Tamasha (2015) User Reviews

Very good.

[Amyth47 · 8/10 · 11 February 2019]

My Rating : 8/10

This is rather experimental for a Bollywood rom-com and I found it to be very enjoyable. The second half is on another level for a movie from this genre.

Some very good cinematography, brilliantly edited, the songs are well-placed and fun, the acting is awesome, all in all : a REALLY good Bollywood rom-com is what you have here.

Highly Recommended.

Awesome movie...will be loved by those who don't love Bollywood typical movie

[pratyushchauhan · 8/10 · 27 November 2015]

Superb direction, superb movie, superb acting and yes Imtiaz Ali did it again. Not a Romeo Juliet movie like love, separating and then happy ending. It is different from routine love stories. A powerful message of an ordinary human with a powerful expression of unorthodox. Coming to cinematography beautiful scenic locations with awesome camera work.Literally an unconventional experiment to be watched for its writing & making !!! Second half goes for Ranbir and Deepika is cute as always.

At last these types of movies regain faith about Bollywood. We can also do it Hats off >>>>>> Amazed

"Choose Your Own Story,Its Your Life ! "

[afsalthodupuzha · 8/10 · 6 December 2015]

Imtiaz Ali's fondness with regard to exploring life and free rein was evident in all his films in the past may it be Highway,Jab We Met or Rockstar,and Tamasha too falls on the same line,nevertheless being a really intriguing piece of film-making that has trademark Imtiaz stamp throughout the narration.

'Agreed All The World's A Stage' as Shakespeare quotes in his famous play,but there's always a chance to decide or re-write your own story rather than waiting for someone to write yours and act in consequence - an interesting thought that's exploited many a times before have been recycled here,but with finesse by Imtiaz in this the movie that prompts millions like Ved (Ranbir Kapoor)to choose their own destiny-An inspirational affair in all means!

Ironically,Tamasha begins with a stage play about a robotic man caught between the mechanized life and his love,which symbolizes Ved himself as we get to know in the progress of the story.The film is all about protagonist Ved caught in the dilemma of identity crisis and his reinvention of himself after he make acquaintance with free-spirited Tara (Deepika Padukone).

The complexity in presenting the lead characters and their emotions goes a bit overboard unlike other films from Imtiaz,but manages to engage till the end,thanks to soulful score by A.R. Rahman,beautiful visuals by Ravi Varman and foremost the lovely chemistry that Deepika & Ranbir share with each other.

The movie can boast of some brilliantly shot sequences like the vibrant and quirky adventure in Corsica (Teja Ka Sona)hilarious conversation between Ved & his boss,Tara's catching up with Ved for the second time and Ved confessing his story to his parent that stands out in the narrative that's a bit lengthy around 151 minutes giving a feel of minor lag particularly in the second half.

The film is certainly not for the usual masala audience in the north who are more into thoughtless entertainers in the recent past,the reason why the movie is finding it difficult to register big numbers at the B-town box office.For someone who loves the medium called cinema and respects the genuinity of a film maker Tamasha and the lead characters are to find a place in the heart for sure.

When Ranbir steals the show with his matured portrayal of protagonist Ved,Deepika's charm and innocence will make anyone fall in love with Tara in no time.The quirkiness that Ranbir and Deepika instill to the characters whenever needed is unmatchable and lifts the mood when the storyline falls in the dark patch for an instant.

Songs and backgroundscore by A.R.Rahman couldn't get better and added another dimension to the narrative.All the songs were perfectly suiting the storyline,with my personal favorite being"Tum Saath Ho" rendered by Alka Yagnik & Arijit Singh.The cuts by Aarti Bajaj could have been better.Cinematography by Ravi Varman was impressive.

Overall,Tamasha is a wakeup call for finding our true self,an enjoyable fare that's worth the money invested.Longing to see Imtiaz try something hatke next time from this similar plot though.

Do Not Believe The Crap You Hear About the Movie!

[parasagrawal3 · 9/10 · 13 December 2015]

Indian audiences are so used to being force-fed crap that they fail to digest quality cinema. I expected a lot from Tamasha since the first trailer aired and was disappointed by the generic reviews i kept hearing from one and all. After much courage, i decided to watch the movie almost a month after its release and was kicking myself for letting grapevine influence my decision to delay the movie.

