There are multiple layers to this well-observed drama; kudos to the filmmakers for putting it on screen.

‘Masaan’ is imbued with a sense of place and time, poetry and lyricism, and it captures the essence of Banaras, constant-yet-changeable, with felicity and feeling. It also announces the arrival of new talents in its writer and director: Grover’s story is eminently worth telling, and Ghaywan tells it beautifully.

Masaan is an immense achievement for a first-time filmmaker and must be applauded…

Sanjay Mishra’s grief is so palpable that it gets under your skin. Even the actors with smaller roles, like Shweta Tripathi and Pankaj Tripathi, make an impression. But the real find is Vicky Kaushal. He inhabits Deepak completely. When he falls in love, his face lights up. His joy is infectious. Which is why when he weeps, you break down with him. This is the debut of the year. At one point in Masaan, a character points out that there are 28 trains that stop at Varanasi but 68 that don’t.

Masaan is a hard-hitting narrative set against the powerful backdrop that will stay with you long after you’ve left the theatres. It is and beautiful cinematic experience you don’t want to miss.

Masaan is beautifully written in all its aspects — story, characters, dialogue, songs. And all together give us a pulsating snapshot of life. Shot mostly on location in the small town of Benaras, cinematographer Avinash Arun Dhaware very intelligently uses Gangaji, the film’s protagonist, to lend the film and the people it’s about an expansiveness — of life, and its possibilities.

A quiet little gem. Many films, mainstream and not so mainstream touch upon issues, but seldom do we see a film that is so tender and yet so overpowering. While Baahubali and Bajrangi Bhaijaan continue to be a big lure and with good reason, do make time for this quiet little gem. You won’t regret it.

Dripping pain and poetry in equal measure, the film presents intertwined stories of repression, rebellion and repentance set against the funeral pyres of a Varanasi cremation ghat.
Vicky Kaushal and Shweta Tripathi deliver a pair of luminous performances that stay with you long after the film is over.

This dazzling debut film is an unmissable gem.

The film unspools in an unhurried manner, occasionally tugging hard at your heartstrings. The urgency with which youngsters from India’s heartland feel the need to discover Facebook, forbidden fruit and freedom has been captured well.

The performances of the entire cast including that of the child actor Nikhil Sahni are praiseworthy. Masaan has pure desi magic woven in.

“Masaan” is full of small details – the dialect that the characters speak and what they eat and how they behave are all part of the tapestry. Ghaywan doesn’t overstate his points, and even though the resolution he finds for his characters is predictable, their journey is interesting enough to make up for a cliched ending.

A film that runs the risk of predictability, but is compelling enough to keep you hooked to what happens next without succumbing to the danger of getting waylaid by its own indulgence, is what makes Masaan a film you cannot and mustn’t miss.

In all, despite the occasional slackening of pace, Masaan deserves a standing ovation. And more than just one watch. Masaan does with you what spring does with Neruda’s cherry trees.

After Chaitanya Tamhane, who impressed with his sterling debut Court, Masaan sees the birth of yet another talented filmmaker in Neeraj Ghaywan. Masaan may not be as pitch perfect a first film as Court but it is not far behind in its accomplishments. Tackling topics such as love, loss, redemption with skill and ease, Ghaywan is a filmmaker in command of the narrative and the world his characters inhabit.

Masaan is a must watch for the discerning film audience. It’s also a break from big-ticket commercial films. It’s not an entertaining film, but a satisfying watch.

…has a very simple story at the heart of it, but it is the manner in which it is told that leaves an indelible impression. It celebrates love, life and serves a reminder of the ultimate fate that awaits all of us.

Even though the word ‘great’ is easily misused while chronicling a person or an achievement, it really can’t be employed enough to describe what Masaan feels like. You need to watch this film to realize there’s so much hidden meaning to scenes, situations and words. Yes there are no commercial movie gimmicks, no glamour to startle your senses. But there’s an abundance of artistic passion and emotion here to keep you thinking about life and death, long after the movie is over. It lingers around, like the memory of a lost loved one. That bittersweet combination of happiness and sadness. A perfect mirror to life.

