How many Bengali films have Tolly celebs watched this year?

At a time when the 24th Kolkata International Film Festival will screen 171 feature films and 150 short films and documentaries from 70 countries, one wonders how many Bengali releases has the local film fraternity watched this year. According to Ratan Saha, the chairman of the exhibitors’ section of Eastern India Motion Pictures Association, some 75 Bengali films have released already.“By the end of the year, I expect the number to go up to 100,” he said. Mayurakshi — which released on December 29 last year — also ran in 2018. We asked these three questions to our celebs:
1) Name the Bengali films made by and featuring others you have watched in 2018
2) Pick your favourite/ favourites
3) Apart from your busy schedule, choose the other
reasons for not watching more Bengali cinema:
a) They didn’t interest me
b) I didn’t like the feedback/ review
c) The trailer wasn’t engaging
d) I only watch my premieres
e) None of the above
Needless to say, the numbers reveal more than just Tollywood’s viewing habit.
Prosenjit Chatterjee (14 films)
I usually watch a lot of films but...
1) Rainbow Jelly, Pupa, Haami, Uma, Good Night City, Aschhe Abar Shabor, Biday Byomkesh,
Ahare Mon, Flat No 609, Sonar Pahar and Piya Re. I’ve seen parts of Hoichoi Unlimited. Though
they haven’t released yet, I’ve watched Hiralal and Tarikh
2) I loved Soukarya Ghosal’s Rainbow Jelly. It’s a fairy tale narrated in a different way. Parambrata’s Sonar Pahar also appealed to me. The film has a complete Bengali feel to it
3) Option e. I usually watch a lot of movies.
Sometimes I can’t watch them in theatres because by the time I want to see them, they have already stopped screening. However, the good part is that directors and actors also send me links and I end up watching many Bengali movies
Paoli (4 films)
Since i wasn’t keeping well, i missed watching most films

1) Haami, Manojder
Adbhut Bari, Guptodhoner Sandhane and Ek Je
Chhilo Raja. I want to watch Mayurakshi and Sonar Pahar
2) I loved Guptodhoner Sandhane. I enjoyed Haami. It is an out-and-out entertaining film. The script, performances and music appealed to me. Manojder Adbhut Bari was also a good outing for me
3) Option e. I like watching all kinds of films. Since I wasn’t keeping well for three months, I missed out on most movies
Srijit Mukherji (13 films)
I guess, the trailers of other films didn’t appeal to me

1) Aschhe Abar Shabor, Drishtikone, Haami, Guptodhoner Sandhane, Alinagarer Golokdhadha, Pupa, Ahare Mon, Hoyto Manush Noy, Kishore Kumar Junior, Mayurakshi, Uronchondi, Kabir and Sonar Pahar. I want to watch Ghare & Baire, Happy Pill, Aami Ashbo Phirey, Rainbow Jelly and Byomkesh Gowtro
2) Indrasis Acharya’s Pupa. That’s because the ethical and philosophical aspects of death and euthanasia fascinate me
3) Option c. The trailers didn’t appeal. I don’t go by reviews or general feedback
Sudiptaa Chakraborty (5 films)
With a baby at home, i couldn’t watch many films

1) Rainbow Jelly, Sonar Pahar, Crisscross, Aschhe Abar Shabor and Haami
2) Rainbow Jelly. I was touched by its simplicity and innocence. It takes guts to make a film on such a subject and with cast. I also liked Sonar Pahar. It is mature work
3) Option e. I wanted to watch most of them but with a baby at home, I can’t watch as many films as I would want to
Kamaleswar Mukherjee (13 films)
Subjects of other films didn’t excite me

1) Drishtikone, Mayurakshi, Kabir, Guptodhoner Sondhane, Alinagarer Golokdhadha, Byomkesh Gowtro, Aami Ashbo Phirey, Rainbow Jelly, Aschhe Abar Shabor, Hoichoi Unlimited, Ek Je Chhilo Raja, Manojder Adbhut Bari and Alifa
2) The film I liked the most this year was Deep Choudhury’s Alifa. It dealt with displacement and relationships. I also enjoyed Sayantan Ghosal’s Alinagarer Golokdhada, Dhrubo Banerjee’s Guptodhoner Sondhane and Atanu Ghosh’s Mayurakshi
3) Option a. The choice of subject of other films didn’t appeal to me
Soukarya Ghosal (9 films)
Content of many films didn’t attract

1) Uma, Haami, Drishtikone, Guptodhoner Shondhane, Byomkesh Gowtro, Kishore Kumar Junior, Manojder Adbhut Bari, Ek Je Chhilo Raja and Ahare Mon
2) Out of these, I think Manojder Adbhut Bari, Ahare Mon, Drishtikon and Byomkesh Gowtro are a bit special!
3) Option e. The content didn’t attract me
Manas Mukul Pal (8 films)
Lack of convenient showtime made me miss movies

1) Kabir, Uronchondi, Uma, Ek Je Chhilo Raja, Byomkesh Gowtro, Rong Beronger
Korhi, Rainbow Jelly and Mayurakshi
2) Mayurakshi. It has a touching story, realistic treatment and outstanding performances by Soumitra Chatterjee and Prosenjit Chatterjee
3) Option e. Lack of convenient showtime
Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury
Bengali films hardly get proper shows in Mumbai

1) Pupa and Mayurakshi. I have heard very good things about Rainbow Jelly and Sonar Pahar and want to watch both
2) I loved both these movies
3) Nowadays, I live in Mumbai. I watch films after 10.30 pm. Most of the Bengali films that are released in Kolkata don’t get proper shows in Mumbai. Eventually, I manage to watch most later on. I avoid those which don’t get good feedback
Arindam Sil (10 films)
Many films didn’t interest me at all

1) Rainbow Jelly, Flat No 609, Crisscross, Kabir, Uma, Mayurakshi, Guptodhoner Sandhane, Biday Byomkesh, Manojder Adbhut Bari and Ek Je Chhilo Raja. Ahare Mon is one film I missed watching for sure
2) Rainbow Jelly and Guptodhoner Sondhane. These are made by two young directors who have done promising work. They have freshness and both are here to stay
3) Option a. Many didn’t interest me. I wasn’t here when a few films released. A few had very negative feedback from people whom I trust for their sense of cinema