Sui Dhaaga

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)

quick review:

Finesse comes through in language, costumes, and even performances. Not so much in the story writing or telling.

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Director: Sharat Kataria
Running time: 120 minutes
More Movie Info

Sui Dhaaga - Preview

So simple is the male protagonist, Mauji (Varun Dhawan) that it takes someone else to point out that he’s being taken for granted, insulted, humiliated. That someone else happens to be his wife, Mamta (Anushka Sharma) adds a rare empowered angle to a female lead. It seems germane to the premise, it fits the milieu of a young couple in small town India.

In the 2-minute trailer itself, there is a charm in how the story builds up. However, the same trailer makes the actors an uncomfortable watch. Varun Dhawan’s “simpleton” accent and lines sounds as forced as Anoushka Sharma’s get up.

For the sake of a premise that stands out, they will overcome that feeling and make their characters seem natural. It is comforting that the rein is in the hands of the person who made Dum Laga Ke Haisha, even if it asks you to shirk of the drama associated with a loftier social message.

Sui Dhaaga releases on 28 September, 2018.

- meeta, a part of the audience

Sui Dhaaga might not have gotten the details in the story-writing right, but the details it has held on to in terms of the taste in clothes of people from lower income communities have, a housewife’s priorities, the matter-of-fact attitude towards life and the curve balls it throws at these people stay with you. Which is why, the contrast is even more jarring. Could people who wear the clothes they wear design clothes like they are out of a fashion show? Why did some of the characters turn around from the personality portrayed thusfar? In this world where most people have accepted their destinies, the drama attached to some incidents seem out of proportion. Put together unfortunately, the story is superficial and is told very ordinarily.

Put together unfortunately, the story is superficial and is told very ordinarily.

The restlessness to prove oneself, the unfair ways of the world, the extent to which people can be mean to their own kin – are all intense themes that Sui Dhaaga uses to sew its story together. However, the instances used to bring them through to us are hardly compelling enough to make us feel for them. Sure, the protagonist, Mauji (Varun Dhawan) toiled hard in one scene. But, in the character’s life it was just a one-time event. He didn’t have to do it every day or even multiple times in his life. So, it doesn’t evoke the desired empathy.

You heart reaches out to his wife, Mamta (Anushka Sharma) though. Her daily life seems relentless and unforgiving, and the work she does, thankless. It helps of course, that Anushka Sharma has got some of the mannerisms spot on. Just the way she repeatedly pulls the loose end of her sari over her head is so close to reality that it makes you admire her as an actor. But there are enough times during the film, when you can’t shake off the fact that it is an actress and not a Mamta from a lower middle-class family. Even though some of the lines she delivers are insightful and show you how sensible she is as a person. In comparison, Varun Dhawan’s act is monotonous. The other standout performances amongst the large supporting cast are those played by as Mauji’s mother and as Mauji’s boss at a garment factory.

The film also has a side-commentary on misuse of government schemes, situation of hospitals, the extent to which peons and lower-level workers are taken for granted, and so on. Even though it is a wide range of issues, the passing references make it seem a part of everyday life, like it actually is.

In that way, Sui Dhaaga works. But, the husband-wife story or the rags-to-fame story is as ordinary as it gets.

- meeta, a part of the audience

34 reviewers(?) - 21 yays 13 so-so 0 nays

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

Thumbs up, by Anna MM Vertticad, annavetticadgoes2themovies : ...PS: Sui Dhaaga was shown with English subtitles in the Delhi hall where I watched it. This is uncommon for a Hindi film yet an important step towards bringing our cinema to the hearing impaired.... full review

Thumbs up, by Baradwaj Rangan, Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express : ...A surprise-free drama that’s well-acted, sweet-natured, and quite satisfying... full review

Thumbs up, Bollywood Hungama : ...On the whole, SUI DHAAGA – MADE IN INDIA is a simple tale told beautifully with strong emphasis on emotions. At the box office, the film will have to rely on a very good word of mouth to attract audiences. It has an extended five-day weekend of sorts (with October 2 being a National Holiday). Hence, the film would surely have a healthy run at the ticket window and would turn prove profitable or should we say ‘badhiya’ for the producers. Recommended!... full review

Thumbs up, by Tushar P. Joshi, Bollywood Life : ...Sui Dhaaga is simplicity at its best. It champions the cause of the human spirit and reaffirms your faith in bringing every small dream into existence. Made in India and made with love, Sui Dhaaga needs to be watched for its endearing message.... full review