RK and DP have taken love stories to the next level with Tamasha. Imtiaz has outdone himself from a directorial standpoint as you will notice hints of Anurag Kashyap, Vishal Bhardwaj and even Fight Club in the second half. To be honest, i was never a big fan of DP but after Tamasha i cant ignore her acting prowess. What a stellar supporting cast. Piyush Mishra swishes his magic with whatever screen time he gets and inks his name on some of the most intense scenes in the movie. Tamasha has to be one of Bollywood's most intelligent and intelligently made movies. You can sense Imtiaz's love for street plays in the movie along with some of his own inhibitions being mirrored through RK's performance. RK is undoubtedly the best Bollywood actor at this point. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. He is not only better than any of the Khans (who have undeservedly ruled Indian cinema) but brings a sense of theater acting while carrying a money making face. With Tamasha RK is definitely back!

The beauty of the songs not only lies in the music and the lyrical quality but also in the timely placement.

Please watch this movie for a lovely cinematic relief..

Imtiaz Ali's most complex product till date

[AmanAjmani · 10/10 · 27 November 2015]

I was damn excited for a movie with the deadly combo of Imtiaz Ali and Ranbir Kapoor including AR Rahman (cherry on top). I loved Rockstar, it was among one of my favorites in 2011. Which automatically made Tamasha my most anticipated movie of 2015 and damn was I spot on.

Tamasha is a visual treat, a movie with a PURE soul attached to it. There was a constant smile stuck on my face throughout its 139 min of runtime. Ranbir Kapoor's performance literally gave me awe-bumps (you know like goosebumps). Dayum, he's an excellent actor cum artist. Deepika was magnificent. And the songs, man. Each and everyone of it is bound to snug around your ears throughout the year.

Now let me get this straight, those who criticize this masterpiece are the same audience who disliked Rockstar, not because it was bad or something, it's just that they don't get it. They do not understand these kinda films. It's a piece of art. And I don't blame my fellow Indian audience to not to get along with these musical dramas, 'cuz they're way more inclined to commercial movies and the basic recipe of Bollywood masala crap. It's their comfort zone, and these movies make them uncomfortable.

Well, I'm shocked seeing negative remarks or even mixed reviews on such an extravagant cinema. But well, worry not 'cuz Imtiaz Ali's works are always slow burners and within a week or so Tamasha will begin. ;)

This movie compelled me to write my first review.

[chefafzal · 10/10 · 28 November 2015]

When I went Horse ridding for the first time, the next day there was a lot of pain in parts of my body that I didn't even know existed.I had a similar feeling last night after watching Tamasha. Imtiaz Ali to me is a director who gave us Jab We Met and many good movies, but I don't watch movies for the directors as geniuses have a tendency of losing it. But Ali seems to have matured like a bottle of Vintage wine.I couldn't help but noticed that people had mixed feeling of the movie, well sometimes you don't have to understand something a 100% just to see and know how beautiful it is, Tamasha is without a doubt beautiful. I cannot tell you more about the movie without revealing spoilers, so I won't. But what I can tell you is that this movie is shot in the most exquisite locations and done with fantastic camera work and direction. The background score is good. Ranbir leaves his performance in Barfi a mile behind with his acting in Tamasha. He makes you smile, laugh, angry and also embarrasses you when you shed a tear in front of your spouse. Deepika makes it seem so natural and you don't for one second think that she's acting, that is how good she is. The chemistry is like what I haven't seen before. Tamasha is not a Love Story, it's a story about Love. This movie made me stay back in my seat for a minute after the credits rolled out. All I'm saying is that this Movie makes you think in ways you might have never thought before, which is a good thing once in a while.

Tamasha is a brilliant critique of modern society that manages to suck away passion of an individual

[rangdetumpy · 29 November 2015]

The film begins with an act of a ‪Tamasha‬ whereby we get introduced to a joker who is laughing at a robot having stuck between Dil & Duniya. The robot symbolizes most of us, our mechanical existence whereby we are killing our dreams each passing day by being unwillingly part of a routine life which we abhor but then we need the money.. The stage is set for another Imtiaz Ali extravaganza ----- On analyzing Imtiaz Ali film we can see he has an inclination towards characters that are aberrations to societal rules and traditions. They are not anti-social or asocial but are non-conformist in nature. Be it mild nature Viren Oberoi from Socha Na Tha or cutely hyper Geet from Jab We Met or rebellious Janarthan from Rockstar his protagonists are different who antics influences their contradictory counterparts thus shaping into an unusual love-story. And for someone like me who distants himself from mushy romance are attracted by Imtiaz Ali's characters who comes across as free-spirited and hatke.

