Birpurush
BIRPURUSH – THE HERO WITHIN
Directed by Saurabh Chatterjee | Review by Riya Saha Luckily, the mother had her child by her side - Tagore
With everyone there is a hero within, ‘Birpurush’ (A Bengali word which means Hero) – is a film written and directed by Saurabh Chatterjee portrays how a child inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s poem Birpurush, saves his mother from Molestation. There is a place within each one of us that stores a hidden stamina. The power of this quality gives us the ability to rise above the ordinary, within an instant if called upon. Within this hidden wealth lie love, courage, compassion, strength, hope, faith, benevolence, kindness, patience and truth. Most of us are unaware of its existence, but if you look closely enough, you will recognize that there have been many instances in your life where you called for that stamina and your hero within rose. This short film has a hero in the form of a kid, and it also aware us of the crimes that take place within the remote areas of Kolkata, India. Molestation of women has risen to a great extent in the current phase, Nirvaya, and Kamduni has been the peak of crimes against women. At this phase, a film that brings both awareness against crimes, and also how one can save them from getting molested is worth it.
‘Birpurush’ is about a child who gets rejected in his school annual cultural program. He prepared himself for the role of Tagore’s acclaimed poem ‘Birpurush’, but rejection made his hopes shatter. On the day of the cultural program, his mother seeing the sad face of his child makes a plan to surprise his dad, by reaching home early. On the way, she hires a Rickshaw to drop them at their home. The Rickshaw driver sides himself and makes a call, informing that there’s a chance. The director interestingly directs a wonderful scene by alternating the drama performance in the school, and the real incident that is to take place with the mother and child. The rickshaw driver drove past the city into a deserted Road where the Mother and child encountered Goons. The Rickshaw driver fled from there, thus the Goons started molesting the mother, instigating the child to give rise to his inner strength, prompted him to save his mother. And actually doing so made him a ‘Birpurush’ or the Savior. The police who were in search of this racket arrive and arrest the Goons. The child is brave enough to translate his dream into reality; he became a Hero beyond the boundaries of literature. In the true sense he justified the famous line of Rabindranath Tagore’s poem, Bhagge Khoka Chilo mayer Pase (Luckily, the mother had her child by her side).
The director Saurabh Chatterjee with his film exactly gave life to Tagore’s poem, where a child saved his mother from dacoits; here the kid saves his mother from goons, and getting them arrested. No doubt, this short Film is a remake with a new touch. For a debut filmmaker, this has been an excellent film with a gripping story and a message of awareness. Speaking of the performances, you cannot point our any flaws in it. And how can you do so? In the mother’s role actress Koneenica Bandhyopadhay did a fabulous job, along with Debiprasad Halder, Indrasis Acharya(father), and Tanish Chakraborty in the other roles. Overall, as a debut film, Birpurush is worth watching.
Riya Saha is a Kolkata based writer, editor, journalist and cinephile. She has completed her masters with Journalism and Mass Communication from Calcutta University and currently working as a freelance journalist. Having a great interest in world cinema made Riya join Human Lab Corporation. She is passionate about setting goals and achieving them. She enjoys reading, writing, travelling, socializing and meeting people. She is also very fond of watching International movies.
