#Parambrata Chattopadhyay

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Shonar Pahar (2018) | dir. Parambrata Chatterjee

[cinemapremi]

Top 10 Must-Watch Suspense Thriller Indian Movies

Top 5 Hindi Thriller movies to watch

1. Andhadhun (2018)

Release Year: 2018 IMDb Rating: 8.3/10 Star Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte Director: Sriram Raghavan Description: A blind pianist becomes embroiled in a series of mysterious events, blurring the lines between reality and deception. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iVYI99VGaw&ab_channel=Viacom18Studios

2. Drishyam (2015)

Release Year: 2015 IMDb Rating: 8.2/10 Star Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran Director: Nishikant Kamat Description: A common man's ingenious efforts to cover up a crime take unexpected turns in this gripping thriller. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuuX2j14NBg&ab_channel=Viacom18Studios

3. Kahaani (2012)

Release Year: 2012 IMDb Rating: 8.1/10 Star Cast: Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Nawazuddin Siddiqui Director: Sujoy Ghosh Description: A pregnant woman's quest to find her missing husband unveils a web of secrets in the bustling city of Kolkata. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsjamVgPoI8&ab_channel=T-Series

4. Talaash (2012)

Release Year: 2012 IMDb Rating: 7.2/10 Star Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji Director: Reema Kagti Description: A police officer's investigation into an accident leads him to unearth haunting truths about his own life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMkKSyd8ieo&ab_channel=T-Series

5. Ek Hasina Thi (2004)

Release Year: 2004 IMDb Rating: 7.6/10 Star Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Urmila Matondkar Director: Sriram Raghavan Description: A woman's life takes a dark turn after an encounter with a charismatic but dangerous man. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovKi412VMj4&ab_channel=UltraMovieWorld

6. Badla (2019)

Release Year: 2019 IMDb Rating: 7.8/10 Star Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu Director: Sujoy Ghosh Description: A successful businesswoman seeks retribution when accused of a crime she claims she didn't commit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHWQiok-ei0&ab_channel=NetflixIndia

7. Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997)

Release Year: 1997 IMDb Rating: 7.3/10 Star Cast: Bobby Deol, Manisha Koirala, Kajol Director: Rajiv Rai Description: A murder mystery intertwined with betrayal, deception, and a hidden truth that shocks all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsl2U855nH0&ab_channel=KajolsWorld

8. Talaash: The Hunt Begins (2003)

Release Year: 2003 IMDb Rating: 4.8/10 Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Rakhee Gulzar Director: Suneel Darshan Description: A man's quest for justice becomes a labyrinth of mysteries, leading him into a dangerous game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urvoAjFMHMI&ab_channel=ShemarooMovies

9. Ugly (2013)

Release Year: 2013 IMDb Rating: 8.1/10 Star Cast: Ronit Roy, Rahul Bhat, Tejaswini Kolhapure Director: Anurag Kashyap Description: A missing child case reveals the dark underbelly of human relationships and the lengths people go to protect their secrets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ougQY2-zpk&ab_channel=DarMovies

10. Johnny Gaddaar (2007)

Release Year: 2007 IMDb Rating: 7.9/10 Star Cast: Dharmendra, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Rimi Sen Director: Sriram Raghavan Description: A heist goes awry, leading to a web of betrayal, deceit, and unexpected twists in this neo-noir thriller. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZCxKgD5yiw&ab_channel=EntertainmentFactory In conclusion, these must-watch suspense thriller Indian movies offer a gripping cinematic journey, blending intense narratives with stellar performances. Whether you crave edge-of-your-seat suspense or intricate plot twists, these films cater to diverse tastes. Dive into the world of Indian cinema's finest thrillers, where every frame is a masterpiece of intrigue and excitement. Elevate your movie nights with these suspenseful gems and let the cinematic magic unfold! 🎥✨ #IndianThrillers #MustWatchMovies #SuspenseCinema #BollywoodThrillers Top 5 movies of Ayushmann Khurrana: must watch Also checkout: Read the full article