With Tamasha he brings back his non-conformist lead in the form of Ved but unlike Janarthan Ranbir Kapoor's character is an apparently soft- spoken dreamer who is a byproduct of materialistic societal existence. He is bored & wants to get rid of his mundane daily life which brings him closer to a bipolar personality. Well I guess majority of us can connect with him as he webs several stories and lives each of them in his mind. The world of dreams kind of gives him a freedom and there begins a fairy tale journey which culminates into self-actualization with Ved realizing his potential through the eyes of Tara Maheshwari.

Last month Vikas Behl tried to narrate a similar tale but the surreal setting and quirky humour boomeranged. Imtiaz Ali tried the same story but gave it a dark & poetic tone, dealing with the complexities of human emotions. Ali dares to experiment with the narrative as it goes past, present and future as he paints 3 phases of Ved's life. He dexterously uses mirrors and shadows (as props) to reflect the inner conflict of the central character. In several sequences he proved why he is one of the finest directors around. One of my fav is the repeated scenes with cut shots of the following frames - his alarm clock waking him in the morning, brushing teeth, having breakfast, getting stuck in traffic, getting into office lift, swapping his card and settling at his cubicle. The gloominess of monotony and monstrosity of lifeless survival is effectively displayed which probably haunts 90% of those watching the film. Ali deserved accolades for many sequences like the one in an auto which leads to "wattu watu" songs is creative or the one where he confronts his father "lecture" on responsibility and blah blah blah... Ved's blabbering in client presentation or the scene where he confronts his boss. But honestly few frames looked manipulative and the one where his father's heart showed a change in the pre-climax seemed hurried and badly written.

Ranbir simply puts his teeth into the role and proves why he is one of the best actors around. He should be also applauded for choosing this film. The complexity of bipolar Ved comes alive through him and the vulnerability of the character could be felt. Personally I wish this film at least works in the BO to give him confidence to select more bolder scripts. Deepika Padukone is one actress who had simply taken all the criticisms seriously in her early stage of career. Over the years she has improved a lot and after Piku this is another performance for her to cheer. Piyush Mishra's voice has a narrator is an apt one for a script which deals with human ambiguity. A.R Rehman's music, Ravi Verman's cinematography and Aarti Bajaj's editing compliments Ali's vision.

Tamasha is not for those who are looking for a popcorn rom-com, but it is not a pessimistic film either. What make me delighted about Tamasha is that it hits on the plastic "holier than thou" society & urges people never to lose the child within one and try to follow one's heart. I couldn't dare to follow my heart but at least I can surely say that the child within me is very much alive And as the story-teller old man (a brilliant Piyush Mishra in a cameo) confronts Ved he gives a valuable life-lesson - there is no point in cribbing, end-of-the-day it is your own story and you have to find a resolution. Indeed, the pursuit of happiness continues

If you are a fan of Imtiaz Ali movies, this is an ''ADD-ON''

[Abby_qadir · 7/10 · 27 November 2015]

Tamasha (2015) Directed by Imtiaz Ali Starring Ranbir Kapoor & Deepika Padukone is a blend of emotions and laughter.

The movie is not an everyone's cup of tea. It's a blend of emotions (joy, sad, laughter etc). It builds up gradually and by the end you will fell in love with Imtiaz with this mind blowing piece of cinema but beware if you are looking for a masala entertainer with item songs, flying cars, action scenes, better stay away from this flick. You will seriously get bored in some parts of the movie but that is what the story demands. People will curse this movie and tag it as one of the worst movie of Imtiaz but I will just say that this is an Add-on in the list.

Ranbir Kapoor is brilliant in his act. He has enjoyed each & every scene of this movie. It's the magic of Imtiaz only that Ranbir can perform so well.Hats off to him for this remarkable performance. Deepika didn't get much to do but we can felt the charm of her on her screen presence.

Fifty percent shares to make this film brilliant goes to Ranbir & Imtiaz and another fifty percent goes to AR Rahman for his blazing music in the film. Every song is special in this movie ('Chali Kahani' is my personal favourite).

The one thing I liked the most in Imtiaz movies is the screenplay. The transition in every scene is phenomenal.

Go for it if you are really bored with clichéd bollywood movies and want to see an intense yet entertaining cinema.

