Kahaani Review

The super-success of ‘The Dirty Picture’ has helped create tremendous curiosity around Vidya Balan’s ‘Kahaani’ co-written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh. After tasting success with his very first film Jhankar Beats, Ghosh’s next two films – Home Delivery and Aladin – failed miserably at the box-office. While most directors would have tried to play safe, Sujoy’s fourth outing is easily his most challenging film.

Kahaani is about a pregnant lady Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan), who is on a never-ending search of her husband. She arrives in Kolkata from London to find her husband, but soon realizes that he simply does not exist.

Revealing more would kill your Kahaani experience. It’s one of those films that has to be watched in theatre, to experience the thrill and of course the fabulous performance by Balan.

Kahaani Review

Why Kahaani is a must watch

  • For the sheer thrill that it provides from start to finish, Kahaani is a highly recommended watch. The first half is brilliant and has everything – great music, fabulous performances, subtle humor and most importantly you feel the anxiety and stress that Vidya Balan’s character is going through.
  • If you thought ‘The Dirty Picture’ was one of Vidya’s best performances, watch out for her restrained brilliance in Kahaani. She proves yet again that, amongst the current generation of female actors, she is by far the most skilled performer. She is complimented wonderfully by the supporting characters – Parambrata Chattopadhyaay as Rana was superb, Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Khan was brilliant and special mention for the hired serial killer played by Saswata Chatterjee, who will send chills down your spine each time he makes an appearance.
  • The city of Kolkata is captured in all it’s glory and plays a huge part  - Right from the time Vidya Bagchi lands at the airport amidst chaos, you realize her search will be anything but easy.
  • No unnecessary songs, no melodrama and hardly anytime to breathe!
  • Loved Ekla Cholo Re sung by Amitabh Bachchan

What doesn’t work

  • The second half tends to drag a bit.
  • The climax/ending may not work for everyone.

Overall, Kahaani is a very well-made film with powerful performances and a strong storyline. We suggest you watch Kahaani not once but twice. It’ll help you understand the finer nuances better. At the box-office, the film should open to a decent response, but will rely on word-of-mouth publicity.

Rating: ★★★★☆

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41 Comments

  • Nice movie… i say it just sometime back and i agree with what you said in the review. The second half could have been better. I didnt like the ending either. 3/5

  • WOW 4 stars from Indicine? Then I must watch it tomorrow. Thanks guys. Hope movie wont disappoint me

  • Couldnt agree more with what you wrote about the serial killer… what an amazing actor he was. Scary as hell.. each time he appeared i freaked out

  • About the movie… really liked it. Ace performances, fab music and edge of the seat stuff. Wish more movies like this are made in Bollywood.

    Such films any day over the remake crap that the bigger stars are doing. Shame

  • Vidya is above all current actresses like kareena,katrina,deepik etc.Just like No One Killed Jessica,Kahaani will also be Semi-hit or may be a Hit.

  • Indicine you gave Agneepath 3 and half stars and 4 stars for Kahaani??
    Agneepath was also a brilliant thriller despite of long length and not only Hrithik but all other actors gave a tremendous performance.

  • I have not seen this film so far, but some of my friends went to cinema to see KAHANI and they were speaking very high of this Bollywood motion picture/release. The theater, they say was packed to its limit, one thing is for sure, people are bound to visit the sliver screen/cinema provided something good/entertaining is shown. Since our group is linked with cine-trade/ent arts so it was satisfying to hear from close buddies that advance booking is in full steam, that mean new business. Not all the releases compel the masses and exhibitors to visit / or to watch a film, but there are exceptions to general rule and I guess it fits like a gem for this new release.

    After watching 2011 Top Bollywood Film TDP, expectations of course are very high from the elegant and graceful Vidya Balan. Same applies for me, I am admirer of Vidya Balan since the day I saw TDP, I don’t know the precise reason, but, she is a precious gem. I am pretty sure that KAHANI would also display highly talented Vidya’s performance to peak, which her fans are anxiously wait to see. Wish all the success for team of KAHANI, particularly for VB.

  • Indicine Team: the movie doesnt deserve yr rating!! 4 star!!!! c’mon, u gave 3 star to a brilliant interesting film like Agneepath and 4 star for a film which is only a pastime and nothing better than No One Killed Jessica!! I don’t agree with yr rating. I would laugh now because ppl r really blind when a film does v well at the box office or when someone wins their heart!! in India, the audience is looking for entertainment.. entertainment.. entertainment.. and this is ( no entertainment for them!!) no comedy, no songs, no action like the movie Agneepath or Ghajini or Wanted.. this film is a boring film for them.. in the 2nd half I was going to sleep!!!

    Actually I didn’t hv any plan to go and see this film coz I thought I’d watch it on a dvd and it’s not worth paying money and see it on a big screen, but was bored today so decided to see it.. it’s as I expected.. a pastime film with a good performance by Vidya Balan, but it’s a one time watch only.. and the audience wl go for sure to watch this film after V Balan became a super actress and grabed all the awards as the best actress this year, and after her dirty picture and the super success..but.. in the next week, it won’t sustain.

