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Dr Anugyan Nag, who teaches Film, Media and Cultural Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, speaks with C Uday Bhaskar on legendary Indian filmmaker Ritwik Gatak whose birth centenary is on Nov 4 | SAM Conversation
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00:00Welcome to SAM Conversations. Today is a very special topic. It is about this legendary and
00:17at one level tragic filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak. Ghatak's birth centenary is on November 4th
00:27this year 2025. He was born in Dhaka in the undivided Bengal in 1925 and for him as a very sensitive
00:41creative soul totally immersed in the culture and the folklore of his beloved Bengal and the river
00:55Padma. For him as he was growing up when he was a teenager there were tumultuous events that were
01:04racking Bengal. It was a run-up to World War II. There was political ferment. There was the
01:13equivalent of devious colonial governance cruel at one level that resulted in the Bengal famine of
01:201943 which Ghatak saw as a young man. We had the political ferment, the Quit India Movement of 1942.
01:31Then there was Direct Action Day in 1946 and finally of course the tragic partition of India in August
01:411947 when Bengal was also sundered into two. So we had the equivalent of West Bengal and East Pakistan.
01:48So Ghatak was witness to all of this, the suffering, the trauma, the refugees and very early he was drawn into
01:56creative pursuits. He was a writer. He was very fond of theatre and by the time India was divided,
02:06Ghatak had joined the IPTA, the Indian People's Theatre Association. He was drawn into the politics of the
02:12Communist Party and the Communist Party. And all of this provided the context of the background.
02:17So Ghatak who then very quickly made the transition to film along with his senior peers at that time,
02:25for instance, Abbas, K.A. Abbas was a very well-known name, Nimai Ghosh and others.
02:30And Ghatak made his first film in 1953, Nagarek. Tragically, it's a huge tragedy. That film was not released for 25 years or almost 25 years. It was finally released in 1977, a year after his death.
02:52Ghatak passed away in 1976, a few months after he was 50. When he died, he was relatively unknown, undiscovered.
03:04But in the last 50 years, critical acclaim has come to Ritwik Ghatak. Today he is considered to be among the most accomplished filmmakers in the world, not just in India.
03:15And it's against this backdrop. I'm very happy to welcome to SAM Conversations today, Dr. Anugya Nag.
03:27Dr. Anugya Nag teaches film, media and cultural studies at the Anwar Jamal Kidwai, what is well known as the AJK MCRC, the Mass Communication and Research Centre in the Jamia Millia Islamiyah New Delhi.
03:48He's worked on Bengal cinema and has also published a book on the subject.
03:53Thank you, Dr. Nag, for being with us this evening. I saw you on social media yesterday. You were in conversation with Professor Ira Bhaskar.
04:05And I must add as a caveat that Professor Ira Bhaskar is my spouse. And it was she who had introduced me to Ghatak in the early years of our marriage.
04:16But you all had a very interesting conversation on Nagarik. So perhaps you could talk to us about Nagarik and, you know, the relevance of Ghatak in 2025 more so.
04:30You are both a scholar and a teacher. So once again, welcome, Dr. Nag and all yours.
04:35Thank you. Thank you so much, Uday sir, for inviting me to South Asia Monitor. And it's my first time where I'm getting this opportunity to interact with the people who subscribe to South Asia Monitor.
04:52And I hope it will reach out to more people. And Ghatak has been a very important filmmaker.
05:00But as you mentioned, while you were introducing him, that he was discovered over the years, perhaps not so much, not given his due recognition during his time.
05:13But over the years, Ghatak has acquired the status of a cult filmmaker, and not just a filmmaker, but also an important intellectual figure who occupies the kind of sky, the intellectual, artistic, creative sky of Bengal, if not the world.
05:33And of course, as we have seen now, with everything that is available to the public, that there is increasing attention towards Ghatak's films, whether it's from directors from Hollywood, critics from Europe, even very noted film festivals, and film institutes, and different organizations have shown tremendous interest in Ghatak's cinema.
06:01And yesterday, I had a very, very illuminating conversation with Professor Bhaskar, who has written a book also, introducing Nagarik.
06:12And she makes an argument that Nagarik actually is not a film that is very separate from the politics and the concerns that he has in his three important films, which are directly on partition.
06:28And he himself has called them his partition trilogy.
06:33So Professor Bhaskar makes a case for Nagarik, that that film too, is actually very much about the aftermath of the partition, but also the aftermath of the Bengal famine, as well as the effects of Second World War.
06:50So within a short span of five to seven years, Bengal actually witnesses catastrophic events, which changes its social, political, economic, and cultural fabric.
07:04And the city of Calcutta, therefore becomes a very important site, which is, you know, not prepared to see so many changes happening at the same time.
07:18And it doesn't know how to deal with these new changes that it witnesses.
