Columbus in Colkata...My View

When it’s about  movies…I am very much choosy and careful after my last two years of watching experiences, except some selected directors I always avoid watching movies of other directors.

But last Sunday I was hopeless, except watching the Bengali movie I have no other way left coz I was feeling very much bored and the only option left is that certain Bengali Movie.

“Colkatay Columbus”(Columbus in Colkata) …this title made me irritated for my past experience, the thoughts knocked into my mind…that same “show off” title that contains a meaningless plot, as I don’t have the habit of watching television so I did not came across the trailer of the movie which helps you to guess the plot but when I ended watching the entire movie it made me too much happy and this is the reason I decided to share this with you, neither I am a movie reviewer nor I have expertise in this genre so it’s not a “movie review” better to say it is my “view” on the movie.

The Characters

The story is about two boys…

Soumik Gupta(“Sam” in short),who has been forced to leave his house eight years earlier and after lots of struggle he has been able to be self-dependent ,working as a RJ in a famous Bengali FM channel, residing with Balohory Roy in the house of Balohori’s uncle, Sam is a singer also, a self made one and wants to publish his own album but does not have money so he has found a way….

Balohory Roy(“Roy” in short), lost his parents in childhood and have been brought up by his paternal aunt and uncle, presently he is working in a MNC but in last few years he is unable to get a salary hike or promotion and always been dominated by his boss.

How the movie starts

Sam and Roy, both are frustrated from life coz none of their dreams are coming true, Sam is unable to publish a music album and Roy is frustrated with office issues.

In a weekend they went for a certain trip and while returning they met a stranger in the street who blocked their car while crossing, they found the person bit confused and when asked the person replied

“Am Christopher Columbus,do you know him?”

So the movie takes its speed from here, in the beginning Sam and Roy did not believe the person, though the stranger (Columbus) described lots of infos. And experiences about his journey of exploration but still they did not believe him coz anyone can give such infos. remembering Wikipedia but at the end they decided to take him with them with the thought…may be this person is fake, maybe he is not Columbus but his words explain it clear that the person has huge knowledge and knows the way to success and then Roy explains it in soliloquy that…”a drowning man catches at a straw”.

Theme of the Movie

This is the most interesting part of the movie…

In the journey of life if give a deeper look then we will find that…”we all are explorer” 

“Everyone is searching, lots of competitions”

Yes this is the plot of the movie

We all are searching something, we all want to fulfill our dreams and wishes, and the way the writer and director Saurav Palodhi has depicted the characters in the movie is really amazing and deserves lots of praises. Sam is in search for someone who will invest in his music album where Roy wants salary hike, promotion and not to be dominated by his boss so he is trying to convince his second boss repeatedly.

Now comes another lead character

 

Sneha, who helped Sam to get the job in radio station and presently working in the same office, Sneha is in love with Sam but never been able to propose him or better to say avoided to propose coz Sam is busy with Shakira…

So, Sneha is finding a way to get Sam in her life.

The search of every human being has been presented very nicely through these four lead characters (there is one more lead character in the movie, which I have found the most logical with the contemporary situation which reflects the good observation power and intellect of Saurav Palodhi) which have covered up almost all the dimensions which reflects the directorial and writing capability of Mr.Saurav…Columbus was busy to guide Shyam and Roy and following Columbus’ instructions they progressed a lot towards their dreams but in the mean time while moving in the street Columbus forget the way to return Roy’s house, when both the friends were busy to find him and were worried that time “Bartha Kaku”(Bartha Uncle) , I mean Bartolomeo Dias(The contemporary explorer of Columbus) appeared in their house to hand over the cradle of Columbus, he explained one of the natures of Columbus…”he wanted to reign in the field of exploration alone and if he finds someone searching for something then Columbus will try to find it earlier than any other” …when “Bartha Kaku” was explaining the mindset of Columbus and also said he was jealous to others then the synchronization of scenes is fantastic and the scenes are…

Columbus was busy to find the way to return back to Roy’s house…he met lots of people in the streets

An old man with long beard and unclean dress sitting beside the street, when Columbus asked…Are you finding something?

That old fellow replied…yes, I am finding my daughter, she took part in a political rally with this flag, I have got the flag but not my child.

