Farooki’s ‘Last Defenders of Monogamy’ is lacklustre

Once musician Xefer took a turn and decided to debut as an actor while also adopting a new look with straightened hair, that too for Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's project, it left netizens mesmerised. Moreover, the awestruck people were also eagerly awaiting her on-screen pairing with seasoned actor Chanchal Chowdhury. However, the anticipation led to much disappointment when the greater bit of the audience did not find the movie appealing.

"Last Defenders of Monogamy'', a film by director Farooki, set out to be one of the central attractions from the streaming platform Chorki this Eid-ul-Fitr until its release. The plot centers around an extramarital affair between the leading characters Lamia (played by Xefer) and Shafqat (played by Chanchal Chowdhury) even though Shafqat was established to have already been in a happy marriage. 

The movie however strikingly shies away from nuanced portrayals of attraction and relationships. It showcased neither how the mutual attraction began, nor what the primary characters were seeking. The backstories of the characters were neglected, with audiences given mere cursory details about their marital statuses. Even if this was a deliberate attempt to create an impression of ubiquity, there was an undeniable dearth of motivation behind the characters' decisions.

Chanchal's character was extremely poorly written. The dualities were bereft of any depth, and one is left wondering about the psychology of the character. While it was refreshing seeing men being open to expressing emotions, maybe it was stretched a bit too much, with the portrayals of unrealistic reactions in public spaces. 

Xefer was rather good with her acting delivery, but her character lacked any pivotal backstory whatsoever. It should have been pertinent to highlight the motivation and reasoning behind the woman consenting to be a part of an affair, given women become extremely vulnerable in such situations, with risks of immense repercussions once such information gets out. But there is no insight into Lamia's life or even thoughts, and there is little offered about her philosophy. 

Besides, even though  Lamia and Shafqat supposedly bond over workspaces, the social and formal entanglements or ripple effects that the characters could have caused or experienced through their colleagues are completely discarded. 

In a way, children ultimately serve as the true defenders of monogamy. The concept or foundation of a monogamous marriage can be said to be centered around rearing children as it is they who become the sake for which a marriage persists. The film makes it a point to portray this concept significantly. Often such depictions leave a melodramatic essence, with child actors lacking weight. This was not the case in "Monogamy'", for the film is indeed remarkable in this case with the convincing child actors including Roddur Shoishob Shuddho (only son of Chanchal). 

The movie hints at a generational gap and highlights the changing structures within a relationship. It leaves the audience wondering several questions surrounding the barrage of social changes impacting relationships. It makes one wonder if the new generation is more prone to open relationships. Or is simply cheating more prevalent while people at large cling to the traditional practice of monogamy?

The ubiquity of extramarital relations is a hushed topic across Bangladesh's social circles. The movie makes a brave attempt to portray that sensitively but too little has been done too hastily.

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