Kahaani 2 (2016) User Reviews

Deeply Disturbing, Oddly Satisfying

[ayanpal1 · 8/10 · 2 December 2016]

Kaahani 2 is a thriller-drama with a strong message, and a story that is in no way connected to Kahaani. Starring Vidya Balan as Vidya Sinha / Durga Rani Singh - a mother in search of her kidnapped daughter Mini / a wanted fugitive, this 'who'dunnit decides to go the 'why' way by focusing on motives and identities (most of them at least), early on, and in detail.

Like its predecessor, here too the places - Chandannagar, Kalimpong, and Kolkata, end up having identities of their own and almost seem like protagonists in their own right, thanks to sound designer Anirban Sengupta and cinematographer Tapan Basu, who are superb when in comes to turning places cold, menacing, maddening, and authentic, all at the same time, and in succession. Clinton Cerejo's background score is dauntless in its effectiveness and acts as a catalyst to the duo's efforts.

This isn't a story where one gets to predict or ponder, because for a large part of the film we know who the antagonists are, and what drives them. This thus stops one from experiencing the thrill of guessing and / or deducing, and instead makes us take sides and hope for an ending that justifies that action. Hence, even though it is predictable to an extent, it is also real and grounded at all times, largely due to some excellent production design by Subrata Barik and Kaushik Das.

Yet, it is the relentless journey that glues the various elements of the story by Sujoy Ghosh and Suresh Nair together. Because, even though we know that not everything is what it seems, we are also inwardly hoping for things to go the way we expect them to.

Ignoring the convenient consequences of characters interrelated in this slice of 'scary' life tale, it is safe to say that the motives of each and every character, including the minor ones, are superbly drawn out. In the process we see actors once again become characters, who are restrained as well as resplendent.

The directorial prowess of Sujoy Ghosh is displayed effectively yet again, while an effortless Vidya Balan proves why she will continue to remain an actor to watch out for, always.

Jugal Hansraj (uncle), Tota Roy Chaudhury (lover), Amba Sanyal (grandmother) and Kharaj Mukherjee (inspector) shine in not so large but highly effective / important roles. Arjun Rampal manages to be easy on the eye and under control as far as his acting is concerned, thanks to a screenplay that ensures he is one of the most balanced characters. The child actresses playing 'Minu' are both equally effective, with the younger Naisha Khanna having a slight edge over Tunisha Sharma.

Overall, this '2' is a good 'Kaahani' and a great film that falls somewhat short of its predecessor, despite a brilliant first half, because it decides to both show as well as tell, leading to a somewhat underwhelming climax. Yet, it does enough to be guaranteed a place on any worthwhile list about the best Hindi films of 2016, and is undoubtedly, a must watch. Go for it!

This 'Vidya' is not 'Durga'.

[kamalikaray · 6/10 · 4 December 2016]

No, Kahaani 2 is not a sequel. The face is the same, but the person is different. So, very, different.

The film opens to a playful mood with an old Bollywood song playing in the background and a happy and calm 'Vidya Sinha' writing her journal, about a day well spent with her invalid daughter. They go to sleep together later, peacefully. Quite expectedly, it is the last peaceful moment of the film. Because from the next morning, Vidya's perspiring marathon begins. There is a building up of a subtle tension in the background as Vidya runs about looking super busy and tensed till the kidnap.

Kidnap, cranky phone calls and a shocking accident later, Vidya lands up in a creaky hospital, comatose. Enter the scene, Inderjeet Singh, a sub-inspector, her ex, and the hero of the film. Vidya Sinha, finally becomes Durga Rani Singh.

A diary saves the time as it narrates her story to Inderjeet. But unfortunately the diary was really serving just Inderjeet and not the audience. Because Inderjeet being her ex, knew about who Durga was, we didn't.

So we dutifully imagine and try to fill up the blanks in her story as she drops hints of a disturbed childhood, experiences of a sexual abuse and an ex-husband who hated her.

But what reason is working behind, when she forgets herself and almost obsessively starts following a little girl who she feels is going through an abuse. What happened in her own life that she is living a fugitives' life in Kalimpong in a depressing ''tin-house''. Why did her ex, Inderjeet hate her? These reasons, we never come to know.

What we do come to know is that Jugal Hansraj , to our shock, is not 'Masoom' anymore. With a moustache for support, he threats, he abuses and then very casually makes paper toys.

