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Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara backdrop
15 July 2011Hindi154 min

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

6.113 reviews
CriticsMixed

Bayesian avg · 13 critic reviews

7.5+ Exceptional · 6.5 Recommended · 5.0 Mixed

6.79 ratings
UsersMixed

User Score · avg of 9 ratings

8.0+ Exceptional · 7.0 Recommended · 5.5 Mixed

Zoya Akhtar WriterReema Kagti WriterZoya Akhtar DirectorZoya Akhtar ScreenplayReema Kagti ScreenplayZoya Akhtar StoryReema Kagti StoryShankar–Ehsaan–Loy MusicCarlos Catalan Cinematography

Three friends who were inseparable in childhood decide to go on a three-week-long bachelor road trip to Spain, in order to re-establish their bond and explore thrilling adventures, before one of them gets married. What will they learn of themselves and each other during the adventure?

Critic Consensus

Critical reception for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is largely positive, with most reviewers appreciating Zoya Akhtar's assured direction and the film's humanistic, emotionally grounded approach to the road movie format. Performances, particularly from Farhan Akhtar, and the incorporation of poetry and music drew repeated praise. Common criticisms include an uneven pace, a bloated runtime especially in the final stretch, and for at least one critic, a superficial emotional core that prioritizes a cool aesthetic over genuine feeling. Several reviewers also noted the film's limited appeal to mass or single-screen audiences.

13 reviews · 10 positive · 2 mixed · 1 negative

Praised: Zoya Akhtar's direction and voiceCriticised: Thin emotional depth, overlong runtime

AI-generated summary of 13 critic reviews · may contain errors

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Critic Reviews (13)

Rajeev MasandTop Critic· IBNLive
7.0
"It proves that Zoya Akhtar has a unique, compelling voice and unlike many of her contemporaries, she actually respects that a cinema audience can be both intelligent and mature."
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Nikhat KazmiTop Critic· Times Of India
7.0
"Director Zoya Akhtar follows up Luck By Chance with another sensitive and entertaining study of people, even as she gives Bollywood it's first full blown contemporary road movie."
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Saibal ChatterjeeTop Critic· NDTV
6.0
"Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara does exude pronounced traces of the spirit of Dil Chahta Hai, but its essential rhythm is its own, stemming from the dynamics of a full-fledged road movie shot through with intelligence, emotion and, above all, humanism."
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Shubhra GuptaTop Critic· Indian Express
4.0
"ZNMD is designed as a feel-good bromance. Arjun (Roshan) is a broker with a plush three bed-roomed house in London, who leads a frenetic deal-making, yen-and-pounds-and-dollar-collecting life. Imran (Akhtar) is a copywriter who writes poetry. Kabir (Deol) is the wealthy scion of a construction firm, whose engagement to uptight interior designer Natasha (Koechlin) sets the three friends on a road-trip to Spain."
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Raja SenTop Critic· Rediff
3.0
"So fixated is the film on trying to appear 'cool', even 'minty-fresh,' that the emotional connects all seem like afterthoughts. Especially the flashback each boy has, and their subsequent, convenient epiphany. It's all so surfacial and unnecessary, even when well-performed, like the moment between Naseeruddin Shah and Farhan, when the latter is finally allowed to drop the forced grin and cry like he does best."
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Mayank Shekhar· Hindustan Times
8.0
"While entertaining her audiences throughout, the writer-director, with a firm voice of her own, still manages to keep things artistic, without its pretensions; a lot of times, even poetic, literally, with profound poetry on love and life that you wish to hear again: "Aankhon mein hairaaniyan lekar chal rahe ho? Toh zinda ho. (You still walk with amazement in your eyes? You're alive)." This is rare."
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Pankaj Sabnani· Glamsham
8.0
"Watch ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA to fall in love with zindagi (life) all over again!"
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Zeenews Bureau· Zee News
8.0
"After 'Dil Chahta Hai,' 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' is an interesting take on Indian men, which dwells upon their psyche. Do watch this film!"
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Amrita Tanna· Bollyspice
8.0
"Although the movie isn't a fresh and entirely original concept, it very much leaves you wanting to let go of your inhibitions, throw away your doubts, and face your fears but, most of all, it makes you want to LIVE… because you only live once. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara!"
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Taran Adarsh· Bollywood Hungama
7.0
"On the whole, ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA has its share of plusses and minuses, highs and lows. It's definitely not for ardent fans of kitsch or those with an appetite for typical masala entertainers. This one's more for spectators with refined tastes and sensibilities. It's a film for a more evolved, mature and cinema-literate audience that's geared up to embrace and support newer genres of cinema."
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Pratim D Gupta· TheTelegraph
7.0
"ZNMD is perhaps 15 minutes overlong, espcially towards the end when the Abhay-Kalki track becomes a bit clumsy. And it also lacks the energy of Dil Chahta Hai. Perhaps it is Spain that dictates the laidback pace of the film."
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Blessy Chettiar· DNA India
6.0
"For those (which, I assume, is a lot of us), who may not be able to afford a holiday in Spain for any time soon, go catch ZNMD for good performances, music, Spain and of course, Farhan Akhtar in his element."
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Komal Nahta· KoiMoi
4.0
"On the whole, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a film for the multiplexes, the city-based audiences and the youngsters. However, it doesn't have much for the masses, the single-screen cinema audiences and for the public in small centres. Considering its high price, it will not be able to make profits even though the youth and the city audiences will give it the thumbs up."
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Cast & Crew