[merapaisa]

Bulbbul Movie Review: A Scary but Beautiful Story of Woman's Strength

Bulbbul is a Netflix movie released in 2020, hailing horror, drama, and strong messages to women all over. It is written and directed by first-time filmmaker Anvita Dutt. This one was produced by Anushka Sharma’s Clean Slate Filmz. The cast includes Tripti Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, Rahul Bose, Paoli Dam, and Parambrata Chattopadhyay. The setting is Bengal, India, in 1881, covering the story of a…

[cueburstnews]

Parambrata Chattopadhyay, wife Piya Chattopadhyay announce pregnancy in heartfelt post; watch : Bollywood News

Bengali actor Parambrata Chattopadhyay and his wife, mental health activist and singer Piya Chakraborty, have revealed that they are expecting their first child. The couple announced the happy news in a touching Valentine’s Day post on Sunday. Parambrata Chattopadhyay, wife Piya Chattopadhyay announce pregnancy in heartfelt post; watchSharing a series of pictures featuring themselves, their pet…

[moviespopcorn]

Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi Film Review

Image of Lead filmstars in the film Ramprasad ki Tehrvi Plot: This film is about the family of Ram Prasad, who has died, and all of his six children, four sons and two daughters, who come to their ancestral house on the thirteenth day of their father's death. Instead of sharing their grief, they all become entangled in their own problems and begin fighting among themselves. They had never come to see their parents before, but now they have come and are fighting among themselves on their father's rituals. Their mother is silently watching all of this, saying nothing. Now that the mother is alone, whose son will take her with him? Will she live alone in such a large house? To find out, watch the movie. Tone and Theme: The tone of this film is family drama, and the theme is family and relationships. The goal of making this film is to show the reality of today's families, which is that children don't care about their parents. It draws attention to the issue and makes an impression. It forces us to face the realities of our society. Acting and Characters: Supriya Pathak Kapoor has done an excellent job as Amma. She did a splendid job playing her role. Her acting abilities are exceptional. She has effectively conveyed the pain of losing a husband on her face. Naseeruddin Shah plays a guest role. He performed admirably in his limited screen time. Konkona Sen Sharma's performance as Seema can also be described as good. Her acting conveyed a completely different attitude, sadness, pain, and loneliness on screen. The supporting cast includes Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Vikrant Massey, Manoj Pahwa, Ninad Kamat, Vinay Pathak, Deepika Amin, Divya Jagdale, Sadiya Siddiqui, Anubha Fatehpura, Sarika Singh, Brijendra Kala, Shrikant Verma, Rajendra Gupta, Pushpa Joshi, Vineet Kumar, Alka Kaushal, and Yamini Dass. All of whom play their. It directed by Seema Pahwa, a well-known film actress. This is her first Hindi movie, and her directorial debut. She attempted to tell the story in a good way. It moves at a slow pace, but it never deviates from the plot. She has effectively depicted the story's conflict and confrontation. Seema Pahwa has done an excellent job directing her first movie. All the characters very well portrayed on screen. Everyone appears to be acting like real-life characters. Story-Screenplay: Seema Pahwa's story is also contemporary; relationships are no longer important in society, and the screenplay is magnificent. Dialogues: Seema Pahwa has written dialogues of all the characters that seem believable and fit perfectly according to the story of the film. Everyone's dialogues match the tone and theme of the film, The dialogue in the film's narration accurately describes all the characters' expressions. Music and Background Score: Sagar Desai's music and background score had little impact; all the songs were played in the background, and the background score complemented the movie's mood and story. Lyricist: All the songs written by Neeraj Pandey connect themselves to the story. Cinematography: Sudip Sengupta shot the entire movie in a single house. So there wasn't much scope in the film, but all the shots that were shot inside the house were brilliantly shot. Resul Pookutty and Amrit Pritam provide excellent sound design. Production Design: Parijat Poddar's production design was based on the story. Dipika Kalra's editing could have been tighter. The film is slow-paced, and the pace between scenes is weak. Costume Design: Darshan Jalan and Manish Tiwari's costume designs complement the film's theme and tone. Opinion: People who enjoy watching art films can see this film once. Climax: The film's climax was very well executed. Message: In today's families, it is very important to cherish relationships and affection for one another. Nominations for the 67th Filmfare Awards include Best Film, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Debut Director. Nominations were received for Best Film Critics, Best Story, and Best Supporting Actress. The film received one Best Debut Director award, which went to Seema Pahwa. CBFC-U Movietime: 1h.53m Genre: Family Drama Backdrop: Lucknow Release: 2021 Cast includes Supriya Pathak Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Vikrant Massey, and Manoj Pahwa. Ninad Kamat, Vinay Pathak, Deepika Amin, Divya Jagdale, Sadiya Siddique, Anubha Fatehpura, Sarika Singh, Brijendra Kala, Shrikant Verma, Rajendra Gupta, Pushpa Joshi, Vineet Kumar, Alka Kaushal, Yamini Dass, Naseeruddin Shah (guest appearance) Producer: Manish Mundra, Jio Studios, Writer, and Director: Seema Pahwa; Sound Design: Resul Pookutty, Amrit Pritam. Darshan Jalan and Manish Tiwari created the costumes, Sagar Desai composed the music and background score, and Parijat Poddar handled the production design. Dipika Kalra is the editor; Sudip Sengupta is the cinematographer; Neeraj Pandey is the lyricist; Krishna Swain is the art director; and Casting Bay handles the casting. Read the full article

