Story in a story

When the Kahani begins you could expect to enjoy a thriller with a few twists in the tale. But a few minutes into the Kahani and you really don’t know what to expect next.

Kahani (the story) begins with Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan), pregnant and wobbly, shuffling out of Kolkata airport and going straight to the police station, to lodge a complaint that her husband Arnab Bagchi is missing. It would have been just another missing person case until, one by one; all her leads prove that the person named Arnab Bagchi never existed. Vidya (or Bidda coming from the Bengali tongue) sets on a quest to find her beloved, with Rana (Parambrata Chattopadhyay ) trotting next to her, desperately wanting to help but puzzled about how to find a person who never existed. The story goes on to halt at dead ends and take sharp turns, entangling itself in a maze mingled with lies and crime, and treachery, and the unconditional love of a wife. It holds enough stories within stories to justify the title of the film.

Vidya Balan’s performance is top notch till the very last bit. She makes the character of a pregnant woman convincing enough, just like she did in her last film The Dirty Picture as Silk. Parambrata Chattopadhyay has performed equally well as the meek policeman who cannot stop caring about the pretty pregnant lady. Cinematography by Setu is impressive; especially using minor jerks in the camera work makes the ambience more natural, and also eerie when it is needed. Beautiful views of Kolkata city gearing up for Navratri celebrations, with Amitabh Bachchan’s voice singing Ekla Cholo in the background, give the film a colourful edge. Kahani is yet another terrific story, told by a team of brilliant story tellers. With no exaggeration or typical Bollywood masala, it stands among other films.

Kahani is a terrific story; one so fast moving, that once out of the theater you might have to jog a little while to shake off the inertia.

What a woman wants

On the occasion of Women’s Day, I respectfully demand the educational institutions to start a department for young men to study this subject! I am hundred percent sure it would work out! It is a marketable curriculum with academic advantages, and it better be a huge building with lots and lots of ‘seats’.

Actually knowing what a woman wants is not that difficult. It is one simple thing- every woman wants to be special. And every woman is, in every sense, special! That is why, the one sentence which makes a girl want to remove her Marie Claire high heels and throw it at a man, is when he implies that ‘all women are the same’. (In fact, nobody ought to make that comment or judge anyone, man or woman. Each person is different, and the world also has some very good people. The only proof is that Earth still has life on it!)

The formulaic story goes like this. Boy steps outside. He sees a pretty girl and falls in love. She has no such feelings. She rejects him. Boy is heart-broken. He blames the girl instead of gathering the pieces of his heart and moving on. (Intermission.) Boy goes out again. He sees another pretty girl. And history repeats. At some point of time this broken-hearted genius concludes his research with a declaration that ‘all women are the same.’

My point is, is beauty the only thing a woman has? I am sure every self respecting woman wants to be much more that just beautiful. She would want to be known as generous, smart, friendly, fun to be with, and so many more things! Because she is a PERSON, not a Barbie doll, to sit and be pretty! (And if you look closely, every woman is beautiful.)

It is so not fair to judge any woman by the colour of her skin or her physical fitness and decide that it is love at first sight. A woman wants to be made to feel special by listening to her talk. And knowing her fears and comforting her. By listening to her dreams and not laughing at them. By agreeing with her, and sometimes disagreeing too. Everyone needs a critique to improve in life, and Women are no different.

All a woman wants is to be treated with respect and dignity. A little bit of chivalry here and there would be welcome, but otherwise women want what everyone wants. To be loved and supported. Not just on women’s day, but every day. If that is so difficult, ask my father how to do it! Two women in the house and he has always been the perfect gentleman!

And to all the awesome ladies I know, HAPPY WOMEN’S DAY!!