Durga Puja to see release of Bengali films with Dev, Jeet, Mimi

Several Bengali films are slated to hit the big screen during the forthcoming Durga Puja season with producers optimistic about a good response following rise in footfall at cinema halls showing Bengali films with fresh content.

Bengali film superstar Dev is in the lead of two flicks – period piece Golondaj and fantasy comedy having political overtones Hobu Chandra Raja Gobuchandra Mantri, while Baazi (Betting) has Bengali hero Jeet and Mimi Chakraborty in the lead.

All the three films, the first two mounted on big canvas, will be released on October 10, the day of Maha Panchami, the producers said.

“We are yet to arrive at a working English title for the films which have to retain the essence of the content,” the director of Golondaj Dhrubo Banerjee told PTI.

Another Bengali film Bony which starred versatile actor Parambrata Chatterjee, actor-director Anjan Dutt and actor Kanchan Mallick will also be released on the same date.

In a last minute decision on Saturday, Director of Takhon Kuasha Chhilo (Mist in the morning), having late Soumitra Chatterjee in the lead and Saswata Chatterjee in an important role, decided to release it on November 5 reversing the earlier announcement to release it on October 8.

Director of Takhon Kuasha Chhilo, Saibal Mitra told PTI “to avoid crowding with several other releases just now we decided the film will now hit screens on November 5, during Diwali.”

The film starred thespian Soumitra Chatterjee and the first film to hit screen after his death about a year back. A spokesperson of SVF, producers of Golondaj, a biopic of Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari who had made the country proud by his barefoot football skills against a club of Britishers, said the situation is encouraging as proved in the audience response to Mukhosh (mask) which had recorded houseful or decent crowd in the few weeks after release despite the pandemic threat.

“We are confident that the film will be accepted by audiences as halls and plexes are maintaining all covid protocols with 50 per cent occupancy, ” she added.

Dev said “I wish all the films, having my friends in the cast, are seen by the audiences. It is very much required for the future of film industry. But I will surely want two of my films are not missed by anyone who will visit the theatres on five puja days.”

National award winning director Atanu Ghosh, whose Binisutoy (Without strings) had houseful shows at state run Nandan for past one month, said “I wish the films released in puja get audience backing. Like in pre-covid times. This is necessary for the survival of cinema.”

It has been traditional for Tollywood to release movies during or after Durga Puja festivities, hoping to cash in on the autumn holiday season. Satadip Saha, owner of a local multiplex chain, a single screen and producer, said the response from the audience should be continuous and the habit of going to halls should be brought back . Not every film can be made for OTT release, he said, adding puja days give a good opportunity.

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