A murder mystery in a royal setting. Sounds quite intriguing. However, there is more to Phool Pishi O Edward, the latest release by directing duo Shiboprosad Mukherjee-Nandita Roy, celebrating their 25th year.
With a grand cast and a glittery set-up, the movie begins on the wedding day of zamindar Manindra Chandra Nandy (Arjun Chakraborty). Phool Pishi (Sohini Sengupta) arrives at her ancestral home for the occasion and the mystery begins.
Phool Pishi O Edward began as a murder mystery and went on to become a commentary on the state of women in patriarchal households. Manindra Chandra Nandy is a patriarch, who believes women have no role outside their domestic life. They must stay quiet, serve men and protect the lineage, even if that means sacrificing their own bodies.
Manindra Chandra is a tyrant of sorts who has bought the obedience of his family with fear. The movie opens with him getting married for a third time. He is the stereotypical zamindar: an oppressive husband, has a mistress he does not respect and has more enemies than friends. His death at the wedding altar was deemed suspicious despite his multiple ailments.
Phool Pishi O Edward can boast of several great performances. Arjun Chakraborty was totally believable in his role. Sohini Sengupta was impeccable with her dialogue delivery and comic timing, and it was hard to look away whenever she appeared on screen. Shaheb Chattopadhyay, who played Manindra's step-brother Jogendra Chandra Nandy, was a welcome presence on screen.
If we had to name one character that stole the show, it would be Rajatava Dutta's Balmiki Ghorai, the greedy investigating officer. The actor never fails in comedy roles, but despite having a role so common in thrillers, he managed to make it fresh and unique.
It was a treat to watch Raima Sen back on the big screen as Aditi and debutante Shyamoupti Mudly, who played Binita, showed promise. Anamika Saha's Hasi Debi was equal parts funny and mysterious.
Ananya Chatterjee, who played Manindra's mistress, Putul Bai, accurately portrayed the sensuality and intelligence her character demanded. Koneenica Banerjee, Soumya Mukherjee and Rishav Basu ably complemented the rest of the cast.
The performances largely carried the film which lacked a cohesive plot. Thrillers maybe a common genre but they can be hard o execute. While the movie began as a murder mystery with all the familiar tropes, the thrill and suspense that makes this genre so interesting, was missing.
Phool Pishi O Edward was successful in giving each character a compelling backstory but the ending lacked resolution, with several loose ends waiting to be tied, many subplots awaiting conclusion.
The timeline of the movie may seem confusing. The grand costumes, cultural practices, use of lanterns, horse-drawn carriages, will make you think that the story is set a couple of centuries back. However, in reality, it is set in the early 2000s, as revealed by a date scribbled on a letter.
As the movie progresses, it shifts from being a thriller to a cautionary tale that warns society of the doom that can befall them if they think women are objects of beauty without no brains.
Phool Pishi O Edward is a visual treat that makes it worth watching on the big screen. With gorgeous sets and good camera-work, the film has a beautiful soundtrack and the songs will stay with you even after the movie ends.
The movie may have certain slips, but it has a lot to be proud of. It points fingers at a society that is so obsessed with ostracising women that it dismisses the potential they carry as human beings. More than a thriller, it is a story of women, of different ages, all tied down by patriarchy, breaking loose and owning the narrative.
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