Waiting(2016)
Waiting is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Anu Menon. It stars Naseeruddin Shah as Shiv Natraj, an elderly professor, and Kalki Koechlin as Tara Deshpande, a young advertising agent. The story follows two strangers who meet in a hospital in Kochi while caring for their comatose spouses. The film explores grief, friendship, and the difficult choices families face in medical crises. It premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival in December 2015 and was released theatrically in India on 27 May 2016. Critics praised the performances and direction. The film collected ₹35 million at the box office.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Hotstar
- Theatrical Release
- 27 May 2016
- Director
- Anu Menon
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 1h 38m
- Rating
- 7.4/10
Storyline
Shiv Natraj, an old professor, visits his comatose wife every day in a Kochi hospital. Tara Deshpande, a young woman, arrives after her husband is in a car accident. They become friends in the waiting lounge. Together they face hard decisions about surgery, letting go, and what it means to wait for a miracle.
“Waiting is the hardest part”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Waiting
Cast reunions in this film: Naseeruddin Shah & Kalki Koechlin (4 films together), and Naseeruddin Shah & Arjun Mathur (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film was shot in just 25 days, primarily in a single hospital location in Kochi.
- Actor Naseeruddin Shah prepared for his role by spending time with real-life coma patients and their families.
- The movie is a remake of the director Anu Menon's own 2010 Malayalam film of the same name.
- It was co-produced by Priti Rathi Gupta and Manish Mundra, known for backing many acclaimed indie films.
- A key scene where the characters share a drink in the hospital was improvised during the shoot.
- The film's soundtrack features a song by the band Agnee, which was not included in the original Malayalam version.
- Despite critical praise, it had a very limited theatrical release, focusing more on film festivals and later digital platforms.