Film Review: Monchora – The Heart Stealer (2016)

On Scene The World, I’ve often noted the linguistic diversity of Indian cinema, a theme that interests me greatly. So when I stumbled upon the 2016 Bengali film, Monchora – The Heart Stealer, I was extra excited, as I had never seen a film in that language (and it was fun to hear the slight variations between Bengali and Hindi, which share ancestral roots). In Bengali or not, however, the film was an entertaining watch and I’d highly recommend it!

Monchora’s plot centers around a family, a priceless family jewel, and a thief they welcome into their home as a personal secretary.

More specifically, Dibakar is a man who turned to stealing after his mother died in poverty. When Nanda catches him stealing from her family home, she offers him a job instead of jail, in the hope that he will turn from his former ways.

Manmatho, Nanda’s brother, is madly in love with a woman who seeks his family’s fortune and manipulates him toward this end.

And Paran, an astrologer and the grandfather of Nanda and Manmatho, spends much of his time brooding over the safety of the jewel while in total ignorance of much that goes on within his home.

Monchora’s plot and delivery feel a bit like an Oscar Wilde play (The Importance of Being Ernest and An Ideal Husband come to mind), and I can imagine the story lending itself well to the stage. And like a Wilde play, with a just few characters and a bit of intrigue, it explores themes such as trust, love, familial obligation, and redemption.

All in all, Monchora is a pleasant and entertaining experience. While not a winding thriller or a dramatic romance, it falls into a more relaxed category somewhere between the two.

This trailer has English subtitles!

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