3.5/5 or 7/10

I Discovered Me

[saicharanvarala · 9/10 · 27 November 2015]

Awesome true love story..I saw myself in many of the scenes ..the way Imtiaz has asked everyone to discover themselves in life was simply superb..at many instants in the movie I just wanted to stand and clap so loud and whistle to express how hard I loved that scene ..the locations were awesome and the screenplay also was quite different from routine movies ..there's a scene at last where Ranbir sits and narrates a story with his family , and at that scene I simply fell in love with the movie ..Deepika, my favorite, has once again rocked with her performance...finally Ranbir and Deepika stole the screen with their superb acting , Imtiazali has stolen my vision of love and has shown how my future should be...Tamasha on the whole has Stolen My Heart

According to me

[soumyasinha-37899 · 7/10 · 30 November 2021]

The film beautifully explores the dichotomy of wanting to pursue what you love and taking up a job your parents like but you hate. I remember watching this film with zero audience in the theatre and feeling sad. When I re-watched it years later I was stuck in a very disturbed state of mind and it gave me the push I needed to leave my toxic job. 'Kyuki sab bhaag rahe hain, isiliye mai bhi bhaag raha hu' gets to me all the time.

I expected much much more..don't waste your money

[getmonika · 2/10 · 15 December 2015]

I went to see Tamasha and after 30 mins, my husband and I were looking at each other and wondering what is going on in the movie. I seriously felt like getting up and leaving and getting a refund. I thought, it might get better, so I stayed. The problems that I had with movie - -The editing is very choppy. -The starting makes no senses at all. -The first half doesn't work at all. -The relation between the characters was not fully developed properly in the first half. I felt like they were trying too hard and the acting was not natural. -Deepika can't act at all..I'm still trying to figure out how she's doing so well in bollywood! Ranbir did a good job, but he overacts. He is a great actor overall.

Overall I think the message was good, but it was not conveyed properly. It was trying to give a message like taare zameen par..but that movie was SO AMAZING and this one falls flat! The characters didn't make senses...were they trying to imply the the main character had a split personality disorder? The cinematography was good, but story telling was horrible.

Overall, I was really surprised that this movie got such a high rating on IMDb. I have really liked other movies by this director, but Tamasha on a whole doesn't work. Save your money and if you really want to watch it, wait for the DVD.

TAMASHA - By all odds, it's not for Everyone!

[dsantoshkumar · 8/10 · 27 November 2015]

SPOILER FREE Review :)

Tamasha is indeed an invigorated tale in today's times of fatuous films! It is clichéd, yes... It is flawed, yes... its story is nothing new, but the way Imtiaz presents the story in the form of musical narrative, and the manner in which lead protagonists, Ranbir and Deepika mark that presence is truly commendable.

Tamasha is all about the journey of Ved (portrayed by Ranbir Kapoor) and Tara (portrayed by Deepika Padukone) through self-discovery, love, passion, contend and vivacious emotions. Its screenplay is non- linear, mind you, which might make some uncomfortable for a love story, but Tamasha is not only about romance, if you're wondering.

Film's technical aspect is class apart. Ravi Verman's stunning cinematography deserves a standing ovation. Editing is arguably good, but its not for everyone's mouthful. Ranbir and Deepika's performance is one of the biggest strengths of this film. Their chemistry is wonderfully captured and presented in a grand celluloid!

Another highlight of this movie is its music. A.R. Rahman delivers a grand soundtrack once again, and Imtiaz weaves those songs in a perfect manner carrying the story forward. Is Imtiaz-Rahman combo slowly becoming Mani Ratnam-Rahman combo?

Tamasha is not an easy grasp, at least not for everyone. The film will have mixed opinions, that's for sure. But if you find the connection that Imtiaz tries you to find through Ved's character (or to some extent Tara's character), you are in for a treat.

Watch out for: Ranbir and Deepika's Chemistry, Imtiaz's direction, Songs and Score, Cinematography

It's not the same story.

[usyoume · 7/10 · 27 November 2015]

As its tagline, obviously it's not the same story. And it wouldn't have been this unique and fresh storytelling without the Imtiaz Ali's personal touch.

The short answer to the most important question "is it worth a watch?" is, "heck yeah, it is".

I don't want to elaborate why is this movie worth a watch or how it unfolds step by step or how were the actors, script, editing, music etc... as sometimes it's better to enjoy a movie by gradually becoming a part of it without being known to even a small plot details, without being a harsh critique; which wouldn't be possible if you know even a one review in detail.

