Kahaani

Kahaani is scripted by Advaita Kala and director Sujoy Ghosh. Advaita is the author of the chick-lit novel Almost Single. She turned scriptwriter with Ranbir Kapoor-Priyanka Chopra starrer Anjaana-Anjaani which disappeared from the multiplexes before you got a chance to say the title. Kahaani is triggered by her own experiences of coming down to Kolkata to seek a job with a hotel and find her boyfriend who used to work there. In many ways Kahaani has two stars: Vidya Balan and the city of Kolkata.Software engineer Vidya – or maybe I should say Beedda  – as any self respecting Bengali would pronounce it –  has flown down from London to trace her husband Arnab Bagchi. Arnab seems to have disappeared without a trace. His daily phone calls to his wife have stopped but there is no evidence of his presence anywhere. The Immigration authorities in UK and Kolkata have no records. The hotel where he stayed in Kolkata has no records but there is something wrong… very wrong. Something does not fit in. Vidya files a First Information Report (FIR) at the Police Station where the baby faced cop Rana – played brilliantly by Parambrata Chatterjee – senses her desperation and determination to not settle for failure. Kahaani is a thriller. There are twists and turns that leave you tense, apprehensive about lurking danger of a contract killer disguised ironically as an insurance agent. The entire drama happens in in different parts of the city of Kolkata – who as I said is the other lead actor of this film. It is set during the five days of Durga Puja when the city is at its chaotic, vibrant and colorful best.See the montage of shots in this trailer.The story is narrated in a gripping manner and the tension does not drop. The screenplay is equally taut. The camera cuts between expressions of Vidya, the cop and the city of Kolkata almost seamlessly. Very early in the film, the audience starts to start wishing that the woman would find her husband – at least before her kid arrives.A word about the music by Vishal Shekhar. The music of this film is not the reason why we will recall this film. They are unabashed fans of RD Burman (like me). So there are plenty of RD Burman classics that play in the background including some of the Bengali Puja songs that RD had composed. Amitabh Bachchan sings the inspirational Tagore song “Ekla Chalo Re” (Trans: If you find no one to support your cause, walk alone). The voice that makes a million hearts flutter should have got the pronunciation right. It starts off right and then from about a minute into the song he gives up trying to sing in Bengali and sings Bengali in Hindi. I am little fussed about pronunciations you can make out. Lata Mangeshkar sang scores of Salil Choudhury compositions in Bengali with almost flawless pronunciation and accent. Asha Bhonsle did that with RD Burman songs. You will wonder why I say that for the entire film is set in Hindi/ English spoken in thick Bengali accent. But this is Amitabh Bachchan. He is not any ordinary thespian.The film is shot beautifully. It captures the city minus its cliches. There are the mandatory shots of Victoria Memorial or Howrah Bridge but they are fleeting moments. The director of photography Setu has shot Kolkata with the same love that one reserves for a sweetheart.Overall: The story is gripping and gets an A. Vidya Balan, Parambrata and Nawazuddin Siddiqui put in powerful performances and get an A+ each. The photography is A+. Music is B. There are a few weak spots in the story. For example, it is hard to believe that any lock can be picked by using a hairpin. In the film two locks – one used in a residential home and the other which stores the old records of the Intelligence Bureau can be picked with the same ease. And that the IB keeps its personnel records so carelessly. I hope some HR professional will volunteer to teach them a thing or two about that. I would give the film an overall A. Go see it.