Being Cyrus (2005) User Reviews

An Offbeat Stunner with true Box Office Potential

[amishcool · 7/10 · 14 December 2005]

The dark comedy Being Cyrus centers around the lives of a Parsi family, the Sethnas. From the film's name, expectations that conjure up are about a typical Parsi existence. But as the film gets underway and the plot unravels, you realize that it is far from that. The story brings out the dark sides of some seemingly ordinary characters, who eventually go to unbelievable lengths to achieve their goals.

Cyrus (Saif) shows up at the Sethna's at their Panchgani bungalow, and offers to be an assistant to pot maker Dinshaw (Naseeruddin Shah). He spends a year with them and in the process a romance seemingly brews between him and Katy (Dimple Kapadia), Dinshaw's wife. Other clandestine activities coincide with this; Cyrus receives some money for an undisclosed reason, and he is shown working on something in a lab setting. He then arrives at Dinshaw's brother, Faroq's (Boman Irani) house in a very Parsi locality in Mumbai. Faroq takes care of their father who lives in a room in their Mumbai apartment, and does not treat him too well. Cyrus befriends the father but Faroq loathes his proximity. Katy on the other hand, gets frequent calls from Mumbai, in a parallel unexpected development. Tina(Simone Singh) who is Faroq's wife, befriends a policeman Lovely (Manoj Pahwa), and their interactions provide good comic relief. In what follows, the plot slowly unfurls, revealing morbid and unanticipated sides of many personalities. The movie takes a shocking turn at one juncture and the few minutes around that scene unravel a range of unforeseen occurrences.

Saif's fist English movie, his lead character transitions from carefree sculptor's assistant to a starkly more somber character in a span of a few minutes. Naseeruddin Shah again plays the intoxicated old man following Iqbal; he is a reclusive pot sculptor who is hooked to a different kind of pot. Dimple Kapadia fulfills the role of middle aged vain Parsi lady, but her character could have been more believable. Boman Irani, originally Parsi, is at home with the characters and dialog delivery in this film. There is a scene where he gets into an argument with a Parsi lady about her pet dog which captivates the viewer with its authenticity and comedy. Simone Singh gives a good performance of an unassuming bride who transforms into something very different.

The film does not have songs, but the soundtrack is effective and did justice to the different moods. Some scenes could have used a more topical background score to build up and establish the importance of the scene. The use of English, not all actors' first language, causes some parts to come across as unnatural.

For a directorial debut, Homi Adajania's work is commendable and one wonders how he managed to clinch such a stellar cast on his initiation. He has shown his versatility in comedy and drama scenes as well as evocative dream sequences. Considering how unpredictable the plot is, it has been stitched together well.

On the whole, the movie has a few things going for it - the star cast, the plot and the direction. This one is not to be missed - an offbeat stunner with true box office potential.

Underlying secrets revealed in puzzle pieces

[Peter_Young · 8/10 · 30 July 2010]

Being Cyrus is a wonderful and intense psychological drama. It is a dark, comic, urbane and very interesting film about a young man who shows up on the doorstep of a dysfunctional Sethna family, led by a carefree sculptor named Dinshaw, who Cyrus claims to be a fan of. That's where he resides, working as Dinshaw's apprentice and assistant. Cyrus gets close to Dinshaw's adulterous and impulsive wife Katy. Through his narration and their relations the story presents us the other half of the family living in an old dilapidated building in Mumbai - Dinshaw's brother Farookh, who lives with his young bride Tina and their father Fardon, a neglected old man who is badly maltreated by his son. Thrown between these two families, Cyrus has to materialise a plan, which seems to be quite evident throughout the movie but is revealed only towards the end. The mystery is not solved until the film's final scenes. An engagingly complicated and twisted script is the strongest link of Being Cyrus. The film is riveting, symbolic and straight to the point. It is not your run-of-the-mill Bollywood film, it is a different and fresh product which celebrates its uniqueness, and that's one of the things it must be applauded for. Cyrus is a young sophisticated man whose silence often says more than his actual words. Saif Ali Khan brilliantly displays this aspect of Cyrus's nature. His narration is also very effective. Naseeruddin Shah does not disappoint in a greatly restrained act, but he actually does not have that much to work with. Dimple Kapadia, though very sexy as the neurotic Katy, is surprisingly disappointing and at times her acting looks forced. Boman Irani is excellent in his role. Simone Singh does very well, too. To sum it up, Being Cyrus is a fun watch. It is intelligently written and well directed, and it is only one hour and 25 minutes long, quite an exception.

Something Fresh !

[krishna_abhinav · 7/10 · 8 April 2006]

When I heard about this movie for the first time, what I had in mind was a lighthearted made-in-India English comedy. We have had quite a number of those in the last few years, English, August, Jhankaar Beats and the Hyderabad Blues couple to name a few. And I was even surer about it when I heard about the cast. What would you expect out of a movie which is called Being Cyrus and has actors like Saif Ali Khan, Boman Irani and Naseeruddin Shah? Well I was partly correct. It was a comedy alright! But it wasn't half as much 'lighthearted' as I had expected it to be. Being Cyrus turned out to be a dark, psychological drama concerning the lives of an individual named Cyrus Mistry(that's Saif) and a not-so-common Parsi family.

The acting by all the characters was, for most of the movie, quite superb. Naseeruddin Shah played his relatively brief role of a doped, absent-minded artist to near perfection. And so did Boman Irani in his of a loveless husband who is frustrated with almost everything life has to offer him. Simone Singh also does well in the portrayal of a coy, frightened wife, brave enough to indulge in her personal desires only in the absence of her strict, boring husband. But the surprise package in terms of acting is Honey Chhaya who plays the role of a forgetful old man harassed to the limit by his younger son. My personal favourite was the scene in which he, having chocolates and remembering his earlier years, looks up at the ceiling dreamily and says – "Those were the good old days". Manoj Pahwa, as Inspector Lovely, also manages to sneak in some hilarious comic moments. Dimple Kapadia is perhaps the only disappointment, overacting severely in many of her sequences.

