An old man drags his busy son to Varanasi so that he may die and attain salvation there in a...
An old man drags his busy son to Varanasi so that he may die and attain salvation there in a comedy about death that, at heart, is a delightful, poignant celebration of life. Shubhashish Bhutiani's debut feature.
"Daya Kumar (Lalit Behl) believes that his end is near, so he tells his family that he wishes to die in the holy city of Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganges. The stubborn old man drags along his reluctant adult son Rajiv (Adil Hussain) and they check into the Hotel Salvation, where people come to die. But once there, Daya gets his lust for life back, making new friends with the other "dying" residents. Daya and Rajiv are forced to reconnect – both to each other and to the world around them." (Sydney Film Festival)
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100 %23 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
78 %91 reviewsAudience score rating
"Kept fresh by an insouciant realism that deftly avoids exotic cliché."
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Total Film
Total Film"Highly satisfying in many senses: audio-visually, emotionally and spiritually."
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Little White Lies
Little White Lies"A leisurely, wise and ultimately affecting meditation on the benefits of letting go..."
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Time Out
Time Out"The film has feeling, warmth, wisdom and locations gorgeous with history."
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Financial Times
Financial Times"Smart, spellbinding and achingly relatable..."
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The Guardian
The Guardian"A dextrous Indian drama... replete with wry humour, cheeky visual gags and an obsession with the paradox of celebrating life on the edge of death."
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The Times
The Times"This highly impressive debut considers mortality with a wry compassion that's rare for such a young director."
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Empire Magazine
Empire Magazine"The filmmakers make the most of a tiny budget here."
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Screen Daily
Screen Daily"An enjoyable, thoughtful comedy about dying, freedom and family ties."
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Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood ReporterHotel Salvation | Details
Award winner- Winner of the UNESCO Enrico Fulchignoni Prize for the film that best represents the values of peace and human rights, 2016 Venice Film Festival
- Rating
- PG, Drug references
- Runtime
- 102
- Genre
- Comedy, Drama
- Country of origin
- India
