Review of Kahaani (2012) by Shweta V — 15 Nov 2018

Kahaani, directed by Sujoy Ghosh and starring Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chatterjee, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is a thriller set in Kolkata during the Durga Puja. It follows a pregnant woman, Vidya Bagchi, in her search for her missing husband, only to be told that he never came to Kolkata. She continues in her search, however, and uncovers a connection between her husband and a known terrorist, attracting the attention of both the terrorist organization and the national Intelligence Bureau. The film pulls you in with sympathy for a pregnant woman in an unfamiliar city and keeps you hooked as she acts with cleverness and ingenuity even as the danger closes in on her. Each character adds to your enjoyment of the story, from Vidya herself to Mr. Khan, a coarse Intelligence Bureau agent with a bad attitude and few morals. Vidya's strength throughout the movie is reminiscent of the strong female characters of older movies, such as Radha from Mother India, both of whom are mothers willing to put in the physical work needed to help their husband and children.

The film is an excellent example of a new form of Bollywood film, in which the audience must follow multiple characters, each with different but interconnecting stories, whose relationships are only truly understood by looking at the big picture (Gopal 341). This film takes it even farther, by keeping the audience in the dark about an explosive secret, which clarifies, even overturns, everything you thought you knew about the characters. Overall, Kahaani is a stellar film with a gripping story, well-developed characters, and colorful scenery. It is a successful use of a new type of Bollywood storytelling, and a good sign for the healthy future of Bollywood.

Gopal, Sangita. 2011. "Second-Generation Multiplexes and the Multiplot Film." Conjugations: Marriage and Form in New Bollywood Cinema. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.