Latest news with #Sircar
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sekhar Das to bring Badal Sircar's Pagla Ghora to life on screen in birth centenary tribute
Sekhar Das is directing a cinematic adaptation of Badal Sircar's renowned play, 'Pagla Ghora,' as a tribute to the playwright's birth centenary. This film, starring Gargee Roychowdhury and an ensemble cast, aims to reinterpret Sircar's critique of societal hypocrisy for a modern audience. Filmmaker Sekhar Das is set to direct Pagla Ghora , a powerful adaptation of Badal Sircar 's iconic 1960s play, as a cinematic tribute marking the playwright's birth centenary this year. One of Sircar's most searing and celebrated works, Pagla Ghora is a fearless critique of patriarchal hypocrisy and emotional repression — themes that continue to resonate deeply even today. A pivotal figure in Indian theatre, Badal Sircar revolutionised performance art through his radical Third Theatre movement in the 1970s, breaking away from proscenium norms to engage more directly with the public. Das, who was closely associated with that very movement and has staged several of Sircar's works over the years, is now ready to reimagine Pagla Ghora for a new generation of viewers. 'This film is not a mere translation of a play into cinema. It is a re-interpretation — both faithful and fearless — of Sircar's spirit, his angst, and his brilliance,' said the director. The film stars Gargee Roychowdhury in the lead, alongside an ensemble cast including Rajatava Dutta , Sujan Mukhopadhyay, Chandreyee Ghosh, Rwitobroto Mukherjee, Dirghoee Pal, Srijata Saha, and Jayanta Hore. Calling the film 'an enduring mirror to society,' Gargee emphasized that this adaptation is a collective effort to honour Sircar's legacy and vision. Supratim Bholl will serve as Director of Photography, with music by Indraadip Dasgupta and editing by Arghya Kamal Mitra. The shoot begins today in and around Kolkata
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Theatre as Protest, Poetry, and Power: Inside XPRESSION 2025
A highlight of the day was the seminar by Prof Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay, titled 'Ritwik Ghatak: Cinema as Protest, Cinema as Poetry'. The session offered rich insights into Ghatak's life and work, illustrating how his films were both political and profoundly poetic. The day concluded with Manto Ke Afsane, a Hindi production by Shapno Ekhon (New Delhi). The play wove together several of Saadat Hasan Manto's bold and deeply human short stories, using sharp monologues and excerpts from his own writings. It was raw, unapologetic, and deeply impactful. 'Every play at XPRESSION 2025 was chosen not just for its artistic value but to reflect the many faces of our society,' said Souravi Ray, spokesperson and actor, Shudrka Hyderabad Shilpitirtha Trust. 'From land rights to marginalised voices, from reinterpretations of classics to multilingual explorations, the festival proved that theatre remains one of the most powerful mediums to tell stories that truly matter,' she added. The final day featured two major performances. The first was KOLAJ, a multilingual collage of six plays by Badal Sircar, performed in Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, and English. Directed by Swapan Mondal, the play brought together scenes from Uddyogporbo, Pagla Ghora, Michil, Bhoma, Khat Mat Kring, and Spartacus. Rather than replicate Sircar's original style, the team gave it a fresh, contemporary interpretation while preserving his fearless political voice. This was followed by a thought-provoking conversation with renowned critic and editor Samik Bandyopadhyay, who reflected on Sircar's life, theatre philosophy, and lasting contribution to Indian drama.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Set up in 18th century, bazaar now deals in milk products and spices
1 2 Kolkata: The Orphanganj Market in Kidderpore, with its origin dating back to the early 18th century, stands as a significant reminder of colonial Calcutta's social welfare initiatives, particularly concerning the Anglo-Indian community. The present form of the market, however, took shape over the past 150-odd years. The market's establishment, with its architecture following the open-brick style and spread over 36 bighas, is closely tied to the Bengal Civil and Military Orphan Society. The society was formed after British officials discovered disturbing conditions affecting orphaned or abandoned children, particularly those of mixed Anglo-Indian heritage. This society subsequently established two schools, including the Free School in Kidderpore, to support these 'Eurasian' orphaned or abandoned children, said retired bureaucrat and former Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar. Several years ago, Sircar served as the collector of the market, thanks to his role