PremiumBoudi Canteen review: Parambrata and Subhashree tell a simple story of pursuing dream and empowerment
Parambrata Chatterjee’s directorial work talks about feminism and free will.
Last Updated: 10.27 AM, Oct 01, 2022
Story: Poulomi (Subhashree Ganguly) enjoys cooking. While she gets full support from her journalist husband Sourish (Parambrata Chatterjee), her mother-in-law Anashua Majumder strongly suggests that independent women should not be confined to the kitchen. However, Poulomi chases her dreams and in a time of crisis, she stands by her family.
Review: Boudi Canteen is a feel-good film. It bravely announces why a person should follow their dreams and make a living out of their passion. It brings a whiff of positivity, along with a set of ideas on empowerment, equality, and other such issues.
The film takes a cue from a real-life chef Asma Said Khan. Asma hails from Kolkata and now is a restaurateur in the UK. Without any formal degree from professional schools of chefs, Asma has established herself as one of the most sought-after chefs in the UK. Her illustrious journey is an inspiration for many young women across the world. The film pays a small tribute to the chef.
The strongest point of the film is the solid teamwork of the actors. Every one of the ensemble cast has delivered a very convincing performance. Subhashree is outstanding. She is so effortless and natural that it feels like she is Poulomi in real life. Parambrata’s is also brilliant. Sourish’s introverted nature, silent frustrations, and a tinge of jealousy are beautifully captured by the actor. His character is sensitive and sensible and Parambrata brings that out very organically.
Soham is very apt in such unpolished urban characters. His character Bablu talks less and he is less sophisticated than Poulomi and Sourish. The actor brings in a trait of constantly chewing some gum and that gets stuck with the character. He is also very convincing in his performance. Meanwhile, Anashua as Poulomi’s mother-in-law is the showstopper of the film. The character is opinionated and in the garb of her sophistication and social standard, she hides her weaknesses. She handles her hurdles with grace and Anashua fits the character to the T. Pushan Dasgupta and Arun Bandyopadhyay have small roles and yet blend with the story well.
Another bit of the film that goes in favour of the film is the chemistry between Subhashree and Parambrata. Like in Raj Chakrabarty’s Habji Gabji, the duo looks like a very convincing couple on screen. The scene of reconciliation between them on the rooftop is heartwarming. Sourish’s confession of his weaknesses and Poulomi’s teary-eyed plea that she wants to go home are touching.
Using contemporary sensibilities smartly is another stronghold of the film. Interestingly, despite challenging a number of social conditions, the film is not really preachy. That makes the issues more relatable. The director has built his team with young talents and the freshness is reflected throughout the film.
Boudi Canteen uses the music well. Tiring Biring is already a hit number and the sequences of the song are also fun. The melancholy tune of Ekla Hote Hote is also very nice. Joy Sarkar has helmed the department successfully.
However, the film has its weaknesses. None of the crises are explored to their full limit. The rift created between Sourish and Poulomi is bridged before we actually feel the pain of heartbreak. Sourish’s professional setbacks could be presented a little more profoundly. Poulomi and her mother-in-law’s conflict is also underexplored as each character gets busy validating their social capital. The writer’s urge to give each character a justifiable position limits the scope of being a full-blown feature film and becomes complacent with being a TV film.
Verdict: However, Boudi Canteen is a sweet and free-flowing story. It is smart and captivating and maintains a pace throughout the storytelling. It is a must-watch for Subhashree, Anashua, and Parambrata’s acting, lovely music, and its simplicity.