Daraar (1996) User Reviews

WAY too much violence!

[crystalbloo92 · 4/10 · 29 November 2005]

Daraar got off to a pretty good start. The first scene really left me at the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. Other than that, the first half of the movie is a total BORE. All the first half of the movie is about is Rishi Kapoor falling head over heels in love with Juhi Chawla. By the way, don't you think he's a little old for her???

Things finally start to spice up towards the middle of the film when Juhi tells us about her previous husband; and wow what a lunatic is he! He was an over-protective, neat-freak with a really HOT TEMPER! He used to beat up poor Juhi for no good reason! One of the reasons I really don't like this movie is because I can't stand to see Juhi (my favorite actress) get so abused. This film in general has WAY too much abuse and bloodshed; I find it so sickening!!!

Anyway, all I'm trying to say is if you're thinking about renting Daraar, you should put it right back on the shelf where you found it and pick something else!

Run, Don't Walk away from this movie!

[gulabi · 5/10 · 2 June 2001]

Ouch! I paid how much for this on DVD???

I didn't want to bother writing this review, but the movie was so horrible that the memorable parts really got trashed by the rest of the movie.

The plotline is quite similar to that of "Sleeping With The Enemy". The opening scene was quite good, and had given me hopes that the rest of the movie would be equally enthralling. Arbaz Khan, in particular, I think ruined the movie. He is not a good fit for the role of the estranged husband. Though he can deadpan quite well, he does not have the menacing presence that is a must for this role. I had more of an urge to burst out laughing than to be cowed in his "psycho" scenes. Juhi Chawla is the acting/presence highlight of the movie. Rishi Kapoor, well, he's in it. He can still show us some moves, but don't look at anything else.

If you are a fan of experiments with animation/live cinematography, you will like one of the song sequences with Juhi and Rishi. It was done very well and was a treat to watch.

Overall, a 5 out of 10.

A flick where Juhi tries to be Julia

[paribadar · 5/10 · 24 July 2007]

Even though its a remake but its a fun one to watch. Just can't believe actor like Rishi Kapoor has acted in both remakes of sleeping with enemy. Acting here is bit serious then in Yaarana. Juhi is in Julia's shoes and its very much the same movie but with few changes. A masala mix that every bolly film has. Songs and love and comedy by Johnny lever. Johnny Lever adds on little fun to a violent film. Juhi gets 5/10. Arbaaz Khan was excellent at most of movie and he gets 9.5/10. Overall i think its worth of rental or free watch. People watch so many others film that are weird but this one isn't that bad either. It has twist at the end which Sleeping with enemy didn't had and just few things are added and changed but its exactly the same. A novel turned into a motion picture and then to a bollywood remake. Its better than Yaarana if you aren't Madhuri fan.

Just doesn't work

[anthony_fernandes80 · 3/10 · 7 December 2012]

Daraar was the third remake of Sleeping with the enemy and is saved from being the worst only because Yaraana was that bad. Agnisaakshi was the only film that managed to work both in terms of BO as well as critical and audience appreciation.

The kings of suspense, Abbas Musataan did try to bring novelty with their treatment. If one has no idea what the film is about, the introduction sequence, which is muted with the background score, manages to generate interest. That probably is the only good thing about the film. From there on, it goes downhill.

Casting is another problem. The good actor that he is, Rishi Kapoor was old to play this role. And also he had played the exact same role in Yarana. The exact same role! Rishi Kapoor has also enacted in 2 of the Hindi remakes of the Hollywood flick Coming to America - Prem Rog and Pehla Pehla Pyaar. Juhi Chawla was good. She was even nominated at the Filmfare awards for her portrayal of the battered wife. Incidentally, Madhuri Dixit was also nominated for playing the same role a year earlier in Yarana. It was Manisha Koirala, who featured in the only successful remake of this Hollywood film (Agnisakshi) and wasn't nominated! Now that's irony. Arbaaz Khan made a confident debut and earned his first (and probably only) Filmfare award.

Abbas Mustaan's films always had hit music and his association with Anu Malik usually sold well. This time, the combination failed. The music, at best, was below average. None of the songs are worth remembering, even though a couple are rip offs of Pakistani Hits (something Anu Malik is famous for).

The direction was alright, but given bad casting, everything seemed unbearable as the film went on and on. And the climax was absolutely criminal. I expected so much more from Abbas Mustaan. The badshaahs of suspense cinema had delivered a big dud.

A poor show all the way!

[jahangirhussain74 · 29 June 2010]

Director duo Abbas-Mustan who gave us decent thrillers like Khiladi and Baazigar failed to deliver this time They tried to make a trashy remake of the Hollywood thriller 'Sleeping with the Enemy'. After all, this movie was already remade two times in Bollywood as 'Agnisakshi' and 'Yaraana' which flopped badly.

Juhi Chawla was the only star who shined throughout the movie. Rishi Kapoor should STOP acting like a romantic nut and that is. Arbaaz Khan is totally unconvincing as the abusive husband. His dialogue delivery is horrible and he must do something about his menacing voice. Johnny Lever, again, is a total bore. His comedy routine doesn't go well with the plot which is otherwise serious.

Music is average. Editing is okay. Cinematography could've been better. At the box-office, a total no-go.

A mix of genres and a plot already seen (taken from an american movie whose title is named in the comment)

[mauzichi · 5/10 · 30 April 2003]

Thanks to italian sat television we have been watching Bollywood movies for an entire week. Frankly this is not the one we like most. We preferred, for instance, Ghatak, or the much more coherent "Josh". In "Daraar" so many genres are mixed, and the movie is nice when the director makes the love story go on, with a beautiful indian ballet (played by lots of people who were crowding a bus just a second before!) and lovely songs. But then, it turns suddenly to a thriller, whose plot is completely inspired by the american movie "Sleeping with the enemy". What a pity! Besides being a "déja vu", fascination of hindi movies lacks completely in the second half.

Weird

[ALittaM · 25 April 2003]

This was the first Bollywood movie I saw and, frankly, it disappointed me. It has all the cliches of indian musicals and a very lame plot. If you are thinking about renting it, pick something else.

3 out of 10.