07:23And this particular struggle is something that deeply, deeply disturbs Ghatak.
07:29And we see those concerns there in Nagarik as well.
07:34And very poignantly, he addresses them at a very young age.
07:39The most fascinating thing is that...
07:39When he made it, he was all of 28 years.
07:42He was just 27, 28.
07:45Can we stop you here, Anugyan, very briefly, if I may.
07:48If I could just interrupt you, just for a pause for a minute, please hold that thought.
07:51Now, two things, I want to show this book to our viewers.
07:57This is Nagarik.
07:59And it's a slim book.
08:00And the reason I am showing this is for those who may be interested.
08:04It's an important contribution, not so much because it's been edited by Hira.
08:09But this book has been translated by the late Professor Rani Ray.
08:14Yes.
08:15Rani Ray is someone we've all sort of known, respected, admired her.
08:19And she was deeply into, you know, Ghatak and his work.
08:23And she herself was very, shall we say, immersed in Bengali language.
08:29And she was able to translate it into English.
08:31And this book has now been edited, annotated and introduced by Hira.
08:35This is one for Ghatak scholars.
08:37And the other, if you'll permit me very quickly, I also want to show this book.
08:41It's called Unmechanical.
08:44Ritvik Ghatak in 50 Fragments.
08:47It's been edited by Shomir Dasgupta.
08:50It's a very, very, I would say, comprehensive book.
08:52Again, I'm only taking the liberty of showing it to our viewers and those who would be interested
08:57in Ghatak, both here in India.
08:59And may I add in Bangladesh also.
09:01And perhaps even in most of South Asia, he's well known.
09:04But go ahead.
09:05You were talking about Nagarik and the opening sequence.
09:07I hope we can show it as part of this conversation.
09:11But I think you're making a very important point about Calcutta and how he captures Calcutta
09:16both in a very wide spectrum.
09:18Please go ahead, Anugya.
09:20He does.
09:21Actually, as a young filmmaker, he, of course, captures the city in its kind of panoramic
09:28grandeur and majesticity.
09:31And from there, he then actually focuses into the individual.
09:36And then the individual becomes the microcosm of the larger macrocosm, which is also something
09:44that is an irony, an irony and a contrast, because the city is, of course, it's majestic,
09:51it's grand, it's modern.
09:53It has, you know, people bustling with people, with life.
09:57But actually, the narration with which it opens is that the city, however, witnesses the
10:03sunrise and the sunset, and it is a story of laughter, happiness and sorrows of so many people.
10:42The only thing I have to do is to find a story in this world.
11:00This is one of the most important things I have done in the world.
11:04This is the first time I have to find a story.
11:11and then it goes slowly it starts focusing on to the individual who is the protagonist of the film
11:34Ramu and perhaps he's also deliberately named Ramu because Ramu is such a common name
11:39and the characters are given this kind of very typical names which are extremely common in order to universalize these characters
11:48and also at one level they are mythic, there is a mythic element about Ghatak
11:51yes absolutely and that has also been a kind of a concern for Ghatak
11:59it is a kind of a concern that he has addressed but his addressing of the mythical is not to celebrate it
12:08but actually to look at it very critically and to understand that myths are metaphors often used by people for celebration
12:19but they are also actually a lot to understand that life is so so far away from these myths
12:28in reality the myths actually don't translate in its most complex forms
12:35they are kind of simplified
12:36so that is also an issue that he continuously addresses in all his films
12:41so his relationship with myths are very interesting
12:44and it comes out quite well and quite powerfully
12:48as a very strong critique in Meghatak Tara
12:51I'd like to pick this point up
12:52I think again this is a very you know very very complex and profound kind of observation about Ghatak and his films
12:59which is and here I'm distilling whatever little bit I have read on Ghatak over the years
13:04and of course Ira's own work on this subject has been quite seminal
