Jeeban Rang Berang

Plagiarisation is a cultural presence in Indian cinema. But if done well and with a wee bit of creative imagination thrown in,the outcome will be an average film. An example of this inspired imitation is Sanghamitra Choudhuris Jeeban Rang Berang. It explores the issue of senior citizens who give away their entire property to their potential heirs even when they are alive,only to be stabbed in the back when they least expect it. Though Choudhuri insists that the film is based on a true story of a man closely linked with the production of Jeeban Rang Berang,the similarities between this film and two older popular Hindi hits,namely Avtaar (1983) and Baghban (2003) are too close to be missed. Point to be noted that even after nearly two decades since Avtaar,little has changed in the scenario for gullible and trusting citizens who are betrayed by their immediate families when they need them the most.

Subal Saha (Chiranjeet) and his wife Meera (Debasree Roy) dote on Subals two younger brothers,their young wives and their little kids. Saha even takes voluntary retirement to fetch money for a house when his landlord requests him to vacate the rented place where the family was staying . Without a source of income,in the new house,Subal gradually finds himself and his wife marginalised,mistreated and abused by the same brothers whom he raised. He also decides not to have any children of how own so that he can do justice to his siblings. You are introduced to the Sachin equivalent in the persona of Madan (Lama),the loyal aide who quits the service of the brothers when his master is thrown out. The Muslim paanwala friend (late Kunal Mitra) is a duplication of Yunus Parvez in Avtaar though his back-story in this film is different.

Subal and Meera are rescued from their crisis by Abhishek (Soham),a young businessman who takes him on as accountant and gradually makes him the accounts manager. The brothers see bad days but Subal is unrelenting. Yet unlike Avtaar and Baghban,he forgives and forgets and moves back into his home to live with the same brothers who betrayed him. The film follows a flashback structure that opens with Subals heart-attack and ends when he recovers. Chiranjeet,Soham,Debasree,Kunal and Lama are very good though Debasree is wasted as a submissive wife who follows her husband blindly. Soumitra Chatterjee does a cameo that could have been easily portrayed by anyone else. Swarnakamal Dutta as Sohams blind girlfriend is a pain to watch,her beauty notwithstanding.

Song sequences are sparingly used and placed well though the songs themselves are nothing to hum about. The script is tight except for the ending that drags interminably. The transitions from place to place and the journeys internal as well external that the couple make are well-designed. Indisputably,Jeeban Rang Berang shows promise perhaps for the first time in Choudhuris work. Though the film was readied for release more than two years ago,it does not look dated at all.

RATING: ***

There is some melodrama and overly sentimental dialogue,but on the whole,one is motivated to grant it a three-star rating for the story,acting and script.