Joining his team, is his maniacal mother, who looks like a zombified version of the Bollywood Grandma. This grandma arranges female goons to murder people, this grandma lets her own little grandchild get abused by her son and threatens her into secrecy, and this grandma doesn't even flinch while matter-of-factly deciding to kill her! Hello? Is she mad?

This fanatic mother-son duo although manages to irritate you with their madcap activities you somehow almost miss the professional and mysterious 'Milind Damji" of Kahaani 1 who had had this dangerous 'Voldemort-ish' air throughout the film, ''the one who cannot be named''.

This pair of 'cunning mom-pervert son Asurs' is certainly not strong enough to awaken our 'Durga'.

And so, this harried Vidya Sinha aka Durga Rani Singh, remains till the end, just a stressed out helpless mother. She does NOT become the 'Durga' we expected.

People come and go in the hospital poking needles into her as and when they like. People get murdered in front of her an all she does with her ketchup-ed face, is beg for mercy. Her ex comes to her after reading about her ''dard-bhari kahaani'" and takes pity. She almost begs for help. Unlike the brilliant 'Vidya Bagchi', this one does not have any plan or agenda or confidence of her own. This 'Vidya' needs help.

There is a scene where Jugal Hansraj reincarnates, looking like a vintage era trader. It is supposed to be a serious scene,where Durga is confronting the vllain. But people in the theatre are laughing. Durga has come huffing and puffing with a bag-full of 1000 rupees notes,she shows it and tries to entice the accomplice. One is almost expecting the accomplice to say, "Yeh note ab nahi chalte Madam!'"

Kahaani 2 is a dark film. Literally and visually. You hardly see Chandannagar in the daylight and you never get to see 'the stand'. In the daytime, people remain indoors and you go out only when it's foggy enough in Kalimpong. Quite meaningfully, the light indeed comes at the end of the dark tunnel, and it is only in the last scene that one gets to see a clear sunny sky.

Tota Roy Chowdhury is a blink and miss. Manini Chadha as Inderjeet's wife has a nagging voice and her dialogues suit her tone. Kharaj Mukherjee is perfect as Haldar and provides the much needed comic relief. The errant grandma and her 'dark chocolaty'' son have acted well enough for the audience to hate them. An achievement for Jugal Hansraj. His accomplice in the kidnapping, the lady goon flutters like a disturbing mosquito in each of her scene. She is aptly quashed by a saucepan by Vidya (the first and last 'violent act' by her).

I am a fan of Vidya Balan, the actress. I love that her characters always ooze out a calm and intelligent confidence. So this 'Vidya' disappoints. Balan plays it with perfection but the character itself, is unworthy of such acting prowess.

Kahaani 2, very clearly, belongs to Inderjeet Singh aka Arjun Rampal. And this time, 'He', is the 'Durga' of the film.

The Twisted Tale

[puranjan163 · 7/10 · 4 December 2016]

After Kahaani, the expectations for the sequel was sky high; and I would say Kahaani 2 will surely not dishearten you. The plot of the movie is the story of how Durga Rani Singh (Vidya Balan) saves a helpless child from her uncle who abuses her regularly, and later from a kidnapper which is intercepted by police. The movie will keep you thrilled from the very beginning itself with lots of twists and turns and finally a typical "Kahaani" type of twist in the end.The acting of all the actors are really good and Arjun Rampal has really nailed it as a cop. Vidya Balan's role as a typical Bengali woman was also good. I do not know why the opening of this movie was bad but I think it is really a good movie, a real treat for thriller movie lovers. Go to the theaters and watch it. I can assure you, your money will not be wasted.

Kahaani​ was the mother of all stories then Kahaani 2​ is the child of old Kahaani.

[prafullasrivastav · 7/10 · 3 December 2016]

Sujoy Ghosh failed to achieve the level of thriller of first one however it was worth watching Cine Maa​ for Vidya Balan​ and Arjun Rampal. Sujoy Ghosh successfully delivered Child Abuse issue with great message like we have seen glimpse in Highway movie from Alia Bhat. Script need little more surprise elements in second half as this one was totally predictable one. Supporting roles of Jugal Hansraj , Manini Chadha and cute Tunisha Sharma were good. Music is another weak point as you will badly miss Ekla Chalo Re type song from Big B.

