Those who read/follow my blogs must be wondering why I have put up a film review on The Untrodden Path. Some of my readers have categorised The Untrodden Path as a sex blog! Well, sex being the most tabooed subject in our country, I feel some serious and open discussion is the need of the day. And in fact, it is sex which is the connecting point with Aparajita Tumi.
Aparajita Tumi is not a film on the subject of sex. However, after a show of unnecessary boldness in ‘Bedroom’, which released a couple of weeks back, Aparajita Tumi comes with unnecessary skin show. Perhaps director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury thought that the skin show would help save this very ordinary film from sinking. Make no mistake, Aniruddha disappoints us with Aparajita Tumi after delighting us with Antaheen.
Aparajita Tumi is based on Sunil Gangopadhyay’s novel Dui Nari Hathe Torobari (Two women with sword in hand). The protagonist of the story is Kuhu (Padmapriya), who remains Aparajita (undefeated) despite challenges and setbacks. Her husband Pradip (Prosenjit) goes through midlife crisis and is looking greener pastures out of home. He gets attracted to Ushasie (Kamalini Mukherjee), the young and sexy wife of Ranajoy (Chandan Roy Sanyal), who remains lonely as her Ranajoy is busy either with work or with wine (beer, to be precise). With both Pradip and Ushasie looking for sex, they waste no time in getting into the act, but later, they both admit of the fling to their respective partners by marriage. Kuhu walks out of Pradip’s life, but later returns when he becomes terminally ill. The film ends (not with death, as in Aniruddha’s earlier films) with Kuhu accepting the challenges of life and learning to live with them.
Earlier we have seen some brilliant movies and TV serials made on the basis of stories written by Sunil Gangopadhyay, which includes Moner Manush, Hothat Neera’r Jonyo, Sei Somoy, among others. However, Aniruddha fails to do justice to the creation of the author, making a film that is largely boring and fails to hold on to the viewers’ interest. The film does not come up with anything new and does not have any reason why movie lovers would pay to watch such an ordinary fare (except for the brilliant cinematography by Ranjan Palit).
Aparajita Tumi is also a waste of talent, considering that Aniruddha had roped in some brilliant actors for this film. Kalyan Ray’s role could have been meatier. Tanusree Shankar (Kuhu’s mother) and Indranil Sengupta (Kuhu’s ex-flame) do justice to their roles. Chandan does a brilliant job though. Hope to see him more in Bengali films. Soumitra Chatterjee leaves an impact in a guest appearance.
Kamalini has been given a character who is a bit nyaka and speaks seductively to Prosenjit. Not a role you would remember, but guys don’t miss her backless scene!
Southern-import Padmapriya plays the protagonist’s role well, though I feel there are better actresses in Tollywood who could have put more life to Kuhu’s character.
And Bumbada, we certainly expected you to be in a film much better than this after Baishe Srabon. However, it is the script and loose direction that is to be blamed for the actors not being able to show their full potential in Aparajita Tumi.
I began this article mentioning that sex is the connecting point with Aparajita Tumi. Besides the skin show and the love making scene between Prosenjit and Kamalini, the film also has a lot of discussion about sex. However, sex doesn't appear to be important for protagonist Kuhu (and also Ranajoy). Importance, or the need for sex, has been shown through the characters portrayed by Prosenjit and Kamalini. However, both had a feeling of guilt afterwards and confess the same to their partners, which goes on to show that Indians are still expected to be or projected as ones barred from sexual independence. Indians are expected to be loyal to their partners even when their partners sexually deprive them! Let us break free from this hypocrisy.
I began this article mentioning that sex is the connecting point with Aparajita Tumi. Besides the skin show and the love making scene between Prosenjit and Kamalini, the film also has a lot of discussion about sex. However, sex doesn't appear to be important for protagonist Kuhu (and also Ranajoy). Importance, or the need for sex, has been shown through the characters portrayed by Prosenjit and Kamalini. However, both had a feeling of guilt afterwards and confess the same to their partners, which goes on to show that Indians are still expected to be or projected as ones barred from sexual independence. Indians are expected to be loyal to their partners even when their partners sexually deprive them! Let us break free from this hypocrisy.
