The purpose of this booklet This booklet tries to bring together excerpts from Reviews about Chaturanga that appeared in varied Print Media (dailies a

Transcription

1 Based on the novel by Rabindranath Tagore A Film by Suman Mukhopadhyay Reviews and Ratings

2 The purpose of this booklet This booklet tries to bring together excerpts from Reviews about Chaturanga that appeared in varied Print Media (dailies and periodicals) covering a period ranging over pre-release to post-release times. Many of these reviews were in the local language i.e. Bengali. For the convenience of all concerned, we have done free transliteration of the basic contents of those reviews, to give non-bengali knowing readers an idea of how various scribes responded to the film. This book is meant to indicate, not so much the 'rating' of the film (actual seeing would work better), but to show that despite being a period piece and that too in Bengali, the film has touched a cord among many. The Producers of Chaturanga M/s Campfire Films and the Director, Suman Mukhopadhyay wishes you a good read and hope that in some way the team connects with you, wherever you are.

3 Contents Synopsis 01 Director's Statement 01 Music 01 Cast & Crew 02 Technical Details 02 Desire & the dame 03 Ritu touches Suman 03 Why Chaturanga? 04 Timid wife to daring widow, Rituparna straddles two worlds 05 Shafkat in Chaturanga 05 Two Chaturangas 06 'I aim to fit into the directorial vision' 06 Sit-in-the-dark and find your own moving picture 07 Tagore's Chaturanga soon on celluloid 07 The world is opening up 09 Tagore revisited 09 Are we modern enough? 10 Chaturanga 11 Tale from Tagore 11 Web Marketing 12 A chat with Chaturanga 12 Chaturanga (Bangla) Translating from word to picutre 13 Damini 14 Chaturanga in Panorama 15 Bagharoo, Damini, are all marginalized individuals 16 Chaturanga: Suman's Second Innings 17 An interesting chapter 18 Catch the eye, create a buzz 19 Kamini-Damini Lustful Damini. Charming Damini 19 I have shown Ritu so bold because the character demanded it 20 Failed-in-love, devious-in-sexuality 21 Black ruled the night 22 Perfect notes 22 It's still relevant So Chaturanga 22 Still in search of universal truths 23 Chaturanga Released 24 Mystical & meaningful 24 We'll never again be able to say that the audience, not the movie, flopped 25 Political consciousness was a strong part of Mukhopadhyay s growing years and his works reflect this 26 A different angle 27 A new chapter 27 Two Sides of Rituparna 28 Rituparna charms Burdwan INOX 28 Freedom from bondage in the end it's an immersion in pleasure 29 Neither drags nor bores 30 A different Suman in Chaturanga 30 Chaturanga 31 Secret folds and bloodied heroines like in the novel 32 Chaturanga is still contemporary 33 Music in the film makes even silence takes on expression 33

4 Synopsis Chaturanga is the story of a love that is caught between conflicting worlds of ideas. The lead protagonist Sachish fleets from radical positivism to religious mysticism in his quest for life's meaning. However, his search ultimately yields nothing but crushing disillusionment. This is because he cannot square his abstract ideals with the powerful presence of two women in his life. One of them is Damini, a young Hindu widow, and the other is Nanibala, the abandoned mistress of Sachish's own brother. Chaturanga becomes, after a point, a psychodrama of unbelievable cruelty. Damini falls in love with Sachish who can accept her only without her sexuality. Set in colonial Bengal at the turn of the twentieth century, the film weaves a rich tapestry of crisscrossing desires and moralities. Based on the novel by the Nobel Prize winning author Rabindranath Tagore, Chaturanga is directed by Suman Mukhopadhyay, one of the most exciting young filmmakers working in India at present. Director's Statement Since my university days, the novel has been provoking and disturbing me. Chaturanga deals with questions that are both contemporary and timeless. It interrogates our perception of human evolution and addresses deeper concerns regarding human ethos and codes of our existence. with human beings. In our archeology of knowledge, we have seen the quest of the human mind to attain an order through religion or benevolence or coercion or moderation or collectivism. We are yet to reach any durable 'resolution.' Nevertheless, any attempt to negate the undefined areas of our inner world only reveals the holes in ideological models. Therefore, Chaturanga proposes an unending journey, a timeless quest. Music There are several songs in the film. Most of them are from folk traditions of Bengal and North India that are eclectic blends of Islamic, Buddhist, and lower caste Hindu thought. They are a testimony to a syncretic civilization of the subcontinent. The songs, especially those from the Vaishnav tradition, are erotic. The divine is expressed in them through allegorical depictions of the illicit love between Krishna and Radha. The eroticism is also a counterpoint to the narrow, superstitious morality of the colonial Hindu elite. The so called eternal 'Indian' ethos, is actually a mix of upper caste Brahminism and Victorian puritanical attitudes. Sachish is a victim of that. On the other hand, Damini and the music remind us of a now repressed vitality that once produced the Kamasutra and the beautiful poems of the Padavalis. 01

5 Cast & Crew Main cast Uncle Damini Sachish Sribilash Lilananda Crew Dhritiman Chaterji Rituparna Sengupta Subrata Dutta Joy Sengupta Kabir Suman Screenplay & Direction Suman Mukhopadhyay Cinematography Indranil Mukherjee Editing Arghyakamal Mitra Music Debojyoti Mishra Production Design Hiran Mitra Costume Design Suchismita Dasgupta Sound Design Jojo Chaki Anirban Sengupta (Dream Digital) Sukanta Mazumdar Dolby MixAjay Kumar Subtitles and Consultant Anustup Basu Production Controller Pritam Chowdhury Executive Producer Mallika Jalan Producers Avik Saha & Vishal Jhajharia Production Company Campfire Films Technical Details Runtime 125 mins Reel 7 (Jumbo) Country India Year 2008 Language Bengali Color Color (Fuji) Aspect Ratio 1.85:1 Sound Mix Dolby Digital Surround EX Filming Locations Kolkata, Bolpur, Technician Studios Camera Arriflex III Laboratory Adlabs, Mumbai Film Negative Format 35 mm (Fuji) Cinematographic Process Spherical URL Copyright Campfire Films 02

6 The Telegraph 15 March, 2008 Desire & the dame Before Amitav Ghosh s The Hungry Tide could sweep him off the stage to the sets, Herbert director Suman Mukhopadhyay is getting behind the camera for a Rabindranath Tagore novel. Suman has found food for thought in a young widow s desire for male companionship in Tagore s Chaturanga. The leading lady Damini will be played by Rituparna Sengupta. I wanted Rituparna to be Damini. Somehow I felt she could bring the character to life. I wanted a mix of young and serious actors and so I chose Dhritiman, explains theatre director Suman. I have long wanted to adapt Chaturanga on celluloid. The story has a timeless appeal... A young widow struggling to break free from the shackles of society. Damini is a very flesh-and-blood character. She is not to abide by rules, says Suman, who starts shooting from March-end in Calcutta, Bolpur and Baruipur. Debajyoti Mishra will compose the music, which will be heavy on Kirtan. The Rs. 60 lakh film will be produced by Camp Fire Films venture. Anandabazar Patrika (Bengali) 15 March, 2008 Ritu touches Suman Yes, the maker of Herbert, who was supposed to film Hungry Tide, in between - yes, the same director Suman Mukhopadhyay is now making Chaturanga and the lead role Damini is being played by Rituporna Sengupta. The co-actors are also interesting - the elder uncle - played by Dhritiman Chatterjee, Subrata Dutta as Sachish, Joy Sengupta as Sreebilas. That means you could not avoid the glamour factor? "Not at all. Rituporna suited Daminis role better than all other actors available here. She also agreed to take the part. So." says Suman. But that's what everyone says. Without importing the glamour quotient the film would go nowhere, isn't that the truth? " Glamour & fame are extra advantages. The primary thing is her experience", says Suman. But there is a surprise - Kabir Suman playing Lilananda in the film. 03

