Kahaani - Schatten der Vergangenheit

Kaahani 2 is a thriller-drama with a strong message, and a story that is in no way connected to Kahaani. Starring Vidya Balan as Vidya Sinha / Durga Rani Singh - a mother in search of her kidnapped daughter Mini / a wanted fugitive, this 'who'dunnit decides to go the 'why' way by focusing on motives and identities (most of them at least), early on, and in detail.

Like its predecessor, here too the places - Chandannagar, Kalimpong, and Kolkata, end up having identities of their own and almost seem like protagonists in their own right, thanks to sound designer Anirban Sengupta and cinematographer Tapan Basu, who are superb when in comes to turning places cold, menacing, maddening, and authentic, all at the same time, and in succession. Clinton Cerejo's background score is dauntless in its effectiveness and acts as a catalyst to the duo's efforts.

This isn't a story where one gets to predict or ponder, because for a large part of the film we know who the antagonists are, and what drives them. This thus stops one from experiencing the thrill of guessing and / or deducing, and instead makes us take sides and hope for an ending that justifies that action. Hence, even though it is predictable to an extent, it is also real and grounded at all times, largely due to some excellent production design by Subrata Barik and Kaushik Das.

Yet, it is the relentless journey that glues the various elements of the story by Sujoy Ghosh and Suresh Nair together. Because, even though we know that not everything is what it seems, we are also inwardly hoping for things to go the way we expect them to.

Ignoring the convenient consequences of characters interrelated in this slice of 'scary' life tale, it is safe to say that the motives of each and every character, including the minor ones, are superbly drawn out. In the process we see actors once again become characters, who are restrained as well as resplendent.

The directorial prowess of Sujoy Ghosh is displayed effectively yet again, while an effortless Vidya Balan proves why she will continue to remain an actor to watch out for, always.

Jugal Hansraj (uncle), Tota Roy Chaudhury (lover), Amba Sanyal (grandmother) and Kharaj Mukherjee (inspector) shine in not so large but highly effective / important roles. Arjun Rampal manages to be easy on the eye and under control as far as his acting is concerned, thanks to a screenplay that ensures he is one of the most balanced characters. The child actresses playing 'Minu' are both equally effective, with the younger Naisha Khanna having a slight edge over Tunisha Sharma.

Overall, this '2' is a good 'Kaahani' and a great film that falls somewhat short of its predecessor, despite a brilliant first half, because it decides to both show as well as tell, leading to a somewhat underwhelming climax. Yet, it does enough to be guaranteed a place on any worthwhile list about the best Hindi films of 2016, and is undoubtedly, a must watch. Go for it!

After watching kahaani I was wishing for a squeal.Now,when at last the squeal released, I am disappointed. The first film was so much full of thrill, and the squeal is just the opposite. Kahaani 2 is just a typical thriller which failed to reach the expectation.Making squeal of a successful movies has become a trend.Directors of good movies such kahaani should not follow this trend without enough strong story.

Sujoy Ghosh returns with 'Kahaani 2', after the terrific Kahaani in 2012. Well, this isn't a sequel to be honest, its the second installment in the Kahaani series. So Does Sujoy deliver this time well? The answer, is a Yes. Well...mostly!

'Kahaani 2' is an intense & interesting film, that has a superb first-hour, which keeps you at the edge of your seat. But sadly, the second-hour isn't strong enough & the predictability puts you off. Nonetheless, Sujoy keeps the narrative well-paced & the performances are uniformly excellent!

'Kahaani 2' Synopsis: When Durga Rani Singh (Vidya Balan) is charged for kidnapping a child & murdering someone, A cop (Arjun Rampal) tries to solve the mystery.

I don't want to reveal much about the film's main plot, as there some things that might spoil your viewing, but I'd say that Durga Rani Singh's fight for the child is nicely built-up & a very shocking twist in the first-hour, truly terrifies you. You root for Durga, without doubt! Sujoy keeps the twists coming in well, although post-interval, the twists get predictable & the culmination is a little too long. I enjoyed Durga Rani Singh's character & even the Cop is quite a to-the-point hero. Even the sub-plots are fairly good & don't come in the way of the main-plot. But for any thriller, the narrative should not lose its thrill. And that's where 'Kahaani 2' eventually fumbles. Its rock-solid for a while & then its all predictable!

Sujoy's Screenplay is interesting in parts & offers some solid moments. How I wish the second-hour was sharper & even higher on thrills. The Dialogue, are quite good. Sujoy's Direction, on the other-hand, is suitably dark & intense, adapting to the narrative's mood, appropriately. Cinematography is superb & captures the beauty of West Bengal, perfectly. Editing is mostly crisp. Art & Costume Design are well-done. Background Score merits a special mention.

Performance-Wise: Vidya Balan & Arjun Rampal, both, are up for vie top honors. Vidya is excellent as Durga Rani Singh, portraying a women of courage & power, with full commitment. Her scenes with the little girl are truly wonderful. Arjun is in top-form after a long time. He nails the part & enacts the cop, skillfully. Naisha Khanna is adorable. of the supporting cast, Jugal Hansraj is at his creepiest best, while Kharaj Mukherjee & Manini Chadha lend great support. The actress who portrays Naisha's grandmother, is first-rate.

On the whole, 'Kahaani 2' is a decent film, that could've been great, had the Writing been superior. A one-time watch!

Kahaani 2, which appeared four years after the first film, is well below expectations. This film, which tells a totally different story, is trying to protect its excitement as it was in the first film. Some technical errors can be seen, but I liked the roles of Vidya Balan and other actors. Those who watch the first movie may give the second film a chance.

Kahaani 2 is what they call a spiritual sequel. Here too we have a leading lady named Vidya and that's probably where the connection between the first and the second film rests. But the film is really enjoyable - a tense thriller and even more tense psychological drama, the story of which unfolds in pieces with nice twists and turns and great suspense. Now, right, the entire child abuse track is not given enough depth and is even quite simplistically handled, but then the film makes up for it with great suspense. Sujoy Ghosh shows to have quite a knack for this kind of cinema and his skill shows at all levels even if the film could have been better.

As expected, Vidya Balan is brilliant playing a woman who finds purpose in life and turns her biggest weakness into her prime strength. She is consistently in sync with her character and her involvement is very convincing. She is totally matched by Arjun Rampal, who is more of a supporting actor on paper but in actual fact he is as much a hero in this film as his female counterpart. The film ends on a nice note and it reveals the film's smart writing leading to a very good film. The film might not enjoy the aesthetic and cinematographic brilliance of its prequel but it's enjoyable from start to end and is altogether a good watch.