Lootera

If you love someone, saying with words is not necessary, when your eyes and your expressions can say it.. Loved it totally, Feel like watching another time, everything was perfect, eyes, expressions, smiles, weather, locations!!! What a movie!! Its totally different from Motwaane's Udaan, but has the similar gripping power over the audience. One thing i didn't like about it was that it was a bit overstretched.The last leaf concept doesn't look hokey and fits well with the script. The music is awesome and blends perfectly with the situations in the movie. Soulful concoction of sensitivity and sensuality without a bit of vulgarity is what is Lootera !!!

Love, in its purest and uninhibited form, has attracted many film-makers since time immemorial but somehow the thin line between sensitivity and melodrama gets blurred. "Lootera" is one such attempt which brings out the raw passion in its purest form without being too melodramatic that will go down as a classic in history of Indian cinema.

Story wise Lootera is an uncomplicated linear story of a con-man falling for a lady who is the daughter of a big zaminder in Bengal. The movie is about love, betrayal, redemption and falling in love all over again. It is the execution which makes all the difference. Motwane with his craftsmanship transcends this story into a visual imagery which strikes tune with the chord of audience's emotions. Even the social milieu of 1950s Bengal has been projected with dexterity when Zamnidari system was almost dying out & government devising laws to abolish the whole Zamindari rule. The inner turmoil of losing one's autocratic set-up & the luxuries all of a sudden indeed comes as a jolt & that has been depicted precisely. Even zamindar Roychowdhury at one point of time confesses to Varun about how he grew habituated with zamindari system & how difficult it is for him to shed it now. While Barun Chanda (who made his debut with Master Satyajit Ray's Seemabaddha) gave a commendable performance as the failing zamindar & a father of a lovely daughter; Sonakshi Sinha steals the show as vulnerable yet emotionally strong Pakhi who falls for a young archaeologist & then their lives turns upside down. Her expressive eyes conveyed the mature emotions in earthy fashion which helps to connect with the character that is in dilemma in accepting his lover after being betrayed once. It is often believed that good director brings out the best from all actors. I sincerely want to differ with this & wish to believe this lady is indeed talented with the hope of seeing Sonakshi Sinha doing more films like Lootera. Never expect the Dabbang & Rowdy girl to give such a restrained and mature performance. While Pakhi is a delight to watch, Ranveer's portrayal of Varun (real name is unknown till the end) grows on you slowly. The soft spoken guy with his boyish charm is an easy bet to win any woman's heart & Ranveer did a stupendous job in projecting the same. Like Sonakshi, his character also has layers of emotions which he delivers through his facial expressions and voice modulation albeit in a controlled manner. Vikrant Massey as Varun's friend Devdas Mukherjee & Adil Hussain as Inspector Singh complimented the acting of the lead pairs thus elevating the proceedings. Arif Zakaria, Divya Dutta & Dibyendu Bhattacharya shines in small roles.

... "Silence" plays a crucial role in this epic love story. In real life we often use silence to convey thousands of emotions. It's true that sometimes silence speaks more than words & that what makes Lootera stand out from other films of this genre.

The real heroes of the film are Vikramaditya Motwane & his technical team. After delivering the classic Udaan, Motwane hits the bull's eye with "Lootera". Unlike the dark proceedings of his debut film he chooses one of the most basic emotions called "Love" & merges some thrilling elements to create a brilliant film. O. Henry's short story "The Last Leaf" has been seamlessly merged in the second half which uplifts the sensitive depth of the climax. Shetty's cinematography compliments Motwane's vision thus creating an awesome painting in celluloid. Purulia looked astonishing & the intrigued photography is probably one of the best in recent times. Credit goes to Deepika Kalra for editing the frames effectively. Rarely one witnesses such effective use of Block Shots in any mainstream cinema recently. The detailing in production design & lights needs special mention. Art direction is top notch. There is one particular scene where Varun is suffering from indecision of going ahead with his con job and at the same time expressing his love for Pakhi. As Pakhi enters his room there is a dim light everywhere except Varun's eye which shies away in darkness as if he is not able to confront himself.

There are many such master strokes in the film which needs more elaborate discussion. The film starts with an old story of a king whose life is stored inside a pet bird. The symbolism has been aptly used as Pakhi imbibes the story & start searching for that "pet bird" until she finds it in a Leaf. The leaf symbolizes the gradual decaying of Pakhi's health and the same time Varun's unconditional love for Pakhi that completes his life. Motwane & Iyer's screenplay did justice to Henry's short story while genius Kashyap's minimal usage of dialogs evokes the perfect ambiance for a classic setting.

Amit Trivedi & Amitabh Bhattacharya combo is always superb and then sealed their credibility with Lootera. One of best music of recent times, the setting actually helped in taking the story forward with the lyrics sometime playing the part of a narrator or giving an insight of protagonist's mind. The picturization of the song "zinda hoon yaar" had blown me away completely.

If cinema is one of the greatest medium to tell a story then Motwane knows it better than many of the directors at present whose ideas are contrived. A visual painting, an ode to Love, Lootera is a must must watch for those who are seeking good cinema within mainstream domain. The film obviously wont set BO by fire (neither any of the classics ever did) but will go down in the history as a timeless classic.

Udaan & Lootera–Motwane, Sir take a bow!!Other directors should learn to use colors in films like Motwane does that never looks like Plastic. Encore!! Encore!!

P.S-AnuragKashyap always supports great films.This time along-with him,thanks to EktaKapoor for believing in Motwane's vision & helping him to paint his canvas so beautifully.

