Prohelika: An ambitious yet underwhelming mystery
With a menacing and sombre mystery at its core, "Prohelika" has you in its clutches, anchoring you down to its bitter moments. This is Chayanika Chowdhury's second directorial project, starring Shobnom Bubly and boasting the return of Mahfuz Ahmed to the silver screen.
It's a solidly performed thriller movie but not so smartly structured. The narrative is inconsistent. The main characters' romantic story does not get enough buildup to make their chemistry believable. The twists and turns were quite predictable, especially for someone familiar with this genre. At times, the blaring music overpowered the tension and grimness.
Bubly is astounding as Arpa, conjuring up charm when needed and tapping into the sadness underneath all that performative confidence. Mahfuz's acting prowess stole the limelight for the entire duration of the movie. His character seemed naïve from the get-go but slowly unearthed the twisted madness as the movie progressed.
Nasir Uddin Khan beautifully played the role of a cutthroat villain who also dealt with trauma from his childhood. Rashed Mamun Apu, as the chief policeman, was very conniving and creepy, all of which falls apart as he encounters the truth.
The costume choice was exquisite, especially for Bubly, as she dazzled in various types of saris and extravagant jewelry.
The social web of exploitation that female sex workers get entangled in is one of the main talking points of this film. Openness about intimacy is typically a minefield in a conservative country like Bangladesh. But the movie is at its strongest in showing us the tormenting process of Arpa losing her inhibitions, being vulnerable, and fighting for what she believes in. Arpa showcased confidence and resilience despite having an agonizing past that still haunts her. She does not feel seen, but that does not bog down her hopes. Even though her whirlwind romance with Mahfuz's complicated character Mona is short-lived, she gives her best. A very unsatisfying revelation robbed the couple of their fairytale ending.
The frenetic movement of the camera, coupled with intense zooms, immerses the audience. The cinematography accentuated the story as it created an unsettling atmosphere and elicited suspense as we wait along with the character to find the answers to the mystery.
There were several motifs in the movie, such as one of the guys donning brightly colored and floral shirts at all times, whereas Mahfuz wore only plain t-shirts, which created a juxtaposition between the real nature of the characters and their ulterior motives.
"Megher Nouka Tumi" and "Hridoy Diye" are two of the most popular songs of this movie, which garnered much attention from the audience. The locations at which these songs and the overall movie were shot were extraordinarily beautiful.
A little too keen to solve its jagged puzzle, the movie moves too quickly towards the end. "Eyes can be deceiving" is a theme that has floated across many scenes from the beginning of the film, and that is exactly what the climax mirrored. The plot had more potential than what was realized. Regardless, it's still a movie that can be entertaining and thrilling to watch.