Witness the magic created by India’s wonder woman

By Bollywood Onlooker

We know Konkona Sen Sharma as the ultra talented, sensational actress who has proven herself time and again with every role that she takes up. While the wait for Lipstick Under My Burkha to hit the screens goes on, Konkona now takes up the role of a director and presents the vintage styled thriller, A Death In The Gunj. 

Based on a real life story, and a novel written by Sen Sharma’s father, A Death In The Gunj is the story of a family who go to their parents’ old house with their friends. Over a span of one week, a series of events build up to a finale which is pretty evident from the title of the film. The film has a lot of characters, and there’s no lead or supporting role here because every character is equally important to the story, and boasts of a good screen time. 

Konkona Sen Sharma does not have the liberty to give a  whole background detail to each character, but still it is surprising how wonderfully she gets the audience acqainted with them. 20 minutes into the film and we are enjoying their holiday trip as much as they are and relating with every character in one way or the other. This is a huge victory for Sen Sharma because she has got the audience hooked to her narrative. 

Another major brilliance of A Death In The Gunj is its production design and art direction. The old age, Anglo-Indian setting feel emanates an essence so beautiful, just like that of Banaras in Mukti Bhawan. The deserted town, forest areas and grasslands are well captured. The interiors of the house are so accurately depicted, including the doors and old guns and windows etc. Hats off for this job! 

There are numerous watch-out-for moments in the film. Konkona Sen Shama’s creates many picturesque frames. I love the importance she gives to family scenes and group conversations and how naturally she handles them. The pace of the film is perfect. The only minor flaw being in the character sketch of Shuttu, as she leaves some questions unanswered. 

The entire cast of A Death In the Gunj have done an outstanding job. But for me, Vikrant Massey remains the standout performer. I admit after watching this film that I am now a HUGE fan of this young actor. His body language, command over his voice, and screen presence is charming, to say the least. Ranvir Shorey and the late Om Puri are a natural. Rhea Chakraborty, Gulshan Devaiya and Kalki Koechlin pull off their roles with supreme confidence. 

Another positive for A Death In The Gunj is the background music. Watch out for the tribal song where everyone dances with the local people. Smartly used by Konkona Sen Sharma. 

Final word – 

A Death In The Gunj is a MUST WATCH for its unique storytelling, amazing production design, Sen Sharma’s smart direction and the entire cast’s (especially Vikrant Massey) powerful performances. 

Rating – 4.5/5