Manjhi: The Mountain Man

This movie will definitely leave a mark on the viewers. The story holds you right till the very end. Nawazuddin's performance is exceptional, the love Manjhi has for Phaguniya is clearly evident in his eyes and his madness as he breaks down the mountain that takes her away from him. He leaves no stone unturned or rather no rock unbroken as he sets off to avenge his love & take down the mountain. Talking about Nawazuddin Siddiqui would be just undermining his performance in the movie. The may emotions flow throw his dialogue is amazing & the way his eyes emote every expression leave you in awe. Radhika'a role even though short is commendable. Do watch this movie this weekend!

The movie successfully pours down the life and struggle of Dashrath Manjhi. I was already a fan of Nawazuddin Siddiqui's and meeting the expectations he again proved his skills and his talent. Ketan Mehta's work on this movie reminded me of David Lean.The movie is well directed,acted and delivered with a class. The movie will be appreciated by a class of audience but as far as my opinion is concerned, its a must watch for all. And adding further more, I can predict that the IIFA awards for this years movies, will be ruled by this movie for sure. And I am not exaggerating that the movie must be sent to Oscars as well. In short, the movie is a brilliant piece of art and deserves a standing ovation. Pardon my grammar mistakes because I am still zoned.

Baba Dashrath manjhi was a outstanding person.He had proved that everyone can create own path if nobody gives a chance.When i was watching this great film, at the end i wept. Dashrath baba was true focused hardworking person with true lover. He showed how to love own wife. /* I WILL SAY ONLY ONE THING I WANT TO BE BORN AS "DASHRATH MANJHI" IN MY NEXT BIRTH */ And Ketan Mehta is seriously a Talented director i've seen. He directed this great movie with talented actors Nawazuddin and Radhika(Phaguniya :) :) ) and others also.This movie contains perfect story line and perfect theme with perfect shooting.I am very thankful to Ketan mehta and his superb team because they brought a new inspirational thing in our life.

Until now Mirch Masala (1985) was what Ketan Mehta was known for. His foray into biographies didn't go well in the last decade of the previous century, but his latest attempt is really a shot in right direction. The non-linear screenplay introduces its audience to a rural village in the interiors of the Indian state of Bihar, which is partially run by a fascist authority in the 1950s-60s. A young boy named Dashrath Manjhi, born to poor farmer parents, is married off to a girl when boys his age would instead fancy playing tag, and is soon after sent away closer to the cities so that he is not exposed to the government's cruel ways. Fast forward a decade and a half - an adult Manjhi (Siddiqui) returns to his village, meets his wife Phaguniya (Apte), and starts a cheerful married life. He realizes that their happy days are over when his wife slips and falls off a huge hillock which eventually results in her death. Manjhi, a high-willed, idiosyncratic lover boy that he is, vows to avenge her death by locking horns with the hill; and his idea of revenge: tearing the mountain apart. The non-linearity plays out like a documentary without a good prologue, which compels a viewer to ask too many questions, at least in the first act. However, considering that one is unknown to the story which is true to some extent, once you get a fair idea as to what is happening, the middle act and conclusion is very fine. Chronicling the two strenuous decades that the mountain man spent breaking the peak with just the help of a chisel and a hammer is not what the film is all about. There is politics and history, and the way the former is showcased can polarize the opinions. I say documentary-like because a journalist character in the film kind of poorly narrates Manjhi's struggle in terms of years, making it look like a chronology test of a 10-year old. The humor is very light, and is strictly delivered by Siddiqui. His performance is top-notch and I can even risk saying that he is second to none when it comes to portraying a character like Manjhi, who was known for his madness and extraordinary determination. Although he is the star of the film in its most basic sense, I personally think that his characterization was type-cast as if making him do certain things is a norm now. Talking about Miss Elegance, I have grown fond of Apte over the years. Be it her bombed Malayalam language film Haram (2015) or her viral short film Ahalya (2015), her performance is something that you cannot term as acting; she lives her character. The biggest problem I had with the script was that I didn't know what went on Manjhi's mind before, during, and after he took on the impossible job. There is no insight into his strategy, if there was any, or at least the basic intention or the layout. This made it feel like we are watching a soap opera that is high on background noise, but low on substance. Still, there is a point towards the end where Manjhi realizes how his material nemesis was both cruel and kind enough to first kill his wife, and then let him break it apart, respectively; and that is the gist of the story. Nevertheless, the make-up, costumes, dialogs, and production design are brilliant. Lots of sub-stories were unnecessarily inserted into the period drama, which could have been a lot more solid had the makers focused solely on the feat. With Siddiqui at the helm, Mr. Mehta relies on cast performance and a legend story to steer a vehicle that has boxes in place of tires. BOTTOM LINE: Manjhi - The Mountain Man is no doubt a hard-worked depiction of an incredible story of a man who broke a mountain to prove his love, only that when you compare it with a similar but famous story of the Taj Mahal, you will still go with the latter. That is the powerlessness of the film. GRADE: B- VERDICT: One-time watch. Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

