In the days of Ray, Ghatak, Sen, and Tapan Sinha, Bengali cinema was the forerunner of the Indian film industry. Later came Goutam Ghosh, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Rituparno Ghosh and Aparna Sen. Their films made a mark on the history of Indian cinema, and were justifiably favourites at the National Awards.
Then there were films by Kaushik Ganguly, Suman Ghosh, Anjan Dutt, Sandip Ray, and Srijit Mukherjee, again very relevant and topical, universal in nature. Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy, the darlings of middle-road cinema, made some gems like Icchhe, Ramdhanu and Bela Seshe, that catered to middle-class sensibilities while addressing universal themes.
Now, I believe, Bengali film makers have run out of ideas. Let's not even talk of commercial Bengali flicks that are blatant rip-offs of South movies.
I am talking of middle-of-the road Bangla cinema.
Recent offerings like Chhaya o Chhobi, Drishtikone, Haami, Uma, Ghare & Baire, Abaar Ashbo Phire, Cockpit, Amazon Obhijan, disappoint in both content and treatment. Bengali cinema is now totally regional in content, with hardly any relevance to universal themes or relatability on the larger level. It seems filmmakers have gone local with a vengeance, with Bangaliana being the main theme tom-tommed in most #Tollywood movies.
Films like Amazon Obhijan spent a lot of money but forgot to get a script. Cockpit had an interesting premise and good action, if only it did not focus solely on the larger-than-life hero and his romantic dalliances. After making the witty Bibaho Diaries, Mainak Bhowmik decides to drag a one-line idea in Ghare & Baire into a full fledged romantic film. Chhaya o Chhobi and Drishtikone exist only for the purpose of showcasing the acting (?) skills of their leading stars.
And coming to the much-hyped #Haami, it was a major let-down. With no solid story, and full of ham acting performances, #Haami sought to trivialize the grim issue of child molestation in schools. Filled with stereotypes like the hyper-sensitive NRI couple, the ultra-kind and sympathetic principal and school counsellor (like really?), and the blubbering vernacular-educated hero and his hysterical wife, the film let down the brilliant promise shown by Ramdhanu. And adding item numbers to a "family-oriented" Bengali film was so commercial-film like.
I wish our filmmakers revert to our own rich literature for inspiration, or alternatively, look around for global issues. Just adding foreign locales and some Hindi-Bangla-English dialogues do not make a great film. The heart has to be in the right place, and treatment as if one is catering to a national, if not an universal audience.
Today, when one sees films like Agantuk, or Khandahar, or Meghe Dhaka Taara, or Paar or Bagh Bahadur, the impression is of watching something timeless and universal. Get those factors back, #BengaliFilmMakers.
Then there were films by Kaushik Ganguly, Suman Ghosh, Anjan Dutt, Sandip Ray, and Srijit Mukherjee, again very relevant and topical, universal in nature. Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy, the darlings of middle-road cinema, made some gems like Icchhe, Ramdhanu and Bela Seshe, that catered to middle-class sensibilities while addressing universal themes.
Now, I believe, Bengali film makers have run out of ideas. Let's not even talk of commercial Bengali flicks that are blatant rip-offs of South movies.
I am talking of middle-of-the road Bangla cinema.
Recent offerings like Chhaya o Chhobi, Drishtikone, Haami, Uma, Ghare & Baire, Abaar Ashbo Phire, Cockpit, Amazon Obhijan, disappoint in both content and treatment. Bengali cinema is now totally regional in content, with hardly any relevance to universal themes or relatability on the larger level. It seems filmmakers have gone local with a vengeance, with Bangaliana being the main theme tom-tommed in most #Tollywood movies.
Films like Amazon Obhijan spent a lot of money but forgot to get a script. Cockpit had an interesting premise and good action, if only it did not focus solely on the larger-than-life hero and his romantic dalliances. After making the witty Bibaho Diaries, Mainak Bhowmik decides to drag a one-line idea in Ghare & Baire into a full fledged romantic film. Chhaya o Chhobi and Drishtikone exist only for the purpose of showcasing the acting (?) skills of their leading stars.
And coming to the much-hyped #Haami, it was a major let-down. With no solid story, and full of ham acting performances, #Haami sought to trivialize the grim issue of child molestation in schools. Filled with stereotypes like the hyper-sensitive NRI couple, the ultra-kind and sympathetic principal and school counsellor (like really?), and the blubbering vernacular-educated hero and his hysterical wife, the film let down the brilliant promise shown by Ramdhanu. And adding item numbers to a "family-oriented" Bengali film was so commercial-film like.
I wish our filmmakers revert to our own rich literature for inspiration, or alternatively, look around for global issues. Just adding foreign locales and some Hindi-Bangla-English dialogues do not make a great film. The heart has to be in the right place, and treatment as if one is catering to a national, if not an universal audience.
Today, when one sees films like Agantuk, or Khandahar, or Meghe Dhaka Taara, or Paar or Bagh Bahadur, the impression is of watching something timeless and universal. Get those factors back, #BengaliFilmMakers.
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