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Ba and Bakul visits Brenda at Brooklyn

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Brenda had been exceptionally busy with her recent project, which was quite different from the cultural outings she had pursued throughout her career as a journalist. This time, she was focused on serious matters involving high-ranking authorities. Her mother, who lived in a small town near Edinburgh, was increasingly concerned for her safety as Brenda delved deeper into potentially dangerous investigations. Brenda's mother, a former crime reporter, had sought solace in her quiet cottage after experiencing the corruption and abuses of power in her career. She now spent her time reading, gardening, and fishing, finding peace in her simpler lifestyle. Though she had no regrets about her past, having witnessed the excitement and greed for fame, she chose a more tranquil life for herself. As a mother, she usually offered guidance without interference, but this time felt different. Brenda's pursuit of these sensitive issues had put her in a position that could lead to trouble at any...

Top 5 Bengali Patriotic Films in the Last 35 Years

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This is likely the third post about Bengali patriotic films on my blog. Previously, I compiled a list of classic patriotic gems and another one featuring patriotic sports movies made in Bengal. But today, as a part of the #Everyconversationmatters ongoing blogging challenge, #Tricolourtalesbloghop , I have enlisted a few Bengali patriotic films that have been released in the last 35 years.  1. Tahader Katha (1992): Directed by Buddhadeb Dasgupta, this film features Mithun Chakraborty as Shibnath Mukherjee, an ex-freedom fighter who has spent 11 years in prison. Upon his release, he is confronted with a free India that is rife with corruption and oppression—something he never imagined during his struggle for independence. The world around him feels like a new prison, leading him to retreat into solitude and live in the memories of his past.  Mithun's performance as Shibnath is so captivating that, despite the film's slow pace, it keeps viewers glued to the screen. The actor...

5 Old Hindi Films Adapted from Bengali Movies

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As a connoisseur of Bengali movies, I have been investing some of my time in exploring old films. I have perhaps watched these films earlier, but as a carrier of a Ghajini-like memory, I did not remember a few of these films. So what I have found out was remarkable, actually. There are many popular Hindi movies that have been adapted later from these Bengali movies. Today, I have enlisted 5 such popular films, despite the list being much longer than that.  1. Padosan from Pasher Bari: This was a big surprise for me, actually. As I always crawled back to watching this 1968 classic, Sunil Dutt-Kishore Kumar-Mehmood-Saira Banu wonder whenever I felt bored, earlier. Who can forget those iconic songs of Kishore Kumar and Manna Dey and the incredible performances of all the actors? It was indeed a laugh riot. But you know what I discovered? Directed by Jyoti Swarup, it was an adaptation of a 1952 Bengali film, Pasher Bari, starring Sabitri Chatterji, Anup Kumar, Bhanu Bandopadhyay and ve...

The Next Morning...#BlogchatterBloghop

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I ventured to the nursery today on a quest for the elusive bright pink flower pot I had been dreaming of for my window. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that the pink pot was nowhere to be found—just like my motivation to exercise! So, I settled for a rather ordinary plant with white flowers. I guess when life hands you lemons, you just go ahead and plant a white flower instead! After all, when you can't find what you want, you might as well embrace your inner “average” and celebrate the mundane! I returned home and proudly set the plant on the windowsill, giving it the best seat in the house. Honestly, I wished I could replace those boring white flowers that are supposed to bloom tomorrow with some fabulous pink orchids. But this desire of mine was going to remain unfulfilled forever, I guessed.  The next morning, as I was sheepishly led to the windowsill by an unexplainable smell, I found myself absolutely perplexed at the sight of some beautiful, bright pink orchids t...

Woh Kisna Hai!!

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Jo hai albela madnaino wala Jis ki diwani Brij ki har bala... I was in the kitchen, whipping up some rice kheer for my daughter while belting out tunes like I was auditioning for a reality show. I thought I was alone, singing my lungs out, when suddenly, I felt a light poke on my shoulder. Yup, just a poke, but it sent chills down my spine—especially since the door was locked from the inside.  My brain went into overdrive: “Is this it? Am I about to be robbed?!" As panic set in, I imagined the worst. What would be the headline? "Local Mom Robbed While Cooking!" I mean, come on, if I’m going to be in the news, at least let me have my lipstick on! Priorities, right? But dampening all my wild momentary thoughts, I could hear a deep voice, singing in a melodious tune, "Woh Kisna Hai." A robber who can sing! My inbuilt autotune responded with a " Par mere pas kuch nahi hai" in a feeble voice.   That voice again spoke out, " Why are you so scared? At l...

Translation of Abani Bari Acho by Shakti Chattopadhyay

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Shakti Chattopadhyay is a prominent figure in modern Bengali literature. He is part of the group of poets associated with the Hungry Generation movement in Bengal. His poetry is known for its realistic portrayal of everyday life, particularly in rural settings. Additionally, his poems emphasise the importance of caring for nature and raise awareness about the destruction caused by human negligence and apathy towards the environment. His famous poem, "Abani Bari Acho", was published in 1965. This is my humble effort to translate the poem.  Abani Are You Home Abani are you home Abani are you home Asleep behind closed doors is the lane entirely What can be heard is the knock of the night only "Abani, are you home?" It rains the entire year The clouds float like cattle here Away looks the green moss The door and a tight press- "Abani, are you home?" My weak heart goes wandering Amidst the pain, I am sleeping A sudden knock at the door " Abani are you home...

Top10 Bengali Romantic Songs for Reels #BlogchatterBloghop

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Romance has become a rare phenomenon in today's world of social media. People are primarily drawn to content that evokes sensitization. Often, even innocent content receives comments and interpretations that are hard to understand. While we cannot change other people's mindsets—and we don't need to—we, as creators and writers, focus on expressing our genuine thoughts. How others interpret our work is beyond our control; it largely depends on their own perspectives, not ours.  Instagram Reels have gained immense popularity due to their short duration. This trend has also created pressure among creators to produce concise content quickly while still maintaining its meaningfulness. Regardless of current music trends or the types of content that attract more views, we are committed to creating a romance-themed reel. We can choose some soft music for it. Today, I’ve compiled a playlist of popular romantic Bengali songs suitable for these romance-themed reels. 1. Rimjhim E Dharat...