Name: Kaisi Ye Paheli (2025)
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Released: 2025-11-28
Rating: 7.0
Cast: Sukant Goel, Sadhana Singh, Rajit Kapur, Chittaranjan Giri, Rahul Nawach Mukhia

In a sleepy hill town in northeast India, a lonely mother tries to reconnect with her estranged policeman son by channelling her inner detective to help him solve a murder

Kaisi Ye Paheli (2025)

Times of India

A sleepy Himalayan town in Kalimpong, the fictional Shottipur, is jolted out of its slumber when a young girl, Ishita is found dead in her hostel room. A poisonous peda (sweet) found next to her is believed to have caused her death. For the neighbourhood police, who usually deal with petty thefts, this is a big case and not to mention a high-profile one, given that the hostel is owned by a local leader. There is pressure from the top to wrap it up quickly and the most convenient answer for everyone would be that it is case of suicide. While Uttam (Sukant Goel) and his senior, Tenzing Tamang (Chittaranjan Giri) almost succumb to the coercion, Uttam's mother (Sadhana Singh) is convinced otherwise. Having read almost every detective novel by Satyajit Ray and Agatha Christie she is convinced this is a murder, giving him a clue she claims to have picked up the earlier day.
But for Uttam, whose father was a high ranking police officer and lost his life on the job, his mother's words are just an annoyance. In fact, whenever she tries to strike up a conversation with him, he brushes her aside brusquely. It is obvious the mother and son share a strained relationship. Against the backdrop of the brewing murder mystery, we see a lonely woman trying to connect with her son. Fortunately for her, when Uttam casually mentions his mother's theory to Tenzing, he insists on bringing her in as a consultant on the case, since they are anyway racing against time. As for Mrs.Ray, she is thrilled to be included in the investigation that also allows her to spend time with her son.
When the main suspects for Ishita's murder are brought in for questioning, she impresses upon the team that it is as important to focus on the 'whydunit.' as on the 'whodunit'. So there is the hot headed current boyfriend, the bitter ex who writes bad poetry, a roommate who is a drug addict and the mother who didn't get along with her daughter.
'Kaisi Ye Paheli' is as much about fractured parent-child bonds as it is about solving the murder. For Uttam, who has a volatile temper, his mother reminds him of the painful death of his dad and he often blames her for it. He finds her presence suffocating, an impediment to his privacy and wishes she would go back to Kolkata. As the film dwells on his childhood traumas, it also sees Uttam constantly reminding his mother that this is 'real life' and not one of her 'Feluda' novels. Although when some of her investigation tips seem to be helpful, he softens his stance and they begin to finally connect. But things change when a police constable goes missing and a hand-written note is left as a clue and detective Bondo (Rajit Kapur) is sent in from Kolkata. Having solved 99 cases, he is keen to score a century and in his view this is the work of a serial killer.
'Kaisi Ye Paheli' is Ananyabrata Chakravorty's debut feature film as director and writer and he puts together an engaging mystery that keeps you hooked till the end. Secrets, clandestine affairs, unresolved emotions, broken relationships tumble out - red herrings, real clues et al.
While the big reveal about the cold-blooded murderer feels rushed and a tad far-fetched, the film sets up a world that is easy to sink into - the mellow and misty hill-station, winding roads, the earnestness of the characters, the quintessential small town imprints. The cinematography (Leena Patoli) captures the essence of the hill-station gorgeously with dappled sunlight and in soft gentle hues. The pace (Prakhar Khare) is languid, slow-burn almost as if it wants to to blend in with the quaint setting. Then there are the hat-tips to the most popular detective heroes from Bengali fiction - Feluda and Byomkesh Bakshi; and to Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot - which add a touch of nostalgia. The narrative blends in suspense and humour with the complexity of the human psyche and what prompts a person to commit murder.
The performances are a notch above - Sukant Goel as the disgruntled son and a middling ASI is pitch perfect, Sadhana Singh as the mother who is determined to be heard brings in grace and vulnerability in equal measure, Rajit Kapur - reliving his Byomkesh Bakshi avatar - is a delight to watch and Chittaranjan Giri adds an endearing touch.
'Kaisi Ye Paheli' is a moody murder mystery amidst the mist and mountains - soaked with intrigue, examining relationship definitions and a twist you don't see coming.

Kaisi Ye Paheli | Official Trailer | In Cinemas 28 Nov | Sukant Goel, Sadhana Singh, Rajit Kapur

Kaisi Ye Paheli (2025)

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