User reviews

Darlings tackles the sadly ever relevant issue of domestic abuse, and it does so through the main character of a wonderful young lady who seems to have developed a battered wife's syndrome. She accepts her husband's pleas and constant promises to alter his behavior and quit his drinking problem, but he soon goes back to his old abusive ways. One would think this is going to be a particularly difficult watch considering the serious and dark subject matter, but Darlings is very much a light and enjoyable film which cares to incorporate elements of comedy, even of comedy of errors, and the seriousness of the proceedings is consistently infused with nicely etched out black humour.

The film falls into the category of many Indian films made today, which focus on simple middle-class and lower-middle-class families, the common people whose socio-economic status often affects their choices and circumstances. There is growing awareness in recent Hindi film of the importance to give voice to the voiceless and shed light on the lives of those less privileged. And it is always done with love and respect to the Indian culture, and like in many recent films, like Mimi, this film is beautifully shot, and the residence of the couple and the neighbourhood in general looks beautifully authentic, providing a nice cultural glimpse into communities which were often hidden from the screens.

This comes to show how the Indian masses have matured. If mainstream masala was what moviegoers were thought to love more than anything, today we see filmmakers who actually respect their audiences, do not insult their intelligence by spoon-feeding them, and Darlings is one such example. Is it a perfect film? Not really, and it's not a particularly great film either, but it's pure entertainment with educative value and appreciable efforts to ease the uneasy situations. The movie has a wonderful soundtrack too. In many ways, many of the characters in the film could gain some sympathy from the viewers, because everyone is a victim of their circumstances.

The film stars three actors in the lead parts, and all of them do exceedingly well. Alia Bhatt makes some smart choices, and she does a very good job here in this challenging and interesting role. In the role of the mother, you get the extraordinary Shefali Shah, whose recent popularity is another example of the growing maturity of Indian cinema and filmmakers' respect for audiences. Shah gets a role which could hardly be called supporting because she is very much a parallel lead here. This wouldn't have been possible a decade ago, but now that it happens, it's so great especially because she happens to be one of India's finest actresses. She is wonderful here as she is in almost everything she does.

The third angle of the cast is Vijay Varma, and this talented actor gives what I consider the finest performance in the film. His performance is subtle, realistic, professional and multi-dimensional. Sadly, the role itself is actually the film's weakest link because from being very much a real person he turns into this ultra-villainous, almost caricaturish character which takes away both from his impressive acting as well as the film's credibility. Darlings is a highly twisted tale but it ends on a rather predictable note at last since one would expect a more daring outcome which probably wouldn't be very well accepted in a mainstream film. Still, it answers some interesting questions and allows for a well-awaited catharsis.

Kudos to the team for choosing such topic. Vijay Verma was excellent. It was nice to see a built up towards Badru's anger to to the point she wanted to teach Hamza a lesson totally believable not expected from Bollywood but nice surprise. Now to the story it was promoted as dark humor but apart from 1 or 2 scenes i didnt find any comdedy. It was pretty straight forward story. There was nothing extra ordinary to lift the movie. It felt like a TV movie nothing more. Comedy can be best said to be an extinct art in Bollywood. Zulfi and Badru's mom character could have been explored more. Tons of dark comedy could hve been added. Anyways good step forward but needs more polish.

Just finished watching Darlings with my mom and we both loved the film.

Jasmeet K Reen is a marvelous director. She has the ability to make her movies in such a manner that it impacts the mind of the audience and makes them think. The humor was quite nicely added with the important issue of the movie. It's a very important movie for Indian society where domestic violence is still prevalent in many households. The dialogues and the screenplay in the movie are of top class.

The best thing in the film is undoubtedly the phenomenal acting from everyone, especially Alia Bhatt and Shefali Shah. Alia keeps on getting better with each and every project of hers and Shefali Shah is a terrific actor.

This movie will make you laugh, cry and angry sometimes and overall it will keep you entertained throughout. Strongly recommended.

Ever had a pudding that looked exquisite and smelled delicious but turned out to be a little undercooked as you took the first bite? Almost telling you that the cook had quality ingredients at their disposal but failed to fully satiate your senses. It is akin to how Darlings made me feel.

Looking at the cast and having heard a positive thing or two about the film, I went in to watch with considerable expectations but was rendered feeling underwhelmed at the end of it. While one can point out at the lack of remarkable dialogues and a fairly lackluster climax; at heart, it seems as if the makers weren't manifestly clear about what kind of emotions they wanted the audience to feel through the course of the movie.

