Posted By Hashim Arain
Writing and making thrillers is never easy. It has to be gripping, should engage the viewers and has to steer away from predictability. And Reema Kagti’s ‘Talaash’ scores in all these aspects.
Written by Reema and Zoya Akhtar, ‘Talaash’ grips you from the very first shot and keeps you hooked through the two and half hours of its runtime. A tale of loss, betrayal and revenge, the film explores the many versions of truth and questions the obvious, leaving the viewer thinking of things unexplained.
Superstar Armaan Kapoor’s car nose dives into the sea one late night in Mumbai. While initial reports suggests it to be an accident, Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhwat (Aamir Khan), who is investigating the case, finds a murky case of blackmailing which may have a connection with the accident.
While investigating the case, he comes in contact with Tehmur (NawazuddinSiddiqui) a pimp’s right hand man and a prostitute called Rosy (KareenaKapoor) who may have the missing link to the jigsaw puzzle. Meanwhile, Shekhawat, himself is fighting demons of his past which has a direct impact on his marital life. Suffering from insomnia, Shekhawat roams around the empty streets of the city while his wife Roshni(Rani Mukerji) engulfs herself in grief and solitude back home.
By the looks of it, the film seems like an uncomplicated story, almost an ‘open and shut’ case. But as the story unfolds, layers of sub plots unravel truth which pushes Shekhawat to question his own beliefs.
The film’s narrative is slow and takes time to establish itself. In fact the initial shots almost make the viewer think that there are parallel plots in the story. But Kagti beautifully joins all the dots. Kagti unravels only bit by bit but never really gives in to the viewer’s curiosity until the very end. In fact, the director makes you think in a certain way, just the way she would want people to think which culminates to a mind boggling end.
While the story is clearly the highlight of the film, the cast beautifully takes it forward. Aamir Khan lives up to his image of experimenting with a role of a dark Surjan Singh Shekhawat. Aamir gives a very restrained performance and stays away from the stereotype, giving depth to his character. He plays a gritty cop but is also messiah to the needy. He is concerned about his wife’s mental state but himself finds it difficult to come to terms with his past.
Rani Mukerji delivers a sensitive portrayal of a mother and wife who is grappled with grief and is helpless to the present problems that are in front of her. A stark contrast from her over the top portrayal of Meenakshi in her last outing ‘Aiyyaa’, Rani makes the de-glam, depressive Roshni a character who you want to sympathise with.
But of the three leading cast, it is Kareena who shines the most as the friendly, helpful prostitute Rosy. She looks beautiful, in spite of her gaudy outfits, doesn’t over act (which she tends to do in many of her films) and demands all your attention when on screen. In fact in certain scenes, she overshadows Aamir, partly because her character is such and partly because at the end of the day she can act, provided she is given a good script and a good director. Good thing that the two leading ladies have a ‘Talaash’ releasing the same year when their earlier films (Aiyyaa and Heroine) almost had them packing their bags and heading towards retirement. The film puts them back in the place where they rightfully deserve to be, owing to their body of work.
Writing and making thrillers is never easy. It has to be gripping, should engage the viewers and has to steer away from predictability. And Reema Kagti’s ‘Talaash’ scores in all these aspects.
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Superstar Armaan Kapoor’s car nose dives into the sea one late night in Mumbai. While initial reports suggests it to be an accident, Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhwat (Aamir Khan), who is investigating the case, finds a murky case of blackmailing which may have a connection with the accident.
While investigating the case, he comes in contact with Tehmur (NawazuddinSiddiqui) a pimp’s right hand man and a prostitute called Rosy (KareenaKapoor) who may have the missing link to the jigsaw puzzle. Meanwhile, Shekhawat, himself is fighting demons of his past which has a direct impact on his marital life. Suffering from insomnia, Shekhawat roams around the empty streets of the city while his wife Roshni(Rani Mukerji) engulfs herself in grief and solitude back home.
By the looks of it, the film seems like an uncomplicated story, almost an ‘open and shut’ case. But as the story unfolds, layers of sub plots unravel truth which pushes Shekhawat to question his own beliefs.
The film’s narrative is slow and takes time to establish itself. In fact the initial shots almost make the viewer think that there are parallel plots in the story. But Kagti beautifully joins all the dots. Kagti unravels only bit by bit but never really gives in to the viewer’s curiosity until the very end. In fact, the director makes you think in a certain way, just the way she would want people to think which culminates to a mind boggling end.
While the story is clearly the highlight of the film, the cast beautifully takes it forward. Aamir Khan lives up to his image of experimenting with a role of a dark Surjan Singh Shekhawat. Aamir gives a very restrained performance and stays away from the stereotype, giving depth to his character. He plays a gritty cop but is also messiah to the needy. He is concerned about his wife’s mental state but himself finds it difficult to come to terms with his past.
Rani Mukerji delivers a sensitive portrayal of a mother and wife who is grappled with grief and is helpless to the present problems that are in front of her. A stark contrast from her over the top portrayal of Meenakshi in her last outing ‘Aiyyaa’, Rani makes the de-glam, depressive Roshni a character who you want to sympathise with.
Watch Trailer Talaash 2012
But of the three leading cast, it is Kareena who shines the most as the friendly, helpful prostitute Rosy. She looks beautiful, in spite of her gaudy outfits, doesn’t over act (which she tends to do in many of her films) and demands all your attention when on screen. In fact in certain scenes, she overshadows Aamir, partly because her character is such and partly because at the end of the day she can act, provided she is given a good script and a good director. Good thing that the two leading ladies have a ‘Talaash’ releasing the same year when their earlier films (Aiyyaa and Heroine) almost had them packing their bags and heading towards retirement. The film puts them back in the place where they rightfully deserve to be, owing to their body of work.
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