Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6973460484243747"> Today, I would like to tell about the 340 years old Durga Puja of Serampore Goswami family's traditional Durga puja. Their house is a royal palace (Raj Bari) built about 300 years ago. Serampore is a town of Hooghly district of West Bengal, India. This town is located near Kolkata. It is a very old town, occupied by Dutch during British raj in India. This royal palace of Goswami family is situated on the bank of river Ganges near ferry ghat. When I entered at the house, seen the big structure at the middle 'chandni' or 'Naat Mandir'. It is made of 24 corinthian columns and occupied 130×30 feet area. I stood under this 'chandni' and found the 'Thakur Dalan' (where the deity offered puja). Its floor is made of marble. Its outer walls and pillars are well-decorated with cement plast...

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async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6973460484243747"> > Satyajit Ray? No. He's Jeetu Kamal. But he's playing role of Satyajit Ray in a Bengali movie 'Aparajito' (অপরাজিত) by Anik Dutta - who made earlier the film 'Bhooter Bhabishyat' (ভুতের ভবিষ্যত). Director Anik Dutta is now making the film 'Aparajito' in which Jeetu Kamal is playing the role of Satyajit Ray making the movie 'Pather Panchali'. So, it is the film in which Anik Dutta is showing how the shooting of 'Pather Panchali' was done. > Shooting of this new film 'Aparajito' has been done near Bolpur of Birbhum district. Now, shooting in Kolkata will be done - at Sisir Mancha, Nandan and some other places. /> Sayani Ghosh is playing the role of Bijoya Roy. Cinebuffs are expecting some good from this film. ...

When I've read first 'Pather Panchali' child edition in school in early 70s, I came to know that a film also made baaed on this book. 'Aam Antir Bhepu' (আম আঁটির ভেঁপু) was also a chapter of this book we had to study in school. I had a scope soon to watch the film 'Pather Panchali'. But, the original novel was yet to come to me. .    I've read the original 'Pather Panchali' book borrowing from library. We had a vast library in school and I used to love the story books of that library instead my books for studies. Every Saturday, after the leave, the teacher used to call the names and gave us a book to brought it to home to read on Sunday. By this way, I've read many popular story books written for children. .   Gradually, I became fan of author Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, not only for his 'Pather Panchali', but 'Aparajito' and many other novels including his famous short story books. I could relate me with Apu -...

Alka Yagnik was born in Kolkata, on this day, in the year 1966 in a Gujrati family. Her mother wanted to teach Alka singing. So, she started singing bhajans in Akashvani Kolkata at the age of six. At the age of 15 she sang that famous song "mere angne mein" in the film "Laawaris". But, Alka got big break in 1988 in the film "Tezaab" and the song was on the lips of Madhuri Dixit - "Ek Do Tin" which became an evergreen song.          In her career, Alka rendered innumerable songs in films and the duet songs with Kumar Sanu became most popular indeed. She also sang many songs with Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam.           She has sung 2486 hindi songs in 1114 films. She won many awards in her life for her songs. She admitted that her mother, Laxmikant Pyarelal and Kalyanji Anandji were her Gurus. Her inspiration is Lata Mangeshkar.

Shashi Kapoor was born on this day, in the year 1938, in Kolkata. He was the son of Raj Kapoor and made his career in Bollywood films. He had his first adult role in Yash Chopra's film Dharmputra (1961). After that, till mid eighties he played in 116 Hindi films, amongst them 61 as solo lead role, 55 in multi-starrer films, 21 as supporting actor and 7 films with special appearance. He was a very popular actor in 60s, 70s and till mid-eighties. His favourite actress was Nanda, with whom he acted in 8 films in 60s. Nanda also admitted him as her favourite actor. They played in the films 'Need Hamari Khwab Tumhare', 'Raja Saab', 'Jab Jab Phool Khile', 'Mohabbat Isko Kahete Hain', 'Rootha Na Karo' and a few more. Shashi Kapoor also played opposite several heroines like Babita, Asha Parekh, Mumtaz, Hema Malini, Zeenat Aman, Shabana Azmi, Raakhi, Sharmila Tagore, Mousumi Chatterjee, Neetu Singh, Parveen Babi. Sharmilee, Pyar Ka Mausam,...

'Heritage Bengal' will pay homage to legendary singer composer Hemanta Mukhopadhyay on the eve of his birth centenary by organising a function on 14th and 15th February, 2020 at Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata. A short film of 35 minutes duration on Hemanta Mukhopadhyay will be screened there. A book named 'Neel Dhrubatara' (the blue northstar) on him will be published there in which complete list of his songs with valuable articles on him by eminent artists are the main attractions of this book. His rare photos also will be there in the book. Shubhajit and Kalyan Sarkar will play some classical based songs on sitar. Hemanta Mukhopadhyay will be remembered ever for his popular songs which will sing Srikanta Acharya and Jayati Chakraborty there at the function. The car used by him shall exhibit there for all. The two-days long programme will be inaugurated by Arati Mukhopadhyay and Soumitra Chattopadhyay. The function will start at 4:30 p.m. daily.

                 It is the golden jubilee year of Satyajit Ray's film 'Nayak' where Uttam Kumar was the Hero. To mark the event,  22nd Kolkata Film Festival has arranged an exhibition on Uttam Kumar at Gaganendra Pradarshashala (গগনেন্দ্র প্রদর্শশালা) where rare posters, booklets of cinemas of Uttam Kumar and informative biography with filmography of this legendary actor are being exhibited. The exhibition has all the documentations of Mahanayak and his film related contents. The rare photographs of Uttam Kumar were taken by Nimai Ghosh, Mona Chowdhury, Subinoy Das and Satyajit Ray. On 12th November, 2016 veteran actress Madhabi Mukhopadhyay inaugurated the exhibition at 5pm. She said, "All the Bengalees have tremendous respect for Uttam Kumar. I afraid, another Mahanayak will never come. Uttam Kumar was one & only Mahanayak." The exhibition will run upto 18th November, 2016.

