Hemlock Society (2012) User Reviews (12)

Die, but don't make a scene!

[rhitwick · 9/10 · 16 July 2012]

Concept: I'm really amazed by the concept of the movie. I have never seen such a movie in any language. Read one story in my childhood in similar concept and happened to come by an article few days ago. But, I could never imagine someone would ever dare to make a movie on this topic. Topic? If summarized its "Assisted Suicide"! To make it more clear, let me translate the tagline of the movie i.e. "Morbe moro chorio na" (Die if you want but don't embarrass). So there is private organization which helps people to commit suicide successfully! Provides a 3 days crash course to enlighten the participants about various methods to suicide. What not to do and what to do etc. Meghna(Koel Mallik) recently has broken up with her bf. She's very upset after breaking up a 14yrs long relationship and wants to end herself. Enter Ananda Kar(Parambrata) the CEO of "Hemlock Society". He asks her to join the course so she could die properly without embarrassing everyone including herself. Rest you need to see.

Character development: Only two characters come into focus since the movie begins. Meghna and Ananda, even though I would say its Koel's movie. She first time got the chance to break out of her usual happy, bubbly, naughty characters. Her d-glam representation is also something she tried first time. And, I love her so I liked her anyway Supporting characters are also very strong actors but not much explored.

Direction: So Srijit Mukherjee made a hat-trick with his 3rd movie. Another totally different subject executed very well. A very beautifully crafted movie. Well executed first half and not so well executed second half. But, I've a question to Srijit, what is this obsession of him to explain everything, every character getting justice. Life is boring, zero dramatic. Why not keep that way. Would have really loved it if the "6 months later" part was not there.

Screenplay: Slow but steady. At a length of 2 and half hours its too much. Movies on such concept should be crisp and short. Which has the scope to impact to audience. Last few minutes just dilutes everything, breaks the quirky environment it created from start.

Cinematography: Good but not great.

Songs and background score: Few are already hit. Nice mix of pop and normal filmy music. Background music is apt to situations.

Editing: Poor job with editing. The movie should have been 30 minutes shorter.

Verdict: Even with few downside this movie wins (or would win) hearts because of its subject and great acting. Watch it even if you have to watch it with subs.

Overall an excellent film to enjoy...

[subhendu_2008 · 9/10 · 4 October 2012]

If you are not one of those, who love watching romantic films end with a happy scene, then this film is suitable completely for you. Completely a new concept and an excellent work by the director of the movie. Not because I am a Bengali, but truly it is one of the films which is a must watch. Cinematography was good, with great music. the acting was good too. Parambrata, Koel, Dipankar Dey were excellent. I guess the use of Sabyasachi Chakraborty and Soumitra Chatterjee along with Sabitri Chatterjee was not needed for such small roles. some other actors could have been used. Use of such great actors in such small roles means nothing. Even the entry of Jeet in a special appearance was forceful. But overall the film is a success and a must see.

Intriguing dark comedy that's worth the watch

[BollyReview · 7/10 · 21 January 2015]

I finally found the opportunity to see this very intriguing Bengali film. I learned about the film a year ago and the concept immediately caught my attention because it's so different.

Hemlock Society is a Bengali dark comedy starring Koel Mallick and Parambrata Chatterjee. The film is about Meghna who wants to commit suicide. Ananda sees Meghna purchasing sleeping pills late at night at a pharmacy and understands her intention. He follows her and convinces her that she cannot die by taking the sleeping pills because they are manufactured in a way to avoid death. He offers Meghna a three day workshop in which she can learn everything she needs to know about committing suicide successfully. He asks her to delay death for now and inform him of her decision the next day. Meghna thinks he's joking but agrees to sleep on the matter. The next morning, Ananda comes again. Meghna realizes that he was not joking at all and decides to go to the three day suicide workshop with him. The rest of the film is about what happens at the workshop and what Meghna decides at the end of it.

The idea for this film was inspired by a real organization in California, US, called the Hemlock Society. Taken directly from wikipedia, this organization "provided information to dying persons and supported legislation permitting physician assisted suicide." Although the original organization no longer exists, there are still chapters of the organization that continue these missions to varying degrees.

Isn't this just the most unique and strangely curious topic you have heard for a film recently? It certainly is for me and that's why I was so excited to see it. I don't want to dwell too much into the story because it will spoil it for you. I was pleased with the film to a large extent although I think I increased my expectations a little too much. I was a bit disappointed with the ending, I really wanted to see the romantic angle between Ananda and Meghna. But I also understand why the writer chose to end it the way he did. I also felt that parts of the film could have been more grabbing and exciting.

I was very impressed with the lead actors Parambrata and Koel who performed very well. I was also impressed with the scenes of the suicide workshop in which the students attend various classes for suicide techniques. And in case you are wondering, despite being about suicide, the film thankfully does not encourage suicide. Just the contrary, it shows precisely why suicide should not be an option by bringing the individual face to face with the reality of death. The film also offers some valuable information on the common misconceptions about suicide.

