Goodbye Mountain

At halftime, the screen displayed the words: "The show must go on." It was 7:30 p.m. I muttered to myself, "Well, the show can also stop..." Irritation had seeped into every corner of my being. A Saturday evening was going to waste. I had come to watch a film where the lead character was nothing but pretence. I was about to walk out, but then decided-might as well sit through the second half. Not sure it was a great decision, but it was certainly more bearable than the first.

Over the past year, I've seen quite a few films that felt like they'd have been better off as two-minute Instagram reels. Goodbye Mountain proudly joins that list. I kept thinking-what other films have made me get up and leave halfway through? I'd never really asked myself that before, but the answer came easily: I absolutely detest films that are dishonest with their audience. That try to trick viewers-for no reason.

The dialogues are unnecessarily vague, the performances lack maturity, and the story feels indulgent to the point of narcissism. Loneliness and isolation are shoved in forcefully, without purpose or soul.

Every year, Bengali filmmakers plead, "Support Bengali cinema." But if we, the audience, are expected to pay for tickets to watch something like this-then that's not support. That's betrayal.

Goodbye mountain is an unconventional love story... Everyone can relate, feel...

It shows that love is in the air... Love... Feel... Live... Let live...

And then free...

If you love someone, you don't need to be with him/her. Love is a feeling, that lasts till last breath.

Love and let love.....

But also, as you are the director, the 4 stars which got striked off gets added to your bucket of responsibilities. I've watched Bilu R and Niharika, and all that I felt was that actors with lesser superstar status are the ones whom possibly you can direct much more frankly. Even in this movie, Rituparna and Indranil delivered their worst. The story had a hell lot of potential to make the movie a masterpiece but it didn't.

But it is a good movie as well. The intertitles were crafty and like some modern inshot edited short film. As if memories were gathered and stitched by someone third who couldn't navigate the decisions and relations of these people. It worked for me as a found set of memories which are enacted and shot. But the real essence was missing. Well I don't know, you are a good director. You must've thought something. But it was good undoubtedly.