Ariella Broughton It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Sabah Hensley This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

vinodmohankunal Mahesh Bhatt's Saaransh is undoubtedly his best work along with Arth. Saaransh deals with some complex emotions that we human beings go through in life.Though not as much as the lead characters in this film,we do experience such emotions of loss,grief,love,betrayal, frustration,sense of support,overcoming our fears and being a coward,etc. This film is about a couple Professor B.V.Pradhan and Parvati Pradhan (Anupam Kher and Rohini Hattangadi) who have just lost their son in some riots in New York.They are unable to digest the fact that their son is no more with them.They feel that their lives have lost their meaning and that they are worthless human beings as they could not save their son. Just then,a small time actress Sujata Suman (Soni Razdan) moves into their house as a paying guest.She has a boyfriend Vilas Chitre (Madan Jain) who is the son of a local politician Gajanan Chitre (Nilu Phule). She becomes pregnant with Vilas' child, but his father is unwilling to accept neither her nor her baby.At that time the Pradhans come to her help.But is it easy for an old helpless couple to make such an influential politician accept Sujata and her baby.What all problems do they face during their fight against Gajanan Chitre? Why are they ready to risk their lives for a paying guest whom they have known just for a few days? What are their motives behind it? What is the conclusion to all of their problems? Do the Pradhans finally overcome their loss,i.e, their son's death?This is what the rest of the film deals with.Mahesh Bhatt should return to directing films,because this film is easily one of the best films made in this world.His direction is very sensitive and touches upon even the minutest of details in the film.His direction is very impressive.The editing by David Dhawan is good.Adeep Tandon's cinematography is also good.Since the film has been shot at real locations, it enhances the storytelling and gives a grounded appeal to the film.The film looks good.Anupam Kher and Rohini Hattangadi (who were in their 20s then) look very convincing and also act very convincingly.A salute to them.They are easily one of the best actors we have.Soni Razdan,Nilu Phule,Suhas Bhalekar,Madan Jain,Alok Nath,Akash Khurana all of them perform very well;it is a delight to see them all perform on the screen.The story,screenplay,dialogues,art direction,lyrics and make-up are also top notch.Last but not the least the music of the film by Ajit Verman is haunting.There is only one song in the film -" Andhiyara Gehraya " which is a very beautiful soul-stirring song.The music takes the film to a different level altogether.Overall,the film is a masterpiece and a must watch for every cinema lover.

silvan-desouza Mahesh Bhatt the filmmaker made several superb films in the 80s and 90s SARAANSH(1984) is one of his rare films which was more art-house like ARTH then commercial. The film was rare as it dealt with the problems faced by an old age couple who lose their son The first half establishes it's characters slowly, we are given insights on their lives, There are several poignant moments like Anupam Kher confrontation at the Airport Customs Office, Anupam Kher's scenes with his wife and with his best friend. The film does have it's share of clichés and stereotypes but yet the handling of the film is simply awesome by Mahesh Bhatt. The film gathers momentum once the battle lines are drawn between Anupam and The Politician and right till the finale the movie is simply outstanding A few flaws like the pacing can be ignored.Direction by Mahesh Bhatt is awesome, this ranks amongst his best Music is in limited doses and all songs blend well This film had editing by David Dhawan and AD was Sooraj Bharjatya both went on to become big directors later.Anupam Kher who was just 28 and launched in this film gave his heart and soul and gave such a flawless performance as a middle aged retired headmaster that he got typecast in such roles Anupam kept playing father roles to actors younger and older to him but Saraansh is a landmark and he won the award that year against DK for Mashaal. Rohini Hattangady too does a great job though she too was in her late 20's yet it doesn't come across, she is perfect Soni Razdan is decent, Nilu Phule is theatrical but works well Alok Nath has one scene, Madan Jain is okay Several well known artistes contribute in one scene or two like Arun Bakshi, Akash Khurana and all leave a mark The actor playing Anupam's friend is superb too

Chrysanthepop When one has the pleasure of watching movies like 'Arth' and 'Saaransh' the question that lingers is what happened to the Mahesh Bhatt who was such an amazing storyteller? 'Saaransh' tells the story of an grief-stricken elderly couple whose son was brutally murdered three months ago in the streets of New York. The film essentially shows how B.V. and Parvati deal differently with the tragedy. While B.V. is mourning his son's death, Parvati seeks enlightenment in her faith which allows her to be positive but at the same time, in denial. Entering their life is a young actress, Sujata, who will put them to test.'Saaransh' is a very well made film. It is on the quiet side but there is a lot of subtlety and symbolism. Bhatt tackles numerous themes such as corruption, discrimination against the elderly and poverty but he always manages to link them back to the main story. The visuals are simplistic but also suggestive. The dialogues work very well and the songs are thankfully limited.Anupam Kher is phenomenal in his debut film performance. At such a young age he plays the part of a 60+ so convincingly, capturing his nuances and every essence. To say the least, it is an admirable debut. Rohini Hattangadi is equally stupendous. A beautiful Sony Razdan holds her own and makes her presence felt.'Saaransh' is an enlightening and satisfying film experience. It is easily one of Bhatt's best.

Sherazade You can't help but wonder, especially as an immigrant, what happens to the family of the people who get killed in a foreign country. You see this on the news nearly everyday and this film tells you just that story you've always imagined but never like this. I saw this film recently on Zee TV, I can't believe how old it truly is when I looked at the year it was acted. Anupam Kher hasn't aged a single day. He looks exactly the same in 2006, the way he looked back in 1983. Shocking! His acting is very compelling here, as he plays the father of a young man who was murdered while studying abroad by goons who jumped him for his wallet during a festival he attended. You slowly watch the father sink deeper and deeper to the depths of bereavement and disbelief in the truth that surround him. A lot of this is to be blamed on the lack of solace that he experiences in the wake of his son's death. The impersonality in the way the news was broken to him (over the phone). Plus the fact that his son was cremated in New York and the ashes sent to him(the father) in India, which is part of a sequence of events that affect him and his wife psychologically and lead them to plan an unthinkable chain of events.