7 Anandabazar Patrika (Bengali) 15 March, 2008 Why Chaturanga? At this moment Rabindranath's Chaturanga is sweeping Kolkata. A dramatic version is being staged and a movie version is being shot on the studio floor and at location. What is it about this novel? Ghatak had once said in his typical vitriolic manner that "Most of Rabindrnath's novels are soppy, sentimental stuff.". But he went on to say " But that one, Chaturanga, that was a blast. I mean call it incomparable or something". Ghatak had even done a script for Chaturanga and Hemen Ganguly who was a student of the poet Bishnu Dey, had agreed to produce, but the sudden demise of Ganguly halted the project. When asked whether making a film on Chaturanga had ever crossed his mind, Satyajit Ray had clearly told Shankarlal Bhattacharya "Chaturanga seems to move in separate disjointed jerks. When I think of the characters, I worry that I would have to manipulate and shape them to quite an extent and as soon as I begin thinking of that, the hesitation creeps in ". But Chaturanga does seem to be eternal. Two young directors from Kolkata are very excited with Chaturanga. Suman Mukhopadhyay is crafting a movie out of it and Bratya Basu is staging a theatrical production. Suman of Teesta Parer Brittanta is essentially a theater person, but also well-known in film-circles for his 'Herbert'. Both these directors are in love with Chaturanga and in present times it is both important and significant as cultural news. Sekhar Samaddar, whose theatrical adaptation of Chaturanga is being staged by Bratya Basu, says that "there is tremendous drama and lots of hidden 'passion' in the novel. The passion becomes particularly intensive in Damini's character - such will, such fearlessness, such a modern female character has not appeared in any other novel by Rabindranath - that's what Sekhar thought when developing the play. And Suman believes that Damini's presence is a kind of 'subversion' in the entire novel - she shatters everything and turns them topsy-turvy. Whenever Sachish tries to seek refuge in a frame of doctrine, whether 'positivism' or 'devotionalism' - Damini always destroys his logic and traps him from inside. The inherent politics of Chaturanga is trying to by-pass or remove Damini altogether. This is how Suman views Chaturanga, standing on the shores of contemporary politics and society. Suman comments, " here (Rabindranath) raises some eternal questions while accepting contemporariness". " Even as we stand today, we continue to be imprisoned in diverse cages. East or west, leftist or rightist, normal or abnormal, we have fragmented existence into so many pieces. We have forced our lifestyles into such rigid frameworks that it seems to be a relief just to get out of it. The 'spiral' construction of this novel is for Suman the greatest challenge for making a film out of it. The sweat-and-dust relationship of Damini and Sribilas, beyond the security of doctrine, not by-passing complexity but transcending it and going on to a simpler life - that is what builds Suman's screenplay. Suman reminded 04

8 demarcation between the pure and the impure, everything is in flow, everything's broken or destroyed, nothing really gives us the truth, any authenticity." The Telegraph 03 April, 2008 Timid wife to daring widow, Rituparna straddles two worlds Busy She Her last Bollywood release Gauri was a box-office dud, but Rituparna Sengupta is bouncing back with Sirf..Life Looks Greener on the other side later this month. Back home, Rituparna is busy playing leading lady in films based on Tagore tales. Currently on the floors is Suman Mukhopadhyay s period piece Chaturanga, where Rituparna is a lonely widow craving for male attention. Damini, the widow, is witty, courageous and attractive, yet she is very vulnerable. She has wonderful body language and men are easily attracted to her. It feels great to portray a character with so many shades. By far it s one of the most challenging roles I have got, she stresses. India Today (Bengali) 12 May, 2008 Shafkat in Chaturanga Ever heard of a singer flying in from distant Lahore to sing playback for a Bengali movie? It is happening in Suman Mukhopadhyay's film version of Chaturanga. Shafkat Ali had won the hearts of Pakistani & Indian listeners with his "Mitwaa " in the film 'Alvida naa kahena". This ninth generation singer from the Patiala School has in recent times lent his voice to 2-3 Hindi songs. His Sufi Song album from Music Today will be 05

9 released in July. The two songs rendered by Shafkat for Chaturanga under Music Director Debajyoti Misra - 'Mil jaye rooh ko garh ' seems to be a chartbuster in the making. This song has blended with "Amaar praner majhe sudha acche " By Shobha Mudgal. India Today (Bengali) 12 May, 2008 Two Chaturangas The very same Suman Mukhopadhyay who was scheduled to film (Rabindranath's) Shesher Kabita is now directing Chaturanga and his Producer is Campfire Films. Recently Suman was seen at Keyatala in South Kolkata at a Sound Recording Studio for the music recording of Chaturanga. He was freshly returned from shooting at location in Kolkata, Baruipur, Bolpur and Digha. Shafkat Amanat Ali had flown in from Pakistan to sing two songs under the Music Direction of Debajyoti Misra. Debajyoti was looking for the expanse of the sub-continents musical tradition and for the extension of Rabindranath into the twenty-first century. Says Misra, "It's not just Rabindranath's Chaturanga, I want to bring Tagore's life-long musical consciousness into a regulated structure. So the 'Kirtan' has been infused with 'Matthews Passion' by Johannes Sebastian Bach and Shafkat's 'Sufi' songs, which blend into Rabindrasangeet ' my soul is full of nectar, want some?'. Simply Kolkata May 2008 'I aim to fit into the directorial vision' Joy Sengupta (38) has worked with some of the biggest names in Indian cinema and theatre. Sengupta always wanted to be part of a Tagore production on stage. However, he is now set to hit the big screen as Sribilas in Suman Mukhopadhyay's celluloid adaptation of Tagore's novel Chaturanga. Q. What attracted you to cinema? A: I was politically inclined since my student days. Govind Nihalani's Aakrosh gave me quite a few sleepless nights. I wanted to start my film career with Govind Nihalani and that really happened. Q. What preparations did you make for playing a Tagore hero? A. The subtext is very important in Tagore and one needs to dig deep to understand this. Tagore had this fascination about his women characters, so much so much so that each play is driven by a woman protagonist. Taking all this into account, there's a cinematic interpretation by the director and I have to take it forward. 06

10 Q. Do you agree with Suman's interpretation of Chaturanga? A: Suman represents a sensibility, which I identify with. During our discussions, he showed a lot of confidence in me. When a director gives you that kind of confidence, you're prepared to jump. Q: Are you happy with the 'cerebral actor' tag? A: This label has been thrust upon me. Whether I'm doing a play or a film, my approach has always been consistent. I aim to fulfill the objective within a particular scene. Anandabazar Patrika (Bengali) 11, September 2008 Sit-in-the-dark and find your own moving picture Young theater person Suman Mukhopadhyay's first film 'Herbert' had grabbed everybody's attention. His latest venture "Chaturanga" will be shown at the closing ceremony of the Kolkata Film Festival. He had taken this film to Montreal and Toronto Film Festivals. Apart from the screenings of his film Suman was exposed to various chat (Adda) sessions, discussions, debates etc. From four in the afternoon till six in the evening he experienced much sitting in the coffee-shops and at the bar, interacting within the huge Movie Market and with Producer power. Neither Anjan nor Suman believe that technology is making festivals obsolete - "in fact" says Suman, " festivals are on the rise across the world, because festivals are offering more marketing opportunities to producers". Screen (The Telegraph) September, 2008 Tagore's Chaturanga soon on celluloid Suman Mukhopadhyay, who has just completed post-production of his second film Chaturanga based on a noted novelette by Rabindranath Tagore, talks about his film in detail From a contemporary novelist you moved back to Tagore. Why? The novel has provoked and disturbed me since my college days. It interrogates our perception of the human evolution. Chaturanga does not provide a single reference to the contemporary political situation. I think 07

11 Tagore was trying to address deeper concerns about human ethos and codes of existence. In the film, the protagonist Sachish metamorphoses from a staunch rationalist to a devout spiritualist. Yet, there is a complete reversal in Sachish's viewpoint and perception about religion, faith, etc. at the end of the film. Have you remained faithful to the Tagore original or have you taken licenses for the sake of the different medium of cinema? I have taken some creative licenses. I always try to remain faithful to the original text. It is obvious that the moment a novel is adapted for a different medium, changes are inevitable. In Chaturanga the narrative movement of the film is different from the novel. Tagore tells the story from Sribilash's point of view. However, to give the whole thing a cinematic expression, I decided to forego that. There was to be no voiceover explaining the psychological nuances. Tagore himself has a strong presence in my script through his two poems. We would like to know about Debajyoti Mishra's musical score. We hear he has experimented a lot with Sufi, Tagore, Kirtans and even Bauls. The Sufi songs were my idea. They create a soundscape that accompanies the dialogue. Chaturanga is a human drama of extreme ideals and repressed desires. The songs express feelings that cannot be uttered. How did you re-create the period the film represents? I desperately wanted to avoid a synthetic studio look. It was important to recreate the period, but we were careful in not packing frames with so much material that they end up looking like museum interiors. Props were thus sparingly used, despite the fact that the beginning of the film is set in a pretty affluent Bengali household. Do you permit your actors to interpret the character or are you extremely rigid about your personal perceptions of how the character should be enacted and portrayed? Dhritiman Chatterjee was an obvious choice for his role, not only because of his suave, urbane presence, but also because of his iconic 'young radical' roles in Ray's films. Rituparna will surprise everyone as Damini. Ritu brings both fire and a poignant vulnerability to the character. Subrata Dutta's wild-eyed intensity made him a natural choice for Sachish. Joy, on the other hand has a very noble face and bearing. The key to Joy's marvelous performance is the effortless manner in which he has blended deep empathy with profound irony. A brief of the film? Chaturanga is about a love caught between conflicting worlds of ideas. Set in Colonial Bengal at the turn of the twentieth century, the film weaves a rich tapestry of crisscrossing desires and moralities. The protagonist Sachish fleets from radical positivism to religious mysticism in his quest for life's meaning. However, his 08

