One film I regret not watching in the theatres is Reema Kagti’s debut – Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd. Though the film eases down on the surprise factor as it reaches the end, it still had enough newness and a cast (most of it) that was an absolute joy. Talaash is much like her debut. A gripping narrative that slacks towards the end and a cast that adds perfectly to its murky nights.
A car skids of an empty Mumbai road in the middle of the night and crashes into the sea. Inspector Surjan Shekhawat (Aamir Khan) is at the spot the next morning and his new associate (Raj Kumar Yadav as Sub-inspector Devrath) discovers that the body is of Armaan Kapoor, a Bollywood star.
Surjan remains clueless about what triggered the accident until he meets Rosie (Kareena Kapoor). Rosie’s a girl from one of the local brothels. The many hints Rosie provides not only help Surjan’s investigation but she also becomes the companion of his insomniac nights, just for conversations.
Surjan can’t sleep ever since his 8 year old son had died in an accident and things with his wife (Roshni played by Rani Mukherjee) haven’t been great since. Other major sub-plot is the story of Themur, a limping odd jobs guy at the brothel who snoops in on a conversation that eventually links him with the accident and the money that’s been transacted that night.
Talaash spends most of its time in the nights and thanks to cinematographer Mohanan, they were great looking nights. Ram Sampath’s score (not just the songs) has a world class appeal to it until the film got a little Bollywood towards the end. In spite of the brilliantly shot and cut accident sequences (of which there were four), the shots through glasses and mirrors (hinting at the paranormal) Talaash really stays back for its casting and to me personally, for Rani Mukherjee. I never really thought of her being so capable at underplaying it.
Nawazuddin playing the feeble limp draws attention instantly, but, his part of the screenplay lacks the urgency of a man trying to scam somebody. Aamir Khan seems to love the ‘lost someone’ persona his female directors cast him in and the character’s mellow sense looks like a cop version of him from Dhobi Ghat.
Talaash is what can be called the new age commercial film. It doesn’t have THAT hangover, like some of Aamir’s better works, but, no complaints when you are watching it.
