When Hawa Bodol had released back in 2013, it gave Bengali cinema a fresh story and an unique take on the oft-quoted idiom, "the grass is greener on the other side".
The Parambrata Chatterjee directed film chronicled the chaos that followed after two childhood friends, Jeet (Parambrata) and Raj (Rudranil Ghosh) met after years and wished to live the life of the other.
13 years later, Abar Hawa Bodol returns with a more emotionally complicated plot. While the comedy is alive and well, it is a film that forces us to think: is it really easy to be living someone else's life?
Bengali actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee returns to captain the ship once more as he leads the winds of change. He is not only back on the director's chair but has also reprised his role as Jeet (Satrajit) along with Rudranil Ghosh's Raj (Rajarshi). Raima Sen returns to play Jeet's frustrated wife, Tanuka as Anusha Viswanathan joins the cast as Kajallata.
Sequels can be extremley tricky, but this trio seems to have cracked the code. While Hawa Bodol was set in Kolkata, Abar Hawa Bodol takes the main characters to London and their respective situations have completely changed in the 13 years.
As director, Parambrata successfully keeps the film engaging and well-knit, masterfully balancing the lighthearted, funny moments with heavy emotional scenes. The comedy in the film is intelligent and not forced. The story, despite having a similar premise as the prequel, doesn't bore. While the story may be predictable at certain points, it never takes away from the fun.
Abar Hawa Bodol largely deals with the uncertainties in life. It reminds us that fall from grace is inevitable when moral corruption creeps in. It tells us that success doesn't guarantee longevity and apparent happiness can hide deeper secrets. More importantly, it points fingers at the fact that life can take unexpected turns but no matter what, we can never know what the other person is going through.
The film has very strong performances from every member of the cast. However, Parambrata and Rudranil deserve special mentions for being spot on in their portrayals of swapped personalities. It is a difficult task, but they proved their mettle as actors.
Raima Sen is ever-gracious as Tanuka, a mother and a wife struggling to hold her family together. Anusha was convincing as the punk rockstar with a soft, compassionate heart. Chanchal Ghosh and Kabir Bhattacharya also added fun and emotional depth to the story.
Sequels have a tendency to disappoint but Abar Hawa Bodol passed the test. Despite the long gap, it came back with nuance and finesse and will leave fans wanting more.
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