...Yahaan (2005) User Reviews

Awesome

[silvan-desouza · 6/10 · 20 July 2014]

Shoojit Sarcar is one of our promising newcomers, YAHAAN his debut film got good praise though it didn't wrk. The film was debut of Minisha Lamba The film is set in Kashmir where riots are happening, it tells a love story in between this riots. The film is well handled though the second half does resemble ROJA but yet it's effective, the ending though does seem a bit filmy, with speakers being placed in mosque for Yashpal Sharma to have a change of heart but it's moving nonetheless.

Direction is good Music is good, Naam Ada Likhna became very famous and other songs too are good

The film is shot in blue tint which was quite popular those days and gives it extra sheen

Jimmy Shergill is effective as the soldier, Minisha Lambha is a bit awkward in her debut but does leave a mark. Yashpal Sharma is effective, Mukesh Tiwari is fab too in his role rest are good

Finally a realistic movie on Kashmir

[vikrammahad · 10/10 · 28 September 2005]

Yahaan is a wonderful movie. Actually shot in Kashmir, the movie brings to life what the locals and the Indian armed forces go through everyday. The director has done a wonderful job and so has the cast. Especially Minissha Lamba and Jimmy Shergill. After Maachis and Haasil, Jimmy proves yet again how fine an actor he is. The music by Shantanu Moitra and lyrics by Gulzar come together to create a soothing effect. The result is a wonderful music album. The songs do not interrupt the flow of the movie, rather they act as a powerful medium for the director to express what he had in mind. We can expect more high quality cinema from Shoojit Sircar in the future. In Yahaan he has shown us the humane side of the Indian armed forces and the commendable job they are doing while putting their lives on the line.

Here it is...

[Chrysanthepop · 4 July 2008]

Shoojit Sircar's 'Yahaan' is a love story set against the backdrop of Kashmir during the ongoing war. But it's not a conventional love and war story. Sircar brings a freshness, both in telling the story and executing the film. He gives it a bluish tint (the film's not entirely in colour) which gives it a stark look. The camera is also used effectively, sometimes shaky (during the shootout sequences) and sometimes static.

The songs and background score are beautiful. I loved hearing the violin and the eastern flute play in the background. Shantanu Moitra's soundtrack is one to keep. I particularly love the song 'Naam Adaa Likhna'.

Jimmy Shergill leads 'Yahaan'. Finally he has a lead role in a substantial film and he does a superb job. Minisha Lamba has a strong screen presence. For a newcomer she does quite well in bringing out Ada's enigma, vulnerability, courage and strength. Both actors share a warm chemistry. The supporting cast is okay but Yashpal Sharma is a bit irritating at times.

Furthermore, another thing I liked about 'Yahaan' is that Sircar is sincere in his story. There's no hidden agenda, no Hindu v/s Muslim hatred. Nor is it overly preachy. It's about two people in Kashmir who fall in love and about the people of Kashmir. Recommended.

Wonderfully done

[folkpoet80 · 9/10 · 3 November 2005]

This was the only movie after ROJA that addressed the Kashmir issue in a real manner, and being from Kashmir, I could feel it. Jimmy again proves that even though he is not working with big names, he has caliber. I have seen him in Maachis, cameo in Munnabhai, and Kehtaa Hai Dil Baar Baar. He is a good actor. I've read that Lead actress didn't act well, but I thought she did a very good job for a newcomer. Her accent, although was not kashmiri in any sense, still carried weight. Her interview scene was really moving and showed her talents well. Mukesh (Shaqeel) did his part well, and so did the others. The little mute girl was outstanding in her expressions. The only con would be that there was not a single actor who had Kashmiri accent. Not even bystanders, or anyone from the general public. The director should have taken at least one native to make the movie touch its ground. Music was serene and flowed well with the story. Ending song (which probably was the same as the one before) had a good melody and I could play it on Guitar easily. Overall, a clean movie - which sends the message out loud. Guns can only bring blood. I hope peace would have its chance somewhere along the line. 9/10

Fantastic film!

