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Much of the Bengali’s mind is colonized by him Satyajit Ray, whose influence on the cultural consciousness of Bengalis is second only to that of Rabindranath Tagore. At the core of Ray’s rich and varied work–spanning the realms of film, books, music, and art–is his optimism and unwavering belief in humanity. But what makes him even more special is his range of work for kids and teens that cater to all age groups.
National award-winning director Sajnik Chatterjee’s feature film debut, Syed Anshuman, based on Ray’s popular children’s story, is a fitting tribute to the legend who would have turned 102 this year.
Originally set in Rajasthan, the story is about the adventures of a boy named Anshuman (Samontak Dyuti Maitra) who travels there to star in a feature film. On the sets, he befriends captain stuntman Krishnan (Som Chattopadhyay) and together they solve the mystery of a stolen jewel. The easy camaraderie the duo share is one of the high points of the film.
Chatterjee’s adaptation, while staying true to the original, unfolds in Darjeeling, a favorite holiday destination of Bengal, with a few tweaks here and there to meet the demands of the screen as well as to give it a contemporary feel. For example, Anshuman is a good cricketer who is technically savvy and well versed in the digital world.
The director knows his audience well – classmates and their parents brought him up on a steady diet of Ray’s books and films. Master Anshuman, which was recently released in West Bengal, keeps things fairly simple with just enough twists along the way to keep interest in the two-hour movie going. Although Chatterjee charted his own path, what helped the director was his deep understanding of the auteur’s style of filmmaking. He worked with Maestro’s son Sandeep Ray for a few years and made a popular documentary called Feluda: 50 Years of Ray’s Detective, based on a fictional character who is very popular in Bengal.
He works with competent actors, some of whom are big names in Bengali theater and television. The over-the-top performance by villain Jaggu (Rajatava Dutt) in a couple of scenes is a deliberate ploy to amuse his young audience in need of some entertainment in the middle of a long summer vacation. The camera does a great job of capturing the scenic beauty of the hill station. The director wrote part of the lyrics and composed the music for the only song that adds to the charm of the movie.
However, nearing the end, the film faltered, especially in the fight scenes where the special effects needed more attention. Professor Anshuman could have taken away a few minutes had the editing been a little tighter. But Ray’s fans will have enough to take him home as Chatterjee packs a big punch in his latest outing.
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