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199 reviews in total

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139 out of 237 people found the following review useful:
Best Indian movie in recent times,Exceptional!, 28 November 2012

Author: Hasina Sheikh

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Went for Talaash screening expecting a great thriller but what i witnessed was sheer magic on screen.

Story starts with an ostensible accident of a star followed by police investigation.Chief investigation officer is played by Aamir Khan. The story of Talaash is not only about suspense element ,suspense is just a part of beautiful lesson portrayed in Talaash i.e. " Coming to terms with loss". Go with high expectations and you will be pleasantly shocked to see the brilliance.

Songs Jee le Zara and Muskanein look exceptional on screen.

Can't help,have to give it a 10/10.

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46 out of 63 people found the following review useful:
an intriguing sensitive suspense drama that is not meant for all, 30 November 2012

Author: rangdetumpy from India

When was the last time Indian audience have witness an intriguing noiri-sh suspense drama without any cheap thrills? Probably not in recent times (for starters Kahaani is a suspense thriller). Talaash is one such celluloid experience that will captivate you to the last reel. The film is a dark,complex psychological yet there are layers of emotions which makes it more compelling..Add to this there is an Occult angle to the mystery..

The film starts with a darkish depiction of Maximum city with eerie background music followed by a car coming at high speed which suddenly takes a turn and gets drowned in a river. It is later known that famous cine-star Arman Kapoor died in that car accident (or murder or something??) Inspector Shekhawat gets the charge of the case. At a personal front Mr shekhawat and his wife are trying to come to terms with untimely loss of their son. The two incidences get connected at a point which changes the life of the protagonist. Without revealing the story I can say clearly the detailing is commendable and you can see the dots getting connected.

Reema Kagti in her second directorial venture proved her understanding of this medium and fluidness in handling of complex themes. Talaash is one of the most complex films of recent times with layers to the narrative and characters. At the same time it's a thriller and an emotional drama of a father coming to terms with his child's loss. The emotions and vulnerability of Inspector Shekhawat is genuinely expressed which one can identify with. Everyone of us have lost a near or dear one at some point of time we will (recently I lost my mother) and after that the mere existence becomes difficult. At those moments mind and brains starts behaving weirdly and one starts accepting irrationality which gives one inner peace. Talaash explores one of those phases of life when everything seems at lost yet one has to move on with life. Without giving away any suspense I would say Kagti's (& Zoya akhtar) script webbed in a beguiling suspense drama around that complex phenomenon. Kudos to K.U Mohanan's camera-work (who was recently being part of award winning pulp noir Miss Lovely) brilliantly captured the by-lanes of Mumbai. Mumbai becomes a darker character in this mystery. The fear of danger lurking around the corner can be sensed and it seems no one should be believed. Subaya's editing and Ram Sampat's flawless music add on to the proceeding and help in building the circuitous narrative. Sampat's music is brilliant with Akhtar's lyrics especially "Lakh duniya kahe tum nehi ho" is mark of a genius and someone who have lost a dear one will surely relate to the lyrics. It brings tear to one's eyes as one look back at life. "Jiya lagena" songs has a good video which gels with the fusion music. There are moments which had excellence written all over it like one in which Shekhawat is trying to recall his child's accident and ponders how his way of handling the situation in a different fashion would have saved him from drowning. The eerie background score and blurred camera work in few of the sequences justifies the end when the truth comes out.

The end is heartening which leaves a lump in your throat, yet the urge to watch it again remains. May be in the second viewing one will find another aspect of the story.

