Subhash K. Jha of
Sify stated, ‘‘
Woh Lamhe shows love at its painful best’’. Praising Ranaut's performance he wrote, ‘‘Kangana makes the story of the tormented actress cross the borders of brilliancy; Ranaut keeps a tight control over overt articulations of expressions, so that when the outbursts happen they've a whiplash effect on the audience. She is a hugely expressive actress with a phemomenal ability to convey torment, hurt and incredulity through the eyes, Kangana is the first female performer of Bollywood since
Smita Patil and
Shabana Azmi who isn't scared to strip her soul naked for the camera’’.
Taran Adarsh of
Bollywood Hungama gave the film a rating of 3.5 (out of 5) and called it a ‘‘cinematic experience’’. He wrote, ‘‘
Woh Lamhe is a well-made emotional film that lingers in your memory even after it's over’’. Praising Ranaut's performance he further wrote, ‘‘Kangana gets the role of a lifetime in her second film itself and the actor sinks her teeth into it and delivers an astounding performance. If you've ever interacted with
Parveen Babi, even briefly, you'd see a replica of the glamorous star in Kangana’’. Gullu Singh of
Rediff awarded the film 3.5 stars (out of 5) and wrote, ‘‘The film works because the protagonist, Sana (Kangana Ranaut) has acted so brilliantly that you feel the presence of
Parveen Babi from the 1970s. If there is one reason you need to watch
Woh Lamhe, it is Kangana Ranaut. She is a brilliant, outstanding actress’’.
Rajeev Masand in his review wrote, ‘‘
Woh Lamhe is impressive in the manner in which it straddles a mainstream sensibility with such rare understanding; Remember to carry a handkerchief, or you’ll embarrass yourself with your tears’’. Praising the performances of the lead actors he further wrote, ‘‘Ranaut is remarkable as she attacks a complex role with all the right moves and Ahuja makes his presence felt in every single scene that he’s in, his performance is delectable to say the least. These actors pump life into their roles and together with Pritam’s soothing score they make
Woh Lamhe an experience that’s hard to forget’’.
Anupama Chopra of
India Today wrote, ‘‘
Woh Lamhe holds interest because it has a taut script and fine performances’’. Praising the performances of Ahuja and Ranaut she further wrote, ‘‘Ahuja is superbly restrained, his eyes convey the doom built into this relationship and Ranaut's performance has attitude; she is not afraid to be ugly or emotionally naked. Suri uses both ably to retell a familiar story persuasively’’. In a 2021 interview, film critic
Baradwaj Rangan of
Film Companion called Ranaut's performance in the film ‘‘excellent’’ and stated, ‘‘In
Woh Lamhe, Ranaut takes a piece of her soul and gives it to the audience’’.
Filmfare listed
Woh Lamhe... as one of the ten movies of Ranaut that showcased her class as an actor. They wrote, ‘‘Playing a
schizophrenic, Kangana accurately depicted the trauma of the actress as her personal life went down the dumps along with her career’’.
The New Indian Express listed the film as one of the ten must-watch films of Ranaut. Koimoi listed
Woh Lamhe... as one of the ten film which will lose their charm without Ranaut's presence.
CNN-IBN listed Ranaut's performance in
Woh Lamhe... as one of her seven best performances and a film which made her the star that she is today. ==Awards==