BoX#1313

http://calcuttatube.com/box-no-1313-2009-bengali-film/

Hansraj

This is the tale of a young Baul boy, Hansraj, representative of one of the innumerable dormant talents in the rural Bengal and his dream of singing in the radio, a hope that could never have been realized but for the determined effort of the teenage Basanta and his friend Shamu. The village, where Hansraj lived with his widowed mother, uncle and aunt, was situated not too far from Calcutta and was a regular picnic spot for the school goers. In one such picnic party, he had a chance meeting with Basanta, Shamu, the flamboyant Tony and several others from the city school. There, hearing the excellent voice of Hansraj and his knack of quickly creating compositions, Tony falsely promised to introduce him to the big bosses of radio industry if Hansraj could manage to come to the city. Thus encouraged, the innocent Hansraj left his home and travelled to Calcutta with Tia, his fiancée, promising to look after his family. He eventually spotted the school where Tony and his friends studied and there Tony, under pressure from his friends, took him to his home where his sophisticated mother, on the first glance ordered Tony to get rid of him. Thus Hansraj soon learnt the ways of the city dwellers when Tony, trying to save his face, accused him of theft and threw him out of the house. But thanks to Providence, he was saved by Basanta and Shamu, the later giving him shelter in his house. Then it was upto Basanta’s tenacity and Shamu’s support to counter all the obstacles that the rich Tony created to prevent Hansraj to make it to the radio station.
This delightful story is ably directed by Ajit Ganguli studding the entire narrative with a number of songs, mostly in the voice of Arati Mukhopadhyay and Sandhya Mukherjee with the wise choice of fascinating lyrics by Pulak Bandyopadhyay. As to the casting Arindam was just appropriate in his role while the others also produce a balanced performance.

Jhinder Bandi

Based on the novel of Saradindu, which is again based on Anthony Hope's "Prisoner of Zenda", Tapan Sinha directed this gripping drama of love, betrayal, lust and glory featuring Uttam Kumar, Tarun Kumar, Radhamohan Bhattacharjee, Dilip Roy, Arundhati Mukherjee, Sandhya Roy and surprising everybody with Soumitra Chatterjee cast as a villain for the 1st time. I'd bought the CD just last week and watched it just on the day following the one that saw the end of an era of classical music by the Sarod Maestro, Ali Akbar Khan who was coincidentally the music director of the film.

The story is peculiar yet the concept is remarkable. Sankar Singh, the would be king of Jhind (in Madhya Pradesh) was abducted before his coronation ceremony by his brother Udit and his ally the crooked Mayur Bahan. To prevent the cruel Udit to occupy the throne, the news is kept a secret and a trusted few are send throghout the country in search of Sankar Singh, who being a connoisseur of wine and women was a person to be easily lured to remotest of places. During this search one of the Royal guards spotted a Gauri Sankar Roy, a young man from Calcutta, who had remarkable similarity with Sankar Singh. Hearing about the complications that clouds Jhind, the adventurousGauri Sankar accompanies the Sardar to Jhind and there he was crowned the king much to the chagrin of the villains. The baffled Udit and Mayur Bahan devises several counter attacks to destroy Gauri Sankar. But thanks to his courage, Gauri Sankar manages to evade the dangers with the help of the diplomatic Sardar and Dewan and the brave Rudrarup. But problem of a different kind arises in the form of the queen Kasturibai of the neighouring kingdom Jharoa who is betrothed to Sankar. Gauri Sankar was here too forced to pass himself as Sankar during the engagement ceremony with Kasturibai and the dazzling personality of Gauri Sankar easily wins Kasturi's heart, who was more prepared to behold the disreputed Sankar Singh. But Gauri too finds himself leaning towards Kasturi and thus feels guilty of his weakness. Meanwhile the search of Sankar Singh continues and news of his wherabouts reach Gauri, Sardar and the rest. But this was the time Sardar reveals to Gauri a curious story that links his lineage to the Royal blood which proves him to be a deserving candidate for the throne. Thus it is left to be seen who actually gets to the throne and how the evil plans of Mayur Bahan is countered by Gauri.
The movie is fascinating watch and Soumitra as Mayur Bahan surpasses all the others in acting.

