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Dhobi Ghat backdrop

Dhobi Ghat

31 August 2010Hindi1h 35m
Drama
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 10 critic reviews

A visually rich portrait of Mumbai that moves too slowly to fully connect.

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

  • Praised: Visual portrayal of Mumbai
  • Criticised: Slow pace, limited mass appeal

Audience

User score 8.5 out of 10 from 4 ratings, not enough ratings for a verdict yet
Read 1 audience review ↓

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Critic consensus

What 10 critics are saying

Critical reception for Dhobi Ghat is mixed, with most reviewers acknowledging it as an unconventional, artistically ambitious work while stopping short of enthusiastic recommendation. Several critics praised its visual craftsmanship, evocative portrayal of Mumbai, and poetic sensibility. Common criticisms include an uneven pace, insufficient emotional engagement, and limited appeal beyond niche or festival-film audiences. A number of reviewers noted director Kiran Rao's assured craft even while finding the film ultimately unsatisfying as a whole.

How the 10 scores spread

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

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

AI-generated summary of 10 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (10)

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

  1. Top critic

    Times Of India

    Film review ·

    A lyrical ode to the modern malady -- metro-eccentricity -- Dhobi Ghat is intelligent and artistic cinema.

  2. Top critic

    IBNLive

    Film review ·

    Beautifully shot and aided by an evocative background score, 'Dhobi Ghat' is occasionally indulgent and moves at a glacial pace. Yet Rao creates some endearing characters, and embraces Mumbai despite its dichotomies. The result is a film that slowly grows on you.

  3. Top critic

    NDTV

    Film review ·

    If you are willing to have patience, Dhobi Ghat comes together nicely. It has a poetry and melancholy that stays with you. I recommend that you give it a shot.

  4. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    A strangely uneven film. Its beginning feels amateurishly put together ; as it heads onwards, though, it finds an easy, flowing rhythm with just the occasional stutter.

  5. Top critic

    Rediff

    Film review ·

    Dhobi Ghat is a middling debut, watchable due to its nuances but simply not interesting enough to recommend. Yet Rao seems assured of her craft, and worth looking out for in the future.

  6. Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    This film is first-rate tribute; it's visceral, I realise -- both clichés for compliments. Nothing more appropriate comes to mind.

  7. Bollyspice

    Film review ·

    Dhobi Ghat is meant for Mumbai lovers. For good and bad, Mumbai is what it is: home to millions who adore the city which is covered beautifully by Kiran Rao.

  8. Glamsham

    Film review ·

    DHOBI GHAT is surely a different and brave step in Indian cinema; but not exactly a pleasing one.

  9. DNA India

    Film review ·

    For entertainment or emotional stimulation look elsewhere. There's every reason you can miss this one. Unless you like to believe you're among the intelligentsia.

  10. KoiMoi

    Film review ·

    On the whole, Dhobi Ghat is a gentry film for a very select audience which likes festival films. It will have to rely on Aamir Khan's presence in its cast and the Republic Day holiday mid-week to take its collections to a somewhat respectable level.

From our readers

Audience reviews (1)

4 ratings · user score 8.5

  1. NeonikaJun 2013
    9/10

    Kiran Rao is in a league of her own. She has no intentions to pander to a commercial taste or use any tried and tested formulas here. It appears as though she has pretty much made this film from her own inspirations and not from popular influences. In short, you are more likely to appreciate it if you have a taste for experimental cinema and you don't mind the abruptness that leaves you lingering in the dark, like in many European films. I was pleasantly surprised by Prateik Babbar's immense acting talent and strong screen presence (much like his mom, Smita Patil). Aamir Khan never fails to impress. What I liked most about the film is that it stayed with me a long time after the end credits rolled and I realized that I really cared about the characters - the regular people of Mumbai - who pass you by in the crowds, each harboring an interesting story of their own.

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