The Jengaburu Curse (meaning ‘Curse of the red hills’) is set in a region hardly represented in mainstream Indian cinema. Director Nila Madhab Panda (I Am Kalam, Kadvi Hawa, and Jalpari: The Desert) sets up a thriller in his home state of Odisha with a focus on the climate crisis. The makers’ claim of the series being India’s attempt at the cli-fi (climate fiction) genre isn’t pretentious, as you sense a genuine interest in addressing the issue.
However, the seven-episode series leaves us wanting more as the well-written story never comes alive grippingly on screen. The wobbly cinematic elements (especially the production value) trump a decent narrative.
The Jengaburu Curse (Hindi)
Priya Das (an earnest Fariah Abdulla), financial analyst, flies back to Odisha from London when she learns that her father has gone missing. The police tells her that her father, a former professor and an activist, has been kidnapped by the Naxals. Soon, Priya realises there is more to it than meets the eye. As expected, she is in the middle of a suspected corporate crime that threatens to wipe out the Bonda tribe of Odisha.
An array of characters complement the dark tone of the series. There is a British whistleblowing couple, a senior NGO consultant (Nasser), a benevolent local doctor (Makarand Deshpande) supporing the rebels, a corrupt minister, and an amoral cop. But similar to the film’s premise, these promising characters never take off to reveal more layers.
The realistic locations (including the forest) enhance the serious mood of the film, but after a point, the geographical setting takes a backseat as the story takes a painfully slow time in unraveling the consequences of illegal mining. Even the big reveals don’t come across as organic. It’s as if the makers succumbed to the pressure of ending each episode with a big twist, as some of them feel more theatrical than believable.
In any powerful versus powerless story a filmmaker must delve deep into both worlds. In TheJengaburu Curse, the plight of the tribals hasn’t been explored in detail, save for one moving scene where they talk about being united to fight the greedy corporate giants. There is a display of naxal violence, but the series isn’t interested in exploring the standpoint of these rebellious people.
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Like a typical film on the vested intentions of mining lords, this series also reveals a dangerous secret hidden by the mining company (called Dutta Mines). With enough hints available in the earlier episodes, it’s not difficult to guess the final surprise, which changes the series’ central conflict into a global issue.
The Jengaburu Curse keeps you curious in places, but it lacks the cinematic heft to make it largely engaging.
The Jengabura Curse is currently streaming on Sony LIV.