Aamir Khan again proved that he is the only superstar who wants to associate with quality cinema. This film doesn't have the regular masala appeal wala entertainment. While all other stars are playing it safe Aamir ensures that his film has some meat which will be remembered down the line. His performance as Inspector Shekhawat deserves awards and accolades. He flawlessly portrays amenability of a depressed soul who has been caught in a web of mystery. His sequences with Rosy showed his versatility as an actor. Kareena Kapoor is effective as escort Rosy. The role is sensitive and something not on the lines of a typical mainstream heroine but Kareena effortlessly fits in it. Rani Mukherjee is just about perfect as Shekhawat's lonely wife. Another actor who steals the show is Nawazuddind Siddiqui as Taimur who has proved his mettle this year with GOW & Kahaani and now this one (Those few privileged soul who got the chance to see Miss Lovely would have already labeled Siddiqui as finest actor of recent times). He is one of the central characters of this mystery and delivered his best. One will remember this character long after the movie is over. Shernaz Patel & Raj Kumar yadav are ever reliable actors and suits the bill. Subrata Sen as Shahsi leaves his mark in a small role. All the other actors did a decent job.

On a whole Talaash is a rare suspense drama which would be loved by connoisseurs of good cinema. This film will open new window to this genre and hopefully more complicated psychological themes will be explored in the near future. One thing is for sure Talaash will be remembered in the long run as a fine cinematic experience that remained true to the style and content till the very end without falling into traps of commercial arena.

Coming to the end of the film there has been criticism from some sectors claiming it to be "unrealistic" but then who told them the film depicts hardcore reality. The film just tells a story of coming to terms with loss and that also a gripping one with usage of "after life" concept to build the narrative. The end is sensitive.With untimely loss of your near and dear one you would feel or crave for some answers as to why "You" and the answer lies within...And in this film Mr & Mrs Shekhawat at least got some explanations in their quest(Talaash)..

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40 out of 58 people found the following review useful:
In quest of the unknown with Mr. Perfectionist, 30 November 2012

Author: jmathur_swayamprabha from India

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Talash (search / quest) is apparently a murder mystery which does not turn out to be a traditional murder mystery in the end and a supernatural element also appears in the narrative which the spectator could not have thought of even in the wildest of his guesses about the solution of the mystery. That's what makes Talaash different from regular suspense-thrillers.

The hero (i.e., our Mr. Perfectionist – Aamir Khan) is an honest, efficient and dedicated cop – Surjan Singh Shekhawat who is internally aggrieved because of the accidental demise of his son for which he considers himself as responsible and suffers from guilt-complex. Neither he is able to console himself, nor his equally aggrieved wife (Raani Mukherjee). He becomes workaholic and remains on duty for almost 24 hours. He gets the case of the apparently accidental death of a Bollywood hero and the story of the movie mainly covers his quest (Talaash) of the truth only while intermittently dealing with his personal life and agony. A sex-worker (Kareena Kapoor) helps him and when finally the truth comes out, he (and also the audience) is taken aback like anything.

The basic grains are not at all original. I don't know whether the director – Reema Kagti, the script writers and Mr. Perfectionist himself have watched an old Bollywood movie – Ek Paheli (1971) starring Feroze Khan and Tanuja in lead roles or not but the inspiration from that story is clearly there which I could see because I have seen Ek Paheli. Anybody who has seen that old movie can easily contrast the resolution of the mystery in that with that in Talaash.

All the same, it is to be admitted that Talaash is an engrossing movie and though certain dialogs of Kareena Kapoor appear to be illogical and superfluous, everything falls in place in the end. When the mystery is resolved and the scene involving Aamir Khan and his superior officer takes place, there are certain shots which remind of John Abraham-Bipasha Basu starrer flop movie – Madhoshi (2004). Personally, I don't believe in supernatural and hence I am not completely satisfied after watching Talaash. A solution sans the supernatural element would have been acceptable to me. All the same, I admit with open heart that the supernatural element is directly linked to the sentimental aspect of the story also and hence the way the script has been written, it's inevitable for the narrative.

The director – Reema Kagti has done her job very well and she has been successful in keeping the audience glued to the screen till the ending reels. Except the final 10 minutes or so, you cannot afford to lose even a single minute of the movie. The narrative keeps you spellbound and whether you believe in the resolution of the mystery presented or not, you feel like watching a good movie when leaving the theatre.

