Newton (2017) User Reviews

Newton is a definite watch to bring in the change required !!!

[ketgup83 · 9/10 · 6 October 2017]

Now they say Bollywood has disappointed in 2017 with films like Tubelight, Jagga Jasoos, When Harry Met Sejal or a Rangoon. I would say Bollywood has matured with films like Trapped, Hindi Medium, Bareily Ki Barfi, Shubh Mangal Savdhaan and Newton. For me, cinema has to be good which should entertain me despite having a Salman Khan or Rajkumar Rao.

Newton tells the story of an honest government officer who performs his duty to make sure there is a fair voting in the Naxalite-hit area in India.

From the director of good comedy film Sulemaani Keeda, Amit Masurkar has taken a bold step to explore the state of voting in extremely rural and sensitive area of Chattisgarh. The film ignites the fact about the villagers who are unaware of the privileges they have to choose the leaders they want, despite having a voter ID card. The film also showcases the apathy of security forces and the hunger to get the limelight from media by high level officers.

The script is pretty good while editing tends to gets slower though it will never bore you out. Dialogues are nice filled with humor. Background score gels well with the mood of the film. Art direction is amazing while Cinematography is splendid. The film boast of some mind-blowing performances. Rajkumar Rao hits the bull's eye with his sparkling performance. The actor steals the thunder with his dynamic acting. Pankaj Tripathi as chief commander will surprise you with admiring performance. Raghuvir Yadav is marvelous while Anjali Patil impresses with her simple yet powerful role.

As the Newton's first law states "objects will remain in their state of motion unless a force acts to change the motion", the film gives the same message. Overall, it was a good experience for me watching a film like Netwon. Excellent 4/5

An excellent derision

[Ansango · 9/10 · 20 November 2017]

Newton is simply the most relevant film to have come out this year. India is the world largest democracy but what actually it takes to make a democracy? A subtle and fervent exploration of the aforementioned question...

It raises some very serious questions about the working of our system. There are various themes running under the surface like discrimination of minorities, paranoia, prejudice, power abuse etc.

What does it take to do your duty sincerely? The film contains some very dark facts about our system. How ironical is the fact that nobody is working anything in the right manner but when somebody tries to do it right they start to oppose him/her? The fact that the whole film is a despair against our flawed system is a brilliance to revere.

The inner and outer conflicts of the characters are portrayed brilliantly. The main character of the film is in constant conflict with his morality and the working of officialdom. The election is the most important thing in a democracy and election officers who are trying to conduct a fair election are no less than army officers.

The film is full of dark humour and glum sarcasm. Dialogues are extremely hard-hitting. An excellent screenplay is complemented by a great direction. The use of milieu and colloquialism is a masterstroke and intensifies the raw and real atmosphere of the film. The cinematography is splendid. The camera captures the mood of the film in a blazing manner.

While the notion of democracy sounds pretty simple it becomes fairly intricate and complex when our lead character tries to explain it to the native people. It is ironical that the army which is there for the natives are the one who terrorises them. The film is full of such beautiful and intense scenes.

Rajkumar Rao is stunning in the role of an honest election clerk and gives another ravishing performance. Pankaj Tripathi is excellent in the role of an army officer who continually tries to persuade Newton to abandon his duty for the sake of safety. Anjali Patil and Raghubhir Yadav are superlative in their respective roles.

Newton is a rare film in Indian cinema. It's a must watch for everybody who loves to think cinema as a powerful medium. The movie addresses the issue which has rarely been covered in our industry. A brilliant depiction of tribulations faced by an honest individual. A sharp and witty political satire....

A Rarity in Bollywood

[thecritiquer · 8/10 · 30 September 2017]

Movies like these rarely come in Bollywood and I really applaud their marketing tactics. They released the film on the day of announcement of the film being sent for Oscars, which was a good gamble. There's no way a lot of people who have seen this movie, and made it a success, would have watched it otherwise.

There is a much needed class and subtlety in this movie. I specially like the suggestion they made with the shopping mall scene. Nothing was said but a lot was done! Something that is a big rarity in Bollywood. The movie tackles a serious, controversial and conversation-sparking topic with extreme good care. They managed to make people laugh while making them aware about a lot of things going on in the country.

