“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.