10 ‘Must Watch’ Bengali films that were way ahead of their times

Most people see cinema as a source of entertainment which often help us escape to a world of fantasy. But speak about Indian cinema, particularly Bengali cinema, you would see from its very inception, with some of its cult classic films, it has also acted as a mirror to the stark reality of the world around us. It has served as a quick reality check!

Let’s hop onto this journey, as we list some of the most exemplary Bengali movies which were way ahead of their times and continue to stand the test of time.

‘Pather Panchali’ (A Song of the Little Road) marked Satyajit Ray’s debut as a director. This masterpiece from Ray is a social drama inspired by a famous novel of the same name, by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay. The film plots a young boy, Apu from a poor family and his daily life in a rural Indian village. The film was produced by the then West Bengal government as the legendary filmmaker ran out of money after only shooting half the movie. 'Pather Panchali' happens to be the first film in ‘The Apu Trilogy’.

Who could have better played the tyrant and greedy ruler of Hirak with a twist of madness? Utpal Dutt slips into the character of Hirak Raja supremely. A little more than a decade after ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’ was made, a colourful ‘Hirak Rajar Deshe’ comes with a coded message. It’s basically an allegory of contemporary politics. In the film, a famine-stricken rural Bengal sees Goopy and Bagha using their three boons to put an end to all the wrongs of the greedy Diamond king and giving the children a taste of freedom. Soumitra Chatterjee plays the rebellious schoolteacher leading an uprising against the dictatorship of Hirak Raja.

With a unique cinematography, this film saw Ritwik Ghatak himself playing the protagonist – an intellectual and hopeless drunk driven from his home. He travels across the countryside and meets many characters with their own unique stories. It was also one of the first movies to show the glimpse of Naxalite movement just taking shape in Bengal.

Based on the novel by Shaktipada Rajguru, 'Meghe Dhaka Tara' is touted to be Ritwik Ghatak’s most celebrated movie. How can we forget the brilliant acting of Supriya Devi in this cult classic? ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’ is perhaps the most touching portrayal of harsh life in Bengal following the dreaded partition. Ghatak worked as both the writer and director in this film. While ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’ is often regarded as bleak and angry, you would find a Sitar playing in the background throughout the film. It tries to somehow soothe the viewers’ fraying nerves. It’s only one of the many extreme contradictions which Ghatak constantly puts forth in a precise and deliberate attempt.

Not only did Madhabi turn out to be synonymous with the character Charulata but also Soumitra as the young attractive Amal. Whenever you think of this film, all you can remember are the dreamlike sequences of the beautiful conversations with dual meanings between the two.

This award-winning film by Gautam Ghose witnessed the impeccable performance by Roopa Ganguly as Kopila. It was an Indo-Bangladesh joint venture inspired by a novel of the same name by Manik Bandopadhyay. The film revolves around protagonist Hossain, a Bengali Muslim who dreams of establishing a little Utopia on an island in the Padma delta and doesn't care whether the people living there are Hindus or Muslims.

‘Jalsaghar’ (The Music Room) is all about a dissolute zamindar counting his last days. The zamindar character, played by Chabi Biswas, still spends time listening to music and hosting spectacles instead of protecting his assets and property. The properties are devastated by flood while the abolition of zamindari system takes its toll also. Chabi Biswas for his outstanding performance in this Ray classic became a legend in Bengali cinema.

One of Aparna Sen's unique qualities is that she highlights the rhythms of her characters’ life so well that you can't imagine them doing anything else to get into the narrative. 'The Japanese Wife' has a bit of an improbable plot, based on a novel of the same name, which sees a Bengali schoolteacher Snehamoy (Rahul Bose) falling in long-distance love with his Japanese pen pal Miyage and it eventually turns into an enchanting romance in director Aparna Sen's skillful hands. Raima Sen as the young widow who arrives to stay in Snehamoy's house with her son, and whose occasional proximity to Snehamoy contrasts with the far-away-ness of Miyage, is effectively understated and the actress does well to portray such a challenging character.

This character was no doubt ‘born’ for Uttam Kumar. The charming superstar in the Satyajit Ray’s greatest ‘Nayak’ could not have been essayed better if not for the legendary Uttam Kumar. In a way, the protagonist Arindam Mukherjee was literally brought to life by the celebrated actor’s iconic figure. It is believed ‘Nayak’ was more than a celluloid fiction, it was a ‘phenomenon’.

‘Anuranan’ revolves around two couples. One is a successful and dynamic architect Rahul (Rahul Bose) and his wife Nandita (Rituparna Sengupta) who is traditionally a bit conventional despite staying in London for some years. When they return to Kolkata, they meet another couple Amit (Rajat Kapoor), a workaholic real estate developer and his charming, effervescent wife Preeti (Raima Sen). The closeness of the foursome turns out to be a see-saw, pitching several dimensions, building a resonance, a chord and it eventually echoes through their present and future.