If the success of a
movie depends on a well-executed Kahaani, then this Kahaani is a new
high, and several notches higher. It will surely take you on a never-before
rollercoaster and keep you at the edge of your seat!
Sujoy Ghosh’s latest
suspense-thriller Kahaani starring the talented Vidya Balan, is a clear winner
with movie-goers and critics alike for a fresh, racy, edgy, gripping and
intriguing tale, till the last frame.
Set against the
backdrop of the dingy by lanes of Kolkata, Vidya Bagchi (Balan) lands from
London, in search of her missing husband. From there begins a journey, a story
within a story that unfolds with immaculate intensity and impressive twists!
The milieu is perfect – a cluttered, begrimed Kolkata on one side, representing
the tangled temper of the female protagonist in her quest to unfold the mystery
behind her husband’s disappearance, and yet the vibrant colours of Durga Puja
calling for power and strength of a woman who can go all out in search of the
truth and end the vice.
Such is a contrast
drawn in Kahaani as it touches multiple dimensions with clear, systematic
logic, articulate direction, crisp editing and a telling climax. Vidya Balan is
a delight to watch on screen as she carries off the role of a much pregnant
woman with effortless perfection. Your heart goes out to her when she breaks
down in one scene and with the very next scene she gives you strength with her
grit and gumption.
But Kahaani is not
about Vidya alone. Several handpicked, well-etched characters, most of them
from Bengali cinema, are convincing, look very real and give dimension to the
narrative. The fact that the movie rises beyond the ordinary is because each of
the characters, however big or small the role, is comfortable in their skin and
readily blend in the movie.
Contrasting
characters of the friendly cop played by Parambrata Chattopadhyay, the stern
officer played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui or the freaky insurance agent in Saswata
Chatterjee definitely stand out. Sujoy Ghosh and Advaita Kala’s story is the
real hero, the direction, editing and narration make it slick, Setu’s
cinematography in portraying the extremes – the depressing, mysterious and the
vibrant and full of hope Kolkata – is impeccable! The streets of Kolkata are
simply like the second lead, or should I say, the main lead alongside Ms.
Balan!
