HYDERABAD: For the last three days, Prasad Preview theatre in Banjara Hills was teeming with Bangla conversations and Bengali movie buffs thanks to Aayna 2019, the three-day Telangana Bengali Film Festival which ended on Sunday. The event included several movie screenings which ran houseful. Suthirtha Bhattacharya, IAS (Retd) Chairman WBERC, Harikrishna Mamidi, Director Department of Language and Culture, Govt. of Telangana and Padmasri Dr Raghuram were the guests for the valedictory function.
Presented by the Hyderabad Bangalee Samity, in association with Utsab Cultural Association and Moving Images, the film lovers and supported by Uttarayan club, the event featured an array of Bengali films and a host of stars from December 6-8. The event was to celebrate Bangla cinema entering its centenary year. “The third edition of and the organizers are excited to bring the huge Bengali diaspora living in Hyderabad and beyond,” said the organising committee.
About 13 feature films and as many short films were screened across the three days and Nirban, starring veteran Bollywood actor Rakhee Gulzar won the best feature film award while its director Goutam Halder won the best director award. The best actor award went over to two actors Jishu engupta and Anirban Bhattacharya for GhareBaireAaj. And BratyaBasu won the award for supporting best actor role.
Nirbaan is based on Moti Nandi’s novel Bijolibalar Mukti has Rakhee in the lead role as Bijolibala, the iconic and much loved grandma, resident of a north Calcutta locality, who eventually becomes a light house in the midst of an ocean of dark despair. The old map of the city along with its values is changing fast and revolves around her. Suddenly she comes to know a secret which throws her into an existential crisis. The film is a saga of ruthless reality versus unshaken love, internal haemorrhage versus external struggle, religious taboo versus pure humanity.
Real life Vs reel life grandma: I am growing old, not becoming old, if you know what I mean. There is a difference between the two (grins). My grandchild is still young, but I hope to be a chilled out granny and pass on wisdom to him. And to those who ask me, no one doesn’t have to be a grandmother to act in a grandmother’s role.
About Hyderabad: I first came to Hyderabad in 1974 and a few other times, but every time to shoot for movies. The last time I came here was for the film Badshah. I would have loved to roam around, but this time I’m here to watch my film, not for film promotions.
For the film festival circuit: That is the problem. The film is making its way to the film festivals, but everyone should go and watch the film when it gets released. This film has a subject and people should watch it, the message should reach to youngsters and also to the seniors. The term euphoria is getting hyped but our Indian culture will be there what it was before. I just hope it gets its release very soon.