Kadambari Debi on celluloid

That Kadambari Debi left an insurmountable void in Tagore���s life is a fact well known. And now, revisiting the timeless saga of love and loss is Aniket Chattopadhyay, whose next film is based on how and why the bard���s sister-in-law took her life at the age of 25.
The director, who is currently filming Mahapurush O Kapurush with state minister Bratya Basu, will begin his next shortly.���The film involves a lot of research and will be made on a huge canvas. There are many reference points, the latest being Ranjan Bandopadhyay���s Kadambari Debir Suicide-Note. We need a lot of preparation before the camera starts rolling. Right now, we are in that process,��� says Aniket.
Before his marriage in December, 1883, Tagore wrote a few poems and songs, which were published in February, 1884. The collection, Chhobi O Gaan, was dedicated to Kadambari Debi. And within two months of its publication, Kadambari Debi committed suicide. Dealing with a sensitive subject like this isn���t easy, but Aniket is hopeful. ���Tagore fascinates every Bengali and I am no exception. Also, it���s a story of neglect in banedi families, where the voice of women is suppressed often. The film will also deal with the poet���s relationship with other women,��� he says.
A huge challenge, according to the director, would also be the cast. ���I cannot have an actor with a huge star baggage to portray Kadambari Debi. Casting someone in the role of Tagore���s wife, Mrinalini Debi, would be easier. Though I have an actor in mind for Tagore���s role, I don���t want to divulge it just yet,��� says Aniket.
The film will begin with Kadambari Debi���s death and end with the poet���s demise. ���The movie will oscillate between one death and another and depict the lives in between,��� the director adds.