Dhobi Ghat: A pleasure to watch

I actually quite liked Dhobi Ghat, I really did. When I voiced this out on Facebook, there were few who expressed their opinions reverse to mine with questions on how could I like “such” a confused and boring movie? Well, to each his own…not even for a second I found the movie to be boring and there was no question of confusion at all. In fact the sequencing was seamlessly interwoven to give a complete picture in the end. If anything, this not so obvious narrative actually kept me glued on to screen from start to end. Here are 5 reasons why you must watch Dhobi Ghat:

  • It’s different, it actually is. Don’t remember any other Hindi movie being made this way.
  • The story is interesting, keeps your attention focused on the screen from start to end.
  • Prateik Babbar! Yes, he (character Munna) is definitely one of the reasons for me to like this movie; this actor has finally arrived. Apart from Prateik, definite mentions of debutantes Monica Dogra (Shai) & Ruchika Malhotra (Yasmin), they were awesome too. Difficult to decide who did better between the two, both lived their roles perfectly.
  • The direction, I loved it. The way this movie interlinks different stories and different characters is just so fascinating.
  • I remember reading a tweet from Rahul Bose which said something like “Dhobi Ghat is one Indian movie which qualifies as world movie”. I so agree to him, it indeed is a world cinema material.

Some flip side of the movie – it is slow and at times dragging too, does not have any bollywood commercialism in form of songs or dance sequences, can get boring for those who do not like slow movies. Heavy at times but has it’s light moments too with a very different treatment. While few from audience actually left the movie half way by criticizing it, there were other few who actually gave standing ovation to it once the movie ended! Overall, for me it’s a movie with artistic values and definitely worth watching.

Did watch many other movies recently – Anjaana Anjaani (thank god, I did not waste my money on it in theater), No One Killed Jessica (really liked it) & Black Swan (loved, loved, loved it, this movie definitely deserves a separate post).

Did you watch Dhobi Ghat? Did you like it?

5 comments

  1. Iya

    I watched, i liked! agree to all your points on why it should be seen and liked! and to add to it, i thought the movie was shot beautifully and the background score is as haunting as it gets.

    There is only one little thing – i came out of the theater feeling a little unsatisfied.some questions were left unanswered but i guess thats what the director wanted.

    over all a must watch. surely new age indian cinema..

  2. Psych Babbler™

    I read the review of this on IHM's blog and saw the trailer there too and it sounds intriguing for sure. I'm not a fan of your typical Bollywood movie with the whole naach-gaana and I've always admired Aamir Khan for daring to be different. Plus, I love stories where different people's lives intertwine in a way… (Crash is one of my fav movies!) and that has a deep n meaningful story, even it is heavy and depressing.

    I'll keep an eye out for this here in Aus if it comes out on DVD. Else will have to watch it when I visit India later in the year…

  3. Raam Pyari

    aahh..well may be this will make me watch the movie. I am put off by good cinema :_

  4. Anubha

    I loved the movie too while people whom I went with for the movie didn't like it as much!! This movie did have mixed reviews but I found it to be just the way a movie should be- light, natural, genuine and beautiful 🙂

  5. Rhett

    I liked it .. i think its a great movie…if I interpret it correctly then its about many things being intertwined and related with one another…about things being other things and people being other people… like that Neruda poem – We are many – an idea more directly put in that Julia Roberts Brad Pitt movie – The Mexican. So I think its a good effort although not very great but good enough……

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