You might get few clichés, slight over the top complex scenes; on a different note there are many scenes and sequences which might stay with you for a long time.

Only one thing I can assure is that you will fall in love with the soundtrack if you are not already.

I didn't find a better place to let my opinion heard to Mr. Ali.

[dreamgirlsoma · 5/10 · 3 December 2015]

Dear Imtiaz Ali

I watched Tamasha last night. While I am always a fan of your narration and direction, maybe it's time you add a little more to your skills. Lke, finding a different topic. Many of your fans would beg to differ with me. But I'm sure, they will get my point at the end of the post. When I was watching Tamasha and was relating to most of it, I was also battling a lot of questions in my head. The reality you depicted in the movie is a lot different from what the common people with special talent feel. Lot of them have talents but don't have the money to even think about pursuing their dreams. Don't mistake me of cribbing. But thought it's important for me to introduce you to people with dreams but without money. They don't have rich parents to feed them when they are broke. Forget even dreaming of quitting a job. Eventually they are reduced to the so-called commoners. Yet, I must tell you, some of them keep thriving, keeping their talent alive, to make a 0.01% difference in people's lives around them. These commoners don't mind inspiring a movie or two, you see. They do this by living, indeed, a commoner's life, abiding by rules, taking responsibilities, yet doing things a little differently. Another reality that you must be aware of is that the society still has high regards for the 21ers who cracked a 2- crore google job. Nevertheless, the movie was a directorial masterpiece. Not to miss your lead pair, who did marvelously. And as I always feel you have the best understanding of depicting the feeling called love, here you did turn your indication towards (if people haven't gotten it yet) "Self Love". PS: It's not a review

You are here to tell your story and act as your character! Rk is back!

[maulin5 · 9/10 · 27 November 2015]

Dil Ka Bhanwar Kahe Sun Saathiya, Chhup Na Dupatte Me Tu O Chhaliyaa... That's it! The entire film was made on this basis. The moral of the movie is -Not to hide yourself, and do whatever your heart wants to do. People, who judge you and tell you that you are mad, don't panic, you are not here to live their characters. You are here to tell your own story, to live as you want, to act as you wish. Never kill your inner child! Imtiaz Ali is my 'the most favorite director'. So, may be you find this review bias. But, this is my opinion, and I just loved the movie. All the Ranbir Kapoor fans out there, will surely love this character, Ved & even Don. As Roy and Bombay Velvet didn't go well, I was not sure about this. But the house-full show speaks a lot! Nobody can plays Ved like him. Welcome back RK! Dipika's pair with Ranbir is off course fabulous. But, I don't find any scene of her in which she is doing an outhouse acting. She is obviously good, but, after I saw her in Piku, I was in search of more from her. Piyush Mishra acts like a boss. Little Ved is a perfect cast as he looks like Ranbir. Others are suitable. Special mention for the rikshawwala who sings Wat wat song! No complain in music, as the composer is Rahman. Lyrics has been penned by Irshad Kamil. To feel the music, particularly in Imtiaz's films, I don't listen the songs without watching the movie. And this helps me to reach at the highest level of happiness which a song can be able to give. Heer is my favorite. Punjabi folk singers rock the scene. Matargashti is a fun song by Mohit Chauhan. Alka Yagnik's mesmerizing voice is too good with Arijit in Agar Tum Saath Ho. Tu Koi Aur Hai is what the perfect song has to be or you can say the main song of the movie. Chali Kahani and Safarnama are listenable. I miss Anil Mehta, the D.O.P. in all previous projects of Ali. I don't know why the camera has been given to Ravi instead of him. Though Ravi has done a superb job. In my favorite scene, I would say, the stairs in the song Matargashti. Even whole Corsica is eye freshener. But, then also, the magic of Anil Mehta is missing. Film's concept is actually came from Imtiaz's brother Akiv Ali. Though, Imtiaz has written it superbly. There are so many scenes in which I could relate myself. The major one is talking with ourselves through mirror. Every Imtiaz Ali film has some new ways to describe the past activities, this time too he brings a cool idea for that. One thing I noticed that because of doing some years in theater, particularly the struggling days, somehow the love for the theater is still alive in Imtiaz, and that's the reason why he chooses the stage play act in the movie. Another thing I noticed that after the films like Rockstar & Highway, where the story was not ending, Ali has changed the end of this movie, like he had done before in Jab We Met & Love Aaj Kal. So, on the whole, whatever critics or RJs are saying, watch it if you like Imtiaz Ali's movies. Kapoor's fantastic performance will never let your mood of. If you think you are not doing what you like, or if you are not be able to find out yourself, then please watch this and get inspire. The ten minutes long story which Ved tells to his family in the climax steals the show. It's okay to live a life that others don't understand. You are here to live as you want, not as someone else wants. Just be you, and the right things will start to happen. Find the reason why you are born, and then go for it. At the initial stage, you may witness some troubles, some negative incidents, but, just don't stop your journey, don't try to change yourself. Just be consistence, and the happy times will surely come!