If Kahaani​ was the mother of all stories then Kahaani 2​ is the child of Kahaani.

Not a patch on its supposed prequel, but very enjoyable nonetheless

[Peter_Young · 7/10 · 14 February 2022]

Kahaani 2 is what they call a spiritual sequel. Here too we have a leading lady named Vidya and that's probably where the connection between the first and the second film rests. But the film is really enjoyable - a tense thriller and even more tense psychological drama, the story of which unfolds in pieces with nice twists and turns and great suspense. Now, right, the entire child abuse track is not given enough depth and is even quite simplistically handled, but then the film makes up for it with great suspense. Sujoy Ghosh shows to have quite a knack for this kind of cinema and his skill shows at all levels even if the film could have been better.

As expected, Vidya Balan is brilliant playing a woman who finds purpose in life and turns her biggest weakness into her prime strength. She is consistently in sync with her character and her involvement is very convincing. She is totally matched by Arjun Rampal, who is more of a supporting actor on paper but in actual fact he is as much a hero in this film as his female counterpart. The film ends on a nice note and it reveals the film's smart writing leading to a very good film. The film might not enjoy the aesthetic and cinematographic brilliance of its prequel but it's enjoyable from start to end and is altogether a good watch.

An Interesting Sequel!

[namashi_1 · 6/10 · 2 December 2016]

Sujoy Ghosh returns with 'Kahaani 2', after the terrific Kahaani in 2012. Well, this isn't a sequel to be honest, its the second installment in the Kahaani series. So Does Sujoy deliver this time well? The answer, is a Yes. Well...mostly!

'Kahaani 2' is an intense & interesting film, that has a superb first-hour, which keeps you at the edge of your seat. But sadly, the second-hour isn't strong enough & the predictability puts you off. Nonetheless, Sujoy keeps the narrative well-paced & the performances are uniformly excellent!

'Kahaani 2' Synopsis: When Durga Rani Singh (Vidya Balan) is charged for kidnapping a child & murdering someone, A cop (Arjun Rampal) tries to solve the mystery.

I don't want to reveal much about the film's main plot, as there some things that might spoil your viewing, but I'd say that Durga Rani Singh's fight for the child is nicely built-up & a very shocking twist in the first-hour, truly terrifies you. You root for Durga, without doubt! Sujoy keeps the twists coming in well, although post-interval, the twists get predictable & the culmination is a little too long. I enjoyed Durga Rani Singh's character & even the Cop is quite a to-the-point hero. Even the sub-plots are fairly good & don't come in the way of the main-plot. But for any thriller, the narrative should not lose its thrill. And that's where 'Kahaani 2' eventually fumbles. Its rock-solid for a while & then its all predictable!

Sujoy's Screenplay is interesting in parts & offers some solid moments. How I wish the second-hour was sharper & even higher on thrills. The Dialogue, are quite good. Sujoy's Direction, on the other-hand, is suitably dark & intense, adapting to the narrative's mood, appropriately. Cinematography is superb & captures the beauty of West Bengal, perfectly. Editing is mostly crisp. Art & Costume Design are well-done. Background Score merits a special mention.

Performance-Wise: Vidya Balan & Arjun Rampal, both, are up for vie top honors. Vidya is excellent as Durga Rani Singh, portraying a women of courage & power, with full commitment. Her scenes with the little girl are truly wonderful. Arjun is in top-form after a long time. He nails the part & enacts the cop, skillfully. Naisha Khanna is adorable. of the supporting cast, Jugal Hansraj is at his creepiest best, while Kharaj Mukherjee & Manini Chadha lend great support. The actress who portrays Naisha's grandmother, is first-rate.

On the whole, 'Kahaani 2' is a decent film, that could've been great, had the Writing been superior. A one-time watch!

Below Expextation

[fhshubho · 6/10 · 27 February 2017]

After watching kahaani I was wishing for a squeal.Now,when at last the squeal released, I am disappointed. The first film was so much full of thrill, and the squeal is just the opposite. Kahaani 2 is just a typical thriller which failed to reach the expectation.Making squeal of a successful movies has become a trend.Directors of good movies such kahaani should not follow this trend without enough strong story.

Vidya Balan + Arjun Rampal = Amazing Thriller

[faisalfaves · 8/10 · 26 February 2017]

Amazing Thriller but this sequel is not above than the 1st Movie.

