I am writing this even before getting a proper confirmation of the news with full knowledge and experience first hand how things can go horribly wrong in such premature cases. But the fact that the news is about that one person and about that one particular place compelled me to write this in this forum again. Normally, I just browse by post a comment a two post updates on FF and keep quiet as the neither the show nor the actors are triggering my thoughts anymore. Waiting is something I was never good at, patience being something low key in my gene make up. So when I got message from a friend that HE is doing a movie in my MotherTongue…I was ecstatic….giddy with pleasure and feeling smug like kitten.
Then as the initial intoxication of the tequila shot of pleasure that coursed down my blood at the news ebbed a little, ommon sense surged forward. I began weighing down the pros and the cons. Though a pragmatic side of me whispers 'What the hell do you care what happens in his career? Mind yours first!' But then the fan in me rises up to take the bait and says, 'I care…coz I am a fan!'
Bangla film industry is still far behind when compared to Telegu, Tamil or Marathi Film industry today. There was time when Bangla Film industry had given Hindi film Industry its legendry directors, singers, music directors, actresses like Satyajit Ray, Hrishikesh mukherjee, Kishore kumar,S D Burman ,pancham,bappi lahiri, Rakhee,Jaya bahaduri, sharmilla Tagore, Biswajeet . Not only that most hindi films were adapted from bangle literature or remade of bangle hits like devdas, sahib biwi gulam, Chupke chupke, amanush, angur. But unfortunately post 80's times were hard for cash hardened small time industry and they were scraping through to keep cinema alive. Death of many legends and economic losses on big productions collectively hit hard the small knit family. Then started what is termed in most loose sense is called production of Run of the mill floss films with typical masala storylines and bad casting. Trust me when I say, its almost embarrassing watching some of these films due to its bad making. Anything that can go wrong goes wrong and then a yard more-acting, directing, scripting, songs, camera work..you name it and it's a catastrophe. But then the new talented crop of visionaries rose in the 90's and we had some spectacular films from Ritupo*no Ghosh, Gautam Ghosh and many others. Actors who had honed their craft in the mettle of theater walked in the scene with finesse and worked with the few legends remaining like Soumitra, Subhendu, Rakhee. Anjan Dutta brought back music to bangle and his son is continuing closely on his footsteps. In the present times we see a fine demarcation between two completely different kinds of cinema in Bangla industry. We have the boy meet gal, hero fight villain films shot in exotic locations with all the trappings of any good Hindi commercial film and then we have movies that spell magic touching your heart.
HE always had Bollywood in mind and HE always spoke it out loud. One might say South would have been a better bet for his bolly dreams. Here an uncertainty remains as Bangla industry has a very small reach. How effective He would be is a major question. But not to forget that Vidya Balan, Rani Mukherjee made their beginnings from this industry with two totally different genre of films. Where Vidya was in a subtle film 'Bhalo theko' with tones of emotions portrayed beautifully in long silences and deep actions rather than words, Rani was the effervescent innocent girl who fell in love with the man her elder sister had a crush on in a Technicolor loud, movie Biyer Phool. Konkana Sen Sharma and Rahul Bose are two other stellar examples.
There is the fact that almost 40% of the movies which are shot never see the light of cinema screens due to being shut down post production. My own cousin a small time actress and model has worked in many such movies which saw the grand Mahurat but never the glitzy First day First Show.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that HIS is amongst the 60%. Whatever happens time will tell, probably by end of this year itself. But one thing I can say for sure he will not lack friends and good, talented, honorable colleagues back in Kolkata. And I am sure he won't feel lonely either what with His Co-star from old days Payal now being the top Diva in Bangla industry and His then Camera man and assistant Diractors being hotshot honcos there. Yup, HE won't do much bad…Infact, I am glad, He left now. HE is better off with people who will judge him by his work first. Fingers crossed, Chin Up and broad smiles in the forum Please.
Anupamaa
