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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
It was the best outdoor ever: Sharmila Tagore on Aranyer Din Ratri
You entered the world of films with Satyajit Ray's Apur Sansar (1959). How did working with him that early in your career shape your sensibilities as an artiste? Although I was very young, I used to read a lot of books. I was what in Bengali they say paaka — more grown up than your age. To work with Manik da was a learning because you see him, and the entire unit… they were all very well informed about their profession… art and photography. I was 13 but even then, that process of osmosis… just by being there you absorb so much. What continues to make Ray's cinema relevant to present-day audience? He continues to be contemporary. At Cannes, a restored 4k version of Aranyer Din Ratri (1970) was shown. That was special. Even his other films like Devi (1960) and the Apu trilogy… the mother-son relationship in Aparajito (1956)… the sixth, seventh and eighth generation reacts to it because the romance of Apur Sansar is unforgettable. The Music Room (1958), for instance, is about an aristocrat who would rather break than bend. All these films touch you deeply at a human level. From the dialogues to music, they are all technically quite superior and once it is restored, it is as good as new. It speaks to today's generation also. Mahanagar (1963) in English is called The Mighty City; Seemabaddha (1971) is Company Limited. All these films can be understood today. Tell us about your experience at the Kechki Rest House where Aranyer Din Ratri was shot. I cannot tell you how hot it was. It was April-May. There was no electricity. We put up a generator at night or whenever we wanted because my room had a cooler. That helped. The boys — Soumitra, Samit Bhanja, Rabi Ghosh, Shubhendu — stayed in a shed with a tin roof. They called themselves Robi pora/ bhaja (burnt/ fried), but we were all happy because the work was so good. We worked early in the morning from 5.30 to 9, and then from 3 to 6. The rest of the time we just chatted. We visited the Santhals, danced with them. We could hear the elephants in the forest. It was the best outdoor ever. May 2 was Satyajit Ray's birthday and we celebrated. Simi got a cake from Kolkata. Also Read | At Aranyer Din Ratri's Cannes' premiere, Sharmila Tagore says, 'I, Simi Garewal are the only survivors' You made a comeback after 13 years with Gulmohar in 2023. What do you make of the OTT revolution? It is a good thing. So many new people got work, but again it is falling into a trap, I think, because people like Rahul Chittella, after doing Gulmohar, have been running pillar to post for his next film. OTT is also going for big stars. The Royals, for instance, was underwhelming yet you can see how expensive it was. But Netflix bought it and is showing it, but when someone with a good script goes, they are shown the door. I don't know who chooses the content. Puratawn (2025) is reportedly your last Bengali film. Is that true? What led to this decision? I didn't say if it's Bengali or Hindi; just that it's probably my last. We act with our entire body, so to speak. Physical fitness is important for an actor. In Puratawn, I had to climb a three-storeyed house. We were shooting on the top floor and climbing those steps at least three times a day. I could do it, but now I don't know.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Review: Soumitra Chatterjee and his World by Sanghamitra Chakraborty
A few weeks before the release of Apur Sansar (The World of Apu, 1959), directed by Satyajit Ray, Charlie Chaplin's Limelight was re-released in Calcutta (now Kolkata). A large hoarding in the city displayed the film's poster. The actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who was making his silver screen debut with Ray's film, would 'admire this larger-than-life poster as he passed the area' on his way to work, writes journalist Sanghamitra Chakraborty. 'One evening… unmindfully looking up to get a glimpse of the Limelight poster… he got the shock of his life.' Chaplin's face had been replaced by his own. 'It was a poster of Apur Sansar.' This remarkable debut launched Chatterjee into a career that would make him one of the most important actors of the 20th century. Chakraborty's deeply researched biography, Soumitra Chatterjee and his World, explores all these different aspects of his life and career. Through in-depth interviews with his family, friends and colleagues, archival research (including Chatterjee's personal journals) and an analysis of his work, Chakraborty creates a compelling portrait of a complicated human being. Instead of slipping into the morass of a hagiography, which is common with celebrity biographies in India, Chakraborty explores even the less-than-complimentary aspects of her subject's life, such as his extramarital affairs and some dubious career decisions. However, she does this with a sort of empathy that does not in any way diminish Chatterjee, instead revealing him to be only too human. Though Chatterjee has been the subject of several biographies