The Storyteller

"The only solutions that are ever worth anything are the solutions that people find themselves"- Satyajit Ray.

The Storyteller (2025) is a thoughtfully made film inspired by Satyajit Ray's short story Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro. It brings to life the fascinating character of Tarini Khuro, an eccentric and sharp-witted storyteller created by Ray.

Directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, the film features a stellar cast, including Paresh Rawal, Adil Hussain, Tannishtha Chatterjee, and Revathi. Staying true to Ray's signature style, it blends humor, social insight, and the magic of storytelling, making it a heartfelt tribute to his legacy.

Paresh Rawal delivers a brilliant performance as Tarini Khuro, effortlessly bringing charm and depth to the character. Adil Hussain also does a commendable job, adding weight to the narrative, while Revathi's cameo brings an extra touch of magic to the film. Abhinandan to the entire cast for their outstanding performances!

Ray's Tarini Khuro stories were known for their mix of mystery, wit, and intellect, and The Storyteller does a commendable job of capturing that spirit on screen.

I hvnt read the original story but have read many other stories. Film captures the simplistic vibe of his stories.

Paresh rawal is retired from his day job, and is a passionate storyteller. With wife gone and son in US, he is alone, and takes a job of a storyteller in gujrat.

Wont put spoilers but what happens next is good, though bit predictive in the beginning but the climax was food for me. I liked the way it ended. There are things i want to say but thay may act as spoiler.

In the end, everyone wants to be a good storyteller. But only few are inherently good at it. One thing which i felt missing was maybe, rawals character may have told more stories, that wudve added more flavour to the film.

Anwar Says: Bengal is land of literary genius and this movie is based on short story of one of them Satyajit Ray -Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro. What a masterpiece from the pen of Ray , witty with an unexpected twist and shot on the original lanes of Calcutta and Ahmedabad. Thanks to director Anant Mahadevan who has chosen the original surroundings and not with the green curtains.

For the character of Tarini Babu , there couldn't be a better choice than Paresh Rawal. His obsession for fish and Pujo and smoking a non-filter hand made cigarette looks so real. Adil Hussain as Gujju cotton tycoon hiring a storyteller to solve his insomnia can be conceived only by Ray. His calm and composed reactions, even after the twist is a treat to watch. Revathi has nothing much to do. Editing is superb and you just cannot miss even a single frame, even after a slow pace.

Please find time to watch this movie, a soothing experience after much of crime and violence. You will understand the flavour of meaningful cinema.

#disneyhotstar #anwarsays #bengalilitreature #Tagore #pujo #fishlove #storyteller #SatyajitRay #PareshRawal #AnantMahadevan #MaximGorky.

There's a cover of artificiality in The Storyteller as it starts to narrate the story of a retired serviceman's (Paresh Rawal) retirement journey as he moves from Kolkata to Ahmedabad and takes up a job. But all that dissolves away as the story dives into its crux, introducing a rather novel (though, not exactly, as this is an adaptation) conflict on film. It's something that I have not seen before, so naturally it worked for me, albeit less than what succeeds it. The film is centered on Paresh Rawal and Adil Hussain's effortless performances, also helped by Revathy and Tannishtha Chatterjee. By the end of it, I sat there amazed. This is a good film.

(Watched at the 2022 International Film Festival of India in Goa.)

This movie is based on a short story by Satyajit Ray - Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro (Storyteller Tarini Uncle). Shot in the lanes of Calcutta and Ahmedabad by director Anant Mahadevan who has chosen actual surroundings and not green screens, thankfully.

Paresh Rawal plays a middle-class Bengali who has just retired from a publishing house. To keep himself occupied he takes up a job as a storyteller to a prosperous Gujarati cotton businessman (Adil Hussain). He's hired as a storyteller by the businessman to overcome his insomnia.

The story is wonderful as it is written by a master storyteller. Only Ray could have conceived a plot as innovative and intriguing as this.

If one reads the original short story one would hardly find enough material to make a full-length feature film out of it. Credit for this goes to the principal screenplay writer Kireet Khurana. It blends the magic of storytelling with humour and social insights making it a heartfelt tribute to Ray's legacy. It's a pause in time and a departure from the mundane, pacy lives we live.

Despite the positives I just can't understand our obsession for mimicking accents. Either get into the character with in-depth understanding of nuances, mannerisms and accent (like Irrfan Khan in The Namesake), else just speak in normal Hindi.

Why does Tarini keep dropping a few words in Bengali at times and otherwise speak in Hindi with his friends and family. Also Garodia chooses to speak a few words or phrases in Gujarati. But chats with his man Friday in Hindi, and addresses a gathering of Gujaratis in Hindi. Don't get me wrong, both Paresh Rawal and Adil Hussain are terrific performers and I respect their talents. But this sticks out as a sore thumb despite having great actors.