Happy Birthday, Ms Honeybee!

Here’s wishing Ms Honeybee many happy returns of the day from the core of my heart! She has been helluva fun and a steady source of weekly entertainment. I am fond of her sharp wit.

Well, Ms Honeybee is officially a weekly cinema gossip column featured on the backpage of Calcutta Times, the daily supplement of the Times of India, on Sundays. It is one wicked pleasure that I am sure many don’t wish to miss in the daily dope of entertainment news. Now, as any reader of the column  knows what is mostly seen in the column is actually insider information of the Bangla cinema industry that is not fit to be published in byline news/ features. So, it’s dope for those seeking interesting trivia and juicy, intimate nuggets of information from the industry. It sometimes breaks news too. Like it has informed of a star kid who would possibly be cast in the lead role in a big period piece helmed by a leading director and scheduled to release next Puja.

So, you get to know about projects before the media brings it to you, the real picture of the box office of big movies, the show of might of a big producer, how warm the vibes of Bengal’s hottest star pair actually are etc apart from the familiar dose of industry romances.

What the readers surely enjoy is the straightforwardness of Ms Honeybee. She doesn't hint at persons but takes names, unlike other gossip columns where the readers keep figuring out, often with struggle, who is what from the hints. There is one exception but, a mighty industry mogul, whom she refers to as ‘He who must not be named’.

I once shocked a friend of mine who runs a leading theatre in Behala with the precise information of which show of a new Bengali release was cancelled in his theatre, gathered from you know where.

Ms Honeybee has been wished by big stars on her special day and you know what? Reading that was as much fun as reading the column. The wishes separates the men from the boys and women from the girls. Ms Honeybee hardly spares anyone, so all have had a taste of her sting. Now, some have taken it in their stride and wished her well, like Birsa, Srijit, Jeet and Rituparna. But some have made it apparent that they have found her sting a bit too much to handle at times by requesting her to check facts before writing or that her gossip was baseless at times. They include Dev, Raj Chakraborty, Nusrat and Mimi. To me, Birsa’s quip takes the cake, which states, “Bob like a beetle, tittle to the tee/ Oh my quirky, zany Honeybee.” Also liked the pun-loving Srijit saying “Honeybee ‘hani karok’ noy, borong mishti. In months to come, I wish to read more interesting trivia from her.”

Before signing off, let me put down which wish made for a ROFL moment for me. It’s Dev’s, who has requested her to check the ‘authenticity’ of the ‘news’ as “Not every gossip is true”.


#MsHoneybee #BanglaCinema #Tollygunge


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The Kolkata pice hotel trail part 1- Hotel Sidheshwari Ashram

Love on a banana leaf!

In the age where we indulge in the choicest Bengali food in fancy Bengali cuisine restaurants, some eateries, tucked into the lanes and alleys of the old Kolkata, have been silently serving lipsmacking traditional food for ages. Known as pice hotels, they serve good old basic meals, minus any frills, to the common man at honest prices in a humble ambience.

According to Arun Deb who runs Tarun Niketan, the popular pice hotel near Rashbehari, which is more than hundred years old, ‘Pice hotel’ means a customer needs to pay for everything other than the steel plate, the salt served on it and the water in stainless steel tumbler. Even a piece of banana leaf, if a customer demands getting the food served on it (as it is done traditionally), has a small price. ‘Paisa’ or ‘Pice’ in English was the smallest currency in the British era when such eateries possibly started. So, it meant, one had to pay in pice for everything in those eateries and thus these places started being known as ‘Pice hotel’.

Without this kind of eateries, one’s search for Bengali food in Kolkata will remain incomplete and if a visitor wants to eat Bengali food in real local style, the destination is a pice hotel, not a fancy Bengali cuisine restaurant. Also, pice hotels are part of the soul of Kolkata. So if you wish to feel it, you may go to one.

I first read about Hotel Sidheshwari Ashram in my Facebook food group Calcutta Foodies Club in an extensive post, then in friends’ blog posts and Instagram posts. So, it was on the wishlist for a long time. Finally it got ticked as I visited this ninety two-year old popular pice hotel on a recent Saturday for lunch with two enthusiastic colleagues. What I felt after the meal is encapsulated in the opening line.

