Ek Nadir Galpo (Tale of a River) review

A lot of people come here looking for Ekti Nadir Galpo or Ek Nadir galpo. If that’s why you came here let me assure you, it’s a good film, worth your time. A short review follows.

Ek Nadir Galpo (Tale of a River) is a Bengali feature film, by first time director Samir Chanda. The story is so simple that to reveal anything would give the film away. It is set in a small village in a remote area of Bengal. To step outside, a river needs to be crossed. The other connection to the outer world is a small post office supervised by the head clerk Mr. Bhattacharya. Mr. Bhattacharya’s daughter, Anjana, is about to begin college, the first person from her village to do so. This prospect is both exciting and frightening for Bhattacharya, who seems to have spent his entire life in his secluded village. Anjana’s brush with the outside world is not well recieved by Bhattacharya. This little friction, between a politically reclusive father and his budding politically excited daughter is beautifully essayed. An unfortunate incident leaves Bhattacharya shattered. The reality of it is too harsh for him to accept. He resolves to compensate his loss by making a bizarre request out of the government. Driven by his daughter’s ardor and energy, and his own personal grief, he campaigns, without the benefit of “public support”, to have this unusual request fulfilled. Will he succeed?

Besides being a touching story of a father and a daughter, the film is also a revealing commentary on the Indian citizens tryst with politics and the government. For instance, Anjana is both excited and cynical about the political activities at her college. It is clear that she desires change, but does not agree with the disruptive methods of her compatriots. Then there is Bhattacharya. His cynicism of public support is reversed when his demands are not filled. His request itself is symbolic. Lost in grief, he selfishly demands emotional gratification instead of corrective action. It shows us how deep the emotions of personal loss run, and how the law and its machinations provide no space for it. This idea is captured well by the character of a District Magistrate, who listens to Bhattacharya and resolves to help him out. Soon however he is frustrated by Bhattacharya’s stubbornness and his reluctance to pursue the matter with a logical approach. The conclusion makes us question the desiarbility of this approach for some, given its inability to satiate personal loss.

The film is powered by excellent performances by Mithun Chakraborty (veternan actor, National Award winner, B grade star, and Ooty hotelier) and the talented Shweta Prasad (previously seen in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Makdee). The visuals are stunning right from the starting credits to the beautifully shot climax. I don’t have much to say about the music, as it appeared very simple to me. There are some songs in the first half which seem to slow the film down, but otherwise the film is perfect.