The movie Haider, as most of you would be aware of is an adaptation of Shakespeaes' Hamlet. It does…  

The movie Haider, as most of you would be aware of is an adaptation of Shakespeaes' Hamlet. It does help if you have read the original work ,but believe me there is nothing in the movie which you cannot understand if you have not read it.In fact if you have not read it till now,its better because the story would be anew to you. Set in Kashmir it takes the essence of problems faced in Kashmir valley due to insurgency and counterinsurgency measures though it doesn't focus on the problem alone. In a broad sense this movie is about search of a father by a son and subsequent events which leads him nearer towards revenge. First of all the movie is not everybody's cup of tea. You've to be very patient throughout to get the real pleasure out of it. The film is slow paced so as to draw you into it, just like an old wine. And, like an old wine you are supposed to sip it and not drink it in a hurry. The ensemble actor list is itself worth mentioning from Shahid ,Shradhha,Kulbhushan Kharbanda to the talented KK Menon,Tabu and of course the ever reliable Irfan Khan. Their performance is indeed flawless in the movie.The relationships are well portrayed ,the agony and trauma well expressed and the hate ,betrayal ,action scenes well-choreographed and scripted(especially the action sequence in the last scene). The only fault I could find in the acting department is that because of the presence of so many good actors (though the movie has good runtime still) much is left to be desired especially from Irrfan Khan whose performance is too succinct for an actor of his caliber. As said earlier, the movie is slow paced but the script doesn't fail the plot often. There is hardly anytime where you find yourself napping in the movie. Songs are good especially Arjit Singhs voice again creates magic with 'khul kabhi'.Cinematography, background score(which sometimes sound like Bourne trilogy) are also good. Accent training for the actors could have been better as anyone who has visited Kashmir for even a short duration would find only the two Salmaans accent to be genuine. But then it is a minor fault in a movie a cut above rest. If you are patient and could immerse yourself in the plot ,then the movie holds a lot of promise for you. But wont recommend to those who could not find tickets for another movie or those who want to have party time without application of brain.It is certainly not the best work you will ever see, but certainly a cut above rest, deserving a watch. 

It's really a masterpiece when we consider the fact that it's based on Shakespeare's play…  

It's really a masterpiece when we consider the fact that it's based on Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet'.Being a Kashmiri I have always felt that movies based on Kashmir are totally biased but this movie is somewhat nearer to the ground reality of Kashmir during the 90's.The Yiddish word 'chutzpah' has been comically used to describe the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) which has become a nuisance for the people of Kashmir. It also shows that after a failure in the implementation of Hearts and Minds Strategy employed by India the Indian Army is forced to use Guerrilla Warfare tactics via the use of the ruthless pro-government militia(Ikhwanis) in Kashmir,composed of surrendered militants paid and supported by Indian security agencies.The cinematography is just great and does a fine job in displaying the natural,architectural and cultural beauty of Kashmir.The soundtrack of the movie is great and helps in creating an almost surrealistic atmosphere I was surprised to hear bits of Moby's Extreme Ways(Bourne's Ultimatum) playing in background which really intensified the action sequences.The climax is action packed so be ready for an awesome gunfight along with some blood and gore.Watch out for some really nice yet subtle comedy by Salman  

Haider is one of my most awaiting movie of the year. As a Huge fan of Shahid Kapoor, I must say…  

Haider is one of my most awaiting movie of the year. As a Huge fan of Shahid Kapoor, I must say this is the best work done by him in his hole career. Tabu is natural in her role. The supporting cast Kay KayMenon is good. Shraddha looks sweet and cute. The relationship between Tabu and Shahid was far beyond than Imagination. Their Chemistry rocks and binds the viewers by their Performances. The story, screenplay, and dialogues are very good. Songs are superb. The track Bismil becomes too good with Shahid Dance and Expression. The Psychotic role in second half rocks. The guest appearance by Irfan Khan is superb. The back ground score is good. All in All I say this Movie is must watch. Ten on Ten 

