For the first time ever, I think I'm docking 3 points just for the cinematography alone. At its heart, Kahaani is a compelling story with strong acting and good character depth, as well as a clear tone and effective disturbing moments and imagery, such as that of the rats being gassed by an apathetic psychopath in the opening frames to set the mood for the rest of the film. The characters may not be fantastic as one might expect from a masterpiece of a film, but they certainly are effective in the film, and the acting from our lead actress Vidya Balan rises far above the film's shortcomings.
My main gripe is with a very simple part of the cinematography. There is simply way too much shaky cam to the point of becoming nauseating. There's very few moments in which the camera stays still, and when they happen they seem to be by coincidence or by mistake since even the dullest moments and the most extreme bits are shot with exactly the same constant shakiness. This film seems to have taken to heart one of the worst tropes plaguing Hollywood films nowadays, and though it takes several that make the film look much more well-paced and stylish than the typical Bollywood romp, this one trope does more than undo what good was done with the cinematography. Back when Michael Bay's 13 Hours came out, I felt like it might be the first Bay film I enjoyed, but due to some inappropriate shaky cam, I had to drop it, and this film is much higher in quality with much much worse shaky cam.
That being said, there's plenty to like in the film. The setup is very cleverly manipulative for a thriller film. Having our main hero as a pregnant woman is one that sounds ridiculous in premise, but her motivation makes a lot of sense, and what results is a pregnant hero being in the last situation they should be in. The story, while not too thought-provoking, has enough twists and turns and revelations to keep it from being dull and unimaginative. It sounds cliche and silly, but I found myself more invested than I felt I should have been, and for that reason I have to give the film a positive rating.
Though I'm sure this film might seem really unique for Bollywood fans, it feels really familiar for me here in North America. That being said, it's certainly better than most films going for this style aside from the obnoxious shaky cam.
My main gripe is with a very simple part of the cinematography. There is simply way too much shaky cam to the point of becoming nauseating. There's very few moments in which the camera stays still, and when they happen they seem to be by coincidence or by mistake since even the dullest moments and the most extreme bits are shot with exactly the same constant shakiness. This film seems to have taken to heart one of the worst tropes plaguing Hollywood films nowadays, and though it takes several that make the film look much more well-paced and stylish than the typical Bollywood romp, this one trope does more than undo what good was done with the cinematography. Back when Michael Bay's 13 Hours came out, I felt like it might be the first Bay film I enjoyed, but due to some inappropriate shaky cam, I had to drop it, and this film is much higher in quality with much much worse shaky cam.
That being said, there's plenty to like in the film. The setup is very cleverly manipulative for a thriller film. Having our main hero as a pregnant woman is one that sounds ridiculous in premise, but her motivation makes a lot of sense, and what results is a pregnant hero being in the last situation they should be in. The story, while not too thought-provoking, has enough twists and turns and revelations to keep it from being dull and unimaginative. It sounds cliche and silly, but I found myself more invested than I felt I should have been, and for that reason I have to give the film a positive rating.
Though I'm sure this film might seem really unique for Bollywood fans, it feels really familiar for me here in North America. That being said, it's certainly better than most films going for this style aside from the obnoxious shaky cam.