Calendar Girls (2015) User Reviews

Madhur Bandarkar -same formula different industry

[silvan-desouza · 3/10 · 23 November 2015]

Madhur Bandarkar joined bollywood with a flop Trishakti which starred Arshad Warsi, Sharad Kapoor, released in 1999 after being launched in 1996 when the stars were not happening. 2 years later he returned with Chandni Bar which was a success and got critical acclaim too. The film also is remembered as Tabu's one of the best films and performances too. Madhur then gave us Satta(2003) which didn't do too well but got acclaim especially for Raveena. In between he gave us the commercial dud AAN MEN AT WORK(2004) and then CORPORATE,TRAFFIC SIGNAL, FASHION all got success and acclaim, the latter one the most successful and got Kangana a national award. Sadly post that Madhur's career went through a downhill. Starting from DIL TO BACHCHA HAI JI which was a somewhat different film and it failed at the B.O despite having Ajay Devgn,Emraan Hashmi and then he came back to his comfort(repetitive) zone with Heroine which was a bomb. Calender Girls too falls in the same bracket like most of his films, exposing the industry, carricatures, highs and lows.etc he does show us reality but it's mostly seen before and nothing anymore shocking. Also the film doesn't convince at places, especially through the lows of the actresses. The film seems like a collage of sex scenes and girls wearing short clothes and the same clichéd situations

Direction is decent but Madhur needs to change his style Music is okay

Amongst the new faces,Akanshka Puri, Avani Modi, Kyra Dutt,Ruhi Singh,Satarupa all are okay, none great actresses which does curtail the impact Keith Sequeira is decent in his role,Suhel Seth as Vijay Malya is good Rohit Roy as usual after Fashion and Heroine has a cameo Kiran Kumar is good in his role. Rushad Rana is okay,The film has a cameo of Madhur Bandarkar playing himself and he is nothing great

Page 3. Part 2.

[nadkarnisumeet · 4/10 · 27 September 2021]

Calendar Girls review :

Take this staple Bhandarkar fare. A supposedly realistic and sordid tale of five models. One gets embroiled in a sleazy IPL like match-fixing scam. Another one turns in to a high society escort to make her ends meet. Still another one uses social media effectively to get sundry bollywood assignments. Girl no. 4 decides to be trophy wife of a philandering multi multi zillionaire. Last one changes her profession to become a TV anchor covering Page 3 type news. Really after a point, it doesn't matter if these girls happen to be calendar models or fashion ramp walkers or even page 3 regulars...cos they are more or less the same characters from the Madhur Bhandarkar formulaic world of cinema.

Actually, this film could have passed off as a sequel to any of Bhandarkar's previous efforts like 'Page 3' (2005) or 'Fashion' (2008) or even a 'Heroine' (2013)..its just that he chooses not to create any franchise out of them naming his latest film simply 'Calendar Girls'. But get it straight folks. This is basically a case of same old wine in a not so new looking bottle.

Backbiting, sexual exploitation, sleazy deals, career manipulations and adultery are all there. The situations drawn from widely read news items and a negative depiction of anyone and everyone in sight (from corporate honchos to media houses to so called power brokers) might have worked in Bhandarkar's past ('Page 3' in particular was quite insightful) but now these kind of stock plots and stereotype characters only invoke an unwanted deja vu feel. Truly, there's nothing in Calendar Girls that you don't know or haven't seen already.

To add to our woes, there is no Priyanka Chopra or a Konkona Sen Sharma or a Kangana Ranaut to liven up the drama and make us overlook some of the dull aspects (like the tacky production value which is Bhandarkar's regular sin). Here, the five calendar girls are as far from acting talent as Antarctic is from aamchi Mumbai. To give Bhandarkar his due, he tries hard to utilise them to the best extent possible but sadly, the girls fail him.

The supporting cast has Suhel Seth playing a certain (real life) liquor baron. He does a decent job. Rohit Roy as the hot shot photographer is passable. Suchitra Pillai and Mita Vashisht's characters look like leftovers from Bhandarkar's 'Page 3'. Just like the rest of his 'Calendar Girls' does.....

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

Madhur certainly deserves another National Award for the unique creative urge of making his 4th film on the same subject.

[bobbysing · 2/10 · 2 August 2016]

Straight away coming to the point, at one end we have film-makers highly inspired from the west who keep borrowing ideas for their new Hindi films on a regular basis. Whereas on the other we have directors highly inspired and in awe of themselves and their own previous works like Ram Gopal Varma and Madhur Bhandarkar who keep churning out exactly similar movies one after the other following a careless attitude.

So assuming you have already seen Madhur's PAGE 3, FASHION and HEROINE, this is the director's 4th film on the same subject portraying it from a different angle, assuming that the viewers have no thinking mind of their own, ready to accept anything and everything coming from a big name served with some attractive, eye- catching toppings. In fact if you include CORPORATE also in the above list then this is Madhur's 5th film on the similar topic and he surely deserves another National Award for this unique & amazing creative urge unarguably.

