Very rarely do we get to see meaningful and thought provoking films in Bollywood. Swades comes out as a breath of fresh air to an industry that's been churning out ridiculous nonsense for decades.

First things first, Swades is no Lagaan. In fact, in some instances it's way better than Lagaan.

Swades's biggest plus point is it's script. The storyline is so real, touching and moving you hardly ever notice the length of the film. By the time the first half was over, I was eagerly looking forward to the second half of this cinematic brilliance.

The main protagonist's journey from being a successful NRI working at NASA, to helping a village in UP generate electricity is well portrayed and captivating.

All characters are simply brilliant, and they gel so well together. You have a school teacher who is a whiz at mathematics, a postman who is also a wrestler, a cook who dreams of opening a small restaurant on a freeway in America and many such characters who play small but significant roles in Swades.

Swades has emotions aplenty, the scene where Mohan goes to collect rent from a tenant and finds out that he can't even afford one meal for his children is striking.

The scene where you see a boy selling water for 25 paisa is so poignant. You wont be able to hold back your tears when you see the harsh reality.

Comedy has been handled well in Swades. It's not loud or over the top in any way.

The screenplay is gripping, holding the viewers rapt attention throughout. Cinematography is stunning, each and every shot is breath-taking. Background music was simply amazing. At times the background music was so expressive and striking, I actually got goose pimples. Dialogues are outstanding!

The songs itself were melodious and went well in-sync with the theme of the film. They were also picturised well and didn't seem out of place.

A star has definitely become an actor. Shahrukh Khan as Mohan Bhargava has delivered an extraordinary performance. He slides effortlessly into the character and emerges victorious. For once you don't see him sporting designer blouses, (thankfully) throughout the film he wears plain checked shirts and looks good in them too. SRK has finally silenced his critics. In my opinion this is his best performance too date.

Gayatri Joshi has given a great performance. She has handled her role with immense maturity. For a moment you forget that this is her first film. Gayatri looks comfortable in front of the camera, her expressions and dialogue delivery is competent. Overall a great debut.

Off the support cast, Kishori Balal played the part of the Kaveri amma well. Dayashanker Pandey and Rajesh Vivek were good.

Ashutosh Gowariker proves once again that he's creative, talented and one of India's finest film-makers. Full credit goes to him for excellently writing and directing such a remarkable film.

All in all Swades is truly a path-breaking film. It entertains as well as spreads an important message to all Indian's everywhere. Hindi cinema at it's best! 9/10.