Aniruddha Guha reviews: 'Chittagong' will leave you with a heavy heart

Film: Chittagong
Director: Bedabrata Pain
Cast: Manoj Bajpai, Delzad Hiwale, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Barry John
Rating: *** ½

What's left of the Indian independence struggle to adapt onscreen? Apparently, plenty. Having been fed a regular dose of Bhagat Singh biopics and Mahatma-centric films, we remain oblivious to many stories about India's freedom struggle untold in popular culture. Chittagong strives to showcase a slice of that vast history – about Surjya Sen and his band of boys, who led an attack against the British regime in the 1930s.

The plot itself is fascinating: A schoolteacher trains his students in combat and weaponry, and then plans a clinical attack on five different locations in one single night. If not for the graveness of the situation, it could be the perfect setting for a heist flick. But in Chittagong, the story goes much beyond the events of that one night. The camaraderie between characters, the inherent (and not forced) patriotic fervour, and the moving tale of youngsters laying down their lives for the country's independence, all make for a gripping film.

In Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, Ashutosh Gowariker infused unwanted elements (romance, music, sub-plots) in his take on the Chittagong Uprising, robbing the story of its simplicity and gravity. In comparison, Pain stays true to the subject, letting the story speak for itself. An efficient bunch of actors greatly help his cause.

The best part about Pain's take is that his film isn't so much about Surjya Sen; the character remains a catalyst to the changes in the life of the film's lead character, the teenager Jhunku (Delzad Hiwale, brilliant). Manoj Bajpai is credible as Sen, a character that has little screen time but leaves a big impact. By keeping Sen's presence minimal, Pain lets the mystery and importance around Masterda remain intact. Instead, he focuses on the more interesting story of Jhunku's journey from a fearful young boy to a grown-up revolutionary.

In a departure from most other Indian independence film, the adversary here isn't the caricaturish gora villain. Barry John is an inspired casting choice for a British officer who's Jhunku's well-wisher, and torn between his concern for the teenager and his allegiance to the empire. A strong ensemble, made up of actors like Nawazuddin Siddique, Vega Tamotia, Jaideep Ahlawat and Rajkumar Yadav, makes Chittagong a pleasurable watch. Piyush Mishra's dialogues add punch.

Chittagong is the kind of film that will leave you with a heavy heart, and moved. Give it a shot.