A man, Nawaz, in one of the most impoverished districts of India, with no means at his disposal, deciding to create a path through a rocky mountain, to ensure the fate that befell his beloved wife (Radhika), doesn't happen to anyone else. He takes 22 years to hammer his way through and create a path. Overcoming countless obstacles – weather, lack of support from his father or the villagers, corruption, bureaucracy, the upper caste folk – he persists and succeeds. However, strangely, I didn't find the story all that inspiring. There was a touch of madness to his resolve, he lost a lot in terms of his relationships (friends or children) and got made a fool by the scheming bureaucrats and the mukhiya of his village Nawaz gives a great performance, is very believable and Radhika is very good for the brief while she is there but I couldn't help feeling that there was nothing new in the film – casteism, politicians bleeding the country dry, impoverishment – we've seen it all and (sadly) are almost inured to it…The humour is good – earthy and spicy, the music is very good This is a story that needed to be told but perhaps it would've been better off as a short film, documentary or even a chapter in our school curriculum – making it a feature film made it stretch a bit too far. Written By Apurv Nagpal Author of Eighteen Plus for Bollywoodirect.com

The stage was set, a man against a mountain. The theme itself is a crowd puller. Obviously the movie will be filled with the emotions a soul must have underwent while performing the same task for 22 long years; that too against the acceptance of society. The man must have built a relation with the mountain, not a hateful one, but a relation of mutual respect; that had given him the determination, the perseverance. But surprisingly enough, instead of making this strange relation between a man and a mountain the USP of the movie, Ketan Mehta has made the movie revolve around the love story of Dasharath and Faguniya(His wife). Unnecessary cut-ins of their romance within the remarkable struggle takes the golden patch away from the movie. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika apte are all very natural.. Scenes like the first meeting of the lead pair gives you a fresh air. Overall I would suggest give it a go, not because the movie is great, but because it's a tribute the mountain man deserves.

The guy has done a great job in portraying a character no other actor (or I should rather say, STAR) in the industry could ever have done. Him an Radhika Apte are becoming my favorite actors the more I see of them. Navazuddin brings Dashrath back to life, and what a life I must say. Thoroughly inspiring... Never have I seen such characterization and casting in any movies of recent times. Hats off to the direction and cinematographer for such a wonderful job they have done. 10 out of 10. What more could I say? Go watch it yourself.. PS: You would love every inch of the Mountain and every act of the Man.

