RESURGENC OF

BENGALI CINEMA

PRESENTED BY:-

RIMON MAJUMDAR

SREEPARNA SEN

SREYANSH BHUPAL

PRIYANKAR SANDEL URMI BOSE

THE HISTORY OF BENGALI CINEMA• The first seeds of the Bengali film industry was sown by Hiralal Sen. He started his own Bioscope

company, which became widely famous as the “Royal Bioscope Company” .

• After Sen’s successful revamping up of the Bengali film Industry, It was Dhirendra Nath Ganguly who established the Indo British Film Company in 1918.

• This became a stepping stone to success for the Bengali film industry as it was the first Bengali owned production company.

• The first Bengali Feature film, which was produced in 1919 called as Billwamangal.

• The 'Parallel Cinema’ movement of Indian cinema began in the Bengali film industry during the 1950s Bengali films since then have traversed a long way in history with stalwarts like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak, Tapan Sinha etc.

Silent era (1919 – 1930) : Hiralal Sen India is credited as one of Bengal's, and India's first directors. Only six years after the release of ‘Billwamangal’, the first full-length Indian feature film, Raja

Harish Chandra, was released. This era witnessed the rise of talkies, The First Bengali talkies as full length feature film Dena

Paona was released 30 December 1931 at Chitra Cinema Hall in Calcutta.

Golden era (1952 – 1975) :During this period, Bengali cinema enjoyed a large, even disproportionate, representation in Indian cinema, and produced film directors like Satyajit Ray, who was an Academy Honorary Award winner, and the recipient of India's and France's greatest civilian honours, the Bharat Ratna and Legion of Honor respectively, and Mrinal Sen, who is the recipient of the French distinction of Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters and the Russian Order of Friendship.

THE LEGACY OF satyajit ray• The biggest event in Indian cinema was the release of Pather Panchali in

1955,a film directed by Satyajit Ray.• It won "The Best Human Document" award. • It was also nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival. • Numerous awards were bestowed on Ray throughout his lifetime, including

32 National Film Awards by the Government of India.• In 1982 he received an honorary "Hommage à Satyajit Ray" award at the

Cannes Film Festival.• Ray is the second film personality after Chaplin to have been awarded

honorary doctorates by Oxford University

• He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1985 and the Legion of Honour by the President of France in 1987.

• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Ray an honorary Oscar in 1992 for Lifetime Achievement.

RITWIK GHATAK : • An artist who exerted a profound influence on the modern Indian

cinema but who was critically recognized abroad only after his untimely death in 1975

• He is famous for films like ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’(1961),’ Komal Gandhar’, ‘Subarnarekha’ (1962).

MRINAL SEN : • His film, Bhuvan Shome (Mr. Shome) launched him as a major

filmmaker, both nationally and internationally.• He received the Padma Bhushan, and in 2005 he was awarded the

Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honor given to an Indian filmmaker, by the Government of India.

TAPAN SINHA :• His films were shown in different film festivals all over the world.• In 1957, his film 'Kabuliwala' was shown in Berlin Film festival.

Directors of golden age

International recognition • Cannes Jury prize: Mrinal Sen (1983- Kharij)• Venice Golden Lion: Satyajit Ray (1957- Aparajito) Golden Lion – Honorary Award: Satyajit Ray (1982)

• Berlinale Golden Bear: Satyajit Ray (1973- Distant Thunder) Jury Grand Prix: Mrinal Sen (1981- In Search of Famine) Silver Bear:Satyajit Ray (1964- The Big City & 1965- Charulata),• BFI London Sutherland Trophy: Satyajit Ray (1959- The World of Apu)• National Board of Review (USA) National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film: Satyajit Ray (1958- Pather Panchali & 1960- The World of Apu)

Parallel Cinema: It is a film movement in Indian cinema that originated in the state of Bengal in the 1950s led by pioneers

such as Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Bimal Roy, Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha .

It was an alternative to the mainstream commercial Indian cinema.

Global Discourse: Satyajit Ray particularly cited Italian and French filmmaker , which he assisted, as influences on his debut

film Pather Panchali (1955).

Another prominent filmmaker is Mrinal Sen, whose films have been well known for their Marxist views.