The direction by debutant Homi Adajania is very fresh and promising and he couldn't have made a better start to his career. The storyline is not amazing but strong enough to take the viewer by surprise in the end. Yes, the movie doesn't have any songs to offer but music and sound play a somewhat major role all throughout the film, adding to its suspense and drama. Only the screenplay could have been a trifle better. At some points, it wasn't clear as to what the director was trying to say. And I don't believe that could have been intentional. Or maybe, it was.

I have saved the man in the lead for the end. Saif Ali Khan, in his first English film, has shown that he is capable of a lot more than playing the 'chocolate-boy' that he has traditionally done. He was perhaps not the obvious choice for the role of a distressed, orphaned individual but all would agree that he did ample justice to the task assigned.

All in all, Being Cyrus is a very entertaining first-time watch, if only for the difference it has to present. Seen independently, it would get a 6/10 from me. But as it happens to be one of the first of its kind, it deserves a nice 7.

Deserves a cult status

[AvinashPatalay · 22 December 2008]

First few reels gives you an impression of a documentary giving an insight into a Parsi life.

¤ Naseeruddin Shah:: We little mortals have no authority to question/ doubt/ comment on his body of work. Simply put - the act of the dreamer at its best.

¤ Saif Ali Khan: Just what the doctor ordered. Nobody could have fitted the role like "hand-in-glove" as Saif did.

¤ Dimple Kapadia: The "come-hither-passes" are neatly done, not a hint of slightest crass in it.

¤ Boman Irani: If you loved him in "Munnabhai MBBS", you will hate him in this one. The word "Pappah!" will ring in your ears. Simply put – he gets into the skin of the character.

¤ Simone Singh: "Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes" act done perfectly.

¤ Honey Chayya: Man, even his performance is so very genuine that you feel pity for "Fardounjee". Pay attention to the subtle nuances.

¤ Manoj Pahwa:: Luckily doesn't go OTT but still slightly loud.

A lot of effort has been put in pre-production which is visible in the witty script, tight screenplay, camera handling, dark toned look of the movie and the way the story unfolds/ narrated.

And yes, the last 20-minutes sweeps your feet away.

Where are you hiding Homi Adajania, roll on!

Great little film-noir from Bollywood!

[ajji-2 · 7/10 · 2 May 2007]

This recent Bollywood film had been lurking around the shops and I'd hear people refer to it as a 'different' 'offbeat' or 'art' film, not the usual 'masala' entertainment at all. Even though I fully realize that the hey-day of the Indian parallel cinema is over, I do keep on the lookout for the odd experiment or mixing of genres that filmmakers attempt every so often. Well, this turned out to be a hugely underrated little gem. It's off-beat alright, and doesn't have any silly musical numbers that plague the more mainstream Indian films. But what most reviewers and critics have failed to point out about it, is that it is really a good old-fashioned 'film noir', (albeit minus the moody lighting, and with a generous dose of humor) given a bit of post-modern sheen. It's a little too soft-edged (read: wholesome) and could have been a bit more atmospheric, but I suppose that for a first-time attempt, this is pretty good. The script is not as twisty or clever as it may seem at first (certainly won't fool any experienced film-noir buff), and I even guessed the 'big reveal' at the end, long before it came. But these minor quibbles do not get in the way of a thoroughly enjoyable tale, with many finely etched, memorable scenes (including a bizarre dream sequence). The performances vary, and the director seems unsure of the tone he wants his actors to take, but overall they are all good. Honey Chayya is particularly outstanding as the semi-senile old man Sethna. Naseeruddin Shah is wasted as the pot-head pottery maestro, but he plays the role well enough. Dimple Kapadia is a perfect portrait of a shrill, conniving, slutty middle-aged housewife. But Simone Singh is a little too pure and straight-laced (even when she's being shown 'rebelling' behind her hubby's back). Saif Ali Khan is just fine as the protagonist. All in all, a great little comedy/drama/thriller that doesn't outstay it's welcome, and at 83 minutes, is paced quite efficiently. No surprises for noir fans, but a pleasant enough ride through somewhat familiar territories, and an unexpected gem from the outskirts of Bollywood.

Fantastic alternate cinema coming from India

[Jeff_Stines · 9/10 · 22 February 2006]

I saw this film in New York last December (05) and couldn't believe that films like this are made in India. It was FABULOUS. The crowds were enough to demand another full-house screening but unfortunately union rules prevented the cinema from doing this. Though the film takes time to digest (the credit roll being sufficient), everyone I met after the film seemed very impressed. The director, Homi Adajania, has a very unique style of story telling. It's a bold blend of genres and calling it a black comedy would be the closest to describe it, yet not totally justified. It would be fair to say that Being Cyrus is truly an alternate film, but it certainly refreshes our take on Indian Cinema and i hope more films like this are weaved out to surprise and entertain us. Absolutely fantastic in the direction, cinematography and background score department. This Director is someone to watch out for in the future. It's a must see.

Just missed perfection.

[singh-amrit · 7/10 · 21 April 2006]

Well this one is different. Different from usual Indian films. Different in theme, treatment, narration, direction, story. Debutant director Homi shows great promise for the future, as he extracts great work from all the actors. Though he was blessed with some of the finest actors to work with, this fact does not reduces his good work. You expect a good show from Naseeruddin Shah, Boman Irani, Dimple Kapadia and good thing is they don't disappoint. Saif has sharpened his acting skills considerably, and it shows. So, all the recipe for a great film..?? Well almost..!! The director runs out of breath just as he was approaching the finish line, and churns out a rather low profile climax to an otherwise intriguing story. Still a great first effort. Watch it for its dare to be different, watch for it's amongst the finest English cinemas made in India.

