Movie: Rickshawala (Biigg Bang)
Cast: Avinash Dwivedi (Manoj), Kasturi Chakraborty, Sangita Sinha (Anuradha)
Direction: Ram Kamal Mukherjee
Production: Assorted Motion Pictures
Ratings: 3.5 stars
Like Kolkata and its myriad-hued cultural nuances, Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s cinematic creations also find its soul in stories that find deep-roots in human consciousness.
It’s like the slow dance of a distressed damsel, shrouded in webs of melancholy, the perky smile lighting up the sky.
After Cakewalk and Seasons Greetings, journalist turned storyteller Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s featurette Rickshawala tells a tale with a lot of heart and emotional hues.
Set in the land of Tagore, Ram’s integrity as a filmmaker is evident in his earnest attempt to stitch finer details, weaving a comprehensive picture replete with innumerable varied expressions.
The camera ebbs and flows beautifully as the story of a rickshawala settles calmly in some corner of your heart, reel, and real merging, leaving behind a palpable sense of serenity.
Manoj, played by promising Avinash Dwivedi, is in love with a rich girl (Kasturi Chakraborty). Manoj, ambitious, has a humble background. He is the son of a rickshaw-puller.
Manoj, riddled claustrophobic between his past and future, struggles to flap out his wings. Cornered by circumstances, he is forced to pull the rickshaw to make ends meet, only to meet an admirer with whom he develops strong sexual vibes, leaving him guilt-ridden.
So, what happens to Manoj? He continues with his flights of fantasies or meets his lady love in peace?
Rickshawala depicts the various emotions of the stereotypical ‘Bangali Manush’ in the best way possible. From a young college student to a married woman or a protective father, each and every human playing different roles in life can pick up a cue or two from the movie to become a better version of themselves. Special mention of the use of ‘alta’ (red dye which is applied on married women’s legs) during the love-making scene between Anuradha and Manoj that depicts fine cinematic sensibilities.
The movie is an ideal tribute to Bimal Roy’s ‘Do Bigha Zameen’ & Roland Joffe’s ‘The City Of Joy’. The Ram Kamal style has many aspects that attract audiences and are making them adherents. His choice of stories has brought in a whole new repertoire in the new age OTT storytelling space.
It might not be critics-verified classics, but Ram gives his narratives a polish that makes them popular.
Go take a ride on this rickshaw, you will have a journey of a lifetime!
