In his fourth feature film, Niharika: In The Mist, director Indrasis Acharya paints a poignant picture of the struggles of a young woman haunted by the scars of her troubled childhood. Adapted from Sanjib Chattopadhyay’s novel Bhoy, the film explores themes such as incest, desire and lust, rarely dealt with in Bengali cinema, with honesty.
Following the passing of her mother, Deepa (Anuradha Mukherjee) seeks solace and a fresh start at her maternal uncle Akash’s (Shilajit Mazumdar) countryside home at the insistence of her father, who has already started a new family. The toxic upbringing she has endured shadows her desire for a better future and she tries to hide her pain behind a cheerful facade. Eventually, she marries her uncle’s assistant Rangan (Anindya Sengupta) who prioritises his career over her, pushing Deepa further into solitude.
Flashbacks offer a glimpse into Deepa’s troubled childhood. She was witness to her abusive father raping her mother night after night. Her paternal uncle often preyed on her. Craving for a safe space, Deepa developed a homoerotic connection with her grandfather’s nurse (Rohini Chatterjee). Now, as Deepa navigates her new environment at uncle Akash’s house, she grapples with questions around her sexual identity and societal acceptance. Akash plays a pivotal role in her life, almost like a father figure, but their relationship too takes a turn when Deepa’s aunt (Mallika Mazumdar) passes away and Akash gives Deepa’s hand in marriage to Rangan, against her wishes.
Through Deepa and her aunt, Acharya highlights the role of women in Indian society and how their lives are impacted by the actions of men in the relational space. Relegated to roles of daughters, wives and mothers, they are rarely viewed as individuals with agency, and yet they forge their own paths, even if that means distancing themselves from societal expectations.
The film uses the contrast between the bustling life of Kolkata and the tranquil countryside to underline Deepa’s journey. While the urban cacophony signifies the chaos in her life, her new home in the quiet, serene suburbs hints at Deepa finally finding an emotional anchor. The visuals have been beautifully captured by Santanu De’s cinematography.
The effects of day and night are significantly pronounced in Deepa’s mood and behaviour. The remnants of the distressing experiences she had in her Kolkata home at night are heightened when darkness falls upon her uncle’s Simultala house. The scene where the lights go out during a power cut drives home this aspect of her mental state.
The changing seasons also indirectly emphasise Deepa’s fragility. She is bustling and confident in spring, while the uncertainty looming large in her life is echoed through torrential rains. Lubdhak Chatterjee’s editing maintains a well-paced rhythm, complementing the film’s overall aesthetics.
Anuradha Mukherjee leaves a mark as Deepa, portraying her turmoil, vulnerability and quest for emotional support. Shilajit Mazumdar’s portrayal of Deepa’s uncle and Anindya Sengupta’s transformation from a sympathetic friend to a negligent husband are convincing. Mallika Mazumdar plays the textbook traditional homemaker. In a sense, she symbolises what Deepa’s life could have been had she conformed to societal norms.