Kolkata was always the hero in his writing: Shankar’s work was way ahead of his time

Acclaimed writer Mani Shankar Mukhopadhyay, popularly known as Shankar, passed away in Kolkata on Friday, at the age of 92. The Sahitya Akademi Award recipient had been undergoing treatment at a city hospital for nearly 15 days and died due to age-related ailments, his family said.
With a career spanning over seven decades, Shankar’s writing was known for chronicling the aspirations, anxieties and moral dilemmas of urban, middle-class Bengal with sharpness and empathy. His most celebrated works Chowringhee, Jana Aranya and Seemabaddha were all adapted for the screen. While Chowringhee became a classic in its own right, Jana Aranya and Seemabaddha were adapted for the screen by Satyajit Ray.

Mani Shankar babu had a rare gift of turning everyday urban life into narratives that remain relevant across generations
– Moon Moon Sen on working in Basu Chatterjee’s Sheesha adapted from Shankar’s Mansamman

Barun Chanda, who played the lead in Seemabaddha, adapted from the eponymous novel, said: “There was an artlessness and quiet innocence about him that never faded. He was deeply humane and our many interactions, both professional and personal, left a lasting imprint on me.”
In 2019, filmmaker Srijit Mukherji directed Shah Jahan Regency, a contemporary reinterpretation of the novel that inspired Chowringhee. Paying tribute, Srijit said, “Mani Shankar babu made me fall in love with my Kolkata through his novel which is an indelible part of my adolescence.”

My association with Mani Shankar da began during my advertising days. In his gentle way, he inspired me to write as well. I remember how lovingly
he said after Seemabadha: “Tumi toh amar golper
hero hoye gele!”
– Barun Chanda, who played the lead in Seemabaddha

Mani Shankar babu had watched Shah Jahan Regency and given me his regards as he felt that I was able to capture the essence and spirit of Kolkata in my film, which
was the actual hero of the story
– Srijit Mukherji recalling his interaction with the author

Mani Shankar Mukhopadhyay’s novel Chowringhee was adapted for the screen for the first time in 1968 by Pinaki Bhushan Mukherjee. The film , which had the same name starred Uttam Kumar and Subhendu Chatterjee. It was also adapted by Srijit Mukherji for his film Shah Jahan Regency in 2019

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