With Haider, [Bhardwaj] wisely forgoes the rough-edged attitude in his other films to embrace a slicker and more sophisticated style; and some of the film's most effective moments are masterful in their visual storytelling skill.

The result is a tense, well crafted drama that lacks the deep emotional intensity required in its disturbed characters.

I doubt if I will be able to forget the stunning visuals which dot the film, but the sum is never more than its terrific parts.

There’s a lot to appreciate in the way the actor submits himself to a role that reminds the audience how the storytelling – the oedipal tension, the public outbursts, the moral conflicts – is just as big as the story being told.