Before I start, let me tell you that I haven't read Vassillis Vasilikov's Z and neither have I seen the Academy Award winning film by Costa-Gavras. Shanghai based on the same book, for me, comes as an original standalone in Hindi cinema by the double time National Award winner Dibakar Bannerjee.

Word of mouth - If you love silence, mood, therav in movies go watch Shanghai otherwise noise is still playing in it's 2nd week.

Rating - **** (Very Good)

Ticket Meter Worth a visit to the theatre at any cost

Visually appealing because of raw, rugged ambience and characters, Shanghai ultimately ends up being yet another political drama that chooses the quick-fix, short-cut. In a film that has shades in characters that are unique to Hindi cinema, the patch-up job in the writing of the climax is a serious let down.

Dibakar Banerjee's "Shanghai" offers the audience an unimposing perspective of the imposing fuzziness; and with a distinct aroma as alluring as the foul smell of one's own waste.

The truly great films portray truths, and they portray them in a way that hits close to home. While the characters in this film are a tad removed from touching a raw nerve, this is still a thought-provoking, tongue-in-cheek depiction of the Great Indian Political Farce. It is a dog-eat-dog world in Bharatnagar. In governmental corridors, the ever-present babudom and the power of the public “servant”, ensures deep-rooted corruption.

This is a great film. Go see it.