Top Cast
Dulal, a brooding, self conscious writer and his hustler friend, Mainak dream to write a Bollywood film. Their picaresque journey brings them in a position where they are forced to choose between friendship, love and a big break. Besides exploring the subculture of migrant writers in the city's western suburbs, the film also talks about their hopes and ontological anxiety.
Critic Consensus
Critical reception for Sulemani Keeda is mixed-to-moderate, with most reviewers landing in the 50-70 range and acknowledging it as a sincere, low-budget indie effort. The film is most consistently praised for its witty dialogue, deadpan humour, and naturalistic performances from its lead cast. The most common criticism is a meandering, repetitive middle section and a screenplay that fails to sustain the promise of its setup, with several critics noting the story lacks sufficient depth or pace to fully deliver on the premise. A number of reviewers also flag its niche appeal, suggesting it will resonate more strongly with urban youth and industry insiders than with general audiences.
21 reviews · 10 positive · 6 mixed
AI-generated summary of 21 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyCritic Reviews (21)
"The film coasts along smoothly for the most part of its 90-minute running time, except for the flabby, repetitive middle portion in which Dulal and Ruma engage in profound conversations each time they meet. Slickly shot, capturing a real, lived-in feel of the city, this is a charming little indie that manages to say something important, while never forgetting to make you laugh. Give it a chance."Read full review ↗
"The three main characters as well as the bit parts do their job well. But after a point, it all becomes a bit too laidback, even the trying-to-get-laid bit. A little more fun would have put a little more, much-needed spring into Sulemani Keeda, which apparently loosely translates as "pain in the rear". The title has its tongue firmly in the cheek; the film not as much."Read full review ↗
"The 89-minute running time should ensure that the screen time isn't wasted however the script could have been doctored a bit more and the pacing could be worked on, which is the main issue I had with the movie. The ending was Roman Holiday-esque hence grounded which I felt was very well done. I cannot wait for what Amit Masurkar does next. We need to support these indie films and I highly recommend you check it out this weekend."Read full review ↗
"The film will obviously find a loyal audience in the urban youth who, upon finding no respite in television, have turned to the internet for some Hinglish entertainment they can connect with. Finally an unpretentious indie, Sulemani Keeda, simply put, is by the filmis, of the filmis, and for everyone."Read full review ↗
"Eccentric in its own write–and that is not a typo–Dulal and Mainak, as played with unconditional fluency by Naveen Kasturia and MayankTiwari ,are what Jai and Veeru would have been if Sholay had been a film about Salim and Javed search for success in blunder-land. In Sulemani Keeda , debutant director Amit Masurkar is so easy-going in his storytelling you fear what success would do to him."Read full review ↗
"For a story that is not really novel, this movie would have been much more exciting with a wee bit more confidence and craziness. Nevertheless, it's definitely worth one watch for a good laugh."Read full review ↗
"If you're of the opinion that Luck By Chance is the definitive B-town film of our times, chances are you will appreciate this appropriately low-budgeted, homegrown writer rendition."Read full review ↗
"Director Amit V Masurkar's indie slacker comedy hits home for the most part as it is gives us these deeply flawed, real characters that we laugh at and laugh with. We emotionally invest in their everyday tragedies and smile at their comical solutions. In that sense, the film is as rich, complex and tragicomic as life itself. Go for it!"Read full review ↗
"Masurkar's inventive thinking is what is the best part of Sulemani Keeda. His Mise en scene-ish expression drives the film and his bizzaro vein of thinking makes the film a delightful watch. A vibrant, slice of life which has a tight story, fabulous performances and the feel good fuzziness as an afterfeeling, must not be missed. I quite loved it and will make my way to the theaters to catch this!"Read full review ↗
"Sulemani Keeda is a perfect example of a well-made, low-budget independent film. It's engaging, entertaining and witty. Watch it, you won't be disappointed."Read full review ↗
"Admittedly, the film doesn't age as well as one would have hoped. I first watched this film over a year ago at the Mumbai Film Festival, and it seemed so much less like a low budget indie back then. In fact, it is apparent just how much of 'jugaad' - getting things done by hook or by crook - has gone into this film. Yet, that's also the beauty of it. In it's message as well as in the manner in which it was made, it is a film that inspires you to undertake the journey you seek. For only then will you have been a story."Read full review ↗
"Sulemani Keeda is a light-hearted, which will keep you engrossed till ends, given you are aged below 30. But if you are looking for paisa vasool stuff at the theatres this week, then you could wait till the DVDs are out. You won't regret watching the film."Read full review ↗
"Dulal's wry take - "Dialogues acche the. Film theek thi" - works here too. This keeda could've had a much sharper bite."Read full review ↗
"Sulemani Keeda is an indie film full of humor, love, emotions and Bollywood. The film excels when it comes to the performances and dialogues, but the story lacks pace and loses its grip by the end. However, if you love indie films, then you must watch Sulemani Keeda with your friends."Read full review ↗
"At times, Sulemaani Keeda feels like an in-group Versova film that needed more to say hello to the world. At others, it feels yet another variation of Luck By Chance, albeit from the margins. It didn't stay with me for long."Read full review ↗
"...cinephiles are likely to appreciate the attempt to show how hard it is for outsiders to break into an industry which is still driven by nepotism and commerce. Despite the film's flaws, Masurkar shows promise as a filmmaker drawing from what seem like his own experiences as a filmmaker. It will be interesting to see what he comes up with next."Read full review ↗
"Sulemani Keeda is an entertaining fare in parts and is meant for a very thin section of the audience. It is different and will appeal to youngsters looking for different cinema but its commercial prospects are, of course, weak."Read full review ↗
"Refreshingly narrated and well-acted by the cast, the storytelling falters midway. Still, the witty one-liners, cuss-flecked dialogues and deadpan humour are as real as it gets. The film echoes sentiments and experiences of all screenplay writers worldwide, whether in Bollywood or Hollywood. That must be the reason for the young film's instant connect with moviegoers in the festival circuit wherever it has been screened so far. This is their story, just padded with some caricature and prettiness."Read full review ↗
"At 88 minutes, Sulemani Keeda (Hindi street slang for "pain in the ass") doesn't feel laborious, but it also doesn't make any profound or memorable points. Just like its characters, it ambles along towards some sort of a conclusion. Along the way, it makes you laugh, but that is about all it achieves."Read full review ↗
"...after the effortless setup, the screenplay starts meandering. Some of the camera angles are amateurish. At times Masurkar gets carried away and brings in comedy-show kind of situations in an organic structure. But Naveen and Aditi ensure that the performances tide over the flaws in writing."Read full review ↗
"A thousand likes to Masurkar for deviating from the norm and having the audacity to try something different. But, a story is the heart and soul of a film. And Sulemani Keeda falls short on that aspect by some margin. Clever writing and word play do save the scene. But then it could've been better."Read full review ↗
Cast & Crew
Cast
- Naveen Kasturia · Dulal
- Mayank Tewari · Mainak
- Aditi Vasudev · Ruma
- Karan Mirchandani · Gonzo
- Rukshana Tabassum · Oona from Poona
- Krishna Bisht · Pokhriyal
- Dilip Prabhavalkar · Nene
- Rohini Ramanathan · Rohini
- Razak Khan · Sweety Kapoor
- Anil Sharma · himself
- Amrita Rao · herself
- Mahesh Bhatt · himself
Details
- Release Date
- 5 December 2014
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Language
- Hindi
- Genres
- Comedy, Romance, Independent
User Ratings & Reviews
1 rating from the community



















