charsobees This movie has some beautiful music and cinematography, but the story is a total mess, there are way too many extra characters and their own story lines, it switches focus several times to characters and story lines that are barely even relevant. We don't really get to understand any of the characters as actual people; the main character Anwar is hard to understand (because he's not a fully realized character), and near the end of the movie acts in a way that isn't compatible with his previous actions. There are a lot of annoying men of various ages who cry and complain about the stereotypically cold and beautiful women who reject them. In the middle there is an "item song" that couldn't be more out of place in a movie that attempts to be angsty and heartbroken. If you're like me, you saw the songs and are intrigued, please don't watch it. The best parts of the movie are already in the songs, the rest is just a huge mess.

S Shaikh I remember many years ago someone told me about this movie. That it was very simple and the one to watch. So I began watching it and didn't really connect to it and switched it off. However, recently I heard one of the songs again and thought let me see the reviews on here and immediately went off to re watch it. Words can't describe how amazing this movie is and I don't regret not having watched it earlier. When I first watched it I had hardly encountered any struggles in my life. I was subjected to the typical bs masala movies. After these few years it's only now that I have understood life and love. My weak mind wouldn't have understood Anwar's pain and love back then. I loved all the actors - tremendous job! Totally unbiased and it should be classed as one of the finest Indian movies ever.

m_arvellous You watch a movie like Anwar and immediately you think to yourself: 'These are the sorts of movies India should be submitting to the Baftas and the Oscars', and Manish Jha delivers this incredible story note-perfectly. Anwar is, at heart, a love story and unfolds to reveal its subject in its broadest sense: (love of one's career, love - or lack of love - for one's country etc.) and also captures the true spectrum of love: the blissful awakenings, the pleasure, the joy and the rejections, refusals and slow breaking of hearts. Stunning visuals combine with a cast of characters so brilliantly conceived one could almost find them in the pages of a novel by Vikram Seth and along with deft performances, editing and dialogue, present one of the finest films to come out of Hindi cinema. Anwar (the film) is thought-provoking, questioning, unhappy, longing, haunting and fundamentally achieves what we need cinema (from time to time, at least) to be: the sort of medium that shakes us from our slumber with explosions and loud shouts, demanding us to listen, to have our ideas and beliefs challenged and queried. I can't recommend it highly enough.

update_panel The best way to describe this movie is to say that its about a bunch of broken love stories with a socially conscious angle. The social tone of the movie is pretty obvious since the previous work of the director has been on social issues facing contemporary India. The mood of the movie is very haunting and a chunk of the story is revealed in flashbacks. I think the lead actor was perfect for the role as the dreamy eyed idealistic Anwar. I don't watch a lot of Indian movies nor do i leave reviews/comments for the ones that i watch on IMDb but this movie is really different than a majority of the movies turned out by bollywood. If you want to see a serious bollywood movie then this is the choice but if you want to something along the lines of a song and dance routine traditional formula movie which doesn't require you to pay much attention or reflect upon the characters and the plot then go watch something else.