Once Upon A Time In Calcutta teaser: Glimpses of a city in motion and despair

The teaser of Aditya Vikram Sengupta's Once Upon A Time In Calcutta shows glimpses of a few of its despondent residents who seem to be perturbed by their situation in life. The Bengali film had its world premiere in the Orizzonti (Horizons) section at the 78th Venice International Film Festival yesterday.

Accompanied by a rising score, we meet the film's characters whom we do not know yet. They have ordinary jobs, but plenty of burdens, looking at their dejected faces, some even tearstained. Several scenes are set at construction sites, where some of the workers are packed into a truck like cattle.

In a statement, Sengupta had said of his third feature, “Leveraging real characters and actual events, the film is my effort to chip away the various layers of the previously communist city to reveal a human condition that is tragic and yet full of hope and joy. The film highlights the aspirations and struggles of people gasping for breath in an ever-expanding metropolis. For the viewer, I have tried to create a real glimpse into the murky waters of Calcutta, with colourful characters, all trying very hard to find a corner of their own without drowning.”

Written and directed by Sengupta, the film stars Sreelekha Mitra, Shayak Roy, Bratya Basu, Arindam Ghosh, Satrajit Sarkar, Anirban Chakrabarti and Reetika Nondini Sheemu.

Check out the teaser below and let us know if you are keen to see the film.