Directory of Bengali cinema launched

A directory of 100 years of Bengali cinema comprising reproduction of movie booklets and posters of legendary filmmakers like Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak has been launched in Dhaka.

Painter Kazi Anirban, also a grandson of Bangladesh’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, and Parimal Ray, an associate of one of the greatest auteurs of world cinema Satyajit Ray, brought out the directory with more than 1650 compilations in an attempt “to relive the glorious past”.

The directory has been termed as “imprints of a bygone era”.

Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in association with Shadhona - A Center for Advancement of South Asian Culture and the State Bank of India in Bangladesh organised the launch on Thursday evening and screened Uday Shankar’s film “Kalpana”.

India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka Sandeep Chakravorty, Bangladesh Film Development Corporation’s Managing Director Pijush Bandhopadhyay, and actor Ferdous Ahmed, were present, among others, during the launch.

The Indian High Commission in a media release termed it as ‘unique’ as there has been no such compilation of Bengali cinemas.

“It is not only for collectors and cineastes, but also for students of Arts and Films and those undertaking research on the subject”.

With no dearth of thought provoking stories borrowed from Bengali literature in the 21st century and groundbreaking original scripts, Bengali films touched the hearts of many in the Indian sub-continent and abroad.

Both commercial and parallel cinemas gained immense popularity and the Bengali film industry emerged as the new intelligentsia in the world of international cinema.

Legendary film directors like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak brought international acclaim and set the path for revolutionary cinema.