RIMasud65

I always love movies/ tv shows that try to tell a good story and infuses cultural, social, religious tidbits that is unique for that particular place or country. 'Paatal lok' does this in such a wonderful fashion. The central plotline was good enough. But what made it so compelling is its characters and their jurney through life. Brilliant acting from all the cast members made it vibrant display of characterization. Moreover, this show never shies away from portraying of many of the darkest aspects of indian society and culture e.g. caste system, sexual violence, rampant corruption, interference with freedom of speech, persecution of people of different sexual orientation etc. All these help to give a raw and naked picture of the underbellies of indian society unlike commercial bollywood pictures. We, south asian people, tend to hide our darker corners and feign peace and happiness. This type of show should come more frequently from south asian region and break the taboo.

I watched this film with a lot of expectations. Maybe that is why now i feel kind of dissapointed. Don't get me wrong. It is an excellent film by its own merit. There is no doubt about it. It has a a unique 'film within a film' premise. It tries to focus on one of the the darkest corners of bengal history. There is also a ' art vs reality' vibe undercurrent here. Moreover it has a political element. The director tried to shed light on the class struggle between the proletariats and the elite and how it may have a role in engendering famine. This film deals with so many serious issues that it cannot help but be preachy at times. Especially the local school headmaster character and his sermons feel kind of forced. Look, i get the points the director wanted to make but in doing so, he sacrificed a good deal of spontaneity. That is my nitpick about the whole film. If it were less preachy and more spontaneous, then it would definitely make a more pround impression on me

This movie is a pure gem for any neo-noir fan. It boasts fine performances from veterans e.g. Jack Nicholson and Michael Caine. The plot is age-old heist gone wrong with new twists and turns. But it never ceases to loose your attention. The direction is top-notch. If you are a fan of film-noir orJack Nicholson and/or Michael Caine , this is a must watch for you.