The director needs to be applauded for this one. He has a very firm grasp on Indian culture and it's nuances. He chooses to portray it really well. No unnecessary dramatization was done. Minimalistic approach of the director makes the movie appealing. The cinematography is brilliant and refreshing.

The screenplay is smooth and never feels abrupt nor slows down to boring at any point. The film has been edited well enough to make it an engaging 1-hour-46-minutes experience.

When you have Rajkummar Rao in the movie, you do not doubt the acting skills but even he has bested himself with this one! The typical character nuances, speech, diction, blinking of eye, he perfected literally everything!

Final verdict: A MUST WATCH. I really hope people would make this a bigger success (chances are scarce) so that the producers would start shifting their focus from unbearably stupid movies like Judwa 2 to classy satirical movies like this!

A movie not for the masses..but surely for the classes !

[aayushagarwal-51707 · 21 January 2019]

Finally saw newton & the 3 laws : ) I) An object will remain at rest until acted upon.( "Theme of the movie - Jab tak kuch nhi badloge tab tak kuch nhi badlega ") 2) Change in momentum is proportional to applied external force. (Foreign journalists came ,momentum changed &voters forced to vote) 3) Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. (Newton takes extreme action to conduct fair elections going against security & faces opposite equal reaction!) #Satire #DarkHumor at its best !

Newton is the best work from Bollywood in 2017

[its_tanay_here · 10/10 · 30 September 2017]

Newton is just not a brave film but perhaps the most important film of the year. It is a satirical take on Indian election process which discusses the loopholes in the system while strengthening the faith on world's largest democracy.

A simple tale about an ambitious government officer commissioned to conduct a fair election in an isolated Naxalist/Maoist area in Chattisgarh who carries his honesty as a badge of honor. Rajkumar Rao plays the lead role and aces it - a stubborn character driven by self-righteousness who is not tainted by the corruption and cynicism that we as Indians have come to embrace, so often, so regularly. The supporting cast is equally brilliant with Pankaj Tripathi, Raghubir Yadav and Sanjay Mishra leaving a lasting impression.

It is not a preachy movie but tries to help us understand the importance of voting and how individual opinions can collectively establish or overrun a system. Our need for an able administrator, our desire to take powers in hand, and our faith in the system while establishing an honest government all lies within our reach – by just casting the vote. To begin the change, we must take responsibility and do our bit.

A script made of fine witty and subversive humour even when the subject is a serious one, is what makes Newton the film, so unique. It most certainly will defy gravity to fly high in the corridors of Bollywood Cinema. If possible, go watch this in theater. We as an audience rarely get a chance to watch such an absorbing movie – may be to just encourage such a genuine piece of art. Do cast your vote sensibly!

Every one is Newton in our society and equally powerful.it's just how you contribute

[sahamardeep · 9/10 · 1 October 2017]

I saw this movie yesterday and this movie has kept the momentum till end. Every one is Newton in our society and equally powerful,it's just how you contribute . whether you hold big position or just fresher Through out the movie you will see price of honesty ,Time and it's impact in our society but one who keep this as principle never fail .

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

[andrewchristianjr · 7/10 · 16 August 2021]

"Newton" shows that following rules exactly as they are, is almost impossible in India and most people already accept that idea. The show off in front of the media, especially the foreign ones is staged exactly targeting them. Well done.

Not everybody can master the art of being pragmatic

[reoroy · 9/10 · 17 August 2017]

I saw this fabulous Indian film called "Newton" last night which by the way is the only Indian film to be screened at this year's New Zealand International Film Festival. This film was screened at Cannes and I guess this is the second festival after the Festival de Cannes where it is being showcased. In a nutshell, this film is about an election officer who takes the responsibility of going into a forest ridden with armed revolutionaries in order to collect votes from the local residents.

I had read somewhere that Isaac Newton, the genius scientist, was actually a very complicated man. His namesake in this film seemed no different. While his intentions were good, his method of executing them was questionable. Which is why when you see this film, you will wonder if the protagonist is actually the antagonist. Everything in cinema is a matter of perspective. The film is infused with dark humour from start to finish and Rajkumar Rao is nothing short of a brilliant actor.

