Ceticultsot
Beautiful, moving film.
Intcatinfo
A Masterpiece!
Humaira Grant
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Peter Young
Ahista Ahista is one little small brilliant. I started watching it, and at the beginning I got a little bored since the pacing was slow and the main idea of one guy meeting a girl who is lost was not really new. But as the film went on, I started getting increasingly and gradually engaged by the film, the fantastic writing and the charming romance. The film was extremely simple and natural and after some time I felt I was watching a real documentation of one guy's life. There's one very good reason the film got this feel, and it's the fresh talent called Abhay Deol. He is extremely convincing as the simple, kind-hearted and struggling Ankush, whose new love motivates him to make amends and fight for a better life. Throughout the film, he is presented as an ordinary mischievous prankster, but also as a helping and loving person, who, like anyone else will do anything to protect his love. Deol portrays all the different shades of his character, whether positive or negative, naturally and with complete ease.Shivam Nair's direction is very good. His depiction of the life of people in the rural neighbourhood is excellent, but what gets to be even more impressive is his portrayal of Ankush's relationships with the different people who surround him, including his friends and his love interest Megha who he is ready to do anything for. I also immensely liked the way Nair portrayed his interaction with his friend's loud and plump mother whom he calls 'khala' (aunty). He likes to drive her crazy and annoy her on every occasion, yet we see that she occupies a very special place in his heart and is like a mother-figure to him as evidenced in several scenes. Except for Abhay, the rest of the cast performed well. Though Soha Ali Khan did not stand out according to me, she was good and had some of her mother's charm. The actors who played Ankush's friends were very good as was the actress who played Ankush's 'khala'.Apart from the performances, the film's writing was outstanding. The dialogues were sort of ordinary yet brilliant, and the script was also fantastic. That's mainly because despite a not-so-new story it was never overdone or melodramatic and there were no attempts to make it look larger-than-life. The film's biggest weakness was Himesh Reshammiya's uninspiring music which was unsuitable for this film. Otherwise, Ahista Ahista was a delightful watch and it got only better with every scene. The concept may not be new, but the film manages to look fresh and becomes increasingly heartwarming as the story goes by. The ending was bittersweet, kind of sad yet optimistic. In short, this movie really grows on you slowly, and this can be easily attributed to the wonderful writing, the moving moments, the charming romance, the realistic proceedings, and of course Abhay Deol's memorable performance.
bunnymehra1985
This movie was disaster at Box Office, and the reason behind that is innocence of the movie, sweetness of the story. Music was good, story is very simple and old, but presentation of such story is very good, Director tried his best. Abhay is excellent and impressive and he shines once again in his role, he did his best in comedy or in emotional scene. Soha looks so sweet in the movie. Rest star cast was simply okay. Music and all songs are good, Himesh is impressive as an Singer here. Don't miss this movie, its a wonderful movie and a feel good one for us. Abhay best work till date. I will give 9/10 to Ahista Ahista.
Chrysanthepop
'Ahista Ahista' comes like a breath of fresh air when romantic movies are becoming less frequent in Indian cinema when compared to before. It's a very loose and brilliant adaptation of Dostoevsky's 'White Nights'. Imtiaz Ali's writing is very down-to-earth as he tells the story of ordinary people and adds his own touch.Among the songs, the Qawali number and a solo that plays in the background stand out but the ones sung by Reshamiya in his usual ghastly voice. The songs should have been left to the background because the ones filmed as dream sequences aren't effective and they hinder the narrative flow. However the background score flows smoothly.'Ahista Ahista' is carried by Abhay Deol. Deol is simply wonderful as Ankush and he gives a natural performance. His Ankush reminds me of Shahrukh's Sunil from 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa'. The characters are quite different but they face a similar dilemma. Soha Ali Khan isn't as impressive. Also we don't see much of Megha's final decision from her point of view. She appears to be weak and have difficulties with making her own decisions. In the beginning, Soha's expressions lack spontaneity and her responses look forced but she does a better job later on (except in the end). It's not a bad performance but one that could have been better. Shayan Munshi is alright, nothing great. Anyway, this is Deol's film so even though Soha and Shayan do not exactly hit the mark, it doesn't take away too much. The supporting actors who play Ankush's friends are good too.Debutant Shivam Nair's direction is quite good but I wonder why he used slow-motion in some scenes, that too, so poorly (in stop motion format). Otherwise the director does a very commendable job and he makes great use of Delhi (where the film is set) by giving us glimpses of the busy streets, the small alleys etc.Some of the moments that stood out for me was when Ankush impulsively kisses Megha which is followed by an apology, when a cheerful Ankush goes to visit Megha with a bouquet of flowers and is confronted by an unexpected surprise, the final conversation between the two...well there are lots of such little great moments. In a few words, 'Ahista Ahista' is a fine and down-to earth adaptation of a classic. This one's a gem.
HeadleyLamarr
Abhay Deol's second film, written by Imtiaz Ali, maiden directorial effort by Shivam Nair. Soha probably has her first (?) meaty role as Megha, a girl who has run away from home and is waiting at the Delhi marriage registrar's office for her boyfriend Dheeraj (Shayan Munshi) to meet her. She waits and waits and finally is spotted as a damsel in distress by Ankush (Abhay Deol). They spend many days together as he extricates her from one distressing situation after another and finally falls in love with her. Then the boyfriend returns! Aage pardey par dekhiye! Sound familiar? This is yet another adaptation of Dostoyevsky's White Nights with a tiny bit of borrowing from Le Notti Bianchi (very tiny though - Ankush keeps the lovers apart by telling the boyfriend she is dead!). But this is an earthier and more realistic (duh) adaptation than the much hyped and overblown Saawariya. I wonder why no one brought this little gem up when we were all discussing Saawariya like crazy a few months ago.The Delhi settings are wonderful - there is the obligatory run through old Delhi, shots of Jama Masjid from a roof top, Connaught Circus, streets with rickshaws (What? How?). The colorful light fixtures in the hotel are enough to tell you this is a seedy joint with rooms for hire by the hour! The more I see of Abhay the more I like this young man. In this second film he is quite good as the for hire witness who is given a purpose in life by a beautiful woman. Soha looks beautiful, and when she smiles she fits the role, but I found her unconvincing in the more serious moments. I am not quite sure that she has it in her to be a great actress, or maybe she will blossom late like the brother. The music by Himesh Reshammiya is not that great and in fact the movie falters at the songs, they kind of interrupt the narrative and do not sit well with the characters trying to sing them. The supporting cast is excellent and I give this White Nights adaptation a thumbs up. BTW - the fact that I love Abhay Deol's cute dimples has NOTHING to do with my rating.