A triumph of film-making

[V_Chandrakumar · 10/10 · 26 December 2005]

"Being Cyrus" might be Homi Adajania's first call of duty on the director's chair but it isn't the youngster first tryst with Indian cinema. Adajania has been an assistant in such films as "Bhopal Express" and "Everybody Says I'm Fine". And although these films spew a mix of quality and mush, nothing will prepare for you the stunning brilliance Adajania displays in his maiden venture. Making its grand premiere in North America and Europe, I happened to catch "Being Cyrus" at a film festival. A sold-out crowd here witnessed the birth of a great young talent in Adajania.

Much before the release of the film, Adajania had repeatedly stated that "Being Cyrus" in no way, shape, or form reflected Parsi life. He had deemed it to be a thriller laced with black comedy at its core with the Parsi aspect only being relegated to its characters. Written by Kersi Khambatta and Adajania himself, "Being Cyrus" focuses on six major characters and how their lives interconnect during the course of the film. One fine day, Cyrus (Saif Ali Khan), after a disastrous childhood, comes as a drifter and settles upon residence with the Sethnas'. It doesn't take much conviction for Dinshaw Sethna (Nasseruddin Shah), a retired dope-smoking sculptor, and his immoral wife, Katy Sethna (Dimple Kapadia) to accept him in their house willfully. At first, as Cyrus narrates, life went on without much of a dilemma. The initial scenes involve Dinshaw growing close to Cyrus, depicting a father-son relation, and Katy growing close with Cyrus in a flirtatious manner. Chaos ensues when the younger brother of Dinshaw, Farrokh Sethna (Boman Irani) and his father Fardounjee Sethna (Honey Chhaya) come in the picture. The foundation, of what appeared to be a solid, close-knit family, starts to crack. As Cyrus reveals through his narration, a long-standing feud looms over Dinshaw, Farrokh, Katy and their father. Without having to delve into further spoilers, problems embark upon the family with Cyrus' arrival and as the film goes deeper into each character's psyche, Cyrus also comes off with a revolting baggage of history which brings out his true colors as the film progresses. Keeping in the somber tone and mood of the film, Adajania delivers a whopper of a climax sure to jolt the viewer in marvel of the entire product.

Adajania's final concoction isn't totally devoid of flaws. Some of the portions of the film which dredges the minds of these characters and projects their thoughts on screen (a particular dream sequence seems phenomenal and repulsive at the same time!) seem forced and out of context with the utter realism "Being Cyrus" exemplifies. Other than these shortcomings though, for a debut venture, this is a landmark for director Homi Adajania. Not only does he deliver a first-rate feature, but he extracts fantastic work from his entire cast. Not a single faulty performance here. A rarity in Bollywood! In a act that surpasses his sterling work in "Ek Hasina Thi", Saif Ali Khan gives a towering act here as the title character and moves with such fluidity and finesse, from the rakish stranger to the cold-blooded monster he becomes in the process of cohabiting with the Sethnas, that it will leave the viewer in complete awe of the actor's talent. Dimple Kapadia never ceases to amaze. The woman still has the chops of a Tabu or a Konkona Sen when quality is presented before her. Another achievement for the established actress. Ditto for Boman Irani who is fast becoming the best character actor Bollywood cinema hasn't seen since the heyday of Nasseruddin Shah and Om Puri. Honey Chhaya (a riot here), Manoj Pawha (wonderfully rendering a foolish inspector here) and Simone Singh (graceful as Farrokh's wife) are all given meaty roles here by Adajania and return the favor by putting forth excellent work. Comparing to the five actors aforementioned, Nasseruddin Shah is given little to do as the stoner but does it in such an exquisite fashion that it shouldn't even come as a surprise anymore as he is undoubtedly one of the greatest thespians Indian cinema has ever produced. The camera-work, here by National Award Winner Jehangir Chowdhury ("Holi") is impressive, without having to employ picture post-card quality, as Chowdhury primarily relies on steadicam to demonstrate the grittiness that the characters of "Being Cyrus" possess. Editing is first-class with London-based editor Jon Harris in fine form doing the snip-work here. The biggest revelation, however, is the background music (no songs here folks) by Salim-Sulaiman which is simply mellifluous here. Barring their work in "Teen Deewarein" and, to an extent, "Ab Tak Chappan", Salim-Sulaiman haven't composed anything worth of mention. In "Being Cyrus", though, they make a firm stand with their most outstanding score to date. The superb dialogues and the highly original and taut screenplay comes courtesy Kersi Khambatta and Homi Adajania. Running at a frantic pace of 90 minutes, the majority of "Being Cyrus" is in English though there are sporadic instances of Gujrati thrown in there for good measure.

Above all, a tremendous kudos is in order for Homi Adajania for having the guts to take on such a audacious, bold venture as this for a debut vehicle. This is the definition of an offbeat film folks, a distant contradiction to the so-called "offbeat" rubbish we have been subjugated to from the degrading likes of RGV. Seeing as how 90% of films today just seem to work the good ol' formula to death while the others just profess to be "different", Adajania deserves the highest form of adulation for his remarkable vision as a filmmaker with "Being Cyrus".

Offbeat Dark Comedy.

[Amyth47 · 7/10 · 6 May 2020]

My Rating : 7/10

Just watched 'Being Cyrus' and found a little gem of a movie that takes parallel Indian cinema, comedy and psychological thriller genres to create a new type of experience for the viewer. The English-Parsi screenplay makes it a cracker of a dark comedy similar to one of Coen brothers.

A must-see if you like experimental stuff - while it's very common in Hollywood to make thrillers Bollywood unfortunately doesn't have a strong following except in recent times thanks to the success of 'Andhadhun' where it's become more acceptable.

Saif Ali Khan has quietly crafted a diverse filmography and one to be proud of!

Terrific!