Haider is not merely a remake of Hamlet. Vishal Bhardwaj has taken the source material, re-shaped…  

Haider is not merely a remake of Hamlet. Vishal Bhardwaj has taken the source material, re-shaped it to meet the Indian context, and has made the story his own, while at the same time remaining faithful to the original. The story starts with Haider (Shahid Kapoor) returning to his home in insurgency-ridden Kashmir, after his father Hilaal Meer has been taken away by the army for treating an injured militant. Hilaal is a doctor, an idealist who believes in "being on the side of life, not of ideology". By the time Haider returns to his homeland, his father has joined the ranks of the "disappeared" and the home of his childhood has been destroyed. Worst of all, Haider's mother Ghazala (played by a luminous Tabu) seems to be drowning her sorrow in the arms of her brother-in-law Khurram (Kay Kay Menon). Haider joins the ranks of those Kashmiris desperately searching for their loved ones who have disappeared - seeking his father in hospitals and morgues, turning over blood-drenched bodies in a truck, a sheaf of photocopied photos of his father in his backpack. His childhood sweetheart (Shraddha Kapoor) tries her best to be supportive, but is unable to break through his wall of depression. His depression spirals into rage when he is contacted by a mysterious Roohdaar (Irrfan Khan) who confirms that his father has been killed because of the machinations of Khurram and Ghazala, and that his father's wish was for Haider to avenge his death. From then on, the movie descends into the depths of Haider's thirst for vengeance. The choices he makes, and the consequences of those choices drive the rest of the movie to its inevitable conclusion. Shahid Kapoor plays Haider in the role of a lifetime. His talent, generally obscured by his pretty-boy looks, is in full force here. His eyes mirror his vulnerability and despair, his rage and brutality and eventually his madness. The movie belongs to him. Tabu is Ghazala, glorious as ever. Described as half-widow, half- bride, she does a wonderful job of conveying forbidden obsession and desperation. Her relationship with her son, with their unexplainable passion for each other, is delicately portrayed. Kay Kay Menon is, as always, wonderful as the clownish and somewhat pathetic Khurram, gradually revealing his true face. Irrfan Khan is impressive in his small role as Roohdaar. Vishal Bhardwaj has succeeded in capturing the desolate beauty of Kashmir, once described as "heaven on earth". The snow takes on a character of its own, and as Haider spirals into madness and destruction, the snow-filled roads and woods seem more threatening than beautiful. The movie effectively captures the struggle of an entire people, trapped by misplaced patriotism and opposing ideologies. Not an action movie, watch it to see poetry translated to the big screen. 

Macbeth, Othello, and now Hamlet. Vishal Bharadwaj does it once again, by re-imagining Shakespeare…  

Macbeth, Othello, and now Hamlet. Vishal Bharadwaj does it once again, by re-imagining Shakespeare in a very gritty Indian milieu. This time it is the Kashmir of 1995 in throes of militancy. The instruments Vishal Bharadwaj used for Maqbool and Omkara, are far sharper this time around. The songs are very rustic, and completely of the type to be found in street plays (not even a symbolic nod to Bollywood or a titillation to the audiences with a Bidi). The sense of suspense even sharper (even with a story with a basis as well known as Hamlet). The characters continue to be just as eccentric as in Omkara. And death once again continues to be not an infrequent visitor just like with Omkara. Yet the context is more sombre. And the whole scenario of militancy IMO dealt with quite responsibly with (what I would imagine to be) a good sense of reality. Not everything is wonderful. On the acting front, Tabu is impressive but understated. Shahid Kapur does well by his standards, but every so often I used to wonder how much better Pankaj Kapur would've done in some of the scenes. Shraddha Kapoor manages the role of pretty innocence well enough, but will probably cringe when she watches her own histrionics. Kay Kay Menon, and Irfan Khan of course are a pleasure to watch, but this is not their best film. While the songs aim to dramatise, I found them underwhelming and unnecessarily melodramatic in this context, Also the film is just a tad too long and could've been shortened by 15-20 minutes. Be prepared to see a Kashmir which does not look the swiss alps but still deserves to be considered amongst the most beautiful places on earth. This kashmir is a little raw. And forms the milieu for two concurrent threads, one the intra family drama which is the very essence of Hamlet, and the general environment of militancy and counter insurgency. Moreover the plot moves at a fairly measured pace and manages to retain the interest and fascination. It might surprise you (after my earlier paragraph), but these are the reasons why I would classify the movie to be a must watch. Yeah, go watch this, this is not to be missed, any complaints you might've notwithstanding. 

