Sunny Pawar is the true star of this movie. Spoilers.

Rating: 8/10 (25 January 2017)

I am slightly annoyed here. Don't get me wrong, I loved this movie to the core. I am very happy that Garth Davis, Creig Fraser and Luke Davies recognized the importance of this story being told. It got me running back home to start donating to Magic Bus & Childline India, which by the way, the LIONMOVIE.COM promotion site does NOT facilitate the actual links to the aforementioned organizations (why? are you really helping then?!).
I cried throughout the movie, from the moment little Saroo and his beloved brother Guddhu were introduced. You could feel the chemistry between these two actors, solidifying the wonderful bond of the brothers.
What made this movie great, is the first half of the movie. It's the moment Sunny Pawar stepped into the train and you know his life will never be the same. It's when he hopefully starts to look for Guddhu, to find out that his brother is nowhere to be found. What follows is a horrifying journey, where we can see through the eyes of this (luckily) street smart kid, who managed to outsmart the dangers and horrors of his life as orphaned child. The emotional punch is delivered here and echoed throughout the movie.
I respect Dev Patel, but his delivery was flat, bored and blasé. Did he really wanted to be in the movie? I miss the emotional burden the real Saroo Brierley carried in the six years he was trying to find back his family home. All Dev delivered was a flat, one- dimensional, tired spoiled brat with messy hair and a beard. Is that how you convey an emotional burden that has haunted you your whole life?
I do think Nicole Kidman and David Wenham (the Tasmanian parents) delivered a wonderful performance - so gentle, so loving. After this horrendous turmoil in Calcutta all I needed (excuse, Saroo) was a warm blanket to spoil me and to never let me go.
Rooney Mara. Why? Beautiful actress, the supporting girlfriend, all good, but was it necessary to have her in the movie?
So, in my opinion, things got mixed up here. While I cheer that Dev Patel endorses this movie, I really feel that Sunny Pawar and Abhishek Bharate are the true heroes of the story. It's their bond captures you, leading you to follow Dev's grown up finding-back- home-journey.
It's only fair that they are credited equally on the movie posters. Not only the big known names. Don't mess up your good intentions, producers!