Rabindranath Tagore in Cinema
Rabindranath Tagore in Cinema is not a new term now. In the year of 1927 director Naval Gandhi made a silent cinema based on Tagore’s story. Called “Balidan (sacrifice)”.From 1927 to 2016 there are 30 successful Cinema has been made based on the story of Rabindranath Tagore.
Rabindranath Tagore is modern generations after generations. Thinking about Rabindranath Tagore won’t be stopped. Study of Rabindranath Tagore is tough but not impossible. For the new Comer film maker we just opened a lid on Rabindranath Tagore in Cinema.
Satyajit Ray & Rabindranath Tagore in Cinema
In childhood Satyajit Ray was in the idyllic Shantiniketan, The experimental university Tagore founded.
Satyajit gave Tagore a notebook to record Tagore’s autograph when Satyajit was a boy of six.
He got back his notebook with a small poem:
“Bohudin dhore bohu krosh dhore……..”
That was the first met with Rabi Tagore and Ray.
In 1961 Satyajit made a documentary short film on Tagore’s life. After that he worked on three more films based on Tagore’s story.
“Tin kanya( Three Daughters)” Based on three small stories Postmaster, Monihara & Samapti by Rabindranath Tagore.
“Charulata(The Lonely Wife,1964)”, “Ghare baire,1984 ”
It says that Satyajit Ray is the only person who picked Rabindranath Tagore in Cinema more intellectually than any filmmakers in the Subcontinent.
Rabindranath In Other Languages
A lot of Tagore’s stories, poem, novels & small stories has translated into many different languages in different time.
But If I specify the term “Rabindranath in Cinema” then we will find Hindi language after Bangla. There are more than seven Hindi movies were made based one Tagore’s story.
Lekin 1961, Milan 1946, Upohar 1971 are the example of some Hindi Cinema based on Tagore’s story.
Kabuliwala , Cokher Bali and there are some more movies which was both made in Bangla and Hindi. Rituparno Ghosh made “Chokher bali” in Bangla but was dubbed into Hindi and released in the same language.
Postmodern filmmaking & Rabindranath Tagore in Cinema.
Primarily Rabindranath Tagore was considered for a specific time. After a huge research and experiment it is proved that Rabindranath is like an ocean of literature. An important element for film studies.
Rabindranath Tagore was the smartest author of his time. And there is no doubt about this. He is evergreen and may be the smartest person of all time. Some films based on his story remade in last few years.
After 2000 a notable numbers of film released based on his story.
“Shasti 2004, Shuva 2006” by Chashi Nazrul Islam was the last made so classic film on Tagore’s story.
Rituporno Ghosh started the trend of making modern cinema on Rabindranath Tagore.
“Noukadubi 2011” By Rituporno was the first modern Rabindra Cinema. Then many filmmakers walked in the same way and continued the practice.
“Tasher Desh 2012” By Quashiq Mukherjee, “Elar Char Adhyay 2012” by Bappaditya Bandhopadhay, “Jogajog 2015” By Sekhar Das is the mostly intellectual experiment on Rabindranath Tagore in Cinema.
“Postmaster 2016” by Srijon Bardhan is the last film till now based on tagore story.
A Song From “Tasher Desh”
From 1927 to 2016 we got lot of signature of Rabindranath Tagore in Cinema. If our Filmmakers do study on Tagore, His thought and philosophy with much more care and passion. Rabindranath will be found in thousands of artistic ways in cinema.
Ahmed Sabbir
Section Editor, Art Culture of Bangladesh
26th February, 2018
Dhaka
