i come to pinjar from a completely different background than most of the other reviewer who have post here . i be relatively new to bollywood film and be bear and raise in the u . so i do not have a broad basis for compare pinjar to other indian film . luckily and no comparison be need . pinjar stand on it own a nothing less than a masterpiece . in one line i can tell you that pinjar be one of the most important film to come out of any studio anywhere at any time . on a mass appeal scale and it could have be the indian equivalent of crouch tiger and hidden dragon have it be adequately promote in the u . this could very well have be the film that put bollywood on the american map . the american movie go public have a long standing love affair with go with the wind and and while pinjar doesn not borrow from that plot there be some passing similarity . not the least of which be the whopping ( by u standard ) 183 minute run time . set against the gritty backdrop of the india pakistan partition in 1947 48 be a compelling human drama of a young woman imprison by circumstance and thrust into trouble she have no hand in create . put into an untenable position and she somehow manage to not only survive and but to grow and even flourish . if the story be lack in any way and it in the exposition . puro ( the protagonist ) growth a a person would be well illustrate at least for western audience unfamiliar with indian culture if her character back story be more fully develop in the early part of the film . but that would have stretch a 3 hour movie to 3 half hour or perhaps even more . because not one minute of the film be waste and and none of what make it out of edit could really be cut for the sake of time . well that the audience have to fill in some of what come before than to leave out any of what remain . i could use many word to describe pinjar represent poignant and disturbing and compelling and heart wrench come to mind immediately . but uplifting be perhaps as apropos a any of those . any story that point up the indomitability of the human spirit against the bad of odds have to be consider such . and puro triumph while possibly not immediately evident to those around her be no less than inspirational . for strength of story alone i can not recommend this film highly enough . equally inspire be urmila matondkar portrayal of puro . all too often overlook amid the bevy of young and new actress and urmila have the unique capability to deliver a completely credible character in any role she play . she doesn not merely act puro part and she breathe life into the character . manoj bajpai selection a rashid be inspire . he manage something far too few indian film hero can represent subtlety . his command of expression and nuance be essential to the role . he bring more menace to the early part of the film with his pierce stare than all of the sword wield rioter combine . if you only see one bollywood film in your life and make it pinjar .