13:08which is that in his partition trilogy particularly
13:12which is Megheda Katara, Shubana Rekha and Komal Gandhar
13:16the ability I think to take the archetype and the myth
13:22and to give it a certain form which is multi-layered
13:26so for instance in Shubana Rekha you see the individual
13:29and the trials, the tribulations and you know the suffering
13:34and then it scales up to the equivalent of the region
13:37Bengal, undivided, the river, all of that
13:40and then it's actually to my mind hits a universal note
13:45you know the whole question of alienation, separation
13:48and again one of his most famous scenes is that airstrip
13:53you know when Matt Bullocky and that child
13:57perhaps you would like to talk about that
13:58I thought that was a very powerful scene from Ghatak
14:01Extremely, extremely powerful
14:03and it immediately is able to bring in so many things
14:08metaphorically, symbolically
14:10even the use of the song
14:13and the figure of Kali
14:15you know the encounter of this little girl
14:17who's playing on this airstrip track
14:21and it has all these cracks
14:23you know and it's a dark kind of a track
14:25on that you have this very very sharp
14:28kind of cracks all around
14:30and this little girl is playing
14:31and her encounter with the
14:33with the Bahurupia
14:36who is dressed as Kali
14:39and then she's frightened
14:40and you have this sudden entry of this elderly man
14:44who tries to console her
14:46and say that you know why are you scared
14:48he's only a Bahurupia
14:49this mix of several ideas
14:53and several symbols together
14:55in a film like that
14:57especially with the figure of a child
14:58a little girl
14:59is something that we have not
15:01first of all we have never witnessed this
15:03in any other film
15:04and the ability to again layer the soundtrack
15:09he's not just working with multiple
15:12kind of representations and symbols
15:14but he's also working with multi-layered soundtracks
15:18which is another very very important
15:22I think that's another good point you're making
15:23which is
15:24I think most critics after
15:26Dhatak was quote-unquote discovered
15:29I think the beginning is in the late 70s
15:33early 80s
15:34after he died
15:35a French critic
15:37if I remember right
15:38his name was Charles Desson
15:40I think he writes the first piece
15:41you know
15:42locating Dhatak in the larger context
15:44both of Indian cinema
15:45and I would say world cinema
15:48and he draws attention
15:49to the kind of influences
15:50he had in a way
15:52harmonized
15:53Eisenstein
15:54and the Russians
15:56and the French
15:57and after that
15:59you see that
16:00most professionals
16:02and those who are into film
16:03like you
16:03and others have noted that
16:06in 1953
16:07Dhatak was using sound
16:10in a very innovative way
16:12and I think again
16:13perhaps it's Ira
16:14or someone else
16:15who talks about the orality
16:17Dhatak's film
16:19and again
16:19I think this is best symbolized
16:21I hope we can show these
16:22in the course of the conversation
16:23is Megadha Katara
16:24and the use of the whip
16:27absolutely
16:28perhaps you can talk about
16:29that particular scene
16:30yeah
16:32I think that particular sequence
16:44and the last sequence
16:45the sequence you were just
16:47you just referred to
16:48is the sequence
16:49when Nita and Nita's brother
16:51they actually sing
16:52this Tegor song
16:53Jaira Temur Duarguli
16:55and at the end
16:57of the song
16:58it's not just
16:59a regular ending
17:01of a song
17:02which a brother
17:02and sister are singing
17:03but actually
17:04it is to make a point
17:06a point
17:07which is
17:08both
17:09a political point
17:10a social point
17:11but more so
17:13a very
17:14very deeply
17:15psychological point
17:16true
17:17and that is what
17:18I think
17:18Professor Bhaskar
17:19also argues
17:20when she says
17:21that his films
17:22are expressionistic
17:24in terms of
17:25their visual
17:25kind of construction
17:27but the orality
17:29is also expressionistic
17:30because it
17:31directly goes
17:32and hits
17:33the psyche
17:34of the human
17:35conscience
17:36and mind
17:37because
17:38it is trying
17:39to disturb you
17:40haunt you
17:41it's trying
17:42to actually
17:43make you
17:43feel restless
17:44and to
17:46in fact
17:47heighten
17:48your frustrations
