When will the Indian directors stop making copies of Hollywood flicks? The reason they kidnapped Viren's Daughter teaches him the lesson that the medical profession is a noble one and that he had been extremely money-minded in treating some of his patients. Viren does arrange for the money, after. The only thing that stands out in this hackneyed film is the acting. The kidnappers keep strict half-hour checks with each other by cell phones and set the ransom amount at Rs. She has sever asthma, the members of the family each have a kidnapper or accomplice to guard them. Moreover, how can Dr Viren manage to assemble a huge sum of money overnight collected from various sources and delivered in a Delhi hotel He lives in Mumbai without arousing suspicion of his lenders? The rich doctor and his wife wake up one morning to find their asthmatic kid kidnapped and held ransom by a trio they've never met before. Sandhya Mridul as a heartless-n-hard kidnapper never winces from doing what she is supposed to.
The father is a famous heart surgeon who has to leave town and after his departure there is a break in and the daughter is kidnapped. Atypically, the movie is devoid of songs and too many emotions, and it is towards the second half when an unexpected story twist turns the film into a conventionally emotional drama of sorts. The police searches for clues, but there's no breakthrough. Even the little girl is less annoying than most movie kids. The deadpan expressions and dripping-with-cynicism humour evokes admiration-n-applause.
From then on it was a bit predictable but then again the movie as a whole keeps you at the edge of your seat. In an industry where the thriller genre is limited to Abbas-Mastan brand of tepid potboilers or Ram Gopal Verma's occasional hint of a genius, it is heartening to come across a thriller that doesn't kneel hard on shocking editing chops and blood-pressure-boiling background score. Her bonding and concern for Anishka is very real and contextual. Sandhya Mridul is outstanding, while Rajit Kapoor and Zakir Hussain play their respective parts exceedingly well. But fate has something else planned for Viren and his family: Anishka is kidnapped under Sanjana's nose. But if you leave that aside, as expected she is a treat to watch especially in the high decibel histrionics she displays while fighting hard with Irrfan or showing the mirror of reality to her husband. Fine actors, faltu script: that's the fate of this film which could have been an edge-of-the-seat thriller if its story hadn't been so predictable and it's situations tame.
I am sure even the director will agree with me today. Sandhya Mridul is spot on. The movie becomes predictable half way through the movie. Konkona is very fine and convincingly plays the worried mom in a role that would have been a weepy caricature in the hands of a lesser actress. There are escape plans, attempts to kill, and extortion, and the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat. Viren mortgages everything possible, including his dream hospital project and his house, and manages to collect Rs. The doctor need's to brush out the skeletons from his cupboard before he can hope to lay hands on his daughter, even though he is willing to cough up the hefty ransom which keeps accelerating with each phone call.
Zakir Hussein's Kabir is a bumbling-gold-at-heart kidnapper who strikes you for his grip over flowing nervous energy. Why don't they instead copy movies of Fellini or Godard? The film's ending is rather sugarcoated and well, it just grew increasingly melodramatic towards the end so no surprises there. Why has the girl been kidnapped? Unfortunately there is no content. But movie making is an art which needs creativity. It is aided by the good casting, and every actors plays his part very well. How will it all end? Viren wants his daughter back at any cost and thus, tries to exploit all his sources.
We've seen too many Hollywood-Bollywood dramas about child kidnappings and ransoms to actually make us sit up anymore. Konkona Sensharma looks a bit too young for being passed off as a mother to a six or seven year old kid. What a powerhouse of a film! But fate has something else planned for Viren and his family: Anishka is kidnapped under Sanjana's nose. Sanjana and Viren are uncertain about what could have happened and fear for the life of their beloved daughter. The final resolution is shocking, and makes what came before seem in part a bit illogical. For me, this movie was an extremely enjoyable thriller.
See the film, go on this thrill ride, to find out. Please don't waste your time watching this movie. Viren Goenka , his wife Sanjana and their seven-year-old daughter Anishka live in Mumbai. Thats why I give it a three. The film starts out as a seemingly simple good vs. And two hour and a few minutes later, I had a big smile on my face as I emerged out having watched a well made film that keeps you engrossed from first frame to the last one.
Wish one could see him on big screen more often. Finally Sanjana and Viren realise that the kidnappers' motive was not ransom but revenge. Irrfan Khan is fantastic as the evil kidnapper and he is even better towards the end in the flashback scenes. The cinematography does not do much to help. Finally Rajit Kapur as Dr Viren Goenka displays two sides to his personality and convincingly portrays both parts. Even his silent vacuous expressions say a lot. When you are copying the entire theme, the rest doesn't count for me as I know that the team has faltered in the very start.
Konkana Sen Sharma is the mother of a young child. While Krish keeps Sanjana in the house, his partner Roohi keeps Viren confined in his hotel room and their third associate Kabir holds Anishka at a remote location. The film was benefited from its taut execution and the proceedings followed a fast pace. Viren is all set to visit New Delhi to receive this award. Irrfan's bordering-on-psychotic kidnapper is immensely focused and ruthless to the core. What do the kidnappers want? You will not be disappointed by the amazing performances from Konkana Sen Sharma as the distraught mother, Irfan Khan as the cruel and disturbing kidnapper, Zakir Hussain and Sandhya Mridul as the accomplices, and Rajit Kapoor as the helpless Dad.