Titli
wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?)
Noir taken to such a grim level that you disconnect after a bit and begin to look at it as someone narrating a gruesome story. Unfortunately, the story and its characters are just that – gruesome, not interesting.
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Titli - Preview
Titli's trailer* creeped me out the first time I saw it a few months ago. It had something very inhuman about it. Turns out almost the same trailer with a lilting background score can lighten the mood up quite a bit.
There was a mystery too, which the more palatable trailer has relieved. While it releases the uneasiness, maybe that discomfort was necessary to enjoy the film. The initial shock of the concept of the film is already out of the way. Hopefully, there is a lot more in store. If nothing else, the performances are very unlikely to disappoint.
*If anyone has a link to the official trailer, please share the link.
- meeta, a part of the audience
A world that you have heard of, you know exists but have hardly ever chanced upon it. Whatever your experience in life, newspaper stories do manage to keep you aware of the cruel world out there, where a 'human' is capable of anything – good and equally bad or even worse. So intense and brutal is Titli's world that you have no option but to disconnect from it, to survive it – like difficult times in life. This disconnect however, because it is a film takes the mind to the things missing in the film – well-fleshed out characters, for instance.
Sure, the characters are all grey. They are cruel and yet for the people they care about, they are tender. Yet, each character in the film comes across as untrustworthy. The world they inhabit is such – you can trust no one. However, this is all established in the first few minutes of the film. From there on, it is pretty much repetition of the same. You do wonder how Titli, the title character will get out of the mess. But, I am not sure, I am rooting for him. When one is watching out for only oneself, don't they get what they deserve? But hey, that's how real life plays out.
And all departments work towards this reality. The art direction with the little things lying around in the background, the clothes the characters wear, the minimal background music along with the natural sounds. So much so that at one point I wondered if having people gargle aloud while brushing their teeth is the easiest way to get the “real” feel.
There are a couple of scenes that are way too cruel that you wish them to be unreal. The cynicism of every human being in a certain environment wanting to pay pain forward gets slightly overwhelming. But, you desensitize yourself to it soon enough. And get distracted by various threads in the film left midway.
Virkam (Ranveer Shorey) the oldest brother in this dysfunctional family is omnipresent in the first half. However, in the second half, not only does the character disappear but so does his effect on the youngest brother and protagonist, Titli (Shashank Arora). The one in between, the unofficial mediator, Bawla (Amit Sial) is left as that – the one who calms everyone down, except for a glimpse of his own struggle. But, the glimpse is not followed through on, then why show it at all? Neelu (Shivani Raghuvanshi), Titli's wife plays her role as a daughter and daughter-in-law but has her own secrets. The father (Lalit Behl) is the quirk, the only one who arouses a smirk in this stark environment.
Titli, the film, has no room for humor. It is relentless which works very well for the film. All the actors pitch in perfectly. Shashank Arora is deadpan, which works for Titli because the brutal things that happen around him do affect him, but he plays cool. He knows how his behaviour ought to be different with different people. However, whether this will work in the next film, is something we will have to wait and watch. Ranveer Shorey's Vikram certainly deserved more space in this film. His foul-mouthed screen presence in the first film had me believe that the film was about his character.
Titli pretty much says what it has to say in its two-minute trailer. After that it is like the follow-up slides in a presentation that elaborate on each point. The expansion could have added a lot of value, but doesn't quite do it.
