Detective Review : Earnest performances that deserved better handling

Detective is the latest OTT entry in the ever-growing list of detective/investigative/crime thrillers on Bengali OTT platforms. It scores a tad better than most, with equal doses of humour, thrill and patriotism, since it is set in the British era. The story, which is by Rabindranath Tagore, keeps you hooked, though the screenplay and direction could have been better.

The big letdown in the entire series is the way the climax is shot. It is interesting but the dramatic parts required deft handling. The plot goes a little awry and gives a feeling that the makers trying to end the scene in a hurry. The screenplay has evidently been written for Anirban and despite the jumpy scenes and poorly executed action scenes, the supporting cast rises to the challenge.

Anirban Bhattacharya is definitely the star of the show. He plays Mahim with ease and obvious delight. He lapses into a peculiar accent whenever he speaks English and also makes it believable. There are plenty of LOL moments between him and Ambarish, which do not appear forced. Ambarish holds his own beside Anirban and lends able support with his comic timing. Ishaa is subtle in the portrayal of her character and one wishes she would be a little more emphatic in certain scenes. She has a pleasant screen presence. Shaheb does a good job of the little screen time he gets and is convincing as a Swadeshi student. He looks every bit the young character he plays.
The dialogues in the film are as impactful as the story itself. But that's also because it is adapted from a Tagore story. The mood often changes from comic to aggressive to affectionate and the director tries his best to keep the interwoven plot lines clean. But the result is not up to the mark because the cinematography and art direction is quite amateurish.

There is an effort to stick to period details. There is mention of the Sati ritual being abolished, reinforced by the presence of the boisterous window, Sneho, who loves her card games and her banter while wearing her long hair with ease.

The music could have literally lifted up the film and production values could have been better— but the camera rarely moves. Even the set looks straight out of a college play at times and the so-called outdoor scenes are amateurish.

But you would be tempted to forgive these issues, thanks to Anirban’s performance. This is his film (originally meant as a series) and he gives us a character that is memorable.