Every character leaves his or her mark on the screen including Jhonta (Nikhil Sahani), the little orphan who works with Pathak.

The end leaves you craving for more. MASAAN is worth going miles to see!

A gutsy debut by Ghaywan, who dives deep into the subject in hand and comes up with a little gem. Sensitive writing by Varun Grover makes it more valuable.

Masaan is a film that takes more away from viewers than perhaps we we are willing to give away. It leaves us with no choice but to surrender our soul to its vision of a world where grief and bereavement are the incontrovertible home truths. The rest is transitory.

Masaan is great great great film. Not to be missed.

…while it may not be flawless, Masaan is moving and for the duration of the film, it makes you forget everything but the world in which it is set.

Poignant, tender and beautiful, this Cannes winner is a portrait of small-town India…

The quality of the acting, too, is of the highest order, with all the four principal members of the cast ? Sanjay Mishra, Richa Chadha, Vicky Kaushal and Shweta Tripathi leaving their imprint on the film with perfectly modulated and sustained underplaying. Masaan is a splendid little gem, an absolute must watch.

Masaan captures every important element of life, right from the joy of young love to the heartache caused by losing a loved one. It is a simple yet beautiful story that features strong characters, remarkable performances and soul-stirring melodies to boot!

Richa Chadda and Neeraj Ghaywan’s film restores faith not just in life but good cinema as well! Masaan is not your regular Bollywood movie, it is not even your regular off-beat cinema. It is an experience like never before.

Masaan lovingly drawing you into anguish and ache, and leaves you with conflicting emotions. Watching the film is akin to experiencing a good cry – you aren’t fully rid of the sadness, and there’s a sense of emptiness after. It’s not the happy ending you want. But it’s good enough.

Masaan doesn’t strive for effect—it achieves it by degrees. No one stands out, but everyone does an outstanding job.

Despite being set in a crematorium and having a sense of morbidity throughout, Masaan isn’t grim. Nor is it gay despite its wit. Masaan carries equanimity of sorts in the “life is what it is” kind of a way with simplicity and flair in equal measure.

Based on trailers, many would imagine Masaan to be a film meant for festival audiences. But with evolving audience tastes and the equity attached to novel storytelling,’mainstream’ is hardly a word of any consequence.

It has both humour and physical intimacy but unlike most indies it doesn’t flaunt metaphors to seek the eyeballs. It celebrates small joys like the value of kheer and what it means to be the youngest in the family. And yes, it doesn’t blink when it comes to the crunch.

A gutsy debut by Ghaywan, who dives deep into the subject in hand and comes up with a little gem. Sensitive writing by Varun Grover makes it more valuable.

Masaan is not for the urban, educated audience who enjoyed Labour of Love—another brilliant piece of expressions. Masaan is not eclectic. It is to be seen how this film connects to Indian people across economic classes, education or locality.

Masaan is a masterpiece with an extremely strong and contemporary relevant subject combined with stellar performances by the entire cast. All the characters are well rounded and relatable but the time lapse is a bit confusing in the script written by Ghaywan himself and Varun Grover…. you get a rare gem of a film, which is a must watch for people from all walks of life.

Masaan is an audacious tale of mistakes, mishaps & redemption in life. The perfect choice of locations (Banares for letting go & Allahabad for confluence), able performances from the cast and the script replete with other symbolic subtleties make it a classic debut for its promising director.

The understated and compelling ‘Masaan’ finds life and hope in the city of corpses.
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and written by Varun Grover, this first-time feature has memorable performances and a sensitively observed account of decay and redemption.

A little over 120 minutes, this film should not be missed at any cost, a film that portrays life in rural India not loosing track with the hypocrisy of the society turning quickly modern. Do book your tickets now.