Popular reviews

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  Review by Milez Das (Rohit Shivdas) ★★★★½ 10

  If William Shakespeare were alive today, he would have hugged and cried in the arms of Vishal Bhardwaj. A pure poetry.

  Haider based on Shakespeare's Hamlet is a story set amidst the insurgency-hit Kashmir conflicts of 1995, which was the peak of militancy in the valley.

  One of the elements in the movie that surprised me was the Cinematography, it was spectacular. How in the heaven of Kashmir beauty there was blood lying and in that blood people are torn with both sides is shown.

  The Score of this movie is just mesmerizing. And I am pointing this out because mainly in Bollywood the score is just there, you know kept for entertaining only. A R Rahman has been the…

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  Review by y2k ★★★★★

  no way a film like this could ever be made today; released in 2014, just half a year after modi's rise to power, the film's end titles proclaim relative peace and growing tourism in kashmir, striking chills now post-2019 and article 370's inhumane revocation. the amount of sensitivity this has for the militarization of kashmiri life, the recognition of conditions which force them to take arms, indeed the necessity to fight back, is in stark contrast to mass media and popular cinema's history of representational irresponsibility (the film even implies popular cinema as an ideological apparatus of indian metropolitan hegemony, in two creative choices that stand out: to imagine filmi-obsessed rosencrantz and guildenstern stand-ins, and to locate a kashmiri internment camp…

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  Review by sahil ★★★★★ 8

  on my sixteenth mom recounted an event from late 90s kashmir, an era of myraid loss, abuses, armed resistance and an epoch in which "hum kya chahte? azadi!" became a slogan for the collective consciousness who longed for freedom. amongst thousands of miltants who stood up for/in defense of the oppressed were two from mom's hometown. on multiple occasions they came back home to their families, people and everyone from the locality loved them. there's always a cynical optimism in kashmiris — "we know they're not coming back but one day we will be free". months later they were shot dead and their bodies were returned to their families (a rare occurrence). after death they were never spoken of as…

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  Review by ani ★★★★

  Things I didn't know I needed in my life, Vol. 579: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern reimagined as hardcore Bhai fans

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  Review by Kaj ★★★★ 1

  Tabu or not Tabu, is never the question.

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  Review by iqra ★★★★

  imagine being shahid kapoor and going from haider to kabir singh...what a downgrade

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  Review by Ankit ★★★★ 2

  finally, a movie in which the libidinal ideal of salman khan is brutally murdered

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  Review by divya ★★★★★

  ofcourse everyone wants tabu

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  Review by Rida ★★★★½ 14

  It only took me eighteen years to realize that movies are meant to be watched on the big screen. The perfect balance of sound and dark and even sensation, the way the film envelops you so completely that you forget yourself for a little while, the way the actors finally become larger than life, their faces astonishingly striking even though all their imperfections are on display – this is the only way to watch movies. Everything else is but a pale imitation.

  Or perhaps it’s just the experience of watching Haider on the big screen that makes me feel this way. I wouldn’t be surprised if, after watching Happy New Year next week at the cinema with my family, I…

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  Review by Michael James ★★★★½

  Adapting Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Vishal Bharadwaj delivers an ambitious and powerful drama, that strongly explores the family dynamics set within the politically war torn Kashmir during the insurgency period. It captures the paranoia of the situation and its damaged souls in a haunting and disturbing manner. The cinematography, music, dialogues and production design are top notch, perfectly complementing and elevating the tragic drama. When it comes to performances, Shahid Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Kay Kay Menon, Tabu and Shraddha Kapoor are simply extraordinary. A highly recommended drama, one that stands out for its masterful storytelling and provides a highly satisfying cinematic experience.

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  Review by Haroon Paul ★★★★ 2

  Revenge only begets revenge

  True freedom lies beyond revenge

  Chutzpah - Shahid Kapoor brings Hamlet to the knife. It is a bollywood delight. Written in the colors of revenge and redemption, unfolded in snowy streets of Kashmir and resonted with souls beyond every border.

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  Review by Nikhil Das ★★★★ 2

  'Ye hota hai chutzpah'

  I haven't read Shakespeare's Hamlet but I know gist of it, I didn't know it was based on Hamlet when I was watching it and noticed many similarities and parallels. Also I don't know the socio-political background of J&K so much it was little hard to understand the plot but still I loved this because of the way the characters are written and also exploring their conflicts and themes. Gotta rewatch it again to deconstruct this more, great to see the positive reviews for this.

  Especially the titular character Haider, his descent into madness, the hatred and emotional turmoil he goes through, the moral and conflicted dilemma of whom to trust and what to believe.. everything…