Film, Theatre & TV

Aranyer Din Ratri is the well-known polyphonic narrative of Sunil Gangopadhyay, a narrative published in 1968. In 1970, it was

Where every train mirrors a story of longing, rupture, and return

Bengali cinema’s evolution from male gaze portrayals to powerful, women-centric storytelling and empowerment

From Kerala to Kolkata, Guru Venkit bridged cultures through Kathakali, devotion, and timeless artistic legacy

In the villages and towns of Bengal, before the cinemas and the television screens, there had always been a remarkable

In 1972, at the time of his last film Jukti, Takko aar Gappo, when Ritwik Ghatak himself would say, “I have no theory”

Letters have long disappeared from our everyday lives. Once, there were messages. Now, we just “text.” With a single tap,

Cinema has always been visually oriented, a desire for spectacle, from its very beginning. When the Lumière brothers screened their

Late 1980s. Aniruddha Dhar decided to make a docudrama on Uttam Kumar. The producers were Indrajit Sen and his brother

In 1966, All India Radio transitioned Mahalaya from a live broadcast to a pre-recorded format

Pather Panchali was the first film of what came to be known as the Apu Trilogy

Venice has always been a city of stories—whispered along its canals, reflected in its shimmering waters. Last week, the story

Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen that was brought to screen and made into a magnum opus that has literally influenced generations,

Dadar Kirti (1980) Cast: Anup Kumar, Tapas Paul, Mahua Roychoudhury, Sandhya Roy, Debashree Roy, Ayan Banerjee, Kali Banerjee, Ruma Guhathakurta Director: Tarun

Had Uttam Kumar not turned him down, Satyajit Ray would probably have made ‘Ghare Baire’ in 1956, the script for which he had written

The corridors of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) have always echoed with stories—some whispered between classes, some scribbled on crumpled

Kazi Nazrul Islam was not just a poet and that too a protest poet, but he also participated regularly in

Sombhu Mitra, an eminent Bengali theatre personality I still remember that particular day. It was a time when I had just

Acouple of years ago, a video went viral on social media where a graceful dancer, with effortless movements, told a

"In Gangetic West Bengal, it will rain all day," the TV anchor announces. The Bengali may have changed, but the monsoon’s

“Inever tell an ordinary, sugary-sweet story—where a boy and a girl fall in love, can’t unite at first and feel

Many things are deeply associated with Purba Bardhaman district, and among them, the folk theatre tradition is undeniably renowned and popular. Folk theatre

Was it eternal love? Was it romance, passion or pathos? The on-screen chemistry between two of the most iconic matinee

Uttam Kumar in Deya Neya (1963) Uttam Kumar — the ‘mahanayak’ who defined Bengali cinema for three decades, was an extremely

Bengal’s stage scene has always been characterised by a unique cycle of acceptance and dismissal. Bijon Bhattacharya was a disorderly

“Mere marnay pe laakh royenge/ Mere ronay per kaun marta hai?” (Millions of people will cry after my death/ But

Dhanni Meye (1971) Cast: Uttam Kumar, Sabitri Chatterjee, Jaya Bhaduri, Jahor Roy, Rabi Ghosh, Tapen Chatterjee, Partho Mukherjee, Tarun Kumar, Chinmay

Some actors are born with such a prowess that even if they feature in side roles, they steal the show.

“Iwas born in one of the most romantic places in the world – Darjeeling – although I have only confused

While Chhabi Biswas and Kamal Mitra reigned the golden era of Bengali celluloid with their personalities and deep baritones, Pahari

Remember Satyajit Ray’s cult film, Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen, where the two protagonists are blessed with three boons—unlimited food, the ability to

Ritwik lovingly called her ‘Lakshmi’ and sometimes ‘Das Kapital.’ Letters would arrive via post from Calcutta, Ranchi, Pune, Delhi… addressed

Yeh to aapki marzi hai ki aap unhe bhala kahein, ya bura (it is up to you whether you call

National Theatre Some people chase their dreams. Bhubonmohan Neogi lived his. In a time when theatre was just beginning to find

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouZn1DpJYhw During a period when society did not readily accept women in the job, when working in the film industry was

The sun may have set on his stardom long back, but the 84-year-old Biswajit Chatterjee is still remembered for the

It is our misfortune that most people in India as well as abroad know Satyajit Ray almost exclusively as a brilliant world-class

Somnath Kutty is the son of respected Bharatnatyam and Mohiattam maestro, Thankamani Kutty. At present, Somnath is associated with the

Ritwik Ghatak and his prized pupil Kumar Shahani used to watch the Lumières’ L’Arrivée d’un train à la Ciotat (Arrival

The thought of being an actor had never occurred to him. Accidentally, Anil Chattopadhyay was present in a studio where

The story of women filmmakers (mainly directors) may date back to World War I, but in terms of numbers, they