It’s located in Janbazar in central Kolkata. If you walk down SN Banerjee from from KMC/ Elite cinema bus stop towards Sealdah, after a few minutes, you shall see Hotel Aura on the right in a four-point crossing. Turn right and keep an eye on the left. After a few shops, mostly selling spices (it’s a spice market), you shall find its narrow entrance. Go straight to the first floor.

What will welcome you, much to your surprise (if you aren’t familiar to a pice hotel), is the menu board. Yes, prices are written in chalk as per availability of dishes which is dependent on the availability of the main ingredients and their prices on a given day. It means if a particular fish wasn’t available in the market that day, or its price had shot up much, the price of its dish would ke kept blank on the board. So, don’t make the mistake of asking for the menu card. It’s all there on the board only. It’s a place for the common man on the road. Customers sit on benches, not chairs, and share tables with rank strangers. Don’t be surprised if you find a cat staring at your fish from the window and don’t bother either.

I much preferred to sit right there as for me it was not just the food but the ambience to soak in, but on that day we had a lady among us and she wasn’t feeling comfortable sharing the table with a stranger, so we moved to the small AC section (seating ten people) which they have started in recent years for ‘sophisticated’ customers.They charge 20% extra on the bill for dining there, which we found to be fair given the down-to-earth prices.

We ordered fine rice, thick dal (they have basic versions of both at lower prices but don’t go for them), jhuri alubhaja (fried, crunchy potato slivers) and Rui Kawsha (Rohu fish curry in thick gravy) for all. Mocha Chingdi and mango chutney were also ordered which we shared. The food was served on a banana leaf in traditional Bengali style and water was served in ‘bhnaars’ (earthen cup).

The food was finger-licking good! Prices were down-to-earth and some items were surprisingly cheap, like the dal and alu bhaja. The portion sizes were good- the alu bhaja will suffice for two, so will be the Mocha Chingdi. The fish was a ‘peti’ for me (stomach- the most covetable serving of fish) and man, it was a jaw-dropping size (see the picture below). The common order (Rice, dal, alubhaja and the fish dish) cost just Rs 91 each approximately (other than the 20% load for AC section).

The giant portion of fish

After the meal is over, don’t ask for the bill. Head for the cash counter where the waiting staff will recall the dishes ordered and the cashier will put the prices of each in boxes on a sheet of paper on a clipboard, then sum up and tell you the amount. You can tip the service staff right there.

Unlike a pice hotel, it is open in the evening too. And it’s open all days a year.

It's surely a hidden gem and I have to go back there to explore more. Certainly for the mutton curry which fetches many good words.

I hope to visit some more pice hotels on my wishlist soon which will see the 'The Kolkata pice hotel trail' going.

#PiceHotel #BengaliCuisine #BengaliMeal #BengaliFood #BengaliFoodKolkata


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Pujo Diaries 2017

Here's a trail of Pujo (as Durga Puja or Puja is commonly known) which was celebrated in September 2017 in Kolkata.

This pandal (marquee) in Telengabagan which is a popular puja of north Kolkata. Theme puja (Pandal and idols of goddess Durga and her four children are designed following a theme) rules these days pushing the traditional puja to sidelines. The theme of this puja was child labour.

The interior of the Telengabagan puja (below).

The themed idol of goddess and her children in the Telengabagan puja. This reflects the current trend of idols of goddess Durga and her children.

A unique Durga idol with nine hands on one side, in Shnurir Bagan puja, north Kolkata.

Kobirajbagan Sarbojonin puja with the ship-themed pandal.

A classical Durga idol. A rarity in big pujas now.

A peek into the suburbs now. The book-fair-themed pandal of Shitala Mandir Samaj, Barrackpore, in north suburbs of Kolkata.

A tribal village has been recreated in a Barrackpore puja.

A jamindar's mansion has been recreated as the pandal in a popular puja in Barrackpore.

Live human models in the above-mentioned pujo.They stayed still for hours on end.

A swan-themed pandal in a puja in Ichhapur (north suburbs).

The idol of the above-mentioned puja. There's a certain playfulness in the design.

