Amit Choudhury Amu is definitely one of the best recent Indian films. I can't stop myself admiring the point the way the story has been told. The planning seemed to be very mature. Hats off to Sonali Bose for her outstanding maiden effort with writing, directing and producing such a film that has got voice and certain mark of difference. In short, this is called something doing courageous and different. I still can't believe that it was a director's first film. The last scene where the protagonist character Kajol walks with Kabir on rail lines and a train comes in the scene, was really hard to believe that the train was made stopped and this train scene was out of the script! It was Sonali's distinctive endeavor that made it possible. We are waiting Sonali for more of your such definite challenging works and would like to see your mark in film making. Best of wishes.

enchantedguru I just went to screening locally as part of an Asian American Film festival. Amu was the opening movie for the festival. I liked the film a lot. Not your typical Indian movie by any means. After the movie they had Q&A with the director, producer, and lead actress. The discussion gave some neat insight regarding the movie. For example a lot of the filming / subject matter was done in fear of govt censorship. The version shown, as well as the one to be released later this fall in the US, is different than what those in India saw at the theater. For example in the scene with the widows discussing with Amu & Kabir the riots and how the government tolerated the violence, that the widows voices are left silent as Amu & Kabir sit in silence.

madshy Let me start by saying I lived in New Delhi during the time of the riots, and had close Sikh friends whom we had to care for at the time of the mayhem.That said, I went to watch the film with no preconceived notions. I was pleasantly surprised. It had its share of low spots, but that is the beauty of watching a first time director's work, you see them grow. Shonali is going to be a writer director to be reckoned with.Like all good 'Films' that are based on true events this film walks the fine line of not getting too caught up in the heat of actual events. Instead it tries to dramatize or fictionalize the effects of the events on people lives. A fact that some audience don't seem to grasp. Especially, a substantial number of Indian audience (amply demonstrated on this site by the stupid review by ajaysaxena1960)! I sat through a Q&A session with the director where people wanted to know why the director did not name names of all the MLA's involved in the massacre. Or if the director could through her film, get the International tribunal to try Indian government for crimes against humanity. SHE IS A FILM MAKER. NOT A HISTORIAN OR A CRUSADER.The film took 8 years to fund and make (a crusade in itself), for that alone I admire the director. But of all the films done by writers and directors based in America, Shonali's film most certainly stands head and shoulders above the rest. She has a strong voice and a crisp sense of film-making.A director most certainly worth watching!

ajaysaxena1960 i have never written a review but felt obligated to after watching this film. i had heard very nice things about this movie but was surprised how disappointed i felt leaving the cinema. one question, why cast Indian girl for nri Indian? she had the accent down, but still - aren't there talented actors from America? also, who is the horrible guy playing kabir. he is awful! he spoils so many scenes of the film.the mother brinda karat is good as is yashpal sharma from lagaan. the film seems to catering to outside Indians and somehow loses the effect of being powerful for the Indian audience and the outside Indian audience.i must admit i thought the flashback scenes were powerful. director bose is promising but she should never write again. the dialogue is pretentious and the impact is minimal. still, she extracts competent performances with those restrictions.the music is okay and the production value is decent. the riots had so much history and i was waiting for a film other than trash like hawayein to offer justice and honesty to what transpired back then. amu offers a glimpse and that's it. i wish the entire film was the flashbacks - it had the chance to make intelligent powerful cinema without the forced formula.in the end, amu may be made with heart but the result is heartless for the audience.