Images

Here's what Indian critics had to say about Mawra Hocane's Bolly debut, Sanam Teri Kasam

Here's what Indian critics had to say about Mawra Hocane's Bolly debut, Sanam Teri Kasam

"We wish there was more to Mawra’s character than just weeping, weeping and some more weeping," says one critic
Updated 10 Feb, 2016

Mawra's debut film Sanam Teri Kasam may have been criticised for being overly sentimental, but the first-time film actress's performance has managed to bring in some praise in across the border.

Also read: Actually, Mawra Hocane isn't half-bad in Bollywood flick Sanam Teri Kasam

Indian film critics have called her 'a natural scene-stealer', 'delectably feminine'... and 'more than a pretty face'.

Here's what they had to say about her debut:

1) Some critics believe Mawra deserved a better launch into Bollywood

"Debutante Mawra Hocane, a Pakistani VJ taking baby steps in Bollywood, is waiflike and delectably feminine but the picture of elegance that she projects is undermined by the inanities that her character has to mouth to justify her presence in the film.

The slapdash story, for whatever it is worth, is so utterly illogical that the film’s reasonably personable lead actors do not have a chance in hell of rising above the monumental mess." — NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee

Hey, crying on cue isn't as easy as you think! —Screengrab
Hey, crying on cue isn't as easy as you think! —Screengrab

"Before we delve into the depth of the film, it is important to mention that the debutants Mawra Hocane and Harshvardhan Rane are undoubtedly one of the most incredible performers who deserved a much-much better launch than this rusty and a little-too-stretched love story.

The newcomers have definitely done a great job and it’s only because of the two actors that you might survive the 155-minutes-long running time. But the script is just too shoddy and the story line way too boring to sustain viewers’ interest. Having said that, we do wish that the director would have utilised the actors’ abilities instead of just wasting the performers.

While we wish there was more to Mawra’s character than just weeping, weeping and some more weeping." — IBNLive's Kriti Tulsiani

2) Some critics implored her to sign another movie soon

"As long as the focus stays on its leads, the film does a good job. Harshavardhan, besides flaunting his perfectly chiseled torso and walking topless all through the film, give his angst some charm. Mawra matches up with her innocence and vulnerability.

From Inder softening every time he is around Saraswati, to watching them goof around in Kheech Meri Photo, they are a treat from the word go. You want to invest in these characters but the movie gets shrill over its 155 minutes, a little too sappy for liking and eventually boring. Your heart genuinely goes out to Harsh and Mawra who are let down by their clumsy narrative." — TOI's, Mohar Basu

BTS shot from Kheech Meri Photo
BTS shot from Kheech Meri Photo

"The one to watch is fresh import from Pakistan, the interestingly-named Mawra Hocane.

Her role requires her to be the kind of submissive, spectacles-swaddled ‘good’ girl who has difficulty in snaffling IIT-IIM types (which, according to this film, are the only ones to go for), who needs to be made over prettily to rescue her from permanent behenji-dom oblivion, and the kind who has to look for approving nods from the nearest male before taking a decision, and so on.

But the fresh-faced, unaffected Hocane rises above it all, and shows us how effervescence can light up the screen. Someone give her another movie, quick." — Indian Express' Shubhra Gupta

3) Some critics were vocal in their praise

"Pakistani star Mawra Hocane is the total package. She pulls off a Tamilian with aplomb; she pulls off a nerd with finesse and she’s unstoppable in her glamorous avatars. She’s delicate and her porcelain beauty makes the film look a lot fresher than it is." — Filmfare's Rachit Gupta

Will we be seeing Mawra in another movie across the border soon? Possibly. —Screengrab
Will we be seeing Mawra in another movie across the border soon? Possibly. —Screengrab

"It’s another matter that Mawra Hocane looks appealing with or without the chashma. (Maybe braces would have helped). She is clearly an offshoot of the effervescent Jaya Bhaduri. The way her character barges into the brooder hero’s troubled life, I almost expected Hocane to burst into 'Maine kaha phoolon se' from Mili.

