Kahaani 2

Sujoy Ghosh failed to achieve the level of thriller of first one however it was worth watching Cine Maa​ for Vidya Balan​ and Arjun Rampal. Sujoy Ghosh successfully delivered Child Abuse issue with great message like we have seen glimpse in Highway movie from Alia Bhat. Script need little more surprise elements in second half as this one was totally predictable one. Supporting roles of Jugal Hansraj , Manini Chadha and cute Tunisha Sharma were good. Music is another weak point as you will badly miss Ekla Chalo Re type song from Big B.

If Kahaani​ was the mother of all stories then Kahaani 2​ is the child of Kahaani.

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!

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!

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.

Though it has no link with Kahaani 1 though the linkage creates expectations. Story is well run though it lacks any suspense. The story is told strongly with no turns and twists which cannot be foreseen as the writer himself reveals how the plot will flow.

Sujoy Ghosh and Vidya Balan repeat the magic. Vidya Balan merges with her role effortlessly like her other high performance roles.

Arjun Rampal fits in well in his role as sub inspector though he did not have much to do.

Its Vidya Balan movie all in all.

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