Jaatishwar (2014) – English Overview

Genre:

Musical Drama, Historical Fiction, Reincarnation

Director:

Srijit Mukherji

Starring:

Prosenjit Chatterjee, Jisshu Sengupta, Swastika Mukherjee, and Aparajita Adhya

The film is a layered story that beautifully blends past and present, exploring identity, reincarnation, music, and cultural exchange.

1. Present Day (Modern Timeline):

A Portuguese-origin Indian named Rohit Mehta (played by Jisshu Sengupta) lives in India and falls in love with Mahamaya (played by Swastika Mukherjee), a Bengali woman. To impress her and understand her culture, he tries to immerse himself in Bengali literature and music.

2. The Past Life (19th Century Timeline):

The film shifts to the colonial era, where we meet Anthony Firingee (played by Prosenjit Chatterjee), a real historical figure—an Indo-Portuguese poet and folk singer who adopted Bengali culture and language in the 19th century.

Anthony falls in love with a Hindu widow, Soudamini, but faces societal opposition due to his foreign origin. He becomes a master of kavigaan (a traditional form of musical debate in Bengal) and deeply influences Bengali folk music.

3. Reincarnation and Connection:

Rohit starts having strange dreams and visions that connect him to Anthony Firingee’s life. Eventually, it's revealed that he may be the reincarnation of Anthony, carrying forward his cultural passion and emotional scars.