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Posts tagged PROSENJIT CHATTERJEE
Prosenjit to make a film on Rituparno Ghosh
02 weeks ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Subhash K Jha (DNA; June 3, 2013)
They were to Bengali cinema what Rajesh Khanna and Hrishikesh Mukherjee were to Hindi cinema. Plus a lot more. Rituparno Ghosh and Prosenjit Chatterjee did seven Bengali films together. Offscreen they were very close friends who often fought over trivial and not-so trivial matters. And now on Rituparno’s death, the grief-stricken Prosenjit plans a film on him. “I should write a book on him. But that is not my domain. So I will do something onscreen. Of course, I’ll preserve and restore his 19 films. But I’ll also make a film on him.”
Lately, Prosenjit and Ritu had grown distant because of the latter’s insistence on undergoing potentially life-threatening hormonal operations. Prosenjit warned Ritu not to mess around with his body. But the director, adamant on changing his gender, wouldn’t listen. This issue created a rift between the two life-long friends. Rituparno also insisted on making gay-centric films which further distanced Prosenjit professionally and personally.
Exclaims Prosenjit, “But look at the irony, Ritu finally did a non-gay film Satyanweshi after three years, where my wife Arpita plays the female lead. So I was connected to Ritu in what we didn’t know would be his final work. Regrettably I didn’t get time to visit the sets of Satyanveshi. But my wife would constantly BBM pictures from the locations.”
Working with Ritu Prosenjeet was unable to work in any of Rituparno’s films since 2009 because the director’s work More >
Actors-filmmakers go down memory lane as they talk about Rituparno Ghosh
02 weeks ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
MID-DAY (May 31, 2013)
A frontrunner of social change, Rituparno Ghosh was unarguably one of the best film directors that Bengali cinema has produced. In fact, the auteur not just represented Bengali cinema but also films at the national level, working on English and Hindi films with élan. It was just three months short of his fiftieth birthday that Ghosh departed for heavenly abode.
Son of a documentary filmmaker, Rituparno grew up in a house where cinema was part of the staple diet. After pursuing Economics from Jadavpur University, Ghosh made the leap to films, making his directorial debut with Hirer Angti in 1994.
The same year, he made Unishe April that at once brought him critical acclaim and commercial success. It almost seemed Ghosh weaved his own magic into every project he worked upon, almost naturally winning a National Award for the efforts of his team and him.
The turn of the century had already seen Ghosh’s name firmly etched on the list of film stalwarts from Bengal. He not just cast Bengali actors and actresses, the director even looked beyond the immediate availability to rope in Bollywood stars as well. His The Last Lear is still often hailed as Amitabh Bachchan’s career- best performance.
Though controversy never stopped to tail Ghosh — a man exploring his sexuality ( he has even told another Bengali filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta that he was looking forward to a sex change surgery) — the most remarkable aspect about the auteur was that he was always More >
Rituparno Ghosh was jubilant about every moment in life-Gulzar
02 weeks ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
BOMBAY TIMES (May 31, 2013)
With Rituparno Ghosh, an era of sensitive, brave and internationally relevant cinema comes to an end. The National Awardwinning Bengali director died yesterday of a massive cardiac arrest at 7.30 am. The industry mourns his loss…
HE WAS FULL OF POSITIVITY GULZAR: Forty-nine is so young to die. This is a deep shock and disturbing news for me. I remember him as a very young and enthusiastic boy when Aparna Sen had sent him to me. I realised that he was full of positivity and never seen him dull. I also wrote the lyrics for his first documentary film Vande Matram. He won two National Awards for Unishe April, but I really liked his Noukadubi and felt that he deserved an award for it. Over the years, he met with success in work, but has always been in touch. It is a deep loss. He was jubilant about every moment in life and always smiling.
HIS WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS WAS SO DIFFERENT AJAY DEVGN: I’m shocked and saddened to hear of his demise. It was great working with him in Raincoat. His way of looking at things was so different and that’s probably what made him a good director. He has made some great films and through them he will always be remembered.
