Chittagong Rating: 3.36/5
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Chittagong Movie Review
Ratings:3/5 Chittagong Review by Rajeev Masand Site:CNN IBN (IBNlive)Chittagong, directed by Bedabrata Pain, is a story culled straight out of history books, yet the film is so loaded with heart that it easily resonates with you. the film’s greatest strength is that while it salutes the fervor with which the revolutionaries took on the administration, it never lets us forget that this army was mostly made up of mere school children. Their intent is brave, but their fear is palpable – handling weapons they never have before, the dread over the act of killing, and even the idea that they will have to lay down their young lives for the sake of their motherland. It is in capturing these details with an understated hand that makes Chittagong seem so real.Shot ever so beautifully, Chittagong is a textured film, but too many songs and an overlong narrative causes your attention to dither towards the end. Pain, an ex-NASA scientist, makes a confident debut with this moving drama. I’m going with three out of five for Chittagong. It’s a significant film that’s worthy of your time.Visit Site for more
Ratings:3.5/5 Chittagong Review by Taran Adarsh Site:Bollywood Hungama
What makes you connect instantaneously with CHITTAGONG is the fact that it highlights the victory of the ordinary people. Also, it's a heartening take on one of the splendid chapters of India's struggle for independence, not just focusing on the iconic heroes. It also drives home an extremely valid point: The common man can script a victory.The drama, the tension, the fury... it's all there in CHITTAGONG. The cinematic endeavor of a real-life incident succeeds in moving you, just like its characters. Most importantly, what translates on celluloid is extremely captivating, truly enlightening and exceptionally inspiring. In short, CHITTAGONG salutes the heroes who fought valiantly for India's freedom and also evokes patriotic feelings. Every genuine effort needs to be encouraged, appreciated and applauded. CHITTAGONG is one such experience.On the whole, CHITTAGONG is a film of immense significance. Much like some of the hi-concept films that left an indelible impression on the minds of viewers, CHITTAGONG should also last longer in the hearts of cineastes. Not to be missed!
Ratings:3/5 Chittagong Review by Raja Sen Site:Rediff
It is, as a result, hard to shake the theatricality off, which is Chittagong's biggest problem. Pain's script is a bit too simplistic and makes the film often feel emotionally overwrought, the heavy-handed background score not helping its cause.So incredible and stunning are the historical facts on their own that they didn't need cinematic theatricality. A dryer, more subtle film built atop these facts -- this unbelievably meaty and patriotic story -- could have been far more effective, perhaps even a masterpiece. And while Chittagong falls well short of being a great film, it can't help but be an important one. And Pain keeps it honest.Visit Site for more
Ratings:3.5/5 Review by Srijana Mitra Das Site:Times Of India (TOI)
This is a serious film - but far from somber, a tongue-tied Nirmal blushingly telling Priti, "Mujhe tumhare pyaar karne ki - matlab, larne ki shiddat bahut pasand hai," the brigade's youthful high spirits including stripping British guards and making them do utthak-baithak, and finally, the real 'Jhunku' or Subodh Roy talking about his life's most amazing experience. Like a Chittagong orchid, the movie takes time to blossom - but when it does, it's beautiful. And pleases a certain master.
Ratings:---- Review by Komal Nahta Site:ETC
in spite of having so many characters and stories, the film moves at a slow pace. The climax is engaging and some scenes bring out the emotions effectively. Piyush Mishra’s dialogues are good and suit the characters. On the whole, Chittagong is a beautifully made film with a simple and patriotic tale of simple villagers. However, people seeking entertainment may not be interested in the film. Those looking for a meaningful story with great performances will like it. It will win more acclaim than box-office rewards.Visit Site for more
Ratings:4/5 Review by Saibal Chatterjee Site:NDTV
Chittagong certainly isn't a drab and dreary history lesson. It manages to be a gripping human drama without being either a sweeping Hollywood-style adventure or a Bollywood-inflected patriotic saga cranked up to a defeaning pitch for easy consumption.Thanks to its restrained tenor, the sustained subtlety of its storytelling devices and its elegiac undertone, Chittagong should rank among the more distinctive feature films made on India's war of independence. An absolute must watch.Visit Site for more
Ratings:3/5 Review by Shabana Ansari Site:DNA
Chittagong is a well-crafted period film, understated and restrained in parts, and a far cry from the poorly-researched costume dramas that are often peddled in the name of historical films in Bollywood.One gets transported to a different time and place where the fight for independence took precedence over everything else.With photography by Eric Zimmerman, sound design by Resul Pookutty and editing by Aldo Velasco, Chittagong is a history lesson that should not be missed! Verdict: Well-crafted and compelling.Visit Site for more
Ratings:3.5/5 Review by Shubhra Gupta Site: Indian Express
The turbulent decade of the 30s was seeing ‘krantikaris’ revving up, fighting for their rights in whichever way they had available to them, with indomitable will and courage. This is what plays out in ‘Chittagong’, which despite a few raw edges and some disconnected stutters, delivers a felt plot and an emotional wallop. I had wet eyes in the end. You can see the story and the performances shine through.This is a film that needs watching, because if we don’t, we will forget. And that would be tragic.Visit Site for more
