Firstly we should establish the type of cinema that Bansali represents - it is about beauty, magic, love and at times pain! With that mindset, you should walk into a cinema expecting beautiful sets, some amazing use of colour both in costumes and camera work, you should expect a fairy tale which knows no time or place. And of course the characters are larger than life. I think where the film failed was it's marketing, it should have focused on the concept of Sawaariya, which about a dreamer who loves without any expectations! That's the expectation the audience should have.
Let's move onto the film, which I thought was impressive! To follow up Devdas with a Sawaariya, for me hits the mark. Focus on the positives, from the outset the narration given is that this is a world you won't find! It is a world where a charming man enters with the hope of providing happiness! And boy does Ranbir Kapoor do this, and with flare and precision that you would expect from Bansali's team. I think he was brillant and whatever happens to Sawaariya, he should look at this film as probably the most important pass from a very hard exam. He had some difficult, no very difficult scenes and he does this with honesty. He reminded me of Hrithik Roshan before stardom hit me!
As for Sonam Kapoor, let's not state the girl. She has the talent and the beauty but her character is not explored much in the film. Rani Mukherji deserves an award, what a performance and how beautiful did she look! Only she could give honesty to a prostitute's character.
Technical the film is extremely competent, the detail given to every should not be ignored and remember the film is more a poem than a love story.