Ch(n)ader Pahaar

It was after several long years that I set my eyes again on the book, excerpts from which had been a part of my primary school syllabus. From the very day the pages of this riveting adventure story unfolded itself in front of me, it had been etched deep into the memory. So though the age has advanced, the thrill of Sankar's adventure had remained as exciting as ever. Bibhutibhushan's masterpiece indeed had become a classic for all times.
Sankar, the son of an ordinary jute mill worker in a village of Bengal. A keen student of geography & astronomy, had always aspired for an adventurous life. Thus when he came to know of a job in the Mombasa railway construction site in Africa, he didn't waste any time and travelled across the continent to join there. There he received his first taste of danger at the labour camp where suddenly a man-eating lion appeared and kept terrorizing the labourers for days. Infact, Sankar himself had a close shave with the lion once which far from deterring his spirits made him even more emboldened. As the lion stalled the construction work, Sankar took up a stationmaster’s job near Kisumu. But here too he faced the wrath of the jungle as a lion became an infrequent visitor of his quarter and he himself had a narrow escape from a venomous Black Mamba. But here came the turning point in his life when he met the near dying Diego Alvarej, an explorer of the jungles of Africa who told him of his curious adventure in the slopes of the Richterseveldt mountain range that led to the disconvery of a diamond mine jointly with his friend and fellow explorer, the late Jim Carter. Fate had dealt a rough hand with them as they not only lost the way guiding the path to the mine but also had a tragic encounter with a three-toed savage ape that cost Carter's life. Alvarej himself had struggled to come down and he told all this as he recovered from his wounds nursed by the ever sincere Sankar. The stories invoked the adventurer in Sankar and he requested Alvarej to allow him to be part of his next mission: to find the route to the diamond mine.
Thus began the dangerous and perilous adventure of Sankar in the trecharous terrain of the Richtardsveldt studded with venomous insects, toxic herbs, savage beasts and a dormant volcano. The able penmanship of Bibhutibhushan has brought to fore all these in a brilliant style and nobody wil believe that the writer had never set a foot in the continent that he so masterfully described. Added to this is the bonus cover design by Satyajit Ray and the other equally brilliant sketches in the book makes this all the more appealing.

Saat Paake Bandha

http://calcuttatube.com/saat-paake-bandha-2009/

Madly Bangalee

http://calcuttatube.com/madly-bangalee-2009-bengali-film-review/

Aaro Ek Dajon

Another of a dozen of Satyajit Ray's short story collection following Ek Dajon Gappo including three Feluda stories that I picked up from my collection this time for revisiting the wonders of Ray. The content and their briefs are as

1. Professor Hijibijbij is a tribute to Ray's father and to his fantastic creations depicted in Abol Tabol and Ha-Ja-Ba-Ra-La that were brought to life by the eccentric professor of the story. But the final paragraphs seem to warn the readers of the dangers of defying nature.
2. Fritz deals with the supernaturals with an ending to send the head reeling in awe.
3. Brown Saheber Bungalow is a ghost story with an unique twist at the climax.
4. Sadanander Khude Jagat is written from the perspective of a child who could hear the ants’ voices.
5. Khagam is another spine chilling horror story of a saint who loved snakes and his pet one in particular.
6. Ratanbabau aar Shei Lokta is a queer story in which a lonely traveller meets a man who seemed to be his carbon copy in both appearance and nature. But though in one hand Ratanbabu seemed to get his right mate but the resemblence seemed to be getting discomfortingly painful which drove him to commit a murder and bear the consequence that was beyond his wildest dreams.
7. Bhakta is the most fascinating of the stories in which again resemblance plays the central role and an ordinary holidaying man finds himself trapped in the fan-circle of a renowned writer.
8. Batikbabu is another of Ray’s wonderful creation where obsession to a queer hobby drives a person to sheer madness.
9. Barin Bhoumiker Beram is one of Ray’s excellent pieces where the ultimate twist is in the final few lines.
10. Sheyal Debota Rahasya introduces Feluda to the case of an antique thief which he solves with his naturally sharp intellect.
11. Samaddarer Chaabi sets Feluda to a treasure hunt based on the queer few words which the dead man utters moments before his death. But villains prowl behind the shadows and it is to be seen how Feluda manages to catch them while recovering the treasure. Curiously, this story is devoid of any picture while the previous one had two sketches to the credit.
12. Ghurghutiar Ghatana is yet another case with Feluda solving a riddle to open a combination lock but the revelation of the vilest mind is again exposed by his quick wit. As in the previous two, this story was also written before Sonar Kella and so no Lalmohanbabu is there for a comic relief though the modulated pace of the story never seemed to need one.

