The Jengaburu Curse
Introduction
It is still a Wednesday but the new ‘weekend’ releases have already started trickling in. This time, I have finished watching the new Hindi series The Jengaburu Curse which is now streaming on SonyLiv. One of the reasons why I was looking forward to watching the show was because it was directed by Nila Madhab Panda who I believe is a prolific director with some underrated gems under his belt. And I use the word underrated very sparingly given that his brilliant works like I Am Kalam or even Kadvi Hawa haven’t quite been discovered by the masses. But he is probably the only director who has incorporated the issue of climate changes in his stories.
There is often an undercurrent of environmental issues in Nila’s filmography that forces the viewer to think about the messaging. One of the most treasured resources across the globe is fast dwindling and that is not only a worrying sign but also masked by power and money. And this is generally what is addressed in the filmography of Nila Madhab Panda who is also a recepient of the prestigious National Award. While his films have been poignant dramas, this is perhaps the first instance of him venturing into a thriller space with The Jengaburu Curse(and kudos to SonyLiv for backing it). Being touted as the first Cli-Fi(Climate Fiction) Thriller, does The Jengaburu Curse manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
The Jengaburu Curse follows the story of a woman investigating certain strange occurences in her state post the disappearance of her father. Will she be able to crack the mystery? The story here is super relevant as a gritty social drama wrapped and presented as a nail-biting thriller. The social dramas often risk being preachy or almost documentary in nature but the moment you tell a tale by addressing the issues as an undercurrent, it is a big positive. And that is exactly the case here with The Jengaburu Curse. The screenplay standing at 7 episodes of roughly 40 odd minutes each does make for a taut thriller that will keep you guessing up until the very end with respect to its mystery.
The drama does open with the introduction of the protagonist after a brief flashback that showcases her happy moments with her father. She is working at a prestigious position in London and seemingly quite ambitious and unperturbed about the illegal activities in her company, until one day, she gets a call about the death of her father. This kickstarts her trail back into the state of Odisha where there is more than what meets the eye. The writers do a terrific job in inviting the viewers in the drama by keeping it floating with some unique occurences. I say unique because you almost know that something is amiss and it may have to do more with the authorities as opposed to the tribals who are labeled as Naxalites. Yet, you cannot quite pin-point on the exact mystery.
The proceedings are thoroughly engrossing and keep you on your toes as a viewer. Additionally, I did like how the writers incorporated the cultural references of the state of Odisha beautifully in the tale. It did help that Nila Madhab Panda belongs to the beautiful state of Odisha and he understands the culture well. What that resulted in was that Odisha did become one of the silent characters in the drama which was exploited by people residing in it. There are twists and turns in the drama, some of them unexpected, and they do keep thoroughly invested in the proceedings. The water-tight nature of the writing ensures that there is something or the other happening onscreen at any given point of time.
The events leading up to the final act are interesting with a bit of the cat and mouse chase which is on along with political and social undertones that rule the proceedings pretty well. The writers do well in continuing to keep the mystery under wraps and that does increase the stake in the drama as well. I also enjoyed the character motives of a few characters that keep shifting as the drama progresses. This results in a fabulous final act(although a little hurried) when it opens the can of worms in what was a shocking revelation. This while also providing a commentary on the environment which is fast diminishing from the face of the earth. A quick subplot does setup things for its second season as well thus summing up the screenplay which was so well written.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are conversational with the lines having a searing undertone of various social issues including that of the environment, wrapped in the urgency of a thriller that makes for a solid impact. The BGM is stupendous and blends perfectly with the vibe of the drama. The cinematography captures the vibe of the state wonderfully well while painting a dull picture for most parts, showcasing the misuse of its natural resources. The colour grading did compliment the frames really well. The editing is sharp and crisp. Director Nila Madhab Panda hits the ball out of the park here. Not only does he serve some beautiful cultural references of the state of Odisha, but he also creates several intriguing moments that make for a supremely compelling viewing. It resulted in one of the most unique thrillers that I have witnessed this year!
Performances
The performances are outstanding here. Preeti Gupta as Avantika manages to shine despite a limited screentime. Madhumita Barik as Dharini and Suryamayee Mohapatra as Natasha are first rate and wonderful additions to the drama as are Azam Khan as IG Mahanta, Rhea Resham Bari, Kunal Sharma as Puneet, Charlie Allen as Peter, Satya Raj and Vikram Pratap as one of the goons.
Sukumar Tudu as Ram Kumar is endearing and sincere. Pavitra Sarkar as Professor Das is excellent to watch. Manini Dey as Lata is wonderfully restrained despite a limited screen time. Shrikant Verma as Padhi is excellent as the shrewd cop and he will make your blood boil. Hitesh Dave as Tigga and Aaryabhatta as Banerjee are fabulous to watch in their respective roles and both have subtle character arcs in the drama. Makarand Deshpande as Dr. Panigraha is absolutely on point with his body language and mannerisms and he puts up a commendable act. Melanie Gray as Beatrice is excellent and quite subtle in the portrayal of her unassuming character that will keep you guessing.
R Badree as Srinivas is intimidating and a far cry from his shy character of Sunil Walson in the film 83. He is fiery and quite in your face and that will send a shiver down your spine in what was a fabulous act. Deipak Sampat as Kadey was an excellent choice of casting and his character brought in the flavours of the state wonderfully. He is brilliant and quite endearing in his act. Nasser as Sudarshan Rao is calm and calculative and it is always a pleasure watching him onscreen.
I was the happiest watching Sudev Nair onscreen who is excellent as Dhruv in his second Hindi outing after Kaalkoot. He has a dynamic screen presence in what was a performance par excellent by a very talented actor. Faria Abdullah(you may remember her from the hilarious comedy Jathi Ratnalu) as Priya is a revelation and puts forth an absolutely brilliant act here. This character was important as the viewers were exposed to the world through her eyes. And the amount of emotions that she brings to the table sums up a towering performance of the highest order by her.
Conclusion
The Jengaburu Curse accounts for one of the most unique thrillers of the year with powerful political and social undertones and brilliant performances that makes for a fabulous watch. Available on SonyLiv and Highly Recommended.