Weekend roundup: COVID sweeps through Tollywood, KIFF postponed, Srijit making Byomkesh; here's what made headlines this week

If you have missed the exciting news, gossip or latest developments that have rocked Bengali cinema this week, here is a weekly roundup for you. Take a look:

Srijit Mukherji is set to direct the next Byomkesh Bakshi film, based on Saradindu Bandopadhyay’s ‘Durgo Rahashya’. Incidentally, this detective thriller was supposed to be directed by Sayantan Ghosal and even the announcement and poster shoot was also made in 2020. However, the makers have now decided to go ahead with Srijit. Naturally, now the most important question is who will be Srijit Mukherji’s Byomkesh? The National Award-winning director has said it hasn’t yet been decided. However, the makers have said that those who have already played the iconic sleuth might be cast or it might be someone new as Byomkesh. Shooting for the film will start as soon as the COVID-19 situation improves. Right now Srijit wants to start working on the script as soon as possible. The film might be shot in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

From actors to musicians and directors, the latest surge in COVID-19 cases has swept through the Bengali film industry. It started with music director Jeet Gannguli and director Srijit Mukherji and then the list grew longer. Dev, Rukmini, Parambrata, Raj Chakraborty, Subhashree, Mimi, Parno Mittra, Rudranil, Srijato; all have announced that they have tested COVID positive and urged everyone to stay safe and wear masks. We have already stepped into 2022 but instead of rejoicing, people are tensed and scared about a possible third wave of Covid-19. With the number of Omicron cases rising up, showbiz is once again facing the heat. Films are getting postponed, actors are testing positive which might lead to their respective shoots getting stalled — there is so much at stake.

This year's Kolkata International Film Festival was supposed to start on January 7. However, due to the current surge in COVID-19 cases across Bengal, especially in Kolkata, the festival has been postponed temporarily. The decision was announced by the West Bengal government through a statement. A number of Tollywood personalities from the organizing committee have tested positive over the past few days and the COVID-19 situation in Bengal is in quite an alarming state right now.

Actress Chitrangada Satarupta was supposed to get married on January 9 this year but it has now been postponed. The bubbly actress tested COVID-19 positive on the last day of 2021. Not just Chitrangada, but her mother Satarupta Sanyal has also tested positive for the coronavirus. The news was heartbreaking for the family, especially for Chitrangada’s sister, actress Ritabhari Chakraborty as she was preparing to celebrate her sister’s wedding on a grand scale. Chitrangada will be marrying her beau Sambit Chatterjee after 9 long years of courtship. Now, the wedding has been pushed to later this year since both the families don’t want to host the wedding festivities in such restrictions due to the COVID situation.

Suman Maitra has announced his next ‘Abar Aranyer Din Ratri’. The plot revolves around four female characters who have been friends for a long time. Paayel Sarkar, Alivia Sarkar, Rupsha Mukhopadhyay and Jaas Sarkar play the four female protagonists in the film.

Although his film’s title has a similarity with Satyajit Ray’s cult classic ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ Suman insists except the similarity in the title there’s no link between his film and Ray’s iconic film. He, in fact, wanted to shoot the film after completing ‘Ami O Apu’ but due to the pandemic he couldn’t start the film. It’s a pure coincidence that he is making the film during Satyajit Ray’s birth centenary.

Suman will be shooting the entire film in North Bengal throughout January and it will introduce Paayel, Alivia, Rusha and Jaas in completely different characters. However, everything will depend on the current COVID situation.