Bob Biswas is that rare time when Bollywood attempts to do a spinoff, and we then find out why the industry has been scared to do so in the past. It is a movie centred around the fan-favourite assassin from the 2012 film Kahaani, who used to moonlight as a LIC salesman, and whose portly exterior slyly hides his sinister murderous instincts. "Nomoshkar... Ek minute!" became quite the catchphrase, and we can't blame the makers for making a spinoff revolving around Bob. Bob Biswas Movie Review: Abhishek Bachchan’s Take on Fan-Favourite Kahaani Assassin Leaves Us Confused!

The problem here is that Bob Biswas suffered a brutal death in Kahaani. Or so we thought, until the spinoff somehow changes that to a near-fatal accident that left him in an eight-year coma from which he came out without his memory. The coma also did miracles to his height and face, as he now looks like Abhishek Bachchan instead of Saswata Chatterjee, who played the role in the original. Considering that Bob Biswas finally released on OTT (Zee5), we wonder why Sujoy Ghosh, who is both the producer and writer, didn't stick with the original actor. Not that Abhishek's box office standing remained high as before.

Anyway, coming to the plot, we learn that Bob has a wife in Mary, played by Chitrangda Singh, a young son and a teenage step-daughter, who is Mary's daughter from her first marriage. He is also being stalked by two shady IB officers, who want him to return to his old job of killing targets, while Bob is trying to figure out what kind of a person he was before he lost his memory.

The ending is dark and brooding but it leaves with a sequel tease. While the film's cold reception with the critics makes its future unsure, you never know what plans Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment has for Bob Biswas. Before we go ahead decoding the ending and what it means for the sequel, let's drop the warning - MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

The Ending

After finishing off the people responsible for the death of his wife and son, we cut the scene where Bob and Minnie, the step-daughter, are now standing at the graves of their departed family members. Minnie still blames Bob for what happened to her family (and we can't blame her for that), though they still live under the same roof, and Bob is taking care of her studies. After Minnie leaves, Bob has a conversation with the grave of his wife, where he promises to be with her soon once Minnie is settled, indicating that he has plans to die by suicide.

Just then he gets a message on his secret cellphone, which means he got his new target. We see him looking curiously at that picture, and it is revealed to us to that of Kahaani's Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan). A sinister smile appears on Bob's face, as he utters his famous catchphrase, "Nomoshkar... Ek minute!"

It's definitely a sequel tease that, if it ever happens, should possibly pit Bob Biswas once again with the one that got away from him, Vidya. However, the climax also raises several questions about the movie itself, that was left unanswered that the sequel must tackle, if and when that takes fruit.

Is Bob Biswas a Sequel or a Prequel or a Soft Reboot?

This question might have confused many who thought that Bob Biswas is definitely a continuation to Kahaani, so hear me out. If we believe that Bob had survived the accident in Kahaani, why is it that him being assassin didn't reach the ears of his wife or the police, considering a police officer was also involved in the incident? So is it the same accident that made Bob lose his memory? The picture of Vidya that Bob receives at the end of this movie is of hers from eight years ago (the still from Kahaani). If someone wanted to kill her, why not send him a recent picture? Now we cannot say Kahaani is a sequel to Bob Biswas, considering there is nothing about the 2012's film's milieu that suggests it is set in the future, and Bob Biswas's setting confirms it is happening in present times. So the sequel must clear this confusion about where Bob Biswas stands in the Kahaani franchise.

Has Bob Recovered His Memory?

Now let's consider the possibility that Bob Biswas is indeed set after Kahaani, which brings us to the next question. Assuming that we saw a sliver of recognition on Bob's face, accentuated by that smile, did he recognise the lady in the picture as the one, who in a way, was responsible for his accident? Which means, did he recover his memory completely? Amitabh Bachchan Is a ‘Proud’ Father After Watching Abhishek Bachchan’s Bob Biswas Trailer (View Post).

Who Is Sending Bob His Assignments?

Bob has managed to kill the people who used to send him his 'targets', but the final scene shows he continues to get more, and this time, he is happy with that. So who is sending them now? The only people who know about his identity are Indira (Tina Desai) and the IB chief. So are they using Bob to assassinate those who they are finding troublesome. If so, what did Vidya do to earn that ire? And how did they find her out, since her identity was fake and she had gone hiding since the events of Kahaani?

What About Bob's Conscience Crisis?

Bob is seen earlier in the film having a crisis of conscience, which is why his recruiters felt the need to eliminate him. But in the end, he is once again seen accepting murder assignments. Unless the movie is tricking us and he is merely looking to mend his old ways by seeking out those whom he hurt, we wonder what happened to his change of heart.

Will Minnie Ever Discover That Bob Killed His Father?

A significant loose thread deliberately left hanging was the revelation that Bob killed Mary's first husband and Minnie's father. It is unclear if he did it out of jealousy for being married to the woman Bob loved or was the victim a 'work assignment'? Considering he was killed not by a gunshot but by using a blunt weapon, I assume it was more personal. Poor Mary gets killed the moment she stumbles upon Bob's dark secret. Minnie is already angry about Bob's being the reason for her mother and brother's deaths, apart from the already persisting resentment of being her father's replacement. It is interesting to know if Bob would come clean to her, or she stumbles upon his secret. And what would happen if she finds out? The climax of Bob Biswas showed that she is not averse to shooting him down, albeit under the influence of drugs.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 03, 2021 05:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).