17:49the helplessness
17:51that we all
17:51encounter
17:52because of
17:53our circumstances
17:54and because
17:55of the failures
17:56of our
17:57you know
17:58social systems
17:59our values
18:00and morals
18:01and ideals
18:02of middle class
18:03life
18:03that is
18:05something that
18:05he wants to
18:06stir
18:06he wants to
18:07constantly
18:08you know
18:08hit at that
18:09and the song
18:10he churns it
18:11very violently
18:12that's what I
18:14would call it
18:14as he churns it
18:15very violently
18:16very violently
18:18yeah
18:19and this
18:21particular
18:21technique
18:22or method
18:23in the world
18:24of cinema
18:24is known as
18:25contrapuntal sound
18:26where there is
18:27no direct
18:28diegetic
18:29relationship
18:30with the
18:30sound
18:32and the
18:33visuals
18:34that we
18:35as audience
18:35or spectators
18:36are actually
18:37experiencing
18:38there is no
18:39such
18:39or even
18:40within the
18:41world of
18:41the film
18:41this particular
18:43soundtrack
18:43doesn't have
18:44a direct
18:44relationship
18:45so what
18:47Ghatak
18:48actually
18:48does
18:50is that
18:50he utilizes
18:51sound
18:52as an
18:52autonomous
18:53entity
18:54it doesn't
18:55look at it
18:55as simply
18:56a complimentary
18:57it's not
18:58an adjunct
18:59which is how
19:00it is normally
19:00normally in
19:03Hollywood
19:03they would
19:03use it
19:04to match
19:05the action
19:05to match
19:07the action
19:07but he doesn't
19:08do it like
19:08that
19:09in almost
19:10all his
19:11films
19:11the soundtrack
19:12is always
19:13layered
19:13with many
19:14things
19:15which don't
19:16necessarily
19:16sync
19:17so there
19:18isn't that
19:19kind of
19:19a harmony
19:20and he
19:22deliberately
19:22does it
19:23in order
19:23to create
19:24a jarring
19:25effect
19:25let me
19:26simplify this
19:28perhaps
19:28with your
19:29permission
19:29you are
19:29a teacher
19:30and you
19:30understand
19:31the complexity
19:32but for a
19:33lay person
19:34I think
19:34perhaps it
19:35would be
19:35fair to
19:35say that
19:36in 1953
19:37when Indian
19:38cinema was
19:39in its
19:39infancy
19:40in many
19:41ways
19:41here was
19:42Ritwik Ghatak
19:43all of
19:4327-28
19:44years old
19:45doing something
19:46very innovative
19:47which is
19:48one
19:49he accords
19:50sound a
19:51certain
19:51autonomy
19:52its own
19:53identity
19:54you know
19:54what you
19:54and the
19:55academic
19:56semantic
19:57you have
19:57spoken about
19:58orality
19:59the other
20:00issue
20:00which I'd
20:01like you
20:01to talk
20:01about
20:02is that
20:02again
20:03professionals
20:03and critics
20:04have pointed
20:04out
20:05that in
20:06the early
20:0650s
20:07when Indian
20:07cinema
20:07was still
20:08you know
20:09in its
20:09infancy
20:09as I said
20:10he was
20:11using the
20:12camera
20:12in a very
20:13innovative
20:14and dramatic
20:14way
20:15you know
20:15the deep
20:15focus
20:16which is
20:16very new
20:17would you
20:18like to
20:18sort of
20:18shed some
20:19light on
20:19that part
20:20yeah
20:22so even
20:23the opening
20:24shot as I
20:25was saying
20:25in the
20:25beginning
20:26that if
20:27you look
20:27at how
20:27Nagurik
20:28opens
20:28of course
20:30he is
20:30very much
20:31influenced
20:32by the
20:32Russians
20:32so
20:33the
20:34focus
20:35is not
20:36something
20:36that he
20:37wants to
20:37stay with
20:38for very
20:39long
20:39he also
20:41wants to
20:42abruptly
20:42his
20:43you know
20:44his visual
20:44shots
20:45so he
20:46uses the
20:46panoramic
20:47shot
20:47he does
20:48a lot of
20:48horizontal
20:49panning
20:50the vertical
20:51pans
20:51which is
20:52to move
20:52the camera
20:53horizontally
20:53in order
20:54to create
20:55a kind
20:55of
20:55landscape
20:56a wide
20:57landscape
20:58to show
20:59it in a
21:00kind of
21:01extremely
21:02spacious
21:03spread out
21:04kind of
21:05a space
21:05and then
21:07what he
21:07does is
21:08he is
21:08able to
21:09immediately
21:09contrast it
21:11with a
21:12claustrophobic
21:13kind of
21:13a space
21:14so you
21:15enter into
21:15this very
21:16tight
21:16alleys
21:17very narrow
21:18alleys
21:19which are
21:19not very
21:20well lit
21:20dimly lit
21:21and even
21:23the texturing
21:24of the
21:24walls
21:25which he
21:25wants to
21:26keep on
21:26in focus
21:27which is
21:28the defocus
21:28technique
21:29is that