The description on Netflix says that the film is a "dark comedy". In essence, it's a story about domestic violence loaded with slapstick elements. Just because the fulcrum of the plot is a sensitive issue, doesn't make it a dark comedy.

Ironically, there's a scene in the movie where Hamza (played by Vijay Varma) asks Zulfi (played by Roshan Mathew) about the film that he's writing. When Zulfi tells he's been working on a horror-comedy, Hamza replies with, "Agar faluda mein whiskey milayega, toh thodi jamega" (If you mix Faluda and Whiskey, it's likely to taste bad). It is funny that you could say something along similar lines about Darlings itself. While the comedy never quite sets you on a laughing spree, it does digress the makers from several opportunities where they could have made the audience feel visceral emotions.

The entire second half shows Badru (played by Alia Bhatt) turning the tables on her husband Hamza and avenging the constant abuse she had borne. It feels as if somebody penned down the intrusive thoughts of revenge that go through the mind of a victim of domestic violence and brought them to life. However, it seems to go a notch too far as she constantly drugs Hamza and thereby severely dilutes the impact of the climax. In fact, as we go through scenes of policemen not even considering the man being a victim of domestic abuse, it is very much possible to feel unempathetic towards Badru when she's eventually set free.

The cast has proven artists. With their high standards, it is hard to see this being Alia's or Vijay's best performance. Shefali Shah outshines everybody. Plotwise, the depth of Hamza's character, along with some obvious 'conflicts' that could be brought to forefront seem like unexplored territories. All in all, the film leaves a fair bit to desire.

Good Flick, Credit has to go to the entire team and the director, Alia Bhatt is definitely some actor and can give many Holywood actors a run for their money but I think Shefali shah has nailed it. I enjoyed watching more of her than Alia, The movie is well executed dark comedy but boring at times when the two main protagonists come together but the presence of Shefali shah kept the movie go along nicely.

There are good movies and there are bad movies. I can't put this movie in to any of those categories. So my rating is also in the middle. Acting of everyone(mostly) is very good but the story is dragged for too long. It could have been a good movie if it was made within 100 minutes.

You can watch it but if you don't you are not missing out on anything.

For all those who look for different content, here is your turn. This movie is different from any other Indian movie in many ways. It will make you think and analyse. A conserved mind may not understand this movie but if you are open and non judgemental, this movie will force you to fell in love with it. On top of that brilliant performance by Alia and the entire team. Each and every actor seems to justify the character which he/she is playing. Dnt go on negative review, they are just those people who know to spread hatred. If you miss on this movie, you are actually missing a big fish.

Kudos to the makers for choosing a black comedy genre to deal with a serious topic of domestic violence and not making it over-dramatic or a hard-hitting film. Jasmeet K Reen in her directorial debut did an excellent job. The movie is well-written by Jasmeet & Parveez Sheikh and tightly edited by Nitin Baid, the film will keep you hooked till the climax. The background score and songs go well with the film.

Not only direction and writing, but the movie also excels in terms of performance. Alia Bhatt is undoubtedly one of the finest actresses of Indian cinema, she always gets into the skin of her character and plays it with complete conviction. The viewers will witness two very different personalities of her character in the first and the second half of the film.

Vijay Varma also delivered an impressive performance, switching from an abusive husband to a loving husband is exceptionally performed by him. Shefali Shah plays her part brilliantly. With limited dialogue and limited screen time, Rajesh Sharma managed to leave an impact. Roshan Mathew, Vijay Maurya, and other supporting actors were good in their parts.

Direction 3/5 Acting 3.5/5 Music 2.5/5 Story 3/5 Screenplay 3/5.

Apart from the message the movie delivers, nothing, absolutely nothing interesting happens throughout the movie. For first half an hour, you keep waiting for something to happen but you get disappointed and then you start forwarding the movie in search of something interesting and yes, a little bit happens but after half of movie has been over. Truly criminal waste of time. Don't go for it by watching just teasers. Alia has done the same chulbuli, dumb girl this time too.

Please watch something else, don't spoil your good time.

Movie starts with a shot where far away the poster of movie "badlaa" is shown. Alia bhatt buys the tickets. Is this some kind of poetic stuff movie wants to portray?must be! Because the movie is twisted revenge saga.the perfect cast with stellar performance makes it more spicy.domestic violence was previously discussed in "Thappad"where the story took the legal court room drama route.this movie however tries to fall under dark comedy genre. A tricky stuff to pull off! Except few glitches it pulls off. Alia and shefali look great as mother daughter."jalsaa" and now "darlings"shefali has certainly crafted the art of being a below average,illiterate woman. Alia shines like a gold. An intriguing movie.

