Vidya Balan carries a taut Kolkata thriller that mostly holds its nerve.
Verdict tier Recommended, most critics liked it, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
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Critic consensus
Critical reception for Kahaani is strongly positive, with reviewers broadly describing it as a gripping, well-executed thriller. Vidya Balan's central performance draws consistent praise across reviews, with several critics also highlighting the supporting cast, Sujoy Ghosh's direction, and the film's tight editing and cinematography as standout elements. The Kolkata setting is frequently noted as effectively rendered. A small number of critics flag minor weaknesses, including a slight loss of narrative momentum in the second half and a perceived niche appeal limited to more discerning audiences.
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 11 critic reviews · may contain errors
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Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
The first-rate performances help steer it to shore - from Vidya Balan to Parambrata Chattopadhyay to Nawazuddin Siddiqui who plays a hard-nosed IB agent and Saswata Chatterjee who plays the insurance agent. Balan, quite effortlessly, manages to be both vulnerable and resilient. So despite the loopholes, Kahaani fulfills what it sets out to do and keeps you hooked and guessing. Which in itself is no small accomplishment.
Top critic
Film review ·
In the end, 'Kahaani' feels longer than its 115 minutes running time, partly because there is no escape from its gritty tone. Yet the suspense remains consistently tight, and the story well-executed. A word also for the haunting background score that only adds to the mood of the film. I'm going with three-and-a-half out of five for director Sujoy Ghosh's 'Kahaani'. The film delivers on its promise, and keeps you guessing until the end. It's a delicious thriller – don't miss it.
Top critic
Film review ·
Ghosh, who gave us a couple of trashy films after his sparkling debut, 'Jhankaar Beats', is back with a story with a strong sense of place and character. He loses his grip a little in the second-half, but this `kahaani', overall, has enough for a sit-down-and-watch.
Film review ·
There's nothing excessive in Kahaani; everything is just right — the pace, the length, the drama. It's the work of a group of well-intentioned and able technicians who work together in harmony to carve out an unblemished piece of cinema. Namrata Rao's editing is watertight, while Setu's cinematography captures Kolkata's sights and sounds brilliantly.
Film review ·
KAHAANI is a thriller which you just cannot miss. Sujoy Ghosh goes about unraveling the mystery of Vidya Bagchi's (Vidya Balan) missing husband with such neat detailing that the trump card he reveals in the end is like a swift blow to the Solar Plexus. It catches you unawares and leaves you short of breath. Stupendous. Take a bow, Sujoy Ghosh. Book your ticket, and brace yourself for an unforgettable ride. I'm going to watch it again.
Film review ·
While the truth is that most women would love to see their husbands 'missing', such is not the case with the dusky Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan), whose search for her husband, Arnab Bagchi lands her bang amidst mysterious men and baffling clues in an unknown, sometimes unfriendly city.
Film review ·
KAHAANI is a captivating recount from its commencement to conclusion.On the whole, KAHAANI works big time because Vidya Balan makes it come alive. It is several notches above the stuff we've been subjected to in the past. The movie triumphs in evoking emotions. You experience compassion, resentment, defenselessness and triumph at a variety of stages. A wonderful movie-going experience, you come out feeling a sense of pride, pleasure and fulfillment after having watched KAHAANI. Just do not miss it. Hugely recommended!
Film review ·
"Kahaani" is one of those rare films that can easily lay claim to being a game-changer. And yet the narrative makes no claims. The destiny of the protagonist is charted in a breathless sweep of urgently persuasive episodes that tumble out as though God wrote Vidya Bagchi's screenplay. Enthralling, absorbing and engaging the narrative never resorts to italicized emotions to get our attention. We are hooked unconditionally from scene one. We surrender to Vidya's journey. She gives us no choice.
Film review ·
Sly, gripping and taut, Kahaani is much too enjoyable to find flaws. This is, without doubt, Sujoy Ghosh's best work so far. Go watch it.
Film review ·
Kahaani is an amazing product AND a great entertainer. Watch it for Sujoy who delivers his best till date. Watch it for aamhar Kolkata which looks dangerous and sexy. Watch it for Vidya, who like music director Shekhar said, is the new hero.
Film review ·
What's Good: The engaging suspense drama; the performances.What's Bad: The narrative style which will appeal mostly to the class audience.Verdict: Kahaani is an engaging and entertaining movie.Loo break: None.Watch or Not?: Watch it because it's an intelligent thriller told in a novel way.
From our readers
42 ratings · user score 7.7
Believable characters and dialogue, good premise and an unpredictable plot keep you deeply engaged throughout. Vidya Balan shines in her role as Bidya Bagchi and proves yet again that she is one of the most versatile actors in the industry today.