Roman Holiday

The 1953 film starring Gregory Peck and introducing Audrey Hepburn, the latter clinching the Academy Award for Best Actress in the same movie, is a romantic comedy centering on a single day's events in a princesses' life that she tried to spend as an ordinary holidaying tourist. Eddie Albert co-stars in this comedy and gives the perfect humorous relief to an already humourous but romantic chain of events.
Ann is a princess of an unnamed nation set on a tour of several European cities. Tired of the official duties to be performed one night she tries to break free from the princely duties and escapes outside in the dark city streets while at Rome one evening. Prior to this she was given a sedative to calm her nerves that takes effect very soon and she dozes off in a roadside bench only to be discovered by Joe Bradley, a reporter of an American newspaper stationed at Rome. Though initially Joe doesn't recognize her and reluctantly carries her home, but once he identifies her with her published picture at the papers he immediately smells a scoop and devises a plan of hitting up with an exclusive interview for his paper. For this he takes help of his photographer friend Irving Radovich and together they accompany her Royal Highness on a guided tour of the city street without disclosing their professions to Ann. But news of the missing princess reaches her kingdom from where secret agents were deployed and they spot her on a public ball with Bradley. A brawl breaks up and Bradley and Ann makes a narrow escape and suddenly they find that they have developed feelings for each other. Now it remains to seen whether the call of duty for the princess can pursuade her to return to the embassy or whether she lets herself be carried away by her emotions. Also for Bradley, he is held in a dilemma between publishing of the scandalous story and keeping the faith intact between him and the princess.
A superb storyline, later used in several other films, and a wonderful casting has made this movie an all time hit.

G(n)osaibaganer Bhoot

Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay’s novel aimed for the children readers and with more or less in the same style as in Manojded Advut Bari though the theme seemed more simplified than the later.
The central character was Burun, a mediocre student of Bhataguri who suddenly seemed to gather superhuman qualities, thanks to a 200 year old ghost Nidhiram residing in the nearby G(n)osaibagan, an infamous patch of land, once the abode of Gosai gangster and his henchmen now turned to the dwelling place of the spirits of the same villains and some new ghostly recruits. But this abode of the ghosts and the whole of Bhataguri seemed on the verge of catastrophy with the coming of the Satanic Habu with his evil powers to tame both the living and the dead. Thus it was upto the wise Ram Kabiraj(grandpa to Burun)’s prudence to devise a way to shield off the terror for ever.
The story is again a nice read though I did not felt it to be so exciting as Manojder Advut Bari but the ingenious plot is surely to arouse enjoyable thrills to the young mind.

