Bengal governor pens lyrics for film

Kolkata: Many of his predecessors wrote weighty tomes on history and politics. Some like Gopalkrishna Gandhi even penned a play in verse. But Keshari Nath

Tripathi

is, perhaps, the first occupant of the

Raj Bhavan

in Kolkata to write the lyrics for a mainstream film.

The film — to be called ‘Rishtey’ in Hindi and ‘Jowar Bhanta’ in Bengali — will have FTII boss and BJP functionary Gajendra Chauhan in the lead along with veteran actor Alok Nath, and will be directed by Milan Bhowmik, whose last film, ‘1946 Calcutta Killings’, is embroiled in a legal controversy over the portrayal of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Lending voice to Governor Tripathi’s lyrics will be another BJP functionary — MP and minister Babul Supriyo. Asked about the prominent BJP link that binds the important members involved in the film, the director said, “I am not a party member, but am a supporter of Modiji. Our primary identity is that of an artist. Our political ideologies come later.”

The Bengal governor is not new to the literary world. An accomplished writer and poet, his chief literary works include two anthologies — ‘Manonukriti’ and ‘Aayu Pankh’. Bhowmik claimed the governor agreed to pen a song after he heard the subject of his film, which deals with the role of faith in human relationships. “Part of the screenplay also dwells on the Gita and its relevance on people’s belief system. When I briefed Tripathiji about my film, he agreed to pen the lyrics,” the director said. The governor is currently out of town but sources in his office confirmed his involvement in this project. He is also expected to attend the muharrat of the film.