HE’D HELP ME WITH MY BENGALI GRAMMAR KONKONA SEN SHARMA: It is such a shock. He was a brave, sensitive and an inspirational filmmaker. He was really educated in films; not just Bengali cinema. He was deeply aware of his own cultural heritage, yet he made films that were relevant and More >
I&B ministry summons Prosenjit Chatterjee to represent Bengali cinema at Cannes
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Shakti Shetty (MID-DAY; May 14, 2013)
Several Bollywood personalities are making a beeline to France this summer to be part of the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. Prosenjit Chatterjee will be attending the event as well. However, until two days ago, he wasn’t even sure whether he was going or not.
Turns out the veteran Bengali actor has been nominated by the Information & Broadcasting ( I&B) ministry to represent Bengali cinema at Cannes. The actor was apparently toying with the idea to attend the French Riviera for a while but had not made up his mind till the government of West Bengal urged him to make the representation.
“Bengali cinema has always cut a mark at international platforms with Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak and most recently, Rituparno Ghosh making their marks. Being the centenary year of Indian cinema, Cannes will also have a substantial focus on India and Bengal has always been in their radar,” says a source.
Prosenjit will speak at forums and highlight Bengali cinema at the festival and facilitate a worldwide release of the film which is also a first for a Bengali film. “I wasn’t sure till yesterday that I would soon make a trip to Cannes as there are too many commitments and managing dates has been an issue. I got a call from the I& B ministry directly and I could not refuse them especially when the moot point is Bengali cinema. I have always pushed for market expansion,” adds the Kolkata-based actor.
Sunny Leone delivered her Hindi dialogues in a single take-Manoj Bajpayee
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Manoj Bajpayee talks about life post Gangs of Wasseypur and how the term crossover is immaterial
Urmimala Banerjee (MID-DAY; April 29, 2013)
Manoj Bajpayee has had a high success rate in gangster roles. Although he’s fully aware of his popularity in the genre, he tries to maintain variety as far as his onscreen appearances go. As of now, the versatile actor is shooting in Bhopal for Prakash Jha’s upcoming film and despite the hectic schedule, he manages time to talk to us. In the ensuing chat, Manoj talks about fame and playing a don once again…
We have seen quite a few crossover films last year. What made you stay away from them? Last year, I did Gangs of Wasseypur, Special 26 and Chittagong. I don’t believe that there’s something special about the term crossover. It doesn’t say anything. What stands out is a good story that’s well told, irrespective of whether it’s mainstream or crossover.
The buzz is that you’ve become very particular about your fees? Yes, I was never conscious about my fees before but now I have become so. After all, I have more responsibilities now in terms of family. And I feel that by now people know that I can deliver well as an actor. So, it’s fair to demand what I truly merit.
You seem to be playing a gangster in quite a few films. How different is your role in your latest film Shootout At Wadala? Well, this is a commercial film so the character is larger-than-life and stylish. My character Zubair loves his brother to death and is no where close More >
Manoj Bajpayee to star in Traffic’s Hindi remake
02 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 16, 2013)
Manoj Bajpayee has been signed to play the male lead in the Hindi remake of Malayalam blockbuster, Traffic. Endemol India, known for its reality-based content on television, will venture into film production with this project.
The production house has acquired the rights for the multi-narrative thriller. The film will be produced under the banner – Eyedentity Motion Pictures.
Malayalam director Rajesh R Pillai has been retained for the Hindi remake as well. The film has been adapted in Hindi by Suresh Nair, the additional screenplay writer for Kahaani and the dialogues are penned by actor, lyricist, scriptwriter, Piyush Mishra. Mithoon Sharma who has done films like Bas Ek Pal, Anwar, Lamhaa and more recently, Aashiqui 2, has been roped in as the music director. Two Bengali actors, Parambrata Chatterjee and Prosenjit Chatterjee, have also been signed in. The shooting will begin in July.