So much is missing in this movie, A thriller should blow people's mind, the 1st Kahaani was much better.

Simple Camera Work. Simple Acting. Simple Direction.

Arjun Rampal and Vidya Balan's acting is amazing, but this time a little energy was missing.

The First Half of the Movie is really brilliant, Second Half is a little unsatisfying. I recommend this movie, you must watch it. You will end watching it with a smile.

PS: The Thrilling Background Music is so amazing in the movie.

Decent thriller but too predictable with a major plot hole

[krishnan357-33-782579 · 6/10 · 28 August 2022]

I didn't have very high expectations from this movie because of the performance when it came out.

The story was a bit too predictable and by the numbers once the premise was established.

One thing I didn't understand was why Durga's photo was being circulated 8 years after her crime. If anything, all talk of her should have died down long ago.

The pacing is decent and I did like the way Arjun Rampal's character helped her, though I felt him being her ex-husband was a bit underdeveloped and tacked on.

Lastly, you would expect that the police would have searched for the bodies of Vidya Balan and her daughter which they would not have found.

So I felt it was a decent thriller with some big plot holes.

Kahaani 2 Review

[ahwaan_padhee · 5/10 · 3 December 2016]

Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh swiftly camouflages into a murky thriller when its protagonist,Vidya Sinha(played by Vidya Balan),an inhabitant of Chandan Nagar in West Bengal and working in a low-key government office,gets an abrupt phone call from the abductor soon after her daughter is kidnapped.She meets with an accident while on her hurried pursuit and slips into coma.When the hit-n-run case gets into investigation by the newly transferred sub- inspector,Inderjit Sinha(Arjun Rampal),he chances upon a diary which forms the voice of the narration

revealing some scathing secrets and thorny past.We are told she is a wanted criminal, accused of murder and kidnapping. Ghosh, this time, gives a textured feel to the small town and Balan fits into the milieu effortlessly.The first half is solid ,instantly gripping and exquisitely intriguing.It unravels through flashbacks like an unsolved puzzle.Dealing with a sensitive subject here,he and co- writer Suresh Nair pump in sufficient mystery and creepiness with its characters - 'The Dewans' comprising of the finicky grandmother(Amba Sanyal),the uncle(Jugal Hansraj) and the kid, Minni.Alternating between Chandan Nagar, a hill station-like place called Kalimpong and Kolkata, the moderately-paced narrative hinges itself on the conveniently written diary , with Tapan Basu's nuanced cinematography revealing a sense of moody atmospherics and Darshan Jalan's costumes staying faithful to the characters.

Post intermission, the film collapses like a house of words,after getting into a loop of predictability and plot contrivances.The biggest flaw with Kahaani 2 is that it doesn't develop a sense of urgency, and when you are waiting for a jolting climax, it just shies away from it so disappointingly.The motivations of the villains are treated quite flimsily and the relationship between the cop and the wanted criminal is never explored.

But even when the film stumbles, its leading lady provides the buoyancy,Vidya Balan stays firmly committed and sinks her teeth into to her character and powers this inconsistent film with her gritty portrayal.She evokes an authentic feeling by embracing a de-glam look.Vulnerable, hysterical and yet with a streak of defiance, she is most of the meat on this skeleton. Arjun Rampal, who delivered a meaty performance three weeks back in Rock On-2, brings in a lot of calibration on board and assimilates the part of the laconic cop well,displaying sharp wits when required.You wouldn't chuckle but find the conversations between Rampal and his ignoramus senior cop Haldar( played by Kharaj Mukherjee) quite interesting. Mukherjee is impressive, exuding the vibes of the quintessential Bengali who is impulsively bossy.

I left the theater mourning that it could have been a much better film.Even the femme fatale who shows up in a couple of scenes doesn't equate to the chilling assassin,Bob Biswas from the prequel. Yet it would be heartening to see Kahaani take the shape of a franchise.

My Rating : 2.5/5

One of the best

[trirangahazarika · 9/10 · 9 March 2017]

These are films like many other that really show how much Indian cinema has developed .I personally like thriller action suspense.i got everything from this film.excellent work from sujoy ghosh.arjun raampal hats off and respect vidya balan.the movies was similar to (The girl with dragon tattoo) but with a completely different story. Worth watching.

Could have been better !!