He was the ‘Mama’ of the Golden era of Bengali Cinema. For he acted in the role of several maternal

Beginning this week, we will be looking back at a few groundbreaking Bengali films and books for review, and we

Wilford E. (Bill) Deming. A name that ought to be familiar to every Bengali cinephile, but probably isn’t. The son

Sonar Kella (1974). Jatayu's introduction and induction into the Feluda series. + pic.twitter.com/8leppmzyp7 — Bhadralok Debroy 🪔 (@samraggi_debroy) May 2, 2022 Sonar Kella was

The famous Sans Souci Theatre decided to enact one final play before it came to a crashing close. The production

The Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), India's third oldest film festival, will celebrate its 30th edition from December 4 to

Uttam Suchitra - Bengal's all-time favourite onscreen couple Legendary Bengali matinee idol Uttam Kumar with his charming and infectious smile and

‘Goddess Durga was created by combining the luminosity of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, and all the other gods. The 10

Book cover of Sultana’s Dream, Begum Rokeya  I stumbled upon a short animated film called Sultana's Dream, 2022, on a streaming

The year was 1957. Norman McLaren and Claude Jutra collaborated on a short film, A Chairy Tale, for the National

In 2018, the BBC compiled a list of 100 best foreign films, with only one Indian film maaking it to

Calcutta aka Kolkata has always inspired the creative soul – from film makers to authors to artists. Rather it made

The helpless humiliation of lower castes in the ecosystem of a derogatory caste system in India, had been aptly captured

If we thought Parallel Cinema movement started in India in 1950s, well, then we are wrong. Much before Bengal and

We never mourn the death of legends. Rather we celebrate them, their works and their memories. Just like legendary Dilip

The Buddhadeb Dasgupta Memorial Trust, in association with the Forum for Film Studies and Allied Arts, has organised an event

The Cannes --- Film de Cannes is considered to be the biggest film festivals of the world and when a

On May 24, 1899, a ‘comet’ appeared in Churulia, a village in the Burdwan district. A rebel poet, writer, journalist,

One movie of Ray among many other pathbreaking ones that brought two idols together was Nayak. 57 years ago in

A still from the film 'Son of Adams' Bengali cinema shines once again as 'Son of Adam,' directed by Amartya Bhattacharyya,

He was one of the greatest comedians of all time and undoubtedly one of the finest actors to have graced

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZnouwEQYmY Aparna Sen with Director Suman Ghosh Her work has inspired many and continues to do so. Yet she and her directorial

Remember the haunting charm of Monimalika in Satyajit Ray’s Monihara? The actress of critically acclaimed Teen Kanya, who sang in

She had reigned Bengali celluloid even before the era of Uttam Kumar, Soumitro Chatterjee and Suchitra Sen. It was just

Director Bo Thet Htun, Myanmar At 36, Bo Thet Htun is a young filmmaker, whose work the city had a chance

The 29th KIFF is knocking at the doors for every movie buff of Bengal, India and worldwide to be a

The Sundarbans is the pride of Bengal. Any person who knows about Bengal is certainly aware of this region which

Jatra pala, a well-known genre of traditional folk theatre For ages, humans have depended on art forms to express themselves. Creating

Tandon Bari of Jorasanko as a theatre stage Walking down the lanes of Kolkata is like a treasure hunt which leads

'The Scavenger of Dreams’, led by Sudipta Chakraborty and Shardul Bharadwaj Joining this year on the list of ‘A Window on

It was July 24, 1980, the day an icon breathed his last, literally taking ill on the sets of a

Gita Deyy, a veteran actress in the Bengali film industry If Chhaya Devi was known to the Bengali movie audience as

Bijon Bhattacharya, the radical playwright and actor from Bengal Leading playwright, director, actor, script writer for films and political activist Bijon

Badal Sarkar, aka Sudhindra Sircar - an iconic Indian playwright and theater director While talking about theatre thinkers of 1960s, 1970s

Chhabi Biswas- the legendary yesteryear actor from Bengal Whenever one thinks of a quintessential Bengali aristocrat or a feudal zamindar, the

Poems were an inseparable part of Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s films, a fact well known to his ardent fans. Maybe that is

Ma left me very silently. She just concealed herself somewhere, away from us. I was at that moment mid-air, returning

At the age of 82, she still performs on stage and even inspires youngsters and those of her age to

When Big B of Bollywood in his deep baritone had set the cine-goers on a frenzy when he sang Ekla

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIMV6LRovIE There was a time in Bengal when acting in films for females was considered undignified. No women from respectable families

Our childhood is all set to return, and this time on the big screen with Narayan Debnath’s Nonte Fonte to

Balaka Ghosh, a girl from Kolkata, has bagged the award for Best Afterlife Research at the Life Beyond Life Film