    What I loved in this film 1) she looked beautiful as a pregnant woman and portrayed well, very natural looking 2) loved the ending

    T

  • Kahaani is a fantastic movie,its different from all other movies crap and really nail beating film.
    And this again vidya balan did it.!

  • i mean…whoever thinks don2 or agneepath is a better muvi than kahani r d biggest craps..those films r nothing more than a dialogue show..kahani is an amazin film..it proves that u dnt need item numbrs or sex scenes to make a heart winning muvi..i rate it 4.5/5..

  • A question here: do u all use this name (Arnab)? Vidya’s husband’s name in the movie? when I saw the trailer for first time..and they asked her: what’s yr husband’s name, and she replied: Arnab, couldn’t control myself laughing!

    In Arab world, Arnab is called for Rabbit, so pls spread this that noone would call their kids with this name!

  • We make films for India and hindu land and not for wanna be arbi suckers. Only Pakistanis care for arbi names!! So you must be a porki guy coming on indian site and watching indian movies. split personalities!!

  • hey.. u guys.. r u asleep or what?!!! well for sure no indian wl watch arabic films because they don’t understand Arabic.. right or wrong, and the Arabic films aren’t translated into hindi or Enlgish, there4 u guys can’t watch them because u can’t understand them! but we, Persian, Arab, Western, different nationalities in this world would watch bollywood, hollywood and tollywood, and that’s because we do understand the language and we enjoy these films.. can u stop ppl from watching indian films?!! you’ll be idiot if u would do so!

    What I meant is that calling yr kids or any member in yr family with a name which is called in some other languages for animals is not nice, just wanted to make u aware of it..and I think that thousands of indian ppl r living in Gulf Arabia and Middle East.. imagine if your name is Arnab.. and u r living in Saudi Arabia or Qatar, you go to a company or any institution and they would ask you: your name please.. and you’d reply: Arnab.. and then.. see the reaction, would be: hahahaha!!!

  • @arabi fathiya u dont hav 2 think of us! Thnk u! We indians r self sufficient! We dont seek advices 4m ppl who belong to a country of terrorists,mafia n undeveloped landscape! Few skyscrapers dont make a developed n educatd natiön..n yes d rabits in ur country shud feel proud then coz they hav such a name! We indians dont need 2 feel ashamed! So get ur arse off 4m here!

  • Fathiya, i apologise for ganguly’s bad behaviourr on behalf of all indians….here in india we are secular…just a few fundamentalists like this one here….pls igore him

  • @kala do u knw why british f*cked our arse 4 200yrs? Jst coz we indians dont mind if sum outperson says nonsense abt indian cultures n traditions! We meekly bow our head n follow them! Its nt abt anti secularism am speaking abt…its abt emtnl n cultural integrity we all belong to! If USA has prospered in present wrld then its coz they dnt mind f**king d arse of ppl who raise voice against them! Am nt compelling india 2 becum usa coz india is d largest secular cum fedral nation on d globe! N as an indian am proud of it! All we hav 2 is fyt 3rd party nonsense who speak against our emtnz 4 no reason!

  • n xcuse me I believe that pluralistic secularism, in
    the long run, is a more deadly poison
    than straightforward persecution.

  • hahahaha.. so the terrorism is – only – in Arab countries!!!!!!! what about u guys.. hindu muslims fighting over the years, and bomb blasts every 2 or 3 years!!! did An Arab guy do all this?!! what about America who sells and encourages the terrorism everywhere sps in Arab world for their own benefit?!! Aren’t they some criminals and no. one criminals in this world?!!!

    Anyways.. rude ppl everywhere, specially on this website.. noone (wants) to hear anything negative even if it was like an advice, so we get a slap on our face!! shame on you guys!! u must thank me that I am not an indian from yr country and would come online to share with u my opinions for yr bollywood movies!

  • @fathiya u must undrstnd d diff b/w terrorism n insurgency…anywaz nvr mind! And @jake what hollywood muvis r all abt? Pissing sci-fis? I cant stop laughing when i see a spider biting a guy n d guy turns in2 a spiderman! ROFLMAO!

  • Saikat bro leave dat gal..let her run her mouth 24 hrs..we knw dat kahaani is a gr8 movie..i think she must watch ”MERI SALI KI DEVAR KI BIWI KI BEHEN KI BETE KI hot SALI” its all entertainment thr hehehe

  • Hey guys,Kahaani is an overrated film because it was not engaging as some critics were saying.Vidya balan once again shines here but not movie.It is even higher overrated than porn film TDP.

  • Yao thanks saikat bro :) amio ekjon bangali..aar ekjon bangali konodin aar ekjon bangali ke embaress hote dkhte pare na

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