Review: When Ishan (Tushar Pandey), a Dalit theatre artist, is untraceable in Kolkata the city police are determined to pass it off as a case of Maoist radicalisation. Dismissing his family’s stance that Ishan was never interested in politics, they in turn interrogate his sister and brother-in-law about his connections with Bhisam Rana (Kaushik Sen), a Mao extremist leader.
Moved by the family’s anguish at having no leads on Ishan’s sudden disappearance and piqued by the fact that the police refrains from questioning his girlfriend, Ankita (Pia Bajpayee) even though Ishan was last seen with her, Vidhi (Yami Gautam), a city-based crime reporter, takes it upon herself to see this story to the end. While there has been mild interest in the media on the case owing to a powerful politician, Ranjan Varman’s (Rahul Khanna) connection with Ankita, most seem to have bought into the story peddled by the police.
Director Aniruddha Roy Choudhury dives right into Vidhi’s compelling journey of exploring all possible angles and sources to get to the bottom of her story. And while that remains the focus of the film’s narrative, it also delves into Vidhi’s life as a crime journalist – anonymous threats to stop working on the story, resistance from her parents on her career choice, her boyfriend’s (Neil Bhoopalam) insistence that she strike a balance between her personal and professional life. But ultimately what keeps her going is her unwavering passion for her work and her grandfather, Professor AvinashSrivastav’s (Pankaj Kapur) unrelenting support. In fact, her daily conversations with her grandfather serve not just as her sounding board but also her conscience.
‘Lost’ is more than just a straightjacketed thriller as it is thought provoking and speaks at many levels, including the chance of getting too emotionally invested in the subject of one’s story. It’s handled remarkably well and senstively. The film’s background score keeps the tension alive and the soulful music (Shantanu Moitra) adds to the narrative. Kolkata’s hues, mood and charming by-lanes are brought alive through Avik Mukhopadhyay’s cinematography. But ‘Lost’ is not without flaws as a few narrative arcs feel rushed and unconvincing.
But it’s the incredible performances that help gloss over them. Pankaj Kapur is a sheer delight to watch – as the grandfather who is so affable and warm and yet fiercely protective. Rahul Khanna as the spiffy, unscrupulous politician is fantastic and leaves an impact. Tushar Pandey and Pia Bajpayee also leave an impression. But ultimately it is Yami Gautam who shines through with a brilliant performance that is subtle yet powerful, showcasing a character who is simultaneously charming and resilient. Add to that the seamless transitions into Bengali now and then to add to the authentic feel.
‘Lost’ is an intense, gripping and yet soul-searching thriller boosted with some remarkable performances. Certainly worth making time to catch this one.
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