Audiences find acting a let-down in "Khoya Khoya Chand"

Bollywood director Sudhir Mishra's "Khoya Khoya Chand", with its plot set in the 1950s, opened to a mixed response from audiences, with some saying the acting was a let-down.

The film, a tale of politics, corruption and exploitation of women in the film industry of that time, narrates the love story of a writer-turned-director and a junior actress who is catapulted to stardom.

"The trauma of a woman is very nicely presented but the acting could have been better,” said Akangsha Agarwal, a college student. “The acting has been a let-down."

"Khoya Khoya Chand" opened on Friday with Soha Ali Khan, Shiney Ahuja and Rajat Kapoor playing the lead roles.

"Soha is only okay in the film. The others are fine in only a few shots. The film should have had a good star cast," said 33-year-old housewife Neelam Mehta.

But the film’s unusual storyline seemed to have clicked with some viewers.

"Sudhir Mishra's films are always a little bit different, bit heavy and this time too the story is very interesting," said 32-year-old businessman Rohit Gupta.

"We know what goes on in the film industry, I didn't know the corruption and exploitation was there in 1950s."

The director's attempt to recreate the look and feel of the era through set decoration, costumes and song-and-dance sequences also fascinated viewers.

"I felt I was really in the 1950s," said 48-year-old Chetan Rai. "The saris and the hair was something I could relate to. I have seen my mother's pictures with similar saris and exact hairstyle as Soha's."