Bhuban Majhi: A personal narrative of a nation's struggle

A War is written in history in terms of numbers and dates and political leaders, and even the stories that come out of it are often of valor and struggle and sacrifice. Our Liberation War has been captured by many creative endeavours across a spectrum of artistic expressions – be it music, theatre, TV or film. The latest in that line – “Bhuban Majhi” – premiered on Wednesday at the Star Cineplex, and releases countrywide today. Here is the first impression of the film, without any spoilers.

The previous credits of Fakhrul Arefeen Khan, the writer-director of the film, are three documentaries: “Haq-er Ghar”, about the eviction of Lalon Shai's followers from his shrine in Kushtia; “Al-Badar”, a documentary about collaborators of the Pakistani Army during the Liberation War; and “The Speech”, about Bangabandhu's historic March 7 address. And in a way, in this film Arefeen brings all of that experience and research full circle.

There are many things the film gets absolutely right. The scene setting of a small town in 1971 is done impeccably and the cinematography has numerous moments of brilliance, especially the low-light night shots. Parambrata is one of the most bankable actors working in Bangla-language cinema right now, and he sits into his character and drives the story. Aparna Ghosh, another centerpiece of the film, is steady in her role, as is Maznun Mizan in his supporting character. Most other actors (including the seasoned Mamunur Rashid) deliver a solid performance, the most surprising of them probably Waqeel Ahad. Cast opposite an experienced actor like Nawshaba, he looks fairly comfortable in front of a camera. The background score and sound design of the film, by Kalikaprasad Bhattacharjee from Kolkata, is a revelation. Molding familiar melodies on folk instruments into beautiful scores, the music elevates the story at numerous junctures, and the use of sound design to set the mood is also done very well.

Being a documentary filmmaker gives Arefeen a certain edge: the historically-accurate nature of the story inherently makes it more believable, his attention to telling the story is clearly evident, and the element of sensitivity he brings to the story is remarkable.

However, that same mindset also sets him back a little in a few places. Some parts of the film feel like they sounded much better as an idea than it looks on the big screen. The complex timeline that the film switches between – 1971 and 2013, with a small set of little flashbacks to 2004 – is probably the biggest of them. While it is necessary in this specific telling of the story, it takes far too long to clearly tie up. Near the end as well, the story feels a little abrupt, and not done with nearly as much care as the earlier parts.

Overall, “Bhuban Majhi” is not a flawless masterpiece, despite having many of its ingredients. But is it a must-watch? Yes. In a day and age when filmmakers are often forced to choose between being commercially successful or making rounds at the international festival circuit, “Bhuban Majhi” has every reason to do a bit of both. It's a beautiful story, and for most parts told really well. In no way should this be a waste of two hours or the price of a cinema ticket.