Then Columbus met a beggar who was trying to bring out the coin from the other side of a fence through a stick, Columbus suggested him to use a long stick and when the person went to find a long stick and returned back with one then he found Columbus has already brought out the coin and vanished, after this beggar Columbus met two boys in the side of the river and when asked what are they doing there, the boys replied …”people throws coin here in Holy Ganges and we take out the coins with these magnets”, Columbus asked them to give him the magnet and both the boys denied, scene changed here…Bartha Uncle was busy to provide information about Columbus to Sam and Roy and when the scene again returned to Columbus…it was shown that somehow Columbus has managed to get a magnet from them and showing the magnet Columbus says …”invention again, If I say I have invented it out of curiosity then people will reply

...”Oh, ho the boy is so talented” 

But if I say I have invented this for money then the same people will reply very excitedly with praise

...”yes, that’s the invention”

This is the Golden rule of acceptance”

So, the movie not only shows how we all are busy to run behind our dreams rather it also shows one of the biggest truths that…sometime some people or there are some people with such a mindset always that…there will be someone in our life one day who will make our life easier.

Except these the films has depicted the different dimensions of human nature through Columbus, there are lots of controversies and criticisms about Columbus(as it happens with all legends), so Columbus here is just a general personification to explain the human natures… jealousy, meanness, superiority complex, ego, indomitable spirit, fighting nature, feelings of insecurity etc.etc. etc.

Why should you watch this movie

Mir, the famous, very popular and well established comedian in Bengali film industry has played a serious role (Columbus) in this movie but there are some punch lines from him also listening those you will find it tough to stop laughing.

Anirban Bhattacharya(Sam) has given stunning and extraordinary performance in comedy scenes, the dialogue delivery in those scenes and the styles of comedy and the expressions are outstanding. I came to know from my Sis that he is a rising star and has already proved his ability as a comedian in a Bengali comedy show and on the other hand he is a good singer also.

Gaurav Chakraborty(Roy) has proved his talent in the field of acting in different films and TV serials and now an well known and very popular actor. 

Whenever Sam has met Shakira the comedies has been taken place in a very creative way. The character Sam is a very potential one and covers up both the serious side and the comedy flavor and Anirban has performed both in excellent way.

The comedies covering up the present political issues from regional to national level, the presentation of the movie and the explanations of human psychology and activities have been presented very perfectly…in short it’s a well researched movie.

The Soliloquies of Columbus and Roy explain the practicality of life, those are serious ones and on the other hand the soliloquy of Sam contains serious issues in serious and humorous notes. 

Now comes the part of Shakira

Marvelous depiction of the character and perfect acting by Ritabhari Chakraborty, this is one of the lead characters of the movie. So, what the character is…

Shakira, a girl from a rich family, actually a social media addict, she actually does nothing, all the day she tries different dresses, make up, nail paints, hair styles and takes pictures and then post them in insta and fb and counts the number of likes, this how she spends her days, far away from reality, always drown in virtual and fantasy world. So, naturally she does not have a deeper view or philosophy towards life, no seriousness (as she knows she has enough money), disordered thoughts and activities, these are some common psychological side effects if you are lost in virtual world. Her behavior is not normal… decency, manners and etiquette all these have vanished from her dictionary.

Ritabhari has performed in this character in a very perfect way.

The maid of Shakira is not a lead character but plays a vital role to explain the nature of Shakira….the maid tolerates this disorganized girl all the day and sometime asks Shakira to increase her monthly salary so that she gets a reason to stay with Shakira and to tolerate her strange activities but at the end even the maid realizes it clearly that….asking for salary hike to such a girl is meaningless.

At the end of the movie what happened to all the four lead characters has been shown excluding Shakira, which I have found very much logical coz…such a life like Shakira actually has no end…drowning in virtual world… an endless journey.

The presence of Shakira has given a high contrast to the theme of the movie, Shakira spends an aimless life where Sam, Roy,Sneha,Amrapali Ma’am(Second boss of Roy), Columbus all are busy to fight the battle of life.

Sneha: what have you found in Shakira, she does not look normal?”

Sam: I have found her father in her, her father is the owner of a petrol pump”

The soliloquy of Sam…” I have heard her father has a petrol pump, that’s why I have stuck on her”.

I am very much anxious to watch the sequel of this movie whose trailer has already been shown at the last scene… 

Two friends, returning back home and discussing how they have been “deprived because of this social structure” then they hires a cab and after a while a stranger asks for lift, the stranger in army dress, a riffle in the right shoulder and a cigar in mouth…

When asked…who are you

The reply was…Che Guevara

“If I lose, it will not mean that it was impossible to win”