Check out the events happening in Kolkata this week   The "Illumination - a Summer Collection" exhibition, organised by Artverse and curated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZj1SBUTfok Utpal Dutta had always followed an unconventional route, be it in his personal life, his education or while performing on

He was Bishu Pagol. She was Nandini. But well-known theatrician Pradip Bhattacharya's Raktakarabi was about a Nandini who fell in

Check out the events happening in Kolkata this week   Krosswindz will be performing live at the Hard Rock Cafe in Kolkata

Check out the events happening in Kolkata this week   Exhibition at the Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Museum - A major initiative of

The surroundings are decidedly unpretentious. A few chairs, a table, a few cabinets. Difficult to believe that this small room

‘She is busy now, and quite so, flooded with messages and well wishes, and at the centre of celebrations. And

The very woman who had given her all to set up Kolkata’s first public theatre and developed it further, popularizing

Check out the events happening in Kolkata this week   Dadar Kirti, a romantic drama film directed by Tarun Majumdar, will be

Check out the events happening in Kolkata this week   EVENT :14th  TEPANTAR MELA AND  BASANTA UTSAV DATE : 6TH – 8TH March  TIME

Upcoming events in Kolkata this week   EVENT : HARANER NAATJAMAI DATE : 2ND March VENUE : Academy  TIME : 6.30 PM  EVENT : tête-à-tête -

What's happening around you this week? Check out   EVENT : ‘ODYSSEY OF THE LAST ONE DECADE 2011- 2022’ Solo Art Exhibition of

Bengal has long been known as a cultural epicenter of the nation. The arts have been the region's shining jewel,

Check out the events happening in Kolkata this week EVENT : India International Seafood Show 2023 DATE : 15th – 17th February  VENUE

The essential ambiguity of human personality is shaped or shattered by the human environment. Fundamentally, it is incomplete and imperfect,

Which event would you like to be a part of? GetBengal presents a list of events that you would not

Do not miss on the events that you like to attend. GetBengal presents a list of events that you would

Step out and find interesting events around you. GetBengal presents a list of events that you would surely not like

Start your year afresh with interesting events that will crop up in Kolkata this January. GetBengal presents a list. Event - ‘Oh Solitude!’

The curtain has come down on the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival, but the hangover is still very much in

Most of the numerous documentaries and feature films telling stories of India and its journey to Independence celebrate the nation’s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy9bNgbZMJI To begin with a cliché, some truths are universal. The kind of truth that Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq talks about

At 65, Sheikh Nazim is one of Kolkata’s old ‘bhistiwalas’ (water carriers). Every day, he walks along the city’s lanes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QmCH1ZdHjQ Shahenshah Amitabh Bachchan completed his 80th year of existence on October 11 this year. As Mumbai’s tinsel town went into

It has now been 40-45 years that I have been visiting film festivals in Kolkata, Delhi, Kerala, you name it.

Chheley Kaar! (1954) Cast: Bikash Roy, Master Tilak, Chhabi Biswas, Arundhati Devi, Bhanu Banerjee, Tulsi Chakraborty, Nabadwip Haldar Director: Chitta Basu The most

Horror comedy is a literary, television, and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Horror comedy is

Ganga (1960) Cast: Gyanesh Mukherjee, Sandhya Roy, Ruma Guha Thakurta, Moni Srimani, Niranjan Ray, Sita Mukhopadhyay Director: Rajen Tarafdar Watching it today, it

Science City Auditorium came alive on the evening of November 19, as a group of talented, determined, and inspiring individuals

Stree (1972) Cast: Uttam Kumar, Soumitra Chatterjee, Arati Bhattacharya, Bhanu Bandyopadhyay, Jahor Roy, Tarun Kumar, Subrata Chattopadhyay Director: Salil Dutta By the time

Nothing could have looked better for the Bengali film industry if the legendary actor Soumitra Chatterjee would have continued to

What is your idea of a ramp walk? Or catwalk, if you like. Slim, good-looking models walking gracefully down a

Madhumati (1958) Cast: Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala, Pran, Johnny Walker Director: Bimal Roy Rs 81 lakh was a great deal of money in 1957-58.

Born in Dhaka on November 4, 1925, Ritwik Ghatak began his career as a litterateur quite early. After Partition in

There were long serpentine queues at the Bangladesh film festival in Nandan on the inaugural day and the main attraction

When a slice of Opar Bangla’s filmdom descends in Kolkata, then movie buffs make a beeline for the shows. The

36 Chowringhee Lane (1981) Cast: Jennifer Kendal, Debashree Roy, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Geoffrey Kendal, Soni Razdan, Sanjana Kapoor, Karan Kapoor, Ruma Guha

Welebrated author/ film director Satyajit Ray’s immortal fictional private detective, Feluda has enamoured readers and film lovers for more than

Babu Baisnab Charan Adhya, or ‘Bustomchurn Addy’ as the British called him, is not a name many Bengalis remember. Or

Basanta Bilap (1973) Cast: Soumitra Chatterjee, Aparna Sen, Rabi Ghosh, Kajal Gupta, Anup Kumar, Sumitra Mukherjee, Chinmoy Roy Director: Dinen Gupta How does

For the past two years, the pandemic had forced people to stay indoors, and the city wore a desolate look.