21:30it's always
21:30you'll always
21:31have the
21:31foreground
21:32the mid
21:32ground
21:32and the
21:33background
21:33and he
21:34creates
21:35this kind
21:35of a
21:35depth
21:36to show
21:36that these
21:37are actually
21:38spaces
21:38which are
21:39crammed
21:39there are
21:40too many
21:41people living
21:41there
21:42these are
21:43dilapidated
21:43buildings
21:44decryptate
21:45these are
21:46not the
21:47places
21:47which are
21:48you know
21:49looked at
21:50as representative
21:51of the big
21:51city
21:52now all
21:53the principal
21:54actors
21:54whether it's
21:55Nagrek
21:55or Megadhaka
21:56or you know
21:57you see the
21:57interior
21:58with the
21:59protagonist
21:59with that
22:01dim lighting
22:01and in a
22:02way he's
22:03using all
22:03the elements
22:04he's using
22:05sound
22:05he's using
22:06light
22:07he's using
22:07image
22:08image
22:09and the
22:10temporal
22:11part
22:11is the
22:11movement
22:12of the
22:12camera
22:13and the
22:13fact that
22:14he's able
22:14to distill
22:15all of
22:15this is
22:16as I said
22:16extraordinary
22:17again going
22:18back to
22:18the point
22:18about 1953
22:19why I'm
22:21emphasizing
22:2153 and
22:22I'm just
22:22changing
22:23gears here
22:24is that
22:25Ghatak's
22:26film remained
22:27you know
22:28literally
22:29it was
22:30canned
22:30and it was
22:31kept in
22:31deep dark
22:32storage because
22:33I think
22:33he was not
22:34able to
22:35find the
22:35necessary
22:36funding
22:36to be able
22:37to release
22:38the film
22:38and in
22:40a way
22:40Bengali
22:40cinema and
22:41Indian
22:42cinema were
22:42overtaken
22:43by
22:43Shachajit
22:44Ray
22:44in 1955
22:45you have
22:46Pothair
22:46and Ray
22:49is a great
22:49filmmaker in
22:50his own
22:50right in
22:51his own
22:51way he has
22:52his own
22:52standing but
22:53what happens
22:54and I'm just
22:54sharing this
22:55thought with
22:55you I'm
22:55thinking aloud
22:56as we
22:56speak that
22:57perhaps that
22:58trajectory from
22:59Pothair onwards
23:00Por Ghatak
23:02was one of
23:03what I would
23:04call as
23:04you know
23:05compounded
23:06failures for
23:07him personally
23:07meaning he
23:09does not
23:09get the
23:10commercial
23:10success
23:11the
23:12adulation
23:12as a
23:13filmmaker
23:13all of
23:14which is
23:15you know
23:16in a way
23:16showered on
23:17Shachajit Ray
23:18and of course
23:19his other
23:19contemporary is
23:20Mrinal Sen
23:20so that is
23:22the contrast
23:23and there is
23:24perhaps a
23:25popular and
23:25misleading kind
23:26of narrative
23:27that Ray
23:28and Ghatak
23:29had a lot
23:29of rivalry
23:30and you know
23:31things of that
23:32sort one has
23:32read about it
23:33but why I'm
23:34emphasizing this
23:36point is that
23:36recently in the
23:37last week in the
23:38run-up to the
23:38centenary
23:39Adur, Adur
23:40Gopalakrishnan
23:41celebrated
23:42filmmaker from
23:43Kerala
23:44Malyan
23:44filmmaker
23:45he had a
23:46very you know
23:47I would say
23:48thoughtful
23:49illuminative article
23:51about Ghatak
23:52who was the
23:53vice principal
23:53at the
23:54FTII
23:55the Film and
23:56Television
23:56Institute in
23:57Pune
23:57and he
23:58talked about
23:59how Mani
24:00Kaur and
24:00Kumar Shahani
24:01you know
24:02were considered
24:02to be the
24:02disciples
24:03and he
24:04Adur was
24:04perhaps a
24:05little shy
24:05and you
24:06know a
24:06little reserved
24:07he did
24:07not know
24:08him as
24:08well
24:08but what
24:10he imbibed
24:10from the
24:12teacher
24:12so you are
24:13now a
24:13young teacher
24:14in 2025
24:15so do you
24:16have any
24:16thoughts about
24:17Ghatak the
24:18teacher
24:18in the
24:20FTII
24:21I'm sure
24:24he was an
24:24eccentric
24:25teacher
24:25and as
24:27many people
24:27have accounted
24:28and they
24:29have written
24:30and they've
24:30spoken
24:30they've given
24:31interviews
24:32about their
24:33experiences of
24:34learning from
24:34Ghatak
24:35he was also
24:37a theorist
24:38Ghatak during
24:39his time
24:40not only made
24:42films but he
24:43also wrote
24:44extensively
24:44on cinema
24:45so he was a
24:46very very
24:47passionate
24:47you know
24:48theoretician
24:49in that sense
24:49and he had
24:50an academic
24:51bent of mind
24:52to look at
24:53cinema very
24:53seriously
24:54and actually
24:56this kind
24:58of you know
24:58these stories
24:59about Ray