While Mowra Hocane is a natural scene-stealer filling the frames with a sunny splendor, it is Harshvardha Rane’s clenched and controlled performance that had me thinking of Mr Bachchan in Mili." — First Post's Subhash K Jha

"Mawra Hocane, the Pakistani VJ, model and actor, is a delight to watch as Saru. She slips into the demure character with ease and her get-up certainly adds to her persona. She is confident and her innocence is endearing. You are one with her in her unrequited love, as also in her hour of grief." — Hindustan Times' IANS review

4) Some called the Mawra-Harsh pairing the film's saving grace

"Mawra Hocane and Harshavardhan Rane show some real promise and have genuine on-screen chemistry. Their pairing is the only thing that works for the film. Mawra is more than a pretty face and shows promise in her scenes with her dad." — DNA India's Tushar Joshi

The duo has been lauded for sharing a spark onscreen —Photo courtesy: www.thenational.ae
The duo has been lauded for sharing a spark onscreen —Photo courtesy: www.thenational.ae

5) You can't please everyone though; haters gonna hate!

"The major trouble with Sanam Teri Kasam is that nothing about it feels genuine despite the obvious efforts of its two leads who cut across as sorry figures reciting the most inane lines and doing the silliest things.

So Hocane's naive, dorky act is more annoying than endearing." — India Today's Suhani Singh

