2012 · Film
Talaash: The Answer Lies Within
Reema Kagti's neo-noir thriller in which a grieving Mumbai police inspector investigates a film star's fatal late-night car crash.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Talaash: The Answer Lies Within is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
The story
Late one night, film star Armaan Kapoor swerves on a deserted Mumbai seafront road and his car plunges into the sea. Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhawat takes charge of the case, but he is also struggling at home. He and his wife Roshni are grieving their young son Karan, who drowned recently, and guilt keeps him awake at night. As Surjan follows a trail of missing cash and a blackmailer through Mumbai's night-time underworld, he meets Rosie, an escort who seems to know more than she lets on.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
A moody, slow-burning mystery for viewers who like a detective story mixed with grief and family drama. It is rated U/A, runs about 2 hours 19 minutes, and deals with the death of a child, sex work, blackmail and murder.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Talaash was directed by Reema Kagti, her second feature after Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., and written with Zoya Akhtar. Farhan Akhtar wrote the dialogue, and Anurag Kashyap added more. Excel Entertainment and Aamir Khan Productions produced it, with Reliance Entertainment distributing. It was shot between March and November 2011, mainly in Mumbai, Pondicherry and London.
The release slipped from 2011 and then from June 2012 before the film opened on 30 November 2012. Wikipedia lists its worldwide gross at ₹174–181 crore, which made it one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 2012. Its overseas gross of about US$8.5 million made it the fourth-highest-grossing Bollywood film of the year abroad. At the 58th Filmfare Awards it received three nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Rani Mukerji and Best Supporting Actor for Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
The facts
- Language
- Hindi
- Hindi
- Hindi original
- Genre
- Neo-noir, Psychological thriller
- Runtime
- 139 min
- Certificate
- U/A
- Director
- Reema Kagti
- Cast
- Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajkummar Rao
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Talaash: The Answer Lies Within in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Talaash: The Answer Lies Within is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
- Is Talaash: The Answer Lies Within in Hindi?
- Yes. Talaash: The Answer Lies Within is a Hindi-language film.
- Is Talaash: The Answer Lies Within suitable for children?
- Talaash: The Answer Lies Within has a CBFC U/A certificate, which means children under 12 should watch with a parent or guardian.
- How long is Talaash: The Answer Lies Within?
- Talaash: The Answer Lies Within runs for 2 hours 19 minutes (139 minutes).