Sathi (2002) Bengali Movie Review: Jeet and Priyanka Trivedi's Top Notch On-Screen Chemistry

Haranath Chakraborty's directorial Bengali romantic drama Sathi, starring Jeet, Priyanka Trivedi, and Ranjit Mallick in the lead roles and Kanchan Mullick, Pushpita Mukherjee, Shyamal Dutta, Anamika Saha, Rajesh Sharma, Sumitra Mukherjee in the supporting roles was released in theaters on June 14, 2002. Produced by Shree Venkatesh Films (now SVF Entertainment), the film is the official remake of Director Ezhil’s film "Thulladha Manamum Thullum," starring Thalapathy Vijay and Simran.

The movie begins with a scene from a train station where Bijoy Roy (Jeet) catches the train after a sprint, having just missed it. During the journey, he encounters a group of people headed for musical tours in Kolkata. When asked about his reason for traveling to Vizag, Bijoy reveals he has just been released from jail after serving a five-year sentence.

He starts recounting his past, which begins with a performance at a local function in Nandanpur that garners praise from the audience. A cassette company owner promises him an opportunity to sing in Kolkata and gives him a card to visit. However, upon reaching Kolkata, Bijoy discovers the owner has passed away. Lost and unsure of where to go, he finds refuge with Keshto Da (Ranjit Mallick).

Sonali (Priyanka Trivedi) arrives at her grandmother’s house near Bijoy's residence as her music college is nearby. Upon hearing Bijoy sing, she becomes an instant fan, despite not having seen him. She suggests to her college teacher that they invite him to perform at their college function. However, Keshto Da refuses to provide his contact details.

Despite Sonali's admiration for Bijoy's singing talent, she repeatedly encounters him in unfavorable circumstances. At times, she finds him engaged in fights on the roadside; other times, he's subjected to public beatings for watching events while seated on a wall beside the ladies’ toilet. On another occasion, he's confronted by the public inside a bus for his misbehavior. Will Sonali ever understand Bijoy’s love for her?

Sathi proved to be a game-changer for the Bengali Film Industry and the individuals associated with it. With a box office collection of nearly Rs 10 crores, it became the highest-grossing Bengali film of 2002. Surprisingly, even after nearly 22 years, the film still ranks within the top 10 highest-grossing Bengali films of all time. The film marked the acting debut of Superstar Jeet in the Bengali film industry and his first collaboration with director Haranath Chakraborty and actress Priyanka Trivedi.

Jeet, portraying Bijoy, delivered a career-best performance in this film, impressing with his dialogue delivery, expressions, romantic scenes, and action sequences. The chemistry between Jeet and Priyanka Trivedi is another highlight of the film.

Priyanka Trivedi, as Sonali, also delivered her career-best performance. Despite being her 5th Bengali film, her portrayal overshadowed her previous roles. Haranath Chakraborty deserves appreciation for the brilliant execution and for harnessing the full potential of both actors. Ranjit Mallick, as Keshto Da, delivered a convincing performance, with his bond with Bijoy and comedic scenes leaving a mark.

The music composition by S.P Venkatesh was highly impressive, with songs like “O Bondhu Tumi Shunte Ki Pao”, “Ei Gaan Moner Khatate”, and “Ei Bhalobasha Tomakei Pete Chay” still resonating with audiences on various occasions. The editing by Swapan Guha and the cinematography by V. Prabhakar were commendable.

Supporting actors such as Pushpita Mukherjee, Anamika Saha, Rajesh Sharma, and Sumitra Mukherjee delivered decent performances. However, Kanchan Mullick and Shyamal Dutta had limited impact due to their roles lacking depth. With a runtime of nearly 3 hours, the narrative's pace occasionally slows down.