WATER is a moving and important film that presents a horrific true story in beautiful images. The only downers are the somewhat too constructed dramaturgy and the sometimes missing closeness to the characters.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Apr 25, 2022

Overall, Mehta's maturing ear for dialogue benefits the cast's talents. In addition, art director Sumant Jayakrishnan sumptuous production design and A.R. Rahman's score deepen reception of the film.

| Jan 7, 2021

The crown jewel of Deepah Mehta's career.

| Original Score: 4.0/4.0 | Sep 26, 2020

Water is stunning because it is so quiet. The devastating unfairness of the lives of women interred in darkness, intertwined with the tragic love story of Narayan and Kalyani is played out without a hint of melodrama.

| Jun 21, 2019

Feels slightly compromised, but a riveting tearjerker that's stunning to look at.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 3, 2018

In the end, Water is too much of a compromise. A compromise between, perhaps, shocking the West with the subject matter - a eight-year-old widow! - and going for a popular Indian audience who will demand Bollywood romance.

| Aug 22, 2018

Mehta explores the politics of religion to highlight how religious hypocrisy is used to ensure women are undermined and made subservient for economic purposes.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 11, 2013

| Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 7, 2008

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 9, 2007

Powerful tale that unfortunately fails to provide any kind of real historical context for the oppression of Indian widows.

| Apr 3, 2007

Perhaps the adversity of making the movie allowed the filmmakers and actors to empathize more fully with the subject and characters of Water.

| Feb 22, 2007

One of the best films of the year.

| Original Score: A | Jan 18, 2007

Surprisingly, not much has changed in the last 70 years. The tradition of sequestering widows continues in India. Mehta deserves praise for spotlighting this situation. WATER is one of the year's best films.

| Original Score: A- | Jan 11, 2007

Though it's a story told with feminist sensitivity, it's also the most relevant perspective for such injustice to women.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 21, 2006

Full of lush, fluid cinematography and evocative music, Water is an important look at a social injustice, and Mehta's most accomplished film yet.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Nov 10, 2006

... gorgeous and heartbreaking... full of glorious, unforgettably pretty images... But they do not overpower Mehta's involving drama or the exceptionally fine performances of her stars...

| Aug 4, 2006

| Original Score: 8/10 | Jul 22, 2006

Quite possibly the best picture of the year thus far, with no fewer than three of the most luminous female performances I have ever seen onscreen.

Full Review | Jul 19, 2006

Controversial for exposing the rigidity of the Hindu religion.

| Original Score: B+ | Jul 8, 2006

Water simmers at the injustice heaped upon these women because of religious tradition.

| Original Score: B | Jun 27, 2006