25:00and Ghatak
25:00having rivalry
25:01is not entirely
25:02true
25:02because Ray
25:04himself publicly
25:05admired
25:07acknowledged
25:08and appreciated
25:09the writings
25:10of Ghatak
25:10and looked
25:12at him
25:13as a very
25:13serious
25:14filmmaker
25:15an erudite
25:16filmmaker
25:16an educated
25:17filmmaker
25:18who had
25:19a sensibility
25:21that was
25:21extremely
25:22global
25:22and cosmopolitan
25:23so this
25:24coming from
25:25Ray
25:25is actually
25:27very surprising
25:27because
25:28Ray
25:29during his
25:30time
25:30and very
25:31early on
25:32acknowledged
25:33the fact
25:33that Ghatak
25:34was a
25:35learned man
25:36but somehow
25:37that didn't
25:38really help
25:38Ghatak
25:39gain that
25:40kind of
25:40visibility
25:41or popularity
25:42and we
25:44also have
25:45to remember
25:46that a lot
25:46of Ghatak's
25:47films were
25:48not made
25:49with formal
25:50funding
25:50only his
25:51later films
25:52very last
25:54two or
25:54three films
25:55actually received
25:56proper funding
25:57rest of them
25:58were all made
25:59with very
25:59very little
26:00money
26:00that's the
26:01tragedy of
26:02Nagarek
26:02also that he
26:03didn't
26:03but here
26:04I just want
26:04to again
26:05pause you
26:05on two
26:05issues
26:06to bust
26:07two myths
26:08about Ghatak
26:08which I think
26:09in our conversation
26:10I hope those
26:11who watch it
26:11and Ghatak
26:12will be able
26:14to hoist
26:15this point
26:15number one
26:16which you have
26:17pointed out
26:17is very true
26:18the so-called
26:19rivalry
26:20between Ghatak
26:21and Ray
26:22was I think
26:23you know
26:23in a way
26:24embroidered
26:25for whatever
26:25reason
26:26because I
26:26found a
26:27very interesting
26:27quote
26:28where
26:29Sachajit Ray
26:30was very
26:32generous
26:32you know
26:33when Ghatak
26:33passed away
26:34tragically
26:34soon after
26:36he was 50
26:36in one of
26:38his sort of
26:38interviews
26:39or in an
26:39article he
26:40says about
26:41Ritwik Ghatak
26:41and his
26:42cinema
26:42and I'm
26:43reading this
26:44out
26:44Sachajit Ray
26:45says
26:45in his
26:47admiration
26:47for Ghatak
26:48quote
26:49as a
26:50creator
26:51of powerful
26:52images
26:53in an
26:54epic style
26:54he was
26:56virtually
26:56unrivaled
26:57in Indian
26:58cinema
26:58unquote
27:00this coming
27:01from
27:01Sachajit Ray
27:02I think
27:02is both
27:03testimony
27:03to Ghatak
27:04and to
27:04Ray
27:05the generosity
27:06and the
27:07greatness
27:07of a
27:08fellow
27:08professional
27:09that is
27:09one myth
27:10we should
27:10I think
27:11correct
27:11the other
27:12is about
27:13Ghatak
27:14and his
27:14alcoholism
27:15I thought
27:16we should
27:16dwell on
27:17that also
27:17because there
27:18is of course
27:18he was very
27:20fond of
27:20alcohol
27:20he was
27:21considered to
27:22have drifted
27:23towards the
27:23extreme
27:23towards the
27:24last stages
27:24of life
27:25but there
27:26is a
27:26professional
27:27element
27:27which again
27:28Adur has
27:28pointed out
27:29in his
27:29article
27:29that when
27:31it came
27:31to his
27:32work as
27:32a teacher
27:33in Puna
27:34he took
27:35his
27:36responsibility
27:36very seriously
27:37yes he
27:38was eccentric
27:39he conducted
27:40many other
27:40classes
27:41under the
27:43famous tree
27:44in the
27:44FCI
27:44those of
27:45you who
27:45have gone
27:45to Puna
27:46know about
27:46it
27:46but he
27:48never came
27:48to class
27:49in an
27:49inebriated
27:50manner
27:50it's different
27:51that he
27:51may have
27:52had a
27:52drink later
27:53but when
27:54he was
27:54at work
27:54he took
27:55his job
27:55as a
27:56teacher
27:56very seriously
27:57and I
27:58thought that
27:58this is
27:58something that
27:59we should
27:59also note
28:00about
28:01Ghatak
28:02but again
28:04I should
28:05not you
28:05know go
28:06into those
28:07areas I
28:07want you
28:08to perhaps
28:09share your
28:09thoughts about
28:10Ghatak
28:10from the
28:13regional
28:13perspective
28:14meaning that
28:14you are
28:15from Bengal
28:15you know
28:16the language
28:17you know
28:17the culture
28:18you know
28:19you know
28:19the ethos
28:20and you are
28:21a film
28:21person in
28:21your own
28:22way as
28:22a scholar
28:22so if
28:25you were
28:25to introduce
28:27or describe
28:28Ritwik Ghatak
28:29to a younger
28:30generation
28:30his 100
