Before you enter the
cinema hall to watch this film, the expectations developed by the
promotional material, trailers and the overall look of the film make
you believe it is a certain kind of a suspense-thriller, which Reema
Kagti’s Talaash most certainly is, but it doesn’t stop at that.
The film invites you into its premise and then builds a maze around
you, which you try to come out of for the remainder of it.
The story and the plot
can be easily divided into two distinct halves, in terms of its
structure. The first half, like a pledge in a magic trick, simply
draws your attention. By the time the film reaches the interval, the
second act of the trick is unveiled – the turn, if you may. Thus
far, the film simply introduces loose ends which come across as
desperate attempts for you to start suspecting a number of
characters. However, like every magic trick has a third act, the
prestige; Talaash too picks up all those loose ends and weaves them
into a curtain with all the details in place. The end, depending on
your tastes and sensibilities, may either take you by surprise or
leave you with a dampened sense of disappointment.
The film begins with a
car accident which involves a famous actor. The investigating
officer, Surjan Shekhawat (Aamir Khan), who is discouraged by many in
pursuing this case, which they claim is a clear accident, decides to
investigate further. Surjan, or Suri, as his wife (Rani Mukerji)
calls him, is sleep deprived owing to the accidental death of his
young son. However, battling the personal demons along with the
increasing tediousness of the case at hand, Suri enters a different
world of extortion, crime and prostitution and just keeps going
deeper. He is helped by a prostitute named Rosy (Kareena Kapoor) and
also by a limp (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) who has hidden interests.
As mentioned before, the
first half is just an elaborate setup for the remainder of the film
and what keeps your interest alive are the immaculate performances by
all the main characters. Rani Mukerji as Roshni reminds us of her
caliber after the disaster her previous film was. Kareena Kapoor is
at her best throughout the film and has given a stellar performance
which is on par with Jab We Met and Chameli. As far as Aamir Khan is
concerned, it is fair to say that if you only watched Sarfarosh and
Talaash, it wouldn’t be hard to convince you that he is actually a
cop. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who is quite frankly, the man making hay in
2012, has proven his mettle yet again this year, after the success of
Kahaani and Gangs Of Wasseypur. In an interrogation scene in the
film, between Aamir and Nawaz, which inevitably reminds you of its
counterpart in Sarfarosh, it is evident how far Nawazuddin has come
since.
Reema Kagti, who returns
to direction after her first film, Honeymoon Travels, which was a
slice-of-life drama, establishes her hold on the narrative throughout
the movie. The screenplay is decent and the story has something to it
that keeps you hooked. For a second film, it has to be called a bold
attempt, making a suspense-thriller with more twists than the
feeble-brained can handle. Ram Sampath’s music lends a soft touch
of Noir, which enhances the drama.
One of the most
highly-awaited films of the year, Talaash is one of those films which
divide the audience. There will be some who will love it and some who
will be extremely disheartened by the conclusion. Saying anything
more would be considered as a spoiler and let no one who has seen
this film tell you what happens. Watch it and let the story unfold
before you. Your talaash for a decent suspense film ends here.
Rating - 3 out of 5
Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on December 1, 2012
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