Good Night Good Morning

Manu Narayan (as Turiya Omprakash) and Seema Rahmani (as Moira) - Top Notch Acting, perfect chemistry between the leads. Oh Wait! What chemistry are you talking about when they don't see each other through out the film? Yes, Even though they don't see each other, there is this Excellent chemistry between them. After watching the movie, you will definitely agree with me.Raja Sen (as JC) was fantastic. Vasanth Santhosham (as Hussein) was good. People involved in Casting - You are one of the reason for Film's Success!

Script is simple and straight and its got to be that way (as said in the film). It is well written. Dialogues are funny, touching, heartbreaking and to top it all, it is very natural and subtle. Screenplay is Brilliant and Well-etched and you become a character in the film. Credits to Writer Shilpa Rathnam and Sudhish Kamath. Direction - You got to congratulate Sudhish Kamath for choosing such a daring theme and Pulling it off in Style! Overall, Fabulous Job.

When was the last time you watched a Black & White movie? Yes, Sudhish Kamath's Good Night | Good Morning is 80% Black and White and Cinematographer Nischalakrishna Vittalanathan's work stands out. Nice Lighting and Perfect Framing. He makes the movie look Rich with the Black & White tone.

Editing by Vijay Venkataramanan, M. Venkatram and Murugesh Thevar works for me! It was Slick and Crisp. He is also another reason for movie's success. Music by Ray Guntrip Feat. Tina May | Manu Narayan & Darunam | Blues Conscience Feat. Sudeep is a Big Plus. Outstanding Background score takes the movie to another level. Costumes by Shilpa Rathnam are OK. Other crew members hard work is evident and they deserve a huge applause.

I also see a lot of Pre-Production has gone into making this film a grand success. Job well done!

Good Night | Good Morning is way better than many mainstream Indian films! It is a Writing Masterpiece. Exceptional Writing. It is a Great moment for Indian Indie-Filmmaking Fraternity. I was So happy to see everyone glued to their seats for the Q&A. That was the impact the movie had on the New Yorkers!

• Naveen Varadarajan, Behindwoods

Now this is what I cal a perfect blend of plot, direction and music. Cinema is defined by Sudhish Kamath's second venture and boy, isn't he great? The cast is wonderful especially the leads are very appealing and apt for the characters they portray.

And I loved the music used in this piece which shows you that how can a conversation become an unforgettable sex appeal factor and can drive people to do what they are looking for so long. It depicts the lonely lives of the Y generation, although the characters here are 20 something, the situation is often experienced by the Y people. Maybe the YOLO generation might despise this theory, but for a decade or so, GNGM is fabulous and real-time.

Some parts were too gaudy and fickle that's why it goes for an 8. Also, I felt the movie ended arbitrarily and they could extend it for a little 15 minutes more. Good!

I seriously recommend watching this. Buy that DVD and you will not be disappointed. It'll make a perfect Sunday afternoon.

WATCH OUT FOR: the witty one hour long conversation.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? NO

Language: Yes | Sex: No; implied | Gore: No | Alcohol: Mild | Nudity: No, implied | Drugs: No | Mouth-Kiss: Mild

I've always had a soft spot for Richard Linklater, one of the few Hollywood directors who makes talky films. You might assume I'm talking about Before Sunrise/ Before Sunset, which are the most overtly talkative of the bunch. But Linklater has always been fascinated by words and their possibilities, from the rambling monologues of his breakthrough feature Slacker to the stoned, proud declarations by the teens in Dazed and Confused. Time and time again, Linklater gives his characters enough time to ramble, realise they're rambling and steer the conversation back to safer ground (though some of them just go on talking).

This freedom to not make sense all the time lends Good Night Good Morning, which recently showed at the Habitat Film Festival, a bracing authenticity that's perfectly in line with its subject matter. It's been directed by Sudhish Kamath, and stars Manu Narayan as Turiya (The Love Guru) and Seema Rahmani, whom some may remember rising above average material in The Loins of Punjab, as Moira. The movie name-drops Before Sunrise early on and it soon becomes clear why: the movie is an extended conversation (on phone) between two almost strangers. It beings with Turiya drunk-dialing Moira from a car; he'd met her briefly at a party in NYC a couple of hours ago. She hangs up on him, then realises she can't sleep and calls him back. You could argue that stuff like this don't happen in real life. Or you could recall the times similar things have happened and you've said "Man, this is just like in the movies…"

Turiya and Moira proceed to talk the night away. They flirt, discuss their past loves, their mistakes and future plans. Since it's their first meeting, there's also an inevitable sizing up, followed by a subtle, ever-present struggle for the upper hand. The great triumph is in the way Kamath ensures that their lines never sound like a movie conversation. These two don't have the nonchalance to look act when they say something witty – instead, they do what normal people do, and look extremely pleased with themselves. It takes great skill to write something that sounds this off-the-cuff. Too clever, and the viewer beings to question the likelihood of two strangers spitting out one-liner after one-liner at three in the morning; go too far in the other direction, and it becomes commonplace, and not worth watching. Kamath told the Habitat audience that when the movie was being scripted, he's asked his friends to do what Turiya does – dial a stranger and speak to them. He said that what they spoke didn't turn out to be important as the way their conversations unfolded, jumping from one topic to another. The dialogue in Good Night Good Morning has this same quality of leaping without looking. It's that rare screenplay which sounds like it's unscripted.