28:32years
28:32his birth
28:33centenary
28:34how would
28:35you both
28:36as a
28:37film scholar
28:37and as a
28:38teacher now
28:39at the
28:40Jamia
28:40maybe
28:40introduce
28:43Ritwik Ghatak
28:44to your
28:45students and
28:46how would you
28:46describe it
28:46perhaps even
28:47in Bengali
28:48you know
28:48it might be
28:48interesting to
28:49see sometimes
28:50language you
28:51know enables
28:52a certain
28:52thought process
28:53as Ghatak
28:53himself would
28:54often say
28:54that there are
28:55some things
28:56said in
28:56Bengali that
28:57you cannot
28:58quite translate
28:59that's true
29:00usually what
29:05I do is
29:06it's difficult
29:06it's difficult
29:07to introduce
29:08Ghatak
29:08Ray is
29:10very well
29:10accepted
29:11because there
29:12is already
29:12some amount
29:13of familiarity
29:14about Ray
29:15or he's
29:16looked up to
29:16as this kind
29:17of you know
29:17larger than
29:18life figure
29:18as an
29:20auteur
29:20but Ghatak
29:21is someone
29:22who is
29:23increasingly
29:24becoming more
29:25and more
29:25difficult
29:25with more
29:26you know
29:27younger people
29:27coming in
29:28because they're
29:29more and more
29:31distant from
29:32the you know
29:33from the kind
29:33of past
29:35of our
29:36partition
29:36our independence
29:37and so on
29:38so what I do
29:40is that
29:41when I'm
29:42talking about
29:43different trends
29:44in world
29:44cinema
29:46and the 60s
29:48and 70s
29:48actually witness
29:49a lot of
29:50film movements
29:51happening and
29:52emerging in
29:53different parts
29:53of the world
29:54so I
29:55actually
29:56introduced
29:56them first
29:57to Italian
29:57Neuralism
29:58I do
29:59Indian New
30:00Wave
30:00I do
30:01you know
30:01third cinema
30:02from Latin
30:03America
30:03and then
30:05I introduce
30:06Ghatak as
30:07this maveric
30:07figure
30:08but also
30:08as this
30:09kind of
30:09a
30:09Bidrohi
30:10figure
30:11Bidrohi
30:11is the word
30:12that I would
30:13like to use
30:13for him
30:14which means
30:15the closest
30:16translation
30:16of Bidrohi
30:17is rebel
30:19Bidrohi
30:20in Bengal
30:21is rebel
30:21oh very
30:22interesting
30:23okay
30:23yeah
30:24because we
30:25have had
30:26a figure
30:26who's
30:27recognized
30:28formally
30:29as a
30:30Bidrohi
30:31Kobi
30:31Bidrohi
30:32Kobi
30:32means the
30:32rebel
30:33poet
30:33and that
30:34is the
30:35descriptive
30:36qualifying
30:38term used
30:39for Kaji
30:39Nazrul
30:40Islam
30:40because he
30:41was so
30:42invested
30:42in this
30:43idea
30:44of
30:44secular
30:45secularism
30:47he was
30:48interested
30:48in the
30:48idea of
30:49rebelling
30:49against the
30:50British
30:50colonialism
30:51and also
30:52religious
30:52orthodoxy
30:53so in
30:54a lot
30:55of his
30:55writings
30:56which are
30:56also
30:56extremely
30:57lyrical
30:58poetic
30:58you see
31:00this
31:00flavor
31:01of
31:01rebelling
31:02against
31:03all kinds
31:03of
31:03fundamentalism
31:05all kinds
31:06of
31:06conservatism
31:07and
31:07all kinds
31:09of
31:09oppression
31:10so
31:11Kaji
31:11Nazrul
31:12Islam
31:12is
31:12known
31:13as
31:13the
31:13Bidrohi
31:14Kobi
31:14the
31:15poet
31:15but I
31:16feel
31:16if you
31:17have to
31:17use
31:18that
31:18word
31:19to
31:19describe
31:20a
31:20filmmaker
31:20it's
31:22Ghatak
31:22Ghatak
31:23actually
31:24really
31:24epitomizes
31:27I don't
31:30speak
31:30Bengali
31:30but if
31:31I can
31:31use
31:31the
31:31word
31:31I think
31:32that's
31:32a great
31:33point
31:33the
31:34introduction
31:35of
31:35Bidrohi
31:36to
31:36use
31:38one
31:38word
31:38for
31:39Ritwik
31:39Ghatak
31:40and I
31:40think
31:40the
31:41comparison
31:42with
31:43Madhul
31:45Islam
31:45the
31:46poet
31:46is also
31:48very
31:49very
31:49I think
31:49something
31:51that needs
31:52to be
31:52explored
31:52because
31:53Bengal
31:53had
31:55produced
31:56so many
31:56rebels
31:57both
31:58as far
31:59as
31:59illustrious
31:59men
32:00and
32:00women
32:00of
32:01Bengal
32:01are
32:02concerned
32:02and we
32:03are
32:03looking
32:03at
32:03a
32:03hundred
32:04year
32:04span
32:04so
32:05apart
32:05from
32:05Gurudev
32:06you
32:06have
32:07so
32:07many
32:07people
32:07I
32:08think
32:08the
32:08whole
32:08ferment
32:09that
32:10is
32:10so
32:10associated
32:11with
32:11Bengal
32:12and
32:12its
32:12creativity
32:13but
32:14on
32:14that
32:14note
32:15Dr.
