Silsiilay (2005) User Reviews

Proof that just adding SRK to the cast does not a good movie make.

[bleepnik · 4/10 · 4 August 2005]

3 decent/good actresses, 3 pretty bad actors, 3 somewhat boring vignettes, 1 ever-excellent supporting actress, 1 SRK.

Add a few mediocre songs marinated in some really atrocious music. Let simmer for 134 agonizing minutes.

Is there anything good about the flick? Sure. When it comes to acting, Divya Dutta once again shines in her perpetual supporting role as Bhoomika Chawla's younger sister. As far as content, the flick's been called vulgar, and crass, and completely unnecessary. Is it an effort to eschew our desi moral code and espouse Hollywood's? Hardly. As amateur an effort as it is, Silsilay is still an attempt to look at life as most of the world lives it. Casual sex is simply a fact of life, whether or not we agree with it. By attempting to portray a small slice of reality, Bollywood is acknowledging that we live in less morally restrictive times, not advocating promiscuity. In that regard, Silsilay is to be commended.

Weird movie - two poor episodes, one good one

[AishFan · 4/10 · 8 October 2005]

This movie is really screwed up. It seems to do nothing but just glamorize pre-marital sex. The episode with the porn was really dumb and proved how superficial that relationship was. Bhumika Chawla's character definitely seemed to have a mental problem as one minute she's about to kick Rahul Bose out of her house and the next she wants to have one last intercourse "for old time's sake." That's when you know it's time to give up on this movie. Then comes Tabu as the film's last, desperate effort to somewhat satisfy anyone who is still watching this movie. Tabu's story actually has depth to it. As always she acts excellently making all the other stars in the film look lame. However, I still don't get what is up with her stepson making intimidating, erotic calls to her. Songs are not bad but not great either.

The worst so far........from Khalid Mohamed

[javedakhtar1942 · 4/10 · 13 August 2005]

Khalid Mohamed's earlier films Fiza and Tehzeeb were good. Fiza was about search for a brother by a sister, the brother turns out to be an Islamic militant after communal violence that he witnessed as a child. The film had beautiful music by Anu Malik and a guest composition of Rehman AR. Then came Tehzeeb, a tribute to Bergman by Khalid. Tehzeeb is actually Hindi version of Bergman's Autumn Sonata. Bergman is known for his films where relationships take important place. Now, Khalid comes up with Silsilay.

The film is just the opposite of its poetic title. I guess this film does not take any inspiration from any 'good' move/novel/incident. Khalid perhaps was (re)viewing too much the sleaze films that have hit the Indian screen. So, this film turned out to be a mix: of relations as in Tehzeeb and the movies that I suppose Khalid was reviewing. The ideal story line for this film became 'relationship between male and female' Its (re)presentation on the screen turns out to be 'sexual relationships' between partners. Unfortunately, Khalid made the 'relationship' as 'relationship in bed'.

The music is the worst, perhaps, best suits the film!

I would like to end this by recording my sincere regret, disbelief of having seen a film of this type from what I thought a sensitive film maker like Khalid.

I do not recommend this movie to anyone, rather I am happy to suggest watching his other films Fiza and Tehzeeb.

A bad movie with only one decent performance by Tabu

[jahangirhussain74 · 30 May 2012]

Silsilay is a very bad movie about three women trying to cope with broken relationships.

The film's stories are told in parts by Shah Rukh Khan who acts as a sutradhar (narrator).

The first story is about a rising star of Bollywood, Zia (Bhumika Chawla). Zia was in love with a bookie named Neel (Rahul Bose). She gets pregnant and he dumps her. This leads to Zia's nervous breakdown and she finds solace in alcohol and a bullying sister, Dia (Divya Dutta, miscast!) The second story is of Anushka (Riya Sen, miscast too!) who is a receptionist. She loves a playboy named Nikhil (Ashmit Patel) who is only interested in sex. Anushka is unaware of Nikhil's womanizing ways. Her colleague Tarun (Jimmy Shergill) harbors romantic feelings for her but has not found the courage to tell her. Anushka's story is the worst and soulless part of the movie.

The third story is the most touching and without it, the film would've fallen flat on its face. It's about a high society housewife, Rehana (Tabu). She is the second wife to a business magnate, Anwar (Kay Kay Menon). Anwar is a womanizing bastard who has been in rather open affairs with girls. But Rehana decides to turn a blind eye on them. Rehana has a stepson Inayat (Karan Pathanky) who is an incest as he secretly harbors lustful feelings for his step mother.

As mentioned above, the third story and Tabu's performance are the only good thing about Silsilay.

Bhumika Chawla was good in parts but her actions in the climax could've been better explained. She's showing a huge improvement as an actress. Well, about Riya Sen, the less said the better. She's totally miscast in the role of a naive, young, small-town girl. Her facial expression is very stiff and she cannot emote through her eyes. This type of role called for her sister, Raima Sen, who is an actress of substance. Tabu is a magnificent actress. Any doubts about her brilliance will immediately be dispelled after watching this movie. She has the most expressive eyes and her hard-hitting dialogues will hit you right in the heart.

The other supporting casts are not that great. None of them raise above their expectations.

Silsilay is a film you better avoid. Watch this film once for Tabu!

What women don't want...

[Sherazade · 3/10 · 26 March 2006]

is for SRK to do these sort of films! He looked like an idiot up there, introducing us to the main characters, as if we don't have eyes or brains to make the connections and stuff ourselves. It was really irritating to see SRK's smirk every time sometime went wrong with these women, like his life is perfect or something! He really ruined this film for me. The three stars and I am managing to rate this film is strictly for Tabu's performance only, she is like the one good apple in a basket full of crappy ones. Riya Sen is the worst offender, here as a virginal girl who acts like she needs a lobotomy or something. Mind you, she is just as horny as her crazy boyfriend Ashmit but she still can't decide whether she wants to have sex! how logical is that? And don't get me started on Bhomika! She ruins her perfect roles with incessant whining and acting like the world is against her. I know that this is what they told her to act but she could have handled it better. It didn't even seem like she was acting, it seemed like I was watching a reality series of her life. The premise of the film is to show you the messed of lives of three women and at the end of the film they show you how all three are connected in ways they do not know. Bhomika's character is after a boyfriend who doesn't want to be with her, Riya's character is trying to decide whether or not to have sex with her player boyfriend (played by Ashmit Patel, Amisha's brother) and Tabu (the only saving grace in this film) plays a Muslim woman who married a widower who begins to cheat on her and whose son is infatuated with her. And they had the nerve to call this film "Sisiilay, what women really want" according to whom? Indian society? Give me a break! No woman in their right sense of mind would want any of the crap that happens to these three women! And shame of you Shah Rukh Khan for standing up there smirking and dancing like you were talking about a fairytale. You better pray that your marriage does not go wrong because if it does, I will take a film course, become a director and make a film about your life!