moviesmasti: Watch Online Kashmakash (2011) Movie

If God were to give the late Rabindranath Tagore an opportunity to tweet one celestial quote of thanks…there's little doubt that he'd craft an ode of praise to Rituparno Ghosh. And then, the 'Nobel Prize Winner for Literature' (1913) would have swiftly request the Almighty permission to dash off one more tweet! This time around, to Subhash Ghai and Mukta Arts. The first, clearly, would be for Ghosh having adapted his short story Noukadubi to Bengali cinema in a period film of merit and the second to Ghai for dubbing it in Hindi as Kashmakash, apart from presenting the movie under his famed banner, thereby increasing the access base to his masterpiece in the process.

Served up appropriately highlighting the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, Kashmakash undoubtedly makes its mark on the cinematic horizon. Suffused with sensitivity and high on aesthetics, Kashmakash (meaning dilemma), is every cinephile's dream come true. Set in the 1920s, Kashmakash crafted under the Mukta Searchlight banner and slated for a May 20, 2011 release, spotlights the two Sen siblings: Riya and Raima to advantage under the directorial power of Rituparno Ghosh.

Story Trail: Circa 1921, a romantic chord between Kolkata-based law student Ramesh (Jisshu Sengupta) and his pal's sister Hemnalini (Raima Sen), finds itself in trouble when the former is hastily summoned up to his village home by his father. Landing up, he realises that his father has arranged his marriage to Susheela, the daughter of a hapless widow. Ramesh chucks the proposal outright, tells his father that his heart already belongs to another and is on the verge of storming out… when the widow, stops him. Her entreating pleas soften his heart and Ramesh agrees to wed Susheela, albeit with a heavy heart. The wedding ceremony takes place and Ramesh leaves his village in a boat alongside spouse Susheela for Kolkata…

Plot Thickens: A fierce storm arises and the boat capsises in the choppy waters ... and Ramesh finds himself washed ashore with Susheela passed out by his side, when he wakes up. Ramesh gets her home and the duo attempt to set house. Rather soon, Ramesh realises that the nubile nymphet he has brought home isn't Susheela… but Kamla (Riya Sen) who feels that she was wedded to a doctor and was to head for Kashi along with her medico husband. Ramesh, who's still queasy with this marital equation maintains a strictly platonic relationship with Kamla and does not consummate the marriage.

Back in Kolkata, Hemnalini, the culturally high ace with a proclivity for Rabindra Sangeet is left wondering as to why Ramesh didn't show up for her birthday party. And is blissfully unaware of this marital development. Meanwhile, figuring out Kamla's identity, Ramesh advertises in a local newspaper about her, apart from getting Kamla admitted to a boarding school. Moreover, he doesn't tell her the truth to avoid breaking the heart of this helpless and trusting girl in his care. But the truth can't be hidden for long as Hemnalini's suitor Akshay discovers it. Confronted with the fact of his secret marriage, Hemnalini is shattered and Ramesh, fearing scandal takes to hiding in Gorakhpur with his "spouse".

Clear Picture: Accidentally, Kamla discovers the truth as she stumbles upon the newspaper advertisement. Unable to handle the fact that she's been living a marital lie, Kamla walks out of the house determined to drown herself in the river. In the meantime, Hemnalini and her doting father go off to Kashi, to find solace, even as she attempts to mend her broken heart. Enter doctor Nalinaksha Chatterjee (Prosenjit Chatterjee), who wins Hemnalini's heart and she concedes to enter the portals of matrimony with him…

Future turns?: Our lips are sealed.

Oh My Ghosh!: No two ways, Rituparno Ghosh is in fine form here. Kudos to the director, famed for his sensitive handling of women centric subjects (Chokher Bali, Raincoat).

Quite Sen…sational: Riya Sen, scoring top marks as Kamla and stealing a march over her sibling Raima Sen. As the hapless Kamla, the plain paan chewing girl caught in a whirlpool of circumstances, Riya, whose maiden claim to fame has been her glam avatar in several flicks, comes up with a performance that undoubtedly soars her stock as an actress. By stereotype, Kamla's role would have been conferred upon Raima, but trust the director to play against type. Besides, Raima is suitably efficient too, though there's little doubt that the script sways in favour of Riya to a greater extent.

High scores to: Gulzaar's first rate lyrics amalgamated into music by Raja Narayan Deb and Sanjoy Das; the lush, sweeping cinematography by Soumik Haldar, making every frame a treat to view; the period costuming by Saborni Das; performances by Prosenjit Chatterjee (ably restrained); Jisshu Sengupta (suitably adept) and veteran Dhritiman Chatterjee (fatherly fitting).

Low brownie points to: The supremely leisurely pace of Kashmakash; perhaps a crisper round of editing by Arghya Kamal Mitra could have elevated this dilemma a notch higher.

Starring:
Prosenjit Chatterjee
Jishu Sengupta
Raima Sen
Riya Sen
Dhritiman Chatterjee
Apratim Dhar
Sumanta Mukherjee
Sagar Mukherjee
Ammu Chatterjee
Maria Chatterjee
Director:
Rituparno Ghosh

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