32:15Nag
32:15I
32:15want
32:15to
32:16thank
32:16you
32:16very
32:16much
32:16you
32:17know
32:17for
32:17sharing
32:18your
32:19thoughts
32:19about
32:19Ritwik
32:20Ghatak
32:20and
32:20a
32:22very
32:22complex
32:22personality
32:23and
32:24a
32:24very
32:25tragic
32:26personality
32:26but
32:27I
32:28think
32:28the
32:28birth
32:28centenary
32:29is
32:29a
32:30very
32:30apt
32:31moment
32:31for
32:32a
32:32new
32:33generation
32:33to
32:34become
32:35more
32:35aware
32:36you
32:37know
32:37I
32:37think
32:37there
32:38was
32:38a
32:38gem
32:38that
32:39had
32:40remained
32:40hidden
32:40for
32:42most
32:43of
32:43his
32:43life
32:43and
32:45whatever
32:45recognition
32:46that
32:46you
32:47find
32:47comes
32:47only
32:48after
32:48he
32:48passed
32:49away
32:49and
32:50we
32:50must
32:50again
32:50I
32:51think
32:51place
32:51on
32:51record
32:52the
32:52fact
32:52that
32:52there
32:52were
32:53a few
32:53film
32:53scholars
32:54and
32:54critics
32:54abroad
32:55who
32:56were
32:56able
32:57to
32:57access
32:58his
32:58films
32:58and
32:59see
32:59it
32:59and
33:00I
33:00do
33:00recall
33:01that
33:01I
33:01think
33:01it
33:01was
33:012010
33:02or
33:0211
33:02in
33:03Paris
33:03the
33:04bibliothic
33:05had
33:05a
33:05retrospective
33:06and
33:07I
33:07was
33:07reading
33:08something
33:08about
33:09that
33:09and
33:10again
33:10you
33:10forgive
33:10me
33:11if
33:11I
33:11don't
33:11remember
33:11the
33:12name
33:12of
33:12the
33:12critic
33:12but
33:13one
33:14of
33:14the
33:14introductions
33:15to
33:15Ghatak's
33:16work
33:16talks
33:17about
33:17the
33:17fact
33:17that
33:18he
33:19was
33:19a
33:19man
33:19in
33:20a
33:20short
33:20span
33:20from
33:21the
33:21age
33:2228
33:22to
33:22about
33:23maybe
33:2348
33:2320
33:24years
33:24he
33:25makes
33:25just
33:258
33:26films
33:268
33:27feature
33:28films
33:28the
33:29first
33:30is
33:30that
33:30wasn't
33:31shown
33:31and
33:31then
33:32from
33:32Ajantra
33:32onwards
33:32you
33:33have
33:33the
33:33other
33:337
33:33and
33:34his
33:34last
33:35film
33:35is
33:35that
33:35suicidal
33:36film
33:36Jukti
33:37where
33:39again
33:40what I've
33:41read is
33:41that
33:41he
33:42crashes
33:43into
33:43the
33:43camera
33:43because
33:44he's
33:44playing
33:44himself
33:45and
33:46that
33:46is
33:46a
33:47great
33:47tragic
33:48grand
33:48finale
33:49and
33:49the
33:50introduction
33:50says
33:51that
33:51though
33:51this
33:52unknown
33:53forgotten
33:55filmmaker
33:55Ritwik
33:56Ghatak
33:56made
33:56only
33:578
33:57films
33:58each
33:59was
33:59a
33:59masterpiece
34:00I
34:01mean
34:01that's
34:01a rare
34:02tribute
34:02coming
34:02from
34:03a
34:03western
34:03perspective
34:04but I
34:05thought
34:06that
34:06this
34:06is
34:06the
34:06moment
34:06for
34:07all
34:07of
34:07us
34:07to
34:07salute
34:08the
34:08memory
34:09of
34:10Ritwik
34:10Ghatak
34:10and I
34:11hope
34:11that in
34:12the
34:12course
34:12of
34:12this
34:12year
34:12there
34:13will
34:13be
34:13greater
34:13awareness
34:14about
34:15his
34:15contribution
34:16to
34:16Indian
34:17cinema
34:17Dr.
34:18Nath
34:19thank you
34:19very much
34:20for being
34:20part of
34:21this
34:21conversation
34:21thank you
34:22absolute
34:23pleasure
34:23thank you
34:24thank you
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