Kaalratri review: Soumitrisha’s OTT debut has Hoichoi written all over it

Directed by Ayan Chakraborti, the thriller also has Anujoy Chattopadhyay, Debesh Chattopadhyay, Rajdeep Gupta, Indrasish Roy, and many others.

Soumitrisha as Devi in Hoichoi's Kaalratri

Kaalratri story: 

Devi (Soumitrisha), who only remembers the past six years of her life, gets married to Rudra Roy Burman (Indrasish Roy) -- a drunkard and lecherous son of Samaresh Roy Burman (Debesh Chattopadhyay). Devi’s mysterious friend Maya (Koushani Mukherjee) -- known for her ominous presence – predicts that Rudra will die the next day after their marriage. Her prediction becomes real.  

Also read: Soumitrisha Kundu to debut on OTT and here is what we know | Exclusive 

Kaalratri review: 

What is a typical Hoichoi series? When a show has a damsel in distress in the lead surrounded by a set of overtly complicated characters – sometimes in a large joint family – tries to solve a mystery but never get to the end of it by the end of a season we might call it a typical Hoichoi series. These shows are essentially dotted with family dramas that run parallel to the original mystery and will have unmistakable loud and melodramatic dialogues. According to the sources close to the Hoichoi team, these shows are made keeping the ‘TV-plus’ audiences (as the entertainment industry defines them) in mind and usually provide ‘excellent numbers’. Kaalratri fits this definition.  

The good thing about Ayan Chakraborti’s Kaalratri is it is really fast. There are murders, rapes, suicide attempts, hints of illicit sexual relationships, and enough blood to sprinkle quintessential Bengali masala in the show. With relentless loud dramas, deep yet meaningless dialogues (for example, Anujoy, who plays Satyaki, makes a lame pun of his own name Satya ki, while introducing himself to Samaresh), Soumitrisha’s quivering appearances and plotting relatives – the show goes on without any major glitch. 

To fit the high-octane drama, the acting department is on the louder side of the spectrum. Soumitrisha does what she is expected to do as the lead. She plays a pretty damsel in distress. Devi is a clueless character whose past and present (and possibly also the future) life is shrouded with mystery. Despite the conflicts and mysteries, Devi’s character has been unidimensional, without an iota of visible nuance in the presentation of Devi.  

Also read: Kaalratri: Check out the FIRST LOOK of Soumitrisha’s debut web series 

Anujoy enters in the second episode as DSP Satyaki Sanyal – the officer in charge. Though he utters some of the most cringeworthy dialogues in the show, he is the most stable performer. As an actor, Anujoy has proved himself as a natural talent. Kaalratri is no different. Debesh and Anujoy’s conversation is engaging to watch. Anushka Chakraborty as Satyaki’s assistant Iman is nice. The character is smart, and the actress executes it nicely.  

Kaalratri verdict: 

The problem with the show is that it is formulaic. It follows the ‘tested’ pattern that many other Hoichoi shows have followed and does not really offer anything new. It is gripping, yet it takes us nowhere. It has a flow but no resolution. It ensures a second season but without any excitement attached to it.  

Share