Dedh Ishqiya gives the UP badlands a light cloak of humor and, to the viewer – we’re happy to note – a bold reveal that is more suggested than emphasized. The twist in the tale is one you can spot from a mile away, but it’s nicely done.
I’m going with four out of five for director Abhishek Chaubey’s Dedh Ishqiya. Like heady wine, it delivers a welcome kick.

There is much to be liked in the film, and I wish all of it had been as good as the scintillating bits. The trouble is not just with the pace. Some of the lines, terrific as they are, seem to be added in just so that the characters can revel in their own perfect Urdu delivery.

Replete with florid dialogue and competent performances, too, the sequel to Ishqiya (2010) is good to put it plainly, but not quite in the class of the outstanding first edition which was free of, for want of a better word, snafus. Moreover, the earlier femme fatale played by fierce fervour by Vidya Balan, is sorely missed.

This is a rare joy. It’s a genuinely smart film. It’s beautifully, lovingly shot. The music aids the narrative instead of distractingly taking it hostage. It’s the most quotable Hindi movie in years. It’s a sequel that leaves even a highly original first-part far behind. And, for a film so accessible, it’s armed with the most cunning, most delicious twist. It’s terrific — and a half. Dedhriffic, then.

There is a lovely running gag about the stages of love and a gorgeous climactic shoot-out. Best of all, the film gives us women who are unapologetically scheming and lusty. They break all the rules and get away with it. It’s wonderfully refreshing.

And yet, Dedh Ishqiya doesn’t have the seductive sparkle that Ishqiya did.

From dilkashi to junoon, the start and end point respectively of Khalujaan’s take on the seven stages of love, the film has them both and everything in between and beyond.

Vishal Bharadwaj’s dialogue keeps you in splits. Naseer is back in super-form after straying in outings like Jackpot. Ditto Arshad. Madhuri looks gorgeous but the dhak-dhak girl (now woman) falls short on the oomph meter, as compared to Vidya Balan in Ishqiya. Huma Qureshi is interesting.

To give away any more of the plot would be unfair, but suffice it to say that the quirky characters are why the film seems so engaging. As Muniya, Begum Para’s confidante and shadow, Huma Qureshi puts in a confident performance, but there are so many such performances in the film, it is hard to pick one.

Dedh Ishqiya is a sexy film. Mystically poignant, grippingly lucid, dark, subtle and so invigorating-ly well performed. It’s not everyday that you stumble upon near perfect films which entertain you so enthralling-ly… Abhishek Chaubey topples the standards he set by his last film Ishqiya and delivers a more intricate and more pioneering work of outright genius.

Dedh Ishqiya makes desi go dangerous all over again. It’s a whopper of a start for Bollywood in 2014. In a line, not to be missed.

The film’s pace is slightly leisurely which may be a bit trying at times. Also, Dedh Ishqiya’s music works within the context of the film but unlike Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya is devoid of hummable numbers like Dil toh Bachcha Hai Ji and Ibn-e-Batuta. But, that should in no way deter you from taking this cinematic journey which is more layered and complex than Ishqiya.

Dedh Ishqiya’s success can be attributed to the taut story of Darab Farooqui which is aided by Chaubey’s fine screenplay, Vishal Bhardwaj’s rib-tickling, naughty dialogues and Dr Bashir Badr’s lovely Urdu poems. Chaubey conjures a quaint, lyrical and extravagant world, which he uses to highlight the waning wealth of feudal society. The film is at its best when characters poke fun at each other.

…a worthy follow up to the widely admired ISHQIYA. Powerful writing, superb direction and outstanding performances make DEDH ISHQIYA a must watch. Just don’t miss it!

For all the cinema lovers, who prefer acting and story over masala, it’s time to book your seats.

The writers have also pushed the envelope as far as portraying the relationship between the two prime characters is concerned. For those interested in poetry, there is a lot to appreciate here, especially the many verses of Dr. Basheer Badr.

Dedh Ishqiya is sight for sore eyes. Go for it.

Abhishek Chaubey’s ‘Dedh Ishqiya’ is entertaining, intriguing and humourous. He sure knows how to tell a gripping story peppered with generous doses of wit.

…quite a colourful montage of cinematic gems. Dedh Ishqiya is a taut film. It’s a worthy comeback for Madhuri Dixit Nene. It’s a great start to the movie calendar year.

Watch this film; the world outside would have gotten mellower and more beautiful when you come out of the theatre. Why dedh and not do, did you say? Fellini and his 81/2 should perhaps be thanked for that.

