Based on a story by Sunil Gangopadhyay, the upcoming film Vijaynagar’er Hirey is the latest Kakababu and Shantu adventure story to be adapted for the big screen. Promising an experience full of action, suspense, danger and thrills, the film, which is expected to cater to young audiences, has ignited fresh interest with the release of the first song from its soundtrack.
Dropped on Monday, the song titled Jaatra shubho hok is a fast-paced track that expresses the sheer joy and excitement of setting off on an adventure. The beats and lyrics of Jaatra shubho hok have been set to a rollicking tune composed to appeal to a younger audience. The arrangement of Jaatra shubho hok is modern. Mainly based on Western instruments with a mix of techno beats, it adds to the sense of impending danger, urgency, tension and excitement of the song. Its music, composed by Indraadip Dasgupta, is spirited, enthusiastic and full of energy and vigour, while its lyrics written by Prasen celebrates the spirit of adventure and the thrill of solving mysteries. The vocals by Durnibar Saha and Debayan Banerjee are lively and vibrant, inviting the audience to get a feel of the journey unfolding before their eyes.
Probably belonging to the initial part of the film where Kakababu (Prosenjit Chatterjee) and Shantu (Aryann Bhowmik), along with Shantu’s friend Jojo (Pushan Dasgupta) set out for the south Indian temple town of Hampi, the song sets the tone of the film that blends legend, history and crime to present an exciting action adventure. Its bright visuals and vibrant cinematography vividly capture the natural and architectural wonders of the place, at the same time creating and enhancing a sense of mystery and aura in the build-up to its release later this month. Prosenjit Chatterjee as Kakababu looks his familiar robust, fearless and confident self. The visuals make it clear that he is ready for adventure and is looking forward to embarking on the new experience. An archaeologist, his deep interest in history is also revealed in the way he surveys and studies the temple complexes. Aryann Bhowmik as Shantu has his boyish innocence intact, along with his irrepressible curiosity, enthusiasm and his ability to find joy and wonder in the world around him.
Snippets of scenes where Kakababu goes investigating in a dark, underground dungeon are juxtaposed with cheerful, touristy scenes where the group is enjoying a coracle ride in the river, give a sense of the action of the story — that it will consist of historical exploration and dangerous encounters with criminals as well as moments of light-hearted fun and laughter as the group explore the various historical spots together. An important character introduced in the song is that of Kakababu’s mentor, who is glimpsed in a short sequence towards the end. Portrayed by Chiranjeet Chakraborty, the song signals the coming together of the two veteran actors to share screen space for the first time in many years in Vijaynagar’er Hirey, a fact that will excite fans of both movie stars and add to the anticipation for the film. That the screenplay of Vijaynagar’er Hirey has been adapted to fit into the contemporary era becomes apparent from a scene in the song where the two youngsters Shantu and Jojo are seen clicking a selfie against the breathtaking beauty of the natural landscape. Its lyrics also outline that the ancient history of the Vijayanagara Empire will play a major role in this story about a treasure hunt to find a lost priceless diamond belonging to the dynasty.
Set amidst the ruins of an ancient empire, Vijaynagar’er Hirey, directed by Chandrasish Ray and also starring Satyam Bhattacharya, Rajnandini Paul and others in important roles, releases in theatres on January 23.