Shriman Prithviraj (1973) Cast: Ayan Bandyopadhyay, Mahua Roychoudhury, Sandhya Roy, Utpal Dutt, Biswajit Chatterjee, Satya Bandyopadhyay, Rabi Ghosh, Chinmoy Roy, Santosh

Arogya Niketan (1967) Cast: Bikash Roy, Subhendu Chatterjee, Ruma Guha Thakurta, Chhaya Devi, Sandhya Roy, Bankim Ghosh Director: Bijoy Bose Three days ago, on

A beautiful woman lavishly dressed in an expensive Banarasi silk saree, decked with heavy gold and diamond jewellery stands alone,

Nimantran (1971) Cast: Anup Kumar, Sandhya Roy, Sandhya Rani, Jahar Roy, Nandini Maliya, Kali Banerjee, Pahari Sanyal Director: Tarun Majumdar Nimantran won the

Raj Kapoor and Uttam Kumar in a film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Uttam Kumar, not Soumitra Chatterjee, in ‘Kinu Goalar

There was a classic 'tears beneath the laughter' story that Bhanu Bandyopadhyay reportedly loved to tell. "You know what my

Chattagram Astragar Lunthan (1949) The importance of Bengal in India’s freedom struggle has been widely written and spoken about. Post-Independence, the

Jayant Kripalani - Mokama Rly Station As India gears up for the 75th anniversary of its Independence this year, it is

Chaitali Dasgupta, Saswati Guhathakurta, Chhanda Sen, Tarun Chakraborty, Pankaj Saha – if these names strike a chord, and you can

Bengali classic films form a formidable part of Indian cinematic culture but the conditions of countless Bengali films are pathetic.

During the shooting of Ghare Baire, I had come across a picture book of Alfred Hitchcock at work. I thought

A curious mind in the 21st century has been swayed by the feat of a 19th century doctor attributed to

Which was the first Tarun Majumdar film you ever watched? For Bengalis of my generation, growing up in the 1980s,

He had left us on 10th June. Internationally acclaimed ace director Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s demise undoubtedly created a void in the

A group of youngsters has made us all proud with their wonderful achievement. Yes, at a time when detractors are

What do films like Habji Gabji, Hritpindo and Bela Shuru have in common? They all deal with different kinds of

Buddhadeb Dasgupta will perhaps remain the most awarded and least screened Bengali filmmaker post the Ray-Sen-Ghatak era. Which is a

Representative Image The folk dramas of West Bengal are dynamic and divergent though mostly created and performed by illiterate or semi-literate

Filmmaker Anik Dutta has been drawing all kinds of attention thanks to his new film Aparajito, ostensibly a tribute to

The Little Goddess MAVA, a civil service organisation, was born in March 1993. Funded by Harish Sadani, MAVA is an acronym

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgO3bRmmlz4 Filmmaker Anik Dutta’s new film Aparajito - set for release on May 13 to mark Satyajit Ray’s 102nd birthday -

Satyajit Ray by Nemai Ghosh The 27th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) Awards announced and distributed on May 1 at Rabindra

Adapted from Nemai Ghosh’s book Manikda – Memoirs of Satyajit Ray, this series highlights unknown stories about the great director

In the second of our two-part series, we explore the history of Bengali Theatre post the exit of foreigners like

Adapted from Nemai Ghosh’s book Manikda – Memoirs of Satyajit Ray, this GB series highlights unknown stories about the director

Talk about a ruling passion. As an Information Technology engineer from IIT Mumbai, employed as research associate at his alma

While masks have become an indispensable part of our daily lives due to the ongoing pandemic, a dance form unique

The ‘Competition on Indian Documentary Films’ section at the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) this year features some interesting works,

The ‘Competition on Indian Documentary Films’ section at the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) this year features some interesting works,

Charaiveti This year’s Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) devotes quite a few sections to showcase short and documentary films, both competitive

When she settled in the USA for good in 1999, dance was not uppermost on Kolkata girl Raili Roy’s mind.

