Tonic Film Review
- ★
- ★
- ★
- ★
- ★
Avijit Sen's directorial debut film, "Tonic," starring Dev, Paran Bandopadhyay, and a talented ensemble cast, aims to entertain the audience throughout its runtime. The first half of the film is filled with laughter, thanks to the impeccable comic timing of the cast. However, as the screenplay progresses into the second half, the film begins to lose its spirit due to sentimental clichés and repetitive elements.
The story revolves around Jaladhar Sen, a septuagenarian played by Paran Bandopadhyay, who leads a controlled life due to his son's strict regulations. At the beginning of the film, Jaladhar attends the wedding anniversary celebration of his friend on a cruise in the middle of the Ganges. This event sparks the idea of a destination celebration for his own upcoming wedding anniversary. Jaladhar is introduced to a travel agent named Tonic, portrayed by Dev, who promises to fulfill all of his desires.
Jaladhar's main objective is to prove to his son that he is not feeble and old, as he is often made to feel. The planning for the anniversary celebration is done secretly, leading to funny moments throughout the film. However, not everything goes as planned, and Jaladhar and his wife Uma (played by Shakuntala Barua) end up going to Darjeeling without their son's knowledge.
In Darjeeling, Jaladhar and Uma have an enjoyable time and, with Tonic's continuous persuasion, Jaladhar overcomes his fears and realizes his own youthful spirit. The film is filled with crisp dialogues and a compact screenplay that highlights the best comic moments involving Paran Bandopadhyay. His animated facial and physical gestures, portraying both nervousness and excitement, make his performance a delight to watch. Bandopadhyay also deserves credit for creating an adorable on-screen bond with Dev's character, Tonic, and for bravely shooting the rafting sequence in the Teesta river.
In addition to the outstanding dialogues and fast-paced screenplay, the first half of the film showcases the best performances by the rest of the cast, including Rajatava Dutta as a police officer and Kanchan Mullick as a fake document creator. Dev, in the role of Tonic, a friend with solutions and convincing ideas, delivers a better performance compared to many of his other films. His camaraderie with Paran Bandopadhyay on screen is evident, although at times he may come across as overly loud for no apparent reason. Some comical catchlines in the film aim to give Tonic a heroic image but gradually lose their charm as the plot becomes exhausting.
While Dev plays the character of Tonic, it is Paran Bandopadhyay who steals the show with his impeccable screen presence. For this reason alone, "Tonic" is worth watching.