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Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘GAIA' by Abhay Kapoor
How can political gamesmanship — the dog-eat-dog kind that is routine in coalition politics — be a mirror to romantic love? Both are seemingly antithetical to each other. In GAIA, a film written, directed and co-produced by 34-year-old, Delhi-based writer and director Abhay Kapoor, politics and love are in a parasitic coil, revealing not just fantasies of heterosexual men for political power and female subjugation and attention, but how technology irreversibly alters these fantasies. A still from 'GAIA'. With a running time of 45 minutes, Kapoor's taut screenplay, unfolds at the home of a seasoned, ageing politician Vivek Shukla (Atul Tiwari) who heads the ruling government. On a stormy night, Arindam Sehgal (Lakshya Goel), leader of the Labour Party, visits Shukla to negotiate ministries and alliances. Arindam seems to be key in keeping the coalition afloat, but tensions escalate as Arindam's arch nemesis Maitreyi Sodhi (Preeti Sharma) unexpectedly arrives. As the night progresses, Vivek and Maitreyi start poaching MPs from Arindam's party, and blackmails Arindam into showing his support for an Artificial Intelligence Bill and save his party from falling apart. The twist in the narrative arrives when Arindam begins talking to Jenna (Komal Munshi), the young lover of Vivek. Power games spiral intro threats, which then devolves into an existential crisis about the nature of love, commitment, love on demand or subjugated love, and the nature of human existence itself. A still from 'GAIA'. Kapoor has earlier written and directed An Act of Violence (2019), a short film about a man who reincarnates in different time periods of human history, every time involved in a violent act. It was an experimental film — in form and theme. The narrative of GAIA is more linear. Shot in an unused home of his aunt, GAIA is inspired in form by David Fincher's 12 Angry Men. 'I've always been interested in sci-fi fiction that it not action-oriented. Blade Runner and Ex Machina kind of storytelling is an influence in my writing,' says Kapoor, who is now at work on a script titled Ek Mard Ka Janam, themed around a modern-day masculinity crisis. 'An empathetic, edgy thriller,' explains Kapoor. In GAIA too, the dark side of male fantasies is a propeller to the story. Kapoor says moral questions such as the ebbing away of how humanity perceives and experiences death and separation were on his mind while writing the screenplay. 'I wanted it to be intriguing, and very cinema-like,' Kapoor says, emphasizing his belief in a more mainstream and commercial way of storytelling to reach audiences. 'I find the communal aspect of film screenings, with people sharing the experience in a dark room, deeply moving,' the writer-director says. With an educational background at the Indian Institute of Mass Communications, Delhi, in radio and television production, Kapoor has worked as a copy writer in advertising and producing and directing social impact films for NGOs before beginning to write fiction. The film has had several screenings so far in India including at Alliance Francaise, Delhi, and at the Aravali International Film Festival this year. The visual language in GAIA, shaped by a very classic-cinematic language by cinematographer Debesh Mehrotra. 'GAIA belongs to the universe of David Fincher, Alfred Hitchcock, Dennis Villeneuve and Michael Mann films,' says Kapoor. The film has enough intrigue and cinematic style to keep audiences engaged — and leave its last frame with a sense of resignation to and fascination about a world we don't yet understand. Short Stream is a monthly curated section, in which we present an Indian short film that hasn't been seen before or not widely seen before but are making the right buzz in the film industry and film festival circles. We stream the film for a month on HT Premium, the subscription-only section in Sanjukta Sharma is a Mumbai-based writer and film critic. Write to her at
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Title track of Batashey Gungun reimagines a classic to mirror dark romance and obsession
Batashey Gungun, a Bengali series, has captivated audiences with its haunting reimagining of the classic title track, setting the stage for a narrative steeped in psychological unrest. Directed by Arijeet Toton Chakrabarty, the series explores the entangled lives of Pallabi, Arindam, and Mithila, delving into themes of obsession, power dynamics, and the consequences of broken emotional boundaries. The Bengali series Batashey Gungun has releases its reimagined title track — a bold reinterpretation of the beloved classic from Chirodini Tumi Je Amar . Directed by Arijeet Toton Chakrabarty with creative direction by Aditi Roy, the series follows three emotionally entangled characters. Srijla Guha leads as Pallabi, a lonely young woman whose need for love spirals into obsession. Suhotra Mukhopadhyay plays Arindam, her professor, a man caught between desire and responsibility. Manali Manisha Dey portrays Mithila, Arindam's wife — observant and unraveling under the weight of secrets. The reimagined track forms the emotional backbone of the series, weaving through moments of passion, paranoia, and psychological collapse. Visuals from the title sequence contrast stolen intimacy with silent devastation — a glance in a corridor, a marriage cracking in stillness, a gaze held too long. 'This is not a love story,' says Chakrabarty. 'It's about power, loneliness, and the damage we do when we break emotional boundaries.' Guha, emotionally connected to the track through her earlier work, called the experience 'surreal.' Mukhopadhyay added, 'The music echoes the contradictions in Arindam — gentle yet dangerous.' Batashey Gungun stands out as a disturbing portrait of love turned obsession, propelled by compelling performances and a title track that haunts long after it ends.
