Children's Day special! 10 best Bengali films for kids

Between the attractive English cartoons, fun-filled TV shows, mobiles and video games, our children these days don't get enough exposure to Bengali entertainment. One potential remedy can be giving them opportunity to watch good movies. The Bengali cinematic library has a number of gems that are best suited for children. These classics often blend thoughtfulness with complete entertainment. As we celebrate Children’s Day on November 14, scroll down to take a look at some of these highly popular Bengali children movies.

‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’ is believed to be one of the most interesting decisions in Satyajit Ray’s career, given his tradition of making films with serious and strong social messages. It’s a children fantasy adventure revolving around the titular characters Goopy and Bagha and inspired by a story written by Ray’s grandfather Upendra Kishor Roychoudhary. Apart from narrating social issues, this Bengali classic showed the true meaning of friendship. The way Goopy and Bagha stand side by side even when facing their hardest obstacles, it redefines the bonds of loyalty.

Who could have better played the tyrant and greedy ruler of Hirak with a twist of madness? Utpal Dutta slips into the character of Hirak Raja supremely. It’s a must watch for your children giving so many lessons of life hidden beneath the humors. A little more than a decade after ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’ was made, a colourful ‘Hirak Rajar Deshe’ comes with a coded message. It’s basically an allegory of contemporary politics narrated in a simple way. In the film, a famine-stricken rural Bengal sees Goopy and Bagha using their three boons to put an end to all the wrongs of the greedy Diamond king and giving the children a taste of freedom. Soumitra Chatterjee plays the rebellious schoolteacher leading an uprising against the dictatorship of Hirak Raja.

The detective genre was an unexplored area in Indian cinema at that time and ‘Sonar Kella’ became a significant milestone for its unique subject matter and its scope. Ray used Indian history to explore the mystery genre. Based on a novel of the same name by Satyajit Ray himself, it deals with detective Feluda’s adventures. He gave Bengali literature a series of short stories involving Feluda and his cousin Topshe. Any cinephile who loves classical detective storytelling will become a fan of Ray after watching this pleasing yet thrilling mystery adventure.

It’s the story of an 8-year-old boy who runs away from home and his father (who he imagines as an oppressive demon) to the mythical city of Calcutta and confronts the realities of life in a big city. Many believe ‘Bari Theke Paliye’ was a tour-de-force for the director who was at home both in rural and metropolitan Bengal. This classic coming-of-age movie still holds the audience glued to the screen.

Based on Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay’s popular novel, this movie is a beautiful mixture of fun, mystery and adventure. It borrows considerable amount of ideas from Satyajit Ray like dialogues in poetry or the concept of annihilating pistol. The character of Begum is bit childish and impractical, though relevant given the narrative’s flow. The most attractive aspect of ‘Patalghar’ is art direction. It also came in a time (2003) when Bengali children movies became an alien concept and so the debutant director bhijit Chowdhury deserves a pat on the back for reviving the almost lost art-form.

‘Haami’ centers on the burning issues that plague the younger generation today exploring a modern retelling of the student-teacher relationship in metro city schools these days. Directed by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee, it shows how minor issues are often blown up by overly concerned parents and suspicious school authorities. An innocent kiss between two cute kids fuels a whirlwind of controversies which reflect recent disturbing incidents in schools. Gargi Roychoudhury here plays the cute little Bhutu’s mother, a woman who seems to be a live wire, and aggressively protective of her family. She is even fearless in proving her rights. It’s a brilliantly written character, and the actress just excelled for the part. Her diluted expressions, witty dialogues, funny antics; all of these portrays the ultimate middle-class motherhood in a simple way.

This Raja Sen directorial revolves around Damu, an orphan boy, is raised by a kind village man. Damu befriends the man’s granddaughter Runku and promises her to give an elephant ride. To keep his promise Damu sets out in search of an elephant. He finally finds a circus party but the manager doesn’t want to see him. Damu’s dejection suddenly turns to alarm when he unearths a plot to rob the circus. Will little Damu be able to save the circus and keep his promise to Runku in this National Award winning film? That’s what forms the crux of the film.

'Charmurti', directed by Umanath Bhattacharya, is famous for showing comedy legends Chinmoy Roy, Rabi Ghosh and Santosh Dutta together. It’s a comedy adventure in the wilderness. The hilarious adventures of four high school students – Teni, Kabla, Pala and Habul is sure to make you laugh out loud. To spend their vacation, the four visit Ramgarh and their night stay in the Jhantipahar bungalow turns out to be a thrilling experience with its mysterious atmosphere, the strange housekeeper, and few unnatural incidents. This flick is sure to remind you of our childhood days, with its mini adventures, and the simple bonding between friends.

'Open Tee Bioscope' is worth a watch if you grew up in Kolkata during the 80's and 90's. It is not a film, rather some sort of time travel that takes you back to your sweet childhood days. The story sees Fowara (Riddhi Sen) returning to his north Kolkata home after he was expelled from the school hostel, only to make new friends and enjoy the sweetest time of his life. But life eventually turns on its head following a series of incidents, only to get back into groove towards the end. Above all, this film beautifully explores the troubled days of every Bengalee teenage boy while growing up in a metro city.

Truly one of the best things Bengali cinema has witnessed in recent times is this particular movie. The narrative carefully builds up with every minutest detail thoroughly checked and continues till the end. The simple storyline revolves around a haunted mansion in Kolkata. The characters and their display by excellent actors with amazing one liners turn out to be the essence of this movie. The cinematography, editing and its simple presentation are the USP. It is one of the very few current films you can see repeatedly and still enjoy its awesome flair and charm just like the very first time.