User reviews

This movie is a great combination of talent and a good storyline. The three lead actors Swara Bhaskar, Sanjay Mishraji & Pankaj Tripathi have done a fabulous job. The most astonishing thing is that the director of this movie Avinash, does not seem like a first time director- his command over his art is superb and there is not doubt that he is one of the directors to look forward to. Overall Movie Rating: 4 Music Score :4

Acting:4 Direction: 4.5

Written and directed by first time director Avinash Das, Anaarkali of Aarah tells the story of a performance artist who writes and performs erotic songs with her troupe of poets, musicians, singers and dancers. These performances are mostly watched by men in Aarah, a small town in the Bhojpuri speaking region of India. This film is an entertaining thriller. Don't be fooled by the upbeat tone of the film or the poster. Even though they are not misleading, this film maintains an undertone of how chilling the seemingly normal may be. Its with this premise that the film opens and grips you then on until the very end. What would you think of a woman whose profession is singing about the sexual fantasies of men and women? How would you look at someone like that? The lyrics of her songs playfully suggest sexual acts and desire, a topic majorly taboo and thus missing from mass media and public space in India. Anaarkali's performances are no doubt attended by men because in India, men have a right to sexual desire and fantasy and are allowed to engage in it publicly as long as it involves a woman who does not exist in the sacrosanct space of being a wife/mother/sister of a man. If she does not fall into this category then she is easily classified a whore or of "loose character" and somehow deserving of being mistreated or abused. This is a nationwide phenomena in India and such beliefs hold true for educated upper middle class and upper class men and women, although not as much as they do for the lower classes. Set in the regional background of Bihar, the film questions this mass attitude towards genders. It zooms in on specific participants in such a society of gender politics. The film questions what is widely understood as values, culture and attitude. From the get go, the filmmaker hopes that Anaarkali isn't looked at through the lens of gender taboos but of a human being, a person worth knowing, no matter her choice of career. You know her as Anaar- the girl who wears mismatched clothes and no make up in her home, performing household chores and as Anaarkali Aarahwali (from Aarah), the performer, presenting a made up, glittery, sexy version of herself. The contrast makes you admire her talent for transformation. For being a very real, vulnerable person and the mask she, so consciously puts on for her work. Her resilient personality, her passion for her work, her pride in her body, her genuine talent for poetry, music and dance, make her a very likable character. You will easily find yourself rooting for and falling in love with her. Swara Bhaskar essays the role with perfection making her a kind-hearted, lovable Anaarkali. Sanjay Mishra's VC Saab (Vice Chancellor) comes straight at you from one of those well-traversed sarkaari (government office) corridors reeking of power and corruption. He is seemingly harmless, comical even; without a hint of evil or villainy and does not come across as an exploitative person. Anaarkali's victim is brave, intelligent and determined. Her true pride and self-love are shown as she refuses to give in to most others trying to dispossess her of her body and emotions. The narrative slowly turns her from a proud and happy performance artist to a tormented being desperately trying to take back control of her life and work while also trying to claim her right to bodily integrity. We surf the details and the depths of gender bias driven by patriarchy and misogyny, fueled by power and corruption. Her struggle soon turns into a fight for her right to do the work of her choice without being judged/punished for it. She never once blames or looks down upon her profession. This is the true victory of this film. Beautiful details will make you want to revisit this film. The costumes are well done, the dialogue crisp and entertaining. This film is definitely one you don't want to miss.

The last movie I saw was Dumb Lagake Hiasha and this week I saw AoA. After watching both the movies, I have realised that even though these are small budget movies, they had great content, storyline & some great actors that our film industry has. Swara, Pankaj & Sanjay Tripathi have carved a niche for themselves – these are few powerful actors our industry has and they always surprise us with their choice of roles.

