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Azhar backdrop

Azhar

13 May 2016Hindi2h 11m
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 28 scored reviews · 9 not rated

Hashmi shines, but this Azhar plays hero worship over honest biography.

Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Emraan Hashmi's central performance
  • Criticised: One-sided, sanitized portrayal of Azharuddin

Audience

User score 3.9 out of 10 from 10 ratings, Unfavorable
Read 5 audience reviews ↓
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Critic consensus

What 36 critics are saying

Critical reception for Azhar skews negative to mixed, with the majority of reviewers finding the film a missed opportunity given its compelling source material. Emraan Hashmi's committed central performance is the most consistently praised element across reviews. The film's most common criticism is its one-sided, sanitized portrayal of Azharuddin, with multiple critics noting that it functions more as a redemption vehicle than an honest biographical account, glossing over the match-fixing controversy and presenting its subject as a victim rather than engaging with his contradictions. Structural issues including an uneven non-linear narrative and weak screenplay are also frequently cited.

How the 28 scores spread

9 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 36 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (37)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    This could have been a great cautionary tale about a great sport at a time when it was just becoming the arena it has grown into—full of big money and glamour, bigger endorsements and never-ending temptations : it is, instead, an inept 'tamasha', not very different from the stuff Bollywood churns out, the cricket just the superstructure for tired song-and-dance and melodrama, in living rooms and court-rooms. Nope, this 'Azhar' doesn't hit it out of the stadium.
  2. Top critic

    Rediff

    Film review ·

    As a work of fan-fiction, Azhar is a mostly watchable film with a solid lead, but falls far short of being either entertaining, insightful, or worthy of recommendation. Hashmi and D'Souza try hard, and their effort shows. I just wish I could have said the boys played well.
  3. Bollywood Hungama

    Film review ·

    AZHAR is a highly engaging piece of cinema that grips you completely and keeps you guessing. The story telling is objective as it shows both sides of the coin. You are simultaneously treated to the arguments for and against the verdict on Azhar's personal and public upheavals. You are also made to come across a fiercely hungry actor in Emraan Hashmi who simply grabs you by your eyeballs and compels you to witness his masterful knock! AZHAR is a superlative watching experience. Don't miss it for anything!
  4. APotpourriOfVestiges

    Film review ·

    Overall, Azhar, despite its flaws and inconsistencies, proves to be an engaging cinematic experience. How it succeeds in weaving together different genres is quite commendable.
  5. SKJBollywoodNews

    Film review ·

    Azhar is not an apologetic bio-pic. It doesn't try too hard to portray the fallen hero as a  victim. The director lets the story tell itself out in the hope that the truth will emerge in the process. It does. To a point.
  6. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    You stay invested here because the material at hand combines India's two religions-cricket and films. Of course, this generation would rather see biopics on MS Dhoni or Virat Kohli.
  7. Bollywood Life

    Film review ·

    Like last year's Talwar, the movie should have left the decision for the audiences to make whether Azhar was the wronged one or not. However, the makers lacked the guts to do so, making this a totally one sided match. But kudos to Emraan Hashmi who makes the proceedings believable!
  8. Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    The Emraan Hashmi charm mixed with shy Azharuddin mannerism makes it a heady cocktail. You wouldn't want to put it down without giving it a try.
  9. India Today

    Film review ·

    In all, this Tony D'Souza film works solely because of Emraan Hashmi. The actor pours in his heart and soul into playing Azhar, being Azhar.
  10. Zee News

    Film review ·

    The ghost of match-fixing and the allegations run across the run-time, and what exactly a player goes through if he's innocent is what 'Azhar' summarises. Go, watch it for the love of cricket!
  11. FilmiBeat

    Film review ·

    The film is all about the controversial life of former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin. The movie showcases Azharuddin's life, how he grew from a normal man to a famous cricketer by setting back-to-back records in the history of Cricket ever!
  12. FridayMoviez

    Film review ·

    The only interesting part of the film is the songs. Azhar basically is the output of poor screenplay, one sided direction, weak dialogues, and fictionalized reality. It's a mess pot backed by scintillating music.
  13. Mid-Day

    Film review ·

    'Azhar' is clearly made as an attempt at redemption for the tainted cricketer and India's ex-captain Mohammad Azharuddin. Unfortunately, you walk out of the theatre with no emotions, no sympathy, except for remorse at having wasted another two hours of your life on a strictly mediocre film.
  14. Mumbai Mirror

    Film review ·

    A problem with this film is that it won't agree well with ardent Azhar fans, given the slips in factual accuracy. And his detractors would argue against his engineered victim image in the film. So the point is, who does that leave Azhar with?
  15. Sify