When you start watching a thriller, you expect lots of edge of the seat moments, no unnecessary sub plots, an array of mysterious yet interesting characters, ability to make you guessing throughout the movie and above all an ending that surprises you by a distance. Kahaani is that sort of a thriller drama which fulfil all your expectations without dropping the momentum throughout. From the word go, Kahaani engages you into its drama and never let you go until the credit starts falling down. As expected from Vidya Balan, she carries the movie over her shoulders and makes every scene convincing and entertaining. But she is not alone, the characters such as soft hearted inspector Rana and arrogant but purposeful inspector Khan provide their full support in making movie an interesting and thrilling watch. Shot beautifully, the movie works as a tribute to the city of Kolkata. The names of the key characters like Vidya Bagchi, Arnav Bagchi and Milind Daamji will remain with you even after few days of watching the movie. Last but not the least, credit goes to writer-director Sujoy Ghosh (Jhankar Beats fame so far) for top-notch grip on the narrative. After watching Kahaani, it's hard to believe that same person gave us duds like Home Delivery and Aladin. This is a genuine thriller from bollywood after a long time. It shall be remembered in coming time as Mastery in Mystery.
The 59th National Film awards were announced just a few days back & Vidya Balan picked up her first for her brilliant performance in "The Dirty Picture". Frankly speaking, I expect her to secure a couple more in her career. It wouldn't be wrong to admit the fact, that she has been very particular in picking up scripts with substantial roles & showcase her prowess unlike being reduced to eye candies as others .This week Vidya dons the grease for Sujoy Ghosh's "Kahaani", whose promos has sparked curiosity. So will Vidya strike gold yet again??? Kolkata. the "City of Joy", with its varied cultural heritage is gearing up for the auspicious Durga Puja festival, when a pregnant Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan) lands at the airport from London. Her first destination was the Police Station where she files a report about her missing husband, Arnab Bagchi, who according to her had come down to National Data Centre for a software consultancy project before becoming untraceable since the past fortnight. She then make efforts to locate her husband with the help of the good Samaritan, Inspector Rana (Parambrata Chatterjee). But all her efforts draw blanks..be it the hotel where Arnab stayed or the National Data Centre, all of whom denied of even having known him. The final nail in the coffin was when the Immigration Officials at Kolkata & London also refuted her claims. So where was Arnab or does he actually exist??? After an impressive debut with "Jhankaar Beats", Sujoy Ghosh didnt have much of a credible run. But this time around, he along with Advaita Kala has come up with an impressive script which has got twists & turns in ample measure without being too hard on the grey matter. The biggest plus point is the impact that each & every character imparts together with the protagonist, along with Setu's visuals which captures Kolkata in all its forms be it the dingy alleys or the colourful festive mood. Vidya Balan has once again proved that she is indeed the best actress around as she expresses her emotions so effortlessly be it the emotionally fragile, fiercely determined or intelligent urbane lady. Parambrata Chatterjee was fantastic & on par with Vidya, while Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Khan (IB Officer) provides the caustic flavour to his character convincingly. Each of the rest of the crew deserves a word of praise as they were equally realistic & convincing. Verdict: Even prior to the release there were a couple of factors running in its favour such as interesting promos, Vidya's presence & not to forget her National Award just two days before. Now the crowd will just get bigger as the storyline is impressive with word of mouth going in its favour. Vidya has more or less assured herself of the popular awards next year as well. In short, dont miss this impressive thriller!!! Rating: 3.75/5 Regards...Ben
Your most decent watch, Kahaani works as a brilliant twisted mysterious thriller, a celebration of woman power, a celebration of the joyous city of Kolkata, a tribute to the goddess-worshipping cult of Bengal and a subtle introduction to the genre of mystery in Hindi cinema. While 'Vidya with a B' Venkateshan Bagchi makes the most powerful character in Hindi cinema as a feminist, the writing of the film is gripping. It tells the story of a mysterious woman and her tryst with the darker parts of a smiling city, a friend called Satyoki (an effective Parambrata Chatterjee), and a rowdy, waspish 'Teri Maa Ki' Khan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). It also features the celebration of Durga Puja, which makes for a strong reason why you should watch the film. Yes, with a Gaganendranath Tagore's Protima-Bishorjon inspired climax and a strong command on performances by Vidya Balan, the film makes for a compelling watch. I'm going with four out of five. Don't miss it.
Credits
Vidya BalanVidya Bagchi
Parambrata ChatterjeeSatyaki "Rana" Sinha
Nawazuddin SiddiquiKhan
Saswata ChatterjeeBob Biswas
Kharaj MukherjeeInspector Chatterjee
Dhritiman ChatterjeeBhaskaran K
Darshan JariwalaColonel Pratap Bajpayee
Indraneil SenguptaMilan Damji
Abir ChatterjeeArup Basu
Shantilal MukherjeeR. Shridhar
Kalyan ChatterjeeParesh Pal
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