Talvar gets your mind ticking along the murders’ mysteries while it moves your heart at two lives - and one truth - lost.
The acting is superb. Irrfan absolutely smashes it as Central Department of Investigation(CDI) officer Ashwin Kumar, whose sharp intelligence, dark humour and melting tenderness towards his wife Reema(luminous Tabu) light up every frame. Irrfan displays whiplash-like control, casually drawling to a dim-witted cop, "Agli baar koi khoon bhara haath chor jaye, toh dhyan dijiyega." As bumbling Inspector Dhaniram, whose laziness extends to overlooking a rotting corpse, Gajraj Rao presents a perfect paan-chewing foil, dismissing a blood-stained sheet with, "Tumhari chadar hai, locker mein daal do, hamein kya?"
While the screen crackles between Irrfan and Gajraj, Konkona and Neeraj play the Tandons as a muted pair - whose acting changes subtly as murderers, then victims. Neeraj’s eyes speak while with flashing malevolence, Konkona hisses to her husband, "Chalo, rona shuru karna hai!" The acting’s further enlivened by creepy Kanhaiya(Sumit Gulati), whose slyness adds shades of grey to this hair-raising tale.