Dakghor review: Suhotra Mukhopadhyay, Ditipriya Roy, and Kanchan Mullick’s village life will fill your heart

3.5/5

Story: After the death of Chakradhar Das (now a ghost), his son Damodar Das (Suhotro Mukhopadhyay) gets his job and comes to Hagda as the postmaster. His life restarts on a new track as he interacts with the villagers, especially Madhusudan (Kanchan Mullick) and Manjari (Ditipriya Roy).

Review: Simplicity is the biggest takeaway of Dakghor. Not just in storytelling, there is a pacifying calmness in the simple livelihood of a serene village in rural Bengal. The web series comes as a deserving break from half-baked, and sometimes pointless, thrillers available on Bengali OTT platforms. It is also a lovely deviation from the petty urban crisis that we get to consume from television, films, and OTT. It is a show that is engaging and loving. There are faults, but it is its simplicity and honest effort that will make you forgive them. 

Suhotra is a stellar actor. He is not the tall dark and handsome hero, who steals women’s hearts at the drop of a hat. He looks like an ordinary man and he brings out that ordinariness so effortlessly that it becomes hard to believe he is acting. In Dakghor, he has slipped into the character of Damodar so easily that it is hard to believe that it is his performance. The same goes for Ditipriya. Manjari seems a little unimportant as a character at the beginning, but she takes centre stage, along with Damodar in the last two episodes. From her accent to her costume and body language – Ditipriya gets a ten on ten in her portrayal of Manjari.  

Kanchan carries a vibe with him when he goes in front of the camera. With his drama and gesture, he holds everyone’s attention without making the character go over the top. He is one of the most engaging actors of this generation. It is a shame that we don’t get to watch him enough on the screen. It is not just the three of them. The other characters – the sarpanch, musician, Botoda, Madhusudan’s wife and daughter, and others – also have impressed in their way. It is their quirks and idiosyncrasies that make the show close to your heart. 

Besides acting, the use of music is another side that helps the story. Each song is apt and fitting to the script – a quality that has become rare in Bengali content. The enigma of the title track and the appeal of the culminating song both are beautiful. 

Also read: Exclusive! Suhatro Mukhopadhyay on Dakghor: I was told Ditipriya is a snob but she is a fantastic co-actor to work with  

The script is simple and nice. Most importantly, there is no sign of trying too hard. There are problems. The introduction of Jadusudan does not have a convincing culmination. The symbolism of crossing the forest could have been a little more significant. The character of Manjari deserves more engagement with the audience. 

Verdict: However, despite all this, Dakghor is a lovely watch. It has shades of some national shows and movies. Yet it is our story and a must-watch.