A dark and gritty thriller, the Hoichoi series Montu Pilot 3 explores themes of love, survival and the quest for power through the story of its protagonist Montu (Saurav Das), who is forced by his circumstances to be involved in the flesh trade. Its trailer has revealed that Montu returns to the red-light area of Neelkuthi, a quieter and more mature version of his former self, perhaps seeking redemption for the sins of his past.
The song Amra shobai from its soundtrack offers more insights into Montu’s journey as he struggles to pick up the pieces of his past, make amends for past mistakes and attempts to seek closure to a chapter of his life that he wishes to forget. The song also mirrors the dark, heavy and emotionally intense atmosphere of Montu Pilot 3, giving expression to its protagonist’s ongoing battle with trauma, broken dreams and the harsh realities of his life.
Disappointed in life and love, Montu appears to blame himself for his misfortunes. What keeps him back in Neelkuthi is a woman named Sraboni (Solanki Roy), who bears an uncanny resemblance to Bhromor, the woman he was in love with, and who had met a tragic end. The visuals of Amra shobai depict Montu intrigued by Sraboni, and imagining her to be his long-lost love. It is clear that he is attracted to her and tries to be protective of her, but is filled with anger, frustration and helplessness when he realises that she is a professional hustler. What he does not realise, though, is that Sraboni is a victim, forced to be a part of the profession against her will.
The song ends with Montu waking from a dream in which he sees a vision of Bhromor walking away from him, and feeling totally devastated because he feels he has lost her once again. The song also features the characters of Jehangir (Q), Bibijaan (Chandreyee Ghosh) and Kalindi (Parno Mittra), who come loaded with their own power dynamics, each challenging the state of affairs in Neelkuthi, whether assertively or imperceptibly.
With lyrics by Debaloy Bhattacharya and composed by Amit Chatterjee, Amra shobai is the forlorn cry of a disconsolate, defeated man, who has no other reason to survive but a yearning to find love. Performed with great emotional intensity by Ishan Mitra, the song expresses Montu’s struggles, vulnerability and loss in a harsh, unforgiving world. The singer’s voice captures Montu’s utter despair when, having given up all his hopes and ambitions in life, he inevitably fails to find love every time. The pronoun ‘amra’ in the song also underlines the truth that all those who inhabit the environment of Neelkuthi are all destined to lose their battles, one way or the other. In a much broader sense, the song assumes universal significance, suggesting that all those who are fighting battles can never win if they cannot rise above their circumstances.
Montu Pilot season 3, written and directed by Debaloy Bhattacharya, is streaming on Hoichoi.