Sunday 11 September 2011

Takhan Teish (He was 23) [2011]


Atanu Ghosh garnered considerable attention for his debut feature Angshumaner Chhobi, and so it was natural for cinegoers to have high expectations from his sophomore effort; suffice it to say, he didn’t disappoint. Takhan Teish deals with a challenging subject, and comprises of such heavy themes of memory, loneliness, and urban relationships, among others. Jishu Sengupta, who has turned into an excellent actor over the years, has exquisitely played the role of the protagonist – a shy, introverted guy and a brilliant doctor, whose complex relationship with four women culminates during his 23rd birthday. The four women in question are – his gorgeous former biology teacher who is his ‘goddess’ and his confidante (Indrani Haldar); a dusky, seductive actress of sleazy movies he has become obsessed with (Paoli Dam); a cheerful young lady he has befriended over the social media; and his over-protective mother with whom he shares a strained relation. The film boasts of a sensitive palette and a moody atmosphere, and the blurring of the real-fantasy divide made it quite compelling. However, the film also felt a tad disjointed at times. Ghosh should have concentrated solely on his central protagonist, instead of digressing to a couple of parallel strands that did not seem entirely relevant. That said, this is a reasonably competent and a finely enacted movie that is certainly worth a watch.








Director: Atanu Ghosh
Genre: Drama/Psychological Drama/Urban Drama
Language: Bengali
Country: India

No comments: