Himanshu Mishra Shanghai is a level up for Dibaker Banerjee as well as Indian Cinema for so many reasons:1. I don't remember if there has ever been a director after Kundan Shah(Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron) who has braved a quality satire on Indian socio-political system.2. Shanghai shows nothing more than what you already know but still keeps you engrossed because the intensity never dies down.3. It is full of instances where ironical moments have been juxtaposed in the time line and that definitely is one of the core strengths of the movie. 4. Another facet of Abhay Deol is unveiled in Shanghai.He perfectly portrays the characters without overdoing the accent which even a seasoned actor could have ended up with.5. Emran Hashmi never lacked talent but Banerjee's Shanghai provides him of the right opportunity and Hasmi makes full of it by delivering a career defining performance.6. Kalki is her usual best displaying plethora of emotions with aplomb ease.7. The research done to show how the government machinery works is worthy of praise considering how most other movie makers don't even care to research.8. Above all these what makes this movie a grand success is the stupendous casting of all the secondary characters.Kudos!

kumar aditya There are so many movies out there based on Indian politics, this one definitely stands out. Directed by dibakar banerjee this movie movie does give a highlight of his talent. Be it the perfect star cast, or the flawless acting by each actor in the movie, the director definitely succeeded in making the movie seem real.Although the story is originally based on the novel "z" and has already been adapted into an Oscar winning movie based on Greek politics previously, this movie seems to be tailor made from the point of view of the Indian politics in the present scenario. This movie doesn't get boring a minute from the start till the end. Power packed performance by abhay deol truly inspires me to be a better person and fight for justice.Emraan hashmi, just one world, VERSATILE!To sum it up, i would say,it is not the story but the way it has been presented that enlightens you. Truly this one goes into my list of well directed movies and is definitely worth watching, if you are still in doubt.

ragmayur Right from the beginning of Indian cinema, Bengali directors have been phenomenal in contributing spellbound movies to Hindi cinema. Dibakar Banerjee (Khosla ka Ghosla, Oye Lucky Oye, Love sex aur dhoka) continues this legacy, and Shangai is the latest evidence for that. From the casting to the performances to the story to the bg-score to the dialogues, everything scores full marks for this political thriller, set in the contemporary India.The story begins with a preplanned accident of Dr. Ahmedi (Prosenjit Chaterjee) , a political activist, who raises voice against a leading political party which is trying to encroach the slum area of Bharatnagar. Rest of the movie is about gathering the evidence about this by his student (Kalki koelchin), with the help of Jogi, (Emraan Hashmi), a porn movie maker. Meanwhile, T.A.Krishnan, a bureaucrat (Abhay Deol), is brought in to the case, to investigate in the favor of the political party. Do the circumstances and the system in the contemporary India, will be successful in doing any justice? forms the climax.What I liked: Story Abhay Deol as a south Indian doesn't speak like the way usually a Tamilian is shown in Hindi cinema. No forced accent Emraan Hashmi performs naturally as the rustic guy (He should take a break from the Bhatt camp and act in movies like these) Pitobash was extremely good as the gullible youth of Bharatnagar A very realistic approach for such a themeWhat I did not like: Affair between Dr.Ahmedi and Shalini was unnecessary. It did not make any sense to the story.

Kalpitt Tandon It takes a maverick director to craft a cinema so bleak and brutal in its portrayal of truth that it has the power to provoke debates and lead to heavy handed argumentation. Dibakar Banerjee steers a political thriller so acidic in its content and so bitter in its handling that it hits you hard in your guts and leaves you wanting for more.When an activist leader, Dr. Ahmedi (Prosenjit Chatterjee) is mowed down by a fast moving truck in what appears to be an accident, the hypothetical city of Bharatnagar boils down into a war field of riots and horrors. A student of Dr. Ahmedi, Shalini (Kalki Koechlin) becomes convinced that it was not an accident and was a preplanned murder. She along with a local photographer Jogi (Emraan Hashmi), who claims to have decisive evidence, fights for justice in a city brimming with deceit, bureaucracy and corruption. A high ranking official Krishnan (Abhay Deol) is given the responsibility of investigating the case. At its core, Shanghai carries the notion of development at the stake of humanity. As the slogan of a prominent party IBP in the movie goes, "Kasam khoon ki khayi hai, Sheher nahin Shanghai hai", Shanghai is treated as a metaphor for all the progress and evolution that the party promises in bharatnagar. Yet, regardless of the ballgame and skin crawling riots and unforgiving violence, the citizens of bharatnagar, proudly sings, "Bharat Mata Ki Jai". 'Shanghai' is a painfully slow movie. So, the viewer who has to sit back in the first hour only has his comfort in the beautiful little nuisances spilled across the screen. Dibakar Bannerjee has an eye for the details and he hits all his notes correct in detailing the landscape of silver screen. It is in the second hour that the movie grips the audience and sucks us into the world so true yet so oblivious to our naked eye.Dibakar Bannerjee who previously directed Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Oye Lucky Lucky Oye (2008) and Love Sex Aur Dhoka (2010) shows superlative skills of direction and writing. The script is savage and brutally raw. Shanghai is an atmosphere driven movie and the screenplay scores brownie points by depicting the circumstances as authentic as they could have been manifested on the silver screen.The film tends to get distant from the viewer and is deliberately a tad sluggish. Kudos to the star cast with Emraan Hashmi leading from the front with a visceral portrayal of a middle class citizen. With Shanghai, Abhay Deol gets another coat in his armor and he is undoubtedly, 'the dark horse' of Bollywood cinema. Kalki Koechlin shines again as a lone girl seeking for justice in a ruthless system.'Shanghai' is merciless and forces the audience to ponder over the state of our nation. It is by no means a yet another 100 crore blockbuster. It is an intelligent political thriller with a noble intention and a callous crime drama at its heart. Rating: 3.5 / 5