36 China Town

An Abbas Mustan directed comedy-mystery starring Akshay Khanna, Paresh Rawal, Johny Lever, Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor in lead roles.
Akshay Khanna plays a detective inspector investigating the murder of Sonia Chang of 36 China Town, Goa. Just on the morning of the murder Mrs. Chang received a phone call from Bombay with the news that her missing son Vicky, still an infant, had been recovered by some persons who are willing to return him in favour of the Rs. 25 lakh award as declared in newpapers. Mrs. Chang readily agreed and threw a gala party celebrating the news (something quite unrealistic as no attempt was made to validate the news and the bereaved mother could not wait a day more before being re-united by her toddler son and seemed to enjoy the party not caring whether her son was really arriving by the morning). Well, all was going well till Raj and Priya, the persons who actually found Vicky reached Goa at midnight and when they entered the mansions they found the deadbody of Mrs. Chang. Moreover Raj seemed to get a glimpse of the murderer in the process. But unfortunately it was Raj who was arrested by the police and Sonia’s deadbody was found to be dumped in Priya’s bag. But as Akshay started to solve the mystery it seemed four more pesons, excluding Raj and Priya, who entered the mansions at around the time of the murder. One of them was the wife of a seasoned gambler and confirmed loser, the former developing a grudge against the owner (Mrs. Chang) of the gambling house. Another was Natwar, an out-and-out gambler who had already lost four of his five hotels in gambling and was in dire straits financially. The third was Rocky, a high-society playboy and the fourth was the wife of Natwar, angry at Sonia advancing a loan of Rs.25 lakh to Natwar with his fifth hotel held in credit.
Now it depended on Akshay to solve the crime and save Raj and Priya with several other characters like the butler and the maid, the lawyer and the manager of the gambling den and an alcoholic all seeming to crop up to baffle any theory that the police was trying to set-up.
An enjoyable movie if the super simplification at parts can be compromised and Himesh Reshamiya’s voice is endured.

Saptapadi

My wife presented me with this evergreen and intensely romantic movie based on Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay's novel that was superbly directed by Ajay Kar. I don't think the movie needs much of an introduction as it is surely etched deeply in every Bengali movie lover's heart.

Krishnendu, a brilliant medical student in the National Medical College, Calcutta, in the pre-independence period and an avid atheist falls in love with Rina Brown, daughter to a Christian father. As Rina's father successfully convinces Krishnendu to change his religion, the fanatic Hindu in Krishnendu's father begs Rina to leave Krishnendu for good without disclosing to him the reason for this sudden flight. Though both the lovers part but Providence again brings them nearer in a miraculous way. The chance meeting reveals the silent adoration that each still felt for the other but again the promise to Krishnendu's father gets the better of Rina and she leaves Krishnendu once again. But the Almighty seemed to test these loving souls when a letter to Krishnendu from his repentant father arrives, revealing the secret to him with Rina still untracable. Meanwhile WWII breaks in and both Krishnendu and Rina, by a curious turn of fate, arrives at a Red Cross hospital at Assam at almost the same time. The audience is left breathless till the last moment and the intense drama of the movie makes it an all time classic.

The romantic duo of Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen seems to attain a new height in this film while in the side roles Chayadevi excells with her muted expressions and Chobi Biswas is just perfect for his role. The photography, cinematography and overall direction are excellent and Hemanta Mukherjee's music direction blends just to well with the variety of emotions that the film exhibits. Utpal Dutta lends his majestic voice in one of the unique exhibitions of drama in silver screen that enriches the movie even more.

Manojder Advut Bari

To get a drift of the story by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay it's enough just to peep into each of the characters that constitute this exceptional comedy and though considered to be fiction for the young will cause rejoice in the hearts of every comedy lovers irrespective of the age group.
To begin with we have the members of Manoj's family

• Rakhobabu, father to Saroj, Manoj, Putul and two others is a strict and disciplined individual managing the entire household.
• Bamasundari Devi is the aged mother of Rakhobabu and an excellent marksman with pebbles.
• Adyasakti Devi is the aged aunt of Rakhobabu but an extremely pious lady with a fascination for cowdungs.
• Bhajahari, the younger meeker brother of Rakhobabu is best in negotiations in the vegetable market but if intoxicated can cause wonders.
  
