• Pathikrit BasuDirector
• Dev AdhikariActor
• Prosenjit ChatterjeeActor
• Ishaa SahaActor
• Susmita ChatterjeeActor
• Ranjit MallickActor
• Tulika BasuActor

Tollywood’s most bankable A-listers have teamed up for a chaotic but unassuming comedy about death benefits. Kacher Manush is perhaps the unlikeliest Pujo outing but may just peak during its second week when viewers are reeling with post-Pujo blues and the aftermath of their festive overspending. It’s not the first grim comedy about insurance-related scams but unlike the stylized Fargo or the too-ridiculous-to-ridicule Race, Kacher Manush has had to resort to a sensible and grounded approach to get its sentiments across. That means no swashbuckling entrances or no big, sweeping shenanigans despite some serious star power.
Dev plays an unemployed man named Kuntol, who's looking for money to treat his paralysed mother. Prosenjit plays an insurance agent who not only indulges Dev’s idea to kill himself to get death benefits, but also aids him in his plan, in exchange for half his insurance money, so he can treat his sister’s heart ailment. It’s almost unbelievable of course, but amidst a raging inflation, a movie where money is the villain, hits home easily.
The second half introduces a rather significant tonal shift and some might say it takes away from the film’s comedic edge. There is a big plot twist right before the interval and a couple of big shockers before the climax. Dev’s portrayal of a down-on-his-luck do-gooder is convincing and it’s something he does well (re: Buno Haansh). Prosenjit is innately watchable as the scheming and desperate Sudarshan and is clearly having a lot of fun with his role. The lead actors have an easy sense of camaraderie that shines through, at least when one is not trying to kill the other.
The run-time could have been shorter and the editing more snappy. The film could also use fewer songs, or no songs at all - although Usha Uthup’s Chumbak Man and Parvathy Baul’s Ke Bole Manush More have been terrifically used. There are a few moments of realistic humor and some whetted back and forth between the two leads. In short, Kacher Manush doesn’t disappoint its viewers, although it does make them wait.