Movie Review (Bengali)
I am thankful that on a very short trip
to Kolkata I was able to watch this movie. I can understand why it has received
the National Award for the best Bengali movie this year.
Director and actor Kaushik Ganguly has captured the essence of the title
Bishorjon, beginning the movie with the Bishorjon all Bengalis are familiar
with – the immersion of the goddess Durga on Vijaya Dashami, the last day of
the pujas. The celebration dissolves the borders between India and Bangladesh
as W.Bengal and Bangladesh together immerse their idols in the Icchhamati
river.
The story takes off from here and ends with the symbolic immersion of Padma,
the widow, played by Joya Ahsan.
The movie has some poignant moments – the lonely widow inhaling the cigarette
smoke exhaled by Nasir, the Indian, from behind the door, reminding her of her
late husband; Padma coaching Nasir, (played by Abir Chatterjee), to be a Hindu
Bangladeshi and, of course, the entire immersion ceremony. The music is worth mentioning.
Hats off to the director for coming across as an accomplished actor, in a comic
role. He is Ganesh Mondal, the rich man in the village deeply in love with the
widow.
Also the end was left to our interpretation. Do the Border Guards Bangladesh
shoot Nasir down or allow him to leave for India? Did Ganesh Mondal bribe the
guard to kill him or protect him?