[AishFan · 9/10 · 26 December 2005]

Yahaan takes a realistic look at love in Kashmir, heaven turned into hell. It does a good job of showing the innocence of Adaa and her family in stark contrast to the heartbreaks that occur everyday in war-torn Kashmir. Jimmy Shergill, a soldier with a big heart, comes and falls in love with Adaa. Their romance is portrayed very aesthetically. It is interesting to see how Jimmy and Adaa switch roles. The first half of the film is shown through Jimmy's point of view, while the second half has Adaa adopting the role of the protagonist. Some symbols are interesting such as jeans ("Do they wear jeans in Mumbai?"), which symbolize freedom. Photography is absolutely stunning as each frame does an excellent job of capturing the intense emotions of the characters and suffocating atmosphere of Kashmir. This film has several very poignant scenes.

An inspiring Tale of a Kashmiri girl and an Indian soldier.

[psychoticabdullah · 10/10 · 21 August 2005]

At first when i heard of Yahaan, I thought it would just be a lame love story based based on the typical Indian style, but after seeing the movie i don't think i can say that. The location of the movie well suits the story, and it has been filmographed very well. The stars acted very well and the story line was also well paced. It does not only shows romance but also the current situations of Kashmir, torn by rivalry by both the countries India and Pakistan. The dialogues are good and it is and inspiring love story. The songs in particular are also very very good and suit the story line perfectly. Unlike most of the movies i enjoyed this movie a lot!

Highly recommended

[atindra · 10/10 · 2 November 2006]

An excellent movie. Its pathetic that public goes gaga over silly SRK movies and doing injustice to fine movies like Yahaan. Minisha is great for her debut and Jimmy is quite charming. Very good music. I love song "Naam Ada likhna" is in class of Machis. Very nice story and screenplay. I found this movie's DVD at one of the Public library in USA and was surprised. The librarian told me that some Indian reader recommended this movie and they just ordered it. It was a treat to watch this movie. My wife liked it too. A very simple but heart touching love story going swiftly. Cinematography is superb and takes you to Kashmir.

good visuals

[sandhirflora · 5/10 · 25 September 2005]

Want to visit real Kashmir and not tourist Kashmir then here is a sensible film The look of the film is undoubtedly impressive and it become its USP. Adfilm-maker turn film director Shoojit Sircar made a landmark debut by handling a touching subject of Terrorism in Kashmir with a love story woven into it with freshness and finesse. The breathtaking visuals, the locations, the costumes, the dialect, the local flavor, the action sequences, the premise, the background, the ambiance everything is apt and it scores in all the technical Dept. All this manages to give film a different, an authentic look. Homework is good so is the effort. Full marks to Cinematographer Jakob Ihre, Editor Shekhar, Art director Keshto-Mustafa, Audio mixing engineer Ajay Kumar. Not just that even Gulzar-Shantanu Moitra in good form with songs such as "Poochhe jo koi meri nishani". It is definitely one of the best films released so far this year but it could have been a memorable film if it is matched equally with content. When the plot and characters have to operate within the parameters of commercial cinema, the narrative falters. Thanks to weak storyline, the pace slackens especially post-interval so much that as the film approaches its climax, things go helter-skelter. The result- it does not add any new dimension to the terrorism-stuck Kashmir but again this can be argued as it is used as a backdrop. Even love story comes out is quite a common one, not unconventional in today times when audience is dying to see that uncharted territory. Hence, it does not rise above a regular bollywood pot-boiler content wise with very little surprises. Now some loopholes- Why Capt. Verma (protagonist) does not try to prove his innocence when he is implicated in treason? When Adaa (heroine) writes to PM about her woes and a TV channel is ready to take up her cause, what purpose it solves towards climax is not very clear. Adaa mentions to Aman while giving him bidis that she overheard the conversation between him and her Dadi, how can she do so when she must be at least at a distance of twenty plus feet at that time. Why Adaa's brother starts taking innocent lives, when earlier he was against it, is also not covered well. One can see only a bunch of terrorists who are representing the Kashmir's voice and all this looks at Kashmir problems in a very simplistic way without going into intricacies. The characters look uni-dimensional. The required drama and conflict towards end is missing and so is the build up in the love-story with the absence of those tender, warm, magical moments. Among the actors, Jimmy Shergill has done well whereas others are just effective. Never mind all this, at least it provides a much relief and required break from all that nonsense cinema we are generally subjected to these days. Definitely, worth a watch.

