October 19, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Durga Puja has come and gone for the time being and Bengalis residing in the City of Joy are back to work, albeit reluctantly, frequently reminiscing about those four fun filled days of hectic activities all performed with the divine goddess in the background. The slayer of all evil, the epitome of power and goodness is nevertheless not just a divine character who is worshipped from afar No! For most of us, Indians, the Goddess is a part of our family who rejoices with us as we celebrate the annual event with new clothes, festivities and mouth watering dishes. This spectacular event that brings Kolkata to a virtual standstill has been captured in celluloid time and again. Especially during the days when Bengali film makers loomed large borrowing heavily from the rich Bengali literature which was then used to enthrall the audience along the length and breadth of the country. The idiot box does not lag too far behind either! The colorful ritual has been portrayed by many a actor amidst song and dance which might be a trifle exaggeration of facts but has sustained in enlivening the interest of viewers while introducing the people from other parts of India to the spectacular celebrations of the East.

Devdas- The film released with much pomp and fanfare in 2002 and became an instant hit in spite of being the third remake based on the tearjerker novel written by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee. The opulence and grandeur of the film bedazzled the audience and the money spent on the lavish decoration of the old havelis and brothel that housed Chandramukhi, the danseuse with a heart of gold became the talk of the town as did her gem encrusted outfits. But Dola Re Dola , the song and dance routine performed during the Durga Puja festival became the high point of the film showcasing the talents of both the leading ladies, each unique in its own way. The traditional red bordered saree, draped in the very Bengali way enhanced the artistic value appreciably and the dancing duo in front of the goddess became a symbolic gesture for the tussle over the hopelessly alcoholic and romantic hero portrayed admirably by the Badshah of Bollywood.

Tere Liye- The queen of television, Ekta Kapoor, decided to usher in Goddess Durga in a fitting manner this year. Her hugely popular serial airing on Star Plus and set against the backdrop of Bengal saw a host of small screen stars perform, enhancing the TRPs by yet another notch. A huge pandal constructed on protagonist Anurags property looked like a slice of festive Kolkata propped on the screen while the dance performance of another popular Ekta camp bahu, Sakshi Tanwar decidedly lent an air that speaks of faith and divinity, even as Durga Puja celebrations commenced all throughout India according to the Hindu tradition. Mouni Roy, Juhi Parmar, Reshmi Ghosh and Sayantani Ghosh were other prominent faces that regaled the viewers with their performances during the Durga Utsav, thus providing an appropriate platform to the twist that is in the offing.

Parineeta- The festival of Durga Puja is a time of home coming and being united with the near and dear ones. This particular spirit was captured superbly by Pradeep Sarkar in Parineeta, again based on Sarat Chandra Chatterjees novelette of the same name. The tiny details of the ritual namely the Aarti performed by the priest was shot live at a Puja Pandal of South Kolkata while the scene of immersing the deity in the Ganges was again a live coverage of the event at Babughat, one of the most well known places along the side of the river.

Amar Prem- This Shakti Samanta film swept the awards at the Filmfare Awards ceremony, 1971, as people across India sympathized with the hapless courtesan Pushpa who could not express her love for either the protagonist or the small child being bound by the prejudices of the society. The film was a cinematic portrayal of Hinger Kachuri a short story written by noted Bengali novelist Bibhutibhusan Bandopadhyay who incidentally also happened to be the writer of Pather Panchali the classic film by Satyajit Ray. Durga Puja does not really form the backdrop of this musically riveting film yet the picturization of Sharmila Tagores homecoming is depicted superbly by showing the Goddess, signifying the end of a life of sorrow and suffering for the heroine.

Waqt Batayega Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya- The story of this teleserial revolved around a wealthy Zamindar from Bengal and his adopted daughter. The serial aired on Sony TV for a total of six months in 2008 after which it was taken abruptly off air. While the actual storyline was in no way connected to the celebrations during Durga Puja, the festival was depicted in all its glory in order to highlight the wealth and grandeur of an enormously wealthy and powerful individual who rules with an iron fist.

-- Kornika Ganguly / Sampurn Wire