Monday, March 12, 2012

AN UNFORGETTABLE KAHAANI!


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!

Amidst several forgettable twists and tales in the past, this Kahaani will continue to fascinate the viewer till someone else dares to make something better! Ami Shotti Bolchi

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