Though the mystery is unraveled in the climax only, the director has scattered clues and hints throughout the duration of the movie prior to revelation and given the viewers enough food for thinking and guessing on the basis of them. Everything shown or told including seemingly trivial things, ultimately gets linked up to the main story and thus the director has shown her capability to handle suspense-based plots. This style of narrating is highly admirable and reminds me of some novels of renowned Hindi novelist – Ved Prakash Sharma.

The emotional quotient is quite strong and the movie moves the spectator deep within at many place including the ending scenes. Not just the main track of the hero-heroine is emotion-studded, there is also a sentimentally impressive side story of the love affair of the limping petty criminal – Taimur (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) with an aging sex-worker (I don't know the name of the actress) who helps him in getting blackmailing money but finally lands up with that money falling into her pocket only when Taimur is shot dead by the men hired by the blackmailed person.

Technically the movie is good and utterly realistic. All the action and chase sequences have been handled pretty well and they are impressive by all standards. Instead of showing grandeur, luxuries, pump and show; the director has kept all the scenes in realistic settings. And that's why nowhere the narrative seems to be out of place or playing with the intelligence of the audience (except for the supernatural element embedded in the narrative). Cinematography is as brilliant as the art direction is. The movie is not unduly long and there is no superfluous footage at all. Small drops of humour provide a bit of relief in this otherwise intense suspense-filled drama.

Aamir Khan truly deserves to be called Mr. Perfectionist. The get-up, the physic, the gestures, the mannerisms; from every angle does he appear to be a no-nonsense dutiful cop who means business. It's very difficult to visualize anybody else in the role of Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhawat. Raani Mukherjee and Kareena Kapoor have done pretty well. The complete supporting cast has done justice to the assigned roles.

Music of Talaash is praiseworthy. Jaaved Akhtar has written touching and meaningful lyrics and Ram Sampat has prepared ear-soothing tunes for them. I consider Jiya Laage Na as the best song of the album but the other ones are also quite good to listen. Background score is also perfect.

Summing up, this much awaited movie of Mr. Perfectionist may not be a great movie but it is definitely worth a watch. It satisfies the entertainment appetite of the mystery-lovers on one hand and suits the taste of the audience of emotional family dramas on the other.

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56 out of 91 people found the following review useful:
Amazing movie by itself, but could have been a masterpiece...!!, 30 November 2012

Author: vinay1493 from India

Talaash!!!

General: OK, where do I begin. To start off, the movie is very intriguing, thrilling and keeps you glued to your seats screen right till the end. The movie doesn't lose it's pace for even the shortest time and will keep you guessing as to what is going to happen. The movie starts off with the story right away and cuts to the chase, without wandering too much on what isn't significant to the main plot. The main aim of the movie is to keep the thrill throughout the movie and manages to do exactly that.

You may be able to predict the story to some extent, but then that won't ruin the experience. Personally, I felt, the ending could have been better, and was a bit of a let down as far as my expectations are concerned. All in all, a wonderful thriller / suspense movie experience with some minor plot holes.

Acting: Now, coming to the acting part, Aamir Khan does a very good job, exactly what is expected from him. Kareena was as usual, good but not exceptional (maybe that was exactly what the role required). Stand-out actor (for me) has to be Rani Mukerji, who plays a grief- stricken mother, very well. All the other supporting actors also do their part very well, not over-acting, and playing the characters exactly as required. Special praise, for Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Temur), who is proving to be quite the actor, after powerful roles in Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur and now, Talaash.

Story line: Well, its better to know nothing about the story, and go to the theater and have a whole new experience. Story / suspense wise it does have similarities with other thriller movies, but then again it's better not to name them.

Music: Music blends very well with the story, and is exactly what the situations require. The songs "Muskaanein jhooti hain" and "Jee le zara" are sure to stay on your mind for a long time even after the movie. The songs are perfectly timed during the movie, and don't feel like a squeeze-in.

All in all, its a worth watch movie, you may or may not like it, but the movie won't bore you, that's for sure... Enjoy !

