Star Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari, Vedang Raina, Rajat Kapoor, Sanjay Suri
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Language: Hindi
Available On: Theatrical release
Runtime: 166 Minutes
Movie Review Rating: 4.0
The screenplay, co-written by Imtiaz Ali and Mayanika Mahtani, is a masterclass in collaborative storytelling. It approaches the brutal, British-carved scars of Partition not with bitterness, but with supreme empathy. It is a script that is scathingly moving, guaranteed to bring a lump to your throat and tears to your eyes.
Yet, it never drowns in its own tragedy. The narrative maintains a tenacious undercurrent of humor, simple family values, and sheer cuteness—perfectly encapsulated in the endearing opening scene where Ishar watches the news and strikes up a conversation with the TV newsreader.
Performances
- Naseeruddin Shah (Ishar): At 75, Shah proves he is only getting better with age. He completely dissolves into Ishar—a man who built a fortune and a family post-Partition, but still carries a closeted ache, desperately seeking closure for an unredeemed past.
- Diljit Dosanjh: Given a seemingly one-dimensional role, Diljit delivers an outstanding, brilliantly underplayed performance that leaves a massive impact.
- Vedang Raina (Young Keenu): Absolutely superb. He balances raw, lovestruck passion with the confusion of youthful dilemmas and sheer determination.
Direction and Music
For a long time, Imtiaz Ali seemed to be on a declining trajectory. Following his debut masterpiece Socha Na Tha and the cult classic Jab We Met, projects like Rockstar, Tamasha, and the Love Aaj Kal reboot felt overly hyped, with only Highway holding its ground.
However, the brilliant upsurge we saw in Amar Singh Chamkila is beautifully sustained here. Main Vaapas Aaunga is a cinematic poem. The only minor critique is that a couple of songs cut off abruptly for no logical reason—an extra minute or two wouldn’t have hurt the runtime.
A R. Rahman Delivers a spectacular, emotionally resonant background score, though the standalone song soundtrack is a bit of a mixed bag. While Irshad Kamil‘s lyrics sway between pithy and slightly abstruse.
The song “Kya Kamaal Hai”, crooned by Diljit Dosanjh, is a visual and lyrical masterpiece. Meanwhile, “Mascara” has an incredibly catchy mukhda, even if the rest of the song fades.
Last Word
Main Vaapas Aaunga is a caressing, deeply empathetic theatrical experience. If you find yourself walking back into the cinema hall to say “Main vaapas aaunga” (I will return) for a second watch, no one should be surprised.
