The word that would perhaps closely describe Sanjhbatir Rupkathara, promising Bengali filmmaker Anjan Das' debut film, is melancholy – not just the kind brought about by loss, loneliness and regret, but also the kind ushered in by the very act of growing up. Sanjhbati (played very well by the talented and luscious Indrani Haldar), named so because she was born at the stroke of twilight, is a girl filled with idealism and love. Her father, Saikat (brought to screen with majestic force and nuance by the veteran thespian Soumitra Chatterjee), is a painter who fills his canvas with the sights and sounds of the nature around him, and who is the person closest to Sanjhbati. But events occur in her life which slowly start replacing Sanjhbati’s idealism with disillusionment and distrust; and when one not-so-fine day she feels her father too has betrayed her trust, her beautiful little world comes crashing down with debilitating consequences for all around her. This movie, adapted from the book by the renowned poet Joy Goswami, has made commendable use of the interplay of light and shadows, as well as, reality and surreality, thus making it both a sensitive and a sensuous film. Fine photography, too, hasn’t done it any harm. The movie does have its flaws – the narrative could have been tighter for one. But on the whole, this is a pretty fine movie for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Director: Anjan Das
Genre: Drama/Psychological Drama/Surreal Drama
Language: Bengali
Country: India