Rating: 8/10

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34 out of 48 people found the following review useful:
Talaash is definitely good but not awesome.., 30 November 2012

Author: MovieMaster from India

Believe it or not there have been many movies of Suspense genre in last few years which are better or at least equal to it; to quote a few of them are- HIDE AND SEEK, 404- error not found, KAHAANI and many more! But all of them lack in the star power of Aamir Khan and that's the reason that most of them did not caught the attention of Masses!

Talaash is a different style mystery which unfolds well in a decent way, with a gripping story and brilliant performances! Everyone delivers his best here, from Aamir to Kareena to Rani and even the supporting cast! Story is fresh, smart and keeps you hooked up till the end! Kagati's Direction is good too! Music is decent, melodious and suits the mood of the movie; and appears to be an integral part of it! Everything else from setting to cinematography is fine!

But inspite of all these the movie definitely does not live upto the expectations and hype created ! It shows that still we have miles to go!

As the Aamir requested not to reveal the suspense and it's very essential for any mystery movie (Remember the end of the movie "DHUND" which states- "This is the end but please do not tell anybody!"). So I will not talk about it, however I would quote a statement of KAREENA given in an interview that:- "TALAASH MINUS KAREENA IS NOTHING .....!!!"

Finally I would like to say that Talaash does pass the litmus test but Not With Distinction, It is definitely Good but not awesome!!! RATING- 7/10 !

For more Join MovieMaster at- http://www.facebook.com/moviemaster2012

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61 out of 105 people found the following review useful:
A giant leap for Indian Cinema !, 30 November 2012

Author: pratikprasenjit from India

It all started with the late night glitz, the charisma and the intriguing layers from the red-light area of Mumbai with the song "Muskanein Jhooti Hain" being played in the background, giving a clear indication that not all that glitters is gold. All the glamor and lustrous life is but a disguise and not real.

Writing and making thrillers in not very easy, but not often do you see Aamir Khan signing a mediocre script that says nothing. Kareena looks absolutely stunning and arousing with her knee high skirts, the backless dresses and sheer lewdness in her gestures. Amazing ! Ram Sampath, take a bow. The music blends with the screenplay so smoothly, and you never feel one overpowering the other. And the Faisal from GOW,(Nawazuddin Siddique) what an artist he is. Its not easy to share screen space with someone like Kareena and Aamir, but this man has done complete justice to his character, keeping you engaged every time.

If you are a serious cinema lover, you mustn't miss it. Aamir Khan here has created a classic. I don't care about the box office collections. Its a 9/10 for me ! I am going again .

P.S. The plot is completely unpredictable, I am sure it is going to send chills down your spine at times .

Talaash, The answer lies within .

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35 out of 54 people found the following review useful:
Not by Aamir's Standards, but still a good movie., 30 November 2012

Author: vivek-ramasha from India

Good movie. Brilliant plot and great direction. Aamir Khan, after a long wait of three years since his last blockbuster, 3 Idiots, has given another potential blockbuster. Movie is simply amazing.

Plot is the back bone of the movie. Director, Reema Kagti, has successfully tried to keep the mystery going through out the movie.

Suspense is highly underused genre in Bollywood. I can count decent Bollywood suspense movies on my fingers. My till-the-date favorite being 36 China Town, which is now replaced by Talaash. I hope this movie's success(which is going to be tremendous, but not even close to 3 Idiots), motivates other top actors and directors to exploit this genre.

Aamir Khan was very convincing as a cop. His character(Surjan Singh Sekhawat) was flawed and that's what I liked about it. Its a trend in Bollywood to make the protagonist, perfect, having no flaws at all. Ironically, Mr. Perfectionist's character in this movie was most flawed.

Even though he has been better, Aamir's acting in this movie was by no means, bad. He was good. But he's been better.

Out of Kareena and Rani, in my opinion, Rani was better. She was just perfect at what she was doing. She was living it.

Kareena, I think, yet again like Heroine, was trying too hard. She is one of the best actresses if not the best in Bollywood. So no one can say she was bad. Its just, out of three, she takes the third spot.

