friday film: Jiyo kaka!!

Starring: Rituparna Sengupta, Rudranil Ghosh, Rahul, Aviraaj, Saswata Chatterjee, Tota Roy Chowdhury

Directed by: Parambrata Chattopadhyay

Three regular guys — Ritwik (Rahul), Aasif (Rudranil), Amitabha (Aviraaj) — with one very special dream: to make one hell of a movie together. A film that will change the course of Bengali cinema. But the ruthless industry pays no heed to their aspirations and their dream is soon shattered.

The most severe of blows comes from Nilanjana (Rituparna), a popular actress. She rejects their script outright, calling it absurd and amateurish. Humiliated, dejected and pushed to the furthest level of desperation, they decide to do something radical and preposterous...

What happens next? Do they commit some kind of a crime? Or does fate have something in store for them which they couldn’t possibly imagine even in their weirdest dreams? Come join the adventure and find out the answers yourself.

This is how Parambrata has been promoting his debut feature film, and five minutes into the movie, I promise you my dear readers, you’ll find that each and every word of Parambrata’s campaign is so utterly true! The dream of making a movie some day, pursuing that vision with paramount zeal, going to any degree to accomplish it and finally attaining it is what gives a maker the sheer spirit to endorse his ‘first baby’ with such integrity.

“All you need to make a movie is a girl and a gun,” said Jean-Luc Godard, and Parambrata seems to follow the words of the legend in blind faith. What do Ritwik, Aasif and Amitabha do, having reached the rock bottom of the barrel of despair? They sport the disguise, flex the machine, abduct the lady, and hock for ransom!

Sounds like the stage is all set for a sinister movie, full of suffering and felony? Well, the angst is there, and so is the crime, but all with sparkling twists of amusing absurdity and refined humour which lend a comic feel to the whole plot, the nature of which is a touch ominous.

Now I know all of you are getting anxious to discover further about the yarn but I shall not divulge an inch more. Movies are made to be seen and heard, not read, so go watch it readers; experience the first Bengali comic-crime movie of this century!

The trio of Rudranil-Rahul-Aviraaj make a complete mockery of the archaic theory that actors are ‘puppets’. Aviraaj as the rustic Amitabha is strikingly good; I am convinced he will soon get lead roles in mainstream Bengali movies. Rahul as Ritwik the urban youth is a revelation. He’s as natural as it gets, spot-on with his comic timing, and that look in his eyes when he talks of filmmaking, sparkling!

Rudranil plays Aasif the suburban guy, and I can vouch that no one in that age group in the entire Bengali film industry could have played it better. I feel privileged to be working in an industry which can boast of an actor of Rudranil’s competence.

But what do the three boys do without the girl?! Aah the diva, the female superstar of our times Rituparna Sengupta as the ravishing heroine Nilanjana Gupta! From Paromitar Ekdin to Trishna, from Chaturanga to Bedeni, and now Jiyo Kaka!!, she is as versatile as it gets.

Now coming to the least talked about troupe, those behind the camera. To begin with, Rudranil’s tale is enthralling and original; Aditi Majumder is splendid with her urbane dialogues.

Neel Dutt’s music is peppy and new-age; his rendition of the folk song Nodi bhora dheu is soul-searching; Rupam Islam is at his usual peak singing Amader Kolkata, but the song which steals the show is the Dure jai track, not just because of the tune but the sensitive lyrics penned by one of the most talented poets of our generation, Srijato.

Soumik Halder seems to mature with every movie he shoots; the edgy frames with breathing feel is the style of the time, and he does know damn well how to execute it. Sujoy Dutta Roy joins him in the game, and the way Sujoy cuts and joins and creates magic moments is praiseworthy.

Last but not the least, the leader of the pack, Parambrata, marshals his resources with elan. His love for World Cinema and its influence on his craft is pretty evident, and what is most admirable is that he doesn’t shy away from pushing the envelope. So being a filmmaker myself, when I find someone from my generation making such a significant first film, I have to exclaim with pure passion; Jiyo Kaka!! Jiyo Parambrata!! May our tribe increase!

The Premiere

Cast members Rudranil Ghosh and Rituparna Sengupta with first-time director Parambrata Chattopadhyay at the premiere of Jiyo Kaka!! in Priya cinema. “I hope everyone liked the film,” said Parambrata. “My son Ankan watched the film with so much attention! I wish he paid as much attention to his math homework,” laughed Rituparna	Parambrata’s girlfriend Eke looked pretty in green	Lovey-dovey duo Rahul and Priyanka went in with popcorn and colas
Aviraaj	Music director Neel Dutt with Tota Roy Chowdhury, who has a cameo in the film	Saswata Chatterjee rushed in minutes after the film had started. Pictures by Aranya Sen