Latest news with #Mukhopadhyay
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
CBFC panel verbally refused to certify KIFF film: Director
1 2 Kolkata: The Dallas-based director of 'Kalponik' told TOI that the revising committee of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) that watched his Bengali film in Mumbai last Friday (July 18) verbally refused to recommend it for certification. Director Arka Mukhopadhyay said the 15-member committee fears that releasing his film will disrupt communal harmony since it feels that, although the movie is a work of fiction, the storyline hints at a probable politician-media nexus when controversies erupt over unearthing Hindu idols on the premises of mosques. CBFC's regional officer in Kolkata, Sushrut Sharma, is waiting for the written communication on this from the CBFC Mumbai office. "An examining committee watched the film in Kolkata. The revising committee meeting was held in Mumbai last Friday," said Sharma. "The protocol now is that the CBFC Mumbai office will send the CBFC Kolkata office written documentation on the observations. We will then share it with the director," he added. Mukhopadhyay's Bengali film, screened in the competitive segment of the Bengali Panorama of the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) last year, is based on what happens when relics of an ancient temple are unearthed underneath a mosque before an upcoming election. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Up to 70% off | Libas Purple Days Sale Libas Undo It stars Rajatava Dutta, Shahidur Rehman, and Satakshi Nandy. "At Friday's meeting, I was asked if my film is pointing to the Babri Masjid and Ram Temple controversy. I was quizzed about whether or not my storyline hints at a probable politician-media nexus when controversies erupt over unearthing Hindu idols on the premises of mosques. But I told the committee that mine is a fictional story and is a work of art. The title of the film itself is 'Kalponik', which means imaginary," the engineer-turned-director told TOI. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata According to him, the committee was not convinced. "It felt that my story, told from a foreign lens, may disrupt communal harmony. I was even told that my film shows one particular community in a bad light. I have asked CBFC to give me everything in writing. When I wanted to know if there is anything that could be done to bring the film to the audiences, the answer was 'not the way it is told now'. The committee agreed to consider if I changed the approach or my script. But doing so will turn it into another film. It will then become 'Kalponik 2'," Mukhopadhyay said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
In fraught times, city dir's ‘Immigrants' gets int'l fim fest Rotterdam grant
1 2 3 Kolkata: In fraught times, Suman Mukhopadhyay 's 'Immigrants' — set against the backdrop of the 1947 Partition of India and topical in the context of today's identity politics — is the only recipient from India of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)'s Hubert Bals Fund (HBF). The 15 projects, which will receive a grant of €10,000 to support their development, were selected from more than 900 applications. Author Debesh Roy penned a story named 'Udbastu'. Mukhopadhyay's project is inspired by that work and is about a displaced family from the 1947 Partition of India struggling to rebuild their lives in a fledgling immigrant colony on the outskirts of Kolkata. When a state inquiry questions their identities, conflicting narratives unravel their past, threatening their existence and tearing at the fabric of their family bonds. "This is a historically rooted drama set against the backdrop of the 1947 Partition of India. Its focus is on the fragility of identity in the face of institutional demands for 'proof' and the deep scars that forced migration leaves on personal histories," Mukhopadhyay said. According to the director, 'Immigrants' was born from a profound sense of disquiet about the lives of those whose stories were never officially recorded, whose names were lost due to bureaucratic lapses, and whose lives were rewritten in the margins of history. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Libas Purple Days Sale Libas Undo "The Partition of 1947, despite its monumental impact, often remains a sanitised topic in cinema — reduced to historical spectacle or political drama. 'Immigrants' resists this reduction," he added. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Although primarily regarded as a theatre personality, Mukhopadhyay's recent career achievements have been in cinema. His film 'Putulnacher Itikatha' competed at this year's IFFR. "I have directed nine full-length feature films including 'Putulnacher Itikatha' (2023), 'Nazarband' (2020), 'Asamapta' (2017), and 'Herbert' (2005), which won the National Award for Best Regional Film that year. It is a misconception that cinema is not my forte. Anyone who looks at my body of work will understand that my films have been to many prestigious festivals around the world," he said. The filmmaker has also not ignored some attempts to deliberately downplay his achievements in cinema and pigeonhole him only as a theatre personality. "I hope the IFFR selection will make people notice how consistently I have been working in films as much as devoting time to theatre," Mukhopadhyay said.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
