Pratidwandi review: A gripping revenge thriller anchored by sharp performances

3.5/5

What’s it about?

Directed by Saptaswa Basu, the movie revolves around Dr. Bakshi (Saswata Chatterjee) and Sukumar Sen (Rudranil Ghosh), a mathematics teacher. This classic tale of vengeance begins with the kidnapping of Dr. Bakshi’s son, with Sukumar being the prime suspect. When the head of a crisis management agency Siddhartha (Sourav Das) tries to mitigate the situation, they realize the abduction may have a link with a series of child deaths in a hospital. As the plot thickens, new players come to light; nobody is as innocent as they seem.

What’s Hot?

A saga of loss, revenge, ambition, and corruption – Pratidwandi has a tightly knit script. The fast-paced drama is filled with riveting twists and turns that keep you on your toes. The film is always a step ahead of the viewer in terms of the guessing game; the plot changes its contours frequently and throws us off-guard.

Saswata Chatterjee as Dr. Bakshi is a treat to watch with his restraint and subtlety. From his nuanced expressions to pitch-perfect dialogue delivery, he never lets the audience suspect anything fishy. Stepping into the shoes of a grieving father and mathematics teacher, Rudranil Ghosh is excellent, while Sukumar Sen is a picture of poise essaying the part of a mentally unstable man who’s quite capable of harming others. Sourav Das as the detective Siddhartha and Saayoni Ghosh as the politician Maaya are commendable, capturing the essence of their parts.

The movie keeps asking many questions to the viewer. As Saswata finally addresses them in the climax, the film skillfully explores the very idea of right and wrong, throwing the viewer into a dilemma about the hero and villain in the revenge thriller.

What’s Not?

In spite of having a solid plot and stellar cast in place, the movie has a few glaring flaws. The proverb ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’ fits the film right. Too many parallel sub-plots distract the audiences from the main story arc, along with multiple characters, many of whom are not even fleshed out properly, often serving as mere props.

Verdict

The film has all the ingredients that make for a good thriller – from fast-paced narration to absorbing drama, a strong basis for revenge, the moral dilemma between good and bad, a solid script, and note-worthy performances. Despite its fair share of ups and downs, Pratidwandi is definitely worth a watch.