The Accidental Prime Minister

"Anupam Kher must be commended for putting in a lot of hard work, but his portrayal simply doesn't work"

"Alas that's not enough to keep you engaged in this nearly-two-hour film whose agenda and very reason to exist is transparent from the word go."

"All is unsubtle, everyone's a lookalike in this film and yet manage to outperform the man in the lead -- Anupam Kher who stars as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh."

"The film is an out-an-out propaganda film, created for the specific purpose of making the former prime minister look like a weak, spineless man, a puppet whose strings were controlled by The Family."

"Bollywood has produced several political dramas that are intense, complex and dark, The Accidental Prime Minister has all of that in measured tones. It leaves you more entertained than informed, and we don't think it's by accident."

"If you're into current affairs this one will pique your interest. Be warned: this is not 'entertaining' by any stretch of the imagination."

"What should a biopic deliver is a question that will garner various responses. A historian would want it to be a record of our times so that it could have resonance in the future. A filmmaker would seek dramatic points in the subject's life that would render a compelling narrative. A sociologist would want to assess if the person's life had any significant impact on society. We would like to stick with the one in the disclaimer: "this film is meant solely for the purpose of entertainment"."

"The Accidental Prime Minister, at its core, stages itself as a relationship of two men beset by palace politics in the world's largest democracy. If you are moved by this fictionalised version of Dr Manmohan Singh and Sanjaya Baru then you'd have had a good time watching this piece. If not, que sera sera."

"Unfortunately, despite all the good intent, The Accidental Prime Minister, quite like its protagonist, fails to deliver on the promise."

"...rests on a great premise but the faulty and flawed screenplay and direction ruin the show. At the box office, the controversy surrounding the film might help it initially but the film is bound to crash."

"Frustrated with the interference from the Gandhis and the apparent unwillingness of Manmohan Singh to set the record straight, Baru resigns and writes his memoir, The Accidental Prime Minister (accidental as Singh never contested an election but was a Rajya Sabha member). Sales are sluggish, until the PMO denounces the book: at which point, it becomes a bestseller. Gutte should hope his film meets with the same good fortune."

"The Accidental Prime Minister is a different film and one must laud the courage to pick up something so controversial. However, it needed better execution to make a real impact. It is a definite one time watch with its breezy narrative, superb casting and of course Akshaye Khanna who shines like a diamond. Does it redeem the image of Dr Manmohan Singh? Not as well as it was expected to..."

"The motive of this tacky, third-rate propaganda piece is all too apparent in the story it wants us to go home with."

"The film is shabbily made even though they get lots of cast to look like people in real life, and skims the events in Dr, Singh's work life. Is this a propaganda film?"

"I came away with Akshaye Khanna's smug smile and his jaunty walk. He is conspiratorial throughout, occasionally pensive and seemingly having the last laugh in an inelegant adaptation."

"All said and done, this political-drama neither has much politics nor has an authoritative drama. What it has is a couple of very good performances but they aren't enough to make you stick your seats even for a very crisp duration. From what, as a dumb-headed politic follower, I feel this was a homage to an individual leading to demean a party. If you guys see the film, please let me know if I've got this right."

"Anupam Kher's Act Is Sincere But The Film Fails To Speak Loud!"

"Vijay Ratnakar Gutte's The Accidental Prime Minister is so unsubtle in its disdain for the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Congress, that it could almost pass off as a creation of the social media cell of the ruling party."

"The film is so incompetently crafted, terribly performed and transparently petty that it isn't even pathetic enough to be panned as a "propaganda" movie"

"The Accidental Prime Minister tries to defame Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, and I don't believe it is accidental."

"For all the storm around it, "The Accidental Prime Minister" is a hollow film - it has nothing to say, no stand to take and no insight to offer about its subject."

"A petty attack on the Gandhi family that lacks insight..."

"The film portrays Dr. Manmohan Singh as a nice though weak man but goes hammer and tongs at the Gandhi family in a tacky fashion"