Tasher Ghawr Film Review
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Tasher Ghawr Film Review
Sujata Sengupta, portrayed by Swastika Mukherjee, cunningly dismantles her carefully constructed house of cards with a wicked smile, with the ongoing lockdown serving as a mere catalyst. In her private world, Sujata associates scents with various situations and people. From the fragrance of petrichor to the presence or absence of her mother-in-law, and even her husband's extramarital affair, she assigns smells to every twist and turn, every peak and valley of her life. This encapsulates the essence of Tasher Ghawr.
The film's slightly longer duration compared to a typical short film works to its advantage. Although it may come across as verbose, a shorter runtime could have been a drawback. Along the way, Tasher Ghawr succeeds in portraying the mundane existence of Sujata, a housewife. Apart from her own words, which manifest as introspective monologues, Sujata prefers a tranquil environment devoid of noise and chaos. However, with the onset of the lockdown, her husband's presence becomes increasingly oppressive and ominous, stirring up distressing memories and transforming Sujata into an "interrupted" woman.
Tasher Ghawr revolves around Swastika Mukherjee's remarkable performance. She shines particularly in the final few shots. Although her portrayal of a monotonous life is mostly convincing, she appears slightly less convincing at the beginning, especially during her animated description of her husband's gluttony. The film is a collage of beautifully captured indoor shots, showcasing Sujata's kitchen garden, birdfeeder, pale curtains, and the overall sense of loneliness and isolation. The music is subtle and soothing, with Swastika's rendition of the song "Amar Kono Golpo Nei" encapsulating the film's essence fleetingly.
Tasher Ghawr takes an audacious approach by breaking the "fourth wall," the imaginary barrier between performers and the audience in cinema and theatre. While Swastika often immerses the audience deep into her world, the narrative does suffer from occasional predictability. Nevertheless, the film should be watched for its adept handling of gender politics, domestic abuse, and its ability to conclude where it should.