StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Freaktana A Major Disappointment

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Roy Hart If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

bobbysing Nandita Das, an actress known for her off-beat choice of movies and remarkable acting skills, wears the cap of a director and gives us a sensitive & thoughtful movie based on aftermaths of the Gujarat Riots, which unfortunately happened in 2002. Last year we had a brilliant movie "Mumbai Meri Jaan" which talked about different people who were victims or a part of Mumbai Train Blasts. On the similar lines "Firaaq" (means Separation or Judaai) tells stories of few people, their fears and the trauma they face after one month of the miss-happening in the state.Though it may not be liked by mainstream viewers for its artistic treatment, but for a thinking viewer, "Firaaq" has depth, emotions and power to make you reconsider, what is the difference between two religions which causes so much hatred and bloodshed? Nandita Das succeeds in generating the empathy impact in the viewer as he witnesses the sequences on the screen. The film and its sensitive direction can make you understand the minute distinction in the words 'sympathy' and 'empathy'. You can feel the pain of victims as if it was all happening around you. And the credit goes to the intelligently written, well directed and brilliantly cinematographed scenes throughout the movie.The first scene itself is the most important and impactful scene of the movie which is capable of generating chills down your spine. It's a graveyard scene where a loaded truck arrives giving more work to the grave diggers who already have enough bodies to bury together. In fact, this is the most powerful scene out of all the movies made on communal riots till date. The last time I felt this way watching anything on screen was when I saw Govind Nihalani's "Tamas" many years back. So hats off to Nandita for this particular scene.The movie then moves into different stories of people who witnessed the massacre, and are still haunted by the memory of those black days. Deepti Naval, as a middle class housewife is trapped in the pool of guilt of not helping the persons who came to her house for shelter. And now she is punishing herself each new day, thinking about her cowardly act. Paresh Rawal as her husband is a cunning materialistic person who is more interested in taking advantage of the communal tensions in the city. Shahana Goswami and her friend both earn by inscribing mehndi on the hands of ladies in marriages. How a simple "bindi", saves them both from being treated otherwise is worth watching. A group of men manage to get a pistol with only one bullet and that also goes wasted in their own fight. A child gets lost in the big town, roaming around helplessly after all his family members are killed. The story of this child also gets connected with Deepti Naval and she takes him to her home. The conversation scenes between Deepti and the child are the most emotional ones in the movie which prove the immense talent Nandita Sen has got.However there are two stories which stand out and have a lasting impression on the viewer. One is about a Hindu-Muslim couple (Sanjay Suri & Tisca Chopra) who have decided to leave the city after their store was looted and destroyed. Their confrontation dialogues and two minds situation has been shot realistically which touches your soul.The other moving story is about a true old classical singer (Naseeruddin Shah), who still believes that everything is at peace out there and nothing has changed. Raghuvir Yadav is a person serving him for years but he has not got guts to tell Naseer about the brutal killings. Jagjit Singh giving playback to the classical singing of Nasser brought back the memories of "Mirza Ghalib" once again. And when Naseer is asked what he can do to stop this, he rightly says with grief, "Saat Suron Mein Itni Taaqat Kahan Ki Yeh Vehshat Rok Saken". Very True! Here I would also like to mention a scene I found both emotional and disturbing to a great extent. As Naseer and Raghuvir pass through a road sitting in an autoricksaw, Nasser suddenly asks the driver to stop and comes out looking for something. Actually he is looking for an ancient and ages old mazaar which is not there where it was from years. Raghuvir calms him down explaining that we are on the wrong road and everything is fine. This is another well conceived scene equivalent to the first seen in the start.In acting department everyone is there doing their part perfectly and are also well suited for their roles. Out of all, Naseeruddin Shah & Sanjay Suri stand out with their true to life performances and are a treat to watch. Cinematography is of first rate and plays a major part in giving the realistic touch to the movie."Firaaq" actually, should be seen more as an artistic and thought provoking docu-drama than as a mainstream Hindi movie. After the impressive & shocking start, your expectations rise sky high, which get fulfilled to some extent. But you also feel a little less satisfied as the movie finishes. That deprives "Firaaq" to be called an ultimate masterpiece, but still it is a movie which should be watched by everyone as a compulsion and you cannot afford to miss it.That is why it also enters my "Movies To See Before You Die List" too.So don't miss it as it is an intelligent and well made gift from the charming Nandita Sen. Would love to see her more works very soon.

