Boka Bakshote Bondi Review: Hoichoi’s latest release is a psychological drama that takes you by surprise. The streaming platform has been steadily releasing a ton of content over the last few years which has left us entertained thoroughly.
- Directed by Debaloy Bhattacharya, this series is a psychological drama.
- The series stars Solanki Roy, Neel Bhattacharya, Shoumo Banerjee, Alivia Sarkar, Riya Ganguly, Mousumi Saha, and others.
- There are 6 episodes in the series, each with a runtime of around 20 minutes.
– No Spoilers –
Boka Bakshote Bondi Plot
When Aupala’s happiness surrounding her last working day as an actress comes crashing down after her resignation is rejected, she finds herself transported to the world of her daily soap from where she must fight her way out to go back to her real life.
Boka Bakshote Bondi Review
When Boka Bakshote Bondi starts its first episode, it paints a vivid and warm picture of Aupala’s life and her motivations. We are not burdened with a long backstory, but it’s enough to paint her as an independent and happy woman who wants to leave her job behind in order to start something new. Her (real) life is picture-perfect but it’s clear that she’s had enough of her job – it doesn’t fulfill her life anymore. Thus, when she receives news that her resignation has been revoked, she and the audience are all left heartbroken for her.
This isn’t a thriller or a supernatural watch and thus, when we suddenly find Aupala in her daily soap world, you know she is having a mental breakdown. Stuck in a situation from which she wants to get away and has her boundaries constantly pushed, audiences will relate to her plight and be left in a whirlwind trying to figure out how she can get out of such a situation. because, at the end of the day, her need for peace is something that we all desire.
Also Read: Bad Cop Review: Gulshan Devaiah Stars in Lukewarm Thriller
The weight of being stuck in a workplace from where you see no escape is definitely a traumatic experience many have gone through and the mental load that it can have is given context in small doses. It’s an interesting conversation to have – although she is making choices as an adult, is it really her choice? Although we see her and her husband sharing a sweet bond, are the nuanced pressures that she is under contributing to her decisions? And is that somehow connected to her past? Some of these answers we get and some we are meant to piece together but when we finally reach the end, there’s something missing.
Boka Bakshote Bondi definitely discusses the different questions one can have while watching the series but there are still a few left that make us question the validity of Aupala’s experience. We are left to wonder about the two months and the convenience with which it’s written off by the show – as if having an out-of-body experience and being lost in the show isn’t something that the others around her wouldn’t realise. The ending, the explanation, and everything in episode 6 needed a bit more finesse to either make us emotional or shocked but the series takes an odd middle route that feels half-baked.
That being said, I think Solanki Roy is as fantastic as Aupala/Shondamoni. You feel her heartbreak, her desperation, and her need to live a normal life away from the fanfare in every scene. There are moments in the series when Aupala’s desperation feels real, so much so that when you reach the end, the disappointment of not nailing the ending does stick with you.
However, one thing that I found quite amusing is the over-the-top (but very “normal”) reactions, music, and cinematography in the soap, when Aupala is trying to figure out what is happening and what is real in between her real and reel life. The meta aspect of it wasn’t lost on me and I think I really enjoyed watching the series because it tried to say something important while also adding a touch of spice to the mix. The storyline and the message are on-point and even though it doesn’t quite nail landing, I think viewers will appreciate where the series is coming from.
Final Thoughts
Although the ending could’ve been better, I think the storytelling and the messaging of Boka Bakshote Bondi are interesting and impactful. I liked how dramatic it sometimes gets while also keeping things grounded and giving us a simple yet solid backstory for our protagonist to hold on to, leaving us hooked till the end of the runtime.
Also Read: Gobhir Joler Maach Season 2 Review: Convoluted Storyline Doesn’t Get Better