Ritwik Ghatak, began reaching a global audience long after his death.

DECLINE: By the early 1990s, the rising costs involved in film production and the commercialization of the films had a

negative impact on the art films.

The National Film Development Corporation of India did not seriously look into the distribution or exhibition of these films.

These films lacked the so-called 'entertainment value' .

EMERGENCE OF PARALLEL CINEMA

DOWNFALL• Popularity of hindi films in 1960’s.

• Copy of other regional films.

• The proliferation of television sets in middle class homes.

• The over- the- top- content, bad acting, lewd songs, cheap lyrics an ill maintained single screen theatres in Bengali cinema.

• Cultural distinctiveness curbed the ambition of conquering distant markets.

SUCHITRA AND UTTAM :The Quintessence of Bengali Cinema

In 1952 while Satayjit Ray's movies were garnering critical acclaim among the educated elite in the 1950s, Suchitra-Uttam movies were mega hits among the masses, the Bengali audience loved it! As time robbed them of their physical charm, and the last Suchitra-Uttam movie “Priyo Bandhobi” flopped at the box office in 1975, Suchitra realised that it was time to relinquish her throne. The premature death of Mahanayak Uttam Kumar in July, 1980 (he was only 53) was a severe blow to Suchitra. After making her last movie, “Pronoy Pasha,” in 1978, Suchitra chose the life of a recluse.thus the pair left creating a vacuum in bengali cinema.

THE END OF GOLDEN ERA OF BENGALI MUSIC

• Bengali music directors comprise of some of the most talented people in the history of Bengali cinema they composed great music of their times.

• In the films of Uttam Kumar, Suchitra Sen, and others soul stirring songs were quite prevalent. Songs by Hemanta Mukherjee and Shyamal Mitra and others were popular with the young generation too.

• The songs of Rabindranath Tagore were a constant source of inspiration for the Bengali music directors.

• Soon the Golden era of bengali film music came to an end with the passing of these great music directors

which was a great loss to the bengali film industry.

Rituparno Ghosh: The man behind the revival of Bengali

cinema

After Satyajit Ray died and Mrinal Sen retired, Bengali cinema was no longer what it used to be until Rituparno Ghosh triggered its revival. Rituparno Ghosh, the auteur who brought the Bengali middle-class back to cinema halls. His films changed the perspective of Bengali cinema. He earned 11 national awards in the best film category. But what he gave his audience is far more like a renaissance to the bengali film industry.

RESURGENCE

Resurgence of Bengali film slowly starts from 2002 with the film ‘SAATHI’, directed by HARANATH CHAKROBARTY .

After that in 2008 flow of resurgence frequently starts with the film ‘CHIRODINI TUMI JE AMAR’ directed by RAJ CHAKROBARTY and music director JEET GANGULY.

The resurgence of Bengali cinema has made the world sit up and take notice of the cool new breed of film makers. This attention has given a boost to the talented Bengali actors who are now being discovered by Bollywood.

The industry is churning out more movies and box office hits than any time in the recent past.String of box office hits are “BHOOTER BHOBISHYAT” ,”HEMLOCK SOCIETY” ,”LAPTOP” ,

“CHITRANGADA” , and “MUKTADARA”.While the above movies were aimed at urban and multiplex audience ,commercial movies like

“AWARA” AND “KHOKA BABU” catered to the rural and semi-urban audience.Interestingly movies like”ekti tarar khoje” and “JODI EKDIN” have raked in more overseas than at

home.

REASONS 1. Cine goers have more choice on the platter.

2. Accelaration to critics technically is the most impotant catalyst leading to more ‘HINDI’ film makers and more creative content and more experimental works.

3. Greater production budget leading to more sequences in films and not just songs,now beins shot overseas.

4. The industry exhibited growth both in terms of the number of films being made/certified and the investments made in producing these movies.

5. Has been successful in reaching audience overseas hence market has expanded.

6. 2000s also saw the emergence of popular actors such as Jeet, and Dev, and music directors such as Jeet Ganguly.