We have seen in Maqbool and Omkara how wonderfully Bhardwaj takes up the bard's plays and weaves…  

We have seen in Maqbool and Omkara how wonderfully Bhardwaj takes up the bard's plays and weaves them passionately into a completely different cultural milieu. With Haider, Vishal does better. The film paints Kashmir in a haunting colour, so true to the troubles there. The usual whites and dark hues of frames are there in the Valley (usual in cinematic sense when you portray dark emotions) but even the colourful frames blaringly outline the feelings of revengeful, hurt and soul.. 

When films transmute William Shakespeare's poetic imagery and the atmosphere that his verses…  

When films transmute William Shakespeare's poetic imagery and the atmosphere that his verses conjure into re-imagined, re- contextualized visuals, and not merely reproduce the action with select dialogues, a movie adaptation of a Shakespeare play can be considered successful. That is why, thought British film scholar Roger Manvell, Shakespeare often translates best in what he considered "foreign films". The setting is one of the reasons Haider, Vishal Bhardwaj's adaptation of Hamlet, works. It is true to the haunting ambiguity of the characters' motives in the original play, Shakespeare's most opaque of tragedies, but the Kashmir canvas is potent. Bhardwaj's visual intelligence and the screenplay by Bhardwaj and Basharat Peer, one of India's acute commentators on Kashmir, his home state, add to the effective localization. Shakespearean purism aside, Haider is a thrilling film. It is a film of luxuriant paranoia. It is about Oedipal love. Unlike the cardboard insurgency imagery or images of damaged beauty that soak most films about Kashmir, Haider is an unflinching take on the Kashmir malaise, the tragedy infused with a sense of dark humor about the ordinary Kashmiri's hopelessness. Compared to Bhardwaj's earlier two Shakespeare adaptations, Maqbool (Macbeth) and Omkara (Othello), both of which depended heavily on language and dialogues and used Shakespeare's stories rather conveniently to propel the plot, Haider is a quieter yet richer spectacle and a convincing standalone piece. Bhardwaj chooses bold strokes over gloomy introspection, and in that sense, Haider is in the tradition of mainstream Hindi cinema. The picturization of songs is riveting to watch (Pankaj Kumar's cinematography is breathtaking throughout, and especially in the songs) and the songs are some of Bhardwaj's best compositions as a music director in recent times. The melodrama towards the end loosens the narrative and the last half hour feels like a bit of a drag, again a typical affliction in Hindi films. The protagonist is far from the melancholy Dane; Haider, which Shahid Kapoor plays with impressive zest and inventiveness, is more a dashing, combustible figure than a brooder. Bhardwaj also does away with the supernatural horror so integral to the original play, and which can be an easy tool for creating suspense and drama in cinema. The horror is in the everyday macabre reality of death, loss and waiting, and in the manipulation of a Kashmiri Muslim's emotions and insecurities. Haider (Kapoor) arrives in the Kashmiri village he left long ago to study at Aligarh after his father, a doctor, has disappeared. His mother Ghazala (Tabu) is romantically close to his father's younger brother (Kay Kay Menon). Arshi (Shraddha Kapoor), his childhood sweetheart, is torn between her pro-Indian establishment family and Haider, who is devastated to see his mother's sudden transformation. His idyllic childhood with parents seemingly in love is shattered. When Roohdar (Irrfan Khan), a mysterious man with a limp sends him a message from his lost father, Haider is on a destructive path of jealousy, hatred, turmoil and doubt. Central to the story is the relationship between Ghazala and Haider— a tender as well as anguished bond between mother and son, fueling the film as essentially an Oedipal drama. The romantic love between Arshi and Haider is almost a sweet afterthought. The casting ideas work impressively well. Kay Kay Menon stands out as a superbly calculating man, the villain in Haider's mind, and Tabu makes a heart-rending Ghazala. Shraddha Kapoor delivers an earnestly fervent performance and Irrfan Khan is pitch perfect as a quietly menacing presence, the only personification close to a ghostly apparition. Salman Khan is here too, in a deliciously manufactured ode to the Hindi film hero through Salman and Salman, Haider's friends and a pair of all-round crooks, an interesting replication of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern from the original play. Haider is an immensely effective re imagination of Shakespeare—and the film's biggest triumph is that the provincial, in this case Kashmir and the characters defined by its reality, shine in a universal and timeless tragedy 

