Kahaani (2012)

Directed By - Sujoy Ghosh
Starring - Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Saswata Chatterjee, Kharaj Mukherjee, Indraneil Sengupta, Abir Chatterjee, Dhritimaan Chatterjee, Darshan Zariwala, Nawazuddin Siddique, "Kolkata"

In one of the early scenes of Sujoy Ghosh's "Kahaani" we see a cab driver comment on how it is the first time he is driving a customer to the police station directly from the airport. This sets the tone of the unique story of "Bidda" Bagchi and the unique atmosphere that Ghosh crafts around it.

As is known to most Kahaani is the story about pregnant (read very pregnant) Vidya Bagchi (Balan) who comes to Kolkata from London in search for her missing husband, Arnab Bagchi, who arrived in the city on an 'assignment' two months prior. She files a complaint and finds an able companion in Sub Inspector Satyaki aka Rana (Parambrata). The trail goes cold with most people denying the very existence of Arnab Bagchi until the sudden realisation of one of the supposed employers of her husband triggers a deadly cat and mouse game. The Intelligence bureau gets involved,desperate to hide few 'dirty secrets' of their own. A paid assassin (saswata) goes round finishing off one by one the people who can lead Vidya to her husband. Anything more is a giveaway.

The fact that i have named Kolkata as a star in the film will be very obvious to anyone who sees the film. Much like Mumbai became a character in Kiran Rao's "Dhobi Ghaat" or Washington became a character in Oliver Stone's "JFK", Kolkata is a (very important) character in Kahaani. Sujoy Ghosh does not show the glossy side of Kolkata nor does he show the under privileged Kolkata, instead showing the Kolkata we see everyday with people sleeping on the street, with their regular adda sesions in tea stalls, in the absolute mayhem of metro's and minibuses. He displays the magnificent spirit and passion this city has. Right from the people refusing to pronounce Vidya correctly to the impish errand boy who befriends Vidya, Ghosh displays the warmth this city exudes. Ghosh's vision of Kolkata is of a culturally alive city where everything from nosiness to absolute indifference has a certain level of comfort and warmth. It truly made me fall in love with this city all over again.

Of the cast, Parambrata puts up a commendable act as the rookie cop who aides Vidya. It is easily the most important role after Balan's and Parambrata displays just what a seasoned actor he is. With the supporting cast Ghosh pulls off what could be considered an ensemble in terms of Bengali Cinema. From Satyajit Ray favourites to modern day theatre actors Ghosh gathers the best of the best. Dhritimaan Chatterjee has precious little to do as the IB Chief but his sheer personality lights up the screen. Kharaj Mukherjee as the lethargic officer in charge potrays humourously the state and attitude of policemen in Kolkata but the best performance from the supporting cast is that of Saswata Chatterjee. Saswata plays a LIC agent by morning and paid assassin by night (a unique combination to start with) by the name of Bob Biswas. Biswas's style is to first greet his targets courteously and then shoot them in cold blood. From the way he walks to the way he expresses himself, Saswata creates an unique antagonist on the lines of The Joker. Saswata Chatterjee is easily the biggest surprise of the film. But as one would have expected the film is primarily pulled through by a stunning 'Bidda' (Kolkata's version of Vidya) Balan. From the first frame to last Balan captivates you with the power of emoting. Vidya balan plays a vulnerable yet determined woman with elan and this performance assures her even more silverware. Vidya Balan proves yet again that when it comes to performance she is way ahead of her contemporaries (male and female)

At 128 minutes Kahaani is compact and far from boring. Ghosh displays a rare sense of pace that is so lacking in our directors (read karan johar and Ashutosh Gowariker). With not a single item song or random jig, Ghosh lets the story take the front seat and how. While there are a lot of flaws when you retrace your steps, it is shielded by Ghosh's powerful direction. After dismal failures in the form of "Home Delivery" and "Alladin" Sujoy Ghosh finally hits the nail with his fourth screen outing. It is a film made from the heart and is evident in every frame. Another commendable feature of this film that is lacking in most other films is the detailing. Every character serves his or her purpose in Vidya's journey and not a single character is uselessly wasted (another thing you should keep in mind if you plan to crack the mystery before it is panned out). Another beauty of this film is how Ghosh uses real crowd situations in Kolkata to create the tension in the scenes. Notice the climax which is shot during Dashami.

