Ebar Shabor (Review)

“Ebar Shabor” is a suspense-thriller film directed by Arindam Sil and based on ‘Rwin’ by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay. Saswata Chatterjee stars as the central character Shabor Dasgupta. The story follows Shabor Dasgupta, who takes on the responsibility of solving the mystery surrounding the murder of Mitali Ghosh. The film starts the same way as Mysshkin’s “Yudham Sei,” finding a dead body in a public place, before jumping to the interesting title sequences introducing the main character.

Shabor quickly identifies Mitali’s ex-husband Mithu Mitra, ex-flame Pantu Haldar, friend Samiran, and her cousin Joyeeta as the prime suspects. Gradually, Shabor reveals, while navigating through the complex relationship, the problems that run deep in Mitali’s life.

‘Two incompatible truths must co-exist’

There are few movies I have seen, before or since, that are as suspenseful as this. It is also quite bleak, which will admittedly put you off at times, but it is still a great film. The genius of the “Ebar Shabor” script is rooted in the way the movie keeps the audience as clueless as Shabor. It’s complex but subtle, keeps you guessing, doesn’t disappoint you, and has great characters. Notoriously bleak, yet utterly compelling, a crime drama at its best. To work this level of complexity into a screenplay and yet to make it unfold in such a way that everything is clearly understandable as you watch it is true mastery of the art of screenwriting and filmmaking.

‘Why do I write so many letters when I know I’ll never post them?’

The acting is marvelous. Payel Sarkar, a Genelia D’souza look-alike, as Joyeeta Ghosh is very beautiful and keeps the character lovable. She is pretty amazing as well. June Malia is excellent in the mysterious role. Swastika Mukherjee plays the biggest supporting character. She is the film’s femme fatale, the sexy, upper-class dame who has a secret. But it is Ritwick Chakraborty as Pantu Haldar who steals the show, along with Saswata Chatterjee as Shabor Dasgupta. You know Saswata Chatterjee; he is the assassin in Vidya Balan’s “Kahaani.”

‘Deep within, the memory of that kiss pricks me with happiness’

This movie will definitely draw you in real quick, and it definitely kept me interested throughout. It’s a very good movie; just be prepared for some unexpected stuff. “Ebar Shabor” is a multifaceted and profound crime story.