12 search leads to disillusionment. He fails to square his abstract ideals with the powerful presences of two women in his life. One of them is Damini, a young Hindu widow, and the other is Nanibala, the abandoned mistress of Sachish's brother. During his later religious phase, he pretends that the widow Damini is merely an enticement of Nature to be avoided for spiritual salvation. After a point, Chaturanga becomes a psychodrama of unbelievable cruelty. I am grateful to Avik Saha and Campfire Films for producing the film. Rituparna as Damini brings both fire and a poignant vulnerability to the character. Faces and voices that remind one of hidden demons in the human mind without resorting to caricature. Times of India 13 September, 2008 The world is opening up It's not everyday that an Indian director gets the chance to showcase his film in the competitive section of an international film festival. The good news is that director Suman Mukhopadhyay's Chaturanga has been selected for the competitive section of the Sao Paulo International Festival. Speaking about it, Mukhopadhyay says, "My film has been selected for the New Director's Competition section. Sao Paulo is a big festival in Latin America. I had been sending my film to various festivals. While at Montreal, I got an asking for my film in competition at Sao Paulo too. I will be attending the festival." Mukhopadhyay claims that Chaturanga has been warmly received in Montreal. Seems like the world is opening up to the world of new film-makers from Kolkata. Times of India 23 September, 2008 Tagore revisited Charulata, Ghaire Baire, Chokher Bali...For times immemorial, Tagore has been a source of inspiration for film makers across the globe. And the latest to have joined the bandwagon include Chaturanga and Noukadubi. Suman Mukhopadhyay, director, Chaturanga, feels that what with copyrights on Tagore's works no longer being a bar, the industry is gradually waking up to Tagore. "Unlike earlier, people are now willing to experiment with Tagore. This kind of explains why so many films are being made out of Tagore's classics. Actor Rituparna Sengupta who plays the lead in Chaturanga feels Tagore's works have universal appeal 09

13 making it a favourite with filmmakers. "Since Tagore was way ahead of his times, all his works have elements that wonderfully blends in with the life and times of today." What with a number of films being based on Tagore's works, the Bard seems to be the current flavour of Tollywood. Mukhopadhyay seconds Mitra when he says, "Some changes are bound to creep in when one attempts to recreate a novel on the big screen. As a result, one has to take liberties with the script keeping moviegoers in mind. In fact, in a deviation from the original, I have brought in a narrative structure. Deviations are also visible towards the end when Damini dies. End of the day, it's the presentation that matters." We agree! Times of India 27 October, 2008 Are we modern enough? Q. When you are adapting a film, are you also making a personal statement? A: There is always a personal element of me in every from of art that I'm involved in. Q. In a nutshell, what is your personal statement in Chaturanga? A: Frailty of human existence. It's been so long since this novel was written. And yet the fundamental questions regarding the position of women in society remain unanswered. Does that struggle still continue? Has progress been made in the context of women from the film industry who get paid lesser that their male co-stars and often hide their marital status or motherhood. You can't deny that hegemony. Hollywood has changed. An Angelina Jolie is accepted with her children. In India too, women are trying to break barriers. When you have the novel you want to adapt, do you think in terms of acts, scenes, moments and images? I love to read. There are times when I read a novel and have a hunch that it can be adapted cinematically. Sometimes, I start 10

14 seeing images. The images stay with me till the time when I am forced to pen them down. The process of adaptation differs from film to film. Damini in Chaturanga had two pets - a hawk and a mongoose. Hawk is a very common image. One has seen Raja of Raktakarabi with a hawk too. Of course, Amitabh Bachchan also has been seen with hawks in Hindi films. In essence, the adaptation of Chaturanga happened through a process of me writing down images in different forms. The script of film is like the engine of machine. In contemporary Bengali films, do you see that strength in scripts? I used to find it strongly in Rituparna Ghosh's films. Bengali filmmakers, since the time of Ray and Ghatak, have adapted our novels. An original thinker like Ray adapted the works of Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay before he started penning his own scripts. Other Bengali films with a different texture also relied on a strong script. Aajkaal (Bengali) 01 November, 2008 Chaturanga (Chaturanga) will be screened at the IFFI, Goa, in the Indian Panorama section. It is the only Bengali film to be shown there. The struggle of Damini in a male-dominated world is the story of Rabindranath's novel Chaturanga and it has come alive in the hands of Director Suman Mukhopadhyay of theater (Teesta Parer Brittanta) and film (Herbert) fame. Chaturanga is Suman's second film and it will also be shown at the valedictory session of Kolkata Film festival. In the film Damini is played by Rituparna Sengupta; Joy Sengupta and Subrata Dutta have played Sribilash and Sachish respectively. Dhritiman Chatterjee plays a key role in the movie. Hindustan Times 01 November, 2008 Tale from Tagore Sitting at his computer on the day following the premiere of Chaturanga at the 14th Kolkata International Film Festival, director Suman Mukhopadhyay multitasks with elan. The general vibe was good. There was a mixed crowd who sat through the performance. The film is a complex one without too many emotional high points. That it still engaged the audience is encouraging", he says. There is a difference in mentality between festival audiences and those who go to theatres. 11

15 Unlike Mukhopadhyay's debut film Herbert, Chaturanga will release in multiplexes as well as in Nandan which is quite a boost for Bengali films. Mukhopadhyay admits that this time, his team has been meticulous in promoting the film. Chaturanga is a clear departure from Bengali films in theatres today and it's important for me that it is tested with as wide-ranging an audience as possible", he says. But I don't want to be niche. Since Chaturanga is not a widely read novel, it was a challenge for me to market my film. Rabindra Sangeet may be popular but I'm not sure whether Tagore per se is widely popular among young audiences. Somehow, we have lost the tradition of films about unique Bengali sensibilities. Bengal has always produced literature of the highest standard, and it's time we stopped defining it using other cultural parameters or categorising film audience as 'rural' and 'urban'. In that sense, my film is also an attempt to hold up that unique cultural milieu. "I've tried my best to interpret the novel on celluloid and it's too early to say which portions I would have wanted otherwise. Celluloid for now seems to have overtaken Mukhopadhyay's other passion, theatre. India Today (Bengali) 11 November, 2008 Web Marketing Pre-sales promotion has come to marketing Bengali Commercial Films and the profits are rolling in. [ "I am not sure about how much of this Pre-selling is helping in Kolkata, but it certainly works for overseas distribution."] Uttarbanga Sambad (Bengali) 14 November, 2008 A chat with Chaturanga Film maker Suman Mukhopadhyay has finally achieved his dream of making a movie out of the novel Chaturanga. The film is being released next Friday at 18 theaters across West Bengal. Recently the cast of Chaturanga had gathered for an evenings chat-session in Kolkata. Rituporna Sengupta, who plays Damini in the film said "I'd read Chaturanga 12

16 way back, now I've read it anew. Damini's role seems to be complex, fabricated and was a challenge for me." Interestingly, this is the first time in her career that Rituporna has played a character by Tagore. Director Suman believes that till date this one is Rituporna's best performance. He is getting new breaks in Music Direction in international circles. Debajyoti Mitra who directed Chaturanga's music score is delighted with the film. "There will be 16 songs in the film. This is the first time that Pakistan's popular singer Shafkat Khan has sung a Sufi song in a Bengali film, made possible by Misra's personal friendship with Shafkat. Kabir Suman and Parama Bandopadhyay have sung Rabindrasangeet in playback. Suchishmita Dasgupta, Dress Designer has handled the challenge of period movie costumes very well, despite working on several commercial movie productions. Lawyer Avik Saha and industrialist Vishal Jhajharia have made their debut as Producers under the banner of Campfire Films. Avik comments "We are delighted to have brought Artistes and Entrepreneurs together". Screen (The Telegraph) 16 November, 2008 Chaturanga (Bangla) Translating from word to picutre Creative Quotient Chaturanga is a futuristic novel by Rabindranath Tagore that like its three major characters raises more questions than it answers. It is the story of a love that is caught between conflicting worlds of ideas. Director Suman Mukhopadhyay chose Tagore's controversial novel for the source of his second film. At a time when literature is chosen almost as a counter point to its celluloid interpretation. Suman has remained religiously, almost fiercely faithful to Tagore's original novel. Sachish, the protagonist, is in constant search for an anchor; missing out the truth for ideas that find no explanation in a world of reason. Sribilash on the other hand, does not believe in anything beyond the world of reason. Jagmohan dies in his belief that he is not really a non-believer. Damini stands out as the only character who is definite about what she does and does not want. She is not afraid to ask disturbing questions that even Leelananda Swami cannot answer. Each characters is a tragic metaphor of the time they lived in, unwitting and ignorant victims of a social structure they had no role in shaping into what it had become. 13

