Anitha S
Daijiworld Media Network - Entertainment
Rating: 4/5

Mangalore, Mar 12: Once in a while comes a film that leaves you truly breathless, one that keeps you thinking and brooding over it for hours together after it has ended. Director Sujoy Ghosh's 'Kahaani', starring Vidya Balan and a host of stunning actors, is one such.

The movie arrests you right from the word go, and if at the end you find your popcorn and Pepsi hardly tasted, you have only the director and Vidya to blame. 'Phenomenal' is perhaps the right word to describe the movie in all aspects - performances, script, cinematography, music, screenplay and everything else - the movie for me scores a ten-on-ten.

Plot

The problem (if you can call it so) with reviewing 'Kahaani' is that any description of the story may turn out to be a spoiler. The script is so well and tightly knit, like a branded sweater, that you can hardly point out any visible loophole. The highly unpredictable thriller narrates the story of Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan), who lands in Kolkata from London in search of her missing husband. She is heavily pregnant, which wins her compasssion wherever she goes, especially from Rana (Parambrata Chattopadhyay), a young and upright policeman who helps her in her search.

Vidya learns that another man, Milan Dambji, a former employee in the National Data Centre (NDC) who is wanted for killing hundreds of passengers in the Kolkata Metro two years ago, resembles her husband Arnab Bagchi. One clue leads to another, and after a series of threats, killings and scary heart-in-the-mouth scenes, you finally come face-to-face with the truth, which of course, I cannot reveal here.

The scary part, for me, was the role played by Saswata Chatterjee, as Bob Biswas the serial killer. An unassuming character, the insurance agent is a nightmare, in the sense that he truly scares the hell out of you with his smile and his uncanny knack of appearing out of the blue.

Perhaps the only weak point in the movie was the 'moment of epiphany' for Rana, when realization finally dawns on him. If only Ghosh could have chosen something else (sorry, cannot reveal that either) as the clue to the mystery, the film would have been almost perfect. Of course, there are a few other negligible flaws too, like a cop breaking open an old-fashioned heavy padlock with a teeny hairpin, or the climax that may leave you disappointed with the hyped image of Milan Damji, but then, you can easily excuse them, for the movie more than makes up with its thriller ride.

The Movie

Kolkata has been captured beautifully, with all its colours, its vibrant population and its break-neck urban speed. Indeed, full marks to the cinematography. The screen play ensures that there's never a dull moment, so you are engrossed all through. A couple of scenes may even make you jump in your seat.

The music gels well with the movie, and the background score 'Ekla Cholo' sung by Amitabh Bachchan is haunting. The Durga Puja sequence, so much a part of Bengali-based movies in Hindi, is awesome and builds up the suspense.

One of the things that makes the movie even better is the director's attention to little details. Everything is planned and worked out elaborately, including small things like a peacock showpiece near the guest house lift or repetition of the first name in a conversation. There is a generous dose of humour too, the best of them being the 'running water' supply (or supplier, rather) in the guest house.

Performances

Vidya Balan, of course, takes the cake. She is truly phenomenal, and doesn't for a second give away even a hint of the truth. Her powerful performance overwhelms you right through. For sure, in Vidya Balan the Indian film industry has found one of its finest actresses.

Parambrata Chattopadhyay as Rana is adorable and sweet, and makes you laugh at times. His subtle performance wins your heart, even as you feel a pity for the love-struck cop. But then you can't help but wonder, which policeman would leave his duty to help one woman, day in and day out, and where in the world does he get so much time?

Saswata Chatterjee, as already mentioned, is haunting in the role of Bob Biswas. He moves like a spirit, appearing out of the blue when you least expect him. There is kind of inexplicable terror attached to his image, and no doubt, he does full justice to it.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Khan, the no-nonsense intelligence officer does fantastic job too. He is menacing, though at times screams too much for your comfort.

Verdict

There can be only one verdict for this movie - don't miss it.

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