- meeta, a part of the audience
Thumbs up, by Anna MM Vetticad, annavetticadgoes2themovies : ...It is but natural for Dibakar to back a film that shares his cinematic worldview. The pleasant surprise here is that Titli’s co-producer is Aditya Chopra, whose directorial blockbusters so far are the polar opposite of this film. The Dibakar-Aditya collaboration bodes well for the future of filmmaking in the country. Together they have introduced us to an important new voice in Indian cinema with Titli. Welcome to the national scene, Kanu Behl. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice : ...Sorry, I am getting lyrical over a film that scoffs at all lyricism... full review
Thumbs up, by Preetii Kulkarni, Bollywood Life : ...Go watch this film now! But again we must warn you that it is not for the faint hearted. You will get some food for thought after watching it, we guarantee. Prepare to battle with some uncomfortable questions about your existence later. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Suparna Sharma, Deccan Chronicle : ...The screenplay is brilliant. It not only packs in more commentary on patriarchy than a week-long seminar, but the sights and sounds it catches add disturbingly discordant notes. The violence in the film will get discussed a lot. But in two bone-chilling scenes that will leave you cold even when you think of them later, a lot gets revealed. In the food chain, these three brothers sit squished towards the bottom, feeling the burden of millions on top. Their anger at having to crouch is scarily visible when they attack those better off than them. For those few minutes, when they are bludgeoning those on top of them, they seem to enjoy it. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Yatharth Chauhan , Desi Martini : ...Verdict - A difficult watch for all the right reasons! ... full review
Thumbs up, by Bryan Durham, DNA : ...Not an easy film to watch, Titli sheds light on a microcosm within a microcosm, where frustration and sheer helplessness dictate actions and reactions. In the end, it all comes down to choosing between a known devil and an unknown devil. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Gayatri Gauri, FirstPost : ...Whether Titli, the reluctant brother, transforms into a butterfly and flies away or not, there is certainly no escaping from Behl’s non-apologetic, brutal and bloody tale. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Josh, fullhyd.com : ...However, this and the indifference to entertainment (which Banerjee would always slip in his films for good measure) can make Titli a difficult watch. This is one of those movies where the director is doing their own thing and we're merely invited as spectators, not consumers. If you are quite clear with yourself that your ticket money doesn't have to translate into certain euphoria, you can watch Titli for its splendid storytelling and also the mostly bitter story it has to tell. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...The end scene beautifully loops to the opening scene to bring the movie into perspective. For those who love their cinema 'real', it cannot get better than TITLI.... full review
Thumbs up, by Rohit Vats, Hindustan Times : ...Kanu Behl’s Titli is the most impressive film of this year so far. Its tryst with reality will keep you hooked till the end, to say the least. Titli is the latest gem from evolving Indian cinema. Don’t even think of missing it. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Suhani Singh, india today : ...Titli works because it is not just a poignant character study of an angry young man but also an incisive and intense family drama. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Uday Bhatia, Live Mint : ...Hope is in short supply in Titli. So are the other comforts we’re conditioned to expect in our movies: things like beauty, warmth, humanity. This is hardly an indictment of Kanu Behl’s film, which screened at Cannes in 2014 and is now getting a theatrical release here under the unlikely banner of Yash Raj Films. It is simply to say that the universe Titli inhabits is noxious and violent, and it never flinches or softens in its running time of nearly 2 hours. In a press conference last month, Behl warned that this would not be a “cathartic film”. He wasn’t kidding. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Shubha Shetty-Saha, MiD DAY : ...Ranvir Shorey is in great form as his expressions admirably switch from mad rage to utter despair in matter of seconds. Arora, Raghuvanshi and Sial are fantastic. - See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/titli---movie-review/16640159#sthash.PXJalBXg.dpuf... full review
Thumbs up, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...In a film in which nobody smiles, Raghuvanshi’s character embodies the sole ray of hope and the debutante makes no false moves. The same is true of the film as a whole. Titli is an unflinching, insightful chronicle of our times. Do not miss it. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...Perhaps morality is the privilege of a few, it seems to say. Whether you agree or not is irrelevant; what matters is whether the film talks to you and moves you. And this one does significantly! ... full review
Thumbs up, by Shaheen Raaj, Star Blockbuster : ...Last Word: Titli is a must watch film for one & all albeit strictly not recommended for weak hearted persons.... full review
Thumbs up, by ANUJ KUMAR, The Hindu : ...Bottomline: Using a hammer like a scalpel, Kanu Behl cuts through the basic unit of a patriarchal society.... full review
Thumbs up, by Renuka Vyavahare, Times of India : ...Titli is not for the faint-hearted as it not only introduces you but makes you feel a part of the family that gives you the creeps. ... full review
So-So, by Kritika Goel , Desi Martini : ...Verdict - No one can clip the colorful wings of Titli. ... full review
So-So, by Johnson Thomas, Free Press Journal : ... unfortunately it’s not an experience that one can come out of the theatre raving about. The emotional cost is just a little too high to be bearable.... full review
So-So, by Jaidev Hemmady, Movie Talkies : ...All said and done, Behl's dark, brutal and quite unapologetic 'Titli' is certainly worth a watch, provided you are not a faint-hearted cinephile. ... full review
So-So, by Raja Sen, Rediff : ...Arora isn’t a bad actor and wears his inscrutability consistently, but a film like this needs a preternatural talent tugging it along, someone meteoric and jawdropping, like a Gael Garcia Bernal maybe. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Rachit Gupta, Filmfare : ...As for Titli the film, the future in a mainstream movie environment looks bleak. If you seek entertainment and/or stories with redemption look elsewhere. But if cynicism and hopelessness excite you, this is the movie for you. ... full review
ZeeTVRetweets: 'तितली' (रिव्यू) : थ्रिलर अंदाज में सामाजिक मुद्दों को उठाती है फिल्म https://t.co/UnOgsMrbBb
wsaboyu: Titli: A thriller with multiple layers
voompla: Synonymous with good films, @konkonas supported yet another good movie #Titli at a screening https://t.co/QuKpWKH9px https://t.co/RQfworRhw9
vishabthappa: TITLI is unarguably one of the best films I've ever seen.
