Let me begin with a statutory warning, like on cigarette packs, “No Smoking can kill and you’ll be happy to die”.
What a stunner of a movie! I am ready to give it a straight 3.5 out of 5. This is a movie laden with imagery and metaphor. And is definitely not for the weak minded. If you prefer your movies brainless and consider a visit to the cinema hall as someplace where the mind can be excused, then STAY AWAY from No Smoking. However, if you like to be challenged, think and get into the director’s mind, then DON’T MISS this movie.
This is all and all a director’s movie. None of the actors give a sterling performance. They are somewhere between OK and good. But that simply does not matter. There is class written all over. Surprises, treasures, riddles and layers to everything. The movie begins with this line “Everyday thousands of people quit smoking, by dying”. And I knew this will be fun to watch.
Nothing is direct. No message is given on a plate. You have to figure out what’s with the bathtub, the Siberian settings, losing fingers, brother trying hard to kill himself, the bathing scene at the end, Paresh Rawal and his subterranean organisation, and the police interrogation. The director makes no excuses and does not make it easy. I never caught up with him. By the time I made some sense of a scene, he had already moved to another. I came out of the hall panting and ready for another watch. Remember the Hollywood movie “Memento”?
Nothing like this has ever been attempted in Indian cinema. And most people will come out scowling and cursing. Can’t blame them. This is new cuisine. And they have no idea how to eat the dish.
If you have the appetite for a movie which you simply cannot figure out fully in one screening, go see “No Smoking”. Otherwise there is always a movie like Partner to watch.
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http://nosmoking.erosentertainment.com/
Read Anurag Kashyap’s take here.
Guldasta 
I completely agree with your views.NO SMOKING is one of the finest movies that ive seen.the great thing about this movie is that it doesnt become preachy at any point.instead it hits you psychologically.i thought the first half was truly smashing.special praise must also be given to anurag kashyap for the way in which he has picturised the “jab bhi cigarrette song”..truly imaginative.as you rightly put it,this is a truly diretors movie..although i was amazed to see the manner in which john pulled of a rather difficult role with complete ease.partly a thriller,partly surreal..kudos to anurag for comming up with a comletely new genre never seen before in hindi cinema.I dont care what the so called intellectual critics say…but this film is not only intelligently made but it also extremely thought-provoking.ill definitely watch a NO SMOKING to any of the brainless movies like KANK oor main hoon na.
i have seen this movie recently i was wondering whether critics understood this and i was correct they dint …what a stunner anuragkashyap is the best director not only in india but across the world …..and sure indian audiences r not ready for this …and great view guldasta ….anurag kashyuap \m/
Satyajit, some movies are ahead of their audiences. Anurag Kashyap is a director whose work I follow (when I can). Kudos to him for having the courage to follow his creative inclinations. Truly.