Cast

Details

Release Date
15 July 2011
Runtime
154 min
Language
Hindi

User Ratings & Reviews

Users6.79 ratings

9 ratings from the community

Community Reviews (4)

SAMay 2013

Zoya Akhtar returns after a solid debut with Luck By Chance and sweeps you off with her knowledge of human psyche. The movie is packed with picture perfect cast and this cast gives their best shot. But the real hero of movie is Zoya only, packing movie with loads of broamnce, soulful lyrics by his father Javed Akhtar, calmness, metamorphism and making justice to the title of the movie. If you think her brother Farhan Akhtar gave best work on youth movies with Dil Chahta Hai, then Zoya makes sure she fills the movie with Dil Chahta Hai moments entirely. Abhay Deol is natural. Hrithik is perfect as ever. But Farhan surprises you in both humorous and emotional scenes. The scene where he meets his father is the perfect example of his capability as an actor. Naserrudin Shah makes a perfect cameo. Katrina is convincing as free bird and Kalki makes the good use of her short role. The movie asks you to sit, relax and enjoy the beauty of nature, friendship, love and the importance of life.

NEMay 2013

To me, this movie is the classic case of 'trying too hard'. While I respect Zoya Akhtar's skills as a filmmaker, ZNMD was just three hours of 'in your face' piled on coolness on a somewhat age inappropriate cast. It was 'Dil Chahta hai' on a sugar rush. Practically the same story if you boil it down (which makes me wonder if Farhan was the ghost writer/director) minus the amazing spontaneity of the earlier film and its awesome characters that you could relate to. The female characters are all shallow - she is either the jealous girlfriend and a diamond digger (Kalki) or an impossibly cool scuba diving instructor who also rides motorbikes and always dresses like she is on the cover of Vogue (Katrina) . The guys themselves don't have too many shades of grey either. Overall quiet an annoying experience for me. The only respite was the great music.

SAMay 2016

Zoya Akthar's Best Work..It Maybe Lot Inspired From DCH But I Hv Liked It More Than DCH.Such A Fun Film Full Of Joy,Family, Heartbreak,Friendship, Fear And What More.

'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaraa' is a sweet, harmlessly fun buddy drama which unfolds at a luxurious pace. The road trips here become the unforgettable journeys of life and life itself is a harmonious concoction of enjoyment and comraderie. Although the script has little to rely upon, and the performances too aren't as solid as they SHOULD have been, but Zoya Akhter makes it work with her light, warm observation. She doesn't overstuff the film with ridiculousness and gives it a hint of beauty and garnishing of romance. Go watch 'ZNMD'. I had a smile plastered on my face watching it.

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