Masterpiece

[R-if_Malick · 10/10 · 26 November 2015]

Tamasha is Imitaz Ali's best work.

Different and refreshing!

OMG what a brilliant performances by Ranbir & Deepika,

i am sure they both will get awards this year.

Super Awesome Direction and Screen Play.

Imtiaz Ali has a tendency to blend the emotion of scenes with the locations and it worked out brilliantly here.

The movie has a high class- emotional appeal, something only Imtiaz Ali can deliver.

Ranbir's acting in some scenes will leave you awe-inspired

New Milestone in Hindi Cinema, i am not sure if Indian Audience is prepare for Tamasha yet because they are used to movies like Body Guard, Ready & Son of Sardar.

it does't matter how good or bad this movie will do at box office but i am sure Tamasha will steal all big awards this year.

A masterpiece!

[post-to-ankit · 8/10 · 26 November 2015]

Tamasha is truly a cathartic experience. One of the most honest portrayal of human emotions and feelings on celluloid. Simply WOW! It makes you wanna cry, laugh and shout at the same time. It seriously does something to you that is hard to describe in words. Without a doubt, its Ranbir's best performance till date. He had a tough task to pull off and he does it with sheer brilliance. Deepika is soul of the film. She depicts each and every emotion with such an ease and keeps it amazingly real. BRAVO! And finally the storyteller - ImtiazAli. He went with such an unusual narrative. You feel his footprints throughout the film.

Tamasha leaves an after taste, takes you to a zone which you would want to be in for sometime, alone and by yourself.

Finally, Tamasha is one of the best films ever made in Indian cinema. I repeat. Its one of the BEST films ever made in Indian cinema. Enjoy!

Tamasha

[husichan · 7/10 · 27 November 2015]

I don't feel to mention the star-casts over here as you all who are eying my post do know that. First Frame of the movie: Piyush Mishra narrating stories to a young boy and the location is Simla. Ranbir Kapoor as Ved Vardhan Sahni is a north Indian boy who always asked to fulfill the family goal like good marks-decent job (read as: high). He is a boy who doesn't like Math but he was to go for that. And Day-by-day he got frustrated with the circumstances. And then it rolls. RK meets 'Mona Darling' aka Deepika Padukone as Tara Maheshwari in Corsica, France. Now here comes the twist: Quoting Imtiaz Ali : "Why the same story always", I'd like to inform you that this movie doesn't state a linear story so you need to concentrate if you are keen. Do watch to know the climax.

Performances:

Okay! When it includes Imtiaz Ali as director, Deepika Padukone- Ranbir Kapoor in lead and A.R. Rahman's music, there comes no question mark for the performance. It frames beautiful Shimla, Corsica, Kolkata and Japan.

-----:Wrapping Up:-----

Go for it: It states no usual story so it's not that much predictable.

Bypass it: *No reason found from my side.*

For me its:

For the story, for the Imtiaz-Rk-A.R. Rahman Jodi, for the perfect Deepika and for the beautiful locations, I rate it : 3.5***

an Epic with contagious emotional narration and magical Music that lets you madly become mad about something we can't express in words

[kabeeerkishan · 9/10 · 27 November 2015]

I expected something great from Imtiaz but, he delivered something beyond the boundaries. It's not what I wanted from a pair like Ranbir and Deepika but the tale is beyond something I wanted and something more than a movie. I appreciate Imtiaz for his courage to portray love;something not at defined (as Imtiaz quotes in an interview with The Hindu) in such a unique and crude poetic way. DEEPIKA: The way she expresses most complex emotions and the pain in being helplessly in love... She makes her pain reach you. RANBIR: he is one of finest Supreme actors of our nation and to be honest He is the most versatile actor. In this "Tamasha" the way he fits to the character of Ved/Don is amazing and I personally feel that the director must have created the character for Ranbir. His performance is just beyond acting. We can't imagine other than Deepika and Ranbir in the lead roles of this STORY. Even though some scenes do not speak that much they need to be in such a poetic movie like this, still there is something kind of magic that makes those errors negligible and Yes, Love is not something we can say or we can't say. Who knows it's may be something we can express through a thousand ways out beyond all boundaries of all expressions and wrong and rights.

a lively journey that has some highs and many lows in its overlong narrative that isn't quite devoid of the familiar emotions.

