A pregnant woman's search for her missing husband takes her from London to Kolkata, but everyone she questions denies having ever met him.A pregnant woman's search for her missing husband takes her from London to Kolkata, but everyone she questions denies having ever met him.A pregnant woman's search for her missing husband takes her from London to Kolkata, but everyone she questions denies having ever met him.
- Awards
- 27 wins & 29 nominations total
Paresh Bhowmick
- Drunk at Monalisa
- (as Paresh Bhowmik)
Pamela Singh Bhutoria
- Sapna
- (as Pamela Singh Bhutori)
Featured reviews
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.
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.
Who would expect that someone who directed 'Home Delivery' could create magic. Sujoy Ghosh's 'Kahaani' is a mouth watering treat for any movie lover. Right from the very beginning till the end the tight narrative keeps the viewer on his toes without any hiccups whatsoever. Starring Vidya Balan as Vidya Bagchi(Bidya Bagchi) as a wife who is in search of his husband Arnab Bagchi and in its course arrives in Kolkata all the way from London even though she is pregnant. The story follows her search at the same time playing with your mind with many twists and turns. After a long time have I seen a film in which every actor has given a peach of a performance and thus requires a special mention. From Parambrata Chatterjee who plays the role of inspector Rana who helps Vidya find her husband to Office Khan played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui to even Saaswata Chatterjeeas who plays the serial killer Bob every one is brilliant. I am really looking forward to more actors from the Bangla film industry to shine in Bollywood. The script is tight with loop holes you don't even bother worrying about and to add to that the haunting background score that gives you the true feeling of a thriller. Though it awkwardly seems a bit longer than its 2 hour running time I still won't mind watching it again. And yes Vidya Balan our very own Meryl Streep is almost certain to get another filmfare and national award. Of course the year has just started but i might just be disappointed if she doesn't get it. Ha! really satisfied with Kahaani.
7.5/10 for Kahaani and another 0.5 for the collective acting performances of the cast. Audience which included a lot of family and friends - 3.5/5
7.5/10 for Kahaani and another 0.5 for the collective acting performances of the cast. Audience which included a lot of family and friends - 3.5/5
Do not listen to what people tell you based on the rumors, go and watch it!! The story is just fantastic!! A lot of thought has been put into every minute detail of the movie!! All of it to culminate in an awesome finish. Vidya Balan has as always done her bit perfectly and is supported well by her co-star Parambrata Chatterjee.The cinematography in the initial stages is fair. The direction is legendary. Every single scene has a part to play in the climax. Go watch it \m/. You'll be glued to your seats for sure!! And don't bother to think of what's gonna happen next, cos just like any awesome thriller, you're gonna be proved wrong ;P
Kahaani directed by Sujoy Ghosh is one of the most finest,efficient thrillers I have witnessed in recent times.
The first half may be a bit stretched but still its good but it is the second half that keeps you engaged thoroughly and the climax is superb.
Story:- Vidya Bagchi(Vidya Balan) playing the helpless , who has arrived from London to Kolkata in search of her missing husband Arnab. With a sympathetic cop helping her on this mission, Vidya combs every corner of Kolkata. But all leads go cold – the guest-house he was staying at, the National Data Center where he'd been assigned, even the Indian immigration authorities have no records of Arnab Bagchi. When it seems like her husband's disappearance might be inexplicably linked to a most-wanted terrorist, Vidya pokes her nose around in dangerous places, angering the Intelligence Bureau that is trying desperately to keep some secrets hidden.
Sujoy Ghosh,who directed the disastrous Aladin in 2009, is excellent this time.
Although there are many sequences in Kahaani which work,but since mentioning them would spoil the fun.
The screenplay is taut and brave.
The dialogs are very good.
The editors could have trimmed the movie,to make it more sharper.
The cinematography by Setu is stunning.The locales of Kolkata are a treat to the eye.
The music is very good."Ami Shotti Bolchi" sung by Usha Uthup and "Ekla Cholo Re" sung by Amitabh Bachchan stand out.
Performances:- Vidya Balan rocks in Kahaani.She is an actor to watch out for.She is amazing.Parambrata Chatterjee as Rana is sweet.Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Khan,the Intelligence Bureau officer is superb.Saswata Chatterjee is good too.Special mention of the two boys,one in the Mona Lisa hotel and the other as the tea vendor are cute.Amitabh Bachchan's narration at the culmination is fine.
