• Shashwat Sisodia
    Shashwat Sisodia
    300 reviews
    Top Reviewer
    1

    Had it stayed a history lesson, or Aashutosh Gowariker's familiar arc of a 'cinematic historian', I would have still considered Mohenjo Daro as a mildly frustrating, entirely watchable kind of a film.
    But the consistencies wear out so rapidly and the performances of the able cast are so badly blended into a nothing type script that it comes into a special category close to everyone's heart, "You know, it's so bad that it's good". That only makes 'Mohenjo Daro' a must NOT watch. Please skip it, or take a capsule of disprin if you must. It's a whole barrel of frustrating romances or bad headgear.

    December 27, 19
  • Midhun Ben Thomas (Dilseben)
    Midhun Ben Thomas (Dilseben)
    160 reviews
    Top Reviewer
    4

    On the eve of our Independence day, I would like to request to my fellow Indians that let us all strive to make our nation better with our rightful thoughts & actions rather than always point fingers at the Government. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate our Dipa Karmarkar for her brilliant performance at Rio. After a day of disappointments, her performance brought smiles to many of us & gave me the interest for some entertainment in the form of "Mohenjo Daro". So will Ashutosh Gowariker's effort strike gold at the box office???

    The Indus Valley civilization was considered as the cradle of the early civilization in the Old World & Mohenjo Daro was one of its prominent settlements apart from Harappa. The film unfolds in 2016 BC where we are introduced to Sarman (Hrithik Roshan) who with his brave acts is shown to be the darling of his village. Though he led a contented life with his uncle & aunt, he had a recurring dream of a unicorn (not exactly..seemed like some other animal) as well as making a visit to the famed Mohenjo Daro. Finally after much coaxing, he is allowed to make the trip & as expected, it turned out to be life changing.

    Prior to the start of the movie, there is a disclaimer which states that the makers doesnt support or dispute any interpretation of the Indus Valley civilization. Well I do accept that it is pretty difficult to vouch for the authenticity, but attention was barely given to that aspect as it was all about a typical Bollywood hero who had come as a messiah as well as for vengeance. The movie could have been named Harappa & we wouldnt have noticed any difference to be frank as Ashutosh's script was downright ordinary. C K Muraleedharan has done a decent job with the cinematography while Rahman's music was impressive though it fails to linger due to the trite screenplay. The art direction manages to catch the eye but the costumes & computer graphics were mediocre.

    Coming to performances, it's been a while since we have seen Hrithik on the big screen but this role barely challenged him & he does try his best to carry the movie but is let down by the weak script. Pooja Hegde is attractive for sure, however she has a long way to go before being addressed as an actress. Kabir Bedi was an ideal choice as the evil chieftain while the rest were just about average at best.

    Verdict: This film has been in the news for quite a while primarily because of the people involved i.e Hrithik & Ashutosh. If the audience is expecting an encore of "Jodha Akbar", then they are bound to be disappointed as this cuts a sorry figure in comparison. In short, it would struggle at the box-office & if you ask me, it wont hurt to give it a miss.

    Rating: 2/5

    Regards...Ben

    September 16, 16
  • Lasit Roy
    Lasit Roy
    32 reviews
    Top Reviewer
    2

    A typical bollywood film. Nothing new and most importantly Mahenjodaro could not brought us a real picture of the place. Weak story, very much common yet predictable. Costume designing is good rest are very poor.

    August 24, 16
  • Bindu Cherungath
    Bindu Cherungath
    126 reviews
    Top Reviewer
    9

    Mohenjo Daro, a spectacular film by Ashutosh Gowarikar, is a fictional take. I did not view this film as the one conveying the facts about Indus Valley Civilization, Mohenjo Daro or Harappa. Throughout the film, I felt that Ashutosh is conveying a story of love, power battles, treachery keeping one of the greatest city of Indus Valley Civilization, Mohenjo Daro, as the pretext. In one of the earlier interviews, Ashutosh had mentioned that his biggest challenge was recreating an era about which very little is known. Very little information is available on how people lived, what they ate, how they felt during those times. He has weaved a love story set in this Ancient India. It may be unfair to judge this film on the basis of historical accuracy or inaccuracy, but it has to be treated as a piece of art depicting the director's imagination and school of thought.
    Set in 2016 BC, the film begins with Sarman's (Hrithik Roshan) overpowering dangerous crocodile, and killing it. Sarman stays with his Kaka-Kaki (uncle-aunty played) in Amri and they are into indigo farming. He frequently dreams of Unicorn, a beast with a large pointed spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. Whenever he listens to his Kaki humming a particular song, though it sounds familiar to him, he is unable to figure out how and why. He also feels the strong urge to travel to Mohenjo Daro for business. But Kaka-Kaki are always afraid to send him there. Ultimately they pay heed to Sarman's request. Kaka permits him to go with a warning that Mohenjo Daro is full of fake people, treachery, challenges. While doing business there, he must take care of not undervaluing his brand. Kaka also gives him a coin which has the emblem of Unicorn and Sindhu Goddess. Sarman is excited to go to Mohenjo Daro, his friend also accompanies him.
    Sarman gets fascinated to see Mohenjo Daro, the buildings over there. He also was astonished to see a world other than his, where he found people from different parts of the world coming there for trade, different animals like horse etc. Sarman also feels that he is able to identify with the city, he feels a sense of ownership towards it. He feels as if he knows this city. Very soon he learns that what his Kaka conveyed regarding the land about the bad elements was absolutely true. He wanted to go back, but that is when he encounters a beautiful girl Channi (Pooja Hegde), daughter of the priest (Manish Choudhary). It was instant attraction at the first sight itself. Channi is supposed to be showered with special blessings of Goddess Sindhu. Sarman decides to stay back and continue with the business there.
    Mohenjo Daro is ruled by Maham (Kabir Bedi). People at Mohenjo Daro are terrified with Maham as well as his son Moonja (Arunoday Singh). Maham does not forgive people who raise their voice against him. The film does share the story of this ruler who is power hungry, gives false hopes of development of the city. His vested interests to rule the city, his greed for gold etc. are also shown.
    Sarman steals opportunities to meet Channi and love blossoms between them. But yes, challenges begin for Sarman and Channi. Moonja who wants to get married to Channi, can not let Sarman connect to Channi. Sarman has to earn and win Channi’s love, for which challenges are thrown in front of him by Maham and Moonja. Maham’s wife Laashi (Suhasini Mulay) does warn both father and the son, but they don’t even give any ears to her.

