Dakghor (ডাকঘর) is a Bengali comedy-drama series directed by Abhrajit Sen and stars Suhotra Mukhopadhyay, Ditipriya Roy and Kanchan Mullick in lead roles. The series has 7 episodes, each with a runtime of around 25 minutes.
Hoichoi’s description of the series reads: “Damodar Das comes to the remote village of Hagda as its new postmaster, much to the delight of the villagers. While their simple aspirations and pure emotions slowly do away with Damodar’s reservations, he keeps searching for a sliver of his long-lost childhood.”
– Dakghor Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
Although not following the exact same notes as Rabindranath Tagore’s famous play Dak Ghor, Hoichoi’s Dakghor follows similar routes. The basics of the storyline are similar, and it manages to catch the small-town vibes and warmth rather well. And surprisingly enough, the series is quite heartwarming and funny.
Starring Suhotra Mukhopadhyay as the new postmaster Damodar Das who falls into the lap of a bunch of eclectic villagers who are elated to have someone new around them, the series is rather sweet and innocent. Damodar is new in this setting, and thus, him figuring out and settling into a routine is a rather sweet and sometimes funny watch. Mukhopadhyay plays the role with warmth and care and a vulnerability that is believable.
Dakghor’s story is simple, with an air of mystery surrounding it. It’s mostly thanks to Damodar’s past that remains shrouded in mystery that he is desperate to uncover. Again, it’s a simple premise, and the payoff isn’t that big of a spectacle, but man, it does get its emotions right.
Of course, there is also the love story that we get to witness – the little moments between Damodar and Monjori, their secret glances towards each other, are rather cute to watch. The slow pacing of this relationship is rather believable and somehow also quite pure. Another entertaining part of the series is Kanchan Mullick.
Although Mullick is mostly over-the-top in other medias, but here he totally blends in with the villagers here and is funny most of the time. Damodar takes some time adjusting with the villagers and their lifestyles, and Mullick’s character helps him out, sometimes with hilarious results. The commode bit is just so hilarious; it’s a simple idea, but I laughed every time they talked about it.
Coming to the emotional notes of Dakghor, you feel for the simple Damodar who just wants to find a connection. It’s a subtle mystery that he needs to know in order to find peace, and, as the audience, you are also pulled into it and feel his emotions with him. As mentioned above, Mukhopadhyay brings these notes forward quite adeptly, leaving you hoping he’d catch a break in his life.
My only grip with the story is that its last episode is just so dramatic that it’s sort of cringy. I mean, I get wanting to get over your childhood trauma, but take your cycle on the way. It’s the 21st century; you don’t need to use love and determination to get over a illness that can (and will, if given the option) to kill you. It’s the only part of this series that I found to be rather unnecessary. Otherwise, Dakghor is rather watchable.
Summing Up: Dakghor
Dakghor is the simple story of a village and its postmaster. It’s not a deep show that is trying to make a point or something, but rather, a sweet ride that leaves a smile on your face as you watch it. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and it made me feel rather warm in my heart.
Dakghor is streaming on Hoichoi.
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