In music there is a term called the "Thehrao" of the voice, that lets the sur stay alive in the vocal chords for a few seconds(or milliseconds) and provides the ears musical bliss and a sense of perfection. Directors like Aparna Sen have that "Thehrao" in the craft of film making, that is bliss for the senses. The beauty and the simplicity of the Post Independent Bengal, the poetry and the music apt for the scenes, the hypocrisy of the society, the arrogance and uselessness of the "Zamindars", the symbolic sequences, everything is brought out very well in an efficient screenplay.
Moushumi Chatterjee as the slightly wicked, expletive-spouting, yet tragic and overall good at heart "Pishima" is simply wonderful. Those who remember her as the glamorous heroine of yesteryears would be surprised! Konkona as the meek but determined wife is very good too. Though in some "stammering scenes" it looked like she was "acting", otherwise she does proper justice to the role. Saswata Chatterjee(now famous as "Bob Biswas" of Kahaani) adds to the humour quotient and plays the role of the "inefficient husband towards redemption" very well. The rest of cast does well too, though I felt a couple good actors were a bit wasted.
While the first half is simply brilliant, what does not work in the second is trying to bring in too many issues and trying to sew them together around the story. The plot could have been left alone with its simplicity without bringing in 1971 and Mukhti Bahani, among other things. Also I doubt whether a girl in a small town in Bengal would drive a scooter in the early 70s or for that matter whether a "child widow" from the pre Independence era, could so openly approach a labour to satisfy the needs of her youth. Debatable, but cinematic liberty given!
Bongs must watch this, connoisseurs of good cinema should watch too, it has sub titles.
3.75 out of 5 stars!
Moushumi Chatterjee as the slightly wicked, expletive-spouting, yet tragic and overall good at heart "Pishima" is simply wonderful. Those who remember her as the glamorous heroine of yesteryears would be surprised! Konkona as the meek but determined wife is very good too. Though in some "stammering scenes" it looked like she was "acting", otherwise she does proper justice to the role. Saswata Chatterjee(now famous as "Bob Biswas" of Kahaani) adds to the humour quotient and plays the role of the "inefficient husband towards redemption" very well. The rest of cast does well too, though I felt a couple good actors were a bit wasted.
While the first half is simply brilliant, what does not work in the second is trying to bring in too many issues and trying to sew them together around the story. The plot could have been left alone with its simplicity without bringing in 1971 and Mukhti Bahani, among other things. Also I doubt whether a girl in a small town in Bengal would drive a scooter in the early 70s or for that matter whether a "child widow" from the pre Independence era, could so openly approach a labour to satisfy the needs of her youth. Debatable, but cinematic liberty given!
Bongs must watch this, connoisseurs of good cinema should watch too, it has sub titles.
3.75 out of 5 stars!
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