BOTTOM LINE
Chilling Bengal Crime Diaries
PLATFORM
RUNTIME
2 hours 30 minutes, 5 Episodes
What Is the Show About?
Ganoshotru is a crime drama that stages the real-life events of five notorious criminals from Bengal, blending their stories with accounts from witnesses, police officers, journalists, and victims across five episodes. The show discusses the stories of Sajal Barui, Kamruzzaman Sarkar, Troilokya Tarini, Rashid Khan, and Hubba Shyamal, detailing their modus operandi, motives, the events that pushed them into a life of crime, and what eventually led to their end.
Analysis
Created by Srimanta Sengupta, Ganoshotru, now streaming on ZEE5, is a staged docu-drama, a first-of-its-kind attempt in the Bengali digital space. It aims to chronicle the region’s tryst with crime, in all its forms, by re-enacting true incidents from the lives of five individuals who collectively shook the confidence of the common man and the system over the years.
Episode 1 – Sajal Barui
Among the most intriguing episodes in the series, it goes back to the 90s when a 16-year-old Sajal Barui murdered his entire family following their repeated mistreatment. Akin to the Krishna-Sisupala myth, he waits to be wronged a thousand times until all hell breaks loose. The episode takes one through the deception during his interrogation, his disturbed childhood, and his life after committing the crime.
The essence of the episode is best summarised by the quote: ‘one can’t choose one’s family, but can afford to do that with friends,’ which Sajal uses to justify involving his friends as accomplices. Barui’s life contained a potpourri of colourful episodes, but the makers encapsulate its core succinctly in under 30 minutes. Ayush Das is an excellent choice to play Barui.
Episode 2 – Kamruzzaman Sarkar
Another compelling episode tells the story of Kamruzzaman Sarkar, a criminal who specifically targeted women wearing red clothes between 12-4 pm in broad daylight when their men were away, later murdering and raping them. The creators attempt to understand his obsession with the colour red and his loveless life back home through the lens of mental health.
The director does a fine job interpreting Sarkar’s trauma while recreating the crime scenes and the domestic events-especially humiliations regarding his manhood – that shaped his worldview. Debopriya Mukherjee’s rugged, authentic avatar works exceedingly well and lends authenticity to the dramatisation. The accounts of people who lived through such turbulence send a shiver down your spine.
Episode 3 – Troilokya Devi
The only female criminal featured in the lineup, Troilokya Devi’s story is old lore in Bengal. She enlisted the help of a man named Kali to mercilessly kill the wealthy and steal from them. Sold to a brothel (in Sonagachi, Kolkata) as a child, she eventually worked her way up in the world of the flesh trade. As she aged and the gifts of youth dried up, she resorted to crime for a livelihood.
The creative choices in filming this episode are particularly interesting, told through the eyes of a sincere officer who himself is nearly seduced by Troilokya’s charm and perceived innocence. Paoli Dam mirrors the emptiness in Troilokya’s existence with elegance, capturing her inner resilience and vulnerabilities, while her views on the crimes and motherhood are particularly captivating.
Episode 4, 5 – Rashid Khan and Hubba Shyamal
In the final set of episodes, an undeniable monotony sets in. The narration loses its spunk, and the recreation is too banal to sustain interest. Rashid Khan’s story has a handful of dramatic elements-the traumatic events in his sister’s life, how he goes on to wield his influence in Bengal, and a shocking end that collapses his empire. The rush to tell the story in under half an hour may have taken a toll on the detailing. Subrat Dutta’s strong screen presence is a positive.
While the Rashid Khan episode still has silver linings, the finale centred on Hubba Shyamal, a ruthless gangster who goes to any length to stay in power, is a genuine disappointment. Apart from the focus on the poite cut (where he slashes a victim diagonally-the method through which he also meets his end) and how cops nab him at a theatre, the staging feels too simplistic and basic. Rudranil Ghosh’s performance as the gangster is strictly okay.
Music and Other Departments?
The technical detailing, from the arresting background score (Amit Chatterjee) to sharp cinematography (Soumyadipta Guin), appropriate production design, and costume styling as per the timelines depicted, brings respectability to the execution and makes the show watchable. The treatment is sensible and sensitive, though the decision to restrict the scope of every episode to 30 minutes denies it adequate depth.
Highlights?
Unique attempt
Generally gripping
Good casting, performances and technical detailing
Drawbacks?
Last two episodes are underwhelming
The rush to end the story within 30 minutes doesn’t help
The personal accounts could’ve been more nuanced
Did I Enjoy It?
Generally, yes
Will You Recommend It?
Only if you can stomach stories of five notorious criminals at once
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Ganoshotru Bengali Series Review by M9
