It Happened in Calcutta Review: Karan Kundrra and Nagma Rizwan’s transcends us to ’60s and ’70s; shows that love is timeless

By Ruchita Mishra

on March 02, 2020

Show: It Happened in Calcutta

OTT: ALT Balaji/Zee5

Director: Ken Ghosh

Stars: Karan Kundrra, Nagma Rizwan, Simran Kaur Mundi

Ratings: 3 Moons

Love stories have always been the favourite for masses and one can’t help but laugh and cry with the characters. The pioneers in OTT drama, ALT Balaji's next love story is a unique period drama featuring Karan Kundrra and Naghma Rizwan as Ronobir and Kusum in key roles. Set against the backdrop of Calcutta in the 1960s, It Happened in Calcutta invokes a sense of nostalgia in the times of war between India and Pakistan and the life-threatening disease, Cholera. The plotline is simple - love triumphs all.

The show begins with Kusum (Naghma Rizwan), the only female MBBS student in the college, who aspires to become a renowned doctor. Kusum ends up falling for the Casanova of college (Ronobir Chatterhjee) despite seeing him getting intimate with a college faculty member. Being poles apart, Kusum’s attention diverters from medical studies to Ronobir and the rest is history!

But there is more to this tale than what meets the eye. Things take a U-turn as all she gets in return is heartbreak and betrayal, leading to separation, which makes her lose faith in Ronobir & love. While the two mature over time, it’s the communal tension in the city and the circumstances that lead the lovers to meet and fall apart, time and again.

Apart from costumes, what sets the show apart is background music which is apt for the narrative. One can also hear the beautiful melodies like ‘The ‘Ekla Chalo Re’, ‘Subah ki Garmi’, and ‘Sukoon’ which is soothing to our ears. These beautiful tracks perfectly metaphors the ongoing narrative of the show.

With love being of prime importance, the series gives justice to the pertinent events of the time – cholera epidemic and World War. What could have been worked on are the dialogues and dialect, as the Bengali accent in the show was missing. The editing could have been a litter crisper, as some parts were made the narrative too long and mundane. The makers showcased love as a synonym to sex which felt a little ahead of the time, considering the show was set in the '60s.

What shines bright in the gloomy times is Karan who is the soul of the show and did utmost justice to his character Ronobir. Debutante Kusum aka Nagma’s kickstart in the world of web is welcoming. She is expressive and makes her screen presence felt. Simran Kaur Mundi too does a fine job as a supporting cast. Overall Ekta Kapoor spins yet another tale that will tug your heartstrings.

PeepingMoon gives 'It Happened in Calcutta' 3 moons