as the South 24 Parganas ADM. Plots in Kidderpore were granted to the society by the British govt to generate revenue for their welfare activities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Install the Perfect Pool at Home – Start Here Backyard Pool | Search Ads Learn More Undo The market's proceeds were directly used in supporting the society's charitable work. It was found that earlier, the market was owned by one Collier. Later, the erstwhile British govt bought this market and started the work of expanding it in 1780. The responsibility was given to Captain Becker. The market formation began around 1820, but it slowly achieved its form over a span of the last 150 years. This market is mainly divided into three parts: Government Orphanganj Bazar, Kali Bazar, and Chamaria Building. It controls almost all the markets of South 24 Parganas. At present, the market is mainly known for its milk-based products, with the butter and ghee mandis and spices being the main ones. On the periphery, multiple consumer item trading, including perfumes, is also carried out. The market's informal economy, where unaccounted stalls were set up, has operated without formal accounting systems for the past four decades. An effort was made in 2007 by the Left Front govt to develop it into a mall, and multiple plans were mooted where around 400 traders were summoned. However, it did not materialise. At present, the administration wants a full survey of the ownership and the losses suffered by the traders. This will also establish the exact number of owners of the market, said sources. Sudipto Das)
News18
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Did Deepika Padukone's Piku Marry Irrfan Khan's Rana? Shoojit Sircar FINALLY Reveals
Last Updated: As Piku returns to theatres for its 10th anniversary, director Shoojit Sircar finally addresses the long-debated dynamic between Deepika Padukone's Piku and Irrfan Khan's Rana. It's been a decade since Piku hit screens, but the charm of Shoojit Sircar's understated classic still lingers—like the quiet tension between Piku and Rana that never quite tips into romance, yet feels like something more than friendship. As the film gears up for a re-release to mark its 10th anniversary, Sircar sat down with SCREEN to revisit the magic that made Piku timeless—and to finally address the one question fans haven't stopped asking: what exactly was going on between Deepika Padukone's Piku and Irrfan Khan's Rana? 'I'd told Deepika that Piku was already in a relationship with Jisshu Sengupta," Sircar explained. 'But Irrfan would often take a romantic bend, and I'd stop him," he laughed. Sircar, along with co-writer Juhi Chaturvedi, was always sure about the ambiguity. 'There are some relationships that are just there—no label, no closure. And that's enough." The film's final moment—Piku and Rana playing badminton—was by design. It wasn't a tease or a lead-in to something more. It was the end, and a reflection of what they meant to each other. 'I doubt they would marry," Sircar said, pondering where Piku and Rana would be now. 'She might be dating other people, but Rana? I don't think he'd date anyone else." And then, with a signature touch of dry humor, he added, 'She'd have adopted a son and hired Rana as his civil engineering coach. And the son would be constipated." It's that blend of emotional precision and wry irreverence that made Piku special—and still does. With a stellar cast led by Deepika, Irrfan, and Amitabh Bachchan, the film became a modern classic by daring to keep things real, unresolved, and deeply human. And if you're still wondering whether Piku and Rana ever made it official, Shoojit Sircar's answer is clear: they didn't have to. They already were. First Published:
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Even as Akshay Kumar's Kesari Chapter 2 shows an imagined past, it ends up confronting the present
If anything has come close to capturing the horrors of Jallianwala Bagh, it is the final thirty minutes of Sardar Udham. Shoojit Sircar's version is intimate, visceral, unlike anything Hindi cinema has attempted before. Mind you, it is not a recreation but a reckoning. The violence isn't staged; it unfolds. You're not watching from a distance; you're placed within the frame of 13 April 1919, as if history bleeds into the present. There's Vicky Kaushal, who delivers one of the most physical performances in recent memory, and DOP Avik Mukhopadhyay's camera, which too seems to be grieving. But at the heart of it all is Sircar's gaze — almost journalistic in how it observes, almost elegiac in how it refuses to look away. Now, when you watch Karan Singh Tyagi's rendition in the newly released Kesari: Chapter 2, the depiction feels comparatively dated. The problem isn't the mainstream gaze; it's the tiredness of the form. There's a clear