Liebesbrief an das Leben - Dear Zindagi

A beautiful cinematic experience. This movie makes you: laugh, shed a few good tears, feel happy, rethink about your own life, fall in love with Alia, fall in love with SRK all over again. To add to these, it has lovely direction, cinematography and background score! When it comes to acting, everyone has done a fab job. Alia is winning best actress award for sure. SRK was the right choice for this supporting role; I am so glad a Superstar like him agreed to do this role. All other actors were perfect too. After Zoya Akhtar, Gauri Shinde brings new hope to storytelling in Bollywood. Go watch it at a theater near u! Its high time Indian audience supports movies like these. Love you Zindagi!

Let me get this straight this is one of the best movies of year..

If an actor is making commercial movies more often than there comes a time in his life when audience get sick of his usual attitude towards selection of script.Then the actor starts to realize that now time has come to let everyone know that he got some acting skills.This was the situation of Shah Rukh Khan.His last few movies were all commercial with Fan being an exception.It was his time to return and shut all of his critics.But man o man how did he comeback.Truly sensational.

Now let's get back to movie.

Preview(No spoilers): Movie is about a girl who is desperate who is fighting all the hardships of life.Her on again off again love life until she meets this middle aged psychiatrist Jehangir which teaches her how to be free, how to say no to life, how to live it in your own way.

Direction:As everybody here knows that movie's director is Gauri Shinde.She debuted with English Vinglish which was both commercial and critical success.This is Gauri's second directorial venture and she totally nailed it.Movie is almost as flawless as it gets.I rarely found a glitch in it.Indeed the movie shows her hard work.

Acting:As movie's mainly focused on Alia Bhatt's character so let's first discuss her. She gives her truly best and her character was brought to life by her.She is god gifted and has a lot of talent. This girl will surely go a long way in her career. And then there is Shah Rukh Khan.I actually watched this movie because of him.Earlier this year his Fan was released.The movie didn't do well on Box Office but was a really great movie and SRK nailed both the characters.Like Fan he was the main highlight of the Dear Zindagi too.His sarcasm his cuteness and above all his acting in this movie is absolutely out of the world.As he faced a lot of criticism for Dilwal,Happy New Year,Chennai Express etc but now he is back to shut all of his critics.

Cinematography:Movie does well in this section too.It was interesting how the story progressed with time.

Story:Story is as simple as it gets and yet very complicated.It was very thought provoking.It changes the way you look at your life at your destiny.Story is pure work of class and hard work put in by Gauri Shinde.

Overall:Overall the movie is very likable.Even hours later of watching it it stayed on top of my mind.

Pros:+Shah Rukh back to his best.

+Great and flawless story.

+Cinematography

+All the hard work put in by whole team

Cons:None that I can find.

At the end I strongly recommend it to everyone to go and watch this movie. Its one in a million type of movie.Don't miss it

I need to warn you about "Dear Zingadi". It's a film you likely will not enjoy...at least for the first half of the story. Now this does NOT mean you shouldn't see it. On the contrary, it's a really amazing film...one of the best Bollywood films I've seen in some time.

The story is about Kaira (Alia Bhatt) a young woman who SHOULD be happy but desperately hates herself and her life...though she really has no idea this is so. But she knows she's vaguely unsatisfied...particularly in most of her close relationships. She is disconnected emotionally from her parents and she has a series of relationships or near relationships with men where she destroys them. Eventually, she does something drastic...she seeks therapy.

Her therapist, Dr. Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) is extremely odd and repeatedly he says and does things which confuse her. He certainly does NOT act like a therapist and she often leaves sessions a bit confused. Where is all this leading? See the film and don't try to guess why!

While the film isn't perfect, it's actually one of the best films I've seen about psychotherapy and the therapeutic process. Being a trained psychotherapist myself, I could really appreciate this. Sure...they didn't get every detail perfect...but the writing for Kaira and SRK was spot on...and very intelligent as well.

Overall, this is a difficult film to predict as it often avoids the usual cliches. Often you see them coming...only to have the film go a different direction. This is particularly true with Kaira...as at first she seemed like the overused cliche of the spoiled rich girl who eventually becomes kind and decent. And, when it didn't exactly go that way, I was thrilled. The same can be said about the therapist. Dr. Khan's bowing out of her life was done in a somewhat unexpected manner...and I love it when films surprise me. To top this off, kudos to Bhatt for her fine acting...and you really notice this late in the film. As for SRK, he's wonderful...like we know he can be when he gets excellent material. A nearly perfect film.