[prashantsaini76 · 7/10 · 11 March 2017]

It was a good movie but could have been better as title of my review suggests. I was keen to watch this movie as Kahaani 1 was an amazing thriller and still better than this one.

First half of the movie was so brilliant that it will make you stick to your seats and you will think that end of movie will be having some interesting twist. But movie becomes directionless as time passes.

If I talk about acting, it is brilliant work done by Arjun Rampal and Vidya Balan.

I would have rated it 10/10 if pace and brilliance of movie would have been the same as it was in first half.

But still its a good thriller.

My ratings: 7/10 Recommendation: positive.

A disappointing sequel with no relation at all with the previous one. They should've named it something else, instead of compromising the great legacy of Kahaani

[ankitcom · 4/10 · 2 December 2016]

A disappointing sequel with no relation at all with the previous one. They should've named it something else, instead of compromising the great legacy of Kahaani. Sujoy Ghosh has made his worst attempt ever both in direction and script, maybe just to reap sequel benefits. Vidya Balan performed well despite an unsuccessful attempt to pull this one from the ashes.

Storyline Rating: 1 Content: 1 Commercialization: 2 Entertainment: 1

Acting Rating: 2 Vidya Balan: 3 Arjun Rampal: 2 Jugal Hansraj: 2

Direction Rating: 1

Music Rating: 1

Cinematography: 2

Editing: 2

Kahani 2 is not as GRIPPING as Kahani!

[inforaza · 7/10 · 18 December 2016]

Kahani 2 is NOT as gripping, thrilling and suspense-filled as Kahani. It is actually predictable, esp. in the second half. But it is certainly worth watching (just once only), but with the feeling that the film could have been presented in a more intense, thrilling and focused manner.

MERITS of Kahani 2

1 – The first-half is far more gripping than the second. The build-up is good and creates proper suspense in our minds.

2 – The film is based on the theme of double identity with the intention of keeping ones past a secret. Although this certainly is not a new theme but is thrilling enough to watch - provided it is presented in a focused and intense manner.

3 - Vidya Balan as Durga Rani Singh essays her role with ease and finesse (the great actresses that she is) – and without any make-up.

DEMERITS of Kahani 2

1 - As I mentioned it is predictable. You knew who the villains are.

2 - Towards the end things get a bit "filmy" which is totally unnecessary. This dilutes the tension and the gravity of the situation.

The shoot-out scene between the kidnapper and Vidya Balan is very filmy and old-fashioned. The same could have been executed with more tension and suspense. The casual talk – just after the blast in the house – between police officers (Arjun Rampal and his senior) about their possible promotions for having caught Vidya is totally flimsy. It just dilutes the gravity of the occasion.

3 – Kahani 2 is not as suspenseful as Kahani (which is surely is a path-breaking one in the Suspense genre).

4 – I detest the cheap and dirty locations in which some scenes are shot. The nursing home and the police station are shot in totally cheap, filthily maintained houses.

You will see out-dated switch boards of the 70s. Wall colours have peeled off. Walls are damaged. CRT monitor in police station.

I really wonder what made Sujoy Ghosh do this. Same was the case in Kahani. What was the need to be so "realistic" (If this is the reason)?

The only plausible reason could be to save money for the film. Otherwise, is there shortage of neat and clean houses for the film-makers to hire and shoot in?

5 – The way Vidya goes about dousing the house with Kerosene and the reactions of Kharaj Mukherjee (Arjun's senior) is slightly melodramatic. The same could have been shown in a more seriousness and intensity.

6 – In the role of a middle-class sub-Inspector Inderjeet Singh, Arjun Rampal is NOT the right choice. His urbanised upper-middle-class accent is just not suited for this role.

Sujoy should have hired someone who can speak Hindi with real accent like Mohan Bajpai, Rajkumar Yadav or Nawazuddin Siddique.

7 – Vidya's verbal thrashing of the child sexual abuser could have been more forceful and incisive.

She could have said: "If you are so sexually starved just go and sleep with a prostitute." & "You are a curse to humanity. You do not deserve to live in a civilized society."

8 - It is very strange to hear Gargi Bharadwaj, the hired killer, who is perhaps non-bengali, speaking a distinctive bengali accent - and which sounds totally ineffective and weak.