Because this was a festival film, I saw this film with a primarily Kiwi audience which is always a great thing. I want Indian films to have a global audience. If main-stream Bollywood films don't attract a foreign fan-following, art-house festival circuit low-budget films certainly will. It is so ironic that I saw this film at a time when New Zealand is preparing for the upcoming elections This film appeared so minimalist yet was nothing short of a funny edge-of-the-seat thriller.

Just okay

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 24 October 2017]

"Newton" is a slice of life story...but one that really didn't amount to much by the end of the film. It's not bad...but there certainly are better Indian films.

When the film begins, there's a little prologue about the Naxal Insurgency, a rural radical movement wishing to overthrow the Indian government and install a Maoist communist one instead. Their violence has been going on for decades and I've seen a few films about them. In this one, you barely ever see any of the Naxals (apart from very early in the film) and the story is about ensuring free elections throughout India. The problem is that Newton takes his job as an election overseer VERY seriously...even though it's within Naxal territory. His forcing the local soldiers assigned to him to do their job...and eventually you see that these folks are a menace to the populace...much like the insurgents.

The acting is fine but if you are expecting deep meaning or anything other than a sense of malaise about the government, you'll probably be disappointed. Overall, just okay...and only moderately involving.

Nothing happens, no one comes, no one goes and it's not awful

[tapanmozumdar · 9/10 · 24 September 2017]

When I entered the theatre, it lifted my heart to find the hall filling up well. Good for a small budget film, I thought. May be its Oscar nomination has boosted the crowd, the cynic in me commented.

My neighbour in the theatre came late and made us all stand up. He remained seated, however, during the National Anthem. He had, perhaps, always wished to do it but never gathered the courage or got seated in the last row with minimum risk of being seen. His courage seemed a product of darkness and less visibility. His wife stood up, he didn't try to resist her from doing that.

When the movie began to roll, the man chuckled. First, unsure ones, after all the topic seemed serious to laugh out loud. His volume as well as pitch of laughter increased as the movie progressed. His shrill laughter made me uncomfortable I was amused with the narrative, but was this something to laugh out loud? Is the film pro establishment or it has its leaning towards the other side? What is the agenda of this film?

For about two hours, the director played with my well versed, end predicting mind. He made me wait for the action. After all, there are Maoists around and military forces in every frame. The government officers trying to conduct polling have to be protected. May be, the protagonist will find the Maoists human. Where are the Maoists? When is the action due? How long shall we wait? Amit Masurkar reminded me what Brecht had said, there is no Godot.

Screenplay, script, dialogues,camera and the other crafts are right in place in this film. Director exhibits singular restrain in adhering to a single narrative. Raj Kumar is maturing as an actor in every film. Anjali Patil is a revelation and her character is the soul of the movie. Veterans Raghuvir ji, Sanjay ji and Pankaj ji kept the narrative grounded in real time.

The way the film uses silence and anticipation is unique. The director has shown a lot of courage here. In fact, silence stands out to be the antagonist in the setting of the jungles. It takes time for jungles to become a jungle, a character said. Dialogues are colloquial, still memorable. I remember now quite a few of those verbatim even after a couple of hours of watching the film. The body which passed the film in the current Indian ambiance and that which selected it to represent India in the Oscars must as well be lauded. Newton is a critique on Achhe Din peddling politicians, yet delivers the strong cure wrapped in a coloured, soluble capsule. My son dislikes the contemporary melodramatic Hindi movies. When he learnt that this has been nominated for an Oscar, he nodded his head and pursed his lips in appreciation.

Well done, Team Newton, ab Einstein banke dikhao in your next venture. All cine lovers shall keep a watch on this director, screenplay writer and, of course, Anjali and Raj, wait, Raj, Anjali? Hmm…

Watch this film with no expectations. With millions of viewers, you will see the place and hear its sounds through Rao. After all, how many times it so happens that a film discovers a new space and language for its audience?

Could have used more drama and narrative punctuation .....

[PimpinAinttEasy · 6/10 · 26 May 2018]

It was actually pretty good. Well made. I appreciate the attention to detail. The film's restraint both works for and against it. It's really good in parts, though a bit weak in the middle because the jokes were uninspired and a bit pathetic (especially the one about zombies). At times it is just dull. It could have used more drama and narrative punctuation. The drama towards the end is at odds with the tone of the rest of the film.

