Featuring an ensemble cast, the film Lokkhikantopur Local tells a universal human story through the lives of its characters, each of whom has their own individual dreams, desires, angst, and apprehensions. The trailer of the film has unveiled the world of the film and promises an emotion-filled journey that will make audiences laugh, cry and think.
Offering a peek into the inner selves of its unique characters, the trailer is composed of a collage of moments that catch the pulse of the film, radiating a warmth that embraces the viewer in its familiar, comforting embrace.
The story of three couples portrayed by Kaushik Ganguly and Rituparna Sengupta, Indraneil Sengupta and Sangita Sinha, and Rajnandini Paul and John Bhattacharya, the trailer presents snippets of their so-called ordinary, daily lives that offer clues of their individual journeys and at the same time connect them all to a collective design. The trailer offers hints of the joys and sorrows, hopes and fears of the characters, indicating that Lokkhikantopur Local will provide enough ingredients to build a wholesome, emotion-rich story replete with anxieties, struggles, triumphs and celebrations. The trailer also showcases the chemistry between the three couples, subtly comparing and contrasting them and putting into perspective the relationship dynamics of each couple.
Full of humour and pathos, the story will also put the spotlight on the lives of their three domestic helps, played respectively by Paoli Dam, Chandreyee Ghosh and Saayoni Ghosh. The characters they portray are all driven by an urge for economic empowerment, independence and the desire for a better life. However, it is also indicated that each of them encounters individual challenges and nurtures their own fears or perhaps even safeguards their own secrets. The crises and upheavals in each of their work lives and individual lives, which are suggested in the trailer, are likely to prompt questions and spark conversations about the fragile, unstable nature of their jobs and the consequent social and psychological vulnerability that they easily become victims of. Though they offer interesting character studies on their own, their aspirations and desperations embody those of all working-class people, everywhere.
The universal appeal of the characters of Lokkhikantopur Local is what is expected to lift this story of common people leading ordinary lives into the larger realm, exploring and examining facets of their lives through the lens of universal wisdom and enabling a deeper understanding and appreciation. The spontaneous, down-to-earth performances of the cast, as found in the trailer, will also elevate the viewing experience of this film about the dependence of urban families on their house helps and the grossly underrated contributions of such caregivers. Balancing their rustic, earthy simplicity with the spirit of contemporary, urban life, it presents a beautiful human story of love, faith, endurance and resilience that will strike a chord in the hearts of discerning viewers.
Lokkhikantopur Local also promises to be enriched by a melodious soundtrack, as indicated in the trailer by the strains of the song Sona bondhu re sung by Iman Chakraborty. Organic sounds like the chugging of trains along tracks, or its high-pitched horn, bicycle bells and more, add rhythm, realism and an easy authenticity to the stories being narrated on screen. Directed by Ram Kamal Mukherjee, Lokkhikantopur Local releases in theatres on November 21.