“A Death In The Gunj” Movie Review – – A Must Watch, Skillfully Crafted!

Complete Review Of “A Death In The Gunj”

Director: Konkona Sen Sharma

Cast: Kalki Koechlin, Om Puri, Tanuja Mukerji, Vikrant Massey, Jim Sarbh, Arya Sharma, Tillotama Shome, Ranvir Shorey, Promila Pradhan, Gulshan Devaiah and Promila Pradhan

Rating: 3 Stars

Story Line Of Movie:
Based on a short story which was inspired by true incidents written by Mukul Sharma, the film sounds more of an autobiography than fiction.

Set in the late 1970s, in the small hilly town of McCluskieganj in the erstwhile state of Bihar, as the title suggests, is about a death that occurs at this place.

The narrative begins with a deadbody being transported from the hospital and it keeps you glued to the screen till the very end as to who is dead?

A few days before the end of the year 1978, Bonnie visits her parents Mr and Mrs Bakshi along with her husband Nandu, daughter Taniya aka Tani, cousin Shyamal Chatterjee aka Shutu and friends Vikram Choudhary, Brian and Mimi.

Apart from the homecoming, it is the reunion of friends that the movie focusses on. The bulk of the narrative, however, is about the ordinary life of each character described in microscopic detail during the fun-filled holiday activities, which include indulging in seance, playing kabaddi and spending time together roaming around.

Star Performance:
While all the actors are superb ace performers and they outshine in their roles, your heart bleeds for actor Vikrant Massey who plays the lonely and depressed Shutu who is taken for granted by the motley group, because he is 23 years old, the youngest of the adults and malleable. He is handsome and sincere. How he bonds with little Tanya portrayed by Arya Sharma or gets hurt when accused by all, are some of the breath-taking moments.

Ranvir Shorey as the recently wedded Vikram Choudhary is the big bully who at his age “still behaves like he is a 23-year-old”, is aggressive and a chauvinist. Ranvir displays the negative side of the character with natural ease.

Tillotama Shome displays a variety of shades to her character Bonnie. She is aptly supported by the understated Gulshan Devaiah as her husband Nandu who acts like a dominant older brother to Vikrant while teaching him how to drive a car.

Kalki Koechlin is commendable and brilliant as the attention seeking, sex-starved Mimi.