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.
This is an incredibly insightful film review. In the course of the review you have also justified its presence in your blog. This post marks a new level of blogging that you entered with your last entry. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteNot only does this review amply explore the story line of the movie, but it also brings into perspective the renaissance witnessed in Bengali movie making. Recently, there has been inflated fondness amongst Bengali directors to embrace boldness and make every scene excruciatingly vivid. Current Bengali projects only bridge the gap between art movies and commercial flicks, to attract viewers from both camps so as to churn profits. For instance,I recall Baishe Srabon as a confluence between a powerful script and enthralling performances, with a rather handsome garnishing of crude Bengali expletives and dialogues that are meant to make women go red in the face. Today, there is disregard for making movies which add to the heritage of Bengal, which used to be the order of the day in Uttam-Suchitra flicks and Satyajit-Ray creations. There is seldom a message accompanying any movie from the stables of the modern Bengali director. The very essence and beauty of film-making has been replaced with vulgarity.
ReplyDeleteThe Untrodden Path rightly recognises the need in our society to be more broad-minded about to the idea of sexual act but generous descriptions of the same on celluloid is certainly not a necessity. A society can be more open to the idea of sex only if we members are able to detach the perverse angle given to sex in movies and look upon it as an act governed by natural instincts.
think you had blinkers on..please watch again,this time leaving the pseudo intellectualism behind at home...film is made for film..not for bloggers who consider themselves able critics!n honestly since all you remember or recommend is the back scene and skin show may I recommend a xxx next time?
ReplyDeleteHi paro.sk, thanks for your feedback/comment. Really appreciate. Can I please know your name?
Delete@paro.sk I like the way u have criticised my blog. However, to understand why I wrote this review this way I suggest u read some of my earlier blogs, or at least the foreword.
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