Newton does not reveal anything new. It is about the indifference of India to any kind of idealism. Middle class interventions into Indian problems usually do not end well. Nobody is really a bad person. The practical army man, the helpless villagers, the senior policeman who tries to impress the western media, the inefficient election officers - they are all playing their parts in a well oiled but messed up system. It is the mediocre lower middle class liberal (who has failed his civil services exam and is now a low level government employee of some kind) who creates an upheaval with his boring dedication to a democratic process which is utterly meaningless in the jungle. I remember VS Naipaul's character Willie Chandran (in Magic Seeds) telling his fellow comrade with whom he is supporting a peasant uprising "we don't know what they (the peasants) really want". Willie feels that the uprising is something that is being imposed on the peasants. In the same way, the villagers are indifferent to Newton's attempts to educate them about the democratic process.

Aren't the filmakers themselves exploiting the peasants in some way by making this movie? Or maybe they paid them good money.

But overall, Newton is a very respectable effort. Even though Sudhir Mishra already covered this area with Hazaron.

Pankaj Thripati was really cool as the army man. He should do more macho roles. I am prejudiced against Rajkumar Rao. He did act well. Raghuvir Yadav's character was a bit cringe worthy with his talk of watching American movies and writing stories. Why do urban Indian filmakers defecate on the aspirations of small town Indians to appropriate western culture?

(6/10)

Newton is one of the best political satires I had seen from Indian Cinema.A Must Watch..

[shobanchittuprolu · 8/10 · 13 December 2017]

Newton (2017): Most of the people are unaware of a film named Newton until it was selected as an official entry to 90th Academy Awards from India.This low-profile film has attracted audience after its Oscar-entry buzz and even the reviews are highly positive.Starring Rajkumar Rao (2017's surprise star of Bollywood) and limited cast,Newton is directed by Amit Masurkar,who earlier directed Sulemani Keeda.SO how is Newton?

Plot:

Nutan Kumar alias Newton (Raj Kumar Rao),a government clerk on election duty in the conflict ridden jungle of Central India tries his best to conduct free and fair voting despite the apathy of security forces and the looming fear of guerrilla attacks by communist rebels.

My Review: Newton is one such message-oriented film which will equally impress both art and commercial audience alike.It is brilliantly funny poignant film which every Indian must watch.

"Do you know what your problem is?" a veteran election instructor asks a newbie.

The youngster replies: "My honesty?"

"No," says the older gentleman, "your problem is your pride in your honesty."

This conversation between Rajkumar Rao and Sanjay Mishra is one of the best scenes I have seen this year.In the same scene,Sanjay Mishra compares Newton's view is similar to Isaac Newton's view.Director masterfully wrote such strong scenes in the beginning of the movie which really created strong impact throughout the movie and even after coming out after watching it.

Writer-director Amit Masurkar and Mayank Tewari have painfully captured the bittersweet essence of the people of an obscure jungle that's far-flung from civilization.Masurkar razes multiple Hindi film clichés to the ground in Newton by resorting to low-key black comedy to tell a tale of Adivasis being pulled in different directions by the police and Naxalites on election day, by making an Adivasi - that too a woman - one of the agents of change in the film, and by conceiving Newton as a man of indeterminate caste, even if clearly not an Adivasi himself.

Newton is a dark comedy that gives you equal measures of dread and disillusionment and hope and hilarity. It makes you see the pitfalls of the democratic system but also tells you that it's the only one capable of positive change. This is reality at its finest, with credible performances and backdrops that immerse viewers into the world and where even the faces of the background characters leave a heartbreaking impression. The script is full of humorous touches and intricate visual details.

Once again Rajkumar Rao proved that he is the upcoming gem of Bollywood.He gave a powerful innocent performance with perfection.Pankaj Tripathi is the show-stealer with his career best performance.Rest of the cast also impressed a lot with their natural acting skills.

So,Newton is one of the best political satires I had seen from Indian Cinema.A Must Watch..

My Rating 8/10

Illogical

[chakiavik · 6/10 · 27 October 2020]

No voting officer will undermine the Crpf commandant in Naxal area and put everyone in danger.

