The blissful marital world of Kaveri (Konkona Sen Sharma) is shattered by an accident that leaves husband Kaushik (Prosenjit) wounded and blows the cover off his weekend escapades with colleague Mita (Chandrayee Ghosh). Mita, married with a son, dies on the spot. What follows is the rebuilding of Kaveri?s broken home, bit by excruciating bit.

?The basic plot is both powerful and intriguing ? the straying husband staying alive to face the world; the straying wife dead and leaving her bewildered husband to pick up the pieces. This allows director Rituparno Ghosh to explore shock, trauma, anger, embarrassment and reconciliation through the anti-thesis of the two worlds. While Konkona grapples to find a way to deal with a deceitful husband and restore their relationship, cheated husband Shankar Chakraborty displays an impotent rage in his failure to fight his dead unfaithful wife.

?Though the film revolves around Konkona?s character, some vital gender issues have been woven in to reveal how much a man?s world it still is. Case in point: Prosenjit remains a favourite colleague whose dalliances are easily forgiven, while Chandrayee?s existence is given a quick and complete burial.

?The sub-plot of Konkona?s friends Pallavi Chatterjee and Parambrata Chatterjee as another fugitive couple works well, with Pallavi being torn between her husband-home and her young lover.

?Konkona comes into her own a little while into the film and then carries it on her shoulders. Prosenjit, as the silent sufferer, is retrained and poignant.

?Black-and-white lends a novel and soothing dimension to a film dealing with basic emotions. Chandrayee?s rendering of a Rabindrasangeet deserves special mention.

?The couple on an extended Raichak romp adds nothing to the film. The shot of Shankar atop the prostitute strikes a jarring note. Tota?s ?condom? conversation with Prosenjit is cliched and almost juvenile. The end seems too pat, leaving the viewer with a feeling that the film could have rolled some more.