Bazikar

The “Golden Age” of Bengali cinema has stood the test of time because it was rooted in original Bengali literature. Few Bengali filmmakers choose literature today as their story source and when they do,they generally botch it up and make a bad film. It was a pleasant surprise therefore,to find a story of Prafulla Roy forming the inspiration of Bazikar directed by Prodyot Bhattacharjee. It is by no means a great film. But its storyline is powerful and contemporary,which is enough reason to try out a first viewing.

The story is somewhat unusual considering that it is set against a feudal backdrop with Darpanarayan (Rajatava Dutta),a patriarch who has a mind of his own. Before willing away his wealth to his three sons and daughter,he decides to check out their values lest they squander away their inheritance on wrong practices. He goes ahead and hires a young and handsome detective to shadow his children and find out what they are all about. But Sujata (Pamela),his daughter,promptly falls in love with the detective Rahul (Rohan) and queers his pitch. She has no clue about his purpose,but hires his services to find out her father’s plans. Rahul accepts without letting her into the secret that he has already been hired by the father. The three sons are up to no good,so when Rahul’s shocking reports and photographs are ready for submission to Darpanarayan,they persuade him not to hand these over to Darpanarayan. He agrees provided they become honest and better human beings within a stipulated time-frame.

The shrewd Darpanarayan smells a rat and appoints another detective to shadow Rahul and this turns the film into a rollicking comedy. Rajatava Dutta delivers a mindblowing performance and is ably complemented by the late Ramaprasad Banik,who plays his loyal Man Friday. These two actors hold the entire film together from beginning to end,adding a fresh note to what could have been reduced to a soppy and sentimental family melodrama.

A tighter script to make for a terse screenplay would have made the film more enjoyable. It also called for some professional and masterful editing. Babul Bose’s music is okay. Rohan’s debut is not very impressive but one hopes he will flower under better direction and with a stronger role. Pamela needs more to polish her act than to put on the coy look and all that goes with it. But the comedy keeps the film going and makes it a worthy-watch.

Rating: ***

The three stars are for the choice of story,and for Rajatava and Ramaprasad.