As an analysis or stream-of-consciousness of the movie, this is a good write-up. But as a movie review, not so much, personally speaking. I always read your reviews after watching the movie, so no problems on my part, but that might explain why people are complaining about your reviews being long. I guess people expect reviews to talk more about how the script is, the writing, the direction, the acting, etc., not an analysis of what the movie means.

I am always stimulated by your writing, BR, thanks many times. Chopra here seems to me to lay out a whole set of circumstances from which a fine story could be made, and not know what to do with them. My hopes were aroused in the first half by the authority of the art direction -- the film is beautiful and it sustains a world -- and by the promising possible conflicts, for example the anachronisms between the prince's life in London and his family's life that's splatted out among several centuries - how is someone going to deal with a catastrophe on that social-moral-emotional grid? etc. Is Eklavya's thing with the pigeon knife water a metaphor for the moral discernment we'll see in him down the road? But it's as if Chopra has the outer trappings of Shakespeare in place - palace, costumes, secrets, weird relatives -- without being able to create and animate people with insides and conflicts, so it's the RDB problem again - bad thing happen? where's that gun? disappointing

First-time reader here, and boy, what a treat! I haven't seen the movie yet but I'm motivated to see it after reading this (although I suspect you've ascribed more meaning and depth to the film than VVC is capable of conjuring). Anyway, you are a very articulate and evocative writer and it was a pleasure to read your review.

Sruthi - do you realise that this is the first time ever in my sad life that I've had a *woman* refer to a KLPD? Thank you from the bottom of my heart; you're doing great things for gender equality :-) E Pradeep - I'm sorry you didn't care for this, but reg. "Characters like Vidya Balan and Raima Sen also do nothing," that's what I pointed out, that these are merely archetypes. anonymous - thanks for makng that point. These reviews are what they are and if they don't give you what you're looking for, please feel free to look elsewhere. Rishi - reg. "I guess people expect reviews to talk more about how the script is, the writing, the direction, the acting, etc." But I thought all of this *is* there in my review. :-) NeeliAankhen and Shalini - thank you very much.