Bengali Screen Adaptations of Shakespeare's Plays #WorldTheatreDay

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Every year, World Theatre Day is celebrated on March 27th. Last year, I created a post highlighting a few movies and web series based on Shakespeare's plays. This year, in honour of #WorldTheatreDay, I am adding some more titles to that list.

1. Arshinagar (2015): The first Bengali musical film, Arshinagar, is an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet set in an urban context. Filmmaker Aparna Sen's innovative take on the story features memorable performances, especially by Jishu Sengupta as Tayyab (Tybalt). Dev plays Ranajay (Romeo), and Rittika portrays Julekha (Juliet), two lovers from rival families. However, one significant drawback of the movie is its mediocre music. A musical film requires soul-stirring music, especially for such a passionate love story, which makes the film's runtime feel prolonged. While it is an honest effort, it falls short of expectations, given the ensemble cast and the director's reputation.


2. Mayaa (2023): Directed by Raajhorshee De, this film is a screen adaptation of Macbeth. It features Kamaleswar Mukherjee as a corrupt ganglord who victimizes a young girl, leading her to become pregnant. Unlike Mandaar, the best Shakespearean adaptation in Bengali cinema, this film gets bogged down in themes of power, politics, and titillating imagery, failing to adequately develop its characters. I've read reviews of the movie but have not been able to find it available for viewing. If you’re interested in a Bengali adaptation of  Macbeth, don’t miss out on Mandaar by Anirban Bhattacharya.


3. Atthoi (2024): This recent addition to the list of Bengali adaptations based on Shakespeare’s plays is inspired by Othello. Arno Mukhopadhyay plays Athhoi Lodha (Othello), Sohini Sarkar portrays Diyamona (Desdemona), and Anirban Bhattacharya appears as Gogo (Iago). The dark and meaningful film effectively merges the timeless tale into a modern setting. It takes a different approach from Vishal Bharadwaj's Omkara, another remarkable adaptation. While Saif Ali Khan's Langda Tyagi (Iago) is raw and cunning, Anirban's Gogo is polished and suave, showcasing a cunning mind. This film by Arno Mukhopadhyay is a must-watch.


4. Talmar Romeo Juliet (2025): This web series is the latest adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. It bears a strong influence from Anirban's earlier works like Mandaar and Atthoi. Although set in rural backdrops and using local dialects, the setup feels a bit repetitive. The portrayal of excessive violence and raw language can be uncomfortable at times, especially with a love-making scene set in a mutton shop, reminiscent of the fisherman village setting in Mandaar. While that was innovative at the time and blended well with the characters, it feels somewhat forced here. Nonetheless, the performances of every actor are compelling enough to warrant a watch. Anirban Bhattacharya as Mostaq and Anujoy Chattopadhyay as Somnath are particularly notable for their gripping face-off scenes.



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