For the very first time have seen such a film from Bangladeshi industry, even haven't seen this level of work in Bangladeshi OTT platform before ,standing as one of the finest crime thrillers in the history of Bangladeshi cinema. So entertaining from first to last with the seatbelt always being tightened hard. Kudos to Raihan Rafi & Surongo team. Everyone knew that it will be a story of a financially distressed guy who will be stealing money from a bank by digging a tunnel and the stealing part is inspired from a real-life story in Bangladesh. After release of the movie, due to discussions all around it was also an open secret that the lead character Masud will be betrayed by his wife "Moyna" due to his financial struggles. Even though the audience was aware of these, they remained glued to their seats, fully immersed in the unfolding drama.
Time for some criticisms. In the 1st portion of the 1st half, things were going quite fast like Masud meeting Moyna and the dialogues and story was just like 10 other traditional bangla movies. Also from meeting her coincidentally to love at first sight reminded me of any average FDC movie. Masud's decision of going to Malaysia and successfully going there, all were just in such a hurry. Director Raihan Rafi could have showed more about how much tough it was for Masud to manage money to go to Malaysia. The scenes at Malaysia could have been more polished. Masud's work in Malaysia and how much hard it was for him to earn money should have not be bounded only in dialogues , rather should have been showed , so that audiences can feel for Masud more. The subplot of extramarital affair of Moyna was good enough, seen like a natural and sudden one from a audience's perspective. However, portraying Moyna as a character solely motivated by money, without any subtlety was something repetitive throughout the movie and it's a place where director Raihan Rafi could have used his brain more. The heartbreak stage of Masud was so realistic, going to rate that part "9 out of 10".
By the way, it can be showed more in details about his thought process behind devising the plan to steal from bank through a tunnel. The second half of the film also suffered from rushed storytelling. More complications and setbacks in executing his plan could have added depth to the narrative. Here another thing came into my mind. There was just only one or two dialogue that was narrating Masud's experience of digging tunnels in Malaysia. Could have portrayed the same thing with actual scenes of Masud digging tunnels in Malaysia which certainly would make the whole thing more understandable to audience that Masud is expert in digging tunnels which is a point Rafi missed.
I could empathize with Masud's feelings for Moyna, but it was quite hilarious that he would share his plan of bank robbery with her, considering everything she had done. It was unbelievable that Masud didn't suspect Moyna's selfish motive to come back to him at the very beginning. Later, in jail, Moyna conveys a message to Masud, but it remains unclear how she obtained the information. These logical gaps throughout the film contribute to its average storytelling.
The last half an hour of the film was nearly perfect, filled with thrilling climaxes. However, I was able to predict the final climax during Masud's conversation with Moyna in the closing scenes. It would have been better if the twist had been more natural, without any obvious hints.
Overall, Surongo can be seen as a revenge film, centered around a heartbroken man seeking vengeance against his cheating and selfish wife. However, the story is not entirely linear, showcasing the extent to which a person can go for money and to overcome the pain caused by their wife and society. The inner turmoil of the protagonist resonated with the audience, who could feel the pain and anger within the character. The songs in the film were great and contributed to its success as a commercial film, including the item song. The comedic moments were enjoyable, although they may not be relatable to audiences outside of Bangladesh. The cinematography, color grading, background music, sound design and performances of both the lead and supporting actors were top-notch. The movie featured breathtaking nature scenes and Raihan Rafi's choice of locations was excellent. The only deficiency was in the storytelling part which could have been improved. Nevertheless, the entire movie was highly entertaining.
In my opinion, the story of Surongo could have made for an excellent TV series. The extensive plot covered numerous elements that could have been explored further with additional screen time and a higher budget.
One personal suggestion I have is that Raihan Rafi could have cast Shakib Khan in the role of Masud. While Afran Nisho was perfect in his portrayal, Shakib Khan's immense fan base, which includes individuals from various socioeconomic backgrounds, could have generated a massive buzz. Additionally, it would have been a valuable opportunity for Shakib Khan to work under a director like Raihan Rafi. I believe Shakib Khan is not devoid of acting talent, but rather his choice of scripts and lack of collaboration with quality directors have held him back. The combination of a talented superstar, a high-quality story, and a skilled director could have made the film truly untouchable.
In conclusion, Surongo deserves recognition for its achievements, although there was room for improvement. The film explored the depths of human emotions, showcasing the making of a criminal and the pain that fuels their actions. While the storytelling could have been more compelling, the technical aspects such as cinematography, color grading, music, and acting were outstanding. Despite its flaws, Surongo managed to entertain and hat's off Surongo team, expected better but this was also not less than best.
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