"Manjhi - The Mountain Man" takes you through the painful journey of a so-called low caste Bihari who takes on a mountain to avenge his wife's death. Story: Based on a true story, the movie depicts how, the determined Dashrath Manjhi carved out a road through a mountain using only hammer and chisel in spite of all the bashing received from the fellow villagers (including his father), conspiracies by the village head to stop him and fake promises by the government. In the backdrop, the movie spends some significant time in the build up of the entire story, which is the life of Dashrath Manjhi before the incident - introducing the audience to the rampant and barbaric view of caste based discrimination in Bihar during 50s and 60s, which is prevalent to some extent even today, not just in Bihar but across India. The story is extremely well written and thoroughly researched. It is a story that deserved to be told to the entire country. Acting: Apart from Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the movie doesn't boast of any big names. However, with the support cast of NSD stars - (late) Ashraf Ul Haq and Pankaj Tripathi - and the promising Radhika Apte, acting is one of the strongest departments of the movie. Their hard work behind projecting the characters is evident and the Bihari accent never sounds taught. The dialog delivery is impeccable and does great justice to the writer who wrote them. Some of the dialogs are very profound and will keep you pondering over it. A special mention for Radhika Apte who has rose like a phoenix through some of her recent performances in short movies - That Day After Every Day and Ahalya - and upped the benchmark in Manjhi, complementing and competing with Nawazuddin, in terms of acting. Direction: Ketan Mehta has done a stupendous job in terms of ensuring the movie doesn't lose momentum at any point of time. The flow of the story moves back and forth between the years before his wife's death and after the death. But never, for once, it loses audience attention - full marks to the editing team for that. Some of the scenes are a complete surprise in terms of conceptualization and executed to perfection. His depiction of the socio-political scenario in Gehlaur during 50s and 60s through various incidents that Dashrath Manjhi and his wife encounter shows the depth of research that has went before shooting the movie. Some of the scenes are gruesome (even though a reality at that time) and makes you cringe. At one point of time, it reminded me of Prisoners which had a similar aura. The Mountain: I would also add the "mountain" to the list of characters as the movie also portrays how its relationship with protagonist evolves over a period of time. Although the movie celebrates the victory of a man over a mountain, it also portrays Manjhi's relationship with the mountain and its evolution from his childhood till he carves out the road through it. Overall: Overall, the movie is a must watch. It shows what strong determination can achieve against all odds.

It is a real story around on Dashrat Ram Manjhi who goes to extreme level of love after death of his wife by slipping from mountain . Then he decide to cut the mountain which leads him to many difficulties but he stays along with his promise. Story of movie is exceptional, Nawazudin siddique and co star really worked tremendously they are "superstars" but i found that director can do much better to get audience inspire and cry harder . Some dialogues are heart warming and really touch your heart. You will feel love and motivation in deep your heart. I am definitely going to watch it "Again" . Rip Manjhi

I am positively biased with this film. Indeed, entertainment quotient is a bit less but motivational quotient is over flowing. Director Mr. Ketan Mehata work and motive are worth praising. This story must have been told. Story is simply unbelievable, credit goes to Shree Dashrath Manjhi and God only. Screenplay by director himself and Jakhar Mahendar, offers fresh and visual rich scenes. Like the scene, where both lead hide themselves in mud. It was cute and adorable. Love scenes are well conceived so they justify the motive and strength behind an impossible task. I do know its fact but still my mind sometimes refuse to believe on it. I am very tiny to ever understand the motive, decision and dedication of a man at the very beginning of this work and astonishingly keeping himself charging till the work get done. Simply unbelievable but definitely I feel motivated and charged by his journey. Screenplay had to follow fact while maintaining the silver screen requirements and they succeeded in it by incorporating few sub plots of the issues of that time. Like adding a Naxal hint. Dialogues by Vardraj Swami, Shahzad Ahmad are good and realistic. I fear people not aware of the local dialect would feel difficult to get some typical words but being well aware of that I enjoyed it most. Budget constraint is clearly visible in production value. Makers fail to establish the need of cutting the mountain and even they couldn't establish the progress of way being made visually and gradually. With the help of now a days advance technology I don't think it could have cost them so dearly because whenever main protagonist breaks a rock, I couldn't feel the need of braking any particular stone. It looks like he is just breaking a mountain aimlessly. I would have loved some aerial shots and graphics for this sake. Performance wise Nawazuddin Siddqui is actor par excellence. After a point you have to believe that he is the real Dashrath Majhi. Radhika Apte as Faguniya, is very good. Pankaj Tripathi as Rauab, is good. Tigmanshu Dhulia is fine. Prashant Narayan makes his presence felt in brief role. Ashraful Haque as Manjhi father in impressive. Vardraj Swami as Gopal's father is good. Music wise "Sajanwa, sajanwa" track is melodious. Credit goes to music director Sandesh Shandilya.