I am giving nine out of ten for Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani.It is not only to be watched for fans of Vidya Balan but it is also for those who are not.Its your loss,if you miss it.
The first half may be a bit stretched but still its good but it is the second half that keeps you engaged thoroughly and the climax is superb.
Story:- Vidya Bagchi(Vidya Balan) playing the helpless , who has arrived from London to Kolkata in search of her missing husband Arnab. With a sympathetic cop helping her on this mission, Vidya combs every corner of Kolkata. But all leads go cold – the guest-house he was staying at, the National Data Center where he'd been assigned, even the Indian immigration authorities have no records of Arnab Bagchi. When it seems like her husband's disappearance might be inexplicably linked to a most-wanted terrorist, Vidya pokes her nose around in dangerous places, angering the Intelligence Bureau that is trying desperately to keep some secrets hidden.
Sujoy Ghosh,who directed the disastrous Aladin in 2009, is excellent this time.
Although there are many sequences in Kahaani which work,but since mentioning them would spoil the fun.
The screenplay is taut and brave.
The dialogs are very good.
The editors could have trimmed the movie,to make it more sharper.
The cinematography by Setu is stunning.The locales of Kolkata are a treat to the eye.
The music is very good."Ami Shotti Bolchi" sung by Usha Uthup and "Ekla Cholo Re" sung by Amitabh Bachchan stand out.
Performances:- Vidya Balan rocks in Kahaani.She is an actor to watch out for.She is amazing.Parambrata Chatterjee as Rana is sweet.Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Khan,the Intelligence Bureau officer is superb.Saswata Chatterjee is good too.Special mention of the two boys,one in the Mona Lisa hotel and the other as the tea vendor are cute.Amitabh Bachchan's narration at the culmination is fine.
I am giving nine out of ten for Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani.It is not only to be watched for fans of Vidya Balan but it is also for those who are not.Its your loss,if you miss it.
Setu's account of Kolkata is delightedly sincere and not superfluous cinematography - the dynamic colours and the simplicity of the artless lanes of Kolkata, admiringly, have not been lost in rhetoric black and white. The same forthrightness has mirrored to a huge extent in Suresh Nair and Sujoy Ghosh's masterful and impressive narration of Bagchi's fable of lost and deeply lost until found.
Vidya Bagchi's (Vidya Balan) hunt for her lost husband Arnab Bagchi (Indraneil Sengupta) brings her down to Kolkata from London. With a seven-month old baby magnifying her power, an infinite exploration of the byways of Kolkata with the help of a local policeman Satyoki Sinha (Parambrata Chattopadhyay) begins. Disordered links and remainders of Vidya's past conversations with Arnab are her fragile hopes. Undeterred, the firewall specialist rummages through the tightly encrypted codes of the mystery, webbed by even more securely encrusted faces.
The refreshing combination of Parambrata and Balan and the motley of emotions and the ease with which they exude them in "Kahaani" make for an outstanding watch. Balan's ability to tailor her sentiments - sympathy, anger and despair - multiplies the strength of her character. The swiftness of the movie leaves no time for the audience to mentally prepare for an upcoming situation. While Vidya accepts herself as "Bidya"in the City of Joy, gifts a chocolate to the kid in the lodge and breaks the lock of National Data Centre; the contract killer Bob Biswas (Saswata Chatterjee) playfully murders people and Khan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) smokes out his dedication towards his work besides a mouthful of white air.
Just when a wide array of emotions are at their peak and the frantic search is riding high, Amitabh Bachhan's rendition of Tagore's famous song "Jodi tor dak shune" transfers the mood to a completely different level. The festive mood of the city, the preceding and the succeeding of it, the red of sindoor and the expressions of the idols of Durga have been phenomenally well-utlised in the movie.
Balan is a breeze of fresh air in Bollywood, which is suffering from the curves of furniture heroines and "Kahaani", another robust step after the recent "The Dirty Picture" towards reinforcing the position of heroines in a traditionally hero-driven Bollywood. The subtlety with which the soul of the city has been interlaced in the screenplay, while not losing grasp on the flow of the story even for a moment, is a testimony of effectual storytelling.
