Yami Gautam and Pankaj Kapur-starrer Lost is streaming from February 16.
How do you defend a tale that everyone considers to be minor but which, in your opinion, has a significant undercurrent? How do you persuade people around you to publish a story in the face of opposition from powerful people? How do you, as a person, maintain your composure in the face of danger and adversity, defend your family’s security, and continue with something just because you have a strong suspicion that it will have a greater overall impact on society? What distinguishes investigative journalism from activism, and how do you maintain it in the face of opposition? Most journalists, especially those who cover crime, have probably asked themselves these questions multiple times throughout their careers.
The protagonist of Lost is a journalist named Vidhi Sahani (Yami Gautam), who discovers information about Ishan Bharti (Tushar Pandey), a young boy who has gone missing. As Vidhi digs deeper into the story, he is later identified as a member of a radical group, and the mystery grows murkier. The question of whether Ishan had actually joined a radical group or if he had been kidnapped for personal and political gain arises given that his relationship with Ankita Chauhan (Pia Bajpayee) and her connections to politician Varman (Rahul Khanna) are kept out of the investigation.
In addition to focusing on the journalist and her pursuit of the truth, Pink director Anirrudha Roy Chowdhury also explores issues of class and caste disparities, patriarchy with references to the “mardon wali field,” and the fact that Vidhi is one of the few “female crime journalists.” There is also an ideological conflict over how journalists and extremists both attempt to “manipulate” the truth by portraying their version of an event and its effects as fact. The biggest issue with the movie might be this. Every now and then, it loses its direction, and the plot becomes more loose. Although the build-up is occasionally agonizingly slow, the climax seems to be rushed.
The fact that these drawbacks are listed at the outset does not in any way imply that the movie is bad. Without really spoon-feeding it, it asks some very important questions and provides pertinent answers. Pankaj Kapur’s portrayal of the character also helps with this. Playing Nanu for Yami. In addition to highlighting the grandparent-granddaughter relationship, his character also serves as the voice of reason, guiding Vidhi toward a solution without actually bringing her there.
Yami Gautam has been selectively reading scripts and choosing parts where she is more than just “there.” She always succeeds, and after A Thursday, she does it once more with Lost. She is the main character, and the movie depends on her. She firmly grounds it and once again demonstrates her tenacity. She displays her gullibility and the conundrum she encounters throughout her pursuit of the truth. You’ll remember the movie’s dialogue. The script, though, could have been tighter because there are many loose ends. The film explores too many topics and moves at an uneven pace. Cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay has expertly captured the old-world charm of Kolkata, with a sepia tone permeating all the shots.
