Diff review: Bikas Mishra's 'Chauranga' shocks but unimpressive

Often Indian films that make an appearance on the film festival circuit are textured to purposefully step into the rural space, focus on distressing social evils and manipulate the audience.

Director Bikas Mishra's 'Chauranga' (four colours) slips into that category.

It could've been a good movie had the filmmakers worked on lending soul and genuinity without banking on the clichés.

The images and symbols of caste politics that Bikas conjures up are deeply disturbing, possibly done with the intent to depress, but never to evoke genuine sadness.

And that's where 'Chauranga' begins to crumble.

Situations of evil and oppression follow one after an another, forcing the viewer to shift attention at random. Many incidents are left unexplained and inevitably leads to confusion and misinterpretation.

His characters are locked away in a rustic village that's coloured by caste hierarchy.

The men (young and old) are all smeared with sexual desires, while the women are left voiceless and sometimes calculating. He even uses animals – a goat, pig and snake – to depict social inequality and tragedy.

Even the use of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan as the one who unwittingly unites the classes is clichéd and lacks intent to reinvent.

It's when Bikas weaves in humour to his coloured narrative you sense his real worth. Had he explored this angle indulgently, 'Chauranga' would’ve been a different experience.

Shantu is a 14-year-old lad curious about love, and gathers courage and passion while sitting atop a tree in his village. His brother is the obedient one, who wins himself education, while he refuses to abandon his rebellious streak and prefers to loiter around the village instead. Their mother works tirelessly, and is hoping to seduce the landlord to win a school seat for Shantu as well.

Soham Mistra lends charm and innocence to Shantu with immense maturity and power. And, he's ably guided by Riddhi Sen and Tannishtah Chatterjee. They slip into their characters without ever exposing their real image, and that's commendable. Even Sanjay Suri is at his menacing best, displaying incredible control as the caste superior Dhaval, who continues to instigate and bully the lesser fortunate despite the fading power of his community.

Another troubling character is the village priest played remarkably by Dhritiman Chatterjee.

There's no novelty in treatment or characterisation, and it does appear that Bikas' piggybacking on issues that are crucial and conversation-starters without delving into them convincingly.

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