Review of Dear Zindagi (2016) by Rakesh R — 23 Nov 2016

#DearZindagi is a must see. It takes you on this journey where it teaches you to see small things in life from a different point of view. Always teaches, but never once preaches. And that is where it wins.

Director Gauri Shinde (who made English Vinglish) proves that even a director who has already made a good movie can still grow and make a far better movie. Dear Zindagi is beautiful and honest. The writing and narrative is true and mature.

The cinematography and music are pure and sublime. The protagonist of the movie Kaira played by the extremely talented Alia Bhatt has not missed a beat this year. After Kapoor & Sons and Udta Punjab, she has yet again given an award worthy performance.

You will smile with her, want to dance with her, and give her a hug when she is crying. You will find fragments of your past in her journey and enormously feel for her. But I was more impressed by Shah Rukh Khan because for the first time in his career (since his stardom) he has played a "character" in a movie that is not about him.

He walks in after about 45 minutes of the movie is done but manages to prove an old saying that "it's not the length, but the excellence of the acting that matters". Yes he has been excellent in movies like Dil Se, Swades and Chak De India, and the Fan character he played this year was outstanding as well, but he was still the protagonist in all those movies.

This is Kaira's journey and he is a part of it. He is unashamed, unabashed and free of the superstar baggage. And what a treat it was. Do yourself a favor and go watch this movie. It will momentarily free you of all your current worries.

And will hopefully give you the much needed optimism, that we all need in our lives, to live and love Zindagi.