17 Technical Expertise: Suman has taken some liberties through structural changes made the necessary by transition of language/medium, from word to picture. He has effectively incorporated significant visual, musical and religious metaphors to invest the form and the narrative with Tagore's worldview as presented in and through the novel in a more concrete and credible manner. Besides the conflict between idea and truth, the conflict between physical desire and emotional longing, the blurring of lines between birth and death and last but never the least, society's moral injustice towards women, cutting across class, religious beliefs, education and awareness. Chaturanga has a dynamic pace that prevents the narrative from dragging. The narrative flows freely, evolving into a new genre of the road movie that keeps moving physically across geographical space, spiritually from one belief to another, musically from the aristocratic Beethoven to the devotional Baul to erotic Vaishnava songs to a pining Tagore number to Sufi songs fluidly. Music, a beautiful creation of Debajyoti Misra, is both a character and metaphor in the film. Indraneel Mukherjee's cinematography is expansive and telling, while Arghakamal Mitra's editing belnds the time and place leaps fluidly without starts and jerks. Hiron Mitra's production design captures Jagmohan's compound as realistically as it does the dilapidated haunted house where the three repair to on the stormy night, the long and unending corridors of Damini's spacious mansion that is no longer hers, the greenery of the village setting, with the wandering minstrels singing, along the way. It is one of the high points of the film. But the trophy goes to the actors with top honours to Subrat Dutta who reflects every shift in Sachish's character. Joy Sengupta's Sribilash offers him just the right complement. Rituparna is stunning as Damini. So what's wrong? Some repetitions like recaps of the television serials could have been clipped to make the film more intense. The Sufi metaphor is visually disturbing but in terms of listening pleasure, it is an enriching learning experience. This critic grants the film one star for the story, one star for direction, one star for music, one star for technical credits and for acting. Anandabazar Patrika (Bengali) 17 November, 2008 Damini Damini is indomitable, No matter the obstacles in her path, the disasters and the adversity, she is so deeply, intensely enamoured of life and living. "Maybe that is the reason why, somewhere, I find this strange resemblance with my own life, even if not in a literal sense." This is the first time we detect excitement in Rituporna's voice after she worked on the Tagore story. "What an amazing woman this Damini is, so full of mystery, so incredibly strong within; I loved to play this character, maybe because she is so positive!". 14

18 The final screening today at the Kolkata Film Festival will be Chaturanga, Directed by Suman Mukhopadhyay and based on the novel by Rabindranath Tagore. Nilanjan Chattopadhyay, Director of the Festival remarked "We are doing a National Premier, first because it's Tagore, and because the film is in Bengali and is experimental in nature". The heroine confesses that "It was as great an experience working with Suman as it has been with Tarun Mazumdar, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Aparna Sen and Rituporno Ghosh." India Today (Bengali) 17 November, 2008 Chaturanga in Panorama [So much fervour, so much turbulence, over a hundred years, yet why did Rabindranath's tale remain elusive to the silver screen?] Rabindranath Tagore's Chaturanga was first published in the literary magazine "Sabuj Patra" edited by Pramatha Chowdhury, in the Bengali Year Forty years later poet Bishnu Dey wrote in 'Smriti Sattwa Bhabishwat' - (freely translated from the original) ".Damini, the light of the sea burns in your body". And some ten years ago poet Sankha Ghosh chose one from the two-thousand-five-hundred songs penned by Tagore and called it "Damini's Song". So much fervour, so much turbulence over a hundred years, but Chaturanga had eluded the silver screen. But not any more. Director Suman Mukhopadhyay has started work on the film version of this novel. With him were the producers Campfire Films. The production was ready in six months. And on the 26th Chaturanga will be shown in the Panorama section of the India International Film Festival at Goa. It will also be shown at the Valedictory session of the Kolkata Film Festival on 17th November, at Nandan. Public release is imminent. The Director has personally conceived and planned all promotions - from hoardings to posters to CD-sales et al. 15

19 India Today (Bengali) 17 November, 08 Bagharoo, Damini, are all marginalized individuals [The film uses Sufi songs with allegoric intent. Songs-on-order always speak of moving forward.] Q. Why did it take so long for Bengal to make a celluloid version of 'Chaturanga'? A. Difficult to pinpoint. The novel has very deep philosophical insights. The opacity of Sachish as a character could have posed a challenge for conversion to cinematic language. But my Chaturanga has not reached people yet. Q. How long have you been pondering making a movie based on Chaturanga? A. A very long time indeed. This novel, written almost a hundred years ago can still evoke much dialogue and stir the embers of many problems. Q. You mean your rendering has put western substantiality on the witness stand? A. Not always. But Rabindranath did try to capture the loopholes in twentieth century logical thinking of the West. But then why doesn't Chaturanga contain political conformity? Except for one mention of the plague, one cannot make out that the novel is set against the backdrop of As a result Chaturanga has much more "open text" than Ghare Baire. Q. You did create Chaturanga as a period piece? A. Yes. I didn't want to represent Rabindranath in contemporary garb I took care that characters like Sachish-Sribilas-Damini don't seem too distant or remote to today's audiences. I tried to infuse a certain contemporariness in their acting, body posture and of course language. By way of language I have recast Tagorean language in today's terms keeping his content intact. My primary intent was to connect with audiences now. Q. Your affinity for marginalized characters is very apparent in your plays. Is there some deep, subliminal connection between theater's Bagharoo and cinema's Damini? 16

20 A. Of course. As a woman and a widow Damini in a way representative of marginality. Her sexuality is aggressive. Bagharoo, Kelu, Herbert, and Damini - they are all marginal. Q. Does the uses of Sufi songs have special significance in the music score of your film? A. Sufi songs have been used as an allegorical element in the film. Made-to-order songs invariably denote forward movement, a search. That's why Sufi songs have been used. Q. How was your experience at the Montreal show? A. There were three screenings. At the end of the show I experienced curiosity among audiences - about Rabindranath, about religion. Bikeler Pratidin (Bengali) 19 November, 2008 Chaturanga: Suman's Second Innings Director Chaturanga has attempted to discover Rabindranath's Chaturanga in the context of time. The film is about a tale of love imprisoned in the cage of conflicting ideologies. How? Rabindranath's sensitive pen has explored the stealthy current of light and shadow play in the depths of a woman's soul and tried to establish the no-colour of her pain in the greater context of life and society. And it is this that Suman has so skillfully re-directed from a novels page to celluloid. One hears tell that Rituporna was particularly careful from the very beginning when playing Damini's character. This educated and sensitive actress of Tollywood knows the criticality and depth of Tagores creation. Rituporna has beautifully portrayed the life-force and strength of Damini's character in her individual style. And apart from Rituporna, actors in order of importance in the film include Dhritiman Chattopadhyay, Subrata Dutta, Joy Sengupta, Kabir Suman among others. The screenplay is by Suman Mukhopadhyay, music by Debajyoti Misra, and among the playback singers are Kabir Suman, Kartik Das Baul, Shafakat Amanat Ali, Parama Bandopadhyay, Raghab Chattopadhyay. The film has been produced by Mallika Jalan and presented by Campfire Films. The film has been shown at the Sao Paolo International Film Festival and at Montreal. All together there is a lot of excitement around the film. 17

