Comfed Productions Pvt. Ltd. and Think Tank Global Films’ Bengal 1947 (UA) is a love story set in 1947 when India was partitioned. The focus is specifically on the impact of the Partition on Bengal.
Mohan (Ankur Armam) returns to India after studying in London. His father, Raja Radha Ballabh Mukhopadhyay (Anil Rastogi), sends him to the neighbouring Hakimpur village to meet a girl, Basavdatta (Falaq Rahi), for matrimony. Mohan is an upper caste Brahmin. In the village, even before he can meet Basavdatta, Mohan befriends Shabri (Surabhi Krishna Srivastava) and they soon fall in love. But Shabri, who belongs to a lower caste, withdraws when she gets to know that Mohan is a Brahmin. Soon, India and Pakistan become separate countries. The question now is whether Bengal should be a part of India or Pakistan. There are two sides, one demanding that it remain part of India, and the other demanding that it be given away to Pakistan. Anyway, the question assumes so much significance that communal riots break out in Hakimpur because opinion is divided. Mohan comes to Hakimpaur in search of Shabri but the latter refuses to accompany him to his village. Instead, she goes away to Pakistan. What happens thereafter? Do Mohan and Shabri meet?
Akashaditya Lama has written a story which is quite boring. His screenplay is also not of the kind which can offer entertainment to the viewers. The love story does not have the magic which would make the audience root for Mohan and Shabri. The drama fails to move the viewers emotionally. Also, the screenplay moves at such a slow pace that it sometimes tests the audience’s patience. Akashaditya Lama’s dialogues are good.
Ankur Armam does a fine job as Mohan. Surabhi Krishna Srivastava is good in the role of Shabri. Falaq Rahi is okay as Basavdatta. Anil Rastogi lends fair support as Mohan’s father, Raja Radha Ballabh Mukhopadhyay. Pramod Pawar is alright as Sayyad Hasan. Omkar Das Manikpuri is so-so as Abdullah. Sohila Kapoor provides average support as Rani Matangini Devi. Devoleena Bhattacharjee (as Reshma Bai), Aditya Lakhia (as Naata), Atul Gangwar (as Boshir), master Sahdeo (as Fokru), Subrata Dasgupta (as Pandit Mahashay), Yogendra Choubey (as Baata), Vivek Upadhyay (as Mahendra), Pooja Kankate (as Charulata) and Vikram TDR (as Khagen) do as desired.
Akashaditya Lama’s direction caters more to the class audience. Abhishek Ray’s music is fair but it has limited appeal for the classes. Lyrics (Lalan Shah Fakir, Dondhi Nayak and Divyesh Mungra) are alright. Vinod Chhabra’s camerawork is adequate. Benedict Francis and Dhanraj Kumar Nishad’s art direction is functional. Rajendra Mahapatra’s editing could’ve been crisper.
On the whole, Bengal 1947 has bleak chances at the box-office.
Released on 29-3-’24 at PVR Icon Andheri (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Platoon One Distribution. Publicity & opening: poor. …….Also released all over. Opening was weak everywhere.