Vidya ki Kahaani.

Hola,

    Does Sunday’s comes so soon every week or are we so busy running around in our lives that we don’t have time to wait and breath in each and every day? I guess living an urban life we all have forgotten how important it is to live each and every day to the fullest, always remember that filmy dialogue “kya pata kal ho na ho."

Ok that was just a Sunday filmy thought from me, getting away from philosophy and coming back to movies, on Friday I went for Kahaani 2. I almost had butterflies in my stomach, trying to guess what’s its about? Will there be jaw dropping suspense? Has Sujoy Ghosh kept the Vidya buzz going? Bought the tickets and went for a show as early as possible.

The film instigates in Chandan Nagar, a small town we can say near Kolkatta, Vidya Sinha (Vidya Balan), a single mother who has a handicapped daughter Mini and is prepping to take her to USA for her treatment. The plot begins when she is kidnapped and the circumstances created put you in darkness and lots of questions running through one’s mind.

Inderjeet Singh (Arjun Rampal) who has just been posted there a few days back and is living with his wife Rashmi (Manini Chaddha) and a small daughter, is given the charge of the case and through investigation he finds out a diary in Vidya Sinha’s house, the diary has a history attached to it and reveals lots of clues from past including the relation between Durga Rani Singh and Inderjeet and her other love interest Arun (Tora Roy Choudhary) in Kalimpong to her past job to Mini Dewan to Mohit Dewan(Jugal Hansraj), the Baddie. There are lots of characters you learn through that small diary who have done complete justice to their roles. First half of the film is like a roller coaster ride, between revealing and hiding things.

Post interval one is all provoked to see what happens next, then comes the avatar of Durga Rani Singh fighting for Mini and how she achieves it all. There was nothing much to explore in the second half or maybe it was predictable. After the first half, second half of the film surely gives you a jhatka of letting down. I was expecting a big revelation like Vidya’s fake pregnant belly in the first one and that scene I can never forget where the villain almost pushes her in front of the train. Whether you call it masala or suspense, it was missing.

There is not much of music in the film but love Mehram song. The production design of the film by Kaushik Das and Subrata Barik is outstanding, from the spaces in Kalimpong to the local tiny houses; it makes you feel the characters through it. Costumes are handled by Darshan Jalan and again have done an exceptional job on it.

He has clearly managed to translate director’s vision seamlessly by building character’s sketches beautifully with the help of costumes, which is a tough task. Vidya aka Durga Rani Singh in her early days is seen in very basic salwar kameez and shirt kurtas with long sweaters, which is a little tight on her, with local, stole shawls. You can see the stole shawls haven't been washed for long and are dirty. There was so much attention to detailing. Her outfits were aged so well and gave the right sense of timeworn. Then with shift in time, very ordinary cotton saris are introduced, with all the sweat and travel there was dirt and it was crushed and old with that typical bag and those sunglasses. The color story of the film was very basic and neutral and was maintained throughout. No make up and wavy hair which looks like is barely combed once in a while shows the idea of  not putting in efforts to look good. Hat’s off to Vidya Balan for carrying off those costumes and not making us feel even for a second that it’s just a mere character. Her gestures, her walk and her actions so effortlessly are a cherry on the cake.

Inderjeet being a Police person had his uniform as costume most of the times. Whenever he was at home, he was seen wearing very ordinary pajamas or tracks and that typical striped polo t-shirts. His wife had those standard mix and match kurtas with churidars and those brown colored nighties women usually wear.

The poise and grandeur of the Dewans was also showcased quite well. From Mohit’s Suits and fancy clean knits to Mohit’s mothers Raw silk well-pleated Saris with that hairstyle it was all rich and perfect.

Mini as a kid was seen in all sorts or colored knits to frocks with stockings and leggings to later growing up to wear more mature clothing.

Continuity of the costumes was handled extremely well and didn’t give a sense of false even once.

The bar was set so high from the first one that there were lots of expectations from its second edition, which was obviously a little let down. But one can surely watch Kahaani 2 for the power packed performance by Vidya Balan and all the efforts by the cast and crew.

Happy Sundays.

Love,

Cine Closet.