Tag: Bengali cinema

Eskay Movies unveils teasers for 18 Bengali films at 18onScreen event

Mumbai: On November 11, 2024, Eskay Movies made history by revealing teasers and posters for 18 upcoming Bengali films at 18onScreen, hosted at Taj Bengal, Kolkata. This grand showcase, emceed by the dynamic Mir Afsar Ali, was a first for the Indian film industry, spotlighting the largest simultaneous film reveal by a single production house. The event attracted top industry figures, including actors, directors, journalists, distributors, and exhibitors, giving them an exclusive preview of the slate.

Eskay’s ambitious lineup spans multiple genres, including drama, romance, comedy, thrillers, psychological horror, family stories, detective fiction, supernatural, fantasy, and mystery. This diverse selection features celebrated talents like Shakib Khan, Ankush Hazra, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Raima Sen, and Ishaa Saha, among others. Esteemed directors such as Kamaleswar Mukherjee, Joydeep Mukherjee, and Moinak Bhowmik are set to helm these projects, promising a mix of fresh perspectives and cinematic expertise.

The musical scores for these films are crafted by distinguished composers, including Anupam Roy and Debajyoti Mishra, with performances from iconic singers like Javed Ali, Monali Thakur, and Usha Uthup. Collectively, 67 songs will enhance these films, further enriching the cinematic experience for audiences.

With a storied 35-year history and a catalogue exceeding 300 films and 1,000 music albums, Eskay Movies has significantly influenced Bengali cinema. The company’s contributions extend beyond film production to supporting the launch of major TV channels like Star Jalsha and Zee Bangla Cinema. Eskay is also a leader in digital cinema, operating over 80 theatres and amassing a strong digital following, including 6.5M+ YouTube subscribers and 15M+ Facebook followers.

Eskay Movies managing director, Himanshu Dhanuka emphasised the importance of this milestone: “Presenting this line-up of 18 films underscores our unwavering commitment to Bengali cinema and our audiences, marking a ground-breaking milestone for the industry. Achieving this has taken tremendous effort, and we are incredibly proud of the result. Featuring a star-studded cast and an array of genres, this slate is crafted to engage a wide audience with heartfelt, resonant stories. Each film is a valuable intellectual property that forms a legacy we are committed to preserving. We will continue to push boundaries in content creation and deliver compelling stories for years to come.

Eskay Movies founder & chairman, Ashok Dhanuka reflected on the company’s journey: “For me, the film industry is a place which has given me all. Starting from a very humble background, to be able to serve the business of Cinema as a producer, to a technical and equipment collaborator to Cinema Hall ownership, it has been an outstanding journey. And now, we want to spread our wings even further and today’s evening is a step in that direction.”

November 12, 2024
Warner Music Group scores with ‘Avijatrik – The Wanderlust Of Apu’

Mumbai: Warner Music Group India has made its first Bengali acquisition by acquiring worldwide sales and distribution rights of the much-awaited film, “Avijatrik – The Wanderlust Of Apu.” The film is produced by Gaurang Films & Bhandarkar Entertainment and co-presented by NCKS Explorations.

“Avijatrik” is a unique film with a rich legacy & soulful music, with the enduring and endearing character of ‘Apu’ is all set to return after 60 years to the big screens on 3 December. It is a sequel to the classic “Apu Trilogy,” directed by Satyajit Ray & BG score by Pt Ravi Shankar.

The plot takes off from where “The Apu Trilogy” had ended in 1959 with “Apur Sansar.” The story revolves around a sublime bond between a father (Apu) and his six-year-old son (Kajol). The film has explored a beautiful tapestry of pure interpersonal relationships to recreate the magic of Apu– sharing adventures with his beloved son, Kajol and is directed by Subhrajit Mitra. “Avijatrik” has been shot in B&W with an ensemble of experienced cast and crew at 68 locations to retain the rich aesthetic flavour that compliments its backdrop of 1940’s India. It stars Arjun Chakrabarty (as Apu), Ditipriya Roy, Arpita Chatterjee, and Sabyasachi Chakrabarty in key roles.

The music of this film is by the internationally acclaimed exponent of the Indian classical genre Pt Bickram Ghosh and the title track is a variation by Anoushka Shankar, of her father Pt Ravi Shankar’s iconic “Pather Panchali” theme. “I am happy to be a part of Avijatrik as a small tribute to my father,” commented Anoushka.

The film has traveled to 32 film festivals worldwide, garnering multiple accolades. Pt Bickram Ghosh has already received two awards for Best Music for his beautiful compositions & BG score at the Montreal Independent Film Festival, Canada, and Caleidoscope Indian Film Festival of Boston USA. “The music of Avijatrik is very special for me, as is the validation of it by Chinamma (Smt Sukaya Shankar Ji). The plan was to bring back traditional instruments, the soundscape of the ’40s, the best of the raga culture, and folk music. I am honoured that I got this project and feel grateful for the awards,” said Pt Bickram Ghosh.

The trailer of Avijatrik is also creating waves and has already had nearly 800,000 views so far.

