How much you enjoy Sujay Ghosh’s ’Kahaani’ is directly (or indirectly) proportionate to how much time you spend thinking about the plot. If you’re a sherlock holmes addict, who microscopes plot values (and critiques it) then chances are this film may fall below your expectations. Or else if you’re a strict popcorn viewer, Kahaani is a nifty thriller with an enjoyment quotient comporable to no other bollywood thriller off late. Pardon me if I’m bailing out so early but truth be told even I ’figured’ out the ending (99.9%) 1 hour to this riveting thriller inconsequential of course but I must confess that this is far better than your regular bollywood thriller.
To reveal more details is to let out spoilers in this magnificent mystery but let me layout the basics for you. The film revolves around a pregnant woman in Vidya Bagchi, (played by vidya balan) and her quest for finding her long missing husband, Arnab Bagchi; an IB officer. She is helped by a plucky policeman in Rana (played by Parambrata Chatterjee) who’s constantly by Vidya’s side and together they must unfold the mysterious vanishing of Arnab in Kolkata. Their search includes Arnab’s previous guesthouse, the national data center where he’d been assigned and even the immigration office. But nobody seems to have any clue about Arnab’s existence, who is he, where he lives and what he does.
Three questions are important here
Who is Arnab Bagchi..?
Is he dead or alive..?
and
- Is he real or a hallucinatory creation inside Vidya’s brain..? Watch the film to solve the puzzle..
There are moments in the film which doesn’t make full logic if you turn back the pages, but the makers have clearly done a good homework. Straight of the bag the script is superb with well drawn characters. What I enjoy the most in the film is that delicate relationship between the rookie cop Rana and Vidya Bagchi; played outstandingly well by Vidya balan and debutant Parambrata Chatterjee. Vidya is first rate as always but Param (bengali actor) has done an exceedingly good job in his bollywood debut.
Their antogonist comes as the angry IB officer Khan played wonderfully well by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who attempts to thwart their mission every now and then. Even I enjoyed the inclusion of a scary looking contract killer here. Don’t be mistaken it’s the most scariest cameo I’ve ever seen in a bollywod film. (And one that is likely to come haunting in your nightmares.. Hi, hi jokes apart)
There is attention to detail even for the small chayvalas and so forth which is distracting but engaging nonetheless. And its all elevated to new heights considering how well Ghosh uses the city of Kolkata. It seems like a territory only Ghosh is too familiar with and that has done wonders to the whole ambience of this film.
Infact there is a fabulous scene towards the end, where the ’villain’ hides out in to the midst of pooja festival crowd as the cops look cluelessly towards the devotees and shakes their heads in disarray. It’s one of those unforgettable scenes I’ve seen in a long long time and this is an unforgettable film. I’m going with 4 out of 5 with a recommendation not to miss Kahaani on DVD, with some cool add on features of its side its a steal..! Don’t miss it if you’re a fan of well made urban thrillers..!
(DVD features continued in Comments)