[addatimes]

Doctor Bakshi Bengali Webseries

2023

When a novelist gets trapped in a murder mystery, Doctor Bakshi uses his medical methods to uncover hidden secrets from the past.

Director: Saptaswa Basu

Starring: Subhasree Ganguly,Parambrata Chattopadhyay,Bonny Sengupta

Genre: Crime,Thriller,Mystery

Language: Bengali

[localreport]

Parambrata Chattopadhyay says ‘nobody will watch’ Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan, Jawan if made in Bengali

[blogynews]

Unveiling the Electrifying Trailer of 'Mumbai Diaries 2': Surprise Addition of Ridhi Dogra in Star-Studded Cast

The popular medical drama series ‘Mumbai Diaries’ is set to make a comeback with a new season. The upcoming second season will feature the return of the ensemble cast, including Konkona Sen Sharma, Mohit Raina, Tina Desai, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Satyajeet Dubey, Natasha Bharadwaj, Mrunmayee Deshpande, and Prakash Belawadi. Additionally, new cast members Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Ridhi Dogra will…

[blogynewz]

Unveiling the Electrifying Trailer of 'Mumbai Diaries 2': Surprise Addition of Ridhi Dogra in Star-Studded Cast

The popular medical drama series ‘Mumbai Diaries’ is set to make a comeback with a new season. The upcoming second season will feature the return of the ensemble cast, including Konkona Sen Sharma, Mohit Raina, Tina Desai, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Satyajeet Dubey, Natasha Bharadwaj, Mrunmayee Deshpande, and Prakash Belawadi. Additionally, new cast members Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Ridhi Dogra will…

[inmyworldblr]

Shonar Pahar (2018)  //  dir. Parambrata Chatterjee

[moviespopcorn]

Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi Film Review

Image of Lead filmstars in the film Ramprasad ki Tehrvi Plot: This film is about the family of Ram Prasad, who has died, and all of his six children, four sons and two daughters, who come to their ancestral house on the thirteenth day of their father's death. Instead of sharing their grief, they all become entangled in their own problems and begin fighting among themselves. They had never come to see their parents before, but now they have come and are fighting among themselves on their father's rituals. Their mother is silently watching all of this, saying nothing. Now that the mother is alone, whose son will take her with him? Will she live alone in such a large house? To find out, watch the movie. Tone and Theme: The tone of this film is family drama, and the theme is family and relationships. The goal of making this film is to show the reality of today's families, which is that children don't care about their parents. It draws attention to the issue and makes an impression. It forces us to face the realities of our society. Acting and Characters: Supriya Pathak Kapoor has done an excellent job as Amma. She did a splendid job playing her role. Her acting abilities are exceptional. She has effectively conveyed the pain of losing a husband on her face. Naseeruddin Shah plays a guest role. He performed admirably in his limited screen time. Konkona Sen Sharma's performance as Seema can also be described as good. Her acting conveyed a completely different attitude, sadness, pain, and loneliness on screen. The supporting cast includes Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Vikrant Massey, Manoj Pahwa, Ninad Kamat, Vinay Pathak, Deepika Amin, Divya Jagdale, Sadiya Siddiqui, Anubha Fatehpura, Sarika Singh, Brijendra Kala, Shrikant Verma, Rajendra Gupta, Pushpa Joshi, Vineet Kumar, Alka Kaushal, and Yamini Dass. All of whom play their. It directed by Seema Pahwa, a well-known film actress. This is her first Hindi movie, and her directorial debut. She attempted to tell the story in a good way. It moves at a slow pace, but it never deviates from the plot. She has effectively depicted the story's conflict and confrontation. Seema Pahwa has done an excellent job directing her first movie. All the characters very well portrayed on screen. Everyone appears to be acting like real-life characters. Story-Screenplay: Seema Pahwa's story is also contemporary; relationships are no longer important in society, and the screenplay is magnificent. Dialogues: Seema Pahwa has written dialogues of all the characters that seem believable and fit perfectly according to the story of the film. Everyone's dialogues match the tone and theme of the film, The dialogue in the film's narration accurately describes all the characters' expressions. Music and Background Score: Sagar Desai's music and background score had little impact; all the songs were played in the background, and the background score complemented the movie's mood and story. Lyricist: All the songs written by Neeraj Pandey connect themselves to the story. Cinematography: Sudip Sengupta shot the entire movie in a single house. So there wasn't much scope in the film, but all the shots that were shot inside the house were brilliantly shot. Resul Pookutty and Amrit Pritam provide excellent sound design. Production Design: Parijat Poddar's production design was based on the story. Dipika Kalra's editing could have been tighter. The film is slow-paced, and the pace between scenes is weak. Costume Design: Darshan Jalan and Manish Tiwari's costume designs complement the film's theme and tone. Opinion: People who enjoy watching art films can see this film once. Climax: The film's climax was very well executed. Message: In today's families, it is very important to cherish relationships and affection for one another. Nominations for the 67th Filmfare Awards include Best Film, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Debut Director. Nominations were received for Best Film Critics, Best Story, and Best Supporting Actress. The film received one Best Debut Director award, which went to Seema Pahwa. CBFC-U Movietime: 1h.53m Genre: Family Drama Backdrop: Lucknow Release: 2021 Cast includes Supriya Pathak Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Vikrant Massey, and Manoj Pahwa. Ninad Kamat, Vinay Pathak, Deepika Amin, Divya Jagdale, Sadiya Siddique, Anubha Fatehpura, Sarika Singh, Brijendra Kala, Shrikant Verma, Rajendra Gupta, Pushpa Joshi, Vineet Kumar, Alka Kaushal, Yamini Dass, Naseeruddin Shah (guest appearance) Producer: Manish Mundra, Jio Studios, Writer, and Director: Seema Pahwa; Sound Design: Resul Pookutty, Amrit Pritam. Darshan Jalan and Manish Tiwari created the costumes, Sagar Desai composed the music and background score, and Parijat Poddar handled the production design. Dipika Kalra is the editor; Sudip Sengupta is the cinematographer; Neeraj Pandey is the lyricist; Krishna Swain is the art director; and Casting Bay handles the casting. Read the full article

[hirakdesherrani]

Scattered thoughts on Bulbbul 

(spoilers ahead)

Finally watched Bulbbul yesterday night, with my bff. We thought we needed each other’s support because we are phattus of the highest order, but there wasn’t much horror in it (as we found out later). 