effort, like Sircar, to personalise the moment through the eyes of a young boy, but the impact is dulled by the choices around it. The cuts are rushed, the score overwrought, the slow-motion indulgent. What could have been genuinely affecting is lost to noise. What unsettles more is its distorted sense of the past. Or more accurately, an imagined one. Kesari: Chapter 2, as the credits state reads, is based on the book, The Case That Shook the Empire by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat. Yet the story it chooses to tell is neither part of the book, nor of the historical record. The film fabricates a trial where Sir Sankaran Nair (Akshay Kumar), a prominent lawyer of his time, takes on the British Empire — specifically Brigadier General Reginald Dyer — for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. There's no crime in blending fact with fiction. History, at times, invites interpretation. But when a film claims to be based on a real account and then veers into invention, it becomes something else entirely. Not a reimagining, but a rewriting. For argument's sake, one might call it creative liberty or a loose adaptation. But there's a difference between bending the truth and inventing your own. If you anchor a story to a book, you must be prepared for the weight of that choice; for the questions it demands, and the responsibility it brings. In reality, Nair never fought a legal battle with Dyer. His conflict was with Sir Michael O'Dwyer, the former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab and one of the key architects behind the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. O'Dwyer appears just once in the film. The blame is placed squarely on Dyer, painted in broad, villainous strokes (with a hint of backstory thrown in, perhaps, for a touch of nuance). The choice is puzzling. Maybe it's because Dyer is the more familiar name, easier to centre a story around. What's clear is this: for a film that insists on the importance of remembering the truth, that calls out the erasures of colonial history, to then offer its own version of revision feels… confounding. View this post on Instagram Shared post on Time Perhaps they could've simply called it historical fiction. Instead, it's positioned and marketed as a historical legal drama, with the entire second half devoted to courtroom theatrics. But even if one sets aside questions of authenticity, the trial itself plays out in broad strokes: predictable and familiar. R. Madhavan, as Adv. Neville McKinley, representing the crown, is positioned as a formidable adversary to Nair. Yet, he never truly delivers a strategic blow. His arguments lack bite, his strategies fall flat. And whenever he does make a move, Nair always seems to have an ace hidden up his sleeve. What makes the courtroom portions fall apart isn't just their flatness, but the fatigue of the genre itself. We've seen it all before, from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly to countless other iterations. And with Kumar at the centre of it — an actor who's already done this more compellingly in Jolly LLB 2 — the film begins to resemble less a piece of history, and more a franchise. This is not to say that Kumar's casting feels misplaced. If anything, it's what adds a necessary layer to the film. There's something about the arc of Nair — and the way Kumar plays him — that speaks less about history and more about the present. For most of the first half, Nair is shown as a British loyalist. His first scene has him labelling an Indian revolutionary poet a terrorist. He dines with the Empire. He's knighted by the Crown. It's only when the massacre unfolds that something changes. His certainties crack. What follows is the story of a man confronting the system he once stood by. On paper, it's a conventional arc. But with Kumar in the role, it becomes harder to ignore the subtext. For over a decade now, he's been seen as an actor closely aligned with the establishment: endorsing its leaders, echoing its slogans. Which is why watching him, for much of the first half, play a man who slowly begins to question his silences, his allegiance feels charged with some meaning. It's a clever piece of casting not because it flatters him, but because it implicates him. Given the state of mainstream Hindi cinema today, it means something when a film's leading man goes on a spree — invoking free speech, the right to protest, the right to hold power accountable. It means something when that very man stands up for a Muslim civilian crushed by a draconian ruler. It means something when that very film dares to question the violence unleashed on dissent, when it wonders aloud how easily revolutionaries are branded as terrorists. Historically, it may not be an authentic rendering of colonial India's complexities, but its subtext speaks of naya Bharat.