21 Times of India 19 November, 2008 An interesting chapter Chaturanga is perhaps one of the most difficult novels to adapt. Hence, it's important to acknowledge the brave effort Mukhopadhyay has made to adapt such a novel and more significantly, without succumbing to the tried-and-almost-exhausted lure of casting Bollywood stars who, more often that not carry their baggage of being stars on screen instead of the characters they play. Dhritiman Chatterjee is quintessentially the Jyathamoshai that Tagore had penned, irrespective of whether composer Debojyoti Mishra makes him listen to Beethoven which is a welcome addition to his original character in the novel. Damini, the female lead played by Rituparna Sengupta, has a fine mix of power and vulnerability about her. Every actor these days claims that their next has to be their career-best role and Sengupta too had made her claims about Chaturanga. A very controlled performance, the portrayal shows that she had made genuine efforts to understand what the director demanded. Subrata Dutta's theatre background surely helped him to portway Sachis' complex behavior. Joy Sengupta has come up with a fairly convincing performance, sometimes even adding a humorous touch to the otherwise serious content of the film. Trina Nilina Banerjee is one actor to watch out for. Her eyes convey a thousand words without uttering a syllable. The characters essayed by Biswajit Chakrabarty and Neel Mukhopadhyay needed a bit of melodramatic flavour. Indranal Mukherjee's cinematography shows what it takes to make a period film set in Bengal look glossy without being opulent. The cave scene is interestingly lit though Mukhopadhayay, like the original work, could have left it more open-ended to accentuate the enigma of conjecture rather than make Sachish pass it off as a 'nightmare'. Mishra's music is impressive, specially his use of the song Maula. Such intelligent blend of Muslim references in the novel with Hindi Numbers is commendable. Even while being a period piece, this film is very contemporary in the issues it throws open. 18

22 The Telegraph 20 November, 2008 Catch the eye, create a buzz Her raised eyebrow, bare back and the catch line "Amake tomader kisher proyojan?" (What do you need me for?) make you stop, take a second look at the huge billboard and wonder. It's Chaturanga, a Tagore story revolving around one woman and two men, directed by Suman Mukhopadhyay, which hits the theatres this Friday. "I didn't want Chaturanga to meet the fate of other films which release and go away in no time, I wanted to create a buzz", says Suman. Though he had a target audience (the urban middle-class) in mind while making the film, after the postproduction work Suman felt everyone should watch Chaturanga. "We thought of doing something different and creative. Something that's eye-catching. We lifted dialogues from the film and put them on the billboards, so we didn't have to work very hard either... This is the first time, I have brainstormed for a film's publicity. Suman and his team have plastered the city with 50 teasers and 105 billboards of 12 varieties. "Chaturanga is not a very widely-read novel of Tagore's, so making people aware was very important. Nihar Naturals has sponsored some of the billboards as Ritu (Rituparna) is their brand ambassador... I am overwhelmed as this had never happened with my last film Hherbert. But I want Chaturanga to be a commercial success. It has the potential", says Suman. Aajbikash (Bengali) 21 November, 2008 Kamini-Damini Lustful Damini. Charming Damini Tagore had penned Chaturanga against the backdrop of the beginning of the 20th century. He portrayed the tensions and clashes between desire and ideal, through the characters of Sachish, Damini and Purandar. And the same elements have been used by Suman Mukhopadhyay to make Chaturanga the movie... He believes that a novel written almost a century ago still remains relevant in a contemporary world. But to make it relevant 19

23 the Director had to introduce certain changes. Suman says that "these changes have been made to suit the cinematic medium. Literature remains in its place and cinema occupies its own". According to Suman, the story is all about looking back. In a way it is true. Faced with biological warfare - relationships, sex, can never be out of context. 'You are basically a theater person, so why did you go for two films in succession? In the Director's opinion "It's actually a tradition. Utpal Dutt loved the theater, but he did go to cinema. Why don't you do an original script? Suman replies with total candour "Why not bring back to cinema the culture with which generations of Bengali's have grown up? The Director of Chaturanga has a special message for audiences. The target group for the film is primarily the urban educated middle-class. At the same time it is also a film for the educated Bengali who believe in Rabindranath." Aajbikash (Bengali) 21 November, 2008 "I have shown Ritu so bold because the character demanded it" Q. You are first of all a theater personality but you've made two films in succession. Is it for commercial reasons? A. This is in fact an old tradition. Utpal Dutt also did films. Theatre no longer generates that kind of revenue. On the other hand, cinema, basically, is a commercial venture. Q. Mephisto, Teesta Parer Brittanto, Herbert, and now Chaturanga. Why are you so inclined towards adaptation? A. Growing up in West Bengal means strong ties with regional culture. Our theater people, filmmakers are all deeply influenced by literature (novels). I too personally prefer to do adaptations of novels. Q. Did you add a little extra boldness to Rituporna for cinematic reasons? A. Rituporna's character here is very strong. And since the character demanded it, Rituporna has been made a little bold. I didn't find any other, add-on reason to make her bold". 20

24 Pratidin (Bengali) 21 November, 2008 Failed-in-love, devious-insexuality Q. It's such an old-fashioned tale, in my opinion one of Tagore's weakest novels - even then, so sudden-like A. Maybe it's weak, but the man-woman relationship does overwhelm the telling of the tale you know Q. You know, what? A. Intense passion, sexuality. We have repeatedly tried to theoretically explain and understand the chemistry between man and woman. We've tried spiritualism, socialism, professionalism (passion of making money that is) - but did we succeed? We haven't even been able to find an alternative to marriage! Q. Did Rabindranath find an alternative to marriage? A. At least he raised questions Q. Has Rabindranath rejected all those 'isms' and given top-marks to 'physical' isms in Damini, Chaturanga's heroine? A. I can say that Damini's fiery passion and the role of her physique in it - continues; it is relevant today. Damini is actually a modern woman. Q. Damini, sitting on the balcony eating an orange; the mild winter sun warming her bare back or maybe a skimpy nightclub outfit --- for instance your Damini has become a "Kamini" (seductress) by not wearing a blouse - one can look at it like that, can't one - same girl, different times? A. Sure. One can interpret it like that. That's the way I perceive Damini. Deep inside she remains the same, the fire still burns. She can definitely go grooving in a nightclub with that fire in her belly. Q. In the novel she has a rendezvous in a cave? A. Exactly - the cave stands as a symbol of sexual mystery and Skakti the eternal power of the woman. Q. Doesn't the cave serve as a vaginal symbol? A. I haven't quite used the cave as a vaginal device. But the cave may just be the place where all kinds of physical sensation take place. Q. Why Rituporna as Damini? Does her vital statistics match her measurements, or what? A. Ritu's physical endowments are indeed extraordinary. So's the measure of her mind. It's her acting ability that mesmerizes me. I've tried to use her physical and mind-signs in the movie. Q. And Kabir Suman? A. Male sexuality is also a fire - the smile, the timbre of voice, the body posture - it burns everywhere, and how Kabir sang that song by Rabindranath 'Mayer buker madhye bondi jay jawl miliye thake" (The water that lies imprisoned within the earth's heart) even that is sexuality. It's the mystery that draws us to it. 21

25 Times of India 21 November, 2008 Black ruled the night It was the concluding day of the 14th Film Festival. People sat on the floor and some even stood in the aisle to catch Chaturanga's screening at Nandan. Before the screening, director Suman Mukhopadhyay introduced the film's cast and the crew. Whether it was planned or just a coincidence, the fact remained that most of the members of the cast preferred wearing black for the evening. Rituparna, happy with the compliments showered on her, said, "Please pray that this film does well at the box office. Times of India 21 November, 2008 Perfect notes The movie tugged at our heartstrings; Little wonder then that the music too struck the right chord among the audience. Recently, a city music store played host to the musical crew and the cast of Chaturanga as they got together to unveil the music of the film.. The man of the moment was none other than the film's music composer, Debajyoti Mishra, whose soulful music is in sync with the storyline. Calling his experience of composing music for the film "wonderful", Debajyoti Mishra gushed, "It is one of the finest music that I have composed in years. Director Suman Mukhopadhay said, "I always believed that Debajyoti Mishra would do justice to the music of the film. But now when I listen to the music I truly feel that there is nothing more in the world that I could ask for." Talking about his experience in the movie Monomay Bhattacharya said, "I enjoyed singing Kirtan for the film. Shafqat Amanat Ali too has done a great job." 22 Aajkaal (Bengali) 22 November, 2008 It's still relevant So Chaturanga Suman Mukhopadhyay's new film based on Tagore's Chaturanga was released this week. According to the Director - "it's still contemporary, still relevant, so Chaturanga". This time Suman's Chaturanga is being released simultaneously in several

