Anukul: Review

Sujoy Ghosh's short film Anukul has attempted to delve into the artistic world of Satyajit Ray's literary works. Anukul is based on a short story of the same name written by Ray in 1976 and stars Bengali actor Parambrata Chatterjee and Saurabh Shukla. The plot takes place in a dystopian future where humans and android robots coexist. And it is here where the narrative shines, and its impact is unaffected by threads of irrelevance or obsolescence. 

Ironically the story runs around a Bengali man who buys a housekeeper robot when humans lose their jobs to machines. Nikunj Chaturvedi (performed by Shukla), a Hindi schoolteacher, purchases Anukul (performed by Chatterjee) from a corporate agency in Chowringee, Kolkata. The android performs every human activity without overtime or holidays. He then becomes a housekeeper in Nikunj's household, where he learns his master's objectives and values. His bond with his master improves in several forms that resulted in a drastic series of events. This story is a clever depiction of how humans exploit everything according to their needs. 

The story is a reflection on rampant industrialization and at a time when robots were replacing humans in factories and various occupations. This story also tried to demonstrate that robots are not necessarily a danger or threat. And the robots are designed to behave the way they do. Ray tried to emphasize that man is the only animal capable of wrong conduct, and if he does not verify his deeds, he will perish. Both Saurabh and Parambrata deliver expressive performances that are in tune with the tone of the film. The film soundtrack makes it more interesting to watch it.

The climax leaves us perplexed, and we do not know whom to blame: do we blame the characters for what they did, or should we admire their foresight? 

 The plot also focuses on human behavior and the concepts of instinct, responsibility, and commitment. We can also see a change in the relationship between the master and the robot. The film finds a ready resonance in a world where artificial intelligence and the threat it can or may not pose is the topic of intense debates among people.