There are several underrated gems in the Bengali film industry that got buried beneath the mountain of hits. There aren’t many films that stand out for their original plotlines, masterful script execution, and outstanding performances. But these movies left behind a clear standard and a covert cult following. So, below are some authentic, classic Bengali movies that deserve more attention and appreciation.
- Chotoder Chhobi
Kaushik Ganguly’s “Chotoder Chhobi” plot centers on all the problems that dwarfs or midgets face. Shibu, a dwarf clown, dies at the story’s beginning after his trapeze performance goes wrong.
The circus organization offers a modest sum for his medical care and sends it via Khoka, Shibu’s close friend and coworker. He is unable to comprehend the financial hardship Shibu’s family is experiencing. Eventually, the news of Shibu’s suicide makes him angrier.
After leaving the circus, he makes friends with Shibu’s daughter Soma, who later becomes his close confidant.
- Phoring
In the narrative, a teacher helps a young boy deal with life’s realities, but just as the boy is beginning to grasp the lesson, the teacher vanishes.
The boy’s search for the teacher is a major part of the movie. Famous Bengali actors likeĀ Ritwick Chakraborty, Sohini Sarkar, Akash Adhikary, and others are featured in the film. The movie Phoring came out in 2013 and is directed by Indranil Roychowdhury.
- Sweater
The 2019 movie is directed by Shiladitya Moulik. It is about a woman named Tuku who accepts the task of knitting sweaters to please her mother-in-law. However, during the process, she meets Shyamo at her relative’s home, and he aids her in changing herself for the better. Ishaa Saha, Anuradha Mukherjee, June Malia, Saurav Das, and Sreelekha Mitra are a few actors in the cast.
- Herbert
An absurd self-described mystic who believes he can communicate with the dead ends his life. The police also declare Herbert Sarkar to be a posthumous bomber. Due to its original script and directing style, the movie received raving reviews on both a national and international level. Herbert received the Silver Lotus Award and the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali. Nabarun Bhattacharya’s 1997 novel of the same name, which won the Sahitya Akademi Award, served as the inspiration for the film.
- Clerk
Clerk is another film on the list of underappreciated Bengali movies. As played by Prasenjit Chatterjee, the story alternates between the real and surreal assumptions of a schizophrenic pen-pusher. In the movie, the main character frequently makes one-way phone calls to Bollywood leading ladies after sundown while downing a few beers. While the protagonist tries to distinguish between truth and fiction, the movie explores emptiness and conjures up a strange hallucination.
- 89
If you’ve watched “Kahani” you’ll remember the erratic and canny Bob Biswas, whose quiet demeanour contrasted with his true self as a hired killer. Saswata Chatterjee is a killer once more in Manoj Michigan’s “89,” but this time he is distinct from Bob. Your spine will tingle at his depiction of a violent, irrational mind. Saswata’s outstanding performance as a psycho serial killer is one of the main highlights of the movie.