Directed by Sujoy Ghosh, Kahaani 2 stars Vidya Balan and Arjun Rampal in the lead roles. Kahaani 2 is the sequel to the film Kahaani and Vidya Balan is back as Durga Rani Singh in this instalment. All of us had high expectations from this sequel and we are not disappointed. Vidya Balan and Arjun Rampal have given brilliant performances. Vidya Balan like the earlier instalment fits very well in the character and she delivers exactly what is expected from her. Arjun Rampal does justice to his role as a cop and is assigned with the task of finding Vidya Sinha (Vidya Balan) who is charged with Kidnapping and murder of a person. Jugal Hansraj fails to mark any impression with his brief character. Had Sujoy Ghosh worked much on his character, he would have been a good character to watch out for in the movie. The story has been placed very intelligently by the director with enough suspense in the first half and much predictable twists in the second half. The background score is bit haunting and is bound to give you some chills especially with mysterious dialogue delivery in some scenes. The screenplay is very well justified with the story and the cinematography is impactful enough to create that much needed suspense and curiousness. On the whole, Kahaani 2 is a must watch especially for the stunning performances delivered by Vidya Balan, Arjun Rampal and for Sujoy Ghosh commendable direction.

Vidya Balan is back. As Durga Rani Singh, the protagonist of Kahaani 2, which is not a sequel to the first part, but a stand-alone second instalment of a series that director Sujoy Ghosh is interested in fashioning. Kahaani 2 has one of the best first halves I’ve seen in a while. Not one frame is wasted as the set-up is introduced and teased out: a woman with a painful past encounters a young girl with whom she senses a strange bond. The pace slackens. The action becomes clunky, and some glaring contrivances crop up, and the meant-to-be-humorous bits between Rampal and his rotund boss become less and less funny. And then the film starts telegraphing its punches: you know, well before it is a wrap, how it will end. There can be nothing worse for a thriller. After Kahaani, which took us into a fresh space, this one disappoints. If Ghosh does plan on making a third, he’ll have to up his game considerably.

This sequel directed by Sujoy Ghosh after a gap of four years is a whodunit that definitely serves up intrigue, but fails to keep a tight grip on proceedings throughtout its duration. So unlike the first part, that hit the ground running and set a benchmark in the genre, this one lacks the shark-bite. Here it is important to say that the film works because Vidya the mother or Durga the murderer are both believable and solid characters. As is the cop piecing the mystery together. And, to give out anything more about the plot is unfair. Shot majorly at night and on real locations, the film has the authentic texture. If you fell in love with Kolkata in the 2012 outing, you will love Kalimpong here. The background score gives stomach-knots (as it must) and the camera work is good. Vidya, shorn of make-up and glamour breezes through her dual role in autopilot mode. Arjun impresses as the cop hankering for a promotion and is believable as the husband. If you have an appetite for thrillers (albeit, with some flaws) give this one a try.