Top 5 Bengali Satire Films to Watch Now

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Long back, when I watched Ketan Mehta's "Hero Hiralal", it felt quite funny to see the antics of the protagonist, Hiralal, played flawlessly by Nasiruddin Shah. Now I understand what an advanced form of satire the director had visualized way back in the 80s when generally romantic or drama films were ruling the screens. I was researching and thinking about such satires produced in the Bengali film industry and found quite a few.

1. Hirak Rajar Deshe (1980): This is the first movie that comes to mind when I think about Bengali satires. This story is about the blinding dictatorship of a dominating king who brainwashes the people of his kingdom to just follow his instructions. Although it has been made as an entertaining watch for the young audience, underneath the joy ride of Goopi and Bagha, Satyajit Ray presents a very important political message. The performance of Utpal Dutt as the funny yet absolutely devilish king makes this movie one of the finest in this genre.

2. Bhooter Bhabishyat (2012): This film has an array of multiple satirical tones to it. From Kolkata's obsession with shopping malls and multiplexes to the everlasting feud between West Bengal and East Bengal (popularly called Ghoti vs Bengal), this film touches almost every aspect of Bengali culture with humour. The electrifying performances of an ensemble cast add to the spontaneity and fun of the movie. 

3. Happy Pill (2018): What do we thrive for the most in life? The answer to this simple question is simpler- it is happiness. This movie shows how a man finds an idea to churn out profits from people's obsession with finding happiness. He comes up with a pill and names it Happy Pill that can make everyone happy. This film is a powerful satire that elaborates on the concept of happiness as a conditioning of our mind. Ritwick Chakraborty has given a brilliant performance as the protagonist.

4. Teko ( 2019): We are not new to advertisements that sell products to achieve various unattainable absurd goals, like getting fair skin, achieving the perfect body or, in this case, getting a head full of wavy hair. This film is a satire of companies targeting people's various weaknesses and shortcomings and minting money out of that. Another piece of superb acting by Ritwick Chakraborty takes the film to a new high. 

5. Hobu Chandra Raja Gobu Chandra Mantri (2021): In the land of Bombagarh, the King and Queen are made to see everything around them through rose-tinted glasses by a fraud minister, Hobu Chandra. The people are tortured and mistreated, but the King oversees that as he is every time misled by the minister. This film is a humorous satire with great performances by Saswata Chatterji as King Hobu Chandra and Kharaj Mukherji as Minister Gobu Chandra. It is a sharp political satire of the general state of any country filled with corruption. 



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