I recommend Hemlock Society. It is an interesting film and truly a dark comedy. Those who don't mind thinking about death, suicide and depression — which can be at times represented in a very real and even disturbing way in this film– will appreciate the concept and the method of story telling utilized in Hemlock Society.

If you saw Hemlock Society and liked it, you may also like the Telugu film Prema Katha Chitram which is a horror comedy with a suicide topic. Hemlock Society released in 2012 and Prema Katha Chitram in 2013.

A Must-Watch movie!!!!

[dipankarkarmakardk · 10/10 · 14 January 2019]

This movie is very essential for teens suffering from depression. This movie teaches to live life despite harsh difficulties. I love it. It's really a coming-of-age theme and different from usual romances. Loved it

If you want to stop 'Suicide' must watch

[Netfreaky · 8/10 · 27 January 2019]

It's really hard to describe how delightful this movie is. I am heartly giving thanks to Author who writes this kind of script so that directors are makings movies and we people can watch this with our families.

Wish i can watch this again and again whenever I feel depressed and whoever feel so.

This movie makes you laugh after end of the day.

This movie gives you some ideas to live.

We can breathe again tomorrow but we cannot wake up in our way.

If you want to see some good movie,are you really looking for a nice and decent valuable movie ? This movie is worth watching.

Don't miss it.

I haven't seen trailer or reviews when I watches this,it's a good story where good things happens.

A delightful dark comedy

[virtuallyBRAINdead · 7/10 · 5 February 2013]

Hemlock Society is a black comedy directed by Srijit Mukherji and is based on an institution teaching people how to commit suicide successfully. The plot opens up with a melodious song being performed in a typical Kolkata pub and captures the essence of the nightlife of city of joy. Plot development is slow but magnetic till the first half of the movie and after that it becomes somewhat predictable. Parambrata Chaterjee has played his part pretty well as the male lead and for some reasons I think Koyel Mullick was not a great choice for the female lead but given the budget constraints it is an acceptable choice and ultimately worked for the movie. Roopali Ganguly and Dipanker Dey have acted well and the well-balanced chemistry between them as a couple is one of the best points of the movie. Background score was well synchronized with the scenes and the integrated emotional elements. The plot became thinner in the second half and it would have been better if the movie was cut short 20 minutes. I would have loved it if they have shown more of Kolkata, its food and the vibrant culture. Some of the scenes in the background are witty (such as a suicide note: Thank you for the fish) and shows the director's attention to detail. It is good to see that Indian directors are attempting seriously to make dark comedies and this film takes us closer to that dream.

Synchronize the good and bad days of your life and learn to celebrate it in your way!

[bhaveshbhatia · 9/10 · 14 September 2012]

The story of Hemlock Society is about a man who runs a workshop to help people get rid of the yearning for suicide and the turmoil brought about with the entrance of an utterly depressed girl. The moral of the story - - kill yourself if you wish but don't influence others. This movie celebrates life in its own way and is a landmark in the Bengali Film Industry.

To be honest, Hemlock Society is the celebration of a Bengali romantic satire. It gives us a new look towards life. The main obstacle that the director Srijit Mukherjee might have faced while making this movie was the success of his previous two movies, Autograph and BaisheySrabon. While both were loved by the critics and audiences alike, the question was whether the movie has the same maturity as Autograph or can it scale the high standards set by BaisheySrabon. Keeping all comparisons aside, we can say that the movie is a beautiful celebration of life.

For people who were skeptic about the fact that a movie which is based on assisted-suicide will be dark, they were not completely wrong. The daughter, who cannot tolerate her mother, is lonely, dealing with post- breakup and professional issues – the script had all the ingredients to make a dark and gory movie. However surprisingly, the movie celebrates life. Although there are some very serious issues concerning relationships, the film is not devoid of any fun. However, just as you are starting to have fun, a dialogue or a scene just wipes the smile off your face.

Let us now discuss the characters and how they have been portrayed. Parambrata, playing the role of AnandaKar, does complete justice to the character. He has done complete justice to his new-found name of being the gen-next Rajesh Khanna of the Bengali Film Industry. It was a tough ask for Koel who has been portraying lively characters for most of her films.

Credits to the director for presenting her in a completely new light and let's hope this opens up more scopes for this versatile and immensely talented actress. After a long time will we see veteran actor DipankarDey playing a character with so many shades. RoopaGanguly essays the role of Koel's stepmother with elegance.

Apart from these, we have a host of actors from the Bengali Film Fraternity playing faculty members of the Society. The host of characters include Soumitra Chatterjee(col. Samaresh Bagchi), Sabyasachi Chakraborty (Dhomoni Ghosh), Sabitri Chatterjee (Jhulon Gupta), Barun Chanda (Trenlet Biswas); Raj Chakraborty as Setu Venkatraman; Bratya Basu as Raktim Ganguly; Sudeshna Guha as Shikha Goon; and Sohag Sen (Miss Cella Neous). All these characters have their own brand of comedy and they are a treat to watch.

Another point for Srijit which has clicked is the competence and ability of his crew. The film excels in cinematography with excellent editing and synchronized background score. The Art Direction deserves special mention because of the choice of colors. Workshop rooms are painted in black covered with suicide-notes while white is the color for prayer rooms. The tracks by Anupam Roy have a sad undercurrent flowing through them.

