This was a movie that I had planned to watch for few obvious
reasons. One, because of the city—Kolkata, second, because of the story and
suspense created by the movie promos (I had even asked my bollywood reporter
friend about the climax before it was even released but thankfully, she
declined to comment) and third, actors (Vidya Balan and the host of the
accomplished Bengali TV and cinema actors). And one more, because this would be
movie where I know the local language spoken and the songs in the movie and gives me the
opportunity to explain to others what they said.
Kahaani: The Movie
Kahaani, as they
titled it, is a suspense thriller where a heavily-pregnant Vidya Bagchi lands
up in Kolkata from London. Her first conversation was with a taxi driver who
shares his astonishment when he's asked to take her to the police station. Her
first stop in the city: the Kalighat Police Station. And her story starts here.
Inspector Chatterjee and sub-Inspector Satyuki (Rana) Sinha are introduced to
her thrilling story of her missing husband. Arnab Bagchi was in Kolkata on a project
while working with the National Data Centre (NDC). His interactions with Vidya
were regular for the first two weeks until he vanished from the scene all of a
sudden without any prior intimation. Her husband’s details are recorded in the
good old book (and not the computer that has been recently loaded with the
applications and software required) and is taken to the same guest house where
Arnab was put up. She is quick to divulge minor details like the presence of a
golden peacock near the elevator or the same room where her husband was
staying. Thus begins her thrilling encounter with the city. With time and Rana by
her side, Vidya manages to churn out least known details involving the planning
and the scam behind the Kolkata Metro Gas Leak incident that led to death of
hundreds of daily commuters in the city's most preferred transportation mode.
Names such as Milan Damji cropped up to indicate that Arnab must be danger
given his face is identical to that of the terrorist. Tracking down Milan meant
revealing many of the underlying mysteries of NDC and murders of people who
would have shared vital information. Vidya's journey that started with the onset
of the Durga Puja when the city gets dressed up to welcome Ma Durga ended on
Bijaya Dashami by tracking down the suspect in question and fleeing away
tactfully amongst the hundreds of red and white saree clad women with sindoor
on their foreheads and faces.
You've got watch the movie to know what happens to her
husband, if you haven’t watched it till now and unravel the suspense slowly as
you watch it.
Why it drew my attention?
During the promotions, Vidya Balan carried her pregnant
belly to give every onlooker a real feel of the movie and that she needs track
the existence of her husband in Kolkata. The city has, for once, been
well-captured in the camera lenses simply the way it is. The old buildings of
North Calcutta, the by-lanes of the city having the usual garbage on the road
as it is always found and the commonly known places like Camac Street and Park
Street or SSKM Hospital at Harish Mukherjee Road. The movie beautifully
captures these places the exact way they are and shows nothing fancy about the
city by staying true to the need of the movie plot.
Before Kahaani, nobody would have ever thought of creating a
crime and suspense thriller without any kind of "dhishum dhishum" and with a woman being the hero. Kolkata
has always been perceived as the city of mishti, mouth-watering street food and
politics. Well, here is a movie that brings the real essence of the city live
on screen.
Bengali actors—both cinema and TV—have marked their presence
on screen with every bit of their acting and roles, even if for few seconds.
These are actors whom I have seen growing up and playing unforgettable
characters in some of the mega serials of Bengali television. It is definitely
a treat to watch these people on the 70 mm screen in a city like Bangalore or
Mumbai. You do feel proud when people praise these actors. Incredible thinking
by the director that he chose this bunch of actors and made them speak
"bengali-hindi" and make their
characters real but not fancy.
Of course, the new "hero" lady takes all the
praise for her incredible acting but loud applauds to the supporting cast from
Bangla film industry as well.
This one movie is surely going to stay as one of the best
suspense thrillers that the Indian Film Industry has produced for years to
come. And I am sure that I am going to watch a few times more (a little later)
when I, along with Vidya Bagchi, will be unfolding the mystery again.
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