Ajoy Kar

Ajoy Kar's classic Bengali film, Saat Pake Badha, is set for a historic screening at the 48th Moscow International Film Festival. The restored 1963 film, which previously earned Suchitra Sen an international acting award, will be shown in the Out-of-Competition section. This marks a significant return for the cinematic milestone, celebrated for its compelling narrative and enduring relevance.

The commercial films in which Uttam Kumar had gained stardom were mostly related to the works of Ajoy Kar, the innovative filmmaker of the country. Ajoy Kar emerged in the Bengali film arena at a period when celluloid was at the stage of transformation from the talkies era to studio-based feature films. Studios were not developed to that extent and there was hardly any evidence of outdoor shootings taking place in the mid-40s.

Being an ordinary clerk in the Calcutta Port Commission, Uttam Kumar’s early efforts on-screen fall into such bad weather that he seriously thought of packing-up and returning to his 9-to-5 routine! Interestingly, fate had some other plans. His brand of charismatic acting, in a world dominated by “theatrics”, brought a heavy storm of fresh air to the new cinema-literate generation during the golden age of 50s, 60s and 70s.

The eternal actor of Bengali cinema who still tugs at our heartstrings and the one who masters portrayals of the thinking man’s favourite characters with a strong emotional connection even today have had a long journey in Bengali cinema. So, we asked Soumitra Chatterjee what are the changes he has seen in Bengali cinema over the years.

The tag of ‘Ray’s hero’—he stepped into the world of cinema with Satyajit Ray’s ‘Apur Sansar’ and acted in 14 of his films—overshadowed Soumitra Chatterjee’s work with other greats like, Tapan Sinha, Asit Sen, Ajoy Kar, Mrinal Sen and Tarun Mazumdar. But he believed he became a household name, thanks to the success of his films with the other directors.

It has been 12 months since we lost Soumitra Chattopadhyay, the man who used to straddle Bengali cinema just like a colossus from 1959.

Bengali cinema's Mahanayak Uttam Kumar was once highly sought after for a Bollywood debut. Such was his influence that even Rajesh Khanna was instructed to copy his acting style in Shakti Samanta's 'Amar Prem'. Despite receiving offers from industry giants like Raj Kapoor and Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, he remained selective, ultimately debuting in the 1967 Hindi film 'Chotisi Mulaqaat' opposite Vyjayantimala. However, the film failed to meet expectations, much like his other Hindi venture, 'Bandi,' in 1978. Despite these setbacks, Uttam Kumar's legacy as the eternal Mahanayak in Bengali cinema remains untarnished.

It has been more than a year since we lost Soumitra Chattopadhyay, the man who used to straddle Bengali cinema just like a colossus from 1959.

Bengali cinema is no longer the cinema of mystification, nor is it surplus value cinema that underestimates the intelligence of the cinegoer, writes a critic on the net.

Shakti Samanta’s ‘Amar Prem’ which had Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in the lead is the Hindi remake of Uttam Kumar's 1970 Bengali film Nishi Padma. The Bengali film was based on a short story by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay.

In a career that spans more than six decades, Soumitra Chatterjee remains a prolific performer, sometimes averaging four films per year, besides delivering powerful performances in plays and also lending his gravitas to recitations and book readings.

The superstar remembers her first co-star from Satyajit Ray's Apur Sansar

The beloved Bengali classic 'Parineeta' by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay is returning in a new avatar as a web series. Starring Debchandrima Singha Roy as Lalita and Gaurav Chakrabarty as Shekhar, the show promises a fresh perspective on the timeless romance. Premiering on Independence Day, the teaser hints at a captivating adaptation.

Amitabh Bachchan turned emotional as he recalled a KBC participant from rural Bengal who had to discontinue her studies because her father couldn’t afford the expense. “When she won Rs 1.5 lakh, I asked her what she’d do with the money and she said she’d show it to her father."

MINU AGARWAL KOLKATA: This indeed is a wall of fame. The legendary Pele, mercurial Maradona, irresistible Platini and Zico have given way to the raw strength and skill of Ronaldo, Beckham, Zidane, Owen, Ortega.

The beloved novel 'Parineeta' by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay has been adapted into a web series directed by Aditi Roy. Starring Debchandrima Singha Roy, Gaurav Chakrabarty, and Arpan Ghoshal, the series is set to premiere on Independence Day. The story explores the intricate relationships between Lalita, Shekhar, and Girin, set against the pre-independence era backdrop.

Veteran singer Sumitra Sen, whose unique rendition style popularized Tagore's songs without compromising on the original notations, died at her Ballygunge residence on Tuesday. The 89-year-old singer was suffering from age-related ailments and was admitted to a private hospital with bronchial-pneumonia complications on December 21. She was discharged from the hospital on Monday evening. Sen is survived by her daughters, well-known singers Indrani and Sraboni.

This year, the inauguration of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) will move from Netaji Indoor Stadium to Nabanna Sabhaghar. On January 8, chief minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the festival in the presence of all the committee members in charge of organizing the 26th edition of KIFF. Though attempts are being made to get outstation celebrities to join the inauguration virtually, there hasn’t been any confirmation so far.

This is a tribute to singer-composer Hemanta Mukhopadhyay on the music maestro’s death anniversary. We select 10 of his ageless Bengali film songs. It’s a well-merited spotlight on the vintage voice.

1923 – 2011, The evergreen hero would often come down to Kolkata for the premiere of his films; he also featured in Hindi remakes of Bengali ventures

“Manik-da groomed him, but he was a giant of an actor,” Sharmila Tagore said about Soumitra Chatterjee. Eminent speakers attended Sunday’s webinar organized by Bengalis in the UK to celebrate the legend’s journey. Everyone listened with rapt attention the moment “Aparna” started talking about “Apu” (the characters they played when they debuted in Ray’s 1959 world-famous classic, “Apur Sansar”.

How did Satyajit Ray cast Soumitra Chatterjee in 'Apur Sansar' ?

Padma Shri Suchitra Sen, Bengal’s diva, stepped out of the public eye over three decades ago, before she turned old and grey