PANAJI: ‘Maa Kaali’ — The Erased History of Bengal’ is set for its world premiere at 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. The film is an attempt to bring to light an erased “truth” about India history. It is also socio-politically relevant given the current turmoil in Bangladesh, according to representatives of the production house, which had produced national award winning super hit ‘Karthikeya 2’ in 2022.
Raima Sen and bureaucrat-turned-actor Abhishek Singh starrer and directed by Vijay Yelakanti, the film is based on the pivotal events around “Direct Action Day” in 1946.
“Maa Kaali aims to put forth the erased history of Bengal, revealing the bloody truth of the ruthless massacre in Calcutta and Noakhali in present-day India and Bangladesh respectively,” said the producers.
The movie will premiere on November 26. The premiere will be attended by director Yelakanti, Producers at People Media Factory, who are also currently involved in marketing their film Pushpa 2, actors Abhishek Singh, Raima Sen. Goa chief minister Pramod Swany is also expected to attend the screening.
On Sunday, Sawant met the team of ‘Maa Kaali.’ The director shared his enthusiasm of bringing the truth out of Indian erased history.
“Maa Kaali is not ideally a mass entertainer but a mass thinker, a cinema that aims to offer a lesson to not let history repeat itself. We are extremely glad and honoured that our vision aligns with the prestigious IFFI and they recognised the importance of the film,” he said.
Speaking about the project, Singh said, “With the current scenario in Bangladesh we are taken back in time when the religious disturbances in Bengal began, a film like ‘Maa Kaali’ is important today and IFFI is the right platform to showcase it. We are humbled and encouraged by the support of IFFI.”
Since the film involves disturbing scenes depicting violence and communal atrocities, it also faced issues for clearance at the censor board earlier. However, after a tenacious fight, the makers of ‘Maa Kaali’ have received the certification, and are expected to announce the release date soon.
Written and directed by Yelakanti, ‘Maa Kaali’ is produced by TG Vishwa Prasad, co-produced by Vivek Kuchibhotla and presented by makers of ‘Karthikeya 2.’ The pan-Indian film is shot in Hindi and will release in Bengali and Telugu as well next year.
Sen essays the role of a woman affected during the 1946 Calcutta killings. The story is about the communal riots that gripped the city from August 16, 1946, dubbed as ‘Direct Action Day,’ a year before India’s independence.
Thousands of people lost their lives in communal violence over the next few days, and the riots spiraled into more disturbances across undivided India.
The movie has got the go-ahead from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The film depicts the misery faced by many families ripped apart during the Partition, their identities destroyed in the ensuing chaos through the story of a Bengali Ghosh family.
On August 16, 1946, Muslim League called for a ‘Direct Action Day’ under the leadership of Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The aim of Direct Action Day by the Muslim League was to get Pakistan through violent means if not by legal means.
The story progresses over several decades, following the Ghosh family as they sail through the hardships and tragedies of history. Against the backdrop of communal violence and political turmoil, they represent tenacity in the face of hardship, reflecting the challenges of a generation caught in history’s crossfire.
The film not only sheds light on forgotten narratives surrounding Direct Action Day but also addresses themes of identity, resilience, and societal barriers.
Based on ‘Direct Action Day’ in 1946
According to the film’s producers, “Maa Kaali aims to put forth the erased history of Bengal, revealing the bloody truth of the ruthless massacre in Calcutta and Noakhali in present-day India and Bangladesh respectively.” The movie directed by Vijay Yelakanti and starring Raima Sen and bureaucrat-turned-actor Abhishek Singh, will premiere on November 26. The film depicts the misery faced by families ripped apart during the Partition, their identities destroyed in the ensuing chaos, through the story of a Bengali Ghosh family. “Maa Kaali is not ideally a mass entertainer but a mass thinker, a cinema that aims to offer a lesson to not let history repeat itself. We are extremely glad and honoured that our vision aligns with the prestigious IFFI and they recognised the importance of the film,” said director Yelakanti.