New Delhi: On June 30, 2023, the Bengali gangster film Shibpur was released.
Plot
When Mandira’s husband, Aniruddha, an upstanding government official, refuses to give in to the threats of local criminal Nepal Bhattacharya in Shibpur, he is killed in front of Mandira. To take revenge, she turns to opposition gang lord Tapan Barik for assistance after being let down by the police, government, and court, and finally becomes a criminal in Shibpur. The chief minister, meantime, has sent an able IPS officer named Sultan Ahmed to Shibpur to quell the unrest there.
2/2. dont la métamorphose d’une simple femme au foyer bengali en chef de gang mafieux à #Shibpur n’est pas seulement avant-gardiste mais aussi une réflexion sur la société humaine et l’autonomisation des femmes. pic.twitter.com/ntkpNBatuM
— Géostratégic indo-pacific (@observatoiregeo) July 22, 2023
Review
The screenplay is flawed due to its convoluted script and underdeveloped main characters. Throughout the movie, hardly a single major character is developed well. Mandira’s true intentions in joining the criminal underworld are unknown, as are those of Tapan and Nepal, the two current mob lords. It’s hard to understand who’s murdering who and why; their individual objectives are so muddled. Unfortunately, several plot points and situations just don’t ring logical.
One of the film’s many strengths is its excellent cast. Despite a confusing plot, Swastika is impressive to watch as she brings a fresh perspective to the role of gang lady. Parambrata, on the other hand, is unstoppable in both his younger and older incarnations of Sultan Ahmed. On film, he is quick, slick, and astute. He consistently uses a tone and diction that are spot-on for the roles he plays. Rajatava and Kharaj are two perfect antagonists because they represent such different types of evil and complement each other so effectively on screen. Mamata Shankar is one of the show’s most pleasant discoveries. She appears on screen for a very short time as a cameo, yet she completely surprises us with a brand-new kind of look.
Swastika mukherjee ? fired the whole #shibpur trailer….
Eager to watch ? this film ?
— SK Tamim (@Sk_T_HAQUE1) June 14, 2023
Jaak paisa wasool holei ami khushi.
Thank you ?❤️#shibpur in theatres. https://t.co/hNBFcMNrCM— Swastika Mukherjee (@swastika24) July 3, 2023
The film makes good use of the songs – Jotobar Alo and Tara Jwole. Even the other songs have a calming effect on the chaos of battle. Since it’s based on true events, you won’t find any absurd plot twists, dialogue, or characters. The events are captured with startling clarity in a few of the shots. The movie makes an honest effort to wrap things up for its audience, but there are still too many confusing narratives.
The Making of #Shibpur Title Track #ShibpurGnatha , Grateful ???❤️?@indoamericanap @SVFMusic pic.twitter.com/aPypU606JV
— SNIGDHAJIT BHOWMIK?? (@SnigdhajitB) July 5, 2023
In the grand scheme of modern Bengali cinema, Shibpur stands out a little. Despite its flaws, it succeeds in avoiding stereotypical Bengali conventions and reaching out to a wider audience.
Casts: Swastika Mukherjee, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Rajatabha Dutta, Kharaj Mukherjee, Mamata Shankar, Susmita Chatterjee, and more
Director: Arindam Bhattacharya
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Screentime: 2 hours 12 Minutes
Trailer:
