Uronchondi review: A visual treat that lacks an engaging storyline

Uronchondi marks the debut of the director, Abhishek Saha, and two young artistes Rajnandini Paul and Amartya Ray.

Technically, Uronchondi is a fresh film made with brave efforts and contains stunning performances by the artistes. The director definitely celebrates the road and the physical journey of the artistes througout, but he achieves more success in magnifying the beauty of rural Bengal and its earthy treasures.

The film begins with Meenu (Rajnandini Paul), a newly-wed bride, running away from her in-laws. She plans to hitchhike her way to Situr, where her lover Gobindo is apparently waiting for her. The lorry she rides in is driven by Chhotu (Amartya Ray), and Bindi (Sudipta Chakraborty) is also travelling in it. Soon Meenu’s desperate need to unite with her lover lands her in trouble and she gradually learns that Bindi is also running away from her home in order to escape domestic abuse. The journey hereon takes certain twists and the number of people onboard the lorry too increases.

Do they reach their respective destinations or do they settle on a never ending journey?

According to Saha, the film showcases the brave attempt to break free from a staggering lifestyle and a journey without a destination. However, one cannot deny that there is an attempt to narrate three victimised women's quest to find freedom, and the problem lies in there.

The storyline turns out to be way too simple and it doesn’t generate much anticipation for most of the time. The twists are mostly predictable and abrupt, and don’t leave a lasting impression on the viewers. Also, Uronchondi shifts from being a feminist narrative to a road film that lacks adventure.

The director, perhaps, has avoided intensifying the pace to retain the essence of a continuous journey, but the strategy has rendered the film to be quite boring in the first half. Uronchondi contains the intriguing elements only in the sequences nearing the climax and the plot takes a lot of time to build up as well.

Uronchondi trailer promises an impactful story with strong characters

On the other hand, the film offers stunning visuals as the lorry meanders through the villages of Bengal. The forests, red soil on the two sides of the road, the dawn and the dusk scenes bring the rural Bengal alive before the audience.

At the same time, Saha has also incorporated folk dance forms (Chhou Dance), folk festivals and a few rural practices in the storyline cleverly. This connection also becomes significant when the women decide on engaging with rural crafts and skills on their way to rediscovering themselves.

The two pillars of the film are Sudipta Chakraborty and the lorry itself. Chakraborty proves her brilliance regardless of the script or the plot progression. She becomes the embodiment of the raw emotions and earthy identity of village folks. She is both subtly and aggressively intense according to the demand of the sequences. The scene in which, she drinks to the brim and dances without any constraints, deserves special mention.  

Rajnandini Paul is natural and spontaneous as a newcomer. Amartya Ray maintains a consistent temperament throughout. Chitra Sen as the aged Sabitri, rejected and humiliated by her sons, leaves a proof of her experiences in the emotional sequences with intense expressions.

The technical aspects of the film are evidently the stronger ones. Without Soumik Haldar’s insightful and appropriate camerawork, the film wouldn’t have achieved half of its visual finesse. More than the storyline, Haldar’s camera chases the intensity in the plot and brings it to the fore.

Editor Sujay Dutta Ray is the director's confidante in shaping up his vision to perfection. Art director Tanmoy Chakraborty deserves praise for depicting the thriving rural culture. Stylist Hena Munshi has also done a commendable job in making the characters look convincing in their appearances.

Debojyoti Mishra’s background score maintains a haunting mood throughout the film. He enhances one of the chasing scenes to a great deal with the throbbing of drums.

Saha deserves credit for commencing his journey with an unusual concept and for shooting the film outdoors entirely. However, he could have definitely gone to the depth in lending more shades to the characters and the events. The film lives up to the expectation of offering a visual treat, but not in terms of delivering an engaging storyline.