The girls in Pataakha take some getting used to: you have to suspend disbelief to take these dusty, filthy-mouthed sisters seriously. But once they start settling into their roles, you cross a hump

The new Vishal Bhardwaj film is colourful, noisy and dazzling…Vishal Bhardwaj turns the two warring sisters, played by Radhika Madan and Sanya Malhotra, into a metaphor for India and Pakistan, countries locked in an endless cycle of sniping.

Pataakha is a well-crafted adaptation of Charan Singh Pathik’s short story Do Behnein, which ends with something that’s quite clearly wishful thinking.

Delightful, with a peppy, folksy punch… Vishal Bhardwaj’s direction and writing are superlative.

Fun, colourful, comical are adjectives you rarely use for a Vishal Bhardwaj film, but that’s exactly what Pataakha is…

With Sanya Malhotra’s Full-Throated Performance, It’s A Cracker Of A Film…This is a cracker of a film that blends the dynamics of a rustic burlesque with a stylised cinematic sensibility

Vishal Bhardwaj, as he always does with his films, has tried to put many quirky spins into this comedy. The music is rustic, but very pleasing. He has also provided an interesting background score. During the second half, as the film briefly explores a psychological reason for the sisters’ tendency to fight, the sci-fi sounding background music adds a delightful touch to the proceedings. But for all its wonderful and creative touches, Pataakha still feels like a story that stretches a short concept, for a little too long.

“Pataakha” should have been a short film, but it got inexplicably extended into a 136-minute full length feature. Much like his protagonists, Bhardwaj doesn’t know when to cut it short and walk away.

Pataakha, starring Sanya Malhotra and Radhika Madan, marks the return of Vishal Bhardwaj to direction. The film is entertaining in parts, but fails to leave a mark…

On the flip side, the plot gets a tad repetitive in the second half and seems dragging. Thankfully, Sunil Grover comes to the rescue and pulls up the strings.

Your Dose Of Smiles And Tears…Viewers are instantly sucked into the rustic milieu and volatile world of Champa and Genda Kumari

Pataakha is an oxymoron. It’s explosive but subtle; it’s emotive but doesn’t take itself too seriously as a film. It could have benefited with a tighter edit, but for the most part I couldn’t take my eyes away from the screen. Pataakha is an indulgence worth investing in.

‘Pataakha’ has the fuse, but not the firepower…Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaption is buoyed by crackling performances

The loud background score and the music mesh seamlessly with the narrative. Those looking forward to Malaika Arora’s item number would be disappointed.

Overall, the film is an above average entertainer.

Simply put, with sparkling performances and a colourful setting, Pataakha shines on screen like a proper boxful of crackers!

he rustic tale of sibling enmity provides an abundance of wisecracks
Pataakha has everything that makes it a perfect fit in Vishal Bhardwaj’s oeuvre: literary adaptation, feisty women, rustic hinterland, unapologetic use of dialect and free-flowing gaalis. Yet, the film doesn’t feel contrived or formulaic.