It's almost funny how relatable Darlings feels to me because I have been witness to domestic abuse. It's so ordinary and routine everywhere that the quality makes it funny when you see the same proceeding unleash on the silver screen with high-profile actors looking ready to get behind the camera portraying such roles. As for the film as a product, I believe the whole cast and crew do a wonderful job at showing the extremes of what domestic abuse can do to people on both sides of the spectrum. The matured take on the morality? It's like the chef's kiss on this darling film. Watch it on a laid-back evening.

Darlings - the latest Netflix Original film set in a lower middle-class Muslim-dominated neighbourhood in Mumbai wants to break the mould is made clear in the love song that it opens with - Pleaj (with lyrics by Gulzar), which captures the milieu and spirit of the story to absolute perfection. Debutante director Jasmeet K Reen, who has co-written this film along with Parveez Sheikh takes a closer look at patriarchy and domestic violence (DV) amid the social-psychological milieu of the lower middle class.

Set in Mumbai, where the rich and not so privileged co-exist and resilience rides high, two women - mother and daughter, find their own heaven in hell. They find ways to bring their own sunshine even as dark clouds hover around them. They laugh in the face of adversity and make merry with whatever little they have.

Even as Hamza habitually beats up Badru black and blue in a drunken state or driven by uncalled-for rage, she devotedly makes an omelette for him the next morning. He apologises to his 'darlings' and she happily forgives him... the cycle continues. She reminds herself that theirs' is a love marriage after all and these arguments and such abuse must be common across. However, a tragic incident forces her to recalibrate her life decisions and her views on her manipulative husband. Violence begets violence but can revenge set you free ? Who's the real victim here - the one who fights back using questionable methods or the one who normalises abuse in the name of love ?

Contrary to the trailer, Darlings isn't quite a dark comedy or a twisted suspenseful thriller. Told in a linear, simplistic fashion, the film is about an abuser exploiting his partner over a man versus woman battle. While the subject at hand and observations are powerful, the storytelling and editing needed some work. Shot in a confined space throughout (a rather spacious chawl room), the film keeps going in circles, making it more of a monotonous drama than a gripping domestic noir. The climax feels morally conflicted and leaves room for thought. The irony of a beauty parlour lady drawing a mehendi on a blushing bride, while being privy to an abusive marriage next door or a handcuffed Hamza being asked to peel veggies by a suddenly hardened wife... and more such nuances are finely captured.

Alia Bhatt once again has proved why she's not hyped just for the sake of it. She plays her part brilliantly as the gullible wife who believes she can change her husband. Despite a stellar performance by Alia, Vijay Varma remained to be the most intriguing element for me in the film. The artist in him owns the hate he gets for Hamza so much that almost starts feeling like he's feasting on the same to improve his character. The emotions he enrages in you from fear to the urge of killing him is a sign of his artistic brilliance & the magic of this script.

Shefali Shah flows with the story as smooth as the butter. The emotional burden Rukhsar comes in the guise of her quirky nature is highlighted impeccably well by Shefali ma'am. Post Choked, Roshan Mathew chooses yet another interesting character portraying his skills at the best. The way his character is used for comical relief in the second half stands out. Rajesh Sharma doesn't get much dialogue but still, he adds certain substance to his role.

Apart from Prashant Pillai's intriguing background score, it's the sound design of the film that took the cake for me. From the sound of Vijay Varma banging his tiffin on the stairs while climbing up to syncing guitar-riff in a very important 'sandal-hitting' scene, the designer uses all this external noise extremely well to create the tension in the room. Vishal Bhardwaj & Mellow D's songs just land perfectly without creating any obstruction. The rap song Bhasad is to this film exactly what Badla was to Blackmail.

All said and done, Darlings is Bollywood getting as close as it could ever be (to date) to Andhadhun. The 'tragedy mein comedy' treatment gives this a soul as Alia Bhatt ends up being the heart of this film.

At least this had a story unlike most Bollywood movies. My expectations for Bollywood has receded so much after seeing mind numbing car explosions and bikini clad women in Rap songs. This movie could have turned more sinister which i would have liked, but overall can enjoy on screen with family without expecting it to play out in reality as the plot has a lot flaws for a homicide to be successful.

The story & screenplay is too boring! 1 star for alia & vijay's acting which was good! Film is too boring with poor story & screenplay. I suggest you not to waste your time on this movie.

