Never thought I could be the subject for a director: Aparna Sen

KOLKATA: For Aparna Sen, revisiting the sets of her iconic films such as ‘Parama’, ‘Goynar Baksho’, ‘36 Chowringhee Lane’ and ‘Paromitar Ekdin’ during the shooting of Suman Ghosh’s documentary ‘Parama – A Journey with Aparna Sen’ was a nostalgic experience.

It also served as a heartwarming reunion with her film collaborators. The documentary, which was screened to a packed audience at Sisir Mancha on Thursday at the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), begins with the middle-aged Violet Stoneham (Jennifer Kendal), the Anglo-Indian teacher from Sen’s debut film ‘36 Chowringhee Lane’ (1981) and fittingly concludes with the same character walking toward her apartment.

The docu encapsulates the multifaceted life of Sen — a woman who initially acted in mainstream Bengali cinema out of necessity but always aspired to direct. She was a ‘natural’ mother, a feminist, and a protester committed to issue-based politics rather than party lines. In this 82-minute portrayal, Ghosh delves into various dimensions of Sen’s life, engaging with her close friends and family, including Konkona Sen Sharma, Kamalini Chatterjee (elder daughter) Shabana Azmi, Rahul Bose, Goutam Ghose and Anjan Dutt. Through their insights, the film offers a deeper understanding of Sen’s personality, her cinema, and the philosophies she embodies.

Reflecting on being the subject of a film, Sen admitted: “I’ve acted and directed but never thought I could be the subject for a filmmaker.” She added: “I’m feeling a bit weird and shy that I’m the subject of a film. It’s like my life is under the microscope. But Suman has done a good job.” Ghosh, who previously directed Sen in ‘Basu Paribar’, believed her life and filmmaking journey deserved to be chronicled and the result is a compelling tribute to a woman whose works continue to inspire.