TRIBUTE TO MASTER FILMMAKER

RITWIK GHATAK!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Great Bengali Filmmaker & Screenwriter Ritwik Ghatak's 92nd Birth Anniversary just happened!

He was a contemporary of great filmmakers Satyajit Ray & Mrinal Sen! Mostly known for his emotional social films...close to Neo-realistic Cinema!

Ritwik Ghatak at young age!

Born in Dhaka (now the capital of Bangladesh)..Ritwik Ghatak moved with his family to Calcutta because of catastrophe Bengal famine of 1943 and then partition of Bengal in 1947! So the plight of refugees depicted in his creative work as an artist!

Ritwik Ghatak's first film 'Nagorik' (1952).

In 1948 he wrote his first drama 'Kalo Sayar'. Then joined 'Indian People's Theatre Association' (IPTA). After that in 1950 he entered cinema with Nimai Ghosh's film 'Chinnamul' in which he acted and worked as an assistant director!

Ritwik Ghatak's first released 'Ajantrik' (1958).

  

In 1952 he written & directed his first film 'Nagorik' which was first Art & neo-realist film in Bengali cinema!..It reflected lower middle-class emotions and unemployment with documentary realism! But this film released twenty-four years later (after his death) in 1977. So missed the honour of becoming pioneer of Bengali art and neo-realistic film of Indian cinema..And that honour went to Satyajit Ray's 'Pather Panchali' which released in 1955. But Ray praised Ghatak as truly original talent in Indian cinema!


In 1958 his first film released 'Ajantrik' which was a satire in which automobile used as a character.This film was a special entry at 'Venice Film Festival' in 1959!

Bimal Roy's Hindi film 'Madhumati' (1958) which Ritwik Ghatak wrote!

Meanwhile he achieved big success as script writer with Bimal Roy's Hindi film 'Madhumati' (1958) which deal with the reincarnation! Acting king Dilip Kumar and beautiful Vyjayanthimala acted this musical romantic film became hit. But that was the only one film for which Ghatak wrote the story for Bimal Roy! This film won Best Film National Award and nine Filmfare awards!

Supriya Choudhari in 'Meghe Dhaka Tara' (1960).

After that his trilogy 'Meghe Dhaka Tara' (1960), 'Komal Gandhar' (1961) & 'Subarnarekha' (1962)..was based in Calcutta and depicted the conditions of refugee. In these three films realism came with emotional elements which touched the hearts..like Supriya Choudhari's crying scene with nature in 'Meghe Dhaka Tara'!

In 1966 he moved to Pune and taught in Film Institue (now 'FTII'). I have observed how the established filmmakers (alumni of his time) remember him emotionally as a great teacher of filmmaking!

Ritwik Ghatak directing the scene of film!

In 1970 he returned to 'his cinema'..And that year he was honoured with 'Padmashri' from our Government of India!

Then he directed Bangladeshi film 'Titash Ekti Nadir Naam' (1973) which was produced by Habibur Rahman Khan! Based on novel..this film explored the life of fishermen! For this film he got 'Best Director Award' from 'Bangladesh Cine Journalists Association'!

Bangladeshi film 'Titash Ekti Nadir Naam' (1973).

After that due to his poor health filmmaking became difficult for him..And last film he made 'Jukti Takko Aar Gappo' (1974). This film was technically superior; but won only Best Story National Award!

He directed eight feature films in Bengali only. Main focus of 'Ghatak cinema' concentrated on human beings and their struggle for life! He was theorist also in that way..and he used film medium to express his anger towards sorrows & suffering of people!

Ghatak's last 'Jukti Takko Aar Gappo' (1974).

His elder daughter Samhita Ghatak was with us in 'Film Appreciation Course' at FTII, Pune in 1989. Came to know that she made docufeature 'Nobo Nagarik'!


Humble Tribute to this master filmmaker!!


- Manoj Kulkarni

['Chitrasrushti', Pune, India]