The classical war goddess avatar of Durga which is a personal favourite. It's a rare kind of idol these days. This one is at College Sqaure puja which has been blissfully defying the trend.....thankfully.

The houses in the locality are sometimes included in the pandal design  of a theme puja. This one is at the Nalin Sarkar Street puja (north Kolkata)

An art installation on the theme of an asylum in the Nalin Sarkar Street puja.

Kumari Puja on Ashtami day is another ritual which is followed in the Ramakrishna Mission centres. A young girl is selected for worship. This one is at Ramakrishna Vivekananda Mission of Barrackpore (which, though shares the same ideology, is a breakaway of the famous institution).

The roads get dressed up, too. This is Hatibagan Sarbojonin puja (north Kolkata).

I like the creativity of Hatibagan Sarbojonin and this year was no exception. The theme was 'Birds'. The design with cages and small wooden birds all around with their chirp as background music created a world of its own.

Chandelier is a tradition of puja pandals. Various pujas flaunt big, majestic chandeliers.

The Kashi Bose Lane puja (north Kolkata) was on the theme of evolution of music. The transistor radio and tape deck took back to the old times.

A small instance of the puja craze would be this. A small part of the queue for the Santosh Mitra Square puja (central Kolkata) past midnight.

Sindur Khela- the send-off ritual of the goddess on the last day- Dashami.

After the round of smearing the goddess with sindur (vermilion) is done with, it's time to do the same to each other among women (originally meant for married women).

The vermilion brings out a rare kind of feminine beauty .

'Sindur Khela' is equally popular among young and unmarried women now for its fashion quotient. Media photographers get them to pose for their 'Dashami' work.

Finally, Bhasan/ Bishorjon or biding the goddess adieu. Its immersion of the idol in the river.

Though a painful moment, bishorjon is obesrved with much fanfare. And free-flowing 'bhasan dance' to the beats of dhaak is a popular subculture.

I was lucky to witness this classical form of bishorjon. The idol is balanced on the edge of two boats and several rounds are done before the boats move away from one another.

#Puja #Pujo #DirgaPuja #DurgaPuja2017 #DurgaPujaKolkata #DurgaPujaKolkata2017

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Film review: Projapoti Biskut

Language- Bengali
Cast- Aditya Sengupta (debut), Ishaa Saha (debut), Aparajita Auddy, Shantilal Mukhopadhyay, Sonali Gupta, Rajat Ganguly, Kheya Chattopadhyay and others.
Director- Anindya Chattopadhyay
Release date- 22nd September 2017


What makes the premise of Projapoti Biskut interesting is Anindya’s choice of subject. A love story of two incompatible persons in an arranged marriage is fresh and brave too as it’s hard to evoke interest of audience familiar with love stories ending in marriage. This brought an amount of curiosity about his second film after the successful coming-of-age flick Open Tee Bioscope in January 2015.

It tells the story of Antor, a gawky, plain-looking, reserved young man who is the younger son of a bonedi household of old south Kolkata (Bhowanipore). Shaon, with whom he is married for more than two years is from a humble middle class family from Howrah with not-so-educated parents. The much-needed bonding is missing from their life and at a point of time under influence of family they start thinking that a child will set everything right. How their relationship evolves from this point is what the film is about.

Anindya Chattopadhyay has made a simple film weaving in a generous amount of Bangaliyana that we are sorely missing in today's Bangla cinema. The ‘Kartik phela’ (Dropping an idol of lord Kartik at the door of a home with a couple yet to have a child) is a forgotten practice these days and this film has entwined it with the storyline beautifully. The film explores a relationship without relying on a narrative style. The two families connected by marriage are chalk and cheese and this contrast has been established through various traits and situations. The characters are etched well, so is the crisis of a childless couple and the respective medical treatment. Love doesn't bloom between the introvert and indecisive husband who had had a failed relationship before marriage and the forlorn wife who feels claustrophobic in her new home. Shaon’s character is especially well-written, bringing out the two phases- firstly when she is a loner in Antor’s house, then when she decides to stay in her parents’ house and starts following her heart- equally well. She tells her husband that she was a shajano bou (puppet wife) in his family where she even lost her own name Sraboni and became Shaon at the behest of her mother-in-law who calls the shots in the family as she hadn’t found the former name classy. Antor’s character, I have felt, is straight-jacketed to some extent and his inner space, his longing for love was left rather unexplored. In fact, the unsaid mutual craving for each other hasn't really come through. The gem of a song Tomake bujhina priyo brilliantly sung by Chandrani fell somewhat out of place for this. Anindya has created nice moments of the other interpersonal relationships, like Shaon and her father-in-law indulging in Bengali TV soaps secretly and conversations between Shaon and Antor's niece. The film also has a generous sprinkle of Anindya’s  trademark humour and the one-liners elicit chuckle.

