REVIEW: Rituparno Ghosh's Abohomaan

"One can see more layers in Abohomaan (The Eternal) than my previous film Shob Charitro Kalponik," declared Rituparno Ghosh just before the screening of his latest film at MAMI. The statement was potent enough to spark the curiosity of the audience sitting inside the theatre. For those who had seen Shob Charitro… it was a challenge thrown at them by the confident filmmaker, who was sure to floor his fans with his latest offing. For those, who had missed out on the previous one rather decided to enjoy the film they had come for.

[READ REVIEW: Shob Charitro Kalponik]

Once again Rituparno chose his favourite subject – filmmaking - as an intrinsic part of his storytelling. Abohomaan revolves primarily around four characters associated with the art in some way or the other.

Dipankar Dey plays Aniket, a reputed art house director. The opening shot shows an ailing Dipankar muttering incoherently about different aspects of filmmaking as he watches Jisshu clicking pictures of the surrounding hilly terrains. Jisshu, who plays his son Apratim, pleads him to take some rest.

Though Jisshu comes across as a caring son and Dipankar a doting father, we could immediately sense their strained relationship; something was definitely amiss.

For a fleeting second one could catch a glimpse of Amitabh Bachchan of The Last Lear in Dipankar.

Cut to the next scene and we get the news of Aniket's sad demise. Rituparno zeroed in on this awkward moment to introduce the rest of the characters in the film. Strange but true, the impact was bang on.

The focus shifts on Sreemati, a reputed actress, who is terribly miserable with the news and the media hounding her for bytes.

The story then goes into a flashback. We see Mamata Shankar playing Aniket's devoted wife Deepti. Aniket had fallen in love with Deepti during the audition of his dream project, Nati Binodini, and they got married. For some reason the project couldn't take off. But never mind …

Years later, Aniket decides to revive Nati Binodini with a new actress. And there comes Shikha, the outspoken, unsophisticated, unrefined yet beautiful aspiring actress Shikha (Ananya Chatterjee).

It didn't take Deepti too long to give up her career for her husband's and for their son Apratim. There were moments when she felt she has lost a little of who she was in the process. But she was happy.

NEXT: THE PLOT