Speaking about this alliance with WMI, producer Gaurang Jalan stated, “Team Avijatrik is delighted with this association and hopes that music of this film will travel far and wide with their global experience& leadership.”

Co-presenter Madhur Bhandarkar added, “We are delighted with the association with WMI &there would be no better reward than the music of this film reigniting the love for Indian classical music, globally!”

November 9, 2021
Bengali film viewing has dropped: CII & IMRB report

KOLKATA: Majority of Bengali film viewers in Kolkata have not been in theatres in the last one year to watch a Bengali film, despite proliferation of multiplexes. However, it is interesting to note that in the districts, around two thirds have visited movie theaters to catch a Bengali film, but the frequency of visits are quite low, not even three films in a year, reveals a report ‘Bengal Bioscope: A Big Picture Outlook for Sustainable Growth’ launched jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and IMRB.

The report further reveals that around 30 per cent of Bengali cinema viewers do not contemplate watching a Bengali film in a hall in near future and an additional 10 per cent have stopped watching Bengali films on big screens in the last one year.

This is further corroborated by IMRB’s primary survey of 35 single screen theatres across Kolkata and West Bengal revealing 30 per cent occupancy on weekends and around 20 per cent on weekdays.

The tastes and preference of viewers in Kolkata and rest of Bengal are quite different which is echoed by only handful of releases successfully straddling both geographies.
While original engaging content, a larger pool of good actors and directors and better in hall experience can drive Bengalis back to cinema halls.

The report was launched at CII Big Picture Summit – Vision Bengal, 2014 on 12 December. The CII has partnered with IMRB International to conduct a study on Bengali film industry that focuses on understanding the emerging business models, importance of internet and innovative viewer engagement methods that are vital for the growth of the industry.

As a part of this project, IMRB conducted a first of its kind consumer survey across eight districts in urban West Bengal to learn the changing nature of film viewership and the general perception of Bengali films among its target audience. In addition to the consumer survey, a series of interviews were conducted to understand the trade insights of the film industry through in depth interactions with producers, actors, directors, distributors, exhibitors and broadcasters of Bengali cinema, it is further learnt.

“With the increasing investment in infrastructure and production as well as growing consumer interest in regional cinema, we see a very bright future for Bengali film industry which has always been a flag bearer of creative excellence. The study encompasses the key constituents of the industry – producers, creative artists, distributors- as well the opinions of consumers who decide the fate of the creative products,” said IMRB International SVP media & retail Hemant Mehta.

CII director General Chandrajit Banerjee said, “CII’s vision is to take the Indian Media and Entertainment sector towards achieving $100 billion by the year 2020. We expect that this growth will also come from regional media and entertainment markets across India.”

“Regional is the new national and it fits well for the media and entertainment sector. Bengali Cinema has an enviable past and it continues to be one of the most vibrant regional film industries in the country,” Banerjee concluded.

December 13, 2014
Vivel Filmfare Awards 2013 comes to the East

KOLKATA: The Black Lady is the dream of many in the Indian film industry. For years, she has been the epitome of good talent in cinema. Now, the people belonging to the Eastern region will have an opportunity to own the Black Lady – the Filmfare Award. The first Vivel Filmfare Awards 2013 for the eastern region was announced in Kolkata with an aim to recognise the cinematic excellence in the Bengali, Oriya and Assamese films.

Renowned Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee along with ITC Limited chief executive, personal care products business Sandeep Kaul and Worldwide Media, the publishers of Filmfare Magazine in Kolkata, chief executive officer Tarun Rai unveiled the iconic Black Lady on Saturday.

“The Black Lady took 60 years to come to eastern region. We are working hard to finalise the list. Starting from the announcement with a press conference, we shall undertake 360 degree media campaigns including Times of India brand to promote the event,” said Rai.

“This is the first year of Vivel Filmfare Awards in the east. We feel that we should have been here sooner. For long, we have wanted to come here since Bengali cinema has contributed immensely to Indian and world cinema,” said Rai.

The emphasis during the announcement was on the importance of stalwarts that the eastern region has produced. It has been the cradle of Indian cinema with stalwarts like Bimal Roy, Satyajit Ray, Kishore Kumar, RD Burman among others who have created celluloid history with national and international acclaim. Last year itself Bengal made more than 100 movies. The awards are a way to recognise the growing talent of the region. There would be around 21 categories in Bengali awards category. While for Oriya and Assamese, there would be four categories each.

“The 29 awards that will be handed over in various categories include 21 trophies for Bengali movies and four each for Oriya and Assamese films respectively,” said Rai.

In the Assamese and Oriya segments, the four awards including Popular, Technical, Debut and Critics will be given to the four popular categories only.

Prosenjit Chatterjee said though eastern region produced greatest of the talents in the film industry “we were away and not looked upon.”

“Bengali cinema has crossed the golden era,” added Chatterjee.

Filmfare Awards, established in the year 1953, may look at awarding the Bhojpuri and Bangladeshi films too in the time to come.

However, for the time being the Black Lady is set to enter the eastern region film industry on 29 March.

March 10, 2014