The Storyteller Movie Cast/ Actors: Paresh Rawal as Tarini Bandyopadhyay, Adil Hussain as Ratan Garodia, Revathi as Saraswathi, Tannishhtha Chatterjee as librarian Suzy, Jayesh More as Manikchand, Rohit Mukherjee, Anindita Bose, Pratik Dutta, Senjuti Roy Mukherji, Kaberi Basu & others
The Storyteller Movie Director: Ananth Narayan Mahadevan
The Storyteller Movie Release Date: January 28, 2025
The Storyteller Movie Available On: Disney+Hotstar OTT Platform
The Storyteller Movie Released/ Available In Languages: Hindi
The Storyteller Movie Runtime: 116 Minutes
The Storyteller Movie Critic Review:
To pick one from the ultimate storyteller’s repertoire requires a special talent. Writer- director Ananth Narayan Mahadevan has done just that–he has unerringly chosen a subject that blends two cultures (Bengali, Gujarati), poking fun at neither but having fun all the same. It’s not just about retired storyteller Tarini Bandopadhyay (Paresh Rawal) feeling the fish and bargaining before buying it in Calcutta or the strict vegetarian dhokla-thepla that he says is “delectable” to his wealthy host Ratan Garodia (Adil Hussain) in Ahmedabad while muttering, “disgusting” over the phone to fellow Bengalis. There’s a good-natured swipe at capitalism and socialism too. To this, add unpreached undercurrents like the need to evaluate your self-worth with confidence along with some intrigue on where this is going, and you get Satyajit Ray’s short story Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro.
A tribute to Ray is served best the way Ananth has done it by getting on board the perfect cast. Widower Tarini who leaves the familiarity of Calcutta to move to the mansion of cotton exporter Garodia, a bachelor shadowed by the rejection of his girlfriend Saraswathi (Revathy) who had long ago thumbed down cash and commerce to put a premium on art and culture. “Saraswathi ko Lakshmi pasand nahi,” as Garodia puts it. Garodia can’t sleep at night and a storyteller may just be the therapy he seeks.
Pack in a few interesting characters like Tarini’s US-based son (never seen visually on screen but to be visualised as the person on the other end of Tarini’s phone calls) with the father stubbornly refusing to visit that “capitalist country”. A librarian named Suzy (Tannishhtha Chatterjee) in Ahmedabad who strikes up a friendship with Tarini. Manikchand (Jayesh More), more than the house help in Garodia’s big bungalow, a man who can’t bear to hold the fish Tarini sneaks in but hey, the feline pet of the mansion is only too happy with the change in menu.
This is Ananth’s best work to date, combining literary wit with multiple lessons, a parable at the end of it. The lines blend with the ambience. Suzy talks of Bond. “James Bond?” asks Tarini. “Ruskin,” replies Suzy. It’s a literary world. Another time he tells the librarian, “Main sulane ka kaam karta hoon (I put people to sleep).” She gasps, “Mario Puzo?” There’s even a “Gujju Gorky” making an appearance.
Mahadevan gets huge help from a sparkling screenplay by Kireet Khurana with additional screenplay and dialogues by Srijati andyopadhyay and Allcap Communications. The music by Hriju Roy also plays its subtly amusing part. There’s ‘Tere mere milan ki ye raina’ going on softly when Garodia meets Saraswathi.
Paresh Rawal and Adil Hussain are a perfect fit as Tarini and Garodia. The quirks, the compromises with the conscience and a pleasurable ending make this a heartwarming tribute to Ray.
By the way, it’s also rare that I liked the film more than the trailer.
The Storyteller Movie – Watch Or Not?: Chuckle and learn, the Ray way.
The Storyteller Movie Review Score Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (i.e. 3.5/5)
The Storyteller Movie Official Trailer:
The Storyteller Official Trailer (Credits:DisneyPlus Hotstar)
Also Read: Hisaab Barabar Movie Review: Delightfully Tallied