Review of Kahaani

Kahaani (2012)
10/10
This is what story-telling is all about!!!
11 March 2012
First and foremost I would like to clear out one thing about me.

I am a Bengali but in spite of the fact that I got a mesmerizing view of the Bengali culture and the city of joy-Kolkata (which I haven't visited for ages), this review is not biased.

Ever wished you watched a movie that left you completely spellbound? Yes this is one of those movies that lingers on in your head even after you leave the movie theater.

The star cast right from Vidya Balan(as Vidya Bagchi),ParambrataChattopadhyay(as police offer Satyoki Sinha/Rana),Nawazuddin Siddiqui(as second-in command Intelligence Beaureu),Saswata Chatterjee(as a hired assassin),Kharaj Mukherjee as a kind cop to the manager of Mona Lisa hotel and lastly the two kids who interact with Vidya is simply amazing.

There are several high points in the film.Vidya as the portrayal of the pregnant woman delivers a range of emotions.She is at times tough and firm on finding her missing husband.At times, she is vulnerable,frustrated because of the missing clues. She is charming in the way she talks with the kids and playful in the bus-ride with officer Rana.Then the subtlety with which Rana emotes the love he feels for Vidya and the hesitation while picking locks to find out evidences.The brash hard talk act by officer Khan and then the evil menacing act by Bob Biswaas.Brilliant!!

Moreover Sujoy Ghosh(the director) uses Vidya's pregnancy cleverly- every time she trips or even sweats too hard, you become afraid.The story totally grips you and leaves you at a dramatic high.And what can I say about the climax.Tremendous shock value!There have been very few times when I have experienced such pin-drop silence in the theater.Take a bow Sujoy..You have given Bollywood a gem of a thriller.

For those fed up with the dark and gritty underbelly of Mumbai and the bylanes of old Delhi in recent movies, there are splendid sights of Kolkata and the iconic Durga Puja.It's a treat to watch the Howrah bridge,Hoogly river and the Victoria Memorial.

Regarding music.Its great.The movie starts on a good note with "Ami Shotti Bolchi" and Amitabh Bachhan's rendition of Tagore's famous song "Jodi tor dak shune" elevates the mood to a completely different level.The director keeps the narrative clutter-free, sans any songs or side-track.

Kahaani shows that when everything falls in place for a film — story, writing, acting, editing, cinematography, etc — things can't go wrong. Kahaani is one such film; everything's right about it.

Watch Kahaani. Period
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