Camera desrie: Suman, Suman

Suman Mukhopadhay is set to film Kangal Malshat with Kabir Suman in a pivotal role
Suman Mukhopadhyay, whose debut film, ���������Herbert���������, wowed and shocked in equal measure, is planning to explore the anarchy and hopelessness of urban life with a film based on the novel, Kangal Malshat. Kabir Suman ��������� urban chroniclerturned-poet-turned-politician ��������� plays a pivotal role in the film.
Both Herbert and Kangal Malshat are works by Nabarun Bhattacharya. Mukhopadhyay, who had spoken about wanting to turn Tagore���������s ���������Sesher Kabita��������� into a film, has put that project on the back burner for now. Mukhopadhyay had earlier adapted Kangal Malshat on stage and the first performance of the play took place in February 2006. Bengal has seen many changes since then and the filmmaker says his script too had to undergo changes keeping that in mind. ���������The time is just right to make a film on the novel. The scornful burlesque has prompted me to turn Kangal Malshat into a film. There���������s a certain rawness that has had me hooked. In the novel, the Fyatarus (flying human beings) and Choktars (the black magic sect) wage a war against the Left Front government,��������� says the filmmaker.
The novel was written in 2003, before Left Front lost power, but Mukhopadhyay has incorporated the changes in the script. ���������It���������s a historical situation and I���������m all set to document the chaos that ruled the state during the later stages of Left reign. Even if the play ended in anticipation, I���������m all set to take the story forward. The film will show the change in power. There was an agitational spirit in the play. The film too will incorporate this,��������� says Mukhopadhyay.
He promises a break from the tone and spirit of films in Tollywood now. ���������Films keep revisiting the tales of upper middleclass Bengal. Mine will talk about the downtrodden and deprived. Fyatarus and Choktars are marginalized sections of society and they speak a language that���������s often looked down upon by the babus. It���������s this low art that the novel so deftly embodies and it will run through the film.���������
Kabir Suman, who isn���������t keeping well, has given his go-ahead to the project. ���������My health has been a cause of concern of late. And I���������ve just finished my album of 15 songs. That has left me with no time to go through the script. But since it���������s Lal, I���������m not fretting too much.���������
Kabir Suman says that though he���������s said yes to Kangal Malshat, but has not read the Nabarun Bhattacharya novel yet. ���������In fact, Lal (Mukhopadhyay) has asked me to read the script first before leafing through the novel. But I���������m not too worried as this is Lal���������s project. If he asks me to stand at the Metro Channel and hold my ears for five minutes, I���������ll do exactly that. I trust him blindly. He���������s one of those filmmakers, who I know can tap my potential completely,��������� says Kabir Suman.
In the film, he will play Dandabayas, the primordial talking crow. Curiously, after his last big screen stint, ���������Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona���������, the singersongwriter-actor had said he would only give his nod to a film if he got to play the hero or the heroine. Kabir Suman says, ���������I so want to play a heroine, but no one is giving me that role. But when it comes to Lal, there���������s mutual trust.���������
The cast also includes Kaushik Ganguly, Shantilal Mukherjee, Dibyendu (of ���������Dev.D���������), Joyraj Bhattacharya, Kamalika, Ushasie and Biswajit Chakraborty. Shooting will begin by end-January. What about ���������Sesher Kabita���������? ���������That too will happen, but only after Kangal Malsat,��������� Mukhopadhyay says.