In League of Kahaani 1

[kanaujia202 · 7/10 · 8 January 2017]

Though it has no link with Kahaani 1 though the linkage creates expectations. Story is well run though it lacks any suspense. The story is told strongly with no turns and twists which cannot be foreseen as the writer himself reveals how the plot will flow.

Sujoy Ghosh and Vidya Balan repeat the magic. Vidya Balan merges with her role effortlessly like her other high performance roles.

Arjun Rampal fits in well in his role as sub inspector though he did not have much to do.

Its Vidya Balan movie all in all.

.

A Confusing Film!

[ayhansalamci · 6/10 · 2 August 2018]

Kahaani 2, which appeared four years after the first film, is well below expectations. This film, which tells a totally different story, is trying to protect its excitement as it was in the first film. Some technical errors can be seen, but I liked the roles of Vidya Balan and other actors. Those who watch the first movie may give the second film a chance.

Arjun Rampal and faulty screenplay

[saifrajen · 7/10 · 1 January 2021]

The movie required a good actor along with Vidya Balan and Arjun Rampal was the worst choice, he ruined the whole show single-handedly. There was no requirement for the Vidya Balan's love angle in Kalimpong, it was waste of time and did not bring any plot importance in the movie. Her backstory with school administrator and marriage with Arjun Rampal was enough for the characterization. And just a blast in the climax validate the ending? That was really lame and illogical.

Amazing plot!

[ekanshkumar-41873 · 10/10 · 17 February 2022]

I watched the movie and it was a interesting one.i don't know why people are saying it a predictable movie,believe it have a great plot twist,watched it thinking it is a sequal ,but it is not a sequal,but the story discuss about serious issues.

Watchable and good

[vinod_kheerbat · 7/10 · 2 December 2016]

It was a pleasure to stand up for Indian national anthem before the start of movie. The reason for going to see this movie was good performance in Kahani earlier. I could find this movie equally good. All actors do justice to their roles. Story is interesting and is gradually revealed in flashback. Cannot call it thoroughly engaging edge of seat thriller but it is sufficiently engaging story. Vidya Balan and Arjun Rampal are convincing in their main character. You feel like being in Bengal. Climax is well managed (better not try to know it). You will find the movie realistic and well worth a time pass. You should not go with great expectations but with the mindset of better choice in existing lot. I am happy to watch this movie.

Predictable

[h_i_tesh · 5/10 · 4 December 2016]

Kahaani was a good movie. It was worth your time and money. But when Sujoy GHosh came back with Kahaani 2 he ruined something for you. First of all the only reason this film is named Kahaani 2 is because of Vidya Balan. The screenplay looks adjusted to set it as a pattern of a false tale just like Kahaani. But this time the tale is too predictable and the second half is too predictable. Kahaani 2 starts off with the perfect ingredient of a perfect thriller. a child abduction, Dark secrets, revelations and lies and then we move towards nothing. You know the ending, the progression stops. Kahaani 2 opens all its cards in the first half and that is why the second half fails. The first tells the story and the ending. Vidya Balan stays true to her character except the last scene when she runs at the dock with a critical bleeding previous night. Maybe the stomach injury was not planned otherwise I would have preferred her limping. Pain always adds to the glory. THe best thing about the director is not his writing, but how he starts his films. The realism, the fear around the central character and then he forgot the progression. The casting was good. personally I feel that Arjun Rampal was too weak to handle the character. Other actors along with Vidya Balan were top notch. The setting was great. The usage of the plot device was poor. The relationships were not explored, which makes the second half too predictable.

A thriller with a Message ..!!!

[thiruthegreat · 8/10 · 30 January 2017]

As expected Kahaani2 is a Good film from the Director.

Pros : The Subject and the message is need of the hour; Casting is a real strength for this Film; Cinematography is awesome; The backdrop setting of Chandanagar and other places add that mystic feel and support in heaviness of the subject; All Actors have done Good job by giving maximum justice to the character given to them

Cons: Songs did not really support though the BGM was up to the mark; Police, other than SubInspector Inderjit, could have been shown as more intelligent and competent and tougher to get away from them easily.; The final twist seems to be predictable; Owing to fact that Children may view this Film we could have avoided the two Adult scenes;

Kahaani 2 begins on a high note as an edge of the seat thriller but later the plot loosens up and gets predictable.