Haider is a tragedy about vengeance, resentment, intricacies and relationships. Haider is an…  

Haider is a tragedy about vengeance, resentment, intricacies and relationships. Haider is an official adaptation of Hamlet set in the backdrops of Kashmir. Kashmir, a land of dispute, has been shown like never before. Since the trailer of Haider is out it has created a mass hysteria. The audience has a lot of expectations from Haider because of its brilliant star cast including Shahid Kapoor, Tabu, Kay Kay Menon, Shraddha Kapoor and Irrfan Khan. On the other hand, Haider is also most anticipated movie of the year because it is the third Shakespearean adaptation by Vishal Bharadawaj. Vishal has proved his mettle with likes of Maqbool, The Blue Umbrella, Omkara and Kaminey. No doubt, Vishal has a robust hold over what he is doing. Will Haider live up to expectations? Will Shahid give his career's best in this movie? Will Tabu heat up the proceedings of movie with her anguish and charisma? Let's analyze. Vishal, as the director, is the lifeline of Haider. Without Vishal's directorial finesse Haider couldn't have been the experience that it turned out to be now. Screenplay of the movie is pitch perfect without any loopholes. It couldn't have been better. The writers have transformed the idea on paper into a visually splendid movie with superlative script. The dialogues penned by Vishal strike the right chord. Cinematography is of astounding. The DoP depicts Kashmir in an exquisite way. The locations are breathtaking. The music by Vishal is soul touching. Songs like Aao Na and Bismil steal the show. Aao Na is just too melodious. Bismil has all the elements to be a chartbuster. Overall, the album is exceptional and distinctive. Tabu comes into form after 'The Namesake' and 'Cheeni Kum'. She gives yet another scintillating performance. The flair that Tabu has is inimitable. No one could have played the role of Ghazala like Tabu. She owns every frame she appears in. Ghazala's role demands to show distress, magnetism and splendor at the same time. Tabu depicts every emotion with poise. It will not be inaccurate to state that performance wise Tabu is the master of this star cast. Shahid Kapoor as the lead protagonist depicts the role of Haider with supreme dexterity. It is his career's best performance. Shahid brings in every emotion live on the screen. He performs his role with aplomb. Shraddha Kapoor looks ethereal and carries off a very difficult role on her shoulders very well. Kay Kay Menon appears in a different shade and steals the show every now and then with his acting skills. Irrfan Khan, though appearing in parts only, plays the role with composure. He is perfect. On the whole, Haider is a 161 minute long engaging drama. Vishal doesn't let you get bored because of his fine writing skills. This one is for the cinema lovers. It is not an action masala flick but can easily be termed as Vishal's best work to date. There is no denying in this that Haider is a masterpiece. We don't get to see cinema like this so often. Watch it for the captivating narrative, Tabu's mind boggling portrayal of a woman and Shahid's rise as an artist. 

One of the best adaptations of Hamlet I have seen. But something is missing. Either ways – must…  

One of the best adaptations of Hamlet I have seen. But something is missing. Either ways – must watch!!! HAIDER https://kartikr.blogspot.in/2014/10/haider.html