Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
Bollywood

'Rituparno Ghosh's films dated, old-fashioned: Anjan Dutt

Darpan News Desk IANS, 04 Sep, 2014 06:40 AM
  • 'Rituparno Ghosh's films dated, old-fashioned: Anjan Dutt
Popular Bengali singer-songwriter Anjan Dutt, who starred in Rituparno Ghosh's "Chitrangada", said though the maestro's films "boldly portrayed" the alternative gender for the first time in Indian cinema, he found his work "dated" and "old-fashioned".
 
Maker of several acclaimed and award winning films, Ghosh died May 30, last year, following a heart attack.
 
At an event organised by the Weavers Studio Centre For the Arts Wednesday in commemoration of Ghosh's 52nd birth anniversary Aug 31, Dutt, also a well known director and actor, criticised the late filmmaker for not breaking away from structured women-centric cinema.
 
"Though Rituparno's films were shown to be instrumental in bringing back the bulk of middle class audience to the theatre in mid-1990s, I personally found his films dated and old-fashioned compared to those of Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Aparna Sen or early Goutam Ghose.
 
"He never managed to break away from the structured and thematic tradition of so-called women-centric cinema which were made well before him. He was a definitely well read and intelligent man but hugely overrated by the media," Dutt said.
 
Though Dutt remarked that the "bulk of Ghosh's work never challenged or provoked" him, he lauded the late filmmaker's films centred on the other sex as "rebellious chapter of Bengali cinema."
 
Some of the critically acclaimed films of the National Film Award winning director include "Raincoat", "Antar Mahal", "Shob Choritro Kalponik" and "Chokher Bali". 
 
The versatile genius acted in films like "Chitrangada", "Arekti Premer Golpo" and "Memories in March."
 
"I was not only astonished at his unabashed performance but the sheer facet that this man has managed to come out of the closet," Dutt said about "Arekti Premer Galpo".
 
"His cinema was a rebellious chapter in Bengali cinema. For the first time in Indian cinema the other or alternative sex found bold portrayal.
 
"In an otherwise extremely repressed sexual environment that is India here was a filmmaker very decidedly fronting his transsexual self and discussing gay issues and he was doing it with such grace and sensitivity that you had no choice but to respect these movies. Never for once these films verged into sentimentalism or sensationalism," he said.

MORE Bollywood ARTICLES

It's all about trust: Vikram Bhatt on directing Bipasha

It's all about trust: Vikram Bhatt on directing Bipasha
Bipasha Basu's career wasn't going great guns when Vikram Bhatt cast her for his new movie "Creature 3D". But the director, who has earlier worked with her on...

It's all about trust: Vikram Bhatt on directing Bipasha

Varun Dhawan-starrer 'Badlapur' to release Feb 20, 2015

Varun Dhawan-starrer 'Badlapur' to release Feb 20, 2015
"Badlapur", a 'twisted entertainer' starring Varun Dhawan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Huma Qureshi, is slated to hit the screens Feb 22, 2015....

Varun Dhawan-starrer 'Badlapur' to release Feb 20, 2015

Ila Arun's play shows clash of old, new sensibilities

Ila Arun's play shows clash of old, new sensibilities
Actress-singer Ila Arun’s play “Namaste”, staged here, showcases the conflict arising out of the clash between old and new world values, traditions and customs....

Ila Arun's play shows clash of old, new sensibilities

Imam Siddique excited about Bollywood debut

Imam Siddique excited about Bollywood debut
Imam Siddique, best remembered for his appearance in reality show "Bigg Boss 6", is making his Bollywood debut with a film titled...

Imam Siddique excited about Bollywood debut

Pradeep Sarkar to make film on his experiences?

Pradeep Sarkar to make film on his experiences?
After "Mardaani", director Pradeep Sarkar is toying with the idea of making a movie inspired by some of his real life experiences. He says it's half-written as of now...

Pradeep Sarkar to make film on his experiences?

Katrina Kaif's sister to dance to Dr. Cabbie's 'Dal Makhani'

Katrina Kaif's sister to dance to Dr. Cabbie's 'Dal Makhani'
Bollywood actresss Katrina Kaif’s sister Izabelle loves Indian food, specially Dal Makhani. So, the team of Indo-Canadian film production "Dr. Cabbie", in which Vinay Virmani plays the title role, decided to dedicate a full song to the actress.

Katrina Kaif's sister to dance to Dr. Cabbie's 'Dal Makhani'