    How the story moves further? What is the connection of Sarman with the City Mohenjo Daro ? What is the secret of his dreams of Unicorn ? Why does the tune hummed by his Kaki seems familiar to him? What all challenges are thrown in front of Sarman by Maham and Moonja ? Does the city accept their newly emerging hero Sarman ? In History, it is written that this city of Mohenjo Daro is believed to have been destroyed by the raging Indus river flooded over. So, in this film, what fate awaits Mohenjo Daro ? Watch the film to know all these.
    Hrithik Roshan as Sarman has given extremely good performance. Pooja Hegde is looking good on screen. Nitish Bhardwaj as Sarman’s Kaka has small screen time. Kabir Bedi and Arunodaya Singh as the antagonist father-son are good. Digant Hazarika as Lothar and Manish Choudhary as Priest have also give good performances. Rest of the cast are also good. Music by AR Rahman is good and fresh to ears. Choreography is kept very simple. Cinematography is awesome.
    The climax scene is breathtaking.
    Mohenjo Daro is visually spectacular, packed with Hrithik’s powerful performance. This love story set in the pretext of Mohenjo Daro may seem familiar, but kudos to Ashutosh Gowarikar for painting the story on a large canvas.

    August 13, 16
  • Tejas Nair
    Tejas Nair
    258 reviews
    Top Reviewer
    5

    Ashutosh Gowariker has again come up with an interesting theme, but too bad, the execution falls through.



    Sarman (Roshan) is an inquisitive farmer-cum-merchant who travels to the city of Mohenjo Daro to sell his yields against the wishes of his well-wishers. He is an outspoken and courageous fellow who enters the city, sells his first batch, and immediately falls in love with Chaani (Hegde), a princess of some kind who is widely known in the city to be a ray of hope for the citizens. Chaani reciprocates and Sarman pledges his alliance of love. However, Chaani's hand in marriage has already been given to Moonja (Singh), heir of the crown which is currently held by the dark-eyed, evil Maham (Bedi). Soon Sarman gets embroiled in the city's merchant market and becomes the voice of the poor against Maham and Moonja, the evidently autocratic rulers. His love for Chaani gives him power and helps him avenge a hidden truth and save the entire civilization from an inevitable flood.



    The story is clichéd, no doubt about it. But, even the arcs that take the running time to about 150 minutes, are muddled with clichés and usualness. What an average viewer would expect from a theme like this is some novel insights into how the civilization worked, its market, its people, its culture. But, all we see is mockery of the civilization; introducing a unicorn and basing your cultural dance on it is not the way to go for a historical film. I personally do not know much about the city other than what my grade X history books taught me, but I was expecting something else - not 21st century AD in the disguise of 21st century BC.



    The reason I rate this a 5 is because of the action sequences, the production setup, and an average execution. It's very clear that the writers did less-to-no research for this film, or they purposely tried to mix fictional romance into a topic held sacred by so many. Otherwise, it would have been a much interesting watch.



    Roshan and Bedi perform well among the cast. Hegde should take more acting lessons. Music is not exhilarating and neither is the CGI. That's it; not much to talk about.



    BOTTOM LINE: Ashutosh Gowariker's Mohenjo Daro is a disappointment; but we were warned, were we Wait for TV premiere.



    Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

    August 13, 16
  • Shree Hari H
    Shree Hari H
    19 reviews
    Senior Reviewer
    6

    How much you end up liking Mohenjo Daro will invariably be a function of what your threshold for historical inaccuracy is.
    For this is a film in which a chieftain wears bull horns (even in 2016 BC, that must have ranked as a serious fashion faux-pas), a farmer sports six-pack abs even as he rushes to rescue a city in distress (Snap Fitness must have inaugurated their Mohenjo Daro outlet by then), and probably most outrageously, horses remain suspended in mid-air even as they politely wait for our hero to rescue his damsel in distress.
    Needless to say, there is a plethora of things this film gets wrong.
    But here’s the deal – I found myself in a willing mood to forgive all this theatrical lunacy, and for one simple reason: I never got bored.
    Say what you will about Ashutosh Gowariker – the man has got a penchant for telling a story with ostentatious flair.
    It’s inarguably the reason why both Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar have come to be regarded by many as two of the greatest films to have been churned out by Bollywood since the turn of the millenium – a view I incidentally subscribe to.
    Gowariker directs the film with a slow-burning intensity that reaches its peak in a memorable climax that left me gasping on the edge of my seat.
    Hrithik Roshan is an abundantly gifted actor blessed with undeniable screen presence and oodles of charisma – he is a major reason why this film works.
    The same, tragically, cannot be said of newbie Pooja Hegde – I couldn’t help being reminded of Nargis Fakhri’s painfully wooden performance in Rockstar and the way it affected the film as a whole.
    Mohenjo Daro is sure to have its fair share of detractors – but I found myself succumbing to the seductive power of Gowariker’s storytelling for the umpteenth time.
    Unlike its moniker that quite literally translates to “Mound of the Dead”, this film manages to stay alive with a unique beating pulse of its own- even if it probably deserved to be buried in a grave itself.

    January 12, 17
  • Aniket Parihar
    Aniket Parihar
    23 reviews
    Senior Reviewer
    4

    Mohenjodaro is one of the biggest Hrithik Roshan films of an archaic genre that is somewhat related to the Indus Valley Civilisation. But just forget completely history and come to romance and vindictiveness and entertainment which one will surely see after having watched this film.

    So the film is about a farmer Sarman(Hrithik), who goes to Mohenjodaro for selling his products. He there sees plutocracy, fights for it. But then is stopped. He decides to return. But he sees Chaani(Pooja), a devi's gift to Mohenjodaro who charmingly arouses his interest. He falls for her and decides to stays there only. And till the intermission their love story continues and keeps on inflaming one's anticipations and adrenaline both. Post the 1st half the film picks and from then on the viewer can with much ease engage himself since it is shown that Sarman is the Real prince of Mohenjodaro since his father was the King before but was killed by Mahim, the present ruler of Mohenjodaro and was falsely blamed to be a betrayer for the people. Sarman is then desirous for revenge and with a vengeance succeds.

    Hrithik and Pooja as Sarman and Chani respectively do fully recognize the worth of their characters and do justice to their roles. But somewhere terribly they impact marginally just tepid in their performances. The film is more annihilated due to its lengthy runtime cum romance and plot. Not a mandatory watch since it is poorly executed, sharply irritable and insatiates one. I'm going with 4 stars for this Mega Mediocrity.

    August 21, 16
  • Rajeev Malhotra
    Rajeev Malhotra
    6 reviews
    Reviewer
    1

    boring film with bad vfx and story I have that 1 just for harthik

    January 27, 17
  • Rajeev Malhotra
    Rajeev Malhotra
    6 reviews
    Reviewer
    1

    boring film with bad vfx and story I have that 1 just for harthik

    January 27, 17
  • Ravindra Joshi
    Ravindra Joshi
    3 reviews
    Reviewer
    10

    Must Watch, Waise mene nahi Delhi ????

    August 12, 16
  • Mashad Ahmed
    Mashad Ahmed
    2 reviews
    Member
    10

    Wow pleasure to watch this movie and relive the history

    August 12, 16
  • Aditya Handargule
    Aditya Handargule
    1 review
    Member
    9

    It is complete entertainment better than cliche Saman khan movies

    August 12, 16
  • Deep Gujral
    Deep Gujral
    1 review
    Member
    1

    Ok. One day I was walking in the park late in the middle of the night and saw these 2 guys kissing each other. One guy grabbed the other guys butt and squeezed it. They went on kissing for hours and they left the park for the back of the first guys car then they began to take their clothes off then do each other. I swear to god That was the gayest thing I had ever seen....until I saw this movie.

    August 16, 16
  • Ashutosh Shukla
    Ashutosh Shukla
    1 review
    Member
    10

    A highly entertaining movie with excellent climax scene,superb vfx works & with a hrithik roshan.The most highlighted point in this movie is that hrithik roshan has given his career best performance & the duo ashu & hrithik take this historical adventure to the next level.This movie has high pack action sequences, romance& good idea of 2016 bc era.The duo has done a great job & they did lots of hard workle So my last word is it is a great family entertainer,go & watch it & don't listen to fools who spread negativity about this grandeur.

    August 13, 16
  • Abhinandan Jain
    Abhinandan Jain
    2 reviews
    Member
    10

    5 stars for hrithik performance.

    August 12, 16