Ace film-maker continues to self explore

Kolkata, Sep 11 (PTI) Internationally acclaimed filmmaker
Buddhadev Dasgupta is set to direct his new film which is
inspired by his chance visit to a village school where he had
studied.

Despite two of his last films - 'Swapner Din' and 'Ami
Yasin Ar Amar Madhubala' - not being commercially released
yet, the director launched his new film driven by the desire
to tell the story that he chanced upon when he visited his
alma mater.

Named 'Janla' (window), the film, which Dasgupta chooses
to call as an extension of his inner self centres around a
person whose memories of student days revolve around a window
of a classroom that opens out on the outer world and his
feelings.

"It is the story of a man wishing to donate a window in
place of the dilapidated one in his school building. It is a
tale about a reality which merges with the mist of magic,"
Dasgupta told PTI on the eve of the commencement of shooting
for the film this week.

The film, which Dasgupta promised would be stylistically
different from his previous works, is about the voyage of the
man, who donated the window, to future and a host of events
that follow from its landing at the hands of a thief to being
the object for sale at a village fair. The window thus becomes
a chronicler of time.

"I have been struck by the idea ever since I visited my
village school building sometime back. And when I began
penning my thought the script emerged till it took the final
shape," Dasgupta said.

The filmmaker, however, will not term his 'Janla'
(window) as a metaphor in the film.

"I did not want to construct images in that way. It is
for the viewer to find out. At first glance, you follow the
story line. Once the images get on you, you may interpret in
your own way and find the journey of the window and the male
protagonist an extension of reality," Dasgupta explained.

The film has all new faces with the role of the
protagonist being played by Indraneel Sengupta, an
Ahmedabad-based Bengali actor. Sahana (Sen) plays a trapeze
artiste who also comes in contact with the male lead and the
window.

"I love to work with newcomers," Dasgupta said when asked
why he settled for fresh faces.

The acclaimed director's 'Swapner Din' (Chased by Dream)
produced by Jhamu Sugand and centring around matinee idol
Prosenjit will be commercially released on September 19, a
long two years after completion and winning laurels in
festivals.

Dasgupta this time is confident that the same thing will
not happen with the new producer Reliance Big and hopes for a
February release.

The prominent films of Dasgupta, a recipient of the
Lifetime Achievement award at the Madrid film festival,
include 'Lal Darja', a film on lost innocence and dreams,
'Charachar', 'Bagh Bahadur', a story of a bazigar and his
flock, 'Kaalpurush', a story centring around memories of a
protagonist fading into mist, and others like 'Neem
Annapurna', 'Dooratwa' and 'Grihajuddha'.