Asche Abar Shabor OTT Release Date, Plot, Cast, and Expectations

The great detective Bengali drama Asche Abar Shabor (Here Comes Shabor Again), the third installment in the Detective Shabor series, has recently been renewed, aiming to bring the captivating character to the screen. While the endeavor to portray ACP Shabor Dasgupta deserves appreciation, the film itself falls short due to subpar writing, an agonizingly slow pace, lackluster characters, and the notorious curse of the second half.

Bengali literature boasts a rich tradition of detective stories, with a constellation of brilliant sleuths and goendas (detectives). Amidst this stellar lineup, Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay’s creation, ACP Shabor Dasgupta, has remained relatively unnoticed, overshadowed by his dazzling counterparts like Feluda and Byomkesh Bakshi.

In recent years, however, the surge in bringing Bengal’s detectives to the silver screen, championed by director Arindam Sil, has shed some light on the character of Shabor Dasgupta. Sil himself has remarkably directed five detective films within a span of three years. Asche Abar Shabor marks the third film in his Detective Shabor series. Despite the commendable effort to spotlight this criminally underrated character, the film disappoints due to weak writing, a sluggishly paced narrative, underdeveloped characters, and the all-too-familiar curse that haunts the second half.

Asche Abar Shabor OTT Release Date, Plot, Cast, and Expectations

Film	Asche Abar Shabor
Director	Arindam Sil
Producer	Shrikant Mohta, Mahendra Soni, Nilotpal Mukherjee
Screenwriter	Arindam Sil
Starring	Prosenjit Chatterjee, Anirban Bhattacharya, Rituparna Sengupta, Raima Sen, Kharaj Mukherjee
Genre	Detective drama
Country	India
Language	Bengali
Release Date	In 2023
Runtime	136 minutes
Streaming Platform	ZEE 5

Asche Abar Shabor: Plot

Adapted from the story “Prajapatir Mrityu O Punorjanmo” (The Death and Reincarnation of a Butterfly) by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, the film sets off with a series of brutal rapes and murders committed against beautiful young women, each crime bearing an identical signature. ACP Shabor Dasgupta is summoned to investigate, immersing himself in the dark and fragile realm of teenage romance, dysfunctional families, and unbridled desires. The film reaches its climax with a jarring and overtly preachy resolution, as Shabor Dasgupta brings the criminal to justice.

To Sil’s credit, the first half of the film manages to maintain the audience’s attention, building a sense of intrigue and curiosity. Like myself, viewers find themselves captivated by a “let’s-see-where-this-is-going” sentiment. However, the film falters in the second half, where subtlety is sacrificed for unnecessary chase sequences and overpowering background scores.

Even the humor, a highlight of the initial segments, feels out of place. As with many films of this genre, the primary flaw lies in the writing. The film’s duration could have been significantly trimmed, as the visuals struggle to convey their intended impact. Instead, the filmmakers bombard the audience with an excess of questions, attempting to keep the puzzle fresh. Unfortunately, this approach only muddies the narrative, leading to disinterest among viewers.

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The film’s makers prioritize bombarding the audience with a barrage of questions rather than letting the visuals speak for themselves. Unfortunately, this approach becomes increasingly convoluted and ultimately fails to sustain our interest.

However, amidst the shortcomings, Saswata Chatterjee’s performance as the unyielding detective Shabor Dasgupta is an absolute delight to behold. His portrayal feels authentic, and I found myself wholeheartedly rooting for him throughout a significant portion of the film. Chatterjee’s delivery of poker-faced wit, infused with the perfect blend of sarcasm and critique, stands out as the true triumph of the movie.

The lighthearted banter he shares with his assistant, Sub-Inspector Nandalal Roy (brilliantly played by Subhrajeet Dutta), provides the film’s most memorable moments. One can’t help but imagine a version of the film where the mystery takes a backseat, allowing these two characters—the mentor and his protégé—to engage in a rib-tickling conversation for the duration of the movie. Such an approach would have undoubtedly resulted in a more enjoyable experience.

The Bengali film director Raj Chakraborty has dropped a new poster that shows a dark broken wall from which bricks are coming out. The wall has covered with several no entry placards. On the opposite side of the wall, the great detective Shobor is standing and observing closely that portion of the wall. The tragedy is the face of the actor has been covered. We know that Saswata Chatterjee is playing the lead role of Shobor, still, we have to wait for the final confirmation.

Asche Abar Shabor: Cast

Among the cast, Saswata Chatterjee shines as the hard-nosed detective, Shabor Dasgupta. Chatterjee’s performance is compelling, and throughout the film, I found myself rooting for his character. His poker-faced demeanor, laced with subtle sarcasm and witty banter, stands out as the film’s true triumph. The delightful exchanges between Chatterjee’s Shabor Dasgupta and his assistant, Sub-Inspector Nandalal Roy, played wonderfully by Subhrajeet Dutta, provide some of the most memorable moments. One can’t help but wish that the film revolved solely around their camaraderie, with two hours dedicated to their rib-tickling conversations. Such an approach would undoubtedly have resulted in a more enjoyable cinematic experience.