National Treasure

Rituparno Ghosh is not a new name in the National Awards list,but winning the National Award for best director for Abohomaan will surely make him feel vindicated.

With awards for the best director and the best actress,Riturapno Ghoshs moody relationship drama Abohomaan is the big winner at the National Awards this year

Rituparno Ghosh is not a new name in the National Awards list,but winning the National Award for best director for Abohomaan will surely make him feel vindicated. The film which was denied a release months after it was completed ,saw the light of the day earlier this year and didn’t really set the box office on fire. It did create a small controversy of sorts because many felt that the plot had an uncanny similarity to the rumoured affair between Bengal’s most respected director and his muse. Ghosh,however,denied that and claimed that the film is very close to his heart. It’s a much more layered take on relationships than my last film,Sob Choritro Kalponik, he said.

Indeed,it was. Soaked in memories,adorned with convincing performances by Ananya Chatterjee,Deepankar De and Mamata Shankar,Abohomaan was a very restrained take on extra marital affair. It stopped short of being judgmental and didn’t dwell in the abstracts like Sob Choritro Kalponik. In other words,it marked Ghosh’s return to form.

Which is why the films two big wins this year shouldn’t be a surprise. Ananya Chatterjee’s best actress award,especially,was well-deserved one. Playing a little-known starlet who gains the affection of a legendary director by staging a stunt,Ananya more than lived her part. It’s my first lead role and I got an opportunity to work with Rituparno Ghosh. What more could I ask for, said Chatterjee. Interestingly,the Chatterjee-Ghosh win brings to the mind the trend of Rituparno Ghosh leading ladies winning National Awards for his film. The list includes names like Debashree Roy (Unishe April),Rituparna Sengupta and Indrani Haldar (Dahan) and Kirron Kher (Bariwali).

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