Mishawr Rawhoshyo (transl. The Mysteries of Egypt) is a 2013 Indian action-adventure film directed by Srijit Mukherji, based on the novel of the same name written by Sunil Gangopadhyay.[3][4] The film was produced by Shree Venkatesh Films. It stars Prosenjit Chatterjee, Indraneil Sengupta, Aryann Bhowmik, Swastika Mukherjee, Neel Mukherjee, Rajit Kapoor, and Tridha Chowdhury.[5] The plot revolves around a hieroglyphic trail that leads Kakababu and his nephew Santu to Egypt and underneath a pyramid.
| Mishawr Rawhoshyo | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Srijit Mukherji |
| Screenplay by | Srijit Mukherji |
| Story by | Sunil Gangopadhyay |
| Based on | Mishor Rohosyo Sunil Gangopadhyay |
| Produced by | Shree Venkatesh Films |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Soumik Haldar |
| Edited by | Bodhaditya Banerjee |
| Music by | Indraadip Dasgupta |
Production company | Shree Venkatesh Films |
| Distributed by | Shree Venkatesh Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 135 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Languages | Bengali Hindi English Arabic |
| Box office | ₹7 crore (US$840,000)[2] |
The soundtrack and background scores were composed by Indraadip Dasgupta, while the cinematography and editing of the film was done by Soumik Halder and Bodhaditya Banerjee respectively.
The film was declared to be a blockbuster at the box office and was one of the highest grossing films of 2013. It gained a strong cult following from both the audience and critics for the performances of Prosenjit Chatterjee, Indraneil Sengupta and Aryann. Also praised were the songs, particularly Kakababur gaan sung by Rupam Islam, the directing work by Srijit Mukherji and action sequences designed by Judo Ramu. The second film of the Kakababu series, Yeti Obhijaan, released in 2017. The third film in the franchise, Kakababur Protyaborton was released in 2022.
Plot
editMishawr Rawhoshyo starts with Kakababu (Prosenjit Chatterjee) and his nephew Shontu (Aryann Bhowmik) smiling after watching news informing of the imminent overthrow of the dictatorship in Egypt.
The film rewinds into a flashback. It is 2010. Kakababu is contracted by Egyptian businessman Al Mamun (Rajit Kapur) to decipher the meanings of hieroglyphic symbols that his teacher, Mufti Muhammad (Barun Chanda), had drawn on a piece of paper supposedly during his sleep. Muhammad is terminally ill and is about to grant his last wish while he is being treated in Delhi. Mamun thinks that the symbols are the key to locating Mufti Muhammad's will which will describe where to find treasures Mufti Muhammad had acquired during his tenure as a political leader and revolutionary. However, Kakababu is convinced that the symbols have a different meaning and they are very unusual. Mufti Muhammad symbolically requests Kakababu to verify something, a very unusual last wish.
Meanwhile, a war of rivalry ensues between Mamun and Hani Al Qadi (Indraneil Sengupta), another of Mufti Muhammad's disciples (and a rival of Mamun) who accuses Mamun of stealing a secret that isn't rightfully his. While in Delhi, there was an attempt to murder Kakababu, in which Kakababu was injured. Kakababu took the challenge to uncover the truth; he and his nephew Shontu head to Egypt where they are drawn into the vortex of the mystery.
Kakababu gets kidnapped by Al Qadi's men which sets off a chain of events, culminating in a climax under a pyramid. Inside the pyramid, Kakababu discovers the lost mummy of an Egyptian queen with the help of the hieroglyphics code written by Mufti Muhammad. The present-day political turmoil in Egypt subtly reverberates. At the end, Kakababu gives Hani Al Qadi the coded message written inside the coffin of the mummy and wishes him good luck for his upcoming revolution to free Egypt from the corrupt dictator Jashni Mubarak (fictionalized Hosni Mubarak).
Cast
edit- Prosenjit Chatterjee as Kakababu/Raja Roychowdhury. this was his third film with Mukherjee
- Aryann Bhowmik as Shontu/Sunanda Roychowdhury
- Indraneil Sengupta as Hani Al Qadi
- Rajit Kapur as Al Mamun
- Rajesh Sharma as CBI officer Narendra Verma
- Neel Mukherjee as Siddhartha
- Swastika Mukherjee as Snigdha
- Tridha Choudhury as Rini
- Barun Chanda as Mufti Mohammad (cameo appearance)
- Kamaleshwar Mukherjee as Sadat Manto (cameo appearance)
- Biswajit Chakraborty as Kakababu's elder brother/Sontu's father
- Indranath Mukherjee as Indranath Mukherjee at JNU
Development
editSrijit Mukherji licensed the first three books in the Kakababu series with the intent to produce a film every other year starring Prosenjit Chatterjee as Kakababu, his only choice for the role.[6] Filming took place in Cairo, Egypt and Delhi in early 2013,[7][8] with Chatterjee stating that Mukherji was updating the character to be more contemporary.[9][10] Chatterjee also commented that, although they had not changed Ganguly's character too much, that "lookwise he is a modern Kakababu."[11]
The movie also features Rabindranath Tagore's famous poem Chitto Jetha Bhayshunyo.