In all Kahaani is a message that with directors like Sujoy Ghosh we shall soon reach newer heights of cinematic brilliance. This is a must watch not only for the thrilling moments that pan out but also because its a film that has stellar performances and will make you fall in love with the city of joy
Rating - 9.0/10

Don 2 (2011)

 

Directed By - Farhan Akhtar

Starring - Shahrukh Khan, Boman Irani, Kunal kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Om Puri, Nawwab Shah, Aly Khan 

In one of the scenes in the much awaited sequel. Don in the disguise of Hrithik Roshan (in a cameo) dances with his arch nemesis Roma (Chopra) out of pure indulgence. Although the film tries to pass off the 6 foot tall star as the roughly 5 ft 10 inch superstar, it can easily be called one of the most intense scenes in the film and who can do that except Farhan Akhtar!.

Don 2 starts off where the earlier film left off and we see that Don (Khan) has become the 'betaaj badshah' of the Asian drug cartel and is looking to expand his empire to Europe. This majorly pisses off his European counterparts who formulate the plan to kill him. In an amazingly orchestrated entry scene Don is seen fighting off the henchmen sent to kill him in Malaysia. He gives himself up to the Interpol in a bid to save his life and demands Immunity in return for giving valuable information about the drug underworld. But in reality his plan is to get into the prison free Vardhan(Irani) who has in his possession a key to a swiss bank locker. The information stored helps Don and his unlikely ally Vardhan to blackmail a Leading Banker (Aly Khan) who in turn will help them execute an elaborate heist. I dont wish to give out any further plot detail not because it holds a brilliant twist but rather so that you can go and enjoy it for yourself.

One of the biggest strengths of the Don 2 is its realistic combat sequences. Whether it is hand to hand or ammunition it is well crafted and the professionalism and slickness of Hollywood technicians shows in every scenes. Another major high of the film is its excellent dialogues (which Akhtar is famous for) the dialogues in turn helps us to further understand Don's twisted mind and self obsession (delivered in an ultra cool fashion by Shah Rukh Khan). the film has its share of major hiccups. The plot is not as exciting as the first film and in the end becomes a lavish heist film which could have been done independently without the characters of Don and Vardhan etc etc.Another major problem with the film is its plot shifts(especially in the penultimate moments where Don joins hands with the police only with a bigger plan in mind) although they are very smart done they are unnecessary. While the first half is tight the second half suffers from slow pace and predictability but is overshadowed by meticulously crafted thrilling action sequences.

Of the cast, Boman Irani is surprisingly the weakest link with an act which over the top to say the least. While his Vardhan is a hot head and brash criminal i am sure there were better ways to potray (because remember Vardhan did show his elusive nature in the first film). Lara Dutta has precious little to do as Don's Moll Ayesha but looks stunning in every film. Om Puri is underused and gets lost in the camaraderie.Kunal Kapoor is refreshing but again has precious little to do. Priyanka Chopra once again delivers a winning performance as Interpol agent/Don's arch nemesis Roma although towards the end the uncanny chemistry between her and Don seems forced. The film is pulled through by Shahrukh Khan. After a disappointing  performance in Ra.one the superstar comes back with a bang. Shahrukh plays Don with  uber coolness and an unputdownable charm. Just as the first film,  Don is a self-obsessed and calculating criminal but Khan adds a fresh new angle to Don, that of indulgence. He plays out the chemistry with Roma finely which leaves audience guessing long after the curtains are down about the exact nature of his relationship with Roma. As he himself remarks that Roma is a bad habit that he cant seem to let go. At 46 the superstar proves why he is where he is (which is understood by the unending claps and whistles at his every dialogue in a  multiplex). If Don 2 works it works solely due to this one man.

Farhan Akhtar experiments wildly with Don 2 whether it is the character graphs or the plotline. While some are commendable some fail to hit the mark. But then again no director would be able to handle and understand the franchise as well as he does.

In All, Don 2 has its share of flaws but the slickness and style and the absolute charm of the reigning superstar ,makes it worth a watch.

Rating - 7.0/10