Prosenjit wants Bangladeshi films to be screened in India
03 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Prosenjit was instrumental in assuring Bangladeshi I&B minister’s presence at the ongoing FICCI for better sharing of films between the two South Asian countries
Shakti Shetty (MID-DAY; March 15, 2013)
Indo-Bangladesh relations affect Bengali cinema. And that’s why Prosenjit Chatterjee feels it’s necessary for both the countries to open up their markets as far as their respective cinemas are concerned.
So much so that he played an active part in facilitating Bangladesh’s Information and Broadcasting minister Hasanul Haq Inu’s presence at the ongoing annual media and entertainment forum, FICCI Frames.
Prosenjit, who has been active in the Bengali film industry for over three decades now, feels it’s high time some proactive decisions were taken. From his end, he has already started dialogues to get Bangladeshi films in India just to set the ball rolling. “By getting their films here, a confidence is built up and then the process of our films going to Bangladesh also opens up,” says the veteran actor.
Interestingly Prosenjit played the lead character in the acclaimed Moner Manush, which was also the last Indo-Bangla film venture. “The association with our immediate neighbour is multi-pronged. It will not be restricted just to the opening up of the market but also getting synergies in terms of production and locations. The effort will be churned to share resources and technicians between both the countries,” says a well-placed source from the event.
Prosenjit is also More >
Ranbir Kapoor to ‘strike’ against film ban
14 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
The actor and ‘striker’ will lead our team in a friendly football match against Bangladesh to commemorate the end of a 41-year-old blackout of Indian films
Soumyadipta Banerjee (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 28, 2013)
Cricketers may no longer be the darlings of the nation. And Bollywood may no longer be all starry-eyed at the mention of the sport. What better way then to herald the end of a 41-year-old ban on Indian films in our neighbouring Bangladesh, than a friendly football match between our actors and theirs?
Mirror has learnt that on April 15 and in May, a team captained by Ranbir Kapoor will take on a Bangladeshi one, led by top actor Firdaus, at two commemorative matches in Dhaka and in Kolkata.
Bangladesh had imposed the ban in 1972 to protect the indigenous film industry from the onslaught of Indian, especially Hindi films.
While team Bangladesh will be represented by stars from their film industry, team India is likely to have Abhishek Bachchan, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Mithun Chakbraborty and with a host of Bengali stars. Ranbir will play as a striker.
The development was confirmed by Prosenjit, who was in Mumbai to receive a film award. He said that preparations for the high-profile matches are in full swing and the venues have been confirmed.
“We have had meetings with the Information and Broadcasting Minister of Bangladesh, Hasanul Haq Imu on this matter recently in Kolkata. It was decided that the ban will be symbolically lifted with two football matches — in More >
Prosenjit Chatterjee returns as filmmaker
05 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Gears up to initiate talks with Bangladesh, a country that has banned Indian films for last 48 years
Soumyadipta Banerjee (MID-DAY; December 20, 2012)
After walking out of John Abraham’s next production Jaffna (now titled Madras Café) because of drastic changes in the script and his character, Prosenjit Chatterjee (last seen in a Hindi film as Dr Ahmadi, a social activist in Shanghai) is all set to return to the Hindi film industry. This time as a filmmaker. The popular Bengali actor was in Mumbai to ink a deal with Sahara Screen, a film production arm of Sahara group that will be investing about Rs 10 crore in Prosenjit’s productions. The actor has also been inducted as a board member of the institution.
And in the capacity of a Bollywood producer, Prosenjit will now lead a delegation of filmmakers to urge Bangladesh to end its 48-year-old ban on Indian movies. The talks will be held in the backdrop of FICCI-Frames, a congregation of industrialists, in Kolkata from December 21.
“Prosenjit intends to make bilingual Bollywood films and thus feels it is imperative to start a dialogue with Bangladesh to end the ban imposed on Indian films there,” the actor’s spokesperson told us.
To recap, it’s been almost 48 years since Bangladesh has imposed a ban on Indian films, primarily to prevent them from eating into the revenue pie of the Bengali film industry there. Though exceptions have been made for certain Bollywood films due to their demand, till date no Indian production More >