Hindi
Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh……Predictable story
Sequel is a misnomer for films using a similar or the same title as an older film including, surprisingly, not always successful ones. The use of an old title and, if possible, the protagonist from the earlier film seem to suffice. In Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh, the common factor as in Kahaani (2012) is the lead actor, Vidya Balan, and the film’s West Bengal backdrop. Rest has no connect with the earlier.
Kahaani 2 deals with the much-debated issue of child abuse.
Vidya Balan’s character has a paraplegic daughter, Tunisha Sharma, in her early teens who she has promised to protect till she is alive. Both lead a quiet life in a distant village in West Bengal. Her time is divided between her job and looking after her daughter. Her only wish is to take her daughter to the US for treatment so she can start walking again as she did earlier.
Tunisha also has a past that gives her nightmares. Tunisha has been a victim of child abuse when she was six (played by Naisha Khanna).
Arjun Rampal, the newly transferred cop from Kolkata, enters the scene. As Arjun delves into Vidya’s diary it emerges that Naisha is an orphan in care of her uncle and granny. And, there is something about her family that is making her uncomfortable. Vidya takes it upon herself to rescue the girl.
Rampal has a reason to keep the case away from police record and his seniors.
Kahaani 2 is thoroughly a script of convenience. It is predictable and leaves a few things unexplained at the end. Since it uses the title Kahaani, the comparison is inevitable and, to say the least, this one falls way short of the original.
It is a VidyaBalan film but she is not seen doing any daring-dos here as would be expected Naisha Khanna is impressive. Tunisha does not have much to do and passes muster. Rampal is good. Jugal Hansraj and Tota Roy Chowdhary are okay in support.
The film keeps the viewer engrossed through its first half, but it tends to get repetitive in the later half. What works to some extent is the film’s ‘please all’ climax. With a solo release and coming as it does following a trail of poor films recently, Kahaani2: Durga Rani Singh was expected to take a decent opening which has not happened. In absence of initial curiosity, the film stands poor chances at the box office.
Producers: Kushal Kantilal Gada, Dhaval Jayantilal Gada, Aksshay Jayantilal Gada and Sujoy Ghosh.
Director: Sujoy Ghosh.
Cast: Vidya Balan, Arjun Rampal, Tunisha Sharma, Naisha Khanna, Tota Roy Chowdhary, Jugal Hansraj.
Hindi
Shekhar Suman opens acting academy in Mumbai
The veteran actor-presenter launches SSFA, promising immersive, mentorship-led training for aspiring actors and storytellers
Mumbai: Forty years in front of the camera, and Shekhar Suman still isn’t done. The actor, host, writer and director, one of Indian entertainment’s most restless polymaths, is now training his sights on the next generation, launching the Shekhar Suman Film Academy (SSFA) in Mumbai on 22nd April 2026. Registrations for the inaugural batch are already open.
SSFA pitches itself squarely against formula-driven acting schools, leading with an intensive three-month programme that Suman says he personally designed and will largely conduct himself. The curriculum blends voice and speech work, emotional access, body awareness and camera technique with the Linklater Voice Method, film language and on-set discipline, and rounds off with a student film, giving trainees their first taste of a real set.
Masterclasses with actors, casting directors and filmmakers sit alongside the core course. The academy is conceived as a platform that will eventually sprawl into screenwriting, direction, cinematography, music production and post-production: a full creative ecosystem rather than a single acting school.
“For me, this academy is not just an institution. It is a very personal way of giving back to the craft that has given me everything,” said Suman. “Over the years, acting has taught me discipline, imagination, resilience, and the importance of truth in performance. Through this academy, I hope to create something that goes beyond training and becomes a true creative journey for every student who walks in.”
Behind the scenes, the academy is backed by GBM Studios. Dharmesh Sangani, founder and visionary, is the driving force, bringing what the academy describes as “a focused approach to creating meaningful opportunities within the industry.” Adhyayan Suman, founder and director and Shekhar’s son, adds a performer’s perspective honed across acting, music and direction. Ekant Babani, partner and chief operating officer, handles strategy and operations.
Entry is deliberately low-barrier. No prior training is needed: applicants sit a basic self-audition test, shifting the focus firmly to potential rather than polish. The academy says it aims to stay accessible while delivering a premium, hands-on experience.
In a country where acting schools multiply almost as fast as OTT platforms, Suman’s personal stamp and his willingness to stand in the room and teach may be the sharpest edge SSFA has. For those ready to test that promise, the curtain is already up. Apply at shekharsumanfilmacademy.com
