Critics have praised director Ashwini Iyer Tiwari's film "Nil Battey Sannata," which features Swara Bhaskar, Ratna Pathak Shah, Pankaj Tripathi and Ria Shukla in the lead.
The film is about lower-class working mother Chanda (Swara), who wants her daughter Apeksha (Ria) to study and get a good score in her upcoming 10th-standard board examination.
The storyline and performances of the lead stars have impressed Bollywood critics, who have said it is a feel-good film and promises a good plot.
Here is a compilation of top reviews from critics:
Namrata Joshi of the Hindu said: "There are plot points you could nitpick on but at the end of the day Nil Battey Sannata remains a warm, feel-good film which offers hope and the promise of upward mobility that doesn't depend on the social strata you come from but your own will and diligence."
Surabhi Redkar of Koimoi.com said: "Surely watch! This film is a beautiful mother-daughter story that will no matter what be relatable to everyone from their growing up years."
Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in said: "Iyer Tiwari explores the class distinctions that hold back dreamers like Chanda, but caste considerations do not enter the picture."
Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV said: "Nil Battey Sannata is also a good old story about life and its vicissitudes."
Gautaman Bhaskaran of the Hindustan Times said: "It is not just a touching story of a mother and her daughter but also a great chapter on the importance of education."
Udita Jhunjhunwala of Firstpost said: "Using locations, sets, costumes, language and setting (Agra), Iyer Tiwari creates an authentic world with a universal emotional core. However, at the close, the narrative trips over its own benevolence."
Shubhra Gupta of the Indian Express said: "'Nil Battey Sannata' has a strong message about how education can change your life. It does underline the message, but stays just short of being preachy or message-y. And leaves you with a warm glow."
