Like 2020, the year 2021 too saw the film industry go through a tumultuous phase with the cinema halls operating intermittently throughout the year, thanks to the pandemic prevailing for most of the time. Despite all the hurdles, this lacklustre year saw a few hall releases that drew the audience to the plexes regardless of the truncated seating arrangements and other COVID-19 -related restrictions. We look back at a few such well-executed Bengali films with gripping plots that set us on an adrenaline rush this year. Even if you have missed them in the there's, try watching them whenever and wherever you can
This masterpiece by National Award-winning filmmaker Atanu Ghosh is the one film that saw packed halls for over 50 days despite the least number of shows and COVID-19 restrictions fully in place. The fluid, well-scripted film with an enticing story follows the lives of Kajal and Srabani -- played by Ritwik Chakraborty and Jaya Ahsan respectively -- who love doing roleplays. Melodious and charming, what we love about this film is that it is shorn of any unnecessary romance between the lead pairs and yet manages to hold our attention till the credits roll.
Antardhaan
This film, written and directed by Arindam Bhattacharya, definitely deserves a shout out for its edge-of-the-seat suspense build-up and for the sheer fact of keeping us guessing till the last frame who the culprit is. Also, the main cast of the film comprising Parambrata Chatterjee, Rajatava Dutta, Mamata Shankar and Tnusree did a splendid job. Set in the quaint hills of Himachal, the film sees a police officer solving the case of a mysterious disappearance of a teenage girl on her way to a school trek.
This much-anticipated film by Subhrajit Mitra, based on the concluding part of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s epic novel Aparajito has received appreciation from all for the sheer visual treat that takes us back in time to the era of Pather Panchali. The background score by composer and tabla Maestro Bickram Ghosh transports us to a magical world and actor Arjun Chakrabarty justifies the iconic role of Apu in his own distinct and unique way.
A sports biopic that sees actor Dev reprising the role of the legendary football player Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari, Golondaaj was the highest grosser in the box office this Pujas. Directed by Dhrubo Banerjee, the film is set in the pre-independent British era and sees Dev and his team of soccer players win the match of their life against the British on Indian soil.
A light and fun family drama, Tonic, that was released a week back, is surely a great watch to lift your spirits. This film directed by debutant filmmaker Avijit Sen has actor Dev playing a tour operator who is entrusted with arranging a memorable trip for an aged couple around their marriage anniversary. The film has some very hilarious moments and also has great performances by seasoned actors like Paran Bandyopadhyay and Shakuntala Barua. Interestingly, there's no heroine opposite Dev.
Ekannoborti
A spiel of a dysfunctional family that has some strong and united female characters, Ekannoborti, directed by Mainak Bhaumik, will surely win your heart with some stellar acting and a well-written plot. This light-hearted film, starring Aparajita Auddy and Sauraseni Maitra among others, tells the tale of the Banerjee's who hail from Barasat and whose ancestral home is on the verge of being sold off. Against the backdrop of Durga Puja, the film sees the women invoking their inner strength and gaining a fresh outlook on life, men and their own insecurities.