Kolkata Book Fair 2026: Bengali Cinema’s Trinity Finds New Readers

At one of the crowded stalls, Shilpasree Das, a young schoolteacher from Andul, was flipping through ‘Bhooter Raja’ by Satyajit Ray. Standing close by was Bijan Santra, 29, immersed in ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’. The book carries the screenplay of the 1970 cult film, adapted from Sunil Gangopadhyay’s novel. This decade, which marks the birth centenaries of Ray, Ghatak and Sen, saw interest in the legends and their books at the recently concluded 49th International Kolkata Book Fair. Visitors across generations were keen not just to read about their films, but also to understand the shared vision, social commitment and influences that shaped their work. Stalls dedicated to Ray and Ghatak saw steady crowds, while exhibitions on the ‘Apu Trilogy’ drew cinephiles and casual readers alike. Special centenary editions of Ray and Ghatak have emerged as consistent bestsellers.

Anil Acharya, Founder of ‘Anustup Publication’, which completed 60 years this year, said young readers in particular are showing a keen interest in books on Ghatak. “The centenary special edition has done very well,” said Acharya, who edited the volume along with guest editors Soumik Bandyopadhyay and Tarun Sen. According to him, the sustained fascination with the Ray-Ghatak-Sen trio stems from the absence of equally influential successors. “After them, there has not been a filmmaker of similar impact. Publicity around Bengali cinema has increased, but the content has largely declined. That is why we keep returning to the golden era and to this holy trinity. Old is gold,” he said.

Author Pracheta Gupta said the three icons are far more than filmmakers for Bengalis. “They shape our imagination and our sense of who we are. With every passing day, they feel more relevant. So, publishers are investing in their work. Their films, biographies and ideas speak about society, politics and life itself,” he said. Gupta also added that Aajkaal Publication’s books on Ray continue to sell steadily. For readers like Shilpasree, Ray’s appeal lies in his artistic sensitivity. “He had a different eye altogether. The way he spoke about social issues through stories hits differently. I am also very interested in his illustrations,” she said. Screenplays of Ray’s iconic films, such as the ‘Apu Trilogy’, ‘Nayak’, ‘Seemabaddha’ and ‘Joi Baba Felunath’ were favourites among many bibliophiles. And it was not just film students or professionals buying them. “We have sold over 5,000 copies of the ‘Apu Trilogy’ screenplay and most buyers are ordinary readers,” said an official from ‘365 Din Publication’. Interestingly, the publisher’s screenplays of recent Bengali films have seen very few takers.

Acharya also noted that Ray and Ghatak appeal across literary levels. Apart from films, both were prolific writers. Ghatak’s work, especially on Partition, continues to strike a chord even today. “His films feel extremely relevant now, especially when discussions around identity and processes like the ‘Special Intensive Revision’ are unfolding in the state,” he said. At ‘Abhijan Publishers’, an entire stall was dedicated to Ghatak. Their new Bengali title, ‘Ritwik Puran’, drew considerable attention. “Our books on ‘Satyajit Sahitya’ and ‘Ritwik Puran’ have done well,” said Swati Talapatra of ‘Abhijan’.

Apart from the trinity, books on Uttam Kumar, Suchitra Sen, Tarun Majumdar, Rituparno Ghosh and Santosh Dutta have also sold well this year. Meanwhile, books written by Anjan Dutta and Anirban Bhattacharya also found many takers. Now, despite the growing buzz around contemporary Bengali cinema, the ground reality at the Kolkata Book Fair suggested that young readers continue to be drawn towards the golden age. And that perhaps leaves Bengali cinema with a question it can no longer ignore.