Gandhari review: Taapsee Pannu shines in a muddled, overdramatic human-trafficking thriller

Human trafficking has become a recurring theme in Bollywood, and Netflix's Gandhari, starring Taapsee Pannu, explores the subject through the story of a mother searching for her kidnapped daughter. Written by Kanika Dhillon and directed by Devashish Makhija, the film is set in a fictional town in Bengal, where the search uncovers a larger child-trafficking network.

Bani (Taapsee Pannu), her husband Gopal (Ishwak Singh), and their daughter are travelling through West Bengal when their daughter is kidnapped at a crowded railway station. Bani is injured while trying to stop the kidnapper and loses her eyesight. After the police fail to make progress, the couple decide to remain in the town and continue searching for their daughter. Meanwhile, special investigator Kabir (Jatin Sarna) arrives to investigate a series of missing-child cases.

As the investigation progresses, Joypura emerges as a town full of secrets, with residents, local police and other characters seemingly connected to a larger trafficking network. The premise is compelling, and Pannu gets ample opportunity to portray a determined mother willing to take considerable risks to find her child.

However, the film's execution frequently undermines its potential. Clues often come to Bani rather than being discovered through a convincing investigation, while several twists feel manufactured and implausible. The screenplay relies heavily on flashbacks and leaves several subplots and developments unexplained.

Despite strong performances from actors such as Ishwak Singh, Swastika Mukherjee, Mita Vashisht and Chhaya Kadam, their characters are held back by weak writing.

The film also falls into the familiar trap of using exaggerated cultural markers to portray Bengal. Forced Bengali expressions, stereotypical depictions of the community and an unnecessary occult sequence make the setting feel more caricatured than authentic.

Ultimately, Gandhari has a relevant subject and a strong central performance, but its convoluted screenplay, contrived twists and unresolved subplots make it a frustrating watch. Given Devashish Makhija's previous work in films such as Ajji and Bhonsle, the film feels like a missed opportunity. Gandhari is streaming on Netflix.

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