Sinha shines, but the journalism angle rings hollow in this breezy misfire.
Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Critical reception for Noor skews mixed-to-negative, with most reviewers finding the film an occasionally charming but ultimately shallow watch. The most consistent praise across reviews is directed at Sonakshi Sinha's performance, which several critics describe as breezy, endearing, and representative of her best work. The most pervasive criticism targets the film's unconvincing and poorly researched portrayal of journalism, with multiple reviewers noting that the shift from light romantic comedy to social activism feels forced, unconvincing, and unearned. A number of critics acknowledge the film's light-hearted appeal for casual viewers while cautioning that it lacks depth, focus, and narrative urgency.
1 not-rated review isn't plotted
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 24 critic reviews · may contain errors
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Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
Although handsomely mounted and evocatively shot, Noor lacks a sense of genuine urgency. The protagonist's journey from flaky to fully reformed is never convincing, and in the end you're left feeling that she could learn some empathy in addition to responsible reporting.
Top critic
Film review ·
Sonakshi Sinha is breezy when she faces up to the good-looking men in her life. The trouble is that she is a complete klutz as a journalist.
Top critic
Film review ·
Sonakshi's film shows the mundane but essential pursuits of an ambitious but confused middle-class girl...
Film review ·
Noor is not one of the best films on journalistic ethics. It doesn't do to the contemporaryMumbai media world what the Paul Newman-Sally Field starrer Absence Of Malice did 30 years ago . It pricks at the conscience in a rather undemanding way. Noor takes sly and slender satirical swipes at sensationalism in journalism , more delectable for its many jibes than the actual prick at the conscience.
Film review ·
NOOR is an endearing lovable hoor (women) waiting at your nearest screen that shows Sonakshi Sinha in her top form. She is clumsy, confused but charming oozing with positivity and lots of fun. Do make a date with this NOOR. CHASME BADDOR. - See more at: http://www.glamsham.com/movies/reviews/noor-movie-review.asp#sthash.SD8FKKZ8.dpuf
Film review ·
Overall, the minor lapses in the portrayal of journalism as a profession, notwithstanding, 'Noor' is an enjoyable, breezy film which pivots around strong issues but is light-hearted too.
Film review ·
This is the great debut that has come seven years into Sonakshi's career. And for that, you must go meet Noor at theatre.
Film review ·
Noor has its flaws, and it certainly isn't this year's Queen, if you really want to get into comparison mode. But Noor still manages to endear to you with its light-hearted, fresh treatment and Sonakshi Sinha's winning performance, if you don't attach too many expectations.
Film review ·
For all its flaws, Noor still gets some basic truths bang on. It's themes of love life and not hate it, and its play on kindness and compassion are its big victories. When the film presents the big bad world and its problems from a shallow teenage perspective, it feels wrong. But when it gets intimate and presents Noor as a bundle of contradictions and emotions, Noor just feels like bright summer sunlight. This film has some great ideas. Thankfully the dodgy execution and lack of depth in writing don't spoil it all. For the casual viewer, Noor serves up a refreshing new story. One that has a solid heart of gold.
Film review ·
Watch this if you are in the mood for an enjoyable feel-good film.
Film review ·
Noor is not path breaking cinema. But it's not regressive as well. It tries too hard man. But it has some well-written scenes too. It gets unnecessarily lengthy. But it does have a message at the end. Yeah, a message that comes after much drama and deliberation.
Film review ·
Noor's life that way is meant to mirror the urbane, liberal, progressive, metropolitan upper middle-class. As for her work, as I said, there are several colleagues in my newsroom who have stories like hers, if not better, and might actually want to make this film. This sense of recognition can be rankling. Throughout, you can't help but wonder how much better this movie could've been. But then, like journalism, this film should be seen for what it is. And hey it isn't bad at all.
Film review ·
Sonakshi Sinha's latest offering isn't a picture-perfect world when it comes to viewing as it has its own set of flaws. But it does make up for a fluffy watch with your pals who stick by your side no matter what life tosses at you. In a nutshell, Noor's self-discovery journey triumphs over her journalist self and she at least deserves a chance!
