Surongo: Slow-paced with breathtaking visuals
A special screening of the recently released movie Surongo was hosted by the producers at the Sony Square Star Cineplex, Mirpur in the capital on 8 July
Surongo begins with a beautiful village market nestled amidst majestic hills which looks reminiscent of a Bollywood film because the locations were akin to India's seven sisters states. And an intense romantic scene between the protagonists Masud (played by Afran Nisho) and Moyna (played by Tama Mirza), setting the tone for the narrative to unfold.
In the village, Masud works as an electrician, who ties the knot with Moyna.
Masud's character evoked a range of emotions from the audience, who laughed, cried and enthusiastically applauded Nisho's performance. It was through his exceptional craftsmanship, the actor convincingly portrayed the story of a naive electrician, compelled to dig a tunnel.
As the story progressed, Masud's character gradually evolved.
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It is worth mentioning that Nisho's performance exceeded expectations. It was particularly his subtle expressions and impeccable dialogue delivery that stood out and left a lasting impression. However, the same cannot be said about Tama – it was evident that between the two, she was the weaker link. Her performance screamed artificial at best and amateur at worst.
In fact, even the audience whispered similar comments.
Speaking of details in the movie, the costume design department really dropped the ball here. Moyna's outfits, in some scenes, were impractical showing no resemblance to a typical 'village' wardrobe. Rather it looked like Moyna dressed for the urban Dhaka. And to top off the hilarious decisions by the costume design department, Moyna looked even more out of place given that the storyline focused on the economic crisis faced by Masud and Moyna's family.
Additionally, it was Moyna's greed for money which sowed the seeds of discord between the couple. And to add insult to injury, Masud and the rest of the characters' costumes suited well in the village setting.
Returning to the movie, during the first half of the story, the pacing seemed a bit slow.
When Masud made the decision to dig a tunnel from his house leading to a bank, the sentiment in the cinema hall shifted. That was when the audience realised that beyond the romance, the actual plot of the movie had started to unfold. Depressingly, it took the director a minute to bring the audience to the main plot – reflective of the slow agonizing pace of the movie.
At the beginning of the second half of the movie, Masud was almost on the verge of robbing the bank. However, a climax awaits the audience. And this is where the plot really thickens.
Eventually, Shahiduzzaman Selim appeared in the film as the chief investigating officer. After his appearance, it seemed like new life was breathed into the movie. And that successfully energized the audience. Selim nailed his character's 'chatgaiyya' accent – cementing his solid performance report.
The stunning cinematography and masterful use of colour in the film truly mesmerised the audience. The carefully crafted shots and exquisite colour palette added depth and visual richness to every frame, immersing the audience in a breathtaking visual journey.
Most of the moments of the movie had a background score which complemented the scenes.
In a nutshell, 'Surongo' takes audiences on a thrilling journey from romance to robbery.
Many distinguished personnel including the director Raihan Rafi and lead actors Afran Nisho and Tama Mirza, and a few journalists and critics were in attendance at the 8 July screening.
