Ray's child prodigy Bonkubabu turns screen protestor

In a tribute to Bengali literature, leading luminaries come alive on screen in 'Bonkubabu', casting Bob Biswas Saswata Chatterjee in the lead role as the first mainstream, 'masala' film having literary contents.
"Bengali films had often been inspired by writings of well known litterateurs in past and created a healthy precedent all over the country. My principal lead Bonkubabu aka Bankimchandra has Saratchandra, Manikbabu, Bibhutibhusan for company in the senior citizen group of the locality," director Anindya Bikas Dutta told PTI on the sets of the film.
Despite sharing the same name as with a Satyajit Ray classic 'Bonkubabu'r Bondhu' on aliens, the film's storyline has no referfence of the child prodigy's communion with the other constellation as Bonkubabu here turns into a veteran social crusador, the director said.

"In the present age of Chhota Bheem, our children are losing track with the epics. They are adrift from Hastinapur's Bhim in the Mahabharata and for that the epic has to be brought back on the telly to revive their interest.
"This prompted me to weave the literary fragrance with the main story of a senior citizen who has not lost the zest for living," the megahit teleserial 'Ek Akasher Niche' maker said.
On Casting Saswata Chatterjee as the 70 something Bonkubabu in the lead, the film maker said, "I had only Apuda's (As Saswata is known in fraternity) face in mind when the character was shaping up."

"With the expert touch of Bollywood's make up artiste Dhananjoy, there is a total change-over in my looks but it takes more than two hours for the mask to be peeled off every day after the shoot. Whenever I wear the make-up, sure it helps me to get into the skin of it," Saswata said.

Two best buddies in Tollywood - Saswata and Rajatabho Dutta (Vishawl Bharadwaj's Kaaminey fame) - turn up as father Bonkubaba and his elder son in the movie.
Saswata said, "We were surprised when the director made the suggestion at first. But knowing each other for years and sharing frames I guess an actor has to etch out different kinds of roles, roles of contrasting layers and shades."

Dubbing the film as a mainstream comedy flick, female lead Arunima Ghosh, the 'Nayika Sangbad' actor, said, "It brings back the traditional story telling pattern invoking the golden phase of mainstream Bengali cinema. However, there are contemporary references like recent attack on women."
"We are not trying to be preachy, but the film, as form of sub-text, shows how the present day youngsters mostly turn spectators confronted with the sight of a woman being abused or brutalised in public place and veterans like Bonkubabu rise up in protest," Arunima said.
Bonkubabu, produced by Asthami Films, will be released by middle of this year.