Moreover, this time the case gets even worse because in CALENDER GIRLS you don't even get to see any of those elegant shots, rich looks, great performances, hard hitting dialogues or the realistic feel Madhur was once known for. Also the film surprisingly appears quite close to a typical B-grade project largely depending upon its sexual content and glamorous appeal with noting great to offer in its script, execution, cinematography, background score or even music or lyrics.

No doubt as a writer-director Madhur tries to put in everything read in the daily newspapers on the screen (as usual), like the rich entrepreneur releasing a famous calendar (pointing towards Vijay Mallya), deep links between heroines-cricketers and bookies, girls from TV and films getting into flesh trade, the lucky ones getting married to rich industrialists (to be their trophy wives), the clever ones bagging big films with their own selfish ways, the opportunists walking into programs like Big Boss and protests planned by various parties against Pakistani artists performing in India. But since the viewers have already seen many similar references in Madhur's last 3-4 films, one doesn't feel like watching anything fresh or thought provoking at all in those 2 tiring hours.

Besides, as a viewer you honestly feel like leaving the theater when the director appears in the film playing a cameo (as himself) and then indicates towards his next project too called AIR HOSTESS, once again talking about the same things so carelessly. To be honest, while watching CALENDER GIRLS, I was really feeling sorry for the girls Kyra, Avani, Ruhi, Akanksha and Satarupa, who must have had great dreams after fetching the reputed project of the well-known Madhur Bhandarkar, only to be ditched by the director by making such a jaded product.

Interestingly CALENDER GIRLS strongly reminded me of a novel titled SAAT SAAL BAADby the renowned Hindi crime-thriller author Surender Mohan Pathak that also revolved around a group of 'Fashion Ramp Girls' and their super-rich mentor introducing them all. In the novel, the girls get invited for a grand party in Goa after seven years of their initial success and then one of them gets murdered in the resort raising fingers at everyone else attending the celebrations including a young lawyer. The climax of the novel truly shocks you, as expected from a great murder mystery and the revelation once again forces you to think about the proceedings right from the start finding the given clues.

I really wish someone had given this novel to Madhur Bhandarkar before making CALENDER GILRS and if only he had made it on this particular plot, the film would have been pleasantly different and a much better, engrossing watch as compared to the current torture.

A little but not a satisfactory Comeback by Bhandarkar

[anupapu8 · 6/10 · 25 September 2015]

CALENDAR GIRLS - Honestly i was not expecting much of anything from Calendar Girls and it was not in my plan to watch the movie and spent my money on it (lastly i end up watching it for free because my friend get his first job and it was a treat). After watching it i can say i was not that disappointed . Sometimes it good to keep your expectations really low. But that should not be the case when its a film by Madhur Bhandarkar. He is a well known director in B - Town that also for his realistic films. But in his last outings results were not so good. JAIL has been an average one and HEROIN was really boring . Although i liked DIL TO BACHACHA HEI JI , but it was not quite a kind of film which we expect from Bhandarkar. But yes FASHION was really good and also i think CORPORATE was great and only movie which show deep inside how bad a corporate world could be for a female. Unfortunately i haven't yet seen CHANDNI BAR and PAGE 3 , two more of his good movies. With Calendar Girls i can say its a small comeback from Bhandarkar. Seriously there was nothing new in the movie , its the same old story of glamour world , little bit of connected with Match Fixing and Girls turning into escorts because of their luxurious requirement . It feels too old. I mean a well educated girl can get any job . Just because she is Pakistani which is not being much appreciated in our country doesn't mean that she has to turn into a Female Escort. This one was the worst of all the five stories. But i cant explain all of them other wise i have to write twice of what i always write. Out of five stories at least three of them had the potential of being a whole movie about it , but in a short time of 2hr and 11 mins we cant get enough of them. Bhandarkar should have at least skipped two stories. But the good thing is that the flow was good. Editing has being really nice. Boring scenes or melodrama has been totally avoided (which actually made HEROIN such a boring experience). So its like you will never get bored of it , neither you will get much of any excitement in it. It has been said that the story of the Hydrabadi girl played by Akanksha Puri has been inspired from Shilpa Shetthy who leave his carrier in glamour world to marry a business man. But i didn't find anything similar in it. And also to tell the story of Shilpa Shetty , it needs a whole movie to be made on it. Among all the girls its only one girl who can really act good. And that's Kyra Dutt . And also Ruhi Singh has a potential of being a comic character. Rest three of them are just OK. Direction was good , otherwise movie could have been really bad. Songs were not chart buster but yes the glamour factor was there and at least the male audience doesn't mind a song when 5 beautiful girls are dancing together in it. One thing the movie has been constant in it and that's exposure from the girls. We even see a Reporter wearing Translucent Top while anchoring a Bollywood news programme. There was a good message portrait in the movie that its not the glamour world which is bad , but buts our personal choices which are bad . In the climax out of five stories 3 of then turned out to have happy ending. For a changes that was a good move by Bhandarkar.

Anyways , i would expect Madhur to go up from here , and his next MADAMJI is with Priyanka Chopda so expectation will be higher. For the time being i cant say that i will recommend anybody to see Calendar Girls , you can skip it or you can watch it , in either case its not a bad decision. 6/10. By ANuP APu KuMaR.

