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Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Bhog review: Anirban Bhattacharya shines in eerie and unsettling mythical horror
Bhog, the new Hoichoi Original directed by actor Parambrata Chattopadhyay, tripled my heart rate and left my jaw on the floor in the best possible way. Even though I am aware of the original short story by Avik Sarkar, which serves as the source for this compact 6-episode series, it left me surprised and hooked from the get-go. It starts off ominously and builds up slowly into a form of elevated mythical horror. (Also read: Anirban Bhattacharya opens up on Hoichoi series Bhog: 'It was an incredible offer as an actor' | Interview) Bhog, which translates to a form of offering in Bengali, centres around Atin (Anirban Bhattacharya), a Kolkata-based man in his 30s working in sales. The show begins with good news as he gets a much-deserved promotion. He is an orphan who is being looked after by Pushpa di (Sudipa Basu) at the house. She dutifully cooks him food and reveals how his departed mother had made her promise to take care of Atin. His uncle Bhabesh Kaku (Rajadava Dutta) looks after him quite often. Everything seems okay with Atin, who harbours a love for antique pieces. One day, when he chances upon this other-worldly deity in his friend's shop- a goddess with four hands, carrying a skull in one and another holding a stringed instrument. Its untraceability further hooks him; there's a strange sort of pull towards it that he cannot escape. He brings the deity home and begins to worship it. Soon, he has a dream-like vision at night where the deity reveals that she is hungry and wants an offering. What is this conspiracy? Atin must not ask. He must submit himself completely. And so he does, as Bhog begins to chart his gradual descent into this obsession that engulfs his body and mind. His devotion nullifies his other interests, desires, and wants to such an extent that he does not see any harm in bringing a stranger home one evening. She is Damri, played by the terrific Parno Mittra. She cooks the food, and Atin eats it- even if it makes him puke it up. Bhog plays out in the course of 6 tightly knit episodes, directed with utmost care and nuance by Parambrata Chattopadhyay. The setting is key, as Atin's sense of paranoia mixed with relief is balanced with the brilliant use of lighting and set design. Shantanu Mitra Neogi's screenplay wisely expands on the elements that the original text stepped aside, contextualizing the questions that crop up later. Nabarun Bose's chilling background score is one of the biggest highlights of the show, slowly building up towards a gradual crescendo of sorts. None of it works without the chilling central performance of Anirban Bhattacharya, who embodies Atin's mask of fear and curiosity with great depth of feeling. So much of this man is left to the physicality, the way his body slowly shrinks under the weight of this invisible burden. The actor nails that sense of loss and revelation extremely well. Special shoutout to the special appearance of Subhasish Mukherjee, who stands out in that one single scene. Bhog is not so much about myths or demons as it is about faith. Or the loss of it. Atin is influenced within this hyper-real world of mysteries and energies, and he loses a sense of control. Even as he begins to shy away, there are only a handful of people who act on this sudden change. Beneath the surface of all the terror and thrill of Bhog lies the fate of a lonely middleman existing in his own little shell. It is an inexplicable sort of belief that one can suffice by themselves, but does it really work that way? As Atin will learn by the end, the sense of an offering, if any, must arrive as an act of love. Bhog is now streaming on Hoichoi.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When devotion turns dangerous: Inside the world of Bhog
Parambrata Chattopadhyay's Bhog, adapted from Avik Sarkar's story, streams on OTT, exploring the unsettling intersection of faith and madness. Anirban Bhattacharya portrays Atin, whose life unravels after encountering a brass idol, leading to a disturbing obsession. Parno Mittra delivers a chilling performance, while supporting actors add depth to Atin's terrifying journey into self-loss. Audiences can now watch Bhog , a mythological horror series streaming on OTT, adapted from a story by Avik Sarkar and directed by Parambrata Chattopadhyay. The series reimagines the disturbing interplay between faith and madness through a chilling narrative of possession and psychological unraveling. At the center of Bhog is Atin ( Anirban Bhattacharya ), a man of logic whose life takes a dark turn after he encounters an innocuous brass idol. His fascination with the object spirals into a trance-like devotion to an unknown "Maa," dissolving his grip on time, sanity, and self. Parno Mittra delivers a particularly eerie performance, her chilling line—'Daida Babu, Bhog debe na maa ke?'—echoing long after it's heard. Supporting characters provide emotional texture to Atin's descent: Rajatava Dutta as Bhabesh, a paternal anchor; Sudipa Basu as Pushpa Di, a maternal figure offering brief solace; and Subhashish Mukhopadhyay as the enigmatic Agombagish, who deepens the mystery with his cryptic presence. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Director Parambrata describes Bhog not just as horror, but as 'a meditation on how obsession can masquerade as faith.' Lead actor Anirban Bhattacharya adds, 'Atin's journey is terrifying yet deeply human… Bhog explores the fear of losing yourself.'
Hindustan Times
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Anirban Bhattacharya opens up on Hoichoi series Bhog: ‘It was an incredible offer as an actor'
Actor Anirban Bhattacharya gives a chilling turn in the new psychological horror series Bhog, which releases on Hoichoi on May 1. The story, which is an adaptation of a short story written by Avik Sarkar, revolves around a Calcutta-based man who descends into a strange obsession of worshipping an antique deity. His gradual descent into this obsession knows no bounds. Ahead of the release of Bhog, Hindustan Times caught up with the actor for an exclusive chat in Bengali about the show, his approach to the part, and working with Parambrata Chattopadhyay a director for the first time. (Excerpts translated from Bengali) 'When I was told that I was being considered for this particular character, I heard the audio version of the story, the one that was done by Sunday Suspense,' he says when asked about whether he knew the story from before. 'It was done so well. I knew I was being considered for Atin at that time as well. I loved the story. It was so interesting and so well-known by the readers and listeners. Right after this, I headed to the director's place to ask him more. I wanted to know what he wanted out of the story, what he wanted to see through this, and how he was thinking of approaching this particular material. The process started from that standpoint.' In Bhog, Atin's character goes through a transition, where he loses sense of everything around him in his worship of the deity. Anirban is not quite sure he knows how to talk about his approach to the part, and admits, 'That's my job. The transformation that Atin goes through, how that is visible to the camera. I am eager to see how that comes alive on screen when Bhog releases. As an actor, I have given my best to give Atin that arc, now it is up to the viewers to see how it is received.' He goes on to add, 'Atin's life becomes monolithic, all of him is into worshipping this deity. He becomes this blank person when seen from the outside. That was something quite difficult to express as an actor. Param da had very good guidance for me to tackle that, and the writing itself was so inherently strong… which was of great help.' Unlike Atin, Anirban does not have any such obsession when it comes to being an actor. He calmly states how he looks at this idea, 'Atin goes from possession to obsession, and what I believe in as an actor does not matter at all. As an actor, I am always trying to feed into what the character believes in and make it my own. That is my job. I want to equate the emotional memory of Atin in this case, with my own. That is something of an internal process. But what I believe in does not matter here. The character's belief is of utmost importance to me.' Anirban has worked with Parambrata Chattopadhyay as a co-actor before, but this is the first time that he is being directed by him. What is the change? How is Parambrata as a director? Anirban instantly replies, 'Fantastic. Very sorted, extremely disciplined. He is a treat to work with as an actor. He makes the set so comfortable, so when an actor tries to do some sort of improvisation… speaking from my own experience, if I try to see the character a little differently than what he has perceived, he considers that with a lot of time and care. He enables that discussion, acknowledges it and then arrives at a decision. This artistic comfort is so extremely important. There is a certain sense of dignity, in the collaboration between an actor and a director, with the crew and technicians… that is in abundance in Param da's set. It is one of the finest set in our industry.' There is a certain reserve in him when he talks about his process as an actor, but he admits that he always tries to take on parts that surprise him first. Perhaps then, it will surprise the audience too. 'I have always wanted that with my career as an actor. With the parts I have taken on as an actor over the years, like a Bullet Singh in Bibaho Obhijaan, or a Khokha in Dwitiyo Purush, Nikhilesh in Ghawre Bairey Aaj… and so many more, I have always wanted to do different parts with these characters. In that sense, Bhog was an incredible offer as an actor,' he says. What is his process like? Is he able to disconnect after the shoot gets over, or have there been instances when a character took time to let go? Anirban pauses for a while. He then adds, 'It does happen with some parts. The strain becomes physical sometimes. Sometimes it is more of a mental impact. Sometimes it is a sudden sense of grief. But that is okay, and as a professional and work under a lot of constraints. It has become a part of the livelihood now, I feel. That we take on a part, and we are also able to snap out of it. I won't endorse it as a switch-on, switch-off effect, but after a while, one is prepared.' He concludes with a pragmatic, implicit smile, 'I feel that the context here is different. The stories we hear- of Hollywood and European films, and the dry method that the actors use to get into a role and the time that one is allowed to take. We are not working from the same privileged setup. We work as labourers. We know this shot is today when we reach the set in the morning, that these are the 7 scenes… that is how we work!' Bhog premieres on Hoichoi on May 1.
Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Pesta Raya 2025: Teater Kami's Salina travels back to 1950s kampung
Ariati Tyeb Papar plays the titular character in Teater Kami's staging of Salina in 2025. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ESPLANADE -- THEATRES ON THE BAY SINGAPORE – Director and playwright Atin Amat has hung on to the set of the 1950s kampung drama Salina for more than 30 years. The set will be reused in the restaging of her adaptation of the Malay-language novel as part of Pesta Raya 2025 – Malay Festival of Arts from May 2 to 4 . Theatregoers who caught Teater Kami's stagings of Salina in 1993 and 1997 will thus recognise bits of Kampung Kambing (or Goat Village in Malay) at the Singtel Waterfront Theatre. The props will include trinkets the Cultural Medallion recipient salvaged from the bygone Sungei Road Thieves Market and a tempayan (stoneware jar) from her old kampung home. In Salina, the story's titular protagonist fights to survive in the aftermath of the Japanese Occupation in Singapore. Forced to become a sex worker while supporting her unemployed lover, Salina lives in a squatter village converted from a goat pen where 'the walls are thin and the roofs are leaky', a setting Atin has tried to recreate faithfully. 'I cannot make any mistakes because I think the majority who come for the show would have read the novel,' says the 68-year-old veteran theatremaker. She admits to feeling some pressure in staging an adaptation of the well-known 1961 novel by Malaysian novelist A. Samad Said. The classic work was a GCE A-level text for Malay literature in the 1990s. 'This play is not just play-play,' she says in an interview with The Straits Times at Teater Kami's space at Cairnhill Arts Centre. Teater Kami, one of the pioneering Malay theatre companies, most recently staged Kemas at the Esplanade Theatre Studio in 2023. The company's first outing with Salina taught Atin the lesson of taking the text seriously. Director and playwright Atin Amat with her copy of the 1961 novel Salina written by Malaysian novelist A. Samad Said. PHOTO: ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY In 1993, four years after Atin established Teater Kami, she had wanted to stage a work that would establish the theatre company's reputation. But the script by Malaysian playwright Johan Jaaffar drew mixed reactions. 'After the performance, the feedback from the students watching the show was that it was confusing, even though the show was good. It was confusing because the show doesn't follow the novel,' she says. Atin h ad not read the novel before staging Salina, but immediately fell in love with the book when she picked it up after the first staging. She subsequently decided to adapt the scrip t, touring it around 12 junior colleges and education institutions in 1994, and staging it at the Victoria Theatre in 1997. One of the challenges of staging it in 2025, Atin says, is that she has to shoulder the responsibility of sharing the historical context of the 1950s to her cast – including the different ways Malay language and slang were used. 'Nowadays, they don't know as much about Singapore's past and stories, so my work has doubled.' The 2025 cast includes younger actors Fir Rahman, Rizal Aiman, Amirah Yahya, Suhaila M Sanif and Rusydina Afiqah. Actors Ariati Tyeb Papar and Rafaat Haji Hamzah starred in the 1997 production. Ariati Tyeb Papar and Fir Rahman star in Teater Kami's staging of Salina. PHOTO: ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY To make sure the cast can reliably deliver the dialogue-heavy play, Atin has also taken on the role of literature teacher – requiring her cast members to read the approximately 500-page novel. Her hardcover copy of Salina is well-thumbed and annotated, and she has lost count of how many times she has read her favourite novel. 'From this novel, you learn about how Singapore Malays develop themselves – economically and in terms of their social life. I tell them that if you read this book, there's something you can learn about Singapore society after the Japanese Occupation,' she says. In rehearsal, she adds with a laugh, she would test her cast members on the plot and relationships in the novel. Asked whether modern audiences who are unfamiliar with the drama will still relate to this story set in a bygone era, Atin says they can see for themselves how different the present is from the past. The challenges that Salina faces still resonate today. 'Even now, we can't expect life to be smooth-sailing – there will be challenges thrown at us.' Book It/Salina Where: Singtel Waterfront Theatre at Esplanade, 1 Esplanade Drive When: May 2, 8pm; May 3, 3 and 8pm ; May 4, 3pm Admission: From $45 Info: Shawn Hoo is a journalist on the arts beat at The Straits Times. He covers books, theatre and the visual arts. More on this Topic Pesta Raya 2025: Hafidz Rahman goes beyond comedy with one-man show about Bollywood obsession Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The trailer of Bhog is out
The trailer of the series, Bhog is out. What begins with quiet curiosity descends into a haunting spiral of obsession in Bhog , the newest mythological horror . Directed by Parambrata Chattopadhyay , the series brings to screen Anirban Bhattacharya in a genre-defining avatar as Atin, alongside Parno Mittra as the mysterious and otherworldly Damri. The cast also features Rajatava Dutta, Sudipa Basu, and Subhasish Mukhopadhyay in pivotal roles. The trailer of Bhog is now streaming, offering a tantalizing glimpse into this atmospheric saga of faith, fear, and the fragility of reason. Atin is a man of logic, grounded in facts and reason. But his world begins to fracture the day he visits an old curio shop run by a friend and stumbles upon a striking brass idol. His friend, in an act of eerie generosity, insists he take the idol home without paying. What begins as a seemingly harmless gesture slowly unravels Atin's grip on reality. With no idea how to properly worship the deity, Atin improvises rituals—and soon, dreams begin. A divine voice whispers, " Amar ei moha khuda ke metabe Atin." From that moment on, Atin is no longer himself. As visions blur into waking life, Damri enters the scene—played with haunting elegance by Parno, whose eerie transformation brings an unsettling mystique to the series. With her arrival, Atin's descent into madness accelerates. His devotion intensifies, teetering on the edge of mania. Worship turns obsessive, ritual becomes frenzy, and the sacred grows sinister. Bhog explores that dark threshold—when faith stops guiding and starts consuming. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] - 2025 Top Trending Search - Local network access Esseps Learn More Undo ' Bhog is not just horror—it's psychological, emotional, and deeply human,' said Anirban. He added, 'Atin is a man who believes in sense and science. But when confronted with the unknown, his transformation is terrifying. That unraveling was deeply personal to play.' 'Damri is unlike any character I've played before,' shared Parno. She added, 'She's enigmatic—both ethereal and unsettling. I think she embodies the very spirit of the series, where nothing is ever quite what it seems.' As Bhog unfolds, it asks unsettling questions: Is love the deepest tantra? Can all hunger be met? What happens when a mystical deity is left to starve? In its blend of folklore, mysticism, and psychological tension, Bhog redefines Bengali horror for the streaming generation.
