On the whole, DOR is a well-made film that caters to those with an appetite for qualitative cinema. While the film will win glowing reviews and praise from the gentry, its appeal will be restricted to the elite at select multiplexes. Awards yes, box-office rewards no!

Is DOR one of the most poignant films in recent times? Most probably it is. When it comes to portraying a forlorn yet undefeated sisterhood it stands tall and stately right up there with Deepa Mehta’s WATER.

There comes a time in every movie reviewer’s life when he has to face the daunting task of writing a review for a film he absolutely loved. How does he tell you, dear reader, that you must go and see Dor? Should he beg, cajole or threaten you? Should he wax eloquent about the sincerity of story or the brilliance of performance? I am stumped.

There comes a time in every movie reviewer’s life when he has to face the daunting task of writing a review for a film he absolutely loved. How does he tell you, dear reader, that you must go and see Dor? Should he beg, cajole or threaten you? Should he wax eloquent about the sincerity of story or the brilliance of performance? I am stumped. But, I will try.

Dor unveils one emotion after the other – intimacy, loneliness, grief, hope, resignation, oppression, guilt, greed, contempt, liberation and of course love. Yes, most of the story is heartbreaking but the narration is beautifully executed and has enough light moments to keep your interest alive.

Apart from the unusual plot, it is the performances which leave you breathless. Shreyas proves that Iqbal was no accident and Gul gives one of the most convincing portrayals of her career. But it is Ayesha Takia who simply blows your breath away. Her journey from joyous subjugation — where she is content to dance before her husband and be at the beck and call of her in-laws — to silent emancipation is absolutely endearing.

Easily her best performance since her debut in Socha Na Tha, Ayesha stands up and delivers. The film itself is noble and well-intended and for that alone it deserves a viewing. True Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dor is a film that’s far from perfect, but it’s one that at least tries to achieve greatness. It’s nowhere as magnificent an achievement as Iqbal, but it’s certainly way above the ordinary.

Dor is a must-watch for all Indians; the core message transcends religion, community, strata and gender and it has a superb anti-climax. The film is entertaining and also has multiple messages that are delivered in the subtlest manner.