Indubala Bhaater Hotel (ইন্দুবালা ভাতের হোটেল) is a Bengali period drama TV series directed by Debaloy Bhattacharya and stars Subhashree Ganguly, Sneha Chatterjee, Rahul Banerjee, Pratik Dutta, Suhotra Mukhopadhyay, Angana Roy, Debapratim Dasgupta, Mithu Chakrabarty, Parijat Chaudhuri and Debdutta Raha. The series is adapted from Kallol Lahiri’s novel of the same name.
Part 1 has 4 episodes, each with a runtime of around 25 minutes. Part 2 will release on March 24.
Now in her old age, Indubala thinks back on her eventful life as the patrons of her famous restaurant enjoy her scrumptious food, each laced with a painful memory of those who have passed away.
– Indubala Bhaater Hotel Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
There’s something just so familiar and warm about Indubala Bhaater Hotel that you can’t help but be heartbroken by the titular character’s painful life. Every episode is a bitter reminder of women’s struggles and the way they accept their fates (or, at least, used to) after getting married. But that’s not all that there is to the story – there are many layers underneath the struggles of a woman in a bad marriage that creep up effectively in each and every episode.
The underlying issue of being a refugee in a “progressive” society and the stark differences in what is known to be progressive and outdated is reminded every now and then. What makes a person a refugee? Do we ever really stop belonging to our roots? Indubala Bhaater Hotel looks at our roots and what it means to belong somewhere with so much love and emotion that you won’t be able to stop watching the series. Plus, there’s also a look at loneliness and how you can feel lonely even when surrounded by a sea of people.
And it’s not just the story – Subhashree Ganguly encompasses her role beautifully. There’s a pain in her eyes at how her life evolves that will leave you rather heartbroken for our innocent and hopeful Indubala when she gets married. You know what fate awaits for her, but it still hits you like a bag of bricks because, truthfully, you want something different for her. Ganguly plays those notes with much love and care; you do end up watching Indubala, not the actor who plays her.
Death and food go hand in hand in Indubala Bhaater Hotel, and you will be made aware of it a bit too well. Not just death, Indubala’s memories intertwine with the food that she so lovingly prepares for those around her, and that creates a link between her and those who have passed on. The series gives us a glimpse into the titular character through these moments and creates a person who will touch your heart from the very first moment.
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The series is also made very well, and it is evident in all of its frames that much love was poured into making it. The direction and cinematography only make the experience of a great story better, and you feel everything that is happening to the characters in the story through the screen. It’s like looking at someone you care about going through one bad thing after another, and you wait for her to catch a break soon.
That being said, I am yet to understand the point of breaking a show into parts and releasing them over weeks. I mean, sure, I do get it – more people tuning in and whatnot. But gosh darn, does it take away from the watching experience. The series leaves us with a ton of memories to mull over until next time, but will we be able to hold on to these feelings until the next episode airs?
Maybe we will make new memories and feel new things; who knows? But this is probably the only issue I have had with the series until now. In a show that is so emotionally raw and deep, I just don’t see the point of breaking that into two and taking away from the experience.
Summing Up: Indubala Bhaater Hotel
Indubala Bhaater Hotel leaves itself at such an emotional impasse that it’s almost annoying. I only have good things to say about the series up until now, and honestly, I am waiting eagerly for the next few episodes. It’s a heartbreaking and heartwarming story about a woman’s struggles and her empathy towards those around her – and it hits all the right notes.
Indubala Bhaater Hotel is streaming on Hoichoi. Catch the remaining episodes on March 24.
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