already, it is perhaps safe to say that this book is by far the most detailed and engaging one yet. Future biographers or anyone commenting on Bengali cinema, will have to take it into serious account. Soumitra Chatterjee and his World is divided into 10 parts, each exploring different aspects of its subject's life, such as his family and early years outside Calcutta, his college and university education, his early days in theatre (under the tutelage of the notable thespian Sisir Kumar Bhaduri), his Coffee House friends and literary pursuits, his committed leftist politics and his relationship with this wife Deepa, a talented badminton player. A significant portion is, obviously, dedicated to his relationship with Ray. The author writes several accounts of how Chatterjee prepared for the different roles he played in Ray's films, such as a hot-headed taxi driver (Abhijan, 1962), an aspiring 19th-century writer (Charulata, 1964), a beleaguered village priest (Ashani Sanket, 1973) or a sharp private investigator (Sonar Kella, 1974 and Joy Baba Felunath, 1979). These chapters also bring out the differences between the two men. The book is full of anecdotes that might surprise even the most devoted cinephile. For instance, writing about why Chatterjee did not collaborate with Ritwik Ghatak, one of the most celebrated art house Bengali film directors in the 1960s, Chakraborty describes an incident when the actor and the director came to fisticuffs. Quoting from an interview of Chatterjee, Chakraborty describes a public meeting where Ghatak and Chatterjee were guests. Quite characteristically, Ghatak turned up inebriated and started abusing Ray. 'I did not get provoked since I did not hold a brief to defend Ray,' says Chatterjee. 'Maybe he got frustrated at my nonchalance and he threw a swear word at me.' Flying into a rage, Chatterjee held Ghatak by the collar and landed a blow on his face. From the vantage point of half a century, it is somewhat amusing to witness, through Chakraborty's narration, two revered figures of Bengali cinema engaging in such behaviour. Such incidents remain with the reader long after the book has been put away. Chakraborty also analyses Chatterjee's work with filmmakers like Tapan Sinha, Asit Sen, Ajoy Kar, Tarun Majumdar, Dinen Gupta and Saroj De, locating it within the specific context of Bengali cinema. The sharp writing provides context to the cinema of the 1930s-40s, which Chatterjee watched while growing up, as well as his contemporary films. She also relates Chatterjee's complex relationship to Bengali cinema's reigning heartthrob, Uttam Kumar. While Chatterjee was a self-proclaimed Uttam Kumar fan, there was also considerable rivalry between the two, especially during a period of labour unrest in the industry in the late 1960s, when they found themselves in opposing camps. Some of this owes a debt to film scholar Sharmistha Gooptu's history of the Bengali film industry, Bengali Cinema: An Other Nation (2011). Though Chakraborty quotes from Gooptu, the book under review would have benefitted from more engaged editing, which would have ensured more rigorous citations. The book could have also included Chatterjee's family tree, bringing out his exact relation with such illustrious figures as poet and film critic Sourindra Mohan Mukhopadhyay, singer Suchitra Mitra or the freedom activist Jatindranath Mukherjee, better known as Bagha Jatin. Perhaps, these will be addressed in the next edition. Much of the writing on Indian cinema, both scholarly and popular, has focused on Bollywood. Besides Gooptu's groundbreaking work, there is very little scholarship on Bengali popular cinema. Film scholars and historians writing on Bengali cinema have focused mostly on Ray or his art house contemporaries, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak, or more recently, Rituparno Ghosh. Sayandeb Chowdhury's Uttam Kumar: A Life in Cinema and Maitreyee B Chowdhury's Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen: Bengali Cinema's First Couple are rare exceptions. Chakraborty's book, therefore, explores new ground. It will hopefully be an inspiration to more scholars and writers to examine the history of a remarkable film culture. Uttaran Das Gupta is an independent writer and journalist.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Why Rs 800 crore Pataudi Palace has just one photo of Sharmila Tagore? Saif Ali Khan has the answer
