Action thrillers have lately become a popular genre in Bengali films and adding one more to the list is The Academy of Fine Arts, whose trailer dropped on Monday. A pulp thriller by its own declaration, or as screamed out by its title graphics, it promises to be a fresh, innovatively designed, well-made and fast-paced entertainer full of sensations, suspense, non-stop action, over-the-top situations and a ragtag bunch of characters.

A complete package blending action, crime and comedy, the trailer reveals that The Academy of Fine Arts is about a heist planned by a group of low-brow gangsters. They execute the perfect heist, and steal a priceless liquor bottle from a notorious gang leader. But when their getaway goes horribly wrong, they get entangled in a never-ending loop of betrayal, bloodshed and long-buried secrets. Soon, the gang members realise that more than the loot, it is their survival at stake.

Paayel Sarkar

Exploring themes like morality or the lack of it, avarice, betrayal, deception and double-crossing, the trailer is filled with scenes of crime, sex, violence, filth and grime. Dealing with the underbelly of society, it contains grisly scenes of abuse, torture and murder and is peopled with shady characters whose speech consists almost totally of foul language and swear words. The trailer also offers an interesting introduction to the members of the crime ring, all of whom have their distinct quirk. Featuring an ensemble cast of eminent actors known for excelling in versatile and unorthodox roles, The Academy of Fine Arts presents a veritable character feast of flawed anti-heroes with a skewed moral compass, that also includes classic pulp characters like a femme fatale or gritty criminals.

Recalling the films of Quentin Tarantino, another typical pulp thriller feature evident in the trailer is the juxtaposition of conflicting tones; the action of the film combines elements of crime, dark comedy and drama, offsetting shocking scenes of violence with absurd humour. The cinematography of the film blends close-ups with long shots, low-angle shots and point-of-view shots to create its unique potboileresque energy and establish an immersive setting. A jarring sound design that makes use of old, sleazy playback tracks and a bold use of colour and light effects add to its atmosphere of seediness and depravity, with some slick, top-quality editing and post-production touches adding punch to this tale of crime, horror and gross immorality.

Written and directed by Jayabrata Das, The Academy of Fine Arts, starring Saurav Das, Rudranil Ghosh, Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, Sudip Mukherjee, Rishav Basu and Paayel Sarkar, among others, releases on November 14.