Jekhane Bhooter Bhoy

One of the reasons that regional cinema will never do well in India would be the absolute apathy of movie houses towards the sensibilities of the audience. Even a movie house is in the league of a PVR Cinemas shamelessly promotes a Bengali movie only to a Bengali audience. What else would explain the lack of subtitles? It is impossible to get the finer nuances of any language through subtitles but at least a larger audience can understand the movie far better. Common sense, as I am told, is indeed uncommon.

For those who weren’t aware of who Sandip Ray is (like this writer), I am told by reliable sources that he is the great man’s son. And as you watch Jekhane Bhooter Bhoy, you cannot but help draw parallels between the style of cinema of Ray Sr. and Ray Jr. There is the characteristic use of long periods of silence and scenes where little or nothing is said but the music speaks volumes. There are just a couple of ways in which the master continues to be immortalized.

The literal translation of the movie title would be “Where Ghosts are feared”. However, turns out, it is part of an idiom – Jekhane Bhooter Bhoy, Shekhane Sandhya Hoy. What it would mean – Whenever you have the maximum chance of encountering a ghost is when it actually gets dark. The nuances of the language. I was about to call out the former but thought I should check with my aforementioned reliable source for clarification 

JBB is a compilation of 3 short stories. The first one - Bhut Bhabishyat (The past and the future) – is the story of a cocky ghost hunter who wants to have one more experience with a ghost. The second one, and the scariest of all 3 is written by the great man himself and is titled Brown Saheber Bari (Brown Saheb’s house). The story of a Brown Saheb who kept a diary in 1886 and lived in Kalimpong.

The last one and the longest of the three stories is Anath Babur Bhoy (Anath Babu’s fear). A very nicely written story of a very old ghost who makes his appearance in front of a struggling writer (Saswata Chatterjee – remember Bob Biswas?) with an intent of returning back to his currently struggling family what is rightfully theirs.

While all 3 are ghost stories in the truest sense of the word, they aren’t your typical horror movie fare. There is a spine chilling nature to 2 of them. But the last one is more funny than fearsome. Very simple and very well directed indeed by Ray Jr. Make this a part of your first weekend of 2013 for sure. 7 on 10.

Trailer on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7DNbwuS8VU