A Death in the Gunj - A Review

After waiting for almost over a month, I finally got to watch Konkona Sen Sharma's directorial debut, 'A Death in the Gunj’, and without a doubt, this is one of the most compelling films I have seen in a while. Its story is so intricately woven, and operates on so many levels, that I could pull out all my hair trying to explain it. But if a film has left me feeling this way, I must make an effort.

This film is set in the McCluskieganj of 1970s, and comfortably straddles between English, Hindi, and Bengali. It transports you to an era, when handwritten letters and trunk-calls were in fashion, and when holidays meant wandering in the woods, bonding over matches of chess and kabaddi, and even getting silly over summoning the dead spirits.

The story of ‘A Death in the Gunj’, opens on a rather discordant note, with two people debating over the best possible way for a dead body to fit into the back of a car. With this gripping start, the director gently moves on to talk about the events that took place a week prior to this. And the screen breaks into a rickety blue ambassador beating down the broken roads of McCluskieganj. And it stops right infront of the rambling old house of Mr. and Mrs. Bakshi, played with characteristic flair by Om Puri and Tanuja. The arrival of Bobby, the old couple’s daughter, along with her husband and daughter, Nandu and Tani, lights up the family house on a cold December night. They are joined on this reunion by a younger cousin, Shutu, and old family friends, Vikram, Mimi, and Brian.

Soon this motely group of people break into the clamor of family bon-homie which is the backbone of every happy reunion. And the director does an impressive job of creating a camaraderie that is very relatable, where dialogues tumble over each other, with everyone talking enthusiastically at the same time. They soon immerse themselves into activities to while away time, and we are given a sneak-peek into their lives. But when this seemingly harmonious group of people are pitted against each other, friction creeps in, and breaks the deceptive harmony. And the tension gets heightened because of a calmness that runs through these events, and this infuses an element of eeriness in the story.

At the heart of ‘A Death in the Gunj’, is Shutu, played with an affable charm by Vikrant Massey. He’s the 23 year old cousin who finds himself unadjusted in the adult world. Not being able to survive a world filled with assured and confident adults, he seeks comfort in the company of Tani. A foil to Shutu’s character is Vikram (Ranvir Shorey), the brash and flamboyant family friend, whose arrival stirs up things as he rekindles his old spark with Mimi (Kalki Koechlin), the unapologetically free-spirited girl, who’s every man’s desire. With such contrasting characters, and extreme dynamics, sparks are bound to fly, and even before we know it, these situations take unexpected turns, and the characters suffer hurt and humiliation. And failing to handle this emotional upheaval, they go about hurting each other. For instance, Shutu’s insecurities are badgered by Nandu, through a seemingly innocent act of giving him driving lessons. And a fun match of kabaddi takes an ugly turn, with Vikram coming down heavily on Shutu to a point where he leaves him bleeding.

Although these incidents are a build-up towards Shutu’s story, each character has a significant role to play to carry the story forward, and they are given enough screen presence to shine. Of them all, Om Puri, who plays the goofy old Mr. Bakshi, who simply bobs in and out of scenes in his drunken stupor, is my personal favorite. Without saying or doing much, he carves a special place for his character in the film.

Adding up to all this, are the film’s soundtracks, that wonderfully enhance the changing climate of the story. Konkana’s attention to detail is another thing that makes this film a riveting watch. Whether it is young Tani, touching the bride’s saree in admiration, while her mother pleads her to refrain from it, or a piece of paper slipping from under the leg of a chair, while two adults respond to their impulsive desires over a drunken night. Or Shutu, finding dried moths inside frayed pages of old family books, or a servant licking a ladle laden with pudding, this film excels in creating these moments that enrich its texture.

There is a scene in the film, where Shutu and Tani, in one of their many trails in the woods, set ablaze a fly with a magnifying glass. To me, this scene in a lot of way, is the essence of the film – of looking at life’s foibles and frailties through a magnifying lens without fearing about its consequences.

In my unabashed display of admiration for the film, I had taken to twitter the other day, and there I found somebody saying that, ‘this film should be made a mandatory watch in film schools.’ And I found myself agreeing with it. Because, if there is one thing that this film does, besides enthralling you, is that, it leaves you wondering about the ways in which this feat has been achieved. And then you are reminded of the fine actress that stands tall behind this remarkable director.