[kunalkhandwala · 7/10 · 12 December 2015]

In a life directed by various influential stories, it takes deep introspection to reveal the true path in one's life. It's this journey of self-discovery that has been Imtiaz Ali's hallmark ('Jab we Met', 'Love Aaj Kal', 'Rockstar', 'Highway') and with his latest 'Tamasha', he attempts to portray the hardships of being oneself with and without any influences. Starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, this is a lively journey that has some highs and many lows in its overlong narrative that isn't quite devoid of the familiar emotions.

In the beautiful seaside town of Corsica, Ved (Ranbir Kapoor) helps the lost and helpless Tara (Deepika Padukone) and soon they decide to have some fun as total strangers without revealing their true identities. Don and Mona extend their trip and relationship to a level that takes Tara by surprise as she leaves to go home. Years pass by as she continues to live in denial of her love for Don until a chance meeting brings them back together. However, Tara soon realizes that Ved isn't the same vivacious character she fell for in Corsica and our hero acknowledges himself as just ordinary. Several prolonged tear-jerking sequences later, we witness Ved's rediscovery of his childhood storyteller who was the major influence in his life. In an attempt to revive his circumstances, he seeks to embody a character from another story as he had been doing all his life until he realizes that the most inspiring story wasn't in those tales of the storyteller at all. Ved's was a case of unidentified self-worth and its revelation is the film's most powerful scene. The relationship with Tara was an important trigger in Ved's life and its resulting tragedy would take him down the path of self-realization. This fall and eventual rise of Ved is what Imtiaz Ali's real focus was and those moments are dramatically poignant. The rickshaw driver's story and Ved's storytelling in front of his family were among the most mature, heart melting scenes which will be etched in memory. However, those moments are too few and too far from each other.

The real problem with all this Tamasha is that the process of relationship building and collapsing takes most of the film's duration and it offers nothing new to the viewer. It's just another relationship saga with Ranbir's character being different. Deepika plays herself as she has in about 80% of her films and therefore remains the unimpressive actress that she is. Random quotes of poetry or dialogues, followed by repetitive scenes that depict the obscurity of characters are interesting initially but the redundancy of those themes makes it all too obviously laconic. It almost feels like Imtiaz hurried onto the next project after the laboriously masterful 'Highway' as he hastily connected a few brilliant ideas of an individual's soul searching journey. However, the culmination of all these ideas in the end, result in some powerful storytelling even though its effect lasts momentarily.

Piyush Mishra has the most fun with his lively dialogue delivery since 'Gulaal' while Javed Sheikh as Ved's father portrays parental concern with maturity. Ishtiyak Khan, as the autowala can brag about being in the second best scene of the film. Deepika Padukone is perhaps Bollywood's finest mystery. The happiness she portrays is always over-the-top and the sadness too banal and repetitive from one character to the next. Kangana would have certainly added much more life into Tara's character while offering a truly explosive dynamic on screen with Ranbir Kapoor. Speaking of which, his is a performance that is well balanced with sincerity, understanding of his character's obscurity and versatility. Ranbir can act, dance like Dev Anand in one sequence and be all stoic, straight forward, soft-spoken in another. He can be jubilant and full of life as a loverboy, sincere and humble as an employee and heart-broken as a loser. He yet again proves that he is the best among the newer gen of actors even though, his performance this time with Imtiaz doesn't top that in 'Rockstar'.

Musically, one can rightly expect more from the collaboration between Imtiaz Ali and AR Rehman simply based on their prior work together. Apart from the brilliant Agar tum saath ho, the soulful Safarnama and meaningful Tu koi aur hai, the soundtrack lacks crowd pleasers and memorable numbers. Tamasha could've been a lot more especially with its relevant theme of societal influences on an individual's development. While there are some great moments and strong performances, there are also some overlong sequences, nuance lacking romance and Deepika Padukone that offer nothing new to a viewer who comes with high expectations from a masterful storyteller of very human tales. Imtiaz Ali is still among the finest film-makers and Tamasha for him might end up being what 'Delhi 6' was for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra; an honest attempt to tell a meaningful story that comes under commercial pressure.