Why does Sharmila Tagore have just one photo? About Pataudi Palace The Cannes red carpet lit up with grace and nostalgia as veteran actress Sharmila Tagore made a rare and dazzling appearance at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival . The actress attended the special 4K restored screening of Aranyer Din Ratri , a Satyajit Ray classic that starred Sharmila at the height of her career. Fittingly, the screening was introduced by celebrated filmmaker Wes Anderson , a known admirer of Ray's cinematic her red carpet moment captured headlines, a heartfelt interview to Rediff with Sharmila's son, actor Saif Ali Khan , has resurfaced online, reminding fans of the personal and deeply graceful woman behind the camera. In the interview, Saif reflected on Sharmila's humility, noting that she never pushed her children to watch her films. Yet, when he eventually watched Aranyer Din Ratri, it sparked a meaningful conversation between them about her dynamic with Soumitra Chatterjee, her co-star in Aranyer Din Ratri, Apur Sansar and in the interview, he also referred to the veteran actress as someone who restored not just memories but spaces. Having married into the Pataudi royal family, Sharmila played a significant role in transforming their ancestral home into a stunning palace, all without putting herself in the to Saif, the palace holds no prominent photographs of her, except for a single image of her receiving the National Award, discreetly placed in a corridor beneath a bookcase. Yet her presence is felt in every thoughtfully restored corner, from the lush gardens to the finely tailored blinds. Her sense of aesthetics, hospitality, and discipline shaped the very soul of the her cinematic journey, Saif described his mother as a natural host and a quiet perfectionist—someone who trained her staff so well that neighbouring families would often poach them. It's these anecdotes that deepen our understanding of Sharmila Tagore, not just as an actress of unmatched legacy, but as a woman of substance, style, and silent in the serene town of Pataudi in Haryana's Gurugram district, the Pataudi Palace , also known as Ibrahim Kothi, is a sprawling 10-acre estate that showcases a graceful fusion of colonial, Mughal, and traditional Indian architecture. Once home to legendary cricketer and Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi , the palace now belongs to his son, actor Saif Ali Khan. Rich in heritage and elegance, the estate continues to host intimate family gatherings and events. With its grand halls and timeless charm, the palace stands as a symbol of regal legacy and is estimated to be valued at an astonishing Rs 800 crore.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Why Rs 800 crore Pataudi Palace has just one photo of Sharmila Tagore. Saif Ali Khan has the answer
The Cannes red carpet lit up with grace and nostalgia as veteran actress Sharmila Tagore made a rare and dazzling appearance at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival . The actress attended the special 4K restored screening of Aranyer Din Ratri , a Satyajit Ray classic that starred Sharmila at the height of her career. Fittingly, the screening was introduced by celebrated filmmaker Wes Anderson , a known admirer of Ray's cinematic genius. While her red carpet moment captured headlines, a heartfelt interview to Rediff with Sharmila's son, actor Saif Ali Khan , has resurfaced online, reminding fans of the personal and deeply graceful woman behind the camera. In the interview, Saif reflected on Sharmila's humility, noting that she never pushed her children to watch her films. Yet, when he eventually watched Aranyer Din Ratri, it sparked a meaningful conversation between them about her dynamic with Soumitra Chatterjee, her co-star in Aranyer Din Ratri, Apur Sansar and Devi. Further in the interview, he also referred to the veteran actress as someone who restored not just memories but spaces. Having married into the Pataudi royal family, Sharmila played a significant role in transforming their ancestral home into a stunning palace, all without putting herself in the spotlight. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Fastest Selling Plots of Mysore from 40L | 40+ Amenities PurpleBrick Learn More Undo Why does Sharmila Tagore have just one photo? According to Saif, the palace holds no prominent photographs of her, except for a single image of her receiving the National Award, discreetly placed in a corridor beneath a bookcase. Yet her presence is felt in every thoughtfully restored corner, from the lush gardens to the finely tailored blinds. Her sense of aesthetics, hospitality, and discipline shaped the very soul of the household. Beyond her cinematic journey, Saif described his mother as a natural host and a quiet perfectionist—someone who trained her staff so well that neighbouring families would often poach them. It's these anecdotes that deepen our understanding of Sharmila Tagore, not just as an actress of unmatched legacy, but as a woman of substance, style, and silent strength. You Might Also Like: Soha Ali Khan reveals supernatural reason behind Pataudi family's overnight move from ancestral home to Rs 800 crore palace About Pataudi Palace Nestled in the serene town of Pataudi in Haryana's Gurugram district, the Pataudi Palace , also known as Ibrahim Kothi, is a sprawling 10-acre estate that showcases a graceful fusion of colonial, Mughal, and traditional Indian architecture. Once home to legendary cricketer and Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi , the palace now belongs to his son, actor Saif Ali Khan. Rich in heritage and elegance, the estate continues to host intimate family gatherings and events. With its grand halls and timeless charm, the palace stands as a symbol of regal legacy and is estimated to be valued at an astonishing Rs 800 crore.
Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Soumitra Chatterjee is a legend, by no means forgotten
I was a child when I witnessed the phenomenon known as Soumitra Chatterjee by watching his movies. It has remained a mystery to me how or why he was not that well-known outside Bengal, especially in today's world dominated by Bollywood stars. Sanghamitra Chakraborty's detailed and well-researched biography, Soumitra Chatterjee and His World, explores this, and like the eponymous character of Feluda, once played by the actor, tries to solve this mystery. Chakraborty went through the actor's writings — essays, diaries, letters, plays and poetry — and his interviews, as well as interviewed his children, and the people who knew him, to systematically put together his life story. As she mentions in the Introduction chapter, she was inspired by the message that actor-director Sisir Bhadhuri, one of Chatterjee's mentors, had told him: 'Read your lines like a detective'. The book starts with Chatterjee's birth in a north Calcutta home to a mother who is obsessed with Rabindranath Tagore, which influences Chatterjee's interest in Tagore and Bengali literature. As he wrote, 'My own heart and mind, in some way, have also been shaped by him.' The family moved to Krishnanagar later, and Chatterjee was entranced by the writing of his grandfather, Lalit Kumar, and the tales of his uncle and grandfather being jailed, and met various freedom fighters who would drop into their home. This made the young boy crave adventure and he got the acting bug at a young age. After matriculation, Chatterjee moved back to Calcutta. He became the ringleader of a group of students and frequently visited the bookshops on College Street as well as the Coffee House. Reading, meeting with friends, debating and reciting poetry, he soon became a part of a vibrant group of like-minded people, one of whom took him to watch the play Alamgir. That play and its producer and director Bhaduri inspired him to the extent that Chatterjee started learning the theory of theatre as well. It was in the mid-1950s that he started a theatre group, Chhayanot, and started acting in plays, including in one that Bhaduri staged Prafulla. He also worked at All India Radio and during that period auditioned for a lead in a Bengali film,only to be rejected. Despite the rejection, Chatterjee didn't give up and when a friend asked him if he wanted to audition for the role of Apu in Aparajito (1956), the sequel to Pather Panchali (1955), Soumitra agreed to meet with the director, Satyajit Ray. Though he was again not chosen for that role, that meeting was pivotal because the legendary filmmaker remembered him and did eventually cast him for Apur Sansar (1959), changing the course of his life. Apur Sansar was a box-office hit and generated rave reviews for its actors. Chatterjee had by then started getting recognised on the streets and in Coffee House, a sure sign of being a celebrity! He went on to collaborate with Ray on many other memorable movies, including Devi (1960), Samapti (1961), Kapurush (1965), Charulata (1964), Ghare Baire (1984), to name a few. The later sections of the book describe Chatterjee's breakthrough into commercial cinema through Jhinder Bondi (1961), his forays into a diverse roles with parallel cinema directors and his return to the theatre. He was steadfast in wanting to stay in Kolkata, and thus, the city is sometimes as much a character in this book as the actor. He stayed resilient and creative until the end. In fact, in 2020, seven of his new films were released. He remained an icon of Bengali culture and that is why there was an outpouring of grief and obituaries at a global scale on his demise in November 2020. Soumitra Chatterjee and His World is a delight to read for cinema and history lovers. There were many aspects of his life that had stayed unknown, and reading this book gave me insight into those as well as a world that is fast-disappearing, and therefore must be remembered.