Produced and directed by veteran journalist Sovan Tarafder, 8th Day of the Week is a documentary that focuses on visually

In his nearly 65-year career, Badal Sircar (1925-2011) became a pioneer when it came to taking theatre out of the

In this two-part series, we explore the history of modern Bengali theatre, beginning at the end of the 18th century,

The short film Home, directed by Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee, has been officially selected by the 27th Kolkata International Film Festival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5_w2W5G9OM The Covid-19 pandemic has opened up a new, ever-changing, perilous and transitory world, and so does the film Titane, that

“A man who drank like a fish, smiled like an angel, fought his enemies like a demon and loved his

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rzI7QQAqCo Despite the bone-chilling cold of its location of Murmansk in Russia’s remote north-west, there’s a wonderful human warmth and humour

আমার জন্য একটুখানি কবর খোঁড়ো সর্বসহা লজ্জা লুকোই কাঁচা মাটির তলে- গোপন রক্ত যা-কিছুটুক আছে আমার শরীরে, তার সবটুকুতে শস্য যেন ফলে।  O earth,

The Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) 2022 has lined up a series of exclusive foreign films that one would otherwise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvM4BT7Fh6M Adieu GODARD, a feature film written and directed by National Award winner Amartya Bhattacharyya and produced under the banner of

A Bid for Bengal Having begun in 2014, the Kolkata People’s Collective recently hosted another edition of Kolkata People’s Film Festival.

‘He was one of the best actors in the world,’ Nemai Ghosh on Satyajit Ray Adapted from Nemai Ghosh’s book Manikda

Ganadevata (1978) Cast: Soumitra Chatterjee, Ajitesh Bannerjee, Sandhya Roy, Madhabi Mukherjee, Samit Bhanja, Rabi Ghosh, Sumitra Mukherjee, Anup Kumar  Director: Tarun Majumdar Two

No wonder, generations had put her on a mantelpiece to eulogize. No other actress of Tollywood had the power to

Tollywood stars Nusrat and Yash feature in director Shieladitya Moulik’s new film Mastermoshai Apni Kichhu Dekhenni, scheduled to release later

Bengali cinema has recently come up with films that bridge the time-gap and space-gap with what may be termed “reunion”

Olivia Das is a post-graduate in Cinema with a specialization in Audiography, having graduated from Satyajit Ray Film and Television

He ruled the silver screen like a king, but lived and died a pauper. The critically acclaimed films in which

To commemorate the birth anniversary of celebrated filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta, a memorial lecture was held at Nandan II on 11th

When it comes to contemporary Bangla cinema, quite a few young directors are seemingly no longer bothered about theatrical releases

The 94th Academy Awards has a Bengali director shining bright, just like Satyajit Ray did once upon a time. ‘Writing

The film industry in Bengal is flooded with young filmmakers with stardust in their eyes, desperate to cut their teeth

Hunger The Kalpanirjhar International Film Festival, held in December, began 19 years ago, founded by the Kalpanirjhar Foundation and Goethe Institut,

When I first met Soumitra Chattopadhayay, he was a friend’s father. This was the early 1980s, and a poet friend

The 27th edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) will kick off from January 7 with a virtual inauguration

Razia Shabnam lives in a shabby shanty in Kolkata’s Kidderpore. She has been a boxing coach since 2001. She is

National award-winning director Sagnik Chatterjee reminisces the birth centenary of Satyajit Ray by recording the song of his film ‘Master

Who is Joshy Joseph? He is a national award-winning documentary maker, a talented writer on cinema, and the head of

When I first read the autobiography of Charlie Chaplin, I was a student of class VIII, yet his life had

We are in the midst of a cultural crisis. Soumitra Chattopadhyay, the lifeblood of our cultural milieu, left us after a

Asit Sen’s centenary came and went on September 24, with hardly a mention in the media. The reason is simple.

A hollowed mango tree log about 2.5 to 3 feet long, covered at both ends with goatskin (now replaced by

Hrishikesh Mukherjee (1922-2006) was a friend of both my parents, so he practically watched me grow up from a teenager

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDolArlNSbw “When life gives you lemons, trade them for coffee,” or that’s what young photographer/ documentary filmmaker Pratik Dey Chowdhury would

The International Culture Festival under the auspices of the International Culture Centre paid tribute to the memory of Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay

This is the second of a two-part piece on how standalone movie theatres are fading from our lives, interspersed with

This is the first of a two-part piece on how standalone movie theatres are fading from our lives, interspersed with

  Indrajit: Where and how did you first meet Rituparno Ghosh? Prabuddha: I remember the first time he called me was on

Abhijaan One good news is that this year, not less than seven Bengali films have been chosen for screening at the

After a long hiatus, theatres in Kolkata opened at 50 per cent capacity with two very indifferent films, followed by

Tathagata Ghosh is a young, talented and prolific short-film maker. His films, beginning with Doitto, have had a successful run

His voice had a touch of boundless energy, youthful euphoria and a depth of pathos, that none in the centuries

It was a Big Day for Bengali film buffs as Payal Kapadia’s first feature ‘A Night of Knowing Nothing’ bagged

Young filmmaker Ranjan Ghosh’s directorial debut Hrid Majharey (2014) fell flat on its face at the box office when it