Soundtrack
edit| Mishawr Rawhoshyo | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 2 October 2013[12] | |||
| Genre | Soundtrack | |||
| Length | 33:03 | |||
| Label | Shree Venkatesh Films | |||
| Producer | Indraadip Dasgupta | |||
| Indraadip Dasgupta chronology | ||||
| ||||
The soundtrack consists of six tracks composed by Indraadip Dasgupta with lyrics by Srijato.[12] It was released on 2 October 2013 by the cast and crew in the Oberoi Grand Hotel in Kolkata.[12]
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Kakababur Gaan" | Rupam Islam | 5:31 |
| 2. | "Baalir Shawhor" | Shreya Ghoshal, Arijit Singh | 5:51 |
| 3. | "Kyano Aaj" | Shreya Ghoshal | 5:21 |
| 4. | "Dilli" | Arijit Singh, Shadaab Faridi | 5:05 |
| 5. | "Kakababur Gaan (reprise)" | Anupam Roy | 5:20 |
| 6. | "Hani Alkadi R Gaan" | Sonu Nigam | 5:55 |
| Total length: | 33:03 | ||
Critical response
editSutapa Singha writing for The Times of India gave a rating of 
and said the album is like an audio window to the gripping thriller on-screen.[13]
Reception
editMishawr Rawhoshyo garnered mixed to generally positive reviews from critics. Gautam Chakraborty of Anandabazar Patrika rated it 
.[14] Dippanita Mukhopadhay Ghosh of Ebela rated it .[15]
Awards and nominations
edit- Filmfare Award for Best Actor Supporting Role Male – Bengali - Indraneil Sengupta (Won)
- Filmfare Award for Best Film – Bengali (Nominated)
- Filmfare Award for Best Actor Male – Bengali - Prosenjit Chatterjee (Nominated)
- Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist – Bengali - Srijato for Baalir Shawhor (Nominated)
- Filmfare Award for Best Singer Female – Bengali - Shreya Ghoshal for Baalir Shawhor (Nominated)
Zee Bangla Gaurav Samman::
- Zee Bangla Cinema Superhit Film of the Year (Nominated)
- Best Director - Srijit Mukherji (Nominated)
- Best Actor - Male - Prosenjit Chatterjee (Nominated)
- Best Supporting Actor - Male - Indraneil Sengupta (Nominated)
- Best Actor - Negative Role - Rajit Kapur (Nominated)
- Best Music Director - Indradeep Dasgupta (Nominated)
Sequel
editThe sequel Yeti Obhijaan was released in 2017. The second sequel Kakababur Protyaborton was released in 2022.[16]
References
edit- ^ "Mishawr Rawhoshyo movie review: Wallpaper, Story, Trailer at Times of India". The Times of India. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- ^ "5 films that rocked the box office this year". Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Cine sleuths". Calcutta, India: Telegraph India. 13 January 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "Mishawr Rawhoshyo Press Conference". Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
- ^ "Srijit's Kakababu unveiled". The Times of India. 25 November 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "Kakababu's diary". Calcutta, India: Telegraph India. 11 February 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "Bhooter Bhhabishyat completes one year". The Times of India. 16 March 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "Team Mishor Rahasya reaches Egypt". The Times of India. 10 February 2013. Archived from the original on 26 April 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "Prosenjit all set for Kakababu". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "My kakababu smartest". Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). 16 February 2013. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^ "One man, many shades". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 April 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ a b c "The Egyptian Mystery". The Telegraph - t2. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
- ^ "Mishawr Rawhoshyo - Indraadip Dasgupta". Sutapa Singha. The Times of India - Calcutta times epaper. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- ^ "ভাঁজে ভাঁজে সুনীলের প্রতি শ্রদ্ধার্ঘ্য". Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). 16 October 2013. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Rahashyohin Mishwar, Kakababu madhumoy". Ebela. 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Release Alert! This is when 'Kakababur Protyaborton' will hit the big screens". The Times of India. 30 November 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 12 June 2023.