https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ4Frv6JQtU
Demons Of The Past
Split between two timelines, Music Teacher is a film about regret, letting go of the past and moving on. It’s a well acted, aesthetically pleasing film, one that does well to showcase both the artistic prowess of Director Sarthak Dasgupta and give a spotlight for its two lead actors to shine. It achieves this feat beautifully too, delivering a highly enjoyable and dramatic film in the process. The story really gravitates around Beni, a guilt-ridden, bitter music teacher, struggling to make ends meet teaching music and singing in clubs. Still haunted by the demons of the past involving a talented singer called Jyotsna, Beni finds his emotions torn when he learns she’s returning to the hills after 8 years to perform at a concert. Refusing to face his past, Music Teacher is a film that sees Beni confront his demons and try to defeat them from the crippling hold it has over his life. It works well too, with a well-paced story split between the present day turmoil of Beni and the past flashbacks showing Beni and Jyotsna’s close bond and the relationship they formed together. When this comes to a head during the film’s climactic third, all these flashbacks are well-served, dishing up a satisfying and emotional reunion between the two. Music Teacher is a film that really revels in its symbology and thought provoking imagery. There’s a lot of shots of the tranquil forest here with well-placed, reflective bites of silence. This contrasts beautifully with the various musical numbers that crop up throughout the film as well as the dominant sound of rushing water during the tumultuous drama these two lead characters share. Ultimately, it’s this combination of solid acting and visually pleasing iconology that makes Music Teacher such an enjoyable film. It won’t be for everyone, and the various musical numbers at the start may put some people off, but if you can look past this, there’s some good themes here explored in a mature and believable way. When it comes to Indian cinema, there’s some great choices out there and personally, I’d put Music Teacher up there too. It’s a bit of a slow burner, no doubt about it, but the final third makes it one well worth checking out.