[vijayshanks · 9/10 · 29 March 2006]

As you saunter into the movie hall and look on as the lights go off and the show begins, you begin to wonder if "Being Cyrus" is like those numerous clichéd bollywood style Hindi-English films a la Bollywood Hollywood, Bollywood Calling etc. Also who in this world is Homi Adjanaia? and how did he manage to pull off an ensemble cast with the likes of Naseeruddin Shah and Boman Irani not to mention the uber cool Saif Ali Khan for his debut film. The answer is all for us to see--"Being Cyrus" is a smashingly well crafted original film (So rare in India these days) that it leaves you wondering if Homi Adjania is really a first time director? The story moves back and forth between Panchgani and Mumbai essentially revolving around the lives and times of the not so normal, upper middle class Sethna Family and what happens when Cyrus Mistry (Saif Ali Khan) comes into it. Dinshaw Sethna (Naseeruddin Shah) is a pot head sculptor, perennially high on grass running a pottery school in Panchgani. He lives with his bollywood obsessed, chatterbox wife Katy (Dimple Kapadia). Cyrus joins as an apprentice to Dinshaw and becomes embroiled in a maze of complex relationships that involve Dineshaw's father Fardonjee Sethna(Honey Chayya), brother Farokh(Boman Irani) and sister in law Tina(Simone Singh).

Right from the first frame, this dark thriller engrosses the viewer in its many complex layers which are difficult to fathom at times. The entire film being in English has a lot of the lines cocooned in black humor may be over head transmission, but nevertheless are in line with the story and have a hammer strong impact if actually dissected and understood. The movie juxtaposes the protagonist (Cyrus)'s own story with the story of the Sethnas and this is where the movie hits a complete high. The editing is razor sharp and the bravura cinematography captures the Parsi household perfectly, whether it is the old building that Fardonjee owns in Bombay or the Panchgani house of Dinshaw. Adjania shows a careful eye for detail while reflecting the times of a typical Parsi family living in Mumbai. Boman Irani's white on white dress, his impeccably maintained vintage car, the wedding shot lend a feel of authenticity to the Parsi setup.Manoj Pahwa brings the house down with his high on testosterone, high on fat brash Inspector Maninder Lovely.

Naseeruddin Shah is apt for the role of the grass smoking lost in life artist. Dimple, sometimes over the top, nevertheless comes up with an effective portrayal of her Katy. Saif Ali Khan is subtly nuanced and gets under the skin of Cyrus quite intensely. Honey Chayya and Simone Singh are effective in their parts as Fardonjee and Tina Sethna. The scene stealer however is Boman Irani's Farokh Sethna. Boman brings out the cocky wickedness of Farokh quite magnificently that you hate him instantly. Be it the fight with the neighbor over a dog , or the appointment with the physiotherapist or his interactions with Fardonjee, Boman is a treat. Watch the film setting aside all mindsets, its a brilliant film.

Different/interesting

[AishFan · 6/10 · 20 July 2006]

Being Cyrus is a film that one would never expect to come out of Bollywood. It is more in the genre of independent cinema. A dark film indeed, Being Cyrus takes an extremely different approach to storytelling and formatting the movie. Haunting, abstract images run amok in strange, perversive ways foreshadowing and hinting at the hidden intents of the complex characters, all of which have ugly sides to their personalities and desires. The ending is quite interesting. However, the way the movie is presented does make it quite an intense challenge to grasp all the messages being thrown at the audience (which is purely intentional). This is one of those movies where you have to hammer your head hard to try to understand anything, but it is encouraging to see such bright, young talent coming out of India. Out of the cast, my favorite performance was that of Dimple. If you like dark/serious/indie flicks, this one's definitely for you.

An Awesome well made movie, A pleasure to watch, No unnecessary Drama, WELL DONE HOMI !!!

[youhanma · 10/10 · 24 April 2006]

What an amazing well made movie! The movie actually does have a very complex plot both Physiologically and sociologically but Homi's Direction make the movie simple to understand and a pleasure to watch!

I say complex Physiologically because it is, It takes you just enough into the depths of the minds of these two characters, namely Cyrus and Tina to make you understand that something is not right and the thrilling end explains it all. Sociologically because we see and hear about such things that happen to old people like Fardoonji on a daily basis in all communities and races in India and abroad (namely Mistreatment of older folks and sometimes even murder.) The Movie spends just enough time on all the aspects and issues which make it so interesting to watch. It touches upon the Idiosyncrasies of the Parsi Community, (but this could relate too and be true for any community as such) the dysfunctional family of the Sethna's and then delves into the psychology of two young kids messed up by years of abuse, all while keeping within the boundaries of traditional "Bawa" Humour!

Kudos to all of the stars as well, Saif Does an outstanding job with "Being Cyrus" and could very well be made an Honorary Bawa now. Dimple Kapadia and Nasrueidin Shah are absolutely brilliant and deserve to be nominated for some award, I don't care pick an award, ANY award! On the whole, a brilliant and well made movie, AWESOME JOB HOMI! You know industry insiders touted M.Night Shamalyan as the next Steven Spielberg in the US after the 6th sense! I think, if Homi Adjanina keeps up this trend he would definitely be the next Steven Spielberg of India!!! Bravo to this young Director!!!!!

A twisted tale...

[jonn_en · 7/10 · 28 March 2006]

I watched the movie after reading all the reviews N was expecting a movie that will reveal the dark secrets of a Parsi family. But it turned out to be completely different, it's no family movie, but a dark thriller. And as the director of the movie says, 'Can happen to anybody, not necessarily a Parsi family' which is very much true.

The premise of the movie is very simple, Cyrus comes to a Parsi family staying in Panchgani, starts an affair with Katy (Dimple). And after that starts the actual plot of the movie. Cyrus is paid some money by Dimple to do something and he leaves for Mumbai. There we meet the rest of the family and see its real face. But that's not all... as the movie progresses, you come to know the purpose with which Cyrus has come to Mumbai. There's one more plot running simultaneously in the movie... which is revealed only in the end... which was quite a surprise and something new. Definitely good for one time watch.

