ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

2freensel I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

Billie Morin This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

mkhandwani My first thought watching the movie : Is anil Kapoor the hero or the best villain for this movie. Can't believe the hype this 1994 movie received. Music is really good but every 15 mins in the movie there is a song. Pre interval it's all about boy meets girl falls in love pursues her. Post interval all hell breaks loose ie Bollywood being typical Bollywood . Can't believe the parents and kids dynamic portrayed in the movieOne major who suddenly wants to do the *right thing* and the public which is running away turns around because somehow they heard him yell "jai hind" but alas is useless for the climax . The special needs person in the movie is more useful to the plot and it's success than this major. So the hero was able to save himself from capital punishment because his hands weren't tied but Douglas couldn't ? Argh!!! I am all up for a good independence movie , makes me emotional and full of pride , this movie stirs it for all of three out of ten stars for me. Rest I am laughing or smacking my head thanks to whoever wrote the character of anil Kapoor . As for rajjo's character (Manisha Koirala ) she looks beautiful but so dumb , the girl lives her whole life being ignorant of her brother and dad's actions . Falls in love with anil Kapoor and then her dad doesn't approve so heartbroken she decides to also turn into a participant as a revolutionary. But does absolutely nothing , nothing other than crying . Her love is real? Her love is for her dad? Her love is for the country or she just wants to be whatever the men in her life need from her ? The acting is pretty good , the star cast obviously makes the movie that much more exciting to watch but wish they had actually tried to be make a smart movie. Since it's been 14 years since the release no one will be wasting movie to watch this silliness just your precious time .

Suman Shakya Just like the title suggests, the film has two sides, 1942, a historic period and a love story. 1942, represents the time period when the Indians revolutionized against the British rulers for the freedom of the country, popularly know as "Quit India" movement. Many patriots sacrificed their lives during the freedom fight of the '40s. Under this backdrop, a beautiful love story has been weaved under a fabulous music of music maestro RD Burman. It was his last movie for which he won the coveted Filmfare awards for the best music director.The film remains commendable for three strong reasons. The first is obviously RD Burman's memorable music, which was unfortunately his last masterpiece. The songs like "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To" or "Kuch Na Kaho.." remains the modern day classics. The songs get blended well with the beauty perpetuated through the superb cinematography. The lights and colors of the sets and the costumes all have a right touch for depicting the period. And the third nice aspect of the film remains the performances. Vidhu Vinod Chopra recasts Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff from his "Parinda" and they look good enough in their roles. Manisha Koirala adds beauty to the film and looks innocent. In the small roles, Raghuvir Yadav, Anupam Kher, Pran, Danny, Sushma Seth all play their roles perfect. Although the film saw some criticism and wasn't a very big success in the box office, the film is an iconic love story from '90s which has been made with an optimum care for which the film appears technically flawless.Rating: 3 stars out of 4

sgoswami 1942: A Love Story, stays unfaithful to its name. Its neither a love story, nor does it contain the factual underpinnings surrounding the events of 1942. But I digress. If those were the only two shortcomings (albeit major) of the movie, it would be bearable. Reality, however, sets in. After watching this sensationalist and inane film, I must confess: I've had more fun watching grass grow on my lawn. And my lawn is dead.The film attempts to draw you in to its hero, Narendra Singh (played by Anil Kapoor), the son of a wealthy lord of the era, Diwan Hari Singh, who also happens to be an obtuse sycophant of the British Raj. True to fashion of Hindi cinema, there is (predictably) the anti-Raj, aka the freedom fighters. The daughter of one of these fighters, Rajeshwari (played by Manisha Koirala), catches the eye of Narendra, and he is smitten by her beauty. He immediately falls in love and begins his pursuit of her. Mind you, all of this happens in the first five minutes, and it only deteriorates from there.The hero's propensity to bring calamities to those around him is befuddling (I affectionately started calling him Forrest Gump). In an attempt to portray the yearning and desire he has for his love, the film misses connecting with the audience. Instead, it portrays him as a bumbling idiot who, in a blind frenzied search for a girl he has met for only five minutes, has no hesitation in breaking promises (he states that he will not reveal the identity of the freedom fighters, yet immediately afterwords reveals their identities to his mother) and wreaking havoc (numerous times he foolishly pursues Narendra, only to further expose her identity) on those around him.Furthermore, much like the hero, the other characters in the film lack dimension and also fail to connect with the audience. In a desperate attempt to draw the film together and make some coherent sense of the madness, sensationalism is thrown into the mixture. And not just any sensationalism, but "Jai Hind" at that. What better way to prey on the emotions of a stupefied audience than to bring in a revered chant of the freedom fighters of the era. The sum of its tattered pieces do not add up to a congruous and solid movie. The plot line is unbelievably predictable, and the acting sub par, sans for Manisha Koirala, who churns out a half-decent tear during the final scene. Sadly, the audience won't shed a drop when this waste of celluloid hits the can. In reality, this movie is more akin to the tripe you find at the butcher's block in Albertsons.So, should you watch this film? If for some reason there is an extra three hours in your life that is expendable, by all means, go for it. But if you're looking for a movie that has coherency and can grip its audience, you'd be better off looking out your window and at the lawn.

Danny Ledonne Blending musical poetry with epic spectacle, "1942: A Love Story" stands as a definitive work of Indian filmmaking. As the film follows a pair of lovers through the Indian uprising against imperialist Britain, traditional Indian song is used to juxtapose the harsh realities of an oppressed people. Though the film is grand in size, the fact that a small core of characters inhabits the plot makes for an easily understood picture, even while reading subtitles as I did."1942" celebrates the people of India and their struggle for independence. When compared to traditional American films dealing with political revolt, this film wins over in heart. When compared to traditional American musicals of the 1950s and 60s, "1942" displays a deeper social conscience and a more solid grasp on narrative storytelling. Above all, "1942" provides entertainment with a rich cultural tapestry.