Perhaps this year’s most awaited Bollywood film, Sanju, has finally released today (Friday). Reviews are flowing in with endless praise for Ranbir Kapoor’s flawless performance. It’s not just Ranbir who is being praised, those who have seen the film seem to be impressed by every member of the cast and not to forget, director Rajkumar Hirani as well.
Here are some excerpts of the reviews from some popular Indian publications:
NDTV: Ranbir Kapoor dazzles as Sanjay Dutt
Rating: 4/5
“The director is on the top of his game and the actor soars to dizzying heights. Sanju, as a result, is an entertainer that delivers more than just the superficial goods one expects from a mass entertainer. It sets a new benchmark for Bollywood biopics. It will be a hard act to follow. The 160-minute film, essentially a touching father-son drama that also pays tribute to some of Hindi cinema’s greatest lyricists, glides through its busy, pulsating narrative without suffering anything akin to an ungainly wobble. Kapoor shines bright. That is actually an understatement. He dazzles us; he catches us unaware; and he sweeps us off our feet. In one word, he is luminous.”
Times of India: A spectacular and an emotional look at the life of Sanjay Dutt
Rating: 4/5
“Presenting a biopic on a man with so many shades and one who has lived a life of such extremes is a no mean feat. Hirani, in his signature style, takes you through Sanju’s remarkable journey with the finesse and commitment it needs. The director’s idea of making a film on his life has certainly paid off. It has some fantastic visuals and some crazy emotions too. Yes, there’s a lot missing, but even then, this is still an incredible story of a man and a movie star who made massive mistakes, walked through fire, survived it and lived one heck of a life.”
Hindustan Times:Â Ranbir Kapoor is the soul of this Sanjay Dutt biopic
Rating: 2.5/5
“Hirani’s Sanjay Dutt, played by Ranbir Kapoor seems the perfect choice for playing Dutt as he has imbibed the soul of the senior actor. He is absolutely on point in this really long ode to one of Bollywood’s most talked about members. He is the soul of Sanju. As director, Hirani, faced an uphill task in bringing back all those memories in their truest form in Sanju. Hirani does it the way Hirani can, by bringing in the humour and heart in almost every sequence, even the serious ones.”
Bollywood Hungama:Â The film will score tremendously and emerge as a Monstrous Hit
Rating: 4.5/5
“The biggest strength of Sanju is that the film never drops. The screenplay is riveting and keeps you hooked, even if you might not agree with the goings on. And that’s a feat for a film which is 160 minutes long. The back and forth narrative works very well and keeps viewers intrigued. On the whole, Sanju is an entertaining saga that blends emotions, humour and drama in adequate doses. It is powerful, engaging, emotional as well as compelling. The combination of Rajkumar Hirani and Ranbir Kapoor works like a dream. At the box office, despite not being a ‘typical Rajkumar Hirani family entertainer’, the film will score tremendously and emerge as a monstrous hit! Don’t miss it!”
First Post:Â Ranbir Kapoor is flawless in Rajkumar Hirani’s Bollywood-ised biopic of Sanjay Dutt
“Sanju presents the intimate details of Sanjay Dutt’s life in a typically Hirani-esque manner. There’s an emotional message in every potential scene; the film doesn’t attempt to decode Sanjay Dutt or justify his life. Neither does it try to whitewash his flaws. Credit to Hirani for not painting Dutt with larger than life strokes. But there is a Bollywood-ish tinge to every scene. The film’s biggest  accomplishment are undoubtedly its performances. There are genuinely some shots where you won’t be able to tell you’re looking at Ranbir Kapoor, and not Sanjay Dutt. Sanju is a gripping film, but one treads with caution.”
We are surely looking forward to watching this one. Are you?
