The
most popular and trending film in the year 2020 is “BULBBUL” which has been going
on rounds on every social media and TV screens. This film is produced by
Actor-Producer Anushka Sharma and her brother Karnesh Sharma under the Clean
Slate Films banner, who also produced NH10, Pari, Phillauri, PaatalLok, etc. The
movie is directed by Anvita Dutt. This is her debut movie as a director. She
started her career as a dialogue writer for Yash Raj Film’s “Laga Chunri Mein
Daag”, “Parineeta”. This movie was released on Netflix on 24 June 2020.
I know many of you have already watched this movie. But
if you haven’t, I will have to warn you for a little spoiler. The movie stars Tripti
Dimri as ‘Bulbbul’, Rahul Bose, Avinash Tiwary, Paoli Dam and Parambrata
Chattopadhyay. The trailer of the movie starts with “Ek Kahani Sunogi…..’’ and that is where the movie starts.
The movie is set in a backdrop of 1880’s Bengal
presidency. The story revolves around a child-bride and her journey from
innocence to strength. When a young Bulbbul, who’s about to get married to a
much older man, asks her aunt the purpose of a toe ring, her aunt replies that
the toe contains a nerve that needs to be contained, or the “girl can fly off, like a bird”! The
little girl wanders. This spooky film represents the symbol of controlling
women who are determined to question and ‘fly’.
Indranil and his mentally unstable twin Mahendra are
married to Bulbbul and Binodini respectively, but Bulbbul’s feelings for their
younger brother Satya who she grew up around haven’t deemed. The characters of
the film are very extraordinary because of the backdrop and the Haveli which is sprawling from the
outside but whose insides are decayed with moral values of the inhabitants, and
as they say “bade bade haveli may bade
bade raaz hote hain”.
The narrative then goes into a flashback to introduce the Love Quadrangle (yep). In the present
Mahendra is dead and Indranil has abandoned the mansion. The two women free
from their partners live by themselves in a village gripped by serial murderers,
believed to have been murdered by a ‘Witch’. Satya was residing in London and
came back upon hearing the rumors and was determined to debunk it. As a person
of science he says, it’s a ‘human’ who’s behind the murders, most likely a man.
“Why can’t it be a WOMAN ?”, asks
Bulbbul, who’s grown out of his admiration.
The film’s high-contrast color palette signals a
stylistic ambition. The blood red sky marks the entry of “Chudail”, which will
surely give you a spooky and mysterious feeling(believe me I couldn’t sleep
that night). The doors, the passageways, the chandeliers, the vermillion appear
ominous and it is heightened by the background music by Amit Trivedi which
gives a melancholy of despair, cry of death and desperation. It’s also the
place where the princess is metaphorically imprisoned. Unlike in fairytales and
more like in real life there are no guardians here. The women in this film do
not need each other. Their bondage is inflicted by men which gives us only one
idea – “ABUSE”.
It’s led by a competent cast, on top which is Tripti
Dimri as Bulbbul, hiding her wounds behind her smile, she captures her
character’s despair and brokenness. Nothing breaks you more than an adolescent
heartbreak. The film argues with the dominant power of men to control
emotionally or physically, which only grows with time.
Rahul Bose is perfect. Having played a variation of his
characters- barring the abuse of course, he’s terrific as a monster. Avinash
Tiwary who was last seen in Ghost Stories, is in command of his role here.
Paoli Dam who’s always been an exceptional actor, excels a quite by fanning the
flames of her character’s jealousy like in soap-operas.
This film sums up as hyper stylistic opera that borrows
from folk tales and rips apart the myths of ‘Chudail’ and ultimately turns into
‘Revenge fest’, entertaining the questionable justice that is so far attained
in the reality and that it can only exist in fantasies. And finally, definitely
watch this beautiful creation.
Do leave a comment if you loved the film and my review
for the film. And also mention if you want reviews for any other show/film.
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