Network is a Bengali film with English sub-titles, an engrossing thriller set against the backdrop of the media industry that speaks about the perils of privacy encroachment in present times. Saswata Chatterjee as the protagonist with Rini Ghosh, Sabyasachi, Indrajit and Bhaskar Banerjee in key roles with Darshana Banik, Saayoni Ghosh and Anindya Chatterjee in special appearances. Network film review…
An indie film produced by Priti Basu and Saptaswa Basu, and directed by Saptaswa Basu, Network has an exciting first half which makes one feel for the protagonist of the film.
You are as good as your last film – this is what the first half establishes about a brilliant film writer-director – Abhijit Ganguly (played by Saswata Chatterjee).
After his young daughter’s untimely death, Abhijit has turned into a walking shadow, a media professional who has long lost his fame who is recognized by no one.
When he gets to know about his terminal disease which will allow him to live only for one more year and at the most a couple of years if he resorts to immediate treatment, he decides to put in all his own resources to make a new film and make a comeback to regain his lost fame.
Abhijit teams up with a group of talented actors and production management team including Raj and Shreya, who become very trusted to him. However, he gets betrayed by these very associates and is left ruined.
Upto this part is where where the film looks extremely promising. Right from the beginning one could actually feel the pain of a sole individual who lives under the shadow of guilt of losing his daughter. Abhijit is struggling to keep up to the changing trends. There are occasions where he is completely sidelined by the filmy fans and even the current crop of filmmakers.
Superb till the first half!
Post interval, Abhijit creates a reality TV show named “Their Life”, a unique show which deals with celebrity lifestyle. Through this show, he starts to take revenge on the persons who betrayed him one by one in each episode. And this is where there arise a lot of questions regarding the logic, reasoning and some unrealistic sequences.
Splendid performance by Saswata Chatterjee and the new crop of young pair Rini Ghosh and Indrajit Mazumder. Sabyasachi Chakraborty leaves a stamp as a media tycoon Arindam Chakraborty.
Network’s story has an universal appeal and deals with the danger of privacy encroachment in our lives as spoken by the director himself.
Cast:
Saswata Chatterjee as Abhijit Ganguly
Sabyasachi Chakraborty as Arindam Chakraborty
Rini Ghosh as Shreya
Indrajit Mazumder as Raj
Kartikey Tripathi as Subho
Bhaskar Banerjee as Subrata
Eshani Ghosh as Puja
Saayoni Ghosh as Priyanka (special appearance)
Saptarshi Roy as Arjun Chatterjee
Akshay Kapoor as Mr. Agarwal
Anindya Chatterjee as Joy (special appearance)
Darshana Banik as Prerna (special appearance)
Rana Basu Thakur as Mr. Bose
Credits:
Language – Bengali film with English subtitles
Banner – Neo studios
Directed by Saptaswa Basu
Produced by Neo Studios (Priti Basu & Saptaswa Basu)
Written by Rini Ghosh and Saptaswa Basu
Music by Dabbu, Raz Dee, Aviraj & Chirantan
NETWORK – Bengali film with English subtitles
You are under surveillance
