--- title: "Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/gangs-of-wasseypur-part-1/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/gangs-of-wasseypur-part-1" critics_score: 83 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1 (2012): what the critics said Critics' score 83 from 12 reviews: 12 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The consensus is firmly positive, with praise clustering around Anurag Kashyap’s energetic storytelling, earthy humour and handling of feuds across generations. Most critics find that the violence gains weight from the attention to family relationships, political corruption and the conditions that produce gangsters. The performances draw consistent approval, while the music, sharp dialogue and forceful action receive repeated praise. Several reviews also value the way references to Hindi cinema shape the characters’ ambitions and behaviour. The differences concern the depth beneath that considerable energy, rather than whether the film works. The New York Times admires the camera movement and action but finds less poetry and character interest than in The Godfather. Sight and Sound finds the revenge cycles tiring in the second part, a reservation about the wider saga rather than Part 1 alone. Several critics assess both parts together; enthusiasm ranges from strong approval to much larger claims for Kashyap’s achievement. ## Slant Magazine — Glenn Heath Jr. Rating ★★★★. 13 January 2015. Kashyap’s saga is praised as a dark, funny, and electric masterpiece that portrays 20th-century Indian history through Bollywood’s reference-heavy lens, with standout praise for its outrageous set pieces, character myth-making, and the way it blurs fantasy and reality in cycles of revenge. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/gangs-of-wasseypur/) ## RogerEbert.com — Danny Bowes Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2015. The critic calls it one of the most ambitious and best gangster films ever made, praising its epic scope across generations and the futility of revenge. The performances, especially by Richa Chadda and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, are highlighted as magnificent. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/gangs-of-wasseypur-2015) ## Variety — Maggie Lee Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 7 June 2012. Festival review. The film is hailed as a brilliant collage of genres, pulverizing and poetic in its depiction of violence, and the magnum opus of the director. Its relentless pacing and epic scope across generations and Indian history are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2012/film/markets-festivals/gangs-of-wasseypur-1117947719/) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 24 May 2012. Festival review. There is never a dull moment in this over-five-hour Indian gangland epic oozing visual style, laced with tight and often blackly comic dialogue, bolstered by strong performances and a driving neo-Bollywood soundtrack. It is a Tarantino-tinged Bihari take on The Godfather with strong crossover potential. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/-gangs-of-wasseypur/5042672.article) ## The Guardian — Nirpal Dhaliwal Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2013. The critic sees it as a possible turning point in Hindi cinema for its stylish, pacy and naturalistic portrayal of gangster life in an Indian mining town. It praises the compelling characters, sharp dialogue, fantastic soundtrack without song-and-dance routines, and raw depiction of lawlessness, political corruption and family intrigues. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/feb/21/gangs-of-wasseypur-review) ## Los Angeles Times — Martin Tsai Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 January 2015. The sprawling story of revenge among criminal clans is called epic in every sense, deftly managing multiple story lines over decades. Performances are uniformly excellent despite unlikable characters. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-gangs-of-wasseypur-part-1-review-20150117-story.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Deborah Young Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 23 May 2012. Festival review. The critic calls it an extraordinary ride through Bollywood’s over-the-top filmmaking with cool command of cinematically referenced violence, ironic characters, and breathless pace that bodes well for crossover audiences. Its length makes wide release difficult outside cult venues. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/gangs-wasseypur-cannes-review-328768/) ## The Times — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 22 February 2013. The critic hails Anurag Kashyap as a world-class talent for this bullet-strafed two-part crime epic that cements his status with muscular genre filmmaking. It singles out the colourful characters, robustly earthy humour, political context, eclectic music integrated into the story, and explosively entertaining saga spanning decades. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/gangs-of-wasseypur-part-1-6jkml78v886) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 4/5. 19 February 2013. This speedy, intelligent crime drama traces several criminal families in Wasseypur from the 1940s to the 1990s. Kashyap is matter-of-fact about violence and gun-play but equally focused on family relationships and the social conditions that breed gangsters. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/gangs-of-wasseypur-part-1) ## IndieWire — David Chute Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 16 January 2015. The review highlights how the film reinvents the Bollywood gangster picture with pop panache and energetic storytelling across its epic scope. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-indian-mob-epic-gangs-of-wasseypur-reinvents-the-bollywood-gangster-pic-with-pop-panache-189256/) ## The New York Times — Ben Kenigsberg Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 January 2015. The film is described as a frequently spectacular achievement with gliding camera moves, brutal action, and dizzying revenge plotting. It lacks the poetry and character interest of The Godfather but offers slickly stylized gunplay. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/16/movies/gangs-of-wasseypur-an-indian-saga-echoes-the-godfather.html) ## Film Comment — Jonathan Romney The critic calls the film a true powerhouse and an epic Indian crime saga of blood feuds and rival clans. They single out its energetic storytelling, charismatic antiheroes, and visceral set pieces such as the slo-mo ambush finale to Part 1. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/film-of-the-week-gangs-of-wasseypur/) ## Sight and Sound — Naman Ramachandran 22 February 2013. Kashyap's sprawling gangster saga is a giddy, hyperviolent homage to The Godfather with well-etched characters and an inventive score capturing small-town northern India. Fatigue sets in during the second part from repetitive revenge cycles, but overall pace and drive make it compelling. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-gangs-wasseypur-gangs-wasseypur-ii) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 28 January 2013. Festival review. The critic praises the film's balance of action, humour and social commentary in this epic tale of family rivalries and revenge spanning decades. She singles out the beautifully observed character interactions and subtle humour for praise, while noting its brutal violence and potential cult appeal. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/gangs-of-wasseypur-2012-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/gangs-of-wasseypur-part-1.md