Kashmakash had been a decent effort.

Kashmakash had been a decent effort.

Rituporno Ghosh had made a decent effort with the film Kashmakash based on Rabindranath Tagore’s literature. The film had been based on the epic story Noukadubi, a piece of literature which attracted the attention of other directors as well. Story-teller Ajoy Kar had also made the film Noukadubi in the 50s on the same piece of literature.

In the film Jishu Sengupta, who was a law student loved the talented uptown girl played by Raima Sen. Due to the insistence of his father he had to sacrifice his love and married a rustic villager played by Riya Sen. He later found out that his wife was already married to Prasenjit Chatterji and was separated from her wife after a boat accident. The story hovers around the theme whether Jishu Sengupta would have reunited Riya Sen to her husband Prasenjit Chatterji or not.

Rituporno Ghosh had made a hindi film and it had been a challenge in doing justice with Tagore literature. The story had been read a big section of readers. One of the achievements of Rituporno Ghosh had been the credit of utilizing Raima Sen and Riya Sen in the respective roles. Although Raima Sen had previously done off-beat roles, Riya Sen had done the role of the rustic villager the first time.

There was hardly any make up given to Riya Sen. Her speech had also been soft and folk-based where she did a commendable job. Jishu Sengupta and Prasenjit Chatterji had previously acted in these types of roles so also showed a refined approach. The effort of Rituporno Ghosh had been a decent effort.

The film should get good response and the viewers should appreciate the effort of a director to do a period film based on the life of bengalies more than 70 years back. Viewers should watch the film.

Satyajit Ray's casting was excellent in Post Master and Manihara.

Satyajit Ray’s casting was excellent in Post Master and Monihara.

Satyajit Ray was a master of casting whenever film direction was in question. He experimented with Rabindranath Tagore’s epic literature Teen Kanya in his film Teen Kanya. He chose the stories Post Master, Manihara and Shamapti.

In Post Master, Ray’s choice of Anil Chatterji in the role of Post Master showed his immense class in casting of characters. Anil Chatterji displayed the uneasiness of a Post Master in adjusting in village conditions very well. He listened to the rural music of the old villagers. He got frightened to weird mannerism of Nripati Chatterji who played the role of a village beggar. He faced fever, and even in sleep he dreamt about the weird beggar.

Ray’s casting of Chandana Banerjee in the role of the little girl was equally excellent. The girl lost her parents at a young age and served the Post Masters in the village. She took care of Anil Chatterji when he got fever and treated him like an elder brother. Anil Chatterji taught him to read and write. When he got transferred and a new Post Master came in his place, Chandana Banerjee made the viewers weep through her passionate expression. She got attached with the Post Master and did not even take the money offered to her by Anil Chatterji when he left the village.

In Manihara, the casting of Kali Banerjee and Konika Majumdar in the lead roles also showed Ray’s class. Kali Banerjee was a zamindar and Konika Majumdar was his wife. She had a troubled past. She was possessive towards her jewellery. When Kali Banerjee went to Kolkata for work, she asked one of her friends to reach her to her native town.

Konika Majumdar died. When Kali Banerjee returned back, her ghost came and appeared before Kali Banerjee. Kali Banerjee looked at her hand full of jewellary which later turned into a skeleton. A road passer told the story to a visitor who was also a ghost. Kali Banerjee’s frightened expression amazed the viewers.

Ray was a great artist and his illustration helped him to cast the right actors and actresses at the right roles. The characters came out of classic novels and mesmerized the viewers with conviction and accuracy. The film should be preserved for Tagore’s brilliant literature, Ray’ s powerful direction and the effortless performances of main actors and actresses in the film.

Tagore and bollywood films

Tagore and bollywood films.

Tagore had a huge contribution to classical literature which compelled leading directors of bollywood to direct films based on his stories. Bimal Roy the great director of the 60s who had memorable films like Bandini, Devdas, etc., used Tagore literature for the film Kabuliwala.

The original version of the film was made by Tapan Sinha who made a film Kabuliwala where Chabi Biswas, one of the greatest Bengali actors ever to grace the silver screen made landmark impact. He was an Afghan person who had come to Kolkata to sell his produce.

His entire family was back in Kabul and he saw a little Bengali girl called Mini, who brought his memories relating to his own daughter in Afghanistan back. He loved the child.

Later when he was imprisoned and did not have money to return back to his own country the father of Mini paid the amount that he reserved for daughter’s marriage and gave it to Chabi Biswas. The daughter was married in a good family.


Balraj Sahani played the same role in Bimal Roy’s Devdas and did well. In both the films Tagore’s passion for a father was well depicted. It did not make any difference whether the father lived in Kolkata or Afghanistan, the heart of a father for the daughter was similar.


The film received many awards both at the national and international level. Tagore’s stories were also used in Bengali films like Ghare Baire, Teen Kanya which were directed by Satyajit Ray.

The films should be restored and preserved.