'Aranyer Dinratri' to be adapted again over 50 years after Ray's magic

Sunil Gangopadhyay's classic Aranyer Dinratri will soon be adapted into a new Bengali film, over 50 years after director Satyajit Ray turned the novel into a cult.

The film, to be directed by Arun Roy, will essay the story of four friends and their trip to Palamu in a contemporary setting.

Actor Jeetu Kamal, who earned praises for his portrayal of Ray in Anik Dutta's Aparajito, will play the character of Asim -- one of the four friends.

In the Ray film, released in 1970, legendary actor Soumitra Chatterjee played this character with Sharmila Tagore playing the role of Aparna, whom he meets on the visit to Palamu.

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"Ray turned the novel into a cult film five decades back. Since then, things have changed a lot -- even the lives of the people in Palamu are not the same. The new Aryaner Dinratri will capture these elements, but will not veer away from the narrative penned by Sunil Gangopadhyay," Kamal told PTI.

The shooting for the new film will begin early next year, he said.

"Ray had adapted two Sunil Gangopadhyay novels into films, the other one is Pratidwandi (1970). When I am thinking that I will play the role, earlier portrayed by Soumitra Chatterjee, it gives me goosebumps," he added.

The cast of the film includes Sohini Sarkar and Anuska Chakraborty.

Director Roy, who made movies such as Hiralaal and Aath Baro, said his film Aranyer Dinratri (Days & Nights in Forest) will be an adaptation of the original novel that tells the story of four friends who abandon modern-day lives to go back to the roots.

"Will they find peace? Does that word even exist? The story unfurls gradually. The film will be made in today's perspective and have no links with the Ray classic," he said.

The film will be shot mostly in Jharkhand, and the director is eyeing a release during next year's Durga Puja.

In 2003, director Goutam Ghosh made a sequel of the original Ray classic -- Abar Aranye, having Soumitra Chatterjee, Shubhendu Chatterjee, Saswata Chatterjee, Sharmila Tagore and Tabu among the cast.

It was Ghosh's interpretation of the way the journey of life unfolded for the friends as they met at the same spot after four decades.