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
A tête-à-tête with the cast of Batashey Gungun
Batashey Gungun, directed by Arijeet Toton Chakrabarty, explores the dark side of infatuation. Pallabi, a student, becomes obsessed with her professor Arindam, jeopardizing his marriage. The series delves into themes of destructive love, guilt, and deep emotional turmoil, amplified by a haunting rendition of the classic song. Recently a press conference was held with the cast and crew of Batashey Gungun , unveiling the trailer and engaging in a candid tête-à-tête with the cast and crew. Directed by Arijeet Toton Chakrabarty, with creative direction by Aditi Roy, the event offered a glimpse into the haunting world of Batashey Gungun . Starring Suhotra Mukhopadhyay , Srijla Guha , and Manali Manisha Dey in a never-seen-before pairing, the series centres on Pallabi (Srijla), a lonely college student whose infatuation with her professor Arindam (Suhotra) spirals into obsession, threatening his marriage to Mithila (Manali). 'The need to be loved can turn destructive,' said Chakrabarty, while Srijla reflected, 'For Pallabi, obsession feels like survival.' Suhotra described Arindam as 'haunted by guilt,' and Manali shared, 'Mithila feels things deeply, even in silence.' Amplifying the show's mood is a reimagined version of the iconic song 'Batashey Gungun'—transformed into a haunting echo of love gone wrong. With layered performances, psychological tension, and a chilling emotional spiral, Batashey Gungun promises to leave a lasting impact. As hoichoi's most intense narrative yet, this is not just a love story — it's a descent into emotional chaos.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The trailer of Batashey Gungun is out
Batashey Gungun explores the dark side of obsession, featuring Suhotra Mukhopadhyay, Srijla Guha, and Manali Manisha Dey. The story revolves around Pallabi's intense fixation on her professor, Arindam, who is already married. As Arindam grapples with Pallabi's growing influence, the series questions the destructive nature of misplaced love and its shattering consequences on everyone involved. The trailer of Batashey Gungun , directed by Arijeet Toton Chakrabarty and with creative direction by Aditi Roy is out. The project stars a freshly paired ensemble — Suhotra Mukhopadhyay, Srijla Guha, and Manali Manisha Dey — Batashey Gungun is a haunting tale of obsession, control, and the devastating consequences of misplaced love. At the heart of this twisted love story is Pallabi, played by Srijla Guha, a college student starved of affection and consumed by an obsessive desire for her professor, Arindam, played by Suhotra Mukhopadhyay. Though deeply in love with his wife Mithila, played by Manali Manisha Dey, Arindam finds himself emotionally entangled in Pallabi's dangerous fixation. The series also features Silajit Majumder, Durbar Sharma, Moyna Mukherjee, Joydeep Mukherjee and Suprobhat Das in pivotal roles, each adding tension and complexity to this emotionally volatile world. As tension rises in the trailer, Arindam begins to call Pallabi 'the nemesis of his life' and wishes to undo the past ten months—longing for a Ctrl + Z moment that might free him from what he's become. But will he surrender to Pallabi's growing power and fame—or is something even more shattering about to unfold? Batashey Gungun dares to ask: How far will someone go when love turns into obsession—and how far can love go before it breaks? The trailer is set to turn heads for its atmospheric intensity, layered performances, and the chilling emotional spiral it teases. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Director Arijeet shares, 'This is a story about what happens when the need to be loved becomes destructive.' Suhotra adds, 'Arindam is haunted by a single choice—he's living in a loop of guilt.' Srijla notes, 'Pallabi doesn't just fall in love—she clings to it like a lifeline. For Pallabi, Arindam made her world feel bearable. When someone becomes your calm in the chaos, obsession doesn't feel wrong. It feels like survival.' And Manali reflects, 'Mithila was a very different character for me. She is modest but feels everything deeply—even what's never said out loud.'
