Bulbbul Movie Review: Child Feminist Tale

Bulbbul movie’s star cast includes Tripti Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, Rahul Bose, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Paoli Dam, Ruchi Mahajan & Varun Paras Buddhadev.

Anvita Dutt was the director of the movie. Bulbbul is currently streaming on Netflix.

Nothing is furious than a confined, beautiful face. A self-contained look and has the power to express her self yet keep herself alone—a person who loves to be an extrovert but suddenly goes silent.

A person and nothing is more dangerous than a woman with these attributes. Adding to that, if her surroundings have some chauvinist, then the situation becomes even worse.

Anvita did make a debut as a Director through Bulbbul and played a gamble, and that gamble worked well in her case. Bulbbul is crafted out from a feature film from the back days of 19th century West Bengal.

This movie has inspired by some horror thriller and supernatural genres. The movie’s plot talks about a girl who got married at a very early age and became a child marriage victim.

She is having a different kind of war, quest, and struggle, which makes her confused when she feels skeptical about the moods she is currently possessing. She has to switch between two perspectives of her.

Bulbbul was a bubbly and cheerful soul who was full of life who loved to create laughter all around the place. When she was at her paternal home, she had a habit of climbing mango trees and stealing raw mangoes. Now the new Bulbbul had to do all the work she was assigned at different stages and levels of time by her in-laws and husband.

Bulbbul lived (her in law’s house) in a big mansion type house called the “Badi Haveli” by the locales.

She lived with her husband, his twin brother, his wife, and a younger brother. Indranil (bulbbul’s husband) had a mentally unfit twin brother.

Anvita did take many references from Rabindra Nath Tagore’s classic film Chokher Bali and Sahib Biwi Aur Gulam.

All the references are taken so that the movie’s uniqueness is safe, and it remains constant as it should have been. There were many points and concerns where the ideas matched and replicated, yet it was quite interesting to see a unique story’s unique side.

Due to our patriarchal society, we see every woman, every girl in the same. Working for us and listening to the elders. Many people follow prevalent ideologies in backward areas. The color schemes and theme is chosen for the film just compliments and a new life to the sets. There was a famous saying in Bengal – “women who cannot be contained by their ‘bichhiyas’ and ‘sindoor,’ need to be controlled.”

All the preachers of patriarchy do follow that still.

Anvita went a bit old school while making this movie as she used the old cliche concept of a witch (chudail) who has her legs twisted backward. Bose, the main lead who was playing the suspicious twin brother role. One is a healthy soul minded person, and the other one with a mentally retarded one. 

The Choti bahu of the house grows old and becomes a woman. While growing up, she finds herself a friend in the form of her brother-in-law (Tiwari). The highlight becomes the smile she carries on her face, which hides millions of things with her.

These small and little bubbles of the movie are a highlight and a treat to watch and look out for. 

Bulbbul is regarded as an old fashioned daughter-in-law who has her roles to play in the house. The story and the plot of the movie have a powerfully feminist touch in it.