Guptodhoner Sondhane (In Search Of Hidden Treasure)

Movie Review (Bengali)

The funny part of the movie is that the entire mystery behind the hidden treasure is revealed in the first few minutes into the movie.
The audience is quite aware of the Mughal treasure buried somewhere within the premises of the 300 year-old Singha Roy palatial home. So the movie relies entirely on the slick story telling, the dialogue and the acting talents of the performers to hook the audience.

The riddles as cryptic clues keep the movie going which is quite a clever ploy as it brings in literature, history and numbers together. The audience is pulled in to solve the riddles as well.

The amateur detectives do rise over the amateurish story and bring the trophy home. Abir Chatterjee as Sona da is the emerging Felu da and Byomkesh Bakshi of Bengali cinema today. He certainly has big shoes and big brains to fill.

Bishorjon (Immersion)

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?