Documentary on Tagore’s East Bengal roots

DHAKA - A documentary that traces the roots of India’s Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in then East Bengal, now Bangladesh, will be released simultaneously in both countries as part of the poet’s 150th birth anniversary celebration.

“Bangladesh-e Rabindranath: Poth Chawatei Anondo” will be released in Dhaka and Kolkata in December, The Daily Star reported on its website Tuesday.

“Rabindranth’s exposure to East Bengal made him a complete poet, philosopher and a human, rather than an urbane poet of Kolkata,” says Chanchal Khan, noted Bangladeshi singer and director of the film.

The film features places like Shilaidaha, Shahjadpur and Patisar in Bangladesh where the Tagore family had owned properties. He lived there for a long time and created some of his masterpieces.

The film has a musical score by Khan and narrated by Rokeya Prachi. The film derives its strength from the research by Ahmed Rafique, an expert on Tagore.

The documentary will have “historical, archival and educational value, especially for those who have little or no knowledge of Rabindranath’s enormous contribution to music, literature and rural development whilst in Bangladesh 1890-1937,” says Khan.

It was filmed by cinematographer Janesar Osman in locations where Tagore had spent ample time.

Elements of the documentary includes nine songs by seasoned and upcoming singers. The songs were composed by Tagore while he was in Shilaidaha, Shahjadpur and Patisar.

The film also provides glimpses of a play based on one of his short stories and interviews of noted personalities.

Bhaswar Bandopadhyay and Dahlia Ahmed’s narration, as well as Asaduzzaman Noor’s recitation of “Sonar Tari” make the documentary special.

Khan said he hopes to have the documentary subtitled in English for non-Bengali viewers.