Biggest drawback of the movie was its music. Some scene lacked thrill because of poor background score.. Some songs were a bit dull as well.

Overall, movie was good. A MUST watch. Go for it. If not for Aamir then for a very rare Bollywood thriller.

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25 out of 35 people found the following review useful:
Talaash.... A search goes decently, 30 November 2012

Author: deepak anand from India

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

You got to say that when you watch talaash you will feel something is really missing in the film, a thriller, a crime films always needs one especially when its of an investigation genre. The creators of the movie missed that trick here, don't know whether it was done intentionally.

An accident which took place in some beach hangout spot in the very early hours of morning, killing a favorite actor of the Indian film industry. Inspector Shekhawat( Aamir) takes up the investigation, who is also suffering from insomnia due to the loss of his son in an accident. The accident scene in which the actor was done makes the movie rolling after the titles. Awesomely picturized by Mohanan the DOP of the movie, who also had the headache of creating almost seventy percent of the movie in the dark, which he did rather magnificently. Along side the Talaash of the killer, Shekhawat also want to keep a good relation with his wife Rani who is suffering mentally for the same loss. Then comes Kareena Kapoor who tries to help Shekhawat in his talaash of the killer has done a good job, does appear in the whole movie as Aamir Khan's aide.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui an aide to one of the suspect Shashi plays wells though his journey ends rather quickly. A part from Aamir and Kareena many have been sidelined into small shells. Aamir khan tried to bring his authority of the main lead as cracking some potential jokes during the interrogation and on one rude scene which he saves shashi's girl in love.

Story and screen play by the director Reema and Zoya Aktar made the film in a way that no missing links comes from here and there, which they successfully succeeded, still misses that feeling that needed to suck the audience into the movie. Farhan Aktar who wrote the dialogues with some assistance from Anurag Kashyup well and truly fabulously.

Ram Sampath's music was not that applauding have done neatly...

Movie will not create a fuss as compared to the recent flicks of Aamir. Its a movie that you can surely watch without a doubt. It brought some good making into Indian cinema.

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39 out of 63 people found the following review useful:
Watchable just till the climax, 30 November 2012

Author: naw_nwa from India

So keeping in mind to not disturb any one else's movie experience by giving out any spoilers ,, i would like to review this movie in short. All the AAMIR KHAN bluff of great movies is likely to get over after this one, he had a great time for last few year. Let me give points to just sum up how i felt about different aspects.

Entertainment - 4/10( A few laughs and mostly u will keep searching in your head)

Acting - 9/10 ( Especially Nawazuddin sahab)

Suspense - 8/10 (The core of the suspense was terrible but the unfolding was great.

Direction - 6/10 ( Some scenes really awesome, but some just bore u to death)

Plot- 5/10 ( The way it was hyped , "THE ANSWER LIES WITHIN",, if this was another country ,, the producers would have been sued for giving wrong info of the services the consumers paid for)

Overall- 7/10( Its a really watchable movie than the crap bollywood is producing these years,, don't go with ultra high expectations,, not memorable,and even if would be good if u don't't watch M NIGHT SHYAMALAN movies,,, ohhh and yes one point i gave extra just for Nawazuddin siddique)

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15 out of 18 people found the following review useful:
Worth Watch, 30 November 2012

Author: nikhil-damodaran from India

Well, As is the case with any Amir Khan movie, this was also eagerly awaited. And to a certain extent the wait is worth. This is essentially an eccentric police officer who tries to work his way out of a traumatic personal experience.

While the personal experience is a major turn in his persona, keeping him sleepless at nights and increasing the spread between him and his wife; it comes at a time when an important case is at hand.

Who is the murder? What was the motive? All these are questions which grip you till the end and as an when the story tires to clarify itself, you find more riddles.

Till this part where the protagonist searches for the killer holds up tightly. Where lies the mystery is for one to believe and disbelieve. The proverbial mystery is where lies the search (taalash)...

Its a worth watch, but don't bank on a really logical ending. Its up to your faith to accept somethings!

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