Ardhangini (2023) Bengali Movie Review: A compelling family drama with stellar performances

Ardhangini (2023) Cast:

Churni Ganguly, Jaya Ahsan, Kaushik Sen, Ambarish Bhattacharya, Lily Chakraborty, Daminee Benny Basu, Arun Guhathakurata, Haridas Chattopadhyay, Joydeep Mukherjee, Soumitra Basu, Raya Bhattacharya

Release Date:

The film was released in theatres on 2nd June 2023.

Director: Kaushik Ganguly

Music Director: Anupam Roy

Ardhangini (2023) Review: Story & Performances

The story of Ardhangini revolves around Suman Chatterjee (played by Kaushik Sen) who is hospitalized due to a cerebral attack. His ex-wife, Subhra (portrayed by Churni Ganguly), was present at the scene of the accident but decided not to go there as his current wife, Meghna (played by Jaya Ahsan), was already with him.

Subhra informs Suman's youngest brother (Ambarish Bhattacharya), who then visits the hospital. The treatment requires a substantial amount of money, and Meghna is unsure of how to arrange it. Suman's youngest brother suggests that she seek help from Subhra. The rest of the story unravels with many questions: Will Subhra help Meghna? What caused Suman and Subhra to separate?

The film successfully ticks most of the boxes to be considered a compelling family drama. From the writing to the direction, and from the casting to the performances, it excels in many aspects.

After Lokkhi Chele last year, Kaushik Ganguly once again demonstrates his strength in crafting a captivating family drama and executing it almost flawlessly. Particularly noteworthy is the climax scene, where he skillfully presents engaging dialogues between Subhra and Meghna, showcasing his expertise in filmmaking.

Churni Ganguly delivers one of the finest performances of her career in Ardhangini. Her portrayal of Subhra's struggles at every stage, from the period of separation with Suman to the day she discovers him in the hospital, is absolutely brilliant. Kaushik Sen convincingly portrays Suman, and Jaya Ahsan's selection as Meghna is commendable, as she does justice to her character. Ambarish Bhattacharya also delivers a solid performance.

The music composition by Anupam Roy and the background score by Amit Chatterjee are other highlights of Ardhangini. It would be unfair not to mention the contributions of cinematographer Gopi Bhagat and editor Subhajit Singha.