Haripada Bandwala: le riprese in Italia

Da sin.: Pathikrit, Nusrat, Ankush e il coreografo Adil Shaikh

La troupe del film in lingua bengali Haripada Bandwala è in questi giorni in Italia per girare alcune sequenze. Le location selezionate: Cervinia, Castello di Fénis in Valle d'Aosta, Milano e il 16 novembre Como (piazza Duomo, piazza Grimoldi e piazza San Fedele). La pellicola è diretta da Pathikrit Basu. Nel cast Ankush Hazra e Nusrat Jahan. 

Aggiornamento del 12 ottobre 2023: vi segnalo i video dei brani Bojhabo Ki Kore, Eksho Vrindaban, e Bole De Na.

Da sinistra: Ankush Hazra e Pathikrit Basu

Ankush Hazra - Milano

Milano

Como

Como

What Satyajit Ray left us is an inheritance of endless possibilities

Pather Panchali, il primo film di Satyajit Ray, fu distribuito nell'agosto del 1955. In occasione del 60esimo anniversario, l'attrice Sharmila Tagore dedica un lungo tributo al celebre regista bengali. What Satyajit Ray left us is an inheritance of endless possibilities, The Wire, 11 settembre 2015:

'His films are conversations with the shifting sands of time through which he lived, and which in turn shaped his films. The first phase of his career coincided with the hope and idealism of a newly emergent nation, and saw him make what in effect were his finest films - movies that truly reflects the spirit of the times. They also reflected his own upbringing, his education in music and the arts and his belief in the confluence of east and west. This vision was both Tagorean and Nehruvian. Of course, the political and economic ideals of the Nehruvian period began to disintegrate around the mid-60s and this had its impact on Ray. The uncertainties of the era - the economic, political and social upheavals of the 1970s - found their way in to his films. (...) A secular impulse ran through his films and he often made courageous forays into the domain of blind faith, superstition and religious bigotry. (...) His films were not about political stance. They were about how politics influenced people and altered their moral and ethical values.

Unlike the popular cinema of his time, he did not paint his characters in extremes of black and white. Ray’s characters lived in an instantly recognisable middle ground. There are no heroes in his films; instead you have the brave heroism of ordinary individuals, battling with the demons of their day-to-day lives. Ray’s world was also deeply embedded in the ordinary. Take for instance the iconic image of him we have all seen in print. Sitting in his spartan room in Kolkata surrounded by books, paper, music, pens and paintbrushes. Here was man far removed from the material world, inhabiting a world of imagination and ideas. He had use of money for just two things - books and music, and of course for making films. (...) I don’t think there has been another director quite so versatile and as hardworking. The commitment to his art despite the conditions in which he worked, the steadfastness, the refusal to compromise for any consideration whatsoever are ultimately the qualities that make him stand apart. The trouble with looking at Ray’s cinema is that his own formidable and impressive persona begins to mediate our understanding of his films. 

His personal charisma, his baritone voice, his erudition and encyclopaedic knowledge, his familiarity and comfort with both Bengali and English made him a towering personality. It has, therefore, been impossible to extricate him from his films. This has been both good and bad. For those who admired him uncritically, he became the avenue by which to understand his films. For those who did not, he became an art-house figure who was distant, unreachable and obscure. This, combined with differences in regional sensibilities, lack of suitable marketing and distribution, and of course the Bengali language, has continued to impede a more widespread engagement with Ray’s films within the country. (...) Contrary to popular perception, his films weren’t confined to the intelligentsia, but have been enjoyed by a large cross-section of audiences belonging to both the Bengals. Far from being distant, he was deeply and vibrantly engaged with life and with the critical issues of his times. He always answered phone calls himself, and replied to letters in his own handwriting. Visitors to his home would often be surprised to find him opening the door.

Yet sadly, there are those who thought that his international fame was undeserved and that he got his international acclaim by peddling Indian poverty abroad. One would’ve thought that such an absurd viewpoint would by now have been dismissed with the contempt it deserves. However, it keeps cropping up every now and then and this is certainly a lie that needs to be nailed. The implication seems to be that to be a true nationalist one must sweep truths about India under the carpet. This is precisely what Ray’s cinema stood against. (...) As Ray most eloquently put it, “Cinema has its own way of telling the truth and it must be left free to function in its own right”. (...) In any case except for the [Apu] Trilogy and Ashani Sanket, no other films of Ray dealt with poverty.

While being rooted in the culture of Bengal, he was simultaneously international. His films are culture specific and yet managed to transcend language and other cultural barriers. Perhaps that’s why even today, they run to packed houses all over the world. It is not just the Indian diaspora that make up the appreciative crowd, but a diverse international audience, three or four generations removed from Ray at that. (...) In that regard, Ray’s films constitute a truly successful crossover cinema that everybody is aspiring to make. (...) It may seem at first that Ray’s films have nothing to do with the popular cinema of Bombay, but culture travels in mysterious ways. Legacies like Ray’s seep through to become part of the social and cultural landscape. (...) If today, the cinema of Ray is part of our consciousness, then it is because it has the ability across a different time and space to illuminate the “dark rooms of our souls” and offers us an outlook - to live and let live'. 