26 theaters. Suman wishes to introduce his film to mainstream audiences. He believes that Chaturanga's storyline, subject matter and philosophy is completely relevant even in present-day times. The novel Chaturanga has disturbed him since his University days. The Director has no doubts that the drama arising from the contradictions and clashes between the characters - Jyathamoshay, Sachish and Sribilas - will still hold audience attention. And of course Damini. The questions that Damini raises in both the novel and the film, remain contemporary even today. The Director is obviously charmed by Rituporna Sengupta's performance as Damini. And Rituporna's personal opinion is that Damini stands out from all other characters that she has ever played on screen. Let's wait and see how audiences react to Rabindranath and Suman's 'Chaturanga'. Hindustan Times 22 November, 2008 Still in search of universal truths Tagore's Chaturanga or Four Chapters is a novel of love caught in diverse ideologies and actions of four characters. Set in colonial Bengal at the turn of the twentieth century and narrated from Sribilash's point of view, it addressed complex issues of morality, desire, sexuality and philosophy the answers to which are to be concretely sorted out even to this day. A celluloid version of such a work presents itself as a challenge on its own. How the director would translate the realm of ideas and its conflicts woven so beautifully by Tagore in words, into visuals, was a challenge that Suman Mukhopadhyay undertook and lived up to it in his second film Chaturanga. Mukhopadhyay, though remaining largely original to the script, takes creative licenses in some aspects. Sachis's masturbation scene, a departure from the novel, is an interesting addition that helps heighten the contradiction in his character. The thinking process of the audience, shorn of unnecessary emotional graphs, is also kept alive. Also presented beautifully is the protagonist Sachis's (played with remarkable power by Subrat Dutta) journey as he flits from radical positivism to religious mysticism. Of the two women Nanibala (Trinal Nileena Banerjee) gives a commendable and intense performance, clearly stands out. However, one expected a lot more from Rituparna Sengupta, who as Damini surely could have invested her role with greater depth and meaning. Surely, Dhritiman Chaterji as Jyathamashai is capable of a better performance. Kabir Suman as Lilananda Swami is aptly restrained. However, it's the character actors that endow the film with required richness. Whether it's Biswajit Chakraborty as Harimohan the parochial ritualistic father of Sachish, his immoral son Purandar, played with zest by Sujan Mukherjee, or his simple wife played with élan by Runa Bandopadhyay, the characters are a treat to watch. Brilliant cinematography and music by Indranil Mukherjee and Debajyoti Misra respectively are the film's other high points. The smooth blend of Sufi, Kirtan, Baul, Rabindra Sangeet and Gajan clearly gives the film an edge. 23

27 The Statesman (Bengali) 22 November, 2008 Chaturanga Released Rabindranath's Chaturanga is a complex, tension-filled tale of love and lovesickness and the tension between the two - and from 21st November it became Suman's story. I mean 'Herbert" Suman - "I always remain loyal to the creator of the story, but I do take some creative liberties necessary for the audio-visual medium. Rituporna Sengupta, Subrata Dutta, Kabir Suman, Joy Sengupta. Music is by Debajyoti Misra, Camera by Indranil Mukherjee, editing by Arghyakamal Mitra. And the film is also for producers Avik Saha and Vishal Jhajharia, of Campfire Films. The Telegraph 22 November, 2008 Mystical & meaningful Chaturanga opens and closes with Sachish (Subrat) crouching on the sand as the waves crash on the shore, his bare back facing the camera. He sits there absorbing the rhythmic chants of Sufi singers whirling around him in flowing white robes. Sachish's quest for the infinite sets the tone for Suman Mukhopadhyay's adaptation of Tagore's novella, which takes on a life of its own. Suman sticks to Tagore's narrative structure. The strong sexual undercurrent in the book runs through the film as well, and Suman does push his limits of subtlety while driving the point home. One addition is a scene where Sachish masturbates, the shot taken from the back, mirroring the struggle with his inner demons. The crucial cave scene, where Damini tries to seduce Sachish, is filmed with care too. There are several subplots in the book, but Suman manages to pack most of the twists and turns into the two hours. So the story doesn't drag. With her coquettish glances and body language, Rituparna becomes a very flesh-and-blood Damini. Joy breathes life into the affectionate and understanding Sribilash, Sachish's friend and adviser, who later marries Damini. But the one who rises above the script is Subrata. Though Tagore's Sachish is a man of fair complexion and chiselled features, Subrata makes up with his brooding intensity. The rich supporting cast - Neel Mukherjee as Sachish's brother or Trina Nileena Banerjee as his spurned mistress - makes the central character more convincing. Debajyoti Mishra's minimal yet inspiring Sufi strains permeate the film without seeming out of place. The Kirtans and Tagore songs blend in too. So does Suman's Chaturanga live up to its 105-billboard hype? Yes it does. 24

28 Anandabazar Patrika (Bengali) 23 November, 2008 We'll never again be able to say that the audience, not the movie, flopped "We're coming back to storytelling. We need to tell the story simply and easily, because it is important to communicate with audiences", says Suman Mukhopadhyay. "I definitely don't want only Tagore aficionado's to see my film", says Suman talking about his latest film Chaturanga, based on Rabindrnath Tagore's novel by that name. "I really want my film to be seen by that huge audience who haven't even read Rabindranath's novel". that finding audiences is vital for Directors. Low-end or highend, whatever the level, communicating with audiences is paramount. There was a time (in history) when a lot of things were being shattered and re-shaped and that was the time when stories evolved in art and literature, in theater and cinema. The French Director Jean Luc Goddard became a cult-hero across the world, as did Mrinal Sen in Kolkata, because of the rise of non-linear and non-narrative cinema. This is how we understood the sixties and the seventies. Breaking the mould was what those two decades were all about. "But now we're coming back to storytelling, coming back to the narrative. We will tell complex stories in an easily understandable manner. The story may not be linear, it may have twists and turns and undulations, but the telling would be in simple language." Suman does not hesitate to speak his mind. But it is only natural that the ambience of Group Theater, its practice, its intellectual cogitations, would become manifest in Suman's film, because that is the milieu that he grew up in. In Suman's opinion the term "commercial film" is a stupid and somewhat illiterate statement. Any film made has to make its way through the commercial circuit. Even Pather Panchali could not avoid that. Chaplin is Suman's Master of Communication. "Once Brecht made a comment after seeing Gold Rush - 'Chaplin takes just a moment to create a sequence in film, and in theatre we revert to writing an entire scene for the same thing." "Of course I want that my films are shown at international film festivals. But before that, I would want my film to be released across Bengal and I want all Bengalis to see it". 25

29 Graffitti (The Telegraph) 23 November, 2008 Political consciousness was a strong part of Mukhopadhyay s growing years and his works reflect this Rituparna believes that Mukhopadhyay is a very sensitive and systematic director. She says "Chaturanga is a very difficult film to make. The amount of research Sumanda put into it was amazing. Damini is one of the most intriguing and complex characters I've played." Mukhopadhyay is no stranger to acclaim, having achieved it on stage and in film. His celebrated 2000 play, Teesta Paarer Brittanto, won the West Bengal State Theatre Academy Award for best direction. Mukhopadhyay's first film, Herbert too won the National Award for the Best Bengali Feature Film in Mukhopadhyay's creative journey began early - he's the son of theatre stalwart Arun Mukhopadhyay. "Cinema is my first love, I grew up watching Amitabh and Mithun", admits Mukhopadhyay. His first foray was as an actor. He worked with his father's theatre group Chetana and for stalwarts like Bivas Chakroborty, with whom he did the hugely successful play, Madhab Malanchi Kainya, in He enrolled for a course in theatre at the Asian Cultural Council in New York in "That was a huge exposure. I had some great teachers and we watched everything from Broadway performances to Harlem to a Radio City Dance Drama. Over the next decade, he took on many theatrical challanges, directing plays like Klaus Mann s Mephisto and Girish Karnad's Nagamandala. Later, he formed his own theatre group, Tritiyo Sutra. He wanted to perfect his filmmaking skills so he joined the New York Film Academy in On his return, he embarked on his journey to make meaningful cinema. The result was Herbert. Be it theatre or film, there are some recurrent themes in Mukhopadhyay's work. "Political and historical consciousness were a strong part of my growing years and my works reflect this" says the director. He's also concerned with marginalised characters, be it Bagharu in Teesta Paarer Brittanto or Herbert or now Damini in Chaturanga. Since Damini can't be defined, she's an unsetteling agent. If we view (the world) through the eyes of a marginalised character like Damini, we get a totally different image of the times. I wanted to catch this strange mindscape", he says. Mukhopadhyay has a rather unusual working style. He writes scenes randomly - he may be provoked by images of a novel sometimes - and then fits them together later like a jigsaw puzzle. "I like simple and engaging films which may lack technological gloss but are very human," say Mukhopadhyay 26

