Critics’ Verdict: ‘Kahaani 2’ Is Gripping and Vidya Balan Is Good

Check out how critics are reacting to Sujoy Ghosh’s thriller ‘Kahaani 2’

Film: Kahaani 2
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Vidya Balan, Arjun Rampal

Excerpts from reviews of Kahaani 2:

The premise succeeds largely because of Balan, who turns in one of her strongest performances in recent years. Hugely believable as both Vidya and Durga, the actress plays doughty and determined as only she can. There isn’t a false note in her portrayal of a strongly maternal woman who makes questionable choices to reach her goals. There are also neat turns from Jugal Hansraj, Amba Sanyal and Kharaj Mukherjee and a winning portrayal of corrupted innocence from the young Mini, played by Naisha Khanna. The movie lacks Kahaani’s balance of thrills and humour, but it has the same spirit of righteous anger and faith in a female actor’s ability to take charge of a situation. Ghosh shopped the script to other actors before going back to Balan, and the movie is the better for it.

Nandini Ramnath (Scroll.in)

Though Kahaani 2 has none of the memorable detailing of satellite characters that made Kahaani outstanding (where are you, Bob Biswas?) it is unobtrusively insightful in its own way. The long-term effects of sexual abuse, victim blaming, the politics in the police establishment and small-town life are all dealt with effectively. I enjoyed the sweetness of the brief romance between Vidya/Durga and her beau Arun (Tota Roy Choudhury, nice!), his kindness to her and his non-aggressive wooing. And there is a refreshing, believable normalcy in the relationship between Inderjeet and his wife played by the sprightly debutant Manini Chadha. The big let-down in Kahaani is the writing of the climax, whether viewed in isolation or in comparison with its remarkable predecessor.

Anna MM Vetticad (Firstpost.com)

Set in Calcutta, Chandan Nagar and Kalimpong, Kahaani 2 has the bones of a fine thriller, and I enjoyed Tapan Basu’s murky cinematography, shadowy and quick, leaving a lot of the actual action to our imagination. The idea of a woman refusing to let the truth die is compelling, and Balan is perfectly cast in the lead. Yet the film ultimately rings hollow. Ghosh throws in too much red herring bhaaja and, teasing twists that could have given us some final drama, shies away from a satisfying finish.

Raja Sen (Rediff.com)