- Release Date: 21/04/2023
- Platform: ReelDrama
- Cast: Siddhartha Sharma, Snigdha Gogoi, Himanshu Prasad Das, Himanshu Gogoi, Udayan Duwarah, Oasis Talukdar, Angashri Neog
- Director: Nanan Pachani
‘Kolorob’ reminded me of numerous extremely well-made whodunit thrillers where an investigating officer had to contend with multiple accounts of the same crime and had to zero in on the actual perpetrator. A story that unfolds in this manner is undoubtedly engrossing, but it’s also a fact that a story of this nature is extremely difficult to execute successfully, both in terms of its plot and execution. Deciding how much of the truth to reveal, the method of revealing it, the character through which it is revealed, editing the sequences, and determining how the protagonist reaches the climax—all of these elements must be carefully calibrated throughout the narrative to ensure constant intrigue and interest.
The characters and the actors portraying them also need to align with what is presented on screen, reacting differently when various versions of the story are presented. They must convincingly embody these different avatars, requiring spot-on performances. Thus, as I delved into ‘Kolorob’, the biggest question for me was whether the series directed by Nanan Pachani was able to tick all these boxes and deliver an engrossing and entertaining experience.
The story:
The story revolves around five youths: Akash (Oasis Talukdar), Samar (Udayan Duwarah), Meera (Angashri Neog), Neeti (Snigdha Gogoi), and Bhaskar (Himanshu Gogoi). They embark on an ill-fated escapade into the wilderness of Assam for a weekend getaway. However, their excursion takes a grim turn as Akash is brutally murdered, Meera and Samar are on the verge of death, Bhaskar ends up in police custody, and Neeti somehow seeks help from strangers and arrives at the same police station where Bhaskar is detained.
The investigating officer, portrayed by Siddhartha Sharma, begins his inquiry by questioning the two survivors and attempting to reconstruct the events based on their individual accounts. Little does Siddhartha know that what unfolds next surpasses even his wildest imagination. Not only do the stories of the five youths prove to be far more complex than they initially appear, but the case also pushes Siddhartha Sharma’s abilities and competence to their limits.
Stellar performances:
A series of this nature requires stellar performances from its ensemble cast to captivate the audience, and that is precisely the case here. I cannot emphasize enough the powerful performances delivered by the ensemble cast of the series. Leading the pack is Snigdha Gogoi as Neeti, whose true motive is revealed early on in the series but continues to haunt the audience with her haunting portrayal of a simple girl destroyed by her insatiable desire for revenge against those who wronged her family. She exudes confidence, appearing absolutely petrifying when attacking her perpetrators, and transitions effortlessly when she needs to manipulate some other character. Her interactions with Siddhartha Sharma’s police officer, and particularly her exchanges with the character of Bhaskar, played by Himanshu Gogoi, were some of the highlights of her essay. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Snigdha delivers an impeccable rendition of the character of Neeti.
Himanshu Gogoi is another standout character in the series. He starts off as the prime suspect in the murders and convincingly justifies the doubts surrounding him. However, as the story progresses, his character skillfully navigates the line between dark humour and genuine innocence, manipulated to the point of landing in jail for someone else’s misdeeds. The writing of his character during these moments also deserves credit, but it is Himanshu Gogoi’s spirited and realistic portrayal of the character’s many nuances that transforms it into a dramatic powerhouse.
Siddhartha Sharma, an immensely popular actor from Assam, truly shines in his role as the investigating cop. He effortlessly embodies the character with organic ease, bringing just the right amount of drama to keep the audience engaged while maintaining a realistic portrayal, unlike some of the traditional, caricature-like depictions of cops in Assamese films and serials. Despite enduring insults and setbacks throughout the narrative, his character never loses its “dadagiri”. Once again, some of his most rewarding moments occur alongside Himanshu Gogoi, who serves as both a prime suspect and his sole ally.
Himanshu Prasad Das exemplifies the changing face of Assamese actors. His on-screen presence is remarkable, and he exudes a charming demeanour that makes it difficult to find fault with his performance. Here, he delivers his best as a Bengali encounter specialist cop assigned to the murder case after Siddhartha Sharma’s major blunder in the same case. My only complaint about his character stems not from his performance but rather from the character’s writing. Inserting unnecessary and clichéd Bengali stereotypes like “mitra” and “babumoshai” adds nothing to the series and diminishes the seriousness and impact of the scenes where they are used. It would have served the script better if Himanshu’s character was a straightforward Assamese cop, as it would have avoided rendering some of the serious altercations between characters needlessly caricature-like.
Udayan Duwarah and Angashri Neog deliver their respective performances with conviction and power. Udayan, in particular, shines brilliantly towards the end of the series when his character’s true self is unveiled. During those scenes where Duwarah skillfully portrays a myriad of emotions, he truly comes into his own, and his character is greatly enhanced by his spirited performance. Angashri Neog, in a smaller but significant role, brings importance to her character, especially towards the conclusion of the series. She justifies every second of her screen time and possesses an electrifying presence on screen. I am confident that we will be seeing much more of her in future films and series.
Good writing and direction:
‘Kolorob’ is a superbly directed series. The credit for the captivating story, which gradually reveals key details while still maintaining enough suspense to sustain interest, goes to the proficient writing and direction. The director skillfully handles various narrative elements, ensuring that the rather complex screenplay remains comprehensible even to casual viewers. I was highly impressed by the performances extracted from the ensemble cast by the director. A significant part of the director’s work revolves around effectively utilizing the actors, and in that regard, Nanan Pachani does a fantastic job. He also excels at capturing his actors and documenting their emotions through different scenes. His mastery of the camera angles is evident, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that a great deal of the series’ thrill hinges on how well the emotions and expressions of the actors are captured and portrayed on the screen.
Overpowering background score:
I’m not sure if this was an issue with the platform or the way the series was mixed, but the background score felt excessively overpowering and unnecessarily dominating in several crucial moments. The performances were so exceptional that the constant presence of a manipulative background score, attempting to dictate the audience’s emotions towards certain scenes and characters, became entirely redundant. In fact, the overpowering score often detracted from the impact of many scenes, becoming jarring and annoying. While a background score is indeed a vital component of most series, it should serve to enhance the narrative rather than act as a heavy-handed highlighter throughout every aspect of the story.
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Realism of the narrative:
Despite the efforts of the writers and director, the believability of the series falters in certain portions. In their pursuit of making the series outstanding and delivering a shocking twist per episode, they sometimes overstay their welcome and incorporate elements that are difficult to comprehend. Additionally, there are a few convenient coincidences that stretch credibility to an extent where it becomes hard to take them seriously. Towards the end, some of the actors go slightly overboard, which was unnecessary and could have been restrained. The film had been building up to a final jolt in the story right from the beginning, but I must admit I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the twist, as it felt rather peculiar.
Final Words:
‘Kolorob’ is an incredibly enjoyable and captivating thriller that excels due to its multi-layered and engaging narrative, outstanding performances, and skillful direction. It serves as a testament to the need for more series like this in Assam, as it showcases the untapped potential of the region in creating engaging and intriguing thrillers. ‘Kolorob’ demonstrates that with a dedicated team pouring their heart and soul into a project, great achievements can be made.
Rating: 3.5/5 (3.5 out of 5 Stars)
The views expressed in this article are that of the reviewer and do not reflect EastMojo’s position
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