Source: A song from the film on YouTube

All the actors, including those in bit roles, are well cast and that has helped the director tremendously. It was very wise of director-turned-producer Shiboprosad Mukhopadhyay to insist on new faces in the lead as because of that we, the audience, found the protagonists so believable. Sonali Gupta was spot on for the role of the elitist, Rabindrasangeet-devoted mother of Antor physically as well as behaviourally. Newcomer Kheya Chattopadhyay is impressive as Shaon’s friend- the free-spirited Parijaat who was her only window of life. Rajatava (Antor’s boss) has been deservingly trusted with some killer comic punches. Aparajita and Shantilal (Shaon’s parents) bring out the nuances of a couple of a lower middle class family from that side of Hooghly. Arghyakamal Mitra, Shibashis Bandopadhyay and Abhijit Guha do justice to their bit roles (The first two were pleasant surprise). The child actor playing Antor’s niece was good too and due credit goes to Anindya as it’s not easy to make children believable on screen.

Debutante Ishaa Saha shines the brightest for bringing out Shaon/Sraboni through flawless expressions in all the shades. She is a revelation in the second half.

Source: A song from the film on YouTube

Aditya Sengupta, who has acting in his genes (from mother's side), excels as the indecisive and introvert Antor in his debut act but his promise is constrained by his characterization. Given the right roles, Ishaa will go far. Aditya aspires to be a director not actor and has studied abroad for it.

Source: A song from the film on YouTube

Music is a strength of this film and all the songs, from the humorous title track to Projapoti mon that plays with the end credits are written, composed (by Shantanu Moitra, Prosen, Anindya and Anupam) and sung well. A special mention must go to Ahare mon (Written, composed and sung by Anupam) which is undoubtedly part of Anupam's best work and of course to Prosen and Ritam Sen (lyricist) for the sublime romantic track Tomake bujhina priyo which is in a league of its own.

Parts of the first half dragged as Rajatava’s comic punches and Antor’s diabetic father's secret trips to the local sweet shop kept coming back. A director needs these fillers more when the story is not progressing. Also Shantilal’s comic track turned a little predictable with time. It’s in the second half when the projapoti gets wings as Shaon and Antor follow their hearts and experiment with life.

To sum up, a simple and unusual love story which is unmistakably Bengali at heart.

#ProjapotiBiskut #BanglaCinema #BengaliCinema

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The take on Chhaya O Chhobi

প্রিয় সিনেমাওয়ালা

আপনার ছবি দেখা স্বভাবে পরিণত হয়েছে। আর 'সিনেমাওয়ালা' ছবিটার পর আপনাকে এই নামেই ডাকি। পরাণবাবুর প্রতিভার ব‍্যাপারে ওয়াকিবহাল ছিলাম, কিন্তু ঐ পালিশ করা পুরনো সোনার ঝলকানি এর আগে যে এমনভাবে দেখিনি। সাম্প্রতিক বাংলা সিনেমার প্রতি ভরসা বাড়িয়ে দেয় অমন একটা ছবি।