Churni Ganguly: Nirbashito not only about Taslima Nasreen

Nirbashito è l'acclamato film scritto, diretto e interpretato dall'attrice Churni Ganguly (moglie del regista Kaushik Ganguly) al suo debutto dietro la macchina da presa. Nirbashito si ispira liberamente alla vicenda personale della scrittrice bengalese Taslima Nasreen che vive in esilio dal 1994. Non è chiaro se la pellicola sia già stata distribuita nelle sale indiane (almeno nel Bengala occidentale) oppure no, ma quest'anno si è comunque aggiudicata il National Award per il miglior film in lingua bengali. Trailer. 

Vi segnalo l'intervista concessa dalla regista a Anindita Acharya, pubblicata il 14 agosto 2015 da Hindustan Times. Nirbashito not only about Taslima Nasreen: Churni Ganguly:

'Nirbashito, which is about freedom of expression, was adjudged the best feature film in Bengali at the National Awards on March 24. The same day, the Supreme Court also struck down Section 66A of IT Act (which allowed arrest for offensive content on the internet).

Yes, it was a special day and I will never forget the date. After it was confirmed that Nirbashito has been conferred the National Award, I immediately called up Taslima. (...) She told me that the Supreme Court has scrapped 66A of IT Act. Freedom of expression won that day.

The film bears a strong resemblance to the life of Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen. Yet, you haven't named the protagonist in the film.

This is not a biopic on Taslima Nasreen. I have already mentioned that earlier. Since it's not a biopic, I haven't given the protagonist a name. A lot of fiction has been weaved into the story. The film talks about the power of woman. Her struggles start the very day she is born. If a woman has an opinion, she will be ostracised, which is also a kind of exile. A country comprises men and women. If we take away the freedom of expression from a woman, it's also a kind of exile... it's the death of democracy. If I can't express my opinion freely, I gradually cease to form opinions. Even in today's society, women hesitate to form a free opinion. So, the film speaks for those women who have gone ahead and expressed their opinion. It speaks of gender equality and patriarchy. Many women who can't protest have found a voice in Taslima. So, the film is dedicated to every woman.

Why did you choose the subject for your debut film?

The banishment of Taslima inspired me. She leads a claustrophobic life yet never stops voicing her opinion. Kaushik (Ganguly) had earlier thought of making a film on the subject. We have been toying with the idea for a long time. Somehow it didn't happen. I told him that I want to work on the idea. The concept of the film might make people think but there's nothing controversial in the film.

Everything about exiled author, Taslima Nasreen, is controversial.

All I can say is that has a human story. It speaks of motherly love that the author has for her pet cat. I have given an insight into the exiled author's life through her poetry. Whenever we speak of Taslima, we tend to bring in controversial elements into it. But at the end of the day she is a human being and I have tried to explore those facets of her personality. The controversial elements of her life have garnered a lot of attention, so I didn't feel the need to explore them again. There are scenes where we present Taslima's opinion too. It's a balanced film. One must know what goes against her and also what she stands for. However, I don't endorse banishment. I believe you can have an opinion not similar to her opinion, but there are other ways to answer that. There's a dialogue in the film which says burning vehicles on the road is not a way to protest. There's another dialogue which says invariably that sword wins. But I believe the pen should win. There can be debates, write ups but not banishment.

Banishment reminds us of author Salman Rushdie and artiste Maqbool Fida Husain.

One has the freedom of expression and at times, it might hurt another person. But he or she shouldn't be ostracised. It's not possible to pacify everyone. Banishment is not the way. There has to a softer way to deal with it. When you ban a film, the curiosity to watch the film increases manifold. So, whenever the film is available on the internet, everyone jumps in to watch it. My film is a tribute to Maqbool Fida Husain. Salman Rushdie also gets mentioned in a pivotal scene.

What was Taslima Nasreen's reaction after watching the film?

It was an emotional moment for her. She didn't react to the fact that we haven't used her name because she knew the film has a lot of fiction. We have taken cinematic licence to make the film.

What made you cast yourself in the lead role?

Initially, I didn't want to cast myself in my debut film. I wanted to take somebody who bears resemblance to Taslima. During the narration, a few of my friends from the film fraternity told me that I am apt to play the character. Since I was also the director, I had to write a lot of directorial inputs in the script so that my team had no difficulty in understanding my suggestions while shooting the film.

The concept of the film belongs to Kaushik Ganguly. How did he help you while making the film?

After I narrated the first draft of the film, he was so pleased that he wanted to make a film on it. But I refused to part with it (smiles). When we went into pre-production, he was busy with Apur Panchali. Both of us shared the same directorial team and it was chaos. He went away with the directorial team to shoot for Khaad. I was really upset at one point. But later, he was proud of the fact that I had managed everything on my own'.

