English Vinglish

For someone who has been born and brought up on English medium schools, and I don't say this proudly, but for whom English is his first language of thought, it is very hard to put self in Sridevi's shoes. Someone, who doesn't know English, but in all other ways is very competent. Someone, who is constantly the butt of family jokes and jibes, especially by the husband and the rapidly growing daughter. That the film succeeds in making us feel her angst, and her ways of coping with it, showing the kind of situations she encounters, especially when she goes to New York, is a tribute to the story and the performances, especially the virtuoso acting masterclass by Sridevi, who shows, in more ways than one, that she's still got it !

The debilitating effect of not knowing the language is brought alive by her mispronounciation of 'Jazz', a visit to her daughter's PTA, her solo trip to New York, handling immigration, her ordeal there buying coffee and various snide ones by both her husband ('She is born to make laddoo's') and her daughter ('Why did you take my book if you cant read ?'). Redemption arrives when she decides to take English lessons, while in New York, visiting her sister to help with her niece's wedding. She finds unlikely allies in the sister's house and a gallant, romantic French fellow student. And suddenly, life is not so bleak anymore.

The film tries hard not to get too sentimental, balancing every tear with a chuckle or a smile. Amitabh Bachchan's delightful cameo, the other madcap students in the English class, none as zany as Salman Khan, the Pakistani, the cheerful nature of her son, her own special, sari-clad Michael Jackson impersonation, all serve to smoothen out the various trials and tribulations thrown her way.

Sridevi makes you root for her, getting her every expression, every frown, every smile spot on. Most of the other characters are stereotypes – the busy, indifferent husband, the cute son, the gallant Gaul, the bombastic Pakistani etc. But she has shades to her character, moments of weakness followed by instances of strength. Waffling indecision followed by gutsy action.

Isn't life about communication, rather than the language ? About the message, rather than the medium ? When / How did we get so snobbish about how different people speak, their accents. As the film rightly asks, why have we become so judgemental merely based on the persons attire, language ? Surely there is more to life than that ? More at www.apurvbollywood.blogspot.com

English Vinglish directed by Gauri Shinde is an outstanding movie.

English Vinglish also marks the comeback of Sridevi,who plays the role of Shashi with bravura! Story: A belittled and insecure Indian housewife,Shashi (Sridevi) enrolls in an English language class.

The movie's only drawback is the slow pacing.But yet,first-time director Gauri Shinde does an excellent job in making this movie a delightful one.

The music is soothing.

The cinematography is top-notch.

The dialogs are well-worded The screenplay is water-tight.

Performances: Sridevi rocks as Shashi!I feel that her performance must earn an National Award.If not at least a Film-fare Award.Kudos to her! Amitabh Bachchan,although in a cameo steals the show.The whole theater went berserk when Amitabh Bachchan makes his appearance.His comic timing is superb!He truly rocks! Adil Hussain is efficient.Navika Kotia and Shivansh Kotia as the children,act well.

Cory Hibbs as David Fischer,Rajeev Ravindranathan as P.Ramamurthy,Ruth Aguilar as Eva,Damian Thompson as Udumbke and Sumeet Vyas as Salman Khan play their parts very well.Mehdi Nebbou as Laurent is good.

All in all,English Vinglish is a must-watch for everyone.I am giving it a nine out of ten.Strongly Recommended!If you miss it,its your loss!

"If we don't love ourselves we use to attract towards new things but as soon as we began to love ourselves we feel confident and old things look prettier again." This is one dialogue from the movie's lead protagonist which teaches how one can come back to his normal life; English Vinglish is a sweet Laddu with almonds of a logical script, cashew nuts of nice music, raisins of love and pistachios of Hope. English Vinglish is not about just English classes, it's just a metaphor or platform to narrate a simple yet very effective story of self determination, self respect and love about family and love about ourselves.

English Vinglish is undoubtedly a movie about the Family, the children & their attitude towards their parents, the husband who does not see his wife skills and potential beyond a born Laddu Maker and yes, it's about a mother who lost her identity as a woman in the society after marriage being a house wife, as her world does not go beyond her family.

Shashi Godbole (Sridevi) is a simple middle class housewife living with her husband Satish (Adil Hussain) along with her daughter Sapna and a son named Sagar in Pune, India. She is an excellent cook searching for her own respect among children and husband due to poor understanding of English language. One day she got the call from her sister to visit New York to attend her daughter's wedding, but she was reluctant to go alone because of her poor English language, thou she finally agreed on her husband's persuasion. In New York, during her visit to a café she felt humiliated due to her understanding of English language which brought a reason for her to fight against the odds and make a place for herself. She left from there and suddenly saw an advertisement for four weeks English speaking classes and that's how she got the way to prove herself by learning a language which is global now and a synonym of 'Being Modern' in Indian societies called English, for Her VINGLISH.

Overall, English Vinglish is a memorable watch for the genuine script, superb performances, nice music and definitely the feel good factor it has. In Last scene, Shashi requests the air hostess a Hindi newspaper in English Language, and that's we called in Sridevi's MJ Style without getting 'Judgemental' –YoOO.

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After long gap of 15 years Sridevi's flick has released.The story of movie is so cute.Family,friends anyone can watch this movie. The movie is about a married woman who doesn't know English language and has always been humiliated by her daughter,hubby and people around her.. Later she decides to learn it and teaches a lesson to all people who humiliated her because of not knowing English well. This flick makes you realize that 1.Don't ever accuse and make fun of people about their weakness who knows what they will be in future.. 2.Its you yourself who can make you learn and be successful.Don't rely on anyone not even on family members. 3.Family love is everything else is worthless.

A delightful film that must be appreciated of its simplicity in delivering an important message.

How important are the feelings of those, who do not know a language that we speak so much. Is it right to belittle those for they can be good in something else? Is it right to disrespect parents and feel embarrassed when they do not know English?

More than anything else, this is the tale of a mother who is being deserted by her kids and husband for she does not know a language that they all speak. And she learns it to redeem her respect. I loved the way Sridevi carried herself and am so very happy seeing her back on the silver screen which she set ablaze many years ago with films like Chandni, Mr. India and Chaalbaaz to name a few. Sridevi is indeed the best part of this film, as she has a poise that subdues the flamboyance and the stardom of her and gets her into the character. So what I saw here was Shashi (Sridevi) more than Sridevi and that's great to begin my review with.

If you loved a movie like PAA, then there are definite chances that you may love this too, coz it takes the simplicty from there and applies the same to a different story. I loved PAA, so I loved this one too. But even if you dislike PAA, try this and you may have a surprise then.

The good thing of this movie is it's writing, take that scene in which Shashi gets a call from her daughter when she was looking for her scrapbook, and here it is

Shashi : "Maine use chupaya taaki main bhi na padh sakoo" Daughter :Padhna Aaye tab na"

That is, "How can you read, when you don't know"

The supporting cast has also done well from a French cook to a Pakistani guy, they all teamed up well, but it has it's share of not so likable or rather preachy moments like the teacher being gay. But I will give in to all that, coz it is done quietly and not making fuss.

Be it the climax, it was done in a subdued manner and that is why it was beautiful for me.

I love this film for its simplicity and for just one reason "SRIDEVI" all the other technical departments did their job superbly but "SRIDEVI" did something really beautiful. Even the way she walked on those streets was graceful. Also, a mention to music and Amit Trivedi has given beautiful music.

Thanks Gauri and R Balki for giving SRIDEVI back to us with this. And thanks to SRIDEVI for doing this film. A 4/5 for this.