Sujoy Ghosh directs, writes and presents Vidya Balan.
So after 4 hours, the talented team of Sujoy Ghosh and Vidya Balan reunite as Director/ Actress for the sequel to the runaway hit from 2012, Kahaani.
The intent is not to take the same story forward of (B)Vidya Bagchi, but to create a franchisee around the Vidya character and their respective stories.
Playing a hapless working mother, Vidya Sinha comes home one day to find her paralytic 14 year old daughter missing. A kidnapper calls and asks Vidya to meet, but as fate would have it, she meets with an accident and lands in coma.
Investigating officer, Inderjeet Singh, (Arjun Rampal) finds a diary at her residence, and confirms his theory of having known Vidya in the past, but as Durga Rani Singh.
The diary narrates the story of the life earlier in Kalimpong, 8 years ago, where Durga was an office assistant in a school.
NO SPOILERS AHEAD…..
Written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh, somehow the film lacks soul. Comparisons to the original are bound to be there and will be very difficult to beat, but even as a standalone product, the film fails to elicit any feelings for either of the protagonists.
Vidya Balan needs to go back to the drawing board, in terms of her acting rule book. Trying to look haggard and look restless, doesn’t cut the slack anymore. Her character of Durga comes across as the most senseless characters of recent times. When she does suspect something, her entire method of trying to confirm the doubt is so scattered. Not for once do you feel the urgency which she is trying to portray.
Similarly the topic of child abuse, although bold, is somehow shown in a very haphazard manner, as if the makers wanted to rush to interval point.
Post interval, the film just drags and the only reason is tolerable is because you are expecting a Kahaani type twist in the tale and get startled. Unfortunately, post interval, its all predictable.
Some glaring issues, when Vidya calls the nurse in the beginning, she speaks to the mystery woman, and apparently the same person spoke to the nurse, but how did they get the nurse’s fone, without the nurse being harmed.
Jugal Hansraj is good in his cameo. Tota Roy Chowdhury is wasted. Naisha Khanna as the 6 year old Minni is very good. Kharaj Mukherjee as Halder is very good.
The only saving grace in the film is Arjun Rampal. His sincerity towards his wife, earnestness towards his job and eagerness for long due promotion, all well portrayed. But somehow even his characterisation comes across as half baked towards the end. Sad.
Like I praised Sujoy for his brilliant Teen, I have to hold him responsible for letting us down for the poor and uninspired writing.
Alas, December starts on a poor note.
I believe a third instalment is also planned, that should be better.
RATING : 2/5