    Film review ·

    Director Tony D'Souza chooses to tell the story over different timelines, but the flitting isn't as smooth as it should have been. The film moves on from the match-fixing allegations to the case being fought in court. There is an attempt to showcase the grey shades of the central character, but the film majorly cops-out in the end.
  16. Deccan Chronicle

    Film review ·

    Too late even for a late night show, this one should have hit the theatres a decade ago. It would have made sense then. Now, it will drown in the next trending troll on Twitter. Even on Facebook. Like cricket, fixing has now become an art. Planners book five-star hotels to cast their net, divide matches as if they are planning high-sea fishing (each must have his own zone of catch). You have to be bloody realistic — like Blood Diamond — to make something like this going.
  17. Gulf News

    Film review ·

    If you are expecting Hashmi to deliver a captain's innings here, then you are looking up the wrong film. However, if you are in the mood for a salacious potboiler that buries the real problem then Azhar may work for you.

From our readers

Audience reviews (5)

10 ratings · user score 3.9

  1. 4/10

    All of us were told that this film is a biographical sports drama based on Mohammad Azharuddin's life. But mind you this is not a Biopic since Tony D'Souza and his team declare that it is not of a biopic genre. Emraan Hashmi plays Mohammad Azharuddin, a tireless, spirited and passionate cricketer. He is India's' Cricket team Captain and leads the game very successfully. Naureen (Prachi Desai) is his wife who is warm loving and has a strong attachment with him. Duo meet in an arrange marriage. Then in london he meets the alluring actress Sangeeta Bijlani (Nargis Fakhri) and falls in love with her being aware of his marital status. He is then caught in a match fixing and his dreadful life starts leading to bizarre situations and court rooms. Emraan emulates well but gets slightly defeated by the dull act show he puts up . He is not immediately very convincing. Prachi has very few scenes but creates a good impact, she is able to exhibit wife's emotions very clearly . And Nargis completely dissappoints. She fails to get in the character as the beautiful Sangeeta. She is a misfit. Lawyers (Lara Dutta and Kunal Roy Kapur) do justice to their roles and are morally good. What does not work as well are the court room scenes and some needlessly placed dialogues and acts too. The Director would perceive shortly from the reviews that dousing the appetite with an overdose of long run time and acts and also court scenes partially annihilates the film causing indigestion. Neither this film has a message beyond nor any plus point. It praises Azharuddin as a scapegoat and a loser too. A dismay for all the cricket fans. I am going with 4 stars - A Flimsy Film.

  2. Sachin PrithvikarmaMay 2016
    8/10

    Azhar s not a biopic,its just a judgement for the controversy of azhar life,if we see in such manner its an awesome film.next, emrann hashmi acting is top class

  3. naviSept 2016
    1/10

    Emraan Hashmi's film, which was released in May Azhar Azhar fans and for the fans presented a huge gift. The film's producer Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor, P. Singh, who has hit a lot of which is Rjani Sneha. Director and writer Rajat Arora, written by Tony D'Souza, the film is completely based on the biography of Mohammed Ajhrudin how they were arguably among the better players of his time wandering along the direction of the ball to turn his talent was. Personl life had ups and downs in their lot. He had 2 marriages, first from 1987 to 1996 they lived together with wife Naureen, then took Divorce, Sangeeta Bijlani He married, in 2010, with whom he became Divorce. His career ended with match-fixing in 2000 was very tragic way. They are regarded as the most successful captain in the Indian captain and in 2000 they were found guilty of match-fixing ban imposed on the life-time play and they refuse to prove it took 12 years from the Supreme Court in 2012, they clean was cleared of all charges is stale. Azhar many negetive point B in the film is shown. famousilty kising sence of the film is reduced. If someone has to make a biographical film is shown that the same is true then it is better to make a masala film negetive iffect have felt. Some players have said that the film negative point of Azhar Azhar's negetivity famous he has not risen. bt overall speaking, the film is a film that viewers Romnck Azhar's life knew nothing about it, now they have begun to look a sensetive. The music is also very popular by Pritam who liked everyone

  4. Sandeep GodaraSept 2016
    7/10

    Nice film Dil chahta h ki film ko bar bar dekhu One time miss this

  5. Raj ChughSept 2016
    6/10

    f you go by the initial disclaimers ( yes, there are several, filling the entire screen) you will know that what you are about to watch is a 'kaalpanik chitra' (imaginary film) which is based on the 'vibhinna ghatnaon' (many episodes) of the life of a disgraced captain of the Indian cricket team; that any resemblance to any real event is 'matra ek sanyog' (a mere coincidence), and that it doesn't intend to 'hurt' any 'sanstha' (organization) or 'corporate'.

Credits

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