Bengali films rooted in social consciousness literature Guv Bose

    Kolkata, Mar 22 (PTI) Paying his tribute to the director trio of Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak, Governor C V Ananda Bose on Saturday said Bengali films have been rooted in social consciousness and literature.

    Addressing the 'Purbo Bharat Big Picture Summit' of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Bose said he hails from Kerala and heard a lot about Ray and other renowned filmmakers from Bengal at a very young age.

    "I watched Ray, Ghatak and Sen's films; these were great names that had inspired film lovers in Kerala besides Bengal," he said.

    The governor said he watched Ray's Apu trilogy - 'Pather Panchali' (Song of the Road, 1955), 'Aparajito' (Unvanquished, 1956) and "Apur Sansar' (The World of Apu, 1959), Sen's 'Ekdin Pratidin' (And quiet rolls the dawn, 1979) and films made by Ghatak.

    "Their works show how Bengali cinema is rooted in social consciousness and literature," he said.
    Referring to 'Ekdin Pratidin', which narrates the anxiety of a middle-class family after the daughter does not return home one night, Bose said he was struck by the storyline.
    "The complexity of the human mind comes to the fore in the wake of the return of a missing woman home in the morning, as anxiety gives way to suspicion," he said.
    Noting that Bengali movies "seek truth" more in their narratives rather than going for spectacular effects, Bose said that in works of masters like Sen and Ghatak, "cinema lies in the arena of radical ideas and social introspection."
    He also dwelt on the rich literary tradition of Bengali cinema and the role of musical scores.
    Bose referred to the rich tribute paid to Ray by filmmakers like Akira Kurosawa of Japan and Richard Attenborough of the UK.
    "Remember what Kurosawa had said about Ray - not watching Ray's cinema means living in a world where the sun or moon does not exist," he said.
    Bose said India boasts of one of the greatest soft powers - in culture and heritage - and the world of cinema, particularly of Bengal, has an important role in this regard.
    Underscoring the central government's commitment to human capital development, he called for initiatives aimed at promoting it on the global stage.
    The governor also dwelt on the immense potential East and North-East India holds for the growth of the creative economy sector in the country.

    "Creativity has always been central to India's identity. From the sculptors of Konark and Mahabalipuram to the weavers of Varanasi and Santiniketan, creativity has defined India's ethos. Through the ages, Indian art, literature, cinema, and music have found resonance across the world," Bose said.
    Ace film director Goutam Ghosh, Bengali film superstars Prosenjit Chatterjee and Rituparna Sengupta attended the session organised by CII's Forum for Films and Entertainment Industry.

    Chatterjee addressed various challenges facing the regional film industry.
    "Given the plethora of entertainment options available to audiences today, the film industry must prioritise content to remain relevant," he said.
    The 'CII Media & Entertainment Sector Report 2025', titled "A New Vision for the Creative Economy", was unveiled on the occasion.
    The report offers a comprehensive analysis of the opportunities and challenges present, focusing on the effects of digital transformation, the necessity for robust infrastructure and critical policy interventions required to promote growth in the cinema, music, performing arts and digital content sectors.
    Speaking on the occasion, Shashwat Goenka, Vice-Chair of RPSG Group and Chair of the CII Purbo Bharat Big Picture Summit 2025, highlighted the sector's recent growth of 10-12 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)