2024 KIFF film caught in censor crosshairs
1 2 3 Kolkata: A Bengali film, screened at Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) last year and based on what happens when relics of an ancient temple get unearthed underneath a mosque before an election, has been caught in a censorship row. Verbal observations have been made about scenes with a cow and dialogues referring to Hindus. While the director alleged that CBFC has not revealed in writing the reasons for delaying the censorship certificate, sources at the censor office say protocol has been followed and the film has been sent to the chairman keeping the director in the loop. Arka Mukhopadhyay's 'Kalponik' stars Rajatava Dutta, Shahidur Rehman and Satakshi Nandy. The application to CBFC was submitted on June 6 with a verbal request to view the film as soon as possible so that it can be released on the decided date by the producers. "A board was formed and the film was viewed on June 22," Mukhopadhyay said. According to the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, time limits are applicable for certification under various circumstances. Going by this, a maximum of 48 days are required before a certificate is issued. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like So sánh mức trượt giá: Hợp đồng tương lai (CFD) Bitcoin vs Ethereum IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo No production house is supposed to announce a film's release date before it gets the certificate in hand. A June application can never target a July 11 release date if CBFC has to follow its protocol. Besides, it is not keeping into account that there could be disagreements over cuts. "An examining panel has watched the film. A show-cause notice has been sent to the director with recommendations for sending the film to the revising committee," said a source. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata But repeated calls, messages to regional officer of CBFC did not yield any response. According to Mukhopadhyay, CBFC's oral hearing had observations on three scenes. Though the film touches upon subjects like how parties are deliberately confusing mythology and history in contemporary India, no observations were made regarding this during hearing. "Neither was anything mentioned about how the film targeted the right wing," Mukhopadhyay said. But there was an observation about a scene where a teacher in a remote Bengal village asks her students their language, country and religion. "To this, the students mention Hindi, Hindusthan and Hindu. At the hearing, it was told that you won't play the film only in Kolkata. In non-Bengali speaking localities, people might get offended if they watch this portion," Mukhopadhyay said. The second observation was regarding a cow scene where a journalist, in her attempt to stay ahead of the game, stages a photo shoot where a cow is shown being perched up on a tree. The third observation is Dutta's monologue at the end. "For the cow scene, my inspiration was footage of a journalist standing neck deep in the floods to get exclusive footage. At the hearing, CBFC had observations about why I do not yet have a certificate from Animal Welfare Board of India. Though nothing was mentioned about the cow, my team member at the hearing didn't get a good vibe. Everything was verbal. I am in the dark and despite repeated emails, I do not have anything in writing about the concerns they raised," Mukhopadhyay added.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Time of India
Cops quiz vice-principal, may question union head
Kolkata: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the gang rape questioned the vice-principal of the college after the call record details of prime accused Monojit Mishra revealed a call went to her a day after the crime. "However, the content of that conversation remains unclear to us. Whether Mishra confessed to the crime is something we want to know from her. We also want to know if he wanted to know about the survivor's movements or her exact address," said a police source. When contacted, TOI did not get any response from the vice-principal. The SIT is also gearing up to question the general secretary of the college, a second-year student. According to the FIR, on the day of the rape, when the complainant was preparing to go home, the GS was with her. They both walked together to the college gate to go home. However, one of Mishra's associates, Zaib Ahmed, told them: "Brother is calling, there's something to discuss about the (TMCP) unit." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata After that, the survivor was with the GS from 4 pm to 7:30 pm. Around 7:30 pm, the GS told her: "I am stepping out for a bit. I will return shortly." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo However, the complainant did not see her return till late into the night. "I will speak where it is appropriate," was the short answer from the GS when questioned by the media. "We are seeking five answers from her. One, where was she headed to. Two, why did she promise to return? Three, if so, why she failed to return. Four, Pramit Mukhopadhyay is extremely close to her. Hence, we want to know if she acted on instructions from either Mukhopadhyay or Mishra. Finally, we want to ascertain if she called up the survivor to know if she reached home safely," said an officer. Ahmed and Mukhopadhyay reportedly told cops that Mishra targeted the girl from the day she enrolled in her first year. He frequently talked about her. However, after various attempts failed to elicit a response, Mishra planned the assault. The other two students joined him in this scheme. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
