Set back in the alleys and corners of Kolkata, “Lost” is a true story-based film created by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, starring the brilliant actress Yami Gautam as Vidhi Sahani, a bold and dedicated journalist. With a great setup and plotline, the movie eventually leads to a crestfallen crescendo that we are not even prepared for. While the theme music complements the crime thriller, the director didn’t forget to paint the authentic aroma of Kolkata through his film.
Spoilers Ahead
‘Lost’ Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?
The first five minutes of the movie wheels around the police station where Namrata Yadav registered a case file for her missing brother Ishaan Bharti (Tusahar Pandey). And the story meets Vidhi, who seems to be quite riveted by the sudden disappearance of the guy, who graduated from a renowned college opting for Political Science as his major. Money, politics, and power were never his thing; rather, he was an active member of theater and the “nukkad natak” group. Vidhi, the dynamic crime reporter, lives with her adoring grandfather (Pankaj Kumar), who might not be an expert in politics but is a pro at making the best upma and sambar. She retells the details of the story to her grandfather with maximum clarity, and despite the eerie statistics, the actor could switch the discussion of tragic violence to a light-hearted gossip about an adorable relationship between the grandfather and his grandchild. On the other side, a spark of love develops between Ishaan and his girlfriend, Ankita Chauhan (Pia Bajpai), and they decide to sign up for the marriage under a special act. Ankita used to work for a news channel, which marked her future accomplishments in life. From hanging out to making love, the couple was knitting the dream of living “happily ever after” together. Vidhi has prioritized work so much that she cannot meet the expectations of her long-distance boyfriend Jeet (Neil Bhoopalam), so Jeet puts all his efforts into rebuilding the half-fallen relationship.
Love That Fell Apart Soon
Coming to the real investigation, Vidhi is inclined to decipher the intricacies of the missing case, with so many truths unveiled with the emergence of new faces. On the other side, there is Ranjan Varman (Rahul Khanna), a minister with superpowers who offers Ankita an expensive lifestyle. A girl from a lower-class background fancied a life in the lap of luxury and so she started maintaining a distance from Ishaan. The night before he went missing, he was seen in his apartment of Ankita; they had a moot point, which made him ensure that Ankita was also one of them who ran behind in money. The interrogation by the police becomes unbearable and torturous for Ishaan’s mother and his family. The silly guy is labeled as an overactive supporter of an extremist group, and his family is forced to accept the fact and give details, whereas, to Namrata, Ishaan was a man of art, culture, and music. Vidhi tried her best to find leads who could support her with much data, and she kept on visiting some really powerful men, including the black sheep too. It is pretty obvious why Ankita threw dust in Vidhi’s eyes just to secure her position for the MLA seat. And what’s the point of having an unemployed, mediocre boyfriend when Sir Varman has got her back? Another name comes up: Visawarama, who is basically a rival to Ranjan, and their internal conflicts have cast a shadow over Ishaan’s family. With all the mysteries, you are not going to miss out on the yellow-taxi supremacy, metro lines, overcrowded streets, narrow walkways, and muffins from Flurys.
Vidhi’s Safari: From The Backstreet To The Bigger Picture
Vidhi is doing what she is great at, cracking every possible move of the political leaders to find out about Zia, a tailor master who could guide her with facts. A little mistake could bring a fatal accident to everyone’s life, and that is why the agents of the leader are keeping an eye on Vidhi, including her grandfather and parents. Her father faces multiple barriers because his business is tied up with the government.Even though her grandpa seems calm, deep inside, he is terrified by the threats coming from Ranjan’s right hand. And here, our dear Vidhi is receiving letters from blackmailers threatening acid attacks. She is fighting the whole system, from corrupt police officers to the leaders who are trying to knock her out. The story becomes her prime concern, and she just starts living it. It is quite normal for a privileged man like Jeet to say there is nothing odd if a “Dalit” turns into a terrorist. But Vidhi, who is desperately trying to prove Ishaan innocent, shows the Twitter posts to her boyfriend with the hashtag “Lost” and gives an ample amount of data about how each day India has thousands of unsolved missing cases. The unbiased journalist is so filled with emotions that she is seen arguing with the chief editor for approval. Of course, she is fearless, but with courage come a lot of pitfalls that she hasn’t yet sensed. After the murder of Kushal in a tram depot, a close pal of Ishaan, the rebellious lady, also comes in her form to get into the hook and crooks of the story. The encounter with Ranjan is a disappointment to Vidhi, who is about to release her press until a call from Zia changes everything. She catches Viswarama, the Maoist leader, over a video call, where the man confronts the fact that Ishaan is alive and has the dignified life he deserves. All her will power gets shattered as soon as she comes to know that the young man she has been defending for months has also become a part of the violence.
‘Lost’ Ending Explained – Defeating Or Dawning?
But that’s not the end. The story began with a token of love and ended with a pledge of sacrifice. Ankita gets a recording from Ishaan where he alerts her to be safe as the terrorist had plotted a landmine blast on the way to Purulia. Ranjan and Ankita were supposed to leave the ancestral house, but there was a change in the plan after receiving the warning. And that’s how you’ll see Ranjan’s people being ripped apart by the bomb blast. The hopeful reporter gets devastated until Ankita forwards the video clip to her, where Ishaan urges how badly he wants her to be safe and promises to come back if destiny wills. Vidhi now gets her hero exactly as she wants him to be. Even after being a victim of the socioeconomic agenda, Ishaan deeply wants to come back to his roots, where he actually belongs, and definitely not to the Naxalite party. The movie has multilayered aspects; though it portrays connections with politics, it is a depiction of the progressive mind amidst the battle between class and casteism. The downtrodden people are always oppressed and think that they are the prey of fate, but what could bring justice to them is be raising their voices; somewhere in the film, attention is diverted from the narratives by underscoring the sad truth of society. Vidhi didn’t lose, and neither did her efforts go in vain; rather, she brought a beam of light to Ishaan’s family, making them realize that the “lost” guy would turn over a new leaf. The title of the film is metaphorical yet impressive as Yami Gautam breathes life into the “lost” ball game with her promising acting skills. Vidhi’s profession defines her the best; she creates a story out of herself, reminding the viewers that journalism demands and requires a lot of courage, empathy, patience, and faith.