The_Cool_Critic Wow. That is all I could say after sitting through this film. Das makes a scintillating debut as a director, and if 'Firaaq' is the type of cinema she will continue to make, then she has already won one devoted fan. Every shot of this film, every line of its dialogue screams of the directors' humane, socially conscious philosophy. She takes a very brave step in projecting the pain of the 'other' -- which in Firaaq's case is the socially backward Muslim population in India, which was the target of the 2002 Gujrat pogroms.The film is basically a set of vignettes from a 24 hour period in the lives of the characters in the post-carnage period in Gujrat. There are the slum dwellers, an aging music teacher residing in a rundown locality, an orphaned child and to balance this set, an upper class businessman -- all from the Islamic faith. The episodes in the characters' lives are loosely interconnected and revolve around a slum dwelling couple going back to their burnt-down Muslim ghetto to reclaim their lives, the teacher coming to terms with the madness surrounding him, and the orphan finding, and eventually losing, a refuge.This is not typical bollywood/escapist fare at all. For one, there are no songs and certainly no dancing, and no overt melodrama. Also, the film at many instances gets painfully real and makes for overall rather disturbing viewing. The fact the film elicits that kind of a response from its audience is no small feet.Das has very correctly underscored how women have a more humane streak towards people -- regardless of whatever faith/creed they are from. However, the more positive face of the Hindu-Muslim interaction shown in the film at times does start bordering on the unreal.All in all, mandatory viewing for all who appreciate serious, no-nonsense cinema.

Sajjad Pathan Excellent debut by Nandita Das in a different role. The true picture of what is happening around. Naseeruddin shah was just as good as we saw him 30 years ago. Excellent theme, and good direction. This one is truly a heart touching movie, and questions the today's generation about what is humanity. I could not see the entire movie.... overwhelming emotions. Set over a 24-hour period, the narrative jumps among multiple story arcs centering on Muslim and Hindi characters from various social classes. Bourgeois couple Sameer (Sanjay Suri) and Anu (Tisca Chopra) debate whether to flee the city; the devoted servant (Raghubir Yadav) of classical vocalist (Naseeruddin Shah) tries to keep grim reality from his beloved master; an abused wife (Deepti Naval) gains the courage to leave her bigoted husband; and henna artist Muneera (upcoming talent Shahana Goswami) suspects her best friend's husband of arson. Mostly melodramatic playing and simple production design wouldn't seem out of place on small screens. Low-budget tech package is serviceable. In all, a must watch!!!!!!!!!!

Sridhar Rangayan Firaaq is a brave and hard hitting film that does raise many questions but leaves them unanswered.Aided by excellent cinematography, brilliant editing and detailed art direction, the director raises the quality bar of the film several notches higher than the average Friday releases. Foe a debut, the film is cinematically brilliant.Naseer is his usual sparkling best as the aging musician who lives in his own world of music, poetry and memories of a happier times. Raghubir Yadav as his caretaker works his own brand of magic by combining his typical subtle comedy with an enormous amount of pathos in his eyes at what he sees and doesn't want to see. His attempts at protecting his master from the harsh realities of the world outside is very touching.Both Shahana Goswami as Muneera and her friend embody the spirit of the women on the streets in the times of rape and carnage and how despite everything their friendship and bonding remains intact. But as usual, friendship between a Muslim and Hindu, remain on the surface and somehow doesn't go deeper with its emotional impact.Sanjay Suri and Tisca Chopra as Sameer and Anu provide an insight into the affluent and literate class, and their dilemmas are something one can easily identify with. The easy switching across different languages - Gujarati, Hindi & English - in their conversations is extremely charming and reminds one of how we are all part of different worlds that are enmeshed.Dipti Naval is outstanding as the 'imprisoned' woman fighting her own ghosts and her attempts to regain her sanity by bringing home a Muslim boy and protecting him by giving him a Hindu name is a bit contrived, but she manages to make it look poignant. Paresh Rawal manages to sink his teeth even into the minuscule role he gets and thats hallmark of a good actor.The dialogs are pithy and non-preachy which is a big relief and the screenplay adeptly weaves together the many stories. But it is the script which is the real let down. It is so lopsided and one-dimensional that it fails to awaken your conscience. Except the character of Muneera's Hindu friend, there is so much Hindu bashing and so much 'Muslims are victims' rhetoric that it becomes one-dimensional. Within 10 minutes of the film one knows the stand the script and director is taking and then on it is one scene after another taking the same point of view further. There is no relief in the script or a balanced view of the situation. All Hindus in Gujarat are not monsters and all Muslims are not victims either.The Gujarat carnage has always raised diverse emotions and intense arguments that usually culminate in no definitive results or solutions. Unfortunately it is the same with this film. Showing what happened is one thing, but providing a sense of hope or a way forward is another - and the film fails on that count. Sure films are meant to raise issues, and hold a mirror to the realities, but there has to be a sense of emotional / spiritual enrichment at the end of it. There are couple of shots in the end like Tisca and Sumeet coming to hear Naseer sing and Deepti deciding to step out, but these somehow just don't make you soar emotionally. The kid returning back to the camp and just staring into the camera in the end frame leaves one unsure of what one should carry back home.