Wonderful!!!! Outstanding!!! A Standing Ovation

[haninaqvi · 10/10 · 20 October 2007]

No Doubt its a Movie to Watch out. I Nearly Cried in the End!

A Fine Debut for Minisha Lamba, i would rate her 10/10 for her role in this Venture.

The Direction is Great Shoojit Sircar!! A Standing Ovation.

Though the Film was Low Budget it Still Touched People Hearts! The Movie was Really Inspiring, A Beautiful Story about a KASHMIRI GIRL and an Indian SOLDIER.

I just can't Tell it here You Have to watch the Film

My Stats on the Film is

Direction: I would say 9/10 Editing: I did find some mistakes but rather good say 6/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Acting: 10/10 Music: Great Composition 8/10 The Movie Rating: On the Whole 10/10

Excellent Movie.

Those of you who haven't Watched it and those of you who are Light Hearted Go See this Movie!!!

Awesome Movie

[innocentguy80 · 9/10 · 11 September 2005]

At first i thought ...it'll be a typical Bollywood love story ...but Sorjit Sircor definitely has talent. and that he shows in his movie.

I should really tell about Jimmy Shergill ( The most underrated actor in Bollywood), he is a wonderful actor, and he proves that again , the role seems to suit him well, he has played it superbly. Minissha has done a nice job , she is uncomfortable in few scenes though . but overall performance is good. on screen chemistry between Jimmy and Minissha is wonderful , and you have to see it to believe me. I am definitely counting myself among jimmy's fans after watching this movie . Gulzar rocks again with wonderful songs .i just love his songs , one will feel listening to them again and again . Sherya is awesome, she has got a beautiful voice and i guess she is the next big thing in Bollywood.

** One of the most underrated Cinema of Bollywood History **

[koushiksocial · 9/10 · 7 October 2016]

Before inventing my 90 mins ( avg time of a movie) I always read review of a film on IMDb to be sure that I am not wasting my time so I am writing this review to make sure that people of India DO WTCH this piece of work..

When the movie came out ( 2005 ) I was in 10th standard and that time I was not matured enough to understand the deep root of Kashmir issue and when I saw this movie on TV due to commercial breaks I didn't watch the movie completely but I vividly remember the SONG - " Nam ada likhna".. after so many years I find this movie in IMDb list of top 100 Indian cinema and surprised to see that the the Director is : Shoojit Sircar, who gave us Vicky Donor, PIKU and also Madras Cafe.. so I closed my eyes and downloaded the movie..

And at the end I just thanked myself that I choose to watch this movie.. One of the realistic movies made on Kashmir issue and at the end the massage given to the Kashmir's.. The background score is the silver inning on the movie and the acting of Minisha Lamba ( debutante) is commendable .

If you LOVE GOOD SENSIBLE MOVIES and SKIP THIS ONE then you bound to regret at some point...

