‘Ekta Daak Aasa Darkar': Docu revisits the many worlds of broadcaster Pankaj Saha
Dibyendu Porel's 88-minute docufilm 'Ekta Daak Aasa Darkar', screened at Nandan on Wednesday and organised by the Forum for Film Studies and the Allied Arts, offers a lyrical exploration of poet and broadcaster Pankaj Saha's life, poetry, philosophy and legacy.
Unlike many talking-head projects, this documentary presents a pleasant identity crisis that refuses to pigeonhole Saha as merely a television personality.
Instead, it artfully weaves together his poetry and anecdotes from associates including Pabitra Sarkar, Bibhas Chakraborty, Samik Bandyopadhyay, Shankarlal Bhattacharya, Chiranjeet Chakraborty, Madhabi Mukhopadhyay, Purnadas Baul and Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta, to present a nuanced portrait of Saha's life.
The film opens with a reference to his birth in undivided Bengal and goes on to highlight his days at Jadavpur University before his association with All India Radio.
It touches upon how Saha established the Institute of Audio Visual Culture to popularise recitation, his memorable Doordarshan programmes such as 'Darshaker Darabare', 'Sahitya Sanskriti', and 'Tarunder Janya', his stint in Bangladesh during 1971 and his experience at the BBC.
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The recollections become particularly engaging when Shankarlal Bhattacharya analyses the 'layakari' in Saha's presentation and Chaitali Dasgupta recalls how he taught her to pay close attention to linguistics by insisting on saying a documentary "about a person" rather than "on a person".
There is also Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay's take on the internationalism in Saha's poetry and Samik Bandopadhyay's discussion of his emphasis on the synergy between technology and aesthetics to reach the audience.
A particularly interesting segment features a short clip of poet Shankha Ghosh recounting how Saha once walked into his classroom at JU and gifted him a small microphone he had brought from London. From 1985 to 1992, this microphone became central in Ghosh's life, enabling him to continue lecturing after he had nearly lost his voice.
Porel cinematically composed the shots for the interviewees to avoid turning the film into a boring collage of quotes. "It is as important to look at the aesthetics of filming as to know how to edit the content of the quotes," Porel said.
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Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
‘Ekta Daak Aasa Darkar': Docu revisits the many worlds of broadcaster Pankaj Saha
Kolkata: One of the greatest challenges in making a documentary about a multi-faceted talent lies in providing essential information without overwhelming the audience with unnecessary details. Dibyendu Porel's 88-minute docufilm 'Ekta Daak Aasa Darkar', screened at Nandan on Wednesday and organised by the Forum for Film Studies and the Allied Arts, offers a lyrical exploration of poet and broadcaster Pankaj Saha's life, poetry, philosophy and legacy. Unlike many talking-head projects, this documentary presents a pleasant identity crisis that refuses to pigeonhole Saha as merely a television personality. Instead, it artfully weaves together his poetry and anecdotes from associates including Pabitra Sarkar, Bibhas Chakraborty, Samik Bandyopadhyay, Shankarlal Bhattacharya, Chiranjeet Chakraborty, Madhabi Mukhopadhyay, Purnadas Baul and Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta, to present a nuanced portrait of Saha's life. The film opens with a reference to his birth in undivided Bengal and goes on to highlight his days at Jadavpur University before his association with All India Radio. It touches upon how Saha established the Institute of Audio Visual Culture to popularise recitation, his memorable Doordarshan programmes such as 'Darshaker Darabare', 'Sahitya Sanskriti', and 'Tarunder Janya', his stint in Bangladesh during 1971 and his experience at the BBC. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The recollections become particularly engaging when Shankarlal Bhattacharya analyses the 'layakari' in Saha's presentation and Chaitali Dasgupta recalls how he taught her to pay close attention to linguistics by insisting on saying a documentary "about a person" rather than "on a person". There is also Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay's take on the internationalism in Saha's poetry and Samik Bandopadhyay's discussion of his emphasis on the synergy between technology and aesthetics to reach the audience. A particularly interesting segment features a short clip of poet Shankha Ghosh recounting how Saha once walked into his classroom at JU and gifted him a small microphone he had brought from London. From 1985 to 1992, this microphone became central in Ghosh's life, enabling him to continue lecturing after he had nearly lost his voice. Porel cinematically composed the shots for the interviewees to avoid turning the film into a boring collage of quotes. "It is as important to look at the aesthetics of filming as to know how to edit the content of the quotes," Porel said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Asha Bhosle recalls backlash to bold songs like Piya Tu Ab To Aaja and Dum Maaro Dum: 'Majrooh Sultanpuri left the studio and told me, ‘Beti, maine ganda gana likha hai'
