An absolute masterclass by Buddhadev Dasgupta and Pavan Malhotra in a genuinely human story.

RATING – ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4/5*

Bagh Bahadur (1989) Review movie Talkies:

We have often read and seen narratives about the vanishing circus culture and how the livelihood of those people was affected by newer forms of entertainment. Bagh Bahadur flips that Story to the other side. This film exposes how the very rise of circus culture made the lives of real artists more difficult. That idea alone is enough to make it a significant work, and then comes its brilliant execution, turning it into a pure cinematic classic.

The film revolves around Ghumu, a man who works as a labourer for 11 months here and there and then returns to his village for one month, where he gains respect by performing a tiger dance and painting himself as a tiger. He dreams of marrying the girl he loves and imagines a happy future together, but then he is struck by a cyclone called circus. A small troupe arrives in the village with a real leopard and a trainer who performs daring stunts inside a cage, giving people a far grander spectacle than a tiger dance. This crushes Ghumu’s hopes, as even the girl he loves begins to admire the trainer. More than just livelihood or money, it’s about the respect and dignity he once enjoyed—and now risks losing.

The climax delivers some truly shivering moments, packed with raw intensity and artistic intelligence. The impact is stunning and unforgettable. I must say, gone are the days when filmmakers dared to tell such stories with honesty and courage. They don’t make films like this anymore, and we are unlucky to miss out on many gems from the past simply because they had low hype and limited reach. Thankfully, the National Film Awards jury chose this as the Best Feature Film that year, giving it the recognition and respect it rightly deserved.

Better Man Review: A Unique Monkey-Effect For The Life Of One Of The Greatest English Singers Ever!

Pavan Malhotra is outstanding in the lead role, and I feel this is his career-best performance. Don’t believe me? Watch it and you’ll surely agree. Archana looks natural, M.V. Vasudeva Rao is fantastic, and Biplab Chatterjee is equally impressive. The screenplay is tight, layered, and metaphorically explores many aspects of human nature, including its changing moods when tested by harsh circumstances.

Buddhadev Dasgupta’s direction is top-notch, blending art-house depth with enough elements to engage wider audiences. After all, those very B and C center masses once lived through livelihoods like this, didn’t they? A must watch for true cinema lovers.