Film review ·
4 years have flown between the remarkable Lootera and this film which, despite its follies, serves as a good showcase for her talent. Here is hoping we do not have to wait another 4 years for a film that does treat her like a prop.
Film review ·
'Noor' is a straight forward tale of an urban girl dealing with her life and problems. The movie will be loved by urban girls as the connectivity will be very high. As, for rest the slow pace might be a problem for this one time watch film.
Film review ·
So long it's true to its confection roots, Noor works, thanks to the attractive bonhomie Gill and Kohli's real guy appeal generates around Sonakshi's star. But when it engages in shallow activism for the heck of it, it rambles and drags.
Film review ·
Under Sippy's direction, the cast has acknowledged the clamoring script with performances that are hard, brittle and strained to the breaking point. Sinha is splendid, except when she is being consciously cute in this disappointingly shallow movie.
Film review ·
The film is strictly for Sonakshi Sinha's fans. It doesn't offer anything new. You can give it a miss.
Film review ·
Noor does not understand journalism, it fails to establish enough angst for the protest it hopes to ignite, it stops being the rom-com (the one thing that the movie was getting right) pretty soon and it does not give the victims enough time for us to empathise, nor does it ponder over the aggressors enough, for us to loathe them.
Film review ·
The film is a poor take on investigative journalism with a lead character that is highly flawed.
Film review ·
It is difficult to say if I'd have enjoyed Noor better if it were more focused on one or two aspects of life that it picked to comment on. The lectures in the second half were so full of themselves that it is a task to be objective about the film and imagining Noor without them.
Film review ·
The only thing that Noor gets right about journalism today is that it takes little to go viral. We still can't make sense of what Noor has done to become a sensation but by the looks of it recording a "Mumbai, You're Killing Me" rant, which will make Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation turn red, and uploading it on Facebook is all it takes.
Film review ·
Despite an earnest performance by Sonakshi Sinha Noor fails to make an impact. The movie is so poorly researched it gives journalist a bad name.
Film review ·
A likeable comedy becomes an unconvincing protest film...
From our readers
5 ratings · user score 4.8
With just a week left for "Baahubali: The Conclusion" to hit the screens, there are no other major releases in the horizon. Well it's quite understandable after all this mammoth movie will certainly swallow anything in its path in the initial phase. However, we did have women centric movies take centre stage amidst this lull with "Begum Jaan" last week & Sonakshi's "Noor" this weekend. To be frank, I didnt even know that such a movie was even going to release & hence had no expectations at all. Hmm...in such a scenario it should be easier to satisfy the audience in me isnt it, but did it mange to do that??? Noor (Sonakshi Sinha) is a journalist who aspires to be the next "Barkha" but her boss assigns her to cover news on subjects which is nowhere even remotely related to meaningful journalism. Her personal life was also a mess & she spent most parts of the day cribbing about her very existence. The only people who brought a smile to her face were her close buddies, Zara (Shibani Dandekar) & Saad (Kanan Gill). But things started to look brighter when she meets Ayan Banerjee (Purab Kohli), an ace photographer & they hit off in due time. On the professional side as well, she stumbles upon an organ harvesting scam when her domestic help, Malti (Smita Tambi) confides in her about the misfortune that had befallen on her brother. Will this story be the break that Noor was waiting for??? Based on Saba Imtiaz's "Karachi, You are Killing me!" (which I haven't read), Sunhil Sippy have made a movie which is a concoction of rom-com & investigative journalism. But the sad reality is he wasn't able to do justice to either of them especially the latter one. The manner in which the protagonist goes about her job would have even made an amateur journalist cringe in embarrassment. Even when Noor messes up stuff, instead of standing up & sorting it out, Sunhil chose to make the character run away from it. The only thing that actually works (that too, partially) is the rom-com part which kinda reminded me of "Bridget Jones's Diary". On the technical side, Keiko Nakahara's visuals were fine while the music by Amaal Mallik was average. Even though the movie is just under 2 hours, it still manages to test our patience. Sonakshi has done a fine job in the lighthearted portions but ends up short in the other parts. Smita Tambe was brilliant while Shibani, Purab & Kanan have done justice to their parts. Verdict: "Noor" will struggle to stay afloat beyond this weekend even though there is no other competition. Sunhil could have surely done a lot better with the basic story line that he had, unfortunately it wasn't the case as it culminates in a muddled climax as well. In short, don't bother!!! Rating: 2/5 Regards...Ben
Film review: NOOR Rating - * * * Get ready for a surprise package in this film. That is Noor or Sonakshi Sinha. She has given a very endearing performance, mature and lively. Her character is well etched, self- depreciating but confident. She is ably supported by rest of the cast. Good direction, tight script and some really funny sequences make you love this movie. Don't listen to the critics. Go for it.