Years ago I watched Dev Anand's entertainer -Nau Do Gyaarah (perhaps my only start-to-finish black n white feature) ,the movie had it all:- drama, suspense, comedy, romance, action etc. Motwane's Lootera is one such flick, in the same genure (and no I haven't read the O.Henry book)... ... Prepared with a thick batter of emotions, spruced with romance ,garnished with suspense and drama with a tinge of comedy ,its a mouth watering dish u wont want to miss from Phantom-Balaji house this weekend . Great performances by both the leads (Sonakshi s a voluptuous surprise ;) , Ranveer 's show).. I was initially a bit sceptical with the star cast but both of em have been used pretty well ! Its a period movie with an old world charm to it all the way. Base a movie in Bengal and u already have half of my loyalty...brilliantly captured, mesmerizing cinematography..a beautiful canvas on the celluloid , good narration and a fabulous score by Trivedi are enough treats in store for any movie buff... I am going with a thumping 4.5* outta 5 for Lootera, its one movie that would be talked about for times immemorial and would be etched in the minds of those who are in love, and those who shall be. By the time u leave the cinema hall with moist eyes and the humdrum of the background score in ur head , u know Motwane has aced it yet again , a remarkable flight after another great -Udaan ..

P.S.-- If u have loved ur Bodyguards, Singhams , Cocktails ,high on testosterone - Bhatt factory products, and other Sallu Bhai stuff or are excited about SRK's Eid release..., chances are u would abhor this one, so better not go. Its sad to hear crass about a movie of such a stature

This is my first review in IMDb.

I went to this movie without any expectation and because of my wife. I was completely blown away by the class of this movie. Direction, music, cinematography and acting by all the actors were top class.

I was not a fan of Ranvir Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha. However after watching this movie, I've changed my mind. I believe this is their best performance.

Arif Zakaria, Pakhi's father and Adil Hussain impresses in supporting role.

Do not miss this movie. I'll rate this 8.5 out of 10.

In Genesis 37:9 the following statement is made: "And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me." Vikramaditya Motwane had stunned the critics with his poignant coming of age story 'Udaan'. He does that yet again in Lootera, justifying the feature length body to the soul of O Henry's petite plot. Loooera is like Van Gogh's "Starry Night" that is Picturesque and poignant at the same time. It takes a simple O Henry story – The Last Leaf, and adapts it to a period setting in Bengal and North East India. Somewhere the short story has decent potential for a short film. But Vikramaditya Motwane is one filmmaker who knows how to extract maximum gratification out of minimalism. It's a work of art - slow, deliberate and introspective. It's one of the best films you'll watch this year. It's a triumph of its director's vision, resulting in a win for the performances of its lead actors.

There's a sense of subliminal aesthetic familiarity when "Lootera" opens in the newly partitioned India of 1953. The unhurried ambiance of the olden days, the sureness of the camera's frame, the undiluted subtlety of the narrative – and decisively – the itching gut feel that it's not going to work out well in the end. The story is of an archaeologist Varun (Ranveer Singh) who comes for an excavation expedition on a piece of land that belongs to Pakhi's (Sonakshi Sinha) family. Love blooms over Dev Anand's enchanting songs and painting lessons where the teacher ends up turning into a student. The vintage Chevrolet cars, heritage haveli and fading royalty add to the aura. The chemistry between Sonakshi Sinha and Ranveer Singh is delicate, pristine yet searing.

Evidently Pakhi falls for the charming visitor only to face betrayal subsequently. Almost a year later, they chance upon each other and are stranded in a cottage amidst snowfall. Now Pakhi is taken over by mixed emotions towards the man while Varun seeks redemption. The director clearly strikes the right chord with the audience and the sublime and surreal shade that he imparts to the story gives it a fairy-tale touch. The tragic end is quite evident all through yet there is that ray of hope which clings on the last leaf.

Lootera uses silence and stillness wonderfully well. In such moments of repose, one can hear footsteps on a hilly pathway or a piece of paper being crumpled, and that is such a rarity in a Hindi film.

The two halves of Lootera are distinct chapters: the gold, russet and green of the Bengal landscape gives way to the pale, snowy, hilly heights of north India. Each is captured in muted hues by cinematographer Mahendra Shetty, whose contribution to the overall impact of the work is enormous.

Every actor in Lootera, irrespective of the footage he or she gets, makes an unmistakable presence. Coming to Sonakshi Sinha's performance, iIf you know her as the 100-crore girl who shakes and swings at the drop of a hat you're in for a surprise. Her nuanced act tugs at your tear glands. A good compliment to Sonakshi's anchoring performance is Ranveer Singh's underplay. He proves he's an actor to reckon with. And he does so despite having a character in shadow of Sonakshi's Pakhi. Supporting performances by Barun Chanda (playing Sonakshi's Zamindar father), Vikrant Massey (Ranveer's best friend) and Adil Hussain (the tough as nails cop) are all top notch too. Arif Zakaria, Dibyendu Bhattacharya and Shirin Guha make brief appearances but lasting impressions.

Lootera celebrates the past, mourns the demise of love, life and things of joy and beauty, but in the end affirms the primacy of the human spirit and the power of art to tide over the blows of fate.

Now the big question: why a film like Lootera is not working at the box office? The question is irrelevant. It wouldn't matter, at least from the critical point of view, even if it were to fail to get its point across to an audience captivated on Dabangg, Rowdy Rathore, Son of Sardar and suchlike. This is a "film". Appreciate it without the tags of commercialism (or lack of), or art, or new Bollywood. It's a beautiful poetry which is being recited, you either relive and resonate the spirit or, you don't.