• Haradhan, the youngest brother to Rakhobabu, a gymnast and scientist combined, his main theme of research seems to be hybridisation of anything and everything living.
• Manoj, Saroj and Putul, the siblings who seem to be the only practical headed members of the family.

Then we have the other characters like

• Dukhaharanbabu, the private tutor to Manoj and his siblings whose academic brilliance and posture of sitting seemed to be curiously interrelated.
• Ganesh Ghosal, the singing teacher, who frequently and unsuccessfully tries to commit suicide whenever he misses a bit during his practice sessions.
• Kirmiria, the old maid, who loves to wail at the slightest hint of mishap in the household.
• Satish Bharadwaj, the priest, with an unique way of reading the newspaper and who always brags about his pet ghosts Hnadu & Bhnudu.
• Bardacharan, the detective with a knack to make matters complicated. His assistant in sleuthing is his nephew Chakku with a more practical bend of mind.
  
• Srutidhar Ghosh, a forgetful neighbour of Rakhobabu and his oversmart nephew Fatik are two dormant characters in the story.
  
• Ramkhilaon, the gardener with a very poor sight who is always pestered by Raghu, the servant.

Added to this are

• Nishikanta Daroga, a follower of Ma Kali and the local police inspector whose timid but responsible self is revealed more than once in the story.
• Govinda Narayan, the miserly king of Haringarh whose diet seems to be centred around cucumber only and whose passion is counting the notes and coins in his personal treasury that he protects with his life. His miserly attitude is more prominent by the fact that to ward of expenses he had never tried to pursue on any trail for finding his long lost son Kandarpa Narayan. His main household comprises of his wife Ambika and mother Hemomoy, that latter making an income out of dried cowdungs, without the knowledge of his son.
• A pack of dacoits with a handsome second-in-command and Kanai, the fishnmonger as one of the members.

Other trivial but characters introducing fresh reliefs are Samir-Timir-Tarak Guha, Harashankar, Kaustabh, Golokbihari, a pack of local gamblers, a corrupt constable, miser Gobinda and Shardul.
I think the mere mention of these characters seems to indicate the complexity of the story and I won't not try to summarise it but will surely recommend this as one of the best humourous pieces that I've ever come across. Shirshendu has masterfully converged the story to a perfect finish and the readers will be held in a laugh riot throughout the entire narrative. To supplement the prose is an equally hilarous poem by Nirendranath Chakrabarty that was used in the story in a fascinating manner increasing its appeal even more.
Footnote: The same review was published in boimela.in, the link being https://www.boimela.in/index.php?main_page=product_reviews_info&products_id=170&reviews_id=5

Royal Bengal Rahasya

Mystery lurks behind the dense forests of the fictitous Lakshmanbari, bordering Bhutan where Feluda and Jatayu are invited by Mahitosh Singha Roy, a renowned hunter. The host also presents Feluda with an age old puzzle that seems to lead to a treasure trove, hidden by his whimsical grandfather Aditya Narayan in the dense woods. But no sooner Feluda starts unravelling the riddle a death occurs, the victim being Tarit Sengupta - secretary to Singha Roy. As Feluda searches for clues the incoherent monologues of Debotosh Singha Roy, the elder brother of Mahitosh seems to give a direction. As the case progresses Feluda finds himself on the suspect list of the local police lead by Mr. Biswas. Again Singha Roy's friend Sasanka Sanyal who keeps himself in low profile seems to possess of a dark secret concerning the famous Singha Roy family. Madhavlal, the local hunter also come to the picture when a possible man-eater looms in the neighbouring areas. Thus Feluda has to keep his cool and solve a bizarre mystery that promises a terrific climax and remains one of the most famous stories penned by Ray. Added to this brain teasing riddle the novel also presents a brilliant sketch of the forest where the adventure occurs and the atmosphere created by the author is just perfect for the enigmatic backdrop that this mystery required. Also the pages are filled with a new style of sketches by Ray that the readers will enjoy immensely.