Kahaani (Bluray) (2012)

This has happened to me only a few times in my entire life that I went to watch a film that no one wrote a lot about, with zilch expectations but right from the first reel I was glued and struck by the awesomeness that a well made film can truly create. Kahaani is one of such films and interestingly stars Vidya Balan, who seems to have discovered a magic ability to find stories that not only work but create box office magic i.e. Paa, Ishqiya, No One Killed Jessica and Dirty Picture. A true suspense movie with many twists and turns is a story about seven month pregnant Vidya Bagchi ( Vidya Balan) who arrives in Kolkata from London to look for her missing husband Arnab Bagchi ( Indraneil Sengupta). She reaches a dead end everywhere she looks as there is no absolute trace that her husband ever existed. The cops advise her to go back. However rookie sub-inspector Rana ( Parabrata Chattopadhyay) assist her in finding her husband. As the viewer gets sucked in this search with Vidya, you will also find the city of Kolkata riveting as I did. It serves as a great background and is beautifully photographed by Setu with an outstanding background score by Clinton Cerejo. The opening scenes are terrific and do not miss it, (I saw this film in a theater and I noticed that people entering the theater, after these scenes has passed. I wondered if they were able to figure out the entire film because these are crucial scenes) The second half is a little raw but the last 20 minutes are mind blowing and sensational as the ending is quite unexpected. The writing and the direction are extraordinary, Sujoy Ghosh and Advaita Kala's, story and Suresh Nair and Nikhil Vyas , screenplay have done a fantastic job. Vidya Balan notches up yet another brilliant performance, her eyes have the right amount of intensity and vulnerability to deliver this difficult role. There are so many characters and some of them are herrings but all a crucial part of this film. Kahaani is a story that is well told and interesting and watching with a amazing script which delivers surprises and shocks. Mystery fans celebrate, after a hiatus a truly rocking film celebrates this genre. Five stars. 3/21/2012

Whilst the current trend in Bollywood consists of unimaginative remakes and no-brainer sequels, 'Kahaani' comes as a huge relief!

Not only is it a brave attempt in giving us a heavily pregnant lead heroine in the day and age of the obligatory Sheila's and Munni's, but it also manages to hook the audience with that 1 magical, key ingredient SCRIPT!

This superbly written film packs in enough layers and twists to keep the audience involved.

It's compelling cinema, which displays glimmers of warmth one moment, jaw dropping revelations the next!

A kahaani this enjoyable, demands to be seen, to be experienced, as giving away any plot devices would be unforgivable.

Director Sujoy Ghosh deserves to be applauded for not compromising on his conviction by sparing us the compulsory item song or random special appearance by a `star' to draw in the crowds.

Instead, the film relies on its solid script, gripping narrative and arresting performance by the supremely talented Vidya Balan!

Although essentially a female centric film, it doesn't take away from the sharp performance by Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Khan or the sensitive, thoughtful character, Rana, played by Parambrata Chatterjee.

The crisp cinematography and background score also work in giving this thriller that extra edge.

Another huge bonus is the haunting rendition of `Ekla Chalo Re' by Amitabh Bachchan, which makes the experience all the more enjoyable.

Strongly recommended!

Buy Kahaani (Bluray) (2012) Now

Where to start? I just finished watching this movie, and I'm still trying to put into words my experience. I mean forget about the brilliant directing, wonderful script, excellent choice of choosing Kolkata as not just a city but as a living entity; the mere presence of Vidya Balan is worth giving this movie a view. From the very beginning, this movie gets a hold of you in such a way that it gets very hard to pause the video any do anything else. Kolkata is portrayed as it should be big, confusing, poverty ridden... rich, caring, colorful; the list goes on. The city is used a wonderful back drop to the actual story of helplessness, confusion, being lost, and sadness. *I am at the lack of words again.. Its very hard to put into a sentence(s) the genius that has been achieved here*. Again, the acting capabilities of Vidya Balan cannot be praised enough. We saw glimpses of it in Ishqiya, were treated with a full featured trailer in No One Killed Jessica, got a healthy serving in The Dirty Picture, but this movie is over flowing with evidence of that gift given to Balan. Not a dull moment when Balan's on screen. It is she and she alone that has pushed this film to #45 on the IMDB's list of Top 50 Thrillers (3 stops below Blade Runner). And the ending..... speechless.... You need to watch it yourself to believe it.

Over all, this movie has become one of my all time favorites. I will really be looking forward to more screen miracles from the director Sujoy Ghosh; Balan needs no mentioning, it goes without saying.

Btw, no matter what... I've definitely going to Kolkata the next time I go to India...

Read Best Reviews of Kahaani (Bluray) (2012) Here

The reviews of this film under DVD tell ALL about this movie and the impressive career now in progress of screen actress Vidya Balan. Those of you that have not caught Balan in ISHQIYA Ishqiya can also trace back her screen persona which is fully developed in KAHAANI.

What drew me to this film was the description of the filming and how this use of modern HD Video would result in a final Blu-ray product.

Those cinematographers who are shooting in video are ideally positioned to create what Blu-ray was intended to dogo directly from video to video without that film interface copying step.

Many Blu-ray products out there that can't avoid being digitally mastered from an existing print, which may make them seem little better than their much less expensive DVD cousins. Blu-ray offerings from film prints are advantaged by using advances in mastering technologies over the ones used at the time of the existent DVD on the market, now maybe 10 or 20 years old.

What is worth paying for is all video-to-video Blu-ray, and KAHAANI is just that, a spectacularly modern and impressive cinema adventure into mystery and film making.

More over this Blu-ray offering is free of region coding and will play anywhere in the world, even on my older Samsung (2009) player.

Check out this advance in Indian film-making and revel in the experience of its offering. No other film reveals Kolkata (Calcutta) like this, not even Mani Ratnam's YUVA Yuva which was my favorite until now, and was not offered in Blu-ray.

As a postscript, this movie does have music, though not the usual breakaway stage for song or dancing. This is a serious genre bounded presentation. But there is considerable Bengali interest in the film score. The most outstanding for me was the credits trailer which is a piece sung affectionately by the "unofficial spokesperson for Indian Affairs while he is alive", as I like to call him, Amitabh Bachchan. He sings a beautiful piece whose song and lyric was originally written by Rabindranath Tagore, with which another vocalist does alternate verse repeats in English. Wow wow!!

This, and many more aspects of the film, consolidate the necessary emotional existence and weight to this mystery of a terrorist to make it much more than just a action/mystery film.

Want Kahaani (Bluray) (2012) Discount?

As far as I know this version of the Blu Ray has a permanent watermark marring the picture from start to finish. Watermarks are not acceptable on a high quality product. They don't stop piracy and annoy the hell out of the paying customers who want to see the film and nothing else. This watermark business has to stop.