Where the movie lags is its Hollywood style of story telling and editing, though I found it OK as I watch quite a few Hollywood movies, I don't think many ppl will enjoy it that much. Secondly, the movie is dark and does not tell the good vs evil kinda story... its really very different. Technically the movie is good but is confusing at times, especially the dream sequences and scenes that follow after first murder. Tough I liked the movie, I don't think many ppl will digest the theme, coz the movie is promoted as a movie telling tale of a Parsi family, but in the end its something different. Moreover a lot of things are told in 90 mins, that can leave the audience guessing at times...

N honestly speaking, the Fat inspector was not at all required, they cud have done with a normal size Cop who speaks a bit less. I guess the director brought him in for some comic relief which I guess was not required... coz the movie was with its normal characters OK.

If you want to try something different, watch it... its a good movie... but a bit twisted.

I am happy, I am not Cyrus!!

[axesuk · 1/10 · 27 March 2006]

In this illustrious world of faking up, we all fall prey for all those techniques of masquerading the truth from us. I am happy that I am not Cyrus, for no one will ever aspire to be a Cyrus after watching "being Cyrus". Parsi family, Saif Ali Khan- The reborn-National award winning (Phew!), Naseeruddin shah, Boman Irani, The sexy old hag- Dimple kapadia, all these were enough reasons to spend a 100 or more bucks to watch "Being Cyrus".

Saif Ali khan – Was awful. He cannot be blamed; there was nothing much in the movie to act. He is a square-lipped Indian actor who was reborn after "Dil Chahata Hai". He was horrible in his dialogue deliveries. Lucky him, all of his weird facial expressions were not so evident because of Homo… oh..no. Homi Adjania's directorial capabilities. I think "dark humour" was too much to comprehend that I was almost glued to my seat and my jaws dint even open for a second, during the movie except for sipping some "kingfisher strong". Homi Adjania represents the socialite turned "conscious family lover". There is no passion in the work, there is no sentiments attached to the work. If something of that sort was expected to generate from the movie, all those where siphoned out with all those brisk camera movements and mercurial editing. For me, an editing style of the kind of "Pulp Fiction" or "Snatch" will never gather all those quotients that should have sufficed "being…"

Naseerudhin Shah as always was enigmatic in his ways, but he also dint have the scope to perform. He almost confined to the blurred vision of camera, in a vain and stupid attempt to glorify his Wife- Dimple kapadia. Her character over ruled his, when the reason behind her character being so is Naseerudin shah. That, seems like, was never a concern, of course, the overt expression of a slut gathers much attention than a reclusive husband. He just floated with his awesome mannerisms and did make an impact as an actor. The Indian way of appreciating an actor or an actress is to glorify them, when they are old. How precise it turns out to be in the case of Dimple Kapadia? For me, she was never awesome in Dil Chahata He, Except that she was toned up and was looking gorgeous. She is still, in "Being..." But was really horrible in her way of portraying the character. Boman Irani comes in to the picture and vanishes soon; it's really difficult to make any kind of statements about his acting because of his lack of presence on the screen. I agree that he did the quarrel scene very well; even I would have done that with ease. The police officer and Simone singh were there in the movie, where did I see them, what were they? Is Saif Ali khan being sentimental? Or has he gone "Mental", After killing all those people? Is he happy about "being cyrus" All these should be answered by Homo... Oh... no... Homi. I think Homi, wishes to be the "quentin Tarantino" of India, distorted camera angles and all those crisp editing, if he wishes so, his intuition is wrong.

"Being cyrus" turned out to be a pure gimmick played on the audience by Homi and Times Infotainment Media Limited, with all those Dark n crisp clips shown to us between all those news headlines.

Can't Miss This One!

[Sita_Mansi · 24 February 2006]

Though I'm from India, I saw Being Cyrus in New york while visiting there. I cannot believe that this is the director's first film?? It is so different from anything I have seen in India. The film is intriguing, simple and yet so complex, and very bold for a débutant filmmaker. One thing that you really appreciated from Being Cyrus is the originality. Originality in the way it's made reveals the unjaded imagination of this talented newcomer. The acting in the film is believable for a change, in spite of the characters being so bizarre. It is obvious that the actors are enjoying living their characters. And if there ever was a term like it, this is new-age cinema (for us at least)! I am so excited that it is releasing in India in March. Can't wait to watch it again. Really love the poster as well.

Like a famous ad campaign ... IT'S DIFFERENT!!

[kammaz · 6/10 · 3 April 2006]

"Being Cyrus" is ... well, ...about Cyrus (Saif Ali Khan). The film essentially centres around him and the other characters just provide him with the material to play his game. They are mere pawns in the game that he is very much the master of!

The film, as everyone probably knows by now, revolves around the fortunes, or rather misfortunes, of a Parsi family ... the Sethnas. There's Dinshaw, an artist to the core... eccentric, lost in his own little world ... completely oblivious, or seemingly so, to the immediate world around him. His wife, Katy ... a frustrated, scheming shrew, if ever there was one! One actually feels that she gets her just desserts at the end of the movie! On the other hand, one actually feels sorry for Dinshaw because he doesn't even realize what hits him ... and WHY!

The plot seems a bit convoluted and fuzzy at times. What, for example, does Katy pay Cyrus all that money for? What does Cyrus do with it? He's certainly not seen spending much of it! Why does he spend endless hours instead in a studio/workshop doing God alone knows what! Why, in the first place, DOES he go to Dinshaw's place, ostensibly to learn the ropes of fine clay pottery making? He doesn't seem to achieve very much there either ... since one merely sees him constantly trying to get seduced by his hostess, a nymphomaniac to the core! All is of course revealed at the end ... but till then, things seem a bit of a mystery.

Which brings me to the actual theme of the film. The suspense is very well maintained actually. It's a crime thriller with a difference. But, at least for a lay person like me ... some of what happens, seems totally uncalled for. Murder, euthanesia ... whatever you may choose to call it. There are also gaps ... After all, how can one get into another person's mind ...since the entire film is in flash-back? Things somehow don't quite add up.

The acting is good on the whole. However, Cyrus has such a perpetually bored, dyspeptic expression ... could have done without it, I feel! Dimple has over-acted a bit. Or perhaps she's meant to be hyper and irritating! But it still seems like a trifle too much of over-acting!