Which brings me to the first thing, the trailer. Whoever edited the trailer did a splendid job, because it gave very little clue what the movie was about. I thought it was something like Stree, using horror to give a social message, just instead of comedy in that movie, this was more drama?

The movie, however, had very little horror/thrill. While the movie is one of Netflix’s better online products, it isn’t...great. Like it’s very on the surface. There are not many layers to the characters, neither is there a lot of subtext. Still, the pace is good, and the storytelling engaging. Hindi cinema, theatre or OTT, are very new in this genre, so I don’t want to be too severe here.

Things that I liked:

Tripti Dimri....omg what a revelation. Laila Majnu didn’t let us on how versatile this girl is. In the first few frames, me and my friend were commenting that why is she only sitting around, posing like a mermaid? But then with the flashbacks, her raw performance really took hold. The scene where they are sitting at a picnic and Mahendra pulls at her hair, the way she said, “Dada, na” slightly scared, but also not wanting to hurt his feelings (btw I’m very anti-Mahendra in this post), that was so well done. From there on, she owns every scene, that you can’t look anywhere else. Whether it’s the mix of annoyance and impatience when she wants to meet Satya but Binodini is taunting her, or whether it’s the scene where Indranil informs her and Satya that he’s sending the latter to London, she was so natural. Special mention to the two scenes of violence esp. the sexual assault one, because it takes a lot of guts to portray the victim in such scenes, and the scene was so difficult to watch, that we forwarded after a few seconds of it. 

That reminds me, from the moment the two brothers Indranil and Mahendra enter the frame, I knew what was going to happen, and which brother was going to perpetrate which abuse. The writing was on the nose, so to speak, with these two particular characters. Even so, Rahul Bose did the best that he could with them, but we have come to expect perfect performances when it comes to him, so not surprised here. 

The third brother, Satya, was what I would say the most layered character in this movie, surprisingly. Initially, I didn’t get why did they cast Avinash Tiwary for this role, because it wasn’t either a substantial role, or even a positive or negative or supportive role. I even thought the makers tried to cash on the Laila Majnu hangover, and hyped Bulbbul/Satya love story in the trailer. Unlike Bulbbul who loved Satya, I don’t think Satya loved Bulbbul, at least not like she did. Sure, he thought of her as his best friend, confidante, and all, but he didn’t care for her like that. It was evident when he was enamored by the idea of going to London, and didn’t notice Bulbbul’s voice breaking when Indranil informed them of the news. 

Halfway done with the film, I had made up my mind that Avinash is good with unrestrained roles like Qais, where he can completely let go, but not in subtle roles requiring controlled performances. What changed my mind was my growing dislike for Satya as the movie kept progressing. I kept thinking why does he annoy me so much, like he’s only there in a few scenes, and yet I want to snap at him? That’s when I realized how well the writers have written Satya, captured his mentality and vision, and without any overt or dramatic scenes, Avinash essayed the writer’s message.

