No Smoking

EXCELLENT is the only word that suits on this movie, i just saw this movie in December 2010 because of the great Indian reviewers who had given such a bad comments on this movie, my friend told me again and again to watch this movie but i was always saying no to him (i thought why to watch that movie which is rated 1.5/5 in the times of India)...i was wrong with every aspect, it is a shame that i had watch this great movie so late! i loved every scene of this movie, this movie has really something to say in each and every scene, Anurag Kashyap no doubt is the best director in India who wanted to change the taste of Indian viewers and i know that he will succeed in this...storyline great, cinematography great, a big hand for Jhon and Paresh, they did the great job...a deep, dark and real concept makes confused sometimes but if you start thinking deeper you'll see that this masterpiece really has many things to say...very well done Anurag, very well done the other star cast...lastly i wanted to say that please watch this different masterpiece and you'll be surely comparing it to the Hollywood movies!

For all those illiterates (the numbers of these great unwashed I do not doubt, it is hardly surprising that the movie bombed) who give it 1-2 stars and talk about preserving sanity, a question: Ever heard of Franz Kafka? I saw this movie just after I had read The Trial and The Castle back-to-back. It is a brilliant tribute to the genius of Kafka: I wonder that is what Anurag Kashyap intended in the first place. The plot follows the same twists and turns that one would have in a Kafka novel, particularly the descent to meet the Baba. It is not just any shady place, it is a passage from The Trial faithfully replicated: when K first approaches his accusers (note the name: another Kafka hallmark). Sheer genius. Both the original writer, and the film-maker.

Throw away the colorful clothes, all the expensive jewellery and welcome to realistic cinema.

A theme which is hard to make a movie on, attempted by a writer/director of many realistic movies like Black Friday and Satya.

What appears on the screen is true magic of a director who thinks a different way. A second of this movie cannot be missed, a minute is as good as not watching the movie.

Put on your thinking caps for a movie. See, visualize, enthrall.

This movie is a must-watch for those who love change, who love to think about every scene in the movie and analyze.

Commercial? -- 0% value.

Cinematic Experience? - 200% value.

It did take me two full times to watch this movie to understand the whole concept of this movie.

It did make me think 10 times before I touched my next cigarette.

I applaud you Mr Anurag Kashyap. Screw the critics who slammed you.

"No Smoking" is the most brilliant,daring,unconventional film ever to come out of Bollywood. It could have been written by Franz Kafka or begotten by Stephen King upon John Grisham. John Abraham is outstanding as the arrogant selfish Indian yuppie "K", a Kafka hero if there ever was one. When his bullied wife leaves him, he's referred by a peculiar friend and his own peculiar family doctor to a mysterious clinic that guarantees he can kick his most nasty habit, smoking. The clinic turns out to be a nightmarish set-up (The Firm) from which there is no back-sliding without dire consequences. "K", the master of all he surveys immediately rebels and brings down hellish results upon himself and his family. The viewer is jolted along on this queasy and horrific experience just as is "K". Will "K" ultimately kick his "habit" and eradicate much of his personality along with it....will "K" become a model "Stepford" husband? Watch this disturbingly entertaining allegorical fable and find out!

Hmmm… so didn't we think "abstract art" is a term coined to be used only for paintings or photographs or at best sculptures or any form of art that is static? Whenever we thought of an abstract cinema, most of us would start and stop at Shyam Benegal.

But Anurag Kashyap with his latest film, changes lots of definitions and perceptions. No doubt Shayam Benegal brand of cinema is one of the USPs of Indian film Industry. But usually in that brand of cinema you could see through Director's brain by the end. You could make out what was the film maker trying to portray. But Anurag Kashyap keeps his card close to his chest till the end. It's hard to define if it was a good thing to do or bad. But the fact remains that there would be numerous questions in your mind after watching this film with various possible answers and none of the answer being totally right or totally wrong. This is peak of vivid imagination. This is stuff dreams are made of.

Anurag, the director of highly rated Black Friday, shows that there is an intelligent film maker in there who dares to think away from ordinary. This bold attempt may not fetch him commercial success every time, but one thing is for sure that we have a film maker who makes film he believes in and not for making money. This is a good sign for Indian cinema. He gives a new dimension to Art Cinema. Every few reels, you can feel proud that you have got to the crux of the events going on screen, you can soar sky high. But then suddenly you realize that you don't have wing, the film takes an unimaginative new turn and you are left where you started.

With stunning cinematography, amazing art work, superb direction and high class acting, this certainly is an experience of its own kind. John Abraham looks sexy with his hot 6 packs. Paresh Rawal is as good as it gets. Ayesha Takia is decent.

Don't try to find or infuse any sense or logic of your own, just watch what is shown, be it lady singing in Adnan Sami's voice or a bath tub in Siberia opening in underground world in Mumbai, and you might like the ride.