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The weekend at Chowdiah Memorial Hall was witness to a small congregation of the Bengali community in the City, all upbeat and charged up for a two-day interactive session-cum-film festival — Chalo Lets Go with none other than the multi-faceted Anjan Dutt, the maker of blockbuster like Bong Connection and Chalo Let’s Go, who has tried his hand at everything, from being an actor, director, singer, composer, and lyricist.
The interactive session-cum-festival though open to all, seemed to be targeted only at the Bengali community, as the entire session was held in their native language and people not knowing the language had no clue about what was being interacted. Nevertheless, Metrolife caught up with the director who was more than willing to explain how such sessions are a must for every director.
“It’s rare that a director gets to meet his audience and gets a feedback from them on a personal level. Not only do we get to take care of the loopholes but we also see
the different viewpoints of watching a movie,” he explains, while adding, “through the festival we have tried to put together four movies, two of which are English and
two Bengali movies; which is a good combination of both offbeat and populist films.”
The first day kicked-started with the young and talented Bengali singer, Anupam Roy, crooning three melodious Bengali numbers as a tribute to Anjan Dutt, who has been his inspiration. This was followed by a musical interaction in which Anjan set the stage on fire with his Bengali songs like Bela Bosh and Ranjana, that had the audience singing along with him.
He also read out a series of letters written to him by his Bengali fans across the globe as he answered them in his own unique style — his music. The session was followed by the screening of his, yet to be released, first ever rock musical, Madly Bengalee which marks the entry of young theatre artists into the film world in which Anjan Dutt roped in six leading actors from the theatre group,Tin Can.
The second day saw the screening of Chalo Let’s Go, a film that examines the Bengali psyche and its cynicism, humour, sensitivity, contradictions and above all — the love for travelling and Chowrasta - Crossroads Of Love, an English film set in the picturesque backdrop of Darjeeling, deals with four lives and how they find love amidst their own turbulent times.
Bringing out a perfect balance of art and commercial cinema Anjan Dutt explains, “Indian cinema is yet to come of age and find the middle path, as long as one gives sensible movies it does not matter if it is ‘arty’ or of a ‘populist kind.”