Boring....

[zhvwdu · 1/10 · 31 August 2018]

Trying to sarcasm at government but fails, trying to justify naxalism and wrong portrayal of army......

A must watch!

[sheebs · 10/10 · 5 September 2017]

An understated, clever, topical, black comedy with a heart about democracy, elections, our responsibilities as citizens and the power of conviction. Laugh out loud in places, poignant in others, and always honest.

I watched it a couple of times at the Tribeca Festival in New York where it was in the competition section, and both times it received an ovation from a house full theatre.

Brilliantly written, artfully directed and wonderfully performed. A must watch!

Indian democracy at work

[gautam-moharil · 9/10 · 22 May 2021]

A young man of principle is the presiding officer of a polling booth deep in naxal controlled area in Chhattisgarh. He crosses swords with the chief of military staff posted in the area. Both have orders to follow and doing their job.

This film is a critique on the state of democracy in India and how it's not all black and white. The good part is that the writer and director are neutral and don't have a point to make. The audience is left to draw his own conclusion.

A must watch.

Democracy at Work !

[CIDMoosa · 7/10 · 7 June 2018]

The USP of this flick is the subject it elects to elaborate upon - that of the world largest democracy, its effectiveness (or ineffectiveness?) combined with the way it chooses to deliver in the most austere way. It talks about the utopian democratic notions , its flaws in operation or the bureaucratic clutter that runs it, without being preachy eyed or bearing the stamp of a left liberal art house. Infused with some pretty dark humour all along, the makers have managed to tackle a downright serious topic with a subtle and non-dramatic chronicle. Newton is about a young, honest and self-righteous man Newton Kumar who's been commissioned to conduct electoral polling in a tension filled Naxalite region in Chhattisgarh as the presiding officer. The real challenge for him compared to the often warned about communist guerrillas would be the tribes who exist inconsequentially in some godforsaken land in Chhattisgarh with the feeblest idea of an elected representative for them or the system overall for that matter! The plight of tribes, their ignorance, the vainness of naxalism movement, the apathy of security forces or the publicity hungry officials are put in pretty glum acerbity and dark humour. The cleverness of the writer/director manifests in the way they've build the characters with a built in caste interpretation without actually divulging it openly , the dalit titular guy, the middle class high caste army man or the high class IPS officer each with their own views or indifferences in the framework. However the brilliance of the entire proceedings is in not letting either of these characters to be right or wrong, or no pretentious attempt in finding the solutions or making statements (as in the case of recent Mersal ). A mixed metaphor in ways more than one, what works most for newton is the casting - Rajkumar Rao nailing the title role to perfection as the idealistic eccentric presiding officer with his nuances, speeches or those nerdy eye blinks in between. He has become the sort of go to guy for indie/independent movie makers of late one should say. However it's Pankaj Tripathy as Aatma Singh, the cynical security official who steals the show from Newton with his own crooked views on the system while patrolling the dense Dandakaranya jungles hunting the Maoists or pushing around the villagers.

Fastidious bureaucrat struggles to conduct rural election

[maurice_yacowar · 8/10 · 5 February 2018]

This good-natured satire of India's democracy unfortunately has a wider pertinence. World-wide, the once ascendant democratic movement appears in possibly mortal retreat, eroded by the rise of right-wing tyrannies and oligarchs pretending to populism. This danger appears throughout the Third World, of course, now including the USA. The hero is an idealistic but incompetent civil servant who against all odds strives to meet the literal requirements of an election poll in a small remote rural community, under threat from Maoist terrorists. When Nu Tan Kumar changed his name to Newton he unwittingly assumed the persona of democracy. As his senior manager informs him, the historic Newton proved the democracy of the physical laws of nature. In physics, he proved, the same laws apply to everyone. But not so in the realities of the world's largest democracy. The citizens are far from equal. Isolated communities are disconnected from the political debates. For knowledge of the voting conditions themselves they are susceptible to misdirection or disqualification by democracy's enemies or abusers. The new tech stymies them. The punctilious Newton is at constant odds with Aatma, the commander of his protective military unit. The general's pragmatism makes Newton's even modest success possible but falls short of the ideals and principles of the movement. Aatma himself is the victim of hierarchy when a senior officer steals his spotlight before the press. Aatma acknowledges his advantage that undermines the democratic ideal: "When spoken wearing a uniform, even a request seems like a big threat." When Aatma fakes a terrorist attack in order to close the polls before night will endanger his troop, he acknowledges the vulnerability of the free and open government system. Equality may be a supreme value but it's more an aspiration than any reality. Aatma's men pay lip service to the democratic Newton. But frustrated with his simple-mindedness, they are driven to beat him up. Newton himself turned gun-wielding despot to enforce his principles. The scene demonstrates the fragility of the democratic ideal, even among its defenders. If Newton falls short on his official undertaking, at least his personal life retains some promise. The idealist offends his family by rejecting an arranged marriage to an uneducated minor. The film closes on a hopeful note. Newton is visited by the attractive, smart, resourceful woman who assisted him on his rural mission. They will go for coffee - but not until Newton spends another five minutes typing something, when his official coffee break formally begins. However vulnerable and doomed, bureaucracy reigns.

