Kaberi Antardhan review: Kaushik Ganguly’s romantic thriller starts with a lot of promises but finally crashlands

3.5/5

Story: One year passes after the two incidents that shook Hatimara: First, the death of ferocious Naxal-hunter police officer Mrinmay (Kaushik Sen), and second, the disappearance of Kaberi (Srabanti Chatterjee) – Mrinmay’s brother Amiya’s (Ambarish Bhattacharya) wife. Pritam Singh (Indraneil Sengupta), who takes over the charges at the police station after one year, attends a memorial service hosted by Nayantara (Churni Ganguly, Mrinmoy’s wife) and Amiya at their bungalow. There Argha Kamal (Prosenjit Chatterjee) – a local influential art teacher -- pleads Pritam to solve these two cases.

Review: If you are not unnecessarily fastidious about Indian political history, the emergence of the Naxalite movement, and the proclamation of Emergency, you will enjoy a good thriller. In fact, the adroit filmmaker that Kaushik Ganguly is, the flow of the film will manoeuvre through the shortcomings effortlessly and present a magnificent first half and an enjoyable second half minus the climax. 

The trailer gives a glimpse of what Kaushik Ganguly has to offer on screen as an actor. The film provesw to be a masterclass of acting by Kaushik Ganguly and Kaushik Sen. Both of them are stupendous. Mrinmoy is a cold-blooded encounter specialist and has every bit of chauvinism that needs to make him a copybook headstrong police officer and Kaushik Sen presents it with elan. Kaushik Ganguly portrays a unique character of an unconventionally smart investigator and once again shows that he is, in fact, one of the finest actors in our generation. 

Besides these two, every other person stuns with their skills. Srabanti’s acting ability is often overshadowed by the blingy characters she portrays in commercial films. This film will be a defining marker in her acting career. Ambarish and Churni are also charming. Nayantara’s grief by the end of the film is lavishly presented by Churni. Ambarish as Amiya presents a plethora of emotions all along the film. 

And finally, it is Prosenjit Chatterjee’s film. Once again we see the magic that he creates every time he teams up with Kaushik Ganguly. Arghya’s empathy, angst, and revenge become real with Prosenjit’s performance. 

Kaberi Antardhan is an engaging drama that demands your attention and the maker and his team leave no stone unturned to make that happen. The charm of the film lies in its nonlinear narration. Kaushik doesn’t go overboard to separate one timeline from the other and that becomes an enigma throughout the film. A commensurating background score by Prabuddha Banerjee helps us toss between the timelines. Besides, he builds an exotic ambiance with the use of unusual instruments. Arghya’s two piano sets – one of a Rabindrasangeet and another original tune will be etched into your mind.   

North Bengal seems to be cinematographer Gopi Bhagat’s favourite playfield and like in Suman Mukhopadhyay's Asamapta, he does not miss a single moment to present the scenic landscape. The romance of lush green tea gardens, the thrill of misty pine forests, and the suspense of British bungalows are masterfully captured in the film. 

The film falters in the end. Too many emotions and elements brush along with the undercurrent of predictability. Without any spoilers, one has to mention that the film starts in the backdrop of an uncontrollable period of the '70s but culminates into a tale of personal desire and revenge. Also, Argha’s enigmatic character breaks down with petty human nature and nothing else. 

Verdict: Despite its shortcomings, Kaberi Antardhan is a must-watch for it is made by one of the leading filmmakers of our time. It is gripping most of the time and one cannot afford to miss the performances of some of the best actors. Go, watch it!