Thumbs up, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ...Kudos to writer and director Sharat Katariya for coming up with such a rooted tale. And kudos to Varun Dhawan for agreeing to be part of it. He has tried something totally new for him here. Being Mauji wouldn’t have come easy to him because the world Mauji belongs to is totally different from the world Varun comes from. To curb the sensibilities of the commercial hero within him and just be the character wouldn’t have been easy but Varun didn’t shy away from the challenge. Anushka Sharma has the knack of seeping into her characters and she’s a delight to watch as the golden-hearted Mamta who shows a head for business, for bargaining and yet is naive to the ways of the world. Her bubble gets burst when she meets the owner of a garment factory and the way she internalises the humiliation and learns from it leaves a mark. Raghubir Yadav plays Mauji’s father and the veteran is in fine fettle as usual. The scene where he walks the ramp, his eyes not believing what he’s seeing, his body language betraying both his nervousness and pride is an acting lesson in miniature. Anil Mehta’s cinematography brings alive the heat and dust of the small backwater where Mamta and Mauji live, the subdued colour palette becoming a reflection of their humdrum lives. Anu Malik has given some nice melodious tunes set to Varun Grover’s imaginative wordplay. The songs seamlessly get merged into the narrative and thankfully don’t drag the pace down.... full review

Thumbs up, by Rohini Nair, FirstPost : ...Instead, Sui Dhaaga’s focus stays on its protagonists. Varun and Anushka are endearing as Mauji and Mamta, and you see so clearly in their performances (especially Dhawan’s), why they're considered among the finest performers of their generation. Varun Dhawan plays his simple protagonist with so much conviction that by the end of Sui Dhaaga, you too chime in to say: “Sab badhiya hai”.... full review

Thumbs up, by Vishal Verma, Glamsham.com : ...Weaved with sweet feel good tapestry... full review

Thumbs up, by Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Gulf News : ...It has its sparkling moments — mainly due to the performances of the actors and the nuggets of humour that are thrown in. So why not pin your hopes on Sui Dhaaga?... full review

Thumbs up, by Ananya Bhattacharya, india today : ...Sui Dhaaga ends on a hopeful note. It urges the 'mad ones' to dream and go the whole hog to fulfil their dreams. Because, "A bit of madness is key / To give us new colours to see / Who knows where it will lead us? / And that's why they need us."... full review

Thumbs up, by R.M. Vijayakar, India West : ...Overall, this film is a sweet experience, AND here’s the best part: The dialogues are completely clear – a far cry from audience-disrespecting and not really comprehensible dialects in movies as assorted as “Patakha,” “Batti Gul Meter Chalu” and even segments of “Stree” in the last few weeks. Clearly, “Sui Dhaaga” is all about respecting the ‘Made In India’ audience!... full review

Thumbs up, by Anita Iyer, Khaleej Times : ...Despite its minor flaws the movie is an engaging watch.... full review

Thumbs up, by UDITA JHUNJHUNWALA, Live Mint : ...With the pitch-perfect supporting cast, including Yadav, Yamini Das and Namit Das (as Guddu, the opportunistic relative), Katariya sets a rhythm that seldom slackens. Sui Dhaaga is a well-meaning, simply woven, feel-good entertainer that delivers as much as it promises.... full review

Thumbs up, by Nandan Kini, Mumbai Mirror : ...The last act notwithstanding though, Sui Dhaaga is a film stitched together beautifully. All for Mauji, Mamta and their tireless drive to be “Made in India”, Sharat Katariya’s latest is worth the watch!... full review

Thumbs up, by Rohit Vats, News18.com : ...Actually, Sui Dhaaga has been conceived well. It tries to include what’s been left by the mainstream filmmaking for years. In my opinion, its biggest success is the simplicity of idea. It’s not exactly a success if it doesn’t reach to the bottom.... full review

Thumbs up, by Piyush Chopra, Now Running.com : ...One of the most unforgettable shots in the film for me is when we see Mamta's feet scurry along somewhere till they reach Mauji's, who is walking ahead. But as soon as she reaches him, they fall in perfect step with each other. That one shot pretty much defines the film: simple, effective, emotionally uplifting yet never manipulative. If there has been a Hindi film this year that has managed to keep me constantly smiling like an idiot yet always on the verge of tears the way this Sharat Katariya film does, I do not remember it. What I shall not forget is to recommend that you should take everyone you know and go watch Sui Dhaaga as soon as possible, so you can then rewatch it again later.... full review

Thumbs up, by Sukanya Verma, Rediff : ...As his zinger-ready wife, Yamini Dass carps on how they'd be better off if he'd glug down a bottle of alcohol through three days instead of downing two packets of milk in one. She is a winner. So is this film... full review

Thumbs up, by SHILPA JAMKHANDIKAR, Reuters : ...The film falters when it moves away from being an intimate portrait and takes to grandstanding to find a solution to Mamta and Mauji’s problems. The convoluted plot is a drawback, but much like a tapestry, the beauty here lies in the detail, in the small things. And in this respect, “Sui Dhaaga” is a winner.... full review

Thumbs up, by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in : ...Yet, it is the haute couture industry that puts the final stamp of approval on Mauji, suggesting that for the handloom tradition to survive, it cannot but embrace the same marketplace that sucks it dry.... full review

Thumbs up, by Subhash K Jha, Sify Movies : ...The aspirational narrative of how Mauji finds his groove with considerable help from his street-wise wife, works like a charm because all the performers are solidly sincere. But most of all, Sui Dhaaga wins our hearts because the director never milks the milieu for soppy sentimentality.... full review

