Chaturanga (film)

Set in Colonial Bengal at the turn of the twentieth century, the film weaves a rich tapestry of crisscrossing desires and moralities. The protagonist Sachish fleets from radical positivism to religious mysticism in his quest for life's meaning. However, his search ultimately yields nothing but crushing disillusionment. This is because he cannot square his abstract ideals with the powerful presences of two women in his life. One of them is Damini, a young Hindu widow, and the other is Nanibala, the abandoned mistress of Sachish's own brother. Sachish tries to convince himself that Nanibala is simply a helpless woman who needs to be 'rescued' by him. Similarly, during his later religious phase, he pretends that the widow Damini is merely an enticement of Nature that must be avoided at all costs for spiritual salvation. Chaturanga thus becomes, after a point, a psychodrama of cruelty. Nanibala becomes a victim of it because as a 'fallen woman' she can only be 'saved', but her humanity cannot be recognized. Damini is first given away by her dying husband, along with all her property, to a religious guru. She then falls in love with Sachish who can accept her only without her sexuality.

• Dhritiman Chaterji ... Uncle
• Rituparna Sengupta ... Damini
• Subrat Dutta ... Shachish
• Joy Sengupta ... Shribilash
• Kabir Suman ... Lilananda
• Trina Nileena Banerjee ... Nanibala

• Screenplay & Direction Suman Mukhopadhyay
• Cinematography Indranil Mukherjee
• Editing Arghakamal Mitra
• Music Debojyoti Mishra
• Playback singers Shafqat Amanat Ali, Kartick Das Baul, Parama Banerjee, Arijit Choudhury
• Production Design Hiran Mitra
• Costume Design Suchismita Dasgupta
• Sound Design Jojo Chaki and Anirban Sengupta (Dream Digital)
• Sound Consultant Sukanta Mazumdar
• Subtitles and Consultant Anustup Basu
• Production Controller Pritam Choudhury
• Executive Producer Mallika Jalan
• Producer Avik Saha, Vishal Jhajharia
• Production Company Campfire Films

The songs, especially those from the Vaishnav tradition, are erotic. The divine is expressed in them through allegorical depictions of the illicit love between Krishna and Radha, who was actually his aunt. There is a radical side to this blend of eroticism and divinity. Radha's love for Krishna is beyond all social norms. It is directly expressed, without the priest or the Brahmin caste coming in between. When devotees sing and rejoice in that form of love, it is thus a popular and democratic process that defies caste divisions.

1. "Allah Ke Nur—Shafqat" — Amaanat Ali & Chorus
2. "Din Thakte Tiner Sadhan" — Kartick Das Baul
3. "Bhajo Patito Udhadharana"— Arijit Chakraborty & Chorus
4. "Hara Gauri Prananath" — Dohar
5. "Esraj" — Instrumental
6. "Hari Haraye Nama" — Monomoy Chakraborty & Chorus
7. "Jagohu Brishobhanu" — Sri Bani Kumar Chatterjee & Chorus
8. "Hese Khele Nao Re Jogu" — Neel Mukherjee & Chorus
9. "Rupo Lagi Aankhi Jhure" — Raghab Chatterjee
10. "Joy Radhe Radhe" — Arijit Chakraborty & Chorus
11. "Moula Tere Bina" — Shafqat Amaanat Ali & Chorus
12. "Nirodo Nayane" — Santa Das
13. "Background Music" — Instrumental
14. "Praner Majhe Sudha (Hum)" — Parama Banerjee
15. "Radha Madhabo" — Kabir Suman & Chorus
16. "Aalo Je Amar Gaan Kore" — Parama Banerjee

• Chaturanga at IMDb
• Official Website