Directed by Soukarya Ghosal, OCD is a film that raises awareness on the urgent need to protect children from sexual abuse and to support victims. In it, the deep yet invisible psychological impact of the childhood abuse suffered by Shweta (Jaya Ahsan), its protagonist, makes her become mentally unstable and leads her on the path of vengeance and into committing multiple crimes.

The song Tarpor hobo itihash from the film is inspired by the works of poet Sukanta Bhattacharya. His celebrated poem Chharpotro is like a cornerstone of the film’s narrative, its message of creating and leaving a safe and beautiful world for children being central to OCD’s thematic exploration of trauma and justice for children. In Tarpor hobo itihash, the lines of Bhattacharya’s poem come alive in a deeply moving and symbolic musical rendition. Featuring a soulful melody and vocals by Saqi Banerjee, complemented by a powerful and emotive recitation by Jaya Ahsan, the song pays tribute to Bhattacharya’s poetic genius and, at the same time, makes a fervent appeal for a better world for future generations.

While capturing the philosophy of the poet’s vision, the song also highlights the vulnerability of children to adult behaviour, making it become like a voice on behalf of the young, innocent and defenceless. The visuals accompanying the song depict painful memories of her childhood crowding Shweta’s mind, which she attempts to align with the present after returning anonymously to her childhood home.

As these visuals play out, Ahsan’s voice, making a pledge to create a world for children that is pure and safe, also implies her symbolic severance from her traumatic past and the social constraints that have held her hostage. Her recitation of the verse symbolises an emotional climax to her journey — through it, she lets go of feelings of being unclean, and of the unpleasant memories imposed upon her by childhood abuse, thus rejecting society’s tendency of blaming victims.

It is interesting to note that the song’s themes of social justice and of ‘cleaning up’ the world for the next generation mirror Shweta’s internal and eventually literal mission to ‘sanitise’ her world of predators. Hence, Tarpor hobo itihash becomes a device to base the narrative from the point of view of the child Shweta. It also serves as a stark reminder of the silent cost that children pay when their trauma is ignored and repressed by a society that prioritises social stigma over accountability.

The works of Sukanta Bhattacharya being inherently revolutionary and rebellious, the song can also be interpreted as foreshadowing Shweta’s transition from a passive victim to an active, albeit morally ambiguous, revenge-seeker, her acts of revenge being a protest against a society that failed to protect her or support her when she needed it the most.