VijaytaL: #Titli is a wonderful film. The recurring music theme is really good. Go watch it!
ThinkOMania: Movie Review: ‘Titli’ – Brutally honest portray of emotions, Bollywood craved for! https://t.co/tOcdOf0Vz3 via @ThinkOMania
TheWeekLive: Set in Delhi's disturbing underbelly, #Titli is hard to watch, harder to forget https://t.co/7xjPYmhmVQ https://t.co/sZf2yB96xw
thelawofmurphy: Titli is a fantastic movie. Well developed characters and gritty, realistic drama. Unbelievable performace by @RanvirShorey.
thehistoryboy: Can't remember the last hindi film where all the actors were soo good. #Titli is absolutely brilliant!
sunetrac: Just watched #Titli and havent seen that kind of violence since irreversible. Not for the squeamish but worth the fuss
stormborn____: #Titli boasts of great acting! well done team @RanvirShorey was amazing as usual.. Thumbs up!
stanlymoore: #Titli is brutal and haunting cross sectional view of real life. At the same time it also as sweet as a fairy tale ! Kudos to entire team !
Sojitra_Deep: 'Titli' tweet review: Ranvir Shorey, Shashank Arora anchor this engaging film with their powerful performances https://t.co/ELx3ptOQFG
sociofuzz: A great story, good editing and uncompromising execution makes this a film not to be missed. It is harrowing but... https://t.co/xWFsjLjcI5
siddharth3: Go watch Titli.
shubhaS: A powerful film...not for the faint-hearted...my review of Titli....https://t.co/eVxPAouUJA
ShitHogaya: #MovieReview: A family drama with a difference, #Titli is a must watch: … https://t.co/1CTdHyixHX) https://t.co/Y1TFldgYAP
shesturningblue: Dark, depressing but gorgeous! Titli, must watch! https://t.co/PKq4TGhf7C #movieftheyear
shahromil123: Movie: Titli, My Rating 3.5/5. good movie......... https://t.co/aArBGenEPC
scroll_in: Film review: Savagely brilliant ‘Titli’ presents a family like no other https://t.co/mOudWlUxgz https://t.co/0UOQvMFqk1
sanjivanibooty: We watched #Titli today and had a discussion on it at home. A must watch movie! @mottledmask https://t.co/EzllJYzly0
SandeepMertia: #Titli tasted like a dark chocolate. Cheers to good cinema! @TitliTheFilm
sahaabhishek: Titli - pretty hard hitting and deep plot... Must watch!
SaadHussainSays: #titli a must watch https://t.co/R4EJxphmvn
RohitavSharma: #Titli is violent, poetic, engaging & thoroughly full of surprises. Ranveer Shorey is absolutely brilliant. Don't miss! #Replug
rawat_mak: #Titli A must watch for everyone. Awesome direction, awesome acting. Thanks team Titli for such a good movie.
rakshitraina: #Titli The best Indian film of the year, hands down !!!
rajeshtahil: #Titli is the best hindi film of the year https://t.co/F9f8OGEkvt
rahulbiddappa: Have not seen a better film than Titli coming out of Bombay this year. Searing and compelling. Fantastic story telling. #Titli #Bollywood
r_laroia: Titli-Best movie of thisyr-Movie abt breaking out &fly away from darkness.Newcomer Shankar is Awsum n Ranvir Shorey Super!! 5/5 @safiranand
prabhateinstein: Go watch Titli..
pawanism_dnk: #Sher - 2/5 #guddukigun - 2.75/5 #bettaganere (kannada) - 2.5/5 #mainaurcharles - 2.75/5 #titli - 4/5
PavanSurvi: #Titli was a hard piece of a film to digest. Gripping raw performances all around, but the movie itself felt so underwhelming by the end.
