Making an assured debut with a light, frothy film that still has something important to say, Gauri Shinde delivers one the year’s most pleasing films, and Amit Trivedi lends some of his best compositions to the soundtrack. I’m going with three-and-a-half out of five for ‘English Vinglish’. It’s warm and fuzzy, and leaves you with a big smile on your face.

‘English Vinglish’, Gauri Shinde’s first feature is a likeable film, which gives us a silky- smooth first half, a slowed-down second, broad-brushstroke-y characters, and an actress who makes it all work.

Go watch English Vinglish, and take your mothers along. As shown by one great scene which has Shashi speaking furiously in Hindi to her chef friend Laurent, who replies back in thoughtful-sounding French, it isn’t about language.

English Vinglish falters in the second half. The pace drops and Shashi’s English class seems like an outtake of Mind Your Language, the successful television series about a motley group of people learning English. There’s also a clumsy sub-track about Shashi’s English teacher being gay, complete with a sermon on equality.

Request you to make a little place next to you, Rajkumar Hirani; Gauri Shinde has taken a bow in mainstream Bollywood.

English Vinglish is a classic in its own right and will be celebrated for generations to come. This is apparently the kind of film you get when you combine great actors, superb technical talent, a spirited director and Sridevi — a masterpiece that will leave you a better person in some way or the other.

Forget comebacks and special appearances, watch this movie for a woman who steps out of her family’s shadow and learns to love herself.

On the whole, ENGLISH VINGLISH is a remarkable motion picture. It’s amusing, emotional, heartrending and also insightful. An inspiring film with an overwhelming message. A must-watch for every parent, every child. Strongly recommended!

English Vinglish is almost a masterstroke of a debut for director Gauri Shinde. There is a strong director at work here. The characters are underplayed and so are the emotions. Despite having a few lump-in-your-throat moments, the film doesn’t hold your collar and compel you to shed tears. Instead, it lets you enjoy the feel-good moments at an adequate pace. Well-shot and crisply edited, this film has a fresh feel to it. Also, Amit Trivedi with his hip tunes and modern sound gives a distinct vibe to the film.

Go watch it. It’s a lesson worth its weight in gold.

Overall an extremely praiseworthy film. Excellent performances, especially from Sridevi. A beautifully crafted film. One for the entire family and universal audiences. Easily one of the best films of the year! To the team of English Vinglish: encore, encore!

Overall, ‘English Vinglish’ is a complete family entertainer and worth every penny! Yes, Sridevi is back!