The Academy of Fine Arts is audacious. Pure jolt that hits you with adrenaline. Jayabrata Das, in his daring directorial debut, grabs the pulp-thriller template by the throat and drags it through the grimy back-alleys of Kolkata, materialising with something viciously entertaining.
The narrative weaves around a gang of gloriously scuzzy anti-heroes orbiting a heist that spirals into chaos. Payel Sarkar as Richa balances glam and grit in the movie; Rudranil Ghosh has always brought depth to every character. Here, as Dinobandhu, he makes the film triumphant. Rahul Arunoday Banerjee keeps the hook on the edge as Rakhal, Saurav Das picks up on his versatility once again as Jibon, and the entire ensemble sinks their teeth into their respective roles. They swear, bleed, betray and laugh with a reckless joy that feels liberating.
We see the setting carved with glaringly gaudy colours. The posters are the bangers of all time. Our ears, strung with retro raunchy songs clashing against gunfire, turn the soundtrack into another rogue character. It’s Tarantino by Tollygunge, yet never imitative; intentionally inspired. This is home-grown depravity with its own swagger.
The film does not moralise. These are terrible people doing terrible things, and Das lets us revel in their moral rot. The Academy of Fine Arts is proof that Bengali cinema can sometimes be dangerous, sexy and outrageously fun.
When independent films this confident, this alive, hit our screens, they deserve applause. Book your ticket. Bring a strong stomach and a virgin mind. You’ll leave grinning, a bit scarred, and utterly satisfied.
IWMBuzz rates it 4/5 stars.
