Chaman Bahaar: A Movie Review

Chaman Bahaar is a character driven drama movie where we go on a journey of self-destruction with Billu, a paanwala in the outskirts of Mogli district who from the first scene of the movie itself, is in search of his identity. This Netflix Original written and directed by debutant Apurva Dhar Badgaiyann portraits the creepy aashiqui of the village lads who scare the towngirl Rinku played by Ritika Badiani. Billu, whose generations have dedicated themselves to working in forest department lives with his widowed father and opens up the Paan Stall when he's scared to death in his night out at forest duty. 

Throughout the movie, we feel the absence of his mother in his life and that makes us feel emphatic towards him. When Billu realizes that "divide and conquer" fails badly and the "bad mouthing" is the new cool, the movie builds up opening promising plot points troubling the family of girl. Shila and Aashu, played by Alam Khan and Ashwani Kumar are the top goons who indulge themselves in petty bets to get a win over each other. Somu and Chotu by Bhuvan Arora and Dherendra Kumar Tiwari are the sidekicks of Billu, those who create a ruckus of tension between the lads of the village on who's going to win the heart of Rinku. 

The movie sets up an intriguing premise but it's characters let it fall short of the movie it wishes to be. When the characters are yet too realistic that we've seen them somewhere, someplace in our locality, harassing the girls only in the hope of winning them but still feels hollow with the most simplicit of dialogues, you've managed to fail your one purpose of sticking your story to the audience. Music by Mangesh Dhakde and Anshuman Mukherjee might be too simple but makes the best use of the premise. Cinematographer Arkodeb Mukherjee has too little to offer when the entire movie is based on dusty and dirty village. Editor Ujjwal Chandra however doesn't let the movie go too long and does a fine job in making this movie stay within 2 hours of length. The soundtrack does start to feel a lot repitive after an hour or so. 

The movie depends heavily on Jitendra Kumar, his simplistic yet touching acting is challenged when he is asked to portray various emotions at different plot points. And, I must say he does a fine job. The movie is a good one time watch. Uncomfortable chasings of the school girl and the pedopholic nature might get on some viewer's nerves but that's the point, it doesn't glorify the toxicity and punishes the character. If your family is okay with a couple of abuses here and there, it's a time in Netflix.