Even before I attempt to start the review of ‘Chiriakhana’, let me give the following disclaimer: I am a big fan of Byomkesh Bakshi, Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, Satyajit Ray and Uttam Kumar. And I think the only time these four Bengali stalwarts (albeit one of them fictional) came together, it resulted in a flawed but fascinating film – perhaps the first Bengali cult film.
(An aside: I don’t want to get into the nitty-gritties of what a “cult film” is, at least in this review. Cult films merit an entire write-up for themselves, which I may start on if my lethargy permits me to.)