Satya is proxy for the society in this film. He hears no evil, he sees no evil, just like our society which likes to pretend that there is nothing wrong going on behind closed doors. Satya is representative of those men, who argue whenever a woman raises her voice, that ‘not all men’ (ala that scene where Bullbul alludes to Master Dinkar beating his wife, while Satya defends the man by suggesting that his wife may have actually fallen down the stairs). In the scene where he meets Bulbbul after five years, he questions her what did she do that girl he knew five years ago, indirectly putting the blame on Bullbul for losing her childlike innocence, instead of asking her what happened to her that she became like this. Satya is classic ‘not all men’, victim-blaming abuse apologist in the film. Evil men are not just men like Indranil, who beat up their wives, or sexual assaulters like Mahendra, evil men are also those who stand by and watch, and pretend that nothing is going on, who put the onus on the woman for the upkeep of tradition, who question a woman’s morality and who act as the judge, jury and executioner of a woman’s character. Bulbbul’s dialogue is telling, “Tum sab ek jaise ho” Satya is no different from his brothers, he may not have committed and violence, but he was just as much a villain as the rest of them for willfully ignoring the evidence of his eyes. I haven’t made up my mind whether he was actually jealous of Dr. Sudip or not, or he just hated the man for being too bold to be friendly with the ‘women of his family’.

Which brings me to Dr. Sudip, the only likable man in this film. Even though at some level it is a little sad to see Parambrata Chatterjee slotted into these male guide/support to the female protagonist kind of roles (his role in Kahaani was something similar), I really do like watching him in these roles, playing them as he does with a lot of charm, subtlety, and empathy. The makers perhaps wanted to signify that there are a few men who are not completely evil, and not afraid or feel threatened in the presence of a assertive, and this case, avenging female. It’s his relationship with Bulbbul which I felt was the real love story of the film, though of course, Bulbbul didn’t harbor the same feelings for him, though she did care for him immensely. 

The other female role was that of Binodini. I know I should be feeling sympathy for her, at some level, she was also taught to keep quiet and bear all injustice, but I’m so tired of females taking out their bitterness on other females, making the lives of other women miserable, instead of directing them, rightfully, at the men in their lives and the dictates of the society. Binodini, like Satya, was a proxy for the women in the society who instead of being supportive of other women do the opposite, and help perpetuate patriarchy by teaching their fellow women to keep quiet. 

Another minor thing, like I mentioned before, from the first scene it’s evident what Mahendra’s going to do. And I wish to God that we stop with mentally ill men assaulting women. No, their mental condition does not excuse rape. Mental illness can provoke violence in a person, yes, killing accidentally or in a fit of rage, beating, pulling clothes, etc, but not rape. Rape is a specific offense that requires knowledge and intent, unless a mentally ill person has learnt it from somewhere, and even then, the fact that they drew pleasure from that violence shows that they have a sadistic instinct. Which is why I was glad when Mahendra was punished for his crime. (this is why I didn’t watch Ranjha Ranjha Kardi despite liking Iqra, because I knew they were going to excuse marital rape using mental illness). 

As such, there isn’t much of a plot per se in Bulbbul, it’s more of a commentary of our society, even though it’s set a century back, the issue of it’s choice being violence against women. Despite that, it’s an engaging enough film. It get’s through the message that the real horrors are not ghosts or witches, but what happens daily in our society. The length of the film is a huge plus, so I would suggest watching this film if you’ve some free time in the weekend. 

Also, don’t get fooled like me and my friend, it’s not horror genre. 

[localreport]

Parambrata Chattopadhyay says ‘nobody will watch’ Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan, Jawan if made in Bengali

[filmmakersvision]

Bulbbul Review

June 27, 2020

by Inakshi Chandra-Mohanty

In the last few years, Indian filmmakers have reinvented the horror and supernatural genre for the Indian audiences. Taking inspiration from Indian mythology and literature, these new-age films have left behind the conventional use of jump scares and ghosts in havelis, that dominated the narrative of early Indian horror. Many of these tropes were directly lifted from Hollywood films and placed in an Indian setting leaving little room for innovation. But lately, filmmakers are exploring different territories in this genre. From Pari to Tumbbad, the conventional horror film has been transformed into a vivid display of mythology and fantasy, and now the latest edition to this list is Bulbbul. A supernatural period drama, the film traces the life of a child bride as she matures into young woman presiding over a fragmented household. In the midst of her reign, a series of murders take place and her London return brother-in-law decides to uncover the truth behind the rumors that this is the work of a chudail (witch). 

