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...

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 -...

R D Burman was born in Kolkata on 27 June, 1939. His full name is Rahul Dev Burman. He was the only son of great music composer and singer Sachin Dev Burman. R D Burman was known by his nick name Pancham. He was a ;      Since 1960 to 1990 he had composed so many super hit songs for Hindi film industry in Mumbai. He also sang and composed many Bengali songs both for Bengali films and basic records. Asha Bhosle will be remembered ever by the Bangla song lovers for her basic Bengali songs composed by her husband Pancham ;      Pancham da used to love music and songs since childhood. His parents encouraged him to learn various instruments and love songs. "Hai Apna Dil To Awara" - in this song by Hemant Kumar, R D B played the unforgettable mouth organ in so young ;       In his film career of about thirty years, Pancham da composed songs for 331 films. The Bollywood films will ever remember the outstanding contribution of Panch...

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,...

Director Anurag Basu's latest Hindi film 'Barfi' was shoot partly in north Kolkata. Here in this picture, actor Ranbir Kapoor cycling through the age-old lanes of north Kolkata, named Dorji Para. The movie is slated for release on next Friday, 14 September. -- A. B.

Sandip Roy, son of Satyajit Roy, is making a feature film with four short stories, out of which three by Satyajit Roy and the fourth story was written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. Sandip Roy just completed the shooting of 'Bhoot Bhobishyat' written by Sharadindu at Raipur, a small village near Bolpur of Bengal. And at the same place, started the shooting of next film 'Anath Babur Bhoi' - a short story written by Satyajit Ray. Dwijen Bandyopadhyay is playing the lead role as Anath babu, who is a very interesting character with vast experience of ghosts and haunted houses. The rajbari of Raipur is the haunted house of Raghunathpur as stated in the story. The rajbari is now dilapidated as seen in this picture. It is originally the property of Lord Sinha family, who gave the lands of Bolpur to Tagore family to build Shantiniketan. A road in Kolkata named Lord Sinha Road. However, the stories of this film are purely ghost stories. And Tarini Khuro are the story...

Sonali Kulkarni played as the tribal Paro in Nitin Desai's period film 'Ajintha' released today. The film based on the true story of British officer-painter Major Robert Gill and a Maharashtrian tribal girl called Paro. And the film's dialogue is in three languages - English, Marathi and Hindi. The movie, which unfolds between 1824 and 1856, has been inspired by the poetry of Padma Shri ND Mahanor.-- A. B.

Parineeti Chopra in lead role of the movie 'Ishaqzaade' released today. Priyanka Chopra her sister. Arjun Kapoor is the hero of this new romantic film. Ishaqzaade movie show timings: RDB Big Cinemas - Bidhan Nagar (Salt Lake) 10:50 AM, 1:30 PM, 4:15 PM, 7:00 PM, 9:45 PM Ticket booking info: adlabscinemas.com Fame Cinema Hall(Hil... - Hiland Park 9:10 AM, 12:05 PM, 2:45 PM, 4:05 PM, 5:25 PM, 8:25 PM, 10:45 PM Ticket booking info: www.famecinemas.com Inox Swabhumi - Swabhumi 10:00 AM, 1:40 PM, 4:20 PM, 7:10 PM, 9:45 PM, 10:30 PM Ticket booking info: inoxmovies.com Fame Cinema Hall(Sou... - Jodhpur Park 9:25 AM, 10:45 AM, 12:05 PM, 1:25 PM, 4:05 PM, 8:00 PM, 10:45 PM Ticket booking info: famecinemas.com Inox Cinema Hall - (Elgin Road) 9:05 AM, 11:40 AM, 2:20 PM, 5:00 PM, 8:40 PM, 10:20 PM, 11:20 PM Ticket booking info: inoxmovies.com PVR Cinemas - Howrah 10:00 AM, 12:40 PM, 3:20 PM, 6:00 PM, 8:45 PM, 9:15 PM Ticket booking info: www.pvrcinemas.com ...

Raj Chakraborty shoot 'Mann Bawre' song at Victoria Memorial, Maidan and Prinsep Ghat with Sayoni, Srabanti and Ankush for his new Bangla movie 'Kanamachi', playback singers Shreya Ghoshal and Mohit Chauhan. Kolkata always a favourite city of Raj. And it is very difficult to shoot in the crowd of the city. So, it was a challenge for him. And he shoot with excellence as his fame of a director is charismatic. The story of 'Kanamachi' on the backdrop of Kolkata handling the issue of taxi fares for NRI's.-- A. B.

Book advance tickets of Anjan Dutta's 'Abar Bomkesh'. Premier Show at Priya on 23 March and Special Premier Show at Nandan on 24 March. This Bangla movie released on 23 March at Nandan 1 (6.15), Priya (12.30, 2.40, 7.00), Roxy (3.00), Prachi (2.30, 5.15, 7.45), Basushri (3.00), Inox (City Centre 1 :9.30, 2.00, 6.15, 8.20 / Forum: 2.30, 7.30 / Swabhumi: 1.00, 5.30, 7.30) ; Durgapur: 12.00, 4.30, Rajarhat: 2.00, 6.30, 8.30, Bardhaman: 10.00, 3.00, 5.00, Shiliguri 1: 3.00, 5.10, Shiliguri 2: 1.30, 6.40, Liluah: 2.45, 7.15, Broadway: 12.00, 4.15, 8.45, Bioscope: 2.40, 4.40, 6.15, Fame(South City):9.00, 1.50, 4.00, 6.10, 8.20; Highland Park: 10.00, 2.45, 5.00, 9.30; Hind: 12.30, 7.30; Big Cinema: 2.00, 6.45;) and other cinema halls of Bengal. Online ticket booking websites: www.famecinemas.com / www.pvrcinemas.com / www.inoxcinemas.com / www.inoxmovies.com / www.paradiseroxy.com / www.priyaentertainments.com Releasing on 23 March in Mumbai, Bengaluru & Dhanbad a...

Detective Bomkesh Bokshi will again unravel the mystery, 'Chitrachor' this time. The investigation, I mean the story will say at the end, who would be the thief of picture. Abir Chatterjee is playing the role of Bomkesh and the others like Shashwata Chatterjee as Ajit, Ushashi as Satyabati . The director Anjan Dutta went this time to north Bengal with his team to shoot in jungle. The Bengali crime thriller movie is slated for release on 23 March 2012.-- A. B.

I've seen the movie 'Kahaani' yesterday. The film grasped the spirit of Kolkata very well. One can feel the intensity of a metro city sitting anywhere in India through this cinema. Durga puja, gorgeous immersion of Ma Durga, Kumortuli, the Metro rail, morgue, lanes and by-lanes of the city, trams, taxi, corporate houses - blended well with the smart scenario. And the people of Kolkata - from the running-water carrier little Vishnu to corporate magnet, from cops to common men - all the perspectives depicted well in the film. Hence, Kolkata one of the hero of Kahaani. And another hero Vidya Balan.- She again proved her excellence of acting in the film. By the manner, she managed to roam within Kolkata, it seemed that her love affair with the city is a very old one. And the story is a crime thriller, loaded with suspense.- A. B.