‘Sankhachil’ inspired by Ritwik Ghatak’s cinema

Drawing inspiration from the partition themed films by Ritwik Ghatak, director Gautam Ghosh will portray the angst of the people living near the Indo-Bangladesh border in his latest movie “Sankhachil”.

Set at a place near the Indo-Bangladesh border the film tells the story of a family whose relatives live on both sides of the barbed wire fencing.

“I was associated with Ritwik Ghatak during his later phase for quite some time and was introduced to his vision that created films on partition. Partition always brought forth the raw wounds inflicted on the psyche of the affected people,” Ghosh said.

“I had heard from him the pain and anguish of the people affected by the partition but never previously sought to portray that angst in my film,” he added.

During a visit to the border, the “Moner Manush” helmer said, he realized how only humans are barred from crossing the man-made boundary but not others.

“Birds of the sky, fishes and dolphins of Ichhamati river, tigers and crocodiles of the Sunderbans. None can bar them from going from one side to the other. It is a history of the humans which we can never do away with.” 

“Sankhachil,” shot in both sides of the border, is Ghosh’s third Indo-Bangla production.

Starring Bengali superstar Prosenjit and Bangladeshi actress Kusum in lead roles, the film will be released on Bengali New Year’s Day (April 14) in India and Bangladesh.

Recalling the frenzied welcome the production team received in Bangladesh, Ghosh said he saw no difference between the people, the landscape, the localities and the food of the two separate nations. About the popularity of Prosenjit in Bangladesh, Ghosh said, “He is immensely popular in Bangladesh. 

I had seen this during ‘Moner Manush’ shoot and found it again. At times we forgot where we were shooting, in West Bengal or Bangaldesh.”

“This shows the relevance and universality of our film where partition comes as the backdrop in the lives of contemporary people who cross over to the other side for sake of living,” he said.

Prosenjit recalled how during the one hour journey from the hotel to the location, he would have to come out of the car at seven-eight places to meet fans.

“At such times the geographical barriers cease to exist. I feel honoured,” said Prosenjit, who is co-producing the movie with a Bangladeshi producer.

“We have also sent the film to Cannes and it will visit several other premier festivals,” he said.