এক তরুণ পরিচালক সম্প্রতি আপনার মূল্যায়ন  করেছেন, "...দারুন দারুন আইডিয়া নিয়ে কাজ করেন কিন্তু সবসময় সেই আইডিয়া থেকে ভাল গল্প বলেন না।" জানেন, 'বিসর্জন' দেখে ভাল লাগলেও সেই তৃপ্তিটা পাইনি, কিন্তু কাল 'ছায়া ও ছবি' দেখে ঐ কথাটার সাথে একমত হতেই হচ্ছে যে, সিনেমাওয়ালা। বিসর্জনেও তো দুর্বল গল্প জয়ার মত মারকাটারি ব‍্যাটসম‍্যান নিয়ে আর নিজে ব‍্যাট করে উতরে দিতে হল। আপনার মত অভিনেতা নিংসন্দেহে টালিগঞ্জে দুর্লভ।

জানি, আপনাকে জীবিকানির্বাহের জন্য বছরে দুটো ছবি করতেই হয়। কিন্তু এখন মনে হচ্ছে না করতে হলেই ভাল হত। একটাই করলে আরো যত্ন নিয়ে করতে পারতেন। এক ছবির কাজ শেষ না করেই আরেকটা ধরে ফেলতে হত না।

ভাল যা লেগেছে আগে বলে নিই। কোয়েল কেরিয়ারের সেরা কাজ করেছেন এই ছবিতে, যেটার আকাঙ্খায় ওনার এই ছবি করা। সুপারস্টার রাই চ‍্যাটার্জি আর কাকেই বা মানাত? বয়স চেহারায় ছাপ ফেলছে, কেরিয়ারের এই পর্যায়ে এসে কোয়েল আর রাইয়ের ভাবনা ঐ লাইনটায় মিলে যায়- "ছবিতো অনেক হল, এবার সিনেমা করতে চাই"। 

Source: Chhaya O Chhobi trailer on YouTube

ঋত্বিক দারুণ! উনি দলের সেরা ব‍্যাটসম‍্যান, প্রত্যাশা বেশি, আর সেটা পূরণ করার মত চরিত্রও লিখেছেন আপনি।

Source: Chhaya O Chhobi trailer on YouTube

চূর্ণী.....কি আর বলব....এই রোলটা ওনাকে মনে রেখেই লেখা বোঝাই যায়, আর মায়া হয়ে উনিও অভিনয়ের মায়াজাল বুনেছেন। বাংলা সিনেমায় ওনার মত ক্ষমতাশালী অভিনেত্রীর জন্য রোল লেখা হয়না, এটা আমাদের, দর্শকদেরই অপ্রাপ্তি।

Source: Chhaya O Chhobi trailer on YouTube

প্রিয়াঙ্কা প্রতিভাময়ী অভিনেত্রী এবং দুঃখের বিষয়, প্রায়ই ওনার ক্ষমতার চেয়ে ছোট মাপের রোলে ওনাকে ফিট করতে হয়। তবে মৌ ঠিক ওনার মাপে কাটা, তাই ঝলমল করেছেন।

Source: Chhaya O Chhobi trailer on YouTube

তবে আবির কিন্তু স্টার অরিন্দম হয়ে উঠতে পারেননি, তা সে ওনাকে যতই সুন্দর দেখাক। উনি আর আপনি দুজনেই কি ভুলে গেছিলেন যে অরিন্দম মেনস্ট্রিম ছবির স্টার, চলনেবলনে সেটাই হয়ে উঠতে হবে, খামতি হলে চলবে না? এই ছবির সংলাপ ধরেই বলতে হচ্ছে, "A star is a star is a star".....and not everybody can be a star on screen. আর আবির-কোয়েলের কেমিস্ট্রি বড়ই হতাশ করল। মানে কিছুই হলনা আর কি। অথচ ছবিটা দাঁড়ানোর জন্য ওটার বড় প্রয়োজন ছিল।

গল্পটার সম্ভাবনা ছিল, কিন্তু ঠিক দানা বেঁধে উঠলোনা।  দুটৌ গানতো একেবারেই আরোপিত। নায়িকা খামখেয়ালি হতে পারেন, তা বলে পাহাড়ি রাস্তায় চলা গাড়ির মাথায় বসে গান! গানটা সুন্দর এবং মজার, কিন্তু মনে হচ্ছিল, এটা কৌশিক গাঙ্গুলির ছবি দেখছি তো! 'ছেঁড়া ড্রইং খাতা'ও তাই। বড় ভাল গান, কিন্তু ঐ টেনশনের মূহুর্তে! 'একলা আকাশ'ও ভাল গান নিয়ে ঠিক মেনস্ট্রিম ছবির মত একটা আপোস। আর অত খারাপ একটা স্বপ্নদৃশ‍্য শেষ কবে দেখেছি মনে পড়ে না। আবার মনে হচ্ছিল, এটা সিনেমাওয়ালার ছবি!

