Mirza: Part 1 – Joker (2024)
Mirza initially looks to be just another drug-related action movie starring mob bosses. Nevertheless, despite the film’s nearly three-hour duration, the Sumeet-Saahil director team keeps it lively and captivating with a fast-paced screenplay by Arnab Bhaumik and clever banter. In the first scene of Mirza, a new narcotic called Chill Pill is being smuggled into Bengal and is causing havoc in Kolkata. Senior police officer Kaustav (Rishi Kaushik) sets out to find the main people involved. The first two are a father and son team, Azhar (Shoaib Kabeer) and Sultan (Kaushik Ganguly), who have obvious links and goals. But when Mirza (Ankush Hazra) appears, the police begin to question his motivations and affiliations.
It’s hard to relate to the connections and relationships formed in a script that prioritizes speed over logic, which leaves narrative gaps that the filmmaker couple may want to fill in in a follow-up (quite obviously, as this is Part 1 – The Joker). Through storyline-integrated flashbacks, Mirza gradually reveals himself to be a man with a purpose. In addition to his excellent performance as the title character, Ankush’s comedic timing adds a delightful element to the well-executed and drawn-out action scenes. While Kaushik Ganguly does a respectable job portraying the ruthless Sultan, Oindrila Sen’s Muskaan steals the show. — a tough part that solidifies her as a reliable action performer. Despite the grim nature of her character, Oindrila gives a standout performance, particularly in the second half. Officer Murshid is played by Shantilal Mukherjee, who plays a significant but brief part. A special thanks also needs to be extended to the young performers, whose work continuously enhances the narrative.
Though interesting plot twists keep the action flowing, the film eventually becomes predictable due to hidden motivations and connections that are created throughout the narrative. Logic also frequently takes a backseat.
The romantic Ghalib (Ishan Mitra) and the upbeat Elo Mirza (Amit Mishra, Aneek Dhar) are two of the songs that are particularly enjoyable to listen to. All things considered, the movie is an action-packed, commercial entertainer with strong acting and lots of potential for a sequel.
