MY TAKE ON AHALYA

Ahalya is a supernatural thriller by the great Bengali filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh. The short film released on July 20, 2015, and was distributed by Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films. From the very first scene, there is a build of suspense; and anxiousness within our hearts and minds starts to climb quite high while we move towards the climax of the film. The proper structure of a Frey Tag Pyramid has been observed in this great work of art. It truly is the work of a smart mind. The concept of this short film is something of a very different level. It truly is a masterpiece, a commendable work of art, done with great precision. Each and every character in this short has been performed with proper dexterity by powerful actors like Soumitra Chatterjee, Radhika Apte, Tota Roy Chowdhury. They are performers of a separate class. Their roles speak for themselves what master performers they are. The film is sure to completely blow away your mind. It is completely out of the box, multiple times watch. It seems, with every new watch, you derive newer meanings as if you have seen something completely new. This is the USP of the film.   

The short film ‘Ahalya ’ makes you reach those heights you never imagined or thought of. This work of art is as powerful as its performers. There will not be a single moment you would feel let down on your expectations for this film.

The script demanded some stellar performances and that was truly fulfilled by the protagonists in the film. The film demands a little bit from its viewers also. It demands a sound knowledge of the field of necromancy (black magic) and of course that of the Indian Mythology, ancient Hindu epics such as The Ramayana. What makes the craft more beautiful is its execution. How beautifully Hindu Mythological Characters are intertwined, woven together with characters from our everyday life, in an everyday setting in a contemporary plot, is something amazing to witness.

Truly, only with a  limited set of characters, this type of response is so far difficult to achieve for anyone. Only filmmakers of the stature of Sujoy Ghosh can pull something out of nothingness that surrounds the plot. The film has garnered a warm and welcoming response post-release from the critics and the audiences of different tastes. It seems, be it the possessor of a peculiar taste bud, s/he also would give this short film, nothing but a thumbs up in response, or as a review.

As a lot of blood and sweat goes into the making of such a masterpiece spanning only fourteen minutes, the feedback is important, indeed a necessary one  for each and everyone associated with Ahalya; the workforce, the crew members, the light and sound department, the editor Namrata Rao, the maker(story & screenplay writer, director, producer) Sujoy Ghosh and every masterstroke player who plays their part on or off-screen with full intent to do justice to their performances i.e. in front of the camera or  behind the scenes. They all are commendable, their efforts deserve unending appreciations and praises, as they all are an integral part of such making. It not only gives them a boost in their spirit to further outperform themselves, but also encourages them to bring something much new, and never thought of, for all of us, the audience.     

A spectator might relate the characters of this short film to Ahalya, Gautam Maharishi, Devraj Indra, just to name a few. SURPRISE AWAITS YOU….There is so much more to explore with every watch. Ahalya is on the YouTube channel and the link to the film is given below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff82XtV78xo