Paris-based Michelin star chef Dev D (
Ritwick
) returns to Kolkata after 13 years to tend to his ailing mother (Mamata). And from her hospital bed, his mother throws a life-changer at him — to treat her to a
maacher jhol
he had cooked as a teen. That’s what
Pratim D Gupta
’s ‘Maacher Jhol’ is all about. An emotionally charged, yet a realistic take on life. As the family drama completes 3 years today, take a look at some of the most engaging aspects of ‘Maacher Jhol’.
Refreshingly different take on life
In times when every other filmmaker is busy holding up mirrors to society (little realising that no one ever sees ugliness in their reflections) Maacher Jhol is refreshingly different. It’s a slice of life with dollops of
Bangaliana
and a liberal sprinkling of the right spices. But that’s not the film’s core strength. Pratim D Gupta has cooked a continental story that would perhaps taste just as good even if made in Swahili. I guess that’s why we can overlook minor stuff like that misplaced ‘T’ when Dev D (Ritwick) wishes his French girlfriend, Simone (Kaya) bonne nuit (good night). That apart, Ritwick has done a pretty decent job of speaking complete sentences in French.
No space for antel monologues
What is refreshing about the film is its no-nonsense air — it’s totally nyakamo-free and devoid of antel monologues. The characters go about life like most of us do — blissfully detached from the Bengal that lives out of a jhola. And like most of us, they seem to learn from life’s ups and downs — something embodied by
Paoli
’s character, Sreela. The dialogues, too, are crisp, unpretentious and at times, rib-tickling.
True, the climax could have been a bit more elaborate, and not as abrupt as it seems, but that doesn’t mean that Maacher Jhol ends without justification. Each relationship has been more or less well-defined, though the narrative takes its own sweet time to unravel the myriad strings Dev D had broken when he’d abruptly left Kolkata to chase his dream of becoming a masterchef.
Stellar performances
Performance-wise, it’s obvious that Ritwick has worked hard on his character — right from the French dialogues to the way he behaves in a kitchen. And he’s done a really good job of it. Suraseni, who plays his assistant, Maggi, during his Kolkata trip, also appears to be a natural, never over- or under-dramatising her lines or expressions. Paoli is at her stoic best, delivering some really well-written lines with elan towards the end of the film. Mamata, too, is good overall, but her excitement on meeting her only son after 13 years leaves room for improvement. Kaya, too, has done justice to her role of Dev D’s French girlfriend.
Outstanding music and engaging camera work
The lack of songs-and-dance despite having some really good numbers playing in the background, along with a good background score, boost the overall audio-visual experience. The camera work, however, is average at best through parts of the film that don’t show cooking. But when Ritwick starts cooking ‘that’ maacher jhol for his mother, the visuals suddenly go into a cooking show mode — slo-mo scenes of fish slices falling into boiling oil, sprinkles of spices and turmeric flying through the air and the works. The effect is spectacular, pulling the viewer into the process. Ritwick doling out cooking tips while the ends credits roll is a nice touch.
Start a Conversation
Post comment