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Kahaani

  • 2012
  • Not Rated
  • 2h 2m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
68K
YOUR RATING
Vidya Balan in Kahaani (2012)
A pregnant woman's search for her missing husband takes her from London to Kolkata, but everyone she questions denies having ever met him.
Play trailer2:16
1 Video
50 Photos
Psychological ThrillerSuspense MysteryMysteryThriller

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.

  • Director
    • Sujoy Ghosh
  • Writers
    • Sujoy Ghosh
    • Advaita Kala
    • Suresh Nair
  • Stars
    • Vidya Balan
    • Parambrata Chattopadhyay
    • Indraneil Sengupta
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    68K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Sujoy Ghosh
    • Writers
      • Sujoy Ghosh
      • Advaita Kala
      • Suresh Nair
    • Stars
      • Vidya Balan
      • Parambrata Chattopadhyay
      • Indraneil Sengupta
    • 217User reviews
    • 49Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 27 wins & 29 nominations total

    Videos1

    Kahaani trailer
    Trailer 2:16
    Kahaani trailer

    Photos49

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    Top cast41

    Edit
    Vidya Balan
    Vidya Balan
    • Vidya Venkatesan-Bagchi
    Parambrata Chattopadhyay
    Parambrata Chattopadhyay
    • Inspector Satyaki Sinha aka Rana
    Indraneil Sengupta
    Indraneil Sengupta
    • Arnab Bagchi…
    Nawazuddin Siddiqui
    Nawazuddin Siddiqui
    • Mr. Khan
    Dhritiman Chatterjee
    Dhritiman Chatterjee
    • Bhaskaran
    Saswata Chatterjee
    Saswata Chatterjee
    • Bob Biswas
    Darshan Jariwala
    Darshan Jariwala
    • Retd. Colonel Bajpai
    Sk. Azad Ahmed
    • Drunk at Monalisa
    Masood Akhtar
    Masood Akhtar
    • Rasik Tyagi
    Mohd. Faiz Alam
    • Bob's Boss
    Roshni Ali
    • Student
    Anindya Pulak Banerjee
    • Bimal
    Kamalika Banerjee
    Kamalika Banerjee
    • Receptionist
    Dibyendu Bardhan
    • Police Inspector
    Paresh Bhowmick
    • Drunk at Monalisa
    • (as Paresh Bhowmik)
    Pamela Singh Bhutoria
    • Sapna
    • (as Pamela Singh Bhutori)
    Colleen Blanche
    • Agnes D'Mello
    Mita Chakraborty
    • Mrs. Bose
    • Director
      • Sujoy Ghosh
    • Writers
      • Sujoy Ghosh
      • Advaita Kala
      • Suresh Nair
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews217

    8.168.2K
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    Featured reviews

    10ayanpal1

    A rare combination of performance, script, direction, and aesthetics that will leave you stunned

    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.
    10Rafnas

    Brilliant script followed with top notch direction,editing, cinematography and performances..!!

    Now this is some movie..Brilliant script followed with top notch direction,editing, cinematography and performances..Engaging suspense thriller..There seems only one ACTRESS in Bollywood at present..She was just too excellent..But the script was the show stealer..One of the best ever climax I've watched in Bollywood..Will blow away your minds..

    After watching the movie one will definitely doubt whether this is the same director who has given duds like 'Home Delivery' & 'Aladdin'. But he has given one of the finest cinemas in Bollywood with his latest flick. He has shown the true Bengal as one of the characters in this movie. Really splendid to watch some of the scenes shot in the city

    Vidya Balan is giving her best to date in all his recent movies. She hasn't failed yet. One blessed actress she is for the industry. No doubt even if she collects a national award every coming year. such a talented actress. So brave to chose such difficult scripts and make it look like cakewalk in the end is just amazing.

    All the characters in the movie have done justice to their roles. Every one complementing each other, the script the story & the direction. The climax is just so powerful and will give you goosebumps. Not seen like in Bollywood before.

    Don't miss out this Masterpiece..!! A must watch movie for all.!!
    8partopd-275-978217

    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.

    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!
    8voldore

    really unexpected from Bollywood

    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.
    9anjaneai

    Kahani -- A long awaited Gripping, Original Story with Awesome Direction

    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

    http://bollywoodwaale.com/movies.php?movieid=14

    Anjaneai

    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Nawazuddin 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.
    • Goofs
      The ex IB Officer is introduced as Capt Bajpayee but later he is addressed as Colonel.
    • Connections
      Featured in 14th International Indian Film Academy Awards (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      Aami Shotti Bolchi
      Music by Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani

      Lyrics by Vishal Dadlani

      Performed by Usha Uthup, Vishwesh Krishnamurthy

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    FAQ

    • How long is Kahaani?
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    • Which festival is shown during the movie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 31, 2019 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • India
    • Official site
      • Watch Kahaani on Disney+ Hotstar
    • Language
      • Hindi
    • Also known as
      • Story
    • Filming locations
      • Kolkata, West Bengal, India
    • Production companies
      • Boundscript
      • Pen Movies
      • Viacom18 Motion Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross worldwide
      • $459,234
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 2 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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