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Kahani2
Welcome to the cold, dark, uncomfortable world where there are lies, damn lies and pretensions galore to live around them- in pristine surroundings and teak-wood lined interiors! Sujoy Ghosh's Kahani 2 is as much like his original Kahani as chalk and cheese! Both have a Bengali setting, therefore the consequent atmospherics, and Vidya Balan in the lead. But that's where the comparison ends. But comparisons are odious, na?
So Vidya Sinha lives with her wheel-chair bound daughter in a shabby tenement in down market Chandan nagar, trying desperately to take her to America for treatment so she can walk. Unfortunately the daughter gets kidnapped and Vidya meets with an accident that leaves her comatose, albeit temporarily, the small town doctor ( and film director) are quick to point out! So as a viewer your interest is kept alive, knowing she's going to come around eventually, and while the film moves back and forth into the dark recesses of Vidya's past as Durga Rani Singh and her present as a struggling mother, you keep getting further and further into cold, dark, dingy places with very unpalatable realities!
The central theme of the film is very unconventional, child abuse, and the Director needs to be applauded for his sensitive and careful treatment of the same, even though it tends to be quite direct in parts! As a society where we teach our children to respect relatives and build relationships, like Kaam Wali Aunty and Rickshey Wale Bhaiya to Padose wale Uncle, we forget that we are somewhere disabling them from identifying the dangers that lurk around with any association! Even at that securest of places- home! And the price is paid by the children! The story is told through a diary written by Vidya and read by Inderjeet Singh, the IO, played by Arjun Rampal, who is assigned to investigate her accident case! That he happened to be her husband in the past is purely incidental! Or, maybe it is meant to provide a rationale for the later conduct of IO.
The movie begins very well, almost brilliant in parts, but unfortunately meanders through on very slippery paths! The biggest strength of the movie is undoubtedly Vidya Balan, but so is Arjun Rampal. He looks every inch the part of a cynical cop, who cares two hoots about CrPC or IEA! To him extending a helping hand to people in distress is far more important than following some crazy procedure which helps no one -neither the accused, nor the victim nor even the State-and achieves nothing. Vidya Balan turns in another superlative performance, but that's her habit!
The Cineplex was EMPTY when we walked in! By and by a dozen or 2 people took their seats. At the end I wasn't quite surprised at the empty seats! Such dark, macabre themes are not everyone's cup of tea! You decide if you can handle it! I certainly came out with a massive sense of melancholia: this ain't no planet for little girls!
