Atanu Ghosh birthday special: 5 must-watch films of the maverick director

Right from his directorial debut with ‘Angshumaner Chhobi’ (2009), Atanu Ghosh and his films have traveled so many prestigious film festivals around the world. Winner of a number of national and international awards, his films often explore the unique complexities in human behaviour against the backdrop of an increasingly changing society. Here is a list of 5 Bengali films directed by Atanu Ghosh which needs a special mention.

‘Takhan Teish’ revolves around a young doctor whose life goes through a drastic change in just 48 hours at the age of 23. His life changes forever while confronting four women - Sraboni, Sriparna, Meghna and Mohini. Indrani Haldar, Paoli Dam, Tanusree Shankar and Aparajita Ghosh Das play these four women with ease. The young sensitive doctor embarks on an emotional journey of infatuation, love, friendship and lust before he transforms into a mature person. The psychological drama juggles between the fantasy world and reality but keeps the audience engaged at every point.

The five central characters here represent five distinct emotions which are facing major soul devastations. While one looks for revenge, the other thinks of suicide and a lonely bride wants to run away from her in-laws place. Soumitra as usual plays his age in ‘Rupkatha Noy’ and attempts to bring back these lost souls on right track with some positivity. Soumitra Chatterjee like a captain takes the steering wheel of the ship. While Ghosh sets the mood with an emotionally charged narrative, the actors Kaushik Sen, Rahul, Gaurav Chakrabarty, Sohini Sarkar, Nina Chakrabarty and Radhika Apte excelled in their respective roles.

Abby (Abir Chatterjee), a geek from 2013, loses his job following lower TRP ratings of his TV shows but he can’t tell his office ‘drop-out’ to wife Sromy (Arunima Ghosh). Abby with his friend Bimbo (Neel) then meets Mr Dhiraj (Paran Bandopadhay) who suggests him to seek success for a channel of 1980 (Grand channel). A Scientist (Chiranjeet Chakraborty) helps Abby sending him to 1980. In the past, Abby finds a decent job and a new partner Paroma (Raima Sen). An eternal struggle of a sensitive person trapped between illusion and emotion gives this film a perfect sound narration. Plotting of witty and hilarious dialogues with every scene makes it a ‘Q Class’!

In ‘Ek Phali Rodh’, Atanu Ghosh unfolds the puzzled story of Somshankar Roy, a social scientist (Dhritiman Chatterjee) who is obsessed with experimentation of the ‘Bystander Effect.’ It’s the human nature of walking away when one witnesses a street crisis. He appoints two young volunteers Swagato (Ritwick Chakraborty) and Anwesha (Aparajita Ghosh Chakraborty) to stage fake crisis situations in order to see how passers-by react. Rittwick Chakraborty excels in his usual natural self while creating and observing the fake crisis situations, delivers his anguish perfectly facing a real crisis as his girlfriend goes missing matched with his shocking reaction when he learns why.

With Prosenjeet's brilliant acting chops along with Soumitra Chatterjee and the supporting cast's performances, this film has amazed many people not just in Bengal but all over the country. ‘Mayurakshi’ is about a father-son relationship affected by long distance and the events that follow when the son gives his 84-year-old father a surprise visit only to realise he is gradually slipping into dementia. Soumitra as the ageing father seemed to be the pillar of ‘Mayurakshi’s success.