Noor is a film by Sunhil Sippy. This film is based on the book "Karachi – You are Killing Me" by Saba Imtiaz. The film's plot had tremendous potential but the movie does get lost in the midway. It starts as if it is focused on Noor's journey, but later, it shifts to focus on many issues viz. the shallowness attached with today' journalism, organ trafficking, how ethics and humanity are dying in the world, environmental issues, how unsafe the cities have become etc. This is where the film also becomes shallow, lacks depth. In spite of Sonakshi portraying the titular character very well, the film is unable to adopt a focused approach to storytelling. But certainly, it is a feel-good film. The eponymous character Noor is played by Sonakshi. As her name implies (Noor means 'Light') she is seeking light/brightness in her professional as well as personal life. She starts her day with the statement 'I hate my Life'. She keeps whining about everything in her life: a faulty geyser, her domestic help Malti's (Smita Tambe) frequent leave, priority given to her cat Dimpy by her father, her weight gain, her twitter followers less in number than her weight, not excited in doing regular stuff, irritation on being asked to interview celebrities like Sunny Leone etc. She is a topper in Journalism and interested in doing issue-based Journalism, but her boss Shekhar (Manish Chaudhary) keeps drifting her attention to the topics which attract TRPs. Noor is not too happy with her personal life too. She does miss love in her life. Her friends Zaara (Shibani Dandekar) and Saad (Kanan Gill) do pep up her life. She has support system at home in her father (played my MK Raina) and her housemaid Malti. Noor meets Ayan Banerjee (Purab Kohli), a journalist cum photographer and falls in love with him. Situations so happen that Noor gets 'the story' which she was looking for. She does cover the story, but that changes her life forever. It becomes a learning point for her that as a journalist, she just can't get carried away but she needs to be responsible too. What happens thereafter? What story does Noor get to handle? What events transpire after that? How does Malti become an important thread of the story? What shape does Noor's relationship with Ayan take? How Zaara, Saad and Noor's father support her during a crisis? Does Shekhar ever agree with Noor's desire of doing issue-based journalism and what support he extends? Sonakshi enacts Noor very well and she is very much likeable in the film. Her style statement is also appropriate as per the character. Kanan Gill who makes his film debut with Noor is natural and spontaneous. MK Raina does play his role of an empathetic, supportive father very well. Shibani Dandekar as Zaara has small role, but she is also good. Smita Tambe is very much noticeable and good as Malti. The film Noor begins as her transformational journey of how she changes her statement from 'I hate my life' to 'I love my life'. But the screenplay which later gets deviated by focusing on multiple issues, lacks the initial quirkiness, becomes shallow, lacks depth. A one-time watch.
Average. Good : Decent performance by Sonakshi , Romantic parts worked well Weakness : uneven screenplay , ineffective direction and presentation , movie gets lost at some points.
Credits
Sonakshi SinhaNoor Roy Chaudhary
Kanan GillSaad Sehgal
Shibani DandekarZara Patel
Purab KohliAyan Banerjee
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