It constructs the dynamics of love and redemption from the rubble of a lost world . It gets its indomitable storytelling power from the writing and dialogues. The four principal actors, as well as Vijay Raaz and Manoj Pahwa, imbue broad and bright shades to their fey characters. Here’s a world of poetry and parody that never co-existed anywhere else.

With so much going for ‘Dedh Ishqiya’, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t plan a trip to cinemas this weekend.

…smarter, funnier, richer and way more gorgeous than its predecessor. If you’re a fan of really, really great writing, masterful direction, clever lines, terrific actors, Urdu literature and shayari, Dedh Ishqiya delivers by the truckloads.

There’s a severely satisfying degree of subtext beneath the front layers of Dedh Ishqiya, and homages are only a part of the film’s intelligent satirical touches. But don’t let metaphors and subtext get you down, Dedh Ishqiya is first and foremost a very entertaining movie. Plus it’s got a generous dose of cinematic ‘moments’, and a terrific special effect – romance between Naseer and Madhuri Dixit.

The film contains an ode to the lyricism of classic Urdu poetry, mobsters as well as the familiar two-against-the-world formula that has powered so many legendary films. Chaubey weaves all of this together to create a fictional India in which you’ll love losing yourself. Madhuri, Naseer and Arshad dazzle in this delightful film.

On the whole, Dedh Ishqiya is a dull fare and will not find favour with the youth. Classes may like the film but that will be a very small section of the audience. Its high-flown Urdu dialogues are a dampener. It will end up entailing heavy losses to all concerned.

…falls just a step short of being flawless and that’s only because of the Tarantino-esq climax. But in the rest of the portions, the film, as promised, “Dedh” (One and a half) times the fun of the original.

The genre is the same. It is totally Tarantino-esque in its tone, making light of goons with guns. Though Tarantino by now has started employing his time-tested technique to make overtly strong political statements (Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained). This film doesn’t. It’s hard to tell whether that’s for the better (probably not).

With a cast boasting of pro names of showbiz like Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Raaz, Arshad, Huma and last but not the least, Madhuri, `Dedh Ishqiya` is a dark gem for the connoisseurs of this genre. Madhuri exudes a charming aura on-screen, and Huma rules every frame she appears on. The chemistry between Madhuri and Naseer saab looks a tad forced perhaps because of their wide age gap, but we will go for the madcap tricks cooked up by the duo Babban and Khalu.

Dedh Ishqiya is a royal affair, one that promises to offer you more than your money’s worth.

Watch out for Shah’s Nawab act in the film, Bhardwaj, Gulzar and Chaubey’s rustic and raw dialogues, Dixit’s Begum act and her Kathak performance.

‘Dedh Ishqyia’ is creatively the best continuation of B-town’s popular series after Munnabhai. It is vintage, refreshing, stirring, satisfying, witty, edgy, stylish and open-minded, sexy, snaky and oomphy. B.O. may continue to feel proud for its ‘Dhoom’ by those masala ‘Dabangg’ entertainers but nothing is cinematically as satisfying as ‘Dedh Ishqyia’ in the B-town series and desi spaghetti con genre.

The costumes, the characters, the cleverness, the construction of each scene…everything about this one is a treat. Yes, the dialogue if often obscure, with the high proportion of Urdu that colours it, but more is said with the eyes than with the tongue, which makes the entire film a pleasure to watch.

When I am despirited by the crassly sexist ethos that governs Hindi films today, Ishqiya is one of the films I like to think of. Here too, like the first, Chaubey keeps his light, humorous touch intact without failing to smuggle in the class and gender politics crucial to the story.

There’s so much to be savoured in the film — from the performances, aesthetics, music, and the story itself. You don’t watch a film like this, you soak it in!

Slow, long and yet it balances between taking its poetry too seriously and dumbing it down for our benefit. Only a few spots you wish were polished a tad better.

It’s dark, sardonic and funny. Don’t miss 2014’s first great Hindi film.

The actors lift up the written material. Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi carry forward some of the fantastic chemistry they displayed in Ishqiya, both playing off each other’s strengths. Madhuri Dixit-Nene fits into the role of a nawabi begum like a hand to glove.

…it’s texture, dialogue, and performances – make it good enough to hold up in a repeat viewing. And that’s a lot more than you can say about the majority of other films.

If you want to have fun this weekend, Dedh Ishqiya would be the ultimate choice.

When it comes to acting, Dedh Ishqiya is endowed with some great performances. Like Ishqiya, Naseeruddin Shah as Khalujaan and Arshad Warsi as Babban, again getting into the skin of their characters and showing some extra ordinary performances. Credit must be given to Abhishek Chaubey’s direction, good story and strong narration.