Chander Pahar: locandine, trailer e recensione

Chander Pahar, costosissimo film distribuito il 20 dicembre 2013, è, ad oggi, il campione d'incassi nella storia del cinema bengali. Al botteghino si è comportato dignitosamente anche al di fuori dei confini del Bengala occidentale: a Mumbai, ad esempio, pur subendo la concorrenza del blockbuster Dhoom:3, CP si è difeso bene. La pellicola è diretta da Kamaleswar Mukherjee e interpretata dal giovane divo Dev. La sceneggiatura si basa sul famoso romanzo omonimo d'avventure del 1937 di Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadyay. Le riprese sono state  effettuate quasi interamente in Sudafrica. Trailer. Vi segnalo la recensione firmata da Anjan Dutt, pubblicata da The Telegraph il 24 dicembre 2013:

'Sometimes films are produced for breaking new grounds. Temporary gains are unimportant. (...) Chander Pahar (...) I am certain will change the course of Bengali cinema in the next three years. The most expensive Bengali film till date (...) will inspire if not force the Bengali industry to be more dynamic in scale, thought, courage. And the actual returns of this film will be evaluated by the quality and success of films that will follow Chander Pahar in the next three years. (...) Kamaleswar Mukherjee will go down in history for braving the very difficult journey filled with risk but full of confidence. After a long time a Bengali film made me feel proud. (...) Almost 85 per cent of the film was spellbinding, gorgeous and filled with sheer good taste. (...) With Chander Pahar he [Kamaleswar Mukherjee] enters a different league where confidence and sheer hard work are evident in almost every frame. (...) I only wish editor Rabiranjan Maitra had done away with the frequent slow-mo and ramping, and resorted to just cutting, because they distract you from the pace of the narration. (...) Dev’s almost childlike fearlessness to conquer the unknown heightens the philosophy of the basic text. I was weary of the commercial star till the film started, but through the viewing was convinced that no one else could have played Shankar. (...) Dev combines sheer strength with utter vulnerability that works magic. (...) Dev’s entry into serious cinema succeeds superbly because he simply whacks the ball out of the field. Credit goes to Kamaleswar for using Dev’s vulnerability as his strength. (...) There have been many alterations of the original text, but most of them work immensely because the writer and director make it dramatic and believable. (...) There is so much inherent power in the visuals that a lesser elaborate and more haunting, minimalistic score perhaps would have been apt. (...) But the player who is literally responsible for the victory is (...) Soumik Halder. Here is a film from Bengal where almost 90 per cent of the cinematography is sheer brilliance. (...) Together with the production designer Nomonde Ngema, Soumik works out series of sequences where one does not need to hear anything but just keep watching. (...) To me it looks and feels far bigger than a 15crore project. Far glorious than many bigger budget Hindi adventures I have ever seen'. .

 

Paglu 2: le riprese in Italia

La troupe del film bengali Paglu 2 nei giorni scorsi era in Italia per girare alcune sequenze. Il 9 luglio i set sono stati allestiti in Valle d'Aosta (Teatro romano di Aosta, Castello Reale di Sarre, frazione Buic di La Thuile, passo del Piccolo San Bernardo), il 10 luglio a Torino (Piazza San Carlo), il 12 luglio a Vigevano (Piazza Ducale). La pellicola è diretta da Sujit Mondal, e interpretata da Dev e Koel Mallick. 

Aggiornamento del 23 agosto 2012: video dei brani Khuda Jaane e Paglu 2.

Vedi anche Paglu: le riprese in Italia

La Thuile

La Thuile

Khuda Jaane

Vigevano

Vigevano

Vigevano

Vigevano

Vigevano

Vigevano

Vigevano

Bikram Singha: locandina, trailer, Dhin Tak Na, Na Champa Na Chameli

Calcutta, anzi, Kolkata non è solo la città che vanta il maggior numero di premi Nobel al mondo (fra cui, vado a memoria: Rabindranath Tagore - letteratura, Madre Teresa - pace, Amartya Sen - economia), e non è solo la capitale culturale dell'India. Kolkata è anche la sede della cinematografia in lingua bengali (e occasionalmente in lingua inglese), considerata la più autoriale ed europeizzata del Paese. Il neorealismo italiano è apprezzatissimo dai suoi cineasti. A Kolkata si svolge annualmente il festival del film d'autore più importante di tutto il continente asiatico. Ma a Kolkata si producono numerosi titoli commerciali, tanto che questa industria condivide con quella in lingua telugu lo stesso nomignolo: Tollywood. La superstar del cinema bengali è Prosenjit Chatterjee, celebre per gli innumerevoli ruoli in pellicole d'intrattenimento e per le rigorose interpretazioni in film d'autore. Presto potremo ammirarlo a Bollywood in Shanghai. Prosenjit è il protagonista di Bikram Singha, di Rajiv Kumar, remake bengali del successo telugu Vikramarkudu, e quindi cugino di Rowdy Rathore. Vi propongo in un colpo solo locandina, trailer e i video dei brani Dhin Tak Na, composto da Shree Pritam, e Na Champa Na Chameli, composto da Bappi Lahiri.