From the point of view of displaying the typical traits of a community ... I think "Being Cyrus", is certainly right up in the front. The places, the people, the degradation, the hopelessness ... it's all very well portrayed.

The one point which really struck me as being a bit odd was the lack of balance between the parts of the film prior to and post intermission. The second portion seemed to flash by and even before we knew it, the film had come to an end. It's like getting a jab in the arm and suddenly sitting up and going through the actions in super fast motion! The first portion, on the other hand, seems to drag a bit. Nothing moves ... it's like being in a state of suspended animation.

However, on the whole, I think the movie is well worth watching. If not for any entertainment value ... the film is worth watching for the sheer novelty of the plot.

Just the kind of role that Saif needed

[Odsingh · 8/10 · 2 July 2006]

I have always seen Saif Ali Khan as one of the most talented stars of Indian cinema. He is one of the actors who underwent enormous transformation in his career, and is today one of the rare entities in Bollywood who have style with even more substance.

Being Cyrus is not his best performance till date. And yet, it will probably always be remembered as one of his memorable roles because of the dark shades to his character.

The movie boasts of an incredible line of greats from Indian cinema, and a pretty good storyline. I will refrain from making any reference to the storyline since it is bound to give away something about the movie.

Overall, an enjoyable movie and something that you will probably want to watch more than once!

Mystery and Intrigue echoes

[HiddenVoice · 6/10 · 26 August 2006]

I wouldn't go on and compare this film with any Bollywood film or anything.This film is of international comparison.Finally,Bollywood changes.This is an interesting piece of work.Though,it never achieves perfection and nor is it great.It is at least a good attempt at something really out of the obvious,coming from Bollywood,you've gotta give credit to the writers.This is a bold,ambitious,smart piece of film making.Something like this coming from Bollywood,really caught me with huge surprise.This qualifies as a close comparison to other thrillers from Hollywood.

This Black Comedy begins with Cyrus Mistry narrating,lying down on some sort of hill,with a bag full of something.As we listen to his narration,we consider this man as an innocent,friendly person just looking for a job and a place to stay.So,we as an audience quickly befriend with Cyrus.He arrives at the doorsteps of Sethna Family.A retired Sculptor Dinshaw accepts him and takes Cyrus under his apprenticeship.But as the drama unfolds ,it becomes clear that Cyrus has plans of his own,and he changes their lives disastrously.

This mysterious Drama,that unfolds into a Psychological thriller, has a gripping atmosphere.It is a really ambitious move made by this young film maker and his vision is clear in the film.And it's only less than 90 minutes and has no songs.And I won't consider this a Bollywood film in any fashion,other than its Bollywood actors.It's smart,offbeat, with noirish touches.

Nevertheless,the film is flawed.Its characters are not fully realized ,other than the title character.And sometimes, some scenes were weakly conceived and seems forced.In particular,is the dream sequence which I don't understand what its intention was.Other problem is the Sethna family characters.Dinshaw's character seems to be as pointless as Dinshaw himself.And Katy's or Tina's character aren't properly developed.And so goes for the Farokh character.And the ending should have left an impact,whereas it was shocking and doesn't leave much impression, with ambiguous results.The film also feels incomplete.

But having said that,I would regard this as first real attempt to improve the qualities of Bollywood movies, which are dreadful in every respect.And only a few survive.Some of them are the ones I liked; Lagaan, Dil Se,Dil Chahta Hai,Asoka,Rang De Basanti and now this.

But this film stands out of that category.This should be analyzed separately as it is a unique feature in its own way.It's a intrepid move to change the Bollywood system.Even you may find it dark and depressing or incomplete at times,you'll definitely be hooked into the film's pacing.

Khan suits perfectly and perhaps the only actor who's character is so well written and more focused.Khan really pulls if off.His performance was comfortable and natural, and his moody narration really kept me entertained.He is the key character-actor of this film.One of the strong points of the film.He's got the flamboyant looks and he uses them to deceive the audience until he reveals the true agenda of his character.While Kapadia was convincing as an annoying and irritating wife,she over acts in many scenes,and really becomes hard to bear.Whether it was intentional or not,I don't know.But I hated her when she was on screen.She looks old and really ugly.Whereas, Shah, who has pretty much nothing to do like his character,seems dull.He's a clueless actor here.And I really thought his character should've given more depth than just smoking pot.I wouldn't really say Irani is the best actor in the film,he is actually close to what I said about Kapadia.But he does manage to be among the better actors of the whole bunch.He is funny,if you understand his Hindi.The guy who played the cop was okay,but also amusing when he shifts to Hindi.Simone Singh was okay.And the actor who plays Farokh's brother leaves a good impression.

The problem with the actors is,their accents.I sometimes couldn't understand what they were saying when they yell or shout or whatever they were saying at times.I've always considered Indian English as Lazy English.Where their accent is very lazy,they speak in a loose ,lazy ,sleepy way.And that's the problem with the actors.They are not convincing when they speak English, apart from Khan,who also has some problems.And the plot,which drags and nothing much happens until the end.

The entire credit should go to the Director.Had he hired Hollywood actors, the film would've been perfect.Since,a film like this require more talented and convincing actors.Especially the ones who could handle their accents well.The directors screenplay is well written, while not perfect, has its share of success.It feels like a screenplay written by a Hollywood writer.It's really a good concept.But the execution just can transcend from good to great.It's good but the film is flawed.I wouldn't regard this film his debut since he has such a distinctive control of the picture.His vision is easily presented on the screen,even it's ambiguous.A well done work and hope to see him do better movies in the future.This is,by the way, a great start.And hope he doesn't make the moves Farhan Akhtar made after his debut.

