‘The Storyteller’ Movie Review: A Perfect Ode to Satyajit Ray’s Short Story

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There are many films that leave a really good aftertaste long after the film is over. Usually, such films are feelgood pieces that bring a smile to your face. Sometimes bittersweet endings also give us an odd sense of satisfaction. Ananth Mahadevan’s new film, The Storyteller, is one such cinema that could feel like a slow burn, but we end up enjoying the process of the film rather than worrying about anticipating how the film might end. Starring Adil Hussain and Paresh Rawal in the lead roles, the film releases on Jiostar on 28th January 2025. 

Based on the short story ‘Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro’ by Satyajit Ray, The Storyteller is the story of two men from very different walks of life who come together for a very unique reason. Tarini Bandyophadyay, working for a publishing house in Kolkata, is a dyed in the wool communist who is looking forward to a new adventure post-retirement. Tarini moves to Ahmedabad on coming across a newspaper advertisement that claimed a man was looking for a ‘storyteller.’ The man happens to be a rich businessman, Ratan Garodia, who claims to be suffering from chronic insomnia and wants to hear stories he can doze off to. Both men find a middle ground, bonding over their love for stories, and begin to adjust to each other’s cultures. Tarini, a voracious reader, becomes friends with a librarian, and they converse over their love for books and their authors. Is Ratan what he portrays himself to be, or is he taking advantage of an old man and his love for storytelling?

The film is hardly two-hours-long but remains charming from start till the end. Despite the awkward nature of the conversation between Ratan and Tarini, both seem to have a brotherly chemistry. The writing beautifully focuses on how both are culturally very different, yet they begin to adjust with each other without any fuss. Ratan, a vegetarian, is fine with Tarini requesting the cook to make fish, and the guest does a good job adjusting to the sweet and salty vegetarian cuisine of Gujarat. These differences also help the audience realize that not many people on the Western side of the country know much about the people living in the Eastern part. However, the highlight of the movie has to be the elderly mature men opening up about their feelings with each other. There are no preachy dialogues or monologues about love and relationships, yet a lot is conveyed indirectly. 

The Storyteller is all about vulnerable men expressing their feelings about what they want as they age and head towards the inevitable. These conversations leave a lasting impression. There is another layer of storytelling that discusses taking advantage of people only because they refuse to ask questions. For e.g. the servant at Ratan’s home and the stray cat forced to eat vegetarian food. The writer Kireet Khurana does a fantastic job of explaining the Bengali ethos, which is very intellectually stimulating, while Gujaratis are good businessmen who struggle to get in touch with their emotions to fulfill their lives. 

The emphasis on communism just because Tarini is from Bengal was slightly eye roll-inducing, but we assume since the story is based on Satyajit Ray’s tale, it might have been picked up from the literature itself. It was endearing to watch the Kolkata streets and the modest Bengali homes. The writer does a good job of infusing the love bibliophiles carry with themselves so much so it becomes a second nature of sorts. The constant dilemma between the two leads is portrayed with utmost ease, and the complexity allows the viewers to have different opinions about the ending. This kind of discourse is good for any movie. The juncture at which this question is posed is brilliant. This film is a treat for those who enjoy books, as the screenplay is written like a novel; the audience remains keen to find out what happens next in the characters’ mundane lives. 

The direction by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan feels slow throughout, but there is a reason why the film needed to take its own pace to establish the conflict and the climax. The conflict was brilliantly placed, and the ending was something unique and unexpected, devoid of hate or ego. The cinematography by Alphonse Roy is simple yet effective. As mentioned above, many shots seem like they were taken straight out of our imagination as we keep reading an interesting story. 

Preetam Rai and Bablu Singha’s production design brings back the old-world charm found in Rishikesh Mukherjee movies where the stories are about ordinary people and they have charming, lived-in homes. Hriju Roy’s music takes the movie forward in the right direction. The rightly placed scores add beauty to the story of two men trying to figure each other out. Leaving the best for the last, the performances of the leads, Adil Hussain as Ratan Garodia and actor par extraordinaire, Paresh Rawal as Tarini Bandyophadyay, are magnificent. Adil Hussain as Ratan is a hesitant businessman who is professionally successful while his personal life is in shambles as he struggles to sleep night after night. The pain of him losing the love of his life, him processing the change, and then talking about his feelings and books and the final reveal is a treat to watch. 

Paresh Rawal is an absolute scene stealer in the film, who goes from being a man consumed with the love for books and sharing stories to coming to believe in himself as a person with a talent. It is a treat to watch as well. Paresh Rawal’s diction and body language have been nailed to perfection. He takes the story forward and allows viewers to be consumed in finding out how his arc in The Storyteller would end. 

The Storyteller is an apt ode to Satyajit Ray’s classic tale. The magic of it lies in the journey of the film, and it feels like a sumptuous meal. A must-watch.


Smriti Kannan
Smriti Kannan
Smriti Kannan is a cinema enthusiast, and a part time film blogger. An ex public relations executive, films has been a major part of her life since the day she watched The Godfather – Part 1. If you ask her, cinema is reality. Cinema is an escape route. Cinema is time traveling. Cinema is entertainment. Smriti enjoys reading about cinema, she loves to know about cinema and finding out trivia of films and television shows, and from time to time indulges in fan theories.


 

 

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