ParvezChowdhary: Bhakts heckled @DibakarBanerjee see #Titli his AD Kanu Bahl made a brilliant film,judge him https://t.co/rL7gTyJxy5 https://t.co/HHfqXQUUak
PamulaSatya: #TITLI raw,brutal, realistic yet insanely awesome..it has everything.. Family,love,violence, betrayal @KanuBehl @yrf @anuragkashyap72
oneindiaHindi: तितली मूवी रिव्यु: बेहतरीन https://t.co/78OjxWKW7t #Titli #Titli review
OBlahMaa: Though #Titli was abrupt in parts, the film is too real and in your face. Performances are beyond amazing.
nitishjain007: #Titli Brilliant and Different
nileshsirius: Movie Review: A Family Drama With A Difference, Titli Is A Must Watch. But Not For The Fai… https://t.co/ltOLRcL34X https://t.co/8K3tBUHMr1
NikhilNaz: #Titli is a masterpiece.
news24tvchannel: 'Titli' - An intensely dark, disturbing film (Rating - ***1/2) - https://t.co/pGgts9Dfx5 https://t.co/ZJzD95PnPM
navodayatimes: Film Review : आपने देखी नहीं होगी ऐसी जबरदस्त ‘तितली’ https://t.co/Pa9u9GziU4 https://t.co/2HzwkmYQVC
namashi_1: Watched Kanu Bahl's #Titli Today. Mixed feelings about the film, but A National Award should chase @RanvirShorey. ASTOUNDING PERFORMANCE!
MunishBhardwaj: #Titli. So dark. So edgy. So new. So good. @Sharatkatariya is a fabulous writer.
moments85: Take a bow @KanuBehl #Titli One cant afford to miss it!
MildlyClassic: There is crap like Shaandaar and then there are gems like Titli. Hard to believe it's the same industry.
mdarifkhan87: #Titli is dark,harsh but real. Pretty different from what u use to see in a bolly flicks. Must watch stuff by @KanuBehl
mbhardwaj19: Movie: Titli, My Rating 3.5/5. Good movie https://t.co/La71f6eVQP
MANOJRIJHWANI: Movie Review: A Family Drama With A Difference, Titli Is A Must Watch. But Not For The Faint-Hearted https://t.co/6VULobZPpv
maariasayed89: #Titli is a must watch for #independent #indiancinema aspirants! https://t.co/MbEgOXAs2w
lol_guard: Indian cinema just levelled up #Titli
kirtiarora: #Titli is the latest gem from evolving Indian #cinema. Don’t even think of missing it. @KanuBehl @RanvirShorey https://t.co/ovHrERxXdn
khalidrafiq140: ‘Titli’ Movie Review: Shashank Arora Steals the Thunder in This Haunting Film https://t.co/IIdUKsRjiN
Janardan010691: meri haliya dekhi gai kai filmon men #Titli sbe behtreen rhi.....
JaisiAapkiMasti: Titli. What a stunning film by @yrf and @DibakarBanerjee Major contender for the movie of the year.
IT_Kabootar: Watched Titli. Pretty dark. But good.
IssaMwangoo: #Titli i totally enjoyed the film. Must watch for everyone
irrevocable_guy: Ranveer Shorey is superb in Titli.
informalfanboy: #titli is a well made, written, performed haunting picture. #mustwatch
IamCharla01: Ok so within a few weeks time... #Bahubali is not anymore the best film of the year... now its #Titli ...
iabhishekdshah: #Titli is good. So is @RanvirShorey. But he has as much role in the film as Rajinikanth has in Kuselan. You'll like it more without the hype
hits_sharma: Go and watch this #titli https://t.co/g685OPNDOZ
hishh: #Titli - Reality extracted as it is. The other side of a family. Witty of its own.Brilliant direction by @KanuBehl .Great acting. Go watch.
HardikHasty: #Titli what a movie bold brutal intriguing got me goosebumps performance of ranveer shorey
guneetm: Yes #Titli is a #gamechanger !!!! #MustWatch https://t.co/S8aYVIdNZv
graphicalcomic: #Titli Awesome Movie !! perfect star cast & something that has capacity to change you forever. Must watch !! Great work by @KanuBehl
gogreenprem: Movie: Titli, My Rating 4/5. nice movie. Kanu Behl makes a grittily impressive debut with this well-acted tale of a https://t.co/qjKDkOcdCO
godesi: Titli Movie Review - Titli is an unflinching, insightful chronicle of our times. Do not miss it. https://t.co/LEXrDtpt9n
gaydelhi: GayDelhi Titli movie review: This Ranvir Shorey - Shashank Arora masterpiece is not for ... - Bollywo... https://t.co/C9WCvfmGB7 GayDelhi
Gajji: #Titli जरूर देखें. जो 99% फिल्में कभी नहीं करतीं, ये करती है. अपराधी नहीं अपऱाध व परिस्थितियों की बात. @KanuBehl व पूरी टीम को धन्य वाद.