They survived ice ages and hunted mammoths; so why did the Neanderthals suddenly disappear? Now a physicist blames something in the sky
Neanderthals have long puzzled scientists. These ancient relatives of modern humans thrived across Europe and parts of Asia for hundreds of thousands of years. But around 40,000 years ago, they disappeared, just as Homo sapiens spread across the same regions. What really caused their extinction remains one of human evolution's biggest mysteries. Now, a new and unusual theory suggests that space weather, not climate, competition, or disease, may have played a decisive role. A recent study by Dr. Agnit Mukhopadhyay, a space physicist from the University of Michigan , proposes that a powerful cosmic event known as the Laschamp excursion might have played a part in the Neanderthals' decline. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo The Laschamp event occurred about 41,000 years ago, when the Earth's magnetic poles temporarily flipped. During this brief reversal, the planet's magnetic field, which normally protects us from cosmic radiation, dramatically weakened for several centuries. Mukhopadhyay argues that this weakening may have exposed the Earth's surface to much higher levels of ultraviolet (UV) and cosmic radiation, particularly in some parts of the world. Live Events Radiation as a Hidden Killer? The core of the hypothesis is that Neanderthals, already living in small, isolated populations, may have been more vulnerable to this radiation than Homo sapiens. The study claims that Homo sapiens had tighter clothing, used red ochre as UV protection, and took shelter in caves helping them survive the radiation. Neanderthals, in contrast, might have lacked these protections. Computer simulations in the study even show that auroras, a sign of increased solar activity, might have been visible across much of the world during this time, proof, the author argues, of the heightened radiation environment. While the theory is bold and imaginative, many experts are skeptical. Researchers José-Miguel Tejero and Montserrat Sanz Borràs, writing for The Conversation, point out that the idea rests on shaky archaeological evidence. For example, it assumes that Neanderthals didn't wear fitted clothing. While it's true that no sewing needles have been found at Neanderthal sites, there is clear evidence that they processed animal hides and likely wore functional garments using other techniques, such as tying hides with leather cords or splinters. In fact, genetic studies of lice suggest that humans, possibly including Neanderthals, were already wearing clothes over 200,000 years ago. The absence of needles doesn't prove the absence of clothes. The study also claims that Homo sapiens used red ochre as sunblock. While experiments show that ochre can somewhat block UV rays, this claim is also disputed. Ochre was widely used by both Neanderthals and modern humans, often for symbolic or cosmetic reasons. There is no solid evidence that either group used it primarily for sun protection. Neanderthals are known to have used ochre for over 100,000 years. In one example, a painted scallop shell found in a Neanderthal cave in Spain shows their symbolic use of pigments long before Homo sapiens arrived in Europe. Most scientists believe that multiple factors caused the Neanderthals' disappearance. These include, interbreeding with Homo sapiens (evident in modern DNA), smaller populations that were more vulnerable to decline, limited long-range hunting tools, unlike the projectile weapons used by sapiens, Changing climate, and possibly, competition for resources. In this broader context, Mukhopadhyay's theory appears too narrow. Critics note that there is no archaeological evidence of a sudden, global collapse of Neanderthal populations tied to the Laschamp event. If radiation were such a major factor, it would have also harmed Homo sapiens populations living outside caves in sunny Africa, which doesn't seem to have happened. A Caution Against Oversimplification The Neanderthal story is complex. These early humans were not primitive brutes. They developed tools, built shelters, made symbolic objects, and survived in extreme climates for hundreds of thousands of years. They even lived through earlier magnetic reversals, such as the Blake event 120,000 years ago. Mukhopadhyay's theory adds an intriguing piece to the puzzle, but it's far from conclusive. So, did a shift in Earth's magnetic field doom the Neanderthals? Probably not. While the Laschamp event may have had some environmental impact, there's no strong evidence that it caused Neanderthal extinction . The theory suggests that the disappearance of Neanderthals was likely due to a mix of climate, biology, and human interaction.
