Herbert is the film made by first time director Suman Mukherjee, who is better known as an acclaimed theatre director (Tista Paarer Brittanto) and it won’t be a tad overstatement to say that he has made an impressive debut with this film. Herbert is the story of a man who seems to be a weirdo at first but as we have a closer look and familiarise ourselves with his world, he is very much identifiable as the person who desperately seeks companionship, community and acceptance, his idiosyncracies notwithstanding. The film is based on the story by Nabarun Bhattacharya and, being laden with heavy political undertones, has attracted much controversy. Even the verbal profanity and general tone of irreverence can be upsetting for those who cling to puritanical values. But let me congratulate the director for being so bold and upright in his depiction. As the viewers are taken on a ride that charts several significant events and episodes in the life of the quixotic personality named Herbert Sarkar, we get to see his childhood, youth and adulthood marred by personal tragedy and loss, painted in unique hues. His is a life that can be best described --- from a dispassionate standpoint --- as tragi-comic; his voice however remains unapologetic. He pursues a strange obsession: the realm beyond death, and the domain of the soul after the mortal death. Later, he even makes (or tries to make) it a profession of sorts, gaining livelihood through specialising in Conversations with the Dead. He eventually takes his life just as his grip on reality is seen to be slipping away. In his final moments, all he mouths appears to be gibberish, but his death creates an explosion (literally so) that is hard to decipher for the police or the public. His lumpen associates fail to aid the police in their probe as they themselves are clueless about the ripples created. A character in the movie rightly makes us question: Aren’t All Madmen Political Dissidents? Herbert is a film that isn’t suitable for all, but is surely a rewarding film for those who look forward to quality cinema and would like to swim through myriad human experiences, not grimacing at pain or ugliness. The series of flashbacks are presented in a quasi-humorous mode, Herbert’s dead father (a filmmaker from the yesteryears) films the episodes, accompanied by his dead mother and they pass pseudo-sentimental comments too! The film boasts of excellent acting by Subhashish Mukherjee in the title role. The others in the cast include Sabyasachi Chakraborty, DebShankar Halder, Anindita Mullick, Neel Mukherjee, Lily Chakraborty, Biswanath Basu, Kanchan Mullick, Shankar Debnath and Kabeer Suman. The cinematography by Somak Mukherjee is praiseworthy. The music by Mayukh Bhaumik, too, is commendable. The director, Suman Mukherjee, has not only translated a powerful treatise using apt cinematic idiom, but he has also steered clear of banal morbidity. This 2005 film may have been missed by many on its theatrical release, but now that it’s available on VCDs and DVDs calls for rejoicing. Any film buff worth his salt (others should definitely stay away from this fishy hobgoblin of a film) mustn’t miss the chance to catch it on the home screen!