Destination LA: Tolly awards go west

KOLKATA: Ravi Ojha, Sandip Ray. Prasenjit, Sabyasachi. Koel Mullick, Chandreyee Ghosh... They''re all headed for Hollywood. Accompanied by ''parallel'' directors of Tollygunj, Sekhar Das and Raja Sen.
No, they''re not seeking ''crossover'' limelight, nor an elusive Oscar, but a global award meant to crown the best in Bangla cinema. Envisaged on the lines of IIFA, which honours Bollywood films abroad, the Inter national Indo Bangladesh Kala Music Award will honour TV personalities like Koushik Sen, Rupa Ganguly, Indrani Halder, Sreelekha Mitra, Parambrata and Sujon Mukherjee.
All the nominees will be in Los Angeles on April 23. The names were selected by a jury that included Chiranjeet, Mamata Shankar, Indrani Sen and Ranjeet Mallick. Another jury comprising Bangla filmmakers and singer Runa Laila have selected two names each for the best film, director, actor, actress, parallel film from Dhaka. Three lifetime achievement awards, named after Satyajit Ray, Uttam Kumar and Hemanta Mukherjee, will also be given in Hollywood.
In its second year, IIBKMA has introduced awards for singers (male and female), TV serials, telefilms, and actors in both categories. The awards celebrate the fact that "Bengali entertainment industry is over the slump," says KMP''s CEO Debu Ghosh.
"Now we need to harness the viewers of Bengali cinema spread in pockets here (WB), there (Bangladesh), elsewhere (non-resident Bengalis)," says Chiranjeet. So who are the Best of Tollywood 2004? Aabar Aashbo Phire and Bombaiyer Bombetey (best film); Sandip Ray and Haranath Chakraborty, directors of Bombaiyer Bombetey and Gyarakal; parallel films Mahulbanir Sereng and Debi Paksha.
Prasenjit (Gyarakal) and Sabyasachi (Bombaiyer Bombetey) are best in male leads, Koel (Shudhu Tumi) and Chandreyee (Mahulbanir Sereng) in female leads. Rupkathar Jiban and Achhedyo are nominations for best telefilm; Kon Se Aalor Swapna Niyeand Tithir Atithi for serials. Sabyasachi (Baatil), Koushik Sen (Achhedyo), Swastika (Kaanta) and Rupa Ganguly (Baatil) are contesting as best actors in telefilms; Parambrata, Sujon, Indrani Haldar and Sreelekha as the best in serials.