A movie for lifetime remembrance

[preetryp · 10/10 · 30 September 2015]

CALANDER GIRLS - One of the best movies I've seen so far. A story that really touches you from inside

The story starts with five different girls hailing from five different locations who get selected as Calendar Girls. Right from the first scene the story gets interesting and starts attracting the interest of viewers.

As the story continues few of these girls fall victim of situations and people's plotting. It is required to say that all the girls have done a fabulous job and have done full justice to their roles. The acting really seems natural and classy though the girls are debutants for the Bollywood films.

The screenplay is a masterpiece, all the five stories are well woven and connected to each other that you'll be eagerly waiting for the next happenings. You'll never feel bored throughout the story and they will keep you stuck to the seats till the climax.

Avani Modi as Nazneen Malik(Pakistani girl) and Kyra Dutt as Sharen Pinto have done fantabulous acting. In fact Nazneen's character made us emotional and we were forced to cry when she dies in the end. The story completely touches the heart and we feel a sort of emotional bonding with it.

The film contains the reality angles as Match fixing, Escorting, Royal Family secret revelations, Anti Pakistani approach of people etc. which ate very well shown in such small duration of just 2 hours 11 Mins.

Direction is superb as always by Madhur Bhandarkar and the background score is really touchy. The music of film is highly appreciable and each song is well composed according to situations and mood. The best numbers are 'Khwaishein' and 'Awesome Mora Mahiya'.

The climax is very well executed and sums up the drama appropriately.

MY RECOMMENDATION - The movie is a must watch for all sort of adult audience and you'll really feel that the money spent for it is too less as compared to the masterpiece you'll get to watch. Such kinds of movies should be encouraged and required to be made to keep the standard of Bollywood storytelling really high.

My rating 10/10.

Realistic and learnable

[abantikagupta · 7/10 · 4 August 2019]

It teaches about the circumstances & obstacles that are gonna come on the way & how to deal with them. I found it actually interesting to see what turn it takes next

With five stories running simultaneously, you'll never get bored

[dibeyendu · 7/10 · 29 September 2015]

The movie begins with five very different woman from Rohtak, Kolkata, Hyderabad, London and Goa, all selected as models for a calendar, setting off for Mauritius for their photo shoot. The calendar here is based on the real life Kingfisher Calendar, with Suhel Seth doing a pretty good job playing industrialist Vijay Mallya. After the titles, we follow the lives of the five girls as they try to make their careers after. Though it's not half as good as Page 3 or Fashion, Calendar Girls has its moments. Director Madhur Bhandarkar is at his best when he does an insider's take on what it takes to succeed in the big bad world of Bollywood. Those parts are genuinely amusing and I found myself laughing out loud at times. However, there are parts he gets serious and maudlin and that doesn't work at all. Like the most regressive Hindi film, he would have the Calendar Girl-turned-Escort Girl act all unhappy and remorseful, though her clients are mostly shown to be silly old men who seem to treat her well. With five stories running parallel (and briefly intersecting when one of the girls get married) it's hard to get bored while watching this film. The cast consists almost entirely of unknowns, except for veteran Kiran Kumar, who is excellent in his role as the tycoon, sternly explaining to his daughter in law that unfaithful husbands are part of the grand tradition of corporate India ("parampara"). But in the end, one gets the feeling that Bhandarkar himself didn't take the making of this film too seriously. He plays himself in the film, always a bad sign. The role is substantial, more than just a cameo. Calender Girls borrows heavily from real life (match fixing, right wing protests against Pakistani artists) which works well and gives the whole thing some authenticity.

Calendar Girls (A) Hindi -------------- my Rating: ★★★ MILD HOT

[yunusitboss · 6/10 · 29 November 2015]

New movie Reviews and lots more Hot news .... LIKE THIS PAGE : English Hindi TAMIL TELUGU Facebook : Movie Review by Yunus Irshad https://www.facebook.com/YunusIrshadsMovieReview

Calendar Girls (A) Hindi -------------- my Rating: ★★★ MILD HOT STRENGTHS:- * Second half and some reality elements * Perfect casting of models * Some good performances by nazdeen.... WEAKNESSES:- * Madhur's same formula..... * First half was really boring..... FINAL VERDICT:- * Overall.. it is a adult reality movie which portrays the struggle of calendar girls in the fashion industry. Just watch it once the girls will drove you with their sexy and hotness avatars.... A story of a girl who came from a village to get stardom in the fashion industry. What happens next when she is surrounded by obstacles? Director: Madhur Bhandarkar Writers: Madhur Bhandarkar (screenplay), Abhiruchi Chand (screenplay), 2 more credits » Stars: Akanksha Puri, Avani Modi, Kyra Dutt <> See full cast and crew »

Dark N Realistic

[IPyaarCinema · 7/10 · 24 June 2021]

Review By Kamal K

Great movie. It shows the reality of cinema. I think it did not deserve such low ratings. Guess critics were paid heavily to rate the movie very poor. This movie shows the fate of models, the sad reality. Must watch. Apart from glamour there is the dark side.