Filmmakers reflect on Mrinal Sen’s cinematic portrayal of reality

Renowned Bengali filmmaker Mrinal Sen’s unparalleled ability to depict the reality of his time through his films was celebrated and discussed by filmmakers and critics during a seminar titled ‘Decolonisation of Modernity and Mrinal Sen’s Cinema’. The seminar took place on the closing day of a six-day programme (May 19), Mrinal Sen Retrospective, organised to observe the birth centenary of the legendary filmmaker.

The Chalachitram Film Society and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy jointly organised the five-day event, held from May 14-19 at the National Art Gallery of the academy. Mahmudul Hussain Dulal presented the keynote paper at the seminar, where Moinuddin Khaled, Nasir Ali Mamun, and Zakir Hossain Raju attended as discussants. The session was presided over by filmmaker Morshedul Islam, convener of Chalachitram Film Society.

During the seminar, Mahmudul Hussain Dulal highlighted the significance of Mrinal Sen’s contribution to decolonizing Indian cinema alongside Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak. He emphasised that Sen’s films focused on society and politics, with characters navigating through social and political situations. According to Dulal, socio-political contexts took precedence over the characters themselves in Sen’s works. He also noted the experimental nature of Sen’s films, influenced by various cinematic movements like Italian neorealism, French New Wave, Gaarder’s political modernism, and the Cinema Novo movement in Latin America.

Zakir Hossain Raju emphasised Mrinal Sen’s exploration of the middle-class crisis and his ability to authentically depict the reality of his era through his films. Raju remarked that although Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak are often discussed as influential Bengali filmmakers, Mrinal Sen deserves more recognition for his contributions.

In addition to the seminar, the closing day of the Mrinal Sen Retrospective featured screenings of three of Sen’s films and a documentary on his life and work. The event served as a fitting tribute to the legendary filmmaker and showcased his immense impact on Bengali cinema.