The film's biggest highlight was its score.It really moves swiftly and clears the flaws of the film.It's the true saving grace.Even if the score wasn't appropriately used in some scenes,it really heightens the intensity and mood of the film.It's the strongest point of the film. The cinematography was like any other Bollywood film.I was disappointed to see that the Editor of Guy Richie films has edited this one with nothing out of the ordinary.I thought it was edited by a Bollywood editor.It was just ordinary.

Despite many of the film's drawbacks,and shortcomings,it still is a very good first attempt.It succeeds to be different and new.Hopefully, we will see more of these films.It can't be perfect since it is flawed and it's a first timers film.And like some first timer,he leaves a really good impression but fails to leave a mark.Hope,Bollywood learns something from this.

Being Honest

[SelvarajanK · 8/10 · 28 March 2006]

Homi Adajania misses the century by few runs, but no worries even Dravid missed one on his debut. Yes, its a brilliant start for him as a story teller. I remember seeing sixth sense, it wasn't too great a movie(every one will agree me on that) till I saw the climax, that's where the brilliance lies. Its the package of the film that's makes directors GREAT. Well, Homi can pat himself for his honest original attempt and not trying to remake any of classic English thrillers in Hindi.

I thought the first half was little too long in describing things which weren't related to the title. I felt a lot of attention should have been given to Cyrus which i think lacked except the dream scene. Unfortunately you actually cant really draw the outline for Cyrus, which you do with other character. The cinematographer and editor make you eyes busy with colors and cuts. I thought Salim-Sulaiman still has a hangover of Booth, cause the music in the first half was little loud for the way the movie opens and proceeds till interval, but they did make up in the second half with the sound. All characters where apt in their roles, but i still think the director ran out of wine when feeding Saif and Shah.

If not the best movie i ever saw, its a brilliant and a honest movie from AN India for which i can be proud of. For me the hero is Homi Adajania, HATS OFF.

Powerful performances, weak plot

[jaispd · 6/10 · 3 April 2006]

Another addition to the several, recent well-done movies by a new and adventurous breed of Indian film-makers, Being Cyrus must be watched once, and must be watched closely. It promises you insight, a view, a disturbance. But, in my opinion, it falls short of its promises on two fronts. But first things first, let's agree that it has some really impressive performances, especially Naseeruddin, Dimple, and Boman. On Saif, let's hold on for a while! Intense and riveting cinematography, taut dialogs, and an elating flavor of art bursting from the frames, make this movie what it's worth. The characters have been crafted well, and performances are to match. Naseeruddin takes the cake, however, as the artistic dope, who lives in his own world of images and beauty. The movie takes you to a certain height with an easy flourish, and all you eagerly wait for that eventual flight into another world, another view, a different take on life...but you keep waiting, and the movie self-aborts.

This brings us to the first front on which the movie fails. The movie promises a closer look at the darker side of our lives, the twilight of good and evil that makes our daily, mundane worlds. But the closer look it offers remains just a trailer, and doesn't touch the breast...as they say. One remembers '1947 Earth' in this light.... That good and evil coexist and the intermittent tussle between the two, now noisy, now miffed, haunts our lives, doesn't hit you in the face. The movie ends up being an exalted thriller-like stuff. The other front, related to the first, is a more serious failure. The pain of recognition of the good and the evil within oneself, to which Cyrus is doomed; the trauma of 'being' Cyrus, living without the illusionary scaffoldings of goodness that support us all, doesn't seem to trouble our protagonist (except in a 20 seconds dream)...at least till the very last scene when he realizes that he has had enough. We do not get a glimpse, leave aside feel, the internal strife in Cyrus. We don't know what goes on inside Cyrus' head, what his heart says; to us, he is opaque. Hanging to this half-bloomed plot, the character of Cyrus, evidently enough, doesn't shape up.

Now, about Saif. With a weak plot, the main character becomes undemanding. While all other characters are so well defined, the fuzziness of Cyrus' character hits you even more. Nothing much can be really said about Saif's performance, then. He is indeed excellent, but imagine and replace Saif with anyone of the new breed: Abhishek, Akshay Khanna, even Rahul Bose, and you get the same results! Being Cyrus, you must watch, because it talks of crucial things, at least it claims to! But forget about returning back home with that gnawing, disturbing heaviness of an idea stuck in your head.

Another trivia seems unavoidable here. The multiplex-enabled experimentation in Indian cinema has created an upswing for movies with a certain, vaguely definable texture. Remember the various NRI movies? In this upswing, where we get really outstanding and new stuff, we also tend to overrate plots/characters that are not all that new, or impressive. In fact, the experimentation going on is in fact too confined in its sweep to urban, middle class India, and the images that it believes in and identifies with. There is lot of hype, and intellectual feel-good about such movies, a buoyancy that is not necessarily substantiated by content.

Cyrus, is, me, from Jamshedpur!

[rshyam80 · 9/10 · 17 April 2015]

I should say, I had to connect to this movie, as my story in bits and parts, because I was born in, Jamshedpur, have two elder sisters, and both married, while one sister lives with her husband, my dad lives alone. Fardoonji, resembles my dad, in, Mumbai, as a widower. The main resemblance of the story is, I frequented between, Chennai and Jamshedpur, during my vacations!

For a second, when I watched this film, I felt, they mentioned the name, Shyam, somewhere in the movie! It was so strongly related to my own story, "Had to obey my sister all the time, and didn't have a life of my own!".

While, the story has been relevant, the twists and unexpected suspense is where, they added their own fiction. It's not completely original, because, every story has some real incidents! But, a wonderful movie overall!

And, we did have many parsis in, school, and the Tatas. I started my schooling with, Hill Top School, and the Sethnas, live on a hill top, in the movie, which resembles the location of the cliff, at Hudco Dam, Jamshedpur!