6.998 on a scale of 1-10.

Do not reinvent the wheel.

[soorya13 · 2/10 · 13 May 2016]

Bollywood directors should stop either stop reinventing the wheel or do it sensibly. The director wants to portray a dream like atmosphere. A damsel in distress meets a mysterious young man in magic-land Corsica. Both boy and girl meet again in Delhi, this time immersed in their daily lives. So far so good. This topic has been handled in many movies before. Turns out all the guy is missing is that he is in a wrong profession. He would rather be a movie script writer. However, the director unnecessarily tries to make this into some sort of a mystery, a soul searching quest. Significant scenes of this phase seem to have been inspired from other movies, however they seem out of place here. For example, at some stage Ranbir develops schizophrenia when Deepika ditches him for not being the same happy go lucky tourist she met in Corsica. He then decides to scare his boss, like the narrator in Fight club scares his boss. In another scene, his Buddha like quest to find the 'answer' leads to his childhood story teller, an answer the audience already knows. This may have been pointed out by other reviewers, but the character of Ranbir is a well earning young man, from a well to do family. If he really wanted to pursue his dreams, it would have been very easy. I mean if your humdrum job alows you to go on a 15 day vacation in Corsica and rent a convertible, Im sure you can enlist yourself in a film making course. If the protagonist was a from a poor or lower middle class background, his struggles would have been more understandable. Farhan Akhtar's Rock On dealt with the same issue of a rich broker trapped in hum drum life, in a simple but graceful manner. My advice to Imtiaz Ali: get basics right before emulating Hollywood greats.

Ok slightly late bhakt- but still

[drrajeevshukla · 10/10 · 3 September 2021]

This is movie for ages - didn't watch when it released. Watched after a year & have watched many times in parts. Ranbir & Deepika have stunned but the star is Imtiaz- the director. This is the pinnacle of his cinema. The songs, the cinematography, the angst, the catharsis, the catalyst, the symbolism, the narrative, the language - everything's perfect. I watch 10 minutes sometimes, sometimes more. At least 20 or more viewings - why not create a part 2 - where everything's perfect - an after story- just a thought...

a must watch at home

[w-55185 · 6/10 · 2 December 2015]

Not a big fan of the overrated director but gave it a chance due to the great chemistry between the the 2 big stars (RK & DP). Overall the movie is okay, still thought Yeh Jaawani Hai Deewani was so much better. At the Interval I was sad to learn that we were only halfway through... RK is good as usual, DP looks great and proves she can act but the story is nothing new. The songs are okay too and I think I.A. has really been given too many props as one of the finest filmmakers when this film proves he is mediocre. The best part of the film was that it was shot in a nice locale in France, other than that it was just an ordinary film.

I would rather read a book on philosophy then watch a movie on it.

[prabinb · 1/10 · 4 December 2015]

The concept is same, age old rat race debate, presented in a new format. Story was rather dramatic and unrealistic. And in no way entertaining except for the first 30 minutes. "Follow your heart and loose your brain." That's the whole deal. The movie has correctly justified it's name, by actually making a Tamasha of all the movie watchers. Seriously, Imtiaz Ali you can do better than this. Stay away from this movie. Even the songs are not so good. Ranbir Kapoor, please stop making nonsense movies. And please IMDb, way you put a 10 lines minimum restriction to put up a review. 10 lines are way too much.. See I have to write junk in the end.

Complex mixture of romance and tamasha

[knowpritam · 9/10 · 29 November 2015]

I don't know if it is a wonderful movie or not as many people who were expecting a romantic bollywood movie will not like this one but frankly speaking it did the magic after few hours when you start humming the songs and remember some wonderful scenes which mesmerized you. Although the story line is non-linear, it keeps the story in path.

The most important part about this is Ranbir and Deepika. They performed as if they were born to do this, as it is their own life. Deepika will make you cry in few scenes and Ranbir with his wonderful dialogue delivery will steal your heart.

I don't need to say anything about A R Rahman. He did what he is supposed to...create magic.

Last but not the least Imtiaz Ali, what a vision. How can you think this deep about human emotions? Great tamasha put together by all of the above.

But I still believe that there was a chance of cropping down the runtime but it is okay.

Again suggesting, this is a highly experimental movie, people may dislike it. You have to see to find that out. Hoe you like it !!!