The film was very well received by both international and well as national press. The largest German national paper, Süddeutsche Zeitung gave Katiyabaaz a fantastic review after its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival.[15] According to Tom Brook from BBC's Talking Movies, "the filmmakers very effectively bring what could be rather dry subject to life".[16] Aarti Virani wrote in The New York Times that the film was "a jarring glimpse at India’s rampant energy crisis".[17] Abhimanyu Das wrote an extensive article about the film, Creatures of Light and Darkness in the Caravan magazine.