I watched Swara Bhaskar's Nil Battey Sannaata, and loved her in that movie. That's the reason I decided to watch Anaarkali of Aarah as Swara is one of those actors who like to get associated with good work and content driven stories. Watching her in AoA , it is difficult to believe that this is the same lady who portrayed the role of a maid in Nil Battey Sannata – A great range of performance. She is definitely an actor to vouch for.

I went to see the movie with my friends and we enjoyed this movie like none before – Great story, brilliant direction, good dialogue delivery and hummable music- it has all the ingredients for wholesome entertainment. I would like to specially mention the dialogues – The dialogue writer has done a good job, dialogues like " Ab tel aapka hai, Kadhai aapka hai, ab aap isme poori chaniye ya halwa pakaiye" simply cracks u up

#AnaarkaliOfAarah is a more rustic and courageous version of Pink. Swara is superb as the erotic singer from Bihar, who is not afraid to flaunt her sexuality. Yet, when she says no, she definitely means it and you respect her for her act of valour. in Pink, the ladies had the solid support of Mr Bachchan. but here, the lady has to fight it out on her own, against the authoritative and creepy Sanjay Mishra, who will go to any extent to convert "no" to "yes". the performances are superlative, the music is in line with the story. not to be missed. Rating 3.5/5.

Sanjay and swara were excellent , loved both of their performance . They delivered one of their finest ! Must watch for their acting

Now that's how the variation of intensity should be shown. A perfect blend of harsh and gentle moments where the message is delivered in a wonderfully subtle way. Swara Bhaskar, the wonder woman comes out with another gem of a performance in an another gem of a movie. The lady can certainly pull any kind of role single- handedly. Avinash Das as a first-time writer and director has done a marvellous job.

Storyline Rating: 4

Acting Rating: 3 Swara Bhaskar: 4 Sanjay Mishra: 2 Pankaj Tripathy: 2

Direction Rating: 4

Music Rating: 2

Cinematography: 3

Editing: 4

The movie has its moments of strength, though IMO is marred mostly by the uneven script. But my above average rating is mostly due to a great acting by the protagonist - Swara Bhasker. She has done quite a good job of getting into such a character and played it with panache. Nice to see bollywood coming up with female oriented roles, where they can showcase their talent well.

. khan gang and kjo ki chamchi swara.. who is anti national.. swara is more known for her anti national and anti hindu statements than her acting or movies. just came her give her 1 star for her disturbing statements

It will not be an exaggeration to say that Swara might win an Award(National) for this role. The portrayal of Anaarkali as a strong woman who entices men in Aarah, and a victim who is mistreated by a minister, is simply flawless. The acting range that Swara has shown in this movie will surely be remembered for a long time and get her even more work . Sanjay & Pankaj are outstanding in their characters. Watch this one because you don't want to miss a good movie with great performance.

Another movie by Swara Bhaskar which needs to be forgotten or launched into a black hole.

It starts off with Swara playing the part of an exotic dancer called "Anaarkali" in a village. Anaarkali does exotic dancing to entertain men.

So, the story seems to get into the touchy subject of consent and whether it's relevant to her considering her profession. The story kicks off when the powerful VC of the village played by Sanjay Mishra molests her on stage while she is giving a performance. The rest of the movie is about how she fights against the VC and gives the message of "No, means No", irrespective of her profession.

While, I agree with this message and the story to a large degree. It's the acting and the innuendos used in the movie that is difficult to watch. Don't get me wrong Sanjay Mishra plays his part very well and really brings you to despise his character in the movie.

However, Swara does the opposite. You don't really relate to her character due to the facial expressions she uses while acting. The outrage she shows of her treatment seems artificial & rehearsed. At times, it felt like I was watching a robot deliver the dialogues.

In general, this movie fails to deliver the intended effect due to the poor acting in the protagonist's role.

Not sure, how it got these awards but, I don't want to speculate.

Wouldn't recommend this movie.

