Story: A young filmmaker is in the soup right when he is about to set his foot in the film industry. When he sets out to find the answer, it turns out it's a thing of the past.
Review: Rahul Sankrityan seems to have carved a niche of his own in telling stories that blend science, fantasy and fantasy. If his first film Taxiwala told the story of a car, his second film Shyam Singha Roy Jung tells the story of a man haunted by his past, with the story written by Satyadev. What unfolds may be something that isn't novel but the way it unfolds keeps you hooked for the most part.
Vasu (Nani) is a young filmmaker who has resigned from a cushy software job hoping to pursue his passion. He is on the verge of making all his dreams come true, we don't know whether he is struggling to reach where he is today. In lieu of making a short film, he follows Keerthi (Kriti Shetty), whom he sees at a friend's (Abhinav Gomatam) cafe. She is a psychology student and knows nothing about acting but wants to cast her in the lead role at any cost. This whole sequence is played for laughs but we know there is a bigger story going on here. He is soon accused of plagiarism with a lawyer named Padmavati (Madonna Sebastian), a psychologist (Leela Samson) and Kirti's cousin, who was brought in to save the day.
Shyam Singha Roy (also maternal grandmother) is a writer and social reformer from 1960s–70s West Bengal. Concerned by his conservative family, he will fight for a cause with both fists and words. It is only a matter of time before he tackles everything from untouchability to the devadasi system. Despite being an atheist, he visits the local Kali temple every day during Navratri to see a devadasi called Maithiri (Sai Pallavi) dance. He offers her more than love, he promises her freedom from a social structure that is unjust to people like her. But what is it that connects Vasu and Shyam Singha Roy?
It takes time to establish Vasu's character in the first part of the film, with Shyam Singha Roy only appearing in a flash. Kriti Shetty gets a strong character, even if she eventually has to take a back seat. And when you invest enough in his story to know the outcome, Rahul lets the visually beautiful yet brutal world of Shyam Singh Roy unfold. The work of Production Designer Avinash Kolla and Cinematographer Sanu John Varghese really shines here. It really takes you to West Bengal, the costume design and the fact that most of the characters speak in Bengali helps too. But Rahul lets this segment run almost like an art film, giving Sai Pallavi a chance to spread his wings and Nani to shoulder a character. Their love story is a joyous one, so is the music of Mickey J. Meyer.
Where the film falters is when Rahul expects you to give up completely and take creative liberties. He has a story in his hand that can be played out in multiple ways and yet he somehow chooses clichés and easy answers about how Vasu and Shyam are connected. The choices some of the characters make also seem to contradict their preaching. And while the film keeps you invested in its characters for the most part, it is devoid of any threads that take you by surprise. You can guess how this all plays out as the movie progresses, but that's really not a bad thing. Some may even find fault with the pacing in the second half of the story, even if the viewer has to be immersed in the world. The climax, however, feels a bit rushed.
Nani and Sai Pallavi are also at the center of this story, apart from their own story. With their body language differing when they play Vasu vs Shyam, the former features a character who they feel is playing a ball. Sai Pallavi looks and dances like a dream amidst the emotional beats of this film. She makes the best use of her runtime, bringing essential softness to both her character's vulnerability and strength. Kriti pulls off a character who is the exact opposite of Bebamma, someone who is afraid to speak her mind and won't give a shit. Rahul Ravindran, Madonna Sebastian, Jisshu and others played their roles well.
Shyam Singha Roy may not have a completely offbeat story, but the staging has the ability to baffle you. Barring the heavy aspects, give it a try this weekend if you've been craving something that's well made and backed by a stellar cast.