There is not a single scene in the movie where Parambrata has been overshadowed by the presence of Balan. His acting skills are distinctly sharp and flowing. Sujoy Ghosh's choice of actors for the various characters in "Kahaani" has made an immense contribution towards the kind of impact it leaves on the viewers long after they abandon the theatre.
After all, "Shotti" sounds better as "Shotti", not "Sotti".
The climax, even though prudent and reasonably well-baked, is slightly dramatic and seems to conclude the movie before clearly justifying the actions of Vidya and Satyoki, especially the latter. The momentum of the story towards the end beats its own record and the circumstances merging with the mood of the city seems to be not so much of a coincidence.
Bagchi's "Kahaani" is one of those that would define tougher standards for the forthcoming Fridays. Why on earth would you like to miss the benchmark?
Watch it. Definitely!
Vidya Bagchi's (Vidya Balan) hunt for her lost husband Arnab Bagchi (Indraneil Sengupta) brings her down to Kolkata from London. With a seven-month old baby magnifying her power, an infinite exploration of the byways of Kolkata with the help of a local policeman Satyoki Sinha (Parambrata Chattopadhyay) begins. Disordered links and remainders of Vidya's past conversations with Arnab are her fragile hopes. Undeterred, the firewall specialist rummages through the tightly encrypted codes of the mystery, webbed by even more securely encrusted faces.
The refreshing combination of Parambrata and Balan and the motley of emotions and the ease with which they exude them in "Kahaani" make for an outstanding watch. Balan's ability to tailor her sentiments - sympathy, anger and despair - multiplies the strength of her character. The swiftness of the movie leaves no time for the audience to mentally prepare for an upcoming situation. While Vidya accepts herself as "Bidya"in the City of Joy, gifts a chocolate to the kid in the lodge and breaks the lock of National Data Centre; the contract killer Bob Biswas (Saswata Chatterjee) playfully murders people and Khan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) smokes out his dedication towards his work besides a mouthful of white air.
Just when a wide array of emotions are at their peak and the frantic search is riding high, Amitabh Bachhan's rendition of Tagore's famous song "Jodi tor dak shune" transfers the mood to a completely different level. The festive mood of the city, the preceding and the succeeding of it, the red of sindoor and the expressions of the idols of Durga have been phenomenally well-utlised in the movie.
Balan is a breeze of fresh air in Bollywood, which is suffering from the curves of furniture heroines and "Kahaani", another robust step after the recent "The Dirty Picture" towards reinforcing the position of heroines in a traditionally hero-driven Bollywood. The subtlety with which the soul of the city has been interlaced in the screenplay, while not losing grasp on the flow of the story even for a moment, is a testimony of effectual storytelling.
There is not a single scene in the movie where Parambrata has been overshadowed by the presence of Balan. His acting skills are distinctly sharp and flowing. Sujoy Ghosh's choice of actors for the various characters in "Kahaani" has made an immense contribution towards the kind of impact it leaves on the viewers long after they abandon the theatre.
After all, "Shotti" sounds better as "Shotti", not "Sotti".
The climax, even though prudent and reasonably well-baked, is slightly dramatic and seems to conclude the movie before clearly justifying the actions of Vidya and Satyoki, especially the latter. The momentum of the story towards the end beats its own record and the circumstances merging with the mood of the city seems to be not so much of a coincidence.
Bagchi's "Kahaani" is one of those that would define tougher standards for the forthcoming Fridays. Why on earth would you like to miss the benchmark?
Watch it. Definitely!
Did you know
- TriviaNawazuddin Siddiqui got a major breakthrough with this film as he struggled for 12 years in just small character roles. After Kahaani he became one of the busiest actors.
- GoofsThe ex IB Officer is introduced as Capt Bajpayee but later he is addressed as Colonel.
- ConnectionsFeatured in 14th International Indian Film Academy Awards (2013)
- SoundtracksAami Shotti Bolchi
Music by Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani
Lyrics by Vishal Dadlani
Performed by Usha Uthup, Vishwesh Krishnamurthy
Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $459,234
- Runtime
- 2h 2m(122 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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