একটা দৃশ্যে জিতু (ঋত্বিক) দুএক ঢোঁক পানের অনুমতি চাইছে রাইয়ের কাছে কারণ তার মত পাহাড়ের মানুষেরও হোটেলের বাইরেটা ভীষণ ঠান্ডা লাগছে। অথচ তাঁর জামার হাতা গোটানো। আর হাফ জ‍্যাকেট পড়ে ত়াঁর হাবভাবে ঠান্ডা বোঝা গেলনা। এরকম ডিটেলিংয়ে ফাঁক আপনার ছবিতে দেখেছি কি? ঋত্বিককে সার্চ করার মত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ দৃশ্যে কন্টিনিউটি গ‍্যাপও আছে।

বাংলা ছবিতে এখন রোম‍্যান্সের বড় অভাব, সেটা  সামান্য পূরণ করল ছবির শেষটা। এটার জন্য আপনাকে আন্তরিক ধন্যবাদ। ফ্রিজ ফ্রেমটা বহুদিন মনে থাকবে। কিন্তু শেষ ওভারে খুব ভাল ব‍্যাট করেও টার্গেটের কাছাকাছি পৌঁছনো গেলনা।

আত্মতুষ্টি পরিচালকের এবং চিত্রনাট্যকারের বড় কাঁটা। আর যেহেতু এই কাঁটা নিজের মনেই অজান্তে তৈরি হয়, একে ঠিক সময়ে চেনা সহজ নয়। এই ছবিতে ঐ কাঁটাটাই বারবার বিঁধল।

তবে আপনি অত্যন্ত বুদ্ধিমান, বিচক্ষন পরিচালক। আপনি ফর্মে ফিরতে দেরি করবেন না, সে ভরসা আছে।

ভাল থাকবেন সিনেমাওয়ালা। ভাল করে ভাববেন। পাশে আছি।

ইতি
আপনার ছবির একনিষ্ঠ এক দর্শক


#ChhayaOChhobi #KaushikGanguly #BanglaCinema #BengaliCinema #Koel #RitwickChakraborty

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Film review: Maacher Jhol

Language- Bengali

Cast- Ritwick Chakaraborty, Mamata Shankar, Sumanta Mukherjee, Paoli Dam, Sauraseni Maitra, Kaya Blocksage and others.

Director- Pratim D Gupta

Release date- 18th August 2017

We show our love for food by shooting and posting food pictures on social media, discuss food with friends and colleagues, take pride in the identity of Bengali being a foodie community but never think of paying a fitting tribute to food in our cinema. And here, finally, we have a food film! Thanks to Pratim to start with, just for the choice of subject (See his interview to this blog here. He said a food film was brewing in him for quite some time).

Dev D is an internationally acclaimed MasterChef running his Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. He lives in with his French girlfriend but is reluctant to commit to marriage. His mother's illness brings him to India after thirteen years and he is given a task by his mother- to cook the same 'Maacher jhol' (A light Bengali fish curry with a subtle flavour) that he had cooked for her in his teens. He devotes himself to come up with a flawless dish and learns precious life lessons in the process. Whether he succeeded in cooking the perfect 'Maacher jhol' is what the film unfolds.

What is endearing about the film is that it lives up to its name. Like 'Maacher Jhol' is a simple dish rustled up by Bengali mothers for family members (it's not a dish to treat guests to), the film follows a simple plot and stays loyal to it. There is a sub plot but that has been given only as much importance as it deserves. The dialogue has a succinct quality that's rare in today's Bangla cinema. The characters speak in our language, only as much as needed, and the message is conveyed perfectly. A sprinkle of humour at places adds flavour to the storytelling. A thumbs up to Pratim's writing and making, in that order. A good film starts with a good script, it reminds yet another time.

