RITUPARNO'S 'UTSAB'!

Poster of Bengali film 'Utsab' (2000).

In these festive days, I remembered sensitive Bengali filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh's film 'Utsab' (2000) which is now in its 20th anniversary year!

Bengali filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh

Rituparno himself wrote this film which was produced by Tapan Biswas. On the backdrop of Durga Puja festival, this is contemporary picture of cultured Bengali family. Its members gathers to celebrate Durga Puja in their tradional old house. But all are with their problems like relationships & commercial matters!

Through his sensible style of direction, Rituparno focused on all such emotions in it! For this Abhik Mukhopadhyay did effective camera work and Arghya Kamala Mitra edited film properly. Then Debajyoti Mishra composed the music suitable to this Bengali festival!

Scene of Bengali film 'Utsab' (2000).

All artists naturally portryed their characters in this film. These includes.. veterans Madhabi Mukherjee, Pradip Mukherjee, Deepankar De, Mamata Shankar to Arpita Pal. And Bengali cinema's superstars too..handsome Prasenjit Chatterjee & beautiful Rituparna Sengupta!

I watched 'Utsab' in 'MAMI's 'Mumbai Film Festival'. After its screening we had memorable interaction with Rituparno. In discussion, I mentioned "this film recollects Satyajit Ray's 'Shakha Proshakha' (1990)". He agreed on it and said "Yes, 'Shakha Proshakha' and Ray's 'Kanchenjungha' (1962) too!"

Rituparna Sengupta & Prasenjit Chatterjee in 'Utsab' (2000)

Rituparno Ghosh won 'National Award of Best Director' for this film!

It's tribute to 'Utsab'!!

- Manoj Kulkarni