All in all, Hemlock Society deserves to be watched by all and sundry as this movie celebrates life and also celebrates those people who know how to celebrate life.

Great Script!

[Jini-B · 8/10 · 4 January 2019]

The dark, morbid undertone of the movie notwithstanding, this movie was a different kind of experience. At the outset, it starts on a happy note, a musical performance in a bar, a happy girl listening to the song and enjoying the moment. Suddenly, in the span of 2 minutes, the entire atmosphere takes a 180 degree turn. And thus, starts Hemlock Society.

The female lead was a big no for this kind of film. She was overacting for the most part and her entire performance looked like it needed a great deal of effort on her part to even say an entire sentence and emote at the same time. In the presence of such natural actors like Parambrata Chatterjee, Rupa Ganguly, and Dipankar De; Koel Mallick fails to live up to expectations, especially since her role was supposed to carry the film.

Instead, Parambrata Chatterjee does the job for her. A shorter role, yes, but definitely much more impactful. He was brilliant in his role and brought a different kind of vibe to this bordering-on-being-depressing kind of film. His natural dialog delivery and his expressions were perfect for his role as the slightly-mischievous, super-sarcastic Ananda Kar. The supporting cast was great and the film also featured a host of cameos by popular faces of the Bengali film industry.

At the heart of the film and its biggest asset, is the story and the way it was allowed to blossom on its own. Kudos to the director on that part because the message that was delivered was both hard-hitting, and also, easy-to-grasp. This film could have really gone out of hand but Srijit Mukherji steered the ship in the right direction and Parambrata and the supporting cast did the rest. This movie will not be appreciated by everyone but still deserves a watch if only for the message it means to put forward. Great film!

Hemlock Society ..the film I liked the most

[susobhan_2005 · 9/10 · 8 January 2013]

Parambrata has done very well with the character.. Nice delivery of dialogues, awesome sense of humor. I think the no other actor could have done better than him.. I have watched this movie more than 10 times and every time I liked it and I liked with because of Anada Kar (parambrata). Roopa and Dipankar dey were also good though I didn't liked Koyel so much in the film. Anupam gave some of the best songs in Bengali film Industry. This time better than his previous movies. Loved the lyrics, the way it was composed. Many of us may not be knowing that there is one organization named Hemlock society who helps people to come out of dark world. Overall a true tribute to the organization.

An attempt goes haywire

[siddharthasankarjana · 3/10 · 22 December 2012]

When I set out to watch "Hemlock Society" , I just came back to Kolkata from a out station and I had no idea about the cast , music etc of the film .Only thing I knew that it was a Srijit Mukherjee film . So I watched that film with open mind .

Concept is no doubt good. Music is nice . But film itself became boring & predictable after interval that I felt running out of theater . Koyel Mullick as Meghna was total disaster. Parambrata as Ananda Kar did a good job.

There are many loopholes in the film. Like Soumitra's Uniform & rank . Indian Air force has White uniform and has no Colonel rank.Few shots which should have been shorter were dragging on unnecessarily.

Srijit Mukherjee's third film doesn't match up with the success of his second. This film can be seen once but if you have missed , well , you are not loosing anything.

New yet boring at few situations

[tupur004 · 8/10 · 18 October 2012]

Concept 10/10 because of uniqueness Dialogues 8/10 barring those instrumented boredom of few situations Cinematography 10/10 - feast of watching all through, studio and outdoor Music 10/10 - generally made feel good as an album Background score - 10/10 - never became a noise Story - 5/10 - because of predictability Acting - 7/10 - Character of Shantanu never became make believe one, accents of Anindita Bose taxes auditory nerves Casting - 8/10 reasons are same as those of acting Costume - 9/10 Col Samaresh Bagchi's uniform had an Airforce badge yet the colour of uniform did not match that of Airforce, the attempt to make up the gap through dialogues is clever, but not satisfactory. Screenplay -6/10, predictability, boredom, impertinent scenes.

Director Srijit Mukherjee could not match up the expectations he has created after Baishe Shrabon. The night and morning before setting out for Hemlock Society between Ananda and Meghna could have been shorter, so could be the road journey (I had to tolerate an entire song unnecessarily), so could be the situation just before Meghna leaves Hemlock Society. Yet I thank Mr. Srijit Mukherjee for he makes me watch contemporary Bengali movies.

Blessings are not valued till they are gone!

[rimo-96993 · 9/10 · 15 July 2021]

Another masterpiece by srijit sir! Needless to say this multi-star-cast movie shows life is a gift in itself. It makes you see the world in a whole different way, achieving something or not, becoming successful or not it shares the previous things you're gonna miss if you give it up. You may think you are unhappy but there is someone else who is at more pain. Movie is art and this movie is a practical one. Obviously there were some comedy parts but unfortunately they weren't upto to mark(according to the rest of the film). Everyone did a great job especially parambrata sir! His dialogue deliveries were just touching the most realistic and dramatic notes at the same time. A bengali will always love this film because of the cast, where apu was in film city.