KOLKATA: West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu's film 'Jhora Palok', where he plays the role of acclaimed Bengali poet Jibanananda Das, has been selected at the 21st Dhaka International Film Festival 2023 in 'Cinema of the World' section.
Directed by Sayantan Mukherjee, the Bengali biopic on Jibanananda Das also stars Bangladeshi actress Jaya Ahsan as the poet's wife, Kaushik Sen and Debshankar Haldar. Rahul Banerjee plays the younger version of the poet.
The Education minister said despite his hectic schedule he would make sure he finds time to be present at Dhaka in January. "When Jibanananda Das was penning 'Ruposhi Bangla', at that time Bangladesh Liberation War 1971 didn't happen. But then, in his several writings, Bangladesh's 1971 War of Independence became a major talking point.
Jibanananda Das belongs as much to Bengal as he does to Bangladesh," said Basu.
After 'Jhora Palok' released in June 2022 in Bengal, Basu said the makers were receiving tons of requests on social media to screen the film in Bangladesh. "Personally, I have also been requested to showcase the film in Bangladesh. In fact, Sayantan (the director) and I wanted to shoot some sequences in Bangladesh's Barishal. But that didn't happen. So, when 'Jhora Palok' was selected at the Dhaka International Film Festival, we were elated. Despite my hectic schedule, I will try to attend the festival. I am sure the people of Bangladesh would find their favourite poet Jibanananda Das through the film," said Basu.
The film was also screened at the 27th Kolkata International Film Festival 2022 in the Bengali Panorama Section.
The director follows a non-narrative style in 'Jhora Palok', thus keeping the mystery hovering over the poet's death – whether it was an accident or suicide. He also talks about the poet's psychological alienation, uncertainty over employment and unprecedented literary vitriol that he faced throughout his literary career.
Meanwhile, Jeetu Kamal and Sayani Ghosh-starrer 'Aparajito', a tribute film to Satyajt Ray and Arindam Sil's 'Mahananda' have also been selected at Dhaka International Film Festival 2023.