, has been praised for its "nonjudgmental" look at a cheating couple who fall back in love with each other. Reviewers from Hindustan Times Mashable India
In "Mission Mangalam," Vidya Balan played the role of Sarayu, a scientist who leads a mission to Mars and navigates her relationships with her team members. The film's romantic subplot revolves around Sarayu's bond with her colleague, played by Shashank Khaitan.
This role proved that a "romantic storyline" could be tragic, lonely, and ultimately fatal, yet still be the most powerful female narrative of the year.
The real relationship that changed her life didn't begin with a song sequence or a dramatic rain scene.
Vidya Balan ’s approach to relationships, both in her personal life and on-screen, is defined by a sense of maturity, privacy, and a preference for unconventional narratives that challenge traditional "happily ever after" tropes.
Technically, Kahaani has no romance. Vidya’s Vidya Bagchi is a pregnant, hormonal, fierce woman searching for her missing husband. But the genius of the film is that . The entire plot is driven by a love that may or may not have existed. Her devotion to her unborn child and her dead (or alive?) husband is the engine of the thriller.