There are a few questions you need to ask yourself before watching Chingari. Are you prepared to watch three hours of heavy talks? Can you stomach a series of what seem like horrific situations? Would you be able to stand the constant depiction of torture and violence?If your answers are no, you’d probably be better off watching either Fight Club or The Myth, both of which were also released today.Fact is, Chingaari is not a film for everybody; particularly not for those who prefer regular eye-candy to real-life drama .
Basanti [Sushmita Sen] is a prostitute . Chandan [Anuj Sawhney] is a postman, destiny brings them together through a letter. After a nightstand , Basanti finally finds love.Bhuvan Panda [Mithun Chakraborty] is a priest who is more of a demon . Villagers worship as well as fear him. The story takes a turn when Bhuvan eliminates Chandan...What happens next?
Chingari succeeds on various levels –The ambience is so life-like that the viewer is immediately transported to the setting, the characters seem straight out of life , the revenge, the helplessness, the bond between parent and child, right to the traditions, rituals and beliefs has been depicted with utmost care...
Besides conveying the anguish and trauma of a helpless girl with utmost precision, Lajmi unfolds a saga without bowing down to commercial dictates. Besides exploring the life of sex worker with flourish, Lajmi also succeeds in creating the right atmosphere for the actors to slip into their roles.There’s no denying that she is an exceptional story teller. The film depicts everything in the right perspective – not once does the narrative take the viewer for granted !
But, , the film slips intermittently on two counts –One, the excessive length of the film would certainly tax the patience of the viewer. Towards the second half specifically, the narrative tends to get lengthy, making it look like a never-ending saga. Deleting a song or two and even a few sequences would only sharpen the narrative.The second drawback is co-related to the above-mentioned point. The pace of the film drops before the pre-climax, when Sushmita makes an effort to rescue her daughter from the clutches of Mithun. Re-editing/trimming these portions would only help.
However, the climax, the culmination of the saga, is the best part of the enterprise. The finale is apt – emotional by nature and perfect in the context of the story. The sensitive handling of the climax and the brilliant portrayal by the principal artistes stays in your heart even after the show has ended.
Chingari belongs to Sushmita Sen completely. The actor takes to her role like a fish takes to water -- so comfortable is she even in those complex situations. She has this amazing ability to elevate the most ordinary scenes with effortless ease. This film is one more addition to the list of premium performances delivered by her.If there’s anyone who scores besides Sush, it is Anuj[NAINA , NAYEE PADOSAN , FUN2SSH]. His sequences with Sushmita prove that he is an actor of substance. He leaves a mark in emotional scenes.Mithun is effective.
Music is mellifluous; it gels well with the rural look. ’Dulhan’ is the pick of the lot, more so because of its rich lyrical value. Cinematography is first rate. It gives the film an uthentic feel.Dialogues are brilliant. Ranging from poetic to acidic , the dialogues add sheen to the enterprise. Costumes and sets deserve a special mention as well.
Worth a ride