The movie's shot in black and white, though I'm not sure I can see a reason why (I can't see a reason why not, either). The leads had to be charming for it to work, and they are, Narayan with his timid overtures, Rahmani playfully knowing. The only off-note is Raja Sen as Turiya's crass buddy J.C., providing comic relief in a film that doesn't require it. The film is split- screen almost throughout, except for the flashback sequences (absent from the MAMI screening, but wisely inserted back). The actors in these sequences are always Narayan and Rahmani, no matters who the characters in question are. You could argue that the director uses this as a device to garner easy laughs. It's also possible that this is his way of indicating how potential loves always have to measure up to past ones in the beginning. In the same vein, I must return again to the reference made in the movie to Before Sunrise. Once that title was out there, it would always be a question – maybe in the back of people's minds, but there nonetheless – of whether Good Morning Good Night would measure up to it. I'm happy to say it does. - By A Fan Apart

It is beyond unfortunate that the Indian film industry almost ignores its independent filmmakers. In fact, I'll go out a limb to even say that some of our most prestigious directors could learn immense lessons on originality, execution and the real art of film making from indie filmmakers. One such director includes the uber talented Sudhish Kamath. His film, Good Night | Good Morning was featured at a number of film festivals around the world including: The South Asian International Film Festival in New York and Mumbai Film Festival this year. The lucky lot who managed to bag tickets to the film raved nonstop about Good Night | Good Morning . Whether it was the simple story, the writing, the message or the performances, Sudhish Kamath had scored. So what is all the fuss about? You're about to find out!

A bunch of lads find themselves hanging out at a bar on New Year's Eve. Very quickly Turiya Omprakash's (Manu Narayan) finds himself spotting a lone lady at the bar and the group makes their way to see her. Moira (Seema Rahmani) is not interested and shoos the boys away, but not before Turiya takes a peek at her room number and hotel name. As the dudes travel back from New York City to Philadelphia, Turiya decides to call Moira who decides to indulge in a "one night stand" over the phone with him as his friends, JC (Raja Sen) and Hussein (Vasanth Santhosham) listen on. Over a span of a few hours, the couple talk about love, relationships, baggage and skeletons in the closet. It is then that Turiya and Moira realize this could be the love story that could have been…but will it?

To call Good Night | Good Morning good cinema is understatement; it's beyond good. The film is impactful in a number of ways. For starters, the director takes on a retro theme as the film is filmed in old school black and white, which really adds emphasis. But it's not dull, in fact, black and white has never been so colorful. All flashbacks however, are in color. The effect of this simple technique is impressive and it is as though metaphorically, the couple are hiding from colors in their lives and prefer to see the world in shades of black and white ala their past. And because the GN|GM is an hour and a half telephone conversation in the form of a film, the screen in split in half as you monitor the varied environments Turiya and Moira are in as they chat. But that's just the technical details. As a film, GN|GM impresses because there is no sho-sha with its execution. Rather, it's the writing and dialogues that keep you engrossed. The conversation between Turiya and Moira never runs dry or boring which is all courtesy of the script. You are forced to think, made to laugh and in end, learn to love because of one conversation. The screenplay is simply fantastic and engaging. As a director, you are simply wowed by Kamath who scores and how with GN|GM. He creates a situation that is almost unheard of and in all honesty as a film, could have gone terribly wrong. However, because of his in-depth understanding of the script, at no point does the situation seem unfeasible. You almost wish it could and should happen!

The cast is simply S.U.P.E.R.B. At no point do any of the stars seem like a misfit. Manu Narayan is funny, cute, vulnerable and charming as Turiya. You giggle at his innate innocence and his "lack of game", but you are drawn to him no doubt. Seema Rahmani is fabulous as Moira who plays a hard-shelled softie. Her facial expressions and attention to detail are incredible. As a new age kinda gal, you can relate to sentiments, emotions and her definition of love. The chemistry between Manu and Seema has to be noted. You know you have a great pair of actors when the chemistry is oozing despite the fact that they spend the entire film chatting over a phone. The supporting cast too adds and lends great help. Raja Sen as JC adds comic relief with his one-liners while Vasanth Santhosham plays the dude-get-over-it with great ease.

Good Night | Good Morning is a just a quick smack in the face to all those who choose to ignore Indian independent filmmakers. It's original, engrossing and entertaining. But what it does most is make you think. You find yourself pondering over old relationships, realizing the need to forgo and let go and more than anything, GN|GM reinforces your faith in love. What you take away is of course relative to your mind set but ultimately it makes for a fab watch!

If you don't watch any other independent film before 2010 is out, watch Good Night | Good Morning; it's a conversation you'll never forget. - Roshni Mulchandani, Bollyspice

It all began with 'Frozen'. Then, 'That Girl In Yellow Boots' followed. Opinions were as diverse as chalk and cheese, but discussion was 'generated'. I could see the signs. Indie was taking its first baby steps, making its presence felt. Right here, in India.

In the times when the majority of people are busy helping the Hindi Film Industry hurtle down the abyss into the Stone Age, here comes a movie to shut us up. Delightfully funny and bitingly perceptive, Sudhish Kamath's 'Good Night Good Morning' is a slap on the faces of those who still try searching for stories in item numbers and mindless action. Not that I am against any of those. As long as they are done well... But, I digress.

The point that I am trying to emphasize on is - you can find a story anywhere. In ordinary day to day lives. In two strangers. Strangers who seem to have absolutely nothing in common. In a phone call. Kamath and co-writer Shilpa Rathnam use dialogues extremely well and it helps that Seema Rahmani and Manu Narayan turn in terrific performances. Shot almost entirely in black and white, 'Good Night Good Morning' is a game-changer with respect to the Great Indie Movement.

Go watch. You'll have time for mindless entertainers. But see GNGM and tell me it wasn't worth your time. If you've seen Woody Allen's films, Linklater's movies, you'll be more than just delighted. Like I was.