The movie becomes what a director makes it. I would give the credit to Avinashji for making such a brilliant film which inspires the society. Swara Bhaskar essays the role of an erotic singer, it is easy for people to think that she is available because she is a singer but that's not the case. She fights back when an influential man misbehaves with her . Great performance and music. Overall Rating: 4 Acting: 4

You have to watch this movie to know why I say this. The movie is simple yet so striking in its subject. It's not like this is the first movie on women empowerment but the way the same message has been sent out is worth appreciating. Avinashji understands the nuances of the character and the way he has directed the movie shows that he is master of this art. I have rated this movie as follows: Direction: 4 Acting:4 Music Score :3.5

A movie cannot work on only great music, or great actors or best scenic locations – It is the story that determines the success of any movie and in case of AoA, story is what makes it watchable. Based in Aarah, the movie shows the struggles that a dancer undergoes and how she fights back. Watch this inspiring movie of a dancer who fails to surrender to the society trends and demands the respect that she deserves.

When I watched the trailer of the movie, I decided to watch this one. And I would say I was not disappointed- A fight against the male dominant society & harsh realities of small towns are shown in a superb way. Watch it with your family - this one has a strong message & you don't want to miss it if you admire great performance, out of the box content & a great execution. Anaarkali is a treat to the eyes & mind!

"Have you ever gone to watch a movie without expecting too much out of it and then the movie turns out to be one of the best ? Well, that's what happened with me. AoA is a treat for the eyes and ears. The songs are pretty good & blend seamlessly with the storyline. The lead actors – Swara, Sanjay Mishra and Pankaj have done an outstanding job – they prove why they are best in the business. It is an outstanding movie and looking forward to watch it again."

"Three great actors, an ambitious director, flawless music score – Mix all the three and you get a movie like AoA. Words are less to describe the impact the movie has on you even after you leave the theatre. The direction, cinematography and music score add to the flawless performances of the actors. Direction : 4.5/5 Music : 4/5 Acting: 4/5 Watch this movie because it is movies like these that depicts the real talent in Bollywood"

Anaarkali of Aarah is one movie that will remain with you even after you leave the theatre. What stunning performance by Swara Bhaskar, Sanjay Mishraji & Pankaj Tripathi. These actors have continuously proved their mettle & never fail to amaze us with their acting nuances. An impactful story, great direction & honest efforts are few things that make this movie watchable. Direction : 4/5 Acting : 3.5/5 Music : 3/5

This is a female centric movie and all females should definitely watch this inspiring story of Anaarkali of Aarah. I have seen many such stories in the past which have the same message but the performance in this movie is of another level. No one can beat Sanjay Mishra in his art – he is the best in industry. This does not seem like the first movie of Avinashji so I would say a great attempt & I am looking forward to your next work!

Guys, before you read this review, let me tell you that I am a movie junkie and I am someone who likes to watch serious cinema which has a message, a story, an inspiration. Anaarkali of Aarah is a movie by first time director Avinash- but throughout the movie, not even once you will feel that this man is new to this business- he knows his art so well that he can put other big directors to shame. Hats off to the entire team of AoA. Looking forward to your next movie.

Swara just proved with this movie that she is here to stay – even if she does small roles, this actress has great potential & works hard for her characters. Women empowerment has been the theme of a lot of movies in the past & no one has explored it this way – What a treat to the eyes and mind to witness something like this. Although, movie could have been edited better , nonetheless the direction is good & music is great!

I am a fan of Swara Bhaskar & Sanjay Mishra. After Nil battey sannatta & masaan, I look forward to watching their movies & I am glad to say they are the best in the industry. A talent is wasted if the story is not compelling but Avinash has done justice as a director. Content driven, hard hitting movie with a good message is a rarity in Bollywood. Go watch this one with your family and friends if you love to watch good content.

After watching the movie, I recommended this to my friends but I feel that larger audience needs to be told about this movie and hence I am writing this review. I went to see this movie after work just for entertainment- I hadn't seen the trailer so I had no idea what was coming. An amazing story-line with power-packed performance- not just that, great music & very inspiring story-line. Watch it if you love to see good movies.