2014 126 mins

Critics Review

1.80

Citylights captures the dark side of Mumbai

The film tells the story of Deepak (Rajkummar Rao) and Rakhi (Patralekha) who migrate from a Rajasthan village to the city of dreams, Mumbai, for job, money and a better life. Once they reach there, they realise the city is not what it promised to be. While she has to take to dancing in city's seedy dance bars, he gets lost in the maze of black money. (more)

Source: Sweta Kaushal,, Hindustan Times

3.50

CITYLIGHTS is one of the most captivating movie experiences of late

Once in Mumbai, they not only fail to trace their friend, but also get conned by a property agent. While in police station to file a complaint, Rakhi meets a bar dancer, who subsequently helps them find a roof over their head, besides getting a job for Rakhi in the bar. Meanwhile, Deepak too gets a job in a security bureau, an agency that undertakes the transportation of cash and expensive commodities in specialized armored cases. (more)

Source: Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama

4.00

CityLights deals with the oft-repeated theme of rural migration.

ityLights is the story of a couple whose rustic innocence is suffocated by the soul-crushing challenges of living and surviving in a big city. CityLights may not be exceptionally unusual in terms of its storyline, but Mehta�s modulated, deeply felt treatment of the grim narrative material informs the film with a sense of urgency and unfailing relevance.(more)

Source: Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV Movies

2.00

CityLights doesn't produce a powerful and convincing drama

The Mumbai in CityLights is not a city of dreams but full of woes. Mehta is sympathetic towards the straightforward Govind and his family who unaware of the city's wicked ways are too meek and ill-equipped to survive in the city. But he is not able to draw viewers into their sombre world largely due to a poor screenplay which fails to be a moving tragedy and a gripping edge-of-the-seat thriller. (more)