If you have watched Bandish Bandits, you probably know Ritwik Bhowmik and his range as an actor. Those tenacious lip-syncing to classical music? Well, that surely needs serious articulation. It was evident in the series, and the praise that he acquired is absolutely well-deserved. That said, I believe his immense talent remains underutilised by Bollywood. His versatility and screen presence warrant far more mainstream recognition.
Bandish Bandits helped him expand his emotional range. Later than that, Maja Maa. As he said back then, “roles are picking me now.” Well, we can’t agree more. They definitely are.
And in both of these, we could see a sweet, toned-down Ritwik Bhowmik. Slipping into the characters, wearing them like the soft scars that lie on your hearts, and linger even after the character fades away from the veneer. But then the bomb drops, with Khakee. And we see Ritwik Bhowmik, picking up the tough toes.
The “good boy” is gone. We saw a grudge. Thirsty for revenge. Almost what being radical looks like. The image he had maintained slipped away, and we saw him taking over as a gangster. So, he experienced a transition from light to dark as an artist, playing three different roles and sorting out three distinct dynamics for himself.
Speaking about exploring the dark side, he said, “We’ve dived into this dark side of not just Kolkata but also just being human. And it was quite a psychological, emotional, and a physical task to take this dive. But we enjoyed the process because as an actor, it’s very rare that you get to explore such avenues, especially if you’ve been seen only in certain kind of roles. I’m very blessed that this opportunity came my way,” as quoted by Times Now.
So, dear Ritwik — how good are you, really?
The answer lies somewhere between the subtlety of Radhe’s silences, the gentleness of Tejas, and the raw fire of Sagor. You’ve quietly crafted a trajectory that many actors spend a lifetime chasing, one that balances vulnerability with grit, charm with danger.
And while the industry may still be waking up to the full scale of your potential, those who’ve been watching closely already know: you’re not just good, you’re quietly, powerfully brilliant.