Peace and hope is what Kashmir wants

[harshit_pande · 10/10 · 10 September 2016]

Some movie genres in Bollywood require a good amount of research and thought process and to weave a fictional story on the reality of a place like Kashmir and to do it to the ambit of precision requires some great competence. "YAHAAN" is one such movie made on the Kashmir incident. It also marked the directorial debut of "SHOOJIT SIRCAR" and his flair to deal with such a sensitive subject in a mature way. The film focuses on Kashmir, and it's beauty can be summed up by Emperor Jahangir's famous lines: "Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin ast (If there's a heaven on earth, it's here, it's here, it's here.)" which now is suffering from fear, turmoil, violence, chaos and bloodshed in the name of a separate state of Kashmir. Amidst all this is the love story of Captain Aman played by "JIMMY SHERGILL" and Ada played by "MINISSHA LAMBA." Talking about Jimmy Shergill, he is a really amazing actor and in this film also he does full justice to the character of an Army officer. Minissha Lamba is fine on the basis of her debut and her casting is appropriate as the premise of the film was such that it required a new face.

The scenes of bombing and attacks in the valley look as real as they can get and the entire credit for this goes to the cinematographer. Kudos to him for a job well executed. Coming to the other aspects of the film which I like, included the supporting cast as without them the portrayal of such a jittery situation would be impossible. A special mention to "YASHPAL SHARMA" who shines as Ada's brother Shakil Ahmed and delivers a performance worth remembering. What more can be asked for when above all this the lyrics are penned by non-other-than "GULZAR". All songs have tremendous potential but my personal favourite is "Naam Ada Likhna". Mentioning all the merits of the film will sound like an exaggeration to many and may spoil its beauty. However, I would recommend all of you to watch "YAHAAN" if you haven't already seen it. It feels more relatable taking into account today's frame of reference as just the times have changed but the gloom of Kashmiris being the same.

I would give 10/10 to "YAHAAN" as such movies come once in a while and have a great impact over the coming generations as well.

Amazing story with real life like situation depiction

[gulyaniaman-36427 · 10/10 · 8 September 2018]

What a wonderful movie Yahaan is. The story of selfless love even in the harsh condition of kashmir is what I loved.

Could not have run...neither "Yahaan" nor "Wahaan"

[varghesejunior · 5/10 · 16 September 2012]

Yahaan is an OK film but I don't think it's the type of film which can run nowadays.

Yahaan is a social movie focusing mainly on terrorism in Kashmir and love in the midst of the war torn land. A army commander arrives in Kashmir to battle militants,and happens to fall in love with a lady whose brother is the head of a militant outfit.

The good of the film - the locales of Kashmir, the concept of trying to bring in love in war,and the background music. The best actor is Yashpal Raj.

The bad - the action is very weakly coordinated, the acting is only average on most actors' part. The film is kind of dull and draggy...with a bluesy atmosphere throughout.This film is somewhat like Sanjay Dutt's "Lamhaa", though better.

You can watch this film, but definitely not more than once.

A movie that will bring out the ongoing reality of the Kashmir valley and it's ultimate solution.

[krishnarajsingh9211 · 10/10 · 16 May 2017]

Today, Kashmir is in such a devastating state all because of lack of understanding and motive between the native people of the valley and the armed forces deployed over there. The movie put an effort to touch that emotion and tried to give a very simple solution. It showed how people and the forces can work together in harmony and peace if they understand each other and respect each other's dignity. At last, Everyone in the film acted really well. Kudos to the whole team for making such this great and realistic film. I believe more such films should be made on Kashmir so that the message would reach to more and more people.

Excellent Movie

[somanipooja · 10/10 · 8 May 2021]

I watched this movie just for the song "Naam Adaa Likhna" but movie exceeded my expectations. I didn't expect such a great acting by Jimmy Sheirgill and Minissha Lamba. Movie focuses on real Kashmir issues and I would say not a singe minute was wated. Also when Ada says Kashmir me hum pyaar karna bhool gaye and when she asks Aman if his sister wears jeans,etc. I could feel the pain. I cried when she gave interview. It was so natural.

Salman's senseless and illogical movies are superhit and earns 100+ crore. Movies like Yahaan are so underrated. Definitely a must watch Movie.

vivid imagination

[wfazal9 · 1/10 · 16 November 2019]

I can understand why bollywood film makers make films about a hindu man falling for a muslim girl... its never the other way around..