TheReviewMonk
Ribbon backdrop
3 November 2017HindiorigEnglish106 min

Ribbon

5.612 reviews
CriticsMixed

Bayesian avg · 12 critic reviews

7.5+ Exceptional · 6.5 Recommended · 5.0 Mixed

6.01 ratings
Users

User Score · avg of 1 ratings

8.0+ Exceptional · 7.0 Recommended · 5.5 Mixed

A young working urban couple, Sahana and Karan Mehra are emotionally overwhelmed with the birth of a baby girl while also dealing with the challenges of parenthood.

Critic Consensus

Critical reception for Ribbon is mixed-to-lukewarm, with most reviewers acknowledging the film's relevance in addressing urban pressures, parenting challenges, and workplace realities that are rarely depicted in mainstream Bollywood. Kalki Koechlin's committed performance is a recurring point of praise, and director Rakhee Sandilya is credited for initiating a worthwhile conversation. However, critics widely fault the film for its unfocused narrative, shallow treatment of the issues it raises, and an abrupt, unsatisfying conclusion that prevents it from achieving the depth its premise promises.

12 reviews · 5 positive · 6 mixed

Praised: Koechlin's committed central performanceCriticised: Thin, unfocused narrative execution

AI-generated summary of 12 critic reviews · may contain errors

Report inaccuracy

Critic Reviews (12)

Shubhra GuptaTop Critic· Indian Express
5.0
"Nice to see man and woman working, and dealing with stuff that happens post-marriage: all the messy, irritating stuff that has not been part of the happily-ever-after Bollywood landscape. Kalki Koechlin leaves a mark as a harried professional."
Read full review ↗
Kunal Guha· Mumbai Mirror
7.0
"Ribbon makes one realise several things about the world around us — jobs have become demanding beyond decency, maternity leave is a career killer and an inconvenience at best and trust no one with your minor child. But despite all the ills inflicted upon us, it summarises with the predictable message that if we band together, we'll get by."
Read full review ↗
IANS· Sify
7.0
"Ribbon has its share of flaws. So relentless is the focus on the protagonists' lives that we barely get a glimpse into the lives of the other (interesting but sketchy) characters, like Sahana's friend or Karan's father or the babysitter who evidently leads a life as adventurous as her employers, if not more. But that, some other time."
Read full review ↗
Suhani Singh· India Today
6.0
"Ribbon is an insightful and mature relationship drama that showcases the trials and tribulations of parenting in the city. In a way it's a perfect companion piece to Vikramaditya Motwane's Trapped in which a young man is pushed to his mental and physical limits as he becomes a forgotten entity in the crowded metropolis."
Read full review ↗
Pallabi Dey Purkayastha· Times Of India
6.0
"Ribbon starts off with one storyline and ends with another, but fails to capture the gamut of both. Rakhee Sandilya has started a conversation on a less-spoken human emotion, very humanely. If only she had taken one route and explored it to its optimum level."
Read full review ↗
Kriti Tulsiani· IBNLive
6.0
"At a time when Bollywood is journeying away from the usual potboilers, a film like Ribbon is more than welcome. It addresses subjects that Bollywood and even parents sometimes shy away from addressing to their children. So even if the film is a little bland and a little uneven per se, Ribbon makes for a better watch than most of the no-brainers today."
Read full review ↗
Umesh Punwani· KoiMoi
5.0
"At the end of all, Ribbon tries to portray something really bad happening around us. It's just the sludgy route it takes that bothers throughout. Watch only if you can ignore all of the above flaws."
Read full review ↗
"For all that is going for it, Ribbon falls a trifle short of hitting home, but it does provide enough evidence to suggest that Rakhee Sandilya has it in her to be a director to watch."
Read full review ↗
Sweta Kaushal· Hindustan Times
5.0
"Ribbon rakes up a lot of issues that deserve at least a discourse in the current scenario, but instead, ends up only fleetingly touching these. Neither the characters nor the narrative take upon the evils and the evil-doers."
Read full review ↗
Urvi Parikh· Rediff
5.0
"Despite its relevant premise, Ribbon fails to leave an impact. Though the movie piques your interest in bits and pieces, especially in the second half, the abrupt end will leave you disappointed."
Read full review ↗
Udita Jhunjhunwala· Firstpost
5.0
"Not all ideas translate well to film and though are some moments of note, if Ribbon works at all, it is credit to Koechlin's and Vyas' committed and convincing performances."
Read full review ↗
"The vantage point that the audience has been given is only interesting for a while, even though Koechlin and Vyas seem capable enough for their roles. Sandilya's attempt at giving us a glimpse into the unseen pressures of urban life is commendable, but the story has neither meat nor heft to keep the audience interested."
Read full review ↗

Cast & Crew

Details

Release Date
3 November 2017
Runtime
106 min
Languages
Hindiorig, English
Genre
Drama

User Ratings & Reviews

Users6.01 rating

1 rating from the community

Community Reviews (1)

TESept 2018

What put me terribly off is the concocted diversity of issues that a couple face in Rakhee Sandilya's Ribbon, a sweet little film that turns sour right when you are enjoying it. But that's exactly the whole point of showcasing what a couple transforming into a nuclear family face in a metro city in India. From unabashed gender discrimination at work to familial tiffs to issues with the functioning of a household, Ribbon has it all, topped with a violent performance by Kalki Koechlin and an equally competing one by Sumeet Vyas. Parenthood hits them like a typhoon in the US and all that follows is what I like to call new-age problems that do not have solutions. Along with fitting music and numbing dialogues by Raghav Dutt, director Sandilya takes her viewers on a journey that is relatable and nonchalant, eventually taking them to the end of a cliff and threatening that she will push. Ribbon is heartbreaking but it does not fool its audience. It has its flaws - with the major one being convolution - but then indie films have stories to tell. With it with your partner and you will take away a thing or two. TN.

TMDB

This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.