At its heart, Lost is a very political film that dissects the system and shows the unpleasant reality from a journalist’s perspective. There are sporadic phases in this thriller by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury that feels disturbing and absorbing. But the film feels a bit inconsistent due to its deliberate efforts to deviate into the personal life of the central character. With a relevant topic and an earnest Yami Gautam, Lost is a passable political thriller that couldn’t completely use its premise.
Vidhi Sahani, a journalist in Kolkata, is our central protagonist. One day she finds a woman at a police station in tears. The lady’s brother has gone missing, and Vidhi finds out that there was an evident lack of interest among the authorities in finding that boy. With the missing guy getting labeled as a sympathizer of the Maoist groups, Vidhi decided to find out the reality of the situation and what all she encounters in that journey is what you see in Lost.
In the initial bits of the film, the drama is pretty flat. The fierce and brave Vidhi feels a bit loud. And even the domestic abuse angle in the case of the missing guy’s sister’s life feels a bit forced. Then the movie slips into the personal life of Vidhi and, subsequently, the occupational hazards of a crime reporter. The film felt very intriguing in those middle portions, where Vidhi is confused about how to proceed in her investigation. When she confronts Ishan Bharti’s (missing guy) girlfriend Ankita, Ankita’s counter question puts Vidhi in a tough position. It was moments like these that made us feel the bitterness of reality.
As Vidhi Sinha, Yami Gautam delivers a believable version of a fearless journalist who shares a warm relationship with her grandfather and senior editors. She knows the importance of keeping it subtle, as the theme is more important than her character. Pankaj Kapur as the grandfather, was a charmer. I loved the chemistry between the two, especially in those sensitive scenes in the second half. Rahul Khanna was a perfect fit as the new-age manipulative politician. Pia Bajpiee as Ankita was okay in a character that wasn’t written perfectly. Tushar Pandey and Neil Bhoopalam are the other names in the film’s cast.
Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury uses the setting of Kolkata very effectively to create the mood of the thriller. The visual of a woman roaming around the city of Kolkata and getting followed by men somewhere reminded me of another thriller, Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani. Avik Mukhopadhyay’s visuals also try to give the viewer a third-person perspective. The inconsistent writing that shifts focus to other tracks, like the romantic equation of Vidhi or Ankita’s drastic growth, reduces this movie’s impact. I loved how the tail end of the movie interpreted the word Lost differently in a short time.
Lost is a movie that feels compelling and pertinent on paper. But the film somewhere wasn’t completely grabbing your attention. The realness in how the scenes are rendered and the quality of the performances make it a non-boring film. It was one of those films that could have been the talk of the town but couldn’t really explore its real potential.
It was one of those films that could have been the talk of the town but couldn't really explore its real potential.
Green: Recommended Content
Orange: The In-Between Ones
Red: Not Recommended
