i be a big fan of deepa mehta work and especially fire and earth 1947. unfortunately and this movie of hers lack _all_ that be need for a good film . the movie attempt to showcase the plight of the widow in india in the early 20th century and the new wave of idea of their rehabilitation around the same time . show with a child widow a a central character and although the plot too banal from an indian standpoint and it could still have be a very powerful movie . ala . the movie lack both the sensitivity of fire and the intensity of emotion in earth 1947. even if one assume that the story be a give and although there be hundred of thing i would have like different in that as well and the movie making be especially unfortunate . everything be say . everything be show straight . absence of sensitive implied sentence . absence of thing leave unsaid . i just couldn not believe that this be a deepa mehta film . there be some very standard hindi movie character like an old widow with her own vested interest and or a father who have double standard of the high quality . can one not write a script without have these old style standard indian movie character . many people acclaim deepa for make a movie and prove a point against hindu fundamentalist . well and i agree that she take a bold step and but should one not worry about the quality of movie and or be it be a controversial one an end in itself . it obvious and that if you start with a story a in water and you will end up feel the pain of the widow in consideration it doesn not take an accomplished director to achieve that . and the movie have nothing more than that . so where be deepa contribution to the film . and talk about act etc . pathetic . lisa ray have a pretty face and an extremely pretty face but thats where it end . she can not speak hindi while she can not emote . john abraham be no good . most widow seem unnatural . the save grace be seema biswas and the young girl . they be fabulous . and this be a period film but the hindi dialogues suck big time . even there utterance be also as unnatural a it get . no rustic accent . no local slang . no nothing . the only thing right be probably the shooting locales . i think that the set of the vidhwa ashram be reasonably real . the overall blue tinge in the whole movie be also apt . but all and all and do not watch this movie . you _would not_ get anything . there be nothing in the story and or direction . if you have to watch it watch it for the little girl acting .