Thumbs up, by Namrata Joshi, The Hindu : ...Ultimately Sui Dhaaga pans out like Lagaan — a rag tag team hits a sixer on the fashion ramp; the hoi polloi earn the approval of the gentry. It is a tad flat in comparison to the more layered quirkiness of his previous outing, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, but you still care and root for Katariya's characters and can’t help appreciate the fact that the agent provocateur in this film, as in DLKH, continues to be a woman. To borrow a line from the film itself, despite many hiccups, sab badhiya hai (all is well).... full review

Thumbs up, by Ronak Kotecha, Times of India : ...Our overall critic’s rating is not an average of the sub scores below.... full review

So-So, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...Overall, when you intentionally try to make it real, then it actually moves far away from reality as witnessed in SUI DHAAGA, a mostly disappointing film that also doesn’t highlight the MAKE IN INDIA drive in any impressive or worth noticing manner. So you can make your individual choice keeping in mind that it did have the Amazon Prime logo in the beginning.... full review

So-So, by SUPARNA SHARMA, Deccan Chronicle : ...Watch the film only if you have absolutely nothing else to do over the weekend, and don’t go with any expectation. We’d say watch in on TV. Whenever, that is.... full review

So-So, by Meena Iyer, DNA : ...Sui Dhaaga has a spirited Varun and some truly witty dialogue. You can toss a coin and decide whether or not to watch it for this young actor, who carries the burden of this mediocre film with his never-say-die spirit.... full review

So-So, by Anupama Chopra, Film Companion : ...So Sui Dhaaga: Made In India is unsatisfying but also poignant. I think the best analogy might be Anu Malik’s song in the film – Chaav Laaga, which isn’t as soul stirring as Moh Moh Ke Dhaage from Dum Laga Ke Haisha – but it’s still worth listening to.... full review

So-So, by Johnson Thomas, Free Press Journal : ...The rusticity of small-town life is well displayed here. While the narrative is not entirely convincing or organic in its spiel, there’s enough warmth and likeability in the two leads to keep you swayed in its favour. Even the peripheral characters are played with grit and fortitude by Raghubir Yadav (as the practical dad), Aabha Parmar (as the mother), Namit Das (as the scheming relative), and Govind Pandey (as the brother).... full review

So-So, by Raja Sen, Hindustan Times : ...Sui Dhaaga is a feel-good film about dignity of labour, and the honest toil of a hard-working tailor. Too bad it feels machine-made.... full review

So-So, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...Sui Dhaaga is well made. It’s nice and safe and staid. There are several moments that warm the heart, and you cheer when sui-dhaaga win over needle-and-thread. But you always knew they were going to, didn’t you?... full review

So-So, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...you know what’s coming miles before the characters do.... full review

So-So, by Umesh Punwani, koimoi : ...All said and done, Sui Dhaaga – Made In India is a partly entertaining film with some heart-wrenching moments. Varun Dhawan stitches his performance with your hearts and it’ll be hard to undo it for a long time now. If only there could have been more humour!... full review

So-So, by Mohar Basu, MiD DAY : ...This script has certainly been written with love. It helps that both Dhawan and Sharma are in top form. Yet, the tempo drops in the second half. The drama runs thin, and outlandish plots that see artisans turn into fashion designers raise many eyebrows. The unimpressive climax is disjointed, a far cry from the tone the film carried up until then. Despite its rousing moments, the film leaves you feeling unfulfilled.... full review

So-So, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...Sui Dhaaga falls well short of perfection, but it never comes unstuck. It passes muster as a wholesome entertainer embellished with humour, warmth, authentic emotional trappings and actors adept at going seamlessly along with the flow. Definitely worth the price of the ticket, if not more.... full review

So-So, by IANS, Outlook India : ...Heart-warming but predictable... full review

So-So, by Madhuri V, yahoo! India : ...Varun Dhawan Succeeds In Threading The Needle With His Fervent Performance!... full review

Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.

1 readers - 1 yays 0 so-so 0 nays

Not Interested in Watching, by Fan

Yay! Thumbs Up, by Bankim Chandra Pandey : This film is such lovely films, which makes us laugh at idealism and also inspire us in a strange wa

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

Parental Guidance:

  • Violence: The protagonist being beaten up and thrown out of a building.
  • Language: Clean
  • Nudity & Sexual content: None
  • Concept: A talented simpleton and his street-smart wife set up their own business
  • General Look and Feel: The simplicity of small town India comes through.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

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Sui Dhaaga - Cast, crew, links

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Running time:
120 minutes
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Comments (2)

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Fan

An extremely boring trailer of a heavily over acting pair of celebrities. Seems a typical YRF film spending a big part of reel time to establish how down trodden the character is. Followed most certainly with the Eureka moment that I can do something on my own. And let me guess what comes next: some obstacles in the home grown business. Followed by yet another Eureka moment from the Mrs. to save the day and end the film on a happy note.

I cannot see in which possible way the film is going to offer something fresh and enjoyable.

And if a trailer is supposed to highlight the best bits of the film then I shudder at how awful the film is going to be looking at the absolute hamming from Varun D and Anushka Sharma in the few minutes of the trailer.

This is a film I am safely going to skip.

nice movie describing the story of middle class indian

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