Youngistaan

"The film, despite its efforts, becomes muddled, and dull. The one I enjoyed watching most was the late Farooque Shaikh, who plays the young politician's mentor and friend. Shaikh has a large role, and he plays it with his customary humour and grace, lending much-needed gravitas to this film. This 'youngistaan' will always remember him with love and affection."

"By the end, Youngistaan spirals into an abyss of predictable plotting, as Abhimanyu learns the tricks of how to succeed in politics. It's all unnecessarily stretched out, and co-writer/director Syed Ahmad Afzal brings nothing by way of original treatment or even radical resolution. There was potential here, but it's wasted."

"The only bright spot here is the late Farooq Sheikh who brings his goodnatured gravitas to this unintentional comedy. Youngistaan is brain-dead and largely insufferable."

"We have seen a lot many film on politics; but most of it, nay all of them, are loaded with blood and gore. Not YOUNGISTAAN; Vashu Bhagnani's Silver Jubilee production is full of the flavor of youth and the mood of the moment. This movie has soul. It's a love story set in troubled times. It's also a call for all youngsters out there to go out and make their vote count. YOUNGISTAAN is definitely a movie to watch."

"Writer-director Syed Ahmad Afzal has told a story that seems destined to be put on screen. The politics of our disembodied democracy is sexily sketched. In this season of the Lok Sabha election, Youngistaan raises pertinent questions on the quality of leadership in our country. While it gets its political fundas right, the plot also accommodates the central romantic conflict into its structure."

"The production quality of Youngistaan is great and that's one of the biggest aspects in making Youngistaan watchable. Bhatt's favourite Jeet Ganguly and some other music directors have given some melodious tracks that definately add value. The target audience of Youngistaan is the youth and for them this will be an enjoyable ride."

"Afzal's 'Youngistaan' at the core is an interesting idea, far-fetched, but refreshing. The love-story develops tenderly, but the political backdrop and ensuing drama is not crafted with clarity. The story suffers from uninspiring dialogues, with a stretched climax. It's a well-intentioned drama which vibes with the current political scenario and upcoming elections."

"Watch it for the endearing Jackky Bhagnani and the inimitable Farouque Sheikh."

"The political issues highlighted in the film are real and the conclusions offered most times filmi. The film also lacks shades of grey and hence as a political drama, remains somewhat unconvincing. However, with the election fever in the country spreading faster than the plague, a film on a political ideal couldn't be better timed. It's an escape but a relevant one."

"YOUNGISTAAN has an interesting premise, a mature act by Jackky Bhagnani and importantly, the message it conveys is just right. The writing could've been sharper, but having said that, this movie is worthy of a watch."

"You can watch Youngistaan this weekend if you have time. The movie is not all that bad. If it had a more powerful star cast, Youngistaan would certainly have had a different fate. 'Coz most of us watch the film depending on who the lead pair is irrespective of the story being good or bad, hai na?"

"This script must have looked great on paper and it had huge potential too. But it's the shallow treatment that seems to have killed the spirit of the script. Watch it once if politics turns you on, and with election fever in the air, this seems like just the right time too."

"A well shot film, Youngistaan looks cool in terms of cinematography, production design and music. This film is not for to be taken seriously, but to enjoy! If its target audience, youth, finds it interesting, it has a great chance to work well in the Box Office. Film delivers Jackky Bhagnani's best performance till date and you can also watch the movie for Farooq Shaikh. It was the gifted actor's last film."

"If you are admant on watching a film this weekend and confused between Youngistaan and other big releases, then Youngistaan is your option."

"There is a lot of the wanna-be element in the film. When was the last time you saw security men in suits wearing dark shades in India? The same security men even violate the Motor vehicle act of 1988 by a standing on a moving vehicle. Barring Farooq Shaikh there is nothing much to harp about in the acting department although Neha Sharma is not bad. Youngistaan is like a half cooked dish that is not terrible, but certainly not enjoyable."

"Despite its timely intentions and catchy soundtrack, Youngistaan is a skewered immature tale that caters to the lowest common denominator of hope. It doesn't give its viewers too much credit, and eventually resembles the political system it represents. Make of that what you will."

"Youngistaan is a utopian story, at least in today's context. But if you aren't really busy this weekend, you can consider heading to this Utopia."

"Sure, there is an attempt at trying something new. It feel flat on its face, but at least they tried. Oh well."

"Youngistaan neither says something new nor does it reinforce time-tested wisdom in a way that you actually want to pay attention to it. It makes claims like Modi, implements policies like Rahul and has a persistent cough like Kejriwal, and I certainly wouldn't vote for it."

"Without an iota of doubt, the movie is quite fresh and new. The director has a firm believe on his concept and has received good success in maintaining the interest of the viewers till the end."

""Youngistaan" simplifies things to a large extent, and never seems to be able to decide whether it is a romance or a political thriller. As a result, it ends up being neither. Neha Sharma comes across as whiny and petulant like her character is expected to be, but Bhagnani demonstrates a semblance of screen presence in some scenes. If you want to watch a real political thriller, then rent a DVD of "House of Cards". This one is just pretending."

"The film seems topical and could have cut across audiences given the current election scenario but lacks the gravitas of a political drama, which particularly associates itself with the highest seat of power. While there are a million problems that a country faces, the acting PM's problem in the film is only dealing with an immature girlfriend who yearns to have matka kulfi at 4 am! And while she loves him enough to accompany him from Japan and even bear his child, for some reason, she's reluctant to marry him, thereby inviting ire of a conservative public."

"...does not have the soul-stirring quality so necessary in a film of this kind. Although the last couple of reels are fairly nice, the implausibility of the drama makes it rather unpalatable for the audience. It will, therefore, fail to make its mark."