Twenty years is a long time to prove your worth, specially in the fragile environs of the film industry. But

Subrata Mitra | Photo by Sanjeet Chowdhury Subrata Mitra may have been one of Indian cinema’s most talented cinematographers, but the

Why are Bengali actors rushing to Bollywood? This question is rhetorical. No one is really sure, including the actors in

Mithun Chakraborty turned 71 on June 17, 2021. The political controversies surrounding him notwithstanding, he has never been a politically

His stories and movies were all about layered drama that weaved a magic and madness lifting them to the podium

The history of Indian cinema has created many films dealing with the sex worker who lives on the fringes of

Being a scholar student of Amity School of Films and Drama, Rishav Ghosh has written and directed several films, the

Sati is a Sanskrit term which means ‘a wife who possesses great virtue’. Agehananda Bharati, the late Austrian-born anthropologist who

Nirjan Sanlaap Over the years, very few Bengali and Indian filmmakers have opted for the works of one of the most

Tucked away in one corner of Uttarpara stands Uttarpara Bengal Photo Studio, the brainchild of 41-year-old Arindam Saha Sardar. A

The great Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay once wrote that Bengalis as a race looked to their rulers for even the history

Few outside West Bengal, or even inside the state, are aware that Rabindranath Tagore directed a film based on Notir

WHunger finds a prominent place in three films by Satyajit Ray, reflecting three completely different backdrops, though hunger is a

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6YYkKI4hzg Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates ‘rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular’,

Farha Khatun was only 10 when she first heard of ‘triple talaq’ (the Islamic practise of instant divorce by the

The ‘Shahenshah-e-Ghazal’ (Emperor of Ghazal), Mehdi Hassan Khan breathed heavily as he lay motionless on his hospital bed and the

What does the acronym OTT mean? OTT (over-the-top) is a means of providing television and film content over the internet

It was in the year 1967. The Farmer Revolution of Naxalbari had created waves by then, leading to a rift

When filmmaker Srijit Mukherjee was scheduled to release his film Gumnami (2019), based on a popular theory that Netaji Subhas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eykFh0Ot-mo A still from Los Lobos The Arthouse Asia Film Festival has been running for five years in the city of Kolkata.

Ranjan Ghosh’s debut film Hrid Majharey (2014) created waves in various quarters as one of the best adaptations of William

Early in the 1960s, Bengali film producer Bijoy Chattopadhyay decided to commission a film based on Tarashankar Bandopadhyay’s novel, Abhijan.

Gaurang Jalan keeps a very low-profile, not at all like the hardcore producers we are familiar with in Tollywood. One

On sets of Super 30 IIFA Award for Best Art Direction and Filmfare Award for Best Art Direction in 2015 for

Amit Ray and Subrata Chakraborty - two Bengali stars in the world of Bollywood art direction and production design who

Feluda Pherot During the seemingly endless year of 2020, as the world grappled with immense challenges and gradually got used to

Yesterday, January 8, marked the beginning of the 26th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF). Originally scheduled for November 5-12, 2020,

Subrata Chakraborty with Meghna Gulzar   Subrata Chakraborty, the young, upcoming and famous Production Designer of Bollywood, whose name is linked to

Subrata Chakraborty, the young and famous Production Designer of Bollywood, whose name is linked to blockbusters like Padmaavat, Chappak, Haider,

Have you ever watched a caged bird flapping frantically, wings tied to destiny, wishing for freedom? Who else than Rabindranath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C44R3qbwoO0 While Bengal and India mourns the death of our beloved Soumitra Chatterjee, here is one reason for the whole of

The first time I worked with Soumitrada was in 2007, while making a film for a television channel. The film

“But in the end one needs more courage to live than to kill himself.” - Albert Camus Directed by Dr. Amit Ranjan

It was a summer evening in 2002. I received a frantic call from my wife, Ruma. I was rehearsing for

I did not meet Soumitra Chatterjee on stage. My first tryst with the actor was as Feluda in Sonar Kella,

The world’s largest democracy, India has suddenly come under the loom of intolerance and what else but art and theatre,

Nearly two decades ago, as a nervous young reporter, I was assigned to do an interview with Soumitra Chattopadhyay, my

For 130 years, the majestic Eiffel Tower has been a powerful and distinctive symbol of the city of Paris, and

Indrajit: What do you remember about the song recordings for 'Jibansmriti'?  Prabuddha: Well, quite a few interesting things. You already know

His smile had that magnetic effect which could pull generations of Bengalis to the silver screen and turn him into

“Jamu na..amar borer er bhita chhaira ami jamuna..” (I will not leave my husband’s home and go)… The heart-wrenching scene

It might have been 27 years since the versatile actor, director, writer and playwright, Utpal Dutt passed away -- yet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOOcNTk25S0 Samudranil Gupta is a research scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The loneliness of the viewer – a condition that

He was the mysterious magician Barfi in Satyajit Ray’s ‘Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen,’ and knowledge bank Sidhu Jyatha in Feluda

Many of us will agree that Satyajit Ray’s Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen would be incomplete without Jahar Roy’s epic portrayal

Forty-eight years have passed since well-known theatre director Arun Mukhopadhyay had staged the iconic Marich Sangbad. Since then the play

No one could bring the sentiments of the Indian middle class better on celluloid than legendary film maker Basu Chatterjee.

