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Nirbaak (2015)
Love Needs No Language - Not Even A Sound
A film or cinema is described as the art of simulating experiences, that communicate ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty or atmosphere by the means of recorded or programmed moving images along with other sensory stimulations. Now the reason behind providing this definition is, today I am going to discuss about a film that took me to a state of contentment, a state of speechlessness, that continued several hours after the ride ends. The movie developed a world where the difference between life, death, human, non humans, tree, and even lifeless objects has been extinguished by one common theme: "love". Yes, I am talking about Srijit Mukherji's seventh directional venture "Nirbaak". Starting with 'Autograph', Mr. Srijit has successfully provided Bengali audience an alternative route in the busy traffic of commercial (Dev-Jeet) films, in the form of drama, comedy or thriller. Those movies, based on a strong storyline, excellent acting- direction, and also mind-blowing soundtrack (except 'Mishawr Rahasya'), provided a great entertainment to people of all ages. But not this one.
This time Srijit has taken us to a world where the words are not required to express. In this fantasy drama, every subject (or object) is engaged in an abnormal possessive relationship, whether it is an aged man, a tree, a dog (female), or a lonely morgue-staff. A jazz musician is so obsessed about himself, that he admires his own reflection by kissing in the mirror, makes it look young and beautiful by shopping for new clothes, and even feels sexual pleasure while watching his reflection. A tree is in love with a woman, who finds comfort under its shadow. It fantasizes about her, feels jealous to find her with her boyfriend, and eventually dies when she decides to move away to Bombay. A dog (female) loves her master (literally) so much that she feels threatened when his girlfriend moves in. Remembering the past golden days with her master brought tears in her eyes. She tries to go back to those days; but the master has finally united with his girlfriend, so he does not need a dog to keep company. Watching them together in love brought so much hatred in her mind against the girlfriend, that she eventually attacks her. In another storyline, a staff in a morgue gets infatuated with a corpse. He fantasizes his entire future life with her, starting from dating to marriage to honeymoons. He talks with her inside the cold lifeless room, combs her hair, brings rose for her, enjoy old romantic songs, and finally gives his life while protecting her from the hands of a bunch of sadist hooligans. Each story revolves around an obsessed love, that exceeds the barrier of human language and finally end in a tragic note.
One key point about the film is, it doesn't not need any prior knowledge about the Bengali language to understand it, because people in all over the world feel and express feelings the same way. The film has very few dialogues, and even they are not needed to be translated. The expressions of the actors and the background tune will make up for them. Hats off to Neel Dutt for an outstanding work. The film has no song in-between, but the background tunes to express emotions or situations is simply breathtaking. Anjan Dutt is brilliant, yet sometimes irritating (intentionally) as the aged 'Narcissus'. Jisu Sengupta (the boyfriend and the master) has taken his acting skills to the next level in the second innings of his career. Sushmita Sen, as the girlfriend and the corpse, has acted much better in her first Bengali film than she did in her entire career in the nonsensical Bollywood films. Ritwick Chakraborty has again proved, he does not need any supporting actors to perform. In his 'one-act play', Ritwick introduces us to a lonely persons bizarre, yet compelling fantasy around a dead corpse. His monologue with the corpse "I just wanted a little friendship, not love..... There's no love... No love at all...." gives you goose bumps. Also Anindya Banerjee, in his small appearance as the sadist hooligan leader, creates a lasting impression. But they are all professionals. The two newbies in the film who attracted the audience by their mind-blowing performances and carried the main theme of speechlessness in their shoulders, are the tree and Bingi the dog. The tree, in Srijit's vision, has been able to feel love immeasurable to the girl. And the dog, in her debut performance, has expressed her feelings, tears, insecurities, jealousy, and hatred so natural that even few professionals can develop.
In conclusion, this film is all about possessive abnormal love. This is the first time Srijit has made a film which is not meant for everyone. So, if you watch this film and don't like it, don't worry. You are a perfectly normal person. But if you ever feel obsessed about something or someone, please give it a chance. You might like the film. And if possible, please watch alone. Because somehow if you were able like the film, a little whisper from your best friends or the loved ones would feel like a thorn in your ears. Finally like it or not, everyone at least agree to the point that Srijit, in this film, has walked to an uncharted territory that no other directors has ever dared to enter. So like him or not, at least give him that much respect.