The long wait to see Irrfan Khan on the silver screen has finally come to an end. Irrfan's film – Angrezi Medium – released today and saw a packed audience. The trailer of the film, starring Irrfan Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Deepak Dobriyal, Radhika Madan might have had a fabulous response, the film hasn't garnered the same kind of appreciation.
While Irrfan Khan, who plays the role of Champak Bansal, a mithai shop owner and a single parent has been loved by the audience, the film's plot and pace failed to strike a chord. Neither the audience nor the critics seem to have loved the film as much as they loved Hindi Medium.
Let's take a look at the reviews by critics
NDTV went with 2 stars out of 5: Angrezi Medium is a tiresome romp that hurtles out of control even before it's got any sort of rhythm going. The writers are unable to stitch together the padding that could serve to hide the film's creases, play down the insubstantiality of the principal idea, and hold a two-and-a-half-hour movie together.
India Today went with 3.5 stars out of 5: There are times when the film falls prey to stereotypes and offers us nothing that we haven't already seen. However, none of this gets in the way of the emotion that the film, and the actors, are trying to capture.
Mumbai Mirror went with 3 stars out of 5: On the cusp of a family drama and a slightly-exaggerated comedy, this film begins well but somehow seems too desperate to load up on laughs in every scene. Luckily, this isn't another preachy satire on how education, once considered the fuel for social mobility, has reduced itself to a dhanda.
Indian Express went with 2.5 stars out of 5: The chief problem is a laboured plot, meandering about trying to hoover up too many things at the same time. Fortunately for us, the post-interval part takes some of the attention away from the Khan-Madan to-dos, and spreads it amongst the others.
Pinkvilla went with 3 stars out of 5: The film scores an 'A' in the acting and the dialogue department. Irrfan Khan and Deepak Dobriyal won't let you pay attention to the script's innate weakness and keep you entertained throughout. The biggest grudge a film lover may have with the film is the underutilization of talented supporting cast and addition of unnecessary sub-plots that stretches the film by an additional 10-15 minutes.