As anti-racist protests rock the world, the first ‘man of colour’ and the youngest in the history of BAFTA (British

This year marks the 99th birth anniversary of Satyajit Ray, one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century who

The talented octogenarian thespian struggled to fight abject penury and lived a life of ignominy in a crammed one-room rented

I am twenty, In my twenty years, I’ve been walking for a thousand; For a thousand years, I’ve been walking – pushing

As the art of letter writing died over the last decade, most of us thought formal or informal emails and

Out of the 100 best foreign films chosen by BBC, only one Indian film has made to the list ---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C44R3qbwoO0 And here comes the first feature film made during Lockdown days. To take a creative route during these trying times,

What was perfection for one of the best actors of Bollywood, Irrfan Khan? Learning Bengali for Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s movie,

When Chris Hemsworth in the recent Netflix sensation Extraction suddenly spoke a few words in Bengali, the audience was taken

She was just outstanding in the portrayal of an oppressed woman’s struggle against poverty, humiliation and desolation in Rudali. Well,

Existing in the world without having seen the sun and the moon That’s what legendary world-renowned film maker Akira Kurosawa had

Kolkata has always been the Mecca of Bengali culture that celebrates theatre. So did British India. It had a culture

I knew Sunil Gangopadhyay’s novel had that power to give voice to the words and feelings of millions of Bengalis

The date 21st February has a special significance in my life, just like it has in the history of my

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS9EHeVNslA Soukarya Ghosal (SG) has already made his mark as an independent film director in Tollywood with films like Pendulum, Loadshedding,

He has been Satyajit Ray’s photographer for long 25 years. He had captured the world famous Oscar Winning film director

Veteran thespian/ director Pradeep Bhattacharya’s name has transcended way beyond his group, Bahrampur Repertoire, thanks to the groundbreaking work he

He was introduced to the Bengali movie audience by none other than stalwart directors like Tapan Sinha and Tarun Majumdar.

Borun Babur Bondhu is a rare gem in the current Bengali movie scenario. Based on Ramapada Chowdhury’s novel, Chhad, it

1931 was a landmark year of Indian cinema. India's First Talkie movie, Alam Ara, was released in Bombay, that was

She fought the pangs of partition, the pain of losing dear ones and the struggles of earning in an industry

Amar ei gurudakshina, guru ke janai pronam… that last Kishore Kumar Bengali song before his death could have probably not

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouZn1DpJYhw The year was 1934. In Malad, Mumbai, a new film studio was being set up. Co-founded by Devika Rani and

For Utpal Dutt, theatre and political ideology were like two sides of the same coin.  He strongly believed theatre was

If Helen had warmed the Bollywood audience decades back with her luscious steps and cabaret moves, so did Miss Shefali,

Bengal has always been a land of rich cultural heritage, be it cinema, theatre, music, dance or art. For centuries,

Shankar is a young greenhorn who stumbles into a job behind the reception desk of the elite Shahjahan Hotel. He

Professor Shonku aka Trilokeshwar Shonku is an extremely popular fictional genius scientist and inventor created by Satyajit Ray published since

It was a summer afternoon when I suddenly received a call from director Anik Dutta. He is a senior from

Once the sexy queen, the prima donna of tinsel town, she reigned the glamorous Tollywood film industry, albeit for a

Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani was not just another thriller, it was a thriller with a Kolkata connect. It had set Vidya

Bollywood heartthrob Aamir Khan has landed in Kolkata to do an extensive shooting on Howrah Bridge for the upcoming movie

Apu is back again. That iconic character created by author Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay and given a new dimension in Satyajit Ray’s

I self-published my poem in a cinematic form and that’s how “If they all met at Pushkin cafe” came into

It is almost a century ago that author Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay had written his famous novel Datta. Based on the

Sunday noon at a popular multiplex, two days into its release and almost the whole movie hall was empty! That

It says it is a modern adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s Ghare Baire, the powerful short story playing around three characters

Kolkata International Film Festival is all geared up to celebrate Children’s Day today. They have slotted several Children’s movies since

Our hazel eyed Bong beauty who had dominated the silver screen in Bollywood over decades will come over to Kolkata

It was an early morning, decades ago, when a roly-poly comic actor set his foot at Naresh Chandra Mitra’s house