Indian election day in jungles of Chhattisgarh

[patil_umesh · 7/10 · 22 September 2017]

I couldn't stop watching on first day when it is released. Feeling proud to write a review of movie that is an Indian entry into Oscars in foreign language category.

In context of Indian subcontinent, day of parliament election is decisive factor about who will rule largest democracy in the world. Film shows how an honest and fearless Indian follows his duty to conduct voting in jungles of Chhattisgarh. He was supposed to get about votes from 76 adavasis. He succeeds to carry out election in region that was controlled by naxals.

In life we always look for escape route towards comfort and while doing so, we put down our values. This film talks about a person, called Newton, who lived his life with honesty and remained true to himself. He remained fearless while following his duty and never deterred to give in his principles. His eccentric presence among rest creates humorous moments.

Subtle humor is created when we righteous person responds even though who seems odd among rests. Script and dialogues are excellent work of typical black comedy. Film is must watch to understand reality of Indian elections.

Newton Review

[AnishMisra · 10/10 · 4 March 2018]

Newton is a film co-written and directed by Amit Masurkar. I had this film in my mind for quite some time. After some friends said that this was a great movie, I decided to give this a watch. And I can say that I was impressed.

Plot: Newton Kumar, a rookie government clerk is sent on election duty to a Naxal-controlled town in the conflict-ridden jungles of Chhattisgarh.

Story and direction: Firstly, I would like to commend director Amit Masurkar and his team for bringing this film to us. It had a sense of sincerity and honesty embedded in it. That was visible in each and every scene. The characters of the film are unique in their very own way. Each of the characters do have a point while making their statements which makes it quite difficult to side with any particular character. Each of them had a particular trait to be liked. Also the film doesn't get preachy while delivering messages of social relevance. It comes straight to the point. Even with a shoestring budget, the film delivers in quality. Even the jokes, which were made to bring out some laughs, clicked with me. I liked the song-less approach to the film (there is only one song I guess, that is beautifully sung by Amit Trivedi and very correctly defines the situation taking place in the film). It was also quite commedable on the makers part to use real locations.

Performances: This film is filled with some great and impressive performances. Rajkummar Rao is the future of Indian cinema and this film tells us why. Pankaj Tripathi was impressive too. Anjali Patil was a great addition to the cast. Raghubir Yadav was great too and I liked the small portions of comedy that were inserted to make his character likable. Even in his small role, Sanjay Mishra delivered quite a performance.

Favorite Scene: It would be the one where Newton goes to see a girl for marriage. The scene very correctly depicted India and its people's mentality. You even side with Newton's views.

Verdict: Would highly recommend it for people who want to see quality films. If you are a person who doesn't have a liking for films without songs or any sort of commercial viability, I would say to seriously avoid this film.

I am going to give it a well-deserved 10/10.

Terrific Performances Lead This Brave & Engaging Film!

[namashi_1 · 7/10 · 28 September 2017]

In times where Hindi films are failing miserably on low content & forced heroism, 'Newton' arrives as a breath of fresh air. This Realistic & Interesting film, tackles an important, shocking, unknown issue with dark humor. And The Performances by its Strong Ensemble, are simply terrific!

