Jaal is a 2012 Bengali movie directed by Amit Samanta with , Pamela, Rohan, Victor Banerjee, Sumanta

Mukhopadhyay,Shilajit and others in the cast. Read the Bengali film review at Moviemaat.

JAAL – A SPIDERY WEB OF LOVE AND DEATH

Banner: Rasa Productions

Direction: Amit Samanta

Music: Ashok Raj

Lyrics: Goutam Susmit

Story, screenplay and dialogue: Somnath Bhattacharya

D.O.P.: Rana Dasgupta

Editor: Rabiranjan Moitra

Art Direction: Samir Kundu

Cast: Tanvir, Pamela, Rohan, Victor Banerjee, Santu Mukherjee, Sumanta Mukhopadhyay, Anuradha Ray,

Shilajit and Masud Akhrar

Date of Release: 17th February 2012

The story writer and director of Jaal seem to have conspired to make a film that will keep the audience busy

trying to find out who loves who for what and who is killing who and why. It takes a cue from Kuch Kuch Hota

Hai only to detract from the beaten-to-death plot to indulge in a series of murders. But these killings, says the

story, are not by a serial killer. The killings – believe it or not – are sort of justified by explaining away this

murderous instinct triggered by lack of love. If this rationale were to be officially accepted, the country would

not need criminal justice or criminal law at all. This would save a lot on our national budget and

reduce the tax burdens on the ordinary citizen. Besides, like some thriller serials on the small screen, the police

inspector Agnidev Chatterjee arrives after several murders have already been committed. Going back to Kuch

Kuch Hota Hai, we have three young characters, Abir, his childhood best friend Ayesha and Rai, the girl he

loves and wants to marry. He does not care that Ayesha is deeply in love with him or that his father wants

him to marry Ayesha. He walks off to be with Rai only to come back when Ayesha tries to commit suicide.

She is reduced to a paraplegic as a consequence of the failed suicide attempt. Soon after, Rai’s father tells him

that Rai is suffering from terminal brain tumour. It is a lie but Abir is not aware so he rushes back to Rai. The

way he flits across from Rai to Ayesha and back would make you wonder about what makes these two girls

so besotted with a shaky man who can never make up his mind and is stupid enough to shift loyalties with

one call for ‘help’.  The secret lies in the visuals Abir presents. Tanvir who portrays Abir is very good in the

looks department and you know how crazy young girls can go with eye-candy looks in the opposite sex. It is

basic in the law of human nature. Suddenly, from nowhere, the killings begin. The killer’s identity is hidden

with his/her black robes and hood and shoes and the works. But it does not really matter because he does

not belong. Abir’s father is bumped off first followed by Rai’s father. Agnidev has no clue where to look for

this robed person. When he does, the killer is shot dead and Ayesha who comes in the way is also killed! So

many deaths in a triangular love story do not make sense. But who said the director wanted to make a sensible film?

Pamela who plays Ria and is known for her ready-to-shed-clothes image wears a strategically placed tattoo to

add to her sex appeal. Does it? See the film and draw your conclusions. Shilajit has been given two catch lines

the way N.K. Salil created catch phrases for Mithun Chakraborty. The director deserves a pat on his back for

having cast Shilajit in an against-the-grain character because he is usually given a negative slant. He more

than justifies the director’s choice.

It is not worth bothering about other technicalities such as music, cinematography, editing and art direction.

It is sad to see that talented winners of music reality shows like Aneek Dhar, Sujoy and Anwesha’s voices

are being used in films that are pulled off the theatres within the first week of their release.

- Shoma A. Chatterji