Karnasubarner Guptodhon review: Dhrubo Banerjee’s treasure hunt serves its purpose to entertain

3.5/5

Story: Jhinuk’s (Ishaa Saha) father Akhilesh (Kamaleswar Mukherjee) takes Sonada (Abir Chatterjee), Abir (Arjun Chakrabarty), and his daughter to Rohitaswogarh – a place that was part of the first independent king of Bengal Shashanka’s empire. They go to the house of Bishwambar (Barun Chanda), who gives them the clues left by his father for a possible treasure of Shashanka. The trio embarks on a journey to solve the puzzles and gets closer to the treasure.

Review: The Guptodhon franchise, led by history professor Subarna Sen, aka Sonada (Abir Chatterjee), has already carved a place in people’s hearts. It goes without saying that each film from the franchise will have some elements that will attract the viewers. As a matter of fact, out of the three films, Karnasubarner Guptodhon probably offers a wholesome package of entertainment most successfully.

The film looks beautiful with Soumik Halder tracing the flame-of-the-forest-laden landscape of the plateau area of Bengal. The director chose the right time of the year to shoot the film when flowers are in full bloom. The background score by Bickram Ghosh matches the grandeur of the landscape.

Also read: Exclusive! Abir Chatterjee: I can’t take the success of Sonada for granted and I strive to better it 

Like its predecessors, the story follows the track of Bengal’s history. This time, it is the story of the Gauda Kingdom of King Shashanka – Bengal’s first independent emperor. Sonada, Jhinuk, and Abir trace the areas of Shashanka’s journey and throw nuggets of history throughout the story.

One of the main drawbacks of the film is that the pattern is repetitive. There is a pile of hidden treasures somewhere in Bengal that has a strong historical connection. There are cryptic references to the keys and Sonada, with his two satellites, finally rescues the treasure, defeating greedy hunters. This is no exception. However, this time, it is laced with sharp humour, ample thrill, and a very fast pace. Despite a few repetitions, the film does not compromise with its pace.

Saurav Das starts with an image of a ruthless mafia on Rohitashwagarh but eventually makes a buffoon of himself as a comical badman. Dasanan Daw (Rajatava Dutta) – from Guptodhoner Sandhane – joins him (a little too simplistically) and Sonada defeats the duo with not much effort. And that is another problem in the film. Due to the oversimplifications – either of history or crisis – the film goes far from believability. Blasts happen but protagonists are never injured. Villains are too foolish to take up any serious project. In fact, after a point, the villains look too lame to be taken seriously. However, with a script full of humour and constant action, the film goes over the top and entertains constantly.

Also read: Exclusive! Arjun Chakrabarty on Karnasubarner Guptodhon: The team's camaraderie made the summer shooting bearable 

Abir is a pro as Sonada. This film shows a shy Sonada with the hope to reveal his lady love in the next chapter. Arjun is as sharp as before in his portrayal of Abir. His presentation of humour is a treat to watch and he delivers a brilliant performance. Ishaa too is very smart as Jhinuk. Her character is sharp and the actress presents that with elan. The chemistry between Abir and Jhinuk, as always, is delicious.

Verdict: Karnasubarner Guptodhon has all the elements to be enjoyed in the Puja. Evidently, the film has created a buzz, and rightly so. It is definitely a must-watch this Puja