30 Graffitti (The Telegraph) 23 November, 2008 A different angle Director Suman Mukhopadhyay is making meaningful films with one eye on the box office, says Suktara Ghosh. Director Suman Mukhopadhyay is on a high these days. His much-awaited second film, Chaturanga has just released. He's hoping that the film's leading lady Rituparna Sengupta's star value will help bring in the audiences. The film, which also features Subrata Dutta, Joy Sengupta and Dhritiman Chatterjee has already won critical acclaim on the festival circuit. It's doing the round of the Sao Paulo International Film Festival and Montreal World Film Festival. It's also the only Bengali film to be selected for the Indian National Panorama and was the closing film at the recent 14th Kolkata International Film Festival Meanwhile, Mukhopadhyay is eager to move on to his next project - he wants to film Amitav Ghosh's novel, The Hungry Tide. He has also scaled up his ambitions and wants it to be a Rs. 20 crore international project with singer Norah Jones possible in the lead. Then, he's planning to make a film on Rabindranath Tagore's Shesher Kabita. For now, though, the attention is on Chaturanga, based on another Tagore novel. "Chaturanga is a story of many journeys. I'm very happy with how my actors have performed. Rituparna has exceeded my expectation", says the 42-year-old director. Times of India 23 November, 2008 A new chapter It's a film we were eagerly looking forward to, and so, it was no surprise that the premiere show was houseful. All eyes were on leading lady Rituparna Sengupta, who walked in with husband Sanjay. Rituparna was all praise for director Suman Mukhopadhyay. "Translating a work like Tagore's Chaturanga on screen is a challenge in itself, and Suman has come out with flying colours. Damini is the most satisfying role so far in my career. I hope, I have portraued her inner strength well on screen", said the beautiful actor. Chaturanga will definitely open a new chapter in film adaptations 27

31 The Telegraph 24 November, 2008 Two Sides of Rituparna Rituparna Sengupta s white Anarkali kurta with strips of mauve, lemon yellow and fluorescent green caught the eyes of her Chaturanga co-stars Joy Sengupta and Subrat Dutta at the film s premiere. Arnab Sengupta has designed the dress especially for this occasion. I wanted to look very different from my character (Damini) in Chaturanga. Aajbikash (Bengali) 26 November, 2008 Rituparna charms Burdwan INOX Rituporna Sengupta was recently in Burdwan to attend the premiere of Chaturanga at the Burdwan INOX. Accompanying her at the Press Conference was Suman Mukhopadhyay, Director Chaturanga. Commented Rituporna, " I am overwhelmed by the fact that Burdwan INOX is doing so well with Bengali film shows, in these trying times for Bengal genre movies. From the beginning, Chaturanga has been doing well in urban theatres. In response to questions by the Press, Ritu answered that "Playing such a character (read Damini) is a real challenge". Many reporters asked her "Have you read the novel?" and she answered "I'd read it long ago, but during the making of the film I read it again". Director Suman Mukhopadhyay was clearly happy with audience response. According to him "Any Director would be hopeful after experiencing such response from various audiences". to be quite a bit of enthusiasm about Chaturanga among movie-goers, but Box Office reports remained unsatisfactory. So now everything rests on the Districts. And Burdwan INOX does present a shining example of what can happen. 28

32 Sangbad Pratidin (Bengali) 28 November, 2008 Freedom from bondage in the end it's an immersion in pleasure When Film Directors make a movie out of popular novel they get three kinds of audiences - those who have already formed good or bad bias by a thorough reading of the book; the second group have heard about the story but have a vague idea about the characters and the contents; and finally the third group who would see and appreciate or dislike the movie without reading the book and who can't compare between the two. The Director has to address all three groups a n d S u m a n Mukhopadhyay has fulfilled his responsibility, there is no doubt about that. Suman is successful in creating a totally different art form while remaining as true to the original story as possible. No matter how you read Chaturanga and even if there is an undercurrent of sexuality running through it, that is not the only direction of the novel. The tension, the revolt of Sachish is not simply sex-oriented. Nanibala's bare back driving Sachish into a sexual frenzy (Suman has added on the masturbation scene) makes her a sex symbol from the beginning and establishes her character as sexually starved and there by her protest - is an undesirable thing. For instance Lilananda Swami's character seems to be a little shadowy. His attitude towards Damini seems to have hidden sexual connotations to it. Rituparna is extraordinary as Damini and could not be replaced by any other. Joy Sengupta is also superb, so is Neel Mukhopadhyay's Purandar. Using Sufi songs to express Sachis's mental turmoil is different, Jyathamosai does not remain ideal, and Lilananda Swami also drops in composition. Use of songs elsewhere in the film could have been smarter. But over and above all this Suman Mukhopadhyay's Chaturanga is in totality an extraordinary film. Several moments, bit scenes, leave an impression and defy explanation. Comment heard at the Nandan after the first show - a lady telling her companion "This is an art film you know...". I am sure Suman's responsibility just went up another notch. 29

33 The Statesman 28 November, 2008 Neither drags nor bores Suman Mukhopadhyay's creative seeds, sown with his first film Herbert, based on a powerful novella by Nabarun Bhattacharya, have grown into a healthy sapling with Chaturanga. From the contemporary Nabarun to the universal Tagore is a massive ideological and aesthetic leap in terms of the respective films' social comment too. He remains loyal to the original story. The cinematic innovations are dictated by the change in the medium from the word to the audiovisual, enriching, rather than distorting the film as it moves from one philosophical idea to the next. The novel is divided into four chapters named after the four main characters - Jathamoshai (Dhritiman Chatterjee), Sachish, Damini (Rituparna Sengupta) and Sribilash (Joy Sengupta). Tagore's novel is a first person, point-of-view narration of Sribilash who is more an observer and a commentator than a character. Suman Mukhopadhyay has cut out the voice-over to convert Sribilash into a major character in the film. The story moves back into a series of flashbacks, geographically from place to place, emotionally from one state of Sachish's beliefs and relationships to another, narratively from one dramatic turn to another. Four beautifully choreographed scenes enrich the universality of the film's basic philosophy - that no matter how hard one tries to escape reality, there is no escape. Inside a cave at night, where Damini enters to touch Sachish up while he is asleep. As he wakes up in a sweat, the camera shows her moving stealthily away. Damini's is the most powerful character. She is definite about what she wants and what she does not. She is not afraid to ask questions even Lilananda Swami is uncomfortable with. There are more than a dozen songs, eclectic blends of Islamic, Vaishnava, Baul and Hindu thoughts. There is Beethoven too. Two Tagore songs recorded without orchestral accompaniment are imaginatively framed, composed and choreographed. Debajyoti Misra's musical score is outstanding. References to Macaulay's Minutes on colonial education, to Bankim Chandra or Michael Madhusudan are superfluous. Chaturanga has a dynamic pace that neither drags nor bores. 30 Bikeler Pratidin (Bengali) 28 November, 2008 A different Suman in Chaturanga Its a great feeling that the same Suman Mukhopadhyay has directed and scripted the theatre production Teesta Parer Brittanta & Raktakrabi & before and after that two films Herbert & the currently running Chaturanga. Suman has achieved personal control over both mediums, theatre & film.