7. Apart from new ideas the two things which are attracting viewers are the rich literary content and melodious music

RISE OF new DIRECTORS

RAJ CHAKRABORTY SRIJIT MUKHERJEE KAUSHIK GANGULY MAINAK BHOWMICK ANJAN DUTTA ANIK DUTTA KAMLESHWAR MUKHERJEE BIRSHA DASGUPTA

SANDIP ROY GAUTAM GHOSH POROMBROTO CHATTOPADHYAY QAUSHIQ MUKHERJEE (Q) RAJA CHANDA GAURAB PANDEY RAJIB BISWAS SUDESHNA ROY & ABHIJIT GUHA

Renaissance period

Saathi (2002) : This film is Jeet's cinematic debut. The most blockbuster in 2002 in bengali flim history.Subho Mahurat (2002) :Directed by Rituparno Ghosh. The film won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in

Bengali and Raakhee won National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.Dosar(2006): Directed by Rituparno Ghosh, the black-and-white film won the National Film Award - Special Jury

Award / Special Mention (Feature Film) for the lead role portrayal by Prosenjit Chatterjee.Chirodini... Tumi Je Aamar : It is a 2008 Bengali film by Raj Chakraborty. The film was inspired by the Balaji

sakthivel directed Tamil film Kaadhal.Challenge (2009) : is a 2009 Bengali comedy, action film directed by Raj Chakraborty., few scenes and music-

video's ,shooting was done in Dubai, Australia, New Zealand.Ami Aadu (2010) : Directed by Somnath Gupta. The film received National Film Award for Best Feature Film in

Bengali in 2010.Bhooter Bhabishyat is a 2012 Bengali film directed by Anik Dutta. The film became one of the biggest hits of 2012

among the Bengali films.

• Apur Panchali is a 2013 Bengali film directed by Kaushik Ganguly who won the award of best director for Apur Panchali in the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in November 2013.

• Antarmahal, Jaatiswar, Laptop, Chitrangada, Phoring, Icche, Mukto Dhara, Hemlock Society, Alik Shuk, Bojhena Shey Bojhena, Meghe Dhaka tara,Sobdo etc.

RITUPARNO’S AWARD WINNING FILMS:

– His second movie Unishe April (19 April) won the 1995 National Film Award in India for best film.

– 2001 - National Film Award for Best Direction – Utsab– 2003 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in

Bengali - Shubho Mahurat– 2004 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in

Bengali - Chokher Bali– 2005 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in

Hindi - Raincoat– 2008 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in

English - The Last Lear– 2010 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film:Shob

charitro Kalponik

TOLLYWOOD ADRENLINE RUSHAfter witnessing a steady slump for almost two decades with degrading quality

of Bengali films, copy of south Indian, Oriya and C-grade Bangladesh films, things have finally started looking up for the Bengali film industry. An intelligent concoction of smart production, state-of-the-art technology, inspiration from literary works, graphic sex scenes shot aesthetically coupled with high quality music have led to the resurgence of commercial Bengali cinema.

FUTURE ASPECTS AND IMPROVEMENTS

•Need for understanding changes in audience preference.• Exploring films based on Bengali literature.•Use of filmless camera.• Increase in use of social media and other online

resources•Use of special effects is limited which needs to be

improved.• Expansion of Bengali film eco system to other regional

languages.• Film branding and merchandizing.

box office newsLast year 122 movies were certified almost 3 times that in 2006(42)..The industry

crossed the century mark in 2010,clocking 110 film up from 84 in 2009.

Significantly at least 90% of them recovered the investment with around 15-20% rated very successful.

What has given the biggest fillip is the emergence of new battalion of directors who are keen to experiment.

The audience would earlier look forward to barely 2 or 3 releases and now there are at least 2 significant release each month with refreshing different stories and treatment.

CONCLUSION While the advent of digital production brought in a growth phase in Bengali

commercial cinema the industries awaiting the next tool or revolution that will again accelerate the growth of the industry even more in coming years.

Repetition of the ‘winning formula’ will bring the industry to a standstill yet again.

Experimentation with new ideas, actors and technology should continue. But the industry shouldn’t take its success for granted and should instead

explore uncharted territories to leave an indelible mark in the hearts of cinema lovers.