'Newton' Synopsis: A government clerk Newton (Rajkummar Rao) on election duty in the conflict ridden jungle of Central India tries his best to conduct free and fair voting despite the apathy of security forces and the looming fear of guerrilla attacks by communist rebels.

I live in Mumbai & everything here is as accessible it can get. This is India at its peak of economy & knowledge. And then there is Bharat depicted so realistically in 'Newton'. We see Newton, the protagonist, go into an unknown, good for nothing jungle, where people don't even know how to Vote! Yes, you read that right. The people are oblivious & clueless of who runs the country & why the government wouldn't look into their shockingly bad circumstances or surroundings. With political corruption on one hand to communist rebels on the other, the jungle depicted here is a no-mans-land, despite people living there. Even the basic human right of Voting, seems alien there. And 'Newton' bravely depicts their state, with humor & clever dialogue, never letting the bleak atmosphere get heavy or depressing.

'Newton' works because its been with honesty & the setting is authentic. Amit V Masurkar & Mayank Tewari's Screenplay is well-done & shows us a side of rural India that we've never come across before. Having said that, the Writing lags at places. For instance, the beginning of first-hour has a few not so arresting moments, but things pick up well once Newton leaves for the jungle. Also, the culmination, though well-done, could've been a bit more deeper. Nonetheless, the Writing is mostly engaging & the Dialogue are delightful. Amit V Masurkar's Direction is impressive. He has handled the film realistically.

Cinematography captures the wilderness & the emptiness of the jungle, with skill. Editing is crisp, keeping the film sharp at 106-minutes. Art & Costume Design define authenticity.

Performance-Wise: 'Newton' aces as far as the performances are concerned. Rajkummar Rao as Newton Kumar, is faultless. One of the finest leading men of our times, Rao transforms as the honest man, who'd not let people forget their right to vote, despite volatile surroundings. The National-Award Winning Actor gets into the skin of the character & doesn't miss a single beat. Lending Rao excellent support are the impeccable Pankaj Tripathi & Raghubhir Yadav. Tripathi redefines the mastery of subtlety as the Army Officer who disagrees with Newton's unrealistic honesty to his job. The minor confrontations & the conversations Between Rao & Tripathi, are the high-point of the enterprise. Yadav, on the other-hand, is scene-stealing good as Newton's colleague. With hilarious one-liners & a dry sense of humor, Yadav almost steals 'Newton' with his remarkable portrayal. Anjali Patil, too, leaves a lovely mark as the women who helps Newton in achieving his aim. Sanjay Mishra is perfect in a special appearance. Others lend very good support.

On the whole, 'Newton' is a well-made film in all respects. It may not be perfect, but its an important film that deserves your time & money. Recommended!

koi bada badlav ek din me nai hota

[MuviFan73 · 8/10 · 9 October 2017]

Newton is India's official entry into the Oscars. I am not a big fan of Oscar's. I find it overrated. Yet I would say it as good choice.

Tone, Script & Story: The story is how regarding all odds, an election officer in charge carries out election in a region where the danger of Naxalites attack exists. It is not an attractive script but it is real and you will like it. The honesty of our officer in charge is worth mentioning despite all odds. There is a dialog which states, koi bada badlav ek din me nai hota (a bigger change requires time to occur), stating lack of knowledge of people living in jungles with reference to elections (3.5/5).

Direction, Screenplay, Cinematography: Direction is good, screenplay is also good, and cinematography containing mostly jungle where the team goes to take 76 adivasi votes is captured well.

Music: Music is above average. There are two songs based on superior ideology. I mean they seem to deviate from topic or maybe they are too artistic for me to understand. (2.5/5)

Acting: Acting is good. Pankaj Tripathy has acted very well. Sanjay Mishra whenever comes on screen, is an eye treat. Others including Rajkummar Rao, Anjali Patil, Raghuvir Yadav have acted good (3/5).