Jivan Smriti 'Selective Memories' : a film on Rabindranath Tagore by the eminent filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh will telecast DD National on 8 August, 2013 at 10:30 p.m. Rituparno made the film well earlier of his untimely death. But it was not released due to some reasons. The Cultural Ministry of Govt. of India produced the film. And NFDC is the executive producer. The director has tried to depict the life, feelings, ups & downs of the poet from his young age to old age in this film. Samadarshi Dutta has played the role of 18-30 year's aged Rabindranath and Sanjay Nag has played the role of matured Tagore in the film. Raima Sen has played the role of Kadambari Debi. -- A. B.

Uttam Kumar Film Festival 2013: Venue: Nandan 1 Date: 24 July-30 July, 2013 24.07.2013 - Sare Chuattor (3 pm). Shilpi (6 pm). 25.07.2013 - Lal Pathar (3 pm). Mon Niye (6 pm). 26.07.2013 - Dhanraj Tamang (3 pm). Bipasha (6 pm). 27.07.2013 - Jodu Bangsha (3 pm). Ekti Raat (6 pm). 28.07.2013 - Shuno Baronari (3 pm). Sabar Upore (6 pm). 29.07.2013 - Agni Pariksha (3 pm). Harano Sur (6 pm). 30.07.2013 - Dui Prithibi (3 pm). Saptapadi (6 pm). Tickets: Rs 30, 40, 50 (from 19.07.2013 at hall; 1-7pm). Organized by SILPI SANGSAD -- A. B.

Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee of Tollygunge, Kolkata acted in a Hindi film 'Shanghai' by successful Bengalee director Dibakar Banerjee. Prosenjit was hesitant to play in a Hindi film as he feels comfortable in Bengali films and didn't act Hindi films for the last 20 years. But, when Dibakar insisted him and assured him he wanted only Prosenjit, the actor accepted the role. -- A. B.

Bengali film festival in London for the first time, at Harrow Arts Centre from 18-20 May 2012. Bengali film personalities like Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Rudraneel Ghosh, Paoli Dam, Swastika Mukherjee, Locket Chatterjee, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and Aneek Dutta will present on the stage. The title, date & time (London time) of the films are:- Balukabela.com : (world premier) Saturday 19 May at 1pm. direction: Partha Sen, *ing Bratya Basu, Parambrata, Shashwata, Locket, Rudraneel. Egaro : Friday 18 May at 7:30pm. Direction:Arun Roy Aparajita Tumi : Saturday 19 May at 4pm. Direction: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, *ing Prosenjit, Padmapriya, Kamalini. Elar Char Adhyay : Saturday 19 May at 7pm. Direction: Bappaditya Bandyopadhyay, *ing Indraneel, Paoli Dam. Royal Bengal Rahasya : Sunday 20 May at 12pm. Direction: Sandip Roy, *ing Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Bhooter Bhobisyat : Sunday 20 May at 3pm. Direction: Aneek Dutta, *ing Parambrata, Swastika etc. Nobel Chor : Sunday 20 May at ...

'Europe In Love' is the theme of 17th European Film Festival organised by Cine Central, Kolkata. 25 films from the member countries of European Union will be screened during 20-28 April at Nandan and Max Müller Bhavan. -- A. B.

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Tannishtha Chatterjee, the Bengali actress of international fame, now playing the role of Masha of famous Anna Karenina - director Joe Wright's magnum opus and now busy with the shooting of this film in Russia under unfavourable weather. She is giving her best to make her role look as authentic as possible. Tannishtha had to shoot at -40 degrees in Petrozavodsk, a small town 500 kms north of St. Petersburg. She recalled her experience as "surreal". "Everything turns into ice within seconds. People in this village don't drink water because it turns into ice. The sun rises at around 10am and sets by 4pm. In some of the shots I was just able to expose my lips and nose somehow. It seems like a miracle that we could shoot in that condition. I had no imagination of how it would be like." Petrozavodsk is a place in Khizi Island on lake Onega. The lake, one of the biggest in the world is completely frozen at this time of the year and the temperature r...

Gorai Gandogol - a superhit pure laughter film again for Bangla cine-goers running successfully in Kolkata now. -- A. B.

23 December 2011 releasing new Feluda film by Sandip Roy across Bengal alongwith Kolkata. It will be a very unusual experience for the Feluda-lovers in the sense, the whole team of Feluda went to jungle to solve the Royal Bengal mystery for the first time. The film based on the story of Satyajit Ray. So, before Christmas, ready to witness the solve of Royal Bengal Rahasya with Feluda. -- A. B.

The world comes home. 8 days, 50 countries, 125 directors, 150 films - the extract of ensuing 17th Kolkata Film Festival. And many more 'for the first time' events will occur here. 1. Tollygunge film industry will drive the fest. 2. Budget about 2.45 crore (more corporate sponsors). 3. Professional touch at website http://kff.in 4. Changed logo 5. Theme song by Nachiketa. 6. Published the names of selectors of 150 films. 7. Total 11 theatres will screen films in the city including multiplex. 8. Inaugural ceremony will be held at Netaji Indoor Stadium. 9. The fest will be inaugurated by Shahrukh Khan and Sharmila Tagore. 10. Inaugural movie 'The Magician' of Netherlands. 11. The price of ticket Rs. 10 only. 12. Mamatashankar & ballet troupe will perform at inaugural function. 13. Orchestra by Kolkata Music Academy will be the opening event of this fest. 14. West bengal Motion Picture Artists' Forum will perform at the end of inaugural function. 15. One of the mai...