Manto

My Rating : 8/10

'Manto' as a film transports you to a different world completely. It gives you a sense of the zeitgest of a 1940's recently-partitioned India and Pakistan and the strong religious sentiments of the people at the time. Saadat Hasan Manto was a Pakistani writer, playwright and author and someone who through his writings wanted to give a different perspective.

Nandita Das' direction reminds me of the likes of Guru Dutt and Satyajit Ray. 'Manto' is exquisite, poetic and an intimate character study.

Upar di gur gur di annexe di bedhiyana di moong di daal of di Pakistan and Hindustan of di...Manto.

Brilliant.

Class movie which would take us to the pre and post Independence Day's of India. Well scripted and directed by Nandita man and as usual Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Manto stole the show. Other stars done justice to their respective roles especially Rasika as Safia (Manto's Wife). And the last scene of Toba Tek Singh was touching. The movies revolves around Manto's life at pre independence India at bombay and post independence Pakistan at Lahore. And at Lahore his artistic choices and words were challenged by censors and he had to face court and system ruling the state. We could clearly see a liberal writer fighting for his rights and also his life transformation from Bombay to Lahore.

Armed with strong acting skills of Nawaz and other talented actors like Rasika Duggal and Divya Dutta, Manto is a masterpiece that tells the present generation about the social conditions of 1940s and 50s, and so many things have still not changed. Every person living today in today's times can relate to Manto and his struggles. A MUST watch for every Indian and Pakistani.

The movie is so string tied with beautiful acting of all the actors, that you tend to ask for another showtime. I wished the movie didn't end on 112 minutes, but effortless. What a direction and screenplay, mind-boggling experience, like said by the director in her interviews, I brought some Mantoniyat with me.

Struggle for the freedom of expression during the turbulent times of partition!! The sliver of those times well presented with some fantastic and powerful story telling from the bold and repulsive pen of Munto!!

*Not* for entertainment seekers. It's for those who can sink inside the every character's mind and try to explore the circumstantial sense of every scene.

Nandita Das has written and directed this by literally living in those characters and times.

I am afraid that the time pass movie goers may complain of boredom and classify this movie a documentary. Nevertheless they may still look at others watching the movie to check if they are alone thinking that they way.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is promisingly the best actor ...sorry the writer. I had to change from actor to a writer because I am still not able to get the Munto out of him.

Art work and sound recording is brilliant!! For some reason I felt the cigarette lighting with a match stick sounded so perfect I felt that it's been some decades since I heard that sound. Same with the sound of the type writer and the ruffle of the paper.

If you are movie lover who loves to analyse every scene go to the movie. If you land up into this movie because other movies are sold out, you won't be sold on entertainment!! Jingoistic expectations will be laid to rest right from scene 1.

I can rate this movie because it will berate someone who will call Priceless!!