Final Verdict: Watch it, its worth every penny spent [(3/5) (8/10)].

overrated but okay indian film with a message

[barevfilm · 7/10 · 14 January 2018]

Drama · A government clerk on election duty in the conflict ridden jungle of Central India tries his best to conduct free and fair voting despite the apathy of security forces and the looming fear of attack by communist guerillas. Newton, an off Bollywood Hindi film devoid of songs and dances stars rapidly rising tinseltown star Rajkumar Rao. It was one of the big Indian films of 2017 and was nominated as India's entry to this years Oscars but failed make the final short list to general Indian disappointment. Rao plays a government clerk on election duty in the conflict ridden jungle of Central India trying his best to conduct free and fair voting in a remote village of ignorant tribal people who do not really understand what elections are all about. An interpreter is required to communicate with them as their tribal language is totally unrelated to other Indian languages and none of them speak Hindi. Complicating matters is the apathy of the security forces and the looming fear of guerrilla attacks by Naxalite communist rebels. A bit of romantic relief is supplied by a tentative romance between Newton and the fetching female interpreter. This sincere effort addresses two nagging Indian problems; how to avoid fixing of elections, and how to educate simple tribal people to the meaningfulnes of the voting process in "the worlds largest democracy". We learn at the very beginning that our heroe's name which is actually Nutan has been modified by him to conform to that of the famous English Physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton. Hey, this guy is an intellectual, right? --and he is not interested in his father's outmoded attempts to get him properly married off in an arranged marriage. So being a young educated idealist he volunteers for a seemingly hopeless election mission in the threatened back woods and the rest of the story is about the various problems encountered there and his relationship with a no nonsense military man assigned to protect the election hut set up from possible Naxalite attack. Rao delivers a touching performance as the bewildered but determined and sincere young man among wolves but the film, while it maintains interest largely on Rao's engaging performance, is overly didactic and message laden. Sam Goldwyn would have called in Western Union.

Interesting subject, boring storytelling

[Vartiainen · 5/10 · 11 October 2017]

Newton Kumar (Rajkummar Rao) is a highly-educated young man, who volunteers to see the election process in a distant, rural village. India is a large country, with much of its population woefully out of touch with the happenings of the capitol, which makes the idea of democracy a bit shaky at best. Which is why Newton believes it to be so important to stick to the process and uphold the ideals. Even if the practicality of those ideals might not apply. For what choice is there?

The movie also talks about the upheavals and uncertainty in the remote villages, about the difficulty of forging a politically and culturally unified India. About the impossibility of it. Rajkummar Rao is very good as the leading man, playing it very subtle as a man bound by ideals, yet frustrated with the limitations of practicality. Pankaj Tripathi as the representative of the military presence and Anjali Patil as the representative of the locals are also very good in their roles and help to flesh out the issue.

But then the downsides. As a subject this is very interesting. And as an artistic festival movie this is about what you'd expect. But as a general movie just shy of two hours it falls flat. I didn't find the story engaging enough to sit through two hours of cinema. This would have served wonderfully as a short film - albeit a longish one - or as a documentary. As it is, it loses its audience in the middle. And it loses it hard. The events of the near end brought me back, and the final conclusions were delightfully insightful, but the middle was a crawl.

Newton is to be applauded as a project. But as a movie I condemn it.

Humour. Story. Uniqueness. Performance. Excellent.

[maulin5 · 9/10 · 23 September 2017]

There is a film in every year whose trailer looks so promising that curiosity increases day by day till the release date comes close. Newton is such a film of 2017. Having said that, on its release date, we got news of it getting selected to represent as an Indian Film at Oscar! Congratulations for it.

If you have sharp memory, then it may be possible, may be, but I am saying it with 99% surety that this subject has never been touched by any filmmaker. Voting for elections in sensitive areas of India is the most crucial thing beyond our imagination. We are citizens of metro cities, never look back towards small villages and their issues. So, to enjoy a different atmosphere in a general humorously way, Newton is there in theaters near you.

The first half has major portions of humour. If you think that comedy films like Housefull have humour then you should avoid this. Or if you want to give yourself a chance, than keep patience till end and do not bother others.

Film gives all the conclusion. It is up to you, how you can grasp it. Who is right and who is wrong in this film are the questions you have to check by yourself. Director, writers and actors have done their job, as a viewer you have some duties to! Don't rush over and write anything about the film without thinking! This film will tell you about how far are you from reality of truth and right!

Without excellent dialogues, this film would not be as effective as it is. Kudos to writers! Claps for producers! Salute to director! & Big hugs to Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi!