• The film is unafraid to explore touchy themes like female desire and sexual drive of disabled people…Don’t miss the film, or you’ll miss what is likely one of the year’s strongest performances by a female actor.

  • Shubhra Gupta
    Shubhra Gupta
    Indian Express

    6

    Kalki pulls it off, and makes us believe in her Laila…This is a film to be celebrated. I am raising a Margarita, as a toast. Now where’s that straw?

  • Anupama Chopra
    Anupama Chopra
    Hindustan Times

    8

    This film is guaranteed to make you cry. But it will also fill you with hope. These amazing women will make you want to inhale life with a new ferociousness.

  • Sweta Kaushal
    Sweta Kaushal
    Hindustan Times

    6

    Should you go watch this film even if you don’t know of any differently-abled person in your life? Yes, of course, mainly because this film reminds us that as a society we shy away from way too many things – be it desires of our differently-abled kids or the sexual orientations.

  • Kusumita Das
    Kusumita Das
    Deccan Chronicle

    8

    When a film that has a disabled character at its centre, calls itself Margarita With A Straw (and not Chhoone Chali Aasman, as suggested by Taare Zameen Pe’s Aamir Khan), you know nothing regular is coming your way. This cocktail is a must-try. And you might just ask for a repeat.

  • … is a refreshingly, brutally honest film which ends up making the tiny mistake of adding an emotional, clichéd ending.

    Although certain scenes in the film could have been infinitely more powerful had the background score been stronger, one must laud Bose’s use of deafening silence and Laila’s wails in a scene at the hospital towards the end of the film.

  • Do not pass up a sip of Margarita, With A Straw. It could be life-altering. If nothing else, it will soak you with its warmth.

  • Srijana Mitra Das
    Srijana Mitra Das
    Times Of India

    8

    The script somewhat over-diligently ticks every possible ‘challenge’ box, mixed marriages to a Pakistani-Bangladeshi visually affected lesbian. But that small quibble aside, MWAS is deeply moving, a philosophical film which makes you wonder if the body is a palace or prison – and evokes mothers to lovers who’ve cherished your soul.

    Try this Margarita – it’s different.

  • Only Kalki Koechlin salvages the film in these moments with her understated and sensitive portrayal of a girl who is unabashed about her sexuality and unafraid to explore it. She embodies Laila, and therefore makes her story believable.

  • Suhani Singh
    Suhani Singh
    India Today

    5

    It is for Kalki’s fine performance and Bose’s commendable effort to treat its lead just like any other person, we recommend watching Margarita, With a Straw.

  • …is purely an emotional, slice of life film that will draw you with its simplicity. This is Kalki Koechlin’s best performance, watch it for her.

  • …is decent film but it will struggle at the box-office as it caters to a very niche segment of the audience.

  • Sachin Chatte
    Sachin Chatte
    The Navhind Times

    7

    The acting is from the top draw, along with Kalki, Sayani Gupta and Revathy fit the bill.

    With a story that comes straight from the heart, Margarita With a Straw is eminently worth a watch.

  • A little more effort would have turned Margarita With A Straw it into a wonderful film but despite the flaws, it’s surely an attempt in the right direction…

  • Shonali Bose packs too many emotions into this movie, some unwarranted, which takes away any emotions one might have had as the movie began. Also, she is obsessed with showing Laila (Kalki Koechlin) who is suffering from Cerebral Palsy as this sex maniac!

  • Aashi Gahlot
    Aashi Gahlot
    Bollyspice

    8

    Margarita, with a Straw is a must watch.

    The film leaves you with a strong sense of wanting to make this world an equal place for all – isn’t that what the power of cinema should be used for in a world rife with inequality?

  • The star cast is pretty good. A special mention has to be made of the ever dependable Revathi, who yet again delivers a convincing act. But of course, it is Kalki who takes your breath away with a superlative performance. Undoubtedly with one of the finest performances in recent years, Kalki lives and breathes Laila with such amazing ease and conviction that she stays in your head for a long time after you have left the theatre.

  • Subhash K Jha
    Subhash K Jha
    SKJBollywoodNews

    10

    The film’s emotional affluence is matched by its technical finesse. The art work and locational detailing unfussy and matter-of-fact , as well as the casting of every character is so correct, you wonder how the director got it so right with so little self-congratulations.

  • Kalki Koechlin is brilliant in this flawed yet heartfelt film… Ultimately, Margarita With A Straw is a film with a lot of heart and a powerful performance from Koechlin, but you can’t help feeling that Laila deserved better.

  • Piyush Chopra
    Piyush Chopra
    NowRunning

    7

    …is that rare film that reaches for the stars with its feet firmly on the ground. Honest, soaring, eye-opening and all the while entertaining, Shonali Bose’s little gem of a film is well worth the price of an admission ticket this weekend.

  • The stories eventually boil down to common emotions. As does this film’s. Yes, there is a lot of pathos. But there is much joy. And enough empathy. By the end of it you want to go get a margarita with Laila. How does it matter if she drinks it with a straw? She’s just as much fun. Yes, so is this picture.

  • Tanaya Ramyani
    Tanaya Ramyani
    BookMyShow

    -

    …is a rare feat. It is rich in all aspects. There is humor, emotion and tension. She perfectly blends all the ingredients and gives us a delightfully fresh film. This Margarita is perfect for your weekend.

  • IndiaGlitz
    IndiaGlitz
    India Glitz

    8

    Immaculately casted and beautifully heartfelt ‘Margarita, With A Straw’ is a movie that takes disability with dignity – a highpoint in today’s age of Indian cinema giving humanity and choice its good name back with a degree of sophisticated grace. A must for those who understand humanity and good cinema.

  • Bollywood Life
    Bollywood Life
    Bollywood Life

    7

    I admit I had more expectations from MWAS, especially after the glowing reviews it had received from almost everyone in Bollywood. But that shouldn’t stop me from recommending this movie as a definite must-watch this weekend. After all, don’t we always complain about the lack of quality films in Bollywood? Margarita…may not be a masterpiece, but it certainly has its straw…sorry, heart in its right place!

  • Bisexuality, emotional courage and the pain of loss are Bose’s spindles for the story. The setting is important in as much as it shows how a city allows a person with disability freedom and confidence of mobility. We see that Delhi is far behind New York, but not through dialogues or long-drawn scenes.

  • A dash of reality would have given Laila’s journey that much more gravitas and credibility. And the film does go a bit off-focus in the second half.

    But one still recommends the film wholeheartedly! How often in Bollywood do you see a differently-abled bisexual heroine, one who gets to have her own share of flaws, her romantic adventures, and her journey towards self-actualization? This margarita is intoxicating stuff, even if with a straw!

  • Rahul Desai
    Rahul Desai
    Mumbai Mirror

    7

    This is a film that attempts to make us comfortable with the viewing and experience of disability, by exposing us to its protagonist’s most monotonous and private moments. Charming title aside, Margarita, With A Straw-though a crushing experience deserves to be watched for her.

  • Anuj Kumar
    Anuj Kumar
    The Hindu

    -

    Stirred well, Maragarita leaves a heady feeling…

  • JPN
    JPN
    Jagran

    -

    The star cast is pretty good. A special mention has to be made of the ever dependable Revathi, who yet again delivers a convincing act. But of course, it is Kalki who takes your breath away with a superlative performance. Undoubtedly with one of her finest performances in recent years, Kalki lives and breathes Laila with such amazing ease and conviction that she stays in your head for a long time after you have left the theatre.

  • Ambarish Ganesh
    Ambarish Ganesh
    IndianNerve

    7

    It is indeed an individual’s journey but in so many ways it is also about love and about losing the ones we love. I watched this film alone and realized that I shouldn’t have. Go book your tickets and watch it with people you love, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

  • There’s a message that the film is trying to portray: to get nothing in the way of you, your life, and your happiness. Go for it this weekend or you definitely are going to miss a good piece of work.