Gandhari (2026) [Movie Review] — Taapsee Pannu’s Thriller Gets Lost in Its Own Ambition

Movie: Gandhari

Director: Devashish Makhija

Writer: Kanika Dhillon

Stars: Taapsee Pannu, Swastika Mukherjee, Vishwanath Chatterjee, Anirban Bhattacharya, Prashant Narayanan, Mita Vashisht, Jatin Sarna, Chhaya Kadam, Ishwak Singh, and more.

Release Date: 3 September 2026

Running time: 117 minutes

Gandhari brings together an intriguing premise, a Bengali setting, and a female-led action narrative. Directed by Devashish Makhija and written by Kanika Dhillon, the film follows Bani, a mother whose five-year-old daughter Mishty is abducted in broad daylight. Consumed by guilt, Bani joins her husband Gokul in the search, eventually uncovering a disturbing child-trafficking network.

The story takes another dramatic turn when Bani loses her eyesight, forcing her to continue the search under extraordinary circumstances. On paper, it has all the ingredients of an intense emotional thriller. Unfortunately, the execution repeatedly gets in its own way.

Taapsee Pannu Is Strong in Action but Underused as an Actor

Taapsee Pannu commits fully to the physically demanding role. She handles the action sequences with conviction and brings the required intensity to Bani's transformation into a determined mother.

However, the screenplay increasingly treats her as an action figure rather than a complex woman dealing with fear, guilt, grief, and desperation. The emotional layers that could have made Bani compelling are frequently overshadowed by elaborate fights and increasingly dramatic situations.

The result is a performance that is physically impressive but dramatically less memorable than Pannu is capable of delivering.

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Too Many Twists Leave the Thriller Feeling Predictable

The film's biggest weakness is its writing. Gandhari attempts to combine abduction, child trafficking, revenge, disability, mystery, morally complicated characters, and a large-scale action finale.

Instead of making the narrative richer, these elements compete for attention. The twists often feel deliberately inserted to keep the plot moving rather than emerging naturally from the characters.

The biggest problem is that the central premise never generates the emotional tension it should. A missing child should create overwhelming anxiety, but the rushed storytelling leaves little room for genuine fear or parental anguish to develop.

Swastika Mukherjee Brings the Mystery the Film Needs

Among the supporting cast, Swastika Mukherjee makes the strongest impression. Her mysterious character brings an unsettling calmness that contrasts nicely with the film's otherwise loud approach.

Chhaya Kadam adds her usual presence, while Mita Vashisht lends the story some much-needed gravitas. Ishwak Singh, Jatin Sarna, Prashant Narayanan, and the other supporting performers, however, are given surprisingly little material to work with.

Several potentially interesting characters feel more like plot devices than fully developed personalities.

The 90s-Style Presentation Doesn't Always Work

Devashish Makhija gives Gandhari the flavor of an old-school revenge thriller, particularly during its confrontations and action-heavy finale. There are moments when this style feels deliberately nostalgic, but more often it clashes with the film's contemporary premise.

The West Bengal setting also lacks convincing authenticity, with several locations failing to capture the region's distinctive atmosphere. The police angle, meanwhile, feels underdeveloped and ultimately adds little to the central mystery.

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Final Verdict: A Thriller That Needed More Restraint

Gandhari has the foundation of a gripping film: a desperate mother, a missing child, a dangerous trafficking network, and a protagonist forced to overcome an extraordinary obstacle. But the screenplay continually prioritizes escalation over emotional depth.

Taapsee Pannu's commitment and Swastika Mukherjee's intriguing performance provide bright spots, yet the film never fully discovers the powerful story hidden underneath its action and twists.

What could have been an emotionally devastating thriller about parental guilt, female rage, and a mother's determination instead becomes an overstuffed and occasionally dated chase drama.

Rating: ★★⯪☆☆ (2.5/5)