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZzECIiYluU Andie MacDowell, a name that had rocked an entire generation and movies like Sex, Lies & Videotape had taken all

Amitabh Bachchan, who started his career as an executive of a British managing agency in Kolkata, has often introduced himself

Bengal is beautiful and probably the only state with all kinds of geographical boundaries --- from hills to mangrove delta,

Director & KIFF Chairman Raj Chakraborty speaks at length with journalist and author Saheli Mitra on how Kolkata International Film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXAYyNWzfnc One of the largest international film festival falls in its 25th year! As KIFF starts tomorrow, GB brings you a

Srijit Mukherjee had tried doing Feluda since long. But he did not get the copyright or the rights to do

Some movies are immortalized, through story-telling and some by real life actors, who portray the characters with so much of

With each of my movies, every time is the first time

An all new look iconic Nandan will welcome visitors this Kolkata International Film Festival, with the line between ‘hip-happening’ and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y6G27fS-vM We first saw them in Satyajit Ray’s Samapti. And both Soumitro Chatterjee and Aparna Sen were then young, just out

It was probably one of the most powerful acting of Shashi Kapoor’s wife Jennifer Kendal Kapoor as the old Anglo

The 94-minute film Cat Sticks, written and directed by 32-year-old Kolkata boy Ronny Sen will be competing at the KIFF

Remember Sex Lies and Videotape? The movie that created waves with Hollywood heart-throb Andie MacDowell ruling the screen? Well, if

In Hindu culture, one of the manifestations of Brahman is satya (truth). In Christianity, in the process of crucifixion of

The intellectual capital of India is gearing up for the Kolkata International Film Festival 2019 and this year the theme

Kolkata International Film Festival 2019 (KIFF) is round the corner and the intellectual capital of India is truly gearing up

A near-complete retrospective of the visionary Bengali director Ritwik Ghatak’s career, will be featured at the prestigious Lincoln Center between

What has world-renowned handwriting expert Carl Baggett say about Gumnai Baba’s letters? Take a look! Whether recluse sadhu Gumnami Baba was

While making Kolkata Cocktail, I kept on remembering that famous quote of legendary film-maker Kurosawa. He had said: “I make

Fables are always a kid’s favourite and so are fantasy movies. Fantasy movies based on folk tales are now an

Imagine a 60-year-old Sabyasachi Chakraborty playing the role of Feluda at the age of 60! Well, he did it and

Some movies are immortalized, through story telling and some by real life actors, who portray the characters with so much

A week before Uttam Kumar died on July 24, 1980, he had wanted to meet ‘his Rama,’ actress Suchitra Sen

Dhurjati Prasad Chaudhuri is an academician and ex-professor of management science. He is also an avid photographer Remember that hilarious Bengali

Movie Tarikh has been winning laurels since its release. From winning the National Award to winning international awards, Churni Ganguly’s

Filmmaker-actor Rituparno Ghosh, who was known for both his obsession with his sexual identity as also for his sensitive and

Ma left me very silently. She just concealed herself somewhere, away from us. I was at that moment mid-air, returning

It was probably one of the most powerful acting of Shashi Kapoor’s wife Jennifer Kendal Kapoor as the old Anglo

Scene 1: Bhanu Bandopadhyay enacting the role of Bachal on stage. The Dhaka audience mesmerized watching the play Chandragupta. But

For all those who lived in Calcutta in the ’60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, had a tryst with Bangla Natok or

Veteran actor Soumitro Chatterjee who was suffering from pneumonia and was admitted to a hospital on the EM Bypass on

Saswata Chatterjee has on and off proved what a great actor he is through a variety of movies. The audience

Rudranil Ghosh had indeed proved his talent in Vinci da. Yet most directors usually took him in side-roles that hardly

Veteran actor and our all time favourite Soumitro Chatterjee had been admitted to Ruby General Hospital this morning with severe

• How are you feeling at this huge success of your movie Season’s Greetings being the first feature film to

Bengali film Runanubandha (The HE without HIM) has won the Best Editing award at the Mosaic International South Asian Film

Srijit Mukherjee’s Ek Je Chhilo Raja won the Best Bengali Film Award this year, while Indraadip Dasgupta’s Kedara won the

Did scandals and affairs splashed on cine-magazines of Mumbai and Kolkata impact Kishore Kumar? Well, no. The genius remained unaffected.

The new movie on the block – Samsara, releases today. In an exclusive interview, Sudiptaa Chakraborty, one of the most

A week before Uttam Kumar died on July 24, 1980, he had wanted to meet his Rama, actress Suchitra Sen

I still remember 22 July 1986, I was in school then. We heard actress Mahua Roychowdhury was no more. Entire

Remember Shashi Babu from Arogya Niketan? While talking about actor Kali Banerjee, the first thing that strikes us are the