The setting in France (apart from Kolkata) where the film opens, has given the film a fresh and classy feel. There are a lot of French lines in the beginning and thereafter and the first eleven minutes have only French but it doesn't feel out of place because of the simplicity of the story and the Bengali and English subtitles.

Ritwick has brought out the persona of a successful professional who is a caring son and a Bengali at heart successfully. His look is apt for a simple and brilliant Bengali student from an orthodox family who ended up as a global culinary celebrity. As Dev D he exudes a quiet confidence which stands in contrast with Debdutta Sen- his younger phase when he was into a job after studying engineering to meet his father's expectations but was not liking it at all as his passion lay in cooking. Debdutta was unhappy and unsure. Ritwick has created this range of personality traits with his face, eyes and physical acting that displays the mastery of his acumen. I shall remember his gaze at his mother on the hospital bed when he saw her for the first time after thirteen years (see picture below). It explains why after working with him in Shaheb Bibi Golaam Pratim wanted to make an entire film with him.

Source: Maacher Jhol trailer on YouTube

One good thing about the film is that the protagonist is revered for his craft, but flawed as a human being. This makes Dev D all flesh and blood.  Through the film he evolves as a human being and this growth curve elevates the film.

Maacher Jhol is well cast and the actors have done complete justice in their roles. It has helped that the characters are etched out well. Perhaps only Mamata Shankar could have brought Dev's mother to life. It's a treat to watch her become such an endearing character on screen after long and justifies her admirable  body of work with important directors of Bangla cinema. Paoli (playing Dev's wife from a loveless marriage who he left to pursue his passion in France) has limited screen time but her Sreela binds the film. The growth of Dev as a human being is all thanks to her. Sumanta Mukherjee is perfect as the 'bonedi' north Kolkatan patriarch who is proud of the blue blood of the family.  Kaya Blocksage is likable as Dev's French girlfriend. Sauraseni Maitra, a newcomer in Bangla cinema, is good as chef Maggi who is the satellite to the planet called Dev D. Her gen Y vibes are spot on. She was impressive in Meghnadbodh Rohoshyo too (Read the review here). Bangla cinema is in serious need of young talent like hers.

Source: Maacher Jhol trailer on YouTube

Anupam Roy is commendable in the limited scope of just three songs (Two in the film and one playing with end credits). The Rabindrasangeet 'Je tore pagol bawle' beautifully sung by Shaheb Chattopadhyay has been applied well in the montage of Paris early in the film. 'Dawttok' is a gem of a melancholic number built around Dev's nostalgia sung by Anupam. Young DoP Subhankar Bhar is an established name in cinematography now and he has shown Paris, north Kolkata and the modern Kolkata in the right hues. I particularly liked Paris on his camera- classy but not overwhelmingly attractive. Subhajit Singha, who works with Kaushik Ganguly, has done a swell job in editing that has ensured the story is well told in a length of less than two hours (108 minutes).

Not that it doesn't have its share of blemishes. A few scenes are weak, like the drunken scene and the one of procurement of 'bori' (sun dried and fried lentil dumpling) for cooking. Also a few shots in the cooking scenes look straight out of TV ads of spice brands and appear out of place. The similar cooking shots are played again and again, so after a point they feel like stock shots and bring a monotony. This is a flaw hard to ignore in a food film. Showing the chef in action and an interaction with his assistant would perhaps have added the desired seasoning. Dev and his girlfriend are not shown getting intimate except a hug even in private. A romantic kiss in Paris where the film comes back at the end would have been the perfect freeze frame but all we are left with is a hint of it. And finally, such a nice and peppy title track in the lovely voice of Nikita Gandhi got wasted in the background play with end credits. However, these that do not take away much from the overall experience.

Overall, a simple and taut film which has 'Bangaliana' at its core. The aftertaste of the 'jhol' will last long just like mother's cooking.

#Cinema #BanglaCinema #RitwickChakraborty #Paoli #MaacherJhol

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Film Review: Meghnadbodh Rohoshyo

Language- Bengali
Cast- Sabyasachi Chakaraborty, Gargi Roychoudhury, Abir Chatterjee, Vikram Chatterjee, Sauraseni Maitra, Sayoni Ghosh, Anindya Banerjee and others

Director- Anik Dutta

Release date- 21st July 2017

After two social satires including the impactful debut with Bhooter Bhobishyot I was keenly waiting about Anik Dutta's third film. The genre is expectedly different.