New age Indian cinema has barged in

[nskanyal · 8/10 · 26 March 2006]

Well, guys bar is getting higher with each such movie, each new-comer bend on out-beating the last one; more importantly film-watchers are getting more intelligent, with better film sense; so you filmmakers of yester-years better watch out and get serious on film-making, else there won't be much of masses left in few more years to tolerate all the crap you have been feeding them. 10 years ago, no one would have even believed bollywood to be capable to come up with such a movie (or may i say even 5 years). Last few years have been a revelation for the Indian cinema. it has come up with lot of experimental ideas - some of the most novel ideas ever presented. Parallel cinema is getting closer to the commercial cinema - i am waiting for the day, when there won't even exist terms like that. Multiplexes in India are lot to credit for that, giving opportunity to creativity, which have been able to create a niche of such audience, who support these movies. Now you Indians can recommend your non-Indian friends with a bollywood movie.

A 90 minutes movie, in English, with no songs, not an iota of emotions being presented (in whatsoever relation possible between the characters - well this is, I would say even worse than reality). I won't rate it as an all time great movie, but definitely its nice, well made and deserves at least a one time watch. Well, when you pick such power-packed performers in one movie, you have fair chances of getting it all right (unless you overdo your characters) and you are definitely gonna come with an "above-average" movie. In all it must take a lot of guts for the first time director to execute such a different idea and that too while working with such a great performers - undoubtedly, some of the best in the Indian cinema.

The plot has been very good and very well executed, with suspense hanging in there right till the end.. moods swinging serious to comedy ... black comedy to say the least, exploring the various human relations... I would not delve into more details of the movie, lest it costs into divulging the suspense of movie, but watchers be better ready for shock at the turn of events in the movie, when some seemingly unassuming characters reveal their true faces and others with dark side get even more darker.. totally unpredictable movie.

Dubutante director has given a stellar performance, he himself must had had a hell of time dealing with expectations of such great actors. Saif Ali Khan need not prove himself anymore, he had played so many versatile roles in last few years. The guy is getting better with each performance and he is one of the most reliable and bankable actors. In his generation, except Aamir Khan, he gives run for money to all others in bollywood. Naseer plays a sculptor, who now lives in obscurity, is hooked more to pot than anything else, spends his life along with his all day hallucinations. Dimple Kapadia is quite convincing in her slutty wife role. Boman Irani, the only parsi in real life is also the most convincing of all. Rest of the crew is also pretty good.

An awful movie

[oo_la_la_us · 1/10 · 15 April 2006]

It's an awful movie. - There is no story whatsoever. Attempts have been made to capture the psyche of people and make a movie - fails miserably. The links are broken and there is no logical flow to the film. Cyrus walks into a Parsi family,and tries to see thru the psyche of that family - 2 brothers,their wives,and the father.He finally kills the father and elder son, for weirdly complicated reasons dating back to his childhood.The other son and his wife are charged for the murders.He walks out and feels he is free again.There is no head or tail to the movie. Do not know what was the hype about.Its a different movie - yes, but leaves no mark of its own.

A brilliant Indian English Film

[ayanpal1 · 10/10 · 12 July 2009]

First things first...This film is directed by a débutante director: Homi Adajania who also doubles up as a screenplay writer (his 1st attempt at that). Homi, an Ex model has acted (more of a special appearance) in just one more movie and hasn't made any other movie since this movie was released. Now why am I saying this? Well, simply because I feel this is a fabulous piece of work and the directer/script writer better get down to working on a film soon for man... is he a genius or what?!!! This film is brilliant, not only as an Indian English film, but simply because its a riveting piece of work that can and should be enjoyed by audiences anywhere in the world. The story begins with the entry of Cyrus, a fan, into the lives of a forgotten maestro sculptor living a life of obscurity in Panchgani with his buxom wife and soon turns into a forbidden tale of intrigue, passion and greed, interpreted mostly in first person by Cyrus. Every single member of a stellar cast pitches in with a great performance...Be it Naseeruddin Shah as the eldest son of a dysfunctional Parsi family, Dimple Kapadia, his glamor hungry wife, Boman Irani, the younger son living in Mumbai with his much younger wife - Simone Singh, or Saif Ali Khan as Cyrus, the teller of a tale that is most likely to send a shiver down your spine, every actor is in character and have put in brilliant performances. As Cyrus himself says at the end of the film 'the king and pawn do end up in the same box after a game of chess' Well they do and how! Saif Ali Khan is fantastic as Cyrus pitching in a performance that would undoubtedly rank amongst his finest. The screenplay is taut, the editing crisp, the dialogs extremely real, the cinematography fantastic and last but not the least, a brilliant score by Salim Sulaiman. This film has all it takes to be watched irrespective of whether you are an Indian/Parsi. Go for it!!!!

great cinema !!

[kallukallamkalia · 9/10 · 26 November 2007]

Being Cyrus is a film that nudges you gently into the world of a dysfunctional Parsi family, exposes the cracks in it through the eyes of a character who has his own idiosyncrasies.

Much unlike the Bollywood films where everything is open and in your face, 'Being Cyrus' speaks in subtle metaphors. Several threads in the story are interconnected at various points of unraveling and the denouement is sure to take you by surprise.

'Being Cyrus' hardly looks like a debut attempt at direction. Homi Adajania has made a very slick movie that has elements of Film Noir. Added to that, the movie deftly balances its grave and pessimistic shades with quaint humour, courtesy Boman Irani and Manoj Pahwa.

Irani needs a special mention for his performance in the film. He is thees interwoven at crucial moments in the screenplay. The background musi contemptible, loathsome, uncaring man who also displays moments of satirical, derisive humour. Particularly worth noting is the sequence in which he picks up fight with his neighbor.

Equally impressive is Manoj Pahwa in his marginal role as the police inspector. Pahwa chips in some good comic moments in this otherwise serious fare.

Saif Ali Khan fits extremely well into his complex character of Cyrus Mistry. Naseeruddin Shah, as usual, excels in the role he portrays. Playing Parsi characters is particularly Shah's forte. Dimple Kapadia is adequate, but there are certain scenes in which hamming is quite apparent.

'Being Cyrus' is certainly a piece of good quality cinema. The movie's story unspools at a rhythmic pace with dream sequencc and the story's ambient setting have a haunting feel.