another reviewer said, you come of the theater thinking about Rani. You wonder what were her life choices in the future? And if she retains the same spark or reverts back to her staid old ways once back in the safety net of Rajouri Garden? And when a movie does that you dont begrudge the £20 spent on tickets and further popcorn and cola expense. A nuanced film in every aspect!
@Divya ha ha ha ha ha ha ha... I do need a larger heart, I agree. Loved your comment.
@Kapil :P Asafoetida. I wanted to go "me, me, me" with my hand raising up, like a school child who knows the answer :P
@Rachit Yay!!
Direction: 3.5
Story: 2
Lead Actors: 3.5
Character Artists: 3
Dialogues: 3
Screenplay: 3
Music Director: 2
Lyrics: 2
I couldn't find the 'What worked, what didn't for this film' section. Did you stop writing it?
@Suman You no like? :(
@intelshwets Stopped it a while ago. Every time I think I'll start, there is some or the reason not to.
Loved the film. One of those rare films that you watch with a happy smile. Everything gels together, perfectly!
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