Kahaani

A perfect noir or thriller is like a Cornetto Ice-cream which you start licking with excitement that doesn't fizzle away in the course of your action. In fact temptation gets multiplied as your taste bud is surprised with hidden nuts, choco chips, wafers along with added flavor which makes one forget about everything. In the very end one finds that unexpected solid chunk of chocolate whose aroma stays in your mouth for hours. Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani is one such taut thriller that will engross you with interesting twists and turns gradually reaching the climax that takes a complete somersault. From the very first scene of a man in a gas mask testing some lethal chemicals on rats in a lab, Kahaani has you gripped. And then enters Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant women in an unknown city in search of her husband Arnab Bagchi who is a scientist working in NDC, Kolkata. There lies the mystery as from every corner Mrs Bagchi is proved that her husband hadn't been to this city. Even his existence seems to be a mere figment of imagination. Things get complicated as IB department of country shows interest in the case. Revealing a single suspense of this gripping thriller will be a crime and it is must watch for all lovers of suspense thriller. Sujoy Ghosh's script as well as direction is restrained yet poignant with metaphors revolving around Maa Durga and her fight with Asura (the demon). It is one of the rare scenarios where the script and the execution respect audience intelligence. In fact the ending compels the audience to revisit the scenarios and then one realizes the dots do connect. That's the most successful poi of this riveting thriller which can be compared to best of the thrillers in the world. The cone of this Cornetto is city of Joy Kolkata who is the true protagonist of the tale. The violence lurking in the by-lanes of the city, the mystery flowing with the murmuring sound of the Ganges, there is an air of conspiracy and Ghosh's script rightly captures that. Ritesh Shah who wrote the dialogs of the film deserves mention to consummately penning down the thoughts of Ghosh. Thankfully there is no cliché involving Kolkata which were shown in earlier film made on this city. Adding to the beauty there is Setu's camera-work which portrays Kolkata like never before in Hindi celluloid. Ghosh is gifted with brilliant technical team who did their best to make a captivating thriller in such a shoestring budget. Namrata Rao is another "hero" of the film. She gave the razor sharp cuts much needed in a thriller like this and her editing abilities will surely get her phone ringing for more thrillers. The background score did the much needed haunting effect to compliment the proceeding without going overboard. There are two songs in the film. "Ami Sotti Bolchi" which is there in the beginning is kind of introduction to the city as well as story. Usha Utthup's voice creates the aura of suspense. Amitabh Bachchan rendered his voice to Tagore's "ekla chalo re" which somehow worked. Vidya Balan is the pillar of Kahaani. Her character V(B)idya Bagchi is epitome of strong quintessential woman who is strong to take care of herself and at the same time vulnerable to regular emotions of life. This is the role which actresses will die for and luckily the role chose Vidya Balan who is beyond competition. One of the finest actress of our generation she can display any role with perfection. From Ishqiya to Paa, No one Killed Jessica she went a notch higher with The Dirty picture and now sealed the top spot with "Kahaani". She deserves the best actress awards once again. Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the loud mouthed IB office Khan had superb screen presence. His voice modulation will lead him to such meatier roles in near future. Parambrata Chatterjee aptly cast as Inspector Sinha added the soft side to the story with his unsaid love for Vidya. He was powerful even when he didn't mouth any dialogs through his expressive eyes. Saswata Chatterjee as Bob Biswas was scene stealer. Whenever he landed on screen people knew something is going to happen and with his expression he just stole the show. One of the finest actors in Bengal today, he must get noticed after this brilliant performance, in national circuits as well. His scenes with Vidya in the metro station just prior and after the interval are one of the best sequences of the film. Revealing his character will die down certain elements of suspense. Kharaj Mukherjee as podge thana head was adequate and provided some comic relief without getting too loud. Indraneil Sengupta, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Darshan Jariwala, Falguni Chatterjee (as manager of Monalisa lodge) let their presence felt. Special mention to the two kids who can give the big stars run for their money. Kahaani again proved Story is the real winner. If you have a good story you can compromise on budget and still make a engaging film. Kahaani should become a guide book for those who want to make thrillers. With Agent Vinod,Shanghai,Talaash on the cards hopefully good thrillers will revive in celluloid. Till then salute to the whole team of Kahaani and hope Sujoy Ghosh forgets his "Alladin" days and make another thriller as riveting as Kahaani. Watch Kahaani and experience neo-bollywood ……aami sotti bolchi!!