Comments

Parvez Feb 10, 2016 03:18pm
I thought the Indian critics were generous.
Recommend (0)
kranaiitr Feb 10, 2016 03:26pm
she is beautiful
Recommend (0)
rainman Feb 10, 2016 03:48pm
Marwa already a star in India
Recommend (0)
Sunil Feb 10, 2016 03:50pm
Mawra Hocane needed a better Bollywood launching pad.Not only she is beautiful but talented.
Recommend (0)
A Fairdeal Muslim Feb 10, 2016 04:09pm
she first settle in India and work there
Recommend (0)
Fasi Feb 10, 2016 04:27pm
I love how the critics are pronouncing her name as "Ho KAIN". Serves her right..
Recommend (0)
apoorva Feb 10, 2016 04:47pm
Why import pakistanis and pay them millions? RFAK is fine but this lady.......we have millions like her in india
Recommend (0)
Aamer Feb 10, 2016 04:49pm
No matter what the critics say, if the film is flop Mawra is flop. Humaima Malik proved herself with 'Bol' in Pakistan but flopped in India, Sara Loren and Anita Ayub where most beautiful girls of Pakistan Fashion industry they were totally wasted in Bollywood. Meera did great movies in Pakistan like ‘Inteha’. ‘Khoy Ho Tum Kahan’, ‘Harjai’ and ‘Raqasa’, but what happened to her in Bollywood? Now all eyes are on Mahira Khan.
Recommend (0)
Dipak Singh Feb 10, 2016 04:49pm
I watched d Movie & enjoyed. yes little bit bored but adjustable.
Recommend (0)
Ali Rizvi Feb 10, 2016 05:00pm
Why is she crying most of the time in the movie?
Recommend (0)
malika Feb 10, 2016 05:08pm
Apparently she commanded a remuneration of 27 crores for sanam teri kasam
Recommend (0)
Imran Feb 10, 2016 05:12pm
why does she need to change her name to 'hocane'...? there are other ways to appear funky... sounds lame.. :s
Recommend (0)
M.Saeed Feb 10, 2016 05:17pm
A sincere advice. She could become a fabulous actor provided she gets a good nose job done and enhances her sub-zero credentials.
Recommend (0)
Just here Feb 10, 2016 05:19pm
@apoorva ...where are those millions like her in India??
Recommend (0)
M.Saeed Feb 10, 2016 05:19pm
@apoorva : You might have millions but not enough of them qualifying as Ladies.
Recommend (0)
Yasmin Em Feb 10, 2016 05:20pm
@Aamer Mahira Khan will rock
Recommend (0)
Indian Feb 10, 2016 05:33pm
welcome Mawra !! will watch this movie
Recommend (0)
Rashid Sultan Feb 10, 2016 05:43pm
Well Done Mawra. From now we want More of Hocane in films. She is a natural!
Recommend (0)
Visitor Feb 10, 2016 06:00pm
i am an Indian and on serious note most of the people didn't know when this movie got released and when got flopped, forget about any Pakistani actress in it. Though she looks beautiful but that isn't only criteria to perform well here in Bollywood! Acting credentials are must and so are contacts!
Recommend (0)
Khwarezmi Feb 10, 2016 06:13pm
"Talent go where the money is" -Tom Clancy
Recommend (0)
madhusudan Feb 10, 2016 06:15pm
Mawra aapa next madhubala in the making.
Recommend (0)
wellwisher Feb 10, 2016 06:40pm
learn to ignore Indian critics
Recommend (0)
Shassan Feb 10, 2016 07:40pm
Hocane = Hussain ( C is pronounced as S ) . May be for quicker security checks at the airports. Just saying
Recommend (0)
Mobin Ahmed Feb 10, 2016 07:54pm
Mawra welcome in my country India. We are peace loving country. I know you love our people, I am happy
Recommend (0)
fayza Feb 10, 2016 08:58pm
@Aamer First of all please don't compare mawra and mahira with all the ones you mentioned. They were no great shakes in Pakistan as well and on top they were not smart enough to choose properly or hold their own. Mawra and mahira both are smart enough to know what they are doing plus they have all it takes to be a film heroine. Lets not talk about Meera, the less said about Meera the better it is.
Recommend (0)
Gabbar Feb 10, 2016 09:02pm
I find her irritating.
Recommend (0)
BRILLIANT Feb 10, 2016 09:43pm
Yes, she looks like a Tamil girl....in fact, totally South Indian...Marathi girls (not the Mumbai type, but of the Pune type) have this sort of appearance too.
Recommend (0)
Raghu2 Feb 10, 2016 11:41pm
@apoorva Its simple. bollywood targets Paksitan viewers too unlike other regional movies of India just like Hollywood targets other nations as markets.
Recommend (0)
Raghu2 Feb 10, 2016 11:43pm
@Just here Are you referring to skin color? or talent? They are millions in both cases.
Recommend (0)
Ahmed Feb 11, 2016 03:05am
@Visitor Acting Credentials in Bollywood ????? Yeah I can imagine . Shahrukh Khan the great "method actor"
Recommend (0)
Jawad Feb 11, 2016 03:12am
@Raghu2 ...her skin color and face features are hardly found in India. Believe me I know
Recommend (0)
joe Feb 11, 2016 06:07am
She looks graceful with that Bindi, Typically Indian.
Recommend (0)
whoami Feb 11, 2016 07:28am
@BRILLIANT: Brilliantly Said!
Recommend (0)
Mubashir Mahmood Feb 11, 2016 02:09pm
Bollywood critic taran adarsh wrote: Mawra Hocane shines and excels in the film with her extremely believable and superlative performance. There are places where she overtakes Harshvardhan in terms of performance. It won't be wrong to term her as a 'scene stealer'. Given the right choice of films, she just could be the find of Bollywood this year. His tweet https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/695425880714121218
Recommend (0)
Bupi Feb 11, 2016 10:31pm
Wishing her A great success
Recommend (0)
Kabeela Khan Feb 12, 2016 02:14pm
@BRILLIANT Are tamil girls so fair complexioned as her. Just asking out of curiosity bro.
Recommend (0)
samrndra singh Feb 12, 2016 02:31pm
she is very beautiful with innocent look, but i was not abl to watch the bore movie, hopeully we will watch hr in some good movie.
Recommend (0)
ranjan Feb 12, 2016 10:41pm
i love this movie because this a complete entertainment .i have to give rating i will give 110 in 100.all the character are without overacting . particularly mawra ,harshwardhan,dialogue, music,and singer are performed in excellence. mawra i love your performance in this movie specially .whatever different critics says its my best hour of entertainment. thanks ranjan sinha . jamshedpur
Recommend (0)
Rais Feb 12, 2016 11:00pm
She is young and hot. She is another Alia Bhat.
Recommend (0)
Alexa Feb 13, 2016 04:00am
I really dont find anything glamourous or interesting about Mawra.
Recommend (0)
shawn Feb 13, 2016 05:26am
@Aamer meera would have lasted in Bollywood if she had gone there much much younger.
Recommend (0)
shawn Feb 13, 2016 05:29am
I think doing so many sad and victimized roles in Pakistani dramas prepared her with her natural acting ? I don't remember a single drama where she did nt play a victim role.
Recommend (0)
S Feb 13, 2016 09:09am
I don't agree with the critics I think this was an amazing script with amazing portrayal of the actors genuine acting and saru's emotional scenes were great natural acting done, inders character was calm and charming. Brilliant film with a great twist.
Recommend (0)
Trollslayer Feb 14, 2016 06:18pm
@Just here "Where are the millions? Two of them are in Hollywood already and then there are the Aishwaryas, Kanganas, Kareenas, Anushkas, Parineetis, etc. etc. India has an abundance of beauties all over the land.
Recommend (0)
Trollslayer Feb 14, 2016 06:49pm
@Kabeela Khan Fair compexion is all make up and lighting. I have met many Pakistanis in the US and they look no different than the average Indian. Fair complexioned Indians and Pakistanis are an exception not the rule in both countries. By the way, northern India has more fair complexioned people than the entire population of Pakistan. Beauty is not limited to fair skin.
Recommend (0)