Chaalchitro: The Frame Fatale

Several loopholes in the story, screenplay and plot both lacks the punch. Poor filmmaking.

Good actors, some dialogues are good, but some are childish. There was potential in the story, but the director failed to use it.

Acotrs pulled the movie a bit but couldn't portray the thrill because the weak screenplay couldn't let them.

What stands out in the film is the interpersonal development that would compel the audience to empathise with not just the lead but the smaller, yet extremely significant characters. One such would be Anirban Chakrabarti (Naseer) and his daughter Putul's (Tanika Basu) relationship. The father-daughter dynamic is remarkable. On the other hand, Shantanu Maheshwari as the newbie officer, Ritesh, strikes a firm balance between tenderness and toughness, while Inderjeet Bose as the gym-going, intake-conscious cop Bishwa has a tender soul that shines through. This is perhaps where Chaalchitro wins, where the characters come alive through simple brushstrokes. Bratya Basu's tiny role makes an incredible impact in the overall tone of the film, while Tanika Basu plays Putul with a beautiful balance where many may go overboard.

The drama intensifies significantly in the first half, but in the second half, loses its steam a little bit, only to draw out a strong climax.

Chaalchitro! It seems like the film had a solid buildup with gripping intensity but lost momentum towards the end. A rushed climax can sometimes take away from the overall impact, especially in crime thrillers where suspense and resolution are key elements.

Comparing it to Mukhosh is a great point since that film maintained its intensity throughout, keeping viewers engaged till the very end. Turning Chaalchitro into a web series makes sense-it could have given more time to develop the characters, build deeper suspense, and craft a more satisfying conclusion.

Sometimes a film can have great individual elements like strong performances and cinematography, but if the storytelling feels raw or underdeveloped, it affects the overall experience. Maybe the pacing and screenplay could have been tighter to give the narrative a more polished feel.

Kolkata is rocked by a gruesome murder, and the case lands on the desk of two seasoned detectives, Kanishka Chatterjee (Tota Roy Chowdhury) and Naseer (Anirban Chakrabarti) from the Kolkata Police Detective Department. Their instincts kick in as they notice an eerie resemblance to an old case. Joining the chase are the spirited young IPS officer Ritesh Kumar (Shantanu Maheshwari) and the dependable Bishwa (Indrajeet Bose). But as the investigation unfolds, the city's streets turn red with more victims, and the pressure mounts.

Nothing sets the mood on a winter night like a bone-chilling thriller, and Pratim D. Gupta delivers one with flair. Packed with a delectable plot and a handful of red herrings, the film pulls viewers into a rollercoaster of suspense. While it occasionally teeters on predictability, the story's pace, intensity, and edge-of-your-seat twists make it nearly impossible to look away.

Pratim masterfully scatters the pieces of his puzzle, leaving the audience to play detective. The first half grips you with razor-sharp efficiency, as every twist pulls you deeper into the mystery. Though the second half leans more heavily on its surprises, the film keeps the guessing game alive till the very end, ensuring a thoroughly entertaining ride.

A wide cast of characters and some great actors in this movie with a police story at heart starts off well but too many plot twists and story arcs make it end with a whimper.

The actors are great and several of them have featured in similar story angles over the last few years but the biggest issue seems to be that Bengali movies have taken up the serial killer angle of movies very well and the only industry comparable in India would be the Malayalam industry which has had decades of success in author and story backed movies.

Here that very history tends to expose movies early like in this case with a superb opening and a storyline that should have taken the movie home is waylaid by a a second story of history which scars the case. The cops are written well as are the support characters, Maheshwari shines as the rookie who needs to prove himself, Tota Roy a perfect foil of a senior cop riddled with second guessing his past decisions that have overwhelmed his personal life including with his wife, Anirban has a solid performance as a single parent to a child who is a wheelchair user and in the autism spectrum (an excellent performance by Tanika Basu as Putul), very different from his Aken roles and Indrajit the fourth policeman who is torn with his love for a lady of the night.

Everyone of them gets a fair share of screen time and improve the plot points.

Overall the movie is thrilling but fails to hit the high notes it promises.