Mithun Chakraborty and Debasree Roy, a celebrated screen pair in the 1980s and ‘90s, reunite after a 14-year hiatus for Pathikrit Basu’s Shastri. Based on a short story by Debarati Mukhopadhyay, the film’s message reverberates today, where faith is often commodified, and fake godmen cash in on people’s faith.
The story centres on Mithun Chakraborty’s character, Parimal Shastri, a modest, honest man whose life spirals out of control due to financial hardship. An industrial worker, the closure of a factory forces him to take up a security guard’s job. His small household, consisting of his wife (Debasree Roy) and young son, struggles to stay afloat.
Their woes escalate when a cunning promoter Ramen (Rajatava Dutta) uses every trick in the book to try and take control of Parimal’s ancestral house. Threatened but resolute, Parimal refuses to budge, even as his son’s life is endangered. It is at this juncture, when all seems lost, that he encounters a curious salesman (Saswata Chatterjee) who offers him a pair of enchanted glasses.
The mystical eyeglass acts as a gateway to fortune for Parimal, transforming him into a revered astrologer. From winning lotteries to curing ailments and even transforming the fortunes of his neighbours, Parimal becomes an overnight sensation. But this success comes at a cost; his personal relationships are in jeopardy.
Parimal’s meteoric rise also draws the ire of astrophysicist Saikat (Soham Chakraborty). An activist of rationalism, Saikat wants to expose Parimal, setting the stage for a faith-vs-science clash.
Shastri’s strength lies in the performances. Mithun embodies Parimal with conviction, although occasionally he does appear fatigued. Debasree is unfortunately underutilised but she does have her moments, like when she questions her husband’s transformation and contemplates leaving home. Rajatava as the scheming promoter is, well, Rajatava.
Aritra Banerjee and Arnab Bhowmick deliver a somewhat engaging screenplay, weighed down by its predictability and the #politecough approach towards the faith vs rationalism face-off.
