Lost is an investigative thriller film starring Yami Gautam that revolves around a crime reporter unearthing a politically twisted case, centred around a missing theatre activist. The film is directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury with a screenplay from Shyamal Sengupta and Ritesh Shah and has a total runtime of two hours and four minutes.
Notably, the film features Pankaj Kapur, Rahul Khanna, Neil Bhoopalam, Pia Bajpiee, and Tushar Pandey in titular roles. Meanwhile, Avik Mukhopadhyay serves as the cinematographer of the flick while Bodhaditya Banerjee heads the editing department.
The official synopsis of the film reads as
In this ZEE5 Original, crime reporter Vidhi investigates the sudden disappearance of a college student. While society associates different theories for his disappearance, what really is the true story?
-Lost Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-
The film starts with a brief context about a missing theatre artist turned activist Ishan Bharti, who goes missing under a mysterious set of circumstances. Moreover, Namita, Ishan’s sister, tries to get the authority involved with the case, in order to deduce the whereabouts of her well-intentioned brother. However, when the authorities do get involved, a simple case of a missing young adult turns out to be way more than what actually meets the eye.
Workaholic and Journalist (a term that goes hand in hand in the media industry) Riddhi Sahani, played by Yami Gautam, latches onto the curious case with a determined spirit. She starts to develop a complete picture of the missing case and soon discovers the involvement of a powerful politician. Moreover, this new find not only increments the risk factor in her investigation but also raises serious questions about the enigmatic mystery.
The first half of this investigation tale is all material and grip worthy. Nearly all the elements of a suspense mystery align perfectly with the clear vision of Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and push everything into the right place. This includes a subtle performance from Yami Gautam and a captivating conversation-style commentary from Pankaj Kapur. That latter of which is definitely my favourite part of the movie.
Kapur serves as the core spirit of the film and makes an appearance from time to time, to steer our protagonist in the right channel. He is as good as it gets, and just like every other time, becomes the essence of the flick.
Avik Mukhopadhyay’s lens formulates the rhythm of the story and keeps us visually on track with the themes. The cinematography simply complements the story structure of the film and aids Chowdhury in foretelling the screenplay. Moreover, it prevents the film from drifting away at points and carries a tight and meticulous eye for detail.
The only thing that makes the experience less memorable is the below-par climax of the film. The entire payoff feels sluggish in comparison to the gripping narrative and takes away from the longevity of the movie. And even though the film avoids a preachy tone successfully for the majority part, it fails to repeat the same towards the end.
Lost Final Thoughts
The film attempts to achieve a thoroughly engaging narrative but remains short of its desired notion. Moreover, it speaks honestly about the bigotry of the system and the loopholes that benefit the people in power. However, the only thing that might lift your spirit in the end, would be another enchanting Pankaj Kapur portrayal.
You can stream Lost on Zee5. Let us know your thoughts about it in the comment section below.
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