Peepli Live poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Omkar Das, Raghubir Yadav, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shalini Vatsa, Farrukh Jaffar ... see more see more... , Malaika Shenoy , Vishal Sharma , Yugal Kishore , Sitaram Panchal , Naseeruddin Shah , Nowaz , Riz Ahmed , Omkar Das Manikpuri , Aamir Bashir , Arsher Ali , Farukh Jaffer , Nigel Lindsay , Vishal O. Sharma , Kayvan Novak , Onkar Das , Raghuvir Yadav

A simple man learns he might be better off dead, at least financially, in this satiric comedy from Indian filmmaker Anusha Rizvi. Natha (Omkar Das Manikpuri) and Budhia (Raghubir Yadav) are two brothe... read more read more...rs who run a family farm in Peepli, a small town in India. Business has been bad on the farm, and the brothers are unable to repay a government loan, with a default judgment due any day. When the brothers call on a local politician to ask if anything can be done while they wait for a judge's ruling on their case, he facetiously suggests that one of them could commit suicide, since the government would pay benefits to the surviving family members. Natha doesn't realize the official is joking and volunteers to kill himself, while a television reporter overhears the conversation and immediately puts the story on the air. Soon a handful of newsmen have shown up at Natha's house, waiting to find out if the farmer will indeed kill himself, and before long it seems as if most of the nation is watching, with everyone sharing their opinions on Natha and his dilemma. The story is a boon to the news media but bad for the local politicians, who are standing for re-election that day as folks stay away from the polls to follow Natha's story. As everyone from Natha's son to the proverbial man on the street weighs in on what he should do, the farmer wonders if suicide really is the last, best way he can help his loved ones. Peepli Live received its North American premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

71% liked it

2,607 ratings

Critics

83% liked it

24 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 46 min.

Directed by: Anusha Rizvi, Mahmood Farooqui

Release Date: August 13, 2010

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: December 21, 2010

Get It:

Stats: 231 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

None yet... Got one?

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (231)

  • dketu
    October 3, 2010
    dketu
    Right on the line of international/bollywood. Great satire fun comedy better than what we get from hollywood lately.

View All Peepli Live Reviews

Critic Reviews

Rachel Saltz
August 13, 2010
Rachel Saltz, New York Times

A fitfully amusing Indian comedy that touches on a hot-button topic. Full Review

V.A. Musetto
August 13, 2010
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

You can't decide whether to laugh because the events are so absurd or cry because you can imagine them really happening. Full Review

G. Allen Johnson
August 13, 2010
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle

I liked Peepli Live, which is colorful and at times quite lively, but I wish it were funnier and its satirical edge a bit sharper. Full Review

Gary Goldstein
August 13, 2010
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times

Manages to mine substantial dark humor from this tragic situation while offering pointed -- and sometimes poignant -- social commentary in the process.

Aaron Hillis
August 10, 2010
Aaron Hillis, Village Voice

It's an unusual taste of mainstream Indian cinema, unexpectedly irreverent with an earthier, folkier soundtrack than the typical Bollywood electro-bounce. Full Review

John Esther
January 4, 2011
John Esther, UR Chicago Magazine

A better writer than director, the strength of Rizvi's 'Peepli Live' is the film's unsentimental portrayal of the poor Full Review

Derek Malcolm
September 29, 2010
Derek Malcolm, This is London

Thousands of poor farmers kill themselves every year in India and it was audacious of writer-director Anusha Rizvi to make a comedy out of the fact with her first film. Full Review

Tim Robey
September 23, 2010
Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph

You can't fault the crusading spirit of this controversial Bollywood satire, just the blunt, one-note, entirely obvious execution. Full Review

Cath Clarke
September 23, 2010
Cath Clarke, Guardian [UK]

There is a deadly serious message about India's rural/urban divide in first-timer director Anusha Rizvi's satirical gem, but it also happens to have a juicily vulgar streak. Full Review

Tom Dawson
September 23, 2010
Tom Dawson, Total Film

Drawing on India's rural-versus-urban divide, Rizvi spins a dynamic, enjoyably-acted yarn that balances farcical humour with a satisfying seriousness. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Wag the Dog
    Wag the Dog (100%)
  • Om Shanti Om
    Om Shanti Om (100%)
  • Canadian Bacon
    Canadian Bacon (100%)

More Movies like Peepli Live

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Deepak: lf you look closely you 'll see Natha's footprints. Whether escape or abduction, here's where Natha perched himself for the last time. And here's the fruit of his toil, his faeces, commonly known as shit. Take a close look. Do not cringe at the sight, for, as long as we live, we will continue to shit. Psychiatrists claim that faeces reflect our mental state. The complexion of our shit is a window to the inner self. But here we see a mixture of hues. Therefore, before reaching any conclusions we need to bring in experts as Mr Natha was no ordinary man. For Bharat Live this is Kumar Deepak, live from Peepli.
    • Deepak: lf you look closely you 'll see Natha's footprints. Whether escape or abduction, here's where Natha perched himself for the last time. And here's the fruit of his toil, his faeces, commonly known as shit. Take a close look. Do not cringe at the sight, for, as long as we live, we will continue to shit. Psychiatrists claim that faeces reflect our mental state. The complexion of our shit is a window to the inner self. But here we see a mixture of hues. Therefore, before reaching any conclusions we need to bring in experts as Mr Natha was no ordinary man. For Bharat Live this is Kumar Deepak, live from Peepli.
Submit a Fact | View All

Peepli Live : Watch Free on TV

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Peepli Live. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Peepli Live Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Peepli Live to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?