Mahalaya gets a thumbs up from the film frat

It’s not every day that one gets a chance to revisit history. So, when Soumik Sen came up with Mahalaya, about Uttam Kumar’s voice replacing that of

Birendra Krishna Bhadra

on radio, it fast became the talking point of Bengal. As the much-loved film enters its second week, actor and presenter Prosenjit Chatterjee told us, “It’s not just another story, it’s history. When I heard about the content, I felt it would be good. And I am being proven right. When I visited Nandan on a weekday, not only was the auditorium packed to capacity, the audience also thanked me for the film. The best part is that it caters to all age groups. I think the magic of Uttam Kumar and Birendra Krishna Bhadra worked.” The film frat too is thoroughly impressed by the movie, which is produced by Nideas Creations & Productions. Excerpts:

Prabhat Roy, director: Mahalaya is about a historic chapter in Bengal. Not everyone knew about it, and the film will remain an important documentation of history. Prosenjit Chatterjee has done a fantastic job in a never-seen-before role, and so have Jisshu U Sengupta as Uttam Kumar, Subhashish Mukherjee as Birendra Krishna Bhadra and all other supporting actors. The film has not belittled anyone. Hemanta Mukherjee was experimenting with a different programme that replaced Pankaj Mullick’s Mahisasura Mardini and when it flopped, Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s voice was brought back on radio.

Haranath Chakraborty, director: Mahalaya is high on nostalgia and reminds Bengalis of the popularity of Uttam Kumar and the haunting voice of Birendra Krishna Bhadra. In 1976, Bengalis rejected Uttam Kumar’s Mahalaya, and the film has exciting content. From ambience, brilliant acting by the team and background score, the film has got everyone talking.

Srijit Mukherji, director: There are films that are good or bad and those that are important. Mahalaya is an important film as it deals with a crucial chapter in Bengal’s history. The biggest treasure of the film is its acting, particularly that of Jisshu and Subhashish Mukherjee. I must congratulate Prosenjit Chatterjee for standing by such a subject and Soumik Sen for coming up with such a film.

Kaushik Ganguly, director: The film has touched Bengalis and that’s evident from the turnout at theatres. I must say, I haven’t seen the film as a docu feature. To me, it’s a feature film. The film has a beautiful ending. Everyone has acted well. It’s a fiction that has no room for any controversy.

Gargee RoyChowdhury, actress: I was very young when Uttam Kumar’s voice was aired on the morning of Mahalaya. Like other Bengalis, I too didn’t like the programme much. There was a major brouhaha over Mahalaya that year. Later, I got the opportunity to listen to Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s Chandipath live. Any film will be subjected to analysis and Mahalaya, which is a mix of truth and fiction, has been spoken about everywhere.