Darlings (2022) : Movie Review -

Just when we think that Bollywood is lacking black comedies, Alia Bhatt has brought Darlings with Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma and Roshan Mathews. The world of Darlings is not at all modern like its title, but the message is suitable for modern-day cinema. Bollywood hasn't got many black comedies that can be remembered. All we remember is those 80s dark comedies made with non A-listers in the cast, and therefore they never got as much hype as they deserved. The box office perspective rests beside, because we know it's nothing sort of commercial stuff. Darlings too falls in the genre and lacks commercial appeal that masses seek for. However, the entertainment never stops. That's some great fun for classes, but I doubt if the masses can really understand it to its core. If only laughter matters, then be assured, there are many.

Darlings is about Badru (Alia Bhatt), who is married to her lover, Hamza (Vijay Varma). Soon after marriage, their love story turns into a hate story as Hamza loses his anger and beats Badru occasionally. Badru always falls for Hamza's fake promises, and despite several warnings and advice from her mother, Shamsu (Shefali Shah). The beating reaches a certain point where Badru loses her patience and takes a stand against a brutal husband, but in a different way. What follows is a fun ride of revenge and blame game where even the police get involved, but remain clueless. Will Badru get her revenge and get away from it? Find out all the answers in Darlings' climax.

The script Written by Parveez Sheikh and Jasmeet K. Reen offers everything that any household story can tell you. These arguments and physical abuses between a husband and a wife do happen in almost every lower and Middle class home. The characters are stable despite wild features, but we do meet such people in chaawls, right? Darlings is about 130 minutes long and never looks streched or boring. It keeps you engaged with its pacy screenplay even though you know all the conflicts are mostly predictable. What lifts the script up the trick planted by the writing duo in the climax which sustains two generations and empowers them to connect with a modern audience.

Talking about actors, Darlings is a top-notch show. Alia Bhatt proves again that why she is one of the finest actresses of her time. She is phenomenal as Badru and you are going to love the transformation from a cow-natured woman to a tigress. Look at her expressions, shivering and quivering, and you'll feel it. Watching it on a big-screen would have helped a bit, but let's just forget that for now. The second lady, Shefali Shah, is equally great. Her experience and calibre is so high that she just can't feel as you assume, and she does exactly that. Most of the dark punches falls at her feet with that impeccable dialgue delivery. Vijay Varma is surely raising the bar with every film, and Darlings is another step of ladder for him. In the supporting roles Roshan Mathew, Santosh Juvekar and Vijay Maurya are fantastic. As a whole, the acting unit had a blast and you're in for a treat.

Darlings has good situational numbers like "La Ilaaj," "Bhasad," and "Pleaj," which carry the momentum quite well. Although none of them has those club beats to make you groove, all three songs make sure you don't use fast forward button during the play. The editing is tight and keeps you hooked with realistic surrounding which is boosted by slum-flavoured dialogues. Jasmeet K. Reen's feature film debut is definitely noteworthy. Being a female herself, she knew how to deal with the feminine angle without making it look forceful. Darlings has no flaws as far as the direction of Reen is concerned, but yes, overall there are a few. The pre-climax portion is predictable and typical, but thankfully the main climax does not make itself a typecast. Overall, Darlings packs a solid punch of dark comedy, romance, drama and feminine revenge in a wholesome entertaining plot. This one is a tough watch for husbands and wives, but a must watch too.

RATING - 6/10*

This movie makes a mockery of one of the most serious issues of domestic violence plaguing our country, irrespective of gender. And it laughably tries to pass off feminism and womanhood as women preying and abusing men in a relationship. It's an absolute disgrace that so many people think it's a film worth watching when such a serious issue, often stigmatized and talked about in hush hush manner, in our society, is being portrayed as whimsical and source of comedic relief. Pitiful and shameful.

The struggle to hold on to an abusive relationship is so well crafted in the story. Darlings is a good dark comedy with good screenplay and which isn't a remake of any source. The performances by the cast were brilliant, Alia Bhatt as an innocent naive housewife married to a sadistic violent husband and her mother, Shefali Shah is very good.

Alia and Shefali makes a great pair as mother-daughter. Also, this film present a perspective on domestic violence without mocking it and taking it seriously and making it as a comedy. The topic is very important and the impotance is shown and proved. The film is so well written and is well executed. Darlings is a nice refreshing take on domestic violence.

Very entertaining and fun film with a good message. However, I felt the film could've been a bit shorter. Some scenes are over the top which could've been wrapped up in 90 - 100 minutes. Overall, it is a very good attempt and proves successful in so many level and is better than lots of recent Bollywood flicks.

7.5/10.