A Death in the Gunj

A brilliant thematic adaptation of Tagore's "Unwanted" theme coupled with a tragic turn of fate. What enables a caterpillar to morph into a butterfly is profound tendering and patience. But what if the society around us is too harsh and abides by the principle of "Survival of the fittest" ? The infinite possibility of blossoming can often be nipped in the bud. Set in the picturesque small town of McCluskieganj of late 70s, the story depicts the tale of a young man Shyamal aka Shatu (Vikrant Massey) who's a misfit in an otherwise boisterous and well to do group. He suffers from an identity crisis, yearns for love and has no idea of what to do with life. He struggles to deal with his emotions and frequently gets sidelined by others. What happens with him in a week's stay in the small town is what the film all about.

Cinematography is simply breathtaking which gives a 70s feel and yet appears glossy and fresh. The ensemble starcast is the biggest asset combining actors of mettle - Om Puri, Tanuja, Tilottama Shome, Ranvir Shorey, Gulshan Devaiah, Jim Sarbh and Kalki Koechlin. All were literally fantastic with Massey being the icing on the cake.

This is Konkona Sensharma's debut direction and it simply acts as a corollary to the fact that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

What a debut for Konkona Sen Sharma!!! A death in a gunj is a kind of movie that all along has your attention. Apart from the star cast that includes the likes of Ranvir Shorey, Om Puri, Tanuja & Kalki, the movie also has a unique screenplay.It's a kind of thriller which also has emotional side to it. The background score sync completely to the genre. Surely a must watch...

Femme fatale and a sensitive young man. The story of my life.

In a resort town in 1970s India a sensitive young man, Shutu, is recovering from a series of traumas. He runs into the wrong family and the wrong woman. Even more unfortunate for him, spirits from the past inhabit people and take care of unfinished business.

India isn't all Bollywood. There is much more to the country and to its film industry. This film dares to think outside the box. I love how it weaves nature, color, song, spirits, eclectic people, and foreign myths into a compelling story. It is based on a true short story by Mukul Sharma.

This is a little gem of a movie, with pitch perfect casting, excellent pacing and very competent direction.

The movie takes you to a world of languid indolence as an extended family vacations at a once grand but now somewhat derelict Anglo-Indian hamlet. There are little stories within, mostly pivoting around Kalki as the coquette - glimpses of illicit lust; and unrequited longing.

But in the middle of this happy dysfunction, there are jarring moments that tighten the little knot of dread-filled anticipation at the bottom of your heart. The title promised you a death and the opening scene reinforced that promise. You don't know who and you don't know why, you only know it's coming.

It's one of the most beautiful movies I've watched in a while. While other movies in this genre (practically non-existent in Bollywood) generally take up to 20 minutes to build up to the main story this one is intriguing right from the start. We know that someone's going to die, and we know who it is, 5 minutes into the movie. But this ain't a murder mystery. It's about the events leading up to the death. It's about the characters developing, intermingling. Beautifully shot, with a calm, fantastic soundtrack (which, sadly isn't available to listen anywhere right now), I wish there were more movies like this.

I regret not being able to watch this when I could in the theatres (thanks Amazon).