i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.

I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

Blistering performances.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The concept of the movie is quite different and the acting of Irfan Khan, Tisca Chpra and Tillotama Shome is commendable. The movie depicts a bitter truth of our society which is still prevalent in many regions, and that is the desire of a son and discrimination between sons and daughters. To desire is not a sin, but to go beyond reality to fulfill your desire is definitely a sin and a bane for the society and the people associated with it. The movie becomes quite confusing at some point and one is not able to decide whether Irfan Khan is really a ghost or not. Even though the movie went quite slow in between and lost the interest of audience in between, it is definitely a one time watch for people who like movies with different concepts.

QISSA WITH IMRAN KHAN QISSA is a Punjabi language film of passing interest primarily because it features incredibly versatile Bollywood actor, Irfan Khan ("The Lunchbox") in a nearly unrecognizable transformation as a bearded turban clad traditional Sikh in rural Punjab speaking only Punjabi throughout. In this one Irfan plays a man obsessed with having a male offspring to carry on his name but is married to a beautiful wife who keeps pumping out girls. In desperate denial he decides to raise the latest female arrival as a boy in every respect, including the usual masculine Sikh rites of passage. However, when it comes time to marry the Pseudo-son off drastic problems emerge leading ultimately to disaster for all parties concerned. The premise is a little far-fetched -- at times ridiculous, but the sincere acting of all players makes the drama involving if not exactly credible, the presentation of rural life in the Punjab -- rarely seen on film with any kind of authenticity, is of documentary level accuracy, and watching modern urban Lunchbox Irfan take on the trappings of an old-fashioned rural Sikh is almost like watching Paul Muni become a Chinaman in The Good Earth.

Qissa is a visually stunning film with multiple concurrent themes running through it, ranging from patriarchy, partition, parochialism and even briefly same sex relationships. Partition was vividly depicted in a more sensitive way than I've seen before on screen. The film turns out fine performances from an array of actresses including Tisca Chopra and Tillotama Shome. It's also probably no coincidence that Irrfan Khan, a Muslim, was cast in a Sikh role; something that adds an unspoken gravitas to the part of Umber Singh given the historical context. The multiple scenes shot around wells will resonate with any person whose family was scarred by the partition of the Punjab; from either side.The presence of German funding is evident (although India's NFDC are part-funders); this is an independent non-commercial drama with a visible budget behind it. This lends an almost epic feel to some of the earlier scenes that would have been surely lacking without the European financial input. The score, by a French composer I believe, is excellent and an integral part of the film; although heavy on Indian motifs, it sounds decidedly un-Indian in structure. That's not a criticism, rather a refreshing bonus for the film that benefits from its soundscape. The music is also suggestive and never overpowering. The two vocal tracks are from the outstanding Nooran Sisters, Punjabis themselves, with thankfully no mainstream Bollywood singers in sight.As always Khan delivers an impeccable performance although the character does come across as one-dimensional at times; probably more to do with the script that his actual performance. The stand-out performances come from Shome as the 'son' Kanwar, and Raskia Dugal as his gypsy wife, Neeli. The chemistry, friction, pain and ultimately tenderness between these two is the highlight of the film. I would argue that Raskia Dugal almost upstages the other leads with her brilliant performance, particularly in the later scenes where the couple have fled their home. Kanwar's confusion also comes across as genuine, a credit to Shome's portrayal in a difficult role, while the nude scene, a critical part of the plot- is sensitively handled.My criticism of the film comes with the 'ghost' scenes; had the English title of the film not had "The Tale of a Lonely Ghost" appended to it (an unnecessary expanded titling, in my opinion); the initial scenes where Khan returns are momentarily confusing. It's not clear if he is a ghost or not, although that ambiguity may be intentional- or possibly I was a bit slow to pick up on it despite seeing his apparent demise earlier. Although parts of the film come across as dream-like, these initial ghost scenes don't and for that reason it's unclear if Kanwar is imagining Khan's appearance or not. These are minor points in an otherwise good film though, but the film still throws open many questions such as who and why where others complicit in the deceit, and why did the mother not put up resistance to the charade, amongst others.This is the kind of film that will do very well at film festivals, and deservedly so, but is probably too complex and intelligent for wider mainstream appeal-- in say a way some more accessible Deepa Mehta films would. It will be interesting to see what reception the film receives when it is ultimately released in India.Director Anup Singh has done a good job of bringing to life an intricate story that is unlike any other recent Indian film out there. Recommended.

I had a chance to see the film "Qissa" while it screened at the South Asian Film Festival in New york. Not knowing the premise of the film, what struck me most was the depth of the different characters portrayed in the story. Actors Irfan Khan and Tillotama Shome displayed a beautiful and sensitive chemistry playing the father-daughter duo, replete with complex emotional struggles and seemingly unsurmountable conflicts. The interpersonal relationships between the characters were touching and real despite the darkness that surrounded them. Tillotama's gender-transcending portrayal of a complex and conflicted "Kanwar" was seamless and simply blew me away!