Kahaani (2012)

Kahaani is a taut, atmospheric mystery-thriller set against the vibrant chaos of Kolkata during the Durga Puja festival. Seven months pregnant Vidya Bagchi arrives from London to find her husband Arnab missing. What starts as a routine missing-person report quickly becomes eerie: every trace of Arnab — coworkers, guest house records, even the company that allegedly employed him — appears to have been wiped clean. Determined and vulnerable, Vidya pushes past skepticism and obstruction, enlisting the help of local police officer Rana as she follows a trail that grows darker and more dangerous. Viewers can expect a slow-burning, suspense-driven investigation that combines street-level detail with mounting paranoia. The film juxtaposes the city’s colorful festival energy with claustrophobic, bureaucratic denial and a creeping sense of conspiracy. Along the way Vidya encounters unsettling figures — from an NDC human-resources officer whose revelations are cut short to the chilling presence of a contract killer who seems always a step behind her — and an intelligence officer who warns that the man Vidya seeks may be linked to a prior terror attack. Watching Kahaani is an immersive experience: you’ll feel the tension around every conversation, the urgency of a pregnant woman racing against time, and the relentlessness of a mystery that refuses to stay buried. The story balances emotional stakes with pulse-quickening set pieces and unexpected twists, keeping you guessing until the truth — and the danger it brings — comes into focus. If you like character-driven thrillers where atmosphere and slow-building revelation matter as much as action, this film delivers.

Actors: Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Indraneil Sengupta

Director: Sujoy Ghosh

Runtime: 122 min

Genres: Mystery, Thriller

6.6 /10 8.1 /10 7.3 /10