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Co-production

“Devi Chowdhurani,” helmed by Subhrajit Mitra, has become the first Bengali-language film to secure official Indo-u.K. co-production status. The period drama, starring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Srabanti Chatterjee alongside Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Arjun Chakraborty, Darshana Banik, Bibriti Chatterjee and Kinjal Nanda, is produced by Adited Motion Pictures (U.S./India) and Lok Arts Collective (India/U.K.), with the U.K.’s Hc Films and Moringa Studios serving as co-producers.

The project, now in early post-production, adapts Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay‘s 1884 novel about one of India’s first female freedom fighters. Composer Pandit Bickram Ghosh is on board for the score.

India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Nfdc, Ffo and Invest India, along with the U.K.’s BFI and Dcms, greenlit the co-production status.

Adited Motion Pictures’ Aparna and Aniruddha Dasgupta called the recognition “a dream come true,” while Lok Arts Collective’s Soumyajit Majumdar emphasized the importance of international co-productions for global exposure.

Veteran actress Rakhee Gulzar, who is known for films such as ‘Kabhi Kabhie’, ‘Kaala Patthar’, ‘Khal Nayak’, ‘Karan Arjun’ and others is making a comeback in Bengali films after a hiatus. The actress was last seen in Bengali cinema in her theatrical release ‘Shubho Mahurat’ which was helmed by Rituparno Ghosh.

The actress will be soon seen in the upcoming Bengali film ‘Amar Boss’ in which she essays the role of the protagonist.

‘Amar Boss’, which also stars Shiboprosad and Srabanti Chatterjee is helmed by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee. The cameras are expected to start rolling on January 3 for the film.

Nandita Roy expressed her excitement about working with Rakhee Gulzar: “I have great regards for Rakhee di and wanted to work with her for a long time. ‘Amar Boss’ was conceived keeping her in mind. We are delighted about getting this opportunity to work with her.”

Shiboprosad added:...

Veteran actress Rakhee Gulzar, who is known for films such as ‘Kabhi Kabhie’, ‘Kaala Patthar’, ‘Khal Nayak’, ‘Karan Arjun’ and others is making a comeback in Bengali films after a hiatus. The actress was last seen in Bengali cinema in her theatrical release ‘Shubho Mahurat’ which was helmed by Rituparno Ghosh.

The actress will be soon seen in the upcoming Bengali film ‘Amar Boss’ in which she essays the role of the protagonist.

‘Amar Boss’, which also stars Shiboprosad and Srabanti Chatterjee is helmed by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee. The cameras are expected to start rolling on January 3 for the film.

Nandita Roy expressed her excitement about working with Rakhee Gulzar: “I have great regards for Rakhee di and wanted to work with her for a long time. ‘Amar Boss’ was conceived keeping her in mind. We are delighted about getting this opportunity to work with her.”

Shiboprosad added:...

Mumbai, May 21 (Ians) Basking in the critical acclaim for “Jubilee” (where he plays a studio boss modelled after Himanshu Rai of Bombay Talkies) and the positive buzz about the upcoming series “Scoop” (where his character is inspired by crime journalist J. Dey), Prosenjit Chatterjee has announced that he’ll be next seen in the Bengali film “Devi Chowdhurani: Bandit Queen of Bengal”.

Based on the novel by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, “Devi Chaudhurani”, a role that was first essayed by Suchitra Sen, is about a young woman in 18th-century Bengal who, after being abandoned by her in-laws, is adopted by a dacoit and ends up becoming a female Robin Hood.

Sharing the motion poster and details about the film, Prosenjit took to his social media profile and shared a prayer addressed to Goddess Kali, the deity of dacoits: “Muktakeshi khargahaste, tamas binashini, namami Maate Kalike, sarvasiddhi dayini.”

After the benediction came...

Indian filmmaker Subhrajit Mitra’s latest venture “Bandit Queen of Bengal” (aka “Devi Chowdhurani”) will start principal photography in the final quarter of the year.

The film is based on Mitra’s own research into the the advent and invasion of the British East India Company in India, the battles of Plassey (1757) and Buxar (1764), the great Bengal famine of 1770, the Sannyasi and Fakir rebellion (1770-77) and Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s 1884 Bengali-language novel “Devi Chowdhurani,” which features a female freedom fighter protagonist.

The film will follow the journey of a villager who eventually becomes the first Indian woman freedom fighter. It will also tell the story of the Hindu monks who had no other option but to take up arms against their British colonial rulers to save the country and their people. It was the first armed revolution by the Indians, led by Bhavani Charan Pathak, against the British East India Company.

The cab runs towards the airport. Himadri takes out an old photograph of his and his ex-wife and shows it to Uma sitting on the backseat. Uma says “sorry”! Himadri bursts into tears. And the director Srijit Mukherji plays his masterstroke with this scene, bringing out the aura of a movie where everyone tries to fulfill others’ wishes.

“Uma” runs as part of the 9th edition of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, that runs at 15 cinemas, across London, Birmingham and Manchester, from 21st June to 1st July, with 27 films, including features and short films, in competition. It is the largest South Asian film festival in Europe. Buy your tickets via this website, at respective cinema box offices: http://londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk/

Srijit Mukherji is a passionate story teller. “Hemlock Society”, “Jaatishwar”, “Nirbaak”, “Chatushkone” , “Rajkahini” – in every movie Srijit has portrayed a different narrative with a powerful and distinct story line for his audience.