Director : Nila Madhab Panda
Writer : Mayank Tiwari
Cinematographer: Perez Paulo Andres
Cast : Faria Abdullah, Makrand Deshpande, Nasir, Sudev Nair, and others
Rating : 2.9
Tanisha Saxena
“Developments move like life all the time in one direction: forward. You can’t stop it, even if you try. Development always comes at a price,” says Ravichandran Rao (played by Nasser) in the fifth episode of The Jengaburu Curse. The conch shells blowing in unison at the ghat set against the backdrop of Odisha, these words are uttered by Ravichandran sitting on the steps of the ghat, echoing the bitter truth. No exaggeration; this scene is jaw dropping.
Since time immemorial, cinema has inspired audiences to engage in empowering change. However, Cli-fi (climate fiction) genre has recently taken that big leap of faith, riding high on emotions and spreading awareness. It stimulates discourse through storylines. The Jengaburu Curse is India’s first Cli-fi show, which follows Priyamvada Das’ (played by Faria Abdullah) quest to find her missing father, Doctor Rao (played by Pavitra Sarkar). As Priya starts a search for his father, a series of strange events unfold, leading to the illegal mining happening in Odisha and the danger to the indigenous Bondia tribe.
The film begins on a gut-wrenching note. A woman and her child are running through the thick jungle and reach a site where they see a dead body being buried. The woman screamed, “We don’t bury the dead; cremation is important.” The film’s protagonist (Priyamvada) on the other hand, is in London, and the scene immediately shifts to the skyline with its beauty that comes from the angled glass panes reflecting the sunlight and the sky. A financial analyst by profession, she receives a call from her father’s friend Ravichandran, who works at an NGO for the tribe, informing her that her father is missing. Aptly titled “Homecoming,” the first episode marks Priyamvada’s return to the homeland.
Divided into seven episodes, The Jengaburu Curse delves deep into the repercussions of mankind’s relentless pursuit of natural resources. Consequently, highlighting the price that mankind has to pay. Priyamvada’s quest leads to the revelation of illegal bauxite mining, unexplained deaths, and the displacement of her own Bondia tribe from their ancestral land. The series is imbued with layers of triggers, discussions, and eco-anxiety.
In one episode, Priyamvada’s PSO asks her, “Are you really a tribal?” To which she responds, “How should a tribal look ? It sparks a debate about how we often frame the tribal community in our heads—physical appearance, education, and more. In another instance, Priyamvada is speaking at a press conference for her missing father, who’s linked to the Naxals. As she doesn’t know Bondia the reporters comment on her ironic situation, thereby pushing us to think about how often we are judged in our own land for not knowing our own language. Is it important? Perhaps, we need to contemplate
Be it Faria Abdullah as Priyamvada, Nassar as Ravichandran Rao, Doctor Panighiri played by Makrand Deshpande, or IAS Dhruv enacted by Sudev Nair, the cast of the series is pitch-perfect. Everyone has done a fine job of bringing life to these fictional characters, who, by the way, don’t seem fictional at all. The series highlights that things go wrong not just at one level but at multiple levels. The entire system falls prey to the greed that development offers. From police officers to ministers, everyone is cheating on the land that gave them birth. An entire tribe is being wiped out to dig up natural resources. Doctor Panighiri (played by Makrand Deshpande) helps the tribals by supplying food to the jungle, where the tribe has been hiding. There are good people too who are guilty of the narrative, like IAS Dhruv Kannan (played by Sudev Nair), who wants to undo the things. His camaraderie and love chemistry with Priyamvada are soothing.
Nasser is known for his negative roles, which make us fall in love with his craft. In the skin of Ravichandran Rao, he aces the part. The nuances of his character are translated brilliantly by the actor on screen. On the other hand, Melanie Gray lends excellent support to Priyamvada’s character. She plays a bold reporter who is investigating the larger picture and teams up with Priyamvada later on. Deipak Sampat plays the role of Kaday, an important face of the Ondia tribe. Though his screen presence isn’t much, he manages to create a lasting impression with finesse.
The cinematography by Perez Paulo Andres takes a dig at the natural elements. The visual grammar is gray as the lightning, lensing and mood become intense and dark with each episode unfolding. The visuals of the thick jungles and close-ups of the tribe stand out in the series. To complement the visuals, each episode opens with stunning graphic art. The music by Alokananda Gupta blends all the elements. In essence, the Jengaburu Curse raises important questions.
