6 films based on Samaresh’s works to watch

Prolific writer Samaresh Majumder who died on May 8, was an inspiration for film producers and directors. The popularity of the stories of Samaresh made the directors and producers to bring them on the silver screen instead of keeping confined between two covers.

Samaresh portrayed societal issues and human emotions in his works in a realistic manner. His books have inspired critically acclaimed movies and television shows. From the Naxal movement in ‘Kalbela’ to the character of detective Arjun in ‘Buno Haansh’, his works have taken the Bengali literary and cinematic world to a new height. Let’s explore some of the most memorable films and dramas based on Samaresh Majumdar’s novels.

Kaalbela

Directed by Goutam Ghose the film ‘Kaalbela’ was released on May 19, 2009. This film features Parambrata Chatterjee, Paoli Dam, Soumitra Chatterjee and Santu Mukherjee in main roles. The cast also includes, Santu Mukherjee, Rudranil Ghosh, Bratya Basu, Anandi Ghose, and others.

The story, which is based on a novel by Samaresh of the same name, revolves around the disillusionment of young Bengali students who take up the cause of revolution, only to be left with unanswered questions regarding the conduct of those who change their tracks midway.

The story is set against the backdrop of the political unrest in Kolkata during the 1960s, where we see Madhabilata fighting against societal norms as an unwed mother, while Animesh questions the ideology he once fought for. The film highlights the struggles faced by these young revolutionaries and the impact it has on their lives.

Buno Haansh

Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury the film ‘Buno Haansh’ was released on 2014.

The main theme centres on Amal, who gets deeply involved in smuggling and eventually realises that he is a part of a dangerous game. The film casts, Dev, Srabanti Chatterjee, Tanusree Chakraborty and Moon Moon Sen in important roles.

Buno Haansh’ was produced by Bhushan Kumar and Arindam Sil served as the executive producer. The film was shot in various locations, including Mumbai, Bangladesh, and Thailand.

Arjun – Kalimpong E Sitaharan

Bengali thriller film ‘Arjun - Kalimpong E Sitaharan’, directed by Prem Prakash Modi was released in 2013. The movie starred Om Prakash Sahani and Sabyasachi Chakraborty as the lead actors.

Arjun is a famous Bengali fictional character created by the renowned novelist Samaresh Majumdar, primarily for a young audience. The film is based upon two early novels from the Arjun series, ‘Khun Kharapi’ and ‘Sitaharan Rahasya’.

The film revolves around Sita is a teenager, who is on the verge of adulthood. She was born and brought up in the US and has been brought to Kalimpong as a preventive step of her father, who wants to keep her away from her boyfriend, whom he thinks to be a bad influence for her. She is looked after by her caretaker Neelam. Her father is afraid of an attack from goons who think that the master plan of a monastery is hidden somewhere in his house. But later on, matters get serious and deep because everyone seems to be involved in a kind of conspiracy and treachery.

Jaalbandi

‘Jaalbandi’ is a Bengali film directed by Pijush Saha, released in 2022. It is based on Samaresh’s novel ‘Jaalbandi’.

The film features Prince Prachurya in his Tollywood debut. Alongside, Payel Sarkar, June Malia, Darshana Banik, Pampi Saha, Dipankar De, and Kharaj Mukherjee also play important roles. The story portrays a character Anish, played by Prince Prachurya, who gets embroiled in a complex web of love. The film has three songs. The song ‘Piya Jaago’ sung by Ishan Mitra being the most popular one.

Dour

Directed by Shankar Bhattacharya and written by Samaresh Majumdar the film ‘Dour’ was released in 1979 film.

The film stars Anil Chatterjee, Mahua Raychowdhury, and Bikash Roy in the lead roles. Sudhin Dasgupta composed the music of the film.

The film revolves around a girl named Rima, who becomes a victim of the age-old patriarchal system prevalent in Indian society. Her life takes a tragic turn when she is forced into an arranged marriage with a man who is much older than her. The film deals with the themes of social injustice, gender discrimination, and women empowerment.

Ei Ami Renu

‘Ei Ami Renu’’ is a Bengali movie based on the novel of the same name by Samaresh Majumdar. Directed by Saumen Sur, the film takes place in old Kolkata and stars Sohini Sarkar, Gaurav Chakrabarty, Soham Chakraborty, Koushik Ganguly, Anindya Chatterjee, and Alivia Sarkar in the key roles.

The story revolves around Sumit and Renu, who are supposed to get married but Renu doesn’t show up at the wedding. Later, Sumit finds out that Renu has married Barun under family pressure.

The film was released on, 2021, and features music and lyrics by Rana Mazumder, including tracks like ‘Chup Kore Tui’, ‘Besh Toh’, ‘Chol Choley Jaai’, and ‘Renu Title Track’. The film received mixed reviews from the audience and critics.