34 When asked why he chose a novel like Chaturanga which was published in 1916, Suman characteristically replied that basically we are still 100 years behind. A women s status in society is still like Nanibala. Rabindranath had caught on to the loopholes in ideological thinking even then. Suman has followed the novels structure in his movie, spreading it across Four Chapters. The narrative is so well woven that there is no jerk as the film moves from chapter to chapter. All four chapters have found proper placement in the screenplay. Suman has categorically said, I wanted to capture the inherent tensions of unfulfilled sexual desire in the three characters. I have not shown physical love play or intimacy. It is a pleasure to see Suman s restraint when he establishes Sachish-Damini s love play on a stormy riverside. There are no nervous handheld camera uses of Herbert here, Chaturanga s camera is much more steady smooth and well paced. Never mind the awards or the honours; Chaturanga will be a colourful feather in Suman s cap. Bartaman (Bengali) 28 November, 2008 Chaturanga In Rabindranath's novel Chaturanga there is a description of a cave in Sachis's diary and it is critical for the storyline. However it is easier to describe than to visually render it on film. But Suman Mukhopadhyay, the director of Chaturanga the movie, has crafted the scene so skillfully that one can only exclaim "Bravo". The novel has four segments to it, denoted by the characters Jyathamoshay (elder uncle), Sachish, Damini & Sreebilas. The psychological tensions between the characters are so severe in this novel that it makes filming quite difficult. Despite this the Director seems to have achieved his task with extraordinary dexterity. He created the screenplay for the film. In the dramatic scene at the cave, Damini comes to surrender herself completely to Sachish, wanting to be in his arms. Sachish, a disciple of Swami Lilananda, takes refuge in religious dogma to spurn the flaming, passionate physical hunger of the widow Damini, that night. Rituparna Sengupta as Damini & Subrata Dutta as Sachish have brilliantly enacted these fleeting moments in the cave, and the pleasure of watching the film continues to escalate. Driven by the demands of the filmmaker's craft, the storyline sometimes seems to veer, but quickly returns to the main flow. This scribe had been waiting a long time to see a truly fulfilling film, and this movie certainly fills the void.. Camera work by Indranil Mukhopadhyay reveals dramatic artistry as it ranges from city to deep rural Bengal. Lovely villages in the early morning light, hot summer afternoons, the sky at sunset, have been variously captured on camera. Outdoor locations have been used with finesse. A ruined house on the riverbanks, storm & rain, desolate riverside, seashores, all lend different dramatic angles to the film. Varied scenes, dramatic clashes and music - the Kirtan, Baul Songs, devotional songs blend together in the wonderful music score by Debajyoti Misra. Of special significance is the use of Rabindrasangeet & Sufi songs. Among the playback singers Kabir Suman, Parama, Monomoy Bhattacharya & others leave an impression. Beautiful editing by Arghyaakamal Mitra. Sachish could never gauge the mystery of Damini's heart. When he asked Damini to visit his Guruji, Damini flares up and says, "You're going to give me peace? Where is your peace?" Great acting also by Subrata Dutta & Joy Sengupta. Dhritiman, Kabir Suman, Sujan, Biswajit, all have done justice to their roles. May be the film is a bit lengthy, but as literature-based cinema, Chaturanga is successful. The film has been introduced & presented by Vishal Jhajharia & Avik Saha of Campfire Films. 31

35 Anandabazar Patrika (Bengali) 29 November, 2008 Secret folds and bloodied heroines like in the novel {Rituporna is brilliant as the {Love-scarred Damini. The pain is her secret treasure.} "Mil jaye Allah ke noor" - the sonorous appeal of Sufi songs is heard as soon as the curtain rises on Sachish (Subrata Dutta) sitting forlorn on the dunes beside a horizon-less sea, waves foam before him and a band of Sufi minstrels pass him by. This is how Suman Mukhopadhya's film Chaturanga opens, and it sends chills down one's spine. We know how the sea plays a terrible role in this novel. The full moon in the month of Magha stepping into Phalgun, the tide swelling the sea and Damini touching Sribilas's feet & murmuring " My longing remains unfulfilled, will I have you in another life?" It must have been difficult to run with the flow of a novel published in There aren't too many events; the entire momentum comes from the mind-speeds of Sachish, Sribilas & Damini. Will Suman Mukhopadhyay be able to express this psychological complexity in cinematic language? Let me be clear about this, even if the movie did not cross the finish line, the effort was genuine. Clean motion picture, no extravagant show of needless antics. The Director has not tried to create a period piece, instead he has tried to immerse himself in the complex lanes & by-lanes of the modern mind. Dhritiman Chatterjee, as the logical, balanced Jyathamoshay, fits the role. His brother and brother's son, played by Biswajit Chakraborty & Sujan Mukhopadhyay, provide comic relief. But the sabotage-intent of the film is elsewhere. Lilananda Swami says, "A blind man had gone for a purifying bath in the Ganga; his sins did wash way, but his blindness didn't." This is not Rabindranath but an example from the Kathamrita. But that heroine of Chaturanga? Damini! Rituporna Sengupta has shed her mantle of being a mainstream leading lady and revealed herself anew. This is the woman about whom Rabindranath had written "her youth was in full flower on the outside. And inside a playful fire was burning." After watching Rituparna as Damini, one can't think of any other actor playing the role. At times one feels that Rituparna is not just mouthing memorized dialogue, she is wringing blood and pain from her heart. Songs & music are this films true richness. Music Director Debajyoti Misra is brilliant when he uses Rabindrasangeet ("Amar Praner Majhe Sudha Aaache Chao Ki") as Damini's song. It expresses so many unspoken things. He even uses his own rendering of songs from the Padavalis "Roop lagi aankhi jhure..." Now here's where the Director rises above the ordinary. In the novel Lilananda Swami has not been branded a Vashnavite but in the film he bestows Diksha by enunciating "Krishnabaya namah". The intellectual play of Rabindranath's story is what takes the film to new heights. Joy Sengupta is very special in the role of Srilibas. How does Chaturanga end? The infinite desolation of Sreelibash. This film has many twists, but the loneliness 32

36 of Sreelibash does not come across. Even in the last scene the way the Director returns to the sea makes it only Sachis's story. And why does Damini Rituparna suddenly appear with a broken wing kite, as if carrying a torch? The wounded kite is a symbol of helpless Damini. And the ferocious crows are Lilananda Swami's band. Damini had Kites and Mongoose as pets, from a sense of unbearable pain. Where is that pain, Suman? The Director was unable to breast the finishing tape. But running this hard wasn't any less. Aajkaal (Bengali) 29 November, 2008 Chaturanga is still contemporary Suman Mukhopadhyay's film version of Rabindrnath Tagore's Chaturanga. How well does Suman's film capture the simple yet complex rhythm of a life torn between ideas and idea breaking? Chaturanga proves that though Rabindranath Tagore earned the title of 'Gurudev' he was never in favour of 'Guru' ism, instead he believed in the doctrine of life. Throughout the novel Damini's character stays alive, ignoring all the fencing of ideas. She is so alive yet a prisoner. Damini's questions are therefore not theory, they are life. Even today, women are not spared similar agony, oppression and imprisoned state of existence. That's what makes Chaturanga so relevant even today. And maybe that's the reason why Suman Mukhopadhyay re-created Chaturanga as a film that evolves from this turbulence. Chaturanga is just not about hard-core theorizing. There is life here and plenty of dramatic moments. Suman has very carefully tried to capture Chaturanga's internal and external state. And as a Director Suman Mukhopadyay has demonstrated exceptional deftness in the making of Chaturanga. Suman is definitely among those who can change the current flow of Tollygunge films. Chaturanga tells us that we can depend on him in this regard. Bikeler Pratidin (Bengali) 01 December, 2008 Music in the film makes even silence takes on expression It is the timelessness of Tagore that has drawn me so strongly. We have worked together as a team to make 33

37 Chaturanga. This time we have laid stress on distribution. A special interview with Chaturanga Director Suman Mukhopadhyay regarding his thinking and application. Why did you choose Chaturanga? l (Smiles and says) Everybody's asking the same question. Rabindranath's literature is timeless anyway. And Chaturanga, I think, is very relevant in today's times. l What kind of experience was it working with an actor of Dhritiman Chatterjees stature? l Yes, Dhritiman is certainly a major actor, but I found it easy enough to work with him, Actually I think working depends a lot on the kind of relationship one enjoys. l And working with Rituporna? l Ritu is also excellent. The truth is that all of us, that is all of us in our unit, have worked as a team, both in front of and in the back of the screen. 34 REVIEWS AND RATINGS l There have been movies based on Tagorean literature earlier. How were you inspired? l I just feel that Tagorean literature belongs to all times. It is as relevant to contemporary times and it will remain that way in the future. l Commercialization of Tagorean literature has been a subject of debate for a long time. What do you feel about it? l Maybe that's true. But most of the films were based on the simpler stories of Rabindranath, no one attempted to explore the more complex ones. The same holds good for Shakespeare's plays. l Chaturanga received many kudos at the Festival. If we take it that the movie may be a commercial success, have you thought of a different strategy for its distribution? l Yes. This time we have chosen regular cinema halls like Jaya, Metro and many others, apart from Nandan and Multiplexes, for public showing. l What are your priorities when choosing a subject for filming? l Whatever stirs my mind arouses curiosity in me. It goes without saying that whatever story has a certain social or political backdrop, which brings us face to face with current society, makes me think. l In your opinion what is technology's contribution to the progress of Bengali cinema? l Look I feel that like a lot of other things technology is also misused. The intent of cinema is not to showoff the power of technology. Because the camera itself is a product of technology. We must consider how creatively technology is used. l Why such a 'mixed' music score for Chaturanga? Sufi, Baul, Rabindrasangeet, all that to what purpose? l I think music accompanies cinema. The music is actually inherent in the film. The whole point of Sufi music is discovery and movement. Wherever the screenplay demanded it, the Sufi songs were used. And of course this film could not do without Rabindrasangeet. l What is your opinion about the use of songs in today's films? l Four or five songs on an average per film, often without rhyme or reason. Music is important but silence can also be so meaningful.