Mukhyamantri review: This docu-series simplifies Bengal's heart-wrenching history

3/5

Story:

Hoichoi introduced a docu-series in Mukhyamantri. As the name suggests, this project focuses on the Chief Ministers of Bengal and the history associated with Bengal.

Review:

It is well-known that Bengal has a rich history from British capturing the state and them revolting against it to naxals being formed out of there. Mukhyamantri tries to dive into those topics and does so almost well enough.

The series is introduced in an interesting way. You get to see a journalist talk about it. However, it goes too fast from thereon, for a few minutes. Things go back to normal and you understand why the backstory from when Bengal suffered was important to tell when it came to Bidhan Roy Choudhary.

While interesting to learn about the history of Bengal and its CMs in depth, Mukhyamantri tends to add dramatic music where it isn't needed. The situation, sure, is not just full of drama but also quite gory but that is what reality looks like.

It also takes you back to how Bengal got divided between CPI and CPM. In fact, every chapter introduces you to something new related to the history of Bengal. There is naxalites and more. It is what makes the docu-series interesting.

Like any docu-series, this also brings footages, newspaper clipping and guest interviews to the forefront. How it divides between the three is beautiful but the hosts/narrators' involvement in telling the tale makes Mukhyamantri seem fictional when it clearly isn't.

Nonetheless, the docu-series simplifies Bengal's history and at the same time, gives an in-depth view, which is the basic for a documentary. The last episode traces how Mamata Banerjee became the first female CM of Bengal and has been going strong. The series also predicts her future plans and ends on that note.

Verdict:

Just like one would expect from a documentary (docu-series in this case), Mukhyamantri simplifies Bengal's heart-wrenching history and at the same time, gives out in-depth details at certain places. While the subject itself is intriguing, Mukhyamantri doesn't work at the execution level. From hosts talking about the history like they are historians or people who actually witnessed the incidents to dramatic music in certain scenes, the impact Mukhyamantri could otherwise have gets reduced to a great amount. Nonetheless, in case you wish to learn about the history of Bengal and understand how the people suffered throughout the years, this should be your watch.