User reviews

Caught this last night in Wembley Cineworld and was expecting a half baked attempt at a cross over movie. What I got was a something unexpected. A complex thriller that forced me to watch every minute till the end of the film and wanting more. I left the cinema with my friend and we continued to talk about the film and some of the characters especially Nana.

To me thats a sign of a good movie, when i leave the cinema and the film stays with me. Its not the kind of film you watch once and forget, the visuals and story got me into the city of Varanasi so much I am seriously wondering why as an Indian i have never traveled there.

But its far from a tourist advertisement film, its got so much darkness in the film I felt uneasy at times. This is an intelligent thriller with a mystic story line. I've not personally seen a film like this shot in India and it was an unexpected refreshing change. I highly recommend it for the story, performances of the lead actors, music was wonderful and the visuals and pace sets the film apart. Its clear the makers really cared about getting this film right.

I'd recommend it

True, the director knows his job, knows how to create atmosphere, in spite of being the first feature film he's directing. My impression of "avid spectator" is that it has everything it takes to become a name in the world's cinema. The actors are also not outdone, all honorable pay their roles. Image and music from the film are also good. But, however, Rajan Kumar Patel is not yet Alfred Hitchcock or Brian De Palma. Perhaps in his next productions. Maybe he will overcome them. Until then, this Feast of Varanasi is just a modest film, because the script is so predictable from the beginning. It is a drama, it has crime but, is far from being a thriller. The film does not have the necessary salt and pepper, the "essential ingredients" are missing to be a thriller. Only 6 out of 10.