[binducherungath · 6/10 · 2 December 2016]

Kahaani 2, by Sujoy Ghosh, was one of the most anticipated films of the year. Sujoy Ghosh's film making clubbed with the acting brilliance of Vidya Balan and a gripping thriller plot had made Kahaani (2012 release) a big hit. So only the expectations from the film Kahaani 2 was very high. It certainly is not a sequel to Kahaani, just belongs to this franchise. The story is entirely different. Suspense, unpredictability, and thriller elements are missing from Kahaani 2. It certainly begins on a high note, initial few minutes keep you engaging, but then the plot loosens up. Post- intermission, the film falls into the trap of average screenplay, predictable twists / climax. What is most admirable in the film is that Vidya excels and proves her brilliance and spontaneity in acting once again.

Vidya Sinha (vidya Balan) is a doting single working parent of Mini, a paralysed teenage girl (waist-down), confined to wheel chair. The film's beginning shows their beautiful relationship and also the ordinary lives they are leading manner very convincingly. Vidya is saving every penny possible so as to be able to take Mini to New York for her treatment. Vidya is optimistic that Mini would be able to walk on her own after the treatment. But destiny was different. Mini gets kidnapped and Vidya gets a call to meet the kidnappers. She madly rushes to the said address but she meets with an accident and goes into coma. That is when Inspector Inderjeet (Arjun Rampal) enters into the scene and gets surprised to see Vidya, who looked like a lady called Durga Rani whom Inder knew. Inder starts going into the depth and that is when he finds a diary by Vidya. Rest of the film unravels as a flashback as Inder reads Vidya's diary.

What is the connection between Vidya and Durga Rani? How does Inder know Durga Rani ? How is Vidya able to save her daughter? What was the motive of the kidnappers? What is the story of Vidya which gets unraveled through the diary ? How the mystery gets solved?

Vidya certainly excels in the film, her deglamorised look suits the plot. Vidya Balan's characters keep you engaged wondering whether she is a victim or a perpetrator. Arjun Rampal is also very good, but his character is not properly developed in the film, the screenplay does not do full justice to his character. Especially in the second half, Arjun's character Inder's moves are very much predictable. Jugal Hansraj as Mohit and Amba Sanyal as Mini's grandmother have distinct roles to play, but they get lost in the screenplay. Tota Roy Choudhary and Manini Chadha are noticeable. The locations Kolkatta, Chandan Nagar and Kalimpong are well captured. Kharaj Mukherjee as cop Halder is very good.

Kahaani 2 begins on a high note as an edge of the seat thriller but later the plot loosens up and gets predictable. Post-intermission, the film falls into the trap of average screenplay, predictable twists / climax. What is most admirable in the film is that Vidya excels and proves her brilliance and spontaneity in acting once again. A one- time watch.

Well acted but a vacant one

[duttarahul · 5/10 · 2 December 2016]

kahaani 2 has a terrific,Contemplative and promising first half,But the second half is not so great. You can easily predict the twist. Twist is one of the best thing in the thrilling movies,director Ghosh failed in that portion. This best of the film is that,Vidya gives a stirring performance as a lead actress. Undoubtedly She is one of the finest actress currently working in the Bollywood. The supporting actors are impressive — particularly Kharaj Mukherjee, he done a fine job. I can't say this is a bad film,but also it's not a good film either. It's a kind of medium movie where performance is the best part. Don't expect something big like first part of Kahaani then you will be surely disappointed. Well acted but a vacant one,you can watch it a single time.

This is a Kahaani without Kahaani (story)

[sagnihotri-45990 · 6/10 · 6 March 2017]

This movie proved that Kahaani (i.e. the first one) has a Kahaani (story) written by the brilliant novelist Advaita Kala and a good screen play but this Kahaani 2 has a good screenplay (a bit unrealistic) only. A good story always carries a soul. You can feel that soul in the first movie (i.e.Kahaani). Being a novelist myself, I would say (and you will agree) that Kahaani 2 does not have that soul. Without that soul of the story even a good screenplay look scattered. Other than this Vidhya Balan proved that she can carry a movie on her shoulders. Arjun Rampal was just a traditional police officer. Everybody else also did just a routine job.

average

[cramrit · 6/10 · 28 May 2021]

The way movie started and continued was good but the end was not much good and some uncleared things remained untold like was she really the mother ? Or she was just loving and saying mother ?