Leave your bag of popcorn outside the theater. You would honestly not have the time to crunch it as you watch this fantastic film with bated breath. For Kahaani is a ride so thrilling, your mind would be tripping with a million possibilities, even as your tongue invariably ends up either tied, or hanging in the air with anticipation.

Kahaani is essentially the story of a heavily pregnant London based Tamil woman's search for her missing Bengali husband in Kolkata, underplayed exuberantly by Vidya Balan. The supporting cast comprises a helpful cop Parambrata, a selfish detective - Siddiqui, an eccentric life insurance agent - Saswata, and a bhadralok Police officer - Khwaraj, and last but not the least, of a 300+ year old city - Kolkata seeped in the throes of celebrating the mother of all festivals - Durga Puja.

The film unfolds like the pages of a gripping novel by Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes and is shot like that of an Alfred Hitchcock or a Satyajit Ray. Using real people, places, and situations to underline the nuances of the story is a task that's handled brilliantly by director Sujoy Ghosh (also the co writer) whose recent claim to shame - an abysmal Aladdin, or a horrendous Home Delivery shall soon be forgotten just as Madhur Bhandarkar's debut dud was.

In addition to the sterling performances and the plot is the terrific technical support. Be it Amitabh Bacchan's rendition of Tagore's 'Ekla Chalo Re', the background songs (mostly of RD Burman), playing innocently as the characters travel the length and breadth of the city, the costumes by Sabyasachi, the 'just right and yet dramatic' background score, the non-condescending cinematography that captures the city as if it were a character, and the supreme screenplay with a spattering of real Bengali, act as just the right spices to turn this into a delicious dish, that's both exotic as well as commonplace.

Watch this film to experience something so satiating, you would surely ask for more (a rare for a thriller!). I give this a 10/10 not just because this is one of the best thrillers ever made in India, but definitely one of the best films to have ever come out of Bollywood. Kudos to the whole team! Trust me! Ami Sotthi Bolcchi!

P.S: Please do not discuss the story with anyone else, unless they have watched this film.

from Bollywood which generally has no place for women centered films, here comes the most amazing powerful suspense packed thriller, starring non other than the charismatic Vidya Balan, the movie is a milestone and a rare treat from Bollywood, definitely a must watch. the screenplay is so tight to find flaws, and the supporting cast has done a great job. Although the ending is not as thrilling as the whole movie, but still it is exceptional and unforeseen, its still great.

And I must say, i was disappointed by Bollywood..(this time they have done it original, no copycat/remake/based upon/Hollywood's copy).. pure original mind blowing suspense.

Let me say right now that this is not your usual Bollywood run-of-the-mill. If you are expecting typical Bollywood masala with hide and seek romance, dancing around trees, superhero fight scenes and 'filmy' dialogue, you will find it in the remaining 999 films that the Indian film industry has on the 2012 assembly line. What works for "Kahaani" is its atypical narration arising from a well written story, first class cinematography in tandem with good soundtrack, and the performance of a leading actress whose very mention signals the changing face of Indian cinema.

Arriving from London, a heavily pregnant Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan) heads straight to the Kalighat police station in Kolkata to enquire about her missing husband. With the help of Rana (Parambrata Chatterjee), a rookie cop, Vidya begins to unravel the mystery behind her husband Arnab's disappearance. Together, their investigation leads to dead ends, but not before learning that Arnab may be linked to a terrorist agent operating as a mole within the Indian Intelligence Bureau. Wrestling with this possibility, Vidya finds herself digging into a high profile federal cover-up, even as an assassin trails her every move.

