Emperor Vs. Sarat Chandra

Emperor vs Sarat Chandra is a complete justification of the saying 'history repeats itself'. Through Sarat Chandra and his character Sabyasachi Mullick, one can see how resistance, dissent and protest work in two different ways. Emperor vs Sarat Chandra is definitely a movie that one needs to watch, especially now when pockets of India is burning, again.

Emperor vs Sarat Chandra is an engaging watch that brings a significant chapter of literary history to life. Its treatment of creative freedom, conviction and public responsibility feels relevant without being heavy-handed. The film may have its occasional lulls, but it ultimately leaves one reflecting on the courage it takes to stand by one's beliefs, especially when doing so comes at a cost.

Unfortunately, despite an intriguing premise and an ambitious narrative approach, Srijit Mukherji fails to make the most of the material. Emperor vs Sarat Chandra struggles to hold the viewer's attention after a point, which is disappointing for a Srijit Mukherji film.

A fascinating legend, not titillating gossip! How did Srijit Mukherji bring to the screen, entirely factual and without artifice, Emperor vs Sarat Chandra—the story of the banned novel 'Pather Panchali' and the turbulent ups and downs of the author Sarat Chandra's colourful life?

Srijit's ambitious tale subsumes a plethora of characters from history and literature with audacious endeavour, concentrating on authenticity rather than luscious lavishness. While the film-within-film format raises questions about whether the two tracks might have worked better as separate films, the interiorization of characters' struggles and uniformly engaging performances, particularly Tota Roy Chowdhury's disappearance into Sarat Chandra and Abir Chatterjee's disguises, demonstrate admirable craftsmanship.

Srijit Mukhopadhyay's brilliant talent has accomplished something unprecedented in this film. The creator Sarat Chandra and his explosive, earth-shaking, British-lashing creation 'Pather Panchali'—Srijit has woven them together inseparably into one thread! This film will flow through the Bengali mind. It will not fade.