Top 10 Bengali Films By The Director Ritwik Ghatak

Ritwik Ghatak Ritwik Ghatak was born in Dhakka, East Bengal now >> Read More... was born on 4 November 1925 in Dhaka, East Bengal. He was a film producer and director. He moves to Calcutta as a refugee with his family. He wrote several plays and became associated with the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA). Here is the list of Bengali films directed by him.

1. Komal Gandhar

The film Komal Gandhar is about Rabindranath Tagore's poetry. It shows as the inspiration for the movie's title, E- flat. The music is essential because Rithwik Ghatak's different style shows topics about the partition of Bengal, idealism, corruption, the relationship between the arts and the world of work, and class conflict during that time. As the main character, Vrigu and Anusua, are lovers. They are reunited. The film shows their life during colonial rule.

2. Meghe Dhaka Tara Meghe Dhaka Tara is a female-centric Bengali drama >> Read More...

The film Meghe Dhaka Tara is about Nita. She is an East Pakistani girl. She lives with her family on the outskirts of Calcutta. She is selfless. She is unable to work because of her father's accident. Now her older brother Shankar is sure that he should be good at his singing before he can earn any money. Personal incidents occur in Nita's life, such as her lover Sanat leaving her for Geeta and her younger brother getting hurt. Then she develops tuberculosis. The only person who cares about her is her brother. He is not there because he went out to make his career. He is a singer now. She shouts out in pain at the end of the story. She falls into her brother's arms and says, "Brother, I want to survive."

3. Chinnamul

The film Chinnamul is based on a true story by Swarnakamal Bhattacharya. It shows the physical suffering and hardship of Bengal's partition. Also, it shows the problems of the arrival of East Pakistani refugees into West Bengal in India. The story starts in an East Bengali village where Muslims and Hindus live together. Husband and wife, Govinda and Sumati, are forced to flee their village. They become exiles. Together with the millions of other migrants living in the big city, they suffer extreme pain. Now they are forced to live in temporary shelters near the Sealdah train station.

4. Subarnarekha

The film Subarnarekha is about the Hindu immigrant Ishwar Chakraborty. They relocate to West Bengal to start a new life. They find a low-caste woman and her son Abhiram. They have been sent to Jhargram for study. Ishwar works as a manager and a writer. But he also falls for Sita. They are staying in Calcutta. Then Abhiram becomes a bus driver. Ishwar changes into a broken man and finds Binu. He is Sita's son. He was working as a manager. But because of his honesty and legal troubles, he is fired. The film ends with the two approaching the quarter along the Subarnarekha River after he finds Binu.

5. A River Called Titas

The film A River Called Titas is about an incident by the river. Kishore is a fisherman. He visits a nearby village. Accidentally, he gets married to a young girl, Rajar Jhi in that village. The next day, after their marriage, the bride is kidnapped. Now Kishore is in grief. He loses his mind and becomes mad. On the other side, Jhi fights with her kidnappers. They are the bandits. She jumps into the river. Some villagers save her. But she does not know anything about her husband. She does not even know his name. She only remembers his village. After a decade, she tries to find her husband with their son. Basanti saves them. She is a young widow. She was her husband’s childhood lover.

6. Ajantrik

The film Ajantrik is about the life of a taxi driver. It is also known as The Unmechanical, The Pathetic Fallacy, and The Mechanical Man. This film is adapted from a story written by Subodh Ghosh of the same name. It was released in 1958Bimal is a taxi driver. He lives alone and drives in a small town. His taxi is an old Chevrolet jalopy. He named it Jagaddal. His taxi is his only friend. It is the apple of his eye. The film shows a few incidents from his life. In the industrial wastelands, he delivers people from one place to another.

7. Bari Theke Paliye

The film Bari Theke Paliye means Runaway. Kanchan is an eight-year-old boy. He lives in a village. He is very mischievous. His father is oppressive. He keeps his mother imprisoned. He wants to go to Kolkata. It is his dream and El Dorado. It means the golden city. He reaches there. But the reality is different. He notices honesty and dishonesty, love and hate. He meets Mini and her family. She is a small girl. He also meets folk singers, Hawkers, magicians, thieves, and many more. He experiences tough survival. Now when he becomes mature, he understands that his father is not a bad person. He is the victim of poverty.

8. Nagarik

The film Nagarik is about the struggles of a common man. Ramu is a recent graduate. He is finding a job. Their family was once in good condition. But now they are regressing. Uma is his lover. She lives with her sister, Shephali, and her mother. Jatin is a poor man living in her locality. Sagar is a chemist. He lives as a paying guest at Ramu’s mother’s. Ramu is not getting a job. Now they must move to the slums because they cannot meet their ends. But Uma says that she can help. This film shows the importance of hope and renewal.

9. Amar Lenin

Amar Lenin is a documentary film. It was released in 1970. It was made for the Government of West Bengal in the year 1970 to mark a century after the birth of Vladimir Lenin. It was produced by Sumana Films. It is based on the opinion of the director, Ritwik Ghatak of Lenin, and communism. The film was initially banned by the National Film Censorship Board of India. He met personally with Indira Gandhi on this matter.

10. Madhumati

The film Madhumati is a love story. Devendra and his friends were driving down the hills to take his wife and child from a rail station. A landslide occurs. They are waiting in a mansion. He has flashbacks of another life when he sees an old portrait. Then he gathers everyone to tell his story. Then he s about his lover Madhumati. It is a paranormal story. They experience paranormal activities.