I'm not ashamed to admit that I did not see where this movie was going. Neither could I derive any meaning from it. But perhaps it was meant to be this way. What bothered me about the film was not it's fresh approach, for I found it engrossing enough; but the fact that I could not find any novelty in it. It is honest for sure, but what is special about a dhobi's unfulfilled dreams or the love of a man for a woman he's never met? Where is the substance to make a film about it? I do not look at a film solely for entertainment, and I'm more than thrilled when it broadens my perspective of life. But that's not something that happened with this film.The performances by Amir, Kriti and Monica are noteworthy, though I felt Prateik could have given a more involved performance. The narrative is distracting at best, and seems unnecessary. If it was meant to be satirical, I did not find it so. The narrator is very unimpressive as well. I believe in seeing rather than hearing in a film.I wish every deviant film would not be named 'arty' for there is simply nothing artistic about this one. Disappointing.

I am very disappointed by the negative reviews of this film which in my opinion is one of Aamir Khan's and Kiran Rao's greatest works. I have one thing to say to there folks who did not like it - The beauty of the movie is not in what is explicitly conveyed, it's in the things left unsaid and in the emotions it brings about. If you did not understand it, the loss is yours and not Kiran Rao's or Aamir Khan's who I hope continue to create such pieces of art.I myself being born and brought up in the beautiful city of Mumbai felt the true essence of my beautiful city throughout the movie. It is indeed a place where people from different backgrounds come to pursue their dreams. There have been many movies made which show the lives of strangers intertwined. But this one touched me like no other. Maybe because it is my home. But mostly because the the stories of these people struck a chord with me. There is the story of Yasmin - the lonely housewife. But you cannot pigeonhole her into just another lonely housewife. In her eyes you see the hopes of a young optimistic girl who loves her family more than anything. She is a simple and innocent girl put into a new life in a big city. She portrays a brave front but is completely lost and alone. You only realize at the end that behind those beautiful eyes, was a hidden lonely struggle which had a tragic ending.Then there is Munna, a simple, resourceful and hardworking lad - a dhobi from the slums. And Shai, a rich, intelligent and creative young Indian girl brought up and probably born in America. I am putting them together because their story touched me collectively. They come from totally different worlds but have a connection or rather an understanding. He is infatuated with her and she cares for him. He knows his world was different from hers and she is completely out of his league so did she. But when they were together, they had a world of their own. The best part is he never made a move on her even though he could have on several occasions. It shows that he may have very little education and a slum boy, but he had integrity, intelligence and a wonderful heart. The last scene between them when he runs to her cab was probably my favorite. There was nothing said, but there was so much understood. They both knew they had no future, but they both cared for each other deeply. It was so intense and I applaud the director and the actors for that. It was an exquisite shot.And then there is the artist. He too is lonely in spite of having people around him. Probably looking for something real. He finds that in the smile of that sweet innocent girl who he cannot get enough of.There is no doubt that Prateik stole the show and won our hearts with his brilliant performance. If I can find one flaw, it would be the underrepresented "Marathi manoos" in the movie. Not to please the masses or politicians, and I am not one myself, but because that a big part of the ethos of the city.The reason this film probably did not click for the Indian audience is because it is worlds apart from the mainstream madness of Bollywood. It did not need intense drama, songs, duologue's or dance. It is in the subtle sadness behind the smile, the aspirations of a young, but true heart, the search for something real in a fake world.It's a story of 4 people searching for the truth, searching for love. They find it very briefly with each other. They all belonged to Bombay, Mumbai, yet they all belonged to different worlds, as is the true spirit of the city.

"Mumbai Diaries" is a very, very unusual Indian film. For those familiar with Bollywood films, you might expect a lot different movie than you get. There are no song and dance numbers. There are no film clichés or formulas. And, there is no real resolution to the characters and their problems. This is NOT a complaint--I liked the film--but I just want you to understand that "Omkara" is not what you are probably expecting.The film, not surprisingly, is set in Mumbai (Bombay). The story is about four people who are, in their own way, alienated. One is an artist who is afraid of commitment, another is a slightly out of touch American of Indian descent, another is a very poor man and the final one is a woman on videotapes--and you never actually get to see her live in the film. I could say a lot more about it, but frankly it's best to just watch the film and see it unfold. Because of excellent acting, the vague script manages to satisfy. Well worth seeing.

A year too late, but Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries) is definitely worth watching. Surprisingly short for a Hindi movie and one is visually engaged with the brilliant camera work. The music is haunting and aesthetically coordinated with the scenes & characters.I love how the underlying 'feel' of the movie is of melancholia. The street level realism gives a taste of what Bombay is like.Of course the screenplay at times was redundant and a bit overindulgent. Monica Dogra's character seemed to reinforce the existing stereotype of a typical NRI with 'shallow' dialogues. Nevertheless my faith in Indian cinema has been momentarily restored!