'Dawshom Awbotaar': What makes Prosenjit Chatterjee's Probir an iconic character
What's the story
"Sir! Ami mudi'r dokan chalai na! (Call me sir! I don't run a grocery store!)." This line is as iconic as the film—Baishe Srabon—which is often regarded as a milestone in Bengali cinema. Over the years, many characters have remained etched in our hearts for various reasons and when Srijit Mukherji introduced us to Probir Roy Chowdhury, all cinephiles had nearly the same reaction.
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Chatterjee broke out of his commercial movie 'hero' image
Roy Chowdhury is a cult character in Bengali cinema and Prosenjit Chatterjee broke out from his two-decade-old mold of "hero" avatar in the 2011 crime thriller. Just like his salt and pepper hair, the character is full of shades of gray. With Dawshom Awbotaar's bumper release, Chatterjee has unleashed an untapped side of Roy Chowdhury. Let's dissect what makes Roy Chowdhury an iconic character.
Reimagination
Reinventing the quintessential superstar of Bengal
From Shah Rukh Khan in Swades to Aamir Khan in Rang De Basanti, whenever a superstar steps out from their star image zone, a newer shade of the star is born! The reinvention of Chatterjee started with Autograph (Mukherji's directorial debut) and then came Baishe Srabon, hitting the bull's eye. Chatterjee's foray into gray characters became a fan favorite instantly.
Character
Roy Chowdhury's character in a nutshell
Roy Chowdhury is a foul-mouthed intelligent cop in Kolkata Police who is a master serial killing solver. He puts work over anything else and considers clearing criminals from the world as his prime goal. The workaholic cop has one negative trait—a short temper—and for the same, he is facing a trial for an alleged encounter. Dawshom Awbotaar takes place during the trial period.
Relatability
Relatability factor for Bengalis
In Baishe Srabon, we see Roy Chowdhury as an ex-cop who has become an alcoholic after suspension. His vast knowledge in various subjects has been appreciated by his peers and juniors. From ved shastras to Bengali literature, he's the Jack of many trades. This typical trait is very commonly found among Bengali people and this relatability factor was the foundation of this cult character.
Dialogues
Dialogue writing: Impeccable and closer to reality
The biggest USP of Roy Chowdhury is his unapologetically politically incorrect dialogues laced with some top-tier Bengali expletives. Mukherji's dialogues became an instant hit and Roy Chowdhury's choice of either "whiskey or Bournvita" is an inside joke among the youth! Interestingly, Bengali mainstream cinema dialogues were melodramatic and far from reality, hence the movie changed the due course of dialogue writing.
Philosophy
Roy Chowdhury's raw philosophy on work, life, and beyond
Roy Chowdhury has struggled to keep a work-life balance and for the same, he has paid the biggest price—his family. One of his iconic dialogues, "Jibone bhaat daal ar biriyani'r tofaat ta bujhte shekho! Prothom'er ta necessity, porer ta luxury (Learn to differentiate between dal-rice and biryani! The former is a necessity, latter a luxury)," gives us a beautiful definition of life.
Phenomenon
Roy Chowdhury became a phenomenon among youth
Back in 2011 when the movie was released, the above-mentioned dialogue became an integral part of an entire generation. Similarly, Roy Chowdhury being accepting toward live-in relationships at that time was appreciated by viewers, especially when it was still an alien concept in mainstream Bengal. He even backs his support by saying that live-in relationships are not urban concepts but a part of vedas.
Development
'Dawshom Awbotaar': Roy Chowdhury rages against the dying light
Dawshom Awbotaar's Roy Chowdhury is much more active and lively at one end and lonely at another. In a dream sequence, Mukherji shows Roy Chowdhury smoking a cigar in his drawing room filled with snow as his wife enters the room. This depicts that Roy Chowdhury has become a cold-hearted person and is losing his sanity with each passing day.
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Encapsulating Roy Chowdhury's mental state
In one of the dialogues, Roy Chowdhury says, "Amar shoshan bondhu, amar uniform (It was my uniform that stood by me during my wife and son's last rites)," depicting that the man has been fighting the fight alone for all these years.
Love
Roy Chowdhury's epiphanies: A testament of life
As a generation who looked up to Probir Roy Chowdhury back in 2011, Dawshom Awbotaar is nothing short of an emotional roller coaster. The movie is a nostalgia pill infused with charisma, brotherhood, and love. Today, as we seek a fine balance between bhaat daal (necessity) and biryani (luxury) in our lives, let's all bow down to our OG super cop Probir Sir!