The film is nowhere near perfect. The progression of the story is mundane and predictable. Yet, it is difficult not to marvel at the ambitious nature of the concept and the novelty with which it is executed. A lack of suspense and thrill don’t take away from magnificence of the tale being told. The slow, brooding nature of the story revels in the horrific themes explored in the film. Based in patriarchal sentiments, the film emerges as a feminist tale and twists the age-old terrorizing legend of the chudail into the story of an audacious young woman, plagued by a traumatic past. The roles are reversed as demon becomes human and human becomes demon. The film isn’t meant to be a horror film set in a fantasy world with unknown evils. Instead, it is reflective of the world that we live in, and the demons within us that bring out the demons within others. 

Writer-director Anvita Dutt has built a fantasy aesthetic out of a real world in her debut film. The film is meticulously put together. As a director, she has excelled. However, as writer, she falters. Conceptually and structurally, the writing is strong, but some of the character are half-baked. The two characters, which are extremely well written and have the strongest arcs are Bulbbul and her sister-in-law, Binodini. This may be due to the unusual bond between them. They are the antithesis of one another. Bulbbul defies all odds to do what no other woman would dare, while Binodini is the one to conform, relishing in the luxury. Yet, they are not much different. They have both suffered. But, Bulbbul’s suffering becomes her strength as she refuses to become another Binodini. While she had many complaints with the latter, a victim turned victimizer, she also held a bit of sympathy for this woman who had suffered a similar plight to hers. 

Compared to these strong female characters, the male characters are poorly written. They are all written in relation to Bulbbul, thus their own personality and motivations are clouded by Bulbbul’s character development. Satya and Dr. Sudip are the most disappointing. They are the characters that compose the conflict in the climax. Yet, that conflict is only believable when the characters’ arcs are clear. Satya’s anger towards the chudail and his behavior at the end isn’t justified, while Sudip’s mysteriousness remains a mystery. Maybe this can be attributed to the fact that the writer is a woman, making a film about women. Thus, the focus heavily shifted towards the female characters. 

These characters would be just words written on paper if the actors hadn’t brought them to life. Tripti Dimri essays the titular role, Bulbbul, and masters the role with elegance. This is the most layered character in the film with the strongest shifts in personality. The same smile that propagated innocent charm as Laila in Laila Majnu displayed cunning boldness as Bulbbul. While in her former film, she fit the part and provided a great companion to Majnu, in this film, she owns every frame and displays consistency in complexity. It’s not just an improvement. She has truly reinvented herself for this role. Paoli Dam as Binodini is equally as admirable. She emotes so seamlessly, though her screen time is considerably less than the former. Avinash Tiwary, Rahul Bose, and Parambrata Chatterjee are apt in the roles written for them. 

While Anvita Dutt is definitely the master of this project, due credit must also be given to Clean Slate Productions, helmed by Anushka Sharma. The company has been backing ambitious, content-driven projects with a focus on new talent. Even though Bulbbul and the company’s previous horror outing, Pari, are not perfect, both have had a large impact on the approach to horror in Indian cinema. Hopefully, as more and more artists begin to experiment with the genre, these great concepts will lead to great cinema. 

Though with its flaws, Bulbbul scores on many points including story, acting, soundtrack, camerawork, editing, and direction. This is a film that I would have loved to watch on the big screen just for the visually stunning imagery, consisting contrasts of red and blue, and the haunting background music. It has a charm, an elegance, and a vision that is unmatched. This fairytale with a sinister twist is one to remember.

[nasiruddinvuiya]

বিনোদন প্রতিদিন | ৭ সেপ্টেম্বর | গ্লোব নিউজ বিডি

[inmyworldblr]

Shonar Pahar (2018)  //  dir. Parambrata Chatterjee

[ Tanuja and Srijato Bandhopadhyay ]