2.5 Stars (out of 4)

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Vibha (Rani Mukherjee) saves her family from financial ruin by moving to Bombay to become an escort, though her secret isolates her from her loved ones, physically and emotionally. The complex relationships between Vibha, her sister Chutki (Konkona Sen Sharma), and their mother (Jaya Bhaduri) effectively convey the themes of female empowerment and sacrifice. But the musical numbers in Laaga Chunari Mein Daag feel shoehorned in, and Abhishek Bachchan is wasted in a role that’s basically a glorified cameo.

No Rating (sexuality, mature themes); 140 minutes

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on October 19, 2007