Posts

Top 3 Bengali Classic Movies Way Ahead of Their Time

Image
I have discussed many old Bengali classic movies on this blog, which have dealt with offbeat topics. These films delve into ordinary people's lives and tell their extraordinary stories through their everyday struggles and successes, or failures in overcoming them. 1. Uttar Phalguni: Suchitra Sen was the most sought-after and respected actress of Bengali films, and one of the rare few who could even say no to Satyajit Ray's movie offer, just because the role did not align with her choice. Uttar Phalguni is one of her best performances, that of an ill-fated woman who is sold by her husband to a life as a courtesan, yet keeps her daughter away from her dingy, dirty world to make her grow up to be an accomplished woman. Suchita Sen played both the mother and the daughter. Her range of acting can be easily distinguished by the portrayal of the double role with very different characteristics- one of a tormented courtesan, accused of killing her abusive husband, and another that of a...

Top 3 Women Characters from Bengali Literature #MothersDay

Image
A mother is someone who nurtures and cares when you need it; a mother is someone who scolds and is strict when you are weak; a mother is someone who stands tall and rigid when everyone else leaves.  If we get someone like this in our lives, she is our mother, guardian, and guide. Today, on Mother's Day, I am exploring a few powerful female characters from Bengali literature who have become iconic as role models of motherhood and womanhood. Not every character on my list is a mother, but their care and strength have been considered those of a strong woman with power and care. 1. Devi Choudhurani/Prafulla from Devi Choudhurani: This is one of the most powerful characters in Bengali literature. A young girl, abandoned by her husband and in-laws, is kidnapped by robbers and rescued by another group of bandits, led by Bhavani Thakur. She joins the bandits and later rises to become their able leader in fighting the British cruelty.  A simple village girl, who is considered a carrie...

Top 5 Classic Films Based on Tagore's Stories

Image
Tomorrow is 9th May, the 165th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Today, I wanted to explore a few classic films based on his literature.  1. Charulata: Based on Tagore's Nashtanirh, this film is about a young and intelligent woman, Charulata, who is inquisitive and wants to explore the world beyond her abode and much older husband, Bhupati. As Amal, Bhupati's cousin, arrives at their house, Charulata forms a unique bond with him. Charulata, as a film, centres on one of the most iconic female characters in Indian literature. Hailed as one of Satyajit Ray's most remarkable films, the film conveys Charulata's powerful mindset, her love for independence and meaningful conversations, and her unexpressed affection for Amal.  Madhabi Mukherji and Soumitra Chatterji's impeccable chemistry shine through the film, while each frame serves as a pathbreaking portrayal of human emotions. 2. Teen Kanya: Another of Ray's masterpieces, this is an anthology of 3 of Tagor...

That Filter Coffee #Everyconversationmatters

Image
Alakendu Alakendu was sitting on the cane chair, reading his favourite Geetanjali. The more he read the book, the more he rediscovered himself and the world with a new perspective each time. But one thing, he knew, would never change, and that was the self-pride he carried along as a Bengali. And that led to his detachment from his son, Anirban. He was the one who broke the house's tradition. First of all, he did not join their generational publishing business, which Alakendu had been managing to maintain the legacy, even in this era of online books and tutorials. But Anirban had other plans, and with some friends, he had set up a Start-up. And then the most striking blow- he married Vijaya, a non-Bengali, knowing nothing about the Bengali culture.  Now that he had been sitting here for almost an hour, waiting for his evening tea, there was no sign of Vijaya. If Madhuri had been there today, she would have surely got a cup of flavourful Darjeeling tea and some Phuluri (gram flour f...

Book Review: Failure To Make Round Rotis

Image
"Failure to Make Round Rotis" - a cover that naturally draws attention, and so I picked up the book to read. Generally, I don't read many poetry books, but the experience of this one was completely different. It had a uniform and universal message- a message of rebellion, a message of womanhood and resilience. Mehak Goyal, the author, has conveyed this message very skilfully with a few simple yet meaningful lines. About the Book Failure to Make Round Rotis is a perfectly curated poetry book of rebellion and resilience from a woman's perspective.  About the Author Mehak Goyal is a former computer science engineer who has committed herself to writing. Failure to Make Round Rotis is her first book. Review of Failure to Make Round Rotis A compilation of poetry that encompasses strong feminism, rebellion, equality, and resilience- Failure to Make Round Rotis is everything. It is a carefully curated book  with 8 interesting subdivisions titled  Medal of Participation, Adult...

Soft Weapon #blogaberrycc

Image
Soft I was, outside, inside Soft, I had a heart Filled with love, faith Filled with care, grace Soft, I had lived on earth Soft, I treaded a humble path Soft, I carried a halo around Soft, I made my parents proud Soft, as I grew, My soft, turned into a weapon- For powers and rulers To gain more Out of my soft. My soft now hardened, A heart of steel it has turned Not a weapon, but a shield. A protection, a wall-unpiercable!! This post was created for the  Blogaberry Creative (Monthly) Challenge  with theme word Soft

Top 5 Bengali Web Series to Watch Now

Image
I stayed away from writing about my weekly film/web series/music posts during April. But today, being May 1, I am once again starting to write my weekly post. I have watched a few cool Bengali web series in the past few weeks. So today, I have picked 5 such web series that are quite entertaining. 1. Ekenbabu Puruliyay Pakrao: Eken Babu is back and this time in the colourful state of Puruliya. An Ashram in the state brings Ekenbabu and his friends, Bapi Babu and Pramatha, on an interesting investigative journey, much to the detective's reluctance. However, once he gets deeper into the case, there's no escape for any of the criminals.  Anirban Chakraborty is funnier this time, and to give the narratives a fresh change, his weird and hilarious conversations are more with the other characters in the story than the usual war of words with his two mates. If you are looking for a thriller comedy, you should not miss this. 2. Thakumar Jhuli: Srabanti Chatterji stars as a seventy-year-...