Meghnadbodh Rohoshyo starts with famous English science fiction writer and Oxford University teacher Asimavo Bose (Sabyasachi) who is presently in his hometown Kolkata on annual vacation and is attending the launch of his latest book translated in Bengali. Asimavo's second and present wife Indrani (Gargee), who is much younger to him, is a national award-winning actress who is past her prime and now keeps herself busy with an NGO. The film takes us into Asimavo's life. He is having long meetings with Elina (Sayoni) who is the translator of his book which was launched in Kolkata and is penning down his biography. Asimavo is also writing his first novel in Bengali that revolves around some young freedom fighters of Bengal. Indrani chances upon Kunal Sen (Abir), a national award-winning filmmaker for whose film she was feted with the national award. Indrani sets up the meeting of her daughter from her first marriage- Guli (Sauraseni) who stays in Bangalore for studies and has come over to stay with her mother for a few days, with Rik (Vikram), Asimavo's son from his first marriage. So far, so good! The mystery starts as Asimavo gets the famous Michael Madhusudan Dutta book 'Meghnadbadh Kabyo' from an anonymous guest on his birthday. As we come to know, he received another copy of the book by courier sometime back in Oxford. The book received on birthday had a certain page bookmarked with a certain line highlighted. It breaks the peace and rhythm of Asimavo's life and leads to his sudden disappearance. Indrani refuses to be a mere sufferer as police investigation makes no headway and she is joined by her good friend Kunal in an attempt to unravel the mystery. As we get into it gradually, we realise that the book is a clue to a murder traced back to Asimavo's youth when he was a Naxal leader. The film is a  whodunnit herefrom leading to the solving of the mystery of the murder of the real life 'Meghnad'.

(Source: www.anandabazar.com)

I relished the unhurried pace Anik takes in developing the mystery in the first half and the whodunnit that has been crafted with a faster pace the second half. The first half was needed to be built carefully with the plot points to make the backdrop for the mystery. It's in the second half that the film picks up pace and weaves in a political angle as the plot draws from the Naxal era and establishes link with the Maoist movement of the present times.

Anik's signature pun and delightful sarcasm is peppered all over, like in this line of a retired cop to Kunal who said he wanted a make a film set in the Naxal era, "Apnaader Naxalgia konodin shesh hawbena, na?" or in the coinage 'Dhandamulawk bostubad' derived from 'Dawndomulawk bostudad'. There are witty jibes aimed at the ruling parties both at the state and the centre.

There are certain intellectual bits like a few clips of the play 'Meghnadbadh Kabya' showing Gautam Halder performing which may not go down well with a large section of the audience but the film can be enjoyed even if they are ignored.

The cast is apt and the performances are commendable. Sabyasachi is perfect as Asimavo. Gargee's Indrani becomes the perfect foil to het cerebral husband, as she basks in his fame and accomplishment. I only have reservations for Abir as I think he couldn't quite bring out the demeanour of a national award-winning filmmaker known for his brand of meaningful cinema. However, hr is good when out on the field solving the mystery. This is the first Bengali film of Sauraseni who is a model and has acted in two Hindi films including 'Chittagong'. She is impressive as the gen Y girl Guli for who the environment in her stepfather's home is alien. This is an ensemble cast and there are many actors who have been used wisely in small characters (Like Nimu Bhowmik as a retired police officer from the Naxal era).

(Source: www.anandabazar.com)

Debajyoti Mishra's musical score has been used judiciously and the handful of songs fall in place with the flow of the story. The last song brilliantly penned by Debajyoti and equally well sung by Nikhita Gandi leaves a mark and brings the story to the end. The cinematography by the ever dependable Avik Mukhopadhyay, background score and other technical departments deftly support the storytelling. I only feel the police investigation dragged a bit and could be trimmed by a few minutes.

Overall, a rich mystery to relish.

#Cinema #BanglaCinema #AnikDutta #MBR

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