fundebaj: Go and watch it for Mr. Sajjad Khan is in this movie. BTW, a 5/5 rated movie after a long time. https://t.co/kXjj4OG6A6
foolsgreengold: #titli is a gr8 watch to celebrate #Halloween 4 stars
FilmyCurry: This #Titli will grip u with its unshakeable & impactful wings ★★★★ @KanuBehl @RanvirShorey @ShashankSArora Review https://t.co/YawIJ74O6B
feloniusfunk: I loved #titli and totally recommend it.
E_of_a_C: 'Titli' tweet review: Ranvir Shorey, Shashank Arora anchor this engaging film with their powerful performances https://t.co/HdRhCqhS3m
creativegossip: #Titli is definitely needs a standing ovation. Brilliant and a Must Watch!! @TitliTheFilm @DibakarBanerjee @RanvirShorey @guneetm @KanuBehl
chickoo_chirag: Saw #Titli last night. Brutally honest and a brave movie which might not be everyone's cup of tea. Recommended.
cannes: 'Titli' tweet review: Ranvir Shorey, Shashank Arora anchor this engaging film with their powerful ... https://t.co/aALpaNY5g3 #Cannes2015
briendrashukla: It will not be wrong if I say #Titli one of the honest film ever made in Bollywood. Brutal dark and ridiculously honest. Well done kanu bahl
bollydreamgirl: #Titli Movie Review – Best film of 2015 so far! https://t.co/GPw60fFWs2
bhopseudoka: Haven't watched a film like #Titli in ages. Left me speechless. The performance by @RanvirShorey is a masterclass. Kudos to the entire team.
balakum3: #Titli is just dark and gritty , brings on a totally different life on screen in delhi suburbs. A must watch for quality cinema lovers.
badmanrahul: #Titli is dark ugly n disturbing but impressive.. great performances by @RanvirShorey #ShashankArora n gr8 debut by @KanuBehl #MustWatch
aroopkg: Movie: Titli, My Rating 4/5. Nice movie. Watchable. https://t.co/tF5LrzwdnJ
apotofvestiges: #Titli is a daring film about losers. It's not very common to make such a film, for everyone is attracted by... https://t.co/dVvlilJW0L
AmeyaHarkare: Saw Titli yesterday. Pretty cool movie. Ranvir Shorey is awesome!
amardeep66: must watch ... a film by Kanu Behl https://t.co/9VQgzA4ArX
AbhishekJSoni: Excellent movie! Loved how every small sequence of the movie could relate to the concept of the movie @RanvirShorey @KanuBehl #Titli
abhisek_s: Titli is overwhelmingly powerful. Must watch.
valar5morghulis: #Titli amazing but incomplete...
javeeth: #Titli surely could have been much. The performances are so damn good. But the narrative looks like it missed the point.
dipenambalia: watched Titli. Ok types. was expecting a lot. but very hatke movie indeed.
bhaumikshukla: Titli - Movie review - A movie with good cast and awesome screenplay but the story-line & script is weak, a... https://t.co/bYk5LyN45v
NavenduSingh_: TITLI Movie is too slow. Boring.
heboyme: TITLI - I wish i had not seen this movie. Its an odd, depressing movie - similar to Citylights. Well made,but certain disaster commercially
hary103patel: I watched titli directed by Dibakar Banerjee. Its a crap movie. I am returning my ticket as protest. Please refund me.
gopalbalaji: #TITLI avoidable
Gaali_Leo: Haven't watched a more overhyped movie than #Titli in years. These 'art loving' folks smoke weird stuff. Totally not worth the time & money.
atifahm: #Titli #Debakarbanerjee dissapointing
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This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: Lots and gruesome too
- Language: Lots of abusive language
- Nudity & Sexual content: A kissing scene and one where a man attempts to make out with his wife.
- Concept: The harsh reality of life.
- General Look and Feel: Colorless and dry.
![[Facebook page of Titli]](/static/images/icons/facebook_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Twitter account of Titli]](/static/images/icons/twitter_small.png){kind=icon}
![[YouTube channel of Titli]](/static/images/icons/youtube_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Wikipedia page of Titli]](/static/images/icons/wiki_small.png){kind=icon}
![[IMDB Page of Titli]](/static/images/icons/imdb_small.png){kind=icon}
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