Not only did this film win several prestigious awards, including three National Film Awards and five Filmfare Awards, but it also became a cultural phenomenon.
Some movies are expected to do well at the box office, but every once in a while, a film exceeds all expectations, becoming a massive success beyond what even the filmmakers and audience could have imagined. One such film is Kahaani, which was released in 2012 and went on to become one of the biggest hits of that year. Not only did it win several prestigious awards, including three National Film Awards and five Filmfare Awards, but it also became a cultural phenomenon.
Directed by Sujoy Ghosh, Kahaani stars Vidya Balan in a career-defining role as Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant woman on a quest to find her missing husband in Kolkata during the festival of Durga Pooja. Assisted by a sub-inspector, the protagonist embarks on a suspense-filled journey that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The film also features strong performances from Parambrata Chatterjee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
The success of Kahaani didn’t just stop at critical acclaim—it also achieved impressive financial success. With a modest production budget of Rs 8 crores, the film earned a staggering Rs 80 crores at the box office, making it a super hit. The film was remade twice in 2014. A Telugu remake, Anaamika, and its Tamil version, Nee Enge En Anbe. Both remakes were directed by Sekhar Kammula and featured Nayantara as the lead character.
The film’s musical score is crafted by Clinton Cerejo. Meanwhile, the soundtrack album features music by the renowned duo Vishal–Shekhar, who are known for their ability to blend contemporary sounds with traditional Indian music. The lyrics for the film’s six tracks are penned by Vishal Dadlani, Anvita Dutt, and Sandeep Srivastava. Additionally, the film pays tribute to the legendary R.D. Burman by incorporating several of his iconic Hindi and Bengali compositions.
Despite opening to a lukewarm reception on its first day, the film gradually gained momentum and earned praise for its gripping narrative. Additionally, a spin-off titled Bob Biswas, a crime thriller centred around the character from Kahaani, was released in 2021 on ZEE5. Directed by Sujoy Ghosh’s daughter, Diya Ghosh, and starring Abhishek Bachchan in the lead role, Bob Biswas further expanded the universe of Kahaani.
The film’s success led to a sequel, Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh, released in 2016.
