Bulbbul Movie Review
Blood and tears
Anvita Dutt, who has also written the film, has made a prodigious directorial debut with Bulbbul. The film combines the classic elements of Gothic horror with the sensibilities of a Rabindranath Tagore story. The film is big on thriller elements and is a hugely feminist product as well. The film makes you think that Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt and Satyajit Ray are Anvita’s idols. The film makes you think of the eerie atmosphere of Roy’s Madhumati (1958). The Badi bahu reference is straight from Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) and the female gaze is reminiscent of Ray’s immortal Charulata (1964). The English title of Charulata was The Lonely Wife. And that’s the case here as well.
Bulbbul (Tripti Dimri) the child bride, is married off to Thakur Indraneel (Rahul Bose), who is at least 20 years her senior. She grows up with Satya (Avinash Tiwary), who is somewhat of her age. They both are fond of telling ghost stories to each other. Indraneel has another brother, his twin Mahendra (Rahul Bose), who is mentally retarded. He’s married off to Binodini (Paoli Dam), who is almost a second wife to Indraneel. Bulbbul is completely isolated in the large mansion of Indraneel. She has no one to talk to except Satya. A jealous Indraneel sends him off to England for further studies and she’s completely alone. All sorts of atrocities happen to her, which Satya is unaware of. Upon his return, he finds that Indraneel doesn’t live there anymore, Mahendra is dead and Binodini lives as a widow elsewhere. There is a supernatural entity roaming around, which the villagers call a chudail, who is accused of killing people. Doctor Sudeep (Parambrata Chattopadhyay) is close to Bulbbul and Satya doesn’t like that either. When he questions her about her behaviour, Bulbbul mocks him by saying he’s also just like other men. The film goes back in time and we’re shown what horrors were visited on her by both Mahendra and Indraneel. Though she’s still fond of him, Bulbbul no longer needs Satya in her life. She’s grown past all that. The only person who interests her is Sudeep, who somewhat knows her history but doesn’t consider himself as more than a friend.
The huge mansion, teeming with its secrets, sets the tone of the film. The period details are excellent and you actually feel you’ve travelled to 19th century Bengal. Siddharth Diwan’s cinematography is excellent and captures the rustic beauty of the place in all its glory. Amit Trivedi’s haunting background score too adds to the film. The film has somewhat of a languid pace at first which no way hinders the narration. The horror is atmospheric and is escalated gradually. The narrative goes back and forth to provide us with a complete view of how things transpired.
It’s said we’re all victims of our circumstances. Binodini isn’t a bad person at heart but being married to a mentally-retarded man must have taken its toll. Satya finds himself making the same mistakes as his brother. Bulbbul has made peace with being married to a much senior person. All she needs is a small amount of private space all for herself. She’s shattered when even that is denied to her. Whatever happens to her next is much more gruesome physically but her heart has already been broken. But she proves to be the strongest of them all, learning to pick the pieces and live her life on her own terms, without the interference of her menfolk. Satya’s return threatens that independence, and hence she isn’t entirely pleased with it. Instead of talking to her, learning about what has happened, Satya starts behaving like Sherlock Holmes, and that proves to be his undoing.
Avinash Tiwary and Tripti Dimri were last seen together in Sajid Ali’s Laila Majnu (2018) and carry forward their chemistry here. They share a distinct camaraderie where they are comfortable in each other’s presence. They don’t speak of their love -- it’s evident in their body language. The film belongs to Tripti, who has imbibed the spirit of Bulbbul. Her silences, her eyes, mocking smile -- all speak volumes. She becomes what each frame demands of her. Avinash too looks the part of a foreign returned younger brother who doesn’t know what to make of the growing attraction he feels towards his Bhabhi and takes refuge in playing detective to escape that. The rest of the cast, be it Rahul Bose in his twin roles, Paoli as the grievance-filled Chhoti bahu or the Parambrata as the good doctor too have done their job admirably well.
Overall, it’s a fantastic debut for Anvita Dutt. Bulbbul feels like it’s been directed by an experienced hand and not a newbie. The film deserved a big-screen release and we hope it gets one in the future.
Trailer : Bulbbul
Renuka Vyavahare, June 24, 2020, 4:03 PM IST
Story: Set in 19th century Bengal, Bulbbul (Tripti Dimri) an aristocratic Thakuraeen (feudal title bestowed upon upper class, landowning caste in ancient India) with mysterious aura and condescending smile has a storm inside her head. On his return from London, Satya Thakur (Avinash Tiwary), the male lord of the family discovers Bulbbul’s secret liaisons and wonders what she has been hiding. Meanwhile, the village encounters a series of supernatural deaths, attributed to a daayan (witch). What’s lurking in the village and the Thakur haveli?
Review: An amalgamation of several genres, Anvita Dutt’s slow burn, period fantasy drama, oozes mystery. It’s predictable so do not expect this to be a jump scare thriller but formulaic, it isn’t. The storytelling draws references from folklore as it shuttles between past and present, good and bad, demon and God. Are they two faces of the same coin?
Don’t go looking for an engaging thriller and you won’t be disappointed. At its heart, Bulbbul is a melancholic social tragedy. A metaphor for caged existence, broken dreams, lost childhood, unrequited love and veiled sexual and emotional abuse. A tragedy can make or break you. Can you draw strength from it instead? Bulbbul the film, reflects upon this thought as it condemns the culture of silence that women are subjected to. It reminds you what you are truly capable of, once you decide to avenge injustice and seek redemption. Like its intriguing protagonist, there’s more to Bulbbul, than meets the eye.
However, if watching people being tormented and traumatised, disturbs you, this one’s not for you. The film moves at a languid pace and struggles to hold your attention. The story also feels incomplete when it comes to exploring relationships. A lot is left unsaid and deserved a deeper understanding of characters. Excessive usage of red lighting in night scenes doesn’t quite work and feels amateurish. For a period drama, the production design is a tad underwhelming. A tighter narrative could also have worked better.
On the positive side, talented newcomers Tripti Dimri and her Laila Majnu co-star Avinash Tiwary reunite in this film and interestingly, their roles are reversed here. If Avinash pined for Tripti in the previous film, it’s the other way round here. Same goes for performances. Laila Majnu was an out and out Avinash Tiwary show and Bulbbul belongs to Tripti Dimri, who owns every frame with her striking good looks and mysterious charm. The actress displays immense growth as an actor and is bound to have a bright future ahead. Rahul Bose, Paoli Dam and Parambrata Chattopadhyay are as integral to the story as the lead pair and deliver compelling performances. Haunting music by Amit Trivedi and historical costumes by Veera Kapur deserve a special mention. Producers Anushka Sharma and Karnesh Sharma deserve a pat on the back for backing content that’s intriguingly dark, layered and courageously different.
Anvita Dutt’s film will vaguely remind you of Raj Kapoor’s iconic Prem Rog, which took against a misogynistic society that looks at women as a prop meant to be owned by men. If you think women’s fight for equality is overrated and uncalled for, this will make you rethink your opinion.