Co-written by director Sujoy Ghosh, "Kahaani" is a well crafted thriller that is simply too good by Bollywood standards, current or past. Gosh has not only set a new benchmark in Indian cinema, his overall production quality is far superior to some of his counterparts across the globe. Even so, the true mettle of his work is in resisting the temptation to glorify India's stand on terrorism through nation-wide propaganda. Instead, Gosh pays close attention to the screenplay and how it develops through the narration. Pacing is consistent with a serious tone, but well punctuated with some suspense driven moments and subtle humor when you least expect it. Another strongpoint is in keeping the audience guessing all the way to the diabolical twist in the end. To avoid spoiling the surprise, I will just say that this could be borrowed from a certain Angelina Jolie film, but be that as it may, the conclusion here is totally unpredictable and forms the icing on the cake. There are some factual and chronological goofs but there is no point going there because no film is 100% perfect.

Dating back to the late 17th century, cinematography captures the historical essence of one of India's oldest cities – a 300 year old artifact if you wish – in superb celluloid rendition. Gosh gives Kolkata a pulsating heart without unnecessary exaggeration, while simultaneously capturing the hustle and bustle and nooks and crannies of the city with deft camera work. Using this huge backdrop along with the festival of all festivals, The Durga Puja, Gosh underlines the film's formidable theme of motherhood in seamlessly integrating the fragility of a woman with her in-built yet God-given power to sustain life. From joy to heart-wrenching sorrow, Vidya Balan personifies this ideology with perfection. Fresh off the critical success of "The Dirty Picture", Balan is emerging as a powerful force in female driven plots. While this could very well change the perception on Indian cinema, this a welcome change and one that is long overdue. I am smitten as I am awestruck. Also worth mentioning are Parambrata Chatterjee as Rana and Nawazuddin Siddiqui as a difficult IB agent. Together, their roles add vital support to Balan's as well as holding up the plot structure.

As this is my first Hindi movie review, I only hope that I have given this movie the recognition it deserves. Considering my fondness with all things Hollywood, Ms. Vidya Balan and director Sujoy Ghosh have renewed my faith in Indian cinema. I cannot wait to see Balan's next movie. Watch this space.

Genre --- Suspense, Drama

Review --

Kahani is indeed a worth for your money. A sincere effort to portray an incredible story, which would leave you baffled, would leave you keep guessing what is going on and what would happen next. We have seen several suspense movies that have a good build up but are utter disappointing in the end. Even after the climax, it would keep surprising you till last shot. Truly a nice movie that you can with you Family and kids without hesitation. No abusive language, no "story Ki demand" type intimate shots. A clean and gripping storyline. I liked that fact that story did not pushed a possible romantic element neither unneeded songs between characters and kept it straight and focused.

Story of Girl (Vidya) looking for her missing husband, is just the start. Movie is shot is Kolkata with characters that are real, you can relate and can smile to natural gestures. Movie keeps you clutched to your seat. Its a story of nice people stuck in their own mess up routine, offer help to the pregnant lady.

Even with new actors, jumping in with their cameo every now and then, each has done full justice to their role.The story has been wisely written binding intelligent writing along with actual Kolkata.

Verdict-- If you have been awaiting for a Good Bollywood Flick, with original narration and quality acting, the movie worth's every penny. A pleasure to watch with family or friends.

Music -- Consists of two songs, different from stream line cinema. Amitabh Bachhan has brought a new spirit to Rabindra Da's "Ekla Chalo Re". The other song -- "Ammi Shotti Bolchi" is a authentic rock song on Kolkata theme in Usha Utthup's evergreen Bengali voice.

Rating -- 8.5/10

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