Kalank review round-up: 'Every actor has brought their A-Game but Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur stand out'

_Kalank_ has finally opened in the theatres after creating a huge buzz around the film’s songs to its trailer. Set in the pre-Independence era, the film revolves around complex relationships and forbidden love. Reviews have started to pour in for the Abhishek Varman directorial that features an ensemble cast of Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sonakshi Sinha, Kunal Kemmu, Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit. _Also read on Firstpost: Anna Vetticad's review of Kalank_ [caption id=“attachment_6244651” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Alia Bhatt in the Kalank teaser. Youtube screengrab[/caption] Here’s what critics have to say about the film. The Times of India: “The biggest highlight of the film is the star-studded cast and thankfully, the performances measure up to the epic ensemble. Alia Bhatt leads the way in a role that showcases vulnerability and strength in equal measure.” NDTV: “You want desperately to get up close and personal with the characters on the screen, feel their pulse, hear them breathe, sense their sighs, but the overwhelming surface gloss is an impediment. It prevents any direct connection from taking shape between the wide-eyed audience and the dramatis personae seen in the tainted light of an unhappy dawn.” Times Now: “It’s 1945 when India was on the verge of achieving independence from the British rule. While the film is essentially about complicated human relationships, the Hindu-Muslim feuds serve as an apt backdrop. There are too many songs, because of which the film appears to be running at a languid pace.” Bollywood Bubble: “As for the performances, every actor has brought their A-Game but Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur stand out. Be warned, this is not the usual popcorn movie that’ll make you forget your problems. It’ll in fact, give you bigger problems. People who want to relax after a hard day’s work may not love this.”