Iskabon

Iskabon fictionalises the real Maoist struggles through a story of action, drama and romance. True to its genre, the film delivers on all these aspects. The script has ample scope to depict the twisted political minds at play. Powered by good acting by a few actors and decent editing, the film manages to hold your attention.
One of the film's plus points is its depiction of action in the rural areas of Bengal. At first, the lack of finesse or stylisation will catch your eye, but it goes in favour of the film. True, one wouldn't be seeing Maoists delivering perfectly-pitched dialogues or fighting with sophisticated weapons in real life. However, the crudeness of the scenes and raw energy of the actors add to the realistic storytelling.
Saurav Das, Anamika Chakraborty and Saanju SK are believable as the lead trio – more for their simplicity than any forced acting calibre. Other seasoned actors also do their bit by not dramatising the characters.
What appears jarring to the eyes, though, are the romantic song sequences between Shiv and Golapi. In contrast, Satya's longing for Golapi looks a tad natural. Drawing comparisons with Bollywood's Newton would be far-fetched, but that's where the director of Iskabon can learn to marry realistic storytelling with the finesse of cinematic liberty.
The director has done a decent job of Maoist depiction and their struggles, but the moment the story shifts to the Army lives or civilians, a lack of sophistication is felt in the film's tonality.