Abosheshey (At the end of it all) is a film that has touched me deep.
My heart went out to the characters, my heart melted with the protagonist's passion and zest for life. It is indeed one of the best Bangla films made in recent years. Interestingly, the film marks the debut of director Aditi Roy, aided brilliantly by the principal cast, the flawless cinematography of Ranjan Palit, and the praiseworthy musical soundtrack designed by Prabuddha Banerjee.
It is essentially a mother-son story, and as a special friend of mine has rightly observed that mother-son films seldom fail, principally for us Bangalis who (much like the Irish and the Hispanics have a cultural tradition that is steeped in special mother-son bondings). However, this film - despite the much-recognized motifs - is much more than a mother-son story. It deals with emancipation, loss, identity, legacy and continuity.
Ankur Khanna plays the son who connects with her estranged, and now dead, mother, Suchishmita (Roopa Ganguly) who has left a long letter for him, desperately hoping that one day he would return to his city of birth and would make an effort to know the city and also his long lost childhood from which he had been detached since his departure along with his dad (to America). The son eventually gets to know her, through all those intrinsic contents that made her the person that she was, of which he had been completely oblivious, and he is also able to discover the many unknown facets that intertwine though time.
The fact that the film celebrates nostalgia is reason enough for someone like me to love it. I can't help shamelessly craving for nostalgia. People who know me well say, that I am a sucker for nostalgia and, according to a dear friend, it is on account of my being a sucker for romance. I love serenading the nature, and the hills form the idyllic setting in my dreamscape, though in reality I have never been to a hill station, not yet. I have a love-hate relationship with the city of Kolkata, where I have been almost all my life, and the film has Kolkata as a character. The things said through words, and visuals, about the city of Kolkata are something that I fully empathize with.
Apart from Roopa Ganguly and Ankur Khanna, the cast includes Raima Sen, Sudipta Chakraborty, Suman Mukherjee, Manasi Sinha, Arijit Dutta, Ronjini Chakraborty, Bodhisatva Majumdar, Kamalika Banerjee, Avijit Guha, Amitabh Bhattacharya and Deepankar De.
Endnote: Nothing remains forever. But the memories linger on. Memories haunt and reshape the minds of those who are left behind by the dear departed. Sieving through memories may be a mellow process, but need not be steeped in melodrama, the narrative even unfolds a wee bit of suspense which steps up the dramaturgy but it never allows melodramatic excesses. In fact, the director, with the help of the editor Abhro Banerjee, has shown exceptional control and restraint.
18 comments:
It's a multi-layered film that grows on the viewer...... needs multiple viewings hence.
What struck me as most amazing in the film was the chemistry between the characters played by Roopa Ganguly and Raima Sen. The latter was a happy extension of the former's persona, that I found to be rather unique and meaningful.
It was a fantastic experience watching this film with my mom yesterday. You won't believe, I had goosebumps as some of the scenes played out on the big screen, and so did my mom! The film stands out from several others of the same kind/genre because of the fabulously crafted moments that tug at our heart-strings.
A simple tale of nostalgia, and craving for something that is one's own and yet beyond reach; it is a tale that is so special because it is so lovingly told.
A brilliant effort.
We should expect more such films from the director in the future.
Thanks for the post, and for recommending the film. Loved the film, and the post.
I am sure the film will find its takers amongst the lovers of good cinema, but it would be welcome if the film is theatrically released all over the country, with subtitles, more and more people deserve to see the film.
Lovely post. I saw this movie only for Roopa Ganguly whom I admire a lot. And I was not let down by her; she was the best thing about the movie. I loved her performance.
It's one of the best reviews on SAKAGAZE, and why not? The film itself is superlative....... one of the best films in recent times indeed!
Keep up the good work.
The songs, the visuals, the performances, and the dialogues have left a lasting impression on me.
A fine film this one!
I think the film has reached out to the wide range of viewers just though word of mouth publicity, as small films like these are often ignored by the big media houses and distribution networks. It's good to see intensely personal films with a fresh approach do well in theaters. I wish the film gets a yet better showing..... it had to wait for quite some time doing the rounds of the festivals worldwide before it had its release locally...... at the end of it all!
Hey, loved this post! The film made my heart melt as well. A son's discovery of his mother, rather as a person, as the woman that she was, is nothing unique, but what makes the film really stands out is the fact that the narrative tries to weave the identities in an interesting way. The way it becomes a coming together of people, the city of Kolkata, words and frozen memories is stunning.
Much impressed.
It's a good film, its genre notwithstanding. It scores conceptually, as well as technically, with standout performances and heartfelt emotions. ABOSHESHEY has arrived on our screens finally, after keeping us 'in waiting' for quite some time, and it has conquered hearts, as expected, and I am proud.
Nice film. Nice post.
It's a serious film that is heavy with emotions, but it is still pretty likable because the moments grow on us, easily identifiable as they are, and the director has done a good job not letting the emotions sink and drown us.
Too good.
I loved Raima Sen, Roopa Ganguly and Ankur in the film, especially Raima (since she looked fab!) and my only lament is that she did not have a consummating with Ankur at the end.
It is good to see such lovely comments on the film. I agree with most of them, hence not writing much. In spite of not having made compromises, the film has been running successfully, now in its fourth week, which shows that good films do not go unappreciated.
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