Asha Bhosle has lent her voice to some of the most iconic songs in Hindi cinema, from the sultry Piya Tu Ab To Aaja to the rebellious Dum Maaro Dum and the dreamy Yeh Hai Reshmi Zulfon Ka Andhera. But in a recent interview, the legendary playback singer revealed that many of her bold tracks didn't just raise eyebrows, they were outright banned on Indian radio. 'Why do I only get the bold songs?' Asha once asked RD Burman Speaking to Republic Bharat, Asha Bhosle recalled confronting her late husband and composer RD Burman, fondly known as Pancham Da, about his song choices. She questioned why she was repeatedly given provocative numbers, while her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar received the softer, more 'respectable' melodies. 'I once told Pancham, why do I only get these bold songs while the nice songs go to Lata Didi?' she said. But RD Burman stood firm. He had faith in Asha's ability to make such songs iconic. Regarding Piya Tu Ab To Aaja, from the 1971 film Caravan, she remembered him confidently telling her that the song would be a huge hit. 'I have written a bad song,' said Majrooh Sultanpuri and walked out Interestingly, Asha also shared an anecdote involving renowned lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri, who penned Piya Tu Ab To Aaja. She recalled how embarrassed he was during the recording session. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Are The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo 'Majrooh Sultanpuri left the studio and told me, 'Beti, maine ganda gana likha hai. My daughters will grow up and sing this song,'' she said, laughing. Despite his hesitation, Asha went ahead with the song, staying true to her professional commitment. 'I knew the music of the song is good, but I didn't know that the song will be such a massive hit,' she added. Hindi Songs | Asha Bhosle Special Songs | Jukebox Song '3–4 of my songs were banned from Bombay radio' While these songs have since achieved cult status, Asha admitted they weren't always well received. In fact, they were censored. 'My 3–4 songs would get banned from Bombay radio,' she revealed, pointing to the conservative broadcasting environment of the time. Another of Asha's landmark tracks, Dum Maaro Dum from Dev Anand's Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), also stirred controversy. Despite the film's anti-drug message, the song was accused of glamorising smoking and hippie culture. As a result, All India Radio banned it, and Doordarshan edited the song out when the film was aired on television. Over the decades, however, these songs have come to define the bold, experimental era of Hindi film music, with Asha Bhosle at the forefront, unafraid to lend her voice to songs that pushed boundaries.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
‘I wrote a dirty song': Asha Bhosle recalls lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri leaving the studio out of embarrassment as she recorded ‘Piya tu ab to aaja'
'Piya Tu Ab To Aaja,' 'Dum Maaro Dum,' and 'Yeh Hai Reshmi Zulfon Ka Andhera' — Asha Bhosle has delivered countless iconic songs to the Hindi film industry. But the sensual, bold nature of many of her tracks also sparked controversies. Recently, the legendary singer recalled how some of her songs were even banned on the radio. In a conversation with Republic Bharat, Asha Bhosle revealed that she once confronted RD Burman for consistently giving her bold songs to sing, while all the 'nice' songs would go to her sister and iconic singer Lata Mangeshkar. However, she recalled how Pancham Da had confidently predicted that 'Piya Tu Ab To Aaja,' from the 1971 film Caravan, would be a massive hit with audiences. Asha also remembered how lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri reacted while she was recording the song. He left the studio midway because he was embarrassed by some of the lyrics he had written. She recalled, 'Majrooh Sultanpuri left the studio and told me, 'Beti, maine ganda gana likha hai. (I have written a bad song.) My daughters will grow up and sing this song.'' But Asha said she went ahead with it because she had already made a commitment. 'I knew the music of the song is good, but I didn't know that the song will be such a massive hit,' she shared. ALSO READ | Banned on radio and television, Asha Bhosle's Dum Maro Dum became the identity of an anti-drug movie Speaking about the backlash she faced, Asha revealed that many of her songs were banned from radio. 'My 3–4 songs would get banned from Bombay radio,' she said. Like 'Piya Tu Ab To Aaja,' Asha Bhosle's other hit, 'Dum Maaro Dum' from Dev Anand's film Hare Rama Hare Krishna, also courted controversy. Although the film aimed to critique smoking and hippie culture, many felt that the song glamorised it. As a result, All India Radio banned the track, and Doordarshan edited it out when the film was aired on television.
