Gulabo Sitabo is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Starring Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana in the lead roles, Gulabo Sitabo is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The film by Shoojit Sircar was earlier supposed to have a theatrical release, but due to the theaters being closed nationwide, the film has been released digitally.
Gulabo Sitabo is set in Lucknow. Here, Amitabh Bachchan plays Mirza who owns an old haveli. Khurrana plays his tenant Baanke who just won’t vacate the place. The film also stars Vijay Raaz and Brijendra Kala among others.
This is Ayushmann Khurrana’s second collaboration with Shoojit Sircar. Khurrana made his Hindi film debut with Sircar in Vicky Donor. Sircar and Amitabh Bachchan have earlier collaborated on films like Piku and Pink.
Film trade analyst Girish Johar analysed whether Gulabo Sitabo's digital release become a new norm. He told indianexpress.com, "The digital release of Gulabo Sitabo will lure other producers, but that would be because of the financial stress... OTT platforms are revenue earners, but nothing can take over cinema. Would you like to watch Avengers on your phone or TV? Even if you look at it now, the films releasing on OTT are not big canvas films. They are more story-based films."
Twitter user @iShasAwasthi posted, "I can't even understand the intentions of this story..... Totally, not up to the mark and worth it........ In short, Bekar hai #GulaboSitabo"
Twitter used @neeljoshiii wrote, "No one in the industry can act and modulate the voice like Amitabh Bachchan and SRK. Undoubtedly the best actors that India will ever have Red heart Unmatched acting of Amit Ji through the excellent versatility in #GulaboSitabo #GulaboSitaboreview ! The flagbearer of OTT revolution"
Trade analyst Ramesh Bala, in his review, tweeted, "#GulaboSitabo [3/5]: A decent dramedy.. Funny is parts.. @SrBachchan is the soul of the film.. As usual, he excels.. @ayushmannk's role is a supporting one.. He has done well.. The entire ensemble cast is good.. #Lucknow backdrop offers a fresh perspective.. Perfect for OTT!"
Papon took to Twitter late Thursday and wrote, "2 very interesting films are releasing tomorrow.Both real, fun & wiz a subtle message. 1 is #Axone on @NetflixIndia, which I’m involved in & other 1 is #GulaboSitabo on @PrimeVideoIN. Kind of movies I love watching. @parasherb @ronnielahiri @ShoojitSircar #nicholasK @ayushmannk"
Hansal Mehta tweeted, "You know who will be sad when a film has an exclusive OTT release? Those who have no investment in the film but discuss the film's collections as if their family gold was invested in it."
Twitter user @FuschiaScribe posted, "#GulaboSitabo is written so beautifully. It makes you fall in love with the movie, the characters and the uncredited protagonist - #Lucknow. What I liked most were how empowered and strong the women characters were be it #Begum, #Guddopo or #Fauzia."
In an interview with indianexpress.com, Gulabo Sitabo director Shoojit Sircar said, "The biggest challenge was the weather condition because we were shooting in the month of June and July, and the temperatures reached 45 degrees. Mr Bachchan was with prosthetic, kurtas and thick inners, and we would sometimes shoot at 6 in the morning. For him to get into the look needed a make-up of three and a half hours, so he'd need to come at 3:30 am. Second major challenge was to recreate the ambience. We shot this entire film in one single wide lens. This is probably the first time we did that, so nothing is hidden, you can see everything."
The India Express' Suanshu Khurana wrote in her music review, "the album is an excellent example of theme-based music, producing the kind of tracks not usual in mainstream Bollywood. And that’s a service to music from the entire musical team of Gulabo Sitabo. Buy it for a great ride in the bylanes of UP. They will lead you to a life we have come away from."
Twitter user @shivvijayk opined, "#GulaboSitabo is all sorts of fun. The dry humor is on point. @SrBachchan is giving peek performance at 78. @ayushmannk also matching his caliber frame to frame."
In an interview with indianexpress.com, Gulabo Sitabo director Shoojit Sircar said, "I call this film, the world of Gulabo Sitabo. So there are many characters, many families, and my camera goes inside there and just observes them. It's not like you act and we'll do something. It's so fluid. It'll look like everyday people who come from an economically lower background, their everyday struggle, life and smiles. Ayushmann will melt into this world so well that you won't even notice him. So that's the fascinating part."
KRK shared on Twitter, "After watching #GulaboSitabo I just want to ask director Sahab @ShoojitSircar Ki Sir Ji Kaya Karna Chah Rahe Thai Aap! Exactly Mansha Kaya Thi? Dekhne Walon Ki Rooh Nikalna Chahte Thai Kaya sir! Anyway thank you so much for not releasing it in the theatres."
"#GulaboSitabo 1*/5 Saridon Required, terrible writing, miserable execution, and slow pace makes it a boring film, foggy vision of director plays the biggest spoiler, it is Shoojit Sarkar weakest film ever, both Ayushman and Amit ji performance is just basic. #GulaboSitaboReview," 'film trade analyst' Rohitt Jaiswal said via Twitter.
Taran Adarsh wrote on Twitter, "#OneWordReview...#GulaboSitabo: WONDERFUL. Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ #ShoojitSircar gets it right yet again... Effective writing - garnished with wicked humour - is its USP... Unforeseeable finale a big plus... #BigB, #Ayushmann in super form... Worth watching! #GulaboSitaboReview"
Film producer G Dhananjayan tweeted, "#GulaboSitabo Watched the film. Very simple & realistic with fine performances from #AmitabhBachchan ji & #ayushmankhurana ... worth watching for it's simplicity 👍 check out in @PrimeVideoIN"
Director Vishal Mishra posted on Twitter, 'Once again a diverse role without his trademark baritone & so much prosthetic and yet he delivers - take a bow @SrBachchan, I loved & was lost in portrayal of ‘Mirza’ so much that I didn’t miss the legend Bachchan at all #GulaboSitabo! A must watch @PrimeVideoIN @ShoojitSircar'