Arindam Bhattacharya’s latest Bengali film Durgapur Junction aspires to be a slick, small-town thriller but struggles with storytelling. Actors Vikram Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee, however, elevate its tried-and-tested narrative with their standout performances.

The film kicks off with a compelling premise: a string of unexplained deaths jolts Durgapur out of its industrial stupor. All victims had one thing in common — doctor-prescribed vitamin pills that turned out to be fatal.

Enter investigating officer Soumya Sen (Vikram Chatterjee), a no-nonsense cop who speaks in monosyllables and puts together pieces of the puzzle in quiet solitude. Among his list of suspects is a journalist, Ushashi (Swastika Mukherjee), who also happens to be the wife of one of the victims.

It’s an intriguing setup, but the narrative leans on familiar thriller beats that don’t quite deliver the tension they promise. Durgapur Junction suffers where it matters the most: the script. Major twists are telegraphed well in advance, and by the time the big reveal comes in the climax, it is already too late.

One is left wondering if a more straightforward thriller — without the baggage of a mystery — would have served the narrative better.

That said, the performances often lift the film above its writing. Vikram Chatterjee brings gravitas to the role of a stoic police officer piecing together a dark puzzle. His portrayal is restrained but effective, and he inhabits the role with a brooding intensity.

Swastika Mukherjee, as journalist Ushashi, is easily the film’s standout. Her character is painted in shades of grey — morally ambiguous, emotionally layered, and never quite easy to read. However, her character's arc too is let down by a screenplay that doesn’t quite explore her potential depth.

The chemistry between Vikram and Swastika is palpable, and Bhattacharya allows it space to breathe. There’s tension in their silences, glances and half-finished thoughts. It’s in these scenes that the film truly finds its rhythm, suggesting a more intimate character study than the plot ultimately permits.

Arindam Bhattacharya clearly has a flair for building cinematic tension. Sujoy Datta Ray’s editing maintains a steady pace, while Prosenjit Chowdhury’s cinematography captures the gritty allure of Durgapur’s underbelly with flair. One only hopes Bhattacharya’s next junction is better signposted — and better written.