By the way, if you care, the inkblots you see from the Rorschach Test in the film are two real ones. Often TV and films show fake ones but they are the real thing.

Finally saw Dear Zindagi. I hope this one isn't as exaggerated as my previous reviews. Gauri Shinde is a really brilliant director, she knows how make good characters by casting perfect actors in them. Alia Bhatt plays the role of a life time. She is excellent through out the movie. The character has extreme depth and very well written. Her performance is almost as good as her role in Udta Punjab if not better. Shah Rukh Khan is a breath of fresh air. Right from the first scene to his final scene. His and Alia Bhatt's chemistry was brilliant. Great Role by him. Ali Zafar, Kunal Kapoor, Angad Bedi and Aditya Roy Kapur are extremely well placed and help Kiara's story move forward. Pluses- Story, Acting, Cinematography, Second half, The scenes which feature Srk and Alia. The family moments of Kiara and her family, her Friends. The execution of the entire movie from event to event. The whole final act which leaves you in a happy mood. The breakdown sequence. The maturity in the direction which takes the movie into a new level. The Dialogues given to SRK. Negatives- The music is good but isn't great. The Editing in the first half could have been better. If you have enjoyed movies like Wake Up Sid, Kapoor and Sons Rockstar, Queen, English Vinglish . Go for this one. One of the best movies of the year. Something which has come kind of close to Udta Punjab.

DEAR ZINDAGI REVIEW : It's Second Consecutive Classic for Director Gauri Shinde, Best Film Of Aliaa Bhatt's Career till now and Best Film of SRK as a Supporting Actor. I think my first sentence is enough to describe so much about film, still i'm excited to write more.

Story - It's Simple, realistic and Interesting story but still No one has ever dared to make a Film on it, so Gauri Wins it here only. Some scenes looks repetitive and unnecessary but still it has everything to Impress audience.

Acting - If you think Highway was best what Aliaa could have done then Dear Zindagi proves it wrong. Aliaa raises her bar, her Best Performance till date. She will fight with Sonam Kapoor for Best Actress Award this year. SRK steals the show from the very first appearance, and keeps you hook till the End with his Unbeatable Charm. I expect Best Supporting Actor Award for him. He made it look like that Character is written for him only. Supporting Starcast is Highly impressive.

Screenplay - With Runtime of 149 Minutes Dear Zindagi has Entertaining and Engaged Screenplay. Few scenes are just Highly Classy like I could not resist and sent Flying Kisses to Screen and SRK's Last Scene makes you Senti. It nearly does not have any loo breaks, only few Moments in 2nd half might irritate you.

Music - We all Know Amit Trivedi never delivered Massy Chartbuster Album, but his Music helps Film's Screenplay and theme. Not a Single Hit Song but 'Just Go To Hell' is terrific Situational Song, 'Love You Zindagi' is good as an Audio, 'Tu Hi Hai' is a Let down.

Dialogues - As it is an Offbeat and Multiplex Audience Film, almost 30% dialogues are in English. Few Clap Worthy, Deep and Life Lessons type of Dialogues are there along with couple of Vulgar words.

Cinematography - Film looks fresh and eye pleasing for almost every scene but few scenes could have been shot better. Natural beauty has been captured well.

Direction - I loved and started believing Gauri Shinde with her very first flick English Vinglish and she doesn't break Belief here. Direction is Top Class especially in some Motivational Scenes. Few scenes have minuses, for instance Make up, Aliaa looks dull in couple of scenes and SRK looks 10 year older in that Ship scene. Gauri Shinde should be the Best Female Director in today's Era. But the Problem is Both of her Films are only for Multiplex Audience, i would love to see her making a Massy + Classy Film. No doubts, No One could have dared to make Urban Classic films English Vinglish and Dear Zindagi except Gauri Shinde.

Final Words - Dear Zindagi should be considered as Highly Urban Audience Classic, actually its not a Classic for me i mean Gauri just missed that Tag by few Inches, but still it is a Must Watch film for Classes. After watching film you will come back home with some Life Lessons and might try to live Life in Different way. Thank you Gauri, Aliaa and SRK for this Beautiful and Sweet Film. I would have gone with 7/10* Stars but giving 8/10* stars, 1 Extra for that SRK's never ending Charm. Go for it, do not miss this Kaira and Jug's Sweet Journey...