Chhobiwala review: In Rahul Arunodoy Banerjee's last film, reel meets real in the most striking way possible!

We didn't know what to expect when we walked into the special screening of late actor Rahul Arunodoy Banerjee's last film, Chhobiwala. All we knew was that it would be emotional to watch the young actor on screen who passed away suddenly one and a half months ago. But did we really expect such a reel-meets-reel kind of a situation? Not at all, and by the time the movie ended, it felt... uncanny.

Why did the film Chhobiwala feel so shocking?

Filmmaker Bappa's unreleased film, Chhobiwala sees Vishwakarma (Rahul Arunoday Banerjee) as a photographer and an artist. However, no one around him could understand his aesthetic sensibilities. Most people consider him a poor photographer, leading to his constant neglect. He barely gets any work—except for being hired to photograph the dead.

Despite severe financial strain, his wife, Mala (Debleena Dutt) works in a factory to support their household. Even amidst such hardship, she carries a sense of respect and compassion for her husband. Meanwhile, Vishwakarma gradually becomes isolated within his own inner world.

As the story progresses through shifting circumstances, Mala and Vishwakarma find themselves in a situation that forces them to make two extremely difficult and undesirable decisions.

What worked for us?

A very apt casting...we couldn't imagine anyone else as Vishwakarma. Shantanu Nath, who has also written the film, was great as Vishwakarma's dear friend, Poltu. Easy, no-nonsense camera work, simple storytelling, and no extra pomp and show remind us once again how to let the film itself do all the talking. The film is also a reminder of how, with rapid modernisation, many professionals, like a still photographer, are out there trying to make ends meet.

What could have been better?

At times, Debleena's Maya looked a little too over-the-top, especially as compared to Rahul, could have been toned down a little. Also, for us the song that features Sreelekha Mitra seemed unnecessary.

But what makes the film so uncanny?

What strikes really hard is that Vishwakarma's real merit and creative talent is appreciated a bit too late, which is a trajectory many geniuses have faced through history.

It makes one wonder how Vishwakarma's story, in a way, draws a parallel to Rahul Arunodoy Banerjee's life. Rahul and his many talents, too, weren't appreciated nearly enough in his own time.

The other small but important roles played by Rana Basu Thakur, Rimi Deb, Khaled Mahmood Turjo and Arpan Bose added dimensions to the film. The cinematography by Apu Mukherjee and music by Soumya Rit were befitting.

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